Marcian

ON ST. MARCIAN, MONK, IN THE DESERT OF CHALCIS,

ABOUT THE END OF THE FOURTH CENTURY.

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.

Marcian, hermit, in Chalcis. (S.)

BY G. V. H.

§ I. Of the country, family, age and biographer of St. Marcian.

God, who is honored in the honors of his saints, has by a special care of his providence brought it about that the excellent deeds of those saints whose manner of life seems to surpass the infirmity of human nature should be committed to writing by those men The life of St. Marcian was written by Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus, whose authority would find the greatest belief among posterity. Thus the great Athanasius handed down that great Anthony, and Jerome Paul of Thebes and Hilarion, to live on perpetually in written monuments, so that the greatness of their deeds, supported also by an equal weight of authority in the writers, might come down to posterity. For they were illustrious in knowledge and experience of spiritual things, outstanding in judgment and learning, and contemporaries or near-contemporaries of those whose lives they wrote, so that either they were eyewitnesses, or could learn the deeds of the fathers from faithful disciples and handle, as it were, the still warm footprints of those men. With equal good fortune we have received the deeds of St. Marcian written by Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus in Syria. Since his excellence in every kind of discipline is so great that he can be compared with the highest men of the Church, he is a witness such as ought to be held most fit for knowing the facts, and he lived at that time and dwelt in those places, and enjoyed those circumstances of things and persons, so that the truth of the matter could by no means escape him. From Theodoret therefore we shall draw whatever has been handed down to memory about Marcian. He treats of St. Marcian twice: once mentioning the man's praises in passing, again recounting his deeds on purpose. The earlier passage is in book IV of the Ecclesiastical History, ch. 25: Ἦσαν δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν τὰς τῆς μοναχικῆς φιλοσοφίας ἀφιέντες μαρμαρυγάς. Ἐν μὲν τῇ Χαλκιδέων ἐρήμῳ Ἄβιτος καὶ Μαρκιανὸς καὶ Ἀβραάμης, καὶ ἕτεροι πρὸς τούτοις οὐκ εὐαρίθμητοι, ἐν παθητοῖς σώμασι τὴν ἀπαθῆ βιοτὴν μελετῶντες. There were also others at that time who shone with the brightness of the monastic life. In the desert of Chalcis. Avitus and Marcian and Abraames, and others scarcely to be numbered, who in passible bodies practiced a life free of disturbance Migne, P. G., vol. LXXXII, p. 1190..

[2] in the Religious History. Marcian, born in the city of Cyrus The other passage is the third chapter of the Religious History Φιλόθεος Ἱστορία (Migne, ibid., p. 1324 ff.)., which we shall hereafter transcribe entire in place of Acts. From this source flows whatever has become known about Marcian's most praiseworthy manner of life and his miracles. From which, when we have learned the holy man's age, country and family, we shall at the same time be able to judge how great is the weight of Theodoret's authority in narrating these things. Marcian, he says, had as his country Cyrus, which we have mentioned before. And the city of Cyrus, which he had mentioned before in ch. 2, is two days' journey distant from Antioch, as he himself notes in the same place; which distance agrees with the Peutinger Table, where it is noted thus: Antioch XII. Gephyra, XXII. Gendarum, XXXVI. Cyrrus (thousands of paces, namely). And this Cyrus, called Κύρος, is said by Procopius De aedif., bk. II, ch. XI. to have been founded by the Jews in honor of Cyrus the liberator; which indeed seems a fable. For of old it was called not Κύρος, but Κύῤῥος, in emulation of the city so named in Macedonia, as Cellarius well thinks Notitia orbis antiqui seu Geographia antiqua, bk. III, ch. XII, no. 49.. Certainly Ptolemy and Stephanus, Pliny and Tacitus write not Κύρον or Cyrus, but Κύῤῥον and Cyrrhus. And it is the capital of the Cyrrhestic region, of interior Syria, between Seleucis, Commagene and the Euphrates ibid..

[3] of a distinguished family, From this Cyrus, then (for so it began thereafter to be called by the Christians), Marcian came, of a distinguished family, most famous among the people of Cyrus before and after Marcian. For Theodoret says thus: Despising the fame of his family, which he drew from the patricians, and the splendor of the palace, in which he flourished, … he transferred his whole love to God and divine things. Τῆς γὰρ τοῦ γένους καταφρονήσας περιφανείας, ἐξ εὐπατριδῶν γὰρ κατήγετο, καὶ τῆς ἐν βασιλείοις λαμπρότητος, ἐν ἐκείνοις γὰρ ἤνθει … εἰς Θεὸν καὶ τὰ Θεοῦ τὸ φίλτρον μετέθηκε. And a little later the same Theodoret reports that a son of Marcian's sister, while Marcian was living, obtained the principate of the city of Cyrus and flourished in riches. To the splendor of his family outstanding gifts of body and mind added an outstanding ornament. For he was, on the same Theodoret's authority, endowed by the author of nature with tallness of body and beauty, and strong in prudence of mind: Μέγεθος σώματος καὶ κάλλος παρὰ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ δεξάμενος τῆς φύσεως, καὶ ψυχὴν ἔχων ἀγχινοίᾳ κεκοσμημένην. This excellence of body he afflicted with perpetual fasting, and compressed it in the incredible narrowness of a little cell, having obtained an almost divine prudence of mind.

[4] he lived in the fourth century, In what year Marcian was born, or in what year he died, Theodoret has nowhere noted. But the time at which, flourishing in holiness, he was living in his little cell is accurately known from men contemporary with him, who gathered into the desert to visit the most blessed man: among whom was Flavian, the great bishop of Antioch, the same who went to the emperor Theodosius and carried out an embassy for the safety of the city of Antioch. But neither did Theodoret record Marcian's age. Whence it comes about that the course of the most holy man's life cannot be defined by us in certain numbers of years. It is certain that the whole life of Marcian is contained within the limits of the fourth century; unless perhaps he lived more than ninety years: for then he could have been born at the end of the third century. Which is established thus. "Theodoret wrote the Religious History, as Garnier has most learnedly proved Dissert. II on the books of Theodoret (P. G., vol. LXXXIV, p. 238 ff.)., not later than the year 445, in which year he sent a letter to Eusebius Letter 83 (Migne, P. G., vol. LXXXIII, p. 1266).: for in it he makes mention of it (under the title "Lives of the saints") as of a work widely known, and so published a year or two before. For how else would he prudently appeal to it, as to a witness of his faith, against his adversaries and judges?

"How much earlier? Certainly not before the year 437 or 438, in which Acacius of Beroea died: for a certain judgment is reached about his death from the fact that in the Encomium of Julian he is said to have held the episcopate for fifty-eight years. For it is known from this that he died in the year 437 or 438, since he was ordained in the year 378 or 379. In what definite year, then, of that six-year period which elapsed between the death of Acacius and the letter to Eusebius? It can be easily answered, if we believe Theodoret; and it is right to believe him before others, since he narrates things which he saw, and which he learned from those whose deeds he narrates.

"When he was writing the Life of Simeon Stylites, he relates that he had already passed twenty-eight years since he began to eat once in every forty days; and he began, after he had spent two years from his conversion with certain monks, ten in the monastery of Heliodorus. Since therefore Evagrius teaches that Simeon lived fifty-six years from his conversion, and since nearly all admit that the holy ascetic died in the year 460, he must have been converted in the year 404. If therefore to the years 404 there be added twelve, spent partly among the monks, partly with Heliodorus, and if there be added also the twenty-eight which had flowed by since he undertook the fast, at the time Theodoret was writing, the result is the year 444, in which the Religious History was composed." So Garnier, whom we have faithfully rendered, one slip of memory however being emended: for instead of Julian he had written James of Nisibis. Which error Schulze increased more shamefully, referring in a note on that passage of Garnier to the other James (of whom ch. 21 of the Religious History). He has therefore learned to his cost that what he had written in his dissertation on the Life and Writings of Theodoret Migne, ibid., vol. LXXX, p. 60. was not true, saying: The usefulness that is gained from the reading of this book is less, since it contains nothing besides the Lives of ascetics, and so calls for readers who are curious rather than desirous of learning. For if Schulze himself had read it, he could have learned from such great examples humility of mind, so as not to spurn so proudly Garnier, much more learned than himself, and at the same time could have learned from the Life of Julian in what way to raise up Garnier, innocently slipping in memory, lest, as they say, he should fall from Charybdis into Scylla.

[5] and he died within Having found, then, the year 444 in which Theodoret composed the Religious History, we can ascend more closely to the year of the death of our Marcian. For Theodoret narrates there, ch. 3, that St. Marcian was visited by five bishops: by the bishops Flavian of Antioch, Acacius of Beroea, Isidore of Cyrus, Eusebius of Chalcis, Theodotius of Hierapolis. Which surely happened after the beginning of the year 381; for in that year Flavian was ordained

in the second general synod; and not long after the synod, for shortly after Theodotius of Hierapolis departed from life. Wherefore, says Garnier Dissert. II on the books of Theod. no. 111 (Migne, P. G., vol. LXXXIV, p. 247)., it seems to have occurred in that very year 381, in which year, namely, those prelates returning from the second synod, for the sake of piety, visited the man famous for holiness, located near Antioch.

[6] between the years 381 and 391. In the same chapter 3 Theodoret writes that the body of St. Marcian remained hidden for fifty or more years after the blessed man's death and was only then at last found, and placed in a coffin. Let us then establish fifty-three years between the death of Marcian and the year 444, in which Theodoret wrote this: thus the blessed man's death falls in the year 391, which is the tenth after the visit of the five bishops. Whence we conclude with full certainty that St. Marcian passed to the blessed court of heaven between the years 381 and 391, and thus as the fourth century was tending toward its end.

[7] Theodoret is most worthy of belief, who nearly touched Marcian in age, We said at the beginning that Theodoret is most worthy to have belief given him in what he committed to written record concerning Marcian. For in the Religious History he did not write down things distant from his own time by a long interval of years, but the Lives of those saints, he says, who shone a little before us and in our own times Ch. I, in the Life of James (P. G., vol. LXXXII, p. 1294)., being about to narrate those things which, he says In the prologue, ibid., partly we ourselves saw, partly we believed from the narration of those who had seen and were imitating their life. That Marcian lived not long before Theodoret is surely clear from what has been said, and perhaps the latter had already been born when Marcian died. For Theodoret was born according to Garnier Dissert. I (Migne, P. G., vol. LXXXIV, p. 90). in the year 386: therefore within the decade in which we have placed the holy man's happy passing.

[8] and who, having lived among monks from infancy, perhaps lived in a monastery The family of Theodoret was on familiar terms with monks; and he himself, brought up from boyhood in the monastery of St. Euprepius near Antioch in Syria, and therefore near the training-ground of Marcian, could not but have enjoyed from his earliest age the narration of the life of those outstanding men whose renowned fame for holiness was spread throughout all Syria. Perhaps he even lived in one of the two monasteries founded near Apamea by disciples of St. Marcian. For in the Letter to the Patrician Anatolius Migne, P. G., vol. LXXXIII, p. 1330, letter 119., he called the monastery of Apamea his own: But if he does not yield to these your prayers, let him at least order me to live in our monastery, τὸ ἡμέτερον μοναστήριον, which indeed is distant from the Cyrrhestica one hundred and twenty miles, from Antiochene territory seventy-five, and is three miles distant from the city of Apamea. And in the Synodicon against the Tragedy of Irenaeus, ch. 56 (which is the letter of Theodoret to Bishop Alexander): Let your holiness know that I am so far from thinking that anything pleasant is coming, that I have given instructions to the archimandrite of my monastery about a cell to be built for me Migne, P. G., vol. LXXXIV, p. 675.. And since Theodoret said more than once that before his episcopate he always lived in a monastery Migne, P. G., vol. LXXXIII, namely: Letter 80 (p. 1257), letter 81 (p. 1261)., it is evident that the monastery of St. Euprepius near Antioch alone is not meant: for how could he have called "our" monastery that monastery which is three miles distant from the city of Apamea, if he had lived only in the other?

[9] founded by a disciple of Marcian, and he was bishop of Cyrus, Marcian's country. Now a disciple of Marcian had built both monasteries at Apamea, in a village named Nicerta. This was Agapetus, from whom one of the monasteries took its name. The other is called after Simeon. In these, in Theodoret's time when he was writing the life of Marcian, over four hundred men were living. Of whose institution, he says In the Life of Marcian., the legislators were Agapetus and Simeon, who had received their laws from the great Marcian. There is plain, therefore, the manifest credibility of him who could have heard the life of the master Marcian from Agapetus. Moreover Marcian, as we have said, a native of the city of Cyrus, must have left a lively memory of himself. In the same city Marcian's nephew had obtained the principate. Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus, could therefore have learned the deeds of the holy man from his own people of Cyrus, and perhaps from Marcian's own kinsmen. If to all these things there be added the very great familiarity of Bishop Theodoret with the greatest and holiest monks, no one can doubt that he was furnished with all aids for tracking down and writing out the truth. On so great a witness and author, therefore, let the kindly reader securely receive the illustrious life of St. Marcian. It is added that no one has ever failed to make much of this Religious History, of which the Life of Marcian is a part, if you except only heretics and impious men, to whom, in these splendors of outstanding holiness, there happened what happens to owls gazing at the sun. But let no one spurn the sun, because owls cannot bear its rays.

§ II. Of the cult of St. Marcian.

The holiness of Marcian was renowned That St. Marcian was praised by the mouth of all as a most holy man is established first from the History of Theodoret. For the author himself, both before he undertakes to write the Lives, invokes the suffrage of those whose lives he is about to write, and at the beginning of the Life of Marcian compares him with Elijah and John the Baptist. Again at the end he says: I pray and beseech that by the intercession of all these I may obtain divine help. All these are Marcian and some of his chief disciples.

[11] both in life The people's opinion of the excellent virtue and holiness of Marcian was so great that while the holy man was still living they built oratories in many places to receive his relics after his death. This Marcian's own sister's son did in the city of Cyrus; in Chalcis a certain Zenobiana, others elsewhere. Marcian, anxiously thwarting this premature eagerness to seize him, took care that his disciple Eusebius should commit the body of his master to a tomb unknown to all. Of which matter Eusebius employed only two witnesses; and he buried his master before he made public his death.

[12] and after his death, In vain for fifty years and more did the pious multitude of the people seek the tomb, until at last, the relics of other saints having been brought into the aforesaid oratories, the only one remaining of the three witnesses revealed the tomb of the blessed Marcian. And then, says Theodoret, the heirs of the little cell and of the teaching translated the remains of the precious body into a stone chest constructed two years before. It is credible, then, that immediately after the happy death of Marcian, as soon as, to use the words of Theodoret, the excellent victor departed from life and the choir of angels placed that sacred and divine soul in the seats of the heavenly ones, a public cult of the holy man arose, nourished by the desire of those seeking his relics; and that at last, the body having been solemnly raised, it reached its summit, whose rays, afterwards spread through East and West, illumine the Church on earth.

[13] and this the martyrologies, both Latin The greatest document of the cult is that the name of St. Marcian was entered in the Roman Martyrology. There, on the fourth day before the nones of November, he is distinguished with the title of confessor: At Cyrus in Syria, of St. Marcian, confessor. The Menologium of Sirleto, on the 2nd day of the month of November, has the following elogium: On the same day, of our holy father Marcian from the city of Cyrus, a man distinguished in piety, who led the monastic life excellently.

[14] and Greek In the Menaia of Bartholomew of Koutloumousiou on the same day his memory is celebrated in these words: Μνήμη τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν Μαρκιανοῦ, τοῦ ἐν τῇ Κύρῳ, The memory of our holy father Marcian of Cyrus. In the Basilian menology, in the Constantinopolitan Calendar published by Morcelli, in the Eclogadion of Grottaferrata, in the Menaia of Grottaferrata, in the Typicon of St. Bartholomew of Grottaferrata, in the Capuan Menology in Toscano, the name of Marcian is not listed. There is also a profound silence about Marcian in both Greek martyrologies, the Jerusalem and the Helenopolitan, published by Scholz. In the Menaia of Bartholomew of Koutloumousiou, however, there is read the very narrative of Theodoret that we are going to give, reduced to a compendium. In the Metrical Martyrology, on the 19th day of the month of January, mention is made of a certain Martian, whom Bolland judged to be this our Marcian, since, finding him in the menaia of the Greeks, omitted on that day, he put him off to the fourth day before the nones of November. That Martyrology which Sieber collected from the menaia and from elsewhere has the following little verses on Marcian, which contain no praise. Χοῦς, Μαρκιανὲ, τυγχάνων εἰς χοὖν λύῃ· Τὸ δόγμα τοῦ πράσαντος οὐκ ἔχων λύειν.

Being earth, Marcian, you are dissolved into earth,

Not having strength to dissolve the Founder's decree.

[15] and the Annals of Baronius testify. The excellent holiness of Marcian Cardinal Baronius acknowledged, and wished it recorded in the Annals, writing thus at the year 384, no. 44: Moreover there lived about these times (rather, there died) another Marcian, a most holy monk in Syria near the city of Cyrus, of whom Theodoret tells more in the book on the Holy Fathers who love God (the Philotheus, or Religious History). Whose birthday, consecrated in perpetual memory, on the fourth day before the Nones of November, abides in the ecclesiastical tables. Now let the kindly reader hear the history of the blessed man, the light of hermits, from the mouth of Theodoret.

LIFE OF ST. MARCIAN

or ch. III of the Religious History of Theodoret (Migne, P. Gr., vol. LXXXIII, p. 1324 ff.) [We have divided the text of Theodoret into chapters according to our custom, keeping the Migne version of Gentian Hervet.].

Marcian, hermit, in Chalcis. (S.)

FROM THEODORET.

CHAPTER ONE.

The distinguished birth of St. Marcian, his solitary life, virtues and certain miracles performed by him.

Μαρκιανὸν δὲ τὸν πάνυ πῶς ἂν ἀξίως θαυμάσαιμεν; ἢ * δῆλον ὅτι Ἠλίᾳ καὶ Ἰωάννῃ, καὶ τοῖς κατ᾽ ἐκείνους συντάττοντες, οἳ περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιβόμενοι, κακουχούμενοι, ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος οὗτος, ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι, καὶ ὄρεσι, καὶ σπηλαίοις, καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς; Οὗτος γὰρ πατρίδα πάλαι μὲν ἔσχε τὴν Κῦρον, ἧς καὶ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθην, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὴν ἔρημον· καὶ ταύτην δὲ κἀκείνην καταλιπὼν, νῦν ἔχει τὸν οὐρανόν. Καὶ ἡ μὴν αὐτὸν ἐγέννησεν, ἡ δὲ ἔθρεψε καὶ νικηφόρον ἀπέφηνε, ὁ δὲ στεφανίτην ἐδέξατο.

[2] Τῆς γὰρ τοῦ γένους καταφρονήσας περιφανείας, ἐξ εὐπατριδῶν γὰρ κατήγετο, καὶ τῆς ἐν βασιλείοις λαμπρότητος, ἐν ἐκείνοις γὰρ ἢνθει, μέγεθος σώματος καὶ κάλλος παρὰ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ δεξάμενος τῆς φύσεως, καὶ ψυχὴν ἔχων ἀγχινοίᾳ κεκοσμημένην, εἰς Θεὸν καὶ τὰ Θεοῦ τὸ φίλτρον μετέθηκε, καὶ πᾶσιν ἐρρῶσθαι φράσας, καταλαμβάνει τῆς ἐρήμου τὸν ὀμφαλὸν, καὶ σμικρὸν οἰκίσκον δειμάμενος, οὐδὲ τῷ σώματι σύμμετρον, καὶ ἄλλῳ τε σμικρῷ τινι θριγκίῳ περιβαλὼν, καθεῖρκτο διηνεκῶς, πάσης μὲν συνουσίας ἀνθρωπίνης κεχωρισμένος, τῷ δὲ τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότῃ διαλεγόμενος, καὶ τῆς γλυκείας ἐκείνης ἐπαΐων φωνῆς. Τοῖς μὲν

γὰρ θείοις ἐντυγχάνων λογίοις, τῆς θείας φωνῆς ἀπολαύειν ἡγεῖτο· προσευχόμενος δὲ καὶ τὰς ἱκετείας προσφέρων αὐτὸς τὴν πρὸς τὸν Δεσπότην ἐποιεῖτο διάλεξιν. Καὶ τοσαύτης ἀεὶ τρυφῆς ἀπολαύων, κόρον λαβεῖν οὐκ ἐβούλετο. Ἤκουσε γὰρ τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος διὰ τοῦ μεγάλου Δαβὶδ ὑποψάλλοντος, ὡς “Ὁ μελετῶν ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς, ἔσται ὡς τὸ ξύλον τὸ πεφυτευμένον παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὑδάτων, ὃ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ φύλλον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀπορρυήσεται.” Τούτων τῶν καρπῶν ἐφιέμενος, τὸν ἥδιστον τοῦτον ἠσπάζετο πόνον, καὶ τὴν μὲν προσευχὴν ἡ ψαλμῳδία, τὴν δὲ ψαλμῳδίαν ἡ προσευχὴ διεδέχετο, καὶ ἀμφότερα πάλιν ἡ τῶν θείων λογίων ἀνάγνωσις.

[3] Σιτίον δὲ ἦν αὐτῷ μόνος ἄρτος, καὶ οὗτος σταθμῷ προσφερόμενος· τοσοῦτος δὲ ἦν ὁ σταθμὸς, ὡς μὴ παιδίῳ ἄρτι θηλῆς ἀπαλλαγέντι τὴν χρείαν πληροῦν. Φασὶ γὰρ τοῦ ἄρτου τὴν λίτραν τετραχῆ διαιρουμένην ἡμέραις τέτταρσι διανέμεσθαι, καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἑκάστῃ μίαν ἀπονέμεσθαι μοῖραν. Ἐκεκρίκει γὰρ ἑσπέρας κατὰ μίαν ἐσθίειν ἡμέραν, κόρον δὲ μηδέποτε λαβεῖν· ἀλλ᾽ ἀεὶ μὲν πεινῆν, ἀεὶ δὲ διψῆν, προσφέφειν δὲ τῷ σώματι τὰ εἰς τὸ ζῆν ἀποχρῶντα. Ἔλεγε γὰρ ὡς ὁ διὰ πλειόνων ἡμερῶν σιτίων μεταλαγχάνων, ἀσθενέστερον μὲν ἐν ταῖς τῆς ἀσιτίας ἡμέραις τὰς δεσποτικὰς λειτουργίας ἐπιτελεῖ· ἐν ᾗ δὲ πάλιν ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σιτίων μεταλαμβάνει, πλείονα, ὡς εἰκὸς, προσφερόμενος τὴν γαστέρα φορτίζει, βαρυνομένη δὲ αὕτη ὀκνηροτέραν περὶ τὴν ἀγρυπνίαν καθίστησι τὴν ψυχήν. Ἄμεινον τοίνυν ἔλεγε καθ᾽ ἡμέραν μεταλαυβάνειν τροφῆς, κόρον δὲ ὑπομεῖναι μηδέποτε. Ἀληθὴς γὰρ νηστεία ἡ διηνεκὴς ἔνδεια. Ταῦτα νομοθετῶν διετέλει ὁ θεῖος οὗτος ἀνήρ· καὶ σῶμα μέγιστον ἔχων καὶ τῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ πάντων ἀνθρώπων μέγιστος ὢν καὶ κάλλιστος, μικρῷ τοῦτο σιτίῳ διέτρεφε.

[4] Χρόνου δέ τινος διελθόντος, δύο συνοικους ἐδέξατο, Εὐσέβιον, ὃς τῆς ἱερᾶς ἐκείνης καλύβης κληρονόμος ἐγένετο, καὶ Αγαπητὸν, ὃς τὴν ἀγγελικὴν ταύτην νομοθεσίαν εἰς τὴν Ἀπαμέων μετεφύτευσε. Κώμη γάρ τίς ἐστι μεγίστη καὶ πολυάνθρωπος, Νικέρται δὲ ὄνομα ταύτῃ· δύο τοίνυν φιλοσοφίας ἐν ταύτῃ φροντιστήρια κατεσκεύασε μέγιστα· το μὲν τῆς αὐτοῦ προσηγορίας ἐπώνυμον, τὸ δὲ τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ Συμεώνου, ὃς πεντήκοντα ἐτῶν ἀριθμὸν ἐν ταύτῇ τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ διέλαμψεν. Ἐν τούτοις μέχρι καὶ τήμερον πλείους ἢ τετρακόσιοι διάγουσιν ἄνδρες, ἀρετῆς ἀθληταὶ καὶ εὐσεβείας ἐρασταί, καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῖς πόνοις ὠνούμενοι· θεσμοθέται δὲ ταύτης τῆς πολιτείας Ἀγαπητὸς καὶ Συμεώνης, παρὰ τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ τοὺς νόμους δεξάμενοι. Ἐκ δὲ τούτων μυρία ἐφυτεύθη ἕτερα ἀσκητῶν καταγώγια, τουτοισὶ τοῖς νόμοις κοσμούμενα, ἃ οὐ ῥᾴδιον ἀριθμεῖν. Ἀλλὰ φυτουργὸς τούτων ἁπάντων ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνήρ· ὁ γὰρ τὸ σπέρμα τὸ κάλλιστον παρασχὼν, οὗτος καὶ τῶν φύντων ἀγαθῶν αἴτιος ἂν εἰκότως κληθείη.

[5] Τὸ μὲν οὖν πρῶτον, ὡς ἔφην, μόνος τὴν ἐθελούσιον εἶχεν εἱρκτὴν ἐκείνην· ἔπειτα τοὺς δύο τούτους ὑποδεξάμενος, οὐ συνοίκους εἶχεν· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτῷ μόνῳ ὁ οἰκίσκος ἀπέχρη, σμικρὸς ὢν κομιδῇ, καὶ πολὺν αὐτῷ καὶ ἑστῶτι καὶ κατακειμένῳ παρέχων πόνον. Οὔτε γὰρ ἑστὼς ἀνορθοῦσθαι οἷός τε ἦν, τῆς ὀροφῆς καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸν αὐχένα καμπτούσης· οὔτε κατακλινόμενος ἐκτείνειν τοὺς πόδας ἠδύνατο, ἰσόμετρον τῷ σώματι τοῦ οἴκου τὸ μῆκος οὐκ ἔχοντος. Ἕτερον οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐπιτρέψας κατασκευάσαι, ἐν ἐκείνῳ διάγειν ἐκέλευσε, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς δὲ ὑμνεῖν καὶ προσεύχεσθαι, καὶ τοῖς θείοις ἐντυγχάνειν λογίοις.

[6] Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔδει πλείονας τῆς ὠφελείας ταύτης μεταλαχεῖν, ἕτερον πόρρωθεν οἰκοδομηθῆναι καταγώγιον παρεγγυήσας, ἐν ἐκείνῳ διάγειν τοὺς βουλομένους ἐκέλευεν. Ἡγεμόνευσε δὲ αὐτῶν ὁ Εὐσέβιος, τὴν τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ διδασκαλίαν διαπορθμέυων. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος ἐκεῖνος Ἀγαπητὸς παιδοτριβηθεὶς, ὡς ἔδει, καὶ γυμνασθεὶς, καὶ τὴν ἄθλητικὴν ταύτην ἄριστα παιδευθεὶς, ἐπανῆκεν, ὡς ἔφην, καὶ ἅ παρὰ τῆς θείας ἐκείνης ψυχῆς ἐδεξατο, κατέσπειρε σπέρματα· οὕτω δὲ περιφανὴς ἐγένετο καὶ περίβλεπτος, ὡς καὶ τῆς ἀρχιερατικῆς προεδρίας ἀξιωθῆναι καὶ ποιμενικὴν ἐγχειρισθῆναι κηδεμονίαν, καὶ τῆς οἰκείας πατρίδος ἐμπιστευθῆναι τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν.

[7] Εὐσέβιος δὲ ό θαυμάσιος, τῆς συναθροισθείσης προστατεύων ἀγέλης, καὶ τοῦ διδασκάλου τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἀνεδέδεκτο, καὶ μόνος εἰς καιρὸν αὐτῷ φοιτᾶν καὶ πυνθάνεσθαι μή τι βούλοιτο ἠξιοῦτο. Ἐθελήσας δέ ποτε νύκτωρ ἰδεῖν ὅ τι πράττει, ἐτόλμησε τῇ φωταγωγῷ, βραχεῖα δὲ ἦν αὕτη, πελάσαι· καὶ παρακύψας ὁρᾷ φῶς οὐ λυχνιαῖον οὐδὲ χειροποίητον, ἀλλὰ θεόσδοτον καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος, τῆς τοῦ διδασκάλου κορυφῆς ἀπαστράπτον, καὶ τῶν θείων λογίων ὑποδεικνύον τὴν τῶν γραμμάτων σύνθεσιν. Καὶ γὰρ βιβλίον κατέχων ἐτύγχανε, καὶ τὸν ἄσυλον θησαυρὸν ἐπεζήτει τοῦ θείου θελήματος. Τοῦτο θεασάμενος Εὐσέβιος ὁ θαυμάσιος, δέους τε ἐνεπίμπλατο, καὶ φρίκης μεστὸς ἐγίνετο, καὶ τὴν κατακεχυμένην τοῦ θείου θεράποντος ἐδιδάσκετο χάριν, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν περὶ τοὺς δούλους ἐμάνθανεν εὔνοιαν.

[8] Ἄλλοτε δὲ, ἐν τῷ προαυλίῳ τοῦ μεγάλου προσευχομένου Μαρκιανοῦ, δράκων τις ἀνερπύσας εἰς τὸν πρὸς ἕω τετραμμένον τοῖχον, ἄνωθεν τοῦ τοίχου διέκυψε κεχηνώς τε ἅμα καὶ βλοσυρὸν βλέπων, καὶ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν σημαίνων. Πόρρω δὲ ἑστὼς ὁ Εὐσέβιος, καὶ τὸ φρικῶδες ἐκεῖνο θέαμα δείσας, καὶ τὸν διδάσκαλον ἀγνοεῖν ὑποτοπάσας, ὑπεδείκνυ βοῶν, καὶ φυγεῖν ἀντιβολῶν. Ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας καὶ τὴν δειλίαν ἐκβαλεῖν κελεύσας, πάθος γὰρ εἶναι καὶ ταύτην ὀλέθριον, τὸ μέν σημεῖον δακτύλῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ προετύπωσε, ἐνεφύσησε δὲ τῷ στόματι, καὶ τὴν παλαιὰν παρεδήλωσεν ἔχθραν. Ὁ δὲ, καθάπερ πυρί τινι τῷ τοῦ στόματος πνεύματι ἀναφθεὶς, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐμπρησθεὶς, καλάμης δίκην καταφλεχθείσης εἰς πολλὰ διελύθη. Ὅρα μοι τοίνυν εἰ μὴ τὸν Δεσπότην ὡς εὔνους οἰκέτης μεμίμηται. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης, τῆς θαλάσσης ἐπιμανείσης ποτὲ τῷ σκάφει τῷ τῶν μαθητῶν, ἀγωνιῶντας τούτους θεασάμενος, οὐ πρότερον τῆς θαλάσσης τὴν ζάλην ἐστόρεσε, πρὶν ἢ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐπιτιμήσει καταπαύσοι τὴν ἀπιστίαν. Ἐντεῦθεν ὁ θαύμασιος οὗτος ταῦτα πεπαιδευμένος, πρῶτον τοῦ μαθητοῦ τὴν δειλίαν ἐξέλαβεν *, εἶθ᾽ οὕτως τὸ θηρίον τιμωρίᾳ παρέδωκε.

[9] Τοιαύτη τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ καὶ ἡ σοφία καὶ ἡ θαυματουργία, καὶ ἡ πρὸς Θεὸν παρρησία. Ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως καὶ τοιαύτης χάριτος ἠξιωμένος καὶ θαυματουργεῖν μεγάλα δυνάμενος, κρύπτειν ἐσπούδαζε τὴν ἰσχὺν, τοῦ λωποδύτου τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰς μηχανὰς ὑφορώμενος. Τὸ γὰρ τῆς ἀλαζονείας ὑποσπείρων πάθος, τοὺς πόνῳ συλλεγέντας καρποὺς λῃστεύειν ἐπιχειρεῖ. Καὶ κρύπτειν δὲ τὴν δεδομένην προθυμούμενος χάριν, ἄκων ἐθαυματούργει, τῆς τῶν κατορθωμάτων αἴγλης ἀπαστραπτούσης καὶ τὴν κεκρυμμὲνην δύναμιν παραγυμνούσης. Καὶ δήποτε τοιόνδε συνέβη γενέσθαι. Ἀνήρ τις τῶν εὐπατριδῶν, καὶ ἀρχὰς στρατιωτικὰς πολλάκις ἐγχειρισθεὶς, ἀπὸ Βεροίας τῆς Συρίας ὁρμώμενος, τῆς θυγατρὸς ἐπὶ χρόνῳ πολλῷ κορυβαντιώσης καὶ ὑπὸ πονηροῦ δαίμονος ἐνοχλουμένης καὶ λυττώσης, καταλαμβάνει τὴν ἔρημον, συνήθης μὲν ὢν τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ, συντεύξεσθαι δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀντιβολῆσαι διὰ τὴν προτέραν συνήθειαν προσδοκῶν. Ψευσθεὶς δὲ τῆς ἐλπίδος καὶ τῆς θέας διαμαρτὼν τοῦ θείου θεράποντος, ἱκετεύει τινὰ πρεσβύτην, ὃς κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ τὴν τοῦ θείου ἀνδρὸς διακονίαν ἐγκεχείριστο, μικρὸν ληκύθιον ἐλαίου πλῆρες ὑποδέξασθαί τε καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτὴν θεῖναι τοῦ οἰκιδίου τὴν θύραν. Ὁ δὲ πρεσβύτης, πολλάκις μὲν τὴν ἐγχείρησιν ἀρνηθεὶς, πολλάκις δὲ πάλιν παρακληθεὶς, ἥττων τῆς ἱκεσίας ἐγένετο. Τοῦ δὲ κτύπου αἰσθόμενος ὁ μέγας Μαρκιανὸς, ἐπυνθάνετο τίς τε εἴη καὶ τί δεόμενος ἥκοι. Ὁ δὲ τὴν μὲν ἀληθῆ πρόφασιν ἔκρυπτεν, ἐσκήπτετο δὲ ἀφῖχθαι ὡς μαθησόμενος μή τι κελεύοι· καὶ τοῦτο λέγων ἀπεπέμπετο. Ὑπὸ δὲ τὴν ἕω πάλιν τῆς κόρης ὁ πατὴρ ἱκέτευεν ἀποδοθῆναι αὐτῷ τὸ ληκύθιον. Ὁ δὲ δεδιὼς μὲν, ἀπῄει δ᾽ ὅμως ἡσυχῇ ᾗ ἠδύνατο, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα προτείνας καὶ τὸ ληκύθιον λαβὼν, ἐπειρᾶτο λανθάνειν· ὁ δὲ πάλιν ἐπύθετο τί βουλόμενος ἥκοι. Ὡς δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔφη πρόφασιν ἣν καὶ ἑσπέρας ἐδήλωσε, δυσχεράνας ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ, ἅτε δὴ παρὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς γεγενημένην, τοῦ πρεσβύτου τὴν ἄφιξιν, τἀληθῆ ἀπαγγέλλειν ἐκέλευεν. Ὁ δὲ δειμαίνων καὶ τρέμων, καὶ κρύπτειν τὸν τῆς θείας χάριτος ἀνάπλεων οὐ δυνάμενος, τίς τε ἥκοι ἐλεγε καὶ τοῦ πάθους τὴν τραγῳδίαν ἐδίδασκε, καὶ τὸ ληκύθιον ἐπεδείκνυ. Ὁ δὲ ἠγανάκτει μὲν, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν, δεικνύναι τὴν ἀρετὴν οὐ βουλόμενος, ἀπειλήσας δὲ ὅμως ὡς, εἰ αὖθις τοιαῦτα τολμήσειε, καὶ τῆς συνουσίας ἐκείνης στερηθήσεται καὶ τὴν διακονίαν ἀφαιρεθήσεσαι· μεγίστη δὲ ἦν ἡ ζημία τοῖς τὸ κέρδος ἐπισταμένοις· ἀπέπεμψεν, ἀποδοῦναι τῷ δεδωκότι κελεύσας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ταῦτα ἐκέλευε, τέτταρας δὲ σταθμοὺς ὁ δαίμων ἀφεστηκὼς τοῦ ἐξελαύνοντος ἐβόα τὴν δύναμιν· καὶ Μαρκιανὸς ἐν Βεροίᾳ τὰ δικαστῶν εἰργάζετο, δημίοις τισὶ κατὰ τοῦ δαίμονος χρώμενος, καὶ τὸν ἀλιτήριον ἐκεῖνον ἐξελαύνων καὶ τὴν κόρην καθαρὰν τῆς ἐνεργείας ἀποφαίνων ἐκείνης. Καὶ τοῦτο μεμάθηκεν ἀκριβῶς ὁ τῆς κόρης πατήρ· ἐπανιόντι γὰρ αὐτῷ, καὶ ὀλίγους τοῦ ἄστεος σταδίους ἀπέχοντι οἰκέτης τις ἀπήντησεν, εἰς ἀγρὸν ὑπὸ τῆς δεσποίνης ἀποσταλείς. Οὗτος τὸν δεσπότην θεασάμενος προσέφερε τῆς γεγενημένης θαυματουργίας τὰ εὐαγγέλια, πρὸ τεττάρων ἡμερῶν λέγων γεγενῆσθαι τὸ θαῦμα. Ἀριθμήσας τοῖνυν τὰς ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσας, ἐκεῖνον εἶναι μεμἀθηκεν ἐν ᾧ τὸ ληκύθιον ἐξεκόμισεν ὁ πρεσβύτης.

St. Marcian, born at Cyrus But how shall we praise according to his dignity the most celebrated Marcian? By comparing him, namely, with Elijah and with John and those like them, who went about in sheepskins and goatskins, being in want, afflicted, harassed, of whom this world was not worthy: wandering in solitudes and mountains and caves, and in the holes of the earth? For he once had Cyrus ^a as his country, which we have mentioned before, and afterwards the solitude: and now, having left this and that, he has heaven. And that one indeed bore him, this one nourished him and made him a victor, and heaven received him crowned.

[2] betook himself to the desert, where, living in a most narrow hut, For despising the fame of his family, which he drew from the patricians, and the splendor of the palace, in which he was flourishing, endowed by the author of nature with tallness of body and beauty, and strong in prudence of mind, he transferred his whole love to God and divine things and, having bid farewell to all, went to the midst of the solitudes, and having built a small little house which scarcely matched his body, and having surrounded it with another small enclosure, he remained there shut up continually, separated indeed from all human intercourse, but conversing with the Lord of all things, and listening to that sweet voice. For turning over the divine oracles, he considered that he was hearing the divine voice; and praying and offering supplications, he himself spoke with the Lord. And since he always enjoyed such great delights, never

did satiety seize him. For he had heard the divine Spirit singing through the mouth of David: "He who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night shall be like a tree planted beside the running waters, which shall yield its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not fall." Desiring those fruits, he embraced this most delightful labor; and psalmody followed prayer, and prayer psalmody, and both again the reading of the divine oracles.

[3] daily indeed, but only in the evening, and he used very little bread and water. And his food was bread alone, and that given by measure: and the measure was such as would not be enough even for an infant newly weaned from the milk. For they say that a pound of bread, divided into four parts, was distributed over four days, and one part assigned to each day. For he had resolved to eat daily in the evening, but never to be satiated, but always to hunger and always to thirst, and to supply to the body what would suffice to sustain life. For he said that one who takes food after a fast of many days both performs the Lord's duties more languidly on the days of fasting, and, on the day on which he takes food again, by putting in more, as usually happens, burdens the belly, and by this weighing down the soul is made slower to keep vigil. It was better therefore, he said, to eat daily, but never to wait for satiety. For true fasting is perpetual hunger. This law that divine man did not cease to set forth; and though he had a very large body and was the largest and most beautiful of all men of his time, he sustained it with scanty food.

[4] At first he had two disciples, After some space of time he admitted two companions, Eusebius ^b, who was the heir of that sacred hut, and Agapetus ^c, who carried these angelic laws over to Apamea ^d. For there is there a very large and populous village, Nicerta by name, in which he built two very large gymnasia of philosophy, of which one took its name from him, the other from the admirable Simeon, who shone in this discipline for a space of fifty years. In these today there live over four hundred men, athletes of virtue and lovers of piety, buying heaven with their labors. Of which institution indeed the legislators were Agapetus and Simeon, who had received their laws from the great Marcian. And from these moreover very many other dwellings of ascetics were propagated, using the same laws, which it would be difficult to enumerate. But the sower and planter of all these was that divine man. For he who has furnished the most beautiful seed is rightly to be called the author of the good things that spring from it.

[5] who lived under another roof. At first, then, as I have said, he alone kept that voluntary prison. Then, when he had admitted these two, they nevertheless did not live under the same roof. For the little house was not sufficient even for him alone, being very small, and bringing much labor whether he stood or lay. For he could neither stand upright, since the roof pressed on his head and neck, nor reclining stretch out his feet, since the little house did not match the length of his body. Allowing them therefore to build another, he ordered them to live in it and to say the hymns by themselves, and to pray, and to read the divine oracles.

[6] Afterwards he admitted more in a separate dwelling, over whom Eusebius presided. But when it became fitting that more should become partakers of this benefit, another dwelling having been built by his order at a distance, he ordered those who wished to live in it. Over these Eusebius was set, who handed on to them the teaching of the great Marcian. And the divine Agapetus, educated and trained as was fitting, and excellently instructed in this wrestling-school, departed, as I have said, and scattered the seeds that he had received from that divine soul: and he became so illustrious and famous that he was held worthy of the pontifical see, and the pastoral office was committed to him and the care of his own country entrusted.

[7] He saw St. Marcian surrounded by a heavenly light. The admirable Eusebius, moreover, presiding over the assembled flock, also took care of his master, and alone had the power of approaching him at his time and asking whether he wished anything. Desiring then by night to see what he was doing, daring to look in through the window, which was very small, he sees a light, not of a lamp nor made by hand, but divine and proceeding from supernal grace, shining over his master's head and showing the structure of the letters in the divine Writings. For he had a book in his hands and was searching the inviolable treasure of the divine will. When Eusebius had gazed on this, struck with great fear and stupefaction, he learned both the grace infused into the servant of God and with what benevolence God attends his servants.

[8] Marcian against demons Another time again, while Marcian was giving himself to prayer in the vestibule of the house, a certain dragon, which by crawling had climbed the part of the wall facing the east, looking out from on high, threatened plots with gaping mouth and fierce aspect. And Eusebius, standing at a distance and terrified at that horrendous spectacle, thinking that his master did not know of it, pointed it out to him, crying in a loud voice, asking him to flee. He, rebuking him and ordering him to drive out fear as a pernicious affection, traced with his finger the figure of the cross, and blowing with his mouth laid bare the old enmities. For at once the dragon, seized and burned by the breath of his mouth as by a kind of flame, like a burned reed was cut into many parts. See then whether he did not imitate the Lord as a kindly servant. For the Lord, when once the sea was raging against the little boat of the disciples and he saw them laboring, did not yet calm the surge of the sea before he had checked the unbelief of the disciples by rebuking it. Taught by this, the admirable man first shook fear from his disciple, then gave over the beast to punishment.

[9] he was strong with wonderful power. Such was the wisdom of the great Marcian and his power of miracles, and his confidence in God. But yet, though he was endowed with so much grace and could do great miracles, he was eager to conceal this power, holding suspect the wiles of the robber of virtues, who, sowing the vice of arrogance, tries to snatch away the fruits gathered by labor. Wherefore, eager to conceal the grace given him, he came unwillingly to the doing of miracles, while the radiance of his excellent works shone forth and made manifest the power that he was hiding. At a certain time, then, a thing of this kind happened. A certain man, born in a noble station and having often held military honors, a native of Beroea ^e, a city of Syria, since his daughter had for some time been raving and, harassed by an evil demon, was driven to madness, came into the solitude; and because he had been a familiar friend of the great Marcian, he hoped that because of their former acquaintance he would meet him and ask him in person. But, disappointed of his hope, since he was not allowed to see the servant of God, he asked a certain old man, to whom the ministry of the divine man was at that time committed, to take a small lecythus full of oil and lay it down at the door of the little house. When the old man had often said that he would not do this and was often asked again, overcome at last by prayers he yielded. Hearing the noise, the great Marcian asked who it was and for what reason he came. And he, concealing the true cause, pretended that he had come to ask whether he ordered anything: and, having said this, he was dismissed. And when toward dawn the girl's father again demanded that the little vessel be restored to him, the old man, not without fear, nevertheless went with the greatest silence he could, and stretching out his hand he took the lecythus and tried to escape notice. But he again asked for what reason he came. And when he put forward the same pretext as in the evening, the man of God, taking it ill, since he had approached contrary to custom, ordered him to answer truly. Then he, fearing and trembling, as one who could not escape the notice of him who was full of the grace of God, both said who had come, and set forth the whole tragedy of the disease, and showed the lecythus. The holy man took the matter ill, as became one who did not wish to show his power; and having threatened that, if he should dare such things again, he would be deprived of that acquaintance and ministry, which was the greatest punishment for those who knew this gain, he ordered him to go away, and to return the vessel to him who had given it. And these things he ordered. But the demon, four days' journey distant ^f, bore witness to the power of him who cast him out: and Marcian was acting the part of judge at Beroea, using certain executioners against the demon and expelling that wicked one, and rendering the girl free from his harassment. Which indeed by no means escaped the girl's father. For as he was returning, when he was a few stadia from the city, a servant met him, sent into the country by his mistress: who, when he saw his master, recounted the miracle, indicating that it had happened four days before. The days, then, being counted and the time more accurately examined, he found that it was that very time at which the old man had brought the lecythus.

ANNOTATIONS.

Some write Beroea as Theodoret does (βέροιαν), others Berrhoea (βέῤῥοιαν) with a double ρ. It is better written, however, with a single ρ, as on the coins. And the very city of Macedonia from which this city of the Syrians took its name is written not βέῤῥοια but βέροια in the Acts of the Apostles ch. XVII, 10, 13. Many hold that the modern emporium of Aleppo is the ancient Beroea, which in a later age was called Χάλεπ. See Cellarius, Geogr. Antiq. bk. III, ch. XII, no. 54.

* perhaps one should read ἦ so that the sense is: certainly, namely.

* perhaps for ἐξέβαλεν

CHAPTER TWO.

The manner of St. Marcian with friends and kinsmen. The cult shown to him. His disciples.

Εγὼ δὲ εἰς ἔννοιαν λαμβάνω τί οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασεν ὁ μέγας οὗτος ἀνὴρ, εἰ θαυματουργεῖν ἐβούλετο. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ κρύπτειν ἐσπουδακὼς ἣν ἐδέξατο χάριν, τοσαύτην αἴγλην ἠφίει, ποίαν οὐκ ἂν τετρατουργίαν ἐθελήσας εἰργάσατο; Οὕτω δὲ καὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν αὐτοῦ σοφίαν οὐχ ἅπασιν ἐδήλου, καὶ ταῦτα τὸ τελευταῖον μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους καὶ τῆς δεσποτικῆς ἀναστάσεως ἑορτὴν εἰσιέναι τοὺς βουλομένους εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπιτρέψας· ἀμέλει κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ἅπαντες ὁρᾶν αὐτὸν ἐσπούδαζον τὸν καιρόν.

[11] Καὶ δή ποτε ἀφίκοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν συναχθέντες τῶν ἀρχιερέων οἱ πρῶτοι, Φλαβιανὸς ὁ μέγας, τὴν Ἀντιοχέων ποιμαίνειν πεπιστευμένος, καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀκάκιος, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθην, Εὐσέβιός τε ὁ τῆς Χαλκιδέων καὶ Ἰσίδωρος ὁ τότε τὴν Κῦρον κυβερνᾶν πεπιστευμένος, ἀρετῇ διαπρέποντες. Συνῆν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ Θεόδοτος τῆς Ἰεραπολιτῶν κατέχων τὰς ἡνίας, ἀσκήσει καὶ πραότητι λάμπων. Παρῆσαν δέ τινες καὶ τῶν ἐν τέλει καὶ ἀξιώμασι, τῆς πίστεως τὸ ζώπυρον ἔχοντες. Πάντων τοίνυν σιγῇ καθημένων καὶ τὴν ἱερὰν ἐκείνου προσδεχομένων φωνὴν, σιγῶν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ πολὺ καθῆστο, ἀργῶν μὲν τὴν γλῶτταν, ἐνεργὸν δὲ ἔχων τὴν ἀκοήν. Τότε τις τῶν καθημένων, συνήθης ὢν αὐτῷ διὰ τὴν τὴς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν, καὶ ἄλλως δὲ ἀξιώματι λάμπων· “Ἅπαντες, ἔφη, ὦ πάτερ, καὶ οἱ θεῖοι πατέρες, τῆς σῆς διψῶντες διδασκαλίας, τὰ ἥδιστά σου προσμένουσι νάματα. Μετάδος * τοίνυν τοῖς παροῦσιν ἅπασι τῆς ὠφελείας, καὶ μὴ κωλύσῃς τοὺς τῆς εὐεργεσίας κρουνούς.” Ὁ δὲ μέγα στενάξας· “Ὁ τῶν ὅλων, ἔφη, Θεὸς καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν καὶ διὰ τῆς κτίσεως φθέγγεται καὶ διὰ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν διαλέγεται, καὶ παραινεῖ τὰ δέοντα καὶ εἰσηγεῖται τὰ συμφέροντα, καὶ ἀπειλαῖς δεδίττεται, καὶ προτρέπει ταῖς ὑποσχέσεσι· καὶ ὄνησιν οὐδεμίαν καρπούμεθα. Πῶς τοίνυν Μαρκιανὸς φθεγγόμενος ὠφελήσειε, τοσαύτην ὠφέλειαν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποπεμπόμενος καὶ ὄνησιν ἐκεῖθεν εὕρασθαι μὴ βουλόμενος;” Ἐντεῦθεν πολλοὶ μὲν παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἐκινήθησαν λόγοι, οὓς ἐνθεῖναι τῷ διηγήματι παρέλκον ἐνόμισα. Ἀναστάντες δὲ καὶ προσευξάμενοι, καὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης αὐτῷ τὴν χειροτονίαν ἐπιθεῖναι θελήσαντες, ἔδεισαν πάλιν τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν. Καὶ οὗτος ἐκείνῳ, ἐκεῖνος δὲ τούτῳ παρεκελεύετο· πάντες δὲ ὁμοίως παραιτησάμενοι, τὴν ἐπάνοδον ἐποιήσαντο.

[12] Ἀλλὰ γὰρ βούλομαι καὶ ἄλλο τούτοις προσθεῖναι διήγημα, τῆς θείας ὑπάρχον αὑτοῦ συνέσεως γνώρισμα. Ἄβιτός τις εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν ἔρημον τὴν ἀσκητικὴν καλύβην πρῶτος ἐπήξατο. Βορειοτέρα δὲ ταύτης ἐστὶ, καὶ μικρὸν πρὸς ἕω κειμένη, κατὰ τὸν ἀπαρκτίαν ἄνεμον, τὸν τῷ ἀφηλιώτῃ πελάζοντα. Οὗτος τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ καὶ χρόνῳ καὶ πόνῳ πρεσβύτερος ἦν, φιλόσοφος δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ, καὶ τῷ σκληρῷ βίῳ συντεθραμμένος. Οὗτος πανταχόθεν περιθρυλλουμένην τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καταμαθὼν ἀρετὴν, τῆς μακρᾶς * ἡσυχίας κερδαλεωτέραν εἶναι τὴν τοιαύτην θέαν νενομικὼς ἔδραμε σπεύδων ἰδεῖν τὸν ποθούμενον. Μαθὼν δὲ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἄφιξιν ὁ μέγας Μαρκιανὸς, τὴν θύραν ἀνοὶξας εἰσεδέξατο, Εὐσεβίῳ δὲ τῷ θαυμασίῳ παρηγγύησε καὶ ὄσπριον ἑψῆσαι καὶ λάχανον, εἴπερ ἔχοι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς ἀλλήλων διαλέξεως ἐνεπλήσθησαν καὶ τὴν ἀλλήλων κατέμαθον ἀρετὴν, κοινῇ τὴν τῆς Ἐννάτης ἐπετέλεσαν λειτουργίαν. Ἧκε δὲ Εὐσέβιος τράπεζαν φέρων καὶ ἄρτους προσφέρων. Ὁ δὲ μέγας Μαρκιανὸς τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Ἀβίτῳ· “Δεῦρο, ἔφη, πάντων μοι προσφιλέστατε, καὶ ταύτης κοινωνήσωμεν τῆς τραπέζης.” Ὁ δέ· “Οὐκ οἶδα, ἔφη, πώποτε πρὸ τῆς ἑσπέρας σιτίων μεταλαβὼν, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ δύο καὶ τρεῖς κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἄσιτος ἡμέρας διατελῶ.” Ὁ δὲ μέγας Μαρκιανός· “Ἐμοῦ γοῦν εἵνεκα, ἔφη, σήμερον ἀμειβέσθω τὸ ἔθος· ἀσθενῶς γὰρ τό σῶμα διακείμενος, προσμένειν τὴν ἑσπέραν οὐ δύναμαι.” Ὡς δὲ καὶ ταῦτα λέγων τὸν θαυμαστὸν Ἄβιτον οὐκ ἔπειθε, στενάξαι τε λέγεται καὶ φάναι· “Ἀλλ᾽ ἐγώ τε ἀθυμῶ λίαν καὶ δάκνομαι τὴν ψυχὴν, ὅτι τοσοῦτον ὑπέμεινας πόνον ἵνα τινὰ φιλόπονον καὶ φιλόσοφον ἴδῃς, καὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος ψευσθεὶς, κάπηλόν τινα καὶ ἄσωτον ἀντὶ φιλοσόφου τεθέασαι.” Ἀνιαθέντος δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα τοῦ θειοτάτου Ἀβίτου, καὶ φήσαντος ὡς κρεῶν μεταλάβοι ἄν ἥδιον μᾶλλον ἢ τούτων ἀκούοι, ὁ μέγας ἔφη Μαρκιανός· “Καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὦ φιλότης, τὸν αὐτόν σοι μέτιμεν βίον καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀσπαζόμεθα πολιτείαν, καὶ τῆς ἀναπαύλης προτιμῶμεν τοὺς πόνους, καὶ τὴν νηστείαν τῆς τροφῆς προαιρούμεθα, καὶ νυκτὸς ἐπιγινομένης, τότε ταύτης μεταλαγχάνομεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἴσμεν ὅτι τῆς ἀγάπης τὸ χρῆμα τῆς νηστείας ἐστὶ τιμιώτερον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς θείας ἔργον νομοθεσίας, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐξουσίας· προσήκει δὲ τοὺς θείους νόμους τῶν ἡμετέρων πόνων πολλῷ νομίζειν τιμιωτέρους.” Τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαλεχθέντες καὶ βραχείας μεταλαχόντες τροφῆς, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὑμνήσαντες, καὶ τρεῖς ἀλλήλοις συνδιατρίψαντες ἡμέρας, ἐχωρίσθησαν, πάλιν ἀλλήλους ὁρῶντες τῷ πνεύματι. Τίς τοίνυν οὐκ ἂν θαυμάσειε τοῦδε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τὴν σοφίαν, ὑφ᾽ ἧς κυβερνώμενος ᾔδει μὲν νηστείας, ᾔδει δὲ φιλοσοφίας καὶ φιλαδελφίας καιρὸν, ᾔδει δὲ καὶ τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς μορίων τὸ διάφορον, καὶ ποῖον ποίῳ προσήκει παραχωρεῖν, καὶ τίνι κατὰ καιρὸν διδόναι τὰ νικητήρια.

[13] Ἔχω δὲ καὶ ἄλλο διήγημα, τῆς ἐν τοῖς θείοις αὐτοῦ τελειότητος γνώρισμα. Ἀφίκετο γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ ἀδελφὴ ἀπὸ τῆς πατρίδος σὺν τῷ υἱῷ, ἀνδρί τε ὄντι καὶ τῆς Κύρου πρωτεύοντι, τὰς ἀναγκαίας αὐτῷ χρείας πλουσίως κομίζουσα. Ὁ δὲ τὴν μὲν ἀδελφὴν ἰδεῖν οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, τὸν δὲ ἀδελφιδοῦν εἰσεδέξατο· τῆς γὰρ ὡρισμένης συντυχίας ἦν ὁ καιρός. Ὡς δὲ ἱκέτευον ὑποδεχθῆναι τὰ κομισθέντα· “Διὰ πόσων, ἔφη, μοναστηρίων διήλθετε; τίσιν ἐκείνων ἐκ τούτων αὐτῶν μετεδώκατε;” Τοῦ δὲ εἰρηκότον ὡς οὐδενὶ δεδωκότες εἶεν· “Ἄπιτε, ἔφη, μεθ᾽ ὧς ἐκομίσατε· ἡμεῖς γὰρ τούτων οὐδενὸς οὔτε δεόμεθα οὔτε, εἰ δεοίμεθα, δεξοίμεθα· φυσικῆς γὰρ συγγενείας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ θείας θεραπείας πεφροντικότες τούτοις ἡμᾶς φιλοφρονεῖσθαι βεβούλησθε. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ μόνην τοῦ γένους ἐτιμᾶτε τὴν ἀγχιστείαν, οὐχ ἡμῖν μόνοις μετεδώκατε ἂν ὧν ἠνέγκατε.” Ταῦτα λέγων τὸν ἀδελφιδοῦν μετὰ τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἀπεπέμψατο, οὐδὲ βραχύ τι τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτῶν προσενεχθέντων ὑποδεχθῆναι κελεύσας. Οὕτως ἔξω τῆς φύσεως ἦν, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν μεταβεβήκει πολιτείαν. Ποῖον γὰρ ἄν τις τούτου σαφέστερον παράσχοι παράδειγμα ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄξιος ἦν, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ φωνήν; “Ὁ μὴ καταλιμπάνων γὰρ, φησὶ, πατέρα καὶ μητέρα, καὶ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ ἀδελφὰς, καὶ γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος.” Εἰ δὲ ὁ μὴ καταλιμπάνων ἀνάξιος, ὁ καταλιμπάνων καὶ τοσαύτῃ χρώμενος ἀκριβεῖ τελειότητι, δῆλον ὡς ἀξιώτατος ἦν.

[14] Ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς τούτοις θαυμάζω καὶ τὴν τῶν θείων αὐτοῦ δογμάτων ἀκρίβειαν. Ἐβδελύττετο μὲν γὰρ τὴν Ἀρείου μανίαν, ὐπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς δυναστείας κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ἐξαπτομένην· ἐμυσάττετο δὲ καὶ τὴν Ἀπολιναρίου φρενοβλάβειαν. Διεμάχετο δὲ γενναίως καὶ τοῖς τὰ Σαβελλίου φρονοῦσι, καὶ τὰς τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις εἰς μίαν συνάγουσιν. Ἀπεστρέφετο δὲ κομιδῇ καὶ τοὺς ὀνομαζομένους Εὐχίτας, ἐν μοναχικῷ προσχήματι τὰ Μανιχαίων νοσοῦντας.

[15] Οὕτω δὲ θερμὸν εἶχε τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν δογμάτων ζῆλον ὅτι καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρα θαυμάσιόν τε καὶ θεῖον δικαίαν ἀνεδέξατο μάχην. Ἀβραάμης τις ἦν κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον ἐκείνην, πρεσβύτης ἀνὴρ, πολιὰν μὲν ἔχων τὴν τρίχα, πολιώτερον δὲ τὸ φρόνημα, ἀρετῇ πάσῃ λάμπων καὶ ἀναβλύζων ἀεὶ τὸ τῆς κατανύξεως δάκρυον. Οὗτος καταρχὰς ὑπό τινος ἁπλότητος ὑπαχθεὶς, τὸπρῶτον ἐπιτελεῖν ἠνείχετο Πάσχα· ἀγνοῶν μὲν, ὡς εἰκὸς, τὰ περὶ τούτου τοῖς Πατράσιν ἐν Νικαίᾳ νενομοθετημένα ἔθει δὲ ἀρχαίῳ δουλεύειν αἱρούμενος. Πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τοῦ καιροῦ ταύτην ἐνόσουν τὴν ἄγνοιαν. Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μέγας Μαρκιανὸς, πολλοῖς μὲν πολλάκις χρησάμενος λόγοις, ἐπειράθη τὸν πρεσβύτην Ἀβραάμην (οὕτω γὰρ αὐτὸν οἱ ἐγχώριοι προσηγόρευον), εἰς τὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μεταγαγεῖν συμφωνίαν. Ἀπειθοῦντα δὲ θεασάμενος, τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν προφανῶς κοινωνίας ἀπέστη· ἀλλὰ χρόνου διελθόντος ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ, ἀπορρίψας τὸν μῶμον καὶ τῆς θείας ἑορτῆς ἀγαπήσας τὴν συμφωνίαν, ἔψαλλεν ἀληθεύωνͅ· “Μακάριοι οἱ ἄμωμοι ἐν ὁδῷ, οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου.” Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τῆς τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ διδασκαλίας κατόρθωμα.

[16] Τούτῳ πολλοὶ μὲν πολλαχοῦ σηκοὺς εὐκτηρίους ἐδείμαντο· ἐν Κύρῳ μὲν ὁ ἀδελφιδοῦς Ἀλύπιος· Ζηνοβιανὴ δέ τις ἐν Χαλκίδι, καὶ γένει λάμπουσα καὶ ἀρετῇ διαπρέπουσα, καὶ πλούτου περιουσίᾳ κομῶσα. Καὶ ἔτεροι δὲ οὐκ ὀλίγοι αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἔδρων, τὸν νικηφόρον ἐκεῖνον ἀθλητὴν ἁρπᾶσαι φιλονεικοῦντες. Τοῦτο γνὸυς ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος, παρεκάλει τὸν θαυμάσιον ἐκεῖνον Εὐσέβιον, ὅρκους αὐτῷ προσενεγκὼν δείματος παντὸς γέμοντας, ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χωρίῳ καταθεῖναι τὸ σῶμα, καὶ μηδένα διαγνῶναι τὸν τάφαν, πλὴν δύο τῶν συνηθεστέρων συνοίκων, μέχρις ἂν διέλθῃ πολὺς ἐτῶν ἀριθμός.

[17] Καὶ τοῦτον τὸν ὅρκον ὁ θαυμάσιος ἐκεῖνος ἐπλήρωσεν ἄνθρωπος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἧκε τοῦ νικηφόρου τὸ τέλος καὶ χορὸς ἀγγέλων τὴν ἱερὰν ἐκείνην καὶ θείαν ψυχὴν εἰς τὰς ἐν οὐρανῷ μονὰς μετέθηκεν, οὐ πρότερον αὐτοῦ τὴν τελευτὴν κατεμήνυσεν, ἕως μετὰ τῶν δύο τῶν γνωριμωτέρων τὸν τάφον ὀρύξας καὶ τὸ σῶμα καταθεὶς, τῆς γῆς, τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἐξωμάλισε. Καὶ πεντήκοντα διελθόντων ἐνιαυτῶν ἤ πλειόνων, μυρίων συνδεδραμηκότων καὶ διηρευνηκότων τὸ σῶμα, ἄδηλος ὁ τάφος μεμένηκεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἕκαστος τῶν προειρημένων σηκῶν ὁ μὲν ἀποστόλων, ὁ δὲ μαρτύρων ὑπεδέξατο λείψανα, θαρρήσαντες λοιπὸν οἱ τῆς ἐκείνου σκηνῆς καὶ διδαχῆς κληρονόμοι, πρὸ δύο τούτων ἐτῶν λάρνακα λιθίνην κατασκευάσαντες, ἐν ταύτῃ τοῦ τιμίου σώματος μετέθηκαν τὰ λείψανα, ἑνὸς τὸν τάφον ὑποδείξαντος· οὗτος γὰρ μόνος ἐκ τῶν τριῶν περιῆν.

[18] Ζηλωτὴς δὲ γενόμενος τῆς ἐκείνου ἀρετῆς Εὐσέβιος ὁ θαυμάσιος, πλείοσι διετέλεσε πόνοις κατατρύχων τὸ σῶμα. Εἴκοσι γὰρ καὶ

ἑκατὸν σιδήρου περικείμενος λίτρας, ἐπέθηκε μὲν ἑαυτῷ καὶ τὰς τοῦ θειοτάτου Ἀγαπητοῦ ἄλλας πεντήκοντα, προσέθηκε δὲ καὶ τὰς τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ ὀγδοήκοντα. Ἔσχε δὲ οἰκητήριον λάκκον τινὰ ὑδάτων ἀπηλλαγμένον, καὶ τριῶν ἐτῶν ἀριθμὸν τοῦτον διάγων διετέλεσε τὸν τρόπον. Εἰς τούτους δὲ ἐξέβην τοὺς λόγους, δεῖξαι βουλόμενος ὅσοις καὶ ἄλλοις μεγάλων κατορθωμάτων ὁ μέγας Μαρκιανὸς ἐγένετο πρόξενος. Τῆς τούτου φιλοσοφίας ἀπώνατο καὶ Βασίλειος ὁ θαυμάσιος, ὁ πολλοῖς ὕστερον χρόνοις παρὰ τὴν Σελευκόβηλον· πόλις δὲ αὕτη τῆς Συρίας· τὸ μοναχικὸν δειμάμενος καταγώγιον, καὶ λάμψας μὲν ἐν πολλοῖς εἰδεσιν ἀρετῆς, λάμψας δὲ διαφερόντως ἐν τῷ θεοφιλεῖ τῆς ἀγάπης κτήματι καὶ τῷ θείῳ τῆς φιλοξενίας κατορθώματι.

[19] Ὅσους δὲ καὶ οὗτος παρέστησε τῷ Θεῷ ἐργάτας, ἀποστολικῶς εἰπεῖν, ἀνεπαισχύντους, ὀρθοτομοῦντας τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, τίς ἂν ῥᾳδίως ἀριθμήσειεν; Ἵνα γὰρ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος παραλίπω, εὐφημίας μἐν ὄντας ἀξίους, μῆκος δὲ ἐμποιοῦντας τῷ διηγήματι, ἑνὸς τούτων καὶ μόνου μνησθήσομαι. Ἐγένετό τις τούτου φοιτητὴς, Σαβῖνον δὲ αὐτὸν προσηγόμενον, ὃς πόνοις μυρίοις τὸ σῶμα κατεδαπάνησεν. Οὒτε γὰρ ἄρτου οὔτε ὄψου τινὸς μετελάμβανε· τροφὴ δὲ ἦν αὐτῷ ἄλευρον ὕδατι δευόμενον. Μιγνύναι δὲ οὕτως εἰώθει πᾶσαν τοῦ μηνὸς τὴν τροφὴν, ὡς εὐρωτιᾶν καὶ πολλὴν ἐκπέμπειν τὴν δυσωδίαν. Ἐβούλετο δὲ αὐτῷ τοῦτο τῆς τοιᾶσδε τροφῆς τὸ εἶδος ἀμβλύνειν τοῦ σώματος τὰς ὀρέξεις καὶ τῇ δυσωδίᾳ τῆς τροφῆς μαραίνειν τὴν ἡδονήν. Οὕτω δὲ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν διάγων, εἴ ποτέ τις τῶν γνωρίμων ἀφίκετο, τῶν παρατιθεμένων ἁπάντων ἁπλοἳκῶς μετελάμβανε. Τοσαύτην δὲ χάριν θεόθεν ἐδέξατο, ὡς γυναῖκά τινα τῶν ἐπισήμων καὶ ἐπὶ γένει καὶ πλούτῳ σεμνυνομένων, ἀπὸ τὴς Ἀντιοχέων αὐτῷ προσδραμεῖν καὶ ἱκετεῦσαι ἐπαμῦναι τῇ θυγατρὶ ὑπὸ δαίμονος πολεμουμένῃ. Ὄναρ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐθεασάμην τινὰ ἐνταῦθα δραμεῖν παρεγγυῶντα, καὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς τοῦ τῆς μονῆς ἡγεμονεύοντος τῇ θυγατρὶ πορίσαι τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ἔλεγε τοίνυν ὁ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ποιούμενος ὡς οὐκ εἴη ἔθος τὸν προστατεύοντα γυναιξὶ διαλέγεσθαι· ὡς δὲ ἐπέκειτο δακρύουσα ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ ὀλοφυρομένη καὶ πικρῶς ποτνιωμένη, ἐξελήλυθε μὲν ὁ τῆς μονῆς ἡγούμενος. Ἔφασκε δὲ ἡ γυνὴ μὴ αὐτὸν εἶναι, ἕτερον δὲ αὐτῇ ὑποδειχθῆναι, ὑπέρυθρον, ἐξανθήματά τινα κατὰ τῶν παρειῶν ἔχοντα. Ὡς δὲ ἔγνωσαν τὸν ζητούμενον, τρίτος δὲ ἦν τῆς μονῆς ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πρῶτος, πείσαντες αὐτὸν ἤγαγον πρὸς τὴν γυναἳκα, καὶ παραυτίκα ἡ μὲν ἐπέγνω τὸ πρόσωπον. ὁ δὲ πονηρὸς δαίμων βοήσας τὴν κόρην κατέλιπε. Τοιαῦτα τῶν τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ φοιτητῶν τὰ κατορθώματα· τοιαῦτα φυτά πανταχοῦ κατεφύτευσεν ὁ ἄριστος φυτουργός. Ἐγὼ δὲ πάλιν τούτῳ τέλος τῶ διηγήματι δεδωκὼς, ἀντιβολῶ καὶ δέομαι διὰ τῆς τούτων πάντων πρεσβείας τῆς θείας ἐπικουρίας τυχεῖν.

St. Marcian, eager to hide his excellent gifts, But it comes to my mind to consider what that great man would not have done, if he had wished to do miracles. For if, even while he was eager to hide the power that he had received, he shone with so great a splendor, what miracles would he not have performed, if it had pleased him? So too he did not show his spiritual wisdom to all, even then, when at last he had permitted that those who wished should come to him after the feast of the saving passion and the Lord's resurrection. At which time, surely, all strove to see him.

[11] before bishops And so there came to him once ^a, gathered together, the first of the pontiffs, that great Flavian ^b, visiting him, he refuses to speak of God and to be made a priest. the pastor of the church of Antioch, and the divine Acacius ^c, of whom I made mention above, and Eusebius, bishop of Chalcis ^d, and Isidore, who then held the helm of Cyrus ^e, all of singular virtue. With them also was Theodotus, the prelate of the Hierapolitans ^f, conspicuous in monastic exercise and gentleness. There were present also some of the nobles and men of rank, whom the ardor of faith had kindled. While all, then, were sitting in silence, and waiting for his sacred voice, he too sat silent for a long time, idle indeed in his tongue, but intent in his ears. Then one of those sitting by, a familiar friend of his on account of the care of his soul, and moreover famous in dignity, said: All, O father, even the divine fathers, thirsting for your teaching, await your sweetest streams. Impart benefit, then, to all who are present, and do not shut up the rivulets of your beneficence. And he, having sighed more vehemently, said: The God of all things daily both speaks through creatures and addresses words through the divine Scriptures, and admonishes what is fitting, and teaches what is useful, and deters with threats, and exhorts with promises: and we derive no benefit. How then could Marcian profit by speaking, who with the others spurns so great a benefit and will not gather fruit from these? After this many discourses were held by the fathers, which I have considered it superfluous to insert in the narrative. And when they had risen and prayed, and wished to ordain him priest, yet they did not dare to lay on hands ^g; and with this one urging that one and that one this, all having refused, they departed with the matter undone.

[12] He preferred fraternal love to fasting, But now I wish to add to these also another narrative, from which one may recognize his divine prudence. A certain Avitus in another solitude had been first to fix a hut of monastic exercise. And that solitude is a little more northerly than this one, tending somewhat toward the east and facing the wind Aparctias, which is next to Subsolanus. He was older than the great Marcian both in time and labor, a man plainly a philosopher and trained in a hard kind of life. When he had heard of the most celebrated virtue of the man, reckoning that this spectacle would be more useful to him than his long quiet, he hastened, to see him whom he longed for. And his arrival being known, the great Marcian, opening the door, let him in, and instructed the admirable Eusebius ^h to cook both pulse and herbs, if he had any. And after they, satisfied with mutual conversations, had recognized each other's virtue, they performed the office of None together: and Eusebius came bearing a table, and loaves. Then the great Marcian said to the divine Avitus: Come, most delightful of all to me, and let us be together partakers of this table. But he said: I do not remember ever having taken food before evening: and I often remain fasting for two or three days together. And the great Marcian said: Then for my sake let your custom be changed today. For, since I am weak in body, I cannot wait for evening. Having failed to persuade the admirable Avitus with these words, he is said to have groaned and said: But I am distressed and tormented in spirit that you have undertaken so great a labor in order to see a labor-loving man and philosopher, and, disappointed of your hope, you have seen a kind of tavern-keeper and an intemperate man instead of a philosopher. And when the most divine Avitus, made sadder by hearing this, said that it would be more pleasant to him to eat meat than to hear such things, the great Marcian again said: We too, O friend, lead the same life as you and embrace the same manner of living, and we prefer labors to quiet, and we value fasting more than food, and we are accustomed to take it toward night: but we know that charity is more excellent than fasting. For the former is the work of the divine law, but fasting of our power and choice: and it becomes us to value the divine laws more than our labors. When they had discoursed thus with one another, and, having taken a little food, had praised God, and spent three days together, they parted, to see each other again in spirit. Who then would not admire the wisdom of this man, by whose guidance he knew the time for fasting, knew too that for philosophy and fraternal charity: he saw also the differences of the parts of virtue, and which ought to yield to which, and to which at what time the victory should be assigned.

[13] [and he repudiated the duties of natural love toward his sister and his sister's son.] I can also mention another thing, from which his perfection in divine things may be recognized. There had come to him from his country his sister with her son, who was both a grown man and held the principate of the city of Cyrus, bringing abundantly what was necessary for his sustenance. But he did not allow himself to see his sister: but his sister's son, since it was the time for speaking to him, he admitted to his sight. And when they asked him to accept what had been brought, he said: Through how many monasteries have you passed ⁱ, and to which of them have you imparted anything of these things? And when he had answered that nothing had been given to any, he said: Go away with what you have brought. For we have need of none of these things; nor, if we did need them, would we accept them, since you exercise this beneficence toward us from zeal for natural kinship rather than for divine service. For unless you had regard only to the tie of family, you would not have imparted these things to us alone. Saying this, he sent away his sister's son with his sister, forbidding that anything be accepted of the things they had brought. Thus he, placed outside the natural condition, had passed over to the heavenly way of life. For what more manifest indication could be brought that he was worthy of God, according to the voice of God himself? "For he who does not leave," it says, "father and mother, brothers and sisters, and wife and sons, is not worthy of me." And if one who does not leave is unworthy, it is clear that he who leaves and so exactly observes this perfection was most worthy.

[14] He detested heretics, But besides these things I admire also his outstanding diligence in the divine decrees. For he detested the insanity of Arius, which was being kindled at that time by the power of the emperor [j]. He abominated likewise the madness of Apollinaris. He also strove bravely against those who think with Sabellius and force the three hypostases into one. He greatly abhorred, moreover, the so-called Euchites, who under the monastic habit labor with the disease of the Manichaeans.

[15] [indeed he shrank from Catholics who were slow, from ignorance, in obeying the laws of the Church.] And his zeal for the ecclesiastical decrees was so ardent that he even took up a just fight against an admirable and divine man. For a certain old man, Abraames ^k, was [in] that solitude ^l, a man of white head, but of whiter prudence, famous in every virtue and constantly pouring out abundant tears of compunction. He at the beginning, led by a certain simplicity, had not hesitated to keep Easter first: not knowing, as it appears, what had been decreed on this matter at Nicaea by the Fathers and wishing to serve an ancient custom. Many others moreover in that same place labored at that time under the same ignorance. But the great Marcian, having often tried with many words to bring the old man Abraam (for so the natives called him) over to agreement with the Church, when he saw him resisting, openly ceased to communicate with him. Yet in the course of time that divine man, having wiped away the stain and embraced agreement with the Church in the celebration of the feast, truly sang: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord." And the author of this illustrious deed was the great Marcian.

[16] He did not wish his body to be entombed in a chapel; For him indeed ^m many built oratories in many places:

at Cyrus his sister's son Alypius; at Chalcis a certain Zenobiana, famous by family and distinguished in virtue, and strong in great riches. The same did others too, not a few, striving to carry off that victorious athlete to themselves. When the man of God had learned this, he asks the admirable Eusebius, binding him with an oath full of terror, to lay his body in that place, and that no one should know the tomb until after a long series of years, except two household companions more familiar than the rest.

[17] and so his body long lay hidden. That admirable man entirely fulfilled the oath. For as soon as the excellent victor departed from life and the choir of angels placed that sacred and divine soul in the seats of the heavenly ones, he did not make known his death before, with those two more closely joined in familiarity, a pit having been made and the body laid down, he had leveled the surface of the earth. Whence after fifty years or more had passed, though very many went there and diligently searched for the body, the tomb remained unknown. But after each one of the aforesaid oratories had received relics, this one of apostles, that one of martyrs, at last in security the heirs of his little cell and his teaching translated the remains of the precious body into a stone chest, constructed two years before, one man, who alone survived of those three, showing the tomb.

[18] Through his disciples The emulator of his virtue, moreover, the admirable Eusebius, did not cease to afflict his body with very many labors. For though he had a hundred and twenty pounds of iron placed on his body, he placed on himself another fifty of the divine Agapetus: indeed he added another eighty of the great Marcian also. And his dwelling was a certain pit empty of water, in which he led such a life for three years. And I have digressed to explain these things in order to show of how many others the great Marcian was the author of excellent virtues. The fruit of his philosophy was also gathered by that admirable Basil, who a long time afterwards at Seleucobelus, a city of Syria, built a monastic dwelling, and shone in many kinds of virtues, but above all in the possession of charity, by far the most pleasing to God, and in the divine work of hospitality.

[19] he deserved excellently of the Church. But how many workmen who need not be ashamed, to speak with the apostle, rightly handling the word of truth, this man too presented to God, who could easily enumerate? For, to pass over the others for the present, worthy indeed of praise but who would make the narrative prolix, I will mention one only. There was among his disciples a certain man, Sabinus by name, who macerated his body with immense labors. For he ate neither bread nor any kind of relish, but his food was flour moistened with water in this way: he was accustomed deliberately to mix the whole food of one month, so that it would contract mold and smell bad. For he desired by this kind of nourishment to dull the appetite of the body and by its stench to blunt pleasure. But while he himself lived thus, yet if anyone of his friends came to him at any time, he ate without choosing what was set before him. He obtained from God, therefore, such great grace that a certain woman of Antioch, noble in family and flourishing in wealth, fled to him and asked him to bring help to her daughter, harassed by a demon. For she said that there had seemed to her in dreams a certain person, who exhorted her to betake herself there and to procure her daughter's salvation by the prayers of the superior of the monastery. And when the one giving the answers said that the superior was not accustomed to speak with women, as the woman pressed him with tears and wailing and vehemently implored him, the superior came. But the woman said this was not he: for she said another had been shown to her, ruddy, and having certain pimples on his cheeks. When therefore they recognized whom she was seeking (and he was the third of the monastery, not the first), they brought him to the woman: and his face being at once recognized by her, the evil demon, crying aloud, left the girl. Such were the deeds of the disciples of the great Marcian: such plants did the excellent husbandman propagate everywhere among the nations. But I, placing an end again to this narrative, pray and beseech that by the intercession of all these I may obtain divine help.

ANNOTATIONS.

j. He indicates Valens.

* P. G. μικρᾶς.