Theodulus

ON SAINT THEODULUS,

EX-PREFECT OF THE CITY OF CONSTANTINOPLE,

MONK STYLITE AT EDESSA IN SYRIA.

ABOUT THE YEAR CCCCL.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

On the Acts of his life, the day of cult, and the quality and time of the Prefecture held.

St. Theodulus, formerly Prefect of the City of Constantinople, Monk, Stylite, at Edessa in Syria.

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

That noble monument of the Eastern Church, containing the Lives of the Saints pertaining almost to the Patriarchate of Antioch, Whence the Life was taken, of which we found a part in the Laurentian Library of Florence, to serve for the last fourteen days of May, as was said more fully on the XVIII of this month at the Life of St. Syra; among others also exhibited to us βίον καὶ πολιτείαν Θεοδούλου, Ὑπάρχου Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, γενομένου μοναχοῦ καὶ στυλίτου. The Life and conversation of Theodulus, Prefect of Constantinople, made a Monk and Stylite. This is, in the same Style as the rest of the same codex, brilliantly set forth, by an Author, not indeed coeval; but who did not omit the numbers of years and other notable circumstances, omitted by other abbreviators of the same Life. This therefore rendered into Latin we give; because although the author neither in the title calls Theodulus himself a Saint, with notice of the cult, nor in the course of the history; yet toward the end he indicates, that at his monument, with a great concourse of Bishops and Hegumens buried near Edessa, frequent cures were made even to his own time; therefore we do not doubt, that he was as a Saint in the public veneration of that region.

[1] So certainly believed the later founders of the Constantinopolitan Synaxaries, in the Manuscripts of Milan of the library of St. Ambrose and the Clermont one of the College of the Society of Jesus at Paris, [and of the day 28 of May, for which elsewhere he is assumed on the 3 of December.] and others whence are taken the Menaea printed at Venice. Who when they had received a copy of that Life from the East, and knew not to what day Theodulus should be ascribed; gave him the title of Our holy Father, and chose the day III of December, on which recurred the anniversary memory of St. Theodulus of Cyprus, feigning himself a fool for Christ. But the day which the Acts do not indicate, and those men were ignorant of, the aforesaid Codex expresses in the title, Μηνὶ Μαΐῳ κη᾽, In the month of May XXVIII. Ascribing the Life, to which in this part we think faith is to be given. For that the elegies of the Menaea and Synaxaries were much more recently, and from the very History which we give, inscribed in the sacred books, even from the very style of the more barbarous language is plain, when (to omit other things) σαράκοντα is written for τεσσαράκοντα, σαρακοστὸς for τεσσαρακοστὸς. It pleases nevertheless after the aforesaid Life, to give also an Epitome taken from the aforesaid Clermont Manuscript.

[3] The printed Menaea, no previous mention of another Theodulus being premised, treat of this our one alone, and to his encomium premise such a distich:

Ἐπαρχίαν γῆς οὐρανῶν ἐπαρχίας Ὁ Θεόδουλος ἀντέδωκεν ἐμφρόνως.

How well does wise Theodulus exchange the height of earthly honor in the Menaea and Synaxaries. For the perpetual honor of the pole!

The author of the distich alludes to the title Ἐπάρχου, of Prefect. But Theodulus was, as has been said, Prefect of the City of Constantinople; so the Life and the Encomium of the Clermont Synaxary have. But in the Menaea he is said to be, Πατρίκιος καὶ Ἔπαρχος τῶν Πραιτωρίων. Altogether different were at Constantinople, The dignity of the Prefecture held by him in the world, the Prefect of the city and the Prefect of the Praetorium, equally as at Rome: and to either office the title is indifferent, which is given to him in the Menaea, τοῦ ἀπὸ Ἐπάρχὼν, from the Prefects.

[4] But if Theodulus had been Prefect of the Praetorium, the great Theodosius reigning,

it could scarcely be that his name would not be found in the Theodosian Code, where in no year not of Theodosius are found several laws, directed to Prefects of this kind, whence an entire series of them can be had; not so of the Prefects of the city, to whom much fewer laws are extant, and for the years CCCLXXXVII and the four following altogether none: so that if the rescripts of these years given to the Prefects of the City were extant, it could be believed that the name of Theodulus would have been found in them. But hence moreover his age can to a certain extent be defined: for he was passing the year of his life, when, the Prefecture being abdicated and his wife buried, he ascended his column, the forty-second, born therefore after the year CCCXL: and on the same column he lived XLVIII years, and so a nonagenarian died after the year CCCCXXX.

[5] Useful moreover is the reading of this Life, not only on account of the example of the world contemned by a man of so great dignity; and the utility of reading it. but also on account of the narration adjoined concerning Cornelius the Citharist of Damascus, who by a single act of heroic charity, merited a grade of sanctity and glory equal to Theodulus, wherefore this part especially from the Life of Theodulus the collectors of the aforesaid Synaxaries judged should be described and proposed to the people.

LIFE

From the Medicean Manuscript of the Laurentian Library of Florence, Plut. IX, Cod. XIV.

Interpreter Daniel Cardonus of the Society of Jesus.

St. Theodulus, formerly Prefect of the City of Constantinople, Monk, Stylite, at Edessa in Syria.

FROM THE FLORENTINE MANUSCRIPT.

CHAPTER I.

The Prefecture generously abdicated, his wife resisting in vain.

[1] Ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Θεοδοσίου τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλέως ἦν τις, Θεόδουλος ὀνόματι, τὴν Ἐπαρχότητα τῆς πόλεως ἐμπεπιστευμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ γαληνοτάτου Βασιλέως. Οὗτος διαπαντὸς πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἐ͂ιχεν τὸν θάνατον, ὅθεν ἐν πολλῇ ἀγονίᾳ καὶ φόβῳ Θεοῦ διῆγεν, καὶ ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ ἐδιοίκει τὴν ἐμπεπιστευμένην αὐτῷ ἀρχὴν τῆς Ἐπαρχότητος, ποιῶν ἐλεημοσύνας πολλὰς κατὰ τὸ λεληθός. Ἑώρα γὰρ τὰ ἐν τῷ βίῳ κυλίσματα καὶ σκελίσματα. Ἑώρα τὸν ἄστατον πλοῦτον, καὶ τὴν ἄλογον δυναστείαν, καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν ψευδώνυμον, ὡς φύλλα τὰ μάτην ὥδε κᾀκεῖσε φερόμενα καὶ περιφερόμενα, καὶ εἰθ᾽ οὕτως εἰς γὴν ἀποπίπτοντα. Ἑώρα πῶς, δεινὸν μὲν καὶ ἀνθρώπου θάνατος. Πῶς γὰρ οὐ; τοῦ σήμερον ὄντος, καὶ ἀύριον οὐκ ἐσομένου, οὐδὲ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀναλύοντος. Ἐθεώρει τὰ γινόμενα ἄστατα καὶ ἀλληλοκατάλληλα, καὶ ἠγωνία. Ἐθεώρει τὰς ἁρπαγὰς, καὶ τὰς ἐπηρείας, καὶ πλεονεξίας τὰς ἐφεκάστης γινομένας, καὶ ἐνατενίζων τὸ ὄμμα τῆς διανοίας πρὸς τὸν μακρόθυμον καὶ φιλάνθρωπον Θεὸν, μετὰ δακρύων ἔλεγεν· Πᾶσα μὲν ἀρετὴ δοκιμὸν τὸν ἀθλητὴν ἀπεργάζεται, καὶ λαμπρὸν τῷ γεωργῷ τὸ θέρος ὁρᾶσθαι καὶ προσδοκάσθαι δίδωσιν. Πλὴν ἀρετὴ ἀρετῆς δοκιμωτέρα καθέστηκεν. Ἡ ὑπομονὴ δὲ πασῶν τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐστιν ἐντιμωτέρα, αὐτὴ γὰρ ἑκάστης ἀγαθῆς πράξεως συνέχει τὴν ὑπόστασιν, καὶ οὐδὲ ῥαθυμίᾳ ταύτας φθαρῆναι συγχωρεῖ, οὐδὲ ὀλιγωρίᾳ πεσεῖν. Οὐ μὴν ἐξ ἀπογνώσεως εἰς ἑτέραν ὁδὸν τραπῆναι τὴν εἰς θάνατον ἄγουσαν· καὶ συντόμως εἰπεῖν· Ὁ θρόνος τῶν ἀρετῶν ἡ ὑπομονὴ, καὶ ἡ χαρὰ, καὶ ἡ βακτηρία καθέστηκεν. Ὅθεν ὑπομένων ὑπομενῶ τὸν κύριον, καὶ αὐτὸς ποιεῖ χρηστότητα.

[2] Εἶτα ἐν μίᾳ τῶν ἡμερῶν προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ αὐτὸς Θεόδουλος Πρόκλαν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτήν· Κυρία μου, δεδιδάγμεθα ἐκ τοῦ θεσπεσίου Παύλου, ὡς ὅτι ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος· ἐπὶ τὸ λοιπὸν, ἵνα καὶ οἵ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες ὦσιν, καὶ οἵ χαίροντες ὡς μὴ χαίροντες, καὶ οἵ ἀγοράζοντες ὡς μὴ κατέχοντες, καὶ οἵ χρώμενοι τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ ὡς μὴ καταχρώμενοι· παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς Δαβὶδ διεμαρτυρήσατο ἡμᾶς, ἐν στιχοῖς ψαλμῶν οὕτως βοῶν· Αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἐτῶν ἡτῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη, ἐὰν δὲ ἐν δυναστείαις, ὀγδοήκοντα ἔτη. Καὶ μὴν καὶ βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν κληρονομῆσαι· ὀγδοήκοντα γὰρ ἔτη πρὸς ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἀτελεύτητον αἰῶνα ὡς ἡμέρα ἡ χθὲς ἡ παρελθοῦσα λογισθήσεται. Τί δὲ ἔστι τὸ κέρδος τοῦ βίου τούτου, ἢ τί τὰ ἐξ αὐτοῦ ποριζόμενα, δεδιδάγμεθα παρά τινος ἀνδρὸς πανσόφου ῥήτορος, ὅτι ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων τὰ πάντα ματαιότης. Οὐδὲν οὖν. Κυρία μου, εἰσενηνόχαμεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν ἐξενεγκεῖν τι δυνάμεθα. Ποῦ γάρ εἰσιν οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν ἅπαντες; Οὐ προτετελευτήκασι, καὶ εἰς γῆν βληθέντες διεφθάρησαν; Τί δὲ ὁ βίος οὗτος; Οὐ καπνὸς, καὶ σπόδος, καὶ ἀράχνη, καὶ φαντασία καὶ ὄναρ;

[3] Δεῦρο οὖν ἀνάσχου μου τῆς καλῆς συμβουλίας, ὦ Κυρία μου, καὶ ἐξευμενισώμεθα τὸν Θεόν. Βραχὺς γὰρ ἡμῖν ὁ τοῦ βίου τούτου καιρός. Νήψεως δὲ οὗ τῆς τυχούσης ἐν αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ πολλῆς καὶ ὑπερβαλλούσης δεόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ τῶν τεταγμένων ἡμῖν εἰς ἐργασίαν καιρὸν ἀκαίρως παραδεύσωμεν, μηδὲ φορτίον καθεαυτὸν σωρεύσωμεν, ὃ βαστάζειν μὲν βαρὺ, κατέχειν δὲ ἐλεηνὸν, νωτοφορεῖν δὲ τρισάθλιον, ὃ τὸ πῦρ τῆς γεέννης ὀσφρανθὲν ἕλκει πρὸς ἑαυτὸ, καὶ ὁ σκώληξ ὁ τιμωρῶν ἐπιπηδᾷ τῷ κομίσαντι, ἐσθίει δὲ δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ δαπανᾷ, καὶ σπαράττει τὸν φέροντα. Μέχρι οὖν τίνος, Κυρία μου, ἡμεῖς πρὸς τὰς ἀνοήτους τιμὰς καὶ δόξας ἐφελκόμεθα; τί ἡμᾶς ὀνήσει ὁ ἄκαιρος πλοῦτος, ὁ ψεύστης καὶ δραπέτης; Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Δαβὶδ ἐφεκάστης μελῳδεῖ λέγων, Πλὴν μάτην ταράσσεται πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, θησαυρίζει γὰρ καὶ οὐ γινώσκει τίνι συνάξει αὐτά. Ἀνάσχου οὖν μοι, ὦ Κυρία μου, καὶ θιαπωλήσαντες ἅπαντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα ἡμῖν, διανείμωμεν αὐτὰ τοῖς χρείαν ἔχουσιν, καὶ εἰθ᾽ οὕτως ἀποταξώμεθα τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ τῷ ματαίῳ, καὶ ἀλοκότῳ, καὶ ἐξουδενωμενῳ, ὅπως μεθιστάμενοι τούτου ἐκεῖσε κληρονομήσωμεν τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐπίμενον, πάντα δὲ πρόσκαιρα, καὶ παρεπίδημα.

[4] Ἡ δὲ τοῦτον ἀκούσασα καὶ περίδακρυς γενομένη, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· Κύριέ μου, οὕτως με μεμίσηκας, ὅτι ἀποστασίαν ἐξ ἐμοῦ ἤδη μελετᾷς; Τί τὸ γεγονὸς, οὐκ οἶδα· ἐν τίνι δέ σου παρήκουσα, ἀγνοῶ. Τί δὲ; Οὐκ ἀβαρῆ ἐμαυτὴν διεφύλαξα πρός σε μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρο; Οὔπω ἔτη εἰσὶ δύο, ἀφ᾽ οὐ συνήφθην σοι, καὶ ἤδη κατωλιγώρησας τῆς ἐμῆς συνοικήσεως; Οἴμοι τῇ ὀρφανῇ καὶ ἀθλίᾳ! Τάχα δὲ καὶ χήραν ἐμαυτὴν ἐξαίφνης ὁρῶ. Οἴμοι! τῇ μήδε πρὸς παραμυθίαν ἐσχηκυίᾳ τέκνον, ἵνα κᾂν κατοπτριζομένη τούτου τὸν χαρακτῆρα, ἐφεκάστης ὥρας ὁρῶ τὸν οὕτως ἄφνω ἀπολακτίσαντά μου. Ἐβούλου, Κύριέ μου, ταύτην τὴν μερίδα ἐπιλέξασθαι. Τί με τὴν ἀθλίαν καὶ ὀρφανὴν λαβὼν ἐταπείνωσας. Ποίᾳ δὲ ψυχῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ τὸν μονήρη βίον ὑπαλλάξω, παρθενίαν μὴ κεκτημένη; Οὓτως προέθου τῷ Θεῷ συνοικεῖν μοι; Οὐκ ἐνθυμῇ φόβον Θεοῦ καὶ κρίσιν, καταλιμπάνων με ξένην καὶ ὀρφανὴν, ἄτεκνόντε καὶ ἄνανδρον; Οὐκ ἤκουσας Παύλου λέγοντος, Δέδεσαι γυναικὶ, μὴ ζήτει λύσιν; ὁμόιως δὲ, Μὴ ἀποστερῆτε ἀλλήλων, εἲ μή τι ἂν ἐκ συμφώνου πρὸς καὶρὸν, ἵνα σχολάζητε τῇ προσευχῇ, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἦτε, ἵνα μὴ πειράζῃ ὑμᾶς ὁ σατανᾶς. Καὶ πάλιν αὐτὸς ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ἐπιστολῇ γράφων πρὸς Κορινθίους ἔλεγεν, Τοῖς δὲ γεγαμηκόσι παραγγελῶ, οὐκ ἐγὼ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Κύριος, γυναῖκα ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς μὴ χωρισθῆναι, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ἄνδρα γυναῖκα μὴ ἀφιέναι. Καὶ ἄλλα τε πάμπολλα ὁμιλήσασα πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ πολλῶν δακρύων ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων φερομένων, διετέλεσαν τὴν ἅπασαν ἡμέραν νήστεις. Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης ὑπανεχώρισεν Πρώκλα ἐν ἰδιάζοντι κοιτῶνι, τὴν ἅπασαν νύκτα δακρύουσα τὴν ἀποστέρησιν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς.

[5] Προΐας δὲ γενομένης ἀναστὰς ὁ Θεόδουλος προσῆλθεν, τῆς τάξεως αὐτὸν δεξαμένης κατὰ τὸ ἔθος, καὶ συνήθους ἀνελθὼν ἠσπάσετο τὸν Βασιλέα (ἠγαπᾶτο γὰρ λίαν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, οἷα δὴ ὡς τὰ χρηστὰ καὶ θεοπρεπῆ εἰσηγούμενος τῇ αὐτοῦ ἡμερότητι) καὶ προσελθὼν αἰτεῖ λιπαρῶς τὴν αὐτοῦ γαληνότητα ἀνεθῆναι τοῦτον τῆς φροντίδος τῆς αὐτῆς ἐπαρχότητος, καὶ διαδοχῆς τυχεῖν, ἀσθένειαν σώματος προβαλλόμενος. Καὶ δη πειθαρχήσας τούτῳ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀήττητος Βασιλεὺς, τοῦτον παῦσαι τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἕτερον ἀντ᾽ αὐτοῦ προεχειρήσατο. Γνόντες δὲ οἵ ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως τὴν Θεοδούλου διαδοχὴν, συνέδραμον ἅπαντες, καὶ καταλαβόντες τὰ πρὸ τοῦ παλατίου ἐβόων ὁμαθυμαδὸν λέγοντες. Βασιλεῦ φιλόχριστε, τὰς φωνὰς τῶν δούλων σου μὴ παρίδῃς, τὰ Θεοδούλου ἔργα νίκας ἐπάγει τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου, τὰ δίκαια τούτου τὴν σὴν βασιλείαν φυλάττει, ἡ ἀγνότης τούτου πᾶσαν ἀδικίαν ἀπελαύνει. Βασιλεῦ ἀήττητε, τολμῶμεν κράζειν· Θεόδουλον μὴ διαδέξῃ.

[6] Καὶ ἄλλας δὲ πλείστας φωνὰς ἐπαφέντες, σιγῆς γενομένης ὁ Βασιλεὺς ἐκφωνήσας ἔφη· Καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐκβοήσεώς τε καὶ μαρτυρίας, ἐπιστάμεθα τὰ τοῦ ἡμετέρου ἀνθρώπου, λέγω δὴ τὰ κατὰ τὸν Θεόδουλον, καὶ ὅτι τὰ ἡμέτερᾳ φρονήσας τε καὶ πράξας ἐπαίνετος καθεύτηκεν παρὰ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ γαληνότητι. Ἡ βασιλείᾳ γὰρ ἡμῶν τὴν ἅπασαν πικρίαν εἰς γλυκύτητα μεταφέρει· τοὺς γὰρ ἀνημέρους καὶ ἄλλως πῶς διακειμένους μεταριθμίζουσα, ἐπὶ τὸ δέον καθίστησιν· πρὸς γὰρ τὸ ἡμέτερον νεῦμα ἀρέσκειν ἐπείγονται, τοῖς ἔργοις ὁμολογοῦντες τὴν δουλείαν. Γνωστὸν οὖν ἔστω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν, ὡς οὐ θελήσει ἡμετέρᾳ τοῦτον ἐπαύσομεν τοῦ θρόνου τῆς Ἐπαρχότητος, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀξιώσει αὐτοῦ ἐπενεύσαμεν. Ἡ γὰρ ἡμετέρᾳ βασιλείᾳ, ἐξ ἀρχῆς πηγὴν καὶ ῥίζαν τὴν εὐσέβιαν κεκτημένη, πᾶσιν οἶδεν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τὰς αἰτήσεις ἀπονέμειν· ὅτι γὰρ οὕτως δοξάζομεν, καὶ οὐκ ἄλλως, ὡς ὅτι Βασιλεῖς κατεστάθημεν, ἐφ᾽ ᾦ τὰς δικαίας αἰτήσεις ἑκάστῳ προσιόντι διδόναι τε καὶ χαρίζεσθαι. Σεμνυνόμεθα γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν μᾶλλον ἢ ἐπὶ τῇ βασιλείᾳ· οὐ γὰρ ἔχει τι λεῖπον αὐτῇ, ἵνα τὸ πλέον ἁρπάσῃ. Θνῆτοι οὖν ὄντες, σεμνῶς, καὶ φιλοθέως καὶ ἀκαταγνώστως κατὰ τὴν πρόσχαιρον ἡμῶν βασιλείαν διεξέλθωμεν, ὅπως εὐαρεστήσαντες τῷ Χριστῷ, ταύτην βεβαίαν ἐν τῇ πίστει τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ὀρθὴν τηρήσωμεν, ἄσειστον καὶ ἀκλυδόνιστον. Πρὸς μικρὸν οὖν ἐπαύσαμεν τοῦτον νοσιλευόμενον, καθάπερ ἔφη· ἔπειτα τοῦτον τῷ θρόνῳ ὑγιασθέντα κελεύσει ἡμετέρᾳ ἐγκαταστήσωμεν, εἴ γε καὶ περιεσώμεθα. Ἀναχωρήσατε οὖν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, τῷ νεύματι τῆς ἡμετέρας βασιλείας ἐξακολουθοῦντες. Τούτων ἀκούσαντες ἅπαντες οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως, ἕκαστος ἀνεχώρησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον ἔργον, εὐφημῶν τὴν ἀληθῶς φιλάνθρωπον βασιλείαν.

[1] The great Theodosius managing the affairs of the Empire, there was a certain Theodulus, to whom by the most excellent Emperor had been committed the Prefecture of the city of Constantinople. He, since the memory of death to be undergone someday was before the eyes of his mind at no time absent, Theodulus Prefect of the city of Constantinople, with great solicitude and in perpetual fear of God led his life, with the utmost faith and religion sustaining the office and dignity of the Prefecture delivered to him, and doing very many alms secretly. For he knew how various and how impeded is the reckoning of human life: the inconstancy of riches, the vanity of principalities, and, what by a false name men call glory, of perishable

things, like leaves carried hither and thither and carried back, and at last prostrated to the ground. But this especially he turned over in mind, by assiduous meditation of death, how grievous and troublesome death would at last befall a man. Nor that indeed undeservedly, since the man who today lives and is vigorous, is often by the next day's light not among the living, nor ever afterwards dwells among us. He considered the instability and conversions of all human affairs, and thence it was grievous to him. But when he more attentively pondered with himself the daily robberies and violence, and the avarice prowling among mortals; then especially, the eye of his mind being more deeply fixed on the divine longanimity and benignity, not without tears he thus reasoned: Every virtue indeed makes the man who exercises himself in it proved and acceptable to God, just as to the husbandman of his expended labors and the scattered seed a certain pleasant and expected harvest is exhibited: yet one is more excellent than another, but of all the most excellent is tolerance. incited to a stricter manner of life, It indeed contains the not empty reckoning of every good work, and permits the other virtues neither to flag through inertia, nor to fall through negligence, but does not suffer anyone to be drawn through desperation into that way which leads to death; and to say briefly what the matter is: Patience is constituted the seat and throne of all the virtues, also the joy and firmament of the same; sustaining therefore I will sustain the Lord, and He Himself will do goodness with me.

[2] After some interval of time thence, his wife Procla being called to him, he thus addressed her: he sets the vanity of the world before his wife's eyes. These, O my lady and wife, we know to be the documents of the divine Paul, that we should consider the time is short, and what remains, that they who have wives, be as if not having, and they who rejoice, as if not rejoicing, and they who buy, as if not possessing, and they who use this world, as if they used it not; for the figure of this world passeth away. 1 Cor. 7, 29 But also the Psalmist David testified like things to us in his Psalms, thus pronouncing: The days of our years in them are seventy years; but if in the powers, eighty years: if however one obtain the kingdom of heaven: for otherwise even eighty years, passed in this miserable and calamitous life, have the reckoning of yesterday, which is past. Ps. 89. 10 But what at last is to be called the utility of this life, or what fruit from it can be gathered for our advantage, save what a certain most wise orator taught us: Vanity of vanities and all is vanity. Eccl. 1. 2 Nothing therefore, O Lady, have we brought into this world, but neither shall we be able to carry anything away with us. In what place, thinkest thou, now dwell as many men as lived before us? Have not all made an end of living, and being carried into the sepulchres, at last gone into ashes? But our life itself, what is it? is it not smoke and dust and the spider's web, and a vain imagination and a dream?

[3] To my counsels therefore give ear, and let us render God propitious to us. and he attempts to approve his counsel to her: For a small space of living remains to us: for we must watch and act very soberly, lest the time granted to us for executing in deed the things which are rightly prescribed, we let flow away without fruit; nor draw upon us of our own accord that weight of miseries, which to lift is most grievous, to sustain wretched, to carry most calamitous, and which that foul-smelling fire of gehenna draws with it, and which he who bears it is forthwith invaded by the gnawing worm, which whom it has invaded, the same to eat, consume, and destroy by no means ceases. How long therefore, my Lady, shall we suffer ourselves to be seduced by the false images of honors and glory? What good do we expect from untimely and fleeting, and by no means true riches? On each day holy David cries to us: But in vain is every man disquieted. Ps. 38 12, Ps. 38, 7 For he heapeth up treasures, and knoweth not for whom he shall gather them. Hear me therefore; let us distribute all our riches, sold for a price, among the needy, and thus send back word to this fallacious and empty and contemptible mode of living; that when from this life we must depart, the kingdom of heaven may not be denied us to obtain. For nothing stable wilt thou find in this world, but all things temporary and most swiftly passing.

[4] All these things being heard by her, and tears poured forth abundantly, she thus addressed her husband: So then, my Lord, hast thou begun to hold thy wife in hatred, that thou hast wished now to meditate divorce from her? What, I beseech, is this matter? I know not indeed for what cause I could have displeased thee so greatly. For what? have I not up to this time conducted myself with all modesty toward thee? Scarcely two years now are elapsed from the time when by the holy law of matrimony I was joined with thee, and behold so quickly the weariness of my company takes thee. Woe to me a widow and wretched, who see myself suddenly bereaved of my husband! Woe to me, who have not yet received any offspring, for some solace at least of grief, against whom she opposes herself in vain. that even gazing on his image I might at all hours of the day have before my eyes him who so suddenly deserted me. Thou thyself, my Lord, wast the author that I should choose this part. Why hast thou made me unhappy now of a viler condition? For with what mind, or with what audacity, after lost virginity, shall I pass to the religious life? Is it thus before God thou hast purposed to live with me? nor, fearing Him, dost thou reconsider the judgment, who dismissest me a stranger, bereaved, without offspring, without husband? Hast thou never perceived that voice of the Apostle: Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed: and elsewhere: Defraud not one another, except perhaps by consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer: and return again together, lest satan tempt you? and again in that same epistle to the Corinthians he thus speaks: But to them that are joined in matrimony, not I but the Lord commandeth, that the wife depart not from the husband… 1. Cor. 7, 5, & 27, Ibidem, 10 & 11 And let not the husband put away the wife. These and many other things when she had said to her husband, not without many tears on both sides, all that day she remained without food and drink. Then toward night, betaking herself alone to her chamber, until the next day with many tears she bewailed the mind and counsel of her husband.

[5] As soon as it dawned, forthwith Theodulus, snatching himself from the bed, according to the prescript of the office which he held, went as was the custom to salute the Emperor (for he loved Theodulus here most tenderly, whom indeed he knew to persuade and do nothing not worthy of imperial gentleness and goodness) and strove to obtain from him, Theodulus abdicating the office that with his good leave he might be able to lay down the care of the Prefecture, and receive a successor, pleading infirmity of body. By which reasoning the otherwise inflexible Emperor being persuaded, that he should grant him quiet from the office, substituted another Prefect in his place. But this abdication being spread by report through the city, a vast concourse of citizens was made to the Palace, thus unanimously addressing the Emperor: the people complain: O Emperor most loving of Christ, reject not the voices and vows of thy citizens and servants. The exceeding integrity of Theodulus renders God propitious to thy kingdom and thee a victor: the virtue of Theodulus makes thy Empire stable and firm: his innocence removes all injustice from us. These voices therefore, O invincible Emperor, we dare to send forth to thee: Suffer not Theodulus to depart from the Prefecture.

[6] When they added many other things, silence then being made, Theodosius thus addressed the multitude: whom the Emperor benignly appeases. Even before, O citizens, that ye bore this excellent testimony of Theodulus with unanimous voice, the man's virtue and integrity was perspicuous to us, and how he was always an excellent follower of those virtues which are especially in my love, and thence obtained deserved praise from us. Our manner indeed of governing the empire loves to be mingled with no bitterness, but rather to abound with sweetness and clemency. For reducing the more ferocious and those who appear of not altogether approved morals to better things, it sweetly inclines them to that which is right and just, and so they are easily impelled to observe all our nods, and to demonstrate their subjection by works themselves. This therefore be known to you all who are present, that this Theodulus, not of our own accord and will, do we suffer to depart from the Prefecture, but to his own prayers and entreaty do we clemently assent. For so we preside over the empire, that we deem piety and religion the fount and root of all good redounding to it, and by no means suffer all the just petitions of our subjects to be in vain. Once it was always so and not otherwise persuaded to us, from the time we are constituted Kings, that the equitable demands of subjects should be benignly assented to and gratified. We deem indeed a greater glory to be constituted in humanity and goodness, than in the imperial dignity itself: nor does anything remain to us from the kingdom, when it must at last be deserted. Since therefore we all are pressed by the necessity of dying, let us act thus, that beautifully and religiously and without reproach we administer this temporary empire, that we may hold it solid and firm in the right faith of our Lord Jesus, and may by no means displease Christ Himself. This man therefore, as I have said, it has seemed good to free from the burden of the Prefecture for some time, on account of his infirmity: which being confirmed he must again be restored to his ancient dignity by our mandate, if however we then be still surviving: obeying therefore the nods of your Emperor, peacefully return to your homes. These things heard, each of the citizens betook himself to his own affairs, with great praise thinking and speaking of the rule of Theodosius.

CHAPTER II.

The blandishments of his wife being again overcome, and she at last herself dead, he leads his life on a column.

[7] Γενομένων δὲ τούτων καὶ λεχθέντων ἀνηγγέλθη μὲν τῇ Πρόκλῃ τὸ κατὰ μέρος τῶν γεγενημένων, καὶ πιστωθεῖσα ὅτι τούτου χάριν τὴν διαδοχὴν ᾐτήσατο παρὰ τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Βασιλέως, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τὸν μονήρη βίον ἀσπάσασθαι, ἐν ἀδημονίᾳ πολλῇ ὑπῆρχεν. Ἀναχωρήσαντος οὖν τούτου κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς πρὸς ἄριστον, δραμοῦσα Πρόκλα προσέπεσε τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτοῦ, δακρύουσα καὶ λέγουσα· Οἴμοι, Κύριέ μου, ὅτι ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας ὁρῶ ἐμαυτὴν χηρεύουσαν· βλέπω γάρ σε παρασκευαζόμενον ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ ἐναγώνιος ὑπάρχω. Λύπην γάρ μοι ἄφατον καὶ πίστωσιν ἀναχωρήσεως προσεξένησεν ἡ διαδοχὴ τῆς σῆς ἐπαρχότητος, καὶ τί ποιῆσαι οὐκ οἶδα. Εἶτα ἑσπέρας καταλαβούσης προσελθοῦσα πάλιν ἐ͂ιπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Κύριέ μου, μηδαμῶς ἔχε a κιλίδα τὴν οἵαν οὖν κατὰ τῆς δούλης σου· ξένη γὰρ οὖσα καὶ ἀπερίστατος ποῦ περιστραφῆναι οὐκ οἶδα. Λάλησον δή μοι λόγον καὶ ἱλάρυνόν μου τὸ πρόσωπον, ὅτι ἐξέλιπον ἀπὸ λύπης· ταράσσομαι

γὰρ μηδένα εἰς βοήθειαν κεκτημένη. Ἄρα δέ τις κατῃράσατό με τὴν κατάραν ταύτην; ὦ ποῖος ὀφθαλμὸς ἐβάσκανέν με ἐξαίφνης! ὦ ποίῳ κακῷ περιέπεσα! Διὰ τί μὴ ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου ἐτελεύτησα, ἐκ γαστρὸς δὲ ἐξελθοῦσα οὐκ ἀπολόμην; Ἵνα τί μαστοὺς ἐθήλασα μητρός μου, καὶ οὐκ εὐθὺς εἰς μνῆμα κατήντησα; Ἵνα τί δίδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς, ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὠδύνοις ψυχαῖς, οἱ ἱμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιτυγχάνουσιν ἀνορύσσοντες ὥσπερ θησαυροὺς, περιχαρεῖς δὲ γίνονται ἐὰν κατατύχωσιν τούτου; θάνατος γὰρ ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυσις, καθὰ ὁ δίκαιος ἐκεῖνος Ἰὼβ διεξελθὼν ἐδίδαξεν. Ὅρα μὴ ζητηθῇ παρά σου ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ φοβερᾷ καὶ φρικτῇ. Ὅρα μὴ καταπροσέλθω σου ὡς παραιτίαν σου πλημμελήσασα· ἡ γὰρ νεότης ματαιότητα κατεργάζεται.

[8] Καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐδράκρυσεν, καὶ περιδραξαμένη τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ, γοερᾶς φωνὰς ἐπαφίει λέγουσα. Οἱκτείρησόν με τὴν ἀπερίστατον δούλην σου, σπλαγχνίσθητι εἰς τὴν μόνωσίν μου, καὶ εἰς τὴν ὀρφανίαν μου, σπλαγχνίσθητι εἰς τὴν ξενιτείαν μου· μὴ συγχωρήσῃς με, κύριέ μου, εἰπεῖν, καὶ εἰς τὴν χηρείαν μου. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγουσα καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια, ἐχαύνωσεν αὐτὸν τῆς προθέσεως, καὶ προσθεῖσα ἔλεγεν· Κύριέ μου, περὶ μὲν τῶν χρημάτων, καὶ κτημάτων, καὶ ἀργυρίου, καὶ κοσμίων, καὶ ἄλλων λοιπῶν, οὐκ ἐναντιοῦμαι τῇ καλῇ σου προθέσει, μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ καὶ χαίρω καὶ ἀγαλλιῶ καὶ συγκοινωσῶ σοι. Διαπωλήσας δίδου ὡς βούλει (δεδιδάγμεθα γὰρ ὡς ὅτι ὁ Κύριος ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις Εὐαγγελίοις ἐξεφώνησε λέγων, Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὁ ποιῶν ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων ἀθελφῶν μου, καί μοι ἐποίησεν) Ἐν μηδενὶ οὖν ἀποστῇς της καλῆς σου καὶ ἐνθέου προθέσεως, δέσποτα· ἀλλὰ πάντα λαβὼν διαπώλησον ὡς προέθου· μόνον μὴ ἀποστῇς τῆς ἐμῆς συνοικήσεως, ἵνα μὴ πειρασθεῖσα ἀπόλωμαι· πολλαὶ γὰρ αἱ μεθοδεῖαι καὶ ἀπάται παρὰ τῷ μισοκάλῳ τῷ διαβόλῳ· ἀλλὰ διαμείνωμεν ὡς ἀδελφοὶ ἐν ἀγνείᾳ, δηλονότι ἐν μηδενὶ πλησιάζοντες ἀλλήλοις τῇ τοῦ βίου συναφείᾳ. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγουσα ἀπεκόσμησεν ἑαυτὴν, μηδὲν τὸ σύνολον ἑαυτῇ ἐάσασα, ἔλεγεν δὲ καὶ τοῦτο· Δέσποτα οὐχ ἱκανῶ οὐ δὲ ἀντέχω ἐν μοναστηρίῳ διάγειν· εἴθισμαι γὰρ λουτροῦ καὶ τρυφεροῖς ἐνδύμασιν, ὡς οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς. Νηστεῦσαι δὲ, ἢ ἀγρυπνῆσαι, ἢ χαμοκοιτῆσαι ὅλως οὐ δύναμαι· οὐ γὰρ ἀνήχθην οὕτως. Οἶδεν δὲ ὁ μόνος ἀκοίμητος ὀφθαλμὸς, ὥτι ἡ μὲν ψυχή μου πρόθυμός ἐστι, καὶ θέλει, τὸ δὲ σῶμά μου ἀσθενὲς ὑπάρχει καὶ βεβλακευμένον. Πλὴν δὲ ᾔθητι, δέσποτα, τοῦ εὐσπλάγχνου Θεοῦ, ἵνα τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ τέλειον καὶ ἐυάριστον ποιήσῃ μετὰ τῆς ταπεινῆς καὶ ἀθλίας μου ψυχῆς (Ἦν γὰρ αὐτὴ, ὡς ἀληθῶς, μεγάλου γένους καὶ ἐνδόξου) καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἀπῆλθεν ἐν ἰδιάζοντι κοιτῶνι κατὰ μόνας.

[9] Ἀναστὰς δὲ καὶ ὁ Θεόδουλος, ἀνεχώρησεν ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ κοίτῃ, μηδενὸς γευσάμενος τὸ σύνολον. Καὶ ὑπνώσας ὁρᾷ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τὴν νύκτα ἐν ἐκστάσει ἀνδρά τινα ὡραῖον τῷ εἴδει, ἱστάμενον πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ. Ἦσαν δὲ ὁπίσω αὐτοῦ πυριναὶ στρατιαὶ, μηδὲ ὅλως τολμῶσαι ἀτενίσαι εἰς τὴν δόξαν τῆς αὐτοῦ ὡραιότητος· (ἐ͂ιχεν γὰρ πάντα θεῖα καὶ ἄφραστα) ὃς ἔφη πρὸς τὸν Θεόδουλον· Θεόδουλε τὴν μερίδα ἣν ἐξελέξω, καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν ᾑρετήσω, καλὴν οὖσαν καὶ ἐυάρεστον, ταύτην σπεῦσον βαδίσαι. Μηδὲν οὖν μελλήσας, ἆρον τὸν σταυρόν σου, καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ μοι. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Θεόδουλος ἐ͂ιπεν· Κύριε, υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, δόξα σοι· σοὶ γὰρ πρέπει δόξα, ὅτι σὺ μόνος πάντα βάθη ἐρευνᾶς, καὶ καθὼς ὀψηλαφῶν b εὑρίσκει, οὕτως καὶ σὺ χαρίζῃ. Σὺ ἐ͂ι Θεὸς μόνος καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν πάρεξ σου, ποιῶν θαυμάσια μεγάλα μόνος. Σὺ ἐ͂ι ὁ τὰ ἀπελπισμένα εὐέλπιστα ποιῶν· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἔφης ἐν γραφαῖς σου, Ἐγγίσατέ μοι καὶ ἐγγιῶ ὑμῖν. Σὺ οὖν συνέργησόν μοι ἐθέλοντι τὴν ὁδόν σου δραμεῖν, ἣν ἡρετησάμην ἔκπαλαι. Φανερῶν μοι τί δεῖ ποῆσαι τῇ τεθλιμμένῃ Πρόκλῃ.

[10] Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἐρευνητής εἰμι τῶν διανοιῶν, καὶ ψηλαφητὴς τῶν καρδιῶν, ἐμβατεύω δὲ καὶ τοὺς νεφροὺς τῶν ἁπάντων (πάντα γάρ μοι γυμνὰ καὶ τετραγηλισμένα) προαιρέσεις ἀποδειχόμενος· Προσωποληψία γὰρ οὔκ ἐστιν οἷα δήποτε παρ᾽ ἐμοί. Πρόκλαν οὖν εὐαρεστήσασάν μοι πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν λαμβάνω. Ζὺ οὖν ὃ προέθου, τοῦτο ποίει· τὰ γὰρ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν ἐμοὶ μελήσει. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἄφαντος ἐγένετο. Τῇ οὖν ἐξῆς ἡμέρᾳ πυρετῷ ἀφάτῳ συσχεθεῖσα Πρόκλα, τῇ ἑσπέραᾳ τὴν ψυχὴν παρέδωκεν τοῖς ἁγίοις Ἀγγέλοις, πρότερον διαθεμένη τὴν πᾶσαν αὐτῆς προῖκα διὰ Θεοδούλου τοῦ αὐτῆς συμβίου διαδοθῆναι πτωχοῖς καὶ ἐνδεέσιν, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσιν οἷς ἂν νομίσοι ὁ αὐτὸς Θεόδουλος, πάμπολλα ὁμιλήσασα αὐτῷ κατανύξεως ἐχόμενα. Ἦν δὲ ἡ ὁλκη τῆς προικὸς αὐτῆς χρυσίου λιτρῶν τετρακοσίων πεντήκοντα. Ταύτην οὖν κηδεύσας ἐντίμως καὶ ὑπερλάμπρως, κατέθηκεν ἐν τόπῳ ἐπισήμῳ, τὰ ἀκόλουθα δεόντως ἐκτελέσας τῆς αὐτῆς ἐκκομιδῆς. Μετὰ οὖν τὰς νενομισμένας ἡμέρας τοῦ πένθους, πάντα διαπωλήσας ὁ αὐτὸς Θεόδουλος, διέδωκεν πτωχοῖς καὶ ἐνδεέσιν, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς μοναστηρίοις καὶ εὐκτηρίοις, καὶ ἐλευθερώσας καὶ c λεγατεύσας τοὺς αύτοῦ πάντας οἰκέτας, τὴν ὁρμὴν ἐποιήσατο ἐπὶ τὴν ἀνατολικὴν χώραν. Καὶ ἀπελθὼν πλησίον Ἐδέσσης τῆς πόλεως, καὶ εὑρὼν κίονα παμμεγέθη, τοῦτον ὠνήσατο. Καὶ τὴν προτέραν ὁρμὴν κοιμίσας τοῦ ἐθέλειν αὐτὸν ἀπόκλειστον γενέσθαι, ἄλλον ἔρωτα θεῖον ἐπεσπάσατο τοῦ ἐν τῷ κίονι ἀνελθεῖν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ διατελέσαι τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον τῆς αὐτοῦ ζωῆς. Καὶ δή προσελθὼν τῷ ἁγιωτάτῳ Επισκόπῳ τῆς αὐτῆς πόλεως, καὶ εὐλογηθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἀνῆλθεν ἐν τῷ κίονι, παραθέμενος ἑαυτὸν τῷ δεσπότῃ Χριστῷ.

[11] Ἦν δὲ ἐτῶν τεσσαράκοντα δύο, ὅτι τῷ κίονι ἐπέβη ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος. Ἐδόξαζον δὲ ἅπαντες τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ἐύσπλαγχνον καὶ φιλάνθρωπον, ὁρῶντες τὸν τοιοῦτον ἄνδρα τρυφερὸν καὶ ἐξ ἀξίας τοιαύτης, εἰς ποίαν σχληρουχίαν, καὶ εἰς πάλην τοῦ διαβόλου ἐαυτὸν καθοπλήσαντα. Ἦν δὲ ἡ ἐστίασις αὐτοῦ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν οὐγκία ἄρτου, καὶ λαχανὰ ὠμὰ, καὶ μίκρον ποτήριον ὕδατος, καὶ ταῦτα μετὰ δύσιν ἡλίου, ἅτινα ἐπεδίδου αὐτῷ θεοφιλής τις, ὅστις προέθετο ἐξυπηρετεῖσθαι αὐτῷ. Ἤρχοντο δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντες οἳ ἀσθενεῖς καὶ οἱ ἐν πνεύμασιν ἀκαθάρτοις ἐξεταζόμενοι, ξένοι τε καὶ αὐτόχθονες, καὶ τεθεραπευμένοι ἀνεχώρουν εἰς τὰ ἴδια, θαυμάζοντες τὴν δοθεῖσαν χάριν τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἐκ τοῦ δεσπότου Χριστοῦ. Πληρωθέντος δὲ αὐτῷ τριάκοντα ἔτους χρόνου ἐν τῷ κίονι, οὐκ ἔτι ἠνέσχετο τροφῆς μεταλαβεῖν τὸ σύνολον· ἀλλὰ κατὰ Κυριακὴν, καὶ μόνην μετελάμβανεν τοῦ ἁγίου σώματος καὶ αἵματος τοῦ δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, καὶ ποτήριον ὕδατος.

[7] The wife attacks Theodulus anew, Procla meanwhile, made more certain of the whole matter by the discourses of many, and plainly persuading herself, that her husband had sought and obtained from the most religious Prince the abdication of the magistracy to this end, that he might wholly give himself to the solitary life, was affected with great grief. When therefore he withdrew to dinner as he was wont, Procla cast herself at his feet, and with many tears thus addressed her husband: Woe to me wretched, my Lord, who without doubt perceive myself to be not far from widowhood. For I see, I see thee to persist in the counsel which thou hast begun, which thing leads me to the extremity of grief and of life. For an inexplicable sorrow of mind, and the purpose of the solitary life to be embraced by thee, this so sudden renunciation of thy Prefecture has made certain to me; but now what at last I am to do I know not. And when then the day inclined toward evening, she thus undertook to address him again: Lord, said she, do not, I beseech, sin in any way against thy handmaid: for a stranger and destitute of all, I know not whither to turn myself: speak, I beseech, and gladden my countenance: for I faint with grief, and am troubled, having no helper. Who has inflicted this evil on me by imprecation? what eye has suddenly bewitched me? Alas, into how great evils have I suddenly fallen? Why did I not in the maternal womb unhappily breathe out the spirit of life received? why brought forth into the light, was I not on the spot deprived of the same? why was I not from the womb carried into the sepulchre? why was a space of living given to me, about to undergo so wretched a lot? Why is light and life given to those who are in bitterness of soul? who expect death, and it cometh not, as if digging for a treasure: for that death is given to man for rest, the just Job of old affirmed. Iob. 3, 20 Beware moreover lest in the horrible day of judgment my soul be required of thee: beware lest I rise up against thee, imputing to thee those things which, perhaps snatched by youthful impulse, I am about to do.

[8] and presses him being seen to be moved more keenly: These things being said she burst into abundant tears, and binding the feet of her husband with an embrace, addressed him again with a sad oration: Let at last some compassion of thy handmaid, destitute of all aid and help, seize thee, have pity on my solitude, have pity on my bereavement, not to say, my Lord, on my widowhood. These and many similar things when she said, seeming somewhat to soften the mind of her husband, she thus pursued the begun discourse: My Lord, not for the sake of monies or possessions, not of gold or silver, not of ornaments or any other thing whatsoever do I attempt to overthrow the fair purpose of thy mind: far be it; nay even I rejoice, and exult, and desire to come into the part of a most beautiful counsel. All things indeed which I have now enumerated, if so it has seemed good, sell, and bestow on whomsoever thou shalt wish: for so in the sacrosanct Gospels the Lord testifies: Amen I say to you, As long as ye did it to one of these my least brethren, ye did it to me. Matth. 25, 40. By no reasoning therefore from that which so excellently and piously thou hast decreed to do, my Lord, would I have thee desist; but all things, as thou hast thought, sell; one thing I beg, that thou separate not thyself from my company, lest falling into temptations I miserably perish. Many indeed to the hater of all good, the evil demon, are the ways, many the arts of deceiving. Let us, if it please thee, after the manner of brother and sister, without any further use of matrimony, henceforth lead a life in perpetual chastity. And as she said this, she suddenly stripped herself of all ornament, leaving nothing for herself; then she subjoined: My Lord, I cannot lead a solitary life in a monastery; for to baths and softer garments, as thou thyself art not ignorant, I am accustomed. Fasts also and vigils and lyings on the ground I am altogether unable to bear: for I was not so educated. But He knows, who never does not watch over us, the eye of divine providence, that

my soul indeed is prompt and willing, but the flesh exceedingly infirm and weak. For what remains, my Lord, beseech God the Father of mercies, that what is good, what is perfect, what is pleasing to Him, He may determine concerning me wretched and unhappy. And indeed so the matter was: Procla was of a noble and illustrious family: who when she made an end of her speech, hid herself alone in a different chamber.

[9] But Theodulus also rising withdrew to his own bed, but he being animated by a vision, tasting nothing at all. But that very night, as he slept and was as it were carried out of himself, there was presented the appearance of a certain not uncomely man, whom certain most resplendent phalanxes of heavenly spirits followed, by no means however daring to fix their gaze on the beauty of the man, whom I mentioned, going before; for that man bore before him I know not what divine and what no speech can explain, whose oration to Theodulus was this: The part, Theodulus, which thou hast chosen, and the way which thou hast designated for thyself to enter, since it is altogether to be praised and altogether approved by me, nothing doubting, enter upon. Every impediment being overcome, take up thy cross, and follow me. To whom Theodulus: Lord, Son of the living God, to Thee be praise, to Thee glory. For this altogether becomes Thee, since Thou alone searchest all deep things, and remittest sins found as if by conniving! Thou art God alone, and there is none beside Thee, who doest great wonders alone. Thou makest mortals hope for those things which seem placed beyond all hope for them: for Thou Thyself in Thy Scriptures so pronouncest, Draw near to me, and I will draw near to you. Iac. 4, 8 Thou therefore be present to me now with aid, who wish to run Thy way, which from a long time now I have chosen. Declare, I pray, what is to be done by exceedingly afflicted Procla.

[10] Then our Saviour thus to Theodulus: I am the knower of human minds and the searcher of hearts: and his wife (as had been revealed to him) being dead, I pervade the reins of all men, for all things to me are naked and open, who receive the purposes of souls, without ever any acceptance of persons. Now therefore thy wife Procla, pleasing to my eyes, I receive to myself: but do thou what thou hast lately decreed, execute by the very deed: she shall be my care. Which said He ceased to be seen. But Procla, on the same day which followed that night, burning with an unwonted fever, toward evening delivered her soul into the hands of the Angels, after she had consented in this, that all her dowry through her husband Theodulus should be distributed among the poor and needy, or among those whom he himself should determine; adding many things which not a little declared the salutary compunction of her heart. But the sum of the dowry was four hundred and fifty pounds of gold. all things being abdicated, After Theodulus with great splendor and expense had performed the funeral rites for his deceased wife, he ordered her to be buried in a very honorable place, accurately and worthily fulfilling all things which could pertain to the obsequies of the funeral. The days thence being passed which were wont to be spent in declaring mourning, all his goods being sold for a price, he bestowed them on the poor and needy, and not on these only, but also on monasteries and oratories: moreover after he dismissed all his servants from himself, presented with liberty and a certain sum of money, he himself set out into the more remote region of the East. he ascends a column near Edessa: Drawing nearer therefore to the city of Edessa, he found there a column built up on high, and procured it for himself with money; and the former purpose being dismissed by which he had decreed to live enclosed, he embraced another mind divinely inspired, that the column being ascended he should pass all his life on it. Therefore the most holy Bishop of that city being consulted, fortified with his auspicious blessing, he ascended the column, and delivered himself wholly to the service of Christ the Lord.

[11] Of forty-two years was the servant of Christ, when he ascended the column: and on it with great abstinence but with the highest praises did they celebrate the divine mercy and goodness, whosoever beheld the man, nourished in all delights, and of his own accord receding from a grade of so great dignity, transfer himself to so severe a kind of living, and prepare arms for himself for bravely undergoing the combat with the devil. A daily food a single ounce of bread and raw herbs afforded him, for drink a scanty draught of water; which however before sunset he by no means admitted; and they were supplied to him by a certain servant of God, who of his own accord had undertaken that service to be rendered to Theodulus. But him whosoever were held by any infirmity of body, and is famous for the grace of cures. or were agitated by unclean spirits, came for the sake of aid, whether they were inhabitants of that land, or strangers: and all being cured returned to their own homes, greatly admiring the grace which Christ the Lord had granted to His servant. When in this manner he had passed thirty whole years on the column, he would no more eat any food: but on every Lord's day he received the most holy body and blood of Christ the Lord, and a draught of cold water.

ANNOTATA.

CHAPTER III.

Compared with Cornelius the mime, after a colloquy entered into with him, he dies holily.

[12] ἘΠοίησεν δὲ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ κίονι ἔτη μη᾽, καὶ μῆνας ζ᾽, βίον ἀγγελικὸν ζῶν, εὐαρεστῶν καὶ ἐντρυφῶν τῇ τῶν θεοπνεύστων γραφῶν μελέτῃ, πολλὰς δὲ προσβολὰς καὶ μεθοδείας καὶ φαντασίας κατεργήσας τοῦ διαβόλου. Ἐν μιᾷ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκτείνας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος, ἤρξατο λέγειν οὕτως· Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς παντοκράτωρ, ὁ τοῦ μονογενούς σου παιδὸς Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν πατὴρ, ὁ τὸ ἀποκεκρυμμένον μυστήριον ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, τοῦ πάθους τοῦ υἱοῦ σου τὴν ἀπάθειαν, ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀποκαλύψας, καὶ ἐξαποστείλας ἡμῖν αὐτὸν σωτῆρα καὶ φωστῆρα καὶ λυτρωτὴν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν, ὅστις καὶ ἑαυτὸν προσήνεγκεν ἄσπιλον ὁλοκαύτωμα ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς, καταξίωσον ἐμφανίσαι μοι, εἴγε εὐηρέστησα τῷ ἁγίῳ σου καὶ ἐνδόξῳ ὀνόματι, σύν τινι μέλλω κληρονομεῖν τὴν σὴν βασιλείαν; Καὶ ἰδοὺ φονὴ ἐγένετο πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσα· Ἴσχυε καὶ ἀνδρίζου, εὐηρέστησας γάρ με. Δεῖ δέ σε κληρονομῆσαι τὴν βασιλείαν μου μετὰ Κορνηλίου a τοῦ πανδούρου, τοῦ ἀπὸ Δαμασκοῦ τῆς πόλεως. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐῤῥέθη αὐτῷ, ἵνα ἔπαρσις αὐτῷ μὴ γένηται, καὶ ὑψωθεὶς παγιδευθῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου.

[13] Τούτων ἀκούσας Θεόδουλος καὶ δακρύσας ἔφη· Οἴμοι τῷ ἀθλίῳ καὶ ἀπεγνωσμένῳ! μετὰ πανδούρου, Δέσποτα, ὁ σὸς δοῦλος κληρονομεῖ; μετὰ πανδούρου, Δέσποτα, ὁ ἐν τοσούτοις ἔτεσι κοπιάσας καὶ μοχθήσας; Ὦ τέλος ἐνύβριστον καὶ ἐξουθενήμενον! ὦ πῶς ὤφθην ἄχρηστος ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασίν μου! Ἐν τίνι ἆρα πλημμελήσας παρήκουσα ἐντολὴν σου; Μὴ ἆρα ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ b ἐκιλιδώθην; σὺ μόνος γινώσκεις τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια. Τίς οὖν ἡ ἄτιμος αὐτὴ συγκαταρίθμησις μετα πανδούρου, Δέσποτα; ἐν τῷ κίονι ἐστηλώμενος, μετὰ τοῦ ἀπὸ σκηνῆς; ὁ ἐν νηστήαις καὶ ἀγρυπνίαις, μετὰ αὐλητοῦ δαιμόνων; ὁ ἐν ψαλμοῖς καὶ ὕμνοις ἄϋπνος διατελῶν, ὁ πάντα δεύτερα θέμενος, καὶ νεκρώσας ἑαυτὸν τῷ κόσμῳ μετὰ πανδούρου κληρονομεῖ; Τί ἐννοῆσαι ἀπορῶ· τί δὲ εἴπω περί σου, Ἐπιζητητὰ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ὢν; Ἡ θλίψις προσκαλεῖ σε πρὸς εὐσπλαγχνίαν. Ὦ βάθος πλούτου καὶ σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Θεοῦ, ὡς ἐξερεύνητα τα κρίματα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεξιχνίαστοι αἵ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ! Θεὸς ἀληθινὸς καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ὁδοὶ αὐτοῦ κρίσις. Ἆρα δὲ ἔν τισι τὰ ἔργα τὰ κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἄνδρα ὑπάρχει, ὁτι σὺν αὐτῷ κληρονομήσω. Πλὴν ἐπίσταμαι τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἀγαθότητά σου, Δέσποτα· οἶδά σου, Κύριε τὴν ἄφατον εὐσπλαγχνίαν· οἶδά σου τὴν στοργὴν καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην περὶ τοὺς ἅμαρτωλοὺς, πῶς ἐνανθρωπῆσαι καταδέξω διὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, πῶς ταφῆναι ἠνέσχου, ἵνα τὸ πεπλανημένον πρόβατον ἐλευθερώσῃς. Οὐ διέλαθέν με τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ζακχαῖον ἐκεῖνον, πως ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἐν τῳ συκομοραίᾳ φωνήσας ἔφης πρὸς αὐτὸν, καίπερ μηδὲν ἀκούσας ἐξ αὐτοῦ· Ζακχαῖε σπεύσας κατάβηθι, σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τελώνην εὑρὼν Εὐαγγελιστὴν πεποίηκας, ἀλλὰ καὶ διώκτην Ἀπόστολον ἀπέδειξας, πόρνην δὲ παρθένου σεμνοτέραν ἐποίησας. Καὶ τί δεῖ τὰ πολλὰ λέγειν; λῃστὴν παραδείσου πολίτην ἀνέδειξας διὰ μίαν καὶ μόνην φωνὴν, ἥτις ἦν αὐτὴ, Μνήσθητί μου, Κύριε, ὁτ᾽ ἂν ἔλθῃς ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου. Ἐγὼ δὲ μετὰ πανδούρου τὸν κλῆρον ἔλαχον, Δέσποτα, ὁ ἡγησάμενος πάντα σκύβαλα ἐ͂ιναι ἵνα σοι δουλεύσω. Ταύτην οὖν ἔχων τὴν μέριμναν διὰ παντὸς ἐναγώνιος ὑπῆρχεν ἐν τῷ κίονι.

[14] Ἐν μίᾳ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν ὀχληθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνθυμήσεως ταύτης ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος, βουλεύεται τοῦ κίονος κατελθεῖν, καὶ καταλαβεῖν τὰ πρὸς τὸν συγκληρονόμον αὐτοῦ Κορνήλιον τὸν προειρημένον. Καὶ δὴ κατελθὼν μετὰ δακρύων πολλῶν καὶ στεναγμῶν τὴν πορείαν ἐποιήσατο ἐν τῃ τοῦτον τὸν ἀοίδιμον θρεψαμένῃ πόλει. Καὶ καταλαβὼν δι᾽ ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν τὴν αὐτὴν πόλιν, εἰσῆλθεν περὶ ὥραν ἐννάτην ἡμερινήν. Καὶ προσευξάμενος συνήθως τῷ Κυρίῳ, συναντήσας τινὶ τῆς αὐτῆς πόλεως, ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτὸν ἔνεκεν τοῦ ἐπιζητομένου παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ πανδούρου, Ὁ δὲ ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἱπποδρομεῖόν ἐστι, Πάτερ, κακεῖσε διάγει. Καὶ ἀκούσας ἐστέναξεν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος, καὶ παρακαλέσας τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν πολίτην σὺν αὐτῷ μεῖναι πρὸς ἔνδειξιν τοῦ τοιούτου ἀνδρὸς· ὁ δὲ αἰδεσθεὶς τὸ ἀγγελικὸν αὐτοῦ προσωπόν τε καὶ σχῆμα διέμεινεν. Εἶτα, ἡλίου λοιπὸν δύναντος, καὶ τοῦ ἱπποδρομείου παυθέντος, ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς πάνδουρος παρίει κατέχων τῇ μὲν μιᾷ χειρὶ ὄργανον, τῇ δὲ ἄλλῃ ἑταιρίδα γυμνοκέφαλον κοσμοφοροῦσαν ἀτάκτως καὶ ἀσέμνως, ἥτις περιεῤῥάπιζεν αὐτὸν καὶ περιετρίχισεν μετὰ ἀπρεποὺς γέλωτος· ὃν δακτυλοδεικτήσας ὁ πολίτης ὑπέδειξεν τοῦτον. Καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοῦλος εἰς οὐρανὸν ἐνητένισεν, καὶ διακρίσας ἔφη· Ἀνεξίκακε Κύριε, δόξα τοῖς οἰκτιρμοῖς σου. Ὄντως γάρ σου τὰ κρίματα ἄβυσσος πολλή. Καὶ μετακαλεσάμενος τοῦτον διὰ τοῦ πολίτου, καὶ αὐτοῦ ἐλθόντος, λαβόμενος αὐτοῦ τῆς χειρὸς, ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν. Δυσωπῶ σε, ἀγαπητὲ, πρὸς βραχύ με ἀνάμεινον.

[15] Ἀπολύσας οὖν τὸν πολίτην ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ὑπερηύξατο αὐτοῦ, τὸν δὲ Κορνήλιον λαβὼν ἐν ἰδιάζοντι τόπῳ, προσέπεσεν αὐτῷ, μετὰ δακρύων δυσωπῶν αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν, ἐν τίσιν ἐστὶν τὰ κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ πολιτείαν. Ὁ δὲ περιεβλέπετο αὐτὸν ἄνω καὶ κάτω, καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν· Ὕπαγε, Κύρι, Ἀββᾶ, μὴ παῖζέ με τὸν

[12] Theodulus spent on the column forty-eight years, seven months, In the 48th year of his conversion, leading on earth a heavenly life, and feeding and at once recreating his soul with the study of the divinely inspired Scriptures, making also very many snares and machinations and illusions of the devil to be in vain. But when at a certain time the servant of God had lifted up his hands to heaven, he prayed in this manner: Lord God omnipotent, venerable Father of Thy only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ, who from the constitution of the world hast willed the hidden mystery, namely the passion of Thy impassible Son, to be manifest to all in these last times; and hast sent to us Him the Saviour, leader, and redeemer of our souls, who for the life of the world offered Himself an uncontaminated holocaust to Thee: that, I beseech, be not grieved to open to me, he understands whether in glory he shall be equal to Cornelius the mime, whether I can hope for even a little of grace from Thy holy glorious name, with whom at last of mortals I am someday to enter into the possession of Thy kingdom. The prayer being finished, such a voice glided to the ears of the holy man: Be comforted and be exceedingly strong, for thou hast pleased me greatly; wherefore together with Cornelius, that Citharist of Damascus, it behooves thee to become a partaker of the heavenly kingdom. These things were manifested to Theodulus in this way, lest elation of mind should seize him, and lest, swollen with too great opinion of himself, he should incautiously fall into the snares of the devil.

[13] But Theodulus hearing these things; Woe is me wretched, said he, not without tears, and rejected by God! shall then thy servant, O Lord, take an inheritance with a citharist, exhausted with so many labors and sweats for Thee? O vile and unworthy issue of my endeavors! O how uselessly have I conducted myself in the profession of this life! In what however have I, O Lord, transgressed Thy law? Have I perhaps through ignorance committed some fault? To Thee alone are known those things which are hidden and unknown to others. What, I pray, is this base comparison, by which a mime is compared with a stylite, dwelling in a fat kitchen with one exhausted with fasts and vigils, a precentor of demons with a man intent days and nights on singing psalms and hymns? Who holds all human things only in the second place, and exhibits himself crucified to the world, shall he behold an inheritance with some citharist? What I am to think of this matter I know not. What shall I say of Thee, who art the inmost knower of all sinners? Hence revering the judgments of God, Our straits certainly provoke Thee to mercy. O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how incomprehensible are His judgments, and how unsearchable His ways! truly He Himself is God, and all His ways are judgment. Wherein therefore are placed so greatly the good works of that man, that in beholding the heavenly inheritance he is to be held in the same place as I? I know indeed, I know Thy goodness, O God: Thy inexplicable mercy, O Lord, Thy charity, and benevolence toward the human race oppressed with sins, I am not ignorant of. It is known by what reasoning for the sake of man Thou didst deign to take up man, and didst endure to be buried, that the little sheep miserably deceived by the fraud of the demon Thou mightest restore to integrity. It does not escape me how, when Thou sawest that Zacchaeus had ascended the sycamore for the sake of seeing Thee, Thou didst of Thine own accord benignly address him with these words: Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today in thy house it behooves me to stay. Into a Publican also when Thou didst fall, Thou didst soon bid him be an Evangelist. Nay even from a persecutor Thou madest an Apostle, and renderedst a harlot more illustrious than any virgin. And why should I bring forward more? when Thou didst write the Thief, for that single and only little voice sent forth on the cross: Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom; among the inhabitants of Paradise. But I, who, that I might better serve Thee, deemed all things as dung, have obtained the same fortune with a citharist. Not indeed with this hope did I exhaust so many years and combats on the column.

[14] Disturbed once by this thought not indeed moderately, the servant of God resolved to descend from the column, he sets out for Damascus,

ἁμαρτωλὸν, οὐ γάρ εἰμι τοῦ προσχήματός σου. Τί εἴπω σοι, ἄνθρωπε τοῦ Θεοῦ; οὐκ ἐθεάσω με πόθεν ἦλθον, καὶ μετὰ τίνος, καὶ τί βαστάζω; τί ἐρωτᾳς με, τὸν ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστης συνηλουμενον πόρναις καὶ μίμοις; Καὶ γὰρ ἔτυχον κληροθῆναι τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ, σχολάζειν δὲ διὰ παντὸς ἱπποδρομίαιστε καὶ ἀτόποις θέαις διὰ τὴν ἐφήμερον τροφήν. Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐπιπολὺ δακρύων, ἐνορκοῖ αὐτὸν λέγων· Ὀρκίζω σε κατὰ τῆς μεγάλης δόξης τοῦ παντοκράτορος Θεοῦ, του, μέλλοντος κρίνειν ζῶντας καὶ νεκροὺς, εἰπεῖν μοι τί ἀγαθὸν σύνοιδας ἑαυτῷ c διαπραττόμεμον, ἐν μηδενὶ μηδέν με ἀποκρύπτων. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Κορνήλιος ἐ͂ιπεν· Ὄντως, Πάτερ, οὐ σύνοιδα ἐμαυτῷ ἀγαθόν τι τὸ σύνολον πεποιηκὼς, τοῦτο καὶ μόνον, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ. Καὶ ἀρξάμενος τοῦ λέγειν προσέπεσεν τοῖς ποσὶ Θεοδούλου λέγων· Συγχώρησόν μοι, Πάτερ, αἰδοῦμαι γὰρ εἰπεῖν ἐπί σου τὰ αἰσχρά μου καὶ ἀπεγνωσμένα ἔργα. Καὶ θαρσοποιήσας αὐτὸν ἔφη· Λέγε, τέκνον μου, ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς συνχωρήσει καί σοι καὶ ἐμοὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν.

[16] Ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Ἄκουσον, Πάτερ. Ἐν μιᾳ τῶν ἑσπερῶν πάνδημος παννυχὶς ἐπετελεῖτο, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ὰπόλυσιν τῆς αὐτῆς ἐνθέου καὶ ἀσμένου θέας, ἐν τῷ ἀναχωρεῖν με ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ οἴκῳ, ὁρῶ γυναῖκα ἱσταμένην, ἔυοπτον ὑπὲρ φύσιν, καὶ προσεγγίσας αὐτῇ ἐλάλουν αὐτῇ κολακευτικὰ ῥήματα, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ με ταύτην ταπεινῶσαι. Καὶ δὴ συνθεμένης αὐτῆς εἰς τοῦτο, ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν με περιπτύξασθαι αὐτὴν, ἄφνω ἤρξατο ὀδύρεσθαι καὶ δακρύειν καὶ ἀναχαιτίζειν ἑαυτὴν ἐξ ἐμοῦ. Πρὸς ἣν ἔφην· Γύναι, τί τὸ γεγονός σοι; μή τις βίαν τὴν οἵαν οὖν ἐπήγαγέ σοι. Ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ πλέον ἔκλαιεν πικρῶς. Καὶ ψυχοπονήσας ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν, ἔφην· Ἐνορκῶ σε κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου ἐκφάναι μοι τὸ κατά σε πρᾶγμα, καὶ τίνος χάριν ἀνενδότως δακρύεις.

[17] Καὶ μόλις ποτὲ ἀποκριθεῖσα ἔφη (ἐνικᾶτο γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ πολλοῦ καὶ ἀφάτου χλαυθμοῦ) Ἐγὼ, δέσποτα, ἐπισήμων γονέων γέγονα θυγάτηρ· ἐξεδόθην δὲ αἰδεσίμῳ τινὶ πρὸς γάμον, πολλὰ ἐν προικὶ τούτῳ ἐπιδώσασα, ἐξορφανέσθην δὲ ἀπὸ ἐτῶν δώδεκα. Ὁ δὲ ἀγαγόμενός με ἀνὴρ, ἄλλην ἄλλως ὑστερήσας, ἄπαντα τὰ προσαχθέντα αὐτῷ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐν προικὶ διαφόρως ἐξανάλωσεν· πρὸς τοῦτοις δὲ καὶ δανεισταῖς οὐκ ὀλίγοις προσομιλήσας κατάχρεος γέγονεν. Οὐκ οἰδα δὲ εἰπεῖν πόθεν ἄφνω ἐπῆλθεν ἡ τοιαύτη στένωσις καὶ ἀνάγκη· εἴ τε γὰρ πρὸς παιδίαν, εἴ τε πρὸς δοκιμασίαν, ἀγνοῶ τοῦτο λέγειν. Μεθοδεύεται δὲ ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ δανειστῶν νομίσματα τετρακόσια, καὶ μὴ εὐπορῶν τούτου τὴν ἀπόδοσιν ποήσασθαι τούτοις, ἐν αἰτιάσει πεποιήκασι τοῦτον, καὶ συσχόντες αὐτὸν οἱ τῆς ἀρχοντικῆς τάξεως, ἐν τῇ δημοσίᾳ εἱρκτῇ συνέκλεισαν· καὶ ἔστιν ἐκεῖσε ἀπὸ μηνῶν ὀκτὼ δαμαζόμενος ἀπὸ πείνης. Καὶ διαφόρως προσελθοῦσά τισι καλοποιοῖς, οὐδὲν ἐκαρπησάμην ἐξ αὐτῶν, εἰ μήτι γε ῥήματα καὶ μόνον, καὶ ταῦτα διὰ τοὺς παρατυγχάνοντας κενοδοξίας χάριν, καὶ τί ποιῆσαι οὐκ ἐ͂ιδον. Προεθέμην δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὃ καὶ πεποίηκα, ὁμολογῷ· διανισταμένη νύκτωρ ἐφήπλουν τὴν χεῖρά μου, τὴν διαφόρως εὐποιΐας πλείστας ποιήσασαν, ἀποκρύπτουσα μέντοι αἰδουμένη τό ἀτιμασθέν μου πρόσωπον. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἄξιόν τι πορίσασθαι ἐδυνήθην· ὁθεν ἐβουλευσάμην ἐξ ἀνάγκης πολλῆς τὴν κακὴν βουλὴν ταύτην, τὸ πορνεῦσαι καὶ ἀποθρέψαι τὸν ἐμὸν ἄνδρα, ἵνα μὴ λιμοκτονηθεὶς τέλει τοῦ βίου χρήσηται. Ἡγησάμην οὖν ἀσεβῆσαι εἰς τὸν ἄνδρα μου· καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ χεῖρας εὐτονούσας πρὸς ἐργασίαν ἐκεκτήμην, οἷα δὴ τῆς θλίψεως καταπεσεῖν ταύτας παρασκευαζούσης. Οἶδεν δὲ ὁ ἐταστὴς τῶν καρδιῶν, καὶ ἐρευνητὴς τῶν νεφρῶν Χριστὸς, ὡς οὐδέπου ἐμολύνθη τὸ ἄθλιόν μου σῶμα μετὰ τὸν ἐμὸν ἄνδρα.

[18] Τούτων ἀκούσας ἐγὼ κατενύγην, καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθην, νικηθεὶς δὲ ἐδάκρυσα, καὶ ἔφην πρὸς αὐτήν· Γῦναι δυσωπῶ σε, μεῖνόν με πρὸς μικρόν. Καὶ ἀπελθὼν δρομαίως ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ οἴκῳ, ἤγαγον, ἅπερ ἔτυχον ἔχειν τότε, νομίσματα διακόσια τριάκοντα· οὐμὴν άλλὰ καὶ ζυγὴν d χειροψέλλων νομισμάτων ἑβδομήκοντα, καὶ ἄλλα τέ τινα γυναικεῖά μου κόσμια νομισμάτων ὀγδοήκοντα. ἅπερ ἔτυχον ἔχειν ἀπὸ γονέων, καὶ ἀπὸ κληρονομίας τῆς γενομένης μου συμβίου· καὶ συμψηφισάμενος, καὶ εὑρὼν λείπειν μοι εἰς ἀναπλήρωσιν τῶν ἐπιζητουμένων νομισμάτων τετρακοσίων ἕτερα νομίσματα εἴκοσι, βαστάξας τὸ φελώνιόν e μου καὶ τὸ βυσαρωτὸν f τῶν ἐπισήμων καὶ ἀτόπων θεαμάτων, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν τράχηλόν μου φυλακτὰ ἐπάρας, πάντα ἀγαγὼν ἐν g σαβανίῳ, δέδωκα αὐτῇ λέγων· Γύναι, ὄντως οὐκ οἶδα τίς ἐ͂ι, ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε θέλω μαθεῖν· λαβοῦσα πορεύου ἐν εἰρήνῃ, εὐχωμένη ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ· καὶ δεδωκὼς αὐτῇ πᾶντα, ἀπέλυσε αὐτὴν ἐν εἰρήνῃ. Τοῦτό ἐστιν ὁ νομίζω καλὸν πεποιηκέναι, ὅπερ οὐδενὶ ἀφηγησάμην, ὡς ἐπὶ Κυρίου. εἰ μὴ ἀνάγκη τῇ σῇ ἁγιοσύνῃ. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας Θεόδουλος, ἔῤῥιψεν ἑαυτὸν πρὸ τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ κλαίων καὶ λέγων· Μνημόνευέ μου, ἄνθρωπε τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅταν καταλάβῃς ἐκείνας τὰς ἐνδόξους καὶ αἰωνίους σκηνάς. Μνημόνευσόν μου τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, παρακαλῶ σε· ὄντως γὰρ ἔγνω Κύριος τοὺς ὄντας αὐτοῦ· καὶ συνταξάμενος τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ἀπέλυσεν τοῦτον, εὐχαριστήσας τῷ Θεῷ ἐπὶ τῇ τούτου ἀγαθῇ καὶ ἐποφελεῖ συντυχία.

[19] Ἀπολύσας οὖν αὐτὸν ὁ Θεόδουλος, τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χάριτι καὶ ἐπινεύσει ἀνῆλθεν ἐν τῷ κίονι, δοξάζων ἐπὶ πᾶσι τὸν ἐύσπλαγχνον καὶ φιλάνθρωπον Θεὸν, καὶ τὸν ἐξ ἔθους κανόνα φυλάττων. Διατελέσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ κίονι ἕτερον πενταετῆ χρόνον, ἄφνω φωνὴ γέγονεν πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσα· Θεόδουλε, δεῦρο, λοιπὸν ἀναπάυου, ἡτοίμασται γάρ σοι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ ἐκδέχεταί σε ὁ χόρος τῶν ἀγγέλων, καὶ δικαίων, καὶ προφητῶν, καὶ ἁγίων· οὐ μὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ Κορνήλιος ὁ ἀπὸ πανδούρων· ἦν γὰρ πρὸ αὐτοῦ τελευτήσας ἐνιαυτὸν ἕνα. Καὶ ἐκτείνας τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ εἰς οὐρανὸν ἔφη· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθημι τὸ πνεῦμά μου· καὶ παραχρῆμα παρέδωκεν τὴν ψυχὴν τοῖς ἁγίοις Ἀγγέλοις. Συναχθέντες δὲ πάντες οἵ κατὰ τὴν χώραν ἐκείνην Ἐπίσκοποί τε καὶ Ἡγούμενοι, μοναχοί τε καὶ λαἳκοὶ, καὶ τὰ πρέποντα ἐπὶ τούτῳ ποιήσαντες, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ τόπῳ κατέθηκαν τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ λείψανον. Πολλαὶ δὲ ἰάσεις γίνονται ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ τόπῳ μέχρισ τῆς δεῦπο. Οὕτως οὖν τὸν δρόμον τελέσας, καὶ τὴν πίστιν τηρήσας, ἐθαυμάσθη ὑπὸ Ἀγγέλων καὶ ἀνθρώπων, συγχορεύει δὲ ταῖς ἄνω δυνάμεσιν, τὰς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν δεήσεις ἀπαύστως προσφέρων τῷ Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ. Αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, σὺν τῷ ἀχράντῳ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ προσκυνητῷ καὶ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

[14] (continued) and to obtain the things pertaining to his co-heir Cornelius the aforesaid. And indeed having descended, with many tears and groanings he made his way into the city which had nourished that famous man. And reaching the same city in a few days, he entered about the ninth hour of the day. And having prayed as was his custom to the Lord, meeting someone of the same city, he inquired of him concerning the citharist sought by him. But he said to him: There is a hippodrome, Father, and there he passes his time. And hearing this the servant of God groaned, and besought the man, the citizen, to remain with him for the pointing out of such a man; but he, reverencing his angelic countenance and habit, remained. Then, the sun at length setting, and the hippodrome ended, behold the citharist himself passed by, holding in one hand an instrument, and in the other a bare-headed harlot wearing ornaments disorderly and immodestly, who buffeted him about and pulled his hair with unseemly laughter; whom the citizen, pointing with his finger, indicated to him. And the servant of God seeing him gazed up to heaven, and discerning said: O long-suffering Lord, glory to Thy compassions. For truly Thy judgments are a great abyss. And calling him through the citizen, and he having come, taking him by the hand, he said to him: I beseech thee, beloved, await me a little.

[15] Having therefore dismissed the citizen in peace, he prayed over him, and taking Cornelius into a private place, he fell down before him, with tears beseeching him to tell, wherein were the things pertaining to his manner of life. But he looked him up and down, and answering said to him: Go, Lord, Abba, mock me not, a sinner, for I am not of thy habit. What shall I say to thee, man of God? hast thou not beheld me, whence I came, and with whom, and what I carry? why dost thou ask me, who am every day herded together with harlots and mimes? For it has fallen to my lot to be allotted to the devil and his works, and to spend all my time at hippodromes and unseemly spectacles for the sake of daily food. But he, weeping much, adjured him saying: I adjure thee by the great glory of the omnipotent God, who is about to judge the living and the dead, to tell me what good thou art conscious of having done by thyself, hiding nothing from me in anything. And answering Cornelius said: Truly, Father, I am conscious of myself of having done no good at all, this only, as it seems to me a sinner. And beginning to speak he fell down at the feet of Theodulus saying: Pardon me, Father, for I am ashamed to tell before thee my base and desperate deeds. And encouraging him he said: Speak, my child, the Lord Jesus Christ will pardon both thee and me our sins.

[16] But he said: Hear, Father. On one of the evenings a public vigil was being celebrated, and after the dismissal of the same impious and pleasant spectacle, as I was withdrawing to my house, I see a woman standing, comely beyond nature, and drawing near to her I spoke to her flattering words, that I might humble her. And when she had consented to this, as I came to embrace her, suddenly she began to lament and weep and draw herself back from me. To whom I said: Woman, what has happened to thee? has anyone offered thee any violence? But she wept the more bitterly. And feeling pity for her, I said: I adjure thee by God the most high to declare to me thy matter, and for what cause thou weepest unrelentingly.

[17] And scarcely at last answering she said (for she was overcome by much and unspeakable weeping): I, master, was the daughter of notable parents; but I was given to a certain honorable man in marriage, having bestowed much in dowry on this man, and was orphaned from twelve years of age. But the man who married me, falling short in one way and another, spent in various ways all that had been brought to him by me in dowry; and besides these things, having had dealings with not a few creditors, he became overwhelmed with debt. But I cannot say whence suddenly came such straitness and necessity; for whether for a sport, or for a trial, I am ignorant to say this. He is dunned by his creditors for four hundred pieces of money, and not being able to make repayment of this to them, they have brought him into accusation, and the men of the magistrate's order seizing him, shut him up in the public prison; and he is there for eight months tamed by hunger. And going repeatedly to certain charitable men, I have reaped nothing from them, save only words, and these for the sake of those present for vainglory, and I knew not what to do. But I purposed also this, which I have done, I confess: rising up by night I stretched out my hand, which had done very many good deeds in various ways, hiding however, being ashamed, my dishonored face. But not even thus could I procure anything worthy; whence I resolved out of great necessity this evil counsel, to commit fornication and so nourish my husband, lest, being starved to death, he should make an end of his life. I deemed therefore that I would sin against my husband; for I had not even hands strong for work, since affliction prepared them to fall. But Christ knows, the examiner of hearts, and the searcher of the reins, that never was my wretched body defiled after my husband.

[18] Hearing these things I was pricked, and moved with compassion, and being overcome I wept, and said to her: Woman, I beseech thee, await me a little. And going running to my house, I brought what I happened to have then, two hundred and thirty pieces of money; nay also a pair of bracelets of seventy pieces of money, and certain other women's ornaments of mine of eighty pieces of money, which I happened to have from my parents, and from the inheritance of my deceased wife; and reckoning together, and finding that there were lacking to me for the completion of the four hundred pieces sought another twenty pieces, taking up my cloak and the silken garment of the notable and unseemly spectacles, nay also lifting the amulets about my neck, bringing all in a linen cloth, I gave it to her saying: Woman, truly I know not who thou art, but neither do I wish to learn; take it and go in peace, praying for me a sinner; and having given her all, he dismissed her in peace. This is what I think I have done well, which I have related to no one, as before the Lord, save by necessity to thy sanctity. Hearing these things Theodulus cast himself before his feet weeping and saying: Remember me, man of God, when thou shalt attain those glorious and eternal tabernacles. Remember me a sinner, I beseech thee; for truly the Lord has known those who are His; and taking leave of the man, he dismissed him, giving thanks to God for this good and profitable meeting.

[19] Having therefore dismissed him, Theodulus, by the grace and assent of Christ, ascended the column, glorifying above all the merciful and benevolent God, and keeping the rule of his custom. And when he had continued on the same column another period of five years, suddenly a voice came to him saying: Theodulus, come, henceforth rest, for the kingdom of heaven is prepared for thee, and the choir of angels, and of the just, and of prophets, and of saints awaits thee; nay also Cornelius the citharist; for he had died one year before him. And stretching out his hands to heaven he said: Lord Jesus Christ, into Thy hands I commend my spirit; and forthwith he delivered his soul to the holy Angels. And all the Bishops and Hegumens of that region being gathered together, and monks and laymen, and having done the fitting things over him, in that very place they laid his holy relic. And many cures take place in that very place even to the present. Thus therefore having finished his course, and kept the faith, he was wondered at by Angels and men, and he dances together with the powers above, unceasingly offering up for us prayers to the Saviour Christ. To Him be glory and dominion, with the immaculate Father and the adorable and life-giving Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

and especially to know the things which pertained to the already mentioned Cornelius, his co-heir. With many tears therefore and sighs, descending to that city in which that venerable man dwelt, he undertakes the journey: and entering Damascus within a few days about the ninth hour of the morning, after the prayers accustomed at that time poured forth to God, he inquires of some inhabitant of that place whom he met, concerning the citharist whom he sought. But he said: This city contains a hippodrome not so spacious, and in it Cornelius of whom thou askest dwells. At which speech the servant of God sighing deeply, prayed the man that he would remain with him for a while, and indicate more nearly him whom he sought: which the other, revering the angelic countenance and habit of the holy man, by no means could refuse. But toward sunset when all things in the Hippodrome were now quieter, behold the citharist comes forth, in one hand a musical instrument, in the other dragging a harlot, and recognizes Cornelius, lasciviously adorned with impudent attire, and bearing her head bare of a veil; who with immoderate laughter petulantly tore and disturbed the garments and hair of the man. This one therefore the citizen indicated to Theodulus. But he with eyes lifted to heaven, and tears abundantly poured forth; God, said he, patient and long-suffering, may the due praise and glory be rendered to Thy mercy. Truly Thy judgments are a great abyss. Then the citizen called to him by his service, and taking by the hand the citharist approaching more nearly, I beg thee, said he, and beseech, most dear one, that thou stay here with me a while.

[15] Then having followed the citizen dismissed from him with an auspicious blessing of peace and all good things, and enters into a colloquy with him. he leads Cornelius away into a more secret place: and there casting himself at his feet not without tears, he solicitously inquires, in what things at last the reckoning and manner of his life consisted. He, when he had surveyed the holy man wholly with his eyes; Away, said he, Lord Abba, do not, I pray, hold me a sinner for a mockery; for I do not follow the same mode of living as thou. With what words at last shall I address thee, holy man? Hast thou not seen, from what place, and with what companion I have come forth, and what instrument I bear in my hand? Why dost thou ask these things of me, who am daily accustomed to harlots and mimes? for it has fallen to me by lot to participate with the devil and his works, and to attend daily the Circus games and obscene spectacles, for the sake of daily livelihood. But Theodulus; I adjure thee, said he weeping, by that glory by which God the Lord of all, about to judge the living and the dead, is conspicuous, that thou open this to me, what good thou rememberest ever to have been done by thee in all the time of thy life. Nothing, I pray, hold hidden and concealed from me. To whom answering Cornelius: I am conscious indeed to myself of no good work ever done by me, O Father, save this one only, Cornelius confesses himself a sinner, which to me indeed a sinner seems good. Then beginning the narration of the deed and casting himself at the feet of Theodulus; Give pardon, said he, O Father, for it is a shame to narrate my base and unspeakable crimes. Speak, my son, answered Theodulus, and the Lord Jesus Christ will, I hope, benignly grant pardon of sins to thee equally and to me.

[16] and that this alone was good in him, Then Cornelius; Hear then, if thou wilt, my Father. When at a certain time a public vigil was being celebrated, and, that divine and pleasant spectacle being ended, I was betaking myself home; I fell in with a woman more beautiful than can be said. To her, as I stood nearer, I began with flattering words to entice her to commit a crime with me. Whom consenting I had scarcely received in embrace, when suddenly, and not without tears and laments, she snatched herself from my hands. To whom I; What, said I, woman, sinister has happened to thee? has any violence been offered to thee? But she lamented even more vehemently. The pity of her therefore having seized me, I adjure thee, said I, by God the most high, that thou make manifest to me, what this matter is, or wherefore thou weepest thus unceasingly.

[17] To which at last with difficulty she answering (for a vast and inexplicable grief had seized the wretched woman) I, said she, my Lord, brought forth into the light of noble parents, which to a noble woman, for the sustaining of her captive husband, was granted as wife to a certain most illustrious man, to whom I brought a copious dowry indeed, for from twelve years of age I had been bereaved of my parents. But the man who had married me, by untimely trafficking, dissipated in various ways all the dowry which I had brought. Besides, having dealings with not a few money-lenders, he himself by degrees contracted many debts. But whence that sudden straitness and necessity of domestic affairs came, whether for our instruction or trial, I shall not easily say. Thence he receives borrowed money from the lenders, four hundred pieces; which since he could not refund, they undertook to institute an accusation against him. Soon him accused the chief men of the city shut up in the public prison, in which now the eighth month he is wasted by hunger. But I, when I had approached some, esteemed for munificence, I bore back from them nothing but empty sounds of words: driven to mendicity, which they gave, on account of those who happened to be present, for the sake of catching I know not what vain glory. What therefore I was to do I altogether knew not. This at last I devised, I confess, and accomplished. By night frequently rising I stretched out my hand to receive alms; the hand, I say, a little before accustomed to bestowing alms, my face meanwhile veiled through too great shame. When that attempt also had fallen out in vain, to this counsel the hard necessity of affairs drove me, base I confess and sinful: I resolved to commit fornication, and to alienate myself from my husband, lest he, killed by hunger, should be brought to the end of his life: and willing to prostitute herself, I resolved, I say, to sin against my husband, since my hands are fit for no handiwork, just as affliction itself often at last makes them fit for this. But Christ knows, who searches the hearts and minds of men, that hitherto I have kept my body unpolluted for my husband alone.

[18] Hearing these things I, affected at once with grief and commiseration, she once succored, and overcome in mind began to pour forth tears. Then thus I address her: Great pity of thee, woman, holds me, await me here a while. Soon at a run I betake myself to my house, and, what happened then to be at hand for me, two hundred and thirty pieces of money I bring with me; also a pair of bracelets, estimated at seventy pieces, and some other instruments of woman's adornment, of eighty pieces in all: which all I had received from my parents and from the inheritance of my former wife. Reckoning all these into one, and finding that twenty pieces moreover were lacking, for completing the sum which the woman needed, I brought my theatrical toga and a chlamys of striped byssus, procured for the uses of the harmful and base spectacles, and some other things, and the very bullae which I wore about my neck: and wrapping all together in a little linen cloth, I gave it to her saying; I know not indeed, woman, who or whence thou art, nor do I greatly desire to know: have all these for thyself, and go in peace, having bestowed on her all that he had. and beseech God for me a sinner with thy prayers, that in the day of the supreme judgment He may have mercy on me. Then her endowed with all that I had brought, I let depart in peace. This is the one thing rightly done by me, I think, as long as I have lived, which I have narrated to no mortal ever, God being witness, save to thy sanctity, when so it was necessary. These things understood Theodulus cast himself at the feet of the man with a groan, and; Of me, said he, man of God, show thyself mindful when into those glorious and eternal tabernacles thou shalt have been received; of me, I say, a sinner, the memory, I pray, lay not aside; for the Lord knows indeed who are His. And thus bidding farewell he dismissed him, rendering immortal thanks to the supreme Deity for the most beautiful and most useful meeting.

[19] Cornelius being dismissed, to his column, not without the peculiar aid and command of God Himself, Which heroic charity Theodulus admiring Theodulus betook himself; above all things extolling the merciful and benign God with praises, and observing his accustomed rule. A period of five years thence being passed upon the column, a voice unexpectedly came to him saying: Come, Theodulus, and henceforth rest: for thee the kingdom of heaven is already prepared, a great multitude of Angels, of the Just, of Prophets, and of Saints awaits thee: there awaits thee also Cornelius the citharist: for he one year before had now closed his last day. His hands therefore lifted to heaven, the notable servant of God; Lord, said he, Jesus Christ, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. Which said, he suddenly delivered his soul through the holy Angels to be presented to the Creator. after five years he dies holily. After which all the Bishops and Hegumens of that region coming together into one, monks also and laymen, paid the due rites to the deceased, and in that very place laid his sacred body; at which not a few even to this day recover their health. In this manner therefore consummating his course and keeping the faith, admirable among Angels and men, Theodulus was aggregated to the supernal powers, pouring forth his prayers for us without rest to Christ the Saviour, to whom be honor and dominion, together with the immortal Father and the adorable and life-giving Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

ANNOTATA.

EPITOME OF THE LIFE

From the Greek Manuscript Synaxary of the Clermont College of the Society of Jesus.

Interpreter the same Fr. Daniel Cardonus.

St. Theodulus, formerly Prefect of the City of Constantinople, Monk, Stylite, at Edessa in Syria.

FROM THE GREEK MANUSCRIPT.

[1] Οὗτος ὑπῆρχεν ἐπὶ τῆς Βασιλείας Θεοδοσίου τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου καὶ μεγάλου Βασιλέως, Πατρίκιος ἀνὴρ, πᾶσῃ ἀρετῇ καὶ συνέσει κεκοσμημένος· οὗ τινος τὸ πρᾷον, καὶ τὸν ἔνθεον ζῆλον, καὶ τὸ καθαρὸν τοῦ βίου, καὶ ἀνεπίληπτον βλέπων ὁ Βασιλεὐς, εἰς τὴν τῆς ἐπαρχήτητος ἀρχὴν

προεστήσατο αὐτόν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐσκόπει καὶ μάλιστα παρὰ τῶν δυναστευώντων γινομένας ἁρπαγὰς καὶ πλεονεξίας, καὶ πᾶσαν ἐπιβοσκομένην κακίαν ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις, μὴ στέγων ὁρᾷν αὐτοὺς, ἀπεβάλλετο τὴν ἀρχήν· πολλὰ καὶ τοῦ Βασιλέως αὐτὸν ἱκετεύσαντος καὶ τῆς γυναικὸς μὴ ἀνεχομένης· οὔπω γὰρ διῆλθον χρόνοι δύο, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἡμέρας συνεζεύχθησαν.

[2] Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ συντόμως μετέστη τοῦ βίου, αὐτὸς λαβὼν πᾶσαν τὴν περιουσίαν αὐτῆς, ὑπάρχουσαν λιτρῶν πεντακουσίων πεντήκοντα, χήραις καὶ ὀρφανοῖς διέδωκε, καὶ μοναστηρίοις καὶ γηροκομίοις καὶ ξενῶσι τὰ πλεῖστα παρέσχετο· ὡς αὐτῶς καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ὕπαρξιν καλῶς διέθηκεν, ἄπειρον οὖσαν· καὶ τῆς βασιλίδος ἀπᾴρας, τὴν Ἔδεσαν καταλαβὼν, καὶ ἐπί τινος κίονος ἀναβὰς, ἔτος ἄγων τῆς ἡλικίας σαρακοστὸν δεύτερον, τὸν μοναστὴν ὑπῆλθε βίον, τῇ σκληραγωγίᾳ καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἀσκητικοῦ βίου τραχύτητι κατατρύχων τὸ σῶμα. Τριάκοντα δὲ χρόνοις ἐν τῷ κίονι πληρώσας καὶ θείων χαρισμάτων καταξιοθεὶς, οὐκέτι μετελάμβανε τροφῆς παχυτέρας, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ μόνον κατὰ κυριακὴν τοῦ τιμίου σώματος τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ αἵματος καὶ μικρόντι τῆς ἁγίας ἀναφορᾶς.

[3] Καὶ οὕτως διετέλεσεν ὁ ἀδάμας ἑπτά που μῆνας ἐπὶ σαράκοντα καὶ δύο ἔτεσι. Μετὰ ταῦτα ὠχλήθη, ὡς ἔλεγεν, ὑπὸ λογισμῶν· καὶ παρεκάλη τὸν Θεὸν, Δέσποτα φιλάνθρωπε, φάσκων, εἴγε τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ ἐνδόξῳ σου ὀνόματι εὐηρέστησα, ἐμφάνισόν μοι τῷ δούλῳ σου, τίνι τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ κακοπαθησάντων δία τὸ σὸν ὄνομα παρεξῃτάσθην. Καὶ θεία φωνὴ πρὸς αὐτὸν, Ἴσχυε καὶ ἀνδρίζου, λέγουσα, ἠγαπημένε Θεόδουλε, ἶσος γὰρ ἐ͂ι ἐν τῇ βασιλείαᾳ μου μετὰ Κορνηλίου τοῦ μίμου, τοῦ λεγομένου Πανδούρου, τοῦ ἀπὸ Δαμασκοῦ τῆς πόλεως. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ γέρων, ἐξέστη, ἀθυμίᾳ παραλυθείς· καὶ κατελθὼν τοῦ κίονος, τὸν Κορνήλιον κατέλαβε, καὶ τοῖς πόσιν κυλινδούμενος ἐζήτει μαθεῖν τὴν αὐτοῦ πολιτείαν. Ὁ δὲ ἀναγκαζόμενος ἐξεῖπεν, Ἐγώ, φησι, Πάτερ, ἐκ νηπίου μίμοις καὶ ἀγύρταις συναναστραφεὶς, πάντα τὸν χρόνον ἐκεῖθεν ἐννοῶν τὰ τῆς ζωῆς μου ἐφόδια, καὶ ὀψέποτε εἰς ἔννοιαν ἐλθὼν τῶν πολλῶν μου κακῶν καὶ τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως, πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἀπεσχόμην, καὶ τοῦ καθαροῦ βίου κατὰ τό δυνατὸν ἐπιμελοῦμαι, τῆσ ἐλεημοσύνης φροντίζων, ὡς δὲ ἐνέκειτο.

[4] Καὶ πάλιν ὁ γέρων παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐνορκῶν εἰπεῖν καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς· Ἄκουσόν μου, δέσποτα καὶ κύριε, ἔφη· γυνή τις περιφανὴς καὶ δόξῃ κοσμουμένῃ καὶ κάλλει περιαστραπτομένη, ἀνδρί τινι πρὸς γάμον ἐξεδόθη· ὃς ἀκολάστου καὶ δαπανηρᾶς τυχῶν προαιρέσεως, οὐ μόνον τῆς γυναικὸς τὴν περιουσίαν κατηνάλουσε, καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερα προσδανεισάμενος, κατέφαγε· διὸ καὶ τῇ εἱρκτῇ ἐνεκλείσθη πολὺν χρόνον, ἀπαμύθητον τῇ γυναικὶ συμφορὰν ἐπενεγκών· Ἤ τις βλέπουσα τὸν ἐλεεεινὸν ἐκεῖνον λιμαγχονούμενον, καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπελέγετο, ὅ μεν ἤρξατο προσαιτεῖν, ὡς ἐπὶ τρυτάνης σαλεύουσα τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ φοβουμένη τὸν τῆς πορνείας ὄλισθρον, διὰ τὸ ἐ͂ιναι εὐπρόσωπον.

[5] Ταύτῃ περιτυχὼν ἐγὼ, δἳηπόρον πρὸς τὸ ξένον τοῦ θαύματος, ὅτι τὰς μὲν χεῖρας ἥπλου πρὸς τὸ λαβεῖν, τὸ δὲ πρόσωπον ἐ͂ιχεν ὀπισθοφανῶς. Μαθὼν δὲ τὴν αἰτίαν, ἠλέησα τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ δακρύων ἐ͂ιπον, Πόσον τὸ χρέος, γῦναι. Ἡ δὲ τετρακόσια νομίσματα, δέσποτα. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἀκριβολογήσας ἑαυτὸν, εὗρον παρ᾽ ἐμαυτῷ νομίσματα διακόσια τριάκοντα· καὶ μὴ ἀρκοῦντα πρὸς τὸ ποσὸν, διαπωλήσας τοίνυν κινητὰ τινα εἴδη καὶ κόσμια, συνήγαγον ἕτερα νομίσματα ἑβδομήκοντα· καὶ πάλιν ἐ͂ιδον ἐλλείποντα, ἐκβαλὼν τῶν ἐνδυμάτων τὰ κάλλιστα, καὶ τὸν περιτραχήλιον ὀρμίσκον, καὶ σινδόνι περιειλήσας, δέδωκα εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῆς γυναικὸς, εἰπών· Λάβε ταῦτα, γῦναι, καὶ ἄπελθε ἐν εἰρήνῃ, καὶ τὸν σὸν ἄνδρα τῆς φυλακῆς ἐλευθέρωσον, δυσωποῦσα ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας τὸν φιλάνθρωπον Θεὸν ἐλεῆσαί με ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας Θεόδουλος, καὶ θαυμάσας, τῷ Θεῷ εὐχαρίστησε· καὶ πάλιν ἀνελθὼν ἐπὶ τοῦ κίονος, καὶ μικρὸν ἐπιβιώσας χρόνον, μετὰ χρηστῆς ἐλπίδος ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ παρέθετο.

[1] He, the great Theodosius reigning, a most pious Emperor, was conspicuous in patrician dignity. He was a man most adorned with every virtue; whose gentleness, and piety toward God, The Prefecture of the city of Constantinople being abdicated and finally his pure and inculpable mode of living when the Emperor had observed, he wished to employ the man for undertaking the office of the Prefecture of Constantinople. But he himself, having perceived the robberies which were committed especially by the authority of the more powerful, and the immoderate zeal of the same in acquiring, and by what reasoning a certain immense perversity as it were fed upon that kind of mortals; not enduring any longer to dwell among them, resolved of his own accord and willingly to yield the Prefecture, although both the Emperor with many prayers attempted to retain him, and the man's wife herself by no means seemed likely to come into that counsel. Two years had not yet passed, from the time when by the bond of matrimony they had been joined.

[2] But when out of this life suddenly the wife of Theodulus migrated, and his wife being dead, he distributes all to the poor. he immediately, by the death of his wife all the goods left to him, comprising five hundred and fifty pounds in all, distributed among widows and orphans, not a small part of them also being granted to monasteries, old-age homes, and hospices of poor strangers: then all his own substance, which was almost immense, he in not a dissimilar reasoning laudably expended. Then departing from the royal City he came to the city of Edessa, near which ascending a column, when he was passing the forty-second year of his age, he took up the monastic mode of living, and ascending a column, to bear whose harshness and trouble of institute he hardened his own body. Thirty whole years being passed on the column, and held worthy of many prerogatives divinely, he no longer fed on any coarser food, he lives with the greatest abstinence. but only on the Lord's days took the most holy body and blood of the Lord, and a little something of the sanctified foods.

[3] And in this manner he completed seven months above forty-two years. Afterward moved in mind by various and those most troublesome thoughts, he thus prayed God; Lord, said he, most ardent lover of men, if I have merited to please Thy holy and glorious name, this, I pray, be not grieved to indicate to me Thy servant, to which of those, who in this life for Thy name do and suffer troublesome things, After 42 years he understands himself to be equal to Cornelius the mime: I am to be likened. And behold a certain divine voice was immediately heard saying; Be comforted, and be strong, beloved Theodulus; since to Cornelius the mime, whom men surname the Citharist, and who dwells in the city of Damascus, in the kingdom of heaven thou art not to be held inferior. This response received the old man, fainting in mind, was vehemently astonished. Then descending from the column, he came at last to Cornelius himself; casting himself at whose feet, he greatly strove to know, what kind of life at last that man followed. Compelled by the prayers of Theodulus he at last thus answered; I, Father, from the first years of my life always educated among mimes and mountebanks, from them received the first principles of living. Then on a certain evening, when I had begun to think of all my crimes and sins, and the supreme judgment to be instituted someday; him therefore questioned about his life, detesting the things ill done by me, I asked pardon of them, and took up a better mode of living, as far as in me was, distributing many alms among the needy.

[4] But when the Old man urged even more, and besought, that he should pass over nothing unsaid. Cornelius, what had followed thereafter, Hear, if thou wilt, he answered, my Lord. A woman I know not who, sprung of illustrious family, and conspicuous no less by dignity than by a certain notable beauty, he hears of a most needy woman, fell to a certain man as wife; who, since he led his life too intemperately and prodigally, consumed not only the wife's and all his own faculties, but also many other things received borrowed from money-lenders. For which cause cast into prison, a long time there he was detained, not without the vast feeling of the woman whom I mentioned. But she, as she beheld her husband struggling with hunger, refused no peril for his sake. She undertook therefore to collect monies by begging; in mind, not otherwise than if it had been placed in a balance, wavering, on account of the fear which she had, lest on account of her notable beauty she should be demanded by someone for a crime.

[5] On this woman when I had by chance fallen, I was utterly astonished at the strangeness of the spectacle, that he bestowed all his own. that she both stretched out her hand to beg alms, and turned her face backward. But after I learned the cause of so great a calamity from her, I was not a little moved in mind: and weeping; How much, said I, woman, of debt has been contracted by thy husband? Of four hundred, answered she, pieces, my Lord. Then I, having diligently searched my faculties, found that with me were two hundred and thirty pieces, which by no means sufficed for paying so great a debt. Some movable goods therefore and ornaments being sold, I made up another sum of money of seventy pieces. And when I beheld much still lacking, the more precious garments which I had and the necklace which I wore on my neck casting into one bundle, I delivered all into the hands of the calamitous woman, and said: Have all these for thyself, woman, and go in peace, and free thy husband from prison; pray also to God with all thy heart for me, that in the day of the supreme judgment He may have mercy on me. These things hearing Theodulus and exceedingly admiring, paid thanks to the divine goodness. Then the column being ascended again, not a long time was he among the living, but full of good hope a little after delivered his spirit to God in peace.