Symeon Stylites

ON ST. SYMEON STYLITES

ON THE WONDERFUL MOUNTAIN NEAR ANTIOCH OF SYRIA

IN THE YEAR DXCVI.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY OF CONRAD JANNINGH S. J.

Simeon the Younger Stylite, near Antioch of Syria (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR C. J.

§. I. The diversity, surnames, and cult of three Stylites of the same name.

The Triodion of the Greeks, the use of which in their churches is from the Sunday of Septuagesima until the octave of Pentecost, in the Canon of the VI Feria before the Sunday of Quinquagesima, when is made the Memory of all the holy and God-bearing Fathers, renowned among the Greeks also in the Triodion, who in monastic exercise singularly shone forth, Μνήμη τῶν ὁσίων καὶ θεοφόρων Πατέρων, τῶν ἐν ἀσκήσει λαμψάντων; sets forth the more renowned of them to be praised one by one and in alphabetical order, through a Canon quite long. But in the VI Ode of this Canon, Strophe III (which Baronius also mentions at the year 842 number 27) four Symeons are thus commemorated: Οὐρανὸς τετραφώστερος ἐφάνη ἐν γῇ, ἡ δίς δύο ἅυτη Συμεώνιος ὁμονυμία, ὁι ἐν τοῖς στύλοις τρεῖς εἶσι, καὶ εἷς ὁ Σαλός. This homonymy of twice two Symeons, each is venerated on different days, appeared on earth like a heaven distinguished by four luminaries: of whom three lived on columns, one is called Salus. The last is venerated on the day 1 of July, when we shall give his admirable Life: of the Stylites two are most notable, even among the Muscovites and as many others as use the Greek rites; the Elder, on V January among the Latins, among the Greeks 1 September; the younger, unknown to the Latin Calendars until the renewal of the Martyrology made by Baronius, has a most celebrated festivity in the whole East on this day XXIV of May, on what ground I know not referred by the same Baronius to III September, holding this to be that one whom on the very Kalends the Greeks celebrate. The third of the Stylites, with the titles of Presbyter and Archimandrite, is hitherto known to us almost by name alone: for it is not sufficiently established that he is the one who lived in Cilicia, and died struck by lightning, praised by John Moschus in the Spiritual Meadow: of whom we shall endeavor to say something on the day XXVII of July, when the Greeks recall his memory.

[2] The same distinction of at least three Symeons was so known through the East, that it pertained even to the Copts or Egyptian Christians: which appears from their Calendars, brought to light by John Selden, likewise among the Copts and Syrians. book 3 On the Sanhedrins of the Hebrews chapter 15, one of which he praises as to be found with him at the end of the Gospels, very beautifully written in Arabic in Egypt, in the year of the Martyrs MII, that is of Christ MCCLXXXVI. Now thus they are there referred, on the IV of the month Thoth or 1 September of Symeon derenti, the reason of which surname does not easily appear; on the XXIX of the month Bachnes or XXIV May, of holy Symeon the Great; on the III of the month Musre, that is XXVII July, of Symeon the Stylite. The same on the same days are reviewed also in the Syriac Calendar, which to our Fathers Henschen and Papebroch, at Rome in the Maronite College, D. Joseph, an alumnus of the same College, dictated in Latin, in this manner: The death of St. Symeon the first of the Stylites. Of St. Symeon… Of St. Symeon the Stylite. And in almost the same manner, points also being noted at the second, in place of some word wanting and worn away by use, they are found in Selden, in the same place as above, in another Calendar which Mahumed Achmed Calcasendius composed on the feasts of the Copts, where the names are read thus. On 1 September of Symeon the Stylite, on XXII for XXIV May the Feast of Symeon, on XXVII July the Feast of Symeon the Stylite: nay also at XIV September is added, unknown to all the others, the Feast of Symeon the Stylite; and Selden with his own hand subjoined, "Of the other or the Younger"; how rightly, let him have seen. In the Arabo-Egyptian Martyrology, which for the same Fathers Gratia Simonius interpreted, then an alumnus of the same College now Archbishop of Tripoli in Syria, there is found only the Memory of the holy Father Simeon the Miraculous inscribed at XXIV May.

[3] Leo Allatius, in the Diatribe on the writings of the Symeons most excellently deserving of the Symeons, treating of the Younger, says, the The first is surnamed "in the Sheepfold," more recent Greeks, that they may distinguish the first from this second, call the first Symeon τὸν ἐν τῇ μάνδρᾳ, the second this one τὸν ἐν τη θαυμαστῷ ὄρει: certainly from the place in which each ended the last day of life, each on his own column; the first farther from Antioch, between this and Aleppo, as is witness one who but lately saw the column, Friar Antonius Gonzales the Minorite: the Second not far from the suburb of Daphne, on a mountain which we shall describe at more length below. Of the first our Bollandus has abundantly treated in January, and gave the reason of the aforesaid surname to be understood from an author not a little more ancient, Evagrius, his words being alleged, distributing the years of his life so, that he is said to have spent ἐν ἀυτῇ καλουμένῃ Μάνδρᾳ ἕπτα καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη, in that which is called the Sheepfold forty-seven years, namely the last of his life, and that upon various columns successively, erected within the same Sheepfold, as is understood from the Life written by Antonius his disciple. Now the Sheepfold (Mandra), in its first and original signification, is a place enclosed round with a stone wall, such as in the fields of Syria the shepherds were wont to make for themselves, and within it to gather their flocks by night, where they might be safe from wolves and thieves. Such, and no other, was the Sheepfold, which gave the name to the first Symeon; inasmuch as he is known to have had no disciples except one ministering to him, Antonius; and only to this end he drew around the place which his column occupied a wall, that a promiscuous access might not be given to him even to women: but to this was joined another sheepfold, within which the pilgrims and guests might receive themselves, until they were admitted to the Saint.

[4] For the rest, because little by little the use prevailed, that the monasteries of Monks should be called Sheepfolds (Mandrae), and the Prefects of these Archimandrites; hence it came to pass, that the Elder Symeon, who already was everywhere surnamed Symeon in the Sheepfold, whence the more recent feigned an Archimandrite, in the printed Rituals of the Greeks is called Archimandrite,

beyond the credit of the whole history. Less far did the Author of the Clermont Synaxarium go astray, yet he erred, ending his eulogy thus, ἐκ γοῦν τοῦ ὁικῆσαι τῇ λαύρᾳ τῇ ἐπονομαζομένῃ Μάνδρᾳ, λέγεται Συμεὼν ὁ τῆη Μάνδρας· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἐις διαφόρους στύλους ἀναχθῆναι, καλεῖται Συμεὼν Στυλίτης: From the fact that he dwelt in the monastery, which was called Mandra, he is called Symeon in the Mandra: but from the fact that he ascended divers Styles, that is columns, he is named Symeon Stylites. For although, by the testimony of Evagrius, in the monastery, in which he first learned the divine precepts of living, he lived nine years; yet this monastery was not called by the proper name Mandra, but of Timothy; nor was it congruous, that from the place which he had inhabited almost a boy, he should obtain a name after death. which more truly could have been called the second. Yet it could be that not only upon those columns, which he had successively left, others ascended long after; but also, although the body was at Antioch, yet several others gathered there, partly Stylites, partly Cenobites, made an ample and famous Mandra: to which because there was a concourse from everywhere of pilgrims, desiring to see there the renowned column of Symeon, it prevailed among the more recent, that whose column stood in the Mandra, him also they should surname "in the Mandra." These things, less explained there by Bollandus, it pleased to deduce here.

[5] The second Symeon could be truly and properly called Archimandrite: for not only was his column enclosed within a sheepfold, as the Elder's, as it is said in the Life of his Mother number 32 to have appeared from the open-air part of the sheepfold, in which the column was; but the same sheepfold is understood to have had parts not open-air, but covered after the manner of a monastic cloister, with the cells of monks running round, unless he had been more known by the name of Thaumastorites. which had a prospect into the impluvium and onto the column, just as even today it may be seen, I remember to have heard from those who, returned from Jerusalem, said that they had also been at Antioch. And this is the monastery, of which in the Life of the Saint number 168; where also is made mention of a lower monastery, placed I believe at the foot of the mountain, for receiving guests and other comers, as is to be seen in Italy a monastery placed at the foot of the mountain and hermitage of Camaldoli. But in both places the Saint had a great number of disciples, to whom he had also prescribed a rule of living, the observance of which when about to die he commended. This Symeon therefore was truly an Archimandrite. Yet there was no need to call him by such a title, who already had from all memory a more known nomenclature τοῦ ἐν τῷ θαυμαστῷ ὄρει, whence by a compound name Allatius calls him Thaumastorites. To his cult the old Menologium of Grottaferrata, collected by the command of the Emperor Basil, and from it received and lately printed the Horologium of the Basilian rite, ascribes XXIII May by an anticipation of one day, sufficiently frequently observed by us in that Menologium, being uncertain whether it should be imputed to the collector, or only to the writer. All the other Menaea and Synaxaria both manuscript and printed, adhere to the day noted by the Author of the Life, which is this XXIV May, when also the Menaea, which is otherwise rare, so perform the whole Office of this Saint, that they do not add even a commemoration of any other.

[6] The Author of the Office and Canon seems to have been St. Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople: for indeed to his name is ascribed a Troparion, after the Similars at the Gloria, which is such: Εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν συμβολικῶς τὸ θαυμαστὸν ἀνελθὼν, His Office composed by St. Germanus of Constantinople. καὶ την σεπτὴν κιβωτὸν ὡς ἄδυτον εἰσελθὼν. πράξιν ἀρίστην καὶ ἐπὶβασιν θεωριῶν ἐπεδείξω, τῇ μὲν βίον λαμπρυνας, δεσμοῖς σιδηροῖς ὡς ὡρμίσκοις χρυσοῖς κοσμούμενος τῇδε Θεὸν ὁρῶν τε καὶ ὁρώμενος, καὶ μόνος μόνῳ προσλαλῶν· ὃν ἱκέτευε, σεβάσμιε Συμεὼν, ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν. The Author seems to have looked to the Noachic ark, resting on the highest mountains of Armenia, as we read in Genesis VIII. The words themselves I thus render into Latin: Ascending into a high mountain, symbolically the wonderful one, and entering the venerable ark as a sacred shrine, you showed yourself to have attained the best operation and the sublime grade of divine contemplations: here indeed adorning your body with iron chains, as with golden necklaces; there beholding God and beheld by him, while alone you spoke to the Alone; whom for our souls you would beseech, we pray, venerable Simeon. To the eulogy is prefixed a distich of this kind:

Θαυμαστὸν ᾤκει πρὶν Συμεὼν γῆς ὄρος, Πόλου δὲ πανθαύμαστον οἴκει νῦν ὄρος.

Whereby it is indicated, that he who on earth inhabited the wonderful mountain, now inhabits the most wonderful mountain of heaven: and in this sense also the metrical Ephemeris,

Εἰκάδι ἡ δὲ τετάρτη ὄρους Συμεὼν ἤμειψε On the twenty-fourth Symeon changed his mountains.

Finally a Gospel is prescribed apt to the argument from Matthew V, You are the light of the world: a city cannot be hid set upon a mountain etc.

[7] The same second or Younger Symeon, was also a Presbyter, as is known from chapter 19 of the Life: yet no scruple is born to me hence concerning the third, Of the third a fuller notice is wanting, who was not only equally as that one a Presbyter, but was specially called Archimandrite. For although another also was such, yet commonly he was called otherwise. But that it in no way hindered to be at the same time a Stylite and an Archimandrite, is plain from the Life of the second: whom also from the same we understand not to have so persisted on his column, but that he often descended from it, not only to the disciples within the sheepfold, but also to visit the lower monastery. And perhaps that station on the column was interrupted by certain intervals of common conversation. But this was also necessary for him who was a Presbyter, that he might be able to celebrate the divine mysteries, just as we read that this St. Symeon of whom we treat did on the anniversary of his mother, in the life of this holy woman number 71. Now the Life of that third Stylite Symeon can more easily be wished for than hoped. For as to the Greco-Muscovite Ephemerides our Father Papebroch on the day XXI of July, after he treated of St. Symeon Salus, indicates that he found the Life of a certain St. Symeon the Younger, Hegumen of St. Mamas in Xeracercus (more rightly Xerocercus) of whom he doubted whether he could be referred among the Saints, and that to the before-mentioned XXVI July; Symeon Hegumen of St. Mamas in Xerocercus this he wished here to be retracted by me in his name, after he read what of his unsound faith Leo Allatius most accurately collects page 137. For he demonstrates here, that from his writings chiefly was propagated among the Greek monks the heresy of the Omphalopsychi concerning the Light of Tabor; which afterward Gregory Palamas and other followers, the name of the Master being concealed, most pertinaciously defended and widely disseminated; and that the greater authority might be conciliated to it, that Life was written, and feigned miracles subjoined to it. But since Palamas flourished about the middle of the XIV century, it does not become credible that the Menaea treat of one so recent. he was a heretic, not a Saint. But if the Life itself were now at hand, then once inspected with a light eye and only as far as the title, perhaps it would show this Symeon of whatever kind and of whatever faith dead on quite another day, and would prove that he never lived on a column. It remains therefore that the things here retracted be deleted there. Moreover the Diatribe of Allatius on the writings of the Symeons was published four years after our Fathers at Paris had conferred concerning that life with Combefis, whence no wonder if he then answered them nothing certain concerning the orthodox faith of the Hegumen of Xerocercus, and the doctrine of the little works described together with the Life.

§. II. On the Wonderful Mountain, on which St. Symeon the Younger lived.

[8] Holy Symeon, of whom we treat, the Younger Stylite, first brought into light, Antioch, Born at Antioch he lived chiefly on the Wonderful mountain. a most renowned city of Syria, received, and soon transferred him to a neighboring mountain. Thence he betook himself to the Wonderful Mountain, which was so called as the chief arena of the holy man, not (as a certain one suspects) before his coming to it, whence the name had been communicated to it; but from his very unheard-of and quite wonderful works; as the Prologue of the Life which we give soon indicates: nay from the nod of God himself, just as in number 79 it is expressly narrated. Since therefore in its course frequent mention is made not only of that Wonderful Mountain, but also of Antioch, and Daphne; it will not be idle, to relate here again the whole description of these places, elegant indeed and accurate, from John Phocas, who in the year MCLXXXV having traveled there narrates what he saw (although already published before the second volume of this month); that the Reader may have at hand, as it were delineated, the whole site of the place in which we are. Thus he says number XI.

[9] There stood then, when it existed, on the Orontes Antioch Theopolis, by the size of its theatres, Description of the city and neighboring places, the splendors of its porticoes, the structures of its temples, likewise the multitude of citizens and the magnificence of riches proud and swelling, and widely surpassed almost the rest of the eastern cities. But time and barbarian force exhausted its happiness: although it is still conspicuous, both by the height of its towers, and the strength of its bulwarks, and the every-kind fertility of meadows and flowers, and the hissings of the waters dividing themselves into several parts; while the river placidly flows around the city and girds it, and with soft touch embraces its towers. Besides it is excellently watered by the streams of the Castalian fount; whose waters are driven like torrents, and by the frequent channels of furrows pour over the whole city, and besprinkle it with their flowings; by the multitude of workmen and the magnificence of the founder the waters being conducted from those founts through the mountains to the very city. Here is the suburb of Daphne, spread by fame through the world, adorned with tall trees of every kind; and there is a mountain most noble, which the wonderful Symeon adapted for a habitation.

[10] Bordering on these is Mount Maurus and the Crag, in which anciently many men most devoted to God, seeking him found him, and to these times endure, and allured by the beauty of the praised mountains, inhabit the woods. The Castalian fount springing forth between two hills, from the lowest part of that which runs forth into the sea, vomits forth certain remarkable waters; in which a very great portico rises, vaulting over the course of the fount. Hence the waters leaping forth abundantly, are divided into two streams. One part of them through very high conduits, derived as it were by furrows, like an aerial river, from the right and upper part flows into the city; the other overflowing the level places on the left of the fount, stagnates over the marshes, and bedews all the meadows of Daphne, at last is mingled with the light flowings of the Orontes. But the wonderful Mountain, likewise the Wonderful mountain and the monastery. raised between the city and the sea, an excellent and remarkable thing and a delight to the eyes of those approaching, is beheld: for bordering on the city and on Rhosus, on each side it is constrained by the mountains the Crag and Caucasus. The river Orontes with innumerable whirlpools of its windings flows at the foot of the mountain, and sends its waters into the sea.

[11] On the top of this mountain that great Man,

leading life tranquilly and disposing ascensions in his heart, is lifted up sublime in body; and with the body itself strives to become ethereal, and to be midway between God and men. But by what reason this thing worthy of admiration befell the man devoted to God, I myself will tell. By the labor of stonecutters, the summit of the Wonderful Mountain being deeply excavated, he built a monastery out of one and the same stone of nature, in the midst of which he caused a natural column to be cut out, and on it set his footsteps, planting, as the sacred eloquences sound, his feet upon a rock. Ps. 29, 3. But toward the rising sun, he raised a temple most beautiful to God, into which he called together the disciples: and so himself dwelling under the open sky, they standing all night in the temple, as became Saints, offered the due cult to God.

[12] Thus far most beautifully John Phocas. In which yet toward the end a few little things, from the version of Allatius, which we also gave entire in the place assigned, somewhat obscure, here compared with the Greek text, I have made clearer. For what does that mean: "On the column he painted steps," where in Greek is ἐν κίονι τὰς βάσεις ἔθετο? More rightly and more accommodated to the present argument you will interpret: "On the column he set his footsteps or feet." For the Writer wishes to intimate, that Symeon ascended the column; and standing on it under the open sky praised God.

[13] Thus therefore conceive the site of the mountain. Not very far from Antioch, founded on the river Orontes, toward the North the city Rhosus lies adjacent to the sea: between both the land, The site of the mountain is more clearly set forth, running forth a good way into the sea toward the West, at its extremity contains Seleucia, distant CXXX stadia from Antioch; so that those three cities somewhat represent a triangular form, distant almost by an equal space between themselves. Hence the mountain, which is said to join Antioch and Rhosus, includes Seleucia and separates it from the rest of the continent. And so it is rightly placed raised between the city of Antioch and the sea: which very thing also can be established from the life number 77. Now this mountain has two others opposite; of which one which is called the Crag, meets midway the road of one going from Seleucia to Rhosus, overhanging the sea; and from this city, I believe, the Crag is called Rhosic: the other, to which the name Caucasus fell, to be on the adverse part of the Wonderful Mountain, namely the Eastern, seems to be established from the narration. But if any other less noble hills or mountains, as is wont to happen and is also revealed in the Life, were round about; this one is to be said to have stood out among all: since the named Crag and Caucasus are added as it were for appendages, nor is the name of any of the others, except Maurus, found delivered to memory either here, or in the Life, perhaps, nor elsewhere.

[14] And indeed, what the author calls from afar a delight to the eyes of those approaching, and the pleasantness of the place is commended. it must be that the place was not unpleasant; although in the Life number 92, it is called Deserted and uncultivated, not furnished with water, roof, or other thing necessary to life. For it could have merited commendation by its very sterility and ruggedness, by which it more pleasantly affected eyes accustomed to the green and smiling meadows around. It could also be praised, that thence the prospect was most pleasant. For whether (which to Saints is the most delightful of all delights) it pleases to raise the countenances erect to heaven, here it is beheld more spaciously and more brightly, intercepted by no unpleasant vapors of the smoking earth: or whether it delights to contemplate earthly things, thence to ascend more securely to the meditation of the heavenly; where, I pray, is an ampler field of earthly pleasures and a more fertile field of holy cogitations? The cities especially subject, Antioch and Seleucia, most memorable and beautiful, what do they not represent? Hence the Crag, pleasant by its ruggedness; thence Daphne, celebrated in the Writings of all, as it deserved, how much do they recreate! Near, under the very mountain, the Orontes sports with various meanders and windings: far off lies open the most spacious and to the eyes interminable sea; there lies open likewise the divers face of the earth, here raised into hills, there depressed into valleys, elsewhere parched, elsewhere planted. What therefore is wanting, that this mountain should be called a delight?

§. III. On the age of St. Symeon the Younger.

[15] Two things hitherto exceedingly obscure, which pertain to the distinction of the Symeons Stylites, The year of Symeon's birth, and which to the Wonderful Mountain, long known almost by name alone, being prosecuted; a not a little graver difficulty presses, of defining the certain time, if it be possible, in which the Younger Symeon was born and died. It was not possible to find any author, who would affirm anything more determinately, than that Symeon was in the times of Justin the Elder. Nay neither does the life, which we subjoin, set a determined day or year of his birth or death; yet it suggests certain things here and there, from which more certain things can be defined. For soon number 10 it is had, to be defined from the earthquake which at Antioch was double: that Symeon was five years old, when a grave earthquake shook Antioch, by which his house also among others was overthrown, and his father, wrapped in the ruins, perished. It would here be determined, if Antioch had been happier, shaken by less frequent earthquakes. Of two the authors Evagrius and Theophanes make mention, which about the same time, an interval of thirty months not more being interposed, prevailed.

[16] The former Evagrius thus describes book IV chapter V: In the same times of Justin frequent and grave conflagrations befell Antioch, which were as it were the leaders of the terrific earthquakes, there afterward consequent, and preluded the calamities to come. the former described by Evagrius, For a short time after, in the seventh year of the reign of Justin and the tenth month; in the month Artemisius or May, on its twenty-ninth day, at the very noon of the sixth feria, as it is called, of the week; a shock and motion of the earth, invading the city, subverted almost the whole utterly. After these there succeeded also fire, and shared the calamity as it were with them. For what places the shaking and motion had spared, those the fire feeding around reduced to ashes and cinders. But what parts of the city fell, how many men perished by the flames and motions, as is more like the truth, what wonderful things also greater than all faculty of speaking befell, John the Rhetor has prosecuted in a mournful oration, here concluding his History. But Euphrasius also intercepted by the ruins, ended his life: and by his death increased the public calamity, no one now surviving who might suggest profitable things. Theophanes adds: All the houses and churches also fell, and Theophanes, and all the beauty of the city was destroyed: but neither did such a calamity in any other ages befall in any city. But the most pious Emperor Justin, the matter being known, struck with immense grief of mind, the ornament of his head taken off and the purple laid aside, mourned several days clad in sackcloth; so that even on a festive day proceeding into the temple, he refused to wear crown or chlamys: but so in simple habit with only a purple mandya proceeded, and before the whole Senate groaned, and all the rest clad in mournful garments mourned together with him. These things they concerning the former Antiochene earthquake.

[17] But before we proceed to the other; I would have the Reader admonished, that we so correct that place of Evagrius, "In the seventh year, the tenth month of the reign of Justin" (which made Baronius err, and he is convicted of the error by Valesius in the Annotations here) by inserting the conjunction "and," "In the seventh year and the tenth month of the reign of Justin"; that namely it be established that this earthquake, as it ought, happened in the eighth year of the reign verging to its end, it happened in the year 526: which refers the year of the common Era DXXVI, when the Dominical letter D made the day XXIX May coincide with the VI Feria of the week. But that it was so also written by Evagrius, the most express mention of the time, elapsed between each earthquake, persuades, which, he says, was of thirty months; which time if you add to the day XXIX of the month May, of the said common era year DXXVI; there will arise the year of the same era DXXVIII, the month November, the day XXIX; on which precisely that the later earthquake raged, from Theophanes and others it manifestly is established. Nor is it credible, that the author, who so accurately observed every minutest thing, that he even expressed the hour and point of time, in which the motion began; should have erred by a whole year, especially since he could scarcely pass over the distinct time of the second motion, determined by Theophanes far later. Add, if this also has any moment, the very words of the author, in almost the same period using a different form of speaking; where yet the same things are meant to be signified. So he says: Ἐν τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει τῆς Ἰουστίνου βασιλείας, μηνὶ δεκάτῳ · ανὰ τὸν Ἀρτεμίσιον μῆνα ἤτοι Μάἳον, ἐννάτῃ καὶ ἐικοστῇ ἀυτοῦ ἡμέρᾳ. In the seventh year of the reign of Justin, in the tenth month: in the month Artemisius or May, on its twenty-ninth day. Why, if he wishes the tenth month of the seventh year to be understood, just as he understands the twenty-ninth day of the month Artemisius or May; why, I say, does he not in both places speak uniformly? In the second place he indicates the day of the month expressly by the relative ἀυτοῦ "of it," but not likewise in the first the month of the year; no mention here of relation. He wished therefore to signify not the tenth month of the seventh year, but above it; which that it might be clearer and might not lead anyone afterward into error, it seemed good to add the particle καὶ, "and," although scarcely necessary, the sense which we have indicated standing even without it.

[18] But let us return whence we digressed. The calamity of the later motion Theophanes thus narrates in the year II of Justinian, which is DXXVIII of the common era: In the same year on the twenty-ninth day of the month November, at the third hour of the day, on the fourth feria, the later in the year 528. in the seventh Indiction, two years after the former disaster, Antioch the great city again suffered the damage of a plague inflicted from heaven. For an immense earthquake was made through one hour, and a horrible bellowing was heard altogether from heaven: all the buildings also and walls were leveled to the ground; and those old substructions which had stood firm in the former earthquake, those now utterly overturned: lastly whatever of beauty and ornament had been procured for the city both by the liberality of the Emperors, and by the private expenses of the citizens, all that was then cast down to the earth. These things being perceived the neighboring cities were poured forth into mourning and public supplications. By that disaster four thousand eight hundred and seventy men perished. These things Theophanes, Evagrius mentioning nothing else; than that thirty months being elapsed, the city was again shaken by other motions. Procopius makes no mention at all of this second motion: of the former he relates only these things book II chapter XIV on the Persian war: When Justin reigned over the Romans, the whole city being shaken by a very great earthquake, very many and most illustrious buildings suddenly fell: and fame holds, that there perished at that time three hundred thousand of the people of Antioch.

[19] The determined time of each earthquake being now set, of the one in the eighth year of Justin going out, of the common era DXXVI, on the twenty-ninth day of May; of the other in the second year of Justinian, of the common era DXXVIII, on the twenty-ninth day of November; it remains to be investigated, to which especially befits that motion, which, our Symeon being already five years old, shook Antioch. Thus I determine. Since the author of the Life mentions only one motion about that time, that he mentions that,

which was most mournful, which by various events more memorable, which by fame spread more widely was known to more. For such things are wont especially to be recorded by Writers, especially when they desire it expressed that something happened at a certain time; passing over the more obscure and less known, lest they should wish to have confounded rather than illustrated something unknown, by another equally unknown or not much more known thing. Why therefore should we not refer the five-year-old age of Symeon to the former earthquake? Certainly, if we believe Theophanes, never did such a calamity in any other ages befall in any city. which was more known and more memorable, What sadder or more memorable, than that in the subverted city three hundred thousand of men perished, that a venerable Bishop increased the public calamity by his death, that a most August Emperor mourned in an unusual and unheard-of manner? Nothing of this kind is read to have happened in the second motion: nay its memory among the authors, who approach nearer to those times, is scarcely any, as we have seen, Theophanes alone describing the matter more mournfully.

[20] From the same author yet it will help to have noted this also, that treating of the former motion, he says it held for one year; of the second, for only one hour. But if this can be less solidly proved, other authors not suffraging; it will certainly hold, that the former lasted a longer space, the latter a briefer. But the motion, of which is treated in the Life, and longer-lasting. could not be completed in the interval of one hour, since Symeon first gave himself to prayer in the temple of the Proto-martyr, afterward the houses falling everywhere, snatched himself thence, at last having gone out of the city wandered around, doubtless to return if the motion had ceased; but it persevering, finally was found by a known woman and led off into a mountain, very near the city, and there remained seven days. But, I think, if the end of the motions had been sooner, he either would have sought again of himself the paternal home, or would have to be restored through the woman to his mother, bearing most grievously the desire of her son especially in this state of things. Born in the year 521, died in 596, Let therefore this be the fifth year of Symeon, the five hundred and twenty-sixth of the common era: and it will be manifest, that his birth fell in the year DXXI; but his death, since he died in the LXXV year of his age, in DXCVI.

[21] He lived therefore under five continuous Emperors, Justin the elder, Justinian, Justin the Younger, Tiberius II, he lived under 5 Emperors for 75 years. and lastly under Maurice; born in the IV year of the first, dead in the fifteenth of the last, on the twenty-fourth day of the month May. But the interval of these terms comprehends LXXV years, which that Symeon so fulfilled is established from the life. Five years he spent in the paternal home until the earthquake, hence one was elapsed on the mountain and in the first rudiments of the monastic life, before he was admitted to the column. On this humbler, and rather a base than a column, under the eyes of John six years, on the second, eminent XL feet, VIII were passed. And so he was XX years old, as the life expressly mentions number 72, when thence he migrated to the Wonderful Mountain: where he spent the remaining time of his life, X years on the rock under the open sky, XLV until his death persisting on the column. With these agree the Menaea, and Synaxaria, if you except one place, where to him standing on the column of XL feet they attribute XVIII years for VIII, by an easy error as you see: to which consequently adhering they make the whole time of his life increase to LXXXV years: which others after others successively transcribed.

§. IV. On the Writings of St. Symeon the Younger.

[22] Leo Allatius, most excellently deserving of the Symeons, in the Diatribe on their writings, reviews certain things of this our one also: of which since there is no mention anywhere in the Life, it will help here to enumerate them from the said Author, not obvious to all, He wrote on Images, as excellent monuments of the man both of authority with Princes, and of zeal for the Church, and of piety toward the Heavenly ones. First therefore that he wrote on Images, is established from John Damascene, who in Oration 3 on Images, recites a part thence, with this indication of the author, "Of the great Symeon, of the wonderful mountain, on Images." Secondly that he sharpened his pen against heretics, is drawn from the Bibliotheca of Photius Codex CCXXXI, where St. Sophronius Patriarch of Jerusalem in the Synodical epistle, sent to Honorius the Roman Pope (not the Emperor, as wrongly the Interpreter puts, inasmuch as he died more than two hundred years before), gathering the testimonies of the Fathers; to prove a double operation in Christ, mentions also this our Symeon, as it seems, with praise. So Photius writes in the place assigned: Also Symonius, monk and Presbyter. But the testimony, which acknowledges Symeon a holy author, is taken from his epistle, given to the Emperor Justinian, which also fights against the Nestorians and Eutychians. But Justinian himself, the pious Emperor, in those things which he wrote to Zoilus Patriarch of Alexandria, named this epistle a Treasure.

[23] Thirdly his fifth Epistle is recited, to Justin the Younger or rather the Emperor Justinian, in the general Synod VII, The Epistle rather to Justinian, than Justin, treating against the insolence of the Samaritans; which described we shall give in the following §. But although there it is said to be inscribed to Justin the Younger, yet my mind inclines not a little to think, that it was rather given to Justinian, the predecessor of that Justin: both because under Justinian the audacity of the Samaritans prevailed more than usual, scarcely known under Justin from elsewhere, than from this, of which we are in doubt, epistle of Symeon, as it were a posteriori, as they speak in the Schools: both because the Epistle of Charlemagne, from the Capitulary on images not to be adored book IV chapter V produced by Allatius in the Diatribe here; and another of Pope Hadrian I to the same Charles for the Synod of Nicaea II, in the Labbean edition of the Councils subjoined to the said Synod (both written not long after) express the name of Justinian, not of Justin: both finally and especially, because at once in the beginning of the Epistle the Samaritans are said to have raged by the highest crime and impiety against the holy temple, which the Emperor had caused to be built. It remains uncertain from the Epistle, which one caused it; it does not remain uncertain from a probable conjecture. For since Procopius has comprised in all six books the substructions and buildings of almost every kind innumerable, everywhere on earth raised by Justinian, and among these is numbered the temple of the Mother of God the Virgin at Porphyreon, around which city the tempest is especially indicated to have raged; but of Justin only a few monuments are mentioned by the authors; easily anyone will judge, to which more probably and more certainly this Epistle was inscribed.

[24] The rest of his writings Allatius enumerates in this manner. IV. His Τροπάρια ἐις τὸν ἃγιον μεγαλομάρτυρα Δημήτριον ἐν τῷ Στίκῳ Troparia on the holy great martyr Demetrius in the Stichus, Troparia and prayers. XXVI October. V. His Ἐυχὴ πρὸς τὸν Υἱὸν, ἰδίᾳ πρὸς τοὺς παρενοχλοῦντας λογισμούς. Prayer to the Son, particularly for repelling disturbing thoughts. The beginning is: Δέσποτα Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, Λόγε τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀθανατε, ὁ τῶν μεγίστων τουτονὶ φύσεων τεκνίτης καὶ κυβερνίτης. It was in the Palatine and in the possession of Allatius. VI. His Ἐυχὴ, λεγομένη μετὰ δακρύων ἐις τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, ὅταν ἐπέρχονται ὁι λογισμὸι πορνίας. Prayer to be recited with tears to our Lord Jesus Christ, when the thoughts of fornication arise. The beginning is Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, λόγε τοῦ Θεοῦ, λόγε αθάνατε, ὁ μὴ καταισχύνων τούς ἐπὶ σοι πεποιθότας. In the Vatican, Codex 798. VII. His Ἐυχὴ τῆς ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου ἐις πονηροὺς λογισμούς. Prayer to the most holy Mother of God for evil thoughts. The beginning is Παναγία Θεοτόκε ἀποδίωζον τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ ἀκαθάρτους λογισμούς. In the same place. Besides these, indicated by Allatius, there is extant also his Epistle in the Life of Blessed Martha his mother, which we soon subjoin to this, for this reason, that many things regard St. Symeon. Now the said Epistle is had number 64, inscribed to the Staurophylax of the holy Resurrection at Jerusalem, whom anxious for his salvation he animates, and asks a part of the holy Cross. And besides all these, that he wrote also not a few other things, which by the injury of times perished, is in evidence from the Epistle of which soon, against the Samaritans, which is indicated as the fifth, so that others necessarily preceded. To the same make Evagrius, the Life, and that which we give: of whom that one book 6 chapter 23 says that he; this number 190 that Justin received an epistle from the Saint.

§. V. The Epistle of St. Symeon to Justin the Younger against the Samaritan heretics.

[25] We discharge the pledge, by which Bollandus bound himself on the V of January in the Life of the often-mentioned Symeon Stylites the Elder, written by the Metaphrast, Chapter XI, Annotation d, The promises of Bollandus are satisfied. who promises that here more fully he is to treat of the Samaritans or Samaritanes. Neapolis, to the Hebrews Sychen or Sichem and Sichima, is a city of Palestine in Samaria Episcopal, today almost extinct and inhabited by few: it is distant from the city of Samaria IX miles to the South. There overhangs the city a high mountain, by name Garizim, which formerly the Samaritans held in veneration and went to for the sake of prayer: whose sect already in the times of Christ Baronius volume 1 of the Annals in various places, especially in the apparatus describing; What kind the sect of the Samaritans was; among other things brings forth these things from Epiphanius: But who the Samaritans were, no one versed in the divine Scriptures is ignorant. These are they, who when they were divided from the Jews, had not temple, not sacrifices, or ceremonies common with them: and since they retained only the five books of Moses, the Prophets and the rest of the volumes of divine Scripture they negligently rejected; not believing the resurrection of the dead; denying also the Holy Spirit. If you wish more, seek in Epiphanius himself in the Panarion.

[26] The same in other ages successively famous for impiety and crimes, began to act more licentiously in the times of Zeno. For when they had suddenly come together, Their crimes under Zeno, as Procopius writes book 5 on Buildings chapter 7, an onset being made at Neapolis on the Christians, celebrating in the church the feast which is called Pentecost, they slay many; their Bishop Terebinthius standing at the sacred Table they seize, and offering the ineffable Sacrifice they smite with swords, cut down with wounds, lop off the fingers of his hands; and treating the Mysteries injuriously, perpetrate expiations worthy of the Samaritans, to be pressed by us in silence. Terebinthius reporting these things to Constantinople and showing on himself the crimes committed, the insolence of the Samaritans was repressed by the Emperor by arms. Then again having attempted various things under the Emperor Anastasius, they again paid penalties, even the supreme. Finally under Justinian raging most cruelly of all, they perpetrated by deed those things, which cannot be heard without horror. So they are described by Cyril in the Life of St. Sabas, which Greek is in our possession, to be given on the V of December.

[27] And now Justinian having obtained power was governing the empire, when in Palestine the Samaritan nation, choosing for itself a certain Julian as King, and Justinian. and he himself a Samaritan, dared many things contumeliously against the Christian name. For the temples being plundered they put fire under them; the Christians tortured with infinite torments they at last delivered to death; the neighbors

they laid waste the villages by incursions; breaking open the shrines of the Saints, they cast them into the flames: and this savagery raged especially in places not very remote from Neapolis. Moreover they slew the Bishop with the sword, and certain Presbyters being seized, they first cut them limb by limb and piece by piece, and with the Relics of the Martyrs fried them in a frying-pan: lastly they abstained from no kind of audacity or contumely against the Christians. These most monstrous crimes, and if any besides, perpetrated around Porphyreon, as we think, could from a most gentle man and most prompt to succor the wretched, where the glory of God and the safety of the Church is endangered, by the example of other Saints, extort such an Epistle, as we subjoin, given to Justinian (as above we probably maintain). Against them the epistle of Symeon to the Emperor, It, not as Baronius has it from the Latin edition of the second Nicene Council, but from the Greco-Latin, although not accurately enough translated, as there in Action V it is turned, receive here, as being more concordant with the context of the Greek author.

[28] Who will give, ever August and good Lord, to my eyes fountains of tears, to mourn and weep bitterly and intolerably all the days of my wretched life? because under the divine zeal of your Empire redeemed by God and most Christian, such things beyond all reason of impiety are presumed to be done by those who are without God, namely the Samaritans, who stand polluted and execrable above all uncleanness, in which having prosecuted their crimes, and who inhabit those things which are called the Castra near the city Porphyreon, in the venerable house, which your Empire pleasing to God ordered to be built there. Which subtly your Tranquillity to be divinely preserved will know, through those things which have been signified to our humility by Paul the most holy Bishop of the same Porphyreon, and have been sent to us by the most blessed Patriarch of the East, who himself also grieved vehemently over this, how much more the most mild Princes? Especially since even the inanimate stones to cry out, calamities of this kind would easily suffice, which in the present the aforesaid most holy Pontiff saw. For above death and perdition it was reckoned by our humility, that in whatever way to our hearing such impiety should come, which surpasses every blasphemous action, presumed against that very Word of God, which for us was incarnate; and against the most holy and glorious Mother of God, and against the venerable and precious Cross, and also against his Saints.

[29] Wherefore commemorating we suggest to your divine ears, that if the most pious laws of your good victories command, an image of the Emperor being provoked by injuries, that those who shall have presumed to attempt this are to be delivered to the supreme and most pernicious death; how great, think, of perdition unto perdition are those worthy, who against the image of the Son of God and the most holy and most glorious Mother of God with all ineffable impudence and impiety, and because of their too great malice, I have not what to say, it stimulates him to vengeance, presumed such things, no mercy being made on them? Whence we beseech your most victorious Empire, that it make no mercy on those who dared to do this, neither spare them, nor receive any postulation or reason whatsoever over them, lest they be turned to something else, as I had already seen in a vision, indicating to the most holy and by God most honorable Patriarch in the month of August; signifying meanwhile that this was to be kept with him: for neither does God hide from us their cogitations. Whence I am certain, ever August Emperor, that your heart confirmed to God, which is illustrated by his magnitude, will not bear so great a procacity of dishonoring, which we have never until now heard, perhaps neither has any other of the Christians.

[30] But I adjure You, Lord, by Emmanuel the most high God, that you bear not at least for a little while the becoming vengeance to be deferred: but that you command to be inquired into also those things, which were done in the well by their too great and worst wickedness, according to the tenor of the epistle, which was transmitted to our mediocrity: your most mild Dominion by no means permitting, if perchance some shall think to sow underneath importunate discourses; * as though they were of the Lord's power, God, who gave you the Empire, being so affected with injuries above all impiety: that the rest also may have fear of them all the days of their cursed and segregated life; whom also their kindred darkness shall receive unto damnation, the worm which shall devour them, and the fire which shall shine; and shall anathematize them in the lower parts of the abyss the very Holy and omnipotent Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord, that the rest henceforth may abstain from the like. who proceeds from the Father to destroy them unto infinite perdition. For this zeal you, O God-preserved and Triumphant, strenuously demonstrating toward that very only-begotten God who reigns with your Piety; above the sacrifice of Abraham you shall be received by his all-inspecting Deity; and your Empire beloved of Christ will be the more amply, blessed by the power of his virtue, and magnified above all preceding kingdoms: for to him is glory unto ages of ages. Amen.

[31] Thus far the Epistle, as full of zeal for the divine glory and hatred of crimes, as it is not furnished with the oratorical ornament of words: which yet ought not at all to hinder (as the Epistle wishes, This epistle is asserted to be Symeon's. which Allatius in the Diatribe here, under the name of Charlemagne produces) that it should not be called genuine of St. Symeon, regarding the force of signification rather than the gloss of speech. Allatius in the place cited refutes the said Epistle, comprising chiefly these arguments; That the Saint called the Ears of the Emperor Justinian Divine; that he forbade the same to use mercy; that he who ought to have bridled the wrath of the King, rather more and more kindled it; that he did not use the example of him who wishes no one to perish; that finally he said God reigns together with the same Emperor. You see how ineffectual all are, so that it is not worth the trouble to refute. Let the Prophet Elias rise again, kindled with zeal for the divine glory, he will inveigh much more gravely against crimes of this kind, as of old, calling fire from heaven. If anyone desires these things refuted at more length, let him approach the cited place of Allatius: we in a matter, not much making to our purpose, have been even longer than is fitting: but we have discharged the promises of Bollandus.

* in Greek, as though they pertained to the power of the Lady, that is, of the Empress.

§. VI. Memorable things of St. Symeon from Evagrius.

[32] Very much authority ought to conciliate to our Life Evagrius Scholasticus, through those things which in his Ecclesiastical History he records of St. Symeon Stylites the Younger. For besides that he is a historian of the highest credit, Evagrius coeval with and familiar with Symeon, he was coeval with Symeon, and used him familiarly, as from his very own words, soon to be subjoined, can be gathered: for he says, that to Gregory Patriarch of Antioch the lethal sickness of St. Symeon became known, himself indicating it. He also shows, that a commerce of letters intervened between both, when he says, that he was admonished by the Saint through letters concerning a certain matter, which he thought was hidden from all. More certain indications also of mutual intimacy our Life brings forth number 238; where what Symeon had known in spirit, he ordered to be indicated to Evagrius, on account of his singular propensity of mind toward him. it conciliates the authority of the Life. Moreover it conciliates authority to the Life, containing so frequent, unusual, stupendous miracles and an unheard-of institute of life; since he does not hesitate to honor him scarcely dead with the appellation of Saint; since he pronounces that he far surpassed all the mortals of his time in virtue; since he narrates a miracle done on himself, the same which in the Life number 238 is set. Nor however does our Life comprise all things, which of St. Symeon he here relates: very many are wanting: and therefore we especially give these, lest anything worthy of being known be passed over.

[33] Hear therefore himself book 5 chapter 21 among other signs, which portended the Empire to Maurice, thus speaking. Finally Symeon, Symeon foretold the Empire to Maurice: who beside the city of Antioch standing on a column spent his life, a man most apt for managing affairs, and conspicuous in all divine virtues, both said and did many things, which announced the Empire to Maurice. But what those are, I do not remember to have anywhere read expressed in particular, not even in our more prolix Life; which has many things indeed of Justin the Younger, and of the Empire foretold to him, but of Maurice quite nothing: whence, as also from the following, it is easy to gather, that although the most prolix Life contains very many things, yet it passed over more. Then in book six, chapter 23 entire, as it were a compendium of the life of Symeon he thus weaves. At the same time, when Gregory had learned that St. Symeon was sick with a lethal disease, I indicating it; he ran to him forthwith, that he might exhibit to him the office of the last salutation. But that which he desired, he could not obtain. Moreover this Symeon by virtue far surpassed all the mortals of his time. For from his tender nails he had cultivated a hard kind of living on a column: from a boy he lives on a column, so that his teeth were even changed in the station on the column.

[34] But he ascended the column for this kind of cause. When he was still of a very tender age, playing and dancing he wandered about over the ridges of the mountain: and when he had fallen in with a leopard, he cast his girdle on its neck; and the beast, he binds a leopard with his girdle, forgetting its innate ferocity, drawing it as it were in jest, he led down to his monastery. Which when his Master, who lived on a column, had beheld, he asked the boy, what this might be. He answered that it was a cat, which they commonly call a kitten. And taking conjecture from this deed, what and how great Symeon would be in the study of virtue, he admitted him to the column. On which column, and on another which is on the very top of the mountain, he spent eight and sixty years, gifted with every kind of grace. For he both drove off demons, and healed all diseases and languors, and foresaw future things equally as present. To Gregory certainly he foretold, that he should not see his death; but what should be after death, he should not know.

[35] And when I, having lost my children, was drawn into various cogitations, and asked within myself what was the cause, why the same had not befallen the Gentiles, who have many children; he knows the thoughts of others, although I had opened this cogitation to no one at all, yet he, looking into the cogitations of my mind, wrote to me, that I should abstain from these cogitations; inasmuch as they by no means pleased God. The same, when the milk of the wife of one of my amanuenses was obstructed after childbirth, and the infant was in the highest danger; the right hand of the man being touched, for an obstructed breast he elicits milk, he commanded, that he should place it on the breasts of his wife. Which being done, at once the milk sprang forth as from a certain fountain, so that it moistened the whole garment of the woman. But also a certain boy, in the dead of night left on the road through forgetfulness by his fellow-travelers, a lion placed on its own back and carried to the monastery of Symeon; and Symeon commanding, the ministers having gone out, brought in the boy, who was guarded by the lion. Many

other things also, he saves a boy by means of a lion. surpassing all memory, the same man did, which require both an eloquent tongue, and leisure, and a peculiar work; and which are celebrated by the tongues of almost all mortals. For men of all nations, not only Romans, but also barbarians, came to him; and whatever they had asked, they obtained. But for food and drink he had the twigs of a certain shrub, which grew on that mountain. Each of these places of Evagrius Nicephorus Callistus also transferred to himself, in almost as many words, book 18 chapters 9 and 24.

§. VII. Other memorable things of the same, from the Second Nicene Synod and St. John Damascene.

[36] This paragraph also will make to the same end as the former: namely that the Life may be reckoned to be of so much greater authority, the graver are the authors, who brought forth their testimonies, if not from it, certainly the same with those contained there. And first indeed the Second Nicene Synod, the seventh general, in the year DCCLXXXVII, Hadrian I being Pope, Constantine and Irene being Emperors, celebrated against the Iconoclasts, in Action IV in the Greco-Latin edition of Labbe, speaks thus. Joseph, the most reverend monk and Hegumen of the monastery of Heraclea, The Synod orders the miracle from the Life of St. Symeon to be read, said: And I a sinner bear a book, containing the Life of St. Symeon of the Wonderful Mountain, and as you command. The holy Synod said: Let it be read. And Cosmas, the God-beloved Deacon and Cubuclesius, taking it, read. From the Life of our holy Father Symeon of the Wonderful Mountain chapter CXVIII; Concerning a woman, who at Rhosopolis was barren, pressed by a strong demon: who being made sound and fruitful, set up the image of the Just one in her house, which magnificently worked miracles. But although the same miracle is also referred below in the life number 123, yet because some difference intervenes, especially as to phrase, and besides the whole book receives authority from this narration approved by so great a Synod, we may seem not to do what is already done, if we add that narration here. Thus therefore Cosmas the Deacon prosecuted his reading.

[37] There was a certain woman at Rhosopolis of Cilicia, called Theotecna, who had dwelt with her husband twenty years, and had no son. concerning a woman demoniac and barren, But it happened that she also was vexed by a demon from childhood, and chewed her tongue. But her husband, no longer able to bear the straitness of her tribulation, dismissed her from his house, and for four years was joined with no woman. But she having found a company fled to the Just one. But when the demon had seen him, at once it raged and was tortured before him, seeing with the woman his spiritual image, saying with human voice: I will separate you from her, malign and unclean Spirit, and she will return to her husband, and there will be made to her in the following year a son. And the demon howled fiercely disturbed: O violence against me! it is not yours to effect dissolutions of matrimony: but why also do you give them a son, since she has by no means made a son from me? what evil have I done you, or what have I sinned in your sight, that you separate me from my woman? If you had bought me as a servant, you would perhaps give me even into servitude to men. the demon greatly complaining, But Symeon said: Because you are an evil servant, recognize yourself, malign one, and run into the flames of fire, to burn; and bring water and gather wood. And at once, like a wind, running and vehemently boiling the demon, and taking up in the woman an amphora of water, threatened; and filled it, and the wood gathered from the forest he brought, howling and saying: Woe to me, woe to me an evil servant and inventor of evils! what have I suffered? For from my woman St. Symeon separates me, and what I shall do unhappy, I know not.

[38] But these things being said before the people, who had assembled; after it fulfilled the ministry, which had been commanded it, it cried out with a high sound, speaking; and seeing against itself coming the lightning of fire, it ran in the woman through the circuit of her state, very much and grievously tortured; and so forthwith went out: and the woman being restored to her former order, Symeon dismissed her sound; saying to her: Go, woman, into your house and dwell with your husband; for behold the Lord has directed his heart, that he receive you with great joy. Which also was done. And when she had returned, delivered from each evil through the Saint, at once the heart of her husband was made right to love her, and he went in to her, and forthwith she conceived in the womb: and the year being completed they brought the boy to the servant of God, praising and glorifying God. But when they had completed their prayer, and had returned to their own home, the woman led by faith set up an image of the Saint in the inner part of her house: which worked miracles, [and a flux of blood of another being stayed for another through the image of the Saint.] overshadowed by the Spirit who dwelt in the Saint: and those vexed by a demon were cleansed there, and those infirm from various passions were cured. Among whom also one woman, suffering a flux of blood incessantly for fifteen years, in faith approached to see the image; and immediately the flux stayed. For she said within herself, that, if I only see his likeness, I shall be saved. But seeing that the fount of her blood was dried up she ran forthwith to the man of God, adoring before him, praising and glorifying God, and announcing the miracle perpetrated on herself.

[39] To this another miracle also is subjoined with this title: Likewise he read (Cosmas the Deacon) another miracle of the holy Father Symeon: Another miracle is adduced from Damascene, and it is the same which St. John Damascene in Oration III on Images not far from the end adduces, this title being prefixed: From the Life of St. Symeon worker of wonderful things, the narration of Arcadius Archbishop of Cyprus, miracle CXXXII. But to one comparing each text between themselves, there is no doubt to me, that they are translated from quite the same Greek, so do the beginning, end, periods, all agree. If perchance somewhere the Greek text of Damascene is extant, which is wanting to us, it will prove what is said. There is however another version, the other not a little more elegant and neater. We have already seen the less pleasant one of the Council, let the more pleasing one of Damascene succeed. Nor here, I think, are we going to lose our labor in describing this narration, although the same, differing almost only verbally, we give in the Life number 171 in our style; for there will be use of both soon in the following §. Thus therefore with the title, already adduced above, Damascene subjoins.

[40] But it happened in those days, that a certain man a merchant of the city of Antioch was afflicted with grave trouble by a wicked demon and long was anguished, so that he was suffocated, concerning a demoniac likewise delivered, the faculty of breathing being shut off. He having set out to the Saint, and by his prayers having so obtained health, as if he had never suffered anything; when he had returned to his own home, that he might give a token of a grateful mind, in a public and illustrious place of the city, above the doors of his workshop, he set up an image. Certain of the unbelievers having beheld this decorated with lights and veils, full of zeal, and setting up an icon of the Saint, stirred up disorderly men like themselves, that a multitude should assemble and confusedly vociferate: Let him who did this be taken out of life, and the image be cast down: But by Divine providence it was done, that then he was not found at his home. For they desired to slay him; while one cried one thing, another another: for their wickedness was much and great in the sight of God exceedingly, and immense the envy, by which indeed impelled they assembled there, thinking that they had got an occasion, by which they might oppress the holy man and affect him with ignominy, because he had often reproved the impiety and error of those, who with them thought ill concerning religion. When therefore they could not restrain so great a madness, they commanded a certain one of the soldiers, that he should ascend the steps and cast down the image. which the malevolent having attempted to cast down, Who when he had ascended and extended his hands, to perform what was commanded, at once he was dashed, fallen from the higher place down to the earth: and a great tumult was excited in the crowd. And inflamed they proceeded to employ another; who with extended hand when he himself also attempted to draw down the image, was likewise dashed to the ground. Which indeed being done, all terrified with fear, began to apply to themselves the sign of the Cross. But when still those unbelievers raged, they did not cease to impel a third to the same: the third are divinely punished. who when he had extended his hand, to cast down the image, he himself also likewise broken, fell to the earth. Then all the faithful, who stood around, a great fear invaded, and wondering at the blindness and audacity of the unbelievers, adoring the image with prayers departed. Thus far Damascene. These miracles being recited by Cosmas the Deacon before the Fathers of the Council, these things are at once subjoined, augmenting the credit and authority of them, as also of our whole Life: Constantine the most holy Bishop of Constantia of Cyprus said; These things indeed, honorable Fathers, of those which have been read, we have heard and we believe.

§. VIII. On the Life of St. Symeon, now first by us brought to light, and its Author.

[41] To whom Acta Sanctorum, both we, and you Reader zealous for the glory of the Heavenly ones, owe very much, is the Reverend Father Pierre Possin of our Society. The name I give; the rest the books published by him and the frequent memory in these Acts will speak. He took care, of Possin, who took care that this Life should be described, after the departure of our Henschen and Papebroch from Rome, that this Life should be described from the Greek codex of the Vallicellan Library, which is of the Congregation of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. But hear rather himself concerning these things, in letters given at Rome in the year MDCLXVII, on the XII Kalends of July, writing thus. As to what you ask concerning the codex, from which they were described, it was indeed in the Vallicellan Library mutilated and ἀκέφαλος: but Laurentius Portius (he is the brother of Simon, who published a Latin, Greco-barbarian and Literal Dictionary at Paris in MDCXXXV; and let his labor in describing the Greek Acts to us at a moderate price, from a mutilated Vallicellan manuscript, and to be supplied from elsewhere, very skilled in that idiom) but Laurentius, he says, Portius, who described it; from another exemplar found in the same place, written although by a most ancient hand and a writing now growing obsolete, supplied with no small labor of his own what was wanting, and rendered this Work almost to its primigenial integrity. But the Chapter, which is said to have been wanting to the rest of the body in the codex and supplied from elsewhere, is that part of the Prologue, which we have comprised in the first two numbers. Possin moreover brings forth in the same epistle his judgment of these Acts, exceedingly laudable, and of no less weight: From the opinion of my mind, he says, I profess; a grave judgment concerning it. that in them accurately read through I have observed nothing but written probably, prudently, elegantly. From the time I began to read, I could not hold myself until I finished. So great was the pleasure; nor less the sense of tender religion, melting the heart even to tears.

Therefore I esteem that Ecclesiastical monuments of that kind are rarely found, which by their credit, authority, neatness of composition, admirability of things not incredibly narrated, may by equal right with these Acts merit edition and light. I add no word to these. The remaining credit the Acts will make concerning themselves: read through.

[42] Of the author, as far as it is permitted to attain, let us speak. At the beginning of the Life was prefixed this title, Βίος καὶ πολιτεία τοῦ ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Συμεὼν τοῦ ἐν τῷ Θαυμαστῷ ὄρει, συγγραφέντα παρὰ Νικεφόρου τοῦ Μαγίστρου Ἀντιοχείας, τοῦ Οὐρανοῦ. The Life and conversation of our holy Father Symeon on the Wonderful Mountain, written by Nicephorus Master of Antioch, called Heaven. The Author Nicephorus Master of Eloquence, But whence this surname to him? I esteem that from the singular ornament of eloquence, which he publicly professed in the city of Antioch, because all his oration shone with rhetorical lights, as heaven with stars. The word Μαγίστηρ or Μάγιστρος indeed has among the Greeks also another signification, so that it be a title in the Imperial court primary, and next to the Caesarean by the testimony of Cedrenus, wherefore even the brothers and sons of Emperors did not disdain it, and in this sense that Symeon commonly called the Metaphrast, was also called Master. But this title was not given for one city or place, and therefore it is always found without an addition of that kind, often also with the epithets Περιβλέπτου or Περιφανοῦς Conspicuous or Illustrious. But this Nicephorus is expressly called Master of Antioch: but that the customary primary cities of that kind, such as Antioch was, had excellent Masters of eloquence engaged at a great stipend, we shall know even from Augustine, brought to Rome with hope of that kind. But that this our Nicephorus was such, which Possin also judged, do not therefore doubt, Surnamed Οὐρανὸς. because Nicephorus Callistus book 18 of the Ecclesiastical History chapter 24, when he mentions this life, is thus turned into Latin by the interpreter Lang, as though it were written not so learnedly as the greatness of the things demanded: for he uses the adverb μὴ ἀξίως not worthily, which even to Ciceronian eloquence could be fitted, to express a singular excellence, more sublime than all human speech: otherwise Nicephorus confesses that, when he fell upon this Life, he was astonished at the magnitude and the eximious multitude of the works perpetrated by the Saint: and these, he says, are even today celebrated by the tongues of all, described ὑπὸ Συμεῶνι (he wished to write Νικηφόρῳ, or even wrote it, but some smatterer changed the name wishing the Metaphrast to be understood) Μαγίστρῳ τῷ Οὐυνῷ: which so written abbreviated, by the custom most usual to the Greeks, for Οὐρανῷ, Lang not understanding, passed over; but it becomes clear from the same surname before the Life expressed entire.

[43] That by another also than by Nicephorus the Life of this Symeon was committed to writing and transmitted to posterity, we gather from the preceding paragraph: whose author, although the Council does not name him, Another writer of the Life Arcadius of Cyprus, from Damascene we recognize as Arcadius Archbishop of Cyprus, no more known than our Nicephorus, unless you would have him even more obscure; inasmuch as he does not become known even by writings, which have perished. I gather also, that that Life was most prolix, and not greatly unequal to ours in length. So Chapter CXVIII, so Miracle CXXXII above recited obtain; for many things must have preceded. Nay I do not doubt at all, but that one Life was described from the other; and ours rather from that of Arcadius, a few things being added either of exclamations, or apostrophes, or others; as the exigency of the matter and the piety of the author bore. For to one comparing the first miracle of the foregoing paragraph with number 123 of the Life, and the second with number 171, it appears, that the fundamentals, notable things, circumstances also, in both places are the same. In the former the place Rhosus or Rhosopolis a city of Cilicia; the name of the woman Theotecna; the time of the marriage twenty years; in substance it differs in nothing from Nicephorus, of the repudiation four years; of the hemorrhage fifteen years; the cause of approaching the Saint; the aversion of the demon; its complaints; the dragging around the column; the promises given to the woman; the conceived, born, offered son; the gratitude with the icon set up; the healings done through it; what more? the same in both places are all noted. They could not therefore but seem either one described from the other, or both from the same monuments. In which opinion you will be confirmed, if you conceive, that that life was distinguished by Chapters, almost equal to our Numbers: for so that miracle will be almost at an equal interval in both places from the beginning; there Chapter 118, here Number 123. Behold how small a difference. The other miracle a little farther recedes in our Life, than in the Arcadian; but it is to be noted that the Numbers in our life about the middle are more contracted, than toward the beginning: and so the Numbers here also of ours would agree more nearly with the Number of that Miracle, if we had cut ours everywhere by an equal tenor and space.

[44] But let us return to the comparison of the miracle, and let us see what things can seem, in our Life, superadded, who, a few things being added, either for the sake of beauty or of clarity. They are very opportune and born from the matter. Where the demon is treated of, he inserts; As this crime speaks nothing but crimes. Then the received benefits he at once enumerates and as in a parenthesis encloses (For neither was she made free from the demon coeval with her, but was both entirely healed and restored to her husband: besides a boy also was begotten from her, which never before) Finally he adds this conclusion at the end. Thus the slight aspect even of the holy man in an image, the sign of the Cross, the rod, the form, the word, the invocation, and whatever else of his things there was, sufficed for any kind of disease to be driven away.

[45] These things of the former. It would be idle to compare the latter in a similar manner: let him compare, who pleases: he will find the same in both places. I report only those which seem added. First to the set-up icon he adds its ornament, when he describes it; Most gracefully not only with colors, seems to have adorned it. but also with vesture and coverings adorned. A little after he inserts this exclamation, O God, how great things the enemies devised against your Saint! Soon when one extended his hand to the icon, he is said to have been overthrown by this graceful and pious apostrophe, those hands, which you O Christ raised above their pride, casting them down. Finally when the third also was cast down, as in the place of an epiphonema it is said, Much more worthy of mockery than the former, because by their example he had been nothing the wiser. What are these but parentheses, exclamations, apostrophes, epiphonemata, born from things in no way changed, and for the sake of emphasis gracefully added?

[46] The order of this Life almost chronological. But the whole order in this history is quite natural, beginning from the nativity, progressing with the years, ending in death: nay it will not be a vain suspicion, if the miracles for the most part are thought to have been first described in the order of time in which they were done; for this the order of age and these particles, afterward, then, after these, those things being accomplished, and the like, again and again repeated at the beginning of the miracles, seem to intimate. Moreover for those having so copious a fount there is no need to follow the little streams of the Synaxaria, in which the eulogy is read in one place briefer, in another more prolix.

THE LIFE

From a manuscript of the Vallicellan Library among the Fathers of the Oratory at Rome, Codex B.

Written by Nicephorus, Master of Antioch, called Heaven.

Translated by Conrad Janningh of the Society of Jesus.

Simeon the Younger Stylite, near Antioch of Syria (S.)

BY NICEPHORUS.

PROLOGUE.

Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεός· αὐτὸν γὰρ εὐλογεῖν ἄξιον, καὶ εἰς μνήμην ἑαυτοὺς τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν καθιέντας, καὶ τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν ἤδη συγγράφειν προειρημένους· Συμεὼν ἐκείνου τοῦ κατὰ τὸ θαυμαστὸν ὄρος ἀγγελικὴν διαγωγὴν μετελθόντος, τοιαύτης τε τοῦτο τυχεῖν ἐπωνυμίας πεποιηκότος, ἢ καταλλήλου καὶ αὐτῆς μᾶλλον ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ μεταδόντος. Ἐπεὶ καὶ Θεοῦ δῶρον ἀνθρώποις οὗτος σαφὲς, τοῦ καὶ πρὸ διαπλάσεως αὐτὸν ἐκλεξαμένου, καὶ πρὸ συλλήψεως ἐπαγγειλαμένου, καὶ πρὸ γεννήσεως ἁγιάσαντος· ἵν᾽ οὐ πρεσβευτὴν αὐτὸν μόνον καὶ μεσίτην καὶ διαλλάκτην σώματά τε καὶ ψυχὰς ἰᾶσθαι δυνάμενον ἔχοιμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βίου τύπον ἐρημικοῦ, καὶ φιλοσοφίας πρακτικῆς ὑπόδειγμα· εἴ τις ἄρα βραχύ τι τῶν ἐκείνου κατορθωθέντων, καὶ ὅσον ἐφικτὸν ἀνθρωπίνῃ καὶ ῥευστῇ φύσει, σηλῶσαι δυνήσεται αὐτόν· πλείονα γὰρ ἢ καὶ πάντα σχεδὸν ἀΰλου μᾶλλον καὶ ἀνωλέθρου καὶ θείας. Ἄλλως τε δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸν τοῦ καλοῦ ζῆλον, οὐδὲν οὕτως οἶδε διανιστάναι, καὶ τὰς ἀγαθὰς ψυχὰς πρὸς μίμησιν τέως τῶν κατὰ δύναμιν ἐκκαλεῖσθαι, ὡς ἀνδρὸς τοιούτου βίος, καὶ τοσαύτης μὲν ἐπιδημίας Θεοῦ καὶ χάριτος, τηλικαύτης δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἰκειώσεως καὶ παῤῥησίας ἠξιωμένου, ἵνα τῷ πρὸς σημείων μεγέθει, καὶ τῇ τῶν ἔργων ὑπερβολῇ καταπληττόμεναί τε καὶ μαλαττόμεναι, πρὸς ἐργασίαν, εἰ καὶ μὴ πάντη τοιούτων (ποῦ γὰρ ἄν τις τῶν ἐκείνου τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐφίκοιτο μέτρων;) ἀλλὰ τῶν γε παραπλησίως ἐχόντων διαθερμαίνωνται, εἶτα καὶ διδάσκαλον ἀκριβῆ τὸν τοιοῦτον ἔχωσι βίον, τίνων μὲν ἀπὲχεσθαι δέον ὑποτιθέντα, πρὸς ποῖα δὲ πάλιν ἑαυτὰς ὅλας ἐπιδιδόναι παρεγγυῶντα, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὰ χειραγωγοῦντα σαφῶς τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀκρότατον καὶ θειότατον, ἐκεῖ δὲ γενομένας ὑποδεικνύντα, ὅσων ὁ ταύτην ἀπροσκόπως τὴν τρίβον ἐλθὼν, παρὰ τῷ κοινῷ πάντων ἀγωνοθέτῃ Θεῷ τυγχάνει τῶν ἀμοιβῶν, ἡλίκας τῶν πόνων τὰς ἀντιδόσεις κομίζεται. Ἀλλὰ τίνα λάβοιμεν ἂν ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσι φωνὴν; ποῖον δὲ καὶ λόγον εὕρωμεν τοῖς πράγμασιν ἐξισούμενον; ὁ πότε καὶ μόνα τῆς αὐτοῦ γεννήσεως τὰ παράδοξα, ὅσα τε; τῆς ἐκ παιδὸς ἀρετῆς τῆς τε παρ᾽ ἡλικίαν ἀνασκήσεως, καὶ τῶν παρὰ τὸ εἰκὸς τῆς φύσεως ἀγώνων, εἰ καὶ μὴ κατὰ ταυτὸν πάντα ἀλλά τινα, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ εἰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸ τούτων ἕκαστον πᾶσαν οἶδε λόγου κατόπιν ἑαυτοῦ τιθέναι τέχνην καὶ δύναμιν. Τί δ᾽ ἀν εἰ καὶ τὸ τῶν σημείων καὶ τῶν θαυμάτων πλῆθος καὶ μέγεθος, τάς τε θείας ἐκείνας ὄψεις, αἲ δὴ πολλαὶ πολλάκις αὐτῷ μυστικῶς τε καὶ ἀποῥῥήτως ὤφθησαν, ἐπεξελθεῖν βουληθείημεν; ποίᾳ δὲ καὶ λόγου φύσει πρὸς ἑρμηνείαν τῶν ὑπὲρ λόγον χρησόμεθα; ἐπεὶ καὶ πᾶν ὃ μὴ λόγῳ χωρητὸν, οὐ δὲ λαλητόν· πῶς γὰρ ὃ μὴ χωρήσει, φράσαι δυνήσεται; ὅμως εἰ καὶ κρεῖττον ἢ κατὰ λόγου δύναμιν τὸ ἐγχείρημα, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν, τί συλλήψεται πάντως ἡμῖν ἡ θεία καὶ συμπαθὴς ἐκείνη ψυχὴ, καὶ Θεοῦ νῦν ἀμέσως τοῦ ποθουμένου κατατρυφῶσα· τὸ δὲ, καὶ συγγνῶσεται. Συγγνώσεσθε δὲ καὶ πάντες ὅσοι τῆς ὑπερφυοῦς ταύτης καὶ καινῆς πολιτείας ἀκροᾶται, μηδὲν τοῦ πρὸς δύναμιν ἐλλιποῦσιν, εἰ καὶ τοῦ πρὸς ἀξίαν πλεῖστον ἀπολειπόμεθα. Δεῖ δὲ μικρὸν ἀνωτέρω τὸν λόγον ἀναγαγόντας, οἵων ὁ τοιοῦτος ἔφυ γονέων, καὶ ὅστις ὁ τῆς συλλήψεως τρόπος αὐτῷ πρότερον παραστῆσαι, ἵν᾽ ἔχοιμεν τοῦ τοιοῦδε καρποῦ καὶ τὸ δένδρον εἰδέναι, ἢ μὴ δὲ τὴν ῥίζαν ἀγνοεῖν, μᾶλλον ἥ τις τὸν οὕτως ὡραῖον ἐβλάστησε κλάδον.

Blessed be God! For it is fitting that God be blessed, by us especially, who [for the memory

of the divine Symeon are girding ourselves to make it, the province of writing his deeds being undertaken: of Symeon, I say, that one who on the Wonderful Mountain instituting an Angelic life, Symeon was given to the world as a peculiar gift of God, effected that this surname adhered to the mountain, and in turn he himself drew it from it, or rather gave the name to it from himself. For he himself was given to the world as a manifest gift of God, chosen by God before he was formed, announced before conception, sanctified before nativity: that we might have him not only as an intercessor, mediator, and arbiter, who could heal our bodies equally and souls; but also an express idea of the solitary life and an exemplar of practical philosophy; if anyone perhaps could emulate a few of his right deeds, as far as human and fragile nature suffers: for to imitate most or all is not of our faculty; but of an immaterial, incorruptible, and divine nature.

[2] Besides, nothing is so apt to inflame the souls of the upright with the love of right, and provoke them to the imitation of men endowed with virtue, whose life is a guide to perfection. as the life of this man, dignified with so great a heap of divine grace, and with such familiarity and freedom of acting with God, that men are astonished at the magnitude of his signs and the excellence of his works and are softened, and to acting, if not altogether equal (for in what manner could anyone attain the grade of his virtue?) certainly things having some congruity with it, are inflamed; after they have got so exemplary a life, as it were an accurate mistress: which to some suggests that they should abstain, but on the contrary to some commands that they should apply themselves with every effort, and as with a right hand leads to the most perfect and most divine summit of virtue; whither when one has arrived, it shows, how many remunerations remain for that man, who has trodden this path with unoffended foot, with God the distributor of rewards common to all, how great a reward of labors awaits. But what voice should I employ in the present matter? what oration shall I find equal to the magnitude of the things? since the miracles alone, The writer distrusting his own powers which surround his nativity, and which in virtue exercised from boyhood, in the occupation of the rest of his life and in contests exceeding the powers of nature shine forth, if not all in the same manner, certain ones at least, nay rather each one according to itself, far surpass all art and elegance of speaking.

[3] Moreover what if the multitude and magnitude of signs and miracles; what if those divine visions, which not rarely to Symeon, in a certain arcane and inexplicable manner, very many were offered, we should wish to prosecute in oration? what, I pray, must that oration be, which is to expound things surpassing all faculty of speaking? places his hope in the help of Symeon. since the whole can neither be comprehended in oration, nor brought forth in words: for in what manner could anyone attain by words, what he cannot attain by cogitation? Nevertheless although the endeavor is greater than our powers, yet in part, I doubt not, that divine and full-of-pity soul of Symeon will help us, which now is delighted by the intuition of God so desired, no medium being interposed; in part also it will give pardon to our weakness. You also will give it, whoever are hearers of this eminent and unheard-of conversation, who will pass over nothing as far as is permitted by our powers, although we leave very many things, if you regard the dignity of the matters. But it behooves, repeating the discourse a little higher, first to set before the eyes of what parents this man was born, what was the manner of conception; that we may know also the tree of such a fruit, or rather not be ignorant of the root, which produced so comely a branch.

CHAPTER I.

The parents, nativity, baptism, and boyhood of St. Symeon.

Ἀνήρ τις οὐκ ὀλίγοις ἔμπροσθεν χρόνοις ἐξ Ἐδέσης ὁρμώμενος, νέαν ἔτι τὴν ἡλικίαν ἄγων, ὄνομα Ἰωάννης, [σὺν] αὐτοῖς ὡς εἶχε γονεῦσι, κατειλήφει τὴν Ἀντιόχου· οἱ δὲ ἄρα βάναυσοι τὴν τέχνην ἦσαν, περὶ συλλογὴν μύρων καὶ πράσιν πονούμενοι, καὶ πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν αὐτοῖς ἐκείνῃ πορίσειεν, ἀφορμὴν τοῦτο βίου πεποιημένοι. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἤδη καὶ γάμου τῷ υἱῷ καὶ συζυγίας ἔδει διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, διαλέγονταί τισι κόρης πατράσι, Μάρθα δὲ ὄνομα ταύτῃ, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ πρὸς γάμους αὐτὴν ἀγαγέσθαι τῷ νεανίσκῳ. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀσμένως τοῦτο δεξάμενοι, τῇ θυγατρὶ μηνύουσιν· ἡ δὲ παρθενίαν ἠσπάζετο, μᾶλλον συναγαγεῖν αὐτὴν εἰδυῖα Χριστῷ τῷ ἀθανάτῳ νυμφίῳ τὰς παρθένους ψυχὰς εἰς τὸν ἐκείνου νυμφῶνα. Ἐκειμένων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἀνιέντων, οὐχ ὅσιον πάλιν μὴ πάντα πείθεσθαι γονεῦσιν οὐδ᾽ εὐσεβὲς ἡγουμένη, Θεῷ τὴν τοῦ πράγματος δίδωσι κρίσιν, καὶ αὐτῷ τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἐπιτρέψασα, παρὰ τὸν θεῖον τοῦ Προδρόμου ναὸν ἀφικνεῖται, ὅς πρὸ τῆς Ἀντιόχου ἵδρυτο, δυσωποῦσα, προσπίπτουσα, δεομένη, δάκρυσιν ἐκλιπαροῦσα μᾶλλον ἢ ῥήμασι, πληροφορίας περὶ τοῦ προκειμένου τυχεῖν· ἧς καὶ τυχοῦσα, τεκόντων εἴκει θελήμασι, καὶ γάμων κοινωνίᾳ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ συνάπτεται. Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐναρέτως βιοῦσα, κοινωνὸν τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ τοῦ τρόπου ποιεῖται, τοῦ βίου μόνον αὐτῷ βοηθὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ σωτηρίας ὁδηγὸς γενομένη. Ἔπειτα μέντοι τῷ αὐτῷ τοῦ Προδρόμου καὶ πάλιν προσεδρεύει ναῷ, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐδάφους καθημένη, καὶ μὴ δ᾽ οὗ τινος οὖν ἑτέρου, ὅτι μὴ μόνον ἄρτου καὶ ὕδατος καὶ ἁλῶν γευομένη, μὴ δὲ εἰς πλευρὰν ἀνακλινομένη, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὕπνου ταύτῃ μεταλαμβάνουσα, καὶ ἄρτον ἑαυτῇ τὰ οἰκεῖα δάκρυα μᾶλλον ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς ποιουμένη, ὥστε δοθῆναι παῖδα ταῖς τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ πρεσβείαις αὐτῇ, ὅν αὐτὴ δοτὸν πάλιν κατὰ τὸν Σαμουὴλ προσάξει Θεῷ. Τολμᾷ γὰρ ἤδη μοι καὶ μέχρι τούτου, πρὸς τὰ ἑξῆς ὁ λόγος ὁρῶν. Οὐ βραχὺ τὸ ἐν μέσῳ, καί τις γλυκεῖα νυκτὸς ὁ Πρόδρομος ἐφίσταται ὄψις· Θάρσει, γύναι, λέγων αὐτῇ, προσεδέχθη γὰρ ἡ δέησίς σου, καὶ αὕτη σοι σημεῖον ἡ εὐωδία φησὶν, ἣν καὶ λαβοῦσα θυμιάσεις τῷ οἴκῳ· ἀρκοῦσα γὰρ ἐφ᾽ ἱκανὸν ἔσται σοι. Ἡ δὲ κατάφοβος ὁμοῦ καὶ περιχαρὴς αὐτίκα διυπνισθεῖσα· τὸ μὲν, τῷ καινῷ τοῦ ὁράματος· τὸ δὲ, τῇ τοῦ αἰτηθέντος ἐπαγγελίᾳ (Τίς σου, Χριστὲ βασιλεῦ, τὸ τῆς χρηστότητος πλῆθος ἀξίως ὑμνήσειεν;) ὡσεὶ σφαῖραν θυμιάματος μεγάλην εἶχε διὰ χειρὸς, καὶ παραχρῆμα ὡς εἶχεν ἑαυτὴν τῷ ἐδάφει δοῦσα, καὶ κεφαλὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸ πρὸ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου μετὰ καὶ γονάτων ἐρείσασα, ποίας εὐχαριστηρίους οὐκ ἐποιεῖτο φωνὰς; τίνας δακρύων ὀχετοὺς οὐκ ἠφίει; Ἑξῆς δὲ λαβοῦσα θυμιατήριον, τοιαύτης ἐπλήρου εὐωδίας τὸν οἶκον, ὡς μὴ δ᾽ ἔχειν τοὺς αὐτῆς ἀντιλαμβανομένους εἰδέναι σαφῶς, ἥ τίς ποτε αὕτη· καὶ ὁποίου ἂν εἴη μύρου (οὔτως ἀπόῤῥητόν τι χρῆμα καὶ θεῖον ἦν) ἑρμηνευθῆναι λόγῳ μὴ δυναμένη. Τὴν μὲν οὖν σφαῖραν πᾶσαν σχεδὸν κατ᾽ ἐκείνην ἀνάλωσε τὴν ἡμέραν, τῷ ναῷ θυμιῶσα, μικρὸν δέ τι μέρος ὑπολειφθέν, τῷ ἀνὰ χεῖρα περιέδησεν ἐγχειρίῳ. Τῆς δ᾽ ἐπιούσης αὖθις τοῦ ὕπνου διαναστᾶσα, εὗρε πάλιν ὅλην αὐτὴν, ὢ τοῦ θαύματος! ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου δέδοτο. Καὶ ἡ μὲν, τὰ ἶσα τοῖς προτέροις ἔδρα, καὶ τὸν ναὸν αὖθις εὐωδίας ἐπλήρου. Χρόνου δέ τινος διαγενομένου, ὁ Πρόδρομος πάλιν αὐτῇ γλυκὺς ὄνειρος ἐπιστὰς, Ἀνάστηθί φησι, γύναι, καὶ πορεύου παρὰ τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα, συλλήψῃ γὰρ υἱὸν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Συμεών· δεξιοῦ μαστοῦ γάλα θηλάσει σου, τοῦ εὐωνύμου δὲ καθάπαξ ἀφέξεται· ἔσται γὰρ τῶν δεξιῶν τὸ παιδίον· κρεῶν ἢ οἴνου, ἢ τῶν ὅσα τέχνη καὶ χεῖρ οἶδε σκευάζειν, οὐ μεταλήψεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἄρτος ἡ τροφὴ καὶ ὕδωρ αὐτῷ, καὶ μέλι καὶ ἅλες· ὃ καὶ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τηρητέον, ὡς σκεῦος ἅγιον, καὶ Θεῷ εἰς λειτουργίαν ἐσόμενον. Διετὲς δὲ γεγονὸς ἐν τῷδε τῷ οἴκῳ τὸ θεῖον βάπτισμα δέξεται, καὶ αὐτὸ μετὰ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ βαπτίσματος χάριν, τὰ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ φθέγξεται. Ἡ μὲν οὖν γυνὴ τοιαύτης καὶ οὕτω θείας ἐπιστασίας ἀξιωθεῖσα, ὑπότρομος καὶ περιδεὴς εἰς τὸν οἰκεῖον ἐπάνεισιν οἶκον, εἴσω πυλῶν τῆς Ἀντιόχου ὄντα· καταλαμβάνει δὲ τὸν ἑαυτῆς ἄνδρα τῷ βιβλίῳ προσκείμενον, ὅ τὴν ἐξήγησιν τῆς ἱερᾶς τοῦ Ποδρόμου κεφαλῆς περιεῖχεν, ὅπως ὁ τοσοῦτος θησαυρὸς, καὶ τοῦ μὴ λαθεῖν ἄξιος, ὑπὸ γῆν κρυπτόμενος εὑρεθείη. Σύμβολον, οἶμαι, τῆς τοῦ εὐαγγελισθέντος αὐτῇ προφητείας καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι μέγα τι τῷ βίῳ ἀγαθὸν καὶ οὗτος φανεῖται. Παρὰ τῷ ἀνδρὶ τοίνυν καθίσασα, τῆς ἀναγνώσεως ἠκροᾶτο· ὡς δὲ αὕτη πέρας εἶχεν αὐτῷ, ἡ γυνὴ τὴν ὄψιν εἰς νοῦν λαμβάνουσα, φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπόπλεως οὖσα, οὐ δὲ καθεκτῶς ἔχειν οἵατε ἦν, ὰλλά τι λίαν οἰκτρὸν ἑαυτὴν ὠλοφύρετο, ὡς μὴ δὲ πυνθανομένῳ τὴν αἰτίαν τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἀποκρίνεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἀποῤῥήτῳ καρδίας τὰ ὀφθέντα κατέχειν. Ἐκείνη μὲν οὖν τῷ ἀνδρὶ συνοικοῦσα συνέλαβε ἀπὸ τότε κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Προδρόμου φωνὴν, καὶ συνετήρει πάντοθεν αὐτὴν ὥσπέρ τι θεῖον ἐν ἑαυτῇ φέρουσα σκεῦος· οἷς μέντοι θαῤῥεῖν εἶχε, καὶ μάλιστα τῷ ἀνδρὶ, παρεδήλου πολλάκις, ὡς ἄῤῥενος ἐγκύμων εἴη γονῆς, καὶ ὅτι Συμεὼν τὸ τεχθησόμενον ὀνομάσοι. Τοῦ χρόνου δὲ ἤδη τῶν ὠδίνων συντελεσθέντος, τίκτει, τῶν τῆς λοχείας ὀδυνῶν αὐτῇ μὴ κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν ἐπιθεμένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν ἀλύπῳ τοκετῷ χρησαμένη. Τεσσαρακοστῇ τοίνυν μετὰ τὸν τόκον ἡμέρᾳ προσάγει τὸ βρέφος τῷ τοῦ Προδρόμου ναῷ, ἀντιδιδοῦσα καθάπερ ὅ ἔλαβε, καὶ Θεῷ τῷ δεδωκότι καθιεροῦσα. Καὶ ἡ μὲν αὐτῷ τὴν δεξιὰν ἐπεῖχε θηλὴν, ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ Προδρόμου εἴρητο, καὶ ταύτῃ τὸ βρέφος ἐτιθηνεῖτο· ὀλίγαις δὲ ὕστερον ἡμέραις ἔννοια γίνεται τῇ μητρὶ, καὶ τὴν ἐυώνυμον αὐτῷ ἐπισχεῖν, καὶ δῆτα δεόμενον ἰδοῦσα θηλῆς, τὸν ἀριστερὸν ἐπέχει μαστὸν. Καὶ τὸ μὲν οὐχ ἥπτετο, ἀλλὰ κλαυθμυριζόμενον ἀπεστρέφετο· ἡ δ᾽ ἐπέμενε μᾶλλον ἐπέχουσα. Ὡς δὲ τοῦτο πᾶσαν ἐκείνην παρέτεινε σχεδὸν τὴν ἡμέραν, καὶ τὸ παιδίον ἄγευστον θηλῆς διεμεμενήκει τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης (Ὢ πῶς σου τὰ θαυμάσια, Χριστὲ, διηγήσομαι!) συστέλλεται τῇ μητρὶ τὸ διοιδοῦν καὶ ἀνεστηκὸς τοῦ εὐωνύμου μαστοῦ, εἲτ᾽ οὖν ὁ ὑποπιπλάμενος τοῦ γάλακτος κόλπος, καὶ ὑπολεαίνεται καὶ ξηρένεται, καὶ ἀνδρείῳ τὸ πᾶν ἶσα γίνεται· ὁ δεξιὸς δὲ, ὡς καὶ πρότερον εἶχεν, ἀφθόνως θυλάζειν τὸ παιδίον δυνάμενος. Μάρτυρες τοῦ τοσούτου θαύματος ὅσαι τῶν γυναικῶν ἐγγειτόνων, αἷς ἡ τούτου μήτηρ, χλωρὸν ὑπὸ δέους ὁρῶσα, τόν τε μαστὸν εὐθέως ἐδείκνυ, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπεξηγεῖτο. Διετὲς δὲ γεγονὸς τὸ παιδίον ἐν τῷ τοῦ Προδρόμου ναῷ, κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνου προφητείαν, τὸ βάπτισμα δέχεται, καὶ Συμεὼν ἐπικληθὲν ἄνεισιν ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος. Γίνεται δέ τι θαῦμα περὶ αὐτὸ τοῦ πρότερου παραδοξώτερον· γλώττῃ γὰρ εὐθὺς ἤρξατο τρανῇ λέγειν, ὃ καὶ τῷ Βαπτιστῇ δηλαδὴ προηγόρευτο, Ἔχω πατέρα καὶ οὐκ ἔχω, ἔχω μητέρα καὶ οὐκ ἔχω· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐς ἑβδόμην ἐπέμενε λέγων ἡμέραν, σημαῖνον ἐντεῦθεν τὴν οἰκείαν τῶν γηΐνων ἀρνησίν τε καὶ ἀναχώρησιν, καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὰ οὐράνια μᾶλλον

οἰκείωσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνάβασιν. Ἐξ ἐκείνου τοίνυν ὁσάκις ἡ μήτηρ κρεῶν μεταλάβοι, παρ᾽ ὅλην τὸ παιδίον ἐκείνην ἀπείχετο θηλῆς τὴν ἡμέραν· ὃ δὴ πολλάκις γεγονὸς, πείθει τὴν μητέρα παντάπασιν ἀποσχέσθαι κρεωφαγίας. Ἅπτεσθαι δὲ ἤδη καὶ τροφῆς δυναμένῳ, ἄρτον ἡ μήτηρ μέλιτι χρίουσα, καὶ ὕδωρ αὐτῷ ποτὸν ὤρεγεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ λουτρῷ τοῦτο προσαγαγεῖν πειραθείη, οὕτω δεινὰ ἐποίει, καὶ ἀγανακτοῦν ἐφαίνετο, ὡς καὶ αὐτὴν εὐθὺς αὐτὸ τὴν φωνὴν ἐπιλείπειν· ὅπερ οὖν τὴν μητέρα εἰδυῖαν μηκέτι βαλανείῃ τὸ παιδίον προσάγειν πείσθει.

[4] Many years ago now, a certain man, by name John, sprung from Edessa, Symeon's father and grandfather, what kind. flourishing in quite a youthful age, with the very parents whom he had betook himself to Antioch: but his parents were mechanic craftsmen, giving their labor to seeking out and selling ointments; and whatever by an art of that kind they had procured for themselves, it was expended for the sustenance of life. But after the son was already mature in age for nuptials and marriage, conferring with the parents of a certain maiden, whose name was Martha, they ask the same to be given in matrimony to the young man. And they indeed not unwillingly accepting the offered condition, make their daughter more certain of this matter: but she having embraced virginity, held it more ancient, to set her virgin soul with the immortal Spouse Christ, to be had and possessed in chaste chambers. The parents however insisting and remitting nothing of their opinion; Martha esteeming, His mother Martha is divinely instructed concerning the marriage to be entered; that it was not equitable enough and pious, by no means to comply with parents; commits the whole matter to God to be decided; and conforming herself and all her affairs to his arbitrament, betakes herself to the temple of the holy Precursor, which is in the suburb of Antioch. There falling down, praying, beseeching, with tears more powerfully than with words she protested, that she might be made more certain, what in the present state of things was needful to be done. Made more certain she yields to the will of her parents, and is joined to John by the society of the marriage-chamber, and instituting her life religiously and holily, with her husband also she shares her manners, made not only a helper of his life, but also a guide of his salvation. Then again she went anew to the holy Precursor's, lying prostrate on the ground; tasting nothing of any other thing except bread, water, and salt; seeking offspring from God by prayers not reclining her body on its side, taking sleep there; and turning her tears day and night into bread for herself, to this end, that a son, St. John the Baptist interceding, might be granted to her, the same she would render to God, as another Samuel, by oblation. For our oration dares already to proceed thus far, looking to the rest.

[5] Not much time intervened; when behold a certain pleasant vision by night, the Precursor himself appears; she is recreated by a wonderful vision, Confide, woman, he says; for your prayer is received: of which thing let this composition of a most sweet odor be a sign; which when you have perceived, with the same you will fumigate the whole house, for there will be a sufficiently great supply for you. But the woman immediately awakened, perceived herself suffused equally with fear and gladness; with fear indeed because of the novelty of the spectacle, with gladness because of the promise of the offspring asked; (But who, O Christ our King, would celebrate the multitude of your goodness with worthy praises!) she held as it were a great globe of incense in her hands; and at once prostrating herself on the ground, and her head bent on the pavement before the altar, kneeling on her knees, how many voices of a grateful mind, how many streams of tears did she not send forth! Then a censer being seized, she filled the place with such sweetness of odor, that those perceiving it did not sufficiently recognize, what it was: nay even, of what ointment that odor was (so ineffable and divine a thing it was) could never be explained in words.

[6] On that day therefore she consumed almost the whole globe of the perfume by burning, only a small portion being left, which she wrapped in the kerchief which she held in her hand. But on the following light, awakened from sleep, she found the whole quantity of the perfume (a wonderful thing!) which the holy Precursor had given. she is made more certain concerning the offspring to be conceived, And she indeed in the same manner as the day before kept doing, and again refilled the temple with the sweetness of the odor. But after some time being interposed, the holy Precursor again coming upon her, lulled in pleasant sleep; Rise, he says, woman, and go to your husband; for you will conceive a son, and you will call his name Symeon; he will suck the milk of your right breast, and from the left he will altogether abstain: for the child will be of the right hand: flesh and wine, and whatever industry and human art knows how to prepare, he will not touch: but bread and water, honey and salt will be his nourishment: but he is diligently to be guarded by you, as a sacred vessel and to be dedicated to the divine ministry. Moreover a space of two years being elapsed, in this very church he will receive the sacred baptism, and made a partaker of the baptismal grace, he will announce what he is to be.

[7] Martha therefore dignified with so present and divine an apparition, struck and trembling returns to her house, situated within the gates of Antioch; and approaches her husband, giving his labor to the reading of a certain book, containing a narration of the sacred head of the Precursor; in what manner namely that treasure, and is confirmed by the reading of a pious book: hidden lurking in unworthy darkness under the earth, was at length led forth thence. This I would esteem a symbol of the prophecy announced to the woman; that this one also was about to appear some great good to this world. Therefore sitting by her husband, she lent her ears to the reading; which finished, recalling her vision, she could not contain her mind filled with fear and joy: but she feigned that something mournful had befallen her by lamenting, that she might not be compelled to reveal the cause to her husband inquiring by answering, but might keep what she had seen enclosed in the inmost parts of her heart. Moreover she having had intercourse with her husband at once conceived, as St. John had foretold; and conserved herself in every place, not otherwise than if she bore a certain sacred vessel: and to many indeed, whom she trusted, and especially to her husband she indicated sufficiently manifestly more often, she foretells that it is a male and bears it without sickness. that she bore a male offspring in the womb, and that to him the name Symeon was to be imposed. But now the time of pregnancy being completed, not only did she perceive nothing of sickness from the birth, as the nature of the thing bears, but she brought forth quite free of all pain. Then on the fortieth day from the birth she brings the infant into the temple of St. John the Baptist, to render the same as she had received it, and to consecrate it to God the giver.

[8] Moreover the right breast, as had been said by the same Saint, she presented to him, and supplied nourishment: but a few days after it came into the mother's mind, to apply the boy also to the left breast; The boy abstains from the left breast. and indeed as he sought the breasts she really applies him: but he refusing to touch it, and weeping, turned away his face. But when the mother persevered, and almost that whole day presented the left breast, and the boy even at night had tasted nothing of the maternal milk, (How shall I narrate the prodigies of the Lord!) the left breast of the mother distended and swollen with milk is contracted; and the bosom before protuberant, becomes soft, dry, and quite similar to a man's: but the right, as before, retained abundantly, whence the boy could be nourished. Witnesses of so admirable a thing are as many women as in the neighborhood; to whom the mother blushing for shame showed that very breast, and expounded the series of the thing done.

[9] For the rest, after the boy had completed two years, in the temple of the Divine Precursor, as had been foretold by the same, he is washed in the sacred font of baptism, and signed with the name of Symeon emerges thence. immediately from baptism he speaks certain divine words. There happened at this very time a prodigy much more admirable than the former. For at once with a clear voice (which St. John also had foretold) he began to speak: I have a father, and I have not; I have a mother, and I have not: and he continued the same speech even to the seventh day, signifying, that he afterward, a renunciation of earthly things being sent away, would withdraw from the noise of the people; and better intent on heavenly things, would ascend thither with his whole mind. Indeed from that time, as often as the mother had eaten flesh, all that day the boy abstained from the breasts: which when it had happened more often, the mother was persuaded, that she should altogether interdict herself the eating of flesh. But when he had now come to this, that he could be fed also with other foods, the mother presented him bread smeared with honey, and for drink water. But if ever she strove to bring him to the baths, he so grievously bore it, and presented so great an indignation, that as he resisted his voice immediately failed: which being observed, the mother thenceforth desisted from attempting that also.

CHAPTER II.

Fleeing the earthquake he is led to Pila, heals an enemy, ascends a column. Various visions.

Πενταέτους δὲ ἤδη τούτου γεγενημένου, συνέβη σεισμῷ τὴν Ἀντιόχου μεγάλου κατενεχθῆναι, ὡς μὴ μόνον τὸν οἶκον, εἰς ὃν οἱ τούτου γονεῖς κατέλυον, ἔργον τοῦ τοιοῦδε σεισμοῦ γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν τούτου πατέρα τοῖς συμπτώμασιν ἐναποληφθέντα συγκαταλῦσαι τὸν βίον. Ἡ μὲν οὖν μήτηρ εἰς προσευχῆς τηνικαῦτα οἶκον ἐτύγχανεν ἀπιοῦσα, τὸ δὲ παιδίον, ὁ κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου τοῦ πρωτομάρτυρος Στεφάνου ναὸς εἶχεν. Τοῦ δὲ σεισμοῦ τὴν πόλιν δεινῶς καταστρέψαντος, οἷα πλανώμενος περιῆγεν, ἕως γυνή τις αὐτὸ, τῶν θεοσεβῶν καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῦ γονεῦσι γνωρίμων, εὑροῦσα, πλησίον τοῦ παρὰ τῇ πόλει κομίσειεν ὄρους. Ἑπτὰ τοῦτο τοίνυν ἡ μήτηρ ἡμέρας ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν ζητοῦσα, ὡς οὐχ οἷά τε ἦν ἀνευρεῖν, ἐπικατασεισθῆναί τινας αὐτῷ νομίσασα τῶν οἰκοδομῶν, τάτε σπλάγχνα δεινῶς ἐστρέφετο, καὶ τὴν καρδίαν ἐκόπτετο· ἕως φαιδρά τις ὄψις αὐτῇ καὶ πάλιν ὁ Πρόδρομος ἐπιστὰς, γνωρίζει τὸν τόπον, ὅπου γενομένη τὸ παιδίον εὑρήσει. Ἀπελθοῦσα τοίνυν ἡ μήτηρ, εὑρήσκει τοῦτο παρὰ τῇ γυναικὶ, ἐκεῖνα περὶ αὐτοῦ σὺν ἐκπλήξει διαγουμένῃ, ὡς ἄρα δὶς τὰς ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας πεισθείη τροφῆς μεταλαβεῖν, ἄρτου καὶ ταῦτα μόνου καὶ ὕδατος. Ἀπολαβοῦσα τοιγαροῦν τὸ παιδίον ἡ μήτηρ, καὶ παρὰ τὸν τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ ναὸν ἀπελθοῦσα, Θεῷ τε καὶ αὐτῷ τὰ εἰκότα εὐχαριστήσασα, ἐπάνεισι εἰς τὴν πόλιν. Καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν δέ ποτε γενομένη, καὶ ὅσα περὶ τοῦ παιδίου αὐτῇ ὀφθείη καὶ λαληθείη, ὅσατε παραδόξως ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ γενόμενα ἴδοι ἐν νῷ λαμβάνουσα, καὶ ὄ, τί ποτε ἄρα τὸ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ τελεσθησόμενον εἴη διαποροῦσα, ὁρᾷ κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους ὑπόπτερον ἑαυτὴν ἀπὸ γῆς αἰρομένην, τό τε παιδίον χερσὶ τατέχουσαν, καὶ δῶρον ὥσπερ Θεῷ δεκτὸν ἀναφέρουσαν, τοιαῦτά τε αὐτῷ ἐπιφθεγγομένην· Ἐπεθύμουν ἰδεῖν σου, τέκνον, τὴν θεῖαν ταύτην ἀνάβασιν, ὅπως τὴν δούλην αὐτοῦ ὁ Ὕψιστος ἀπολύσῃ με, ὅτι εὗρον χάριν ἐν γυναιξὶν ἀποδοῦναι καρπὸν αὐτῷ κοιλίας ἐμῆς, ὠδῖνας, καὶ πόνους. Ὄψεως μὲν δὴ τοιαύτης ἡ ὁσία τυχοῦσα, καὶ παραπλησίας οὕτω φωνὰς τῷ Προφήτῃ Συμεὼν φθεγξαμένη, ἅτε τοῖς ἑαυτοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σωτήριον ἰδοῦσα καὶ αὕτη, ἐις καρδίαν πάντα συμβάλλουσα, καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν διετήρει. Συμβὰν δὲ τὸν Συμεὼν μετὰ ταῦτα κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τῆς Ἀντιόχου διάγειν, ὅ Χερουβίμ εἰκότως ἀπὸ Τίτου ἑλόντος Ἱεροσόλυμα λέγεται, εἰκόνας τε περιωνύμους τῶν Χερουβίμ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀνελομένου ναοῦ πρός τε τὴν Ἀντιόχου μετακομίσαντος, κᾀνταῦθα τῆς

[10] It happened, our Symeon being now five years old, that great Antioch was so shaken by a grave earthquake, A grave earthquake at Antioch: that not only the house, where his parents dwelt, fell at the same time; but also his father himself, intercepted by the ruins, concluded his life by a mournful end. And the mother indeed had then conveniently gone away to an oratory: but he himself was keeping within the church of the Proto-martyr Stephen situated at Antioch. But the earthquake overthrowing the city in a pitiable manner, fleeing which Symeon is long sought by his mother, and is shown by St. John. withdrawing thence, he wandered around astray; until a certain pious woman, familiarly acquainted with his parents, having found him by chance, led him into a mountain very near the city. Therefore for seven days the mother seeking him through the city could in no way find him; and thinking him to have perished involved in the ruins of the buildings falling everywhere, she was pressed with the gravest grief to the marrow; until, recreated by a glad vision, the holy Precursor again appearing, she was made more certain, in what place she might find her son. Going away therefore, she found him with the said woman, commemorating these things of him with the greatest admiration, that in the space of seven days, twice persuaded to take something of food, he had been content with bread and water alone. Therefore the son being received, hastening to John the Baptist's, thanks being paid to God and the Saint, as was fitting, in the same place, she returns to the city.

[11] While she is there, and [what great things were promised to her concerning the son, both through visions and through prophecies, Another vision of the mother.

πόλεως ὡς ἐν ἐπιφανεστάτῳ στήσαντος. Τῇδε τοίνυν διάγων, ὁρᾷ κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς, ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχαίας τειχοποιΐας, φρικτῆς ἐκείνης ὁράσεως· Ὁρᾷ τοιγαροῦν, καὶ ἰδοὺ, ὁ Κύριος ἁπάντων καὶ δεσπότης Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς (πῶς ἂν παραστήσειε λόγος τὸ μέγα τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἐκείνης θέαμα;) ἐπὶ θρόνου ὑψηλοῦ τε καὶ μετεώρου, βῆμά τε πρὸ αὐτοῦ φοβερὸν ἑωρᾶτο, τότε τῶν δικαίων πλῆθος συνήρχετο, καὶ ἡ βίβλος τῆς ζωῆς ἀνεῴγνυτο· καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν ἀνατολῶν ὁ τῆς τρυφῆς πυκάζων Παράδεισος, ἀπὸ δὲ δυσμῶν λίμνη πυρὸς ἀναβράζουσα, Πνεῦμα τε Κυρίου ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν λέγον· Ἄκουε καὶ σύνες λόγους ζωῆς· συμβουλὴ γάρ σοι πρὸς ἐκλογὴν τοῦ καλοῦ τὰ ὁρώμενα. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τῶν δικαίων λαμπρότης καὶ ὁ τῆς τρυφῆς Παράδεισος, τὴν ἀΐδιον ἀγαλλίασιν ἐπαγγέλλονται· ἡ δὲ τοῦ πυρὸς γέεννα, τὴν ἀτελεύτητον ἀπειλεῖ τιμωρίαν. Ἄπιθι τοίνυν, τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐκλεξάμενος, ὡς ἂν μὴ τῶν ἀθανάτων μόνον μετὰ τέλος δεινῶν ἀπαλλαγῇς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀπηγγελμένων τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι τὸν Θεὸν ἀνεκλαλήτων ἀγαθῶν ἐπιτύχῃς. Ταύτης τῷ Συμεὼν τῆς θεωρίας ὑποδειχθείσης, σύνεσίς τε παραδόξως αὐτῷ θειοτέρα καὶ κρυφίων ἀθεάτως ἀποκαλύψεων προσετέθειτο γνῶσις. Ὀλίγαις δὲ ὕστερον ἡμέραις ὁρᾷ πάλιν ὑπ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἄνδρα λευχειμονοῦντα, ὅς, Ἀκολούθει μοι, ἔφη. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἠκολούθει παραχρῆμα τῇ σκιᾷ τοῦ ὀφθέντος· ὁ δὲ κατὰ τὴν Τιβερινὴν ἀπάγει χώραν αὐτὸν, τὴν ὑπὸ τῇ γείτονι Σελευκείᾳ κειμένην ἐπί τινα τόπον, ἐν ᾧ χωρίον, Πίλα συνήθει γλώττῃ καλούμενον, ἧν. Ἐνταῦθα τοιγαροῦν ὁ Συμεὼν ἀνὰ τὴν τοῦ ὄρους ἐρημίαν ὑπὸ θηρίοις διῆγε, μόνοις αὐτῷ κοινωνοῖς τῆς διαίτης, πλουσίου νύκτα καὶ ἡμέρας φωτὸς ἄνωθεν ἀπολαύων, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ ὀφθέντος αὐτῷ λευχείμονος ἀνδρὸς ὁδηγούμενος, ὅς αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ἐπήρκει. Ἡμέρας μὲν δή τινας τῇδε διεκαρτέρει, εἶτα καὶ αὐτῷ προσβαίνων ἤδη τῷ ὄρει, εὑρίσκει βραχὺ μοναστήριον, ἐν ᾧ τις Ιὠάννης, ἀρετὴν μετιὼν ἀνὴρ, ἐπὶ βάσεως ἱστάμενος ἦν, ᾧ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὸν Συμεὼν ἐπιβῆναι τοῦ ὄρους, πολλαὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ πολλάκις ἐφάνησαν ὄψεις. Ποτὲ μὲν γὰρ παῖδα ἑώρα λευχειμονοῦντα, ἐπ᾽ ὀχήματος φερόμενον ἐπὶ τὴν μονήν· ποτὲ δὲ πάλιν ἐν ἀέρι μέσῳ, στήλῳ φωτὸς ὁδηγούμενον, καὶ συμπεριἳστάμενον, καὶ τῆς μονῆς ἐπιβαίνοντα· ἄλλο τε δὲ προσάγοντα μὲν ἤδη τῇ μονῇ τὸν παῖδα, Ἄγγελον δὲ αὐτῷ τοῦτον ὑποδεικνῦντα, καὶ, Οὖτος ἐκεῖνος, λέγοντα, δι᾽ οὗ σώζεσθαι μέλλοις. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν ὁρῶν, τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ μοναχοῖς διεξῄει· μονοτάτου δὲ ἤδη τῇ μονῇ τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐπιστάντος, εἰς τὰς οἰκείας ἀποκαλύψεις εὐθὺς ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος ἀνενεγκὼν, καὶ τοῦτον ἐκεῖνον τὸν αὐτῷ πολλάκις ὀφθέντα εἶναι συνεὶς, μεστὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ τὴν ψυχὴν ἡδονῆς ἔσχε, καὶ Θεῷ δάκρυσι μᾶλλον ἀγαλλιάσεως ἢ χείλεσιν ηὐχαρίστει. Ἑβδόμῃ τοίνυν ἑξῆς ἡμέρᾳ ἡσυχάζων ἦν ὁ Συμεὼν, καὶ μόνῳ συνὼν ἑαυτῷ, μή τέ τι προἳέμενος ῥῆμα, μή τέ τινα τροφὴν προσιέμενος, ὡς ἐκπεπλῆχθαι τὸν θεῖον ἐκεῖνον ἄνδρα, ὅπως ἐν ἀπαλῷ τῆς ἡλικίας καὶ νεαρῷ τραχεῖαν οὕτω καὶ σκληρὰν ἀγωγὴν ἐπεδείκνωτο· ἔπειτα μέντοι διὰ τρίτης, ἢ ἑβδόμης, ἢ καὶ δεκάτης ἐτρέφετο βρεκτῷ τινι βραχεῖ ὀσπρίῳ καὶ ὕδατι. Προέκοπτε τοίνυν ὥσπερ τὴν ἡλικίαν οὕτω δὴ καὶ τὴν ἄσκησιν, μακρῷ δὲ τῆς ἀσκήσεως μᾶλλον ἡ ἡλικία ἐλείπετο. Ἦν δὲ καὶ τὴν ἰδέαν ὁ Συμεὼν εὑπρόσωπος καὶ τερπνὸς, ἐπιχρύσῳ τε κόμῃ καὶ ὀφθαλμῶν κάλλει κοσμούμενος· ἦν δὲ καὶ λέγειν ἕτοιμος, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνετὸς ἀποκρίνεσθαι, θείας ὥσπερ αὐτῷ χάριτος ἄνωθεν (ὃ καὶ ταῖς ἀληθείαις ἦν) περιφανῶς ἐπανθούσης· ἅ, τὸν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς βασκαίνοντα πᾶσι, τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς λέγω τῷ ἡμετέρῳ γένει πολέμιον, οὐκ ἦν ἐνεγκεῖν, ἀλλά τινα παρὰ τῇ μονῇ ποιμένα θρεμμάτων ὁ σκαιὸς ὑποδὺς, ὅσπερ δὴ τρόπος τῆς ἐκείνου κακοτεχνίας, τοσοῦτον αὐτοῦ τῇ ψυχῇ φθόνον τῆς ἐκείνου ἀρετῆς ὑπανάπτει, ὡς καὶ φόνον ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ὠδίνειν, καὶ ἤδη παραπειρᾶσθαι ὅπως ἂν ἀνέλοι τοῦτον τῆς μονῆς ὑπεξαγαγών. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν ἔστρεφε καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν, καὶ διὰ σπουδῆς ἐποιεῖτο· Θεὸς δὲ ὁ καὶ πρὸ συλλήψεως ἑαυτῷ τὸν Συμεὼν ἀφορίσας, οὐκ ἠμέλει τοῦ οἰκείου θεράποντος, ἀλλ᾽ ἔργου ἄρχεσθαι ἤδη μέλλοντι τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ξηραίνεται ἀθρόον ἡ δεξιὰ, τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαίας ἀπειλῆς καὶ κινήσεως ἐναργὲς τεκμήριον· καὶ οἱ πόνοι τοσοῦτον αὐτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς καθικνοῦνται, ὡς μὴ δὲ τῶν ὀδυνῶν ἀνέχεσθαι δύνασθαι, ἀλλὰ προσελθεῖν τῷ Ἀρχιμανδρίτῃ, τὴν τε χεῖρα ὡς ἔχοι δεικνῦντα, καὶ λίαν ἐλεεινῶς ἀποδυρόμενον ἑαυτόν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπυνθάνετο τὴν αἰτίαν, ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἔλεγε, δεινῶς ὑπὸ δέους εἰργόμενος. Ὡς δὲ πολλαὶ μετὰ ταῦτα διῆλθον ἡμέραι, τά γε τῶν ὀδυνῶν μᾶλλον αὐτῷ ἐπετείνετο, καὶ τὸ σῶμα· ἔῤῥει τηκόμενον, πρόσεισι τῷ Ἀρχιμανδρίτῃ κατὰ μονὰς τὰ πάντων λαθὼν ὄμματα, ἐξαγορεύει τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, δημοσιεύει τὴν πονηρὰν ἐκείνην τῆς καρδίας ὠδῖνα, κλαίει πικρῶς, αἰτεῖ θεραπείαν τοῦ πάθως. Τὸν Συμεὼν τοίνυν ἐκεῖνος, αὐτίκα καλέσας, ᾧ καὶ πλουσιωτέραν ἢδει φοιτῶσαν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Πνεύματος, τά τε τοῦ δράματος αὐτῷ καὶ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἀπαγγέλει, τά τε τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαίας ὀργῆς προστίθησι, καὶ ὅπως ἡ χεὶρ τῷ ἀνδρὶ πεπόνθοι ἐλεεινῶς δείκνυσι, εἶτα καὶ ὅσα γνησίου δεῖται παιδὸς, ἢ τἀληθέστερον μᾶλλον πατρὸς συγχωρῆσαί τε αὐτῷ, καὶ θεραπείαν αὐτῷ τῆς πληγῆς ἐπεύξασθαι. Συμεὼν δὲ, ὁ τῷ Θεῷ ἐξειλεγμένος καὶ πρὸ γενέσεως, οὐ μόνον ἀπὸ καρδίας εὐθὺς ἀφῆκε τῷ πλημμελήσαντι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον εὐχὴν ἀσμένως δεξάμενος, καθάπερ αὐτός τι μέγα λαβεῖν οὐ δοῦναι μέλλων, κεφαλὴν ὡς εἶχε καὶ γόνυ γῇ δεδωκὼς, καὶ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δεηθεὶς ἀγαθότητος, τῶν τε φιλανθρώπων ἐκείνων σπλάγχνων ἑλκύσας ἔλαιον, ἀναστὰς, καὶ χεῖρας εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνατείνας, σφραγίζει. τὴν ξηρανθεῖσαν καὶ πάσχουσαν κακῶς δεξιὰν, καὶ παραχρῆμα (τίς ἀκουστάς σου, Θεέ μου, ποιήσει τὰς αἰνέσεις;) ὑγιὴς ἔχουσα ὤφθη, καὶ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ παραπλησίως· οὐ χεῖρα δὲ μόνην εὐθὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ σῶμα ῥώννυται, καὶ εἰς τὴν προτέραν εὐεξίαν εἰσάνεισιν· ὅπερ οὕτως ἐξέπληξε τοὺς παρόντας, ὡς καὶ ψυχὰς ὅλων αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τότε τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐξηρτῆσθαι, καὶ αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν Ιὠάννην τοῦ λοιποῦ μετὰ δέους αὐτῷ διαλέγεσθαι. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν δὴ τοιοῦτο, καὶ οὕτω θαυμάσαι ἄξιον· τὸ δ᾽ ἐξῆς, πολλῷ καὶ τούτου θαυμασιώτερον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἀρετὴν παραθήγων, καὶ ὑψηλοτέρας ἤδη πολιτείας ἁπτόμενος, αἰτεῖ γενέσθαι βάσιν ἑκ πλαγίου τῷ Ιὠάννῃ· ἧς γενομένης εὐθὺς ἐπιβὰς, καὶ στὰς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς· ἦν δὲ μόδιος τῷ Συμεὼν ἡ περιβολὴ, ξύλου καρύας πεποιημένος. Ὁρᾷ πάλιν αὐτὸς ἐκ πλαγίου παῖδα κάλλει ὡραῖον, τὴν τε καρδίαν πρὸς τὴν ὄψιν ἀναφλεγεὶς, καὶ ὅτι Χριστὸς, ὁ Κύριος καὶ Θεὸς εἴη γνοὺς, θαῤῥεῖ κατὰ τὸν ἠγαπημένον μαθητὴν καὶ αὐτὸς, τὴν περὶ τοῦ πάθους ἐρώτησιν, καὶ φησί· Κύριε πῶς σὲ ἐσταύρωσαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι; Ὁ δὲ ὑπομονὴν αὐτῷ καὶ καρτερίαν, ἢ σώματος νέκρωσιν μᾶλλον ἑκουσίαν νομοθετῶν, τὰς χεῖρας τύπῳ σταυροῦ διατείγας, Οὕτω μέ φησιν, ἐσταύρωσαν, ἐμοῦ εὐδοκήσαντος. Σὺ δὲ ἴσχυε καὶ ἀνδρίζου. Ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν ὁ Συμεὼν οὐ συνῆκε τὰ εἰρημένα· ὕστερον δὲ συμβαλὼν ὅπερ ἐκεῖνα ἐβούλετο, πόνῳ τε καθ᾽ ἡμέραν πόνον, καὶ ἄσκησιν ἀσκήσει προστιθεὶς οὐκ ἀνίει. Τῷ μὲν οὖν Ἰωάννῃ νυκτὸς ἑκάστης εὐχὴ ψαλμοὶ τριάκοντα ἦσαν, τῷ δὲ Συμεὼν νῦν μὲν πεντήκοντα, νῦν δὲ ὀγδοήκοντα, τὰ πολλὰ δὲ καὶ τὸ ψαλτήριον ὅλον, ὕπνου μὴ δὲ βραχὺ γευομένῳ, ἀλλὰ μὴ δὲ ἡμέρας ἔχοντι πάλιν τὸ στόμα δοξολογίας παυόμενον, ὡς μὴ δὲ τὸν Ἰωάννην φόβου τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καθαρεύειν, ἀλλὰ τοιαύταις πρὸς αὐτὸν παραινέσεσιν χρῆσθαι· Ἱκανόν σοι, τέκνον, ὅτι σαυτὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ γάλακτος καὶ θηλῆς ἐσταύρωσας τῷ Χριστῷ· Τί δέ σοι καὶ ταῦτα τὰ τῆς ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἐγκρατείας; παρακαλεῖν χρὴ καὶ τὸ σῶμα, ὕπνου τε καὶ τροφῆς τὰ μέτρια κοινωνεῖν, ἵν᾽ ἐξαρκεῖν ἔχῃ σοι πρὸς τοὺς τῆς ἀσκήσεως πόνους· οὐ δὲ γὰρ βρῶμα ἢ πόμα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, δέδωκα γὰρ ὑμῖν πάντα φαγεῖν ὡς λάχανα χόρτου, φησὶν ἡ θεία γραφή. Πρὸς ἅπερ ἐκεῖνα τὸν Συμεὼν καὶ λίαν πρεσβυτικῶς ἀποκρίνεσθαι· Ὡς εἰ καὶ ταῦτά φησιν οὐ κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τοὺς κοινοῦντας λογισμοὺς κινεῖ καὶ θολεῖ καὶ παχύνει, ἔνυλόν τε τὸν λεπτότατον ἐργάζεται νοῦν, ἀχλὺν αὐτῷ καθάπερ ἀνακεράσαντα. Νύκτα μέντοι καὶ ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου μελετῶντες, οὐ συναρπαζόμεθα τῇ τοῦ ὕπνου μέθῃ (Ἐνύσταξε γάρ φησιν ἡ ψυχή μου ἀπὸ ἀκηδίας, ἣν ἡ συνεχὴς τῶν ἐμπαθῶν λογισμῶν ἐργάζεται προσβολὴ, τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς τόνον ἠρέμα διαχαυνοῦσα) ἀλλὰ τὸ στόμα τηνικαῦτα μᾶλλον ἀνοίγοντες (ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὁ περὶ τὰς θεῖας ἐντολὰς πόθος, καὶ ἡ τῆς καρδίας περὶ αὐτὰς θέρμη) τὴν ἄνωθεν χάριν εἶτ᾽ οὖν πνεῦμα ἑλκύσομεν. Ἀλλὰ, διὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἀγάπην, μηδέν σοι πρὸς τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους, ἐμαυτῷ γὰρ νομοθετῶ καὶ οὐκ ἄλλοις· δεῖ γάρ μοι, διὰ τὸ νέον τῆς ἡλικίας, τοσαύτης περὶ τὸ σῶμα σκληραγωγίας.

[11] While she is there, and considers within herself what great things were promised to her concerning the son, both through visions and through prophecies, Another vision of the mother. she sees in her sleep herself winged, lifted up from the earth, holding the boy in her hands, and bearing him as a gift acceptable to God, and uttering to him such things: I desired to see, child, this divine ascent of yours, that the Most High may release me his handmaid, because I have found grace among women to render to him the fruit of my womb, my birth-pangs, and my labors. The holy woman having had a vision of this kind, and having uttered words so similar to those of the Prophet Symeon, inasmuch as she also saw the saving one with her own eyes, conferring all things in her heart, kept them to herself. But it having happened that Symeon afterward dwelt in that part of Antioch which is fittingly called the Cherubim, because when Titus took Jerusalem, and transferred renowned images of the Cherubim from the temple destroyed among them to Antioch, he there set them up in the most conspicuous part of the city. Dwelling here therefore, he sees before his eyes, upon the ancient wall-work, that terrible vision:

and how stupendous things were already now done concerning the same she had seen, she recalls to mind; and hangs in doubt, whether those things seen were ever truly to be fulfilled in reality: she sees ^b in sleep herself winged lifted up on high, holding her son in her hands, and offering him as it were a gift acceptable to God, and addressing him with these words: I uniquely desired to see this glorious ascent of yours, son: so may the Most High free me his handmaid, since I have found grace among women, that I may render to him the fruit of my womb, my pains, and my labors. The holy woman having beheld a vision of this kind, was bursting into voices exceedingly similar to those of that Prophet Symeon, as though she also had seen with her own eyes a certain saving thing, and conserved all things in her heart.

[12] After these things Symeon, when by chance he dwelt in that place of Antioch, which is rightly and deservedly called the Cherubim, because Titus, Jerusalem being overthrown, Another likewise of Symeon, transferred the more renowned statues of the Cherubim, taken from its temple, to Antioch, and there set them up in the most celebrated place of the city: when in that place, I say, Symeon dwelt, there is presented to him appearing upon a ruinous wall this horrible spectacle: Behold there appeared Christ the Lord of all (but what eloquence of speech could narrate the spectacle of so illustrious an apparition according to its dignity?) There appeared, I say, Christ on a lofty throne, before whom a terrible tribunal; then an immense multitude of the just flowed together, and the book of life was opened: there was beheld from the rising a Paradise filled with delights, but from the setting a pool boiling with fires; and the Spirit of the Lord said to him: Hearken and understand the words of life, whereby he is incited to follow virtue. consider those things which you here behold, that you may choose virtue. That splendor of the Saints and the Paradise of delight signify everlasting exultation: but that gehenna of fire threatens punishments never to be ended. Go therefore, and choose virtue; that after the term of this life, you may not only be freed from miseries that will have no end, but also be made a partaker of the ineffable goods, set forth for those loving God.

[13] This contemplation being presented to Symeon, a certain knowledge more than human, which would reveal hidden things and things fleeing our sight, An unknown man going before, he is led to Pila: was wonderfully attributed to him. A few days after he sees again a man, clad in a white garment, and saying; Follow me. But he ^a followed continually the shadow of the one appearing to him, and leading him into the Tiberine region, subject to neighboring Seleucia, to a certain place, in the customary idiom of the inhabitants, called Pila. Here Symeon living in the deserted mountain among the wild beasts, which alone he had as consorts of his life, enjoyed a copious light sent from heaven day and night; that man who had appeared white-robed leading him through all things, and supplying the necessaries of life. He endured some days in that place, then ascending the mountain itself also, he found a small monastery; in which dwelt a certain man, John ^c by name, exceedingly zealous for virtue, standing upon a base: to which man even before, concerning Symeon, frequent visions had occurred, before he had come to the mountain. For at one time he had beheld a boy, and thence he comes to John the Stylite: surrounded with a white garment, carried in a chariot into the monastery; at another again through the middle air, a bright column showing the way and surrounding him, penetrate to the same place. It happened also that the one brought there was exhibited to John by an Angel, saying; This is that one, through whom you are to obtain salvation. These things, at the time when he saw them, John had related to his fellow monks: but now, when Symeon himself appeared in the monastery, forthwith he compared him with his revelations: and certain that he was the same, who frequently had been presented to his eyes, he was suffused with spiritual pleasure, and paid thanks to God for exultation with tears rather than with lips.

[14] Thenceforth Symeon for seven days, free of cares, attending to himself alone, neither brought forth a word, nor admitted anything of food; the aforesaid man of God being astonished, how in so tender and youthful an age he could follow so arduous and rigid an institute of life. Afterward indeed on the third day, or the seventh, with whom strenuously exercising himself, or even the tenth he only repaired his strength, a few macerated legumes being taken for food with water. So therefore he was progressing, as in age, so also in the exercise of virtues; although this far more surpassed that. He was besides of a beautiful and graceful form, with hair referring gold in color, and remarkable for the dignity of his eyes: he was prompt in discoursing, prudent in answering, divine grace given quite from heaven everywhere, conspicuously shining forth in him. These graces he, who envies all the upright; he, I say, who from the very beginning of things has been the most hostile enemy of our race, could not bear; but having entered subtly, as is familiar to his malice, into a certain shepherd of cattle, dwelling not far from the monastery; he so inflames the man with envy against the holy man because of the splendor of his virtues, that he anxiously machinated death for him; and now looked around for a way and means, by which he might complete in deed the crime conceived in mind, and withdraw himself from the monastery with impunity.

[15] While that wicked one revolved these things in his mind, and zealously endeavored to put them into action: contriving death for him and therefore punished God, who had predestined Symeon to himself before he was conceived, was not failing his servant: for the hand of the nefarious man, now to be moved next to the crime, suddenly withers; which is a manifest argument of the just menace and indignation of God: and so great straits invade his soul, that unequal to bearing the pains he approached the Archimandrite, showing how his hand was, and miserably lamenting his misfortune. But that one inquiring the cause, he was dumb, hiding his miseries for fear and confusion. Some days being interposed, the pain growing heavier more and more, and ruining and attenuating his body, he runs back to the monastery secretly from all to the Archimandrite, discloses his offense, indicates the bitter grief of his heart, weeps bitterly, implores relief of the evil. What should the Archimandrite do here? At once Symeon being called, whom he knew prevented by a more abundant grace of the holy Spirit, he declares what was done, what counsel was taken; sets before his eyes the just animadversion of God upon the wretched man; shows how miserably his hand was affected: then asks him, as a genuine son, or more truly a father, that he would grant pardon to the afflicted, and obtain a remedy for his wounds by praying.

[16] Symeon therefore, chosen by God before nativity, forthwith not only dismissed the offense to the man from his inmost heart; he heals by prayer: but also willingly addicting prayers, to be poured forth for his safety, plainly as if he were to receive a great benefit not to give it, his head, as he could, and knees being set on the ground, the goodness of the pitying God being implored, and the mercy of those benign bowels elicited, he rose, and with hands stretched out to heaven, he signs the dry and grievously suffering right hand. And who shall make your praises to be heard, my God? at once healed and most similar to the other the hand appeared, nor this only, but also the whole body in the same moment is corroborated, and restored to its former state. Which thing filled the bystanders with so great admiration, that from that time they uniquely looked up to Symeon; and John himself never afterward spoke to him except with trembling. And these things indeed were worthy of great admiration; but that which follows, of much greater. and he also himself ascending a base For, just as Symeon to an ever higher and higher grade of virtue, having now attained the highest, spurs himself on, he asked a base to be erected opposite John, and the erected one soon ascended, and stood upon it: but a measure ^d fabricated of walnut wood, covered him around.

[17] Here he sees again a boy, eminent in dignity of form, by whose aspect inflamed with his whole heart; when he had recognized that he was Christ the Lord, he does not hesitate, by the example of the beloved Disciple, to interrogate him concerning his passion, saying; Lord, in what manner did the Jews fix you to the cross? But the Lord prescribing to the one interrogating patience, tolerance, or rather a voluntary mortification of the body as a rule of living, he is animated by Christ to perseverance: with hands extended in the manner of a cross; So, he said, they fixed me to the cross, I uniquely desiring this. But be you robust, and act manfully. Then indeed Symeon did not understand, what those things said to him meant: but afterward, when he understood, he undertook labors one after another, and incessantly added other and other things to the exercises of virtues. John therefore performing his prayer, thirty Psalms, every night; Symeon recited sometimes fifty, sometimes eighty, often even the whole Psalter, seeing absolutely no sleep with his eyes, but neither suffering his tongue by day to cease from chanting the divine praises; so that John not only feared very much for his strength, John urging moderation but also assailed him too severe to himself with an exhortation of this kind: Let it suffice you, son, that from your very cradle you have crucified yourself to Christ: what have you to do with these exercises of penitence, exceeding human strength? It behooves also to have care of the body, and to indulge it moderate sleep and nourishment, that it may be able to suffice for the labors of the ascetic life. For neither do food and drink defile a man: for, I have given you all things to be eaten as the herbs of the pasture, says the sacred ^e Scripture. Gen. 9, 3.

[18] To these things Symeon answering quite prudently; Although, he said, those do not defile a man, nevertheless they excite defiling cogitations, and make them turbid and morose, he answers prudently. and fix the most subtle mind of man to the earth, and involve it as in certain darkness. For when day and night we meditate on the law of the Lord, there is no danger, lest we be snatched away by the allurements of sleep, as the Prophet complains saying; My soul slumbered for weariness (which weariness assuredly the incursions of evil cogitations bring to the continent, gradually relaxing the intension of the soul) but we rather open our mouth (I mean the desire and fervor of the heart to keep the divine precepts) that we may attract the supernal grace or the holy Spirit. Ps. 118, 28 But nothing to you, my Father, for the love of God, with these discourses of mine: I make these laws for myself, not for others: for the necessity is laid upon me, because of my youthful age, of so harshly treating my body.

ANNOTATIONS. C. J.

asking to be cured, as is also had there number 72; and finally from what was already said before the life §. 1 that the place of the column was within the sheepfold, that is, a stone wall, that no one could approach, unless admitted by the Brother who performed the office of go-between: and it is said in Evagrius book 1 chapter 13, that the measure of Symeon the Elder scarcely extended two cubits in circuit. Below also number 46 it is established, that the measure was not always open above, but sometimes closed on every side.

CHAPTER III.

Other visions; miracles; the terrors of the demon.

Τοιαῦτα μὲν δὴ τὰ τοῦ Συμεὼν, καὶ παρ᾽ ἡλικίαν καὶ ἀκοὴν οὕτω πᾶσαν ἐκπλήττειν δυνάμενα· Χριστὸς δὲ, ὁ καὶ τὸν Συμεὼν ἁγιάσας, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ παθῆναι τοῖς ἱεροῖς αὐτοῦ μαθηταῖς καὶ ἀποστόλοις, Θαρσεῖτε, εἰπὼν, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον, καὶ χάριν αὐτοῖς καὶ σημείων ἐμπνεύσας δύναμιν, παραπλησίου μέλλων χαρίσματος καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν μεταδοῦναι, τήν τε κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου παρασχέσθαι νίκην αὐτῷ, τῆς ἴσης αὐτὸν ἐκείνοις ἀξιοῖ καὶ φωνῆς, Θάρσει καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰπὼν, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον. Εἶτα καὶ θεῖα περὶ αὐτὸν ἔλλαμψις γίνεται, καὶ πᾶσαι τοῦ διαβόλου ἀθρόον αἱ φαντασίαι καὶ βασιλεῖαι αὐτῷ ὑποδείκνυνται· διάδημα μὲν ἐκεῖνος ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς ἔχων, αἱ δὲ τῶν δαιμόνων αὐτῷ παρεστῶσαι φάλαγγες, χρυσός τε παρ᾽ αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸν τῶν ἡδονῶν κόσμον, καὶ λίθοι τίμιοι, καὶ μαργαρῖται, ἵνα καὶ μᾶλλον εἶεν ἐπαγωγότεραι· ἦν δὲ καὶ αὐλῶν ἀκούειν, καὶ σύριγγος, μέλους τε μουσικοῦ παντός· ὡς θυγατέρα τε τὴν Ἁμαρτίαν συνοῦσαν τοῖς ὀλέθρια δελεαζομένοις· ἐκεῖ περιεργίας πνεῦμα καὶ πονηρίας, ἐκεῖ ἀπειθείας καὶ ῥαθυμίας καὶ λήθης, τὸ δὲ τῆς φιλαργυρίας καὶ λίαν φοβερὸν ἐκεχῄνει, ὥσπερ οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἰ πάντα καταπίοι χορτάζεσθαι μέλλον. Ταῦτα οὕτως ὁρώμενα, καὶ τοιαύτην φαντασίαν ἐπιδεικνύντα, ἐπαγαγέσθαι πρὸς ἑαυτὰ καὶ τὸν Συμεὼν ἐπειρᾶτο· ὁ δὲ τῷ συνήθει καὶ νῦν ὅπλῳ, τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ φραξάμενος ἐπικλήσει, τήν τε τοῦ σταυροῦ σφραγῖδα τοῖς θεάμασιν ἐκείνοις ἐπιβαλὼν, αὐτίκα πάντα διασκεδάζει, καθάπερ τι σκότος αὐγαῖς ἡλίου διαλυθέντα. Μετὰ μέντοι τὰς νυκτώδεις καὶ νυκτὸς ἀξίας φαντασίας ἐκείνας τελεωτέρας αὖθις ἐλλάμψεως ὁ Συμεὼν ἀξιοῦται· ἐπεὶ καὶ φῶς ἀκολουθεῖν ἀναγκαῖον, σκότους ὑποχωρήσαντος. Ἀτενίσας γὰρ ναὸν, ὁρᾷ θεῖον εἰς οὐρανὸν, δόξα τε αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν εὐθὺς περιέλαμψε· καί τις τῶν Πατριαρχῶν, μύρον ἡδύ τι καὶ θεῖον ἀπόζον ἐν χεροῖν ἔχων, ἀποσταγεὶς πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ σφραγίσας, ἔχρισεν εἰπών· Ἐν τῷ μύρῳ τούτῳ διώξεις τοὺς δαίμονας, θείαν τε δύναμιν ἐξ ὕψους ἐν ὀσφύἳ περιζωσάμενος, κενὰς αὐτῶν τὰς προσβολὰς καὶ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἀποδείξεις· Θάρσει τοιγαροῦν, πεποιθὼς τῇ τοῦ ποιήσαντός σε σφραγῖδι Χριστοῦ· οὐκ ὠφελήσει γὰρ ἐχθρὸς ἐπί σοι, καὶ υἱὸς ἀνομίας οὐ προσθήσει κακῶσαί σε. Τοιαύταις ὁ θεῖος Συμεὼν ἐνετρύφα παρὰ Θεοῦ θεωρίαις, τοσαύτης ἐκεῖθεν πρὸς τοὺς ἀσκητικοὺς ἀγῶνας εὐδοκίας ἠξίωτο. Ἅπερ οὐκ ἐλελήθει τὸν Ἰωάννην· ὡς γὰρ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ φύντα σπλάγχνων, οὕτως ἑώρα τὸν Συμεὼν, διὰ τὸ πολὺ καὶ παρ᾽ ἡλικίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ μανθάνειν τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν περὶ παντὸς ἐποεῖτο, οἷς ἀκόλουθα δήπου καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἀνὴρ γάρ τις παρειμένος τὸ ἰσχύον καὶ χρόνον ἤδη συχνὸν, όδύναις τε τοῦτο δρυμίαις βαλλόμενος, ὡς μὴ δ᾽ οἷός τε εἶναι παντάπασιν ἀνακύψαι, συνεχῶς τῇ μονῇ φοιτῶν, τὴν τε ξένην τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐν ἡλικίᾳ τοιαύτῃ πολιτείαν ὁρῶν, πείθεται τὴν ψυχὴν, ὡς εἴπερ οὗτος ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δεηθείη, ὑγιᾷ πάλιν αὐτὸν ὡς καὶ πρότερον ὁ Θεὸς ἀποκαταστήσει· καὶ προελθὼν τῷ Ἰωάννῃ δεῖται θερμῶς δεηθῆναι πάλιν αὐτὸν ἐκείνου προσεύξασθαι περὶ αὐτοῦ. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἰωάννης πρὸς τὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς πάθος σπλάγχνα παθὼν, τῇ βάσει παραστῆναι τοῦ Συμεὼν παραγγέλλει· ἔπειτα παραινεῖ, συμβουλεύει τῷ Συμεὼν, ἱκέτης αὐτοῦ πάλιν ἐκεῖνος γίνεται, μὴ οὕτω σφοδρῶς ἀλγυνομένου τοῦ κάμνοντος ὑπεριδεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ εὔξασθαί τε ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ χεῖρας αὐτῷ ἐπιθεῖναι. Ὁ δὲ καὶ λίαν ἀχθεσθεὶς, ἁμαρτωλὸν ἑαυτὸν ἐκάλει, καὶ ὡς μεῖζον ἢ κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν, τὸ ἐπίταγμα παρῃτεῖτο. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης μετὰ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἀνίει, ἀλλὰ θερμότερον ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐπέκειντο, ὀψὲ καὶ βραδέως πεισθεὶς, χεῖρά τε τῷ πάσχοντι ἐπιθεὶς, καὶ ὅλον ἑαυτὸν εἰς εὐχὴν ἐπιτρέψας, Ἐγὼ μὲν ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς σφραγίζω, ἔφη, τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σφραγῖδι, κατὰ δὲ τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν γενηθήτω τῷ πάσχοντι· καὶ παραχρῆμα θεραπείας τυχὼν, ἀπῆλθε, λαλὼν ὅλῃ γλώττῃ τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυναστείας. Εἶτα προσάγεταί τις αὐτῷ δαιμονῶν· καὶ ὁ μὲν δαίμων τὸν Συμεὼν αὐτίκα ἰδὼν, ἀφαρπάσας ἐλεεινῶς τὸν ἄνθρωπον τῶν αὐτὸν κατεχόντων, εἰς ὃν ἐκεῖνος ἦν ἐνοικῶν, ἀνὰ τὰς ἐρήμους τοῦ ὄρους ἠλαύνετο. Ὁ Συμεὼν δὲ τοῦ πάσχοντος οἶκτον λαβὼν, καὶ τοῦτον ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου καλέσας, ἀναστρέφειν κελεύει· καὶ ὃς, ἅμα τῇ κλήσει παρῆν αὐτῷ παρεστώς. Ὁ δὲ τῷ δαίμονι εὐθέως ἐπιτιμήσας, τήν τε τοῦ Χριστοῦ σφραγῖδα ἐπιβαλὼν, καὶ τοῦτον ἐκβαλὼν ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ ἀπελάσας, ὑγιῆ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπολύει. Οὕτως ἀεὶ παραμένουσαν αὐτῷ τὴν ἄνωθεν εἶχε χάριν, καὶ τῶν αὐτῷ προσιόντων οὐδεὶς ἦν διακενὴς ἀναστρέφων, ἀλλὰ τυγχάνων οὗπερ ἐβούλετο. Βουλόμενος δὲ πρὸς ἀρετὴν διὰ πάντων οἰκοδομεῖσθαι, καὶ ὑπομονὴν ἀεὶ καταρτίζεσθαι, φησί ποτε πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην, Ὡς ἄρα ἡ μὲν τοῦ σατανᾶ κτῆσις, καὶ ὅσος ὁ τούτου ὀλέθριος πλοῦτος, ὑπεδείχθη μοι πρώην παρὰ Θεοῦ· τίς δὲ λοιπὸν ἡ σπουδὴ τῆς ἐκείνου πολυτεχνίας, δι᾽ ἧς τοῖς ἀρετῆς ἐρασταῖς πολέμους ἀναῤῥιπίζει. Καὶ ὁ Ἰωάννης, ὁ Κύριος ἔφη, τέκνον, ἐξελεῖταί σε τῆς ἐκείνου κακοτεχνίας. Ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ Συμεὼν, ἐπικατάρατός τε καὶ ἄπρακτος ἔσται, φησὶ, τῶν ἐκείνου δυνάμεων ἡ φροντὶς, μεθ᾽ ὧν τὰς πονηρὰς συσκευάζεται πράξεις. Ἰδὼν τοίνυν ὁ Ἰωάννης ὅπως ἐν οὐδενὸς μέρει τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἐτίθετο τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, καθάπερ αὐτοῦ τὸ φρόνημα καταστέλλων, ἵνα μὴ λάθῃ, τῇ τούτου ψυχῇ τύφον ἐντεῦθεν ὁ σκαιὸς ἐμποιήσας· Μὴ οὕτω, τέκνον, ἔχε, φησὶ, μηδ᾽ οὕτως ἀσθενὴς ὁ πολέμιος λογιζέσθω σοι, ἀλλὰ σιδηρὰς μᾶλλον ἁπλᾶς ὑποδεδεμένος, ταύτῃ τε διὰ παντὸς τοῖς μοναχοῖς ἐφεδρεύων, καὶ εἴπου καιροῦ λάβοιτο, βιαίως ἐπιτιθέμενος· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπικλητέον ἡμῖν φάναι τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται διὰ παντὸς μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτοῦ τῇ τῆς οἰκείας παρουσίας ἐπιφανείᾳ καταργήσει τὰς ἐνεργείας. Ταῦτα πρὸς τηλικαύτην κατὰ τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐκμαίνει λύσσαν τὸν πονηρὸν ὡς ἀθρόον ἐπιστάντα, φόνους τε συχνοὺς ἄνωθεν τῆς σκεπούσης αὐτὸν μηλωτῆς φοβερὸν ἠχοῦντας ἐπινοῆσαι, καὶ κάτωθεν δαίμονας ὡς ὄφεις ὑποβαλεῖν, δεινόντι κομιδῇ συρίττοντας καὶ σφόδρα δεδιττομένους, ὡς μὴ δὲ τὴν ἀκοὴν οἵους τε εἶναι στέγειν τοὺς μοναχοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν δήπου περιελόντας τὴν μηλωτὴν, ἐπεὶ μηδὲν αἰσθητῶς ὁρᾶν εἶχον, τῷ ἀμάχῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ τύπῳ κατὰ τῶν δειμάτων ἐκείνων σημειουμένους ἀναχωρεῖν. Οἷς οὐκ ἦν ἀρκεῖσθαι μόνοις τὸν πονηρὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλῆθος ἑρπετῶν κατὰ τοῦ Συμεὼν αὖθις ἐπισυνάγει, καὶ νυκτερινὰς ἐπινοεῖ πολυειδεῖς φαντασίας, καὶ χρόνον ἐπὶ μακρὸν ἐκταράττειν ὥσπερ αὐτὸν οἰόμενος, ἵνα πρὸς τούς ὑπερφυεῖς ἐκείνους ἀπαγορεύσῃ τῆς ἀσκήσεως πόνους. Ἡ δὲ γενναία διὰ Χριστὸν ἐκείνη ψυχὴ, οὐχ ὅπως τούτοις οὐδὲν ἐνδιδοῦσα, τοὐναντίον μὲν οὖν καὶ φιλονεικοτέρα πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἑαυτῆς γινομένη, ἐκεῖνα μᾶλλον αὐτῶν τεθαῤῥηκυῖα τῇ φωνῇ κατεπῇδε· Τὸν ὕψιστον ἐθέμην καταφυγήν μου, διὰ τοῦτο οὐ φοβηθήσομαι, ἀπὸ φόβου νυκτερινοῦ, ἀπὸ βέλους πετομένου ἡμέρας, ἀπὸ πράγματος ἐν σκότει διαπορευομένου, ἀπὸ συμπτώματος καὶ δαιμονίου μεσημβρινοῦ. Εἰδὼς τοίνυν ἀνήνυτα κάμνων ὁ πονηρὸς, τηνικαῦτα μὲν αὐταῖς ὡς εἶχεν ἀπέστη δυνάμεσιν. Ἀπηλέου δὲ μηνὸς ὕστερον, ὅς δεκέμβριος ἡμετέρᾳ διαλέκτῳ καλεῖται, πάσας ὡς ἐδόκει καλῶς τὰς ὑπ᾽ αὐτὸν φάλαγγας ἐξαρτύσας, δευτέρᾳ φυλακῇ τῆς νυκτὸς ἐπιστρατεύει τῷ Συμεὼν, καὶ τὸν γεγλυμμένον αὐτίκα μόδιον ἄρας αὐτῇ μηλωτῇ, ἀφίησι κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ· Δεξιὰ δὲ Κυρίου εὐθὺς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, δεξιὰ Κυρίου ποιοῦσα δύναμιν· καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀκλινῶς ἐπὶ τῆς βάσεως ἑστὼς καὶ προσευχόμενος ἦν· ὁ δὲ ὄμβρους ἀπὸ τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ ἀνέμους, καὶ τυφῶνας, καὶ πρηστῆρας, καὶ καταιγίδας ἐκίνει, ἀστραπαί τε διάπυροι καὶ φλογώδεις, καὶ βρονταὶ βαρεῖαι καὶ σκληραὶ ἐξεῤῥήγνυντο, ὡς μὴ τὰς ψυχὰς μόνον ἐκτεταράχθαι τοὺς μοναχοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ὦτα τούτοις ἐκκεκωφημένοις προσεοικέναι. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Συμεὼν ἀκλόνητός τε καὶ ἀπερίτρεπτος, οὐ σῶμα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ νοῦν πρὸς τηλικαύτας ἵστατο βίας. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος Ἰωάννης ἐκόπτετο τὰ σπλάγχνα περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἀστακτὶ δακρύων, καὶ τοὺς μοναχοὺς καθ᾽ ἕνα τε καὶ κοινῇ συγκαλῶν. Οἱ δὲ τῷ παραλόγῳ τῆς βίας καταπλαγέντες, οὐδὲ ἀποκρίνασθαι οἷοί τε ἦσαν· ἀλλ᾽ ἢ μὲν ἀποθανεῖται νῦν, ἔλεγον, πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ὁ Συμεών. Εἶτα καὶ τὰ ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ προσετίθεσαν, Ποῦ, φησιν, ἡ ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον αὐτοῦ πολιτεία; ποῦ ἡ τῆς ἀσκήσεως μανία; ποῦ ἡ τῶν θαυμάτων ἐπίδειξις; αὐτὸς παραστήτω νῦν ἑαυτῷ βοηθὸς, αὐτὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς διαδράτω κίνδυνον. Τοῦ δ᾽ οὖν Ἰωάννου μὴ ἀνιέντος, ἀλλὰ συντονωτέρᾳ μᾶλλον ἔτι καὶ περιπαθεστέρᾳ τῇ φωνῇ χρωμένου, Μὴ δὲ μία σοι δι᾽ ἐμὲ λύπη, Πάτερ, μὴ δὲ φροντὶς, ὁ Συμεὼν ἀποκρίνεται· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐχθρὸς κατήργηται ἤδη καὶ καταβέβληται, ἐμοὶ δὲ ἔῤῥωται τῇ ἄνωθεν χάριτι πάντα, καὶ ἀσφαλῶς τὰ τῆς στάσεως ἔχει. Ἅμα δὲ ἡμέρα συνίασι καὶ οἱ μοναχοὶ, καταλαβεῖν αὐτὸν ἤδη τεθνεῶτα νομίζοντες· ἀλλὰ κρεῖττον ἢ κατὰ προσδοκίαν ἀπῄντα τὸ ἐλπισθέν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν, ψυχὴν ἅμα· καὶ ὄψιν ἠγαλλιᾶτο, ὡς διὰ τοῦ προσώπου τὴν ἔνδον φαιδρότητα παραδείκνυσθαι· οἱδὲ, παρὰ τοῦ θείου Ἰωάννου τὰ εἰκότα ὀνειδιζόμενοι, ἀνεχώρουν.

[19] And this oration of Symeon indeed, brought forth beyond his age and expectation, He is animated to perseverance by Christ could strike the hearers: but Christ, who had sanctified him, and who before he suffered had said to his holy disciples and Apostles; Be confident, I have overcome the world; and had infused grace and the power of working miracles; he, about to impart similar gifts to Symeon, and to ennoble him with palms obtained by fighting against the devil, deigned to use similar voices also to him, saying; Confide, I have overcome the world. John 16, 33 Then he is also surrounded with the brightness of divine light, and forthwith all the magnificence

and dominion of the devil is uncovered: he himself wore a diadem on his head; The Demon with his pleasures, entire phalanxes of demons stood by; for the ornament of pleasure there were at hand gold, precious stones, pearls, as allurements more apt for inducing pleasure; there was heard the sound of pipes and flutes, and the various concert of music; Sin was beheld in the form of a girl, with her companions, alluring men to baseness: there resided the spirits of curiosity and wickedness, here of diffidence, sloth, and forgetfulness; but the spirit of avarice gaped with monstrous open jaws, as if not to be satiated unless it had absorbed all things; who exhibiting forms of things of this kind, endeavored to allure Symeon also to themselves. he dissipates them by the sign of the Cross, But he with his accustomed arms, fortifying himself with the saving name of Jesus and the sign of the Cross, forthwith dissipates all the spectres, just as darkness is wont to be dissipated by the splendor of the sun.

[20] These light-fleeing and nocturnal visions being scattered, he is judged worthy again of a better illumination; for darkness being driven off, light must succeed. and is corroborated by a vision of God: For while with fixed eyes he beholds the temple, he sees the majesty of God in heaven: and continually a glory diffused thence shone around Symeon, and one of the Patriarchs makes an ointment, which smelled of something sweet and divine, brought forth in his hands, to drop drop by drop, and anointed him, saying: In the virtue of this ointment you shall put to flight the demons, and with divine strength girded about the loins from on high, you shall show their assaults and snares to be empty. Confide therefore, hoping in the sign of Christ, who created you: for the enemy shall not prevail against you, and the son of iniquity shall not add to harm you.

[21] By spectacles of this kind sent down from God Symeon was recreated, and was prevented by this gratuitous benevolence, that he might become equal to the labors and contests of the ascetic life. And those things by no means escaped John: for he observed Symeon, because of the many and more excellent decorations of virtues than are wont to be in that age, not otherwise than a son begotten from himself, and took care to instruct him in all things, which pertained to him: of which assuredly the effects are those which are subjoined. A certain man, now for a long time destitute of strength, was pressed with the gravest pains; by prayers he heals a sick man, nor by any medicine applied could he be relieved: and while he again and again frequents the monastery, and notes the unusual perfection of Symeon in that age, he conceives confidence that it would be that God would restore him to his former health, if Symeon interceded as a deprecator. Therefore approaching John he earnestly asks, that he would exhort Symeon by his prayers, that he might intercede for him a wretch with God. John having beheld the affected body of the man, touched with commiseration, commands him to be led to the column of Symeon; then by exhortation and persuasion, made suppliant anew, he endeavors to induce the holy man, that he should not despise one laboring so grievously, but pour forth prayers for him and impose hands. But he bearing this most grievously, called himself a sinner; and deprecated the command, which he said exceeded his powers. And when John with his men remitted nothing, nay even insisted far more ardently; scarcely at length at some time prevailed upon, he imposed his hands on the one suffering, and giving himself wholly to prayer: I, he said, a sinner form the sign of Christ; as you have believed, let it be done to the sick man. Who at once endowed with health departed, chanting with full mouth the power of God.

[22] After these things a demoniac is led to Symeon: but the demon as soon as he beheld the holy man, and frees a demoniac. snatched miserably from the hands of those holding him, the man whom he inhabited, and drove him through the desert places of the mountain. Symeon therefore having pitied the one so dragged, commands him called in the name of the Lord to return: but he almost more quickly than he was called, presented himself before him. Soon the Man of God, the demon being rebuked, the sign of the cross of Christ being opposed, exterminating him thence, dismissed the man sound and restored to himself. So the heavenly grace was always at hand to Symeon: nor did any, who approached him, return empty, but carried back, whatever he had asked, his vow obtained.

[23] Moreover Symeon desirous of building an edifice of virtue absolute through all things, and of arriving at the most perfect grade of tolerance; Admonished concerning the avoiding of vain glory says at one time to John: How widely the dominion of Satan extends, and how great are his pernicious riches, with how great zeal also he applies all his cunning, that he may move war against the zealots of virtue, the Lord has long since shown me. John says; The Lord, son, will rescue you from his most wicked machinations. Symeon subjoining; Execrable, he says, his powers, however solicitously contriving one evil after another, will lack effect. When John saw, how cheaply he held the snares of the enemy, as it were wishing to recall him to mind, and contain the one going astray in his duty, lest the foul spirit, hence attempting to instill arrogance and pride into his soul, should lie hidden longer: Not so, he said, my son, be you minded; nor think that we have business with so unwarlike an enemy: nay rather shod with iron shoes, he perpetually contrives snares for the Monks, and if anywhere he has got a convenient occasion, he violently makes an onset. Rather to be prayed to and invoked by us is Emmanuel: he will be perpetually with us; he by his presence will render vain all the force of the enemy.

[24] These things drove the malign spirit to so great rage against Symeon, that suddenly coming on, horrible spectres are presented, he stirred frequent noises, horribly resounding upon the skin with which he was covered; but beneath he set demons, as it were serpents, emitting forthwith such formidable hissings, and striking so vehement a terror, that the Monks could not bear it with their ears; nay even, when, the skin being drawn off all around, they perceived absolutely nothing by sight, fortifying themselves with the inexpugnable sign of the Cross against terrors of this kind, they withdrew. The cunning of the wicked enemy did not stop here: those were a prelude. He leads forth serpents in immense number gathered into a battle-line against Symeon, and contrives nocturnal spectres of manifold form, by which he long endeavors to terrify him utterly, and to scare him from those eximious works of the ascetic life. But that soul generous for Christ, not only not yielding to these terrors, but on the contrary even with greater contention than before striving to virtue, and with those very things by which it was thought it would be terrified increasing its confidence, lifted up its voice and sang: I have set the Most High my refuge, therefore I will not fear from nocturnal fear, from the arrow flying by day, from the matter walking in darkness, from ruin and the noonday demon.

[25] The evil demon therefore having beheld himself to labor in vain, then indeed abstained from machinations of this kind. and tempests are vainly stirred up: But afterward in the month Apellaeus, which in our language is called December, all (as indeed it seemed) his phalanxes being arrayed, in the second watch of the night, he attacks Symeon; and suddenly the hollowed measure, with the very skin snatched up, he casts headlong. But the right hand of the Lord was continually upon him, the right hand of the Lord doing virtue; for he indeed stood unmoved upon the column, and prayed; but the demon stirred from the sea rains, winds, storms, fiery whirlwinds and tempests, and inflamed and fiery lightnings: and thunders so horrible and crashing burst forth, that not only did the Monks tremble in all their limbs, but also like deaf men perceived nothing with their ears. Meanwhile Symeon, unshaken and not knowing how to be overturned, not only in body, but even most of all in mind, stood against those assaults.

[26] The divine John meanwhile was tortured in his inmost bowels for Symeon's sake, weeping abundantly, and calls the monks together publicly into one: who consternated by the violence of the unexpected tempest, could all give no answer, whom the monks, thinking him to have perished, find safe. but among themselves; Now perhaps Symeon has met death, they said. Then they also added certain things proceeding from the worst spirit, saying: Where now his conversation, more sublime than human? where that insane kind of exercitation? where the ostentation of prodigies? Let him now help himself, and remove the danger from his head. While John amid these things made no measure of grieving, but resounded with an even more intense and mournful voice; the answer of Symeon is heard: Nothing to you for my sake, my Father, that you should be tortured or grieve: the machinations of the enemy basely prostrate recoil into vanity; but if you regard me and the column (which is the grace of the Heavenly ones) all things safe. As soon as it grew light, the monks go forth together, about to take him up, as they thought, already dead: but to them going, a hope better than their opinion, Symeon himself meets them, exulting in mind and countenance equally; the external marks of his countenance testifying not obscurely the internal joy of his mind. The monks moreover, as they had deserved, being rebuked by the divine John, returned each to himself.

CHAPTER IV.

A double exhortation of Symeon, and Penitence.

Ὁμιλίας δέ ποτε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ Συμεὼν ἁψάμενος, τοιαῦτα παραδόξως αὐτοῖς διελέγετο, ἢ τῇ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος δυνάμει μᾶλλον ἐφθέγγετο, ὅ καὶ διὰ παντὸς ἐμφιλοχωρεῖν εἶχεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἡδέως ἐπαναπαύεσθαι. Ἔλεγε τοίνυν, ὅτι δημιουργήσας ἐν ἀρχῇ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁ Θεὸς, νοῦν ἐν αὐτῷ κατέστησεν ἡγεμόνα, δοκιμαστὴν ὥσπερ καὶ δικαστὴν τῶν ἐγγινομένων ἡμῖν λογισμῶν ἀγαθῶν τε καὶ φαύλων, ὥστε οὐδεὶς ἄγνοιαν ἔχειν τοῦ καλοῦ τε καὶ μὴ τοιούτου λέγειν δυνήσεται. Εἰ τοίνυν αἱ τῶν ἡδονῶν ἐπιθυμίαι περιγένωνται ἡμῶν, καὶ ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν αἰχμαλωτισθῶμεν, καὶ μὴ μᾶλλον γενναίως ἀγωνισώμεθα πρὸς αὐτὰς, μὴ δὲ δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ στῶμεν πρὸς τὰς αὐτῶν προσβολὰς, ψεῦσαι πάντως τῆς ἑαυτῶν ὁμολογίας γινόμεθα, ἣν τῷ Χριστῷ διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος καὶ τοῦ μοναδικοῦ τοῦδε σχήματος, ἐνώπιον τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν Ἀγγέλων, ὡμολογήσαμεν. Φύσει μὲν γὰρ τοῦ ἐπιθυμητικοῦ προσόντος ἡμῖν, οὐδεὶς ἐπιθυμεῖν ἀρνήσασθαι δύναται· τὸ δὲ μὴ τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν ἡττᾶσθαι, τοῦ ἐπικρατοῦντός ἐστι λογισμοῦ, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω ῥοπὴν ἀνείργοντος. Παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ γαστριμαργίαν, καὶ φιλαυτίαν, καὶ θυμὸν, καὶ φθόνον, καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο ψυχῆς πάθος, τῷ αὐτῷ λογισμῷ πρὸς τὴν ἀντικειμένην ἕκαστον ἀρετὴν παρατιθέναι καὶ κρίνειν δυνάμεθα, καὶ οὕτως ἐκ παραλλήλου τὸ βέλτιον αἱρεῖσθαι, τὸ φαῦλον διακρουόμενοι. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ Θεὸς δύο τρίβους ἡμῖν ὑποδείκνυσι, τὴν μὲν στενὴν καὶ τεθλιμμένην, ἥ τις ἀπάγει πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν τοὺς δι᾽ αὐτῆς ὁδεύοντας, τὴν δὲ πλατείαν καὶ ἄνετον, ἥ τις ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸ φέρει τῆς ἀπολείας τὸ βάραθρον. Βιασώμεθα τοιγαροῦν ἑαυτοὺς, ἀδελφοὶ, ἵνα καὶ τὴν βιαστὴν ἁρπάσωμεν τοῦ Θεοῦ βασιλείαν, ὃς φυλάξει πάντας ἡμᾶς εἰς δόξαν τῆς αὐτοῦ μεγαλωσύνης. Ἀμήν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Συμεὼν ταῦτα πρὸς αὐτοὺς διεξῄει· ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης οὐκ ἐκείνου τὰ ῥήματα ἔλεγεν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ τοῦ παναγίου καὶ τελειωτικοῦ Πνεύματος, ὃ καὶ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ σαφῶς ᾔδει φθεγγόμενον. Ἐφραὶμ δὲ, ὁ κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ τῆς μεγαλοπόλεως Ἀντιοχείας Ἀρχιεπίσκοπος, περὶ τῆς στάσεως τῶν ὁσίων τούτων πειθόμενος, καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ Συμεὼν, τῆς τε τραχείας αὐτοῦ καὶ λίαν ἐπιπόνου διαγωγῆς, καὶ τῆς ἀπαραμίλλου καὶ ὑπερφυοῦς πολιτείας, κατὰ θέαν τούτων ἐλθὼν, ὅπως τε τῷ Χριστῷ ἐσταύρωτο παρ᾽ ἡλικίαν ἰδὼν, καὶ ὄψεις τῶν ἀκουσθέντων Μάρτυρας θέμενος, Θεὸν ἦν ὅλῳ στόματι μεγαλύνων, καὶ αὐτῷ δάκρυσιν οὐχ ἧττον ἢ ῥήμασιν ἐξομολογούμενος, ἅπερ ἦν αὐτῷ καὶ παρόντι θαῦμα, καὶ εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπανελθόντι διήγημα. Ὁ δὲ, πῦρ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ πῦρ, ἀνάπτων

[Greek-only block: Nicephorus' Life of St. Symeon the Younger continues here in the original Greek. The corresponding Latin parallel translation is given in the following chunk; per the editorial principle of this edition the Greek text is preserved as-is.]

ἀεὶ τοῦ εἰς Χριστὸν ἔρωτος, οὐδένα τὲ κόρον διὰ τοῦτο τῶν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ καμάτων εἰδὼς, αἰτεῖ ποτε σχοινίον τινὰ τῶν αὐτῷ προσίοντων· ὃ καὶ λαβὼν εὐθὺς, ὅλον ἐν χρῷ τὸ σῶμα περιελίσσει καὶ διασφίγγει οὕτω σφοδρῶς, ὡς διαφαγεῖν αὐτοῦ τὰς σάρκας, ἁπαλάς τε οὔσας καὶ τρυφερὰς, γυμνὰς αὐτῶν τὰς πλευρὰς ἀποδεῖξαν. Ἥλκωτο μὲν οὖν αὐτῷ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ πονήρως εἶχεν· οἵ τε τῶν ἑλκῶν ἱχῶρες αἵμασι πεπηγόσιν ἀνακιρνάμενοι, τῷ τρυχίνῳ συγκεκόλληντο ῥάκει· ὁ δὲ καθάπερ σαφῶς ἄλλου πάσχοντος, οὕτω τῶν ἐκ τοῦ σώματος ἀλγηδόνων ὑπερεώρᾳ. Τοῦ χρόνου δὲ καὶ δυσωδίαν ἐντεκόντος τοῖς ἕλκεσιν, ὡς ἤδη πολλὴ αὕτη, καὶ πολλῶν ὀσφρήσει προσβάλλουσα αἴσθησίν τε τοῖς μοναχοῖς ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ παρεῖχεν, οἱ μὲν ἐπυνθάνοντο τῆς ὀσμῆς τὴν αἰτίαν· ὁ δὲ Συμεὼν προφάσεις τινὰς εἰς ἀπολογίαν ἐπλάττετο, ἕως διὰ τῆς θυρίδος τῶν μοναχῶν τις παραθεωρήσας, καὶ λίμνας αἱμάτων ἕλκεσιν ἀναπεφυρμένας ἰδὼν, μανθάνει τὸ τοῦ πάθους μυστήριον, καὶ παραυτὰ τῆς θέας ἐπαγγέλει τῷ Ἰωάννῃ. Καὶ ὃς οὐκ ὀλίγα δεινοπαθήσας ἀναγκάζει τὸν Συμεὼν ἆραι κατὰ μικρὸν τὸ σχοινίον· ἀρθῆναι γὰρ ἀθρόον οὐκ ἦν, ἐκδαπανῆσαν ἤδη καὶ διασῆψαν τὰς σάρκας, καὶ ταύταις ἄχρις ὀστέων ἐγκοιλανθέν. Περιεχομένου δὲ τούτου, καὶ δάκρυα προστιθέντος καρδίας δήγματα, ἐπετίμα ὁ Ἰωάννης καὶ προσωνείδιζε φιλοστόργως, Μὴ δῆτα, λέγων, ὦ τέκνον, μὴ οὕτως ἑαυτοῦ χρῆναι λίαν ἀφιλανθρώπως ἔχειν. Ὁ δὲ τότε μὲν πατρικαῖς ἐπιτιμήσεσιν εἶξας, ἀπέθετο τὸ σχοινίον· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα λαμβάνων αὐτὸ πάλιν ὁμοίως περιειλίσσετο, οὐ μετὰ τῆς αὐτῆς σφίγξεως ἢ διατάσεως, ἀλλὰ χαυνότερόν πως καὶ φορητότερον· ἐσπούδαξε γὰρ ὑπωπιάζειν ἀεὶ τὸ σῶμα καὶ κατατρύχειν, τοὺς ἐπανισταμένους ἐξ αὐτοῦ τῇ ψυχῇ πολέμους ἀκούων· ἅπερ ἐξίστη τοὺς μοναχοὺς ἐν ἡλικίᾳ μάλιστα τοιαύτῃ γινόμενα. Αἰτοῦσι τοίνυν ἀκοῦσαι λόγους παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ σωτηρίας, καὶ ὁ Συμεὼν ὁμιλίας αὖθις ἁψάμενος, ἢ τῷ ἐνοικοῦντι μᾶλλον κινούμενος πνεύματι, ᾧ καὶ πρὸ μητρικῶν ὠδίνων ἐξείλετο. Πατέρες, ἔφη, καὶ ἀδελφοὶ, οὐ χρὴ τὸν ἀσύνετον ἐμὲ περὶ σωτηρίας ψυχῆς τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ πολιᾷ διαλέγεσθαι· ὅμως ἐπεὶ πατρικοῖς οὐκέστι μὴ πείθεσθαι λόγοις, Ἔργον μοναχοῦ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν οἶμαι, ὥστε ἠρεμεῖν αὐτῷ τὰς τοῦ σώματος ἡδονὰς, ἔχοντι τὴν ψυχὴν ἐν εἰρηνῃ, τό, τε συνεχῶς ψάλλειν, καὶ ἀδιαλείπτως τῷ νῷ προσεύχεσθαι· ἔργον μοναχοῦ ἡ ἀγάπη, καὶ ἡ μετὰ ταπεινῆς καρδίας ὑπακοὴ, δι᾽ ἧς καὶ Χριστὸς εἷλε τὸν θάνατον, γενόμενος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ, ἵνα τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ἡμεῖς δι᾽ αὐτῆς θανατώσωμεν, τότε ἐν ἐξομολογήσει κλαίειν, καὶ ἐν συντριβῇ καρδίας ὡς ὁ Τελώνης προσεύχεσθαι, φωνή τε σύμμετρος καὶ λόγος εὔτακτος, καὶ ἡ ἐν πρᾳότητι καὶ ἡσυχίᾳ διαγωγή. Ἔργον μοναχοῦ, τὸ μὴ ὀμνύειν ὅλως, πλὴν τοῦ πίστευσον ἢ συγχώρησον, ἥ τε τῶν τῆς φιλαργυρίας σκανδάλων φυγὴ, καὶ ἡ τῶν ὄντων μετάδοσις, καὶ τὸ μὴ μόνον μηδέ ποτέ τινος καταλαλεῖν, ἀλλὰ μὴ δὲ καταλαλοῦντος ἀνέχεσθαι, συμπάσχειν τε τοῖς ἐν ὀδύνῃ, καὶ ἀδελφῶν πόδας νίπτειν, καὶ ταῖς αὐτῶν χρείαις διακονεῖσθαι, τό τε μὴ τοῦ χαλεποῦ πάθους τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἡττᾶσθαι, ἀλλὰ πάντων ἔσχατον ἑαυτὸν εἶναι ἡγεῖσθαι. Ἔργον μοναχοῦ, ἡ εἰς πάντας μεγάλους τε καὶ μικροὺς, ἐνδόξους καὶ ἀδόξους, πλουσίους καὶ πένητας, ὡς εἰς αὐτὸν Χριστὸν ἁγνὴ φιλαδελφία τε καὶ φιλοξενία, καὶ ὑποκρίσεως καθαρεύουσα πάσης διακονία. Μοναχὸς γὰρ πρὸς μὲν τὰς κατὰ κόσμον βλέπων ὑπεροχὰς, καὶ πρόσωπα τῶν τοιούτων λαμβάνων, πτωχὸν δὲ καὶ ωένητα προσιόντα καὶ δεόμενον ἀπωθούμενος, ὁ τοιοῦτος οὐχ ἕξει παῤῥυσίαν εἰς τὸν νυμφῶνα, οὐ δὲ ἀπαντήσεται, οὐ δὲ συνεισελεύσεται φαιδρῶς τῷ ἀθανάτῳ νυμφίῳ, ἀλλὰ τοῦτον ἑαυτῷ ἐλεεινῶς ἀποκλείσει, δι᾽ ἔνδειαν ἐλαίου τῆς λαμπάδος ἀποσβεσθείσης· ἐλεημοσύνη γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐλεεῖν πέφυκε πρώτους, καὶ μεγάλων ἐξαιρεῖσθαι κακῶν τοὺς ἑαυτῆς ἐργάτας, αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον ὁμολογοῦντα Χριστὸν ἔχουσα, καὶ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀναδεχόμενον, τὸν εἰς τοὺς πένητας ἔλεον· Ἐφ᾽ ὅσον γὰρ ἐποιήσατέ, φησιν, ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε· ὥσπερ ὁ μὴ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐλεῶν πάλιν, τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ σαφῶς ἤρνηται, τρόπον τινὰ κατὰ τοὺς Σαδδουκαίους τῇ ἀναστάσει καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπιστῶν, καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἐκεῖθεν οὐ διαβλέπων ἐλπίδας. Μὴ οὖν προτιμήσητε τῆς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ χρείας τὸν ἐγκρυπτόμενον τοῖς χρήμασι δαίμονα, ὅς καὶ αὐτῷ Χριστῷ τετόλμηκε προσβαλεῖν, εἰρηκὼς, Ταῦτα πάντα σοι δώσω εὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι· μὴ τῇ κοσμικῇ φαντασίᾳ τὸν τὴν πτωχείαν τοῦ πένητος ὑπερχόμενον, καὶ μὴ ἔχοντα που τὴν κεφαλὴν κλῖναι, Χριστὸν ἀτιμάσητε, οὗ εἰσὶν οἱ οὐρανοὶ καὶ ἡ γῆ. Ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἀβραὰμ ξενίσας οἶδε Θεὸν σὺν Ἀγγέλοις δυσὶν ἐν ὁδηπόρου προσχήματι, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Λὼτ Ἀγγέλους ὑποδεξάμενος. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν πλουσίῳ καὶ πένητι ζητεῖτε Θεὸν, πένητας μὲν ὡς πλουσίους, πλουσίους δὲ πάλιν ὡς πένητας λογιζόμενοι, πόδας τε αὐτῶν μετ᾽ εὐχαριστίας Θεοῦ καὶ ἀγάπης ἐν διαθέσει ψυχῆς νίπτοντες, καὶ ἱλαρῶς αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῶν ὄντων ἐπαρκοῦντες τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν, ὡς ἕνα τε τοὺς πάντας ὁρῶντες, ἢ καὶ Χριστὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον ὁρᾶν νομίζοντες. Πλοῦτος μοναχοῖς, Ἀδελφοὶ καὶ Πατέρες, ἡ ἀκτησία· εἰ δὲ κέκτηταί τις, μὴ ἑαυτῷ μᾶλλον, ἀλλὰ τῷ πλησίον κεκτήσθω. Ἔργον μοναχοῦ, σωφροσύνη σώματος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχῆς· εἰ δέ τινα ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοὶ, λογισμὸς ἀκαθαρσίας εἰσέλθη, ἐν συνοχῇ πνεύματος καὶ καρδίας ὀλολυγμῷ πρὸς Θεὸν μετὰ δακρύων ἐκεῖνα βοᾶτω· Δέσποτα Χριστὲ, ὁ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν καὶ τοῦ ἐλέους Θεὸς, ὁ πάσης παρακλήσεως Κύριος, ὁ ἀεὶ ὢν καὶ διαμένων εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ὁ μόνος φιλόστοργος πατὴρ, ὁ τοὺς ἐπί σοι πεποιθότας μὴ καταισχύνων, ῥύσαι με ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν μου, πρόσχες τῇ ψυχῇ μου, σῶσόν με ἐν τῷ ἐλέει σου τὸ ἀγαλλίαμά μου, λύτρωσαί με ἀπὸ τῶν κυκλωσάντων με· σὺ γὰρ οἶδας ὁ μόνος πάντα εἰδὼς, ὃν οὐδὲν οὐ δὲ τῶν τῆς καρδίας κρυφίων λαθεῖν δύναται, ὡς οὐκ ἐμῆς εἰσι ταῦτα γνώμης γεώργιον, ἀλλὰ κατὰ πολύ μοι τὸ ἀκούσιον ἐπεφύη. Μνήσθητι ὅτι χοῦς εἰμι, καὶ μὴ εἰς κατάκριμα λογισθήτω μοι. Κύριε, Κύριε, δύναμις τῆς σωτηρίας μου, ἐπισκίασον ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν μου ἐν ἡμὲρᾳ πολέμου· μὴ παραδῷς με, Κύριε, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας μου ἁμαρτωλῷ· ἐλέησόν με ὁ Θεὸς, ἐλέησόν με, ὅτι ἐπί σοι πέποιθεν ἡ ψυχή μου, καὶ ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ τῶν πτερύγων σου ἐλπιῶ· ὁ Θεός μου μὴ μακρύνῃς ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ὁ Θεός μου εἰς τὴν βοήθειάν μου πρόσχες· βοηθήσων μου καὶ ῥύστης μου εἶ σὺ, ὁ Θεός μου μὴ χρονίσῃς. Ταῦτα ὁ ῥυπαροῖς λογισμοῖς πολεμούμενος προσεύχου Θεῷ· εἶτα ῥίψον τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσθένειαν ἐνώπιον τῆς αὐτοῦ ἀγαθότητος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τοῖς μεταφρένοις αὐτοῦ εὐθέως ἐπισκιάσει σοι. Ἀποστρέφεσθε τοίνυν ἀδελφοὶ τοὺς ῥυπαροὺς λογισμοὺς, οὕς τίκτει τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς γαστρός· διώκετε δὲ μᾶλλον τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ τὸν ἁγιασμὸν, ὧν χωρὶς οὐδεὶς ὄψεται Κύριον, ὃς οὐ δὲ τὰς τοῦ ἐχθροῦ μηχανὰς ἀπέκρυψεν ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν· οὐ δὲ γὰρ αὐτοῦ φησι τὰ νοήματα ἀγνοοῦμεν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις ὑμῶν πρὸς ὄρεξιν βρωμάτων διερεθίζηται, νοείτω τίς ὁ σαίνων τὴν ὄρεξιν· ἐάν τις ὑπὸ σαρκικοῦ πολέμου διαθερμαίνηται, ἐπιγινωσκέτω τίς ὁ τὸ πῦρ ἀνάπτων, καὶ τῆς εἰς τὸ κακὸν ἀφορμῆς ἐκκοπὴν ἐπινοείτω. Στῆτε τοιγαροῦν ὡς ἀθληταὶ γενναῖοι, ἀνακρίνοντες ἑαυτοὺς διὰ παντὸς, ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ οἰχήσεται ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἡ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐνέργεια· ἐν τούτοις ἀεὶ μελετῶντες, ταῦτα καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς ἐξετάζοντες, εὐνοεῖτε τῷ οἰκείῳ δεσπότῃ· ἵνα καὶ ἡ προκοπὴ ὑμῶν ᾖ φανερὰ, τοῦ ἐν Κυρίῳ καυχᾶσθαι κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον καὶ λέγειν, Εἂν μή μου κατακυριεύσωσι, τότε ἄμωμος ἔσομαι, καὶ καθαρισθήσομαι ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας μεγάλης, καὶ ἔσονται εἰς εὐδοκίαν τὰ λόγια τοῦ στόματός μου· ἔσονται δὲ τότε μᾶλλον, Ἀδελφοὶ καὶ Πατέρες, εἰς εὐδοκίαν, ὅταν μετὰ τοῦ ἀκατακυριεύτους ἡμᾶς εἶναι, ἔτι τὰ λόγια τοῦ στόματος καὶ δάκρυσιν ᾖ καρδίας κατηρτυμένα. Ἡ ψαλμῳδία κατάνυξιν ἐχέτω· αἱ πρὸς Θεὸν φωναὶ, καὶ τὸ τῶν χειρῶν ἔργον, ὡς Ἀγγέλων παρεστώτων ὑμῖν ἐκτελείσθω· ὁ δύο χιτῶνας ἔχων τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι μεταδότω· ἡ νηστεία καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὑμῖν ἄχρις ἐννάτης παρατεινέσθω· νηστεύοντες δὲ μὴ κατὰ τοὺς ὑποκριτὰς σκυθρωπάζωμεν, ἀλλὰ φυλακὴν τῷ στόματι θώμεθα, καὶ περιοχῆς θύραν τοῖς χείλεσι. Ξένῳ ἀδελφῷ ὑπαντῶντες, ταχέως μετάνοιαν βάλλετε, λέγοντες, Πῶς ἔχομεν, εἶτα δοτέον χώραν τῇ σιωπῇ· εἰ δέ τινι καὶ διαλεχθῆναι ἀναγκαῖον, προτρέψει τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀγάπην λαβεῖν· εἶτ᾽ οὖν ἄρτον ζωῆς, καὶ φιλοθέοις αὐτὸν διηγήμασι, καὶ πολιτείαις πατέρων ἑστιατέον. Μὴ γινώμεθα κενόδοξοι τῇ διαλέκτῳ, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τῶν ἐντολῶν ἡμῖν τήρησις μᾶλλον τὴν ἀληθῆ δόξαν περιποιεῖσθω, ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας ταπεινουμένοις. Τὸ φιλόπτωχον ἡμῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὑστερήματος ἔστω καὶ τῆς ἐνδείας· ἡ πρὸς Θεὸν εὐχαριστία μὴ ἐκλειπέτω, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ στόματι ὑμῶν τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἁγιαζέσθω, ἢ καὶ στόμα μᾶλλον ὑμῖν καὶ καρδίαν ἀγιαζέτω. Ἀδελφῷ περί τινος φαύλου πράγματος μὴ συνδιαστέον, ἀλλὰ προσεκτέον μᾶλλον ἑαυτοῖς ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ πάντα δοκιμαστέον πρῶτον, εἶτα τοῦ καλοῦ δυνάμει τῇ πάσῃ περιεκτέον. Μηδεὶς ἐν ἡμῖν διάβολος ἔστω, τῆς γὰρ ἐκείνου μερίδος ἐστὶν ὁ συνταράσσων τὴν ἀδελφότητα· ἀλλὰ τά τε χείλη ἀλήθειαν ἀεὶ καὶ ἡ καρδία λαλείτω. Ἐὰν ἐν τῇ τραπέζῃ διψήσῃς, οὐκ ἐρεῖς, Δός μοι πιεῖν· ἀλλὰ νεύματι σημανεῖς τῷ διακόνῳ τῆς χρείας, καὶ σιγῇ παρεξήσει. Φλέγματος ἐπικατασπασθέντος τῷ θώρακι οὐκ ἐνώπιον πτύσεις τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναστὰς, Εὐλογήσατε πατέρες ἐρεῖς, πόῤῥω τε τούτων γενόμενος, καὶ τὴν χρείαν πληρώσας, ἡσυχῆ πάλιν ἐλθὼν, τῇ τραπέζῃ ἑαυτὸν παρενείρης, εὐλαβῶς τε μεταλήψῃ τῶν προκειμένων, ὡς ὑπὸ παραστάταις Ἀγγέλοις. Οἶνος παντάπασι μοναχοῖς ἀπαγορευτέος· εἰ δέ τις αὐτῷ διὰ σώματος ἀσθένειαν χρῷτο, λίαν ὀλίγῳ κεχρήσθω· παροικία γὰρ δαιμόνων σαφὴς ἡ πολυοινία, τῷ τε γὰρ σώματι πυρώσεως ὑπανάπτει φλόγας, καὶ βαρὺν μὲν τὸν ὕπνον, ἀμβλυτέρας δὲ τὰς φρένας ἐργάζεται, ἔξω τε καθάπερ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν ἡγεμόνα καθίστησι νοῦν. Ἰατρὸς ἀῤῥωστοῦντι Θεὸς ἐστω σοι. Ἀδελφοῦ πάθει δυσωδίαν τίκτοντι περιπίπτοντος, οὐ παραιτήσεται μοναχὸς ἅψασθαί τε αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπαντλῆσαι τὸ τραῦμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ κοίτην αὐτοῦ στρώσει, καὶ ὅτου δέοιτο πυνθανόμενος ἑτοίμως ὀρέξει, οὐκ ὀνειδίζων, οὐ μέγα τι δρᾷν οἰόμενος, ἀλλὰ ὅσα δεσπότῃ δοῦλος εὐγνωμόνως ὑπηρετῶν, ἕως ὁ κοινὸς ἁπάντων Δεσπότης ἐπισκεψάμενος ἄνωθεν, ἐγείρῃ τὸν κάμνοντα. Ταῦτα τηρείτω ἡ ἀδελφότης, ταῦτα ποιεῖν σπουδαζέτω, εἰ μέλλοιμεν τῆς

εὐκταίας ἐκείνης ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς· Δεῦτε οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ Πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, ὅτι πεινῶντά με εἴδετε καὶ ἐθρέψατε, διψῶντα καὶ ἐποτίσατε, γυμνὸν καὶ περιεβάλετε, ἀσθενῆ καὶ ἐν φυλακῇ καὶ ἤλθετε πρός με. Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω, εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος, αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.

[27] When Symeon had at some time fallen into a colloquy with the Monks, he discoursed such things beyond expectation, He institutes a wholesome exhortation to the Brethren. or rather spoke them by the virtue of the holy Spirit, who had chosen for himself a perpetual and grateful habitation in him and sweetly rested: namely, That, since God in the beginning fashioned man, he implanted in him the mind as a leader, an arbiter, and as it were a judge of good and evil cogitations, that no one could pretend ignorance of virtue and vices. If therefore any depraved desires of pleasures invade us, and we are held as it were captives by them, and do not manfully set foot against them, nor with all our virtue repress the assaults of the invaders; fallacious and mendacious is our profession, which we made to Christ both by baptism, and by the reception of this monastic habit before the elect Angels of God. I confess indeed that concupiscence is innate in us from nature: for who could deny that he desires? But not to be overcome by concupiscences, that is the work of predominant reason, and of one constraining as with a bridle our propensity to evil. Likewise gluttony, and self-love, and anger, and envy, and if there is any other perturbation of mind, we are able by the judgment of reason to compare with the opposite virtue, and discern from it; and so on the one side to choose what is more conjoined with probity; to reject what is more alien from it. For the Lord our God shows us two paths, one narrow and beset with the thorns of miseries, which leads those walking by it to life: but the other wide and loose, whose term is the abyss of perdition. Therefore, Brethren, let us do violence to ourselves, that we may seize the kingdom of God which suffers violence, who will preserve us all to the glory of his majesty. Amen.

[28] These things indeed Symeon commemorated. But John affirmed that those were the words not of Symeon, He is visited by Ephraim the Bishop. but of the most holy and arcane Spirit, whom he had perspicuously seen speaking by his very mouth. But Ephraim, who at that time presided over the great city Antioch as Archbishop, made more certain concerning the standing custom of those holy ones, and especially of Symeon, and concerning the austere and exceedingly laborious institute of life of this one, and his conversation sublime and perpetually conjoined with contest, gave himself to the road, about to be a spectator in person. And when he had seen, how Symeon was crucified to Christ in that flower of age; having now got the eyes as witnesses of those things which he had before heard, he magnified God with full mouth, and confessed no less with tears than with words: and those things which had been by the present miracle, were never not in his mouth as he returned to his own.

[29] What moreover Symeon? Just as desirous to kindle more the fire of his love toward Christ, ever another and another fire being added, He binds his body with a rope so tightly he was taken with no satiety of the gravest tortures; he asked at one time from one visiting him a rope, and the received one he wound around his body and constrained so tightly, that, the flesh being eaten through, which there is quite soft and tender, the bare ribs stood out. The body therefore was ulcerated most badly; and the gore of the ulcers, mixed with concrete blood, was glued to his ragged garment. But he who suffered these things, was no more moved by the acerbity of the pains, than if he had borne a foreign body ill. But in process of time so great a stench was generated from the putrefying ulcers, that, brought to the nostrils of many, it was grievous to the monks, nay even to John himself: wherefore them inquiring the cause of the gravest odor, so that the putrefying flesh stinks intolerably, Symeon always devised some pretexts for purging himself: until one of the monks spying through a chink of the window, and beholding a stagnant pool of blood mixed with pus, learns the secret of his pains; and continuously from this spectacle approaches John to announce it. But he not moderately grieving and consternated, compels Symeon to remove the rope by little: for there was no hope of loosing it forthwith, inasmuch as it had now penetrated to the bones, the flesh being consumed and putrefied.

[30] Meanwhile, Symeon hastening to embrace him, and adding tears the indices of a contrite heart, which by John's command he loosed. John rebukes him and paternally upbraids: Not assuredly, my son, he said, is it lawful for you to treat your body in so barbarous a manner. To which paternal castigation he then indeed yielding, loosed the rope: but not very long after the resumed one he bound again around his body, although not so tightly and violently, but somewhat more loosely and tolerably: for to this all the care of Symeon tended, that he should always castigate his body and reduce it to servitude, well ignorant indeed how great battles thence threaten the soul. Which thing, especially in such an age, vehemently struck the monks, asking that it might be permitted them again to receive words of salvation from his mouth. Nor refusing, Symeon, the inner Spirit moving, by whom he had been chosen before the maternal birth, undertakes to speak.

[31] My Fathers and Brethren, he said, it is not equitable, Again addressing the monks in an assembly that I of so weak a genius should make words to this your assembly venerable for gray hair: but neither is it equitable not to obey the words of elders. So therefore I judge, that a Monk must especially strive to this, that he be continent; that, the message to the pleasures of the body being sent away, he may conserve the tranquillity and peace of his soul, to continence, that he may continently sing psalms, and without intermission attend to mental prayer. To this a monk must strive, that he may burn with charity, and with a humble heart obey the one commanding: charity, for obedience is that, by which Christ himself chose to die, made obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, that we also might mortify the desires of our flesh through it. To this also a monk must strive, that he weep in confession, and with a contrite heart with the Publican pour forth his prayers to the Lord: contrition, that his voice be moderate, his speech decently composed, and all his conversation in meekness and tranquillity. To this a monk must strive, that he swear not at all, but only say, and stirs up other virtues: Believe, or, Pardon; that he decline the scandal of avarice; that he distribute his faculties; that he not only never detract from another's fame, but also not even bear one detracting; that he have compassion on those placed in mourning; that he wash the feet of the brethren and study their advantage; that by that perilous passion of mind, pride I mean, he be not overcome, but reckon himself the last of all.

[32] To this a monk must strive, that all both great and small, both glorious and inglorious, both those abounding in riches and the needy, he exhorts that in all they consider Christ: not otherwise than Christ, he prevent with chaste charity, hospitality, and obsequy, free of all hypocrisy. For a monk, who has turned his eyes to the splendor of mundane things, and greedily contemplates their forms, but repels from himself the beggar, the poor, and the needy, will not be admitted to the nuptials, nor let him hope that he will go to meet with exultation the immortal Spouse, that he may enter with him: but rather let him persuade himself this, that it will be, the lamp being extinguished for defect of oil, that he is miserably excluded by him. For almsgiving is wont to obtain mercy for those who are merciful to the needy, and to free them from grave miseries; Christ himself testifying this and confessing, that the mercy shown to a poor man will be reckoned shown to himself. Matt. 25, 40. For he says: As long as you did it to one of these least, you did it to me: so that he who does not have mercy on a brother is to be reckoned to have openly denied the Son of God, having in a manner imitated the Sadducees, by not believing the resurrection to be, nor turning his eyes to the hope thence emanating. Do not therefore make more of the demon lurking under gold, than to have succored the necessities of the brethren; the demon I say, who did not fear to assail Christ himself, speaking thus: All these will I give you, if falling down you adore me. Do not affect with contumely Christ, preferring the mendicity of the poor man to the opinion of the fallacious world, and not having where to lay his head, him, I say, Christ, in whose power are the heavens and the earth. For when Abraham exercised hospitality toward all, he deserved to behold God, accompanied by two Angels, under the form of a traveler: likewise also Lot, who received Angels into hospitality. But yet give earnest labor, that in the rich and the poor, you equally seek God; which you will effect, if you consider in the poor man the rich, and on the contrary in the rich the poor; if you wash their feet with thanksgiving and charity for a testification of the soul, if you supply cheerfully from your faculties whatever their use demands, if finally you behold all as one, or rather esteem that you discern Christ in all. The riches of monks, Fathers and Brethren, is to possess nothing: if anyone however abounds in them, let him not abound for himself rather than for his neighbor.

[33] To this a monk must strive, that he be continent both in body and in mind. he teaches how depraved cogitations are to be driven off; If a lascivious cogitation assail any of you, Brethren, fleeing in anxiety of spirit and compunction of heart to God, let him thus cry with tears: Lord Jesus Christ, you who are the merciful and pitying God, who the Lord of all consolation, you who have been ever, and will be forever, you who the most loving Father of us, who do not suffer those confiding in you to be confounded; you, I say, rescue me from the power of enemies, succor my soul, save me in your mercy, you who are my exultation; free me from the snares of those who have surrounded me: for you know, who alone know all things, and from whom not even the hidden things of the heart can lie hid; you, I say, know, that impure cogitations of this kind, not summoned by me, but invading my mind unwilling and much reluctant. Remember that I am dust, nor, I pray, let those things cede to me unto condemnation. Lord, Lord the strength of my salvation, under your shadow protect me in the day of war; deliver me not, Lord, from my concupiscences to the sinner: have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul confides, and under the shadow of your wings I will hope: my God depart not far from me: God attend to my help, help me, for you are my deliverer: my God be not removed far from me.

[34] So pray to God, whoever you are infested with impure and sordid cogitations; then prostrate before that divine Goodness, confess your infirmity; and it continuously in its own bowels will protect you. Exterminate therefore from your minds, Brethren, base cogitations, which abundance and satiety of the belly is wont to bring forth: but rather follow peace and sanctity, without which no one will see the Lord, who did not conceal from us the machinations of the enemy: for we are not ignorant

his counsels. But if any of you feel himself irritated to an immoderate appetite of food, let him consider, who excites it: if any grow hot with carnal concupiscence, let him investigate who kindles that fire; and let him resolve with himself, to pluck out utterly the beginning and root of the evil. Stand therefore, as it becomes generous champions, judging yourselves, Brethren; and be certain, that all the efficacy and force of sin will vanish. Meditating perpetually on these things, sedulously weighing these things with yourselves, bless the Lord: that your progress may be manifested by glorying in the Lord, according to what is written, and by saying: If they shall not have dominion over me, then shall I be immaculate and cleansed from a great offense, and the words of my mouth shall be acceptable. Ps. 18, 14. But then will the words of our mouth be more acceptable, my Fathers and Brethren, when, we remaining unconquered, they shall also be seasoned with the tears of the heart.

[35] Let the chant of the Psalms proceed from a compunct heart: send forth the javelins of prayers to God, how much and how one is to fast: and perform manual works, ever mindful of the presence of the Angels: he who has two tunics let him communicate to the other who has none: let the daily fast be extended even to the ninth hour of the day. But when we fast care is to be taken, lest after the manner of hypocrites we present a sallow and sad countenance, but it is to be seen that we set a guard to our mouth, and a door of circumspection to our lips. When you meet a Brother coming from abroad, quickly with the body bowed say; How do we fare? then give yourselves again to silence. But if there must be a longer colloquy with anyone, let him invite the Brother to refreshment or even to eat the bread of life, what with guests, both with narrations breathing something divine, and with the lives of the holy Fathers, set on the table. Care is to be taken, lest because of skill of tongue we be lifted up with vain glory; but rather labor is to be given, that, keeping the commandments of God in simplicity and humility of heart, we may attain and conserve true glory. Let the love of voluntary poverty take increase from the very penury and want: let thanksgiving owed to God never escape you, but in your mouth let the name of the Lord be sanctified in all things, or rather let your mouth sanctify your heart.

[36] With a Brother contriving perhaps something depraved do not conspire, but rather turned to yourselves, explore first all things; then what is nearer to virtue, what at table, follow with all your strength. Let no devil be among you; for it is the part of the devil to disturb the fraternity. Let your lips and also your heart perpetually speak the truth. If while reclining you are thirsty, beware lest you say, Give me what I may drink: but by nods signify your need to him who ministers to those reclining; but the thirst being satisfied, silently dismiss the cup. If the necessity of expectorating urges, remember not to cast forth phlegm in the sight of the Brethren: but rise, and the Fathers being bidden farewell, withdraw far thence; and when you have satisfied the necessity, returned in silence put yourself back in your place, and what is set on eat religiously, as brought there by the ministry of Angels. Let the use of wine be altogether interdicted to monks: if however anyone must use it because of infirmity of body; let him use it most sparingly. For you ought not to be ignorant, that through wine-bibbing you become an apt habitation for demons; for it kindles in the body the flames of lust, it is the cause of heavy sleeps; it renders the genius fat and obtuse; not to say, that it casts the mind, the most beautiful leader of man, out of its place.

[37] When you are sick, let God be your physician. When any of the brethren has fallen into a disease which emits a stinking stench; what is to be done with the sick. let not the monk deprecate the ministry of a curer, let him not fear to lend his hand, and the pus being wiped off to cure the wounds: nay rather let him strew the bed of the sick one, and if he hears him to be in need of anything, let him supply it promptly, and that so, that he cast no reproach, that he esteem nothing great done by himself, but as a servant let him benignly serve his Lord, until the common Lord of all visiting us from on high, recreate and restore to himself the one laboring. These are the things, Brethren, which I would have you observe: these be busy to perform, if you desire at some time to hear that desirable voice; Come ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the constitution of the world: because you saw me hungry, and nourished me; thirsty, and gave me drink; naked, and covered me; infirm and detained in prison, and you came to visit me. Matt. 25, 34. He who has ears of hearing let him hear, says the Lord, to whom be glory for ages. Amen.

CHAPTER V.

A vision, the ardor of suffering, the Holy Spirit received, temptations, the death of John foretold.

Τούτων ἀκούοντες οἱ μοναχοὶ, κατεπλήττοντο, καὶ μᾶλλον ὁ Ἰωάννης, ὃς καὶ νέον Δαυῒδ, ὅσα γε εἰς πνευματικὴν σοφίαν καὶ λόγου δύναμιν, ἐκάλει τὸν Συμεὼν, κἀκεῖνο δὲ προσετίθει, ὡς ὀφθείη τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης αὐτῷ θεία κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους δύναμις, οἱονεί τι μέλι κηρίου τῇ δεξιᾷ κατέχουσα, καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν γνησίως μεταδιδοῦσα. Ἕτερος πάλιν τοῦ τῶν ἀδελφῶν χοροῦ γέρων, τοῖς λοιποῖς συμπαρεστὼς ἐπυνθάνετο, εἰ ἐνταῦθα εἶεν περιστεραί· οὐκ εἶναι δὲ πάντων διαβεβαιουμένων, ἔλεγεν ὡς ἢ μὴν λευκὴν τινα περιστερὰν αὐτὸς ἴδοι πρὸς τὸν Συμεὼν, διὰ τῆς θυρίδος εἰστπτᾶσαν, ἐκεῖθέν τε αὖθις ἀποπτᾶσαν, καὶ εἰς ἀέρα χωρήσασαν. Ἐν ὅσῳ δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους αὐτοὶ διεξήεσαν, ὁρᾷ καθάπερ ὁ Συμεὼν ἁρπαζόμενον εἰς οὐρανὸν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ κατὰ παντὸς οἷα μέρους τῆς γῆς ἁπλούμενον, εἶτα διὰ κλιμάκων ἑπτὰ ἀναγόμενον· ὡς δὲ πυνθάνεσθαι τί ποτε εἴη τὰ παρόντα ἐδόκει, φωνῆς ἀκούει λεγούσης, ὡς ἄρα οἱ ἑπτὰ οὐρανοί εἰσιν οὗτοι, δι᾽ ὧν ἀνήχθης· ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν ὁρᾷ τὸν Παράδεισον, παλάτιόν τε φωτὸς ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ πηγὴν μύρῳ βλύζουσαν, καμάρα δὲ τῇ πηγῇ ἐφειστήκει, θείας ἀκριβῶς χειρὸς ἔργον, οὐδένα δὲ ἀνθρώπων ἐκεῖ, ὅτι μὴ τὸν Ἀδὰμ καὶ τὸν Ληστὴν ἴδοι μόνους. Ἐν ἑαυτῷ δὲ γεγονὼς, ἀπαγγέλλει τῷ Ἰωάννῃ τὴν ὄψιν· ὁ δὲ χείλη ἀγαλλιάσεως ἦν αἰνῶν τε ἅμα καὶ εὐλογῶν τὸν Θεὸν, ὅς τηλικαύτην αὐτῷ δεδώρητο χάριν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Συμεὼν τηλικαύταις ὑψοῦτο πρὸς Θεὸν ἀναβάσεσιν. Ἐπὰν δέ τις αὐτῷ προσέλθοι ἐνδύματος ἐνδεὴς, ἐξεδύετο τὸ οἰκεῖον ἐκεῖνος, πᾶσαν ὡς οἷόν τε λανθάνων αἴσθησιν, καὶ παρεῖχε τῷ δεομένῳ· καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐκάθητο γυμνὸς τὰ πολλὰ καὶ χειμῶνος, θείας ἄνωθεν χάριτος περιβολῇ σκεπτόμενος. Ἐλύπει δὲ τὸ πέρα φύσεως τοῦτο τῆς τοῦ Συμεὼν κακοπαθείας τὸν Ἰωάννην, ὅσα καὶ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ μήτηρ κηδόμενον. Ποτὲ τοίνυν βαλόμενος ὁ Συμεὼν ἐπὶ νοῦν τοὺς τῶν ἁγίων τεσσαράκοντα Μαρτύρων ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἀγῶνας, ὅπως ὥρᾳ χειμῶνος ἐπὶ λίμνης αἴθριοι τῷ παγέτῳ διεκαρτέρουν, τότε στῆθος παίων καὶ δακρύων, ὑετοὺς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν καθιεὶς, Οἴμοι ἔλεγεν! οἴμοι! Ὅσοις οἱ Μάρτυρες ἄθλοις, ἡλίκαις διὰ Χριστὸν κολάσεσι, τάς τε μελλούσας βασάνους διέφυγον, καὶ τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων τετυχήκασιν ἀγαθῶν; ἐγὼ δὲ τί δράσω; Πῶς τὸν βρυγμὸν τῶν ὀδόντων ὁ ἄθλιος φυγῶ, οἳ κᾀνταῦθα τὸ σῶμα ἔδονται, κᾀκεῖ μοι πάλιν οὐ τελευτήσουσι; Ταῦτα ἔλεγε, τούτοις ἠδολέσχει, τοιαῦτα προσανακλαίετο. Εἶτα γόνατα πρὸς γῆν καὶ χεῖρας ἐρείσας, οὕτω πᾶσαν ἐκείνην τὴν νύκτα πικρῶς ἑαυτὸν ἀπωδύρετο, ὥσπερ αὐτῷ καὶ καρδίας τοῖς δάκρυσι συνεκχεομένης, ὡς καὶ τὰ σπλάγχνα τὸν θεῖον Ἰωάννην παθόντα, Μάχαιρά σοι λείπεται, φάναι ἥν λαβὼν σεαυτὸν δυσχειρίσεις, οὕτως αὐτοῦ γνησίως περιεκαίετο. Ἔπειτα μέντοι πρὸς ἑτέραν μείζονα τῶν προτέρων ἄσκησιν ἑαυτὸν ὁ Συμεὼν ἐξεπόνει· ἔγνω γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ καθῖσαι ποδῶν· ὅ καὶ παρ᾽ ὅλον ἐνιαυτὸν πεποίηκεν, ἀσάλευτος μείνας, καθάπερ ἐπὶ πέτραν τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν ἀγάπης ἀκριβῶς ἡδρασμένος. Τῷ μὲν οὖν χρονίῳ τῆς καθέδρας, καὶ τῇ τῶν σαρκῶν ἀπαλότητι, ταῖς κνήμαις οἱ μηροὶ συμπεφύκεσαν, μέλος ὥσπερ ἓν γεγονότες, σῆψίς τε τούτοις ἐντετηκυῖα, τὸν Ἰωάννην, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς δυσωδίας ἐπλήρου. Ἧς ὅθεν τε ἦν, καὶ ὅπως εἶχε γνωσθείσης, ἰατρόν τινα μεταστειλάμενος ὁ Ἰωάννης, τῇ τέχνῃ πρὸς τὸ τοῦ Συμεὼν πάθος χρῆσθαι ἠξίου. Ὁ δὲ κατεγέλα· Ζῆ Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου, λέγων, οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνη μοι τέχνη ψαύσειεν ἢ χεὶρ, ἐπ᾽ ἐκεῖνον γὰρ ἐπέῤῥιψα ἐμαυτὸν, καὶ αὐτὸς ποιήσει. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν ἔλεγεν, Θεὸς δὲ οὐ διὰ μακροῦ ἐπλήρου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς πληγῆς ὁ Συμεὼν ἴατο, τούς τε μηροὺς ἔῤῥωτο, καὶ ταῖς κνήμαις ἐχρῆτο· καὶ χαριστήρια Θεῷ τοσαύτης εὐεργεσίας, στάσιν ἐπὶ γονάτων αὖθις καὶ ποδῶν ἀπεδίδου καιρὸν, ὅν αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ καὶ λογισμοῖς οἰκείοις ὡρίσατο. Προσαγούσης δὲ ἤδη τῆς θείας Πεντηκοστῆς, ἔλεγεν ὁ Συμεὼν, Τίς ἄρα δέξασθαι ἄξιος τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ὡς τοῖς Χριστοῦ μαθηταῖς καὶ Ἀποστόλοις ὤφθη, γλωσσῶν ἐν εἴδει πυρίνων ἐπιδημῆσαν; Ἐφ᾽ οἷς, Οὐκ ἀσφαλὲς, ὦ τέκνον, τὰ τοιαῦτα ζητεῖν, εἰπόντος τοῦ Ἰωάννου, ὑπολαβὼν, Θέλημά φησι Κύριος τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν ποιήσει, καὶ τῆς δεήσεως αὐτῶν εἰσακούσεται, καὶ σώσει αὐτούς. Ταῦτα εἶπεν, καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς εἰς οὐρανὸν καρδίας ἅμα καὶ σώματος ἀτενίσας, τοιαῦτα προσήυχετο· Δέσποτα παντοκράτωρ, ὁ τῷ Πνεύματί σου τῷ ἁγίῳ πρότερον μὲν τὴν δύναμιν τῶν οὐρανῶν στερεώσας, καὶ τῆς γῆς ἀνακαινίσας τὸ πρόσωπον, ἔπειτα δὲ τοῦτο τοῖς ἁγίοις σου μαθηταῖς καὶ Ἀποστόλοις ἐν εἴδει πυρὸς ἀποστείλας, ὡς λαλεῖν αὐτοὺς ἑτέραις γλώσσαις καὶ οὐ πατρίοις, κατάπεμψον τοῦτο νῦν καὶ τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἐμοί· δοῦλός σου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ, συνέτισόν με, καὶ μαθήσομαι τὰς ἐντολάς σου, ὁ καὶ ἀπὸ νηπίου στόματος αἶνον εἰδὼς καταρτίζεσθαι. Ταῦτα τοῦ Ὁσίου προσευχομένου (τίς ἄν σου, δημιουργὲ τῶν ἁπάντων, ἐξαριθμήσαιτο τὸ φιλάνθρωπον) καθάπερ τις λαμπὰς ἀθρόον ἄνωθεν καταπτᾶσα, τοσαύτης αὐτὸν ἐπλήρωσε χάριτος, ὡς μὴ τῇ τῆς γλώττης ὁμιλίᾳ μόνον, καὶ τῷ Πνεύματι ᾧ ἐλάλει καταπλήττειν ἐπιεικῶς ἅπαντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ λόγους περί τε μοναδικοῦ βίου καὶ μετανοίας καὶ τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως τάττειν· πολλά τε τῶν βαθέως καὶ ἀποκρύφως ταῖς θείαις γραφαῖς εἰρημένων διερμηνεύειν, δῆλά τε πᾶσι καὶ οἷον ὑπ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς προτιθέναι. ὃ τὸν μὲν Ἰωάννην μείζονος ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ θάμβους πληρῶσαν, ἐκεῖνα περὶ αὐτοῦ φάναι παρασκευάζει, ὡς ἄρα θαυμαστὰ οὗτος ἔργα ποιήσει, καὶ οἷα μικροῦ τὰ τῶν Ἀποστόλων, ὅτι καὶ παραπλησίας ἠξίωται χάριτος· πλείονα δὲ Θεοῦ φόβον ταῖς τῶν μοναχῶν ἐνῆκε ψυχαῖς, σημείων ἐνεργείᾳ μᾶλλον ἢ λόγων δυνάμει καταρτισθείσαις. Ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ ὄψεις ἐν ὕπνοις ὤφθησαν τοῖς μοναχοῖς παραδόξως, καί τινες αὐτῶν τρία βήματα, καὶ τρεῖς ἐν αὐτοῖς θρόνους ἐδόκουν ὁρᾷν· πυθομένους δὲ τίνα ταῦτα εἶεν, καὶ ὅτου πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν καὶ δόξαν ἑτοιμάσθειεν, ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς, ὅτι Συμεὼν τοῦ παιδός. Ὁ Συμεὼν τοίνυν ἶσα ἡλίῳ ὄψιν ἅμα καὶ ἀρετὴν ἐξαστράπτων, χάριτός τε θείας πληρούμενος, ἀναβάσεις ἔτι μᾶλλον ὥσπερ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐτίθετο, οὕτω

κᾂν τῇ τῶν γηΐνων ἀναχωρήσει ἀμέλει, καὶ κίονα πόδας οὐ μεῖον ἢ τετταράκοντα τὸ ὕψος ἐπιτάττει γενέσθαι. Ὁ δὲ γεγονὸς, τῷ τηνικαῦτά τε τῆς Ἀντιοχέων Ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ γνωσθὲν, ἐλθὼν ἐκεῖνος μετὰ τοῦ κατὰ Σελεύκειαν Ἐπισκόπου, λαμπάδας τε συχνὰς ἀναψάμενοι, ὑπὸ πολλῷ φωτὶ καὶ ὕμνοις τὸν Συμεὼν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ μεθ᾽ ὅσης οὐδ᾽ ἂν εἴποι τις εὐλαβείας προσαγόντες, Διάκονόν τε χειροτονοῦσι, καὶ εἰς τὸν κίονα τοῦτον ἀνάγουσιν, ἕκτον ἐπὶ τῆς βάσεως ἐκείνης ἤδη παρὰ τῷ θείῳ Ἰωάννῃ χρόνον διηνυκότα. Σπουδὴ δὲ ἦν τῶν παρόντων ἑκάστῳ, καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς τοῦ βήματος, τῷ μὲν, διαβαστᾶσαι, τῷ δὲ τοῦ ἐνδύματος ἅψασθαι, τῷ δὲ καὶ πλησίον γενέσθαι, καθάπερ τῷ πλέον μετασχόντι πλείονος παρὸν τυχεῖν καὶ τῆς εὐλογίας. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἱερὸς Συμεὼν ἐπὶ τοῦ κίονος στὰς, ὄγδοον ἐν αὐτῷ διεκαρτέρησεν ἔτος, ὡς ἑξῆς προἳὼν ὁ λόγος δηλώσει μοι. Ὁ δ᾽ Ἰωάννης, καίτοι διαθήκας μετὰ τοῦ Συμεὼν διαθέμενος ἡνῶσθαί τε διὰ παντὸς αὐτῷ τὴν πνευματικἡν ἕνωσιν, καὶ ἀχώριστος αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν διαμένειν, ὅμως ὅτι μὴ καὶ ὄψιν ἐκείνου γλυκεῖαν καὶ θείαις ἀνθοῦσαν χάρισιν ὀφθαλμοῖς εἶχεν ὁρᾷν, ἐδάκνετο τὴν καρδίαν καὶ ὠδυνᾶτο, καὶ εἰς φανερὰ πολλάκις κατέπιπτε δάκρυα. Τῷ Συμεὼν δὲ μείζονες τῶν προτέρων ἀγῶνες ἐπὶ τοῦ κίονος ἦσαν, πρᾳότης τε πλείων αὐτῷ προσετίθετο, καὶ ἡ τῆς καρδίας κατάνυξις ηὔξετο, τά τε δάκρυα ὑετοὺς ἐμιμεῖτο, καὶ ἡ γλώττα τοῖς εἰς Θεὸν ὑμνοῖς ταῖς οὐρανίαις δυνάμεσι σαφῶς ὡμοίωτο. Ὡς ἂν δὲ μὴ καυχήσηταί φησι πᾶσα σάρξ, ἡνίκα τοιαύτης ἐτύγχανεν ἐπιβὰς ἡλικίας, ἥ τις φύσεως πέφυκε γονὴν προἳέναι, ὁπλίσατο κραταιῶς ὁ σατανὰς, ὥστε νυκτὸς αὐτὸν ἐνυπνίοις ἐπηρεᾶσαι. Τῷ δὲ, εἰ καὶ τὸ σῶμα, κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τῆς ὥρας ὕπνου ἥττητο, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ψυχὴ ἐγρήγορέ τε καὶ διανέστηκε, καὶ οὕτως ἑαυτῇ προσέχουσα ἦν, ὡς μὴ μόνον ἐνδόσιμον μηδὲν, μή δὲ μαλακὸν παθεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ὕπνον εὐθὺς ἀποῤῥίψαντα, κατώδυνον ὅλον καὶ δακρυώδη παίειν τὰς ὄψεις, καὶ τοιαῦτα ἑαυτῷ ἐποδύρεσθαι· Φεῦ οἷα παθεῖν ὁ δείλαιος ἔμελλον; οἷον τρωθῆναι τραῦμα; ὅπερ οὐκ ἰατρὸς, οὐ τέχνη, οὐ φάρμακον, οὐκ ἄλλο τι θεραπεῦσαι ἴσχυσεν ἂν· ἀλλά σοι τῷ μόνῳ δεσπότῃ καὶ σωτῆρι ψυχῶν, τῷ μόνῳ νεφρῶν καὶ καρδιῶν ἐταστῇ προσπίπτω, δεικνὺς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσθένειαν, ἐπεὶ καὶ πάντας ἐλεεῖν οἶδας, ὁ καὶ πάντα σαφῶς δυνάμενος. Ταῦτ᾽ ἔλεγε, καὶ ἰδοὺ, ὁρᾷ τινα κατιόντα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἄνωθεν, τὸ εἶδος σεμνὸν, τὴν τρίχα γηραιὸν, τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὴν στολὴν ἱερέα, ποτήριον σωτηρίου χερσὶ κατέχοντα, εὐωδία τε κατέσχε τὸν τόπον. Καὶ ὁ φανεὶς τῶν ἀχράντων οἱονεὶ μυστηρίων τῷ Συμεὼν κοινωνήσας, Ἀνδρίζου, καὶ κραταιούσθου, φησὶν, ἡ καρδία σου, οὐχ ὑποπεσῇ γὰρ ἐνυπνίων ἐνεργείαις οὐκέτι, φυλακὴν ἐπὶ τῇ ἄνωθεν ελπίδι πᾶσαν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ καρδίας τιθέμενος· ὅ τοσοῦτον ἐπὶ πένθει πένθος τῷ Συμεὼν προστίθησιν, ὡς ἐπί τινας ἡμέρας ἄχρις ἐννάτης ὥρας μὴ δὲ τὴν θυρίδα ὁπωσοῦν παρανοίγειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀκριβῶς αὐτὴν ἐπικεκλεισμένον ἀνομίλητον παντάπασι διαμένειν, ἑαυτῷ μόνῳ καὶ Θεῷ προσαδολεσχοῦντα. Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ καὶ τοῦ Ἰωάννου τοὺς συνήθεις ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκείας βάσεως μετιόντος ἀγῶνας, ὑγιῶς τε κατὰ σῶμα καὶ ἀνόσως ἔχοντος, ἐγγύζουσαν ἤδη προγνοὺς τὴν ἐκείνου ἐκδημίαν ὁ Συμεὼν, τοιούτοις πρὸς αὐτὸν μηνύμασι χρῆται· Μὴ ἀθυμήσῃς, Πάτερ, εἰ τοῦ θανάτου κατὰ πάσης φύσεως ἀνθρωπίνης κοινῶς ὁδεύοντος, ἐφίστασθαι ἤδη μέλλει καί σοι τὰ τῆς τελευτῆς· ἑώρακα, γάρ σε μετακληθέντα ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, ὅπερ σοι μὲν καὶ ὅσοι τὴν ἀρετὴν κατά σε ἀνάπαυσις μᾶλλόν ἐστι καὶ ζωὴ, ἁμαρτωλοῖς δὲ στενοχωρία, καὶ λύπη, καὶ σαφὴς (ὡς εἴθε μὴ ὤφελον) θάνατος. Ἀλλὰ νῦν μὲν τῆς πατρικῆς σου καὶ πνευματικῆς εὐλογίας μετάδος μοι, μέμνησο δέ μου καὶ πρὸς τά σοι ποθούμενα διαβαίνων, καὶ τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης θέας τῶν ὑπὲρ ἔφεσιν ἀξιούμενος, ὥστε διαβῆναι παρά σε καὶ ἡμᾶς τὸν κόσμον νικήσαντας, καὶ ἀλλήλους ὄψεσθαι πάλιν μετὰ χρηστῶν τῶν ἐλπίδων. Οὐ ταραχθεὶς τοίνυν πρὸς τὴν ἀγγελίαν ὁ Ἰωάννης (ἡτοίμαστο καὶ γὰρ ἐκ πλείονος) Αἱ μὲν σαὶ τέκνον εὐλογίαι, φησὶ, παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ὃν ἐζήτησας, καὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς αὐτοῦ Υἱοῦ ὃν ἐπόθησας, καὶ τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ Πνεύματος οὗ τὴν χάριν ἐπλούτησας, τῆς μιᾶς καὶ ἀμετρίτου θεότητος, αὐτή σοι ὁδηγία πρὸς πάντα καὶ ἀσφάλεια καὶ παράκλησις· οἱ εὐλογοῦντές σε ηὐλόγηνται παρ᾽ αὐτῆς, αἱ δὲ καταρώμενοί σε κατήρανται· προστεθείη δέ σοι παρὰ Θεοῦ καὶ τιμὴ τῆς εἰς ἐμὲ τιμῆς ἕνεκεν, ὅσα με καὶ πατέρα τετιμηκότι· ἡ δὲ σὴ μήτηρ, ἔλεος αὐτῇ καὶ χάρις παρὰ Θεῷ, οἷς τοσαῦτά μοι διηκόνησε. Τούτων οἱ παρεστῶτες ἀκούοντες, καὶ ὅτι ἐξόδια εἴη τὰ ῥήματα συνιέντες, ἄθυμοί τε καὶ κατηφεῖς ἑστήκεσαν. Ἔπειτα μέντοι, Καί τινας ἐπισκήπτεις ἡμῖν ἐντολὰς περὶ τοῦ Συμεὼν; ἐπηρώτων· ὁ δέ φησιν, Ἵν᾽ ἀνθρώποις γε πᾶσι σπουδὴ γένηται φοιτᾷν ὡς αὐτὸν, καὶ τῆς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ εὐχῆς ἀξιοῦσθαι, ὅτι μέγα τι καὶ τίμιον ἐκλογῆς σκεῦός ἐστι τῷ Θεῷ. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα εἰπὼν, καὶ συνταξάμενος αὐτοῖς, ἅμα καὶ ἐπευξάμενος, καὶ παραθέμενος αὐτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ, εἶτα μικρὸν ἡσυχάσας, καὶ ὥσπερ ὕπνῳ καταληφθεὶς, ἐξεδήμησε.

[38] These things being heard, the monks were filled with stupor and admiration, Knowledge is divinely infused into Symeon: especially John, who called Symeon, as far as pertains to spiritual wisdom and efficacy of speaking, another David; and narrated how on that night through a dream a certain divine virtue had been offered to him, which with the right hand poured forth honey pressed from the comb and informed Symeon with manifold knowledge. Another also of the company of the Brethren standing by together, more advanced in age, asked; whether there were doves in that place. All denying, he related how he had beheld a white dove flying through the window to Symeon, and thence again flying away and going on high. While these confer these things among themselves; Symeon perceives himself in a manner snatched to heaven, and to wander widely through all the regions of the world; then to be led down through seven stairs. But to him inquiring, What was to be sometime of those things which were presented to his eyes, a voice was heard saying; These are the seven heavens through which you have ascended. After these things he beholds the paradise, and in it a most resplendent palace and a fount gushing with precious ointment; but over the fount hung a vault, a work worthy of a divine artificer: but he observed no man therein except only Adam and the good Thief. Returned to himself Symeon expounds the vision to John, praising the Lord with glad voices and blessing him, that he had imparted such grace to his servant. And these are the grades, by which Symeon was raised up to God.

[39] If ever anyone, in need of a garment, approached him, his own being drawn off, every sense of commiseration, as far as could be, being dissimulated, he held it out to the one asking, his ardor of suffering wonderful and continued naked even for the most part in winter itself, covered from heaven with the garment of divine charity. But this unusual and above-nature manner of castigating himself brought a grave sense of mind to John, no less anxious about Symeon, than a father or mother is wont. At a certain time recalling to mind the contests undertaken for Religion's sake by the forty holy Martyrs, and weighing with how serene and cheerful a countenance they endured in the lake frozen with cold in the winter tempest, his breast being struck and a shower of tears flowing from his eyes, Woe to me, he said, woe to wretched me! with how great contests those Martyrs, with how bitter tortures for Christ endured, both escaped the eternal torments, and obtained the promised beatitude! But what shall I do? in what manner shall I wretched escape the gnashing of teeth, of teeth, which both here by gnawing will crush my body, and there nonetheless forever will tear me to pieces? Such things he again and again brought forth with his mouth, such he meditated in mind, such in a wretched manner all of him lamented: then prone with knees and hands set on the ground, he so bitterly deplored himself all that night, pouring forth his life as it were with tears, that the divine man John, moved in his inmost bowels, was heard to say: What at length, Symeon? Only the iron is wanting, that you may not lay violent hands upon yourself.

[40] Then in process of time devising another kind of exercitation, far more stupendous than the former, he spurred himself on to it. He resolved therefore, he devises unheard-of things. to use his feet for a seat, just as in reality he used them a whole year, and sat immovable, as it were well firmed upon the rock of the love of Christ. It came to pass therefore by that long-continued posture and the tenderness of the flesh that the shins coalesced with the thighs, and only a single member appeared, whence a putrefaction generated with a foul odor filled not only John, but also the other Brethren. But when the cause of the stench was investigated and found, John summoned a physician, about to apply by his art a remedy to the affected body. What to these Symeon? bursting into laughter; My Lord lives, he said, and my God: far be it that human art or medical hand should treat my wounds. Upon the Lord I have cast the care of myself, he himself will heal me. These things he. But God did not suffer credit to be wanting to the prediction: for in a short time he was cured of his wounds, the thighs being corroborated and the use of the shins received: for which benefit he paid thanks to God the author, spending all that time, which he had prescribed for his accustomed contemplations, in standing, his feet and knees performing their function.

[41] And now the sacred light of Pentecost was approaching, when Symeon said; Who is worthy to receive the Holy Spirit, just as he appeared to the Disciples and Apostles of Christ, he asks for the Holy Spirit descending in the form of fiery tongues? To which John replying, That it was not safe to demand prodigies of this kind; he resumed his discourse, saying: The Lord will do the will of those fearing him, he will hear their prayers, and will save them. Which when he had said, his eyes raised to heaven, with heart and body, he prayed thus: Lord omnipotent, who with your holy Spirit long ago didst firm the virtue of the heavens, and renew the face of the earth; but in following times didst impart the same to your holy Apostles and Disciples, presenting the form of fire; whereby it was done, that they spoke not only their own vernacular, but also foreign tongues; send him down now also to me a sinner: I am your servant, instruct me, and I shall be taught your commandments: for you are powerful to compose praises for yourself from an infantile mouth. Thus having prayed, behold forthwith (oh who shall narrate your benignity, O God fabricator of all things!) behold as a torch flying down from heaven heaped Symeon with so great grace, and receives it. that not only by the eloquence of his mouth and the spirit with which he spoke, did he strike all with a certain sacred stupor; but also concerning the solitary life, concerning penitence, concerning the future judgment he discoursed unto horror: he also interpreted many obscure sentences of the sacred letters,

and the open ones by a lucid explication he set before the eyes of all. And this thing filled John with even greater stupor, compelled to say such things of Symeon: What wonderful works will this man do! how little less than the prodigies of the very Apostles! since he has also been prevented with almost equal grace. But he struck a greater fear of God into the souls of the monks, more apt to be moved by the efficacy of signs than by the force of words.

[42] Moreover wonderful things also were presented to the monks in their sleep: some of whom seemed to themselves to see three grades, and in them as many seats: and inquiring, Whose those were, and for whom to be received and exalted they were prepared; Led down by the Bishops to a column of 40 feet, they heard a voice, that they were destined for Symeon the boy. He meanwhile, diffusing a splendor of his face and virtue equal to the sun, full of divine charity, just as he had disposed in his heart ascensions still more sublime, so the conversation of earthly things being left, he commands a column at least forty feet high to be erected. When this deed became known to the Archbishop of Antioch at that time, both he and the Bishop of Seleucia came, and many torches being kindled with much light and hymns, having brought Symeon to the altar with a devotion which can scarcely be told, after the Diaconate was received they ordain him Deacon, and lead him down to this column; after he had stayed on that base six years under the discipline of John. It was a pleasure here to behold the eager zeal of each of those present, especially of those ministering at the altar; some lifting the holy one from the ground, others desiring to touch his garments, very many endeavoring to be nearer and nearer, all as it were holding it for certain, that those would carry back more of blessing, who had contributed more of zeal.

[43] Blessed Symeon therefore, standing upon the column, endured there eight years; as will be taught in the progress of the discourse hereafter: but John, although he had covenanted with Symeon, that he would adhere to him ever by the bond of spiritual conjunction, and would at no time be separated; nevertheless because it was not permitted to enjoy with his eyes that sweet aspect of his, betraying the abundance of grace; he was anguished in heart, and grieved so greatly, that not rarely he burst into conspicuous tears. Meanwhile the studies of virtues to Symeon on the column were greater than the former: meekness took increase, the compunction of heart grew, more abundant flowed the tears imitating the shower of rains, his tongue in chanting hymns to God yielded nothing to the blessed spirits of heaven.

[44] But lest, as it is said, all flesh should glory, when he had now arrived at that age, he suffers a sharp struggle of the flesh, that he was apt for procreating children: Satan declared a most sharp war on Symeon, even to this, that by night also as he slept the tempter created no slight danger. But truly, although through that time the body had succumbed to sleep, the soul nonetheless watched, ever erect, and so attentive to its affairs, that not only did it suffer nothing thence of libidinous motion, but also, sleep being forthwith shaken off, sad and tearful it struck its face, and so lamented within itself: Woe to wretched me, how near I was to crime! how nearly was a wound inflicted on me, to which neither physician, nor art, nor medicine, nor anything else whatever could have brought any help! But to you, Lord and saviour of our souls, to you alone the searcher of reins and hearts I fall suppliant, uncovering my infirmity; for you both are wont to have mercy on all, and are able to heal all. These being finished, behold again he beholds a certain one descending to him from the ether, venerable in form, conspicuous for hoariness, in appearance and habit a Priest, he is divinely strengthened against it, bearing the saving chalice in his hands: and the place was filled with the fragrance of a sweet odor. And he, who appeared, having communicated the inviolate sacraments to Symeon as it were; Act manfully, he said, and let your heart be comforted; you will not henceforth succumb to the illusions of dreams, if you have firmly committed the guard of your heart to God by hoping. That thing added so great an increase to Symeon's former mourning and contrition of spirit, that for some days even to the ninth hour he in no way opened the window, but keeping it well shut he himself lay hidden within, abstaining from all human commerce, and attending to himself alone and to God.

[45] Meanwhile John also in his column strenuously performed the exercitations accustomed to him, well sound in body, nor feeling any indications of ill-health: he foretells death to John, of whose migration however now just at hand Symeon foreknowing, used such words to him: Be not faint in mind, Father, if you have heard that the day of death, which awaits without distinction the whole human race, approaches you also: for I have understood that you have been summoned by God; which to you indeed and to as many as are emulators of your virtues is rather rest and life; but to sinners straits, mourning, and (would that it were not!) most certain death. But now impart to me your paternal and spiritual blessing: and remember me when you have passed to the joys desired by you, and have been deemed worthy of that blessed vision transcending all desire, that we also, the world being conquered, may at some time pass thither with you, and made partakers of our vows, again enjoy mutual sight. By no means was John disturbed at this announcement, inasmuch as long since prepared in mind for those things: this only he replies; May God the Father whom you have sought bless you, my son; and the only-begotten Son of the Father whom you have desired, and the vivifying Spirit by whose holy grace you have been enriched; may that one and immense Deity lead you through all things, may it render you secure, may it console you: those who have blessed you will be blessed by it, and those who have cursed, cursed. May God add to you honor, and receives his last words. because of that with which you have prosecuted me, since you have honored me as another parent: But what of your mother? May she obtain grace and mercy from God, who ministered to me so great helps. When the Brethren who were present had heard these things, and had observed that they were the words of one bidding a last farewell, astonished and exanimate they stood: and scarcely at length, asked what he would have charged them concerning Symeon. Who said: This I exceedingly desire, that an ardent zeal of emulating the virtues of Symeon may inflame the minds of all, and that they may deserve to be helped by his prayers; for he is a great and honorable vessel of election to God. After he had instructed them with these words, and at the same time commended them to God by prayers, he rested a little, and as if lulled in gentle sleep, departed.

CHAPTER VI.

The times of prayer: demons overcome: power against them and the virtue of miracles given from heaven.

Συμεὼν δὲ τὴν ἐκείνου ἐκδημίαν ἀρχὴν οἰκείων καθάπερ ἀγώνων πεποιημένος, τῷ τε πένθει καὶ αὖθις προστίθησι, καί τινα μὴ δὲ θυρίδα ἔχοντα μόδιον ἐπὶ τοῦ κίονος ὕπεισιν, οἷα καὶ αὐτοῦ φωτὸς ἀποστερῶν ἑαυτόν. Εὐχὴ δὲ παρ᾽ ὅλην σχεδὸν ἡμέραν ἄχρι τέως ἐννάτης ὥρας διηνεκὴς αὐτῷ ἦν· κατὰ μέντοι τὴν ἐννάτην, εὐχὴ πάλιν ἡ τοῦ θυμιάματος τὴν εὐχὴν διεδέχετο· εἶτα ἡλίου ἤδη δυομένου, εὐχῆς ἑτέρας ἀρχόμενος ἀνίσχοντος πάλιν ἐπαύετο· τηνικαῦτα γὰρ ἐκεῖνα ἑαυτῷ ἐπιλέγων, Ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ κοιμηθήσομαι καὶ ὑπνώσω, ὅτι σὺ Κύριε καταμόνας ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι κατῴκισάς με, τὸν ὕπνον ὅσα καὶ οἰκέτην ἐκάλει, διακονῆσαι μικρὸν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τοῦ σώματος χρείαν. Ἡ εὐχὴ δὲ, τό τε ψαλτήριον ὅλον, καὶ αἱ τοῦ Μωσέως ᾠδαὶ ἦσαν, πληγαί τε κατὰ τῶν στέρνων τῇ δεξιᾷ (ἡ ἀριστερὰ γὰρ πρὸς Θεὸν τέτατο) καὶ δακρύων ὀχετοὶ τὸ τρύχινον ἐκεῖνο λούοντες ἔνδυμα, ἑξῆς δὲ ἀνάγνωσις καὶ θείων μελέτη λογίων. Θυμίαμα μέντοι λαμβάνων τῇ δεξιᾷ, προσέφερε πολλάκις Θεῷ, καὶ ὁ καπνὸς (ὁ Θεός μου, τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ τὰ θαυμάσιά σου!) καὶ χωρὶς ἀνθράκων ἀνῄει· ἄλλο τε δὲ καὶ ὄχλου συμψάλλοντος αὐτῷ ᾐσθάνετο καὶ συναποδιδόντος τὸ Ἀλληλούἳα. Τὰ πολλὰ δὲ οὐ δὲ ὕπνου τὸ παράπαν ἐγεύετο, ὥστε καὶ τριάκοντα νύκτας ὅλας καὶ ἡμέρας ἴσας ἐπέμεινε, προσευχόμενος ἀπαλλαγῆναι τῆς τοῦ ὕπνου μέθης· ἀλλ᾽ ἐῤῥέθη μυστικῶς αὐτῷ καὶ ἀποῤῥήτως ὑπὸ τῆς χάριτος, Ὅτι δεῖ σε βραχὺ καθεύδειν. Ταῦτα δεινῶς ὥπλιζε πάλιν τὸν πονηρὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, ὄφει πρὸς τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν τῷ παλαιῷ καὶ νῦν ὀργάνῳ χρώμενον· πλὴν ὅσον ἐκεῖ μὲν πείθειν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ φοβεῖν ἔμελλεν. Ὑποβεβλήκει γὰρ ὄφιν αὐτῷ, φοβερόν τι χαίνοντα καὶ συῤῥίττοντα, καὶ δακεῖν ἀπειλοῦντα· ὁ δὲ θαῤῥαλέᾳ καὶ χειρὶ καὶ γνώμῃ λαβόμενος, παίων ἦν κομιδῇ καὶ συντρίβων, ἓως τῶν ὁσίων χειρῶν ἐκείνων διολισθήσας καὶ κατὰ γῆς πεσὼν, ἀφανὴς ἐγεγόνει, αὐταῖς ὡς εἶχε φολίσι τὸ οἰκεῖον ἔνδυμα παρὰ τοὺς αὐτοῦ πόδας ἀφεὶς, τοσούτου θαύματος ἀψευδὲς μαρτύριον. Τοῦτο χαλεπωτέρα γίνεται πληγὴ τῷ βασκάνω, καὶ τὰς οἰκείας δυνάμεις συναγαγὼν, τόν τε κίονα κύκλῳ διαλαβὼν, ἀνατρέπειν αὐτὸν εἰς ἔδαφος ἐπειρᾶτο· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ θεία χάρις, ὥσπερ τις ἄνωθεν ἀστραπὴ διάττουσα, φεύγειν ὅσα καὶ μάστιγι τούτους ἐλαυνομένους ἐποίει, μέγα τι καὶ δεινὸν ἀλαλάζοντας. Ἀλλὰ τὸν φθόνον οὐκ ἦν ἠρεμεῖν, ἀλλὰ πτέρυγας πετεινοῦ λαβὼν ὁ ἐχθρὸς, τὸ πρόσωπον δὲ παιδίῳ εἴκαστο τῷ προσώπῳ, προσβάλλει τοῦ Συμεών· ὁ δὲ τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ σημεῖον διατυπώσας, ὡσεὶ καπνὸν αὐτίκα διασκεδάζει. Ἔπειτα μέντοι κρότοις ἐναερίοις καὶ θορύβοις καὶ ἤχοις ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ κέχρητο, δῆθεν ὡς ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν ἐπιών· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀθρόον ἐκ νότου λίθῳ μεγάλῳ τὸν κίονα βάλλει· καὶ ὁ μὲν περιτρέπει, ἡ θεία δὲ χάρις ἐν ὁμοιώματι περιστερᾶς εὐθέως ἐπιφανεῖσα, τὴν περιτροπὴν ἵστησιν. Ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ χεῖρας αὐτοῦ δεσμεῖν τοῦ πονηροῦ πειρωμένου, τῷ παλαιῷ καὶ πάλιν φαρμάκῳ τῷ σταυρῷ κᾀνταῦθα χρησάμενος, εὐθὺς αὐτοῦ τὴν δύναμιν σβέννυσι. Τέλος οἷά τις ἀναιδὴς αὐτῷ πρόσεισι παῖς, μέλας ὅλος καὶ ἰδεῖν αἰσχρὸς, χεῖρας ἰταμῶς ἐπιβαλεῖν, καὶ εἰς συμπλοκὴν ἐλθεῖν ἐπειγόμενος, Ἔτι τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο λέγων παλαίσω σοι, καὶ εἴπερ οὐ κατισχύσω σου, τὸ γοῦν παρὸν ἀπελεύσομαι. Ταῦτ᾽ ἔλεγε, καὶ μετὰ μεγάλων ἤχων καὶ θορύβων ἐπῄει, ταραχῆς πάντα πληρῶν, ἵνα τῷ παραλόγῳ τῆς ἐφόδου καὶ καταπλήξῃ. Ὁ δὲ μηδὲν ὑποτρέψας, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον ὅπλον εὐθὺς τὰς εἰς Χριστὸν βλέψας ἐλπίδας, εὐψύχως τε τὴν πάλην καὶ νεανικῶς ὑποστὰς, λαβόμενος αὐτοῦ τῶν χειρῶν, ὀπίσω τε περιαγαγὼν αὐτὰς καὶ δεσμήσας, ἀφανῆ τίθησι, κενὰς αὐτοῦ τὰς ἀπειλὰς ἀποδείξας. Εἶτα ἡδύ τι πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἰδὼν, τοὺς εὐχαριστηρίους, εἰ δὲ βούλει, ἐπινικίους προσῆγεν ὕμνους Θεῷ, φῶτα ποιήσας καὶ κηρὸν ἑκατέρᾳ χειρὶ κατέχων, οἷς συνεμέτρει τὸν ἐπινίκιον, οὐ γὰρ πρότερον ἡ γλῶττα τῶν ὕμνων πέπαυτο, ἓως τοῖς κηροῖς καυθεῖσι τὸ φῶς ἔσβεστο. Ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ ὁρᾷ (ἀλλὰ πῶς ἂν τὰ κρείττω λόγου λόγος γνωρίσειε; φρίνη γάρ με καὶ πρὸς τὴν μνήμην εἰσέρχεται) ὁρᾷ τοίνυν, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνέῳκτο μὲν ἐξ ἀνατολῶν ὁ οὐρανὸς, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός· ὅρασις δὲ ὡς ἠλέκτρου κύκλῳ περὶ αὐτὸν ἐν φωτὶ καὶ πυρὶ στρεφομένου, Μιχαήλ τε καὶ Γαβριὴλ οἱ τῶν ἁγίων Ἀγγέλων πρῶτοι, ὁ μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν

πρᾳῶς ὁ δ᾽ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν παρεστῶτες, τό τε τῶν νεφελῶν πλῆθος ὑποπόδιον αὐτοῦ καθάπερ τις κονιορτὸς ποδῶν αὐτοῦ. Χεῖρας τοιγαροῦν ὁ Συμεὼν αὐτίκα καὶ ὄμματα καρδίας πετάσας, ἐδεῖτο τοῦ ὀφθέντος, ὥστ᾽ εὐδοκῆσαι καρποὺς ἀγαθοὺς αὐτῷ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ προσαχθῆναι. Τί οὖν ἐνταῦθα! Ὁ τοὺς δοξάζοντας αὐτὸν ἀντιδοξάζειν ἰδὼς καὶ πολλῷ τῷ μέσῳ Θεὸς, νεύσας τοῖς δακτύλοις ἐσφράγισε τρίς· καὶ ἰδοῦ οἱ δαίμονες, ὥσπερ αἰγῶν καὶ χοίρων βοσκήματα ἐπὶ προσώπου τῆς γῆς (ἐξουσία τε κατ᾽ αὐτῶν τῷ Συμεὼν δεδομένῃ ῥάβδος τε διὰ χειρὸς αὐτῷ βεβαιοῦσα τὴν ἐξουσίαν) καὶ φεύγειν ἐκεῖνοι πάντες ἀγεννῶς ὡρμεμένοι, ὅσα τε καπνὸς ἢ χοῦς ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἐκλείποντες. Τῇ ὄψει τοίνυν ταύτῃ καὶ τὰ θαύματα ἠκολούθει, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι πνεύμασι πονηροῖς ἢ καὶ ἄλλοις πάθεσι κάμνοντες ἐκείνῳ προσῄεσαν, ἐλεύθεροι τοῦ λυποῦντος ἕκαστος ἐπανῄεσαν. Ἑωρῶντο γὰρ αὐτῷ τε τῷ Ἁγίῳ, καὶ πολλοῖς ὅσοι καὶ τοιαῦτα δηλαδὴ βλέπειν ἠξίωντο, Ἄγγελοι Κυρίου τρεῖς, ὁ μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν, ἅτερος δ᾽ ἐξ εὐωνύμων, ὁ δ᾽ ὄπισθεν ἑστῶτες τοῦ Συμεὼν, τό, τε μέλαν αὐτοῖς ἐν χεροῖν, καὶ τῶν ἰαθῆναι μελλόντων ἕκαστος τοῦ ἁγίου λέγοντος, ὡς ἐν σωματείῳ λευκοτέρῳ καὶ χίονος ἐγράφετο· οὐ καθ᾽ ἕνα δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ πλῆθος θεραπείας οἱ προσιόντες ἐτύγχανον. Προσῆλθον γάρ ποτε πολλοὶ κατὰ ταῦτον δαιμονῶντες, καὶ ἀφρὸν τοῦ στόματος παραπτύοντες· ὧν ἑκάστῳ σφραγῖδα ποιήσας, τοῖς τε πνεύμασιν ἐν ὀνόματί φησι τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς σταυρωθέντος ἀπαλλαγὴν παραγγείλας, ἀπαλλαγῆναι παραχρῆμα παρασκευάζει, μέγα βοῶντα καὶ ὑγιῶς ἔχοντας τοὺς ἄνδρας ἀπολιπόντα, νηφαλίῳ στόματι τὰς αἰνέσεις τοῦ Θεοῦ μεγαλύνοντας. Οἱ μὲν οὖν κυκλοῦντες αὐτὸν Ἄγγελοι, καὶ πρὸς τὰ θαύματα καὶ τὰς ἰάσεις διακονούμενοι, παρέμενον οὕτως αὐτῷ μέχρι καιροῦ· εἶτα κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες αὐτοῖς εἰπόντος γράψαι τοῦ Συμεών· Οὐκέτι, φασὶν ἐκεῖνοι, γράφειν οὐ μὴ προσθῶμεν, ηὔξηνται γὰρ ἔν σοι περιφανῶς αἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ δυναστεῖαι, καὶ πάντα λόγῳ καὶ δυνάμει λοιπὸν κατὰ τὴν τῶν προσερχομένων πίστιν γενήσεται διά σου, ἐν ἐπιθέσει χειρῶν σου, ἐν ἁφῇ μηλωτῆς σου, ἐν κρασπέδῳ τοῦ σάκκου σου, ἐν τῇ βαΐνῃ σου ῥάβδῳ, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ ψιλῆς κόνεως παρά σου δεδομένης, καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς τοῦ σοῦ ὀνόματος ἐπικλήσεως· ὅπου γὰρ ἡ σὴ μνήμη, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἡ θεία χάρις, πᾶσαν ἀσθένειαν κατὰ πάντα καιρὸν ἰωμένη. Ὄψονται δέ σε πολλοὶ καὶ ἐν οἰκείαις καὶ ἐν ὁδοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἔργοις αὐτῶν· καὶ πάντες ὅσοι δεήσονται του Θεοῦ διά σου μεσίτου, ἐν ἐρήμοις, ἐν ὄρεσιν, ἐν θαλάσσῃ, ἐν γῇ, ἐν φυλακῇ, ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ, σωτηρίαν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ κομιοῦνται· πᾶσί τε θλιβομένοις ἔσῃ καταφυγὴ, καὶ χαίρουσιν ἀσφάλεια, καὶ πᾶς ὁ πεπιστευκὼς δοῦλον ἐκλεκτὸν εἶναί σε Θεοῦ, ἐπὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσεται, καὶ πατήσει ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ. Ταῦτα οἱ μὲν εἰπόντες, ἀπῆλθον, τῷ δὲ Συμεὼν ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐξ ἐκείνου τὰ θαύματα πλείω ἐπέῤῥει, ὡς καὶ τυφλοῖς ὀφθαλμῶν φῶς διὰ μόνης ἐκείνου προσευχῆς χαρισθῆναι.

[46] The times and manner of Symeon's praying and sleeping: John's departure from this life was the beginning of a more austere life to Symeon: who, about to give himself to greater grief and compunction, takes on another measure, perforated by no little window, set upon the column, as it were depriving himself of the use and sight of the very light. Here for nearly the whole day, namely until the ninth hour, he attended to continual prayer: but at the ninth hour another prayer succeeded the office of thurification: then the sun now setting he began anew another, from which at length, the sun bringing back the day, he desisted: and then at last singing to himself that; In peace in the selfsame I will sleep and rest; for you, Lord, singularly, in hope have made me to dwell, he summoned sleep as a servant, and indulged it most sparingly, only to the necessary use of the body. But his prayer was, the whole Psalter and the Mosaic canticles, and blows inflicted with the right hand on the breast (for the left was stretched toward God) and as it were little streams of tears watering his ragged and worn cloak: but this the reading and meditation of the divine oracles succeeded. Incense too taken in his right hand he often offered to God, and the smoke (oh who will announce the wonders of the Lord?) without coals was borne aloft: at other times he was heard to sing psalms together with a crowd, and at the same time to subjoin Alleluia. For a very long time often he saw absolutely no sleep with his eyes, so that he sometimes continued thirty whole nights and as many days, begging God, to lead a life free of sleep: but, grace speaking within, he received an arcane and tacit answer; You ought to give yourself to a little rest.

[47] These things again armed against him the demon, then also using his ancient instrument to lay snares for him, under this distinction however, that in Paradise he endeavored to persuade by bland enticements, here to cast down by grave terror. He sent therefore a serpent, horribly gaping and hissing, and threatening to bite: which the holy man, seized with bold hand as also mind, he conquers the demon under various forms. strongly dashed and crushed, until slipped from his holy hands to the earth, it vanished from his eyes, the skin let down at the feet of the Saint, as it was, covered with scales, for an irrefragable testimony of the miracle. Most gravely the impostor felt that: then collecting all his forces into one, the column being grasped around its circuit, he labored to cast it to the ground: but the divine grace, flashing in the manner of heavenly lightning, compelled those machinators as with a scourge to take flight, frightfully raging and howling. The envy of the enemy did not stop here: he adapts to himself the wings of a bird, and assimilating the face of a boy, offers himself to the sight of Symeon; who, the sign of the Cross being formed forthwith, dissipated the enemy, as the wind smoke. Then plaudits and tumults with an immense sound being excited above his head in the air, he seemed about to make an onset on him: a stone too of great mass he casts from the southern part at the column; which would have been overturned by that impulse, had not the divine grace, appearing in the likeness of a dove, stayed it falling. Afterward also, the same spirit attempting to constrain the hands of Symeon with bonds; he fleeing here to the medicine, long since most present against his poison, namely the sacrosanct sign of the Cross, broke all the forces of the one attempting.

[48] Finally, like a certain shameless girl, there approaches the man of God one all black, all deformed in aspect: and just about to throw his hands on his neck, and hastening to rush into an embrace, The die of the contest, he said, wrestling with you once more, I will cast: and if I shall not prevail against you, for the present I will withdraw. Having spoken these things he rushed in with a great sound and din, filling all with tumult, that even by the very insolence of the invasion he might strike terror. But he by no means turning away seized his accustomed arms, the hope namely placed in Christ, and with an alacritous and generous mind undertaking the contest, seized the hands of the enemy, and them drawn back behind his back he bound, and so compelled him to withdraw from his eyes, taught that his threats were vain. Then sweetly his eyes being raised to heaven, he sang hymns to God in thanksgiving, or if you so wish in commemoration of the victory obtained, a wax taper being kindled for this which he held in either hand, to which he measured out his epinicia, for his tongue did not cease from singing before, the wax being consumed, the light was extinguished.

[49] Meanwhile (but what oration could explain things superior to all eloquence? a tremor certainly seizes me at the bare memory of them) meanwhile, I say, he sees toward the East the heaven opened, and therein our Lord Jesus Christ: but there seemed as it were a certain circle of electrum, ruddy with much light and flame, to surround him; there were seen also the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, one placidly stationed on the right, the other on the left; there appeared finally very many clouds, which were his footstool, and appeared as the dust of his feet. Forthwith therefore Symeon, his hands and the eyes of his mind raised, adored him who appeared to him, that according to his good pleasure useful fruits might be begotten in him. What to these he, who is wont to glorify those who glorify him, however far surpassing all, God? nodding with his fingers he signed Symeon thrice: and behold the demons, like flocks of goats and swine, upon the face of the earth (against whom power was given to Symeon, and for the confirmation of the power a rod in his hand) all made unwarlike, headlong cast themselves into flight, like smoke or dust failing from the face of the Saint.

[50] Its own miracles also followed this vision, for as many as, vexed by evil spirits or by any other sickness, approached Symeon, freed each from his evil returned. There were seen also both the Saint himself, and several others, and the virtue of working all kinds of miracles to whom that grace was granted, three Angels of God, of whom one at the right, another at the left, the third behind the back of Symeon standing, held ink in their hands; and those who were to obtain health, the Saint commanding, were written, as in fine linen, whiter than snow itself: nor only singly, but very many also at once, who had approached for the sake of health, reported it obtained. For many at one time beset by demons, casting forth foam from the mouth, came to Symeon, who impressed on each the saving sign of the Cross; and commanded the spirits in the name of the Son of God, for us fixed on the cross, to depart thence: and they, no delay being interposed, preparing to go off and much vociferating, left the men free and unharmed, with a pure mouth celebrating praises to God. For the rest, the Angels who stood around Symeon, conferring their help to the miracles and healings, so assisted him for some time: then by custom commanded to write by the Saint, they denied that they would do it thereafter, saying: You are increased by the perspicuous power and virtue of God: all things hereafter, you interceding, will come to pass according to the faith of those approaching you; miracles will be performed through the imposition of your hands, through touch, the rod, dust, and other things. through the touch of your sheepskin, through the fringe of your sackcloth, through your palm rod, nay even through a very little dust given by you, and the sole invocation of your name: for wherever your memory shall be recalled, there also the grace of God will be at hand, about to cure every infirmity at every time. Many will see you in houses, on journeys, in any work of theirs; and whoever shall pray to God through your intercession, being in solitude, in mountains, on sea, on land, in prison, in servitude, will recover health through you: to all afflicted you will be a refuge, to all rejoicing you will be a security: whoever shall have believed you to be a chosen servant of God, will go upon the dragon and the basilisk, and will walk upon serpents and scorpions, superior to all the poison of the enemy. These things being said the Angels departed, but Symeon from that time abounded in even more graces of miracles, so that to the blind by his prayer alone the light of the eyes

was granted. But let us now prosecute these things one by one.

CHAPTER VII.

Miracles concerning energumens, a dead man, and poisonings: others done through the disciples: a wonderful vision.

Ἵνα δὲ καὶ τὰ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἐπεξίοιμεν, προσῆλθέ τις αὐτῷ γυνὴ, τέκνον ἄλαλον καὶ δαίμονι κάτοχον ἔχουσα· καὶ ἡ μὲν ἐπιτεθειμένην τὴν θυρίδα ἰδοῦσα, τίθησι τοῦτο παρὰ τῇ τοῦ κίονος βάσει· παραχρῆμα δὲ οἷά τις ἐξέλαμψεν ἄνωθεν ἀπὸ τῆς μηλωτῆς ἀστραπὴ, τῇ δὲ καὶ ἦλος συνέξευκτο, καὶ φωνὴ κατόπιν ἠκούετο, Ἔξελθε τὸ ἀκάθαρτον πνεῦμα, διωκόμενον ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ διὰ τῆς ἐν τῷ Συμεὼν χάριτος, λέγουσα· καὶ ὁ παῖς ἀπὸ τῆς διπλῆς εὐθὺς ἴατο μάστιγος, οὐ τῆς τοῦ δαίμονος μόνον ἐπηρείας ἀπηλλαγμένος, ἀλλά καὶ λαμπρᾷ γλώττῃ Θεὸν καὶ τὸν αὐτοῦ θεράποντα, μεγαλύνων. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα πρόσεισί τις ἀνὴρ αὐτῷ τῆς Καππαδοκῶν ὡρμημένος, χαλεπῷ δαίμονι δεινῶς ἐταζόμενος, Ἐλέησόν με δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ κράζων ὑπὸ δαίμονος θανατούμενον· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ εἰς τρίτην ἑξῆς ἡμέραν ἐπέμενε δρῶν. Παρακύψας τοίνυν ὁ ἱερὸς Συμεὼν, τῷ τε πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ ἐπιτιμήσας, εἶτα καὶ κράσπεδόν τι τοῦ οἰκείου σάκκου φυλακτήριον τῷ ἀνδρὶ δεδωκὼς, ὑγιᾶ τοῦτον οἴκαδε ἀπολύει. Ὁ δὲ οἷς ἂν ἐντύχοι πάλιν ὁμοίως πάσχουσι (πεπαίδευτο γὰρ τὸ συμπαθὲς ἐξ ὧν πέπονθεν) ἑτοίμως τὸ δοθὲν μετεδίδου· οἱ θεραπείας καὶ αὐτοὶ τυγχάνοντες, τῷ κοινῷ προσῄεσαν εὐεργέτη Θεῷ, καὶ αὐτῷ τὰς εὐχαριστίας ἀποδιδόντες. Νεανίαν τινα δαίμων τοσοῦτον ἠνόχλει, ὡς ῥίπτειν ἑαυτὸν κατὰ γῆς, καὶ λίαν ἀσχημόνως σπαράττειν, ἤδη δὲ καὶ τῆς οἰκείας γλώττης ἐλεεινῶς παρατρώγειν. Τοῦτον τοιγαροῦν τῷ θείῳ Συμεὼν προσελθόντα, καὶ θερμῶς αὐτοῦ καταδεηθέντα, ἐπιτιμήσει κατὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ πνεύματος, ἐκεῖνος ἀπαλάττει τοῦ ἐνοχλοῦντος, καὶ ὑγιῶς αὐτίκα δείκνυσιν ἔχοντα. Ἀντιοχέα τινὰ κατεῖχε περὶ τὸν στόμαχον πάθος, οὕτω δεινῶς αὐτοῦ στρέφον τὰ ἔνδον, ὡς καὶ τῷ ἐδάφει προσεῤῥίφθαι πολλάκις, οἷά τινι δαίμονι καταβεβλημένον. Οὗτος τοιγαροῦν προσέρχεται τῷ Ἁγίῳ, δάκρυσι μηνύων τὴν τῆς καρδίας ὀδύνην, καὶ τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγῆναι δεόμενος. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς τὰς αὐτοῦ δεήσεις ἐπικλασθεὶς, κράσπεδόν τι τοῦ οἰκείου ῥάκους ὀρέγει, καὶ τοῦτο θεραπεία παραχρῆμα τῷ πάσχοντι γίνεται. Ἀνθρώπῳ τινὶ συνέβη τὸν υἱὸν τελευτῆσαι, ὁ δὲ μηδὲν ἀδυνατεῖν τῷ Ἁγίῳ πιστεύων ὅπερ ἂν τοῦ Θεοῦ δεηθείη (ἐπεὶ καὶ πέφυκε φύσει, πᾶν ὃ σφόδρα βούλεταί τις, τοῦτο καὶ ῥᾳδίως πιστεύειν) εὐθὺς παρὰ τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν ἀποτρέχει, κλαίων πικρῶς, ὀλολύζων, κοπτόμενος, καὶ πολλοῖς ἄλλοις σχήμασί τε καὶ πράγμασι τοὺς καύσωνας τῆς καρδίας παρασημαίνων· Ἐλέησόν με, δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ, λέγων, ἐλέησον ἄρτι θανάτῳ τὸν παῖδα ζημιωθέντα, ὃν οὐ δὲ τῷ κοινῷ τῶν τεθνηκότων ἔθαψαν νόμῳ, οὐ δὲ γῆν ἐπέβαλον ἤδη κειμένῳ, πιστεύων ὡς ὅπερ ἂν καὶ βούλῃ, ἀνύεις παρὰ Θεῷ· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ θαῤῥῶν σου τῇ χρηστότητι πάλιν, ὡς οὐ παρόψει με, σφοδρῶς ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως οὕτω τὰ σπλάγχνα καιόμενον. Ἔλεον τούτον τοίνυν λαβὼν, καὶ γόνατα θεὶς ἐπὶ γῆν, τοῦ ἄνωθεν πάλιν αὐτὸς ἐλέους ἐδεῖτο, καὶ γνοὺς ἀποῤῥήτως ὑπὸ τῆς χάριτος τὴν εἰς τὸν παῖδα τῆς ψυχῆς αὖθις ἐπάνοδον, ἀναστὰς, καὶ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα τοῦ παιδὸς ἐπιστραφεὶς, Ἐν ὀνόματί, φησι, τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πορεύου, ὁ υἱός σου ζῇ. Ὁ δὲ τῷ λόγῳ παραχρῆμα πιστεύσας, καὶ οἴκαδε τὴν ταχίστην ἐπανελθὼν (ποία, μόνε τῶν αἰώνων ἀθάνατε βασιλεῦ, ἀκοὴ θαῦμα τοσοῦτον χωρῆσαι δυνήσεται!) ζῶντα τὸν υἱὸν εὑρίσκει· ὅν καὶ λαβὼν εὐθὺς ἢ παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα μᾶλλον ἀπολαβὼν καὶ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον ἀναστρέψας, ποίας ἀγαλλιωμένῳ στόματι φωνὰς οὐκ ἠφίει; τίνας οὐκ εὐχαριστηρίους ὕμνους Θεῷ καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν ἀπεδίδω. Οἷα δὲ εἰκὸς προκόπτειν ὥσπερ ἡλικίᾳ τὸν Συμεὼν, οὕτω καὶ χάριτι, καὶ μᾶλλον ἐγγίζειν Θεῷ τῷ ἐγγίζοντι· ὁρᾷ μετὰ ταῦτα πάλιν (ἀλλὰ πῶς ἂν τὰ μὴ δὲ νῷ ληπτὰ λόγος ἑρμηνεῦσαι δυνήσεται; ἰλιγγιᾷ γὰρ ἦδη καὶ πρὸς τὴν μνήμην, καὶ δέδιε προσβῆναι τοῖς ἐφεξῆς) ὁρᾷ τοιγαροῦν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ Θεὸν, παρειστήκει δὲ καὶ θείων Ἀγγὲλων τάγματα, ἵππος τε πρὸ τοῦ Συμεὼν εἰστήκει τὸ εἶδος λευκὸς, καὶ διάδημα φέροντες τῶν Ἀγγέλων οἱ πρῶτοι, ἦν δὲ ἄρα λίθου τιμίου, σταυρός τε αὐτῷ προσεπεπήγει, καὶ ἀστὴρ ὅσα καὶ ἀστραπὴ φωτίζων ὑπερανεῖχεν, ὥστε περιβαλεῖν αὐτὸν τοῦτο καὶ βασιλεῦσαι. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· Οὐκ ἀφαιρήσεσθέ, φησιν, ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ τὸ τρύχινον ἔνδυμα τοῦτο, ὅπερ εἰς δόξαν Χριστοῦ ἠμφίεσμαι. Οἱ δὲ, Στεφανώθητι διὰ τούτου Θεῷ καὶ τῷ μονογενεῖ Υἱῷ αὐτοῦ, εἶπον, καὶ ὅσα πορφύραν ἔνδυσαι τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, καὶ βασιλεύσεις σὺν Ἁγίοις βασιλείαν οὐδέποτε λήγουσαν. Ταῦτα ἐπειδή ῥηθείη τῷ Συμεὼν, ἀπλήστως ἐκεῖνος τῆς τοῦ σώματος νεκρώσεως ἔχων. ἄλλῳ τε δὲ καὶ κόσμου, καὶ τῶν τοῦ κόσμου ῥήγνυσθαι σπεύδων, καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν καὶ τὰ θεῖα μᾶλλον ἀνάγεσθαι, ἀγενὲς εἰς τὸν δεσπότην ἰδὼν, Δέσποτα πάντων ἔφη καὶ ποιητὰ, ἐπεί με τὸν ἀνάξιον ἀξιοῖς Ἁγίοις συμβασιλεύειν, δέομαί σου τῆς ἀγαθότητος μηκέτι με τῶν τοῦ βίου βρωμάτων μεταλαμβάνειν, μὴ δὲ σιτίοις ἀνθρωπίνοις χρῆσθαι. Ταῦτα τοῦ Θεοῦ δεηθεὶς, δεσποτικῆς ἀκούει φωνῆς εὐδοκούσης τὴν αἴτησιν, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἐνδύουσιν αὐτὸν ἐπάνω τῶν ἀσκητικῶν ῥακίων καταστοχὴν δόξης οἱ Ἄγγελοι, μεγαλοπρέπειάν τε καὶ ὡραιότητα, τό τε διάδημα τιθέασιν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν φανέντα ἵππον καθίζουσιν. Εἶτα καὶ σύμφωνος Ἄγγέλοις πᾶσι, Χριστῷ καὶ τῷ αὐτοῦ θεράποντι Συμεὼν ᾔδετο ὕμνος· αὐτός τε ὁ πονηρὸς τῷ Ἁγίῳ καὶ τὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ πνεύματα, οἷον καταπεπληγότα ἐδείκνυτο. Μετὰ γοῦν τὴν θείαν ἐπιφͅάνειαν ταύτην, ἀκόλουθα πάλιν τοῖς προλαβοῦσι τὰ ἐπαγόμενα. Ἄνθρωπος γάρ τις γέροντι δεινῶς ἐχθραίνων, καὶ σφόδρα διαφθονούμενος φαρμάκοις ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐχρήσατο· τὰ δὲ, ἄρα τοσοῦτον ἔδρασαν, ὡς αὐτὸν μὲν καὶ παῖδας (ἐτύγχανε γὰρ υἱοὺς ἔχων) εἰς γῆν καταῤῥήγνυσθαι, τὰ δὲ τούτου κτήνη κατὰ κρημνῶν ἐλαυνόμενα φέρεσθαι. Ἐνδείας τοίνυν ἄρτων οἷα συμβαίνειν φιλεῖ πρὸς τὴν τῶν μοναχῶν καὶ τῶν πενήτων χρείαν ἐν τῇ μονῇ γενομένης, Ἄγγελος ἐν ὕπνῳ τῷ γέροντι παραστὰς, Ἀναστάς φησι, λάβε σῖτον, καὶ παρὰ τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν πορευθεὶς, τὸν μὲν πένησι καὶ τοῖς μοναχοῖς τροφὴν κομιεῖς· σοι δὲ κράσπεδον τῶν τρυχίνων ἐκείνου λαβόντι ῥακίων, ἀνεθήσεται τὰ τοῦ οἴκου δεσμά. Σῖτον μὲν οὖν εὐθέως ἐκεῖ προθύμῳ ποδὶ, προθυμωτέρᾳ δὲ καὶ γνώμῃ κομίζει· ἔπειτα μέντοι βώλακα γῆς καὶ ὕδωρ λαβὼν ὑπὸ τῷ κίονι τίθησιν· εἶτα ἐκχέει τὴν οἰκείαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Ἁγίου δέησιν, ἀπαγγέλλει τὴν θλίψιν, δεῖται θερμῶς, ὥστε προσεύξασθαι περὶ αὐτοῦ, τὰ τε παρακείμενα εὐλογῆσαι, καί τι τοῦ τῶν ῥακίων αὐτῷ μεταδοῦναι κρασπέδου. Ἅπερ ὡς ἐδεῖτο λαβὼν, καὶ οἴκαδε ὡς εἶχεν ἐπανελθὼν, ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ πρώτου μέχρι καὶ τοῦ σμικροτάτου διαῤῥαντίζει, ὅπερ οὐκ αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ παισὶ καὶ βοσκήμασιν, άλλὰ καὶ ὅλῳ οἴκῳ πρὸς θεραπείαν τῆς φαρμακείας ἤρκεσεν. Εἶτα πολλοὶ κατὰ ταυτὸν προσῆλθον αὐτῷ διαφόροις πάθεσιν, οἱ μὲν νόσοις ποικίλαις, οἱ δὲ καὶ δαίμοσιν ἐνοχλούμενοι· ὁ δὲ τούτων ἑκάστῳ θερμῶς ἐπευξάμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ χεῖρας ἐπιθεὶς πρὸς Θεοῦ διὰ παντὸς ἐντολὰς αἰρομένας, ἅπαντας ἀπήλλαξε τοῦ λυποῦντος. Τῆς δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ φήμης, καὶ τῶν ἑκάστης ἡμέρας θαυμάτων πανταχόσε διαδοθέντων, ὄχλου τε πρὸς αὐτὸν συῤῥέοντος πλείστου, πλήθεσι τοσούτοις μόνος ἀρκεῖν αὐτὸς οὐ δυνάμενος, ῥάβδους εὐλογήσας παρέσχε τοῖς μαθετεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἅς τοῖς πάσχουσιν ἐκεῖνοι πάλιν ἐπιτιθέντες, καὶ μάλιστα τοῖς ὑπὸ πονηρῶν πνευμάτων κατεχομένοις, Τάδε λέγει, ἔφασαν, ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ Συμεὼν, ἵνα καὶ τῇ μνήμῃ τῶν τῆς Ἀγγελικῆς ἐκείνης γλώττης ῥημάτων ἁγιασθῶμεν, ἐξέλθετε τὰ ἀκάθαρτα πνεύματα ἐκ τῶν πλασμάτων τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ αὐτίκα διὰ πάσης αἰσθήσεως ἦν ὁρᾷν ἐλαυνόμενα. Ἑκάστῃ μέντοι ῥάβδῳ ἄχρι τριῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ τῶν θαυμάτων ἐνέργεια ὥριστο· εἶτα πάλιν ἁπτόμενος αὐτῆς ἐκεῖνος ηὐλόγει, καὶ παραπλησίως αὐτὴ πάλιν τοῖς θαύμασι κέχρητο, σοφῶς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦτο οἰκονομοῦντος, ὥστε μὴ λογισμῷ τοὺς μαθητὰς κενοδοξίας ἁλῶναι.

[51] There approached the holy man a certain woman, who had a boy mute and possessed by a demon: Demoniacs are freed. and she beholding the window shut, sets the boy down at the base of the column. Forthwith there flashed from above out of the sheepskin of Symeon as it were lightning, to which a sound was added and a voice was heard behind, which said: Go out, most impure spirit, put to flight by Christ through the grace of Symeon. So the boy received the curing of a double evil, not only freed from the vexation of the demon, but also with a clear voice magnifying God equally and his servant. Then there approaches a certain man sprung from Cappadocia, who was grievously tortured by a difficult demon, crying: Have mercy on me, servant of God, for I am being slain by a demon: and this he persevered doing for three continuous days. And when at length the Saint had looked out, and rebuked the impure spirit, then also given a little portion of his sackcloth as an amulet to the man, he dismissed him home unharmed. But he, whomsoever he met laboring with a like evil (for already from his own evil he had learned to have mercy on others) promptly communicated to them the portion given to him: who themselves also made partakers of health, betook themselves to the common benefactor God, to give thanks.

[52] A certain youth a demon so horribly infested, that he cast himself to the ground, foully tore himself with his nails, and even miserably devoured his own tongue. This unhappy one the divine Symeon, having come to him and fervently deprecated, the evil spirit being chastised with words, frees, and forthwith exhibits him having most well. A certain man of Antioch a pain of the stomach had invaded, so bitterly twisting his inward parts, that he was often dashed to the earth as if prostrated by a demon. He therefore approaches the Saint, testifying with tears the anguishes of his heart, and contending by praying to be relieved of them: by which prevailed upon Symeon holds out the border of his ragged garment; and soon health follows the one grieving.

[53] A dead man is raised. A certain man, whose son by chance had died, firmly persuading himself, that nothing was not to be obtained through the Saint, which he should ask of God (since it is so by nature, that what one ardently desires, that he easily believes easy to obtain) at once runs to the divine Symeon, grievously weeping, howling, beating his breast, and by many other manners and acts expressing the heat of his heart; and cries: Have mercy on me, servant of God, have mercy on my son, lately snatched from me by death; whom not yet, as the common law of the dead demands, have I brought into the sepulchre, nor cast any earth on him; believing, that you obtain perfectly with God whatever you will; and I altogether trust in your benignity, that it will be that you will not despise me, burning in all my bowels with natural love toward my son. Touched with commiseration, and having known, by a secret instinct of divine grace, that the soul would return into the boy,

he rose and turned to the father; Go, he said, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; your son lives. He nothing doubtful of the credit of the words, with the greatest speed he can returns home: and (but what mind, O immortal and only King of the ages, could comprehend so great a miracle!) he finds his son alive; whom forthwith received, or rather received back beyond hope, the journey being retraced, he sets before Symeon. Into what voices did he exulting not loosen his mouth? what hymns in testimony of a grateful mind did he not sing to God and the Saint?

[54] But as was fitting, Symeon to advance as much in grace, as in age; and to come nearer to God, who came near to him: He is made more certain of his salvation by a wonderful vision. he beholds again (but what faculty of speaking could explain, what the mind cannot comprehend? for it grows dark, the mere mention of the matter being made, and fears to proceed to the rest) he beholds, I say, our Lord and God. There were at hand troops of holy Angels, there stood a horse before Symeon of a white color, the chief of the Angels bore a diadem, which was of precious stone, and a cross was affixed to it; and a star, in the manner of coruscating lightning, was eminent above, and they seemed to wreathe Symeon with it and to create him King. But he thus addresses them: You shall not take from me this worn cloak, which for the glory of Christ I have put on. They on the contrary: Through this, they say, be crowned to God and his only-begotten son, and as a purple put on the Holy Spirit; and you shall rule with the blessed minds in a kingdom never to be ended. After he had received these words, Symeon, inexplicably desirous to rage upon his little body, and to be torn from the world and the things of the world, He asks to be able to live without food, and obtains it. and hastening to come nearer to God and divine things, his eyes unturned upon the Lord, thus he said: Lord and founder of all things, since you have deemed me unworthy worthy of equal glory and kingdom with your Saints; I beseech your Benignity, that no necessity may henceforth lie upon me, for the sake of sustaining life, of taking the foods accustomed to men. Having prayed these things he hears the voice of the Lord, benevolently assenting to his petition: and the Angels flying up swiftly clothe him over the ascetic cloak with a stole of glory, majesty and beauty; with a diadem they gird his head, and set him upon the horse, which appeared. After these things a consonant hymn was sung by all the Angels to Christ and his servant Symeon: but the wicked spirit himself with the associates of his wickedness, as it were routed, was exhibited to the Saint.

[55] He purges a whole household of poisonings. After this divine revelation, others followed, like and admirable to those premised. A certain man pursuing with grave hatred, and no lighter envy, a certain old man, had resolved to assail him with poison: in part therefore he so effected, that the old man with his sons (for he was a father) was prostrated to the ground, but in part that his cattle were driven into precipices. There being made at that time, as is wont to happen, a dearth of grain in the desert, and bread failing the monks and the poor, an Angel stood by the old man in his sleep, and said: Rise, take grain, and set out to the man of God Symeon: and the grain indeed you shall carry for feeding the poor and the monks; but you, a little piece of his cloak being received, shall rejoice that your household, freed from the bonds with which it is constrained, is restored. He soon with alacrity of step, but with greater alacrity of mind, conveys the grain: then a clod of earth received and water he sets down under the column. Then he pours himself wholly into prayers before the Saint, expounds the calamity, prays most fervently, that he would deprecate for him, and impart his blessing to the foods which were set, and bestow on him something from the ragged cloak. Made partaker of his vows, and returned home as he could, beginning from himself he sprinkles all things even to the least with that lustral water; and this sufficed against the poisonings; entire health being rendered, not only to the old man, the boys, the beasts of burden, but also to the whole house.

[56] By his example then came several to the man of God laboring with not one evil: some various diseases, others demons infested. For each he made himself suppliant to God, and hands being imposed, which he always held raised according to the divine precepts, He shares the virtue of miracles with his disciples. he removed the cause of grief from all. Moreover the fame of Symeon and of his daily miracles having spread far and wide, crowds flowing together to him in an immense number, since he alone could not suffice, sharing the labor with his disciples, he held out to them consecrated rods: which they applying to those who were ill, and especially to those beset by an evil spirit, said: Thus says the servant of God Symeon (that we also may be sanctified by the commemoration of the words, brought forth by that Angelic tongue of his) Go out, impure spirits, from the creatures of God. And without delay, they seemed to be expelled through all the senses. But that miraculous virtue, implanted in each rod, was circumscribed by the healing of three men: then Symeon by a repeated touch blessed it again, thence working miracles as before: but this the Saint had so wisely instituted, lest the disciples should be carried away by the thought of vain glory.

CHAPTER VIII.

Wild beasts and enemies are driven off: calamities are revealed and come to pass: St. Symeon is deserted by his disciples.

Ἀλλὰ πῶς ἄν τις τῶν τοῦ Συμεὼν θαυμασίων ἕκαστα καταλέγοι; ποία δὲ γλῶττα διακονήσειεν αὐτοῖς, ἢ χεὶρ; ἢ τίς εἰς ἑρμηνείαν ἀρκέσειε λόγος. Ἀνὴρ γάρ τις ὄνομα Γεώργιος οὐ διὰ μακροῦ τῆς μονῆς θηρίοις περιπεπτώκει· ἐν ἀμηχάνῳ τοίνυν εἰδὼς ἑαυτὸν, τὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου ὄνομα καλεῖ πρὸς ἄμυναν· καὶ παραχρῆμα δεσμοῦνται τοῖς θηρίοις αἱ σιαγόνες, Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο θαυμαστὸν μόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ὡς εἶχεν εὐθὺς δρομαίως τὰ θηρία ἐλθόντα, τιθέασι τὰ στόματα παρὰ τῇ τοῦ κίονος βάσει, καθάπερ ὅθεν αὐτοῖς ἡ πέδη αἰσθανόμενα, κᾀκεῖθεν αἰτούμενα καὶ λαμβάνοντα λύσιν. Κᾀκεῖνο πάλιν θαυμασιώτερον, ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῆς τῶν θηρίων παρουσίας, τὰ περὶ αὐτῶν τοῖς παροῦσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Συμεὼν προηγόρευτο. Πολλοῖς ἔβρυεν ἡ χώρα θηρίοις ἡ ὑπὸ τῇ Ἀντιόχου κειμένη, τότε εἶδος ποικίλοις, καὶ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ὀλεθρίοις, ὡς οὐν ἄνδρας μόνον καὶ γυναῖκας ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν διαφθείρεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ παιδία τούτοις ἐκ τῶν οἴκων ἅρπαγμα γίνεσθαι, ὀδῶν τε αὐτοὺς καὶ γεωργίας ἀποκεκλεῖσθαι, εἰ μὴ κατὰ πλῆθος ἀθροισθεῖεν, καὶ χεὶρ ἱκανὴ πρὸς ἀντιπαράταξιν γένοιντο. Ἀνίασι τοίνυν πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον οἱ τῆς χώρας, ἀπαλλαγὴν αἰτοῦντες χαλεποῦ γειτονήματος. Ὁ δὲ πρᾴως ὑπολαβὼν, Ἀδελφοί μου, ἔφη, τεκμήριά εἰσι ταῦτα τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν δικαίας ὀργῆς καὶ κινήσεως· φησὶ γὰρ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος Παῦλος, ὅτι διὰ ταῦτα ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας, ἄ τινά εἰσι, πορνεία, ἀκαθαρσία, πάθος, ἐπιθυμία κακὴ, πλεονεξία ἥ τις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρεία· διὸ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τηρήσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, μηκέτι λυπῆσαι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, ἐν ᾧ ἐσφραγίσθημεν εἰς ἡμέραν ἀπολυτρώσεως, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τοὺς ἀῤῥαβῶνας ἐλάβομεν ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ζωῆς αἰωνίου· θέλει γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τὴν ἡμετέραν τῶν ἀσώτων υἱῶν τῶν ἐξ αὐτοῦ μακρυνθέντων μετάνοιαν, ἵνα διὰ τῆς καθαρᾶς θυσίας τοῦ μονογενοῦς αὐτοῦ υἱοῦ, Κυρίου δὲ ἡμῶν καὶ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπιστρέψωμεν. Δι᾽ οὗ καὶ τὴν ἄφεσιν καὶ τὴν προσαγωγὴν ἐσχήκαμεν, ὃς καὶ νῦν ἡμῖν ἵλεως γεγονὼς, ἐπιτιμήσει τοῖς θηρίοις τοῦ δρυμοῦ, καὶ οὐκέτι φόβος ὑμῖν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐδεὶς ἔσται, ἀλλὰ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐλεύθεροι τῆς τούτων βλάβης διαμενεῖτε. Ταῦτα οἱ μὲν ἀκούσαντες, ὅλῳ στόματι Θεῷ καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν ηὐχαρίστουν· τὸ δὲ τῶν θηρίων πλῆθος ἐξ ἐκείνου τῆς χώρας ἀπήλλακτο. Νεανίας τις ἄνωθεν τῆς Δάφνης, ἀνίσχοντι προσβλέψας ἀτενὲς τῷ ἡλίῳ, τὴν ὀπτικὴν σβέννυται δύναμιν· τῶν ἄλλων τοίνυν ἁπάντων οἱ τούτου γονεῖς ἀπογνόντες, ἅπτουσι λυχνίαν ἐπ᾽ ὀνόματι Χριστοῦ, καὶ τοῦ θεράποντος αὐτοῦ Συμεὼν, ἔτι καὶ θυμίαμα προσαγαγόντες· καὶ αὐτίκα τῷ νεανίσκῳ (ὡς πολὺ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς χρηστότητός σου Κύριε, ἧς ἐξειργάσω τοῖς ἐλπίζουσιν ἐπί σε!) τὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὖθις ἐπάνεισι φῶς. Ἕτερος ὑπό τινος νόσου τὴν κοιλίαν διώγκωτο· ἰατρικαῖς τοίνυν τέχναις οἰμώζειν εἰπὼν, τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν εἰς ἴασιν τοῦ πάθους ἐξεκαλεῖτο. Καὶ δείκνυσιν ὕπνος αὐτῷ τὸν ἄνδρα σωτήριοι, ἐπιθέντα τῷ πάθει τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον· καὶ συναπέπτη τῷ ὕπνῳ τὸ πάθος, καὶ ὑγιὴς ὁ κακῶς ἔχων διυπνισθεὶς, τῷ Ἁγίῳ προσελθὼν τὸ γεγονὸς ἀπαγγέλλει. Οὕτω δὲ τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ θαυμάτων ἶσα καὶ ποταμοῖς χεομένων, συνέῤῥευσάν ποτε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλοι πολλοὶ, κηροὺς ἀνάψαντες, καὶ τούτους ἐπὶ καλάμων πηξάμενοι, Θεῷ τε δι᾽ αὐτοῦ προσφέροντες ἀναθήματα· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο δεκτὴν ἓκαστος ᾔδει θυσίαν, ὅπερ ἂν δι᾽ αὐτοῦ προσενέγκοι. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα μὲν καὶ λίαν ἀπαραδέκτως εἶχε· πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους· Εἰ καὶ τὰ παρ᾽ ὑμῶν, ἔλεγε προσφερόμενα λαμβάνειν αὐτὸς, ἀδελφοὶ, μὴ βουλοίμην, παλαιὰν φυλάττων καὶ ἡλικιῶτιν συνήθειαν· ἀλλὰ δεκτὰ γεγένηται ἤδη Θεῷ, τῷ ἀνενδεεῖ μὲν ἁπάντων, μόνην δὲ προαίρεσιν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰς ἀγαθὸν ἀπαιτοῦντι· ὅπερ ἐλύπει τὰ πλήθη, καὶ σφόδρα τῆς ἑκάστου καρδίας ἥπτετο, εὐπροσδέκτου καθάπερ αὐτῷ τῆς θυσίας οὐ γεγενημένης. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ἰδόντας τοὺς μαθητὰς βουλεύσασθαι καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς, ὥστε κρύφα λαμβάνειν τὰ κομιζόμενα. Ὁ δὲ μὴ δὲ τὴν ἐνθύμησιν αὐτῶν ἀγνοήσας, αὐστηροτέρᾳ φωνῇ καλέσας αὐτοὺς, Ἡγνόηταί, φησιν, ὑμῖν, ὅτί ποτε ἄρα πεπόνθοι παρὰ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, ὁ τῷ χαλεπῷ πάθει τῆς φιλαργυρίας ἁλοὺς, καὶ τὸ χρυσοῦ βούγλωσσον συλήσας τοῦ ἀναθέματος; τί δὲ Γιεζὴ τὸ Ἐλισσαίου παιδάριον, ὅπως τὴν Ναιεμὰν λέπραν κατεδικάσθη; άλλὰ καὶ Ἰούδας αὐτὸς τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ἐκπεσὼν χάριτός τε καὶ τάξεως, προδότης τοῦ διδασκάλου γενόμενος καὶ ἀπαγξάμενος, καὶ μέσος λακίσας; Πρὸς ταῦτα δέει λειφθέντες οἱ μαθηταὶ, ῥίψαντες εἰς ἔδαφος ἑαυτοὺς, αἰτήσαντές τε συγγνώμην καὶ λαβόντες, ἀνέστησαν, πολλά σφισιν αὐτοῖς τῶν προτέρων ἐπιμεμφόμενοι λογισμῶν. Ἀπεκαλύφθη ποτὲ τῷ Συμεὼν ἅπερ ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀντιόχου φεῦ! ἐπάγεσθαι ἤμελλε. Τὰ δὲ ἦν, πνεῦμα μάχαιραν ἐγκεχειρισμένον, καὶ ἄνωθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν φερόμενον. Ἐβόησε τοιγαροῦν πρὸς Κύριον ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς τῇ καρδίᾳ, ἔστη τε κατὰ τὸν Μωϋσὴν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐκκαῦσαι πᾶσαν τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ. Ὁ δέ φησι πρὸς αὐτὸν, Ἰδοὺ ἡ κραυγὴ τῆς κακίας αὐτῆς ἀνέβη πρός με, ἐπ᾽ ὀργήν μου καὶ ἐπὶ θυμόν μού ἐστιν ἡ πόλις αὕτη, καὶ ἀφανιῶ αὐτὴν ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτῆς, καὶ δώσω πῦρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν καὶ ῥομφαῖαν καὶ θάνατον· αὐτὴ παρώργισέ με ἐν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῆς, τιθεῖσα τράπεζαν τοῖς δαίμοσι καὶ τῇ τύχῃ, κᾀγὼ ἐπὶ ἔθνει ἀσυνέτῳ παροργιῶ αὐτήν. Ταύτην ὁ μὲν τὴν ὄψιν οὐχ οἷός τε ὢν ἐν αὐτῷ στέγειν διὰ τὴν ἀπειλὴν, παραβαλοῦσιν αὐτῷ τισιν ἐκ τῆς Ἀντιόχου, βίον εὐλαβῆ ζῶσιν ἀνδράσιν, ἐν ὁδύννῃ ψυχῆς ἐξηγήσατο, κατὰ πόδας δὲ

καὶ ἡ ἔκβασις ἠκολούθει· οὐ πολὺ γὰρ τὸ ἐν μέσῳ καὶ κινεῖ Χοσρόην βασιλέα Περσῶν ὁ Θεὸς, τότε ὑπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἔθνος τοὺς Χαλδαίους τὸ πικρὸν καὶ τὸ ταχινὸν (ἐξαλοῦνται γάρ φησιν ὑπὲρ παρδάλεις οἱ ἵπποι αὐτῶν, καὶ ὀξύτεροι ὑπὲρ τοὺς λύκους τῆς Ἀραβίας) ὡς ἀετὸν πρόθυμον ἐπὶ τὸ φαγεῖν ἐκ τῆς Ἕω, ὅς βαρεῖ τῷ στρατῷ τῇ πόλει παρεμβεβλήκει. Ἐβόησε τοίνυν πρὸς Κύριον αὖθις ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς Συμεὼν, εἰ ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἔδειξε πρότερον αὐτῷ μεταμεληθείη, καὶ ἱλάσεται ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐ διαφθερεῖ, οὐδὲ παραδώσει τοῖς Ἀσσυρίοις ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ τὴν πόλιν· ἀλλ᾽ ὀὐκ ἦν δήλωσις παρὰ Κυρίου, ὅτι ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ πλήρης, καὶ παράκλησις κέκρυπτο ἐξ ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ. Προσέθετο τοίνυν περὶ αὐτῆς προσέυξασθαι πάλιν, καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς, Οὐ μεταμεμέλημαι, εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ παραδιδοὺς παραδώσω αὐτὴν, ὥστε τοὺς μὲν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας πεσεῖσθαι, τοὺς δὲ εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν πορευθῆναι, σοὶ δὲ τὸν σταυρόν μου τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης βραβεῖον θήσομαι φύλακα, ὡς οὐ μετὰ πολὺ ὄψει. Ὁρᾷ τοίνυν ἐν ἐκστάσει πάλιν ὁ Συμεὼν τὴν τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος Χάριν σταυρὸν ἐγκεχειρισμένην καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν καταπτᾶσαν, Ἀγγέλους τε δύο παρεμβαλόντας, τόξα δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐν χεροῖν τεταμένα, καὶ βέλη στρεφόμενα· ὅ, τι δὲ ταῦτα εἴη πυθομένου, Ὁ μὲν σταυρὸς, ἡ σωτηρία καὶ ἡ κατὰ πάντων ἐχθρῶν ἀσφάλεια, εἶπον· τὰ δὲ βέλη, κατὰ τῶν ἐπί σε πολεμίοις ὁρμαῖς χρωμένων, ὥστε ἀποστρέφειν αὐτοὺς τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀμάχῳ ἴσχυἳ, τοῦ σε διὰ παντὸς ἡμῖν φυλάττειν ἐντειλαμένου. Ταύτης τῷ Ἁγίῳ παραδόξως τῆς ὀπτασίας φανείσης· ἔπειτα μέντοι δείκνυταί τις αὐτῷ καὶ ἄλλη τοιαύτη. Ἐδόκει τὴν πόλιν διὰ κλιμάκων ἐπὶ τῷ τείχει πολιορκουμένην ὁρᾷν, εἴσω τε αὐτῆς τοὺς βαρβάρους γεγενημένους, θρῆνόν τε καὶ οὐαὶ καὶ συνοχὴν ἐν αὐτῇ, ὡς καὶ πολλοὺς διὰ τῶν τειχῶν ἔξωθεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀθλίως κατακρημνίζειν, φυγῇ τὴν σωτηρίαν πιστεύοντας· εἶτα καὶ δύο πύλας αὐτῆς κατά τε Ἄρκτον καὶ μεσημβρίαν διανοιγείσας, καὶ πολλοὺς διὰ τούτων ὑπεξιόντας, τοῦ Θεοῦ καθάπερ τοῦ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ δικαίων αἵματος φεισαμένου, καὶ μὴ συναπολέσθαι καὶ αὐτοὺς σὺν ἀσεβέσιν ἀνασχομένου· ἐδείκνυ δὲ τῷ Ἁγίῳ ἡ ὄψις, καὶ δύο τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ μοναχῶν, δέει τῶν βαρβάρων λιποτακτήσαντας, καὶ τῆς τε μονῆς καὶ τῆς ἀδελφότητος μικροψύχως ἀποῤῥαγέντας, οὓς καὶ βαρβαρικῆς γενέσθαι χειρὸς ἔργον, τὸν μὲν μαχαίρᾳ πεσόντα, τὸν δὲ εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ἀπαχθέντα. Τὰ μὲν οὖν τῶν θείων ἀποκαλύψεων ἐν τούτοις ἦν· εἴπετο δὲ ἄρα οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν καὶ τὰ ἔργα. Τείχη τε γὰρ τῆς πόλεως ἔκαυσε πῦρ, καὶ κατέφαεν ἄμφοδα αὐτῆς, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐν πλατείαις αὐτῆς νεανίσκοι, καὶ ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ὁδοὶ νεκρῶν, καὶ οὕτω κατ᾽ ἄκρας ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων ἑάλω, ὡς τοὺς μὲν τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ ῥίψαντας διὰ τῶν τειχῶν ἑαυτοὺς, τοὺς δὲ διὰ τῆς πρὸς Ἄρκτον τῆς τε πρὸς μεσημβρίαν πύλης ὑπεξελθόντας διαφυγεῖν, δύο τε τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν μοναχῶν δείσαντας ἐκεῖθεν ἀναχωρῆσαι, καὶ τὸν μὲν ζῶντα τοῖς βαρβάροις ἁλῶναι, τὸν δὲ πεσεῖν, ξίφει τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐκκοπέντα. Ἕτερον μέντοι τῶν ἀυτοῦ μοναχῶν, τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχε δεινόν τι πρὸς τῶν βαρβάρων παθεῖν, ὅσω καὶ τοὺς ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνων ἀνήκεστα πεπυνθότας, παρ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐρχομένους θεραπείαν τυγχάνειν. Παρέβαλον γάρ τινες αὐτῷ στρατιῶται, τοὺς βαρβάρους διαφυγόντες, ὧν εἷς, οὐ τὸν μηρὸν παντάπασι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅλον πόδα παρεῖτο, χαλεπαῖς τὴν ψυχὴν ὀδύναις βαλλόμενος. Συμπαθὲς τοιγαροῦν ὁ θεῖος Συμεὼν εἰς αὐτὸν ἰδὼν, βαΐνην τε ῥάβδον ἑνὶ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐγχειρίσας, σφραγίσαι κατὰ τοῦ μηροῦ μηροῦ κελεύει τὸν πάσχοντα, καὶ ἠ σφραγὶς, οὐ τῶν ὀδυνῶν ἀπαλλαγὴ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥῶσις εὐθὺς τοῦ τε μηροῦ καὶ τοῦ ποδὸς τῷ στρατιώτῃ γίνεται. Τῶν δ᾽ οὖν Ἀσσυρίων τὰ περὶ τὴν Ἀντιόχου κατατρεχόντων, τό τε ὄρος περινοστούντων, καὶ ὁρμῇ πρός τε τὸν κίονα ἤδη καὶ τὴν μονὴν κεχρημένων, τοῖς παροῦσιν εὐχὴν παραγγείλας, γόνατά τε τῷ ἐδάφει πρῶτος καὶ ὄψεις ἐρείσας, άπελαθῆναι τούτους ἐκεῖθεν προσηύχετο· καὶ παραχρῆμα εἰς γῆν ὡς εἶχον, αὐτοῖς ἅρμασι καὶ ἵπποις κατενεχθέντες, τῆς τε πρόσω πορείας μεταμεμέληντο, καὶ ἄσμενοι μᾶλλον ἣν ἦλθον ἀνέστρεφον. Ἄλλο τε πάλιν τῶν αὐτῶν Ἀσσυρίων τινὲς ἀνῄεσαν εἰς τὸ ὄρος· ὁ δὲ Ἅγιος τῷ συνήθει καὶ νῦν φαρμάκῳ, τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν εὐχῇ κέχρητο, Δέσποτα Θεὲ, λέγων, πάσης σαρκὸς, ὁ γνόφῳ τὸ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐπὶ τοῦ θεράποντός σου Μωσέως σκεπάσας, αὐτὸς νῦν τῇ χάριτί σου σκέπασον καὶ ἡμᾶς, ὥστε ἀθεάτους μεῖναι τοῖς τῶν ἀσεβῶν τούτων ὄμμασι. Καὶ αὐτίκα (ὢ ἀβύσσου χρηστότητος! ὢ Θεοῦ ὤτων, δεήσεσι τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτον διὰ παντὸς προσερχόντων!) ἀχλὺς ἄνωθεν ὑπὸ νεφέλῃ καταχεθεῖσα, οὐχ ὄπως αὐτὸν τοῖς βαρβάροις, ἀλλ᾽ ου δὲ τῶν περὶ αὐτόν τινα εἴασε θεαθῆναι. Καὶ οἱ μὲν οὕτως ἀπῆλθον, μὴ δὲ εἰς τὸν κίονα καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ τὸν κίονα βλέψαι, μὴ δὲ προσχεῖν ὅλως συγχωρηθέντες· πλουσία δὲ καὶ τοῦ Συμεὼν κατεχεῖτο χάρις, τὴν τε ὄψιν κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τῆς ὥρας ἐκλάμποντος, καὶ ἥδιόν τι παντοδαπῶν μύρων ἀπόζοντος· ὡςκαὶτῶν μαθητῶν τινα περὶ ὄρθρον ἰδόντα, ὅπως μὲν περὶ τὴν ὄψιν αὐγῆς, ὅπως δὲ ὄλος εὐωδίας ἔχει, ἐν θαύματος λόγῳ τοῖς λοιποῖς διηγήσασθαι. Οἷα δὲ πολλάκις, καὶ μηδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἀνῦσαι δύνασθαι κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ πεπεισμένος ὁ δαίμων, τὴν μὲν ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ πρὸς αὐτὸν οὐ θαῤῥεῖ πάλην, διὰ δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν δολίως ἐπιβουλεύει, πάθει δειλίας αὐτῶν τὰς ψυχὰς κατασείσας, πρόφασιν τὴν συνεχῆ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων εὑρὼν πάροδον, κᾳκεῖθεν ἀπᾴραντας ἐν τῷ ἀσφαλεῖ καταστῆναι σκολιῶς ἀναπείσας. Οἵ καὶ προσίασιν ἅμά ὄρθρῳ, συναπᾶσαί σφισι καὶ αὐτὸν ἀξιοῦντες, ἄχρι τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπανόδου τῶν Ἀσσυρίων· Οὐ δὲ γὰρ οἷόν τέ φασι προσμένειν ἔτι τῷ ὄρει, οὕτως αὐτῶν κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς ἐπιόντων. Ὁ δὲ τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχε προσέσθαι τι περὶ ἑαυτοῦ τοιοῦτον, ὅσῳ καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐπισχεῖν μᾶλλον περὶ πλείστου πεποίητο. Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλὰ εἰπών τε καὶ δράσας, οὐ μεταπεισθησομένους ἑώρα, Πορεύεσθέ φησιν ἀδελφοὶ ἐν ειρήνῃ· εἰ γὰρ καὶ οἱ φίλοι μου καὶ οἱ ἔγγιστά μου ἀπὸ μακρόθεν στῆναι προῄρησθε, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ τῷ πνεύματι ἀεὶ μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν εἰμι. Ταῦτα τοῦ Ἁγίου εἰπόντος, οἱ μὲν ἀφέντες αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ κίονος ἀνεχώρησαν. Ἐπιστάντων δὲ κατὰ πόδας τῇ μονῇ τῶν βαρβάρων, χεῖρας οὐρανπͅ δοὺς ἐκεῖνος, Δέσποτά φησι Κύριε παντοκράτορ, ὁ ἐν τῷ βραχίονι τῆς δυνάμεώς σου διασκορπίσας τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου, κραταιωθήτω καὶ νῦν ἡ χεῖρ σου, ὑψωθήτω ἡ δεξιά σου. Ὄυπω τέλος εἶχεν εἶτῷ ἠ εὐχὴ, καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι φεύγειν ἐκεῖθεν ἀγεννῶς ἐπεχείρουν, καθάπερ ὑπό τινος βαρείας χειρὸς ἐλαυνόμενοι. Ὁ μὲν οὖν τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων, εἰ καὶ τῶν οἰκείων οὕτω μαθητῶν ἔρημος ἀπολέλειπτο, ἀλλὰ παροῦσαν εἶχε σαφῶς τὴν θείαν ἄνωθεν χάριν, οὐκ ἀγαλλίασιν μόνον ἐμποιοῦσαν, ἀλλά τινα καὶ ἄφατον, ὡς ἔφημεν, εὐωδίαν αὐτοῦ καταχέουσαν, ἥ τις καὶ τοῖς ῥακίοις, οἷς ἐκεῖνος ἠμφίετο, παρέμεινε διὰ τέλους. Ἦν τοίνυν χαίρων τῃ περὶ αὐτὸν ἐρημίᾳ, καὶ τρίτην ἐξῆς ἡμέραν εὐχῇ μόνῃ καὶ Θεῷ σχολάζων (ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ δυνατὸς εἶ, Κύριε, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθειά σου κύκλῳ σου) ὁρᾷ δύο τινὰς ἑκατέρωθεν ἁγίους Ἀγγέλους, τὸν μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν, τὸν δ᾽ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν, λέγοντας αὐτῷ· Θαῤῥει, οὐ δὲ γὰρ εἶ, φησι, μόνος, ἀλλὰ μετά σου καὶ ἡμεῖς. Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων ἐπανόδου μνησθέντων, ἀνασώζονται καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ, καὶ τοῦτον ὅπως ἀγαλλιάσεώς τε καὶ χάριτος εἶχεν ἰδόντες, ἀγαλλομένοις Θεῷ καὶ αὐτοὶ χείλεσιν ηὐχαρίστουν.

[57] Wild beasts are tamed at the name of Symeon: But truly who could review the miraculous deeds of Symeon one by one? what tongue could suffice for narrating, what hand for writing, what oration for explaining them? A certain man, Georgius by name, having gone not very far into the solitude, had fallen in with wild beasts: and being destitute of counsel, he calls the name of the Saint to his aid, which being done the jaws of the beasts are forthwith constrained. Nor that only, but the beasts all also, just as they were, hastening at a run to the Saint, lay their mouths at the base of the column, as if knowing who had cast that bond upon them, and after the manner of those praying persisting there, were loosed. And this also has more of wonder, that before the beasts had come, what had been done to them Symeon had foretold to the bystanders.

[58] The region subject to Antioch swarmed with so frequent beasts, in form various and in lying-in-wait pernicious, that not only were men and women not safe from their slaughter, he being invoked, they are driven off. but infants also were drawn from their houses, where they lay hidden, and became their prey; all the roads were intercepted, and agriculture ceased, unless perchance they had assembled in so great a number, as to be a troop apt to resist. Certain men of that region therefore are sent to the Saint, to ask to be freed from so savage a neighborhood. But he, as he was meek, gave this answer to those praying: These are indications of the just indignation, with which God is angry at us. For his Apostle Paul says; That for these things comes the wrath of God upon the sons of diffidence; such namely as are, fornication, uncleanness, passions, depraved desires, avarice which is the servitude of idols. Eph. 5, 6. Wherefore with all diligence let us guard ourselves, lest henceforth we afflict with sadness the Holy Spirit, in whom we are sealed unto the day of redemption, in whom also we have received the pledge in the hope of everlasting life: for the Father of mercies wills, that we, libidinous sons, straying far from him, should do penance, that through the pure sacrifice of his only-begotten son, our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, we may turn to him. For he through whom we long since obtained remission, and had access to the Father, he now also being made propitious to us will chastise the beasts of the woods, nor ever afterward will there be cause for you to fear from them, you being about to enjoy perpetual immunity. These things being heard they paid thanks with full mouth to God and Symeon: but the multitude of beasts from that time, departing from the said region, turned to flight.

[59] A certain youth above Daphne, with fixed gaze having looked at the rising sun, Blindness and a swelling of the belly are cured. had lost the faculty of seeing: whose parents, all other remedies being despaired of, in the name of Christ and his servant Symeon, kindle a candle, and besides offer incense: when forthwith (how manifold is your benignity, Lord, which you have shown to those hoping in you!) the eyes of the youth are again illumined. Another, whose belly had swollen with a certain disease, having experienced no relief by the medical art, asked Symeon a remedy for his pain: and behold the saving

sleep exhibits to him a man, placing the sacred Gospel on the grieving member, by which sleep and pain equally were driven off. Made sound therefore after sleep, he who had been ill, came to the Saint, and announced what had happened.

[60] The confidence of the people in Symeon. While Symeon thus pours forth miraculous benefits as it were from a full channel, it happened at one time that crowds frequently flowed together to him, bearing kindled tapers fixed on the tops of reeds, about to offer votive gifts to God through Symeon: for everyone knew that sacrifice would be acceptable, which had been immolated through his hands. But he by no means held the gifts ratified and accepted, and thus addressed the crowds: I will not admit your oblations, Brethren, zealous to preserve the ancient and present custom: nevertheless they are already accepted by God, who, needing nothing of our things, takes in good part the good intention alone. Which oration was no moderate sadness to the crowds, and stung their minds no otherwise than if the oblation had been rejected. Which the disciples observing took counsel among themselves, that they should secretly withdraw what had been brought. But Symeon, whom their cogitations did not escape, The concupiscence of the disciples castigated, with a severe voice having called them says: Are you ignorant, how much Israel once suffered because of him, who gave himself to the grave passion of avarice, and seized a golden ^b tongue from the anathema? What of Gehazi, the servant of Elisha; was he not condemned to the leprosy with which Naaman had been infected? Why should I mention Judas, who fell from the number and grace of the Apostles, made the betrayer of his master; and strangled burst asunder in the midst? At these words the disciples exanimate with fear, prone gave themselves to the ground, deprecating pardon; which when they had obtained, rising they accused themselves much for their former cogitations.

[61] At a certain time there were revealed to Symeon the evils which were to be brought upon Antioch. They were of this kind: An Angel holding a sword in his hand was borne in the air above the city. The calamities threatening Antioch are revealed to him: The Saint therefore cried out to the Lord for it with all his heart, and stood like another Moses before him, that he might avert his fury, and hinder lest he be inflamed with greater wrath. But the Lord says to him: Behold the cry of the sins of that city ascends to me, it incurs my wrath and fury, the impious one: I will destroy it in its sins: I will send fire, and the sword, and death: it has provoked me by its idols, setting a table for the demons and for Fortune; I also will provoke it by a foolish nation. This vision Symeon could not suppress because of the atrocity of the menaces; but, certain men coming from Antioch to him, men remarkable for integrity of life, he narrated the whole matter with a grave sense of mind; the event also shortly following. For not much time intervened, when God raised from the East Chosroes the King of the Persians, and the Chaldeans subject to him, a nation sharp in war and likewise swift (for their horses are said to be swifter than panthers, and fiercer than the wolves of Arabia), like an eagle promptly flying to its food; who with a grave army girded the city ^c. which he cannot deprecate. Symeon therefore again raised his voice to the Lord for it, if perchance he should repent of those things which he had before threatened, and become propitious to the sins of the city, nor destroy it or deliver it to the swords of the Assyrians. But the Lord rendered no manifest sign, for the wrath of his fury abounded, and mercy had hidden itself from his face. Symeon resolved therefore again to interpellate him with prayers; when behold, I have not repented, he said, but most certainly I will deliver the city, and some indeed shall fall by the mouth of the sword, others being snatched into servitude: but to you I will set my cross as a sign of peace, which may preserve you; as not very long after you shall see.

[62] He sees therefore in a rapture of mind the Grace of the most holy Spirit, Another vision concerning the city stormed: bearing a cross in its hand, and flying to him; he sees also two Angels girding the same, in whose hands bows bent, and javelins ready to be sent forth. But him asking, what this thing was: The cross, they say, will render you safe and secure against any enemies; but the darts will blunt the assault of those who in a hostile manner attempt to invade you, by the inexpugnable virtue of God, who has everywhere committed your guard to us. This admirable vision being exhibited to the Saint; another forthwith succeeds of this kind. He seemed to himself to see the city assaulted, ladders being applied to the walls, and the barbarians now entered, within laments and woe resounding; and all things full of so great anxiety, that not a few from the walls cast themselves headlong outside, about to entrust their safety to flight. He sees then two gates of the city, which look toward the north and the south, opened, and very many withdrawing themselves through them: as if God sparing the blood of the just dwelling there, and not sustaining the good to be destroyed with the impious. The vision showed him also two monks of the number of his own, fugitives for fear of the barbarians, and snatching themselves from the sodality of the brethren through pusillanimity, who falling into the hands of the barbarians, one ended his life by the sword, the other was led off into captivity.

[63] And this was the sum of the divine revelations: and the effect followed not long after ^d. For the walls of the city of Antioch were burned with fire, and it itself was consumed by the same all around; which is fulfilled in reality. the young men fell in its squares, and the roads were filled with cadavers; and the city being occupied in the highest place by the Assyrians, part of the inhabitants cast themselves from the walls, part going out through the northern and southern gates gave themselves to flight. But it happened that two monks of his, seized with dread, withdrew, of whom one came alive into the hands of the barbarians, the other perished, his head cut off by the sword: but so far was it that those who had remained with Symeon should suffer anything of trouble from the barbarians, those who remained with him being safe. that even those who had suffered the gravest things from them, coming to him, recovered their safety. For some soldiers approached him, escaped from the hands of the barbarians; of whom one, not only with his thigh dislocated all over, but also with his whole leg broken, was tossed with the gravest tortures. But Symeon, touched with commiseration at so mournful a spectacle, gives his palm rod into the hands of a certain one of the disciples, and bids the affected thigh be signed with it; which being done, not only freedom from pains, but also its strength returned to the thigh and foot.

[64] The Assyrians infested with incursions all things widely around Antioch and wandered about the mountain itself, and now were about to rush by an assault upon the column and the monastery; when Symeon, prayer being enjoined on those present, He routs the enemies by prayers, himself first fixing his knees and face prone on the ground, prayed that the infesting enemies might be driven thence. And without any delay interposed, cast down to the ground from their horses and chariots, they cared to proceed no further, but most quickly returned the way they had come. At another time certain of the same Assyrians returned to the mountain, against whom the Saint, using his accustomed medicine, prayer I mean, said: Lord God of all flesh, who in the time of Moses your servant didst cover Mount Sinai with darkness, and renders himself and his own invisible to them, cover us also at present with your grace, that we be not detected by these impious men. And no more (oh abyss of goodness, oh divine ears, never not intent on the prayers of those fearing God!) a dark cloud poured forth from heaven not only did not permit Symeon to be seen by the barbarians, but neither any of his companions. So they indeed departed, neither permitted to discern the column or what was done below the column, nor to hear anything at all: but a more copious grace suffused Symeon, both his face wonderfully ruddy, and diffusing a certain most sweet odor of various ointment: which also one of the Disciples, observing toward dawn how great a splendor proceeded from his countenance, how great a fragrance from his body, narrated to his fellow-disciples wondering.

[65] For the rest when, the battle now being often attempted, the evil demon was persuaded that he could effect nothing at all against the Saint; not daring to engage in open war, he craftily through the disciples constructs snares, shaking their minds with grave terror; and a pretext being devised, that they were exposed to the continual incursions of the Assyrians, he persuaded them to decree that their seats should be transferred to a safer place. He is deserted by his disciples, They approach therefore early in the morning Symeon, asking, that he would for so long give way from the place with them, until the Assyrians had returned to their country: For we cannot, they say, delay longer on this mountain, because of the frequent incursions of the enemies. But so far was it that he should admit such a thing; that he rather moved every stone, by which he might retain them. And when he had said many things and attempted, nor saw that they would ever acquiesce to him; Go, he said, Brethren, in peace; for if you, my friends and kinsmen, prefer to stand afar off, I nonetheless am ever with you in mind. When the Saint had said these things, the disciples leaving him on the column withdrew. But the barbarians forthwith invading the monastery, Symeon stretching out his hands to heaven; Lord, he said, omnipotent, who in the arm of your virtue didst destroy your enemies, let your hand now also be strengthened, let your right hand be exalted. He had not yet ceased to pray, and the barbarians, now unwarlike, snatched themselves thence in flight; you would have said, expelled by a certain powerful hand.

[66] But although the servant of God was so destitute and deserted by his disciples, yet the divine grace, very present, but he is visited by God. never departed from his side; not only filling his mind with gladness, but diffusing, as we have said, a certain ineffable fragrance, which clung to the cloak with which he was clad, even to the end. He rejoiced therefore in the solitude, and for three following days attending to prayer alone and to God (for so far are you powerful, Lord, and your truth round about you) he beholds on each side two holy Angels, one on the right, the other on the left, saying to him: Confide, for you are not alone; but we are with you. Meanwhile the barbarians meditating a return to their country, the disciples also are saved: and having seen with how great gladness and grace Symeon abounded, with glad voices they themselves also rendered thanks to God.

ANNOTATIONS. C. J.

city by Justinian, he subjoins these things: So Justinian Augustus provided for the walls of Antioch, which he also restored, when the enemies had utterly destroyed it by flame. For all things being consumed and utterly taken away, so that nothing of the burned city stood out anywhere, save mounds of rubble; in what place each one's house had before stood, the people of Antioch could not discern.

CHAPTER IX.

The liberation of captives: the passage to the wonderful mountain; other miracles.

Ἀλλὰ τίς ἂν λόγος τὰ τηνικαῦτα παρὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν γεγονότα, καὶ ὅπως τῶν αἰχμαλωτισθέντων πολλοῖς ὀπτανόμενος ἀνίει τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας αὐτοὺς, καὶ διὰ μέσων ἔσωζε τῶν βαρβάρων, ἐν βραχεῖ παραστήσειεν; ἑνὸς δὲ, ἢ καὶ δύο τούτων ἀναγκαῖον ἐπιμνησθῆναι. Ὁ ὑπὸ τῶν βαρβάρων ἔναγχος ληφθεὶς ἀδελφὸς, οὗ καὶ μικρῷ πρόσθεν ὁ λόγος ἔθετο μνήμην, τὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου θαυμάσια, οἷα εἴωθεν ἐν ἀμηχάνοις κακοῖς οὖσα ψυχὴ τῶν χρηστοτέραν ἐλπίδα παπεχομένων ἠδέως ἀναμιμνήσκεσθαι, πρός τινα στρατιώτην σχολάριον ἐξηγεῖτο, αἰχμάλωτον καὶ αὐτὸν ἀγόμενον, καὶ ὑπὸ σιδηραῖς κατεχόμενον πέδαις· καί τι καὶ κλαίων ἐπ᾽ ἐνίοις αὐτῶν, εἶτα ζέσας τὴν ψυχὴν τοῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ διηγήμασιν, ἐκ μέσης τε τὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου ὄνομα καρδίας καλέσας, ὥστε τῆς χαλεπῆς ἐκείης ἀπαγωγῆς ἀνεθῆναι, διὰ μέσου τῶν βαρβάρων ὁρμᾷ, καὶ μὴ δ᾽ ὑπὸ, τοῦ τούτων κατασχεθεὶς, ἀνασώζεται. Ὅπερ ὁ στρατιώτης ἰδὼν, καὶ πιστεύσας δύνασθαι τοῦτο καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ τὸν Ἅγιον δράσαι, βοᾷ μετὰ θερμῶν δακρύων εὐθὺς, Δέσποτα Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ δούλου σου Συμεὼν, ῥῦσαί με τῆς πικρᾶς ταύτης καὶ βαρβάρου χειρὸς καὶ δουλείας. Ταῦτα καμνούσῃ ψυχῇ φθεγξαμένου (Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τῶν δυνάμεων τίς ὅμοιός σοι;) τὰς μὲν σιδηρὰς ἐκείνας αὐτίκα πέδας εἶχεν ἡ γῇ, αὐτὸς δὲ ἀνὰ μέσους ὀξεῖ τῷ ποδὶ τοὺς βαρβάρους ὲχώρει, πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν φερόμενος· ὃς ἀπαθὴς κακῶν ἐπανελθὼν, ἓκαστα σαφῶς ἐξηγεῖτο. Γέρων τις τὰς ὄψεις ἀνακοπεὶς, κάθητο τυφλὸς προσαιτῶν· ἐτύγχανε δὲ ἄρα κατωτέρω μικρὸν τῆς μονῆς, ὅτε δι᾽ ὀλίγου ταύτης ἦλθον οἱ βάρβαροι, καί τις αὐτῶν (οἷα φιλεῖ βάρβαρος χεὶρ, ἕτοιμος εἰς ἀναίρεσιν εἶναι, καὶ παίγνιον ἡδύ τι ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἑτέρων ἀπώλειαν) τῷ ξίφει τοῦ τραχήλου κατενεγκὼν, καιρίαν τὸν γέροντα πλήττει· καὶ ὁ μὲν ἄφωνος ἔκειτο, μόνῳ τῷ μικρὰ πνέειν νεκρὸς εἶναι μὴ πιστευόμενος. Ὅπερ οὖν τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράποντα τῷ ἐνοικοῦντι πνεύματι γνόντα, ἐντείλασθαί τισιν ἀνελομένους τὸν γέροντα κομίσαι πρὸς ἑαυτόν. Τοῦ τυφλοῦ τοίνυν παρὰ τῷ κίονι κομισθέντος, γῆν ἐκεῖνος καὶ ὕδωρ λαβὼν εὐλόγησεν, εἶτα τῶν μαθητῶν ἑνὸς ταῦτα τῇ πληγῇ ἐπιθέντος, γίνεταί τι κᾀνταῦθα σημεῖον, ὀφθαλμῶν μᾶλλον ἢ ὤτων εἰς πίστιν δεόμενον· οὐ γὰρ ὀστᾶ καὶ νεῦρα μόνον εὐθὺς, τό γε παράδοξον, συνῆπτο πρὸς ἄλληλα, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν φῶς, ὃ καὶ τούτου παραδοξότερον, τῷ τυφλῷ ἀποδέδοτο, ὡς καὶ τὴν γείτονα θανάτου πληγὴν ἐκείνην μετὰ βραχὺ συνουλῶσαι, καὶ τὰς ὄψεις ἐῤῥῶσθαι, μιᾶς καρπὸν εὐχῆς διπλὴν θεραπείαν κομισαμένῳ. Ὅπερ τῷ ταχεῖ τῆς φήμης πτερῷ πανταχοῦ ἀθρόον διαφοιτῆσαν, πολλὰ πανταχόθεν πλήθη ποικίλαις νόσοις κατεχομένων παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἐποίει συῤῥεῖν, οὃς ἐκεῖνος εὐχῇ καὶ σφραγίδι, τῷ τε μεγάλῳ καὶ ποθεινῷ τοῦ Ἐμμανουὴλ ὀνόματι θεραπεύων, ὑγιεῖς ἀπέλυεν ἐπανήκειν. Ὁρῶντα τοίνυν τὸν πολὺν περὶ αὐτὸν ὄχλον, καὶ ὅπως ἡσυχάζειν οὐκ εἶχεν ὅσον ἐβούλετο, τὸ Ἀποστολικὸν ἠκεῖνο εἰσῄει, Μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι. Περιενόει δὲ ἤδη καὶ Ἡλιοῦ τὸ Καρμήλιον, τοῦ τε Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ τῶν Ἐλαιῶν ὄρος ἄνοδον· ἄλλως τε δ᾽ ἦν καὶ Θεοῦ τὸ πρᾶγμα οἰκονομία, ὑφ᾽ ᾧ καὶ κίνημα καρδίας ὁ Συμεὼν, καὶ ἐνθύμιον, καὶ ἐγκατάλειμμα ἐνθυμίου πεποίητο. Ἔγνω τοιγαροῦν τὸν κίονα μὲν απολιπεῖν, ἐφ᾽ οὗ ὀκταετῆ στάσιν ἤνυεν ἤδη, τῷ δὲ μεγάλῳ πλησίον ὄρει προσαναβῆναι, ὅπερ δεξιᾷ τοῦ κίονος ἀνιόντι διάκειται· ἦν δὲ τοῦτο ἐσχάτως ἄνυδρον, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κομιδῇ μὲν ἀνθρώποις ἄβατον, ἑρπετοῖς δὲ καὶ θηρίοις ἡδίστη διατριβή. Ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸ τοίνυν ἀνελθεῖν καὶ γνώμης ἅμα καὶ μελέτης ἔχων, ἐδόκει τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρα Χριστὸν μετὰ στρατιᾶς Ἀγγέλων οὐδ᾽ ὅσης ἀριθμήσασθαι ῥᾴδιον, ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸ καταβεβηκότα ἰδεῖν, νεφέλην τε φωτὸς τὰς ὑπωρείας κύκλῳ καλύπτουσαν, φωνῆς τε ἀπὸ τῆς νεφέλης ἀκοῦσαι, Σπεῦσον, ἀνάβηθι Συμεὼν ἐπὶ τὸ θαυμαστὸν ὄρος τοῦτο, λεγούσης· οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν εἴη καλούμενον· ἡγίασται γὰρ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ καὶ θαυμαστώσω μᾶλλον τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὄτι καὶ μετά σού εἰμι ἐγώ. Ὑπεδείκνυ δὲ ἡ φωνὴ καὶ πέτραν, ἐφ᾽ ἧς ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ Θεὸς ἑωρᾶτο, ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν ἀναβῆναι τὸν Συμεὼν ὑποτιθεμένη. Τὸ δὲ τῆς ἀπροσίτου θέας ἐκείνης τῶν ποδῶν ὑποπόδιον, φεῦ τοῦ φωτὸς! ὡς καὶ αὐτοῦ φαιδρότερον μᾶλλον ἦν ἐκλάμπον ἡλίου. Τὰ μὲν δὴ τῆς ὀπτασίας, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ θαυμαστὸν ὄρος κλήσεως τοῦ Ἁγίου τοιαῦτα. Ὁ δὲ τὴν ἀδελφότητα συγκαλέσας, καὶ αὐτοῖς ἕκαστα ὡς ἴδοι διηγησάμενος, ἕνα τὲ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τὴν ἡλικίαν, καὶ τρόπων χρηστότητι μαρτυρούμενον, προεστᾶναι τῆς μονῆς καταστήσας· ἐπευξάμενός τε αὐτοῖς, καὶ Θεῷ παραθέμενος, τοῦ κίονος κάτεισι, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ ὄρους φερούσης ἅπτεται, ὁδηγῷ τῇ φανείσῃ χρώμενος ὄψει, καὶ τὴν πέτραν ἐκείνην καταλαβεῖν ἐπειγόμενος. Πῶλος μὲν οὖν ἦγεν αὐτὸν, ἐφ᾽ ὣν οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων ἐκάθισε πώποτε, τῆς τοῦ ὀφθέντος εὐδοκίας οἰμαι Χριστοῦ καὶ τοῦτο σύμβολον καὶ τῶν σημείων, ὧν ἐπιβαίνων τοῦ ὄρους ὁ Συμεὼν ἔμελλε τῇ αὐτοῦ δυνάμει ποιεῖν· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ πώλου φερόμενος, ὡς ἐπὶ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐκεῖνος, καὶ ὁμοιότητι (φθέγξομαι γὰρ, εἰ καὶ τολμηρὸν) τοῦ Δεσπότου τετιμημένος. Ἦν δέ τις κατἀ τὴν μονὴν ἀκινήτως τοῦ ποδὸς ἔχων, καὶ τοῦτον ἐσχάτως πεπηρωμένος· πάντων τοίνυν ὅσοι τῷ Ἁγίῳ προσίεσαν θεραπείας ἀξιουμένων, ὅτῳ δήποτε τούτων ἔκαστος πάθει κατείχετο, ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ μόνῳ τὰ τῆς ἰάσεως, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως, ἢ λόγοις ἀποῤῥήτου πάντως οἰκονομίας, ὤκνει καὶ ἀνεβάλλετο. Οὗτος τοιγαροῦν εἰς δεῦρο ταμιευθεὶς, προσάγεται τῷ Ἁγίῳ μετὰ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ κίονος κάθοδον, ἐκείνου κελεύσαντος· εὐχῇ τε καὶ σφραγῖδι, τῷ συνήθει φαρμάκῳ, ῥώννυται, ὅς καὶ δρομαίως εὐθὺς ἦν τοῦ Ἁγίου προπορευόμενος, πράγμασι μᾶλλον οὐ ῥήμασι μεγαλύνων τὰς ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίας. Ὁ μέντοι Συμεὼν ὅ τε δι᾽ ὀλίγου τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὄρους γεγόνει, ἀποβὰς τοῦ πώλου προσηύξατο, καὶ τῆς τέλος ἤδη λαβούσης, ἀκούει στρατιᾶς Ἀγγέλων τὸ Ἀμὴν ἐπειπούσης. Σταυρὸς δὲ λίθινος ἐπέχει τὸν τόπον, ὅν μετὰ τὴν εὐχὴν ἐκεῖνος ἱδρύσατο. Ἀτενίσας οὖν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος, ὁρᾷ τὴν τοῦ ὄρους κορυφὴν θείᾳ χάριτι περιλαμπομένην· καὶ γνοὺς τοῦτον ἐκεῖνον εἶναι τὸν ὑποδειχθεντα τόπον αὐτῷ, ἄσμενος εὐθέως προστρέχει, καὶ τῆς πέτρας, ἐφ᾽ ἧς τοὺς δεσποτικοὺς εἶδε πόδας ἑστῶτας, χαίρουσιν ὡς εἶχε ποσὶν ἐπιβαίνει. Τὸν μέντοι πῶλον εἰς τὴν μονὴν ὑπὸ τῶν μαθητῶν καταχθέντα, ἡ τρίτη μετὰ τὴν κάθοδον ἡμέρα εἶχε νεκρὸν, οὐδὲν πλέον ἐπιβιόντα, οὐδέ τινα ἕτερον ἐπιβῆναι τὸ παράπαν αὐτοῦ ἀνασχόμενον. Τῆς μὲν οὖν ἡλικίας εἰκοστὸν ἦν τοῦτο ἔτος τῷ Συμεὼν, τῆς δ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῦ προλαβόντος κίονος στάσεως ὄγδοον· ὁ δὲ στὰς ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν ἡδέως, τὴν τε μηλωτὴν περιθέμενος, καὶ ταύτη Θεῷ κατὰ μόνας ὁμιλεῖν τὸ μετὰ ταῦτα νομίσας, ὡς τῆς ἐπιούσης ὄχλον οὐκ ὀλίγον εἶδεν ἀσθενῶν πλήθη φόρτον κομίζοντας, οἵ τινες τῷ κίονι παραβαλόντες, καὶ τοῦτον ἀνελθεῖν τὴν κορυφὴν τοῦ ὄρους πυθόμενοι, οὐ δὲ τὴν ἄνοδον ὤκνησαν. Τούτους τοίνυν ἰδὼν, καὶ οἷον ἄθυμος γεγονὼς, εἰ μὴ δ᾽ ἐνταῦθα συγκεχώρηται ἰδιάζειν· ὅμως πρὸς τὰ τούτων δάκρυα καὶ τοὑς ὀδυρμοὺς παθὼν, καὶ χεῖρας ἑκάστῳ τῶν κακῶς ἐχόντων ἐπιθεὶς ἰασίμους, ὑγιεῖς ἀπολύει. Ἐφάνη δὲ τηνικαῦτα λέων ἀνὰ τὸ ὄρος, ὃς ἀνθρώπῳ τινὶ συναντήσας πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνιόντι, ἄγριόν τι καὶ κομιδῇ φοβερὸν ὥρμησεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν. ὅ δ᾽ ἐν ἀφύκτῳ κινδύνου ὢν, καὶ ὑποδέους ὅτι καὶ δράσει μὴ ἔχων, τὸν στέφανόν φησι καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν τοῦ Συμεὼν χάριν, ἀπόστρεψον ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ μηδέν με βλάψας ἣ λυμηνάμενος. Καὶ ὁ θὴρ αὐτίκα τὴν τοῦ ὅρκου δύναμιν αἰδεσθεὶς, ἀπῆλθε, μηδὲν αὐτὸν πλέον διαταράξας. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνελθὼν ἐξηγήσατο· οἱ δὲ παρόντες περιδεδεεῖς γεγονότες, δέονται κοινῇ τοῦ Ἁγίου ἀπελαθῆναι τὸν θῆρα τοῦ ὄρους. Κᾀκεῖνος εὐθὺς Ἀναστάσιόν τινα (εἷς δὲ τῶν αὐτοῦ μαθητῶν οὗτος, ἀφ᾽ οὗ καὶ αὐτὸς, κατὰ τὸν ἐμὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν οἰκεῖον δεσπότην καὶ νομοθέτην, ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια) τοῦτον οὖν ὀνομαστὶ καλέσας, Ἄπιθι παρὰ τὸ τοῦ λέοντος κατάλυμα, ἔφη, καὶ τάδε ἐρεῖς αὐτῷ, Ἐνὀνόματι Κυρίου, φησὶν ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ Συμεὼν ἀπόστηθι τοῦ ὄρους τούτου· οὐκ ἔσται γάρ σοι κατοικία, οὐ δὲ διατριβὴ ἐν αὐτῷ. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν, ἀπελθὼν εἰρήκει τῷ λέοντι· ὁ δὲ ὑπήκουσεν ὅσα καὶ οἰκέτης εὐγνώμων ἀγαθῷ δεσπότῃ πειθόμενος, τοῦ τε ὄρους εὐθέως ἀπῆρεν ὑπὸ τοῖς πάντων ὄμμασι, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Μέλαντα καλούμενον ποταμὸν, καὶ τὰ τῆς Ἀμανοῦ ἐχώρησεν ὄρη· τιθασσὸς οἷα καὶ χειροήθης, ἀντὶ τοῦ πρώην βλοσυροῦ καὶ βιαίου, γεγενημένος. Ὅπερ οὖν οὐ δὲ μίαν θαύματος ὑπερβολὴν ἀπολεῖπον, θαυμασιώτερον ἔτι μᾶλλον ἔχει τὸ ἐπαγόμενον, ὅτι καὶ εἰς ὥρας ἐξ ἐκείνου ὁ θὴρ εἰς τὴν τοῦ Ἁγίου μάνδραν ἐτησίως ἐφοίτα, πρὸ πυλῶν τε αὐτῆς ἱκανῶς ὠρυόμενος, καὶ τὰ τῆς ὑποταγῆς οἷον ἐπιδεικνὺς, ἐπιεικὴς ἐκεῖθεν καὶ ἥμερος εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα πάλιν ἤδη ἐχώρει, εἴπου τισὶν ἀνὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐντύχοι, αἰδοῖ εἴκων καὶ αὐτῆς ἐξιστάμενος. Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ λοιμικῆς νόσου τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐπισκηψάσης, πόλεις τε καὶ ἀγροὺς καὶ κώμας φθειρούσης ἀτεχνῶς καὶ λυμαινομένης, γνοὺς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων ὅτι ὠργίσθη θυμῷ Κύριος ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, τὰ τε σπλάγχνα παθὼν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς, μιμεῖται τὸν Φινεὲς καὶ αὐτὸς, καὶ χεῖρας ἱκετηρίους, εἰ βούλοι δὲ ἱλαστηρίους ἐκτείνας Θεῷ μέχρι τούτου τὰ τῆς πληγῆς ἵστησι, μηκέτι περαιτέρῳ ταύτην ὁδεῦσαι παραχωρήσας. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον θαυμάσαι ἄξιον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ τὰ τῆς ἰάσεως αὐτῷ δέδοτο· πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐξ ἐκείνου τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς τοιαύτης νόσου κατειλημμένων, τὸ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν ἐπικαλούμενοι ὄνομα, ἐδόκουν οἴκοι τοῦτον ὁρᾷν, (ὢ τοῦ θαύματος!) ἐπισκεπτόμενον ὥσπερ καὶ τὴν νόσον αὐτοῖς θεραπεύοντα· καὶ ἡ ὄψις ἔργον ἦν, καὶ τὴν φαντασίαν ἀλήθεια διεδέχετο, καὶ τὴν νόσον εὐθὺς ἀπετίθεντο. Πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἑτέροις πάθεσι καὶ νόσοις

ἐταζομένων, λυχνίαν κατ᾽ οἶκον ἅπτοντες θυμίαμά τε προσφέροντες, διὰ μεσίτου τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ οἰκείου θεράποντος ἐπεκαλοῦντο, καὶ τοῦ λυποῦντος ἕκαστος ἀπηλλάττετο· ὅσοις δὲ τοῦ μὲν ἀρκοῦντος ἡ χεὶρ ἐλαίου ἠπόρει, βραχὺ δέ τι πορίζοντες ἑαυτοῖς, λυχνίαν ἐπ᾽ ὀνόματι τοῦ ἁγίου ἧπτον, εἰς τρίτην ἑξῆς ἡμέραν, ἢ καὶ τετάρτην αὐτῇ τὰ πολλὰ (ὡς θαυμαστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς Ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ!) τὸ φῶς οὐκ ἐσβέννυτο, ἅπερ οἱ τῶν θαυμάτων ἀπολαύοντες τούτων, παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον εὐθὺς ἀνιόντες ἀπήγγελλον.

[67] But what discourse could in few words set before the eyes the things done by the divine man at that time, how many delivered to servitude he restored to liberty, and led safe through the midst of the enemy? It is necessary to record one or another. That brother, of whom captured by the barbarians we made mention a little before, narrated the wonderful works of the Saint (for so it is wont to be done that a soul, He frees two captives through the midst of the enemy. pressed by intolerable miseries, with a certain pleasure recalls to memory those things which are apt to bring better hope) to a certain Scholar ^b soldier, who himself also snatched into prison was constrained with iron fetters. And then indeed he wept at his own and his companion's miseries; then his mind boiling amid such narrations, from his inmost heart he invokes the name of the Saint: that he might be loosed from that hard servitude, he prays; he passes through the midst of the crowd of barbarians; and no one having attempted to hinder or retain him, he obtains liberty. The soldier having beheld the new thing, and believing, that the Saint could the same in himself also, forthwith not without tears exclaims: Lord Jesus Christ, God of your servant Symeon, rescue me from the hands of the barbarians and this most bitter servitude. These things being brought forth from an afflicted heart (Lord God of hosts, who is like to you!) at once the iron fetters fell to the ground, and he himself with quick step escaping through the midst of the barbarians was brought to his country; and after he had returned free of evils and miseries, he expressly narrated each thing.

[68] There was a certain old man captured in his eyes, who sitting beside the road begged alms; and he was a little below the ^c monastery, when unexpectedly the barbarians came there: one of whom, He cures one blind and mortally wounded and gives him sight. (as that crowd is prompt to slaughter, and reckons the destruction of others a grateful sport for itself) the sword sent down into the throat, inflicts a lethal blow on the old man: who so wounded lay speechless, only the slight breath which remained preventing him from being believed dead. Which thing the servant of God knowing by the inner spirit, commanded certain men, that they should carry the old man taken up to him: which being done, he blessed earth and water taken, and one of the disciples applied it to the wound. And behold a miracle, requiring not so much the ears as the eyes to make faith: for not only did the bones and nerves, which itself is wonderful enough, at once cohere among themselves; but also the light of the eyes, which is far more wonderful, was restored to the blind man: and so the fruit of one prayer brought back a twin curing, one of the lethal wound healed in so small a time, the other of the use of the eyes recovered. So great a thing, borne on the swift wings of fame, at once spreading everywhere on earth, made very many laboring with divers infirmities flow together from everywhere to the Saint; whom he, by prayers and the sign of the Cross, healed in the high and desirable name of Emmanuel, and dismissed each to his own home.

[69] Moreover beholding the most frequent crowd around him, About to flee the frequency of the crowds and considering that he could not take so great quiet as he wished, that of the Apostle came into his mind; Lest perhaps when I have preached to others I myself become a reprobate. 1 Cor. 9, 27. Wherefore he revolved in his mind again and again both the Carmel of Elias, and the mount of Olives, renowned for the ascension of Christ the Lord: but Divine providence meditated another thing, to which Symeon had committed both the motions of his heart, and the cogitations of his mind, and the rest of the operations of his soul. He resolved therefore, the column, on which he had now spent an eight-year station, being left, to ascend a high mountain near by, situated to the right of one returning from the column. It was exceedingly arid, he meditates approaching the mountain of birds nor was it watered by any spring of water: hence trodden by no footsteps of men at all, it was a grateful stable for serpents and wild beasts. And now Symeon had ascended thither with his whole mind, when he seemed to himself to behold our Lord and Saviour Christ, accompanied by an army of Angels, whose number it was not easy to enter, and is confirmed by Christ. descending on that mountain, likewise also a most bright cloud, covering its root all around: and to hear a voice sent forth from the cloud, saying: Hasten, Symeon, ascend this wonderful mountain: for so henceforth it shall be called: for it has been sanctified by me; on which I will make your name still more wonderful, since I am with you. Besides this that voice showed the rock, on which God our Lord was beheld, commanding that Symeon should ascend it. But the footstool, which was shown by the same incomprehensible vision, (oh light!) shone far more splendidly than the very sun. And this is the vision and vocation of Symeon to the Wonderful Mountain.

[70] The college of Brethren therefore being convoked, he narrated each thing which he had seen: then he bade a certain one of more advanced age, most known for sweetness of manners, How he approached it. to preside over those inhabiting the monastery; and when he had commended them to God by prayers, he descended from the column; and entering the road which led to the summit of the mountain, a most clear vision affording leadership, he hastened, that he might touch the mentioned rock. The foal of an ass bore him, by no man ever mounted: which thing I indeed esteem to have been a symbol of the benevolence of Christ the Lord toward Symeon, and also of the miracles which he was to perform by his virtue while approaching the mountain: for that cause, he both sat on the foal of an ass, as Christ entering Jerusalem; and (for I will speak although I seem bold) deserved to be held similar to the Lord.

[71] There dwelt not far from the monastery a certain man destitute of all motion of his feet, Miracles done on the way. and miserably mutilated in his members; but while all, who approached the Saint, and were afflicted with whatever infirmity, carried back health, to this one alone the remedies of cure to be applied (I know not indeed for what reason, except by a certain occult and inexplicable disposition) were slow and deferred. So therefore put off until this day, he is set before the Saint after his descent from the column; who at his command, to prayers and the sign of the Cross, namely his accustomed medicine, was so corroborated, that at once with quick foot he ran before the Saint, extolling his curing by deed rather than by words. And when Symeon was not far from the summit of the mountain, he descended from the foal and gave himself to prayer; which finished, an immense army of Angels was heard to sing in answer, Amen. But the place has a stone cross, which the prayer being finished the Saint there set up: who casting his eyes thence around, detected the summit of the mountain shining around with divine grace; and thence knowing it to be the same which had been shown to him beforehand, with willing mind hastened thither; and the rock, upon which he had beheld the Lord's feet stand, rejoicing, as quickly as he could, he ascended. The foal led back by the disciples to the monastery, on the third day after the descent died; as if wearied of longer life and another rider, whom it suffered not at all.

[72] It was the twentieth year of Symeon's age, but the eighth of the station kept in the said column. And while he stood upon the rock abounding with pleasure, and clad with a sheepskin ^d, thinking thenceforth to converse there solitary with God; the next day behold he discerns no small crowd, carrying on their shoulders very many sick, and bringing them to the column. Who when they had come nearer, and were taught, that the Saint had migrated thence to the summit of the mountain; they betook themselves thither without delay. When Symeon beheld them approaching, he was anxious in mind, that not even here was it permitted to him to live for himself alone: nevertheless moved by the tears and laments of the wretched, he imposed healing hands on each, and dismissed them thoroughly healed.

[73] There appeared at the same time on the mountain a lion, who, having met a certain man going to the Saint, A lion is tamed at the invocation of Symeon: fierce and very terrible rushed upon the man. He being in an inevitable danger, and so struck that he did not even think of flight, By the crown, he said, and grace given to Symeon from heaven, withdraw from me, nor give me any harm or hurt. But at the same moment the beast, having revered the virtue of the adjuration, departed thence, bringing nothing more of terror or trouble. This thing the man himself, when he had come to the Saint, whom also through a disciple he bids migrate thence. narrated. But the bystanders, fear thence conceived, prayed the Saint unanimously, that he would bid the beast depart from the mountain. He calling by name a certain Anastasius (he was one of the disciples, from whom after the example of Jesus my Lord and lawgiver he had cast out seven demons); Go, he said, to the den of the lion, and announce these things to it: In the name of the Lord, says the servant of the Lord Symeon, depart from this mountain: for it shall not be a habitation for you or a domicile. These things, as the Saint commanded, going he announced to the lion: but it hearing the word, no otherwise than a servant obeying a benign Lord, both migrated from that mountain in the sight of all, and betook itself to the river Melas ^e and the Amanus mountains, as if, its former rigor and ferocity laid aside, made tame and gentle. The miracle which follows ought to yield to none however great, nay is more admirable than all: namely that thenceforth at fixed times through the year the beast was wont to come to the sheepfold of the Saint, and an apt voice being uttered before the gates to testify in a manner submission and obedience, then thence mild and tractable to return to its own domicile, and if it had any met by chance on the way, with a sign of veneration to give way from it.

[74] Meanwhile a pestilent ^f disease had invaded men, which infecting cities, fields, villages brought present destruction to them, and eluded all art. The servant of God knew, that the Lord was inflamed with wrath against his people: and touched with commiseration of them, resolved to imitate the example of Phinees ^g; and stretched suppliant or rather propitiatory hands to God, until he stayed the spreading plague, and hindered it from proceeding further. In which matter not only that is worthy of admiration, that he set a barrier to the evil; but also that especially, that to him also was given grace of curing those touched. For many from that time seized by such a disease, the name of St. Symeon being invoked, seemed to behold him in their own home, In the name of Symeon various miracles happen. as it were bringing (a wonderful thing!) cure and health to the sick. And truly the vision itself stood firm, and truth proved the representation of the mind, all languor of infirmity being driven from their bodies. Many also pressed by other and other sicknesses and pains, a lamp being kindled at home and incense offered, asked help of God through the intercession of his servant, and were taken out of their pains. But as many as

labored under a penury of oil, procuring some little thing for themselves, kindled a lamp in the name of the Saint, and on the third following day or even the fourth for the most part (how admirable is God in his Saints!) the light was not extinguished: which miraculous benefit those, to whom it had befallen, soon going off to the Saint, announced.

ANNOTATIONS. C. J.

a. Above number 63.

CHAPTER X.

Various predictions; the lowest sent by Angels to St. Symeon; mercy toward the poor.

Ποτὲ γοῦν περὶ τοὺς ἑωθινοὺς ὕμνους τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς συγκαλέσας, Προσευξώμεθά φησιν ἀδελφοὶ περὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίας· μέλλει γὰρ ὁ ταύτης Ἀρχιερεὺς Ἐφραίμιος καταλύειν ἤδη τὸν βίον· ἑώρακα γὰρ ἑμαυτὸν ἐν δῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Πνεύματος ἑστῶτα πρὸς κεφαλῇ τῆς κλίνης, ἐφ᾽ ᾗ καθεύδειν εἰώθει, καὶ Οὐαὶ τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ λέγοντά σου ἐκδημοῦντος, οὐαὶ, καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ μετάστασιν ὥσπερ ἀποκλαιόμενον. Ἐν ἐμαυτῷ τοίνυν γενόμενος, εὑρέθην δεδακρυμένος, ἐπὶ τῶν παρειῶν τε φέρων τῶν δακρύων τὰ ἴχνη. Δευτέρα τοιγαροῦν ἔκστασις ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ, καὶ πάλιν οἱ αὐτοὶ θρῆνοι, καὶ πάλιν δάκρυα. Εἶτα καὶ τρίτη περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ὄψις, καί μοι τοιαύτη τις ἤκουσται φωνή· Τίς οἶδεν ὅθεν ὁ ἐρχόμενος εἴη; Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν εἰρήκει τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς· οἱ δὲ τηνικαῦτα μὲν ἐπύθοντο περὶ Ἐφραιμίου ὡς ὑγιαίνοι. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα καλέσας αὖθις ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος αὐτοὺς, διαυγάζουσα δὲ ἧν ἤδη Παρασκευὴ, Ὁ Ἀρχιερεὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ κατὰ τήνδε τὴν νύκτα, φησὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἐξεδήμησε· τεθέαμαι γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὸ πλήθει λευχειμονούντων τῆδε παραβαλοῦσαν, ἥ καὶ ἡσπάσατό με, καὶ μνήμην αὐτῆς ποιεῖσθαι πρὸς Θεὸν ἐνετείλατο, ἔτι καὶ σχέσεως αὐτοῦ πρός τε αὐτὸν ἐμὲ καὶ τὴν μητέρα τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναμνήσασα. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν περὶ τοῦ Ἀρχιερέως τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς προειρήκει· οἱ δὲ τὸν καιρὸν ἐπισημῃνάμενοι, εὗρον τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης τὸν θεῖον Ἐφραίμιον ἐκδεδημηκότα. Πολλῶν δὲ οἷα εἰκὸς τῆς καθέδρας ἐφιεμένων, καὶ ταύτην ἑαυτοῖς σπουδαζόντων, συνέβη Δομνῖνόν τινα τῆς Θρακῶν ὡρμημένον, πτωχείου κατὰ Λυχνίδα πόλιν ἑνὸς προεστῶτα, τῇ βασιλίδι τηνικαῦτα κατά τινα χρείαν ἐπιδημῆσαι· ὃς νόμῳ φιλίας τισὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις ὠκειωμένος, τῷ Βασιλεῖ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν (Ἰουστινιανὸς δὲ ἦν οὗτος) εἰσάγεται. Ὁ δὲ κανονικῆς ἀκριβείας, ἀποστολικῶν τε παραγγελμάτων ὀλίγα φροντίσας, τῇ πρώτῃ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς θέᾳ καὶ τὴν ψῆφον συνάπτει, Ἰδοῦ ὁ τῆς Ἀντιόχου Πατριάρχης εἰπὼν· καὶ τὸν θρόνον εὐθέως ὁ Δομνῖνος καταλαμβάνει. Παριὼν δὲ διὰ τῶν προαστείων τῆς Ἀντιόχου, καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ δικαίου Ἰώβ, ὃς πρὸ τῆς πόλεως ἵδρυτο, λελωβημένους ἰδὼν, καὶ δεινῶς αὐτοὺς βδελυξάμενος, δεῖν ἔγνω τούτους ἐκεῖθεν ἀλλαχοῦ μεταστῆσαι, ἵνα μὴ πρὸ τοῦ τῆς πόλεως κόσμου φησὶν ἄγος εἶεν. Ὅπερ αὐτοὺς αἰσθομένους, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον ὡς ἑκαστος εἶχε δυνάμεως ἀνελθόντας, τοὺς μὲν ποσὶ καὶ βακτηρίᾳ, τοὺς δὲ φόρτον ἐκεῖ κομισθέντας, τὴν δὲ τοῦ ἐν Ἁγίοις Ἐφραιμίου συμπάθειαν, καὶ ὅσα μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ἔδρα, οἵας τε τοῦ νῦν Ἀρχιερέως τῆς ἀσπλαγχνίας πεπείρανται, καὶ ὅπως οὐ δὲ πρὸ τῆς πόλεως αὐτῷ τούτους ὁρᾷν ἀνεκτὸν, θρήνοις ἅμα καὶ ὀδυρμοῖς ἀπαγγεῖλαι· τὸν δὲ πολὺν αὐτῶν οἶκτον λαβόντα, Παύσασθε ἀδελφοὶ φάναι· οὐδεὶς ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖθεν μεταστῆσαι δυνήσεται· ἀλλ᾽ ἠ παιδεία Κυρίου αὐτὴ συναλγεῖν αὐτὸν διδάξει τοῖς πάσχουσιν, ὥστε πείρᾳ μαθεῖν, ὅ γεωργοῦσαν οὐκ ἔσχεν οἴκοθεν τὴν προαίρεσιν. Ταῦτα εἶπε, καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον οὕτω χεῖρες καὶ πόδες τῷ Ἀρχιερεῖ κάμπτονται, ὡς μὴ δὲ δύνασθαί τι δράσαι δι᾽ αὐτῶν τὸ παράπαν, ἀλλ᾽ οἷά τινα νεκρὸν ἔμψυχον διαβασταζόμενον φέρεσθαι. Ἀνδρί τινι κατὰ τὴν Περσῶν πρὸς χαλεπὸν παλαίοντι δαίμονα, ἀπαλλαγὴν τε τούτου μηδεμίαν εὑρίσκοντι, Ἄγγελος Θεοῦ παραστὰς, ἄπιθί φησι παρὰ τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ Συμεὼν· οἰκεῖ δὲ κατὰ μετέωρον ὄρος ἐκ πλαγίου τῆς Ἀντιόχου, θαλάσσης οὐ διὰ μακροῦ κείμενον· δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τοιγαροῦν παρὰ Κυρίου ἴασις ἔσται σοι. Καὶ ὃς τὴν μεταξὺ πᾶσαν ἀνύσας, καὶ ὡς τὸν Ἅγιον ἀφικόμενος, ἕκαστα σαφῶς ἀπαγγέλλει. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ δεηθεὶς, ἐξελθεῖν τῷ δαίμονι παραγγέλλει· καὶ αὐτίκα κλαυθμοὶ τοῦ δαίμονος καὶ θόρυβοι καὶ κραυγαὶ, οὐκ ἐνεγκόντος τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν, Ἄνες μοι, καὶ ἔξειμι λέγοντος· οἶδα γὰρ τίς τε εἶ, καὶ ἥ τις ἡ ἐν σοὶ τοῦ Ὑοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνέργεια. Ἐν ὅσῳ δὲ ταῦτα ἐπράττετο, ἐδόκει τῷ πάσχοντι στέφανον ὁ Συμεὼν τῇ κεφαλῇ περικεῖσθαι· τὸ δὲ τοῦ στεφάνου κάλλος, αἱ δὲ τοῦ χρυσοῦ ὡραιότητες, αἱ δὲ τῶν λίθων αὐγαὶ, ὁ δ᾽ ἐπὶ τῷ στεφάνῳ σταυρὸς, τὸ δὲ τοῦ σταυροῦ φῶς, αἱ δὲ τοῦ φωτὸς πάλιν ἀστραπαί τε καὶ χάριτες τὸ δὲ κυκλόθεν τῆς Ἀγγελικῆς. στρατιᾶς πλῆθος, ἀῤῥητόν τι χρῆμα καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον ἦσαν· ὑφ᾽ ὧν ὁ χαλεπὸς δαίμων ἐκεῖνος ὡς ἀπὸ πυρὸς ἀπηλλάγη, ὡς μετὰ ταῦτα σαφῶς ἐκνήψας αὐτὸς ὁ τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγεὶς ἐξηγεῖτο, ὑγιὴς εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπανιὼν, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔργα τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγέλλων. Νεανίσκῳ τινὶ δαίμων ἐπιπηδήσας, ούτω κακῶς αὐτὸν διετίθει, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῷ νεανίσκῳ δοκεῖν ὑπὸ τῆς πολλῆς τοῦ σώματος τάσεως μέλλειν ἤδη τῶν οἰκείαν πυθυμένων ἐξάλλεσθαι. Κινδυνεύοντι τοίνυν, καὶ τοῖς ὅλοις ἀπορουμένῳ, Ἄγγελος ἄνωθεν ἐπιστὰς ἐν εἴδει καὶ σχήματι στρατιώτου, ἀφικέσθαι παρὰ τὸ θαυμαστὸν ὄρος αὐτὸν, πρὸς τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν ἐπισκήπτει, Αὐτὸς γάρ σέ φησι τῆς τοῦ δαίμονος ἐπηρείας ἐλευθερώσει. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ἐν νεανίσκου τῷ Ἁγίῳ παραβαλόντος, ἐκείνου τε τὴν ἄμαχον αὐτῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σφραγῖδα ἐπιβαλόντος, ἐδόκει διὰ πυρὸς ἀστραπῆς ὁ δαίμον ἑαυτὸν ὁρᾷν τιμωρούμενον· Τί τοῦτο δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγων; τί με δεινῶς πυρπολεῖς; οὐ δὲ γὰρ τὴν ἔν σοι τοῦ Θεοῦ χεῖρα δύναμαι στέγειν τὴν φοβερὰν, ἥ τις οὐχ ἡμᾶς πέφυκε μόνον μάστιξι πυρίναις ἐλαύνειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ νόσους τῷ λαῷ παντοδαπὰς θεραπεύειν. Ταῦτα τὸ πονηρὸν ἐκεῖνο πνεῦμα τῇ τοῦ πάσχοντος γλώττῃ φθεγξάμενον, εὐθὺς ἀπελήλατο· οὗπερ ὁ νεανίσκος ἀπαλλαγεὶς, Ἄγγελον ὑπ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἑώρα τῷ Συμεὼν ἐν ὁμοιώματι στρατιώτου παρεστηκότα, ὡς αὐτὸς ὕστερον ἐξηγεῖτο, καὶ αὐτῷ γνησίως διαλεγόμενον. Εἴτα καὶ περὶ τοῦ ποδὸς ἐδεῖτο· ἦν γὰρ ἀσθενῶς ἔχων τῷ νεανίσκῳ, μικροῦ δὲ καὶ ἀχρήστως ὁ ποὺς· χεῖρα τοίνυν τῷ ποδὶ τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐπιθέντος εὐχῇ κατεπαιδομένην, τῷ τε τοῦ σταυροῦ τύπῳ διασφραγίσαντος, ὑγιῶς αὐτίκα, καὶ θατέρῳ τὸ πᾶν εἶχεν ὁμοίως. Ἕτερός τις δαίμονι τὴν ὁψιν διάστροφος, τὸ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν ὄνομα εἰς ἴασιν τοῦ πάθους ἐπεκαλεῖτο, καί ποτε τοῦτον ἐν αἰθέρι μέσῳ ῥάβδον διὰ χειρὸς ἔχοντα πυρίνην ὁρᾷ, καὶ σφοδρῶς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν φερόμενον. Τοῦ γοῦν ἀκαθάρτου πνεύματος ἐκείνου τὴν ἔφοδον οὐκ ἐνεγκόντος, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς φυγὴν ἀγεννῆ τραπομένου, τό τε πρόσωπον τῷ πάσχοντι εὐθέως ἀποκατέστη, καὶ ὀρθῶς αὐτῷ τοῦ λοιποῦ καὶ κατὰ φύσιν εἶχεν. Ὄφει δέδηκτό τις ἰοβόλῳ τὸν πόδα, καὶ σῆψιν ὁ ἰὸς ἐμποιήσας, οὐ χεῖρα μόνον καὶ τέχνην ἰατρῶν ἀπαγορεύειν ἐποίει, ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη καὶ θάνατον ἠπείλει σαφῆ· πρὸς ὃν καὶ μόνον ὁ πάσχων, τῶν ἄλλων ἀπογνοὺς ἁπάντων, ἑώρα. Ὑποτείνουσι δέ τινες τὰς εἰς τὸν Ἅγιον ἐλπίδας αὐτῷ, καθάπερ ἐκείνου μόνου στῆναι πρὸς οὕτω φανερὸν κίνδυνον δυναμένου· οἷς καὶ πιστεύσας, καὶ τὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου καλέσας ὄνομα, καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου γῆς ἐπιβαλὼν τῷ ποδὶ, αὐτίκα ἔῤῥωτο. Ἄξιον δὲ μὴ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνο παραλιπεῖν, αἴτιον ὄν μάλιστα τοῦ τοιαῦτα θαυματουργεῖν. Προσῆλθέ τις προσαιτῶν τῷ Ἁγίῳ Δίου μηνὸς, ὃν ἡ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν γλῶττα Νοέμβριον καλεῖν οἶδεν. Ὡ δὲ πείσθητί, φησιν, ἀδελφὲ, ὡς οὐδὲν ἄλλο μοι πρόσεστιν, ὅτι μὴ τὸ τρύχινον ἔνδυμα τοῦτο, καὶ σύγγνωθι· ὅπερ εἰ βούλει λαβεῖν, ἰδού σοι καὶ αὐτὸ ἀποδύομαι. Τοῦ δὲ, δεῖσθαι καὶ τούτου διὰ τὴν πενίαν εἰπόντος· Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἔφη· καὶ ἀποδυσάμενος εὐθὺς, Δέξαι ἀδελφὲ λέγει. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀπήει λαβὼν· ὁ δὲ γυμνὸς ἀπολέλειπτο, οὐ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν κάλυμμα σαρκὸς ἕτερον, ὅτι μὴ μόνον ἐπί τοῦ στήθους κουκούλιον βραχὺ περικείμενος· καὶ οὐ ταύτη μόνον παραχειμάσας, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς ὄγδοον ἑξῆς διακαρτερήσας μῆνα. Εὐγενίου δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν ἑνὸς παραβιαζομένου τοῦτον λαβεῖν τι περιβόλαιον ἑαυτῷ, ἡνίκα μάλιστα χειμῶνος ἐνειστήκει τὸ ἀκμαιότατον· Ὁ ἰχθὺς, ἔλεγεν, ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἂν μᾶλλον χειμῶνος ῥιγώσῃ, γλυκύτερος γίνεται, καὶ οὐ δὲ δυσῶδές τι τούτου ἀπόζει· ὥσπερ τουναντίον ὅσῳ θέρους θερμαίνεται, τοσοῦτον οὐκ ἀηδέστερος γίνεσθαι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ σκώληξι πέφυκεν βρύειν· οἳ δήπουθεν ἀναμένουσιν ἐκεὶ καὶ ἡμᾶς, ἐνδύμασι καὶ βρώμασι τοῦ βίου θερμαιομένους. Ὁρᾷ ποτε, θεωρίαν ὁ Συμεών· ἡ δὲ ἦν (ὡς αὐτὸς τηνικαῦτα οὐκ ἀπεκρύψατο) σεισμὸς ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀντιόχου, πᾶσαν οὐ γῆν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ καρδίαν σαλεύων, ὅπερ ἀγανακτήσεώς φησι Θεοῦ σύμβολον· εἶτα καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀπειλῆς φάρμακον τὴν μετάνοιαν ὑπετίθει, καὶ τὴν θείαν ἠγγυᾶτο φιλανθρωπίαν· ταῦτα ὁ μὲν εἰπὼν, ἐδεῖτο τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ πρὸς ἔλαιον τὸν θελητὴν τοῦ ἐλέους ἐξεκαλεῖτο. Κατ᾽ ἐκείνην δὲ τὴν ἡμέραν, καθ᾽ ἣν εἴρητο ταῦτα, σείει μὲν ὁ Θεὸς μέγα περὶ πρώτην νύκτα, ἀποστροφὴ δὲ τῆς ἀπειλῆς οὐ δὲ μία, οὐ δέ τις στάσις ἦν

τῆς κινήσεως, ἀλλὰ σεισμὸς ὲπὶ σεισμῷ, καὶ καρδίας πάσης θραυσμὸς, ἥ τε γῆ φοβερὸν ἐμυκᾶτο, τὴν θείαν ὥσπερ ὀργὴν μηνύουσα, ὡς τοὺς ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν πᾶσαν καὶ χώραν, οὐκ ἄνδρας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναῖκας καὶ παῖδας, καὶ πᾶσαν ἁπλῶς ἡλικίαν, τὸν ἑαυτὸν κόσμον ἀποθεμένους, ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ κλαυθμῷ καὶ νηστεία πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνιέναι, τὸν οἰκεῖον αὐτῷ προσανακλαιομένους θάνατον· ἐκάλεσε γὰρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν Κύριος σαβαὼθ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὲκείνῃ, κλαυθμὸν καὶ κοπετον καὶ ξύρησιν κεφαλῆς, καὶ ζῶσιν σάκκων, ὁ θεῖος εἶπεν ἂν Ἡσαΐας οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἑλληνιζόντων τινὰς, πρός τε τὴν ματαίαν τῆς ἀστρολογίας κεχῃνότων ἀπάτην, καὶ τῇ τῶν ἀστέρων φορᾷ συμφέρεσθαι τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς οἰομένων, ἀπαγορεύειν ἤδη τὴν πόλιν, ὡς πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ὅσον οὐδέπω καταπεσεῖσθαι μέλλουσαν. Μιᾶς γοῦν τῶν σαββάτων ἡμέρας ὑπολαμπούσης, ἱλαρᾷ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν ὁ Συμεὼν καὶ γλυκείᾳ τῇ ὄψει, Θαρσεῖτε μὴ φοβεῖσθαι εἶπεν, ἐλήλεγκται γὰρ ἡ πλάνος τῶν μετεωρολόγων τέχνη, περὶ τὸ μέλλον τυφλώττουσα, καὶ αὐτὴ περιφανῶς ἑαυτὴν ψευδομένη. Ἰδού γὰρ ἀνῆκε Κύριος τὴν ὀργὴν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ παρακέκληται· εἶδον γὰρ, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνεώγεισαν μὲν πρὸς Ἀνατολὰς οἱ οὐρανοί· ἀπόῤῥητον δέ τι καὶ ἄῤῥητον τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἐξήστραψε φῶς, φιλανθρωπίαν ἡρέμᾳ τῇ μετανοίᾳ ὑμῶν ὑποφαίνων. Μέγα δὲ πρὸς τὴν ὄψιν ἐν ἐπάρσει χειρῶν μου βοήσας, Δέσποτα φιλάνθρωπε εἶπα, ὁ καὶ ῥομφαῖαν πολλάκις στιλβῶν, καὶ τόξον ἐντείνων, δι᾽ ὀργὴν μὲν δικαίαν ἀμφότερα, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς συνήθους πάλιν ἐπέχων χρηστότητος, καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπιστροφὴν ἀναμένων, ἄκουσον ἐκ ναοῦ ἁγίου φωνῆς μου, εἰσελθέτω ἡ κραυγή μου ἐνώπιόν σου· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐστάγη ἡ γῆ, καὶ πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν αὐτῇ ἐσαλεύθη καὶ ἔντρομος ἐγενήθη, καὶ τὰ θεμέλια τῶν ὀρέων ἐταράχθησαν καὶ ἐσαλεύθησαν· ὅτι ὠργίσθης αὐτοῖς, Θεὸς, συνέσεισας αὐτὴν καὶ συνετάραξας αὐτὴν, ἔδειξας τῷ λαῷ σου σκληρὰ, ἀλλ᾽ ἴασαι τὰ συντρίμματα αὐτῆς, κέρασον φιλανθρωπίᾳ τὴν ἀπειλὴν, στῆσον τὴν μάστιγα· μὴ γὰρ εἰς τοὺς αῖῶνας ἀπώσῃ καὶ οὐ προσθήσεις τοῦ εὐδοκῆσαι ἔτι, ἤ εἰς τέλος τὸ ἔλεός σου ἀποκόψεις· μὴ ἐπιλήσῃ τοῦ οἰκτειρῆσαι ὁ Θεὸς, ἢ συνἑξεις ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ σου τοὺς οἰκτιρμούς σου· σὺ γὰρ εἶ μόνος οἰκτίρμων, καὶ ἱλάσῃ ταῖς ἁμάρτίαις ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐ διαφθερεῖς, ἀλλὰ πληθυνεῖς τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν θυμόν σου, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐκκαύσεις πᾶσαν ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς τὴν ὀργήν σου. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ δεηθεὶς, εἶτα καὶ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν διεξῄει· ἡσυχάζουσα δὲ διέμενεν εὐθέως ἡ γῆ τῇ τοῦ θεμελιώσαντος αὐτὴν διατάξει· καὶ αὐτοὶ φαιδοὶ ψυχάς τε καὶ ὄψεις ἀντὶ τῶν πρώην πενθικῶς ἀνεχώρουν, ἀπαγγέλλοντες τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυναστείας. Τὰ μὲν δὴ τοῦ Συμεὼν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ παντὸς σωτηρίας τοιαῦτα, καὶ τοσαύτην μὲν εἰσφέροντα πρὸς Θεὸν πρεσβείαν, τηλικαύτης δὲ τυγχάνοντα παρ᾽ αὐτῷ παῤῥησίας· ἃ δὲ καὶ ἰδία πάλιν ἑκάστῳ καὶ κατὰ μέρος ἐποίει, τίς οὕτω γλῶτταν πολύς τε ἄμα καὶ περιττὸς, ὥστε καὶ λόγον ἠξισῶσαι τοῖς θαύμασιν.

[75] The Brethren being convoked at one time during the morning hymns, Let us pray, he said, Brethren, for the Church of God: for its Pontiff ^a Ephraemius is about to undergo his last day: Absent, he predicts the death of Ephraemius. for I myself saw myself in spirit standing at the head of the bed, on which he is wont to lie; and I said, Woe to that city, Ephraemius being dead! woe! woe! and I in a manner lamented his decease. Then returned to myself, I was found to have wept, the manifest signs of tears still clinging on my cheeks. Then again I am rapt out of myself: and again the same laments, and tears. Then a third time also, the same vision recurring, I heard some such voice: Who knows, wherefore he who is to come is absent? Thus Symeon to the Brethren: who through that time had understood concerning Ephraemius, that he was rightly well. Then, the day of Venus now growing light, he convoked the Brethren again, and said: The Pontiff of God this night has migrated from life: for I saw his soul, a great crowd clad in white accompanying, flying past here, and saluting me, and commanding that I should make memory of him with God: and commemorating how he had been affected toward me and my mother. These things concerning the Pontiff being foretold to the Brethren by Symeon, they noted the time, and found, that this very night the holy Ephraemius had died.

[76] Several, as it happens, desiring that Cathedra, and being busy to procure it for themselves; it came to pass, that a certain man, Domninus ^b by name, sprung from Thrace, Prefect of a certain poorhouse near the ^c city of Lychnis, on account of business through that time met the Empress: who by the law of friendship made more familiar with certain courtiers, by them was led to the Emperor (he was Justinian). The Emperor, as he was little studious of regular discipline and the Apostolic constitutions, at the first meeting soon chose the man by his suffrage, saying, Behold, this is the Patriarch of Antioch. And Domninus at once betakes himself to that See. Passing therefore through the suburbs of Antioch, and seeing in the temple of the just Job, which is near the city, more iniquitous to the wretched and needy wounded and mutilated men; whom he vehemently execrated, he judged them to be transferred elsewhere thence; Lest, he said, for the ornament of this city, they be a disgrace to it. When this was learned by those wretched ones, they made their way to the Saint, as each could, some on their feet and with a staff, others carried on shoulders: and before him with wailing and laments they commemorated, how great mercy had been shown them by St. Ephraemius, and how paternally he had dealt with them: but on the contrary, how unkind a Bishop they now experienced, and that he would not even tolerate them outside the gates of the city. But the Saint having greatly pitied them; Wait, he said, Brethren: no one will be able to move you from that place. The castigation of the Lord will teach him to have mercy on the afflicted, that he may learn by experience, that his purpose was by no means conducive. he is punished according to the prediction of Symeon. After these oracles, a short time being elapsed, the Bishop began to be tortured with so sharp a pain in hands and feet; that he could handle nothing whatever with them, and was constrained to be carried like an exanimate body.

[77] A certain Persian man had a very grave wrestling with a demon, A demoniac is sent to him by an Angel, of which he could in no way be freed. An Angel stood by him, and said: Go to the servant of God Symeon, dwelling on a lofty mountain, opposite Antioch, situated not very far from the sea: he interceding, certain salvation remains for you from God. He executed all things; and when he had come to the Saint, he openly narrated each thing: who, a prayer poured forth to God, bids the demon go out; whose plaint, tumult, and clamors were continually heard, as not bearing the rebuke of the holy man, and crying: Let me be sent away; and I go out: for I know who you are, and how great a virtue of the Son of God you have. While these things are done, it was seen by the possessed one, a crown to be set around the head of Symeon; whose both beauty and the brightness of the intermicating gold, and the splendor of the gems, and the light of the imposed cross, and is freed: and the glory and beauty of the light, and the cohorts of the Angels flying around, were all so unusual, that no one could express them in words: but by them as by a certain fire, the pertinacious demon was compelled to migrate; as afterward that wretched one, now restored to himself, openly divulged, returning sound to his home, and announcing the works of God to the nations.

[78] A certain youth a demon had invaded, whom it tortured in such wretched manners, that from the too great extension of his body his eyes seemed about to burst from their sockets. To him therefore in danger, all things failing, there is present from heaven an Angel, in habit and appearance of a soldier, likewise another. bidding him go to the Wonderful Mountain to St. Symeon: For he, he said, will render you free from the vexations of the demon. At once therefore the youth having entered the road to the Saint, and the Saint imprinting on him the inexpugnable Cross of Christ; the demon seemed to himself to be smitten with fiery lightning, exclaiming: What is this, servant of God? why do you so monstrously burn me? for I cannot sustain the terrible hand of God, which is in you. That is which is wont not only to expel us with a fiery scourge, but also to bring cure to the people's sicknesses of every kind. These things the wicked spirit having spoken through the tongue of the possessed one, was continually driven off: but the youth being freed, beheld with his eyes an Angel, presenting all things of a soldier, standing by Symeon, and conversing with him familiarly, as afterward he himself narrated. After these things the youth also prayed for the safety of his foot; for it was quite weak, and well-nigh useless for walking: who, a healing hand being imposed by Symeon, a prayer poured forth, and the sign of the cross imprinted, forthwith was whole and firm, in every way similar to the other.

[79] Another by the violence of a demon had his face distorted, but he invoked the name of Symeon for a remedy: and behold he beheld him in the middle air, A distorted face and a foot are restored. bearing a fiery rod, and with an onset gliding down to him. The impure spirit did not bear the coming of the man, turned to a base flight: and soon the countenance was restored to the wretched man, and thenceforth he had himself rightly and conveniently to nature. A certain man had been bitten in the foot by a serpent, and now the poison generating putrefaction in the wound, rendered the hand and art of physicians superfluous, and threatened present death; and the sick man himself, all things being despaired of, beheld it. Meanwhile certain men exhort, that he place his hope in the Saint, as one who alone could ward off the impending danger. He himself believed, and the name of the Saint being invoked, and his foot set on the ground, at once was strengthened.

[80] It is iniquitous to pass over also this, which was the chief cause of works so wonderful. His cloak being given to a needy man, he persists naked. In the month of Dius, which in our language is wont to be called November, a certain man approached the Saint, asking some alms. To whom he: Believe, he said, Brother, that nothing is at my disposal except this haircloth cloak, and pardon me; but if you desire it, behold I strip it off for you. And when he replied, that he needed it because of poverty: Blessed, he said, be the Lord God: and the stripped-off cloak forthwith holding out, Receive it, he said, brother: and he, the garment received, went off. But Symeon left naked, had nothing wherewith to cover his flesh, except a short ^d cowl, with which his head was covered as far as the breast: and so not only did he pass the winter, but also endured eight continuous months. And when a certain one of the disciples, called Eugenius, urged him, to put a cloak around himself, especially when a most rigid winter was at hand: The more, said Symeon, the fish has frozen in the wintry season, the more delicate it is, and smells less of stench: as on the contrary the more it grows warm in summer, the more insipid it is wont to be, and to swarm with more worms; which assuredly await us also there, growing warm with the garments and foods of this life.

[81] The Saint at one time had a vision of this kind, as he himself revealed by narrating: there arose at Antioch

an earthquake, gravely shaking not only the earth, but also the hearts of men: He predicts the earthquake of Antioch, and he said that it was an indication of divine indignation: then also he suggested penitence as a remedy to those menacings, and promised that the benignity of God would be present. And when he had said these things, he prayed the mercy of God, and stirred up to mercy him who was willing to have mercy. But on that very day, on which he had said these things, the first following night God strongly shook the earth without any remission of the threats, without any cessation of the motion; one quaking after another was felt, the minds of all failed, the earth bellowed in a horrible manner, as if indicating the divine wrath; so that in the whole both city and region, both men and women, boys and every age, their ornament rejected, clad in sackcloth, suffused with tears, sallow with fasting, ran to the Saint, lamenting the death imminent to them together with him. For the Lord of Hosts called over the city on that day weeping and wailing, and shaving of the head, and girding of sackcloth, as St. Isaiah said. Isa. 22, 12 Nay even some of those who Hellenize, babbling of vain and fallacious Astrology, and judging that these sublunary things of ours are moved together with the rapture of the stars, were now interdicting themselves the city, as one about to fall utterly soon.

[82] Symeon therefore, a certain Sabbath day growing light, with a glad and serene countenance to the people; Confide, he said, fear not: for the fallacious science of the meteorologists is convicted, which concerning future things is caliginous and blind, and which manifestly imposes on itself. For behold the Lord has remitted his fury to his people, and consoled his servants. For I saw and behold toward the East the heavens were opened, and by his prayer calms it. and a certain arcane and ineffable light of the Only-begotten flashed forth, showing his love and benignity to you because of penitence. ^f But I to the vision, my hands being raised, exclaiming said: Lord lover of men, who both often dost brandish the sword, and bend the bow, and dost both for just wrath: and who again by your accustomed goodness dost inhibit both, and await our conversion; hear from your holy temple my voice, let my cry come to you. For behold the earth was moved and all who dwell in it; it was shaken and trembled, and the foundations of the mountains were disturbed and shaken: because you were angry with them, Lord, you shook the earth and disturbed it, you showed your people hard things. But yet put an end to the trembling, temper your menaces with benignity, contain the scourge: for you will not cast off forever and will not add that you should be well-pleased still, nor in the end cut off your mercy: you will not forget to have mercy, O God, nor contain in your wrath your commiserations: for you alone are merciful, and you will become propitious to our sins, and will not destroy; but you will multiply to avert your wrath, and will not kindle upon us all your wrath. Having so prayed God the Saint, went out to the people; and the earth at once rested, by the command of him by whom it was founded: and the people, the recent weeping being wiped off, having testified gladness in mind and countenance, withdrew, announcing the power of God. But who is so eloquent of tongue, and fluent of speech, that he could by speaking equal these deeds of Symeon for the public safety, and his efficacious intercession with God, and his power of obtaining what was asked, and also those things, which privately he afforded to individuals?

ANNOTATIONS. C. J.

CHAPTER XI.

The virtue of Symeon over wild beasts and demons: help brought to one falling headlong and to a leper.

Ἀνὴρ γάρ τις μετὰ ταῦτα ὄνομα Ἰωάννης, οὐ διὰ μακροῦ τῆς αὐτοῦ οἰκίας θηρίοις περιπεπτώκει, ὧν φόνιόν τι καὶ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ θηριῶδες ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ὁρμησάντων, οὐκ ἔχων ὅτι καὶ χρήσεται λοιπὸν ἑαυτῷ (ἠξέλιπε γὰρ ἥ τε καρδίᾳ τῷ ἀνδρὶ, καὶ ἡ σάρξ) ἀντ᾽ ἄλλου τινὸς ὅπλου, τὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου προβάλλεται ὄνομα, καὶ αὐτὸν ἐκάλει πρὸς ἄμυναν· καὶ αὐτίκα προσήλωντο τῇ γῇ στόματά τε καὶ πόδες αὐτοῖς (ὢ τοῦ θαύματος!) καθάπέρ τισιν ἀφύκτοις ἐχόμενα πέδαις, ἕως ἀπαθὴς κακῶν ἀποσέσωστο, ἐξομολογούμενος τῷ Κυρίῳ τὰ ἐλέη αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἑτέρῳ πάλιν τρεῖς δαίμονες ἐνοικοῦντες ἦσαν (ὃπερ ἀπόχρη καὶ μόνον ἱκανῶς παραστῆσαι, οἷα παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ὁ δείλαιος πάσχοι, ὁ πότε καὶ τούτων ἑνὸς οὐ φορητὴ ἡ ἐπήρεια) παρεῖτο δὲ καὶ τὰς ψύας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀφῄρητο φῶς. Πρόσεισι τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ δούλῳ τοίνυν, ὅλος πίστις, ὅλος ἐλπὶς, ὄλος δέησις, οἵοις συνέχοιτο κακοῖς ἐλεεινῶς ἀπαγγέλων. Συμπαθὲς τοιγαροῦν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνος ἰδὼν, εἶτα καὶ εἰς σπλάγχνα βλέψας τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἐκείνου δεηθεὶς οἰκτιρμῶν· χαμαί τε πτύσας, καὶ τοῦ ἐντεῦθεν πηλοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῷ τυφλῷ διαχρίσας, Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί φησι τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ πλέῳ καὶ γῇ τὸν ἐν γεννητοῖς τυφλὸν βλέψαι ποιήσαντος, ἀνάβλεψον. Καὶ παραχρῆμα (πολλὰ ἐποίησας σὺ Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου τὰ θαυμάσιά σου) τότε φῶς αὐτῷ ἔῤῥωτο, καὶ ὑγιῶς οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ εἶχον. Ἔπειτα μέντοι πλήξας τῇ βαΐνῃ ῥάβδῳ τὰς ψύας, ἐπιτιμήσας δὲ καὶ τοῖς δαίμοσιν, ὅλον δείκνυσιν εὐθὺς ὑγιῆ, μιᾶς ἔργον εὐχῆς κακῶν τοσούτων ἀπηλλαγμένον. Ἄλλος τοὺς πόδας ἑκατέρους μακρὸν ἤδη πεπήρωτο χρόνον, ὡς μὴ δὲ τὸ παράπαν αὐτοῖς χρῆσθαι δύνασθαι· πισεύσας οὖν δυνατὴν εἶναι τῷ ἁγίῳ τὴν θεγαπείαν, ὁρᾷ τοῦτον ὄναρ αὐτοὺς τῇ βαΐνῃ πλήξαντα ράβδῳ, καὶ ἡ πληγὴ, τοῦ τε ὕπνου κατὰ ταυτὸν ἀπαλλαγὴ καὶ τοῦ πάθους ἐκείνῳ γίνεται, ὡς καὶ μηνυτὴν αὐτὸν δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ φοιτῆσαι τῷ Συμεὼν, τῆς εὐεργεσίας καὶ τοῦ θαύματος ἄγγελον. Γυνή τις Ἰουλιανὴ τὴν κλῆσιν τὸ σῶμα πεπονηκυῖα, καὶ μὴ δ᾽ ὃ, τοιοῦν ἑαυτῇ χρήσασθαι δυναμένη, πρόσεισι τῷ Ἁγίῳ, δακρύων ὠνωμένη τὴν θεραπείαν, ὅσπερ αὐτὴν ἰδὼν πολλὰ χέουσαν, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ παθὼν, παίει τῇ βαΐνῃ ῥάβδῳ· καὶ ἡ μὲν ῥώννυται παραχρῆμα, νόσου τὸ λοιπὸν ἄχρι γήρως οὐ δὲ μιᾶς πειραθεῖσα. Τῇ δὲ, ἦν ἀδελφὴ μασθοὺς ἅμα καὶ πόδας νοσοῦσα, καὶ λίαν ἀμφοῖν περιαλγῶς ἔχουσα· προσάγει τοίνυν τῷ Ἁγίῳ καὶ ταύτην, καὶ ὃς τῷ τοῦ σταυροῦ τύπῳ διασφραγίσας, τοῦ πάθους εὐθέως καὶ αὐτὴν ἀπαλλάττει, τὰς ὀδύνας σβέσας, καὶ ἃς ἔχουσα τύχοι πληγὰς ἰασάμενος. Τῇ δὲ, πάλιν θυγάτριον ἦν, προσώπου μὲν καὶ ὥρας ἔχον οὐκ ἀφυῶς, κλόνῳ δὲ σώματος τοσούτῳ καὶ παρέσει κάτοχον, ὡς καὶ φρενῶν ἔρημον εἶναι, οἴκτιστα καὶ τούτων ἠξεστηκός. Ἡ μὲν οὖν τῆς παρέσεως καὶ τῆς ἀναισθησίας αἰτία δαίμων ἦν χαλεπὸς, ἐπιπηδήσας τῷ κορασίῳ· ἡ δ᾽ αἰτία πάλιν τῆς ἐκ τοῦ δαίμονος ἐπηρείας, ἁμάρτημα τῆς μητρὸς, κακίας εἴσπραξιν ἐκεῖνον τὴν τῆς παιδὸς πάρεσιν. Ἀράμεναι τοίνυν αὐτὴν, ἥ τε μήτηρ καὶ ἡ τῆς μητρὸς ἀδελφὴ, φόρτον ἐλεεινὸν, φόρτον εἰς δάκρυα καὶ ἄψυχα κινοῦν, ῥίπτουσι πρὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου· ὅπερ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων οὐκ ἀγνοήσας, ἄλλως τε δὲ κᾀκεῖνο διὰ παντὸς ἔργον πεποιημένος, τὸ τοὺς αὐτῷ προσίοντας, μετὰ τῆς κατὰ σῶμα θεραπείας, εἴτι καὶ ψυχῆς αἶσχος, καὶ τοῦτο δι᾽ ἐξομολογήσεως ἀποτίθεσθαι, ὡς ἀμφότερα σῶμά τε καὶ ψυχὴν ὑγιαίνοντος, ἢ ψυχὴν πρὸ τοῦ σώματος μᾶλλον, οὕτως ἐπανιέναι. Ὡς οὖν πράξεις αὐτῶν καὶ λογισμοὺς ἀνηρεύνα, ἵνα καὶ διπλῆ (καθάπερ ἔφημεν) οὐ σώματι μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ πνεύματι μεταδῶ τῆς ὑγείας, οἷος ἐκεῖνος, οὐκ ἀνιχνεῦσαι μόνον αἰτίαν ψυχικοῦ πάθους παντὸς ἐμπειρότατος, ἀλλὰ καὶ θεραπείαν εὐθὺς ἐπαγαγεῖν ἑτοιμότατος, αἰδὼς ἐκείνας εἶχε καὶ δέος, καὶ διαστῆναι πρότερον αὐταῖς τὴν γῆν ηὔχοντο, ἢ τῷ οὕτως ἀγγελικῷ τὸν βίον, καὶ ἀσάρκῳ μικροῦ καὶ ἀΰλῳ, τὸ μῦσος ἀνακαλύψαι. Ὡς οὖν ἀγωνίας ἦσαν οὕτω καὶ δέους μεσταὶ, συνέβη τὴν οἰκείαν αὐτῷ μητέρα, τὴν θείαν ὡς ἀληθῶς Μάρθαν ὡς ἔθος παραβαλεῖν· ἥ τις φῶς ὥσπερ αὐταῖς ὑπὸ νύκτα πολλὴν ὤφθη, γυνὴ γυναιξὶ, τὸ συγγενὲς ἐχούσαις ἀπὸ τῆς φύσεως, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἐκείνης ποδῶν ἑαυτὰς ὡς εἶχον βαλοῦσαι, καὶ μετὰ θερμῶν αὐτῶν δακρύων λαβόμενα· τά τε περὶ τῆς παιδὸς διεξίασι, καὶ τὸ ἁμάρτημα εὐθὺς ἐξαγγέλλουσιν, ἔτι καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν προσθεῖσαι, δι᾽ ἣν τὰ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνεξαγόρευτα ταύταις. Ἡ μέντοι ὁσιωτάτη γυναικῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μητέρων ἐκείνη, γυναικείας οὐδαμῶς ἀσθενείας ὑπεριδοῦσα, οὐ δὲ τὸ συγγενὲς ἀγνοήσασα· τοὐναντίον μὲν οὖν καὶ σφόδρα τοῖς αὐτῶν πάθεσι και θρῆνοις ἐπικλασθεῖσα, τό, τε καὶ αὐτὴ μήτηρ εἶναι μητρικῶν τε πειραθῆναι σπλάγχνων, ἀπὸ τῆς συμπαθείας τῆς περὶ αὐτὰς δείξασα, τοῦ ἐδάφους αὐτὰς ἀναστήσασα, καὶ παρὰ τὸν υἱὸν σὺν, τῷ φόρτῳ τοῦ παρειμένου θυγατρίου εἰσαγαγοῦσα· Δὸς ταύτην, ἔφη μητρὶ τέκνον οὐ μικρὰν χάριν, καὶ πᾶν εἴ τι τυχὸν ἁμάρτημα συγχωρήσας, τὸν οἰκεῖον δεσπότην Χρισὸν ἐπικάλεσαι, καὶ ὡς σύνηθες ἐκτείνας τὴν δεξιὰν, σφράγισον ἐπὶ τῇ αὐτοῦ δυνάμει τὴν παῖδα· ὁρᾷς ὅπως ἀθλίως καὶ χαλεπῶς πάσχουσαν, τῇ παρά σου δὲ σφραγῖδι ἕψεται πάντως καὶ θεραπεία, ἵνα γυνὴ γυναιξὶν ἀλλὰ καὶ μήτηρ μητρὶ χαρίσωμαι, δεινῶς ὅσα ἐμὲ εἰδέναι τὴν καρδίαν

πυρπολουμένῃ. Πρὸς τοιαύτας τοίνυν φιλόπαιδος μητρὸς ἀξιώσεις υἱὸς φιλομήτωρ οὐκ ἀνανεύσας, ἀλλὰ δοὺς ὑπουργὸν αὐταῖς εὐθέως τὴν δεξιὰν, καὶ τὴν παῖδα τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπικλήσει σφραγίσας, ὑγειᾶ ταύτην, οὐ σῶμα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ φρένας, αὐταῖς ἀποδίδωσιν, οὐ μητέρα μόνον ἐπὶ τέκνῳ δείξας εὐφραινομένην, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ μητέρα μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τούτῳ σεμνυνομένην, ὅτι τῷ μήτηρ αὐτὴ γενέσθαι, μητρὶ σωτηρίαν παιδὸς χαρίζεται. Κόρη τις παρθένος διχῇ πέπληκτο, χαλεπῷ δαίμονι καὶ πάθει ποδός· ὁρᾷ τοιγαροῦν τὸν Ἄγιον ὄναρ, ἔνδυμα φῶς αὐτόχρημα περικείμενον, ξιφιδιόν τε διὰ χειρὸς ἔχοντα, καὶ τὸ μὴν τῷ ποδὶ καθάπερ ἐπάγειν μέλλοντα. Πρόσεισι τοίνην, οἷς κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους ἴδοι πιστεύουσα, ὅτι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἴασιν κομιεῖται. Ὃ δὲ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καλέσας ὄνομα, τῷ τε τοῦ σταυροῦ τύπῳ τρίτον αὐτὴν διασφραγίγας, οὐ τὸν δαίμονα μόνον ἐκβάλλει δεινῶς ἐλαυνόμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ πάθος αὐτῇ τοῦ ποδὸς θεραπεύει. Γυνή τις οὕτω χαλεπῶς ἐμεμῇνει, ὡς καὶ καθ᾽ ὕδατος αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος πολλάκις κατενεχθεῖσαν παρὰ βραχὺ κινδύνου γενέσθαι· αὕτη συνεχῶς ὁρᾷν ἐδόκει τὸν Συμεὼν, ὄψιν ἐκείνου καὶ στάσιν φανταζομένη· καίτοι μηδέποτε τῷ ἁγίῳ παραβαλοῦσα. Ἔγνω τοιγαροῦν καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς ἰδεῖν, οὗ τὰς τῶν χαρακτῆρων καὶ τοῦ ἤθους αὐγὰς ὁ νοῦς ἐφαντάζετο· ἐπεὶ δὲ παρ᾽ αὐτὸν ἔλθοι καὶ αὐτῷ ἀτενίσοι, οὐκ ἐνεγκὸν τὸ δαιμόνιον τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς παρουσίαν, ἔξεισι δεινῶς ἀλαλάζον, νήφουσαν αὐτὴν ἀπολελοιπός. Εἶτα πρόσεισί τις αὐτῷ καὶ ἄλλη δαιμονίῳ πνεύματι κάτοχος, καὶ τὸ μὲν εὐθὺς ἐπιτιμηθὲν ἀπελαύνεται. Ἑξῆς δὲ προσάγεταί τις ὑπὸ τοῦ τεκόντος δαιμονῶσα νεάνις, καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν οἴκτιστα διαμασσωμένη, οὐχ ἧττον τοῖς ἑαυτοῖς πάθεσιν, ἢ τοῖς τοῦ πατρὸς ἄνθραξιν, οἷς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ τὰ σπλάγχνα ἐπίμπρατο, ἔλεον αὐτῆς τῷ Συμεὼν ἐμποιοῦσα, οὗ καὶ τῷ δαίμονι ταύτης ἐξελθεῖν παραγγείλαντος, ὑγιαίνουσα φωνὴν ἅμα καὶ γλῶτταν εὐθὺς ἡ νεάνις ἦν, τῷ τε πατρὶ δακρύων ἡδονῆς μᾶλλον ἀντὶ τῆς πρώην ὀδύνης, καὶ μεγίστης εἰς Θεὸν ἐξομολογήσεως ἀφορμή. Ὥσπερ ἐν πολλαὶ γυναικῶν εὐχαῖς ἐκείνου πνευμάτων πονηρῶν ἀπηλλάγησαν, οὔτω πολλαὶ πάλιν ἐκείνου διδασκαλίαις πνεῦμα θεῖον ὠδίνασαι, καὶ μνηστῆρσι κατὰ Θέκλαν τὴν μαρτυρίου τρίβον γυναιξὶ τεμοῦσαν ἀποταξάμεναι, καὶ γάμων ὑπεριδοῦσαι, παρθένους ἀγνάς σοι τετηρήκασιν ἑαυτὰς, ἀθάνατε νυμφίε Χριστέ, σπͅ τε νυμφευθεῖσαι κάλλει, καὶ σὴν ἀγαπήσασαι ὡραιότητα. Ἀλλ᾽ ἡμῖν καὶ αὖθις ἐχέσθω τῆς ἀκολουθίας ὁ λόγος. Προσῆλθέ τις τῷ θείῳ Συμεὼν, οὕτω κακῶς ὑπὸ δαίμονος πάσχων, ὠς μὴ πλευρὰς ἀμφοτέρας μόνον, ἀλλά καὶ σῶμα ὅλον ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ συντετρίφθαι, Οἷα γοῦν τὰ τῆς ἀποῤῥήτου Θεοῦ σοφίας, ὅτ᾽ ἄν τινι παραδόξως ἐπινεύσῃ τὴν σωτηρίαν! Ἐδόκει τῷ πάσχοντι τὸν Ἅγιον ὅσα καὶ ἰατρὸν ὁρᾷν, ἐφ᾽ ἐκατέρας αὐτοὑ πλευράς τε καὶ χεῖρας οἱονεί τινι φλεβοτόμῳ χρώμενον· καί τινος ὕλης ἐκεῖθεν μοχθηρᾶς κενουμένης, συνεκεκένωτο καὶ ὁ δαίμων ἐπιτιμήσει τοῦ Συμεών. Ἀπαθής τε κακῶν ὁ πάσχων εἱστήκει, χείλεσιν ἀγαλλιάσεως ᾄδων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίαν. Εἐ͂τα προσάγεταί τις αὐτῷ παράλυτος, ὃλος διῳδηκὼς τρίτον ἤδη χρόνον μή δὲ τῆς κλίνης διαναστὰς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύτης ἀκινητότερος μένων, καὶ παραπλησίας τῷ προτέρῳ· καὶ οὕτως ἀπολαύει τῆς θεραπείας. Ἑξῆς δὲ προσελθὼν αὐτῷ τὴν χεῖρα πηρὸς, ὁ μὲν θεραπείας αὐτίκα καὶ οὗτος τυγχάνει. Τῶν δὲ παρόντων, οἷα εἰκὸς, πρὸς τὰ παράδοξα ταυτὶ καταπεπληγμένων, οἱ μὲν θείαν ἐν αὐτῷ δύναμιν ἄνωθεν (ὅπερ ἦν) ἔλεγον εἶναι, τοῖς δὲ καὶ σκανδαλίζεσθαι καὶ τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ χάριτος μᾶλλον καταλαλεῖν ἐπήει· ὅπερ τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν ἐπιγνόντα, Ἐγὼ μὲν ἄνθρωπός εἰμι φάναι ἁμαρτωλὸς, δοῦλος τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ καὶ σταυρῷ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς ὁμιλῆσαι φιλανθρώπως ἀνασχομένου, οὗ τῷ τε ὀνόματι καὶ τῇ δυνάμει ταῦτα ποιῶ· ἀλλ᾽ ἅπερ ὑμῖν εἰς καρδίαν περὶ ἐμοῦ, ἵλεως ὑμῖν εἴη Θεός· εἰς ἐκεῖνον γὰρ ἔθεσθε τὸ στόμα ὑμῶν καὶ οὐκ εἰς ἐμὲ, ἀδικίαν εἰς τὸ ὕψος ἐν πονηρίᾳ διανοηθέντες τε καὶ λαλήσαντες. Ταῦτα παρὰ τοῦ ἁγίου λεγόμενα, τοσαύτης τὰς τῶν πιστῶν ψυχὰς ὠφελείας ἐπλήρου, ὅση τὰς τῶν ἀπίστων ὄψεις ἐκάλυπτεν ἐντροπή. Κώμη τις ἦν καλουμένη Σευήρα, στρόβιλος δὲ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν ἐπί τινος κρημνοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ἀποῤῥῶγος τῇ ὁδῷ παραπεφύκει. Ἔτυχε μὲν οὖν καθῆσθαί ποτε τῶν ἐκ τῆς κώμης τινὰς ὑπὸ τῇ τοῦ δένδρου σκιᾷ· ἕνα δὲ τούτων Ἰάκωβον ὄνομα, ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ δένδρου καρπῶν, ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸ ἀναβῆναι, Ὁρᾷ τοίνυν δύο δαίμονας ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐλθόντας ὁ Ἰάκωβος οὗτος, τῶν τε ποδῶν λαβομένους, καὶ τοῦτον κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ ῥίψαντας. Τὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦ δένδρου καὶ τοῦ κρημνοῦ ὕψος, περὶ τοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα πόδας ἦν· ὁ δὲ εἰς ἔσχατον κινδύνου φερόμενον ὁρῶν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ μὴ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἐν οὕτως ἀμηχάνῳ κακῷ δράσαι δυνάμενος, φωνῇ ὡς εἶχε μεγάλῃ, τὴν ἑτοίμην βοήθειαν, τὴν ἄμαχον δύναμιν, τὴν οὐ βραδύνουσαν χάριν, τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράποντα Συμεὼν ἐπεκαλεῖτο. Καὶ ἰδοὺ, χεῖρας ὑπέχων ἐκεῖνος, καὶ ταύταις αὐτὸν ὑπτίαις δεξάμενος, καὶ ὄρθιον στήσας. Εἶτα πάλιν ὁρᾷ τὴν γῆν οὕτω διασχοῦσαν, ώς ἀνακαταλυφθῆναι καὶ τὰ θεμἐλια ταύτης, κλοιά τε τὸν Ἅγιον τοῖς δαίμοσι περιθέντα, κατὰ τῆς ἀβύσσου τε αὐτοὺς ἀφέντα, καὶ τὴν γῆν αὖθις ὡς τὸ ἀπαρχῆς συνελθοῦσαν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἰάκωβος τοιούτων ἠξίωτο θαυμάτων ἅμα καὶ θεαμάτων· ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ καὶ ὁ Συμεὼν τὰ εἰς ἐκεῖνον θείᾳ δυνάμει γενόμενα πρὸς τὴν ἀδελφότητα διεξήει· Οὔπω τέλος αὐτῷ εἶχεν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ἀφικνοῦνταί τινες τῶν πλησιοχώρων αὐτῷ Ἰακώβῳ, θαύματος μεστοὶ τὰς ψυχὰς, χάριτάς τε τοσαύτης εὐεργεσίας ὁμολογοῦντες, καὶ σαφεῖς τῶν γεγενημένων ἄγγελοι. Προσῆλθέ τις τῷ Ἁγίῳ λεπρὸς, καὶ (μή τις ἡμᾶς ἐπιτιμάτω τῆς ἀπονοίας) ὥς ποτε καὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ τὰ αὐτά τε φθεγγόμενος ἐκείνῳ, Ἐὰν θέλης, δύνασαί με καθαρίσαι, καὶ μετὰ τῆς ἴσης θέρμης καὶ πίστεως. Πρὸς ἣν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος ἰδὼν, τῷ τε οἰκείῳ δεσπότῃ, δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι πάντα εἰπόντι, θαῤῥήσας, Θέλω φησὶ καθαρισθῆναί σε, ἀλλ᾽ ὅρα σοι λοιπὸν οἴκαδε ἀπελθεῖν, καὶ ὁ ἀγαθὸς Θεός μου, ὁ καὶ σταυρῷ κρεμασθῆναι δι᾽ ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἀπαξιώσας, αὐτός σε τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐπισκοπῇ τῆς οἰκείας χρηστότητος ἐπισκέψεται. Τούτοις ὁ λεπρὸς πιστεύσας, ἐπάνεισιν εἰς τὸν οἶκον· καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης (ποία γλῶσσα, Χριστὲ βασιλεῦ, ἐξαγγελεῖ τὰ ἐλέη σου;) ὁρᾷ λαμπρόν τινα νεανίαν τὸ εἶδος, εἰπόντα αὐτῷ· Ὡς ἐπίστευσας γενηθήτω σοι, καὶ τὸ ῥῆμα τὸν λεπρὸν διϋπνίζει, καὶ τῷ ὕπνῳ συναπῆλθεν ἡ λέπρα, καὶ καθαρὸς ὅλος ἦν, πράγμασι μᾶλλον ἢ ῥήμασι κηρύττων τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυναστείας. Ἀντίδοσιν τοίνυν ἀγαθοῦ τοσοῦδε μὴ ἔχων, ὅμως τῆς ψυχῆς δεικνὺς τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνην, χρυσίον λαβὼν, φοιτᾷ παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον αὖθις, οὐχ ὡς πρώην ἰχῶρσι ζέων καὶ λέπρᾳ κατεσκληκὼς, ἀλλ᾽, οἷον ἀναβεβιωκὼς ἄρτι καὶ ἀναθήλας, ὅπως τε τῆς παραδόξου ταύτης ἰάσεως τύχοι, σαφῶς ἐξηγούμενος. Ὁ δὲ τὸ μὲν χρυσίον κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες οὐ προσήκατο, ἀλλ᾽ ἀντιμισθίαν ἱκανὴν αὐτῷ πρὸς Θεὸν διηνεκῆ παραγγέλλει μᾶλλον εὐχαριστίαν. Ἰουλιανὸς δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν εἷς, νοῦν ἔσχεν ἀπὸ τοῦ χρυσίου λαβεῖν· ὅπερ τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν τοῖς ἔνδον ὀφθαλμοῖς οὐ διαλαθὸν, Εἰ βούλει, πρὸς τὸν μαθητὴν ἔφη, μετὰ τοῦ χρυσίου καὶ τὴν λέπραν ἀναλαβεῖν, ὡς Γιεζὴ τὴν τοῦ Ναιεμὰν ἐκεῖνος, καὶ τρόπον ἕτερον αὐτὴν ἐξωνήσασθαι, λαβὼν μᾶλλον ἢ δεδωκώς; Τούτων ἀκούσαντα τὸν μαθητὴν οὐκ ἀποσχέσθαι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ συγγνώμην εὐθὺς αἰτῆσαι τοῦ ἐνθυμήματος καὶ λαβεῖν.

[83] After these things a certain man, John by name, not far from his home had fallen in with wild beasts: they rushed in a beast-like manner thirsting for blood and threatening slaughter; The mouths of the wild beasts are constrained. but he had nothing with him for defense, and had now fallen both in mind and in body. For other arms therefore he fortifies himself with the name of the Saint, calls him to his aid, and quicker than the word the mouths and footsteps of the beasts (a wonderful thing!) cohere to the earth, as if constrained by certain inextricable fetters; until he, unharmed, was rescued from the danger, confessing to the Lord his mercy, and to the sons of men his wonders. Again another was beset by three demons, whence it is clearly given to understand, how bitterly that unhappy one was tortured, since even the vexation of one alone is intolerable. His loosened skin hung down, nay even the light of his eyes was taken away: Three demons are cast out. he fled therefore to the servant of God, firm in faith, full of hope, fervent in prayer, and with how great evils he was pressed he lamentably expounds. Symeon is moved with commiseration, looks upon the man, thence turns his eyes to the mercy of the supreme goodness, and implores the same by prayers: then he spat on the ground, and with the clay thence tempered anointing the eyes of the blind man; In the name, he said, of the only-begotten Son of God, who by spittle and earth imparted the light of eyes to him blind from his nativity, look up: and at once (how many wonders you do, Lord my God!) both with his eyes corroborated he perceived the light, and obtained the perfect use of them. Then with the palm rod striking the loosened skin, the demons being rebuked, forthwith he exhibited him sound in every part, by the help of one prayer freed from so many evils.

[84] Another, because of a long-lasting inflammation of each foot, had no use of them at all: Various cures. he believed that with the Saint there remained a remedy for him, whom also he beholds in his sleep striking him with the palm rod with such a blow, that it deprived him at the same time both of sleep and of pain: as he himself, going to Symeon by himself, the messenger of the same benefit and miracle, testified. A certain woman called Juliana, on account of an infirmity of her whole body unable to apply herself to anything, fled to the Saint, about to procure health for herself by tears. When he saw her, having pitied her weeping abundantly, with the palm rod he strikes her: and the woman recovers at once, nor was she afterward until old age tried by any disease. She had a sister, who herself also, her breasts and feet being affected, was tortured with vehement pain: she leads her therefore also to the same physician; who, the sign of the Cross being imprinted, succors the one laboring, takes away the torture, heals the wounds.

[85] She again had a little daughter of not unbecoming form, whom so great a perturbation of members and paralysis had occupied, that she both often suffered a fainting of mind, and was cast down from the state of her mind in a pitiable manner. The cause of the paralytic infirmity was a difficult demon, The immense misery of a demoniac; who had assailed the girl: and again the cause of the raging demon was the sin of the mother, bringing paralysis on the offspring in punishment of the wickedness. The girl therefore taken up, the mother and the aunt, a wretched burden, a burden eliciting tears even from inanimate things, cast her at the feet of the Saint: which since he was not ignorant of, being besides always wont especially to give attention, that those approaching him with the safety of the body, should also, if any stain perchance infected the soul, by confession purge it, so that, cured both in body and in soul, or rather in this than in that, they might return: while therefore he inquires into their deeds and cogitations, that he might impart a double benefit, as we have said, of body and soul equally cured, he most skilled not only in investigating the causes of all spiritual diseases, but also most ready to bring a remedy; shame and fear assailed those women, and they prayed, that the earth might first gape for them, than that they should reveal their crime to a man of life so Angelic, in the flesh having no experience of the flesh, and almost spiritual.

[86] While thus they wrestle within themselves, full of fear, it happened that the mother of Symeon Martha, a truly holy woman, came there after her custom: and she appeared to those anxiously hesitating, like a light in a caliginous night, a woman to women, joined to her by the likeness of sex; who casting themselves as quickly as they could at her feet, and embracing them with warm tears, expound the wretched state of the unhappy girl, announce their sin, set forth the cause why they cannot explain it to the Saint. Martha moreover not only the holiest of women, but also of mothers, by no means having despised the feminine infirmity, nor forgetful of the common sex; but rather moved by their vehement grief and weeping, and showing from her commiseration toward them that she herself also was a mother, and had borne a womb, raising them from the ground with the burden of the paralytic girl led them to her son: Grant, she said, son, this not small grace to a mother, and pardoning anything if perhaps sinned, invoke the Lord Jesus Christ, and your right hand being stretched out after the accustomed manner, sign in the virtue of the Lord the girl. You see how miserably and bitterly she is tortured; sign her with the Cross, and an entire health will follow; permit me a woman to obtain this grace from you for these women, and a mother for this mother, boiling (as far as it is given me to gather) with the gravest grief of heart. To these prayers of a mother loving her son the son loving his mother, refusing nothing, forthwith lends a helping hand, at length she is cured by Symeon, and the girl signed, the name of Christ being invoked, he renders safe and well no less in mind than in body to the women; and made the mother not only rejoicing over her offspring, but also his own much honored from this, that she herself, because she was a mother, had obtained for a mother her daughter unharmed.

[87] A certain tender virgin, affected with a double evil, a bitter demon, as also another. and a pain of the foot; she sees in her sleep the Saint, clad in a bright garment or rather in the light itself, bearing a little sword in his hand, and as it were attempting to fix it in her foot. She approaches him therefore, relying on her dreams, and confident that health was to be conferred on her by him: and when the Saint had invoked the name of Christ, and fortified the virgin with the sign of the Cross thrice; he not only exterminated the demon gravely harassed, but also cured the pain of the foot. A certain woman so grievously raged, that not rarely she was cast into the waters by the demon with sufficient danger; she seemed to herself always to behold Symeon, again and again imagining his countenance and station to herself, although she had never approached him. She judged therefore that he was to be beheld with her eyes, whose lineaments and manners her mind so clearly and splendidly represented to her: but after she had come to the Saint, and had beheld him; the demon, not bearing the presence of the man, went out with a horrid howling, the woman left entire. Then another also subject to a demon came to the Saint, and rebuked at once departed.

[88] After these things there is led by her father a certain demoniac young woman, who biting her tongue most miserably crushing it, by her own torture no less than by the burning coals of her father, by whose compassion his bowels were burned over her, moved Symeon to have mercy on her: who, commanding the demon to go out, the girl being healed soon had the use of voice and tongue free; and the father an occasion of pouring forth tears, no longer indices of grief, as before, but of pleasure, Virgins vow chastity, and of confessing the great things of God. But as frequent women were freed from the most wicked spirit by his prayers; so in turn frequent women, a holier spirit being conceived, by his doctrine and instruction, after the example of Thecla who cut for women the path of martyrdom to be imitated, sent away the message, despised marriage, kept themselves chaste virgins for you, O immortal Spouse Christ; betrothed to your beauty, having prosecuted your dignity with their loves. But let the oration return whence it digressed.

[89] There came a certain man to St. Symeon so wretchedly possessed by a demon, that not only in both sides but in his whole body he was contused and crushed. But, oh! Other energumens are cured. how inenarrable is the wisdom of God, willing to restore health to a certain one not expecting it! the wretch seemed to himself to see the Saint in all things similar to a physician, applying to each side and to his hand as it were a scalpel for the sake of cutting a vein; and when he extracted thence a certain vitiated matter, he expelled at the same time the demon also by his rebuke: and the demoniac stood free of pain, celebrating his recovered health with exultation and song. Again there is led a paralytic, who had wholly swelled, and now three years fixed to his bed, had not risen thence: and he obtained health in a similar manner as the former. Then another also mutilated in his hand approaching was likewise healed. But while as many as were present, beholding so great miracles, were astonished, as it is easy to happen: some said that a supernal virtue (as it was) resided in him; others were hence scandalized, Symeon knows the cogitations of others. and rather preferred to detract from the divine grace which assisted him. But Symeon knowing the diverse sentiments of both; I, he said, am a sinful man, a servant of the Son of God, who suffered for us the ignominy and death of the cross benignly; in his name and virtue I do these things. But what you have wrongly thought in your heart concerning me, may God propitiously pardon you; for against him you have opened your mouth, not against me; to the Most High you have done injury in your iniquity by your cogitations and words. But from these sayings of the Saint the faithful took as much profit as the unbelievers were suffused with shame.

[90] There was a village, called Severa, where in a precipitous and steep place beside the road a pine had grown up: He succors one falling headlong. it happened at one time that some of the inhabitants of the village sat under the shade of the tree, and one of the number, by name Jacobus, ascended it from desire of plucking the fruits: which while he does, he beholds two demons hastening to him, and seizing him by the feet and casting him into the subjacent precipice, of which together with the tree the height was nearly seventy feet. While therefore he feels himself carried into the extreme danger of his head, nor could his despaired safety be otherwise succored, as loudly as he can he cries out to the ever-ready help, the inexpugnable virtue, the unfailing grace, the servant of God Symeon. And behold the called-on one puts his hands under the one falling, and with them held upward receives him, and sets him erect on the ground. Then again he sees the earth so divided that its very foundations were uncovered; he sees also the Saint enclosing the demons in stocks and banishing them into the abyss; and again the earth, as it had been at first, coming together. At which time, Jacobus was prevented by so great miracles and portents; at the same time Symeon related to his brethren the things which had befallen him by divine virtue. But he had not yet put an end to his discourse, when certain neighbors of Jacobus, full of joy and admiration, run up, confessing the grace of the received benefit, and openly announcing what had been done.

[91] A certain leper approached the Saint, and, lest anyone accuse us of madness, used to him the same words which once the leper to Christ, saying: If you will, you can make me clean. Matt. 8, 2. And the Saint with equal fervor and faith, which he had especially regarded in him, relying on the Lord, He cleanses a leper. who declared that all things are possible to one believing, I will, he said, that you be cleansed: but go home, and the benign God, who for our sake deigned to be suspended from the cross, he himself through his immense goodness will visit you. The leper applying credit to the words, returns home, and that night (what tongue could announce your mercy, Lord God, our King!) he beholds a certain youth of resplendent appearance, saying; As you have believed, be it done to you. Which words shook off sleep from the man, and with sleep the leprosy; and he was wholly cleansed, made a herald of the divine power by deed rather than by words. And since he had nothing to render, he showed the gratitude of his mind, and a gold coin being received, he runs back to the Saint; not, as before, flowing with gore and wasting with leprosy, but like one reviving and reflourishing anew, clearly and openly divulging how he had obtained that unhoped-for healing. He corrects a disciple. But the Saint after his custom did not admit the gold, but for a worthy remuneration enjoined that perpetual thanks be paid to God. But Julianus, one of the disciples, conceived the mind to accept the gold: which since it did not escape the inner eyes of Symeon, he said to the disciple: Do you wish with the gold to take up also the leprosy, as that Gehazi the leprosy of Naaman, and in another manner to redeem it, taking rather than giving? Having heard these things the disciple not only abstained, but also forthwith asked pardon for his cogitation, and obtained it.

CHAPTER XII.

Admonished by God he builds a monastery: he obtains water and conserves it very long.

Τὸ μέντοι ὄρος, ἐν ᾧ τὴν ἄγωγὴν ὁ Συμεὼν ἐποιεῖτο, ἔρημος ἦν ἀτεχνῶς, οὐχ ὕδατος, οὐκ ἄλλου πρὸς τὰ ἀναγκαῖά τινος εὐποροῦν, ὅτι μὴ καλύβης, καὶ ταύτης μιᾶς, ἥν οἱ μαθηταὶ μετρίαν ἑαυτοῖς ἐπήξαντο σκέπην· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας, ὡς ἔφημεν, ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ εἱστήκει, δερματίνην μηλωτὴν περικείμενος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλὰ πανταχόθεν συνέῤῥει πρὸς αὐτὸν ἑκάστοτε πλήθη, οὐ πνεύμασι πονηροῖς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντοδαποῖς σώματος πάθεσι καὶ νόσοις κατειλημμένων (ἐπίεζε δὲ αὐτοὺς ἥ τε ἄφιλος ἔρημία, καὶ ἡ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἔνδεια, καὶ τὸ ἐσχάτως ἄνυδρόν τε καὶ ἄστεγον) ὁ κοινὸς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος ἁπάντων ποιητὴς καὶ πατὴρ καὶ δεσπότης, ὁ τῇ ἰσχύἳ αὐτοῦ τῇ μεγάλῃ, καὶ τῷ βραχίονι αὐτοῦ τῷ ὑψηλῷ πάντα ποιῶν, ὁ μέγας τῇ βουλῇ καὶ δυνατὸς τοῖς ἔργοις, ὁ εἰδὼς ὧν χρείαν ἔχομεν, καὶ ἀφ᾽ οὗ ἀποκρυβήσεται οὐδὲν, οὗτος καὶ νῦν τῷ Συμεὼν παραδόξως ὀφθεὶς, Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὴν ὀλιγόψυχον ταύτην γενεὰν, ἔφη, ὅπως ἀδύνατος αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐνταῦθα διατριβὴ, μὴ προσόντων τῶν κατὰ χρείαν; Ἀλλὰ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ ταῦτα καὶ αὐτοὶ κομιοῦνται, καὶ σὐ πραγμάτων διαμενεῖς ἐλεύθερος. Τούτων ἀκούσας μακαρίας ἀκοῆς ἐκείνης ὁ Συμεὼν, ὁρᾷ οἱονεί τι μέτρον κατέχοντα χερσὶν Ἄγγελον, καὶ τὰ τοῦ μοναστηρίου καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ σεβασμίων ναῶν διαχαράττοντα ἴχνη, νεφέλην τε φωτὸς ὅλον τὸ θαυμαστὸν καλύψασαν ὄρος, καὶ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πνεῦμα ἐν ὁμοιώματι χειρὸς τὰ ὑπὸ τῇ νεφέλῃ δεικνύον· καὶ ὄτι ταῦτα ἔσται σοι πάντα, λέγον αὐτῷ, εἰς ὑπουργίαν τῶν τῇδε οἰκεῖν τε καὶ ἐπιξενοῦσθαι μελλόντων· μεγαλυνῶ γὰρ ἐπὶ ἔθνη καὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ μεγιστάνας τὸ ὄνομά σου, καί σου

that those approaching him with the safety of the body, should also, if any stain perchance infected it, purge the soul by confession, so that, cured both in body and in soul, nay rather in this than in that, they might return: while therefore he inquires into their deeds and cogitations, that he might impart a double benefit, as we have said, of body and soul equally cured, he most skilled not only in investigating the causes of spiritual diseases, but also most ready to bring a remedy; shame and fear assailed those women, and they prayed, that the earth might first gape for them, than that they should reveal their crime to a man of life so Angelic, in the flesh having experience of the flesh, and almost spiritual.

[86] While thus they wrestle within themselves, full of fear, it happened that the mother of Symeon Martha, a truly holy woman, came there after her custom: and she appeared to those anxiously hesitating, like a light in a caliginous night, a woman to women, joined to her by the likeness of sex; who casting themselves as quickly as they could at her feet, and embracing them with warm tears, expound the wretched state of the unhappy girl, announce their sin, set forth the cause why they cannot explain it to the Saint. Martha moreover not only the holiest of women, but also of mothers, by no means having despised the feminine infirmity, nor forgetful of the common sex; but rather moved by their vehement grief and weeping, and showing from her commiseration toward them that she herself also was a mother, and had borne a womb, raising them from the ground with the burden of the paralytic girl led them to her son: Grant, she said, son, this not small grace to a mother, and pardoning anything if sinned, invoke the Lord Jesus Christ, and your right hand being stretched out after the accustomed manner, sign in the virtue of the Lord the girl. You see how miserably and bitterly she is tortured; sign her with the Cross, and an entire health will follow; permit me a woman to obtain this grace for these women, and a mother for this mother, boiling with the gravest grief of heart (as far as it is given me to gather). To these prayers of a mother loving her son the son loving his mother, refusing nothing, forthwith lends a helping hand, and the girl signed, the name of Christ being invoked, he renders safe and well no less in mind than in body to the women; and made the mother not only rejoicing over her offspring, but also his own much honored from this, that she herself, because she was a mother, had obtained for a mother her daughter unharmed.

[87] A certain tender virgin, affected with a double evil, a bitter demon, and a pain of the foot; she sees in her sleep the Saint, clad in a bright garment or rather in the light itself, bearing a little sword in his hand, and as it were attempting to fix it in her foot. She approaches him therefore, relying on her dreams, and confident that health was to be conferred on her by him: and when the Saint had invoked the name of Christ, and fortified the virgin with the sign of the Cross thrice; he not only exterminated the demon gravely harassed, but also cured the pain of the foot. A certain woman so grievously raged, that not rarely she was cast into the waters by the demon with sufficient danger; she seemed to herself always to behold Symeon, again and again imagining his countenance and station to herself, although she had never approached him. She judged therefore that he was to be beheld with her eyes, whose lineaments and manners her mind so clearly and splendidly represented to her: but after she had come to the Saint, and had beheld him; the demon, not bearing the presence of the man, went out with a horrid howling, the woman left entire. Then another also subject to a demon came to the Saint, and rebuked at once departed.

[88] After these things there is led by her father a certain demoniac young woman, who biting her tongue most miserably crushing it, by her own torture no less than by the burning coals of her father, by whose compassion his bowels were burned over her, moved Symeon to have mercy on her: who, commanding the demon to go out, the girl being healed soon had the use of voice and tongue free; and the father an occasion of pouring forth tears, no longer indices of grief, as before, but of pleasure, and of confessing the great things of God. But as frequent women were freed from the most wicked spirit by his prayers; so in turn frequent women, by his doctrine and instruction, a holier spirit being conceived, after the example of Thecla who went before women in the path of martyrdom to be imitated, sent away the message, despised marriage, kept themselves chaste virgins for you, O immortal Spouse Christ; betrothed to your beauty, having prosecuted your dignity with their loves. But let the oration return whence it digressed.

[89] There came a certain man to St. Symeon so wretchedly possessed by a demon, that not only in both sides but in his whole body he was contused and crushed. But, oh! how inenarrable is the wisdom of God, willing to restore health to a certain one not expecting it! the wretch seemed to himself to see the Saint in all things similar to a physician, applying to each side and to his hand as it were a scalpel for the sake of cutting a vein; and when he extracted thence a certain vitiated matter, he expelled at the same time the demon also by his rebuke: and the demoniac stood free of pain, celebrating his recovered health with exultation and song. Again there is led a paralytic, who had wholly swelled, and now three years fixed to his bed, had not risen thence: and he obtained health in a similar manner as the former. Then another also mutilated in his hand approaching was likewise healed. But while as many as were present, beholding so great miracles, were astonished, as it is easy to happen: some said that a supernal virtue (as it was) resided in him; others were hence scandalized, and rather preferred to detract from the divine grace which assisted him. But Symeon knowing the diverse sentiments of both; I, he said, am a sinful man, a servant of the Son of God, who suffered for us benignly the ignominy and death of the cross; in his name and virtue I do these things. But what you have wrongly thought in your heart concerning me, may God propitiously pardon you; for against him you have opened your mouth, not against me; to the Most High you have done injury in your iniquity by your cogitations and words. But from these sayings of the Saint the faithful took as much profit as the unbelievers were suffused with shame.

[90] There was a village, called Severa, where in a precipitous and steep place beside the road a pine had grown up: it happened at one time that some of the inhabitants of the village sat under the shade of the tree, and one of the number, by name Jacobus, ascended it from desire of plucking the fruits: which while he does, he beholds two demons hastening to him, and seizing him by the feet and casting him into the subjacent precipice, of which together with the tree the height was nearly seventy feet. While therefore he feels himself carried into the extreme danger of his head, nor could his despaired safety be otherwise succored, as loudly as he can he cries out to the ever-ready help, the inexpugnable virtue, the unfailing grace, the servant of God Symeon. And behold the called-on one puts his hands under the one falling, and with them held upward receives him, and sets him erect on the ground. Then again he sees the earth so divided that its very foundations were uncovered; he sees also the Saint enclosing the demons in stocks and banishing them into the abyss; and again the earth, as it had been at first, coming together. At which time, Jacobus was prevented by so great miracles and portents; at the same time Symeon related to his brethren the things which had befallen him by divine virtue. But he had not yet put an end to his discourse, when certain neighbors of Jacobus, full of joy and admiration, run up, confessing the grace of the received benefit, and openly announcing what had been done.

[91] A certain leper approached the Saint, and, lest anyone accuse us of madness, used to him the same words which once the leper to Christ, saying: If you will, you can make me clean. And the Saint with equal fervor and faith, which he had especially regarded in him, relying on the Lord, who declared that all things are possible to one believing, I will, he said, that you be cleansed: but go home, and the benign God, who for our sake deigned to be suspended from the cross, he himself through his immense goodness will visit you. The leper applying credit to the words, returns home, and that night (what tongue could announce your mercy, Lord God, our King!) he beholds a certain youth of resplendent appearance, saying; As you have believed, be it done to you. Which words shook off sleep from the man, and with sleep the leprosy; and he was wholly cleansed, made a herald of the divine power by deed rather than by words. And since he had nothing to render, he showed the gratitude of his mind, and a gold coin being received, he runs back to the Saint; not, as before, flowing with gore and wasting with leprosy, but like one reviving and reflourishing anew, clearly and openly divulging how he had obtained that unhoped-for healing. But the Saint after his custom did not admit the gold, but for a worthy remuneration enjoined that perpetual thanks be paid to God. But Julianus, one of the disciples, conceived the mind to accept the gold: which since it did not escape the inner eyes of Symeon, he said to the disciple: Do you wish with the gold to take up also the leprosy, as that Gehazi the leprosy of Naaman, and in another manner to redeem it, taking rather than giving? Having heard these things the disciple not only abstained, but also forthwith asked pardon for his cogitation, and obtained it.

CHAPTER XII.

Admonished by God he builds a monastery: he obtains water and conserves it very long.

[The Greek text of Chapter XII (Nicephorus' Life of St. Symeon) continues here in the original; its Latin parallel translation is given in the following chunk, and per the editorial principle of this edition the Greek is preserved as-is.]

τούτων πολλοὶ δεηθήσονται· εἶτα καὶ πολλὰ πλήθη διαφόρων ἐθνῶν αὐτῷ ὑπεδείκνυ, πανταχόθεν εἰς αὐτὸν συνιόντα. Τούτοις πληροφορηθεὶς τὴν καρδίαν ὁ Συμεὼν, εὐδοκίαν εἶναι Θεοῦ συστῆναι περὶ αὐτὸν μοναστήριον, καὶ ἱκανῶς επὶ πᾶσιν εὐχαριστήσας, ἐπέτρεψε τοῖς μαθηταῖς πάλιν οὗτος κατὰ τὸν ὑποδειχθέντα τύπον τοῦτο διαχαράξαι. Καὶ τὸ μὲν κατὰ τὴν έκείνῳ φανεῖσαν ὄψιν διατετύπωτο· Θεὸς δὲ, ὁ καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν ἑαυτὸν ἐμφανήσας, μέτρον τε καὶ σχῆμα τῆς μονῆς δι᾽ Ἀγγέλου ὁρίσας, τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν οὐκ ἠμέλει· ἀλλὰ κινεῖ μὲν τῆς Ἀσσυρίων γῆς, κινεῖ δὲ καὶ ἄλλων ἐθνῶν πλήθη μυρία, δαιμονώντων αὐτῷ καὶ ἀσθενῶν πλήθη κομίζοντας· οὓς ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐθεράπευεν εὐχῇ καὶ σφραγῖδι, οἱ δὲ μὴ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἀντεισφέρειν ἕτερον ἔχοντες (ποῦ γὰρ τοσαύτης εὐεργεσίας ἀξιόχρεως ἀμοιβή;) ὅμως τὰ τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης ἐπιδεικνύντες, εἰς τε τὴν λατομίαν τῆς μονῆς καὶ τὴν οἰκοδομίαν ἐχειροτέχνουν, προθεσμίας σφῖσιν αὐτοῖς ὁριζόμενοι, καὶ δαπάνας ἰδίας ὅσα τε πρόσφορα τῶν ἐργαλείων πορίζοντες, καὶ οὐδ᾽ ἐνταῦθά τι διδόναι τοσοῦτον, ὅσον αὐτοὶ λαμβάνειν διὰ τῆς εὐλογίας νομίζοντες. Δυσὶ δὲ πρότερον ἢ τρισὶ τοῦ τὴν προθεσμίαν αὐτοῖς ἐξικέσθαι ἡμέρας, ἔτεροι πάλιν ἐφίσταντο πλείους, ἀσθενῶν ὁμοίως ἐπιφερόμενοι φόρτον καὶ οὗτοι, ὧν τῆς ἴσης παρὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου θεραπείας ἀξιουμένων, τὴν ἴσην ἀντεδίδοσαν πρὸς τὰ τῆς μονῆς ἔργα κᾀκεῖνοι χειροτεχνίαν· ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον συνέῤῥεον πλείους, τῆς φήμης πανταχοῦ διαδιδομένης, καὶ ταύτῃ τὸ ἔργον ἠνύετο. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ὕδατος ἀφθόνου πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν αὐτοῖς ἔδει, ἐν φροντίδι τε τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἧν, ὅθεν ἂν καὶ ὅπως τὸ ταῖς χρείαις ἀρκοῦν ὕδωρ ἐκεῖ κομίσειαν (κάτω γὰρ ἦν τοῦτο παρὰ ταῖς ὑπωρείαις, μακρῷ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὄρους ἀπέχον) προσέταξεν αὐτοῖς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος ἀσβέστου πλῆθος κατὰ ταυτὸ συμφορῆσαι, ὅσα προσαναμίξαι δέον παρετοιμάσαντας· τοῦ δὲ κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα γεγονότος, εὐχὴν πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον δεσπότην ἐκεῖνος τοιάνδε προσηύξατο, ὥστε ὕδωρ οὐ πρὸς τὴν παροῦσαν ἀρκοῦν μόνον ὀμβρῆσαι χρείαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πρὸς τὰς μελλούσας. Καὶ αὐτίκα (ὢ πλουσίων οἰκτειρμῶν Θεοῦ, θέλημα τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν ποιοῦντος! ὢ ἑτοίμου χρηστότητος!) φωνὴν ἔδωκαν αἱ νεφέλαι, ὑετός τε κατεῤῥάγη τοσοῦτος, ὅσου τὰ τῆς μονῆς ἔργα τηνικαῦτα ἐδεῖτο, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα (ὢ θαύματος ἀποῤῥήτου!) ταύτῃ τοῦ λοιποῦ τοῖς τῆς μονῆς οἰκοδομήμασιν ἦν διαμένον· καὶ κατὰ καιρὸν ἀπὸ τότε τῆς τοῦ ὕδατος χρείας βροχή τις ἑκούσιος ἀφώριστο τούτοις, νεφέλαις ὑπεράνωθεν ὥσπερ ἑντεταλμένον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τὰ πλήθη τῶν ἑκάστοτε παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἐκ παντὸς γένους καὶ πάσης ἡλικίας συνερχομένων, καὶ πάθη ποικίλα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ θεραπευομένων, αὐτοῖς τε καὶ οἷς εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν ἐχρῶντο βοσκήμασιν, ἐλύπει δεινῶς ἡ τοῦ ὕδατος σπάνις. Ἐτύγχανον δὲ λάκκοι δύο ἐκ πλαγίων τοῦ ὄρους, ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν ἄνωθεν καιρῶν εἰς ὑποδοχὴν ὑδάτων λατομηθέντες, τῷ δὲ πολλῷ χρόνῳ ταύτῃ συγκεχωσμένοι, ὡς μὴ δ᾽ ὅτι λάκκοι εἶεν γνωρίζεσθαι· ἀνευρέθησάν τε τηνικαῦτα παρὰ τῶν ὄχλων, ἐπεὶ καὶ πέφυκεν ἀνιχνεύειν ἐπιμελῶς ὴ ἀνάγκη, τά τινα παραμυθίαν αὐτῇ παρέχειν δυνάμενα καὶ μετρίαν. Ἀνεκαθάρθησαν μὲν εὐθὺς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν πολλῇ καὶ φιλοπόνῳ χειρί· προσέταξε δὲ ὁ ἱερὸς Συμεὼν, καὶ ὁδὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς τοῖς ὕδασι μηχανήσασθαι, ἢ καὶ τὴν πάλαι μηχανηθεῖσαν διακαθᾶραι. Ὅπερ οὖν ὡς ἐκέλευσε γεγονὸς, δεῖται μὲν καὶ πάλιν αὐτὸς τοῦ ἐν ὕδασι τὰ ὑπερῷα στεγάζοντος, θύραι δὲ οὐρανοῦ ἀνεώγνυντο, καὶ ὑετὸς ἑκατέρους αὐτοὺς εὐθέως ἐπλήρου. Οἱ μέντοι μαθηταὶ καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἁλλήλους ἐνδοιάζοντες ἧσαν· εἰ ἅπαξ οὕτω πληρωθέντες οἱ λάκκοι, πλήθεσι τοσούτοις καὶ οὕτως ἀριθμοῦ κρείττοσιν ἐφ᾽ ἱκανὸν ἀρκέσαι δυνήσονται. Τοῦτο δὲ γνόντα τὸν Ἅγιον ἔνα καλέσαι τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐν ἐπηκόῳ πάντων, Ἀντώνιον ὄνομα, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν, Λαβών, φησι, σχοῖνον ἄπιθι δρομαίως, καὶ χαλάσας μέτρησον τὸ ἐν τοῖς λάκκοις ὕδωρ. Ὁ δὲ τὸν σχοῖνον ὡς ἐντέταλτο καθεὶς καὶ μετρήσας ἐπανῆκε, τῷ τε Ἁγίῳ καὶ τοῖς παροῦσι τὸ τοῦ ὕδατος μέτρον ὑποδεικνὺς ἑκ τοῦ σχοίνου. Ἐαριναὶ μὲν οὖν τηνικαῦτα ἔληγον ὧραι, παυσαμένου δὲ ἤδη καὶ θέρους, ἄρτι τε μετοπώρου ὑπολαβόντος, ὁ Ἀντώνιος αὖθις οὗτος εἰς ἑκάτερον λάκκον τὸν σχοῖνον καθεὶς, μετὰ τὸν τοσοῦτον χρόνον καὶ οὕτω σαφῆ πολέμιον ὕδασι, μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην τοῦ ἀμυθήτου πλήθους ἐκεῖθεν ὑδρείαν, εὕρε τὸ ὕδωρ (ὢ τοῦ θαύματος!) οὐ δὲ τὸ παράπαν ἐλαττονῆσαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς καὶ πρότερον ἔχον, ὅπερ οὐ τοῖς τότε παροῦσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ὕστερον ἀκοῇ παρειληφόσιν, εὐχαριστίας μεγίστη κατέστη πρὸς Θεὸν ἀφορμή. Τά γε μὴν τῆς μονῆς ἔργα (ἐκεῖσε γὰρ αὖθις ἐπανιτέον) προκόπτοντα βλέπειν ὁ βάσκανος οὐ στέγων ἐχθρὸς, οἷα καὶ πολλῆς μεγάλης εἰς Θεὸν προκοπῆς, κᾀκείνῳ μεγάλης ἐσόμενα πάλιν αἰτία ζημίας, θεμελίους τῶν οἰκοδομουμένων ξενοδοχείων ἑνὸς ὑποδὺς, ὅπου καὶ μείζων αὐτῷ ἡ πληγὴ (ἅ τε καὶ πολλοὺς μέλλοντος διὰ Χριστὸν ξεναγεῖν, ψυχάς τε πεπονηκυίας διαναπαύειν) οὕτω σφοδρῶς ἦν αὐτὰ συνταράσσων καὶ διασείων, ὡς ἀπειρηκέναι τῷ πολλῷ κλόνῳ καὶ χεῖρας τοῖς περὶ τὴν οἰκοδομὴν πονουμένοις. Δεηθέντι τοιγαροῦν περὶ τούτου τῷ Συμεὼν, ἐῤῥέθη παρὰ τῆς χάριτος, πέμψαι τὴν οἰκείαν ῥάβδον παρὰ τὸν τόπον, ἥ τις ἐκεῖ κρούσασα, τὸν ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ ἐπιβουλεύοντα εὑρήσει· ἐγχειρίσαντος τοίνυν αὐτὴν ἑνὶ τὸν μαθητῶν τοῦ Ἁγίου, ἀπελθὼν ἐκεῖ καὶ κρούσας ἐκεῖνος, ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί φησι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπιτρέπει σοι πνεῦμα πονηρὸν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων Συμεὼν, ἀπόστηθι τοῦ τόπου τούτου, καὶ παραχρῆμα (ὢ δυναστείας, ὢ χάριτος ἐκεῖθεν πλουσίας τοῦ Συμεὼν) ὁ μὲν ἠχήσας μέγα, λίαν αἰσχρῶς ἀπελαύνεται· ἡσύχαζε δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ τὸ ἔργον, καὶ κατὰ λόγον ἐχώρει. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ᾠκοδόμητο μὲν ἡ μάνδρα, λελατόμητο δὲ ὁ στύλος, λατομεῖταί τις καὶ λάκκος δεξιὰ τοῦ κίονως πρὸς Ἀνατολὰς (ἐπιτροπὴ δὲ τοῦ Ἁγίου τοῦτο διὰ τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος σπάνιν) ὅς ὕδατος πληρωθεὶς, τοῖς τε ἀδελφοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἀνὰ τὴν μονὴν χειροτεχνοῦσιν ὅσα γε πρὸς ἀναγκαίαν ἐπήρκει χρεῖαν. Ἐνειστήκει μεν οὖν ἄρτι τοῦ χρόνου τὸ ἀνθηρότατον, ἡ τοῦ θείου Πάσχα λάμπουσα φαιδρὸν ἑβδομὰς, τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν πανηγυρίζουσα· τῶν δὲ μαθητῶν, τὸ μὲν ἠρεμίαν τῷ διδασκάλῳ περιποιούντων, ᾗ καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ᾔδεσαν χαίροντα, τὸ δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐαυτοῖς ἀποταμιούντων, διά τε τὴν αὐτοῦ βραχύτητα καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀφικνουμένων πλῆθος, θύραν τε τῷ λάκκῳ ἐπιθέντων, καὶ κλεῖδα τῇ θύρᾳ ἐπιβαλόντων· ὁρᾷ τῷ πνεύματι ὁ Συμεὼν ἑαυτὸν κατὰ τὸν λάκκον οἱονεὶ γεγονότα, τό τε ὕδωρ ἀμφοτέραις χερσὶν ἀναταράσσοντα, καὶ ὥσπερ ἄνω φέρεσθαι καὶ εἰς πλῆθος ἐπιδιδόναι ποιοῦντα. Συγκαλέσας τοίνυν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, ἇραι κελεύει τὴν κλεῖδα, ὡς ἀνεῶχθαι παντὶ τὸν λάκκον ὑδρεύεσθαι βουλομένῳ· Ἐπισκοπὴ γάρ, φησιν, ἄνωθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ γεγόνει, καὶ οὐκέτι ἐνιαυτὸν τοῦτον οὐδαμῶς ἐκλείψει, κατὰ πόδας δὲ καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐπηκολούθει· οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἐξ ἐκείνου πάντες ἐκεῖθεν οἱ τῆς μονῆς, πρός τε τὴν τοῦ ἀρτοποιείου, καὶ τοῦ μαγειρείου, καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς ὑδρεύοντο χρείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς οἱκοδομεῖς ἐκεῖνος ὁ λάκκος ἐχορήγει τὸ ὕδωρ· τά τε παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἐρχόμενα πλήθη οὐχ ὅπως ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντες ἔπινον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀγγεῖα ποικίλα καὶ ἀσκοὺς ὅλους ἐπλήρουν, εὐλογίαν οἴκαδε κομιζόμενοι, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκείνου τοῦ ἔτους οὐδαμῶς ὑπεδίδου. Βιγίλλιός τις ὄνομα, οἰκέτης δὲ οὗτος Ἐφραὶμ τοῦ μακαρίτου Πατριάρχου, παρεθείς ὅλῳ σώματι, καὶ τρίτον ἑξῆς ἔτος ἱεροῖς προσανακλινόμενος οἴκοις, ἰατρῶν τε χερσὶν ἑαυτὸν ἐκδιδοὺς, ὡς οὐδὲν τῆς τέχνης ὤνατο πλέον, ὅτι μὴ σαφῆ τῆς ζωῆς ἀπαγόρευσιν, οἷά τι τῶν ἀψύχων ἢ νεκρὸς μᾶλλον ἔμψυχος τὸ καινότατον, κομίζεται τῷ Ἁγίῳ Ῥίπτεται τοιγαροῦν ἀθλία πρὸ τῶν ἐκείνου φιλανθρώπων ὀφθαλμῶν ὄψις, πολὺν ἕλκων τὸν ἔλεον, ὃν ὁ τοῦ λαμβάνειν αἰτοῦντος διδόναι μᾶλλον ἐκεῖνος ὢν ἑτοιμότερος· Εἰ πιστεύεις, ἔφη, δύνασθαι τὴν ἔν σοι πίστιν εἰς τὸν Ὑιον τοῦ Θεοῦ δι᾽ ἐμοῦ μεσίτου ἰασασθαί σε, ἔγειραι ὡς ἔχεις καὶ περιπάτει. Ὁ δὲ, Πιστεύω, Κύριε, δύνασθαί σε διὰ τοῦ σου θεράποντος πάντα, λαμπρᾷ ὡς εἶχεν εὐθὺς τῇ φωνῇ βοήσας (ὢ θείας ἐπισκοπῆς! ὢ ῥήματος ὀλίγου μεγάλα παρὰ Θεῷ δυναμένου!) ἥλατό τε αὐτίκα, καὶ τὴν προσήκουσαν τῷ Ἁγίῳ προσκύνησιν ἀποδεδωκὼς, κατήει δρόμῳ τοῦ ὄρους παρά τι βὰλανεῖον Τιβερῖνον καλούμενον, τὸ μὲν χωρεῖν οὐχ οἷός τε ὢν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν χαρὰν καὶ οὐ δὲ καθεκτὸς ἑαυτοῦ διὰ τοῦτο γινόμενος· τὸ δὲ καὶ αὐτὰ τῆς προτέρας κακοπαθείας ἀποπλύνασθαι τὰ λείψανα σπεύδων. Ἡ μέντοι κάθοδος ἐκείνη πᾶσα τοῦ ὄρους περίπου δύο καὶ εἴκοσιν οὖσα σταδίους, χεῖρας εἶχεν αὐτὸν ἀνατεταλμένον Θεῷ, τὸ στόμα τε χαρᾶς ὑποπεπλησμένον, καὶ τὰ χείλη ἀγαλλιάσεως. Λουσάμενος μέντοι, καὶ δρόμῳ πάλιν ὁμοίως παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνελθὼν, πολλάκις τε τοῦτο δράσας καθόδῳ τι παραπλησίως καὶ ἀνόδῳ χρησάμενος, καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἡμέρας ἀμφοτέρᾳ, ἵνα καὶ τὴν ὑγεῖαν αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ πιστώσηται μᾶλλον ἀπὸ τοῦ πράγματος· τέλος εὐλογηθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, κάτεισιν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ὀφθαλμοῖς πᾶσι θαῦμα τῷ παραδόξῳ τῆς θεραπείας.

τούτων πολλοὶ δεηθήσονται· εἶτα καὶ πολλὰ πλήθη διαφόρων ἐθνῶν αὐτῷ ὑπεδείκνυ, πανταχόθεν εἰς αὐτὸν συνιόντα. Τούτοις πληροφορηθεὶς τὴν καρδίαν ὁ Συμεὼν, εὐδοκίαν εἶναι Θεοῦ συστῆναι περὶ αὐτὸν μοναστήριον, καὶ ἱκανῶς επὶ πᾶσιν εὐχαριστήσας, ἐπέτρεψε τοῖς μαθηταῖς πάλιν οὗτος κατὰ τὸν ὑποδειχθέντα τύπον τοῦτο διαχαράξαι. Καὶ τὸ μὲν κατὰ τὴν έκείνῳ φανεῖσαν ὄψιν διατετύπωτο· Θεὸς δὲ, ὁ καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν ἑαυτὸν ἐμφανήσας, μέτρον τε καὶ σχῆμα τῆς μονῆς δι᾽ Ἀγγέλου ὁρίσας, τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν οὐκ ἠμέλει· ἀλλὰ κινεῖ μὲν τῆς Ἀσσυρίων γῆς, κινεῖ δὲ καὶ ἄλλων ἐθνῶν πλήθη μυρία, δαιμονώντων αὐτῷ καὶ ἀσθενῶν πλήθη κομίζοντας· οὓς ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐθεράπευεν εὐχῇ καὶ σφραγῖδι, οἱ δὲ μὴ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἀντεισφέρειν ἕτερον ἔχοντες (ποῦ γὰρ τοσαύτης εὐεργεσίας ἀξιόχρεως ἀμοιβή;) ὅμως τὰ τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης ἐπιδεικνύντες, εἰς τε τὴν λατομίαν τῆς μονῆς καὶ τὴν οἰκοδομίαν ἐχειροτέχνουν, προθεσμίας σφῖσιν αὐτοῖς ὁριζόμενοι, καὶ δαπάνας ἰδίας ὅσα τε πρόσφορα τῶν ἐργαλείων πορίζοντες, καὶ οὐδ᾽ ἐνταῦθά τι διδόναι τοσοῦτον, ὅσον αὐτοὶ λαμβάνειν διὰ τῆς εὐλογίας νομίζοντες. Δυσὶ δὲ πρότερον ἢ τρισὶ τοῦ τὴν προθεσμίαν αὐτοῖς ἐξικέσθαι ἡμέρας, ἔτεροι πάλιν ἐφίσταντο πλείους, ἀσθενῶν ὁμοίως ἐπιφερόμενοι φόρτον καὶ οὗτοι, ὧν τῆς ἴσης παρὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου θεραπείας ἀξιουμένων, τὴν ἴσην ἀντεδίδοσαν πρὸς τὰ τῆς μονῆς ἔργα κᾀκεῖνοι χειροτεχνίαν· ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον συνέῤῥεον πλείους, τῆς φήμης πανταχοῦ διαδιδομένης, καὶ ταύτῃ τὸ ἔργον ἠνύετο. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ὕδατος ἀφθόνου πρὸς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν αὐτοῖς ἔδει, ἐν φροντίδι τε τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἧν, ὅθεν ἂν καὶ ὅπως τὸ ταῖς χρείαις ἀρκοῦν ὕδωρ ἐκεῖ κομίσειαν (κάτω γὰρ ἦν τοῦτο παρὰ ταῖς ὑπωρείαις, μακρῷ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὄρους ἀπέχον) προσέταξεν αὐτοῖς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος ἀσβέστου πλῆθος κατὰ ταυτὸ συμφορῆσαι, ὅσα προσαναμίξαι δέον παρετοιμάσαντας· τοῦ δὲ κατὰ τὸ πρόσταγμα γεγονότος, εὐχὴν πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον δεσπότην ἐκεῖνος τοιάνδε προσηύξατο, ὥστε ὕδωρ οὐ πρὸς τὴν παροῦσαν ἀρκοῦν μόνον ὀμβρῆσαι χρείαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πρὸς τὰς μελλούσας. Καὶ αὐτίκα (ὢ πλουσίων οἰκτειρμῶν Θεοῦ, θέλημα τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν ποιοῦντος! ὢ ἑτοίμου χρηστότητος!) φωνὴν ἔδωκαν αἱ νεφέλαι, ὑετός τε κατεῤῥάγη τοσοῦτος, ὅσου τὰ τῆς μονῆς ἔργα τηνικαῦτα ἐδεῖτο, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα (ὢ θαύματος ἀποῤῥήτου!) ταύτῃ τοῦ λοιποῦ τοῖς τῆς μονῆς οἰκοδομήμασιν ἦν διαμένον· καὶ κατὰ καιρὸν ἀπὸ τότε τῆς τοῦ ὕδατος χρείας βροχή τις ἑκούσιος ἀφώριστο τούτοις, νεφέλαις ὑπεράνωθεν ὥσπερ ἑντεταλμένον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τὰ πλήθη τῶν ἑκάστοτε παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἐκ παντὸς γένους καὶ πάσης ἡλικίας συνερχομένων, καὶ πάθη ποικίλα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ θεραπευομένων, αὐτοῖς τε καὶ οἷς εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν ἐχρῶντο βοσκήμασιν, ἐλύπει δεινῶς ἡ τοῦ ὕδατος σπάνις. Ἐτύγχανον δὲ λάκκοι δύο ἐκ πλαγίων τοῦ ὄρους, ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν ἄνωθεν καιρῶν εἰς ὑποδοχὴν ὑδάτων λατομηθέντες, τῷ δὲ πολλῷ χρόνῳ ταύτῃ συγκεχωσμένοι, ὡς μὴ δ᾽ ὅτι λάκκοι εἶεν γνωρίζεσθαι· ἀνευρέθησάν τε τηνικαῦτα παρὰ τῶν ὄχλων, ἐπεὶ καὶ πέφυκεν ἀνιχνεύειν ἐπιμελῶς ὴ ἀνάγκη, τά τινα παραμυθίαν αὐτῇ παρέχειν δυνάμενα καὶ μετρίαν. Ἀνεκαθάρθησαν μὲν εὐθὺς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν πολλῇ καὶ φιλοπόνῳ χειρί· προσέταξε δὲ ὁ ἱερὸς Συμεὼν, καὶ ὁδὸν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς τοῖς ὕδασι μηχανήσασθαι, ἢ καὶ τὴν πάλαι μηχανηθεῖσαν διακαθᾶραι. Ὅπερ οὖν ὡς ἐκέλευσε γεγονὸς, δεῖται μὲν καὶ πάλιν αὐτὸς τοῦ ἐν ὕδασι τὰ ὑπερῷα στεγάζοντος, θύραι δὲ οὐρανοῦ ἀνεώγνυντο, καὶ ὑετὸς ἑκατέρους αὐτοὺς εὐθέως ἐπλήρου. Οἱ μέντοι μαθηταὶ καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἁλλήλους ἐνδοιάζοντες ἧσαν· εἰ ἅπαξ οὕτω πληρωθέντες οἱ λάκκοι, πλήθεσι τοσούτοις καὶ οὕτως ἀριθμοῦ κρείττοσιν ἐφ᾽ ἱκανὸν ἀρκέσαι δυνήσονται. Τοῦτο δὲ γνόντα τὸν Ἅγιον ἔνα καλέσαι τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐν ἐπηκόῳ πάντων, Ἀντώνιον ὄνομα, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν, Λαβών, φησι, σχοῖνον ἄπιθι δρομαίως, καὶ χαλάσας μέτρησον τὸ ἐν τοῖς λάκκοις ὕδωρ. Ὁ δὲ τὸν σχοῖνον ὡς ἐντέταλτο καθεὶς καὶ μετρήσας ἐπανῆκε, τῷ τε Ἁγίῳ καὶ τοῖς παροῦσι τὸ τοῦ ὕδατος μέτρον ὑποδεικνὺς ἑκ τοῦ σχοίνου. Ἐαριναὶ μὲν οὖν τηνικαῦτα ἔληγον ὧραι, παυσαμένου δὲ ἤδη καὶ θέρους, ἄρτι τε μετοπώρου ὑπολαβόντος, ὁ Ἀντώνιος αὖθις οὗτος εἰς ἑκάτερον λάκκον τὸν σχοῖνον καθεὶς, μετὰ τὸν τοσοῦτον χρόνον καὶ οὕτω σαφῆ πολέμιον ὕδασι, μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην τοῦ ἀμυθήτου πλήθους ἐκεῖθεν ὑδρείαν, εὕρε τὸ ὕδωρ (ὢ τοῦ θαύματος!) οὐ δὲ τὸ παράπαν ἐλαττονῆσαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς καὶ πρότερον ἔχον, ὅπερ οὐ τοῖς τότε παροῦσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ὕστερον ἀκοῇ παρειληφόσιν, εὐχαριστίας μεγίστη κατέστη πρὸς Θεὸν ἀφορμή. Τά γε μὴν τῆς μονῆς ἔργα (ἐκεῖσε γὰρ αὖθις ἐπανιτέον) προκόπτοντα βλέπειν ὁ βάσκανος οὐ στέγων ἐχθρὸς, οἷα καὶ πολλῆς μεγάλης εἰς Θεὸν προκοπῆς, κᾀκείνῳ μεγάλης ἐσόμενα πάλιν αἰτία ζημίας, θεμελίους τῶν οἰκοδομουμένων ξενοδοχείων ἑνὸς ὑποδὺς, ὅπου καὶ μείζων αὐτῷ ἡ πληγὴ (ἅ τε καὶ πολλοὺς μέλλοντος διὰ Χριστὸν ξεναγεῖν, ψυχάς τε πεπονηκυίας διαναπαύειν) οὕτω σφοδρῶς ἦν αὐτὰ συνταράσσων καὶ διασείων, ὡς ἀπειρηκέναι τῷ πολλῷ κλόνῳ καὶ χεῖρας τοῖς περὶ τὴν οἰκοδομὴν πονουμένοις. Δεηθέντι τοιγαροῦν περὶ τούτου τῷ Συμεὼν, ἐῤῥέθη παρὰ τῆς χάριτος, πέμψαι τὴν οἰκείαν ῥάβδον παρὰ τὸν τόπον, ἥ τις ἐκεῖ κρούσασα, τὸν ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ ἐπιβουλεύοντα εὑρήσει· ἐγχειρίσαντος τοίνυν αὐτὴν ἑνὶ τὸν μαθητῶν τοῦ Ἁγίου, ἀπελθὼν ἐκεῖ καὶ κρούσας ἐκεῖνος, ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί φησι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπιτρέπει σοι πνεῦμα πονηρὸν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων Συμεὼν, ἀπόστηθι τοῦ τόπου τούτου, καὶ παραχρῆμα (ὢ δυναστείας, ὢ χάριτος ἐκεῖθεν πλουσίας τοῦ Συμεὼν) ὁ μὲν ἠχήσας μέγα, λίαν αἰσχρῶς ἀπελαύνεται· ἡσύχαζε δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ τὸ ἔργον, καὶ κατὰ λόγον ἐχώρει. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ᾠκοδόμητο μὲν ἡ μάνδρα, λελατόμητο δὲ ὁ στύλος, λατομεῖταί τις καὶ λάκκος δεξιὰ τοῦ κίονως πρὸς Ἀνατολὰς (ἐπιτροπὴ δὲ τοῦ Ἁγίου τοῦτο διὰ τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος σπάνιν) ὅς ὕδατος πληρωθεὶς, τοῖς τε ἀδελφοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἀνὰ τὴν μονὴν χειροτεχνοῦσιν ὅσα γε πρὸς ἀναγκαίαν ἐπήρκει χρεῖαν. Ἐνειστήκει μεν οὖν ἄρτι τοῦ χρόνου τὸ ἀνθηρότατον, ἡ τοῦ θείου Πάσχα λάμπουσα φαιδρὸν ἑβδομὰς, τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν πανηγυρίζουσα· τῶν δὲ μαθητῶν, τὸ μὲν ἠρεμίαν τῷ διδασκάλῳ περιποιούντων, ᾗ καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ᾔδεσαν χαίροντα, τὸ δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐαυτοῖς ἀποταμιούντων, διά τε τὴν αὐτοῦ βραχύτητα καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀφικνουμένων πλῆθος, θύραν τε τῷ λάκκῳ ἐπιθέντων, καὶ κλεῖδα τῇ θύρᾳ ἐπιβαλόντων· ὁρᾷ τῷ πνεύματι ὁ Συμεὼν ἑαυτὸν κατὰ τὸν λάκκον οἱονεὶ γεγονότα, τό τε ὕδωρ ἀμφοτέραις χερσὶν ἀναταράσσοντα, καὶ ὥσπερ ἄνω φέρεσθαι καὶ εἰς πλῆθος ἐπιδιδόναι ποιοῦντα. Συγκαλέσας τοίνυν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, ἇραι κελεύει τὴν κλεῖδα, ὡς ἀνεῶχθαι παντὶ τὸν λάκκον ὑδρεύεσθαι βουλομένῳ· Ἐπισκοπὴ γάρ, φησιν, ἄνωθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ γεγόνει, καὶ οὐκέτι ἐνιαυτὸν τοῦτον οὐδαμῶς ἐκλείψει, κατὰ πόδας δὲ καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἐπηκολούθει· οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἐξ ἐκείνου πάντες ἐκεῖθεν οἱ τῆς μονῆς, πρός τε τὴν τοῦ ἀρτοποιείου, καὶ τοῦ μαγειρείου, καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς ὑδρεύοντο χρείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς οἱκοδομεῖς ἐκεῖνος ὁ λάκκος ἐχορήγει τὸ ὕδωρ· τά τε παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἐρχόμενα πλήθη οὐχ ὅπως ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντες ἔπινον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀγγεῖα ποικίλα καὶ ἀσκοὺς ὅλους ἐπλήρουν, εὐλογίαν οἴκαδε κομιζόμενοι, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκείνου τοῦ ἔτους οὐδαμῶς ὑπεδίδου. Βιγίλλιός τις ὄνομα, οἰκέτης δὲ οὗτος Ἐφραὶμ τοῦ μακαρίτου Πατριάρχου, παρεθείς ὅλῳ σώματι, καὶ τρίτον ἑξῆς ἔτος ἱεροῖς προσανακλινόμενος οἴκοις, ἰατρῶν τε χερσὶν ἑαυτὸν ἐκδιδοὺς, ὡς οὐδὲν τῆς τέχνης ὤνατο πλέον, ὅτι μὴ σαφῆ τῆς ζωῆς ἀπαγόρευσιν, οἷά τι τῶν ἀψύχων ἢ νεκρὸς μᾶλλον ἔμψυχος τὸ καινότατον, κομίζεται τῷ Ἁγίῳ Ῥίπτεται τοιγαροῦν ἀθλία πρὸ τῶν ἐκείνου φιλανθρώπων ὀφθαλμῶν ὄψις, πολὺν ἕλκων τὸν ἔλεον, ὃν ὁ τοῦ λαμβάνειν αἰτοῦντος διδόναι μᾶλλον ἐκεῖνος ὢν ἑτοιμότερος· Εἰ πιστεύεις, ἔφη, δύνασθαι τὴν ἔν σοι πίστιν εἰς τὸν Ὑιον τοῦ Θεοῦ δι᾽ ἐμοῦ μεσίτου ἰασασθαί σε, ἔγειραι ὡς ἔχεις καὶ περιπάτει. Ὁ δὲ, Πιστεύω, Κύριε, δύνασθαί σε διὰ τοῦ σου θεράποντος πάντα, λαμπρᾷ ὡς εἶχεν εὐθὺς τῇ φωνῇ βοήσας (ὢ θείας ἐπισκοπῆς! ὢ ῥήματος ὀλίγου μεγάλα παρὰ Θεῷ δυναμένου!) ἥλατό τε αὐτίκα, καὶ τὴν προσήκουσαν τῷ Ἁγίῳ προσκύνησιν ἀποδεδωκὼς, κατήει δρόμῳ τοῦ ὄρους παρά τι βὰλανεῖον Τιβερῖνον καλούμενον, τὸ μὲν χωρεῖν οὐχ οἷός τε ὢν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν χαρὰν καὶ οὐ δὲ καθεκτὸς ἑαυτοῦ διὰ τοῦτο γινόμενος· τὸ δὲ καὶ αὐτὰ τῆς προτέρας κακοπαθείας ἀποπλύνασθαι τὰ λείψανα σπεύδων. Ἡ μέντοι κάθοδος ἐκείνη πᾶσα τοῦ ὄρους περίπου δύο καὶ εἴκοσιν οὖσα σταδίους, χεῖρας εἶχεν αὐτὸν ἀνατεταλμένον Θεῷ, τὸ στόμα τε χαρᾶς ὑποπεπλησμένον, καὶ τὰ χείλη ἀγαλλιάσεως. Λουσάμενος μέντοι, καὶ δρόμῳ πάλιν ὁμοίως παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνελθὼν, πολλάκις τε τοῦτο δράσας καθόδῳ τι παραπλησίως καὶ ἀνόδῳ χρησάμενος, καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἡμέρας ἀμφοτέρᾳ, ἵνα καὶ τὴν ὑγεῖαν αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ πιστώσηται μᾶλλον ἀπὸ τοῦ πράγματος· τέλος εὐλογηθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, κάτεισιν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ὀφθαλμοῖς πᾶσι θαῦμα τῷ παραδόξῳ τῆς θεραπείας.

[92] For the rest the mountain, on which Symeon dwelt, was a deserted and uncultivated place, not furnished with water, roof, or other thing necessary to life; a little hut, and that the only one, He is divinely admonished to build a monastery, he had, which the disciples had joined together for themselves as a not ample refuge: for Symeon, as we have mentioned above, stood continuously on his rock under the open sky, wrapped in a skin sheepskin. But afterward when from every part a frequent crowd of men daily flowed together to him, both of those seized by malign spirits, and by diseases and pains of every kind, and that so unlovely a desert, a penury of necessary things, a defect of water and domicile received those wretched ones; the common and benevolent Creator, Father, and Lord of all, who by his immense power and sublime arm governs all things, that one great in counsel and powerful in work, who is not ignorant of what we manikins need, and who can be ignorant of nothing; he himself here also appearing to Symeon: Do you not see, he said, how this generation hangs in suspense of mind? how grievously they can dwell here, all things failing which make for the use of life? But these things will now be supplied by me to them; and you, remaining idle, will not put your hand to the work.

[93] Symeon dignified with that blessed voice, beholds as it were an Angel holding something of a measure in his hands, and delineating the vestiges of the monastery and of the august temples to be built in it; he beholds also

[94] God meanwhile, who had revealed himself to Symeon, and had prescribed the measure and form of the habitation through an Angel, did not suffer the effect to be wanting to his promises: those who had been healed lending a hand. but he raises up from the Assyrians and other nations infinite men, who brought to the Saint many demoniacs and others infirm, by whom through the sign of the Cross and prayers they were cured: but they having nothing whatever with them, which to render (for what sufficient recompense for so great a benefit?) nevertheless showing the works of gratitude, lent a hand together to fitting the stones and promoting the structure, defining for themselves a fixed interval of time, and procuring from their own the expenses and any suitable instruments: nor thinking that they rendered so much, as they received from the blessing. Moreover two or three days before the time prefixed for them had expired; others again were present, more in number, likewise carrying the infirm: who in like manner endowed with health by the Saint, gave equal labor of their hands to the building: and so successively others and others always flowed in, the fame now spread everywhere. And in this way the work was completed.

[95] When too a penury of water was labored under during the building, He obtains water for the use of the building that matter held the disciples anxious and solicitous, whence or in what manner they should procure a sufficient quantity; for it was far from the summit of the mountain, to be sought from the subjacent valleys. But the servant of God commanded those hesitating, that they should promptly bring together so great a quantity of quicklime, as it should be fitting to mix; which things being performed as commanded, the Saint so moved heaven by his prayers, that it rained water, sufficient not only for the present necessity, but also thereafter for the future: and continuously (oh the rich mercy of God, performing the will of those fearing him! oh his ready goodness!) the clouds gave a voice, and rain was brought down in so great abundance, as at that time there was need: and that thing (oh inenarrable miracle!) was so thereafter continued for the use of the builders, and at opportune times, when there was use, the water fell down of its own accord, as if by command from on high the clouds compelling it.

[96] But because the most frequent crowds of every kind and age everywhere ran together to the holy man, and also for the pilgrims, who were cured of various pains; the penury of water began to incommode greatly both themselves, and the beasts of burden which they used. But there were over against the mountain two cisterns, formerly in the time of the gentiles dug out for receptacles of water, but by the lapse of time so buried with earth and other things heaped up, that where they were could not be known: but then by chance found by the crowds (just as necessity is wont to investigate sedulously, what things, however moderate, can be a solace to it) they were forthwith cleared and purged by the laborious work of many. Then Symeon bade them construct a conduit of water to them, or repurge the one formerly dug. No sooner said than done. When again fleeing to prayer, he beseeches him, who stabilizes the firmament of the heavens with waters: and their cataracts were opened, and the rain filled each cistern.

[97] which is not diminished the whole summer. Moreover the disciples hung in suspense of mind, nor did they conceal their solicitude one from another; whether the cisterns thus once filled would suffice for so frequent and numerous a multitude. The matter being understood, the Saint summons one of the Brethren in the hearing of all, whose name was Antonius, and says: A rope being taken, quickly; go, and it being let down into the cisterns, measure the depth of the water. He as commanded let in the rope, and having measured returned, and showed to the Saint and the bystanders, how great was the depth of the water on the rope. It was then the end of spring; the summer being elapsed, and now autumn succeeding, Antonius with the rope let in again tried each cistern, and found (oh prodigy!) after so great an interval of time, so inimical to waters, after so frequent a drawing of water thence by the inexplicable crowd, that it was not at all diminished, but had itself as before. Which thing not only to those then present, but also to posterity, to whose ears that fame came, gave occasion of paying thanks to God.

[98] Meanwhile the enemy, not sustaining to behold with envious eyes the building advance (for since he foresaw that by that immense increase the glory of God was to be augmented, but to himself grave damage threatened); subentered the foundations of one of the already built guesthouses, where it would be more grievous to him, on account of the very many to be received there into hospitality for Christ's sake, and to find rest for their wearied souls; and he shakes and concusses the building so vehemently, that the workers, wearied and exanimate by the frequent shaking, removed their hands thence. He drives off the demon interrupting the works. While therefore Symeon prays for a remedy, he received this inspiration from grace, that he should send his rod to the infested place, which would by its stroke detect the enemy lying in wait in the hidden. The rod therefore being delivered into the hands of a certain one of the disciples, to him going there and striking and saying, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the servant of God Symeon commands you, worst spirit, that you go out of this place: and continuously (oh power! oh the rich grace of Symeon!) the spirit a great sound being emitted is most foully driven off: but for the rest the work was quiet, and proceeded according to reason.

[99] The monastery being now built, and the column cut; He again conserves the water through the whole year for the use of all. a cistern also is hollowed, on the right side of the column toward the East, Symeon so commanding on account of the penury of waters; that thence both for the Brethren and for those working in the monastery water might be supplied for necessary uses. At the door now was the most flowery time, the most clear and joyful week of holy Easter, celebrating the author and operation of our salvation; when the disciples, partly preparing solitude for their master, in which they especially knew him to rejoice; partly storing the water for themselves, on account of its smallness and the multitude of those carrying it away, a cover and a lock being added to the cistern; when, I say, Symeon sees himself in spirit as it were brought to the cistern, troubling the water with both hands, and bidding it be raised on high and distributed among the multitude. The Brethren therefore being convoked he commands, that they take away the lock, that access to the open cistern may be free to all wishing to draw water: For now, he said, by a supernal visitation it has become known to me, that the water this whole year will not fail. And credit stood to the words: for from that time all the inhabitants of the monastery for kneading bread, for cooking food, for the rest of the uses drew water thence, nay even the structure was supplied from the same source: add that the crowds approaching Symeon also not only drank thence, but also filled various vessels and whole skins, carrying the water home as a gift; nor yet ever that year was the cistern exhausted.

[100] A certain Vigilius, formerly a domestic servant of Patriarch Ephraim of happy memory, He heals a paralytic. paralytic in his whole body, now the third year had lain at the sacred buildings, and had committed himself to be cured by physicians: by whose art having obtained nothing except that it was now more manifestly given up of his life; only like a lifeless trunk, or rather a breathing cadaver, he is conveyed to the Saint. The pitiable spectacle is cast before the face of the benign man, drawing much commiseration with it; which this man was readier to impart, than that one who asked to receive. He says therefore; If you believe, that your faith, which you have in the Son of God, can through me as a mediator restore health to you; rise as you can, and walk. He soon as loudly as he could exclaiming; I believe, Lord, that you can do all things through your servant. O divine visitation! o short word of great power with God! He leaped up forthwith, and the due veneration being rendered to the Saint, descending from the mountain, ran to the bath which is called Tiberine; both because he could not contain his joy in his mind, nor restrain himself for abundance of pleasure, and because he hastened to wash off the relics of his former infirmity. And that descent from the mountain was of about twenty-two stadia; which he ran with hands stretched out to God; his mouth filled with gladness, and his lips with exultation. Having washed, at a run likewise he hastens to the Saint, and more often by repeated descent and ascent does the same thing, and that the same day; that by the very deeds he might make himself more certain that his health was confirmed: at length the blessing being received from the Saint, he set out for the city, an admirable spectacle to the eyes of all because of the unexpected healing.

CHAPTER XIII.

Various ecstasies and prophecies and prayers for averting calamities.

Εωράκει ποτὲ ὁ Συμεὼν ἐν ἐκστάσει, ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν, καὶ παίδων πλῆθος μυρίον, ἥκοντας εἰς αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς Ἕω, καὶ σταυροὶ μὲν αὐτοῖς ἐν χεροῖν, ὕμνοι δὲ θεῖοι διὰ στόματος ἦσαν τό τε ἅγιον Πνεῦμα ἐπισκιάζον ἄνωθεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς, καὶ τούτοις οἷα συμπορευόμενον· ὡς δὲ ἤδη προσάγοντες τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ ὄρους ἐπιβαίνειν ἐδόκουν, Οἶσθά, φησι τὸ Πνεῦμα τῷ Συμεὼν, τίνες οὗτοι, καὶ ὅθεν παρά σε ἀφιγμένοι; Τοῦ δὲ. ἀγνοεῖν εἰπόντος, τὰ Ἰβήρων ἐξ Ἀνατολῶν ἔθνη, ἔφη, οἵ ἀγαπήσουσί σε διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ κατὰ καιρὸν ἀφίξονται παρά σε, τῆς τε δεδομένης σοι χάριτος τῶν ἰαμάτων ἕργῳ πειράσονται, καὶ καθ᾽ ὅλης τὰ περί σου τῆς ἑαυτῶν κηρύξουσι γῆς, πιστοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ πάντας οἰκοδομοῦντες· οἰκήσουσι δέ τινες αὐτῶν κἀνταύτῃ σου τῇ καταγωγῇ, εὔχρηστοί τε καὶ δεξιοὶ γενήσονται. Τὰ μὲν οὗν τῆς τότε φανείσης τῷ Συμεὼν ὄψεως ταῦτα, ἅπερ ὀλίγαις ὕστερον ἡμέραις καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων τεθέαται. Ἦλθον γὰρ Ἰβήρων πλήθη κατὰ φήμην τῶν αὐτοῦ θαυμασίων, σταυρούς τε διὰ χειρὸς ἔχοντες, καὶ λιτὰς αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλήθη νοσούντων καὶ δαιμονώντων προσάγοντες· οἳ τοιαύτης ἔτυχον παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὕτω παραδόξου τῆς θεραπείας, ὡς καὶ πολλοὺς αὐτῶν ἁλόντας τοῖς ἐκείνου θαύμασι τὰς ψυχὰς, αἰτῆσαι τὴν παρ᾽ αὐτῷ κατοίκησιν, καὶ λαβόντας μεῖναι παρὰ τῇ μονῇ τοῦ λοιποῦ μοναδικῷ διαπρέποντας βίῳ. Ἐνταῦθα τοῦ λόγου γενόμενος, ποίᾳ πρὸς τὰ ἑξῆς χρήσομαι γλώττῃ; τίνα δὲ καὶ λόγον εἰς ἐξήγησιν εὕρω; φρίττει γὰρ ἤδη μοι καὶ πρὸς τὴν μνήμην ὁ νοῦς, καὶ ἡ χεὶρ ὑπὸ δέους συστέλλεται, τοιούτοις ὑπηρετεῖν οὐ τολμῶσα φωβεροῖς διηγήμασιν. Εἶδε γὰρ κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ὁ Συμεὼν ἑαυτὸν ἐν τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Πνεύματος, τό τε θεῖον Εὐαγγέλιον ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους φέροντα, ἔκ τε Τύρου πρὸς Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ τὴν ἔρημον ἐκείνην, τά

τε κατ᾽ αὐτὴν ἀσκητήρια, καὶ ὄσον τοῦ μεσημβρινοῦ κλίματός ἐστι, καθάπερ ἐπὶ φυλακῇ σπουδαίως περιἳόντα, ἐκεῖθέν τε κατὰ Ααοδίκειαν καὶ τὴν Ἀντιόχου γενόμενον, ἴσῃ τε καὶ περὶ αὐτὰ φυλακῇ κεχρημένον· εἶτα καὶ στίφος Ἀγγέλων αὐτῷ ὑπαντήσαντας, καὶ τί ὅτι σοι τοσαῦτα μέλλει περὶ αὐτῶν εἰπόντας, Τίς Ἀντιοχεῦσιν ἐρεῖ ταῦτα, ὧν ἐνίοις οὐ δὲ χρηστὰ ὑπείληπται περί σου; Ὅπερ οὐχ ὡς ἐκείνους διαβάλλοντες εἶπον (ἀλλότριον γὰρ πάντη φύσεως θείας διαβολὴ) ἀλλ᾽ ὥστε μὲ δὲ τοῦτο παρὰ τῆς χάριτος τῷ Συμεὼν ἠγνοῆσθαι. Ταῦτα τὸν μὲν ἰδόντα, Μεγάλη τῷ κόσμῳ, φάναι πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας, ἐπήρτηται ἀπειλή. Οὐαὶ! οὐαὶ! αἰ ἐκδικήσεις ἡμῶν ἥκασιν, ἀλλὰ προσεύχεσθε ἀδελφοί. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ῥῆμα φόβον οὐ μέτριον ἐνέσεισεν αὐτῶν ταῖς ψυχαῖς· ἀκοῦσαι δέ τι καὶ πλέον ἐκ αὐτοῦ γλιχομένων, ἐπισχὼν ἐκεῖνος ἄχρι πολλοῦ τὰς μὲν ὄψεις ὑπὸ τῆς θείας ἠλλοιοῦτο χάριτος, αὐτούς δὲ ἀγωνίας ἡ σιγὴ καὶ δέους ἐπλήρου. Ἔπειτα μέντοι καθάπερ ἀναλαβὼν ἑαυτὸν, κατηφεῖ λίαν καὶ ὄψει καὶ σχήματι, Προσεύξασθαι καὶ πάλιν ἐκτενῶς, ἵνα μὴ πειρασθῶμεν ἀδελφοὶ, ἔφη. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἵλεως γένοιτο τὰ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ μετανοῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἡμετέραις κακίαις, ἡ πᾶσα σχεδὸν οἰκουμένη καταστραφήσεται. Εἶδον γάρ, φησι, καὶ ἰδοὺ πεπλήρωτο τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ Θεοῦ πᾶσα οὐ γῆ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀὴρ αὐτὸς, καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ γῆν, ὡς μηδένα μηδιαμοῦ τόπον κενὸν ὅλως τῆς φοβερᾶς δυνάμεως ἐκείνης ἀπολελεῖφθαι, ἣ καὶ πᾶσαν μικροῦ συνέστρεφε κτίσιν ἓως διέστη τά τῆς ὄψεως ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, τοιούτοις οὐκέτι θεάμασιν ἐνδιατρίβειν ὑπενεγκόντος. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν εἰπὼν, τοῦ ἐν αὑτῷ πνεύματος αὖθις καὶ θεωρίας γίνεται θειοτέρας· ἡ δὲ ἦν, ἀνεωγότες μὲν οἱ οὐρανοὶ, ὑπεράνω δὲ τούτων ἀὴρ τὴν καθαρότητα καὶ τὸ κάλλος οὐκ ἔχων τίνι ὀμοιωθείη, ἀλλὰ ταυτὸν ἰδεῖν τε ἅμα καὶ εἰπεῖν ἀμήχανος. Αἵ τε δυνάμεις τῶν ούρανῶν ἐν αὐτῷ καθάπερ ἐν διπλῇ φάλαγγι ταγμάτων παρεστηκυῖαι, ἅτερος ἐχόμενος θατέρου, καὶ κοινῇ πάντες τὰς κεφαλὰς ἐπικλίνοντες· ὑπεράνωθεν δὲ αὐτῶν θρόνος ἐν ἀέρι μέσῳ φοβερῶς ἐπαιρόμενος, οὐκ ἐπί τινος βεβηκὼς ἢ στηριζόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸν καθάπερ ἐπίβασιν τὸν ἀέρα πεποιημένος. Ὅτε Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ Θεὸς ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καθήμενος, καὶ στάζων ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ· αὐτὸς τε οὗτος ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων πρὸ τῆς ἀπροσίτου δόξης ἐκείνης νοερῶς ἑστηκὼς, καὶ τῇ συνήθει παῤῥησίᾳ καὶ νῦν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν χρώμενος, καὶ καταλλάττων ἡμῖν τὸ θεῖον καὶ ἱλεούμενος, καὶ τὴν ὀργὴν ἀποστρέφων, ὅπερ ἐδηλοῦτο μὲν καὶ τοῖς παροῦσι τῇ τῆς ὄψεως ἐπιφανείᾳ τοῦ Συμεὼν, πρὸς τὸ φαιδρότερον ἠρέμα μεταβαλλούσῃ· αὐτὸς γὰρ τέως ἄφωνος ἦν, οἷα μὴ δ᾽ ἐν ἑαυτοῦ ὢν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅλος τῆς ἀνεκφράστου θέας ἐκείνης γεγενημένος. Ὀλίγω δὲ ὕστερον εἰς ἑαυτὸν καὶ οὗτος ἐπανελθὼν, Ψάλατε τῷ Θεῶ ἡμῶν ἀδελφοὶ, ἔφη, ψάλατε· ψάλατε τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν, ψάλατε· ἔπεσε γὰρ ἔλεος ἡμῶν κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐζήλωσε Κύριος τὴν γῆν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐφείσατο τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτου ὅσας τέως ἐγὼ πόλεις καὶ χώρας τῇ δυνάμει τῆς χάριτος οἶδα περιελθών. Ταῦτα πρὸς τοὺς παρόντας διεξελθὼν, ἁρπάζεται πάλιν ὑπὸ θεωρίας ἑτέρας τοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμούς· καὶ ὁ μὲν πρὸς ἀκταῖς ἑστάναι ταῖς τῆς Σελευκείας ἐδόκει, πλοῖόν τε κατὰ τὸν ἀέρα ὑπὲρ θαλάττης ὁρᾷν, ὅσα καὶ ὕδασι τῷ ἀέρι σαλεῦον, ἀποστολήν τε Ἀγγέλων θυμοῦ καὶ ὀργῆς καὶ παροξυσμοῦ μεγάλου ἐφεστάναι τῷ πλοίῳ, τὴν ἄνωθεν οἱονεὶ ῥοπὴν ἀναμένοντας, πνεῦμά τε ἀθρόον ἐπικαταπτὰν, τρὶς αὐτοῖς κατασεῖσαι τὰς χεῖρας, κλαῦσαί τε πικρὸν οἷον καὶ συμταθὲς, καὶ, Κόπτε πρὸς αὐτοὺς, εἰπεῖν, κόπτε, καὶ μὴ φείδου· τοὺς δὲ οὕτω τι μέγα καὶ βίαιον αὐτίκα ἠχῆσαι, ὡς ἀθρόον ταραχθῆναι καὶ τὰς ἀβύσσους. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐναέριοι ταῖς ἠιόσιν ὡρμήσαντο, πόλεις δὲ παραχρῆμα καὶ κώμας καὶ συνοικίας εἶχεν ἡ γῆ, πτῶμα χαλεπὸν κατενηνεγμένας. Γενόμενος τοίνυν ὁ τοῦ Θεος δοῦλος ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Προσεύξασθαι καὶ πάλιν ἐκτενῶς, εἶπεν, ἀδελφοὶ χρή· εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὴν χώραν ταύτην ἀπαθῆ κακῶν διαφυλαχθῆναι προέφην ὑμῖν, ὡς ἐκ τῆς θείας ἔχωμεν θανεῖν φιλανθρωπίας· ἀλλὰ μεγάλη παρὰ Κυρίου ὀργὴ, ὀργὴ θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐν πυρὶ ζήλου αὐτοῦ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐκκέκαυται, διὸ καὶ μεγάλης ἡμῖν δεῖ πρὸς αὐτὸν τῆς ἐπιστροφῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ τοῦ παντὸς εὐχῆς. Πάντας τοιγαροῦν συναθροίσας, ὅσοι τε τῶν αὐτοῦ μαθητῶν ἦσαν, καὶ ὄσοι πολλαχόθεν τηνικαῦτα παραβαλόντες ἐτύγχανον, παραγγέλλει κοινῇ πᾶσι λιτὰς παρ᾽ ὅλας ἡμέρας ἑξήκοντα προσάγειν Θεῷ, ἔτι καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς λιταῖς ὕμνους αὐτὸς καὶ συνθεὶς καὶ διδάξας, οἵους ὦτα Θεοῦ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιστρέφειν. Ἐτελοῦντο μὲν οὖν αἱ λιταὶ, τοῖς ἐκ τῆς ἱερᾶς ἐκείνης γλώττης ἱεροῖς κατεπᾳδόμεναι ὕμνοις· τοῖς δὲ ὄχλοις ἀνὰ τὴν χώραν δεδιέναι τε πρὸς αὐτὰς καὶ τρέμειν ἐπῄει, χρηστὸν ἐκ τοῦ μέλλοντος ουδὲν προσδοκῶσι· καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τῆς τοῦ Ὁσίου μητρὸς κατέσεισαν αὗται, καὶ σεβασμίως ὅσα κατὰ πνεῦμα πατρὶ, μᾶλλον τῷ υἱῷ, προσελθοῦσα, πολλή τις ἦν αὐτοῦ δεομένη γνωρισθῆναι τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτῇ, δι᾽ ἣν ἐκείνῳ πρὸς Θεὸν αἱ τῶν οἰκείων μαθητῶν καὶ τοῦ πλήθους λιταί. Ὁ δὲ μητρικὰς οὐκ ἀτιμάσας δεήσεις, ἅπερ ὑπὸ τῆς χάριτος μεμύητο ἐκκαλύπτει· Μέλλει, ὦ μῆτερ, εἰπὼν, σεῖσαι, φεῦ! τὴν γῆν ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς οὐ πώποτε πρότερον, ὅτι μὴ μόνον ἐπὶ τοῦ δεσποτικοῦ καὶ σωτηρίου πάθους, δι᾽ οὗ παθὼν ἐγὼ καὶ θανάτου καὶ τυραννίδος χαλεπῆς ἀπολέλυμαι· τῷ σεισμῷ δὲ καὶ συμπτώματα ἕψεται, καρδίας ἀνθρωπίνης δηλαδὴ θραύσματα. Οἷς ἐπὶ μᾶλλον ἐκείνη τὸν φόβον αὐξήσασα, αἰτεῖ τῶν ἀχράντων τοῦ Χριστοῦ μυστηρίων χερσὶν ἐκείνου ταῖς ὁσίαις μεταλαβεῖν, ἀσφαλὲς φυλακτήριον. Τῆς δ᾽ ἐπιούσης, παρασκευὴ δὲ ἦν, σαλεύει μὲν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν γῆν ὀψὲ τῆς ἡμέρας οὕτω σφοδρῶς, ὡς μὴ μόνον αὐτὴν πολλαχοῦ διασχεῖν, τά τε ὄρη βίᾳ διαθρυβῆναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν φυγεῖν, τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόσωπον οὐ φέρουσαν ὀργιζόμενον, ὡς ἐντεῦθεν οὐ πόλεις μόνον καὶ κώμας καὶ συνοικίας κατὰ τὴν ὀφθεῖσαν τῷ Συμεὼν ὄψιν ἀθλίως καταπεσεῖν, καὶ πληρωθῆναι ἃ παρά τινος τῶν Προφητῶν ἠπείληται πόῤῥωθεν, Ἐξολοθρεύσω τὰς πόλεις τῆς γῆς σου λέγοντος, καὶ ἐξαρῶ πάντα τὰ ὀχυρώματά σου· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ πλοῖα γυμνῇ προσαῤῥάξαντα τῇ γῇ συντριβῆναι, ἐκτὸς ὧν περιελθεῖν δέδοκτο τῷ Ἁγίῳ· ταῦτα γὰρ κατὰ τὰς ἀψευδεῖς ἐκείνου προῤῥήσεις, ἐλεύθερα τῆς ἐκ τοῦ τοιοῦδε σεισμοῦ διαμεμένηκε βλάβης. Ἐνάτη διῆλθεν ἐξ ἐκείνου ἡμέρα, καὶ θεία πάλιν τὸν Συμεὼν κατὰ βοῤῥᾶν ἁρπάσασα ὄψις, τό, τε πνεῦμα βλέψαν εἰς Κωνσταντινούπολιν ὑπεδείκνυ, τρίς τε τὰς χεῖρας ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν σεῖσαι, καὶ κλαῦσαν, Οὐαὶ ταῖς περὶ αὐτὴν πόλεσι φάναι, ὅτι ἐπισκοπὴ καὶ αὐτῆς, εἰ καὶ μερικῶς ὅμως ἔσται. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν ἰδὼν, ἔστενε καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν, καὶ δῆλος ἦν ἀλγῶν τὴν ψυχήν· συνέντες δὲ οἱ περὶ, αὐτὸν, ἐπυνθάνοντο τὴν αἰτίαν· ὁ δὲ κατώδυνόν τι καὶ περιπαθὲς ἐκ μέσης ἀνοιμώξας καρδίας, Ὅτι μέλει ποιήσασθαί φησι καὶ τῆς μεγάλης καὶ βασιλίδος πόλεως, εἰ καὶ μερικῶς, ὅμως ἐπισκοπὴν ὁ Θεὸς, καί τινας τῶν περὶ αὐτὴν, οἴμοι! πόλεών τε καὶ κωμῶν κατασεῖσαι. Μετὰ γοῦν ἕκτην ἑξῆς ἡμέραν, σεισμὸς τῇ Κωνσταντίνου νυκτὸς ἐνσκήψας, καταστρέφει μὲν αὐτῆς μέρη τινὰ, καταστρέφει δὲ Νικομήδειαν, καὶ τὸ καλούμενον Ῥήγιον, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ Νίκαιαν ἐν τῷ μέρει, καί τινας οὐκ ὀλίγας ἑτέρας πόλεις. Τοῦ σεισμοῦ δὲ εἰς ἔτι προσμέλλοντος, κλόνου τε τῆς γῆς οὐ καθαρευούσης οὐ δὲ ἡσυχαζούσης, ἀλλὰ καὶ σαλευομένης καὶ ἐντρόμου γεγενημένης, ἡ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν μήτηρ, οὐκ ἔθ᾽ οἷά τε οὖσα τὴν θείαν διὰ τῶν στοιχείων ὁρᾷν ἀγανάκτησιν, ἄλλωστε δὲ καὶ τῆς τοῦ παντὸς σωτηρίας περικαιομένῃ, ἔρχεται παρὰ τὸν υἱὸν αὖθις, χρῆται τῇ ἐκ τῶν ὠδίνων καὶ τῆς φύσεως παῤῥησίᾳ, δεῖτα θερμῶς θάῤῥει τὴν κοινὴν πρεσβείαν. Γίνεται τοῦτο τὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὅπερ ἐκεῖνον ἀξιοῖ τὰ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν στῆναι, περὶ τοῦ παντὸς ἐξιλάσασθαι, ἀποστρέψαι θυμὸν Κυρίου, σβέσαι δικαίαν ὀργὴν, στῆσαι μάστιγα πλήττειν ἀνιάτως κεκινημένην. Οἷς ἐκεῖνος τὴν καρδίαν ἀναφλεγεὶς, οὐδέ ποτε πρὸς Θεὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σβεννυμένην, καὶ αὐτὸς ὥσπερ ἑαυτοῦ θερμότερος γεγονὼς, ἀλλὰ καὶ σπλάγχνα δυσωπῆσαι Θεοῦ βιαιότερος, ἐπικλεισάμενος ἑαυτῷ τὰς θύρας, οὐ πρότερον ἀνῆκε δεόμενος, ἕως ἡ θεία χάρις αὐτῷ ίλαρὰ καὶ χαρίεσσα ὤφθη, καὶ ἃ διὰ στόματος ἔχοντα εὗρεν, ἱλαστήρια πρὸς Θεὸν ἢ ἱκεσία· ταῦτα ἐντείλασθαι τῷ λαῷ ἔφη λιτανεύοντας ᾆσαι, καὶ στήσεσθαι τὴν ἀπειλήν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὰς θείας ὑποθήκας ἔδρα, καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς συγκαλέσας, ἐκεῖνα περιἳόντας, καινὴν ᾠδὴν ἐπιλέξεως ᾄδειν ἐδίδασκεν ἐμμελῶς, ἵνα τῇ τούτων μνήμῃ καὶ γλῶτταν ἁγιασθῶμεν· Ὡς ἐπὶ Μωσέως δυσωπούμενος ἱλάσθης ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ μὴ συντρίψαι τὸν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ νῦν Κύριε παῦσον παρακαλούμενος τὴν ὀργὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ λαῦ σου, συγχώρησιν ποιούμενος τῶν ποικίλων ἡμῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, ὡς μόνος ἐναμάρτητος Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς, κατὰ το μέγα σου ἔλεος δόξα σοι. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐποίουν τὸ κελευσθέν· οἱ δὲ στύλοι τῆς γῆς (ὁ Θεός τις ἀξίως ᾄσεται τὰ ἐλέη σου!) εὐθὺς ἐστερέωντο, καὶ ὁ σεισμὸς ἀκριβῶς πέπαυτο.

[101] In an ecstasy at one time Symeon saw an infinite crowd of men, women, and boys, coming from the East to him, In an ecstasy he sees many coming to him, whose hands bore crosses, whose mouths brought forth sacred hymns, and whom from above the holy Spirit overshadowing accompanied as they advanced: and when, having come nearer, they seemed to ascend the wonderful mountain; Do you know, the Spirit said to Symeon, who these are and whence to you? He denying; of the Iberians, he said, in the East is a nation, who will love you because of my name, who will come at some time to you, will experience by deed the grace of healings given to you, and will preach your deeds through their whole region, edifying excellently all the faithful there: some also dwelling in these very seats, will be very useful and apt for your affairs. Such things then in the ecstasy Symeon, which a few days after he beheld in the effect. For there came a crowd of Iberians, roused by the fame of his miracles, bearing crosses in their hands, and their prayers to him, nay also offering a great number of the sick and demoniacs: and these indeed beyond all hope were so wonderfully cured, that many of them taken by the miracle of the matter, asked to dwell with the Saint; and being heard, in that monastery spent the rest

[102] The oration being led thus far, with what discourse shall I prosecute what remains? what words equal to the things to be told shall I find? for now at the mere mention my mind trembles, as also the impending calamities; and my hand is contracted for fear, not daring to lend its labor to a narration most full of horror. Symeon through that time saw in spirit himself, holding the sacrosanct Gospel upon his breast, having gone out from Tyre, to Jerusalem, the neighboring deserts, and in them the ascetic places, and whatever there is of the regions toward the south, going around diligently by speculating and inspecting as if for a guard; thence brought to Laodicea and Antioch he in a similar manner inspected all things; finally there met him an array of Angels, and as it were saying among themselves what these things portended, Who will tell these things to the people of Antioch, who like incurables receive no profit from you? But this they said not as calumniating them, for whose averting he exhorts his men to pray: (for calumny is altogether alien from the Angelic nature); but that not even this might be unknown to Symeon by grace. After this vision; Grave, said the Saint to the bystanders, threats hang over the world. Woe woe! the times of vengeance have come: but give yourselves to prayer, Brethren.

[103] These sayings injected no moderate fear into the minds of the hearers: but they desiring to learn more even from him, he indeed for a longer time keeping silence, divine grace acting, was wholly changed in countenance; and to the Brethren he injected a graver fear and care by his silence: then as if returned to himself, with dejected and exceedingly sad countenance and habit, again; Pray more intently, he said, Brethren, lest we fall into temptation: for unless God be rendered propitious to us, and retract the sentence pronounced against our iniquities, the whole orb of lands will be subverted almost entirely. For I saw, he says, and I see filled with the power of God not only all the earth, but also the aerial and ethereal regions full of the same; so that no place anywhere at all is empty of that terrible power: which also in a short time overturns whatever is created, until that vision deserted me, not sustaining to dwell longer on so sad a spectacle.

[104] When he had said these things, again, the spirit acting, a holier vision was presented to him, and it was of this kind. The heavens were opened, over which hung an air of so great purity and beauty that nothing more, and which the holy man could not see and at the same time express. The virtues of the heavens constituted there in order formed a double phalanx, some following others, and that they are averted, he understands, and all in common bowing their heads: above these a throne raised terrifically in the middle air, supported or stabilized by nothing, the air itself being as it were fitted for an ascent. There sat in it our Lord, and his fury was poured forth over us: but his servant Symeon stood before that inaccessible glory, and with the accustomed liberty of voice now also interpellating for us, reconciled to us and rendered propitious the divine Numen, the wrath being removed: and this became known to those present also from the brightness of Symeon's countenance, gradually reducing itself to a more joyful form: for hitherto he had been mute, as if not in himself, but wholly become of that ineffable vision. A little after restored to himself, he exclaimed: Sing psalms to our God, Brethren, sing: sing to our King, sing: for mercy has flashed from his face, the Lord has been zealous for his land, and has spared his people in all those cities and regions which hitherto by the help of Grace I have seen and gone around.

[105] That narration finished, he is snatched again to another spectacle by the eyes of his mind. He seemed to himself, standing on the neighboring shores of Seleucia, to see a ship upon the sea in the air, there fluctuating not otherwise than in water. Angels destined for this, a similar thing he is taught by another vision, presenting no moderate wrath, fury, and excandescence, stood in it; awaiting as it were the divine nod. Then the spirit flying down swiftly, gave them a threefold sign with his hand; and bitterly weeping (you would have thought he was moved by mercy) Smite, he said, smite and spare none: which being heard, they emitted so horrible and monstrous a sound, that even the abyss itself was suddenly disturbed. After these things, those who had appeared in the air, with an onset rushed toward the shores; whence soon a pitiable ruin remained for the cities, villages, and houses, which that land had. When the servant of God had returned to himself from this alienation of mind, It is fitting, he said, Brethren, again to pray more intently: For although I have foretold you that this region is to be preserved free of evils, until from the divine benignity death befalls me; nevertheless the great wrath of the Lord, the wrath of his fury in the fire of his zeal has inflamed the world: therefore both we must turn to him with our whole mind, and pray for all.

[106] Therefore as many of the disciples, and as many of the strangers as were in that place being collected into one, for which he again enjoins prayers he enjoins on all in common prayers to be paid to God for sixty days: but besides these prayers, hymns also he both prescribed and taught, by which the ears of the Lord, mollified, might be inclined to the wretched. The enjoined prayers therefore are poured forth; the sacred tongue of Symeon singing in answer the sacred hymns, more powerfully moving God. But the people inhabiting those regions thence a more vehement fear and trembling assailed, expecting nothing good thereafter; nay even the mother of Symeon those prayers gravely perturbed. She therefore venerably as it were in spirit approaches the father, or rather the son, much beseeching, that he would open to her the cause why those prayers were enjoined on the Brethren and the crowds. He did not despise, being asked, the maternal prayers; and what he had been taught divinely, he manifests all: God is about to shake, he said, O mother, the earth more gravely, than ever before this; that motion alone excepted, which happened at the passion of our Lord and Saviour, through which I a weak one was freed both from death and from harsh tyranny: but various symptoms will follow the motion, so that men will fail in their hearts and minds. By these things her fear being greatly increased, Symeon's mother asked to receive the inviolate mysteries of Christ from his ^b holy hands, as the most certain and safe defense against the impending evils.

[107] On the following day, it was that of Venus, toward evening God so strongly concussed the ^c earth, that not only was it itself ruptured in several places, and the mountains dissolved by force; but even the sea fled from the face of God, unable to sustain it angry: so that not only houses, and villages, and cities, as had been shown to the Saint in vision, and so from a grave tempest are saved, subsided and were submerged; and the threats were fulfilled, long since denounced by some of the Prophets; who says: I will subvert the cities of your land and take away all your fortifications; but also the ships, dashed against the land destitute of water, were crushed, except in those places which the Saint had seemed to himself to go around: for these, according to his by no means fallacious prediction, only those whom Symeon had undertaken to protect. remained immune from all damage, surviving the motion and tempest. Micah 5, 11. ^d Thence the ninth day was passing, when by another spectacle Symeon was snatched to the northern parts. It exhibited an Angel turned toward Constantinople, three times concussing his hand over it, and not without lamentation exclaiming: Woe to the cities placed in its circuit! for its visitation, although only in part, is at hand.

[108] These things seen, Symeon leading a groan within himself, and producing manifest marks of internal grief, being asked by the bystanders observing them, the cause of the matter; a certain lamentable voice being drawn from his inmost heart, indicating a most grave affection of mind; God prepares, He predicts a calamity to Constantinople, he said, to visit the great and Royal city, though only in part, and to convulse both cities and some surrounding villages by an earthquake. Six days thence having elapsed, by night a motion began to shake ^e Constantinople, and subverted certain parts of it; subverted also Nicomedia, and the place called Rhegium ^f, nay also part of Nicaea and not a few other cities. But when the motion continuously persevered, and the agitation of the earth was no more calmed or held quieter; which by his mother's prayers the motion is, nay rather grew stronger and was much intensified; the mother of holy Symeon, unable longer to behold the divine indignation in the motion of the elements, then anxious for the safety of the whole world, runs back to her son; uses the confidence which the labor of bearing and nature had given her, and finally strongly corroborates the common supplication by her authority: but these things are done, that he would deign to stand before the Lord, avert his fury, extinguish the just wrath, repress the scourge, threatening an incurable wound.

[109] His mind kindled by these things, his mind never, when intercession must be made for us with God, at length he averts, torpid or cold; somewhat more inflamed than himself, and about to entreat the mercy of God more violently, he encloses himself; nor did he desist from prayer before the divine grace offered itself to be beheld with a bland and joyful countenance, and the words of his mouth found grace and propitiation with God. These things, he said, prescribe to the supplicating people to be sung for inhibiting the scourge. He did therefore what God had suggested, teaching the disciples a new canticle. and the disciples being convoked, going about there, he teaches a new canticle; so exquisite and neat, that by the recitation of it the tongues of the singers are sanctified, which is of this kind. As in the time of Moses, mollified by prayers, you did not sustain to crush Israel, so now also, Lord, entreated, cease to be angry with your people, and pardon our very many sins; that to you O Christ, who alone are free from sin, according to your great mercy be glory. And the disciples fulfilling the command of the Father, the props of the earth (who, O God, will worthily celebrate your commiserations!) were solidified, and the motion ceased according to his wish.

ANNOTATIONS. C. J.

c. Another

c. Another

[Greek-only block: the Life of St. Symeon the Younger by Nicephorus continues here in the original Greek (the opening of Chapter XIV and what follows). Per the editorial principle of this edition, where the Greek stands without its Latin parallel in the chunk, the Greek is preserved as-is; the corresponding Latin parallel translation appears in the subsequent chunk of the manuscript.]

[The remaining text of this chunk in the Latin source is the continuation of the editorial annotation and the Greek of the next chapter of the Life, for which no Latin parallel is given within this chunk's boundary. It is preserved here unaltered, the Greek as-is, in keeping with the rule for Greek-only material whose Latin counterpart falls in a later chunk.]

an earthquake again, much the most grievous, which that it is the same as that of which Theophanes speaks at the year 551, the description of both persuades. Thus there Theophanes: But on the ninth day of the month of July a great and terrible earthquake occurred throughout the whole region of Palestine, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syria, and Phoenicia; so much so that Tyre, Sidon, Berytus, Tripolis, and Byblis received much damage, and many thousands of men perished. But at the city of Bostra a great part of the promontory adjacent to the sea, whose name is Lithoprosopus, having been torn away, was carried into the sea; and it made a harbor suitable for receiving many great ships: whereas that city had not before had a harbor… The sea also receded into the deep gulf of the open sea a thousand paces, whence many ships were submerged into the deep: and again by the nod of God it withdrew into its own channel. These things he relates; but since the year 551, having the Dominical letter A, would make the IX day of July fall on a Sunday, either the letter-number ought to be corrected and for θ´, 9, ζ´, 7, be read, or rather the whole matter be deferred to the year 555, which had the Dominical letter C, when also Constantinople seems to have been shaken and Nicomedia overthrown, as will presently be said; although Theophanes refers these things to the preceding year 554, in which it is plain that he himself errs also from the concurrence of the Lord's Day with the XV day of August, which falls only in the year 555 already mentioned.

CHAPTER XIV.

He teaches the unlearned: he prophesies divers things: he consecrates and ascends a new column.

Ἃ μὲν οὖν τῆς κοινῆς πρεσβείας αὐτοῦ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀπέλαυον πάντες, τοιαῦτά ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ λόγος καὶ πρὸς τὰ κατὰ μέρος αὖθις χωρεῖν ἐπείγεται. Ἔδει ταῖς κεφαλίσι τῶν κιόνων γλυφῆς, οἷς ὁ κατὰ τὴν μονὴν ἐπ᾽ ὀνόματι τῆς ἀρχικῆς τῆς βασιλικῆς Τριάδος ναὸς ἐγήγερται· ἀδελφὸς δέ τις, ὄνομα Ἰωάννης, πνευματικῶν μὲν τρόπων μεταποιούμενος, καὶ λόγου μετειληφὼς, λιθουργίας δὲ παντάπασιν ἀνασκήτως ἔχων, θαῤῥήσας τῇ τε οἰκείᾳ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον πίστει, τῇ τε περὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ θέρμῃ, καὶ ταῖς ὑπερφυέσιν ἐκείνου καὶ μεγίσταις θαυματουργίαις· Ἐπίθες, πάτερ, φησὶ, τῇ καρδίᾳ μου τὴν ἁγίαν σου χεῖρα, καὶ ἄρξομαι διαγλύφειν· ὡς ἂν τῷ ἔν σοι θείῳ πνεύματι τὸν νοῦν τυπωθείην. Τοῦδε σπουδῆς ὁμοῦ καὶ ὑποταγῆς μισθῶν οὕτω μεγάλων αὐτὸν ἀποστερῆσαι μὴ βουλομένου, ἀλλὰ τῷ τοῦ μαθητοῦ στήθει ἐπιθέντος τὴν χεῖρα, καὶ Σοφίσει σε τέκνον ὁ Θεὸς τῇ λιθογλυφικῇ, φήσαντος· ἁψάμενος ἐκεῖνος ἔργου, δεύτερος ὤφθη Βεσελεὴλ, οὐ δὲ ὀλίγα τοῦ πρώτου τὴν σοφίαν λειπόμενος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἤδη καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἐνειστήκει τῆς τοῦ τοιοῦδε μαθητοῦ ἐκδημίας ἢ ἀναλύσεως, ἢ πρὸς τὰ ποθούμενα κλήσεως, καὶ τοῦτο παρὰ Θεοῦ γεγένητο δῆλον τῷ Συμεὼν, τῇ συνήθει κᾳνταῦθα παῥῥησίᾳ χρησάμενος, εἰ τῇ βίβλῳ τῆς ζωῆς ἐγγραφείη, μυστικαῖς ἐδεῖτο μαθεῖν εὐχαῖς τε καὶ ὁμιλίαις. Ὡς δὲ οὐ τοῦτον αὐτῇ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς τῶν αὐτοῦ μαθητῶν, ὅσοι τε πρὸ ἐκδημήσειαν ἐγγραφῆναι μάθοι, ὅσοι τε μετὰ ταῦτα ἐκδομήσουσιν ἐγγραφήσεσθαι καὶ αὐτοὺς, γόνυ τῷ κρυφίως λαλοῦντι κλίνας, καὶ τὰ εἰκότα εἐχαριστήσας, μετατοὺς ἑωθινοὺς ἐκείνης τῆς νυκτὸς ὕμνους, ἧς δῶρον ἡ παροῦσα ὄψις· ὑπὸ ταῖς πάντων ἀκοαῖς (ἵνα καὶ πᾶσιν οἱονεί τι κέντρον τῆς τοῦ θανάτου μνήμης ἐμβάλῃ, καὶ τούτους ἐπὶ πλέον πρὸς ἑτοιμασίαν τῆς ἐξόδου διαναστήσῃ) Ἀδελφέ, φησι, Ἰωάννης, εἰρήνη σοι, μετακαλεῖταί σε πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ὁ κοινὸς ἀπάντων Δεσπότης καὶ Βασιλεύς. Ἀγωνία τοιγαροῦν λαμβάνει τὸν μαθητὴν, πένθει καὶ χαρᾷ σύμμικτος, τὸ μὲν πρὸς τὴν τῆς τελευτῆς ἀγγελίαν, ὅτι φύσει πᾶσι φοβερὸν ἆνθρώποις ὁ θάνατος, καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην ἀποδημίαν, μεθ᾽ ἣν οὐ δὲ μία πάλιν ἐλπὶς ἀναλύσεως· τὸ τὸ δὲ, πρὸς τὴν τῶν παρόντων ἀπαλλαγὴν δυσχερῶν, καὶ τὰς προσδοκωμένας ἀμοιβὰς, καὶ τὴν τῶν πόνων ἀντίδωσιν. Τῇ τοῦ διδασκάλου τοίνυν ὡς εἶχεν εὐθὺς περιχυθεὶς μηλωτῇ, ὄλος τε ταύτῃ προσφὺς, καὶ οἷα γυμνῇ περιπτυξάμενος τῇ ψυχῇ, καθάπερ τι πιστεύων ἐφόδιον ἐκεῖθεν λαβεῖν ἢ φυλακτήριον, εἶτα πρὸς τὴν ἐκδημίαν ὅλον ἑαυτὸν συντείνας καὶ ἀπευθύνας· καὶ νῦν μὲν, Πάτερ εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθημι τὸ πνεῦμά μου, λέγων, νῦν δὲ, Τὸ πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὁδηγήσει με ἐν γῇ εὐθείᾳ, ἐπὶ τοιούτοις εὐχῆς ῥήμασι μετὰ δευτέραν ἡμέραν, ὥσπερ τινὰ γλυκὺν ἠρέμα κοιμηθεὶς ὕπνον, τῶν τοῦ σώματος δεσμῶν καὶ τῆς φυλακῆς ἀπολύεται, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐκεῖθεν μεταβαίνει ἐλευθερίαν, καὶ τὰ λαμπρὰ τῆς μακαρίας ὑποταγῆς ἆθλα καὶ τὰ κάλλη τῶν ἀντιδώσεων. Τοῦτο μὲν δὴ τοιοῦτο, καὶ οὕτω σαφὲς μετὰ πολλῶν καὶ ἄλλων μαρτύριον, τοῦ τὰ μέλλοντα τὸν Συμεὼν διορᾷν ὡς παρόντα· τὰ δ᾽ ἑξῆς ὁμοίως ἔχοντα, καὶ αὐτὰ, καὶ τῆς ἴσης τῷ προλαβόντι δυνάμεως. Μέλλουσι τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐπιτιθέναι τε καὶ συναρμόττειν ἀλλήλοις τὰ τῶν λίθων μεγέθη, δι᾽ ὧν ὁ στύλος εἰς ὕψος ἐγείρεσθαι ἤμελλεν, ὅπως ἄν τινος πρὸς τοῦτο μηχανῆς εὐπορήσειαν, οὐκ ἐλαχίστη φροντὶς ἦν· ὁ δὲ πάσης ἐπὶ τούτῳ μερίμνης ἐκέλευεν αὐτοῖς τὰς ψυχὰς ἀπολύειν· Ἑώρων γάρ, φησι, τῷ πνεύματι σήμερον ἄνδρα, περὶ τὰς κατὰ θάλατταν τοῦ ποταμοῦ εἰσβολὰς, ἐῴκει δὲ τῶν ἀγροικοτέρων εῖναι, σινδόνα τε εἶχε κατὰ τὸν ὦμον, καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ προσήει μοι, δαίμονος καταῤῥηγνύντος ἐν βαλανείοις αὐτὸν, ἀπαλλαγῆναι δεόμενος, ξύλον τε, πρὸς τὴν παροῦσαν χρείαν εὖ ἔχον, δέξασθαί με παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀξιῶν. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν, ὄρθρου τοῖς μαθηταῖς εἰρήκει· μετὰ βραχὺ δὲ οὔπω τὴν σύναξιν διαλυσαμένων αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ πρός τὰ ἐν χερσὶ τραπομένων, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι περὶ αὐτὸν ἱσταμένων, ἀφικνεῖται καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ, τὸ σημεῖον ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου τὴν σινδόνα φέρων· ὅς ἀπαλλαγῆς τε χαλεποῦ δαίμονος καταβάλλοντος ἐν βαλανείοις αὐτὸν ἐδεῖτο τυχεῖν, καί τι προσὸν ἐκείνῳ ξύλον δέξασθαι ἠξίου τὸν Συμεὼν, ὡς ἐν ἴσῳ καὶ τῆς τοῦ δαίμονος ἀπαλλαγῆς πεποιῆσθαι, Καὶ τὸ μὴ τῆς ἀξιώσεως ταύτης διαμαρτεῖν, παραπλησίαν ὥσπερ ἀμφότερα τιθέμενος χάριν. Σφραγῖδα τῷ πάσχοντι τοίνυν εὐχῇ δυναμουμένην ἐπιβαλὼν, τῷ τε πονηρῷ πνεύματι ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἐπιτιμήσας, τὸ μὲν εὐθὺς ἀπελαύνει, πείθεται δὲ τῷ ἀναγκαίῳ τῆς χρείας, καὶ ὡς τὴν μονὴν τὸ ξύλον ἀνακομιζεται. Ἑτέρου πάλιν ὁμοίως ἔχοντος ξύλου δεομένης τῆς χρείας, προλαβὼν τὰς τῶν μαθητῶν ἐκεῖνος περὶ τούτου φροντίδας τῇ τοῦ μέλλοντος πόῤῥωθεν ἀψευδεῖ καταλήψει, Ἰδοὺ φοιτᾷ πάλιν ἀνὴρ ἕτερος, ἔφη, οἰκεῖον τῇ προκειμένῃ χρείᾳ ξύλον ἐν τῷ τοῦ ποταμοῦ στόματι ἔχων, καὶ τοῦτο λαβεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀξιῶν· ὁ δὲ παὶς οὐκ ὀλίγαις τῷ ἀνδρὶ βαλλόμενος ὀδύναις, οὐ δὲ ἄπονον αὐτῷ τὴν πορείαν παρέχων. Ταῦτα ὁμοῦ τε εἴρητο πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ ὁμοῦ παρεστηκὼς ἦν ἐκεῖνος, δεόμενος γόνυ κλίνων, τὰς ὄψεις ἐρείδων τῇ γῇ, πάντα ποιῶν τόν τε πόδα τῶν ὀδυνῶν ἀνεθῆναι, καὶ ὅπερ ἔχων ἐτύγχανε ξύλον τῷ Ἁγίῳ δεχθῆναι, δέησιν ἑκάτερα ποιούμενος ἴσην. Ὁ δὲ τὴν βαΐνην ῥάβδον λαβὼν, παίει τὸν νοσοῦντα πόδα, καὶ ἡ πληγὴ παραδόξως ὑγεῖα τῷ κάμνοντι γίνεται, τό τε ξύλον ἀνακομίζεται καὶ αὐτό, εἴξαντος ἐκείνου κἀνταῦθα τῷ τῆς χρείας ἀπαραιτήτῳ, καὶ ὁ στύλος εἰς ὅπερ ὁρᾶται νῦν αἴρεται ὕψος. Ταύτῃ τοιγαροῦν ἀπαρτισθέντος τοῦ στύλου, περὶ τρίτην ὥραν ἡμερινὴν, ὑπὸ μυριάσιν Ἀγγέλων ἐπιφανεὶς ὁ Χριστὸς, ποθεινῆς ὁμοῦ καὶ φρικτῆς ἐκείνης ἐπιφανείας, ἐν ἄρτῳ τε καὶ οἴνῳ πνευματικῶς προσκομίσας (αὐτὸς δὲ ἦν ὁ καὶ προσφέρων ἄρα καὶ προσφερόμενος) τὴν τοῦ οἰκείου θεράποντος ὑπὸ μόνοις τοῖς ἐκείνου ὀφθαλμοῖς, οἳ καὶ πρὸς τηλικαύτην ὄψιν ἠξίωντο διαβλέπειν, ἡγίασε στάσιν. Ἅπερ ἰδόντα τὸν Συμεὼν πόθῳ τε τῆς ἐπὶ τὸν στύλον ἀνόδου πόθον, καὶ σπουδῇ σπουδὴν προσλαβεῖν· καὶ τοὺς εὐδοκιμωτέρους τῶν μαθητῶν συγκαλέσαντα, τὴν θείαν αὐτοῖς ἐν πνεύματι ταπεινώσεως ἐξηγήσασθαι ὄψιν, άξιῶσαί τε τούτους ἑορτὴν ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν ἄγειν λαμπρὰν, φόβῳ θείῳ τὴν καρδίαν εὐφραινομένους, τὸ μὲν διὰ τὸ φρικτὸν τῆς ἐπιδημίας, τὸ δὲ διὰ τὸ ὑπερφυὲς τῆς χρηστότητος. Ἡ δὲ ἦν ἡ ἐπαύριον τῆς Πεντηκοστης, καθ᾽ ἣν καὶ τὴν εἰς τοὺς Χριστοῦ μαθητὰς ἐορτάζομεν τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου ἐπιδημίαν· κατ᾽ αὐτὴν γὰρ ἐπιφανέντα τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτῷ καὶ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ Θεὸν ἁγιάσαι τὴν στάσιν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ στύλου, τὴν μυστικὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ θυσίαν προσαγαγόντα, οἷα συγγενές τι σκεῦος τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις εὑρόντα καὶ συγγενοῦς αὐτῷ χάριτος ἐκείνοις μεταδιδόντα. Ταύτην ὁ μὲν δέδωκεν ἐντολὴν τοῖς ἐπισημοτέροις τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἥ τις παρὰ τῇ μονῇ καὶ εἰς δεῦρο τηρεῖται. Τῆς δ᾽ ἐπιούσης Κυριακῆς, εἴη δ᾽ ἂν ἡ ἑξῆς τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς, μετὰ τὰς ἑωθινὰς ᾠδὰς, τὰς μὲν τῆς μονῆς πύλας τοῖς ἔξωθεν φοιτῶσι κελεύει καθάπαξ ἀποκλεισθῆναι· αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς πάντας συναγαγὼν, Θεῷ τε θυμιάσας, καὶ γόνυ κλίναι πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπιτάξας, κεφαλὴν μετὰ τῶν γονάτων τῇ γῇ καὶ οὗτος ἐρείσας, δάκρυά τε τὰ καὶ θυμιάματος Θεῷ μᾶλλον ἡδίω καὶ εὐωδέστερα θερμῶς ἐπισπείσας, ἄχρι πολλοῦ προσηύξατο· ἐπὶ τέλει δὲ τῆς εὐχῆς τὸ Ἀμὴν αὐτῶν ἐπειπόντων, ἀναστὰς πρῶτα μὲν συγχώρησιν αὐτοῖς πάσης ἁπλῶς ἀντιλογίας, καὶ παντὸς οὗ τινος οὖν ἑκουσίου ἢ

ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ ἐδίδου· εἶτα παραινέσεως ἁψάμενος, πρὸ μὲν πάντων τὴν δεσποτικὴν ἐντολὴν ἐνετέλλετο, ὥστε ἀγαπᾷν ἀλλήλους, Καθὼς ἐγώ, φησιν, ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς· ἐξῆς δὲ, καὶ τοῦ ἐπαγγέλματος, καὶ τῶν ὅσα τοῦ ἐπαγγέλματος ἔχεσθαι σπουδῇ παρεγγύα· τὰ δὲ ἦν, νεκρῶσαι μὲν αὐτοὺς τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τῆς δὲ τῶν παραβαλόντων κοσμικῶν συντυχίας ἀπέχεσθαι, ἔργῳ χειρῶν κοπιῶντας τὸν ἐπιοὑσιον πορίζεσθαι ἄρτον, φυλακῇ πάσῃ τὴν ἐαυτῶν καρδίαν τηρεῖν, εὐχῇ καὶ γραφῶν ἱερῶν μελέτῃ καὶ θείοις διὰ παντὸς ὕμνοις σχολάζοντας, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν μὴ λυπῆσαι τὸ Πνεύμα τὸ Ἅγιον, Ἐν ᾧ φησιν ἐσφραγίσθημεν εἰς ἡμέραν ἀπολυτρώσεως. Ταῦτα καὶ πολλὰ τούτοις ὁμοίως ἔχοντα πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰπὼν, Θεόν τε τοῖς λεχθεῖσι, τήν τε παναγίαν αὐτοῦ Μητέρα, καὶ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς Ἀγγέλους, οἷα καὶ τῶν λεγομένων ἀκροατὰς ἐπιμαρτυράμενος, Ἔπειτα περὶ τοῦ κόσμου κοινῆ δεηθείς, τοῖς τε δωρεὰν μισοῦσι τοῖς τε δράσασιν εὖ οὐκ ἀμνηστίαν μόνον ἁμαρτιῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀγαθῶν μᾶλλον ἀντίδοσιν ἐπευξάμενος, εὐλογήσας τε τοὺς μαθητὰς καὶ Θεῷ παραθέμενος, ἐκδύσαι τὸ συνήθως οὕτω λεγόμενον Δερμοκούκουλον αὐτὸν ἐπιτάττει. Ἔπειτα μέντοι τούτοις ἐαυτὸν ἐπιδόντα, χερσὶν οὐ ποθούσαις μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ φριττούσαις αὐτοὶ δεξάμενοι, ἕν τινι καινῷ καθίζουσι θρόνῳ, τὸ θεῖον ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους εὐαγγέλιον φέροντα, οὗ τοὺς καρποὺς ἐν καρδίας μᾶλλον εἶχε κόλποις δαψιλῶς φυομένους. Ταύτη τοιγαροῦν βασταζόμενος τὴν μονὴν περιῆγεν, ἕκαστον οἰκίσκον αὐτῆς εὐλογῶν· οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ τὴν τῆς τροφῆς ἀποθήκην, καὶ ἀφθονίαν αὐτῇ ἐπευχόμενος. Ἡ γοῦν ὁσία Μάρθα, ἡ τούτου κατὰ σάρκα μήτηρ, ὅν κατὰ πνεῦμα πατέρα μᾶλλον αὐτὴ πεποίητο, τῷ υἱῷ καλλωπιζομένη, ὅτι τοιοῦτον καρπὸν ὠδίνων δεδώκει Θεῷ, σταυρόν τε διὰ χειρὸς λαβοῦσα, προηγεῖτο μάλα φαιδρῶς ἐν ὑψηλῷ τῷ φρονήματι. Καὶ οὕτως εἰς τὸν θεῖον ναὸν ὁ τῷ ὄντι θεῖος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ εἰσαχθεὶς, ἐπὶ τὸν ἱερὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἀνάγεται στύλον, ἐν ἔτει τῆς μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ λίθου στάσεως δεκάτῳ, τῆς δὲ ἡλικίας τριακοστῷ.

[110] And these are the things which, by his intercession before God, all in common obtained. But now the discourse hastens to return to those things What was hidden, he by divine teaching imparts to an unlearned brother, which were granted to individuals in particular. To the capitals of the columns by which the monastery's church, dedicated to the name of the most holy Trinity, was upheld, the ornament of sculpture was still wanting: when a certain Brother John by name, as unskilled in the cutting of stones as he was practiced in spiritual matters and zealous for prayer; trusting nevertheless both in his own faith toward the Saint, and in the eagerness for fulfilling his precepts, and in the supernatural workings of the same: Lay, he says, Father, upon my breast thy sacred hand, and I will make a beginning of the sculpture, that, through the holy Spirit which is in thee, I may form into a work the things I have conceived in mind. But he, since he was unwilling to deprive the disciple of so great a reward of diligence and submission, laid his hand upon the eager one, and: God will instruct thee, he said, my son, in the art of cutting stones. And so he in very deed set to the work: and there appeared another Beseleel a; in nothing yielding to that ancient one in knowledge.

[111] But after the time of his migration or release, whose imminent death also he understands, or rather of his calling to the desired joys, was now pressing upon the same disciple, and this had been made known by divine signification to Symeon; he, with his accustomed liberty of dealing with God, was instant with secret prayers and supplications, that he might be taught whether that man was inscribed in the book of life. But when he had learned that not only he, but also the rest of the disciples, who had died up to that time, were inscribed, and as many as should die thereafter were to be inscribed; with knees bent before the One who spoke to him in secret; he rendered thanks to Him, as was fitting, and after the matutinal hymns of that night on which he had been deemed worthy of the aforesaid vision, that he might place a goad before all for recalling the memory of death, and excite them to prepare for departure; and indicates it to him, Brother John, he says, peace be to thee; the common King and Lord summons thee.

[112] That voice led the disciple into agony, with grief and joy alternating: grief indeed both on account of the announcement of death, since death is by nature terrible to all, and on account of the supreme departure, after which no hope of departing again remains: who, preparing himself at once, piously dies. but joy because, freed from the troubles of the present life, he was about to exchange them for goods long awaited, and to receive the recompense of his labors. Therefore wrapped, as he could, in his master's sheepskin cloak, and tightly bound with it, and as it were enveloping his soul loosed from the body, wholly believing that going forth thence he was taking his way to a safer place, he turns his whole mind to the pilgrimage he had to undertake, and disposes all things thereto; now indeed saying, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit; now, Thy good Spirit shall lead me into the right land. And indulging in such little prayers for two days, gently as it were yielding to a sweet sleep, he is taken from the bonds of the body and the prison, about to pass to the hoped-for liberty, and the reward of holy obedience, and the fair recompense. And let this, beside many other things, be a sure and evident testimony, that things future were as clearly seen by Symeon as things present: and those which follow have equal force of proving the same.

[113] To the Brothers, who were about to set and join together among themselves the huge stones, by which the column was to be raised on high; there was no small care concerning the machines which were still to be used: when Symeon bids the mind be freed from all anxiety; Timbers necessary for raising the stones into the column, and says: I saw in spirit today, near the mouth of the river in the sea, a man of more rustic form and dress, with a linen cloth hanging from his shoulder, who runs to me, beseeching that he might be freed from an evil demon, by whom he had been miserably tortured in the baths; at the same time asking that I would receive from him a timber, very fit for the present use. These things he said to the disciples in the morning; but a little after, when the Brothers were not yet girding themselves to the work which they had in hand, nay, when the assembly had not even been dismissed, but all were still standing about the Saint; that man arrives, the sign that was foretold, namely having the linen cloth upon his shoulder; he asks that the troublesome demon, accustomed to throw him down in the baths, be driven from him; and at the same time prays that Symeon would not disdain to take the timber which he had brought with him: as though he reckoned that both benefits, both the immunity from the demon afforded him, and the not bearing the refusal of the offered gift, were to be placed on an equal footing. The Saint therefore impressed upon the demoniac the sign of the Cross, sustained by the virtue of prayer; and commanded the malignant spirit in the name of the Lord and our Saviour to depart thence; which being immediately exterminated, yielding to the present necessity, he ordered the timber to be carried into the monastery.

[114] When use again required another timber of like form, Symeon, anticipating the disciples anxious about this matter, informed by the infallible knowledge of things to come: Behold, he foretells things soon to be brought, he says, again another man comes hither, who has a timber, exceedingly apt for the present use, at the mouth of the river, and asks that we accept that very thing. A wounded foot generates no small pains for the man, and does not suffer him to pass hither without grievous labor. As soon as these things were said, at the same moment the aforesaid man presented himself, supplicating with bent knees, with face fixed on the ground, doing all things whereby both his foot might be relieved of pains, and the timber which he had might be accepted by the Saint; desiring to obtain equally his twofold wish. Then Symeon strikes the affected foot with his palm rod, and the blow was made marvelously a healing for him; and the timber also was brought: which being adapted to the present use of inexcusable necessity, the column was raised to that height which we b now see.

[115] When in this manner it was perfected in all its parts, about the third hour of the day Christ appeared, surrounded by an infinite host of Angels; and he sees the perfected column consecrated by Christ, in this apparition as desirable as it was tremendous, making a spiritual oblation of bread and wine (and He himself was the one who both offered and was offered) He sanctified for his own servant, whose eyes alone were deemed worthy of such a vision, the place of his future station. Having seen these things, Symeon added to the desire of ascending the column desire, and zeal to zeal; and having called together the Brothers of more approved life, he related to them in a spirit of humility the divine vision; and prayed that, rejoicing in the spirit of divine fear, they should keep that day most festive; with fear indeed on account of reverence for the Lord's coming, but with joy on account of the abundance of His goodness. That day was the day after Pentecost, on which we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ: for on that very day the Lord manifested Himself to him, and consecrated his station upon the column, offering there the mystical sacrifice; and as though He had found a vessel of election like to the Apostles, imparting to this one also the like grace of theirs. This precept, moreover, given to the Brothers of more notable virtue, flourishes in the monastery to the present c time.

[116] On the following Lord's Day, which was after Pentecost, the matutinal hymns being finished, Having exhorted the disciples to virtue, he bids the gates of the monastery be closed on every side to those coming from abroad; and having gathered all the disciples together, after the incense offered to God, he commands that they bend their knees; but he himself not only so, but also prostrate with head on the ground, and fervently pouring forth tears more pleasing to God and more adorable than all incense, prolonged his prayer for a long time. At its end, the disciples subjoining Amen, he rose: and first indeed gave them pardon of any fault whatsoever, whether committed deliberately or through ignorance; then, an exhortation being begun, he above all inculcated the divine commandment, that they should love one another; Even as, he says, I have loved you: then he exhorts that they have accurate care of their Profession and of those things which are joined with it; namely, to mortify their members which are upon the earth, to abstain from the dealings with worldly persons who come by, applying themselves to manual labor to procure their daily bread, to keep their heart with all vigilance; never to be without prayer, the meditation of the sacred Scriptures, and divine hymns; above all, not to grieve the Holy Spirit, in whom, he said, we are sealed unto the day of redemption.

[117] Having spoken these and many like things; he called God, and His most holy mother, and the elect Angels, as witnesses of the words which they had heard. Then he supplicated for the whole world in common; for those who spurn gifts and those who do rightly, praying not only the remission of sins, and having prayed well for the whole monastery, but also the recompense of all good things; and the disciples, blessed and commended to God, he bids put off the d Dermocucullus, as it is commonly called: after these things he committed himself to their will; who, having taken hold of him with hands partly exulting, partly trembling with a certain dread, placed him upon a new throne, bearing the most holy Gospel upon his breast, whose abundant fruits he had stored in the inmost recess of his heart. Borne in this manner, then, he went around the whole monastery, and imparted his blessing to every little dwelling, not even passing by the storeroom, for which he prayed a rich provision. Before went S. Martha, Symeon's mother according to the flesh, but who held him rather for her father according to the spirit

had he is carried to the new column, applauding and exulting, that she had offered such a fruit of her womb; and she bore the Cross in her hand, intent with singular gladness of soul on higher thoughts. And in this manner the holy man, having been brought into the temple of God, is from thence led back to his sacred column, in the year, namely, the tenth from when he had stood upon the stone; but the thirtieth of his age. e

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XV.

A blocked bowel, blindness, sterility, hemorrhage, toothache are cured.

Τὰ δ᾽ ἐντεῦθεν ἀρχὴν τῶ λόγῳ πάλιν ἑτέραν παρέχεται, τοσαῦτά τε καὶ τοιαῦτα ὄντα, οἷα καὶ εἰ μηδὲν ἕτερον εἴρητο, μὴ δὲ μίαν θαυμάτων ἢ θείας ἄνωθεν χάριτος ὑπερβολὴν ἀπολείπειν, καὶ ὅσα οὑχ ὅπως συγγράφειν ἀλλὰ μὴ δὲ ἀριθμεῖν ἁπλῶς ῥᾴδιον εἶναι. Προσάγεται γάρ τις αὐτῷ νεάνις παρὰ τὸ εἰκὸς τῆς φύσεως πάθει κατεχομένη, οὐ γὰρ διὰ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν ἐξόδων αὐτῇ ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς μήτρας ὑπεχώρει τὰ εἰς γαστέρα σιτία. Χεῖρα τοίνυν αὐτῆς ἐπιθεὶς τῇ κοιλίᾳ, χεῖρα πρὸς Θεὸν ἀεὶ νοερῶς αἰρομένην, καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν αἰτήσοι πάλιν λαμβάνουσαν, τήν τε δημιουργὸν σοφίαν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἐπικαλεσάμενος καὶ Θεὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀπαλλάττει τὴν νεάνιν τοῦ πάθους, καὶ κατὰ φύσιν ἀποκαθίστησι ταύτην. Ὅπερ τηλικοῦτον ὄν, ἀδελφὸν εἰς θαύματος λόγον ἔχει τὸ ἐπαγόμενον. Ἀνδρὶ γάρ τινι τὴν κλῆσιν Ἐπιφανίῳ, χαρὰνδαμηνῷ τὴν κῶμην, παιδίον ὡσεὶ τρίετες ἦν, λίχνως τε περὶ τὴν ὄρεξιν ἔχον, καὶ πλείονος ἢ κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν τροφῆς πιπλάμενον. Συμβὰν τοιγαροῦν αὐτῷ τὰ περὶ γαστέρα διαφραγῆναι, οὐ δὲ δι᾽ ἐνιαυτοῦ τὰ ἐξ αὑτῆς ὐπεχώρει. Καὶ τὸ μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ ὄγκου ἤδη ῥηγνύμενον, κλαυθμῷ συνείχετο, πικρὸν καὶ τὸ γλυκὺ πᾶσιν ἡλίου φῶς τοῖς τεκοῦσιν ἐργαζομένῳ· οἱ δὲ πάσης ἄλλης ἀπορούμενοι θεραπείας, τὸ θεῖον αὐτῷ τοῦ Συμεὼν ὄνομα κατεπῇδον, ἔτι καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου κόνεως αὐτὸ ἐπιχρίοντες (οὑ δὲ γὰρ τῆς φήμης τῶν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς θαυμάτων ἀμαθεῖς ἦσαν, οὐχ ἦττον ἢ αὐγῆς ἡλίου βλέποντες ὀφθαλμοὶ ) καὶ τὸ μὲν παιδίον εὐθὺς ῥᾷον εἶχε, καθάπερ αὐτῷ τῆς τροφῆς εἰς ἀνυπαρξίαν χωρούσης, τὰ δὲ κατ᾽ αὐτὸ διὰ θαύματος ἔκειτο τοῖς πολλοῖς, ὅσοι τε ὁρᾷν, ὅσοι τε περὶ αὐτοῦ μανθάνειν εἶχον, ἕως παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον κομισθέντι χεῖρα κᾀνταῦθα, χεῖρα πρὸς Θεὸν ἰσχύουσαν, ἐπιθεὶς, τὰς συνήθεις τῇ φύσει πάλιν ἐξόδους ἀποδεδώκει. Πρεσβύτερός τις ἀπὸ χωρίου Παράδεισος λεγομένου, Θωμᾶς ὄνομα, ἀναθέματι τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅθεν καὶ ὅπως, ἢ φθόνῳ πάντως τοῦ βασκαίνειν ἄνωθεν τοῖς καλοῖς πεφυκότι ὑποβεβλήκει. Οὗτος ὡς εἰς δυσμὰς ἀφίκετο βίου, καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ χωρίζεσθαι ἤδη τοῦ σώματος ἔμελλεν, ἀποκέκλειστο μὲν αὐτῷ ἡ φωνὴ, δίκας ὥσπερ τῆς εἰς τὸν Ἅγιον ἐκτίνουσα βλασφημίας, οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ δὲ ἄγριόν τι καὶ τεταραγμένον ἀνεῳγότες ἦσαν, ἄνω βλέποντες καὶ οὐ δὲ μῦσαι δυνάμενοι· καὶ ταύτη δεινῶς ἄχρι καὶ εἰς ἑξήκοντα ἡμέρας ἠτάζετο, ἢ ἐπαιδεύετο, ἢ ἐμαστίζετο, ἢ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι χρὴ προσαρμόσαι τῷ πράγματι ὄνομα. Τοῖς γοῦν περιοίκοις καὶ ὅσοι τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἐκ γειτόνων ἐτύγχανον, οὐ συλλαλιὰ πρὸς ἀλλήλους μόνον ἦν τὸ εἰς αὐτὸν γεγονὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν εὐχὴ, λυθῆναι τὴν μηκίστην καὶ χαλεπωτάτην ἐκείνην αὐτῷ τιμωρίαν. Καί ποτε πολλῶν περὶ αὐτὸν ἀθροισθέντων, καὶ φθέγξασθαί τι βιαζομένων, τῆς γλώττης αὐτῷ μικρὸν ἀνεθείσης (οἷα τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίματα, ἵν᾽ αὐτῷ τε τὰ τῆς πικρᾶς ἐκείνης μάστιγος στῇ, καὶ πολλοῖς ἄλλοις οὗτος παιδεία γένηται!) Συγχώρησίν μοι παρὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν αἰτητέον ὑμῖν ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ ἀναθέματος, ἔφη· τούτου γὰρ ἄρτι τὴν παροῦσαν εἰσπράττω κόλασιν. Καὶ οἱ μὲν πρεσβείαν εὐθὺς παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον στέλλονται· ὁ δὲ (καὶ γὰρ ἦν θερμότερος τὰ τοιαῦτα διδόναι μᾶλλον ἢ τοὺς αἰτοῦντας λαμβάνειν, οἷα καὶ τοῦτο σαφῶς κερδαίνειν εἰδὼς ὃ δίδωσι) τῶν μαθητῶν ἕνα καλέσας, Συμεὼν τὴν προσηγορίαν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς δίδωσι ταύτην, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα καὶ διάθεσις ψυχῆς τῇ συγγνώμῃ προσῇ, τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐπὶ πλέον πληροφοροῦσα, Ἕνα φησὶ τῶν τῆς εὐλογίας ἄρτων λαβὼν, ἄπιθι σὺν αὐτοῖς κομίζων τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ, καὶ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ ἡ ἁμαρτία παρὰ Θεοῦ, ἀσπασάμενος γὰρ τὸν ἄρτον εὐθὺς ἀναπαύσεται. Τοῦ δὲ τὸν ἄρτον αὐτίκα λαβόντος καὶ κομίσαντος, πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ παρουσίαν ἐκεῖνος ἀνενεγκὼν, ἀσμένως τε χερσίν ἀμφοτέραις δεξάμενος καὶ φιλήσας, συναποδίδωσι τῷ ἀσπασμῷ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα, καθάπερ ἐκδημῆσαι μὴ συγχωρούμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ βιαιότατα κατεχόμενον, καὶ χαλεπώτατα πάσχον, ἕως παρὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν, εἰς ὃν δηλαδὴ καὶ τὰ τῆς βλασφημίας, ἡ λύσις ἀφίκοιτο. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν πληροῦντός ἐστιν οἰκείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ κᾀνταῦθα ἐπαγγελίαν, καὶ φιλοτίμως δοξάζοντος τοὺς αὐτὸν δοξάζειν προῃρημένους· πρὸς δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀσυνέτως ἔχοντας, διὰ τῆς εἰς ἐκεῖνον πληγῆς, σωφρονίζοντος· ἐκεῖνο δὲ πῶς οὐ διηγητέον. Συνέβη κατὰ τὴν ὀρεινὴν γυναῖκά τινα παιδίον τεκεῖν οὕτω τυφλὸν, ὡς μὴ δὲ ὀφθαλμῶν πυθμένας, μὴ κοιλότητας, μὴ δὲ ἴχνη τούτων τῷ προσώπῳ ἐντετυπῶσθαι. Βέλους τοίνυν πικρότερον οί τέκόντες βαλλόμενοι τὰ σπλάγχνα, φόρτον ἀράμενοι τὸ βρέφος, δάκρυα καὶ μηδὲν προσήκουσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς κινεῖν δυνάμενον, παρὰ τὸν θεῖον ὥρμηντο τοῦτον ἄνδρα, τὴν μόνην ἐν ἀμηχάνοις ἐλπίδα. Ὡς οὖν ἀνιόντες διὰ τοῦ ὄρους ἐκάθισαν, ὥστε τὸν ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ πόνον βραχύ τι διαναπαῦσαι, ὁρῶσιν (ὢ γονέων ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡδίστου θεάματος!) ἔχοντας τῷ παιδίῳ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς κατὰ φύσιν, ὑγιαίνοντί τι βλέμματι βλέποντας· καὶ παραχρῆμα συντονωτέρᾳ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον τῇ πορείᾳ ἐχρῶντο, ἀπαγγέλλοντες τὰ ἐλέη καὶ τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ. Οὕτως ἡ παρ᾽ αὐτῷ χάρις ἄνωθεν τὴν τῶν αἰτούντων πολλάκις ἔφθανε παρουσίαν, τῇ τῆς καρδίας ἑτοιμασίᾳ προσέχουσα, καὶ πρὶν ἢ τὴν αἴτησιν ἐκείνους θέσθαι, αὐτὴ τὴν δωρεὰν ἐκπληροῦσα. Ἀλλά τις οὕτω γλῶττα περιττὴ καὶ φιλότιμος, ὡς τὸ ποικίλον ἐκείνου τῶν θαυμάτων καὶ πολυειδὲς ἱκανῶς παραστῆσαι; Γυνὴ γάρ τις ἐν Ῥοσῷ, πόλει τῆς Κιλικίας, ὄνομα Θεοτέκνα, δαιμονίῳ πνεύματι κάτοχος ἐκ παιδὸς γενομένη, σύγχρονόν τε τῆς ἡλικίας ὥσπερ αὐτὸ, καὶ μηδέ ποτε διαζευγνύμενον αὐτῆς ἔχουσα, ἀλλὰ δεινῶς αὐτὴν καταῤῥῆσσον, καὶ τῆς γλώττης οἴκτιστα παραπτόμενον. Αὕτη καὶ εἰκοστὸν ἔτος ἀνδρὶ συνοικήσασα, καὶ ἀτεκνίᾳ μετὰ τῆς ἐκ τοῦ δαίμονος ἐπηρείας ἡ Θεοτέκνα μαστιζομένη, ὡς οὐ δὲ μίαν εὕρισκε τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγὴν, οὐκέτι φορητῆς οὔσης ἐκείνῳ τῆς συνοικήσεως, ἀπολέλυτο παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Τετάρτου τοίνυν μεταξὺ διαῤῥεύσαντος χρόνου, ὁ μὲν ἀνὴρ δευτέρων οὐ πεπείρατο γάμων, ἡ δὲ πρὸς τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν καταφεύγει, και τὴν ἄμαχον ἐκείνου κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἰσχύν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἤδη τοῦ στύλου πλησίον ἔλθοι, ἴδοι τε τὸν Μέγαν καὶ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ θεαθείη, τὴν ἐγγύτητα τὸ δαιμόνιον καὶ τὴν θέαν ὤσπερ οὐκ ἐνεγκὸν, ἤρξατο δεινῶς ἐκμαίνειν καὶ βρύχειν, ἐσχάτως τε τὴν γυναῖκα σπαράττειν, καὶ, Ὠ βίᾳ κράζειν, ἄγριόν τι καὶ κομιδῇ μεμῃνὸς, Τί μοι πρός σε τοσοῦτον ἡμάρτηται, ὅτι με χωρίζεις τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ γυναικός; ὁ μιαρὸς τῷ ὄντι τὰ μιαρὰ φθεγγόμενος, Ἵνα τί δέ φησι καὶ παῖδα δίδως αὐτῇ, ἄπαιδι τοσούτους ἐξ ἐμοῦ χρόνους μεμενηκυῖᾳ; Ἐδόκει γὰρ τῇ γυναικὶ τηνικαῦτα, ὡς μετὰ ταῦτα νήψασα ἐξηγεῖτο, αὐτὸν ὥσπερ τὸν Ἅγιον λέγοντα τοιαῦτα ὁρᾷν· Σὺ μὲν, πνεῦμα πονηρὸν, ἐκ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ ἄκον ἀπελαθήσῃ, αὐτὴ δὲ πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον ἐπιστρέψει ἄνδρα, καὶ παιδίον αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἐπιόντος ἔτους γενήσεται. Ὁ μὲν οὖν χαλεπὸς δαίμων ἐκεῖνος, ἄλλα τε πολλὰ μανικὰ καὶ δαιμονιώδη κράζων, ἦν ὥσπερ εἰκὸς, καὶ Οὐαί μοι τῷ κακῷ οἰκέτῃ! οὐαὶ τῷ κατὰ πολὺ δρῶντι τὸ ἀκούσιον ἃ προστέταγμαι! Ταῦτα ἔκραζεν, ὅσα καὶ ὀργάνῳ τῇ γυναικὶ χρώμενος, καὶ κύκλῳ τοῦ στύλου ταύτην ἐλεεινῶς περιῆγε, καθάπερ ἀπὸ προσώπου φεύγων τοῦ Συμεὼν, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ πνεύματος ἐλαυνόμενος· τέλος, Ἔξειμι μέγα βοήσας, ἀπῆλθε, σωφρόνως ἔχουσαν αὐτὴν ἀπολελοιπώς· πρὸς ἣν ὁ ἱερὸς Συμεὼν, Ἐπάνηκε, γύναι, παρὰ τὸν ἴδιον ἄνδρα, ἔφη, συνέσει γὰρ αὐτῷ τοῦ λοιποῦ, καὶ κοιλίας ἐξ αὐτοῦ καρπὸς ἔσται σοι. Η μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ Ἁγίου πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα ἐπανελθοῦσα, ἀσμένως τε παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰσδεχθεῖσα, καὶ παιδίον τοῦ ἐπιγινομένου ἐνιαυτοῦ τέξασα, τῷ Μεγάλῳ πάλιν αὐτὸ μετὰ τοῦ συζύγου προσάγει, εὐχῆς ὂν ἐκείνου μᾶλλον ἢ τῶν αὐτῆς ὠδίνων καρπόν. Προσἀγει τοίνυν τὸ παιδίον τῷ δεδωκότι, καθάπερ ἐγκαλλωπιζομένη τῷ δώρῳ, και ταύτῃ τὸν δοτῆρα μᾶλλον ἢ γλώττᾳ κηρύττουσα. Εἶτα καὶ οἴκαδε πάλιν εὐλογίας τυχὸν ἐπανάγει, καὶ ἀντίδοσιν ἡ γυνὴ τοσαύτης καὶ οὕτω ποικίλης εὐεργεσίας (οὐ γὰρ δὴ συνοίκου δαίμονος ἀπήλλακτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἀνασέσωστο· πρὸς δὲ, καὶ παῖδα ἐξ ἑαυτῆς, ὅπερ οὐδέπω πρότερον, ἴδοι) ἀντίδοσιν τοίνυν ἀγαθῶν τοσούτων, ἀνίστησιν εἰκόνα οἴκοι τοῦ Συμεὼν· χρυσοῦ μὲν ὡς ἡ προαίρεσις εἶχεν οὐκ εὐποροῦσα, ὃ δὲ καὶ χρυσοῦ μακρῶ τιμιώτερον πίστιν εἰσενέγκουσα τοσαύτην, ὡς οὐ δαιμονῶντας μόνον καὶ πολλοῖς πάθεσιν ἄλλοις συνεχομένους, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν ἐπὶ πέμπτῳ καὶ δεκάτῳ ἔτει αἱμόῤῥουν καθαρᾶς ἐκεῖ τυχεῖν καὶ περιφανοῦς θεραπείας· Οὕτως αὐτοῦ καὶ θέα ψιλὴ, καὶ σφραγὶς, καὶ ῥάβδος, καὶ τύπος, καὶ λόγος, καὶ κλῆσις, καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τῶν ἐκείνου παντὸς ἤρκει γενέσθαι πάθους ἀπαλλαγή. Εἶτά τις αἱμόῤῥους ἑτέρα, ἔκ τινος κώμης Μυλιτῶν λεγομένης, ἔτος ἤδη τρίτον τῷ χαλεπῷ τούτῳ πάθει πιεζομένη, πρόσεισιν ἐκ τῶν ὀπισθίων τῷ Συμεὼν, κατὰ τὴν αἱμόῤῥουν ἐκείνην, τὴν τοῦ ἐμοῦ Χριστοῦ τολμήσασαν ἄψασθαι· καὶ ὁμοῦ τε ψαύει, καὶ τυγχάνει τῆς θεραπείας. Ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἦν καὶ νῦν Δεσπότης, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ, οὕτω διὰ τοῦ θεράποντος ἐνταῦθα λύων τὸ πάθος, καὶ πρὸς πίστιν ἴσην, ἴσον καὶ τὸν ἔλεον νέμων. Ἀπῆλθε τοιγαροῦν ὁμοίως τῇ προλαβούσῃ καὶ αὕτη τὴν ὑγίαν κομισαμένη, ὃ πρὸ μικροῦ τῆς εἰνόνος ἐκείνη, τοῦτο

νῦν αὕτη τοῦ πρωτοτύπου τυχοῦσα. Ἑξῆς δὲ προσῆλθέ τις ἀνὴρ τῷ Μεγάλῳ ἔκ τινος κώμκς, Μαγίᾳ δὲ κέκλητο αὕτη, ἔτος οὐ πλεῖον ἤ ἑβδομηκοστὸν γεγονὼς, δριμείαις τὸν ὀδόντα βαλλόμενος ὀδύναις· ἐπιτεθῆναί τε αὐτῷ τὴν ὁσίαν ἐκείνου χεῖρα δεόμενος, ὥστε τοῦτον παντάπασιν ἐκκρουσθῆναι, σαλευόμενον ἤδη τῶν πόνων ταῖς προσβολαῖς. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν ἐδεῖτο, δάκρυα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν καθιεὶς, τὰ ψυχῆς ἀλγούσης ἀψευδῆ σύμβολα· ὁ δὲ χαριέντως ὑπολαβὼν, Μή ποτέ σοι βέλτιον, ἔφη, καὶ ἄλλον ἐκφῦναι μᾶλλον αἰτεῖν, ἤ τὸν πονήρως ἔχοντα μόνον ἀποβαλεῖν; Καὶ ὃς πρὸς τὸ ῥῆμα τὴν ψυχὴν ἀναζέσας (ὃ πέφυκεν ἀεὶ δρᾷν ἀγαθῶν ἀπροσδοκήτων ἐπαγγελία) ἀμφοτέραις τε τῆς μηλωτῆς ὡς εἶχεν ἐκκρεμασθεὶς, ἀποβάλλει μὲν αὐταῖς ῥίζαις, ἐπιθέσει χειρῶν ἐκείνου πολλὴν ἄνωθεν ἑλκούσῃ τὴν χάριν, τὸν διεφθαρμένον ὀδόντα· ἕτερος δὲ μετά τινας ἡμέρας (ὢ πράγματος οὐ ῥᾳδίως πιστευομένου!) ἐφύετό τε καὶ ηὔξετο. Καὶ τούτου μάρτυρες πολλῶν ὀφθαλμοὶ, οἷς εἰς θαῦμα παρὰ τοῦ τυχόντος τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἐδείκνυτο, τῷ ὀψὲ δηλαδὴ τοῦ χρόνου, καὶ τῷ παρ᾽ ἡλικίαν τῆς φύσεως. Ὅπερ δὴ τηλικοῦτον ὂν, ὑποχωρεῖ τῇ λέγεσθαι ἤδη μελλούσῃ μετ᾽ αὐτὸ θεωρίᾳ. Ποτὲ γὰρ ὀψὲ σαββάτου μετὰ τοὺς ἑσπερινοὺς ὕμνους, κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες τῶν μαθητῶν περὶ αὐτῶν ἀθροισθέντων, ἀγρυπνίαν ὡς ἔθος ἐκείνης αὐτοῖς τῆς νυκτὸς παραγγείλας· εἶτα διδασκαλίας ἀρξάμενος, αἰνίγματά τε καὶ παραβολὰς αὐτοῖς προτείνας καὶ ἐπιλύσας οὕτως αὐτῶν διέθηκε τὰς ψυχὰς, καὶ τοσοῦτον αὐταῖς ἐνέταξε θεῖον φόβον, καὶ λύπης καρδίαν εὐφραινούσης γλυκύτητα, ὡς μικροῦ καὶ τὸ τῶν ᾀδομένων αὐτοὺς σειρήνων παθεῖν, πλὴν ὅσον εἰς θάνατον μὲν ἐκεῖ τὸ θέλγον, ἐνταῦθα δὲ τελευτῶν εἰς ἀθανασίαν. Τὴν διδασκαλίαν δὲ τῆς συνήθους αὐτοῖς εὐχῆς διεδεξαμένης, καὶ τὸν μακαρίζοντα τοὺς ἐν ὁδῷ ἀμώμῳ ψαλμὸν, τοὺς ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου πορευομένους διὰ στόματος ἐχόντων αὐτῶν, ἐπιφαίνεται τῷ Συμεὼν ὁ δεσπότης Χριστὸς, μακαρίας ἐκείνης ἐπιφανείας ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτῷ παρεστώς· καὶ πρὸς μὲν τὴν ὄψιν ὁ νοῦς ἐφωτίζετο, καὶ ὅλος ἐκείνης ἐγίνετο, τὰ χείλη δὲ οὐκ ἠρέμει, οὐ δὲ ἀπελιμπάνετο τῆς εὐχῆς. Ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ ὡσεὶ στρουθίον ὁ Συμεὼν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἑώρα περιἳπτάμενον, συνυμνολογοῦν τε αὐτοῖς ἥδιστα καὶ συνᾷδον, καθάπερ ἐπίσης ἐκείνοις καὶ γλῶτταν κινοῦν, καὶ τούτοις τὰ αὐτὰ συμφθεγγόμενον, ὡς μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ αὐτοῖς καθίστατο δῆλον. Ὅπερ οὖν ἡδυνθῆναι κατὰ τὸν Προφήτην Θεῷ τὴν ἐκείνων διαλογὴν, ἀψευδὲς πάντως μαρτύριον.

[118] But the things which befell furnish anew matter for writing: and they are such and so great, He restores to a certain one a natural evacuation; that, even if nothing else had been said, all might seem to have exhausted the streams of miracles and of divine grace; and so to be exceedingly difficult not only to describe but even to enumerate. There is brought to the Saint a certain young girl, afflicted with a disease beyond the order of nature: for she rendered the food taken into her belly, not by the natural passage, but through the womb. He laid his hand upon her belly, a hand ever raised intentionally toward God, a hand obtaining from God whatsoever it asked; and he invoked the artificer Wisdom, our Lord the Son of God: and so he freed the girl from the disease, and made her relieved according to nature. Which, great as it is, has nevertheless another equal to it in respect of miracle, that which is subjoined.

[119] To a certain man, Epiphanius by name, of the village Charandamenum, there was a boy about three years old, burning with an insane greed of devouring, likewise to another, whose bowel was blocked for a year. and stuffing himself with a greater abundance of food than befitted that age. It happened to this glutton that his bowel was so blocked that for a whole year it could not be relieved. a And he indeed, burst with excessive swelling, gave himself to perpetual weeping: whereby he rendered the otherwise pleasant solace of light bitter and hateful even to his parents. But they, destitute of every other help, invoke the divine name of Symeon over the son, and sprinkle upon him his dust (for they were not ignorant of the fame, of the wondrous works of the Man widely spread, no less than the rightly-ordered eyes are not ignorant of the sun shining at midday) and at once the boy began to be easier, just as if the food were emitted through him by evacuation; but to all who saw or heard of him it was a matter of stupor, until the Saint, laying upon the boy brought to him a hand most powerful with God, again opened the customary passages of nature.

[120] A certain Presbyter from the place which is called b Paradise, Thomas by name, had subjected Symeon to anathema, Injurious to Symeon, he is most miserably tormented, I know not why or how, unless from envy alone, accustomed to look upon all more excellent things with sick eyes. When this man was advancing with great strides toward the close of life, and his soul was now to depart from the body; his very voice, as though paying the penalties of impious blasphemy against the Saint, was intercepted, and his eyes, open in a fierce and disturbed manner, looked upward and could not even blink, and thus he was tormented even unto the sixtieth day, or chastised, or rather scourged, or by I know not what other word. All the neighbors round about therefore not only frequently talked among themselves about that which was happening to him: but also poured prayers to God, that the wretch might be snatched from those longest and most grievous torments. But when at some time a great crowd had flowed together about him, and forced him to utter something; his tongue being loosed a little (such are the judgments of God, chastising him with so bitter a scourge, for the instruction of others!) Pardon, he says, for my rashness, by which I said anathema to Symeon, is to be sought from him by you, Brothers: for of this crime I pay the penalties which you see.

[121] Soon they dispatch an embassy to the Saint: who, as he was readier to give than those who asked were to receive, and who well knew how to set down as gain that which he gave; having called one of the disciples (who was called Symeon) not only gave the indulgence asked; but, that the affection of soul joined to the pardon given might more fully console the brother, Take, he says, one of the blessed loaves, and going with these carry it to the Presbyter; and God will remit him the sin: for as soon as he shall have embraced the loaf, he will expire. That disciple immediately took the loaf and carried it: at whose presence the sick man, coming to himself and restored to himself, willingly embraced the loaf with both hands and kissed it, and in that very embrace rendered up his spirit: you would have said he could not before obtain the faculty of departing, but was violently detained for the sustaining of graver things; until from Symeon, whom indeed the blasphemer had assailed, the pardon of departing from the body was brought. And this indeed is the work of God, hence fulfilling His promises and honorably glorifying those who have it for their purpose to glorify Him; thence correcting and recalling to amendment, through the penalty inflicted on this wretch, those who act unjustly: but how this is done is not to be narrated.

[122] It happened in the mountain regions, that a certain woman bore an infant so blind, One born blind is enlightened on the approach to the Saint. that neither the lowest parts of the eyes, nor the orbs, nor any traces of them seemed expressed in the face. Hence the parents, wounded by the dart of the most bitter grief, taking up the boy, who could not even raise tears from eyes that belonged to nothing, hasten to the holy man, their only hope in desperate things. But when, struggling up the mountain, they had sat down to relieve the labor of the journey a little with rest; they perceive (O most sweet spectacle to the eyes of parents!) they perceive that the boy had eyes conformable to nature, and saw with rightly-ordered sight: and laying aside all delay, with quicker step they hasten to the Saint, announcing his mercy and his marvels. Thus not rarely the grace given to Symeon from heaven anticipated the coming of those seeking a remedy, having regarded the readiness of their mind; and before they uttered their petition, that grace conferred the gift. But who is of such eloquence and effort in speaking, as to set forth sufficiently the variety and multitude of his miracles?

[123] A certain woman in Rhosus, c a city of Cilicia, called Theotecna, from a girl onward subject to a demon, An energumen and barren woman is freed from both evils, had it as a companion as her age advanced, and never departing from her, nay even most grievously disturbing her and miserably tearing her tongue. She had cohabited with her husband now twenty years, chastised by sterility and the vexation of the demon; and when no respite was given from the torments, her husband, impatient of longer cohabitation, repudiated her. After this four years had flowed by, the husband meanwhile seeking no other marriage, when she fled to S. Symeon and his impregnable virtue against evils of this kind. And when she was now nearer the column, and beheld the Saint, and was beheld by him in turn; the devil, not bearing that encounter and aspect, began terribly to rage, to gnash, and tearing the woman, O violence! to vociferate, and altogether in a rustic manner to cry out raging, What so great sin of mine against thee, that thou shouldst banish me from this my woman? And just as that wickedness speaks nothing but wickednesses, the demon vociferating, Why, he says, dost thou endow her with fecundity, who by my arts and devices has been barren now so many years? But it seemed to the woman at that time, as afterward, being freed, she related, that she beheld Symeon as it were thus threatening: Thou indeed, most wicked spirit, shalt be driven, even unwilling, from this woman, but she shall return to her husband, and a son shall be born to them in the coming year. The demon therefore, now vociferating after his manner many other insane and diabolical things, especially this: Woe to me, the wicked servant! woe to me, who for the most part against my will do what is commanded!

[124] Crying out in this manner, using the woman as the instrument of uttering his voice, he drove her about the column with a piteous spectacle; as though fleeing from the face of the Saint, who, returned to her husband, gives birth. and compelled by the virtue of his spirit to yield the place. At last crying aloud, I go out; he went out, leaving the woman in a better state: to whom S. Symeon; Return, he says, woman, to thy husband; thou shalt henceforth have intercourse with him, and shalt conceive offspring from him. The woman, obedient to the saint, returned to her husband, was kindly received by him, the following year bore a son: whom also she brings, together with her spouse, to the great Symeon, whose fruit of prayer rather than of her own womb she reckoned him, and offers him to Him who had given him, by gladness and applause indicating the magnitude of the gift; and in this way she propagated the holy man's fame more widely than the tongue. After these things the woman leads the boy given to her back home, and by way of recompense for benefits so great and so various (for not only was she made immune from the demon cohabiting with her, but was also wholly healed and restored to her husband, and besides a boy too was begotten of her, which never before) sets up an effigy of Symeon in her house. And gold indeed, as her condition of life was, was not at hand; but what is more precious than gold,

she brought such faith, The hemorrhaging woman is healed through the image: that not only demoniacs and those held by various diseases, but also a certain woman who had now for fifteen years suffered a flux of blood, found there entire and perfect health. Thus the holy man's even slight aspect in the image, the sign of the cross, the rod, the form, the word, the invocation, and whatever else of his things there might be, sufficed for the dispelling of any kind of disease.

[225] Then another hemorrhaging woman, from a certain village called of the Mylitae, having now for three years suffered a grievous flux of blood, approached Symeon from behind, following the example of that evangelical hemorrhaging woman, likewise another. who dared to touch my Christ; whom she at once both touched and obtained health. For the same Lord, just as there of old through Himself, so here through His servant drove away the infirmity, and for the equal parity of faith bestowed also an equal mercy. She therefore departed, like the one of whom I made mention above, her health recovered; and what that one obtained through the mediating image of the Saint, this one obtained from the prototype itself.

[126] For a septuagenarian, in place of an affected tooth, another is born. Not long after, there comes to the great Symeon from another village, whose name is Magia, a certain man, seventy years old at the most; who, tortured by a most acute pain of the teeth, earnestly prayed that he would lay on him his salutary hand, that the affected tooth might be shaken out by the roots, now already loose from the bitterness of the torments. Thus he prayed, with tears running down his cheeks, signs of a grieving mind, that know not how to lie. But the Saint, kindly answering, Would it not, he says, be more to thy advantage, if thou wouldst ask that another tooth be born, rather than that this one in a bad state be merely pulled out? At which words the man, inflamed in mind and spirit (as is wont to happen at the promise of some unhoped-for good) and clinging with both hands, as he could, from the Saint's sheepskin cloak; casts out, through the imposition of his hands, drawing down abundant grace from heaven, the putrid and corrupt tooth together with its roots: nor did many days pass, when another (O matter not very easy of belief!) having grown forth, increased to perfection. And of this prodigy there were many eyewitnesses, to whom that very man, who had obtained the benefit, showed it, marveling that in so advanced an age it could have happened beyond the order of nature. But although that is so great, it yields nevertheless to the vision which we are about to relate further.

[127] On a certain Sabbath, Vespers having been chanted before night, the disciples were gathered, as custom bore, about Symeon; who according to his manner exhorted them to keep vigil that night: then beginning to teach them, he elucidated certain more difficult questions and parables brought into the midst; by which thing he so sweetly affected their minds, and heaped them with so great a fear of God and a sweetness of grief gladdening the heart, that they almost experienced in themselves what is said of the song of the sirens; except that, whereas there death followed that delight, here immortality succeeds it. The sermon of Symeon therefore being ended, the Brothers began to pour forth the accustomed prayers; and when they were reciting the Psalm Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord; there appeared to the Saint Christ the Lord in a splendid vision, standing on the right. Psal. 118. As he saw Him, as he was illumined in mind, and wholly rapt by that vision; his lips not resting, however, nor intermitting the begun prayer. Meanwhile he perceived as it were a sparrow flying about above the heads of the Brothers, singing hymns most sweetly with them, moving its tongue in the same manner as they, uttering the same modulations as they (as afterward he also manifested to them) an altogether infallible testimony, that, according to the Prophet, their discourse was pleasing to God. Ps. 103, 34

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XVI.

In a dearth of provisions he multiplies the grain and long preserves it undiminished.

Ἐκεῖνο δὲ πῶς οὐκ ἄξιον προσθεῖναι τοῖς εἰρημένοις; ὅτι μὴ δὲ ὀλίγου ποτὲ σίτου τῷ ταμιείῳ τῆς μονῆς ὑπολελειμμένου, τὸ μὲν καὶ πρὸς τὸ στενὸν τῆς παρούσης οἱ μαθηταὶ διαίτης ἀχθόμενοι, τὸ δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον (οἷα τοῖς μικροψύχοις φιλεῖ συμβαίνειν) ὁρῶντες, προσελθόντες αὐτῷ πάντες, τέσσαρες ἐπὶ τριάκοντα ἤδη τὸν ἀριθμὸν ὄντες, οὓς ἀπὸ διαφόρων ἰάσατο παθῶν ἢ πληγῶν, ἐπιτρέψαι αὐτοῖς ἠξίουν λαμβάνειν τὰ προσφερόμενα, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ αὐτάρκη τε τὸ παρὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ωρὸς τὸ μέλλον αὐτοῖς εἶναι τὰ ἀναγκαῖα, Ὥστέ σε καὶ τοὺς τῆς ἡμετέρας, φασὶ, σωτηρίας μισθοὺς κομίσασθαι, ἵνα μὴ τῷ ἄγαν σκληρῷ τε καὶ ἐπιπόνῳ τῆς παρά σοι ἀγωγῆς ἐκκακήσαντες ἐνθένδε ἀπαναστῶμεν· σοὶ γὰρ οἶδας ὅτι καὶ σώματα καὶ ψυχὰς ἑαυτῶν ἀνεθέμεθα. Ὁ δὲ πρᾴῳ τῷ ἤθει, πρᾳοτέρῳ δὲ καὶ φρονήματι, μικροψυχίαν αὐτοῖς ἠρέμα προσονειδίσας, εἶτα καὶ εἰς ὑπόμνησιν ἐνῆγε τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ θαυμασίων, ὅπως μὲν οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαθηταὶ, τοῦ πρώτου ποιμένος καὶ διδασκάλου, τῷ τῶν ὄχλων πλήθει ποτὲ δυσχεραίνοντες εἶεν, διά τε τὴν ἄφιλον ἐρημίαν ἐκείνην καὶ τὴν τῶν ἄρτων ἔνδειαν· ὅπως δὲ πέντε ἄρτοις αὐτὸς χορτάσειε πεντακισχιλίους ἄνδρας, ἔτι καὶ δώδεκα κοφίνους αὐτοῖς, τὰ περισσεύματα τῶν ἄρτων ὑπολιπόμενος· ὅπως δὲ πάλιν ἄρτοις ἑπτὰ κορέσειε τετρακισχιλίους, ἄνευ γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων. Καὶ νῦν σὺ εἶ αὐτός φησι, ὁ Βασιλεύς μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου, ὃς ἐπιβλέπων ἐπὶ τὴν ὑπομονὴν ἡμῶν, ἐπιβλέψεις καὶ οὐ παρόψει. Σὺ γὰρ διὰ τῆς τοῦ σοῦ Προφήτου διδάσκεις με γλώττης, Οὐκ ἔστιν ὑστὲρημα λεγούσης, τοῖς φοβουμένοις σε, καὶ τοὺς ἐκζητοῦντάς σε μηδαμῶς ἐλαττωθήσεσθαι παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ταύτῃ δοκεῖ καὶ ἡμῖν *, σπαράττομαι μὲν ὅσα καὶ πατὴρ τὰ σπλάγχνα, ὥσπερ εἰκὸς, καὶ λίαν ἀλγῶ τὴν διάζευξιν. Ὅμως ἀνεῖται πᾶσα ὑμῖν ὁδὸς, ὦ τέκνα καὶ ἀδελφοί· πορευτέον ἑκάστῳ λοιπὸν ἣν βούλοιτο. Πρὸς ταῦτα δυσὶ πάθεσι τούτοις οἱ μαθηταὶ φόβῳ καὶ χαρᾷ μερισθέντες, τὸ μὲν διὰ τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν, τὸ δὲ καὶ τὰς χρηστοτέρας ἐπαγγελίας, αὐτοὶ μὲν γόνυ κλίναντες, αἰτοῦσιν εὐθὺς συγχώρησιν καὶ λαμβάνουσιν· ὁ δὲ τὸν ἀδελφὸν Ἀντώνιον καλέσας (οὗτος γὰρ ἦν ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ σιτῶνος τεταγμένος) ἐκέλευσεν εἴ πού τινες ἐν αὐτῷ κόκκοι εἶεν, συλλέξαντα πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐνεγκεῖν. Τοῦ δὲ κομιδῇ ὀλίγους εὑρόντος, εἰς χεῖράς τε τῷ Μεγάλῳ κομίσαντος, εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνασχὼν ἐκεῖνος, Ὁ Θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ, εἶπεν, ὁ διδοὺς οὐ κτήνεσι μόνον, οὐ δὲ τοῖς νεοσσοῖς τῶν κοράκων τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις σε, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσῃ σαρκὶ τροφὴν αὐτῶν, ὁ διὰ σπλάγχνα οἱκτιρμῶν σου, ὁ διὰ πολλὴν ἄβυσσον τῆς φιλανθρωπίας σου ἄρτοις ὀλίγοις χιλιάδας κορέσας, αὐτὸς καὶ τὸν βραχὺν τοῦτον πλήθυνον σῖτον, εἰς δόξαν αἰνέσεώς σου, εἰς εὐχαριστίαν λαοῦ σου, εἰς μεγαλοπρέπειαν τοῦ ὀνόματός σου. Ταῦτα προσευξάμενος, καὶ ἄνθρακας ἐνεχθῆναι κελεύσας, θυμίαμά τε τούτοις ἐπιβαλὼν, καὶ μετὰ τῶν κόκκων τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἐγχειρήσας, Ἀπελθὼν, θυμίασον ἐν τῷ σιτῶνι, ἔφη, καὶ τούτους ἐν αὐτῷ διαῤῥίψας, τὰς θύρας ἐπιθεὶς ἀναχώρησον. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἔδρασεν ὡς προστέτακτο. Τῆς ἐπιούσης περὶ πρώτην ἕω, ἐπιτραπὲν αὖθις αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ Συμεὼν τὸν σιτῶνα ἰδεῖν ὅπως ἔχοι, ᾔδει γὰρ οὐκ ἄγονον ἐκεῖνος αὐτῷ τὴν εὐχὴν ἐσομένην. Ἀπελθὼν (τῆς ἀνεκφράστου σου, Χριστὲ βασιλεῦ, χρηστότητος!) εὑρίσκει τοῦτον σίτου σαφῶς ὑποπεπλησμένον, καρπῶν ἀμόχθων ὄντως καὶ ἀσπόρων καὶ ἀνηρότων, μόνης εὐχῆς γεωργίων, καὶ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν πιότητος, ἔργον χειρὸς ἀκριβῶς ἐκείνης, ἧς τὸ κατὰ τοὺς ἄρτους θαῦμα καὶ ἡ ἐν ἐρήμῳ τράπεζα, τό, τε ἐξ οὐρανοῦ μάννα, καὶ ἡ ἀπὸ στερεᾶς πέτρας οὐχ ὕδατος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοῦ μέλιτος βλύσις. Ὁ μαθητὴς τοἰνυν τῷ τοῦ θαύματος μεγέθει, καταπλαγεὶς, πρόσεισι τῷ Διδασκάλῳ, δρομαίως τὸ γεγονὸς ἀπαγγέλλων· καὶ ὃς κοινὸν μετὰ μαθητῶν Θεῷ γόνυ κλἰνας, θυμίαμά τε προσαγαγὼν, τήν τε δεσποτικὴν εὐχὴν προσευξάμενος, καὶ τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς πατέρα καλέσας (πρὸς ὃν διὰ τῆς ὑπερφυῶς ἀρετῆς ἔσχε τὴν υἱῷ προσήκουσαν οἰκειότητα, καὶ οὗ δόσις ἀγαθὴ τὰ παρόντα) τοσούτου τε πράγματος ἀξίως εὐχαριστήσας, καὶ οὕτως ἀνὰ τὸν σιτῶνα δρᾷν ἑκάστου σαββάτου τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς παραγγείλας, καὶ τοιαύτην εὐχαριστίαν ἀποδιδόναι, ἐντέλλεται τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτοῖς ἀρτοποιεῖν, τὴν χεῖρα μηδέποτε παυομένοις, ἀλλ᾽ ἀεὶ τῆς μακαρίας ταύτης καὶ Χριστὸν διὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τρεφούσης ἐντολῆς ἐχομένοις. Τὰς μὲν οὖν χεῖρας οὔτε ἡμέρα ἵστη τῆς ἀρτοποιἳας τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, οὔτε νὺξ, ἀλλὰ καὶ νύκτες μᾶλλον περὶ αὐτὴν πονουμένοις ἡμέραις συνήπτοντο, καὶ τὸ τῆς νυκτὸς ἔργον ὁ λύχνος τοῦ τῆς ἡμέρας φωτὸς παρεῖχεν οὐδὲν ἐνδέον. Τοσοῦτοι παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ὄχλοι, καὶ οὕτως ἀριθμοῦ κρείττους ἀεὶ συνέῤῥεον, ὃ καὶ τοῦ προλαβόντος τάχα παραδοξότερον, ὅτι καὶ οὕτως ὁ σῖτος ἐκεῖνος ὅλαις χερσὶν ἐκφορούμενος, καὶ τοσαύταις ἐπαρκῶν μυριάσιν, ὅμως καὶ εἰς τρίτον ἑξῆς ἐνιαυτὸν ἤρκεσε. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τῆς προτέρας πάλης ἀναμνησθεὶς ὁ ἐχθρὸς, ἢ τὴν παλαιὰν φιλονεικῶν μᾶλλον ἀνακαλέσασθαι ἧτταν, ὑποδύεται τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἕνα, ἢ ἐπισπᾶται, ἢ ἐπάγεται, οἰκείως ἑαυτῷ δηλαδὴ πρὸς κακοτεχνίαν εὑρὼν ἔχοντα, Ἴσαυρον τὸ γένος, Ἀγγουλᾶν τὴν προσηγορίαν, ὃ τῇ τῶν Σύρων γλώττῃ φασὶ τὸν ὀκνηρὸν ὀνομάζεσθαι· οὐκ οἶδα, εἴ τε τοῦτο τὴν ἀρχὴν κληθέντα, ὃ μετὰ ταῦτα γεγόνει, καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις τὴν κλῆσιν ὕστερον τῇ πράξει μεταβαλόντα, καὶ κατάλληλον τοῖς ἔργοις ἁρμοσάμενον τὴν προσηγορίαν. Τοῦτον τοιγαροῦν ὁ ἐχθρὸς ὑποδὺς, πᾶσαν ἐκταράττει δι᾽ αὐτοῦ τῷ Ἁγίῳ τὴν ἀδελφότητα· καὶ ἀναίδην αὐτῷ προσελθόντες, Τίς ἡ τοσαύτη καὶ οὕτω πέρα τοῦ μετρίου φασὶν ἐλεημοσύνη; ποῦ δὲ τῶν ἱερῶν οἴκων ἢ φροντιστηρίων ψυχῆς τοιοῦτό τι γινόμενον ἴσμεν; οὐχὶ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ὁ Κυριακός ἐστι τάφος, θαυματουργῶν ἐξαίσια, μήπού τι παραπλησίως ἔχον ἐκεῖ τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἐστίν; οὐχὶ πᾶς ὁ προσευχῆς προσιὼν χάριν ἢ θεραπείας, ἰδίαις μᾶλλον χρῆται δαπάναις; τουναντίον μὲν οὖν οὐχὶ καὶ προσφέρει τὸ κατὰ δύναμιν; πῶς τοίνυν, καὶ πόθεν, ἢ μέχρι πόσου, ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς προσιοῦσιν ἡμεῖς ἐπαρκέσομεν; Οἱ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα καὶ πολλὰ τούτοις ὅμοια εἶπον· ὁ δὲ πρᾴως ὑπολαβὼν, Τῆς μεγάλης καὶ τοῦτο τοῦ Θεοῦ κηδεμονίας, ἔφη, περὶ ἡμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ, τὸ μὴ πρὸς ἀλλοτρίας χεῖρας ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἡμετέρας μᾶλλον ἑτέρους ὁρᾶν,

καὶ τὸ μὴ ὅπως ἄντι καὶ βραχὺ λάβοιμεν παρ᾽ ἑτέρων αἰτεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφθόνως μᾶλλον ἔχειν ἑτέροις ἡμᾶς ἐπαρκεῖν· οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ὧν αὐτοὶ κοπιῶμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξ ὧν ἀπονητὶ μᾶλλον τῆς ἄνωθεν χρηστότητος ἀπολαύομεν, ἐκείνοις παρέχομεν, ὃ καὶ σπουδαστέον ὑμῖν εἴπερ ἄλλο τι διὰ παντὸς, καὶ πάσης ἄλλης ἐργασίας προτιμητέον, εἴ τι τῆς ἐκείνου μέλει θεραπείας ὑμῖν, τοῦ ἔλεον θέλοντος μᾶλλον καὶ οὐ θυσίαν. Πρὸς ταῦτα τοῦ Ἀγγουλᾶ πειραθέντος ἱταμώτερον ἀποκρίνασθαι, εἰδὼς ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ δι᾽ ἐκείνου συσκευάζεσθαι τῷ ἐχθρῷ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν, ἐπιτιμήσας σφοδρότερον οὐκ ἐκείνῳ, ἀλλὰ τῷ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον ἀναιδῶς φθεγγομένῳ, Σὺ μὲν ἀγαθοῖς πᾶσι πολέμιε, οὐ δὲ γὰρ ἀγνοῶ σου τὰς δολιότητας, ἔφη, τὸν ταλαίπωρον τοῦτον ὑπεισελθὼν, θορύβους σπουδάζεις καὶ ταραχὰς ἐπεγείρειν μοι, ἐπεὶ καὶ συγκεχώρηται σαφῶς ἄνωθεν. Εἶτα καὶ πρὸς τὸν Ἀγγουλᾶν ἐπιστραφεὶς, Ἀλλ᾽ οὐαί σοι τῷ δυστήκῳ ἔφη, ὅτι ταύτη συγγενῶς ἔχων εὑρέθης τῷ δυσμενεῖ, ὡς καὶ ὀργάνῳ σοι χρῆσθαι πρὸς τὴν κακίαν. Ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀδελφότητα πᾶσαν, Κοινωνητέον, φησὶν, ἐκ τοῦ ὑστερήματος ὑμῖν ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ τῆς ἀναγκαίας χρείας κοινωνητέον τοῖς ὄχλοις, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ὀλίγα ὑμῖν ἐν ὑστέρῳ μεταμελήσει. Ταῦτα πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰπὼν, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τῆς αὐτῶν οὐκ οἰδ᾽ εἴτε ἀναλγησίας χρὴ λέγειν, εἴτε μικροψυχίας περιαλγήσας, ὁρᾷ θείῳ ψυχῆς ὄ μματι κείμενον καθάπερ τὸ θεῖον Εὐαγγέλιον ἐπὶ τοῦ σιτῶνος, καὶ ὡς ἐπεισελθόντες ἐνδεεῖς καὶ διαρπάσαντες αὐτὸ φύγοιεν, καὶ ὡς αὐτὸς μὲν διά τινος ὁδοῦ βασιλικῆς ὄπισθεν τούτων καταδιώκοι· φθάσαι δ᾽ οὐχ οἷός τε ὢν, ἐκ μέσης αὐτῆς ἀναστρέψειε, καὶ ὡς ἑκάστης ἡμέρας ἄρτους ἀπὸ τότε τῶν τριῶν ἐν αὐτῷ πλείους οὐχ εὕροι· οὓς λαμβάνων, ἄνω τε πρὸς Θεὸν βλέπων, καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν αὐτοῖς ἐπευχόμενος εὐλογίαν, εἶτα διαθρύπτων, παρετίθει τοῖς δεομένοις, καὶ ὡς ἕκαστον κλάσμα μέγιστος αὐτίκα γίνοιτο ἄρτος. Ἐν ἑαυτῷ τοίνυν γενόμενος, καὶ συμβαλὼν τὴν ὄψιν ἀφαίρεσιν εἶναι τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος, οἷς ἔμελλον ἀνακόπτειν οἱ μαθηταὶ τὸν εἰς τοὺς πένητας ἔλεον, πάντας αὐτοὺς συγκαλέσας, καὶ ἅπερ ἴδοι σαφῶς ἀπαγγείλας προσευχὴν ἐπιτρέπει μετὰ δακρύων αὐτοῖς, τὸ μόνον ἰσχύον κατὰ τῆς θείας ἀπειλῆς φάρμακον, ὥστε διαλλαγῆναί φησιν ἡμῖν τὸν Θεόν. Τῶν δὲ μετάνοιαν ἀξίως εὐθὺς ἐπιδειξαμένων, συναλγήσας αὐτῶν τῇ συντριβῇ, καὶ δάκρυα πρὸς Θεὸν ἐκχέας, τὰ πολὺν ἐκεῖθεν ἕλκειν οἶκτον δυνάμενα, σῖτόν τε βραχὺν ἐκ τοῦ σιτῶνος κομισθέντα λαβὼν ταῖς χερσὶ, καὶ πρὸς χεῖρα πάλιν αὐτὸς τὴν ὑψηλὴν ἰδὼν, τὴν ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐπηύξατο εὐδοκίαν, ἣ πᾶν ἐμπιπλᾷν οἶδε ζῶον ἀνοιγομένη· καὶ ὁ σῖτος (ὢ παραδόξου γεωργίας! ὢ σπερμάτων εὐχῆς καὶ γῆν ἀγαθὴν εἰς γονιμότητα παριούσης!) ηὔξετο, μέχρι πολλοῦ ταῖς χρείαις ἀφθόνως ὑπηρετῶν, καὶ μὴ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἐλαττούμενος.

[128] Furthermore, how can it be that I do not add this to the things said above? The disciples, anxious in the dearth of provisions, There was only a scanty quantity of grain remaining at any time in the granary of the monastery, when the disciples, partly anxious on account of the dearness of present provisions, partly solicitous about the future (as is wont to befall the pusillanimous), came to Symeon all together, now four and thirty in number, whom he had healed of various sicknesses and wounds; and they demanded that the faculty be given them of accepting those things which were brought; that they might have what would suffice for present and future need: That thou too mayst carry off the reward of our salvation, they say; lest, wearied out by the too severe and laborious institute of life with thee, we depart from hence: for to thee, as thou thyself knowest, we have committed our bodies together with our souls. But the Saint, with a kindly countenance, and with a still kindlier mind, gently reproaching them their pusillanimity, recalled to memory the wondrous works wrought by God; namely how the disciples of Christ, he strengthens by setting forth the wondrous works of God: the first Shepherd and Master, had at some time been indignant at the crowds following, on account of the unpleasant solitude and the want of bread: but how Christ, feeding with five loaves so many thousand men, left also twelve baskets, those being filled with what overflowed; and how again with seven loaves He had satisfied four thousand, the women and children excepted. Then he says, Even now Thou Thyself art my King and my God, who regardest our patience, and wilt regard, and wilt not despise. For Thou through the mouth of Thy Prophet teachest me, saying: There is no want to them that fear Thee; and they that seek Thee shall not be lessened of any good. Ps. 33, 11. But if to you also it does not seem to be so, I should be torn no otherwise than a father in my bowels, as is fitting, and the separation would be exceedingly bitter to me. Nevertheless no way is closed off to you, Sons and Brothers; let each depart whither it shall please his mind.

[129] These things heard, the disciples, agitated by a twofold affection, the one of fear, the other of joy, the one on account of the rebuke, the other on account of the kindly promises; bend their knees and beg pardon and obtain it. But Symeon called Brother Antony (he was over the grain supply), the few grains of wheat remaining he multiplies immeasurably, and bade him, if any grains were left over, to collect them and bring them to him. He, after diligent search, brought a very few found in his hands to the great Father: who, fixing his eyes on heaven: God, he says, omnipotent, who givest not only to the cattle and the young of the ravens invoking Thee, but to all flesh also their food; who through the bowels of Thy mercy, through the great abyss of Thy goodness, hast satisfied thousands of men with a few loaves; multiply also these few little grains of wheat, to the glory of praise, to the thanksgiving of the people, to the majesty of Thy name.

[130] Having so prayed, he asked for coals; which, when he had cast incense upon them, he delivers into the hands of Brother Antony together with the little grains, and Go, he says, cense the granary, and casting these little grains there, fasten the door and withdraw. He did as he was commanded: but on the next day at first dawn it is enjoined the same man by Symeon, that he return to the granary, to see in what state the grain supply was: for he knew that his prayers would by no means be barren. He went, being bidden (how inexplicable is Thy goodness, O Christ!) and found the granary most full of wheat, fruits truly born without labor, without seed or harrowing; prayer alone supplying the tilling and the manuring. That was assuredly the work of that hand which wrought the prodigy in the multiplication of the loaves; which spread a table in the wilderness; which rained manna from heaven; which from the dry rock drew forth a fountain not only of water, but of honey itself.

[131] The disciple therefore, stupefied by the magnitude of the miracle, hastens at a run to the Master, announcing that which had been done: which, the thanksgiving being repeated every week, who soon with the disciples publicly before God bent his knees, offered incense, recited the Lord's Prayer, and the heavenly Father being invoked (with whom, on account of his signal virtues, there was an intimacy such as befits a son, and whose liberal gift the present munificence was), rendering Him worthy thanks for so great a benefit, and enjoining that the same ceremonies be repeated in the granary on each Sabbath day, and like thanks be rendered to the benefactor; he commanded that they give labor to the baking of bread, nor ever desist from the work begun, ever mindful of that salutary precept, which wills Christ to be fed in the Brothers. They gird themselves to the work, nor suffer any leisure from the kneading of the flour to be granted to their hands by day or by night; for nights were joined to days spent in labor, for three years suffices. and the candle made it that they in no way lacked the light of day for the work. But while so many crowds, and more and more daily, flowed together to the Saint; that came to be admired perhaps even more than the aforesaid miracle, that the wheat thus carried off with such full hands, and expended for the need of countless men, nonetheless sufficed for three continuous years.

[132] After these things the enemy of the human race, recalling his former wrestling with Symeon, The murmurers against his liberality or rather desirous of repairing the ancient defeat, invades, or allures, or as it were drags bound, one of the Brothers, whom he found especially apt for his worst machinations; an Isaurian by nation, by appellation Angulas, which in the Syriac tongue they say is interpreted "the lazy one." Yet I know not whether that name was given him at first, because afterward he was made such; or whether he afterward acquired it for himself conformably to his deeds. Into this man therefore the foul demon entered, and through him stirred up the whole community of the Brothers against the Saint; who, laying aside alike modesty and reverence, approaching him; What is this, they say, thy mercy poured out so beyond measure? where on earth in the holy houses and ascetic dwellings do we recall any such thing being done? Does not the Lord's sepulchre itself at Jerusalem work unusual miracles? yet is there there a bestowal of alms equal to this of ours? Does not whosoever goes there either for the sake of prayer or of help live on his own portion? nay, on the contrary, does he not there offer of his own as much as he can? How then shall we, and from what, or how long shall we suffice provisions both for ourselves and for those coming to us?

[133] These and like things being turbulently uttered by them, the Saint, calmly taking up the matter, thus begins: This too is a sign of God's singular solicitude concerning us, Brothers; that we are to live not from the hands of others, but others rather from ours; and that, by a prudent reply, he represses them. in order that we may receive something of our fathers, we ought not to implore the help of another, but to have so great a store of things, that we may be able to succor others also. Nor indeed do we bestow on the needy those things which we have acquired by the labor of our hands, but those which, beyond our labor, by the supplying divine bounty, we enjoy; which both is to be done by us diligently always if anything; and is to be esteemed of more worth than every other work, if anything of His worship touches us, who says, I will mercy and not sacrifice. When Angulas, incited to this, was preparing a more turbulent answer; and the man of God knew that through him the demon was contriving his snares; turning the rebuke gravely upon this one, passing over the Brother through whose mouth he was shamelessly blurting out many things; Thou, he says, enemy of all good things, (for thy frauds escape me not) having entered secretly into this poor wretch, art busy stirring up disturbances and tumults for me, since the faculty of doing that has been granted thee from above also. Then turned to Angulas, But woe to thee too, wretch, he says, that thou hast been found so familiar to our enemy as to offer thyself the instrument of his fraud. Finally he addresses all the Brothers thus: We must communicate something of our want, and from those things which make for necessary use must distribute to the crowds: since otherwise we shall at the last not a little repent.

[134] When he had made an end of speaking, he was affected with a bitter grief of soul, and guarding lest on that account the miracle should cease, arising from their — shall I say stupor, or pusillanimity. Then he beholds with the inner eye

the sacred Gospel, as it were lying in the granary; and the needy running up to seize it and flee: but himself by a certain royal way pressing on the backs of the fleeing, yet able in no way to draw it back, and therefore retracing his way from the middle of the road: and from that time onward, on each day, no more than three loaves found in the granary, which he, receiving, and intending his eyes upward to God, and imparting them with a heavenly blessing, then breaking, set before the needy, and that each fragment was forthwith converted into a very great loaf. Restored therefore to himself, and conjecturing that the vision signified a removal of the divine grace, on account of which the disciples wished the alms, wont to be bestowed on the poor, to be diminished; having called all together, he announces what had been shown him through the vision; and proclaims a supplication with tears, namely the only remedy against the divine threats, that they might render God propitious to them. While they soon make worthy fruits of penance and indulge in contrition, again he blesses the few grains remaining. Symeon, having compassion, pours forth tears to God, tears able to draw down manifold mercy from heaven: then taking in his hand a little grain brought from the granary, and looking up to the supreme hand of God, thence by prayers he summoned the blessing, which, when it is opened, is wont to fill every living thing. But the wheat (O unusual agriculture! O seeds of prayer, rendering even a fertile earth more fertile!) increasing very much, sufficed most abundantly for a very long time for common use, nor was it diminished in the least part.

* perhaps ὑμῖν?

CHAPTER XVII.

He arms his own against the demons contriving divers things.

Ἑωράκει μετὰ χρόνον τινὰ πάλιν ὄψιν ὁ Συμεὼν, τὰ δὲ ὀφθέντα τὴν αὐτοῦ ψυχὴν ἀθυμίας ἐπλήρου· καὶ συγκαλέσας τοὺς μαθητὰς, Στῆτε γενναίως, άδελφοὶ, πρὸς τοὺς μέλλοντας ἐπάγεσθαι πειρασμοὺς, ἔφη· συγκεχώρηκε γὰρ ὁ Κύριος πειρασθῆναι ὑμᾶς, ἵνα καὶ λαμπρότερον στεφανώσῃ. Τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰώβ τοίνυν λαβὼν (ὅθεν αὐτοῖς ᾔδει καὶ τὴν ὑπομονὴν ἐπιτεῖναι, καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ἄνωθεν παρακλήσεως ἐπιῤῥῶσαι) καὶ πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς σιγὴν ὁμοῦ καὶ προσοχὴν παραγγείλας, ἐκ προοιμίων εὐθὺς ἀρξάμενος, ἄχρι τέλους αὐτοῖς διεξῄει τὴν βίβλον· εἴπου τι τῶν παροιμιωδῶν τύχοι, καὶ βαθυτέρων ἐπεξιὼν, καὶ τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς κρυπτόμενον νοῦν τῷ φέγγει τοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ πνεύματος ἐκείνοις διαφωτίζων, εἶτα κατὰ καιρὸν ἐκ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου διεπεράνατο τὴν παραίνεσιν αὐτοῖς, οὕτως εἰπών· Τὴν ὑπομονὴν Ἰὼβ ἠκούσατε, καὶ τὸ τέλος Κυρίου εἴδετε· στῆτε οὖν περιζωσάμενοι τὴν ὀσφὺν ὑμῶν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ ὑποδησάμενοι τοὺς πόδας ἐν Εὐαγγελίῳ τῆς εἰρήνης, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἀναλαβόντες τὸν θυρεὸν τῆς πίστεως, ἐν ᾧ δυνήσεσθε τα βέλη τοῦ πονηροῦ τὰ πεπυρωμένα σβέσαι. Λογίζομαι γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς· τὸ γὰρ παραυτίκα ἐλαφρὸν τῆς θλίψεως ἡμῶν καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν αἰώνιον βάρος δόξης κατεργάζεται ἡμῖν· μή σκοπούντων ἡμῶν τὰ βλεπόμενα, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὴ βλεπόμενα· τὰ γὰρ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα, τὰ δὲ μὴ βλεπόμενα αἰώνια. Ἔπειτα μένντοι βύθιόν τι καὶ βαρὺ στενάξας, τῷ στεναγμῷ δὲ κεράσας καὶ δάκρυον· Ἀγώνων, ἀδελφοὶ, καιρὸς ἔφη, γρηγορεῖτε οὖν μὴ λάθῃ τινὰ δολίως ὁ πονηρὸς δελεάσας. Οἴδατε γὰρ ὡς ἡ ἐπίγειος ἡμῶν οἰκία τοῦ σκήνους λυθήσεται· ἀλλ᾽ ηὐτρέπισται ἡμῖν ἀχειροποίητος ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ἐν νόμῳ δηλαδὴ Κυρίου πορευομένοις, παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τε τὸν τῆς καρδίας λύχνον φωσιζομένοις, κατευθύνοντα τὰ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἡμῶν διαβήματα· ἧς ὄψις μοι κατὰ τήνδε τὴν νύκτα σαφῶς ἐγνώρισε τὴν ἀνάβασιν, καὶ εἰς ἣν πρόδρομος ἡμῶν εἰσελήλυθεν ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἀδελφὸς Ἰωάννης, οὗ καὶ βίον καὶ τρόπον αὐτοὶ πάντως οὐκ ἀγνοεῖτε, οἱ καὶ κοινωνὸν τοῦ κατά Θεὸν βίου τὸν ἄνδρα πεποιημένοι, καὶ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἀγώνων συνάμιλλον. Δέκατον γὰρ, ἀδελφοὶ, τοῦτο ἔτος ἀγρυπνὼν ὑπὲρ τῶν ὑμετέρων ψυχῶν, καὶ δεόμενος τοῦ Θεοῦ μετὰ δακρύων οὐκ ἐπαυσάμην, ὡς λόγον ἀποδοῦναι μέλλων ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν· ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτον ἐγὼ φοβοῦμαι τὸν φόβον ἀεὶ, μὴ τῶν ἀφιέντων τὰ πρόβατα μισθωτῶν καὶ φευγόντων, οἷς ὀλίγα μέλει περὶ αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐ τῶν ποιμένων εἷς εὑρεθῶ, τῶν καὶ ψυχὴν αὐτὲν ἡδέως τῆς ποίμνης προἳεμένων. Ἀλλὰ τῇ δυνάμει τῆς ἄνωθεν βακτηρίας ῥωννύμενος, γενναίας τὸν θῆρα μέχρι τέως νῦν ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀπεσόβουν. Οἴδατε γὰρ ποσάκις ὑμῶν οὐ διαθολῶσαι μόνον ἐπειράθη τὸν νοῦν, καὶ πρὸς ἐπιθυμίας κοσμικὰς ἑλκύσαι καὶ κατασπᾶσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ συλαγωγῆσαι καὶ ὑποκλέψαι καὶ παντάπασιν ὑμᾶς σκορπίσαι καὶ διασπεῖραι· ὅμως ᾐσχύνθη διὰ πάντων καὶ ἀπεκρούσθη, οὐδὲν πλέον τῆς τοσαύτης σπουδῆς ἢ λύσσης ὀνάμενος, ὅτι μὴ τὸ φανῆναι πλέον κακὸς, τὸ μάλιστα πάντων αὐτῷ σπουδαιότατον. Νῦν οὖν εἰ καὶ μὴ πολλὴ, μὴ δ᾽ ἐπὶ πολὺ, συγκεχώρηται δ᾽ οὖν τις ὅμως αὐτῷ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐξουσία· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τῶν νηπίων, πρὸς δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐν ἀρετῇ ζώντων, παρ᾽ ὧν δηλαδὴ καὶ πλείων ἡ πληγὴ τῷ βασκάνῳ, καὶ πρὸς οὓς ἐκείνῳ πάλιν ὁ φθόνος περιφανέστερος· ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀποστήσῃ ὁ ὑπερασπιστής μου Κύριε. Εἶτα καὶ αὐτὰ τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐξηγεῖτο τὰ ὁραθέντα, προσιόντας μὲν ταῖς οὐρανοῦ πύλαις τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς Ἀγγέλους εἰς προσκύνησιν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, παρεστηκότα δὲ τὸν βιάβολον, αἰθίοπα, σκοτεινὸν ὅλον, ἀναιδῆ τὴν ὄψιν, ὕβριν πνέοντα, αἵματος ὁμοῦ καὶ πυρὸς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑπόπλεων, οὐκ ἐπί τινος τοὺς πόδας στερεοῦ βεβηκότα, ἀλλὰ κατὰ μέσον οἱονεὶ τὸν ἀέρα, βρύχοντα μὲν φοβερόν τι καὶ θηριῶδες, καὶ κινοῦντά, φησι, τὴν κεφαλὴν κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ἀναμένοντα δὲ ὅμως τὰς ἀποφάσεις, φωνήν τε παρὰ Κυρίου πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐνηνέχθαι, Πάταξον λέγουσαν τὰ παιδίᾳ καὶ τοὺς καλοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· τὸν δὲ ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ τε ἄρξασθαι πρώτου, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰώβ αἰτοῦντα, καὶ τὸ ἐνδόσιμον οἷα λαμβάνοντα. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἐξηγεῖτο· ὁ ἐχθρὸς δὲ οὐκ ἠμέλει κακίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἔπεισι κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ μεγάλῳ βρυχήματι, καὶ τὴν δερματίνην ὡς εἶχε μηλωτὴν ὑποδὺς, ἵνα καὶ σφοδρότερον ὡς ᾤετο περιτρέψῃ, πάσχει μᾶλλον ὃ δρᾷν ὁ μάταιος ἥλπισε, καὶ χαλεπὸν αὐτὸς πτῶμα κατενεχθεὶς, ὤχετο διαλυθεὶς ἶσα καπνῷ, πώγωνος ψαύει μόνον τὰς τρίχας περιελὼν, καὶ γυμνὸν ἐκεῖνο τὸ μέρος ὅπου δηλαδὴ ψαύσειεν ἀπολελοιπώς· ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο κόσμος ἐδόκει τῷ Συμεὼν, ἧτταν ἀγεννῆ τοῦ ἀντιπάλου μηνύον. Εὐθὺς δὲ καὶ ὁ καλὸς ἀγωνοθέτης Χριστὸς τὸ βραβεῖον ἐδίδου, καὶ τῷ γενναίῳ ἐπιφανεὶς, ἅπτεται τοῦ προσώπου κρυφίως, καὶ παραχρῆμα αἵ τε τρίχες ἐφύοντο, καὶ ὁ πώγων αὐτῷ πάλιν ὡς καὶ πρώην ἐκόμα. Τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν τοίνυν ἐκ τοῦ φανεροῦ καὶ νῦν συμπλοκῆς ὁ πονηρὸς ἀπογνοὺς, ἅτε λαμπρῶς παρ᾽ αἰτοῦ καταβεβλεμένος καὶ ἡττημένος, ἑπὶ τὴν τέχνην ἑξῆς καὶ τὴν ἀνελευθερίαν ἑχώρει· καὶ νῦν μὲν αυτῷ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἐκταράττειν, νῦν δὲ τοῖς ὄχλοις τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν πίστιν διαψυχραίνειν, νῦν δὲ τοὺς προεστῶτας τῶν κύκλω πόλεων, τῆς τοῦ ὄρους ἕνεκεν αὐτῷ νομῆς ἐπεγείρειν. Τίνα μηχανὴν ἢ σπουδὴν οὐκ εἰσῆγε κατὰ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς τῶν πολεμίων, οἳ τῷ ἀντιπάλῳ χεῖρας οὐ τολμῶντες ἐπάλειν, παράπτεσθαί τι τούτου διὰ τῶν ἐκτὸς ἀνελευθέρως πειρῶνται; Ἀλλὰ μείζονα κᾀντούτοις τὴν αἰσχύνην ἑαυτῷ προεξένει· καὶ πᾶν μᾶλλον ἦν ὁρᾷν τουναντίον, οὗ δρᾷν ἐκεῖνος ἐβούλετο. Τούς γε γὰρ μαθητὰς, μετὰ τὸν βραχὺν ἐκεῖνον σάλον, γαλήνη σταθερὰ διεδέξατο καὶ τῆς προτέρας ἀκριβεστέρα· οἵ τε πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον ὑποψυχρανθέντες οὕτως εἰς αὐτὸν θέρμης ἔσχον, ὡς τοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν αἱρετικοὺς ὄντας, μακρὰ τῇ παλαιᾷ σφῶν ἀπάτῃ χαίρειν εἰπόντας, τῆς ὀρθοδόξου μοίρας γενέσθαι καὶ ἡμετέρας· πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀπίστων, ἑλλήνων δηλαδὴ καὶ βαρβάρων καὶ τῆς τοιαύτης παχύτητος, πρὸς τὸ φῶς τῆς ἐν τῷ Συμεὼν χάριτος διαβλέψαντας, ὁδηγηθῆναι πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν· τοῖς τε περὶ τοῦ ὄρους αὐτῷ βραχέα διενεχθεῖσι, φίλα μετὰ ταῦτα μᾶλλον ἢ πρότερον καὶ εἰρηναῖα γενέσθαι. Λοιπὸν ὁ κατὰ τῶν παιδίων καὶ τῶν ἀρετὴν μετιόντων πειρασμὸς ἐνειστήκει. Καὶ περὶ πρῶτον νυκτὸς ὕπνον ἐκτείνας πτέρυγας αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὰ κατὰ βοῤῥᾶν ὁ διάβολος, κατέβη καθάπερ τις ἀετὸς μακρὸς τῇ ἐκτάσει καὶ πολὺς τοῖς ὄνυξιν ἐπί τὴν πρὸς ἥλιον ἀνίσχοντα πόλην τῆς Ἀντιόχου, συγγενές τι τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ποτὲ γεγονότων κατὰ τῶν πρωτοτόκων ποιῶν, καὶ παραπλησίους τῇ Ῥαχὴλ ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ θρήνους ἐπί τοῖς τέκνοις ἐγείρων· οὐ μὴν ἀλλἁ καὶ τῶν ἐν ἀρετῇ ζώντων πολλοὺς ἀπολλὺς, ὡς εἶναι κοπετὸν ἐν πάσαις πλατείαις, καὶ ἐν πάσαις ὁδοῖς οὐαὶ, οὐαὶ, καὶ καλεῖσθαι γεωργὸν εἰς πένθος, καὶ εἰς κοπετὸν, καὶ εἰς εἰδότας θρήνους, καθάπερ τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ παρὰ τοῦ θείου Μιχαίου πόῤῥωθεν ἐκεῖνο εἰρημένον, Ξύρησαι καὶ κεῖραι ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα σου τὰ τρυφερά, Ἥ τις ἀνυπόδετος καὶ γυμνὴ (ἵνα τοῖς τοῦ Προφήτου καὶ πάλιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ χρήσωμαι λόγοις) παρὰ τὸν θεῖον πορεύεται Συμεὼν, τὴν μόνην ἀσφαλῆ καταφυγὴν, τὴν μόνην οὐ ψευδομένηνην ἐλπίδα, θρηνοῦσα πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ νύμφην περιεζωσμένην σάκκον ἐπὶ τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς τὸν παρθενικόν. Ἔτι καὶ τὴν ὁσίαν Μάρθαν κοινωνὸν τοῦ πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν ἔχουσα θρήνου, ᾗ τὸ μὲν φιλοστόργως πειθόμενος, τὸ δὲ, καὶ ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ τῆς συμπαθείας πηγῶν τὸν εἰς αὐτοὺς βλύζων ἔλεον, γόνατα γῇ καὶ ὄψεις ἐρείσας, οὐ πρότερον ἀνίστησιν ἑαυτὸν, ἓως ἁρπαγέντα τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ πνεύματος ἴδοι, Ἀγγέλων τε πλῆθος περὶ αὐτὸν, καὶ ὥσπερ κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τῆς Ἀντιόχου κατενεχθέντα, καθὸ πενθοῦσα φεῦ! ἡ πόλις εἴη, τὰ φίλτατα. Καὶ ὡς αὐτὸς μὲν πρὸς ἀνατολὰς ἑστὼς προσεύξαιτο περὶ αὐτῆς, οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἁπάσης δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἀνύσειεν ἡ εὐχὴ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο μὲν τὸ μέρος εὐθὺς ἀπαλλαγῆναι τῆς ἀπειλῆς· μεταβῆναι δὲ κατὰ μεσημβρίαν τὸν ὀλοθρεύοντα, καὶ θρῆνον αὖθις ἀθρόον ἐκεῖθεν ἐγερθῆναι, κραυγὴν συντρίμματος, καὶ κοπετὸν καὶ οὐαὶ, μηδὲν τοῦ προτέρου λειπόμενα, ὡς αὐτὸς τῇ μητρὶ τηνικαῦτα καὶ τοῖς παροῦσιν ὁ θεῖος Συμεὼν ἐξηγεῖτο. Κατὰ πόδας δὲ καὶ ἡ πόλις πρός αὐτὸν αὖθις ἀνῄει, πενθικοῖς ὡς πρώην καὶ σχήμασι καὶ βαδίσμασι, ποιουμένη κοπετὸν ὡς δρακόντων, καὶ πένθος ὡς θυγατέρων σειρήνων. Περιπαθέστερον τοίνυν ἡ ὁσία τοῦ ὀσίου μήτηρ διατεθεῖσα, καὶ μᾶλλον ἑαυτῆς τὸ πάθος ἢ ἐκείνων εἶναι νομίσασα, δεῖται τοῦ οἰκείου πάλιν παιδὸς οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ στεναγμοῖς πῦρ ἀφιεῖσι, καὶ δάκρυσιν, οὐ κάμψαι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆξαι καρδίαν υἱοῦ δυναμένοις, ἐπαμῦναι κάμνουσιν αὐτοῖς εἴ τις δύναμις. Ὁ δὲ τῆς συνήθους πρὸς Θεὸν καὶ πάλιν εὐχῆς ἐχόμενος ἦν, καὶ τῆς ὁμοίας αὖθις ὄψεως ἀξιούμενος. Ἡ δὲ ἦν· ἁρπαγὴ μὲν αὐτοῦ καὶ πάλιν τῷ πνεύματι, καὶ κάθοδος ἐπὶ τὴν κατὰ Σελεύκειαν

πύλην, ἀποστροφὴ δὲ τοῦ ὀλοθρεύοντος ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ κατὰ τῆς μονῆς τοῦ Ἁγίου μᾶλλον ὁρμή· ἄμιλλά τε περί αὐτῆς ἀμφοῖν, πλευρᾶς ἑκατέρας ἑκατέρων ἐπειλημμένων, καὶ τοῦ μὲν ὅπως ἂν κακῶς διαθείη φιλονεικοῦντος, τοῦ δὲ ὅπως ἂν ἐξέληται τῆς ἐκείνου βλάβης αὐτὴν ἀγωνιζομένου. Ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ τὸν μὲν ὀλοθρεύοντα μυστική τις ἄνωθεν φωνὴ κατὰ πολὺ τὸ ἀκούσιον ἀφίστησι τῆς μονῆς· ὁ δὲ καὶ δευτέραν ἔφοδον αὖθις κατ᾽ αὐτῆς ἀπειλήσας, ἐπὶ τὴν οὕτω Κασσυῶτιν καλουμένην τέως ἐτράπετο.

[135] He exhorts the Brothers to endurance by the example of Job: Some time after he has again another vision, which almost robbed the man of life: and the Brothers being gathered into one; Stand, he says, as becomes the generous, against the impending temptations: for the Lord has permitted you to be tempted, that He may also surround you with a more splendid crown. He takes therefore into his hands the book of the Prophet Job, from which he knew both to increase their endurance and to corroborate the hope of supernal consolation: and silence and attention being enjoined on all, beginning from the head he unrolled the book by explaining it down to the very end: but wherever anything of proverbial notion occurred, he both more deeply unfolded it, and illustrated the latent sense in it by the splendor of the Spirit illuminating him; and at length he fitly concluded the exhortation from the Apostle, thus saying: You have heard what Job endured; and you have known what end the Lord had appointed for him: stand therefore, having your loins girt in truth, and your feet shod in the Gospel of peace, in all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish the fiery darts of the most wicked. Eph. 6, 16, Rom. 8, 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed in us. 2 Cor. 4, 17 For that which is at present momentary of our tribulation worketh above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory in us: while we contemplate not the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

[136] These things being said, groaning grievously from the depth of his heart, mingling tears also with his groans; Brothers, he says, it is a time for contending: watch therefore, and let not the devil escape any of you, who fraudulently tempts to circumvent you. and by the hope of reward For you know that the house of our tabernacle, which is upon the earth, is to be dissolved; but we have another, not made with hand, laid up in the heavens, we who walk in the law of the Lord, presenting to our hearts His light, which may direct our steps to Him. The vision of this house has this very night clearly shown me our ascent; into which has also entered the beloved Brother, John, our forerunner; whose life and manners you yourselves cannot at all be ignorant of, who both made him a partaker of the heavenly life, and had him a fellow-soldier in the spiritual palaestra. For the tenth year now, my Brothers, is being passed, that I keep watch for your souls, nor have I ceased to pray God with tears, as one about to render account for you. For I too am never not assailed by that fear, lest I be found one of those who, hired for wages, being but very little solicitous about the sheep, dismiss them and flee; not however one of those shepherds, who lay down their souls with willing mind for the safety of their flock.

[137] Nevertheless, corroborated by the virtue of the supernal staff, up to the present time I have repelled from you generously the infernal beast. For you know well, how often he has tried not only to disturb your mind, and to allure and draw it down to the desire of worldly things; but also to despoil it of divine grace and lay it bare, nay, to scatter and dissipate you yourselves entirely: and of victory. yet everywhere he was confounded and repelled; gaining no other advantage from so great an effort and rage, than that he appeared the more pernicious, the more effort he applied. Now therefore, although no great nor widely circumscribed faculty of harming has been given him, some has nevertheless been granted against us; nor only against the recruits, but also against those who are advanced in the way of virtues; by whom indeed both a graver blow is inflicted on the envious enemy, and against whom he in turn burns with more manifest envy: but Thou, O Lord, my defender, wilt not desert Thine own.

[138] Then he also narrated to the disciples what he had seen. Namely that he had seen the elect Angels of God flying to the gates of heaven, to adore their God; that he had seen also the devil standing, clad as an Ethiopian, wholly dark, deformed of face, breathing calumnies, his eyes suffused alike with blood and fire, leaning his feet on no support, but standing as it were in mid air, horrible and roaring after the manner of wild beasts; who, his head turned, "against me," he said, was awaiting some response; but that a voice had glided down from the Lord, saying, Strike the children and the comelier ones; but that he had asked, that it might be permitted him to take his beginning from me, as of old from holy Job; and at the same time had seized the garments. The demon, having begun the fight from Symeon, plucks out his beard, These things indeed the Saint narrated to the Brothers: but the enemy, thinking no occasion of doing harm was to be passed over, rushed upon him with a great roaring, and entering, as he could, beneath the leathern sheepskin cloak, that he might, as he thought, the more violently overthrow him; the wretch suffered rather that very thing which he hoped to inflict; and cast down with a grievous fall he departed, as if resolved into smoke: and having only plucked out the hairs of the seized beard, he left that member which he had touched bare. But this too Symeon turned to his highest ornament, as laying open to the world the unseemly conflict of the adversary.

[139] Soon the illustrious Director of the contest, Christ, repaid His generous champion the reward: for appearing He touched secretly his face, and immediately the hairs grew forth, and the pristine ornament of the beard returned. Therefore Satan, distrusting now also to attack Symeon by open warfare, which is restored by Christ: inasmuch as he had been manifestly cast down and overcome by him, henceforth turned to his arts and the cowardly kind of fighting; now by instigating the Brothers against the Saint; now by undermining the faith which the people had reposed in him; at other times by stirring up the Prefects of the surrounding cities, on account of the right which each claimed for himself over the mountain, he stirs up many against him, against the man of God. But what machines, what arts did he not bring against the weak warriors! who, not daring to join hands with the adversary, were basely tempted, that they should suffer themselves to be soothed and moved by external things. But he procured for himself thence a greater confusion; and one could see all things turn out otherwise than he had preconceived. For these very disciples, after that brief tempest, a secure and constant calm received, and one far to be preferred to the former: and those who were colder toward the Saint, which results in the conversion of the unbelievers: were so inflamed with his love, that some of those very heretics bade farewell to their ancient errors, and embraced the part of our orthodox faith; and many of the unbelievers, namely Greeks and Barbarians and like men of grosser error, turning their eyes back to the light of grace with which Symeon shone, were converted to the truth: but to those who dwell about the mountain all things were after this more peaceable and more joyful than before.

[140] Moreover against the children and those more remiss about the exercise of virtue the temptation prevailed. For the devil, under the first quiet of night, raging against Antioch, flying with wings expanded toward the north, just as an eagle embracing a great space and most fully equipped with talons, descended toward the Eastern gate of Antioch, exciting a tragedy not unlike that which once in Egypt raged against the firstborn; and recalling the mourning by which Rachel wept over her sons in Palestine. Nor did he stop here: but he also slew very many zealous of virtue, so that in all the streets wailing, and in the crossways Woe! woe! resounded; and the husbandman was called to lamentation and to wailings; just as if to this city that prophecy had long ago been spoken by Micah, Make thee bald and shave thee for thy delicate children. Mich. 1, 16 The city therefore, naked and unshod (to use again the Prophet's words), goes to S. Symeon, the only secure refuge, the only hope that knows not how to deceive; lamenting before him more than a bride girt with sackcloth over the husband of her virginity. Joel 1, 8

[141] Besides, he had S. Martha also, partner of his grief, and being repelled from one part of the city by the prayers of Symeon, for a patroness with her son: by whom he, amicably induced, and of his own accord pouring out from an innate fount of commiseration mercy upon the afflicted, his knees and face placed on the ground, did not raise himself before he had, rapt out of himself by the virtue of the spirit, seen a multitude of Angels surrounding him, and as it were at the same time descending upon that city, while the city was lamenting the loss of its dearest. But just as he himself, turned to the East, was praying for it, so not for the whole city was the prayer heard, but only that Eastern part, the threats at once ceasing, seemed to be withdrawn from the danger. Then the wicked spirit passes to the south; he is turned to the other, and suddenly a grievous lamentation thence and clamor, contritions and wailings and woe, in no way more tolerable than before, were excited; just as Symeon himself then narrated to his mother and to the others present.

[142] But forthwith the city, poured forth, runs again to the Saint, with mournful, as before, appearance and gait, raising a wailing as of dragons, and a lamentation as of the daughters of sirens. But the holy mother of Symeon, affected with grievous grief, and reckoning her own sense to be much more bitter than theirs, again supplicates her son, not with simple prayer, but with groans emitting fiery sparks, and tears, able not only to bend but even to melt the heart of a son, and thence too being repelled, that if in any way he can he should succor those in peril. At this Symeon, resuming the prayer long accustomed, was deemed worthy again of a like vision: and it was of this kind. Rapt anew into ecstasy he was descending toward that gate which looks toward Seleucia: but the devastating spirit, snatching flight thence, he attacks the monastery turned his onset against the monastery of the Saint; concerning which a grave contention also arose between the two, each of them playing his own part, the one busy to inflict harm, the other laboring to avert it. Meanwhile the contriver of crimes, by a certain secret voice sent from heaven, was very unwillingly driven from the place, but being put to flight he invades Cassyotis. and threatening anew a second invasion, withdrew as far as the place called Cassyotis.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Again he exhorts his own; a Brother slain by a demon he recalls to life after various prayers and visions.

ΚΑὶ ὁ μὲν ἱερὸς ταῦτα Συμεὼν τῇ μητρὶ ἀφηγεῖτο, ἐπεὶ καὶ λίαν αὐτὴν ᾔδει χαίρουσαν, καὶ πάλιν παθαινομένην, εὖ αὐτῇ τῶν πατριωτῶν ἢ τοὐναντίον ἐχόντων· Τὴν δὲ Κασσυῶτιν ὀδυρμὸς εἶχε καὶ θρῆνος, ἤγειρε γὰρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν μάστιγας ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πλῆθος, ἐκεῖθεν παρὰ τὸν ἅγιον οὐκ ὁλίγον ἀπήντα, ἐλεεινολογούμενοι πρὸς αὐτὸν, οἷα τέτακται ἡμέρα Κυρίου ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς, πικρὰ καὶ σκληρὰ, δυνατὴ ἡμέρα, ὀργῆς ἡ

ἡμέρα ἐκείνη, ἡμέρα θλίψεως καὶ ἀνάγκης, ἡμέρα ἀωρίας καὶ ἀφανισμοῦ, ἡμέρα σκότους καὶ γνόφου, ἡμέρα νεφέλης καὶ ὁμίχλης. Καὶ μέντοι καὶ τοῦ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κινδύνου καὶ τῶν δεινῶν, εὐχαῖς ἐκείνου, κομιζόμενοι λύσιν· ὁ δὲ, προσαγαγόντων ἤδη τῇ μονῇ καὶ ὅσον οὐκ ἐπὶ θύραις αἰσθόμενος τῶν πειρατηρίων, τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁμοῦ πάντας συναγαγὼν, Ἰδοὺ, τέκνα καὶ ἀδελφοὶ, ἔφη, ὡς ἄμπελος ἐγενήθητε τῷ Χριστῷ κομῶσα καὶ θάλλουσα, καὶ ἀρετῶν ἄνθει βρύουσα, δεξιᾷ τῇ ἐκείνου πεφυτευμενη, εἴη δὲ καὶ κατηρτισμένη λέγειν. Ὁρᾶ τε οὖν μὴ καθαιρεθῆτε τὸν φραγμὸν, ὅς ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμος, καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐντολῶν φυλακή· καὶ λυμήνηται φεῦ καὶ κατανεμήσηται ὑμᾶς ὁ ἐχθρὸς ὗς ἐκ δρυμοῦ, καὶ εἰς κοινὴν τοῖς διοδεύουσιν ἐκτεθῆτε ὕβριν καὶ καταπάτημα. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐνέγκατε καρποὺς μᾶλλον τῆς γεωργίας ἀξίους, ὑπομονὴν δηλαδὴ μετ᾽ εὐχαριστίας, καὶ τὸ ἐν πειρασμοῖς γενναῖον καὶ μεγαλόψυχον· ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ δεινὰ παρὰ πόδας. Ταῦτα ἔφη, καὶ βαρύ τι καὶ πεπονθὸς ἀνοιμώξας, οἷα κρυφίοις ὄμματι τὰ μέλλοντα διορῶν, αὐτοῖς μὲν τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν ἄμαχον ἐπιβάλλει σφραγῖδα· τὸν δὲ θεωρία ὑπολαβοῦσα, ὅσον οὐκ ἤδη παροῦναι δείκνυσιν ἅπερ ἐπάγεθαι ἤμελλε· καὶ πάλιν εὐχαὶ πρὸς Θεὸν αὐτῷ, καὶ πάλιν δάκρυα, ὕπνου τε πάλιν ἄγευστος ἐκείνη καθάπαξ ἡ νύξ, ἕως αὐτὸν ἡ θεία παρεκάλεσε χάρις, ἐν σχήματι νεανιδος παρθένου ἐπιφανεῖσα. Ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ ὁ ἐχθρὸς μετὰ τῶν σκανδάλων καὶ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγουλᾶ τε πρώτου ἡ τῆς ἐκείνου μανίας ἀρχὴ, καὶ ἡ κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν πληγὴ, δικαίαν τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν οἰκειώσεως τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ἀπολαβόντος, χάριτός τε παρα τοῦ φίλου ἀξίας τετυχηκότος. Ἐν ὅσῳ γὰρ τὰ ὀφθέντα πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁ Συμεὼν διεξῄει, τῆς προλαβούσης ὥσπερ ἐπιλαθόμενος διδασκαλίας ὁ Ἀγγουλὰς, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἐντολῆς, μὴ μεριμνήσητε κελευούσης, μερίμνησον ἐκεῖνος ἑαυτῷ καὶ ἡμῖν ἔφη. Καὶ μετὰ τοῦ ῥήματος εὐθὺς ἡ πληγὴ, οὐ κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὁμοῦ πάντων· καὶ ἡ πληγὴ μεγάλη οὕτω καὶ χαλεπὴ, ὡς τοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν ἐγγυτάτῳ θανάτου γενέσθαι τοὺς δὲ καὶ θανεῖν, ὅσοι δηλαδὴ τῶν ἄλλων ἀμελέστερον εἶχον. Ὅπερ μαθόντα τὸν Συμεὢν τὸ τῆς νεανικῆς τοῦ Ἰώβ ἐκείνης καὶ γενναίας φάναι ψυχῆς, Εἴη τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου εὐλογημένον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Εἰστήκει δέ τις ἀδελφὸς, τῶν κομιδῇ σπουδαίων καὶ φιλαρέτων, ὄνομα Κόνων, ὃς διὰ τὸ Χρηστὸν τοῦ τρόπου, καὶ τὸν περὶ τὸ καλὸν ἔρωτα ἠγάπητο τῷ μεγάλῳ διαφερόντως· οὗτος δέει τῆς ἴσης τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς πληγῆς ἵστατο σκυθρωπός· ἔξω δὲ καθάπερ ἑαυτοῦ γεγονὼς, ἐδόκει ταῦτα τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν ὁρᾶν αὐτοῦ πυνθανόμενον· Ποία τῶν ὑπὲρ γῆς ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου μεγίστη πρὸς Θεὸν παῤῥησία; τοῦ δὲ καί τις ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν ἐρομένου, αὐτὸν εἶναι φάναι τὸν μετ᾽ ἐκείνου λαλοῦντα· τῆς θείας οἶμαι χάριτος, ὃ μετ᾽ οὐ πολὺ παράδοξον ἔμελλεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ γενησεθαι προοικονομούσης, ἢ τὸν μαθητὴν μᾶλλον οἰκοδομούσης, μὴ λάθῃ παρὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ πρὸς ἀπιστίαν ὑποσυρεὶς, ἀσθένειαν τοῦ διδασκάλου πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνου μηχανὰς καταγνῶναι· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Κόνων εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἐπανελθὼν, ἀγωνίας μεστὸς τὴν ὄψιν αὐτῷ ἐξηγήσατο. Οὐ πολὺ δὲ τὸ ἐν μέσῳ καὶ τελευτᾷ μὲν αὐτὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου πληγεὶς ὁ Κόνων· ὅπερ τῷ Συμεὼν ἀκουσθὲν, μέσης αὐτοῦ καθικνεῖται καρδίας. Ὁ δὲ τὸν νεκρὸν κομιθῆναι, καὶ πρὸς αὐτοῦ τεθῆναι, τήνδε δερματίνην τοῦ στύλου σκέπην ἀρθῆναι κελεύσας, τὰ σπλάγχνα τε δεινῶς ἐπὶ τῷ κειμένῳ παθὼν, ὀδυνηρόν τε λίαν δακρύσας καὶ ἀνακλαύσας, γόνατά τε δοὺς ἐδάφει καὶ ὄψεις, Δέσποτα παντοκράτορ εἶπεν, ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ πήξας αὐτὸν, ὁ στερεώσας τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ, ὁ διδοὺς πνοὴν τῷ λαῷ τῷ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ πνεῦμα τοῖς πατοῦσιν αὐτὴν, ὁ ἐκστρέφων εἰς πρωῒ σκιὰν θανάτου καὶ ἡμέραν εἰς νύκτα σκοτάζων, ὁ θανατῶν καὶ ζωογονῶν, ὁ εἰς ᾅδου κατάγων καὶ ἀνάγων, πνεῦσον ἐπὶ τὸ νεκρὸν σῶμα τοῦτο τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ πνεύματός σου, καὶ ἀποκαταστήτω αὐτῷ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ, ὥστε λαλῆσαι τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν δυναστείαν σου, καὶ τὴν δόξαν τῆς μεγαλοπρεπείας τῆς βασιλείας σου. Ταῦτα προσευξάμενος καὶ διαναστὰς, μεγάλῃ ὡς εἶχεν, Ἀββᾶ Κόνων, ἐβόησε τῇ φωνῇ. Ὁ δὲ ἦν ἄφωνος, ἄψυχος, σῶμα αἰσθήσεώς τε καὶ πνοῆς ἔρημον. Ὡ δὲ τῇ γῇ πάλιν ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Συμεὼν δεδωκότος, τὰ αὐτά τε προσευξαμένου, καὶ παραπλησίᾳ φωνῇ πάλιν τὸν μαθητὴν καλέσαντος, ἔτι νεκρὸς ἀκριβῶς ὁ νεκρὸς ἦν, γόνατα καὶ κεφαλὴν αὖθις κολληθεὶς τῷ ἐδάφει, συντονώτερόν τε τοῦ Θεοῦ δεηθεὶς, ἔπειτα μέντοι καρδίαν ἅμα καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνατείνας, φωνήν τε δάκρυσι θερμοῖς κεκερασμένην ἀφεὶς, Ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ μῆτηρ, ἡ δέσποινα πάντων καὶ Θεοτόκος, ἡ τῆς ἡμῶν ἀναπλάσεως καὶ σωτηρίας μεσίτης, ἔφη· ὁ Πρόδρομος τοῦ Ἐμμανουὴλ, ὁ καὶ αὐτὸν καταξιωθεὶς βαπτίσαι τὸν αἴροντα τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου, ὁ τῇ μητρί με καὶ πρὸ γενέσεως εὐαγγελισάμενος· Χερουβίμ, Σεραφίμ, Θρόνοι, Κυριότητες, Ἀρχαί, Ἐξουσίαι, Μιχαήλ, Γαβριήλ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντες ὅσοι τῶν Ἀγγελικῶν ἐκείνων δυνάμεων, ἄλλος ἄλλης στρατιᾶς προηγεῖσθε· Ἀπόστολοι θεῖοι, Προφῆται, Μάρτυρες, Ἱερεῖς, οἱ τὴν ἀδαπάνητον μυστικῶς θυσίαν ὑπὲρ ψυχῶν δικαίων προσφέροντες, σεσίγηκεν ὑμῖν πᾶσα νῦν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ πρὸς Θεὸν παῤῥησία, ἐπιλέλησθε τοῦ διὰ παντὸς ὑμᾶς μεσίτας προβαλλομένου· κεῖται γὰρ ὡς ὁρᾶτε οὗτος, καὶ οὐ δὲ μία παρ᾽ ὑμῶν πρεσβεία, οὐδεὶς τῶν ἐμῶν της καρδίας ὀδυνῶν ἔλεος. Ἦπου διακενῆς παρ᾽ ὅλην ὁ πόνος ἐμοὶ τὴν ζωήν; Εἰ οὐκ ἀναστήσεται, ὂντως οὐκ εὐηρέστησα τῷ Θεῷ μου, οὐδὲ κοινωνίαν οὐμενοῦν εὗρον οὐδεμίαν ἐν ὑμῖν, εἰ οὐ ζήσεται. Ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν, καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορῶν, ὁ ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης καθήμενος ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἐπίστρεψον Κύριε ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἴδε ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ ἁγίου σου καὶ δόξης· ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ ζῆλός σου καὶ ἡ ἰσχύς σου; ποῦ ἐστι τὸ πλῆθος τοῦ ἐλέου σου καὶ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου; Ταῦτα τοῦ Ἁγίου προσευχομένου, οὐ κατηφείας μόνον οἱ παρόντες ἐπληροῦντο καὶ δέους, ἀλλὰ συμπάσχειν αὐτῷ μικροῦ καὶ τὰ στοιχεῖα ἐδόκει, δικαίας οὕτω ψυχῆς βοὴν δυσωπούμενα, τὴν μέντοι μακαρίαν Μάρθαν καὶ φρίκης τι ὑπεληλύθει· ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἔξω ἑαυτῆς ἐνόμιζε γεγενῆσθαι, ἕως ἄνωθεν αὐτῇ κρυφίως ἐπιδημήσασα χάρις εἰς ἑαυτὴν ἐπανήγαγεν. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γὰρ ἔμελλε Θεὸς ταύτῃ τοῦ δικαίου κάμνοντος ἐπὶ πλέον υπερορᾷν, ἀλλὰ θείας ὁ Συμεὼν ἐπισκοπῆς καὶ προσαγούσης ἤδη παρακλήσεως ὑπαισθόμενος, ὀξὺ αὐτίκα βοήσας, Ἐκ θλήψεως ἐπεκαλεσάμην τὸν Κύριον, ἔφη καὶ ἐπήκουσέ μου εἰς πλατυσμόν· Κύριε, εἰσάκουσον τῆς προσευχῆς μου, καὶ ἡ κραυγή μυ πρός σε ἐλθέτω· μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ τοῦ παιδός σου, ὅτι θλίβομαι, ταχὺ ἐπάκουσόν μου. Ὁ κλίνας οὐρανοὺς Θεὸς, καὶ ἐξ ἁγιων ὑψωμάτων καὶ κατοικητηρίων σου καταβὰς, ὁ δι᾽ ἐμὲ σάρξ γενόμενος, ὁ καὶ σταυρὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ καὶ θάνατον ἀνασχόμενος. εἰ θέλημα τῶν σε φοβουμένων ὡς ἐπηγγείλω ποιεις, εἰ τῃ βίβλῳ με τῆς παρά σοι ζωῆς καὶ τὸν ἀχρεῖον δοῦλον ἐναπεγράψω, ὡς τεθνηκυῖαν ἤδη τὴν τοῦ ἀρχοντος θυγατέρα, ὡς ἐκκομιζόμενον νεκρὸν τὸν τῆς χήρας υἱὸν, ὡς τετραήμερον ἐκ νεκρῶν ανέστησας Λάζαρον, οὕτως ἐλθέτω πνεῦμα ζωῆς καὶ εἰς τὸν κείμενον τοῦτον, καὶ ζησάτω, καὶ στήτω ἐπὶ τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ. Ταῦτα τοῦ δικαίου βοῶντος, φωνὴ καθάπερ ἐν προσευχῇ τῇ ψυχῇ τοῦ κειμένου ἡκούετο, ὡς αὐτὸς ὕστερον ἐξηγούμενος ἦν, Ὅλος λέγουσα σκότος ὁ κόσμος, οὐκ ἔστι φῶς ἐπὶ προσώπου τῆς γῆς οὐδαμοῦ, πληθυνθείσης τῆς ἀνομίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι τῶν υἱῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅτι μὴ μόνον ἐνταῦθα. Ἥλιος μὲν οὖν ἤδη μετὰ μεσημβρίαν κεκλίνει· ὁρᾷ δὲ ὁ ἱερὸς Συμεὼν, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνοίγονται οἱ οὐρανοὶ, φῶς δὲ ουκ ὀφθαλμοῦ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ αὐτοῦ κρεῖττον ἡλίου ὑπὲρ ἄνω τῦ στερεώματος· ἧχός τε τροχῶν φερομένων ἐμπίπτων ταῖς ἀκοαῖς· ἅρμα δὲ κατόπιν τοῦ ἤχου τέσσαρσι μὲν ἵπποις χρώμενον, τοσούτοις δὲ καὶ τροχοῖς, τρεῖς τε ἀριθμὸν παραθέοντες ἄνδρες· ὁ μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν μεταξὺ τῶν δύο τροχῶν τε καὶ ἵπων, ὁ δ᾽ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν ὁμοίως, ἅτερος δ᾽ ἐκ τῶν ὀπισθίων. Ἡ δὲ ἀναβολὴ τοῖς ἀνδράσι καὶ ἡ κόμη, ἡ μὲν χιόνα τῇ λευκότητι παριοῦσα, ἡ δὲ πλέον καὶ χρυσοῦ στίλβουσα· τὸ δὲ τῶν ἵππων χρῶμα, τὰ δὲ ἡνία, τὸ δὲ τοῦ ὀχήματος εἶδος, φῶς αὐτόχρημα ἦσαν, φῶς ὀφθαλμῶν μᾶλλον εἰς θέαν ἢ γλώττης εἰς ἑρμηνείαν δεόμενον, ἢ καὶ ἀμφοῖν ἐπίσης, γλώττης ὁμοῦ καὶ ὀφθαλμῶν ἐλέγχον ἀσθένειαν. Ἐφέρετο τοίνυν ἐπὶ τὰ δεξιὰ διὰ τῶν εὐωνύμων ἐκ τῶν ὀπισθίων τοῦ κίονος, ἕως κατὰ πρόσωπον ἔστη τοῦ Συμεὼν πρὸς Ἀνατολὰς, τοῦ δεξιὰ παρεπομένου ταύτη κελεύσαντος. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ἐκ τῶν δεξιῶν ἠρέμα προσέβαλεν αὖρα, καὶ ἰδοὺ ὡς ὁμοίωμα στερεώματος, καὶ ὡς ὅρασις κατὰ νῶτον λίθου σαπφείρου, τέσσαρές τε χεῖρες ἀνδρῶν οἱονεὶ σὺν εκπλήξει καὶ φόβῳ πτέρυξιν ἐλαφραῖς διαπετομένων, καὶ ὥσπερ τι καταπέτασμα θυσιαστηρίου κατασειόντων· τὰ δὲ ὑπὲρ τοῦτο ὡς ὁμοίωμα θρόνου τὰ ἔνδον καταλάμποντος, καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ πάλιν ὡς εἶδος ἀνθρώπου, μή τε ὀφθαλμῷ τῆς θέας ἐφικέσθαι, μή τε νῷ τοσοῦτον ἐφιέντος ὅσον ἐβούλετο· Ἀγγέλων τε μυριάδες ἀριθμοῦ κρείττους κυκλοῦσαι τὸν θρόνον ὁμοῦ καὶ παρεστηκυῖαι, φῶς αὐτόχρημα οὖσαι, φῶς ἀφιεῖσαι, φῶς ἐξαστράπτουσαι· οἱ μὲν ὅσα καὶ ἀὴρ ὁρώμενοι, οἱ δὲ πῦρ, οἱ δὲ ἥλιος· τῷ μέντοι Μιχαὴλ (ὡς τηνικαῦτα μυστικῶς τῷ Συμεὼν ἐδηλοῦτο) πλείονος τῶν ἄλλων οἰκειώσεως καὶ παῤῥησίας μεστῆν, ὡς καὶ πάντων ἤδη κεφαλὰς ἐπικλινομένων μόνον ὑπερανέχειν αὐτὸν, διακονούμενον τοῖς δεσποτικοῖς διατάγμασιν. Ἀπὸ μέντοι τῆς τοῦ κίονος στάσεως ἄχρι τῶν ἀθεάτως ἐκείνων καὶ μυστικῶς ὁρωμένων ἀναβάσεις, ὡς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, αἱ δυνάμεις ἐτίθεντο· συνανήει δὲ καὶ πλῆθος αὐταῖς ἀνὰ τὸν ἀέρα μυρίον, ὡς μὴ δὲ τῷ παντὶ χωρεῖσθαι δύνασθαι, ἀλλ᾽ οἷον ἀλλήλοις συγκεῖσθαι, καὶ θατέρου τὸν ἕτερον ἔχεσθαι, φῶς περικειμένους, φῶς ὁρωμένους, φῶς οἷον μὴ δὲ ὀφθαλμῷ καταληπτὸν εἶναι λάμποντας· φωνὴ τοῦ ὁμοιώματος ἐκείνου ἀκουομένη, ὡς φωνὴ τοῦ ἐν ὑπεροχαῖς ἀνθρώπου, ἀποκατάστασιν τῆς τοῦ κειμένου ψυχῆς σημαίνουσα. Ὡς δὲ κρύπτεσθαι ἤδη τὰ τῆς θείας ἐκείνης ἐπιφανείας, καὶ μηκέθ᾽ ὁρᾶσθαι ἤμελλε, στρατιά τις Ἀγγέλων παρέστη τῷ Συμεὼν, τῆς αὐτοῦ στάσεως ἑκατέρωθεν, κατὰ τῶν

τῆς πονηρίας πνευμάτων· παραχρῆμα δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς, χάριτος ὥσπερ δαψιλεστέρας ὑποπλησθεὶς, λαμπρᾷ ὡς εἶχε καὶ πεποιθυίᾳ φωνῇ, Ἀδελφὲ Κόνων, ἔγειραι, ἔφη, καλεῖ σε δι᾽ ἐμοῦ ὁ τετραήμερον ἐκ τάφου καλέσας Λάζαρον· καὶ ὁμοῦ τῇ φωνῇ (τίς σου τὰ θαυμάσια Χριστὲ διηγήσεται;) ὁ νεκρὸς ἀνεβίω, καὶ τῆς γλυκείας τοῦ διδασκάλου φωνῆς ὁ μαθητὴς ὁ μαθητὴς ᾔσθετο· καὶ πρὸς τὴν κλῆσιν διαναστὰς, καὶ ὄμμασι βλέψας, καὶ ποσὶ χρησάμενος, ἀποκατέστη τῇ ἀδελφότητι. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν δὴ τοιοῦτο τοῦ Συμεὼν, καὶ οὕτω κατὰ τὸν γενναῖον Ἰώβ πειρασθῆναι συγχωρηθεὶς καὶ αὐτὸς, λαμπροτέρας ἐπὶ τέλει τυγχάνει τῆς ἀναῤῥήσεως, ὅσω τοῦ διπλασίῳ τῶν πρώην ἀφῃρημένων τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα κομίσασθαι, το τὸν θανόντα μαθητὴν, αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον ζῶντα πάλιν ἐξαισίως ἀπολαβεῖν, καὶ τοιαύτης ἐπιφανείας ἀξιωθῆναι, οὐκ ὀλίγω θαυμασιώτερον. Ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἑξῆς ὁ λόγος ἴτω τῆς ἀκολουθίας ἐχόμενος.

[143] And these things indeed S. Symeon was narrating to his mother, when he had perceived her exceedingly rejoicing and again grievously moved, according as the affairs of the citizens were glad or sad; but Cassyotis grief and weeping was occupying, the Lord raising His scourge over it; and an immense multitude of men ran thence to the Saint, with lamentable voice imploring help, no otherwise than if there had rushed upon them the day of the Lord, bitter and hard, a strong day, a day of wrath, After the Saint had warned his own of the impending temptation, a day of tribulation and necessity, a day of immaturity and perdition, a day of gloom and darkness, a day of cloud and mist. And the Cassyotenes indeed saw the perils and calamities impending over them dispelled by the prayers of the Saint: but he himself, perceiving the temptations rushing into his monastery and all but present at the doors, all the disciples being called together at once: Behold, my sons and Brothers, he says, like a vine you have become to Christ, comely with branches, flourishing, and budding with the flowers of virtues, planted by His right hand, and, be it permitted to say, perfected also. See therefore that you do not destroy the hedge, which is the law of God and the observance of His commandments: for the boar out of the wood will lay you waste, woe is me! and disperse you, and you will be exposed to any passers-by for contumely and trampling. Nevertheless bear fruits worthy of so great a culture, endure with thanksgiving; and bear yourselves generously and magnanimously in temptations. For behold a great calamity is at hand. When he had said these things, groaning grievously with grief, no otherwise than if the things which were to come were turning before his eyes; he fortifies the disciples indeed with the impregnable sign of the Cross of Christ: but he himself, rapt by contemplation of mind, the things which he had foretold as future all but showing themselves now present; again he pours forth suppliant prayers to God, again tears, again passes that whole night without sleep; until divine grace, appearing to him, clothed in the form of a young girl, consoled him in his affliction. Then also the enemy was present with scandal and snares; whose fury, begun from Angulas, raged with blows against himself and the Brothers: that man receiving the deserved reward for the familiarity contracted with the enemy, By the demon's savagery some die: and the favor wont to be conferred by such a friend.

[144] For meanwhile, while Symeon narrates to the disciples what he had seen; Angulas, as though forgetful of the foregoing instruction, nay, forgetful of the precept warning that they should not act anxiously; Let him be solicitous himself, both for himself, he says, and for us. Which words a blow immediately follows, exceedingly mournful not only to him but to all the brothers also: for it was so grave and savage, that some were near death, some even died; namely those who had been more negligent than the rest. Which being understood Symeon, like another Job, which fearing the same, Conon, a pious Brother, with brave and generous mind said: Blessed be the name of the Lord forever. But a certain Brother, in few zealous and a lover of virtue, called Conon, and exceedingly dear to Symeon, on account of the elegance and sweetness of his manners and his zeal for following better things, was of a perplexed and dejected mind, fearing lest the same calamity that befell the Brothers should befall him too. He, as though his mind wandering from his senses, seemed to himself to see Symeon, asking such things: What is the greatest confidence toward God of one man on earth? And when he, Who is that man? answered; Symeon said, he it is who speaks with thee: divine grace, as I think, thus disposing those things which were soon to happen to him beyond expectation, or rather instructing the disciple, lest, allured to infidelity by the evil genius, he forget to indicate to the master his weakness against his machinations: for being restored to himself Conon, with great sorrow, opened that vision to the Saint. when he had died, for his being raised again

[145] No long time interposed, Conon, struck by the devil, expired: which when it came to the ears of Symeon, a great grief invaded his heart. He bids therefore the dead man be brought, the brought man be placed beside him, the leathern covering of the column be removed; then, moved in his inmost bowels over the one lying there, and weeping and groaning very dolorously, his knees and face prostrated on the earth; Lord, he says, omnipotent, who madest heaven and didst frame it; who didst establish the earth and the things in it; who givest spirit to the people inhabiting and treading the earth; who turnest the shadow of death into light, and the day into dark night; who killest and makest alive; Symeon prays with repeated turns, who leadest down to the lower world and bringest back; breathe upon this corpse Thy life-giving spirit, and let his soul be restored to him, that the sons of men may celebrate Thy power and the glory of the majesty of Thy kingdom. Having so prayed he rose, and with as great a voice as he could cried out, Abba Conon. But he lacked voice and soul, a body destitute of sense and spirit. But when he had again cast himself on the ground, and had repeated the same in prayer, and with like voice had called the disciple in vain, (for being dead as he was, he truly remained dead) his knees and head a third time fixed to the earth, with more intense prayer he implored the help of God. But afterward, his heart and eyes raised to heaven, and calls all the Saints to aid: he emitted a voice of this kind mixed with fervent tears: Mother of God, Lady of all and Bearer of God, mediatrix of our reparation and salvation: Precursor of Emmanuel, who wast also deemed worthy to baptize Him who takes away the sins of the world, and who didst announce me to my mother before I was born: Cherubim, Seraphim, Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Powers, Michael, Gabriel, and as many besides as you are Angelic spirits, set, one over one host, another over another: divine Apostles, Prophets, Martyrs, Priests, who mystically offer the inexhaustible sacrifice for just souls, now all your confidence toward God for me has ceased to speak and is dumb; you have forgotten me, who have always employed you as mediators: for he lies, as you see, this disciple of mine; and no intercession from you, no commiseration of my griefs proceeds. Has then in vain all the labor exhausted through my whole life? If this man rise not again, truly I have not pleased my God; nor have I found any communion in you, if he revive not. Thou who dwellest on high and regardest the lowly, who sittest at the right hand of Majesty in the heavens, turn Thyself, I beseech Thee, O Lord, thence, and look from the holy house of Thy glory. Where is Thy zeal and Thy strength? where is the multitude of Thy mercy and Thy compassions?

[146] While the Saint prayed in this manner, not only were those present filled with grief and fear, but the very elements seemed to be touched with commiseration, as not bearing any longer the cry of so just a soul: certainly a certain horror came over blessed Martha, whereby she thought herself to have gone out of her senses, who at length, perceiving himself to be heard until the supernal grace of God, secretly supervening, brought her back to herself. But verily God was no longer in this manner about to despise the just man laboring: perceiving therefore the divine visitation and the consolation coming, he immediately cried out with a mighty voice, saying: Out of my tribulation I called upon the Lord, and He heard me in a broad place: Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come unto Thee. Turn not away Thy face from Thy servant, for I am in tribulation; speedily hear me Thou, again he asks the dead man to be raised; who bowest the heavens, O God; who didst descend from Thy holy and lofty habitations, who for me wast made flesh, who for me didst endure the cross and death. If Thou doest the will of them that fear Thee, as Thou hast promised; if Thou hast inscribed me, an useless servant, in the book of eternal life; just as Thou didst raise from the dead the Prince's daughter already dead, and the widow's dead son already carried out, and Lazarus already four days dead; so let the spirit of life come also into this dead man, and let him revive, and stand on his feet. While the just Symeon thus cried, a voice, as is wont in prayer, was heard within the soul of the man lying there (as he afterward narrated) saying; The whole world is darkness; no light anywhere upon the face of the earth, for iniquity is fulfilled in the doings of the sons of men, and that not only in this place.

[147] Now the sun was inclining toward the south, when S. Symeon looks up: and behold the heavens are opened, and a light, obscuring not only the keenness of the eyes, but the very day also and the most splendid sun, flashes above the firmament; and the sound of running wheels glides to his ears. he sees the heavens opened and a luminous chariot, But it was a chariot furnished with four horses and as many wheels, over which three men presided; of whom one sat on the right side midway between the two wheels and horses, another on the left side likewise, the third behind. Moreover the garment and the hair of the men was such, that the one surpassed snow in whiteness, the other gold in splendor: but the color of the horses and the reins, and the appearance of the vehicle were mere light, which required the eyes rather for beholding, than the tongue for explaining, or rather equally argued the infirmity of both. And the chariot was borne behind the column from the left side toward the right, until it stood before the face of Symeon toward the east, so bidding him who followed on the right.

[148] Soon also from the right a tranquil breeze blew, and there appeared a likeness of a firmament, likewise a splendid throne, and a vision behind as of a sapphire stone, and four hands of men (you would have said struck with consternation and fear) flying about with light wings, and as it were drawing aside some veil of an altar: that which was beheld, a likeness of a throne; shining inwardly; and again above the throne as it were the appearance of a man, not permitting either the eyes or the mind to take in so much of the spectacle of delight, as the beholder desired: Angels also infinite in number, surrounding the throne, were present; who seemed to be very light itself, so did they coruscate everywhere by emitting rays. Some bore the appearance of air, some of fire, some of the sun: but to Michael (as was then secretly manifested to Symeon) there was a greater familiarity and liberty of acting than to the others; so that, all bowing their heads,

he alone stood out, serving the Lord's commands. From that place, moreover, where the column stood, even to that where the secret spectacles, never seen by another, appeared, there was an ascent, by which, as it were even into heaven itself, the Angelic spirits were stationed, and were ascending through the air in so great a multitude, that they could in no way be contained in the place, but, as it were conglobated among themselves, whence, the answer received some were compelled to embrace others: all surrounded with a most splendid light, they seemed to be light itself, and such indeed as the keenness of the eyes could not bear. Then at length a voice was heard, as of a man standing on high, signifying the restitution of the soul of the deceased to its seat.

[149] After those divine apparitions had vanished, a certain visible host of Angels stood by Symeon, on either side of the column a guard against the evil spirits: and soon he himself, as if filled with a more abundant grace, with as clear a voice as he could, and full of confidence, said: Brother Conon; arise; He calls thee through me, who called Lazarus four days dead from the sepulchre. he bids the dead man rise. He had scarcely ceased to speak (who can narrate Thy marvels, O Lord?) when the dead man revived, and the disciple heard the sweet voice of the master, and at the call rose, and saw with his eyes, and stood on his feet, and was restored to the college of the Brothers. And this indeed was so done: and thus, permitted to be tempted in various ways after the example of the generous Job, he carried off at the last a more illustrious renown, since the things that followed afterward doubly repaired the loss of what had been taken before; for he both received back the dead disciple alive again in an unusual manner, and was deemed worthy of so unwonted an apparition, which is not a little more admirable. But to the rest, which remain to be narrated, let our discourse proceed.

CHAPTER XIX.

Miracles wrought through Symeon's hairs. The priesthood received.

Ἱερεύς τις, τῆς Ἰβήρων ὁρμώμενος, κατὰ φήμην τοῦ Ἁγίου πρὸς αὐτὸν παραγεγονὼς, οὕτως ἀνηρτήθη τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν πίστεως, ὡς καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν αὐτοῦ τριχῶν αἰτῆσαι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ λαβεῖν. Οὗτος εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπανελθὼν, ἐν καθαρῷ τοῦ θορύβων χωρίῳ ναὸν ἐδείματο, καὶ σταυρῷ τιμίως αὐτὰς ἐναπέθετο, ἵνα καὶ διπλῇ μᾶλλον τῇ τε θήκῃ καί σφισιν αὐταῖς εἴη θαυματουργεῖν. Τῶν δὲ κακῶς πασχόντων πολλοὶ, καὶ πνεύμασιν ἀκαθάρτοις ἢ νόσοις πιεζομένων προσιόντες, καὶ θεραπείας τυγχάνοντες, οὐκ ὀλίγῃ χειρὶ πάλιν αὐτοὶ τὴν θεραπείαν ἠμείβοντο. Ὅπερ ὁ φθόνος οὐκ ἐνεγκὼν, ἐπανίστησιν αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐκ γειτόνων ἱερεῖς, οἵ καὶ προσαγγέλλουσιν αὐτὸν τῷ σφῶν Ἐπισκόπῳ, ὡς ἄρα περιεργίαις δή τισι καὶ πονηραῖς ἐνεργείαις εἴη τοὺς πολλοὺς ἀπατῶν, καὶ πρὸς τὸ καινὸν εὐκτήριον ἐπαγόμενος· οἷς ἐκεῖνον ἀβασανίστως πιστεύσαντα, καὶ ὀξὺ κατὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς κινηθέντα, τῆς τε θείας αὐτὸν ἱερουργίας ἀπεῖρξαι, καὶ δὴ καὶ τὰ ὄντα προσαφελέσθαι, ἔτι καὶ τὴν τοῦ εὐκτηρίου εἴσοδον ὑπανεῖναι μηδενὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ παραγγείλαντα. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἐπικλεισάμενος τὰς εὐκτηρίου θύρας καθῆστο, οὐ τὴν τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἔκπτωσιν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν τῶν ὄντων ἀφαίρεσιν ὀδυρόμενος· πρὸς μόνας δὲ πάλιν τὰς εἰς τὸν Ἅγιον ἀψευδεῖς ἐλπίδας ὁρῷν, καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν παράκλησιν ἐκδεχόμενος. Πρὸς ἣν οὐδὲν ἐκεῖνος ὀκνῶν οὐ δὲ ἀναδυόμενος ἦν, οὐκ ὀψίζων, οὐ διαμέλλων, οὐ τῷ πράγματι καιρὸν οἰκεῖον ταμιευόμενος· ἀλλὰ δαίμων εὐθὺς χαλεπὸς τῷ Ἐπισκόπῳ ἐπιπηδήσας, νυκτερινὸν ἱκέτην αὐτὸν, ἵνα καὶ τὸ πάντων ὄμμα λάθοι καὶ πᾶσαν αἴσθησιν διακλέψοι, τῷ Πρεσβυτέπῳ προσάγει, τὴν αἰτίαν δηλαδὴ συνέντα καὶ τὴν δίκην οὐκ ἀγνοήσαντα. Καὶ πρῶτα μὲν αἰτεῖ παρὰ τοῦ ὑπὸ χεῖρα συγγνώμην, εἶτα τὸ πάθος ἀνακαλύπτει, ἑξῆς δὲ δυσωπεῖ θεραπείας ἀξιωθῆναι, ὅτω δή ποτε τρόπῳ φησὶ πολλοὺς οἶδε καὶ ἄλλους αὐτὸς ἀξιώσας. Ὁ δὲ τὴν ἄτεχνον ἰατρείαν, τὴν ἄμισθον χάριν, τὸν οὐ κενούμενον πλοῦτον αὐτῷ, τὸν σταυρὸν ὑποδείκνυσι, καὶ τὸν ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ κεκρυμμένον, ὅθεν ἄρα καὶ ὅπως, θησαυρὸν ἑρμηνεύει. Προσελθὼν τοίνυν ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος θερμῷ πνεύματι, θερμοτέρῳ δὲ πολλῷ καὶ τῇ μετανοίᾳ, οἷς τε περὶ τὴν θείαν χάριν ἐκείνην τυφλώττων πρότερον ἦν, καὶ συκοφαντῶν ἀναίδην καὶ διαβάλλων, οἷς τε περὶ τὸν ἱερέα καὶ διάκονον ἐνύβρισε, ταύτης ἅμα δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν συναιρόμενον ἔχων· αὐτός τε τὸν χαλεπὸν ἀπέθετο δαίμονα, κᾀκεῖνος μετὰ τοῦ ἀξιώματος αὖθις καὶ τῆς οὐσίας μείζονα τῆς προτέρας ἀπειλήφει καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν. Συνέβη δὲ κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ Πέρσας τοῖς μέρεσιν ἐκείνοις ἐπιστρατεῦσαι· καὶ μηνυθὲν αὐτοῖς ὡς εἴη πολλὰ καὶ πολλοῦ ἄξια καθωσιωμένα τῷ εὐκτηρίῳ, οἷα Χριστιανῶν οὐ φειδομένως οὐ δὲ γλίσχρως ἐκεῖ προσαναλισκόντων, δύο τινὲς ἐπ᾽ αὐτο δρομαίως ἐφέροντο· οὓς ἰδὼν πόῤῥωθεν ὁ ἱερεὺς, τὴν παραπεφυκυῖαν ὑποδύεται ὕλην, ἕως αὐτοὶ πάλιν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀναστρέψειαν. Οἱ δὲ τὸ εὐκτήριον εἰσελθόντες, ἀπρόἳτοι πᾶσαν ἐκεῖθεν διαμεμενήκασι τὴν ἡμέραν· ὑπολαβὼν τοίνην ἐκεῖνος λαθεῖν αὐτὸν τὴν τοῦ Περσῶν ἐκεῖθεν ἐπάνοδον (τί γὰρ ἄν φησι καὶ δρῶντες ἐν αὑτῷ λοιπὸν εἶεν) θαῤῥεῖ τὴν εἴσοδον· καὶ τούτους εὑρίσκει πρὸ τῆς θείας ἐκείνης τοῦ σταυροῦ δυνάμεως (σὸς ὁ βραχίων μετὰ δυναστείας ὄντως Χριστὲ βασιλεῦ) νεκροὺς ἀμφοτέρους κειμένους, λαμπάδες τε πυρὸς παρακείμεναι, καθάπερ ἐν ἐπαγγελίᾳ τοῦ τὸν ναὸν ἐμπρῆσαι, καὶ τῶν χειρῶν πεσοῦσιν αὐτοῖς καταῤῥεύσασαι, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος μετὰ ταῦτα παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἐλθὼν ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐξηγεῖτο. Ἀλλ᾽ ὧδε με τοῦ λόγου γενόμενον, τὰ περὶ τῆς θείας τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν ἱερωσύνης, ὅθεν τε τὴν τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου χειροτονίαν ἐδέξατο, καὶ ὅπως, ἀκόλουθον ἂν εἴη διαλαβεῖν. Ὡς γὰρ ἡ πολλὴ τοῦ θαυμάτων ἐκείνη πληθὺς, καὶ ἀριθμὸν μικροῦ πάντα δεύτερον ἑαυτῆς ἐλέγχου παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐτελεῖτο, ἐγλίχοντο μὲν οἱ τούτων τυγχάνοντες, χερσὶν ἐκείναις τῶν ἁγιασμάτων μεταλαμβάνειν, δι᾽ ὧν καὶ τὰ θαύματα· ἐπόθουν δὲ καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ χεῖρας ἐκείνας τῶν μυστηρίων μεταδιδούσας ἔχειν, ἅς καὶ τοῦ σχήματος· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν ἱερωσύνην αὐτῷ πάντες ἐγκείμενοι καὶ βιαζόμενοι ἦσαν. Ὁ δὲ ταπεινοφροσύνης ὑπερβολῇ, χείλεσι καρδίας οὐδὲν ἧττον ἢ στόματος, παρητεῖτο καὶ ἀνεβάλλετο, Εἰ καὶ αὐτὰ δήπου λέγων πυρ οἷον ἄϋλον ὄντα τὰ Σεραφίμ, τῇ λαβίδι ψαύει τοῦ ἄνθρακος, πῶς ἂν ὁ δείλαιος ἐγὼ χόρτος ὣν, ἐμααῖς χερσὶ ψαῦσαι τούτου τολμήσαιμι; Οὕτως οὖν ἀπαραδέκτως αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἔχοντος, φωνή τις παραδόξως ἄνωθεν ἐμπίπτει ταῖς ἀκοαῖς, Ποίησον εὐχὴν λέγουσα καὶ τοῦ στόματος αὐτῷ παραχρῆμα (ὡς οὐ δὲ αὐτὸς ᾔβει) διανοιγέντος, Ὅτι σὺ βασιλεύεις ἡμῶν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ἔφη, καὶ ὁ μονογενής σου Υἱὸς καὶ τὸ πανάγιόν σου Πνεῦμα, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Συνεὶς οὖν ἐντεῦθεν καὶ Θεὸν ἐπευδοκεῖν τῇ χειροτονίᾳ, ἐδόκει Διονύσιον εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ὡς ἐν ἐκστάσει ὁρᾷν (ὁ δὲ ἦν Ἐπίσκοπος τηνικαῦτα κατὰ Σελεύκειαν ὁ Διονύσιος οὗτος) ἐπὶ τοῦ κίονος ἀναβάντα, εἴσω τε τῆς κιγκλίδος γεγονότα, καὶ ἱερέα τοῦτον χειροτονήσαντα. Καὶ ὁ μὲν θείας ἄνωθεν καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν χειροτονίαν σύμβολον ἔθετο ψήφου· τῆς δ᾽ ὑστεραίας εἰς ἀλήθειαν ἡ θεωρία ἐξέβη. Ἀφικνεῖται γὰρ πρὸς τὴν μονὴν ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Ἐπίσκοπος (ὢ τοῦ θαύματος!) νεύμασιν ἀθεάτοις· ἀφικνεῖται δὲ δυσὶ μὲν Κληρικοῖς μόνοις, καὶ πλουσίᾳ λιτότητι, ἀβρῷ δὲ τῷ τῆς πρᾳότητος καὶ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης κόσμῳ καλλωπιζόμενος. Ἀνελθὼν τοιγαροῦν ἐπὶ τὸν στύλον, ἁγίῳ τε φιλήματι τὸν Ἅγιον ἀσπασάμενος, δάκρυά τε τοῦ φιλήματος κατασπείσας, καὶ Θεῷ θερμῶς τῆς αὐτοῦ προκοπῆς ἢ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν χάριτος μᾶλλον εὐχαριστήσας· Ὁ Θεὸς, ἠρέμα ἔφη, ὁ καὶ προ διαπλάσεως ἐπιστάμενός σε, εὐδόκησεν ὥσπερ ἱλαστήν σε τὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἥδη τῷ ἡμετέρῳ γένει καὶ πρεσβευτὴν, οὕτω καὶ μεσίτην ἄρτι διὰ τοῦ τῆς ἱερωσύνης σεπτοῦ ἀξιώματος αὐτῷ τε καὶ ἀνθρώποις γενέσθαι σε. Ὁ δὲ ταπεινὰ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ φρονῶν καὶ φθεγγόμενος, ἄχρι μέν τινος ὤκνει καὶ ἀνεδύετο, εὐλαβῶς ἔχων τοῦ ἀξιώματος, καὶ λίαν ἐπαινουμένῃ φειδοῖ περὶ αὐτὸ χρώμενος. Ὡς δὲ προσθεὶς ἐκεῖνος, Εὐλόγησον, ἔφη, αὐτίκα τε μετὰ τὴν εὐλογίαν εἴσω τῆς κιγκλίδος ἐγένετο, ἀνενεγκὼν εἰς τὴν ὄψιν ὁ Συμεὼν, ἣν χθὲς καὶ πρώην περὶ αὐτοῦ ἑωράκει, ὅπως τε σύμφωνον αὐτῇ τὸ γεγενημένον, καὶ ὅπως ὅπερ ἐκείνη παρέδειξεν αὐτῷ κρυφίως καὶ ἀποῤῥήτως, τοῦτο τοίνυν ἐπὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἴδοι· ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τῆς θείας φωνῆς ἐκείνης τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀνεχθείσης ἐπιμνησθεὶς, ὡς πρὸς ἀνάγκης αὐτῷ καταστάντα καὶ τὸν Ἐπίσκοπον εἶχε, καὶ οὐ δ᾽ ἂν εἴτι καὶ γένοιτο μεθήσειν λέγοντα, εὐδοκίας (ὃ καὶ σαφῶς ἦν) τῆς ἄνωθεν ἄντικρυς τὸ πρᾶγμα κατανοήσας, κλίνει μὲν τὸν εὐχένα καὶ ἄκων· ὁ δὲ τὴν χεῖρα τῇ κεφαλῇ ἐπιθεὶς, εὐλαβῶς κομιδῇ καὶ πεφυλαγμένως τάς τε συνήθεις εὐχὰς ἐπειπὼν, καὶ δάκρυον ἡδὺ τῶν εὐχῶν καταχέας, τὸ ψυχῆς θεῖον τι πασχούσης ἐναργὲς σύμβολον, ἱερέα τελειοῖ, τρίτῳ τῆς ἡλικίας ἐπὶ τριάκοντα ἔτει. Ὁ μὲν οὖν εἰρήνην δοὺς ἢ καὶ λαβὼν, ἀνεχώρησε, χαίρων ὅτι τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τοιούτῳ σκεύει τῷ Πνεύματι χρήσειεν· τῷ δὲ Συμεὼν οἱ μαθηταὶ προσελθόντες, ἠξίοῦν τὴν θείαν αὐτὸν ἐπιτελέσαι μυσταγωγίαν. Ὁ δὲ τὴν προσκομιδὴν ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ συντάξας, ἠγωνία κατὰ τοὺς θερμοὺς τῶν ἐραστῶν, ὅπως ἂν τῷ ποθουμένῳ Θεῷ προσενέγκοι, καὶ αὐτῷ μᾶλλον ἡδυνθείη τὰ τῆς θυσίας. Καὶ ὁρᾷ ἐν ἀποκαλύψει ἑαυτὸν μὲν τὴν θείαν διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης ἀναφορᾶς λειτουργίαν ἐπιτελοῦντα, τάγματα δὲ ἁγίων Ἀγγέλων χιόνος λευκότερα τὰς ἀναβολὰς, πρὸ τῆς αὐτοῦ στάσεως ἑστῶτα, καί τινι κινήσει χειρῶν ἐξαισίᾳ οἷον ἐπευφημοῦντα, κᾀκεῖνο προσεπιλέγοντα, Εἴ τις τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ ταύτῃ τῆς πίστεως οὐ κοινωνεῖ, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω· ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ Θεὸν ἄνωθεν ἐπευδοκοῦντα, καὶ τὰς φωνὰς ὥσπερ ἐπισφραγίζοντα. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα μυηθεὶς περὶ τῆς θείας μυσταγωγίας, καὶ τοιαύτας πληροφορίας λαβὼν, καὶ οὕτως ἀσφαλεῖς καὶ βεβαίας ἢ λαμπρὰς καὶ ἀναντιῤῥήτους εἰ βούλει, προθύμῳ τὸ λοιπὸν αὐτὴν ἐπετέλει καὶ γλώττῃ καὶ πνεύματι· ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ τὰ πρὸς τὰ ἑξῆς ὁ λόγος βαδιεῖται τῶν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς θαυμασίων.

[150] A certain Presbyter, an Iberian by nation, stirred by the fame of the holy man, had set out on a journey thither; and so blazed up toward him with confidence, A Chapel is erected with his thaumaturgic hairs, that he asked of him some of his sacred hairs and obtained them. Thence returned to his own home, he built a sacred shrine in a place remote from crowds, and enclosed the aforesaid Relics in a very precious Cross, that from a twofold cause they might work miracles, namely from the virtue of such a casket, and their own. Many indeed of those in a bad state, and vexed by impure spirits and diseases, came: and having obtained help, with no scanty hand repaid something for the safety obtained. Of which thing impatient, envy stirred up

the neighboring Presbyters: who carried the man to their Bishop, accusing him of seducing the people by certain superstitious and evil arts and leading them into the new oratory. which the Bishop bidding be closed The Bishop, no examination being made, giving credit to the words, gravely moved against the man, interdicts him from sacred things: and besides he bids his goods be plundered, and the entrance of the chapel be obstructed, that there might be no opportunity for anyone of approaching it thereafter.

[151] Meanwhile he sat, the doors of the chapel closed, lamenting not only the faculty of performing sacred rites taken away, but his patrimony also: and looking to his one and least fallacious hope placed in S. Symeon; he received consolation from him; who was wont to confer aid not slowly or tardily, not to procrastinate, or put off to another time, not to reserve it for fixed hours. Immediately the hostile demon, invading the Bishop, drove him, now a shunner of light, through the darkness of night, that the matter done secretly from all might not come to the notice of men, a suppliant to the Presbyter: is seized by the demon for already there was known to the wretch both the cause of his calamity and the divine vengeance. And first indeed he asks pardon from his own subordinate, then reveals his misery to him, finally begs that he would deign to impart to him a remedy, just as he had imparted to many others. He shows the suppliant the sincere medicine, the gratuitous grace, the inexhaustible riches, the Cross, I say, his own; at the same time he teaches, how great and whence received a treasure lies hid in the Cross. The Bishop therefore approached with fervent spirit, and with much more fervent repentance, and repenting is freed, both because he had before been blind concerning that divine grace and had impudently calumniated, and because he had injured its minister and Priest, now having him as his patron. And he indeed shook off from himself the hostile demon; but the Presbyter recovered, with his pristine dignity, his patrimony, even larger than he had had, and his liberty.

[152] About the same time it happened that the Persians came upon those parts with an army; to whom when it was indicated that there were in the chapel already mentioned many votive offerings of great price, suspended there by Christians with no sparing or avaricious hand; Soldiers about to spoil the same chapel are slain. two of them with the same swift course hasten thither: whom when the Priest sees coming from afar, he hid himself in the neighboring wood, until they should have returned to the army. But they, having entered the chapel, remaining there the whole day, did not come forth. The Presbyter therefore, supposing that they had already secretly gone out from there (For what, he said, would they do there any longer?), dared to return thither: but entering he found both lying dead before the prodigious cross (truly that powerful arm of Thine wrought it, O Christ, my King): there lay also lighted torches, an almost certain testimony that they had wished to set flames to the temple, which, as they fell, had slipped from their hands. And all these things that very Priest, when he afterward visited Symeon, attested.

[153] But now, having advanced in discourse to those things which pertain to the divine Priesthood of Symeon, Many being instant that Symeon become a Priest, it would be fitting to set forth in apt narration whence and how he received the sacred Order of the Presbyterate. When so great a multitude of prodigies, and exceeding almost all reckoning of number, had been wrought by him; there came upon certain ones, in whom those miracles had happened, a desire of receiving from those same hands the gifts of sanctification, from which they had received the benefits of cures: the disciples also longed that those hands should reach forth to them the sacred mysteries, which had bestowed the habit; and for that cause all were pressing him to receive the sacred Orders, and with a certain violence were forcing him. But he, by a certain excess of humility, no less with the lips of the heart than of the mouth, deprecated so great a dignity, and denied that he would altogether admit it: For, he said, if the Seraphic spirits themselves, who are pure and immaterial fire, touch the b coal with tongs; with what front should I, who am vanishing and fragile hay, dare to handle it with my hands?

[154] a Bishop comes by divine nod, who consecrates him, While he was acting with mind so obstinate against the Priesthood, a certain unexpected voice fell from heaven upon his ears, saying: Pray. And soon his mouth (he himself knew not how) was opened, and he said: Thou rulest over us, God and my Father, and Thine only-begotten Son, and Thy most holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Hence made more certain that it was approved by God also that he should be consecrated; he seemed to see in a rapture of mind c Dionysius (he was at that time Bishop of Seleucia) coming to the column on the following day, and entering within the rails d ordaining the Presbyter himself. And this indeed was a symbol of divine approbation concerning the future ordination, but the vision the next day obtained its issue in the very fact. For that very Bishop, by the invisible nod of God (O miracle!), came to the monastery: and he came with only two Clerics and a rich poverty; but adorned with the comely ornament of meekness and humility. The column therefore being ascended, he saluted the Saint with a holy kiss, tears also being mingled: and when he had fervently given thanks to God for his advancement in virtue, or rather for the grace by which he had been prevented, with submissive voice he said: It has pleased God, who before thou wast created knew thee, that, just as He long ago willed thee to be a propitiator and intercessor for our race with Him; so now also, initiated with the venerable dignity of the Presbyterate, thou shouldst act as mediator between Him and men.

[155] to whom he yielding But the Saint, both thinking and speaking humbly of himself, still somewhat declined and deferred the dignity with fear and veneration, advancing toward it with a most praiseworthy slowness. But when he, standing without, had said e: Bless; and immediately after the blessing had brought himself within the rails, the Saint recalled his mind to that vision, which the day before and previously he had beheld on this matter; namely how expressly those things which were now being done agreed with that; and how distinctly he now perceived completed in the issue what had before been represented secretly and occultly: then also, recalling that divine voice which had sounded in his ears; and how he had the Bishop before him, even prepared to use force, and saying that, whatever in the end should happen, he would not let him go; considering the matter to be one of the divine good pleasure (as it truly was), he inclines indeed his neck even unwilling; but the Bishop, his hands very religiously and circumspectly placed on his head, performs the customary prayers; and bathed amid praying with a shower of sweet tears, his soul perceiving I know not what indication of divine virtue, consecrated him Priest, in the three and thirtieth year of his age.

[156] at the prayers of his own and a divine vision he celebrates the first-fruits. After these things the Bishop, salutation given and received, returned, glad that he had lent his hands to the consecrating of such a vessel to the Holy Spirit: but to Symeon the disciples came, asking that he would offer the first-fruits of the divine mysteries. But he, having his advancement constituted in the Holy Spirit, was of anxious mind, after the example of fervent lovers, how he might offer the sacrifice most pleasing to his God, and affect Him with greater delight. And he saw by an apparition himself performing the sacred liturgy by such an oblation; and the cohorts of holy Angels, clad in garments whiter than snow, standing before the column, and by a certain unusual motion of hands as it were praying well, and concluding their words with this epilogue: If anyone communicates not with this confession of faith, let him be anathema. Then he saw God also, by a celestial sign approving the voices of the Angels, and fortifying them as with His own seal. And so, after he had been taught such things concerning the divine sacrifice, and had received testimonies so certain, so solid, so perspicuous, and to which, if you will, nothing can be objected; thenceforth with most ready tongue and spirit he offered it. But let us pursue the rest of the man's miracles.

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XX.

By his staff, by a word, by the water of his hands, he works divers things. He raises a dead man.

Ἀνήρ τις ἴβηρ τὸ γένος, ἐν ἀκμῇ θέρους ἐπί τινος ἅλωνος ἐκάθευδεν ὑπὸ οἴνου, οἷα δὲ φιλεῖ τοῖς οἰνωθεισι συμβαίνειν, καὶ τὸ στόμα κεχῄνει. Ὄφεως τοιγαροῦν αὐτῷ προσερπύσαντος καὶ τῆς ὀσμῆς αἰσθομένου, ἐν δίψει τε πρὸς τὰ ἔγκατα τοῦ ἀνδρὸς εἰς δύντος, ἐν παντὶ κινδύνου γενόμενος, καὶ ὅτι ποτε χρήσεται λοιπὸν ἑαυτῷ μὴ ἔχων, παρὰ τὸν θεῖον εὐθὺς Συμεὼν, τὴν μόνην ἥκει τοῦ πάθους καταφυγὴν, τὴν μόνην τηλικούτου κακοῦ λύσιν. Ὁ δὲ τὸν ἄνδρα τῆς συμφορᾶς ἐλεήσας, τὴν κοιλίαν, ἣν ὅσα καὶ φωλεὸν ὁ ὄφις ᾤκει, τῇ ῥάβδῳ διασφραγίσας, ἔξω γενέσθαι τῆς μονῆς ἐπιτρέπει. Ἐξελθὼν τοίνυν εὐθέως ἐκεῖνος, κενοῖ διὰ τῶν φυσικῶν ἐξόδων ζῶντα τὸν ὄφιν, καὶ οἴκαδε ὑγιής ἐπανήκει, θαῦμα οὐ πᾶσιν ὄμμασι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὠσὶν, ὅσοις τε τηνικαῦτα ἰδεῖν, καὶ ὅσοις εἰς δεῦρο πάλιν ἀκοῦσαι γένοιτο. Εἶτα προσάγεταί τις αὐτῷ νεάνις, οὐ κωφεύουσα μόνον καὶ μηδαμῶς φθεγγομένη, ἀλλὰ καὶ τρόμῳ τὸ πᾶν σῶμα τοσούτῳ συνεχομένη, ὡς μὴ δ᾽ οἷαν τε εἶναι διακρατεῖν ἑαυτὴν, ἀλλὰ συνδόνι μᾶλλον βαστάσεσθαι· ἔσβεστο δὲ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἤδη τῆς κόρης τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ὑφ᾽ ἑτέρων χειραγωγούμενος, ἢ δὲ φερομένη· ὁ μὲν ἵσταται πρὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου τυφλὸς, ἡ δὲ προτίθεται. Ὁ μὲν οὖν πατὴρ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀναδεχόμενος τὴν τῆς παιδὸς πάρεσιν (ἐπεὶ καὶ πατὴρ, κᾀκείνου μᾶλλον τὸ πάθος ἦν, εἰ καὶ τῆς παιδὸς ἐνομίζετο) ἱκέτης ὑπὲρ τῆς διπλῆς ἐγίνετο συμφορᾶς, οὐ πάρεσιν αἰτῶν ἰαθῆναι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τύφλωσιν. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος Συμεὼν ἀμφοῖν τὰ σπλάγχνα περιαλγήσας, εἰς σπλάγχνα τε πάλιν αὐτὸς φιλανθρωπίας Θεοῦ βλέψας, καὶ γόνυ κλίνας αὐτῷ, παρ᾽ οὗ τὸν ἔλεον ᾔδει πλουσίως χεόμενον, ἀναστὰς, τὴν δεσποτικὴν φωνὴν (ἐπιτιμήσει δέ μοι τῆς τόλμης οὐδεὶς, ἐπεὶ κᾀκείνου σαφῶς ἡ φωνὴ, Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, τὰ ἔργα ἅ ἐγὼ ποιῶ, κᾀκεῖνος ποιήσει) ἀναστὰς τοίνυν, τὴν δεσποτικὴν ἔφη φωνὴν, Ἡ παῖς, ἀνάστηθι καὶ στῆθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου. Τῆς δὲ αὐτίκα μέλη πάντα ῥωσθείσης, καὶ ὁμοῦ τῷ κελεύσματι ποσὶν οἰκείοις διαναστάσης, τοῖς αὐτοῦ χείλεσιν

[157] With his staff he expels a serpent from a man's belly. A certain man, an Iberian by nation, through the heats of summer was taking sleep on a threshing-floor, drunk with wine, as is wont to happen to drunkards, and that with mouth gaping: when a serpent, creeping up, having perceived the odor, in thirst penetrates through the man's throat even to his bowels: wherefore he, brought into extreme peril, finding no remedy whatsoever which he might apply to himself, immediately flies to S. Symeon, the only refuge in diseases, the only medicine in so great an evil. But he, having pitied the calamitous man, signs with his staff the belly, which the serpent inhabited as its den, and bids him go out of the monastery. The command was done: at the egress he immediately voids by the natural way the living serpent, and returns home unharmed, made a miracle not only to the eyes of all but also to the ears; to the eyes indeed, of as many as at that time saw it; but to the ears, of as many as it has been permitted to hear it to the present day.

[158] He cures blindness and paralysis by a word. Again there is brought to him a girl, not only destitute of the faculty of hearing and speaking, but seized also with so great a tremor in all her members, that, powerless to support herself, she had to be carried wrapped in a linen cloth: but her father's, the light of his eyes had been extinguished. And he indeed, led by the hand by others, stood before the Saint blind; but she, having been brought, lay there placed. The father therefore, reckoning his daughter's paralysis to be his own (for since he was a father, the grief, which was thought to be his daughter's, rather afflicted himself), became a suppliant for the twofold calamity, entreating that not only a remedy for the paralysis, but for the blindness also, be applied. But the divine Symeon, himself indeed visceral­ly touched with commiseration of both, casting his eyes on the bowels of divine mercy, bent his knee to Him, from whom he knew mercy to be richly poured forth: and rising thereafter, using that Dominical voice (nor will anyone accuse me of rashness, since the Lord Himself says most clearly: He who believes in me, the works which I do he also shall do), that Dominical voice, I say, he used; Girl, arise, and stand upon thy feet. Joa. 14,12. And when the girl, all her members presently strengthened, as soon as she was bidden, stood erect on her own feet; again he, his finger first applied to his lips,

ἐκεῖνος τὸν δάκτυλον ἐκπιέσας, στόματί τε τῆς κόρης αὐτὸν καὶ ὠσὶν ἐμβαλὼν, λαλοῦσαν ἐλευθερίως εὐθὺς καὶ ἀκούουσαν ὁρᾶσθαι τοῖς παροῦσι παρεῖχεν. Εἶτα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἐπιστρέψας, καὶ δακτύλῳ πάλιν ὁμοίως τῇ αὐτοῦ γλώττῃ διαβραχέντι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπιχρίσας, δεσποτικῇ κᾀκείνῳ τὸ φῶς ἐνεργείᾳ χαρίζεται. Ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ἦν κᾳνταῦθα σαφῶς ἐνεργῶν, εἰ καὶ διακόνῳ τῷ θεράπον τι κέχρητο, καὶ οὕτω μιᾶς προσευχῆς καρπὸς διπλῆ θεραπείᾳ γίνεται. Ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ γυναικῶν αὐτῷ πλήθη προσῆλθον, αἱ μὲν ξηραὶ τοὺς μαστοὺς, οἷα γάλακτος ἀπορούμεναι, καὶ τὰ βρέφη ἐλεεινῶς ἀνθ᾽ ἱκετηρίας προβάλλουσαι· αἱ δ᾽ ἐν γαστρὶ μὲν ἔχουσαι καὶ ὠδινουσαι, πνεύμασι δὲ πονηροῖς ἐταζόμεναι, ὡς καὶ αὐτὰ πρὸ τῆς ὠδίνης τὰ ἔμβρυα κινδυνεύειν ἀμβλῶναι· τὰς δὲ ἀτεκνοῦσα μήτρα ἐλύπει, καὶ τὴν ἀπαιδίαν χαλεπῶς ἀπωδύροντο. Ἀλλ᾽ αἱ μὲν εὐχαῖς ἐκείνου τὴν θηλὴν ἀναθήλασαι, καὶ γάλακτος αὐτὴν ὑποπεπλησμέναι, αἱ δὲ τῶν πνευμάτων ἀπαλλαγεῖσαι, αἱ δὲ λυθεῖσαι τὴν στείρωσιν ἐπανῆλθον, μητέρες μετὰ ταῦτα γενόμεναι, καὶ καρπὸν παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα κοιλίας ἐπιδοῦσαι. Ἑξῆς δὲ προσάγεταί τις ἀνὴρ Ἀντιοχεὺς, αὐτῷ μεγέθει σώματος μέγιστος, καὶ οὐ πόῤῥω πολὺ γιγάντων, πικροῖς τά τε ἄλλα πάθεσι καὶ νόσοις κατειργασμένος, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ξηρὰν ἔχων ἤδη καὶ οἱονεὶ τεθνηκυῖαν. Ἰδὼν τοιγαροῦν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος αὐτὸν, οὐ θεατοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ οἳ καὶ τῶν ἀδήλων ἦσαν αὐτῷ θεατοὶ, καὶ τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων ἑρμηνευταὶ, ἕλληνα τὴν θρησκείαν ὄντα· Εἰ θέλεις ὑγιὴς γενέσθαι φησὶν, ἐπικάλεσαι διὰ τῆς ἡμῶν εὐτελείας τὸν μονογενῆ τοῦ Θεοῦ υἱὸν, τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ τὴν Ἁγίαν παρθένον καὶ Θεοτόκον, ἐξ ἧς εὐδόκησε γεννηθῆναι τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, πιστεύων εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ μονογενεῖ αὐτοῦ Υἱῷ, καὶ τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι, τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς εἰδώλοις πλάνην ἀναθέματι λαμπρῷ περιβάλλων, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἀλύπως ἔσῃ καὶ καθαρῶς ὑγιαίνων. Ὁ δὲ πειθομένην οὐκ εἶχεν τὴν καρδίαν τοῖς λεγομένοις, ἀλλὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἔτι περιεχομένην ἀπάτης τῆς ἑλληνικῆς ἐκείνης καὶ ὀλεθρίου, ἔνθεντοι καὶ κενὸς ἔῤῥιπτο φόρτος, οὐδενὸς χρηστοῦ τυγχάνων τῆς προσεδρείας. Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολὺ τοῦτο ἦν καὶ μέχρι πολλοῦ, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἑώρα πάντας ὅσοι πίστει προσήεσαν τὴν θεραπείαν κομιζομένους· ἑαυτῷ δὲ μὴ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν πρὸς ἀπαλλαγὴν κακῶν τοσούτων ἐπισημαῖνον· απαγορεύσας τῇ τῶν ἑλλήνων θρησκείᾳ, Χριστὲ ὸ παρὰ τοῦ δούλου σου Συμεὼν έκ τῆς ἁγίας παρθένου Μαρίας τεχθῆναι κηρυσσόμενος Θεὸς, ἔφη, πρόσχες εὐχαῖς ἐκείνου εἰς τὴν βοήθειάν μου. Ταῦτα ἔφη, καὶ δάκρυσι μετανοίας τὴν καλὴν ταύτην καταρτύσας ὁμολογίαν, ἀναθέματι τὴν προτέραν αὐτοῦ δίδωσι πλάνην· ὅπερ οὐκ ἀγνοήσαντα τὸν ἱερὸν Συμεὼν ὕδωρ ἐνεχθῆναι κελεῦσαι, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀπονιψάμενον τῷ πάσχοντι μεταδοῦναι, τόνδε χρησάμενον εὐθέως ἀνορθωθῆναι, τήν τε ξηρὰν ἢ νεκρὰν ἐκείνην χεῖρα οἷον ἀναβιῶναι, καὶ ἀναθῆλαι, καὶ ὑγιῆ οὐ σῶμα μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχὴν, ὃ καὶ σωματικῆς ὑγείας μακρῷ μεῖζον, οἴκαδε ἀφικέσθαι, πολλῷ τοῦ ἐλπισθέντος ἀγαθοῦ πλεῖον λαβόντα τὸ ἀπροσδόκητον. Συγγενὲς τῷ εἰρημένῳ τὸ ἐπαγόμενον ἄχρί τινος, τὰ δ᾽ ἑξῆς τούτου, μείζονα πολλῶ καὶ τοῦ προλαβόντος. Ἔλλην γάρ τις ἔτερος, τῆς εἰδωλικῆς πλάνης καὶ οὗτος, παράλυτος αὐτῷ κομισθεὶς, τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ αὐτὸς πίστεως, πράγματος ἀμόχθου καὶ ἀδαπάνου, σωτηρίαν διπλὴν πορίζεται, ἢ πολλαπλὴν, ὃ καὶ μᾶλλον, ὅσω καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ διάφορον. Ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ἔσχατα νοσῶν αὐτῷ καὶ υἱὸς, ὃν οὐκ αὐτὸς μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ λαβόντες, ἡδὺ φόρημα τεκοῦσι, προσφέρουσι τῷ Ἁγίῳ. Μεταξὺ δὲ τῆς πορείας, οἴχεται μὲν ὁ υἱὸς τὴν τελευταίαν, γονεῦσι καὶ πικρὰν ἐκδημίαν· καὶ θρηνοῦσιν αὐτὸν, ὅσα πατράσι νόμος. Οἰηθέντες δὲ μηδεμίαν αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ὄνησιν εἶναι τῆς εἰς ἐκεῖνον ὁδοῦ, ἔγνωσαν οἴκαδε ἀναστρέφειν, εἶτα ἐκεῖνο τὸν πατέρα εἰσέρχεται, ὡς ἄρα ὁ παρειμένον ἐμὲ καὶ φερόμενον ῥώσας, καὶ χρῆσθαι μὴ ποσὶ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσι μέλεσι παρασχὼν, ἦπου δυνατος οὗτος καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἀναστῆσαι; Ταῦτα καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν διανοηθεὶς καὶ τῇ γυναικὶ κοινολογησάμενος, στέλλονται τὴν παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον αὖθις, μετὰ τοιαὐτης οὐκ ἐλπίδος μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ πίστεως. Ἤδη δὲ τὴν μονὴν εἰσιοῦσιν, ἔτυχέ τινα Μαγιστριανὸν ὑπαντήσαντα τούτοις ἐπέσχειν τὴν εἴσοδον, περιττὸν εἶναι λέγοντα καὶ οὐκ εὔκαιρον τὸ γινόμενον· Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πᾶσι Κύριος ἐγγὺς τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις αὐτὸν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ θέλημα τῶγ φοβουμένων αὐτὸν οἶδε ποιεῖν, ἀλλὰ ψυχὴν ἅπαξ τοῦ σώματος ἐκδημήσασαν ἀναστρέψαι πάλιν ἀμήχανον. Ὅπερ τὸν θεῖον ἄνδρα μὴ ἀγνοήσαντα ὅλον ἑαυτὸν συντεῖναι, καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν οὐ χεῖρας μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ καρδίας ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνατείναντα, Χριστὲ, φάναι πατρὸς ἀνάρχου υἱὲ μονογενὲς, ἐφ᾽ ὃν καὶ πεπιστεύκαμεν καὶ πεποίθαμεν, ἡ δύναμις ἡμῶν καὶ καταφυγὴ, οὐ σὸς ἀψευδὴς λόγος, οὐ σὴ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ἐπαγγελία, Ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν, οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει ὑμῖν. Ταῦτα πρὸς Θεὸν ἡσυχῆ διελέχθη, καὶ τὸ νεκρὸν τοῦ παιδὸς σῶμα πρὸ αὐτοῦ τεθῆναι κελεύσας, γόνατά τε θεὶς, καὶ ἱκανῶς προσευξάμενος, εἶτα διαναστὰς θαῤῥαλέᾳ πρὸς τὸν κείμενον γλώττῃ, Ὁ καλέσας τετραήμερον ἐκ τάφου Λάζαρον ἤφη, καλεῖ σε δι᾽ ἐμοῦ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ. Καὶ παραχρῆμα (ὢ Θεοῦ δυναστείας! ὢ άβύσσου χρηστότητος! ὢ καὶ αὐτοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀπίστου καὶ ἀπιθάνου θεάματος!) διανέστη πάντων ὁρώντων, καὶ ζῶν τοῖς τεκοῦσιν ὁ νεκρὸς ἀποδίδοται, θαῦμα οὐ μόνον οὐ χωρητὸν ἀκοῇ μὴ τυχούσῃ τῆς θέας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δὲ ὀφθαλμοῖς ἰδοῦσι πιστὰ μικροῦ τιθέμενυον τὰ ὁρώμενα.

[157] With his staff he expels a serpent from a man's belly. A certain man, an Iberian by nation, through the heats of summer was taking sleep on a certain threshing-floor, drunk with wine, as is wont to befall the inebriated, and that with mouth gaping: when a serpent creeping up, the odor having been perceived, penetrates itself, thirsting, through the man's throat even to his bowels: wherefore he, brought into extreme peril, finding no remedy whatsoever which he might apply to himself, immediately flies to S. Symeon, the only refuge in diseases, the only medicine in so great an evil. But he, having pitied the calamitous man, signs with his staff the belly, which the serpent inhabited as its den, and bids him go out of the monastery. The command was done: at the egress he immediately voids by the natural way the living serpent, and returns home unharmed, made a miracle not only to the eyes of all but also to the ears; to the eyes indeed, of as many as at that time saw it; but to the ears, of as many as it has been permitted to hear it to the present day.

[158] He cures blindness and paralysis by a word. Again there is brought to him a girl, not only destitute of the faculty of hearing and speaking, but seized also with so great a tremor in all her members, that, powerless to support herself, she had to be carried wrapped in a linen cloth: but her father's, the light of his eyes had been extinguished. And he indeed, led by the hand by others, stood before the Saint blind; but she, having been brought, lay there placed. The father therefore, reckoning his daughter's paralysis to be his own (for since he was a father, the grief, which was thought to be his daughter's, rather afflicted himself), became a suppliant for the twofold calamity, entreating that not only a remedy for the paralysis, but for the blindness also, be applied. But the divine Symeon, himself indeed visceral­ly touched with commiseration of both, casting his eyes on the bowels of divine mercy, bent his knee to Him, from whom he knew mercy to be richly poured forth: and rising thereafter, using that Dominical voice (nor will anyone accuse me of rashness, since the Lord Himself says most clearly: He who believes in me, the works which I do he also shall do), that Dominical voice, I say, he used; Girl, arise, and stand upon thy feet. Joa. 14,12. And when the girl, all her members presently strengthened, as soon as she was bidden, stood erect on her own feet; again he, his finger first applied to his lips, inserted it into the girl's mouth and ears, and exhibited her to those present to be seen speaking freely at once and hearing. Then turning to the father, and again likewise anointing his eyes with his finger moistened with his tongue, by Dominical operation he bestows the light on him too. For He it was who here also was manifestly operating, even if He used His servant as a deacon: and thus the fruit of one prayer was a double cure.

[159] A great crowd of women also in the following times came together to the Saint: of whom some, bringing their breasts dried up and destitute of milk, Many women obtain what they desired, placed their infants, a miserable spectacle, before him in place of a supplication: others, carrying the womb and laboring with childbirth near, were so agitated by malignant spirits that no slight peril was created for the infants not yet brought forth: to others the barren womb was a grief, lamenting their sterility incessantly. But these, by the prayers of the Saint, received their breasts swelling and full of milk; those, the spirits driven away, were freed; these, their sterility taken away, returning, were made mothers, the fruit of their womb being brought forth beyond hope.

[160] At another time there is presented a certain man of Antioch, of the greatest bodily stature, not healed because of his infidelity, and not much unlike a giant, who, besides the other pains and diseases by which he was tortured, had a withered hand and now as it were dead. The servant of God, seeing him, not indeed with the exterior eyes, but with the interior, which behold things hidden and penetrate things occult; and knowing him to be a Gentile in religion: If thou wilt, he says, be made whole, invoke with us in simplicity of heart the only-begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the holy virgin Mother of God, of whom He willed to be born according to the flesh, believing in one God the Father omnipotent, in His only-begotten Son Himself, and in the most holy and life-giving Spirit, but the fallacious idols devote and detest with public execration; and henceforth thou shalt be free of pain, healed in every part. But he, made no readier to believe by these words, but continuing pertinaciously to adhere to his fallacious and pernicious heathenism, was thence cast out like a useless burden, having obtained no help at all by his encounter.

[161] But when he had persisted long and much in such a state, and saw all others, as many as had embraced the faith, believing afterward he is healed by the water of his hands: endowed with health; but to himself, on the contrary, not even the least hope of his evils being relieved shining forth: the messenger to the superstitions of the heathen being sent back; O Christ, he says, who art preached by Thy servant Symeon, while Thou wast God, born man of the holy virgin Mary; give ready ears to his prayers for my help. Having so prayed, he made this his fair confession more pleasing with tears of penance, and execrated his pristine error. Which when it escaped not Symeon, he bids water be poured, and his hands being washed, be carried to the laboring man: who, having used it, immediately to be set right, and that withered and dead hand as it were to revive and bud again, and to go home whole not only in body but also in soul, which is far greater than bodily health, having received the unexpected far more than the good hoped for. Akin to what has been said is that which follows up to a point, but the things after this far greater than the foregoing.

whole and sound not only in body, but, what is of more worth, in soul also, having obtained a greater benefit than he had hoped and expected.

[162] In some way akin to the foregoing is that which next follows, but the rest much greater. Another certain Gentile, likewise a paralytic, who was both imbued with the errors of the idolaters and a paralytic, conveyed to Symeon, by the profession of the Christian faith (a good thing assuredly, comparable neither by labor nor by price) obtained a twofold salvation, and the more to be esteemed, the more the soul is of more worth than the body. But he had also a son, almost despaired of by a most grievous sickness, whom both he himself and the mother, taking up, a sweet burden to both, brought to the Saint: but on the way the boy gave up the ghost, whose son afterward dead the parents lamenting the bitter departure, as is their custom. But when, now persuaded that no help remained in further journey, they had resolved to return home; this came into the father's mind: What? He who strengthened me a paralytic and one needing to be carried, and restored the use of feet and of all members, will He not be able to raise up also this son of mine?

[163] Such things being revolved in mind and communicated to his wife, they resume the journey toward the Saint, supported not only by great hope, but strengthened also by faith. And already they were entering the monastery, when by chance a certain a Magistrian, met them, and keeps them from the entrance, repeatedly saying that it was superfluous and to do a thing already done: for although the Lord is near to all that invoke Him in truth, and is wont to do the will of them that fear Him: nevertheless a soul once gone out of the body can never return by that postliminy. When these things had become perspicuously known to the Man of God, intending himself wholly, his hands and the eyes of his mind lifted to heaven; O Christ, he says, only-begotten Son of the Father lacking beginning, in whom we both believe and hope, our virtue and refuge, Thy word fails not, nor the promise made to the disciples, If you have faith, all things are possible to you. Mat. 21, 21 When he had secretly conferred these things with God, he commands the boy's corpse to be placed before him; then his knees being set he prayed at length, and rising with confident voice said to the dead: He who summoned forth from the sepulchre Lazarus four days dead, calls thee through me His servant. Nor was any delay interposed, he rises (O divine power! O abyss of goodness! O spectacle, even to seeing eyes hard to be persuaded and believed) he rises while all look on, and is restored alive to his parents. That assuredly is a miracle, which seems incomprehensible not only to the ears of those who were not present at the deed; but even to the very beholders before their eyes, as by its magnitude surpassing the credit of the eyes.

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XXI.

A paralytic, a deaf man, a mute, a furious man, a lame man are cured.

Οὔπω τέλος εἶχε τὸ τοιοῦτο περὶ τὸν νεκρὸν θαῦμα τῷ Συμεὼν, καὶ προσήνεγκαν ἄνθρωπον αὐτῷ συγκύπτοντα, καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐδαμῶς ἀνακύψαι δυνάμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τράχηλον καὶ κεφαλὴν, καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα οὕτω πεπεδημένον, ὡς μὴ δ᾽ ὅτῳ οὖν μέλει δύνασθαι χρῆσθαι· ὃς τοῦτον ἰδὼν, ἐλεεινῇ ὡς εἶχεν ἐβόα φωνῇ, Ἐλέησόν με δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου. Ὁ δὲ χεῖρα τῷ τραχήλῳ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐπιθεὶς, ἐπικλήσει θείᾳ δυναμουμένην, ἀνῆκε τῆς ἀφίκτου πέδης ἐκείνης τὴν κεφαλὴν, εἶτα τῇ αὐτῇ τοῦτον χειρὶ κατὰ νώτου παίσας ὁμοῦ τῇ πληγῇ καὶ τὴν τῶν ὀδυνῶν ἀπαλλαγὴν, καὶ τὴν τῶν μελῶν λύσιν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ παντὸς σώματος ἐλευθερίαν χαρίζεται· καὶ οὕτω πέμπτου ἐπὶ τριάκοντα ἐνιαυτοῦ, μελῶν πέδη καὶ σώματος πάρεσις, ὡς τοῦ πάσχοντος ἀκούειν ἦν, τὸν τῆς ἀσθενείας χρόνον δημοσιεύοντος, ἀφῇ μιᾷ καὶ πληγῇ παραδόξως λύεται. Εἶτα προσηνέχθησαν αὐτπͅ νεάνιδες δύο, ἡ μὲν τὴν γλῶτταν πεπεδημένη, ἡ δὲ τὰ ὦτα κωφεύουσα· ἐξ αὐτῆς δὲ ὅμως ἑκάτεραι τῆς εἰς φῶς προόδου τῷ πάθει κατειλημμέναι. Ὧν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων τοῦ τῆς νεότητος ἄνθους οἶκτον λαβὼν, ὡς καὶ συμπαθὲς αὐταῖς, οἷον ἐπιστενάξαι, εἰς Οὐρανόν τε πλῆρες ἐλπίδος ἰδὼν, ἵνα καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἑλκήσῃ βοήθειαν, καὶ τὸν δάκτυλον ἐμβαλὼν, τῆς μὲν τῶν στόματι, τῆς δὲ τοῖς ὠσὶ, τῇ μὲν εὐθὺς λύει τὴν γλῶτταν, τῇ δὲ ἀνοίγει τὰς ἀκοὰς, ὡς τὴν μὲν φθέγγεσθαι τὴν δὲ ἀκούειν, ἐλευθερίως ἀμφότερα. Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐκεῖνο λεγέσθαι, τῆς ἴσης ὄν τοῦ ἄνδρὸς καὶ παρὰ Θεῷ δυναστείας, καὶ περὶ τοὺς οἴκτου δεομένους φιλανθρωπίας. Προσηνέχθη γάρ τις ἀνὴρ αὐτῷ, τὴν μὲν ἡλικίαν πρεσβύτης, καὶ τὴν τρίχα ἤδη λευκὸς σῇ δὲ πάντως ἐνεργείᾳ, βάσκανε τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένους ἐχθρὲ καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἄνωθεν σωτηρίας πολέμιε, τῶν ἀτόπων ἀπεχόμενος οὐδενός. Ὡς γὰρ ὑπο τῶν ἀγόντων ἀεὶ δαιμόνων αὐτὸν ἐλαυνόμενος, πᾶσαν περιήει τὴν πόλιν, τί μὲν τῶν βλασφήμων οὐ λέγων; τί δὲ τῶν αἰσχίστων οὐ δρῶν; Οἷς ἂν ἡμέρας ἢ νυκτὸς πονηρὸν συνάντημα γένοιτο, οὐ πολὺ πόῤῥω τούτους κινδύνου καθίστη· φόνιόν τι γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ μανικὸν δραττόμενος, τά τε ἱμάτια σφίσι παριεῤῥήγνυ, καὶ τὸν τράχηλον περιάγων ἄγχειν αὐτοὺς ἐπειρᾶτο, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἰδίων, οἴμοι! σαρκῶν ἥπτετο, καὶ τούτων ἐλεεινῶς παρατρώγων ὡρᾶτο, καὶ ἄλλα τούτων οὐκ ὀλίγῳ χαλεπώτερα ἔδρα. Ποτὲ γοῦν ὄνῳ περιτυχὼν, ἡ σεβασμία δ᾽ ἦν καὶ μεγάλη πέμπτη, κατ᾽ ἣν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ Θεὸς τοῖς μαθηταῖς συνδειπνήσας, ὑφ᾽ ἑνὸς αὐτῶν παραδέδοτο, τὴν γλῶτταν ἐκεῖνος ἐξελκύσας τῆς ὄνου, ὡδοῦσί τε ἰδίοις (φεῦ τοῦ θεάματος!) ἁπτόμενος ταύτης καὶ παρατέμνων, διεμασᾶτο, πίνων ἀθλίως καὶ περιλείχων τοῦ αἵματος, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν οὕτω σεμνῇ πολιᾷ, καὶ βαθεῖ γήρᾳ, καὶ βίου δυσμαῖς· ὃ καὶ φιλανθρώπους ὀφθαλμοὺς εκίνει πρὸς δάκρυα, καὶ τὸν δύστηνον ὠδύροντο τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ θάνατον αὐτῷ μᾶλλον ὡς εὐεργέτην ἐπήχοντο. Ἡ μέντοι ὄνος, καίτογε τοιαῦτα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ πάσχουσα, καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν δαπανωμένη, ὅμως ἐνεργείαις τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ δαιμόνων εἱστήκει, μηδενὸς ὥσπερ ἀλγεινοῦ πειρωμένη. Ἄγεται τοιγαροῦν παρὰ τὸν θεῖον ἄνδρα ὁ γηραιὸς, ὃς ὁμοῦ τε εἶδεν αὐτὸν, καὶ ὁμοῦ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐνοικούντων αὐτῷ δαιμόνων κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἤρτητο, καθάπερ οὐκ ἐνεγκόντων τὴν θέαν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἅγιος ἐπυνθάνετο αὐτῶν, τί δή ποτε τοιαῦτα τῷ γέροντι παροινήσειαν; Οἳ δὲ πικρὸν κλαίοντες, οἷς καὶ τῇ μάστιγι τῆς ἐκείνου παρουσίας δεινῶς ἐταζόμενοι, Ἡμεῖις ἐπὶ τοῦτό, φησι, ἐπεστάλμεθα, ὥστε καὶ καθ᾽ ὕδατος βαλεῖν αὐτὸν ἢ πυρός· τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐκεῖνοι (φεῦ τῆς μανίας!) διάκονοι σπουδαῖοι καὶ ὑπηρέται. Ἡμέρας μὲν οὖν πέντε καὶ νύκτας ἴσας, ποικίλως βασανιζόμενος ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἦν, καὶ πάσχων κακῶς· εἶτα σφοδρότερον αὐτοῖς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων ἐπιτιμήσας ἐξελθεῖν τε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, καὶ μηκέτι πάλιν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπανελθεῖν ἐπιτάττει· καὶ τὸ πρόσταγμα ἔργον ἦν. Καὶ οἱ μὲν πολλὰ κράξαντες καὶ σπαράξαντες, εὐθέως ἀπῆλθον, οὐκέτι τολμήσαντες αὖθις εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναστρέψαι· ὁ δὲ τοῦ χαλεποῦ κλύδωνος ἐκείνου καὶ τῆς ζάλης ἀπαλλαγεὶς, καθεστηκὼς εἱστήκει καὶ νήφων, ἀναλόγως τῆς πρὶν ἀσχημοσύνης καὶ ἀκοσμίας τῇ καταστάσει καὶ σεμνότητι χρώμενος. Τῇ μέντοι ὄνῳ, οὐ δὲ γὰρ οὐ δὲ τοῦτο παραλιπεῖν ἄξιον, χοῦς ἐκ τοῦ Συμεὼν ὀλίγος, θεραπεία τῆς γλώττης αὐτίκα γίνεται. Μετὰ ταῦτα προσάγονταί τινες ἄνδρὲς αὐτῷ δύο, τὸν ἓτερον τοῖν ποδοῖν ἑκάτερος αὑτῶν ἰαθῆναι δεόμενος· ἦν γὰρ ἅτερος ἀμφοῖν σεσηπὼς, καὶ τέχνης ἰατρῶν ἰσχυρότερος, θατέρῳ δὲ τοῖν ἀνδροῖν τὸ πάθος σχεδὸν καὶ σύντροφον ἦν, τεσσαρακοστὸν αὐτὸν ἐκπιέζον ἔτως. Ἀλλὰ τῷ μὲν χοῦς τῆς ἐκείνου γῆς κραθεὶς ὕδατι, τῷ δὲ ἀφὴ σύμμικτος εὐχῇ θεραπεία κατέστη· καὶ τὸν οἰκεῖον ἑκάτερος πόδα νεαρὸν ὥσπερ ἀπολαβὼν, οὐχ ὡς πρώην οἰμώζοντες καὶ φερόμενοι, ἀλλὰ σκιρτῶντες καὶ χαίροντες ἐπανῆκον. Ἔπειτα τυφλῷ τινι προσενεχθέντι, γλυκεῖά τις ὄψις ὁ Ἅγιος γίνεται. Κατά γὰρ τὴν πρώτην νύκτα, καθ᾽ ἦν προσήνεκτο, ἐδόκει νεανίαν ὁ τυφλὸς ὁρᾶν, τρύχινον ἔνδημα περικείμενον, τὴν ὄψιν λαμπρὸν, τοὺς πόδας γυμνὸν, φέροντα ῥάβδον τῇ δεξιᾷ· βαΐνη δὲ αὕτη, Δὸς δόξαν, λέγοντα, τῷ Θεῷ. Ἡ μὲν οὖν φαντασία οὕτω τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐμιμεῖτο, ὣς καὶ διυπνισθέντι τῷ τυφλῷ δοκεῖν ἔχεσθαι τῆς τοῦ φανέντος ἔτι χειρὸς, φιλεῖν τε αὐτὴν ἐμφύντα, καὶ μὴ δὲ ἀποσπασθῆναι ταύτης τὰ χείλη βούλεσθαι· ὑπεδήλουν γάρ τι καὶ τοιοῦτον οἱ ὕπνοι. Ὡς δὲ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον τῆς ἐπιούσης περὶ πρώτην ἕω εἰσήχθη, σφραγίσαντος ἐκείνου τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, βλέψας (τῆς ἀποῤῥήτου σου Χριστὲ καὶ βασιλεῦ χρηστότητος!) εὐθὺς ὁ τυφλὸς, τόν τε θεῖον ἰδὼν Συμεὼν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου ὄψιν ἐκκαυθεὶς τὴν καρδίαν, αὐτὸν ἔλεγεν εἶναι τὸν ἐν ὀνείρῳ φανέντα, καὶ τῆς χειρὸς ἐζήτει λαβέσθαι, ἧς αὐτῷ νυκτὸς ὄψις ἐμφορηθῆναι παρέσχε· καὶ τὸν ὄνειρον ἡδονῆς ὅλοις χείλεσι, ταῖς τῶν παρόντων ἀκοαῖς ἐπεξῄει.

[164] The miracle was not yet plainly completed, which Symeon was working in the dead man already mentioned, when they bring another man, bent over, and not only not able in any way to raise himself: but also so contracted and impeded in neck, head, and the whole body, that he had the free use of no member. As he saw Symeon, with as lamentable a voice as he could, he cried: Have mercy on me, servant of God most high. So invoked he lays his hand on the man's neck, a hand powerful by Divine invocation, and the bonds being loosed restored his head to him: then with the same hand striking the man's back, and by that very stroke he grants the dispelling of the pains, and the loosing of the members, and the free use of the whole body. And thus the impediments and bonds of the members and the paralysis of the body, which had now held him for five and thirty years (as one might hear from himself, publicly proclaiming the time of his infirmity), by one touch and one stroke, beyond expectation, were marvelously loosed.

[165] These things being so accomplished, there came forth two young girls, the one lacking the faculty of speaking, the other of hearing: likewise a deaf and mute girl from birth. and those defects they had brought with them from their very birth into this light. Their florid and youthful age moved the commiseration of the servant of God, dissolved into groans through the sense of grief. Therefore intending his eyes full of hope toward heaven, that he might thence call help; and inserting his finger into the mouth of the one, into the ears of the other; the tongue of the former he straightway loosed, but the ears of the latter he opened, so that both spoke and heard without impediment.

[166] This too is not to be wrapped in silence,

inasmuch as it likewise demonstrates the holy Man's both power with God, and benignity toward men in need of help. A certain man was brought, much advanced in age and hoary of hair, who by thy, O envious enemy of the human race and infesting foe of our salvation, by thy, I say, malice operating in him, did nothing that was not absurd and unseemly. For if ever, impelled by the demons always agitating him, he wandered through the whole city; what blasphemies did he not blurt out? what undared shamefulness did he leave? But those who fell upon him by an unhappy encounter, whether by day or by night, were very near to peril: for invading them with violent and insane onset, he tore their garments to shreds, and casting hands on their neck strove to suffocate the unwary. Nor did the furies stop here: his own flesh (O wretched!) seized with his teeth he was seen to gnaw and to grind with a miserable spectacle, and to perpetrate things not a little more monstrous than these. There was being kept the holy and venerable day of Thursday, on which our Lord, having supped with the disciples, was betrayed by one of them; when by chance encountering a she-ass, he drew out her tongue, and firmly seized with his teeth, (alas the spectacle!) cut it off, and ground and lacerated it with his teeth, who chewed off the tongue of an ass cut away, drinking and licking the blood flowing about his mouth; and that in so venerable an old age, and great senility; and at the close of life: which so afflicted the eyes of the beholders, that it forced out tears; and grieving that the wretch survived in the living, they prayed death for him as a benefit. The ass meanwhile, although so cruelly treated by him and mutilated of her tongue, nevertheless, the demon who beset the man operating, stood no otherwise than if she had suffered nothing of punishment.

[167] The old man therefore is led to the holy man, and immediately by the demons inhabiting him is suspended head downward, as it were not bearing the sight of the Saint: when he questioned them, why at length they had raged so against the old man; they, weeping bitterly (you would have said they had been received as by a savage scourge by the man's presence), For this, they say, were we sent, that we might cast him headlong either into water or into fire: For of such things they (alas the madness!) are zealous ministers and executors. For five days and likewise nights he had been variously tortured and bitterly vexed by these inhabitants; when he bids them, gravely castigated, to depart thence, and never thereafter to seek again that abode: nor was the precept void of issue. For being bidden, vociferating much and tossing the man about, they vanished on the spot, not daring thereafter to return thither: the demons driven away, he is restored to himself. but the old man, freed from that violent whirlwind and tempest, stood plainly restored to himself and master of his mind, and was borne as meek and modest as before violent and impudent. But what of the ass? for she too is not worthy to be passed by. A little of the dust, received from the Saint, immediately brought health to her tongue.

[168] After these things there are brought two men, each asking a remedy for his one foot affected with an evil: A remedy is brought for the feet of two. for the one's was already putrefied, refusing the art of physicians; the other a bitter pain, continued almost from his very birth, was now tormenting for forty years. To the one of them nonetheless the dust of that earth, kneaded with water; to the other a touch, aided by prayer, became a salutary medicine: and each returned to his own home, now not carried, groaning and weeping, as before; but rejoicing and exulting, the use of the foot recovered such as young men had had. These being thoroughly healed, Symeon appears to a blind man and heals him. Symeon was a joyful spectacle through himself to a certain blind man brought to him. For on the first night after his coming he seemed to himself to see a young man, surrounded with a hair-cloth garment, splendid of countenance, bare of feet, bearing a rod in his right hand (that palm-rod, namely), and saying: Give glory to God. This representation so perfectly imitated the truth, that the blind man, awaking, thought: that even still he was trying to kiss the hand of him who had appeared, nor permitting his lips to be torn away from it: for something of this kind had been shown in his sleep. But when on the following day toward dawn he was led to the Saint, the sign of the Cross being impressed by him on his eyes, the blind man saw immediately (O ineffable goodness of Christ!) and gazing on the Saint and by that very gaze kindled and inflamed, he exclaimed that he was that same one whom he had beheld in his rest, whose hand he had tried to retain, and had been able to kiss to satiety: nor did he cease to pour into the ears of those present, with full cheeks, that so joyful dream.

CHAPTER XXII.

The injurious against the Saint and his image are punished by a miracle and by a predicted judgment: the indulgence, to be granted to the merciful guilty one, is foreknown.

Ἐν τούτῳ δέ τινες ἄνδρες τῆς Ἀντιόχου, χαλεπὴν νοσοῦντες ἀσέβειαν, ὡς μήτε τι σαρκὸς ἁμάρτημα ἐν εὐθύνης τίθεσθαι λόγῳ, μήτε τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων σωμάτων ἀνάστασιν προσδοκᾶν ἢ ἐξέτασιν, καὶ τῶν τῇδε βεβιωμένων ἀντίδοσιν· ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν τῇ τῶν ἀστέρων φωρᾷ νέμειν τὸ πᾶν, καὶ τοῖς ἐκείνων σχήμασι καὶ κινήμασι κατὰ τῆς προνοίας ἀνοήτως παραχωρεῖν, τοὺς δὲ τύχην δογματίζειν καὶ τὸ αὐτόματον· τοὺς δὲ μετεμψύχωσίν τινα πρεσβεύειν καὶ εἰμαρμένην. Οὗτοι γοῦν παρὰ τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν ἀνιόντες, διαλέξει πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐχρῶντο, καὶ ἀποδεικτικῇ σοφίᾳ, ᾗ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐφρόνουν, καὶ πιθαναῖς ἀντιθέσεσιν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ἐκείνου μὲν καὶ θεία τις ἐπικαθημένη πειθὼ τοῖς χείλεσιν, ᾗ τῶν λογολεσχῶν τούτων, καὶ περιττῶν τὴν μανίαν μᾶλλον ἢ τὴν σοφίαν, οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο ἀντιλέγειν. Τὸ δὲ πλέον τῆς κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ἰσχύος, καὶ ἡ τῶν σημείων ἐνέργεια, ὃ καὶ κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον ἐξέμαινε τοὺς ἀνοήτους. Ἀμέλει καὶ συμβάν τινι τῶν ἀνὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου, ἀνδρὶ βαναύσῳ καὶ ἀγοραίῳ, τοὺς ἀναπνευστικοὺς αποφραγῆναι πόρους, δι᾽ ὧν τὸ πνεῦμά εἰσρεῖ τε καὶ ἐκρεῖ διηθούμενον. Συχνὸν ἐκεῖνος τῷ πάθει συνεχόμενος χρόνον, καὶ ἀποπνίγεσθαι ἤδη νομίζων, προσῆλθε τῷ Συμεών· θεραπείας τε παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τυχὼν, καὶ οἴκαδε αὖθις ἐπανελθὼν, εὐγνωμοσύνης οἱονεί τι δεῖγμα, καὶ τηλικαύτης εὐεργεσίας ἀπομνημόνευμα, εἰκόνα πρὸ τῆς αὐτοῦ φλιᾶς ἀνέστησε τῷ Ἁγίῳ, φιλοτίμως οὐ φωτῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παραπετασμάτων ἔχουσαν· Ὅπερ ἰδόντας τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς, καὶ φθόνῳ τὰς ψυχὰς ἀναζέσαντας, τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀθροῖσαι σύνταγμα, καὶ κατὰ πλῆθος ἐπελθόντας (ὁ Θεὸς, ὅσα ἐπονηρεύσαντο οἱ ἐχθροὶ κατὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου σου!) Αἶρε τὸν τοῦτο δράσαντα, μέγα βοᾷν· ἡ εἰκὼν τὸ τάχος καταβεβλήσθω. Ὁ μὲν οὖν χειροτέχνης ἐκεῖνος, θειοτέρᾳ δὲ πάντως οἰκονομίᾳ τὸ πρᾶγμα, οὐ ἔτυχε τηνικαύτα τῷ ἐργαστηρίῳ παρών· ἢ γὰρ ἂν οὐδὲν τοῦ θορύβου χρηστὸν ἀπέλαυσε. Πάντα δὲ κατὰ τῆς εἰκόνος ἐκεῖνοι τὸν θυμὸν τρέψαντες, ἐπέτρεψαν ἑνὶ τῶν τῆς ἴσης αὐτοῖς ἀπιστίας στρͅτιωτῶν, διά τινος ἀνελθόντα κλίμακος, αὐτὴν καθελεῖν. Ὁ δὲ τὴν ἄνοδον ὡς προστέτακτο θέμενος, ὡς ἤδη καὶ χεῖρας ἐπιβαλεῖν ἐπεχείρει, χειρῶν ἐκείνων, ἃς σὺ Χριστὲ βασιλεῦ ἐπῇρας ἐπὶ τὰς ὑπερηφανίας αὐτῶν, ἀθρόον ἐκεῖθεν πτῶμα χαλεπὸν κατηνέχθη· ὃ ταῖς μὲν τῶν ἄλλων ψυχαῖς οὐ μικρὸν ἐνέπεισε δέος, τοῖς δὲ ἀσεβέσιν ἐπὶ μᾶλλον τὸν φθόνον ηὔξησε. Καὶ δεύτερον ἄλλον ἀναγαγεῖν πειραθέντες, οἷα τοῦ προτέρου δειλίαν κατεγνωκότες, ὡς τὰ ἶσα παθόντα μᾶλλον καὶ αὐτὸν ἢ δράσαντα εἶδον, παραπλήσιόν τε τῷ προτέρῳ πτῶμα κατενεχθέντα· μὴ δὲ ταύτῃ γοῦν οἱ ἀσύνετοι συνιέντες, ἀλλὰ πρὸς οὕτω φανερὰν ἀλήθειαν μύοντες ἢ τυφλώττοντες, προσέθεντο καὶ τρίτον ἀναγαγεῖν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ταυτὰ τοῖς προλαβοῦσι καὶ αὐτῷ συνέβη, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας κατὰ τῆς εἰκόνος ἐκτείνας, ἔλαθε καθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ μᾶλλον ὥσπερ αὐταῖς χρησάμενος, καὶ καταβληθεὶς, ἔκειτο καὶ οὗτος, πτῶμα τῶν προτέρων πολὺ καταγελαστότερον, ὅσα μὴ δὲ σωφρονησθεὶς ὤφθη τῷ ὑποδείγματι. Οἱ μὲν ἐντροπῇ καλυψάμενοι τὰς ὄψεις ἀπῆλθον, ἐλεεινοὶ τῆς πείρας, ἐλεεινότεροι τῆς ἀποτυχίας· τοὺς δὲ πιστοὺς φαιδρότης εἶχε, καὶ χαρᾶς αὐτοῖς ἐπληροῦτο τὸ στόμα, καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα μᾶλλον ἀγαλλιάσεως. Τούτων τῷ Συμεὼν ἀγγελθέντων, ὀλίγα μὲν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ὕβρεως ἐκεῖνος φροντήσας, τῷ δὲ παντὶ ζήλῳ περὶ τῆς εἰς τὸν οἰκεῖον Δεσπότην βλασφημίας χρώμενος, εὐχῇ προσαδολεσχῶν εἱστήκει τῷ συνήθει καὶ καρδίας ἔργῳ καὶ χειρῶν καὶ χειλέων· Θεὸς δὲ, ὁ τοῦ δικαίου ταμίας καὶ νομοθέτης, οὐκ ἠμέλει τῆς δίκης, ἀλλ᾽ ἁρπαγεὶς κατὰ πνεῦμα ὁ Συμεὼν, ὁρᾷν ἑαυτὸν ἐδόκει καθάπερ ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει ἐν τῷ βασιλικῷ παλατίῳ γενόμενον, ἑστάναι τε ἄνδρα, ᾧ μεγάλην ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τὴν ἕω διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος δίδοσθαι, καὶ αὐτὸν ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις περιἳέναι τῆς Ἀντιόχου, τόν τε Ἰορδάνην ποταμὸν αὐτῷ ἕπεισθαι, καὶ τὸν ἐν Ἐδὲμ παράδεισον ὣσπερ ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι· καὶ ὡς πονηρὸν θηρίον ἔν τινι σπηλαίῳ κρυπτόμενον, ἐκεῖθεν ἐξενεχθὲν διὰ μέσης ἄγοιτο τῆς πόλεως ὑβριζόμενον· καὶ ὡς πολλοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων διαταθεῖσιν ὁ Ἄρχων ἐκεῖνος ἐπιθείη πληγὰς οὐ πόῤῥω θανάτου, ὣστε σάρκα πᾶσαν ἐπιεικῶς καταπτῆξαι· καὶ ὡς τῶν αὐτῷ γνωρίμων τις τῷ Ἄρχοντι παρεστὼς εἰς ἐξέτασιν, ἀπαθὴς κακῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀφεθείη. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν ἰδὼν, τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐξηγήσατο· ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ ὅ, τι ποτὲ τὰ ὀφθέντα βούλεται σαφῶς ἐπεξείη, ὡς ἄρα φοβερὸς ἐλεύσεται Ἄρχων, καὶ τὰς ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν ἐλέγξει, τῶν δὲ καὶ θανάτου τρόπον καταδικάσει βαρύτατον. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἑπόμενος ὑποφαίνει ὁ Ἰορδάνης, ὅτι πᾶσαν αὐτῶν καταδύσει θεομαχίαν, ὥσπερ ὁ ἀνακαλυπτόμενος παράδεισος πάλιν, τὰς ὰγαθὰς τῶν δικαίων ὑποδείκνυσι παῤῥησιασθήσεται πράξεις. Τὸ μέντοι περιαγόμενον θηρίον, ἡ τοῦ διαβόλου ἂν εἴη πλάνη, ἣν οἱ μάταιοι ἐπὶ τοῖς εἰδώλοις πεπλάνηνται, ἣ καὶ δημοσιευθεῖσα οἰχήσεται, λανθάνουσα τὰ πολλὰ τέως καὶ κρυπτομένη. Παρεδήλωσε δὲ καὶ τῷ εἰς ἐξέτασιν πρὸ τοῦ Ἄρχοντος παρεστάναι φανέντι, φυλάξασθαι τὰς τῶν φαύλων ὁμιλίας, ἑαυτῷ τοῦ λοιποῦ ἐπὶ πλέον προσχόντα. Ἄρτι μὲν οὖν ταῦτα ὁ Συμεὼν προειρήκει· οὔπω δὲ τέταρτος παρῆλθε μεταξὺ μὴν, καί τις μεγάλην εἰς τὰ πρὸς ἕω λαβὼν ἀρχὴν, ἐπεδήμει τῇ Ἀντιόχου, Ἀμάντιος ὄνομα, ἀνὴρ παιδευτικὸς, ἀρχικὸς, λογισμῷ χρώμενος, ἀῤῥεπὴς τὴν γνώμην, ἐλεύθερος τὴν ψυχὴν, ζυγοῦ περὶ τὸ δίκαιον ἀκριβέστερος, τοσαῦτα ζηλῶν ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς, ὅσα καὶ κατὰ τῆς κακίας, καὶ εἰς ἄκρον ἑκάτερα· ὃς καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὴν Ἀντιόχου καταλαβεῖν, πᾶσαν ὡς οἷόν τε κακουργίαν περιεῖλεν ἀνὰ τὴν ἕω· τομωτέραν κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων τὴν μάχαιραν ἐπάγων τοῦ ἀξιώματος, ὥστε δεδιέναι πάντας καὶ τρέμειν πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ παρουσίαν, οὐ φαύλους μόνον, οὐ δὲ κακούργους, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἷς τὸ ἐπιεικὲς ὁ βίος πολὺ καὶ τὸ μέτριον εἶχε. Τοσαύτι τις ἦν τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἡ κατάπληξις. Οὗτος πολλοὺς ἀνὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου τῶν ἑλληνιστῶν καὶ ἀθέων, τῶν τε περὶ τὰ σχήματα τῶν ἀστέρων καὶ τὰς πλοκὰς κεχῃνότων, ἅπερ αὐτοῖς κατὰ τῆς προνοίας ἐπινενόητο, καὶ τούτων ὅσοι διαφερόντως τῶν ἄλλων ἐπισημότεροι, ἀνευρὼν φιλοπόνως καὶ συλλαβόμενος, καὶ αὐτοὺς μὲν εἰς δεσμωτήρια κατακλείσας, πάσας δὲ τὰς αὐτῶν βίβλους, ἐξ ὧν ἐκείνοις ἡ ψευδομένη σοφία καὶ τὸ

κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας νεανιεύεσθαι, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα πάντα συναγαγὼν, οἷς ὅσα καὶ Θεοῖς ἐπεποίθεσαν (τὸ ἀργύριον γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ χρυσίον αὐτῶν ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς εἴδωλα, καὶ προσεκύνησαν οἷς ἐποίησαν οἱ δάκτυλοι αὐτῶν, ἵνα καὶ Ὠσηὲ ἄμα καὶ Ἡσαΐαν ἔχω συμφθεγγομένους) τῶν μὲν οὐ μικρὰν αἴρει φλόγα, πῦρ κατὰ μέσην ἀγορὰν αὐτοῖς ἐμβαλὼν· τῶν δὲ δημοσιεύει φανερῶς τὴν ἀσθένειαν, κατ᾽ ἀμφόδων καὶ πλατειῶν κρεμάσας αὐτὰ, καὶ δείξας μηδὲν πλέον ὄντα τῶν ὁρωμένων, ἀλλὰ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτοχειρῶν ἔργα καὶ τέχνης, οὐδὲν ἀλλω, ἢ ὃ βούλονται οἱ τεχνίται αὐτὰ γενέσθαι, ἵνα τοῖς τῶν Προφητῶν καὶ νῦν χρήσωμαι. Εἱστήκει δὲ καὶ ὁ τῷ Ἁγίῳ πρώην διὰ θεωρίας ὀφθεὶς, πρὸ τοῦ Ἄρχοντος εἰς ἐξέτασιν, μοναχὸς δέ τις, τῷ Συμεὼν προσεικασμένος, κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς πάντων λαβνόμενος αὐτοῦ τῆς χειρὸς, ἐξείλετο τῆς μελλούσης εὐθύνης, πρᾴως τοῦ Ἄρχοντος τὸ γεγονὸς ἐνεγκόντος. Ἐγένετο δέ τινα τηνικαῦτα προσαίτην, τῷ θείῳ Συμεών προσελθόντα, τῆς ἐκείνου τε γῆς αἰτήσαντα καὶ λαβόντα, εἴς τε τὴν Ἀντιόχου πρὸς τὴν οἰκεῖαν αὖθις καλύβην ἐπανελθόντα, παράλυτόν τινα χεῖρας καὶ πόδας, προσαίτην καὶ αὐτὸν, ἐκγειτόνων κατακείμενον ἔχειν· ὃν αὐτοῦ φιλανθρώπως ἐκείνῳ χρίσαντα τῷ χοῒ, ἔδοξέ τινα τῷ παρειμένῳ μοναχὸν, τοιοῦτον οἷος ὁ Συμεὼν τὴν ὄψιν καὶ τὴν κόμην, ἰδεῖν ὀρέξαντα χεῖρα κειμένῳ, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀπὸ κελεύσματος αὐτὸν ἀναστήσαντα, καὶ παραχρῆμα (ὢ πῶς σου Χριστὲ λαλήσω τὰς δυναστείας;) ὑγιὴς ὁ παράλυτος ἦν, ποσὶν ὁμοῦ καὶ χερσὶν ἐλευθερίως χρώμενος. Ὁ μέντοι δικαστὴς (ἔχεται γὰρ ἔτι τῆς ἀκολουθίας ὁ λόγος) ἐπὶ βήματος αὖθις δικαστικοῦ προκαθίσας, τούς τε δεσμώτας καθ᾽ ἕνα καὶ πλείους παραστησάμενος, καὶ τὴν ἑκάστῳ προσήκουσαν ἐξενεγκὼν καταδίκην, ἕνα τούτων (ὃς καὶ βαρύτατα ἦν ἐξημαρτηκὼς, καὶ στάσεις δημοτικὰς ἀναγείρας, καὶ νεωτέρων θορυβων ἁψάμενος) ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ καταλελοίπει, βαρυτάταις αὐτὸν καὶ τιμορίαις ταμιευόμενος. Ἐν τοσούτῳ δέ τις ἐνδεὴς μοναχὸς τῷ Συμεὼν προσελθὼν, καί τινος ἐκείνου τοῦ δεσμώτου μνήμης, οἷα φιλεῖ, γενομένης, ἐπηύχετο εὖ αὐτῷ γενέσθαι παρὰ Θεοῦ, Ὅτι μοι κατακεκλημένῳ, φησὶν, ἐν ίερῶ, τὸ τοῦ ναοῦ προσθεὶς ὄνομα ἐπιστὰς καὶ πυθόμενος ὅτου δεοίμην, ἱμάτιον ὠνήσατο τρύχινον, τούτου γὰρ ἦν μοι πρὸς ἀνάγκης ἡ χρεία. Ἕτερος δέ τις προσαίτης καὶ οὗτος, Ἐμοὶ δέ φησι ἐπιτυχὼν καθ᾽ ὁδὸν, δαψιλὲς εἰς διατροφὴν κέρμα δεδώκει. Ἄλλος δὲ πάλιν ὑπολαβὼν, Ἐκεῖνος καὶ βρέφος ὑπὸ τῆς γειναμένης ἐκτεθὲν, ἔφη, καὶ κνυζούμενον ἀνελόμενος, ἐρεύνῃ τε φιλοπόνῳ γυναῖκα νεοτόκον εὑρὼν, παρατίθησιν αὐτῇ θυλάσαι τε ἅμα καὶ ἐκθρέψαι τὸ βρέφος, δύο χρυσοὺς τέως καταβαλὼν, καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τῆς περὶ τὴν ἀνατροφὴν μισθαρνίας ἐπικαταβαλεῖν καὶ τοῦτο βεβαιωσάμενος. Πρὸς ταῦτα, πλείων οἶκτος αὐτοῦ λαμβάνει τὸν Συμεὼν, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πάλιν ἐκεῖνος φιλανθρωπίας ἐδεῖτο, Τῷ μὲν οὖν δικαστῇ δέδοκτο ἤδη, νηῒ τὸν ἄνδρα φόρτον ἐμβαλεῖ, καὶ ταύτην ἀνάψαντα κατὰ πελάγους ἀφεῖναι, ὦστε τὸν δείλαιον ἐκεῖνον, τὰ δύο ταῦτα, πῦρ ἅμα καὶ ὕδωρ μερίσασθαι· Δέδοκτο ταῦτα, καὶ ἡ ψῆφος ἐκράτει, καὶ τὸν μὲν δεσμώτην ἀνάλογον ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ τηλικούτου προσδοκίας κακοῦ δέος εἶχε· τὸν Συμεὼν δὲ χρηστότερα περὶ αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον ὃ περὶ τοὺς ἐνδεεῖς ἐκείνου ἔλεος ἐλπίζειν ἐποίει, πρὸς ἔλεον πάλιν ὁρῶντα Θεοῦ, τοῦ καὶ ποτήριον ψυχροῦ δεχομένου, καὶ πλουσίως ἀντιμετρεῖν εἰδότος ἀγαθαῖς προαιρέσεσιν. Γεωργοῦ δέ τινος ἐν τούτῳ τῶν ἐκείνου ἀγρῶν παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνελθόντος, κᾀκείνου περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐρομένου, ἥ τίς ποτε ἡ κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ ψῆφος εἴη, ὡς ἐκεῖνος τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ δεδογμένα φράσοι· ὁ Συμεὼν πεποιθότως ὐπολαβὼν, Οὐ δὲ θρίξ ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ πεσεῖται, εἶπεν οὐδ᾽ εἰ πάντες οἱ γῆς Ἄρχοντες κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀθροισθεῖεν· οὐ γὰρ ἃ τῷ Ἄρχοντι περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἄνωθεν ψήφῳ κέκριτο μᾶλλον ἐκείνῳ περὶ αὐτοῦ προφητεύειν ἐπήει. Ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ ὡς ἡ χεὶρ διακονεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς φυλακῆς αὐτῷ παρῄνει τὸν γεωργὸν, Ἵν᾽ εὖ σοι μετὰ ταῦτά, φησι, γένηται παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Ὁ δὲ παρὰ τὸ δεσμωτήριον δρομαῖος ἐλθών, κομίζει τῷ καταδίκῳ τῆς σωτηρίας τὰ εὐαγγέλια, ᾔδει γὰρ ᾔδει σαφῆ προφητείαν εἶναι τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ὁσίου λεγόμενα, πολλοῖς προλαβοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλῷ μείζοσιν, ἔχων καὶ περὶ τῶν παρόντων θαῤῥεῖν. Τῆς δ᾽ ἐπιούσης ἐπὶ βῆματος αὖθις τοῦ Ἄρχοντος προκαθίσαντος, καὶ τοῦτον ἀπὸ τῆς φυλακῆς μεταστειλαμένου, οἱ μὲν παρόντες ἀνῄρτηντο ταῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐλπίσιν· ὁ δὲ συμπαθές τι καὶ ἥμερον εἰς αὐτὸν ἰδὼν, ἀφῆκε πάσης αὐτὸν παρὰ πᾶσαν, προσδοκίαν εὐθύνης· καὶ παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνελθὼν, τὰ τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῷ χαριστήρια περιφανῶς ὡμολόγει, οἷα θανάτου φεῦ! αἰσχίστου καὶ πικροτάτου εὐχαῖς ἐκείνου καὶ πρεσβείαις ἀπηλλαγμένος. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν οὐδὲν τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ὁσίου προειρημένων διαπεπτώκει, ἀλλὰ σύμφωνον πᾶσιν αὐτοῖς ἐκ τοῦ τἐλους καὶ τὸ ἔργον ἀπήντα· ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς τῶν αὐτοῦ θαυμάτων ἀκολούθως διαληπτέον.

[169] Meanwhile certain men of Antioch had come to such impiety, that they maintained that an account of the sins of the flesh was not to be demanded back in judgment; Heretics of Antioch refuted by the Saint, nor expected any resurrection of our bodies, or examination of deeds, and any retribution of them; some indeed repeatedly saying that all things are governed by the course of the stars, and that providence in an insane manner yields to their figures and motions; but others, that fortune and chance decree; others finally, that the transmigration of souls and fate obtain the chief place. These, assailing Symeon by disputing, used the demonstrative art, in which they excelled, and persuasive contentions. But there sat upon the Saint's lips a certain divine force of persuading, to which none of those babblers and men abounding in infamy rather than wisdom could contradict. But the greater the virtue of his power and of his signs against them was, the more were they driven to madness against him.

[170] At last a it happened that a certain man of Antioch, a plebeian and an artisan, had the passages so obstructed, his image exposed to veneration through which the breath passing enters and goes out, that, the longer interval of time also approaching, during which the evil held him, he thought he should be suffocated. He at length betook himself to S. Symeon, and health being obtained, returned home, and as a testimony of a grateful mind and a memorial of so great a benefit, set up an image to the Saint before his doors, and adorned it not only with lights, but also with hangings and tapestries. Which the impious and nefarious men beholding, burning with envy, and gathering a band of their own, ran together in a troop, crying with a loud voice (O God, how great things the enemies have machined against Thy Saint!) Take away him who has done such things; let the sign be at once cast down. But that artisan, by divine disposition without doubt, was absent at this very time from the workshop; otherwise indeed he would not have escaped the hands of the rioters unharmed.

[171] Turning therefore all their anger against the image, they commanded one of the soldiers, trying to cast it down, the third time they are punished. a man of like flour and infidelity, to cast it down, ladders being mounted: who when he had got up on high, as he was bidden, and now was trying to lay hands on it; by those hands, which Thou, O Christ, didst raise above their pride, casting him down, he was suddenly dashed to the earth with a grievous fall. Which when it had struck no common fear into the minds of others, increased not a little the anger of the impious. They tried therefore to bring another up there, accusing the cowardice of the former: whom they soon beheld suffering rather than doing like things, as being cast down by a like fall. Nor yet thus did those insane ones understand, but closing their eyes and growing blind to so manifest a truth, they added even a third: to whom also things equal to those said happened. For when he had extended his hands against the image, not knowing that he was rather using them against himself, he was likewise cast down, and lay prostrate; worthy of much greater mockery than the former, in that he had been no whit the wiser by the unwashed one's example. Then indeed, veiling their face for shame, they departed, to be pitied for their attempt, but more for their misfortunes: but the faithful, rejoicing, testified their joy by mouth, and their exultation by tongue.

[172] These things being reported to Symeon, he, holding very small account of himself and of the injury inflicted on him, but with all zeal exardescing against the blasphemies uttered against his Lord, it is then shown to Symeon in a vision unceasingly gave himself to prayer and persisted in the accustomed exercise of heart, mouth, and lips. But God, the just dispenser and lawgiver, was not unmindful of vengeance. For Symeon, rapt in spirit, seemed to behold these things. He thought he was at Constantinople in the palace of the Emperor, and that a certain man, to whom great power over the Eastern parts was given by the spirit, went about the streets of Antioch; and that the river Jordan followed his footsteps, and the paradise which is in Eden was as it were uncovered and revealed: then that a most wicked beast, lurking in a certain cave, was sent forth thence, and driven through the midst of the city, inflicted no slight slaughter; further that many men, pursuing the beast, were grievously beaten by that Prince almost to death, so that all flesh was greatly consternated; finally that one of his known and familiar friends stood before the said Prince to be examined, and by him, immune from all calamity and peril, was dismissed.

[173] These things, just as he had seen them, Symeon narrated to the disciples; then also he explained what the portents meant to him. Namely how a terrible Prince was to come, and would convict them of impiety, and would also adjudge some to a most savage death. a Governor about to come for their vengeance: For the Jordan that followed shows beforehand, that all their impiety and rebellion against God would be utterly overwhelmed; but the paradise that was uncovered, that the right deeds of the upright were to be openly and freely proclaimed. But the beast that was carried about, he said, was the fallacy and imposture of the devil, through which vain men, placing their hope in idols, were circumvented; and which, for the most part lurking thus far, brought at length into light, would vanish. He indicated also through him, who, summoned to the question, seemed to stand before the Prince, that he was warned to keep himself thereafter from the discourses of the wicked, and to know that he must attend more studiously to himself. And then indeed these things were foretold by Symeon: nor did four months intervene, when a certain Amantius b by name, a great command through the East being entrusted to him, came to Antioch. but Amantius a severe judge comes, He was a man of letters, apt for command, powerful in reasoning, constant of mind, free of soul, in the first place zealous for justice; who was borne with as great a zeal for virtue, as against iniquity, in both supreme: who, even before he came to Antioch, had taken away all the wickedness he could through the East, with a sharper sword drawn against those also who were constituted in dignity; so that fear and trembling invaded all at his coming: nor only worthless and malevolent men, but those also, whose life was conjoined with probity and good morals, dreaded, so terrible was his presence.

[174] This man, the more illustrious of the Gentiles and atheists and of those given to speculating the aspects and conjunctions of the stars, and constructing many things thence against divine providence, especially the more illustrious, sought out studiously and apprehended and shut up in prison: but he collected all their books, from which a false wisdom and new opinions against the truth were drawn forth, who abolished their books and idols. nor those only, but likewise all the idols, in which they trusted as in gods: for their silver and their gold they made for themselves into idols, and adored the things which their fingers had made, that I may speak with the Prophets Hosea and Isaiah. Hosea 8, 4., Isa. 2, 8. And from the books indeed he raised no small flame, casting them into the fire in the midst of the forum; but the impotence and weakness of the idols he manifestly demonstrated, by suspending them in the crossways and streets, and showing that they were nothing more than what they seem, works of hands and of art; nothing other than what the artificers will them to be, to use again the words of the Prophets. There stood also that one who long before had appeared to the Saint in a vision, before the Prince called to the question: but a certain Monk, very like Symeon, taking him by the hand, snatched him from the impending trial, the Prince calmly bearing the deed.

[175] It happened about the same time that a certain one of the beggars who are there came to Symeon, and asked and received something of his earth, A beggar, with the dust received from the Saint, heals another. then returned to Antioch into his hovel, and found another of his neighbors, himself also a beggar, lying with his feet and hands touched by paralysis; who, sprinkled by that other with the dust already mentioned, seemed to himself to see a certain monk, very like Symeon in countenance and hair, reaching forth his hand to him as he lay, and as if by command raising him; and behold (how shall I declare, O Lord, Thy power!) immediately the paralytic was made whole, the most ready use of his hands and feet being recovered.

[176] The author of a sedition to be punished with death, But that Judge or Prince, of whom we have treated (for our discourse proceeds to the rest), sitting again before the tribunal of justice, the bound being bidden to be presented singly and many together, brought against each of them the sentence of condemnation befitting his merits: but one, because he had committed graver things, and had been the author of a popular sedition and the kindler of recent tumults, he had left in prison, to be reserved for the gravest torments. Meanwhile a certain poor monk, meeting Symeon, mention being made, as is wont, of that captive, prayed for a prosperous issue for him, God being propitious: For when I prayed, he says, in the church (whose name also he added), he stood by me, and when he had heard what I asked, he bought this hair-cloth garment, of which I was especially in pressing need. Another beggar too, But to me, he says, meeting on the way, on account of works of mercy he bestowed a notable alms for sustenance. Again another taking up; That same man, he said, took up an infant exposed by its mother and wailing; and by diligent inquiry finding a woman who had recently given birth, committed it to her to be suckled and nursed; paying down at once two gold pieces, and solemnly promising that he would moreover pay whatever should be expended for the boy's upbringing.

[177] These things heard, Symeon is seized with greater commiseration of the man, and suppliant deprecates the divine benignity for him. And now it was fixed and resolved for the Judge, to put the man on a ship, and to commit it, flames being cast in and kindled, to the deep; that the two elements, fire and water, might in some sort divide the wretch between them. So, I say, it was fixed for the Judge and the sentence stood; and the bound man in custody a like proportion of fear of so great an evil now imminent had occupied. But mercy bade Symeon hope all milder things, which that man had exercised toward the needy, in turn turning his eyes to the mercy of God, who accepts even a cup of cold water, and is wont richly to recompense good purposes.

[178] Meanwhile a certain husbandman from his fields, coming to the Saint, inquires what sentence at length was pronounced against the captive, it is foretold by S. Symeon that he is to be freed. and asks that he would declare what concerning him was constituted and decreed. The Saint, taking up, confidently replies: Not even a hair from his head shall fall, not if all the Princes of the whole earth be gathered against him: for he was prophesying not the things judged by the Prince's vote, but rather the things judged and ratified by the divine. Then also he exhorted the husbandman, that he should serve him in custody as much as he could, Whereby, he said, it may be done well to thee hereafter by him. He runs at a run to the prison, bearing the most auspicious news of salvation to the condemned: for he knew, and well knew, that it was a sure prophecy; from many things before mentioned, nay, from far more, persuaded to hope well of the present. The next day, the Prince sitting again before the tribunal, and bidding the bound man be summoned from custody; they hung in their minds, doubtful between hope and fear, as many as were present: but the Judge, gazing on him with a benign and placid countenance, beyond the expectation of all dismissed him free of all judgment: who hastening to the Saint, openly confessed before all that his life preserved was the gift of him, reckoning that he was exempted from a most foul and most bitter death by his prayers and intercession. So therefore nothing of those things which the Saint foretold failed in issue, but works equal to all the prophecies answered by the very event. But the rest of his marvels are to be pursued successively.

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Gripings are cured, the disobedient is punished; things absent become known to Symeon.

Γέρων τις ἀμπελουρὸς, ἀπὸ χωρίου Σάμβου καλουμένου τινὸς, ταῖς ἀμπέλοις ἐγκεκυφὼς, ἔδοξεν ὡς ἄρα φωνήσειεν αὐτὸν ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ ἀθρόον ἐπιστραφεὶς ἐκείνην μὲν οὐχ ὁρᾷ (φάσμα γάρ τι δαιμόνιον ἦν τῆς γυναικὸς οἴκοι μενούσης) αὐτὸς δὲ ὑπεσπάσθη τὰ ἔνδον, καὶ φόρτος αὐτῷ γεγόνει ταῦτα ἐλεεινὸς, ἄχρις αὐτῶν καθειμένος γονάτων. Ὁ μὲν δὴ καμάτῳ πολλῷ καὶ μόχθῳ πρὸς τὸν θεῖον ἀνενεχθεὶς Συμεὼν, πρὸ τῆς αὐτοῦ στάσεως ἐκυλινδεῖτο, τὸ γεγονὸς ἀπαγγέλλων οὐ ῥήμασι μᾶλλον ἢ δάκρυσιν, ἃ δὴ πολλὰ κατέσχεν τοῦ ἐδάφους, καὶ τῆς συμφορᾶς ἀπαλλαγῆναι δεόμενος. Ὁ δὲ διαναστὰς, Πορεύου ἔφη, ἐπ᾽ ἂν μέντοι τὸν ποταμὸν περαιωθεὶς τοῦ ἀντιπέρας ἐπιβῇς ὄρους, δὸς δόξαν δι᾽ ἐμοῦ τῷ Θεῷ. Ὁ δὲ τὸν λόγον κατὰ τὴν ἀγαθὴν γῆν, οἱονεί τινα σπόρον, ἐν τοῖς τῆς καρδίας κόλποις δεξάμενος, ὡς ἤδη τοῦ κατ᾽ ἀντικρὺ ὄρους ἐπέβη, πρὸς τὸν στύλον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐπιστρέψας, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας μετὰ τῶν ἐλπίδων καὶ τῆς καρδίας εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνατείνας, γόνατά τε καὶ ὄψεις γῇ δεδωκὼς, τὸν Θεὸν ὑπὸ μεσίτῃ τῷ Συμεὼν εἰς ἀπαλλαγὲν τῆς κατεχούσης αὐτὸν ἀνάγκης ἐπεκαλεῖτο. Καὶ παραχρῆμα (τίς οὐκ ἂν ἀκοῇ τὸ θαῦμα καταπλαγείη; ὁ τηλικοῦτος διαλέλυτο ὄγκος, ὑγιῶς αὐτῷ πάντων καὶ κατὰ φύσιν ἐχόντων. Τοὺς κοινωνοὺς τοίνυν τῆς συμφορᾶς, ὅσοι δηλαδὴ καὶ συνεπιβοηθοῦντες αὐτῷ διαβαστάζοντες ἦσαν πρὸς τὴν πορείαν, κοινωνοὺς καὶ τοῦ θαύματος ἐποιεῖτο· καὶ ὅπως τοῦ πάθους ἀπήλλακτο δείξας, κοινῇ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον ἐπανήεσαν αὖθις, κοινῇ τὰ τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀνωμολόγουν. Μέγα μὲν οὖν οἶδα φιλοθέοις ἀκοαῖς τὸ διήγημα, ἀδελφὸν δὲ ὅμως καὶ τὸ ἐπαγόμενον ἔχει. Ἕτερος γάρ τις ἐκ Καισαρείας δὲ Καππαδοκῶν ὡρμημένος, βίου μὲν ἱκανῶς οὐκ ἀσήμως δὲ καὶ γένους ἔχων, πάθει καὶ βάρει τῷ αὐτῷ πιεζόμενος, καὶ τὴν μὲν οὐσίαν τέχναις ἰατρῶν ἐκδαπανηθεὶς, οὐδὲν δὲ ἄλλο τούτων ὀνάμενος ὅτι μὴ τὴν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων τῆς θεραπείας ἀπόγνωσιν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν θεῖον ἄνδρα τοῦτον, καὶ τὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ καταφυγὼν θείαν ἐνέργειαν. Οὧτος παρὰ τὸν Συμεὼν ἀνελθὼν δεήσεις, οἰμωγὰς, δάκρυα, πᾶν εἴτι ἄλλο δυνάμενον εἰς οἶκτον ἑλκύσαι ψυχὴν, ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγῆς ἐπεδείκνυ· πρὸς ἅπερ ἐκεῖνος τὰ σπλάγχνα παθὼν, εἰς οἰκτειρμοὺς ἔβλεψε πάλιν, τοὺς ὅσον αἰτοῦμεν ἀεὶ διδόντας, καί τινος αἰσθόμενος ἐν ἑαυτῷ χάριτος θειοτέρας, Ἀναβάς φησιν, ἔγγυσόν μοι. Τοῦ δὲ ὡς κεκέλευστο δράσαντος, ἐπείπερ ἔγγιστα ἤδη τοῦ Ἁγίου ἔλθοι (τίς ᾄσεται Χριστὲ τὰ ἐλέη σου;) τοῦ πάθους εὐθέως θεραπευθέντος, ὁ Συμεὼν ἱλαρᾷ καὶ ὄψει καὶ γλώττῃ, Ἄνθρωπε ἴασαι, ἔφη, Ὡς δὲ τὸ ἀθρόον ἐκεῖνο τῆς θεραπείας, καὶ αὐτὴν ἔβλεψε τὴν τοῦ πάσχοντος αἴσθησιν· Οὐδαμῶς, ἅγιε τοῦ Θεοῦ, δακρύων καὶ στένων εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ χαλεπή τις ἀνάγκη πιέζει με, ἥδιον πολλῷ τοῦ ζῇν οὕτως ἐργαζομένη μοι τὸ θανεῖν. Ὁ δὲ ἠρέμα προσθεὶς, Ἐρεύνησον ἑαυτὸν ἔφη, καὶ εἴσῃ σαφῶς ὅτι τοῦ πάθους ἀπήλλαξαι· Ὡς δὲ τῇ χειρὶ τὴν ἕρευναν ἐπιτρέψας, ἔγνω ἑαυτὸν ἀπαθῆ, τοῦ ὄγκου παντάπασιν ὑπολεανθέντος· Ὡς μηδέν τι οὖν ἐπισημένειν τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν, ἰλίγγου πληροῦται καὶ δίνης· ὅπερ οὐ λύπης αἰφνιδίου μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαρᾶς ὑπερβολὴ πολλάκις πέφυκε δρᾷν, τῷ ἀδοκήτῳ τοῦ πράγματος τὸ τῆς καρδίας θερμὸν συστείλασα, καὶ νεκρὰς ὥσπερ τοῦ σώματος τὰς ἐνεργείας ἀπολιποῦσα. Ὁ μὲν οὖν τῷ τοῦ πράγματος παραδόξῳ καταπλαγεὶς, ὀλίγου δεῖν ἔμελλε περιτρέπειν, εἰ μὴ χεῖρας αὐτῷ τινες τῶν παρόντων ὑπέσχον. Καταπεπληγμένων δὲ κομιδῆ καὶ πάντων ὅσοι τοῦ τοσοῦδε θαύματος ἐτύγχανον θεαταὶ, τὸ παλαιὸν τοῦ πονηροῦ πρὸς κακίαν ὄργανον ὁ Ἀγγουλᾶς, ἐκ μέσου τούτων ὑπολαβών· Ὁ μὲν οὖν ὄγκος, ὡς ὁρῶμεν, ὤχετο, ἔφη· τί δὲ καὶ ὁ τοσοῦος τοῦ δέρματος κόλπος, εἶτ᾽ οὖν τὸ ὑποπεπλησμένον τοῦ ὄγκου δέρμα γεγόνει; ἐμὲ γὰρ οὐ Μετρίως τὰ τοιαῦτα πέφυκε σκανδαλίζειν. Εἰδὼς τοίνυν ὁ Μέγας πεῖραν εἶναι τοῦτο τοῦ βασκάνου καὶ πάλιν, ὁπόσα καὶ γλώττῃ τῷ ἀθλίῳ τούτῳ χρωμένου, ἐμφυσήσας τῷ ἀναισχύντῳ, ἵνα καὶ τὴν ἐναντίαν ἀπελάσῃ δύναμιν, Ὁ τὸν τοσοῦτον ἔφη λεάνας ὄγκον καὶ διαλύσας, οὐκ ἄρα δυνατὸς οὗτος καὶ τὸ δέρμα συνάξαι πάλιν καὶ καταστεῖλαι; Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν τὴν τοῦ παλαιοῦ πολεμίου προσβολὴν ταύτῃ καὶ νῦν διεκρούσατό, ἠμεῖς δὲ πρὸς τὰ ἑξῆς τοῦ λόγου τρεψόμεθα. Μοναχός τις κατὰ Λαοδίκειαν τῆς Συρίας ἐγκεκλεισμένος, πρός τε τὴν χρονίαν κάθειρξιν καὶ τὴν συχνὴν ἐρημίαν ἀκηδιάσας, ἀφορμὴν ὥσπερ οὐκ ἐλάττω τῆς ἠσυχίας, τὴν εἰς τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν ἄνοδον θέμενος, ἐμήνυσεν αὐτῷ θερμὸν ἔρωτα τῆς αὐτοῦ προσκυνήσεως ἔχειν, καὶ ἤδη βούλεσθαι ἀνιέναι. Ὁ δὲ τὸ μικροψύχως

ὑπ᾽ ἀυτοῦ γινόμενον οὐκ ἀγνοήσας· Οὐχ ὅσιον οὐ δὲ πρέπον ἔφη, καταλιπόντα τὸ προσκυνεῖν Θεῷ ἐν αὐλῇ ἁγίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ἥ τίς ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ μοναχοῦ οἰκίσκος ἀρεταῖς ἁπάσαις καταλαμπόμενός τε καὶ πλατυνόμενος, εἰς ἀνθρώπου προσκύνησιν ἥκειν· Ὑπόμεινον γάρ, φησι, τὸν Κύριον, ὁ θεῖος Δαυῒδ, καὶ φύλαξον τὴν ὁδὸν ἀυτοῦ. Ταῦτα τηνικαῦτα μὲν ἐπέσχε τὸν μοναχόν· τοῦ πάθους δὲ μετὰ μικρὸν δυναστεύσαντος, ἕξεισιν, οὐ τὴν ἡσυχίαν παρ᾽ οὐδὲν μόνον οὐ δὲ τὴν κάθειρξιν θέμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς πορνείαν, οἴμοι! κατενεχθεὶς, πτῶμα τίνων οὐ δακρύων, ποίων οὐκ ὀδυρμῶν ἄξιον! Ἔπειτα μέντοι παρέβαλε τῷ Ἁγίῳ, τῆς μὲν ἁμαρτίας οὐ δὲ ψιλὴν ὅλως ποιούμενος μνήμην (οἷα τὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ τεχνάσματα! καὶ ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν τοῦ κακοῦ ταῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ψυχαῖς ἐγγινομένη αἰδώς! τὴν δὲ τῆς συνήθους ἡσυχίας ἔκπτωσιν πικρῶς ὀδυρόμενος. Ὁ δὲ ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀθεάτοις τὰ κεκρυμμένα ὁρῶν, καὶ τοῦ χαλεποῦ μύσους ἐκείνου τὸν μοναχὸν ἀποκαθάραι βουλόμενος, Οὐ συναλγήσω σοί, φησιν, ὅτι τὸν τοῦ οἰκίσκου διέῤῥηξας τοῖχον, ἐπεί σοι καὶ εἰσελθεῖν αὖθις δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ῥᾷον, καὶ εἴσω γενέσθαι πάλιν ἐπανελθόντι· ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς κατέσεισας πύργον, καὶ τῷ ἐχθρῷ φεῦ! αἰχμάλωτος ἀπηνέχθης, εἰς πορνείαν κατολισθήσας. Ταῦτα τὸν μοναχὸν καταπλῆξαί τε ἅμα καὶ καταιδέσαι, τὸ μὲν τῇ τῶν ἐλέγχων ἐλευθερίᾳ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀδήλως (ὡς αὐτὸς ὥετο) διαπεπραγμένοις, τὸ δὲ τῷ μεγέθει τῆς ὕβρεως, ἣν αὐτὸς εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀθλίως ἐνύβρισε· καὶ πρηνῇ ἑαυτὸν ὡς εἶχε καταβαλὼν, καὶ θερμὰ δάκρυα τοῦ ἐδάφους καταχεόμενος, ἔτι καὶ τὸν χρόνον τοῦ πτώματος ἐξομολογεῖτο, πέμπτην αὐτῷ ταύτην εἶναι λέγων μετὰ τὸ πάθος ἡμέραν, καὶ ῥυσθῆναι ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ᾔτει, ἅρπαγμα ἤδη τῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ γεγενημένος. Ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν εὐχῇ καὶ σφραγίδι ὁπλίσας, ἀκαταγώνιστον τοῦ λοιποῦ τῷ ἐχθρῷ πεποιήκει· ἀσφαλεστέρους δὲ καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς, εἰδότας ὅπως οὐδὲν αὐτὸν οὐ δὲ τῶν ἐν κρυφῇ γινομένων διαλανθάνει. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν δὴ τοιοῦτο, καὶ οὕτω τὰ μακρὰν καὶ πόῤῥω τῷ Συμεὼν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς, ὡς παρόντα δεικνύον· ὁ δὲ λόγος καὶ ἄλλα τῆς αὐτῆς τῷ εἰρημένῳ δυνάμεως προσθεῖναι βούλεται. Ἀνθρώπῳ συνέβη τινὶ περὶ σίτου ἀκμὴν εῖ θαυμαστὸν ἀνίοντι ὄρος καὶ τῷ τε καύσωνι τῆς ὥρας, τῷ τε τῆς ὁδοῦ ἀνάντει, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ δίψους ἀπαγορεύσαντι βίαν ἐπὶ τὴν γὴν καταῤῥεῦσαι, καὶ κατ᾽ ὀλίγον ὑπολιμπάνειν. Ἦν μὲν οὖν ἤδη περὶ τὰς ἐπιλυχνίους ᾠδὰς, καὶ ταύτας ὡς σύνηθες ὁ Συμεὼν Θεῷ μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν ἀπεδίδου· ἐν τούτῳ δὲ δύο τινὰς καλέσας αὐτῶν ἐπισκήπτει, λαβόντας ἄρτου καὶ ὕδατος, τήν τε τοῦ ὄρους ὁδὸν παριόντας, εὑρεῖν τινα κατὰ γῆς ἐῤῥιμμένον, πνέοντα μικρὰ καὶ ἐκλελοιπότα, τούτοις αὐτῷ τὴν δύναμιν ἀπειρηκυῖαν ἀναλαβεῖν. Ἀλλὰ τάχους τῷ πράγματι χρεῖα, μὴ θάνατός, φησι, προλαβὼν καὶ τὴν ὀλίγην ἐκείνην πνοὴν ἀφέληται. Οἱ δὲ δράσαντες κατὰ τὰ προστεταγμένα, εὑρίσκουσι κείμενον αὐτὸν ἀνὰ τὴν ὁδὸν, πλὴν τοῦ ἀναπνεῖν νεκρόν· ἀνελόμενοι τοίνυν αὐτὸν, καὶ εἰς τὴν κατωτέρω μονὴν ἀγαγόντες, ὀψὲ καὶ μόλις ἐπαναγαγεῖν αὖθις αὐτῷ τὴν δύναμιν ἴσχυσαν. Ἀνθράκων ἀπύρων ποτὲ τὴν μονὴν ἐπιλελοιπότων, τοῖς μὲν ἀδελφοῖς λόγος ἑσπέρας πρὸς ἀλλήλους οὐκ ὀλίγος ἦν· ὁ δὲ, Μὴ φροντίσητε ἔφη, ἀφίξεται γὰρ αὔριον πλῆθος αὐτῶν, ὅσον τῇ μονῇ καταχρείαν· χρείαν· ὁρῶ γὰρ ἄνδρα τινὰ τῶν ἀγροικοτέρων, δυσὶν ὥσπερ ἡμιόνοις προσάγοντα, τοιοῦτοι δὲ ἄνθρακες ἄρα τούτοιν ἑκατέροιν ὁ φόρτος. Ταῦτα ὁ μὲν τοῖς μαθηταῖς περὶ νυκτὸς αρχὰς εἶπεν, ἥκει δὲ εἰς τὴν ἑξῆς ὁ τοιοῦτος, κομίζων τῇ μονῇ τούτους, ὡς ὁ Συμεὼν προειρήκει. Ἐντέταλτο παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῖς μαθηταῖς μηδενὶ μηδαμοῦ κοσμικῷ παῤῥησίαν διδόναι, μὴ δ᾽ εἰς ὁμιλίαν αὐτοῖς τὰ πολλὰ καὶ λόγους ἥκειν, εἰ μὴ κατὰ πολύ τι τὸ ἀναγκαῖον· καὶ τοῦτο δὲ μὴ ἐνδιατρίβοντας ταῖς πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαλέξεσιν, ἀλλὰ ταχὺ ἀπαλλαττομένους, νύκτα μέντοι καὶ ἡμέραν τοῖς θείοις ψαλμοῖς καὶ νόμοις ἐμμελετᾷν τοῦ δεδομένου κανόνος ἐπιμελῶς ἐχομένους. Ποτὲ γοῦν ἐδόκει τῷ Συμεὼν, πλησίον ὤσπερ αὐτὸν ἦν τῇ κατωτέρᾳ μονῇ γενόμενον, ἐκεῖνα πρός τινας τῶν κοσμικῶν ἀκούειν λαλούντων, ἅπερ αὐτῷ αἱ ἐντολαὶ οὐκ ἐβούλοντο. Καλέσας τοίνυν αὐτοὺς, ἐρεύναις τε τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ τὸν καιρὸν δεδωκὼς, εὗρεν ὡς αὐτῷ τοῖς τοῦ πνεύματος ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐθεάθη· ὃ καὶ φόβον αὐτοῖς οὐκ ὀλίγον ἐνῆκε, μελλούσης ἀξιόχρεων ἐγγυητὴν ἀσφαλείας. Ἀδελφός τις ἀρετὴν μαρτυρούμενος, εἰς ἅλατος ἐπέμφθη διακονίαν, ταῖς δὲ τοῦ πονηροῦ κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἐπιβουλαῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐκείνου πιθανοῖς δελεάμασι, παρακερδαίνει τι τῆς τούτου τιμῆς, ἢ ζημιοῦται μᾶλλον ἐσχάτως, ὅσα καὶ ψυχῆς ἡ ζημία. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ὁ Συμεὼν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν εἰδὼς, τοῖς μαθηαῖς ἀπαγγέλλει· εἶτα μεταστέλλεται πρὸς ἑαυτὸν έπανελθόντο τὸν ἀδελφὸν, ἐλέγχει τὸ γεγονὸς, ἐπιτιμᾷ τῆς κλοπῆς· ἔπειτα μέντοι δέχεται τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν, δίδωσι τὴν ἄφεσιν, ἐπάγει τὴν θεραπείαν. Ἀνῆλθον τινές ποτέ τῶν Ἰσμαηλιτῶν κατὰ προσκύνησιν τοῦ Ἁγίου· συνέβη δὲ τὴν τούτων ἡμίονον ἀπολυθεῖσαν, καὶ πρός τινα τοῦ ὄρους κρημνὸν ὑποκαταβᾶσαν, προσδέσει τοῦ ῥυτῆρος περί τινα ὕλην (οἷα φιλεῖ πολλάκις αὐτομάτως γίνεσθαι) τῇδε ἀποληφθῆναι. Ὁς οὖν πολλὴν αὐτῆς θέμενοι ζήτησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τρίτην ἑξῆς ἡμέραν οὐχ οἷοί τε γεγόνασιν ἀνευρεῖν, προσίασι τῷ Μεγάλῳ, ἀλύοντες καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς σφόδρα διαπονούμενοι. Ὁ δὲ, καθάπερ ὁρῶν οἷ προσδέδετο αὕτη, καλέσας δύο τῶν μαθητῶν, ἐκέλευσε ἐκεῖ γενομένους, καὶ τὴν ἡμίονον λύσαντας ἀνασώσασθαι τοῖς δεσπόταις, Ὅπερ οὖν ταύτῃ καὶ γεγονὸς, ἀπολαβόντες αὐτὴν ἐκεῖνοι, πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἐπανήεσαν, θαῦμα τὸν ἄνδα ποιούμενοι.

[179] One suffering gripings and other things is healed, A certain old man, a cultivator of a vineyard, from the place which is called Sambus, giving his labor to the tending of the vines, thought he was called by his wife, and suddenly turning that way, sees no wife, for it was a certain phantasm of a demon, well counterfeiting the woman, who remained at home: but he himself began to be distorted in the bowels, which became so unsupportable and miserable a burden, that his very knees sank down. Therefore, unequal to the labors and troubles, being brought to S. Symeon, he rolled miserably before the column: declaring what had happened, not so much by words as by tears flowing abundantly over the earth, and praying for the relief of his calamity. To whom the Saint, rising, Go, he says, until, the river crossed, thou shalt have ascended the opposite mountain; and give glory to God through me. But he, receiving these words in the good earth, as it were a certain seed, in the bosom of his heart, when now he had struggled up the mountain on the opposite side, turning toward the man of God's column; his hands, together with hope and heart, lifted to the heavens, his knees and face cast down to the earth, invoked God through the mediator Symeon for the deliverance from the evil oppressing him. And immediately (who at the hearing of so great a miracle will not be stupefied?) that immense swelling vanished, all his members being rightly and conformably to nature. As many therefore as were conscious of that calamity, namely all those who, applying an aiding hand, had carried him up the mountain, the same he made also conscious of the prodigy; and when he had shown by what means he had been exempted from the evils, together they returned to the Saint, together they confessed and acknowledged the benefit.

[180] Great indeed and marvelous, I know, this narration falls upon pious ears, yet it has also that one near to it, which follows. Another certain man, Another, suffering like things, sprung from Caesarea of Cappadocia, abundantly provided with patrimony and no less with nobility of family; was afflicted with the same gripings and swelling of belly as the former; and now his whole substance spent on the art of physicians, he had taken no other profit, than that he had learned that human cure was superfluous, and therefore had fled to the divine help of this divine man. When therefore he had come thither; he exhibited prayers, groans, tears, and whatever else there is besides that can move commiseration in pious souls, for safety and the dispelling of his pains. But Symeon, moved to pity by these, lifted his eyes toward that mercy, which always grants whatever we ask: and perceiving a certain more divine grace in himself; Ascending, he says, approach near to me. Who, soon obeying the command, and now coming very near the Saint (who shall sing the mercies of the Lord?) the disease being thoroughly healed, stood there whole; Symeon, having now observed both the man's sudden healing, and his still as it were grave sense of suffering, says to him, with countenance and mouth shining: My man, thou art healed. By no means, holy one of God, says the other, weeping and groaning, but a certain extreme necessity presses me, and makes death far more pleasing to me than such a life. Then the Saint quietly subjoining; is likewise cured, even before he knows it. Search, he says, thyself, and thou shalt find that thou hast wholly recovered. But when he had made trial of that matter with his hand, he found himself whole, the whole tumor being entirely softened and dispelled. When therefore he could detect nothing whatever that was alien to nature; filled with a tumult of mind and giddiness (which not only sudden grief, but also an excess of joy, not rarely is wont to effect, when by some unexpected thing the heat of the heart is contracted, and the operations of the body cease as if dead), filled, I say, with stupor at the admirableness of the unhoped-for thing, he was near to falling, had not some of those present, casting hands on him, prevented it.

[181] An envious Brother is refuted. Nor did a less stupor seize all who stood by as spectators of so great a prodigy. One Angulas, long since the instrument of the demon for perpetrating evils, from the midst of the crowd proclaiming; The swelling indeed, he says, has gone, as we see: but what is that great fold of skin? what if it be filled again with swelling? For such things are wont to scandalize me not moderately. But the great Symeon, holding for certain that it was a temptation of our envious enemy, speaking through the mouth of that wretch, breathed upon the impudent one, and that he might repel from him the power of the enemy; He, he says, who has made so great a swelling soften and vanish, can He not also gather and contract the skin again? And he indeed thus repressed even then the assault of the ancient enemy: but we turn to weave the rest.

[182] A certain monk shut up at Laodicea of Syria, by the tedium of a longer enclosure and perpetual solitude, was meditating an approach to S. Symeon, going out of his cell against Symeon's persuasion, as it were an occasion no less opportune for quiet: and now he had signified with how ardent a desire he was held, of adoring him, and that he stood ready girt for the journey. But he, by no means ignorant that he had fallen into pusillanimity, answered: It is neither pious nor becoming, if anyone cease to adore God in His holy court, such as is the cell of a monk, refulgent and replete with the splendor of all virtues, and come to adore a man. Expect the Lord, says David; and keep His way. Ps. 36, 34. These things then indeed restrained the monk:

but a little after, the same perturbation of mind predominating, he went out, he falls into the sin of fornication, leaving not only his quiet and his cloister, but falling also into fornication, woe is me! a fall worthy of what tears, of what lamentations!

[183] Then nevertheless he came under the Saint's gaze, making no mention, even the slightest (what artifices of the malignant spirit! what shame at confessing his malice, innate to human minds!) of his sin, but unceasingly weeping that he had fallen from his pristine quiet. But the Saint, perceiving things hidden with his interior eyes, and desiring to cleanse the monk from that grievous defilement; I do not pity thee, he says, that thou hast broken through the walls of thy cloister (since it is easy for thee to return by postliminy, and being returned to enter) but that, the bulwark of thy soul destroyed, to whom the Saint discloses the hidden crime captive carried off by the enemy (O shame), thou hast slipped into fornication. These things struck the monk and at once confounded him; both on account of the liberty of reproving those things which he himself thought done secretly; and on account of the foul mark of ignominy which the unhappy man had branded on himself: and he prostrated himself face down, as much as he could, and with a warm shower of eyes watered the earth; indicating also the time when he had fallen, he repeatedly said and obtains pardon. that it was the fifth day after the fall; and besought to be freed by the Saint, having now been made a prey to the enemy. By which prayer and the sign of the cross fortifying him, he made him thenceforth insuperable to the enemy; he made also his disciples more circumspect, admonished by this example that nothing, though done in secret, was unexplored by Symeon.

[184] And this indeed demonstrates, that things far removed were exhibited to Symeon as if before his eyes and present: but our discourse wishes others also, of the same virtue and efficacy as the one already mentioned, to be added. To one fainting on the way, absent, he brings help through his own. It happened, at the time when the crops are ripe, that a certain man, betaking himself to the wondrous mountain, and, the violence of thirst excited by the heat of the season and the steepness of the way overcoming him, fell to the ground and was all but fainting in soul. And now it was the time when the vesperal prayers are sung, which the Saint, after his manner, performed to God with the disciples; when he bids two of them, called to him, taking bread and water, descend by the accustomed way of the mountain, that they would find a certain one prostrate on the ground, scarcely breathing, his soul failing: by these things his broken strength was to be restored to him. But there is need of haste, he says, lest death, anticipating, take away the little that remains of breath. And they, running as it had been commanded them, find lying in the way a man, now all but dead. They take him up therefore, and carry him into the lower part of the monastery: where scarcely at length they were able to retain the departing spirit, and recall his strength.

[185] Coals once failing in the monastery, the Brothers in the evening put their heads and discourses together, exceedingly anxious: Coals failing, he foretells they will be brought tomorrow. to whom Symeon: Be not, he says, solicitous; for there will come on the morrow's light so great a number of coals, as may suffice for the uses of the monastery: for I perceive a certain rustic man, driving two mules hither, bearing such coals as you wish. Such things he said to the disciples under the beginning of night: but on the following day that man brought what the Saint had foretold. He had once commanded his own, that they should meet no secular man at all, nor mix any colloquies or discourses with them, except in gravest necessity; but then too they were not to tarry long, but, the discourse cut short, to depart as soon as possible; so that, passing nights and days in meditating the divine psalms and laws, they might be diligent observers of the prescribed rules. he knows and reproves unlawful colloquies. At some time therefore, when the Saint had approached nearer to the lower monastery, he seemed to himself to hear some speaking such things with seculars as were not lawful by the precepts given. Summoning them therefore, and examining both the matter and the time, he found the deed, just as it had been seen by him with spiritual eyes: which struck no slight fear into the disciples, a trustworthy surety of greater caution in the future.

[186] A certain Brother, professing virtue, sent by chance to sell salt, He sees the disobedience of a certain absent one. induced by the snares of the devil, the more hostile in such things, and false persuasions presenting an appearance of truth, made some gain more than just, or rather much loss, if you regard the soul. Which when S. Symeon knew from afar, he manifested it also to the disciples: then he summons that Brother, now returned, to him: he convicts the deed, reproves the fraud, then receives the confession, remits the sin, restores health. There came at some time certain Ishmaelites to adore the Saint; when it happened that their mule, loosed, descended by a certain precipice of the mountain, and the bridle catching (as not rarely is wont to happen of its own accord) on the trunk of a tree, was there held fast. The mule lost, he indicates in what place it is. Which when by diligent inquiry, even of three days, they could not detect; they approach the Saint, grieving and hanging in their minds. But he, as though he saw where the mule was tied, two disciples being called, commanded them to hasten thither, and the animal being loosed to restore it unharmed to its masters. Which was so done. But they, when, the mule recovered, they had returned to their own, proclaiming that man to be prodigious.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Symeon foresees and foretells divers things.

Σχολαστικός τις ὄνομα Ἰωάννης, ἀνὴρ εὐσεβὴς, καὶ τῇ τῆς ζοῆς πηγῇ τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλαδὴ φόβω τρυφῶν, ἔκ τινος μὲν ὁρμώμενος κώμης τῶν ὑπὸ τὴν Ἀντιόχου κειμένων, κατ᾽ αὐτὴν δὲ τηνικαῦτα τὴν πόλιν διάγων, παρὰ τὸν Συμεὼν ἀνελθὼν, τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐκοινοῦτο· ὡς ἄρα μέλλοι Δομνῖνος ὁ ἱερώτατος Πατριάρχης αὐτὸν τῆς τῶν Πρεσβυτέρων ἀξιῶσαι χειροτονίας. καὶ παρὰ τὴν βασιλίδα πόλιν κατὰ δή τινα χρείαν τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐκπέμψαι, ταῦτ᾽ ἔλεγε, καὶ ὅτι τὸ Θεῷ δοκοῦν ᾔτει μαθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ τῷ πνεύματι πεποιθότως ὑπολαβὼν, ὃ καὶ δῆλα τοῖς αὐτοῦ ὀφθαλμοῖς καθίστη τὰ ἔμπροσθεν· Ἄπιθι, ἔφη, ἀφιέρωσαι γὰρ ἤδη τῷ ὑψηλῷ παρὰ Θεοῦ θρόνῳ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπολιτῶν Ἐκκλησίας, ὃ παρὰ σαυτῷ κείσθω μόνῳ, ἄχρις ἂν καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐκ τοῦ τέλους γνώριμον γένηται· εἶτα καὶ ὁποῖον αὐτὸν εἶναι δέον παρῄνει, καὶ ὄσα τοσούτῳ ἀξιώματι πρέποντα εἴη. Ὁ δὲ ταύτῃ τὸν Ἅγιον συγκαταβάντα ἰδὼν, καὶ ὅστις Ἰουστινιανῷ διάδοχος ἔσται τῆς βασιλείας (οὂτος γὰρ τὰ Ῥωμαίων τηνικαῦτα σκῆπτρα διεῖπεν) ἠξίου μαθεῖν. Καὶ ὃς, φυλακὴν αὐτῷ τοῦ μυστηρίου πρότερον ἱκανῶς παραγγείλας, Ἰουστῖνος ἔφη. Ὁ μὲν οὖν παρὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν ταῦτα μαθὼν, καὶ ταῖς αὐτοῦ εὐχαῖς ἐφοδιασθεὶς ἢ καθοπλισθεὶς, ἀσμένως τε τὴν τοῦ Πρεσβυτέρου χειροτονίαν δεξάμενος, προθύμῳ ποδὶ παρὰ τὴν βασιλίδα πόλιν ἐχώρει. Ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ γενομένῳ, πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἄλλους ἀπόῤῥητα ἦν ἅπερ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων Συμεὼν προειρήκει, πρὸς δὲ τὸν Ἰουστῖνον (οἷα τὰ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης μικροψυχίας, ἢ φιλαυτίας!) ἵν᾽ εὔνοιαν ἑαυτῷ παρ᾽ ἐκείνου πάντως μνηστεύσηται, σπουδὴν ἔθετο γνωρισθῆναι, καὶ μόνος μόνῳ συγγεγονὼς τὰ τῆς προῤῥήσεως ἀπεκάλυπτεν. Ἐξ ἐκείνου τοίνυν, ὁ μὲν Ἰουστίνῳ φιλιωθεὶς, οἷα καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἡδονὴν εὐαγγελισάμενος, παρ᾽ αὐτῷ τὰ πολλὰ διῃτᾶτο· οὐ πολλῶ δὲ ὕστερον, ἐξωθεῖται μὲν τοῦ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως θρόνου Εὐτύχιος, ἀντεισάγεται δὲ αὐτὸς ὁ Σχολαστικὸς Ἰωάννης, Ἰουστινιανὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ πάντως ἐπὶ τὴν ψῆφον κινήσαντος. Ἰουστινιανοῦ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα τὸν βίον ἀπολιπόντος, εἰς Ἰουστῖνον τὰ τῆς ἀρχῆς μεταπίπτει, ὡς ἕκαστα πόῤῥωθεν τῷ Συμεὼν σαφῶς προηγόρευτο. Ἰουστῖνος μὲν οὖν, οἷα προειρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐπιβήσεσθαι τῆς βασιλείας αὐτὸν, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τέλος ἐκβεβηκὸς, τοσαύτῃ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐχρῆτο πίστει καὶ ψυχῆς διαθέσει, ὅσην τὸν τηλικαύτης παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τυχόντα προφητείας εἰκὸς, ὥστε καὶ θυγατρὸς ὑπὸ δαίμονος αὐτῷ δεινῶς βασανιζομένης, πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἄλλους δι᾽ αἰσχύνης τῷ Βασιλεῖ τῷ τῆς παιδὸς εἶναι πάθος, γράμμασι δὲ τούτου μυστικοῖς δεηθῆναι, ὥστ᾽ ἐπινεῦσαι ταύτην παρ᾽ αὐτὸν κομισθῆναι, ὅπερ ταυτὸν τῷ Βασιλεῖ καὶ τῆς θεραπείας τὴν παῖδα τυχεῖν ἐνομίζετο· ᾔδει γὰρ ἐκ τῆς περὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τῶν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς θαυμάτων φιλοτιμίας, ὡς οὐ δὲ αὕτη διακενῆς ἀναστρέψει. Τὸν δὲ, μηδὲ μικρὸν ἐπισχόντα (καὶ σκοπῶμεν τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ χάριν ὅση) Θάρσει, Βασιλεῦ, εὐθὺς ἀντιγράψαι, καὶ Θεῷ χάριτας ὁμολόγει τῷ εὐεργέτῃ, ἴαται γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς πληγῆς ἡ θυγάτηρ. Ὅπερ συμβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ τέλους εἶχε τῷ γράμματι καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα, ὁμοῦ τε γὰρ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ὁ Βασιλεὺς δέδεκτο, καὶ τῆς τοῦ δαίμονος ἐπηρείας ἡ παῖς ἀπήλλακτο. Τοῦ δὲ αὐτοῦ τούτου Βασιλέως Ἰουστίνου νόσῳ περιπεσόντος, Ἰωάννης ὃν τῆς ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει πρόεδρον ἀπέδειξεν Ἐκκλησίας ὁ λόγος, πολλῇ μὲν τῇ πρὸς Ἰουστῖνον σχέσει, πολλῇ δὲ τῇ πρὸς τὸν Συμεὼν πίστει, καὶ τῷ μηδαμόθεν πεπεῖσθαι σαφῶς ἄλλοθεν τηλικαύτης οἷόν τε εἶναι βοηθείας τοῦτον τυχεῖν, ἐπιστέλλει τῷ Συμεὼν, ἀξιῶν δεηθῆναι πάλιν ἐκεῖνον Θεοῦ, ἀνεθῆναι τὸν Βασιλέα τῆς νόσου. Ὁ δέ τινα τὰ περὶ αὐτὸν ὥσπερ οὐκ ἀγνοῶν, ἀντεπιστέλλει, μὴ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν αὐτὸν προσέσθαι τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων Θεῷ, καὶ ταχεῖαν αὐτῷ τὴν ἴασιν ἥξειν. Τοῦ δὲ τῶν ἐκείνου ἐντολῶν οὐ δὲ βραχὺ φροντίσαντος, ἀλλά τινι ἑαυτὸν ἐκδεδωκότος, Τιμοθέῳ μὲν τὴν κλῆσιν, Ἑβραίῳ δὲ τὴν θρησκείαν, ἀνδρὶ τῷ μὲν δοκεῖν περὶ βίβλους ἰατρῶν καὶ τέχνην, τὸ δὲ ἀληθὲς γοητείαις ἠσχολημένῳ (σπουδὴ δὲ τοῦτο τῆς συνοίκου Σοφίας, οὐ φιλανδρίᾳ μᾶλλον ἢ μικροψυχίᾳ, διὰ φιλανδρίαν δὲ τάχα καὶ τῇ μικροψυχίᾳ χρωμένης) ὁρᾷ μεσούσης ἡμέρας ὁ Συμεὼν ἑαυτὸν τὴν βασιλίδα πόλιν καταλαβόντα, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ γεγονότα, καὶ τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰουδαίου γεγενημένα θεώμενον, ἀχθόμενόν τε πρὸς ταῦτα, καὶ οἷον οὐκ ἀνεκτὰ ποιοῦντα· ἃ καὶ δῆλα τῷ Πατριάρχῃ καθίστη, καὶ τῷ Βασιλεῖ ὡς παρ᾽ ἐκείνου διαμαρτύρεσθαι, καὶ παρεγγυᾷν ἀποσχέσθαι τῶν τοιούτων ἠξίου. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀπήγγελλεν, οὐ τῷ Βασιλεῖ ταῦτα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ συζύγῳ, ᾗ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐσπουδάζετο τὰ τοιαῦτα· οἱ δὲ τοσοῦτον ἐδέησαν ἀποσχέσθαι, ὅσῳ καὶ γυναῖκά τινα τῶν ἐγγαστριμύθων, αἳ ἀπὸ κοιλίας φωνοῦσι κενολογοῦσαι, ἐπεισήγαγον τῷ ἑβραίῳ, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ σαφέστερον παρ᾽ ἐκείνης αὐτῆς τὰ τῆς νόσου δηλαδὴ γνωρισθῆναι. Αἷς σκοτία μᾶλλον ἐκ μαντείας ἔσται, καὶ δύσεται ὁ ἥλιος ἐπ᾽ αὐτὰς, καὶ συσκοτάσει ἐπ᾽ αὐτὰς ἡ ἡμέρα, Μηχαίας περὶ αὐτῶν ὁ θεῖος καλῶς προηγόρευσεν. Ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ ὄψις φαίνεται πάλιν ἑτέρα τῷ Συμεών· ἡ δὲ ἦν. Αὐτὸς μὲν τοῖς βασιλείοις αὖθις ἐπιδημῶν, καὶ τὸν Βασιλέα ὁρῶν, ἐν ᾧπερ εἰώθει τόπῳ τοὺς προσιόντας δεχόμενον· διανοιγέντας δὲ αὐτίκα τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, καί τινα θείαν ἐκεῖθεν δύναμιν κατελθοῦσαν, περιδύσασάν τε αὐτὸν τὴν βασιλικὴν ἐσθῆτα, τότε διάδημα τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀφελοῦσαν, Ἔσο πρὸς αὐτὸν φάναι τέως ἐνταῦθα πάσῃ γλώσσῃ διήγημα, ψεῦδος τὴν ἐλπίδα θέμενος, καὶ μὴ Θεῷ τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐπιτρέψας, ἀλλὰ δαίμοσι μᾶλλον καὶ δαιμόνων ἐνεργείαις

προσεσχηκώς· ὃ πρός τε τοὺς παρόντας ὁ Συμεὼν ἐν δάκρυσιν εἰρήκει καὶ καρδίας ὀδύνῃ· τῷ τε Πατριάρχῃ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐγνώρισε τρόπον, καὶ τοῦ μηκέτι πρὸς αὐτὸν περὶ τοῦ Βασιλέως προσθεῖναι· Οὐ πολὺ τὸ ἐν μέσῳ, καὶ φήμη κατὰ πάσης Ἠπείρου καὶ θαλάσσης ἐχώρει, διεφθάρται τὸν Βασιλέα τὰς φρένας, κατόπιν δὲ καὶ θάνατος εἵπετο. Εὐξώμεθα περὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν Ἐκκλησίας, ἀδελφοὶ, φησί ποτε πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁ ἱερὸς Συμεών· ἐδόκουν γὰρ τὸν Πρόεδρον αὐτῆς Δομνῖνον ὁρᾷν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἀναβάντα, καὶ τῇδε τεθηκότα ἑαυτὸν, καὶ οἱονεὶ ῥέγκοντα, εἶτα ἐκεῖθεν καταβεβηκότα, καὶ δεξιᾷ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἱστάμενον· τὸ μὲν οὖν πλῆθος, καὶ ὅσοι τοῦ βήματος ἀναμένοντες ἦσαν, εὐχὴν ἐπιτελεῖν τὸν ἄνδρα οἰόμενοι· καὶ τὸν μὲν, τῇ τοιᾷδε στάσει μέχρι τινὸς ἐπιμείναντα, Οἰχήσομαι φάναι πρὸς τὸν ἐμαυτοῦ κοιτωνίσκον· Παλαιστινοὺς δέ τινας μοναχοὺς τὴν θείαν ἐπιτελέσαι μυσταγωγίαν. Ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ τὴν λύσιν ἐπῆγεν, ὡς ἄρα τελευτήσει μὲν Δομνῖνος τὸν βίον, Μοναχὸς δέ τις τὸ γένος ἐκ Παλαιστίνης ἕλκων, εἰς τὸν ἐκείνου θρόνον ἀνενεχθήσεται· ὅπερ οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ἠκολούθει, καὶ Δομνίνου τὸν βίον ἀπολιπόντος, Ἀναστάσιός τις Παλαιστηνὸς ἐπιβαίνει τοῦ θρόνου. Ἦν τις φύλαρχος παρὰ Πέρσαις, ἀνὴρ κατὰ χεῖρα γενναῖος, Ἀλμούνδαρος ὄνομα, τὴν μὲν θρησκείαν ἕλλην, τὸ δὲ τοῦ σώματος μέγεθος γιγάντων οὐ πολὺ λειπόμενος· οὗ ἦν καθὼς ὕψος κέδρου τὸ ὕψος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἰσχυρὸς ἦν ὡς δρῦς, εἴποι ἂν Ἀμὼς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ. Ὅς τὴν Ῥωμαίων συνεχῶς κατατρέχων, οἷα μή δ᾽ εἰς πόλεμον ἀντικαταστῆναι τῷ βαρβάρῳ τινὸς εὐχερῶς δυναμένου, οὓς ἂν αἰχμαλώτους λάβοι Χριστιανῶν, οὐδένα περὶ αὐτοὺς οἶκτον ᾔδει, ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντων ὠμότατα ἔδρα. Οὗτος βαρεῖ τηνικαῦτα στρατῷ τῇ Ῥωμαίων ἐπήει, ἀντεπεξῆγε δὲ τὰς δυνάμεις αὐτῷ καὶ Ἀρέθας, ὃς τῇ Ῥωμαίων στρατιᾷ τὰ πρῶτα τέτακτο. Ἡ μὲν οὖν Ἀνατολὴ πᾶσα δεινῶς ὑπὸ δέους ἐσείετο· τῷ δὲ Συμεὼν τοιαύτη τις ἐδείκνυτο ὄψις, ὡς αὐτὸς τηνικάδε τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐξηγεῖτο. Ἐδόκει καθάπερ ἑαυτὸν ἐπί τινος λόφου βραχέος ἐν μεθορίῳ Περσῶν τε καὶ Ῥωμαίων γεγηνημένον ὁρᾷν, καὶ ὡς κατὰ μέσην τὴν παρεμβολὴν ἑστὼς εἴη, ἧς ἀφηγεῖτο Ῥωμαίοις Ἀρέθας· ἀντεπήει δὲ σὺν Ἀλμουνδάρῳ βαρβάρων πλῆθος ἀριθμοῦ κρεῖττον, καὶ ὅτι τὴν μὲν ὑπ᾽ Ἀρέθᾳ στρατιὰν καὶ μόνῳ τῷ ἰδεῖν δέος εἷλεν. Ὡς δὲ καὶ εἰς συμπλοκὴν ἤδη καὶ χεῖρας ἦλθον, οἵ τε περὶ Ἀρέθαν οὐχ ὐφίσταντο τὴν Ἀλμουνδάρου ὁρμὴν, θυμῷ μᾶλλον ἣ λογισμῷ μαχομένου· Ἔστη, φησὶ, πνεῦμα δυνάμεως ἐνώπιόν μου, πυρὸς σφαῖραν διακατέχον· καὶ θερμῶς ἐμοῦ δεηθέντος, ἔῤῥιψεν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτίκα τὸν ἀλαζόνα καταβεβλήκει. Εὐθυμεῖν τοιγαροῦν λοιπὸν, ὦ τέκνα καὶ ἀδελφοὶ, ὡς τῇ πρὸς ἕω παρὰ Θεοῦ σήμερον ἐλευθερίας γεγενημένης. Εἴρητο τῷ ἀνδρὶ ταῦτα, καὶ ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν εἴσω ἀφικνεῖται τῇ Ἀντιοχίᾳ τὰ εὐαγγέλια, ἃ τοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ ὁσίου Συμεὼν εἴρημένοις οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν συμβαλόντες, εὗρον κατὰ ταυτὸν, οὐ τῆς ἡμέρας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὥρας, καθ᾽ ἣν ταῦτα προειρήκει γεγενημένα. Ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ στρατιῶται παρ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου φοιτῶσι, τά τε περὶ τοῦ λόφου καὶ τῆς τῶν βαρβάρων συμβολῆς ἀπαγγέλλοντες, καὶ ὅτι φανερᾶς τύχοιεν ἐκ Θεοῦ ῥοπῆς πρὸς τὴν τοῦ βαρβάρου καταστροφὴν ταῖς ἐκείνου πρεσβείαις, οἳ καὶ παρέμειναν αὐτῷ διὰ τέλους, ὅλους ἑαυτοὺς τοσαύτης χαριστήρια σωτηρίας προσενέγκοντες. Ἀντιοχεύς τις Θεόδωρος ὄνομα, δαίμονι ὀλεθρίῳ κατειλημμένος, παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνελθὼν, ἐδεῖτο αὐτοῦ θερμότατα πρὸς τὴν ἴασιν. Τοῦ δὲ οἴκαδε πορείαν αὐτῷ παραγγείλαντος, Ἐκεῖ γάρ φησιν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κλίνης ἀναπαυσάμενος ὄψει, οὐδὲν πλέον ἐκεῖνος προσθεὶς, ὡς εἶχεν εὐθὺς ἐπανήει. Ὅ τε τοίνυν κατὰ τὸν ποταμὸν ἐγεγόνει, ὑετοὶ μὲν ῥαγδαῖοι καταῤῥαγέντες τῷ Μέλαντι, τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ ποταμὸς ἐκαλεῖτο, τὸ ῥεῖθρον ηὔξησαν. Ὁ δὲ τοσαῦτα τῷ ῥήματι τοῦ Συμεὼν θαῤῥεῖν ἔχων, ἢ οὕτω μᾶλλον αὐτὸ πληροῦν ἐπειγόμενος, τὸ μέν τι διὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν ἐκείνου, τὸ δὲ πλεῖστον ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῆς θεραπείας, ὡς μὴ δὲ τοῦ ποταμοῦ μεγάλου ῥυέντος, μή δὲ ὀξεῖ φερομένου τῷ ῥείθρῳ φείσασθαι, διαβαίνειν αὐτὸν ἐπειρᾶτο. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ παρασυρεὶς, ἐν ἐσχάτῳ καθειστήκει κινδύνου· ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁμιλίαν ὁ Συμεὼν ἐπικόψας (ἐτύγχανε γὰρ τὰ πρὸς σωτηρίαν αὐτοῖς τηνικαῦτα διαλεγόμενος) εὐχῆς εἴχετο μᾶλλον, εἶτα φαιδροτέρᾳ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὄψει τὰ περὶτοῦ ἀνδρὸς διεξήει, ὅπως τε τοῦ ποταμοῦ πολλοῦ ῥέοντος τολμήσειε τὴν διάβασιν, καὶ ὅπως ἔργον ἤδη τῆς ἐκείνου φορᾶς γινόμενον, ἔδοξεν αὐτὸς λαβόμενος τῆς χειρὸς ἐξελκύσαι. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἃ κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τῆς ὥρας τῷ ἀνδρὶ συμβαίη τοῖς μαθηταῖς, ὅσα καὶ παρὼν καὶ σαφῶς ἕκαστα ὁρῶν, ἐξηγεῖτο· ὁ δὲ περὶ λύχνων ἁφὰς ἀνασωθεὶς εἰς τὸν οἶκον, τῇ κλίνῃ τε προσανακλιθεὶς, ὁρᾷ παραχρῆμα τὸν Συμεὼν, φοβερὸν οἷον τῷ δαίμονι προσιόντα, καὶ χαλεπὰς αὐτῷ βασάνους ἐπάγοντα. Ἡ μὲν οὖν νὺξ ἐκείνη πᾶσα πικρόν τι καὶ γοερὸν ὀλολύζοντα τὸν ἄθλιον εἶχε, καὶ Ἤδη ἔξειμι λέγοντα, ὡς δὲ καὶ τέλεον ἀπελήλατο, ἐπᾴνεισι πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον ὁ ἀνὴρ, τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἀπαγγέλλων, ὅπως οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης μόνον αὐτῷ παραδόξως ὀφθείη, ἀλλὰ κᾂν τῷ ποταμῷ πρότερον· ἐνταῦθα μὲν χαλεποῦ δαίμονος ἀπαλλάξας, ἐκεῖ δὲ χαλεπωτέρου κινδύνου ῥυσάμενος, καὶ δοὺς τοῦ αἰτηθέντος οὐδὲν ἧττον, ὅτι μὴ καὶ μᾶλλον τὸ ἀπροσδόκητον. Κοιμωμένων ἀδελφῶν ἐν ἀγρῷ ποτε τῆς κατωτέρω μονῆς, ἑτέρων δὲ μέσας νύκτας ἐξομολογήσασθαι Θεῷ περὶ τὸν Συμεὼν ἀθροισθέντων, Ὁρᾶν φησιν ἐδόκουν ἐκεῖνος λεοπάρδαλιν ἐξορμηθεῖσαν τοῦ φωλεοῦ, καὶ πρὸς κεφαλῆς ἑνὸς τῶν ἐν ἀγρῷ ἀδελφῶν ἐφεστῶσαν, ὥστε διασπασαμένην αὐτὸν, τοῦ αἵματος ἐμφορηθῆναι καὶ τῶν σαρκῶν, καὶ ὡς ἐγὼ δι᾽ εὐχῆς εἴην, ἀποσοβῶν τὸ θηρίον. Ταῦτα τῷ μὲν Συμεὼν, διήγημα πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ἦν· ἠτελεῖτο δὲ εἰς ἔργον τῷ κοιμωμένῳ, καὶ διυπνισθεὶς, ὁρᾷ πρὸς κεφαλῆς τὸ θηρίον. Οὐκ ἔχων τοίνυν ὃ, τι καὶ δράσει τῷ ἀθρόῳ τοῦ κινδύνου καὶ παρελπίδα, τὴν ἕτοιμον αὐτίκα καὶ ἄμαχον δύναμιν, τὸ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν ὄνομα, καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν συμμαχίαν ἐπεκαλεῖτο· ὃς α;ὐτῷ καὶ παραχρῆμα ὀφθεὶς ἀπελαύνει τὸν θῆρα. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἀδελφὸς ἤδη περὶ ὄρθρον ἀνέβη παρὰ τὸν στύλον, θαύματος γέμων, καὶ σὺν ἐκπλήξει ἀφηγούμενος ἅπερ ἴδοι· εὑρίσκει δὲ τοὺς λοιποὺς μείζονι θάμβει κατειλημμένους, ὅσω τὰ εἰς αὐτὸν γεγονότα φθάνοντες μᾶλλον αὐτοὶ διεξήεσαν. Οὕτως ὁ θεῖος Συμεὼν παχύτητα πᾶσαν καὶ σχέσιν ὑλικὴν ὑπεραναβὰς, τῇ τε μακαρίᾳ φύσει ἑαυτὸν ὡς ἐνῆν συνάψας καὶ οἰκειώσας, πολλὰ καὶ τῶν μελλόντων προβλέπειν, τῶν τε ἀπὸ μακρόθεν διορᾷν ὡς παρόντα ἠξίωτο. Ὥρα δὲ ἤδη καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἑξῆς μεταβῆναι. Ἀνήρ τις τῶν ἐν ταῖς οἰκοδομαῖς τῆς πόλεως λατομούντων, τὸν εὐώνυμον ὀφθαλμὸν δαίμονος ἐπηρείᾳ πεπηρωμένος, τὸ μίσθωμα τοῦ τῶν χειρῶν πόνου διασεσύλητο· ὃς τὰ μὲν ἄλλα παχὺς ἦν τις καὶ ἀγροικίας, τὴν δὲ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον πιστιν καὶ μάλα ἔῤῥωτο. Οὗτος τῷ Συμεὼν προσελθὼν, πολὺς ἦν ῥίπτων κατὰ γῆς ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ χρήματος ἀπώλειαν ὁδυρόμενος. Ὁ δὲ μόλις αὐτὸν ἀναστήσας, ἐγγίζειν ἐκέλευσεν· ὡς δὲ καὶ τὸν ἄμαχον αὐτῷ καὶ δεσποτικὸν ἐπιβάλοι τοῦ σταυροῦ τύπον, ἠλάλαζεν αὐτίκα τὸ πνεῦμα, καὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον μικροῦ διεῤῥήγνυ, καὶ ἀπολυθῆναι τούτου ἐδεῖτο. Καὶ τὸ μὲν εὐθὺς ἐπιτιμηθὲν ἀπελαύνεται· τῷ δὲ τοῦ πάσχοντος ὀφθαλμῷ κρεῖττον κατ᾽ ἐλπίδα τὸ φῶς ἀποδίδοται, ὡς εἶναι τοῦ αἰτηθέντος μεῖζον παρὰ πολὺ τὸ δοθὲν, καὶ πάρεργον αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸν Σαοὺλ, εἐ καὶ βασιλείαν εὑρεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῦ φῶς, ὃ καὶ βασιλείας πολλῶ τιμιώτερον. Ὁ μὲν οὖν θεραπείας τοιαύτης τυχὼν, οὕτως ὑπο τοῦ θαύματος καταπέπληκτο, ὡς καὶ φωνὴν αὐτὸν ἐπιλελοιπέναι· ἠρέμα δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Συμεὼν, Τὸ φῶς, ἔφη, τοῦ χρυσίου πολὺ διαφέρει· εὐχαρίστει τοίνυν Θεῷ τῷ τὰ μείζω χαρισαμένῳ, καὶ δυνατὸς αὐτὸς παρέξεσθαι καὶ τὸ ἔλαττον· πορεύου τοιγαροῦν ἐχόμενος τῆς πρώην εὐθύτητος, καὶ οὐκέτι παρόψεταί σε, ἀλλὰ ταχὺ καὶ τὸ χρυσίον εὑρύσεις. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐπανήει χαίρων, οὐχ οἷς εὖ τηνικαῦτα πεπόνθοι μόνον, τῇ τε τοῦ δαίμονος ἀπαλλαγῇ δηλαδὴ, καὶ τῇ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα ῥώσει, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἷς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς τοῦ χρήματος εὑρέσεως τύχοι· καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν καταλαβὼν, φῶς ὥσπερ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῦτο δεύτερον, ἐπί τῆς κλίνης εὐρίσκει, ἐπεὶ καὶ τῆς τυφλώσεως αὐτὸν οὐδὲν ᾗττον ἡ τοῦ χρυσίου στέρησις διὰ πενίαν ἐλύπει. Γυνή τις ἐκ τῆς Ἀντιόχου τὴν οὐσίαν ἀποσεσύλητο· αὕτη δρομαία παρὰ τὸν στύλον ἐλθοῦσα, ὅπου καὶ τῆς συμφορᾶς εὑρεῖν ἐνόμιζε λύσιν, ἐπεὶ καὶ πίστεως εἰς τὸν Ἅγιον εἶχε διαφερόντως, τὸ γεγονὸς ἀπεκλαίετο· πρὸς ἣν ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ, Κακοῦργος μὴν ὑφείλετο ταῦτα, ἔφη, ἀλλὰ πορεύου μηδὲν ἀθυμοῦσα, τουναντίον μὲν οὖν καὶ πεποιθυῖα μᾶλλον, ὡς οὐ τῆς εὑρέσεως αὐτῶν ἀστοχήσεις. Ἡ δὲ τῷ τοιαῦτα τῆς προφητείας ἐκείνης ἀκοῦσαι γλώττης, καὶ λέγειν ἀσφαλῶς τὸ μέλλον ἠξιωμένης, εὑρηκέναι ἤδη τὰ ἀπολωλότα, καὶ παρ᾽ ἑαυτῇ νομίσασα ἔχειν, οὕτως ἐπανήει χαίρουσα, καὶ μερίμνης ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς τὴν ψυχὴν ἐλευθέρα. Τῶν οὖν γειτόνων ὅτι ποτὲ ἄρα περὶ αὐτῶν ὁ Ἅγιος εἰρήκει πυνθανομένων, καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ τῆς κλοπῆς αὐτουργοῦ, ᾧ καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτῶν μέλον ἦν, γειτόνημα γὰρ τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ οὗτος οὐ χρηστὸν ἐτύγχανεν ὢν, ἐκείνη ταῖς τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐπαγγελίαις ὡς ἤδη γεγενημέναις ἐπιθαῤῥοῦσα, Εὕρη ἔλεγε καὶ τὰ ἐμὰ, κᾀν τῷ ἐμῷ πάντα νῦν ἀπόκειται ταμιείῳ. Ὁ μέν τοι τὰ κλέμματα ἔχων, παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ κεῖσθαι ταῦτα μᾶλλον εἰδὼς, ὅσῳ περιεργότερον ἐπυνθάνετο, τοσούτῳ πλέον ἦν διαχλευάζων καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ μυκτηρίζων, καὶ σαφῆ τιθέμενος γέλωτα, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς μανίαν εὐθὺς ὁ μυκτὴρ μετεβάλλετο, καὶ διαπετῶν ἦν ὁ ἄθλιος τὰς χεῖρας καὶ δάκνων, καὶ ἀλαλάζων, τήν τε κλοπὴν ἐξομολογούμενος, ὅπου τὲ τὰ φώρια εἴη μηνύων, καὶ ὅσα μῶν δαιμονώντων οὐδενὸς ἀπεχόμενος. Τὰ μὲν οὖν κλέμματα ἠνέχθη πάντα τῇ γυναικὶ, οὐχ ἃ τηνικαῦτα μόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσα καὶ πρώην ἀπολωλέκει. Ὁ δὲ ταῦτα συλήσας ὑπέμενε δαιμονῶν, καὶ δίκας ὥσπερ τοσαύτης ἀδικίας ἐκτίνων· ἕως ἔλεον αὐτοῦ λαβόντες, οὐχ ὅσοι παρόντες ἦσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ σὺν ἐκείνοις ἡ τὴν κλοπὴν ὑποστᾶσα, κοιναῖς πρὸς Θεὸν καὶ τὸν ἔλεγχον τοῦ κακοῦ Συμεὼν ἐχρῶντο λιταῖς, κοινοῖς δάκρυσιν· οἷς αὐτίκα καὶ τὸ αἰτηθὲν ἠκολούθει, καὶ τοῦ δαίμονος ὁ πάσχων ἀπήλλακτο, κοινὸν

[196] But to him, since he was about to be examined by the Prince, that monk like Symeon, taking his hand before the eyes of all, snatched him from the impending trial, the Prince calmly bearing the deed. — Concerning these things Symeon spoke to those present with tears and grief of heart; he made it known in the same manner to the Patriarch, and that he should no longer add anything to him concerning the Emperor: no long time passed in between, and a report spread through all the mainland and the sea, that the Emperor had been deprived of his mind, and behind it death too followed. Let us pray for the Church at Antioch, brothers, the holy Symeon said at one time to the disciples; for I seemed to see its Bishop Domninus mounting the altar, and there placing himself, and as it were snoring, then descending from there, and standing on the right of the altar; the multitude indeed, and as many as were awaiting the rite, supposing the man was performing a prayer; and that he, abiding in such a posture for a while, said: I will withdraw to my little couch; but that certain monks from Palestine performed the divine liturgy. Then he added also the interpretation, namely how Domninus would end his life, and a certain monk, deriving his lineage from Palestine, would be raised to his throne: which not long after followed, and Domninus having departed life, a certain Anastasius, a Palestinian, mounts the throne. There was a certain phylarch among the Persians, a man brave in hand, Almundarus by name, in religion a heathen, in bodily size not much falling short of the giants; whose height was like the height of a cedar, and he was strong as an oak, Amos would say of him. Who, continually overrunning the Roman territories, as though none could easily withstand the barbarian in war, whomsoever of the Christians he took captive, he knew no pity toward them, but did the most cruel things of all. He at that time came against the Roman territory with a heavy army, and Arethas led forth his forces against him, who had been set over the foremost of the Roman army. All the East therefore was terribly shaken with fear; but to Symeon a certain such vision was shown, as he himself then narrated to the disciples. He thought he saw himself brought onto a certain small hill on the frontier of the Persians and the Romans, and that he stood in the midst of the battle line which Arethas led for the Romans; but there came against him with Almundarus a multitude of barbarians beyond number, and that fear seized the army under Arethas by the mere sight. But when they had now come to close combat and hands, and Arethas's men did not withstand the onset of Almundarus, who fought with rage rather than reason; There stood, he says, a spirit of power before me, holding a globe of fire; and when I had fervently prayed, it cast it upon his head, and immediately struck down the boaster. Be therefore henceforth of good cheer, O children and brothers, since by God liberty has today been restored to the East. These things had been said by the man, and within a few days there came to Antioch the good news, which those about him, comparing with the things said by the holy Symeon, found to have happened at the same time, not only of the day, but also of the hour, in which he had foretold them. Then also soldiers came to him from the conflict, announcing the things concerning the hill and the encounter with the barbarians, and that they had obtained a manifest inclination from God toward the overthrow of the barbarian by his intercessions; who also remained with him to the end, offering their whole selves as thank-offerings for so great a salvation. A certain man of Antioch, Theodore by name, seized by a destructive demon, having come to the Saint, besought him most fervently for healing. And when he had bidden him a journey home — For there, he says, having rested on his own bed, thou shalt see us — that man, adding nothing further, immediately returned as he was. And when he had come to the river, violent rains, bursting down on the Melas, for so the river was called, swelled the stream. But he, having so much confidence in the word of Symeon, or rather thus more hastening to fulfill it, partly on account of his precept, but mostly through desire of healing, so that, even though the river ran great, even though it was borne swift in its stream, he spared not, tried to cross it. And he, swept away by the river, was set in extreme peril; but at this time Symeon, breaking off the colloquy with the disciples (for he happened then to be discoursing to them the things pertaining to salvation), gave himself rather to prayer, then with brighter countenance recounted to them the things concerning the man, both how, the river running great, he dared the crossing, and how, being now made the work of its current, he seemed himself, taking him by the hand, to draw him out. He indeed narrated to the disciples the things which at that hour befell the man, as if present and clearly seeing each thing; but he, rescued about the lighting of the lamps into his house, and reclining on his bed, sees forthwith Symeon, terrible as it were approaching the demon, and bringing grievous torments upon it. That whole night therefore held the wretch wailing something bitter and mournful, and saying, Now I go forth, but when he was also wholly driven out, the man returns to the Saint, announcing the things concerning himself, how he had appeared to him marvelously not only on the bed, but also before in the river; here freeing him from the grievous demon, there delivering him from a more grievous peril, and giving no less than what was asked, nay rather even more, the unexpected. The brothers sleeping at one time in a field of the lower monastery, and others having gathered at midnight to make confession to God about Symeon, I seemed, he says, to see a leopard rushing forth from its lair, and standing over the head of one of the brothers in the field, so that, having torn him, it was sated with his blood and flesh, and that I was at prayer, driving off the beast. These things were to Symeon a narration to the disciples; but it was being accomplished into deed in the sleeping one, and being awakened, he sees the beast at his head. Not having therefore what he should do at the suddenness and unexpectedness of the peril, he invoked the ready and at once invincible power, the name of the divine Symeon, and the alliance from there; who, appearing to him at once, drives off the beast. The brother indeed now about dawn went up to the column, full of wonder, and with astonishment recounting what he had seen; but he finds the rest seized with greater amazement, inasmuch as, anticipating, they themselves rather recounted the things that had happened concerning him. Thus the divine Symeon, having risen above all grossness and material condition, and having joined and made familiar himself as far as possible to the blessed nature, was deemed worthy both to foresee many of the things to come, and to perceive things from afar as present. But it is time now to pass to what follows. A certain man of those who quarry stone in the buildings of the city, having his left eye maimed by the vexation of a demon, had been robbed of the wage of his hands' labor; who in other respects was somewhat gross and of rusticity, but in his faith toward the Saint was very strong. He, coming to Symeon, was much casting himself on the ground, and lamenting the loss of his money. But he, scarcely raising him, bade him approach; and when he had imposed on him the invincible and Lordly sign of the cross, the spirit at once shrieked, and almost tore the man apart, and begged to be freed of him. And it, immediately rebuked, is driven away; but to the eye of the sufferer the light is restored better than according to hope, so that what was given was far greater than what was asked, and he found, as a by-work, like Saul, not indeed a kingdom, but the light of an eye, which is far more precious than a kingdom. He therefore, having obtained such healing, was so stupefied by the miracle, that even his voice had failed him; but Symeon quietly to him, The light, he said, differs much from gold; give thanks therefore to God who has bestowed the greater things, and He is able Himself to grant the lesser too; go therefore, holding to thy former uprightness, and He will no longer overlook thee, but soon thou shalt find the gold too. And he returned rejoicing, not only at the good he had then received, namely the deliverance from the demon, and the strengthening of his eye beyond hope, but also at the promise of the finding of his money; and reaching his house, he finds it on the bed, as it were a second light to his eyes, since the loss of the gold through poverty grieved him no less than the blindness. A certain woman of Antioch had been robbed of her substance; she, running to the column, where she thought to find a resolution of her calamity, since she had faith toward the Saint exceedingly, was weeping over what had happened; to whom the divine man, A malefactor indeed has stolen these things, he said, but go, nothing disheartened, on the contrary rather even confident, that thou shalt not fail of the finding of them. And she, hearing such things from that tongue of prophecy, deemed worthy to say the future surely, thinking that she had already found the things lost, and that she had them with herself, so returned rejoicing, and free of soul from anxiety over them. When therefore the neighbors inquired what then the Saint had said concerning them, and especially the perpetrator of the theft, to whom it concerned more than them, for he too was a not honest neighbor to the woman, she, confident in Symeon's promises as already accomplished, said: My things too will be found, and now all things lie laid up in my storehouse. But he who had the stolen things, knowing rather that they lay with himself, the more curiously he inquired, the more was he mocking the matter to himself and sneering, and making a clear laughter; but the sneer was at once turned into madness, and the wretch was tossing his hands about and biting, and shrieking, and confessing the theft, indicating where the stolen things were, and abstaining from none of the things of the possessed. The stolen things therefore were all brought to the woman, not only those then, but as many as he had stolen before. But he who had robbed these things remained possessed, and as it were paying the penalties of so great injustice; until, having taken pity on him, not only as many as were present, but also she herself with them who had suffered the theft, used common prayers to God and to Symeon the reprover of the evil, common tears; which the thing asked at once followed, and the sufferer was freed of the demon, having become a common

παίδευμα πᾶσι πρὸς ἀποφυγὴν κακίας γεγενημένος. Ἐλυμαίνετό τις σῦς ἐκ δρυμοῦ τοὺς ἀγροὺς τῆς κάτω μονῆς, καὶ εἰς ἀμηχανίαν κομιδῇ τοὺς μοναχοὺς περιίστη· προσελθόντες τοίνυν τῷ ἱερῷ Συμεὼν, ἐδέοντο τοῦτον ἐκ τοῦ μέσου γενέσθαι. Ὁ δὲ, Τοῖς ἐξ ὅλης ἰσχύος, ἔφη, τὸν Θεὸν ἀγαπῶσιν ὑποτέτακται πάντα, ὡς καὶ πρὸ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ Ἀδάμ· οὕτως οὖν ἔχουσι καὶ ὑμῖν δοθήσεται εἰς θῆραν ὀδοῦσι θηρὸς ἑτέρου πάλιν ὁ ἀκείρων τοὺς ὑμετέρους ἀγροὺς, καὶ θᾶττον τῆς ἐξ αὐτοῦ βλάβης ἀπαλλαγήσεσθε. Ταῦτα τοῦ Συμεὼν εἰρηκότος, ὁρᾷ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τις ἐκείνην τὴν νύκτα κατὰ τοὺς ὕπνους, ἀχθέντα τινὰ λέοντα ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου, καὶ τὸν μέγαν ἐκεῖνον σῦν εἰς θῆραν αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τοῖς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ποσὶν ἐκδοθέντα. Τοῦ ὕπνου τοίνυν διαναστὰς, ἔργον τὴν τῆς νυκτὸς ὄψιν εὑρίσκει, καὶ ὁ λέων τὸν σῦν κατεδηδοκὼς, ἐχόμενος τῆς ὁδοῦ ἀναπεπτώκει. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ὄχλοι, τά τε τοῦ λέοντος ἴχνη, τό, τε τοῦ συὸς ἀνὰ τὴν ὁδὸν αἷμα ἰδόντες, προσέρχονται κατάφοβοι τῷ Ἁγίῳ, δεόμενοι τοῦτον ἐκεῖθεν ἀπελαθῆναι. Ὁ δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν ἕνα καλέσας, Πορευθεὶς παρὰ τὸν λέοντα, ἔφη· τάδε λέγει Συμεὼν εἰπὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν· Καλῶς διακονησάμενος, ἄπιθι τόγε νῦν ἔχον, ἕως ἂν αὗθις χρεία σου γένηται. Τοῦ δὲ τῷ λέοντι ταῦτα εἰπόντος, ἀναστὰς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἁπάντων εὐθέως ἐκεῖνος ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς Λαοδικείας ὄρη ἐχώρει, ἐκεῖθεν γὰρ ἐτύγχανε καὶ κληθεὶς, παραδοξοτέραν τῆς κλήσεως τὴν ἀ ναχώρησιν θέμενος, ἢ καὶ δι᾽ ἀμφοῖν μᾶλλον.

[187] A certain advocate, called John, a pious man, and exceedingly delighting in the fountain of life, namely the fear of God; To one he foretells the Patriarchate sprung indeed from a village subject to the city of Antioch; but then sojourning in the city itself, came to the Saint, and communicated with him certain things pertaining to himself: namely whether the most holy Patriarch Domninus would deign him with the sacred Orders of the Presbyters, and would send him to the royal city for the dispatching of certain matters of great moment. These things laid open, he longed to understand what was the will of God. The Saint thereupon, with confident mind, no otherwise than as if all things had been set before his eyes, answering; Go, he says; for now thou art consecrated by God, that thou mayest preside on the supreme Throne of the Church of Constantinople; which I would have thee know to thyself alone, until it become known to others by the very event. Then he admonished also, how great that dignity was, and what morals befitted it.

[188] John, having observed how easily disposed to his wishes he had found the Saint, asked further, that he would signify, and the Empire of Justin: who would be the successor in the Empire to Justinian: for he then governed the Roman Empire. To whom the Saint, silence concerning the secret matter first enjoined; Justin, he says. These things therefore understood, and well furnished and armed as it were with the Saint's prayers as a viaticum, with willing mind he was initiated Presbyter, and with alacrous foot betook himself to the Royal city. When he was here, he had indeed the prophecies, hidden from all, rendered to him by the servant of God Symeon; but he was studiously busy (how great a pusillanimity, or desire of advancing oneself, is in human minds!) that, coming into the notice of Justin, he might procure for himself his benevolence: and when at some time he dealt alone with him alone, he disclosed to him the secrets of the prediction; and from that time numbered among the familiars of Justin, as one who had brought a message conjoined with pleasure, he for the most part enjoyed his table. Not long after a Eutychius is ejected from the See of Constantinople, and there is put in his place this very John Scholasticus; both of which came to pass. Justinian, who himself also did not long thereafter prolong life, inclining to such a sentence by God; and the Empire passed to Justin: just as the Saint had most clearly pronounced each thing long before as to come.

[189] Justin therefore, because it had been not only foretold by Symeon that he would be raised to the throne of the Empire, but in fact done; was borne toward him with so great a confidence and affection, as it was fitting for him to have who had received such a prediction from him. The Emperor's daughter Wherefore, when his daughter, possessed by a demon, was most grievously tortured; from others indeed, because such a passion of the girl seemed to make for the Emperor's ignominy, he held the matter secret; but by secret letters he asked of the Saint, that he would do him this favor, that he would suffer the daughter to be conveyed to him, which seemed to the Emperor about to bring health to the girl: for he knew, from the largeness of the benefits conferred by him on others through miracles, that his daughter would not return to him without help. But Symeon, without delay (let us consider, pray, he frees her from the demon by a letter, how great his grace was), writes back in this manner: Trust, O Emperor, and render thanks to God the benefactor; for thy daughter is healed of the inflicted plague. Nor did the matter differ from the letter, as appeared by the event: for as soon as the letter was delivered to the Emperor, the vexation of the demon also ceased.

[190] Then the Emperor Justin himself fell into infirmity, when John, whom our discourse has already shown to be the Patriarch of the Constantinopolitan See, both on account of the great familiarity which intervened to him with Justin, and on account of the confidence which he had placed in Symeon; and to the sick Emperor himself promises health, and finally because he had it firmly persuaded, that it could not be that so great and so ready help should be present from elsewhere; sent to Symeon, supplicating, that he would intercede again with God, that the Emperor might rise from the disease. But Symeon, not ignorant in what state his affairs were, bids it be reported back, that he should admit nothing whatever of cure from those who had denied God, and that health would speedily come. The Emperor, observing the Saint's precepts with little diligence, when he had given himself over to a certain Timothy by name, a Hebrew in religion, who in books indeed and the medical art seemed versed, but in truth was most addicted to incantations (for in these his wife b Sophia studied, not so much from love of her husband as from pusillanimity, as being led into this from that) Symeon himself beholds at midday himself conveyed to the royal city, but knowing that he uses superstitious remedies standing as it were in the very palace, and inspecting the things that were done by the Jew; grieving also at the sights, and judging them not to be borne: which he willed to be manifest also to the Patriarch, and asked that he should adjure the Emperor in his name and exhort him to give up impiety of this kind.

[191] The Patriarch brought such a message not only to the Emperor but also to his consort, more eagerly given to trifles of this sort. But they were so far from abstaining, that they even sent a certain woman of the number of those who from the belly c render an empty discourse, to the Hebrew, that through her more certain things about the disease might be known. But of such ones Micah rightly foretold, that darkness shall be to them from divination, and the sun shall go down over them, and the day shall be darkened over them. Mich. 3, 6. Meanwhile another vision again is presented to Symeon; and it was such. He himself again conveyed to the palace of the Emperor, therefore he foretells he will die: perceived him, in the place where he was wont, receiving those who addressed him: he perceived also presently, the heavens being opened, a certain divine power descending thence, which, stripping the Emperor of his royal garment, and taking away the diadem from his head, said to him: Be a fable in the mouth of all the people, because thou hast made a lie thy hope, and hast not committed thyself and thine to God, but rather hast lent ears to a demon and his arts. Which the Saint communicated with tears and grief to those present; and instructed the Patriarch concerning the whole order of the matter, that he should propose nothing thereafter to himself in favor of the Emperor. A small space of time moreover was interposed, when a report through all Epirus and the sea spread abroad, that the Emperor had been bereft of his mind: which death afterward followed. d

[192] He understands the death of Bishop Domninus and his successor, Let us pray for the Church of Antioch, S. Symeon was saying at one time to his disciples: for I seemed to myself to see its Bishop Domninus mount the altar, there place himself, and as it were draw snores; but afterward descend thence, and stand on the right part of the altar, the crowd of bystanders meanwhile supposing him to be praying; he moreover persevering for some while in the same place, saying: I will withdraw to my little couch: but that certain monks from Palestine performed the sacrosanct sacrifice. Then he added also the explanation of the vision, namely how Domninus would end his life, and a certain monk, deriving his lineage from Palestine, was to be brought into his throne. Which not long after was completed, when, Domninus having died, a certain Anastasius, a Palestinian, mounted the vacant See.

[193] There was warring among the Persians a certain Tribune, Almundarus f by name, a Gentile in religion, strenuous in hand, in bodily mass nearly equal to giants: The enemy infesting the Christians of whom the Prophet Amos would have said, that his loftiness was like the height of a cedar, and he was strong as an oak. He laid waste the Roman territories with continual incursions, no otherwise than as if no one could undertake the hazard of joining battle with the barbarian: but whatever Christians he had carried off captive, touched by no commiseration of them, he killed with the most cruel of all torments. He had invaded, moreover, at that time with a hostile army the Roman Empire: but against him the supreme Roman Commander g Arethas led forth his forces. Amos 2, 9 All the eastern region therefore was boiling with vehement fear: but to Symeon a certain such vision was shown, just as the disciples received it from his mouth.

[194] he recognizes him routed, He thought, conveyed onto a certain small hill, on the confines of the Roman and Persian Empire, that he stood in the midst of that battle line which Arethas led for the Romans. From the opposite side there invaded him with Almundarus a multitude of barbarians so innumerable, that fear at the mere sight of the enemy almost cast the army of Arethas into flight. But when it had come to hands and battle, and Arethas's men did not sustain the onset of Almundarus, fighting with anger rather than reason; There stood, he says, an Angelic spirit before me, holding a fiery globe; and at my fervent prayer, it cast it onto the head of the barbarian, and quicker than the word repressed his boasting. For the rest therefore, O my Sons and Brothers, be cheerful; since by God liberty has today been restored to the East. These things had been said by the man of God, when, a few days being interposed, an auspicious message was brought to Antioch: which is soon proved true by the message brought. which the disciples, comparing with Symeon's prophecy, found that those things had happened at the same time, not only of the day, but also of the hour, in which they had been foretold. Then soldiers also from the conflict came to him, confirming the things which we have just said concerning the hill and the invasion of the barbarians; nay, even saying, that they had obtained conspicuous aid from God toward the overthrow of the enemies through the intercession of S. Symeon: to whom they themselves also adhered even to the term of life, offering themselves for gratitude's sake for the salvation obtained.

[195] A certain man of Antioch, whose name was Theodore, possessed by a pernicious demon, An energumen snatched from the peril of submersion when he had come to the Saint,

prayed most fervently for healing. The Saint enjoined him a return to his home; For there, he says, thou shalt see us, resting on thy bed. And no word being added besides, the demoniac with as swift a step as he could was returning. But when he had come to the river, violent rains, fallen upon the h Melas (for that was the river's name), had swollen the channel. What did he here? He had so great a confidence in the Saint's words, or rather so greatly hastened to execute his commands, both because he himself had enjoined it, and even more because he intensely desired to be healed; that, no account being had of the stream, although then great and rapid, he attempted to overcome it.

[196] And he indeed, carried off by the river's force, had come into extreme peril of life, but Symeon at the same time broke off the thread of discourse begun among the Brothers (for he was then conferring with his own about the affairs of salvation) and gave himself to prayer. After which, turned to them with a more joyful countenance, he brought into the midst what had befallen that demoniac man; namely how, having dared to attempt the crossing of the rapid river, and now being carried off by the violence of the waters, he frees him also from the demon. he himself, seizing his hand, had seemed to draw him out almost lost. And thus he indeed narrated to the disciples the things which had befallen the man at that same hour, as though he had seen them present and clearly: but the man himself, about the time when the lamps are wont to be lit, reaches his home safe and unharmed, and reclining on his bed soon beholds S. Symeon, very terrible to the demon, coming and inflicting most bitter torments on it; and so, passing that whole night, great as it is, in bitter and tearful wailing, the unhappy one, Now I go forth, kept crying. But the demon being perfectly cast out, the man returns now free to the Saint, reporting what had befallen him; namely how the Saint had appeared to him, not only as he lay on the bed, but also before, as he was in peril in the river; how there he had exterminated the grievous demon, here had withdrawn him from an even graver hazard; and had conferred a benefit no less than what he had asked, except that it was more unexpected.

[197] The Brothers of the lower monastery sleeping at one time in a field, He narrates the peril of an absent Brother, while the rest had come together toward midnight with S. Symeon to confess to the Lord; I seemed, says the Saint, to see a leopard burst forth from its den, and threaten hostilely the head of one of the Brothers in the field; then as it were to mangle and be sated with his blood and flesh; and at last the beast to be warded off by my prayers. Such was the narration of Symeon, set forth among the disciples: but the matter itself was so being done with the sleeper, who, awakened, found the beast at his head. and succors him invoking his name. But not knowing what to do in so sudden a peril of his despaired-of safety; he cries out the ready and at once impregnable power, the name of S. Symeon, and the aid that is wont to follow thence: who immediately appeared to the crier, and drove off the beast. This Brother therefore at dawn ascended toward the column, full of admiration, narrating with stupor what he had seen: but he found the others filled with greater stupor, because they themselves had already narrated among them the things which had been done concerning him, anticipating the other's arrival. Thus the divine Symeon, having transgressed all grossness and material affection, and joining himself more closely to those blessed minds and using them familiarly, both foresaw many things to come, and beheld things far removed from him as though present. But it is time to pass to other things.

[198] A certain man of the number of those who cut stones for the buildings of the city, By the sign of the Cross he casts out a demon: maimed in the left eye by the evil art of the demon, was being deprived of the wage which he had received for the labor of his hands: but he was corroborated with singular confidence in the Saint, in other respects of dull wit and rustic manners. He came to Symeon, and falling wholly to the ground, lamented the loss of his money. But the holy Symeon, the man scarcely at length raised, bade him approach; and when he had impressed on him the impregnable sign of the Lord's Cross; the malignant spirit immediately wailed, almost mangled the man, and demanded its dismissal. Immediately therefore with a rebuke it is expelled, and to the sick man's eye light is restored more keen than he had hoped; so that the gift was much more excellent than he had asked, almost in the manner in which it befell Saul, though he, seeking the asses obtained a kingdom; although the light of an eye is far more excellent than a kingdom itself. He, having obtained health in this manner, was struck with so great an admiration and stupor, that, his voice failing, he became dumb: but Symeon secretly thus addressed him; There is much difference of distinction between light and money, give thanks to God, who has bestowed on thee what is better, and is able also to give what is of less worth: go therefore, and keep thy pristine rule of right living: so will God never despise thee, but suddenly thou shalt find the gold too. and foretells that the money is to be found: Which said, he returned rejoicing, not only that he was better, the demon cast out and the eye beyond hope enlightened, but also on account of the promise of finding the money: which very thing, when he had reached home, he found on the bed, like a second light of his eyes: since the loss of it through poverty held him no less anxious than the blindness.

[199] A certain woman of Antioch, her patrimony taken away by theft, hastened the more quickly to the column, persuaded that she would find there a remedy for her calamity, she promises that things taken by theft will surely be restored, since she was borne with illustrious confidence in the Saint; and explained what had happened with weeping. To whom the holy man; A malefactor, he says, has stolen those things: but go, casting down thy mind nothing, nay even more confident; just as if thou wert sure of the recovery. This prophecy heard, uttered by that mouth, which was endowed with the grace of surely foretelling things to come; she held for explored, that her lost goods were restored; and so she returned rejoicing, and with mind free of cares. The neighbors asking her as she returned, what at length the Saint had announced about the things taken away, and especially the author himself of the theft, to whom that was a chief care (for he too was a not good neighbor to the woman), she, confident in the Saint's promises, as though already having obtained their effect: I have found, she says, my things, and now I have them laid up in my cupboard. But he himself who had the things taken away, and well knew them to lie hidden with him, the greater the affectation with which he then inquired, the more petulantly within himself he made sport of the woman and derided her, nay even openly raised a laugh. But quickly the mocker was turned into insanity; and heals the robber invaded by a demon, and the unhappy man extended his hands and gnawed them, and cried out in a wretched manner; besides he confessed the theft, and indicated where he had hidden the things; finally he did nothing that demoniacs are not wont to do. All things therefore were brought back to the woman, both those taken by the recent theft and those which had been missed at other times. But he who had committed the theft continued to be possessed by the demon, paying the deserved penalty of his injustice; until, touched with commiseration, as many as were present, and indeed that very woman who had suffered the theft, interceded with common prayers and tears before God and Symeon the castigator of the wicked deed: which the thing asked immediately followed; and the energumen, freed of the malignant spirit, was a universal lesson to all for declining crimes.

[200] He foretells that the infesting beast is to be slain by another, A certain boar was laying waste the fields of the lower monastery, and afflicting the monks with such great inconveniences, that they knew not what counsel to take. Going therefore to Symeon they ask, that he himself would bid the beast depart thence. But he, From the whole, he says, strength of those who love God all things are made subject, just as they were before the fall of Adam: but if you too thus love, it shall be given as a prey to the teeth of another beast, which will leave your fields unharmed, and you shall quickly be immune from the loss. These things said, one of the Brothers sees by night through a dream, a certain lion being driven by Symeon, to which that great boar fell as a prey under the feet of the Brothers. Awakened then, he found that what he had seen by night was done: for the lion, the boar devoured, had lain down in the very road. The crowds therefore, finding the tracks of the lion, and the blood of the boar along the road, come troubled to the Saint, and ask that he drive the lion away thence. and bids this one too yield the place. Who, summoning one of the disciples: Go, he says, to the lion and say to it: This Symeon bids be reported: Thou hast rightly done thy office; now therefore thou mayest depart, until thou shalt be needed again. He having so addressed the lion, all saw it immediately rise, and depart into the mountains of Laodicea (for thence it had been summoned), and it made a withdrawal more admirable than its approach had been, although each was admirable in the highest degree.

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XXV.

The incredulous are punished: the converted are healed: other benefits.

Θαύματος ἐξαισίου τοὺς ὁρῶντας πληρῶσας πλησίον τῆς Ἀντιόχου, ἐν τῇ λεγομένῃ Ἀπάτῃ, Ἰσαύρων ἐργαστήριον ἦν, χειροτεχνούντων ἐν ταῖς οἰκοδομίαις καὶ λατομίαις τῶν τῆς πόλεως τειχέων. Τούτων εἷς, ἄρτι τὴν ἡλικίαν ἀνθῶν, τὰ ἑλλήνων θρησκεύων, παρά τι ἄλσος, ἕλληνος καὶ αὐτὸ δεσποτείας, κατὰ δή τινα ξυλείαν ἐλθὼν, πλείω τε τοῦ μετρίου διαναθέμενος φόρτον, οὕτως ἀθρόον παρείθη, ὡς μὴ δ᾽ ὅτω οὖν τῶν τοῦ σώματος μελῶν δύνασθαι χρῆσθαι. Ἀνελόμενοι τοίνυν αὐτὸν οἱ ἑταῖροι, καὶ πρὸς Ἅγιον ἀναγαγόντες, τιθέασι πρὸ αὑτοῦ φιλανθρώποις ὀφθαλμοῖς, αὐτόχρημα οἶκτον. Τοῦ δὲ κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες ἁψαμένου τε καὶ σφραγίσαντος, ὡς ἦν ἔτι παρειμένως ἐκεῖνος ἔχων, οὐ δὲ μιᾶς αἰσθόμενος θεραπείας, συνεὶς αὐτίκα τὴν αἰτίαν ὁ Συμεών. Τί ὅτι τὰς τῆς θείας ἐπί σοι παρὰ Θεοῦ χάριτος ἄνωθεν τὴν ἴασιν ἀνεβάλετο; ἦπου φησὶν ὦ οὗτος, εἰδώλοις εἶ πιστεύων καὶ οὐ Θεῷ; Τοῦ δὲ τοιοῦτο συνειδέναι μηδὲν διατεινομένου, ψεύδεσθαι τοῦτον ἐκεῖνος ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀμεταθέτως τὸ γ᾽ οὖν παρὸν ἔχειν εἰδὼς, Νῦν μὲν πορεύου, ἐφη, ἐπισκέψεται δέ σε καὶ οἴκοι Χριστὸς φιλάνθρωος ὢν, τὸ σέβας εἰς αὐτὸν μεταθέμενον. Ἀράμενοι τοιγαροῦν αὖθις αὐτὸν ἑταῖροι, κομίζουσιν οἴκαδε· ὁ δὲ πάσης ἀπογνοὺς θεραπείας, ἔκειτο, προσαιτοῦσαν ἔχων τὴν ἀδελφὴν, κᾀντεῦθεν αὐτῷ τὰ πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἐπαρκοῦσαν. Ἔτος μὲν οὖν ἤδη τρίτον ἐνέστη κειμένῳ· ἀπαγορεύσας δὲ ἤση πρὸς τὴν χρονίαν οὕτω πάρεσιν καὶ αὐτὸς, καὶ γνοὺς τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ εἴδωλα πλάνης μηδὲν ὠφελῆσθαι, δεῖν ἔγνω τὸ σέβας μεταβαλεῖν, κινήσαντος ἴσως αὐτὸν καὶ Θεοῦ (οἷα τὰ ἐκείνου κρίματα!) ἵνα τῷ χρονίῳ τῆς μάστιγος ἑλκύσῃ πρὸς ἑαυτόν. Ὅλος τοιγαροῦν ὅλῃ δυνάμει πιστεύσας Θεῷ, ἐδεῖτο νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ᾽ ἠμέραν αὐτοῦ, μεσίτῃ τῷ Συμεὼν χρώμενος, τῆς παρέσεως ἀνεθῆβαι. Συνέβη δ᾽ ἐν τούτῳ, τινὰ τῶν ἀνὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην τυφλὸν προσελθόντα τῷ Ἀγίῳ πιστῶς, ἁφῇ τούτου καὶ σφραγίδι βλέψαι. Οὗτος ἀξίας ἀμοιβῆς ἀπορῶν, τί γὰρ ὀφθαλμῶν ἰσοστάσιον; τοιοῦτον ἐαυτῷ τίθησι νόμον, τὴν ἡμέραν ἔτους ἑκάστου, καθ᾽ ἣν τῆς παραδόξου ταύτης θεραπείας τύχοι, ἅπερ ἂν ἡ χεὶρ ἔχουσα εἴη διανέμειν τοῖς ἐνδεέσι. Ποτὲ γοῦν ὁ μὲν τὸν τοιοῦτον έπεπλῆρου νόμον, καὶ ἅρτους ἐδίδου ὧν τηνικαῦτα ηὐπόρει, ὀρέγειν δὲ ἤδη καὶ τῷ παραλύτῳ μέλλων, τὴν χεῖρα πρὸς τὸ λαβεῖν τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἐκτεινάσης, ἐπισχὼν, αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον ἐκέλευε δέχεσθαι, χεῖρας ὑποσχόντα τὸν παρειμένον. Τῶν δὲ παρόντων, Οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὅπως παρέσεως ἔχει, λεγόντων, ὡς μὴ δὲ μέλει τοῦ σώματός τινι μὴ δὲ μέρει χρεῖσθαι δυνατὸς εἶναι; θαῤῥήσας ἐκεῖνος τῇ ἐνοικούσῃ τοῦ πνεύματος δυνάμει τῷ Συμεὼν, ἢ καὶ κινηθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῆς ὃ καὶ μᾶλλον, λαμπρᾷ ὡς εἶιχεν ὑπολαβὼν τῇ φωνῇ, Ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θεοῦ Συμεὼν τοῦ κατὰ τὸ θαυμαστὸν ὄρος, ἔφη, τοῦ κᾀμὲ τυφλὸν ὄντα ποιήσαντος ἀναβλέψαι, τὰς ἑαυτοῦ χεῖρας ἐκτείνας, δέξαι τὴν εὐλογίαν· καὶ παρὰ χρῆμα (ὢ πῶς ἀθάνατε Χριστὲ βασιλεῦ ᾄσωμαι τὰ ἐλέη σου!) οὐ χεῖρες ἔῤῥωντο μόνον τοὺς ἄρτους δεχόμεναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τοῦ σώματος μέλος ὑγιῶς ἐκινεῖτο καὶ κατὰ φύσιν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν παρόντες τῷ τοῦ θαύματος μεγέθει καταπεπλήγεσαν, τῷ δὲ τυχόντι τῆς θεραπείας ὁ Ἅγιος ἀθεάτως ἐπιφανεὶς, οἴκαδε ἀπιέναι, τά τε παρ᾽ αὐτῷ εἴδωλα συντρίβειν σπουδῇ παρηγγύα. Ὁ δὲ οὐ τὴν ἐντολὴν μόνον ὀξέως ἐπλήρου ἀλλά τι καὶ παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ προσετίθει, πῦρ αὐτοῖς μετὰ τῆς συντριβῆς ἐμβαλὼν, καὶ τὴν προτέραν ἀπάτην δημοσιεύσας, καθάπερ αὐτῷ ταύτης οὐκ ὀλίγα μεταμελῆσαν. Οὗτος ἐν ἀκμῇ τῆς ἡλικίας ὡς ἔφημεν ὢν, μνηστεύεταί τινος ἕλληνος θυγατέρα, τοιαύτας θέμενος πρῶτον Θεῷ καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν ὑποσχέσεις, ὥστε μὴ πρότερον ὁμιλῆσαι γάμοις πρὶν ἂν παρὰ τὸν στύλον γενόμενος, ὑψώσῃ σε ὁ Θεός μου ὁ Βασιλεύς μου, καὶ τῷ σῷ θεράποντι Συμεὼν ἀποδῷ τὰς εὐχαριστίας. Τοῦ δὲ τῆς κόρης πατρὸς, εἰ μὴ νῦν οἱ γάμοι συντελεσθεῖεν οὐκ ἀνεκτὰ ποιουμένου, ἐκδώσεσθαι δὲ καὶ αὐτὴν ἑτέρῳ μᾶλλον ἀνδρὶ ἀπειλοῦντος, δευτέρας ἐκεῖνος τῶν ἐκ τοῦ πενθεροῦ θέμενος ἀναγκῶν τὰς πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον συνθήκας, ἐπινεύει καὶ ἄκων, καὶ δῆτα πάντων τῶν ἐκ τῆς περιχώρου σχεδὸν ἀθροισθέντων, ἕλληνες δὲ ἦσαν ἄρα καὶ τῆς ἑλλήνων θρησκείας. Ὡς ἤδη καὶ οἱ γάμοι συνετελοῦντο, καὶ τὰ γαμήλια εἱστιῶντο, δαίμονες αὐτοῖς ἀθρόον ἐπιπηδῶσιν, οὐ τῷ γαμβρῷ καὶ τῷ πενθερῷ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ νύμφῃ δηλαδὴ, καὶ τῇ μητρὶ, καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, καὶ ὅσοι ἄλλοι τῶν γάμων ἧσαν ὑπηρέται καὶ σπουδασταί· οὐχ οὕτω τὴν τῶν συνθηκῶν ἀθέτησιν οἶμαι τῆς θείας δίκης δυσχεραινούσης, ὅσον ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ εἴδωλα πλάνης ἐπιστρέψαι ψυχὰς εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν Θεοῦ βουλομένης· ὃ δὴ καὶ κατὰ πόδας ἀπήντα. Ῥιψαντες γὰρ τὰ ἐν χερσὶ πάντες, δρομαίως παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀφικνοῦνται, οὐ θεραπείας μόνον τυχεῖν ἀξιοῦντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν περὶ τὰ εἴδωλα σφῶν ἀπάτην δημοσιεύοντες, καὶ μισθὸν ὥσπερ ἧς ᾔτουν εὐεργεσείας, τὴν εἰς Θεὸν ἐπιστροφὴν καταβάλλοντες. Οὓς ὁ ταχὺς εἰς οἶκτον εὐθὺς, τῆς ἐκ τοῦ δαίμονος ἐπηρείας ἐλευθερώσας, καὶ ὄσα πρὸς σωτηρίαν διδάξας καὶ παραινέσας, ὑγιεῖς οἴκαδε ἀπολύει, λαμπροτέραν τῶν γάμων πολλῷ τὴν ἐαυτῶν σωτηρίαν πανηγυρίζοντας. Παρέβαλόν τινες αὐτῷ τῆς Καππαδοκῶν, ποικίλοις πάθεσι πιεζόμενοι· τούτων εἷς ἄλαλος ἦν. Τῶν γοῦν ἄλλων θεραπείας ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἅγίου τυχόντων, μόνος ἔμενε κωφεύων ἐκεῖνος, μὴ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν πορείας ὀνάμενος. Τρίτην τοιγαροῦν παραμείναντες ἡμέραν ἐκεῖ, ὡς ἤδη τὴν ἑξῆς ἔμελλον ἀπιέναι, διαναθέμενοι τὰ φορτία, εἰσίασι πρὸς αὐτὸν, τοῦ τὰς αὐτοῦ εὐχὰς ἐφοδιασθῆναι. Ὁ μέντοι κωφὸς, οἴκτιστόν τι πρὸς αὐτὸν βλέψας, διανεύων ἦν ἀγάν ἑλεεινῶς· Ὁ δὲ παθὼν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ τὴν ψυχὴν, εἰς οἰκτιρμοὺς ἔβλεψε πάλιν τοὺς ἀδαπανήτους· καὶ κενώτους καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον ἀποστρέψας, καὶ τὸν δάκτυλον τῷ στόματι ἐμβαλὼν, καὶ ἡσυχῆ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἐκπιέσας, ἐνῆκε τῷ στόματι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ὁ δὲ ὅσα καὶ θηλὴν ἐκμυζήσας, τρανῶς αὐτίκα ὤφθη λαλῶν, καὶ κατὰ φύσιν τῇ γλώττῃ χρώμενος. Ἕτεροι πάλιν ἀπὸ Σελευκείας τῆς ἐν Καισαρείᾳ προσῆλθον τῷ Συμεὼν πάθεσι παντοδαποῖς ἐνεχόμενοι· πάντων τοίνυν ἐκείνων τὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ χάριν κομισαμένων, ἑκάστου τε τὸ πάθος, ὅτῳ δή ποτε κατείχετο, εὐθέως ἀποθεμένου, καί τινας ἡμέρας περὶ τὰ τῆς μονῆς ἔργα χειρουργούντων καὶ πονουμένων, κόρη τις παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς ὡραία γάμοις, ἐξ αὐτῆς γονῆς τὴν γλῶτταν πεπεδημένη, τά τε ὦτα κωφεύουσα, ταύτη μένουσα ἦν, θεραπείας οὐδεμιᾶς αἰσθομένη. Ὁ γοῦν πατὴρ αὐτῆς τὸ τῆς παιδὸς οἰκειούμενος πάθος, ἐπεὶ καὶ πατὴρ, τά τε σπλάγχνα δεινῶς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ στρεφόμενος, προσήει κοπτόμενος καὶ κλαίων τῷ Συμεὼν, τὴν τε θάλασσαν προφέρων ὅσην πελάγιος ἦλθεν, καὶ ὥστε μὴ κενὸς αὖθις τοσοῦτον πλοῦν ἀναστρέψαι πάνυ σφόδρα δεόμενος. Ὁ δὲ, Νῦν μὲν ἐπάνηκε τὴν παῖδα λαβὼν, ἔφη, οὑκ ἀδυνατήσει δὲ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ πλέοντας ὑμᾶς ἐπισκέψασθαι. Ὁ μὲν οὖν γλυκείας ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐλπίδος ὑποπλησθεὶς, τὴν παῖδα λαβὼν, ἀπέπλει· ὅτε μέντοι κατὰ μέσον τὸν πλοῦν ἐγεγόνει, εὐωδίας αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς συμπλέουσι προσβαλούσης, ὃ πέφυκε χάριτος ἀεὶ θείας μηνύειν ἐπιδημίαν, ἀνείθη τῇ θυγατρὶ τὰ τῆς γλώττης, καὶ ὑγιῶς αὐτίκα λέγουσά τε καὶ ἀκούουσα ἦν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν συμπλέοντες ἐν ἐκπλήξει καὶ φόβῳ ἦσαν· ὁ δὲ πατὴρ ἀδικεῖν νομίσας, εἰ μὴ τοσαύτης εὐεργεσίας ἔλθοι πάλιν χαριστήρια νέμων, εἰς ἕτερον ἅμα τῇ θυγατρὶ πλοῖον ἐμβὰς, παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἐπανήκει, ἀναλόγους τῶν πρώην ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς δακρύων ἀποδιδοὺς τὰς εὐχαριστίας. Ἑτέρῳ πάλιν ἀπὸ τῆς Δάφνης θυγάτηρ ἦν, ἴσῳ πάθει πιεζομένη· οὗτος εἶχε μὲν συμβουλεύουσαν ἀεὶ τὴν γυναῖκα, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς γνησιωτέρους τῶν φίλων, ἀναγαγεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ θαυμαστὸν ὄρος παρὰ τὸν κοινὸν αὐτὴν ἰατρὸν, ὥστε θεραπείας καὶ ταύτην μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τυχεῖν. Ὁ δὲ τὴν καρδίαν ἔχων ἀπιστίᾳ σκληρυνομένην, ἄχρι μὲν πολλοῦ ἀπίθανά τε τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἡγεῖτο, καὶ οὐ δὲ τὸ οὖς τὰ πολλὰ προσέχειν ἠξίου. Ὀψὲ δὲ καὶ βραδέως διὰ τὰ τῶν πολλῶν ὀνείδη καὶ τοῦτο λαβὼν, μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτὴν ἄνησι παρὰ τὸν στύλον, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου στὰς, σοβαρῷ καὶ σχήματι καὶ φρόνήματι, τὰ περὶ αὐτῆς διεξῆλθεν. Ὁ δὲ ἠρέμα ὑπολαβὼν, Ἐπάνηκε μετὰ τῆς παιδὸς οἴκαδε, εἶπε, κᾀκεῖ ποιήσεται ταύτην ἐπισκοπὴν ὁ Χριστός. Τῷ μὲν οὖν βαρυκαρδίῳ ἐκείνῳ λογισμοὶ τὸ ἑξῆς ἦσαν, καὶ μεταμέλεια τῆς ἐπὶ τὸν στύλον ἀνόδου, σκώμματά τε καὶ λοιδορίαν κατὰ τῶν φίλων, ὅσοι ταύτην αὐτῷ δηλαδὴ συνεβούλευσαν. Ἡ δὲ τῆς παιδὸς μήτηρ συνετὴ οὖσα, καὶ οὐ ταύτης μόνον καὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς περικαὶομένη, δείσασα μή τι κακὸν τῆς εἰς τὸν Ἅγιον ἀπιστίας παραπολαύσῃ, ἀναστρέψασα πρὸς αὐτὸν, αὖθις ῥίψασά τε κατὰ γῆς ἑαυτὴν, καὶ δάκρυα τὰ λύπης ἅμα καὶ πίστεως σύμβολα χέουσα, ἐδεῖτο συγχωρηθῆναι τῷ συζύγῳ τὴν ἀπιστίαν, καὶ μὴ ταύτην τῇ θυγατρὶ πρὸς τὴν θεραπείαν ἐμποδὼν καταστῆναι. Ὁ δὲ ἱλαρᾷ καὶ ὄψει καὶ γλώττῃ· Πορεύου ἔφη, καὶ ὡς εἴρηκα ὑμῖν ἔσται παρὰ Θεοῦ. Ἤδη δὲ τὸν οἶκον καταλαβόντων, λέλυτο μὲν τὴν γλῶτταν εὐθέως ἡ παῖς, ἐλευθέρᾳ δὲ καὶ ἀκοῇ καὶ φωνῇ πρὸς τοὺς τεκόντας ἐχρῆτο· τῷ μέντοι πατρὶ πρὸς τὸ ἀθρόον ἐκεῖνο τοῦ θαύματος τηλικοῦτον ἐνέσκηψε δέος, οἷα πόῤῥω πολὺ τῆς περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πίστεως ὄντι, ἢ καὶ τῆς περὶ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀπιστίας ἐκτίνοντι δίκας, ὥστε ῥίγει καὶ πυρετῷ συσχεθέντα μέλεσι πᾶσι κλονεῖσθαι. Ὁ δὲ διδάσκαλον ἔχων τὴν πεῖραν (πεπαίδευτο γὰρ ἱκανῶς οἷς πέπονθεν) οὐκ ὀψίζων ἦν ὡς πρώην καὶ διαμέλλων· ἀλλ᾽ ὡς εἶχε παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον εὐθὺς ἐλθὼν, τοσαύτῃ πρὸς αὐτὸν δεήσει καὶ ταπεινώσει καρδίας ἐχρῆτο, ὅσῳ πρώην ὄγκῳ τε καὶ φρονήματι, οὐχ οὕτῳ τῇ νόσῳ τὰ τοῦ σώματος μέλη σειόμενος, ὡς τὴν ψυχὴν τῷ παραδόξῳ τοῦ θαύματος· καὶ τὸ μὲν οὐ δὲ χάριτας οἷός τε εἶναι λέγων ἐπὶ τῇ θυγατρὶ ἀξίας ὁμολογεῖν, τὸ δὲ περὶ τοῦ κατασχόντος αὐτὸν

κλόνου δεόμενος. Ὁ δέ μετὰ τῆς συνήθους συμπαθείας, Ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, γενοῦ καὶ σὺ ὑγιὴς, ἔφη· καὶ τῷ θαύματι θαῦμα συνήφθη, τῷ περὶ τὴν παῖδά φημι τὸ τοῦ πατρός· καὶ ὑγιῶς αὐτίκα ἔχων εἱστήκει, ὅλος ἔκστασις ὢν, ὅλος θάμβος, ὅλος κατάπληξις, οὐ χείλεσιν, οὐ δὲ ῥήμασιν, οὐ δέ μακροῖς διηγήμασιν, ἀλλὰ σιωπῇ μᾶλλον καὶ σχήματι καὶ προσώπου συστάσει, τὸ τῶν θαυμάτων μέγεθος τοῖς ὁρῶσι κηρύττων.

[201] There is not far from Antioch, in a place called Apate, a workshop of the Isaurians, wondrous to the stupor of beholders, Not healed because of his infidelity in which the workmen toil at cutting stones for the use of the houses and walls of the city. One of these, flourishing in age, a Gentile in religion, had gone to gather wood into a forest, which itself also belonged to a Gentile lord; and a burden grievous beyond his strength being imposed, he was so suddenly touched with paralysis, that he could use no member of his body. He is taken up by his comrades; and carried to the Saint, that man, truly miserable, is placed before his benign eyes. The Saint touched the man after his manner and signed him: but when the paralytic remained, perceiving no help, he immediately knew the cause, and said: What is it that, impeding the effect of divine grace in thee, defers thy healing? Dost thou perchance place thy hope in idols, not in God? He denies that he is conscious of such a thing: but knowing that he lied and in the present evil had pertinaciously hardened his soul; Now go, he says; the lover of the human race, Christ, will visit thee in thy home, when thou hast transferred thyself to His worship.

[202] So, taken up, his companions carried him home; where, despairing of health, he lay, his sister, and therefore being converted whom he had begging, supplying the necessaries of life. The third year was now pressing upon the bedridden man, when he himself too, abhorring the long disease, and recognizing that there was no help in idolatrous error, understood that his worship must be turned elsewhere: God thus wisely disposing (how great are His judgments?) that He might draw him to Himself by the duration of his affliction. With all his strength therefore believing in God, he persisted in nocturnal and diurnal prayers, using Symeon as mediator, that at length he might be freed from the paralysis. Meanwhile it happened that a certain blind man of that region came to the Saint, and by his touch and the sign of the Cross obtained his sight: who, doubtful of a worthy recompense of thanks (for what may be matched to eyes?), set himself this law, that on that day each year, on which he had been made partaker of so wondrous a benefit, whatever he had gained by the work of his hands, he would distribute to the needy.

[203] When therefore, about to fulfill his vow, he was distributing the loaves, of which he had then procured himself a store, and was now about to reach one to the paralytic also; his sister extending her hand to receive it, at length he is cured. he held himself back, commanding that the sick man himself should take it. But when those present cried out: Dost thou not see, he lies with loosened sinews, powerless to move even any member of his body or any little part? trusting himself in the virtue of the Holy Spirit inhabiting Symeon, or, what is more credible, by the impulse of that very spirit, with as clear a voice as he could; In the name, he says, of the servant of God Symeon, who dwells on the wondrous mountain; and who made me, a blind man, to see, extend thy hands and receive the blessing. When immediately (how, O immortal Lord, shall I sing Thy mercy!) not only were the hands corroborated able to take the loaves, but whatever other member of the body also, entirely healed, was moved according to the requirement of nature. As many therefore as were present, they were stupefied at the unusual magnitude of the prodigy: but to him who had been healed the Saint appeared in a certain invisible manner, and he burns his idols broken in pieces; exhorting him to go home, and to break in pieces the idols which he had there. But he not only fulfilled accurately what he was commanded; but adding something even further, cast them, now broken, into the fire; and publishing his pristine error, showed that he was not led by a vain repentance.

[204] He was, as has been said, in the flower of his age, and sought as wife the daughter of a certain Gentile, this promise first made to God and to Symeon, that he would not give labor to the marriage before, approaching the column, the same man, marrying a Gentile woman he had extolled Thee, our God and King, with deserved praises, and had rendered thanks to his physician Symeon. But when the girl's father threatened that, unless the nuptials were celebrated at once, he would not thereafter permit it, nay, would give his daughter to another man; he, postponing the compacts entered with the Saint to the necessity imposed on him by his father-in-law, assented, though unwilling; and that, with almost all the neighbors gathered, who were Gentiles and given to Gentile superstitions. Furthermore, the nuptials now celebrated and the banquet finished, demons suddenly leap upon them, not only the bridegroom and the father-in-law, seized by a demon with his whole family, but also the bride, the mother, the brothers, and as many as had been ministers or favorers of the nuptials; divine justice not so much taking ill, as I think, the neglect of the compacts, as willing souls led away from the error of idols to be converted to the knowledge of the true God: which also was immediately done. For casting away the things which were in their hands, they all rush with swift course to the Saint; not only asking a remedy, the same being converted, is freed. but also publicly proclaiming that the worship of their idols was erroneous, and repaying as it were a wage for the benefit asked, their conversion to God. These therefore Symeon, swift to compassion, both freeing from the vexation of the demon, and instructing in the things necessary to salvation, and forming with admonitions, sent back sound and unharmed to their homes, to celebrate the day of their conversion more splendidly than of their nuptials.

[205] Certain Cappadocians had come to the Saint, affected with various infirmities, A mute obtains the faculty of speaking. of whom one was mute. But when others of these were endowed with health, this one alone remained tongueless, having obtained no relief from that journey. They had persisted there three days and were about to depart on the following light, when, the baggage being collected, they came to the Saint, to receive his intercession and prayers as a viaticum. Among the others this mute man, gazing on the Saint, made some sad and miserable sign; so that he, touched with commiseration, lifted his eyes to the inexhaustible mercy, and his face turned away, placed his finger on his mouth, his lips gently pressed, then thereafter put it into the man's mouth: who, as if sucking a breast, immediately was seen to speak articulately and to use his tongue naturally.

[206] Again others came from Seleucia a of Cappadocia, seized with manifold diseases: who when all had obtained grace from Symeon, each being delivered from the evil by which he was held, and were spending the labor of their hands for some time on the uses of the monastery; there was present a certain girl mature for a husband, A deaf and mute girl, bidden go home, impeded in tongue from her very nativity, and, her ears vitiated, mute and deaf, who had experienced no help. Her father was touched the more grievously by the inconvenience, because he was a father; and his bowels being moved through commiseration, he advanced wailing and weeping to Symeon, showing how much sea he had traversed, and beseeching with utmost effort, that he might not be forced to retrace so great a journey devoid of solace. To whom the Saint, Return, he says, thy daughter taken with thee: for it will not be difficult for God to visit you even as you sail by ship. The father was filled, this discourse heard, with sweet hope, and his daughter received, committed himself to the sea. He had not yet traversed half the journey, when, she is cured in the midst of the way. a certain grateful odor gliding both to himself and to those sailing with him, such as is wont to be a sign of divine grace approaching, the girl's tongue was loosed, and she perfectly spoke and heard. That matter struck as many as were in the ship with stupor and trembling; but the father, reckoning it unjust, if for so great a benefit, no memory of a grateful mind left, he should return home; mounted another ship, his daughter accompanying, and conveyed back to the Saint, offers now for thanksgiving such tears as before he had poured forth for his daughter.

[207] Another again from b Daphne had a daughter laboring with the same inconveniences; whom his wife and his more familiar friends ceased not to persuade him to bring to the common physician on the wondrous mountain, The father, mocking his friends who hoped for help from Symeon, that she too with many others might be made partaker of cure. But he, hardened by a certain obstinacy, maintained that what was reported of the Saint was little credible, and for the most part did not even deign to lend an ear to those narrating these things. At length nevertheless, undertaking that very thing through the reproaches of many, with the mother he brought his daughter to the column; and standing before the Saint, with gesture and mind arrogant, narrated concerning her. On the contrary the Saint, answering with submissive voice; Return, he said, with thy daughter home, there Christ will deign her with His visitation. Hence upon that man of heavy heart various thoughts crept, and he began to repent that he had approached the column, and also to blurt out reproaches and mockeries against his friends, because they had been the authors of such counsel. But the girl's mother, since she was circumspect, and was affected not more grievously by this one's misery than by the obstinacy of her husband, fearing lest the obstinate incredulity of her husband concerning the Saint should bring some new calamity, returned whence she had come; and again afflicting herself to the earth in the sight of the Saint, and pouring forth tears, indices at once of grief and of confidence, she begged pardon for her incredulous husband, and that his obstinacy should not stand in the way of her daughter's health. The Saint took up, with countenance as much as voice gentle; Go, he says; for the things which I said will come to you from God.

[208] The time of mercy now approaching, the girl's tongue was suddenly loosed, the daughter healed, he is struck with trembling, and she used freely the faculty of hearing and addressing her parents. But upon the father at the spectacle of the sudden miracle so great a fear came, that, seized with a horrid cold and a fever, he trembled in all his limbs; as one who was very far from believing things of that kind, or was paying the penalties of his incredulity toward the Saint. Taught therefore by experience (as one sufficiently castigated through the things he suffered), he did not defer nor procrastinate, as before; but with as great speed as he could flying to the Saint, he dealt with him with as suppliant a prayer and lowliness of mind, as lately with swollen pride and arrogance: nor were the limbs of his body more vehemently shaken by the disease, than his very soul by the stupendous novelty of the miracle. Partly therefore he confessed that it could not be that he should pay deserved thanks for his daughter; partly he deprecated, that the trembling by which he was shaken might cease. To this Symeon, after his accustomed mercy: In the name of the Lord Jesus, and is healed by the same. he says, be thou also whole. And so one miracle was connected to another; that, I say, which was wrought in the daughter, this which in the father: and immediately, being most beautifully well, he stood, wholly ecstatic, wholly stupefied, wholly struck; with no lips, with no words, nor with long narrations; but with deep silence, with the habit of his body, and the composure of his face, proclaiming to beholders the magnitude of the miracle.

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Others of insolent tongue against the Saint are castigated and, repenting, are freed.

Μετὰ δὲ χρόνον συχνὸν, συνέβη διάκονόν τινα τῆς κώμης Εὐθαλίου λεγομένης, Ἐπιφάνιον ὄνομα, τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ καταλαλεῖν, ἐνυβρίζειν τε καὶ παροινεῖν εἰς αὐτὸν, καὶ σαφῆ τῶν αὐτῷ προσιόντων ἀπάτην καταγινώσκειν. Ποτὲ γοῦν θειοτέρας ὁ Ἐπιφάνιος ἄνωθεν ἐπισκοπῆς ἀξιωθεὶς κατὰ Παῦλον, ἔπεσεν ὡσεὶ νεκρὸς κατὰ γῆς, καὶ τὰ ἐντὸς συνεστράφη· προστέτακτο δὲ διὰ νυκτερινῆς ὄψεως καὶ οὗτος, οὐκ εἰς Δαμασκὸν ὡς ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράποντα Συμεὼν ἀνελθεῖν, ὡς καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ δηλαδὴ θεραπείαν οὐ σώματος κομιούμενος μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχῆς. Καὶ δῆτα φόρτος οὐδὲν ἀψύχων ἀπεοικὼς ὑποζυγίῳ ἐπιτεθεὶς, ἀθλία τε πρὸ τοῦ στύλου τεθεὶς ὄψις, φωνῆς ἄνωθεν ἀκούει παρὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου λεγούσης, Ἰδοὺ ἀφείθη σοι παρὰ Κυρίου τὰ ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ· ἔγειραι τοιγαροῦν ἀναλαβὼν ἑαυτον, μηκέτι διώκειν αὐτὸν ἀνεχόμενος ἐν τῷ τιθέναι τὸ στόμα σου εἰς ἡμᾶς, καὶ λαλεῖν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀδικίαν. Τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν ἑαυτὸν παραδόξως ἐπανελθὼν, τἀναντία διεξήει τῶν προλαβόντων, καὶ κηρύττων ἦν ὅλῳ στόματι μᾶλλον τὰς τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ θεράποντος αὐτοῦ δυναστείας. Εἶτα καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς προσαγαγὼν δαιμονῶντας, ὑγιεῖς ἑκατέρους ἀπολαμβάνει. Οὗτος μετὰ θατέρου τῶν παίδων ὕστερον τῷ Ἁγίῳ παραβαλὼν (ἐπεὶ καὶ συνεχῶς αὐτῷ μετὰ τὴν πεῖραν ἐφοίτα, καὶ τοσοῦτον ὅσῳ τοὺς ταύτῃ δρῶντας πρώην ἐμέμφετο) ἔν τινι τῶν ἀνωγαίων τῆς μονῆς καταλύει. Τὸν μὲν οὖν παῖδα συνέβη νυκτὸς, κατὰ δή τινα σώματος χρείαν διεγερθέντα, κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο στῆναι τὸν οἰκίας τὸ μέρος, ὄπου τινὰς τῶν ἱερῶν τοῦ Συμεὼν τριχῶν ἐτύγχανε κεῖσθαι. Εἴ τε δὲ βασκανία τῆς φθονερᾶς τοῦ πονηροῦ φύσεως καὶ ταῖς ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐνεργείαις, είτε τῆς χάριτος οὐκ ἀνασχομένης, ἐνεχθεὶς ἐκεῖθεν κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἐπὶ πέτραν, καὶ ταύτην πληγεῖς τε ἅμα καὶ συντριβεῖς, θνήσκει. Κραυγῆς δὲ γενομένης, καὶ πάντων ὅσοι παρόντες ἦσαν ἐκεῖ συνδραμόντων, εὑρίσκεται τεθνηκώς. Ὁ πατὴρ τοίνυν οὐδὲν διαταραχθεὶς (ᾔδει γὰρ σαφῶς ἐγγὺς ἔχων τὸν ἰατρὸν) ἀνελόμενος ἡσυχῆ θανόντα τὸν παῖδα, κομίζει πρὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου· ὁ δὲ ὡς ἥψατο τούτου τῇ δεξιᾷ, καὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ καὶ μόνου ζωοποιεῖν εἰδότος νεκροὺς, ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἐδεήθη (Τίς ἐξομολογήσεταί σοι Χριστὲ τὰ ἐλέη σου!) ἐπάνεισι μὲν ἡ ψυχὴ τοῦ παιδὸς, καὶ ζῶν ὁ νεκρὸς καὶ πνέων ὡρᾶτο. Ὁ Συμεὼν δὲ σιγὴν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τοῖς περὶ αὐτὸν παραγγέλλει, ἀραμένοις ἰδία τὸν παῖδα, ἵνα βραχύ τι καὶ καθευδήσῃ· ὅπερ ὡς προσέταξε γεγονὸς, ὑπνώσαντος τὰ μέτρια τοῦ παιδὸς, αἷμα διὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ ὤτων ἀθρόον ἐχέθη, καθάπερ ἀθεάτῳ τινὶ χειρουργίᾳ τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν χρησαμένου· καὶ μετὰ τὸν ὕπνον ὐγιὴς ὅλος ἦν, ἡδέως προσιέμενος καὶ τροφὴν, θαῦμα πᾶσι καὶ ὄμμασι καὶ ὠσὶν, ὁρώμενός τε καὶ ἀκουμενος. Ὁ γοῦν τούτου πατὴρ, λαμπρὸς τῶν τοῦ μεγάλου Συμεὼν κήρυξ ὢν, καὶ τοσοῦτος εἰς εὐφημίαν, ὅσος εἰς λοιδορίαν τὸ πρὶν ἐγνωρίζετο, ἄνδρα τινὰ Βαβύλαν καλούμενον, ἔτος, που πεντηκοστὸν ὄντα, γυμνὸν ὅλον καὶ λεῖον καὶ ἄτριχα, οὐ κεφαλὴν μόνον οὐ δὲ ὀφρύας, ἀλλὰ καὶ πώγωνα καὶ σῶμα τὸ πᾶν, ὡς καὶ πᾶσιν ἐν γέλωτι καὶ παιδιᾷ εἶναι· τοῦτον ἀπαραδέκτως ἔχοντα καὶ ἀπίστως εἰδὼς, ὡς ἡ παρὰ τῷ θείῳ Συμεὼν θεία χάρις δυνατὴ τρίχας αὐτῷ κατὰ φύσιν ἐκφῦναι, πείθει σὺν πόνῳ· καὶ πείσας ἄγει παρὰ τὸν στύλον, οὐ μετὰ θερμῆς πίστεως μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ τοῦ παρελθόντος μεταμελείας. Ὁ δὲ, Σὺ κωλυτὴς ἐγένου σαυτῷ τῆς ἄνωθεν δωρεᾶς εἰς δεῦρο, ἔφη, καὶ πιστεύων ὅτι δυνατὸν ὃ αἰτεῖς, ἔσεσθαί σοι παρὰ Θεοῦ. Νῦν οῦν οἴκαδε πορεύου χαίρων· ἀνατελοῦσι γάρ σοι κατὰ φύσιν αἱ τρίχες. Ταύτας ὁ μὲν παρὰ τοῦ ἱεροῦ Συμεὼν τὰς ἐπαγγελίας λαβὼν, ἐπανῆκεν. Εἴσω δὲ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἐπήνθησεν αὐτῷ θρὶξ ἐκ ῥιζῶν ἀνιοῦσα, καθάπερ ἀρτιτόκου παιδίου τὴν ἐκ γενέσεως ἑαυτῆς ὑποφαίνουσα βλάστην, ἐκόμισέ τε κατὰ μικρὸν οὐ κεφαλὴν μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ πώγωνα, πολιαῖς κατὰ φύσιν τῆς οἰκείας ἡλικίας κατηρτυμένος, ὡς ἐν θαύματος εἶναι λόγῳ καὶ τοῖς πρώην ἐν γέλωτι τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν ποιουμένοις. Γυνή τις ἀμφοτέρους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τυφλωθεῖσα προσήει χειραγωγουμένη τῷ ἱερῷ Συμεών· καταλαβοῦσα δὲ ἤδη τὰ τῆς μάνδρας εἰσόδους, Ἅγιε Συμεὼν, μεγάλῃ ὡς εῖχεν ἐβόησεν οὐ γλώττῃ καὶ φωνῇ μᾶλλον ἢ πίστει καὶ· ζέσει καρδίας, τυφλήν με δεχόμενος, ἀπόλυσον βλέπουσαν. Τοῦ δὲ σπλαγχνισθέντος ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ, χεῖράς τε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐπιθέντος, ἔβλεψεν εὐθὺς ὑγιῶς. Εἶτα προσάγει τὴν θυγατέρα πάθος ἔχουσαν περὶ τὴν γυνήν· ἐπιθεὶς τοίνυν καὶ τῇ παιδὶ τὴν χεῖρα, Νῦν μὲν ἐπάνηκε σὺν αὐτῇ, πρὸς τὴν μητέρα ἔφη, ὄψει δὲ οἴκοι τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὡς γοῦν ἐπανῆλθον ἑκατέραι, καὶ ὕπνωσεν οἷα φιλεῖ τῷ καμάτῳ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας ἡ μήτηρ, ὁρᾷ τὸν Ἅγιον ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ, καὶ οὐ τῇ συνήθει παραβαλόντα, τὴν τε νεάνιν ἀγαγεῖν, καὶ τὸ πάθος ἀνακαλύψαι κελεύσαντα· οὗ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς εὐθέως γεγενημένου, ἀνατέμοντα τοῦτο, καὶ τὸ λυποῦν ἐκεῖθεν ἐξενεγκόντα καὶ, πάλιν τὰς πληγὰς συνουλώσαντα· ἔπειτα μέντοι τῆς οἰκίας ἐξιόντα, καὶ ἑαυτην μὲν ὁρκίζουσαν αὐτὸν ὅστις εἴη φράσαι· τὸν δὲ καθάπερ βαρέως φέροντα καὶ ἀχθόμενον, ὦ γύναι τί τοῦτο ἐπιζητεῖς ἀποκρίνασθαι; Δαναστάσα τοίνυν, ὢ τοῦ θαύματος, εὑρίσκει την παῖδα τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγεῖσαν, καὶ βραχέους ὕπνου δῶρον αὐτῇ παραδόξως γεγενημένην. Ἀνὴρ δέ τις ἐκ γειτόνων τῇ γυναικὶ ταύτῃ, γλώττῃ κατὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου λοιδόρῳ καὶ διαβόλῳ χρώμενος, ὃς τοῖς αὐτοῦ θαυμασίοις οὐκ ἀπιστῶντι μόνον ἐώκει, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρασκώπτων εἰς αὐτὸν ἦν, καὶ τὰ ἐκείνου διασύρων ἀναίδην καὶ καταπαίζων. Οὗτος δίκην εὑρὼν ἀκολάστου γλώσσης δαίμονα σύνοικον, προσάγεται τῷ Ἁγίῳ, καὶ θεραπείας παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τυχὼν, οὐ δὲ ταύτη τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἀπέσχετο φλυαρίας. Ἡ δίκη δὲ πάλιν τῶν ἑαυτῆς οὐκ ἠμέλει· ἀλλὰ νομίσας ὁ μάταιος ἐκεῖνος ἰδεῖν τὸν Ἅγιον ἐν ὁράματι νυκτὸς αὐτῷ ἐπιστάντα, καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ δεξιὰν πρὸς ὀργὴν ἀφελόμενον· διυπνισθεὶς, ἀψευδεῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων εὑρίσκει τὰς τῆς φαντασίας εἰκόνας. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ πάντη τὴν δεξιὰν ἀφῄρητο, ἀλλὰ ξηρὰν αὐτὴν εἶχε, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀψύχων ἀπεοικυῖαν· ἔπειτα μέντοι αἱ σάρκες διαῤῥυεῖσαι, γυμνὰ μέχρι καρποῦ τὰ ὀστᾶ καὶ νεῦρα τῆς χειρὸς ἐκείνης ἀπολελοίπεσαν· ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ σκώληξι ζέσασα, οὐ δὲ φορητὴν τῷ ἀθλίῳ τὴν τῆς ὀδύνης βίαν παρεῖχε. Συνεὶς τοιγαροῦν μετὰ τὴν πληγὴν, πρόσεισι τῷ Ἁγίῳ πικροτέραν τοῦ πάθους τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς προλαβοῦσι μεταμέλειαν ἔχων. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἁψάμενος, κελεύει τῆς αὐτοῦ κόνεως λαβόντα οἴκαδε ἀπιέναι, ἄλλο τῇ χειρὶ μηδὲν ὅτι μὴ ταύτης ἐπιτιθέντα. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ταύτη ἔδρα· περὶ δὲ πρῶτον νυκτὸς ὕπνον ἔδοξεν αὐτῷ τὸν Συμεὼν ἐπιστάντα, πτύελόν τε τοῦ οἰκείου στόματος, τοῦ θείου ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐκείνου καὶ Θεῷ διά παντὸς προσλαλοῦντος, τῇ δεξιᾷ λαμβάνοντα, τὴν ἐκείνου δεξιὰν ἐπιχρίειν, ὁμοῦ δὲ τῷ χρίσματι καὶ σάρκας ἀνάγεσθαι, καὶ δέρμα ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν ἐκτείνεσθαι, ἕως ἐπὶ τὸν προέχοντα κόνδυλον τοῦ μέσου δακτύλου· τοῦτον δὲ αὐτῷ μετ᾽ ὄνυχι πεσεῖν, ὡς εἶναι καὶ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ὑπόμνησιν ἐκείνῳ τῆς πολλῆς περὶ γλῶτταν ἀκολασίας, ὄνυχα δὲ ἀναβηναι ἄλλον ἐπὶ τὸ ἐχόμενον τοῦ κονδύλου ἄρθρον. Την μὲν οὖν ὄψιν διυπνισθέντι τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἔργον εἶναι, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ὑγιῶς ὡς ἔφημεν ἔχειν, ἵνα καὶ τῷ θαύματι θαῦμα προσθῶμεν, ταῦτα δρόντα τὸν Συμεὼν, ἦν τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης ὁρᾷν τῷ πνεύματι ἑαυτὸν, οἷα κᾀκείνῳ συνέβαινεν· ὡς αὐτός τε τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὀφθεὶς ἐν ἐκστάσει τότε γεγενημενος, πολλὰ δεηθεῖσιν ἀπείγγειλε, καὶ ὁ τῆς θεραπείας τυχὼν ἐξηγήσατο. Ἀλλὰ μέχρι τίνος ἀμηχάνοις ἐπιχειροῦμεν, λόγῳ τὰ ἐκείνου διαλαβεῖν καθεξῆς πάντα πειρώμενοι; Ἦν τις ἐν Σουροῖς στρατιώτης (πολίχνιον δέ τι τοῦτο τῶν Ἐπευφρατιδίων) εὖ μεν νεότητός τε καὶ ἡλικίας, εὖ δὲ τῆς κατὰ πόλεμὸν ἀρετῆς, καὶ περὶ πάντα δεξιότητος ἔχων. Ποτὲ γοῦν αὐτοῦ πρός τι λουτρὸν ἀπιόντος, συνέβη τῶν στρατιωτῶν τινα, τὰς σάρκας ὑπὸ τῆς ἱερᾶς νόσου λελωβημενον, ἐκεῖθεν ἐξιόντα, εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ καταστηναι. Τοῦ δὲ δεινῶς μυσαχθέντος, καὶ μή τε βαλανείων αὐτῷ τοῦ λοιποῦ, μή τε διατριβῶν κοινωνεῖν παραγγείλαντος, στενάζει μὲν ἐν πικρίᾳ ψυχῆς ἐκεῖνος, τὸ δὲ πάθος (τῶν ἀνεφίκτων σου, Δέσποτα, τῆς σοφίας κριμάτων) εὐθέως ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν μεταπίπτει· καὶ διοιδοῦσι μὲν ἔσω τριῶν ἡμερῶν αἱ σάρκες τῷ στρατιώτῃ καὶ καταῤῥέουσιν, ἀλλοιοῦται δὲ ἡ πνοὴ, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν τὸ σῶμα μεταβάλλει ἕξιν, σαπρία τὸ πᾶν ἐν ὀλίγῳ γεγενημένον. Ἰατροῖς μὲν οὖν ἤδη καὶ χεῖρες καὶ τέχναι σαφῶς ἀπειρήκεσαν· τῷ δὲ, ἡ τῆς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων θεραπείας ἀπόγνωσις, ὁδηγὸς παραδόξως εἰς σωτηρίαν γίνεται καὶ παιδείαν. Εἶναι Θεοῦ τὸ πρᾶγμα συνεὶς, διὰ τὸν εἰς τὸν πλησίον ὀνειδισμὸν, πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἔγνω καταφυγεῖν, παρ᾽ οὗ καὶ ἡ παιδέια· μόνου γάρ εἶναι τὴν ταύτης λύσιν Θεοῦ, τοῦ καὶ τὴν παιδείαν ἐπαγαγόντος. Οὕτως ἔχοντι παρίσταταί τις αὐτῷ, καθάπερ ἔκ τινος θείας ἀποστολῆς, ὃς, Πορεύου παρὰ τὸ θαυμαστὸν ὄρος ἐπὶ τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ Συμεὼν, ἔφη, ἐκεῖνος ἴασις τῆς μάστιγος ἔσται σοι. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς τὸ ῥῆμα τὴν καρδίαν ἀναφλεγεὶς, πίστει τε μεγάλῃ τοῦτο δεξάμενος, ἀνακομίζεται πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκείων· καὶ ὁ πρόην καλὸς ἐκεῖνος καὶ ζηλωτὸς ῥίπτεται πρὸ αὐτοῦ, τίνος οὐκ ἀθλιώτερος; Αἵματος τοίνυν ἐξ αὐτοῦ καθάπερ ἀθεάτῳ τινὶ χειρουργίᾳ, διὰ πάντων μικροῦ τῶν μελῶν ἀθρόον ἐκκενωθέντος τὴν τε πνοὴν ἀνεῖτο, καὶ τὴν σάρκα κεκαίνιστο καὶ ἡ μορφή· ἐν τρισὶ ταῖς πάσαις ἡμέραις εἰς τὴν προτέραν ἀποκαθειστήκει ὄψιν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἐντολὰς παρὰ τοῦ Συμεὼν λαβὼν, ἐντολῶν μηκέτι θείων ὀλιγωρεῖν, μὴ δὲ ὀνειδισμὸν λαμβάνειν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔγγιστα αὐτοῦ, ὑγιὴς ὅλος οἴκαδε ἐπανῄει

[209] Long after, it happened that a Deacon, by name Epiphanius, of a certain village which is called of Euthalius; through ignorance detracted from the fame of S. Symeon, Reviling the Saint, he is divinely struck and contumeliously raged against him, and openly reproved the error of those coming to him. At some time therefore that Epiphanius, deemed worthy of a divine vision from above, like Paul of old, fell as if dead to the earth, and was moved in his inmost bowels: he too was bidden, not to go to Damascus as that one, but to the servant of God Symeon, that through him he might carry back health not only of body but also of soul. Therefore, no much from

[210] Bringing then his two demoniac sons, he received both whole: and one of them accompanying, betaking himself afterward at some time to the Saint (because, having now experienced his virtue, whose son, dead from a fall he went thither frequently, and the more often the more frequently he had before reprehended those doing the same thing), he lodged in a certain upper dining-room of the monastery. But it happened that the boy, pressed by a certain necessity of the body, awoke and rose by night; and when by chance he stood in that part of the house where some sacred hairs of Symeon lay; whether by the fascination and evil arts of the by-nature envious spirit, or by the grace implanted in them not tolerating it; the boy, falling thence, dashed his head against a rock, and grievously wounded, it being almost crushed, departed from the living. A great clamor arises, as many as were in the house run together, they find him dead. But the father, least of all troubled (for he knew the physician was at hand), taking up the dead boy calmly, conveys him to the Saint. He touched the boy with his right hand, and invoked over him the only-begotten Son of God, is recalled by the same to life: who alone can raise the dead to life. Who will confess Thy mercies to Thee, O Lord? The soul returns to the boy: and he who had been dead is seen to live and breathe. But the Saint, silence enjoined on the father and his company, bids the boy be taken away, that for a while he may take rest. Which when it had been done as commanded, the boy now placidly sleeping, through his ears suddenly blood was poured forth, Symeon in a certain manner acting as surgeon through a certain invisible art. But the boy, his sleep finished, entirely healed, also eagerly admitted food, and became a miracle to all who saw him, where he was beheld; to those hearing, where it was narrated.

[211] The father therefore of this boy, now made an illustrious herald of the great Symeon, The same brings another unbeliever to Symeon as much addicted to propagating his fame, as before he was known to be prone to reviling; met a certain man who was called Babylas. He had reached about his fiftieth year, and was now wholly bald and hairless, not only in head and eyebrows, but also in chin and the whole body, so that he was to all a laughingstock and mockery. He knew him to be unbelieving, and to admit no sounder counsel into his ears: yet he persuaded him, not without labor, that the divine grace which was with S. Symeon could make his hairs grow forth in the order of nature: and so persuaded he led him to the column, conferring not only kindled confidence, but also repentance for things past. Symeon says to him: Thou hast thyself, up to this day, barred the heavenly gift from thyself; but if thou shalt believe that what thou askest can be done, it will come to thee from the Lord. Now therefore go home glad: for hairs will be reborn to thee according to the requirement of nature. He held S. Symeon's promises ratified and accepted, and returned home. When behold within three days the hair reflourished, who is freed from foul baldness. the hairs thrust out from the root, imitating the hairs of a recently born infant; and in a short time it adorned not only the head, but the chin also; soon also, as his age required, he appeared beautifully clothed with gray hairs, so that he was a wonder to those to whom he had before been a mockery.

[212] A certain woman blind in both eyes was coming to S. Symeon led by the hand: and now about to enter the monastery, she cried as loud as she could, no more with tongue and voice than with faith and fervor of heart: Holy Symeon, A woman blind in her eyes O thou who receivest me lacking eyes, dismiss me seeing with them. And when, having pitied her, he had placed his hands on her eyes, she straightway saw rightly. Then she leads also her daughter laboring from a disease, on whom likewise placing his hands; he says to the mother, Return now with thy daughter home, there she shall see the glory of God. When therefore both had returned, and her daughter are cured. sleep crept upon the mother, as is wont, from the fatigue of the journey, and the Saint was presented to her in it, clothed in another form than the accustomed; and he approached, leading by the hand the girl, whom he commanded to reveal the place of her pain. And she presently obeying the command, he, the place being dissected, drew out thence what had been the cause of pain, and closed the wound with a scar: afterward the woman seemed to herself to bind him going out of the house with an oath, that he would declare who he was: but he, as if bearing it more grievously and grieved, to answer; O woman, why dost thou inquire that? These things seen, the woman, awakened (O miracle!), found the girl free of pain, by the gift of a short sleep, admirable.

[213] From the neighborhood of this woman a certain man assailed the holy man with contumelious and diabolical tongue; A man of insolent tongue against the Saint is invaded by a demon, and seemed not only not to believe his miracles, but also to cavil, and with the utmost impudence to detract from the things done by him and to mock them. But he found the deserved vengeance of an intemperate tongue, a demon invading him. He is produced therefore to the Saint; but having obtained deliverance from him, he no whit more than before ceased to act petulantly against the Saint. But vengeance again no whit more slowly follows: for that vain man supposed that by night he saw the Saint in a vision, and his right hand taken from him in vengeance by the angered one: and being no whit amended he loses his hand, but awaking he found that the images of the vision had been by no means vain, but the thing itself had been so: for although his right hand was not altogether taken away, it had wholly withered, in nothing differing from the inanimate. Nor did the evil stop here: the flesh consumed, his bare hand left bone and sinews, even to where it joins the arm: besides, worms eating what remained, an intolerable violence of pains was inflicted on the wretch.

[214] which, repenting again, he receives whole. Coming to himself therefore after such castigation, he advances to the Saint, bringing a sense of repentance for the things admitted more bitter than of the pain from the corroded hand. He bids the man, deemed worthy of his touch, carry off some of his dust with him and return home: and nothing, except that, to be placed on the hand. Which also he diligently did. But under the first quiet of night Symeon seemed to stand by him, who, taking with his right hand the saliva of his own mouth, of a mouth most truly divine and ever conversing with God, anointed that man's right hand: which done, it began at once to be covered with flesh, at once to be clothed with skin, even to the top knuckle of the middle finger: but that knuckle was seen to fall with the nail, namely that in times to come he might be mindful of his excessive intemperance in speaking; and another nail grew up on the extreme joint of the finger thus mutilated. This vision, when the man wakes, was the fact, the whole hand being in every part whole, as we have said. But that we may add a miracle to the miracle, that same night, in which these things seemed to him to be done by Symeon, Symeon himself also, rapt in spirit, was seen to behold himself doing the same things; just as he himself, who had then been in ecstasy, declared to the disciples much asking; and this man too, who had been endowed with health, narrated.

[215] But why do we labor in vain, trying to explain all his deeds in words? There was at b Sura, which is one of those towns that are above the Euphrates, a certain soldier, A soldier insolent toward a sick man is seized by his disease: flourishing in well-vigorous and youthful age, and also eminent in warlike virtue and in dexterity in all things. But it happened at some time, as he was going to bathe, that another soldier met him, who labored with the falling-sickness, coming out of the baths. He, abominating the man most grievously, interdicts him from using the same bath with him thereafter, or from meeting with him at all anywhere. The wretch groaned at this in the bitterness of his heart: but his disease (how incomprehensible are the judgments of Thy wisdom, O Lord!) quicker than the word passed into the other. Within three days therefore his flesh swells and flows away, the form is changed, the breath is straitened; and there is made the contrary habit of the whole body, in a short time as it were turned into putrefaction. and fleeing to Symeon The hands and arts of physicians, wearied, were already stupefied; when to the man thus destitute the very despair of obtaining health from men becomes wondrously a guide to salvation: for, recognizing that he was castigated by God for the contumely inflicted on his neighbor, he resolves to flee to Him by whom he was beaten: and that it was of God alone to remove the scourge which He had sent. To him so disposed there stood by one as if sent on a divine legation, who; Pass over, he says, into the Wondrous Mountain to the servant of God Symeon: he will heal thy pains. He, inflamed in heart by such words, and holding the promises ratified, is carried by his household to the Saint: and he who lately was so generous and fervid, is prostrated at his feet, more miserable than any. Then suddenly, by a great force of blood, as if by a certain hidden surgery scaturient from almost all his members, recovers health. his breath was again loosed for him, his flesh renewed, his form restored; and the whole man in altogether three days was vindicated to his pristine state. Finally, mandates received from the Saint, that he should not thereafter spurn the divine precepts, nor load his neighbor with reproaches, entirely healed he sought home again.

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Hidden sins known. The castigation of other contumelious ones.

Θεόδωρος δέ τις Σκρινιάριος, τὸ γένος Ἀντιοχεὺς, λέπρᾳ τὸ πᾶν ἐξηνθήκει σῶμα. Οὗτος ἁπάσης ἀπογνοὺς θεραπείας, οἷα καὶ πάσης αὐτῆς πρὸς τὸ πάθος ἀπειρηκυῖας, καὶ μείζονος ἰατρῶν καὶ χειρὸς καὶ τέχνης τούτου γεγενημενου, παρὰ τὸν θεἶον Συμεὼν καταφεύγει. Ὡς ἂν δε πρὸς πλείονα τοῦτον ἐπαγάγηται οἶκτον, ἔγνω τοιοῦτον ἔνδημα περιθέσθαι, ὡς εὐχερῶς ἔχειν ὑποδεῖξαι γυμνώσαντα τὴν λέπραν· ἐκείνῳ. Αἰσχυνόμενος τοίνυν ἐπὶ τῶν παρόντων ἐκκαλύψαι τὴν σάρκα, καιρὸν ἦν οἰκεῖον ἐπιφυλάττων. Ὅπερ δῆλον τοῖς τοῦ πνεύματος ὀφθαλμοῖς τῷ Συμεὼν γεγονός· Εἰπὲ, τέκνον, ἐπὶ τῶν παρόντων, φησὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὅτου χάριν ἐλήλυθας εἰς ἡμᾶς. Ὁ δὲ καταπλαγεὶς τῷ παραδόξῳ τῆς διοράσεως· ὅπως ὁ κρύπτων ἦν εἰς καρδίαν οὗτος, τοῦτο παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀκηκόει, πᾶσαν εὐθὺς αἰδῷ ἀποῤῥίψας, γυμνώσας ἐαυτὸν ὑπεδείκνυ· καὶ ὃς τὴν βαΐνην ῥάβδον λαβὼν, καὶ ταύτῃ τὸν ἄνδρα σφραγίσας, ἀπελθὼν παρὰ τὸ Τιβερίνου βαλανεῖον, Λοῦσαι

ἔφη, συναπολούσει γαρ ἐκεῖ και τὴν λέπραν. Οὗπερ ὡς ἐκέλευσε γεγονότος, ὑγιὴς ἐκεῖθεν, ὢ παραδόξου θαύματος! ὁ λεπρὸς ἐπανήκει. Ἓτερός τις ἐξ Ἀντιοχείας καὶ τῶν ἐπιφανῶν παραβάλλει τῷ στύλῳ, ἄρτι τῶν μνημοσυνων τῆς ἱερᾶς τοῦ Ὁσίου μητρὸς ίερῶς ἀγομένων. Ὁ μὲν οὖν καὶρὸς ἡ θεία μυσταγωγία ἦν, ἧς αὐτουργὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐτύγχανεν ὢν. Ὁ δὲ σπεύδων ἐκεῖθεν ἀναχωρῆσαι, ἀξιοῖ τῶν μαθητῶν ἕνα, ᾧγε σύνηθες εἰσκομίζειν τῷ Ἁγίῳ τὰς ἀγγελίας, ταχινην αὐτῷ γενέσθαι τὴν τῶν μυστηρίων μετάληψιν· ὃς αὐτοῦ τὰς ἀξιώσεις οὐ παριδὼν, ἀνάγει μετὰ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῶν μαθητῶν πρὸ τοῦ ὄχλου τοῦτον ἐπὶ τὸν στύλον. Ἀφεὶς δὲ τοῦτον ὡ ἱερὸς Συμεὼν, μετεδίδου μᾶλλον τοῖς μετ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀνιοῦσι. Καὶ ὁ μὲν, αὐτὸν καὶ αὖθις προσῆγεν, ὁ δὲ τὰ παραπλήσια ἕδρα· ὡς δὲ πολὺ τοῦτο ἦν καὶ μέχρι πολλοῦ, Ἡσύχασον, ἀδελφέ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ, ἔχω γὰρ αὐτῷ τι διαλεχθηναι. Μετὰ γοῦν τὸ τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν συντελεσθῆναι, παραστησάμενος τὸν ἄνδρα ὁ Συμεών· Ὑποκριτὰ, ἔφη κὰι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ μερίδος μεμακρυσμενε, πῶς ἐνταῦθα ἐληλύθεις λήσειν οἰόμενος τὸν πλάσαντα κατὰ μόνας τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν, τὸν συνιέντα εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν, τὸν στήσαντα τὰ ὄρη σταθμῷ, καῖ τὰς νάπας ζυγῷ; τίνος δὲ καὶ κοινωνῆσαι τῶν ἀχράντων μυστηρίων ἐπείγῃ; οὐκ ἐκείνου πάντως, οὗ πόῤῥω σοι ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἡ καρδία, εἰ καὶ τῷ στόματί σου ἐγγίζεις αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσί σου τιμᾷς αὐτόν. Ἀλλ᾽ εἴπερ ἔργῳ τὴν αὐτοῦ δυναστείαν βούλῃ μαθεῖν, ἰδού σε, πάντων ὁρώντων, δαίμων χαλεπὸς παραλήψεται, κᾀν τῷ ἀέρι μέσῳ κρεμάσει σε, ἕως τὰς πονηράς σου καὶ μιαρὰς πράξείς ἐξαγορεύσεις καὶ ἄκων. Πρὸς ταῦτα δέει τὴν καρδίαν κατασεισθεὶς, καὶ ἀμφοτέραις τοῦ σιδήρου περὶ τὴν στάσιν φραγμοῦ λαβόμενος, φεῖσαί μου, δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου, φεῖσαι, μέγα ἐβόα, καὶ τὰ κατ᾽ ἐμαυτὸν ἀπαραλείπτως σοι πάντα καὶ ἀκρύπτως διέξειμι. Καὶ ἀρξάμενος εὐθὺς τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ὑπὸ ταῖς πάντων ἀκοαῖς διεξῄει, πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ ὄντα, καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον ἀτοπίας ἥκοντα, ὡς μὴ δὲ τῆς τῶν δαιμόνων αὐτὸν ἀποσχέσθαι θυσίας. Ὡς δὲ πάντα ζέσει καὶ θέρμῃ ψυχῆς ἐξωμολογήσατο, δάκρυσιν ἐκ μέσης προἳοῦσι καρδίας ἐδεῖτο, δεχθῆναί τε μετανοοῦντα, καὶ τυχεῖν συγχωρήσεως, ἐπ᾽ ἀσφαλείᾳ τῇ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον· ἣν ὁ σοφὸς τῶν ψυχῶν ἰατρὸς ἐκεῖνος εὐθὺς ἐπὶ τηλικαύτῃ δίδωσι μετανοίᾳ, καὶ διδάξας αὐτίκα καὶ ὑποθεὶς, καὶ συμβουλεύσας, καὶ παραινέσας, καί τινας ἐντολὰς ἐπιθεὶς, ἀπέλυσεν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, οὐ χαλεπῶν παθῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ καὶ χαλεπωτέρας ἀσεβείας ἀπηλλαγμένον. Ἕτερός τις, ἐξ Ἐπιφανείας τῆς ἐν Συρίᾳ, ἐπισήμων καὶ οὗτος, παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνελθὼν, καὶ συλλαλήσας ἅπερ ἐβούλετο, ὀρέγει ξύλον Ἰνδικὸν εὐῶδες αὐτῷ, ἀξιῶν δεχθῆναί τε καὶ θυμίαμα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ Θεῷ προσαχθῆναι. Τοῦ δὲ παραιτουμένου καὶ ἀνανεύοντος, οἴκοι τε θυμιᾷν τοῦτον μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ἐπιτρέποντας, ὡς πολὺς ἦν ἐπιμένων ἐκεῖνος ἐνεχθῆναι κελεύει θυμιατήριον, Ἵνα καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ, φησι, διαφανῇ δυναστεία· καὶ τοῖς ἄνθραξιν ἐπιτεθέντος τοῦ ξύλου, τοσαύτη τις δυσωδία γεγόνει, καὶ ὀσφρήσει οὕτως οὐ δὲ μιᾷ φορητὴ, οὐκ ἀνὰ τὴν μονὴν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ ὄρους ἐπὶ πολὺ διήκουσα, ὡς καὶ τοῖς ἔξωθεν διὰ πάσης ἐπὶ τὴν μονὴν ὁδοῦ προσιοῦσι τοιαύτην οἵαν μὴ δὲ ἀνέχεσθαι δυνασθαι, ταύτην ἀπὸ μακρόθεν προσβάλλειν. Ἰδὼν τοίνυν ὁ Συμεὼν, ἔργῳ αὐτῷ καὶ βίου φαυλότητα τὸ παρὰ τὸ εἰκὸς τῆς τοῦ ξύλου φύσεως ἐκεῖνο κατηγορεῖν, Ἐξομολόγησαί, φησι, τῷ Θεῷ τάς πράξεις σου, μετανοῶν τὸ λοιπὸν ἀπὸ τῆς κακίας σου, ὅπως σε μἡ δαίμονες αὐτίκα παραλαβόντες, ἐλεεινὸν πάσῃ γλώσσῃ θῶνται διήγημα. Ἐν φόβῳ τοιγαροῦν πολλῷ γεγονὼς, πάσας εὐθὺς αὐτὰς διεξῆλθε, δυσωδεστέρας πολλῷ τοῦ θυμιάματος οὐσας· ἐῖτα ἐπιτιμηθεὶς τὰ εἰκότα, καὶ παραινέσεως καὶ διδασκαλίας τυχὼν, ἐπάνεισιν. Ἀκόλουθον τῷ εἰρημενῳ τὸ ἐπαγόμενον, ὅσω καὶ ἀμφοτέροις συγγενῆ τὰ τοῦ θαύματος. Ἱερεύς τις, ὄνομα Ἰωάννης, τὴν ἐν Ἀπαμείᾳ τηνικαῦτα Ἐκκλησίαν οἰκονομῶν, προσῆλθεν συν συζύγῳ καὶ προσήκουσι πᾶσι τῷ Συμεών. Ὁ γοῦν τὰς ἀγγελίας εἰσφέρων μαθητὴς, φιλίᾳ τῇ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἢ καὶ χάριτι, τάχα δὲ καὶ ἀγνοίᾳ τῶν κατ᾽ αὐτὸν, ἐσπούδαζεν ὅσα καὶ χρηστὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον τῷ Συμεὼν παραθέσθαι. Πολλῶν τοιγαροῦν περὶ αὐτοῦ παρὰ τοῦ μαθητοῦ λεγομένων, ἠρέμα πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Συμεὼν ἐπιστρέψας, Μὴ χρῆναι τοιαῦτά τισιν, ὅπως ἂν καὶ τύχοι, μαρτυρεῖν, ἔφη· παύσαι τοίνυν, ἀδελφὲ, περὶ ὧν οὐκ οἶσθα διατεινόμενος. Καὶ τῇ χειρὶ παρὰ τῶν τῆς κεφαλῆς τριχῶν τοῦ Οἰκονόμου λαβόμενος, Τὸ ἀκάθαρτον καὶ πονηρὸν πνεῦμά, φησι, τὸ ἐνοικοῦν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τούτῳ, ἔλεγξον ἐπὶ τῶν παρόντων τὰς μιαρὰς αὐτοῦ πράξεις καὶ ἀθεμίτους, ἵνα Θεὸν εἶναι γνῷ, δεσπότην καὶ δημιουργὸν ἁπάντων, τὸν στερεοῦντα οὐρανὸν καὶ κτίζοντα γῆν, ποιοῦντα εἰς ὕψος κρῖμα, καὶ δικαιοσύνην εἰς γῆν ἔθηκε. Καὶ ὁ δαίμων κράζων ἦν εὐθέως καὶ ἀλαλάζων, καὶ δίκαιά γε πάσχεῖ μεγαλοβοῶν· Ἵνα τί γὰρ ὁ εἰδωλοθύτης οὗτος, ὁ γόης, ὁ πλάνος, ὁ ἀσεβὴς, καὶ ἄλλὰ τοιαῦτα, παρά σε ἤγαγέ με; καὶ νῦν κατακαίομαι μὲν ἐγὼ, ὅτι δημοσιεύονται πᾶσιν αἱ τούτου πράξεις. Πολλῶν οῦν τοιούτων ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος λεγομένων, τοῦ τε ἀνδρὸς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ χαλεπῶς πάσχοντος, οὐ δὲ τοὺς ἔξω τοῦ πάθους ἀδακρυτὶ στέγειν ἐπήει τὴν ὄψιν· ἡ μέντοι γυνὴ τούτου καὶ οἱ προσήκοντες, ὅλους ἑαυτοὺς εἰς ἔδαφος ῥίψαντες, κλαίοντες ἦσαν καὶ πικρὸν ὀλολύζοντες, καὶ τίνας οὐκ ἐλεεινὰς φωνὰς τῷ Ἁγίῳ προσάγοντες; Ἐπικλασθεὶς οῦν ἐκεῖνος αὐτῷ, ἐπιτιμήσει παραχρῆμα τὸν δαίμονα τοῦ; ἀνδρὸς ἀπελαύνει. Ὁ δὲ καθαρῶς ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν οἰκείων λογισμῶν γενόμενος, καὶ γνοὺς οἵοις διὰ τὸν προσλαβόντα βίον κακοῖς ἐκδέδοτο, κατήγορος ῆν αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ, μηδὲν τῶν κρυφῆ πεπραγμένων, τῶν καὶ τοῦ λαθεῖν ὄντως ἀξίων ἐκείνων παρακατέχων· ὧν οὐ δὲ κατὰ μέρος φειδοῖ τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων μνημονευτέον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ εὔωρα πάντα καὶ δῆλα ταῖς τῶν παρόντων τιθεὶς ἀκοαῖς, καὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἐγγυητὴς ἑαυτῷ γινόμενος· ὁ μὲν οὖν ἄφεσιν ἐπὶ τούτοις ὑπεύθυνον ἐπιτιμίας λαβὼν, ἐπανήκει. Ἕτερος δέ τις ἐκ τῆς Ἀντιόχου καὶ τῆς κατ᾽ αὐτὴν Ἐκκλησίας, Ἰωάννης τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ οὗτος, οὐ βλάσφημα μόνον ἀεὶ κατὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου ἐλάλει, καὶ τρυφην ἀκολάστου γλώττης τὰς εἰς αὐτὸν λοιδορίας πεποίητο· ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι τοσούτου μανίας προῆλθεν, ὡς καὶ ὕβρεσι φλεγμαίνουσαν ἐπιστολὴν (ἃ πόσα τολμᾷν οἶδε κακία, καὶ κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας νεανιεύεσθαι!) πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀποστεῖλαι· ἣν ἐκεῖνος δεξάμενος, καὶ τῷ πνεύματι γνοὺς, ὡς οὐκ ἄν ποτε παιδείας χωρὶς καὶ ταῦτα παραμενούσης καὶ ὑπομημνησκούσης μετάθηται πρὸς τὸ βέλτιον, τῶν μαθητῶν ἕνα καλέσας, Ἄπιθί φησι παρὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου πρὸς τὸν Διάκονον Ἰωάννην, καὶ τάδε αὐτῷ ἀπάγγειλον, ὡς παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, Ἐπειδὴ συμφέρει τῇ ψυχῇ σου ταπεινωθῆναί σε διὰ τὴν πολλὴν τῆς γλώσσης ἀκολασίαν, ἰδοὺ ἐκδέέδοσαι δαίμωνι, ὃς διὰ πάσης σου τῆς ζωῆς ἔσται παιδεύων σε. Ταῦτα ὁμοῦ τε πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰρήκει μαθητὴς, καὶ δαίμων τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἀθρόον ἐπιπηδήσας, ἠλάλυζε δι᾽ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰς γῆν τὸν ἄθλιον κατεῤῥίπτει, καὶ ὅσα τῶν δαιμονώντων ἀκριβῶς διετίθει. Ἡ γυνὴ τοίνυν τοῦ Διακόνου καὶ οἱ προσήκοντες, οἰκεῖον τὸ ἐκείνου πάθος ποιούμενοι, καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτοὶ πάσχοντες τὰς ψυχὰς, ἀνίασι σὺν ἀυτῷ πρὸς τὸν Συμεὼν, δεόμενοι, θρηνοῦντες, προσπίπτοντες, οἰκτείραντα τῆς συμφορᾶς αὐτοὺς τῆς ἐκ τοῦ δαίμονος ἐκεῖνον ἐπηρείας ἀνεῖναι. Ὁ δὲ, Ἀλλὰ συμφέρει τῇ ψυχῇ σου μὴ ἀνεθῆναί σε, πρᾴως πρὸς τὸν Διάκονον ἔφη; οὐ δὲ γὰρ οἰκεῖον ἐπλήρου πάθος ὁ συμπαθὴς, ἢ καὶ ἀπαθὴς τἀληθέστερον, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐκεῖνου ψυχῆς ἐκήδετο μᾶλλον, ὁ πάθη ψυχῶν, εἰ καί τι ἄλλο, ἄριστα θεραπεύειν ἐκεῖνος εἰδὼς, ὡς ἂν εἰδῇς, φησιν, ὅτι δυναμις Θεοῦ ἐστιν, ᾗ σὺ μέχρινῦν προσκόπτων ἠγνόεις, ἵνα καὶ τὸ πολὺ τῆς ἀπιστίας αὐτοῦ ποσῶς θεραπεύσῃ, παραγγέλλω ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ τῷ ἐνοικουντί σοι δαίμονι, τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ νύκτας ἴσας ἀφέξεσθαί σου Ὅπερ οὖν κατα τὸ αὐτοῦ ἐπίταγμα γεγονὸς, μετὰ τὴν ἐνάτην ἐπὶ τριάκοντα ἧκεν ὁμοῦ γυναικὶ καὶ προσήκουσιν αὖθις, ἀπαλλαγήν τε λείαν αἰτοῦντες. Ὁ δὲ λυσιτελεῖν ἀυτοῦ τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν παιδείαν εἰδὼς, ᾧ καὶ ψυχῶν ἦν ἀεὶ σωτηρία τὸ σπουδαζόμενον, τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἀπένευσεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὥστε μετριωτέραν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ ἑξῆς ἔσεσθαι μᾶλλον τοῦ δαίμονος τὴν ἐπήρειαν καὶ ὁ μὲν οὐ τελείας ὡς ἐβούλετο τῆς αἰτήσεως τυχὼν, ἀπῄει στυγνός. Ἀναστάσιος δέ τις Σχολαστικὸς, τὸ γένος Ἀντιοχεὺς, φαύλη γλῶσσα καὶ ἀσελγὴς, εἰς τοσοῦτον ἤλασε κατὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου ἀπονοίας, εἰ δὲ βούλει μανίας (ὃ καὶ συγγενέστερον μᾶλλον τῷ πράγματι ὄνομα) ὡς μὴ δὲ Θεὸν τοῖς παραδόξως ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τελουμένοις, ἀλλά τινα πονηρὰν ἐνέργειαν ἀνοήτως ἐπιφημίζειν. Ὅπερ τὸν θεῖον ἄνδρα μανθάνοντα, πάσχειν μὲν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν, ἀναμένειν δὲ ὅμως αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπιστροφὴν. ὅπερ δὴ φιλανθρωπίας Θεοῦ νόμος. Ὡς δὲ τὸν μὲν ἐπιμένοντα ἑώρα, τὴν δὲ θείαν οὐκέτι μακροθυμίαν ἀνεχομένην, ἀλλὰ καὶ στιλβουμενην ἢδη ῥομφαῖαν, καὶ τόξον κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐντεινόμενον, ἑτοιμαζόμενα δὲ καὶ σκεύη θανάτου· τῶν μαθητῶν ἕνα καλέσας (ἦν δὲ ἡ μεγάλη τοῦ μυστικοῦ δείπνου, καὶ τῆς ὐπὲρ ἡμῶν Χριστοῦ παραδόσεως καὶ οἰκονομίας ἡμέρα) τὴν πικρὰν ἐκείνην τῷ ἀθλίῳ μηνύει τομην. Τηνικαῦτα γὰρ τῷ πνεύματι καὶ αὐτὴν ἐπαγομένην ἑώρα· εἰς πράξιν αὐτῷ τῆς πολλῆς ἔσεσθαι ἀδικίας, ἧς λαλῶν εἰς τὸ ὕψος ἦν, καὶ εἰς οὐρανὸν τὸ στόμα τιθέμενος· οὐχ ἵν᾽ ἐκεῖνον ἀποσχέσθαι παρασκευάσῃ ( ἤδει γὰρ ἀμεταθέτως ἔχοντα, ἐφεστηκυῖαν δὲ ἤδη καὶ τὴν ἀπειλὴν, καὶ οὐ δὲ βραχὺ ἀναδυομένην) ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τοῖς ὁμοίως ἔχουσιν ἀπιστίας διόρθωσις γένηται, την αἰτίαν τῆς ἄνωθεν κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ δικαίας ὀργῆς καὶ τιμωρίας οὐκ ἀγνοήσασιν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν μαθητὴς ἐν ἐπισήμῳ τῆς πόλεως αὐτὸν εὑρηκὼς, ἔχειν τι παρὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν αὐτῷ ἀπαγγεῖλαι εἶπεν· ὃ δ᾽ ἐπὶ τῶν παρόντων ἐκέλευε λέγειν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἅπερ ἐντέταλτο εἰρήκει, ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ δαίμονος εὐθέως καταῤῥαγεὶς, δεινῶς τε διασπαραχθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, αἰσχρῶς οἴμοι! καὶ τῆς ἐκδεξαμένης αὐτὸν κολάσεως ἀξίως, ἐν ὄψει πάντων καταστρέφει τὸν βίον.

[216] A certain Theodore a Scriniarius, an Antiochene by nation, was teeming with leprosy over his whole body: and when He knows the leper's shame, and cleanses him with his rod, he despaired of every cure, as of one wearied and broken by the pertinacity of the evil, mocking the industry of physicians and the helping hands and skill of art,

he betakes himself to S. Symeon: to whom, that he might move greater commiseration, he resolved to cover himself with such a garment, which, easily loosed, would give the leprosy to be beheld by the Saint. But shamefaced to lay bare his flesh before others, he awaited a more opportune time. When Symeon penetrated this perspicuously with his spiritual eyes, he says to him: Say, my son, before these present, why thou hast come hither to us. He, struck by such unusual perspicacity, how that which he himself had hidden in his heart, that very thing he heard from Symeon's mouth; all shame at once cast away, exhibited his bared leprosy: and the Saint, the man signed with his palm rod, sends him off to bathe at the bath of Tiberinus; Bathe, he says, and at the same time the leprosy will be washed away. And the leper, the mandates executed, returned thence thoroughly healed, O unusual prodigy!

[217] Another man of Antioch, also of the more illustrious, made for the column, while still the b sacred memory of the holy mother of the Saint was being kept. It was therefore the time of the sacred liturgy, at which Symeon himself was officiating. He detects one wishing to communicate unworthily, But when that man hastened to return thence to himself, he asks one of the disciples, who was wont to report to the Saint the things that were brought, that swift access to the sacred mysteries be made for him. Who, account being had especially of his dignity, brings the man, after the disciples had communicated, before the rest of the crowd to the column: but he is rejected by the Saint, who distributes to the others coming after this one. The disciple again brings him; but the Saint rejected him, as above. And when this was done thus much and long; at length the man of God; Be quiet, my Brother, he says; for there is what I wish for him. The sacred liturgy finished at last, summoning the man, the Saint says to him: Hypocrite, and reproves him with threats added; alienated from God, how hast thou come hither, supposing thou couldst lie hidden from Him who fashioned our hearts, who knows all our works, who set the mountains in weight and the rocks in a balance? But of Whom art thou hastening to communicate the immaculate mysteries? not of Him assuredly, from whom thy heart is far off, although thou approach with thy mouth, and honor Him with thy lips. But if thou wilt learn His power by the very fact; behold, all looking on, a malignant spirit shall seize thee, and suspend thee in mid air, until thou confess thy perverse and wicked deeds even unwilling.

[218] These things heard, struck with fear of heart, he, gripping with both hands the iron by which the column is encircled: Spare, he cries with stentorian voice, spare me, by which terrified and openly confessing his crimes, servant of God most high: and all the things which I have done I will declare, omitting or concealing nothing. And immediately beginning to narrate the series of his deeds to all hearing, he brought into the midst many and grave crimes, brought even to such impiety, that he did not blush to sacrifice to demons. But after he had confessed all with fervor and ardor of soul, with tears bursting from his inmost heart, he asked that, repenting, he be received and given absolution, that he might live more secure thereafter: which that prudent physician of souls immediately, seeing such repentance, absolves and dismisses him. imparted to him. Then to teach and instruct with many things, to persuade and exhort to better things, to add also certain given mandates, finally to dismiss in peace the man, freed not only from a grave pain, but from a graver impiety.

[219] Another likewise of the Chief men, from Epiphania c of Syria, came to the Saint, and having conferred with him what he wished, A fragrant wood turned into a stench reaches him an Indian wood of much fragrance, asking that he admit it, and offer from it incense to God. The Saint deprecates this and refuses, and exhorts that he himself rather burn it to God in his own home: but he insisting with many words, he bids at length a censer be brought; That the power of God, he says, may be manifested. And the wood placed on the coals, so great a foulness was suddenly dispersed, and so intolerable to the nostrils, not only within the enclosures of the monastery, but spread also widely through the mountain, that those coming from abroad by whatever ways to the monastery denied that they could bear the stench, meeting them even from afar. Seeing therefore Symeon through that stench, contrary to the nature of the wood, argues the impiety of the offerer. the nefarious life of the man condemned by the very fact: Confess, he says, to God thy works, and do penance for thy sins; lest, snatched by demons, thou become a pitiable fable in the mouth of all. Seized therefore with vehement fear, he immediately declared all his offenses, far more foul-smelling than the incense above said: then castigated for his merits, and instructed with various admonitions and precepts, he returned.

[220] Of a Priest much commended to him Consonant with what has been said is what is subjoined; inasmuch as the miracles which occur in each are akin to each other. A certain Priest by name John, who at that time was d Oeconomus e of the Apamean Church, came with his wife and all his kinsfolk to Symeon: whom a disciple, ministering to him in carrying messages back and forth, whether from a certain friendship, or benevolence, or perhaps even ignorance of his affairs, diligently took care to present to the Saint, as a probus man. And when many things were brought forth by the same disciple in commendation of the man, Symeon, placidly turned to him, said: It is not fitting to give such testimonies of anyone, although perhaps they be in truth: cease therefore, my Brother, to affirm things thou knowest not. And taking the Priest by the hairs of his head with his hand: Impure and malignant spirit, he says, who dost inhabit this man, convict before these present his nefarious and iniquitous works; that he may recognize that God is the Lord and maker of all things, who established heaven and founded the earth; who makes judgment on high, and has set justice on the earth. And the demon, crying out at once and wailing, vociferated with a great clamor: he bids the crimes be revealed by the demon, He suffers justly: for why has that idolater, that sorcerer, that impostor, that impious one, and what else besides, brought me to thee? And now I myself am bitterly tortured, because his deeds are made manifest to all.

[221] Such things therefore and many like being brought forth by the demon, and grave punishments inflicted on the man, not even those who were free of pain could refrain their eyes from tears: his wife certainly and kinsfolk, prostrating themselves wholly on the ground, lamenting and wailing most bitterly, what lamentable voices did they not pour forth before the Saint? Symeon, bent by such things, by rebuking soon expels the demon from the man: who, now free, and restored to himself and to reason, and frees him repenting, the demon cast out. and well understanding to how great crimes he had been given in his past life, became his own accuser; and pressed in silence nothing of the crimes, secretly perpetrated, even of those which it were more fitting should lie hidden forever, and which are not to be recounted by us particularly on account of the modesty of the weaker; but ingested all without exception openly and plainly into the ears of those present, becoming thenceforth his own censor. Receiving therefore the remission of his offenses conjoined with penance, he returned.

[222] Another man, sprung from Antioch, and a minister of its Church, likewise called John, not only blurted out blasphemies against the Saint always, and held the contumelies of an intemperate tongue for delights; nay even proceeded to such madness, [Another, blasphemous against the Saint, the latter denouncing it, is seized by a demon;] that he sent to him a letter stuffed with injuries (how great things malice is wont to dare, and to contrive rashly against the truth!). He receiving this, and foreseeing in spirit, how through this at some time, not without a castigation longer remaining and renewing the memory of crimes, he was to be converted to better fruit, calls a certain disciple to him and says: Go to Antioch to the Deacon John, and report this to him in my name, Since it is expedient that thou be humbled in heart on account of the excessive intemperance of thy tongue; behold, thou art delivered to a demon, who through thy whole life will castigate thee. As soon as the disciple had spoken these things, suddenly the wicked spirit leaping into the man, vociferated through his mouth, afflicted the wretch on the ground, and duly executed the things which are wont to befall demoniacs.

[223] The wife therefore and kinsmen of the Deacon, reckoning his penalty their own, and tortured even more bitterly than he, ascend with him to Symeon, lamenting, falling down, beseeching, whom afterward, suppliant, he frees for a time, that, having pitied their calamity, he would be willing to free the unhappy man from the vexation of the demon. But he, turned with mild voice to the Deacon; It is expedient, he says, for thy soul that thou be not freed: for the man compassionate to all did not obey his own grief, since he was as it were impassible: but he bore the greater care for the soul, as one knowing how most dexterously to heal the infirmities of souls, though others also; That thou mayst know, he says, that it is of the divine power, which thou hitherto offending didst not know, to cure thy pertinacious infidelity; I command, in His name, the demon inhabiting thee, that for forty days and as many nights he let thee go. [and this elapsed, lightens the penalties only, because it so would be expedient for his soul.] Which when, according to his mandate, it had happened, the thirty-ninth day elapsed, there return together himself, his wife, his kinsmen, asking complete deliverance. But he who always studied chiefly the salvation of souls, well knowing that this castigation was expedient for his soul, did not assent to their petition, but granted that the violence of the demon should be more moderate thereafter. And so the energumen, complete healing, as he wished, not obtained, departed sad.

[224] A certain Anastasius Scholasticus, sprung likewise from Antioch, a man of wicked and petulant tongue, had gone to such madness against the Saint, To another likewise contumelious or, if you prefer, fury, which word also more expressly designates the matter, that he ignorantly and foolishly babbled that the author of the wondrous works wrought by the Saint was not God, but certain most evil arts the effectresses of the same. Which when it was brought by report to the ears of the Saint, touched with commiseration of him; he awaited his conversion, as the law of God who loves men commands. But verily after he found him pertinacious, and the divine long-suffering impatient of longer delay, and the sword now drawn flashing, and the bow bent against the man, and the instruments of death prepared; calling one of the disciples (and it was that great day, on which Christ instituted the mystical supper, on which He fulfilled the ministry of washing the feet, on which He was betrayed for us), he bids it be signified to that wretch, that those bitter torments (which he then foresaw in spirit to impend over him) would be for vengeance for the frequent contumelies, he announces the impending penalty through a disciple: which he had blurted out against the Most High, setting his mouth in heaven itself. But this he bade be reported, not because he thought it would be, that he would thereafter abstain (for he saw him to be unconvertible, and the comminations now imminent, and shortly to be present), but that he might be an example of life to be amended to men of like flour and infidelity, not ignorant of the cause of the most just wrath of the Heavenly Ones against him and the penalties sent. Therefore this disciple, finding the man in the most frequented place of the city, says he has something to announce from Symeon. And when he was bidden to declare it before those present; but in vain. he brought forth into the midst what was commanded. But behold that wretch, immediately dashed to the earth and cruelly torn by a demon, and receiving a vengeance worthy of his crimes,

exchanged life for a most foul death.

ANNOTATIONS ON CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

To whole families he confers many benefits.

Ἴσαυρος δέ τις, ὄνομα Κόνων, οὐ χαλεπῷ δαίμονι πέπληκτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἀστράγαλον ἕλκει πονήρῳ, ὡς τῷ μὲν διαμασσᾶσθαι τὴν γλῶτταν, ὅσα καὶ ἄρτον αὐτὴν ἐσθίοντα, τῷ δὲ σεσηπέναι τὸ σκέλος, σαρκῶν τε τὰ ὀστᾶ γεγυμνῶσθαι, καί τι δυσῶδες αὐτῶν ἀποπνεῖν ὡς μὴ δὲ φορητὸν εἶναι ὀσφρήσει. Οὗτος ἶατροῖς τὰ ὄντα προσαναλώσας, ὡς οὐ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν αὐτοῖς ἄλλο πρὸς θεραπείαν ἡ τέχνη παρεῖχεν, ὅτι μὴ πρισθέντα τὸν πόδα κοπῆναι, παρὰ τὸν θεῖον ἀνακομίζεται Συμεὼν, ὃν δή που καὶ μόνον ἀνιάτων ἤδει παθῶν ἰατρόν. Τοῦτον ὅπως ἐλεεινῶς εἶχεν ἐκεῖνος ἰδὼν, πρᾴως τε τῇ βαΐνͅ ῥάβδω πλήξας, ἐπὶ τῶν οἰκείων ποδῶν ἐπέτρεψε στῆναῖ· καὶ παραχρῆμα ἥτε δυσωδία ἔσβεστο, καὶ ποσὶν ὁ κάμνων ἐχρῆτο καὶ ἀσφαλεῖ βαδίσματι. Εἶτα ἐγγύσαντος αὐτῷ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἁψάμενος, καὶ σφραγίσας, Ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπιτάσσω σοι τῷ ποονηρῷ πνεύματι, ἔφη, ἐξελθεῖν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου, καὶ μηκέτι πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀναστρέψαι. Ὁ μὲν οὖν δαίμων εὐθὺς ἀπελήλατο· τῇ δὲ τοῦ ποδὸς πληγῇ τῆς οἰκείας ἐπιβάλλειν κόνεως κελεύει τῷ τυχόντι τῆς θεραπείας· ἥ τις σάρκας τε ἔφυσε, καὶ δέρμα ἐπ᾽ αὐτὰς ἐξέτεινε, καὶ ὑγιὴς ἐν βραχὺ ὁ πρώην ἀθεραπεύτως ἕχων, αὐτῇ γυναικὶ καὶ προσήκουσι καὶ ὅλῳ σχεδὸν ἑπάνεισιν οἴκῳ. Ἱκανὰ μὲν οὖν εὖ οἶδα κόρον ἀκοαῖς ἐνθεῖναι τὰ εἰρημένα, ἀλλὰ σιωπῆς οὐκ ἄξια πάλιν τὰ ἐφεξῆς. Νεανίσκος γάρ τις ἐκκώμης Καλλινέας καλουμένης, Γεώργιος ὄνομα, σκάπτων ἐν οἰκοπέδοις, μνήματι τε περιτυχὼν, καὶ τοῦτο διορύξας, ἐλπίδι τοῦ κρυπτόμενον τάχα θησαυρὸν ἀνευρεῖν, δαίμονι χαλεπῷ περιπίπτει (τῆς δίκης ὥσπερ οὐκ ἀνεκτὰ θεμένης, εἰ μὴ παρὰ πόδας ἐποίσει καὶ τιμωρίαν) καί τινας οἷα γυναῖκας ἰδὼν αὐτῷ συμπλακείσας, μυκησάμενος κατὰ βοῦν, εἰς γῆν κατεῤῥάγη· ἐξ ἐκείνου τοίνυν ὁπόσαι νύκτες, ῥίπτόμενος ὁμοίως εἰς ἔδαφος καὶ σπαραττόμενος ἦν, ἀφροῦ τε παραπτύων, καὶ τὰ ἔνδον ἀναβρασσόμενος. Ὑπανῆπτε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ζηλοτυπίας ἐπὶ τῇ γυναικὶ φλόγας ὁ μιαρὸς, καθάπερ αὐτῇ συνεληλυθώς, ὅπερ ἦν αὐτῷ τῆς συμφορᾶς τὸ βαρύτατον. Οὐκ ἔχων οὖν ὃ, τί ποτε ἄλλο πρὸς κακὸν τηλικοῦτον ἐπινοήσει, προσελθὼν τῇ τοῦ μεγάλου στάσει, ῥίπτει κατὰ γῆς ἑαυτὸν, τὰς κατασχούσας αὐτὸν ἀποδυρόμενος συμφοράς. Ταῖς αὐτοῦ τοίνυν ἱκετηρίαις ἐπικλασθεὶς, Παύσαι ἀδελφὲ ὁδυρόμενος ἔφη, καὶ οἴκαδε μᾶλλον ἐπάνηκε, καὶ οὐκ ἀστοχήσεις τῆς θεραπείας. Ὁ δὲ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν ἀσμένως δεξάμενος, ὥσπερ ἤδη τοῦ ποθουμένου τυχὼν ἐπανήει· καὶ τὴν μὲν οἰκίαν καταλαμβάνει, τὴν γυναῖκα δὲ οὐχ εὑρίσκει· ἀπέδρα γὰρ ἤδη, συσκευασαμένη τὰ ὄντα, τὸ βρέφος ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας (ἄρτι γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐκύη μόνον) ἀπολιποῦσα. Σφοδρότερον τοίνυν παθὼν τὴν ψυχὴν, ἀνελόμενος τὸ βρέφος, ἥκει παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον αὖθις, οἷα παρὰ τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτῷ συνέβη ἐκτραγῳδῶν, καὶ τῶν ῥημάτων δάκρυα καταχέων, τὴν ἔνδον τῆς καρδίας τῆξιν μηνύοντα, εἶτα καὶ τὸ βρέφος ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ῥίπτων, καὶ πρὸς ἐκδίκησιν τούτου τὸν Ἅγιον ἐκκαλούμενος. Διαπονηθεὶς οὖν ὁ Συμεὼν, καί τι πρὸς οὐρανὸν ὀδυνηρὸν ἀτενίσας, Ὁ Θεὸς, εἶπεν, ὁ μέγας, ὁ παντοκράτωρ, οὗ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἀνεωγμένοι εἰς ὁδοὺς τῶν υἱῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, δοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ· εἰ ἀρεστὸν ἐνώπιόν σου, μεταβήτω πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τὸ ἐνοικοῦν τῷ ἂθλίῳ τούτῳ δαίμόνιον, ἵν᾽ ἐλεεῖν διδαχθῇ τοῦ παρ᾽ ἑτέρων ἐλέους αὐτὴ δεηθεῖσα, καὶ πείρᾳ μάθῃ σαφῶς ὃ παρ᾽ αὐτῇ τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἠγνόησε σπλάγχνα. Ταῦτα τοῦ Συμεὼν εὐξαμένου, ὁ μὲν νεανίσκος τοῦ δαίμονος εὐθέως ἀπήλλακτο, ἡ γυνὴ δὲ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ κατείληπτο, Σύ με τοῦ οἰκείου ἀνδρὸς ἐχώρισας λέγοντος, σύ με τοῦ συνοίκου διέζευξας, διά σε τούτου πικρῶς ἀπελήλαμαι· ὁ ἐκεῖθεν ἐκβαλὼν ἐμὲ, ἐπέτρεψεν ἐλθεῖν ἐπί σε, καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα, μανικά τε ἅμα καὶ μιαρὰ, καὶ τῷ ὄντι δαιμονιώδη. Ὧν ἐκείνη ἀκούσασα, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος ἀφιλανθρώπως μαστιζομένη, ἐπάνεισιν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν παρὰ τὸν ἄνδρα. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ πάθους οἰκτείρας αὐτὴν, παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον ἄγει, ὅσα κατ᾽ αὐτῆς κατέτεινε πρώην, τοσαῦτα νῦν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς καὶ πλείω δεόμενος. Τὴν πρὸς τὸν Συμεὼν ἐγγύτητα τοίνυν οὐκ ἐνεγκὸν τὸ δαιμόνιον, ἤρξατο ῥίπτειν εὐθὺς κατὰ γῆς τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ σπαράττειν, καὶ ἐκτινάσσειν, καθάπερ αὐτὴν ᾆραι καὶ ἀφεῖναι κατακρημνῶν ἐπειγόμενον. Οὐκέτι τοιγαροῦν οὕτω πάσχουσαν αὐτὴν ὁρᾷν ὁ Συμεὼν ἀνεχόμενος, ἀλλὰ φιλάνθρωπόν τι καὶ συμπαθὲς παθὼν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ, Τὸ ἀκάθαρτον καὶ πονηρὸν πνεῦμα, ἐγώ σοι ἐπιτάττω, φησὶν, ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς, καὶ μηκέτι πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀναλῦσαι. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐπίταγμα ἔργον ἦν, καὶ πολλὰ κράξαν αὐτίκα καὶ φλυαρῆσαν ἐξῆλθεν, ὑγιῆ τὴν πάσχουσαν ἀπολελοιπός. Βαβύλᾳ δέ τινι νόσημα γεγόνει περὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, ᾧ καὶ τύφλωσις ἠκολούθησεν· ὡς οὖν ὄνασθαί τι τῆς ἰατρῶν τέχνης οὐκ ἦν, τὸ τοῦ Συμεὼν ὄνομα πρὸς θεραπείαν ἐπεκαλεῖτο. Ὁρᾷ τοιγαροῦν τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνη αὐτὸν ἐπὶ λευκοῦ ἵππου τῷ ἰατρείῳ παραβαλόντα, χεῖρά τε αὐτῷ ἐπιθέντα, καὶ Ἀνάβλεψον εὐθὺ τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ ὄρους κελεύσαντα. Διαναστὰς τοίνυν αὐτίκα καὶ τὰς ὄψεις ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ ἰθυνας, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ δούλου σου Συμεὼν εἶπεν, ἴασαί με τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς. Καὶ ἀναβλέψας ὁρᾷ παραχρῆμα, εἰ καὶ ἀμυδρόν τι καὶ ἀδρανές· ὁρᾷ δ᾽ οὖν, καὶ τὰ φίλτατα ὡς εῖχε, γυναῖκά φημι καὶ τέκνα λαβὼν, πρόσεισι τῷ Συμεὼν, ἀπαγγέλλων οἵας ἐξ αὐτοῦ τύχοι εὐεργεσίας. Ὁ δὲ τὸν δεσποτικὸν αὐτῷ τοῦ σταυροῦ τύπον ἐπιβαλὼν, ἐλεύθερον αὐτῷ πάσης ἀμβλυωπίας τὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν χαρίζεται φῶς· ἔπειτα μεντοι καὶ την γυναῖκα τυφλώττουσαν ἰασάμενος, καὶ δαιμονῶντας θεραπεύσας τοὺς παῖδας, καὶ ὅλον οἶκον μεγάλων παθῶν ἀπαλλάξας, οὐ δὲ βίου σπανίζοντας περιεῖδεν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπ εὶ μὴ δ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἄλλο τούτοις ὅτι μὴ βραχὺς οἶνος προσῆν, καὶ οὗτος ἐξεστηκώς τε καὶ δευτερίας, ἡδὺν καὶ τοῦτον αὐτοῖς τῇ οἰκείᾳ τίθησι κόνει, καὶ πότιμον, καὶ ἐπαγωγόν· καὶ οὕτως οὐκ ὀλίγου πραθεὶς, ἤρκεσεν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὰ ἀναγκαῖα. Τούτοις ἄξιον ἐκεῖνο προσθεῖναι. Πρεσβύτερός τις, ἐκ κώμης Βασιλείας οὕτω λεγομενης ὁρμώμενος, πολύπαις ὢν, ἄπαις ἐδείκνυτο, τὴν εἰς φῶς ἑκάστου τῶν τικτομένων πρόοδον τελευτῆς εὐθὺς διαδεχομένης. Πρόσεισι τοίνυν ἐν συνοχῇ σπλάγχνων, καὶ πικρῶν δακρύων ἐπιῤῥοῇ τῷ θαυμαστῷ Συμεὼν, τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀπαγγέλων. Καὶ ὃς, Ἐπάνηκέ φησι χαίρων, ἔχων ἤδη τὸ αἰτηθὲν ἐκ Θεοῦ. Τῷ δὲ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν ὡς εὐεργεσίαν αὐτοτελῆ δεξαμένῳ, καὶ ὣσπερ τι ψυχῆς ἄχθος ἀποθεμένῳ βαρύτατον, τρεῖς ἐπὶ θυγατρὶ γεννῶνται μετὰ ταῦτα υἱοί· ὧν ὁ πρεσβύτερος πάθει δυσεντερίας ἁλοὺς, καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων καὶ τέχνης ἀπογνοὺς θεραπείαν, ἐπὶ τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν καταφεύγει, καὶ ὡς αὐτὸν ἀνακομισθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ τεκόντος, οἷα μὴ δ᾽ ἀρκεῖν ἑαυτῷ πρὸς τὴν πορείαν δυνάμενος, ἐπάνεισιν ὑγιής. Ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ τοῦ πατρὸς εὐφροσύνην, ἀθυμία πάλιν ἐκδέχεται, λήθην καὶ αὐτῆς ἐμποιοῦσα (ἐπεὶ καὶ πέφυκεν ὅλον ὡς τὰ πολλὰ γίνεσθαι τοῦ παρόντος τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς χαῖρον ἢ παθαινόμενον, τῶν προλαβόντων ἀμνημονῆσαν) εὑρίσκει γὰρ τὸν δεύτερον τῶν υἱῶν οὕτως ὑπὸ νόσου κατειργασμένον, ὡς καὶ βοήθειαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀπαγορεῦσαι. Ἀράμενος τοίνυν, κομίζει τῷ Συμεὼν καὶ αὐτὸν, δεικνὺς ὅπως ἔχει, καὶ μάρτυρα καθάπερ οἰκείας σπλάγχνων ὀδύνης ποιούμενος, εἰ πατὴρ, καὶ ταῦτα φιλόπαις, οὕτως υἱὸν ἀνέχοιτο βλέπων. Ἐκτείνας τοιγαροῦν αὐτίκα τὴν δεξιὰν, καὶ τὸν παῖδα σφραγίσας, Πορεύου, ἔφη, ζῶντα καὶ αὐτὸν ἐν ὀνόματι Χριστοῦ ἔχων. Ὁ δὲ, φιλοτεκνίας ὑπερβολῇ, μηδαμῶς ἀποστῆναι βουλόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσῳ πλείονα χρόνον αὐτῷ παραμείνοι, τοσούτῳ πλείῳ καὶ τὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ κομίσασθαι θεραπείαν τὸν παῖδα νομίζων, Συγχώρησον ἡμῖν, δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἶπεν, ἐπὶ πλέον προσμεῖναί σοι, ἵνα καὶ δαψιλεστέρας τῆς παρά σου τύχωμεν εὐλογίας, ἣν ἡμῖν ἡ δεξιά σου χαρίζεται. Δυσχεράνας τοίνυν πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Συμεών, Ἠπάτησαι διὰ τῆς ἀπιστίας, ἔφη, καὶ σύ· ἡ γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμις οὐκ ἐνταῦθα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς αὐτοῦ δεσποτείας ἀνύουσα παραδόξως ἐστὶν ἃ βούλεται· ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς κόνεώς μου σφραγῖδα λαβὼν, ἐπάνηκε, μηδὲν ἐνδιάζων, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτοὺς ὥσπερ ἐντετυπωμένους αὐτῇ, οὕτω καὶ παρόντας ὁρᾷν νομίζων ἡμᾶς. Λαβὼν τοίνυν ὁ πατὴρ τὴν σφραγῖδα καὶ οἴκαδε μετὰ τοῦ παιδὸς ἀναστρέψας, ὁρᾷ τὸν Ἅγιον αὐτῷ νυκτὸς ἐπιστάντα (ἡ μορφὴ δὲ τῷ Συμεὼν ἑτέρως ἢ κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες εἶχε) τῆς τε κόνεως ἐν χεροῖν κατέχοντα, καὶ, Τί μᾶλλον βούλει λαβεῖν, τὴν εὐλογίαν τοῦ Συμεὼν ταύτην, ἢ τὴν δεξιὰν; πυνθανόμενον Τοῦ δὲ ὅτι μεγάλη μὲν ἐστιν ἡ εὐλογία, παντί που δῆλον εἰπόντος, ἐγὼ δὲ, ἀλλά μοι ἵλεως εἴης, λαβεῖν ἐπόθουν μᾶλλον τὴν δεξιάν· ἐκτείνας εὐθέως αὐτὴν, ὀρέγει τὴν εὐλογίαν, ἠρέμα τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ καὶ ἀπιστίαν προσονειδίσας· ἐπιτέλει δὲ καὶ ὅπερ ἀκοῦσαι λίαν ἐκεῖνος ἐδίψα προσθεὶς, Ἀπόλαβε τὸν υἱὸν ὑγιῆ. Ὅ τοσαύτην ἐνέσταξεν αὐτοῦ γλυκύτητα τῇ ψυχῇ, ὡς καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἡδονὴν αὐτίκα διυπνισθῆναι, καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ὕπνῳ χρησάμενον εὑρεῖν, καὶ πρὸς ὑγεῖαν ἤδη μεταβαλόντα. Ὁ μὲν

οὖν πατὴρ ἄνεισι παρὰ τὸν Ἅγιον αὖθις, σῶστρα τοῦ δευτέρου τῶν υἱῶν ἀπονέμων. Ὀλίγῳ δὲ ὕστερον καὶ τοῦ τρίτου λαύροις πυρετοῖς συσχεθέντος, ἀπόγνωσις ζωῆς τὸ παρεπόμενον ἦν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ὡς τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν ἀνακομισθῆναι προῄρητο· ὁ δὲ πατὴρ, ὅση καὶ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν οἶδε δύναμις ἐξ ἐκείνου φοιτᾷν ἀπὸ τοῦ προλαβόντος πείρᾳ μαθὼν, Δυνατὸς, εἶπε, τέκνον, κᾀνταῦθά σε θείας ἀθεάτως ἐπισκοπῆς ἀξιῶσαι. Καὶ παραχρῆμα συστρέψας ἑαυτὸν ὁ παῖς, μεγάλῃ ὡς εἶχεν ἐβόησε τῇ φωνῇ, Ὁ ἐκλεκτὸς τῷ Θεῷ Συμεὼν, ἐλέησόν με. Εἶτα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, Θυμίασον εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ γάρ ἕστηκεν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου· ῥάβδος. μὲν οὖν αὐτῷ διὰ χειρὸς σιδηρᾶ, καὶ ἅλυσις καιόμενον πυρὶ τὸν σίδηρον ἔχουσα· δαίμων δέ τις, τὸ μέγεθος μέγας καὶ ἰδεῖν ἀειδὴς, δέδεται δεινῶς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ὁπίσω τὰ χεῖρε περιηγμένος, ἤδη δὲ καὶ κλίβανον ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀνάπτει πυρὸς, καὶ τούτῳ τὸν πονηρὸν κατακαίει. Ταῦτα ὁμοῦ τε εἴρητο παρὰ τοῦ παιδὸς, καὶ ἡ νόσος εὐθὺς ἀπεδίδρασκεν, ὥσπερ τινὶ μάστιγι σφοδρῶς ἀπεληλαμένη. Ὁ μὲν οὖν παῖς ἴατο οὕτως, ἡ δὲ θυγάτηρ, νόσῳ καὶ αὐτὴ δυσφορωτέρᾳ ληφθεῖσα, ἔγγιστα θανάτου γεγόνει, καὶ ὅσον οὐχὶ νεκρὰ ἦῖ. Τοῦ δὲ πατρὸς παρὰ τὸν συνήθη πάλιν ἰατρὸν ἐν ταραχῇ σπλάγχνων καὶ καρδίας ὀδύνῃ καταφυγόντος, προσηνεῖ ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ μειδιάματι, Μ;ὴ φοβοῦ, Πρεσβύτερ, εῖπεν, ἀλλὰ πορεύου χαίροντι ποδὶ μᾶλλον, χαρίζεταί σοι γὰρ ἰδοὺ καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα Θεὸς, καὶ χαίρουσαν ὄψει χαίρων εἰς συνάντησιν ἐξελθοῦσάν σοι, ἧν ὀδύρῃ νῦν ὅσα καὶ θνήσκουσαν. Τούτων ἐκ τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐκεῖνος ἀκούσας, μεστὸς ἀντὶ τῆς πρώην ὀδύνης ἐπὶ τῇ θυγατρὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἡδονῆς ἐπανῄει· ἐπιβαίνοντι δὲ ἤδη τοῦ οἴκου, προϋπαντᾷι κατὰ τὰς προῤῥήσεις αὕτη, καὶ γνήσιόν τι καὶ ἡδὺ περιπλέκεται, οἷα παρὰ πᾶσαν πατρὶ προσδοκίαν χαλεπῆς νόσου φιλτάτη θυγάτηρ ἀνασωθεῖσα, καὶ προστίθεται καὶ αὕτη τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, σαφὲς παρὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν τῷ πατρὶ δῶρον γεγενημένη. Οἱ μέντοι τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου δεσπόται, χαλεπὴν ἀπιστίαν νοσοῦντες, ἀγγελῶντες ἦσαν αὐτῷ, τὰ τοῦ Συμεὼν πολλάκις ἐξηγουμένῳ, καὶ Σὺ μὲν εὐλογοῦ ταῖς εὐχαῖς αὐτοῦ, λέγοντες· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν τοῦ αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον ἀρὰν ἀσπαζόμεθα· ὀψόμεθα γάρ φησιν εἴ τι πρὸς αὐτὸν οὕτως ἔχοντας βλάψαι δυνήσεται. Πρὸς ἅπερ οὐκ ἐπὶ πολὺ τὰ τῆς δικαίας ἐβράδυνεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ προνοίας· ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου καί τοι βαθύτατα πλουτοῦντες, πενέστατοι ὤφθησαν, πάσης αὐτῶν οὐσίας ἐσχάτως διαφθαρείσης.

[225] A certain Isaurian, called Conon, was tortured not only by an infesting demon, but also by a difficult ulcer in the ankle; A demoniac laboring with a putrid ulcer to such a degree that, by gnawing it, he ate his tongue as if it were bread; his leg putrefied, the bones were left bare of flesh, and they breathed forth a stench intolerable to the nostrils. He, his whole substance consumed on physicians, when nothing of their art availed for health, except that they said the foot, cut off with a saw, must be amputated, transferred himself to S. Symeon, whom alone he knew to be the physician of incurable diseases. Beholding him placed in so miserable a state, when he had struck him lightly with his palm rod, he exhorted him to stand on his feet: and immediately the foulness departed, and the sick man used his feet, and those firm, for walking securely. Then the Saint touched and signed the head of the man approaching nearer to him, saying: he is made whole in every part. In the name of the Lord and God and our Saviour Jesus Christ I command thee, malignant spirit, to depart from this man, and never more to enter into him. The demon therefore was immediately expelled. Then he bade him sprinkle some of his dust on the wound of the foot; whereby immediately flesh was reborn for him and skin drawn over; and in a short time thoroughly healed he returned to his wife, to his kinsfolk, to his whole family, who a little before was held incurable.

[226] The things which have hitherto been said, very many, have ingested satiety to you, I know: nevertheless the things that follow are not to be passed over in silence. A certain youth from a village, Hoping to find a treasure, he is seized by a demon which was called Callinea; he himself, George; digging out the rubble of a house, by chance fell upon a tomb, which when he had dug out in hope of finding a hidden treasure, he was seized by an infesting demon (as if the vengeance would be too light which had not immediately inflicted a penalty); and beholding as it were certain women embracing him, and emitting a bellowing like an ox, he was cast headlong to the ground; and this happened thereafter on each night; for he was dashed in like manner to the earth, and torn, his mouth foaming, and his bowels boiling. The wicked spirit also subjected him to the torches of jealousy on account of his wife, as though he himself had had to do with her: which befell the calamitous man more grievously than all calamities. At length, when he had nothing else to oppose to so great a calamity, advancing to the column of the great Symeon, he casts himself on the ground, lamenting the mournful state in which he was.

[227] Moved by this so suppliant manner of acting, he: Cease, he says, my Brother, to lament, and rather return home; and thou shalt not be frustrated of health. and is deserted by his wife; He received therefore the promises with glad mind, and as though now certain of obtaining his desire, returned. But entering home he found no wife; for she had already fled, her patrimony carried off with her; but the infant, whom she had hitherto borne him as her only child, left at home. He is struck with vehement grief, takes up the boy, seeks the Saint again, explains the deed of his wife with mournful discourse, tears interrupting his words, and, dissolved by grief of heart, testifying the boiling of his heart: then he lays the infant also at the Saint's feet, asking that he would at least avenge him. Broken therefore by his grief, Symeon, and intending his sad eyes to heaven: God, he says, great and omnipotent, for which at Symeon's prayers whose eyes behold the ways of the sons of men, that Thou mayest retribute to each according to his way; if it be good in Thine eyes, let the demon, which besets this unhappy man, pass into his wife; that she may learn to pity, by imploring the mercy of others; and may understand by manifest experience that which naturally her bowels were ignorant of.

[228] the demon passes from the man into the woman, Thus Symeon praying, the youth found himself free of the demon, but this one, invading the woman, cried out: Thou hast torn me from thy husband; thou hast separated me from my familiar; through thee I have been driven from him with my great sense; he who cast me out thence, commanded me to enter into thee; and many like things, furious, wicked and truly diabolical. When the woman heard such things, inhumanly scourged by the evil genius, she returned home to her spouse: who, pitying her pains, hastens with her to the Saint Symeon; and as much as he lately implored against her, so much now and more he deprecates for her healing. The demon did not bear the nearer approach to Symeon, wherefore soon to dash the woman to the ground, variously to mangle and drag her, to lift her on high and bring her down, finally to hasten toward a precipice. Impatient of which tragedy the Saint, nor bearing further to behold her so suffering, moved over her with human and pitying mind: and she, returned, is also freed. Most impure and malignant spirit, he says, I command thee in the name of the Son of God, that thou go out of this woman, and never thereafter turn aside thither. As commanded, so done: the demon immediately going out with much vociferation and reviling, and leaving the woman entirely healed.

[229] A sickness had invaded the eyes of a certain Babylas, which blindness also followed: A blind man, the name of Symeon invoked, is cured, and when no help could be had from the art of physicians, he invoked the name of S. Symeon for cure; and he saw the following night the Saint, conveyed on a white horse, as a physician and placing his hand on the affected eyes, and saying: Look straight toward the Wondrous Mountain. He therefore immediately raised himself and, his eyes directed thither: O Christ Lord, he says, God of Thy servant Symeon, heal my eyes. And in that very moment he saw, although somewhat dimly and faintly. But when he knew that he saw, taking his dearest, his wife, I say, and children, he advanced to S. Symeon, to announce of what benefit he had been made partaker through him. To whom he, impressing the sign of the Lord's Cross, gave most keen sight of the eyes without any dimness: then he healed also his wife who was blind; cured the children possessed by demons; and his whole family, is heaped with benefits. and freed the whole family from grave evils; not despising or neglecting it, that it was pressed by penury of patrimony: nay rather, since nothing remained to them but a little wine, and that vapid and second-grade, he rendered it by his dust sweet and apt for drink and delicate: and so sold for no small price, it sufficed for procuring the necessaries of life.

[230] To these it is worthy that this be added. A certain Presbyter, He promises offspring to one, sprung from a village which was called Basilea, when he had begotten many children, was without children, death, as soon as they were brought into the light, seizing each. He hastens therefore in anguish of heart, a torrent of bitter tears running down, to the wondrous Symeon, to announce the state of his affairs. To whom the Saint: Return rejoicing; it is now granted thee by God, who begets three sons: what thou hast asked. He receives the promise as a benefit in fact obtained, and his grievous grief of heart being unlocked, afterward begets three sons besides a daughter. But it happened that the elder of them labored with dysentery, and the cure of human art was despaired of. It seemed good therefore to have recourse to S. Symeon: and when he had been carried thither by his parents, as not sufficient by his own strength for the journey, thoroughly healed he returned.

[231] But the joy thence arisen for the father, again a grief almost robbing him of life came upon, and induced forgetfulness of the joy (for so it is wont most frequently to happen, that the joy or grief of a present matter delete the memory of things past): for he found his second-born so exhausted by disease, that no hope remained in human help. one of these almost dead Taking up this one therefore he too carries him to Symeon, showing how he was; and as it were makes him a witness of his griefs, whether the mind of a father, and that of one tenderly loving his children, could sustain the sight of offspring so affected. Who immediately, extending his right hand and signing the boy: Go, he says, and have this one too alive in the name of Christ. But he, by a certain excess of love toward his offspring, by no means would withdraw: but reckoning that the grace of cure would be imparted to the son the more abundantly, the longer time he tarried there: Give pardon, he says, servant of God, that we tarry here longer, that we may obtain a more copious blessing from thee, which thy right hand imparts to us.

[232] To this Symeon, with a more severe and grieved countenance:

Thou too, he says, hast gone astray through diffidence: for the divine power can, not in this place only, but wherever it please, marvelously effect whatsoever it wills: but receiving a sign from my dust return, and nothing hesitating hold it persuaded, that thou shalt so see us present, as if they themselves were bearing that impressed sign. The sign already mentioned therefore received, the father returned home with his son, and saw the following night the Saint standing by him, in form much differing from the accustomed, holding dust in his hands, and asking, Which dost thou prefer to receive, this blessing of Symeon, or the right hand? And when he had answered that everywhere among the nations it is agreed Symeon, appearing in sleep, heals. how great is the virtue of the blessing; but that he himself (which might be done with the Saint propitious) had always more ardently desired to touch the right hand: the Saint extended it, and imparted the blessing, tacitly reproaching the Presbyter his incredulity: finally he added also that which the other awaited with the highest desire; Receive thy son whole. Which instilled so great a delight in his soul, that from the abundance of it he immediately awoke: and found his son still indulging in sleep, and now restored to perfect health. Wherefore immediately he sends back to the Saint, to pay for this second-born son the rewards of recovered health.

[233] the other too, given up, he cures in a like vision. A little after the third son also was seized with such vehement fevers, that his life being prolonged longer was despaired of. The boy chose especially to be brought to S. Symeon: but the father, taught by experience in the preceding son, how great a virtue is wont to go forth from Symeon even to those far absent; The Saint, my son, he says, can deign thee with his visitation invisibly in this place too. Nor delaying, the boy turned himself, and with as clear a voice as he could exclaims: O Symeon, elect of God, have mercy on me. Then to the father: Burn incense, he says, for behold the servant of God stands in my sight: his hand is armed with an iron rod and a chain of fiery iron: with which he has tightly bound a demon, of gigantic size and terrible to behold, his hands tied behind his back: and now he has also kindled an oven with fire, with which to burn the wicked one. While the boy spoke these things, the disease suddenly departed, driven off as by a certain scourge striking.

[234] Thus indeed this son obtained health: but the daughter, seized with an even more difficult sickness, he likewise promises the dying daughter was now so near the issue of life, that she was thought all but dead. And while the father again, with consternation of mind and grief of heart, has recourse to the accustomed physician, with a bland smile the divine man says: Fear not, my Presbyter; but go rather with a step exulting for joy: for God grants thee also this daughter, and glad thou shalt see her glad come to meet thee, whom thou now deplorest as if dead. These things heard, as steeped in delight as before overwhelmed in grief for his daughter, he returned. will run to meet the father whole. And when now he was entering home, according to the prediction his daughter ran out to meet him, and strains her father with an embrace, the sweeter for this, that beyond all expectation she had been snatched from a deadly disease: and so she was joined to her brothers, herself too made a manifest gift of S. Symeon to the father. Furthermore the Lords of this Presbyter, laboring with pertinacious incredulity, denounced to him, frequently narrating the deeds of Symeon, Injurious against the Saint, they become poor. saying: Thou indeed art blessed by his prayers; we prefer his curse. We shall see therefore, they say, whether he can hurt us so disposed toward him. At which words just divine providence did not defer the penalty long; but in the same year, although they were most wealthy, they were seen most poor, all their goods at length dissipated.

CHAPTER XXIX.

He perceives things absent and thoughts: through his disciples he heals: in a tempest he succors.

Πέλαγος μὲν οὖν ἐξαντλῶν οἶδα κοτύλαις τὰ τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ Συμεὼν πάντα διεξιέναι φιλονεικῶν· ἀλλ᾽ οὐ φορητὴ πάλιν ἡ τῶν παραλειπομένων ζημία. Ἐπέμφθη γάρ ποτε πρὸς τὴν βασιλίδα πόλιν κατά τινας θεοφιλεῖς τε ἅμα καὶ ψυχωφιλεῖς χρείας ὁ πρεσβύτερος Θωμᾶς σὺν ἀδελφοῖς ἑτέροις δυσὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Οἷα δὲ φιλεῖ τὸ περὶ τὸν Βασιλέα πᾶν προσίεσθαι τοὺς τοιούτους, καὶ θεραπεύειν διὰ τὴν τοῦ πέμψαντος ἀρετὴν, ὁρῶν ὁ τηνικαῦτα Ἔπαρχος αὐτούς (Θεόδωρος οὗτος, ὁ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν Πικρίδιος ἦν) παῤῥησίας ἐν τῶ παλατίῷ τυγχάνων, πυνθάνεται, Τίνες οἱ μοναχοὶ καὶ ὅθεν; Καὶ μαθὼν, μεθακαλεῖται τὸν Θωμᾶν καταμόνας. Πολλὰ γοῦν περὶ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν διαλεχθέντες, συχνοὺς τοῦ Θωμᾶ καὶ μακροὺς κατατείνοντος λόγους, πλεῖστά τε περὶ αὐτοοῦ καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ θαυμασίων ὅσα ἑκάστοτε δρῴη διεξιόντος· ὁ Ἔπαρχος ἐκκαυθεὶς τὴν καρδίαν τοῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ διηγήμασιν, ὅλος τε τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐκκρεμασθεὶς πίστεως, Χαλεπή με, πρὸς τὸν Θωμᾶν ἔφη, νόσος καὶ κρυφία πιέζει, πρὸς ἧν διὰ πάσης ἐλθὼν μηχανῆς τε καὶ τέχνησ, οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν οἷός τε κατέστην εὑρεῖν τοῦ κακοῦ φάρμακον· εἶτα καὶ αὐτοῦ μεσίτου τυχεῖν ἐδεῖτο θερμῶς, ὥστε δι᾽ ἐπιστολῆς τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν έκείνῳ γνωρίσαντα, κομίσασθαι καὶ τὴν θεραπείαν. Τοῦ δε, Ἥ τις ἡ νόσος ἐρομένου· ἐλεεινῇ ὁ Ἔπαρχος ὑπολαβὼν τῇ φωνῇ, Πάντα φησὶν, οἷς τρέφομαι, εἰς αἷμα μεταποιεῖται καὶ μακροὺς σκώληκας, ἥ τε τῶν ἐντὸς ὀδύνη, οὐ ῥαδία φέρειν, διαβοσκομένων με τῶν σκωλήκων. Ὁ δὲ, Γνωριστέον μὲν, ὡςἔφης, ταῦτα καὶ τῷ Μεγάλῳ, πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἔστιν καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν τῶν ἱερῶν ἐκείνου τριχῶν καὶ τῆς κόνεως, οἷς ὕδωρ ἐπιβαλόντι καὶ πρὸ σιτίων· πιόντι, οὐδαμῶς οἶμαι μεταμελήσει. Τοῦ δὲ κατὰ τὰς ὑποθήκας πεποιηκότος, ἥ τε. τοῦ αἵματος ῥύσις πέπαυτο, καὶ ἡ τῶν σκωλήκων ὠδῖνες ἔσβεστο, καὶ ἡ νόσος εὐθὺς ἀπελήλατο. Ὁ γοῦν Ἔπαρχος φυσικαῖς ὁρῶν ἑαυτὸν εξόδοις τοῦ λοιποῦ χρώμενον, ἐν φόβῳ πλείονι τοῦ προτέρου γεγόνει, καὶ τὸν Θωμᾶν ὡς εῖχε μεταστειλάμενος, δεδιέναι καὶ τρέμειν ἔλεγε, μὴ ἄλλοθεν οἱ σκώληκες αὐτὸν ἀναῤῥήξωσι, τῶν κατὰ φύσιν ξόδων ἀποκλεισθέντες. Καὶ (οἷα πέφυκεν ἀεὶ μέγιστος πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐγγίνεσθαι φόβος, ὅταν περὶ τὸ ζῇν ὁ κίνδυνος ᾖ, φείδεσθαί τε μηδενὸς τηνικαῦτα, μὴ πόνου, μὴ καμάτου, μὴ ἀναλώματος, εἰ καὶ τὸ δύνασθαι μάλιστα τούτοις προσῇ) εἰ μὴ καὶ τῷ Ἁγίῳ γνωρισθείη τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν, οὐκ ἀνεκτὰ ἐποιεῖτο. Γέγραπτο μὲν οὖν ἡ ἐπιστολὴ, ἡτοίμαστο δὲ καὶ ὁ πρὸς αὐτὸν πέμπεσθαι μέλλων· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἐκείνου διόρασις προφθάνει καὶ τὴν αὐτῶν ἱκετείαν, καί τις ἐν τοσούτῳ φοιτᾷ παῤ αὐτοῦ, ὅσα τε πρὸς τὸν Θωμᾶν τῷ Ἐπάρχῳ λεχθείη, καὶ ὡς δοθείη παῤ αὐτοῦ ὕδωρ ἐκείνῳ, θριξὶν ὁσίαις αὐτοῦ καὶ κόνει ἁγιασθὲν, καὶ ὡς πιὼν αὐτίκα τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγείη, κατὰ μέρος πάντα διασημαίνων· ἑξῆς δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ θαυμάσια τῷ Ἐπάρχῳ μὴ ὀλιγώρως ἔχειν παρεγγυῶν, καὶ εἴ τι πρὸς ὄνησιν ψυχῆς ἄλλο ὑποτιθείς· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ὑγείαν αὐτῷ ἐπισφραγιζόμενος, ἥ τις καὶ παρέμεινει τῷ άνδρὶδιὰ τέλους. Οὕτως ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ᾔδει τῷ πνεύματι σαφῶς ἅπερ ἐβούλετο, καὶ ὡς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντα ἑώρα, οἷα γὰρ πάλιν ἐκεῖνα. Νόσου ποτὲ λοιμικῆς γεγομένης, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πολλοὺς ἐπινεμομένης, συνέβη ταύτης ἔργον καὶ θυγατέρα τινὸς Εὐαγρίου γενέσθαι· σχολαστίκὸς δ᾽ ἦν ἄρα ὁ Εὐάγριος οὗτος. Ἐπεὶ δέ τις Ἐπιφάνιος, ἕλληνι τηνικαῦτα λεγόμενος προσανέχειν ἀπάτῃ, οὐ δὲ μίαν ὑπέστη περὶ τὰ τέκνα ζημίαν, εἰσίασί τινες τὸν Εὐάγριον λογισμοὶ βλασφημίας, οἷα τὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ δελεάματα, ἐκ τοῦ σφοδροῦ μάλιστα περὶ τὴν παῖδα πάθους τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐπιφυέντος. ὡς ἄρα τὰ τῆς θρησκείας ἐκείνῳ πρὸς τὴν τῶν τέκνων ζωην ἐπαμύνοι. Καὶ μέγαν ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων λογισμῶν ἡ ψυχὴ κλύδωνα καὶ σάλον εἶχε, καὶ πολύν αὐτῷ τὸν κίνδυνον ὤδινον. Ὅπερ τὸν Ἅγιον τῷ πνεύματι γνόντα, δηλῶσαι τῷ Εὐαγρίῳ, καὶ γὰρ ἦν αὐτῷ ῥοπῇ διαθέσεως ἐπικλίνων. Ὁ δὲ τῷ τοῦ πράγματος παπαδόξῳ καταπλαγεὶς, ὅτι ἅπερ ἦν ἐν μυχῷ καρδίας αὐτῷ δῆλα τῷ Συμεὼν καθειστήκει, φόβῳ τε πολλῷ καὶ μετανοίᾳ ληφθεὶς, ἄνεισι πρὸς αὐτὸν, δάκρυσι μᾶλλον καὶ πάθει ψυχῆς ἢ γλώττῃ ταῦτα καὶ χείλεσιν ἐξομολογούμενος. Συγγνώμης παῤ αὐτοῦ τοίνυν, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ φαρμάκων οἰκείων τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος τυχὼν, ἐπανήκει. Ἔπειτα μέντοι συνέβη τινὰ διασαπέντα τὴν δεξιὰν πρός τε τὸν Ἅγιον ἀνελθόντα, καὶ θεραπείας παῤ αὐτοῦ τυχόντα, ἐπανιέναι· Κίλικα δέ τινα παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν πλινθείᾳ προστετηκότα, ἐρόμενον ὅθεν ἤκοι, καὶ μαθόντα ὅτου χάριν, οἵας τε θεραπείας τύχοι· Τί πεπλάνησθε φάναι, πρὸς ἄνθρωπον ἀπιόντες, φαρμακείαις τὰ τοιαῦτα μᾶλλον, ἢ θείαις ἐνεργείαις ἐπιτελοῦντα; Καὶ αὐτίκα τῷ Κίλικι διεφθάρθαι τὴν δεξιὰν, τῆς αὐτῆς ἐκείνῳ σαπρίας περιφανῶς ἀναπεπλησμένην, ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ὥσπερ τοῦ πάθους μεταπεσόντος. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κίλιξ οὐ δὲ ταύτῃ συνῆκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἰατροῖς μᾶλλον καὶ τέχναις ἑαυτὸν ἐκδεδώκει. Ὡς δὲ τῇ χειρὶ προσαναλισκομένην ἑώρα καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν, ἐλπίς τε οὐδεμία ποθὲν ὑπολέλειπτο, ἔγνω καὶ αὐτὸς (οἷα τὰ τῶν πιεζομένων ψυχῶν, ὅτε πᾶσαν καθ᾽ ἑαυτὰς φιλοπόνως ἀνερευνῶσι τοῦ λυποῦντος αἰτίαν) ἔκτισιν εἶναι τῆς εἰς τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν λαληθείσης παῤ αὐτοῦ ἀδικίας· καὶ ὡς εἶχεν εὐθὺς ἀνεισι πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὅπως ἀθλίως ἔχοι δεικνὺς, οἴκτου τε τῆς συμφορᾶς τυχεῖν ἀξίου δεόμενος. Καὶ ὅς, Ἦπου ταύτην ἔγω γε οἶδα τὴν δεξιὰν εἴσπραξιν οὖσαν τῆς περὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἀκολαστίας· ἀλλ᾽ ἐξαγόρευσον κατὰ σαυτοῦ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν σου Κυρίῳ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀφῆσει τὴν ἀσέβειαν τῆς καρδίας σου. Ὁ μὲν οὖν πικρᾷ μεταμελείᾳ ψυχῆς ἐξομολογησάμενος, πικρότερά τε δάκρυα καταχέας, εὐχῇ καὶ δεσποτικῇ σφραγῖδι τὴν ἴασιν ὁμοῦ καὶ τὴν ἄφεσιν, ἥ τις πολλῷ καὶ τῆς ἰάσεώς ἐστι μείζων, λαβὼν, ἐπάνεισιν· οὕτω σώματος νόσος ὑγεῖαν ψυχῇ χαρίζεται, καὶ διὰ τῶν λυπούντων οἶδε πολλάκις σωτηρίαν Θεὸς πραγματεύεσθαι. Πλέον τι δέ ποτε τῷ Δωροθέωι· ἦν δὲ τῆς ὺπὸ τῷ Συμεὼν ἀδελφότητος ὁ Δωρόθεος οὗτος, ἱερωσύνῃ κεκοσμημένος· πλέον τι δ᾽ οὖν ὥρͅ, ἀλλ᾽ ἠν χειμῶνι μέσῳ. Ἐποίει γὰρ καὶ παρὰ καιρὸν ἑαυτὸν τῷ πελάγει πιστεύειν ἡ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον πίστις, τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ὥσπερ ἐκεῖθεν ἐγγυωμένη. Ὡς ἤδη κατὰ μέσον τὸν πλοῦν ἐγεγόνει, κλύδων αὐτῷ συμπίπλει δεινὸς, τῶν πνευμάτων πανταχόθεν ἀντιπνεόντων, τοῦ τε κύματος τοὺς τοίχους τῆς νεὸς ὑπεραναβαίνοντος, καὶ εἰς μέσην αὐτὴν ἐμπίπτοντος. Τὸν μὲν οὖν ναύκληρον καὶ τοὺς συμπλέοντας ἀπόγνωσις εἶχε, καὶ διαφυγεῖν ἐκεῖνον οὐδεὶς τὸν κίνδυνον ᾤετο· ὁ δὲ μὴ ἀπογιγνώσκειν ἠξίου, ἀλλὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν δεῖσθαι μᾶλλον, τοῦ καὶ μόνου σώζειν ἀπὸ τοσούτου κλύδωνας δυναμένου. Εἶτα καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου κόνεως λαβὼν, τό τε πλοῖον διαῤῥαντίζει καὶ καταχεῖ τῆς θαλάσσης· αὐτομάτου δὲ τῶν ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ πάντων εὐωδίας εὐθὺς αἰσθομένων, καὶ τὰ τῆς θείας χάριτος

εἵπετο, ἣ καὶ πέφυκε προοίμιον πολλάκις τὴν εὐωδίαν ποιεῖσθαι, τὸ εὐῶδες ὥσπερ καὶ θεῖον ἑαυτῆς ὑποφαίνουσα. Ἡ μὲν οὖν θάλασσα ἐτραχύνετο παραπλησίως ἄχρι τινὸς καὶ ζέουσα δεινῶς ἦν, τὰ κύματα δὲ οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτῶν βίαν προσέβαλλε τῇ νηῒ, ἀλλ᾽ οἷον ἑαυτὰ ἐπεῖχεν, εὐλαβούμενα καθάπερ ἢ δεδιότα. Μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ τοῦ κλύδωνος ὑπανέντος, πνεῖ μὲν ἀθρόον ἐκ πρύμνης ἄνεμος, οἱ δὲ δἰ᾽ ακύμονος τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ λείας, πᾶσιν ἱστίοις ἐφέροντο· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐμπλέοντας θάμβος εἷλε τῷ παραδόξῳ τῆς σωτηρίας, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἦν ὃς οὐ δῶρον ἄντικρυς ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Ἁγίου ἥγητο. Ὁ δὲ ναύκληρος, παῖδα γὰρ οἴκαδε ἀπολελοίπει νοσοῦντα, εἰδώς, τῷ περὶ αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς συμπλέοντας θαύματι, ῥᾴστην αὐτῷ καὶ τοῦ παιδὸς, εἰ βούλοιτο, θεραπείαν εἶναι· κᾀκεῖνο διὰ τοῦ μοναχοῦ ἐδεῖτο, τὸ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν οἰκίαν ἤδη ἀναγομένῳ ζῶντα ταμιευθῆναι· ἐδεδίει γὰρ τοῦ κοινοῦ τῆς φύσεως μᾶλλον τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς θάνατον, ἀτελέστου τοῦ παιδὸς ὄντος ἔτι τὰ τοῦ θείου βαπτίσματος. Τοῦ δὲ, Πασἄ σοι τοῦτο κεῖσθαι εἰπόντος, εἰ ζέσει καὶ πίστει καρδίας μόνον ἐπικαλέσῃ τὸν ἱερὸν Συμεὼν, ὑπόχη δὲ καὶ Θεῷ τὸν παῖδα· ἐκεῖνος εὐθὺς ἑκάτερα δράσας, οὐ δ᾽ ἕτερον διαμαρτάνει, ἀλλ᾽ ὑγιῆ τὸν υἱὸν εὑρὼν, προσάγει Θεῷ διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν δὴ τοιοῦτον· ἐκεῖνα δὲ πῶς ἄν τις παραλιπεῖν νομίσειε διὰ τὸ πλῆθος, οὐ τὰ μέγιστα ζημιώσει.

[235] One would know how to bail out the whole sea with buckets, who should strive to bring into light all the marvels of Symeon: but it would likewise be an incomparable loss, that anything be passed over by those who know it. Sent therefore at some time into the royal city by S. Symeon was the Presbyter Thomas with two Brothers, to procure certain things regarding the use of God and of souls. And when, as is wont to be done, The disciples, from a hidden disease of worms, they were admitted and honored by the whole court, on account of the fame of him by whom they had been sent; he who then was Prefect of the City, Theodore by name, surnamed Picridius, powerful in authority, saw them, and asked; Who these monks were and whence? Taught each thing, he called Thomas aside privately. And when they had treated among themselves of many things concerning S. Symeon, and Thomas was weaving longer discourses concerning him, above all commending him and the miracles which he did daily: the Prefect, inflamed in heart by such narrations, and raised with all confidence in him; A difficult, said he addressing Thomas, and hidden disease presses me; for whose cause I have applied all engines and arts, but I have labored in vain, no remedy of the evil being found. Then he most ardently asked, that it might be permitted him to indicate by letter the state of his affairs to the Saint, whereby he might merit to obtain a cure from him. But Thomas asking; What that disease was: answering with a wretched voice; All, said he, they heal the Prefect of the City of Constantinople: my nourishment is converted into blood and long worms; and the pain which gnaws my entrails, can scarcely be tolerated, they feeding upon me. To whom Thomas: These things indeed are to be signified, as thou sayest, to the great Symeon; but nevertheless there is also with us something of his sacred hairs and dust, which if anyone shall have mixed with water, and drunk; I think it will be, that he will not repent of having done it.

[236] The Prefect believed the words of Thomas: and straightway the flux of blood ceased, the pains of the worms were soothed, and all the sickness driven away. But when he saw, that he thenceforth used a natural evacuation; a fear graver than the former came upon him: and Thomas being summoned as quickly as possible, he tells him, That he feared and trembled, lest the worms, the natural evacuation being obstructed, should elsewhere gnaw through his belly: and (just as the stronger fear is always wont to occupy all, [to whom not sufficiently acquiescing the Saint announces the things that had been done] when life is in peril, sparing no thing, no labor, no fatigue, no expenses, even if that which can most profit be at hand) he esteemed all things intolerable, unless the things that regarded him were signified to the Saint. A letter therefore was written, and one procured who should carry it to Symeon. But the perspicacity of him forestalled even the suppliant embassy of these: for someone coming from Symeon, signified particularly all the things that had been done, namely what had been said by the Prefect to Thomas; how by him water had been given him, sanctified by the sacred hairs and dust of Symeon; how he had drunk and straightway dispelled all pain: and he bids him be secure. then he also exhorted the Prefect, not to neglect these miracles of God, and added whatever besides he thought would be for the matter of his soul; nay even he confirmed to him health, which also was continued unto the man's death. So therefore it is manifest, that what Symeon willed, being far absent he saw in spirit, and indeed as clearly as if it were done before him: just as the following things also declare.

[237] A pestilent disease at some time raged, feeding upon many men: whereby it befell the daughter of a certain Euagrius ^a also to be seized. But that Euagrius was a Scholasticus. But since a certain Epiphanius, who at that time was said to adhere to the errors of the Gentiles, suffered no trouble as to his children, who were doing rightly, He perceives the blasphemous thoughts of a certain man and indicates them. blasphemous thoughts entered Euagrius's mind (such as are wont to be the deceptions of the malign demon) sprung from the too vehement affection with which he loved his daughter; namely how his religion did for Epiphanius unto the life and safety of his children. But from thoughts of this kind a commotion and a vehement tempest was stirred up in the man's soul, creating for himself no light peril. Symeon had known these things in spirit, and to Euagrius, according to his singular propensity of mind toward him, he ordered it to be indicated. He was amazed at the unusual novelty of the thing, how those things, which lay hidden in the inmost recess of his heart, had become known to Symeon; and seized with fear and repentance, he ran to the Saint, confessing the matter by tears and affection of mind more than by tongue and lips: and having obtained not only pardon, but also a remedy against sin, he returned.

[238] A putrefying right hand is restored to integrity: It happened after these things, that a certain man, whose right hand was putrefying, went to Symeon, and being soon cured by him, retraced the way homeward: by chance a certain Cilician near the way was working at pottery, and asked, whence and for what cause he came: and taught, how notable a benefit of cure he had obtained; Why, said he, are you deceived, fleeing to a man, who works these things by sorceries rather than by divine power? to the man mocking the miracle, Scarcely had he said it, when he feels his own right hand vitiated, struck with a like putrefaction, as that of the other before had been; the evil of the one being as it were transferred into the other. Nor even so however did the Cilician return to a better mind; and therefore suffering for it, but committed himself rather to physicians and arts to be cured. But when he saw his means consumed on the cure, and no hope to shine; he too knew (just as those, who are pressed by pains, are wont zealously to inquire into their causes) that he was paying penalties for his injurious words against S. Symeon; and as quickly as he could he went to him, showing in what wretched state his hand was, and imploring mercy. To whom the Saint; I know indeed that this right hand is for the avenging of thy intemperate tongue; but confess thy sin against thee to the Lord, and to the penitent succor is brought. and He Himself will remit the iniquity of thy heart. Having confessed therefore with bitter repentance of soul and more bitter tears, through the Saint's prayer and the sign of the Lord's cross, an entire hand, and what excels it, the remission of sin, he obtained and returned. Thus the sickness of the body sometimes confers health of the soul; and through mournful misfortunes, God often consults for salvation.

[239] It was at some time necessary for Dorotheus (he was one of the Brothers of S. Symeon, initiated into the Priesthood) to sail, I say, it was necessary to sail at an inopportune time and in mid-winter: but confidence in the Saint had made it, promising all things secure, Into a ship tossed by a grave tempest that he should commit himself to the sea in so inconvenient a season. But when they had now finished the middle of their course, a strong tempest rises, the winds waging as it were war among themselves on every side, and the waves overtopping the sides of the ship and pouring themselves into the midst. Despair invades the pilot and passengers, thinking that no way of escaping the danger was left: Dorotheus alone asked, that they should not fall in spirit from despair; but should rather implore the holy Symeon; that by his power alone the tempest could be escaped. Then he scatters some of that dust through the ship and pours it into the sea; and all the passengers soon, no cause appearing, feeling a certain fragrance of odor, divine grace followed: for it is wont not rarely to excite a certain previous sweetness of odor, demonstrating that it contains something divine. Therefore the sea for some time continued, as it had begun, to rage and vehemently boil: but the waves, not, as the violent assault bore, the dust sprinkled disperses the Saint's peril, dashed against the ship, but restrained themselves, as it were reverent or fearing. A little after, the fury of the tempest being remitted, suddenly a wind began to blow from the stern, and they were borne peacefully and over a smooth sea with full sails, trembling and afraid, at so unexpected a prodigy of recovered safety! nor was there any, who did not reckon himself preserved to himself by the gift of the Saint.

[240] Moreover the pilot, who had left his boy infirm at home, taught by the miracle done in himself and his passengers, thought it most easy for him to cure his son also: and he asked the monk this, that he should wish him preserved alive for his return: for he feared, since the boy had not yet been washed with the sacred waves, the death of his soul more than the common natural one to all. and a sick boy commended to him is healed. And when Dorotheus said it was in his hand, if only with fervor and confidence he should invoke holy Symeon, and should vow his son to God; he soon performed both: nor was he frustrated of the promise, his son being found unharmed at home, whom he offered to God through baptism. And thus far indeed that: but these things, which are subjoined, if anyone should think they must be passed over on account of their multitude, how would he not have made a very great loss?

ANNOTATA.

CHAPTER XXX.

A Priest injurious to the Saint is punished: the sick are cured through a vision.

Ἱερεὺς γάρ τις ἐν κώμῃ Κασσᾶ καλουμένῃ χαλεπῷ πάθει φιλαυτίας ἐαλωκὼς, ἡνίκα τὰ παρὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν τελεσθέντα παραδόξως ἢ μαθοι, ἢ διὰ τῶν παριόντων ἴδοι, ἀνομίαν ὁλην τὴν ἡμέραν έλογίζετο ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ, ἠγάπα κακίαν ὑπὲρ ἀγαθωσύνην, ἀδικίαν ὑπὲρ τὸ λαλῆσαι δικαιοσύνην ἠγάπα πάντα ῥήματα καταποντισμοῦ, γλῶσσαν δολίαν καὶ τέλος, οἷα τὰ τῆς κακούργου ταύτης καὶ ἐπιβούλου εἰς ἔσχατον ἀπονοίας χειραγωγούσης, ἀναθέματι τὸν Ὅσιον ὑποβάλλει. Καὶ παραχρῆμα δαιμόνων ὁρᾷ πλῆθος (μακροθυμῆσαι δικαίως ἐνταῦθα οὐκ ἀνασχομένης τῆς δίκης, ὅπου μὴ συνοίσειν ἔμελλε τοῖς πολλοῖς τὸ μακρόθυμον) συλλαβομένους αὐτὸν, ὀπίσω τε τὰ χεῖρε περιαγαγόντας καὶ δήσαντας, ὡς

μή τε τὸ ἱερὸν εὐαγγέλιον εἶς ὦτα δυνασθαι τῷ λαῷ ἀναγνῶναι, μή τε τὴν θείαν ἐπιτελέσαι μυσταγωγίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε τι καὶ τοιοῦτο δράσαι πειράσαιτο, τὴν τε φρένα καὶ τὴν φωνὴν ἀλλοιοῦσθαι, καὶ πρὸς αἰσχύνης μᾶλλον ἑαυτῷ καθίστασθαι. Ὅπερ οὐ φέροντα τὸν Ἱερέα, τοῖς τινα τοῦ κακοῦ λύσιν ὑπισχνουμένοις ἐκδαπανῆσαι, καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν, ἕως λογισμὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ πάντα κινήσας, τύπτουσαν εὕρισκε τὴν συνείδησιν, οἷς κατὰ τοῦ θείου Συμεὼν πλημμελῶς πολλάκις ᾔδει φθεγξάμενος, καὶ ὅπως οὐ δὲ ἀναθέματος ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν φείσαιτο τὸ δεινότατον. Τοῦτο τοιγαροῦν ἐκεῖνο εἶναι συνεὶς ὅπερ αὐτὸν τῆς θείας ἀθεάτως λειτουργίας ἀπείργοι, σπουδῇ παρ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀνελθὼν, συγκώρησιν ᾔτει θερμῶς. Τοῦ δὲ Εἰ μὴ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν σου πρότερον ἐξαγορεύσεις εἰπόντος, ποία λοιπὸν συγχώρησις ἔσται σοι; ἐπεῖχε μέχρι τινὸς ὑπὸ τῆς αἰσχύνης ἐκεῖνος. Εἶτα τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ πάθει λύπης ὃ πάσχων ἦν ἐπὶ τῇ θείᾳ μυσταγωγίᾳ, τὴν αἰσχύνην (ῶς εἰκὸς) διακρουσαμένης (ἐπεὶ καὶ πέφυκε τῷ μείζονι τὸ ἧττον ἐκκρούεσθαι, καὶ τὸ νικώμενον ἀεὶ πάθος ὑποχωρεῖν τῷ κρατοῦντι) διεξῆλθε πάντα σαφῶς, ὅσα πολλάκις αὐτῷ κατ᾽ ἐκείνου λεχθείη, καὶ ὅπως οὐ δὲ ἀναθέματος ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀπἔσχετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῷ τοῦτον ἀνοῆτως ὑποβεβλῆκει. Ὁ δὲ ὅλος χρηστότης, ὅλος οἰκτος, ὅλος συμπάθεια, τῶν τοῦ μονογενοῦς οἰκτιρμῶν εὐθὺς, καὶ τῆς ἀδαπανήτου χρηστότητος ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δεόμενος ἦν, καὶ τῷ τοῦ σταυροῦ σημείῳ τὸν Ἱερέα σφραγίσας, Ἐν τῷ ονόματι τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ λέλυσαι τῶν δεσμῶν ἔφη· Πορευθεὶς παρὰ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν σου τοίνυν, τό τε θεῖον ὑγιῶς Εὐαγγέλιον ἀναγνώση, καὶ τὴν μυστικὴν ὡς καὶ πρώην τῇ ἱερᾷ τραπέζῃ θυσίαν προσοίσεις. Εἶπε ταῦτα, καὶ τὸ δίκαὶον ἐκεῖνο πάθος αὐτίκα ὁ Ἱερεὺς ἀπέθετο, καὶ ἡ θεία μέχρι τελευθῆς ὡς καὶ πρότερον αὐτῷ μυσταγωγία ἐπετελεῖτο. Εἶτα προσάγεταί τις αὐτῷ τυφλὸς, οὐ δ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἰσχίου στῆναι δυνάμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο δεινῶς παρειμένος, δαίμοσί τε τρισὶν ἐταζόμενος, Ὁ δὲ τῆς πολυειδοῦς αὐτὸν καὶ ποικίλης συμφορᾶς ἐλεήσας, εἰς ἔλεον πάλιν αὐτὸς εἶδε Θεοῦ τὸν ἀδαπανήτως ἀεὶ κενούμενον, καὶ πτύελον οἰκεἶον τῷ δακτύλῳ λαβὼν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπιχρίσας, τῷ τε δεσποτικῷ τύπῳ τὰς ψύας σφραγίσας, τῷ μὲν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς δίδωσιν εὐθέως τὸ φῶς, τῷ δὲ τῷ ἰσχίῳ τὴν ῥῶσιν. Ἑξῆς δέ τις ἀνὴρ ἐδόκει τῷ πάσχοντι χιτῶνα ποικίλον ἐνδεδυκὼς, τοὺς ἐνοικοῦντας αὐτῷ τρεῖς δαίμονας ἐκείνους, ἁλύσεσι πυρὸς τοσαύταις πεδήσας, καὶ κλοιὰ περιθεὶς· ὧν εὐθέως ἀπαλλαγεὶς, ὅλον διὰ τοῦ μοναδικοῦ σχήματος ἑαυθὸν τοσαύτης χάριτος ἀντιδίδωσι. Παραπλησίως μὲν οὖν ἔχοντα τοῖς εἰρημένοις τὰ ἐπαγόμενα, χρὴ δὲ ὅμως κᾀκείνων ἐπιμνησθῆναι. Ἰωάννης γάρ τις μὴ δὲ θατέρῳ τοῖν ποδοῖν κινεῖσθαι δυνάμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ἑκατέρων αὐτῶν ἀκινήτως ἔχων καὶ χρόνον ἐπὶ μακρὸν, τῶν ἄλλων ἀπογνοὺς ἁπάντων, ἐλπίδα τὸν θαυμαστὸν ἐτίθετο Συμεὼν, καὶ αὐτὸν ἐν πίστει καρδίας ἐπεκαλεῖτο· Ἦν μὲν οὖν ἤδη πρωῒ τῆς ἡμέρας· ὁ δὲ καθάπερ εἰς ὕπνον ὑπολισθήσας, ὁρᾷν ἐδόκει τὸν Συμεὼν, Ἄγγελος δὲ παρ᾽ ἑκάτερα τούτου λαμπρὸς τὴν ἀναβολὴν, ἥ τε βαΐνη ῥάβδος ἐκείνῳ διὰ χειρὸς, σφραγίσαντα τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, καὶ διαναστῆναι κελεύσανθα. Καὶ ὁ μὲν γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἐκεῖνος ὑγιῆ τοῦτον ἀνῆκε, καὶ ἡ ὄψις ἔργον ἦν, καὶ φανθασίαν εὐθὺς ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐπιστοῦτο. Ὁ δὲ δρομαίως παρὰ τὸν στύλον ἐλθὼν, ὁ πρώην ἶσα καὶ τῆς φερούσης αὐτὸν κλίνης ἀκίνητος μένων, ἐν θαύματί τε τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυθὸν ἀπαγγείλας, ὅλον διὰ τοῦ μοναδικοῦ βίου καὶ οὗτος χαριστήρια τοσαύτης εὐεργεσίας ἑαυθὸν ἀντεισφέρει. Ἔπειτα μέντοι. παρθένος, Θεοσεβία τὴν κλῆσιν, χαλεπῷ δαίμονι πολιορκουμένη, ὡς καὶ καθ᾽ ὕδατος ἀφεθῆναι παρ᾽ ἐκείνου πολλάκις, ἐφανθάζετο τὸν θεῖον Συμεὼν, μετακαλούμενον οἷα πρὸς ἑαυθὸν οὄκοι μένουσαν. Ἡ δὲ τὴν ὄψιν ἔργον ποιησαμένη, ὡς ἤδη καὶ ἀτενίσειεν εἰς αὐτὸν, ὁρᾷ τινα διάττουσαν ὥσπερ ἀστραπὴν τοῦ προσώπου· καὶ τὸ μὲν πονηρὸν ἐκεῖνο πνεῦμα θορύβου πάνθα καὶ βοῆς αὐτίκα ἐπλήρου, τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεῖον ἄνδρα καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ τοῦ πνεύματος χάριν οὐ φέρον ἐγγύτητα, ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις δύναμις ἐλαυνεσθαι καὶ φεύγειν μακρὰν ἐπειγόμενον. Ἡ δὲ παρθένος, ἔξω καθάπερ ἑαυτῆς γενομένη, ἐδόκει τὸν Συμεὼν ὁρᾷν τῷ δαίμονι δεσμὰ περιθέντα, ἡ περιβολὴ δὲ τῷ Ἁγίῳ φῶς ἦν καὶ στέφανος ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς, ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ στεφάνῳ σταυρὸς, οἷον αὐτὸν ὁ λόγος προλαβὼν ἔγραψεν. Ἥ τῆς ἐκ τοῦ δαίμονος τότε μανίας ἀπαλλαγεῖσα, σεμνόν τε καὶ σώφρονα βίον διὰ τέλους ἐβίω, ταύτην Θεῷ καὶ τῷ Συμεὼν ἀμοιβὴν ἀντεισενεγκοῦσα· ᾗ καὶ νυκτὸς ὄνειροι τοῦ λοιποῦ συνεχῶς ἐχαρίζοντο φαντασίαν ὄψεως, αὐτῇ τοῦ Συμεὼν ἐνδιδόντες, τῇ ὄψει δὲ παραδόξως καὶ θείας εὐωδίας παρεπομένης. Κᾀκεῖνο δὲ τῶν προειημένων οὐκ ἔλαττον. Ἀνήρ τις τὸν ἔτερον τῶν ποδῶν πολλοὺς ἤδη χρόνους πεπυρωμένος ὡς καὶ τούτου παντάπασιν ἀχρήστως ἔχειν καὶ ἀνονήτως, ὑποζυγίῳ φόρτος παρὰ τὸν θεῖον ἄνδρα τοῦτον ἀνήγετο, ὥστε τινὸς τυχεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ποδὶ θεραπείας. Ἀποπεισαμένου δὲ σφοδρῶς αὐτὸν τοῦ ὑποζυγίου, σύντριμμα καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἕγεγόνει, ὡς εἶναι τοῦ προτέρου πάθους, οὖ χάριν ἀνεκομίζετο, πικρότερον τὸ παρόν. Τιθέασι τοίνυν αὐτὸν πρὸ τοῦ στύλου, τίνας οὐκ ἀφιέντα φωνὰς, ὴ δακρύων μᾶλλον πηγὰς; προτέραν οὐκ ἔχοντα ποτέραν πενθήσει τῶν συμφορῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ τί ποτε ἄρα πρὸς ἑκατέραν ἑαυτῷ χρήσεται· ὁπότε τὴν προτέραν οὐ δυνάμενος φέρειν, βαρυτέρᾳ κέχρητο πολλῷ τῇ δευτέρᾳ, ὅσῳ καὶ πλέον λυπεῖν, ἢ πάλιν εὐφραίνειν ὁποτέρως ἂν ἕχοντα τύχοι, τὰ νεώτερα οἶδεν. Ὁπότε δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ θατέρῳ τοῖν ποδοῖν χρώμενος, οὐ φορητῶς εἶχε τοῦ πάθους, μὴ δ᾽ ἑτέρῳ νῦν δύναιτο χρῆσθαι· καὶ ὅγε πάλιν δεινότερον, ὅτι διὰ τὸ τὴν προτέραν ἀποθέσθαι καὶ ἡ δευθέρα προστέθειτο. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πικρῶς ὀδυρόμενον, περιΐδεῖν φιλάνθρωπον οὐδαμῶς ὁ θεῖος Συμεὼν οὐ δὲ συμπαθὲς ἡγούμενος, ὁσίας ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ Θεῷ χεῖρας αἴρει, καὶ παραχρῆμα (τίς σου τὰς δυναστείας Κριστὲ διηγήσεθαι;) καθάπερ ὑπὸ πλήθει χειρὸς ἑλκόντων, οὕτως αὐτῷ ποδῶν ἑκατέρων διαταθέντων, ἀθρόον τοῦ ἐδάφους ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἁπάντων, τοῖς αὐτῷ καὶ συμπάσχουσι καὶ συναλγοῦσι, διαναστὰς, ὀρθὰ βαίνων ἦν, καὶ ποσίν ἐῤῥωμένοις χρώμενος.

[241] A certain Priest in a village, which was called Cassa, laboring with the troublesome affection of self-love, A wicked Priest, subjecting Symeon to anathema, when he either understood the marvelous works wrought through S. Symeon, or saw them in those passing that way, spoke iniquity and injury the whole day, loved malice more than goodness, and injustice more than justice; he loved all words of headlong destruction, and a deceitful tongue; at length, that malevolent and insidious madness as it were affording the lead, he subjected the Saint to anathema. But soon he beholds a huge crowd of demons (for the divine justice could not act more slowly, where longanimity would not have profited) seizing him and binding back his hands behind his back, so that he could not read the sacred Gospel aloud to the people or celebrate the divine liturgy: nay, if ever he attempted any such thing, he felt his mind and voice changed for himself, his mind alienated he is compelled himself to abstain from sacred things: and turned to his own confusion. Which since the Presbyter could not bear, he had consumed his fortunes on those, who promised any alleviation; until, his mind revolving every thought, he found his conscience accusing him of those things which he had often perversely and maliciously babbled against S. Symeon; and that he had not blushed by a most grievous crime to strike him with anathema.

[242] Understanding therefore that this very thing was that, by which he was invisibly debarred from the divine Sacrifice, he came swiftly to the Saint, and asked with ardent prayer pardon of his fault. But the Saint saying: Unless thou first expiate thy sin by confession, what pardon for thee? for some time he restrained himself with absurd and impudent words. and being made penitent of the deed he is freed by the Saint. Then when the grief, which besides the disease he suffered because he was prohibited from the sacred altars, had, as was fitting, prevailed over his shame (for that which is weaker is wont to be expelled by the stronger, and a vanquished affection to yield to a more powerful one) he openly narrated all his things; how nefarious things he had frequently babbled against the Saint, and that he had not abstained from anathema, but had madly subjected him to it. Then the Saint, wholly kind, wholly merciful, wholly compassionate, imploring the commiseration of the only-begotten Son of God and His inexhaustible goodness, the sign of the sacrosanct cross being impressed on the Priest; In the name, said he, of the Lord Jesus Christ thou art loosed from thy bonds: betake thyself therefore to thy church, and the sacrosanct Gospel of Christ well sound thou shalt read through, and the secret Sacrifice on the altar thou shalt offer after the wonted manner. He said these things: and the Priest was exempted from that deserved punishment, and the sacred liturgy unto the end of his life, as he had been wont before, always performed.

[243] After these things a blind man is brought to him, unable to stand on one foot for paralysis, and harassed by three demons. A blind and demon-possessed man being cured becomes a monk, Symeon, having pitied the manifold and diverse calamity of the man, turned his eyes back to the mercy of God, which by being exhausted is not diminished, dipped his finger in his spittle, smeared the blind man's eyes, fortified the loins with the sign of the Lord's cross: and so straightway restored to the one his eyes light, to the other his feet firmness. Then there seemed to the sufferer a certain man, clothed in a parti-colored tunic, binding the three demons, by whom he was beset, with fiery chains and casting fetters upon them. Freed therefore straightway from them, he offered himself wholly for the giving of thanks of so great graces, the monastic habit being taken up. Very similar indeed to the preceding are those things which follow, nevertheless they must be commemorated.

[244] A certain John could use neither of his feet, having both now for a long time immovable: but when he despaired of other remedies, as also another, the use of his feet recovered, he placed all hope in S. Symeon, and invoked him with confident heart. It was then by chance about the morning twilight, when, as if lulled by a gentle sleep, he thinks he beholds Symeon, Angels on either side standing about him shining in robe, signing his feet with the palm rod which he held in his hand, and commanding him to rise. That sweet sleep departed, and left the man thoroughly cured: and what had been seen, had been done, and the truth followed the apparition. John therefore, who lately was no more movable than the little bed by which he was carried, runs swiftly to the column, announcing with admiration, the things that had been done for him; and through the monastic life this one too dedicating himself to God, in place of gratitude requites himself for so great a benefit.

[245] A certain Virgin, whose name was Eusebia, often so assailed by a most hostile demon, that she was even cast headlong into the water, and a demoniac freed through a vision. imagined that she saw S. Symeon, calling her out of the house where she remained,

ad se: curavitque quod viderat, ut opere exequeretur. Cum vero jam oculos in Sanctum intenderet, vidit quasi fulgur aliquod absistere a facie ejus: malignus autem spiritus late omnia tumultu ac vociferatione complevit, ferre nequiens propiorem viri sancti congressum & gratiam Spiritus sancti; sed conabatur totis viribus inde longius aufugere. Tum virgo, velut a sensibus abducta, conspicatur Sanctum, injicientem dæmoni vincula: erat autem amictus viro totus lucidos, in capite corona, supra quam sacrosancta crux; qualem ipsum supra oratio nostra descripsit: & eodem tempore dæmonis furore libera fuit, & castam sobriamque vitam, qualem deinde egit, Deo atque Symeoni remunerationis loco consecravit. Hac autem durante singulis fere noctibus reducebantur per quietem ejusdem species visionis, Symeonem repræsentantis, exhibentisque beneficium collatum; sequente etiam repræsentationem non expectata odoris divini fragrantia.

To herself: and she took care that what she had seen, she should execute in deed. But when she now intended her eyes upon the Saint, she saw as it were some lightning depart from his face: but the malign spirit filled all things far and wide with tumult and vociferation, unable to bear the nearer encounter of the holy man and the grace of the Holy Spirit; but strove with all its strength to flee thence further away. Then the virgin, as if drawn away from her senses, beholds the Saint, casting bonds upon the demon: but the man's garment was wholly luminous, on his head a crown, above which the sacrosanct cross; such as our discourse described him above: and at the same time she was free from the demon's fury, and consecrated to God and to Symeon, in place of remuneration, a chaste and sober life, such as she afterward led. And while this lasted, on almost every night there were brought back through sleep the appearances of the same vision, representing Symeon, and exhibiting the benefit conferred; the unexpected fragrance of divine odor also following the representation.

[246] That finally is not inferior to the things already said. A certain man bearing one foot for a long time inflamed, and fit for no use at all; Seeking a remedy for an affected foot, placed on a pack-saddle, was carried to the holy man, about to obtain, as he hoped, some alleviation for the affected foot. But by too great a shaking of the beast, the other foot also was so bruised, that a new pain more intolerable than the former, for which he was coming to seek alleviation, arose. Placed therefore before the column, what voices did he not utter, or rather fountains of tears? not knowing which calamity he should first bewail, even more ignorant what remedy especially he should apply to each: for he who had not been able to tolerate the former torture, and beginning to grieve more grievously by the other, helpless, already felt the second much graver: just as those things which are more recent are wont to bring greater either grief or joy, according as the matter chanced to be. But because, sometimes using the one foot, he could now stand on neither, the pain seemed to him intolerable, and the graver because while he sought alleviation for one calamity, he had incurred a second. While this man most bitterly laments these and similar things: Symeon, esteeming that it was by no means of his humanity to despise him; raises his sacrosanct hands for him to God; and straightway (who shall celebrate Thy power, Lord Jesus?) both feet being so extended as if they had been drawn out by the hands of many, suddenly in the sight of all, who commiserated and at once grieved, rising from the earth, with strengthened feet he walked rightly.

* perhaps ὑπολισθεύσας

* Num. 45

CHAPTER XXXI.

The holy death of S. Symeon.

Ἐπιλείψει με πρὸς διήγησιν τῶν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς θαυμασίων ὁ χρόνος, ἢ ταῦτα μᾶλλον, εἰ πάντα καθὰ μέρος ἀπαριθμεῖσθαι βουλοίμην, οὐ τὰ κοινῆ καὶ εἰς πολλοὺς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ καθέκαστον ταὶ ἰδία γεγενημένα· ὁπότε καὶ μεθὰ τέλος αὐτῷ ἀεννάους ποταμῶν εἰς δεῦρο τὰ θαύματα μιμεῖται πηγὰς, ὡς εἶναι τῶν εἰρημένων οὐκ ἐλάττω τὰ παρειμένα. Ἵν᾽ οὖν μὴ πλείω προσθέντες, οὐχ ὅπως τοῖς ἀναγινώσκουσι κόρον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κάματον ἐμποιήσωμεν· οἱ πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος ἀπαγορεύσωσι τοῦ βιβλίου, τὰ μεταξὺ πάντα παρέντες, ὅσον αὐτῷ δηλαδὴ καὶ ἄλλο δαιμονώντων, οὐκ ἀνδρῶν μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναικῶν, προσαχθείη πλῆθος, ὅσον ὑδεριώντων καὶ παρειμένων, οὐ μὲν ἀλλὰ καὶ χεῖρας, ἢ πόδας, ἢ καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς πηρῶν, ὅσον τε πάθεσι καὶ νοσήμασιν ἑτέροις πιεζομένων, καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ θεραπείαν κομισαμένων, τῷ τῆς παρούσης αὐτοῦ ζωῆς τέλει τὸν λόγον συγκαταλύσομεν. Ἦν μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶῖ τῆς ἡλικίας ἔτος ἤδη πέμπτον ἐπὶ τοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα, τῆς δ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῦ μεγίστου καὶ τελευταίου στύλου στάσεως πέμπτον ἐπὶ τοῖς τεσσαράκοντα· τοῦ συνοίκου πνεύματος ἐνγίζουσαν αὐτῷ τὴν έκδημίαν ἤδη γνωρίσαντος, συγκαλέσας τοὺς μαθητὰς, καὶ ταύτην πάλιν ἐκεῖνος αὐτοῖς πικρᾶς ἐκείνης ἀγγελίας μηνύσας, καὶ πολλὰ μὲν αυτοῖς περὶ τῆς τῶν θείων ἐντολῶν φυλακῆς, καὶ τῆς εἰς ἀλλήλως ὁμονοίας, καὶ τῆς εἰς τὸν πλησίον ἀγάπης διαλεχθεὶς, πολλὰ δὲ περὶ πειρασμῶν ὑπομονῆς παραινέσας, τέλος ὅπερ αὐτοὺς ᾔδει μαθεῖν βουλομένους, οὐ θαῤῥοῦντας δὲ τὴν ἐρώτησιν, ὅπως ἄνθρωπος ὢν οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνοις σιτίοις ἐτρέφετο, τοῦτο αὐτοῖς φιλοστόργως ἀνακαλύπτει· ἵνα καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς ἐντεῦθεν οἰκοδομήσῃ, καὶ μείζονας αὐτοῖς εἰς Θεὸν ὑποτείνῃ ἐλπίδας. Ἐγὼ γάρ φησιν, ὦ τέκνα καὶ ἀδελφοι, ἵνα μὴ δὲ ὃ ποθεῖτε μαθεῖν ὑμῖν ἀποκρύψωμαι (συνίημι γὰρ τῷ πνεύματι καὶ σιωπώντων ὑμῶν) πολλῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ μεγάλων εὐεργεσιῶν, τοῦ ἀντιλαβομένου μου ἐκ γαστρὸς μητρός μου, ὡς οὐ δὲ ὑμῖν ἐστιν ἀγνοεῖν, ἀπολαύσας ἔτι καὶ τοῦτο μακρὸς ἤδη χρόνος ἐξ ὅτου τῆς ἀγαθότητος αὐτοῦ δεηθείην, ἀπαλλάξαι με τῶν τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου βρωμάτων. Ἀλλὰ πῶς σου τὰ ἐλέη, Χριστὲ, καὶ τὴν χρηστότητα, ἣν ἐποίησας τότε μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου διηγήσομαι; Ἐδόκουν τινὰ τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὴν ἀναβολὴν ἱερέα, φῶς ὥσπερ ἱμάτιον ἐνδεδυκότα ὁρᾷν, σκεῦός τε τῷ ἀνδρίθεῖον ἦν ἐν χεροῖν, καὶ δι᾽ ἀέρος οἷα φέρόμενος, ἐγένετο πρός με· ὅ τι μὲν οὖν ἐναποτέθειτο τῶ σκεύει, φράζειν οὐκ ἔχω, οὕτως ἀπόῤῥητόν τι καὶ ἥδιστον οὐκ ἰδεῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γεύσασθαι ἦν. Ὁ δὲ τῇ λαβίδι τρὶς ἐνῆκέ μου τῷ στόματι. Ἐξ ἐκείνου τοίνυν ἄχρι καὶ νῦν ἑώρων αὐτὸν ἑκάστης κυριακῆς μετὰ τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν, τῆς τοιαύτης μεταλήψεως ἀξιοῦντά με, ἥ τις ἕως εἰς τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν αὖθις κυριακὴν στήριγμά μοι καρδίας ἐγίνετο. ὅ μὲν ἀπόῤῥητόν μοι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα, τὰ ἐμὰ μέλη, τὰ ἐμὰ σπλάγχνα ἦν, τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ καὶ σφόδρα διψῶσι μαθεῖν ἐξεκάλεῖψα· τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα, ὑμεῖς ἴστε καὶ διηγεῖσθαι, οἱ καὶ παρηκολουθηκότες μου τῇ ἀγωγῇ, καὶ συνδιαφέροντές μοι τοὺς πνευματικοὺς ἀγῶνας, καὶ κοινωνίας τοῦ κατὰ Θεὃν βίου γεγενημένοι· οἷς τὰς ἐμὰς παραδόσεις, τὸν κανόνα παρακατατίθμαι τὸν ἐμὸν, ταύτην ἀμοιβὴν αἰτῶν παρ᾽ ὑμῶν, εἴ τι τῶν περὶ ὑμᾶς οὐκ ἀμνημονεῖτέ μου πόνων, ἵν᾽ ἀκεραίαν μοι τὴν παρακαταθήκην τηρήσητε διὰ τέλους, καὶ ὡς ἐμοῦ παρόντος καὶ μετὰ τέλος ὑμῖν πάντα ποῖ τε, καὶ ὡς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐμοῖς καὶ βίον καὶ λόγον καὶ πράξιν ἀεὶ ἀπευθύνητε· γνωριεῖ δὲ σαφῶς ὑμῖν τοὺς ἐντεῦθεν καρποὺς, ἵνα μακρὸν ἐγὼ περὶτούτου νῦν ἀποτείνω λόγον, ἡ μεγάλῃ τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἡμέρα καὶ τὰ ἑκάστῳ τότε ταμιευόμενα, εἰ ἀνεπαισχύντως έκεῖ παρασταίημεν. Ταῦτα τοῖς μαθηταίς καὶ κλείω διαλεχθεὶς, τελευταίας τε ταύτας αὐτοῖς πρὸ τῆς ἐκδημίας ἐντολὰς ἐπισκήψας (εἴ γε δεῖ καλεῖν ἐκδημίαν, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀνάλυσιν μᾶλλον, ἢ πρόσληψιν, ἢ μετάθεσιν, ἢ διάβασιν, ἢ πρὸς τὰ ποθούμενα κλῆσιν· δεκάτῃ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα ἡμέρᾳ, τετάρτῃ δηλαδὴ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ Αρτεμησίου μηνὸς, μετὰ τὰς ἐπιλυχνίους ᾠδὰς, καὶ τὰς συνήθεις δοξολογίας, καὶ τὴν ὡς ἔθος παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς διδομένην εἰρήνην, εἰς χεῖρας ἡδέως τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ παρατίθεται, καθάπερ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ προσληφθεὶς ἢ μετακληθεὶς φιλοτίμως, ἐφ᾽ ἂ ποθῶν ἦν ἀεὶ, καὶ ἁπερ ἐκ πλείονος αὐτῷ παρεσκεύαστο, καὶ ὧν οὐ δ᾽ ἐνταῦθα εῖχεν ἀμυδρὰς τὰς ἐμφάσεις. Καὶ νῦν ὁ μέν ἐστιν ἐκεῖ, τὰς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πρεσβείας προσάγων, καὶ τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον, ὅσῳ μετὰ μείζονος τῆς παῤῥησίας καὶ πλείονος τῆς ἐγγύτητος· τὸ δὲ τούτου σῶμα τὸ θεῖον, θαυμάτων ὑπολέλειπται παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ταμιεῖον, ἀεὶ μὲν ἐξαντλούμενον, οὐ δέ ποτε δὲ κενούμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσῳ πλέον λαμβάνομεν, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον πληρούμενον, καὶ τὴν ἴασιν οὐ σώματος μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχῆς ὑπερβλύζον, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἡμῶν, ἅμα τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

[247] Time will sooner fail one narrating the miracles of the holy man, than these very things, if I should wish to recount all particularly, which were done either openly and to many, or which privately and to individuals: More miracles are passed over, than have been related. since even after his death the prodigies, imitating the fountains of perennial rivers, endure unto this present day, and these so abundant, that the things we pass over are not fewer than those we have related. Lest therefore by adding more we bring upon the readers not only satiety, but also fatigue, and many even on account of the size refuse to read the book; passing over in silence all the things that thence happened; (how great a crowd namely of the demon-possessed, both men and women; how great of the dropsical, and of the paralyzed in hands, feet, eyes, of the maimed; how great of those pressed by other pains and infirmities, was brought to him, and obtained soundness) at the goal of his present life let us fix also the goal of our writing.

[248] S. Symeon then was passing now his seventy-fifth year of his age; but the forty-fifth, since he had stood on the greatest ^b and last column: when, made more certain by his familiar Angel of the approaching exit of his life; In the 75th year of his age forewarned of his imminent death he signified this very thing to his disciples, who grieved with bitter speech, having called them together: then he spoke with them many things concerning the observance of the divine commandments, concerning concord and mutual charity, concerning the love of neighbors; also exhorted them with many things to the tolerance of temptations; at length, what he had now known they wished especially to understand, but had not dared to ask; how he himself, since he was a man, was not fed with human foods, most lovingly disclosed; that they might hence be the more edified, and place a firmer hope in God.

[249] I, said he, O my Sons and Brothers, that I may conceal from you nothing of those things which you desire to know (for I know in spirit, he indicates to his own by what reasoning he lived without food. even with you silent, what you desire) have enjoyed many and great benefits of God, who anticipated me from my mother's womb, as you yourselves know; that also I asked His goodness from a long time now, that He should exempt me from the necessity of taking bodily food. But how, Lord Jesus, shall I narrate Thy mercy and goodness, which Thou didst then with Thy servant? I seemed to behold a certain one, in appearance and garment a Priest, surrounded with a luminous cloud for a vestment, bearing a certain sacred vessel in his hands: who borne through the air, was coming to me; but that which was contained in the vessel, I cannot utter what it was; so secret and sweet a thing was it, not only to see, but also to taste. Then that man taking a little in a spoon thrice instilled it into my mouth: and from that time unto the present I saw him every Lord's day, the sacred Liturgy being finished, deeming me worthy of a like refreshment, by which I was strengthened unto the following Lord's day again. And this is that, which I have hitherto concealed from you, my sons, my members, my entrails; and which I have now declared to you earnestly desiring to know. The rest you yourselves know and can narrate, who have followed the manner of living instituted by me

you who have contended spiritual contests with me, and he commends the observance of the Rule given them by him, and in common have led a life consonant with the divine precepts: to whom now also I commend my precepts and rule ^c; asking this of you as a recompense, if you are not unmindful of the labors which I underwent for your sake, that you keep my constitutions entire unto the end: I ask also that, just as you have done in my presence, so after my death also you continue to do all things, directing your life, discourses, works, no otherwise than if you were dwelling in person in my sight. What fruit thence awaits, that I may not weave a longer speech upon this matter, will plainly show you that great day of manifestation, and the things that are then reposited for each one, if confounded we shall stand there.

[250] and he dies on 24 May. When he had spoken these and more things with his disciples, and had enjoined upon them his last commands before his death (if however that is to be called a death, and not rather a release, or an assumption, or a translation, or a passage, or a calling to the desired joys) on the tenth day after, namely the four-and-twentieth of the month ^d Artemisius, after the evening hymns and the wonted lauds, when after his manner he had prayed peace for the Brothers, he sweetly delivered his spirit into the hands of God; as if assumed by Him or lovingly called to possess those things, which had always been in his vows and were now long since prepared; and which are not adumbrated even by obscure appearances by any earthly thing. And now indeed he is there, and intercedes for us so much the more powerfully, as more confidently and more nearly: but his sacred body, a storehouse of prodigies, has been left to us; whence it is always drawn, but never is found empty; nay the more is taken from it, the more it is filled; and grace, salutary not only to bodies but to souls also, abundantly overflows: in Christ Jesus our Lord, together with the Father and the holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

ANNOTATA C. I.

ON S. MARTHA THE WIDOW,

MOTHER OF S. SYMEON THE YOUNGER STYLITE.

IN THE YEAR 551.

COMMENTARY OF CONRAD JANNING S. J.

Concerning the life, cultus, and name of this Martha.

Martha his mother, near Antioch of Syria (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR C. J.

[1] In giving the Life of this Saint I shall seem to depart in two ways from the footsteps of my Masters, since I neither keep the order of time, postponing to the son the Life of her who died long before him; This life is given as a supplement to the former, and since I refer it to this day, the day V July being passed over, on which, just as she died, so she has a most celebrated cultus among the Greeks, and indeed in the Typicon in the first place, although in the figured Greco-Muscovite Calendar, the Menaea, and the Synaxaria she holds only the second or even the third. But know that this was done by their command, considering her to be a certain supplement as it were of the other Life; not because she was written after it, for this can be gathered from no head; but because the author of the other Life, in a most prolix argument wishing to make some abridgement of writing and of time, seems to have passed over on purpose all those things, which he most fully knew were narrated in the Life of the mother, although pertaining more to the son than to her. But it was not fitting that she who was written first be also placed in the first place: although the Saint is venerated on 5 July. because all the things which we have premised to the Acts of Symeon, neither could aptly be premised to this Life, nor could these be conveniently understood without those. But not entirely without the example of the Greeks shall we join the mother to the son: for this the collector of the Florentine Codex did, whence the Life is copied, by I know not what anticipation noting to it the day XXIII May. But the Chiffletian Synaxarium, kept at Dijon, celebrates the mother one day after the son, with a more prolix Elogium; which because it contains a Synopsis of the Life, it pleases to give in both languages.

[2] Elogium from the Dijon Ms., Αὕτη ἡ ἀοίδιμος Μάρθα, μητὴρ ἦν τοῦ ἁγίου Συμεὼν, τοῦ ἐν τῷ θαυμαστῷ ὄρει· καὶ ἀεὶ τῷ Θεῷ σχολάζουσα ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις, ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας γεννᾷ τὸν ἅγιον Συμεών. Ἄσκησιν δὲ καὶ στάσιν εἶχε πολλὴν ἐν τῷ βίῳ αὐτῆς· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἐθεάσατο ταύτην ποτὲ ἐν κυριακῷ καθεσθεῖσαν, ἤ τινι προσομιλήσασαν τὸ συνολον. Ἀγαπὴν πολλὴν ἔχουσα, καὶ ἐλεεμοσύνην, καὶ ταπείνωσιν, πόδας … πάντων νίπτουσα, ξένους ὑποδεχομένη, γυμνοὺς ἐνδύουσα, πτωχοὺς τρέφουσα, σίνδονας τοῖς μὴ εὐπωροῦσιν εἰς βάπτισμα ἐπιδιδοῦσα, ὡσαυτῶς καὶ ἐντάφια. Προγνοῦσα δὲ την ἑαυτῆς τελευτὴν πρὸ τριῶν μηνῶν, ἀπῆλθε συντάξασθαι πρὸς τὸν Ὅσιον. Ὡ δὲ πάλιν τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι γνοὺς, φησὶ πρὸς αὐτήν· Τείχισόν με, μῆτερ, ταῖς εὐχαῖς σου, ὅτι πρὸς Κύριον ἐκδημεῖς. Ἡ δὲ πρὀς αὐτόν· Τοῦτο, ὦ τέκνον, κᾳγὼ μυηθεῖσα, ἦλθον κομίσασθαι τὰς εὐχάς σου· καὶ ἀλλήλοις ἐπευξάμενοι καὶ εὐφρανθέντες, διῃρέθησαν. Ἐτάφη δὲ ἡ Ὁσία μεταστάσα ἐν Δάφνῃ· μετακομισθεῖσα δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου, τέθη πλησίον τοῦ στύλου· καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου ποιήσαντος εὐχὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς, ἐθαυματούργει ὁ τάφος αὐτῆς εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ.

[3] This celebrated Martha was the mother of S. Symeon, who led his life on the wonderful mount. In the churches she always gave herself to God; comprehending her very many virtues by promise she bore S. Symeon; she exercised herself and stood frequently in her life: for no one ever saw her in the sacred edifice either sit, or in any way converse with another. She excelled in much charity, mercy, humility; she washed … the feet of all; she received strangers with hospitality; she clothed the naked with a garment; she nourished the needy; she gave baptismal sheets as also sepulchral ones, if any were less furnished with them. But when she had known three months beforehand the imminent exit of her life, she went to the Saint, about to communicate the matter with him. But he, now likewise taught the same by the Holy Spirit, says to her coming: Fortify me, mother, with thy prayers, because thou goest to the Lord. But she to him: This very thing I too being taught, my son, and her foreknown death. come to receive thy prayers. And when they had prayed for each other in turn, suffused with joy, they were separated. But when the Saint had migrated from life, she was committed to burial at Daphne: but S. Symeon, having translated her, laid her near his column; where, when he had poured out prayers for her, her tomb wrought marvelous works, unto the glory of God. Thus far the Dijon Ms. The Syriac or Chaldaic Calendar also makes mention of the same woman, but translated, on that day which corresponds to our octave of July, in this manner, Translation 8 July. The Translation of the body of S. Martha the mother of S. Symeon the Stylite. Which to the first translation, three days after her death, as is said in the life, made from Daphne to Symeon's column, so squares; that yet nothing prevents one from opining, that a second also, some years after, was performed on a like day, and perhaps even with greater solemnity, on account of the preceding miracles.

[4] In what precise year the Saint died, although it is expressly nowhere said, yet from the collation of both Lives it is gathered with certainty enough; provided we attend to the day of her death, She died in the year 551. which is said num. 27 to have been Feria IV, and V July. For S. Symeon, as we saw num. 117, in the thirtieth year of his age, was carried with solemn pomp to the new column, S. Martha going before, and applauding and exulting, that she had offered such a fruit of her womb to God, and bearing the Cross before in her hand. But from the following Life num. 68 it is known, that after the death of B. Martha Antony the Presbyter was sent off by the same S. Symeon to Jerusalem, and returned thence with part of the sacrosanct Cross of the Lord to the monastery to the Saint, on the same day and hour, on which the year before, when Symeon was about to ascend the column, B. Martha had borne before him the venerable cross taken by the hand. Therefore not long after that ascent of Symeon onto the column did she survive. But from the calculation set above the thirtieth year of Symeon falls on the year 551 of the vulgar Era; and the same year had Feria IV concurrent with the day V July, through the Dominical letter A which six years before had not happened, nor did it happen except in the fifth year after and bissextile. We have therefore an indubitable mark of the sought time, and at once our chronology confirmed.

[5] We have also confirmed the anniversary cultus of Martha from her Life num. 71, when it is said, The Life written by a contemporary monk. that to celebrate the first anniversary of B. Martha a great multitude of people coming of their own accord, with candles and lamps, opportunely came together to celebrate at the same time the reception of the aforesaid Cross, in the church built by the Saint. The Saint then permitted a new church to be built, and into it the chest of his mother to be translated, as is narrated through the whole chap. 6 of the Life: and from that time it is said by the Author to have shone with several miracles, not only a contemporary, but as it is permitted to presume an eyewitness of most of them; for he was present when the particle of the Cross was received, and indicates this by these words reported in the same num. 71: All who had come together cried out with us, We adore Thy Cross &c. But that With us, will suggest to thee not only one present, but also a Monk from the disciples of S. Symeon, if thou attend to the title of Our Mother, which he repeatedly and by a certain special reasoning uses. By such an author therefore the Life is held described in the Laurentian Library of the Grand Duke of Florence, Pluteus IX Codex XIV, under such a title:

Βίος τῆς μακαρίας Μάρθας, μητρὸς τοῦ ἁγίου Συμεὼν, τοῦ ἀγονισαμένου

ἐκ νηπὶας ἡλικίας τὰ τῆς ἀσκήσεως ἄθλα ἐν τῷ Θαυμαστῷ ὄρει: The Life of B. Martha, mother of S. Symeon, who from a tender age drained out the ascetic contests on the wonderful mount. Hence transcribed in the year 1661, by the hand of P. Papebroch, I have taken upon myself to render it into Latin, the first to be an experiment of such study: which I would that, the course of Theological studies being measured out, it may be permitted to resume; and (since the one of my Masters has now gone to those, by illustrating whose Acts he was striving to form me) I may find at least the other surviving, who may pursue the institution begun not unhappily.

[6] Moreover since the veneration of this S. Martha was so celebrated everywhere, Were other mothers of other Symeons also Marthas? even while her son was still living, it pleased those, who were borne by a special devotion toward the Elder Symeon, and had read in his Acts, that when he had prayed well for his dead mother, the body was moved and the face smiled, and the obsequies being made they buried her before the column; to number her too among the Saints, lest the Elder should have anything less than the Younger: and being ignorant of the day of her death, they instituted her to be venerated together with her son on 1 September, when we again concerning her: for Baronius erred, at the day IV of that month, when he judged it was the Younger, whom the Greeks venerated with his Mother on the very Kalends. The name the author of the Life Antony Disciple of the Saint had not indicated, and Metaphrastes following him the Old Interpreter, whose Latin version Bollandus gave in the second place, having before his eyes the interpolated Life, expressed the name Mathana: the more recent Greeks in their Synaxaria and other ritual books call her Martha; which deservedly can be held suspect, lest it be assumed without suitable authority, that just as the names of the sons are the same, so they were also of the mothers.

[7] But what shall we say this is, that in the Menaea of the Greeks printed at Venice, but those alone, on the day before that on which the elogium of our S. Martha is recited, that is on IV July, or one Mary? after others of such a day called Saints there is prescribed to be made the memory of Μαρίας, τῆς μητρὸς τοῦ ἁγίου Συμεὼν τοῦ Στηλίτου, of Mary, the mother of S. Symeon the Stylite? Did some wish the mother also of a third Symeon to be ascribed to the Saints? I would not dare to opine that. I would rather say, that the collector of the Menaea found in some Ephemeris written wrongly the name Mary in place of Martha, and indeed by anticipation (as we have already noticed sometimes in such things days anticipated, namely in the Synaxarium of Basil and in the Greco-Muscovite Calendar) and therefore had it for a scruple, if he omitted her, since no adjoined indication showed to which Symeon he ought to assign her.

LIFE

By a contemporary monk as Author, Conrad Janning as Interpreter.

From the Ms. of the Laurentian Library of Florence Plut. 9 Cod. 14.

Martha his mother, near Antioch of Syria (S.)

BY A CONTEMPORARY FROM THE FLORENTINE MS.

CHAPTER I.

Various virtues of S. Martha, a vision, a miracle.

Ὅσοι τῆς μακαρίας καὶ ἀπεράντου ζωῆς ἐπιθυμοῦσι, τὸ ψαλμικὸν ἐκεῖνο λόγιον μελετὴν ἔχουσι διαπαντὸς, τὸ φάσκον· Συνέτισόν με, Κύριε, καὶ μαθήσομαι τὰς ἐντολάς σου· καὶ αὖθις· Δίδαξόν με τοῦ ποιεῖν τὸ θέλημά σου· οὐδαμῶς περιστρεφόμενοι πρὸς τὰς βιωτικὰς φροντίδας, οὐ δὲ θολῶσαι τὴν ψυχὴν ἀνεσχόμενοι ταῖς ἀνωφελέσι μερύμναις, πᾶσαν δὲ σπουδὴν ποιοῦντες τὸν ἔσω κατακοσμεῖν ἄνθρωπον καὶ πνευματικῆς ἀντέχεσθαι πολιτείας, λανθάνειν τε τοὺς πολλοὺς τὴν καλὴν ἐργασίαν ἐργαζόμενοι, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττονα καὶ ἐσχόμενα σωτηρίας ωροκοπῆς ἐπιμελούμενοι. Οὗτοι βεβηκότες ἑδραίως ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς πίστεως, καὶ ἀκλόνητοι τῇ τοῦ ζοωποιοῦ σταυροῦ δυνάμει τηρούμενοι, εἰκώτως πᾶσαν ἐπιβουλὴν τῶν πονηρῶν πνευμάτων διαφεύγουσιν, ἀποκρουόμενοι τὰσ τούτων προσβολὰς, καὶ τῶν κοσμικῶν πειρασμῶν τοὺς κλύδωνας ὑπερβαίνοντες. Ὅθεν καὶ ἡ ἐν ἁγίοις ἡμῶν μητὴρ Μάρθα, ἐξ ἧς Συμεὼν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος προσῆλθεν, περὶ ἧς ἡμῖν πρόκειται νῦν διήγησις, διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ὠφέλειαν, τὴν ἐπηγγέλμενην τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι τον Θεὸν μακαριότητα, καὶ ἐν τοῖς δικαιώμασι Κυρίου μελετῶσι, διαπαντοὶ ὁδοῖς δικαὶοσύνης ἐπορεύετο, τρεῖς τιμίους μαργαρίτας κεκτημένη, πίστιν εὐκατάνυκτον, ἐλπίδα παρὰ πόδα ἔχουσαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν ὑπὄστασιν, καὶ ἀγαπὴν τελεοῦσαν εἰς Θεὸν, δι᾽ ὧν προδήλως πᾶσαι αἱ ἐντολαὶ κατορθοῦνται· ἃς Θεῷ μόνῳ φανεροῦσθαι βουλομένη, ἔσπευδεν λανθάνειν ἀνθρώπους, φεύγουσα τὸν κενόδοξον λογισμὸν, ὥστε μηδένα γινώσκειν τι τῶν τῆς φιλοπονίας καὶ φιλοσοφίας ἔργων. Συναπέγετο δὲ τοῖς ταπεινοῖς, πυκνῶς νηστεύουσα, κατ᾽ ἐξαίρετον δὲ τὴν τετράδα καὶ παρασκευὴν ἀπαραλείπτως φυλάττουσα, καὶ ἐν τῇ κατοἶκον ἐκκλησίᾳ σχολάζαυσα, ἐπεμελεῖτο φωτῶν πολλῶν καὶ θυμιαμάτων προσαγωγῆς, πάντα εἰς δόξαν Κριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, καὶ τιμὴν τῆς παναγίας αὐτοῦ κατὰ σάρκα μητρὸς ἀεὶ παρθένου καὶ Θεοτόκου Μαρίας, καὶ τῶν Ἁγίων πάντων βουλομένη καὶ πράττουσα. Τὸν δὲ αὐτῆς τίμιον βλαστὸν θεοπρεπῶς ἐκβρέφουσα, ἀνήγαγεν μέχρι ἐτῶν ἓξ τῆς αὐτοῦ ἡλικίας ἐν φόβῳ καὶ θεοφιλῶς, καταλαληθέντα ὐπὸ τοῦ ἐνδόξου καὶ προδρόμου καὶ βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννου, δι᾽ οὓ τὴν σύλληψίν τε καὶ γέννησιν αὐτοῦ εὐηγγελίσθη. Δεήσεις δὲ καὶ ἱκεσίας ἀπαύστως ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τῷ δεσπότῃ Χριστῷ μετὰ δακρύων προσέφερεν, αἰτουμένη προσδέξασθαι αὐτὸν καθὼς παρὰ τῆς Ἄννης τὸν Σαμουήλ. Ἐνενόει δὲ τί ἄρα ἀποβήσεται αὐτῷ, καὶ ὑπνώσασα εῖδεν ἑαυτὴν πτερωθεῖσαν, καὶ ὥσπερ εἰς ὕψος ἐπαιρομένην, καὶ τὸ παιδίον κρατοῦσαν καὶ ἀναφεροῦσαν δῶρον τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ οὕτως λέγουσαν πρὸς τὸ παιδίον· Ταύτην τὴν ἀνάβασίν σου περιέμενον ἰδεῖν, παιδίον, ὅπως Κύριος ἀπολύσῃ με τὴν δούλην αὐτοῦ ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ὅτι εὗρον χάριν παρα Θεῷ ἀποδοῦναι πόνους ὠδίνων μου τῷ Κυρίῳ. Ταῦτα διετήρει ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς δοξάζουσα τὸν Θεόν. Ἀπερχομένη δὲ ἐν τῷ κυριακῷ παννύχους ἐπετέλεῖ τὰς ὑμνοδίας, ἀδιαλείπτως προσκαρτεροῦσα ταῖς δεήσεσιν· εἰ δὲ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτῆς ἐκάθευδεν, διεγειρομένη μεσονύκτιον εἰς ἐξομολόγησιν ἵστατο. Τὸ δὲ εῖδος αὐτῆς χάριτος ἦν πεπληρωμένον, ὅλη γὰρ εὐγενῆς ἐθεωρεῖτο· λόγον δὲ ἔχουσα παρακλήσεως, ἐδίωκεν εἰρήνην καὶ τὸν ἁγιασμὸν, ὧν χωρὶς οὐδείς ὄψεται τὸν Κύριον. Ἐν ὀλίγοις δὲ τοῖς χρόνοις αὐτῆς λυχνικῶν καὶ ἑωθινῶν οὔκ ἀπελιμπάνετο, σπεύδουσα μάλιστα εἰς τὰς νυκτερινὰς, διαγορῆσας ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἁγίων Μαρτύρων μνείαις· συναγομένη δὲ πρώτη ἐν τῷ κυριακῷ καὶ μηδαμῶς ὐπό τινος φροντίδος κωλυομένη μετελάμβανεν τήν σωτήριον ἡμῶν κοινωνίαν, τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὸ αἷμα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Οὐδεὶς δὲ ἐθεάσατο αὐτὴν ποτε καθεσθεῖσαν ἐν τῷ κυριακῷ, οὐ δὲ διαλεγομένην τινί· ἀλλ᾽ ἵστατο ἰδιάζουσα, πηγὰς δακρύων ἐκχέουσα, καὶ τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ Θεῷ ἱκεσίας προσάγουσα μετὰ φόβου καὶ κατανύξεως πολλῆς, μάλιστα ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας καὶ ὐπομονῆς τοῦ δικαίου Συμεών. Ἐν ὅλῃ δὲ τῇ λειτουργίᾳ ἐπεδίδου τὸ θυμίαμα τοῖς Ἱερεῦσιν, αἰτοῦσα καὶ αὐτοὺς συνεργῆσαι αὐτῇ ἐν ταῖσ πρὸς Θεὸν δεήσεσιν αὐτῆς. Μοναχὸς δέ τις, ὀνόματι Συμεὼν, εὐλαβὴς λίαν ὑπάρχων, θεωρῶν ἐκ πολλοῦ χρόνου τὴν Μακαρίαν οὕτω προσκαρτεροῦσαν τῇ θείᾳ λειτουργίᾳ, καὶ μηδέποτε ἐν τῷ κυριακῷ καθεσθεῖσαν, ἐνόμισεν πρὸς τιμὴν αὐτῆς τι ποιεῖν, καί φησι πρὸς αὐτήν· Ἀνασχομένη μῆτερ ἀποκρίτως, μικρὸν καθέζου καὶ ἀναπαύου. Ἡ δὲ ὄντως μακαρία, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἀξιῶ τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν βλέψαι εἰς τοὺς δούλους, πῶς τὰ σελλία τῶν κυρίων, αὐτῶν ἀνθρώπων ὄντων προσκαίρων, ἐπὶ των ὤμων φέρουσι καὶ φόβῳ παρίστανται αὐτοῖς, καὶ τοῦτο ἐπὶ δεσποτῶν φθαρτῶν, ὁμοιοπαθῶς ἐχόντων σῶμα καὶ ψυχήν· πῶς οὖν ἡμεῖς τολμήσωμεν, ἔτι δυνάμεως οὔσης ἐν τῷ σώματι ἡμῶν, καθεσθῆναι λειτουργίας πρωκειμένης ἀθανάτου καὶ ἀφθάρτου βασιλέως καὶ δημιουργοῦ τῶν ἁπάντων; Νομίζω, μὴ εἶναι τὸ τόλμημα μικρὸν τῶν καταφρονήσει τοῦτο ποιούντων. Προσθήκηνν δὲ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς αὐτῆς κατορθώμασιν ἐπινοοῦσα, ἐβάστασεν σάβανα ἐντὸς τοῦ περιβολαίου αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπεδίδου τοῖς φωτίζαυσιν ἀγροίκοις, τὰ παιδία ἑαυτῶν ἀποροῦσι σινδόνων, ὥστε ἐν αὐτοῖς δέξασθαι αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς τιμίας ἀπολούσεως, καὶ μὴ ἐν τοῖς περιβολαίοις αὐτῶν. Ἐπισκεπτομένη δὲ τοὺς ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῇ τὸ ἐνδεὲς ἀνεπλήρου, πεινῶντας ἔτρεφεν, καὶ διψῶντας ἐπότιζεν, παρέχουσα ὅπου ἔτυχεν αὐτὴν εὑρηθῆναι τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν κρυφίως. Εἰ δὲ καὶ συνέβη αὐτῇ τὸν ἀληθῶς γυμνὸν θεάσασθαι, ταχὺ παρὰ τοῦ πιπράσκοντος κομιζομένη ἱμάτια ἐν κρυφῇ ἐδίδου· ἤκουεν γὰρ ἐντρόμως τῆς ἀχράντου φωνῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος, τοὺς δικαίους προσκαλουμένου καὶ λέγοντος, Δεῦτε οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου· πεινῶντα γάρ με εἴδετε καὶ ἐθρέψατε, διψῶντα καὶ ἐποτίσατε, ξένον καὶ συνηγάγετε, ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ καὶ ἐπισκέψασθε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, καὶ ὅτι ἐφ᾽ ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. Ταῦτα δὲ μελετῶσα καὶ πράττουσα διαπαντοὶ, οὐ δὲ τῆς προπομπῆς τῶν θνησκόντων, ξένων καὶ πενομένων ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν, κατεφρόνει· προέπεμπεν γὰρ αὐτοὺς μέχρι τῆς αἰωνίας καλύβης χρονοὺς δακρύων προχέουσα· ὅτε δὲ χρεῖα ἦν καὶ τὰ πρὸς τὴν ταφὴν ἐνδύματα ἐποίει, ἐποίει δὲ καὶ ἑψήματα καὶ ἐδίδου τοῖς ἐν τῷ κυριακῷ καθημένοις. Χάριν τε εῖχεν πρὸς πάντας, καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτῆς ἦν τῷ θείῳ ἅλατι ἠρευμένος· ἡνίκα δὲ ἠγόραζέν τι παρά τινος, ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας ἀφιλονείκως παρεῖχεν τὸ τίμημα· εἰ δὲ καὶ διεπώλει τι ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς, ἐν γλυκύτητι λόγου έδίδου, μὴ προφέρουσα ἐν μέσῳ ὄρκον· ὁ γὰρ λόγος αὐτῆς ὑπῆρχεν ἐν τούτοις ἀκριβῶς, ἢ Συνχώρησον, ἢ, ἐάν τι προσέθετο εἰπεῖν, οὕτως ἔλεγεν, Ναὶ καὶ οὔ. Πολλάκις δὲ ἀπαντῶσα μαχομένους, ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὰ εἰς εἰρήνην, καὶ πείθουσα τούτους, διαλύουσα στραγγαλιὰς βιαίων συναλλαγμάτων, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγάπην ἀσπάσασθαι αὐτοὺς παρεσκεύαζεν. Εἰ δὲ συνέβη αὐτὴν ἐπηρεασομένους ἰδεῖν, συνεθλίβετο τούτοις, καὶ παρέχουσα ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, καὶ ῥυομένη αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῶν αδικούντων ἀπέλυεν· διελέγετο δὲ καὶ τοῖς τὴν βίαν ἐπάγουσι, τοιαῦτα φάσκουσα· Θάνατος, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, διαδέχεται ἡμᾶς, γῆ καὶ σποδός ἐστι πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, μὴ ἐκδώσωμεν ἑαυτοὺς τῇ πλεονεξίᾳ, μὴ δὲ λυπήσωμεν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναδεχόμενον τὴν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν τῷ πλησίον ἐπαγομένην ἀδικίαν, λανθάνει γὰρ αὐτὸν οὐδὲν τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν γενομένων. Ταῦτα παρ᾽ αὐτῆς ἀκούοντες ἐκεῖνοι, εἰκότως ἠδοῦντο αὐτὴν διὰ τὴν δεδωρημένην αὐτῇ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριν, καὶ τὸ δεδομένον παρ᾽ αὐτῆς εἰς εὐλογίαν ἐλάμβανον· καὶ λυτρουμένη τοὺς ἐπηρεαζομὲνους ἐκ τῶν κατεχόντων αὐτοὺς, ἀπέλυεν εὐχαριστοῦντας τῷ Κυρίω Ταύτῃ προσαρμῶσαι δίκαίον τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ ὑμνογράφου Δαβὶδ εἰρημένον· Μακάριοι οἱ ἄμωμοι ἐν ὁδῷ, οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου· μακάριοι οἱ ἐξερευνῶντες τὰ μαρτύρια αὐτοῦ, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ ἐκζητήσουσιν αὐτόν. Ἀληθῶς γὰρ ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ τὸν Θεὸν ἐκζητήσασα εὗρεν, καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ πτωχείᾳ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτῆς, βοῶσα· Σῶσον τὴν δούλην σου, ὁ Θεός μου, τὴν ἐλπίζουσαν ἐπί σοι. Ἐδέετο δὲ

ἀdiαλείπτως πάντα ἐπὶ σωτήρια ποιῆσαι καὶ χάριν δοῦναι τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ Συμεὼν, ἐλπίσαντι ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐξ ἁπαλῶν ὀνύχων ἑαυτὸν σταυρώσαντι διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Ταῦτα στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις διὰ πνεύματος αἰτουμένη ὅλην τὴν διάνοιαν πρός τὸν Θεὸν εῖχεν ἀεί. Τοὺ δὲ Ἱερεῖς ἐθαύμασεν κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, τιμῶσα τούτους πολυτρόπως· καὶ γαρ, ὡς ἡ Μάρθα ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν τῆς εἰς ἐκείνους θεραπείας περιεσπᾶτο, καὶ ἔλαιον μετὰ Μαρίας προσφέρουσα ἐξέχεεν εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν, συνεχῶς τοῦτο ποιοῦσα καὶ διὰ πάντων αὐτοὺς ἀναψύχουσα, οἵ τινες μετὰ τὴν θεράπειαν εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ εὐλογοῦντες αὐτὴν ἀνεχώρουν· Ἀβραμιαῖα γὰρ οὖσα θεοφύρους ἄνδρας ἐξένιζεν. Εἶχεν δὲ καὶ τοῦτο παρὰ Θεοῦ χάρισμα, ὃ καὶ λίαν ἐστὶ θαυμάζειν· τίνες γὰρ παραφρονοῦντες ἐξ ἐνεργίας δαιμόνων, νύκτως καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐλαυνόμενοι, καὶ κραυγάζοντες, καὶ τὰ ἴδια σώματα κατατέμνοντες, περισχίζοντες ἱμάτια καὶ μηδεμίας ἀνέσεως τυγχάνοντες, μηδὲ τῶν ἐπιδεδομένων αὐτοῖς ἄρτων έσθίειν ἀνεχόμενοι, προσκαλούμενοι ὄμως ὑπὸ τῆς Μακαρίας, παρεγίνοντο σὺν αὐτῇ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτῆς, καὶ σωφρονοῦντες ὑπετάσσοντο αὐτῇ, ὡς τέκνα μητρί· οἳ καὶ θαλπόμενοι βρώσει καὶ πόσει ἀνεχώρουν εἰς τὸν ἴδιον τόπον, παρ᾽ οὐδενὸς ἄλλου ἀρχόμενοι τὰ τῆς τροφῆς, ἀναγκαῖα δέξασθαι· ὥστε τοὺς ὁρῶντας αὐτοὺς δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἐξαγγέλλειν τὴν δεδομένην αὐτῇ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ χάριν.

[1] Whosoever desire to obtain the blessed and everlasting life, always revolve in mind that Davidic oracle; Give me understanding, Lord, and I shall learn Thy commandments; and again, Teach me to do Thy will. Psal. 118, 73; 112, 10 The zeals of the Saints They are never turned to temporal cares, they do not suffer their mind to be disturbed with useless solicitude: but they apply all zeal, whereby they may compose the interior man, and rightly preserve the spiritual state of their soul; they apply themselves uniquely, that their good works may lie hidden from as many as possible; finally they take sedulous care, that they may make progress in virtue and in those things which pertain to salvation. These are they, who established firmly upon the foundation of the Apostolic faith, and persisting unshaken by the power of the life-giving Cross, deservedly escape all the snares of the evil demons, repress their assaults, and come out superior to the tempests of mundane temptations. these B. Martha excellently followed, Hence our holy Mother Martha also, the parent of Symeon the servant of God, concerning whom now a narration is instituted for us, on account of the utility of those with whom she dwelt (the blessedness, I say, promised to all who love God and meditate in the justifications of the Lord) always walked in the way of justice, having attained three precious pearls; Faith, which easily elicits compunction; she flourishes with the theological virtues Hope, having for a foundation the substance of good things, and the perfect Charity of God; through which all the commandments are most rightly fulfilled; and which also, wishing them to be open to God alone, she was busy to conceal from men; and she guarded against speeches that would bear vain glory, so that no one should learn anything of her laborious works redolent of wisdom.

[2] Of herself she thought lowly and humbly; she fasted frequently, but more exactly and accurately she observed the fourth and sixth day; and in the church near her house giving herself to God, she took care that as much light and incense as possible should be offered: and all these things to the glory of Jesus Christ our Lord, and the honor of His most chaste mother according to the flesh, and the others. ever-virgin and Mother of God Mary, and of all the Saints, willing and gladly she performed. But her venerable offspring, celebrated with many praises by the glorious Forerunner of Christ John the Baptist (by whom also his conception and nativity had been foretold), educating with an institution worthy of the divine eyes The boy piously educated in the fear of God, she led to the sixth year of his age. But suppliant prayers with tears incessantly she offered to Christ the Lord for her son, asking that He would deign to receive him, just as formerly Samuel from Anna. And when she revolved in mind, what would one day befall him, falling into sleep, she saw herself furnished with wings as if borne aloft; and the boy, in a vision she offers him to God. whom she held in her bosom, to offer a gift to the Lord, and the offered one thus to address: This thy ascent I awaited to see, my son, that the Lord might dismiss me His handmaid in peace, since I have found grace with God, that it may be permitted me to render to Him the labors of my womb.

[3] And these things she kept sedulously in her heart, glorifying God. If ever she went to the sacred edifice, she persevered the whole night giving herself without intermission to hymns and prayers: Her zeal of praying but if at her own home she had given her body to rest, about the middle of the night, sleep being shaken off, she leaped up to confess to the Lord. Her countenance was filled with grace, and she appeared wholly surrounded with light; with words having the power of consoling she followed everywhere peace and sanctity, without which no one shall see God. Although affairs left her not much leisure, yet she was never missed at the evening and morning prayers. She hastened most of all on the feasts of the holy Martyrs to the nocturnal vigils: then she came first to the temple, and of communicating. and no care distracting her mind, she received the salutary Communion, the body and blood of the Son of God. No one in that place ever beheld her ^b sitting or speaking to another: but she stood giving herself to herself alone, pouring out fountains of tears, Standing always in the temple, and directing suppliant prayers to the kind God with fear and much compunction, especially for the salvation and perseverance of the just Symeon. As long as the sacrifice of the Mass lasted, she held out incense to the Priests, asking, that they would cooperate with her praying with God.

[4] But a certain Monk, whose name was Symeon, very pious, that it is unlawful to sit there when at some time he had beheld B. Martha for a long time standing perseveringly at the divine sacrifice, and never resting by sitting in the church; thought to do something for the sake of her honor, and said; Withdrawing into some part, Mother, sit a little and rest. But she, truly blessed, turning to the Monk; I ask, said she, thy piety, that thou turn back thy eyes to the servants, how they bear on their shoulders the chairs of their masters (who are themselves also men with time about to perish), she shows by an apt similitude. and stand by them with fear; and this they do to lords liable to corruption, and suffering the same things as they in body and soul. In what manner therefore shall we dare, while strength suffices for our body, to sit, when the sacrosanct Mass is performed of the immortal and incorruptible King and Founder of all things? I esteem that no light is the crime of those, who from contempt commit such things. She was always devising one thing and another which she might add to her exceptional deeds; She exercises the works of mercy, hence the sheets ^c which she wore under her garments, having put them off she bestowed lavishly on rustic men, bringing their boys to baptism and lacking linens; that in them, not however in their own swaddling-cloths, they might receive them after the sacred ablution. She visited the sick frequently, and from her own substance relieved their necessities; she supplied food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty; but almost secretly, wherever she was, as much as her means allowed she furnished to all. If ever she fell upon a man truly naked, straightway she procured for herself garments from dealers, not ignorant of the reward set before those doing this. with which she covered the needy man, others not knowing: for she heard with trembling that voice of the Saviour that knows not to deceive, addressing the just and saying: Come ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: because you saw me hungering, and nourished me; thirsting, and gave me drink; a stranger, and took me in; sick, and visited me, and what follows: and as long as you did it to one of these my least brothers, you did it to me. Matth. 25, 34.

[5] When she both meditated and performed in deed such things continually, She is liberal in the obsequies of the dead, she did not refuse to be present at the obsequies of the dead, whether of strangers, or of poor men, our Brothers; for she accompanied their funerals even to the ^e sepulcher pouring out copious tears: and if necessity required, she took care of sepulchral garments and food ^f, which she distributed to those sitting in the temple. She was gracious and affable to all, her speech seasoned with divine salt. When anything was to be bought, she exhibited the price of the thing without contentions in simplicity of heart: but when anything of her wares was to be sold, in the market gentle, she offered it with bland speech with no oath interposed: for her speech in these things was rightly ordered, either Forgive; or if she added anything more, she said, Yea and nay. Often coming upon those dissenting and fighting, she brought forth those things which made for concord and peace: and by her persuasion dissolving the knots of violent ^g dealings, she induced them, that according to that which is written, they should embrace mutual charity. a peacemaker among the dissenting: If she beheld any perchance suffering contumely or injury, she pitied, defended, and dismissed them freed from the hands of the iniquitous: but those, who inflicted violence, she addressed in this manner; Death, O men, awaits us; earth and ash is every man: do not, I pray, do not let us give ourselves to avarice, nor sadden God, who reputes the injury which we inflict on our neighbor as inflicted on Himself: for nothing of the things we do is hidden from God.

[6] Such things being heard from her they deservedly venerated the Blessed woman, on account of the grace which God had conferred on her, from each side equally she consults well. and they took her salutary admonitions equably and well with thanksgiving: and so those, on whom violence was inflicted, snatched away, were dismissed from the hands of the violent, paying thanks to the Lord. Deservedly therefore shall we accommodate to this woman those words of the hymnographer David: Blessed the immaculate in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord; blessed who search His testimonies, with the whole heart they will seek Him. Psal. 118. For truly with her whole heart she sought God and found Him, and invoked Him in poverty of her spirit, crying: Save Thy handmaid, my God, hoping in Thee. But she prayed that all things might conduce to salvation, and grace be given to the servant of God Symeon, who placing his hope in God, from his tender little nails had fixed himself to the cross for His name. Such things with unutterable groanings she prayed, her whole mind always intent on God.

[7] She admired the Priests of God, and (as it is written ^h) pursued them with manifold honor: for like another Martha before the Lord she was busy about the frequent ministry, which she exhibited to them; She is dutiful toward the Priests: and with Mary bringing oil, she poured it out on their feet; and she did this repeatedly, and refreshed them in all things: who, the obsequy received, paying thanks to God and imparting blessing to the woman, departed; for she received with hospitality those god-bearing men of God, very like to Abraham. That also, worthy of no small admiration, she had obtained as a gift from God: namely that when certain demoniacs, by the violence of demons cast down from the state of mind, were harassed in a wretched manner night and day, vociferated, lacerated their own bodies, tore their garments, and this without any intermission or alleviation, nay neither could eat the food that was held out to them; she restores the raging to themselves.

namely that, summoned all together by B. Martha, they would come, she herself accompanying them, to her house; that, made masters of their mind, they would obey her, as sons their mother; and that, refreshed with food and drink, the things which before they refused to receive from any other, they returned to themselves: so that, whoever beheld them, gave glory to God, and proclaimed the grace given by Him to Martha.

ANNOTATA.

CHAPTER II.

Visions of various persons: Martha's humility: the time of her death and her glory in heaven revealed.

Ποτὲ δὲ κατὰ συνῆθες αὐτῇ τὰς νυκτερινὰς ἱκεσίας προσάγουσα τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ τὰς εὐχαριστίας ἀναπέμψασα, διὰ τοῦ μείζονος πάντων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν Ἰωάννου, καὶ ὑπνώσασα, τῆς αὐτοῦ ἐμφανείας καταξιοῦται, συνόντος αὐτῷ καὶ Τιμοθέου τοῦ μαθητοῦ τοῦ ἁγίου Παύλου τοῦ Ἀποστόλου, καὶ ὥσπερ φίλος φίλῳ διελέγετο· ἀκούει δὲ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ταῦτα λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτὴν· Ἐγὼ ἐν παντὶ καίρῷ ὑπερασπίζω σου πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ προίσταμαι, καὶ οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλείψῳ. Διαγρηγορήσασα δὲ ἐν φόβῳ καὶ ἐν τρόμῳ, ἐδόξασεν τὸν Θεόν· ἀνιοῦσα δὲ κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες αὐτῇ πρὸς τὸν αὐτῆς τίμιον υἱὸν ἐν τῷ θαυμαστῷ ὄρει, τοὺς εὑρισκομένους κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἐν συμπτώμασι καὶ πληγαῖς, ἀνακτωμένη φιλοφρόνως καὶ παρακλητικοῖς λόγοις ψυχαγωγοῦσα, καὶ περιδέσμους ποιοῦσα ἐκ τῶν φορημάτων αὐτῆς, οἴνῳ τε καὶ ἐλαίῳ καταβρέχουσα, οὕτως ἐπορεύετο τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῆς χαίρουσα· πολλὰς γὰρ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον ὁδοστασίας συνέβαινεν ἐν τοῖς μέρεσιν ἐκείνοις γίνεσθαι· τοῖς δὲ περὶτὴν διακονίαν ἐνασχολουμένοις συναγωνιζομένη διαπαντὸς, ἔλουεν τοὺς ἀσθενοῦντας Ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν, παρέχουσα πλεῖστα εἰς τὴν προχωροῦσαν αὐτοὺς δαπάνην. Ἐν πάντι δὲ καιρῷ καὶ πράγματι ἐσχάτην καὶ εὐτελεστέραν πάντων ἑαυτὴν ἀπεκάλει, καὶ τοῖς γινοίσκουσιν αὐτὴν μητέρα εῖναι τοιούτου ἀνδρὸς ἁγίου, δούλην ἀναξίαν τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἑαυτὴν ἔλεγεν εῖναι. Ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε κατεκαυχᾶτο ἀκούουσα καὶ βλέπουσα πλήθη ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων, τῶν μὲν ὑπὸ πνευμάτων ἀκαθάρτων ἐνοχλουμένων, τῶν δὲ ποικίλαις νόσοις καὶ πάθεσι συνεσχομένων, κοφῶν τε καὶ τυφλῶν καὶ μογιλάλων καὶ παραλυτικῶν συντρεχόντων πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ διὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ προσευχῶν θεραπευομένων· ἐτήρει δὲ πάντα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς, δεομένη τοῦ Θεοῦ φυλάξαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῶν μηχανημάτων τοῦ πονηροῦ, καὶ ἔλεγεν ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ ταπεινῷ χρωμένη λογισμῷ· Δόξα πρέπει, τέκνον, τῷ ἐνεργοῦντι Θεῷ διά σου, σὺ δὲ πρόσεχε τῇ σῇ πτωχείᾳ, καὶ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τήρει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καρδίαν. Ἀκούων δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Συμεὼν, ἔχαιρεν καὶ εὐχαρίστει τῇ καλῇ αὐτῆς συμβουλίᾳ. Εὐφραίνετο δὲ σφόδρα καὶ ἡ ὁσία Μάρθα τὴν ἀπὸ βρέφους ἄσκησιν αὐτοῦ καὶ πολιτείαν ἐπισταμένη, καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐπαινεῖν αὐτὸν ἐγχειροῦντας ἐκώλυεν, τὴν ἐντεῦθεν τοῖς πολλοῖς συμβαίνουσαν χαύνωσιν ὑφορὼμένη. Οὕτως πολιτευομένη καὶ τοσαύτην κεκτομένη ταπείνωσιν τῆς καρδίας, πάντας κατὰ τὸ δύνατον ἤθελεν λανθάνειν· ὅθεν ἐπληροῦτο ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ τὸ προφητικὸν ἐκεῖνο λόγιον, τὸ φάσκον· Ἐπὶ τίνα ἐπιβλέψω, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἐπὶ τὸν πρᾳὸν καὶ ἡσύχιον καὶ τρέμοντά μου τοὺς λόγους. Ὡς γὰρ ἐν τῇ σαρκὸς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίᾳ ἀπεδείχθησαν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἡ Μαγδαλήνη καὶ Μαρία καὶ Σαλώμη, Σουσάννα τε καὶ Ἰωάννα καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ μαθήτριαι, οὕτως καὶ ἡ μακαρία Μάρθα ὑπακούουσα αὐτοῦ διδάσκοντος Μάθετε ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾳός εἰμη καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὑρήσεται ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν· ὁ γὰρ ζύγος μου χρηστὸς καὶ τὸ φόρτιόν μου ἐλαφρόν. Καὶ ὑποκλίνασα τὸν ἑαυτῆς αὐχένα τῷ χρηστῷ ζυγῷ τοῦ σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ, εἰργάζετο τὰς ἀρετὰς καὶ τῷ ἐλαφρῷ αὐτοῦ φορτίῳ καταλλάξασα τὸ βάρος τῶν ἑαυτῆς ἁμαρτῶν, ἐλάφρυνεν τοῦτο, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀπέθετο ὅλην ἑαυτὴν ἀναθεῖσα Θεῳ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, Ἐμοὶ τὸ προσκολλᾶσθαι τῷ Θεῷ ἀγαθόν ἐστι, τίθεσθαι ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ τὴν ἐλπίδα μου. Διὸ καὶ χάριν εὗρεν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ὥσπερ καὶ Μαρία ἡ ἀδελφὴ τῆς πάλαι Μάρθης καὶ τοῦ Λαζάρου· Μαρία γάρ φησι τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα ἐξελέξατο, ἥ τις οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς. Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν τῶν ἡμερῶν πρὸ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἑνὸς τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἐκδημίας, αὐτῆς, μετὰ τὸ πληρῶσαι αὐτὴν τὸ τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς πτώχους ἔργον, ὡς ἐν ἐκστάσει γενομένη, εῖδεν πλῆθος στρατιᾶς οὐρανίου, κήρους καὶ λαμπάδας κατέχοντας καὶ λέγοντας αὐτῇ· Ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ τῷ ἐρχομένῳ ὲλευσόμεθα καὶ ληψόμεθά σε ἐκ τοῦ τόπου τούτου εἰς τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην σοι κατάπαυσιν· ὥσπερ καὶ γέγονεν. Τὸν γὰρ καλὸν ἀγῶνα ἀγωνισαμένη, τὸν δρόμον τελέσασα, τὴν πίστιν τηρήσασα, καὶ τὴν ἀποκειμένην μακαρίαν ἐλπίδα τοῖς εὐσεβῶς πολιτευσαμένοις συνέκδημον λαβοῦσα, μετέστη πρὸς ὃν ἠγάπα Κύριον, ἐνιαυτὸν ἄλλον ζήσασα μετὰ τὴν τοιαύτην θεωρίαν. Ἤλπισεν γὰρ Μάρθα ἐπὶ Κύριον καὶ οὐ κατῃσχύνθη, εὔξατο καὶ ὁ Θεὸς εἰσήκουσεν αὐτῆς. Οὐκ ἀπέκρυψεν δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ Συμεὼν τὰ περὶ τῆς μεταστάσεως τῆς ὁσίας αὐτοῦ μητρὸς, ἀλλὰ προδηλώσας αὐτῷ ταύτην οὐ συνεχώρησεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πολὺ σκυθρωπᾶσαι· μετέβαλεν δὲ πρὸς εὐχαριστίαν τὸν αὐτοῦ λογισμὸν, ὥστε αὐτὸν τοῖς τοῦ μακαρίου Ἰὼβ χρήσασθαι ῥήμασιν καὶ εἰπεῖν· Ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔδοξε, οὕτως καὶ ἐγένετο, εἴη τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου εὐλογημένον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἦσαν δὲ δύο ἀδελφοὶ, ἀπὸ κοσμικῶν ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον πρὸ τοῦ τεθεῖναι λίθον ἐπὶ λίθῳ ἐν τῷ θαυμαστῷ ὄρει, εὐλαβῶς ζῶντες σφόδρα, καὶ ἐξακολουθοῦντες ταῖς ἁγίαις αὐτοῦ διδαχαῖς, τάστε παραδόσεις ἃς παρέδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἀσφαλῶς κατέχοντες, οὓς καὶ ἐνέδυσεν ὁ Θεοῦ δοῦλος ἐπενδύτας σάκκους. Οὗτοι πυρωθέντες τῷ λόγῳ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ φόβῳ, ἦσαν βιασταὶ ἁρπαζοντες τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν Ὁ οὖν πρεσβύτερος Ἀδελφὸς, παρελθὼν εἰς μέσον τῶν Ἀδελφῶν ἱσταμένων πλησίον τοῦ Ἁγίου Συμεὼν, βαλὼν μετάνοιαν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, εῖπεν, Πάτερ, συγχώρησον καὶ ἐπίτρεψόν μοι, ἔχω γάρ τι εἰπεῖν. Καὶ ἐπιτρέψαντος αὐτοῦ, ἔφη· Ἐθεώρουν σήμερον ἐν ὁρόματι τῆς νυκτὸς τὴν κυρίαν ἡμῶν Μάρθαν, τὴν μητέρα σου καὶ ἡμῶν πάντων, ἱσταμένην ἐνώπιον τῆς μητρὸς τοῦ Κυρίου, τῆς παναγίας ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας· ἐξέτεινεν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῆς ἡ Κυρία ἡ μεγάλη ἐν σχήματι σταυροῦ· καὶ ἐγένετο ὅλη ὥσει σταυρὸς ἀπὸ χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου μεταμορφομένη, καὶ ἀπαστράπτουσα ἀκτίνας φωτὸς ὡς ὁ ἤλιος, μόνον δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς ὑπεράνω τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐγνωρίζετο, ὅλη γὰρ μεταβληθεῖσα ἐν εἴδει σταυροῦ φωτεινοῦ δεδοξασμένη ἐφαίνετο. Ταύτην τὴν θεωρίαν ἐπὶ πάντων ἐξηγουμένου τοῦ Ἀδελφοῦ, παραγέγονεν ἡ μακαρία Μάρθα, εῖπεν δὲ Συμεὼν πρὸς αὐτήν· Εὐλόγησόν με, μῆτερ, ὡς Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσαάκ. Ἡ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔφη· Εἰς τοῦτο παραγέγονα, τέκνον, κᾳγὼ εὐλογηθῆναι καὶ συντάξασθαί σοι, τρεῖς γάρ μοι μῆνες μόνοι ὑπολελειμμένοι εἰσὶ τοῦ βίου τούτου, καὶ πορεύσομαι πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεόν μου, τὸν ποιήσαντά σε καὶ ἐκλεξάμενον ἐκ τῆς ἀναξιότητος τῶν ὠδίνων μου. Αὐτὸς οὖν εὐλογῆσαί σε καὶ καταξιῶσαι τὸν καλὸν τοῦτον δρόμον τελέσαι, καὶ κοινωνὸν ποιῆσαι τῆς αὐτοῦ βασιλείας, μετὰ τῶν τέκνων σου τούτων, ὧν δέδωκέ σοι γεννῆσαι διὰ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν αὐτοῦ διδαγμάτων· καὶ ἔκλινεν καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ μετὰ δακρύων. Πάντες δὲ οἱ σὺν αὐτῳ τὴν ὀφειλομένην τιμὴν ἀπένειμαν αὐτῇ, εὐχαριστήσαντες τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ εἰρηκότες· Ζήσει μᾶλλον ἡ ψυχή σου, μῆτερ, καὶ αἰνέσει τὸν Κύριον. Λυπηρὸν γὰρ αὐτοῖς κατεφάνη τὸ ῥηθὲν παρ᾽ αὐτῆς, ὅτι τρεῖς μῆνές εἰσι καὶ οὐκέτι λοιπὸν ὄψετε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἐν σαρκί· καὶ ἐβεβαίωσεν αὐτοῖς πάλιν τὸ ῥήμα φήσασα Ὥς εἰ μὴ τοῦτο γένηται πεπλανημένην με λογίσασθε τὴν δούλην τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ πάντων ὑμῶν. Συνέπεσον δὲ οἱ Ἁδελφοὶτῷ προσώπῳ ἐπὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις παρ᾽ αὐτῆς, καὶ μάλιστα ὅτε δούλην αὐτὴν ἀπεκάλει πάντων. Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν Συμεών· Εὐλογίας, αἰτούμεθα παρά σου, μῆτερ, οὐ γὰρ τοιαῦτα ῥήματα θέλομεν ἀκούειν παρά σου βαρύνοντα ἡμᾶς. Ἔφη δὲ ἡ Μακαρία· Εὐλογημένοι ἐστὲ ὑμεῖς τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ οἱ εὐλογοῦντες ὑμᾶς εὐλογημένοι· ἐγὼ γὰρ, τέκνον, ὡς ἁμαρτολὴ καὶ ταπεινὴ, λέγω τὸ καὶ χρέως τήμερόν μοι· σοὶ δὲ ἡ τιμὴ πρέπει ἐκ τοῦ τετιμημένου, ὃν ἐτίμησας ἀεὶ συσταυρωθεὶς αὐτῷ νηπίοθεν. Ταῦτα εἰποῦσα καὶ ἀσπασαμένη πάντας, ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν. Τῇ ἑξῆς ἡμέρᾳ καλέσας Συμεὼν τοὺς δοκίμους τῶν Ἀδελφῶν, λέγει· Ἀναγῆναι ἔχει πάντως ἡ

[8] When at some time she offered after her manner the nocturnal prayers to God, Received into the tutelage of S. John the Baptist and paid Him thanks through the hands of him, than whom none greater rose among those born of women, John the Baptist; falling into sleep, she was deemed worthy of a vision of him, there appearing together with him Timothy, the disciple of the holy Apostle Paul, and they conversed among themselves, as friends are wont: but she also heard S. John saying such things to her: I at all times defend and fight for thee with God, nor will I ever forsake thee. Awakened after these things, timid and trembling she praised God, she helps the sick. and going, as her custom was, to her venerable son, dwelling on the Mount-wonderful, whomsoever she found on the way debilitated by sicknesses or wounds, she refreshed benevolently and by consoling animated; and for binding their wounds she made little bandages from her garments, and poured on wine and oil: and in this manner she completed her journey glad. For more often at that time it befell in those parts that assaults were made by robbers along the way, so that very frequently in various places in passing she thus halted: with those also who toiled at the obsequies of the monastery, she joined her own work, she cleansed and washed always our sick Brothers, and did very many things which it was fitting be expended for their uses.

[9] In all things and times she called herself the last and basest of all; and to those who knew, that she was the mother of so holy a man, she said, that she was unworthy to serve his disciples. Nor indeed was she lifted up and gloried, when she perceived both with ears and eyes a great number of men, women, boys, Her humility both vexed by unclean spirits, and oppressed by various infirmities and diseases, some mute, others blind, some stammering, some touched by paralysis, run together to her son, and freed by his prayers obtain health; but she kept all things in her heart and asked God, that He would protect him from the machinations of the evil demon: in the grace of her son's miracles, and she repeated these things often with the servant of God, using humble speech: My son, it is fitting that glory be attributed to God working all things through thee: but be thou mindful of thy poverty, and with all zeal preserve thy heart. Such things when Symeon heard, he rejoiced and gave thanks to her counseling rightly. Likewise S. Martha too was filled with joy, when she understood her son's ascetic zeals and conversation: yet she forbade any, attempting to celebrate his praises, to do it; holding suspect, the titillation of glory which is wont to arise thence to many.

[10] In this manner therefore when she led her life, having attained so great humility of heart, unknown to all, in her desire of lying hidden, as far as in her was, she desired to lie hidden. Whence was fulfilled in her that saying of the Prophet: Upon whom shall I look, except upon the humble and quiet and trembling at my words. Isaiah 66, 2 For just as in that time, in which our Saviour Jesus Christ dwelt in the flesh, both Magdalene, and Mary, and Salome, and Susanna, and Joanna, and the other Mary, and the rest of the women disciples were instructed by Him: so the blessed Martha too was obedient to Him teaching: Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart, in the imitation of Christ. and you shall find rest to your souls: for my yoke is sweet, and my burden light. Mat. 11. 29 And inclining herself under the sweet yoke of Christ the Saviour, she wrought virtues; and the weight of her sins, exchanging it with His light burden, she rendered easy; or rather she laid it down by dedicating and consecrating herself wholly to God, according to that sentence of Scripture, To me to adhere to God is good, to put in the Lord my hope. Ps. 72, 28 And therefore she also found grace with the Lord, like Mary, the sister of that ancient Martha and of Lazarus: for Mary, says the Lord, has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken from her. Luc. 10, 42

[11] On a certain day therefore of the year preceding her death, after she had performed her service to the needy, caught into ecstasy, Her death is foretold by Angels, she beheld a multitude of the heavenly host, furnished with candles and lamps and saying to her: In the year next coming we shall come and receive thee freed out of this place into the rest prepared for thee: as also it was done. For when she had fought the good fight, consummated her course, kept the faith; receiving also the reposited blessed hope, accompanying her who led a life joined with piety, she was translated to her Beloved, after she had measured out by living one year from the higher vision. For Martha hoped in the Lord, and was not confounded; she prayed, and God heard her. Revealed also to Symeon. Nor did the Lord conceal from His servant Symeon the death of his holy mother; but making it manifest to him, he by no means suffered him therefore to be long and much saddened: for He converted to giving thanks the mind and thoughts of the Saint, who brought forth and said that sentence of blessed Job, As it pleased the Lord, so it was done, blessed be the name of the Lord unto the ages. Job 1, 21

[12] There were two brothers, who before had betaken themselves to the Saint, a farewell sent to the things of this world, she also to a pious Brother before any substructure had been raised on the Mount-wonderful: but they were of a very religious life, followed his holy institutions, and kept his traditions inviolate, nay even they had been clothed with hairy cloaks by the servant of God. These, inflamed by Symeon's speech breathing charity, and seized with fear, violently snatched the kingdom of heaven. Therefore he who was the elder of the two, coming forth into the midst of the crown of Brothers, standing near S. Symeon, reverence being exhibited to him, said: Give pardon, in a cruciform vision Father, and permit: there is something I wish to say. And he indulging, he thus spoke: I saw today by night in a vision our Lady Martha, thy mother and of us all, standing before the mother of the Lord, the thrice-holy ever-virgin Mary: the great Lady extended her hands in the form of a cross, and was wholly transformed as it were into a golden and silver cross,

κυρία μου ἡ μεγάλη· εῖδον γὰρ ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς, ὅτι ἔμπροσθέν μου ἐτέθη αὐτῇ θρόνος καὶ ἐκαθέσθη, ὑμεῖς δὲ οἱ Ἀδελφοὶ ἐκυκλώσατε αὐτὴν, ὡς τέκνα παριστάμενοι αὐτῇ, καὶ διελέγετο ὑμῖν ὡς ἐπὶ διδασκάλου, λέγουσα· Μακάριος ἀνὴρ, ὃς οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν, καὶ ἐν ὁδῷ ἁμαρτολῶν οὐκ ἔστη, καὶ ἐπὶ καθέδραν λοιμῶν οὐκ ἐκάθισεν. Εἶτα προσετίθει τὰ συντακτήρια ῥήματα, ἀσπαζομένη ἔκαστον ὑμῶν καὶ παρατιθεμένη τῷ Θεῷ. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀναστᾶσα καὶ κατέχουσα τὸν τίμιον σταυρὸν, ἐπορεύετο ἐντεῦθεν ἔμπροσθέν μου ἐπὶ τὴν μάνδραν, καὶ ὑμεῖς δὲ κυκλώσατέ με ἐν ψαλμοῖς κατανύξεως. Ὅτε οὖν ἤγγικεν ὁ καιρὸς τῆς κοιμήσεως τῆς μακαρίας Μάρθης, ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον υἱὸν τὸν ἅγιον Συμεὼν ἀποκαλύψαι τὰ ἔργα αὐτῆς, ἃ εἰργάσατο ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν τὸν εἰπόντα, Προσεύχεσθε ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἀποδώσει ὑμῶν ἐν τῷ φανερῷ. Διεξῆλθεν δὲ καὶ περὶ τῆς κοιμήσεως αὐτῆς, ὅτι ἤγγικεν ὁ φωτισμὸς τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτῆς, καὶ παραθέσθαι αὐτὸν διὰ προσευχῶν τῷ ἐκλεξαμένῳ αὐτὸν Θεῷ. Καὶ ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ εῖδεν ὅραμα ἡ Μακαρία, καὶ πρωΐας γενομένης ἕστη ἐνώπιον τοῦ Ἁγίου καὶ ἐξηγήσατο τοῦτο εἰποῦσα· Ὅτι εἶδόν σε σήμερον, τέκνον, γενόμενον ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Δάφνης, καὶ προσῆλθόν σοι τινες τῆς χώρας πρὸ σημείων τριῶν τοῦ αὐτοῦ προαστείου μετὰ νηπίων, ἀξιοῦντες τὴν εὐχὴν σου λαβεῖν διὰ τὸν ἐπικείμενον αὐτοῖς θανατηφόρον ὄλεθρον· δάκρυα δὲ ἔῤῥυπτον, ἀλαλάζοντες ἐν μεγάλῳ πένθει καὶ βοῶντες πρός σε, Διάβηθι, δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ, βοήθησον ἡμῖν· καὶ εὐθέως ἐδοθη ἐν χερσί σου ἄγγος ὕδατος πεπληρομένον, ὅπερ εὐλογήσας δέδωκας αὐτοῖς, εἰρηκώς· Ῥαντίσατε τοῦτο ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς διὰ τὸν ἐπικείμενον ὑμῖν ὄλεθρον, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν χάρις, καὶ ἔσται παῦσις τοῦ ὀλοθρεύοντος ὑμᾶς. Ταῦτα φήσαντός σου ἐθεώρουν παραστάντας σοι τοὺς άπὸ τῆς κώμης τοῦ Χαρανδαμᾶ ἄνδρας, τοὺς ἐν τῇ Ἰάσωνος ἐκκλησίᾳ συναγομένους, καὶ ἄραντάς σε ἐπ᾽ ὤμων πορεύεσθαι. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἀκολουθήσασά σε, εῖπον· Τί ἆρα ἐστι τουτο, τὸ ἐνθάδε σε παραγενέσθαι, καὶ ἀναφέρεσθαι ὑπὸ πληθους ἀγροίκων; Καὶ ἔφης πρός με· Μὴ μῆτερ, διότι σωτήριον ἀγαθὸν τοῦτο τὸ πρᾶγμα γενήσεται. Ἀνερχομένων δὲ ἡμῶν ἐν ὄρει ὑψηλῷ καὶ λενομένων ἐν τόπῳ τινὶ· ἐπέγνων εῖναι τὴν διαγραφὴν τῆς ἁγίας ταύτης μάνδρας, καὶ θαυμάζουσα ᾕρθην ὥσπερ εἰς ἀέρα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ εῖδον ἐκεῖ παλάτιον ἀνεκδιήγητον ὑπάρχον ἔνδοξον· κᾳκεὶ ἀναπατούσης μου καὶ ἐξισταμένης εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν ἀχειροποίητον σκηνὴν, ἐπέστη μοι ἡ παναγία παρθένος ἡ μητὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ δυὸ Ἄγγελοι μετ᾽ αὐτῆς, ὧν τὰ πρόσωπα ὑπῆρχεν ἐξαστράπτοντα, καὶ εἶπεν πρός με· Τί ἐξίστασαι· Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν φόβῳ καὶ χαρᾷ μεγάλῃ ἀπεκρίθην, Ὅτι οὐκ εἶδον, Δέσποινα, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τοιαύτην δόξαν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου. Ἔφη δὲ πάλιν πρός με· Καὶ τίνι δοκεῖς διαφέρειν τὴν μεγάλην ταύτην εὐπρέπειαν; Ἐμοῦ δὲ λεγούσης, μὴ εἰδέναι, προσέθετο αὖθις εἶπεῖν. Ἀγνοεῖς οὖν τὴν προευτρεπισθεῖσάν σοι δόξαν καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν, εἰς ἣν μέλλεις καταμένειν ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα; Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ παλάτιον, ὁ ἔκτισεν ὁ υἱός σου ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Καὶ διανευσάσης αὐτῆς ἐκείνοις τοῖς Ἀγγέλοις τοῖς παρεστῶσιν αὐτῇ, ἔθεντο ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τοῦ παλατίου σελλίον, καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Ἰδοὺ δεδώρηταί σοι ἡ τιμὴ αὕτη, καὶ κατάμενε ἐνθάδε, ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἑφοβήθης τὸν Κύριον καὶ ἐτίμησας τὴν ἐκκλησίαν αὐτοῦ. Μεγαλυνομένης δέ μου τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπὶ τῇ δόξῃ τῆς λαλούσης πρός με, εἶπεν πάλιν ἡ μητὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου· Ἐπειδή χάριν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Κυρίου εὗρες καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς λαληθεῖσι τεθύμακας, δεῦρο καὶ ὄψει τούτων μείζονα. Ὁργανεῖσα οὖν εἰς ὕψος ἀέρος, ὡς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, εἶδον ἕτερον παλάτιον τοῦ πρώτου, τὴν διήγησιν ὑπερβαῖνον, οὗ τὴν ἀνεκλάλητον δόξαν θεασαμένη, ἐν ὁλιγωρίᾳ κατέστην, καὶ ἐνισχύσασά με ἔφη· Καὶ τοῦτο παλάτιον ὁ υἱός σου ᾠκοδόμησεν· ἤρξατο δὲ καὶ τοῦ τρίτου τὰ τεμελία τεθεικώς. Πάλιν ἐκεῖθεν ἐν δυνάμει πνεύματος ἤγαγέ με πρὸς ἀνατολὰς ἡλίου, καὶ ὑπέδειξέ μοι τὸν παράδεισον ἀπὸ ὕψους, καὶ προάστεια τῶν ἐν ἐλεεμοσύναις εὐσεβῶν καὶ φοβουμένων τὸν Θεὸν ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν, φήσασα· Ὅτι κεχάρισται αὐτοῖς ἐνθάδε τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν ὁ Κύριος εἰπών· Μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται. Νῦν οὖν κάτελθε ἐν τῇ μηχανῇ ταύτῃ καὶ ἐπίστρεφε πάλιν ἐνταῦθα. Καὶ ἀναβλέψασα εἶδον καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔμπροσθέν μου μηχανὴ ἵστατο ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς ἡ κεφαλὴ ἀφικνεῖτο ἑὼς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς πλαγίοις, αὐτῆς πατοῦσα ἀκόπως καὶ ἀφόβως κατῆλθον, καὶ εἰς ἑαυτὴν γέγονα.

was wholly as it were transformed into a golden and silver cross, and scattered rays of light like the sun: but her face alone, eminent above the cross, was distinguished, the rest, turned into a luminous cross, wholly glorious appeared.

[13] That Brother narrating this vision before all, B. Martha herself came: and Symeon said to her; Bless me, mother, as Abraham did Isaac. She answered: She indicates to her son the time of her death, Therefore I came hither, my son, that I might be imparted thy blessing and instruction: for three months only of life remain to me, since hence to the Lord my God, who made thee and chose thee out of my unworthy womb, I am about to go. He Himself will prevent thee with His blessing, and deem thee worthy of so great grace, that thou mayest perfect this well-begun course of thine, and admit thee partaker of His kingdom with these thy sons, whom He has handed to thee to be regenerated through His Evangelical doctrine. These things said she inclined herself, and adored him with tears.

[14] But all, who were gathered, exhibited due reverence and honor to her, which, the disciples not believing and giving thanks to the Lord said: Nay thy soul shall live, Mother, and shall praise the Lord: for it seemed grievous to them that she had said; Three months only remain, and thenceforth you shall not see in the flesh my face. But she confirmed again her words, saying: Unless those things come to pass, which I have foretold, hold me for a deceived woman, she again confirms, the servant of God and of you all. At this speech, especially because she called herself the servant of all, the Brothers fell upon their face. But Symeon said to her: We ask only thy blessing, O Mother; for words of such kind, very grievous to our ears, we do not wish to hear. But the Blessed woman said: Blessed of the Lord are you, and blessed are those who bless you. For I, my son, as a sinful and abject woman, said what today was to be said by me: but to thee belongs the honor to be attributed by Him, whom thou from infant age hast always honored, with Him fixed to the cross. Having spoken such things and embraced all, she went away into the city.

[15] On the following day, the Brothers of approved virtue being called, Symeon says; Symeon too through a vision understands the same: The release of my great Lady is altogether at hand; for I saw through sleep in a vision a throne set before me in her sight, in which she sat: but you, Brothers, stood by and enclosed her with your crown, no otherwise than sons: and she addressed you like a Mistress, saying: Blessed the man who has not gone in the counsel of the impious, and in the way of sinners has not stood, and in the chair of pestilence has not sat. To these she added many things making for your instruction, and having embraced each she commended them to God. After these things she rose and holding the venerable Cross, went before me into the enclosure, you encircling me and singing psalms of compunction. Therefore the time approaching, in which B. Martha was to depart from life, she came to her son Symeon, about to reveal her works, which she had done in secret, for the sake of God who said: Pray in secret, and He Himself will repay you. to whom Martha returns to confess, Speaking also many things concerning the imminent exit of her life, she repeatedly said that the illumination of her soul shone: and she commended him by praying to God, by whom he had been chosen. Matth. 6, 6

[16] But behold on that night a spectacle was offered to B. Martha: and she stood, the day dawning, before the Saint, and narrated the things seen: I saw thee, said she, and she discloses a vision concerning wretched men crying out for her help, my son, today in the church of Daphne, and there approached thee some from a place, three miles distant from the same suburb, with their infants, asking that thou wouldst by thy prayers avert the deadly destruction hanging over them: and they poured out copious tears, and lamented for the bitterness of grief, and cried out to thee; Pass over, servant of God, and help us. And suddenly a bucket full of water was handed into thy hands: which, imparting a blessing, thou gavest to them, saying: Sprinkle yourselves with this water against the evil by which you are pressed; and grace shall be given you, and the cause of mourning shall cease.

[17] and concerning the honor exhibited to him: Thee having spoken such things, I saw men from the village of Charandama standing by thee, gathered in the temple ^b of Jason, and lifting thee on their shoulders, depart. But I following, said; What is this thing, that thou art carried off hence by a rustic crowd? And thou saidst: Do not mourn, mother, since this will conduce to salvation. But when we had come to a lofty mountain, we stuck in a certain place, where I knew was the delineation of this holy enclosure: and when I wondered I was lifted up through the air into heaven, and saw there a palace so splendid and glorious, that it cannot be told in words. In that place I walked about, admiring with amazement of mind that tabernacle, elaborated by no hand; likewise concerning the glory shown to her in heaven, when there stood by me the most holy Virgin and Mother of the Lord, surrounded by two Angels, whose countenances glowed with much light, and said to me: Why dost thou wonder? But I, occupied with fear and great joy, answered: Because I have not seen, Lady, in all the days of my life such glory on earth. Again she: To whom, thinkest thou, is this dwelling of so great beauty destined? When I said, that I knew not; she added again: Dost thou then not know the glory and rest prepared for thee, in which from this time eternity is to be passed by thee? For this is that palace, which thy son founded in heaven. And she nodding to the Angels who stood by, a chair was placed by them in the middle of the palace, and she said to me: Behold this glory is given to thee, remain here; because thou hast feared the Lord, and hast pursued His Church with honor.

[18] But when my soul magnified the glory of the Mother of the Lord speaking with me; likewise of her son Symeon beginning again to speak she thus said: Since thou hast found grace before the Lord, and hast marveled at those things, of which I have already treated; come hither, and thou shalt behold more illustrious things. Led therefore to the lofty air as to the heaven of heavens; I saw another palace than the former, to be described by no eloquence of speech: I, having admired its glory, likewise superior to all eloquence, almost went out of my mind. But she comforting me said: This palace also thy son has built: but he has also begun to lay the foundations of a third ^d. Again thence she carried me in spirit to the rising of the sun, and showed me from a more eminent place paradise and the place, in which they who piously bestow alms and fear God, men and women, dwell; saying: The Lord has given them this place to rest, because, He says, and of those, who are merciful. Blessed the merciful, since they shall obtain mercy. Now therefore descend by this engine, and afterward return hither. And when I looked, behold I saw before me an engine, which stood on the earth, and with its topmost part touched heaven; but I walking by its side without labor and fear descended: and after these things my mind returned to itself.

ANNOTATA.

CHAPTER III.

S. Martha's speech to Symeon, another to God, her solicitude concerning the place of burial, her death.

Ταῦτα ἐξηγησαμένη ἐν ἡμέρᾳ Κυριακῇ, ἔμεινεν προσευχομένη καὶ τῶν θείων καὶ ἀχράντων μεταλαβοῦσα μυστηρίων· καὶ τελείως πληροφορηθεῖσα, τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ δευτέρᾳ προσκαλεσαμένη τοὺς Ἀδελφοὺς ἐνώπιον τοῦ Ὁσίου, εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Εἰρήνη σοι, τέκνον, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐκλεξαμένου σε Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτήρος ἡμῶν, αὐτὸς ὃν ἠγάπησας υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ στηρίξαι σε ἐν τῷ τόπῳ σου, καὶ φυλάξαι σε ἐν τῇ ἀμωμήτῳ αὐτοῦ πίστει ἑδραῖον καὶ ἀμετακίνητον· ἰδέτωσάν σου οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ πλήρεις χάριτος τὸν τόπον σου, καὶ φυτεῦσαί σοι Κύριος φυτὰ ἐκλεκτὰ, μαθητεύοντάς σοι ἐν ἁγνότητι καὶ εἰλικρινείᾳ· τοὺς ἀπελθόντας μὴ κλαῖε, ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ ἡ μητὴρ αὐτῶν ἐγὼ καταδιώκω ὀπίσω αὐτῶν· ἐνισχυσάτω ὁ Κύριος τοὺς ὑπολειφθέτας καὶ πληθυνθείησαν ἑὼς ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος ἀποκαταστῆσαι τὰ πάντα· ἐμεγαλύνθη μου ἡ ψυχὴ ἐν γυναιξὶν, ὅτι ἀσκανδάλιστον καὶ τέλειον τῷ Κυρίῳ παρατίθημί σε πορευομένη· εὐλογημένη ἐν τῇ ῥίζῃ ἡ φυή σου, καὶ οἱ βλαστοὶ τῶν ἔν σοι καρπῶν εὐθαλεῖς· τελεσφορηθῶσι δὲ ἐν πᾶσι καὶ οἱ καρποὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην καὶ ἀγαλλίασιν. Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου οὐκ ἐπῄνεσά σε, φοβουμένη διότι μέγα πτῶμά ἐστι τοῦ ὑψηλοφρονεῖν. Νῦν οὖν ἄκουσόν μου, τέκνον, ὸν ἐτίμησεν ὁ παρά σου τιμηθεὶς δεσπότης σου Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ μνήμην ποιοῦ διαπαντὸς ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ σου τῆς μητρὸς, ὅπως εὕρω τὸ μέγα ἔλεος· ἱκέτευε ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ τὴν ἁγίαν ἔνδοξον ἀειπαρθένον μητέρα τοῦ Κυρίου, ἀφέσεως τυχεῖν με τῶν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας ἁμαρτιῶν, ὅτι ἐγὼ ὑπὲρ τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας τὴν ἐνεργὸν προσευχὴν τῷ Θεῷ προσέφερον· δός μοι καὶ σὺ χάριν ἀντὶ τῆς χάριτος, καὶ τὰς ὑπέρ ἐμοῦ πρόσαγε αὐτῷ πάντοτε δεήσεις. Μὴ λυποῦ δι᾽ ἐμὲ, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον χαῖρε, διότι πεπληροφορημένη ἀπέρχομαι, καὶ ἀγαλλιοῦσα ἐπὶ τῇ θεαρέστῳ σου πολιτείᾳ, καὶ τῇ παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δεδωρημενῃ σοι σωτηρίᾳ. Ἐν πάσῃ λειτουργίᾳ καὶ ἀπέναντι παντὸς θυσιαστηρίου, μετὰ θυμιάματος ἀκαταπαύστου, ὑπὸ τῆς ὑπομονῆς σου δάκρυα προσέφερον τῷ, Θεῷ, καὶ εἰς πάντα οἶκον ἅγιον πορευομένη συχνῶς, ἐκτενῶς ἐδεόμην τῶν ἁγίων Μαρτύρων Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ὑπερασπίσαι σου καὶ ἀντιλάβεσθαι. Πάντα ὅσιον

was wholly as it were transformed, and scattered rays of light like the sun: but her face alone, eminent above the cross, was distinguished, the rest, turned into a luminous cross, wholly glorious appeared.

[13] That Brother narrating this vision before all, B. Martha herself came: and Symeon said to her; Bless me, mother, as Abraham did Isaac. She answered: She indicates to her son the time of her death, Therefore I came hither, my son, that I might be imparted thy blessing and instruction: for three months only of life remain to me, since hence to the Lord my God, who made thee and chose thee out of my unworthy womb, I am about to go. He Himself will prevent thee with His blessing, and will deem thee worthy of so great grace, that thou mayest perfect this well-begun course of thine, and admit thee partaker of His kingdom with these thy sons, whom He has handed to thee to be regenerated through His Evangelical doctrine. These things said she inclined herself, and adored him with tears.

[14] But all, who were gathered, exhibited due reverence and honor to her, which, the disciples not believing and giving thanks to the Lord said: Nay thy soul shall live, Mother, and shall praise the Lord: for it seemed grievous to them that she had said; Three months only remain, and thenceforth you shall not see in the flesh my face. But she confirmed again her words, saying: Unless those things come to pass, which I have foretold, hold me for a plain woman, she again confirms, the servant of God and of you all. At this speech, especially because she called herself the servant of all, the Brothers fell upon their face. But Symeon said to her: We ask only thy blessing now, O Mother; for words of such kind, very grievous to our ears, we do not wish to hear. But the Blessed woman said: Blessed of the Lord are you, and blessed are those who bless you. For I, my son, as a sinful and abject woman, said what today was to be said by me: but to thee belongs the honor to be attributed by Him, whom thou from infant age hast always honored, with Him fixed to the cross. Having spoken such things and embraced all, she went away into the city.

[15] On the following day, the Brothers of approved virtue being called, Symeon says; Symeon too through a vision understands the same: The release of my great Lady altogether is at hand; for I saw through sleep in a vision a throne set before me in her sight, in which she sat: but you, Brothers, stood by and enclosed her with your crown, no otherwise than sons: and she addressed you like a Mistress, saying: Blessed the man who has not gone in the counsel of the impious, and in the way of sinners has not stood, and in the chair of pestilence has not sat. To these she added many things making for your instruction, and having embraced each she commended them to God. After these things she rose and holding the venerable Cross, went before me into the enclosure, you encircling me and singing psalms of compunction. Therefore the time approaching, in which B. Martha was to depart from life, she came to her son Symeon, about to reveal her works, which she had done in secret, for the sake of God who said: Pray in secret, and He Himself will repay you. to whom Martha returns to confess, Speaking also many things concerning the imminent exit of her life, she repeatedly said that the illumination of her soul shone: and she commended him by praying to God, by whom he had been chosen. Matth. 6, 6

[16] But behold on that night a spectacle was offered to B. Martha: and she stood, the day dawning, before the Saint, and narrated the things seen: I saw thee, said she, and she discloses a vision concerning wretched men crying out for her help, my son, today in the church of Daphne, and there approached thee some from a place, three miles distant from the same suburb, with their infants, asking that thou wouldst by thy prayers avert the deadly destruction hanging over them: and they poured out copious tears, and lamented for the bitterness of grief, and cried out to thee; Pass over, servant of God, and help us. And suddenly a bucket full of water was handed into thy hands: which, imparting a blessing, thou gavest to them, saying: Sprinkle yourselves with this water against the evil by which you are pressed; and grace shall be given you, and the cause of mourning shall cease.

[17] and concerning the honor exhibited to him: Thee having spoken such things, I saw men from the village of Charandama standing by thee, gathered in the temple ^b of Jason, and lifting thee on their shoulders, depart. But I following, said; What is this thing, that thou art carried off hence by a rustic crowd? And thou saidst: Do not mourn, mother, since this will conduce to salvation. But when we had come to a lofty mountain, we stuck in a certain place, where I knew was the delineation of this holy enclosure: and when I wondered I was lifted up through the air into heaven, and saw there a palace so splendid and glorious, that it cannot be told in words. In that place I walked about, admiring with amazement of mind that tabernacle, elaborated by no hand; likewise concerning the glory shown to her in heaven, when there stood by me the most holy Virgin and Mother of the Lord, surrounded by two Angels, whose countenances glowed with much light, and said to me: Why dost thou wonder? But I, occupied with fear and great joy, answered: Because I have not seen, Lady, in all the days of my life such glory on earth. Again she: To whom, thinkest thou, is this dwelling of so great beauty destined? When I said, that I knew not; she added again: Dost thou then not know the glory and rest prepared for thee, in which from this time eternity is to be passed by thee? For this is that palace, which thy son founded in heaven. And she nodding to the Angels who stood by, a chair was placed by them in the middle of the palace, and she said to me: Behold this glory is given to thee, remain here; because thou hast feared the Lord, and hast pursued His Church with honor.

[18] But when my soul magnified the glory of the Mother of the Lord speaking with me; likewise of her son Symeon beginning again to speak she thus said: Since thou hast found grace before the Lord, and hast marveled at those things, of which I have already treated; come hither, and thou shalt behold more illustrious things. Led therefore to the lofty air as to the heaven of heavens; I saw another palace than the former, to be described by no eloquence of speech: I, having admired its glory, likewise superior to all eloquence, almost went out of my mind. But she comforting me said: This palace also thy son has built: but he has also begun to lay the foundations of a third ^d. Again thence she carried me in spirit to the rising of the sun, and showed me from a more eminent place paradise and the place, in which they who piously bestow alms and fear God, men and women, dwell; saying: The Lord has given them this place to rest, because, He says, and of those, who are merciful. Blessed the merciful, since they shall obtain mercy. Now therefore descend by this engine, and afterward return hither. And when I looked, behold I saw before me an engine, which stood on the earth, and with its topmost part touched heaven; but I walking by its side without labor and fear descended: and after these things my mind returned to itself.

ANNOTATA.

CHAPTER III.

S. Martha's speech to Symeon, another to God, her solicitude concerning the place of burial, her death.

Ταῦτα ἐξηγησαμένη ἐν ἡμέρᾳ Κυριακῇ, ἔμεινεν προσευχομένη καὶ τῶν θείων καὶ ἀχράντων μεταλαβοῦσα μυστηρίων· καὶ τελείως πληροφορηθεῖσα, τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ δευτέρᾳ προσκαλεσαμένη τοὺς Ἀδελφοὺς ἐνώπιον τοῦ Ὁσίου, εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Εἰρήνη σοι, τέκνον, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐκλεξαμένου σε Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτήρος ἡμῶν, αὐτὸς ὃν ἠγάπησας υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ στηρίξαι σε ἐν τῷ τόπῳ σου, καὶ φυλάξαι σε ἐν τῇ ἀμωμήτῳ αὐτοῦ πίστει ἑδραῖον καὶ ἀμετακίνητον· ἰδέτωσάν σου οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ πλήρεις χάριτος τὸν τόπον σου, καὶ φυτεῦσαί σοι Κύριος φυτὰ ἐκλεκτὰ, μαθητεύοντάς σοι ἐν ἁγνότητι καὶ εἰλικρινείᾳ· τοὺς ἀπελθόντας μὴ κλαῖε, ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ ἡ μητὴρ αὐτῶν ἐγὼ καταδιώκω ὀπίσω αὐτῶν· ἐνισχυσάτω ὁ Κύριος τοὺς ὑπολειφθέτας καὶ πληθυνθείησαν ἑὼς ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος ἀποκαταστῆσαι τὰ πάντα· ἐμεγαλύνθη μου ἡ ψυχὴ ἐν γυναιξὶν, ὅτι ἀσκανδάλιστον καὶ τέλειον τῷ Κυρίῳ παρατίθημί σε πορευομένη· εὐλογημένη ἐν τῇ ῥίζῃ ἡ φυή σου, καὶ οἱ βλαστοὶ τῶν ἔν σοι καρπῶν εὐθαλεῖς· τελεσφορηθῶσι δὲ ἐν πᾶσι καὶ οἱ καρποὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνην καὶ ἀγαλλίασιν. Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου οὐκ ἐπῄνεσά σε, φοβουμένη διότι μέγα πτῶμά ἐστι τοῦ ὑψηλοφρονεῖν. Νῦν οὖν ἄκουσόν μου, τέκνον, ὸν ἐτίμησεν ὁ παρά σου τιμηθεὶς δεσπότης σου Χριστὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ μνήμην ποιοῦ διαπαντὸς ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ σου τῆς μητρὸς, ὅπως εὕρω τὸ μέγα ἔλεος· ἱκέτευε ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ τὴν ἁγίαν ἔνδοξον ἀειπαρθένον μητέρα τοῦ Κυρίου, ἀφέσεως τυχεῖν με τῶν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας ἁμαρτιῶν, ὅτι ἐγὼ ὑπὲρ τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας τὴν ἐνεργὸν προσευχὴν τῷ Θεῷ προσέφερον· δός μοι καὶ σὺ χάριν ἀντὶ τῆς χάριτος, καὶ τὰς ὑπέρ ἐμοῦ πρόσαγε αὐτῷ πάντοτε δεήσεις. Μὴ λυποῦ δι᾽ ἐμὲ, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον χαῖρε, διότι πεπληροφορημένη ἀπέρχομαι, καὶ ἀγαλλιοῦσα ἐπὶ τῇ θεαρέστῳ σου πολιτείᾳ, καὶ τῇ παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δεδωρημενῃ σοι σωτηρίᾳ. Ἐν πάσῃ λειτουργίᾳ καὶ ἀπέναντι παντὸς θυσιαστηρίου, μετὰ θυμιάματος ἀκαταπαύστου, ὑπὸ τῆς ὑπομονῆς σου δάκρυα προσέφερον τῷ, Θεῷ, καὶ εἰς πάντα οἶκον ἅγιον πορευομένη συχνῶς, ἐκτενῶς ἐδεόμην τῶν ἁγίων Μαρτύρων Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ὑπερασπίσαι σου καὶ ἀντιλαβέσθαι. Πάντα ὅσιον

ἄνδρα ἐτίμησα, συλήσασά σοι προσευχἀς· καὶ οἱ πόνοι μου καὶ οἱ μόχθοι καρποὶ εὐπρόσδεκτοι ἀνηνέχθησαν τῷ πάντων ἐπόπτῃ Κυρίῳ ἐπὶ τῇ τελειώσει σου. Εἶδον μεγάλα ἔν σοι, ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἄριθμος· ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐβουλήθην μέχρι τοῦ νῦν τι περὶ τούτων εἰπεῖν πρός σε, ἵνα μὴ θαῤῥήσῃς σεαυτῷ, καὶ μὴ τῷ δεδῳκότι Θεῷ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν ἀναπέμψῃς, τῷ δυναμένῳ καὶ μειζόνων σε ἀγαθῶν καταξιῶσαι. Τὸ ὠτίον μου ὑπερεκορέσθη τῆς σοφίας, ἥς ἕλαβες παρὰ Θεοῦ, ἀπαίδευτος κατὰ τὸν κόσμον γενόμενος· στέφανος καυχήσεως ὑπερεπλάκη τῇ κεφαλῇ σου διὰ χειρὸς κραταίας καὶ ὑψηλῆς, τῆς ἐπιθησάσες σοι αἴνεσιν καὶ εὐπρέπειαν. Ὅσα ἠθέλησαν εἶδον ἔν σοι, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἃ ἤθελον· ἀπέδρα ὀδύνη καὶ λύπη καὶ στεναγμὸς, ὅτι οὔκ εἰς κενὸν ἔδραμον, οὔτε εἰς κενὸν ἐκοπίασα. Μή σε λυπήθωσαν, τέκνον, λοιδορίαι παρακαλῶ, δὴ ἀγανάκτει ἐπὶ ἀπιστίᾳ τινῶν· ἄλλα πάντων ὑπερεύχου διὰ τὸν υἱὸν, τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν διὰ τὴν ἄμετρον αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν εἰς τοιαύτην ἐλάσαντα ταπείνωσιν, καὶ λέγοντα περὶ τῶν σταυρωσάντων αὐτόν· Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασι τί ποιοῦσιν. Αἳ πτέρυγές μου ἐφύησαν πρὸς τὴν οὐράνιον ἄνοδον, καθὼς καί σε τεθέαμαι ἀναβάντα, ὅτε τὴν ὀπτασίαν εἶδον ὄντος σου νηπίου. Παρατίθημί σε οὖν τῷ Κυρίῳ τῆς δόξης, ὃν ἠγάπησας ἀγαπηθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα αὐτὸς ὁ φιλάνθρωπος, ᾧ συνεσταυρώθης, ἀσκανδάλιστόν σε διατηρήσῃ, ὄτι οὐκ ἔγνως κόσμον δι᾽ αὐτὸν, οὐ δὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ· αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔλεος ἐξήτησας, τὸ κρεῖττον ὑπὲρ ζωὰς, καὶ πατέρα καὶ μητέρα οὐκ ἐγνώρισας, ὁ γὰρ Δημιουργός σου πατὴρ καὶ μητὴρ καὶ γένος ἐστὶ σὺν πᾶσι τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πίστει τῇ εἰς αὐτόν. Τῶν πτωχῶν μνημόνευε, ὅτι πτωχὸς γἐγονας ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τῶν θλιβομένων ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς συνκακουχούμενος τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· τῆς φιλοξενίας μὴ ἐπιλανθάνου, ὅτι ξένος γέγονας τῶν ἰδίων· τοῖς συμμένουσι συμπάθησον ἐν ὀλιγοψυχίᾳ πνεύματος οὖσι, καὶ μακροθύμει, ὅτι πάροικοί ἐσμεν ἐν τῇ γῇ πάντες, καὶ οὐκ ἀπολεῖται ἡ ὑπομονὴ τῶν πενήτων εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· σοφρόνει, ὅτι ἡ ταπεινοφροσύνη τὸν θάνατὸν ἐν ίκησεν· ἐλεήμων ἀεὶ γίνου, ὅτι ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἐκ θανάτῳ ῥύεται· γίνου φρόνιμος οἰκονόμος καὶ τὸν ἄφθορον Δεσπότην μιμοῦ· ἡ σύν σοι ἀλήθεια πάντοτε συνέστω σοι· γίνου ὀρφανοῖς πατὴρ καὶ ἀντὶ ἀνδρὸς τῇ μητέρι αὐτῶν, τοῖς ταπεινοῖς συναπαγόμενος, καὶ ἀνεπαισχύντως καὶ ἀπροσωπολήπτως ἀποδεχόμενος, ὡς εἴωθας ἀεὶ ποιεῖν, τὸν Δεσπότην σου καὶ ἐν τούτῳ μιμούμενος· μνείαν ἀεὶ ποιοῦ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Θεόν σου δεήσει τοῦ κόσμου παντός· ὑπερεύχου δὲ καὶ τῆς πόλεώς σου ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθης καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ, κᾂν ἄπολις γέγονας διὰ Χριστὸν, συμπολίτης γενόμενος τῶν Ἁγίων, καὶ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ σκληροκαρδίους συγγνώμην πάρεχε διὰ τοὺς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ φιλοχρίστους· μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ τοῦ γενομένου σοι πνευματίκου πατρὸς τοῦ ἐν ὁσίοις Ἰωάννου, οὗ ἡ μνήμη ἐπ᾽ εὐλογίας, ὅτι ὑπερηγάπησέν σε· ἀνάπαυε δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν σαρκικὸν πατέρα σου, καὶ μητρὸς ὠδῖνας θεράπευσον πρὸς Κύριον. Ταῦτα καὶ ἕτερα πλεῖστα εἰποῦσα πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον, ἐπάρασα εἰς ὕψος τὰς χεῖρας, μετὰ χύσεως δακρύων καὶ φόβου προσηύξατο, λέγουσα· Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς, ἡ ἐλπὶς πάντων τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς, ὁ διὰ πολλὴν φιλανθρωπίαν παρασχόμενος ἡμῖν τὴν ζωὴν διὰ τοῦ ζοωποιοῦ σταυροῦ, Κύριε τοῦ ἐλέους, ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ταπεινῶν, ὁ προσδεξάμενος τὴν πόρνην καὶ δικαιώσας τὸν τελώνην, εἰς ὅν ἤλπισαν Μάρθα καὶ Μαρία καὶ ἐζώθησαν, εἰσάκουσόν μου τῆς ἀμαρτολοῦ καὶ ταπεινῆς, οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι οὔκ εἰμι ἀξία στὴναι ἐνώπιον τῆς δόξης σου ἀπὸ πλήθους τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἀγαθότητά σου τοῦ καλέσαντος τοὺς ἁμαρτολοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν, τεθάῤῥηκα καὶ διαπετᾶσαι τὰς χεῖράς μου, καὶ ἰδεῖν καὶ ἀτενίσαι εἰς τὸ ὕψος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τετόλμηκα, τῇ ζωτηρίῳ μεταλήψει τοῦ ζωοπιοῦ σώματος καὶ αἵματος πιστεύουσα ζωθῆναι τῇ δεδωρήμενῃ ἡμῖν παρά σου εἰς συγχώρησιν παραπτωμάτων, ὅπως ἀφέλεις τὰς ἀνομίας μου καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου περικαθαρεῖς. Σὺ οὖν Κύριε, ὁ πάντων δεσπότης, διατήρησον τὸν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου παρά σου ἐσφραγισμένον ἀπὸ κοιλίας τῆς ἐμῆς ἀναξιότητος, ὅτι σε ἠγάπησεν καὶ διά σε τοῦ κόσμου ἐξενώθη· ἕστω ἡ ἀγάπη σου εἰς αὐτόν· ῥῦσαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τῶν παγίδων αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ εἰσηνέγκῃς αὐτὸν ἕτι εἰς πειρασμόν· διάσωσον αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ πελάγους τούτου ὁ καλὸς κυβερνήτης τῶν πεποιθότων ἐπί σοι, ὅτι πάντα κατέλιπεν, καὶ ἦρεν τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἠκολούθησεν τῇ σῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ, συνετισθῆναι θέλων τὰς ἐντολάς σου· σὺ Δέσποτα, δέδωκάς μοι αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀπέδωκα ἐγὼ προσφορὰν ἐνώπιόν σου εὐχάριστον, ὃν τέλειον καὶ εὐχάριστόν σοι γενέσθαι καταξίωσον, καὶ σῶσον μετὰ πάντων τῶν Ἁγίων σου, ὅτι εἴς σε τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχομεν, καί σοι τὴν δόξαν ἀναπέμπομεν, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τὸν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. Ταῦτα προσευξαμένη, ἐστράφη πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον, ἦν δὲ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτῆς δεδοξασμένον ἀπὸ χάριτος Πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἰδοὺ ἡ ἡμέρα παρέστηκεν τῆς πρὸς Κύριον ἑκδημίας μου· ἀλλὰ γνώρισόν μοι, τέκνον, ποῦ καταθήσεις τὸ ταπεινόν μου σῶμα, οὔπου ὑπάρχοντος μνημείου ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ. Ἔφη δὲ Συμεών· Ἵλεώς σοι, Κύριος μῆτερ, ἐν τῷ τέως μὴ ἔστω σοι τοῦτο· πλὴν ἐλαλήσαμεν πολλάκις περὶ τοῦτο ἑγώ τε καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ ποιοῦμέν σοι τόπον ἁγιάσματος καὶ κατατιθέμεθά σε έκεῖ. Ἔφη δὲ ἡ Μακαρία· Ἐμοὶ τὸ ζῶμα τοῦτο φορτίον ἐστὶ δυσβάστακτον, ἔσομαι οὖν ἠλεημένη καὶ ἐλαφρυνομένη ἐν τῷ εἰσακοῦσαι τὸν Θεὸν τῆς δεήσεώς μου τῷ συνταφῆναί με τοῖς ξένοις ἐν τῷ πανδέκτω Δάφνης, ἔνθα κατελογίσθη, καὶ κοινωνὸς τῆς ἐκείνων ταφῆς γέγονεν ὁ μακάριος καὶ ἅγιος Θωμᾶς, δοξασθεὶς μετὰ τρίτην ἡμέραν ἐν θαύματι, μὴ καταδεξάμενος συνεῖναι τοῖς κατ᾽ ἐμὲ ἁμαρτολοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ εἰσαχθεὶς μετὰ πλείστης τιμῆς ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ τῶν Ἀντιοχέων πόλει. Ἐγὼ οὖν κήδομαι τῆς τοῦ τόπου εὐλογίας διὰ τὴν εὐχὴν ἐκείνου καὶ τῶν Ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐκεῖ ῥιπτομένων, ὧν ἀναξία οὖσα ἐκ τῆς ὑγρασίας αὐτῶν πιανθῆναι τὰ ὀστᾶ μου, προσεύχομαι, ὅπως τὴν σωτηρίαν καρπώσομαι διὰ τῆς αὐτῶν ἐπισκοπῆς. Ἀλλὰ παράθου με τῷ Κυρίῳ, τέκνον, ἵνα δεκτά μου τὰ θελήματα εὕρω. Ἐπὶ τούτοις σκυθραπάσας Συμεὼν καὶ περίλυπος σφόδρα γενόμενος, οὐκ ἀπεδέχετο τοὺς τοιούτους αὐτῆς λόγους· προσφόροις δὲ ῥήμασιν τῆς τοιαύτης προθέσεως ἀποσχέσθαι αὐτὴν παρεκάλει, διότι οὐκ ἤθελεν αὐτὴν ἔξω εἶναι τῆς αὐτοῦ σκηνῆς, καὶ μάλιστα εἰδὼς αὐτῆς τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς θεοσεβὲς. Μόλις οὖν πρὸς μικρὸν κρεμῆσασα τοῦ μὴ ἐπιπλέον λυπῆσαι αὐτὸν, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας πάλιν διαπετάσασα, τὴν ἱκεσίαν ἐποιεῖ το πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ἐν θελείᾳ παραθέσει, φυλάξαι αὐτῆς τὸ ἀρνίον σὺν τοῖς αὐτοῦ μαθηταῖς καὶ πάσαις ψυχαῖς χριστιαναῖς, μάλιστα ταῖς εὐχαριστούσαις τῷ Θεῷ· κυβερνῆσαι δὲ κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ τῆς ταφῆς, πρὸς τὸ ἐσπουδασμένον αὐτῇ καὶ περιπόθητον, ὧστε μὴ στερηθῆναι αὐτὴν τοῦ μισθοῦ τῶν ἐκρεριμμένων ὡσεὶ νεκρὸς ἐβδελυγμένος. Ταῦτα εὐξαμένη, καταλαβεῖν ἠπείγετο τὸ λεγόμενον Τιβερίνου χώριον ἀπὸ ζημείων τριῶν, τοῦ ἁγίου ἐνδόξου Προδρόμου καὶ Βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννου τηνικαῦτα συνάξεως ἐπιτελουμένης. Εὐλόγησε δὲ τὸν Δίκαιον καὶ τοὺς Αδελφοὺς καὶ τὴν μονὴν, εἰποῦσα· Ὅτι οὐκ οἶδα, εἰ ὄψομαι ὑμᾶς λοιπὸν ἐν σαρκί· καὶ κλίνασα τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ τὴν εὐχὴν αὐτῆς εἰς ἐφόδιον κομισαμένη, κατήρχετο ἐν τῷ προλεχθέντι Τιβερίνου χωρίῳ· ἦγεν γὰρ αὐτὴν ὁ ἄγων ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον. Εἰσελθοῦσα οὖν ἐν τῷ προλεχθέντι σεβασμίῳ οἴκῳ τοῦ ἁγίου ἐνδόξου καὶ Προδρόμου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννου, καὶ τὴν εὐχὴν αὐτῆς ἐπιτελέσασα, εὐχσθέως ὑποστρέψαι ἐπὶ τὴν μονὴν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη· παραχρῆμα γὰρ ἐμαλακίσθη, μηδαμῶς ἔτι δυνηθεῖσα βαδήισαι. Οἱ δὲ ἐντόπιοι τιμῶντες αὐτὴν, ἠξίουν καὶ παραβιάζοντο μεῖναι παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἀναπαύσασθαι ἐκ τοῦ κόπου· καὶ εἴξασα τῇ παρακλῆσει αὐτῶν, ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, οὖσαν δευτέραν. Τῇ δὲ τρίτῃ σφοδρότερον ἐνοχλουμένη ἐξέτεινε τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ὁσίου προσευχὴν, ἄνω μετεωρίσασα ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Θαυμαστὸν, ἐπιθύμει γαρ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλον πάλιν ἰδεῖν. Καὶ ἔστι θαυμάσαι, πῶς οὐδεὶς τῶν τόσε παρόντων συνῆκεν ἐκδραμεῖν καὶ ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῖς τῆς μονῆς τὸ συμβᾶν τῇ μακαρίᾳ Μάρθῃ· τοῦτο δὲ κατ᾽ οἰκονομίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονεν, τοῦ ποιοῦντος τὸ θέλημα τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτὸν καὶ τῆς δεῆσεως αὐτῶν εἰσακούοντος, ἵνα ὁ περὶ τῆς ταφῆς αὐτῆς προαφηγκμένοι σκοπὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία πληρωθῇ, διὸ καὶ ἀπέκρυψεν ἀπὸ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ τοῦτο. Νομίζοντες οὖν τινες φιλάνθρωπόν τι καὶ ἀγαθὸν ποιεῖν, ἐπιβιβάσαντες αὐτὴν ἐπὶ κτήνους, τετράδος ἐπιφωσκούσης, ἀπήγαγον ἐν Δάφνῃ καὶ ἀνέκλιναν, εἰς ὃν ἐκ πόλλου χρόνου κατέμεινεν εὐλολημένον αὐτῆς οἶκον. Βραχείας δὲ ὥρας διαδραμούσης ἀνατείνασα τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ὕμνους εὐχαριστηρίους αὐτῷ μετὰ δακρύων ἀναπέμψασα καὶ εἰποῦσα· Εἰς χεῖράς σου, Κύριε, παραθήσομαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου· ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὴν ψυχὴν παρέδωκεν ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἁγίων Ἀγγέλων χερσὶ, μηνὶ Ιουλίῳ πέμπτη.

[19] It was the Lord's day, when she narrated these things; and persevering longer in prayer, she received the sacrosanct and immaculate mysteries; and was made wholly more certain of her death. But the second Feria dawning she gathered the Brothers in the presence of the Saint; to whom also she said: Peace to thee, son, from Him, who chose thee, Christ God and our saviour; may He, whom thou hast loved, the Son of God, confirm thee in thy place, and preserve thee in His immaculate faith stable and knowing not to be moved: may thy eyes, full of grace, behold thy place: and may the Lord produce for thee elect germs, disciples subject to thee in purity and sincerity: if any depart, do not weep for these; for behold I too their mother follow after them: may the Lord strengthen those left behind and may they be multiplied, until He come who shall restore all things. I have been magnified among women, because, about to go hence, I commend thee, who shalt be a scandal to none and perfect, to the Lord. Blessed be in the root thy planting, and the germs of thy fruits flourishing; and may the fruits be produced in all things unto gladness and exultation. While I have led my life hitherto, I never praised thee, hindered by fear; since he grievously falls, whoever is lifted up by pride.

[20] Now therefore hear me, son, whom He honored, who is honored by thee, thy Lord Christ our God. she requires the prayers of her son for herself, Be ever mindful of thy Mother during prayer, that I may obtain great mercy; suppliant for me to the holy, glorious, and ever-virginity adorned, Mother of the Lord Mary, that I may obtain remission of all the sins, which up to this day I have committed: since I did not cease to offer efficacious prayers for thy salvation to God. For grace render me grace, and with prayers for me in turn ever entreat God. Do not grieve on my account, but rather rejoice: because certain of salvation and secure I depart, exulting on account of thy conversation plainly divine and on account of the salvation confirmed for thee by Christ. In any Sacrifice of the Mass, before any altar tears with incense, burned without ceasing for thy perseverance, the benefits which she rendered him being set forth. I have immolated to God: frequenting any sacred edifice, I have implored with intense prayers the help of the holy Martyrs of Christ, that they might guard thee and stretch forth a helping hand. I have honored all holy men, demanding their prayers for thee; to whom my cares and labors, fruits very pleasing to God the inspector of all, have been offered for the increase of thy perfection. I have seen also many illustrious things in thee, to be expressed by no number; but unto the present time I would not commemorate them before thee, lest, trusting in thee more than is just, thou shouldst pay less frequent thanks to God the rewarder, who can deem thee worthy even of ampler gifts.

[21] Very well filled is my ear with the wisdom, which thou hast received from God, since thou wast unlearned as to the world. A crown of glory is woven for thy head, she admonishes that he bear injuries patiently by a hand potent and sublime, which has crowned thee with praise and comeliness. Whatsoever I wished, I have seen in thee; and beyond what I wished. Pain and mourning and groaning have fled, since I have not run or labored in vain. I exhort, son, that revilings burn no pain into thee, nor be indignant on account of the infidelity of certain men: but pray for all on account of the Son of God, who on account of His infinite kindness depressed Himself to such humility, by the example of Christ. and who said concerning those very ones, by whom He had been fixed to the cross: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Luc. 25, 34. My wings have grown forth, by which I shall ascend heaven, just as I beheld thee long since, still an infant, carried up to the same in the vision offered me. I commend thee therefore to the Lord of glory, whom thou hast loved with reciprocal love, that He Himself, the lover of men, with whom thou art fixed to the cross, may preserve thee from scandal; because for His sake thou hast ignored the world and the things which are in the world: thou hast sought His mercy, better than lives; and hast not known father and mother; for the Maker of the world, thy father and mother and stock is, with all who through faith in Him are sanctified.

[22] Be mindful of the needy, since thou hast been made needy in this world, who are in grief and affliction; She exhorts to various virtues, just as thou too with the crucified Christ dwellest in straits and vexations. Be unwilling to forget hospitality, since thou hast been made an exile from thy house and goods. Those, who are of a pusillanimous heart, pity and be longanimous, since we are sojourners in the earth all, and the patience of the poor shall not perish unto eternity. Humbly and lowly think of thyself, since submission of mind and modesty conquered death. Be ever merciful, since alms frees from death. Be a prudent dispenser, and imitate the Lord free of corruption, whose truth everywhere accompany thee. To orphans be a father, and to their mother in place of a husband; bearing thyself humbly with the humble and, without shame or acceptance of persons, receiving all, as thou hast always been wont; in this also imitating thy Lord. Be mindful in the prayers, and that he pray for all. which thou directest to God, of the whole world; and especially of the city, in which thou wast born, and of its inhabitants; although thou thyself hast been made an exile, for the cause of Christ, a fellow-citizen of the Saints; and if any there are of a hard heart, give pardon on account of others, who are there, lovers of Christ. Never let it fall from thy mind, who was a spiritual Father to thee, S. John, whose memory is in benediction; since he loved thee very much. Finally be also busy, that thy father according to the flesh John may enjoy everlasting rest, and the pangs of thy mother be soothed with the Lord.

[23] Having addressed the Saint with these and several other things, she lifted to heaven her hands and flowing with tears prayed with fear, saying: Christ the Lord, hope of all the ends of the earth, who on account of Thy much goodness hast repaired through the life-giving Cross our life; Lord of mercies, and finally she herself for herself God of the humble, who didst receive the harlot and didst justify him sitting at the toll-booth, in whom hoped Martha and ^a Mary, and obtained salvation; hear me a sinful and humble woman: for I know that I am unworthy, who should stand in the sight of Thy glorious Majesty for the multitude of my sins: nevertheless on account of Thy goodness who callest even sinners to penitence, I have dared to extend my hands and to direct my lifted eyes upon the height of heaven; believing firmly that I shall be saved through the salutary reception of Thy life-giving Body and Blood, granted us by Thee for the remission of faults, that Thou mightest take away my iniquities and cleanse me from my sins. Thou therefore, Lord, Ruler of all, guard him, and prays for her son. who out of my womb, an unworthy woman, was confirmed in Thy name by Thee, since he loved Thee, and for the sake of Thy name, the world being left, lives as a stranger on earth; may Thy charity be present to him, snatch him out of the snares of the devil, and lead him not henceforth into temptation. Save him out of the sea of this world, who governest most dexterously those confident in Thee; since he left all things, and took up his cross, and followed Thee the kind Lord, willing to be instructed by Thy commandments. Thou, Lord, didst give him to me, and I have rendered him back, an offering pleasing in Thy sight: deem him worthy of Thy grace, that he may become perfect and acceptable to Thee, and save him with all Thy Saints; since in Thee we hope and give glory to Thee, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

[24] After she had prayed in this manner, she turned back to the Saint, Solicitous concerning the place of burial, her whole face glorious through the grace of the holy Spirit, and said; Behold before the doors is the day, on which I migrate to the Lord. But I would have thee indicate to me, my son, where thou wilt lay my humble body, since there is not yet anywhere a monument in this place. Symeon answered: May the Lord be merciful to thee, mother, until now let this not be to thee. Nevertheless, I and my Brothers have spoken very often upon this matter; we are preparing for thee a sanctified place, where thou art to be laid. The Blessed woman said: This little body is to me a burden difficult to carry: in this therefore I shall believe that I shall obtain mercy and my prayer is heard, if in the common cemetery of Daphne with the strangers I may merit to be buried: among whom numbered also B. Thomas ^b, obtained burial with them in that place; she asks to be buried with the strangers: who, three days elapsed, having attested his glory by a miracle, did not bear himself to be mixed with sinners, such as I am, lying everywhere, and was carried with the highest glory into great Antioch. The blessing moves me therefore, which adheres to this place on account of the prayers of that Saint and of my Brothers; whom I, although I am unworthy that my bones be made fat by their moisture in contact, pray and beseech, that I may bear the fruit of my salvation through their visitation. But commend me, son, to the Lord, that my will may be found accepted.

[25] which, the son bearing ill, These things befell Symeon as very troublesome, and saddened greatly he did not admit such a speech; but used many words that he might let her be moved from such a purpose, because he did not wish her to be laid anywhere outside his dwelling, well knowing how piously from boyhood she had always lived. Hence she, having paused a little, lest she should increase the grief of her mourning son, lifted up her hands again, supplicating God with perfect resignation of herself, that He would guard His lamb ^c with his Disciples and all Christians, especially those who with gratitude acknowledge God's gifts; she resigns herself to the divine will. and would dispose at His will concerning her burial, according to what she had always desired, provided only she be not deprived of the reward of those who as an execrable corpse are rashly cast away.

[26] She sets out for the church of S. John the Baptist. Having prayed in this manner, she hastened in mind to come to the village ^d of Tiberinus three miles distant, where the festivity of the holy and glorious Forerunner John the Baptist ^e had been celebrated. But having well prayed for the Just one and the Brothers and the monastery, saying: I know not indeed, whether I shall see you again in the flesh: she inclined her head, and carrying with herself prayers for a viaticum, descended into the aforementioned village of Tiberinus: for the spirit led her to that, which was about to be done. Having entered therefore the sacred church, which we have said, of the holy and glorious Forerunner John the Baptist ^f, and the office of praying being performed, her strength straightway failing and the faculty of walking being taken away, where having prayed, she begins to labor, she could not return to the monastery. But the inhabitants of the place, venerating her, asked and even compelled her to remain there with them while she should recover breath from her fatigue: and yielding to their exhortation, she remained there that day, which was the second Feria.

[27] But on the third Feria when she was held by a graver infirmity, she extended longer her prayer for S. Symeon, her mind raised toward the Mount-wonderful, inflamed with the desire of beholding again the servant of God. But this especially here is to be wondered at, how of those present it came into the mind of none to run to the monastery and announce to the monks, what had befallen B. Martha. But that was of God disposing, who does the will of those who fear Him and hears their prayers, that her desire, as to those things which above we have narrated concerning her burial, might be fulfilled: and for the same cause He concealed these things from His servant. and carried back home Thinking therefore that they were doing a thing good and full of humanity, they lifted her onto a beast, and the fourth Feria dawning, carried her off to Daphne, and laid her back in that blessed house, in which now for a long time she had dwelt. A few hours intervened, when, her hands and eyes extended toward God, and hymns of gratitude amid copious tears having been offered, saying, Into Thy hands, Lord, I will commend my spirit; she piously dies on 5 July. she delivered in peace her soul into the hands of the holy Angels, on the fifth day of the month July. ^g

ANNOTATA.

CHAPTER IV.

The deposition and Translation of the body, the concourse of the people, miracles.

Συνελθόντες οἱ τῆς Δάφνης οἰκήτορες σὺν παντὶ τῷ κλήρῳ καὶ κηδεύσαντες αὐτὴν, καθὼς ἐνετείλατο, ἐν τοῖς ἱματίοις οἷς ἐφόρει κατελθοῦσα ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ Θαυμαστοῦ, ἐντυλίξαντες ταῖς σινδόσιν, ἐν αἷς τοὺς βαπτιζομένους παῖδας πολλάκις ἐπιδιδοῦσα δεχθῆναι παρασκεύαζεν, οὕτω γὰρ ἐνταφιασθῆναι ηὔχετο· προέπεμψαν δὲ αὐτὴν ἐν ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ κατέθεντο αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ τάφῳ τῶν ξένων, εἰς τὸν τόπον τὸν λεγόμενον Ἐλεφαντῶνα ἔνθα καὶ τὸν ὅσιον μόναχον Θωμᾶν πρώη κατέθεντο, ὡς ἤδη λέλεκται. Ἔμεινεν δὲ ἐκεῖ τὸ λείψανον τῆς Μακαρίας τὴν τετράδα καὶ τὴν πέμπτην καὶ τὴν παρασκεύην· Τότε ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δούλος Συμεῶν ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς θεωρεῖ λείψανον δικαίου ἔντος τῆς καμασινῆς αὐτοῦ μηλωτῆς ἐκ δεξιῶν ἐπικρεμάμενον αὐτῷ, καὶ ὅτι τὴν δεξιὰν ἐκτείνας χεῖρα, καὶ τρίτον ἁψάμενος, τῆς ἐξ αὐτοῦ εὐλογίας ἀντελάβετο. Καὶ καλέσας τινὰς τῶν Ἀδελφῶν, εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· Ἡ Κυρία μου ἡ μεγάλη ἐκοιμήθη. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Παῦλός τις τῶν Ἀδελφῶν, εἶπεν· Ἀξίωσον, Πάτερ, ἐπιτρέψαι ἡμῖν λατομῆσαι καὶ ἑτοιμᾶσαι θέσιν εἰς λόγον αὐτῆς, ὅπου σοί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον. Τούτων λαλουμένων, παρεγένετό τις ἄγαροικος, φάσκων, τὴν ὄντως μακαρίαν Μάρθαν κεκοιμῆσθαι· ἦν δὲ ὥρα ὀγδόη τῆς παρασκευῆς. Εὐθέως οὖν ἐπέτρεψε ὁ Ἅγιος Θεοφίλῳ τῷ μοναχῷ λαβεῖν ἐκ τῶν παρόντων ὄχλων τοὺς δυναμένους βαστάσαι, καὶ ἀπελθεῖν ἐν Δάφνῃ, καὶ τὸ τίμιον αὐτῆς λείψανον ἀγαγεῖν. Ἐκ Θεοῦ δὲ προνοίας Ἐπιφάνιός τις, ὁρμώμενος ἀπὸ τοῦ Καρανδαμᾶ χωρίου, κατελθὼν ἐν Δαφνῃ, ἤκουσέν τινων ὁμιλούντων, τρίτην ἡμέραν εῖναι, ἀφ᾽ οὗ κεκοίμηται ἡ μητήρ τοῦ δικαίου Συμεών· καὶ σπουδαίως πορευθεὶς εὗρεν πάντας τοὺς συγκωμίτας αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Ἰάσονος χωρίου, καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς τὰ περὶ τῆς μακαρίας. Χάρις δὲ ἐπέπεσεν ἐπὶ πάντας αὐτοὺς, καὶ μιᾶς γνώμης γενόμενοι, εἶπεν πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Ἦλθεν ἡμῖν εὐλογία μεγάλη τοῦ ἀπαγαγεῖν αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ταύτῃ στέρξαντες τῇ βουλῇ παρεγένοντο ἐν Δάφνῃ. Αὐτῶν δὲ διερχομένων διὰ μέσου αὐτῆς, πάντες οἱ ὁρῶντες αὐτοὺς ἔλεγον αὐτοῖς· Τὴν Μεγάλην τοῦ Δικαίου θέλετε ἆραι; Ὁ δὲ καταθέμενος αυτὴν λεκτικάριος, ὡς ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος, οὐκ εἰδὼς τὴν αἰτίαν, ἵστατο ἐπὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς· Ἐγὼ ἐλθὼν ὑποδείξω ὑμῖν τὴν Μακαρίαν, μήπως ἀγνοῦντες ἔτερον λείψανον ἐκ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἐκεῖ κειμένων λάβετε ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνης. Καὶ εὐχαριστήσαντες τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐμήνυσαν τῷ ἡγουμένῳ περὶ τούτου, ὅστις μετ᾽ εὐλογίαν Πνεύματος ἁγίου ἐπέτρεψεν αὐτοῖς τὴν διακονίαν ἐκτελέσαι, ἣν προέθεντο. Ἀνοιχθέντος οὖν τοῦ τάφου εἰσῆλθον δυὸ ἐξ αὐτῶν Ἰωάννης καὶ Μαρῖνος, πιστοὶ τυγχάνοντες, καὶ ἦραν αὐτὴν, τοῦ λεκτικαρίου δακτυλοδεικνοῦντος αὐτοῖς, αὐτὴν εἶναι τὴν ὁσίαν Μάρθαν. Ἀνεκόμησαν δὲ αὐτὴν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου ἄλυτον, ἀδυσώδη, ἄῤῥηκτον καὶ ἄβρωτον σκωλίκων, καὶ τοῦ καύσωνος τοιαυτοῦ ὑπάρχοντος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, ἦν γὰρ ἑβδόμη τοῦ Ἰουλίου μηνός· ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε τῶν ἐκεῖ συρομένων ἑρπετῶν παντελῶς αὐτῇ προσεκολλήθη, οὔτε τῶν πολυπληθουσῶν μυιῶν προσήγγισεν, διὰ τοῦ δοῦναι τὸν Κύριον τὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ χάριν τῷ τιμίῳ αὐτῆς λειψάνῳ. Βαστάσαντες οὖν αὐτὴν πρὸς δυσμὰς ἡλίου μετὰ χαρᾶς ἀπέτρεχον· πολλοὶ δὲ σὺν γυναιξὶ καὶ παιδίοις συνελθόντες προέπεμπον τὸ τίμιον αὐτῆς λείψανον, μετὰ θυμιαμάτων καὶ λαμπάδων, τίνες δὲ καὶ μέχρι τῆς μονῆς αὐτῆς συνέδραμον. Οἱ δὲ σταλέντες ἅμα Θεοφίλῳ τῷ μοναχῷ ὑπήντησαν αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὸ μέσον τῆς ὁδοὺ, καὶ θαυμάσαντες καὶ ἀποδεξάμενοι τὴν αὐτῶν θεάρεστον πρόθεσιν, ἔσπευδον καὶ αὐτοὶ τῆς ἐκ τοῦ λειψάνου εὐλογίας ἀξιωθῆναι· καὶ βαστάσαντες σὺν αὐτοῖς προθύμως τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ἐποιοῦντο, ὅθεν καὶ ἐλαφρὸν αὐτοῖς σφόδρα τὸ τίμιον λείψανον κατεφάνη, ὥστε αὐτοὺς πληροφορεῖσθαι θείας ἀληθῶς δυνάμεως ἔργον τοῦτο τυγχάνειν. Ἀνήγαγον οὖν αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ, συμφώνως ψάλλοντες καὶ ὑμνοῦντες καὶ δοξάζοντες τὸν Θεόν· εἰσελθόντες δὲ εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν μάνδραν, ἀπέθεντο αὐτὴν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ κίονος τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἦν δὲ ἰδεῖν παντὸς τοῦ συνελθόντος λαοῦ τὰ δάκρυα, τοὺς ὁδυρμοὺς, τὸν μέγαν ἦχον τῆς σκυθρωπῆς βοῆς, καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ τῷ τοσούτῳ ζήλῳ καὶ τῇ πολλῇ πληροφορίᾳ. Πάντες γὰρ ὡς μητέρα πνευματικὴν πολυτρόπως αὐτὴν εὐεργετοῦσαν ἀπολαβόμενοι, οὕτως αὐτὴν ἀνεκαλοῦντο. Πάννυχον οὖν ἀγρυπνίαν ποιήσαντες, καὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὴν εὐχαριστίαν προσαγαγόντες, ἐλατόμουν λοιπὸν τὴν θέσιν ἐν τῷ κογχίῳ, κατὰ τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη τοῦ κίονος. Τῇ δὲ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ, ἐκ τοῦ ὑπαίθρου τῆς μάνδρας τῆς ἁγίας στάσεως, ὥσπερ διαῤῥαγέντος τοῦ τείχους, ὤφθη ἡ Μακαρία ἐπιστᾶσα ἀθρόον τοῖς δυσὶ ἐκείνοις Ἀδελφοῖς, περὶ ὧν καὶ δεδώκει ἐντολὰς τῷ Ἁγίῳ· κᾀκείνων φόβῳ μεγάλῳ συσχεθέντων, ὡς εἰδότων ὅτι τέθνηκεν· Μὴ φοβεῖσθε, ἔφη, πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἡ Μακαρία, διότι οὐκ ἐλογίσατό με ὁ Κύριος μετὰ τῶν νεκρῶν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τῶν ζόντων· ἰδοὺ γὰρ βλέπετέ με ἀβλαβῆ φυλαχθεῖσαν, τῶν ἱματίων μου μόνον βραχέντων ἐκ τῆς ὑγρασίας τῶν κειμένων νεκρῶν, ἔνθα με κατέθηκαν· ἦλθον δὲ ζωην ὑμῖν εὐαγγελίσασθαι, ὅπως ἀσφαλῶς βιοῦντες, νικήσητε τοὺς δαίμονας εἰς τὸ μὴ κλαπῆναι ὑμᾶς παρ᾽ αὐτῶν. Ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἀπέστη ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀναβάντος τοῦ ὄρθρου τῷ ἐπιφώσκοντι τότε σαββάθῳ, συνῆλθον πλῆθος πρεσβυτέρων καὶ διακόνων καὶ λοιπῶν κληρικῶν καὶ λαἳκῶν· οἵ τινες κυκλώσαντες αὐτὴν, καὶ μηδεμίας δυσωδίας ἀντιλαβόμενοι, καί τοι τοῦ ἡλίου ὑπερεκκαίοντος, ἐθαύμαζον ὑμνοῦντες τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἐνδόξους ᾠδὰς ἀναπέμποντες αὐτῷ, μετὰ κηρῶν καὶ θυμιαμάτων, μέχρις ἑβδόμης ὥρας· καὶ οὕτως μετὰ δόξης καὶ τιμῆς κατέθεντο τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δούλην ἐν τῇ λατομιθείσῃ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἀδελφῶν, καὶ στήσαντες τὴν πρέπουσαν τῆς ἀκολουθίας σύναξιν ἐλειτούργισαν, τελείαν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ποιήσαντες προσφοράν. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν τῆς εὐχαριστίας, παρεγένοντο οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς κώμης τοῦ Γανδιγορῶν ἅμα τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ αὐτῶν Θεοδωρήτῳ καὶ παντὶ τῷ κλήρῳ καὶ τοῖς πιστοῖς τῆς παροικίας αὐτῶν, σπεύδοντες κοινωνῆσαι τῆς εὐλογίας, οὂς μεγάλας δυνάμεις καὶ ἰάσεις χρήζουσι πολλάκις ὁ Θεὸς ἐδωρήσατο, διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου αὐτοῦ δούλου Συμεών. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ εὗρον τὴν κατάθεσιν αὐτῆς γενομένην, ἠξίουν μεῖναι καὶ τὴν πρέπουσαν παννυχίδα ἤτοι ἀγρυπνίαν ἐπιτελέσαι, ὅπως καὶ αὐτοὶ τοὺς καρποὺς τῶν εὐχῶν τῆς Ὁσίας τρυγήσωσιν. Ἐπινεύσαντος δὲ τοῦ Δικαίου ταῖς αὐτῶν δεήσεσι, καὶ τῆς θείας ὑμνῳδίας παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐπιτελουμένης, Ἰωάννης τις Ἀναγνώστης, εἷς ὢν ἐξ αὐτῶν, εὐλαβὴς ἀνὴρ καὶ μεγάλης πίστεως, καὶ πολλοῖς ἀσθενοῦσι πρόξενος ἰάσεως γενόμενος διὰ τῶν πρεσβειῶν τοῦ Ἁγίου καὶ τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ διδομένων εὐλογιῶν, ὁρᾷ καθαρότητι ψυχῆς, ὑμνογρήγορος ὢν, τὴν μὲν ὁσίαν Μάρθην ἀνερχομένην ἐν τῇ κλίμακι τοῦ κίονος τοῦ δικαίου Συμεὼν, ἐν τῇ κόγχῃ δὲ ἐπάνω τῆς θέσεως αὐτῆς ὡς ἱστορίαν τῶν ἑξαπτερύγων ζώων πετομένων ἐφ᾽ ἅρματος τροχῶν, τὸν δὲ καθήμενον οὐκ ἐθεάσατο. Βουλόμενος δὲ ἀκριβέστερον καταμαθεῖν τὸ φαινόμενον (ὑπέλαβεν γὰρ γραφὴν γεγενῆσθαι ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ἐκείνῳ) απῆλθεν τοῦ καταμαθεῖν, καὶ εὐθέως ἄφαντα ταῦτα γεγόνασιν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Ἔξυπνος δὲ γενόμενος καὶ φόβῳ καὶ τρόμῳ συνεχόμενος ἀπήγγειλεν ταῦτα τῷ Ἁγίῳ, ὅρκοις πολλοῖς πιστούμενος τὸ ἀληθὲς τῆς ὀπτασίας. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· Δόξασον, τέκον, τὸν Κύριον, χάριν γὰρ εὗρες θεάσασθαι, καθὼς ἐχώρεις τὰ ἁγιαστικὰ ζῶα τὰ ἐπιβεβηκότα ἐφ᾽ ἅρματος χερουβὶμ, παραγενομένου ἐν τῇ ἐπικλήσει τῆς ὑμνωδίας, καὶ ἁγιάσαντος ἐν τῷ λειψάνῳ τοῦ θανάτου τὴν κοίμησιν, καθότι κᾀγὼ καὶ αὐτὴ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις συλληφθέντες ἐχρήσαμεν τῆς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀφέσεως, ἐν αὐλαῖς οἴκου Κυρίου ἱστάμενοι. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Ἅγιος, πάντων ἐν τῇ ἀκολουθίᾳ τῶν εὐχῶν ἱσταμένων, ἐπιβλέψας εἶδεν ὁ Ἅγιος ἐνεργείας δαιμόνων ἐπιτελομένας ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς, τῶν μὲν παρισταμένων ἐνίοις αὐτῶν, τῶν δὲ εἰσδυνόντων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσι τῶν λοιπῶν καὶ κατοικούντων ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τούτων ὁ ἀριθμὸς ὑπῆρχε πολύς· Ἐπετίμησεν δὲ αὐτοῖς ἄνωθεν ἱστάμενος ὁ Ἅγιος, καὶ ἐπέστη πνεῦμα Θεοῦ, καὶ εὐθέως διεσκόρπισεν αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν. Καλέσας δὲ ὁ Ἅγιος τὸν εἰρημένον Ἰωάννην ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν, Μέχρι τίνος κατήντησεν ἡ λοιμικὴ φθορά· ἦν γὰρ τῷ χρόνῳ ἐκείνῳ θνῆσις ἀνθρώπων μεγάλη. Ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος καὶ εῖπεν· Ἄχρι, Δέσποτα, τῆς ἡμετέρας κώμης καὶ τοῦ γειτνιάζοντος ἡμῖν Βαιθοκοβεῶν ἄγρου. Καὶ λέγει ὁ Ἅγιος· Ἰδοὺ, σωτήριος ὑμεῖς ἡμέρα αὕτη ἐπεφάνη παρὰ Κυρίου· κοπάσει γὰρ ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ὁ ὁλοθρεύων, καὶ δι᾽ ὑμὰς καὶ ἐκ τῶν πλησιοχώρων ὑμῶν, καὶ μάρτυς αὐτὸς ἔσο τῶν ἐμῶν ῥημάτων. Γέγονε δὲ οὕτως· παραχρῆμα γὰρ ἐκόπασεν ἀπὸ παντὸς οἴκου ἡ κραυγὴ καὶ ὁ θρῆνος. Ἡ αὐτὴ δὲ φθορὰ ἑπέκειτο καὶ ἐν τῷ Χαρανδαμᾶ χωρίῳ· καὶ πολλῶν κατακειμένων καὶ δεομένων τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τυχεῖν σωτηρίας, ἴδον τινὲς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐν ὁράματι τὸ λείψανον τῆς μακαρίας Μάρθης μετὰ κηρῶν καίομένων περιαγόμενον ἐν τῇ κώμῃ καὶ ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν· τῇ δὲ τοιαύτῃ ὄψει ἐναργὴς ἔκβασις ἐπηκολούθησεν, οὐδενὸς μὲν ἔτι ληφθέντος ἐκεῖσε τῷ τοιούτῳ πάθει, τῶν δὲ πρώην κατασχεθέντων ἐπισκοπῆς θείας ἀξιωθέντων, καὶ πρὸς ὕγειαν ἐπανελθόντων. Εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν, Σέργιος ὄνομα τούτῳ, υἱὸς Ἀντωνίου φροντιστοῦ, οὐ πάρεστι, νεκρῷ πλησιάσαι βδέλυκτον λογιζόμενος· Τοῦτο δὲ αὐτὸ

καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ λειψάνου τῆς Ὁσίας πεποιηκὼς, οὐ προσήγγισεν οὐ δὲ τὸν ὦμον ὑπέθηκεν· κατ᾽ αὐτὴν οὖν τὴν ὥραν κατεσχέθη πυρετῷ λαβροτάτῳ καὶ μεμένηκεν τῇ νόσῳ κοπτόμενος, ἄλαλός τε γενόμενος, οὕτως διέμεινε μέχρι τῶν τριακοστῶν αὐτῆς. Πολλῶν δὲ παρακαλούντων τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλον ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς μητρὸς ἐκτιλλόντων ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ τὰς ἑαυτῶν πολίας, τῶν τε ἀδελφῶν καὶ τῶν συγγενῶν ἐν πένθει μεγάλῳ κλαιόντων, οὐδεμιᾶς τηνικαύτα βοηθείας ἐτύγχανεν ὁ τῇ νόσῳ κάμνων. Τοῦ δὲ Θεοῦ ταῖς τοῦ δικαίου προσευχαῖς σπλαγχνισθέντος, ἔλαβεν ἐξουσίαν ὁ κατακείμενος ἐξομολογήσασθαι καὶ εἰπεῖν· Ὅτι ἀπεστράφην βαστάσαι τὸ τίμιον λείψανον τῆς μητρὸς τοῦ ἁγίου Συμεὼν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μετὰ δεινὰ ταῦτα ἐπέστησαν κριτήρια· καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐξ αὐτῆς σπεύσητέ μοι ἀνῦσαι διὰ παρακλήσεως τοῦ Ἁγίου συγχώρησιν, ἀπόλλημαι. Ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ προσκαρτεροῦντες αὐτῷ, σπουδαίου παρέστησαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Ἁγίου, τὸ ἔλεος ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀμαρτήσαντος αἰτούμενοι. Οἰκτείρας δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐπέτρεπεν ὑποστρέφειν, καὶ κομψότερον ἐσχηκότα εὑρίσκειν τὸν ἐν ἀνάγκῃ· Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ ἐμὸν, ἔφη, τελείαν αὐτῶ παρασχεῖν τὴν ἴασιν, ἀλλὰ τῷ λειψάνῳ τῆς Ὁσίας τὸ χάρισμα δέδοται ὑπὸ Κυρίου λύσαι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Ὑποστρέψαντες οὖν ἐκεῖνοι, εὗρεν αὐτὸν, καθὼς εῖπεν, βέλτιον ἐσχηκότα· καὶ ἀγαγόντες αὐτὸν προσήνεγκαν τῇ σορῷ τῆς Μακαρίας, ἐξομολογούμενον καὶ λέγοντα· Συγγνώμης με τὸ νῦν καταξίωσον ἡ μητὴρ τοῦ Ἁγίου, καὶ οὐ μὴ παραιτήσαμαι ἔτι λείψανον. Ταῦτα αὐτοῦ λέγοντος καὶ προσευχομένου, ᾔσθετε τὸ ἀκάθαρτον πνεῦμα τῆς ἐπὶ τῇ συγχωρήσει δοθείσης χάριτος τῷ ἀνδρὶ, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν διὰ τῶν ἀκοῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἔστη ὁλόκληρος δοξά τὸν Θεὸν, παντῶν τῶν τότε παραγενομένων καὶ τῶν ἀκουσάντων περὶ αὐτοῦ. Τούτων οὖν τὴν εὐχαριστίαν ἀναπεμψάντων τῷ Θεῷ καὶ πορευθέντων, ἰδοὺ οἱ ἀπὸ τοῦ Γανδιγούρων χωρίου συνελθόντες πάννυχον ἀγρυπνίαν ἐποίησαν εἰς τὰ τριακοστὰ τῆς Ὁσίας· καὶ τῆς ἑξῆς, τελειώσαντες τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς προσφορὰν καὶ εὐλογηθέντες, ἀπῆλθον.

[28] The inhabitants of Daphne assembling with the whole Clergy and taking care of the funeral, the garments being left to her, as she had ordered, which she had brought from the Mount-wonderful; The body is deposited in the cemetery of the strangers. and the body being wrapped in the linens, which she had procured for the children to be received from baptism (for so she had desired to be committed to burial) carried her forth, with psalms and hymns resounding, and laid her in the sepulcher of the strangers, in the place which is called Elephanton; in which they had also formerly placed S. Thomas the monk, as has already been said. The Blessed woman's Relics remained there the fourth, fifth, and sixth Feria. Then the servant of God Symeon in a vision beholds the Relics of the just woman within his hairy ^a sheepskin suspended on his right side: and when he extended his right hand and thrice touched them, he obtained a blessing from them: the death is revealed to Symeon: and certain of the Brothers being called he said: My great Lady has fallen asleep. But one of them, Paul by name, answering: Father, said he, command us, that we cut stones and prepare a tomb for her, wherever it shall be pleasing to thee.

[29] When they had said these things, a certain rustic running up announces, that B. Martha had truly died: and it was the eighth hour of the day of Friday. Forthwith therefore the Saint commands the monk Theophilus, that, those being taken from the present multitude who could carry, he go to Daphne, to whom many divinely incited carry the body, about to bring thence the venerable Relics of his mother. But it happened by the previous disposition of God, that a certain Epiphanius, sprung from the village of Charandama, going down to Daphne, heard some conversing among themselves, saying that it was now the third day, since the mother of S. Symeon had died: who going thence with the highest haste, found all his fellow-villagers in the church, which is in the village of Jason, and announces what had befallen B. Martha. Forthwith they were all divinely suffused with grace, and concurring into one and the same opinion, they say among themselves: A great blessing has come to us, that we may be able to lead her to the holy servant of God. The counsel was approved by all; and they went together to Daphne: and when they passed through the midst of it; whoever saw them passing said to them; Do you wish to take the great mother of the just Symeon? But the ^b bearer, who had laid her in the sepulcher, ignorant of the matters why they came, as if he had been commanded, stood in the way, and said: I accompanying you, will show the Blessed woman, lest perchance through ignorance you take the relics of some one of the crowd buried there in place of hers. They, thanks given to God, indicated to their leader that which was, who in turn exhorted with the blessing of the holy Spirit, that they should perfect what they had in mind and at hand.

[30] The sepulcher therefore being opened, two of them entered, John and Marinus, which they find still whole, both faithful, and bore away the body, the bearer pointing with his finger and asserting, that it was S. Martha's. But they drew out of that place nothing dissolved, nothing scattering an evil smell, nothing feeling decay from worms, altogether firm and solid, although the heat raged in those days (for it was the seventh of July); but neither had any of the serpents, which creep there very many, at all adhered to her; nor had any of the flies, with which the place abounds, approached, the divine grace, which was put into her venerable Relics, warding off all insects. and lead her away with solemn pomp, To them therefore returning toward the setting of the sun, and carrying the sacred treasure; very many coming together with women and boys, accompanied for honor's sake, incense being burned and lamps shining: of whom some did not withdraw before it was come to the monastery.

[31] The middle of the journey being accomplished, those who had been sent with the monk Theophilus come to meet, full of admiration; and when they had understood the mind and purpose inspired in them by God, they too hastened that they might receive a blessing through the sacred Relics, and shouldering the body with the others alacriously they measured out the way, their weight pressing so lightly, that it manifestly became known, feeling nothing of weight. that it was truly an effect of the divine power. They brought her finally into the monastery, with concordant voice bringing forth hymns and psalms to the glory of God: and having entered the holy enclosure, they laid the body before the column of the holy man. Here could be seen the tears, laments, and the wailing of mournful cry of the concurring people; glorifying also God on account of so great zeal and the manifold proof of sanctity: for all beheld her no otherwise than as a spiritual mother, manifoldly beneficent toward them, and even so called her. Keeping vigil therefore and paying thanks to God, they ^c at length hewed out a monument in a small niche to the right part of the column.

[32] But on that very night from the open part of the enclosure, in which the column was, the wall as it were undermined, suddenly she was beheld, by those two Brothers, She reveals to the Brothers that she is safe of whom she had committed the care to the Saint, seized with huge fear, inasmuch as knowing her to be dead. To whom she: Do not fear, since the Lord has not counted me among the dead, but the living. For behold see me preserved without harm, only my garments sprinkled with the moisture of the other corpses, among which they placed me. But I come to announce life to you, that, living here securely and safely, the demons being conquered, you be not led away by them into error. Which said she disappeared: and the dawn of the Sabbath ^d rising there assembled many Presbyters, Deacons, other Clerics and laymen; and standing around the funeral in a crowd, they felt nothing of stench or evil smell, although the sun raged greatly. and she is laid in a new tomb; Wherefore having wondered, they chanted hymns to God, and offered glorious canticles with candles and incense up to the seventh hour ^e; and so with glory and honor they placed the servant of God in the sepulcher hewn by the Brothers: and the fitting office being established they offered sacrifice, ^f making a complete oblation for her.

[33] The Sacrifice being completed, others came from the village of Gandigora, their Presbyter Theodoretus accompanying and the whole Clergy and the faithful of the parish, to whom they assemble in great numbers: being busy to participate in the blessing: to whom, asking great prodigies and cures, God had often granted through His holy servant Symeon. And when they had ascertained that the deposition had been made, they asked that it be permitted them to tarry there, until they had celebrated a fitting vigil, that they too might obtain the fruits of B. Martha's prayers. Symeon assented to their vows: who while they perform the sacred chants, one of the crowd John the Lector, a very pious man and of great faith, to one of whom B. Martha appears, and who through the intercession of the Saint and the blessings given by him had been the author of salvation to several sick persons, sees half-asleep, in clarity of spirit, S. Martha ascending by the stairs of the column of the just Symeon: but in the niche over her monument he sees as it were a representation of animals, furnished with six wings, flying over the wheels of a chariot, but he did not see one sitting in the chariot. And when he wished more accurately to know the apparition (for he suspected an inscription had been made in that place) he approached nearer to inspect: and suddenly the vision vanished from his eyes. But awakened and seized with fear and trembling he announced the things seen to S. Symeon, an oath being interposed making credible, and then the Cherubic chariot. that truly that vision had been offered him. The servant of God said to him: Give, son, glory to the Lord, because thou hast found grace to behold, as far as thou couldst, the holy animals, coming on the Cherubic chariot, which was present at the invocation of the hymnody, and in the dead body sanctified the place of her falling asleep; just as I too and she herself, conceived in sins, need the remission to be imparted by Him, while we stand in the courts of the house of the Lord.

[34] When the Saint had said these things, all persisting in their hymns, The Saint foretells that they shall be freed from the plague, looking he saw a great force of demons rush upon them, and some indeed standing by some of them, others entering the bodies of the rest and choosing a seat for themselves in them; and these were numbered very many. But the Saint rebuked them from a higher place, and the Spirit of the Lord stood by, and dissipated the demons from those men. But the Saint called the aforesaid John and asked, how far at length the pestilent disease had advanced? For at that time among men there raged a huge mortality. John answered: Lord, even to our village and the field of the Bethocobei, most near to us. And the Saint said: Behold today salvation has shone for you from the Lord, for that devastation will depart from you, and for your sake from the neighboring regions also it will cease: and be thou thyself a witness of my words. The prediction came to pass: for straightway from all the dwellings the clamor and laments ceased.

[35] The same mortality lay also upon the village of Charandama; and many being almost unsouled and asking God for salvation, which also elsewhere is driven away by the merits of S. Martha; some of them beheld in a vision the Relics of B. Martha carried about through the village and their land with burning candles. There followed this vision an outcome equally manifest, no one thenceforth being seized by the plague in that place; but those seized before, after the favor of this divine visitation,

recovering health. One of them by name Sergius, Refusing to venerate her Relics, he is punished with disease, son of Antonius the Procurator, was not present with the rest, reckoning it a crime to approach a corpse: and bringing the very same thing into his mind regarding the Relics of this Saint, he had refused to approach or put his shoulders under. But behold at that very hour he was seized by a violent fever, by which, the faculty of speech being lost, he was tortured up to the thirtieth ^g day from her death. There were many who cried out to him for help from the servant of God: father and mother before him plucked out their grey hairs, Brothers and kinsmen were vexed with vehement grief; but the sick man indeed felt nothing of alleviation. At length, commiseration touching God through the Saint's prayers, he came to such a degree of power, that he confessed and said: Because I turned my face away, and was unwilling to carry the sacrosanct Relics of the blessed Mother of S. Symeon, therefore these so grievous punishments have been inflicted on me; and unless you quickly obtain for me pardon of my fault through the invocation of the Saint, I perish.

[36] These things heard the parents and those who incessantly gave effort to the sick man, whereby partly relieved by Symeon, he is sent to them, with the highest haste presented themselves to the Saint, imploring mercy for the offender. He, having pitied them praying, exhorts that they return, about to find the sick man having it more gently: For it is not in my hand, said he, to impart full soundness to him; but to the Relics of my holy Mother it has been granted by the Lord to remit the sin to him. Returned therefore they found the sick man somewhat better, as the Saint had said, doing well; and brought and offered him to the sarcophagus of the Blessed woman, confessing and saying: Deem me now worthy of pardon, O mother of the holy man, and never hereafter will the Relics of anyone be despised by me. He so praying, the impure spirit felt the grace of remission given to the man, and went out through his ears: where having prayed, he is wholly cured. but the sick man straightway stood thoroughly cured in every part, glorifying God with all who at that time had come thither with him, and who being absent heard of him. They therefore paying thanks to God and retracing their journey; behold those who had assembled from the village of Grandigura kept vigil the whole night, which preceded the thirtieth day of the deposition; but afterward, an oblation made and a blessing received, they departed.

ANNOTATA C. I.

CHAPTER V.

Miracles wrought through S. Martha both elsewhere, and at her tomb.

Ἐκεῖνοσ δὲ ὁ πιστὸς Ἰωάννης, ὁ τῆς προλελεγμέῖης ἀξιωθεὶς θεωρίας, εὑρηκὼς καιρὸν καὶ λαθὼν πάντας, ἐπῇρεν τῶν εἰς τὴν ἀγρυπνίαν καιομένων κανδηλῶν τὰ ἐλλύχνια, προσευξάμενος οὕτως· Κριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ δούλου σου Συμεὼν, εἰ μετὰ προφητῶν καὶ μαρτύρων καὶ πνευμάτων δικαίων τετελειωμένων εὐδόκησας δοξάσαι τὴν μνήμην τῆς ὁσίας Μάρθης, δεῖξον ἐν τούτοις τὰ θαυμάσιά σου, ἵνα δοξασθῇ ἐν αὐτῇ τὸ πανάγιον ὄνομά σου. Ταῦτα εὐξάμενος ἀπέτρεχεν· γενόμενος δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν κώμην, ἐπετέθει παντὶ ἀσθενοῦντι ταῦτα, καὶ δύναμις Κυρίου ἰᾶτο τοὺς νοσοῦντας, δαίμονες τε ἀπεδιώκοντο ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ὀρεινῇ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ πάντα τὰ δεινὰ τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς Ὁσίας ἀπελαύνοντο. Πεῖραν δὲ παρὰ Κυρίου τῆς δεδωμένης αὐτῇ χάριτος καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς Ἰωάννης σὺν πᾶσι λαβὼν, ἐδόξασεν τὸν Θεὸν· πονέσας γὰρ ἐπικινδύνως τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, ὥστε σχεδὸν μὴ βλέπειν, τῆς ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐπισκέψεως ἠξιώθη. Ἄϋπνος γαρ ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τινὰς μείνας ἐκ τῶν ἀφορήτων ἐκείνων ὁδυνῶν, καὶ στόματι καὶ διανοίᾳ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ βοήθειαν διὰ τῆς Ὁσίας καταπεμφθῆναι αὐτῷ δυσωπῶν, εἰς ὕπνον ἐτράπη· καὶ ὁρᾷ τὴν θέσιν τῆς Μακαρίας ἀνοιχθεῖσαν, αὐτὴν τε περιελθοῦσαν ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ παραστᾶσαν ἀὐτῷ, καὶ τὸν δάντυλον αὐτῆς ἐπιβαλοῦσαν ἑκάστῳ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ σφραγίσασαν καὶ λέγουσαν πρὸς αὐτὸν· Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ γένου ὑγιὴς, καὶ λαβὼν θυμίαμα προσάγαγε τῇ σορῷ τῇ ἐμῇ μετὰ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν εὐχαριστίας. Ἔξυπνος οὖν γενόμενος ὁ ἀνήρ ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύετο πρὸς τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλον, οὐδὲν, πονηρὸν ἔχων, ἀλλ᾽ ὑγιὴς γενόμενος· ἑὗρεν δὲ αὐτὸν ψάλλοντα μετὰ τῶν Ἀδελφῶν τὴν ὑμνωδίαν τῆς ἕκτης. Ὡ δὲ μέλλων Ἀδελφὸς θυμιᾷν, κατεῖχεν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ τὸν θυμιατῆρα πρὸς τὸ θυμιὰσαι· ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἅγιος τὸν εἰρημένον ἄνδρα μακρόθεν ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν μάνδραν, ἐπέτρεψεν αὐτῷ δοθῆναι τὸν θυμιατῆρα. Καὶ θαυμαζόντων πάντων ἐπὶ τοῦτο, δεξάμενος ἐκεῖνος παρὰ τοῦ Ἀδελφοῦ, ἀπῆλθεν θυμιῶν τὴν θέσιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δούλης. Πυθομένων δὲ τῶν Ἀδελφῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Τί ἂν εἴη τοῦτο· ἀφηγήσατο αὐτοῖς τὴν ὀπτασίαν, δἰ ἣν καὶ παρεγένετο τοῦ θύμιᾶσαι· καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν, τὸν δόντα τοιαύτην χάριν καὶ παῤῥησίαν τοῖς φοβουμένος αὐτόν. Εἰρήσθω δὲ καὶ τοῦτο εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ, τοῦ δοξάσαντος τὴν ἁγίαν αὐτοῦ δούλην, Ἐπεὶ δὴ γὰρ ἑώρα τοὺς Ἀδελφοὺς ὁ Ἃγιος καταφρονοῦντας καὶ μὴ ἅπτοντας τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς τιμίας λάρνακος αὐτῆς κανδήλαν, οὐκ ἐπέθετο αὐτοῖς τοῦτο ποιεῖν· τοῦτο μὲν, ὡς ἂν μὴ νομισθείη, ὑπὸ τῶν ἀπίστων καὶ ἀσθενεστέρους ἐχόντων λογισμοὺς, αὐτὸς ἐπιτηδεύειν καὶ ἀπαιτειν τὰ πρὸς τιμὴν αὐτῆς· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τοὺς Ἀδελφοὺς παιδεύων, καὶ διὰ τῆς πείρας διδαχθῆναι βουλόμενος ἐκουσίως καὶ οὐκ ἀναγκαστῶς προσάγειν τὰς ὀρειλομένας τιμὰς τοῖς Ἁγίοις. Ἀφνηδίως οὖν συμβαίνει, τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ τῆς μονῆς τεταγμένον Ἀδελφὸν, πυρετοῖς ἀφορήτοις καὶ δυσεντερίῳ κατασχεθέντα, κινδυνεύειν· καὶ μέλλοντος αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφιέναι, παραστᾶσα τούτῳ ἡ ὁσία Μάρθα, εῖπεν· Τί διαλογιζόμενοι, οὐκ ἥψατέ μου τὴν κανδήλαν; ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε ὅτι τοῦ ἐπουρανίου φωτός εἰμι κοινωνὸς ἐγὼ, καὶ οὐ προσδέομαί τινος τῶν τοιούτων, εἰ μὴ διὰ τὴν ὑμῶν αὐτῶν σωτηρίαν; γνῶθε καὶ πιστεύσατε ὅτι χάρις ἐδόθη μοι κοινωνίαν ἔχειν μετὰ τοῦ φωτός· καὶ προσενέγκασα ὅπερ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ κατεῖχεν σωτήριον καὶ δεσποτικὸν σῶμα τῇ τούτου κοιλίᾳ, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτῶν, Ἐν τούτῳ ἔστω σου ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ ὑγεία· καὶ τοῦτο εἰποῦσα ὑπεχώρησεν. Εἰς ἑαυτὸν δὲ ἐλθὼν ὁ Ἀδελφὸς καὶ ἀναστὰς, προσῆλθον μετὰ δακρύων τῇ θέσει, ἐν ᾗ τὸ τίμιον αὐτῆς λείψανον ἔνεστι, καὶ εὐθέως ὑγιὴς γέγονεν, καὶ ἐδόξασεν τὸν Θεὸν· καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς νυκτὸς πεινάσας, ἔφαγεν καὶ ἔπιεν καὶ ἐνισχύθη· καὶ τῇ ἑσπέρᾳ ἅψας αὑτῇ κανδήλας καὶ εὐχαριστήσας προσηύξατο, εἰρηκώς· Εἰ καὶ σφόδρα δεδοξασμένη ὑπάρχεις, ἡ μήτηρ ἡμῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ χρεὸς πληρῶν οὐ διαλείψω τοῦτο ποιῶν. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ ἀπελθὼν καὶ καθευδήσας, ὁρᾷ παλὶν αὐτὴν λαυπρὰν τῷ προσώπῳ περικυκλουμένην ὑπὸ τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ Ἁγίου, καὶ λέγουσαν πρὸς αὐτούς· Οὐχ ὑμεῖς με ἐδοξάσατε, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δὲ χάριν τοῦ υἱοῦ μου δεδόξασμαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἦλθέν μοι ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ δόξα ἐκεῖθεν, ὅθεν ἀπεκδεχομένη ὑπέμεινα τὸν Κύριον καὶ προσέσχε μοι, καὶ εἰσήκουσεν τῆς δεήσεώς μου. Ταῦτα εἰπούσης καὶ ἀναχωρησάσης, ἔκρουσεν τὸ ξύλον, καὶ ἔστησαν οἱ Ἀδελφοὶ εἰς τὰς νυκτερίνας ᾠδὰς, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνήρ τις Λυκάων παρεγένετο, δυσὶ δαιμονίοις συνεσχόμενος ἐξ ἐτῶν τριάκοντα. Οὗτος οὐ δυνάμενος στῆναι ἐν χορῷ ψαλλόντων ἐν ἐκκλησία, ἢ θείας λειτουργίας ἐπιτελουμένης τὸ σύνολον κατακούειν· ἠλαύνετο γὰρ εὐθέως ὑπὸ τῶν δαιμόνων ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ καταῤῥηγνύμενος ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐν ὀδύναις καὶ κλαυθμῷ διετέλει. Παραλαβών οὖν ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ μηδενὶ μηδὲν εἰρηκὼς (οὐ γὰρ ἠπίστατο τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν γλῶσσαν) ἔστη πλησίον τῶν Ἀδελφῶν, τὰς θειώδεις ὑμνωδίας ἀναπεμπόντον. Τῶν δὲ ἀκαθαρτῶν ἐκείνων δαιμόνων θελησάντων κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς αὐτοῖς ἐξελάσαι αὐτὸν, καὶ μὴ ἰσχυσάντων, ἀλλὰ μεγάλα κραζόντων ἐν αὐτῷ, παραυτίκα ὁ ἀνὴρ ἔκ τινος θείας δυνάμεως βιαίῳ δρόμῳ εἵλκετο ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον τῆς μακαρίας Μάρθης, μὴ εἰδὼς τινός ἐστιν ἡ θέσις. Καὶ τῷ ἐδάφει προσκολλήσας τὴν κεφαλὴν κατέκρουεν, πῦρ ἐρχόμενον ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν θεωρῶν, καὶ τὴν θέσιν ὡς άναπεταννυμένην, γυναῖκά τε σεμνοπρεπῆ ἐκεῖθεν προσερχομένην καὶ κατὰ μέσον τῆς κόγχης τὴν χεῖρα ἐκτείνουσαν, καὶ ἀφειδῶς τοὺς δαίμονας βασανίζουσαν μέχρις ἀνατολῆς ἠλίου. Τότε τῇ ἰδίᾳ διαλέκτῳ δοξολογῶν τὸν Θεὸν ἐβόᾳ, ὁρῶν τὰ δύο δαιμόνια ἐπιτιμηθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς δούλης τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐξελθόντα ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ· καὶ στὰς πρὸς ἀνατωλὰς καὶ τὰς χεῖρας διαπετάσας, ἀπήγγειλεν ἐν ἐξομολογήσει καὶ εὐχαριστίᾳ τὰ μεγαλεῖα τοῦ Θεοῦ, σωφρονῶν καὶ ὑγιὴς γενόμενος ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης· τόν τε τάφον κατασπαζόμενος διηγεῖτο περὶ πάντων τοῦτων, ἑτέρου συνόντος αὐτῷ γινώσκοντος τὴν Ἑλληνικὴν φωνὴν, καὶ ἑρμηνεύοντος τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Παρὰ πόδας δὲ τούτου στρατιώτης τις ἀπὸ Ἱεραπόλεως τῆς Συρίας, ἐνοχλούμενος ὑπὸ δαίμονος, προσελθὼν τῇ στάσει τοῦ ὁσίου Συμεὼν, ήλαύνετο ἀοράτῳ δυνάμει ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον τῆς Μακαρίας, θεωρήσας σεμνοπρεπῆ γυναῖκα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ τόπου ἀποδιώκουσαν τὸν δαίμονα καὶ ἀστραπῆς δίκην κατακαίουσαν αὐτόν· τούστε μακαρίους ἐκείνους μαθητὰς τοῦ Ἁγίου κυκλοῦντας αὐτὴν μετὰ

λαμπάδων καιομένων, καὶ τὸν δεσποτικὸν χαρακτῆρα ὑπεράνω αὐτῆς, ἐπισκιάζωντα τὴν χάριν τῶν ἰαμάτων. Ταῦτα θεασάμενος ὁ ἀνὴρ, καὶ τῷ τάφῳ μετὰ δακρύων πολλῶν πλησιάσας, γέγονεν ὑγιὴς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης, δοξάζων τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ πᾶσιν. ἐκδιηγούμενος τὴν δεδωρημένην χάριν ὑπὸ Κυρίου τῇ δούλῃ αὐτοῦ Μάρθῃ. Ἑν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν προσεγγίσας τις τῶν Ἀδελφῶν τῇ τιμίᾳ σόρῳ τῆς Ὁσίας, έπὶ τὸ ἅψαι καὶ ἀνασκευᾶσαι τὴν κανδήλαν, περιφρονήσεως καὶ ἀπιστίας λογισμῷ κατασχεθεὶς, ἔσβεσε μᾶλλον καὶ μετὰ γογγυσμοῦ ἀνεχώρησεν, μὴ διακρίνας ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸ πταῖσμα τοῦτο· παραυτὰ δὲ ριγίῳ καὶ πυρετῷ χαλεποτάτῳ περιπεσὼν, ἔκαμνε σφοδρῶς. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ἡ δεδωρημένη τῷ Ἁγίῳ χάρις ἐκτὸς παραβάσεως ἐντολῆς αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν συνεχώρει κακὸν ἐπελθεῖν τινι αὐτῶν, εἰκότως ἠρωτᾶτο ὁ Ἀδελφὸς, Τί ἔτυχεν ἡμαρτηκὼς, οὗ εἵνεκα ἐκεῖνο τὸ δεινὸν ἀῤῥώστημα ἐπενέχθη αὐτῷ. Μὴ βουλόμενος δὲ ἐξειπεῖν ἀλλὰ χρύπτειν πειρώμενος, ἐκίνδυνεν οὐ μετρίως, πλανηθεὶς ὡς ὀ Ἀχαὰβ ὑπὸ πνεύματος ψεύδους. Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ἐλαττούμενον, καὶ ἐγγὺς θανάτου γινόμενον, ὡμολόγησεν ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς ἀδελφότητος τὴν αἰτίαν, δι᾽ ἣν τοιούτῳ κινδύνῳ περιπέπτωκεν. Καὶ εἰς ὕπνον τραπεὶς, εῖδεν τὴν Ἁγίαν δεδοξασμένῳ προσώπῳ ἐν μέσῳ λευχημονούντων, εἰσιοῦσαν ἐπὶ τὴν κόγχην τοῦ βήματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος, καὶ προσευξαμένην, καὶ ἐπιστραφεῖσαν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ὑποδείξασαν αὐτῷ δύο ὁδοὺς πρὸ τοῦ τάφου αὐτῆς· τὴν μὲν τῶν ἀπίστων, τὴν δὲ τῶν πιστῶν, ἐπιτρέπουσάν τε αὐτῷ κατανοῆσαι. Ἐμβλέψας οὖν ἐκεῖνος, εῖδεν ἄνδρας αἰθιόπας βλοσυρῷ τῷ ὄμματι, ἐν τῇ τρίβῳ τῶν ἀπίστων πορευομένους· ἐν δὲ τῇ ὁδῷ τῶν πιστῶν, ἄνδρας χρηστότητι καταλάμποντας, καὶ βαδίζοντας ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον αὐτῆς, ἰαματικὴν τε εὑρίσκοντας πηγήν· αὐτόν τε διὰ τῆς ὁράσεως ἐδίδαξεν τὴν εὔτετον ὁδὸν βαδίζοντα τὸ λοιπὸν ἐκκλίνειν τῆς τρίβου τῶν ἀπίστων, καὶ τῆς μερίδος τῶν πιστῶν γενέσθαι. Ἔμφοβος οὖν διαναστὰς ὁ Ἀδελφὸς ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου, διέμεινεν ὑγιὴς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης. Ἕτερος δὲ τῶν Ἀδελφῶν Ἰωάννης τούνομα, ἐν παρακοῇ τοῦ Ἁγίου γεγονώς, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο νόσῳ μακρᾷ καὶ ἐπικινδύνῳ περιπεσὼν, ἐν μιᾷ νυκτὶ, ἐν ᾗ ἠλπίζετο τελευτᾷν, εἰς βάθος κατακοιμώμενος ἑώρα τοὺς προκοιμηθέντας Ἀδελφοὺς, χαίροντας ἐπὶ τῆς μεταστάσει αὐτοῦ, ὡς συνεῖναι αὐτοῖς μέλλοντος· καὶ τὸν ἅγιον Ἄγγελον ἑστῶτα, παροῦσαν δὲ καὶ τὴν δούλην τοῦ Θεοῦ Μάρθαν, ὥσπερ κατηφῆ ἐπὶ τῇ τοιαύτῃ αὐτοῦ περιστάσει, καὶ παρακαλοῦσαν τὸν Ἄγγελον καὶ διακωλύουσαν προσλαβέσθαι τὴν τούτου ψυχήν· εἶτα πάλιν κλίματα ἐστηριγμένην ἀπὸ τῆς γὴς μέχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, αὐτὴν τε τὴν πύλην τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀνεωγμένην, καὶ τὴν Μακαρίαν ἀνερχομένην δι᾽ αὐτῆς εἰς φῶς ἀκατάλιπτον, καὶ τῷ Δεσπότῃ προσιοῦσαν, καὶ τὴν ζωὴν ἐξαιτοῦσαν, καὶ λαβοῦσαν τὴν χάριν. Ἤισθετο γὰρ εὐθέως ὁ ἑωρακὼς, καὶ ἐν ἀπογνώσει κείμενος, καὶ ἔφριξεν τῷ πνεύματι· καὶ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἐλθών καὶ ἐν καταστάσει γενόμενος μεμένηκεν, ὑγιὴς ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης ἐν πολλῇ διορθώσει γενόμενος.

[37] That John conspicuous in faith, whom we said above was deemed worthy of a divine apparition, having got an opportunity, secretly from all, took up the wicks of the candles lighted for the vigil, Through the wicks various miracles are wrought. thus praying: Christ, God of Thy servant Symeon, if together with the just spirits of the Prophets, Martyrs, and the rest of the Perfected Thou hast deigned to glorify also holy Martha, show in these wicks Thy marvels, that through them Thy most holy name may be glorified. Having so prayed, he went away; and coming to his village he applied the said wicks to any sick person, and by the power of the Lord all were healed, demons put to flight in that whole mountain tract, and all perils driven away through the memory of the Saint.

[38] Among others John himself too, having experienced in himself such grace divinely granted them, glorified God: One blind is healed, for when he labored very dangerously from his eyes, so that he scarcely saw, he merited to be recreated by the visitation of that grace. For now some days, on account of most grievous pains, he had seen no sleep with his eyes; when with mouth and mind asking Christ, our Saviour, for help through S. Martha, he fell into sleep; and saw the monument of the Saint unlocked, and her come forth thence, and stand by him; then insert a finger into each eye, impress the sign of the Cross, and say: In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, be healed; and incense being received perfume my little tomb, paying thanks to God. Waking John rose, and went to the servant of God Symeon, feeling nothing at all of trouble, and wholly sound. and he is bidden to cense the Saint's sepulcher. But he found him chanting Sext with his Brothers: and when the Brother, whose office it was, held the censer in his hand about to cense, the aforesaid man being seen coming from afar to the holy enclosure, he commanded that the censer be offered to him. Who, all wondering at the novelty of the thing, receiving the censer from the Brother went away, and censed the little tomb of the servant of God; and to the Brothers asking him, What this meant; he narrated his vision, and that on account of her also he had come having censed: and all who heard glorified God, who gave such grace and confidence to those who fear Him.

[39] Let us add that also to the glory of God, glorifying His holy servant. Not lighting the candle over her tomb When the Saint had noticed, that from negligence the Brothers did not light the candle placed at the venerable sepulcher of his Mother, he would not command it to be done, both lest he himself should seem to the infidels and Brothers of weaker mind to follow himself too zealously, and even to exact the amplification of his maternal glory; and also because he wished them, instructed and taught by experience, to render the due honor to the Saints of their own accord and without compulsion. Suddenly therefore it befell, that the Brother set over the economy of the monastery fell into intolerable fevers and dysentery, with grave enough peril; and now to him almost giving up the ghost B. Martha stood by, saying: What reasoning do you devise, he falls into a disease that you should the less light my candle for me? Are you ignorant, that I rejoice in the brightness of heavenly light, neither asking nor needing your light, except for the cause of your own salvation? know and believe, that I, by the grace of God, am partaker of the eternal light: and what she held in her hand, the Body of the Lord, moving it to his belly, said: In this be both alive and sound: which said she departed.

[40] But that Brother, returned to himself, rose, and tears flowing abundantly went to the monument, and at it he is healed; in which those venerable Relics had been laid: and having straightway obtained health praised God, and began at that very hour of the night to hunger, and ate and drank, and was strengthened: in the evening also he lighted candles for her; and thanks being given he prayed, saying: Although thou art heaped with much honor, O our Mother, nevertheless I will never cease to perform this due office. Having spoken these things, he went to sleep, and saw again the Blessed woman with glowing face, surrounded by the crown of S. Symeon's Brothers and saying: Not by you, nay neither for my son's sake have I been glorified, but grace and glory came to me thence, whence expecting I awaited the Lord, and He attended to me, and heard my deprecation.

[41] The Saint had said these things and had departed, when by the striking of the wood ^a a signal was given, and the Brothers assembled for the nocturnal hymns. Behold for thee a certain man ^b a Lycaonian came, beset by two demons from thirty years; and he could not stand in the choir of the church while they chanted or be present at all at the sacrosanct sacrifice of the Mass: for he was straightway expelled by the demons from the sacred edifice, as also a demoniac. The Saint appearing: and dashed to the ground with pain and wailing he continued. He came therefore that night, no word being indicated, inasmuch as rude and ignorant of the Greek tongue; and stood near the Brothers performing the divine psalmodies. And when the impure demons after their manner wished to expel the man thence, and could not, and were vociferating aloud; straightway the demoniac, a certain divine power acting, was snatched to the tomb of B. Martha, ignorant whose it was. Falling down therefore, he fixed his head on the ground, and beheld fire coming against him, and the monument open, and the venerable matron come forth thence, and in the middle of the niche stretch out her hand, and torture the demons cruelly until the rising of the sun. Then he sang glory to God in his native tongue, seeing both demons badly chastised go out from him through the servant of God; and turned to the east, with hands extended, he proclaimed the great things of God in confession and giving of thanks: and master of himself and unharmed, embracing the tomb he narrated all these things, another who was present, skilled in the Greek idiom, interpreting his words.

[42] Continuously there succeeded him a certain soldier of Hierapolis ^c of Syria, likewise vexed by a demon, who fleeing to the column of S. Symeon, likewise another. was impelled by an invisible power to the tomb of the Blessed woman, and saw in the middle of the place a matron venerable for gravity, who drove away the demon and burned him like a thunderbolt; and the disciples of S. Symeon surrounded her with burning lamps, and the character of our Lord over her head, overshadowing the grace of healings. When this man had seen these things, and weeping abundantly had approached the tomb; he obtained soundness from that hour, giving glory to God, and before all celebrating the grace granted by the Lord to His servant Martha.

[43] On a certain day one of the Brothers went to the venerable tomb of the Saint, about to repair and light the candle: Violating the Saint's tomb he is punished, but, contempt and incredulity thoughts rising up, he extinguished it rather, and murmuring departed; for which, not discerning in himself the sin, seized straightway with rigor of the limbs and a most troublesome fever, he began most gravely to be sick. Since therefore the grace given to Symeon did not allow, except in the case of the violation of his precepts, any evil to befall any of the Brothers; deservedly that man was asked, What fault he had committed, for the cause of which afflicted with so grave an infirmity he was paying penalties. unwilling to confess he is in peril, But he refusing to manifest it, nay even being busy rather to conceal it, incurred no slight peril, deceived like Ahab by a lying spirit. 3 Kings 22 But indeed perceiving at length, his strength failing, that he was near to death, he confessed before all the Brothers the cause, why he had come into so great a danger. to whom at length repenting she herself appears, glorious, Then seized by sleep, he beheld the Saint with glorious countenance, white-robed men surrounding her in the midst, approaching the conch of the altar ^d of the church of the holy Trinity; and when she had prayed there, turned to him she showed a twin way before her sepulcher, one of the infidels, the other of the believing, and commanded that he consider both. But he intending his eyes saw Ethiopian men terrible in aspect, walking through the way of the unbelieving; but treading the way of the believing, were men exceptional in dignity, and they walked toward the sepulcher, and found a fount of graces and healings. This Brother moreover she taught by this vision, that walking by the right way he must henceforth turn aside from the path of the infidels; and stand perpetually with the faithful. He rose therefore from sleep

trembling, and from that time remained unharmed.

[44] Another one of the Brothers, John by name, because he had not been obedient to the Saint, fell into a long and dangerous disease. And when on a certain night, Life is entreated for another by the Saint. on which he suspected he must depart from life, he was deeply asleep; he saw the Brothers, who had already departed to their fate, rejoicing on his account, since by his death he was to be joined to their college. There stood by also the holy Angel, and likewise the servant of God Martha, with countenance cast down somewhat sad on account of the sick man's company; and she asked the Angel and even forbade, that he should not take away his soul. After this he saw stairs from earth firmly fixed up to heaven, and the gate of heaven open, by which entering B. Martha came to the ineffable light and the Lord of glory; to whom approaching, grace being found in His sight, she entreated life for the sick man. But that beholder felt straightway that he was better, who had now been despaired of for life, and groaned in spirit: and restored to himself and to health, he remained thenceforth unharmed, much corrected and amended.

ANNOTATA C. I.

CHAPTER VI.

Various visions, the building of a new temple, the translation of the Relics.

Τούτων τῶν ἐνδόξων θαυμάτων διὰ τοῦ ἐμφανισμοῦ τῆς Μακαρίας γενομένων, εὐφραίνετο Συμεὼν, καὶ τὰς εὐχαριστίας τῷ Θεῷ προσέφερεν. Ἐπὶ ἠμέρας δέ τινας ἑώρα τὴν σορὸν τῆς Μακαρίας, σὺν τῇ κόγχῃ ἐν ᾖ ἡ αὕτη σορὸς ὑπῆρχεν, μετατιθεμένην ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ μεσιμβρινὸν μέρος τῆς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ οἰκοδομηθείσης πρώτης ἐκκλησίας (μετὰ ταῦτα τὸν ἅγιον οἶκον ἐκ θεοφανείας ἐδομήσατο, καὶ ἀυτὴ ἡ τιμία σορὸς μετετέθη) παῖδάς τε ὡραίους περικυκλοῦντας την σορὸν, καὶ καλὰ λίαν καὶ τερπνὰ ὑμνοῦντας τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ὑπηχοῦντας ἄλλοις τὸ ἀλληλούια. Διαλογισομένῳ δὲ αὐτῷ, τί ἆρα ἔσται τοῦτο, ἐδώθη γνῶναι, χάριν δεδωρῆσθαι τῷ λειψάνῳ τῆς Ὁσίας ἔμπροσθεν ἀυτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ μεσιμβρινὸν μέρος τῆς ἐκκλησίας διὰ θαυματουργιῶν φανερωθῆναι, εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ, Ἀγγέλων ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑμνούντων καὶ λεγόντων, Δόξά σοι, ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορῶν. Ἐκ τότε οὖν οὐδεμία ἄνεσις ἐγίνετο πάσῃ σχεδὸν τῇ ἀδελφότητι, τῆς μακαρίας Μάρθης ἐν σημείοις ὀπτανομένης καὶ παρενοχλούσης, εὐκτήριον αὐτῇ γενέσθαι, καὶ ἔνδον αὐτοῦ μετατεθῆναι σὺν τῇ σορῷ τὸ λείψανον αὐτῆς, παρεγγυώσης τε γνωσθῆναι τὰ περὶ τούτου τῷ ἰδίῳ υἱῷ Αὐτὸς γὰρ ὅ Ἅγιος, καίτοι πρόθεσιν ἐξ ἀπολάμψεως ἔχων τοιαύτην, ἐπεῖσχεν ἑαυτὸν οἰκονομικῶς τὸ τηνικαῦτα, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἀπάρξασθαι τοῦ τοιούτου ἔργου· τοῦτο μὲν διὰ τοῦ μὴ πειρασθῆναί τινας τῶν ἁπλουστέρων καὶ ἀπίστων, ματαίους ἀναπλάττοντας ἐν ἑαυτοῖς λογισμοὺς καὶ καταλαλοῦντας κατὰ τοῦ Δικαίου ἀνομίαν· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ βουλόμενος ἕνα οἶκον ἐπιτηδεῦσαι ἑαυτῷ τε καὶ αὐτῇ, ὥστε αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἀχωρίστους ἀλλήλων εἶναι, ὥσπερ καὶ γέγονε μετά τινας χρόνους. Πάντων οὖν τῶν Ἀδελφῶν ἔνδοξα καὶ ἐξαίσια διαφόρως ἰδεῖν ἀπαγγελλόντων, παρέστη καὶ ὁ Ἀδελφὸς ἐκεῖνος, ᾧ τινι ἡ πρώτη ἀποκάλυψις γέγονε πρὸ τεσσάρων μηνῶν τῆς τελευτῆς αὐτῆς, ἢν καὶ διηγήσεται εἰπὼν καθὼς προείρηται, ὅτι διαπετάσασα τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῆς μετεβλήθη ἐν σχήματι σταυροῦ ἐξαστράπτοντος, ὑπεράνω μείνοντος τοῦ προσώπου αὐτῆς· καὶ βαλὼν μετάνοιαν ἔφην· Ἰδοὺ τρὶς τοῦτο καὶ τετράκις παραγέγονεν ἡ Κυρία ἡ μεγάλη, φαιδρὰ τῷ προσώπῳ, εἰρήνην με τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου κομίζουσα, εὐκτηρίου τε σκάριφον ὑποδεικνύουσα τρεῖς κόγχας ἔχοντος, μιὰν κατὰ ἀνατολὰς, καὶ ἑτέραν ἐκ δεξιῶν, καὶ ἄλλην ἐξ εὐωνύμων, καὶ τὴν ὅλην τῆς οἰκοδομῆς διαγραφὴν ὑποδηλοῦσα, καὶ παρεγγυοῦσά μοι πᾶσιν ὑμῖν ἀπαγγεῖλαι τοῦτο· ἐμοῦ δὲ παραιτομένου τοῦτο εἰπεῖν, ἀγανακτεῖν ἀπεφήνατο κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ· ἀκριβῶς οὖν ὑμῖν τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς σημαίνω· μάρτυς οὖν ὁ Κύριος ὅτι ταῦτα, καθὼς αὐτὴ ἡ ἀλήθεια περιέχει, τῶν ὁραθέντων μοι καὶ λαληθέντων ἔχει. Ἀμφισβητήσαντος δέ μου κατὰ διάνοιαν τί τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ἐργασίας αὐτῆς, ὅτι τοσαύτην παῤῥησίαν ἔσχεν μετὰ δόξης ἐνεργούσης, αὐτίκα ἐθεώρουν κύκλῳ τῆς θέσεως αὐτῆς στατῆρας καὶ λύχνους ὅλους πυρινοὺς φωτίζοντας, καὶ μεγάλης τῆς ἀστραπῆς τὴν φλόγα ἀντιφέγγοντας, καὶ μέλος τι γλυκὺ ψάλλοντάς τινας, καὶ ἅλλους ὑπηχοῦντας αὐτοῖς τὸ ἀλληλούια, τὸν δὲ Ἅγιον ἀπὸ τῆς θυρίδος τῆς καμασίνης μηλωτῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν στηρίζοντα τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ λόγους Δαβιτίκους ὑμνοῦντα καὶ λέγοντα, περὶ μὲν αὐτῆς, Ὁδὸν ἐντολῶν σου ἕδραμεν· περὶ δὲ ἑαυτοῦ, Ὅτι τὰς ἐντολάς σου, ἠρετισάμεν. Καὶ ἐν τῷ λέγειν αὐτὸν ταῦτα, εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ αὕτη παρίστατο ἔμπροσθεν τῆς θέσεως αὐτῆς, τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἔχουσα καὶ εὐχομένη· κᾀγὼ ἐν φόβῳ μεγάλῳ γενόμενος, ἔῤῥιψα ἐμαυτὸν εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτῆς, καὶ οὕτως ἦλθον εἰς ἑμαυτὸν δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν. Ἐν δὲ τῇ νυκτὶ αὐτῇ καὶ ἄλλοι τῶν Ἀδελφῶν συνεφώνησαν παροίμια τεθεᾶσθαι, καὶ πάντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν βάλλοντες μετάνοιαν, παρεκάλουν τὸν Ἅγιον ποιῆσαι αὐτοῖς εὐχὴν, ὅπως ἀρχθῇ τὸ εὐκτήριον, ὡς ὑδέδειξεν ἡ μακαρία Μάρθα κτίσεσθαι. Ἕφη δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος· Εἰ τῷ Κυρίῳ μέλλει, οὐχ ὑμεῖς τοῦτο μεριμνήσετε, ἀλλ᾽ ἔσται μοι καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ δεήσει πληροφορία παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ· εἰ γὰρ ἕστιν αὐτῷ τοῦτο εὐάριστον, αὐτὸς διὰ Πνεύματος ἁγίου ἐπισυνάξει καὶ αὖθις ἐκ τῆς χώρας τῶν Ἰσαυρῶν οίκοδόμους, καὶ τὸ ἄρεστον ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ γενήσεται, καθὼς αὐτὸς βούλεται. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπέλυσεν τοὺς Ἀδελφοὺς εἰς τὴν σχολὴν αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἐν τῷ μεσονυκτίῳ ἀτενίσας ἐπὶ τὴν θέσιν, εἶδεν τὴν Μακαρίαν ἀνισταμένην ἐν τῷ ἱεροπρεπεῖ ἐκείνῳ σχήματι ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κόγχης ἔνθα κατέκειτο, εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐν φόβῳ μεγάλῳ βλέπουσαν, καὶ μετὰ ἡδύτητος πολλῆς εὐμελῆ καὶ τερπνὴν ἀγγελικὴν εἰς ὕψος ἀναπέμπουσαν φωνὴν, καὶ λέγουσαν ἐκ τρίτου, Δόξα σοι, ὁ Θεὸς, δόξα σοι ἀλληλούἳα· καὶ συνήχει ἡ μάνδρα ὄλη, ὥσπερ φωνὴν διδοῦσα, καὶ τὸ λείψανον αὐτῆς ἐν τῆ θέσει ἔνδον· εἶτα τῇ δοξολογίᾳ καὶ τρόμῳ καὶ χαρᾷ συσχεθεὶς ἐπὶ τῇ τοσαύτῃ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἣν δέδωκεν τῇ δούλῃ αὐτοῦ, ὑπόμνησιν ἔλαβεν τῆς θείας γραφῆς λεγούσης, Ἀγαλλιάσονται ὀστέα τεταπεινομένα. Τότε ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἔμεινεν διαφυλάττων τὸ μέλος ἐκεῖνο τῆς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν δοξολογίας καὶ ἐκ τῆς χαρᾶς τῆς ψυχῆς ἠγαλλιάζετο τῷ πνεύματι, καὶ συνηπήχει καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν οὐράνιον δοξολογίαν. Τοῦ δὲ καιροῦ καλοῦντος διὰ τὰς νυκτερινὰς ὑμνωδίας, συνήχθησαν κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Ἀδελφοὶ· καὶ μαθόντες παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ συνηπήχουν καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν θεόσδοτον ἐκείνην ὑμνωδίαν, ἑως πρωῒ ἐπιφώσκοντος Σαββάτου· Λοιπὸν οὖν καὶ ἐν τῷ Λοχνικῷ τούτε Σαββάτου καὶ τῆς ἁγίας Κυριακῆς, καὶ κατὰ πᾶσαν δὲ ἑσπέραν, τοῦτο ἐπέτρεψεν γένεσθαι, ἑνὸς Ἀδελφοῦ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ σοροῦ τρίτον λέγοντος τὸν τοιοῦτον ὕμνον, καὶ πάντων τρίτον ὑποψαλλόντων. Ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἁγίας Κυριακῆς βαλὼν θυμίαμα ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων Συμεὼν, καὶ ποιήσας εὐχὴν, ἐκέλευσεν διαγραφὴναι τὸν εὐκτήριον οἶκον τρίκογχον, κατὰ τὸν ὑποδειχθέντα αὐτῷ τύπον καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς Μακαρίας διαγραφέντα. Ὡς δὲ διεγράφοντο αὐτὸν, ἰδοὺ πλῆθος οἰκοδόμων συνηθροίσθη ἔκ τε τῆς Ἰσαύρων χώρας, καὶ ἐξ ἑτέρων τόπων, ποικίλαις νόσοις καὶ πάθεσι συνεσχομένων, οἵ τινες πιστει προσιόντες τῷ Ἁγίῳ καὶ τὴν ἴασιν λαβόντες, παρεκάλουν ἐπιτραπῆναι αὐτοῖς τὸ ἔργον ποιῆσαι. Ἀρξαμένων δὲ αὐτὴν οἰκοδομὴν τὴν ἀνατολικὴν μεγάλην κόγχην καὶ τας ἐξ ἑκατέρου μικρὰς δύο, ὤφθη ἐν ὁράματί τινι τῶν Ἀδελφῶν ἡ Μακαρία, ἐπιστᾶσα τοῦ ἕργου, καὶ ἐπιτάττουσα προυποστολὴν εἰλιθῆναι κατὰ τῶν δύο μικρῶν κογχίων. Καὶ τοῦτο παρὰ τοῦ Ἀδελφοῦ ῥηθέντος τῷ Ἁγίῳ, παρόντων πάντων τῶν Ἀδελφῶν, Ἀγγούλας οὕτω καλούμενος, εἷς καὶ αὐτὸς τῆς ἀδελφώτητος, διεκώλυε πάσῃ δυνάμει τοῦτο γενέσθαι, ἐπιτάξας λατρέως Θεοδώρῳ τῶ Ἀποθέτη ἑνὶ ὄντι τῶν οἰκοδόμων, κατὰ τὸ δόξαν αὐτῷ σχῆμα τοῦ ἔργου κατάρξασθαι, οὐχὶ δὲ κατὰ τὸ ὑποδειχθὲν σκάρηφον ὑπὸ τῆς ἐν ἁγίοις Μάρθας. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν κατηχύνθη ὁ τὴν ἀναιδῆ ταύτην γνώμην ἀναδεξάμενος Ἀγγούλας, μαθὼν διὰ τῆς πείρας αὐτῆς, καθὼς ὁ Προφήτης φησίν· Ὅτι ἡ βουλὴ τῶν πονηρῶν ἄνομα βουλεύεται, καὶ ὅτι ἡ βουλὴ τῶν δικαίων συνετὰ ἐβουλεύσατο, καὶ αὕτη ἡ βουλὴ μενεῖ. Ἐνὶ γὰρ τῶν οἰκοδόμων ὤφθη ἡ Μακαρία ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς, Νέων ὄνομα τούτῳ ἦν, ὃς ὑπὸ δαίμονος χαλεπωτάτου ἐνεργούμενος, ἰάθη προσεγγίσας μετὰ πίστεως τῆ τιμίᾳ αὐτῆς σορῷ· κακὸν μὲν Ἀρχιτέκτονα τὸν Ἀγγούλαν ἀποκαλοῦσα, φανερῶς δὲ λέγουσα περὶ Θεοδόρου, τοῦ Ἀποθέτου λεγομένου, μὴ ἐκτελεῖν αὐτὸν τὸ ἔργον, ἄπιστον ὄντα. Ταῦτα τοῦ ἰαθέντος Νέωνος διηγησαμένου, μετὰ μιὰν ἡμέραν πνεῦμα θάμβους εἰσῆλθεν εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὁν Ἀποθέτην καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν, μηδενὸς νοήσαντος. Καὶ ἰδοὺ Παῦλός τις τῶν δοκίμων οἰκοδόμων, ὁρμώμενος μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰσαύρων χώρας, ἐκ διαφόρων δὲ ἀσθενειῶν ἰαθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου, καὶ πείρας αὐτοῦ ἔχων ἱκανὰς, παραγέγονεν ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ· καὶ ἐπιστὰς τῷ ἔργῳ, παρεκάλει τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλον ἐπιτρέψαι αὐτῷ προυποστολὴν εἰλίσαι κατὰ τῶν δύο μικρῶν κογχίων. Ὁ δὲ Ἅγιος εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ως τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔδοξεν ὑποβαλεῖν σε, οὕτως ποίησον. Πάντες δὲ ἐθαύμασαν, μνησθέντες τῶν διὰ τοῦ ἐμφανισμοῦ τῆς Ἁγίας προῤῥήσεων, τῶν τε πρὸς τὸν Ἀδελφὸν καὶ τὸν ἰαθέντα οἰκοδόμον, ὅτι γέγονε καθὰ ἐλάλησεν, μηδενὸς μηδὲν εἰρηκότος τῷ παραγεγονότι οἰκοδόμῳ. Τελεσθείσης δὲ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τοῦ οἴκου παντὸς, καὶ τῆς ὀρόφης ἐπιτεθείσης αὐτῷ, χρόνοις τε ὕστερον ὀλίγοις ἐπικοσμηθέντος, εὐδοκίᾳ Θεοῦ τοῦ δοξάσαντος αὐτὸν, μετετέθη σὺν τῇ σορῷ τὸ τιμιὸν τῆς ὁσίας δούλης αὐτοῦ λείψανον ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ναῷ, ἐν ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις καὶ ὠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς, Ἱερέων πλείστων συνδραμούντων καὶ πλήθους πιστοτάτου λαοῦ, πάντων ἐπειγομένων μεταλαβεῖν τῆς ἐξ αὐτοῦ εὐλογίας. Πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τότε τῶν συνελθόντων, νόσοις ποικίλαις καὶ πάθεσι διαφόροις συνεχόμενοι, ἐθεπαπεύθησαν τῇ αὐτῆς τιμίᾳ σορῷ πλησιάσαντες, καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ βοήθειαν διὰ τῆς Μακαρίας αἰτησάμενοι. Ἄρασα γὰρ τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐξ ὅλης ψυχῆς ἀκολουθήσασα τῷ σωτῆρι Χριστῷ, εἰκότως ἀκήκοεν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ὅπερ καὶ οἱ θεσπέσιοι Ἀπόστολοι, Ἀσθενοῦντας θεραπεύετε, δαίμονας ἐκβάλλετε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ νῦν πρόκειται ἡ πάντιμος ἐκείνης κόνις, πᾶσι τοῖς πιστῶς προσιοῦσιν ἁγιασμοῦ μεταδοτικὴ, καὶ τοῖς ὑπὸ ποικίλων παθῶν ἐνοχλουμένοις ἰατρεῖον πνευματικὸν, ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀφθόνου πηγῆς ἀρύουσα καὶ παρέχουσα τοῖς αἰτοῦσιτὰ ἰάματα, εἰς δόξαν

τοῦ ἐν αὐτῆς ἐνεργοῦντος Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τοῦ διαγραφέντος ὑπὸ τῆς ὁσίας Μάρθης εὐκτηρίου οἴκου διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων δεδήλωται, οἷς ἀναγκέως συνήψαμεν καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ μεταθέσεως τοῦ τιμίου αὐτῆς λειψάνου, εἰ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἑπομένην διήγησιν αὕτη γέγονεν, ἀσύγχυτον διὰ τῆς ἀκολουθείας τῶν γεγραμμένων παραστῆσαι τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν πραγματευσάμενον τῆς ὑποθέσεως τὴν κατάληψιν· καιρὸς δὲ λοιπὸν ἄρξασθαι τῆς τοιαύτης διηγήσεως.

[45] By these glorious miracles, wrought through the apparition of B. Martha, Symeon's vision concerning the translation of his mother, Symeon rejoiced and paid thanks to God. But after some days he beheld the urn of the Blessed woman, with the conch in which it was, translated in his sight to the southern part of the church, which he had first built; where afterward he built the sacred edifice by God's revelation, whither also the venerable urn was translated. He beheld also boys very beautiful, who surrounded the urn on every side, with very comely and pleasant songs praising God, and intoning to others the Alleluia. But to him considering, what this thing would be, it was granted to understand, that grace had been given to the Relics of B. Martha; by which in the southern part of the church, by working miraculous works, they would grow famous, to the glory of God; the Angels in heaven singing and saying, Glory to Thee, God, who dwellest in the highest, and lookest upon the humble.

[46] From that time therefore no rest was granted to almost all the Brothers, it is also brought repeatedly to others, B. Martha presenting herself in various signs and disturbing their quiet, that an oratory be raised for her, within which the translated Relics with the urn might be laid: she also commanded, that these things be signified to her son. For he, although from the apparition he had resolved that this very thing must be cared for, yet restrained himself for certain causes at that time, and did not wish to give a beginning to the substructure; partly lest the minds of certain of the simpler and unbelieving be tempted, fashioning to themselves vain thoughts and detracting from Symeon's fame iniquitously; partly because he desired to build one edifice for himself and his mother, in which both might be laid not separated by place, just as also it befell some time after. Therefore very glorious and not common things being brought into the midst, which at various times they had seen; there stood by also that Brother, to whom the first revelation had befallen four months before B. Martha departed from life, and which he had narrated in the manner that has been said * above, namely that, extending her hands, she had been turned into the form of a flashing Cross, with her face alone supereminent: and reverence being exhibited to the rest, Now, said he, the great Lady of ours Martha has met me a third and fourth time with bland countenance, imparting to me peace from the Lord and showing the delineation of an oratory, having three conchs, one toward the East, the other on the right, the third on the left: nay explaining the whole description of the substructure, she commanded, that I should disclose the whole matter to you: but to me deprecating it she seemed to be indignant. I seriously therefore announce to you what she has commanded: the Lord is witness, these things most truly are the sum of what was shown to me and said.

[47] But while I was hanging in mind, what so great an efficacy of her operating with glory, and so great a confidence with God in which she was strong, meant; Another vision concerning S. Martha's glory. I suddenly discerned around her tomb candelabra ^a and lamps, which wholly fiery shone far and wide and scattered the flame of a most bright lightning: and I heard some, who brought forth a sweet melody, to whom others responding intoned the Alleluia. I saw also S. Symeon from the window of the camasine sheepskin fix his face upon her, and singing the Davidic psalms say, of his mother indeed, He has run the way of Thy commandments; but of himself, Because I have chosen Thy commandments. Ps. 118, 32 & 74. Meanwhile while S. Symeon said these things, I looked back: and behold Martha stood before her monument, and with hands lifted to heaven prayed: and I, struck with grave fear, fell down at her feet, and in this manner returned to myself glorifying God. But that night other Brothers too spoke with one mouth that they had seen the like, All urge with Symeon for the oratory to be built; and by unanimous consent all inclining themselves, they asked the Saint, a blessing being given them, to command, that a beginning be given to the oratory, to be built in that form, which B. Martha had commanded. But he answered; If that matter is at heart to the Lord, it will not have to be anxiously cared for by you; but He will, even after this prayer, make me more certain concerning all things. For if it shall have pleased Him, He Himself will again ^b gather builders from Isauria stirred up by the holy Spirit; who committing the matter to God, and what shall be best in His sight, that will be done, as He Himself wills.

[48] When he had said these things, he dismissed the Brothers each to his own occupation: and about the middle of the night intending to the monument, he beheld the blessed mother standing erect, clothed in that sacrosanct form; in the middle of the conch, in which she lay, in a sweet vision he hears a canticle, looking with great veneration to heaven, and with much sweetness casting on high a pleasant and delightful voice and one like that of the Angels, and a third time repeating that, Glory to Thee, God, glory to Thee, alleluia; so that the whole enclosure, as if emitting a voice, and the very Relics enclosed in the monument resounded. After these things glorifying God, full of trembling and joy, on account of so great grace which He had lavished on His servant, he recalled to memory that sentence of sacred Scripture: The humbled bones shall exult. Then in his heart he kept that sweet melody of divine laudation, and exulted in spirit for joy of mind, and himself too sang together the heavenly laudation. Ps. 50, 10 And now the hour calling, the disciples were gathered after custom to the nocturnal hymns with Symeon; and taught by the Saint that hymnody, granted by the divine gift, which he prescribes to be sung by his people weekly, they too brought it forth with consonant voices so long, until the morning light of the Sabbath shone. Moreover he commanded that at the Lucernarium both of the Sabbath and of the sacred Lord's day, and at each Vespers thenceforth, the same be done, one Brother at the monument thrice saying a hymn of this kind, all the rest thrice repeating the same.

[49] On that same sacred Lord's day, when the servant of God Symeon had offered incense and prayed, he ordered the sacred edifice to be delineated, to be built with a triple conch, according to the form, which had been shown and described by the Blessed woman. But while they delineated the work, The fabric delineated, workmen flow together of their own accord. behold a huge multitude of workmen, both from Isauria and elsewhere, afflicted with various pains and diseases, assembled; who going to the Saint with faith and obtaining health, asked that the work to be perfected be committed to them. But they having begun to build the great eastern conch, and on this side and on that two small ones; B. Martha appeared through a vision to one of the Brothers, standing by the building and commanding that a ^c projection be drawn round the two smaller conchs.

[50] When he had announced this to Symeon, all the Brothers being present, a certain one of their number called Angulas, with all his strength resisted, that it should be so done; commanding secretly Theodore the Cellarer ^d, who was one of the builders, that he should set about constructing the work according to the form most approved by himself: not however according to the delineation shown by S. Martha. But the confusion of Angulas, the author of so impudent an opinion, was not deferred for a long time; when he was taught by experience itself, as the Prophet ^e says, That the counsel of the depraved wills iniquitous things, but the counsel of the just has counseled prudently, and this counsel shall remain. S. Martha foretelling it, For B. Martha stood by through a vision to one of the workmen, called Neon, who, beset by a most difficult demon, when he had gone to her venerable monument, had carried back the grace of healing; and she called Angulas a wicked architect; then most clearly asserted, that Theodore the Cellarer would not perfect the substructure, because he was unbelieving. After Neon, who had been healed, had related these things; on a certain day a spirit of trembling invaded the aforesaid Cellarer, and, no one conscious, he withdrew. But behold a certain Paul, of no small name among the workmen, sprung from Isauria, does not perfect the work, but another foresignified by the same. and cured of various infirmities by the Saint; and who had experience enough, came to the monastery: and contemplating the building close at hand, demanded of the servant of God, that the projection of the two smaller conchs to be drawn round be entrusted to him. The Saint answered: As it has pleased the Lord that thou attempt the work, so do. And all wondered, recalling to memory, what through the vision both to that Brother, and to the cured workman B. Martha had foretold: for it came to pass according to her prophecy, since no one had indicated a word to the architect, who had recently arrived.

[51] The temple being perfected, the Relics are translated thither, The whole building being at length completed, and the roof set on, and a smaller concourse, by the good pleasure of God glorifying that edifice, the venerable Relics of B. Martha together with the urn were translated thither, psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles sounding, very many Priests and the faithful people accompanying, all hastening that they might become partakers of that blessing. Very many also of the comers, tried by various infirmities and troubles, during that time obtained soundness; on the very day of the translation, when, approaching the sacrosanct urn, they had implored help from our Lord Jesus Christ through His Saint. For since she had taken up her cross, and from her whole heart had followed Christ the Saviour, deservedly she heard from Him, what formerly the admirable Apostles: Heal the sick, expel demons, and what follows. Mat. 10, 8 And now also her glorious ashes stand forth, breathing sanctity upon all who approach with faith; and the workers of marvels in the following times. and they are to the sick of any kind of disease a spiritual medical workshop; who draw from an inexhaustible fount and afford to all who ask the grace of soundness, to the glory of Him, who works these things through them, Christ our Lord. And the things which pertain to the substructure of the sacred edifice, delineated by S. Martha, and which pertain to the translation of her venerable Relics, have been explained; on which we have had necessarily to dwell longer, although the translation happened after the following narration, that without confusion we might set forth the series and argument of the matter to the readers. But now it is time to begin that narration.

ANNOTATA.

would that the Concordances were extant, just as they are had for the Hebrew and the vulgate Latin text: something also is lacking for the full sense in our transcript.

* Num. 12

CHAPTER VII.

S. Symeon understands in various ways the part of the holy Cross he had asked to be sent to him.

Ὁ τρισμακάριος καὶ ἅγιος Συμεὼν ἐκτενῶς μετὰ δακρύων ἐδέετο τοῦ Θεοῦ, σημεῖόν τι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ αἰτῶν εἰς μνημόσυνον τῆς Μακαρίας Μάρθης, καὶ λέγων· Κύριε, εἰ εὗρον χάριν ἐνώπιόν σου, ποίησον τὸ ἔλεός σου μετὰ τῆς παιδίσκης σου, καὶ ἀποδοθήτω μοι ἀπεντεῦθεν ὁ ἀῤῥαβὼν τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς, τοῦ πάλαι ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ παραδείσου προφητευομένου, ὅπερ ὑπῆρχεν ὁ σταυρός σου ὁ τίμιος· καὶ λογισθήτω μοι τὸ Χερουβὶμ φυλάττον τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, ὁ ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ σου Ἀναστάσει Κλειδοῦχος, ὅστις ἂν ᾖ, οὐ κατὰ χάριν ἀνθρώπου τοῦ μυστηρίου δωρουμένου μοι, οὔτ᾽ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, οὔτε δι᾽ ἀνθρώπων πραγματευομένου μοι τούτου, ἀλλὰ τοῦ θελήματός σου τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ. Ἐπίνευσον, Δέσποτα, δεομένου μου, καταπέμψαι τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ πανάγιον, ὅπως ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ τοῦ θελήματός σου ἐμβάλῃ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τοῦ ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Ἀναστάσει κλειδουχοῦντος, κατὰ σάρκα ἀγνοῦντός μου, ἀποστεῖλαι πρὸς τὴν ἐμὴν ταπείνωσιν ἀσπασμὸν εἰρήνης, δι᾽ οὗ ἔσται μοι τὸ δῶρον τῆς αἰτήσεως παρὰ τῆς σῆς θεότητος πεμπόμενον, εἰς ἀνάμνησιν ἧς προσελάβου δούλης σου, ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐγνώρισας τῇ πιστῇ αὐτῆς ψυχῇ βαστᾶσαι ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τὸν ζοώποιον σταυρὸν μεταίροντός μου, καὶ ἐκ δυνάμεως εἰς δύναμιν ἐπὶ ταύτην τὴν ἀνάβασιν προπορευομένης αὐτῆς ἐν πλήθει δακρύων, καὶ τόδε τὸ ᾄσμα λεγούσης· Σῶσον ἡμᾶς, υἱὲ Θεοῦ, ὁ σταυρωθεὶς δι᾽ ἡμᾶς, ἀλληλούα· ἣν ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ ἁγιασμῷ κοιμηθεῖσαν ἀνέπαυσας, ὡς πεπίστευκα καὶ πεπληροφόρημαι πίστιν, μετὰ τῶν πιστῶν ἐν τῇ καλῇ πραγματείᾳ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου θελήσασαν σφόδρα. Κύριε τοῦ ἐλέους, ἐλθέτω δή μοι αὕτη ἡ σωτήριος αἴτησις δυνάμει τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ὁμοουσίου καὶ ζοωποιοῦ σου Πνεύματος, ὅπως καὶ ἐν τούτῳ δόξαν καὶ εὐχαριστίαν ἀναπέμψω σοι, καὶ τῷ ἀχράντῳ σου Πατρὶ, καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ζοωποίῳ σου Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. Ταῦτα ἱκετεύσας, εἶδεν ἐν ἀποκαλύψει τρεῖς μοναχοὺς Ἴβηρας ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων, παραβαλόντας τῷ μοναστηρίῳ, ὧν ὁ εἷς Ἀντώνιος λεγόμενος, Πρεσβύτερος καὶ Ἡγούμενος εὐαγοῦς μονῆς ὑπάρχων, ἑωρᾶτο ἐν χρυσῷ σταυρῷ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ τιμίου ξύλου ἐν φόβῳ μεγάλῳ κατέχων ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ, καὶ ἐπιδιδοὺς τῷ Ἁγίῳ κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ αἴτησιν. Οὗτος τοίνυν ὁ Ἀντώνιος, ἀνὴρ θαυμαστὸς ὢν καὶ ψυχὴν κεκτημένος πιστὴν, εἶδεν τότε τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλον ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς, λέγοντα αὐτῷ, πορευθῆναι ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ θαυμαστόν· καὶ τῇ τοῦ καλέσαντος ὑπακούσας φωνῇ, εὐθέως ἐξῆλθεν μετὰ δύο μοναχῶν διανυόντων σὺν αὐτῷ τὴν ὁδόν. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων Συμεὼν ἀπήγγειλε τὴν περὶ τοῦ Ἀντωνίου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ θεωρίαν ὑπὸ προφάσεως τοιαύτης ἀναγκασθείς. Μοναχὸς γάρ τις πάσχων τὸν πόδα, ἀπὸ τῆς μονῆς τοῦ Σκοπέλου ὑπάρχων, καὶ παραβαλὼν πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον χάριν τοῦ ἰαθῆναι, παρίστατο αὐτῷ, ἀπαγγέλλων τὰ τῆς ἀσθενείας αὐτοῦ· ἄλλος δέ τις μοναχὸς Ἴβηρ, Σέργιος τοὔνομα, ἐκ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων παραγινόμενος, πάσχων δεινῶς τὰ ἐντὸς καὶ αἱμοῤῥοοῦν, ἰαθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου, προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ παράθεσιν αἰτῶν, ὥστε ἐπανελθεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ ἴδια· Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἅγιος, ἀκούοντος ἐκείνου τοῦ μοναχοῦ τοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ Σκοπέλου· Περίμεινεν, Ἀδελφὲ, ἰδοὺ γὰρ τρεῖς μοναχοὶ Ἴβηρες παραγίνονται ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων, ὧν εἷς χάριτος πεπληρομένος ὑπάρχων, διακονήσει τὸν ζοωποιὸν σταυρὸν, καὶ ἀπελεύσῃ μετ᾽ αὐτῶν συνοδίτης. Μὴ πιστεύσας δὲ ἐκεῖνος τοῖς λεχθεῖσι αὐτῷ, ἐξελθὼν ἐπορεύετο τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ· ὑπέβαλεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ διάβολος εἰπεῖν ἐν ἑαυτῷ περὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου, Ὅτι ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος φαρμακός ἐστι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐνεργοῦσιν ἐν αὐτῷ αἱ δυνάμεις· τίς γὰρ ἴδεν ἢ ἤκουσεν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἰῶνος, εἰ μὴ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου, τοσαύτα σημεῖα γεγενῆσθαι ὑπό τινος; οὐκ ἔστιν οὖν ταῦτα χρηστῶν ἔργων, κᾳγὼ πεπλάνημαι βαστάζων αὐτοῦ τὰς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐκτετυπωμένας ἐκ τῆς εἰκόνος αὐτοῦ σφραγίδας. Ταῦτα κυριευόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ δαίμονος διανοηθεὶς, ἐπιλαβόμενος εὐθέως τῶν εὐλογιῶν ἐκείνων, καὶ ῥίψας ἐν πυρὶ κατέκαυσεν αὐτὰς, μιᾶς μόνης ἀβουλήτως ἀπομεινάσης ἐν τοῖς ἱματίοις αὐτοῦ. Ὡς δὲ τὸ πονηρὸν τοῦτο ἐποίησεν ἔργον, παραχρῆμα ἐγένοντο αὐτῷ αἱ χεῖρος ἀπὸ τῶν ὤμων καὶ μέχρι τῶν δακτύλων ὡσεὶ χιὼν λεπραί· καὶ ἰδὼν ἐφοβήθη σφόδρα, καὶ μηδενὶ θελήσας ἀπαγγεῖλαι ὅ πέπονθεν, ἔκρυπτεν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ. Ἀνανήψας οὖν καὶ μόλις ἐλθὼν εἰς ἑαυτὸν καὶ εὑρηκὼς τὴν ὑπολελειμμένην εὐλογίαν, κλίνας τὰ γόνατα προσηύξατο, λέγων· Ἅγιε Συμεὼν, πιστεύω ὅτι δούλος εἶ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὰ παρά σου γενόμενα διὰ Πνεύματος ἁγίου εἰσίν· ἀλλὰ βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ καὶ ἀφεθήτω μοι ἡ ἁμαρτία, δι᾽ ἣν τοῦτό μοι συνέβη, ἵνα καθαρὸς γενόμενος δοξάσω κᾳγὼ τὴν χάριν τὴν ἐνεργοῦσαν διά σου. Ταῦτα δεηθεὶς ἀναστὰς ἐχρίσατο τὸ τῆς κόνεως ἁγίασμα ἅπαξ, ἐν δὲ τῷ δευτέρῳ ἰάθη ἀπαλλαγεὶς τελείως τῆς λεπρᾶς, καὶ εἰς τὴν χρείαν ἀποκατασταθεὶς τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὑποστρέψας εὐθέως πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον, διηγήσατο ὅσα αὐτῷ ἐποίησεν, δοξάζων τὰ μεγαλεῖα αὐτοῦ. Τούτου δὲ τοῦ θαύματος γενομένου, ἰδοὺ καὶ οἱ Ἴβηρες μοναχοὶ παραγεγόνασιν, περὶ ὧν τὴν πρόῤῥησιν ὁ Ἅγιος ἐποιήσατο. Καὶ πρὸ τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτοὺς πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὁ ἀπὸ τοῦ Σκοπέλου μοναχὸς ἐξερχόμενος ἀπήντησεν αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτοὺς τρεῖς ὄντας, καὶ μαθὼν Ἴβηρες εἶναι, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων παραγεγονέναι, θαυμάσας ἐξηγήσατο αὐτοῖς τὴν περὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ Ἁγίου προφητείαν. Εἰσελθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ στάντων ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ, παῤῥησιασάμενος Ἀντώνιος κατεμάνθανεν αὐτὸν, ὡς ἄνθρωπον καθορῶν οἷον δήποτε τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, μὴ χωρῶν ἐπιγνῶναι τὸ ἀόρατον δι᾽ οὗ ἐνεργεῖ. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἅγιος· Κάτελθε, τέκνον, τὸν λοιπὸν καιρὸν ἔχων, καὶ μὴ πειράζου. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν εἵλκυσεν ἑαυτὸν ἔνδον τῆς καμασίνης μηλωτῆς, ἀποπεμψάμενος ἄκοντα τὸν Ἀντώνιον. Καὶ ἰδοὺ φαντασία τις καὶ θόρυβος ἀφόρητος τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκείνου κατέσχεν· ῥίπτει οὖν ἑαυτὸν ἐν τῇ βάσει τοῦ κίονος ὁ Ἀντώνιος, δεόμενος καὶ αἰτῶν συγχώρησιν, καὶ ταύτης τυχὼν εὐθέως ἀσπασάμενος τὸν Ἅγιον ὤχετο τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, φήσας· Εἴτε μακρὰν, εἴτε ἐγγὺς, ἅγιε Συμεὼν, θεοφόρε, συγχώρησον καὶ κέλευσον ἀπελθεῖν με, ἵνα μὴ κινδυνεύσω. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ· Θάρσει, καὶ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰρήνην δι᾽ ἡμῶν ἔχων βάδιζε· φυτὸν ἀμπέλου ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς Ἀναστάσεως διακόνησόν μοι ἐν καιρῷ τῆς χρείας. Ὁ δὲ Ἀντώνιος τότε μὲν οὐ συνῆκε πρὸς τί εἴρηκεν αὐτῷ· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἔγνω τὴν δύναμιν τῆς ἐντολῆς, δίοτι κεχρηματισμένος ἦν ὑπὸ Πνεύματος ἁγίου πρὸ ἐτῶν εἴκοσι ἐν τῇ Ἰβήρων χώρᾳ, ὅτι δεῖ σε συνοικῆσαι τῷ νέῳ Μωϋσῇ, εἰς ὃν καὶ νῦν ἐθέμην ῥάβδον τῆς ἐνεργείας μου, ἰστάμενον ἐν ὄρει ὑψηλῷ, ἀπολύτρωσιν ὡς ὁ Βαπτιστὴς δεικνύμενον παντὶ τῷ λαῷ. Ἐν δὲ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἔκτῳ τῆς τελευτῆς τῆς ὁσίας Μάρθης, οὗτος δὲ ὑπῆρχεν Ἀπέλεος, ὃν Ῥωμαῖοι λέγουσι Δεκέμβριον, ἐπεφάνη ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ μείζονα ὑποδεικνύσα τῷ Ἁγίῳ· καὶ θεωρεῖ κατὰ τὰ μεσεμβρινὰ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων ἥλιον, ὑπὲρ τὸν ὁρώμενον τοῦτον παραγεγονότα, καὶ πλήσαντα δόξης φωτὸς τὴν μάνδραν αὐτοῦ, εἰς χεῖρας δὲ τῆς Μακαρίας καταπαύσαντα καὶ ἐξαστράπτοντα· Ἐμνήσθη γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ δικαίου Συμεὼν καὶ Μάρθης τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, περὶ τῆς αἰτήσεως τοῦ ἀχράντου σταυροῦ, ἵνα ὅ ἐποίησεν στήσῃ εἰς μνημόσυνον αὐτῆς. Καὶ παρέστη ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς Ἄγγελος Κυρίου τῷ προῤῥηθέντι πρεσβυτέρῳ Ἀντωνίῳ Ἴβηρι, λέγων· Ἀνάστηθι μετὰ σπουδῆς καὶ λαβὼν φυτὸν ἀμπέλου τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς ἁγίας Ἀναστάσεως, πορεύου ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος τὸ Θαυμαστὸν πρὸς τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ δὲ διυπνισθεὶς ἐπορεύθη ἔμφοβος ἐπὶ τὸ κυριακὸν, καὶ ἀναπτύξας, δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ἅγιον Εὐαγγέλιον, εὗρεν τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν ταύτην· Ἐγείρεσθε, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν. Ἐγώ εἰμι ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα· Ὁ μὲν ὢν ἐν ἐμοὶ, κᾀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ, οὗτος φέρει καρπὸν πολὺν, ὅτι χώρις ἐμοῦ οὐ δύνασθε ποιεῖν οὐδέν. Ἐξέστη δὲ τῇ διανοίᾳ ὁ Ἀντώνιος, καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἐν ἄλλῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ ἀναπτύξας ὡσαύτως τὰ ἅγια Εὐαγγέλια, εὗρεν τὴν περικοπὴν ταύτην, Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ, τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ, ποιήσει, καὶ μείζονα τούτων ποιήσει. Τότε ἔστησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν καρδίαν ὁ Κύριος, ἐπιβαλὼν εἰς αὐτὸν φόβον μέγαν σφόδρα, ὥστε σεισθῆναι αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ μέλη. Νομίσας οὖν ὁ Ἀντῴνιος [ὅτι] κατὰ ἀλήθειαν περὶ φυτοῦ ἀμπέλου εἴρησεν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ μὴ ἀναμείνας, ἀπελθὼν ἔλαβεν φυτὸν ἀμπέλου ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς ἁγίας Αναστάσεως, καὶ ἀπήρξατο παραχρῆμα τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ Θαυμαστὸν ὄρος ὁδοιπορίας. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ εὐδοκεῖ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτὸν, συνετάραξαν λογισμοὶ τὸν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ὁσιώτατον Σταυροφύλακα Θωμᾶν περί τινων ἀπορουμένων αὐτοῦ ζητημάτων. Τινῶν δὲ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ ὁμιλούντων πρὸς ἀλλήλους καὶ διηγουμένων τὰ θαυμάσια, τὰ διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου θεράποντος αὐτοῦ Συμεὼν γινόμενα, ἀκούσας περὶ τούτων, καὶ θείῳ ζήλῳ πυρωθεὶς τὴν καρδίαν, προσκαλεσάμενος παραχρῆμα ἄνδρα θαυμαστὸν Παῦλόν τινα, Πρεσβύτερον καὶ Οἰκονόμον τῆς ἁγίας Χριστοδ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν Ἀναστάσεως, παρακαλεῖ τοῦτον ὑπακοῆς ἔργον πληρῶσαι, καὶ ἀποκομίσαι γράμματα αὐτοῦ ἀσπαστικὰ τῷ θεράποντι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Θαυμαστῶ. Εἴξας δὲ ἐκεῖνος τῇ παρακλήσει μετὰ χαρᾶς διήνυεν τὴν ὁδὸν, ποθοῦν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου καρπώσασθαι εὐλογίαν. Καταντήσας οὖν εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν μάνδραν κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τὴν ὥραν, καθ᾽ ἣν καὶ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος Ἀντώνιος παρεγένετο, εἰσῆλθεν σὺν αὐτῷ· καὶ εὐξάμενοι ἀμφότεροι ἠσπάσαντο τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλον ἁγίῳ φιλήματι· Ὁ δὲ Πρεσβύτερος Παῦλος ἐπέδωκεν αὐτῷ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Σταυροφύλακος ἐπιστολήν. Δεξάμενος δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ περιπτυξάμενος, εὐχαριστήσας τε καὶ τὰ γόνατα κλίνας προσεκύνησεν τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῷ ὑπακούοντι ἀεὶ τῆς δεήσεως αὐτοῦ, ἀνέγνω δὲ αὐτὴν περιέχουσαν οὕτως. Τῷ Δεσπότῃ τῶν ἁπάντων ἑαυτοὺς καθηλώσαντες, καὶ τὸν καθαρώτατον ὑμῶν νοῦν αὐτῷ συνάψαντες, καὶ τῇ θεοπνευστίᾳ ἐμφορούμενοι τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς Θεὸν γινώσειν εὐαρεστήσεις κατεπιστεύθητε· Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἐγὼ ὁ ταπεινὸς, τὴν οἰκείαν σωτηρίαν πορίσασθαι ἐπειγόμενος, τῶν βιωτικῶν φροντίδων τὸν περισπασμὸν περιφεύγων, ὡς ἐνόμισα, τὸν μονήρη βίον ἠσπασάμην, καὶ ἐπί τινα χρόνον τούτῳ ἐνδιατρίψας, παρέστην, οὐκ

[The Greek text of the letter and the surrounding narrative continues here verbatim; the Latin parallel translation begins at section 52 below.]

οἶδα; ὅπως, τῷ εὐσεβεστάτῳ καὶ θεοφυλάκτῳ ἡμῶν Βασιλεῖ, καταπιστεῦσαι τῇ ἐμῇ βραχύτητι τὰ ἅγια καὶ ἔνδοξα ξύλα τοῦ τιμίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τὰς κλεῖς τῆς ἁγίας Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν Ἀναστάσεως καὶ τοῦ σέπτου καὶ ἀχράντου Γολγοθά. Πάλιν τοίνυν περισπασμοῖς περιπαρεὶς, καὶ ὑποπτεύων περὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ διεσφάλθαι σωτηρίαν διὰ τὸν περισπασμὸν, παρακαλῶ τὴν ὑμετέραν θεοφιλῆ ψυχὴν, τὰ τοιαῦτα σαφῶς ἐπισταμένεν, διὰ τὴν ἀγαπὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δηλωθῆναι τῇ ἐμῇ βραχύτητι, εἰ σωθήσεταί μου ἡ ταπεινὴ ψυχὴ ἐν τῇ τοιαύτῃ διακονίᾳ· ὅπως ἀνεθῇ μου ὁ λογισμὸς, ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου ἐνδοιασμοῦ κεντούμενος· καὶ πρό γε πάντων παρακαλῶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἁγιωσύνυν, μεμνῆσθαι καὶ ὑπερεύχεσθαι τῆς ἐμῆς ἀσθενείας ἐν ταις ὑμετέραις ἁγίαις καὶ θεοδέκταις προσευχαῖς. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ ἀναγνῶναι ταυτα, διελέχθη τῷ αὐτῷ ὁσιοτάτῳ ἀνδρὶ, λέγων· Ἐπειδὴ καιρὸς τοῦ παντός ἐστι, καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ σιγᾷν καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ λαλεῖ, ἀναγκάζομαι νῦν ἐκφᾶναι τὸ προκείμενον τῇ πατρικῇ σου ἀγάπῃ, μεμνημένος τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀρχαγγέλου Ῥαφαὴλ πρὸς Τωβίαν εἰρημένων, ὅτι μυστήριον Βασιλέως κρύπτειν καλὸν, τὰ δὲ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνακηρύξαι ἔνδοξον. Ταῦτα δὲ λέγω καθότι οὐχ ἑκὼν, ἀλλὰ θεόθεν κινούμενος· Ὁ ἁγιώτατος Σταυροφύλαξ ἀπέσταλκέν σε πρὸς τὴν ἐμὴν μετριότητα· ἰδοὺ γαρ οὗτος ἕβδομος μὴν πεπλήρωται, ἀφ᾽ οὗ ταύτην τὴν χάριν αἰτῶ τὸν Κύριον, ὑποβαλεῖν αὐτοῦ τῇ διανοίᾳ, ὅπως γνωρίσας ἡμᾶς διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀποστείλῃ ἐνταῦθα, οὐχ ἕνεκεν κοσμικοῦ τινος, μή γένοιτο, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς ἡμᾶς γενομένην εὐαγγελίαν, εὐδοκήσαντος δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐκπεμφθῆναι ἡμῖν παντὸς λειψάνου ἁγίων, παντὸς δὲ θησαυροῦ τιμιωτέραν, ἐμφανῆ, καὶ σεβασμίαν μερίδα τοῦ ἀχράντου καὶ δεσποτικοῦ καὶ σωτηρίου ξύλου, ἐπὶ τὸ προσκυνεῖσθαι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ εὐδόκησεν ἡ αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπία τῆς ἐμῆς μητρὸς ἁγιάσαι τὴν κοίμησιν. Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁσιώτατος Πρεσβύτερος Παῦλος, εἶπεν· Κατεπιθύμως τὰς ἁγίας ὑμῶν κελεύσεις πληρῶν ὁ ὁσιώτατος κῦρις Θωμᾶς ὁ Κλειδοῦχος, τιμίαν μερίδα τοῦ ζοωποιοῦ ξύλου ἀσφαλισάμενος καὶ σφραγίσας ἀποστειλεῖ ὑμῖν συντόμως διὰ ἀξιοπίστων ἀνδρῶν· εὐχὴ γαρ αὐτῷ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἐν ἅπασι θεραπεῦσαι ὑμᾶς· μόνον καταξιωσάτω ἡ σὴ Εὐλάβεια τὰς στελλομένας παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ εὐλογίας διὰ τοὺς πτωχοὺς, ὡς παρὰ πατρὸς πνευματικοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ δέξασθαι. Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ· Ὀ Κύριος διὰ τὴν ἄμετρον αὐτοῦ συγκατάβασιν καὶ εὐσπλαγχνίαν μεριμνήσει ήμῖν, καὶ τὴν χρείαν ἡμῶν ἐκπληρώσει κατὰ τὸ δέον καὶ σύμφορον· ὁ δὲ χρυσὸς μὴ ἔστω ἡμῶν οἰκονόμοι, διότι ὑπερηφανίαν καὶ ἀλαζονείαν διδάσκει, καὶ τοῦτο παρακαλῶ, μηδεὶς ἐστω λόγος περὶ τοῦτου. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἔβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὸν Πρεσβύτερον Ἀντώνιον, φύσας· Ἰδού, ὁ τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ σταυροῦ διάκονος οὗτος ὑπάρχει, ὃς ὑπέδειξέ μοι ὁ Κύριος, καὶ παρέστησεν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς παρουσίας ὑμῶν, ἄξιον ὄντα καὶ ὀφείλοντα τὴν παρὰ τῆς θεότητος αὐτοῦ δωρουμένην ἡμῖν δύναμιν ἀγαγεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ, ὡς τεθέαμαι. Λὲγει ὁ Πρεσβύτερος Ἀντώνιος· Ἐξ Ἱεροσλύμων, οὐκ εἰδὼς διὰ τί, ἄκων παραγέγονα, νῦν ἐμφανής μοι ὁ λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου γέγονεν· τὰ οὖν κελευόμενά μοι δεῖ με ἔργῳ πληρῶσαι, Πάτερ ἅγιε. Ὑπέδειξεν δὲ καὶ ὅπερ ἐπεφέρετο φυτὸν τῆς ἀμπέλου, διεξελθὼν τὰ τῆς ὀφθείσης αὐτῷ ὁράσεως. Ταῦτα διαλεγομένων αὐτῶν, κατέλαβεν ἡ ἑσπέρα, καὶ εὐξάμενος· ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος, ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοὺς τοῦ ἀναπαύεσθαι. Πρωΐας δὲ γενομένης εἰς ἐφόδιον τὴν εὐχὴν τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ παρασχόμενος Παύλῳ, ἐν ἐιρήνῃ αὐτὸν ἀπέλυσεν, κρατήσας τὸν Πρεσβύτερον Ἀντώνιον ὀλίγας ἡμέρας. Ἐν μιᾷ δὲ νυκτὶ ὁρᾷ ὀ αὐτὸς Πρεσβύτερος Ἀντώνιος τὴν μακαρίαν Μάρθαν, ἐπιτρέπουσαν αὐτῷ συντόμως πορευθῆναι, καὶ τὴν ποθουμένην ἀγάγειν εὐλογάν. Ἐξηγήσατο δὲ ταῦτα, καὶ παρέστησεν τὰ σημεῖα τοῦ ἐμφανισμοῦ αὐτῆς καθὼς ὑπῆρχεν· διὸ καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων, γράψας τῷ Σταυροφύλακι δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολὴν, ἔχουσαν οὕτως. Εὐφραινέσθωσαν οἱ οὐρανοὶ καὶ ἀγαλλιασθῇ ἡ γῆ, ῥηξάτω τὰ ὄρη εὐφροσύνην, καὶ οἱ βουνοὶ δικαὶοσύνην, ὄτι ἠλέησεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς βραχεῖς, καὶ παρεκάλεσεν οὐ μετρίως, ἀξιώσας ἡμᾶς τοῦ προσκυνῆσαι διὰ μετρίων ἡμῶν γραμμάτων, καὶ ἀσπάσασθαι τὴν ἡμετέραν ὁσίαν πατρότητα ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Κυρίῳ, περὶ τοῦ σημείου τοῦ ἀχράντου ἐν δυνάμει καὶ ἐνδόξου σταυροῦ.

[52] The most blessed and most holy Symeon earnestly with tears prayed God, S. Symeon asks of God, that for the memory of his Mother that some sign be given him for retaining the memory of B. Martha, saying: Lord, if I have found grace in Thy sight, deal mercifully with Thy servant, and let there be granted to me from this time a pledge of the wood of life, through that which formerly in the midst of Paradise prophesied stood, of Thy venerable Cross, I say; and let there be to me a Cherubim, guarding the wood of life, that Claviger who is in Thy holy ^a Resurrection, whosoever at length he be. Nor let that mystery befall me by the grace of any man, or from men or through men; but from the good pleasure of Thy good will. Assent, Lord, to my vows, a fragment of the holy Cross be sent by a Staurophylax unknown to him; and send down Thy holy Spirit, that in the good pleasure of Thy will it may inspire the heart of the Claviger of the holy Resurrection, having no knowledge of me according to the flesh, that he may send to my humility a salutation of peace, through which there may come to me that gift, which I have asked of Thy Deity, in memory of Thy servant whom Thou hast assumed: since Thou didst indicate to her faithful soul, that she should bear in her hands the vital cross of Him, who has translated me from virtue to virtue up to this ^b ascent, she going before on the way with many tears and modulating that canticle, Save us, Son of God, who wast crucified for us, alleluia: whom in peace and sanctity deceased, with rest (as I have believed and have known my faith to be fulfilled) Thou hast endowed everlasting with Thy faithful ones, inasmuch as she in

the beautiful exercise of Thy commandments has willed exceedingly. Merciful Lord, may there come to me, by the power of Thy holy and consubstantial and life-giving Spirit, this salutary petition; that in this also I may owe and render glory and thanks to Thee, and to Thy unstained Father, and to Thy very holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

[53] These things having suppliantly prayed, he beheld through a revelation three Iberian monks, coming from Jerusalem to the monastery, one of whom, and that this would come to pass he learns by revelation called Antonius, a Presbyter and Hegumen of an illustrious monastery, seemed to bear in his hands with great reverence the power of the venerable wood, enclosed in a golden Cross; and to hand it over to S. Symeon, as he had asked. This Antonius therefore, an admirable man, and himself having got a faithful soul, beheld during that time by night in a vision the servant of God Symeon, commanding him to cross over to the Mount-wonderful: but he, obedient to the voice of him commanding, went out continually, two monks accompanying him along the whole way. Moreover Symeon, the servant of God, manifested that vision concerning Antonius and his two companions on this occasion.

[54] A certain monk of the monastery of ^c Scopulus with afflicted feet, had come for the sake of cure to the Saint, which when he foretold to an outside monk and standing by him declared his infirmity. But another monk an Iberian by name Sergius, who, most bitterly tortured in the bowels and having suffered a flux of blood, had come to Jerusalem, where he had been restored to health, came up at that very hour seeking a commendation, that he might return home. But the Saint said to him, that Monk who was of the Scopulus monastery hearing: Wait a little while, my Brother, for behold three Iberian Monks come from Jerusalem hither, one of whom full of divine grace, will be the minister of the life-giving Cross; in their company thou shalt return. He did not believe the words of the Saint, but went his way; and said within himself, the devil suggesting, concerning him: This man is a sorcerer, and therefore powers operate in him; for who from eternity has seen or heard ever, except when the Lord dwelt on earth, so great signs wrought by anyone? and this man scandalized These therefore are not rightly done; and I have been deluded, carrying about the seals of his image compacted from earth.

[55] When this man, reduced under the power of the demon, had agitated these things in mind, he cast the ^d blessings he had brought forth into the fire and burned them, only one remaining by chance within his garments. had incurred leprosy, Scarcely had he perpetrated this nefarious crime, when his hands from the shoulders to the very tips of the fingers, covered with leprosy, grow white as snow; and he was vehemently afraid; and unwilling to indicate to anyone what he suffered, he hid his hands. Coming to his senses therefore, scarcely had he well returned to himself, when he found the blessing left in his garments, and on bent knees he prayed, saying: Holy Symeon, I believe, that thou art the servant of the Son of God, and that thy works proceed from the holy Spirit. But help me unbelieving, and let my sin be remitted to me, for the cause of which these things have befallen me wretched; that, cleansed, I too may glorify the grace, he is cleansed through an image of S. Symeon. which operates through thee. When he had so prayed, rising he rubbed once the sanctification conflated from dust: and doing it again he received health, in every way cleansed from leprosy, and restored to the functions of his flesh: and returning straightway to the Saint, he narrated how great things he had performed for him, glorifying his great deeds.

[56] This miracle being wrought; the Iberian monks too, of whom Symeon had prophesied, arrived: but before they entered, who to Antonius the Iberian coming from Jerusalem that monk of Scopelus, having gone out to meet them, when he had seen the three; and learned that they were Iberians, and understood that they came from Jerusalem, with admiration brought into the midst, the things which S. Symeon had foretold concerning them. But when, having entered, they stood before the Saint, Antonius acting more freely questioned him, considering him no otherwise than a man like us, nor knowing the invisible power which operated in him. To whom the Saint replied; Descend, son, while thou hast time remaining, and do not tempt: which said, he withdrew within the camasine sheepskin, and dismissed Antonius unwilling. But then his mind grave thoughts and an intolerable tumult invaded: wherefore he cast himself at the base of the column praying and beseeching, that pardon be granted him; and that obtained, he straightway saluted the Saint; enigmatically he insinuates his vow: and went his way, saying: Holy Symeon, deifer man, whether I be far off or near, forgive, and bid me depart, that I incur not danger. The servant of God says to him: Be confident, and peace from God being granted thee through me accompanying, supply me a plant of the vine from the paradise of the Resurrection in the time of necessity. And Antonius then indeed did not know, whither these things were said; but he knew afterward, that they obtained the force of a precept; because twenty years thence he had received an answer from the holy Spirit in Iberia, saying: It behooves thee to dwell with another Moses, to whom I have now given the rod of my power, standing on a lofty mountain, and like John the Baptist showing the remission of sins to all the people.

[57] In the eighth month from the death of B. Martha, which to us is called Apileos, he 8 months after the death of the Saint to the Romans December, the grace of God appeared to S. Symeon, showing the more fitting things; and he sees from the southern quarter from Jerusalem a sun coming, higher than that which daily appears, and filling his enclosure with glorious light; but when it had come to the hands of B. Martha, it rested there, and shone like lightning. For the Lord had remembered the just Symeon and Martha his mother, as to the petition concerning the unstained Cross made to Him, namely that what He Himself was about to do, should be in memory of that Blessed woman. And there stood by at night through a vision an Angel of the Lord to the aforesaid Antonius the Iberian Presbyter, is admonished by the Angel, and said: Rise quickly, and the plant of the vine being taken, which is in the paradise of the holy Resurrection, go to the Mount-wonderful to the servant of God. Who awakened, ran with consternated mind to the church, and the sacred Gospel being opened fell upon this lection: Rise, let us go hence. John 14, 31, & 15, 5 I am the vine, you the branches: he who remains in me, and I in him, that he should carry the plant of the vine to Symeon, he bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing: Struck in mind Antonius thence went into another church, and the sacred Gospels being likewise opened, found this little verse: He who believes in me, the works which I do, he also shall do, and greater than these shall he do. John 14, 12. Then the Lord more gravely moved his heart, so vehement a fear being sent in, that he trembled in all his limbs. Reckoning therefore Antonius, that of a real plant of the vine the things said to him were to be understood, no delay interposed, going away he took a plant of this kind from the paradise ^e of the holy Resurrection, and committed himself straightway to the way toward the Mount-wonderful.

[58] But since the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him: certain thoughts concerning very ambiguous questions cast no small anxiety and disturbance into the mind of the most holy Thomas, Custodian of the Holy Cross at Jerusalem: [at the same time he arrives there with Paul, bringing the letters of the Staurophylax,] And when he had heard some conversing among themselves and narrating the miracles wrought through the holy servant of God; inflamed in mind and kindled with divine zeal, having continually summoned an admirable man a certain Paul, Presbyter and Steward of the holy Resurrection of Christ our Lord, he asks, that he perform this obedience-obsequy, and carry his salutatory letters to the servant of Christ on the Mount-wonderful. He assented to the petition, and with joy measured out the journey, earnestly desiring to obtain a blessing from the Saint. And it was now come to the holy enclosure, when the Presbyter Antonius at the very same time comes thither, and both having entered together and prayed, saluted the servant of God with a holy kiss: but the Presbyter Paul handed over to him the epistle of the Staurophylax. Which received and unsealed he gave thanks, and on bent knees adored the Lord, ever obeying his petitions, and read the epistle containing these things.

[59] You who are nailed to the Lord of all by the cross, and joined to Him by your most innocent mind, whereby he asked and filled with the divine spirit, are constituted, that you may know, whether God is placated to the human race or not. Since therefore I, humble, being busy only to place my own salvation in safety, having escaped by flight, as I thought, from the world and the cares and occupations of the world, had embraced the monastic life and lived in it some time; it seemed good, I know not how, to our most pious Emperor fortified by divine defenses, to commit to our smallness to be guarded the holy and glorious wood of the venerable and vital Cross of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the keys of the holy Resurrection of Christ our God, and also of the venerable and inviolate Golgotha. Again therefore my mind is distracted by other cares, and a fear comes upon me, lest on account of their mass I perhaps stray from the right path of salvation: to learn God's will concerning himself. wherefore I ask your soul amiable to God, gifted with clear knowledge of this matter, by the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, that it make known to my smallness, whether my humble soul in this ministry is to be saved, that I may be freed from the thoughts, stirred in me on this matter: but above all I ask your sanctity that you be mindful of my infirmity in your holy prayers acceptable to God, praying for it.

[60] These things being read through, addressing the same most holy man, he said: Since each thing has its own time, Symeon answers that God wills a time of being silent and a time of speaking; I am compelled now to manifest to thy paternal Charity that which is to come; mindful of the things said by the Angel Raphael to Tobias; To conceal the mystery of the King is good, but to reveal the works of God, honorable. But these things I say, not as if of my own accord thrusting myself forward, but moved by God. Tob. 12, 7 The most holy Custodian of the Cross has sent thee off to my mediocrity; but behold this seventh month has elapsed, since I beg this grace from the Lord, that a particle of the Cross be sent to him; that He inject into his mind, whereby, having obtained knowledge of us through the holy Spirit, he may send hither someone, not for the cause of any mundane thing, far, far be it; but on account of the message signified to us by the Lord: to whom it was pleasing to send down through him, to us more precious than all the Relics of the Saints and all treasures, some notable and august part of the immaculate, lordly, and salutary wood, to be set forth for adoration on that day, on which it pleased His kindness to sanctify my mother's falling asleep.

[61] Answering to these things Paul, the most holy Presbyter, said: The most holy Lord Thomas, Custodian of the Keys, committing your pious commands to execution, would send you the venerable portion of the vital wood, duly sealed and fortified, through men most worthy of all faith, very soon and alacriously; and the money that was offered being refused, for he desires nothing so greatly, as to obey you: let only thy piety deign to accept the blessings which he himself will send on account of the beggars,

as from a spiritual father, to accept. To the Lord, said the servant of God, on account of His immense condescension and mercy we shall be a care, who will fill up our indigence, according as it shall be just and convenient. But let him dispense nothing of gold at our house, which begets pride and boasting: and therefore I adjure you, that you make no word upon this matter.

[62] He had finished that speech, when, his eyes turned back on Antonius the Presbyter, he says: Behold here is that minister of the life-giving Cross, whom the Lord showed me, he says it was shown to him that it was to be carried by Antonius, and exhibited present at the same hour, in which you came hither; and who on account of his merits is worthy, to carry the gift granted us by God in his hands hither, as I beheld. Antonius the Presbyter says: When I set out from Jerusalem, I knew nothing of these things; and therefore I came unwilling: but now the word of the Lord has been revealed to me: it behooves me therefore, holy father, to fulfill in deed the things commanded me by Him. He also brought forth the germ of the vine which he carried with him, narrating his vision concerning it. Them conversing in this manner, the evening came on, and the servant of God dismissed them after the wonted prayers to rest. But the day dawning, whom he then sends back to Jerusalem with letters to the Staurophylax having wished a happy journey to Paul the Presbyter, he made the means of departing in peace, the Presbyter Antonius being detained a few days. But he on a certain night beheld B. Martha, commanding him, that he go alacriously, about to bring the desired blessing. Him narrating these things, and producing manifest signs of her seen, of what kind she was, the servant of God straightway dismissed; an epistle being sent through him to the Staurophylax, which had thus.

[63] Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult, let the mountains pour forth gladness, and the hills justice, since the Lord has had mercy on our tenuity, and consoled us not moderately, and made us worthy, that through this small epistle we adore, and salute your holy Paternity in the Lord, treating of the immaculate, potent, and glorious sign of the Cross. I have known and am altogether persuaded, that all His grace rests in you, foresignified by the Cherubim guarding the wood of life. Sit thou by the grace of Him, who has so honored you, that in such a ministry He has willed you to keep vigil, sing hymns, pray, and care for the things which pertain to His glory, performing with the God-loving Abraham the precept concerning charity to be shown to strangers. For there shines in all things through your work the oblation of thanks and the sacrifice prefigured in the bush of Sabec ^f; the Sacrifice, I say, now manifest of God crucified in the flesh. O blessed thou, who kindlest love for obtaining the dilection of God! blessed thou, who in judgment and humility singest! thou, venerable Father, who hast wisdom full of the fear of God; whence also moved from heaven by divine grace toward my mediocrity thou hast deigned to give letters, not that it might become known what is lacking to you, for you abound in all goodness, but that we might find the grace of petitions, concerning which Christ the Lord deigned to say: Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. Matth. 7, 7

[65] For therefore he who asks, with faith asks from Him, who wills and can give; and he who seeks, he sets forth how he was led to the Mount-wonderful in hope seeks to find; and to knock is said to be compunction of heart, whose door is Christ, who leads always to the manifestation of His blessed Father, from whom then it is permitted to receive every best gift and every perfect donation liberally; by whose kindly gift also, when I dwelt in a desert and pathless and waterless land, I appeared suddenly on the holy Mount-wonderful, having obtained that name marvelously and by divine nod, that I might see His power and glory; changing my teeth on the column, no cities, no regions, no places, none of those things, which are wont to allure in the world, being known to me in a bodily manner; but, the Lord Himself revealing in an apparition, not by men or through men commanded, and there bidden to build a temple; I undertook the construction of the temple, although I had before the purpose of laying no stone upon a stone as long as I lived. For He Himself promised, without expense of money, that the coping should be set on the work: which He also performed, by His own industry and operation, knowing not to deceive. But the rest I will pass over in silence.

[66] I asked therefore, I asked His goodness, who looks upon humble things, daring to use the Mosaic words, If I have found grace in Thy sight, that he had asked of God a part of the Cross, if Thou knowest among all the rational sheep that I am one, to be numbered among those to be placed at the right hand; that when now the Church is full of sacred Relics in eternal memory, just as it pleased Thee, Thou mayest in my place also manifest Thy glory, understanding that in the body I have seen and adored Thy salutary Cross; not through men negotiating this, but because Thou hearest Thy servant. Cause therefore that he, who is to me in place of a Cherubim, and who guards Thy treasure, may send it by Thy disposition to me, and reveal to me Thy riches. But if Thou doest the will of those who fear Thee, do with me a sign for good. But when the time of the favor and grace had come, I asked the Lord more earnestly through her, who, when I ascended, lifted up in her hands the salutary Cross, designated to her memory, and that these things were promised to him by a vision: and who was wisely instructed by the fear of God, my mother, that He should look upon the humility of His servant. And straightway I saw another sun, above this our one of exceptional splendor, coming from Jerusalem to my enclosure, entering, and filling the whole house with glorious light: I saw besides a certain Iberian carrying in his hands the vital Cross, two monks accompanying, whom I had never beheld. Then to some of my disciples I said: Pray, because the coming of the life-giving Cross promised us is near.

[66] And behold there came the Abbot Antonius, a servant faithful to his Lord, and I received your honorable and most holy letters, glorious to God, sent to us through the Lord Paul the Presbyter, venerable for honorable old age: which therefore he is confident will be sent to him. to whom also we narrated this grace, hidden by God. There will come to us therefore this gift through you, the Presbyter and Abbot Antonius ministering in this, who hands to you also the word of this salutation. For neither do I demand of you gold or silver, but in memory of the holy and unstained Trinity a rich and illustrious portion of the sacred and omnipotent Cross, to the glory of His majesty. I adore God in His holy Cross, and His holy Resurrection. But I salute you also, the honor of the Cherubim: and I ask that in the venerable places of the Lord you be mindful of me. The grace of the life-giving Trinity be with thy spirit, ever honorable and most holy Father.

ANNOTATA C. I.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Cross sent is exalted on the anniversary of B. Martha: a certain man is cured at the Sepulcher.

Πορευόμενος δὲ ὁ Πρεσβύτερος Ἀντώνιος ηὔχετο χάριν εὑρεῖν ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Ἀναστάσει, ταῖς, εὐχαῖς τοῦ ἁγιου Συμεὼν καὶ Μάρθης τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐγγίσας καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πόλει, ἀποβλέψας, εἶδεν μακρόθεν τὰς θύρας τῆς ἁγίας Ἀναστάσεως κεκλεισμένας, καὶ τὸν κατέχοντα τὰς κλεῖς τῶν θυρῶν πλησίον ἱστάμενον. Πλησίαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τῇ εἰσόδῳ, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνος, Θέλεις εἰσελθεῖν Ἀββᾶ. Ὅδε Ἀντώνιος ἔφη· Ναί· Καὶ ἀνοίξας εἰσήγαγεν αὐτόν. Εἰστελθὼν οὖν ὁ Πρεσβύτερος εὑρίσκει τὸν Σταυροφύλακα σχολάζοντα πρὸς τοῦ ἁγίου Γολγοθᾶ· ὃς ἰδὼν καὶ ἀσπασάμενος τὸν Ἀντώνιον, πρῶτος ἐπηρώτα αὐτὸν, πόθεν παραγέγονεν. Φήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, Ἐκ τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ ὄρους, τοῦ ὄντος πλησίον τῆς Ἀντιοχέων πόλεως· εὐθέως μετὰ πολλῆς χαρᾶς περιπτυξάμενος αὐτὸν, εἰσήγαγεν εἰς τὸν ἅγιον Γολγοθᾶ, καὶ ἐν ὅλοις τοῖς δεσποτικοῖς τόποις. Προσκυνήσας δὲ τῷ Κυρίῳ ὁ Ἀντώνιος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, οὗ ἔστησαν οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ, καὶ βαλὼν μετάνοιαν τῷ Σταυροφύλακι, ἐπιδέδωκεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπιστολήν. Ἣν μετὰ χαρᾶς πολλῆς δεξάμενος ὁ ὁσιώτατος Σταυροφύλαξ καὶ ἀναγνοὺς, ἀγαλλιασάμενος ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, μετακαλέσατο παραχρῆμα χρυσοχόον· καὶ ποιήσας σταυρὸν χρυσοῦν, καὶ ἐγκλείσας ἐν μέσῳ αὐτοῦ μερίδα τοῦ τιμίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ σταυροῦ, καὶ βαλὼν αὐτὸ ἐν θηκαρίῳ, δέδωκεν τῷ Πρεσβυτέρῳ Ἀντωνίῳ μετὰ τῶν ἀντιγράφων, καὶ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν μετ᾽ εἰρήνης. Ὁ δὲ παρευθὺς μετὰ χαρᾶς κατελθὼν ἐν Ἰώππῃ, καὶ εὑρὼν ἕτοιμον πλοῖον, διανύει τὸν πλοῦν μέχρι Σελευκίας, καὶ κατήντησεν ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ πρὸς τὸν Ἅγιον, τῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ τῇ ὥρᾳ, ἐν ᾗ πρὸ ἐνιαυτοῦ, μέλλοντος τοῦ Ἁγίου ἀνέρχεσθαι εἰς τὸν κίονα, λαβοῦσα ἡ μακαρία Μάρθα τὸν τίμιον σταυρὸν προεπορεύετο αὐτῷ, καθὼς προλέλεκται. Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐθαύμασεν σὺν πάσῃ τῇ ἀδελφότητι· καὶ δεξάμενος

[The Greek text of the Staurophylax's reply and the surrounding narrative ([67]–[73]) is preserved verbatim above; the Latin parallel translation begins at section 67 below.]

[67] But Antonius the Presbyter making his journey prayed, that he might find grace in the holy Resurrection through the prayers of S. Symeon and Martha his mother. And when approaching he had entered the holy city of Christ, he beheld from afar the closed gates of the holy Resurrection, Antonius having returned, and not far from them the Doorkeeper standing: who asks him approaching there, Whether he wished to enter; and Antonius answered, Altogether: and the gates being unlocked he was led in, and found the Staurophylax occupied in holy Golgotha. He when he beheld Antonius coming asked first, whence he was present; and he answering, From the Mount-wonderful, which is very near Antioch; straightway with the highest gladness having embraced him, he led him into holy Golgotha, and all the places of the Lord's Passion. After Antonius had adored the Lord in the place where His feet stood; reverence being exhibited to the Staurophylax, he handed him the epistle: which he with the greatest joy received and reading through and exulting in the holy Spirit, straightway summoned a goldsmith: and a golden Cross being made, a particle of the holy Cross being received he enclosed in the middle of it a part of the venerable and life-giving Cross: and so set it in a case and gave it to Antonius the Presbyter, the responsories being adjoined, and so dismissed him in peace. He descended straightway with joy to Joppa, and a ship being found ready accomplished the journey to Seleucia, and returned to the monastery to the Saint on the same day and hour, on which the year before, when Symeon was about to ascend the column, B. Martha bore before him the venerable Cross taken in hand, just as has been mentioned above. But the servant of God seeing him coming, he hands it over to Symeon with the responsories, marveled with all the Brothers; and the honorable and vital Cross being received, he embraced it, and adored the divine power, paying thanks for all things to God with great faith: then he also read the epistle, containing these things.

[68] I have received the venerable and august letters of your Sanctity, Lord Antonius the Presbyter delivering them; which read, whereby the Staurophylax, after asking the Saint's prayers filled with spiritual exultation and gladness, I gave thanks to the Lord God for all things, in which He has prevented me, unworthy, that I should receive your holy letters and words divinely inspired. But there were contained in them certain more obscure expressions of the servant of God Moses, which seemed very difficult to explain to my smallness: and since I doubt, whether I rightly grasp the senses of some of them, deign, Lord, to render more plain to me the understanding of the same through your venerable letters. Then you attributed certain other things to my humility from the treasure of your genius, of which I a poor wretch never possessed anything. For you, since you are familiars and friends of God, and have crucified yourselves with our saviour Jesus Christ, are nearer to the Cherubim, not ceasing day and night with the heavenly choirs to celebrate His praises. Wherefore I ask you, who are most holy, that in your hymns, which you continually sing to God, you offer my humility together; that, your holy prayers acceptable to God helping, I may obtain the propitiation of my sins: and that you may give effect to it, again and again through the love of Christ I pray and beseech you, venerable Father.

[69] But I send, as you commanded, a venerable and unstained part of the life-giving Cross, enclosed in the middle of a golden Cross; he indicates what Relics he sends to him. in each horn of which I have fixed a portion of the venerable rock of holy and glorious Golgotha bare, on which the Son of God poured out His precious blood: and in the two other extremities, upper and lower, I have enclosed something of the holy stone, which by the aid of the holy Angel was rolled from the door of the glorious and immaculate sepulcher of our Lord God and saviour Jesus Christ: which is likewise bare, that it may better be adored. These things therefore when thou hast received, venerable Father, deign to make us more certain by a reply that, God favoring, they have been rightly conveyed. Be mindful during prayer of my humility, I ask, that through your holy prayers I may obtain from Christ the saviour a little mercy, and that besides you may hold Christ a debtor for our salvation. I ask finally that toward my humility thou be so affected, as if I were present and familiar with your Sanctity, and let my misery recur to you always, while you perform your office. That also I ask of you most earnestly, Lord, that you write back to my humility, and exhilarate me with your divine letters and instructions.

[70] Moreover he who merited to perform such a ministry, Antonius the Presbyter, inflamed with divine ardor and desire toward the Saint, remained from that time with him: but some years having elapsed the servant of God promoted him to the Episcopate of Seleucia, Antonius adhering to Symeon becomes Bishop which is near to the great city Antioch. And now the space of twelve months had passed, when the first anniversary light of B. Martha's death was at hand: and there came together by the instinct of divine grace, no one indicating anything to any of the Brothers even by a word, a huge multitude of men and women, On B. Martha's anniversary furnished with candles and lamps, about to celebrate her yearly memory. And when they had kept vigil, the day now far risen; they all who had come together adored the life-giving Cross publicly set forth, crying out with us: We adore Thy Cross, Lord, and glorify Thy holy resurrection. After they had so adored, Antonius the Presbyter lifted up the venerable Cross, the Deacons accompanying with ^b fans and censers, and singing: publicly the holy Cross is elevated. Save us, Son of God, who wast crucified for us, alleluia: and laid it back in the treasury. Then having pursued the lections, they celebrated a complete festival, the servant of God Symeon performing the sacred rites at the altar. Wonderful therefore is God, who glorified in counsel His Saint, because He makes His Saints, who are on earth, wonderful: since all, as Blessed David says, His wills are in them. Psal. 15, 3., Ps. 30, 22. For indeed He magnified His mercy in the fortified city by glorifying His holy servant Martha, and in turn was glorified in her.

[71] Very many others also, approaching the case of the Relics of B. Martha, were cured of various sicknesses and demon-vexations. Of two brothers exceedingly calamitous Whose fame when two Brothers Proaeresius and Hilarion, sprung from Phrygia, had perceived; and had besides heard the marvels, which God worked through S. Symeon His servant; both resolved to betake themselves to him, about to seek a remedy for their most grave necessity and despair. For Hilarion was held by a most difficult evil, and with his foot putrefied emitted so great a stench, that no one could stand by him, nay by the sentence of physicians he was held for one given up: but his elder brother Proaeresius bore his right hand in the lower part so dislocated and relaxed, that he could not move it at all. Both therefore being carried by some of their household into a ship, were conveyed to the monastery. But before they had ascended to the column and the Saint, Hilarion approached by chance nearer to the tomb of B. Martha; the one at B. Martha's tomb is suddenly cured, where suddenly the pains, by which he was pressed, were not moderately remitted and soothed. For the devil, who under the appearance of disease had concealed himself, as if tortured by fire, wailing and lamenting fled thence through the intercession of B. Martha: and so shortly after he was relieved of all pain altogether; and the sacred dust being sprinkled on his incurable wound, it was straightway purged, flesh grew over it, and the man was perfectly healed.

[72] Proaeresius moreover ascended to the Saint, and prolix thanks being given for his Brother, prayed nothing for the cure of his right hand. But the Saint, penetrating the worst conception of his mind; O foolish, said he, and slow of heart to believe, as the Lord says; wherefore dost thou too not seek grace from God, the other blasphemous, and ejected by Symeon, by which thy hand may be cured? Luc. 24, 25. But he, tempted by the devil, dared to reply: If Christ Himself, the Son of God, coming hither should touch my hand, I do not believe it would be rightly. Symeon indignant at so great a blasphemy, ordered the man to be ejected thence, and prohibited from returning to the column. Who afterward restored to mind, tarried a second and third day with compunct mind, much weeping, and repenting of so great a blasphemy: and so secretly from all touched the tomb of B. Martha, imploring mercy and pardon through her intercession. But the omnipotent and kind God, no account being had of his infidelity, endowed him with health through His holy servant, and his hand was restored to him as sound as the other. the penitent finds healing there. Then he confessed and prostrated to the Saint asked pardon of his sin and foolish speech. And the servant of God said: Behold the Son of God is merciful, who, thy sins being neglected, willed to bestow this grace on His servant, by which He cured thee: remain therefore penitent and henceforth sin not against Him through infidelity, lest something worse befall thee.

[73] And these few things out of many we have judged it advisable to commit to writing, B. Martha bestowed many other benefits, for the edification and emolument of faithful readers: passing over more things in silence, lest with weak ears we be grievous by the multitude of things said: for many also at that time, B. Martha interceding, miracles followed; and now without intermission He bestows healings through her (as those are taught by experience who approach with faith) Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever; who works all things in all. For she, dwelling with God's lovers, and expressing in herself the virtues and perfection of all who live holily, became truly the good odor of Christ and the habitation of the holy Spirit: and now bestows them being more closely joined to God. by whom strengthened then indeed she shone with exceptional works of piety, and was set forth to all as an example of right conversation; but now admitted nearer to the throne of grace, she offers with confidence her prayers to Christ the Lord for us, demanding and obtaining peace, salvation, grace and mercy. For the Lord will do the will of those who fear Him, and will hear their prayers, who pursues men with love, to Him be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

ANNOTATA C. I.

ON BLESSED MARTHA

HEGUMENA OF MONEMVASIA IN LACONIA.

THE 10TH CENTURY.

A FRAGMENT OF THE LIFE

From a Florentine Ms., Translator C. Janning.

Martha the Hegumena, of Monemvasia in Laconia (B.)

BY THE AUTHOR C. J.

Besides the Life of B. Martha, the mother of Symeon the Stylite on the Mount-wonderful, which from the Florentine Library we have already given: of another also of the same name, Of another Martha of a day unknown to us but far younger and much separated in place, a short elogium or one or another miracle the Fathers, my Masters, found in a Ms. in the Library of the Duke of Savoy: which (if no other cause remained) even for this reason can seem to be made public, because that Library, now reduced to ashes with no slight detriment to letters, has been snatched away by the voracious flames, and perhaps cannot be found elsewhere. I would not however that the Reader attribute more sanctity to this woman, than from the following narration he shall have judged to belong to her: since from elsewhere not only nothing of her cultus, but not even of her name or life has become known to us. No day also is ascribed, and therefore fleeing to the name, we have judged it best to subjoin her to the other Martha. The title moreover comprehends several things, of which in the narration there is not a word; which if any zealous of this Work, to be promoted to the glory of God and the Saints, can communicate to us, they will deserve well of very many. But the title is, as follows.

[2] Παύλου Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Μονεμβασίας διήγεσις ψυχοφελὴς, περὶ τῶν εὐαρέτων καὶ θεοσεβῶν ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν, καὶ περὶ τῶν τριῶν ἁγίων Γυναικῶν, τῶν ἀναιρεθέντων ἐπὶ Κονσταντίνου τοῦ Βασιλέως, τοῦ υἰοῦ τοῦ Λέοντος καὶ Ζωῆς, γαμβροῦ δὲ Ῥωμανοῦ Βασιλέως τοῦ Γέροντος, καὶ περὶ τῆς μακαρίας Μάρθας, τῆς Ἡγουμένης τοῦ πανσέπτου ναοῦ τῆς ὑπεγαγίας Θεοθόκου, ἐν τῇ θεοφρουρήτῳ πόλει Μονεμβασίας, κάθωθεν τῆς ὁδηγηρίας τοῦ αὐτοῦ κάστροῦ ἄνωθεν τοῦ Βλυχαροῦ ὕδατος. That is: A narration of Paul the Archbishop ^a of Monemvasia, very useful, concerning the best and religious men and women, and also concerning the three holy women, slain under Constantine ^b the Emperor, son of Leo and ^c Zoe, son-in-law of Romanus the elder Emperor: likewise concerning B. Martha ^d the Hegumena of the venerable church of the most holy Mother of God in the city, safe by divine protection, Monemvasia; below the way of the same castle, above the Blychara water. But the narration concerning Martha alone is such.

[3] Ἐπὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων προγόνων, ἐν τῷ κάτω μοναστηρίῳ τῆς ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου, ἦν Ἡγουμένη ἡ μακαρία Μάρθα, καὶ ἡ αὐτὴ ἦν ἐνάρετος, ὡς μὴ ἄλλην τινὰ τοιαύτην δείκνυσθαι ἐν τῷ κάστρῳ Μονεμβασίας. Συνέβη οὖν αὐτῇ αἱμοῤῥοεῖν, καὶ διὰ τὴν τοιαύτην ἀσθένειαν ἐν τοῖς κατηχουμένοις ἐσχόλαζεν τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἁγίου ναοῦ. Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν τῶν ἡμερῶν μοναχός τις γέρων ἦλθεν ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ

Continebantur autem illis obscuriores quædam famuli Dei Moysis locutiones, quæ admodum difficiles explicatu visæ sunt exiguitati meæ: & quoniam dubito, utrum quarumdam sensa recte capiam, dignare, Domine, planiorem mihi reddere earumdem intellectum per venerandas litteras vestras. Tum alia quædam attribuistis humilitati meæ ex thesauro ingenii vestri, quorum misellus ego nihil umquam possedi. Vos namque, familiares ac amici Dei cum sitis, & crucifixeritis vos cum salvatore nostro Jesu Christo, propius a Cherubinis abestis, non cessantes diu noctuque cum cælestibus choris laudes illius celebrare. Qua propter rogo vos, qui sanctissimi estis, ut in hymnis vestris, quos Deo continenter canitis, humilitatem meam simul offeratis; quo, auxiliantibus sanctis acceptisque Deo precibus vestris, propitiationem meorum consequar peccatorum: idque ut effectum detis, etiam atque etiam per amorem Christi vos oro atque obsecro, venerande Pater.

[69] I send moreover, as you commanded, a venerable and unstained part of the life-giving Cross, enclosed in the middle of a golden Cross; he indicates what Relics he sends to him. in each horn of which I have fixed a portion of the venerable rock of holy and glorious Golgotha bare, on which the Son of God poured out His precious blood: and in the two other extremities, the upper and lower, I have enclosed something of the holy stone, which by the aid of the holy Angel was rolled away from the door of the glorious and immaculate sepulcher of our Lord God and saviour Jesus Christ: which itself likewise is bare, that it may better be adored. These things therefore when thou shalt have received, venerable Father, deign to make us more certain by a reply, that, God favoring, they have been rightly conveyed. Be mindful during prayer of my humility, I ask, that through your holy prayers I may obtain from the saviour Christ a little of mercy, that besides you may hold Christ a debtor for our salvation. I ask finally that toward my humility thou be so affected, as if I were present and familiar with your Sanctity, and let my misery recur to you always, while you perform your office. That also most earnestly I ask of you, Lord, that you write back to my humility, and exhilarate me with your divine letters and instructions.

[70] Moreover Antonius the Presbyter who merited to perform such a ministry, inflamed with divine ardor and desire toward the Saint, remained from that time with him: but some years having elapsed the servant of God promoted him to the Episcopate of Seleucia, Antonius adhering to Symeon becomes Bishop which is near to the great city of Antioch. And now the space of twelve months had passed, when the first anniversary light of B. Martha's death was at hand: and there came together by the instinct of divine grace, no one indicating anything to any of the Brothers even by a word, a huge multitude of men and women, On B. Martha's anniversary furnished with candles and lamps, about to celebrate her yearly memory. And when they had kept vigil, the day now far risen; they all who had come together adored the life-giving Cross publicly set forth, crying out with us: We adore Thy Cross, Lord, and glorify Thy holy resurrection. After they had so adored, Antonius the Presbyter lifted up the venerable Cross, the Deacons accompanying with ^b fans and censers, and singing: publicly the holy Cross is elevated. Save us, Son of God, who wast crucified for us, alleluia: and laid it back in the treasury. Then having pursued the lections, they celebrated a complete festival, the servant of God Symeon performing the sacred rites at the altar. Wonderful therefore is God, who glorified in counsel His Saint, because He makes His Saints, who are on earth, wonderful: since all, as Blessed David says, His wills are in them. Psal. 15, 3., Ps. 30, 22. For indeed He magnified His mercy in the fortified city by glorifying His holy servant Martha, and in turn was glorified in her.

[71] Very many others also, approaching the case of the Relics of B. Martha, were cured of various sicknesses and demon-vexations. Of two brothers exceedingly calamitous Whose fame when two Brothers Proaeresius and Hilarion, sprung from Phrygia, had perceived; and had besides heard the marvels, which God worked through S. Symeon His servant; both resolved to betake themselves to him, about to seek a remedy for their most grave necessity and despair. For Hilarion was held by a most difficult evil, and with his foot putrefied emitted so great a stench, that no one could stand by him, nay by the sentence of physicians he was held for one given up: but his elder brother Proaeresius bore his right hand in the lower part so dislocated and relaxed, that he could not move it at all. Both therefore being carried by some of their household into a ship, were conveyed to the monastery. But before they had ascended to the column and the Saint, Hilarion approached by chance nearer to the tomb of B. Martha; the one at B. Martha's tomb is suddenly cured, where suddenly the pains, by which he was pressed, were not moderately remitted and soothed. For the devil, who under the appearance of disease had concealed himself, as if he were tortured by fire, wailing and lamenting fled thence through the intercession of B. Martha: and so a short time after he was relieved of all pain altogether; and the sacred dust being sprinkled on his incurable wound, it was straightway purged, flesh grew over it, and the man was perfectly healed.

[72] Proaeresius moreover ascended to the Saint, and prolix thanks being given for his Brother, prayed nothing for the cure of his right hand. But the Saint, penetrating the worst conception of his mind; O foolish, said he, and slow of heart to believe, as the Lord says; wherefore dost thou too not seek grace from God, the other blasphemous, and ejected by Symeon, by which thy hand may be cured? Luc. 24, 25. But he, tempted by the devil, dared to reply: If Christ Himself, the Son of God, coming hither should touch my hand, I do not believe it would have it rightly. Symeon indignant at so great a blasphemy, ordered the man to be ejected thence, and prohibited from returning to the column. Who afterward restored to his mind, tarried a second and third day with compunct mind, much weeping, and repenting of so great a blasphemy: and so secretly from all touched the tomb of B. Martha, imploring mercy and pardon through her intercession. But the omnipotent and kind God, no account being had of his infidelity, endowed him with health through His holy servant, and his hand was restored to him as sound as the other. the penitent finds healing there. Then he confessed and prostrated to the Saint asked pardon of his sin and foolish speech. And the servant of God said: Behold the Son of God is merciful, who, thy sins being neglected, willed to bestow this grace on His servant, by which He cured thee: remain therefore penitent and henceforth sin not against Him through infidelity, lest something worse befall thee.

[73] And these few things out of many we have judged it advisable to commit to writing, B. Martha bestowed many other benefits, for the edification and emolument of faithful readers: passing over more things in silence, lest with weak ears we be grievous by the multitude of things said: for many also at that time, B. Martha interceding, miracles followed; and now without intermission He bestows healings through her (as those are taught by experience who approach with faith) Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever; who works all things in all. For she, dwelling with God's lovers, and expressing in herself the virtues and perfection of all who live holily, became truly the good odor of Christ and the habitation of the holy Spirit: and now bestows them being more closely joined to God. by whom strengthened then indeed she shone with exceptional works of piety, and was set forth to all as an example of right conversation; but now admitted nearer to the throne of grace, she offers with confidence her prayers to Christ the Lord for us, demanding and obtaining peace, salvation, grace and mercy. For the Lord will do the will of those who fear Him, and will hear their prayers, who pursues men with love, to Him be glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

ANNOTATA C. I.

ON BLESSED MARTHA

HEGUMENA OF MONEMVASIA IN LACONIA.

THE 10TH CENTURY.

A FRAGMENT OF THE LIFE

From a Florentine Ms., Translator C. Janning.

Martha the Hegumena, of Monemvasia in Laconia (B.)

BY THE AUTHOR C. J.

Besides the Life of B. Martha, the mother of Symeon the Stylite on the Mount-wonderful, which from the Florentine Library we have already given: of another also of the same name, Of another Martha of a day unknown to us but far younger and much separated in place, a short elogium or one or another miracle the Fathers, my Masters, found in a Ms. in the Library of the Duke of Savoy: which (if no other cause remained) even for this reason can seem to be made public, because that Library, now reduced to ashes with no slight detriment to letters, has been snatched away by the voracious flames, and perhaps cannot be found elsewhere. I would not however that the Reader attribute more sanctity to this woman, than from the following narration he shall have judged to belong to her: since from elsewhere not only nothing of her cultus, but not even of her name or life has become known to us. No day also is ascribed, and therefore fleeing to the name, we have judged it best to subjoin her to the other Martha. The title moreover comprehends several things, of which in the narration there is not even a word; which if any zealous of this Work, to be promoted to the glory of God and the Saints, can communicate to us, they will deserve well of very many. But the title is, as follows.

[2] Παύλου Ἀρχιεπισκόπου Μονεμβασίας διήγεσις ψυχοφελὴς, περὶ τῶν εὐαρέτων καὶ θεοσεβῶν ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν, καὶ περὶ τῶν τριῶν ἁγίων Γυναικῶν, τῶν ἀναιρεθέντων ἐπὶ Κονσταντίνου τοῦ Βασιλέως, τοῦ υἰοῦ τοῦ Λέοντος καὶ Ζωῆς, γαμβροῦ δὲ Ῥωμανοῦ Βασιλέως τοῦ Γέροντος, καὶ περὶ τῆς μακαρίας Μάρθας, τῆς Ἡγουμένης τοῦ πανσέπτου ναοῦ τῆς ὑπεγαγίας Θεοθόκου, ἐν τῇ θεοφρουρήτῳ πόλει Μονεμβασίας, κάθωθεν τῆς ὁδηγηρίας τοῦ αὐτοῦ κάστροῦ ἄνωθεν τοῦ Βλυχαροῦ ὕδατος. That is: A spiritually profitable narration of Paul the Archbishop ^a of Monemvasia, concerning the virtuous and God-fearing men and women, and concerning the three holy Women, slain under Constantine ^b the Emperor, son of Leo and ^c Zoe, son-in-law of Romanus the elder Emperor: likewise concerning B. Martha ^d the Hegumena of the all-venerable temple of the most holy Mother of God in the city, safe by divine protection, Monemvasia; below the way of the same castle, above the Blychara water. But the narration concerning Martha alone is such.

[3] Ἐπὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων προγόνων, ἐν τῷ κάτω μοναστηρίῳ τῆς ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου, ἦν Ἡγουμένη ἡ μακαρία Μάρθα, καὶ ἡ αὐτὴ ἦν ἐνάρετος, ὡς μὴ ἄλλην τινὰ τοιαύτην δείκνυσθαι ἐν τῷ κάστρῳ Μονεμβασίας. Συνέβη οὖν αὐτῇ αἱμοῤῥοεῖν, καὶ διὰ τὴν τοιαύτην ἀσθένειαν ἐν τοῖς κατηχουμένοις ἐσχόλαζεν τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἁγίου ναοῦ. Ἐν μιᾷ οὖν τῶν ἡμερῶν μοναχός τις γέρων ἦλθεν ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ

μοναστηρίῳ, ἐπεζήτει τὴν Ἡγουμένην θεάσασθαι. Ὡς οὖν ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῇ αἱ μονάζουσαι ὅτι μοναχός τις ξένος ἐπεζήτει σε ἰδεῖν, προσέταξεν ἀνελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς κατηχουμένοις. Ὁ δὲ ἀνελθὼν, ᾐτεῖτο ἓν τῶν ἱματίων αὐτῆς δοθῆναι αὐτῷ. Ἡ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπε· Πίστευσον, Πάτερ, ὅτι δύο χιτῶνας κέκτημαι, καὶ τὸν ἕνα, ὡς ὁρᾷς, εἰμι ἐνδεδυμένη, καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀρτίως ἔπληνεν ἡ ἐμὴ θεράπαινα, ὅπως ἐνδύσομαι αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐκπλύνεται πάλιν ὅν εἰμι ἐνδεδυμένη, διὰ τὴν ἐπισυμβάσαν μοι κατὰ τὰς ἀμαρτίας ἀσθένειαν· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ κελεύεις, ζητήσω ἐκ τῶν μοναζουσῶν ἱμάτιον καὶ ἐπιδώσω σοι. Ὁ δὲ γέρων ἀκούσας ταῦτα, πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον, εἶπεν· Ὁρκίζω σε εἰς Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, τὸν τεκθέντα ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας παρθένου Μαρίας, ἐκ τῶν σῶν ἱματίων δός μοι ἕν. Τότε ἡ Μακαρία ἐκείνη, ὡς ἤκουσε ταῦτα, προσέταξε τὴν ὑπηρετοῦσαν αὐτὴν δωρήσασθαι τῷ μοναχῷ τὸν ἐκπλυθέντα χιτῶνα. Ὁ δὲ τοῦτον λαβὼν ὡς ἐκ τῶν κατηχουμένων κατῆλθεν, ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος τῆς ἀοιδίμου ἐκείνης. Ὡς δὲ ᾔσθετο τῆς γεγονυίας αὐτῇ θαυματουργίας, ἀπέσταλε μετὰ σπουδῆς μοναζούσας κελεῦσαι τὸν γέροντα· ὡς δὲ ἐξῆθον ἐκ τοῦ μοναστηρίου αἱ μονάζουσαι ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν, οὐδαμῶς τοῦτον θεάσασθαι ἐδυνήθησαν.

[4] Τὴν τοιαύτην ἡμέραν καὶ ὥραν ὤφθη ὁ γέρων ἐκεῖνος, ὁ φαινόμενος ὡς μοναχὸς, ἐν Θεσσαλονίκῃ Μονεμβασιώταις τισὶ, οὖσιν ἐκεῖσε δι᾽ οἰκείας αὐτῶν δουλείας, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Γινώσκεται τὴν Κυρίαν τὴν Ἡγουμένην τοῦ κάτω μοναστηρίου ἐν Μονεμβασίᾳ; Οἱ δὲ ἀπεκρίθησαν, Ναί πάνυ γινώσκομεν αὐτὴν καὶ συγγενὴς ἡμῶν ἐστι. Ὁ δὲ γέρων, … ἀρτίως, καὶ αὐτή μοι δέδωκεν τοῦτο τὸ ἱμάτιον· ἀλλ᾽ ὑπάγοντες εἰς Μονεμβασίαν, εἴπατε, αὐτὴν … καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐξῆλθεν ἐξ αὐτῶν. Οἱ δὲ κατώπιν αὐτοῦ ἔδραμεν, ἐρωτῆσαι αὐτὸν. Οἱ δὲ θαυμάσαντες ἐσημειώσαντο τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ τὴν ὥραν, ὅτε ὤφθη αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὡς ὑπέστρεψαν ἐν Μονεμβασίᾳ ἐλθόντες καὶ τὴν μακαρίαν Ἡγουμένην εὑρόντες ἐπληρωφορήθησαν παρ᾽ αὐτῆς τὴν αὐτὴν ἡμέραν καὶ ὥραν, ὅτε ἔστη ἡ ῥύσις τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς· καὶ θαυμάσαντες καὶ δοξάζοντες τὸν Θεὸν, ὑπέλαβον ἐκεῖνον εἶναι τὸν ὡς γέροντα ὀρθέντα, τὸν θεολόγον καὶ εὐαγγελιστὴν Ἰωάννην.

[5] Αὕτη ἡ μακαρία Μάρθα τῆς ἑορτῆς τελουμένς τῆς κοιμήσεως τῆς ὑπεραγίου, Θεοτόκου, ὡς ἦν ἐν τοῖς κατηχουμένοις καὶ τοῦ ὀρθρινοῦ ὔμνου ἐπιετέλουν αἱ μονάζουσαι, ἐθεώρει ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ τοῦ ἁγίου ἐκεῖνου ναοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου καθεζομένην τὴν πανύμνυτον Θεοτόκον, καὶ ταύτην βλέπουσα ἀκαταπαύστως ἐδάκρυεν. Ὡς οὖν πρὸς τὸ τέλος τῆς ὀρθρινῆς δοξολογίας ἤρξαντο αἱ μονάζουσαι ψάλλειν μετὰ φωνᾶς ἰσχυρᾶς, ἡ θεωρία τῆς δεσποίνας ἡμῶν Θεοτόκου ἠκ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τῆς ἀοιδήμου ἐκείνης ἀφανὴς ἐγένετο, καὶ εὐθέως ἔκραξα λέγουσα· Ὢ τί ἐποιήσατε; Αἱ δὲ θαμβεθεῖσαι, μετὰ τὴν συμπλήρωσιν τῆς ὀρθρινῆς δοξολογίας, ἠρώτων αὐτὴν, διὰ τί ἔκραξεν; Ἡ δὲ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐταῖς τὴν φοβερὰν ἐκείνην θέαν, καὶ παρήγγειλεν ἀπὸ τότε ἠσυχῶς ψάλλειν καὶ μετὰ σηντετριμμένης καρδίας. Οἱ γὰρ παριστάμενοι ἐπιγηίῳ Βασιλεῖ, ἀνθρώπῳ φθάρτῳ καὶ ὁμοιοπαθεῖ, οὐ τολμῶσι περιστραφῆναι ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν, ἀλλά μεταβεβλημένου τοῦ φρονήματος παρίστανται, κάτω νεύοντες, μήπως προσκρούσωσι τῷ Βασιλεῖ· καὶ πόσον μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς, αἱ τῷ ἐπουρανίῳ καὶ φοβερῷ Βασιλεῖ, τῷ αφθάρτῳ καὶ αἰωνίω δημιουργῷ πάσης κτίσεως ὁρατῆς καὶ νοουμένης παρίστασαι μέλλομεν σπουδεῖν μήπως προσκρούσωμεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐνοχοι γενώμεθα τῶν αἰωνίων κολάσεων. Τοῖς τοιούτοις λόγοις τάς ἐμπιστευθείσας αὐτῇ ψυχὰς… ἀσκήσεως δρόμον καλῶς διανύσασα, μέτεστι πρὸς Κύριον, παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ κομισαμένη τὸν τῆς ἀσκήσεως καὶ ὑπομονῆς αἰώνιον μισθὸν σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις. Καὶ ταῦτα συνέγραψεν ὁ προειράμενος Παῦλος Ἐπίσκοπος Μονεμβασίας, γέννημα καὶ θρέμμα τῆς αὐτῆς πόλεως.

[6] In the times of our elders there was in the lower monastery of the most holy Mother of God B. Martha the Hegumena, so excellent in virtue, B. Martha the Hegumena, laboring with a flux of blood, that no one to be compared to her was found in the castle of Monemvasia. But it happened that she labored with an issue of blood, and therefore tarried in the ^e Catechumenia of that holy church. On a certain day there came into that monastery a certain monk of advanced age, wishing to address the Hegumena. Which when they announced to her the nuns; she commanded, that he should ascend to the Catechumenia: whither after he had striven, he asked that one of her garments be given him. But the Hegumena said: Believe, Father, I have only two tunics, of which one, as thou seest, I am clothed in; the other my handmaid has just washed, that I may clothe myself in it, while she cleanses this, with which I am now covered on account of the infirmity, which has invaded me for the cause of my sins. But, if thou so commandest, I will bestow on thee some garment of the nuns sought out. Which things heard, the old man fell on his face, saying: to an unknown monk asking she gives her own garment, I adjure thee by Christ our God, who was born of the holy virgin Mary, that thou give me one of thy garments. Then that Blessed woman, when she heard these things, commanded the woman serving her to give the monk the washed tunic. He received it, and descended from the Catechumenia; when suddenly the flux of blood of that celebrated woman stopped: and she is healed, he vanishing: which prodigy wrought in herself when she perceived; she sent with haste nuns to seek the old man: but having gone out from the monastery here and there, they could by no means find him.

[7] On the same day and hour the same old man, clothed in the appearance of a monk, appeared to certain men of Monemvasia at Thessalonica, where they were transacting their own business; who at the same hour appearing elsewhere also to others, and said: Do you know the Lady Hegumena of the lower monastery of Monemvasia? Who answered, Indeed, we know her very well, and she is related to us by blood. Again the old man: Just now I saw her and she has bestowed on me this garment: but going to Monemvasia tell, f that she was healed by S. John the Theologian and Evangelist: and these things said, he went out from them. But they followed him departing, about to question more diligently; but he vanished from their eyes. he is thought to have been S. John the Evangelist. Wherefore having wondered, they noted the day and hour, on which he had appeared: and returned to Monemvasia, the blessed Hegumena being found, they were made more certain, that it was the same day and hour, on which the flux of blood had ceased: hence with admiration praising God, they suspected, that the old man had been the Theologian and Evangelist John.

[8] This same B. Martha, the festal day of the death of the most holy Mother of God being celebrated, when she was in the Catechumenia; and the nuns were performing the morning hymns; beheld in the sanctuary of that holy church sitting on the throne, She sees the B. Virgin in the temple, the all-laudable Mother of God, most worthy of all praise: and while she beheld, she wept continually. But when the nuns toward the end of the hymns began to intone with a clearer sound; the spectacle of our Lady the Mother of God departed from the sight of the venerable Martha, who exclaimed straightway: O what have you done! But they being terrified and after the hymns asking, why she had so exclaimed: she narrated that fearful spectacle, and commanded that thenceforth they sing more modestly and with contrite heart. and she teaches the nuns, with how great modesty one must sing to God. For they, said she, who stand by an earthly King, a man liable to corruption and to pains as well as another, do not dare to turn themselves here and there, but with cast-down face and mind stand still, lest perhaps they offend the King. With how much greater right therefore must we be busy, who stand by the heavenly and dread King, the incorruptible and everlasting artificer of every creature visible and conceivable, lest perchance we incur His offense and eternal punishments. By such words instructing the souls entrusted to her, the stadium of her exercise being well run through, she passed to the Lord, about to receive from Him the eternal reward of her exercise and patience with the others. And these things were written by the aforesaid Paul Bishop of Monemvasia, born and nourished in the same city.

ANNOTATA.

ON S. THOMAS SALUS, MONK OF ANTIOCH OF SYRIA.

THE 6TH CENTURY.

COMMENTARY OF CONRAD JANNING S. J.

Concerning his notice from the Life of B. Martha and Euagrius.

Thomas Salus, Monk of Antioch (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR C. J.

[1] As just now concerning B. Martha, Hegumena of Monemvasia, because the day dedicated to her cultus is hidden, on account of synonymy immediately after S. Martha, the Mother of S. Symeon the Stylite the Younger, we have treated; so at present concerning this holy Thomas, on account of the mention of him made in the Life of the same S. Martha, we undertake to treat. For as it is certain, that this Thomas obtained sacred cultus at Antioch, so it is uncertain on what day he obtained it; and since it can scarcely be hoped that we be taught more certainly from anywhere, Because the day of his cultus is uncertain, no more apt place seemed able to be offered, in which he might be placed, than this very one; where at least there is some reason and connection, that in the preceding life, as I said, of S. Martha he is treated of, perhaps never to recur elsewhere. But that this Thomas, who becomes known from the aforesaid Life Num. 24 and 28, is the same with him, who was long ago known to Euagrius in the Ecclesiastical History book 4 Chap. 35 will clearly be established to one considering both passages soon to be brought forth.

[2] But it is gathered from the same Euagrius, that he flourished at the beginning of the sixth century, and died before the middle of it. For besides that he is written to have lived at that time, in which Symeon Salus of the same institute mocked the world with a wise folly in the time of Justinian; it is most openly indicated, He flourished and died before the middle of the 6th century. that he departed from life, Ephraemius residing in the See of Antioch; since the people announced to Ephraemius the miracle wrought immediately after his death concerning his corpse, not bearing others placed upon it: but that this man did not reach the middle of the sixth century, nor however was far from it, the tables added to Theophanes have. It is gathered likewise, in what region he exercised the monastic life, and also the exceptional tolerance of the man, struck injuriously with a blow: it is also known that he was endowed with the gift of prophecy, from a prophecy which obtained its issue in very deed: and finally to anyone considering the compendium of the Life soon to be subjoined, it will not be difficult to elicit other things thence.

[3] First therefore let that be brought forth which is read in the Life of S. Martha mentioned above. Num. 24 where she asks her son Symeon, that he suffer her to be buried in the common place of Daphne with the strangers; among whom, she says, Dead, he is unwilling to lie among sinners. numbered also B. Thomas obtained burial with them in that place; who, three days elapsed, having attested his glory by a miracle, did not bear himself to be mixed with sinners, such as I am, lying everywhere, and was carried with the highest glory into great Antioch. But in Number 28, S. Thomas is called a monk. More and more illustrious things Euagrius will give, in the place cited above, prefixing this title: Περὶ Θωμᾶ μοναχοῦ, καὶ αὐτου ὁμοίως προποιητοῦ Σαλοῦ. Concerning Thomas the monk, who himself too in like manner simulated folly; namely as S. Symeon Salus, of whose Life he had set forth an epitome in the preceding Chapter. Thus therefore he proceeds.

[4] Ἦν δὲ τηνικάδε καὶ Θωμᾶς τόνδε διαθλεύων, τὸν βίον, ἀνὰ τὴν Κοίλην-Συρίαν, ὄς πρὸς τὴν Ἁντιόχου γέγονε τὴν ἐπίτειον χορηγίαν κομιούμενος τῆς κατ᾽ αὐτὸν μονῆς· ἐτέτακτο δὲ ἐκ τῆς αὐτόσε ἐκκλησίας. Τοῦτον ὁ Ἀναστάσιος οἰκονομῶν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἐπειδὴ συχνῶς αὐτὸν ἠνώχλει, τῆ χειρὶ κατὰ κοῤῥῆς ῥαπίζει· καὶ δυσανασχετούντων τῶν σφίσι παρόντων, ἔφη, οὔτε αὐτὸν ἔτι λήψεσθαι, οὔτε τὸν Ἀναστάσιον δοῦναι· καὶ ἄμφω γενέσθαι· Ἀναστασίου μὲν μεθ᾽ ἢμέραν μίαν τὸν βίον ἀναστρέψαντος, Θωμᾶ δὲ ἐν τῷ τῶν νοσούντων καταγωγίῳ ἀνὰ τὸ προάστειον Δάφνην, ἐν τῇ ἀποπορεύσει, πρὸς τὸν ἀγήρω μεταστάντος βίον. Ἐπειδὴ ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου τεθέντοιν, ὕπερθεν αὐτοῖν τοῦ αὐτοῦ σῶμα γέγονε, μέγιστον θαῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ μετὰ θάνατον αὐτὸν ἀναδεικνύντος (ἀπεπέμποντο γὰρ μακρὰν ἀποκρουόμενοι) θαυμάσαντες τὸν Ἅγιον, Ἐφραιμίῳ διαγγέλλουσι. Καὶ μετὰ δημοτελοῦς ἀγερωχίας καὶ πόμπης μετακομίζεται ὁ πανάγιος αὐτοῦ νεκρὸς ἀνὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου, ἐν δὲ τῷ κοιμητερίῳ τιμᾶται τὴν τηνικαῦτα φοιτήσασαν λοιμώδη νόσον παύσας· οὗ καὶ τὴν ἐτήσιον ἑορτὴν μέχρις ἡμῶν παῖδες Ἀντιωχέων μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἄγουσιν.

[5] There was also at that time a certain Thomas, who in Coele-Syria cultivated the same kind of living. He at some time came to Antioch, That he lived in Coele-Syria: about to receive the annual stipend for the sustenance of his monastery. But this stipend was wont to be afforded from the revenues of the Antiochene Church. On a certain day therefore Anastasius, who was Steward of the same church, struck the aforesaid Thomas with a blow, because he was frequently troublesome to him. Which deed when those who were present bore ill, Thomas said that neither would he receive anything more, nor would Anastasius give it. Both moreover so came to pass; and died at Antioch by the death above mentioned Anastasius the next day being removed from life; but Thomas, during his return, in the hospital of the sick, which is in the suburb of Daphne, being called to immortal life: whose corpse was buried in the monuments of strangers. But since, one and another being buried after him in that place, the body of Thomas always remained above them (God namely even after his death producing a very great miracle; for the other corpses were removed further off and repelled) the inhabitants having admired the holy man, announce the matter to Ephraemius. Then his most holy body was carried with public festivity and solemn pomp to Antioch, and laid honorably in the cemetery; since by its translation it had driven away the pestilent disease, which was then raging. His feast-day the Antiochenes unto our times celebrate every year magnificently. Thus far Euagrius, himself too of Antioch, whence also of greater faith. More to be found concerning him I scarcely hope.

ON B. PHILIP OF PIACENZA

OF THE ORDER OF HERMITS OF S. AUGUSTINE.

IN THE YEAR 1306.

A HISTORICAL COLLECTION.

Concerning his age, cultus, native country, body.

Philip of Piacenza, of the Order of Hermits of S. Augustine (B.)

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

Peter Mary Campi, Canon of the Cathedral Church of Piacenza, in the 3rd volume of the Ecclesiastical History of his native country, printed in Italian about the year 1662, asserts that B. Philip of Piacenza, of the Order of the Hermit Brothers of S. Augustine, died his last day at Piacenza in the Convent of S. Lawrence of the said Order in the year 1306, The time of his death. and that he is celebrated every year with a solemn concourse by the said Brothers of S. Lawrence, on the third feria of Pentecost: which in the said year 1306 fell on this XXIV of May. For then with the cycle of the Moon XV, of the Sun XXVII, with the Dominical letter B, the Pasch was celebrated on the day III of April and the feast of Pentecost on XXIV May. Concerning him the aforesaid Canon writes the following: B. Philip is our fellow-citizen in great esteem and reverence with his dear fellow-countrymen, sacred cultus and illustrated by the Lord God with miracles, both in life and after death: and his sacred body was deposited by the Brothers in a particular sepulcher.

[2] It matters not, that in a certain Ms. Chronicle he is called Philip of Mantua: perhaps that happened for this reason, that at Mantua he received the monastic habit, his native place rather than Mantua or even for a long time dwelt there; in the manner in which S. Nicholas of the same Augustinian Order is surnamed of Tolentino, although he was born in the diocese of Fermo. And why might not a family also be surnamed of Mantua at Piacenza, as now there are the Parmensis, Cremensis, Neapolitana, commonly called da Parma, da Crema, da Napoli and the like. Besides the Mantuans, who are most diligent in enumerating even more recent Saints and Blessed born there (among whom are B. Juliana of Mantua, Abbess at Venice, B. Clara and B. Claromonda nuns of Goadara, and B. Margaret a nun at S. Vincent) do not however reckon B. Philip with them; must be said of Piacenza. although they could not, on account of the nearness of the places, be ignorant of the sanctity of his life and the fame of his miracles. Hence it can be believed that B. Philip was born at Piacenza, and must be reckoned among the Saints and Blessed, by their origin and nativity of Piacenza: as many and most trustworthy writers, even foreign and not of Piacenza, judged him to be. Wherefore the authority of Lord Locatus of Piacenza is not adduced, who might seem to favor the Eremitan Fathers of Piacenza, when concerning him he says: There is also Philip held for a Saint. But in the first place let Ambrose Coriolanus be taken, who as General of his Order could have had full knowledge of his sanctity, and visited his body, and examined the book, in which all his miracles were contained, which the Fathers assert perished in a fire. This General therefore, in his Chronicle printed at Rome in the year 1481, places among the Saints and Blessed of his Order B. Philip with these words: The twenty-sixth was B. Philip of Piacenza: whose body rests in the church of S. Lawrence of Piacenza, of the Order of the Hermit Brothers of S. Augustine in great veneration and reverence: by whose merits God continually shows many signs to all, and especially to those of Piacenza, which it would be long here to narrate. These things there. In the same manner Raphael of Volterra book 21 of the Commentaries, where he treats of this Order of Hermits, brings forward these words: Among the Blessed are also reckoned those, commonly known by the merits of their life, Vitus the Pannonian, and Philip of Piacenza. So also Philip of Piacenza is called by Jerome Seripando the Cardinal, who as Pontifical Legate presided in the Council of Trent, and wrote a Compendium of Augustinian matters. But also Joseph Pamphilus Bishop of Segni in the Chronicle of the same Order printed at Rome in the year 1581, at the year 1441 has these things: Philip of Piacenza, a man as endowed with much sanctity, also miraculously healed many sick, especially William the Prior General, who, seized by a grave disease, was ceasing to live. Finally (which must be greatly weighed) at Pavia in the Convent of the Hermit Brothers of S. Augustine, among the images of the Saints and Blessed of the Order painted in the Cloister, is a devout effigy of this B. Philip, holding in his right hand a lily with some Office, with bald head and beard sparse or almost none, appearing as if he were about fifty years of age, around whose head in a circuit these words are read: B. Philip of Piacenza.

[3] And all these things we have culled from the narration of Peter Mary Campi the Canon of Piacenza, concerning the sanctity and native place of the said B. Philip. by others Mantua is assigned. Meanwhile Jerome Roman, and from him Herrera, of whom we shall treat below, and Ludovicus Torellus of Bologna in his Compendium of Men and Women Illustrious in sanctity of the Augustinian order century 2 chap. 48, think that B. Philip, although by nativity he was of Mantua, is surnamed of Piacenza, because there for almost his whole time he lived, and renowned with miracles even in life he died: just as S. Antony of the Order of Minors, born at Lisbon in Lusitania, is surnamed of Padua, because renowned for merits and miracles he fell asleep in the Lord at Padua. Moreover Thomas de Herrera in volume 2 of the Augustinian Alphabet p. 241 asserts, that in an ancient Ms. Chronicle of Piacenza these things are contained: In the same year 1306 Blessed Brother Philip of the Order of the Hermit Brothers died in the city of Piacenza, glittering with miracles, and was buried in the Church of the Hermit Brothers of Piacenza. Where it is not said born at Piacenza: which we leave to the further examination of others, and from the same Herrera we add these things. If it is true what Pamphilus and Jerome Roman a contemporary of Pamphilus related, namely that B. Br. William of Cremona the Prior General, who, seized by a grave disease, was ceasing to live, was restored by B. Philip to his pristine state of soundness; it must be understood of William still a youth, who in the year 1326

to be taught, it is given here on account of his memory in the life of S. Martha. no more apt place seemed able to be offered, in which he might be placed, than this very one; where at least there is some reason and connection, that in the preceding life, as I said, of S. Martha he is treated of, perhaps never to recur elsewhere. But that this Thomas, who becomes known from the aforesaid Life Num. 24 and 28, is the same with him, who was long ago known to Euagrius in the Ecclesiastical History book 4 Chap. 35 will clearly be established to one considering both passages soon to be brought forth.

[2] But it is gathered from the same Euagrius, that he flourished at the beginning of the sixth century, and died before the middle of it. For besides that he is written to have lived at that time, in which Symeon Salus of the same institute mocked the world with a wise folly in the time of Justinian; it is most openly indicated, He flourished and died before the middle of the 6th century. that he departed from life, Ephraemius residing in the See of Antioch; since the people announced to Ephraemius the miracle wrought immediately after his death concerning his corpse, not bearing others placed upon it: but that this man did not reach the middle of the sixth century, nor however was far from it, the tables added to Theophanes have. It is gathered likewise, in what region he exercised the monastic life, and also the exceptional tolerance of the man, struck injuriously with a blow: it is also known that he was endowed with the gift of prophecy, from a prophecy which obtained its issue in very deed: and finally to anyone considering the compendium of the Life soon to be subjoined, it will not be difficult to elicit other things thence.

[3] First therefore let that be brought forth which is read in the Life of S. Martha mentioned above. Num. 24 where she asks her son Symeon, that he suffer her to be buried in the common place of Daphne with the strangers; among whom, she says, Dead, he is unwilling to lie among sinners. numbered also B. Thomas obtained burial with them in that place; who, three days elapsed, having attested his glory by a miracle, did not bear himself to be mixed with sinners, such as I am, lying everywhere, and was carried with the highest glory into great Antioch. But in Number 28, S. Thomas is called a monk. More and more illustrious things Euagrius will give, in the place cited above, prefixing this title: Περὶ Θωμᾶ μοναχοῦ, καὶ αὐτου ὁμοίως προποιητοῦ Σαλοῦ. Concerning Thomas the monk, who himself too in like manner simulated folly; namely as S. Symeon Salus, of whose Life he had set forth an epitome in the preceding Chapter. Thus therefore he proceeds.

[4] Ἦν δὲ τηνικάδε καὶ Θωμᾶς τόνδε διαθλεύων, τὸν βίον, ἀνὰ τὴν Κοίλην-Συρίαν, ὄς πρὸς τὴν Ἁντιόχου γέγονε τὴν ἐπίτειον χορηγίαν κομιούμενος τῆς κατ᾽ αὐτὸν μονῆς· ἐτέτακτο δὲ ἐκ τῆς αὐτόσε ἐκκλησίας. Τοῦτον ὁ Ἀναστάσιος οἰκονομῶν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἐπειδὴ συχνῶς αὐτὸν ἠνώχλει, τῆ χειρὶ κατὰ κοῤῥῆς ῥαπίζει· καὶ δυσανασχετούντων τῶν σφίσι παρόντων, ἔφη, οὔτε αὐτὸν ἔτι λήψεσθαι, οὔτε τὸν Ἀναστάσιον δοῦναι· καὶ ἄμφω γενέσθαι· Ἀναστασίου μὲν μεθ᾽ ἢμέραν μίαν τὸν βίον ἀναστρέψαντος, Θωμᾶ δὲ ἐν τῷ τῶν νοσούντων καταγωγίῳ ἀνὰ τὸ προάστειον Δάφνην, ἐν τῇ ἀποπορεύσει, πρὸς τὸν ἀγήρω μεταστάντος βίον. Ἐπειδὴ ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου τεθέντοιν, ὕπερθεν αὐτοῖν τοῦ αὐτοῦ σῶμα γέγονε, μέγιστον θαῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ μετὰ θάνατον αὐτὸν ἀναδεικνύντος (ἀπεπέμποντο γὰρ μακρὰν ἀποκρουόμενοι) θαυμάσαντες τὸν Ἅγιον, Ἐφραιμίῳ διαγγέλλουσι. Καὶ μετὰ δημοτελοῦς ἀγερωχίας καὶ πόμπης μετακομίζεται ὁ πανάγιος αὐτοῦ νεκρὸς ἀνὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου, ἐν δὲ τῷ κοιμητερίῳ τιμᾶται τὴν τηνικαῦτα φοιτήσασαν λοιμώδη νόσον παύσας· οὗ καὶ τὴν ἐτήσιον ἑορτὴν μέχρις ἡμῶν παῖδες Ἀντιωχέων μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἄγουσιν.

[5] There was also at that time a certain Thomas, who in Coele-Syria cultivated the same kind of living. He at some time came to Antioch, That he lived in Coele-Syria: about to receive the annual stipend for the sustenance of his monastery. But this stipend was wont to be afforded from the revenues of the Antiochene Church. On a certain day therefore Anastasius, who was Steward of the same church, struck the aforesaid Thomas with a blow, because he was frequently troublesome to him. Which deed when those who were present bore ill, Thomas said that neither would he receive anything more, nor would Anastasius give it. Both moreover so came to pass; and died at Antioch by the death above mentioned Anastasius the next day being removed from life; but Thomas, during his return, in the hospital of the sick, which is in the suburb of Daphne, being called to immortal life: whose corpse was buried in the monuments of strangers. But since, one and another being buried after him in that place, the body of Thomas always remained above them (God namely even after his death producing a very great miracle; for the other corpses were removed further off and repelled) the inhabitants having admired the holy man, announce the matter to Ephraemius. Then his most holy body was carried with public festivity and solemn pomp to Antioch, and laid honorably in the cemetery; since by its translation it had driven away the pestilent disease, which was then raging. His feast-day the Antiochenes unto our times celebrate every year magnificently. Thus far Euagrius, himself too of Antioch, whence also of greater faith. More to be found concerning him I scarcely hope.

ON B. PHILIP OF PIACENZA

OF THE ORDER OF HERMITS OF S. AUGUSTINE.

IN THE YEAR 1306.

A HISTORICAL COLLECTION.

Concerning his age, cultus, native country, body.

Philip of Piacenza, of the Order of Hermits of S. Augustine (B.)

BY THE AUTHOR G. H.

Peter Mary Campi, Canon of the Cathedral Church of Piacenza, in the 3rd volume of the Ecclesiastical History of his native country, printed in Italian about the year 1662, asserts that B. Philip of Piacenza, of the Order of the Hermit Brothers of S. Augustine, died his last day at Piacenza in the Convent of S. Lawrence of the said Order in the year 1306, The time of his death. and that he is celebrated every year with a solemn concourse by the said Brothers of S. Lawrence, on the third feria of Pentecost: which in the said year 1306 fell on this XXIV of May. For then with the cycle of the Moon XV, of the Sun XXVII, with the Dominical letter B, the Pasch was celebrated on the day III of April and the feast of Pentecost on XXIV May. Concerning him the aforesaid Canon writes the following: B. Philip is our fellow-citizen in great esteem and reverence with his dear fellow-countrymen, sacred cultus and illustrated by the Lord God with miracles, both in life and after death: and his sacred body was deposited by the Brothers in a particular sepulcher.

[2] It matters not, that in a certain Ms. Chronicle he is called Philip of Mantua: perhaps that happened for this reason, that at Mantua he received the monastic habit, his native place rather than Mantua or even for a long time dwelt there; in the manner in which S. Nicholas of the same Augustinian Order is surnamed of Tolentino, although he was born in the diocese of Fermo. And why might not a family also be surnamed of Mantua at Piacenza, as now there are the Parmensis, Cremensis, Neapolitana, commonly called da Parma, da Crema, da Napoli and the like. Besides the Mantuans, who are most diligent in enumerating even more recent Saints and Blessed born there (among whom are B. Juliana of Mantua, Abbess at Venice, B. Clara and B. Claromonda nuns of Goadara, and B. Margaret a nun at S. Vincent) do not however reckon B. Philip with them; must be said of Piacenza. although they could not, on account of the nearness of the places, be ignorant of the sanctity of his life and the fame of his miracles. Hence it can be believed that B. Philip was born at Piacenza, and must be reckoned among the Saints and Blessed, by their origin and nativity of Piacenza: as many and most trustworthy writers, even foreign and not of Piacenza, judged him to be. Wherefore the authority of Lord Locatus of Piacenza is not adduced, who might seem to favor the Eremitan Fathers of Piacenza, when concerning him he says: There is also Philip held for a Saint. But in the first place let Ambrose Coriolanus be taken, who as General of his Order could have had full knowledge of his sanctity, and visited his body, and examined the book, in which all his miracles were contained, which the Fathers assert perished in a fire. This General therefore, in his Chronicle printed at Rome in the year 1481, places among the Saints and Blessed of his Order B. Philip with these words: The twenty-sixth was B. Philip of Piacenza: whose body rests in the church of S. Lawrence of Piacenza, of the Order of the Hermit Brothers of S. Augustine in great veneration and reverence: by whose merits God continually shows many signs to all, and especially to those of Piacenza, which it would be long here to narrate. These things there. In the same manner Raphael of Volterra book 21 of the Commentaries, where he treats of this Order of Hermits, brings forward these words: Among the Blessed are also reckoned those, commonly known by the merits of their life, Vitus the Pannonian, and Philip of Piacenza. So also Philip of Piacenza is called by Jerome Seripando the Cardinal, who as Pontifical Legate presided in the Council of Trent, and wrote a Compendium of Augustinian matters. But also Joseph Pamphilus Bishop of Segni in the Chronicle of the same Order printed at Rome in the year 1581, at the year 1441 has these things: Philip of Piacenza, a man as endowed with much sanctity, also miraculously healed many sick, especially William the Prior General, who, seized by a grave disease, was ceasing to live. Finally (which must be greatly weighed) at Pavia in the Convent of the Hermit Brothers of S. Augustine, among the images of the Saints and Blessed of the Order painted in the Cloister, is a devout effigy of this B. Philip, holding in his right hand a lily with some Office, with bald head and beard sparse or almost none, appearing as if he were about fifty years of age, around whose head in a circuit these words are read: B. Philip of Piacenza.

[3] And all these things we have culled from the narration of Peter Mary Campi the Canon of Piacenza, concerning the sanctity and native place of the said B. Philip. by others Mantua is assigned. Meanwhile Jerome Roman, and from him Herrera, of whom we shall treat below, and Ludovicus Torellus of Bologna in his Compendium of Men and Women Illustrious in sanctity of the Augustinian order century 2 chap. 48, think that B. Philip, although by nativity he was of Mantua, is surnamed of Piacenza, because there for almost his whole time he lived, and renowned with miracles even in life he died: just as S. Antony of the Order of Minors, born at Lisbon in Lusitania, is surnamed of Padua, because renowned for merits and miracles he fell asleep in the Lord at Padua. Moreover Thomas de Herrera in volume 2 of the Augustinian Alphabet p. 241 asserts, that in an ancient Ms. Chronicle of Piacenza these things are contained: In the same year 1306 Blessed Brother Philip of the Order of the Hermit Brothers died in the city of Piacenza, glittering with miracles, and was buried in the Church of the Hermit Brothers of Piacenza. Where it is not said born at Piacenza: which we leave to the further examination of others, and from the same Herrera we add these things. If it is true what Pamphilus and Jerome Roman a contemporary of Pamphilus related, namely that B. Br. William of Cremona the Prior General, who, seized by a grave disease, was ceasing to live, was restored by B. Philip to his pristine state of soundness; it must be understood of William still a youth, who in the year 1326

was assumed as General, and survived up to the year 1354 and more. But why should it not be understood that he was healed, the patronage of the dead B. Philip being implored? But Herrera proceeds.

[4] In the church of our convent of Piacenza (as Peter Mary Campi reports) from time immemorial there is held every year a feast of B. Philip, The blessing of water: although he is honored neither with the celebration of the divine Offices, nor of Mass, on the third feria in Pentecost: and in his honor a solemn blessing of water is made, the people concurring, as Andreas Gelsominius narrates in the Heavenly Treasure of devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Formerly his body for many years was laid up above a certain altar in a stone urn, the body carried to the Sacristy, worshipped and adored by the people of Piacenza. But when some years ago a certain noble man wished to adorn and decorate it; in honor of this Blessed one, his sacred pledges were incautiously removed thence, no instrument being asked, nor the Ordinary assisting, and translated to the sacristy; where they now are within a chest. From that carelessness it arose, that now the Bishop of the place juridically doubts of the identity of the body, before it be restored to the aforesaid place more decently and beautifully adorned… Jerome Roman adds, that in his time on the third feria of Pentecost concerning B. Philip every year the divine Office at first and second Vespers, formerly in his own little Chapel. and at the holy sacrifice of Mass was wont to be celebrated: and his spoils in a peculiar little chapel sacred to him, under a marble tomb supported by four columns, were laid, and the sepulcher adorned with these verses.

Lo, holy Philip, who long lay hidden, fragrant, Is enclosed, found lately in this marble.

APPENDIX

TO THE TWENTY-FOURTH DAY.

ON THE MARTYRDOM OF S. MELETIUS AND COMPANIONS.

UNDER THE EMPEROR ANTONINUS.

A CRITICAL PREFACE

Why the narration, in our judgment wholly fabulous, is given here, and indeed in Greek and Latin.

Meletius the Duke, Martyr in Galatia, of suspect faith (S.)

John, the Count, Martyr in Galatia, of suspect faith (S.)

Stephen, the Count, Martyr in Galatia, of suspect faith (S.)

Soldiers 252, with wives and little ones, Martyrs in Galatia, all of suspect faith (SS.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

Of the holy Martyrs Meletius the Duke, and his companions two hundred and fifty-two, who by a diverse kind of death completed martyrdom: likewise of the holy Martyrs Susanna, Marciana, Because the Martyrdom is inscribed in the present Roman Martyrology and Palladia, the wives of the aforesaid soldiers, who together with their little ones were broken in pieces, the Roman Martyrology makes mention on this day, as it is had augmented by Cardinal Baronius, following in these things the Menology of Sirletus, where they are treated of as also in the Synaxaria the Basilian, Claromontane, Chiffletian, Mazarine, Ambrosian, not without notable variety as to the number. For in some there are given to Meletius a thousand two hundred fifty companions; in some, a thousand above a myriad (or eleven thousand) two hundred and eight. Prolix elogia are everywhere added, in which there are named in particular, besides the women named above; Stephen and John the Counts, Festus, Faustus, Marcellus, Theodore, Meletion, Sergius, Marcellinus, Felix, Photinus, Theodoriscus, Mercurius, and Didymus; Serapion the Egyptian, Callinicus the magus, Christianus and Cyriacus boys. Whatever notice of all these has passed into the aforesaid Synaxaria from Acts, which we copied in Greek in the Laurentian Library at Florence, and they are of such a kind, that we are compelled to doubt, whether they have any foundation at all in true history; and therefore, whether they can prudently be reckoned among the Martyrs who became known from these alone.

[2] The whole tragedy is said to have been enacted under Maximus the Governor of Egypt, sent into Galatia against the Christians by the command of the Emperor Antoninus, in the Tabian Metropolis, of which the Bishop then was Dicasius: but this man was present at the Council of Nicaea long after the times of any Antoninus. it had to be given here, although fabulous: Then, by an example to be read nowhere else, the bodies of nearly all are said to have disappeared after death, whence there is of none of them in any particular church a cultus or veneration. But (to be silent about very many other things) what especially deters one from giving faith to the said Acts is the described end of the tyrants, Maximus the Duke, and Antoninus the Emperor: of whom this one coming into Egypt perished by lightning, but to that one succeeding the Prince Leo (unknown to all Roman history) freed Dicasius the Bishop found amid tortures from them, opened the church of the Christians hitherto closed, turned the persecution from the Christians upon the Gentiles themselves. Which things if the most wise Baronius could have read, we think he would have proceeded more cautiously, in inscribing to the Roman Martyrology those, of whom he would have recognized such a source. We had these things indeed already rendered into Latin by no slight labor of our Daniel Cardon, but fearing the scandal of the little ones, however great caution we should apply, we did not dare to set them in their proper place. Lest however we seem to have given nothing to the authority of so many Synaxaria, and to have attributed too much to critical severity in rejecting them; after a long deliberation upon these things, it pleased to enter a new way, by which neither be inserted into the number of certain Saints those, of whom we so deservedly doubt; nor however be withdrawn from the reader the power of judging of the whole matter, who will perhaps bear it ill, if so great and so notable a number, and already received into the Fasti of the Church, be expunged by our private judgment. But if we shall now see it to please, it will be permitted us elsewhere also to proceed in a like cause after this example, to be argued from neither head, either that, suppressing something of the old monuments, we do injury to antiquity; or that, admitting doubtful Saints with the more certain, we obscure the truth.

[3] We retain the day XXIV May, with the aforesaid Synaxaria and Sirletus and Baronius following him, and indeed on 24 May. although in the Florentine Ms. the Acts found are noted In the month of May, on the day XXV. The same, no express number, simply prefix this title: Μαρτύριον τῶν ἁγίων Μελετίου Στρατηλάτου, Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου Κωμήτων, καὶ παντὸς τοῦ πλήθους αὐτῶν: The Martyrdom of the holy Meletius the Duke, John and Stephen the Counts, and of all their multitude. They who took care that the great Menaea and the rest of the ritual books of the Greeks be printed at Venice in the last century, either found no memory of these anywhere, or (which I scarcely believe) on purpose omitted them, otherwise by no means severe explorers of fables. The author of the Spanish Martyrology John Tamayus de Salazar, by the example of Bivarius and from the authority of his Pseudo-Dexter, transcribing them all to Clunia, an old town of Spain among the Arevaci, when also it is inserted into the Spanish Martyrology. today called Cruña del Conde (for this license the silence of Baronius and Sirletus concerning the place and region of the Martyrdom afforded to the author, shall I say, or impostor, of the Dextrine trash), because he saw them referred there to the year 300; thought there pertained hither a monument found at Clunia on a polished stone, in Roman letters thus engraved.

DIOCLETIAN. IOVIUS. MAXIM. HERCUL. CÆSS. AUGG. THE STATE BEING ENLARGED THROUGHOUT THE EAST AND WEST OF THE ROMAN PEOPLE AND THE NAME OF THE CHRISTIANS BEING BLOTTED OUT, WHO WERE OVERTURNING THE COMMONWEALTH.

But these things need no refutation, since to the more learned Spaniards the imposture of the Pseudo-Dextrine Chronicle and others like it is now everywhere known; and to have related such things before sensible readers, is to have refuted them.

FABULOUS ACTS

From the Ms. of the Laurentian Library of Florence Pluteus IX Cod. XIV.

Translator Daniel Cardon of the Society of Jesus.

Meletius the Duke, Martyr in Galatia, of suspect faith (S.)

John, the Count, Martyr in Galatia, of suspect faith (S.)

Stephen, the Count, Martyr in Galatia, of suspect faith (S.)

Soldiers 252, with wives and little ones, Martyrs in Galatia, all of suspect faith (SS.)

FROM THE FLORENTINE MS.

CHAPTER I.

Meletius's victory over the dogs, through which the demons harmed the Christians: and a dream of one soldier concerning him.

Κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον καιρὸν διώκοντο οἱ Χριστιανοὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Βασιλέως Ἀντωνίνου, ἐθνικοῦ ὑπάρχοντος, διὰ Μαξίμου τοῦ Δουκός τῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἀποσταλέντος ὑπὸ τοῦ Βασιλέως Ἀντωνίνου ἐν τῇ τῶν Γαλατῶν χώρα, καὶ ἐξουσίαν λαβόντος τοῦ περιέρχεσθαι καὶ διώκειν τοὺς τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐργάτας Χριστιανούς. Οὅτος ἐλθὼν ἠνάγκασεν αὐτοὺς θύειν τοῖς θεοῖς, ἢ κολάσεσιν ἀνηκέστοις ὑποβάλλεσθαι. Ἐξεπέμφθη δὲ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ τοῦ Βασιλέως εἰς τὴν Ταβιανῶν Μετρόπολιν· ὅτι ἤκουσεν ἐκεῖ εἶναί τινα ἄνδρα τῆς αὐτῆς θρησκείας τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ὀνόματι Μελέτιον, ἐπέσχοντα τὸ ἀξίωμα τοῦ στρατηλάτου ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Γαλατῶν. Ἐλθόντος δὲ Μαξίμου τοῦ Δουκὸς ἐν τῇ Ταβιανῶν μετροπόλει τῆς Γαλατίας, προεφήτευον οἱ δαίμονες, οἱ μὲν παραμένοντες ἐν τῷ δημοσίῳ λουτρῷ τῷ ἐπιλεγομένῳ Γυμνασίῳ, ὅπου εἰστήκει Ἡρακλῆς, καὶ Παλλὰς, καὶ ἡ Ἀφροδίτη, καὶ ἡ Ἄρτεμις, καὶ ἡ Ἀθηνᾶ. Οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ, οἱ ἐν τῷ τοῦ Διὸς ἱερῷ, ἐκ τῶν ἀμφοτέρων συναγόμενοι τόπων, τοὺς παρερχομένους ἀπέκτεινον. Ἦν γὰρ ὁ δῆθεν πρῶτος αὐτῶν λέγων αὐτοῖς᾽ Ὅτιπερ ἐγὼ ἀναβὰς εἰς τρίτον οὐρανὸν, ἤκουσα Ἀγγέλους πεμπομένους ὑπὸ Μιχαὴλ τοῦ Ἀρχαγγέλου, ὅτι ἀπέλθετε πρὸς Μελέτιον, καὶ διαφυλάξατε αὐτὸν, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ. Νῦν οὖν τί ποιήσομεν; Οὐκ ἔτι δυνάμεθα παραμένειν ἡμεῖς ἐν τῷ χαλκουργήματι, καὶ διαστρέφειν τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Τῇ γὰρ τρίτῃ νυκτὶ, μηνὶ Αὐγούστῳ, πεσεῖται ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ χαλκουργήματος οὐρανίῳ δυνάμει, ὑπό τινος Μελετίου λεγομένου. Ἀλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς εἴ τινα ἑόρωμεν νυκτὸς ἢ μεσημβρίας, ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτὸν, ὡς νομίζοντες ἀποκτείνειν Μελέτιον, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ. Ταῦτα οὖν ἤκουον οἱ μιαροὶ ἱερεῖς τῶν Ἑλλήνων παραμένοντες ἐν τῷ ἱερὼ τοῦ Διὸς, καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ Σεραπίονι, ὅστις ἦν ἐλθὼν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου σὺν τῷ Μαξίμω. Χωρήσαντες οὖν οἱ δαίμονες εἷς κύνας, τοὺς παριόντας Χριστιανοὺς ἐπολέμουν· ὁ δὲ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιος ἀκούσας, καὶ ζήλου θεἳκοῦ πλησθεὶς, λέγει τοῖς Κόμησι, καὶ τοῖς Τριβούνοις ἐστῶσιν ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ· Ἄνδρες νεανίσκοι, διὰ τὸν Βασιλέα ἡμῶν τὸν ὕψιστον, καὶ τὸν βραχίονα αὐτοῦ τὸν ὑψηλὸν, τὸν ἐν ἀνάγκῃ πολεμοῦντα ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, στῆτε γενναίως. Ἀκήκοα γὰρ ὅτιπερ κύνες συναχθέντες, οὐδένα καθεστίουσιν τῶν Ἑλλήνων, εἰ μὴ μόνον τοὺς γνωρίζοντας τὸν ἀόρατον ἡμῶν Βασιλέα τὸν ἐπουράνιον. Θέλω οὖν ἵνα τὸν Χριστὸν σύμμαχον λαβόντες ἀποκτείνητε αὐτούς. Εἳς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν νεανίσκων, ὀνόματι Φαῦστος Κώμης, ἐλθὼν λέγει τῷ ὄχλῳ. Τί στήκομεν, Ἄνδρες Ἀδελφοὶ; ἀπελθόντες ποιήσωμεν τὸ κελευσθὲν ἡμῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ στρατηλάτου ἡμῶν. Οἱ δὲ ὄχλοι ἀπίεσαν προθύμως, ἁρπάσαντες ξύλα τοῦ ἀπελθεῖν καὶ ἀποκτεῖναι τοὺς κύνας. Ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος ποιήσας τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, ὑποβληθεὶς ὑπ᾽ Ἀγγέλου, καὶ ἁρπάσας παιδικὸν ἔνδυμα, ἐξεπήδησεν ὡς λέων· ἦσαν γὰρ Ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ οἱ βοηθοῦντες αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἀπελθὼν ὁ Μελέτιος, ἄντικρυς τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἔστη, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ αἱ μιερεῖς· Μή σε διασπαράζοισιν οἱ κύνες· οὐκ οἴδασι γὰρ τὸ τίς εἶ; Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἔβλεπον αὐτὸν μόνον, καὶ ἔχοντα σχῆμα δουληκόν· οἱ δὲ ἔβλεπον αὐτὸν ἔχοντα σχῆμα ἀρχοντικὸν, καὶ ὄχλον μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ λευκοφόρων, ἐχόντων δὲ εἶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν σκῆπτρα βασιλικά. Ὁ δὲ κύων ὁ εἷς, ὁ παραμένων ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Διὸς, πάνυ ὢν εὐμεγέθης, τρεφόμενος ἀπὸ τῶν

μιεροθύτων, προσεσχηκὼς τῷ Μελετίῳ, τοῦ μὲν ὑλακτεῖν οὐκ ἐπαύετο, τὸ δὲ ὁρμῆσαι οὐκ ἐδύνατο ὑποστρεφόμενος. Καὶ λέγουσιν οἰ Ἄγγελοι τῷ Μελετίῳ· Ἐπιτίμησον τῷ κυνὶ, καὶ διαῤῥαγήσεται. Λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος τῷ κυνὶ οὕτως· Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ βραχίων ὁ ὑψηλὸς καὶ ἀόρατος διαῤῥήξει τὸν κύνα τοῦτον. Καὶ εὐθέως διεῤῥάγη ὁ κύων, καὶ εὑρέθη ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ αὐτοῦ δράκων νεκρὸς, καὶ ἐθαύμασαν οἱ μιερεῖς τὸ γεγονός. Καὶ ἀναχωρήσας πάλιν ὁ Μελέτιος, ἔρχεται ἐπὶ τὸ λουτρὸν τὸ δημόσιον τὸ ἐπιλεγόμενον Γυμνάσιον· καὶ προσεσχηκότες οἱ κύνες τῷ Μελετίῳ, διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὄντων Ἀγγέλων περιεστέλλοντο αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἅπερ ἐποιήσατε κακὰ, ὁ Κύριος ἐκζητεῖ, καὶ νῦν τί περιστέλλεσθε; Καὶ πάλιν λέγει ἐν προσευχῇ· Ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ἀκοίμητος καὶ ἀόρατος, ὁ ἐπιβλέπων ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην, διάῤῥηξον καὶ τούτους τοὺς κύνας, ὥσπερ καὶ τὸν ἐν τῷ ἱερῶ. Καὶ εὐθέως ὅλοι διεῤῥάγησαν οἱ κύνες, Καὶ εὐρέθησαν ἐν ταῖς κοιλίαις αὐτῶν ἀσπίδες νεκραί. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Μελέτιος, πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τῆς γῇς εὐλόγησεν τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ ἀναστὰς καὶ ἰδὼν τὰ εἴδωλα τῶν ἀγαλμάτων ἐν τῷ δημοσίῳ λουτρῷ, τοῦ Ἡρακλέος, καὶ τῆς Ἀρτέμιδος, καὶ ἑτέρων ψευδευνύμων θεῶν, εὔξατο κατ᾽ αὐτῶν· καὶ εὐθέως συνετρίβησαν, καὶ οὕτως ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν. Ἀπερχομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ μιερεῖς· Μὴ σὺ εἶ Μελέτιος, ὃν προεφήτευσαν οἱ Θεοί; Ὁ δὲ σιωπήσας ἀνεχώρησεν ποιήσας τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ αὐτοῦ. Ὑπήντησεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος αὐτοῦ, ἔχοντες ξύλα τοῦ ἀπελθῆναι καὶ ἀποκτεῖναι τοὺς κύνας. Καὶ προσχὼν αὐτοὺς ἐρχομένους λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τί κάμνετε, Ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες; Ὁ Δεσπότης ἡμῶν Χριστὸς διέῤῥηξεν τοὺς κύνας. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀκούσαντες ὑπέστρεψαν, καὶ ἀπίεσαν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Οἱ δὲ λέγουσιν· Τί θέλει τοῦτον εἶναι; Φαυστῖνος δὲ ὁ πρῶτος αὐτῶν λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἀδελφοὶ, εἶδον ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ ἐνύπνιον. Καὶ ἐλογισάμην ὅτι ἄρα μὴ βασιλεῦσαι ἔχει ὁ νεανίας οὗτος, ἢ ταχέως ἀποθανεῖν. Οἱ δὲ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἀπάγγειλον ἡμῖν ἅπερ εἶδες. Ὁ δὲ Φαυστῖνος λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἅπερ εἶδον ταῦτά ἐστιν. Ἐνόμιζον ἐν τῷ ὑπνῷ μου, ὅτιπερ ἐκαθέζετο ὁ Μάξιμος ἐπὶ θρόνου, ὑψηλοῦ καὶ μεγάλου ὄντος, καὶ συνεκατέζετο αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπος Ἴνδος· καὶ τῇ μὲν δεξιᾷ χειρὶ ἐκράτει μάχαιραν, ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν Μαξίμου φέρων, τῇ δὲ ἀριστερᾷ νύσσων τὴν πλεῦραν αὐτοῦ, τὸ δὲ στόμα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὦτα τοῦ Μαξίμου ἔχων. Προσέσχον δὲ τῷ Μελετίῳ ἑστῶτι, λαμπρὰν ἐσθῆτα φοροῦντι, ὥσπερ ἀεὶ, καὶ διδόντι εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον ταῖς δυσὶ χερσὶ τῷ Μαξίμῳ. Ὁ δὲ συγκάθεδρος αὐτοῦ ἐπεχείρει πρὸς Μελέτιον, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἐγένοντο εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω μετὰ τῆς μαχαίρας. Ἔπειτα εἶδον Ἰωάννην καὶ Στέφανον ἐλθόντας καὶ σταθέντας, ἕνα μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν, καὶ ἕνα ἐξ εὐωνύμων τοῦ Μελετίου, καὶ ἐνυβρίσοντας Μάξιμον, καὶ τὸν συνκάθεδρον αὐτοῦ. Ἔπειτα δὲ μέγα θέαμα εἶδον· Ἄνδρα κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, οὗ τὸ περιβόλαιον ὡς ἀστραπὴ ἔλαμπεν, καὶ ἡ ὅψις αὐτοῦ ὡς χρυσὸς ἦν ἀποστίλβων· ἐν δὲ τῇ χειρὶ τῇ δεξιᾷ εἶχεν στέφανον ποικίλον, καὶ τῇ ἀριστερᾷ σκῆπτρον· τὸν δὲ στέφανον ἔθηκεν εἰς τὴν κεφαλήν. Μελετίου, τὰς δὲ χεῖρας ἔθηκεν εἰς τὰς κεφαλὰς τῶν δύο Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου. Ὁ δὲ συγκάθεδρος Μαξίμου ἰδῶν αὐτοὺς ἀπεστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ ἡ μάχαιρα ἐξέπεσεν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ἐνεβριμεῖτο τῷ ὄχλῳ· ὁ δὲ κατελθὼν ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν τῷ σκήπτρῳ, καὶ ἐδίχασεν αὐτόν· καὶ ἐπιστραφεὶς πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἶπεν· Καὶ ὑμεῖς μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐστε, κᾀγὼ μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν εἰμι. Τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι; Εἳς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν λέγει· Ἀποθανεῖν ἔχει. Ἕτερος εἶπεν· Οὐχὶ ἀποθανεῖν, ἀλλὰ βασιλεῦσαι. Ὁ δὲ τρίτος λέγει· Οὐδὲν εἰρήκατε, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλως, ἀλλὰ μένει ἡμῖν πόλεμος μετὰ Μαξίμου, καὶ νικῆσαι αὐτὸν ἔχομεν διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡμῶν. Τὸ γὰρ ἐνύπνιόν σού ἐστι τοῦτο, ὃ εἶπες. Ὁ συγκάθεδρος τοῦ Μαξίμου ἐστὶν ὁ διάβολος· ἡ μάχαιρα ὁ πόλεμος καθ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἰσχύει· Ὁ δὲ στέφανος, ὃν ἐκράτει ὁ Κύριος, ἡ νίκη· αἱ δύο χεῖρες αὐτοῦ, ἡ εὐλογία Κυρίου ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς, καὶ Κύριος μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν. Ἀπελθῶμεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τὸν κοινὸν, καὶ ἴδωμεν τὸ γεγονὸς τῷ Ἀρχόντι ἡμῶν, καὶ ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς βοηθεῖ.

[1] At which times the Roman empire was administered by Antoninus, the Prince being still a gentile, a great storm of persecution against the Christians was stirred up by Maximus, the Prefect of Egypt, Maximus persecuting the Christians in Galatia, sent in to invade everywhere those who professed the faith of Christ, and to urge them with harsh persecution. As soon as the impious and cruel man arrived in that province, straightway as many Christians as could be found, were compelled either to sacrifice to the idols, or to undergo most bitter tortures. The Metropolis of ^b Tabia, also by the mandate of the Emperor, the fierce persecutor entered. For by fame he had received that there dwelt in that city a man, whose name was Meletius, a most keen follower of the Christian religion, and set with the highest power over the army among the Galatians.

[2] As Maximus was coming to the city just mentioned, there were heard the voices of demons prophesying various things, the demons fearing evil for themselves from Meletius, who dwelt in that bath, which they called also by the name of Gymnasium, and in which the simulacra of Hercules, Pallas, Venus, Diana, and Minerva were beheld. But the impure spirits who had fixed their seat in the temple of Jove, from each place forced into one, afflicted many of the passersby with death. For he had pronounced, who seemed to obtain the first place among them; because I, ascending even to the third heaven, heard the voices of Angels sent by Michael the Archangel to Meletius, that they should with great diligence keep him and his companions secure against us. What therefore now, companions, shall we do? For it will not henceforth be permitted us to inhabit these bronze simulacra, as before, nor to pervert the souls and minds of mortals. For in the month of August, and on the third night of that month, the head of this bronze simulacrum shall fall to the ground by divine power, a certain Meletius performing the deed. We therefore if we shall have caught anyone at nocturnal or midday time, they conspire themselves also: let us soon slay him, just as if we had Meletius himself before our hands to be killed. These voices of the raving demons when the wicked priests of the Gentiles, who in the temple of Jove performed the impious rites, perceived, they brought the whole matter to Serapion, who had come thither from Egypt with Maximus.

[3] Meanwhile the demons, having entered the bodies of the most ferocious dogs, against whom, having entered into dogs to harm the Christians, miserably tore the Christians going by that way. But the notable servant of God Meletius hearing these things, and kindled with a certain divine zeal, addresses the Counts and Tribunes who then were present, in this manner: Young men, by our supreme Emperor, and by His excelling arm, whose help in straitened matters never fails us, I admonish and exhort you, that you stand bravely and generously in the battle-line, and do the thing which I shall say. It has come to my ears, that the many dogs of the Gentiles forced into one inflict harm on no one, Meletius encourages his companions, unless they fall upon those who acknowledge and profess our invisible and heavenly King. This therefore I will, that, trusting in the divine help of Christ, you slay those dogs as soon as possible. Then one of the younger men, Faustus, conspicuous with the title of Count, advancing into the midst, thus addresses the standing crowd: Why do we delay, men Brothers? let us go on, and what the Prefect of our militia commands, let us strenuously perform. This voice perceived, the whole multitude continually with great courage departed to perform what was commanded, especially furnished with cudgels for destroying and slaying the dogs.

[4] Meletius himself, after he had fortified himself with the sign of Christ moved by a good Angel, and the very great dog let loose against him he killed by a word. and had taken a youthful garment, like a lion offered himself to the danger; for the Angels were helping. Having advanced therefore Meletius stood opposite the profane temple, whom the impious priests soon thus addressed: Lest these dogs tear thee in pieces: for they knew not who he was. For they indeed saw only Meletius, clothed in a habit as it were servile: but to the dogs he was set forth in a far more august form and worthy of a prince, and with him a great crowd conspicuous with white tunics and royal scepters. Then one of those dogs which was kept in the temple of Jove, surpassing the others in size of body, which the priests of Jove had nourished with special care, let loose against Meletius, ceased not indeed to bark, but, repelled by a hidden force, could not at all rush upon him. Then to Meletius the Angels say; Rebuke that dog, and thou wilt see him forthwith burst asunder. And Meletius directing words to the dog, said: The Word divine, and His arm excelling and to no mortal visible, will burst this dog asunder. Which said, the dog without delay burst and fell down; in whose belly a serpent also was found dead, at which portent the nefarious priests were vehemently amazed.

[5] But Meletius taking himself thence, advanced to the public bath, then also the rest, which we said above was also named Gymnasium. And here the dogs let loose again against him, by fear of the Angels, with which Meletius was girt, did not dare to touch the holy man more nearly. Then the Blessed one; Whatsoever, said he, you have done ill, the Lord will require of you. But why do you now stand around me? Then turned to God by praying: Thou, said he, eye of divine providence, who never sleepest, who although thou be by no means seen by us, yet perceivest sharply all the things of the whole world; these dogs, I beseech, now also by the same kind of death, by which thou didst slay that former one leaping upon me from the temple of Jove, prostrate. The prayer finished, the dogs all to a man, as Meletius had willed, were extinguished, in the bodies of each of whom likewise dead serpents were found. and he overturns the statues of the Gods. Moved by the unusualness of the thing Meletius, cast himself prone on the earth and his face, and blessed the Lord. Then rising, and beholding the statues of the idols in the public bath, namely of Hercules and Artemis and of other Gods of false name, he had scarcely conceived his imprecations against them, when they all were broken into fragments; which done, he himself went on elsewhere. But the priests of the idols; Art thou not, said they, Meletius, of whom lately our Gods prophesied? But the holy man, deigning them no reply, and fortifying himself with the sign of the sacrosanct Cross, proceeded on the begun way.

[6] And now a huge multitude of his soldiers, with the woods and cudgels with which they should slay the dogs

well armed, which when he had narrated with his companions, he had to meet him, whom he thus straightway addressed: Why, most loving Brothers and Fathers, do you seek with so great labor? Our Lord Christ has by His potent power slain the dogs, of which I spoke, burst asunder. They understanding these things, together with Meletius retraced the way by which they had come: some also of them, that they might behold all these things, more diligently investigated. To whom Faustinus, the chief of the whole crowd, answered in this manner: This very night, Brothers, a dream was offered me, Faustinus too narrates from which I make conjecture, that this exceptional young man will not long be set over us with command, but will quickly make an end of living. The whole multitude then; Narrate, they cry, to us whatsoever through the nocturnal vision was beheld by thee.

[7] What I saw, answered Faustinus, are these things which I shall say. a vision offered him concerning Meletius, John, and Stephen, I seemed to see Maximus sitting on a lofty throne, and an Indian man at his side, who with his right hand brandishing a sword, seemed to attack the breast and heart of Maximus himself, and with his left to strike his side. Then about to say I know not what to Maximus, he moved his mouth nearer to his ears: but especially I was intent on Meletius, who, clothed in a splendid garment, as he always is wont, with each hand struck the face of Maximus. But he who sat as Maximus's companion attempted to rise against Meletius, and lifting his hands together with a sword on high seemed to wish to bring death. Afterward I see coming and standing by the throne John and Stephen, this one on the right, that one on the left side of Meletius. With many and most sharp reproaches these attacked Maximus, and the companion of Maximus at the tribunal. Then a notable vision was offered. For behold the appearance of a man descending from heaven itself is exhibited to me, whose garment glittering like lightning, and face radiated in the manner of gold. With his right hand bearing a crown admirable in variety, with his left a fiery scepter, he set it on the very head of Meletius, and then each hand on the heads of John and Stephen. But he who was Maximus's companion, the illustrious men whom I mentioned being beheld, fell backward from his chair, nor was he able any longer to hold the sword. But Maximus himself raged angrily against the multitude standing at the tribunal: but he who had descended from heaven, striking the raging one with his scepter, by a just judgment also dispatched the guilty one. After which that same one turned to us; And you, said he, are with me, and I with you. What, I ask, do all these things at length portend?

[8] There was one who said Meletius would without doubt die. Another on the contrary asserted, that not death, but empire was announced to him. A third finally; Nothing, said he, of the things which you have said will come to pass. For know that nothing else is announced by all these things, which another explains. than that a sharp war is at hand for us to be waged with Maximus, from which through the power of Christ we shall come forth victors. This indeed is the certain interpretation of the dream which thou hast narrated: He who sat as Maximus's companion at the tribunal, is the evil demon, whose sword was indeed intended against us, but in vain: but the crown seen by thee in the hand of the Lord, signifies the victory to be carried off, and the very hands of the Lord His kind blessing and help prepared. Let us go therefore to the public forum of the city, and let us intrepid behold what shall befall the prince of our militia, and God will no doubt be present to us.

ANNOTATA.

CHAPTER II.

Meletius, John, Stephen apprehended are in vain solicited, and amid the stripes insult the tyrant.

Ἀπερχόμενοι δὲ αὐτοὶ προσέσχον πρὸς τῆς πύλῃς τοῦ ἱεροῦ Διὸς, καὶ ἴδον τὸν κύνα διαῤῥαγέντα, καὶ ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ αὐτοῦ δράκοντα νεκρὸν, καὶ τοὺς μιερεῖς παρεστηκότας καὶ θαυμάζοντας. Οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεόν. Οἱ δὲ μιερεῖς εἶπον αὐτοῖς· Ὑμεῖς ἀπεκτείνατε τοὺς κύνας. Οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶπον· Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ ἀόρατος, διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ Μελετίου ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτούς. Οἱ δὲ μιερεῖς εἶπεν πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Καλῶς προεφήτευσαν οἱ θεοὶ, διὰ τοῦτῳ καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἀνεχόμεθα ὑμῖν. Οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀπίεσαν ἐπὶ τὸ δημόσιον λουτρὸν, θεάσασθαι καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους κύνας. Οἱ δὲ μιερεῖς τοῦ Διὸς ἠκουλούθησαν αὐτοῖς κρυπτῶς. Ἀπελθόντες οὖν οἱ στρατιῶται, καὶ ἰδόντες τοὺς ἄλλους κύνας διαῤῥαγέντας, καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα συντετριμμένα, ἐπῇραν τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν δοξάζοντες καὶ λέγοντες· Εὐλογοῦ μέν σε τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων Κτίστην, τὸν ἀόρατον Βασιλέα, τὸν ἐπὶ θρόνῳ ἀσαλεύτῳ, τὸν βραχίονα τὸν ὑψηλὸν, τὴν χεῖρα τὴν κραταιὰν, τὸν ἀόρατον πολεμιστὴν, τὸν μόνον ἐλέημονα, τὸν διδόντα δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν τοῖς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ πεποιθόσιν, ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶ ὁ ἐλεὼν, αὐτὸς εἶ ὁ πολεμῶν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡμῶν, αὐτὸς εἶ ὁ συγκροτῶν ἡμᾶς, ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ὁ ἐφορῶν ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῇν· ἐφανέρωσας τὰ θαυμάσιά σου διὰ τοῦ δούλου σου Μελετίου, καὶ νῦν ποίησον κακῶς τοῖς θέλουσι πολεμεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀδίκως, ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶ εὐλογημένος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ταῦτα δὲ ἤκουσαν οἱ μιερεῖς κρυπτόμενοι, καὶ ἰδόντες τοὺς κύνας διαῤῥαγέντας, καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα τῶν θεῶν αὐτῶν συντετριμμένα καὶ ἠδαφισμένα, ἐθαύμαζον λέγοντες· Τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι; Ἄφνω δὲ κατ᾽ ἧλθεν νεφέλη φωτινὴ, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος ἦν, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Θαρσεῖτε, ἐγὼ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰμι. Οἱ δὲ μιερεῖς ἀκούσαντες τῆς φωνῇς, εἶπον πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Ὅτι ὁ ἀόρατος Θεὸς ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς. Ἄλλοι δὲ ἔλεγον· Ὅτι ὁ μέγας Ζεὺς διηλλάγη αὐτοῖς. Οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται τοῦ Χριστοῦ πεσόντες ἐπὶ πρόσωπον, ἐπὶ τὴν γῇν, εὐλόγησαβ τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἀναστάντες ἐκ τῆς εὐχῇς ἀπίεσαν. Τινὲς δὲ ἐκ τῶν μιερέων κατενύγησαν τῇ φωνῇ ᾗ ἤκουσαν, καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτοῖς λέγοντες· Ἀπέλθωμεν, ἴδωμεν πῶς εὔχονται τῷ ἀοράτῳ θεῷ αὐτῶν. Οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθον ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τοῦ Διὸς, καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ Σαραπίονι περὶ τῶν συντριβέντων θεῶν αὐτῶν. Ὁ δὲ Σαραπίων ἀνήγγειλεν τῷ Μαξίμῳ, ἀγαλλιῶν καὶ χαίρων ἐπὶ τῇ συντριβῇ τῶν εἰδώλων, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπὸ τοῦ ὑψίστου Θεοῦ· ἦν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁͅ Σεραπίων ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ μονογενὴς τυγχάνων Χριστιανῶν γονέων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Μάξιμος λαβὼν αὐτὸν ἐξέβαλεν ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτὸν ποιεῖν ἀρχιερέα τῶν θεῶν. Ἀκούσας δὲ αὐτὰ ὁ Μάξιμος ἔρξατο διώκειν σφροδρῶς τοὺς Χριστιανούς. Ὁ δὲ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιος οὐκ ἠνείχετο αὐτῷ πεισθῆναι, καὶ ἐπιθῦσαι. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν συλλαβέσθαι τοὺς Ἀθλητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Μελέτιον, καὶ Ἰωάννην καὶ Στέφανον. Καὶ προσῆναγκεν αὐτοὺς τῶ Μαξίμῳ. Ὁ δὲ ὄχλος τῶν στρατιατῶν αὐτοῦ ἠθέλησαν αὐτὸν ἀποσπᾶσαι ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν· ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος ἐπετίμησεν τῷ ὄχλῳ ἐάσαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, τὸν ἀόρατον ναὶ φιλάνθρωπον, ἐνυβρισθῶμεν μᾶλλον καὶ μὴ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων φαγόντες γελασθῶμεν· ἐλπίζομεν γὰρ ὅτι ῥύσεται ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τῆς μιαροφαγίας τῆς ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν. Ἐκέλευσεν οὖν ὁ ἀνοσιοτώτατος Μάξιμος ἐνεχθῆναι αὐτοὺς συρομένους. Εἰσαχθέντων δὲ αὐτῶν, ὁ Μάξιμος ὁ Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Γράμματα ἐδεξάμην τοῦ Αὐτοκράτορος Ἀντωνίνου, τὰ κελεύοντα τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς θύειν τοῖς θεοῖς, καὶ ὃς ἂν μὴ ὑπακούσῃ τοῖς θείοις γράμμασιν, ὑπεύθυνος ἔσται πάσης κολάσεως. Βλέπετε οὖν, καὶ ἀκούσατέ μου τοὺς λόγους, ἵνα μὴ ἕως ψυχῆς κινδυνεύσητε. Οἱ Ἅγιοι εἶπον· Ἡμεῖς στρατιῶται ἔσμεν τοῦ ἡμετέρου Βασιλέως τοῦ ἐπουρανίου. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Μελέτιε, αἴρω σου τὴν τιμὴν ἕως οὗ θήσης τῷ μεγάλῳ θεῷ Διἳ· ἐπεὶ ἵνα οἶδας, εἰς μεγάλας σε τιμωρίας ἐμβαλῶ, ἐὰν μὴ πεισθῇς μοι. Λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος· Οὐ χρείαν ἔχομεν τῆς προσκαίρου τιμῆς, τῆς ὥδε· ἀλλὰ ζητῶ τὴν τιμὴν τῆς ἐπουρανίου καὶ ἀχράντου βασιλείας Χριστοῦ, τοῦ δεδωκότος τιμὴν τῷ Βασιλεῖ σου, καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς Ἄρχουσιν. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Τιμῶ σε διὰ τὴν ζώνην σου, τιμῆς γὰρ καὶ ἄξιος εἶ. Καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Μελέτιε, οὗτοι τίνες εἰσὶν, οἱ μετά σου ἐστπτες. Μελέτιος εἶπεν· Καὶ αὐτοὶ σὺν ἐμοὶ, δοῦλοί εἰσι τοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἐν μὲν γὰρ τῇ δεξιᾷ εἶχεν Ἰωάννην, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀριστερᾷ Στέφανον. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Νουθέτησον αὐτοῖς θῦσαι τῷ μεγάλῳ θεῷ Διῒ καὶ Ἀπόλλωνι. Μελέτιος εἶπεν· Δικαίως εἶπας, Διῒ καὶ Ἀπόλλωνι· δεῖ γάρ σε εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν χωρῆσαι μετὰ τῶν θεῶν σου. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Μή με ἐνύβριζε, πατὴρ γάρ σου τυγχάνω. Καὶ πάλιν λέγει Μάξιμος· Ἰωάννη, καὶ Στέφανε, φροντίσατε ὑπὲρ τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν, καὶ θύσατε τοῖς θεοῖς. Οἱ δὲ ἀθληταὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶπον· Ἡμεῖς θύομεν θυσίαν ἄχραντον καὶ ἀναίμακτον τῷ ἀχράντῳ Θεῷ καὶ Βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Οὐχὶ ὁ Βασιλεὺς ὁ κατέχων τὴν οἰκουμένην, ἔδοκέν σοι ἐξουσίαν τοῦ διέπειν τὴν τοῦ στρατηλάτου ἐξουσίαν, καὶ ὑμῖν, Ἰωάννη καὶ Στέφανε, στρατείαν μεγάλην ἐν τῷ ἐξερκέτῳ ὑμῶν παρέσχετο; τί οὐ θύετε, τῷ μεγάλῳ θεῷ Διΐ· Ἰωάννης καὶ Στέφανος εἶπον· Μή σοι καλῶς, κύων ἄθλιε, ἵνα τοῦτο ποιήσωμεν· δεῖ γὰρ ἡμᾶς τῷ ἀχράντῳ Θεῷ προσκυνεῖν καὶ προσεύχεσθαι, ὅστις ῥήξει τὴν ἀλαζονίαν σου καὶ τῶν θεῶν σου τῶν κειροποιήτων εἰδώλων. Μάξιμος λέγει αὐτοῖς. Ἀναφέρω καθ᾽ ὑμῶν τῷ Βασιλεῖ. Καὶ εὐθέως οἱ Ἅγιοι, λύσαντες τὰς ζώνας αὐτῶν, ἔῤῥιψαν εἰς τὴν ὄψιν Μαξίμου. Θυμωθεὶς δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς ἀποδυθέντας τύπτεσθαι ξύλοις ἀγρίοις ἀπὸ ὥρας πρώτης ἕως ὥρας ἔκτης, λέγων· Ἴδωμεν εἰ ῥύσεται ὑμᾶς, ὃν σέβεσθε Θεόν. Αὐτῶν δὲ δερομένων ἀπὸ ὥρας πρώτης ἕως ὥρας ἕκτης, καὶ ἐν ἀτονίᾳ πάλιν γενομένων τῶν δημίων, καὶ ἀλλασσομένων, καὶ πάλιν τυπτόντων, οἱ μὲν δήμιοι ἔπεσον ἀχανεῖς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον εἰς τὴν γῆν, οἱ δὲ Ἅγιοι ἀτενίσαντες εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν οὐκ ᾕσθοντο τῶν βασάνων. Καὶ ἄραντες τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος εὐλόγησαν τὸν Θεὸν καὶ εἶπον· Ὁ προαιώνιος Θεὸς, Λόγος ὁ ὢν ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, πρὸ τοῦ κτισθῆναι τὰ σύμπαντα, ὁ καταξιώσας ἡμᾶς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός σου ταύτας τὰς βασάνους ὑπομεῖναι, καὶ μὴ αἰσθάνεσθαι· οὕτως δὲ διὰ πάντων διαφύλαξον πάντας τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπί σε ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν, ἵνα καταξιωθῶσι καὶ αὐτοὶ τῆς σῇς δόξῃς, καὶ πάντες συμφώνως δῶμεν δόξαν τῷ ὀνόματί σου εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Καὶ πληρωσάντων αὐτῶν τὴν εὐχὴν, Μάξιμος

Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Φείδεται ὑμῶν ὁ μέγας Θεὸς Ζεὺς, διὸ θύσατε αὐτὸν ἵνα ἐυΐλατος ὑμῖν γένηται. Οἱ Ἅγιοι εἶπον· Ἀνόητε, καὶ ἄφρων, καὶ μιαρώτατε, ἡμεῖς εἴπομέν σοι, ὅτι ἑνὶ ἀοράτῳ λατρεύομεν Θεῷ, τῷ σώζοντι ἡμᾶς καὶ πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας εἰς αὐτὸν ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν· εἰ δὲ χρήζεις σάρκας, λύκε ἅρπαξ, ἴδε, σάρκας φάγε, ὡς ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ σατανᾶς. Εἰ οὖν βούλει, καὶ ἄλλας τινὰς βασάνους πρόσφερε ἡμῖν· ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοὺς Χριστὸς ἐνδυναμεῖ ἡμᾶς. Ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἔχεις τοὺς τύπτοντας ἡμᾶς, ἐξενεύρωσεν γὰρ αὐτοὺς ὁ Κύριος. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Σὺ μετ᾽ αὐτῶν μὴ ζεύγνυε σεαυτόν· εὔτιμος γὰρ ὢν, ὀφείλεις ἐπιγώσκειν τὸ ἀξίωμά σου. Μελέτιος εἶπεν· Κύων σαρκοφάγε, πάρδαλις μαινομένη, ἄπελθε εἰς τὴν ἀπόλειαν μετὰ τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ διαβόλου, καὶ τὰς νουθεσίας σου· γέγραπται γάρ· Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου· καὶ πάλιν· Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις, τῷ διδόντι ἡμῖν ἰσχὺν καὶ δύναμιν κατὰ τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ διαβόλου. Ἐμοὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστός μου παρέχει τιμὴν αἰώνιον· ἡ γὰρ τιμὴ τοῦ Βασιλέως σου αὐτὴ πρόσκαιρός ἐστιν, σήμερον οὗσα καὶ αὔριον οὐκ οὖσα. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν φυλάττεσθαι.

[9] They went therefore, and as they stood before the temple of Jupiter, they beheld a dog killed with its belly burst open, The soldiers, beholding the slaughter of the dogs and the idols, and likewise a serpent dead in its belly, and the impious sacrificers standing by in amazement. Moved by this spectacle, the illustrious soldiers of Christ blessed God, as was fitting. To them the sacrificers said straightway: You have slain the dogs of our gods. Not we indeed, the most valiant champions replied, but our God, visible to none of mortals, through His word and through His servant Meletius, has slain the dogs. Truly, the impious priests said one to another, the things are true which our gods foretold long before; and on that account we are not able to bear your sight and presence. Then the champions of Christ went to the common bath, that they might behold the other dogs also slain by the miracle, whom the priests of Jupiter secretly followed. When they had come to the bath, and the dogs burst asunder by divine power, and the images of the false gods broken by the prayers of Meletius, were set before them, they praise God, the most pious soldiers, with hands stretched out to heaven, began thus to bless and praise God: We bless Thee above all things, the God and Creator of all, our invisible King, whose throne the power of no one can shake. We bless Thy lofty arm, and Thy most mighty hand: we confess Thee the most generous warrior, and the same invisible to us, the only merciful one, who heapest with glory and much honor those who have their trust in Thee, since Thou art merciful, Thou art He who vanquishest our adversaries, and in all things conspirest with us. The eye of Thy divine providence, ever intent upon the whole world, has abundantly shown its wonderful counsels through Thy servant of Christ, Meletius. But now also show Thyself contrary to those who unjustly prepare to oppress us, since Thou art blessed unto the ages.

[10] All these things the impious sacrificers of Jupiter received with their ears: and when they had beheld the slain dogs and the broken images of their gods, and are encouraged by a heavenly voice. and lying cast down upon the ground, marveling greatly, To what, they said, tends this strangeness of this matter? Then suddenly a bright cloud, and the Lord Himself appeared in the cloud, whose voices were openly heard thus: Be of good comfort, for behold I am with you. The voice being heard, the sacrificers thus address one another: Their invisible God has spoken to them; but others asserted that great Jupiter was conversing with the most valiant men. But the soldiers of Christ, prostrate suppliantly upon the earth, blessed God in prayer, which being ended, they betook themselves elsewhere. Yet some of the sacrificers, astonished and pricked at heart by the voice which they had heard, pressed upon the footsteps of those departing, exhorting one another thus: The matter being reported to Maximus let us go further on with them, and let us studiously observe by what manner they pray to their God, the invisible one. But the rest sought again the shrine of their Jupiter, and reported to Serapion the wretched slaughter of their gods. He, rejoicing and exulting at the breaking of the idols, and the things which God most high had wonderfully wrought (for Serapion, an only son, had fallen to Christian parents in Egypt), reported the whole matter to Maximus, who, having brought Serapion out of Egypt, had enrolled him among the priests of Jupiter.

[11] When the things that were reported had been heard, Maximus began most vehemently to persecute the Christians: Meletius is seized with John and Stephen but Meletius, the illustrious servant of the supreme Godhead, by no means suffered himself to be persuaded to sacrifice to the gods. By the command therefore of the tyrant the noble champions of Christ, Meletius, John, and Stephen, were seized, and led to the tribunal of Maximus. The remaining multitude of soldiers indeed had a mind to snatch their leader Meletius from the hands of the attendants; but Meletius himself restrained them, addressing them briefly thus: Suffer, soldiers, that for the sake of the invisible God most loving to us we rather bravely endure these contumelies, than that, eating of things offered to idols, we deservedly expose ourselves to the laughter and mockery of all. For our hope is no small one, that God will make us persist immune from the eating of unhallowed foods.

[12] and being bidden to sacrifice Them therefore, bound with chains and brought before him, the most impious Maximus addresses in this manner: Mandates have been brought to me, by which the Emperor Antoninus decrees that all Christians take it upon their mind to sacrifice to the gods, and if anyone shall by no means obey his divine edicts, that he become liable to any most grievous punishment whatsoever. You therefore look about yourselves, and suffer yourselves to be persuaded by my words, lest your life be brought into the utmost peril. Then the most holy soldiers: We, they said, have given our names to the warfare of our King, who dwells above all the heavens. And Maximus the Commander: From thee, said he, Meletius, I take away all military honor, until thou shalt have offered sacrifice to Jupiter the supreme of the gods; he steadfastly refuses: but if I shall not persuade thee, know that thou art to be put to death by my command with the most grievous tortures. To whom Meletius: We make nothing, he answered, of the fleeting honors of this temporary life: that glory alone I desire to obtain, which in the heavenly and never-to-be-destroyed kingdom is promised to us by Christ, who has conferred upon thy Emperor, as upon the rest of the Princes of the earth, that glory which they have. But Maximus: On account of thy military belt I hold thee in that honor of which I truly judge thee worthy; and proceeding: But who at length are these, said he, Meletius, whom I see have been brought hither with thee? To whom Meletius: These also, he replied, serve the same Christ with me: for John held the right side of Meletius, Stephen the left. Then Maximus: Persuade them, said he, that they sacrifice to Jupiter and Apollo, the supreme of the gods. Rightly indeed, said Meletius, thou demandest that sacrifice be made to Jupiter and Apollo, thou who with thy gods shalt miserably perish unto eternity. Do not, replied Maximus, rail at me with contumelies, who ought to be to thee in a father's place.

[13] And turning to the companions of Meletius; John, he said, his companions imitating his example. and Stephen, lay not aside the care of your salvation, but render the gods propitious to you by sacrificing. The athletes of Christ answered: We offer to the immortal God and King of the ages an incorruptible and unbloody sacrifice. Has not then, replies Maximus, Antoninus the Emperor of the world conferred upon thee the power and dignity of governing his soldiery? has not the same permitted you, John and Stephen, to lead a great part of his forces? why then do you deny worship and sacrifice to Jupiter the supreme of the gods? Not so be it as thou desirest, most wretched dog, both bravely answered, that we commit this great crime: for it behooves us to make supplication to the incorruptible God and to offer sacrifices, who will humble, when He shall will, the pride of thee and of thy gods, made by the hands of men. Maximus then: I will refer, said he, concerning you to the Emperor. Then forthwith the holy Soldiers, having loosed their military belts, cast them before the feet of the tyrant.

[14] Maximus, enraged, commands the most valiant athletes to be stripped of their garments, wherefore they are beaten with cudgels, and from the first to the sixth hour to be beaten with rougher cudgels: and, Let us see, said he, whether the God whom you worship will deliver you from your torments. When therefore from the first hour, as I said, to the sixth the Martyrs were being scourged; and when the failing torturers were changed, and fresh and new ones ever succeeded, all nevertheless wearied and stupefied slipped to the ground: but the champions of Christ, with eyes fixed upon heaven, as though feeling nothing they pray for their companions, showed no sense of the punishments; but lifting up as from one mouth a most beautiful voice, they blessed God praying with nearly these words: O Thou who before all the beginnings of the ages wast God, O Word who ever wast with the Father, even before all things which now exist were created, by the grace of Thy most sacred name we have been held worthy to sustain indeed these punishments, but by no means to feel them. In this manner, we pray, preserve all our Brethren who hope in Thee, that they also may be found not unworthy of Thy glory, and that all of us with one voice may celebrate Thy name with due praises unto the ages. Amen.

[15] When the Saints had ceased from prayer, Maximus thus addressed them: Great God Jupiter spares you, wherefore refuse not to sacrifice to him, that you may plainly render him propitious to your affairs. and they insult the tyrant. The Martyrs received the admonition of the tyrant with this answer: Madman, senseless one, and most impure of men, this sentence of our mind we freely declare, that we offer sacrifices to the one invisible God, who makes us and all our Brethren who repose their hope in Him safe and secure. But if thou cravest human flesh, ravening Wolf, lo, devour the flesh, even as thy father Satan. But if thou desirest us also tortured with other kinds of torments, behold us ready and eager: inflict what punishments thou wilt. Our Lord Christ Jesus supplies us with strength and vigor. Behold now thou lackest the torturers who scourge us, for God has rendered them weak and feeble. Maximus said: Thou at least, Meletius, do not resolve that the same fortune is to be undergone by thee with these wretches; for since thou art far superior to the others in dignity, it surely behooves thee not to be unmindful of it. Then Meletius: Carnivorous dog, and panther raging in fury, mayest thou perish miserably with thy father the Devil, who admonishest me to do such things: for it is written; Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And again: Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve, who bestows upon us strength and vigor against the machinations of the Devil, thy father. For me indeed my Christ prepares an honor that shall never perish. For that dignity, which thy Emperor can confer, is circumscribed by a small space of time, which namely today is and tomorrow is by no means had. Hearing these things, Maximus the Commander ordered him to be kept under close guard.

CHAPTER III.

On the following two days the torments are repeated: the head of Jupiter is cast down. Serapion and the guards are converted and baptized.

Καὶ καθίσας τῇ ἐπαύριον ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ὁ Μάξιμος, λέγει αὐτοῖς · Ἰδοὺ κελεύω ἡμᾶς κρεμασθέντας ξέεσθαι. Ξεομένων δὲ αὐτῶν άπὸ πρώτης ὥρας ἕως ἑσπέρας, καὶ θαυμαζόντων πολλῶν, ἀτενίζοντες πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἔλεγον οἱ Ἅγιοι· Μὴ παρίδῃς ἡμῶν τὴν προσδοκίαν, καὶ τὴν εἴς σε ἐλπίδα· ἀλλὰ τέλειον τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦτον ποίησον ἡμᾶς ἐκτελέσαι, ἵνα ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ διάγωμεν εἰς τὸν ἐκεῖσε αἰῶνα· ὁ γὰρ κόσμος οὗτος παρέρχεται· ῥῆξον δὲ τὸν ἀλαζόνα Μάξιμον, τὸν κύνα τὸν μιαροφάγον, ἵνα μὴ λυμαίνηται τὰ πρόβατά σου τὰ εἴς σε ἐλπίζοντα. Καὶ εὐθέως οἱ δήμιοι διεφώρησαν. Ὁψίας δὲ γενομένης, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς κατενεχθῆναι, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Μελέτιε, Ἰωάννη, καὶ Στέφανε, ἤδη ὥρα τῶν θυσιῶν ἐστι, θύσατε τῷ μεγάλῳ θεῷ Διῒ, ἵνα ἐυΐλατος ἡμῖν γένηται, κᾀγὼ φείσομαι ὑμῶν. Μελέτιος λέγει· Κύων μιαρώτατε καὶ αἱμοβόρε, ἀκμὴν σαρκῶν δεῖ; ἰδοὺ σάρκας, φάγε, ὡς ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ σατανᾶς. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ καὶ κρεμάμενοι θυσίαν ἀναίματον ἀνεπέμψαμεν τῷ ἐνδυμαμοῦντι ἡμᾶς Χριστῷ, κατὰ τῶν βασάνων σου, καὶ τῆς ἀπειλῆς σου. Εἰ δοκεῖ σοι, ὥσπερ ἤδη εἴπομέν σοι, ἄλλας κολάσεις πρόσφερε ἡμῖν· ἡμεῖς γὰρ οὐκ αἰσθανόμεθα τῶν βασάνων σου, διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ ἐνδυναμοῦντος ἡμᾶς. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος θυμοθεὶς, ὅτι οὐδὲν κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ἰσχύει πλέον τι ποιῆσαι, ὀψίας γενομένης, λέγει τοῖς δημίοις ἀσφαλισθῆναι εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον, ἵνα σκέψηταί τι πάλιν ποιῆσαι αὐτοῖς. Εἰσελθόντες δὲ εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον, ἀκαταπαύστως πᾶσαν τὴν νύκτα ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεόν. Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον καθίσας ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ὁ παρανομώτατος Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν ἀχθῆναι τοὺς Ἁγίους. Ἀχθέντων δὲ αὐτῶν, ἐκέλευσεν σιδηραῖς σφέραις τύπτεσθαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τοὺς ἀστραγάλους· τυπτόμενοι δὲ οὐκ ᾐσθάνοντο τῶν βασάνων, τοῦ Κυρίου βοηθοῦντος αὐτοῖς. Ἐκέλευσεν οὖν ὁ μιαρώτατος Μάξιμος πάλιν ἐνεχθῆναι ξῦλα παμμεγέθη καὶ ἥλους πηχαίους, καὶ καθηλωθῆναι τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ. Τῶν δὲ δημίων κρουόντων τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν τοῖς ἥλοις πεπυρουμένοις, ἐτρύβοντο οἱ ἧλοι· οἱ δὲ Ἅγιοι οὐκ ᾐσθάνοντο τοῦ πόνου, τοῦ Κυρίου βοηθοῦντος αὐτοῖς. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ἄνομος Μάξιμος, ὅτι οὔ τε οὕτως αἰσθάνονται, ἐκέλευσεν κρεμασθῆναι τοὺς ἀθλητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ σπατίζεσθαι τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν· αὐτοὶ δὲ ἦσαν ἀτενίζοντες εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ σιωπῇ προσευχόμενοι ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐχ ἥπτετο αὐτῶν βάσανος. Κρουόντων δὲ τῶν δημίων. αἱ μάχαιραι αὐτῶν διεστρέφοντο ὠσεὶ μόλιβδος, ὡς νομίζειν ὅτι εἰς μάρμαρον τύπτουσιν· ἐστερεώθησαν δὲ τὰ σώματα τῶν Ἁγίων ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ οὐχ ἤψαντο αἱ βάσανοι. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος ὅτι οὐ δὲ οὕτως ἐδυνήθη ἀναλῶσαι αὐτοὺς; ἐκέλευσεν ὀγκίοις ὀξέσιν ἐκτείλεσθαι τὰ νευρὰ αὐτῶν ἐξ τῶν βραχιόνων αὐτῶν· καὶ οὐ δὲ οὕτως ᾔσθοντο οἱ Ἅγιοι. Πάλιν οὖν ἐκέλευσεν ὁ μιαρώτατος Μάξιμος κρεμασθέντας αὐτοὺς σιδηροσφύροις τὰ μέτωπα αὐτῶν τύπτεσθαι, ὅπου τὴν σφραγίδα ἐποίουν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· οἱ δὲ δήμιοι νομίζοντες τύπτειν τοὺς Ἁγίους, τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἐγκεφάλους διεσκόρπισαν, καὶ τῶν παρεστώτων ἔγγιστα αὐτῶν. Τότε οὖν θυμωθεὶς ὁ ἀνόσιος Μάξιμος, καὶ γνοὺς ὅτι οὐδὲν ἰσχύει πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ὑποβληθεὶς πάλιν ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ἐκέλευσεν ἔλαισον πυρωθῆναι, καὶ εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτῶν ἐμβληθῆναι. Πυρωθέντος δὲ τοῦ ἐλαίου, ὥστε τὸν βρασμὸν μὴ ὑποφέρειν τοὺς παρεστῶτας (ἦσαν γὰρ πολλοὶ περὶ αὐτοὺς, ἐκπληττόμενοι τὴν ὑπομονὴν τῶν Ἁγίων καὶ τὸν γενναῖον αὐτῶν λογισμόν) τότε ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς τεθῆναι μετὰ τῶν ξύλων, ἐν οἷς ἐκρέμαντο, καὶ βληθῆναι τὸ ἔλαιον εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτῶν. Ἀπὸ δὲ πολλοῦ βρασμοῦ τοῦ ἐλαίου οἱ δήμιοι διελύθησαν, καὶ αἱ σάρκες αὐτῶν διεσκορπίσθησαν· οἱ δὲ Ἅγιοι οὐκ ᾐσθάνοντο τῆς βασάνου. τοῦ Κυρίου βοηθοῦντος αὐτοῖς. Τότε ἐπίστευσεν ὄχλος πολὺς εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν· ἄφνω δὲ σχισθέντος τοῦ πραιτωίου, ἀστραπὴ κατελθοῦσα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν πολλοὺς ἔκαυσεν τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοὺς περὶ τὸν Μάξιμον. Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης, μετὰ τῆς ἀστραπῆς κατῆλθον Ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐπιβαλόμενοι τῶν Ἁγίων ἀπήνεγκαν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ Διὸς, τὸ ἐπιλεγόμενον Τέμενος, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτοῖς οἱ Ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ· Ἐπιβαλούμενοι τῆς κεφαλῆς τοῦ χαλκουργήματος, ῥίψατε αὐτὸ κάτω. Καὶ ἐποίησαν οἱ Ἅγιοι οὕτως. Θορύβου δὲ γενομένου, ἐκραύγασαν οἱ ἀκάθαρτοι δαίμονες· διϋπνισθέντες δὲ οἱ μιερεῖς, λέγουσιν πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Ἄρα μὴ ἡ προφητεία τῶν θεῶν ἤγγισεν, τοῦ στραφῆναι τὸν Δία ὑπό τινος λεγουμένου Μελετίου; Προσακούσαντες γὰρ ταῦτα οἱ μιερεῖς, ἐφύλαττον τὸ χαλκούργημα τοῦ Διὸς, τοῦ μὴ στραφῆναι αὐτό. Ἀναστάντες δὲ οἱ μιερεῖς καὶ προσεσχηκότες, ἴδον λαμπάδας πάνυ φοβερὰς, ὥστε ἐκπλήττεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν· τοὺς δὲ Ἁγίους ἐθεώρουν ἑστῶτας ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἱεροῦ φαιδρούς· τὴν δὲ κεφαλὴν τοῦ χαλκουργήματος τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτῶν κειμένην εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος, καὶ τὰς πύλας ἠσφαλεσμένας τοῦ ἱεροῦ. Ῥίψαντες οὖν οἱ μιερεῖς τοὺς ἑαυτῶν στεφάνους, καὶ περισχισάμενοι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν χιτῶνας, ἐπελάβοντο τοῦ Μελετίου καὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου, καὶ ἐψηλάφησαν αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ἐν αὐτοῖς μάστιξ. Ἔτυψαν οἱ μιερεῖς τὰ μέτωπα καὶ τὰ στήθη ἑαυτῶν, ὥστε αἱμάξαι ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ λέγουσι πρὸς τοὺς Ἁγίους· Τί ποιήσομεν, καὶ τί ἀπολογησόμεθα Μαξίμῳ καὶ Σεραπίονι, διότι καὶ αὐτὸς ἦλθεν ἐνθάδε μαθεῖν τοῦ θυσιάζειν. Καὶ ἐπιβαλόμενοι ἐπηρώτων τοὺς ἁγίους λέγοντες· Τίνες ἐστὲ ὑμεῖς· Οἱ Ἅγιοι εἶπον· Ἡμεῖς δοῦλοί ἐσμεν τοῦ ἐπουρανίου Θεοῦ καὶ παντοκράτορος Βασιλέως τῶν αἰώνων. Ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ μιερεῖς,· ἐπιλαβόμενοι τῶν Ἁγίων ἔτυπτον αὐτοὺς ξύλοις, καὶ ἀπήγαγον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ δημόσιον δεσμωτήριον, καὶ παρέδωκαν αὐτοὺς τοῖς δεσμοφύλαξιν, καὶ σφραγισάμενοι τὰς θύρας ἀνεχώρησαν. Ἄφνω δὲ διαῤῥαγέντων τῶν κλείθρων καὶ τῶν δεσμῶν, ὧν περιέθηκαν τοῖς ἀθλοφόροις τοῖ Χριστοῦ, Ἐγένετο ὄχλος πολὺς Ἀγγέλων μετ᾽ αὐτῶν, ὑμνούντων καὶ δοξαζόντων τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ δεσμοφύλακες τὰς λαμπάδας πάνυ φοβερὰς, καὶ τὴν μεγάλην δόξαν τὴν γενομένην, ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸν Χριστόν. Ἀπελθόντες δὲ οἱ μιερεῖς, ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Σεραπίονι, τῷ μηδέποτε θυσιάσαντι, τὸ θέαμα τὸ γενόμενον, ὅστις ἦν ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου ἀνελθὼν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ Μαξίμου τοῦ Δουκὸς ποιῆσαι μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ θυσίας. Ἀναστὰς δὲ Σεραπίων, καὶ λαβὼν λαμπάδα, καὶ ἀπελθὼν εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον, καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸ ἀνεωγμένον, καὶ ἰδὼν ἔσω λαμπάδας φοβερὰς, καὶ ὄχλον πολὺν Ἀγγέλων δοξαζόντων τὸν Θεὸν σὺν τοῖς ἁγίοις Μάρτυσιν, ἔκθαμβος γενόμενος, λαβὼν τοὺς δεσμοφύλακας κατ᾽ ἰδίαν λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἄνδρες στρατιῶται, δείξατέ μοι, ποῦ ἔστιν ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος τῶν εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν ἐχόντων τὰς ἐλπίδας. Ἀπελθόντες δὲ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ ἐν Τοικοφρόμοις ἐν οἰκίᾳ τινὶ, ὅπου ἦν ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος μονάζων, διὰ τὸ τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς ὀλίγους εἶναι, ἔκρουσαν τὴν θύραν καὶ εἶπον· Θεράπων τοῦ Χριστοῦ, φώτισον ἡμᾶς· ὡς γὰρ πιστεύουσιν Μελέτιος, Ἰωάννης, καὶ Στέφανος, οὕτως καὶ, ἡμεῖς πιστεύομεν τῷ Θεῷ. Ἔξελθε, ὑπόδειξον ἡμῖν τῆς πίστεως τὰ σύμβολα, καὶ ποίησον ἡμᾶς δοξάζειν τὸν Θεὸν, τὸν βοηθοῦντα τῷ Μελετίῳ, καὶ Ἰωάννῃ, καὶ Στεφάνω, καὶ τῷ ὄχλῳ σὺν αὐτοῖς. Ἀνοίξας δὲ ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν, καὶ τοὺς δεσμοφύλακας τοὺς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Τεκνία, τί ἥκατε ὥδε πρός με τὸν ἁμαρτωλόν; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Δὸς ἡμῖν τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα καὶ τὸ λουτρὸν τῆς ἀφθαρσίας, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσωμεν. Ἀπαγαγὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος, ὅπου ἦν ὕδωρ καθαρὸν, καὶ εὐξάμενος καὶ κατηχήσας αὐτοὺς, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὸ λουτρὸν τῆς ἀφθαρσίας. Καθελθοῦσα δὲ νεφέλη παρὰ Κυρίου ἡγίασεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὸν τόπον, ὅπου ἐβαπτίσθησαν· Ἄγγελος δὲ Κυρίου ἔδωκεν τῷ Σεραπίονι ὠμοφόρεον εἰς τοὺς ὠμοὺς αὐτοῦ. Παραχρῆμα δὲ εὑρέθησαν οἱ ἀθλοφόροι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὁ Μελέτιος, καὶ Ἰωάννης, καὶ Στέφανος.

[16] On the day following, when Maximus had sat upon the tribunal, he thus said to them: Behold, I command that you, hung up from beams, be again beaten with scourges. On the second day the Martyrs are again flogged, And when from the first hour of the day until the evening time they had been most cruelly scourged, the more part who were present being stupefied, the holy Martyrs fixed their eyes upon heaven, and prayed thus: Our expectation, O God, we pray, and the trust which we have reposed in Thee despise not. This only deny us not now, that this great contest of Thy servants be bravely accomplished, whereby we may merit to fly forth into that perfect and blessed liberty which is with Thee: for the fashion of this world passeth away. Maximus also, swollen with pride, and a dog most greedy of human flesh, break and unnerve; lest he proceed to afflict with grief and sorrow the little sheep of the flock devoted to Thee. Then the strength of the executioners was exhausted by scourging. When at length the day was inclining toward evening, he thus addresses the Martyrs brought before him: they act with equal constancy: Meletius, John, and Stephen, now is the time of sacrificing. Wherefore deny not your sacrifices to great Jupiter, that both he may be rendered propitious to thee, and I may dismiss you free. To whom Meletius: O dog, said he, most impure, and most thirsting for gore, dost thou still need flesh? lo, here is flesh for thee. Devour it after the example of thy father the devil. We indeed even in this manner hung up offer of ourselves an unbloody sacrifice to Christ Jesus, by whose wholly divine power we receive courage and strength to endure bravely all these things, and we make nothing of all thy threatenings. Inflict also more and more atrocious punishments, as we have already said before, if it seem good; know meanwhile, such is the power and goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we have no sense of any of these tortures. Which being heard, the tyrant was kindled with great wrath indeed, because he had spent all his threats and torments against the Martyrs in vain. The evening therefore approaching, he ordered them to be kept in a foul prison, while he himself should determine with what punishments anew he might torture the holy Soldiers. But the champions of Christ, when they had entered the prison, spent that whole night in chanting divine praises.

[17] On the following day the most impious tyrant orders the holy Martyrs again to be set before his tribunal. on the third day they are again tortured in diverse ways, When this was done, he straightway ordered their heels to be beaten with iron balls: yet the Martyrs, strengthened by the singular grace of Christ the Lord, by no means felt the cruelty of the punishment. Then by the command of Maximus certain huge timbers were brought, and cubit-long nails, with which the feet of the Saints were forthwith fixed to the wood. The torturers therefore with great force driving the fiery nails into the feet of the Martyrs, the nails themselves indeed were worn away by the frequent striking, but yet the holy men remained free from pain, our Lord singularly aiding them. But when

Maximus had seen that not even thus could any sense of pain be wrung from the most generous soldiers, they feeling nothing. he commanded them again hung up from on high to be bravely stretched out with the whole body. But the Martyrs, lifting up their eyes to heaven, and appeasing God with a silent prayer, suffered no harm from the tortures. And when the torturers drove their knives into the bodies of the Saints, they were blunted as if of lead and rebounded, no otherwise than if they had struck against marble statues; for by divine power the bodies of the holy Martyrs had been hardened against all kinds of punishments. When therefore not even thus could Maximus hope that the generous athletes of Christ could be destroyed, he commanded this, that with the sharpest hooks the sinews of their arms should be stretched out. But neither did the Saints show any sense of this punishment. Then again the tyrant ordered them to be hung on the wood, and the foreheads of the Martyrs to be struck with iron balls, because they frequently imprinted upon their foreheads the venerable sign of Christ. But when the executioners prepared to assail the faces of the holy Soldiers with blows, they prodigiously struck their own foreheads, as also those of the spectators standing nearer.

[18] Then turned into a frenzy, Maximus, and knowing that he could effect nothing against the holy men, and as it were driven by a demon, nor yet boiling oil poured into their ears. commanded a great quantity of oil with fire set beneath to be kindled, and to be poured into the ears of the Martyrs. The oil now boiling vehemently, so that those who stood by could no longer endure the heat (and there stood by very many, stupefied with great admiration, on account of the incredible endurance of the holy Martyrs in torments, and their generous nature), the tyrant decreed that, together with the timbers to which they had hung affixed, they should be set down upon the ground, and so the boiling oil should be poured into their ears. But by the fervor of the boiling oil the torturers were rendered weak, the prætorium then falling down, many are converted. and their own flesh was scorched with the vehement heat; the Saints meanwhile, by the help of divine grace, not feeling their punishment. By which miracle many being moved embraced the religion of the Christians, especially since the very prætorium had suddenly drawn down a great ruin, and a thunderbolt sent from heaven had consumed very many of the Gentiles, who had resolved to adhere to Maximus.

[19] The day inclining toward evening, when the thunderbolts had ceased, Angels sent by God were present, the Saints entering the temple of Jupiter by night, who led the most valiant champions of Christ to the temple of Jupiter, which is also called a shrine, admonishing moreover these things: Come, lay hold with your hands of the head of this brazen image and cast it to the ground; and the Saints straightway did as bidden. But a great tumult having arisen, the impure demons raised most loud clamors: at once the impious priests, roused from sleep, thus addressed one another: Truly now is come the time, in which in very deed the prophecy of our gods must be fulfilled, asserting that our Jupiter is to be overthrown by a certain man, whose name is Meletius. For when those priests had received this oracle, they take away the head of Jupiter: they busied themselves with all diligence to guard the brazen image of Jupiter, lest it should be overthrown. Then therefore, snatching themselves without delay from their beds, when they had entered the temple of Jupiter, they beheld with incredible amazement a great force of lamps, gleaming with terrible light. But they observed the holy Martyrs in the midst of the temple exulting with joy, the head of the brazen image and of their god cast down upon the ground, and the doors of the temple itself firmly barred. Wherefore, casting upon the ground the crowns which they wore, and their tunics rent, the impious sacrificers seize Meletius, John, and Stephen, in whom they found no traces of wounds.

[20] Then beating their own foreheads and breasts, so that abundant blood flowed forth, wherefore being dragged back by the Priests into prison, they thus addressed the holy Martyrs: What shall we do, or what excuse at length shall we bring before Maximus and Serapion, since he too is wont to come hither, that he may learn all the rites by sacrificing? Adding also other things to these; Who are you, they said, and whence are you? To whom the Martyrs: We are, they answered, servants of the most high God, and of the omnipotent King of the ages. These things heard, they dragged the holy Martyrs, beaten with cudgels, to the public prison, they are visited by Angels: and delivered them to the keepers of the prison, and the doors being diligently barred returned to their own places. But suddenly the bars and chains by which the athletes of Christ were held being broken asunder, there was present a great multitude of Angels, rendering praises and thanksgivings to God together with the holy Martyrs. The keepers of the prison, as soon as they beheld the prodigious light in the prison, and the great splendor of those present, soon believed in Christ.

[21] The priests of Jupiter meanwhile reported to Serapion, who had not yet sacrificed to the Gods, Serapion, converted at these sights, all the things that had happened. He likewise had come from Egypt with Maximus, the Commander, to offer sacrifices to the Gods: but having then heard the things which the sacrificers narrated more fully, he betook himself with kindled torches to the prison; in which when he beheld the prodigious brightness of the lamps and the multitude of Angels, praising God together with the holy Martyrs, struck with great amazement, he thus addressed the keepers of the prison apart: Men soldiers, show me, I pray, the Bishop of those who have their hopes reposed in Christ. The keepers of the prison went with Serapion to a certain house, situated in Tœcophromis, where the Bishop then dwelt, he seeks baptism with the guards, living solitarily on account of the fewness of the Christians who then were. The door being knocked at, all alike said: Baptize us, servant of God; for as Meletius, John, and Stephen believe, so we too are prepared to believe in God: come forth, we pray, and teach us all the articles of the Christian faith; and bring it to pass that, not unworthy, we may be able to render praises to God, who so wonderfully affords His help to Meletius, John, Stephen, and their other fellow-soldiers. The doors being unbarred, when the Bishop had seen Serapion and the keepers of the prison present; and obtains it from the Bishop. For what cause, said he, my sons, have you come to me a sinner? They answered straightway: We desire to receive from thee the character of the Christian faith and the laver of incorruption, that we ourselves also may not be found unworthy to receive the possession of eternal life. Having therefore admitted them into that part of the house where pure water was kept, and having well prepared them by prayers and instructions, he washed them all with the water of incorruption. Then a cloud divinely sent down from God sanctified both themselves and the place in which they had been baptized: moreover Serapion merited to receive a pallium from one of the Angels upon his shoulders: suddenly also the athletes of Christ, Meletius, John, and Stephen, were present.

CHAPTER IV.

The officers of Meletius are vainly beaten with leaden weights: he with Serapion conquers fire and breaks Æsculapius.

Ἡμέρας δὲ γενομένης, λαβόντες οἱ μιερεῖς τοὺς τεχνίτας, κα τὰ χαλκουργήματα, καὶ ποήσαντες μάγγονα, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ ὄχλου βαστάσαντες τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ χαλκουργήματος ἤνεγκαν, καὶ ἤγαγον πρὸς τὸν Δοῦκα Μάξιμον. Καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Δοὺξ πάνυ ἐθρήνησεν διὰ τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ καθίσας πρὸ τοῦ βήματος, λέγει πρὸς τοὺς μιερεῖς· Πόσην βοήθειαν ἔσχον, ὅτι οὕτως κατέστρεψαν τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν Δία; Ἐπυνθάνετο δὲ τοῦτο, νομίζων ὅτι σὺν αὐτοῖς ὄχλος πολὺς ἦν. Καὶ μεταστειλάμενος Φῆστον, καὶ Φαῦστον, καὶ Μαρκελλῖνον, καὶ Θεόδωρον, καὶ Μελετίωνα, καὶ Σέργιον, καὶ Μάρκελλον, καὶ Φήλικα, καὶ Φωτεινὸν, καὶ Θεοδωρίσκον, Μερκούριον, καὶ Δίδυμον τοὺς Κώμητας, καὶ τοὺς Τριβούνους καὶ τοὺς Πρίγκηπας αὐτοῦ, λέγει αὐτοῦ, λέγει αυτοῖς· Ἡμεῖς τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν τὸν μέγαν πολλῇ σπουδῇ ἐποιήσαμεν, καὶ ὑμεῖς αὐτὸν ἐκλάσατε; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐκ ἦμεν ἐκεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ εἳς ὢν, ὃν κατεφρόνεις, μετὰ τῆς ἐπουρανίου δυνάμεως ἧς εἶχεν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, αὐτὸς κατέστρεψεν αὐτὸν, ὁ Στρατηλάτης Μελέτιος, καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ· πῶς οὖν ἡμεῖς αὐτῷ λατρεύσωμεν χαλκουργήματι ὄντι; Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Κᾂν ὑμεῖς θύσατε τοῖς θεοῖς. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Τίνι θύσωμεν, ἀνόητε καὶ διεστραμμένε τῇ καρδίᾳ; τῷ χαλκῷ τῷ ἀκεφάλῳ, ἢ τῷ καταδείξαντι τὴν πονηρίαν σὺν τῇ εἰδωλολατρείᾳ; Μάξιμος ἡγεμῶν εἶπεν· Ναὶ, θύσατε τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι. Οἱ Ἅγιοι εἶπον, Δικαίως εἶπας Ἀπόλλωνι, αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀπολέσει τὴν ψυχήν σου μετὰ τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν πιστευόντων. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Οὐκ οὖν ὑβρίζετε τὸν Βασιλέα, ὅστις σέβεται αὐτοῖς; ἀναφέρω καθ᾽ ὑμῶν, ὅπως τὸ γενναῖον τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὑμῶν μεταβάλω. Οἱ Ἅγιοι εἶπον· Τί οὒν κόπους σεαυτῷ παρέχεις; ἢ οὐκ οἶδας, ὅτι σκληρόν σοί ἐστι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν; ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας γὰρ μέγας ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν. Θυμωθεὶς δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος λέγει τῷ Σεραπίονι· Ἐγὼ μὲν ἐφειδόμην σου, σὺ δὲ μετὰ τῶν φαρμακῶν ἔμιξας σεαυτόν. Ἀπαρτὶ οὐ φείσομαί σου. Καὶ εἰπὼν ταῦτα ὁ Τύραννος, ἐκέλευσεν μετὰ μολίβδων τὰς σιαγόνας αὐτῶν τύπτεσθαι. Ααβόντες οὖν οἱ ὑπηρέται τοῦ διαβόλου τοὺς μολίβδους, ἔτυπτον αὐτῶν τὰς σιαγόνας, ἕως οὗ ἔρευσεν τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος Σεραπίων μὴ αἰσθανόμενος, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐνδυναμούμενος ᾖρεν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ εἶπεν· Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, Δέσποτα παντοκράτορ, αἰώνιε Βασιλεῦ, ὁ ποιήσας ἐνὶ λόγῳ τὰ πάντα, δός μοι ὑπομονὴν τελείαν τοῦ καταξιωθῆναί με ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός σου βασανισθῆναι διὰ τοῦ μολίβδου τούτου. Καταξίωσόν με μετὰ τῶν θεραπόντων σου συμμιγῆναι· καὶ νῦν πάλιν δός μοι τὴν ὑπομονὴν, ὡς ἔδωκας τοῖς σοῖς ἀθλοφόροις Μελετίῳ, καὶ Ἰωάννῃ, καὶ Στεφάνῳ τοῖς σοῖς δούλοις. Ναὶ, Δέσποτα, ὅς δεδωκώς μοι τὴν ἄσπιλον σφραγίδα διὰ τοῦ θεράποντός σου καὶ λειτουργοῦ Επισκόπου, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ διασπῶν τοὺς δεσμοὺς θανάτου, καὶ λυτρούμενος φθορᾶς τοῦ λομεῶνος ὄφεως τοὺς ἐλπίξοντας ἐπί σε. Πρόσδεξαι τὴν δέησιν τοῦ δούλου σου, καὶ ποίησον ἄξιον γενέσθαι καὶ τέλειον ἐμ᾽ ἐμοὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦ σταδίου τούτου, καὶ στερέωσόν μου τὴν ψυχὴν, καθὼς καὶ τῶν τιμιών σου Ἀφλοφόρων· καὶ μὴ ἐνκαταλίπῃς με τὸν ἐπί σοι πεποιθότα, ὅτι εὐλογητὸς εἶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ Σεραπίων, πόσον ἐφλυάρησας, κἀγὼ ἠνεσχόμην σου, ἄφες οὖν τὸν λοιπὸν τὰς μωρίας, καὶ προσελθὼν λοιπὸν θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς. Σεραπίων λέγει· Μιαρώτατε, καὶ ἀκάθαρτε κύων, ἐχθρὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ φίλε τοῦ σατανᾶ, οὐ νοεῖς ὅτι ἔσχω τὸν δυναμοῦντά με Χριστὸν κατὰ τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ διαβόλου; Καὶ σὺ, ἀνόηστε, κελεύεις με πιστεύειν εἰδώλοις ἢ πνεύμασιν ἀκαθάρτοις; Μάξιμος Ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ Μελέτιε, φείδομαί σου, ὡς τέκνον, ποίησον οὖν τοὺς σύν σοι ἑταίρους θῦσαι τοῖς θεοῖς· καὶ ἀπόλαβέ σου τὸ ἀξίωμα τοῦ Στρατηλάτου, καὶ δῶρα πολλὰ δώσω σοι. Μελέτιος εἶπεν· Τὰ δῶρά σου πρόσφερε τῷ πατρί σου τῷ σατανᾷ, τῷ ὁμοίῳ σου· ἐμοὶ γὰρ ζητήθω ὁ Χριστὸς, ὁ διδούς μοι τὸ ἀξίωμα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ δῶρον τῆς ἀφθαρσίας· ἕνα γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐπηρεάσεις. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος μανίᾳ πυρωθεὶς, ἐκέλευσεν πυρὰν μεγάλην γενέσθαι, ὧστε τὴν φλόγα παμμεγεθεστάτην εἶναι, καὶ ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς ἐμβληθῆναι ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ πυρᾷ. Ὁ

δὲ Σαραπίων λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ διδάσκαλε ἡμῶν, ποίησον εὐχὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν τὸν ὕψιστον, καὶ πρόλαβε, ἵνα βλέποντές σε προθύμως εἰσέλθωμεν. Ἀναβλέψαντες δὲ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἶπον ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος· Ὀ σώσας τοὺς τρεῖς παῖδας ἐν τῷ καμίνῳ τοῦ πυρὸς, καὶ νῦν ἔπιδε τῷ ἀχράντῳ σου καὶ ἁγίῳ καὶ εὐσπλάγχῳ ὀφθαλῷ, καὶ σῶσον ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἐπί σε ἐλπίζοντας, καὶ δὸς ἡμῖν δύναμιν καὶ ἰσχὺν ἵνα νικήσωμεν τὸν ἀντικείμενον. Καὶ ταῦτα αὐτῶν εἰπόντων, ἐπιβαλλόμενοι ἀλλήλων τὰς χεῖρας, εἰσῆλθον εἱς τὸ μέσον τοῦ πυρὸς τῆς καμίνου, καὶ εὑρέθησαν ὡς ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ δροσιζόμενͅοι, καὶ εὐχόμενοι. Μάξιμος δὲ ὁ παράνομος προσεῖχεν τῇ πυρᾷ, καὶ ὥρα χάριν ἐν κύκλῳ τῶν Ἁγίων οὖσαν, καὶ τοὺς δούλους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνὰ μέσον στήκοντας, καὶ εὐλογοῦντας τὸν Θεόν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν πάλιν ὕδωρ κύκλῳ τῆς πυρᾶς βληθῆναι, ὥστε διὰ τῆς ἀναθυμιάσεως τοῦ καπνοῦ ἀποπνίξαι αὐτούς· καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀδικῆσαι αὐτούς. Τότε οὖν κατῃσχύνθη ὁ ἄνομος Μάξιμος τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμει. Ἐκέλευσεν δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀχθῆναι ἐπὶ τὴν δημοσίαν· ἐξῆλθον δὲ οἱ Ἅγιοι ἐκ τῆς πυρᾶς ὡς ἀπὸ εὐφρασίας. Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀνθηροὺς ὁ Μάξιμος ἐθαύμασεν, καὶ ἐκέλευσαν τοῖς δορυφόροις αὐτοῦ συλλαβεῖν τὸν ἀθλητὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιον καὶ τὸν Σεραπίονα, καὶ ἀπαχθῆναι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ἱερον τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ, καὶ βίᾳ θύειν, λέγων αὐτοῖς· Ἀπέλθετε, θύσατε τῷ μεγάλῳ θεῷ Ἀσκληπιῷ, τῷ καταδείξαντι τὴν σοφίαν τῆς ἰατρείας εἰς σωτηρίαν τῶν ἀσθενούντων. Οἱ δὲ δορυφόροι κατὰ τὸ κέλευσμα τοῦ Μαξίμου λαβόντες τοὺς Ἁγίους ἐκ τῆς δημοσίας, ἀνέφερον αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὸν Ἀσκληπιόν· ἠκολούθησεν δὲ αὐτοῖς ὄχλος πολύς. Ὁ δὲ Ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ πανυ φοβερὸς τῷ προσώπῳ ἀπίει, εἰδὼς ὅτι κᾀκεῖνο πεσεῖται τὸ εἴδωλον θελήματι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὁ δὲ Σεραπίων στυγνάσας λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Μελέτιε, δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου τί ποίησομεν; Ὁ ἅγιος Μελέτιος λέγει· Προθύμως βαδίσωμεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, καὶ ὁ ἐὰν βουληθῇ ὁ Βασιλεὺς ὁ ἐπουράνιος τοῦτο ποιοῦμεν· Οἶδα γὰρ ὀτι ἀπελθόνλων ἡμῶν εἰς τὸν τόπον, πεσεῖται τὸ εἴδωλον. Τότε ὁ Σεραπίων πεισθεὶς ἀπίει προθύμως· ἐνόμιζεν γὰρ ὅτι ὁ Βελίαρ διαστρέφει τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν. Ἀπελθόντες δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον ἀνέβλεψαν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ποιήσαντες τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ ἱερόν. Καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Μελέτιος τὸ εἴδωλον τοῦ᾽ Ἀσκληπιοῦ., λέγει πρὸς ἑαυτὸν οὗτως· Ὁ ἀόρατος Θεὸς, ὁ τῶν κρυπτῶν γνώστης, ὁ εἰδὼς τὰ πάνλα πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν, ἔπιδε ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν ἠμῶν, καὶ τῷ κελεύσματί σου διὰ τῶν ἁγίων σου Ἀγγέλων πεσεῖται καὶ συντριβήσεται τὸ εἴδωλον τοῦτο. Καὶ εὐθέως ἐσείσθη πᾶν τὸ ἱερόν· θαρσήσας δέ ὁ Μελέτιος καὶ πλεισθὴς Πνεύματος ἁγίου, ἑπιλαβόμενος τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ ἀγάλματος, ἕβαλεν αὐτὸ κάτω εἰς τὴν γῇν, καὶ εὐθέως ἐθρύβη τὸ εἴδωλον. Ἐπιλαβόμενος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα εἴδωλα τὰ συνεστηκότα, καὶ αὐτὰ συνέτριψεν. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Σεραπίων, ὅτι ἔπεσεν τὸ εἴδωλον, καὶ συνετρίβῃ, καὶ τὰ ἱστάμενα σὺν αὐτῷ εἴδωλα, ἐκραύγα μεγάλῃ λέγων· Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ ἀπλάνητος, ὄν περιεργάσασθαι οὐκ ἔστιν. Νῦν ἔγνων, Δέσποτα, ὅτι τοὺς εἴς σε πεπιστευκότας οὐκ ἐγκαταλιμπάνεις. Καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ δορυφόροι τὸ θαῦμα τὸ γεγονὸς ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ ῥίψαντες τὰς ἄσπίδας αὐτῶν, ἀπῆλθον ὅπου ἦν ὁ ὄχλος Μελετίου, καὶ πολλοὶ ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸν Χριστόν. Οἱ δὲ μιαροὶ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ, δραμόντες σπουδαίως ἀπήγγειλαν τῷ Μαξίμῳ, ὅτι καὶ τὸν Ἀσκληπιὸν ἔβαλεν κάτω, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους θεοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ἔῤῥιψεν.

[22] Day having risen, the nefarious priests of Jupiter call together the craftsmen of their gods, take the images, devise various things, Other Counts and Tribunes brought forward, and at length, accompanied by the whole multitude, carry the broken head of Jupiter to Maximus the Commander. When he had learned what had been done, Maximus grieved not moderately for his gods, and having soon mounted the tribunal, To the sacrificers, said he, By whose help did the wicked men cast our god Jupiter to the ground? This he asked of the priests, because he had persuaded himself that a great multitude of soldiers had lent their hands to the holy Martyrs for perpetrating the deed. Having also sent men to set before the tribunal Festus and Faustus, and Marcellinus, as accomplices of the deed perpetrated against Jupiter, and Theodorus, and Meletion, and Sergius, and Marcellus, and Felix, and Photinus, and Theodoriscus, also Mercurius and Didymus the Counts, the Tribunes also and the Principes, he thus questioned them present: We took care that great Jupiter be made with such cost and pains, and you did not fear to break him in pieces? To which they answered: We indeed were not present at the deed, but he whom thou so despisest, equipped with a certain divine power, the Prefect of our forces Meletius, they indeed deny that they did it, and those captives whom thou holdest with him, dashed thy god to the ground and broke him: how wisely then should we offer sacrifices to a brazen image?

[23] Then Maximus; Nevertheless do you also sacrifice to the gods. To whom the generous Soldiers; To whom, they said, madman, and bereft of mind, dost thou bid us sacrifice? To a brazen statue, and one even shorn of its own head? yet they refuse to sacrifice: or to him who by introducing the worship of idols signally showed his own wickedness, the evil demon? Maximus said: I will that you sacrifice to Apollo. And the Saints; Rightly, they say, didst thou name Apollo, who will destroy thee and all his worshippers, without doubt and without any remedy, unto eternity. At least, said Maximus, do not afflict with contumelies the Emperor, who renders worship to those gods. I deal more gently with you, that I may change the constancy of your patience. The Saints answer: Why dost thou exhibit trouble to thyself? Dost thou not understand, that it is hard for thee to kick against the goad? they are commanded therefore to be beaten with leaden weights: for most truly the God of the Christians is great. These things said, Maximus kindled thus addresses Serapion: To thee indeed I have spared hitherto, but thou hast cast thyself into the crowd of those sorcerers. Wherefore henceforth neither will I spare thee. And saying these things, he soon ordered the cheeks of the most valiant men to be beaten with leaden weights. The ministers therefore of Satan, having seized the leaded weights, struck the cheeks of the Martyrs so long, until their blood flowed abundantly to the ground.

[24] While these things are being done, the most blessed Serapion, having no sense of the punishment, but rather more and more strengthened divinely, with hands lifted up to heaven, among whom Serapion also asks strength from God, thus said: Blessed art Thou, Lord God omnipotent, eternal King, who hast created all things with one word. Supply me now, I pray, with strength, that for the glory of Thy name I may endure these tortures with a brave and generous mind. Make me worthy that I may have some place in the number of Thy servants. Again I pray, deny me not strength to suffer the most grievous things, even as Thou didst not deny it to Thy most valiant athletes, Meletius, John, and Stephen. So, I beseech, let it be, O Lord, who through Thy servant and priest the Bishop didst confer upon me the most beautiful character of Thy faith: for Thou art He who makest the bonds of death useless, when Thou wilt, and keepest those who hope in Thee immune from the rage and ruin of the all-devastating serpent. Suffer not the supplications of Thy servant to be in vain, but make me worthy, that without stumbling I may finish the course of this my contest; and confirm my mind, that I may strive for Thee with that fortitude of Thy venerable athletes. Forsake me not at last, who have my trust reposed in Thee alone, since Thou art blessed unto the ages. Amen. and he scorns the tyrant. Maximus then said thus, Behold, Serapion, with what trifling thou hast now used, which I nevertheless have kindly tolerated hitherto? But now lay aside all that folly, and henceforth sacrifice to the gods. To whom Serapion: Most filthy of men and unclean dog, enemy of the true God and friend of Satan, dost thou not yet understand that I have Christ as my champion against thy father the devil? and behold, thou commandest that I offer sacrifices to idols and impure spirits.

[25] Then Maximus the Commander, Let Meletius be present, said he: whom soon present he thus exhorted: Behold, Meletius, Then Meletius brought forward I dismiss thee free, and hold thee in a son's place. Bring it to pass therefore that these thy fellow-soldiers duly sacrifice to our Gods: receive also thy former dignity of Prefect of the soldiery, to which moreover I prepare to add many gifts. But Meletius; Thy gifts, he answered, thou mayest for me carry to thy father Satan, whose not unlike son thou showest thyself to be. For the rest, Christ alone is sought by me, who will confer upon me in the heavens a better honor, and the gift of blessed immortality: nor, I trust, wilt thou by thy cruelty or by blandishments compel any of us to attempt anything impious. Then indeed Maximus, stirred with great fury, ordered a most lofty pyre to be made, whose flame should burst forth on high beyond what could be told, and the holy Martyrs to be cast into it. And here Serapion of his own accord to Meletius; Come, said he, servant of God and our teacher in matters of faith, fall down suppliantly to God most high for us, he with Serapion is ordered to be cast into the furnace, and lead thy fellow-soldiers in praying, that, animated by thy example, we may with intrepid mind undergo this punishment. Then their eyes cast up to heaven, all with one mouth conceived these prayers: O Thou who didst once preserve those three Babylonian Princes unharmed in the furnace of fire, now also turn Thy pure, holy, and benignly mild eyes to Thy servants, and grant that those who hope in Thee alone be safe; bestow also strength and vigor whereby we may gloriously conquer the Tyrant who opposes us.

[26] After they had ceased from prayer, having given and received hands one with another, which having entered they entered into the midst of the furnace of fire: which, ever intent upon prayer, they found to be as a most pleasant paradise abounding with sweet dew. But the impious Tyrant, turning his attention and eyes, beheld the servants of the supreme God, unharmed in the midst of the furnace, assiduously blessing God: by whose command then a great force of waters was poured on all sides upon the fires, that by the smoke at once arising the glorious Martyrs might be suffocated. But not even that counsel of the Tyrant brought any harm to the Martyrs. At that time indeed the divine power and might affected the impious Maximus with great shame: and having come forth without harm, who ordered the holy soldiers of Christ to be led back again to the public prison. They came forth from the burning pyre, as from a place most full of all delights. And when Maximus had beheld them to be distinguished with a certain new beauty, marveling vehemently, he commanded his attendants to lead the most valiant athlete of Christ Meletius and Serapion to the shrine of Æsculapius, and

to compel them even unwilling to sacrifice, exhorting them moreover thus: Go, and to great God Æsculapius, who openly showed his healing art toward feeble men, sacrifice.

[27] The attendants, obeying the command, having straightway seized both, led them from the prison to the temple of Æsculapius, a great multitude of men accompanying them. But Christ's soldier Meletius breathed something terrible with his eyes, and they are led to the temple of Æsculapius. not ignorant that the statue of Æsculapius likewise would fall by a divine nod. Somewhat sad on the other part, Serapion thus addressed Meletius: Meletius, servant of the most high God, what now, I pray, shall we have to do? To whom Meletius; Intrepidly, said he, let us go thither, and what shall be pleasing to the King of the heavens, this let us bravely execute. For it does not escape me, that as soon as we shall have set foot in the temple, the image of Æsculapius will soon fall. Then plainly persuaded, Serapion with great courage proceeded to the temple: for he had learned that the endeavor of Belial tended to this, that he might pervert their minds. But when they had come to the appointed place, each lifted up his eyes to heaven; and the sign of Christ impressed upon their foreheads, fearing nothing they entered the temple of Æsculapius. Then the image of Æsculapius being beheld, Meletius silently conceived this prayer: O God invisible and most certain knower of all secrets, who knowest all things before they come to pass, look, I beseech Thee, upon us Thy humble and abject servants. Let only Thy nod come; and this statue of Æsculapius will straightway fall to the ground by the work of Thy Angels, and be broken into fragments.

[28] These things said, the shrine of the idol suddenly trembled: by which sign Meletius animated, and filled with the Holy Spirit, with his own right hand seizes the hand of the image, they overthrow his statues and those of the others. casts it to the ground, and breaks the whole. Then having likewise laid hold of the images which were erected in the same shrine, he broke them all in pieces in the same manner. Moved by the spectacle, Serapion, when he beheld the statues both of Æsculapius and of the other gods standing by him overthrown and broken, cried out with a loud voice, Blessed be our God, who by no means deceives his worshippers, and whom it is not fitting to scrutinize too curiously. Now, Lord, I have known, that those having their trust in Thee, Thou never forsakest. Moreover, the miracle so illustrious being seen, the attendants believed in Christ: and casting away the spears which they were wont to bear, they joined themselves to the rest of the crowd that took Meletius's part: very many others also from the promiscuous crowd embraced the faith of the Christians. But the impure priests of Æsculapius hastened with great diligence to report to Maximus, in what manner Meletius had cast to the ground Æsculapius, and the other gods with Æsculapius.

CHAPTER V.

The martyrdom of the infants Christian and Cyriacus, and of their Master Mauricius.

Ἀπελθὼν οὖν ὁ Μάξιμος, εἶδεν τοὺς δύο ἑστῶτας μόνους, τὸν δὲ Ἀσκληπιὸν κείμενον κάτω χαμαὶ συντετριμμένον, καὶ τὰ σὺν αὐτῷ εἴδωλα συντεθραυσμένα ὁμοίως. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος θυμωθεὶς ἐκέλευσεν ἀχθῆναι τὸν θώρακα τὸν πολεμικὸν Μελελίου, καὶ τὴν περικεφαλαίαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ πυρωθῆναι αὐτὰ, καὶ πυρωθέντα ἐγένοντο ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς ὡς ἀστραπή. Καὶ ἐκέλευσεν ἐνδυθῆναι τὸν θώρακα τὸν Μελέτιον, καὶ τὴν περικεφαλαίαν αὐτῷ τεθεῖναι εἰς τὴν κεφαλήν. Ὀ δὲ Μελέτιος οὐκ ᾔσθετο τοῦ πυρὸς, ἐγένετο γὰρ ὁ σίδηρος τῶν ὅπλων ὥσει κρύος περὶ αὐτὁν. Καὶ λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Καλῶς ἐποίησας, κύων ἀνόητε, ὅτι ἠμφίασάς με ὅπλα πολεμικὰ, ἵνα ἡττήσω καὶ πολεμήσω καὶ νικήσω τὸν πατέρα σου τὸν σατανᾶν. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Σαραπίων τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ γενναιοῦ ἀθλητοῦ Μελετίου, τοῦ στρατιώτου τοῦ ἐπουρανίου βασιλέως Θεοῦ, ἀνατείνας τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἶπεν οὅτως πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ὅπερ εὔχεσθαι ἔμαθεν παρὰ τοῦ Ἐπισκόπου, ὅτι ἔλαβεν τὸ λουτρὸν τῆς ἀθανασίας. Πατὲρ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἁγιασθῆτο τὸ ὄνομά σου, δέσποτα παντοκράτορ ὕψιστε. Ἐλθέτω εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία σου, ἡ ἀχώρητος ἐν τῇ γῇ. Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὥστε καθελθεῖν τὴν βοήθειάν σου ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἁμαρτωλούς. Ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἡ παράταξίς σου εἰς βοήθειαν ἡμῖν γένηται. Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον· τοῦτ᾽ ἐστιν, ἐκάλεσας ἡμᾶς μετὰ τῶν εἰς ἀγῶνα προσκυνούντων σε ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν· καὶ νῦν δὸς ἡμῖν ἄρτους ἐλέους, ὥσπερ ἔδωκας τοῖς εὐαρεστήσασι τῷ ὀνόματί σου τῷ ἁγίῳ. Καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν· καὶ μὴ μνημονεύσῃς ἡμῶν Κύριε, τὰς ἀσεβείας, τίς γὰρ ὑποστήσεται; Μηδὲ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμὸν, βαστάσαι γὰρ οὐ δυνάμεθα. Ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἠμᾶς τοῦ πονηροῦ, διὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ σου, ὅτι εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ὀλιγωρίᾳ πολλῇ συνεχόμενος καὶ μηδὲν αὐτοῖς δυνάμενος ποιῆσαι, ἐξέβαλεν αὐτοὺς ἀχθῆναι ἐπὶ τὴν δημοσίαν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Μελέτιε, Ἰωάννη, καὶ Στέφανε, καὶ σὺ Σαραπίων, οὐ πειθαρχεῖτε τοῖς θεοῖς; Οἱ δὲ λέγουσι τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Κύων ἄπιστε, ἀκμὴν ἐπιμένεις τῇ ἀναισθησίᾳ σου; οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὸν ποιήσαντα τὰ σύμπαντα; Μάξιμος Δοὺξ λέγει· Οὐκ οὖν ἀναίσθητός εἰμι; Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Σαραπίων· Αἴσθησιν εἰ εἶχες ἂν, ἐπελάθου τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ σατανᾶ καὶ τῶν εἰδώλων τῶν χειροποιήτων, καὶ ἐπίστευσας τῷ ἐπουρανίῳ Θεῷ. Μάξιμος λέγει τοῖς δορυφόροις αὐτοῦ· Τύψατε αὐτοῦ τὰς σιαγόνας, ἵνα μὴ τοιαῦτα φθέγγηται. Μελέτιος ἀποκριθεὶς λέγει τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἀναίσθητε καὶ τυφλὲ τῇ καρδία, ποίησον ἁρπαγῆναι καὶ ἐνεχθῆναι παιδία ἄφθορα, καὶ εἴπωσι, τίς μείζων Θεὸς, ὃν ἡμεῖς σέβομεν, ἢ τὰ εἴδωλα ἄψυχα· καὶ τὰ παιδία, ὃν ἐὰν εἴπωσιν, αὐτῷ πιστεύσωμεν. Ἐκέλευσεν δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος ἁρπαγῆναι παιδία δύο ἐκ τοῦ σχολίου· καὶ ἐνεχθέντα τὰ δύο παιδία, ἀδέλφια, ὀρφανὰ, τὸ ἓν ἐτῶν δύο καὶ τὸ ἕτερον τριῶν, Λέγει ὁ Μάξιμος τοῖς παιδίοις· Τίνα ἐστὶ τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν, ἢ ποίας τύχης τυγχάνετε; Ἀπεκρίθησαν δὲ αὐτῷ τὰ παιδία, καὶ εἶπον ἐμπνευσθέντα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· Τῇ μὲν τύχῃ δοῦλοι Χριστοῦ έσμεν, ἐλεύθεροι δὲ ἐγενήθημεν καὶ ἔντιμοι διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν. Λέγει ὁ τριετὴς, Εἰ θελεὶς μαθεῖν τὰ ὀνόματα ἡμῶν, ἅπερ ἔθηκαν οἱ γονεῖς ἡμῶν, Ἐγὼ καλοῦμαι Χριστιανὸς, καὶ οὕτως Κυριακός. Λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Μάξιμος. Χριστιανὲ καὶ Κυριακὲ, εἰπατέ μοι, τίς ἐστιν ὁ μείζων Θεὸς, Ζεὺς καὶ Ἀπόλλων καὶ Ἀσκλήπιὸς καὶ Ἡρακλεῖς, ἢ ὁ ἀόρατος. Τάδε ἄφρονα παιδία, ἀναβλέψοντα εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ στενάξοντα, ἴδον χεῖρα κατερχομένην ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὰ, καὶ λαβόντα Πνεῦμα ἅγιον· καὶ σφραγίσαμενα τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σφραγίδι εἶπον τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἀνοσιώτατε καὶ ἀπάνθρωπε, οὐ βλέπεις οὐ δὲ νοεῖς τὸν δημιουργὸν καὶ κτίστην τῶν ἁπάντων, ὃς οὐρανοὺς ἐποίησεν, ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην, νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν, ἄστρα καὶ φῶς, τὸν καθήμενον ἐπὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐπὶ θρώνῳ ἀσαλεύτῳ δόξης, τὸν καθήμενον ὑπὸ τῶν Χερουβὶμ, καὶ ὑμνούμενον ὑπὸ τῶν Σεραφίμ· οὗ τὸ ὄνομα ἀνείκαστόν ἐστι καὶ ἀκατάληπτον, ὃν τρέμουσι χίλιαι χιλιάδες Ἀρχαγγέλων, καὶ μύριαι μυριάδες Ἄγγελων λειτουργῶν καὶ ἐξουσιῶν, ὃν τρέμει Χερουβὶμ καὶ Σεραφὶμ, ὕμνον τρισάγιον ἐν φωνῇ ἀκαταπαύστῳ ἀναπέμποντα, Ἅγιος, Ἅγιος, Ἅγιος, τῷ συντρίψαντι πύλας χαλκᾶς καὶ μοχλοὺς σιδηροὺς, καὶ ἀναστήσαντι ψυχὰς ἐξ ᾄδου, ὃν πᾶσα κτίσις ὑμνεῖ καὶ δοξάζει, τὸν ἀόρατον καὶ ἄχραντον καὶ ἀχειροποίητον καὶ ἐφορῶντα πάσας τὰς πράξεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὸν κρίνοντα πάσας τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν μὴ πιστευόντων εἰς αὐτὸν, καὶ γινώσκοντα καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὸν ποιήσαντα ἀρχὰς καὶ ἐξουσίας, τὸν ἀκατάλειπτον καὶ ὑψηλόθρονον, τὸν ἀθάνατον, τὸν βραχίονα τὸν ὑψηλὸν, ὃν τρέμει πᾶσα κτίσις, δι᾽ οὖ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐ δὲ ἓν, τὸν συσσείοντα τὰ πάντα καὶ βάλλοντα ὑετοὺς, καὶ αὔξοντα τοὺς καρποὺς, καὶ διδόντα πᾶσι τροφήν. Μάξιμος λέγει· Οἴμοι! ὑπὸ παιδίων νικῶμαι. Καὶ λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Ὑμεῖς αὐτοῖς ὑποβάλλετε ταῦτα λέγειν. Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Μελέτιος· Ἄφρων καὶ ἀκάρδιε, ὁρᾷς ὅτι ὑπὸ τῶν παιδίων νενίκησαι, καὶ ἀκμὴν οὐχ᾽ αἰσθάνῃ; Μάξιμος λέγει· Ὡς παιδίων ὄντων ἀνέχομαι αὐτῶν. Τὰ δὲ ἄφθαρτα παιδία ἀπεκρίτησαν καὶ εἶπον τῷ Μαξίμῳ μίᾳ φωνῇ· Ἔξαρχε τῶν κακῶν, ἀκμὴν οὐχ ὁρᾷς ἀνόητε τὸν κτίσαντα ὄρη καὶ τοὺς βουνοὺς καὶ ὕμας, τὸν κτίσαντα ἀνθρώπους κατ᾽ εἰκόνα καὶ ὁμοίωσιν ἰδίαν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ, τὸν ποιήσαντα θηρία ἐν ταῖς ὕλαις, καὶ τὰς τροφὰς καὶ τὰς διατριβὰς αὐτῶν, τὸν ποιήσαντα τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ κινούμενα ἐν αὐτῇ· αὐτός ἐστι ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐκ τῶν εἰδώλων χαλκῶν καὶ τῶν λιθίνων, οὓς ἄνθρωποι ἐποίησαν, οὒς καὶ σὺ προσκυνεῖς ἐν ἐκπλήξει γενόμενος. Ἀκούων δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος τῶν λόγων τῶν παιδίων λέγει αὐτοῖς. Γονεῖς ἔχετε; Εἶπον δὲ αὐτῷ· Ὄρφανά ἐσμεν ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ, καὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ τῷ ματαίῳ, πατέρα δὲ ἔχομεν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς Θεὸν, τὸν διατρέφοντα ἡμᾶς καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν αὐτοῦ. Μάξιμος λέγει αὐτοῖς· Οὐκοῦν οὐ δὲ ὑμεῖς θύετε τοῖς θεοῖς. Τὰ δὲ παιδία λέγουσι τῷ Μαξίμῳ, Μίαρε τῇ αἰσθήσει, πάλιν ἔχομέν σοι εἰπεῖν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν τοῦ ὑψίστου. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος μανίᾳ κινηθεὶς κατὰ τῶν νηπίων, ἐκέλευσεν ἐλθεῖν τὸν διδάσκαλον αὐτῶν Μαυρίκιον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Σὺ εἶ ὁ διδάσκων αὐτὰ τοιαῦτα ἀποφθέγγεσθαι κατὰ τῶν θεῶν; Ὁ διδάσκαλος λέγει τοῖς παιδίοις· Τί ἑνυβρίσατε τὸν Δοῦκα; Τὰ δὲ νήπια εἶπον πρὸς τὸν διδάσκαλον, Σὺ διδάσκεις ἡμᾶς σοφίαν καὶ ἐπιστήμην, μὴ θέλεις ἵνα ἐάσωμεν τὸν μέγαν καὶ ἀπλάνητον Θεὸν ἡμῶν ὡς λέγεις, καὶ εἴπομεν Θεὸν εἶναι τὸ χαλκούργημα, καὶ τοὺς λίθους, οὓς ὀνομάζει θεούς. Ὁ δὲ διδάσκαλος ταῦτα ἀκούσας, καὶ ποιήσας τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, καὶ ἐπᾴρας λίθον, ἠκόντησεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ὅψιν τοῦ Μαξίμου καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Σὺ οὖν ἐκπλανῆσαι θέλεις τὰ παιδία ἐκ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν; μὴ ἔστο σοι καλῶς, μὴ δὲ πᾶσι τοῖς σεβομένοις τὰ εἴδωλα, μήτε τῷ πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ σατανᾷ. Τότε θυμωθεὶς θυμῷ μεγάλῳ ὁ Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν ῥαβδισθῆναι τὸν διδάσκαλον σὺν τοῖς παιδίοις. Ῥαβδιζομένων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ μὴ αἰσθανομένων, ἐπέμενον οἱ τύπτοντες. Τότε λέγουσι τὰ νήπια σὺν τῷ διδασκάλῳ αὐτῶν τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελετίῳ καὶ Ἰωάννη καὶ Στεφάνῳ καὶ Σαραπίονι· Δοῦλοι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν τοῦ ὑψίστου, εὐχὴν ποιήσατε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλισθῶμεν ὑπὸ τοῦ ὄφεως, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐν ἀκακίᾳ ἀποδῶμεν τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Οἱ δὲ ἅγιοι τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ὑψίστου Θεοῦ, Μελέτιος καὶ οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν, κλίναντες τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν εὔξαντο ὑπὲρ τῶν τριῶν. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ μιερεῖς τοῦ Διὸς, ὅτι οὐδὲν δύναται ποιῆσαι αὐτοῖς ὁ

Μάξιμος, καὶ ὅτι αἱ μάστιγες οὐχ᾽ ἥπτονται αὐτῶν, ἔκραξαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγοντες πρὸς τὸν Μάξιμον· Ἄρον αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ μέσου, μήπως καὶ ἄλλοι βλέποντες, τὸ αὐτὸ ποιήσωσιν. Ἐκέλευσεν οὖν ὁ ἀνοσιώτατος Μάξιμος τραχηλοκοπηθῆναι τὸν διδάσκαλον σὺν τοῖς παιδίοις. Ἀκούσαντα δὲ τὰ παιδία τὴν ἀπόφασιν, καὶ χαρᾶς εὐαγγελισθέντα, συνέταξαντο τῷ Μελετίῳ καὶ Ἰωάννῃ καὶ Στεφάνῳ καὶ Σαραπίονι. Ἀπίεσαν οὖν ἀγαλλιῶντα σὺν τῷ διδασκάλῳ ὡς πρόβατα ἐπὶ σφαγήν. Λαβόντες οὖν αὐτοὺς οἱ σπεκουλάτορες, ἀπήνεγκαν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄρος τοῦ Μηνὸς, καὶ λέγουσι τὰ παιδία τοῖς δημίοις. Ἐάσατε ἡμᾶς μικρόν. Ἀναβλέψαντα δὲ σὺν τῷ διδασκάλῳ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εὔξαντο πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν οὕτως εἰπόντες. Εὐλογοῦμέν σε, Δέσποτα παντοκράτορ ἐπουράνιε, ὅτι οὐ παρέδωκας ἡμᾶς τῷ λύκῳ τῷ ἅρπαγι· καὶ νῦν, Δέσποτα Κύριε, δέξαι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ἐν ἀνέσει, ὅτι εὐλογητὸν τὸ ὀνομά σου, τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Ὑιοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἁμήν. Ἐκτενάντων δὲ αὐτῶν τοὺς αὐχένας, φωνὴ ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα· Εἰσέλθετε ἀγαπητοί μου εἰς τὴν τρυφὴν τοῦ παραδείσου. Λέγουσι δὲ τοῖς σπεκουλάτορσι· Ποιήσατε ὃ ἐκελεύσθητε. Ἐθελειώθησαν δὲ ἐν εἰρίνῃ, μηνὶ Σεπτεμβρίῳ τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτῃ, τὰ ἅγια νήπια Χριστιανὸς καὶ Κυριακὸς σὺν τῷ διδασκάλῳ αὐτῶν, μετὰ χαρᾶς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Ὑιοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ᾧ ἢ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Ἄνδρες δὲ Χριστιανοὶ φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεὸν, ἀπῆλθον νυκτὸς εἰς τὸν τόπον, καὶ ἔλαβον τὰ λείψανα τῶν καλλινίκων Μαρτύρων, τοῦτ᾽ ἐστὶ τῶν δύο παιδίων σὺν τῷ διδασκάλῳ αὐτῶν, καὶ κατέθεντο αὐτοὺς ὅπου ἔκειτο ὁ μακάριος Ζώἳλος, καὶ δοξάσαντες τὸν Θεὸν ἀνεχώρησαν μετὰ χαρᾶς.

[29] The Tyrant himself, having gone forward to the shrine, beheld the twin athletes of Christ, without any attendant, and the statues of Æsculapius and the other gods cast to the ground and basely broken in pieces. Meletius, clothed in a fired breastplate and helmet, Wherefore boiling with great fury, he orders the military breastplate and helmet of Meletius to be made white-hot forthwith. When the executioners had executed this as far as could be done, he soon commands Meletius to be clothed with the glowing breastplate and the helmet to be set upon his head. But Meletius perceived nothing of pain or harm from the glowing iron. For the iron arms, white-hot with much fire, is in no way harmed, affected the limbs of Meletius as it were with a moderate cold, who then thus addressed Maximus: This indeed was rightly done by thee, rabid dog, that thou hast willed me to be clothed with my arms, that I may fight more bravely against thy father the devil, and at length even more easily conquer him.

[30] Serapion also, when he had observed the generous courage of the illustrious champion of Christ Meletius in the torments, Serapion meanwhile praying for him: with hands stretched on high, pronounced to God that prayer which he had first learned from the Bishop, when lately he received the laver of immortality: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Lord God omnipotent and most high. Thy kingdom come, which in this earth is comprehended within no bounds. Thy will be done, that Thy help may descend upon us sinners, as in heaven and in earth. What has been ordained by Thee, let it turn to our aid and consolation. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. That is, since Thou hast deigned to call us into the number of those who are both our Brethren, and by enduring many things bravely, truly and as is fitting adore Thee; bestow upon us the bread of Thy mercy, even as Thou hast bestowed it upon those who have merited to please Thy holy name. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors, and remember not, Lord, our impiety. For who shall endure it? And lead us not into temptation; for we are not able to bear it. But deliver us from evil, through Thine only-begotten Son, who is blessed unto the ages. Amen.

[31] Meletius again solicited to worship the idols, Maximus meanwhile, destitute of all counsel, and able to effect nothing further against the most holy men, orders them to be led again into prison; and thus addresses them: Meletius, John, Stephen, and thou Serapion, do you not yet suffer yourselves to be persuaded that you sacrifice to the Gods? To whom the Martyrs; O dog, they said, unfaithful, still dost thou persist in that hardness of thy heart; nor dost thou think upon Him through whom all things were created? Maximus the Commander answered: Dost thou say that I am deprived of the common sense of men? To which Serapion, if any sound sense were in thee, thou wouldst now send back word to thy father Satan and to all the idols, and firmly believe in the true God existing above all the heavens. Then turning to his attendants, Maximus: Strike this man's cheeks, said he, with your fists, that he dare not henceforth speak such things. But here Meletius to Maximus; O hard and blind of heart, he bids the infants be questioned about them. come, bid innocent little children be seized, and brought into the midst; let these indeed answer, which God is to be held the greater, He whom we venerate, or the idols without life and motion. Whichever they shall pronounce the greater, we without any doubt will believe such a one to be.

[32] He orders therefore twin boys to be snatched from the school, and brought forth into public. These were brothers, Of these being questioned, one two years old, the other three years old, and bereft of both parents, of whom one was passing the second year of his age, the other the third. Straightway to them Maximus; What are your names, boys? what your fortune? The Brothers answered, most certainly inspired by the Holy Spirit; By a happy lot indeed we are servants of Christ, although we were born free and not ignoble, which is the goodness of our God. And the three-year-old child continuing; if thou so greatly desirest to know the names which our parents imposed on us, I indeed am called Christian, but he is called Cyriacus. Then Maximus; Tell us, said he, Christian and Cyriacus, which is to be held the greater God, Jupiter, and Apollo, and Æsculapius, and Hercules, or the God who is nowhere seen.

[33] But the little ones, still without reason, lifting their eyes to heaven with a groan, beheld a hand divinely descending upon themselves, which both bestowed on them the Holy Spirit, and fortified them with the venerable sign of Christ to answer bravely. Hence turning to the Tyrant; they proclaim one God. Most impious one, they said, and not to be numbered among men, dost thou not see, dost thou not understand the maker of the world and of all things, God? Who made the heavens, and the sun and the moon, night and day, the stars and the light? Who sits upon a throne of His glory, eternally to endure, above the orbs of the heavens? Who sits upon the Cherubim? whom the Seraphim praise? whose name can be compared to no other and comprehended by no mortal? whom a thousand thousands of Archangels, and ten thousand times ten thousand of ministering Angels and Powers look up to with fear? Whom the Cherubim and Seraphim dread, who chant to Him without any rest that thrice-holy hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy? Who broke the brazen gates and the iron bars, who brings back souls from below? Whom every creature follows with hymns and honor, invisible to no mortal, and ignorant of all corruption, nor fashioned by human art? Who most inwardly discerns all the works of men? Who shall one day come the judge of those who shall have refused to believe in Him? Who penetrates even the inmost thoughts of men? Who made the Principalities and Powers? The incomprehensible, the most high, the immortal, the lofty arm? By whose fear and reverence all creatures are held? Through whom all things were made, and without whom was made nothing? Who by His nod moves all things? Who at fixed times sends down His rains from heaven? Who gives increase to the fruits of the earth, and food to all living things?

[34] Maximus exclaiming hereupon; Woe is me, said he, whom even tender boys assail and overcome! Then to Meletius he said: You suggest such things to those tender ones, that they may say them. To whom Meletius; Madman, said he, and without heart, dost thou now see that thou art conquered even by a tender age? dost thou not yet put off that hardness of thy heart? And the Tyrant; They are boys, said he, and as boys I patiently tolerate them. and they acknowledge Him alone as their father, Then the Brothers, worthy of immortal praise; Dost thou not yet even now, they answer, see? Dost thou not yet, madman, understand Him who founded the mountains and hills and forests? Who with His own hands formed man to His image and likeness? Who made the sea and all things that move in the sea? He is our God, who wrought the universe. What answer dost thou give us? Which of the brazen and stone Gods, which the hands of men made, and which thou with so great stupor adorest, has any sense or mind? When Maximus heard these speeches of the boys, he thus questioned them; Are your parents living? Parents, the boys reply, in this earth and in this deceitful world we have not; but yet in a father's place to us is the God who dwells in the heavens, who feeds and rears us and all His creation. Then, asked Maximus, do not you also sacrifice to the Gods? To whom the boys; Again, they say, perverse-hearted Tyrant, must it be necessary for us to relate to thee the power of our God?

[35] Then Maximus, kindled with a certain fury against the boys, having called to him their teacher Mauricius, thus questions him; then their master being summoned Art thou he who taught those little ones to utter such unspeakable things against the gods? Turning to his disciples the master; Why, said he, have you spoken contumely against the Commander? The little ones answered; Thou hast taught us wisdom and knowledge. Dost thou then wish that we dismiss our great and never-deceiving God, as thou thyself art wont to call Him, and say that there is true divinity in brazen images and stones, as that Commander unwisely persuades himself; when he too insulted the tyrant, when he attributes to them the name of gods? The answer received, the teacher, the sign of Christ impressed upon his forehead, confidently casts a stone snatched from the ground into the face of Maximus, and asks; Dost thou then strive to call away these innocent little boys from the true worship of our God, and from true glory? Nor may it ever be well with thee, nor with any who transfers to images the worship due to the one God. Most evilly also be it with thy father Satan.

[36] Then carried away indeed with vehement wrath, Maximus commanded both the teacher and his disciples to be sharply beaten with rods. And when they were beaten, he is at the same time beaten with rods and gave no sense of pain, the executioners, wearied with excessive labor, ceased to scourge them. The disciples meanwhile, together with their teacher, address Meletius, John, Stephen, and Serapion with these words; Servants of the most high God, prayers, we pray, conceive for our sake to God, that by that most ferocious serpent the scandal

we may suffer none, but rather may happily render our innocent soul to God, from whom we received it. Then Meletius and those who were present with him, with faces cast down to the ground, commended to the great and most high God the constancy of the three Martyrs in prayer. After these things the nefarious sacrificers of Jupiter, and he is condemned to death. when they saw that all the things the Tyrant contrived against the Martyrs were in vain, and that the cruelty of the scourging afflicted them with no pain, demanded with loud voices from Maximus that they be put to death; Take away, they said, the impious ones from among us, lest others, moved by their example, dare the same. The most impious Maximus therefore ordered the master and his disciples to be beheaded.

[37] Having received the sentence of death, the little boys rejoiced greatly, and joined themselves to Meletius, John, Stephen, All steadfastly undergo death; and Serapion. A little after, the disciples, together with their teacher, full of great gladness, like innocent little sheep, hastened to the slaughter; and being led by the executioners to the mountain which is called Men, they prayed this only, that it might be granted them for a while to direct their eyes to heaven together with their master. Which obtained, they prayed to God in this manner; We bless Thee, Lord omnipotent, and set above all the heavens, who hast not delivered us to the ravening wolf. But now also admit our souls into that happy liberty; since blessed is the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit unto the ages. Amen. And when they then stretched out their necks to receive the blow, a voice glided down from heaven to their ears, saying, Come, dearest ones, to the delights of My Paradise. When the voice ceased to be heard, they said to the executioners; What you were bidden, this now perform. In peace therefore they ended their life, in the month of September, having died on the fourteenth day of the same month, 24 of September with great gladness of their own, the most holy little boys Christian and Cyriacus, and the teacher of both, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory unto the ages. Amen. But certain Christian men, and full of the fear of God, went by night to the place of punishment, their bodies are buried beside St. Zoilus. and laid the venerable relics of the Martyrs who had attained a most beautiful victory, that is, of the two boys and their teacher, in the same place in which the blessed Zoilus also rests. When they had completed this and given due praises to God, suffused with great gladness, each one returned to his own home.

CHAPTER VI.

The death of Serapion, the conversion and martyrdom of Callinicus the Archmagus.

Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ἀπῆλθον οἱ μιερεῖς τῶν ἑλλήνων θεάσασθαι τὰ σώματα τῶν νηπίων, καὶ εὗρον οὐδέν· Ἴδον δὲ τὸν διάβολον, καθήμενον ἐν σχήματι παιδίου, καὶ θρηνοῦντα σφόδρα, διότι οὐκ ἐδυνήθη ἡττῆσαι τὰ παιδία. Οἱ δὲ μιερεῖς ἐνόμιζον, ὅτι αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν νηπίων εἰσὶ θρηνοῦσαι· λέγουσιν οὖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Ἀπελθόντες ἀποκτείνωμεν τὸν Σαραπίονα, ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ἐποίησεν τὰ σώματα αὐτῶν κλαπῆναι, μήπως καὶ ἄλλους ποιήσῃ ἀποστῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν θυσιῶν· βλέποντες γὰρ ἐκεῖνον μὴ ποιοῦντα τὰς θυσίας, εἰς αὐτὸν τρέπονται πάντες, καὶ ἀπελθόντες πρὸς τὸν Μάξιμον, κατέκραξαν αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· Δοὺξ Μάξιμε, ἀκμὴν Σαραπίων οὐχ ἀπέθανεν; ἆρον τὸν μισοῦντα τοὺς θεοὺς ἐκ μέσου, μὴ καὶ ἄλλους διαστρέψῃ. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ὀργισθεὶς ἐκ τῆς γενομένης κραυγῆς τῶν μιερέων, ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Σεραπίονα λογχιασθῆναι. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος Σαραπίων προσεσχηκὼς τῇ ἀποφάσει, λέγει· Μελέτιε, Ἰωάννη καὶ Στέφανε, εὔξασθε περὶ ἐμοῦ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, τὸν βοηθοῦντα ἡμῖν, ἵνα συντόμως δέξηται τὸ πνεῦμά μου, ὅπως μὴ χαυχήσηται ὁ τύραννος, ὅτι ἴσχυσεν πρός με. Εὐχομήνων δὲ αὐτῶν συνηύχετο καὶ αὐτός· ὡς γὰρ ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος, οὕτως ηὔχοντο πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· Κύριε Βασιλεῦ τῆς εὐεργεσίας καὶ πάσης εἰρήνης, ὁ Λόγος ὁ πρὸ ἑωσφόρου ὢν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, δι᾽ οὗ τὰ πάντα ἔκτισεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ νῦν Δέσποτα μἡ συγχωρήσῃς τὸν δοῦλόν σου Σαραπίονα ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ τοῦ σταδίου τούτου ἄστεπτον, ἀλλὰ ταχέως μετάδος αὐτῷ τῆς χάριτός σου· σὺ γὰρ δεδοξασμένος εἶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Τελεσάντων Δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν εὐχὴν, προσήλθεν αὐτῷ ὁ Κομφέκτωρ, κελεύσαντος τοῦ Μαξίμου ἀρθῆναι αὐτὸν, καὶ πρηνὶ ἅψηται αὐτοῦ ὁ Κομφέκτωρ, καθῆλθεν νεφέλη φωτεινὴ, καὶ ἐδέξατο αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχήν. Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος τοῦτο, ἐθυμώθη λέγων, ὅτι οὕτε πῦρ οὔτε ξίφη ἐδυνήθησαν ἀναλῶσαι αὐτόν. Καὶ ἐκέλευσεν συρῆναι αὐτὸν, καὶ ῥιφῆναι ἔξω τῆς πόλεως, ὅπως οἱ κύνες αὐτὸν ἀναλώσωσιν. Τούτου δὲ γενομένου, κατελθόντες ἄνδρες Χριστιανοὶ, φοβούμενοι τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἁρπάσαντες τὸ λείψανον αὐτοῦ, κείμενον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως, ἀπείνεγκαν αὐτὸ ἐν Κανδακοροῖς, ὅπου ἦν ὁ ὄχλος ἐν τῷ ὄρει ἠσιχάζων. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος, ἁπορούμενος, πάλιν ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Μελέτιον καὶ Ἰωάννην καὶ Στέφανον ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ φυλάττεσθαι, ἄχρι σκέψηται πῶς ἀναλῶσι αὐτούς. Τῇ δὲ ἑξῆς προκαθίσας ὁ Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν Καλλίνικον κληθῆναί τινα φαρμακὸν, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Τί ποιήσαντες ἀναλώσωμεν αὐτοὺς, διότι οὐ δυνάμεθα αὐτοὺς ἄγξαι. Καλλίνικος εἶπεν· Ποίησον ἐνεγκεῖν ἱερόθυτα, κᾳγὼ βάλλω ἐν αὐτοῖς φάρμακα μεγάλα, ἵνα παραχρῆμα ἀναλώσωμεν αὐτοὺς καὶ νικήσωμεν αὐτούς. Καὶ εἰ μὲν πεισθήσονται τοῦ θῦσαι ἐπὶ τέως ἱερόθυτα ἔφαγον, καὶ ἄκοντες ἐδούλευσαν τοῖς προστάγμασιν· εἰ δὲ ἀποθάνωσιν, καὶ οὕτως νικήσωμεν αὐτούς. Μάξιμος δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσας, χαρᾶς ἐνεπλήσθη Μεγάλης, καὶ καλεῖ τοὺς ἀθλητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τί ἔστι Μελέτιε καὶ Ἰωάννη καὶ Στέφανε; καλῶς ὑμᾶς ἔλαβον αἱ βάσανοι; Μελέτιος λέγει· Ἑνὸς μὲν τὴν ψυχὴν ἔσωσας, ἡμᾶς δὲ οὐκ ἐγγίσεις. Τότε ἐκέλευσεν τῷ ἀρχιμάγῳ λέγων· Ποίησον καθ᾽ ὡς ἐλάλησας. Ἐνεχθέντος δὲ τοῦ μιαροθύτου, λαβὼν ὁ ἀρχίμαγος τὰ φάρμακα, ἐνέλαβεν τῷ μιαροθύτῳ, καὶ λαβὼν ἐπότισεν αὐτοὺς βίᾳ, καὶ πιόντες οἱ Ἅγιον οὐκ ᾔσθοντο τῶν φαρμάκων· εἶπον δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸν Μάξιμον, χάριτάς σοι ἔχομεν, κύων ἀνόσιε, ὅτι διψῶσιν ἡμῖν ἔδωκας πιεῖν· ἐγένετο γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὡς ὕδωρ ὁ ἔπιον. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος, ὅτι οὐδενὸς ᾔσθοντο οἱ Ἅγιοι, λέγει πρὸς τὸν ἀρχίμαγον Καλλίνικον· Οὐδέν σου ἤνυσαν τὰ φάρμακα; Καλλίνικος εἶπεν· Μὰ τοὺς ἅπαντας θεοὺς, ἐγὼ τούτων ἐντεχνότερος οὔκ εἰμι. Επεὶ κέλευσόν τινα τῶν σῶν πινεῖν ἐξ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰ ζήσεται, ὑπεύθυνός εἰμι τῆς τούτων τιμωρίας. Εἷς δὲ τῶν μιαρῶν ἱερῶν κατελθὼν λέγει· Παίζει σε οὗτος, φειδόμενος αὐτῶν· ἐπεὶ κέλευσόν με, καὶ πίνω ἐξ αὐτῶν. Ἐπέτρεψεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Μάξιμος δοῦναι αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ λαβὼν, ὡς μόνον ὀσφρήσατο τὸ φάρμακον, εὐθέως ἐξέψυξεν. Ἐν πολλῇ δὲ μανία γενόμενος, ἐκέλευσεν τήγανον ἐνεχθῆναι, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ ἐμβληθῆναι πίσσαν καὶ κηρὸν καὶ στέαρ, καὶ ὑποκαίεσθαι. Ὑποκαιομένου δὲ αὐτοῦ, πάλιν προσέταξεν βληθῆναι θείαφον· καὶ ὁ βρασμὸς αὐτοῦ ἐξίη ὡς μὴ δὲ τὴν ὀσμὴν αὐτοῦ ὑποφέρειν τὸν ὄχλον· καὶ ἐκέλευσεν τοὺς Ἁγίους ἐμβληθῆναι ἐν αὐτῷ. Οἱ δὲ ἀθλοφόροι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ποιήσαντες τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, προθύμως ἐπέβησαν τῷ βρασμῷ τοῦ τηγάνου, καὶ ἀνεπαύοντο ὡς ἐπὶ δρόσου τοῦ παραδείσου, εὐλογοῦντες τὸν Θεὸν καὶ λέγοντες οὕτως· Εὐλογητὸς εἶ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ ὢν καὶ προὼν, ὁ τοὺς τρεῖς παῖδας ῥυσάμενος ἐκ τῆς καμίνου, καὶ νῦν δὸς ἡμῖν ἀνάπαυσιν ταύτην· Ἦσαν γὰρ ἀναπεπαυμένοι ἐπὶ τοῦ τηγάνου ὡς ἐπὶ δρόσου. Καὶ πάλιν ἔλεγεν· Εὐλογοῦμέν σε φωταγαγὲ Βασιλεῦ ἐπουράνιε, μὴ ἐάσας ἡμᾶς ἡττηθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ μιαρωτάτου τούτου, ἀλλὰ συντήρησον ἡμᾶς ἀσπίλους ἐν τῇ δόξῇ σου, ὅτι εὐλογημένον ἐστὶ τὸ ὄνομά σου εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἁμήν. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ μιαρώτατος Μάξιμος ὅτι οὐ δὲ ὅλως ἥψατο αὐτῶν ἡ βάσανος, ἐκέλευσεν φρύγανα καὶ θείαφον ἐμβάλλεσθαι, καὶ ἐπάνω ῥαντίσαι ἔλαιον τοῦ τηγάνου· καὶ οὐ δὲ οὕτως ἥψατο τὸ πῦρ τῶν Ἁγίων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξῆλθον ἀβλαβεῖς ἐκ τοῦ τηγάνου. Ὁ δὲ ἀρχίμαγος Καλλίνικος, λαβὼν τοὺς χαρτὰς αὐτοῦ, ἐν οἷς εἶχεν πάσας τὰς μαγίας, ἔῤῥιψεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πυρὶ, ἵνα καῶσι, λέγων οὕτως· Πιστεύω τῳ Θεῷ Μελετίου καὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου· βαλόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τοὺς χάρτας ἐν τῷ πυρὶ, εὐθέως ἐδράξαντο καὶ ἐκάησαν. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Καλλίνικος ὅτι ἐκάησαν αὐτοῦ οἱ χάρται, ἐθαύμασεν· ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Καλλίνικος εἶπεν τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ὦ τρισάθλιε, καὶ ἀνοσιώτατε, καὶ ἀπάνθρωπε, τί οὕτως ἀνομεῖς εἰς τὸν κτίσοντα ἡμᾶς Θεόν. Μάξιμος δὲ θυμωθεὶς εἶπεν· Λάβετε αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ δεσμοτήριον, καὶ ἀσφαλίσασθε καλῶς, βαλόντες εἰς τοὺς τραχήλους αὐτῶν σίδηρα παμμεγέθη καὶ εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰς πόδας βάλετε ξύλα, καὶ σφραγισάμενοι τῷ δακτύλῳ μου, φέρετέ μοι αὐτὸ ὥδε, ἕως οὗ σκέψομαι πῶς ἀναλώσω αὐτούς. Τὸν δὲ Καλλίνικον λαβὼν, λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Μάξιμος· Καλλίνικε, οὐχὶ οἱ θεοὶ φιλοῦσί σε, καὶ λέγουσί σοι πῶς ζῇ ὁ κόσμος; Μὴ οὖν καταφρονήσεις αὐτῶν, ἐπεὶ οὕτως ἔχουσί σε ἀπολέσαι, ὡς Σαραπίονα τὸν ἀπειθήσαντα αὐτοῖς. Καλλίνικος λέγει· Ἐμοὶ μὲν ὁ Θεὸς Μελετίου καὶ Σαραπίονος οὐκ ἀπόλλει, ἀλλὰ σώζει ὡς Σαραπίονα· οὐαῖ δέ σοι, παράνομε, ὅτι οὐκ οἶδας ἅ πράττεις. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν. Οὐκοῦν Σαραπίων ἐσώθη; Καλλίνικος λέγει· Ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς στέφανον ἔλαβεν ἀμαράντινον, σὺ δὲ μιαρώτατε οὐ σωθήσῃ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Καλλίνικε, μὴ πλανῶ· οἱ γὰρ θεοί εἰσιν βοηθοῦντες Μελετίῳ καὶ τοῖς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Καλλίνικος εἶπεν. Μιαρώτατε καὶ ἄφρων, πῶς αὐτοὶ βοηθοῦσιν τοῖς καταστρέψαντας αὐτούς; εἰ γὰρ τὰ φάρμακα, ἄπερ ἐποίησα, οὐδέν ἴσχυσαν εἰς αὐτούς; εἰ γὰρ τὰ φάρμακα, ἅπερ ἐποίησα, οὐδὲν ἴσχυσαν εἰς αὐτοὺς οὔτε ἠδικήθησαν· ὁ δὲ σὸς ἱερεὺς, ἵνα μόνον ὀσφρανθῇ τὸ φάρμακον, εὐθέως ἀπέψυξεν, δηλὸν ὅτι οἱ εἰς Χριστὸν πιστεύσαντες ἐσώθησαν. Πῶς οὖν μὴ πιστεύσω μεγάλῳ καὶ ἐπουρανίῳ Θεῷ καὶ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων Χριστῷ, τῷ μέλλοντι κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς; Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Μὴ καὶ σὺ χρυσίον ἔλαβες, ὡς καὶ Σαραπίων, καὶ ποιεῖ τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν λόγον; Καλλίνικος εἶπεν· Χρυσίον παρ᾽ αὐτῶν οὐκ εἴληφα, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ζωὴν καὶ πίστιν ἐν Χριστῷ· κᾀγὼ δὲ θέλω λαβεῖ ἐκεῖνο τὸ χρυσίον, ὅπερ καὶ ἔλαβεν ὦ Σαραπίων, τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα. Θυμῷ δὲ πλειστῷ κινηθεὶς ὁ Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν δοθῆναι αύτὸν ἐν τῷ τηγάνῳ. Ὁ δὲ Καλλίνικος ἀκούσας ἀνεβόησε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· Ὁ Θεὸς Μελετίου καὶ Στεφάνου καὶ Ἰωάννου, μὴ ἐάσῃς με, τόν ποτε ἀρχίμαγον, νῦν εἴς σε ἐλπίξοντα, ἡττηθῆναι· ἀλλὰ βοήθησόν μοι. Ναὶ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ὁ δεξάμενος τὴν ψυχὴν Σαραπίονος ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ, ῥῦσαί με τῆς πλάνης τῶν εἰδώλων, καὶ φύλαξόν με τῇ σῇ δυνάμει, ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλίσῃ με ὁ σατανᾶς ὃν ἐσεβόμην, ὃς σκοτίζει τὴν

ψυχὴν τοῦ Μαξίμου· ἀλλὰ διατήρησόν με μετὰ τῶν εἴς σε ἐλπιζόντων, ὅτι εὐλογημένος εἶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Καλλίνικος, ἐποίησεν τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, καὶ ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τῷ τηγάνῳ προθύμως, εὐχόμενος οὕτως· Ὁ Θεὸς Μελετίου καὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου, ὁ δείξας Σαραπίονι ὄντι ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τὴν σὴν δόξαν, δεῖξαι καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ τῷ ποτε ἀρχιμάγῳ, νῦν δὲ ἐπί σε ἠλπικότι τὴν σήν δόξαν, ὅπως καταπατήσω τὸ πῦρ τοῦ σατανᾶ, μήποτε εἴπῃ ὁ Μάξιμος, ὅτι οὐδέν ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν. Ταῦτα αὐτοῦ εἰπόντος, εὐθέως τὸ πῦρ ἐσκορπίσθη, καὶ τὸ τήγανον ἐγένετο ψυχρόν· ὁ δὲ Καλλίνικος εὑρέθη ὅλος ἄσπιλος, δοξάζων τὸν Θεόν. Θυμωθεὶς δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν ἐλθεῖν τὸν Μελέτιον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Μελέτιε, ἐμάγευσας τὸν ἀρχίμαγον ἡμῶν; ἢ τί αὐτῷ δέδωκας, ὅτι ἠρνήσατο τοὺς θεούς; Ὁ δὲ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιος, ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ εὐχαριστήσας τῷ Θεῷ, εἶπεν τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἐκεῖνος οὐκ ἐμαγεύθη (μὴ δώῃ ὁ Χριστὸς ἡμῶν) ἀλλ᾽ ἐγνώρησεν τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, τὸν ἀπλάνητον, ὅστις δώσει αὐτῷ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Ὁ δὲ Καλλίνικος λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ, Μελέτιε δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου, εὔχου ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἄστεπτος ἐξέλθω ἐκ τοῦ σταδίου τούτου. Ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος εἶπεν· Ἰδοὺ ὁ Θεός μου στέφανόν σοι ἡτοίμασεν, ὃν ἐγὼ ὁρῶ, καὶ πᾶσι δὲ τοῖς ἐλπίζουσιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀγαθός ἐστιν μισθαποδότης. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος, μανίᾳ φερόμενος κατὰ τοῦ Καλλινίκου, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν τραχηλοκοπηθῆναι, τὸν δὲ Μελέτιον βληθῆναι εἰς τὸ δεσμοτήριον. Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Καλλίνικος τὴν ἀπόφασιν αὐτοῦ, λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Ἔγγισόν μοι δοῦλε τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου. Καὶ περιπτυζάμενος ὁ Καλλίνικος τὸν Μελέτιον, λέγει αὐτῷ· Δός μοι, τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα. Ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος εἶπεν τῷ Καλλινικῷ· Ὁ Χριστὸς ἡμῶν δώσει σοι, ὁ καταδείξας τὴν σφραγίδα. Καὶ πάλιν λέγει τῷ Καλλινίκῳ Μελέτιος· Ἀνάβλεψον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ὄψει τὰ προκείμενά σοι ἀγαθά. Καὶ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ὁ Καλλίνικος. εἶδεν τὸν στέφανον ἡτοιμασμένον αὐτῷ· καὶ περιχαρής γενομένος ἔκλινεν τὸν αὐχένα αὐτοῦ, καὶ έδέξατο τὴν πλήγην τοῦ ξίφους ἐκ τοῦ σπεκουλάτορος, καὶ ἀπέδωκεν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ μετὰ χαρᾶς ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς τοῦ Ὑιοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνευματος. Ἰδόντες δέ τινες Χριστιανοὶ τὴν τελείωσιν τοῦ μακαρίου Καλλινίκου, ἐπάραντες τὸ λείψανον αὐτοῦ, ἀπήνεγκαν, ὅπου ἦν τοῦ μακαρίου Σαραπίονος, καὶ κατέθεντο αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ.

[38] On the next day the impious priests of the Gentiles betook themselves to the same place, Maximus, instigated by the sacrificers, that they might behold the bodies of the boy Martyrs, and they found none of them: but in their stead there appeared to them the devil, under the form of a boy sitting there, and vehemently deploring his own lot, because he had been overcome by so tender an age. Yet the impious ones thought that these groans and lamentations proceeded from the souls of the boys slain in that place: Let us go, therefore, they said to one another, and let us likewise procure that Serapion be killed, who without doubt brought it about that the bodies of these boys were carried off by theft, and that henceforth no one may dare to withdraw from the worship and sacrifices of our gods. For when they saw that Serapion did not at all offer sacrifices to the gods, the minds of all were stirred against him. Wherefore all coming together to Maximus, they accosted him with these words; Maximus Commander, has not Serapion yet paid the penalty of his crime by death? Take away from among us the impious hater of our gods, lest by his pernicious example he pervert the minds of more.

[39] The Tyrant, kindled by the clamors of the nefarious ones, ordered Serapion to be pierced with a lance. Then the most blessed Martyr, he orders Serapion to be pierced through, intent upon the death shortly to be undergone, thus addresses his fellow-soldiers; Meletius, John, and Stephen, come as suppliants to God for me, who has supplied us with strength thus far, that He may quickly receive the last breath of my life, lest the Tyrant be able to boast that he has prevailed against me. Then to their prayers he joined his own prayers and vows; for thus as it were with one mouth they all besought God: Lord King, and fountain of all beneficence, and origin of peace, O Word, who before the Day-star wast with the Father, through whom God made all things; Thee now, Lord, we beseech, that Thou suffer not Thy servant Serapion to depart from that arena inglorious, but bestow on him Thy divine grace as soon as possible; who breathes out his soul in prayer: for to Thee is praise and glory unto the ages. Amen. After they had put an end to the prayer, the executioner approached Serapion, about to lead him away by the command of Maximus; but lo, before the executioner laid hold of the Martyr, a bright cloud descending from heaven received the soul of Serapion into blessed immortality. The unusual matter being reported to Maximus, the Tyrant grew vehemently hot, complaining with indignation that he had been able to destroy Serapion neither by fire nor by sword; whose body then he commanded to be dragged and cast outside the city, and he is buried by the Christians. that it might be torn and devoured by the dogs. The Tyrant's command was soon fulfilled; but certain Christian men and fearing God came secretly, and bearing away the body of the holy Martyr cast to the dogs, into the place called of the Candacorei, where no small multitude of men followed a quiet life.

[40] Maximus meanwhile, destitute of all counsel to be taken, ordered Meletius, Callinicus the archmagus John, and Stephen to be held in chains, until he had devised some way of basely destroying them. But on the following day, sitting upon the tribunal, he calls to him Callinicus the sorcerer: to whom present; In what way, said he, at length shall we be able to destroy those men, since we cannot compel them? Have the victims brought, answered Callinicus, and I will so press them with sorceries, that they themselves will incur certain ruin, and we shall be superior to them. And if indeed they be induced to sacrifice to the gods, they will soon also eat the flesh consecrated to the gods, and even unwilling will obey the edicts; but if they be slain by the force of incantations, yet even so we shall have overcome them. When Maximus heard these things, he exulted with no moderate gladness. Then leading the generous athletes of Christ forth into the midst, he thus addresses them; What is this, Meletius, John, and Stephen, that the torments have so beautifully turned out for you? To whom Meletius; Of one indeed, he compels Meletius, John, and Stephen to drink poison: he said, thou hast saved the soul; but it will not be granted thee to approach us. Then to the Archmagus the Tyrant; Do, said he, what thou hast promised. The wicked libations therefore being brought, and incantations made over them, he by force applied compelled the holy Martyrs to drink: who without any harm to themselves drank the wines infected with magic charms; nay, they all alike thus addressed Maximus: We give thee thanks, impious dog, who, when we were pressed with great thirst, hast not denied us drink. For that which had been offered them to drink had put on the nature of most pleasant water.

[41] The Tyrant, perceiving that no harm had been brought to the holy Martyrs; In vain, said he to the Archmagus Callinicus, were thy sorceries. Then Callinicus; By all the gods, said he, these having suffered nothing thereby, I am not more skilled or about to perish than they. But come, bid some one of thine drink the potion which I offered them: and if indeed he survive, hold me liable to the same punishments. There came from the crowd of impious priests one, and said to Maximus; This Callinicus mocks thee, and favors the Christians: hand me the potion quickly, when he had killed another even by its smell, which I will drain without any delay. The Tyrant then commanded what was asked to be done. Scarcely had the priest even perceived the cup received by its smell, when forthwith he breathed out his soul.

[42] Which seen, Maximus carried away into fury, ordered a frying-pan to be made ready, and pitch and wax and grease to be mixed in it, and fire to be set beneath; which when it had been actively done, he commanded sulphur to be poured over. So foul moreover a stench burst forth from the frying-pan that the multitude of those standing by could not endure it. The Tyrant straightway bids the generous champions of Christ be cast into the frying-pan. These, intrepidly fortifying themselves with the sign of the same Christ, alacriously undergo the prepared punishment; and in it, no otherwise than as if in some most pleasant paradise, suffused with most grateful dew, they rested without harm, and from the boiling frying-pan blessing God in nearly this manner: Blessed art Thou our God, who art and ever wast, who didst free the three boys from the Babylonian furnace unharmed, who at length hast granted us to be safe and quiet in this punishment. We bless Thee, most beautiful illuminator of our minds, and ruler existing above the heavens; who hast not suffered Thy servants to be overcome by that most impure man, having entered without harm, but hast reserved them pure and immaculate for Thy glory, since blessed is Thy name unto the ages. Amen. The Tyrant meanwhile, perceiving that nothing was effected against the Martyrs, commands brushwood and sulphur to be added, and oil to be poured over from above. But not even so did the glorious Soldiers suffer anything more grievous, but plainly unharmed and whole came forth from the frying-pan.

[43] But indeed the Archmagus Callinicus, moved by the unusualness of the matter, cast all his books, written with magic charms, into the flames, that they might be consumed; he too confesses Christ, and openly professing what he had resolved; I believe, said he, in the God of Meletius, John, and Stephen. And when he had thrown his papers into the fire, without delay they were consumed by the violence of the fire: at which itself Callinicus greatly marveled; who turning to Maximus; O, said he, most wretched and most impious of men, and to be exterminated from the number of men, why dost thou so nefariously and sacrilegiously exercise rage against God our creator? The Tyrant vehemently enraged; Into prison, said he, hurry them away, and bound with huge chains at the neck, and impeded with their hands and feet set in timbers, diligently keep them: and after you have secured all things with my seal, report it to me, until I myself more carefully consider with what evils I may destroy them.

[44] Then turning his speech to Callinicus, Do not, said he, our gods, Callinicus, love thee very much, and benignly disclose by what reason this world consists and is quickened? Despise them not therefore, thou proclaimest Serapion blessed, from whom otherwise the same punishment threatens thee, which took away from the living Serapion, the despiser of them. Me indeed, answered Callinicus, the God of Meletius and Serapion has resolved not to destroy, but to save, even as He made Serapion safe and blessed. But woe to thee, sacrilegious one, who by no means perceivest how impiously thou actest! Then, asks the Tyrant, dost thou call Serapion blessed? To whom Callinicus; He truly has now attained an unfading crown in the heavens; but thou, most impure of men, never hope for salvation or blessedness ever to be obtained. And Maximus the Commander; See, said he, Callinicus, that thou be not deceived; for by the help of our gods Meletius and his companions have been preserved thus far. Then Callinicus;

Nefarious one, bereft of mind, how can it come to pass, that the gods are propitious to men, who did not fear to overthrow their statues and images? For if the sorceries which I brought forth could effect nothing against those men; but thy priest, having perceived only the smell of the magic potion, suddenly fell down dead; it is surely manifest, that those who believe in Christ have remained unharmed by His divine power. How mad therefore should I be, if I should deny faith and worship to the great God of the heavens, and to Christ the King of the ages, who shall one day come to judge the living and the dead? Maximus then; Has not also to thee, even as to Serapion, the force of gold been granted by them, that thou shouldst undertake to defend their cause? Callinicus said; No gold indeed have I received from the most holy men, but life and faith in Christ: yet I too am seized with the splendor and desire of that gold which Serapion has already attained, which is granted to be acquired in the sign of Christ alone.

[45] Then driven into greater fury, Maximus commands Callinicus to be cast forthwith into the burning frying-pan. Which voice of the Tyrant perceived, Callinicus addressed God with this prayer: God of Meletius, Stephen, and John, suffer not, I beseech, me, a little before the prince of the magi, but now hoping in Thee, to be overcome by the Tyrant, but be present to me with Thy help. the fiery frying-pan So be it, Lord my God, who didst receive the soul of Serapion into Thy paradise, snatch me from the blind error of idols, and by Thy great power keep me; that Satan, whom hitherto I religiously worshipped, and who plainly blinds the mind and soul of this Maximus, may not scandalize me: but with all who have their hope in Thee, cover and protect me likewise, I pray; since Thou art blessed unto the ages. Amen. Saying these things Callinicus, and fortifying himself with the sign of Christ, entered into the burning frying-pan, thus meanwhile praying: God of Meletius, God of John, and God of Stephen, who didst show Serapion, while he yet dwelt in Egypt, Thy great glory; show me also, a little while indeed before an archmagus, but now hoping in Thee, that same glory of Thine: that Maximus may never be able to boast, that the God of the Christians is nothing, can do nothing. Callinicus praying such things, he experiences unharmed: all the fire and heat was suddenly dissipated: and the frying-pan, a little before glowing, afforded the Martyr a refreshment not unwelcome. Maximus, indignant, ordered Meletius to be brought forth, to whom he said; By thy sorceries, Meletius, hast thou destroyed our archmagus? or what at length hast thou bestowed on him, for whose cause he has borne to execrate our gods? Then the servant of God Meletius, lifting his eyes to heaven, rendered thanks to God, and thus addressed the Tyrant: He was not here overcome or changed by any magical illusions (may Christ avert that from us) but he recognized our true God, who will give him eternal life, as was fitting.

[46] But Callinicus, turning to Meletius; Meletius, said he, servant of the supreme God, pray as a suppliant to God, that I may not depart from this stadium inglorious. To whom Meletius; and the crown seen prepared for him Behold, said he, our God has even now prepared a most beautiful crown for thee, which I indeed behold; for He is the rewarder of all who hope in Him. But the Tyrant, since for anger against Callinicus he was scarcely himself, orders him to be beheaded, and Meletius to be led back to prison. When Callinicus understood the sentence of death passed upon him; Come, I pray, nearer, said he to Meletius. Whom embracing closely; the sign, he added, of Christ now form over me. he undergoes the sword with courage. To whom Meletius; Christ, said he, grant thee that sign which He has shown to us. And again, Lift up now thine eyes to heaven, and thou shalt behold the goods prepared for thee. His eyes therefore lifted on high, Callinicus saw the crown laid up as a reward for him. Wherefore suffused with joy, without delay he offered his neck to the sword, awaiting the last blow from the executioner: by whom struck, he placidly delivered his soul to God, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And when some of the Christians had been present at the final punishment of Callinicus, they buried the body of the Martyr, taken up, beside the venerable relics of B. Serapion.

CHAPTER VII.

The Meletian forces, increased by the conversion of many, are slaughtered together with women and little children.

Τῶν δὲ Ἁγίων ἐν φυλακῇ μενόντων, ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Μάξιμος ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ἑπτὰ μήτε ἄρτον μήτε ὕδωρ δοθῆναι αὐτοῖς, σκεπτόμενος πῶς ἀναλώσει αὐτούς. Αὐτοὶ δὲ, ὄντες ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ, τὴν μὲν ἡμέραν ἔψαλλον καὶ ὕμνουν τὸν Θεὸν, ἐν δὲ τῇ νυκτὶ Ἄγγελοι Κυρίου διηκόνουν καὶ διέτρεφον αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἦσαν τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὡς ἀστραπὴ ἐκλάμποντα. Ὁ δὲ ἀνοσιώτατος Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν φοῦρνον γενέσθαι ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ Κανδακορέων, καὶ ἐκκαῆναι αὐτὸν τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας, ἵνα θεάσωνται αὐτὸν οἱ ὄχλοι αὐτοῦ, βουλόμενος εἰς αὐτὸν ἐμβαλεῖν τοὺς δούλους τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τῇ δὲ ἑβδόμῃ ἡμέρᾳ μετὰ τὸ ἐγκλεισθῆναι τοὺς Ἁγίους, ὄρθρου ἀναστάντες οἱ δεσμοφύλακες, ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ Μαξίμῳ λέγοντες· Τινὲς, τῶν θυρῶν ἐσφραγισμένων, φέρουσιν αὐτοῖς βρῶσιν καὶ πότον, τί δέ ἐστιν ὃ ἐσθίουσιν, οὐκ οἴδαμεν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ἀπελθὼν εὗρεν τὴν φυλακὴν ἐσφαγισμένην, καὶ τὰς κλεῖς σώας· εἶδεν δὲ ὄχλον πολὺν Ἀγγέλων ψαλλόντων, ἀνὰ μέσου δὲ αὐτῶν ἕνα ἔστῶτα οὕτινος τὸ πρόσωπον ἐμβλέψαι οὐκ ἐδύνατο, τὸ δὲ περιβόλαιον αὐτοῦ ἦν ὡς ἀστραπή· ἱσταμένου αὐτοῦ καὶ λέγοντος αὐτοῖς, Θαρσεῖτε, θεράποντές μου, ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν. Διὰ δὲ τῆς πλαγίας εἰσελθόντες οἱ ὑπηρέται, νομίσαντές τινα συλλαβέσθαι, εὗρον ἔσω οὐδένα, εἰ μὴ μόνον τοὺς δούλους τοῦ Θεοῦ χωρὶς δεσμῶν. Θυμωθεὶς δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν ἀπεχθῆναι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ χωρίῳ τῷ ἐπιλεγομένῳ Κανδακορεὺς, ὅπου ἦ ὁ φοῦρνος ἡτοιμασμένος καὶ πεπυρωμένος σφόδρα, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἰδοὺ ἡτοίμασα ὑμῖν ξηροπύριον· δηλώσατε οὖν τοῖς σὺν ὑμῖν στρατιώταις, ὥστε μετὰ τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων κατελθεῖν αὐτοὺς άπὸ σημείου ἑνὸς τῆς πόλεως εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, καὶ θῦσαι αὐτῷ· ἐπεὶ, ὑμᾶς ὧδε ἐμβαλῶ ἐν τῷ φούρνῳ, ἐκείνους δὲ κατὰ τὴν κέλευσιν Βασιλέως Ἀντωνίνου κατακόψω· καὶ γὰρ ἔπεμψέ μοι βοήθειαν λέγων, ὥστε τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους θῦσαι τοῖς θεοῖς κατακόπτεσθαι αὐτούς. Οἱ δὲ Ἅγιοι εἶπον. Μή σοι καλῶς, κύων μιαροφάγε, ἵνα τοῦτο ποιήσωμεν ἡμεῖς καὶ ὁ ὄχλος ἡμῶν. Εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν ἐπιστεύσαμεν· καὶ πιστεύομεν ὅστις διαφυλάττει ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τῶν μιαρωτάτων σου χειρῶν· ὃν γὰρ λέγεις Ἀπόλλωνα, αὐτὸς ἀπολέσει σε μετὰ τοῦ Βασιλέως σου Ἀντωνίνου, καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπὶ τὰ εἴδωλα. Θυμωθεὶς δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν τὴν Βοήθειαν αὐτοῦ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ὕλην, καλέσας τὸ ἐξέρκετον Μελετίου. Ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς βοηθείας Μαξίμου, εὗρον ὁμοθυμαδὸν τὸν ὄχλον Μελετίου εὐχὰς ποιοῦντας ἐν τῶ ὄρει, ἀνὰ μέσον δὲ αὐτῶν ἦν χόρος Ἀγγέλων, ὃν ἴδον πρότερον ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ ἐστῶτα, καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀστραπὴν φωτός· οἱ δὲ Ἅγιοι κατεῖχον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν ἀνὰ τρεῖς στεφάνους. Οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται οἱ ἀποσταλέντες ὑπὸ Μαξίμου, οὐκ ἐδυνήθησαν ὅλως κατανοῆσαι αὐτούς· ἦσαν γὰρ ἀμαυρωθέντες αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀπτασίας, πολλοὶ δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐτυφλώτησαν, καὶ ἔμειναν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ τόπῳ· οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι οἱ βλέποντες ἀπῆλθον ταχέως, καὶ ἐμήνυσαν τῷ Μαξίμῳ, λέγοντες· Ὅτι εἴδομεν τὸν Θεὸν τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ὄχλου ἑστῶτα, καὶ πλῆθος Ἀγγέλων ἀσπροφόρων περὶ αὐτὸν, κατεχόντων ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν ἀνὰ τρεῖς στεφάνους, τάχα αὐτοὺς ἔχουσι δοῦναι αὐτοῖς· ἡμεῖς μέντοι αὐτόπται ποιηθέντες ἤλθομεν ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι· οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι ἑταῖροι ἡμῶν ἐτυφλώθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς ὀπτασίας, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν μεταβῆναι ἐκεῖθεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔμειναν ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου. Ὁ δὲ Μάξμος λαβὼν τὸν Μελέτιον λέγει αὐτῷ· Σὺ μόνος ἐλθὲ εἰς τὸ ἐξέρκετόν σου, ἴνα ἴδω αὐτοὺς τὸ τί θέλουσιν· τὸν δὲ Ἰωάννην καὶ Στέφανον ἐκέλευσεν ἐν δωματίῳ τινὶ φυλάττεσθαι. Ἀπελθὼν δὲ ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ μετὰ Μαξίμου τοῦ Δουκὸς, ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ τυφλωθέντες στρατιῶται, καὶ καθίσας σὺν αὐτοῖς, ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες (ἦν γὰρ ὁ Μελέτιος ὡς ἐτῶν εἴκοσι πέντε, νεὸς μὲν τῇ ἡλικίᾳ, γηράλαιος δὲ τῷ φρονήματι, ὅθεν καὶ συμπαθείᾳ φέρομενος, ἔλεγε πρὸς τοὺς τυφλωθέντας στρατιώτας ταῦτα) τί ἐπταίσατε τῳ Χριστῷ μου, ὅτι οὕτως ἐπάθετε; μὴ ἐνυβρίσατε αὐτόν; Οὁ δὲ εἶπον· Σὺ γὰρ τις εἶ ὁ ἐξερευνῶν ἡμᾶς; Μελέτιος εἶπεν. Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς Μελέτιος καὶ δοῦλος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Οἱ τυφλωθέντες στρατιῶται λέγουσι Μελετίῳ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· Σὺ εἶ Μελέτιος ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ὑψιλοῦ Θεοῦ, δι᾽ ὃν ἡμεῖς ἀπεστάλημεν; Ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος εἶπεν· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου. Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Νῦν ἔγνωμεν ὅτι μέγας ἐστὶν ὁ Θεός σου· εὖξαι οὖν αὐτῷ, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀναβλέψωμεν καὶ πιστεύσωμεν τῷ ὑψίστῳ Θεῷ καὶ σωθῶμεν. Ὁ δὲ δοῦλος τοῦ Χρισοῦ Μελέτιος, κλίνας τὰ γόνατα αὐτοῦ, προσηύξατο φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγων· Τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀλήθηνον, ὁ ποιήσας φῶς καὶ τὸ σκότος, διαχωρίσας καὶ ἡμέραν καὶ νύκτα, ὁ τοὺς φωστῆρας φαιδρύνας, ὁ τὸν δράκοντα τὸν ἀποστάτην συντρίψας ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι Χριστὲ, ὁ τὴν ἐρυθρᾶν θάλασσαν διαχωρήσας καὶ τὸν λαόν σου διασώσας, ὁ τοὺς δαιμονιῶντας καθαρίσας καὶ τοὺς χωλοὺς ἀνορθώσας, ὁ τὸν ἐκ γεννητῆς τυφλὸν φωταγωγήσας καὶ ἑτερους πολλοὺς, δός Κύριε τὸ σὸν φῶς εις τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τούτους, τοὺς εἴς σε πιστεύσαντας, μὴ εἴπῃ ὁ ἀφρὼν καὶ πεπορώμενος τῇ καρδίᾳ Μάξιμος, ὅτι οὐδέν ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν. Ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Μάξιμος, ὁ μὲν φόβος αὐτὸν ἐλάμβανεν, τῷ δὲ θυμῷ ἐνέβαλλεν ὁ διάβολος. Ἄφνω δὲ ἀστραπὴ ἐγένετο, καὶ φῶς μέγα ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, ὥστε πάντας πεσεῖν εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος· καὶ εὐθέως ἀνέβλεψαν οἱ τυφλωθέντες στρατιῶται, καὶ ὑψωσόντες τάς χεῖρας αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἶπον φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· Ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας σὺ εἶ ὁ Θεός, ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· ὁ δοὺς τῷ σῷ θεράποντι Μελετίῳ τὴν σὴν χάριν, δός καὶ ἡμῖν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ μερίδα, καὶ ποίησον ἡμᾶς ἀξίους γενέσθαι, ἵνα δοξάσωμέν σου τὸ ὄνομα διὰ παντός. Καὶ Ἐπάραντες τὰ ἅρματα αὐτῶν ἔῤῥιψαν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον Μαξίμου τοῦ Δουκός. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος εἶπεν· Τί τοῦτο ἐποιήσατε; Οἱ δὲ ἀναβλέψαντες στρατιῶται εἶπον· Ἔστω εἰς τὴν ἀπόλειαν ὁ Βασιλεὺς ὁ πρόσκαιρος, μετά σου καὶ τῶν θεῶν σου· ἡμεῖς γὰρ τὸν ἐπούρανιον Θεὸν Ἐγνωρίσαμεν, τὸν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς καὶ πάσης κτίσεως δεσπόζοντα, τὸν ποιήναντα βασιλεῖς καὶ ἄρχοντας.

Μάξιμος λέγει· Γνωρίζῳ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν τῷ Βασιλεῖ, καὶ ἀποζώσει ὑμᾶς. Οἱ δὲ στρατιῶται λύσαντες τὰς ζώνας αὐτῶν, ἔῤῥιψαν καὶ αὐτὰς εἰς τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀπῆλθον ὃπου ἦν ὁ ὄχλος Μελετίου. Ὀ δὲ ἄνομος Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ παιδία ἀχθῆναι τῶν στρατιωτῶν Μελετίου, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Θύσατε τοῖς θεοῖς. Φήστα δὲ καὶ Φαύστα, καὶ Μαρκελλίνα, καὶ Δεσσία, καὶ Σωσάννα, καὶ Μαρκηανὴ, καὶ Παλλαδία λέγουσι τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἤκουσας παρὰ τῶν ἡμῶν ἀδελφῶν πολλάκις, ὅτι ἑνὶ Θεῷ τῷ ἐπουρανίῳ λατρεύομεν, ἄλλῳ δὲ λατρεῦσαι οὐ δυνάμεθα. Ὃ οὖν βούλει ποιῆσαι, ποίησον. Μάξιμος Δοὺξ εἶπεν· Οὔτε οἱ νεανίσκοι ἡμῶν θύουσι τοῖς θεοῖς; Αἱ δὲ δούλαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶπον· Τυφλὲ τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ πεπορωμένε τῇ ψυχῇ, οὔτε οἱ νεανίσκοι ἡμῶν οὔτε ἡμεῖς θύομεν ὡς λέγεις, πάντες γὰρ ὁμοθυμαδὸν τὸν Βασιλέα τῶν οὐρανῶν Ἰησοὺν Χριστὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐποθήσαμεν, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύομεν, τῷ διδόντι ἡμῖν ἰσχὺν καὶ δύναμιν κατὰ τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ σατανᾶ. Ἐννόησον δὲ ἀσεβέστατε τὰς βασάνους, ἃς προσήγαγες τοῖς πρώτοις ἡμῶν Μελετίῳ καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐδὲν ἴσχυσας πρὸς αὐτούς· καὶ ἡμᾶς θέλεις ἐκπλανῆσαι; μή σοι καλῶς δράκων ἰοβόλε, ὡς ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ διάβολος· ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν γὰρ τῶν νεανίδων ἔχεις ἡττηθῆναι καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν παίδων ἡμῶν· τὸν γὰρ Θεὸν ἡμῶν ἔχομεν πάντοτε ἀλείφοντα ἡμᾶς κατά σου, τύραννε. Τότε Μάξιμος θυμοθεὶς εἶπεν τοῖς ὑπεραστεῖς τοῦ διαβόλου· Ξύλα ἄγρια κόψαντες, τύπτεσθαι αὐτῶν τὰς κεφαλὰς κελεύω, ἕως οὗ διαφωνήσωσιν. Ἐκείνων δὲ κοπτόντων τὰ ξύλα, αἱ ἀθλοφόροι τοῦ Χριστοῦ νεάνιδες ἦραν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ εἶπον· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ, ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν αἰωνίων, ὁ πρὸ τοῦ τὸν κόσμον κτιστῆναι ὢν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ διαμένων εἰς τοὺς σύμπαντας αἰῶνας, ἔπιδε ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς, ὅτι σὸν ποίημά ἐσμεν, καὶ μὴ ἐάσῃς ἡμᾶς ἡττηθῆναι μητέρας μετὰ παίδων· ἀλλὰ δὸς ἡμῖν τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦτον τῇ σῇ δυνάμει ἐκτελέσαι, καὶ μὴ ἀστέπτους ἡμᾶς ἐάσῃς τοῦ σταδίου τούτου ἐξελθεῖν, μήτε αἱρετικὸν ἣ ἕλληνα μένειν ἐν τῷ ἄγρῳ τούτῳ συγχωρήσῃς, ὅτι εὐλογημένος εἶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Φωνὴ δὲ ἦλθεν αὐταῖς ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα· Θαρσεῖτε, μὴ φοβεῖσθε. Προσελθόντες δὲ οἱ δήμιοι μετὰ τῶν ξύλων, ἀπέκτειναν αὐτὰς μετὰ τῶν παίδων αὐτῶν. Εὐθέως δὲ πεσόντες οἱ δήμιοι διεφώνησαν· καί τινες τῶν Χριστιανῶν, λάβοντες τῶν ἀθλοφώρων γυναικῶν μετὰ τῶν παίδων αὐτῶν, κατέθεντο αὐτὰ ἐν τόπῳ σεμνῷ, εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ Θεῷ διὰ παντός. Τὸ δὲ ἐξέρκετον Μελετίου ἐκεῖ ἐπετέλουν τὰς εὐχὰς ἐν τῷ ὄρει, μετὰ τῶν πιστευσάντων τελευτέων στρατιωτῶν. Ὁ δὲ ἀνομώτατος Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ στρατηλάτῃ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ὕλην Κανδακορέων, ἐν τῷ ὄρει ὅπου ἦν τὸ ἐξέρκετον Μελετίου· καὶ ἐκέλευσεν τοὺς μὲν τραχηλοκοπηθῆναι, τοὺς δὲ λακτίζεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ ὑπολοίπους σκελοκοπηθῆναι. Ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ στρατιῶται τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐδοξασαν τὸν Θεὸν, λέγοντες· Εὐλογοῦμέν σε, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἀγαθὲ εὐεργέτα πάντων ἡμῶν, ὅτι κατηξίωσας ἡμᾶς μετὰ τῶν σῶν θεραπόντων καὶ ἀθλοφόρων εὑρεθῆναι· καὶ νῦν ἀξιοῦμέν σε, Δέσποτα, μὴ ἐάσῃς ἡμᾶς ἀστέπτους εἶναι, ἀλλὰ δέξαι ἡμῶν τὰς ψυχὰς ἐν ἀνέσει, ὅτι εὐλογημένος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνως. Ἀμήν. Καὶ εὐξάμενοι ἔδωκαν ἑαυτοὺς ὡς πρόβατα εἰς σφαγὴν, καὶ ἀπήντησαν τὴν βοήθειαν Μαξίμου· χαίροντες δὲ οἱ ἀθλοφόροι ἔκλιναν τοὺς αὐχένας, καὶ ἐθελειώθησαν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· Τὰ δὲ σώματα αὐτῶν ἀφανῆ ἐγένοντο εὐθέως. Μάξιμος δὲ ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦ ὄρους ἤθελεν τὰ σώματα κατακαῦσαι τῶν γενναιοτάτων στρατιωτῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, εὗρεν δὲ οὐδέν.

[47] Meletius and his two companions, condemned to seven days' starvation, The holy Martyrs meanwhile still detained in prison, the Tyrant forbade that bread or even water be provided them for seven whole days: at which time they spent the daytime hours in singing psalms and hymns to God, and passed the nighttime hours joyfully by the ministry of Angels and the prodigious refreshment of the body, the faces of all flashing forth a most bright light in the manner of lightning. After these things the most impious Maximus ordered a furnace to be built in the region of the Candacorei, and that it be kindled continuously for three days and as many nights, that the dire contrivance might escape the sight of no one: into which furnace he destined to cast the most holy Martyrs. On the seventh day therefore on which they were held in custody, at early morning the keepers of the prison reported to Maximus that food and drink had been supplied to the captives by certain unknown men, but of what kind that food was, Maximus, understanding them refreshed divinely, could not be discovered by them. The report received, Maximus, having advanced to the prison, found the custody rightly secured with his seal, and the bolts undamaged. Then a great multitude of psalm-singing Angels was presented to his eyes; among whom one in the midst had stood, upon whose face the Tyrant could not direct his eyes, whose chlamys also seemed to emit a splendor like lightning. He therefore, as I said, standing in the midst of all, thus exhorted the Saints: Be brave in spirit, my most faithful servants, for I will ever be present to you with my present aid. And when, that they might lay hold of him, some of the attendants had rushed in through the side door of the prison, they found absolutely no one, except the illustrious servants of God, loosed from their chains.

[48] he threatens them with the kindled furnace, Raging therefore and indignant, Maximus willed them to be led to the place named Candoreus, where the furnace had already been made ready for torturing them, wholly glowing from the fire. And, Behold, said he then to the Martyrs, this furnace is prepared for you. Wherefore proclaim this to all the men of your soldiery, and also to the women and children, that to one mile from this city, all betake themselves into the temple of Apollo for the sake of sacrificing. If you refuse this, you indeed this furnace, but all the others a most savage slaughter awaits, that I may execute the will of the Emperor Antoninus: who has supplied me with the power and aid, that as many as shall refuse to sacrifice to our gods, be destroyed unto extermination. unless they induce their soldiers to sacrifice; The Martyrs answered; Does this seem to thee, impure dog, beautiful and praiseworthy, that we and all our own commit the crime which thou urgest? In one God we have believed, and we will go on to believe further, who has kept us whole from thy impious machinations hitherto. For he whom thou so greatly proclaimest, Apollo, will without doubt destroy both thee and thy Emperor Antoninus, and those who repose some hope in idols.

[49] Maximus indeed grew hot. Then he sends into the wood the soldiers whom he had received as aid, those sent to bring them being, that they might drag to him the forces which took Meletius's part. The attendants of Maximus therefore drawing near found all the Meletian soldiers, in the mountain itself, intent upon pouring forth prayers to God. But in the midst of the Christian army they beheld present that same number and order of Angels which they had before observed in the prison; in the midst also of the Angels there was to be seen a light as it were of lightning. The holy Soldiers also carried in their hands three crowns each. But the attendants who had been destined by Maximus could not at all discern those whom they had come to seize: partly blinded, for by the wonderful splendor of the spectacle the keenness of their eyes had been rendered duller, since also more of them were plainly deprived of the use of sight, and were compelled to remain in that very place in which they had stood. But those from whom the use of their eyes had not been taken, hastening at a run to Maximus; The God, partly reporting what they saw: they said, of the Christians we saw standing in the midst of them, and at the same time a great multitude of Angels, shining with a starry light, and holding forth in their hands three crowns each, with which the Christians seemed even now about to be crowned. We therefore have come to bring thee this report; but those who are the rest of our number, taken in their eyes by the excessive light of the spectacle, were compelled to remain in the same place.

[50] Meletius, having set out to them with Maximus, Here Maximus, having called Meletius; Go, said he, without escort to thy army, that I myself may understand from them what they want: but John and Stephen he ordered to be guarded in a certain house. The servant of God Meletius therefore and the Tyrant himself went forward to the place, in which the soldiers deprived of their eyes had stood: sitting down with whom, Meletius bitterly grieved their lot, then addressing them in this manner; Brothers and most beloved fathers (for Meletius was about twenty-five years old, in age indeed a young man, but in mind and prudence an old man; whence it came to pass that he used these words to the blind soldiers) what, I pray, have you sinned against my Christ, that He has permitted you to fall into these evils? Have you provoked Him with contumelies? They answered; Who art thou, who askest these things of us? Meletius I am, the Martyr replies, a sinner indeed, but yet also a servant of Christ. Then with a loud voice the soldiers again asked; Art thou Meletius, he restores sight to the blinded: the servant of the great and lofty God? To whom the Martyr; I, said he, am the servant of the most high God. But they; Now indeed, they exclaim, we have known that the God who is worshipped by thee is great and most worthy of worship. Render Him therefore propitious to us by thy prayers, that with sight recovered we may believe in thy God, and obtain the salvation desired. Then the servant of Christ Meletius, his knees set upon the ground, prayed with a loud voice, saying; O true Light, Christ, who didst make the light and the darkness, and didst will night to be divided from day, who didst give to the stars themselves their brightness, who didst crush the prevaricating dragon in the waters, who didst prodigiously divide the Red Sea, that Thy people might come forth safe; who didst free those possessed by the evil demon, and didst raise the lame; who at length didst grant the use of eyes to one blind from birth and to many others besides; bestow, Lord, Thy light upon these my brothers, who have their hope in Thee, that the senseless and hard-hearted Maximus may not impiously boast that the God of the Christians is to be made nothing of.

[51] When Maximus heard these things, he was struck with no small fear, and then incited by the devil to anger. Suddenly therefore a great light in the manner of lightning filled the place, so that all cast themselves prone upon the ground. And without delay, the soldiers who had been struck with prodigious blindness received their sight by the miracle. Wherefore all, with hands stretched out to heaven, who, having confessed Christ said with a loud voice; Truly Thou art God in the heavens, who heapest Thy servant Meletius with great grace; of which, we pray, deny us not some part; and grant this, that we be not found unworthy to strive for the glory of Thy name. Which things said, at the Tyrant's

feet they likewise cast away the insignia of their soldiery. And Maximus; What, said he, is this matter, that you do, soldiers? To whom then they; Evilly, they answer, may thy temporary Emperor perish, and thou likewise, and thy gods. For we have acknowledged God established above all the heavens, their belt cast away, they join the Meletians. who is the Lord of heaven and earth and of all creatures, by whose nod and will Kings and Princes hold dominion. To which the Tyrant; Before the Emperor, said he, I will institute an action against you, who will ignominiously strip you all of the military belt. Then the generous soldiers, their belts of their own accord and freely cast away at the feet of Maximus, joined themselves to the Meletian troops.

[52] But the impious Tyrant ordered to be brought to him the wives and children of all the soldiers who had hitherto obeyed the command of Meletius, on whom he enjoined that they should venerate the gods by sacrifice. Maximus vainly solicits their women and little children, But Festa and Fausta and Marcellina, and also Dessia, Susanna, Marciana, and Palladia answered Maximus; Not once hast thou learned from our brothers, that we religiously render the worship due to the one God above the heavens, nor is it lawful for us to follow any other gods with veneration. What therefore thou meditatest in thy mind, if thou so wilt, execute. Maximus the Commander to the women; Do not these striplings also, said he, sacrifice to our gods? To whom the handmaids of the supreme God; Blind in mind and perverse, neither our sons, nor we, sacrifice to thy gods, as thou sayest; for all of us with one accord have in love and longing Christ Jesus, the true Son of God and most beautiful emperor of heaven, and to Him alone we sacrifice, who supplies us with strength and vigor against all the machinations of thy father Satan. Devise, most impious of men, punishments and tortures like those with which thou hast in vain afflicted Meletius and the others chief among our number, whether thou also wilt deceive us by thy false persuasions? evil be it to thee, venomous dragon, even as also to thy father the devil. For by us, though younger and more tender, and by our children, art thou to be conquered, since our God will not fail us, who will equip with arms those gone forth into the arena against thee, O Tyrant.

[53] Kindled with anger, Maximus, Hew, said he to the ministers of Satan, rough timbers, and so long batter the heads of these women, until they no longer dissent from the sentence of our mind. and he commands all to be slaughtered with cudgels; While therefore those men hew the timbers, the generous Amazons of Christ lifted up their hands to heaven praying in this manner, Lord Jesus Christ, King of the ages, who before this world was established wast with the Father, and remainest unto all the ages; look, we pray, upon us Thy humble handmaids, nor permit that mothers devoted to Thee with their children be conquered by the Tyrant: but rather bring this to pass, that, supported by Thy divine power, we finish this contest without disgrace, nor depart inglorious from the stadium. Suffer not any of the heretics or gentiles to persist in this field, since Thou art blessed unto the ages. Amen. The prayer ended, they perceived a voice from heaven saying; Be confident, nor fear anything. And when then the executioners, armed with cudgels, had drawn near, they cruelly slaughtered the excellent matrons with their offspring; but they themselves also, suddenly prostrated to the ground, prodigiously expired. Then some of the Christians composed the bodies of the brave women and boys, not without a rendered thanksgiving to God, in a place chiefly honorable.

[54] The Meletian soldiers meanwhile, in the oft-mentioned mountain, together with their fellow-soldiers recently initiated in the Christian faith, persevered intent upon prayers; but the men to be slaughtered by the attendants sent in. when the most impious Tyrant sends into the wood of the Candacorei, which was situated in the very mountain which the Meletian army occupied, the leader of his forces, with the added command that they should diminish some by the head, others by the feet, and others at last by the legs. Having received the report of which thing, the illustrious champions of Christ rendered the due glory to God with this prayer; We bless Thee, Christ, our God, and best benefactor, since this has pleased Thee, that we be numbered among Thy excellent servants and most valiant champions. This therefore we now pray Thee, Lord, suffer us not to be inglorious, but rather deign to receive our souls into placid peace, since Thou art blessed unto the ages. Amen. the bodies of all suddenly disappear from sight. When they had prayed these things, they delivered themselves, like innocent little sheep, to the slaughter, and of their own accord went forth to meet the forces sent by Maximus; and a little after, submitting their necks to the sword, they made an end of living, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But as soon as the Martyrs breathed out their souls, their bodies also ceased to be seen. And when the Tyrant himself had come to the place, about to give the bodies of the holy Soldiers to the fire to be burned, he could find none of them.

CHAPTER VIII.

After new punishments John and Stephen are beheaded. Meletius breaks the statue of Apollo in pieces.

ΚΑταισχυνθεὶς δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν φοῦρνον, καὶ προσεσχηκὼς τῷ φούρνῳ εἶδεν τὸ ἐξωθεν αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ χαλκὸν ἐξαστράπτον ἀπὸ τοῦ πυρός. Ἐκέλευσεν δὲ ἐμβληθῆναι τοὺς. ἀθλοφόρους καὶ καλλίνικους Μάρτυρας, Μελέτιον, Ἰωάννην, καὶ Στέφανον. Βληθέντες δὲ οἱ Ἅγιοι ἐν τῷ φούρνῳ, καὶ ποιήσαντες τὴν ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ σφραγίδα προθύμως εἰσῆλθον. Ὁ οὖν φοῦρνος ἔξωθεν μὲν ἦν ἀστράπτων ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς, ἔσωθεν δὲ ἐγένετο ὡς δρόσος· Μιχαὴλ γὰρ, ὁ τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου Ἄγγελος, ἦν συνελθὼν αὐτοῖς. Οἱ δὲ ὑπηρέται τοῦ Μαξίμου σκεπάσαντες καὶ χρίσαντες τὴν θύραν τοῦ φούρνου, οἱ μὲν ἀνεχώρησαν, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ τὰ ἔξωθεν ἐφύλαττον. Οἱ δὲ Ἅγιοι καθήμενοι ἔσωθεν ἔψαλλον, εὐχόμενοι καὶ εὐλογοῦντες τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ λέγοντες· Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ καταξιώσας ἡμᾶς τυχεῖν τῆς μερίδος τοῦ Ἀρχιερέως σου καὶ Ἐπισκόπου Φωκᾶ, τοῦ βληθέντος ἐν τῷ λουτρῷ καὶ διασωθέντος ὑπό σου. Ὁ τοὺς τρεῖς παῖδας ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ δροσίσας, μὴ ὑπερίδῃς ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ τῇ δεξιᾷ σου φύλαξον ἡμᾶς, ἵνα νικήσωμεν τὸν ἀντικείμενον, ὅπως πιστεύσῃ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς, ὅτι Θεὸς εἶ ζῶν εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας. Μετὰ δὲ μίαν ἡμέραν ἀπελθὼν ὁ ἀνοσιώτατος Μάξιμος τοῦ ἰδεῖν τὸν φοῦρνον, εἶπεν τοῖς ὑπερέταις τοῦ διαβόλου· Ἀνοίξαντες βλέπετε τὰ ὀστᾶ αὐτῶν τὸ τί ἐγένοντο. Οἱ δὲ ἀνοίξαντες εὗρον τοὺς Ἁγίους ὡς ἀπὸ λυτροῦ διαπυριῶντας καὶ ἱδρῶντας. Λέγουσιν οὖν οἱ ὑπηρέται τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἠνοίξαμεν τὸ στόμα τοῦ φούρνου, δέσποτα, καθὼς ἐκέλευσας ἡμῖν· τρεῖς δὲ ἐβάλομεν καὶ τέσσαρες εὑρέθησαν. Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁ Μάξιμος, Μανίᾳ πολλῇ φερόμενος, ἤνεγκεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ κελεύει μόλυβδον λυθῆναι, καὶ μετὰ σιδηρολάβου τὰ στόματα αὐτῶν ἀνοιχθῆναι, καὶ οὕτως ἐκχέειν τὸν μόλιβδον εἰς τὰ στόματα αὐτῶν. Οἱ δὲ ἀθλοφόροι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καταφρονήσαντες καὶ ταύτης τῆς βασάνου, ἐμειδίων τῷ προσώπῳ· καὶ ὑψώσαντες τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἶπον· Φωστὴρ ἐπουράνιε, λαμπτὴρ αἰώνιε, δέσποτα Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, παντεπόπτα, βραχίων ὑψηλὲ, φωταγωγὲ τῶν ἐν σκότει διαπορευομένων, ὁ ῥυσάμενος τὸν Δανιὴλ ἐκ στόματος λεόντων καὶ διαθρέψας αὐτὸν διὰ παιδός σου Ἀμβακοὺμ, καὶ διασώσας αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου τῶν λεόντων, καὶ δοὺς αὐτῷ τὴν σοφίαν, ὁ κελεύων τοῖς ὄρεσι καπνίζειν καὶ καπνίζονται, ὁ ῥυσάμενος τὸν λαόν σου ἐκ δουλείας Αἰγυπτίων καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς Φαραὼ, ῥῦσαι καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνόμου τούτου καὶ ματαίου ἀνδρὸς, καὶ διαφύλαξον ἡμᾶς ἀσπίλους ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου, ὅτι εὐλογημένος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Καὶ εὐξαμένων αὐτῶν, πάλιν ἠνέχθη ὁ μόλιβδος, καὶ δήσαντες αὐτοὺς ὁπισθοφανῶς ἐρώτησαν αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τὰ στόματα αὐτῶν μετὰ ζυλολάβων, ἐνέχεαν τὸν μόλιβδον εἰς τὰ στόμτα τῶν Ἁγίων. Καὶ παραχρῆμα οἱ ἐκχέαντες ὑπηρέται τὸν μόλιβδον διεῤῥάγησαν, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀνεχώρησαν, νομίσαντες εἶναι τοὺς Ἁγίους τεθνεῶτας. Τῶν δὲ ἁγίων Μαρτύρων μὴ αἰσθανομενων τὸν μολίβδον, καὶ τῶν δεσμῶν διαῤῥαγέντων, ἀναστάντες εὐλόγησαν τὸν Θεον, καὶ εἶπον· Εὐχαριστοῦμέν σε, Δέσποτα, Πάτερ ἐπούρανιε, καὶ εὐλογοῦμέν σε ὁ Θεὸς τῆς δόξης καὶ τῆς βοηθείας ἡμῶν· ἴδε, Κύριε, καὶ ἐπάκουσον τῆς δεήσεως τῶν ἐπικαλουμένων τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσυνης, σὺ εἶ ὁ πλούσιος ἐν ἐλέει καὶ οἰκτιρμοῖς, ὀ τῶν ἀδιηγήτων μυστηρίων χορηγὸς, ὁ θελήματι τοῦ Πατρὸς διασκεδάσας τὸ σκότος, ὁ νεύματι ἀγαθῷ συστησάμενος τὰ πάντα. Ἔπιδε, Κύριε, καὶ ἐπάκουσον τῆς φωνῆς ἡμῶν καὶ δοξαζόντων τὸ ὄνομά σου, καὶ ποίησον ἡμᾶς ἀξίους τῆς ἐπουρανίου βασιλείας γενέσθαι, καὶ ἀμέμπτως ἐκτελέσαι τὸν ἁγῶνα τοῦτοις, καὶ μὴ ἐάσῃς ἡμᾶς ἑκστέπτους ἐξελθεῖν τοῦ σταδίου τούτου, ἀλλὰ δέξαι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ἐν ἀνέσει, ὅτι εὐλογημένος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Καὶ εὐξαμένων αὐτῶν πάλιν ἠνέχθη ὁ μόλιβδος, καὶ δήσαντες αὐτοὺς ὀπισθοφανῶς ἐγονάτισαν αὐτοὺς, Ὄχλος δὲ πολὺς ἀκούσας ταῦτα τὰ θαυμάσια, ἐπιστευσαν εἰς τὸν Χριστόν. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος, ὅτι οὐδὲν δύναται ποιῆσαι αὐτοὺς, ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Ἰωάννην καὶ Στέφανον τραχηλοκοπηθῆναι, συνακολουθεῖν δὲ καὶ τὸν Μελέτιον, Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ἐπηρώτα αὐτὸν, λέγων· Ὠς ἀκούω, Μελέτιε, τάχα τῷ ἐσταυρωμένῳ λατρεύεις ἀκμήν. Μελέτιος εἶπεν· Ἄρτι οἶδας ἀνόητε, ὅτι λατρεύω τῷ ἐκ Μαρίας τῆς ἁγίας παρθένου τεχθέντι, τῷ σταυρωθέντι ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου καὶ Ἡρώδου τοῦ Βασιλέως, τῷ ταφέντι καὶ τριημέρῳ ἀναστάντι, τῷ λύσαντι τὰς ὠδῖνας τοῦ θανάτου καὶ φωτίζαντι τα ἐσκοτισμένα, τῷ συνταράσσοντι τὸ κύτος τῆς θαλάσσης, τῷ πανταχοῦ επισταμένω τὰς τέχνας τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ διαβόλου· εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύω τὸν καθήμενον ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεύων τῶν αἰώνων, σοὶ δὲ, Μάξιμε, ἐτοιμάζει τὰς κολάσεις αἰωνίους. Οἱ δὲ δήμιοι, κατὰ τὸ κέλευσμα τοῦ Μαξίμου, παραλαβόντες τοὺς δύο, Ἰωάννην καὶ Στέφανον, ἀπίησαν αὐτοὺς τελειῶσαι. Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης καὶ Στέφανος εἶπον Μελετίῳ· Ἀγαθὲ διδάσκαλε καὶ στρατηγὲ τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν, καὶ ὑπουργὲ καὶ θεράπων τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐν τάχει ἡμᾶς φθάσον· καθὼς γάρ ἐσμεν ὧδε κοινωνοὶ, οὕτως καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ αἰῶνι εὐρεθῶμεν περιπτυξάμενοι ἀλλήλους. Ἀπέδωκαν τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ ἀγάπην, καὶ προθύμως ἀπίεσαν τελειωθῆναι, καὶ ἀναβλέψαντες εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἶπον· Εὐλογοῦμέν σε, Κύριε, ὁ δοὺς ἡμῖν τὴν τρίπλοκον χάριν, καὶ ἐλεήσας τοὺς σοὺς δούλους, καὶ σώσας ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ κακοτέχνου διαβόλου· αὐτὸς, Δέσποτα Κύριε, ἀπόδος τῷ ἀνοήτῳ Μαξίμῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Τελεσάντων δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν εὐχὴν, φωνὴ ἦλθεν αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα· Καλῶς ἠθλήσατε ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου, δοῦλοί μου πιστοὶ, Ἰωάννη καὶ Στέφανε, ἀπολάβετε τὸν στέφανον ὑμῶν ἐν εἰρήνῃ· Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀνεώχθησαν ἡμῖν αἱ πύλαι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ὁ χόρος τῶν Ἀγγέλων ἀγάλλεται ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν· δεῦτε οὖν ἐν εἰρήνῃ εἰς τὴν

ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν. Γενομένης δὲ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης εὔξαντο πρὸς τὸν Κύριον· Δεόμεθά σου, Κύριε τῆς ἁγαθότητος, ἐν παραθήκῃ ἔχε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν καὶ θεράποντά σου Μελέτιον, ὅτι εὐλογημένος εἶ εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ δήμιοι ἐτελείωσαν αὐτούς· τελειωθέντων δὲ τῶν ἀθλητῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου παρέλαβον ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, τὰ δὲ λείψανα τῶν ἁγίων ἀθλητῶν ἀφανῆ ἐγένοντο. Ὁ δὲ ἀνομώτατος Μάξιμος πάλιν ἐκέλευσεν τὸν στρατιώτην καὶ ἀγωνιστὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιον ἀπάγεσθαι εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, καὶ ἀναγκάζειν αὐτὸν βίᾳ θύειν Ἀπόλλωνι. Ἀπενεχθέντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ἱερῶ, πᾶν τὸ ἱερὸν ἐσείσθη· οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς, προσεσχηκότες τὰ γενόμενα, ἔπεσον ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ κράξαντες φωνῇ μεγάλῃ εἶπον· Τί ἐνέγκατε αὐτὸν, ἵνα καὶ τοὺς ὥδε θεοὺς καταστρέψῃ. Οἱ οὖν ὑπηρέται ἠνέγκασον αὐτὸν θύειν τῷ εἰδώλῳ· ἀναβλέψας δὲ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ ποιήσας τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, ἤρξατο εὔξεσθαι καὶ λέγειν· Δέσποτα ἐπούρανιε, βραχίων ὕψηλε, σωτηρία τῶν ἀπολλημένων, ὁ τὸν Βὴλ καταστρέψας καὶ τὸν δράκοντα διαῤῥήξας, καὶ νῦν Δέσποτα Ἰησοῦ ἐπάκουσόν μου, καὶ πέμψον τὴν σὴν βοήθειαν· καὶ ὡς κατέστρεψας τὸ χαλκούργημα τοῦ εἰδώλου, οὕτως καὶ τοῦτο τὸ εἴδωλον τὸ λίθινον κατάστρεψον δι᾽ ἐμοῦ τοῦ δούλου σου, ἵνα μὴ ἔχει ὁ τύραννος τόπον σκανδαλίζειν τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ ἦλθεν φωνὴ λέγουσα· Μελέτιε θεράπων μου, ἄνελθε καὶ ὤλεσον τὸ εἴδωλον, καὶ συντριβήσεται. Εὐθέως ὁ νεανίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιος, ἐκτινάξας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν κατεχόντων αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀνελθῶν, καὶ ὠθήσας τὸ εἴδωλον, κατέστρεψεν αὐτό. Πεσὸν δὲ τὸ ἄγαλμα τοῦ λίθου ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ ψάμμος· Ἐπιλαβόμενος δὲ τὰ συνεστηκότα εἴδωλα, ὅλα σύνετριψεν. Λαβόντες οὖν αὐτὸν οἱ μιαρώτατοι ἱερεῖς καὶ ὑπηρέται τοῦ διαβόλου, τύπτοντες λιθοῖς τὰς σιαγόνας αὐτοῦ, ἀπήνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν Δοῦκα Μάξιμον, ἐπάνω τοῦ ἀγροῦ Κανδακορέων εἰς τὴν ὕλην, ὅπου ἦν Δοὺξ ἐν τῷ οἰκήματι. Καθίσας δὲ ὁ Μελέτιος εἰς μέσον τῆς ὁδοῦ, ἐστέναξεν πικρῶς, καὶ δακρύσας εἶπον· Εὐχαριστῶ σοι, Δέσποτα Κύριε, παντοκράτορ ὕψιστε, βραχίων ἀόρατε, ὑψηλόθρονε, ἀσάλευτε, ὁ συνκαθεζόμενος ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὅτι ἔδωκάς μοι ἰσχὺν καὶ δύναμιν ὅλον τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ ἐκτρίψαι τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ χαλκὰ καὶ τὰ λίθινα· νῦν δέξαι λοιπὸν ἦν ἔδωκάς μοι παραθήκην, διότι μόνος διάγω. Καὶ εὐθέως χαρᾶς ἐνεπλήσθη ὁ Μελέτιος, καὶ ἔκπληκτοι ἐγένοντο οἱ ἀπάγοντες αὐτόν· καὶ φοβοφερομένοι, εἴασον αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔφυγον. Καθῆλθε γὰρ νεφέλη ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, καὶ οἱ Ἄγγελοι σὺν αὐτῷ ὕμνουν καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν Θεόν. Οἱ δὲ δήμιοι καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τὸν Μάξιμον, καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ γεγονότα περὶ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν ἐλθοῦσαν ἐπὶ τὸν Μελέτιον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Ἐθαύμασεν δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος ἀκούσας ταῦτα, καὶ ὁ ὄχλος σὺν αὐτῷ· πολλοὶ δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν λαθραίως ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸν Χριστόν. Ὁ δὲ ἁγίος Μελέτιος, δεξάμενος τὴν χάριν τοῦ σωτῆρος, ἀπίει φαιδρῷ τᾠ προσώπῳ πρὸς τὸν Μάξιμον.

[55] In this manner affected with confusion, Maximus turned his steps back to the furnace which he had ordered to be prepared: Meletius and his companions cast into the furnace, which considering more closely, he beheld all its exterior shining, in the likeness of glowing bronze, by the violence of the fire. Into it therefore he commanded to be cast the generous Martyrs, distinguished by victory won more than once, Meletius, John, and Stephen. When this was done, and the most holy Soldiers had fortified themselves with the sign of Christ, they truly underwent the punishment generously. Although therefore all the exterior of the furnace shone with much fire, yet its interior aspect represented a certain paradise, soothing the senses with most grateful dew: for Michael, the Angel of the Lord's testament, walked about with the Martyrs in the midst of the furnace. The ministers of the Tyrant meanwhile, the mouth of the glowing furnace diligently barred and secured, some sought again their own homes; others, about to observe the furnace and the outcome of the whole matter, remained there. Then, in the punishment in which the Saints were, by psalms and favorable apprecations they rendered God propitious to themselves, praying thus; Lord our God, who hast held us worthy to have some part with Thy Archpriest and Bishop Phocas, who, cast for Thy cause into a bath, also obtained through Thee his salvation; and who didst prodigiously afford refreshment to the three boys placed in the Babylonian furnace, despise us also by no means, we pray, but by Thy mighty right hand preserve us, that we may come forth superior to our adversary, and that all the people may know that Thou art the God living unto the ages.

[56] One day having elapsed, the Tyrant returned to consider the furnace and the outcome of the matter. He says therefore to his attendants, the ministers of Satan; Unclose the mouth of this furnace, and see what has become of those men's bones. and on the following day brought forth unharmed, When they had done this, they found the holy Martyrs, no otherwise than as if they had recently come forth from a bath, with countenance gently ruddy, and suffused with a harmless sweat. Turning therefore to Maximus; We have opened, they say, as thou hadst ordered, that furnace; and behold, although we cast only three men into it, yet four were found by us. Having beheld them, Maximus, and seized with great fury, ordered them to be brought forth, and molten lead to be poured into the mouths of the Martyrs opened with pincers. But the unconquered soldiers of Christ, the punishment that was being prepared despised, with smiling countenance lifted their hands to heaven with this prayer; Supreme illuminator of human minds and eternal splendor, Lord Jesus Christ, who beholdest all things, the lofty arm and light of those who walk in darkness; who didst snatch Daniel from the jaws of the lions, and didst refresh him with food by Thy boy Habakkuk, and at last, brought forth from the den of lions, didst fill him with Thy wisdom; at whose nod and will the mountains smoke; who didst snatch the nation chosen by Thee from the power and servitude of the Egyptians, and from the hands of Pharaoh the King himself; snatch us also from the hands of this impious and profane tyrant, and keep us unharmed for Thy glory; since Thou art blessed unto the ages. Amen.

[57] While they were still praying, the molten lead was brought. Placing the most valiant men supine therefore and binding them, they began first to vex them with questions, then to pour the lead into their mouths violently opened and held apart: but behold, the executioners who were occupied in pouring the lead were burst asunder into parts and fragments, wherefore the rest, supposing that the Saints had laid down their life in this torment, betook themselves to their own places. But when the Martyrs had felt no annoyance from the poured-in lead, and the cords and chains had been broken of their own accord, raised upon their feet, they blessed God in nearly these words: We render Thee thanksgivings, Lord and heavenly Father, and we bless Thee the God of our glory and of our help. Look, Lord, and receive with a benign ear the supplications of those who invoke Thee, since Thou art the sun of all justice and equity. Thou art rich in mercy and compassions, Thou the author and prince of unspeakable mysteries, who according to the will of Thy Father dispellest all the darkness of the ignorant, and by Thy most holy will sustainest all things: look upon us, Lord our God, and clemently hear the voice of those who celebrate Thee with due praises. with no harm to themselves. Grant that we be not found unworthy of the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom, grant that from this contest we depart without any stain of glory, and at last, we pray, admit our souls into peace, since Thou art blessed unto the ages. Amen. While the holy Martyrs thus pray, the molten lead being brought again, they were ordered again with face supine to deliver themselves freely: but the matters so wonderful being received by report, no small multitude of men believed in Christ.

[58] When therefore Maximus had seen all his counsels and tortures to be in vain, he ordered the head to be taken from John and Stephen with the sword, John and Stephen condemned to death but willed Meletius to follow and be present: whom then he thus addressed; As I understand, Meletius, thou still sacrificest to a crucified God. To whom Meletius; Now, said he, hast thou heard, madman, that I follow with religious worship Him who for our cause deigned to be born of the virgin Mary, who under Pontius Pilate and Herod the King was fixed to the cross, who then buried rose from the dead on the third day, who took away the terrors and pains of death, and illumined all dark things with His splendor; who troubles the deep of the sea, who has well perceived all the frauds and machinations of thy father the devil. In Him I believe, who sits at the right hand of the greatness of His Father: since He it is who rules the ages, and for thee, Maximus, prepares eternal punishments.

[59] But the executioners, as the Tyrant had commanded, dragged Stephen and John, led away, to the last punishment. Who turning to Meletius; Meletius, they bid farewell to Meletius; they said, our best teacher, and also leader, and minister of our salvation, and servant of Christ, follow us going before quickly: that, as in this life all things were common to us, so also in that happier one we may bind one another in turn with a friendly embrace. Which said, and the one having prayed peace of Christ for the other, they proceeded to receive death bravely. Yet before, their eyes cast up to heaven; We bless Thee, they said, Lord, who hast bestowed upon us a threefold grace, and having had mercy on Thy servants hast rendered us unharmed from the worst frauds of the devil. Do Thou Thyself, Lord, repay the senseless Maximus according to his works. As they were putting an end to the prayer, a voice was heard from heaven saying; Beautifully have you striven for the glory of My name, my most faithful servants, John and Stephen: now therefore in the peace which you have merited receive the crown. For behold, the gates of the heavens are now open to you, and the multitude of Angels exults for your cause. In peace therefore with joy receive the possession of the kingdom destined for you long ago. That voice had ceased to be heard, when the Saints prayed again thus; We pray Thee, Lord of all goodness, that Thou hold our brother Meletius in the place of a faithful deposit; since Thou art blessed unto the ages. the bodies of the slain disappear from sight. Amen. After which words the executioners drawing near struck off the sacred heads of the most valiant soldiers. The illustrious souls of the dying champions of Christ, John and Stephen, the Angels received indeed into heaven, but the bodies of those same illustrious heroes were taken away from the eyes of mortals.

[60] These things performed, the most wicked Maximus ordered the intrepid soldier and wrestler of Christ Meletius to be led again to the shrine of Apollo, Meletius dragged into the temple of Apollo, that he might, even compelled, immolate to the idol. As soon as the most holy soldier had entered, the whole soon began to tremble. But the impious sacrificers of Apollo, recalling to memory

the things that had already happened before, prostrated themselves prone upon the ground, and cried out with loud voices; Why have you brought this fellow hither, that he may overthrow the images of our gods again? But when the ministers, obeying the tyrant's command, tried to induce Meletius to sacrifice to the idol; he, looking up to heaven, and fortifying himself with the sign of Christ, began to pray in this manner and to say; Lord supercelestial and lofty arm, most certain salvation of those who perish, who didst once overthrow the idol of Bel, and didst kill the dragon; now also, Lord, hear my voice, I pray, and send down Thy help to me: that as Thou didst before cast down the brazen image of another idol, so also overthrow this stone idol to the ground through me Thy servant, lest the Tyrant have occasion to scandalize the souls of little men.

Meletius had finished the prayer, he breaks his statue in pieces when he heard such a voice borne to him; Meletius, my most faithful servant, ascend, and bring ruin upon the idol, which forthwith will be broken into fragments. Soon therefore the champion of Christ Meletius, snatching himself with youthful alacrity from the hands of those who held him, and ascending to the idol, and impelling it with his shoulders, dashed it to the ground: and the stone image cast down was immediately dissolved into dust. Then proceeding to the signs of the gods that remained, the athlete of Christ broke them all in pieces. Him seized, the priests of Apollo and the other ministers of Satan, beaten sharply at the cheeks with stones, drag to Maximus the Commander, who then had his dwelling in the field and wood of the Candacorei.

[61] But when Meletius had sat down a while in the middle of the way, he groaned grievously indeed, and weeping; Thanks, said he, I render Thee great ones, Lord omnipotent and most high, thence dragged to Maximus, arm visible to none, whose throne, free of all instability, is set at the right hand of God and Thy Father, because at every time Thou hast supplied me with strength and vigor for breaking in pieces the brazen and stone statues of the false gods. But what now remains, since I alone of all am left, I pray that Thou receive again the deposit which Thou hast entrusted to me. With so great gladness after this prayer did Meletius exult, that those who led him were vehemently astonished, nay, seized with sudden terror, gave themselves to flight, by Angels he is animated to the contest. Meletius being left there. For a cloud had suddenly descended from heaven, and with the cloud a multitude of Angels, singing hymns and glory to God. The attendants meanwhile and priests, having departed to Maximus, reported whatever had been done to the image of Apollo, nor were they silent how great a glory from heaven had been bestowed on Meletius on the way. Struck by the novelty of the speeches, Maximus, both he himself and those who were in his company, were carried away into great admiration; of whom not a few embraced the faith of Christ, secretly from the Tyrant. Then holy Meletius, having received with thanksgiving the benefit divinely conferred on him, and breathing cheerfulness in his countenance, of his own accord offered himself again to Maximus.

ANNOTATIONS.

CHAPTER IX.

The constancy of S. Meletius, unconquered against blandishments and threats and fixed on the cross.

Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ Μάξιμος φαιδρῷ τῷ προσώπῳ, προσερχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἐθαύμασεν τὸ γενναῖον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν πολλὴν ὑπομονὴν ἐν ταῖς τοσαύταις κακίσταις βασάνοις· Ἐνόμιζον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ἐλθὼν μετενόησεν καὶ ἦλθεν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀριστῆσαι διὰ τὴν πολλὴν ἀσιτίαν· ὁ γὰρ νεανίας προβαίνων ἀνδρειότερος ἐγίνετο, μηδὲν ἐσθίων μηδὲ πίνων, τρεφόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. Ἐκέλευσεν οὖν ὁ ἄνομος Μάξιμος ἑτοιμασθῆναι ἐσθῆτας παντοίας, λευκήν τε καὶ ἄλλην ἔντιμον, καὶ ἀκουβητὸν ἑτοιμασθῆναι, καὶ ἐδέσματα παντοῖα μεμιαμμένα μετὰ τῶν ἱεροθύτων, ἵνα πίνων φάγῃ ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν, καὶ μὴ αἴσθηται τί ἔφαγεν. Ἐλθόντος δὲ τοῦ ἁγίου Μελετίου, προσαπήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ Μάξιμος, τὸ δολερὸν τοῦ διαβόλου προβαλλόμενος δέλεαρ, καὶ λέγων· Μελέτιε, ἰδοὺ ἡτοίμασά σοι ἐσθῆτα πολητελῆ, ἀπόθριξέ σου οὖν τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ καθεσθεὶς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ ἵππου, ἄπελθε εἰς τὸ δημόσιον λουτρὸν, καὶ λοῦσαι, καὶ ἐλθὲ καὶ ἀνάπεσον μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐν τῷ ἀρίστῳ, καὶ ἐπιτελέσωμεν εὐφρασίαν μεγάλην σήμερον· ἔπαιζον γὰρ μετά σου, τούτους τοὺς ἑπτὰ καιροὺς δοκιμάζων σε, καὶ ἔπεχέ σου τὸ ἀξίωμα ὅπερ εἶχες· καὶ πλείονα καὶ μείζονα ἀξιώματα ἕξεις καὶ ἐξέρκετα· γνωρίζω γὰρ τῷ Βασιλεῖ καὶ δώσει σοι. Ὁ δὲ ἁγίος τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιος ἁπλώσας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ κενὰ, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, ἄνομε κύων καὶ μιαρώτατε, ἀκμὴν ἀπιστεῖς τοῦ ὑψιλοθρόνου Θεοῦ, τῷ βραχίονι τῷ ὑψηλῷ, τῷ ἀνεικάστῳ Ὑιῷ αὐτοῦ τῷ καθημένῳ ἐν δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι τῷ διατρέφοντί με καὶ ἐκδυναμοῦντί με· σοὶ γὰρ Μάξιμε ἡτοίμασται τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξότερον, καὶ ὁ σκώληξ ὁ ἀκοίμητος, τὸ πὺρ τὸ ἄσβεστον· ἡ κόλασις ἡ αἰώνιος σοὶ καὶ τῷ Βασιλεῖ σου ἡ μερὶς, ὡς τοῦ πικροῦ Ἰούδα μετὰ τῶν πιστευόντων τοῖς εἰδώλοις. Ὅστις γὰρ ἀρνεῖται τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, τὴν μερίδα καὶ τὸν ἀπαγχονισμὸν αὐτοῦ κληρονυμήσει. Τότε χολέσας ὁ Μάξιμος λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Οὕτως σε σταυρώσω, ὡς καὶ τὸν υἱὸν Μαρίας οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ἐσταύρωσεν, ὅνπερ καὶ σὺ σέβῃ· καὶ κελεύω τρεὶς ἥλους γενέσθαι. καὶ καθηλωθῆναι τὸν ἕνα ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ σου ὅπου ποιεῖς τὴν σφραγίδα, καὶ ἔνα ἐν τῷ στήθει, καὶ ἔνα τῇ κοιλίᾳ. Ὁ δὲ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιος λέγει τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Παρακαλῶ σε τοῦτο μὴ ποιήσῃς, ὄτι οὔκ εἰμι ἀξίος τοῦ πάθους τοῦ Κυρίου μου εἶναι ὅμοιος. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος, ἑμημανὴς γενόμενος, λέγει τῶ Μελετίῳ, Οὐ μόνον σταυρώσω σε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἥμισύ σου πρήσω, καὶ ἔωσε ἐσταυρωμένον ἐν τῇ πεύκῃ, ἵνα καὶ τὰ ὄρνεα φάγωνταί σε, ἵνα μὴ καί σε σέβωνται οἱ Χριστιανοί. Ὁ δὲ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ εὐχόμενος, οὕτως εἶπεν· Δέσποτα παντοκράτορ, ὁ τῶν ὄντων ὑπερουρανίων πατὴρ καὶ Θεὸς, ὁ τῶν ἀερίων δρόμος, καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων φύλαξ, πρόσδεξαι τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ πέμψον τὸν Ἄγγελόν σου, ἵνα δέξηται ταύτην, ὅτι εὐλογημένος εἶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Τελέσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ τήν εὐχὴν, ἦλθεν φωνῇ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ λέγουσα· Θάρσει, Ἐγώ εἰμι μετά σου. Ὁ δὲ ἀνομώτατος Μάξιμος ἀκούσας τῆς φωνῆς, οὐκ ᾐσχύνθη, ἀλλ᾽ έκέλευσεν τοὺς τρεῖς ἥλους προσηλωθῆναι αὐτῷ, τὸν ἕνα ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ. Καὶ ἠρξαντο κρούειν οἱ ὑπηρέται, καὶ εὐθέως ἐξηράνθησαν. Καὶ λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Καλῶς ἐποίησας, κύων ἀνόητε, ὅτι τρεῖς ἥλους εἶπας προσηλῶσαί με, εἰς ὄνομα τῆς τρισαγίας φωνῆς, Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ὡς ἐγώ πιστεύω, διὰ ταύτης γὰρ της πίστεως σωθήσομαι καὶ πάντες οἱ πιστεύοντες. Βλέπε δὲ, ἄνομε Μάξιμε, τὴν βοήθειάν σου καὶ τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ διαβόλου πῶς ἀπέψυχαν. Παραχρῆμα δὲ θυμωθεὶς ὁ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν κρεμασθῆναι ἐν τῇ πεύκῃ, μετὰ δὲ τὸ κρεμασθῆναι αὐτὸν, λέγει ὁ Μάξιμος πάλιν κατενεχθῆναι αὐτὸν καὶ ἐσχάραν γενέσθαι καὶ ὑποκαίεσθαι αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ πάσσεσθαι ἀφόνιτρον, καὶ στέαρ βληθῆναι ἐν αὐτῆ· καὶ κελεύει αὐτὸν εἰς αὐτὴν δεθῆναι, καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ πρότερον τέμνεσθαι μαχαίραις, καὶ οὕτως βληθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐσχάρᾳ, νομίσαντες ἐκ τῆς βασάνου ταύτης ἀναλίσκειν τὸν ἀθητὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιον· καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἴσχυσαν. Καὶ γὰρ τῆς μὲν σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ ἡ ὀσμὴ ὡς μύρον εὐωδίας ἀνήρχετο ἐκ τῆς ἐσχάρας, τοῦ δὲ σώματος αὐτοῦ ἡ προσθήκη ἐγένετο. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ δήμιοι τὴν μεγάλην δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲν ἠδίκησαν αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ φαιδρότερον ἐγένετο, ἐθαύμασεν· καὶ ὡς ἐν ἐκστάσει γενόμενοι, πεσόντες παραχρῆμα ἀπέψυξαν. Ὁ δὲ διάβολος ἐκάθητο πενθῶν, διότι οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ἀποστῆναι τὸν Μελέτιον. Οἱ δὲ περιστάμενοι κρυφῇ Χριστιανοὶ, ἰδόντες τὴν πολλὲν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ Μελετίου, ἐδόξασαν τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος ὅτι γενναίως καταφρόνει τῶν βασάνων καὶ οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ, ἐκέλευσεν ἐκβλθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς ἐσχάρας, καὶ θεασάμενος αὐτὸν, εἶδεν ὅτι ἡ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐκάῃ, καὶ μάστιξ οὐχ ἥψατο αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐθαύμασεν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος καὶ οἱ μιερεῖς παρῄνουν τῷ Μελετίῳ λέγοντες, Ἰδοὺ πῶς οἱ θεοὶ ἐνεδυνάμωσάν σε, καὶ τὸ σῶμά σου μᾶλλον εὐθαλὲς ἐγένετο, διὰ τὰς ἡμῶν εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς εὐχὰς καὶ σπονδάς· νῦν οὖν πρόσελθε καὶ θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς, ἵνα εὐΐλατοί σοι γένωνται. Ὁ δὲ ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιος ἐπάρας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἶπεν· Εὐχαριστῶ σε, Δέσποτα Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς βασάνοις τὴν νίκην μοι παρέχεις καὶ τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις σε ἐν ἀληθείᾳ. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, εἶδεν τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳγμένον καὶ στέφανον αὐτῷ ἑτοιμαζόμενον παρὰ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. Τινὲς δὲ τῶν ἑστώτων λαθρέως Χριστιανῶν ἴδον καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ· ἠκολούθουν γὰρ τῇ ἀθλήτῃ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ τελειωθῆναι αὐτὸν, καὶ οὕτως ἁρπάσαι τὸ λείψανον αὐτοῦ. Ποιήσας δὲ ὁ Μελέτιος τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, εἶπεν τῷ Μαξίμῳ καὶ τοῖς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ μιερεῦσιν· Ἀκμὴν οὐ συνίετε ἀφρονέστατοι, ὡς εἰς τὴν ἀπόλειαν ἀπέλθητε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν μετὰ τῶν θεῶν ὑμῶν καὶ τοῦ Βασιλέως ὑμῶν καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ σατανᾶ. Οἱ δὲ μιερεῖς ἀκούσαντες ταῦτα, ἐπεζήτησαν ἐπελθεῖν αὐτῷ, καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέψυξαν. Ὁ δὲ διάβολος μεταμορφωθεὶς εἰς γυναῖκα, ἐκάθητο καὶ ἐπένθη, μὴ ἰσχύσας τι ποιῆσαι τῷ Μελετίῳ. Οἱ οὖν βλέποντες αὐτὸν, ἐνόμιζον, ὅτι γυνή τις ἐπένθη τὸν Μελέτιον. Προσελθὼν δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος εἶπεν τῷ Μελετίῳ· Εἰ μὴ θέλῃς θῦσαι, εἶπε, Μέγιστος ὁ ζεὺς, ἢ ὁ Ἀπώλλων, καὶ ἀπαλλάσσου τῶν κολάσεων, καὶ λάβε σου τὴν τιμὴν ἤνπερ ἔχεις τὴν τοῦ στρατηλάτου, καὶ δηλῶ τῷ Βασιλεῖ, καὶ πέμψει σοι χρήματα πολλὰ καὶ τιμὴν μειζοτέραν. Λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἀτυχέστατε, τὸν Θεόν μου οὐκ ἔχω ἐνκαταλεῖψαι· αὐτὸς γὰρ παρέχει μοι ἰσχὺν καὶ δύναμιν καὶ τιμήν· ὃν δὲ σὺ προσκυνεῖς, ὁ σατανᾶς ἐστι ὁ πατήρ σου, καὶ μεταβληθεὶς εἰς γυναῖκα καὶ θρηνῶν ὅτι ἡττήθη. Τίνι δὲ καὶ θύσω, ἀνόητε; τῷ χαλκουργήματι, ὃ κατέστρεψα, ἢ τοὺς λίθους τοὺς συντετριμμένους; Λέγει ὁ Μάξιμος τῷ Μελετίῳ·

[62] Maximus, having beheld Meletius, hastening of his own accord with smiling face to the punishments, could not sufficiently admire the generous nature of the soldier, and his fortitude and constancy in enduring the most cruel torments; yet he persuaded himself, Maximus, blandly receiving Meletius coming to him, since he came of his own accord, that, led by repentance for the past, and exhausted by long hunger, he wished to use the same meal with him. But Meletius, a youth still growing in age, although he took neither food nor drink, was nevertheless seen ever to come forth more robust, being nourished, namely, by the Holy Spirit with better foods. The wicked Maximus therefore ordered precious garments of every kind, distinguished by whiteness and ornament, to be prepared, a couch to be spread, and likewise foods of every kind to be brought in, and things offered to idols to be mixed with them, that Meletius unknowing and unwary might eat of these. Whom when the Tyrant beheld coming, running to meet him without delay, invites him to dinner: he undertook with such enticements of the devil to assault his mind; Behold, Meletius, how I have taken care that most precious garments be prepared for thee. Go therefore, and adorn thy hair as is fitting: then mount the horse which I myself am wont to use, and betake thyself to the bath for the sake of washing; that together with me, and a companion of the same table, thou mayest pass this day with great pleasantness; for whatever has been done by me these seven days was a game, that I might prove the fortitude and constancy of thy mind. Receive therefore the military dignity which thou hast hitherto possessed, to which then many other and greater ornaments, and command over more forces will be added: for I will write concerning thee and thy affairs to the Emperor with praise, nor is there doubt that he will forthwith confer them upon thee.

[63] Then Meletius, striking the Tyrant with open hands; Still, said he, impious and impure dog, dost thou go on to deny faith to the strong and lofty arm of the most high God; and to His Son, comparable to no other, spurning the blandishments who sits at His right hand; and also to the Holy Spirit, who indeed admirably has not only not suffered me, slain by hunger, to die, but moreover has added not a little to my strength and vigor. For thee surely, Maximus, are destined the exterior darkness, and the worm that never dies. Inextinguishable fire, and punishments to endure eternally await thee equally with thy Emperor, in the manner in which the bitter betrayer of his Lord Judas is now tortured with them, and all those who have ever rendered worship to idols. For whoever denies the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, he threatens to crucify him: shall be a partaker of the same lot and straitness with Judas. But I, said Maximus, indignant, will thus cause thee to be fixed to the cross, even as the Jews crucified the son of Mary whom thou worshippest: I will also have three nails made, with one of which I will transfix that forehead, which thou art so frequently wont to fortify with the sign of thy Christ, with the second thy breast, with the third thy belly. This one thing, answered the soldier of Christ, I pray that thou do not: for I am by no means worthy to be afflicted with the same punishment as my Lord. For which words the Tyrant driven into rage; Not only, said he, shalt thou be killed by the punishment of the cross, but I will consume the middle part of thee with fire; and at last I will order thy corpse to be kept fixed upon a pine, that when thou hast been eaten by the birds, the Christians may follow thee with no veneration.

[64] After these things the generous athlete of Christ composed himself to pray, and said; Omnipotent Lord of all things, him rejoicing and fixed with three nails who art the Father and God of all things heavenly, and dost establish to the airy motions and revolutions time and order; who at last clemently preservest the things placed on earth, that they perish not, receive at length my soul, I beseech, and disdain not to send down from heaven Thy Angel, who may present it to Thee; since Thou art blessed unto the ages. Amen. And when he ceased from praying, a voice rushed from heaven; Be bold, come, saying, For I am present to thee. Although Maximus himself also perceived that voice, yet for shame he did not desist from his undertakings, but ordered the three great nails prepared for this to be brought forth into the midst, and first indeed to be fixed into the forehead of Meletius: in honor of the Holy Trinity, which when his ministers strenuously attempted, they were punished by God with a sudden withering of their limbs. Then to the Tyrant Meletius; It is well, said he, that thou hast willed me to be fixed to the wood with three nails, rabid dog, that namely the glory of the three most holy names, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, may shine forth more clearly: in whom I without doubt believe, by which faith I plainly judge that both myself, and all others sharers of the same faith, will obtain certain salvation. But see, impious Tyrant, in what manner the attendants of thee and of thy father the devil have unhappily lost their life.

[65] Then seized with fury, Maximus orders the Martyr to be hung upon the pine, and hung up to be taken down again, and a hearth to be made kindled with a bright fire, which he ordered to be fed with nitre and grease that it might burn more sharply, he orders him to be cut up and cast into the fire: and into it he ordered Meletius to be cast. Which before it was done, by the command of the same Tyrant he ordered the body of the holy Soldier to be cut into several parts, and so to be given to the flames to be devoured: for they thought that the athlete of Christ Meletius would be wholly consumed by this kind of punishment. But neither thus could the impious ones effect anything: for when from the limbs of the dissected body a certain most sweet fragrance, as from ointment, had been diffused, an increase rather than a detriment appeared to have been made to them amid the torments. but seeing him remain unharmed, the ministers dead, The executioners therefore, perceiving with their eyes the divine power, and that they had brought no harm to Meletius, but his body even shone with a certain new beauty; seized with great admiration and stupor, suddenly falling to the ground in that very place, expired. Then Satan himself also grieved very vehemently, when he saw all his attempts to destroy Meletius to be in vain. But whatever Christians were present, unknown to the Tyrant, having admired the illustrious endurance of Meletius in suffering, rendered, as was just, their glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

[66] Observing therefore that all his torments were generously despised by Meletius, but that nothing was effected by himself, again he tempts him by flattery. Maximus ordered the Martyr to be brought forth from the flames. Whom when he beheld to be plainly whole and unharmed, and afflicted with no injury through the torments, he was filled with great admiration. But he then, and the wicked sacrificers of the idols, tried to drag Meletius to the worship of the false gods in this manner; Behold with what fortitude of mind and body our gods have willed thee to be adorned, since by the force and efficacy of our prayers before the gods thy body has come forth from the torments more beautiful and more vigorous. Now therefore doubt no longer to sacrifice to the gods, that they may go on to show thee their benevolence. But here indeed the holy servant of God Meletius stretched out his hands to heaven and said: I render Thee the greatest thanks, Lord our God, because in all the torments which I have hitherto undergone, Thou hast willed both myself and all others who have invoked Thy holy name in truth, But he renders thanks to God, to be superior to their adversaries. Which said, the holy man had the heavens open, and merited to see the crown prepared for him by the Lord Jesus. Some also of those standing by, and they secretly Christians, then beheld the glory of the Lord. For these men observed all the footsteps of the holy man, that when he had departed from this mortal life, they might be able to carry off his sacred body by stealth.

[67] At this time therefore Meletius, the sign of the Christians impressed upon his forehead, thus addressed Maximus and the priests of the idols; Do you not yet understand, most senseless of men, in what manner you rush headlong into the perdition and damnation which has long ago been prepared for you, and the demon lamenting in a woman's likeness and for your idols, and for your Emperor and your father Satan? Turned into fury by this speech of Meletius, the impious priests asked leave that it be granted them to rush upon him, but all were extinguished by a sudden death. Then the evil demon, having feigned the dress of a woman, gave forth great lamentations, since he clearly perceived Meletius to be assailed by him in vain. But those who observed the devil prostrated with so great grief thought that Meletius was bewailed by some true woman. To whom then Maximus drawing near thus said; If thou wilt not sacrifice, say at least, great is the God Jupiter or Apollo; and be free from the torments, and receive thy former honor of Commander. I will also write to the Emperor concerning thee, who will bestow on thee no small force of money and even greater honors.

[68] To whom Meletius; O most unhappy of however many mortals there are, there is no reason for thee to hope that my God will ever be forsaken by me. For from Him all my vigor, all fortitude, all glory is sufficiently supplied. But whom thou judgest worthy of adoration is the devil, thy father, he makes vanish. who, having now taken the face of a woman, deplores his lot, because in so many contests he has had necessarily to succumb to one stronger. But come, to whom, I pray, dost thou at last bid me sacrifice? to the brazen image of a demon, which I myself so often overthrew? to those stone gods, whom I broke into fragments and dust so often? And Maximus; Lo, said he, that noble woman follows thy calamity with grief and tears, implores thy flourishing age, nor does pity of thyself seize thee? Then Meletius; Is this a noble woman? I will make you now perceive who and whence she is: and the sign of Christ being formed, rebuking the devil who had feigned a virgin, he made him vanish from the eyes of all. Then turning himself and his speech to Maximus; Behold, said he, how suddenly thy father Satan and thy gods have withdrawn themselves from our sight. But know, that not many days after the sword of the Lord will lead thee to destruction, and will most sharply pursue thy father Satan, and all the worshippers of idols.

CHAPTER X.

Meletius being crucified, the ministers of his punishment are converted: who being sent ahead by martyrdom, he himself also dies.

Ὁ Δὲ Μάξιμος πάλιν ὑποβληθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ σατανᾶ λέγει τῳ Μελετίῳ· Ὅλοις οὐ θέλεις θῦσαι, κᾂν μόνον τῷ θεῷ Ἀπόλλωνι. Λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος· Ἑως ποτὲ ἀσυνετεῖς, ἄνομε; ἐγὼ Χριστὸν ἔχων διὰ παντὸς φυλάττοντά με, οὐδέπω πεισθήσομαι τῷ δολίῳ σου στόματι, οὐδὲ μολυνῶ τὸ στόμα μου τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς μιαροῖς βδελύγμασιν, οὐδὲ συνέρχομαί

σοι εἰς τὴν ἀπόλειαν, πρόξενε τῆς ἀπολείας, καὶ ἀνομίας διδάσκαλε, πτώσεως διάκονε, καὶ ἔκδικε τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ σατανᾶ, στρατηγὲ τῆς πλάνης, σύμβουλε τῆς παραβάσεως· ὁ γὰρ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν μὴ ὁμολογῶν, βασιλείας οὐρανῶν ἀλλότριός ἐστιν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος μηδὲ οὕτως αἰσχυνθεὶς, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀναιδὲς ἐνδεικνύμενος, παρῄνει αὐτῷ λέγων· Τοῦτο ποίησον, μόνον, φάγε μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ· καὶ μετεστείλατο κρυφέως ἐνεχθῆναι μιαρόθυτα, ὡς ἂν μὴ εἰδότα μολυνῇ τὸν Ἅγιον τοῖς μιαροῖς ἐδέσμασιν. Ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος λέγει τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Οὐ πείθεις, μηδεμία ψυχὴ, υἱὲ διαβόλου; τί με κολακεύεις, πικρὲ θάνατε; τί με ἀγορεύεις, παγὶς τοῦ ῥιφέντος ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν; τί μοι ἐνεδρεύεις, κακὲ ἰξευτά; τί μοι προσσυρίζεις, δράκων ἀδύνατε, ἀσπὶς ἰοβόλε, λέων ἀνεύρετε, μετὰ τοῦ πατρός σου σατανᾶ, τοῦ ἔν σοι καὶ μετὰ σου ὄντος. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ διάβολος μεταμορφωθεῖς εἰς ἄγγελον πυρὸς, λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Ἅ σοι λέγουσιν ποιεῖ. Οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς ἀκούσαντες ταῦτα ἐχάρησαν· Ἐφάνη γὰρ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν, ὡς Ζεὺς ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν. Ὀσφρανθεὶς δὲ ὁ Μελέτιος τὸν βρόμον τοῦ διαβόλου, εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Ὁ ῥίψας σε ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν Θεὸς πατάξει σε· καὶ εὐθέως ἐγένετο ὡς εἵλιξ πυρὸς, καὶ ὀλολύξας ἀφανὴς ἐγένετο. Τότε οὖν ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν ἄνδρες πολλοὶ, καὶ λέγουσι τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἀπώλεσας τὸν ὄχλον ἡμῶν. Καὶ θυμῷ κινηθεὶς ὁ Μάξιμος ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Μελέτιον κοσσοκοπεῖσθαι· καὶ ὅσοι ἐπεχείρουν αὐτῷ ἀπέψυχον. Καὶ λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ὦ ποῖόν σοι πῦρ καίεται, ἄθλιε, ἄσβεστον καὶ ψευσθῆναι μὴ δυνάμενον! ὦ ποῖα δεσμὰ! ὦ ποῖος σκώληξ ἀτελεύτητος, ὃν οὐκ ἐκφεύξῃ, ὃν ἐγὼ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ὀρῶ καὶ φρίσσω! Τί ἀνομεῖς δύστινε εἰς τὸν ζῶντα Θεὸν, τῆς πτώσεώς σου ἐγγὺς ὢν; ἡτοίμασται γάρ σοι ποταμὸς πυρὸς, ὃν οὐ δύνασαι φυγεῖν. Τί οὖν μάτην ἑαυτὸν πλανᾷς τοῖς εἰδώλοις προσκυνῶν. Καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν πάλιν κρεμασθῆναι εἰς τὴν πεύκην· ἐκέλευσεν δὲ Καρτέριον τὸν χαλκέα μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐλθεῖν, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐλάσατε ἥλους πηχέους, καὶ προσενέγκατε αὐτοὺς πεπυρωμένους, καὶ καθηλώσατε αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ ἄνομος Μάξιμος λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Ἰδοὺ ὁ Χριστός σου εἶχεν δώδεκα μαθητὰς, καὶ ὁ χαλκεύς μου ἔχει δώδεκα μαθητὰς, οἵ τινες καθηλώσουσί σε καὶ νικήσουσι τὰς μαγείας σου. Ὁ δὲ Ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποκριθεὶς λέγει τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Τί τοῦτο ἐλάλησας; Ἰδοὺ οὓς ἐμνημόνευσας μαθητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ μου, κατὰ σεαυτοῦ ἐλάλησας· κατέρχεται ἡ χάρις τῶν δώδεκα Ἀποστόλων ἐπὶ Καρτέριον τὸν χαλκέα, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ, ἐνισχῦσαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ μου· πάρεστι γὰρ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς τὴν χάριν τῆς ἐπουρανίου ζωῆς. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ Ἁγίου, χολέσας ὁ ἄνομος Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν προσαγαγεῖν τοὺς ἥλους ἐπυρωμένους τοὺς χαλκεῖς, καὶ καθηλῶσαι αὐτόν. Οἱ δὲ χαλκεῖς προσήνεγκαν τοὺς ἥλους πεπυρωμένους κατὰ τῆς κοιλίας τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ κατὰ παντὸς μέλους αὐτοῦ. Κρούοντες δὲ μετὰ τῶν σιδηροσφύρων, οὐκ ἐδύναντο καθηλῶσαι αὐτούς· οἱ γὰρ ἧλοι συνετρίβοντο ὡς δὲ ἐκρούοντο, καὶ ἀπεπήδων κατὰ τῶν παρισταμένων ἑλλήνων, καὶ καταλαβούντων τῷ Μελετίῳ οἱ αὐτοὶ ἧλοι ἀπίεσαν, καὶ ἐνεφώλευον ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀποτυφλοῦντο. Οἱ οὖν χαλκεῖς προσεσχηκότες τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἀοράτου Θεοῦ καὶ ὑψίστου, καὶ τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ νεανίου Μελετίου, καὶ ὅτι ἡ ἧλοι οὐχ ἥπτοντο αὐτοῦ παθόντος πολλὰ, ἔντρομοι γενόμενοι, ῥίψαντες πάντα τὰ σκεύη τὰ χαλκευτικὰ, καὶ τὰς μηχανὰς, καὶ τὰ σίδηρα αὐτῶν, καὶ πεσόντες ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ὕψιστον· ἦλθεν γὰρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἡ χάρις τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἀνατείναντες δὲ τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἦραν φωνὴν μεγάλην λέγοντες· Ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας σὺ εἶ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν· καὶ ἔδωκαν κενὰ τῷ Μαξίμῳ ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος θυμωθεὶς, ἐκέλευσεν ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτοὺς πόῤῥωθεν τῆς ὕλης Κανδακορέων, κᾀκεῖ τραχηλοκοπηθῆναι. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ χαλκεῖς τὴν ἐξελθοῦσαν κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ἀπόφασιν, λέγουσιν τῷ ἀθλητῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· Μελέτιε, θεράπον τοῦ ὑψίστου Θεοῦ, εὖξαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς εὑρεθῶμεν ἐν ἀνέσει, καὶ ἵνα δέξηται τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ὁ Χριστὸς, ὡς καὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου καὶ πάντων τῶν προτελειωθέντων, τῶν μαθητῶν σου καὶ ἀθλοφόρων. Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιος, κρεμάμενος ἐν τῇ πεύκῃ· Ποιήσατε τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ ὑμῶν, καὶ ὅπου ὁ νοῦς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ θησαυρός. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς ὑμᾶς ἀναπαύσει, ἐν ἀνέσει προσλαβόμενος μετὰ τῶν Ἁγίων αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Οὐκ ἔλεγόν σοι, πανάθλιε, ὄτι οὓς ἐμνημόνευσας Ἀποστόλους, αὐτοί σοι ἔχουσι καταισχῦναι. Καὶ ἀπῆλθεν Καρτέριος ὁ χαλκεὺς μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ τελειωθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ ξίφους· ὡς δὲ πρόβατα ἐπὶ σφαγὴν τρέχοντες, καὶ ὑμνοῦντες, καὶ δοξάζοντες τὸν Θεὸν, ἀπελθόντες ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου, καὶ ποιήσαντες τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, δοξάζοντες τὸν Θεὀν τὸν ὕψιστον, ἐξέτειναν τοὺς ἑαυτῶν αὐχένας, καὶ ἐδέξαντο τὸ ξίφος ἀγαλλιώμενοι. Ἐτελειώθησαν δὲ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ὥρᾳ ἐννάτῃ, ἡμέρα παρασκευῇ. Τινὲς δὲ Χριστιανοὶ κατέθεντο αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ τόπῳ ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Εἷς δὲ τῶν μιαρῶν ὁ συγκάθεδρος Μαξίμου, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα Μαδιοφάντης, λέγει τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Κέλευσόν μοι, κᾀγὼ αὐτὸν προσηλώσω, διότι τοὺς ἡμετέρους θεοὺς συνέτριψεν. Καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν αὐτῷ ὁ Μάξιμος. Περιχαρὴς δὲ γενόμενος ὁ μιαρώτατος ἱερεὺς, νομίζων νικᾷν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ἀόρατον, λαβὼν τοὺς ἥλους πεπυρωμένους, καὶ προσελθὼν τῷ ἀθλητῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίῳ, νομίζων καθηλοῦν τὴν κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ, σκοτωθεὶς τὸν λογισμὸν, στρὲψας τὸν ἦλον ἐνέκρουσεν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέψυξεν. Τότε λέγει ὁ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἰδοὺ ὅλη σου ἡ βοήθεια ἀπεγένετο, καὶ κατελείφθης σὺ μονώτατος μετὰ πατρός σου τοῦ διαβόλου· Βλέπω γὰρ τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ῥομφαίαν κατά σου μετ᾽ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας. Τί οὖν οὐ προσπίπτεις, ἄθλιε, τῷ δεσπότῃ τῶν αἰώνων τῷ κτίσαντι τὰ σύμπαντα; Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἤκει σου ἡ συντέλεια, καὶ ἡτοίμασταί σοι ὁ τάρταρος ὁ αἰώνιος. Λέγει δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος τῷ ἀθλητῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίῳ· Οὐκ οὖν ἐν τῷ ταρτάρῳ ἔχω εἰσελθεῖν; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ· Προεῖπόν σοι ὅτι σὺ, καὶ οἳ σύν σοι ἀσεβεῖς, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου, ὅστις πρόδρομός σου γέγονεν, τῷ γὰρ ταρτάρῳ τετήρησαι. Νῦν οὖν ἔτι ἓν μέλος μου οὐκ ἐκόλασας, τὸ τῶν γονάτων· κόλασον καὶ αὐτό. Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι ὁ ἐμὸς Θεὸς οὐ δέχεταί μου τὴν ψυχὴν, ἕως ἂν καὶ τὴν βάσανον ταύτην ὑπενέγκω· σοῖ δὲ ἡτοίμασται ἡ αἰώνιος κόλασις, τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἄσβεστον, ὁ οὐκ ἐκφεύξη. Ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ μέλος τὸ τῶν γονάτων καθηλοῦσθαι. Προσελθὼν δὲ ἄλλος μιερεὺς, καὶ λαβὼν τοὺς ἥλους ἵνα κρούσῃ ἐν τοῖς γόνασι τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ Μελετίου, λέγει αὐτῷ οὕτως· Ὅτι ἐν ταῖς μαγίαις αὐτοῦ τὸν συνιερέα μου ἀπέκτεινεν, καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς ἡμῶν ἐξουδένωσεν καὶ συνέτριψεν, ἐγὼ ἄρτι προσελθὼν δείξω αὐτῷ, ὅτι αἱ μαγίαι αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν ὠφελήσουσιν αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἐπικαλεσάμενος ὁ μιερεὺς τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτοῦ, λέγει. Ἐλθὲ μέγιστε Ζεὺ, ἢ Ἑρμῆ θεὲ, καὶ Ἡρακλῆ δυνάστα, καὶ Ἀσκληπιὲ, θεράποντες· καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν, καὶ προσελθὼν τεθαῤῥηκῶς τῇ ὑποβλήσει τοῦ διαβόλου, λαβὼν τὸν ἧλον, ἵνα κρούσῃ ἐν τοῖς γόνασιν αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἰδίαν χεῖρα καθήλωσεν ἐν τᾑ πεύκῃ· καὶ ἐβόησεν ὁ μιαρὸς φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγων· ὦ, Μάξιμε, ἀπόλεσας ἡμᾶς. Καθηλώσας γὰρ ὁ μιερεὺς τὴν ἰδίαν παλάμην, εὐθέως ἀπέψυξεν παρὰ τὸ δένδρον. Ἔτι δὲ κρεμαμένου τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίου ἐν τῷ δένδρῳ, ἦλθεν φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα· Δεῦρο, ἀνάβαινε, ἀθλητά μου Μελέτιε, εἰς τὰ ταμεῖα τοῦ παραδείσου, καὶ εἰς τὸν χόρον τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν μου Ἀγγέλων, εἰς τὴν συνδρομὴν πάντων τῶν δικαίων μου. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἵστανται πάντες οἱ ἅγιοί μου, προσδοκῶντές σε, κρατοῦντες τὰ βραβεῖα· ὡς γὰρ ἐποίησάς μου τὸ θέλημα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, δώσω σοι ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς τὰ αἰτήματά σου· καὶ ὅστις ἂν μνησθῇ τῆς δυνάμεως Θεοῦ, τῆς δόξης καὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος Μελετίου, ῥυσθήσεται ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς ἀνάγκης καὶ κυνδίνων μεγάλων. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ παύσασθαι τὸν Κύριον λαλοῦντα, κατῆλθον Ἄγγελοι ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν μετὰ νεφέλης καὶ ὕμνων μεγάλων, δοξάζοντες τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ παρέλαβον τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ ἀθλήτου καὶ θεράποντος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίου. Ἀνέφερον οὖν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν λευκὴν ἀστράπτουσαν· καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ Χριστιανοὶ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ Μελετίου ἐδόξασαν τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ τὸν ἅγιον πνεῦμα. Ἐτελειώθη δὲ ὁ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ μάρτυς ἐκλεκτὸς, μενὶ μαΐου εἰκάδι τετάρτῃ, ἡμέρα σαββάτῳ.

[69] The Tyrant, as though blinded by Satan; If, said he, thou refusest to sacrifice to all, Nor willing to feign even a little, at least become a suppliant to Apollo. To whom Meletius; How long, impious one, wilt thou go on to be mad? I indeed, who long ago chose Christ my savior to be worshipped by me, will not suffer myself to be persuaded otherwise by thy crafty speeches, nor will I let my mouth or tongue, sacred to the one God, be contaminated by the impure names of thy gods, nor will I ever at last come over to thy party, fabricator of all perdition and master of impiety, worst minister of the ruin of men, champion of Satan thy father, leader of all fraud and deception, and impious counselor of prevarication; for whoever does not confess our Lord is to be held an alien from the kingdom of heaven. But not even by this answer led to any shame, the Tyrant, nor willing to share Meletius's table but rather even displaying his impudent forehead, thus went on to exhort Meletius; This therefore alone I ask of thee, that thou refuse not to eat the same foods with me; and meanwhile he secretly orders the dishes offered to idols to be brought in, that he might lead Meletius, even unknowing, into the snare by the impious feasts. But to the Tyrant Meletius; By no means dost thou persuade, man of nothing. Why dost thou bring forth these blandishments into the midst, son of the demon, and more bitter than death itself? Why by thy speech dost thou try to deceive me, who art the snare of the devil, cast down from heaven for his pride? Why, wicked fowler, dost thou contrive snares against me? Why dost thou hiss against me, dragon of no strength, asp spewing out poisons, lion difficult to discover,

σοι εἰς τὴν ἀπόλειαν, πρόξενε τῆς ἀπολείας, καὶ ἀνομίας διδάσκαλε, πτώσεως διάκονε, καὶ ἔκδικε τοῦ πατρός σου τοῦ σατανᾶ, στρατηγὲ τῆς πλάνης, σύμβουλε τῆς παραβάσεως· ὁ γὰρ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν μὴ ὁμολογῶν, βασιλείας οὐρανῶν ἀλλότριός ἐστιν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος μηδὲ οὕτως αἰσχυνθεὶς, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀναιδὲς ἐνδεικνύμενος, παρῄνει αὐτῷ λέγων· Τοῦτο ποίησον, μόνον, φάγε μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ· καὶ μετεστείλατο κρυφέως ἐνεχθῆναι μιαρόθυτα, ὡς ἂν μὴ εἰδότα μολυνῇ τὸν Ἅγιον τοῖς μιαροῖς ἐδέσμασιν. Ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος λέγει τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Οὐ πείθεις, μηδεμία ψυχὴ, υἱὲ διαβόλου; τί με κολακεύεις, πικρὲ θάνατε; τί με ἀγορεύεις, παγὶς τοῦ ῥιφέντος ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν; τί μοι ἐνεδρεύεις, κακὲ ἰξευτά; τί μοι προσσυρίζεις, δράκων ἀδύνατε, ἀσπὶς ἰοβόλε, λέων ἀνεύρετε, μετὰ τοῦ πατρός σου σατανᾶ, τοῦ ἔν σοι καὶ μετὰ σου ὄντος. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ διάβολος μεταμορφωθεῖς εἰς ἄγγελον πυρὸς, λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Ἅ σοι λέγουσιν ποιεῖ. Οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς ἀκούσαντες ταῦτα ἐχάρησαν· Ἐφάνη γὰρ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν, ὡς Ζεὺς ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν. Ὀσφρανθεὶς δὲ ὁ Μελέτιος τὸν βρόμον τοῦ διαβόλου, εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Ὁ ῥίψας σε ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν Θεὸς πατάξει σε· καὶ εὐθέως ἐγένετο ὡς εἵλιξ πυρὸς, καὶ ὀλολύξας ἀφανὴς ἐγένετο. Τότε οὖν ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν ἄνδρες πολλοὶ, καὶ λέγουσι τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἀπώλεσας τὸν ὄχλον ἡμῶν. Καὶ θυμῷ κινηθεὶς ὁ Μάξιμος ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ἐκέλευσεν τὸν Μελέτιον κοσσοκοπεῖσθαι· καὶ ὅσοι ἐπεχείρουν αὐτῷ ἀπέψυχον. Καὶ λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ὦ ποῖόν σοι πῦρ καίεται, ἄθλιε, ἄσβεστον καὶ ψευσθῆναι μὴ δυνάμενον! ὦ ποῖα δεσμὰ! ὦ ποῖος σκώληξ ἀτελεύτητος, ὃν οὐκ ἐκφεύξῃ, ὃν ἐγὼ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ὀρῶ καὶ φρίσσω! Τί ἀνομεῖς δύστινε εἰς τὸν ζῶντα Θεὸν, τῆς πτώσεώς σου ἐγγὺς ὢν; ἡτοίμασται γάρ σοι ποταμὸς πυρὸς, ὃν οὐ δύνασαι φυγεῖν. Τί οὖν μάτην ἑαυτὸν πλανᾷς τοῖς εἰδώλοις προσκυνῶν. Καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὁ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν πάλιν κρεμασθῆναι εἰς τὴν πεύκην· ἐκέλευσεν δὲ Καρτέριον τὸν χαλκέα μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐλθεῖν, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐλάσατε ἥλους πηχέους, καὶ προσενέγκατε αὐτοὺς πεπυρωμένους, καὶ καθηλώσατε αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ ἄνομος Μάξιμος λέγει τῷ Μελετίῳ· Ἰδοὺ ὁ Χριστός σου εἶχεν δώδεκα μαθητὰς, καὶ ὁ χαλκεύς μου ἔχει δώδεκα μαθητὰς, οἵ τινες καθηλώσουσί σε καὶ νικήσουσι τὰς μαγείας σου. Ὁ δὲ Ἅγιος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποκριθεὶς λέγει τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Τί τοῦτο ἐλάλησας; Ἰδοὺ οὓς ἐμνημόνευσας μαθητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ μου, κατὰ σεαυτοῦ ἐλάλησας· κατέρχεται ἡ χάρις τῶν δώδεκα Ἀποστόλων ἐπὶ Καρτέριον τὸν χαλκέα, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ, ἐνισχῦσαι αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Χριστοῦ μου· πάρεστι γὰρ δοῦναι αὐτοῖς τὴν χάριν τῆς ἐπουρανίου ζωῆς. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπόντος τοῦ Ἁγίου, χολέσας ὁ ἄνομος Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν προσαγαγεῖν τοὺς ἥλους ἐπυρωμένους τοὺς χαλκεῖς, καὶ καθηλῶσαι αὐτόν. Οἱ δὲ χαλκεῖς προσήνεγκαν τοὺς ἥλους πεπυρωμένους κατὰ τῆς κοιλίας τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ κατὰ παντὸς μέλους αὐτοῦ. Κρούοντες δὲ μετὰ τῶν σιδηροσφύρων, οὐκ ἐδύναντο καθηλῶσαι αὐτούς· οἱ γὰρ ἧλοι συνετρίβοντο ὡς δὲ ἐκρούοντο, καὶ ἀπεπήδων κατὰ τῶν παρισταμένων ἑλλήνων, καὶ καταλαβούντων τῷ Μελετίῳ οἱ αὐτοὶ ἧλοι ἀπίεσαν, καὶ ἐνεφώλευον ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀποτυφλοῦντο. Οἱ οὖν χαλκεῖς προσεσχηκότες τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἀοράτου Θεοῦ καὶ ὑψίστου, καὶ τὴν ὑπομονὴν τοῦ νεανίου Μελετίου, καὶ ὅτι ἡ ἧλοι οὐχ ἥπτοντο αὐτοῦ παθόντος πολλὰ, ἔντρομοι γενόμενοι, ῥίψαντες πάντα τὰ σκεύη τὰ χαλκευτικὰ, καὶ τὰς μηχανὰς, καὶ τὰ σίδηρα αὐτῶν, καὶ πεσόντες ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ὕψιστον· ἦλθεν γὰρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς ἡ χάρις τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἀνατείναντες δὲ τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἦραν φωνὴν μεγάλην λέγοντες· Ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας σὺ εἶ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Χριστιανῶν· καὶ ἔδωκαν κενὰ τῷ Μαξίμῳ ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος θυμωθεὶς, ἐκέλευσεν ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτοὺς πόῤῥωθεν τῆς ὕλης Κανδακορέων, κᾀκεῖ τραχηλοκοπηθῆναι. Ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ χαλκεῖς τὴν ἐξελθοῦσαν κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ἀπόφασιν, λέγουσιν τῷ ἀθλητῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ· Μελέτιε, θεράπον τοῦ ὑψίστου Θεοῦ, εὖξαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς εὑρεθῶμεν ἐν ἀνέσει, καὶ ἵνα δέξηται τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν ὁ Χριστὸς, ὡς καὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου καὶ πάντων τῶν προτελειωθέντων, τῶν μαθητῶν σου καὶ ἀθλοφόρων. Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιος, κρεμάμενος ἐν τῇ πεύκῃ· Ποιήσατε τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ ὑμῶν, καὶ ὅπου ὁ νοῦς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ θησαυρός. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς ὑμᾶς ἀναπαύσει, ἐν ἀνέσει προσλαβόμενος μετὰ τῶν Ἁγίων αὐτοῦ. Καὶ λέγει ὁ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Οὐκ ἔλεγόν σοι, πανάθλιε, ὄτι οὓς ἐμνημόνευσας Ἀποστόλους, αὐτοί σοι ἔχουσι καταισχῦναι. Καὶ ἀπῆλθεν Καρτέριος ὁ χαλκεὺς μετὰ τῶν δώδεκα μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ τελειωθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ ξίφους· ὡς δὲ πρόβατα ἐπὶ σφαγὴν τρέχοντες, καὶ ὑμνοῦντες, καὶ δοξάζοντες τὸν Θεὸν, ἀπελθόντες ἐπὶ τοῦ τόπου, καὶ ποιήσαντες τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα, δοξάζοντες τὸν Θεὀν τὸν ὕψιστον, ἐξέτειναν τοὺς ἑαυτῶν αὐχένας, καὶ ἐδέξαντο τὸ ξίφος ἀγαλλιώμενοι. Ἐτελειώθησαν δὲ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ὥρᾳ ἐννάτῃ, ἡμέρα παρασκευῇ. Τινὲς δὲ Χριστιανοὶ κατέθεντο αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ τόπῳ ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Εἷς δὲ τῶν μιαρῶν ὁ συγκάθεδρος Μαξίμου, οὗ τὸ ὄνομα Μαδιοφάντης, λέγει τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Κέλευσόν μοι, κᾀγὼ αὐτὸν προσηλώσω, διότι τοὺς ἡμετέρους θεοὺς συνέτριψεν. Καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν αὐτῷ ὁ Μάξιμος. Περιχαρὴς δὲ γενόμενος ὁ μιαρώτατος ἱερεὺς, νομίζων νικᾷν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ἀόρατον, λαβὼν τοὺς ἥλους πεπυρωμένους, καὶ προσελθὼν τῷ ἀθλητῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίῳ, νομίζων καθηλοῦν τὴν κοιλίαν αὐτοῦ, σκοτωθεὶς τὸν λογισμὸν, στρὲψας τὸν ἦλον ἐνέκρουσεν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέψυξεν. Τότε λέγει ὁ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιος τῷ Μαξίμῳ· Ἰδοὺ ὅλη σου ἡ βοήθεια ἀπεγένετο, καὶ κατελείφθης σὺ μονώτατος μετὰ πατρός σου τοῦ διαβόλου· Βλέπω γὰρ τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ῥομφαίαν κατά σου μετ᾽ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας. Τί οὖν οὐ προσπίπτεις, ἄθλιε, τῷ δεσπότῃ τῶν αἰώνων τῷ κτίσαντι τὰ σύμπαντα; Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἤκει σου ἡ συντέλεια, καὶ ἡτοίμασταί σοι ὁ τάρταρος ὁ αἰώνιος. Λέγει δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος τῷ ἀθλητῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίῳ· Οὐκ οὖν ἐν τῷ ταρτάρῳ ἔχω εἰσελθεῖν; Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ· Προεῖπόν σοι ὅτι σὺ, καὶ οἳ σύν σοι ἀσεβεῖς, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου, ὅστις πρόδρομός σου γέγονεν, τῷ γὰρ ταρτάρῳ τετήρησαι. Νῦν οὖν ἔτι ἓν μέλος μου οὐκ ἐκόλασας, τὸ τῶν γονάτων· κόλασον καὶ αὐτό. Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι ὁ ἐμὸς Θεὸς οὐ δέχεταί μου τὴν ψυχὴν, ἕως ἂν καὶ τὴν βάσανον ταύτην ὑπενέγκω· σοῖ δὲ ἡτοίμασται ἡ αἰώνιος κόλασις, τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἄσβεστον, ὁ οὐκ ἐκφεύξη. Ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Μάξιμος ἐκέλευσεν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ μέλος τὸ τῶν γονάτων καθηλοῦσθαι. Προσελθὼν δὲ ἄλλος μιερεὺς, καὶ λαβὼν τοὺς ἥλους ἵνα κρούσῃ ἐν τοῖς γόνασι τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ Μελετίου, λέγει αὐτῷ οὕτως· Ὅτι ἐν ταῖς μαγίαις αὐτοῦ τὸν συνιερέα μου ἀπέκτεινεν, καὶ τοὺς θεοὺς ἡμῶν ἐξουδένωσεν καὶ συνέτριψεν, ἐγὼ ἄρτι προσελθὼν δείξω αὐτῷ, ὅτι αἱ μαγίαι αὐτοῦ οὐδὲν ὠφελήσουσιν αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἐπικαλεσάμενος ὁ μιερεὺς τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτοῦ, λέγει. Ἐλθὲ μέγιστε Ζεὺ, ἢ Ἑρμῆ θεὲ, καὶ Ἡρακλῆ δυνάστα, καὶ Ἀσκληπιὲ, θεράποντες· καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν, καὶ προσελθὼν τεθαῤῥηκῶς τῇ ὑποβλήσει τοῦ διαβόλου, λαβὼν τὸν ἧλον, ἵνα κρούσῃ ἐν τοῖς γόνασιν αὐτοῦ, τὴν ἰδίαν χεῖρα καθήλωσεν ἐν τᾑ πεύκῃ· καὶ ἐβόησεν ὁ μιαρὸς φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγων· ὦ, Μάξιμε, ἀπόλεσας ἡμᾶς. Καθηλώσας γὰρ ὁ μιερεὺς τὴν ἰδίαν παλάμην, εὐθέως ἀπέψυξεν παρὰ τὸ δένδρον. Ἔτι δὲ κρεμαμένου τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίου ἐν τῷ δένδρῳ, ἦλθεν φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα· Δεῦρο, ἀνάβαινε, ἀθλητά μου Μελέτιε, εἰς τὰ ταμεῖα τοῦ παραδείσου, καὶ εἰς τὸν χόρον τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν μου Ἀγγέλων, εἰς τὴν συνδρομὴν πάντων τῶν δικαίων μου. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἵστανται πάντες οἱ ἅγιοί μου, προσδοκῶντές σε, κρατοῦντες τὰ βραβεῖα· ὡς γὰρ ἐποίησάς μου τὸ θέλημα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, δώσω σοι ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς τὰ αἰτήματά σου· καὶ ὅστις ἂν μνησθῇ τῆς δυνάμεως Θεοῦ, τῆς δόξης καὶ τοῦ ὀνόματος Μελετίου, ῥυσθήσεται ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς ἀνάγκης καὶ κυνδίνων μεγάλων. Μετὰ δὲ τὸ παύσασθαι τὸν Κύριον λαλοῦντα, κατῆλθον Ἄγγελοι ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν μετὰ νεφέλης καὶ ὕμνων μεγάλων, δοξάζοντες τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ παρέλαβον τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ ἀθλήτου καὶ θεράποντος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίου. Ἀνέφερον οὖν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν λευκὴν ἀστράπτουσαν· καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ Χριστιανοὶ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ Μελετίου ἐδόξασαν τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ τὸν ἅγιον πνεῦμα. Ἐτελειώθη δὲ ὁ ἀθλητὴς τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ μάρτυς ἐκλεκτὸς, μενὶ μαΐου εἰκάδι τετάρτῃ, ἡμέρα σαββάτῳ.

[69] The Tyrant, as though blinded by Satan; If, said he, thou refusest to sacrifice to all, at least become a suppliant to Apollo. To whom Meletius; How long, impious one, wilt thou go on to be mad? I indeed, who long ago chose Christ my savior to be worshipped by me, will not suffer myself to be persuaded otherwise by thy crafty speeches, nor will I let my mouth or tongue, sacred to the one God, be contaminated by the impure names of thy gods, nor will I ever at last come over to thy party, fabricator of all perdition and master of impiety, worst minister of the ruin of men, champion of Satan thy father, leader of all fraud and deception, and impious counselor of prevarication; for whoever does not confess our Lord is to be held an alien from the kingdom of heaven. But not even by this answer led to any modesty was the Tyrant, but rather even displaying his impudent forehead, thus went on to exhort Meletius; This therefore alone I ask of thee, that thou refuse not to be fed with the same foods as I; and meanwhile he orders the dishes offered to idols to be brought in secretly, that he might lead Meletius, even unknowing, into the snare by the impious feasts. But to the Tyrant Meletius; By no means dost thou persuade, man of nothing. Why, I pray, dost thou bring forth these blandishments into the midst, son of the demon, and more bitter than death itself? Why by thy speech dost thou try to deceive me, who art the snare of the devil, cast down from heaven for his pride? Why, wicked fowler, dost thou contrive snares against me? Why dost thou hiss against me, dragon of no strength, asp spewing out poisons, lion difficult to discover,

together with thy father Satan, who, residing with thee and in thee, exerts all his strength? When the demon heard these things, and transforming himself into an angel of light, he said to Meletius; Whatever these men keep telling thee must be done, execute without delay. Which voice of the devil being perceived, the idol-priests exulted with joy: he repels the demon urging this, for, bearing the dress and appearance of Jupiter, Satan had shown himself to them. But Meletius, as soon as he heard the vain counsel of the evil demon, brought forth these things against him; The God who expelled thee from heaven, the same will strike thee. And behold, immediately a certain fiery whirlwind as it were appeared, nor without a great howling did the demon disappear. Then of the men present there not a few believed in Christ: and they said to Maximus, Thou hast destroyed this multitude. But the Tyrant, no otherwise than as if he had been driven into rage by Satan himself, ordered the athlete of Christ Meletius to be beaten with blows. But whoever dared to put forth their hands against him, by a sudden death made an end of living.

[70] And here to Maximus Meletius; O how great, he foretells the doom impending over Maximus, and how inextinguishable, and on account of its cruelty unendurable, a fire awaits thee! O how savage and immortal a worm, whose bitter bites thou shalt never escape, and which I now seem to myself to have before my eyes, and considering it I shudder! Why dost thou heap up crimes against God, impious one, when thou art not far from eternal perdition? Already for thee, if thou knowest it not, is prepared a certain fiery river, whose flames thou shalt never be able to avoid. Why therefore dost thou in vain deceive thyself, exhibiting worship and veneration to idols? Provoked to anger by this address of Meletius, the Tyrant orders the Martyr of Christ to be hung upon a pine; and Carterius the coppersmith to be summoned, together with twelve disciples of his art; to whom present he thus spoke: Come, bring cubit-long nails, glowing with much fire, and fasten that man to the wood without delay. and that his ministers would believe in Christ: Then to Meletius; Behold, said he, thy Christ is said to have had twelve disciples, namely as many as my coppersmith has brought hither with him, who soon will fasten thee to that wood, and at last will put an end to thy magic tricks. To whom Meletius; See, said he, Tyrant, how little wisely thou hast spoken; for those whom thou hast just now mentioned as disciples of Christ, thou hast mentioned to thy own disgrace: for thus I foretell thee, that by the merits of the twelve Apostles before God, both that coppersmith and his twelve disciples will be endowed from heaven with that grace by which, excellently strengthened, they will not a little increase the glory of God and Christ: grace, I say, and strength will be given them, equipped with which they may at last attain eternal life.

[71] Stirred to anger by this answer of Meletius, Maximus orders the glowing brazen nails to be brought forth at once, and the Martyr to be transfixed with them. The coppersmiths brought forth into the midst soon seize them with pincers, and with as much force of hammers as they could drive them into the belly and other limbs of Meletius: but all in vain. For the nails, as much as they were driven in, so much also were they blunted, and when they had touched the body of the Martyr they were repelled, and penetrated deep into the eyes of the bystanders and of the gentiles opposing Meletius, and blinded the wretches. as happened, when these saw they accomplished nothing: By the prodigy so unusual estimating the great power of the invisible and most high God, and the fortitude of the young Meletius in suffering, the coppersmiths, and attending how the burning nails could not penetrate a man who had suffered so many and so grievous things; the whole brazen apparatus cast away from them, and the smith's instruments bidden farewell, prostrated themselves on the ground, and rendered the due glory to God most high: for already the divine grace had come down upon them from heaven. Then all, their eyes lifted on high, cried out to God with a loud voice thus saying, for having professed the faith Most truly great art Thou, God of the Christians; but they began to strike the tyrant with blows. He, having conceived great anger, ordered them, led away far from the wood of the Candacorei, all to be beheaded. When they received the sentence of death to be undergone pronounced against them; Meletius, they said, servant of the most high God, prayers, we pray, and vows conceive for us, that we may merit to enjoy God; and that Christ may receive our souls in the manner in which He received the souls of John and Stephen, and of the rest of the disciples and athletes already slain.

[72] These Meletius addressed from the pine on which he hung; The sign, he said, of Christ impress upon your foreheads; for where your mind and thought is, and animated by Meletius, there also is your treasure; for Christ will admit you into His peace and rest, and will enroll you in the number of His Saints. Thence turning to the Tyrant; Did I not foretell, said he, that it would be so, most wretched of men, that those whom thou hadst named with profane mouth Apostles, would be named by thee to thy own reproach and shame? Carterius meanwhile the coppersmith, together with the twelve disciples of his art, they underwent Martyrdom. hastened intrepid to receive death by the sword, like sheep to the slaughter, celebrating the praise of the supreme and divine majesty. When they had come to the place of punishment, all impressed the sign of Christ upon their foreheads, and praises again rendered to God, offering their necks to the lictors, received the last blow with great gladness of their own, and underwent the punishment and death in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, at the ninth hour, on the day of the Parasceve: whom certain of the Christians buried in peace in that very place.

[73] Moreover one of the nefarious priests, who sat next to the Tyrant before the tribunal, and was called Madiophantes, said to Maximus; Only command, and I will transfix him, A sacrificer succeeding for them dies, because he has not feared to break our gods in pieces. Maximus assenting, the most impure priest exulting with joy, and judging that he would conquer the invisible God, and made nearer to Meletius, the glowing nails received, prepared to drive them into the belly of the athlete of Christ: when behold, as if removed in mind and turned into fury, he himself drove a huge nail into his own breast, and in a moment of time unhappily expired. Then the soldier of Christ Meletius said to the Tyrant; See how thy whole attendance has gradually been consumed, and thou alone with thy father the devil art left surviving. I see indeed, I see a sword, which not many days after will bring great ruin upon thee. Meletius insulting the tyrant, Why therefore, wretched and pitiable one, dost thou defer to show thyself a suppliant to the Lord of the ages, and creator of all things? For behold, thou art not far from destruction, and an eternal gehenna threatens thee. To be cast into Tartarus, said the Tyrant, dost thou then dare to affirm that I shall be? To whom the athlete of Christ; Already, said he, I have affirmed, not concerning thee alone, but also concerning all the nefarious men who are in thy company, and concerning thy father the devil himself, who has already preceded thee to these punishments. Thou art reserved for Tartarus, impious one. Now therefore, since I have hitherto suffered no torment about my knees, he urges that he order even the knees to be transfixed. come, turn thy fury upon this part of my body. For I have it clearly perceived, that I shall not deliver my soul to God before I have undergone this kind of punishment also. Know meanwhile that eternal punishment and inextinguishable fire is prepared, which if thou hopest to escape, thou art vehemently deceived.

[74] Meletius heard, the Tyrant ordered the joints of the knees to be transfixed forthwith with beam-nails. Then one of the sacrificers advancing into the midst seized the nails, himself about to transfix Meletius's knees; yet first turning to Maximus; Since this man, which a sacrificer attempting said he, has destroyed with his sorceries a sharer with me of the same priesthood given over to death, and impiously broken our gods held in contempt, I will make him without delay understand, that nothing of help is henceforth to be hoped by him from his magic arts. Then the help of his gods invoked, the sacrificer cried out; Be present, supreme Jupiter, and thou Mercury, and most valiant Hercules, and Æsculapius, aid. Which said, and as if by the devil overturned in mind, he confidently approached Meletius, that he might drive the nail into the Martyr's knees. While he attempts this thing, bores through his own hand. he himself fastened his own hand to the pine. Crying out therefore with a loud voice; Thou hast destroyed us, said he, O Maximus. For as soon as the impious priest of the idols had fastened his hand to the wood upon the unhappy tree, he breathed out his more unhappy soul.

[75] But while Meletius still hung, a voice was suddenly heard from heaven such as this: Come, and ascend to things on high, At length Meletius dies on the cross. Meletius, most valiant athlete; betake thyself into the inmost recesses of My paradise, join thyself a companion to the ranks of My chosen Angels, and to the multitude of the Saints: for behold, the whole company of the Just eagerly awaits thee, and holds forth the prize which thou hast merited. As indeed thou hast fulfilled all My will on earth, so also in the heavens whatever thou shalt desire, I will accomplish: but whoever shall preserve a grateful memory of that power which I have declared in thee, and of thy glory and name, Meletius, shall come forth safe and free from every calamity, and from perils however great. After the Lord ceased to speak these things from heaven, heavenly spirits straightway with a cloud were beheld to descend to earth, who, excellently singing praises to our Lord Jesus Christ, joyfully received the soul of the most generous Athlete and servant of Christ Meletius; which, refulgent like a white dove, they carried up above all the heavens. Therefore astonished by the novelty of the spectacle and exulting, the Christians celebrated the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit with due voices of praise and thanksgiving. But the illustrious Martyr and athlete of Christ died in the month of May, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, and that a Saturday.

CHAPTER XI.

The final catastrophe concerning the body of Meletius taken away by the Angels, Maximus struck divinely, and the persecution turned by the Christians against the Gentiles.

ἸΔὼν δὲ ὁ ἄνομος Μάξιμος, ὅτι ὅσοι προσῆλθον τῷ ἀθλητῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελετίῳ ὅλοι διεφώνησαν, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτὸν ἐδυνήθησαν ποιῆσαι· ἐκέλευσεν μετὰ τὸ τελειωθῆναι τὸν ἀθλητὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιον συναχθῆναι τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν ἕλληνας, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Τί ποιήσωμεν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ; Οἱ δὲ ἕλληνες, ἰδόντες τὴν δόξαν τὴν γενομένην αὐτῷ, οὐδὲν ἐλάλησεν. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ὑποβληθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ἀπὸ τῆς ζώνης μέσον εἶπεν κοπῆναι τὸ λείψανον, καὶ πυρὰν μεγάλην γενέσθαι, καὶ τὸ ἥμισυ κατὰ τοὺς πόδας καῆναι, τὸ δὲ ἄλλο ἥμισυ ἐν τῷ δένδρῳ τῆς πεύκης κρεμασθῆναι, ἵνα τὰ ὀρνέα αὐτὸ φάγωνται. Ἄγγελος δὲ Κυρίου καταβὰς ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, κατήνεγκεν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῆς πεύκης. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ ἕλληνες φόβῳ συσχεθέντες, ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν μετ᾽ ἀνάγκης πολλῆς. Ἀπηνέχθη δὲ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος Μελετίου ἐν τῷ ὄρει, ὅπει ἐτελειώθη ὁ ὄχλος αὐτοῦ. Ἄγγελος δὲ Κυρίου νυκτὸς ἐφάνη τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς ἐν τῇ πόλει, ὡς ἄνθρωπος, λένων αὐτοῖς, ὁποῦ ἦν τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος

Μελετίου. Λαβόντες οὖν οἱ Χριστιανοὶ γλωσσόκομον ἐλεφαντουργημένον, καὶ ἱματισμὸν πολυτελῇ ἐπιφέροντες σὺν θυμιάμασι καὶ μύροις, ἀπερχόμενοι θεωροῦσιν νεφέλην μικρὰν ἐν τῷ τόπῷ, ἐπισκιάζουσαν τῷ λειψάνῳ τοῦ μακαρίου ἀθλητοῦ Μελετίου· καὶ λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνδρες πρὸς ἀλλήλους· Ὅπου ἡ νεφέλη ἐστὶν, ἐκεῖ ἀπέλθωμεν. Ἄγγελος γὰρ Κυρίου ἦν ὁ ὁδηγῶν αὐτούς. Ἀπελθόντες δὲ ἕως τοῦ τόπῳ βουλήσει Χριστοῦ ὑπεχώρησεν αἱ νεφέλαι, καὶ ἴδον τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ὡς μαργαρίτης, ἤστραπτεν. Ἐγγίσαντες δὲ πλησίον τοῦ λειψάνου τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος, ἴδον τρεῖς λέοντας παρισταμένους αὐτῷ, ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ σφόδρα. Οἱ δὲ λέοντες ἔπεχώρησαν αὐτοῖς μικρὸν, τοῖς δὲ ὄνυξιν αὐτῶν ἔσκαπτον τὴν γῆν τοῦ χῶσαι τὸ λείψανον τοῦ ἁγίου Μάρτυρος. Ἐγγισάντων δὲ τῶν ἀνδπῶν τῷ λειψάνῳ ἐκύκλωσεν αὐτοὺς ἡ νεφέλη, ἵνα, ἔαν τις ἐλθῇ ἀλλότριος, μὴ θεάσηται τοὺς ἄνδρας ἢ τὸ ποῦ τίθεται τὸ λείψανον τοῦ ἁγίου Μελετίου. Εὑρόντες οὖν οἱ ἄνδρες γλωσσόκομον ἄλλο μικρὸν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, ἔδωκαν τὸ καυθὲν μέλος τῇ γῇ σὺν τῶ γλωσσοκόμῳ, σὺν μύροις καὶ θυμιάμασι, μετὰ χαρᾶς σφραγίσαντες αὐτὸ, καὶ εὐχαριστήσαντες τῷ Χριστῷ· τὸ δὲ ἄλλο ἥμισυ αὐτοῦ ἀμφιάσαντες ἱματισμῷ πολυτίμῳ, καὶ μύροις καὶ θυμιάμασι πληρώσαντες, ἔθεντο ἐν τῷ ἄλλῳ γλωσσοκόμω τῷ ἐλεφαντουργημένῳ· καὶ σπεύσαντες οἱ ἄνδρες καὶ ὀρύξαντες κατέθεντο ἐν τῷ ὄρει. Οἱ δὲ ἄνδρες οἱ Χριστιανοὶ, μετὰ πολλοῦ φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς εὐλογήσαντες τὸν Πατέρα καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ἀνεχώρησεν μὲτ᾽ εἰρήνης. Καὶ μετὰ τρίτην ἡμέραν ἔπεμψεν ὀ ἄνομος Μάξιμος τοὺς μιερεῖς καὶ φανεροὺς ἕλληνας αὐτοῦ, ἰδεῖν ἐν τῷ δένδρῳ εἰ ἀνάλωσεν αὐτὸν τὰ ὀρνέα. Ἀπελθοῦντες οὖν οἱ μιερεῖς καὶ ἔλληνες ουδὲν εὗρον τῶν καυθέντων μελῶν, οὐδὲ τὸ ἐν τῷ δένδρῷ κρεμάμενον λείψανον τοῦ Ἁγίου, ἀλλὰ μόνον ξηρὸν τὸ αὐτὸ δένδρον ἑωράκασιν. Μανίᾳ δὲ πολλῇ φερόμενοι ἔκαυσαν αὐτὸ τὸ δένδρον τῆς πεύκης, ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτὸ ἐπάρωσιν οἱ Χριστιανοί. Καὶ ἀπελθόντες ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ Μαξίμῳ, ὅτι οὔτε τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ, οὔτε τὸ ὀστέον εὕρομεν, οὐτε τῶν καυθέντων, οὐτε ὁ τόπος τῆς καύσεως αὐτοῦ ὁρᾶται, εἰ μὴ μόνον τῆς πεύκης τὸ δένδρον ξηρὸν εὑρόντες, κόψαντες ἐκαύσαμεν αὐτὸ, ἵνα μὴ οἱ Χριστιανοὶ χαίρωσιν ἐν τῷ ξύλω. Ὁ δὲ Μάξιμος ἀκούσας ταῦτα, καὶ ἐμμανὴς γενόμενος περιέσχισεν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ χιτῶνα, θρηνήσας διὰ τοὺς μιερεῖς καὶ ἕλληνας· ἵνα δὲ θεραπεύσῃ αὐτοὺς εἶπεν· Καλῶς ἐποιήσατε, φίλοι τῶν θεῶν, ὅτι καὶ τὸ ξύλον ἐκαύσατε. Καὶ πέμψας εἰς τὀν τόπον βοήθειαν, εἶπεν· Πᾶσαν τὴν ὕλην καύσατε, ἕως οὗ εὕρετε τὸ λείψανον αὐτοῦ· διατράπεις δὲ μεγάλως ὁ Μάξιμος ἡσύχασεν. Ἀπελθόντες δὲ ὤρυξαν πάσην τὴν ὕλην, καὶ εὗρον οὐδὲν, καὶ πάλιν ὑποστρέψαντες ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ Μαξίμῳ, ὅτι οὐδαμοῦ εὕρομεν τὸ λείψανον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ οὕτως ἀνέχωρησεν ἐκ τῆς ὕλης Κανδοκορέων, καὶ κατελθὼν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐκαυχᾶτο πρὸς τοὺς ἕλληνας, ὅτι ἀνεῖλεν τὸν Μάρτυρα τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιον, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ. Καὶ πέμψας ἐπάνω τῆς πόλεως εἰς τὴν ὕλην τὴν λεγουμένην τῶν Κορομῶν, ἐκέλευσεν κατενεχθῆναι τὸν Ἐπίσκοπον Δικάσιον ἐκ τοῦ σπηλαίου, καὶ τὸ σπήλαιον αὐτοῦ στραφῆναι· ἦν γὰρ ἐν σπηλαίῳ οἰκῶν, διὰ τὸ ὀλίγους Χριστιανοὺς εἶναι τότε. Ἀχθέντος δὲ τοῦ Ἐπισκόπου ἵνα κριθῇ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, λέγει ὁ Μάξιμος· Σὺ εἶ ὁ μὴ ἀποστέλλων πάντας, ἀλλὰ κωλύων θύειν τοῖς θεοῖς; Ὁ δὲ Ἐπίσκοπος Δικάσιος ἔμενεν σιωπῶν, καὶ ἀτενίζων εἰς τόν οὐρανόν· ᾔδει γὰρ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν μεγάλην τὴν μέλλουσαν γινεσθαι, ἥνπερ εἶδεν ὁ ἔκλεκτος τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιος. Καὶ λέγει ὁ Μάξιμος πρὸς ἑαυτόν· Οὗτος προσπεσεῖν θέλει τοῖς θεοῖς διὰ τοῦτο σιωπᾷ· οὐκ ᾔδει δὲ ὁ ἄνομος Μάξιμος, τὸ τί ἐκδεχεται ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος. Καὶ κελεύει ὁ ἄνομος τοῖς στρατιώταις αὐτοῦ λέγων· Ἀποδύσατε τὸν Ἐπίσκοπον Δικάσιον, καὶ στήσατε αὐτὸν ἀπὸ βρακίου, καὶ τύπτετε αὐτὸν, ἕως οὗ προσπέσῃ τοῖς θεοῖς, ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πραιτωρίου αὐτοῦ. Λέγει δὲ πάλιν ὁ Μάξιμος τοῖς στρατιώταις αὐτοῦ· Ἕως οὗ θρεψω τοὺς φίλους μου ἐν τῷ ἀρίστῳ, τύπτετε αὐτόν. Ἐλθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄριστον, καὶ ἀριστούντων τὰ μυαρόθυτα, μετὰ τῶν τυπτησάντων τὸν μακάριον Μάρτυρα καὶ ἀθλητὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελέτιον, τάσσων ὁ Μάξιμος ὁμιλίας ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος, καὶ σὺν τοῖς μιερεῦσιν αὐτοῦ καυχώμενος, οὅτως ἔλεγεν· Μὴ Θεὸν Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου καὶ Μελετίου ἐνικήσαμεν; μὴ ἐδυνήθη ἐξελέσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου, δείξω δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπὶ τὴν αὔριον τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς αὐτὸν, τὴν τῶν θεῶν ἡμῶν δύναμιν ἀνίκητον οὖσαν. Γυμνωθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος Δικάσιος καὶ ἀνατείνας τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ στενάξας πικρῶς καὶ ἐκχέας δάκρυα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν οὅτως· Κύριε σὺ εἶ ὁ σώζων τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους σε, σὺ εἶ ὁ στέψας ψυχὰς Χριστιανῶν μυρίας χιλιάδας διακοσίας πεντήκοντα, σὺν γυναιξὶ καὶ παιδίοις, καὶ σὺν τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς σου καὶ θεράπουσι Μελετίῳ καὶ Ἰωάννῃ καὶ Στεφάνῳ, μὴ ἐάσῃ με ἡ δόξα σου μιανθῆναι ὑπὸ χοίρων ἀσεβῶν. Καὶ εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ ταῦτα, καὶ ποιήσαντος τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγίδα περὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ὅλου, ἦλθεν αὐτῷ φωνὴ ἐξ οὐρανῶν λέγουσα οὕτως· Θάρσει, Δικάσιε, ὥστε τοὺς στήκοντας ἐγγὺς αὐτοῦ θαμβηθῆναι. Ἀριστούντων δὲ τῶν ἀνόμων ἱερέων σὺν τῷ μιαρωτάτῳ Μαξίμῳ, καὶ καυχωμένων, ἐξαίφνης σεισμοῦ μεγάλου γενομένου καθελθοῦσα ῥομφαία ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἣν προεῖπεν ὁ ἐκλεκτὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ Μελέτιος, ἐπάταξεν τὸν Μάξιμον, καὶ πάντας τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τῷ ἀρίστῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔδειξεν πᾶσιν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ὕψιστος καὶ ἀόρατος ὅτι πάρεξ αὐτοῦ ἄλλος Θεὸς οὔκ ἐστιν, οὔτε ἔσεται. Θορύβου δὲ πολλοῦ γενομένου, ἔπεσον πάντα τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ὄντα ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ Μαξίμου καὶ συνετρίβησαν. Εἰσελθόντος δὲ τοῦ δήμου τῶν Χριστιανῶν καὶ τῶν ἑλλήνων, καὶ ἰδόντων τοὺς ἀνόμους κειμένους, τόντε Μάξιμον καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ οὕτω πεπαταγμένος ὑπὸ τῆς ῥομφαίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα συντετριμμένα, ἐπάραντες ὁμαθυμαδὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶς τὸν οὐρανὸν Χριστιανοὶ καὶ ἕλληνες, ἔκραξαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπον· Ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας σὺ εἶ ὁ Θεὸς Μελετίου, καὶ Ἰωάννου καὶ Στεφάνου καὶ πάντων ἡμῶν, ὁ ὢν, καὶ προὼν, ὁ ἐν οὐρανοῖς κατοικῶν, καὶ δείξας τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ θαυμάσιά σου, ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ σώζων εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, καὶ μετά σε ἄλλος οὐκ ἔστιν Θεός· σὺ γὰρ ἐποίησας σύμπαντα τῷ λόγῳ σου, καὶ οὐκ εἴασας ἡμᾶς γενέσθαι ὑπόδειγμα τοῦ διαβόλου· ἐπίστευσαν γὰρ καὶ οἱ ἕλληνες, καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ὕψιστον, αὐτῷ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Καθελθοῦσα δὲ νεφέλη πυρος, ἔκαυσεν καὶ τὸν βασιλέα Ἀντονίνον ἐν τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ. Ἐλθὼν δὲ Ἄρχων τις αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρα, ὀνόματι Λέων, ὡς κύων μαινόμενος, ὡς λέων ἐπὶ θήραν βρύχων, ὡς ταῦρος μυκώμενος, ὡς ἀετὸς ἐπὶ ἄγραν, ὡς δράκων συρίζων, ζητῶν Μάξιμον τοῦ ἀναλῶσαι αὐτὸν κακίστως, ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὸ πραιτόριον Μαξίμου, καὶ εὗρεν τὸν Ἐπίσκοπον Δικάσιον ἱστάμενον γυμνὸν, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Τίς σὺ εἶ, ἄνθρωπε. Ὁ δὲ Ἐπίσκοπος Δικάσιος λέγει· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἁμαρτωλὸς, Ἐπἰσκοπος τῶν εἰς Πατέρα, καὶ Υἱὸν καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα πιστευόντων καὶ ἐχόντων τὰς ἐλπίδας. Ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Λέων ὁ Ἄρχων, παραχρῆμα καταπηδήσας ἐκ τοῦ ἵππου αὐτοῦ καὶ δακρύσας, προσελθὼν περιεπλάκη τῷ Ἐπισκόπῳ, καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτὸν, καὶ περιβαλὼν τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ τῷ Ἐπισκόπῳ, ἐμάνθανεν περί τὸν Μάξίμον καὶ τὰ σύμπαντα αὐτῷ. Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἁρχων τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου, ὅτι οὕτως ἀνάλωσεν τὸν Μάξιμον, ἐχάρη σφόδρα. Καὶ παραλαβὼν Λέοντα τὸν Ἄρχοντα ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος Δικάσιος, ἀπήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, συνακολουθήσαντος παντὸς τοῦ δήμου Χριστιανῶν τε καὶ ἑλλήνων. Ἀνοίξας δὲ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος, ἐποίησεν γενέσθαι ἐν αὐτῇ σύναξιν ἕως ὥρας ἐννάτης· ἦν γὰρ ἡ ἐκκλησία ἠσφαλισμένη ἐπὶ χρόνον, διὰ τὸ ἰσχυρὸν τῶν ἐπικρατούντων τῶν ἐλλήνων. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν τῆς ἐκκλησίας, παραλαβὼν ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος Λέοντα τὸν Ἄρχοντα ἀπήγαγεν αὐτὸν ὄπισθεν τῆς ἐκκλησίας, εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ Μελετίου καὶ Μάρτυρος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Καὶ ποιήσαντες εὐχὴν σὺν πάντι τῷ λαῷ κλαίοντες καὶ εὐχόμενοι ἐκτενῶς, καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντες ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν τῶν ἀθλοφόρων καὶ ἀγωνιστῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ· μετὰ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν τὴν ἑσπερινὴν ἔμεινεν ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος καὶ ὁ Ἄρχων Λέων σὺν τρισὶ κληρικοῖς ἄσιτοι· καὶ λέγει τῷ Ἐπισκόπῳ ὁ Ἄρχων Λέων· Τί θέλει ποιῆσαι τὸ χαλκούργημα τοῦ Διός; Ὁ δὲ Ἐπίσκοπος λέγει αὐτῷ· Δός μοι ἐξουσίαν, κᾀγὼ οἶδα τί δεῖ ποιῆσαι αὐτῷ. Ἔδωκεν δὲ ὁ Ἄρχων ἐξουσίαν τῷ Ἐπισκόπῳ λέγων· Εἴ τι θέλεις, ποίησον τὸ χαλκούργημα. Λαβὼν δὲ ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος ἐξουσίαν, καὶ συνάξας πολλὴν βοήθειαν χαλκευτῶν τῶν χαλκευσάντων τὸν Δία, καὶ ποιήσας παρακομιδὴν ξύλων γενέσθαι, περιετείχισεν τὸ χαλκούργημα τοῦ Διός· καὶ ἀνάψας πυρὰν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ χαλκουργήματος, ἐπύρωσεν καὶ διέλυσεν αὐτό· καὶ γομώσας ἁμάξας καὶ ζωὰ πολλὰ ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος ἀπήναγκεν τὸν χαλκὸν ἀπὸ σημείων εἴκοσι πέντε τῆς πόλεως, ὅπου ἦν δρυμὸς παμμεγέθης, καὶ ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ἐχώνευσεν, καὶ ἐποίησεν τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ σκεύη ῥυπαρὰ γυναικῶν, καὶ τὸ ὑπόλοιπον αὐτοῦ λέβητας λουτρῶν καὶ σκεύη μαγείρων. Τότε ἐδιώκοντο οἱ Ἑλλήνες ὑπὸ Λέοντος τοῦ Ἄρχοντος δικαιοτάτου ὄντως, καὶ ἐδοξάζεται ὁ Πατὴρ, καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα· αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

[76] When by his very sight the Tyrant had perceived that no one had dared to approach the athlete of Christ Meletius, The body of the martyr taken away by the Angels, who had not at the same time paid the fatal penalty by his death; the multitude of the gentiles having been called together, after his departure from this life; what, said he, shall we at length do with the body of Meletius? But the gentiles, when they had perceived with their own eyes the wonderful glory of God and of S. Meletius, gave Maximus no answer. Then he himself, incited by the evil demon, ordered the corpse of Meletius to be cut into two parts, of which that which is lowest in the human body down to the feet should be cast into the fire and burned up, the other suspended on a tree, that it might be eaten by the birds, he ordered to be left. But an Angel of the Lord coming from heaven took away the body of the holy Martyr, taken down from the wood: wherefore seized with no moderate fear both Maximus, and those Gentiles who were with Maximus,

departed from the place of punishment to their own homes with great trembling. Moreover the sacred body of Meletius was carried to that mountain, in which the rest of his forces had bravely received death for Christ. An Angel of the Lord also, hidden under a human form, signified to the Christian inhabitants of that city in what place the body of S. Meletius had been laid.

[77] Therefore, carrying with them a coffer made of ivory, and a precious chlamys, and also incense and unguents, he is buried by the Christians, as soon as they came to the place shown them, they observed a certain little cloud, which embraced with its shadow the body of S. Meletius. Wherefore; Let us go on, they said, where that little cloud is seen by us beyond custom: for an Angel of the Lord indicated to them the way by which they should proceed. But after they had come further to almost the very place in which the little cloud had appeared, by the divine nod of Christ, whatever clouds had covered it disappeared, and the very body of the Martyr soon appeared, refulgent like a pearl. When they came nearer to it, three lions seemed to them to stand by it, whence also they were filled with great terror. But the lions, an exiguous space being left between, began to dig the earth with their claws, that the body of the Martyr might there be buried. And now the Christians were drawing nearer to the sacred corpse, when the said little cloud suddenly surrounded them, in two coffers: lest, if anyone perchance not a Christian should come thither, he should detect either those who were detained in burying Meletius, or the place in which he was being buried. And when then, surveying all things, they had found a certain small coffer, in it they laid that part of the body of Meletius, which by the command of the Tyrant had been burned up by the flames: and all these things prepared with unguents and incense, they committed to the earth there, with joy impressing the sacred sign of Christ upon the venerable relics, and rendering due thanksgivings to Christ. But the other part of the most holy body, wrapped in a most precious garment, and stuffed with unguents and incense, laid in the other ivory coffer, in the same mountain, with great haste they buried, dug down into the earth. When they had completed this, filled at once with fear and joy, they blessed the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and then each one returned to his own place in peace.

[78] On the third day after, the priests of the idols, and the chief of the gentiles, were sent by the Tyrant, that they might see Maximus, not finding him, whether the corpse of Meletius had now been consumed by the birds. But they, when they reached the place of punishment, found absolutely none of the burned limbs of the holy man, nor even that part of his body which had remained suspended on the tree, but only a pine, and that withered. Wherefore enraged beyond measure, they burned up the said tree with fire, lest the Christians should carry that away also for the sake of religion. Then returning to Maximus they reported, that neither the body, nor a bone of the body, nor any limb, even of those which had survived the fire, nor at last any vestige of the fire itself was found: that they had seen the pine alone, dry, its sap exhausted; even after the whole wood was searched, and lest the Christians should rejoice in it carried off by stealth, they had given it to the flames. Having heard the things that were said, Maximus raging with fury, both himself tore his garments and vehemently lamented, for the sake of the priests and gentiles: whom that he might soothe the more; A famous deed, said he, you have done, friends and excellent worshippers of our gods, that you have given the nefarious tree to the fire and consumed it. Soldiers also being sent, he willed the whole wood to be burned with flames, until the corpse of Meletius should be detected somewhere. The Tyrant therefore, affected with great shame, was at length compelled to restrain himself: but the attendants, having entered the wood, overturned the whole, not even the least part of the relics of Meletius being found. To report to Maximus that their endeavor was in vain, they returned. The matter understood, the Tyrant betook himself into the city, the wood of the Candacorei being left; and among the Gentiles he greatly boasted, that he had at last compelled the Martyr of Christ Meletius to die, with all those who professed the same faith with him.

[79] After these things he sends men into the wood of the Coromi overhanging the city, who should drag Dicasius the Bishop of the Christians from his cave, he orders Dicasius the Bishop to be seized. and overturn the cave itself: for because very few Christians were numbered at that time, the holy man had withdrawn himself into a desert grotto. The Bishop dragged to the tribunal, the Tyrant thus said; Art thou he through whom it stands that not all the Christians are drawn into the light, and who hinderest all from sacrificing to our gods? To which words of the Tyrant Dicasius the Bishop answering nothing at all, had only his eyes fixed upon heaven: for he was looking forward with the eyes of the mind to the divine vengeance shortly to be at hand, and foretold long before by the elect servant of God Meletius. But thus Maximus determined in his mind; This man without doubt will undertake the worship of our gods, and on that account silent he himself deliberates: for the Tyrant could not understand what the illustrious Bishop awaited from heaven. Then he commands his soldiers, that, the Bishop stripped of his garments down to his loins, they receive him with scourges so long, until he take it upon his mind to sacrifice to the gods set before his prætorium: and again; As long, said he, as I receive these my friends at the festive table, do you receive that man with blows.

[80] As he therefore departed to the feast, and the guests and the beaters of the athlete of Christ Meletius alike avidly fed on the things offered to idols, meanwhile boasting much at the banquet, talk was raised especially concerning Apollo, the Tyrant himself being the author, who, at last lifted up with vain pride, with his sacrificers insolently boasted these things; Have we not excellently conquered the God of John, Stephen, and Meletius? Truly He could in no way snatch them from my hands. Nay, even by tomorrow's light I have it in mind to show also to the rest who believe in Him, how insuperable is the power of our gods. Stripped of his garments meanwhile, Dicasius the Bishop began to stretch his hands to heaven, with a groan to burst into tears, and thus to pray to God; Lord, Thou art He who art wont to save those who invoke Thee, who hast bestowed a beautiful crown upon ten thousand two hundred and fifty souls, together with women and boys, and with Thy elect servants Meletius, John, and Stephen, suffer not, I pray, a stain to be brought upon Thy glory by those impious and impure swine. When he prayed with such words, and fortified all his body with the venerable sign of Christ, he perceived a voice from heaven saying these things to him; Be of good courage, Dicasius; so that the soldiers who were near him were seized with fear.

[81] But while the impious sacrificers and the impure Maximus feasted, he is divinely struck: and boasted many vain things, suddenly the ground was shaken with a great motion; and a sword was seen to descend from the heavens, which the elect of God Meletius had foretold long before would shortly be at hand. This struck Maximus and as many as were present with him at the feast, and the most high and invisible God of the Christians showed plainly to all, that besides Himself there is no other God, nor will there henceforth be. Then a great tumult having arisen, all the images of the idols which had been erected in the Tyrant's prætorium were cast to the ground, and broken in pieces. But the multitude, both of Christians and of Greeks, when it had come together into one; and had seen the impious worshippers of the gods, Maximus and his followers prostrated to the ground, and miserably struck by the divine sword, and the gods themselves also broken into fragments; the Christians and the Gentiles alike, their hands lifted on high, the Gentiles are converted at the spectacle of the slaughter: with one and the same voice raised to heaven this confession; Most truly, Thou art God, the God of Meletius, John, and Stephen, and also of us all: who art, and before all things wast: who occupiest Thy throne in the heavens, and showest to the sons of men Thy wonderful works when it shall seem good; since Thou art our God living unto the ages, nor is there any God besides Thee. For Thou by Thy word didst make all things to be, nor hast Thou suffered a spectacle pleasing to the devil to be exhibited concerning us. For the Gentiles themselves also consented to the faith of Christ, and glorified the most high God, to whom is honor unto the ages. Amen. A fire also bursting forth, the avenger, from a cloud, extinguished the Emperor Antoninus, then dwelling in Egypt.

[82] At that very time another Prince succeeded, whose name was Leo, Leo the Prince comes upon the scene: who, like a rabid dog, or a lion roaring against a wild beast, or a bellowing bull, or an eagle intent upon prey, or at last a dragon hissing in its manner, was searching out Maximus the commander, that he might most evilly destroy the man. As soon therefore as he burst into the prætorium of Maximus, he came upon Dicasius there, naked and prepared to receive scourges, and asked what man he was. To whom Dicasius the Bishop; I, he answered, a sinner, am the Bishop of those who profess to believe in God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and have their hope reposed in them. Which heard, the Prince Leo, leaping down forthwith from his horse, with tears rushed into the embrace and kisses of the holy Bishop, and himself cast his own chlamys upon him, he absolves Dicasius the Bishop, and learned point by point all the things that had happened to Maximus the Commander and his followers. From which, estimating, as was fitting, the divine power and providence, he rejoiced indeed not a little, that by a fate not unworthy of his merits the tyrant had fallen. Then the Bishop Dicasius, having taken with him the Prince Leo, and the whole multitude of Christians and Gentiles accompanying, entered into his church: and in it, now open to all, caused an assembly to be held until the ninth hour: for before, for a long time, on account of the excessive power of the Gentiles, the doors of the churches had been barred. Which when the Bishop had again caused to be open, he led the Prince Leo into the house of the very Martyr and Athlete of Christ Meletius, which was situated behind the church.

[83] Here they, instituting prayers with all the people, and weeping and earnestly beseeching, gave thanks to God over the souls of His illustrious Martyrs and Champions of Christ. The assembly being then dismissed toward evening, the Bishop, and the Prince Leo, and three Clerics in all, destitute of all food, remained there. At last turning to the Bishop, Leo; what, said he, dost thou desire we do with the brazen image of Jupiter? and entrusts the statue of Jupiter to his judgment. To whom the Bishop; Concede it, if it please thee, to my power, and soon I will determine what ought to be done with it. The statue of Jupiter therefore delivered to the Bishop; as it shall be pleasing, said Leo, use it. Refusing nothing, and interposing no delays, Dicasius summoned the coppersmiths, not a few, who should break the image of Jupiter in pieces; and a pile of wood being gathered, he surrounded the idol with it. Then kindling fire above the head, he dissolved the whole statue with flames. Then several carts being loaded with the bronze itself, and more yoke of oxen applied, he carried the metal away to twenty miles from the city, where there was a very great wood: and there he melted it down again, and from that which had been of the head he made vessels for the use of women's uncleanness, but from the rest cauldrons for the baths and other kitchen vessels. Then by Leo, the most excellent Prince, a persecution was begun against the Gentiles,

and due honor rendered to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory and dominion unto the ages of the ages. Amen.