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Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 5.

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 5.

BOOK V

THE fifth Book (in its twelve chapters, which are written down distinctly below) tells of Basiliscus and Marcus the Illustrious; and the encyclical letter which they Wrote to the bishops of their dominion, in which also they anathematised the Synod of Chalcedon and the Tome. For after eighteen years of banishment in Gangra and Cherson, Timothy the Great returned and arrived at Constantinople; and then he and Paul the Sophist, and James, and Theopompus, his chosen monks, persuaded Basiliscus to write the Encyclical. It also tells about the petition sent by the bishops of Asia, who met at Ephesus and subscribed to the Encyclical.

Moreover, it tells about some Eutychian monks then residing at Constantinople, who, along with Zenaia the king's wife, basely conspired against Timothy to have him sent again into banishment. Whereupon he departed to Ephesus. And by means of a Synod, which he convened, he reinstated Paul there, and gave him the rights of the Patriarchate that the Synod of Chalcedon had taken away from him, and had given to the royal city, through the flattery and treachery of John, whom they made bishop instead of Bassian. For the latter resigned, and departed and went into banishment. Now Timothy was received with much state. And without any rancour he admitted to his communion the penitents from the Proterian party and from that of Timothy Salophaciolus, who was driven out before him by the king's command. |102

But this Book also relates the deeds of Acacius in Constantinople, and how he raised an insurrection and rebellion against Basiliscus; and he took possession of the Churches; and he compelled Basiliscus to write the Antencyclical, and to deny his former letter. And the bishops again subscribed to this Antencyclical, with the exception of Amphilochius of Side and Epiphanius of Magdolum. And then Zeno returned and became emperor, and he thrust out Basiliscus, and cancelled every law and enactment which he had made. And when he was wishing to depose Timothy, the latter died, having retained his See to the end; and Peter, who became bishop in his stead, hid from the threats of Zeno.

Then Timothy Salophaciolus returned, and took possession of the church, and sought for Peter. But this Book further tells about John the archimandrite, who was sent to Zeno with the petition of the party of Timothy Salophaciolus, praying for an order that, after the death of Timothy, one of their side should be the bishop in Alexandria. Now this John coveted the see for himself. And Zeno heard it; and, with the object of trying him, he required from him an oath in the presence of the Senate, and also of Bishop Acacius, that he would not take the bishopric.

And John then returned to Alexandria, bearing an order from the king that, in succession to Timothy, any of his party whom the citizens might desire should be appointed as bishop. But about the same time it happened that this Timothy Salophaciolus died. And then John transgressed his oath, and used bribery to get the bishopric there for himself. But when Zeno heard of it, through the report of eminent believers among the monks there who went up to him and informed him of all the events which had occurred in Alexandria from the time of the Synod, he was greatly moved; and he changed his mind, and wrote a letter called the "Henotikon."

And he gave orders that Peter should return to his place, upon the condition of his receiving the Henotikon, and that John the liar should be deprived. Whereupon John repaired to Rome, and declared that he had suffered deprivation for |103 the sake of the Synod and the Tome. And then Zeno wrote to the Patriarch there, and exposed John.

But Peter of Antioch also returned and convened a Synod, and received the Henotikon.

And in like manner, Acacius of Constantinople and Martyrius of Jerusalem, the successor of Anastasius.

And they all, except the bishop of Rome, wrote synodical letters, and received Peter of Alexandria into their communion.

But certain zealous monks withdrew from Peter and became separatists, because he had received the Henotikon in which there was no express anathema of the Synod. And Peter thrust them out from their monasteries. Accordingly some of them went up to Zeno and persuaded him to send back with them Cosmas the Spatharius, to inquire into their matter; and at another time he sent Arsenius the prefect, and a prolonged dispute ensued.

These, indeed, are the matters which are written expressly in the twelve chapters of this fifth Book, which (so to speak) has been translated from the same Greek History of Zachariah, and has here been written in the Syriac language for the study and instruction of the diligent, that they may learn the events that occurred in former times.

CHAPTER I

THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS BOOK TELLS HOW TIMOTHY RETURNED FROM BANISHMENT AFTER THE DEATH OF LEO; AND THAT IT WAS HE WHO URGED BASILISCUS TO WRITE THE ENCYCLICAL LETTER

When Timothy had completed eighteen years in banishment, and Leo the emperor was dead, and Zeno, his successor, had received the kingdom, the people of Alexandria, observing this crisis in imperial affairs, sent a petition by certain chosen, and (as we may say) illustrious and noble monks, among them Amon who was called the wild bull, and Paul who had been a |104 sophist, and Theorion and James the miracle-workers, and Theopompus the brother of the master of the offices.

However,¹ in consequence of a rebellion that was raised against Zeno by Basiliscus, the brother of Verina the wife of Leo, who had been associated with Zeno in the command of the army in the days of Leo, Zeno had betaken himself to the strongholds called Salmon; and Basiliscus had assumed the crown. And he appointed Theoctistus his physician, an Alexandrian, the brother of this Theopompus the monk, as master of the offices.

Now² when these monks entered into the royal presence, the king, and the courtiers, and the queen were struck with admiration of them. But also Theoctistus the master of the offices and Acacius the bishop rendered them assistance.

So Basiliscus issued an order that Timothy should return from banishment.

And at first Acacius was preparing a lodging for him at the church called Irene; and he was setting apart some of his own clergy for his retinue and service. But afterwards, because he thought that they were forming a plan to make Theopompus bishop at the royal city instead of him, Acacius was distressed and indignant; and he endeavoured to put a stop to Timothy's coming. However, he did not succeed. For he returned, and was welcomed with great state by the Alexandrian sailors and the people who happened to be then in Constantinople. And he went to lodge in the king's palace. And large numbers were coming to him to be blessed, and to be sanctified, and to receive healing from him. And becoming intimate both with Basiliscus and his wife, Timothy,³ along with those who happened to be there with him and on his behalf, persuaded the king, so that he consented to write encyclical letters, in which he would anathematise the Tome and the addition which was made at Chalcedon. For Paul the monk, who was a rhetorician and a sophist, drew them up. And it was he who, in a discussion with Acacius the patriarch, |105 was able to show that the heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches are one and the same; though they are generally thought to be diametrically opposed to each other. For the one, indeed, making objection declares that it would be a degradation to God to be born of a woman, and to be made in all points like as we are, by becoming partaker of flesh and blood; whereas He was only partaker by identity of name, and by power and indwelling, and by operation. But the other, indeed, for the purpose of liberating and exalting God, so that He should not suffer degradation and contempt by association with a human body, publishes the doctrine that He became incarnate from His own essence, and that He assumed a heavenly body; and that just as there is no part of the seal left upon the wax, nor of the golden signet upon the clay, so neither did there cleave to Christ any portion of humanity whatsoever.

And when he spoke in this way, Acacius was astonished at the solidity of his reasoning, and he assented and agreed. And he went to Timothy and conversed with him, in a friendly manner, respecting the rights of his see. However, when he was requested by Timothy to sign the Encyclical, he hesitated.

CHAPTER II

THE SECOND CHAPTER TELLS ABOUT THE ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF BASILISCUS AND MARCUS, WHICH IS TO THE FOLLOWING EFFECT ⁴

"The king Basiliscus, the believing, victorious, all-virtuous ruler, Augustus, along with Marcus the most illustrious Caesar, to Timothy the reverend and God-loving archbishop of the great city Alexandria. Concerning all the laws justly and righteously enacted by the believing and memorable kings who have gone before us, for the salvation and good guidance of all |106 the world, and in defence of the true faith as taught by the apostles and holy fathers; it is our will that all these laws should be ratified, and not lightly annulled. Rather do we agree to them, and hold them to be of equal validity with our own.

"And earnestly desiring to honour the fear of God more than any affair of man, through zeal for the Lord Jesus Christ our God, to Whom we owe our creation, exaltation, and glory; moreover also, being fully persuaded that the unity of His flock is the salvation of ourselves and our people, and is the sure and immovable foundation, and the lofty bulwark of our kingdom; we now, moved by a wise impulse, are bringing union and unity to the Church of Christ in every part of our dominion, namely, the faith of the three hundred and eighteen bishops, who being previously prepared by the Holy Ghost, assembled at Nicea, the security and well-being of human life, the faith which we hold, like all who have been before us, and in which we believe and are baptized, that it may hold and rule all the Churches with their chosen canons: the faith which is complete and perfect in all piety and true belief, and which rejects and exposes all heresies, and thrusts them out of the Church: the faith which the one hundred and fifty bishops, being assembled here to oppose and condemn the fighters against the Spirit, the Holy Lord confirmed, and with which they concurred and agreed: the faith which was also confirmed by the transactions of the two Councils at Ephesus, along with the chief priests of Rome and Alexandria, Celestine and Cyril, and Dioscorus, in condemnation of the heretic Nestorius, and all who after him have held similar opinions, and have confounded the order of the Church, and disturbed the peace of the world, and cleft asunder the unity; we mean the Tome of Leo, and the decrees of Chalcedon, whether by way of definition of the faith, or doctrine, or interpretation, or addition, or whatsoever other innovation was said or done contrary to the faith and the definition of the three hundred and eighteen.

"And therefore we command that wherever, here or elsewhere, such written doctrine be found, it shall be anathematised and burnt in the fire. For in accordance with this order, our |107 blessed predecessors in the kingdom, Constantine the Great and Theodosius, in like manner, commanded and ordained. And also, the three subsequent Synods, that of the one hundred and fifty bishops here, and the two of Ephesus, ratified only the faith of Nicea, and agreed to the true definition there made.

"Moreover, we anathematise everyone who does not confess that the only-begotten Son of God truly became incarnate by the Holy Ghost from the Virgin Mary; not taking a body from heaven, in mere semblance or phantasy. And also we anathematise all the false teaching of all those heresies which are contrary to the true faith of the fathers," and so on with the rest of the Encyclical.

To ⁵ this document Timothy agreed and subscribed; as did also Peter of Antioch and Paul of Ephesus, who were recalled from banishment, and the bishops of Asia and the East, and Anastasius of Jerusalem, and those of his jurisdiction; so that the number of bishops who subscribed to the Encyclical is found to be about seven hundred, less or more. And they anathematised the Tome of Leo and the Synod; and they sent a petition to Basiliscus and Marcus, which was as follows:—

CHAPTER III

THE THIRD CHAPTER GIVES INFORMATION RESPECTING THE PETITION OF THE BISHOPS OF ASIA, WHO WERE ASSEMBLED AT EPHESUS, AND SIGNED THE ENCYCLICAL, AND WHO WROTE TO BASILISCUS AND MARCUS TO THE FOLLOWING EFFECT

"To⁶ the believing, and Christ-loving, victorious kings Basiliscus and Marcus the Augusti—Paul and Pergamius, and Gennadius, and Zenodotus, and Zoticus, and Gennadius, and Theophilus, and the other bishops assembled at Ephesus:— |108 In all things ye have shown yourselves to be believing and Christ-loving beings; so that when the true faith suffered persecution by the malice of men, ye also were persecuted along with it. For there are rebellious and vainglorious men, of a corrupt mind, foolish and void of the faith of the Son of God, Who humbled Himself for our sake and became incarnate, and rendered us meet for the adoption of sons. Be glad, then, and rejoice, and exult, and glory that ye have been counted worthy to suffer persecution with the faith. For there is reserved for these men the everlasting judgment of fire which devours the persecutors, and also the threat of your punishment which is upon them; because they have despised us, and slandered and belied us, and forced us with violence to agree to their doctrine.

"But now that the light of the true faith has arisen upon us, and the dark cloud of error been rolled away from us, we make known by this declaration our true faith to your Majesties and to all the world. And we say that freely and with willing consent, by the aid of John the Evangelist as our teacher, we have signed this Encyclical; and we agree to it and to everything in it, without compulsion, or fear, or favour of man. And if at any future time violence shall meet us from man, we are prepared to despise fire and sword and banishment and the spoiling of our goods, and to treat all bodily suffering with contempt; so that we may adhere to the true faith. We have anathematised and we do anathematise the Tome of Leo and the decrees of Chalcedon; which have been the cause of much blood-shedding, and confusion, and tumult, and trouble, and divisions, and strifes in all the world. For we are satisfied with the doctrine and faith of the apostles and of the holy fathers, the three hundred and eighteen bishops; to which also the illustrious Council of the one hundred and fifty in the Royal City, and the two other holy Synods at Ephesus adhered, and which they confirmed. And we join with them in anathematising Nestorius, and everyone who does not confess that the only-begotten Son of God was incarnate by the Holy Ghost, |109 of the Virgin Mary; He becoming perfect man, while yet He remained, without change and the same, perfect God; and that He was not incarnate from Heaven in semblance or phantasy. And we further anathematise all other heresies." But they wrote down some other things. And they applauded with loud voice and approved.

But the other bishops also of the various districts wrote another declaration, the beginning of which was to this effect:

"With the consent of our heart, we hold your Majesties to be in such accord with our fathers, the three hundred and eighteen bishops, as to make the three hundred and nineteenth: for you are very zealous for their true faith, that it may prosper and be preached among all nations in your dominion."

CHAPTER IV

THE FOURTH CHAPTER OF THIS SAME FIFTH BOOK NARRATES THE EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED IN CONSTANTINOPLE AND EPHESUS AFTER THE PUBLICATION OF THE ENCYCLICAL

When ⁷ the purport of the king's Encyclical letters became generally known, certain monks holding opinions similar to those of Eutyches, who happened to be in the Royal City, came in a body to Timothy, supposing him to be of their way of thinking, and disputed with him about the terms of the Encyclical; because it anathematised everyone who affirmed that Christ was incarnate in semblance. But when he said to them, "What then is your opinion respecting the Incarnation?" then they brought up to him the illustration of the signet-ring which, after the impression, leaves no part of its substance upon the wax or the clay.

And having discovered their sentiments, he admonished and instructed them, that the Scriptures teach us that Christ |110 was made in all points like unto us, and took our nature perfectly, yet without the motions of sin. And although He was born supernaturally without copulation, nevertheless He became perfect Man, having been conceived in the Virgin Mary, and from her born, through the Holy Ghost. And being incarnate He yet remained the same and without change in His Godhead.

Then Timothy, having learned by the whole tenor of the conversation of those who came to him what their mind was, made a written statement, declaring that Christ was like unto us in everything belonging to humanity. Whereupon the monks of the place separated themselves from him, saying, "We will have no communion with the Alexandrians."

But the others, having discovered that he had no tendency to the Eutychian doctrine, attached themselves to him.

Then the Eutychianists, joining with their fellows, advised Zenona, the wife of King Basiliscus, a professor of their creed, that Timothy should be banished again. However, Theoctistus, the master of the offices, having heard what was likely to befall him, urged him to leave the city and to proceed without delay to Alexandria. And⁸ he left; and having, on his journey, arrived at Ephesus, he convened a Synod, and he reinstated Paul who had formerly been the bishop there, but was in exile at that time for not accepting the decrees of Chalcedon. To him Timothy canonically restored the rights of his see, which the Council of Chalcedon had snatched from it, and had given by partiality to the throne of the royal city.

And Timothy arrived at Alexandria, and he was received with great state, with torches, and also songs of praise by the various people and languages there, and even by the members of the Proterian party, who beheld the affection for him displayed by the citizens. But the band of the priests, and the monks, and the sisters in Christ, and all the people in a body, chanting their hymns, and saying, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," conducted him into the great church. For Timothy Salophaciolus had by the king's command gone out before him. |111

And inasmuch as he was a peaceable and kind man, and also gentle in his words, and by no means passionate, he remitted to the members of the Proterian party the term of repentance, which he had written and appointed for the penitents when he was in banishment.

And even Prolatius (?) himself, who had taken and dragged him from the font of the Baptistery, he received just as kindly and peaceably as the others, weeping and comforting him as to his former rebellious and insolent conduct towards himself.

For, such is the rule of the leaders of the Church, which Timothy truly showed towards the many, that brotherly charity which seeks not her own, and is not easily provoked.

But certain persons, who were ignorant of the rights of divine love, severed themselves from him on account of his gentleness and mildness towards the penitents, in that he required nothing else from them except that they should anathematise the Synod and the Tome, and confess the true faith; and because he did not hold them aloof, even for a little while, from the communion which they had made desolate.

But at the head of these persons was Theodoret ⁹ the bishop of Joppa, who had been consecrated by Theodosius some time before. And he was then filled with envy because he had not also been received back again to his see. And, lo! the illustrious Peter the Iberian did not return to Gaza; and he did not at all agree with this faction, but he was warmly attached to Timothy, and he proved that his conduct and actions were in conformity with the will of God. But the Separatists who sided with Theodotus fell into such error that they even practised reanointing, and they were called Anachristo-Novatians.

But the affection of the people for Timothy being great was increased the more because, by the king's command, he brought the bones of Dioscorus and of Anatolius his brother, along with him, in a silver coffin, and he buried him with great state, laying him in the place of the bishops, and honouring |112 him as a confessor. But his charity was so profuse that of his own free will he appointed that one denarius a day should be given by the Church, for expenditure and use, to Timothy, who was deposed, and who had been since then supporting himself by the work of his hands, by weaving baskets and selling them.

And he gave to the great men and rulers of the city a gift, assigning to each of them three paxamatia apiece. And to King Basiliscus and to the patricians he only sent the same. And at one time the tax-gatherer came to him with a royal letter, and he gave him just the same; and he answered and said, "I want a gift of denarii." And he said, "It is the duty of the Church to expend them upon the widows and orphans."

But the people heard that the prefect there, Boetius by name, was an Eutychian; and they cried out in the church, "Pope! pronounce an anathema upon Nestorius and Eutyches." And he at once anathematised them by word of mouth in the presence of the prefect. And thereby he was cleared from the suspicion of associating with the prefect as an Eutychian.

Such were the transactions at Alexandria.

CHAPTER V

THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THIS SAME FIFTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THE PREPARATIONS WHICH WERE MADE BY ACACIUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE; AND ABOUT THE "ANTENCYCLICALS"; AND ALSO ABOUT PETER AND PAUL OF ANTIOCH AND OF EPHESUS, WHO WERE AGAIN DEPOSED WHEN ZENO THE KING RETURNED AND BASILISCUS WAS DRIVEN OUT

But¹⁰ Acacius of Constantinople, having heard respecting Paul of Ephesus that the rightful authority of his see, according |113 to its former constitution, had been restored to him by Timothy; and further, that Peter had returned to Antioch; and that they were preparing to hold a Synod against him at Jerusalem with the intention of deposing himself and appointing Theopompus, brother of the master of the offices, in his stead: he, having heard all this, stirred up the monks and urged them on, and brought down Daniel from the pillar, and took possession of the churches, and raised an insurrection against Basiliscus, declaring that he was a heretic. Whereupon Basiliscus, for the report reached him at the same time that Zeno was returning with a great army, was compelled to make the "Antencyclicals," by which he cancelled his former letter.

Then Zeno, upon his return, and the ejection of Basiliscus, passed a law whereby all the proceedings of Basiliscus were to be cancelled. He also deposed Peter of Antioch and Paul of Ephesus;¹¹ and he uttered severe threats against Timothy. However, the latter died, departing to be with his Lord; and he was buried with great state, the obsequies being performed by Peter, who was canonically consecrated as his successor by the bishops of the country.

But the bishops of Asia made a libel to Acacius, finding fault with the "Encyclicals"; and they subscribed to the Antencyclicals. In like manner also, the Eastern bishops made a libel to Calandion, Peter's successor, whereby they, too, anathematised the "Encyclicals."

But Anastasius of Jerusalem persevered in his integrity, holding with him the three provinces of Palestine; and he would not give himself over to this party, nor would he deny the Encyclicals; although he freely associated with the bishops who came together to him.

In like manner also Epiphanius of Magdolum ¹² of Pamphylia, impelled by the greatness of his soul, departed to Alexandria, and was sojourning in the monasteries there, and was honoured by Timothy and by his successor Peter.

But King Zeno was greatly enraged when he heard about Peter; and he sent threats of which Peter had previous |114 intimation, and he hid himself in the city by moving about from one house to another. But, by the command of King Zeno, Timothy Salophaciolus, who had been ejected, returned and took possession of the great church, and a tumult and slaughter ensued upon his entry there.

And Theoctistus, the prefect of the city, was searching for Peter to apprehend him, when a Voice was heard, saying,

"I will hide him, and I will protect him, because he has known My Name; he shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; in the day of trouble I will sustain him, and I will honour him." ¹³

But Timothy exerted himself by all ways and means to keep the people on his side. He preached the faith of Nicea and of the one hundred and fifty; he confessed and agreed to the transactions of Ephesus; he anathematised Nestorius; and he wrote in the diptych the names of Cyril and Dioscorus, and read them out; and he did more besides, and yet he was unable to draw the people to himself.

CHAPTER VI

THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THIS SAME BOOK TELLS ABOUT MARTYRIUS, WHO WAS THE SUCCESSOR OF ANASTASIUS IN JERUSALEM; THAT HE ALSO WAS PREACHING THE TRUE FAITH TO THE PEOPLE, AND WAS ANATHEMATISING NESTORIUS AND THE SYNOD OF CHALCEDON

And Martyrius of Jerusalem was also one of those who, following Anastasius his predecessor, separated himself from the Antencyclical, and exerted himself greatly to unite the people. And he gained over Marcianus, an excellent monk; and this man received him, and admonished the other monks to do the same. But those who did not receive him he expelled. And they say that, after his death, one of his disciples, who was quite blind, prayed to God, saying, "If the doctrine of our master be indeed the right one, when I lay mine eyes upon his corpse, let them receive their sight"; and he received his sight. |115

THE PUBLIC ADDRESS OF MARTYRIUS

"Christ is our peace, Who hath made both one, and has taken down the middle wall of partition, and has destroyed the enmity by His flesh. For, behold, the Church is receiving back her sons, who never, indeed, of their own accord, departed far from her! And now they have shown this to us by deed, and it is time for us to say, 'Glory to God in the highest, and peace upon earth.'

"Wherefore, to their face we the God-loving bishops have blamed these chaste archimandrites and the excellent clergy, in order in your presence to convince the rest of our brethren that we have no other true definition of the faith but that into which we have been and are being baptized. For thus have they been baptized, and believe as we do.

"Whosoever, then, holds or has held or learned doctrine contrary to this definition of the faith which was framed by the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers, the bishops assembled at Nicea; to which definition the one hundred and fifty believing and true bishops, assembled in the royal city, adhered, ratifying and confirming the same, as did also the Synod held in Ephesus: whosoever (I say) holds or has held or learned what is contrary to this definition, let him be accursed, if he have any other teaching or doctrine defined elsewhere, whether in Rimini, or in Sardica, or in Chalcedon, or in any other place whatsoever, according to the saying of the apostle, 'If any man preaches to you more than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.' "¹⁴

And again, the same Martyrius spoke in the following terms: "If any man teaches, or brings in as new, or thinks or interprets, or holds any other definition or faith contrary to this approved and orthodox doctrine of faith of the three hundred and eighteen holy bishops and the one hundred and fifty, and them of Ephesus, he is an alien to the holy Church. |116

"And, behold, I adjure you in the sight of God and His Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and the elect angels, that you do not suffer any man to lead you astray from this faith! But the confession, signed with your own signatures, lo, it is recorded in Heaven above! And you shall give account before the fearful and righteous Judgment-Seat, if you accept anything more or less than the true faith. I am clear from your blood; I have not desisted from speaking unto you."

By using language such as this, the bishops were admonishing those who separated from them.

But in Alexandria not one believer would consent to hold communion with Timothy and his followers.

Then the monks and certain learned and wise men took counsel together, and they made a supplication to the chiefs of the cities, begging of them that, in the event of the death of Timothy, they would not accept as bishop any other member of his party; but that they would only be satisfied with Peter the believer, who was the lawfully-appointed bishop, although he was then hidden in retirement. And ¹⁵ the partisans of Timothy having heard of this, drew up a petition and sent it to the king by John, a presbyter of the Martyr Church of St. John the Baptist, a monk, and also one of the Tabennesiots.¹⁶ And in it they besought the king that, in the event of the death of Timothy, none but a member of his party should be made bishop, and that the people of Alexandria should not receive Peter.

And when John was admitted into the presence of the king, the latter said to him, for the purpose of trying him, "We think it well that you should yourself be the bishop there." For the king had previously learned that he was in league with Julius¹⁷ the general, who, on account of his command over the king's army, was preparing an insurrection against the king, in conjunction with Leontius and Euprepius. |117 And John disclosed this to Julius; and he said to the king,

"I am not worthy." Then he told him to take counsel upon it. And when Julius heard it he said to him, "Conceal your feelings, and be careful not to disclose them before the king." Then he took an oath in the presence of Acacius and the senators that he would never be the bishop.

And the king issued an order, and gave it to John, to the effect that any brother whom the clergy and the people of the city might choose, should be the successor of Timothy.

But when he returned to the city, he delivered a letter from Julius to Theognostus the prefect there, who was one of the conspirators with Julius, and he promised that if he should become bishop he would give the royal vessels which Arcadius the king devoted to the sanctuary, and presented to Theophilus, who was the bishop at that time, and he built a church there and called it after his name.

CHAPTER VII

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE FIFTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT JOHN, HOW HE LIED, AND OBTAINED THE BISHOPRIC BY BRIBERY, AFTER THE DEATH OF TIMOTHY; AND ABOUT CYRUS THE PRESBYTER, WHO WAS IN LEAGUE WITH HIM; AND ALSO HOW PETER RETURNED TO HIS SEE

After ¹⁸ a few more days of life only, Timothy died. Then John belied his own sworn promises, and gave a bribe to Theognostus, and obtained the bishopric for himself.

But he drew over to his side Cyrus a presbyter, one of those who had formerly been in association with Dioscorus, and had afterwards forsaken him. This man also coveting the primacy, at one time would attach himself to Acacius of Constantinople, and at another time to that Timothy who died; and again, he would mock and revile Timothy the Great and Peter his successor. So that the Alexandrians |118 used to ridicule him on account of his tergiversations, holding up unripe dates before him in the public street, and charging him with vile conduct in connexion with a married woman. The blessed Dioscorus cursed this man, asying, "As God is true, Cyrus will die a layman." And so, indeed, it happened to him, as is written below.

But the king, when he heard about John, was very indignant, because the latter had belied his sworn promises, and obtained the bishopric for himself.

But there were in Constantinople at that time some chosen monks who were pleading for Peter. And they showed him, by written documents respecting them, the sad afflictions which, time after time, had occurred in Alexandria, and in Egypt, and in the other adjacent districts, on account of the Synod, And the king acceded to their request, and he issued an order that John should be ejected from the see as a liar, and that Peter ¹⁹ should be restored to the Church, upon the condition of his subscribing to the Henotikon which Zeno wrote and sent there, and to Egypt, and to Pentapolis, and of his receiving and holding communion with all the other bishops who would agree to the Henotikon; and, moreover, with those in Alexandria called Proterians, as many of them as would confess that they agreed to the doctrines of the Henotikon, which indeed was framed by the counsel of Acacius the bishop, and was sent to Alexandria in the charge of Pergamius, the newly-appointed prefect there in the room of Theognostus.

This Pergamius,²⁰ upon his arrival at the city, managed the matter prudently. For having discovered that John had escaped by flight, he sought out Peter, and informed him of the king's order. And he showed him the Henotikon, saying, "You must, after having carefully studied it, subscribe and agree to it; and further, you must receive the bishops and the other members of the Proterian party without any animosity whatsoever, if only they agree to all that the king has laid down in the same Henotikon."

And Peter, having considered the contents of this document, found that its provisions were framed faithfully and with |119 all righteousness. But he hesitated somewhat, because there was no clear and express anathema of the Synod and the Tome in it, and consequently he feared that it might prove a stumbling-block to the people. However, he decided to accept it, inasmuch as it proclaimed the definition of the faith laid down by the three hundred and eighteen; and it confessed the truth of the one hundred and fifty bishops; and it also agreed to the twelve Heads of Cyril; and it anathematised Nestorius and Eutyches; and it also confessed that the body of Christ, derived from the Virgin, was of the same nature as our body. Accordingly he subscribed to it. And he also promised that, if the others would repent and accept all the provisions of the Henotikon, and persuade the people to that effect, he would receive them into communion with himself from all orders.

Then the prefect, and the duke, and the chief men, and the clergy, and the monks, and the sisters, and the believing people assembled together at the place where he was; and they set him upon a chariot, and with pomp and praise as one who kept the true faith, and doing homage before him, they brought him to the great church. And Pergamius urged him to receive the other members of the Proterian party, But he first declared to the people the interpretation of the meaning of the Henotikon, and explained it, saying, "It is well and faithfully written, inasmuch as it accepts the twelve Heads of Cyril, and it anathematises Nestorius and Eutyches, and it confesses the body of Christ, derived from the Virgin, to be of the same nature as our body, and that the sufferings which He endured in the flesh, and the miracles which He wrought, belong to the same God Christ. And this document further cancels and condemns the whole doctrine of Chalcedon and the Tome, because Dioscorus and Timothy the Great also thought and expounded similarly."

And he delivered a further address to the people, to the following effect: "It is right for all of us, men, women, and children, to offer with the open mouth of thanksgiving, prayer, |120 and supplication to our Lord and God, on behalf of the faithful reign of the victorious King Zeno, whose noble actions and' virtuous morals are urging the prudent in every place to this. For when our fathers, the chaste monks, presented a petition to him concerning the reformation of the faith, and informed him of the occurrences here, and of the tumults from which our people had suffered time after time; then he wept, and he looked up to heaven, and called God to help him, and to put it into his heart to command whatever would be in conformity with the divine will, and would conduce to the welfare of men and the unity of the people, by exerting himself to abolish the stumbling-blocks which were in all the Churches, on account of all the rash innovations and additions which were made at Chalcedon.²¹

"And now, beloved children, we have the light of the true faith of the holy fathers in this written statement of his Orthodoxy, which will now be read aloud in your presence, and heard by your ears. For by confessing herein the true faith, and accepting the twelve Heads of the blessed Cyril, and anathematising Nestorius and Eutyches, and proclaiming that God the Word, Who became incarnate, is one nature, sufferings and miracles; by all this he rejects the whole teaching of the Diphysites. For their doctrine and that of the Tome is quite the opposite of this; and against them our holy fathers, Dioscorus and Timothy, true witnesses of Christ, earnestly contended.

"But pray for him, that the Lord may keep him in the true proportion of his love and faith. For we trust, by the mercy of Christ our God, that when your praises and prayers are heard, we shall not fail to obtain any of those other petitions which we are rightly asking of Him; but that He may freely receive your supplication and grant your requests."²²

"Hear this honourable document, the Henotikon, which |121 he faithfully ordained, and which will now be read in your presence."

CHAPTER VIII

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER COMES NEXT, CONTAINING THE HENOTIKON OF ZENO

"Imperial²³ Caesar, Zeno the king, believing, victorious, triumphant, mighty, ever-worshipful, Augustus, to the bishops and the people in Alexandria, and in Egypt, and in Libya, and also in Pentapolis. Since we know that the origin and stability and invincible might of our empire is the only right and true faith, which, by Divine Inspiration the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers in Council at Nicea declared, and which in like manner the one hundred and fifty holy fathers gathered at Constantinople, attested: We, by night and by day, employ constant prayers, and diligence, and enactments, that thereby the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church in every place, which is the incorruptible and imperishable mother of the sceptre of our kingdom, may be increased. That thus the believing people, being kept in godly peace and concord, may offer up, in conjunction with the pious and holy bishops, and the God-fearing clergy, and the archimandrites and monks, acceptable prayers on behalf of our empire. For if the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who became incarnate from Mary the holy Virgin and Theotokos, shall approve and readily receive our unanimous praise and service, the race of enemies shall be destroyed and obliterated; and all men will bow the neck to our sway, which is next to that of God; and then peace, and its consequent blessings, and genial temperature, and abundance of fruits, and all those things which are adapted for man's good, shall be liberally granted. This unblemished faith, then, being thus the preserver of ourselves and of the Roman affairs, petitions have been presented to us |122 by God-loving archimandrites and other hermits entreating us with tears that there may be unity to the Holy Churches; and that the limbs may be joined together which the haters of good have for a long time been striving to separate; because they knew that when one makes war with the whole and perfect body of the Church he is defeated.

"For it has happened that of the generations without number which Time, during these many years of life, has removed; some, deprived of the Laver of Regeneration, have passed away; and others, without participation in the divine Communion, have been carried off by the inevitable journey of mankind. And they have been wasted by myriads of murders; and through the profuse blood-shedding, not the earth alone, but even the very air itself has been defiled. Who would not pray that this state of things may be exchanged for a good one? For which reason, then, we desired you to know that both we and the holy Churches of the orthodox everywhere, and the God-loving priests who rule them, neither hold, nor have held, nor know any man holding, any other symbol, or doctrine, or seal of the faith, or creed, than that which we have mentioned above, the holy symbol of the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers, which was also attested by the one hundred and fifty holy fathers who met in Council here. And if there be any man holding such, we account him an alien. For, as we have already said, we are confident that this only preserves our kingdom; and also all people who are counted worthy of life-giving Baptism are baptized upon the simple reception of this creed alone. And, moreover, all the holy fathers, who met in Council at Ephesus, and deposed the wicked Nestorius and all his successors in doctrine, followed the same faith.

"This Nestorius, together with Eutyches, inasmuch as they held doctrines contrary to what have been here declared, we anathematise. And we also receive the twelve Heads delivered by the ever-memorable. God-loving Cyril, formerly archbishop of the Catholic Church of Alexandria. But we confess that the only-begotten Son of God, Himself God, |123 our Lord Jesus Christ, Who truly became man; He Who is of the same nature with the Father in the Godhead; He Who is also of the same nature with us in the manhood; He Who came down and assumed flesh, through the Holy Ghost, and from Mary the Virgin and Theotokos,— is one Son and not two. For we affirm that the miracles which He wrought, and the sufferings which He freely endured in the flesh, belong to one Son of God alone. Moreover, we altogether reject those who either divide or confound, or introduce the phantasy. For the true and sinless Incarnation from the Theotokos did not cause the addition of a Son. For the Trinity remained even though God the Word, Who is one of the Trinity, became incarnate.

"Since, then, you know that both the Holy Orthodox Churches everywhere and the God-loving priests who rule them, and our own Royalty, neither have received nor do receive any other symbol or definition of the faith than the holy doctrine which has been declared above; be united together without doubting. For we have written this, not to make any innovation in the faith, but to assure you.

"And here we anathematise all who have held, or hold, now or at any time, whether in Chalcedon or in any other Synod whatsoever, any different belief; but chiefly those already mentioned, Nestorius and Eutyches and all their followers in the doctrine.

"Be joined, then, to your spiritual mother, the Church, and delight in her, together with us, in divine fellowship, according to that one definition of the faith alone which was framed by the holy fathers, as we have declared above. For our all-holy mother, the Church, longs for you, that she may embrace you as beloved children. And, for a considerable time, she has been eager to hear your sweet voice.

"Hasten, therefore! For by so doing you will attract to yourselves the goodwill of our God and Saviour Christ; and you will also be commended by our own Royalty." |124

CHAPTER IX

THE NINTH CHAPTER OF THIS FIFTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THE SEPARATISTS

These matters having been thus transacted, some of the more ardent spirits were very indignant; because in the king's document, the Henotikon, there was no express anathema of the additions imposed at Chalcedon. However, they all remained in communion with Peter because he defended himself before them; and especially as he said, "The king will not fail us in any of the requests that we shall make to him."

Then the rest of the Proterians, seeing how matters were, went off to a suburb of the city, called Canopus, and they kept crying out evil words. However, they were feeble and few, and at their head were some readers, and Cyrus the presbyter, concerning whom we have already stated that he was at one time a follower of Dioscorus, but he afterwards deserted him. Pergamius, hearing of this secession, sent for Cyrus to have a conversation with him. And the latter agreed to do what he was asked. So when he returned to them, he pleaded earnestly with his companions at Canopus, saying, "It is right for us to join in fellowship with the others, and to obey the king's command." But the zealous and believing priests who were on Peter's side, hearing about it, were greatly distressed. And they refused to hold communion with Cyrus. And although they received a large number of his associates upon their subscribing to the Henotikon, and anathematising everyone who thought differently from what was in it; yet they refused Cyrus himself. And even when he subscribed they would not have him. For they said to |125 Pergamius that the very sight of him would be enough to bring his deeds into the remembrance of the people, and to put a stumbling-block in the way of many. So Cyrus remained a layman; and thus he died, according to the curse of the holy Dioscorus.

Then they were all associated in fellowship with Peter and Peter the Iberian, wonderfully celebrated, and the able monk Isaiah, and the other Palestinians, certain blessed monks of the monasteries of Romanus and Theodore.

And Peter, the bishop of Alexandria, sent Paul, surnamed Arcadius, to the king about certain matters of one kind and another that required correction.

But John,²⁴ who had been bishop, went off to Rome; and there, with tears, he told Simplicius the patriarch what had befallen him; alleging that he continued in danger for the sake of the Synod and the Tome. Whereupon the king, hearing of it, wrote a letter and sent it to the same Simplicius by the hand of Uranius the tax-gatherer, in which he set forth to him all the wickedness and lying treachery of John, and declared that by his own command Peter had been appointed bishop there in Alexandria, with the object of bringing the people into one communion.

But Calandion ²⁵ of Antioch, having heard about the Alexandrian affairs, was much distressed, and wrote letters to Acacius, and to Zeno the king, and to Simplicius of Rome, in which he called Peter a false teacher,²⁶ and he praised the Tome and the Synod. But he was closely attached to Nestorius, because in his letter he called Cyril a fool.²⁷

However, as he took the side of Julius, and Leontius, and Euprepius, in the rebellion which they eventually raised against Zeno the king in the East, he was ejected from his place. And by the king's commands, Peter, who had once and |126 twice contended and suffered on behalf of the true faith, was restored to his see. And the people of Antioch received him with great pomp and glory as Simon Peter. Then he convened the Synod of his province, and he healed and closed the divisions, and set matters right. The Synod also, which he convened, drew up a letter of fellowship in canonical fashion, and sent it to Peter of Alexandria. It was to the following effect:—

CHAPTER X

THE TENTH CHAPTER OF THIS FIFTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THE SYNODICAL LETTER, WHICH WAS SENT TO PETER OF ALEXANDRIA BY THE COUNCIL THAT WAS CONVENED AT ANTIOCH, IN THE DAYS WHEN PETER WAS BISHOP THERE

"To our Father, the God-loving, holy, Archbishop Peter, from the Synod now convened at Antioch.

"Just as Joshua the son of Nun, the leader of the host, and invested with the mysteries of Jesus Christ our God, showed care and solicitude for the possession and rights of the tribes of Reuben, and Gad, and Manasseh; when, according to the command of Moses, who delivered to him the leadership, they in conjunction with their brethren crossed the Jordan armed, and entered the land of promise to possess it; and continued to help in the war until God caused their brethren, like themselves, to rest in peace there: in like manner we judge it to be the endeavour of thine Excellency, O bishop, that we also, being the bishops from Arabia and Libanus of Phoenice, and Syria Secunda, and Euphratesia, and Cilicia, should come to Antioch armed, until our Eastern brethren shall possess the inheritance of their Churches from God. But how, after the troubles and conflicts that have befallen us, |127 we are earnestly desirous of peace; and how, by the letters of the indulgent king, we have been now called to meet at Antioch; thy son the beloved and illustrious Uranius the tax-gatherer will tell thee. For he, in the execution of the king's will and command, communicated and showed to us the letter sent by him to thy Holiness, and to the chaste monks, and to the believing people.

"But we, having met together and been received with the rights of divine love by our believing father Peter the patriarch, who showed us kindness and meekness with prudence, were in concord with him in all matters and he with us; and we joined in fellowship one with the other in spiritual ministration. We were honoured also by the citizens, who met and welcomed him with joy and gladness, and with ministering praise; and extolled him as Peter Kepho our leader the Apostle. And, moreover, we heard about the transactions in the royal city, how, from the jurisdiction of the holy Archbishop Acacius, they had met together by the king's command; and about their unity with him and with one another; and how he wrote to thy Blessedness, showing and explaining the will of the believing king; and that the contents of his excellent document the Henotikon were in complete accord with the faith of the holy fathers of Nicea; in which also the one hundred and fifty assembled in the royal city concurred; and which was confirmed by the Council of Ephesus in the days of Celestine and Cyril; the latter of whom also in the twelve Heads exposed and anathematised all the false doctrine of Nestorius and Eutyches, and the other heresies.

"These things, indeed, brought the Egyptians into full accord with the Easterns, or rather, we should say, with all who in every place are devoted to peace, and who love unity and the true faith.

"And we believe and are confident that the diligence and prayers of Thy Holiness have tended to bring about this happy result for the believing people everywhere, by the will of our Lord and Brother Jesus Christ, Whom we beseech to |128 preserve for us the life of thy Chastity, prospering in all virtue, and rejoicing in the Lord at what was done here upon the return of thine honourable brother our chaste father, through the diligence of this thy son Uranius, whom we commend to thy godly love, that thou mayest write and send thanks to the believing king. For he is indeed serving him with all his might, by carrying out his command, and earnestly endeavouring to promote the unity of the Churches of Christ, and to impart peace to His beloved sons."

CHAPTER XI

THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER CONTAINS THE LETTER OF ACACIUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE TO PETER OF ALEXANDRIA²⁸

Acacius, indeed, desisting from his former mind, which was in favour of the Synod, and connecting himself in loving agreement with the principles of the Henotikon, also wrote a letter to Peter of Alexandria in the following terms:—

"To our pious and God-loving fellow-minister and brother Peter, Acacius sends greeting. The very name of peace, indeed, is delightful; but its effect is very sweet. For when, in accordance with the unity and the faith of the Church, it is perfected, it imparts the more abundant grace to the prudent, and works in them joy, for it announces great things.

"Now we were blest with such joy as this in the congregations of our own city, when reports reached us respecting thy faith, which troubled us. And, moreover, they produced agitation and distress among many of the chaste monks here, and the people, and our excellent clergy. However, thine honoured letter, having been conveyed and delivered to us and to the illustrious chiefs here, exposed the entire falsehood of the rumour respecting thee, and rolled away the darkness of the cloud, and displayed the brilliancy and the purity of thy godly virtues. So that it is now time for us to |129 say, 'Glory to God in the highest.' For it is producing and manifesting the peace, which is in the land of our faith, and the goodwill amongst the men of our great God and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. And, therefore, that glory of which the angels from heaven in their companies were the first to sing in the ears of the shepherds over the earth, at Bethlehem, that same glory the shepherds and leaders of the sheep, His people, being joined together hand in hand in their union and concord, now ascribe in their song of praise to our Lord God, Who is the true Head and Shepherd of the flock.

"But also the triumphant Star of Christ from the East is now the believing and God-fearing king.

"And just as that star guided those of old to Christ our God, that they might repair to the cave and offer gifts for the honour of His worship; so he also now has manifested and caused to shine forth the splendour of the true faith to the whole cave of his dominion. And he has also taken down the middle wall of partition that divided and cleft asunder the unity of the members of the holy Church; thereby making them grow into a perfect man of complete stature. So that he has displayed the body in one Person and figure, and he has made of two one. For we understand also from the thankful letter of thy Holiness that he too like David, in prophesying and in reigning, has now slain Goliath in the field with the Cross alone; and having smitten the evil one as with a sling, he has overthrown and destroyed him by his faithful letter which he wrote; and by the true sword of the Spirit which he displayed, he has cut off and taken away those heresies and stumbling-blocks which are the very heads of the Dragon; whom also having overthrown, he has thrust into outer darkness, and has bound and imprisoned him in the lower parts of the earth.

"Accordingly Jerusalem above, the mother of the firstborn, shall rejoice, and also in her daughters the Churches she shall exult and sing, giving praise to God. with prayer for |130 the triumph of the king, and saying, 'Glory be to the Most High Lord, Who is greatly to be praised.' For we also were amazed at the triumph of God, when we learned from thy letter that the Henotikon, which in our own presence was despatched to thy Holiness by the hands of Pergamius, had reached thee, and that thou hast agreed to it. And we exult in thy faith, and we pray that the Lord may preserve for us the life of this believing king who has united us to the truth. And now I, and those who are with me, sending greetings to thy Chastity, and to the excellent clergy, and to the chaste monks, and to the believing people, have written this letter of reply."

The end of the letter of Acacius of Constantinople.

CHAPTER XII

THE TWELFTH CHAPTER TELLS ABOUT THE LETTER OF MARTYRIUS OF JERUSALEM, WHICH HE WROTE TO PETER WHO HAD BECOME BISHOP IN ALEXANDRIA, IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS²⁹

"Martyrius of Jerusalem — to the pious and Christ-loving chief priest, my lord, and brother, and fellow-minister Peter.

"It is time for us now to say, like the prophet, 'I praise Thee, O Lord God; and I glorify Thy Name: for Thou hast done marvellous things; for Thy will is true of old. Amen, O Lord!'³⁰ For our mouth is filled with gladness and our tongue with praise; because we have certainly seen the heart of the king in the Hand of the Lord, fulfilling His will in truth continually; and he has united again the severed members.

"And now that we have received thine Affection's reply, our people join with this prophet in crying aloud, 'Lift |131 up thine eyes round about thee, and behold thy children gathering together unto thee.'³¹ For which blessing, as is right, we exult; and we greet thy Holiness in the Lord. And, singing psalms with the prophet David, we say, 'May the Lord increase you more and more, you and your children; blessed are ye of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.'³² I and those who are with me, send our best respects in the Lord also to the priests who are with thy Chastity, and to the believing people, and to the pious monks."

The end of this letter of Martyrius of Jerusalem.

[Note to the online edition: footnotes have been moved to the end. Footnotes concerned only with bits of Syriac and Greek have been omitted because of the time it would take to transcribe it.]

1. ¹ Evag. iii. 3.

2. ⁴ Evag. iii. 4.

3. ⁵ Evag. iii. 4.

4. ¹ Evag. iii. 4.

5. ¹ Evag. iii. 5; Liberat. 16.

6. ³ Evag. iii. 5.

7. ³ Evag. iii. 5.

8. ² Evag. iii. 6.

9. ¹ Evidently a mistake for Theodotus; see below, and Evag. iii. 6.

10. ⁵ Evag. iii. 7.

11. ¹ The text has, "Paul of Antioch and Peter of Ephesus," an evident mistake.

12. ² I.e. Magyda.

13. ¹ Ps. xci. 14, 15.

14. ⁴ Gal. 1. 8, 9.

15. ² Evag. iii. 12; Liberat. 16.

16. ³... MS.; but in Das Leben des Severus (ed. Spanuth), p. 6, it is written [Syriac], and said to be the name of a monastery situated in Canopus.—"Presbyter Tabennesiotis" (Lib.).

17. ⁴ I.e. Illus.

18. ² Evag. ii. 12; Liberat. 17.

19. ¹ Liberat. 18.

20. ² Evag. iii. 13.

21. ² The rendering of this passage is somewhat conjectural, owing to defects in the MS.

22. ³ Or, "when the report of your praises and prayers reaches him, he will not fail us in any of the other things which we justly ask from him, but will readily receive your petition and grant your requests."

23. ¹ Evag. iii. 14; Liberat. 17.

24. ² Evag. iii. 15; Liberat. 18.

25. ⁵ Evag. iii. 16; Liberat. 18.

26. ⁶ Literally, "an adulterer"; perhaps it is intended to express illegal occupation of the see.

27. ⁷ See Mansi, vol. iv. p. 893.

28. ¹ Cf. Evag. iii. 16.

29. ³ Cf. Evag. iii. 16.

30. ⁴ Isa. xxv. 1.

31. ¹ Isa. lx. 4.

32. ² Ps. cxv. 14, 15.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2002. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using the Scholars Press SPIonic font, free from here.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: zachariah06.htm

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 6.

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 6.

BOOK VI

THE sixth Book taken from the work of Zachariah, containing seven chapters.

The first tells about the Separatists from the communion of Peter, because he received the Henotikon.

The second tells of Cosmas the Spatharius who was sent by Zeno; and the transactions which took place in Alexandria with the seceding monks.

In the third there is an account of Peter and Isaiah the monk.

In the fourth we are told about Arsenius the prefect, who was sent to Alexandria; and how he acted towards the Separatists.

Then the fifth tells of the letter of Fravitta, who was bishop in Constantinople, to Peter.

The sixth contains a record of the letter of Peter to Fravitta.

The seventh gives information respecting the chief priests who were in the days of Zeno; and also concerning the length of Zeno's life. |133

CHAPTER I

THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS SIXTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THOSE WHO SECEDED FROM THE COMMUNION OF PETER, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EXPRESS ANATHEMA OF THE SYNOD OF CHALCEDON AND THE TOME OF LEO, EITHER IN THE HENOTIKON OR IN THE LETTERS OF THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO HIM

Matters having been thus arranged by the king's Henotikon, and three or four of the chief priests, namely, the bishops of Ephesus, and of Jerusalem, and of Alexandria, and of Antioch, together with the bishops in their jurisdictions, being united and agreed together according to the purport of this Henotikon of Zeno, and having received and subscribed to it; then Julian and John, presbyters of Alexandria, and Helladius and Serapion, deacons, venerable men belonging to the Church there, and Theodore the bishop of Antinoe, and John and another Egyptian, and Andrew the great archimandrite, and Paul the Sophist, and other illustrious monks, seceded from the communion of Peter of Alexandria. But they took this course because there was no clear and decided anathema of the Synod and the Tome, either in the Henotikon or in the letters of the chief priests to Peter. And gradually the number of these Separatists was increased, and they received a considerable accession to their numbers in the monastery. And Acacius of the royal city, having heard it, wrote to urge them to be reunited.

But Peter in his public address, and the other apologies which he made before the people, continued to revile the Synod. And, at length, Acacius heard this also, and he sent his presbyter to inquire into the freedom and the faith of Peter. And there ensued an investigation before the judge of the |134 city on this point, that the Synod had not been expressly anathematised by Peter, and the report of this reached the ears of many and proved a stumbling-block to them. And many demands were made of him by the seceding archimandrite and bishop. Then Peter the Iberian, the bishop of Gaza, who was sojourning there, and Elijah the monk, sur-named the potter, were appointed to consider and examine into these matters. And having examined into them, together with the council of the monks, they selected four of Peter's discourses concerning the faith, and they said to him, "If thou dost agree to these, sign them"; and he signed them. Whereupon several of them entered into communion with him, because he thereby anathematised the Synod and the Tome, when he delivered those discourses in the ears of the people. However, the others remained unwilling to hold communion with Peter. And the latter, seeing this, took away the monastery of Bishop Theodore, and thrust out that wonderful man, who had opened the eyes of a blind man by the aspersion of water from the baptismal font. Upon which there arose a great agitation among the monks, and they sent Nephalius, who was one of those that had been ejected by Peter, and was also a disturber of the people, to Zeno the king.

CHAPTER II

THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THIS SIXTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT NEPHALIUS, WHO WENT UP TO THE KING, AND MADE A COMPLAINT AGAINST PETER; AND HOW COSMAS THE SPATHARIUS WAS SENT (TO ALEXANDRIA), AND WHAT WAS DONE UPON HIS ENTRY THERE

Nephalius,¹ a monk,² and by his disposition and habits a disturber of the people, made preparations and went up to Zeno the king, bringing with him a letter from his fellow |135 Separatists; in which they testified against Peter that he had plundered them, and ejected them, and taken away their monasteries.

And the king, when he heard it, was very angry with Peter, and sent Cosmas his Spatharius with a letter containing threats against Peter, and declaring that his Majesty had been so indulgent as to appoint him the bishop of Alexandria, with the object of uniting the people together, and not keeping them divided into two parts.

And Cosmas having arrived, in company with Nephalius, and the letter having been delivered to Peter: then the monks assembled at the Martyr Church of St. Euphemia, to the number of about thirty thousand, and ten bishops with them. But a message was sent to them, that they should not enter the city lest the people should be excited, and a tumult should ensue. However, Theodore the bishop, and John, and Julian and John the presbyters, and Palladius³ and Serapion the deacons, and Andrew the Great, and Paul the Sophist, with about two hundred archimandrites, were selected as representatives; and they entered the great church to have an interview with Peter. Then they had a long conversation with Cosmas the Spatharius and the prefect of the city. And the king's letter was read aloud.

Then Peter delivered an apologetic address to them, anathematising, in their ears, the Synod and the Tome. And he further wrote in his own hand to the following effect: "I, Peter, the bishop of Alexandria, do now, as I have often before, anathematise all that was said and devised in Chalcedon against the true faith of the holy fathers, the three hundred and eighteen bishops; and also the Tome of Leo. And I confess that these are my own works, and that anyone not agreeing with them, whether bishop, or presbyter, or deacon, or monk, or layman, is an alien. And if I (or any other person) shall ever write in agreement with the transactions of the Synod and the contents of the Tome, I shall become thereby a castaway from the Holy Trinity." |136

However, the monks would not accept this confession, for they said that Peter associated in communion with the chief priests, who had uttered no express anathema against the Synod and the Tome, as he had done.

And Peter replied, "My reason for holding communion with them is that they have accepted the king's Henotikon, which cancels all additions, and the transactions of every place, except the three holy Synods, I mean those of Nicea, Ephesus, and Constantinople. And in my public address I explained the Henotikon, and showed you how it nullified the Synod of Chalcedon, by accepting the twelve Heads of the blessed Cyril, and by anathematising Nestorius, and Eutyches, and every other who would assert the duality of the Natures in Christ, and would ascribe the miracles to one and the sufferings to the other, and would divide the Persons in properties and in operations.

But after all this discussion, even then only a few of the monks consorted with Peter. And the others presented a libel against him to Cosmas. And they took their monasteries and dwelt in them, assembling by themselves. But they endeavoured to appoint a bishop instead of Peter. However, Theodore the bishop, being an orderly man, restrained them, saying, "It is not fitting treatment for one who believes as we do, and anathematises the Synod and the Tome (even though he may hold communion with those that have received and signed the Henotikon), lest we be blamed for rejecting him, and be accounted as disorderly persons." But they say that Theodore took this course because he was one of the bishops who laid hands upon Peter.

The people, however, since they received Peter without dispute when he anathematised the Synod, were greatly incensed against the monks. But they were restrained by the chiefs and by Peter, so that there was no public tumult. |137

CHAPTER III

THE THIRD CHAPTER TELLS HOW COSMAS, WHEN RETURNING TO THE KING, PASSED THROUGH TO PALESTINE, IN ORDER TO TAKE WITH HIM PETER THE IBERIAN AND ISAIAH THE MONK, ACCORDING TO THE KING'S ORDERS

But Cosmas on his return passed through Palestine, and sought for Peter the Illustrious and Isaiah the able monk. However, he could not find Peter, because the latter had previous intimation of his coming, and had departed from before him.

But Isaiah prayed to God that a sickness might overtake him; lest, if he were to go up to the royal city, he might show himself a flatterer of the rich men there. And so it befell him.

And when Cosmas reached him and gave him the king's letter, he showed him his sickness and infirmity, saying, "As I am a sick man, I cannot possibly endure to embark upon the sea, lest I die at once. And then I could not appear before the king; and you would be censured both by God and the king if you were to carry a corpse round the world." And in this way he succeeded in escaping. And shortly afterwards he recovered. And he persevered in the exercise of his habits, and of his conflicts all the days of his life. This man was indeed a seer, a sharer (as we may say) in the name and in the actions of the prophet Isaiah. |138

CHAPTER IV

THE FOURTH CHAPTER TELLS HOW ARSENIUS WAS SENT AS PREFECT TO ALEXANDRIA BY THE KING, WHEN THE LATTER LEARNED THE STATE OF AFFAIRS FROM COSMAS RESPECTING THE SEPARATIST MONKS AND THE ORDERS THEN GIVEN BY THE PREFECT

When Cosmas ⁴ the Spatharius returned to the king, and presented a written communication informing him of the affairs in Alexandria, and about the Separatist monks, and their leaders, and the bishops; then he sent Arsenius there as prefect, and also gave him authority over the Romans. And he ordered that Theodore and John the bishops, and Agathon, and Julian, and John the presbyters, and Helladius and Serapion the deacons, and Paul and Andrew the archimandrites, and all the others should be called to unity, according to the terms of the faith laid down in the Henotikon, once or twice, by Peter the bishop of Alexandria; and that, in the event of their refusing to join in communion with him, they should be ejected from their monasteries.

And upon the arrival of Arsenius, this Nephalius, the disturber of the people, again attached himself to him. Then he brought together the bishops and the presbyters and the archimandrites; and he showed them the king's command, which he read aloud in their hearing. And Peter also readily repeated to them his explanation and anathema, at the same time entreating them to join in communion with himself. However, they would neither accept nor be satisfied with this. But Theodore the bishop said to him, "If you make a written statement abjuring the communion of the other chief priests and sign it, then we will enter into communion with you." And Peter, in reply, made the same defence as before, saying, "It is right for me to associate with those who receive the Henotikon, which teaches the true faith." |139

Whereupon these men were compelled by Arsenius to go to the king, and personally to lay their petitions and wishes before him; so that then his command might be fully carried out. And they all went, with the exception of Theodore, who withdrew himself. And when they appeared before the king, he was astonished both at their chastity and at their reasoning with him about everything which was displeasing to them in his transactions.

But while they were there, Acacius ⁵ the bishop of Constantinople died. And Fravitta was appointed as his successor; a gentle and believing man, who wrote a letter, after the canonical manner, and sent it by some clergy, to Peter of Alexandria. And Peter received it gladly; and he also wrote a reply, in which he expressly anathematised the Synod and the Tome of Leo. And while this was on its way, Fravitta died. And Euphemius, a man of Apamea, who was educated at Alexandria, was appointed as his successor. However, he was tainted with the Nestorian heresy.

And when he received the letter he was very indignant. And he was even angry with Longinus the presbyter and Andrew the deacon, the clergy who conveyed this letter; and he brought an accusation against them. But they deprecated his accusation by showing the zeal of the people of Alexandria. And Euphemius severed himself from Peter's communion; and he sought to bring about the deprivation of Peter, intending for that purpose to convene a separate Synod. But Archelaus the bishop of Caesarea, a man of wonderful learning, restrained him, saying, "It is not possible for the great bishop of Alexandria to be accused and ejected by a Synod of one province; only a General Council could do that." But when Peter heard it, he also uttered threats against Euphemius; that, just as the blessed Cyril had sent Nestorius to Oasis, so he would in like manner eject Euphemius from his see. However, Peter also departed this life. But his letter was seen in Constantinople, and it convinced many that he was a believer. And John and Julian the Alexandrians, and the rest of their associates who happened to be there, the Separatists, on seeing |140 his letter to Fravitta, changed their minds; and they were ready on their return to Alexandria to join in communion with him. But while they were returning, he died. And his successor ⁶ was Athanasius, an eloquent, believing, and peace-loving man. He, desiring and exerting himself to bring the Separatist monks into communion with the Church, in the course of his address to the people mentioned the names of Dioscorus and Timothy, but he purposely omitted to mention the name of Peter in order to try them. Whereupon they became greatly excited (and they would not be quiet) until he named Peter also in his discourse.

CHAPTER V

THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THIS BOOK GIVES THE LETTER OF FRAVITTA OF CONSTANTINOPLE TO PETER OF ALEXANDRIA, IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS

"To our holy father, and God-loving fellow - minister, Peter, from Fravitta, who sends greetings in the Lord. When I weigh mine own natural weakness, and I wonder at the merciful acts of God towards me, I truly perceive that it is absolutely (?) that 'He raises up the poor from the dunghill to set him with the princes of the people.' And it is well known that this mercy of God is not the consequence of any meritorious deeds on man's part; but that it results from the divine grace which arises, time after time, upon the sons of the Church, through the love of the Father. So that it is not the wise, nor the disputers, nor the eloquent of this world whom grace raises up as leaders by the election.

"Now, before the Law, Abel, though not learned, was acceptable to God; as were also the righteous fathers who came after him. But under the Law, grace marked out shepherds and herdsmen, and gatherers of sycamore fruit,⁷ and raised them up as prophets. And after the Law, the same |141 grace appointed fishermen, and a tent-maker, to be the preachers of the living word from heaven. That thus the power of God might be truly known to be made manifest and perfect in the weak. And such are the mysteries of Christians who hold fast the Incarnation of Christ; according to His own word in the Gospel, 'I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father, for such is Thine own will.'⁸

"For Jesus Christ our God is the foundation and the corner-stone of the Holy Church. And therefore these blessings, which we have received, are not a strange display of His mercy. But we hope that from them we shall understand His equal mercy towards other men; and we shall show ourselves gentle and kind to our brethren in the flesh and in the faith, and to the priests who are our fellow-ministers and Christ-loving brothers. Thus we shall endeavour to rule the Holy Church everywhere in the same right faith, and in perfect love. And by the events which are taking place (the Lord helping us) we shall show the rational flock which has been intrusted to our care in all places to be one; that of the Great Shepherd, Who has appointed us to be the leaders of His flock. And we shall drive out those grievous wolves, the accursed heresies, more especially of Nestorius and Eutyches, by preaching and holding the faith of the holy fathers, who maintained the truth and preserved the order of the Church, and in our day teaching the right faith to the people and to mankind, as well as they.

"But, using brotherly love and concord in my salutation, I now present to thy Holiness the pledge of my affection, by the hands of Longinus the presbyter and Andrew the deacon. And to complete what is right, I send my greetings to all the pastors, and the honourable priests, and the chaste monks, and the believing people of thy jurisdiction. We, |142 moreover, entreat thy Holiness to pray along with us, that we may show ourselves wise men and rulers in all matters, like Solomon, and like Paul and Peter and the rest of the apostles, in preaching the truth to the sons of the Church; and that in everything about which you refer to us, we may be able, to the best of our ability, to render fitting aid to the other Churches; and also in those matters taking place in the Christ-loving city, through the enactment of the Christ-loving and indulgent king, who is watchful and studious and desirous to bring about the peace of the Churches, and the concord of the priests, and the unity of the people.

"I and the brethren with me send our best respects to thy Chastity, and to the brethren with thee."

CHAPTER VI

THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THIS SIXTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THE LETTER OF PETER THE BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA, WHICH HE WROTE IN REPLY TO FRAVITTA OF CONSTANTINOPLE, IN THE FOLLOWING TERMS

"To my pious and God-loving brother and fellow-minister, my lord Fravitta, from Peter, who sends greetings in the Lord.

"In consequence of the election of thine Eminence, it is time now for us to say, 'Ye heavens above be glad, and let the earth with her fulness rejoice, and let her sing with joy,' according to the word of the prophet.⁹

"For also, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the one only-begotten Son of God the Father, has not redeemed us with corruptible things, as silver and gold; but He rather laid down His life for us, as a lamb without blemish; and He offered a sacrifice of sweet savour to God His Father; and |143 gave His body as a substitute for the life of the whole human race. He Who is honoured by all creation, and is equal to the Father, God the Word, became incarnate; yet He suffered thereby no variation nor change; but He as man remains the same, and He is in truth alive for ever, the Word of His Father, and of the same nature. Come then, as with one tongue and one believing, Christ-loving mind, let us offer to Him thanksgiving, and say with the blessed Baruch, This is our God, there is none other beside Him. He found out the whole way of wisdom, and gave it to Jacob His servant, and to Israel His beloved. And afterwards, He appeared upon the earth, and had converse with men.'¹ For there was not indeed One the Son of God, Who existed before the times and ages, through Whom all things were made; and another who, in the last time, was born in the flesh from the Theotokos; according to the notion of Nestorius. But rather He, being the¹⁰ same, took the seed of Abraham, according to the word of the blessed Paul;¹¹ and also He was partaker of our flesh and blood, and was made like us in all points, sin only excepted. For neither do we say that the body of our Lord Jesus Christ is from heaven, as Eutyches in his folly affirms; nor that He became incarnate in semblance or imagination; on the contrary, we anathematise all such teachers. But we confess one only-begotten Son of God the Father, Who is our Lord Jesus Christ. And we know that He, God the Word of the Father, Who became incarnate for our redemption, in His divine nature took the likeness of a servant, by the dispensation.

"This is the faith of the Church of Alexandria, by which we are all adorned, both we, and the God-fearing bishops and clergy, and the monks, and all the people of God. And the congregation of the people grows and multiplies exceedingly in the Churches, while we are obedient to the apostle, who says, "If any man shall preach to you any other gospel than what we have preached, let him be accursed.'¹²

"But the cause of all these blessings so dear and acceptable to us, was the election of thy Piety's Eminence, which |144 has been mentioned above; and also the goodwill of the believing and Christ-loving King Zeno, who consented to thine election. And he also, for the sake of the unity of the people, and that we might be established in power and in the truth, by what he wrote so faithfully in the Henotikon, anathematised all the rash thoughts and words of Chalcedon and the Tome of Leo.

"And we consent to this same document; and we preach it, by word of mouth and by writing, to the believing nations; as also our ever-memorable and holy brother and fellow-minister Acacius was seen to hold and teach until his death, when the Alexandrians testified to us his true faith, as thy Holiness is also persuaded. For it is right for the Christ-loving king, not only to subdue enemies, and to set the Barbarian races beneath his feet; but also to expose the snares of these intellectual enemies, and to cause the true faith to shine upon the believing people. For thy Holiness has risen up and bloomed forth for us like the plant of peace. And this is the gift of the believing king to us, by the will of God, Who chose him before, as we have already said. And, therefore, we are delighted at this, that such a good priest should arise and appear for the believing nations. May God keep him, and may He adorn him with the heavenly crown by His own rich Hand, as we hope and pray that he may be found walking in the whole way of the truth, in the footsteps of the holy fathers, a believing chosen priest, by the mercy of our Saviour Christ, through Whom, to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, be glory for evermore!

"But we welcomed affectionately the bearers of the letter of thy Righteousness the excellent Longinus the presbyter and Andrew the deacon; and we now send them back in peace to thy Holiness."

But Athanasius ¹³ also wrote in the same strain, two years afterwards, to Palladius, who was Peter's successor in Antioch, expressly anathematising the Synod, and quoting freely from the Henotikon.¹⁴ |145

And John ¹⁵ was appointed as the successor of Athanasius; and when anyone would ask him to give an anathema of the Synod and the Tome in writing, he would give it cheerfully and without fear. Now Flavian, who was the successor of Palladius in Antioch, sent Solomon, a presbyter of his Church, to this John of Alexandria. And Solomon asked John for a letter to Flavian, concerning the concord in the faith. But John would not consent to do this for him, until he should receive from him a sworn statement that he would send him a letter from Flavian in which there would be an anathema of the Synod and the Tome. And John, his namesake and successor, was believing and acting in like manner.. Now after Zeno had reigned seventeen years, and matters had been thus carried on in the Church; and also the tyrants Basiliscus and Marcus had risen up against him, and been driven out, as we have related above; and again, Illus and Leontius and Euprepius had rebelled against him and been slain in the East; and again, in his days, one Theodoric a tyrant had taken captives from Thrace and many other places, and had gone to Rome and subdued it, because Odoacer the Anti-Caesar there fled before him to Ravenna a city of Italy; Zeno died in the year eight hundred and two, according to the Greek mode of reckoning.

And Anastasius, his successor, received the kingdom on the fourth day of the Great Week; when Euphemius was the bishop of Constantinople; and Flavian of Antioch; and Athanasius of Alexandria; and Sallustius, the successor of Martyrius, of Jerusalem; and Felix, the successor of Simplicius, of Rome.

CHAPTER VII

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER TELLS WHO WERE THE CHIEF PRIESTS IN THE DAYS OF ZENO

But the following were the chief priests in the days of Zeno. In Rome, after Hilarus, Simplicius, the author of the |146 letter to Zeno respecting John the liar, who was ejected from Alexandria; and after him Felix, who was still living when Anastasius became the emperor.

In Alexandria, Timothy the Great, who was recalled from banishment; and Timothy Salophiaciolus; and John, who was forthwith ejected; and Peter; and his successor, Athanasius.

In Jerusalem, Anastasius; and Martyrius; and Sallustius.

In Antioch, Martyrius, who was ejected; and Julian; and Stephen; and the other Stephen; and Peter the Believer; and Calandion, who was ejected; and Palladius; and Flavian, his successor, who was ejected in the days of Anastasius.

In Constantinople, after Gennadius, Acacius; and Fravitta, his successor; and Euphemius, his successor, who was ejected in the days of Anastasius.

But in this sixth Book and in the fifth Book preceding it, which have been translated concisely and briefly (so to speak) in contracted style, for the information of the Syriac reader, from the Greek History of Zachariah the Rhetorician; which he wrote thus far, in protracted style, after the manner of Greek amplification; there is a period of seventeen years, comprising only the life of the Emperor Zeno.

[Note to the online edition: footnotes have been moved to the end. Footnotes concerned only with bits of Syriac and Greek have been omitted because of the time it would take to transcribe it.]

1. ¹ Evag. iii. 22.

2. ² A similar account of him is given in das Leben des Severus (ed. Spanuth), pp. 26 and 27.

3. ³... we should probably read... Helladius.

4. ¹ Evag. iii. 22.

5. ¹ Evag. iii. 23.

6. ¹ Evag. iii. 23. - Ps. cxiii. 7, 8.

7. ⁴ Amos vii. 14 (Syriac).

8. ¹ Luke x. 21.

9. ² It seems to be a free quotation from Isa. xliv. 23 or xlix. 13.

10. ¹ Bar, iii. 35-37.

11. ² Heb. ii. 16.

12. ³ Gal. i. 8 and 9.

13. ¹ Evag. iii. 23.

14. ² Or using more freedom of speech than the Henotikon.

15. ¹ Liberat. 18.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2002. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using the Scholars Press SPIonic font, free from here.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: zachariah07.htm

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 7.

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 7.

BOOK VII

THIS seventh Book, in the fifteen chapters which are contained in it as given below, tells about the events that occurred in the reign of Anastasius; in the first chapter, about the beginning of his reign, and how Epiphanius the bishop was ejected; and in the second chapter, about the Isaurians who rebelled and were subdued, and the tyrants at the head of them were killed; and in the third chapter, about Theodosiopolis and Amida, the cities which were subdued; and in the fourth, about the manner in which the city of Amida was subdued; and the fifth, about the famine that was in it, and how the Persians departed from it; the sixth, about Dara, how the city was built; the seventh, about the expulsion of Macedonius, who was ejected from Constantinople; the eighth, containing the letter of Simeon the presbyter, giving information concerning his expulsion; the ninth, about his successor Timothy, and how the expression, "Who was crucified for us," was proclaimed in Constantinople in his days; the tenth, about the Synod which was held in Sidon in the days of Flavian and Akhs'noyo the bishops, in the fifth year,¹ the eight hundred and twenty-third year of the Greeks; the eleventh, about the petition which was framed by the monks of the East and Cosmas of Antioch, and presented to the Synod; the twelfth chapter, about the Synod that was held in Tyre in the days of Severus and Akhs'noyo, which anathematised the Council of Chalcedon and the Tome of Leo with great freedom of speech; the thirteenth chapter, about Ariadne the queen, who died, and about Vitalian the tyrant, who took Hypatius prisoner in war; the fourteenth chapter, about Timothy, who died, and his |148 successor was John; and about demons that entered into the Egyptians, and Alexandrians, and Arabians who came to the dedication festival at Jerusalem, and barked at the Cross and then ceased; the fifteenth, telling who were chief priests in the days of Anastasius the king. Anastasius, then, died in the eight hundred and twenty-ninth year of the Greeks, in the three hundred and twenty-fourth Olympiad.

CHAPTER I

THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK TREATS OF THE REIGN OF THE EMPEROR ANASTASIUS WHO RECEIVED THE KINGDOM AFTER ZENO, AND OF EUPHEMIUS² THE BISHOP THERE, WHO WAS EJECTED

Zeno,³ having reigned seventeen years, as is recorded above in the sixth Book and its chapters, died in the three hundred and seventeenth Olympiad, in the eight hundred and second year by the reckoning of the Greeks, the fourteenth Indiction, on the fourth day of the Great Week. And Anastasius, who was silentiary decurion, received the kingdom. This man was from the city of Dyrrhachium, and was powerful in aspect, vigorous in mind, and a believer. When he was a soldier he had confidential friendship with Ariadne the queen, who desired and agreed to make him king. To this man a few days before he became king [it happened as follows].⁴ There was a certain person named John the Scholastic, brother of Dith, a native of Amida, a valiant man, and just and upright, fearing God and forsaking evil; but by his own accord and freewill |149 he was constant in the ministry, being a scholastic of the Church. And when he was in Constantinople on a confidential mission on behalf of his city, he saw a vision once, and again a second time, showing that Anastasius the silentiary should be made king. And he called him, and said to him, "In accordance with the rectitude and the virtues and the honour of thy soul, that thou mayest fulfil the goodwill of God, do thou be peaceable and gentle and modest and upright, and show thyself towards everyone quiet and kind for the benefit of all men, who are thy kindred. It is not because I want anything from thee, or because I would flatter thee, that I reveal to thee that thou shalt be made king very soon." And because this John was celebrated and honoured for his merits, and was known also to many, and, moreover, because he was a learned man, Anastasius believed him, and took it as true; and he was constant with him there in the vigil of the church. But it happened that when he received the kingdom, and he was desirous of rewarding his friend with gifts of gratitude such as are sought after by and visible to men, this John would not take anything at all from him; but he soon left the city and returned to his own country: being content with the documents ⁵ which Zeno had drawn up, he only took assurance from Anastasius that they should be received.

But Euphemius the bishop there had been threatening Peter of Alexandria that he would decree his deprivation, because he wrote expressly a reply to Fravitta the predecessor of Euphemius, and also because in his synodical letter which was sent by some clergy, Longinus the presbyter and Andrew the deacon, he had anathematised the Synod of Chalcedon and the Tome. But at that time Euphemius was prevented from doing this by the advice of Archelaus, bishop of Caesarea, |150 a wise man who happened to be there. And when Peter died, Euphemius maintained the same hatred against Athanasius, Peter's successor in the bishopric of Alexandria, who more openly and authoritatively anathematised the Synod and the Tome; against him Euphemius was making preparations to depose him, and called in Felix of Rome to his aid. And when his machination became known to Athanasius through his Apokrisiarioi there, who wrote and also sent to him a copy of the letter which had been sent by him ⁶ to Felix, then Athanasius made preparation, and wrote to Sallust of Jerusalem, and received a reply from him concerning the agreement of the faith. And they both informed Anastasius the king respecting Euphemius that he was a heretic, and showed a copy of his letter in confirmation (of their charge). And when his deeds were examined by certain bishops who happened to be in Constantinople, and also by believing monks from Alexandria and the East, he was banished and ejected from his see; and Macedonius, who also was ejected fifteen years later, as is recorded below, became bishop in his stead.

CHAPTER II

THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THIS BOOK TELLS US HOW ISAURIA REVOLTED

Now the Isaurians prospered in the days of Zeno (who withdrew before Basiliscus and Marcus the tyrants, and dwelt as a refugee in the strongholds there called Salmon); and they also had free intercourse in the kingdom in his days, and he was their rewarder, and he counted them worthy to receive good things of all kinds from him; and on that account they could not bear their good fortune, but were proud and insolent when Anastasius became king. And they raised a rebellion against him, and they appointed a |151 tyrant for themselves, and they refused the gifts which were sent to them by Anastasius, and they would not consent to give him tribute, but they even raided the provinces round about them. And when an outcry and accusation against them was brought to the king, he sent an army and made preparations against them. And the Isaurians were defeated in battle; and they showed themselves to be weak, and were subdued, and the tyrants were killed.

But an earthquake occurred. And locusts invaded 'Arab ⁷ of Mesopotamia. And there was a famine in the year nine,⁸ of which James the doctor of Batnae wrote an account, in the eleventh (year) of the reign of Anastasius. And many of the Arabs died, both in Amida, whither they retired, and in various other places.

CHAPTER III ⁹

THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK MAKES KNOWN HOW THEODOSIOPOLIS OF ARMENIA WAS SUBDUED, AND CONCERNING THE CITY AMIDA OF MESOPOTAMIA

When¹⁰ Piroz, king of the Persians, was reigning in his own country, in the thirteenth (year) of Anastasius, the Huns issued forth from the gates that were guarded by the Persians, and from the mountainous region there, and invaded the territory of the Persians. And Piroz became alarmed, and he gathered an army and went to meet them. And when he inquired from them the reason of their preparation and invasion of his country, they said to him, "What the kingdom of the Persians gives to us by way of tribute is |152 not sufficient for us Barbarians, who, like rapacious wild beasts, reject God in the North-West region; and we live by our weapons, our bow and our sword; and we support ourselves by flesh-food of all kinds; and the king of the Romans has promised by his ambassadors to give us twice as much tribute whenever we shall dissolve our friendship with you Persians; and accordingly we made our preparations, and we have come here, that either you shall give us as much as the Romans, and we will ratify our treaty with you, or else if you do not give it to us, take war." And when Piroz perceived the determination of the Huns, although they were much fewer in number than his own army, he thought it well to play them false and deceive them; and he promised them to give it. And four hundred of the chief men of the Huns assembled, and they had with them Eustace, a merchant of Apamea, a clever man, by whose advice they were guided. But Piroz also and four hundred men with him met together. And they went up into a mountain; and they made a treaty, and they ate together, and they swore, lifting up their hands to heaven. And when few remained along with the four hundred men who were to receive the tribute money which was being collected, and the rest of the Huns had dispersed to return to their own country; after ten days Piroz broke faith with them, and prepared war, both against the Huns who had dispersed, and against the four hundred who remained and those with them. But Eustace the merchant encouraged the Huns that they should not be alarmed even though they were very much fewer. And in the place where the oaths were made, they cast musk and spices upon coals of fire, and made an offering to God according to the advice of Eustace, that he might overthrow the liars. And they joined battle with Piroz, and killed him and a great number of his army; and they pillaged the Persian territory, and returned to their own country. And the body of Piroz was not found; and in his country they call him the liar.

But Kawad, who succeeded him in the kingdom, and his |153 nobles cherished hatred against the Romans, saying that they had caused the incursion of the Huns, and the pillage and the devastation of their country. And Kawad gathered an army, and went out against Theodosiopolis in Armenia of the Romans, and subdued the city; and he treated its inhabitants mercifully, because he had not been insulted by them; but he took Constantine, the ruler of their city, prisoner.

And in the month of October he reached Amida of Mesopotamia. (But though he assailed it) with fierce assaults of sharp arrows and with battering-rams, which thrust the wall to overthrow it, and pent-houses, which protected those who brought together the materials for the besiegers' mound and raised it up and made it equal in height with the wall, for three months, day after day, yet he could not take the city by storm; while his own people were suffering much hardship through work and fighting, and he was constantly hearing in his ears the insults of disorderly men on the wall, and their ridicule and mockery, and he was reduced to great straits. And indignation and regret took possession of him, because the winter came upon him in its severity, and because the Persians, being clad in their loose garments, showed themselves inefficient; and their bows were greatly relaxed by the moisture of the atmosphere; and their battering-rams did not hurt the wall or make any breaches in it, for (the defenders) were binding bundles of rushes from the beds with chains, and receiving upon them the violence of the battering-rams, and thus preventing them from breaking the wall. But they themselves made a breach in the wall from inside, and they carried the material of the mound from without into |154 the fortress within, and they gradually propped up the cavity with beams from beneath. And when chosen Persian warriors ascended the mound and laid beams upon the wall to effect an entrance (now they were clad in armour, and the king was near with his army outside, and was supporting them with display of strength and shooting of arrows, and encouraging them with shouting, and stimulating them and urging them forward by his presence and appearance, they being about five hundred men), the defenders threw strings of skin just flayed from an ox, and soaked vetch mixed with myrrh-oil from the wall upon the beams, and poured the liquid from the vetch upon the skins to make them slippery, and they placed fire among the props which were beneath the mound. And when they had engaged in a conflict with each other for about six hours, and (the besiegers) had failed to effect an entrance, the fire blazed up and consumed the wood of the props, and immediately also the rest of the material was reduced to ashes by the violence of the fire, and the mound was destroyed and fell.¹¹ And the Persians who were on the top of it were burned, and they were also bruised, being struck with stones by those on the wall. And the king retired with shame and grief, being more than ever mocked and insulted by those daring, proud, and boastful men. For there was no bishop in that city to be their teacher and to keep them in order. For John the bishop, a chaste and noble man of honoured character, had died a few days before. This man was called from the monastery of Karthamin, and he, having been elected, came, and he became their bishop. However, he did not change his asceticism and self-mortification and habit of life, but was constant (in them) by day and by night. And he |155 warned and rebuked the rich men of the city at the time of the famine and the incursion of the Arabs ¹² and the pestilence, saying that they should not. keep back the corn in the time of distress, but should sell it and give to the poor; lest if they kept it back, they might be only hoarding it for the enemy, according to the word of Scripture. And so, in fact, it happened. To him an angel appeared openly, standing beside the altar-table, and he foretold to him the incursion of the enemy, and that he should be taken away as a righteous man from the face of the enemy; and he revealed the saying, and published it in the presence of the people of the city, that they might turn and be saved from the wrath.

CHAPTER IV

THE FOURTH CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK TELLS HOW THE CITY OF AMIDA WAS SUBDUED, AND WHAT BEFELL ITS INHABITANTS

When Kawad and his army had been defeated in the various assaults which they made upon the city, and a large number of his soldiers had perished, his hands were weakened; and he asked that a small gift of silver should be given to him, and he would withdraw from the city. But Leontius, the son of Pappus, the chief councillor, and Cyrus the governor, and Paul Bar Zainab the steward, by the messengers whom they sent to Kawad, demanded from him the price of the garden vegetables which his army had eaten, as well as for the corn and wine which they gathered and brought away from the villages. And when he was greatly grieved at this, and was preparing to withdraw in disgrace, Christ appeared to him in a vision of the night, as he himself |156 afterwards related it, and said to him, that within three days He would deliver up to him the inhabitants of the city, because they had sinned against Him; and this took place as follows:— On the western side of the city by the Tripyrgion was a guard of monks who were told off from the monastery of John of Anzetene, and their archimandrite was a Persian. And on the outside, right opposite this watch-tower, a certain Marzban, named Kanarak the Lame, was encamped. And day after day, vigilantly watching by night and by day, he was diligent and clever in devising plans for the subjugation of the city. For there was one whom they called in the city Kutrigo, a turbulent and thievish fellow; this man was very daring in all kinds of attacks upon the Persians, and he used to make raids and snatch away from them cattle and goods; so that they also, being accustomed to hear the men on the wall crying out, used to call him Kutrigo. Kanarak observed this man, and perceived that he went out by the aqueducts adjoining the Tripyrgion, and snatched up spoil, and went in again. And for a time the Persians let him accomplish his will, marking and examining his actions, and they ran after him and saw the place from which he came out and where he went in.

But it happened on that night on which the city was subdued, that there was darkness, and a dense cloud sending clown soft rain; and a certain man gave a friendly entertainment to the monks who guarded the Tripyrgion, and he gave them wine to drink late in the night, and consequently sleep overtook them, and they did not watch diligently upon their guard, according to their usual custom. And when Kanarak and a few soldiers came up, pursuing Kutrigo, and drew near |157 to the wall, the monks did not cry out nor cast stones; and the man perceived that they were asleep, and he sent for scaling-ladders and for his troops; and his followers went in by the aqueducts, and climbed the tower of the monks, and killed them. And they took the tower and also the battlement; and they set up the scaling-ladders against the wall, and sent to the king.

But when those who were in charge of another tower, their neighbours, heard it, they cried out, and tried to come to the monks who were being killed, and were not able; but some of them were wounded by arrows from the Persians, and died. And when the report reached Cyrus the governor, and he came up and torches were held close to him, he was easily struck by an arrow from the Persians, who stood in the darkness and were themselves unhurt by the archers; and he withdrew wounded. But when it was morning, and the king and his army reached the place, they set scaling-ladders against the wall; and he ordered his troops to go up; and many of those who went up perished, being wounded by arrows and by stones, and driven back by spears. And those who through fear turned and fled down the scaling-ladders were killed by the king's command, as cowards and fugitives from the battle. Whereupon the Persians took courage and set themselves either to gain the victory by conquering and subduing the city, or being smitten in the actual conflict to escape reproach and slaughter from their king; for he was near, and was a spectator of their struggle. But the citizens tried to loose from beneath the keystone of the arch of the tower in which the Persians were, and they were engaged in loosening the supports; and while this was taking place, another tower was subdued, and another and another in succession, and the guards of the wall were killed.

But Peter, a man of huge stature, a native of 'Amkhoro, |158 being clad in an iron coat of mail, held the battlement of one side alone by himself; and did not allow the Persians to pass, and repelled and hurled back with a spear those who assailed him from without and within, holding his ground and standing like a hero: until at length, when five or six towers on another side were subdued, he also fled and was not killed. And the Persians first got possession of the whole wall and held it; and they spent a night and a day and the following night in killing and driving back the guards. And at last they descended and opened the gates, and the army entered, having received the king's command to destroy the men and women of all classes and ages for three days and three nights. But a certain Christian prince of the country of Arran pleaded with the king on behalf of a church called the Great Church of the Forty Martyrs; and he spared it, being full of people. And after three days and three nights the slaughter ceased by the king's command. And men went in to guard the treasures of the Church and of the great men of the city, that the king might have whatever was found in them. But the order also was given that the corpses of those who were slain in the streets and of those whom they had crucified should be collected and brought round to the northern side of the city, so that the king, who was on the south side, might enter in. And they were collected, and they were numbered as they were brought out, eighty thousand; besides those that were heaped up in the taverns, and were thrown into the aqueducts, and were left in the houses. And then the king entered the treasury of the Church, and seeing there an image of the Lord Jesus, depicted in the likeness of a Galilean, he asked who it was. And they answered him, "It is God";¹³ and he bowed his head before it, and said, "He it was Who said to me, 'Stay, and receive from Me the city and its inhabitants, for they have sinned against Me.' " But he took away a quantity of silver and gold of the holy vessels, and costly garments formerly belonging to Isaac Bar Bar'ai, a consul and a rich man of the city, which came to the Church by inheritance a few years before. But he found there also good wine dried into its dregs, which |159 used to be brought out and placed in the sun for seven years together, and at last it became dry; from this the stewards, when on their journeys, were accustomed to take some, ground to dust, in clean linen pouches. And they would put a little of it into water so as to make a mixture, which, when they drank it, afforded the sweetness and flavour of wine. And they told the ignorant that it was "h'nono." And the king admired it greatly, and took it away. And the art of making this agreeable beverage was lost to the sons of the Church from that time.

But the gold and silver belonging to the great men's houses, and the beautiful garments, were collected together and given to the king's treasurers. But they also took down all the statues of the city, and the sun-dials, and the marble; and they collected the bronze and everything that pleased them, and they placed them upon wooden rafts that they made, and sent them by the river Tigris, which flows past the east of the city and penetrates into their country. But the king sought for the chiefs and great men of the city; and Leontius, and Cyrus the governor, who was wounded by the arrow, and the rest of the great men, were brought to him; but the Persians had killed Paul Bar Zainab the steward, lest he should make known to the king that they had found a quantity of gold in his possession. But they clothed Leontius and Cyrus in filthy garments, and put swine-ropes on their necks, and made them carry pigs, and led them about proclaiming and exposing them, and saying," Rulers who do not rule their city well nor restrain its people from insulting the king, deserve such insult as this." But at last the great men, and all the chief craftsmen, were bound and brought together, and set apart as the king's captives; and they were sent to his country with the military escort which brought them down. But influential men of the king's army drew near and said to him, "Our kinsmen and brethren were killed in battle by the inhabitants of the city," and they asked him that one-tenth |160 of the men should be given to them for the exaction of vengeance. And they brought them together and counted them, and gave to them in proportion from the men; and they put them to death, killing them in all sorts of ways.

But the king bathed himself in the bath of Paul Bar Zainab, and after winter he departed from the city. And he left in it Glon the general as governor, and two Marzbans, and about three thousand soldiers to guard the city, and John Bar Habloho, one of the rich men, and Sergius Bar Zabduni, to rule the people.

And then in the summer the Romans came, and their leaders were Patrick the commander-in-chief, an old man, upright and a believer, but deficient in mental power, and Hypatius, and Celer the master of the offices, and at length also Areobindus; moreover, Count Justin, who received the kingdom after Anastasius, accompanied them. And they met together, and they attacked the city with wooden towers and excavations, and all kinds of engines; and they set fire also to the gate of the city, which was called the gate of Mâr Z''uro, to effect an entrance upon the Persians; however, they were hindered because they were resting, and they did not rush in, for the Persians shut the gate. And the Romans did not subdue it nor take it from them by assault; although the inhabitants were reduced to misery from famine, day after day, until at last the people there were eating one another. But how this happened, although the story is horrible and wretched, yet because it is true, I shall relate how in the following fifth chapter of this seventh Book.

CHAPTER V

THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THE FAMINE WHICH OCCURRED WHEN AMIDA WAS BEING SUBDUED, AND HOW THE PERSIANS WENT OUT FROM IT AND DEPARTED TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY

King Kawad, as stated above, on his departure with his army from Amida to his own country, left in it Glon, a |161 general, and two Marzbans, and about three thousand soldiers to guard the city; and also two or three rich men and some private inhabitants. These the Roman generals did not overcome, nor did they subdue and take the city. But at last Patrick went down to Arzanene of the Persians, and carried off captives, and subdued fortresses there. And Areobindus and Hypatius went down to Nisibis and did not subdue it, although the citizens were favourably inclined towards the Romans, and showed themselves lazy in the fight. However, the king of the Persians hearing of it, came with an army against the Romans; and they fled before him, and they left their tents and the heavy baggage which they had with them. Areobindus fled from Arzamena and Aphphadana, and Hypatius and Patrick and others from Thelkatsro. And they lost many horses and their riders, who fell from the cliffs of the mountains, and were bruised, and perished, and were mangled. But ¹⁴ Farzman alone, a warlike man, prospered in battle several times; and he was celebrated and dreaded amongst the Persians, and his very name terrified them, and his exploits wasted and weakened them; and they proved themselves to be cowards in his presence, and fell before him. This man at last came to Amida with five hundred horsemen, and he watched the Persians who went out to the villages, and he killed some of them, and he took the animals which they had with them, and also their horses.

Now a certain crafty fellow, Gadono by name, of the town of Akhorè, whom I myself know, introduced himself to him, and made a compact with him, that he would beguile and bring out to him, on some pretext, Glon, the Persian general, and three or four hundred horsemen. And because this aforesaid Gadono was a hunter of wild animals, and partridge, and fish, he used to go in freely to Glon, carrying in his hands a |162 present of game for him; and he ate bread in his presence, and received from him out of the property of the city what was equal in value to the game.

And at last he told him that there were about one hundred Romans and five hundred horses nearly seven miles away from the city, at a place called 'Afotho Ro''en; and as a friend he advised him to go out and take possession of the beasts, to kill the Romans, and make a name for himself.

And he sent scouts, who saw a few Romans and the horses, and returned and gave him the information. Then he made preparation and took with him four hundred horsemen, and this Gadono upon a mule; and he led him and set him in the midst of the ambush of the Romans, who were on the watch for him. So the Romans cut the Persians to pieces, and they brought away the head of Glon to Constantia.

Upon this, distress and rage seized the son of Glon and the Marzbans, who used to allow the inhabitants who happened to be shut up in the city to go out to the market, which was held beside the wall by peasants from the villages. These peasants brought wine and wheat and other produce, and sold them both to the Persians and to the citizens, while horsemen were stationed close to them, and escorted them, a certain number at a time, and conducted them in. And by an excellent law of the Persians, no one dared to take anything from the villagers, who sold what they liked and received the price in money and kind from the city; consequently they attended the market diligently. However, in consequence of the slaughter of Glon and the horsemen, the market was held no more. And the great men who were left in the city, and about ten thousand persons besides, were arrested and shut up in the Stadium, and they were kept there without food; and they ate their shoes, and they also ate and drank their excrements. And at last they attacked one another; and now when they were almost perishing, those who were left in the Stadium |163 were let loose like the dead from their graves in the midst of the city. And famishing women, who were found there in troops, laid hold of some of the men by means of blandishments and guile and artifices, and overcame them, and killed and ate them; and more than five hundred men were eaten by women. And the famine which was in this city being so grievous, the distress surpassed the blockade of Samaria and the destruction of Jerusalem, which is recorded in Scripture and Josephus relates. But at last Farzman came to the city, and he made a treaty with the Persians there, for they, too, were weak. And the chiefs of the Romans and the Persians sat by the gate of the city, while the Persians went out carrying as much as they could, and they were not searched. And if any of the citizens accompanied them they were asked whether they desired to remain or would like to go with the Persians. So the evacuation of the city took place.

But eleven hundred pounds of gold were given to Kawad by Celer, the master of the offices, for the ransom of the city and for peace. And when the documents were drawn up they brought the drafts to the king for his signature. And the king fell asleep, and it was told him in a vision that he should not make peace; and when he awoke he tore up the paper, and departed to his own country, taking the gold with him.

But Farzman remained in the city to govern its inhabitants and the country. (Now a remission of tribute was granted by the king for seven years.) And he dealt kindly with the inhabitants of the city. And he bestowed gifts lavishly on those who returned from captivity, and he received them peaceably, every man according to his rank. And the city was at peace and was inhabited. And building was added to the wall. And, by the advice of Dith, a merciful bishop was sent again to the city, a quiet and affable man, a monk, and a councillor, Thomas |164 by name. And, besides, the providence of God summoned and conveyed thither Samuel the Just, from the monastery of the Katharoi, a miracle-worker and a "dissolver of doubts"; and he also sustained the city by his prayers, and aided its inhabitants.

CHAPTER VI

THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THE TOWN OF DARA OF MESOPOTAMIA, HOW IT WAS BUILT ON THE BORDER OF THE ROMAN AND PERSIAN TERRITORIES IN THE DAYS OF ANASTASIUS THE KING, AND THOMAS THE BISHOP OF THE CITY OF AMIDA

Anastasius the king brought severe censures against the Roman generals and commanders who betook themselves to the royal city after the conflict with the Persians, because they did not, according to his will, under the Lord, prosper and succeed in the war, and conquer the Persians or drive them out from Amida, except by the gifts and the gold that were sent from him. And they alleged in their defence to him, that it was hard for generals to contend with a king who according to the word of God, although he was an Assyrian and an enemy, was sent by the Lord to the country of the Romans for the punishment of sins, and, moreover, on account of the greatness of the army which he had with him; and that it was no easy matter for them in his absence also to subdue Nisibis; because they had no engines ready, nor any refuge in which to rest. For the fortresses were far away and were too small to receive the army, and neither the supply of water in them nor the vegetables were sufficient. And they begged of him that a city should be built by his command beside the mountain, as a refuge for the army in which they might rest, and for the preparation of weapons, and to guard the country of the Arabs from the inroads of the |165 Persians and Saracens. And some of them spoke to him in favour of Dara, and some in favour of Ammodis. Then he sent a message to Thomas the bishop of Amida, and he despatched engineers who drew up a plan, and this holy Thomas brought it up with him to the king. And the king and the great men agreed that Dara should be built as a city. And at that time Felicissimus was commander, an energetic and wise man; and he was not at all covetous, but was upright, and a friend of the peasants and the poor. Now King Kawad was fighting with the Tamuroye and other enemies of his country. And the king gave gold to Thomas the bishop as the price of the village which belonged to the Church; and he bought it for the treasury. And he liberated all the serfs who were in it, and granted to each of them his land and his house. And for the building of the church of the city he gave several hundred pounds of gold. And he promised with an oath that he would give with liberal hand whatever the bishop might expend, and that he would not disown the obligation. And at last he issued a royal decree, and in full detail, providing that the work of building the city should be carried out according to the direction of the bishop without delay, gain and profit thereby accruing to the craftsmen and slaves and peasants who were required for the collection of material there. And he sent a number of stonecutters and masons; and he commanded that no man should be deprived of the wages he earned, because he rightly perceived and cleverly understood that by that means a city could quickly be built upon the frontier. And when they began by the help of the Lord and commenced the work, there were there as overseers and commissaries over it Cyrus 'Adon and Eutychian the presbyters, and Paphnout and Sergius and John the deacons, and others from the clergy of Amida. And the bishop himself paid frequent personal visits |166 to the place. And gold was given in abundance without any stint to the craftsmen and for work of every kind, at the following rate, the regular sum of four keratin ¹⁵ a day for each workman, and if he had an ass with him, of eight. And consequently many grew rich and wealthy. And since the report was published abroad that the work was honest and that the wages were given, from the East to the West workmen and craftsmen flocked together. And the overseers who were over the work also received a liberal allowance, and their wallets were filled; for they found the man generous, gentle, and kind; and, moreover, he believed in the just king, and in his promises which he made to him. And in two or three years the city was built, and, as we may say, suddenly sprang up on the frontier. And when Kawad heard of it, and sought to put a stop to the work, he was unable, for the wall was raised, and built high enough to be a protection for those who took refuge behind it. And a large public bath and a spacious storehouse were built. And a conduit was constructed which passed along the lower part of the mountain, and wonderful cisterns within the city to receive the water. And persons to hasten the work were frequently sent from the king to the bishop, and they all brought back excellent reports of his integrity and justice to the king; and he was greatly pleased with the man, and sent gold in answer to the man's requests, and fulfilled them without delay. And at last the number of hundred pounds which he sent was counted, and the bishop forwarded a written statement to the king, that, speaking in the presence of God, the money had been expended upon the work, and that no part of it remained in his hand or had been given to his Church. And he readily sent him a royal decree containing a receipt of the exchequer |167 to the effect that all the gold which had been sent by him had been expended upon the building in the city. And Dara was completed, and it was named Anastasiopolis, after the name of the just king. And he swore by his crown that no statement of accounts should be required from Thomas or from his Church, either by himself or by any of his successors in the kingdom. And he¹⁶ appointed there and consecrated as first bishop Eutychian the presbyter, a zealous man, and accustomed to the transaction of business; and he gave the privilege of certain rights to his Church, taken from the jurisdiction of the Church of Amida. And attached to him was John, one of the Roman soldiers from Amida. Him Eutychian tonsured, and made him a presbyter and master of the hostelry; and when he went up to the royal city this John accompanied him. And the king, upon his being presented to him, gave him an endowment for his church. But Abraham Bar Kili of Thel-midè was notary at that time, who was the son of Ephraim of Constantia, and he also attached himself to Eutychian the bishop, who made him a presbyter. And he was sent as overseer of the work and the building of the bath; and at last he became steward of the Church.

But the king gave Eutychian gifts of holy vessels and gold for the building of the great church, and sent him away. And the bishop having lived but a little longer, died. And his successor there was Thomas Bar 'Abdiyo of Resaina, who had been a Roman soldier, and had been appointed steward of the Church of Amida; and he also was vigilant and well versed in business. And John the master of the hostelry, being an honourable and chaste man, was faithful to him and beloved by him. And when this holy Thomas withdrew from his see on account of his zeal for the faith, this believing John |168 joined him, and he appointed him as his suffragan; and for about seventeen years he lived in exile in different places. And he sent him (John) to Berroea,¹⁷ where he died in the year three (when Khosrun went up to Antioch), having joined the monks who had withdrawn from Marde before the enemy; and he was buried in the monastery of Beth-Thiri; and he was laid beside his bishop, who entered into rest before him.

CHAPTER VII

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE SEVENTH BOOK CONCERNING THE EXPULSION OF MACEDONIUS THE HERETIC FROM THE ROYAL CITY

Macedonius, who was bishop of Constantinople, omitted no intrigue of heart to conceal his opinions. But, like the fruit which bursts open in its day, according to the saying of Job,¹⁸ and "what is covered shall be revealed, and what is done in the secret chamber shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops,"¹⁹ as is said, again, in the Gospel. This man (was attached) to the monks of the monastery of the Akoimetoi, of whom there were about one thousand, and who lived luxuriously in baths and in other bodily indulgences, and outwardly appeared to men honourable, and were adorned with the semblance of chastity, but were inwardly like whited sepulchres, full of all uncleanness. And they agreed to the mind of Macedonius; and he used to celebrate the memory of Nestorius every year, and they used to celebrate it with him in their monastery and in the other monastic dwellings where the same opinions were held. And consequently they had great freedom of intercourse with this Macedonius. And they were continually reading the writings of the school of Diodorus and Theodore; and Macedonius himself |169 compiled a book of quotations from them, and from the work which was drawn up by Theodoret concerning the Acts of the Synod (not the one that is translated into the Syriac language); and he ornamented it with gold; and he said, "It is from the holy fathers and the doctors of the Church." And when he showed it to the king, he would not receive it; and he said to him, "You have no need of such things, go rather and burn this." And when he saw the mind of the king he formed a plan for actually raising a rebellion against him; and he was in the habit of calling him a heretic and a Manichaean. And the Master of the Offices, because he was lavishly supplied with gifts by him, was favourably inclined towards him. And the report was brought to the king by some true men who were no framers of flattering words. And he held a Council; and in the presence of his patricians he told of the insult which had been offered to him by Macedonius; and he was distressed, and wept, and adjured them not to be influenced by fear; but if, in truth, their king was displeasing to them, or if they knew that he was infected with the deceit of heresy, they should take his dominion from him, and he should be cast out as an unbeliever. And they fell upon their faces before him, weeping. And they inveighed against the audacity of Macedonius, crying out and reviling him; and they praised the king; and they decreed the bishop's banishment. And in order that the Master of the Offices,²⁰ who aided him, might be humiliated, he was commanded to expel him, so that he should be sent to Oasis. And also Pascasius the deacon, who was attached to and beloved by Macedonius, was arrested (and he Wrote, in the presence of the prefect, in the records of the Acts, all his deeds), he and certain monks and others who caused a tumult in the city to prevent the words, "God Who was crucified for us," being proclaimed there, as they had been proclaimed in the whole jurisdiction of Antioch from the days of Eustace the bishop. |170

And to show when and how these things were done, behold I have written down accurately, for the instruction of the readers, the letter of Simeon the presbyter and his brethren the monks who were with him, who happened to be at that time in the royal city having come from the East, and who wrote to Samuel their archimandrite concerning the expulsion of Macedonius, as follows:—

CHAPTER VIII

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THE LETTER THAT WAS SENT FROM CONSTANTINOPLE CONCERNING THE EXPULSION OF MACEDONIUS

"To the virtuous, elect, and God-loving presbyter and archimandrite Samuel, and to the presbyters and deacons, together with all the other brethren, from Simeon the presbyter, in the royal city, and the brethren who are with him, greeting. After we wrote the former letter to your Holiness concerning all that Macedonius did in the monastery of Dalmatus against the whole truth, God stirred up the spirit of the believing king like a lion to the prey, and he roared, and made the whole faction of the enemies of the truth to tremble; for it is said, 'As a watercourse in the hands of the gardener, so is the heart of the king in the hands of the Lord.' ²¹ May He Who has not turned away from the prayer of His elect, and Who has not suffered the desire of those who worship man instead of God to come to pass, grant that the matter may receive a righteous fulfilment through your prayers; yea and amen! We testify to you that after Macedonius did that of which we sent information to your Piety, and anathematised those reprobate persons and the accursed Council on the 20th of July, there was on the 22nd (the sixth day of the week) a dedication festival at |171 the Martyr Church in the Hebdomon; and the king himself was present. And neither he nor the queen would receive the oblation from him; on the contrary, he even addressed him in severe terms. But on the 24th (the first day of the week) the monks of this place went in and communicated in the church with Macedonius, and the king was vexed with them for going in. And on the 25th (the second day of the week) a few brethren, who seceded from these monks, entered in and went to Mar Patrick the general, and gave him a libel to present to the king, saying, 'We declare that he celebrated the memory of Nestorius, and that he used to send orders to us, and we also did the same in our monasteries every year.' And they wrote other things against him, testifying that transactions such as these took place in their monasteries. On that same day the king commanded, and the water which supplied the baths was cut off from their monasteries, and only that which they drank was left to them. And also he took away the denarii which they used to receive from the treasury. And on the 26th, one of the senators called Romanus went in to the king and gave him a written statement of all the things which were done at the bishop's house; and he said to the king that Pascasius the deacon, along with Macedonius, was the author of all the mischief; and he said besides, 'They have made a certain large book containing extracts from all the heresies, and it is overlaid with gold.' And the king sent for it, and took it to himself, that he might see all its blasphemies. But on the 27th the king convened a Council; and when the patricians went in the king said to them, 'Have you not seen what this Jew who is amongst us did, for in my presence and that of your excellencies he did what he did, and he anathematised the accursed Synod and those reprobate persons; and when, to avoid great trouble, we accepted his act, he then went off, and in the monastery of Dalmatus reversed everything which |172 he himself had done, and he contradicted the whole truth, and lied unto God and before me and unto you. Is this a fair statement?' And at once Clementinus the patrician said before them all, 'May God Himself cast him out from his priesthood who has lied unto God!' And forthwith the king commanded the great prefect to go out into the city and bring together all the orthodox who were wounded when they cried out, 'Who was crucified for us,' that he might learn who their assailants were. And the prefect went out and did as he was commanded. And on the 28th he took the names of all the Nestorians who were the life of Macedonius, and brought them in to the king; and the king commanded that they should be arrested.

"And on the 29th the king assembled all the commanders of the forces and all the officers of the Scholarians and the patricians, and he said to them, 'According to my regular custom I wish to give a donative.' For so it had been his practice to give it once in five years ever since he became king, at the same time requiring oaths from all the Romans to the effect that they would not act treacherously against the kingdom. But on this occasion he required them to take the oath in the following manner: A copy of the gospel being placed for them, they went in and received five denarii each, and they swore as follows, 'By this law of God and by the words which are written in it, we will contend with all our might for the true faith and for the kingdom, and we will not act treacherously either against the truth or the king.' In this manner, indeed, he required them to take the oath, because he heard that Macedonius was trying to raise a rebellion against him.

"On the 30th of July the king gave a largess to the whole army. On the same day the presbyters and deacons, who separated from his clergy lest they should be implicated |173 in his wickedness, presented a libel against Macedonius to the king, charging him, in addition to all his other wickedness, with calling his Majesty a Manichaean and a Eutychianist. And on the 31st of July (the first day of the week) they went in to the king's presence with great fear, and found him filled with rage and agitation. And when they had waited a long time, and everyone was watching in fear to see what commands would issue from him, he opened his mouth and began to speak thus, 'Do you not know that from my childhood I have been brought up in the faith; have any of you ever seen in me any departure from the truth?' And they said, 'Far be it from us, lord.' And at once he rejoined to them, 'Since Macedonius calls me a Manichaean and a Eutychianist, behold! before God the Judge of all I make my defence, affirming that I neither have held nor do hold any opinion foreign to the faith of the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers, and of the one hundred and fifty; and I confess that One of the Persons of the Trinity, God the Word, came down from heaven, and became incarnate from Mary the Theotokos and ever virgin; and He was crucified for us, and He suffered and died; and He rose again in three days, according to His own will; and He is the Judge of the dead and of the living. I adjure you by the Holy Trinity, that if you know anything else in me, or if you are not persuaded of the truth of what I have said, you take this robe and crown off me and burn them in the midst of this city.' And when he said this there was great weeping; and all the patricians cast themselves down before him, and Patrick the general said, 'God will not forgive, nor will your Majesty and the canons of the Church have mercy on him who has done this.' And the king said, 'Everyone, then, who goes to confer with Macedonius or to hold communion with him, is thereby alienated from me.' And while they stood before him, he spoke against the Master of the Offices, saying, 'The riches and the honour which God gave us were not sufficient, |174 but we must needs take a bribe in a matter of the life of all men, and we shall lose our own life.' And while he was speaking he looked at the Master of the Offices, who had inflicted many evils upon the believers; and the Lord, forasmuch as He is the Judge of the dead and the living, rewarded him according to his works. And on the same day the king set guards of Romans at the gates of the city and the harbours, lest any of those monks here should come in to the city. And on the first of August Pascasius the deacon was arrested, and he went in before the prefect and confessed everything which was done in the bishop's house, saying that Macedonius was even trying to raise a rebellion against the king. And on the day after some Nestorians were arrested, and they affirmed that they had some forged books of this heresy; and the prefect sent and brought them to the Praetorium, and he showed them to the king and to the Senate.

"And on the sixth day of the month there was a General Council, and the orthodox and the Nestorians who undertook the defence of Macedonius came in before them. And they found the king standing, because some bishops belonging to our party had entered. And the king said to these clergy of Macedonius, 'Why have you come?' and they replied, 'If your Majesty commands, your servant will come to your Clemency.' And he said, 'Let him go to those before whom he proclaimed his wickedness, and who obeyed him; for, at one time, he had a certain ornamented book, and he affirmed it was taken from the fathers, and that they taught two Natures after the Incarnation; and I said to him, 'There is no need for you to use this, go and burn it.' And he said to the clergy, 'What are the two Natures and the Synod of Chalcedon which God has overturned from its very foundations? Ye are accursed Jews, I declare to you that there is not one God-fearing man among you who is grieved for what has been done in His Church.' And they went out from his presence in great fear and distress. And the orthodox were |175 loud in his praises. And when the clergy returned to Macedonius they said to him, 'The lord of the world has, in the presence of the Senate, anathematised the Synod of Chalcedon and everyone who says two Natures.' And he replied to them, 'I, in my turn, anathematise everyone who does not receive the Synod, and say two Natures.' And his archdeacon cried out, 'Far be it from us, then, ever to have any more part or communion with you.'

"And on the first day of the week, which was the seventh of the month, the believers came and entered the church, and it was filled from end to end. And when the passage from the apostle was read, all the people began to cry out together, 'Let not him who has taken away from the Trinity enter the church; let not him who has blasphemed against the Son of God come in hither; no one wants the Jewish bishop; where Nestorius went, there let his disciples also go. Long live the king, the second Constantine, the upholder of the faith; the gospel to the throne!' And at that instant the clergy took the gospel and placed it on the throne. And when the clergy saw the whole congregation of the church crying out together, they also showed themselves, and cried out, shaking their stoles, and saying, 'The victorious king has gained the victory for our Church.' And as soon as they ceased, the great prefect delivered an address to them in the following terms: 'We accept your goodwill and your zeal on behalf of the truth; and the lord of the world is, as you know, very solicitous for the preservation of orthodoxy and the peace of all the Churches; and your acclamations on behalf of the true faith we will bring to his hearing.' And when the deacon made the proclamation and did not mention his name, and it was not read in the Diptych, the mysteries were celebrated: and as our Lord willed that he should go out, the king commanded, and his banishment was decreed. And, with the object of humiliating the Master of the Offices, he sent him to expel |176 him; and he found him in the church, whither he had fled, sitting-down, with his head between his knees; and he said to him, 'The lord of the world has decreed your banishment'; and the other asked, 'Whither?' and he replied, 'Where your comrade ²² went.' And the stewards of the Church interposed, saying to him, 'We entreat your Lordship, have pity on his old age, and let him not depart in the daytime, lest the people of the city strike him and stone him, but in the evening time let him go.' And when they swore that they would keep him, then he (the Master of the Offices) also left an auxiliary force with them. And they said to him, ' The king has commanded you to give up that book of the Synod which you have with you'; and he replied, 'I will not give it.' But, being forced to do so, he laid it on the table; and the clergy took it up and gave it to the Master's officer,²³ and he brought it to the king. And in the evening of the seventh day of the month the Master of the Offices arrived with a military force ²⁴ and expelled him, and gave him up to those who were appointed to carry him away. And all the orthodox were in great fear.

"Now, my lord, we have truly informed your Holiness of what has occurred, and we shall declare to you hereafter whatever the Lord may bring to pass. Pray for us, O elect of God!"

But the former defence made by the king proves to us that Akhs'noyo, the believing doctor, the bishop of Hierapolis, |177 who was a zealous man, having learned that Macedonius was a heretic, sent a written statement of the true faith to the king (as he had done also in the days of Zeno),²⁵ and it was read before the Senate; and he showed that opinions in opposition to it were held by the school of Diodorus and Theodore, and by Nestorius, their disciple, who was ejected, and by Theodoret, and Hibo, and Andrew, and John, and Aetheric—the men who set up the Synod of Chalcedon and received the Tome, and cleft asunder the unity of God the Word, Who became incarnate, dividing it into two natures with their properties, by what they taught concerning Christ after His Incarnation. And at the same time he (Akhs'noyo) urged the king, saying, "It is right that they should be anathematised by all who make a public boast of their own orthodoxy, and of agreeing to the faith of your Majesty." And when Macedonius was required to do this, he anathematised them under compulsion; but after that he used secretly to celebrate their memory in the monastery of Dalmatus, as has been written above.

CHAPTER IX

THE NINTH CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT TIMOTHY THE SUCCESSOR OF MACEDONIUS, AND HOW IN THE DAYS OF ANASTASIUS THE KING, THE WORDS, "WHO WAS CRUCIFIED FOR US," WERE PROCLAIMED IN THE ROYAL CITY ²⁶

After ²⁷ Macedonius, Timothy became bishop in Constantinople; and he was a believing man, and his deeds were in conformity with his name, for it means "God-honouring." And in his days there was one Marinus of Apamea, a vigilant and clever man, well-versed in business, wise and learned, who was, moreover, true in the faith, the friend and confidant of the king, and a chartularius and his counsellor. And when he was |178 walking in the street or sitting anywhere, he would tell his secretaries to commit in concise form whatever thought he had to writing. And at night also, he had a pen-and-ink stand hanging by his bedside, and a lamp burning by his pillow, so that he could write down his thoughts on a roll; and in the daytime he would tell them to the king, and advise him as to how he should act. And accordingly, as he was from the district of Antioch, all of which ever since the days of Eustace the bishop had been so full of zeal that it was the first to proclaim,"Who was crucified for us," he also vehemently urged and advised King Anastasius to do the same. And ²⁸ when some heretics heard of his ardour, they went to him together, and said to him, "You desire and incite men on earth to go beyond the holy hymn of praise which the angels offer to the Trinity, saying, 'Holy, Holy, Holy, mighty Lord, of whose praises heaven and earth are full.'" Immediately, God the Word Himself, Who in the flesh was crucified for us men, prepared a defence in his mouth to this effect, "The angels, indeed, offer the hymn of praise, which contains their confession to the adorable and co-equal Trinity, rightly, and do not proclaim that He was crucified for them; but we, on the other hand, in the hymn of praise, which contains our confession, rightly say that He was crucified for us men, for He became incarnate from us, and did not invest Himself with the nature of angels." And so he put them to silence, and he instructed the king, who thereupon commanded that the words, "Who was crucified for us," should be proclaimed in the royal city as in the district of Antioch. And at the same time a wonderful sign occurred, proving to wise men that Christ, Who was crucified in the flesh at Jerusalem, was God; namely, an eclipse of the sun, which took place in those days, and produced darkness from the sixth hour unto the ninth hour. |179

CHAPTER X

THE TENTH CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK GIVES INFORMATION RESPECTING THE SYNOD WHICH WAS HELD AT ZIDON IN THE YEAR FIVE, THE EIGHT HUNDRED AND TWENTY-THIRD YEAR OF THE GREEKS, AND OF THE ANTIOCHENES THE FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTIETH

Akhs'noyo,²⁹ a learned man and a Syriac doctor, and zealous in the faith, the bishop of Hierapolis, in the days of Zeno sent a written statement of the faith, and asked Zeno some questions about his faith, and received a reply. And it was he who exposed Calandion of Antioch, and ejected him from his See. But he had his suspicions also about Flavian, that he was a heretic; and he sent a letter and urgent messengers to King Anastasius, begging that a Synod should be held at Sidon. And the king gave the order, and the Synod assembled in the five hundred and sixtieth year of the Antiochene era.³⁰ And he urged the believing and zealous monks of the East, and Cosmas a learned man from the monastery of Mar 'Akiba at Chalcis, who was residing in Antioch, and they drew up a petition and presented it to Flavian and to the Council of bishops who were with him at Sidon. And they wrote, in an able and logical manner, a list of censures in seventy-seven Heads, with many quotations from the holy doctors confirming the censure upon the Synod of Chalcedon and the Tome of Leo, and they presented this also to the Synod, at the same "time begging and adjuring the priests to effect reforms, and take stumbling-blocks out of the way of the Church and purge it, by openly anathematising the Synod. But Flavian the chief priest and some of the priests who were with him deferred the matter, saying, "We are content with a document anathematising the school of Diodorus, the censures of certain persons upon the twelve Heads of Cyril, and Nestorius, lest we should arouse the sleeping dragon and corrupt many with his poison." And so the Synod was dissolved. |180

But the zeal of Akhs'noyo urged the monks again, and they went up to Anastasius and informed him of what had occurred in the Synod, and concerning Flavian, that he was a heretic; and having received an order for his ejection, and returned to the East, they assembled at Antioch against him. And some of them were wounded, and others were killed; but nevertheless Flavian was ejected from his See. And his successor was Severus, a learned and well-tried monk from the monastery of Theodore the ex-pleader at Gaza, who was apokrisiarios at the royal city, and was a confidant and friend of Probus, and his kinsmen. This man had previously written the Philalethes, and also he had made a solution of the seven questions of the Diphysites. And he was ready in dispute with the heretics, and he was well known to the king by means of Probus; and he was appointed chief priest of Antioch. And afterwards, when there was a Synod in Tyre, he joined with Akhs'noyo, and the priests of his district, and those of Pheenice Libani, and Arabia, and Euphratesia, and Mesopotamia in expounding the Henotikon of Zeno, showing that its effect was to abrogate the Council of Chalcedon. And the bishops assembled at Tyre openly anathematised the Synod of Chalcedon and the Tome. And they wrote to John of Alexandria and to Timothy of the royal city; and received replies from them and from Elijah of Jerusalem, who was eventually ejected, and was succeeded by John. And because Sergius, a grammarian there, composed shortly afterwards a book of censure upon that Synod, and gave it to the monks from Palestine who were of his way of thinking, this holy Severus, hearing about it, wrote a refutation of it at great length, and by quotations and proofs derived from the true doctors of the Church he confirmed his doctrine in three volumes, entitled, Against the Grammarian. But the other treatises of this doctor Severus, and his commentaries, and his Catechism, and his work, Against Julian the Phantasiast, and his wonderful Dogmatic Letter, afford great profit and instruction to the lovers of doctrine. |181

CHAPTER XI

THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF THIS SEVENTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT THE PETITION WHICH WAS DRAWN UP BY MONKS OF THE EAST AND COSMAS OF CHALCIS, AND WAS PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL WHICH MET AT ZIDON IN THE DAYS OF FLAVIAN AND AKHS'NOYO THE BISHOPS, IN THE FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTIETH YEAR OF THE ANTIOCHENE ERA

"Before all things we give thanks to Christ, Who is God over all, and we also thank our merciful Christ-loving king, who has aroused you all to zeal for religion, and called this your holy Council to one meeting place, in the name of one only Christ the Son of God, that in Him you may bring all men together to the one faith, which the Holy Scriptures have delivered and the fathers have ever kept, standing steadfastly in one mind, and being united and agreeing together in one good man, and teaching all men the divine doctrine through the Holy Spirit, Who spoke by them. For our Lord has accounted you to be worthy, and chosen you at this time for the sake of the unity of his holy Churches, not that you should make a new faith for them; because that written definition, which was made by the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers who assembled at Nicea, is sufficient for the affirmation of the Holy Scriptures; but that you should build up the faith which has always existed, and which many persons have rashly sought to destroy, speaking 'not from the mouth of the Lord,' as the prophet says, but 'from their own belly,' and by their wicked artifices they have severed from one another those who in the simplicity of their hearts kept the tradition of the holy fathers and were united together in the true faith. For Christ is He, O holy men! Who is divided by them; and, therefore, as long as He is denied, it is not possible for the Church ever to come to any |182 agreement; seeing that it is rent asunder by these persons through the inventions of different words. For it is written, 'No kingdom that is divided against itself shall stand';³¹ and again, 'If ye bite and devour one another, take heed lest ye be consumed one of another.'³² Since,then, we are one body in Christ, and we are members of His members, according to the word of the divine apostle,³³ we draw near to your Holinesses with confidence as to pastors, entreating you to keep the true faith for the whole world, without spot, like the fair dove spoken of in the Song of Songs; and that you separate it from all heresies which have the outward appearance of religion, and stand around it like queens and concubines and damsels, and are anxious to associate and to be one and the same with it, and through it to be received as true. But by doing this you shall receive a reward, and you shall hear the Lord saying, 'Him that confesses Me before men, will I confess before My Father Who is in heaven.'³⁴ Separate, then, as stewards of the divine words, between the pure and the corrupt, as He says;³⁵ and cast out those who mingle the tares with the pure wheat, and their evil doctrine along with them, for He says, 'Put away the evil-doer from the congregation, and victory shall go forth with it.'

"Now, though what has been said is manifest and well known, it was necessary to explain it above and prove it clearly, even as the holy fathers agreeing in one true faith bound all men together in one concord. But the heretics have mingled lawless wranglings with the words of the holy fathers, and confound with them schismatical impieties, and have separated the holy Churches; whom the prophet rebuked, saying, 'Thy tavern-keepers mingle water with wine.' "³⁶ |183

And so the petition goes on, and has many quotations from the fathers in proof of the seventy-seven censures upon the Council of Chalcedon.

CHAPTER XII

THE TWELFTH CHAPTER, WHICH TELLS ABOUT THE SYNOD THAT WAS HELD IN TYRE, IN THE DAYS OF SEVERUS AND AKHS'NOYO THE DOCTORS, AND THE BISHOPS WHO WERE WITH THEM, WHO EXPRESSLY AND OPENLY ANATHEMATISED THE SYNOD AND TOME

Now Severus, who succeeded Flavian in Antioch, was a learned man by reading the wisdom of the Greeks, and he was an ascetic and a well-tried monk, and he was also zealous for the true faith and well-versed in it, and he had read the Holy Scriptures with understanding and the expositions made by the ancient authors who were disciples of the apostles, namely, Hierotheus, and Dionysius, and Titus, and also Timothy; and after them Ignatius, and Clement, and Irenaeus, and such writers as Gregory, and Basil, and Athanasius, and Julius, and the other chief priests and true doctors of the holy Church. And like a "scribe who is instructed for the kingdom of heaven, who brings from his treasures things old and new," ³⁷ so also he had thoroughly studied many histories, and they were rooted in his mind clearly to be seen.

And this Akhs'noyo, also, was a Syriac doctor, and he had diligently studied the works existing in that language, and besides these he was well-versed in the doctrine of the school of Diodorus and Theodore and the others; but, nevertheless, as his actions proved to the wise, this old and zealous man was truly a believer.

These men gave full and clear information to King Anastasius, who rejected the Council of Chalcedon with all his heart; and he commanded that, for the purpose of effecting needed reforms, a Synod of Orientals should be assembled at |184 Tyre. And it was assembled, consisting of the bishops of the districts of Antioch, and Apamea, and Euphratesia, and Osrhoene, and Mesopotamia, and Arabia, and Phoenice Libani. And, making the true faith clear, he (i.e. Severus) expounded the Henotikon of Zeno as meaning the abrogation of the transactions of Chalcedon; and he openly there anathematised the addition which it had made to the faith. And the bishops in Council assembled, along with Severus and Akhs'noyo the believers and doctors who zealously stood at their head, proclaimed the whole truth; and they wrote letters of agreement both to John of Alexandria, and to Timothy of the royal city, and also Elijah of Jerusalem at that time assented to the letters, although shortly after he was ejected, and was succeeded by John. Consequently the priests were again united in this concord of the faith, with the exception of the see of Rome. (And the reason of this exception was) that Alimeric was the anti-Caesar there, and he had rebelled against Anastasius in the Western region, and he held the kingdom in Rome. And he was a warlike man; and in his day he rendered great service to the people of Italy, by delivering them from the barbarians and Goths. And he also conferred many benefits upon his city, Rome, erecting buildings and granting privileges. However, he was a Diphysite, having been converted from the heresy of Arius. Consequently there could not be any assent on the part of Symmachus and his successor Hormisda, the chief priests of Rome, to what was done in the East. And zealous persons can gain information respecting these matters from the letter which Akhs'noyo wrote after his expulsion. |185

CHAPTER XIII

THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER OF THIS BOOK TELLS ABOUT ARIADNE THE QUEEN, WHO DIED, AND HOW THE TYRANT VITALIAN CAME UPON THE SCENE, WHO TOOK HYPATIUS PRISONER IN WAR

Ariadne ³⁸ the queen, the wife of Zeno, was allied to this Anastasius after the death of her husband, and she made him king; and she held the kingdom for many years, as many as forty, in the state of first and second marriage; and she died in the year eight hundred and twenty-four of the Greeks. And her husband remained on, keeping the holy truth; even though he was advanced in years, and he was occupied with the business of his kingdom.³⁹ And he had anxiety and trouble, because of one Vitalian a Goth, who was a general, and warlike, and courageous and daring, and cunning in war. To this man many savage people attached themselves; and he gave them gold with a liberal hand, and, besides, they enriched themselves with the spoil which they took from the dominions of Anastasius. And when he had been for a long time at peace, Vitalian broke his word; and he rebelled and injured the Roman dominions, and oppressed the kingdom, and treated it with contempt; and he haughtily advanced to the very suburbs of Constantinople without any fear. And at one time troops, with Hypatius at their head, were sent against him by Anastasius; and they were routed by him, and Hypatius was taken prisoner; and he treated him with great indignity, and to insult him he even shut him up in a pig-sty. And upon one occasion he put him to open shame, carrying him about through the army in the most humiliating fashion, because Hypatius once took the wife of this Vitalian prisoner and treated her insultingly. And in consequence of this Vitalian's indignation against him was very strong. For in the impetuosity of his youth this Hypatius was carnal and wanton in lust after women. And at last he was ransomed by a large |186 sum of gold that was sent for him, and he returned from captivity with Vitalian, possessing the wisdom that results from punishment.⁴⁰

CHAPTER XIV

THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE SEVENTH BOOK TELLS ABOUT TIMOTHY, WHO DIED, AND WHOSE SUCCESSOR WAS JOHN; AND OF SOME PEOPLE WHO CAME TO JERUSALEM FOR THE FESTIVAL, AND THEY WERE POSSESSED BY DEMONS, WHO BARKED AT THE CROSS DURING THE DEDICATION⁴¹

Timothy, having lived six or seven years, died in the year eleven. And John succeeded him. And in the year in which Anastasius the king died, there were some Egyptians and Alexandrians and men from beyond the Jordan, Edomites and Arabians, who came to the festival of the dedication which is the making of the Cross at Jerusalem, which was held on the fourteenth of September; and demons took possession of many of them, and they barked at the Cross, and then ceased and went out. And this caused anxiety and distress to the prudent; they did not, however, accurately understand the reason, until the event occurred, and it signified the wrangling about the faith, and the stumbling-block afterwards caused thereby. This God made known beforehand, that we might consider the temptation⁴² and be proved by it; and by our enduring it and persevering in the faith we might have joy; as James the apostle says, "Let it be all joy to you, my brethren, when you enter into divers and many temptations; for you know that the trial of faith procures patience for you. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be complete and perfect, wanting nothing."⁴³ |187

Now Anastasius died on the ninth day of July. And his successor was Justin, who went down with the army in company with the generals, at the time that Kawad, king of the Persians, came to Amida. And he was a handsome old man with white hair, but he was unlearned; and he shared in the opinions of the people of Rome respecting the faith, because he belonged to that jurisdiction, being from the camp called Mauriana,⁴⁴ the water of which is bad, and turns to blood when it is boiled.

There is in this Book a period of twenty-seven years, three months and a half, the lifetime of Anastasius.

CHAPTER XV

THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE SEVENTH BOOK, STATING WHO WERE CHIEF PRIESTS IN THE DAYS OF ANASTASIUS THE KING

Now the following were the chief priests in the days of Anastasius. Of the Diphysites:—Of Rome—Felix, and Symmachus his successor, and Hormisda who is still living.

Of Alexandria, the believers—Athanasius, and John his successor, and again another John, and Dioscorus who now occupies the See.

In Antioch—Flavian who was ejected, and Severus the believer.

In Constantinople—Euphemius, and Macedonius who was ejected, and Timothy the believer, and John his successor, who received the Synod in the beginning of the reign of Justin and died shortly after, and Epiphanius was his successor.

Of Jerusalem—Sallust, and Elijah his successor who was ejected, and John who received the Synod in the days of Justin, and Peter his successor.

[Note to the online edition: footnotes have been moved to the end. Footnotes concerned only with bits of Syriac and Greek have been omitted because of the time it would take to transcribe it.]

1. ¹I.e. of the Indiction = A.D. 512.

2. ² Called Epiphanius in the Introduction to this Book.

3. ³ Here begins an extract in Cod. Rom.

4. ⁵ The words in brackets are not in the Syriac, but they must be understood.

5. ⁴... Here the extract in Cod. Rom. ends.

6. ¹ I.e. by Euphemius.

7. ⁴ " 'Arab," a name applied to certain districts in Mesopotamia.

8. ⁵ 501.

9. ⁶ This and the three following chapters are contained in Cod. Rom.

10. ⁷ Mich. fol. 156v ff.; Greg. p. 75 ff.

11. ⁴ There appears to be some confusion in both texts; by a few slight alterations it might be made to yield this meaning, "and consumed the wood of the props, and immediately it was reduced to ashes; and the rest of the mound which escaped the violence of the fire was loosened and fell."

12. ² So the text; but it may be corrupt, and the reference be to the invasion of " 'Arab" by locusts (see ch. 2).

13. ¹ Cod. Rom. and Mich. add "of the Nazarenes."

14. ⁴ Mich. fol. 158 v.

15. ² 1 1/3 obols.

16. ² Thomas, bishop of Amida, seems to be the subject of this sentence, not the king.

17. ² 540.

18. ⁴ Job xxxii. 19 (Syr.).

19. ⁵ St. Luke xii. 2, 3.

20. ⁵ Text, " Magisterian."

21. ¹ Prov. xxi. 1.

22. ¹ Probably Euphemius, who was also banished to Euchaita.

23. ³ "Magistrian," an attendant upon the Master of the Offices. The whole passage is a troublesome one, and I am much indebted to M. Nau, who has published an analysis of the unedited parts of the Chronicle attributed to Dionysius of Tellmahrè, and who, through Mr. Brooks, kindly supplied a MS. extract from fol. 147 of the account of the expulsion of Macedonius.

24. ⁴ The corresponding expression in the Chronicle of "Dionysius" is... a large auxiliary force."

25. ¹ Assem., B. O. vol. ii. p. 34.

26. ³ This chap, is in Cod. Rom.

27. ⁴ Mich. fol. 156 r.

28. ⁴Greg. H. E. i. p. 185.

29. ¹ Mich. fol. 160 r ff.

30. ² 512.

31. ¹St. Mark iii. 24.

32. ² Gal. v.15.

33. ³ Rom. xii. 5.

34. ⁴ St. Matt. x. 32.

35. ⁵ Mal. iii. 18.

36. ¹² Isa. i. 22.

37. ¹ Matt. xiii. 52.

38. ² Here begins an extract in Cod. Rom.

39. ³ Here an extract in Cod. Rom. ends.

40. ¹ Or literally, "And punishment is wisdom."

41. ² This chap, is in Cod. Rom.

42. ⁷ So Cod. Rom. The MS. has "the event."

43. ⁹ Jas. i. 2-4.

44. ⁶ Or Bederiana, as Mai writes here.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 8.

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 8.

BOOK VIII

THE eighth Book in the chapters, as given below, gives information, the first about the accession of Justin and about Amantius the provost, who was killed in the palace, and about Theocritus his domestic, and Andrew the chamberlain; in the second it treats of Vitalian the tyrant, who was killed in the palace, he and Paul his notary and Celer his domestic; in the third chapter it tells the story of the martyrs who were killed in Nagrin, in the royal city of the land of the Homerites, by the Jewish tyrant; in the fourth chapter it describes the flood of water which entered Edessa, and how the flow of the waters of Shiluho in Jerusalem was stopped, and how Antioch was overthrown by an earthquake, and the temple of Solomon in the city of Heliopolis was burnt; in the fifth chapter it gives an account of the negotiations which were held on the frontier, and of Mundhir, king of the Saracens, who invaded the Roman territory, and of the bishops who were banished; the sixth chapter, stating who were chief priests in the days of this king Justin; the seventh chapter, concerning the prologue of Moro the bishop. |189

CHAPTER I

THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK, CONCERNING THE ACCESSION OF JUSTIN

In ¹ the year eight hundred and twenty-nine according to the reckoning of the Greeks,² on the tenth of July, when the year eleven was already drawing to an end, on the death of Anastasius, Justin ³ became king after him; and he was an old man of a handsome presence with white hair and was cura palati, and he was illiterate. This man Marinus of Apamea, an able man, who was chartulary, depicted in the public baths, as he had come from the fortress of Mauriana in Illyricum to Constantinople with all the history of his entry into Constantinople, and how he had been advanced from step to step until he became king. And, when this same Marinus was accused on this ground and came into danger, trusting in his astuteness, he readily rendered an answer, saying, "I have represented these things in pictures for the consideration of the observant and the understanding of the discerning, in order that magnates and rich men and men of high family may not trust in their power and their riches and the greatness of their noble family, but in God, who raises the poor man out of the mire and places him as chief over the people, and rules in the kingdom of men to give it to whom He will, and to set the lowest among men over it, and chooses men of low birth in the world, and men that are rejected, and men that are not, that he may bring to naught men that are." And he was accepted, and escaped from the danger.

Now⁴ Amantius the provost, he and Andrew the |190 chamberlain, his associate, favoured and cherished Theocritus his domestic; and after the death of Anastasius he gave a large sum of gold to this old man, the cura palati Justin, for the purpose of making largesses to the scholarians and the other soldiers, in order that they might make Theocritus king. But he by giving the gold to these men gained their favour, and they made him king, because the Lord willed it. And,⁵ because he shared the opinions of the inhabitants of Rome, he gave strict orders that the Synod and the Tome of Leo should be proclaimed. And this Amantius tried to prevent it, saying, "The signature of the three patriarchs and the principal bishops of your dominions, who have written and anathematised the Synod, is not yet dry." And,⁶ because he spoke with freedom, this same Amantius the provost was immediately put to death, and so were Theocritus his domestic and Andrew the chamberlain. Now a year afterwards John,⁷ the bishop of the city, died, and Epiphanius succeeded him. And, since Severus withdrew from Antioch for fear of the threats of the king, who ⁸ had ordered his tongue to be cut out, Paul succeeded him, who was called "the Jew." And, because he celebrated the memory of Nestorius, he was driven out, and Euphrasius succeeded him, who was burnt in a cauldron blazing with aromatic wax during the earthquake of Antioch.

CHAPTER II

THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE EIGHTH BOOK TREATS OF VITALIAN THE TYRANT, HOW HE WAS KILLED IN THE PALACE, HE AND PAUL HIS NOTARY AND CELER HIS DOMESTIC.

Vitalian⁹ the tyrant was general in the days of Anastasius; and he was a Goth and a stout-hearted warrior, and barbarians followed him. Of him it was said that he |191 wished to raise a rebellion against Anastasius; and he exacted an oath from him, and he did not keep it, but rebelled and induced barbarian tribes to follow him, and made an attack upon the dominions of Anastasius, and took cities and their villages; and he marched forward as far as the royal city, and blockaded it, and he annoyed the king in many ways; and he caused him anxiety, because he had taken Hypatius, who had gone out against him, prisoner and routed his army, and carried him about with him, treating him with indignity and insult, and exposing him to contumely; but for a large sum of gold which he received for him he sent him back. And, when Anastasius was dead, a letter was written to him by this old man Justin, entreating him and appeasing him,¹⁰ in order that he might not again act unjustly and rebel in his days, as he was accustomed to do. And then various tribes also followed him, and the Goth came confidently;¹¹ and the king went out to the Martyr's Chapel of Euphemia at Chalcedon, and they swore oaths to one another and entered the city; and he became one of the generals-in-chief; and in the fulness of power he went in and out of the palace, and presided over the conduct of affairs. And he was united by a spiritual relationship to Flavian of Antioch, who was driven out; and he nursed great resentment against the holy Severus, who succeeded Flavian, but he was not able to injure him in the days of Anastasius. However, at the beginning of the reign of this old man Justin an order was issued that, wherever he was caught, his tongue should be cut out, they say, by the advice of Vitalian. |192

Now it happened some days afterwards that, while Vitalian was bathing in the royal city, he received a command from the king to come to a banquet, he and Justinian the general, his colleague; and he was coming from the baths, he and Paul his notary and Celer his domestic, and, men having been posted ready to stab him as he was going from one house to the other, he was killed, he and his notary and his domestic; and God requited him for the evil which he did in the days of Anastasius and the violation of his oaths; and his army did no injury.

CHAPTER III

THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BOOK TREATS OF THE MARTYRS WHO WERE KILLED IN NAGRIN, THE ROYAL CITY OF THE COUNTRY OF THE HOMERITES, IN THE YEAR EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIVE OF THE GREEKS, THE SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF JUSTIN, AS SIMEON, BISHOP AND APOKRISIARIOS ¹² OF THE BELIEVERS IN THE LAND OF THE PERSIANS, WROTE TO SIMEON, ARCHIMANDRITE OF GABBULA, AS FOLLOWS ¹³

"We ¹⁴ inform your affection that on the twentieth of January in this year eight hundred and thirty - five of |193 the Greeks ¹⁵ we left the camp of Nu'man in company with Abraham the presbyter, the son of Euphrasius, who had been sent to Mundhir by Justin the king to make peace, of which we wrote also in our former epistle; and here we, even all the believers, express our thanks to him for his assistance to our side; and he knows what we wrote formerly and what we are writing now. For we travelled ten days' journey through the desert towards the south-east, and we came upon Mundhir over against the hills called 'the hills of sand,' and in the Saracen language 'Ramlah.' And, as we were entering the encampment of Mundhir, some Saracens, heathens and Ma'doye, ¹⁶ met us, and said to us, 'What can you do? for, behold! your Christ has been expelled by the Romans and the Persians and the Homerites. And when we were insulted by the Saracens it distressed us; and in addition to the distress sorrow also fell upon us, because, while we were present, there came an envoy, who had been sent by the king of the Homerites to Mundhir, and gave him an epistle full of boasting; and in it he had written to him as follows: 'The king whom the Ethiopians set up in our country died; and, because the winter season had begun, they were not able to march out into our country and appoint a Christian king, as they generally do. Accordingly, I became king over the whole country of the Homerites, and I resolved first to slay all the Christians who confessed Christ, unless they became Jews like us. And I killed two hundred and eighty men, the priests who were found, and besides them also the Ethiopians who were guarding the church. And I made their church into a synagogue for us. And then with a force of 120,000 men I went to Nagrin, their royal city. And, when I had sat down before it for some days and was not able to take it, I swore oaths to them, and their chiefs |194 came out to me; but I judged it right not to keep my word to the Christians, my enemies. And I arrested them, and required them to bring their gold and their silver and their possessions; and they brought them to me, and I took them. And I asked for Paul their bishop; and, when they told me that he was dead, I did not believe them, until they showed me his grave: and I dug up his bones and burnt them, as well as their church and their priests and everyone who was found seeking refuge there. And the rest I urged to deny Christ and the Cross, and become Jews; and they would not, but, confessing that He is God and the Son of the Blessed, they even chose to die for His sake. And their chief said many things against us, and insulted us. And I ordered all their magnates to be put to death. And we fetched their wives, and told them, now that they had seen their husbands put to death for Christ, to deny, and have mercy on their sons and on their daughters. And we urged them, and they would not; but the nuns strove hard to be put to death first; and the wives of the magnates were angry with them, and said, "We ought to die after our husbands." And they were all put to death by our order except Rhumi, the wife of the king who was to have reigned there, whom we would not permit to die; but we kept requiring her to deny Christ and live, having mercy upon her daughters, and retaining everything which she possessed by becoming a Jew. And we bade her go and take counsel, attended by guards from our army. And she went out, going round the streets and squares of the city with her head uncovered, a woman whose person no one had seen in the street since she grew up. And she cried and said, "Women of Nagrin, my Christian companions, and the rest of you also who are Jews and heathens, listen! My |195 birth and my family, and whose Christian daughter I am, you know; and that I have gold and silver and slaves, male and female,' and many lands and revenues; and, now that my husband has been put to death for Christ's sake, if I wish to be married to a husband, I have 40,000 denarii, and gold ornaments, and much silver and pearls and raiment, splendid and magnificent, besides the treasures of my husband; and that these things have not been falsely spoken by me you know of yourselves; and that to a woman there are no days of joy like the days of her marriage; for from that time forward there are distresses and lamentation, at the birth of children, and when she is deprived of them, and when she buries them; but I from this day forward am free from them all. And on the days of my first marriage I was full of joy, and now, behold! it is in the gladness of my heart that I have adorned my five virgin daughters for Christ. Look upon me, my companions, for, lo! you have twice seen me, at my first marriage, and at this second one; for it was with my face exposed before you all that I went to my former bridegroom; and now it is with my face exposed that I am going to Christ, my Lord and my God, and the Lord and God of my daughters, even as He in His love humbled Himself and came to us and suffered for our sake.

" ' " Imitate me and my daughters, and consider that I am not inferior to you in beauty; and, behold! I am going to Christ my Lord resplendent in that beauty, undefiled, as it is, by Jewish denial, that my beauty may be a witness before my Lord that it could not lead me astray to commit the sin of denial, and my gold and silver and all that I have may be witnesses that I did not love them as I loved my God. And |196 that rebellious king permitted me to deny and live. Far be it from me, my companions, far be it from me to deny Christ my God in whom I have believed! and I and my daughters have been baptized in the name of the Trinity, and I worship His cross, and for His sake I and my daughters joyfully die, even as He suffered in the flesh for our sake. Behold! I resign everything that is pleasant to the eyes and to the bodily senses on the earth and passes away, that I may go and receive from my Lord that which does not pass away. Blessed are you, my companions, if you will hear my words and know the truth and love Christ, for whose sake I and my daughters die. Then shall there be rest and peace to the people of God. The blood of my brothers and my sisters who have been slain for Christ shall be a wall to this city, if it hold fast to Christ my Lord. Behold, with my face exposed I pass away from this city, in which I have been as in a temporary tabernacle, that I may go with my daughters to an everlasting city, for it is there that I have betrothed them. Pray for me, my companions, that Christ my Lord may receive me and may pardon me for having remained alive these three days after my husband."

" 'And, when we heard a cry of lamentation from the city, and those who had been sent came back and, when asked, told us that, as we have written above, Rhumi had gone round the city, speaking to the women her companions and encouraging them, and a cry of woe was being raised in the city, then we were enraged with the guards, so much so that, had we not been persuaded not to do so, we would have put them to death for allowing her to act in this manner. But at last she came out from the city like a madwoman, with her head uncovered, accompanied by her daughters; and she came and stood before me without shame, and holding |197 her daughters, who were attired as for marriage, by the hand. And she loosened the bands of her hair and turned them round with her hands, and stretched out her neck, and bowed her head, crying, "I am a Christian, and so are my daughters; for Christ's sake we die. Cut off our heads, that we may go and find our brothers and our sisters and the father of my daughters." But after all this madness I exhorted her to deny Christ, and only to say that He was a man; and she would not, but one of her daughters insulted us for saying this. And, since I saw that it was not possible to induce her to deny Christ, for the sake of striking terror into the other Christians I gave orders, and they threw her to the ground, and her daughters' throats were cut, and their blood ran down into her mouth, and afterwards her head was cut off. And by Adonai I swear that I was much distressed because of her beauty and that of her daughters. Now the chief priests and I thought that in accordance with the purport of the laws children ought not to die because of parents; and I distributed them, both the boys and the girls, among the army to bring them up; and, as soon as they are grown up, if they become Jews, they shall live; and, if they confess Christ, they shall die. And these things I have described and related to your Majesty, and I beg you not to suffer a Christian among your people, unless he denies and stands on your side. Now, as for the Jews also, my brethren, who are in your dominions, treat them kindly, my brother, and write and send me word what you wish me to send you in return for this.'

"All these things were written to him after we had reached the place: and he assembled his army, and the epistle was read before him, and the envoy related how the Christians had been put to death and banished from the land of the Homerites. And Mundhir said to the Christians in his army, 'Behold! you have heard what has happened. Deny Christ; |198 for I am no better than the other kings who have persecuted the Christians.' And a certain man of high position in his army, who was a Christian, was moved with zeal, and boldly said to the king, 'It was not in your time that we became Christians, that we should deny Christ.' And Mundhir was enraged, and said, 'Do you dare to speak in my presence?' And he said, 'Because of the fear of God I speak without fear, and no one shall stop me; for my sword is no shorter than the swords of others, and I will not shrink from fighting unto death.' And because of his birth, and because he was a great and distinguished man and valiant in war, Mundhir was silent.

"And, when we returned to the camp of Nu'man in the first week of the fast, we found a Christian envoy, who had been sent by the king of the Homerites before he died. This man, when he heard about the people who had been slaughtered by this Jewish tyrant, immediately hired a man from the camp of Nu'man, and sent him to Nagrin to bring him intelligence of what he saw and learned as to the events which had happened there. And, when he returned, he also in our presence related to the former Christian envoy the things which are recorded above, and that three hundred and forty of the magnates had been put to death, who had come out to him from the city, and he swore to them, and perjured himself to them; and as to their chief, Harith the son of Khanab, the husband of Rhumi, that the Jew insulted him, and said to him, 'Trusting in Christ, you have rebelled against me; but have mercy upon your old age and deny Him, or else you shall die with your companions.' And he answered and said to him, 'Truly I am distressed for all my companions and my brothers, because they would not listen to me when I told |199 them that you were lying, and said that we should not go out to you nor trust your words, but fight with you. And I trusted in Christ that I should have overcome you, and the city would not have been taken, for there was nothing lacking in it. And you are not a king, but a perjurer: and I have myself seen many kings who are truthful and do not lie. And I will not deny Christ my God to become a Jew like you, and a liar. And now I know that He loves me; and I have lived long in the world, and have had children and grandchildren, and I have daughters and many kinsmen, and I have won renown in wars by the power of Christ. And I am sure that, even as a vine which is pruned and gives forth much fruit, so shall our Christian people be multiplied in this city; and the church, which has been burnt by you, shall increase and be built up, and Christianity shall have dominion and give commands to kings, and shall reign, and your Judaism shall be blotted out, and your kingdom shall pass away, and your dominion shall come to an end. Boast not that you have done anything, nor be puffed up with glorying.'

"And, when the great Harith the son of Khanab, the venerable old man, had said these things, he turned round and said in a loud voice to his believing companions who surrounded him, 'Did you hear, my brothers, what I said to this Jew?' And they said, 'We heard everything which you said, father ours.' And again he said, 'Is it true or not?' And they cried, 'It is true.' And he said, 'If any man fears the sword and denies Christ, let him be separated from among us.' And they cried, 'Far be it from us! Be of |200 good cheer, father ours: we are all like you, and with you will we die for Christ's sake, and no one amongst us will remain after you.' And he cried and said, 'Ye Christian people who surround me, and ye heathens and Jews, hear. If any man of my family and my relations and of my kin denies Christ and joins this Jew, he has no part with me, and he shall not inherit anything that is mine, but all that belongs to me shall go to the expenses of the church that shall be built. But, if any man of my kin does not deny Christ and survives me, he shall inherit my property; but three fields, whichever the Church shall choose in my estate, shall go to the expenses of the Church.' And, when he had said these things, he turned to the king and said, 'You and everyone who denies Christ I deny. Behold! we stand before you.' And his companions were emboldened, and said, 'Behold! Abraham the patriarch will look upon you and us with you; but everyone who denies Christ and remains alive after you we deny.' And he ordered them to be taken to the gully called Wadiya, and their heads to be cut off and their bodies thrown into it. And they stretched out their hands to heaven and said, 'Christ, our God, come to our aid, and put strength within us, and receive our souls. And may the blood of Thy bondservants, which is shed for Thy sake, smell sweet unto Thee; and make us worthy of Thy sight; and confess us before Thy Father, as Thou promisedst. And may the church be built, and may a bishop be appointed in the stead of Paul, Thy bond-servant, whose bones they burnt.' And they bade one another farewell; and the old man Harith made the sign over them, and he bowed his head and received the sword. And his companions rushed forward and crowded together and smeared themselves with his blood; and they were all martyred.

"And a child of three years old, whose mother was coming |201 out to be put to death and was holding him with her hand, ran up (and it happened that, when he saw the king sitting clad in royal apparel, he left his mother and ran up and kissed the king on the knees); and the king took hold of him and began to caress him and to say to him, 'Which would you like, to go and die with your mother, or to stay with me?' The boy said to him, 'By our Lord, I would like to die with my mother; and for this purpose I am going with my mother; for she said to me, "Come, my son, let us go and die for Christ's sake." But release me, that I may go to my mother, lest she die and I do not see her, because she says to me, "The king of the Jews has commanded that everyone who does not deny Christ shall die," and I will not deny Him.' And he said to him, 'Whence² do you know Christ?' The boy said to him, 'Every day I see Him in the church with my mother, whenever I go to the church.' And he said to him, 'Do you love me, or your mother?' ³ And again he said to him, 'Do you love me, or Christ?' He said to him, 'Christ more than you.' And he said to him, 'Why did you come and kiss my knees?' The boy said to him, 'I thought that you were the Christian king, whom I used to see in the church, and I did not know that you were the Jew.' He said to him, 'I will give you nuts and almonds and figs.' And the boy said, 'No, by Christ, I will not eat the Jews' nuts; but let me go to my mother.' And he said to him, 'Stay with me, and you shall be a son to me.' And the boy said, 'No, by Christ, I will not stay with you, because your smell is foul and fetid, and not sweet like my mother.' And the king said to those that were standing by, 'Look at this evil root, whom from his boyhood Christ has deceived so as to make him love |202 Him.' And one of the magnates said to the boy, 'Come with me, and I will take you, that you may be a son to the queen.' And the boy said to him, 'You are smitten on the face. My mother, who takes me to the church, is more to me than the queen.' And, when he saw that they held him tight, he bit the king on the thigh, and said, 'Release me, you wicked Jew, that I may go to my mother and die with her.' And he gave him to one of the magnates, and said, 'Take care of him until he grows up; and, if he denies Christ, he shall live; and, if not, he shall die.' And, while this man's slave was carrying him off, he struggled with his feet and cried to his mother, 'My mother, come and take me, that I may go with you to the church.' And, crying out before him, she said, 'Go, my son; you are intrusted to Christ's care; do not weep; wait for me in the church in Christ's presence till I come.' And, when she had said this, they cut off her head.

"And owing to this letter and the reports that have been received distress has fallen upon all the Christians here. And, in order that the things which have happened in the land of the Homerites may be made known to the pious believing bishops, and that they may celebrate the memory of the illustrious martyrs, we have written these things; and we beg your affection to let them be made known at once to the archimandrites and bishops, and especially to the chief priest of Alexandria, in order that he may write to the king of the Ethiopians to come at once and help the Homerites. But let the chief priests of the Jews in Tiberias also be arrested, and be compelled to send to this Jewish king, who has appeared, and tell him to put an end to the tribulation and persecution in the land of the Homerites." And so the rest, consisting of |203 salutations to the chief priests and bishops of that time and the believing archimandrites, which are contained in the epistle.

CHAPTER IV

THE FOURTH CHAPTER OF THE EIGHTH BOOK TREATS OF THE FLOOD OF WATER WHICH ENTERED EDESSA, AND HOW THE FLOW OF THE WATERS OF SHILUHO IN JERUSALEM WAS STOPPED, AND ANTIOCH WAS OVERTHROWN BY AN EARTHQUAKE, AND THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON IN THE CITY OF HELIOPOLIS WAS BURNT

While Asclepius Bar Malohe,¹⁷ the brother of Andrew and of Demosthenes the prefect, held the see of Edessa, having become bishop there after Paul, who showed an outward appearance of being orthodox,¹⁸—(Now this man was ostentatious in his person, and polished. And, when he was a bishop in Edessa in the days of Flavian, before Asclepius, he drew up a written statement for him, which did not anathematise the Synod, because he had been his synkellos: and this book came into the hands of the holy Severus, who succeeded Flavian; and, when this Paul went up to salute him, he gave it him, and in divine love forgave him his offence, that is, on his assurance that he was a believer; and this wise man, who kept knowledge hidden, as it is written,¹⁹ did not expose him. And in the days of this king he at first firmly refused to accept the Synod, while the people of Edessa supported him, and even suffered loss and outrage on his account every day; however, on being banished to Euchaita he conformed, and returned to Edessa; and after surviving a short time he was struck with shame and soon after died, and Asclepius succeeded him. And he |204 was a Nestorian; but he was just in his deeds, and showed kindness to the tillers of the soil, and was gentle towards them, and was not greedy after bribes. In his body he was chaste, and in outward matters he did much good to his church, and paid its debts. But he was active and violent against the believers; and many were banished by him and outraged with every kind of torture, or died under the hard treatment inflicted on them at the hands of Liberius, a Goth, a cruel governor, who was called "the bull-eater.")

And,²⁰ while affairs in Edessa were in this position, in the year eight hundred and thirty-six of the Greeks, the year three,²¹ on the twenty-second of April, the river Scirtus, which enters and passes through the city, rose and overflowed, and overthrew two sides of the wall, and drowned many persons; for it was supper-time, and while their food was in their mouth the waters rushed in upon them, the flooded Scirtus. But this Asclepius escaped, and so did Liberius. And ²² the flow of the waters of Shiluho, which are in Jerusalem, in the southern quarter of it, was stopped for fifteen years; and the temple of Solomon in the city of Heliopolis in the forest of Lebanon, as to which Scripture mentions that Solomon built it and stored arms in it ²³ [was burnt]. And to the south of it are three wonderful stones, on which nothing is built, but they stand by themselves, joined and united together and touching one another; and all three are distinguished by effigies, and they are very large. And in a mystical sense they are set, as it were, to represent the temple of the knowledge of the faith in the adorable Trinity, the calling of the nations by the preaching of the gospel tidings. There came down lightning from heaven, while the rain fell in small quantities: it struck the temple and reduced its stones to powder by the heat, and overthrew its pillars, and broke it to pieces and destroyed it. But the three stones it did not touch, but they remain perfect; and now a |205 house of prayer has been built there, dedicated to Mary the Holy Virgin, the Theotokos.

And a year afterwards, in the year four,²⁴ Antioch was overthrown by a great earthquake of unwonted severity, and countless myriads of people perished in it. For it was summer time; and, while they were feasting, and their food was in their mouth, their houses were thrown down upon them, as upon the sons of Job in the proving of Satan. And Euphrasius was chief priest there, who succeeded Paul who was called "the Jew"; and he fell into a boiling cauldron of wax, and perished.

And his successor ²⁵ was Ephraim of Amida, who was Comes Orientis at that time. And this man in the authority which he exercised in various countries was a man just in his deeds, and was not greedy after bribes, and was able and successful. And ²⁶ for years he had been infected with the teaching of the Diphysites through some books which his mother Mako (?) had inherited from a certain Bar Shalumo of Constantia, of the school of Diodorus and Theodore; and he corrupted and won over many persons, some by subtilty and moderation, and some by the threats of the king, who was fond of him, and paid attention to what he wrote to him. |206

CHAPTER V

THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE SAME EIGHTH BOOK TREATS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WHICH WERE HELD UPON THE FRONTIER; AND OF MUNDHIR, KING OF THE SARACENS, WHO WENT UP INTO THE TERRITORY OF EMESA AND APAMEA, AND TOOK A LARGE NUMBER OF CAPTIVES AND CARRIED THEM AWAY WITH HIM; AND OF THE BELIEVING BISHOPS OF THE EAST WHO WERE BANISHED AND WITHDREW FROM THEIR CHURCHES

Kawad,²⁷ king of the Persians, kept making pressing demands for the payment of the tribute of 500 Ibs. weight of gold which was paid to him by the king of the Romans on account of the expense of the Persian force which guarded the gates facing the land of the Huns; and. for this reason he used from time to time to send his own Saracens into the territory of the Romans, and they plundered and carried oft captives. The Romans also invaded Arzanene, a country which belonged to him, and the district of Nisibis, and did damage. On this account negotiations were held, and the two kings sent envoys, Justin sending Hypatius and the old man Farzman, and Kawad Asthebid;²⁸ and much discussion took place on the frontier, which was reported to the two kings by their magnates through couriers; and no peaceful message was sent by them, but they were hostile to one another.

And Mundhir, the Saracen king, went up into the territory of Emesa and Apamea and the district of Antioch on two occasions; and he carried off many people, and took them away with him. And four hundred virgins, who were |207 suddenly made captive among the congregation in the church of Thomas the Apostle at Emesa (?), he sacrificed in one day in honour of 'Uzzai. Dodo also the anchorite, an old man, who was made captive among the congregation, saw it with his eyes, and told me.

Now of the bishops of the East, and especially those in the jurisdiction of the learned Severus, some ²⁹ were banished, and others withdrew to Alexandria and various other countries, walking in the footsteps of the chief priest, Severus the doctor. And Akhs'noyo³⁰ of Hierapolis had been sent into exile at Gangra; and he was imprisoned over the kitchen in the hospital there, and was suffocated by the smoke, as he states in his epistle;³¹ and at last he died. And ³² Antoninus of Berrhoea, and Thomas of Damascus, and Thomas of Dara, and John of Constantia, and Thomas of Amrin (?), and Peter of Rhesaina, and Constantine of Laodicea, and Peter of Apamea, and others withdrew, and. lived in hiding wherever it was convenient for them. But the see of Alexandria had not been disturbed, and Timothy ³³ succeeded Dioscorus; and he did not withdraw nor accept the Synod in the days of Justin; and the fugitive believing priests who sought refuge with |208 him he received affectionately, and honoured and encouraged them.

Now ³⁴ Nonnus of Seleucia, who came from Amida, had withdrawn to his own city and taken up his abode in his mansion there, because he came of a wealthy family, and had been governor and great steward of the Church in his city in the days of John the bishop, who came from the monastery of Karthamin, a righteous man. He in his days blessed Nonnus, and said, "I am confident in my Lord that you will die as bishop in my see." And the event was delayed, inasmuch as after the captivity of Amida the gracious Thomas became bishop there, who built Dara. He, when the couriers came to seize him, in order that either he might accept the Synod or they might drive him out, fell ill in accordance with his prayer, and died suddenly and at once while in possession of his see, the couriers being in the city; and this caused many to marvel. Accordingly, in order that the blessing of John might be fulfilled, the men of Amida seized Nonnus and appointed him bishop there; and he lived a few months, and departed.³⁵

And in succession to him again, in the presence of three bishops, as the canons require, Nonnus of Martyropolis, Arathu (?) of Ingila, and Aaron of Arsamosata, who were on the spot, they ordained Moro Bar Kustant, the governor, who was steward of the Church, an abstemious man and righteous in his deeds, chaste and believing; and he was fluent and practised in the Greek tongue, having been educated in the monastery of St. Thomas the Apostle of Seleucia, which in zealous faith had removed and had settled at Kenneshre on the river Euphrates, and there been rebuilt by John the |209 archimandrite, a learned man, who was at that time an ex-pleader (?), a native of Edessa, the son of Aphthonia.³⁶ And this Moro had been trained up in all kinds of right instruction and mental excellence from his boyhood by Sh'muni and Morutho, his grave, chaste, and believing sisters. And after remaining a short time in his see he was banished to Petra, and from Petra to Alexandria; and he stayed there for a time, and formed a library there containing many admirable books; and in them there is abundance of great profit for those who love instruction, the discerning and studious. These were transferred to the treasury of the Church of Amida after the man's death. And in every matter which I record, in order not to cause annoyance by blaming one man or praising another, I have related whatever the truth of the matter is without any falsehood. However, the man progressed more and more in reading in Alexandria, and there he fell asleep. And his body was conveyed, by his sisters, who were with him and ministered to him, comforting him in affliction, as it is written,³⁷ and laid in his own Martyrs' Chapel in the village of Beth Shuro.³⁸ And as a record of the eloquent expression of his love of instruction I will set down at the end of this Book the prologue composed by him in the Greek tongue and inserted in his Tetreuangelion.

Now ³⁹ the believing cloistered monks in the East had also, moreover, been expelled and had withdrawn from the year three until the year nine,⁴⁰ one week, that is, of years, from their cloisters in the district of Antioch and in Euphratesia, and also in Osrhoene and Mesopotamia. And the cloister of Thomas at Seleucia with the brotherhood came to Kenneshre |210 on the Euphrates, and was there settled by the learned John the archimandrite, the son of Aphthonia. And Cyrus, archimandrite of the Syrians in Antioch, was expelled, together with the brotherhood of the monastery ⁴¹ of Thel 'Addo, and the monastery of Romanus, and Simeon of L'gino, and Ignatius, archimandrite of the monastery of 'Akibo at Chalcis, and the monastery of S'nun, and John, archimandrite of Khafro d'Birtho, and the monastery of my lord Bassus, and John of the Orientals, and the monks of the Arches, and the monastery of Magnus (?), and Sergius of the Quarry, and Thomas of the house of Natsih, and Isaac of the house of ''bedyeshu', and the cloisters of 'Arab in Mesopotamia and Izlo and Beth Gaugal, and five metropolitan cloisters in Amida, Hananyo and Abraham called "the humble," a worker of miracles, and Daniel, visitor of the cloister of Edessa, and Elijah of the house of Ishokuni, and Simai and Cosmas of the foundation of John the Anzetenian,⁴² and Maron of the Orientals, and Solomon of the house of my lord Samuel, and Cyrus of Sugo, and the monks of the Watch-tower and of Thiri, near Rhesaina.

Now for this reason four or five communities of hermits also settled in the desert: at Ramsho Mori, a chaste man and of honourable character; and at Natfo Sergius, a plain and simple man, and after him Antony, a mild and peaceful man, and that kindly old man Elijah, our countryman, and Simeon of Chalcis, and Sergius, who has now rebuilt Sodakthe (?), and the community on the Harmosho (?),⁴³ the |211 monastery founded by my lord John at Hauro.⁴⁴ And Simeon, archimandrite of the monastery of my lord Isaac at Gabbula, which is now polluted ⁴⁵ with the heresy of Julian the Phantasiast, was at that time zealous in the faith, he and those who were with him; and Bar Hakino of the house of my lord Hanino, a worker of miracles, was similarly moved with zeal, insomuch as to go up to the royal city and in his own person admonish and reprove the king, although he was not received; and this is witnessed by Akhs'noyo's epistle of thanks which he wrote to him from Gangra; and similarly with the monks of the house of my lord Zakhkhai at Callinicus, and of the foundation of my lord Abbo, and of Beth R'kum.

And so the desert was at peace, and was abundantly supplied with a population of believers who lived in it, and fresh ones who were every day added to them and aided in swelling the numbers of their brethren, some from a desire to visit their brethren out of Christian love, and others again because they were being driven from country to country by the bishops in the cities. And there grew up, as it were, a commonwealth of illustrious and believing priests, and a tranquil brotherhood with them; and they were united in love and abounded in mutual affection, and they were beloved and acceptable in the sight of everyone; and nothing was lacking, for the honoured heads of the corporation, which is composed of all the members of the body, accompanied them, the pious John of Constantia, a religious and ascetic man, (he would not even partake of the desirable bread, "the foundation of the life of man,"⁴⁶ and so he progressed in the reading of the Scriptures and became a gnostic and a theoretic;⁴⁷ for he used to raise his understanding upwards by the study of spiritual things for the space of three hours, marvelling and meditating on the wisdom of the works of God; and for three hours more, from the sixth to the ninth, he continued in joy |212 and peace with every man, in intercourse with those who came to him upon necessary business)—and Thomas of Dara again, while undergoing many labours, conversed much upon physics.

Now in the year nine,⁴⁸ in the fifth year of the reign of this serene king, Justinian, the king of our day, being moved by God our Lord, who had foreknowledge of his deeds, he distributed justice, and ordered that all orders should return from exile and from the countries to which they had withdrawn in zeal for the faith, while he summoned the believing bishops to come up to him. And, after this had happened in the year nine, in the year ten ⁴⁹ a multitude of Huns entered the Roman territory and massacred those whom they found outside the cities; and they crossed the river Euphrates, and advanced as far as the district of Antioch. Accordingly, under the direction of God, as he said, "My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and hide thyself until My indignation be overpast," ⁵⁰ and by order of the king, the believers in the East again retired into hiding. But John the hermit of Anastasia, a man of honourable character, had been killed in the desert by the Huns; but Simeon the hermit, who was called "the horned," had not been hurt.

CHAPTER VI

THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE EIGHTH BOOK, STATING WHO WERE CHIEF PRIESTS IN THE DAYS OF JUSTIN, WHO, AFTER REIGNING NINE YEARS DIED IN THE YEAR FIVE, AND THIS JUSTINIAN OF OUR DAY, HIS SISTER'S SON, BECAME KING AFTER HIM

The chief priests ⁵¹ in the days of Justin are as follows:— Of Rome, Hormisda; of Alexandria, Timothy; of Jerusalem, Peter, who succeeded John; and of Antioch, Paul the Jew, who was driven out, and after him Euphrasius, who was |213 burnt in the earthquake of Antioch in the year four,⁵² and after him was Ephraim of Amida; of Constantinople, Epiphanius. There is comprised in this space of time a space of nine years.

CHAPTER VII

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER. IN IT IS CONTAINED BELOW THE PROLOGUE COMPOSED BY MORO, BISHOP OF AMIDA, IN THE GREEK TONGUE IN THE TETREUANGELION ⁵³

"In order ⁵⁴ to gather together the sense of a long treatise a man stores up a knowledge of these things succinctly under a few heads in his mind and memory and understanding. And we may understand these things from the heads which are set down in this book; and these again cause the inner meaning of all that is in them to pass rapidly and succinctly into the mind, when heard and considered in due order. For, if a man gathers together the record of the Gospels, he will learn from it that God became incarnate, and that divine as well as human properties are His, by which He made the |214 foundations of the world, which at His second coming He will make clearly to appear. And so everyone who examines these things severally will find first a notice of the census before His Incarnation, and then next the birth of John the Baptist for a testimony to the God of Israel, which happened in accordance with the previous annunciation of the angel; and he will find that the supernatural birth of Jesus, who is God, took place in the Virgin Mary and from her, and that every man has his beginning from the earth according to the saying of the Baptist,⁵⁵ but He who is not from the earth is Jesus from heaven.

"Now the testimonies to His Incarnation mentioned in the book of the Gospel are those spoken in the spirit by Elizabeth and by the angel to the Virgin and Joseph and the shepherds at the annunciation of His birth by the assembly of watching angels; and again the prophecy of Zachariah, and the rising of the star, which betokened the indestructible reign of the Son of God, who was born; and the prophecy of Simeon the priest and Anna about the coming of Christ for the salvation of the world and of Israel; and besides these also the proclamation of the Baptist, who testified that he was from earth and our Saviour from heaven. And, further, in the Gospel-record a man will understand His divine dispensation, which was effected by infinite wisdom, and not through book-wisdom and the pursuit of learning; and His power of performing wonderful mighty works in deed and word, and His knowledge about everything, and that He did no sin; and again that it was at His own pleasure to suffer in His own time and not to suffer when it was not time; and that it was in His power ⁵⁶ to destroy sufferings by His voluntary sufferings in the body, and to do away death by His Resurrection and to ascend to heaven. And the record plainly states that He became incarnate of the Virgin in flesh endowed with a soul and an intellect; it states His nine months' human conception, His natural and |215 supernatural birth, and that He was wrapped in swaddling-clothes and sucked milk, and was also circumcised according to law; and, further, that He fled before the threats of Herod into Egypt, carried by His mother, and that He came up: from Egypt for the renovation of Israel and after the manner of Israel; and again, that He increased in stature, and was subject to His mother and to Joseph her husband, and was baptized with water by John to signify the renovating birth of mankind, which is in him renewed in a figure, because His baptism bestowed upon us the holy birth of the Spirit; and He was tempted by the devil as a man, but as God easily overcame the tempter in the contest and the argument; and He was ministered to by angels; and He gave peace to our race by restoring us to Paradise; further, He associated with the disciples in human fashion, and withdrew at one time from the persecutors, and hungered and thirsted and was weary; but He showed that He did not submit to these things merely from the necessity of nature in human fashion, as though He were not God, by the fact that it is testified that He verily fasted forty days and was afterwards hungry (in a similar manner He also slept; but, because He was on a mountain in quiet, He kept watch in prayer, and this prayer He made to the Father in human fashion on behalf of men; but on the sea and in the storm He slept in the ship for the instruction of the disciples, that they might believe that it is He who stills the storms of the seas and the sound of their waves); and, further, that, when they sought to throw Him down from the brow of the hill they could not do so, but, while they stood all around Him, He passed through the midst of them and went His way; and, |216 when wounded by the lance on the Cross, His life did not pass away of necessity, but He bowed His head and gave up the ghost; and in every respect divine and human qualities are His. But the reforms which Christ effected in the world are His rebuke of the deceiver, and the demons which He drove out, and the fiends which He ejected, and the sore diseases which He healed, and the dead which He raised, and the divers temptations which He thrust away, and certain passions which He brought to naught; which reforms were types and figures of the future world, which shall be far removed from evil, the world which is looked for by us with hope and faith and love. And the teaching of our Saviour draws men away from the passion of the love of money and the love of glory and pleasure, and raises them up that they may serve God in uprightness of will."

Now there was inserted in the Gospel of the holy Moro the bishop, in the eighty-ninth canon, a chapter which is related only by John in his Gospel, and is not found in other manuscripts, a section running thus: "It happened ⁵⁷ one day, while Jesus was teaching, they brought Him a woman who had been found to be with child of adultery, and told Him about her. And Jesus said to them (since as God He knew their shameful passions and also their deeds), 'What does He command in the law?' And they said to Him, 'That at the mouth of two or three witnesses she should be stoned.' But He answered and said to them, 'In accordance with the law, whoever is pure and free from these sinful passions, and can bear witness with confidence and authority, as being under no blame in respect of this sin, let him bear witness against her, and let him first throw a stone at her, and then those that are after him, and she shall be stoned.' But they, because |217 they were subject to condemnation and blameworthy in respect of this sinful passion, went out one by one from before Him and left the woman. And, when they had gone, Jesus looked upon the ground and, writing in the dust there, said to the woman, 'They who brought thee here and wished to bear witness against thee, having understood what I said to them, which thou hast heard, have left thee and departed. Do thou also, therefore, go thy way, and commit not this sin again.' "

[Note to the online edition: footnotes have been moved to the end. Footnotes concerned only with bits of Syriac and Greek have been omitted because of the time it would take to transcribe it.]

1. ¹ vii. 14.

2. ²518.

3. ³ vii. 14; Mich. fol. 161 r; cf. Jo. Mal. p. 410.

4. ⁷ Cf. Jo. Mal. pp. 410, 411.

5. ² Mich. loc. cit.

6. ³ Cf. Jo. Mal. loc. cit.

7. ⁴ Cf. Theoph. A.M. 6012.

8. ⁵ Cf. Evag. iv. 4.

9. ⁶ vii. 13.

10. ² Cf. Jo. Mal. p. 412; Evag. iv. 3.

11. ³ Cf. Evag. iv. 4.

12. ² There is probably some mistake in the heading, as a bishop could not be an apokrisiarios. Jo. Eph. (ap. "Dion.") omits the word,...

13. ³ This chapter is contained in Cod. Rom. Mai's text is, however, not taken from the MS. but is a copy of that of Assemani (B. 0. vol. i. p. 364 ff.), taken not from our author, but from John of Ephesus (ap. "Dion."). The letter also exists in a much longer form in Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 14,650, fol. 155, and in a MS. in the Museum Borgianum at Rome, which has been edited by Prof. Guidi (Atti dell' Accademia de' Lincei, Ser. 3, Tom. 7, 1881). It exists also in Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 14,641, fol. 157, where the text is not a copy of 14,650, as Guidi states on the authority of Wright, but is similar to that in our author and in Jo. Eph., and, being followed by the later history of the little boy, as in Jo. Eph., is plainly derived from that author. A Greek account of the same events, derived in part from this letter, is contained in the Martyrium Arethae (Boissonade, Anecd. Graec. vol. v.), and a slightly different one in Simeon Metaphrastes (Migne, Patr. Graec. 115, p. 1249 ff.).

14. ⁴ Jo. Eph. ap. "Dion." (Assem., B. O. p. 364 ff.); Mich. fol. 166 ff.

15. ¹ 524.

16. ⁴ I.e. emigrants or nomads, a name applied to certain Arab tribes: Ar. Ma'addiyya.

17. ¹ I.e. "son of sailors."

18. ³ Here the sentence breaks off, being taken up again lower down.

19. ⁵ Prov. x. 14.

20. ¹ Mich. fol. 161 r, 164 v.

21. ² 525.

22. ³ Mich. fol. 164.

23. ⁴ 1 Kings ix. 18, 19.

24. ¹ 526.

25. ⁴ Mich. fol. 165 v; Greg. H. E. i. p. 201.

26. ⁶ Two leaves in the MS. have here been transposed. I pass on from p. 244, 1. 26 (Land) to p. 246, 1. 16. The intermediate portion has nothing to do with the subject of this chapter, but belongs to the next. This is also evident from a comparison with Michael and Gregory.

27. ²Mich. fol. 164 r; Greg. p. 78,

28. ⁵ The name meant is Spahpat..., the title of the Persian commander-in-chief (Josh. Styl. 59, and Wright's note). Cf. also 9. 4.

29. ³ Mich. fol. 162 r.

30. ⁴ Jo. Eph. ap. Mich. fol. 161 v, Greg. H. E. pp. 195, 197, from Philox. Ep. ad Man. Sen. (Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 14,597, fol. 35 ff.).

31. ⁷ Cf. 7. 12.

32. ⁸ Cf. Jo. Eph. I.e.

33. ¹⁰ Mich. fol. 162 r.

34. ¹ Jo. Eph. ap. "Dion." (Assem., B. O. 2, pp. 48, 49); Mich. l.c.

35. ⁶ At this point we go back to fol. 140 (see p. 205, note 6).

36. ² Not Aphthonius; see John's life in Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 12,174, fol. 84.

37. ⁵ 2 Cor. i. 4(?); I Thess. iii. 7 (?).

38. ⁶ In Jo. Eph. (Land, Anecd. Syr. ii. p. no, 1. 3) "Beth Shuro." "Dion." "in the temple of Beth Shilo."

39. ⁷ Mich. fol. 163.

40. ⁸ 525-531.

41. ¹ Mich. " was expelled together with the brotherhood, and the monks of the monastery..."

42. ⁶ See bk. 7, ch. 4 (p. 156, note 2).

43. ⁷ Or, "near Harmosho." I find no trace of either of these names, and suspect both to be corrupt. Mich. omits both, writing merely "Sergius, and the monastery... Hauro."

44. ¹ At this point we return to fol. 142.

45. ² Mich. has the masculine, " who is now polluted."

46. ⁴ Sir. xxix. 21.

47. ⁵ I.e. learned in the inner or allegorical meaning.

48. ¹531.

49. ² 531-2.

50. 3 Isa. xxvi. 20.

51. ⁴ Cf. Mich. fol. 167 v.

52. ¹ 526.

53. ³ This chapter is contained in Cod. Rom., where the heading is, "The prologue composed concisely under heads by the holy Moro, bishop of Amida, a man deserving of blessed memory, upon the Gospel and the dispensation of Christ in the flesh."—Cf. p. 221.

54. ⁴ Mich. fol. 162 ff.

55. ¹ John iii. 31.

56. ⁴ Cod. Rom., "that it is now in His power."

57. ² John viii. 1-11.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 9.

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 9.

BOOK IX

ALSO this ninth Book, concerning the reign of Justinian, states how he became Anti-Caesar¹ on the fifth day of the week in the last week of the fast; and, after he had governed for three months in conjunction with Justin his uncle, who died at the end of July, when the year five was now ending,² this Justinian became emperor, in the year eight hundred and thirty-eight of the Greeks, in the three hundred and twenty-seventh Olympiad. And the events which happened during his reign down to the year fifteen,³ a space of ten years, which is contained in the sections below, are set down in this ninth Book, consisting of twenty-six chapters. Behold! they are set down below, and are as follows:—

The first chapter of the ninth Book deals with the fighting which went on in the summer of the year five before Nisibis and Thebetha, a Persian fortress.

The second chapter of the Book treats of the battle which was fought in the desert of Thannuris.

The third chapter of the Book gives an account of the battle which was fought before the city of Dara on the frontier.

The fourth chapter of the Book gives information about the battle which was fought on the Euphrates in the year nine.

The fifth chapter tells of Gadar the Kadisene, a Persian general, how he was killed; and Izdegerd, who was with him, a nephew of the Ptehasha of Arzanene, was taken prisoner.

The sixth chapter deals with the battle which was fought before Martyropolis on the frontier, and the large numbers |219 of Huns who invaded the territory of the Romans in the year ten.

The seventh chapter explains how in the summer of the year eleven peace was made between the Romans and the Persians by the ambassadors, Rufinus and Hermogenes, the master of the offices.

The eighth chapter of the ninth Book treats of the Samaritans who rebelled and set up a tyrant of their own in the country of Palestine.

The ninth chapter of the Book, concerning the heresy of Julian the Phantasiast, bishop of the city of Halicarnassus,⁴ how it appeared.

The tenth chapter sets forth the first epistle of Julian to Severus, with a question about the body of Christ our God.

The eleventh chapter of the Book treats of the answer to the epistle of Julian, which the doctor Severus, the chief priest, wrote to him.

The twelfth chapter of the Book imparts information about the second epistle of Julian, which he wrote to Severus.

The thirteenth chapter tells of the answer made by Severus the patriarch to this second epistle of Julian.

The fourteenth chapter of the Book treats of the riot which took place in the royal city, and describes how Hypatius and Pompeius were put to death, and large numbers of the people were massacred in the circus in the year ten.

The fifteenth chapter treats of the request contained in the petition which the believing bishops who had been summoned from exile to the royal city presented to King Justinian concerning their faith.

The sixteenth chapter of the ninth Book sets forth the defence made by Severus the chief priest in his epistle to King Justinian, refusing to come, when summoned by him to the royal city.

The seventeenth chapter of the ninth Book treats of Carthage, the chief city of the country of Africa, how it was |220 taken by Belisarius the general and a Roman army, and made subject to King Justinian.

The eighteenth chapter of the ninth Book deals with Rome and Naples in the country of Italy, and how they were taken by Belisarius the general and a Roman army.

The nineteenth chapter of the ninth Book again treats of Severus the patriarch, who went up to the royal city and appeared before the king, and was received in the palace, and remained there till the end of the month of March in the year fourteen, and then departed.

The twentieth chapter of the ninth Book treats of the epistle of Severus the patriarch to the order of priests and the society of monks in the East, dealing with his expulsion from the royal city.

The twenty-first [chapter] of the ninth Book sets forth the canonical epistle of union and concord which was sent by Anthimus, chief priest of the royal city, to Severus the patriarch.

The twenty-second chapter of the ninth Book treats of the epistle of concord and union canonically sent by Severus in answer to Anthimus, chief priest of Constantinople, the royal city.

The twenty-third chapter of the ninth Book introduces the epistle of concord and union which was canonically sent by Severus to Theodosius of Alexandria.

The twenty-fourth chapter of the ninth Book treats further of the canonical epistle of union and concord which was sent by Theodosius the patriarch in answer to Severus the doctor.

The twenty-fifth chapter of the ninth Book gives information about the canonical epistle of concord which was sent by Anthimus, chief priest of the royal city, to Theodosius, patriarch of the great city of Alexandria.

The twenty-sixth chapter of the ninth Book records the answer to the epistle, which was canonically sent by |221 Theodosius, archbishop of Alexandria, to Anthimus, chief priest of the royal city, in concord and brotherhood.

There is inserted also in it, at the end of this ninth Book, the prologue given above, which was composed concisely under heads by the holy Moro, bishop of Amicla, a man deserving of blessed memory, upon the Gospel and the dispensation of Christ in the flesh, and also a story which is contained in the eighty-ninth canon, taken from the Gospel of John and mentioned by him alone, about a woman with child by adultery, who was brought to Him by the Jewish doctors.⁵

CHAPTER I

THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, TREATING OF THE ACCESSION OF JUSTINIAN, AND OF THE FIGHTING WHICH WENT ON BEFORE NISIBIS AND THE FORTRESS OF THEBETHA

In the year five,⁶ when Justin was king, that old man of whom we related above ⁷ that he came from the country of Illyricum, he made his sister's son, who was general, Anti-Caesar;⁸ and Justinian became Anti-Caesar on the fifth day of the week in the last week of the fast. And,⁹ after he had governed for three months, his uncle died, at the end of July, and he became emperor, in the year eight hundred and thirty-eight of the Greeks,¹⁰ in the three hundred and twenty-seventh Olympiad. And¹¹ as to his own Castra Mauriana he gave orders, and a great city was built, and privileges were granted to it, and a military force was also stationed in it; and water was brought into it from a distance,¹² because its own water was bad. |222

And, behold! from the beginning of his reign down to this day he has indeed devoted attention to building, refounding cities in various countries, and repairing walls in various places for the protection of his dominions.

But, since the Persians and the Romans were at enmity with one another in those times, while Timus ¹³ (?), the master of the soldiers, was duke on the frontier, the army with its officers was mustered round him to fight against Nisibis; and they fought, but could not take it, and retired thence to the fortress of Thebetha; and the army came close up to the wall and made a breach in it; and it was the hottest part of the summer. And through some cause or other they were prevented from effecting their purpose, and did not get possession of the fortress, which was about fifteen parasangs from Dara. And the army was ordered to return to Dara; and, because they greedily ate honey and the flesh of large numbers of swine, some of the infantry died of thirst on the march and were lost to the army, and others threw themselves into the wells of the desert and were drowned, and the rest were burnt up by the heat on the march, but the cavalry reached Dara; and so the army was broken up.

CHAPTER II

THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, CONCERNING THE BATTLE WHICH WAS FOUGHT IN THE DESERT OF THANNURIS

During the lifetime of Justin ¹⁴ the king, who had learned that Thannuris was a convenient place for a city to be built as a place of refuge in the desert, and for a military force to be stationed to protect 'Arab against the marauding bands of |223 Saracens, Thomas the silentiary, a native of Aphphadana, had been sent to build such a city. And, when he had made but inconsiderable progress, then the works which had begun to be carried out were destroyed by the Saracens and Kadisenes from Singara and Thebetha. Now, because the Romans, as we have stated above, had taken the field and fought against Nisibis and Thebetha, therefore afterwards the Persians also similarly came and made an entrenchment (?) in the desert of Thannuris. And, Duke Timus, the master of the soldiers, having died, Belisarius had succeeded him; and he was not greedy after bribes, and was kind to the peasants, and did not allow the army to injure them. For he was accompanied by Solomon, a eunuch from the fortress of Edribath (?); ¹⁵ and he was an astute man, and well-versed in the affairs of the world; and he had been notary to Felicissimus the duke, and had been attached to the other governors; and he had gained cunning through experience of difficulties.

Accordingly, a Roman army was mustered for the purpose of marching into the desert of Thannuris against the Persians under the leadership of Belisarius, Cutzes, the brother of Butzes, Basil, Vincent, and other commanders, and Atafar, the chief of the Saracens. And, when the Persians heard of it, they devised a stratagem, and dug several ditches among their trenches, and concealed them (?) all round outside by triangular stakes of wood, and left several openings. And, when the Roman army came up, they did not perceive the Persians' deceitful stratagem in time, but the generals entered the Persian entrenchment at full speed, and, falling into the pits, were taken prisoners, and Cutzes was killed. And of the Roman army those who were mounted turned back and returned in |224 flight to Dara with Belisarius; but the infantry, who did not escape, were killed and taken captive. And Atafar, the Saracen king, during his flight was struck (?) from a short distance off, and perished; and he was a warlike and an able man, and he had had much experience in the use of Roman arms, and in various places had won distinction and renown in war.

CHAPTER III

THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, CONCERNING THE BATTLE BEFORE DARA

The Persians were proud and puffed up and boastful; and, indeed, the Mihran and the marzbans assembled an army and came against Dara and encamped at Ammodis, being fully confident in the expectation of taking the city, because the Roman army had been diminished by their sword. And their cavalry and infantry approached and came up on the south side of the city, intending to encompass it all round for the purpose of blockading it; but a Roman force met them by the help of our Lord, who chastises but does not utterly deliver over unto death. For a certain Sunica, a general, who was a Hun, and, having taken refuge with the Romans, had been baptized, and Simuth (?),¹⁶ a Roman tribune, and their armour-bearers with twenty men each drove the whole Persian army away from the city several times, passing boldly and vigorously from one part of the field to another, and cutting men down right and left with the lance. And they were practised in the use of the sword; and their cry was loud and terrific, and made them appear terrible to the Persians, so |225 that they fell before them: and two of their leaders were killed, besides no small number of horsemen; while of the faige, who are the Persian infantry, many were cut down and hurled back by the Helurians,¹⁷ under Butzes, to the east of the city.

And the Persians, when they saw how great the number of the dead was, acted craftily, and sent to Nisibis, asking them to bring as many baggage-animals as possible and come at once to Dara, and take as much spoil as they could. And, when large numbers came, they laded them with the bodies of their slain, and then they returned in shame. However, the rest of the Persian force invaded Roman 'Arab, and burned it with fire.

CHAPTER IV

THE FOURTH CHAPTER, CONCERNING THE BATTLE WHICH WAS FOUGHT ON THE EUPHRATES IN THE YEAR NINE ¹⁸

The Persians, having learned wisdom by experience through the great injury which they had suffered from the attacks of the Romans whenever they approached the city and went out against them, went up into the desert portion of the Roman territory and encamped on the Euphrates; and according to their usual practice they made a trench. And Belisarius at the head of a Roman force and tribunes came up against them to battle; and they arrived in the last week of the fast. And the Persians were found to be as a little flock, and so they appeared in their eyes: and Asthebid their commander was afraid of them, and those who were with him; and he sent ¹⁹ to the Romans, asking them to respect the feast, |226 "for the sake of the Nazarenes and Jews who are in the army that is with me, and for the sake of yourselves, who are Christians." And, when Belisarius the general had considered this, he was willing to agree; but the commanders murmured greatly, and would not consent to wait and respect the day. And, when they went out to battle on the eve of the first day of the week, the day of unleavened bread, it was a cold day, with the wind in the face of the Romans; and they showed themselves feeble, and turned and fled before the Persian attack; and many fell into the Euphrates and were drowned, and others were killed; but Belisarius escaped, while the nephew of Butzes was taken prisoner (for he himself was ill at Amida, and did not go to the battle, but sent his army to Abgersatum under Domitziolus), and went down to Persia, but eventually returned: and how this happened I will relate in this next chapter.

CHAPTER V

THE FIFTH CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, CONCERNING GADAR THE KADISENE, A PERSIAN GENERAL, HOW HE WAS KILLED; AND IZDEGERD, WHO WAS WITH HIM, AND WAS NEPHEW OF HORMIZD, PTEHASHA OF ARZANENE, WAS TAKEN PRISONER

The Romans, when Belisarius was duke, in the year five,²⁰ having been prevented from building Thannuris on the frontier, wished to make a city at Melebasa; wherefore Gadar the Kadisene was sent with an army by Kawad; and he prevented the Romans from effecting their purpose, and put them to flight in a battle which he fought with them on the hill of Melebasa. And he was high in the confidence of Kawad, |227 and had been stationed with an army to guard the frontier eastwards from Melebasa in the country of Arzanene as far as Martyropolis. And this man uttered many boasts and vain words against the Romans, and blasphemed like Rab Shaken, who was sent by Sennacherib. And he brought about seven hundred armed cavalry, and some infantry, who accompanied them for the sake of amassing plunder; and they crossed the Tigris into the district of Attachae in the territory of Amida. And Bessa was duke in Martyropolis; and it was summer time in this year nine.²¹ And with Gadar was Izdegerd, the nephew ²² of the Ptekasha,²³ who, as a neighbour, knew the region of Attachae. And when Eessa heard of it he went out against him with about five hundred horsemen from Martyropolis, which was about four (?) ²⁴ stades distant. And he met him at Beth Helte and routed his army on the Tigris, and killed Gadar, and took Izdegerd prisoner and brought him to Martyropolis. This man after the peace, which was made in the year ten,²⁵ was given in exchange for Domitziolus, who returned from Persia. But Bessa the duke after routing Gadar and the Persian cavalry, who were guarding the frontier of Arzanene, entered the country and did much damage there; and he carried off captives and brought them to Martyropolis.

CHAPTER VI

THE SIXTH CHAPTER INFORMS US IN THIS NINTH BOOK ABOUT THE FIGHTING WHICH WENT ON BEFORE MARTYROPOLIS, AND ABOUT THE GREAT HOST OF HUNS WHICH INVADED THE TERRITORY OF THE ROMANS

The villages in the country of Arzanene are the property of the Persian crown, and no small sum is collected as poll-tax |228 from their inhabitants for the king's treasury and for the office of the Ptehasha, who is stationed there (he is the king's prefect). To this country, as related above, Bessa the duke did much injury; who took the nephew of the Ptehasha captive, and also kept him prisoner in Martyropolis. And King Kawad was much distressed when he heard from the Ptehasha about the devastation of the country: which same Hormizd left no stone unturned, ²⁶ using force and cunning (?) against Martyropolis, in order to get possession of it, for it acts as an ambush and a place of refuge for a Roman army, enabling it to ravage Arzanene. And an army was, so to speak, equipped by the Persian army: Mihr Girowi was sent to hire a large number of Huns and bring them to their assistance. And they came and were gathered together against Martyropolis at the begining of the year ten; ²⁷ and they made a trench against it, and a "mule" ²⁸ and many mines; and they made assaults upon it, and pressed it hard. And in it was Butzes and a Roman force of no small size, and they drove large numbers of Persians back in battle. But Nonnus also, the bishop of the city, had died.

Now Belisarius, being held culpable by the king on account of the rout which had been inflicted on the Roman army by the Persians at Thannuris and on the Euphrates, had been dismissed from his command, and went up to the king; and he was succeeded at Dara by Constantine.

And a large Roman army was mustered, and Sittas was general; and Bar Gabala, the Saracen king, was with them. And they reached Amida in November ²⁹ (?) of the year ten;³⁰ and John, the hermit of Anastasia, a man of honourable character, who had been elected to the bishopric, accompanied |229 them. And, when they had gone to Martyropolis and the winter came on (and the country is northerly and cold), the Persians were impeded by rain and mud, and underwent hardships, while they were also afraid of the numbers of the Roman army; and Kawad their king also had died while they were there; and they made a compact with the Romans to withdraw from the city.

And, soon after they had withdrawn and Martyropolis had been freed from blockade, and the Roman army had returned, the Huns,³¹ who had been hired by the Persians, arrived. This great people suddenly attacked the territory of the Romans, and massacred and slew many of the tillers of the soil, and burned villages and their churches; and they crossed the Euphrates and advanced as far as Antioch; and no one stood before them or did them any harm except only the same Bessa, the duke of Martyropolis, who fell upon a detachment of them during their retreat and killed them, and captured about five hundred horses and much spoil; and the man became rich. And at the fortress of Citharizon the duke there repulsed a party of them, consisting of about four hundred men, and captured their baggage-animals.

Now³² after Kawad Khosru his son became king. His mother during the lifetime of Kawad her husband had been vexed by a demon; and all the magians and sorcerers and enchanters, who had been summoned by Kawad her husband, who loved her greatly, did her no good, but, to say the truth, added demons to demons in her. She in the year four,³³ in the days of Liberius the duke, was sent to the blessed Moses, who was a monk close to Dara, about two parasangs' space distant, and was a famous man. And she was with him a few days, and was cleansed, and returned to her own land, |230 having received from this holy Moses of the monastery called Tarmel an amulet taken from the bones of Cyriac the martyr to protect her, that in it she might find refuge, so that the spirit should not return upon her. And, to do him honour, she, under a certain symbolical form (?), built him a house of prayer in her own country, and he is worshipped there. And, remembering the grace wrought in her through this blessed Moses of Tarmel, she did a service to the land of the Romans in the manner and on the occasion set forth below.

CHAPTER VII

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, HOW PEACE WAS MADE BETWEEN THE ROMANS AND THE PERSIANS, AND LASTED SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, IN THE DAYS OF RUFINUS AND OF HERMOGENES, THE MASTER OF THE OFFICES.

Justinian the king, considering the things which had happened in his dominions between the rivers, and the forces which had at various times been destroyed by the Persians, and the tillers of the soil who had been slain and made captive by the Huns, and the land which had been burnt with the villages upon it, was not inclined again to send an army to contend in war with Khosru, who became king after Kawad his father. And, since this man was friendly to Rufinus, and it was he who had advised his father to make him his successor, he used to make assertion to the king, and encourage him, and to undertake that, if he showed himself before him in his own country, he would for the sake of the |231 peace desired by the king accept what he justly asked of him. And so this Rufinus and Hermogenes, the master of the offices, were sent as ambassadors to Khosru in the year eleven;³⁴ and they had much speech with him. And, because this Rufinus was well known there, inasmuch as he had been several times sent to Kawad, and was his friend, and used to give many presents to the magnates of his kingdom, and the queen, the mother of Khosru, was friendly to him, because he had advised Kawad to make her son king, and she owed gratitude to Moses the blessed monk of Tarmel after God for her healing, she earnestly entreated Khosru her son, and on consideration of a sum of gold which he received, which was sent by King Justinian according to the message transmitted to him by Rufinus and Hermogenes his ambassadors, he made peace; and a written treaty was drawn up and ratified. And³⁵ the stars in the sky had appeared dancing in a strange manner, and it was the summer of the year eleven.³⁶ And it lasted about six or seven years, until the year three.³⁷

CHAPTER VIII

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, CONCERNING THE SAMARITANS, WHO REBELLED AND SET UP A TYRANT OF THEIR OWN IN THE COUNTRY OF PALESTINE.

The Samaritans in the country of Palestine who live near the city of Neapolis, not far from Caesarea, having heard that |232 the Persians had from time to time attacked and invaded the Roman territory, and supposing that they had shown themselves weak before them, were emboldened by the thought that they had been sent from Khuth and Babylon, and from 'Awa and from Hamath and from S'farwayim by Shalman'asar, king of Assyria, and settled in the land of Samaria; and, having rebelled, they set³⁸ a tyrant at their head; and they entered Neapolis, and killed Mommuno the bishop there; and they made an insurrection, and wrought havoc in the country, wishing to help the Persians, because it was out of their country that they had been settled in the territory of the Romans; and they burnt many temples of the saints; and they occupied the city and amassed spoil.

And, when the king heard of this, he sent Hadrian the tribune; and there were gathered together also the duke of the country, who was with him, and an army of Romans, and the Saracens of Arabia; and they marched against the Samaritans. And they were cut to pieces by the Romans; and they killed the tyrant, and took the city and restored it to its former normal condition of subjection to their authority. And a bishop was also appointed in it; and a military force was stationed there, to guard it and to keep order among the inhabitants of the country.

CHAPTER IX

THE NINTH CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, CONCERNING THE PHANTASIASTIC HERESY OF JULIAN OF HALICARNASSUS, HOW IT APPEARED

Julian,³⁹ bishop of the city of Halicarnassus, withdrew from his see through zeal with the other believing bishops; and he was an old man. and he was zealous in the faith: and in his desire to avoid speaking of two natures he, like Eutyches and |233 the monks who have not a right knowledge of the true order of things, fell into the heresy of Eutyches. (And he was an acquaintance and a friend of the learned Severus the chief priest; and once this same Julian on being questioned by someone composed a treatise against the Diphysites, and he produced it (?) at no great length without cause of offence.) However, though that wise combatant Severus had heard of it, he had kept this knowledge hidden, fearing lest, if he corrected it, house should be divided against house, and he should cause a division in love, which no man had been able to separate, being patiently determined to accept his poverty, which is according to right (?).

And, when in this way ⁴⁰ reason was added to reason, as our Lord brought it about, in order, that is, that the learning of Severus might be made manifest, the beauty of his true faith, for the benefit of the discerning and of those who love instruction, [he was compelled to expose the matter].⁴¹

And, to show the nature of the original subject of contention, I insert some epistles, which, taken in order, supply information to the reader, in the following chapters of this ninth Book. |234

CHAPTER X

THE TENTH CHAPTER, CONCERNING THE FIRST EPISTLE OF JULIAN TO SEVERUS, WITH A QUESTION ABOUT THE BODY OF CHRIST ⁴²

"Certain ⁴³ men have appeared here who say that the body of our Lord was corruptible, making use of testimony from the holy Cyril; in the first place from what he wrote to Succensus, saying, 'After the Resurrection it was the body which had suffered, though it no longer supported human infirmities but was incorruptible';⁴⁴ and from this they wish to prove that before the Resurrection it was corruptible, inasmuch as it was of our nature, but after the Resurrection it received incorruptibility: and in the second place from what he wrote to Theodosius the king, saying, 'It is a marvel and a miracle that a body naturally subject to corruption rose without corruption.'⁴⁵

"And they quoted such things as these by way of extracts; but I, who set down the whole passage, made it my endeavour to show the opinion held, by numerous doctors. But they brought me also his sixty-seventh treatise, which was written by him on the subject of the holy Virgin, the Theotokos, and in it are contained the words, 'The body of our Lord was in no way subjected to the sin which belongs to corruption, hut was susceptible of death and of true burial, and He destroyed them in it.' ⁴⁶ And I indeed considered it to be an error in |235 writing. And so, in order that the dispute may be solved by our being examined by you, I have also sent what I have written,⁴⁷ and I am convinced that our fathers agree with it. And write to me at once, that I may know what opinions to hold on these matters, because I do not consider it right that we should again say that that which was not corrupted was susceptible of corruption. And pray that our life may be in unison with the grace of God."

CHAPTER XI

THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER, THE RESPONSE TO THIS EPISTLE OF JULIAN, WHICH SEVERUS WROTE TO HIM, AS FOLLOWS

"When first I received your piety's epistle, I rejoiced in accordance with my custom at your greeting, with which I was well pleased. Since in it you urge me to read the tome composed by you, which you sent with it, written to those who, you say, think and say concerning the body of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ our Saviour, that it was corruptible, and you ask me to write a criticism of it and send it to the love of God that is you, in obedience to you I have readily done this, I, a man who change about from one place to another and have no convenient time even for other things that are required. Still, so far as it was possible for it to be written, I have written it, partly by collecting in my memory passages from the teaching of the fathers, partly also from the few volumes of their works which were here. For I know well that there was a similar question in the royal city also, and by means of the proofs from the fathers drawn up by me the controversy and dispute were brought to an end. And so, since there appeared to me to be something unseemly in the things written by you, |236 since I find that the doctors of the holy Church, who have been from time to time, have instructed me differently on these matters, I have delayed sending what I have written to your piety (as indeed was right), lest some in ignorance should suppose that the controversy conducted in these words was a strife between us, and, although a discussion such as I knew it was would abound in love, yet some might suppose it to be hostility. Accordingly, let me know at once what your pleasure is upon these things, for I am ready to perform whatever is agreeable to your affection, holding as my warrant the saying of the apostle, who said, 'Let everything that is done by you be done in love.'"⁴⁸

CHAPTER XII

THE TWELFTH CHAPTER, THE SECOND EPISTLE OF JULIAN TO SEVERUS, WRITTEN IN ANSWER TO THE PRECEDING, AS A RESPONSE TO IT

"You ⁴⁹ write that there appeared to you to be something unseemly in the things which I have written; and you ought to have informed me at once in the epistle, and released me from anxiety. But I believe that in all that I have written I have truly confessed the Incarnation derived from us, and I have exerted myself to prove that the fathers were in accord with one another; for I do not consider it possible for us to believe and hold that which is corruptible and that which is incorruptible to be the same. And, while we confess Him who by His stripes healed all men to be passible, yet we also know Him to be raised and exalted above passions; and, if He was mortal, yet we also confess that He trampled on death, and gave life to mortals through His death. Accordingly you have only caused me anxiety by saying that I have written |237 something that is unseemly, and not telling me what it is, that I may defend it. But condescend to write and tell me what is stated by the fathers, by Athanasius ⁵⁰ and Cyril and others, for I wish to know your mind also. But⁵¹ I believe that I have followed the intention of the fathers, who are not at variance with themselves or at variance with one another, even as Paul, who says that salvation is not by works but by faith, is not at variance with James, who says that faith without works is dead. They did not say these things in opposition to one another, but in concord.⁵²

"But pray that we may be enlightened by God, and may not through passion yield to our own wills, while at the same time you cause the word in a brief compass to shine upon us.

"The holy Cyril writes, 'It is not easy for us to say that corruption can ever take hold of the flesh which was united to the Word';⁵³ and five lines lower down, 'It is a wonder and a miracle that a body naturally subject to corruption was raised.' ⁵⁴ And what is the idea which he wishes to bring out (for he is not at variance with himself in these things), if he was not in these words thinking of the corruption of universal nature? For He bore our infirmities of His own will and not by compulsion of nature; and He took up our sins in His body on the tree, dying for our sin."

CHAPTER XIII

THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER, THE RESPONSE TO THIS EPISTLE, ADDRESSED TO THE SAME JULIAN BY SEVERUS

"It ⁵⁵ seems to me a very strange thing, when I call to |238 mind the few words which I wrote, that the love of God that is in you says that you were in great anxiety; since I performed your request for no other reason than to free you from anxiety and disturbance. For, if you had sent me a small question and problem, then I might perhaps have used few words in making answer; but, since it is a tome of many lines and a fully-completed work that you have sent me to examine, after considering the things contained in it every day according to my ability, I will make my opinion clear to you.

"Now in respect of what is fitting I have found much which I will do readily for your piety; and, to show that I am not speaking falsely, listen to what you wrote, as follows: 'In order to bring about an understanding of the matter in dispute, I have sent what I have written; but test it to see whether it is in accord with the Holy Scriptures, because I believe that our fathers were in accord with these. Write and tell me what opinion I am to hold.' Since, therefore, you have given me matter for much discussion, how is it that in your second epistle you have required me to treat of many matters in a few lines and in a single utterance, as you say, a thing which needs many words and proofs from the fathers, who spoke under the inspiration of God? For the Holy Scripture says, 'It is the Lord that teacheth intelligence and knowledge';⁵⁶ and again in another place, 'The Lord giveth wisdom; and from His presence cometh knowledge and understanding. And lie giveth salvation to the righteous.'⁵⁷ For, if your piety and we endeavour in this way to prove with respect to these fathers that they are not in opposition to one another, there is nothing to prevent us from examining the matter carefully and knowing that they have never in anyway shown |239 themselves to be in opposition either to one another or to themselves.

"For ⁵⁸ you rightly and justly say that the doctors are not in opposition to one another, even as Paul is not in opposition to James when the one says, 'By faith is a man justified without works,'⁵⁹ while the other wrote, 'Faith without works is dead';⁶⁰ because Paul spoke of faith before baptism, which is the perfection of confession out of a pure heart, when it has not previously displayed good works in the world, but such a man is justified by believing and confessing and being baptized; while James referred to faith after baptism, when he said that it is dead without works, if a man does not confirm it by right action. For baptism is the earnest of a good conversation; since even our Lord, who was to us an instructor, after He had hallowed the water and been baptized by John and given us the institution of baptism, Went up to the mountain and underwent a struggle with the tempter and destroyed all his power, thereby guiding us, that we might know that after the divine cleansing we ought to display a contest in deed and to struggle according to law with the adversary, therein displaying our virtues.

"But someone will object, and say, 'Behold! Paul took Abraham as a proof that a man is justified by faith without works, saying, "Therefore they that are in the faith are blessed with the believing Abraham";⁶¹ and, "To him that hath not worked but hath believed on Him that can justify sinners his faith is reckoned for righteousness";⁶² while James proved by the case of Abraham that a man is not justified |240 by faith only, but by works confirmed by faith.⁶³ And how are these not contradictory? for the same Abraham is an example of those who have not worked but believed, and of those who have shown faith by works.'

"I am ready to explain from the Holy Scriptures. For he who examines the periods of Abraham's life [will see] that he is an instance of both, of the faith which before baptism confesses salvation by believing in Christ, and of that after baptism which is joined with works, which is a reproduction of the old circumcision of the flesh, which drives away the denial of uncircumcision and brings to us the adoption as sons by God; wherefore Moses also was ordered to say thus to Far'oh; 'And say thou unto Far'oh, "Israel is my son, my firstborn."'⁶⁴ Wherefore Paul writes to the Colossians and says, ' In whom ye were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, in the putting off of the flesh of sins and in the circumcision of Christ, and ye were buried with Him in baptism.'⁶⁵ Wherefore he said of Abraham also that he was justified by faith without works while he was in uncircumcision, before he was circumcised, thus pointing to confession before baptism without works, writing to the Romans, 'To Abraham his faith was reckoned for righteousness. How? Not through circumcision, but in uncircumcision.' ⁶⁶ And he did not speak falsely; for the words of Moses are witness, which say of God that He said to Abraham, 'Look toward heaven and tell the stars, if thou. be able to tell them'; and He said, 'So shall thy seed be': |241 and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.⁶⁷

"But again our master James also took the same Abraham as an example in the faith which saves by works after baptism, he being then circumcised and not in uncircumcision. And we may learn from the Scripture; for he writes thus: 'Wilt thou know, O man, that faith without works is dead? For our father Abraham was justified by works, when he offered Isaac his son as a burnt-sacrifice. Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was made perfect. And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness: and He was called his friend."'⁶⁸ It is easy again for one.who reads the writings of Moses to learn from the book of Genesis that Abraham, after he was circumcised, offered Isaac as a burnt-sacrifice and fulfilled the commandment and was justified by works, giving us an instance of faith after baptism, which is a spiritual circumcision, justifying a man by works; for it is written, 'Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael his son, and those born in his house, and those bought with his money from strange peoples';⁶⁹ and then God, trying Abraham, said to him, 'Take thy son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee to the high land; and offer him there as a burnt-sacrifice.'⁷⁰ Accordingly these words of the apostles and those written in the old law do not seem to be in opposition to one another, but to be one, and to have been spoken by one spirit concerning faith before baptism, which justifies the man who presents himself upon a short confession only without action, baptism |242 being full salvation if a man depart from the world forthwith, and another faith, which is after baptism, which requires the proof of good works and also raises the man to the measure of perfection and to high place.⁷¹ And so also James very properly says of it that faith is made perfect by works; since the wise Paul also in another place gives similar teaching respecting faith, saying that it is made perfect through works: for the Galatians, after they had been baptized and been reckoned sons of God through the Spirit, were perverted to Judaism and were circumcised, since they vainly supposed that by the circumcision of their flesh they gained something in Christ beyond the uncircumcised; and he wrote to reprove them, saying, 'In Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth anything; but faith which is worked out by love.'⁷² From this also, therefore, it is plain that that kind of faith after baptism is of avail and saves with which work is joined and united in love; and what work done in love is Paul declares and says, 'Love is long-suffering and kind; love is not envious and excited and puffed up, nor is it ashamed; and it seeketh not its own, and is not provoked; and it imputeth no evil; and rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; and it hopeth all things, and endureth all things. Love doth not quickly fail.'⁷³ These things are for the direction of action and labour and toil, that many may be profited and be saved, when united to faith. And who will dare to find fault? for respecting this our Lord also said, 'If ye love Me, keep My commandments.'⁷⁴ |243

"As, therefore, the Holy Scriptures and our fathers have been consistent in the teaching given to us, so upon this question too they are in accord in teaching those who do not read negligently: wherefore, as it is written, 'Everything is known to the understanding, and plain to them that find knowledge';⁷⁵ which knowledge I have endeavoured to send in a discreet manner to your affection, as is the duty of Christians.⁷⁶

"But, since I have learned from several quarters that you have published the tome containing your work, which was addressed to me, not only in the great city of Alexandria but also in various places, in accordance, as I am persuaded, with Christ, even God the Lawgiver, I have in love again sent and written to our brother the presbyter Thomas not to publish my work, but to keep it to himself, because I hoped that by the counsel of two persons, as by one mouth and soul, my writings and those of your Holiness might be made known. For after this fashion I once and again examined the teaching of the memorable Akhs'noyo⁷⁷ and Eleusinus the bishops, and the books which they composed upon abstruse matters concerning the faith; and I never found in their case any declaration of the relations which we had with one another in love during our discussions, when by the help of our Lord we were alike of one mind. For I never produced either book or treatise in order to gain distinction with men, or to win renown beyond the measure of my feebleness, but in the rectitude of the Gospel in accordance with the teaching and legislation of the apostles. However, it is also unseemly that at such a time as this we should abandon the struggle against the heretics and contend and write against one another, lest the saying of the apostle be |244 fulfilled against us, who says, 'If ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.' ⁷⁸ Such contentions it is the duty of those who love our Lord to shun with all their power, and to love one another, that peace may abound and may visit the Israel of God. Greet the brotherhood that is with you. The one that is with me salutes you in our Lord."

When Julian received this epistle also from this learned Severus, he was very indignant, and was moved with anger; and he wrote, saying that his request had been refused by him for a year ⁷⁹ and a month, and he had not received the respect due to him, and he had been tricked (?). And then Severus again wrote a long treatise abounding in proofs from the true doctors of the holy Church, who say that the body of Christ which He received from us was susceptible of innocent passions except sin until the Resurrection.⁸⁰ And for this reason, in order that it may be known, I have set down the above epistles for the discerning.

There were many books addressed to Julian and Felicissimus and Romanus and others who shared his opinions, and in them there is also much material for profit in study for those that love instruction. And they became known to the sagacious and intelligent of the true party of the faith concerning the Incarnation of our Saviour, and the simple were preserved and enlightened so as not to become Eutychianists, and especially the monks. |245

CHAPTER XIV

THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, CONCERNING THE RIOT WHICH HAPPENED AT CONSTANTINOPLE, AND HOW HYPATIUS AND POMPEIUS WERE KILLED, AND LARGE NUMBERS OF THE PEOPLE WERE MASSACRED IN THE CIRCUS

In the year ten ⁸¹ the slaughter wrought by the many Huns who invaded the territory of the Romans, and harried it, and killed many people who were in the country, and burned, as recorded above, was not enough, but in the royal city also many persons perished there in a riot which broke out. For, when John of Caesarea in Cappadocia was prefect there, by sedulously inventing pretexts against persons by the use of trickery and cunning, there and in various cities, he amassed a large quantity of gold for the royal treasury from all classes, both magnates and craftsmen; and he was listened to with attention in the palace, and was formidable to everyone, since he stood so high in the confidence of the king that he made false accusations against many persons; and he was surrounded by flatterers and informers. And there were present in the royal city no small number of people from every quarter who had complaints against him, and favoured and supported one of the factions. Wherefore there were constant outcries against him and against the king; and the factions united and were in accord with one another for several days; and the workshops were shut, and they began to plunder everything that came in their way, and to burn. And the king |246 was alarmed; and at last the palace was shut. And the parties collected in the circus and raised a great riot; and they kept crying out that Hypatius should be king; and, if not, they would burn the city. And Hypatius was compelled to come out, and Pompeius accompanied him. And they took a necklace belonging to one of the soldiers and set it on his head and enthroned him king, and they cried out at him and praised him. And, when this happened, by the advice of certain persons they set fire to the great church of the city, in order that upon receiving the news of the disaster the assembled people might be scattered; for King Justinian was in distress and alarm in the palace. And Mundus, a general, and his troops were present there; and he and the Scholarians and all the troops who were at hand received orders, and they shut the door of the circus, and they massacred and slew all classes of people who were present there; and there were no means of fleeing and escaping from the massacre. And more than 80,000 persons perished there in this riot. And Hypatius and Pompeius were at last arrested, and came in before the king. And, when he understood the state of the case, he wished to spare the men's lives; but he was not able to do so, for his consort was enraged, and swore by God and by him, and adjured him also to have the men put to death. And they were sent to the seashore and killed and thrown into the sea.

CHAPTER XV

THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER, CONCERNING THE BELIEVING BISHOPS WHO WERE RECALLED FROM EXILE TO THE ROYAL CITY AND PRESENTED A SUPPLICATION TO THE KING CONCERNING THEIR FAITH, WHICH RUNS AS FOLLOWS

"Various⁸² other men crown your believing head, O victorious king, with a crown of praises—men who take |247 occasion from the case of other persons to write words about your favours towards them; but we, who have been ourselves judged worthy to experience your virtues, render thanks to you with a crown of laudation, which we weave with splendour. And, while in the desert, and, so to speak, at the end of the world, we have been this long time dwelling in quietness, praying to the good and merciful God during such days as those on behalf of your Majesty and on behalf of our sins: and your tranquillity has inclined towards our vileness and in your believing letters summoned us to come to you. And the thing is a wonder to us that you did not receive this our request with scorn, but, with the kindness innate in you, sympathised with us, so as to bring us out of affliction, making the pretext that this or that man had interceded for us.

"Now we, since it is our duty to obey when commanded, immediately left the desert, and, journeying quietly along the road in peace without our voice being heard, have come before your feet; and we pray God, the bountiful giver, on our behalf to reward your serenity and the God-loving queen with good gifts from on high, and to bestow peace and tranquillity upon you, and to set every rebellious people as a stool beneath your feet.

"However, now that we have come, we present a supplication to your peacefulnesses containing our true faith, not wishing to hold an argument with any man on any matter that is not profitable, as it is written,⁸³ lest we annoy your ears; for it is very hard for a man to convince persons of a contentious disposition, although he make the truth manifest. And so, as we have said, we refuse to engage in a dispute with the contentious, who will not receive instructors; for our master |248 the apostle said, 'We have no such custom, neither the Churches of God.' ⁸⁴

"Accordingly, victorious king, we do now also declare the freedom of our faith, although in the desert, when we received your edict at the hands of Theodotus the duke, we wrote and declared what we think, and your Majesties gave us a message of truth free from affliction in that you were graciously moved and summoned us to your presence. And, since we have been judged worthy of the mercies of God, we do in this supplication inform your orthodoxies that by the grace of God we have from our earliest infancy received the faith of the apostles, and have been brought up in it and with it, and we think and believe even as our three hundred and eighteen God-inspired holy fathers, who drew up the faith of life and salvation, which was confirmed by our one hundred and fifty holy fathers who once met here, and ratified by the pious bishops who assembled at Ephesus and rejected the impious Nestorius. And so in this faith of the apostles we have been baptized and do baptize, and this saving knowledge is grounded in our hearts, and this same doctrine alone we recognise as a rule in the faith, and beyond it we receive no other; because it is perfect in all points, and it does not grow old nor need renovation.

"Now we acknowledge a worshipful and holy Trinity of one nature, power, and honour, which is made known in three persons; for we worship the Father and His only Son, God the Word, Who was begotten of Him eternally beyond all times, and is with Him always without variation, and 'the Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the Father, and is of the nature of the Father and of the Son. One of the persons of this holy Trinity, that is, God the Word, we say by the will of the Father in the last days for the salvation of men took flesh of the Holy Spirit and of the holy Virgin the Theotokos Mary in a body endowed with a rational and intellectual soul, passible after our nature, and became man, |249 and was not changed from that which He was. And so we confess that, while in the Godhead He was of the nature of the Father, He was also of our nature in the manhood. Accordingly He Who is the perfect Word, the invariable Son of God, became perfect man, and left nothing wanting for us in respect of our salvation, as the foolish Apollinaris said, saying that the Humanisation of God the Word was not perfect, and deprives us, according to his opinion, of things that are of prime importance in our salvation. For, if our intellect was not united with Him, as he absurdly says, then we are not saved, and in the matter of salvation have fallen short of that which is of the highest consequence for us. But these things are not as he said; for the perfect God for our sake became perfect man without variation, and God the Word did not leave anything wanting in the Humanisation, as we have said, nor yet was it a phantom of Him, as the impious Mani supposes, and the erring Eutyches.

"And, since Christ is truth and does not know how to lie and does not deceive, because He is God, therefore God the Word truly became incarnate, in truth again, and not in semblance, with natural and innocent passions, because of His own will He for our sake among the things which He took upon Himself in the passible flesh of our nature of His own will endured also our death, which He made life for us by a Resurrection befitting God, for he first restored incorruption and immortality to human nature.

"And, indeed, as God the Word left nothing wanting and was not phantasmal in the Incarnation and Humanisation, so He did not divide it into two persons and two natures according to the doctrine introduced by Nestorius the man-worshipper and those who formerly thought like him, and those who in our day so think.

"And the faith contained in your confession refutes the doctrine of these men and contends with it, because in your |250 earnestness you said thus: 'God appeared, Who became incarnate. He is in all points like the Father except the individuality of His Father. He became a sharer of our nature, and was called Son of Man. Being one and the same, God and man, He showed Himself to us, and was born as a babe for our sake; and, being God, He for men and for the sake of their salvation became man.' ⁸⁵

"If those who dispute with us adhered to these things in truth and were not content to hold them in appearance only, but rather consented to believe as we do and you do and as our holy God-inspired fathers did, they would have abstained from this stirring of strife. For that Christ was joined by composition, and that God the Word is joined by composition with a body endowed with a rational and intellectual soul the all-wise doctors of the Church have plainly stated. Dionysius, who from the Areopagus and from the darkness and error of heathendom attained to the supreme light of the knowledge of God through our master Paul, in the treatise which he composed about the divine names of the Holy Trinity says, 'Praising it as kindly, we say, as is right, that it is kindly, because it in truth partook perfectly of our attributes in one of its persons, drawing to itself and raising- the lowliness of our manhood, out of which the simple Jesus became joined by. composition in a manner that cannot be described; and He who was from eternity and beyond all times took upon Him a temporal existence, and He who was raised and exalted above all orders and natures became in the likeness of our nature without variation and confusion.'⁸⁶ And Athanasius again in the treatise upon the faith named the unity of God the Word with soul-possessing flesh a composition, speaking thus: 'What is the relationship to the unbelief of those who |251 call it an indwelling instead of an Incarnation, and instead of a union and composition a human energy? ' ⁸⁷

"If, therefore, according to our holy fathers, whom your peacefulnesses have followed, God the Word, who was before simple and not composite, became incarnate of the Virgin, the Theotokos Mary, and united soul-possessing and intellectual flesh to Himself personally and made it His own and was joined with it by composition in the dispensation, it is manifest that according to our fathers we ought to confess one nature of God the Word, who took flesh and became perfectly man. Accordingly God the Word, who was before simple, is not recognised to have become composite in a body, if He is again divided after the union by being called two natures. But, just as an ordinary man, who is made up of various natures, soul and body and so forth, is not divided into two natures because a soul has been joined by composition with a body to make up the one nature and person of a man, so also God the Word, who was personally united and joined by composition with soul-possessing flesh, is not divided into or in two natures because of His union and composition with a body. For according to the words of our fathers, whom the fear of God that is in you has followed, God the Word, Who was formerly simple, consented for our sake to be united by composition with soul-possessing and intellectual flesh and without change to become man. Accordingly one nature and person of God the Word, Who took flesh, is glorified, and there is one energy of the Word of God which is made known, which is exalted and glorious and fitting for God, and is also lowly and human. How is it that some are not corrected?"

And they are urgent and refuse to accept what Leo wrote in the Tome in opposition to these things, he and those of his opinions; and they produced quotations from him, and from |252 Nestorius and Theodore and Diodorus and Theodoret and the Synod of Chalcedon, who speak of two natures after the Incarnation of God the Word, and two persons; and they provided a copious refutation of these with proofs drawn from the fathers who have at various times held opinions contrary to these and taught one nature and person in the Church, saying that God the Word was in truth humanised without change and became perfect man, and the same remained perfect God, besides things which I forbear to record here on account of their length, and because they were everywhere to be found in works against the Diphysites.

And at the end of their petition they said thus: "And for this reason we do not accept either the Tome or the definition of Chalcedon, O victorious king, because we keep the canon and law of our fathers who assembled at Ephesus and anathematised and deprived Nestorius and excommunicated any who should presume to compose any other definition of faith besides that of Nicaea, which was correctly and believingly laid down by the Holy Spirit. These we reject and anathematise. And this definition and canon those who assembled at Chalcedon deliberately set at naught and transgressed, as they state in the Acts of that Synod;⁸⁸ and they are subject to punishment and blame from our holy fathers in that they have introduced a new definition of faith, which is contrary to the truth of the doctrine of those who from time to time have been after a pure manner doctors of the Church, who, we believe, are now also entreating Christ with us, that you may aid the truth of their faith, honouring the contests undergone by their priesthoods, by which the Church has been exalted and glorified. For thus shall peace reign in your reign by the power of the right hand of God Almighty, to whom we pray on your behalf that without toil or struggle in arms He will set your enemies as a stool beneath your feet." And, when the letter of defence for the faith, as given |253 above, had been presented to the king and been read, and many words had been spoken during the no small space of one year and more by the believing bishops who had come thither to the royal city by the king's command, as recorded above, with whom was the learned John the archimandrite, the son of Aphthonia, (and he wrote a record of the discussions), the king would not banish the Synod of Chalcedon from the Church, while he summoned by letter the holy Severus the chief priest, who was hiding in various places. And, since he rejected the king's request and refused to come to him, the believing bishops who were in Constantinople returned each one of them to any place he chose to hide himself, according as he judged convenient for him.

And ⁸⁹ then after a time, in the year thirteen,⁹⁰ after many letters from the king, the holy Severus also came to him and was received, and he was in the palace till March of the year fourteen,⁹¹ while the Diphysite bishops everywhere were disturbed and annoyed and also alarmed, and especially Ephraim of Antioch, until in their anxiety they stirred up Agapetus, chief priest of Rome, who shared their opinions, and invited and brought him to the royal city. Moreover, how it came about and what happened will be made known in a chapter which I am going to write below.

The end of the petition contained in the fifteenth [chapter]⁹² concerning the monks who assembled at Constantinople.⁹³ |254

CHAPTER XVI

THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK TREATS OF THE DEFENCE, WHICH SEVERUS, WHEN REFUSING TO COME TO THE ROYAL CITY, WROTE IN AN EPISTLE TO THE KING, AS FOLLOWS

"The ⁹⁴ eternal Word of the Father, the Son of God, Who had in the end taken flesh and was not changed, and, moreover, became perfectly man by the Holy Spirit and Mary the holy Virgin, the Theotokos, and in everything was truly made like unto us except sin, fulfilling the teaching of salvation in parables, [sowed] the seed from it in His disciples, that they too and all throughout the whole world who by their means received the word, if anything that was good sprang up from it in the way of righteousness and pious deeds, might ascribe this not to themselves but to the power of that which He sowed in the beginning, as by grace, and, when among valleys and boulders and stone rocks in the wilderness, might with loud and strong voices cry out, making utterance. Similarly, therefore, has your serene Mightiness also sown the seed of kindliness that is in my vileness, and has caused this letter to spring forth from me; not as the offspring of presumption, for how was it possible that in answer to the powerful and strong voice of your Majesty, which reached my ears, an utterance should not be emitted by me? For, when those who bitterly despised my vileness thought that they had everywhere shut the doors in my face without mercy, then indeed, as by an unexpected miracle, you by your letter summon me to yourself, me, a man who am, as it were, driven about and banished by enemies. And this same thing is like God, who to them that were pursued by foemen, when they thought themselves |255 shut in and caught by them, provided a broad way of safety, worthy of His wisdom and His great might; a way which worked a miracle upon Far'oh, who had let them go after their long time of subjection, and again pursued after them to bring them into subjection to his. hard yoke, and with his horsemen surrounded them in the wilderness of the Sea of Rushes and barred the way, thinking in his heart and saying, 'These men are entangled in the land, for the wilderness hath shut them in."⁹⁵ But the marvellous God to those who thought themselves hemmed in by warriors made a way of grace over the sea dry, that they might cross it on foot; who commanded Moses to raise his staff over the sea and cause it to be divided. And so in close resemblance to these things you also with your Majesty's wand of peace have divided the sea in the wilderness which hemmed me in; and the way which, it was thought, could not be traversed you have again caused to be traversed by me.

"And it is a great proof of your gentleness that you unhesitatingly indited your letter to me even with oaths, promising me immunity from injury; in this also after the manner of God, because He too, condescending to the weakness of men, oftentimes sent forth His promises with oaths, as Scripture teaches, and Paul made mention of it, saying, 'When God made promise to Abraham, because He had none greater than Himself by whom He could swear, He sware by Himself and said, "Blessing, I will bless thee; and multiplying, I will multiply thee."'⁹⁶ But I, the vile one, am bold to say that I was in no need of such security, since I trust the word that comes out of your mouth only, believing it to be a perfect safeguard to me, even as the wise Koheleth said, 'Observe the mouth of the king, and be not anxious in regard to the word of the oaths of God.'⁹⁷ But I have confidence in the test which springs from the deeds which in truth bear witness more than oaths to your peacefulness as well as to your inclination to the mercies which belong to a gentle |256 soul. For, as soon as you have taken upon yourself the cares of the kingdom, you release from sorrow all classes of men sentenced to exile, chief priests and magnates and common people, having regard to that which is equally esteemed by all men, the light of the sun, and rain, and the temperate air which it brings, and the other things which are required for and conduce to the life of men.

"But I will not, by drinking from the copiousness of this rich stream of your gentleness, cause myself to err, and be rendered proud; but I have determined to declare what is in my mind. For I am afraid lest, if my meanness be openly seen in the royal city, many persons may be alarmed, and, though I am in truth nothing but merely a vile person bound under this heavy yoke of sins, when they hear of this, many persons may be roused to anger and inflamed by this paltry anxiety, as by a little coal of fire, so as to trouble and annoy even your Mightiness owing to your affection towards me: and I think that it will not seem to you fitting nor to others profitable. Now this I say, not as though I had any power against your Majesty's Mightiness, for it is written, 'When a righteous king sitteth upon a throne, no evil riseth up against his eyes,'⁹⁸ but because I am persuaded that, as this power belongs to you by grace from on high, so you are clad in understanding and wisdom, and make it your endeavour to do many things, not by this sword, but by sagacity befitting kingship. And this we are taught by the Scripture, which says, 'A wise king winnoweth and scattereth the wicked.'⁹⁹ And, just as it is easy for those who are winnowed by the wind, which blows away the chaff, to hold aloof from sinners, so also is it simple for your serenity, my lord, with the all-considering heart and with |257 the mercy of a gracious father, to separate those that are under subjection to you from those of the contrary part, in order that the Churches in union may be reckoned worthy of friendship. For I know that it was for this reason also that you judged it right that my feebleness too should come to your feet, because, when also you reckoned this same thing worthy of a letter from you to the pious bishops of the East, who are men that pray for the safety and preservation of your Majesty, they also, after they had written to you what they thought, informed my feebleness of this your will, urging us according to the custom of the Church to help you by prayer on your behalf.

"Now in your great city of Alexandria nothing has been done by me of the things falsely asserted against me. And it is easy for me to show the folly of the informers; for they have slandered me, saying that by means of a large sum of gold which I distributed there, I stirred up riotous contention. And this same thing is known to those who hate me greatly that, though involved in the passions of other sins, I do not seek hastily to amass money; and this by no light reasons, but my life is habitually frugal, insomuch that not even the renowned bishopric drew me away from this habit. For, as it is the approved custom for a priest to perform priestly functions, in the same way it is the approved custom for him to be poor: wherefore also the law given by Moses ordained that the chosen tribe of Levi should have no inheritance in the land, but for their necessary food the appropriated oblation should be sufficient, being associated in this with |258 the widows and the needy and the orphans, because they are accustomed to poverty, saying, 'And the Levite shall come (because he hath no part or inheritance with thee), and the stranger and the orphan and the widow, which are in thy villages, and they shall eat and rejoice; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all thy works which thou cloest.' ¹⁰⁰ But, since, as it is written, 'Righteous lips are acceptable to the king, and he loveth upright speech,'¹⁰¹ your Mightiness may learn from the governors who have been at any time in Alexandria, and now from their officials, whom nothing escapes, whether anything of the kind has been done by me even in word, or has been reported to have been done, as they have falsely and maliciously asserted of me. But about these informers I will not say anything, because it does not escape your knowledge what kind of men they are: but I await a judgment with them, after we have been separated from this world of toil, before the tribunal of Christ, where we shall give an account for idle words and for vain thoughts; and especially shall we bishops, to whom much has been intrusted, be judged, although here we delight in bodily things and dally in them.

"But, if some apply the term turbulence to what I wrote to Julian, bishop of Halicarnassus, who has been perverted to the heresy of the Manichees and reckons the voluntary saving passions of Christ, the great God, as a phantasy, I do with ten thousand mouths and tongues confess and do not deny what I wrote, even as no one will hastily order me to deny my faith: for this is the opinion of your orthodoxy also, who more than the affairs of the world care to hold fast the things which belong to the Spirit. And I was not impelled to do this by my own will or my own motion, but I was greatly pressed by him to write, because he thought that I agreed with his doctrine. For, when I had gone through what he sent to me (and I am far away from Alexandria), in the things which |259 he wrote I found that under the name of incorruptibility he covered, as it were with a sheepskin, the blasphemies of Mani, because there are many things which I will forbear to mention. "This foolish man, who confesses the passions with his lips only, hiding his impiety, wrote thus: 'Incorruptibility was always attached to the body of our Lord, which was passible of His own will for the sake of others.' And in brotherly love I wrote and asked him: 'What do you mean by "incorruptible," and "suffered of His own will for the sake of others," and "was attached to the body of our Lord," if without any falsehood you confess it to be by nature passible? For, if by the incorruptibility possessed by it you mean holiness without sin, we all confess this with you, that the holy body from the womb which He united to Himself originally by the Holy Spirit of the pure Virgin, the Theotokos, was conceived and born in the flesh without sin and conversed with us men, because "He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth," ¹⁰² according to the testimony of the Scriptures. But, if you call impassibility and immortality incorruptibility, and say that the body which suffered in the flesh on our behalf was not one that was capable of suffering with voluntary passions and dying in the flesh, you reduce the saving passions on our behalf to a phantasy; for a thing which does not suffer also does not die, and it is a thing incapable of suffering.' ¹⁰³ And upon receiving such remarks as these from me he openly refused to call the holy body of Emmanuel passible in respect of voluntary passions; and therefore he did not hesitate to write thus, without shame and openly: 'We do not call Him of our nature in respect of passions, but in respect of essence. Therefore, even if He is impassible, and even if He is incorruptible, yet He is of our nature in respect of nature.'" |260

And the rest of the erring fatuity of Julian, which is contained at great length in the epistle, I forbear to record now, matters which are to be found in the many books which this holy Severus composed against Julian.

But at the end of the epistle he wrote, saying thus: "I therefore entreat you and take hold of your feet, again repeating the request that you will leave my meanness alone, and not again bring me forth among men, because I am enfeebled in my body and in my mind; wherefore also I am weak, since true are the words of Scripture which say, 'The mind falleth among blows(?).' And there are now many white hairs on my head, which bear witness to me of death, the departure from this weary life, and it appears to me to be a thing very good and beneficial to sit hidden in a corner and bear in my mind the separation of soul from body, awaiting my grave; for 'the earth is the home of everyone that dieth,'¹⁰⁴ as Job said; because in the case of other animals who live on the earth their hair does not change, but in the case of this rational animal, man, because he was destined to come to judgment and have his deeds examined in the future world, as soon as he reaches old age, the hair of his head turns white, such appearance making announcement to him and inciting him, as far as those who have delayed are concerned, to prepare his deeds for his departure; and the Scripture also bears testimony to him, saying, 'Lift up thine eyes and look on the fields, for they are white and prepared for harvest';¹⁰⁵ for the separation of the soul from the body is in truth a harvest, and, as with a sickle, He cutteth it away from it, and it is bereft. So I beg that your Mightiness will grant me this simple request, that I may dwell hidden where I am, because the |261 rest of my days in the world I am determined to live in secret, as in a corner; for such is the life of a monk.

"May Christ, who is God over all, give you dominion over your enemies, with perfect peace and concord among the Churches, that you may be crowned with this also. And, if I am committing any fault or presumption in this my letter of petition, I entreat you to forgive me, as on other points; for it is very becoming in a Christ-loving king to overcome evil with good, as the apostle said,¹⁰⁶ a duty which you display in deed, and are therefore rightly called Victorious."

The signature of Severus to the epistle—

"May the only Trinity, for that is our God, preserve your orthodoxy many years, keeping the dominion of the commonwealth of the Romans in peace, and may He bring every nation of Romans and barbarians into subjection to you, and grant to the holy Churches by your means perfect concord in sound faith; and may He reckon you worthy to receive a crown in the kingdom of heaven."

Now after this epistle the holy Severus remained till the year thirteen,¹⁰⁷ and then came to the royal city, because he was pressed by letters from the king.

CHAPTER XVII

THE. SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER, CONCERNING AFRICA, WHICH WAS CONQUERED BY BELISARIUS THE GENERAL

When in the summer of the year eleven¹⁰⁸ Rufinus and Hermogenes, the master of the offices, had by the help of our Lord made peace between the Romans and the Persians on the terms contained in the written treaty, and the Roman generals and army in the East had come to the royal city, they received blame from the king and incurred his displeasure, |262 because they had not acted worthily of the high honour and rank which he had bestowed on them by showing themselves brave and astute in the struggle against the Persians, and especially Belisarius, because of the loss of the army under his orders, which had been defeated in battle at Thannuris and on the Euphrates; and he made his defence to the king on the ground of the impatience of the army, and the lack of discipline among the men under him.

Now there were in Constantinople certain magnates from Africa, who, owing to a quarrel which they had with the prince of the land, had left their country and taken refuge with the king, and they gave him information about the country and incited him, saying that it was very extensive and very peaceful, and that it had no thought of a war with the Romans, but was engaged in a struggle with the Moors, a people who are settled in the desert and live by robbery and devastation like the Saracens. And they pointed out to the king that this country had been torn and snatched from the Roman Empire since the days of Zirzeric, who took Rome, and also carried off valuable objects of gold and silver and other precious substances, and withdrew to Carthage in Africa, a distinguished city, which he took and occupied; and he settled there, and stored and placed the treasures in it.

And so the king made ready an army under Belisarius and Martin and Archelaus the prefect, and many ships carrying arms and accoutrements (?) for the army; and they sailed over the sea; and, because God willed this expedition and assisted it, they arrived in a few days and suddenly appeared before the royal city of Carthage. And the prince of the land was not there, |263 but was engaged in war with the Moors in the desert; but a small force, which was in the city, which came out and met the Romans, was defeated in battle and was vanquished and retreated. And the city was surrendered, and the Romans entered and occupied it. And they collected spoil; and the prince's treasure was kept for the king of the Romans.

Now the Romans also occupied a few of the cities of the country, because they were betrayed to them by certain men who were with them, who betrayed the country and knew it well; and it¹⁰⁹ is a spacious land, extending over about fifty days' journey, and contains more than one hundred and thirty cities, and is rich and fertile. But the king and the chief priests of the land and the magnates of the people were Arimenites.¹¹⁰

Now, when the prince heard it and came with an army, it was found to be small and contemptible before the Romans; and, when he understood that his kinsmen had been taken, and his magnates had surrendered, and his treasure had been carried away, he was weakened, and on condition that his life should be spared he surrendered. And he was taken away in company with Belisarius in the year twelve,¹¹¹ and was publicly presented to the king in the circus before the people, with the treasure¹¹² and his kinsmen and his magnates. And an ambassador of Khosru, king of the Persians, was there and was present and saw these things. And from that time Africa has been subject to the Romans. And gradually the other cities in the region of Africa were reduced: only the Moors continue their accustomed hostilities there. |264

CHAPTER XVIII

THE EIGHTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, CONCERNING ROME, WHICH WAS TAKEN BY BELISARIUS

Alimeric ¹¹³ the tyrant held possession of Rome by rebellion in the days of Zeno and Anastasius; and he was a warlike man and an able, and he added great strength to the country of Italy, and he rebuilt Rome and kept the barbarians out of it. And he had died, and his successors one after another held and governed the country of the Romans in rebellion against the kingdom of Constantinople.

Now a certain Dominic,¹¹⁴ one of the chief men of the country, had a quarrel with the tyrant, and took refuge with King Justinian, and gave him information about the country. And he was an old man, well read in the Scriptures,¹¹⁵ a Diphysite; and he often engaged in disputation, and I know him. Now the king, having conquered Africa in the manner described above, was eager to conquer Rome also. And, observing that Belisarius had been successful in the war in Africa without doing any injury to the population of the country or diminishing it by bloodshed, but had been content with the necessary demands of tribute, taxes, and subjection, he made ready an army for him and sent him to Rome. And John the chief priest there had died during those days, and Agapetus had succeeded him.

And, when the army had reached a place called Naples, a celebrated city, not far from Rome, and had taken it, the Senate in Rome and their council, together with their chief, were disturbed and afraid, because they had already heard how Carthage and the tyrant of that country of Africa had been conquered; and, observing these things, they anticipated |265 matters by sending a petition, asking for peace, and promising to surrender the city; and later they also sent hostages. And afterwards Belisarius arrived there with the army and was received in the city with the praises of its inhabitants, and he occupied it and did no injury in it. And he was there for a time, while occupying the other cities also and bringing them into subjection to the king, without doing any hurt by slaying or destroying the population. And the king gained renown by these things and rejoiced in the year fourteen.

CHAPTER XIX

THE NINETEENTH CHAPTER, CONCERNING SEVERUS, WHO AGAIN WENT UP TO CONSTANTINOPLE AND APPEARED BEFORE THE KING

Now ¹¹⁶ the well-tried Severus, after receiving pressing summonses from the king, at last came to Constantinople in the year fourteen,¹¹⁷ and was received in a friendly manner in the palace by the king, who was disposed ¹¹⁸ and incited thereto by Theodora the queen, who was devoted to Severus, and he was honourable and venerable in her eyes. And, Epiphanius, the chief priest of the city, having died, Anthimus had succeeded him; and he was an ascetic man and a practiser of poverty, and a friend of the needy and a believer. He was bishop of Trebizond, and, happening for some reason to be present there, and being a man of virtuous character and known to the king and the magnates for his chastity, he was appointed patriarch; and he would not receive the Synod of Chalcedon into the faith. |266

And in Alexandria, after Gaian had been driven out, who was a Julianist, and was there for three months after the death of Timothy, Theodosius became bishop, a man of conspicuous faith and learned and kind and gentle; and he was an acquaintance and a friend of the holy Severus.

When these three chief priests were joined together in love, and in faith were not divided from one another, Ephraim ¹¹⁹ of Antioch was alarmed and greatly disturbed, and yet more so because Peter of Jerusalem was not of his own inclination a lover of discord or a heretic, although through weakness and lack of energy and vigour he conducted himself according to the times.

Now¹²⁰ it happened that in those days Sergius,¹²¹ an archiatros of Rhesaina, went up to Antioch to make a complaint against Asylus,¹²² the bishop of that city, telling Ephraim the patriarch that he had been injured by him. And this man was a man of eloquence and practised in the reading of many books of the Greeks and in the teaching of Origen, while for some time he had been reading commentaries on the Scriptures by other doctors in Alexandria (and he was skilled in the Syriac tongue, reading and speaking) and books of medicine. And of his own inclination he was a believer, to which evidence is also borne by the prologue and the very apt translation of Dionysius which he made ¹²³ and the treatise composed by him on the faith in the days of the illustrious Peter, the believing bishop. However, as regards his character, this Sergius was very |267 wanton in the lust of women, and he was incontinent and not chaste, while he was greedy in respect of the love of money.

Of this man Ephraim made trial, and, finding him to be a man of experience, promised to do for him anything that he asked, if he would go as his emissary to Rome with an epistle to Agapetus, the chief priest there, and return. And he accepted. And he was furnished with presents by Ephraim, and received a letter for the man, while he was accompanied by a lad named Eustace, an architect, from Amida, who spreads about a strange story about Sergius; but, lest it should do harm to the reader, I do not record it.

These men also accordingly came to Rome to Agapetus, and they delivered the epistle and were received; and the man was pleased with their epistle, in which he found agreement with his opinions. And he came with them to Constantinople in the month of March in the year fourteen; and Severus was there, and Anthimus was chief priest. And the whole city was disturbed at the arrival of Agapetus;¹²⁴ and the earth with all that is upon it quaked; and the sun began to be darkened by day and the moon by night, while ocean was tumultuous with spray (?) from the 24th of March in this year till the 24th of June in the following year fifteen.¹²⁵ And Agapetus, when he appeared before the king, had a splendid reception from him, because he spoke the same language and was chief priest of the country of Italy, which had been |268 conquered and brought into subjection to him. And he was instructed in the outward words of Scripture but did not understand its meaning; and he held an ignoble opinion upon the Incarnation of Jesus, our Lord Christ, God the Word, and he would not consent to call the Virgin Mary the Theotokos, and divided the unity into two natures, since he held the priority of the conception of the babe, like those of the school of Diodorus and Nestorius. And he abstained from communion with Anthimus and Severus, and they yet more from communion with him; and one of them he called an adulterer and the other a Eutychianist: and he perverted the love of the king towards them and made him hostile to them; and he drove them from the city.

And ¹²⁶ Anthimus and Severus and Theodosius of Alexandria made union with one another ¹²⁷ in epistles, which we have set down below; and Anthimus and Severus left the city to live each of them in hiding wherever was convenient for him.

Now Menas became bishop in the royal city after Anthimus. And Sergius the archiatros died suddenly there, and Agapetus died after him in those days by a miracle, his tongue being eaten away and rending him in his lifetime;¹²⁸ and Silverius became bishop in Rome after him.

CHAPTER XX

THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER, THE EPISTLE OF SEVERUS TO THE ORDER OF PRIESTS AND MONKS IN THE EAST, TREATING OF HIS EXPULSION FROM THE ROYAL CITY

"To¹²⁹ the God-loving presbyters and deacons and |269 archimandrites and priors and all the holy order of monks in the East Severus greeting in our Lord.

"That I have passed outside the city which is ruler among cities and beyond the pursuit of men, some of you, O holy ones, being present, have seen with their own eyes, I who have reckoned it right to indite this short letter on my part and to stir you up to the expression (?) of thanksgiving for what I even reckon as my glory (?), and to state clearly that the actions of the divine providence towards us are in truth beneficial to us for the preservation of the orthodox faith and the formation of a new will, with which, as one may say, it is right to clothe oneself after the fashion of a new garment, and for shunning every heretical opinion and contention. For Jacob also the patriarch, the great in endurance of labours and in trust in God, when he fled from intercourse with the barbarians in Sh'khem and from the dangers that surrounded him there, urged those that dwelt with him to the same course to which I have urged you, as he says in Scripture: 'And Jacob said to his household and to all them that were with him, Put away from among you the strange gods, and be clean, and change your garments: and let us arise and go up to Beth El and build there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of distress and delivered me in the way which I went.'¹³⁰ For he has in truth delivered me from all the expectation of the adversaries, who hate me without a cause, and mocked at me and wagged their heads and said, as in Job, 'His foot hath fallen into a gin, and he hath been caught in a net. Let gins come upon him, and they shall prevail against him, as thirsting for him. His noose is hid in the |270 ground, and the net is over his paths.' ¹³¹ But, as for the wickedness of these men, it is not sated with blood; the Christ-worshipping queen was a sufficient protection for me, and God, who through your prayers directed her to that which is good in His sight, even as He cries in Isaiah the prophet to those that trust in Him, 'Fear not, because I have delivered thee. I have called thee by thy name, because thou art Mine. If thou pass through water, I am with thee, and rivers shall not overflow thee; and in fire thou shalt not be burned, and flame shall not scorch thee. Because I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, that delivereth thee.' ¹³²

"And He that said these things has not only given me a marvellous deliverance, but has further also added an addition to the portion of the believers, to say truth, to the portion of the Lord and to the possession of His inheritance, Israel, that it may not be as those whom the Scripture blames, saying, 'Ye shall sow your seed in vain.'¹³³ For the pious Anthimus, archbishop of the royal city, who received the chief chair, even when he was in possession of it, would not retain it, but in upright fashion and with true judgment and knowledge hated the impiety of these men, and accepted the communion of us and of Pope Theodosius of Alexandria and of all the pastors who belong to our confession. Accordingly they vainly lead men astray who say that they do not receive the Synod of Chalcedon in respect of the definition of faith, but in respect of the rejection of Eutyches and Nestorius, clokes which Flavian also used but did not succeed in leading your zeal astray, and you were not overreached by Satan, and are able to say like Paul, 'His devices do not escape us.'" ¹³⁴

And so on with the rest of the epistle. |271

CHAPTER XXI

FIRST CHAPTER, THE EPISTLE OF ANTHIMUS TO SEVERUS OF ANTIOCH

"To¹³⁵ our pious and holy brother and fellow-minister, the patriarch, my lord. Severus, Anthimus greeting in our Lord.

"Bearing in my mind the utterance of the Lord which says, 'To whomsoever much has been committed, from him shall much be required,' ¹³⁶ and the saying of the Psalmist, 'Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in His holy place?'¹³⁷ and the apostle, who ordains of what sort a man must be who is set apart for God, I have been in no small fear. For, if those great patriarchs called themselves, one 'dust and ashes'¹³⁸ and another 'a worm and no man,' ¹³⁹ what shall I say, the small and contemptible, who have attained to the height of this ministry without being worthy of it? For the disturbance of the holy Churches also agitates my soul greatly; for certain men, being held fast in sins and, as if displaying an appearance of avoiding variation and confusion, which does not exist, wantonly divide God the Word, who is one and indivisible, and became incarnate without variation. And for this reason I am in great sorrow, as it is said in the Psalmist, 'Sorrow hath taken hold upon me because of the sinners that have forsaken Thy law.'¹⁴⁰ But trust in God gives me joy, and I believe that He will surely perform His promises and will give us all that we mean creatures need, not because we are His friends but because of importunity, and He will make requisition for all His elect; who has also for a long time preserved your Holiness from sins |272 through your apostolic contests and labours and your spiritual teachings, which by grace have been vouchsafed unto you, as a stone that cannot be moved, as well as us, His holy Churches, to be an invariable foundation of the faith. It is therefore the same God who assigns exaltation to the lowly and greatness to the small and strength to the weak, as the divine apostle says, 'By grace are we all justified.' ¹⁴¹ And these things, being by divine power made strong in weakness, have by an ineffable judgment brought our weakness also to be ruler in the holy Church in this royal city. Acknowledging therefore His grace, we beg you, pious one, to entreat Christ our God to assist our worthlessness; and, because different men have different marks, the mark of priests is also the preaching of the gospel, for, 'Speak,' He says, 'priests, and, when you go up upon the high mountains, make proclamation.' ¹⁴²

"In this first spiritual and love-abounding greeting I communicate with you, O holy one; for, while rejoicing in union and. also in conjunction with you and in spiritual ties in accordance, with the laws of the Church, I declare that I cleave to the one only definition of faith, that which was laid down by the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers who assembled at Nicaea under the direction of the Holy Spirit, and to this I pray that I may cleave unto the end; which definition was ratified by the Synod of one hundred and fifty holy fathers which assembled in this royal city against the impious fighters against the Spirit; and not only so, but also by the holy Synod which assembled at Ephesus against the impious Nestorius, the leaders of which were the archbishops, memorable for piety and love of God, Celestine of the Romans and. Cyril of Alexandria, who in his twelve chapters overthrew Nestorius the man-worshipper. To these chapters I assent together with all his writings and embrace |273 them as a holy law, while together with these holy teachings of Cyril I receive also the formula of. Zeno uniting the Churches, which aims at the consummation of religion for the annulling of the Synod of Chalcedon and the impious Tome of Leo. I confess that God the Word, who was begotten before the ages of God the Father, the only Son, connatural and coeternal with the Father, through whom all things were made and through whom all things were established, the Light of Light, the invariable image and invisible will of the Father, in the last days became incarnate and became perfectly man of the Holy Spirit and of the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, and united to Himself personally flesh of our nature, having a rational and intellectual soul, and without variation and confusion and sin took our resemblance upon Him. For He remained immutable as God, and even in assuming our attributes He did not at the same time also diminish His own divine properties; and that which was derived from us He made His own by dispensation by a junction consisting in a natural union. For He who was begotten without time and without a body of God the Father, the same submitted to a second birth in a body; and, after He had in an ineffable manner become incarnate of a virgin mother, she that bore Him also continued a virgin even after the birth. Wherefore also we truly confess her to be the Theotokos, and that He who was born of her in the flesh is perfect God and perfect man, the same out of two natures one Son, one Lord, one Christ, and one nature of the incarnate Word; and He became perfectly man, while each one of the natures remained without confusion in its sphere of manifestation, the natures which combined to form an indivisible unity. So also He is very rightly one of the holy and connatural Trinity, before the Incarnation and after the Incarnation, inasmuch as He did not add a number to the Trinity, the number of a quaternity; and He is impassible in that He is of the nature of the |274 Father, but passible in the flesh in that He is of our nature. For God the Word did not suffer in His own nature, but in flesh of our nature; and He who personally united this to Himself suffers in our likeness. And Gregory the Theologian defined the matter and called Him impassible in the Godhead, passible in the assumption of flesh.¹⁴³ And He is one and the same in the miracles and also in the passions; and by dispensation He made our passions His own, voluntary and innocent ones, in flesh which was passible and mortal and of our nature, intellectually and rationally possessed of a soul. And this all the time of the dispensation He allowed to be passible and mortal for the purpose mentioned above with respect to His Humanisation, I mean that He suffered not in semblance but in reality. For in the flesh that was capable of suffering He endured voluntary and natural and innocent passions and the death by the Cross; and by a miracle befitting God, that of the Resurrection, He made and rendered it impassible and immortal and in every way therefore incorruptible, since it came from the union and existence in the womb, which was holy and without sin. While recognising, therefore, the distinction between the elements which have combined to form the unity of nature, I mean the divine and the human nature, we do not separate them from one another; also we do not cut the One and ineffable into or in two natures, nor yet do we confound Him by rejecting the distinction between the Godhead and the manhood, but we confess Him to be one out of two, Emmanuel.

"And, thus believing and taking my stand upon this belief, as upon a rock, I also anathematise the deviations from the truth which have been made by both sides, and the impious and erring men who went before them as their |275 leaders (I refer to Valentine and Marcion and Arius and Macedonius and Eunomius and Apollinaris and Eutyches), and those also who owing to the union with the Word have vainly and impiously confessed the flesh which was derived from us and was personally united to God the Word to be impassible and immortal, and have introduced a semblance and a phantasy as belonging to the great mystery of the immutable and veritable Humanisation of the Lord; and I anathematise also Paul of Samosata and Photinus and Diodorus and Theodore and Nestorius, and also Theodoret and Andrew and Hibo and Eutherius and Alexander of Hierapolis and Irenaeus the twice-married and Cyrus and John ¹⁴⁴ and Bar Tsaumo the Persian and the Synod of Chalcedon and the Tome of Leo and those who say that He is made known and exists in two natures, i.e. our Lord Jesus Christ after the ineffable union, and do not confess that there is one aspect, one person and nature of God the Word, who became incarnate and became man. On the basis of these apostolic and divine and blameless doctrines, holy brother ours, I give you the right hand of communion, a communion which I will hold fast till my last breath, while I will not consent to hold communion with any man who thinks differently from this, because Basil says, 'He who communicates without discrimination with the foolish is separated from the freedom of Christ.' ¹⁴⁵ For I know that you also, pious one, hold these things fast, and have for a long time laboured. For who is there who in our times has undergone such a contest, removing from place to place, that his faith may not be shaken? And in you I see the doctors of the Church, because you have duly set the lamp |276 visibly on a stand, shining, as you do, in deed and word. It will be worthy therefore of your piety in consideration of these things to gladden us by instruction in return for our letter." And the rest, consisting of the greeting of the epistle.¹⁴⁶

CHAPTER XXII

THE TWENTY-SECOND CHAPTER, THE EPISTLE OF SEVERUS TO ANTHIMUS

"To¹⁴⁷ our all-pious and all-holy brother and fellow-minister, the patriarch Anthimus, Severus greeting in our Lord Jesus Christ our God.

"For the letter ¹⁴⁸ of your chastity Paul the apostle shall give me a precedent for crying aloud in very opportune time, 'Thanks be unto God for His ineffable gift': ¹⁴⁹ for immediately upon your accession to the see of the patriarchal throne of the. Church in the royal city you determined in the exaltation of the primatial see for the sake of the right religion to despise that which to others is an occasion for betraying their faith. For in those who wish to follow the divine commandments and, as it is written, to go after the Lord, the wisdom of the Most High places fitting thoughts, in deacons and presbyters and patriarchs according to the order of their priesthood; insomuch that the patriarch Abraham, after he had settled in many and divers countries, came to a certain country and drank copiously from a well that sprang from it, which was named the Well of Oaths, because he made oaths and treaties with the barbarians who lived near the country, and he planted fair and fruitful plantations; and, lest his thoughts should be dissipated in them, he called there upon the name of the Lord, the everlasting God, and, as he said to Him, 'Thy thoughts shall not go after the beauty of things that are seen and forget God in the pleasant delight of the sight, |277 for He alone is from everlasting, and hath made the things that are seen bright to the eyes and pleasant to the taste': and Scripture goes on to relate thus: 'Abraham planted a piece of land by the Well of Oaths and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God' ¹⁵⁰ (and some have explained it to be wood-land and some plantation-land). In the same way, therefore, your piety after having settled in other countries has come to the head of the oaths, as to a piece of land fair in produce, I mean the see of the royal city, which is rich in the pomp of the world, and drinks from the plentiful abundance of the stream. And, when you perceived that certain men wish to be perverted to a reprobate mind, differing from the pure unadulterated coinage, well tried in the orthodox faith, you did not allow the eyes of your mind to go astray through the beauty of the world and the splendour of its vanities, which pass away; but, after the pattern of the patriarch Abraham, you called there upon the name of the Lord, the everlasting God, whose merciful Word became incarnate and became man, that is, in order that the second Adam might in truth die the death that had prevailed over us and overthrow its eternal dominion, a death which it was not possible for impassible and immortal flesh to endure, because that which is impassible and immortal is not capable of suffering and dying. For, if He did not die our death for our sins and destroy this |278 death in flesh resembling our passions ¹⁵¹ when He rose from the dead, we are strangers and alien to the benefit of the Resurrection. For 'Christ died for our sins,' ¹⁵² cries Paul; and again, 'Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For, as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all live';¹⁵³ and again, 'Since the children partook of flesh and blood, He also in like manner partook of the same, that through death He might bring to naught him that had the power of death, that is, Satan, and might deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime under subjection to bondage. For He received not of angels, but of the seed of Abraham did He receive. Wherefore it was right that in all things He should be made like unto His brethren.'¹⁵⁴ Now the seed of Abraham was the passible body of our race, which God the Word, the Ruler of All, united to Himself personally from the Holy Virgin, in order that with Him He might raise our race, which had fallen under the power of death, inasmuch as He was the firstfruits of our race. So also, since He is one nature and person, it is manifest that the incarnate Word of God of His own will endured the assay and assault of human and natural and innocent passions. And the signs, even the human ones, He utters in a divine fashion (?),¹⁵⁵ and performs some of them in a manner befitting God and some in human fashion. And we do not on account of the difference of the energies and the utterances and the miracles and the passions fall into the division of the two natures after the ineffable union and divide these things, the utterances and tokens and energies, forasmuch as we know that it is the same who wrought the miracles and who suffered and spoke in a divine manner and after the dispensation. |279

"These, to speak briefly, are the foundations on which the faith and confession of Christ rest, and 'to them nothing can be added, and from them nothing can be taken away.' ¹⁵⁶ I ¹⁵⁷ use opportunely in connexion with these things the holy words of Koheleth, and with application to those who have swerved from the king's highway and have gone in a crooked way and rejoice in evil perversity, but, as the Scripture said, 'in the Spirit which speaks parables,' ¹⁵⁸ according to the law which was before delivered unto the Church by the apostles."

And again a little lower down in the epistle he says,¹⁵⁹ "On these terms I undertake to participate in communion and also in inseparable conjunction with your piety and with those only who hold and also preach these things with you, and those who hold or say anything different I reject as strangers and aliens to our communion; and I avoid the foolishness that is in these men, as also your messenger said, as a thing that makes us alien to the boldness of Christ and supplies many with an occasion to sin. But, as one of those men of wisdom in divinity also says, 'By reason of foolishness many have sinned.'¹⁶⁰ For, if so be that we stand upon this watch-tower and place of observation and proclaim this to those who are under our power, we shall hear from them combs of honey, even good words, and the sweetness of them is healing to the soul.

"Since therefore you have chosen for yourself to contend in a good struggle and have confessed a good confession, cry out like the prophet Habakkuk, ' I will stand upon my watch |280 and walk upon a rock,' ¹⁶¹ and despise them that strive below. And, if so be they place you under curses and anathemas, say to God with David with great fitness, 'They shall curse, and Thou shalt be blessed: let them that rise up against me be ashamed, but Thy bond-servant shall rejoice.'¹⁶² For also those who profess a sound faith according to the utterance of the apostle 'are come unto Mount Tsiyon, and unto the city of the living God, unto Jerusalem in heaven, and to innumerable companies of angels, and to the Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven.' ¹⁶³ Now, how can a man, shooting from the earth, hit those that are in the Church that is in heaven and mingle with it? For in vain will he toil and without profit will he stretch his bow, even if he dare to shoot upwards; for upon himself will the arrows that are shot come down: for we listen also to one of the wise men, who says thus: 'He that casteth a stone upwards casteth against his own pate';¹⁶⁴ only if so be we continue unto the end, armed in the breastplate of the right faith and girt about in every place with all kinds of spirits. Now of this conjunction with your piety, which has been brought about for us by this canonical letter, tending both to unity of spirit and to be a bond of peace, as the apostle said,¹⁶⁵ I will send information to our fellow-minister my lord Theodosius, the holy Pope and archbishop of the 'great and Christ-loving city of Alexandria, who labours in apostolic fashion, and undergoes a contest and stands in danger on behalf of the true word, and increases the efficacy of the talents intrusted to him every day by means of industry, and rejoices constantly in the manifestation of them. And do you write to him, |281 even as you have written to us, and grasp him with the same hands of concord, and write and enter into communication with him by a communicatory letter in accordance with the rules and laws of the holy Church. Wherefore the love of God that is in you should take care to perform your part towards him also, and it shall be to you, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, 'a wall and an outwork'; ¹⁶⁶ as shall come to pass. And greet your brotherhood. That which is with me greets you in our Lord."

CHAPTER XXIII

THE TWENTY-THIRD CHAPTER, THE EPISTLE OF SEVERUS TO THEODOSIUS

"To ¹⁶⁷ our all-pious and all-holy brother and fellow-minister, the chief priest", my lord Theodosius, Severus greeting in our Lord.

"In the Book of the Judges, which is the Book of the Tribes, he said that the tribe of Judah invited the tribe of Simeon his brother to community of lots, urging him, as to brotherly assistance, in these words: 'And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come with me into my lot, and let us fight with the Canaanites; and I likewise will go into thy lot. And Simeon went with him.'¹⁶⁸ But I invite your person, holy brother, not to the community of war and fighting and to give a helping hand for the sake of lots of inheritance, but rather to the community of peace and concord, and on account of a gain made by the Church which Christ, even God, purchased with His own blood, a wonderful addition. For the holy Anthimus, the chief priest, who has been judged worthy to tend the Church of the royal city, severing the bonds and snares of the bitterness of the heretics, and repelling now their deceitful arts, now his open attacks,¹⁶⁹ has embraced our |282 communion, holding the sound and pure faith. And to my meanness he has sent a letter, containing a covenant of communion upon a perfectly orthodox confession, and he has anathematised by name everyone who is a heretic and an alien; and his mind is not estranged from the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, which our spiritual fathers left as holy laws, upon which we all ought to gaze earnestly and say, like the enduring Job, 'Gazing upon righteousness, I will not turn away.' ¹⁷⁰ So I eagerly and with goodwill welcomed this event which has happened as the gift of God, and I repeated the saying of the divine Scripture, 'This day we know that the Lord is with us, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the power of God is mighty.' ¹⁷¹ For this is written in Joshua the son of Nun.

"And it would indeed have been right that the holy archbishop Anthimus should first apply to your evangelical throne and offer to you the firstfruits of concord; but the necessity of this time and the distance of the country and the hurry of events changed the due order of things; and because this was done in secret; for as a wise doctor of divine doctrines you know what is written in the record by John the Theologian rather than Evangelist,¹⁷² that the disciples were assembled with the doors shut for fear of the Jews, and that the great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ, while the doors were shut, appeared inside by a miracle, and stood in the midst and said, ' Peace be with you.'¹⁷³

"I have therefore attached to this letter a copy of my own letter of concord and that of the God-loving chief priest, the man above mentioned, which were composed under fear of the Jews, and have sent them to your Holiness. But the religious presbyter and steward, Theopompus,¹⁷⁴ also has certainly already given you an account of this proceeding (for he also has communicated with you ¹⁷⁵ in this counsel and |283 action), because I believed that the love of God that is in you would rejoice and exult over it, especially when you met with the canonical letters containing the covenants.

"But know, O pious brother, beloved by me above all things, that these demands of the Chalcedonians differ in no way whatever from the promised covenant of Nahash the Ammonite, which he wished to make with the Children of Israel, who said to him, 'Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee'; but he cruelly and barbarously returned answer, 'On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that you pluck out all your right eyes; and I will lay a reproach upon Israel.' ¹⁷⁶ We are therefore in need of 'much watching and of immutable faith, and of prayers and entreaties that He that keeps Israel will not slumber nor sleep, and that He will turn the reproach upon those that are rich and boastful, and we may not become 'a scorn and a reproach to them that are round about us,'¹⁷⁷ as David somewhere sings, while falling from divine things, they also confess human things; for no trust is to be placed in unbelievers and enemies of God. But to you, who are understanding in divine things, what is here said is matter of knowledge."

CHAPTER XXIV

THE TWENTY-FOURTH CHAPTER, THE EPISTLE OF THEODOSIUS TO SEVERUS

"To ¹⁷⁸ our all-pious and all-holy brother and fellow-minister, the patriarch, my lord Severus, Theodosius greeting in our Lord.

"O being beloved by me above all things, rock of Christ, and guardian of the pure faith who cannot be shaken, very excellent is the blessing granted to our time, which has displayed your spiritual constancy to the holy Churches of God. We are also in good hope and are confident that the blameless pattern of your virtue, which we possess, will be preserved |284 for you. But I do not know which of your virtues to admire; for what is there among your qualities which is either defective or which stands in need of superfluous description? If so be I admire the severe manner of your lovely life, the virtue of chastity attracts me to it, and the glorious purity of right faith, which justly demands to be placed before them all, and your life of labours endured for a long time for God's sake, and your flight from place to place, and the fact that in everything you have chosen to suffer, in order that we may not be perverted from the right faith. In the same faith how many times have you under stress of events boldly cried with Paul, 'Who shall separate me from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution?' ¹⁷⁹ But in what category shall we place the exactitude of your teaching, whereby those that err are reproved and deceit is plucked out by the roots, while those that believe are delivered and are planted into the right faith? And it seems to me as if I heard Christ, even God, saying to you what He said to Jeremiah the divine prophet: 'Behold! I have put My words in thy mouth. Behold! I have this day set thee over nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant'; ¹⁸⁰ and again what He said about Paul: 'He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the nations, and before kingdoms, and before all Israel.' ¹⁸¹

"These are your qualities, O divine father,— qualities which it is perhaps easy to admire, but difficult to carry fully into action, even as now also by the watchful labours of your pious soul good deeds have been done to the Church of God. For in Christ Jesus those who were before far off have become near. The pious Anthimus, who will be henceforth renowned for character and faith, the chief priest and true pastor of the Church of the royal city, has of his own will become a communicator with you, pious one, and with us, and walked after our right faith; who has banished and rejected snares and disturbances, and has trampled on transitory and unstable |285 profit, inasmuch as he has learned to believe that human greatness is nothing, and has boldly proclaimed the right and unfailing faith; so that on account of this which has happened how we rejoiced and how we gave thanks to God and what spiritual festival we celebrated, O honoured father ours, it is not possible to say in words.

"Now he has made a firm covenant in a canonical letter and sent it to our evangelical throne, as indeed your Holiness also has already stated even in your honoured letter. And in the things which he has written he has declared the whole exactitude of the sound and right faith, while he has spurned with the anathemas everything that is deceitful and heretical, professing that he holds and proclaims these things with us, and says these things, since he is a communicator with those in whose communion our holy Church also rejoices, and professing that from those from whom we turn away he also turns away. He has therefore mentioned by name and anathematised those other names of the impious heresy, and the impious Synod held at Chalcedon, and the epistle of Leo. And, when we had with all possible care considered the things written to us by the pious man and minutely examined them all, and had found that nothing in them was alien from the right faith, and we saw that there also everyone who is opposed to us was attacked,¹⁸² we all the more admired your judgment upon them; for with the things which were canonically written to you, holy one, by the pious Anthimus upon the divine doctrines we found those also which were written to us to be in accord. Since, therefore, we have found the letter of concord and communion of the holy Anthimus to be of such sort, I will, like the prophet, cry out in due season, 'Let the heavens rejoice from above, and let the clouds sprinkle righteousness,' ¹⁸³ because the Lord has had mercy on His people, and such good reforms have been brought to pass for the holy Church of God.

"With outstretched hand, therefore, we have accepted the event, and on our own part also hasten to conclude similar |286 covenants; and we have admitted the pious man to the closest communion with us, and have indited a return letter to him, in which we have clearly set forth the right faith of the fathers and exposed the evil character of the faith which pollutes feeble understandings. And of the document on account of which we have entered into communion with him, and will give it to any who shall be hereafter, of this we have sent a copy to your fatherhood, because we did not wish that any of your rights should cause you jealousy, and especially those which have to do with our holy Church. And then of necessity I say that the fact that you observe towards the evangelical see the prime honour which is due to it, and express the same in writing, as the things written to me declared you to do, was in truth worthy of your holy soul, which is careful to do everything with judgment and in accordance with the will of God. But I plainly declare my feeling that my chief honour, and one which gives me great joy, is that honour which is justly paid to you by everyone. With confidence, therefore, pious father ours, I unhesitatingly assent to whatever rightly seems good to you with regard to the holy Church, considering that, as befits your fatherhood, you will not cease from action and advice which will be of benefit to the Church.

"But so much for these things. But as to ourselves, O honoured father ours, by what distresses and human humiliation we are now surrounded, every kind of plot being concerted against us, in order that we may either flee of our own accord, or that we may be expelled by force by others, while they may be granted time here also to do their own deeds and lead astray the holy Church, I wished to declare in this letter |287 also (for thus especially should we incite you, who sympathise with us, to prayer on our behalf), but it is not right for us to add load to load and burden to burden. But by only saying this much about the greatness of the stress I make it plain that we are in very truth in need of your pious prayers."

And so on with the rest of the epistle.¹⁸⁴

CHAPTER XXV

THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER, THE EPISTLE OF ANTHIMUS TO THEODOSIUS OF ALEXANDRIA

"To ¹⁸⁵ our all-pious and all-holy brother and fellow-minister, the patriarch, my lord Theodosius, Anthimus greeting in our Lord.

"Christ Jesus our God, who called simple and unlearned men and fishermen to be apostles and teachers, and called those who were before these from feeding a flock to be kings and prophets, who has chosen weak things and despised things, as the divine apostle said,¹⁸⁶ He it is who has now called me also, the mean one, to the work of this spiritual ministry in the judgments which He knows, to be the head of this holy Church of Constantinople. I therefore, the sinner, remembering the utterance of the Lord spoken through Ezekiel, 'As for thee, son of man, I have given thee as a watchman unto them of the house of Israel; and, if thou hear the word at My mouth, and give forewarning from Me, saying unto the sinner, If thou sin, thou shalt die the death, and thou tell not the sinner, that he may take warning, nor yet the impious, that he may turn from his way and live, the wicked man shall die in his |288 wickedness, but his blood will I require at thine hands,' ¹⁸⁷ and the commandment of the apostle to Timothy about the blameless-ness of the bishop's office, am beset with fear and trembling. And, when besides these things I contemplate also the turmoil which is increasing in the holy Churches and on the side of those who do not believe rightly, because they have reckoned religion as a means of profit for a time, and speak wickedness on high against their head, and divide God the Word, who became incarnate without variation and became perfectly man, I am beset with weeping and groans, and I mourn over myself, because I am unworthy. But trust in God comforts me, as it is said, 'Look at the generations of old and see; who hath trusted in the Lord and been confounded? or who hath abode in His fear and been forsaken? or hath called upon Him and He turned away from him? Because the Lord is compassionate and merciful, and forgiveth sins and saveth in time of affliction.' ¹⁸⁸ Therefore all my hope and my thoughts are set upon Him, that He will see our state and will hear, He who made the eyes and planted the ears, and that He will reprove the turbulence of those who prevent right ways, and will call like the true shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep, because He said, 'No man shall snatch them out of mine hands': ¹⁸⁹ for He foreordained your Holiness to stand at the head of the people of Alexandria the great, and established you as a tiller of the Church, not in calm, but in the turmoil of storms, that you might guide the ship above the waves into the peace of the harbour of Christ our God by the holy and adored Spirit. ¹⁹⁰ For by the prayers of your holy fathers, the former rulers, you have, as it were, received the trust of standing at the head of a people which walks after the teaching of the fathers, and contends for its pastor unto death in word and deed. |289

"Embracing, therefore, union with you and brotherly unanimity in Christ and the laws of the Church, we declare by this Synodical epistle that we cleave to the one definition of faith, that of our three hundred and eighteen holy fathers at Nicaea, which also the one hundred and fifty who assembled here against the fighters against the Spirit ratified, and to the holy Synod which met at Ephesus with the assent of Celestine and in the presence of Cyril, who in the twelve chapters demolished the doctrine of Nestorius. To these I assent, and I embrace the rest of his writings; and I receive the formula of Zeno uniting the Churches, which aimed at the annulling of the Synod of Chalcedon and of the Tome of Leo. And I confess that God the Word, the only Son, who was begotten of the Father in eternity, through whom all things were made, Light of Light, living image of the Father and sharing His nature, in the last times became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and of Mary the Virgin, and became a man perfectly without variation and confusion, in everything like unto us except sin; and He remained God immutable, and, when He assumed our attributes, He was not diminished in His Godhead; and that which was derived from us He made His own by dispensation by a natural union. For He who was begotten without time and without a body of God the Father, the same underwent a second birth in flesh, inasmuch as in an ineffable manner He became incarnate of a virgin mother; and, after she had borne Him, she continued in her virginity; and we justly confess her to be the Theotokos, and that He who was born of her in the flesh is perfect God and perfect man, the same out of two natures one Son, one Lord, and one Christ, and one nature of God the Word who became incarnate; and each one of the natures which combined to form an indivisible unity remained without confusion. And so He is very rightly one of the holy and connatural Trinity, both before He took flesh and after He took flesh, and a fourth number was not added to the Trinity; and He is impassible in that He is of the nature of the Father, but passible |290 in the flesh in that He is of our nature. For God the Word did not suffer in His own nature, but in flesh of our nature; and He who personally united this to Himself suffered in our likeness. And Gregory the Theologian defined the matter and called Him impassible in His Godhead, passible in the assumption of flesh. ¹⁹¹ And He is one in the miracles, and also in the passions, and by dispensation He made our passions His own, voluntary and innocent ones, in flesh which was passible and mortal after our nature, endowed with a soul and an intellect, and passible and mortal all the time of the dispensation; for He suffered not in semblance but in reality, and in flesh that was capable of suffering He suffered and died on the cross; and by a Resurrection befitting God He made and rendered it impassible and immortal, and in every way incorruptible, since it came from the union of the womb, which was holy and without sin. While recognising, therefore, the distinction between the elements which have combined to form the unity of nature, I mean between the Godhead and the manhood, we yet do not separate them from one another; also we do not cut the One into or in two natures, nor yet do we confound Him by rejecting the distinction between the Godhead and the manhood, but we confess Him to be one out of two, Emmanuel.

"And, thus believing and taking my stand upon this belief, as upon a rock, I also anathematise the deviations from the truth of such and such men."

And the rest, consisting of the greeting in the epistle. |291

CHAPTER XXVI

THE TWENTY-SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE NINTH BOOK, THE EPISTLE OF THEODOSIUS TO ANTHIMUS THE CHIEF PRIEST

"To ¹⁹² our all-pious and all-holy brother and fellow-minister, the archbishop and patriarch, my lord Anthimus, Theodosius greeting in our Lord.

"And how else could it have come about that you, a chief priest wise and watchful towards the Creator of all things and their Saviour and God, should in the midst of events openly show yourself crying out like Jeremiah the divine prophet, 'I have not wearied of going after thee, and the day of a man have I not desired,' ¹⁹³ except that you despised such human honour, and placed the observance of religion before all things? The thing, therefore, which has been thus done by your Holiness is great without controversy, and all the believers who have heard of it are already wondering at it, while hereafter also all the bond-servants of the Lord who shall be hereafter will wonder at it, when it is duly proclaimed in all the holy Churches. But it is no higher than the rest of your apostolic and truly sublime and holy life. For it was truly fitting for you, who by unceasing energy in ascetic exercise have mortified your earthly members, that you might speak in the words of Scripture, and with Paul are able to say, 'I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet now not I, but Christ liveth in me,' ¹⁹⁴ after the manner of Moses the great to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of this world, and to choose rather to be afflicted with the people of God than to enjoy the temporal pleasure of sin.¹⁹⁵

"For I, who am feeble, judge that it is on account of my shortcomings that I endure all the troubles which befall me; |292 but, since I am bound to represent the Church which is under the evangelical throne, which is now enduring many ills (and how many it is enduring is not easy to say), therefore in due season I say as the divine Paul said, 'As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also is our consolation great in Christ.' ¹⁹⁶ For the fact that you, the pious chief priest and patriarch of the royal city, should use boldness on behalf of the right and apostolic faith, and should be eager to show that in respect of the strict observance of the divine doctrines you are of one mind and one accord with Severus, the holy patriarch of the Eastern Churches, has almost made me forget in the evangelical see and acceptation of the divine Mark the whole of the troubles which are upon us. For, 'what thanks can we render to God?' ¹⁹⁷ For this apostolic saying also do I use on account of the help with which He has helped His holy Churches, who has now stablished you as a stablisher of these, and as a foremost fighter in the danger to religion. For you have shown, O pious man, that you have dwelling in you the holy utterance of the Lord, which says, 'Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to destroy soul and body in hell,' ¹⁹⁸ and that you 'reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.' ¹⁹⁹ While, therefore, your spiritual light so shines before men, God is glorified in this great increase of those that are being saved, which His true Church receives.

"So it is with joyful exultation and delight that I have canonically received your piety's letter of concord and union, which has just been brought to me, ²⁰⁰ because the holy patriarch Severus above mentioned told me beforehand that it was coming to me, who is the cause of all blessings and benefits to the Church of Christ and to me; and he has also sent me, as befitted him, a copy of what you canonically wrote to one |293 another, which also made it clear that your communion was brought about with great caution and great benefit. And, while inditing this letter with my whole heart, I say the same things to your Holiness which also I wrote to him, ²⁰¹ that I confess as the one definition of faith and accept that which was laid down by our three hundred and eighteen holy fathers at Nicaea through the Holy Spirit, and ratified by the Synod of one hundred and fifty and by that at Ephesus, which was assembled by our father Cyril, who in the twelve chapters rejected Nestorius; and I accept also the formula of Zeno uniting the Churches, which aimed at the annulling of the Synod of Chalcedon and of the Tome of Leo, while I confess that God the Word, of the nature of the eternal Father, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, became incarnate and also became man by the Holy Spirit and of Mary the ever-virgin, in flesh endowed with a soul and an intellect after our nature, and was made like unto us in everything except sin, for, 'sin He did not, neither was guile found in His mouth,' ²⁰² as the Scripture said. For it was right and just that the nature which was vanquished in Adam should in Christ put on a crown of triumph over death. And so also the apostle said, 'Since the children partook of flesh and blood, He also in like manner partook of the same, that through death He might bring to naught him that had the power of death, that is, Satan, and might deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to sin.' ²⁰³ But, if we were vanquished in another nature, and the Word of God did not partake of it or make the same flesh which was assumed from us and personally united to Him impassible and immortal through the union with Him, as some foolishly say, our faith is vain, because it is no great thing that Satan |294 should be vanquished by the Lord; but in a body which was passible and of our nature He suffered innocent passions, and underwent death, and trampled on the sting of sin, and dissolved the power of death. Now, if He received the seed of Abraham, and in everything was made like unto us His brethren except sin, as the wise Paul said, and through death, which He underwent in His own flesh, vanquished Satan, who had the power of death, while He remained beyond the assault of passions in that He is recognised to be and is justly God, on account of His victory we glory, because we have been delivered from the yoke of bondage. Who is there, therefore, who will not marvel at the accuracy of the divine words, which everywhere supply due direction and in the same words refute the 'semblance' of Eutyches, and those who are like him, and the doctrine of Nestorius? For he says that Christ partook of our likeness in flesh and blood; and, that no one might think that He did so in phantasy, he went on to say that He partook of the same that through death He might bring to naught the power of death.

"Moreover they contend against those who divide the one Christ into two natures by the example of children. For,²⁰⁴ as the child and the man, who is made up of soul and body, is one out of two, and the two are called one nature, though the soul was not converted into flesh nor the body changed into the essence of the soul; so also Christ, who consists of the two elements, the Godhead and also the manhood, which have a perfect existence, each in its proper sphere, is one and is not divided; and the union is not confused in Him in that [He united to Himself personally flesh of our nature and] ²⁰⁵ allowed it in all the dispensation to be passible and mortal (but the same was holy without sin), and by the Resurrection made and rendered it impassible and immortal and in every |295 way incorruptible. For our former father Cyril said, 'He first raised His body in incorruption, and He first exalted it to heaven.' ²⁰⁶ So believing therefore, I anathematise such and such."

And the rest, consisting of the greeting in the epistle.

[Note to the online edition: footnotes have been moved to the end. Footnotes concerned only with bits of Syriac and Greek have been omitted because of the time it would take to transcribe it.]

1. ¹ Cf. bk. 6, ch. 6.

2. ² 526-7.

3. ⁴ 537.

4. ¹ The text has "Alexandria," but Halicarnassus is obviously meant, as in the heading of the chapter below.

5. ³ This seems to refer to the MS. from which the scribe was copying, as the prologue of Moro is not inserted at this place in our MS.

6. ⁴ 527.

7. ⁵ Bk. 7, ch. 14; 8, 1.

8. ⁷ See bk. 6, ch. 6.

9. ⁸ Mich. fol. 167 v, 168 r; Greg. p. 78.

10. ¹⁰ 527.

11. ¹¹ Mich. fol. 162 r.

12. ¹³ Mich. fol. 161 r.

13. ² Probably Timostratus (Wright, C. B. M. p. 559).

14. ⁶ The text has "Justinian," but clearly Justin must be meant.

15. ⁴ Perhaps Hieriphthum (Gelzer, Geo. Cypr, p. 159).

16. ⁴ Perhaps the "Simas" of Procopius {Bell. Pers. i. 13).

17. ¹...The Herulians, whom the Greeks frequently called Helouroi, are meant.

18. ³ 531.

19. ⁸ Mich. fol. 168r; Greg. pp. 78, 79,

20. ⁴ 527.

21. ¹ 531.

22. ² Syr. " sister's son."

23. ³ The native title of the tribal chief: Arm. bdeashkh. See Noeldeke, I.e. note 2.

24. ⁴ This number cannot be right, as Martyropolis was N. of the Tigris, 240 stades from Amida and 100 from Attachae (Proc. Bell. Pers. i. 21).

25. ⁵ 532.

26. ³ Lit. "was moving all the stones."

27. ⁷ 531-2.

28. ⁹ Seebk. 7, ch. 3 (p. 153).

29. ¹¹ Or October. It is not stated whether it was the st or the nd Theshrin.

30. ¹² 531.

31. ³ The rest of this chapter and the following chapter are contained in Cod. Rom.

32. ⁵ Mich. fol. 168 r.

33. ⁶ 526.

34. ³ 532-3.

35. ⁴ "Dion." fol. 182 v*; cf. Jo. Mal. p. 477.

36. ⁵ 533.

37. ⁶ 540.

* In the Paris transcript. I take the reference from the analysis of " Dionysius," published by M. Nau in the Revue de l'Orient Chrétien, Suppl. trim. 1897, fasc. 4.

38. ² Mich. fol. 168 r; Greg. p. 79.

39. ⁴ Mich. fol. 181 r; Greg. H. E. p. 211.

40. ⁴ Perhaps something has fallen out before this sentence. Mich. has "but, after Julian had written that it was his opinion, and the holy man had answered him twice, and he would not obey."

41. ⁵ I supply these words from Mich.

42. ¹ These letters are contained in Add. MS. 17,200 and in Cod. Syr. Vat. 140, from which last extracts are given by the Assemani (Bibl. Vat. MSS. Catal. vol. iii. p. 323 ff.). Both these give the Syriac translation of Paul of Callinicus. Our author's translation is independent.

43. ² Mich. fol. 181 r.

44. ³ Cyr. Ep. 45 (Migne, Patrol. Graec. vol. lxxvii. p. 236).

45. ⁴ Cyr. de Rect. Fid. ad Theod. Imp. 22.

46. ⁶ I cannot find this in the Quod Beata Maria Sit Deipara.

47. ¹ Possibly something has dropped out here. See the quotation in ch. 13 (p. 238); and so Paul. Call. Mich., however, has the same as our text, so that no alteration should be made in it.

48. ³ i Cor. xvi. 14.

49. ⁵ Mich. fol. 181 v.

50. ¹ Text, "Theodosius." Paul of Callinicus, however, has "Athanasius," and so Mich.

51. ² Here begins a short extract in Cod. Rom.

52. ³ Here the extract in Cod. Rom. ends.

53. ⁴ Cyr. de Rect. Fid. ad Theod. Imp. 21.

54. ⁶ Cyr. op. cit. 22.

55. ⁸ Mich. fol. 181 ff.

56. ⁵ Job xxi. 22.

57. ⁶ Prov. ii. 6, 7.

58. ¹ Here begins an extract in Cod. Rom.

59. ³ Rom. iii. 28.

60. ⁴ Jas. ii. 20.

61. ¹⁰ Gal. iii. 9.

62. ¹¹ Rom. iv. 5.

63. ¹ Jas. ii. 21-24.

64. ⁶ Ex. iv. 22.

65. ⁷ Col. ii. 11, 12.

66. ⁹ Rom. iv. 9, 10.

67. ¹ Gen. xv. 5, 6.

68. ³ Jas. ii. 20-23.

69. ⁶ Gen. xvii. 26, 27.

70. ⁷ Gen. xxii. 2.

71. ¹ Cod. Rom. here inserts in the margin a sentence from bk. 10, ch. 9 (see p. 313), which Mai prints as if it were part of the text.

72. ⁴ Gal. v. 6.

73. ⁶ I Cor. xiii. 4-8.

74. ⁸ John xiv. 15.

75. ³ Prov. viii. 9.

76. ⁴ Here the extract in Cod. Rom. ends.

77. ⁶ Paul. Call. has "Felicissimus."

78. ¹ Gal. v. 15.

79. ² Ep. III. ad Sev. (Add. 17,200, fol. 9 r).

80. ⁵ Add. 17,200, fol. 38 ff. (Latin translation in Mai Spicilegium Romanum, x. p. 169).

81. ² 532.

82. ⁴ Mich. fol. 171 ff.

83. ³ Tit. iii. 9.

84. ¹ i Cor. xi. 16.

85. ² I do not know whence this is taken.

86. ⁵ Dion. Areop. de Div. Nom. i. 4.

87. ² This is not in the extant portions of the Sermo de Fide.

88. ⁴ Mansi, vii. pp. 456, 457.

89. ¹ Jo. Eph. Frag. (Anecd. Syr. ii. p. 386).

90. ² 534-5.

91. ³ 536.

92. ⁴ This is not in the text.

93. ⁵ According to the heading the petitioners were not monks but bishops. In Mich., however, they are called "bishops and monks."

94. ¹ Cf. Evag. iv. ii.

95. ² Ex. xiv. 3.

96. ³ Heb. vi. 13, 14.

97. ⁵ Eccles. viii. 2.

98. ³ Prov. xx. 8.

99. ⁶ Prov. xx. 26.

100. ¹ Deut. xiv. 29.

101. ² Prov. xvi. 13.

102. ³ i Pet. ii. 22.

103. ⁴ Quoted shortly from the third letter of Severus to Julian (Add. MS. 17,200, fol. 17).

104. ⁴ Job xxx. 23.

105. ⁵ John iv. 35.

106. ¹ Rom. xii. 21.

107. ⁵ 534-5.

108. ⁷ 533.

109. ² The rest of this sentence is contained in Cod. Rom. Instead, however, of "and is rich and fertile," it has "and the chief city and capital of the country is called Carthage."

110. ³ I.e. Arians—followers of the Synod of Ariminum.

111. ⁴ 534.

112. ⁷ Cf. Jo. Mal. p. 479.

113. ¹ I.e. Theodoric; see bk. 7. ch. 12.

114. ² Or Demonicus.

115. ³ Lit. "from the reading of the Scriptures." Possibly some words have fallen out.

116. ² Jo. Eph. Fragm. (Anecd. Syr. ii. p. 386).

117. ³ 535-6. In chs. 15 and 16 the date is rightly given as the thirteenth year of:he Indiction (534-5).

118. ⁴ Cf. Evag. iv. 10.

119. ² Mich. fol. 170.

120. ⁵ What follows is contained in an abbreviated form in Add. MS. 12,154, fol. 151.

121. ⁶ Mich. I.e.; Greg. H. E. p. 205 ff.

122. ⁷... Asylus of Rhesaina is mentioned in Elijah's life of John of Constantia (ed. Kleyn, p. 59), whence I follow the reading of 17,202.

123. ¹⁰ Wright, C. B. M. pp. 493-501.

124. ⁴ This sentence is not in 17,202, but, being in 12,154 (which, however, omits the portents following) and in Mich., it must be presumed to have formed part of the original text.

125. ⁶ 537.

126. ¹ Cf. Evag. iv. 11.

127. ² Here the extract in 12,154 breaks off owing to the loss of a leaf in the MS.

128. ⁴ This passage is repeated in a ninth cent, chronicle in Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 14,642, fol. 29 v, which, however, in place of... has..., "and he tore it with his teeth."

129. ⁵ Mich. fol. 178.

130. ⁵ Gen. xxxv. 2, 3.

131. ¹ Job xviii. 8-10.

132. ² Isa. xliii. 1-3.

133. ³ Lev. xxvi. 16.

134. ⁴2 Cor. ii. 11.

135. ¹ Mich. fol. 174.

136. ² Luke xii. 48.

137. ⁴ Ps. xxiv. 3.

138. ⁵ Gen. xviii. 27.

139. ⁶ Ps. xxii. 6.

140. ⁸ Ps. cxix. 53.

141. ² Tit. iii. 7.

142. ⁴ The reference seems to be to Isa. xl. 9.

143. ² Greg. Naz. Or. xl. 45.

144. ² After this name the names of Theodoret and Andrew are accidentally repeated in the MS.

145. ⁷ I do not know from what part of Basil's works this quotation is taken.

146. ¹ Given by Mich.

147. ² Mich. fol. 174.

148. ³ The sentence, as it stands, is ungrammatical, but this is clearly the meaning; there is the same difficulty in Mich.

149. ⁴ 2 Cor. ix. 15.

150. ¹ Gen. xxi. 33.

151. ¹ This is an awkward construction, and we should perhaps insert a word, rendering "resembling us in our passions."

152. ² I Cor. xv. 3.

153. ³ i Cor. xv. 21, 22.

154. ⁵ Heb. ii. 14-17.

155. ⁷ Probably some words have dropped out in this sentence.

156. ¹ Eccles. iii. 14. I owe this reference and the translation of the difficult sentence which follows to Dr. Hamilton. I can scarcely think that this sentence represents what Severus wrote, but, as Mich. has practically the same, any corruption must be older than our author. See p. 277, note 2.

157. ² Mich. fol. 175.

158. ⁴ The reference is probably to I Cor. xiv. 2, as Dr. Hamilton suggests.

159. ⁵ A fragment of the letter not contained in our author is found in Add. MS. 12,155, fol. 110, and the whole intervening portion, including this fragment, is given in Mich.

160. ⁷ Sir. xxvii. 1.

161. ¹ Hab. ii. 1.

162. ³ Ps. cix. 28.

163. ⁶ Heb. xii. 22, 23.

164. ⁷ Sir. xxvii. 25.

165. ¹⁰ Eph. iv. 2.

166. ¹ Isa. xxvi. 1.

167. ² Mich. fol, 175 ff.

168. ³ Judg. i. 3.

169. ⁵ Severus must have written "their open attacks"; but, as Mich. also has the singular possessive, we must not emend. See p. 277, note 2.

170. ² Job xxvii. 6.

171. ³ Josh. xxii. 31, iv. 24.

172. ⁶ Mich. "beyond the other evangelists."

173. ⁷ John xx. 19.

174. ⁸ MS. Theopomptus.

175. ¹⁰ Mich. " with us."

176. ² I Sam. xi. 1, 2.

177. ³ Ps. lxxix. 4.

178. ⁴ Mich. fol. 176, 177 r.

179. ³ Rom. viii. 35.

180. ⁴ Jer. i. 9, 10.

181. ⁵ Acts ix. 15.

182. ³ Lit. "shot at with arrows."

183. ⁵ Isa. xlv. 8.

184. ² Given in Mich.

185. ³ Mich. fol. 177.

186. ⁴ I Cor. i. 27, 28.

187. ¹ Ezek. iii. 17, 18.

188. ⁵ Sir. ii. 10, 11.

189. ⁸ John x. 29.

190. ⁹ Or, "wind."

191. ¹ Greg. Naz., Or. xl. 45.

192. ¹ Mich. fol. 177 v.

193. ² Jer. xvii. 16.

194. ⁴ Gal. ii. 20.

195. ⁶ Heb. xi. 25, 26.

196. ² 2 Cor. i. 5.

197. ³ I Thess. iii. 9.

198. ⁵ Matt. x. 28.

199. ⁶ Rom. viii. 18.

200. ⁸ What follows in our text is omitted by Mich.

201. ¹ Not in the letter given above (ch. 24), but in the letter of Theodosius to Severus upon his election to the see (Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 14,602, fol. 2-4).

202. ² I Pet. ii. 22.

203. ⁴ Heb. ii. 14, 15.

204. ² Mich. fol. 177 v, 178 r.

205. ⁴ The sentence, as it stands in the text, is unintelligible, and from a comparison with the letter to Severus in Add. 14,602 it is clear that the bracketed words have fallen out.

206. ² I do not know the source of this quotation.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 10.

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 10.

BOOK X

IN this tenth Book also and in the sixteen chapters contained in it, which are set forth below, are included the events which successively happened from the year fifteen, the year eight hundred and forty-eight according to the era of the Greeks,¹ down to the end of the year thirteen, the year eight hundred and fifty-nine of the Greeks,² still in the time which is concerned with this serene king of our day, Justinian.

The first chapter, concerning Ephraim, who went down to the East.

The second, concerning the doings of Bar Khili at Amida in the years fifteen and two.³

The third, concerning Cyrus, a presbyter of the town of L'gino,⁴ who was burned in the tetrapylon of Amida.

The fourth, concerning the epistle of Rabbulo of Edessa to Gemellinus of Perrhe about those who eat the sacrament like ordinary bread.

The fifth, concerning the dedication of the church at Antioch, and also the Synod which was assembled by Ephraim.

The sixth, concerning Khosru, king of Persia, who went up and took Sura and Berrhoea and Antioch.

The seventh, concerning Belisarius, who went down and took Sisaurana, a fortress in Persian territory.

The eighth, concerning Khosru, who went up and took Callinicus and the other camps on the frontier of the Euphrates and the Chaboras. |297

The ninth, concerning the plague of tumours.

The tenth, concerning Martin and Justus, who entered Persian Armenia and returned.

The eleventh, concerning Khosru, who went up to Edessa and did not take it, and returned.

The twelfth, concerning James and Theodore, the pious believing bishops, who were consecrated and sent to the East and intrusted with the leadership.

The thirteenth, concerning the country of Lazica, which was conquered by Khosru.

The fourteenth, concerning the lack of corn and the scarcity of vegetables which occurred in the years nine and ten.⁵

The fifteenth, concerning Rome, which the barbarians took and sacked.

The sixteenth, concerning the decorations and buildings of Rome.

THE TENTH BOOK

CHAPTER I

THE FIRST CHAPTER

When ⁶ Severus and Anthimus, the believing chief priests, had been driven out by the king, as mentioned in the ninth Book above, and had withdrawn from the royal city on the arrival of Agapetus of Rome, who soon after died at the end of the month of March in the year fourteen,⁷ as also did Sergius the archiatros, who brought him, then Ephraim, who held the see of Antioch in the East, was strengthened and invigorated, and upon his sending a message [to the king] (?) ⁸ there was sent |298 [a force of Romans] (?) ⁹ and Clement[inus the tribune (?): and] he received orders in the year fifteen ¹⁰ to traverse the Eastern jurisdiction and to go all round it, and himself to give admonition in words, while Clementinus was to use force to make the inhabitants of the cities in the East accept the Synod, as had been done by the natives of Italy, the land of Rome. And this same Ephraim, accompanied by Clementinus, went [to] Berrhoea and Chalcis and Hierapolis and Batnae and Edessa, and to Sura and to Callinicus and the rest of the frontier, and to Rhesaina and to Amida and to Constantia; and he induced many persons to submit, some by words and by promising them the friendship of the king, and some by fear of threats and also exile and spoliation of goods and degradation from their ranks and exclusion from all trades; and others they hunted and drove from country to country, among them the monks, who were found approved in the faith and true believers in time of trial. And, as the winter was a severe one, so much so that from the large and unwonted quantity of snow the birds perished and..., there was distress... among men... from the evil things. And ¹¹... in various countries... From the hill of Singara [in the land] of the Persians they took (?)... John, the |299 believing [bishop] of Constantia, [by means of] a man named Cons[tantius (?)], and he was imprisoned in A[n]t[i]o[ch] and afflicted and... he would not change but continued... until the beginning of the year one ¹² [in] prison [and there] ended [his life]... and they were expelled... and lived in [various] countries... [until] the year three.¹³... Khos[r]u... and went up [to] S[ura] and Berrhoea and Anti[o]ch. Now Theodosius of Alexandria was summoned by the king to come to him, and went up with a few bishops from his jurisdiction; and he would in no wise accept the Synod of Chalcedon, until in the year one ¹⁴ Paul was appointed to the see. And, when Theodosius and the bishops who were with him came before the king, their [arrival] was announced by letter to Ephraim... thence... But The[odosius and those who were] with him [appeared] before the king and..., and without..., and they were removed..., and there they lived, and the queen was studious in showing them honour, and no one [of] their acquaintances or other discreet men was prevented from seeing them [or] ministering to them.... Now there went up... in [the year fif]teen,¹⁵ and also (?)... the king... much... he told him about [a... man] named But ¹⁶..., [who plotted] a rising in Dara in the summer of the year, who was put to death. And he freed the king from distress of mind, but in what way I have not sure enough information to state, and therefore keep silence. |300

And, because Paul who succeeded Th[eo]d[osius] (?) in the see..., he shut up... ¹⁷ on account of zeal for the faith [in] a bath and suffocated him; and this man's son he arrested and put in the guard-house, that he might not make his father's death known. But it so happened that he escaped and made his way to the queen, and through the believers who knew his father he told the news of his fearful death. And on this account Ephraim of Antioch was sent to Alexandria, and Abraham Bar Khili [accompanied him]; and, as they passed through Palestine, they took with them a monk named Zoilus. And they went to Alexandria and] investigated the action of Paul; and they drove him from his see and enthroned Zoilus, a Synodite, in the city: and in order to protect this man from the violence [of] the people of the city they appointed Acacius Bar Eshkhofo ¹⁸ of Amida tribune of the Romans there.

CHAPTER II

THE SECOND CHAPTER OF THE TENTH BOOK, CONCERNING THE DOINGS OF ABRAHAM ¹⁹ [BAR KHILI AT AMIDA] |301

(Here the MS. breaks off. The words in brackets I supply from the headings in the introduction to this Book. The whole of this chapter and the following are missing.)

CHAPTER IV

FROM THE EPISTLE WRITTEN BY RABBULO TO GEMELLINUS, BISHOP OF PERRHE, ABOUT THOSE WHO INSULT THE MYSTERIES AND SUPPORT THEMSELVES UPON THEM LIKE COMMON BREAD ²⁰

"I ²¹ have heard that in your country of Perrhe certain of the brethren, whose cloisters are not known, and others of the distinguished archimandrites of the place, have falsely given out concerning themselves the vain report that they do not eat bread, and have lyingly uttered of themselves the empty boast that they do not drink water, and have asserted of themselves that they abstain from wine. Accordingly I am afraid to mention that I have heard that they insult the body and blood of Jesus, the Son of God; but, since necessity constrains me, I will, as is right, be bold to say things which are what these men are not afraid to do, who madly and without discrimination offer the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord, that is, the holy and hallowing body which they have received and the living and life-giving blood which they have drunk. These men, whom I do not know how to name, are said impiously to satisfy the constant wants of their natural hunger and thirst upon it, and it is impossible for them of their own will to go |302 even one day without the oblation, which is their sustenance; but continually every day a large quantity of food is supplied by the sacrament. And for this reason also they richly leaven the particle which they prepare, and diligently dress it, and carefully seethe it, that it may serve them for food, and it is not treated as the mystery of the body of Christ, symbolised in unleavened bread. And for the rest it is said that, whenever hard pressed, they even offer common unconsecrated bread over one another's hands and eat it. And it is said to be their practice, when walking from one place to another or going on a long journey, to satisfy their natural hunger and thirst on the same body of our Lord two or three times in one day, and, as soon as they have reached their destination, in the evening they are said again to offer the oblation and partake of it as if fasting; nay, even in the holy days of the fast of Lent they presume to act in this manner without fear of God and without shame before men. And men who, as they say, refrain from bread and water every day are found to eat the holy bread and drink the blessed wine on such glorious days, on which even the vile themselves abstain.

"Now the Spirit that is in me, holy brother ours, bears witness for me that I tremble to write to your reverence all that I have heard about them, because my heart could not really believe it: and I would it had been possible for you to have known what I wish to learn ²² without an epistle or a word from me, and for these same men to have received correction from your uprightness, because neither did I wish that either you, my lord, or they should know what is rumoured about |303 them. Do not then think yourself or let them suppose that it is because I believe the evil report about them that I write these same things to you concerning them; but, being still in doubt, I say to others also that it is impossible that such a great sin should be committed by men who have ever been baptized in Christ. For they say that, as soon as they have performed the sacrament in the paten, they lightly (?) eat as much as they want of it, while the cup of the blood each of them tempers with hot water, whenever they can, like mixed wine and drinks it, and again fills it and gives it to his neighbour; so that owing to the quantity of wine which they drink under the name of the sacrament they are often obliged actually to spit it out of their mouth.

"O what transcendent impiety, if it is the fact that these men, despising their life, have converted the revered vessels of the sacrament, which on account of the mysteries contained in them even for spiritual heavenly purposes men fear to approach boldly, into vessels of service for their belly, and did not even so much as remember the punishment which Belt'shatstsar, the heathen king, received and was reproved! For, because in the vessels of the service of God he purposed to insult God like a rebel by using them in a carnal fashion, the likeness of a palm of a hand that wrote was sent from on high to write on the wall of his house the righteous sentence of condemnation for his presumption: though how indeed can the vessels of service of the temple in Jerusalem be compared to the glorious vessels of service of the body and blood of the Son of God? For neither is the showbread of the priests of Israel in any way worthy to be compared to the glory of the transcendent mystery; and, if so be any man likens the bread of the table, which David ate when he was hungry, to the life-giving body of God the Word, we ought to look upon him as |304 a foolish man who does not distinguish the body and blood of the Lord from showbread: wherefore he is an offender against the body and blood of our Lord. For the showbread scarcely cleansed a bodily pollution, even when baptisms of various kinds were combined with it and observance of this and that: but this life-giving body and blood of our Lord Jesus not only purged and hallowed the sin of the soul and of the body in those who received it with faith, but also caused God to be in us, and that by His Spirit, as we are in Him by our body; ²³ for, 'Whoso eateth My body and drinketh My blood,' says the Son of God, 'he is in Me and I in him, and I will raise him up at the last day.' ²⁴ In another way again we may understand the greatness of this service, which is a new one, delivered to us by God the Word, from the hard and severe punishment which Paul pronounced against those who have enjoyed it, beyond that received by those who offend against the old service introduced by Moses; for he said, 'If so be he who transgressed against Moses' law died without mercy at the mouth of two or three witnesses, of how much sorer punishment will he be worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of His covenant as that of an ordinary man, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of His grace, wherewith we were sanctified.' ²⁵ Who is there, therefore, who is so mad as to compare this bread of life, which came down from heaven by virtue of its union with God the Word and gives life to the world, to the showbread with its earthly seasoning? But the opinion of anyone who thinks or acts in this manner is manifest and is, moreover, clearly apparent, for he who thus madly receives it reckons it to be in fact common bread, as he sees it, and does not believe the Son who says, 'The bread which I will give is My body, which is given for the life of the world;' ²⁶ for it follows that not only is the bread in the body of Christ, as is seen by them, but in the bread is the body of the invisible God, ²⁷ as we believe and |305 receive the body ²⁸ not to satisfy our bellies but to heal our souls. For²⁹ those who eat the holy bread in faith do in it and with it eat the living body of God the Sanctifier, and those who eat it without faith receive sustenance, as with other things necessary for the body. For, if the bread is carried off and eaten by enemies by violence, they eat common bread, because those that eat it have not faith, which perceives its sweetness: for the bread is tasted by the palate, but the virtue which is hidden in the bread is tasted by faith. For that which is eaten is not only the body of our Saviour, as we said a little before, but whatever is mingled with it, as we believe: for the virtue ³⁰ which is not eaten is mingled with the edible bread, and to those that partake of it becomes one with it, even as the hidden heavens mingle with the visible water, and from them a new birth is born. For the Spirit secretly hovers over the visible water, so that from it a likeness of the heavenly Adam is born anew. ³¹ And, just as in the visible water, in order that it may impart to all who are outwardly baptized in it, there is invisible life, so also in the external bread food is hidden and concealed, of which everyone who rightly partakes obtains immortal life; and we believe the saying of Paul, that those who receive it slightingly obtain from it injury to soul and body and are not profited, even if they are reckoned among the believers. And would that they obeyed the saying of the apostle, who says, 'And let a man examine himself, and then let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup; and he that eateth of it when he is not fit for it eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself! ³² And the same proclaims by his words that it is on account of our enmity against the body and blood that the various infirmities |306 and unexpectedly sudden death have befallen us by a righteous judgment. "By reason of this happen most of the diseases and sicknesses, and the fate of those who fall asleep suddenly. But, if we judged ourselves, we should not be judged. But, when our Lord judges us, He gives us a discipline, that we may not be condemned with the world." ³³ And, if those who were in the fixed days of service were now to partake, they would receive one substance only of the body of life. If it be done without the sorrow of repentance, and men do not receive it in faith with reverent fear, even if they do not also commit a deed contrary to their faith, then they are guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, as Paul said, because they do not discern the Lord's body. What punishment can be too severe for this, too great even to be applied to the judgment of those who approach it without fear and do not receive an aliment of faith, but a thing necessitated by their hunger? O, what insolence is this, to which the divine retribution is not equal, if it slays the man! Who does not fear even heaven, when men satisfy the needs of their bodies on a coal of devouring fire, as if it were common bread? Who is not frightened at this statement, that of the coal on which our life depends, that which the seraph revealed to us, grasping it with a fiery forceps in his hand, to signify the sublimity of our mystery, and, while meditating upon it with reverence, approached to take hold of it, of this these men eat to satiety and without fear? And before the body which is given for the life of the world their heart does not quake and they are not afraid, and their hands do not tremble or shake, and their knees do not slip that they should fall, when they eat it for the support of bodily life. And perhaps we ought to say that our Lord also in His full knowledge of all times knew the deed of these men; and for this reason, after they had eaten of the legal passover and were satisfied, then blessed the bread and gave it to His disciples, in order that these men might not say that, after He had blessed, they were satisfied (but, after they were satisfied, He blessed, when the Master and His disciples took a small particle of it); and over the cup He said, |307 'Take, drink ye all of it,' that they might understand by this that it was of this small cup of which twelve persons drank.

"And it must needs be said that they thought of themselves that they would attract the admiration of simple persons (?) by their abstinence from bread and wine, and did not understand that the laughter of the intelligent would defeat and overcome them, and would fall upon their heads, prevailing over the praise of ignorant persons like them. Those who are like them have in all this unpardonable sin accepted for themselves glory from perishing men, even though it did not result to them. It is not fit that they should be named men, but, in justice, they should be named rabid dogs: for the sign of rabid dogs is this, that they suddenly attack the body of their master to eat it.

"And a man who has forbidden himself bread ought to be empty and not taste anything until the time appointed for him. And this is well known that, when Saul enacted that no one should taste anything on the day of battle until the evening, then Jonathan, because he tasted some honey on the end of his rod, incurred the penalty of death, if it had not been for the violence of the people until he was safe. For 'the foundation of the life of man is bread and water,' says Jesus Bar Asira, the son of Simeon. (Under the name of bread he extended his saying to all food.) And they say of these men that, after they have received the oblation in the morning, and partaken of it yet again in the evening, then they lightly (?) ³⁴ eat other food and lightly (?) feed on dressed beet and pulse.³⁵ They are said to fill themselves on cheese instead of bread; they are, moreover, in the habit of eating fish with all their pleasant taste; they sate themselves largely |308 on delicious fruit, and they delight in it particularly when dry, besides honey-combs and egg-cakes. And, because the heat of the wine which they drink under the name of the Sacrament inflames them more with thirst, all through the summer season they are said regularly to drink the milk of sheep and goats; and this again they have done of set purpose, for they have also discovered that the moisture and coolness of milk are found to temper the perpetual burning which results from the wine in their excess. Now, because of these things, and by reason of them, there is in due season uttered, as it shall be spoken, against them also the righteous reproof of God which He pronounced to Eli because of his sons: 'Behold! I have given you all the good things of the earth, that ye might use them without sin; even as for them I set apart all the offerings of the children of Israel, that they might enjoy them without guilt. Wherefore have ye also offended against My body and My blood, like those who wrought wickedness against My sacrifices and against My offerings?' And, since the impiety of these men against God has far surpassed the impiety of those others, which was committed against the people, there has been fear and great trembling in case they should suffer, lest also a punishment like that which went forth against those should be pronounced against them. " 'Wherefore,' thus said the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should minister before Me for ever'; but now the Lord saith, 'Be it far from Me! for them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.' " ³⁶ You see how He rejected them for ever from the priesthood, and made them outcasts and aliens from His house.

"Now, what shall I say of men who are not in unison |309 with the prophets of the Old Testament, nor yet resemble ³⁷ the apostles of the New? For they ought at least to have learned from the chief of the apostles, Peter, what his food was; since he has plainly stated in what his bodily life consisted. For, when his chosen disciple, Clement, asked him to allow him to be his only minister, he spoke thus to him, praising his zeal and jesting at his sustenance: 'Why! Who is strong enough for all this ministry? Are we not continually eating bread and olives? or perhaps it may be that sometimes there may also be a cabbage.' ³⁸ Moreover, have they not also received a good tradition from Paul, the preacher of truth? For, behold! he also out of the greatness of his need sent and sold his tunic, and with the price of it it is written that they bought bread only and brought it to him with a cabbage, ³⁹ that by his action he might lay down a law for us also, as in his saying, 'If we have food and raiment, that is enough for us.' ⁴⁰ And, if it is a small thing for them to liken themselves to the apostles, the baptizers of the world, let them imitate even the Lord of the apostles, the Maker of the worlds, and of all that is in them; unless, perhaps, even the human dispensation of our God is contemptible and vile in their eyes. For, behold! as to our Lord, He has everywhere shown us that He ate bread; and the bread too was not of wheat, but it was of barley, and so were the seven other loaves, which were fruitful and multiplied at His word, and 4000 men ate of them and left seven baskets actually (?) full of bread. And, when He ate the passover with His disciples, unleavened bread was set before Him. And also after His resurrection from the dead He ate bread with His disciples for forty days, that the dispensation of our Lord and His fleshly assumption of a body might be believed by them, as they themselves wrote: 'Jesus went in and out among them.' ⁴¹ And the house of Cleopas, |310 because He did not wish them to recognise Him while walking with them in the way, He blessed over bread and brake it for them within the house, and then they knew Him.

"But these men, as I hear, do not follow in their deeds those that err, nor yet are they in concord with the truth in their actions; for they are not circumcised like the Marcionists, neither are they ascetic after the manner of Christians. For, behold! they are not like those deniers of the truth who eat only pulse or bread, but do not presume to commit a lie at their oblations, neither yet do they resemble us believers who eat common bread in moderation and receive the support of our true life separately.

"Why have these gluttons not trained themselves, so that cheap things only might be enough for them? And why have these guzzlers not accustomed themselves to repel the hunger of their belly with something mean and vile? And wherefore do they not eat ordinary, simple, common bread only? But it is plain that it is in order that they may not afflict themselves. But, if they really wish to afflict their bodies, let them not sate themselves, but eat bread only. And, behold! they are wasted and shrunk and reduced to weakness. But it is plain and manifest that these men do not struggle with their bodies, nor yet do they wrestle with Satan; but for the sake of vain glory they exercise themselves in the tricks of their evil devices, and not in the afflictions of asceticism."

And further the rest of the epistle with proofs from the Scriptures. |311

CHAPTER V

THE FIFTH CHAPTER, CONCERNING THE DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH WHICH EPHRAIM OF ANTIOCH PERFORMED, AND THE SYNOD OF THE BISHOPS OF HIS JURISDICTION

Ephraim,⁴² who was chief priest in Antioch, rebuilt from its foundations the round-shaped church in Antioch and the four triklinia adjoining it. And, when he performed the consecration of it, he assembled one hundred and thirty-two bishops from his jurisdiction in the year one; ⁴³ and on the occasion of the dedication of the church he received a contribution from each one of them, such as he pleased, on a lavish scale. And he confirmed the Synod of Chalcedon in a document which the bishops whom he had assembled were required to sign; and they anathematised the holy Severus, the believing patriarch, and everyone who agrees with him and does not accept the Synod.

But God, who makes judgment for the. oppressed, after a short time roused up the Assyrian against him and against the city, according to the words of the prophet, who said, "The Assyrian is the rod of Mine anger and the whip wherewith I scourge: against a profane people will I send him, and against a peevish people will I give him a charge, to lead away captives and to take the prey." And two years afterwards, in the year three, Khosru went up against Antioch, as described in the following chapter.⁴⁴

The rest of the tenth Book is wanting in Add. 17,202. The sixteenth chapter and a fragment of the fifteenth are, however, contained in Cod. Rom., and the former exists also in a shortened form in Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 12,154 (fol. 158), from which it is published by Land. Part of the contents of |312 chapters 6-15 may also be recovered from the fragments of James of Edessa (Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 14,685, fol. 22), and from Michael and Gregory.

FRAGMENTS OF CHS. 6-8 FROM MICH. FOL. 173 R; GREG. P. 79, AND JAC. EDESS. L.C ⁴⁵.

In the eleventh year of Justinian, which is the year eight hundred and fifty of the Greeks,⁴⁶ in the month of December (?) ⁴⁷ a great and terrible comet appeared in the sky ⁴⁸ at evening-time for one hundred days.⁴⁹ And that year the peace between the kingdoms was broken, and Khosru, king of the Persians, went up and carried off captives from the cities of Sura and Antioch and Berrhoea and Apamea and the districts belonging to them, a bitter captivity. And the Romans also went down to Persia and carried off captives from the countries of Kurdistan and Arzanene and Arabia.

Then Khosru went up against Callinicus with a great army, and carried off captives from it and from the whole of the southern part ⁵⁰ of the land between the Rivers.⁵¹

FRAGMENT OF CH. 9 FROM MICH. FOL. 184 R ⁵²

[Moreover Zachariah the Rhetor also writes concerning this scourge as follows.] |313

In the Greek version of the prophecy of Ezekiel is a passage referring to the plague of tumours; and instead of what is stated in the Syriac language, "All knees shall flow with water," ⁵³ he says, "All thighs shall be befouled with pus." ⁵⁴ And this plague, which is the rising of a swelling on the groins and in the arm-pits of men, began in Egypt and Ethiopia and Alexandria and Nubia ⁵⁵ and Palestine and Phoenicia and Arabia and Byzantium (?) and Italy and Africa and Sicily and Gaul, and it penetrated to Galatia and Cappadocia and Armenia and Antioch and Arzanene and Mesopotamia, and gradually to the land of the Persians and to the peoples of the North-East, and it slew. And those who were afflicted (?) with the scourge and happened to recover and not die trembled and shook: and it was known that it was a scourge from Satan, who was ordered by God to destroy men.

In the city of Emesa was the head of John the Baptist, and many sought refuge with it and escaped: and the demons were disturbed before men, being scattered (?) by the saint.

FRAGMENTS OF CHS. 10, 11 FROM JAC. EDESS. L.C., MICH. FOL. 173 R; GREG. P. 79 ⁵⁶

The Romans went down and did much destruction in the country of Armenia.⁵⁷ |314

And again Khosru went up and made an attack ⁵⁸ upon Edessa, and, not being able to take it, he carried off captives from Batna; and departed.

FRAGMENT OF CH. 12 FROM MICH. FOL. 186 V,⁵⁹ AND GREG. HIST. ECCL. PP. 215, 217.

And on account of the distress and scanty numbers of the pastors among the Persians there was a man named Cyrus, a believing bishop,⁶⁰ who consecrated and ordained priests, and that from the year one down to this year eight.⁶¹ And, lest the heads of the communities of believers should be blamed, or because the priests who were among the Persians belonged to the opposite party (?), and they were assailed by affliction and trouble, they procured provisions (?);⁶² and then after due deliberation they consecrated and appointed chief priests in Arabia; and these were Theodore the monk, a strenuous man, and James, the laborious and industrious, the very strenuous,⁶³ who was then in the royal city.⁶⁴ And he was to be found everywhere, visiting and exhorting with readiness. And he was a practiser of poverty and an ascetic, and swift on his feet, and travelled like 'Asahel.⁶⁵ And he was a presbyter in the monastery of the Quarry in the village of Gamuwa, which is on the mountain of Izlo.⁶⁶ And by the treaty which he concluded he rescued many from among the Persians. |315

FRAGMENTS OF CHS. 13, 14 FROM JAC. EDESS. L.C.; MICH. FOL. 185 V; GREG. P. 81 ⁶⁷

Khosru, king of the Persians, again went up and carried off captives from ⁶⁸ Petra, a city in Lazica, and placed a garrison there.⁶⁹ And from that time the Romans continued making attacks upon it for seven years, and then the Persians were defeated and the Romans took it from them.

And at that time there was a scarcity of produce and a lack of the fruit of trees, in the year nine,⁷⁰ and there was a famine which destroyed soul and body, and it was followed by emaciation such that a man ate 10 lbs. of bread at one time and whatever other kinds of food he could get with it through greediness and hunger. And he became swollen and inflated from the food, but was not satisfied, but was hungry and greedy for food, and asked for bread to fill his belly, and so he died.

After this there was a plague among oxen in all countries, especially in the East, and it lasted two years, until the lands remained untilled for lack of oxen. |316

CHAPTER XV

ABOUT THE SACK OF ROME, WHICH IN THE DAYS OF JUSTINIAN THE BARBARIANS TOOK AND SACKED ⁷¹

[In the eighteenth year of Justinian, which is the year eight hundred and fifty-seven of the Greeks,⁷² the barbarians⁷³ took Rome, the chief city of Italy; and since they could not guard it, they established themselves in the camp by the side of it, while they left the city deserted and empty.⁷⁴]

In ⁷⁵ the third year after the sack of the city of Ilium, which was sacked in the days of Samson and Eli the priest in Jerusalem, kings began to be set up in the city of Rome, which was at first called Italy, and the kings who reigned in it were called kings of the Latins. And in the days of Yotham and Ahaz, kings of Judah, Romulus became king there, and he built up the city with great and noble buildings, and it was called Rome after his name; and the kingdom of its inhabitants was called the kingdom of the Romans from the time of Hezekiah the king. |317

CHAPTER XVI

[FROM THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF ZACHARIAH, FROM THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER OF THE TENTH BOOK], ABOUT THE OBJECTS AND BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF ROME ⁷⁶

Now the description of the decorations of the city, given shortly, is as follows, with respect to the wealth of its inhabitants, and their great and pre-eminent prosperity, and their grand and glorious objects of luxury and pleasure, as in a great city of wonderful beauty.

Now its pre-eminent decorations are as follows, not to speak of the splendour inside the houses and the beautiful formation of the columns in their halls and of their colonnades (?) and of their staircases, and their lofty height, as in the city of wonderful beauty.

It ⁷⁷ contains 24 churches of the blessed apostles, Catholic churches. It contains 2 great basilica, where the king sits and the senators are assembled before him every day. It contains 3 24 great spacious streets. It contains 2 great capitols. It contains 80 golden gods. It contains 64 ivory gods. It contains 46,603 dwelling-houses. It contains 1797 houses of magnates. It contains 1352 reservoirs ⁷⁸ pouring |318 forth water. It contains 274 bakers, who are constantly making and distributing annonae to the inhabitants of the city, besides those who make and sell in the city. It contains 5000 cemeteries, where they lay out and bury. It contains 31 great marble pedestals.⁷⁹ It contains 3785 bronze statues of kings and magistrates. It contains, moreover, 25 bronze statues of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, and of the kings of the house of David, which Vespasian the king brought up when he sacked Jerusalem, and the gates of Jerusalem and other bronze objects.⁸⁰ It contains 2 colossal statues. It contains 2 columns of shells.⁸¹ It contains 2 circuses. It contains 2 theatres and one.⁸² It contains 2 amphitheatres.⁸³ It contains 4 beth ulde.⁸⁴ It contains 11 imfiya.⁸⁵ It contains 22 great and mighty bronze horses.⁸⁶ It contains 926 ⁸⁷ baths. It contains 4 orbilikon.⁸⁸ It contains 14 tinon enkofitoriyon.⁸⁹ It contains |319 2 parenamabole ⁹⁰ of special bronze horses. ⁹¹ It contains 45 sistre.⁹² It contains 2300 public oil-warehouses. It contains 291 prisons or aspoke.⁹³ It contains in the regions 254 public places ⁹⁴ or privies. It contains 673 emparkhe,⁹⁵ who guard the city, and the men who command them all are 7. The gates of the city are 37. Now the circumference of the whole city is 216,036 feet, which is 40 miles; the diameter of the city from east to west is 12 miles, and from north to south 12 miles.⁹⁶

But God is faithful, who will make its second prosperity greater than its first, because great is the glory of all the might of the dominion of the Romans.

The eleventh Book, the first three chapters of the twelfth Book, and the beginning of the fourth chapter are missing.

[Note to the online edition: footnotes have been moved to the end. Footnotes concerned only with bits of Syriac and Greek have been omitted because of the time it would take to transcribe it.]

1. ¹ 537.

2. ² One of these numbers must be erroneous, for the thirteenth year of the indiction ends with Aug. 31, 550, while the year 859 of the Seleucids ends with Sept. 30, 548. The latter is probably right, as the fall of Rome, with which the Book ends, was on Dec. 17, 546.

3. ³ 537 and 539.

4. ⁴ Text " L'gin."

5. ¹ 546 and 547.

6. ³ Mich. fol. 173 v.

7. ⁵ 536.

8. ⁶ In this chapter the MS. is very much torn and obliterated. The words in brackets are conjectural supplements.

9. ¹ This supplement is made probable by the account in Elijah's life of John of Constantia (ed. Kleyn, p. 47).

10. ² 536-7.

11. ⁷ The MS. is here very indistinct, and, as Land's text is very incomplete, I give the text which I follow, conjectural supplements being enclosed in square brackets:

12. 1 537-8.

13. ² 540

14. ³ 537-8.

15. ⁸ 537- A year ending with—... can hardly in this place be other than fifteen.

16. ¹¹ Or possibly Kut...

17. ² Mich.: "he suffocated his archdeacon"; but I cannot get this from the letters remaining in our text.

18. ⁶ I.e. son of a cobbler.

19. ⁹ Here the MS. breaks off. The words in brackets I supply from the headings in the introduction to this Book. The whole of this chapter and the following are missing.

20. ¹ This letter is also published by Overbeck in his edition of Ephraim (p. 231 ff.) from our MS. The beginning of it is quoted by Assemani (B. O. vol. i. p. 409), as from John of Ephesus ap. "Dion." This extract bears no indication that it is part of a letter, and varies considerably from our author.

21. ² Jo. Eph. ap. "Dion." (Assem., B. 0. i. p. 409); Mich. fol. 179ff.

22. ⁷ We rather require " to state."

23. ¹ Mich. "his body."

24. ² John vi. 54, 56.

25. ⁴ Heb. x. 28, 29.

26. ⁶ John vi. 52.

27. ⁷ Mich. "Son of God."

28. ¹ A comparison with Mich. shows that at this point a leaf has been lost in our MS., which I supply from Mich. An extract from this portion is also contained in Add. MS. 14,532, fol. 67, from which it has been edited by Overbeck (op. cit. p. 230). The translation of the part which exists only in Arabic I submit with great diffidence, having but a very superficial knowledge of that language.

29. ² Here the extract in 14,532 begins.

30. ⁴ Mich. "the body."

31. ⁵ Here the extract in 14,532 ends.

32. ⁶ I Cor. xi. 28, 29.

33. ¹ i Cor. ii. 30-32.

34. ⁴... Here the Syriac text again begins.

35. ⁵ I insert "beet and" from Mich.

36. ⁴ I Sam. ii. 30.

37. ¹ Mich. "listen to.;'

38. ² Clem. Hom. xii. 5, 6; id. Recog. vii. 5, 6.

39. ³ Act. Paul. et Thecl. xxiii. (Syriac, Wright, pp. 147, 148; translation, pp. 129, 130).

40. ⁴ i Tim. vi. 8.

41. ⁸ Acts i. 21.

42. ¹ Mich. fol. 173 v.

43. ² 537-8.

44. ⁹ There follow in the MS. the words [Syriac], "the sixth chapter,"

45. ¹ The order and contents of these passages agree so well with the headings at the beginning of this Book, that I make no doubt that they are taken from our author. In general I follow Michael, whose account is the longest.

46. ² 538-9.

47. ³ Or January, it not being stated whether it was the st or the nd Khonun. The month is only in Jac. Edess.

48. ⁴ "In the sky" is only in Jac. Edess.

49. ⁵ So Jac. Edess. Mich. has "several days."

50. ⁶ "The southern part" is only in Jac. Edess.

51. ⁷ Mich. and Greg. afterwards relate the capture of Antioch and Callinicus over again. As this second account occurs in similar words in "Dionysius" (Cod. Syr. Vat. 162, fol. 71), who writes out John of Ephesus, and is absent in Jac. Edess., it is almost certainly derived from John, a fact which strongly confirms the previous conclusion that the account in the text is derived from our author.

52. ⁸ Greg. (p. 80) also quotes a passage relating to the plague as from Zachariah; but only the last sentence of this is identical with Mich.'s quotation, the rest being identical with a passage quoted by Mich. from Jo. Eph. It is clear, therefore, that either Gregory has erred or his text is corrupted.

53. ¹ Ezek. vii. 17.

54. ² This passage is written in the margin of 9. 13 in Cod. Rom., where it is printed by Mai (p. 358) as part of the text (see p. 242, note l).

55. ³ Greg. "Libya."

56. ⁷ The close correspondence of this account of the expedition against Edessa with the heading of ch. 9 seems to show that it is derived from our author. Jac. Edess., indeed, inserts the capture of Petra between the Armenian campaign and the expedition to Edessa, but only by a slip, for the following sentence, " and from that time the Romans were attacking it" etc. (see ch. 13), must refer to Petra, not to Edessa, as is proved by the sense and by a comparison with Mich.

57. ⁸ In Jac. Edess. only.

58. ¹ "And made an attack" is in Jac. Edess. only.

59. ² That this passage is derived from our author is shown by the use of the indictional years, which is not found in Jo. Eph. Moreover, according to our author's own peculiar fashion the numerals are given in Greek.

60. ³ "Of Singara " is added by Greg.

61. ⁴ 538-545.

62. ⁵ This sentence (not in Greg.) is extremely obscure and probably corrupt. The real meaning seems to be that many Monophysites had been carried off by the Persians.

63. ⁶ Greg. adds "a simple man."

64. ⁷ In Mich. this clause is applied to Theodore, but is followed by the words "This is my lord James Burd''oyo," which seem to be a gloss intended to point out that they really belong to James. After this Greg. inserts "and they ordained him oecumenical metropolitan."

65. ⁸ Mich. "Active in his journeying, and travelled like a courier."

66. ⁹ Greg. adds, "and he began to go round the countries of the East and to give ordination to the orthodox, showing himself in the dress of a beggar, and chiefly on the roads from fear of the persecution."

67. ¹ That this passage comes from our author appears from the juxtaposition of these two events, the campaign in Lazica and the famine, as in the headings above, and from the use of the indictional reckoning with the numeral in Greek; see note below.

68. ² So Mich. Jac. Edess. has "took."

69. ³ Here Jac. Edess. interpolates the attack on Edessa (see ch. 11, note).

70. ⁴ 546. The translator of Mich., who alone records the date, has..., ''in the district of Hanata"; but no such place is known, and I have no doubt that it is a misunderstanding of..., which our author transliterates as... at p. 249, 1. 7, 12; p. 258, 1. 9, 1.

71. ¹ The heading and the latter portion of the chapter are in Cod. Rom. The first paragraph, which seems to be derived from the same source, I supply from Mich. and Greg. (pp. So, 81). A portion of the Syriac Michael containing this paragraph and the description of Rome in the next chapter has been edited by Prof. Guidi (Bull. della Commiss. Arch. di Roma, xix. p. 61 ff.).

72. ² 546. This was the twentieth of Justinian, and the fact that the same misreckoning is found twice in 12. 4 and once in 12. 5 tends to show that this sentence is derived from our author.

73. ³ Mich. "the Romans."

74. ⁵ Mich. adds, "of its people. And that you may know what loss to the empire of the Romans was wrought at its capture, behold! I will write out an account, though only in a summary, composed by one that knew and saw its buildings."

75. ⁶ Mich. fol. 185 r.

76. ² This is the heading in 12,154 (see p. 311). Cod. Rom. has "a description of the decoration of Rome." The chapter has been edited with an introduction, notes, and translation by Prof. Guidi (Bull. della Commiss. Arch. ai Roma, xii. p. 218 ff.; cf. xix. p. 61 ff.), from whose work I have derived much assistance.

77. ⁶ Mich. (ed. Guidi); Notitia ap. Jordan Top. der Stadt Rom, 2. 571.

78. ⁸... Notit. "lacos".

79. ¹.... Notit. "arci marmorei XXXVI."

80. ³ Mich. " and took the bronze gates and other objects."

81. ⁵ A misunderstanding of "columnae coclides."

82. ⁶... 12,154 has [Syriac] " 3," and so Mich. Notit. " theatra III."

83. ⁷... Notit. "amphitheatra II."

84. ⁸.... Notit. "ludi IIII." Mich. Arab, adds [Syriac], "granaries."

85. ⁹... (Guidi). Notit. "nymfea XV" (MS. B "XI). Mich. Syr...., Arab...., "places of amusement.".

86. ¹⁰ The MS. has... "feeble," not..., "bronze," as Mai; but we must read..., and so Mich.

87. ¹² Mich. Syr. 56, Arab. "956," and so MS. B of Notitia: cet. "856."

88. ¹³.... Notit. " Cohortes vigilum VII."

89. ¹⁴... = Notit. "quorum excubitoria XIII," "quorum" having been translated..., and... omitted by the Syrian (Guidi).

90. ¹.... Notit. "castra" (Guidi).

91. ² A mistranslation of "equitum singularium" (Guidi).

92. ³.... Notit. "lupanaria XLV." MS. "46." Read "45" with Mich.

93. ⁵ Notit. "horrea CCXC " (MS. B " CCXCI"), so that... is probably a corruption of... (Duval in Guidi); but, as Mich. also has "prisons," the corruption may have existed in our author's original text, and I therefore do not emend....

94. ⁶ This word (...) generally means "public baths"; but the translation in the text accords with Notit. "latrinas publicae" (the Curiosum printed opposite adds "quod est sicessos") "CCXLIIII."

95. ⁷... (Guidi). Mich. Arab...., "custodians"; Notit. "vicomagistri DCLXXII" (MS. B DCLXXIII).

96. ⁸ Here 12,154 adds, "These are exclusive of many things which we have not set down here. And these things the author set down while weeping for the city, because in his time the barbarians entered it and sacked it." This MS. omits the sentences containing corrupt or difficult words, as well as the introductory and concluding sentences. Mich. (Arab. fol. 185 r) has, in place of the concluding sentence, "Verily for the sack of this great city, which was completely burnt at this time by a barbarian people, Justinian the king sorrowed exceedingly, and all the magnates of the kingdom clothed themselves in mourning. And in those days the king's sorrow was increased by the death of the queen, the blessed Theodora, who departed in the twentieth year of the reign of Justinian, which is the year eight hundred and fifty-nine of the Greeks, and he gave a large quantity of gold on behalf of her soul." Greg. (p. 81) has the same in a shorter form.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: zachariah12.htm

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 12.

Zachariah of Mitylene, Syriac Chronicle (1899). Book 12.

BOOK XII

CHAPTER IV

[Note to the online text: book 11 and the first 3 chapters of book 12 are lost from the manuscript.]

... earnestly [admonished] her not to do this in a vile manner and injure her spirit on account of the future righteous judgment. And she said to him, "How can I worship Him, when He is not visible and I do not know Him?" And after this one day, while she was in her park (and these things were in her mind), in a fountain of water which was in the park she saw a picture of Jesus our Lord, painted on a linen cloth, and it was in the water; and on taking it out she was surprised that it was not wet. And, to show her veneration for it, she concealed it in the head-dress which she was wearing, and brought it and showed it to the man who was instructing her; and on the head-dress also was imprinted an exact copy of the picture which came out of the water. And one picture came to Caesarea some time after our Lord's passion, and the other picture was kept in the village of Camulia, and a temple was built in honour of it by Hypatia, who became a Christian. But some time afterwards another woman from the village of Dibudin, mentioned above,¹ in the |321 jurisdiction ² of Amasia, when she learned these things, was moved with enthusiasm, and somehow or other brought one copy of the picture from Camulia to her own village; and in that country men call it "a0xeiropoi/htoj," that is, "not made with hands"; and, moreover, she also built a temple in honour of it. So much for these things.

In the twenty-seventh year of the reign of Justinian, the year three,³ a marauding band of barbarians came to the village of Dibudin and burned it and the temple, and carried the people into captivity. And certain earnest men, natives of the country, informed the serene king of these things, and begged him to give a contribution and to have the temple and the village restored (?) and the people ransomed. And he gave what he pleased. But one of the men attached to the king's person in the palace advised him to have the picture of our Lord carried on a circular progress through the cities by these priests, and a sum of money sufficient for the building of the temple and the village collected. And behold! from the year three until the year nine⁴ they have been conveying it about.⁵ And I believe that these things happened under the direction of Providence, because there are two comings of Christ according to the purport of the Scriptures, one in humility, which also took place five hundred and sixty-two years before this year nine, which is also the thirty-third of the reign of Justinian, and a future one in glory, which we are awaiting; and this same thing is a type of the progress of the mystery and picture and wreathed image of the King and Lord of those above and those below, which shall be quickly revealed. And, indeed, I admonish my own self and my brethren, since there is fear |322 of falling into the hands of God, that every man devote himself to affliction and penitence, for he shall be requited for his deeds; for the coming of our God, the righteous Judge, is already near; to whom with His Father and the Holy Spirit be glory. Amen.

CHAPTER V

THE FIFTH CHAPTER TREATS OF THE POWDER, CONSISTING OF ASHES, WHICH FELL FROM HEAVEN

In addition to all the evil and fearful things described above and recorded below, the earthquakes and famines and wars in divers places, and the abundance of iniquity and the deficiency of love and faith, which have happened and are happening, there has also been fulfilled against us and against this last generation the curse of Moses in Deuteronomy, when he admonished the people who had come out of Egypt, when they were just about to enter the land of promise, and said to them, "If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt not observe and do all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee this day, all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee"; ⁶ and a little further on he speaks thus: "The Lord shall give for the rain of thy land powder; and dust from heaven shall He send down upon thee, until He destroy thee. And He shall smite thee before thine enemies; and thy carcase shall be meat unto the fowls of heaven and unto the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no man to fray them away." ⁷

Such fearful things and more fearful things are coming; for in the year four,⁸ on the first Sabbath, which is the Sabbath before the feast of unleavened bread, the heavens above us |323 were covered with stormy (?) clouds, brought by the east winds, and instead of the usual rain and moistening water dropped upon the earth a powder composed of ashes and dust by the commandment of God. And it showed itself upon stones and fell upon walls; and discerning men were in fear and trepidation and anxiety, and instead of the joy of the Passover they were in sorrow, because all the things that are written had been fulfilled against us on account of our sins. Now it was the twenty-eighth year of this king.

Now, as regards the scope and sequence of the work, the book has brought us down in chronological order as far as the year four; but as to one chapter, concerning an event which happened here at the end of the year one,⁹ which before this year four we omitted, we have retraced our steps like men on the sea through the violence of the waves and record it briefly, it being as follows:—

CHAPTER VI

THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF THE TWELFTH BOOK, CONCERNING BASILISCUS, A PRESBYTER OF ANTIOCH, WHO WENT TO AMIDA WITH AUDONO (?) THE DUKE

In the summer of the year one,¹⁰ when the year was now just drawing to an end, and a council of bishops was being held in the royal city, certain men, their representatives in the cities here, whose names I forbear to record, some of |324 them, as I think, acting out of jealousy (?) of spite, wrote to their bishops, who were sojourning in the West, in order to please them and also to gratify their ears, saying, "There are certain Schismatics, that is, dividers, in the district, and especially in the land between the Rivers, who are holding councils and are, as it were, attracting the whole people from one end to the other to join them, and are in separation from our Church." And the bishops there brought the communication which they had received before the king, and he ordered Audono (?) ¹¹ the duke, who was at Hamimtho, to investigate the matter in conjunction with Basiliscus, a presbyter of Antioch; and they were to reconcile them, if willing, to the Church. And, while the matter so stood, Bar Korgis, a presbyter of Amida, joined them at Hamimtho; and he assembled the priests and the inhabitants of the villages in the district of the trench and put constraint on them, as ¹² well as from the property, so to speak, of Dith, a believing man, who had lately died, and from Ingilene and Tzophanene. And, when these men reached the city of Amida, then they put pressure on the five chaste cloisters of monks there with the intention of ejecting them; and they spoke with them and listened to them. And they readily met them, and especially the gentle John the archimandrite, of whom we have mentioned ¹³ that he was providentially present, a Greek and a grammarian, and the earnest Sergius, their visitor; which men stood at their |325 head, supported by the learned and believing men, John and Sobbo, and Stephen, an archiatros of the city. And they did not expel the cloister societies of monks, but they retired to Izlo. And, since Peter, the master of. the offices, arrived in the year two,¹⁴ and heard from the monks about the threats made against them, he withdrew them. The duke he restrained from again expelling the monks, and censured him.

CHAPTER VII

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER TREATS OF THE MAP OF THE WORLD WHICH WAS MADE BY THE DILIGENCE OF PTOLEMY PHILOMETOR, KING OF EGYPT

Now Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, as the Chronicle of Eusebius of Caesarea declares, two hundred and eighty years and more before the birth of our Lord, at the beginning of his reign, set the Jewish captives in Egypt free and sent offerings to Jerusalem to Izra'el,¹⁵ who was priest at that time; and he assembled seventy men learned in the law and had the Holy Scriptures translated from the Hebrew tongue into Greek; and he stored them up and kept them with him; for in this matter he was indeed moved by God, in order to prepare for the calling of the nations who should attain to knowledge, that they might be true worshippers of the glorious Trinity through the ministration of the Spirit.

Yet again about the space of one hundred and thirty years after him Ptolemy Philometor also was honourably moved and exerted himself, and by means of ambassadors and letters and presents, which he sent and dispatched to the rulers of the countries of the nations, he urged them to write down and send to him the limits of the lands under their sway and of the neighbouring peoples, and also a description of their habitations and their customs. And they wrote and sent them to him except the northern region extending to the East |326 and to the West. And we have thought it necessary to write it out here at the end for the understanding of the discerning. And the account is as follows:—

[At this point follows an epitome of the geography of Claudius Ptolemaeus, whom our author has taken for an Egyptian king. As no good purpose would be served by publishing a translation of this section, I omit it. A portion of it is also contained under Zachariah's name in Add. MS. 14,620, fol. 28, with considerable variations from our MS. After the description of the province of Africa this MS. has the curious addition, "and they speak Syriac and Latin." There is another addition to Ptolemy in the notice of the Scenitae of Arabia Felix,¹⁶ where our author adds, "who are called Sabaeans," to which 17,202 further adds, "the same is Sh'ba," while in place of the Sabaeans, whom Ptolemy mentions lower down,¹⁷ our author has "the Ofirians, the same is Ofir." ¹⁸ These additions are of course due to our author himself or some earlier Christian translator; but there are others which point to a difference of reading. Thus in place of " 'Aqa&kai, Ai0qi/opej"¹⁹ he has "others who live in the water, who eat fruit," and to the notice of the Sachalites he adds, "from whence come pearls, and they sail on the water on bladders," an addition which in Nobbe's text of Ptolemy is printed as the note of a Scholiast.²⁰ Again to the notice of the frankincense country in Ethiopia²¹ he adds, "thence comes beet." There are a few other places where our author throws some light on Ptolemy's text. Thus in place of the Pexi=noi ²² of Ethiopia he has "cubit-men," and, therefore, perhaps read Phxi=noi, while among the tribes of Arabia Felix in the place where Nobbe's text has Dwrhnoi/ ²³ our author's reading [Syriac] (14,620, [Syriac]) shows that he read "Dwsarhnoi/," as in the text of |327 Montanus. Other variations from Ptolemy's text are probably due to carelessness or misunderstanding. There is, however, one peculiar variation, of which it is hard to see the origin, in the account of Taprobane, where our author has "and their women are deaf," the corresponding statement in Ptolemy being "[Greek]." ²⁴ I continue the translation at p. 336, 1. 13, of Land's text.]

This description of the peoples of the world was made, as recorded above, by the exertions of Ptolemy Philometor and in the thirtieth year of his reign, one hundred and fifty years before the birth of our Saviour, so that the space of time from that day to the present, which is the twenty-eighth year of the reign of Justinian, the serene king of our days, the eight hundred and sixty-sixth year of Alexander, and the three hundred and thirty-third Olympiad,²⁵ will be found to be a space of seven hundred and eleven years. In such a space of time, therefore, how many cities have been built and added among all peoples in the world from the time of Ptolemy down to the present day, and especially since the birth of our Saviour! And peace has reigned among nations and kindreds and tongues, and they have not observed their former custom, nor has nation stood up to make war or to use their swords against nation, nor have they contended in battle, in that the prophecy has been fulfilled in them which says, "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning-hooks."²⁶

And besides these there are also in this northern region five believing peoples, and their bishops are twenty-four, and their Catholic lives at D'win, the chief city of Persian Armenia. The name of their Catholic²⁷ was Gregory, a righteous and a distinguished man. |328

Further Gurzan,²⁸ a country in Armenia, and its language is like Greek; and they have a Christian prince, who is subject to the king of Persia.

Further the country of Arran in the country of Armenia, with a language of its own, a believing and baptized people; and it has a prince subject to the king of Persia.

Further the country of Sisagan, with a language of its own, a believing people, and there are also heathens living in it.

The country of Bazgun,²⁹ with a language of its own, which adjoins and extends to the Caspian Gates and sea, the Gates in the land of the Huns. And beyond the Gates are the Bulgarians with their own language, a heathen and barbarous people, and they have cities; and the Alans, and they have five cities; and the men of the race of Dadu (?), and they live on the mountains' and have strongholds; the Unnogur, a people living in tents, the Ogor, the Sabir, the Bulgarian,³⁰ the Khorthrigor, the Avar, the Khasar, the Dirmar (?), the Sarurgur (?), the Bagarsik (?), the Khulas (?), the Abdel, the Ephthalite, these thirteen peoples dwelling in tents; and they live on the flesh of cattle and fish and wild beasts and by arms; and beyond them the tribe of the pigmies and of the dog-men, and north-west of them the Amazons,³¹ women with one breast each, who live entirely by themselves and fight in arms and on horseback; and there is no male among them, but, when they wish to pair, they go in peaceful fashion to a tribe near their country and hold intercourse with them for a month of days and return to their country; and, when they bear a child, if it is a male, they kill it, and, if it is a female, they preserve it alive; and in this way they keep up their Tanks. And the tribe which lives near them is the Harus (?), tall, big-limbed (?) men, who have no weapons of war, and |329 horses cannot carry them because of the bigness of their limbs (?). And to the east again verging on the north are three other black tribes.

Now in the land of the Huns about twenty years and more ago some men translated some books into the native tongue; and the origin of it, which the Lord brought about, I will relate as I heard it from certain truthful men, John of Rhesaina, who was in the monastery founded by Ishokuni close to Amida, and Thomas the tanner, who were carried into captivity when Kawad carried away captives fifty years and more ago. And, when they reached the land. of. the Persians, they were again sold to the Huns and went beyond the gates and were in their country more than thirty years; and they took wives and begot children there. But after about this space of time they returned and told us the story with their own mouths as follows:—

After the coming of the captives from the land of the Romans, whom the Huns had taken away with them, and after they had been in their country for thirty-four years, then an angel appeared to a man named Kardutsat, bishop of the country of Arran, as the bishop related, and said to him, "Take three pious priests and go out into the plain and receive from me a message sent to thee by the Lord of spirits, because I am guardian of the captives who have gone from the land of the Romans to the land of the nations and have offered up their prayer to God. And he told me what to say to thee." And, when this same Kardutsat, which, when translated into Greek, is Theokletos,³² had gone zealously out into the plain and had.., called upon God, he and the three⁴presbyters, then the angel said to them, "Come, go into the land of the nations and warn the children of the dead, arid ordain priests for them, and give them the mysteries, and strengthen them; and behold! I am with you and will deal graciously with you there, and signs shall ye do there among |330 the nations, and all that is needed for your service ye shall find." And four others went with them; and in a country in which no peace is to be found these seven priests from evening to evening found a lodging and seven loaves of bread and a jar of water. And they did not enter by way of the Gates, but were guided over the mountains. And, when they reached the place, they told these things to the captives, and many were baptized, and they made converts among the Huns also. They were there for a week of years, and there they translated books into the Hunnic tongue.

Now at that time Probus happened to be sent on an embassy to those parts by the king, in order to hire some of them to meet the nations in war. And, when he heard from the Huns about these holy men and understood their story also from the captives, he was very eager and desirous to see them. And he saw them, and received a blessing from them, and showed them much honour before the eyes of those nations.

And our king, when he heard from them the facts recorded above, which the Lord so brought about, loaded thirty mules from the territories of the neighbouring Roman cities and sent them to them, and also flour and wine and oil and linen cloths and other commodities and sacramental vessels. And the animals he gave as a present to them, because Probus was a believing and a kindly man.

Now another Armenian bishop also, whose name was Maku (?), was stirred to emulation by such noble deeds and went out after two more weeks of years; and he was honourably moved and went to the country of his own accord and some of his priests with him. And he built a brick church and planted plants and sowed various kinds of seeds and did signs and baptized many. When the rulers of these nations saw something new happening, they admired the men and were greatly pleased with them and honoured them, each |331 one among them inviting them to his own district and his own people, and beseeching them to be his instructors: and behold! they are there to this day. And this same thing is a token of the mercies of God, Who cares for everyone that is His in every place. And henceforth it is the time which is placed in His own power, that the fulness of the peoples may come in, as the apostle said.³³

For for one week of years the king of Persia also, as those who know relate, has separated himself from the eating of things strangled and blood, and from the flesh of unclean beasts and birds, from the time when Tribonian the archiatros came down to him, who was taken captive at that time, and from our serene king came Birowi, a perfect man, and after him Kashowi, and now Gabriel, a Christian of Nisibis. From that time he has understood his food, and his food is not polluted (?) according to the former practice, but rather it is blessed, and then he eats. And Joseph also, the Catholic of the Christians, is high in his confidence, and is closely attached to him, because he is a physician, and he sits before him on the first seat after the chief of the Magians, and whatever he asks of him he receives.

Out of kindness towards the captives and the holy men he has now by the advice of the Christian physicians attached to him made a hospital, a thing not previously known, and has given 100 mules and 50 camels laden with goods (?) from |332 the royal stores, and 12 physicians, and whatever is required is given; and in the king's retinue (?) ³⁴...

[Note to the online edition: an index of names and things and an index of Greek words followed. I have omitted these]

[Note to the online edition: footnotes have been moved to the end. Footnotes concerned only with bits of Syriac and Greek have been omitted because of the time it would take to transcribe it.]

1. ⁶ In the lost beginning of the chapter (?).

2. ¹ The word... generally expresses metropolitan jurisdiction, so that the expression is equivalent to "in the province of Helenopontus."

3. ³554-5

4. ⁷ 561.

5. ⁸ There is perhaps a gap here, as Land marks, though it is not certain that there ever was anything written there. So also in the next line.

6. ¹ Deut. xxviii. 15.

7. ² Deut. xxviii. 24-26.

8. ³ 556.

9. ² Summer 553.

10. ³ 553.

11. ⁴ This perhaps represents the Teutonic Audwin or Aldwin; or we might make the easy correction... for..., and translate "Evodian."

12. ⁶ It is probable that something has here dropped out.

13. ¹⁰ In the lost portion. After this it is probable that something has been lost, since the following statements can hardly apply to John. In this case we may render "of whom we have mentioned that [..., and X.,] who was providentially present."

14. ² 553-4.

15. ⁴ El'azar is meant.

16. ¹ Ptol. Geog. vi. 7. 21.

17. ² Ibid. vi. 7. 23.

18. ³ Similarly in place of... (vi. 7. 24) he has "the mountains of Ofir."

19. ⁴ Ptol. Geog, iv. 9. 3.

20. ⁵ Ibid. vi. 7. 11. Montanus prints it as part of the text, and so it is in the Athos MS. reproduced by Langlois. Wilberg brackets it.

21. ⁶ Ibid. iv. 7. 31.

22. ⁷ Ibid.

23. ⁸ Ibid. vi. 7. 23.... is the reading of nearly all the MSS.

24. ² Ibid. vii. 4. i.

25. ³ 555.

26. ⁵ Isa. ii. 4.

27. ⁶ Probably the word " first " has dropped out.

28. ¹ I.e. Georgia or Iberia.

29. ³ I.e. Abasgia.

30. ⁴ This is probably a corruption or confusion, as the Bulgarians are said above to.have had cities. The people here meant are perhaps the "Bourou&goundoi" of Agath. v. 11.

31. ⁵ Cf. Strabo, xi. 5. 1.

32. ² From Armenian kardal, to call, and Astuats, God.

33. ² Rom. xi. 25.

34. ²... At this point the MS. breaks off, which makes it hard to tell the meaning of this word.... Across the last page of the MS. some illegible words are written in another hand.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2002. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using the Scholars Press SPIonic font, free from here.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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A complete survey of the subject from St. John and St. Paul to modern times, covering the Christian Platonists, Augustine, the Devotional Mystics, the Mediaeval Mystics, and the Nature Mystics and Symbolists, including Böhme and Wordsworth.

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This volume furnishes students with the latest results in biblical criticism, arranged methodically. Each book is treated separately as to date, authorship, etc.

ST. PAUL, THE MASTER-BUILDER. By WALTER LOCK, D.D., Warden of Keble College. Crown vo. s. d. An attempt to popularise the recent additions to our knowledge of St. Paul as a missionary, a statesman and an ethical teacher.

THE OECUMENICAL DOCUMENTS OF THE FAITH. Edited with Introductions and Notes by T. HERBERT BINDLEY, B.D., Merton College, Oxford, Principal of Codrington College and Canon of Barbados, and sometime Examining Chaplain to the Lord Bishop. Crown vo. s.

THE CREED OF NICAEA. THE TOME OF LEO.

THREE EPISTLES OF CYRIL. THE CHALCEDONIAN DEFINITION.

The Churchman's Bible

General Editor, J. H. BURN, B.D., Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Aberdeen.

Messrs. METHUEN propose to issue a series of expositions upon most of the books of the Bible. The volumes will be practical and devotional rather than critical in their purpose, and the text of the authorised version will be explained in sections or paragraphs, which will correspond as far as possible with the divisions of the Church Lectionary.

THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE GALATIANS. Explained by A. W. ROBINSON, B.D., Vicar of All Hallows, Barking. Fcap. vo, s. d. net. Leather, s. d. net.

ECCLESIASTES. Explained by W. A. STREANE, M.A. Fcp. vo. s. d. net. Leather, s. d. net.

The Churchman's Library

Edited by J. H. BURN, B.D.

THE ENGLISH PRAYER BOOK: Its Literary Workmanship. By J. DOWDEN, D.D., Lord Bishop of Edinburgh. Crown vo. s. d. This volume, avoiding questions of controversy, exhibits the liturgical aims and literary methods of the authors of the Prayer Book. |6

The Library of Devotion

Pott vo. Cloth s.; leather s. d. net.

NEW VOLUMES.

A SERIOUS CALL TO A DEVOUT AND HOLY LIFE. By WILLIAM LAW. Edited, with an Introduction by C. BIGG, D.D., late Student of Christ Church. This is a reprint, word for word and line for line, of the Editio Princeps.

THE TEMPLE. By GEORGE HERBERT. Edited, with an Introduction and Notes, by E. C. S. GlBSON, D.D., Vicar of Leeds.

This edition contains Walton's Life of Herbert, and the text is that of the first edition.

Science

THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF SCENERY. By J. E. MARR, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge. Illustrated. Crown vo. s.

An elementary treatise on geomorphology, the study of the earth's outward forms. It is for the use of students of physical geography and geology, and will also be highly interesting to the general reader.

A HANDBOOK OF NURSING. By M. N. OXFORD, of Guy's Hospital. Crown vo. s. d.

This is a complete guide to the science and art of nursing, containing copious instruction both general and particular.

Classical

THE NICOMACHEAN ETHICS OF ARISTOTLE. Edited, with an Introduction and Notes by JOHN BURNET, M. A., Professor of Greek at St. Andrews. Demy vo. 15s. net.

This edition contains parallel passages from the Eudemian Ethics, printed under the text, and there is a full commentary, the main object of which is to interpret difficulties in the light of Aristotle's own rules.

THE CAPTIVI OF PLAUTUS. Edited, with an Introduction, Textual Notes, and a Commentary, by W. M. LINDSAY, Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford. Demy vo. 10s. d. net,

For this edition all the important MSS. have been re-collated. An appendix deals with the accentual element in early Latin verse. The Commentary is very full.

ZACHARIAH OF MITYLENE. Translated into English by F. J. HAMILTON, D.D., and E. W. BROOKS. Demy vo. 12s. d. net. [Byzantine Texts. |7

Sport

The Library of Sport

THE ART AND PRACTICE OF HAWKING. By E. B. MITCHELL. Illustrated by G. E. LODGE and others. Demy vo. 10s. d.

A complete description of the Hawks, Falcons, and Eagles used in ancient and modern times, with directions for their training and treatment. It is not only a historical account, but a complete practical guide.

THOUGHTS ON HUNTING. By PETER BECKFORD. Edited by J. OTHO PAGET, and Illustrated by G. H. JALLAND. Demy vo. 10s. d.

This edition of one of the most famous classics of sport contains an introduction and many footnotes by Mr. Paget, and is thus brought up to the standard of modern knowledge.

General Literature

THE BOOK OF THE WEST. By S. BARING GOULD. With numerous Illustrations. Two volumes. Vol. I. Devon. Vol. II. Cornwall. Crown vo. s. each,

A description of the counties of Devon and Cornwall, in which the scenery, folk-lore, history, and antiquities of the two counties are treated with full knowledge and high interest.

PONS ASINORUM; OR, A GUIDE TO BRIDGE. By A. HULME BEAMAN. Fcap. vo. s.

A practical guide, with many specimen games, to the new game of Bridge.

The Little Guides

Pott vo, cloth s.; leather, s. d. net.

NEW VOLUME.

SHAKESPEARE'S COUNTRY. By B. C. WINDLE, F.R.S., M.A. Illustrated by E. H. NEW. Uniform with Mr. Wells' 'Oxford' and Mr. Thomson's 'Cambridge.'

Methuen's Standard Library

THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. By EDWARD GIBBON. Edited by J. B. BURY, LL.D., Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. In Seven Volumes. Demy vo, gilt top. s. d. each. Crown vo. s. each. Vol. VII. The concluding Volume of this Edition.

THE DIARY OF THOMAS ELLWOOD. Edited by G. C. CRUMP, M.A. Crown vo. s.

This edition is the only one which contains the complete book as originally published. It contains a long introduction and many footnotes. |8

LA COMMEDIA DI DANTE ALIGHIERI. Edited by PAGET TOYNBEE, M.A. Crown vo. s.

This edition of the Italian text of the Divine Comedy, founded on Witte's minor edition, carefully revised, is issued in commemoration of the sixth century of Dante's journey through the three kingdoms of the other world.

Illustrated and Gift Books

THE LIVELY CITY OF LIGG. By GELLETT BURGESS. With many Illustrations by the Author. Small to. s. d.

THE PHIL MAY ALBUM. to. s. d.net.

This highly interesting volume contains 100 drawings by Mr. Phil May, and is representative of his earliest and finest work.

ULYSSES; OR, DE ROUGEMONT OF TROY. Described and depicted by A. H. MILNE. Small quarto. s. d.

The adventures of Ulysses, told in humorous verse and pictures.

THE CROCK OF GOLD. Fairy Stories told by S. BARING GOULD, and Illustrated by F. D. BEDFORD. Crown vo. s.

TOMMY SMITH'S ANIMALS. By EDMUND SELOUS. Illustrated by G. W. ORD. Fcp. vo. s. d.

A little book designed to teach children respect and reverence for animals.

A BIRTHDAY BOOK. With a Photogravure Frontispiece. Demy vo. 10s. d.

This is a birthday-book of exceptional dignity, and the extracts have been chosen with particular care. The three passages for each day bear a certain relation to each other, and form a repertory of sententious wisdom from the best authors living or dead.

Educational

PRACTICAL PHYSICS. By H. STROUD, D. Sc., M.A., Professor of Physics in the Durham College of Science, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Fully illustrated. Crown vo. s. d.

[Handbooks of Technology.

GENERAL ELEMENTARY SCIENCE. By J. T. DUNN, D. Sc., and V. A. MUNDELLA. With many Illustrations. Crown vo. s. d.

[Methuen's Science Primers. |9

THE METRIC SYSTEM. By LEON DELBOS. Crown vo. s.

A theoretical and practical guide, for use in elementary schools and by the general reader.

A SOUTH AFRICAN ARITHMETIC. By HENRY HILL, B.A., Assistant Master at Worcester School, Cape Colony. Crown vo. s. d.

This book has been specially written for use in South African schools.

A KEY TO STEDMAN'S EASY LATIN EXERCISES. By C. G. BOTTING, M.A. Crown vo. s. net.

NEW TESTAMENT GREEK. A Course for Beginners. By G. RODWELL, B.A. With a Preface by WALTER LOCK, D.D., Warden of Keble College. Fcap. vo. s. d.

EXAMINATION PAPERS IN ENGLISH HISTORY. By J. TAIT WARDLAW, B.A., King's College, Cambridge. Crown vo. s. d. [School Examination Series.

A GREEK ANTHOLOGY. Selected by E. C. MARCHANT, M.A., Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and Assistant Master at St. Paul's School. Crown vo. s. d.

CICERO DE OFFICIIS. Translated by G. B. GARDINER, M.A. Crown vo. s. d. [Classical Translations.

The Novels of Charles Dickens

Crown vo. Each Volume, cloth s. net, leather s. net.

Messrs. METHUEN have in preparation an edition of those novels of Charles "Dickens which have now passed out of copyright. Mr. George Gissing, whose critical study of Dickens is both sympathetic and acute, has written an Introduction to each of the books, and a very attractive feature of this edition will be the illustrations of the old houses, inns, and buildings, which Dickens described, and which have now in many instances disappeared under the touch of modern civilisation. Another valuable feature will be a series of topographical and general notes to each book by Mr. F. G. Kitton. The books will be produced with the greatest care as to printing, paper and binding.

The first volumes will be:

THE PICKWICK PAPERS. With Illustrations by E. H. NEW. Two Volumes.

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY. With Illustrations by R. J. WILLIAMS. Two Volumes.

BLEAK HOUSE. With Illustrations by BEATRICE ALCOCK. Two Volumes.

OLIVER TWIST. With Illustrations by E. H. NEW. Two Volumes. |10

The Little Library

Pott vo. Each Volume, cloth s. d. net.; leather s. d. net,

Messrs. METHUEN intend to produce a series of small books under the above title, containing some of the famous books in English and other literatures, in the domains of fiction, poetry, and belles lettres. The series will also contain several volumes of selections in prose and verse.

The books will be edited with the most sympathetic and scholarly care. Each one will contain an Introduction which will give (1) a short biography of the author, (2) a critical estimate of the book. Where they are necessary, short notes will be added at the foot of the page.

The Little Library will ultimately contain complete sets of the novels of W. M. Thackeray, Jane Austen, the sisters Bronte, Mrs. Gaskell and others. It will also contain the best work of many other novelists whose names are household words.

Each book will have a portrait or frontispiece in photogravure, and the volumes will be produced with great care in a style uniform with that of 'The Library of Devotion.'

The first volumes will be: A LITTLE BOOK OF ENGLISH LYRICS. With Notes.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. By JANE AUSTEN. With an Introduction and Notes by E. V. LUCAS. Two Volumes.

VANITY FAIR. By W. M. THACKERAY. With an Introduction by S. GWVNN. Three Volumes.

PENDENNIS. By W. M. THACKERAY. With an Introduction by S. GWYNN. Three volumes.

EOTHEN. By A. W. KINGLAKE. With an Introduction and Notes.

CRANFORD. By Mrs. GASKELL. With an Introduction and Notes by E. V. LUCAS.

THE INFERNO OF DANTE. Translated by H. F. CARY. With an Introduction and Notes by PAGET TOYNBEE.

JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN. By MRS. CRAIK. With an Introduction by ANNIE MATHESON. Two volumes.

THE EARLY POEMS OF ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON. Edited by J. C. COLLINS, M.A.

THE PRINCESS. By ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON. Edited by ELIZABETH WORDSWORTH. |11

MAUD, AND OTHER POEMS. By ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON, Edited by ELIZABETH WORDSWORTH.

IN MEMORIAM. By ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON. Edited by H. C. BEECHING, M.A.

A LITTLE BOOK OF SCOTTISH LYRICS. Arranged and Edited by T. F. HENDERSON.

Fiction

THE KING'S MIRROR. By ANTHONY HOPE. Crown vo. s.

THE CROWN OF LIFE. By GEORGE GISSING, Author of 'Demos,' 'The Town Traveller,' etc. Crown vo. s.

A NEW.VOLUME OF WAR STORIES. By STEPHEN CRANE, Author of 'The Red Badge of Courage.' Crown vo. s.

THE STRONG ARM. By ROBERT BARR. Crown vo, s.

TO LONDON TOWN. By ARTHUR MORRISON, Author of 'Tales of Mean Streets,' 'A Child of the Jago,' etc. Crown vo. s.

ONE HOUR AND THE NEXT. By THE DUCHESS OF SUTHERLAND. Crown vo. s.

SIREN CITY. By BENJAMIN SWIFT, Author of 'Nancy Noon.' Crown vo. s.

VENGEANCE IS MINE. By ANDREW BALFOUR, Author of 'By Stroke of Sword.' Illustrated. Crown vo. s.

PRINCE RUPERT THE BUCCANEER. By C. J. CUTCLIFFE HYNE, Author of 'Captain Kettle,' etc. Crown vo. s.

PABO THE PRIEST. By S. BARING GOULD, Author of 'Mehalah,' etc. Illustrated. Crown vo. s.

GILES INGILBY. By W. E. NORRIS. Illustrated. Crown vo. s.

THE PATH OF A STAR. By SARA JEANETTE DUNCAN, Author of 'A Voyage of Consolation.' Illustrated. Crown vo. s.

THE HUMAN BOY. By EDEN PHILPOTTS, Author of 'Children of the Mist.' With a Frontispiece. Crown vo. s.

A series of English schoolboy stories, the result of keen observation, and of a most engaging wit.

THE HUMAN INTEREST. By VIOLET HUNT, Author of 'A Hard Woman,'etc. Crown vo. s. |12

AN ENGLISHMAN. By MARY L. PENDERED. Crown vo. s.

A GENTLEMAN PLAYER. By R. N. STEPHENS, Author of 'An Enemy to the King.' Crown vo. s.

DANIEL WHYTE. By A. J. DAWSON, Author of 'Bismillah.' Crown vo. s.

A New Edition of the Novels of Marie Corelli

This New Edition is in a more convenient form than the Library Edition, and is issued in a new and specially designed cover.

In Crown vo, Cloth, s. Leather, s. net.

A ROMANCE OF TWO WORLDS.

VENDETTA.

THELMA.

ARDATH: THE STORY OF A DEAD SELF.

THE SOUL OF LILITH.

WORMWOOD.

BARABBAS: A DREAM OF THE WORLD'S TRAGEDY.

THE SORROWS OF SATAN.

The Novelist

MESSRS. METHUEN are making an interesting experiment which constitutes a fresh departure in publishing. They are issuing under the above general title a Monthly Series of New Fiction by popular authors at the price of Sixpence. Each Number is as long as the average Six Shilling Novel. The first numbers of 'THE NOVELIST' are as follows:/p> I. DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES. E. W. HORNUNG.

[Ready.

II. JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST. ROBERT BARR.

[Ready.

III. THE INCA'S TREASURE. ERNEST GLANVILLE.

[Ready.

IV. A SON OF THE STATE. W. PETT RIDGE.

[Ready.

V. FURZE BLOOM. S. BARING GOULD.

[September.

VI.

[October.

VII.

[November.

VIII. A NEW NOVEL, MRS. MEADE.

[December.

|13

A CATALOGUE OF

MESSRS. METHUEN'S

PUBLICATIONS

---------

Poetry

Rudyard Kipling. BARRACK-ROOM BALLADS. By RUDYARD KIPLING. 58th Thousand, Crown vo. s.

'Mr. Kipling's verse is strong, vivid, full of character.... Unmistakeable genius rings in every line.' Times.

'The ballads teem with imagination, they palpitate with emotion. We read them with laughter and tears; the metres throb in our pulses, the cunningly ordered words tingle with life; and if this be not poetry, what is?'Pall Mall Gazette.

Rudyard Kipling. THE SEVEN SEAS. By RUDYARD KIPLING. 47th Thousand. Cr. vo. Buckram, gilt top. s.

'The new poems of Mr. Rudyard Kipling have all the spirit and swing of their predecessors. Patriotism is the solid concrete foundation on which Mr. Kipling has built the whole of his work.'Times.

'The Empire has found a singer; it is no depreciation of the songs to say that statesmen may have, one way or other, to take account of them.'Manchester Guardian.

'Animated through and through with indubitable genius.'Daily Telegraph.

"Q." POEMS AND BALLADS. By "Q." Crown vo. s. d.

'This work has just the faint, ineffable touch and glow that make poetry.'Speaker.

"Q." GREEN BAYS: Verses and Parodies. By"Q." Second Edition. Crown vo. s. d.

E. Mackay. A SONG OF THE SEA. By ERIC MACKAY. Second Edition. Fcap. vo. s.

'Everywhere Mr. Mackay displays himself the master of a style marked by all the characteristics of the best rhetoric."Globe.

H. Ibsen. BRAND. A Drama by HENRIK IBSEN. Translated by WILLIAM WILSON. Third Edition, Crown vo. s. d.

'The greatest world-poem of the nineteenth century next to "Faust." It is in the same set with "Agamemnon," with "Lear," with the literature that we now instinctively regard as high and holy."Daily Chronicle.

"A. G." VERSES TO ORDER. By "A. G." Crown vo. s. d. net.

'A capital specimen of light academic poetry.'St. James's Gazette.

James Williams. VENTURES IN VERSE. By JAMES WILLIAMS, Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford. Crown vo. s. d.

'In matter and manner the book is admirable.'Glasgow Herald.

J. G. Cordery. THE ODYSSEY OF HOMER. A Translation by J. G. CORDERY. Crown vo. s. d.

'A spirited, accurate, and scholarly piece of work.'Glasgow Herald. |14

Belles Lettres, Anthologies, etc.

R. L. Stevenson. VAILIMA LETTERS. By ROBERT Louis STEVENSON. With an Etched Portrait by WILLIAM STRANG. Second Edition. Crown vo. Buckram. s.

'A fascinating book.'Standard.

'Full of charm and brightness.'Spectator.

'A gift almost priceless.'Speaker.

'Unique in Literature.'Daily Chronicle.

G. Wyndham. THE POEMS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. Edited with an Introduction and Notes by GEORGE WYNDHAM, M.P. Demy vo. Buckram, gilt top. 10s. d.

This edition contains the 'Venus,'' Lucrece,' and Sonnets, and is prefaced with an elaborate introduction of over 140 pp.

'One of the most serious contributions to Shakespearian criticism that have been published for some time.'Times.

'We have no hesitation in describing Mr. George Wyndham's introduction as a masterly piece of criticism, and all who love our Elizabethan literature will find a very garden of delight in it.'Spectator.

'Mr. Wyndham's notes are admirable, even indispensable.'Westminster Gazette.

W. E. Henley. ENGLISH LYRICS. Selected and Edited by W. E. HENLEY. Crown vo. Buckram, gilt top. s.

'It is a body of choice and lovely poetry.'Birmingham Gazette.

Henley and Whibley. A BOOK OF ENGLISH PROSE. Collected by W. E. HENLEY and CHARLES WHIBLEY. Crown vo. Buckram, gilt top. s.

' Quite delightful. A greater treat for those not well acquainted with pre-Restoration prose could not be imagined." Athenaeum.

H. C. Beeching. LYRA SACRA: An Anthology of Sacred Verse. Edited by H. C. BEECHING, M.A. Crown vo. Buckram. s.

'A charming selection, which maintains lofty standard of excellence."Times.

"Q." THE GOLDEN POMP. A Procession of English Lyrics. Arranged by A. T. QUILLER COUCH. Crown vo. Buckram. s.

'A delightful volume: a really golden "Pomp."'Spectator.

W. B. Yeats. AN ANTHOLOGY OF IRISH VERSE. Edited by W. B. YEATS. Crown vo. s. d.

An attractive and catholic selection. Times.

G. W. Steevens. MONOLOGUES OF THE DEAD. By G. W. STEEVENS. Foolscap vo. s. d.

'The effect is sometimes splendid, sometimes bizarre, but always amazingly clever.'Pall Mall Gazette.

W. M. Dixon. A PRIMER OF TENNYSON. By W. M. DIXON, M.A. Cr. vo. s. d.

'Much sound and well-expressed criticism. The bibliography is a boon.'Speaker.

W. A. Craigie. A PRIMER OF BURNS. By W. A. CRAIGIE. Crown vo. s. d.

' A valuable addition to the literature of the poet.'Times.

L. Magnus. A PRIMER OF WORDSWORTH. By LAURIE MAGNUS. Crown vo. s. d.

' A valuable contribution to Wordsworthian literature.'Literature.

Sterne. THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF TRISTRAM SHANDY. By LAWRENCE STERNE. With an Introduction by CHARLES WHIBLEY, and a Portrait. 2 vols. s.

' Very dainty volumes are these: the paper, type, and light-green binding are all very agreeable to the eye.'Globe.

Congreve. THE COMEDIES OF WILLIAM CONGREVE. With an Introduction by G. S. STREET, and a Portrait. 2 vols. s.

Morier. THE ADVENTURES OF HAJJI BABA OF ISPAHAN. By JAMES MORIER. With an Introduction by E. G. BROWNE, M.A. and a Portrait. 2 vols. s. |15

Walton. THE LIVES OF DONNE, WOTTON, HOOKER, HERBERT AND SANDERSON. By IZAAK WALTON. With an Introduction by VERNON BLACKBURN, and a Portrait. s. d.

Johnson. THE LIVES OF THE ENGLISH POETS. By SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. With an Introduction by J. H. MILLAR, and a Portrait. 3 vols. 10s. d.

Burns. THE POEMS OF ROBERT BURNS. Edited by ANDREW LANG and W. A. CRAIGIE. With Portrait. Second Edition. Demy vo, gilt top. s.

This edition contains a carefully collated Text, numerous Notes, critical and textual, a critical and biographical Introduction, and a Glossary.

'Among editions in one volume, this will take the place of authority.'Times.

F. Langbridge. BALLADS OF THE BRAVE; Poems of Chivalry, Enterprise, Courage, and Constancy. Edited by Rev. F. LANGBRIDGE. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s. d. School Edition. s. d.

' A very happy conception happily carried out. These "Ballads of the Brave" are intended to suit the real tastes of boys, and will suit the taste of the great majority.', Spectator.

'The book is full of splendid things.' World.

Illustrated Books

John Bunyan. THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. By JOHN BUNYAN. Edited, with an Introduction, by C. H. FIRTH, M.A. With 39 Illustrations by R. ANNING BELL. Crown vo. s.

This book contains a long Introduction by Mr.Firth, whose knowledge of the period is unrivalled; and it is lavishly illustrated.

'The best "Pilgrim's Progress.'" Educational Times.

F.D.Bedford. NURSERY RHYMES.. With many Coloured Pictures by F. D. BEDFORD. Super Royal vo. s.

'An excellent selection of the best known rhymes, with beautifully coloured pictures exquisitely printed.'Pall Mall Gazette.

S. Baring Gould. A BOOK OF FAIRY TALES retold byS. BARING GOULD. With numerous Illustrations and Initial Letters by ARTHUR J. GASKIN. Second Edition. Cr. vo. Buckram. s.

'Mr. Baring Gould is deserving of gratitude, in re-writing in simple style the old stories that delighted our fathers and grandfathers.'Saturday Review.

S. Baring Gould. OLD ENGLISH FAIRY TALES. Collected and edited by S. BARING GOULD. With Numerous Illustrations by F. D. BEDFORD. Second Edition. Cr. vo. Buckram. s.

'A charming volume.'Guardian.

S. Baring Gould. A BOOK OF NURSERY SONGS AND RHYMES. Edited by S. BARING GOULD, and Illustrated by the Birmingham Art School. Buckram, gilt top. Crown vo. s.

H. C. Beeching. A BOOK OF CHRISTMAS VERSE. Edited by H. C. BEECHING, M.A., and Illustrated by WALTER CRANE. Cr. vo, gilt top. s. d.

An anthology which, from its unity of aim and high poetic excellence, has a better right to exist than most of its fellows.' Guardian.

History

Gibbon. THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. By EDWARD GIBBON. A New Edition, Edited with Notes, Appendices, and Maps, by J. B. BURY, LL.D., Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. In Seven Volumes. Demy vo. Gilt top. s. d. each. Also Cr. vo. s. |16 each. Vols. I., II., III., IV., V., and VI.

'The time has certainly arrived for a new edition of Gibbon's great work.... Professor Bury is the right man to undertake this task. His learning is amazing, both in extent and accuracy. The book is issued in a handy form, and at a moderate price, and it is admirably printed.' Times.

' The standard edition of our great historical classic."Glasgow Herald.

' At last there is an adequate modern edition of Gibbon.... The best edition the nineteenth century could produce.' Manchester Guardian.

Flinders Petrie. A HISTORY OF EGY PT.FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY. Edited by W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE, D.C.L., LL.D., Professor of Egyptology at University College. Fully Illustrated. In Six Volumes. Cr. vo. s. each.

VOL. I. PREHISTORIC TIMES TO XVITH DYNASTY. W. M. F. Petrie. Fourth Edition.

VOL. II. THE XVIITH AND XVIIITH DYNASTIES. W. M. F. Petrie. Third Edition.

VOL. IV. THE EGYPT OF THE PTOLEMIES. J. P. Mahaffy.

VOL. V. ROMAN EGYPT. J. G. Milne.

' A history written in the spirit of scientific precision so worthily represented by Dr. Petrie and his school cannot but promote sound and accurate study, and supply a vacant place in the English literature of Egyptology.'Times.

Flinders Petrie. RELIGION AND CONSCIENCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT. By W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE, D.C.L., LL.D. Fully Illustrated. Crown vo. s. d.

' The lectures will afford a fund of valuable information for students of ancient ethics.'Manchester Guardian.

Flinders Petrie. SYRIA AND EGYPT, FROM THE TELL EL AMARNA TABLETS. By W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE, D.C.L., LL.D. Crown vo. s. d.

' A marvellous record. The addition made to our knowledge is nothing short of amazing.'Times.

Flinders Petrie. EGYPTIAN TALES. Edited by W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE. Illustrated by TRISTRAM ELLIS. In Two Volumes. Cr. vo. s. d. each.

' Invaluable as a picture of life in Palestine and Egypt.'Daily News.

Flinders Petrie. EGYPTIAN DECORATIVE ART. By W. M. FLINDERS PETRIE. With 120 Illustrations. Cr. vo. s. d.

' In these lectures he displays rare skill in elucidating the development of decorative art in Egypt.'Times.

C. W. Oman. A HISTORY OF THE ART OF WAR. Vol. II.: The Middle Ages, from the Fourth to the Fourteenth Century. By C. W. OMAN, M.A., Fellow of All Souls', Oxford. Illustrated. Demy vo. 21s.

' The book is based throughout upon a thorough study of the original sources, and will be an indispensable aid to all students of mediaeval history.'Athenaum.

' The whole art of war in its historic evolution has never been treated on such an ample and comprehensive scale, and we question if any recent contribution to the exact history of the world has possessed more enduring value.'Daily Chronicle.

S. Baring Gould. THE TRAGEDY OF THE CAESARS. With numerous Illustrations from Busts, Gems, Cameos, etc. By S. BARING GOULD. Fourth Edition. Royal vo. 15s.

'A most splendid and fascinating book on a subject of undying interest. The great feature of the book is the use the author has made of the existing portraits of the Caesars and the admirable critical subtlety he has exhibited in dealing with this line of research. It is brilliantly written, and the illustrations are supplied on a scale of profuse magnificence.' Daily Chronicle.

F. W. Maitland. CANON LAW IN ENGLAND. By F. W. MAITLAND, LL.D., Downing Professor of the Laws of England in the University of Cambridge. Royal vo. s. d.

' Professor Maitland has put students of English law under a fresh debt. These essays are landmarks in the study of the history of Canon Law."Times. |17

H. de B. Gibbins. INDUSTRY IN ENGLAND: HISTORICAL OUTLINES. By H. DE B. GIBBINS, Litt.D., M.A. With 5 Maps. Second Edition. Demy vo. 10s. d.

H. E. Egerton. A HISTORY OF BRITISH COLONIAL POLICY. By H. E. EGERTON, M,A. Demy vo. 12s. d.

It is a good book, distinguished by accuracy in detail, clear arrangement of facts, and a broad grasp of principles.' Manchester Guardian.

' Able, impartial, clear.... A most valuable volume.'Athenaeum.

Albert Sorel. THE EASTERN QUESTION IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. By ALBERT SOREL, of the French Academy. Translated by F. C. BRAMWELL, M.A. With a Map. Cr. vo. s. d.

C. H. Grinling. A HISTORY OF THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY, 1845-95. By CHARLES H. GRINLING. With Maps and Illustrations. Demy vo. 10s. d.

' Mr. Grinling has done for a Railway what Macaulay did for English History.' The Engineer.

W. Sterry. ANNALS OF ETON COLLEGE. By W. STERRY, M.A. With numerous Illustrations. Demy vo. s. d.

'A treasury of quaint and interesting reading. Mr. Sterry has by his skill and vivacity given these records new life.' Academy.

Fisher. ANNALS OF SHREWSBURY SCHOOL. By G. W. FISHER, M.A., late Assistant Master. With numerous Illustrations. Demy vo. 10s. d.

'This careful, erudite book.'Daily Chronicle.

' A book of which Old Salopians are sure to be proud.'Glade.

J. Sargeaunt. ANNALS OF WESTMINSTER SCHOOL. By J. SARGEAUNT, M.A., Assistant Master. With numerous Illustrations. Demy vo. s. d.

A. Clark. THE COLLEGES OF OXFORD: Their History and their Traditions. By Members of the University. Edited by A. CLARK, M.A., Fellow and Tutor of Lincoln College. vo. 12s. d.

'A work which will be appealed to for many years as the standard book.' Athenaeum.

J. Wells. A SHORT HISTORY OF ROME. By J. WELLS, M.A., Fellow and Tutor of Wadham Coll., Oxford. Second and Revised Edition. With 3 Maps. Crown vo. s. d. This book is intended for the Middle and Upper Forms of Public Schools and for Pass Students at the Universities. It contains copious Tables, etc.

'An original work written on an original plan, and with uncommon freshness and vigour.'Speaker.

O. Browning. A SHORT HISTORY OF MEDIAEVAL ITALY, A.D. 1250-1530. By OSCAR BROWNING, Fellow and Tutor of King's College, Cambridge. In Two Volumes. Cr. vo. s. each.

VOL. i. 1250-1409. Guelphs and Ghibellines.

VOL. ii. 1409-1530. The Age of the Condottieri.

O'Grady. THE STORY OF IRELAND. By STANDISH O'GRADY, Author of Finn and his Companions. Crown vo. s. d.

Byzantine Texts

Edited by J. B. BURY, M.A. EVAGRIUS. Edited by Professor LEON PARMENTIER of Liège and M. BIDEZ of Gand. Demy vo. 10s. d.

THE HISTORY OF PSELLUS. By C. SATHAS. Demy vo. 15s. net. |18

Biography

S. Baring Gould. THE LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. By S. BARING GOULU. With over 450 Illustrations in the Text and 12 Photogravure Plates. Large quarto. Gilt top. 36s.

'The best biography of Napoleon in our tongue, nor have the French as good a biographer of their hero. A book very nearly as good as Southey's "Life of Nelson."'Manchester Guardian.

' The main feature of this gorgeous volume is its great wealth of beautiful photogravures and finely-executed wood engravings, constituting a complete pictorial chronicle of Napoleon I.'s personal history from the days of his early childhood at Ajaccio to the date of his second interment.'Daily Telegraph.

P. H. Colomb. MEMOIRS OF ADMIRAL SIR A. COOPER KEY. By Admiral P. H. COLOMB. With a Portrait. Demy vo. 16s.

' An interesting and adequate biography. The whole book is one of the greatest interest.'Times.

Morris Fuller. THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF JOHN DAVENANT, D.D. (1571-1641), Bishop of Salisbury. By MORRIS FULLER, B. D. Demy vo. 10s. d.

J. M. Rigg. ST. ANSELM OF CANTERBURY: A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF RELIGION. By J. M. RIGG. Demy vo. s. d.

F. W. Joyce. THE LIFE OF SIR FREDERICK GORE OUSELEY. ByF.W. JOYCE.M.A. s. d.

' This book has been undertaken in quite the right spirit, and written with sympathy, insight, and considerable literary skill.' Times.

W. G. Collingwood. THE LIFE OF JOHN RUSKIN. By W. G. COLLINGWOOD, M.A. With Portraits, and 13 Drawings by Mr. Ruskin. Second Edition. 2 vols. vo. 32s.

' No more magnificent volumes have been published for a long time.'Times.

' It is long since we had a biography with such delights of substance and of form. Such a book is a pleasure for the day, and a joy for ever.'Daily Chronicle.

C. Waldstein. JOHN RUSKIN, By CHARLES WALDSTEIN, M.A. With a Photogravure Portrait, Post vo. s.

' A thoughtful and well-written criticism of Ruskin's teaching.'Daily Chronicle.

A. M. F. Darmesteter, THE LIFE OF ERNEST RENAN. By MADAME DARMESTETER. With Portrait. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' A polished gem of biography, superior in its kind to any attempt that has been made of recent years in England, Madame Darmesteter has indeed written for English readers "The Life of Ernest Renan."'A thenaeum.

W. H. Button. THE LIFE OF SIR THOMAS MORE. By W. H. HUTTON, M.A. With Portraits. Cr. vo. s.

' The book lays good claim to high rank among our biographies. It is excellently even lovingly, written."Scotsman.

Travel, Adventure and Topography

Sven Hedin. THROUGH ASIA. By SVEN HEDIN, Gold Medallist of the Royal Geographical Society. With 300 Illustrations from Sketches and Photographs by the Author, and Maps. 2 vols. Royal vo. 20s. net.

' One of the greatest books of the kind issued during the century. It is impossible to give an adequate idea of the richness of the contents of this book, |19 nor of its abounding attractions as a story of travel unsurpassed in geographical and human interest. Much of it is a revelation. Altogether the work is one which in solidity, novelty, and interest must take a first rank among publications of its class.'Times. 'In these magnificent volumes we have the most important contribution to Central Asian geography made for many years. Intensely interesting as a tale of travel.' Spectator.

F. H. Skrine and E. D. Ross. THE HEART OF ASIA. By F. H. SKRINE and E. D. Ross. With Maps and many Illustrations by VERESTCHAGIN. Large Crown vo. 10s. d. net.

' This volume will form a landmark in our knowledge of Central Asia.... Illuminating and convincing. For the first time we are enabled clearly to understand not only how Russia has established her rule in Central Asia, but what that rule actually means to the Central Asian peoples. This book is not only felix opportunitate, but of enduring value.' Times.

R. E. Peary. NORTHWARD OVER THE GREAT ICE. By R.E.PEARY, Gold Medallist of the Royal Geographical Society. With over 800 Illustrations. vols. Royal vo. 32s. net.

'The book is full of interesting matter, tale of brave deeds simply told; abundantly illustrated with prints and maps.'Standard.

'His book will take its place among the permanent literature of Arctic exploration.' Times.

G. S. Robertson. CHITRAL: The Story of a Minor Siege. By Sir G. S. ROBERTSON, K.C.S.I. With numerous Illustrations, Map and Plans. Second Edition. Demy Bvo. 10s. d.

' It is difficult to imagine the kind of person who could read this brilliant book without emotion. The story remains immortal, a testimony imperishable. We are face to face with a great book.'Illustrated London News.

' A book which the Elizabethans would have thought wonderful. More thrilling, more piquant, and more human than any novel.'Newcastle Chronicle. ' One of the most stirring military narratives written in our time.'Times.

'As fascinating as Sir Walter Scott's best fiction.'Daily Telegraph.

' A noble story, nobly told.Punch.

H. H. Johnston. BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA. By Sir H. H. JOHNSTON, K.C.B. With nearly Two Hundred Illustrations, and Six Maps. Second Edition. Crown to. 18s. net.

' A fascinating book, written with equal skill and charm, the work at once of a literary artist and of a man of action who is singularly wise, brave, and experienced. It abounds in admirable sketches from pencil.' Westminster Gazette.

L. Decle. THREE YEARS IN SAVAGE AFRICA. By LIONEL DECLE. With 100 Illustrations and 5 Maps. Second Edition. Demy vo. 10s. d. net.

' A fine, full book.'Pall Mall Gazette.

' Its bright pages give a better general survey of Africa from the Cape to the Equator than any single volume that has yet been published.'Times.

A. Hulme Beaman. TWENTY YEARS IN THE NEAR EAST. By A. HULME BEAMAN. Demy vo. With Portrait. 10s. d.

' One of the most entertaining books that we have had in our hands for a long time. It is unconventional in a high degree; it is written with sagacious humour; it is fullof adventures and anecdotes.'Daily Chronicle.

Henri of Orleans. FROM TONKIN TO INDIA. By PRINCE HENRI OF ORLEANS. Translated by HAMLEY BENT, M:A. With 100 Illustrations and a Map. Cr. to, gilt top. 25s.

R. S. S. Baden-Powell. THE DOWNFALL OF PREMPEH. A Diary of Life in Ashanti, 1895. By Colonel BADEN-POWELL. With 21 Illustrations and a Map. Cheaper Edition. Large Crown vo. s.

R. S. S. Baden-Powell. THE MATABELE CAMPAIGN, 1896. By Col. BADEN-POWELL. With nearly 100 Illustrations. Cheaper Edition. Large Crown vo. s.

S. L. Hinde. THE FALL OF THE CONGO ARABS. By S. L. HINDE. With Plans, etc. Demy vo. 12s. d. |20

A. St. H. Gibbons. EXPLORATION AND HUNTING IN CENTRAL AFRICA. By Major A. ST. H. GIBBONS. With full-page Illustrations by C. WHYMPER, and Maps. Demy vo. 15s.

'His book is a grand record of quiet, unassuming, tactful resolution. His adventures were as various as his sporting exploits were exciting.'Times.

E. H. Alderson. WITH THE MASHONALAND FIELD FORCE, 1896. By Lieut.-Colonel ALDERSON. With numerous Illustrations and Plans. Demy vo. 10s. d.

'A clear, vigorous, and soldier-like narrative.'Scotsman.

Fraser. ROUND THE WORLD ON A WHEEL. By JOHN FOSTER FRASER. With 100 Illustrations. Crown vo. s.

'A very entertaining book of travel.' Spectator.

' The story is told with delightful gaiety, humour, and crispness. There has rarely appeared a more interesting tale of modern travel.'Scotsman.

' A classic of cycling, graphic and witty.'Yorkshire Post.

Seymour Vandeleur. CAMPAIGNING ON THE UPPER NILE AND NIGER. By Lieut. SEYMOUR VANDELEUR. With an Introduction by Sir G. GOLDIE, K.C.M.G. With 4 Maps, Illustrations, and Plans. Large Crown vo. 10s. d.

' Upon the African question there is no book procurable which contains so much of value as this one.'Guardian.

Lord Fincastle. A FRONTIER CAMPAIGN. By Viscount FINCASTLE, V.C., and Lieut. P. C. ELLIOTT-LOCKHART. With a Map and 16 Illustrations. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' An admirable book, and a really valuable treatise on frontier war.'Athenaum.

E. N. Bennett. THE DOWNFALL OF THE DERVISHES: A Sketch of the Sudan Campaign of 1898. By E. N. BENNETT, Fellow of Hertford College. With Four Maps and a Photogravure Portrait of the Sirdar. Third Edition. Crown vo. s d.

J. K. Trotter. THE NIGER SOURCES. By Colonel J. K. TROTTER, R.A. With a Map and Illustrations. Crown vo. s.

Michael Davitt. LIFE AND PROGRESS IN AUSTRALASIA. By MICHAEL DAVITT, M.P. 500 pp. With 2 Maps. Crown vo. s.

W. Crooke. THE NORTHWESTERN PROVINCES OF INDIA: THEIR ETHNOLOGY AND ADMINISTRATION. By W. CROOKE. With Maps and Illustrations. Demy vo. 105. d.

' A carefully and well-written account of one of the most important provinces of the Empire. Mr. Crooke deals with the land in its physical aspect, the province under Hindoo and Mussulman rule, under British rule, its ethnology and sociology, its religious and social life, the land and its settlement, and the native peasant.' Manchester Guardian.

A. Boisragon. THE BENIN MASSACRE. By CAPTAIN BOISRAGON. Second Edition. Cr. vo. 35. d.

' If the story had been written four hundred years ago it would be read to-day as an English classic.'Scotsman.

H. S. Cowper. THE HILL OF THE GRACES: OR, THE GREAT STONE TEMPLES OF TRIPOLI. By H. S. COWPER, F.S. A. With Maps, Plans, and75 Illustrations. Demy vo. 10s. d.

W. Kinnaird Rose. WITH THE GREEKS IN THESSALY. By W. KINNAIRD ROSE, Reuter's Correspondent. With Plans and 23 Illustrations. Crown vo. s.

W. B. Worsfold. SOUTH AFRICA. By W. B. WORSFOLD, M.A. With a Map. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

'A monumental work compressed into a very moderate compass.'World. |21

Naval and Military

G. W. Steevens. NAVAL POLICY: By G. W. STEEVENS. Demy vo. s.

This book is a description of the British and other more important navies of the world, with a sketch of the lines on which our naval policy might possibly be developed.

'An extremely able and interesting work.' Daily Chronicle.

D. Hannay. A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ROYAL NAVY, FROM EARLY TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY. By DAVID HANNAY. Illustrated. 2 Vols. Demy vo. s. d. each. Vol. I., 1200-1688.

' We read it from cover to cover at a sitting, and those who go to it for a lively and brisk picture of the past, with all its faults and its grandeur, will not be disappointed. The historian is endowed with literary skill and style.'Standard.

' We can warmly recommend Mr. Hannay's volume to any intelligent student of naval history. Great as is the merit of Mr. Hannay's historical narrative, the merit of his strategic exposition is even greater.'Times.

C. Cooper King. THE STORY OF THE BRITISH ARMY. By Colonel COOPER KING. Illustrated. Demy vo. s. d.

'An authoritative and accurate story of England's military progress.'Daily Mail.

R. Southey. ENGLISH SEAMEN (Howard, Clifford, Hawkins, Drake, Cavendish). By ROBERT SOUTHEY. Edited, with an Introduction, by DAVID HANNAY. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

'A brave, inspiriting book.'Slack and White.

W. Clark Russell. THE LIFE OF ADMIRAL LORD COLLINGWOOD. By W. CLARK RUSSELL. With Illustrations by F. BRANGWYN. Third Edition. Crown vo. s.

' A book which we should like to see in the hands of every boy in the country.' St. James's Gazette.

'A really good book.'Saturday Review.

E. L. S. Horstourgh. THE CAMPAIGN OF WATERLOO. By E. L. S. HORSBURGH, B.A. With Plans. Crown vo. 55.

'A brilliant essay, simple, sound, and thorough.'Daily Chronicle.

H. B. George. BATTLES OF ENGLISH HISTORY. By H. B. GEORGE, M.A., Fellow of New College, Oxford. With numerous Plans. Third Edition. Cr. vo. s.

'Mr. George has undertaken a very useful task, that of making military affairs intelligible and instructive to non-military readers, and has executed it with a large measure of success.'Times.

General Literature

S. Baring Gould. OLD COUNTRY LIFE. ByS. BARING GOULD. With Sixty-seven Illustrations. Large Cr. vo. Fifth Edition. s.

' "Old Country Life,"as healthy wholesome reading, full of breezy life and movement, full of quaint stories vigorously told, will not be excelled by any book to be published throughout the year. Sound, hearty, and English to the core." World.

S. Baring Gould. AN OLD ENGLISH HOME. By S. BARING GOULD. With numerous Plans and Illustrations. Crown vo. s. 'The chapters are delightfully fresh, very informing, and lightened by many a good story. A delightful fireside companion.' St. James's Gazette. |22

S. Baring Gould. HISTORIC ODDITIES AND STRANGE EVENTS. By S. BARING GOULD. Fourth Edition. Crown vo. s.

S. Baring Gould. FREAKS OF FANATICISM. By S. BARING GOULD. Third Edition. Cr. vo. s.

S. Baring Gould. A GARLAND OF COUNTRY SONG: English Folk Songs with their Traditional Melodies. Collected and arranged by S. BARING GOULD and H. F. SHEPPARD. Demy to. s.

S. Baring Gould. SONGS OF THE WEST: Traditional Ballads and Songs of the West of England, with their Melodies. Collected by S. BARING GOULD, M.A., and H. F. SHEPPARD, M.A. In 4 Parts. Parts I., II., III., s. each. Part IV., s. In one Vol., French morocco, 15s.

' A rich collection of humour, pathos, grace, and poetic fancy.'Saturday Review.

S. Baring Gould. YORKSHIRE ODDITIES AND STRANGE EVENTS. By S. BARING GOULD. Fourth Edition. Crown vo. s.

S. Baring Gould. STRANGE SURVIVALS AND SUPERSTITIONS. By S. BARING GOULD. Cr. vo. Second Edition. s.

S. Baring Gould. THE DESERTS OF SOUTHERN FRANCE. By S. BARING GOULD. 2 vols. Demy vo. 325.

Cotton Minchin. OLD HARROW DAYS. By J. G. COTTON MINCHIN. Cr. to. Second Edition. 55. 'This book is an admirable record.' Daily Chronicle.

W. E. Gladstone. THE SPEECHES OF THE RT. HON. W. E. GLADSTONE, M.P. Edited by A. W. HUTTON, M.A., and H. J. COHEN M.A. With Portraits, Demy vo. Vols. IX. and X., 12s. d. each.

E. V. Zenker. ANARCHISM. By E. V. ZENKER. Demy vo. s. d.

' Herr Zenker has succeeded in producing a careful and critical historyof the growth of Anarchist theory.

H. G. Hutchinson. THE GOLFING PILGRIM. By HORACE G, HUTCHINSON. Crown vo. s.

' Full of useful information with plenty of good stories.'Truth.

' Without this book the golfer's library will be incomplete.'Pall Mall Gazette.

' It will charm all golfers.'Times.

J. Wells. OXFORD AND OXFORD LIFE. By Members of the University. Edited by J. WELLS, M.A., Fellow and Tutor of Wadham College. Third Edition. Cr. vo. s. d.

' We congratulate Mr. Wells on the production of a readable and intelligent account of Oxford as it is at the present time, written by persons who are possessed of a close acquaintance with the system and life of the University.' Athenaeum.

J. Wells. OXFORD AND ITS COLLEGES. By J. WELLS, M.A, Fellow and Tutor of Wadham College. Illustrated by E. H. NEW. Third Edition. Fcap. vo. s. Leather. s d. net.

' An admirable and accurate little treatise, attractively illustrated.'World.

'A luminous and tasteful little volume.' Daily Chronicle.

' Exactly what the intelligent visitor wants.'Glasgow Herald.

A. H. Thompson. CAMBRIDGE AND ITS COLLEGES. By A. HAMILTON THOMPSON. With Illustrations by E. H. NEW. Pott vo. s. Leather. s. d. net.

This book is uniform with Mr. Wells' very successful book, 'Oxford and its Colleges.'

'It is brightly written and learned, and is just such a book as a cultured visitor needs.'Scotsman.

C. G. Robertson. VOCES ACADEMICS. By C. GRANT ROBERTSON, M.A., Fellow of All Souls', Oxford. With a Frontispiece. Pott vo. s. d.

'Decidedly clever and amusing.' A thenaeum.

Rosemary Cotes. DANTE'S GARDEN. By ROSEMARY COTES. With a Frontispiece. Second Edition. Fcp. vo. s. d. Leather, s. d. net.

' A charming collection of legends of the flowers mentionedby Dante.'Academy. |23

Clifford Harrison. READING AND READERS. By CLIFFORD HARRISON. Fcp. vo. s. d.

'We recommend schoolmasters to examine its merits, for it is at school that readers are made.'Academy.

'An extremely sensible little book.'Manchester Guardian.

L. Whibley. GREEK OLIGARCHIES: THEIR ORGANISATION AND CHARACTER. By L. WHIBLEY, M.A., Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Crown vo. s.

' An exceedingly useful handbook: a careful and well-arranged study.'Times.

L. L. Price. ECONOMIC SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. By L. L. PRICE, M.A., Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford. Crown vo. s.

J. S. Shedlock. THE PIANOFORTE SONATA: Its Origin and Development. By J. S. SHEDLOCK. Crown vo. s,

' This work should be in the possession of every musician and amateur. A concise and lucid history and a very valuable work for reference.'Athenaeum.

E. M. Bowden. THE EXAMPLE OF BUDDHA: Being Quotations from Buddhist Literature for each Day in the Year. Compiled by E. M. BOWDEN. Third Edition. 16mo. s. d. s. d.

Science and Technology

Freudenreich. DAIRY BACTERIOLOGY. A Short Manual for the Use of Students. By Dr. ED. VON FREUDENREICH, Translated by J. R. AINSWORTH DAVIS, M.A. Crown vo. s. d.

Chalmers Mitchell. OUTLINES OF BIOLOGY. By P. CHALMERS MITCHELL, M.A. Illustrated. Cr. vo. s.

A text-book designed to cover the new Schedule issued by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.

G. Massee. A MONOGRAPH OF THEMYXOGASTRES. By GEORGE MASSEE. With 12 Coloured Plates. Royal vo. 18s. net.

' A work much in advance of any book in the language treating of this group of organisms. Indispensable to every student of the Myxogastres.'Nature.

Stephenson and Suddards. ORNAMENTAL DESIGN FOR WOVEN FABRICS. By C. STEPHENSON, of The Technical College, Bradford, and F. SUDDARDS, of The Yorkshire College, Leeds. With 65 full-page plates. Demy vo. s. d.

' The book is very ably done, displaying an intimate knowledge of principles, good taste, and the faculty of clear exposition.Yorkshire Post.

TEXTBOOKS OF TECHNOLOGY. Edited by PROFESSORS GARNETT and WERTHEIMER.

HOW TO MAKE A DRESS. By J. A. E. WOOD. Illustrated. Cr. vo. s. d.

'Though primarily intended for students, Miss Wood's dainty little manual may be consulted with advantage by any girls who want to make their own frocks. The directions are simple and clear, and the diagrams very helpful.'Literature.

CARPENTRY AND JOINERY. By F. C. WEBBER. With many Illustrations. Cr. vo. s. d.

' An admirable elementary text-book on the subject.'Builder.

PRACTICAL MECHANICS. By SIDNEY H. WELLS. With 75 Illustrations and Diagrams. Crown vo. s. d. |24

Philosophy

L. T. Hobhouse. THE THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE. By L. T. HOBHOUSE, Fellow of C.C.C., Oxford. Demy vo. 21s.

' The most important contribution to English philosophy since the publication of Mr. Bradley's "Appearance and Reality." 'Glasgow Herald.

' A brilliantly written volume.'Times.

W. H. Fairbrother. THE PHILOSOPHY OF T. H. GREEN. By W. H. FAIRBROTHER, M.A. Cr. vo. s. d.

' In every way an admirable book.' Glasgow Herald.

F. W. Bussell. THE SCHOOL OF PLATO. By F. W. BUSSELL, D.D., Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford. Demv vo. 10s. d.

'A clever and stimulating book.'Manchester Guardian.

F. S. Granger. THE WORSHIP OF THE ROMANS. By F. S. GRANGER, M.A., Litt.D. Crown vo. s.

' A scholarly analysis of the religious ceremonies, beliefs, and superstitions of ancient Rome, conducted in the new light of comparative anthropology.' Times.

Theology

S. R. Driver. SERMONS ON SUBJECTS CONNECTED WITH THE OLD TESTAMENT. By S. R. DRIVER, D.D., Canon of Christ Church, Regius Professor of Hebrew in the University of Oxford. Cr. vo. s.

' A welcome companion to the author's famous "Introduction."'Guardian.

T. K. Cheyne. FOUNDERS OF OLD TESTAMENT CRITICISM. By T. K. CHEYNE, D.D., Oriel Professor at Oxford. Large Crown vo. s. d.

A historical sketch of O. T. Criticism. 'A very learned and instructive work.' Times.

H. Rashdall. DOCTRINE AND DEVELOPMENT. By HASTINGS RASHDALL, M.A., Fellow and Tutor of New College, Oxford. Cr. vo. s.

' A very interesting attempt to restate some of the principal doctrines of Christianity, in which Mr. Rashdall appears to us to have achieved a high measure of success. He is often learned, almost always sympathetic, and always singularly lucid.' Manchester Guardian.

H. H. Henson. APOSTOLIC CHRISTIANITY: As Illustrated by the Epistles of St. Paul to the Corinthians. By H. H. HENSON, M.A., Fellow of All Souls', Oxford. Cr. vo. s.

' A worthy contribution towards same solution of the great religious problems of the present day.'Scotsman.

H. H. Henson. DISCIPLINE AND LAW. By H. HENSLEY HENSON, B.D., Fellow of All Souls', Oxford. Fcap. vo. s. d.

H. H. Henson. LIGHT AND LEAVEN: HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SERMONS. By H. H. HENSON, M.A. Crown vo. s.

W. H. Bennett. A PRIMER OF THE BIBLE. By W. H. BENNETT. Second Edition. Cr. vo.. S. d.

' The work of an honest, fearless, and sound critic, and an excellent guide in a small compass to the books of the Bible.' Manchester Guardian.

William Harrison. CLOVELLY SERMONS. By WILLIAM HARRISON, M.A., late Rector of Clovelly. With a Preface by ' LUCAS MALET.' Cr. vo. s. d. |25

Cecilia Robinson. THE MINISTRY OF DEACONESSES. By Deaconness CECILIA ROBINSON. With an Introduction by the Lord Bishop of Winchester. Cr. vo. s. d.

'A learned and interesting book.'Scotsman.

E. B. Layard. RELIGION IN BOYHOOD. Notes on the Religious Training of Boys. By E. B. LAYARD, M.A. 18mo. s.

W. Yorke Fausset. THE DE CATECHIZANDIS RUDIBUS OF ST. AUGUSTINE. Edited, with Introduction, Notes, etc., by W. YORKE FAUSSET, M.A. Cr. vo. s. d.

F. Weston. THE HOLY SACRIFICE. By F. WESTON, M.A, Curate of St. Matthew's, Westminster. Pott vo. d. net.

A small volume of devotions at the Holy Communion, especially adapted to the needs of servers and those who do not communicate.

A Kempis. THE IMITATION OF CHRIST. By THOMAS A KEMPIS. With an Introduction by DEAN FARRAR. Illustrated by C. M. GERE. Second Edition. Fcap. vo. s. d. Padded morocco, s.

'Amongst all the innumerable English editions of the "Imitation," there can have been few which were prettier than this one, printed in strong and handsome type, with all the glory of red initials.' Glasgow Herald.

J. Keble. THE CHRISTIAN YEAR. By JOHN KEBLE. With an Introduction and Notes by W. LOCK, D.D., Warden of Keble College. Illustrated by R. ANNING BELL. Second Edition. Fcap. vo. 35. d. Padded morocco. s.

'The present edition is annotated with all the care and insight to be expected from Mr. Lock.'Guardian.

Oxford Commentaries

General Editor, WALTER LOCK, D.D., Warden of Keble College, Dean Ireland's Professor of Exegesis in the University of Oxford.

THE BOOK OF JOB; Edited, with Introduction and Notes, by E. C. S. GIBSON, D.D., Vicar of Leeds. Demy vo. s.

Handbooks of Theology

General Editor, A. ROBERTSON, D.D., Principal of King's College, London.

THE XXXIX. ARTICLES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Edited with an Introduction by E. C. S. GIBSON, D.D., Vicar of Leeds, late Principal of Wells Theological College. Second and Cheaper Edition in One Volume. Demy vo. 12s. d.

'We welcome with the utmost satisfaction a new, cheaper, and more convenient edition of Dr. Gibson's book. It was greatly wanted. Dr. Gibson has given theological students just what they want, and we should like to think that it was in the hands of every candidate for orders.'Guardian,

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF RELIGION. By F. B. JEVONS, M.A., Litt.D., Principal of Bishop Hatfield's Hall. Demy vo. 10s. d.

' The merit of this book lies in the penetration, the singular acuteness and force of the author's judgment. He is at once critical and luminous, at once just and suggestive. A comprehensive and thorough book.'Birmingham Post.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE INCARNATION. By R. L. OTTLEY, M.A., late fellow of Magdalen College, Oxon., and Principal of Pusey House. In Two Volumes. Demy vo. 15s.

' A clear and remarkably full account of the main currents of speculation. Scholarly precision... genuine tolerance... intense interest in his subject, are Mr. Ottley's merits.'Guardian.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF THE CREEDS. By A. E. BURNS, Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Lichfield. Demy vo. 10s. d.

' This book may be expected to hold its place as an authority on its subject.' Spectator.

' It is an able and learned treatise, and contains a mass of information which will be most useful to scholars.'Glasgow Herald. |26

The Churchman's Library

Edited by J. H. BURN, B.D.

THE BEGINNINGS OF ENGLISH CHRISTIANITY. By W. E. COLLINS, M.A. With Map. Cr. vo. s. d.

An investigation in detail, based upon original authorities, of the beginnings of the English Church, with a careful account of earlier Celtic Christianity.

' An excellent example of thorough and fresh historical work."Guardian.

SOME NEW TESTAMENT PROBLEMS. By ARTHUR WRIGHT, Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge. Crown. vo. s.

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN HERE AND HEREAFTER. By CANON WINTERBOTHAM, M.A., B.Sc., LL.B. Cr. vo. s. d.

'A most able book, at once exceedingly thoughtful and richly suggestive.'Glasgow Herald.

The Library of Devotion

Pott vo, cloth, s.; leather, s. d. net.

'This series is excellent.', THE BISHOP OF LONDON.

' A very delightful edition.', THE BISHOP OF BATH AND WELLS.

'Well worth the attention of the Clergy.', THE BISHOP OF LICHFIELD.

' The new " Library of Devotion" is excellent.', THE BISHOP OF PETERBOROUGH.

' Charming."Record.

' Delightful.'Church Bells.

THE CONFESSIONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE. Newly Translated, with an Introduction and Notes, by C. BIGG, D.D., late Student of Christ Church. Second Edition.

' The translation is an excellent piece of English, and the introduction is a masterly exposition. We augur well of a series which begins so satisfactorily.' Times.

THE CHRISTIAN YEAR. By JOHN KEBLE. With Introduction and Notes by WALTER LOCK, D.D., Warden of Keble College, Ireland Professor at Oxford.

'The volume is very prettily bound and printed, and may fairly claim to be an advance on any previous editions.' Guardian.

THE IMITATION OF CHRIST. A Revised Translation, with an Introduction, by C. BIGG, D.D., late Student of Christ Church.

A practically new translation of this book, which the reader has, almost for the first time, exactly in the shape in which it left the hands of the author. 'A beautiful and scholarly production.'Speaker.

' A nearer approach to the original than has yet existed in English."Academy.

A BOOK OF DEVOTIONS. By J. W. STANBRIDGE, M.A., Rector of Bainton, Canon of York, and sometime Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford.

It is probably the best book of its kind. It deserves high commendation."Church Gazette.

LYRA INNOCENTIUM. By JOHN KEBLE. Edited, with Introduction and Notes, by WALTER LOCK, D.D., Warden of Keble College, Oxford.

Leaders of Religion

Edited by H. C. BEECHING, M.A. With Portraits, Crown vo. s. d.

A series of short biographies of the most prominent leaders of religious life and thought of all ages and countries.

The following are ready:

CARDINAL NEWMAN. By R. H. HUTTON.

JOHN WESLEY. By J. H. OVERTON, M.A.

BISHOP WILBERFORCE. By G. W. DANIELL, M.A.

CARDINAL MANNING. By A W. HUTTON, M.A.

CHARLES SIMEON. By H. C. G. MOULE, D,D.

JOHN KEBLE. By WALTER LOCK, D.D. |27

THOMAS CHALMERS. By Mrs. OLIPHANT.

LANCELOT ANDREWES. By R. L. OTTLEY, M.A.

AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY. By E. L. CUTTS, D.D.

WILLIAM LAUD. By W. H. HUTTON, B.D.

JOHN KNOX. By F. MAcCUNN.

JOHN HOWE. By R. F. HORTON, D.D.

BISHOP KEN. By F. A. CLARKE, M.A.

GEORGE FOX, THE QUAKER. By T. HODGKIN, D.C.L.

JOHN DONNE. By AUGUSTUS JESSOPP, D.D.

THOMAS CRANMER. By. A. J. MASON.

Other volumes will be announced in due course.

Fiction

SIX SHILLING NOVELS

Marie Corelli's Novels

Large crown vo. s. each.

A ROMANCE OF TWO WORLDS. Nineteenth Edition.

VENDETTA. Fifteenth Edition.

THELMA. Twenty-first Edition.

ARDATH: THE STORY OF A DEAD SELF. Eleventh Edition.

THE SOUL OF LILITH. Ninth Edition.

WORMWOOD. Ninth Edition.

BARABBAS: A DREAM OF THE WORLD'S TRAGEDY. Thirty -fourth Edition.

'The tender reverence of the treatment and the imaginative beauty of the writing have reconciled us to the daring of the conception, and the conviction is forced on us that even so exalted a subject cannot be made too familiar to us, provided it be presented in the true spirit of Christian faith. The amplifications of the Scripture narrative are often conceived with high poetic insight, and this "Dream of the World's Tragedy" is a lofty and not inadequate paraphrase of the supreme climax of the inspired narrative.'Dublin Review.

THE SORROWS OF SATAN. Fortieth Edition.

' A very powerful piece of work.... The conception is magnificent, and is likely to win an abiding place within the memory of man.... The author has immense command of language and a limitless audacity.... This interesting and remarkable romance will live long after much of the ephemeral literature of the day is forgotten.... A literary phenomenon... novel, and even sublime.', C. T. STEAD in the Review of Reviews.

Anthony Hope's Novels

Crown vo. s. each.

THE GOD IN THE CAR. Eighth Edition.

' A very remarkable book, deserving of critical analysis impossible within our limit; brilliant, but not superficial; well considered, but not elaborated; constructed with the proverbial art that conceals, but yet allows itself to be enjoyed by readers to whom fine literary method is a keen pleasure.' The World.

A CHANGE OF AIR. Fifth Edition.

'A graceful, vivacious comedy, true to human nature. The characters are traced with a masterly hand.'Times.

A MAN OF MARK. Fourth Edition.

'Of all Mr. Hope's books, "A Man of Mark" is the one which best compares with The Prisoner of Zenda."' National Observer.

THE CHRONICLES OF COUNT ANTONIO. Fourth Edition.

' It is a perfectly enchanting story of love and chivalry, and pure romance. The Count is the most constant, desperate, and modest and tender of lovers, a peerless gentleman, an intrepid fighter, a faithful friend, and a magnanimous foe.' Guardian.

PHROSO. Illustrated by H. R. MILLAR. Fourth Edition.

'The tale is thoroughly fresh, quick with vitality, stirring the blood.'St. James's Gazette. |28

'A story of adventure, every page of which is palpitating with action.'Speaker.

'From cover to cover "Phroso" not only engages the attention, but carries the reader in little whirls of delight from adventure to adventure.'Academy.

SIMON DALE. Illustrated. Third Edition.

' " Simon Dale" is one of the best historical romances that have been written for a long while.'St. James s Gazette.

' A brilliant novel. The story is rapid and most excellently told. As for the hero, he is a perfect hero of romance' A thenaeum.

'There is searching analysis of human nature, with a most ingeniously constructed plot. Mr. Hope has drawn the contrasts of his women with marvellous subtlety and delicacy.'Times.

Gilbert Barker's Novels

Crown vo. s. each.

PIERRE AND HIS PEOPLE. Fifth Edition.

' Stories happily conceived and finely executed. There is strength and genius in Mr. Parker's style.'Daily Telegraph.

MRS. FALCHION. Fourth Edition.

' A splendid study of character.'Athenaeum.

'A very striking and admirable novel.' St. James's Gazette.

THE TRANSLATION OF A SAVAGE.

'The plot is original and one difficult to work out; but Mr. Parker has done it with great skill and delicacy. The reader who is not interested in this original, fresh, and well-told tale must be a dull person indeed." Daily Chronicle.

THE TRAIL OF THE SWORD. Illustrated. Sixth Edition.

' A rousing and dramatic tale. A book like this, in which swords flash, great surprises are undertaken, and daring deeds done, in which men and women live and love in the old passionate way, is a joy inexpressible.'Daily Chronicle.

WHEN VALMOND CAME TO PONTIAC: The Story of a Lost Napoleon. Fourth Edition.

' Here we find romance, real, breathing, living romance. The character of Valmond is drawn unerringly. The book must be read, we may say re-read, for any one thoroughly to appreciate Mr. Parker's delicate touch and innate sympathy with humanity.' Pall Mall Gazette.

AN ADVENTURER OF THE NORTH: The Last Adventures of 'Pretty Pierre.' Second Edition.

' The present book is full of fine and moving stories of the great North, and it will add to Mr. Parker's already high reputation.'Glasgow Herald.

THE SEATS OF THE MIGHTY. Illustrated. Ninth Edition.

'The best thing he has done; one of the best things that any one has done lately.' St. James's Gazette.

' Mr. Parker seems to become stronger and easier with every serious novel that he attempts. He shows the matured power which his former novels have led us to expect, and has produced a really fine historical novel.'Athenaeum.

' A great book.'Black and White.

THE POMP OF THE LAVILETTES. Second Edition. s. d.

' Living, breathing romance, genuine and unforced pathos, and a deeper and more subtle knowledge of human nature than Mr. Parker has ever displayed before. It is, in a word, the work of a true artist.' Pall Mall Gazette.

THE BATTLE OF THE STRONG: a Romance of Two Kingdoms. Illustrated. Fourth Edition.

' Such a splendid story, so splendidly told, will be read with avidity, and will add new honour even to Mr. Parker's reputation."St. James's Gazette.

' No one who takes a pleasure in literature but will read Mr. Gilbert Parker's latest romance with keen enjoyment. The mere writing is so good as to be a delight in itself, apart altogether from the interest of the tale.'Pall Mall Gazette.

' Nothing more vigorous or more human has come from Mr. Gilbert Parker than this novel. It has all the graphic power of his last book, with truer feeling for the romance, both of human life and wild nature. There is no character without its unique and picturesque interest. Mr. Parker's style, especially his descriptive style, has in this book, perhaps even more than elsewhere, aptness and vitality.' Literature. |29

S. Baring Gould's Novels

Crown vo. s. each.

'To say that a book is by the author of "Mehalah" is to imply that it contains a story cast on strong lines, containing dramatic possibilities, vivid and sympathetic descriptions of Nature, and a wealth of ingenious imagery.'Speaker.

'That whatever Mr. Baring Gould writes is well worth reading, is a conclusion that may be very generally accepted. His views of life are fresh and vigorous, his language pointed and characteristic, the incidents of which he makes use are striking and original, his characters are life-like, and though somewhat exceptional people, are drawn and coloured with artistic force. Add to this that his descriptions of scenes and scenery are painted with the loving eyes and skilled hands of a master of his art, that he is always fresh and never dull, and it is no wonder that readers have gained confidence in his power of amusing and satisfying them, and that year by year his popularity widens.' Court Circular.

ARMINELL. Fourth Edition.

URITH. Fifth Edition.

IN THE ROAR OF THE SEA. Sixth Edition.

MRS. CURGENVEN OF CURGENVEN. Fourth Edition.

CHEAP JACK ZITA. Fourth Edition.

THE QUEEN OF LOVE. Fourth Edition.

MARGERY OF QUETHER. Third Edition.

JACQUETTA. Third Edition.

KITTY ALONE. Fifth Edition.

NOMIMI. Illustrated. Fourth Edition.

THE BROOM-SQUIRE. Illustrated. Fourth Edition.

THE PENNYCOMEQUICKS. Third Edition.

DARTMOOR IDYLLS.

GUAVAS THE TINNER. Illustrated. Second Edition.

BLADYS. Illustrated. Second Edition.

DOMITIA. Illustrated. Second Edition.

Conan Doyle. ROUND THE RED LAMP. By A. CONAN DOYLE. Sixth Edition. Crown vo. s.

' The book is far and away the best view that has been vouchsafed us behind the scenes of the consulting-room.'Illustrated London News.

Stanley Weyman. UNDER THE RED ROBE. By STANLEY WEYMAN, Author of 'A Gentleman of France.' With Illustrations by R. C. WOODVILLE. Fourteenth Edition. Crown vo. s.

' Every one who reads books at all must read this thrilling romance, from the first page of which to the last the breathless reader is haled along. An inspiration of manliness and courage.'Daily Chronicle.

Lucas Malet. THE WAGES OF SIN. By LUCAS MALET. Thirteenth Edition. Crown vo. s.

Lucas Malet. THE CARISSIMA. By LUCAS MALET, Author of 'The Wages of Sin,' etc. Third Edition. Crown vo. s.

George Gissing. THE TOWN TRAVELLER. By GEORGE GISSING, Author of 'Demos,' 'In the Year of Jubilee,' etc. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

'It is a bright and witty book above all things. Polly Sparkes is a splendid bit of work.'Pall Mall Gazette. ' The spirit of Dickens is in it.'Bookman.

S. R. Crockett. LOCHINVAR. By S. R. CROCKETT, Author of 'The Raiders,' etc. Illustrated. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' Full of gallantry and pathos, of the clash of arms, and brightened by episodes of humour and love....'Westminster Gazette.

S. R. Crockett. THE STANDARD BEARER. By S. R. CROCKETT. Crown vo. s.

' A delightful tale in his best style.'Speaker.

' Mr. Crockett at his best.'Literature.

Arthur Morrison. TALES OF MEAN STREETS. By ARTHUR MORRISON. Fifth Edition. Cr. vo. s. |30

'Told with consummate art and extraordinary detail. In the true humanity of the book lies its justification, the permanence of its interest, and its indubitable triumph.'Athenaeum.

'A great book. The author's method is amazingly effective, and produces a thrilling sense of reality. The writer lays upon us a master hand. The book is simply appalling and irresistible in its interest. It is humorous also; without humour it would not make the mark it is certain to make.'World.

Arthur Morrison. A CHILD OF THE JAGO. By ARTHUR MORRISON. Third Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' The book is a masterpiece.'Pall Mall Gazette.

' Told with great vigour and powerful simplicity.'A thenaeum.

Mrs. Clifford. A FLASH OF SUMMER. By Mrs. W. K. CLIFFORD, Author of 'Aunt Anne,' etc. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' The story is a very beautiful one, exquisitely told.'Speaker.

Emily Lawless. HURRISH. By the Honble. EMILY LAWLESS, Author of 'Maelcho,' etc. Fifth Edition. Cr. vo. s.

Emily Lawless. MAELCHO: a Sixteenth Century Romance. By the Honble. EMILY LAWLESS. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' A really great book.'Spectator.

'There is no keener pleasure in life than the recognition of genius. A piece of work of the first order, which we do not hesitate to describe as one of the most remarkable literary achievements of this generation.'Manchester Guardian.

Emily Lawless. TRAITS AND CONFIDENCES. By the Honble. EMILY LAWLESS. Crown vo. s.

E. W. Hornung. THE AMATEUR CRACKSMAN. By E. W. HORNUNG. Crown vo. s.

' An audaciously entertaining volume.'Spectator.

' Fascinating and entertaining in a supreme degree.'Daily Mail.

' We are fascinated by the individuality, the daring, and the wonderful coolness of Raffles the resourceful, and follow him breathlessly in his career.'World

Jane Barlow. A CREEL OF IRISH STORIES. By JANE BARLOW, Author of ' Irish Idylls.' Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

'Vivid and singularly real.'Scotsman.

Jane Barlow. FROM THE EAST UNTO THE WEST. By JANE BARLOW. Crown vo. s.

' The genial humour and never-failing sympathy recommend the book to those who like healthy fiction.'Scotsman.

Mrs. Caftyn. ANNE MAULEVERER. By Mrs. CAFFYN (Iota), Author of 'The Yellow Aster.' Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' The author leaves with us a most delectable addition to the heroines in modern fiction, and she has established herself as one of the leading women novelists of the day.'Daily Chronicle. ' A fine conception and absorbingly interesting.'A thenceum.

Dorothea Gerard. THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. By DOROTHEA GERARD, Author of ' Lady Baby.' Crown vo. s.

'All the stories are delightful.'Scotsman.

J. H. Findlater. THE GREEN GRAVES OF BALGOWRIE. By JANE H. FINDLATER. Fourth Edition. Crown vo. s.

'A powerful and vivid story.'Standard. ' A beautiful story, sad and strange as truth itself.'Vanity Fair.

'A very charming and pathetic tale.'Pall Mall Gazette.

' A singularly original, clever, and beautiful story.'Guardian.

' Reveals to us a new writer of undoubted faculty and reserve force.'Spectator.

'An exquisite idyll, delicate, affecting, and beautiful.'Black and White.

J. H. Findlater. A DAUGHTER OF STRIFE. By JANE HELEN FINDLATER. Crown vo. s. 'A story of strong human interest.'Scotsman.

J. H. Findlater. RACHEL. By JANE H. FINDLATER. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

'Powerful and sympathetic.' - Glasgow Herald.

' A not unworthy successor to " The Green Graves of Balgowrie." 'Critic.

Mary Findlater. OVER THE HILLS. By MARY FINDLATER. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' A strong and fascinating piece of work.' Scotsman. |31

' A charming romance, and full of incident. The book is fresh and strong.'Speaker.

' A strong and wise book of deep insight and unflinching truth.'Birmingham Post.

Mary Findlater. BETTY MUS-GRAVE. By MARY FINDLATER. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' Handled with dignity and delicacy.... A most touching story.'Spectator.

' Told with great skill, and the pathos of it rings true and unforced throughout.' Glasgow Herald.

Alfred Ollivant. OWD BOB, THE GREY DOG OF KENMUIR. By ALFRED OLLIVANT. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' Weird, thrilling, strikingly graphic.' Punch.

' We admire this book... It is one to read with admiration and to praise with enthusiasm. 'Bookman.

' It is a fine, open-air, blood-stirring book, to be enjoyed by every man and woman to whom a dog is dear.'Literature.

B. M. Croker. PEGGY OF THE BARTONS. By B. M. CROKER, Author of 'Diana Barrington.' Fourth Edition. Crown vo. s.

Mrs. Croker excels in the admirably simple, easy, and direct flow of her narrative, the briskness of her dialogue, and the geniality of her portraiture.'Spectator.

' All the characters, indeed, are drawn with clearness and certainty; and it would be hard to name any quality essential to first-class work which is lacking from this book.'Saturday Review.

E. G. Wells. THE STOLEN BACILLUS, and other Stories. By H. G. WELLS. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' They are the impressions of a very striking imagination, which, it would seem, has a great deal within its reach.'Saturday Review.

H. G. Wells. THE PLATTNER STORY AND OTHERS. By H. G. WELLS. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' Weird and mysterious, they seem to hold the reader as by a magic spell.'Scotsman.

Sara Jeanette Duncan. A VOYAGE OF CONSOLATION. By SARA JEANETTE DUNCAN, Author of An American Girl in London.' Illustrated. Third Edition. Cr. vo. s.

'A most delightfully bright book.'Daily Telegraph.

' The dialogue is full of wit."Globe.

'Laughter lurks in every page.'Daily News.

C. F. Keary. THE JOURNALIST. By C. F. KEARY. Cr. vo. s.

' It is rare indeed to find such poetical sympathy with Nature joined to close study of character and singularly truthful dialogue: but then "The Journalist" is altogether a rare book.'Athenaeum.

E. F. Benson. DODO: A DETAIL OF THE DAY. By E. F. BENSON. Sixteenth Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' A perpetual feast of epigram and paradox." Speaker.

E. F. Benson. THE VINTAGE. By E. F. BENSON. Author of 'Dodo.' Illustrated by G. P. JACOMB-HOOD. Third Edition. Crown vo. s.

' Full of fire, earnestness, and beauty.' The World.

E. F. Benson. THE CAPSINA. By E. F. BENSON, Author of ' Dodo." With Illustrations by G. P. JACOMB-HOOD. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' The story moves through an atmosphere of heroism and adventure.'Manchester Guardian.

Mrs. Oliphant. SIR ROBERT'S FORTUNE. By. Mrs. OLIPHANT. Crown vo. s.

Mrs. Oliphant. THE TWO MARYS. By Mrs. OLIPHANT. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

Mrs. Oliphant. THE LADY'S WALK. By Mrs. OLIPHANT. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

W. E. Norris. MATTHEW AUSTIN. By W. E. N ORRIS, Author of 'Mademoiselle de Mersac,' etc. Fourth. Edition. Crown vo. s.

'An intellectually satisfactory and morally bracing novel."Daily Telegraph.

W. E. Norris. HIS GRACE. By W. E. NORRIS. Third Edition. Crown vo, s.

' Mr. Norris has drawn a really fine character in the Duke."Athenaeum.

W. E. Norris. THE DESPOTIC LADY AND OTHERS. By W. E. NORRIS. Crown vo. s.

'A budget of good fiction of which no one will tire.'Scotsman. |32

W. E. Norris. CLARISSA FURIOSA. By W. E. NORRIS. Cr. vo. s.

' As a story it is admirable, as a jeu d'esprit it is capital, as a lay sermon studded with gems of wit and wisdom it is a model.' The World.

W. Clark Russell. MY DANISH SWEETHEART. By W. CLARK RUSSELL. Illustrated. Fourth Edition. Crown vo. s.

Robert Barr. IN THE MIDST OF ALARMS. By ROBERT BARR. Third Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' A book which has abundantly satisfied us by its capital humour.'Daily Chronicle.

'Mr. Barr has achieved a triumph."Pall Mall Gazette.

Robert Barr. THE MUTABLE MANY. By ROBERT BARR. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' Very much the best novel that Mr. Barr has yet given us. There is much insight in it, and much excellent humour.' Daily Chronicle.

Robert Barr. THE COUNTESS TEKLA. By ROBERT BARR. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' Thrilling and brilliant.'Critic.

' Such a tale as Mr. Barr's would ever receive a hearty welcome. Of these mediaeval romances, which are now gaining ground, "The Countess Tekla" is the very best we have seen. The story is written in clear English, and a picturesque, moving style.'Pall Mall Gazette.

Andrew Balfour. BY STROKE OF SWORD. By ANDREW BALFOUR. Illustrated. Fourth Edition. Cr. vo. s.

A banquet of good things."Academy.

' A recital of thrilling interest, told with unflagging vigour. Globe.

An unusually excellent example of a semi-historic romance.'World.

Andrew Balfour. TO ARMS! By ANDREW BALFOUR. Illustrated. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' The marvellous perils through which Allan passes are told in powerful and lively fashion.'Pall Mall Gazette.

R. B. Townshend. LONE PINE: A Romance of Mexican Life. By R. B. TOWNSHEND. Crown vo. s.

'It is full of incident and adventure. The great fight is as thrilling a bit of fighting as we have read for many a day.' Speaker

' The volume is evidently the work of a clever writer and of an educated and experienced traveller.'Athenaeum.

J. Maclaren Cobban. THE KING OF ANDAMAN: A Saviour of Society. By J. MACLAREN COBBAN. Crown vo. s.

' An unquestionably interesting book. It contains one character, at least, who has in him the root of immortality.'Pall Mall Gazette.

J. Maclaren. Cobban. WILT THOU HAVE THIS WOMAN? By J. MACLAREN COBBAN. Cr. vo. s.

J. Maclaren Cobban. THE ANGEL OF THE COVENANT. By J. MACLAREN COBBAN. Cr. vo. s.

' Mr. Cobban has achieved a work of such rare distinction that there is nothing comparable with it in recent Scottish romance. It is a great historical picture, in which fact and fancy are welded together in a fine realisation of the spirit of the times.'Pall Mall Gazette.

Marshall Saunders. ROSE A CHARLITTE: A Romantic Story of Acadie. By MARSHALL SAUNDERS. Crown vo. s.

'Graceful and well written.'Saturday Review.

'Charmingly told.'Manchester Guardian.

R. N. Stephens. AN ENEMY TO THE KING. By R. N. STEPHENS. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' It is full of movement, and the movement is always buoyant.'Scotsman.

'A stirring story with plenty of movement." Black and White.

Robert Hichens. BYEWAYS. By ROBERT HITCHINS. Author of 'Flames, etc.' Second Edition., Cr. vo. s.

' The work is undeniably that of a man of striking imagination.'Daily News.

Percy White. A PASSIONATE PILGRIM. By PERCY WHITE, Author of 'Mr. Bailey-Martin." Cr. vo. s.

W. Pett Ridge. SECRETARY TO BAYNE, M.P. By W. PETT RIDGE. Crown vo. s.

E. Dawson and A. Moore. ADRIAN ROME. By E. DAWSON and A. MOORE, Authors of 'A Comedy of Masks.' Crown vo. s.

'A clever novel dealing with youth and genius.'Academy. |33

J. S. Fletcher. THE BUILDERS. By J. S. FLETCHER. Author of 'When Charles I. was King.' Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

J. S. Fletcher. THE PATHS OF THE PRUDENT. By J. S. FLETCHER. Crown vo. s.

' The story has a curious fascination for the reader, and the theme and character are handled with rare ability.'Scotsman.

'Dorinthia is charming. The story is told with great humour.'Pall Mall Gazette.

J. B. Burton. IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY. By J. BLOUNDELLE-BURTON. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

' Unusually interesting and full of highly dramatic situations. Guardian.

J. B. Burton. DENOUNCED. By J. BLOUNDELLE-BURTON. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

'A fine, manly, spirited piece of work.' World.

J. B. Burton. THE CLASH OF ARMS. By J. BLOUNDELLE-BURTON. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

'A brave story, brave in deed, brave in word, brave in thought.'St. James's Gazette.

J. B. Burton. ACROSS THE SALT SEAS. ByJ. BLOUNDELLE-BURTON. Second Edition. Crown vo. s.

' The very essence of the true romantic spirit.'Truth.

R. Murray Gilchrist. WILLOW-BRAKE. By R. MURRAY GILCHRIST. Crown vo. s.

'It is a singularly pleasing and eminently wholesome volume, with a decidedly charming note of pathos at various points.'A thenaeum.

W. C. Scully. THE WHITE HECATOMB. By W. C. SCULLY, Author of ' Kafir Stories.' Cr. vo. s.

' Reveals a marvellously intimate understanding of the Kaffir mind."African Critic.

W. C. Scully. BETWEEN SUN AND SAND. By W. C. SCULLY, Author of 'The White Hecatomb.' Cr. vo. s.

' The reader passes at once into the very atmosphere of the African desert: the inexpressible space and stillness swallow him up, and there is no world for him but that immeasurable waste.'Athenaeum.

M. M. Dowie. GALLIA. By MINNIE MURIEL DOWIE, Author of ' A Girl in the Karpathians.' Third Edition. Cr. vo. s.

M. M. Dowie. THE CROOK OF THE BOUGH. By MENIE MURIEL DOWIE. Cr. vo. s.

Julian Corbett. 'A BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS. By JULIAN CORBETT. Second Edition. Cr. vo. s.

OTHER SIX-SHILLING NOVELS

Crown vo.

MISS ERIN. By M. E. FRANCIS.

ANANIAS. By the Hon. Mrs. ALAN BRODRICK.

CORRAGEEN IN '98. By Mrs. ORPEN.

THE PLUNDER PIT. ByJ. KEIGHLEY SNOWDEN.

CROSS TRAILS. By VICTOR WAITE.

SUCCESSORS TO THE TITLE. By Mrs. WALFORD.

KIRKHAM'S FIND. By MARY GAUNT.

DEADMAN'S. By MARY GAUNT.

CAPTAIN JACOBUS: A ROMANCE OF THE ROAD. By L. COPE CORNFORD.

SONS OF ADVERSITY. By L. COPE CORNFORD.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: cosmas_00_0_eintro.htm

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography. Preface to the online edition.

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography. Preface to the online edition.

Cosmas Indicopleustes ('India-voyager') of Alexandria was a Greek sailor in the early th century who travelled to Ethiopia, India and Sri Lanka. He then became a monk, probably of Nestorian tendencies, and around 550 AD wrote a strange book, copiously illustrated, which is the text presented here.

There can be few books which have attracted more derision, mixed with wonder, than the Christian Topography of Cosmas Indicopleustes. It advances the idea that the world is flat, and that the heavens form the shape of a box with a curved lid. The author cites passages of scripture which he distorts wildly in order to support his thesis, and attempts to argue down the idea of a spherical earth by stigmatizing it as 'pagan.' The approach to scripture is discreditable, and the conclusion made simply wrong.

The book is often cited as evidence that Christianity introduced the idea of the flat-earth into the world, and brought in the age of ignorance. This is hardly fair, since Cosmas does not represent a mainstream of any kind, personally or spiritually. The latter pages of his work are devoted to rebutting the criticism of his fellow-monks, that what he was saying was wrong.

As far as we can judge from the surviving literature, Christians and pagans did not as such hold different views about the shape of the world. Some of the philosophers had supposed a spherical earth, and even calculated its size, and some Christians followed them, particularly if they were educated men. Other philosphers had derided the idea, and some Christians did likewise, such as Lactantius and Cosmas. Naturally Christian writers of this school turned to scripture to illustrate their theme, but their methods of exegesis attracted severe criticism from other Christian authors such as Photius. In short, it was a subject on which there was no certain knowledge in the ancient world. In the absence of the Victorian culture of science which we enjoy today, there was also no means for a proto-scientist to publish his discovery in such a way that it would be clear to all that he was not simply a crank idly speculating. It seems unreasonable to condemn Cosmas for reflecting the era in which he lived, when our incredulity reflects only the better-informed era in which we were wise enough to be born.

The book is not without value, however. 'Indicopleustes' means 'Indian voyager'. We learn from stray scraps in classical literature that there was some trade between the Roman empire and India. But Cosmas was one of the rare souls who had actually made the journey. Indeed we learn from his book that he had travelled over much of the Red Sea coast, and as far as Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), and he describes some of what he saw, and even drew pictures of the strange animals in his autograph manuscript. Some of these have been copied into the existing manuscripts. Away from his daft theory, Cosmas proves to be an interesting and reliable guide. He happened to be in Ethiopia at the time when the King of Axum was preparing a military expedition to attack Jewish Arabs in the Yemen. He records now vanished inscriptions. In short, he gives us a window into a fascinating world of which we would otherwise know nothing. This is the main value of his work.

Composition

The work was originally in 5 books. Objections led to him adding first book 6 and then further books up to book 10. Books 11 and 12 seem to have no connection with the main portion of the work, and may have been added by a later editor from other works by Cosmas, such as his work on Geography addressed to a certain Constantinus. This includes his description of the island of Taprobane, Ceylon or Sri Lanka. The Vatican manuscript was copied from a text of only 10 books.

About Cosmas

Cosmas' own name is not absolutely certain. Two of the three Mss. give no name for the author -- only the Laurentian Ms. names him. However a portion of book 5 appears in the marginal commentaries ('catenae') on the Psalms, giving the name Cosmas Indicopleustes as the author.

Cosmas tells us that he was a native of Egypt, probably of Alexandria. He never received a complete education (II, 1). He was a merchant (II, 54 and 56) in early life, perhaps importing spices. He made many voyages. He knew Palestine and the area around Mt. Sinai (V, 8, 14, 51-52), had been to Socotra (III, 65), and had navigated in the Mediterranean, Red Sea and Persian Gulf (II, 29). He had rounded cape Gardafui and sailed off Somalia (II, 30). Later in life he settled in Alexandria, developed indigestion, ophthalmia and other ills (II, 1). That he was a monk is supposed, as the Laurentian manuscript calls him Kosmaj monaxoj, and indeed it is likely enough. Cosmas even mentions in book 2 another merchant, Menas, a friend of his, who also became a monk.

Cosmas is often referred to in the literature as a Nestorian. He tells us that he was a pupil of Patricius, Theodore of Mopsuestia and Diodorus of Tarsus, and a friend of Thomas of Edessa. All of these were Nestorians. He highlights the churches planted in the East, all again Nestorian. One passage only gives the opposite impression, that where he uses the Chalcedonian term theotokos, Mother of God, for Mary; but this passage is not found in the Vatican manuscript, suggesting it is a later addition.

Interestingly he refers to Marcionites and Montanists in book 5, which suggests that these groups were still active in his part of the world at this time.

Date of the work

The date of the work is fairly certain. In book 2, Cosmas tells us that it is 25 years since he was in Axum, and he was there when Elesbaas was preparing his expedition against the Homerites. That expedition probably took place in 525 AD, or possibly 522 AD. At the beginning of book 6, he refers to two eclipses, giving the dates as Mechir 12 and Mesori 24: these would seem to be the eclipses of 6 Feb. 547 and 17 Aug. 547. The logical inference is that the work was written around 550 AD.

Greek text

McCrindle's translation is given in the following pages. This was based on the only available Greek text, that of the great Montfaucon, which Migne had reprinted. Nevertheless this was a pre-critical text. In 1909 E.O.Winstedt published a critical edition of the text, without a translation but with English preface and notes. I considered adding his preface to this collection also, but it is difficult to scan and not really relevant in large portions. I have drawn on it for various points in this preface, and also made use of the preface to Wanda Wolska-Conus edition, Sources Chrétiennes 141 (1968).

Montfaucon's text was primarily based on the Laurentian manuscript (L). Those who have read his Diarium Italicum will appreciate the difficulties this venerable scholar, the father of bibliography, faced in obtaining access to manuscripts in Italy. Winstedt suggests that his text does not follow the manuscript very closely. One serious error occurs in book 5 (248B-249B), where a leaf is missing in L. Montfaucon for whatever reason only restored a small part of this text from V. Unfortunately this passage is the one used in the catenae, and the difference has led to confusion over whether Cosmas wrote some other work containing the words in the catena. All of them are in fact from the Christian Topography.

Winstedt also included monochrome plates of some of the illustrations from the Vatican manuscript (V). I have added these plates as an appendix, after some hesitation, since the originals were probably made by the author. All the manuscripts are magnificently illustrated. Those in the Vatican Ms. are probably close copies of an antique original. It is likely that Cosmas was his own artist, since some of them show subjects unfamiliar to the average monastic copyist; at any rate, he must have directed the execution. The first picture in V (f.12) has no connection with the text, but shows an antelope between two banana trees. Native words for the banana, and the mention of the little known port of Adulis, Gabaza, in the picture on f.12v, all tend to suggest the involvement of the author.

I have added a translation of the summary of contents to the front of McCrindle's translation. Wolska-Conus describes McCrindle's version is being a little hasty, particularly in the theological portions, and a little prone to force the text in the direction of the droll and amusing in others.

Manuscripts

Three complete manuscripts exist:

Rome: Vaticanus Graecus 699 (V). An uncial manuscript of the 9th century, written in Constantinople. It comprises 123 folios written in two columns, each of 32 lines except where miniatures appear. It contains only books 1-10, and as the index of books at the front is written in the same hand, and lists only 10, clearly it never had more. It omits the introductory prayer, first prologue, and start of the second prologue. Various leaves are missing. The manuscript is the best of them, but corrupt in point of copying accuracy. General production quality is top-class. Accents have been added by a subsequent corrector. The codex is illustrated 'magnificently'.

No. 1186 of the Greek Mss. of the Monastery of St. Catherine at Sinai (S). 11th century, 209 leaves, each of 30 lines, folio. Written in Cappadocia. Very correctly written and accented. It contained 12 books, but the end is lacking. Commences with the first prologue, then the summary of 12 books, then the second prologue starting where V does. At the end of the th book (i.e. the end of the original work), it has a prayer not found in L. L and S are generally very closely related. It contains practically the same illustrations as L.

Florence: Laurentianus Plutei IX.28 (L). 11th century, written in minscule hand. 12 books. Written probably in the Iviron monastery on Mt. Athos. 279 folios, of 22 lines. Omits the summary of contents. Differs from V at the point where the two both begin, with an untranslatable sentence. A leaf or more is missing after fol. 104 (Montfaucon 200D), which is absent also in V and S only partly contains the text, so a row of dots appears in the printed text. Since McCrindle had no access to S, at this point his text is incorrect. Illustrations are not so fine as those in V. Corrected throughout by another hand.

Phillips 2581. A paper copy of L, made 21 June 1682. 326 pages, in quarto, paper. This was at Cheltenham when Winstedt wrote, but the Phillips collection is now dispersed. Winstedt had not seen it, however, but relied on a description by H. Omont. Wolska-Conus simply quotes Winstedt.

Other partial manuscripts also exist, mainly containing illustrations:

Paris Suppl. Gr. 844. 18th century. Contains only copies of some of the pictures in L.

Paris Gr. 2426 (P). 16th century. On ff. 112 ff, contains a copy of most of book 11, copied by Nicholas de la Torre, possibly from the archetype of Z although it contains more of this book than Z did. The text is handled freely, and seems to relate to the Smyrna manuscript.

Smyrna B-8 (Z). ca. 1100AD. Described by Papadopoulos-Kerameus in an 1877 catalogue. Selections appear on pp.156-192, under the name of Maximus (written over a shorter name which has been erased). Just a collection of pictures with short bits of text attached to it.

Vienna Theol. 9 (W). Selections. Bought in Constantinople by A. Busbeck. Copied from S, or more likely an Ms. similar to S.

Finally a bunch of Mss. of the Psalter and Gospels are listed by Winstedt, which prefix extracts from book 5 as catenae. These he describes as all worthless, but he lists a few:

Vat. Gr. 363 (R ). 10th century.

Oxford, Bodleian Library: Ms. Cromwell 15. 11th century. Bought on Mt. Athos in 1727.

Bodleian Arch. Selden 29. AD 1338. Fol. 116 has a catena on Luke, ascribed to Cosmas Indicopleustes.

[Others exist]

There are also numerous Mss. which use a section from book 5 as a catena on the Psalms, again of limited value:

Vat. Gr. 342. 12th century. f. v.

Vat. Gr. 525. 12th century. f. 1.

Venice, Marcianus Gr. 498. 14th century. f. 270.

Bodleian, Baroc. 15. 12th century. f. 22.

Turin B. I. 10.

Milan, Ambrosian. B. 106. 10th century.

Moscow 358. 11th century.

Vat. Gr. 1747.

Paris Gr. 2743. Once Colbertinus 1476, 16th century, copied by J. Diassorinos. This is mentioned by Montfaucon, and also by Omont, both of whom lead the reader to suppose Cosmas was the author of a commentary on the Psalms preserved herein. In fact it contains only the usual chunk of book 5, followed by material from other authors.

Paris Gr. 169 (Mazarin-Reg. 3450). 14th century. A similar Ms., with the paragraph expanded by adding a following section from other authors.

Vallicellianus C. 4. 16th century. ff. 434-5. Also with the expanded paragraph from book 5.

Paris Gr. 3179. 16th century. Copied by Bigot. Also with the expanded paragraph from book 5.

Vat. Gr. 711. fol. 196.

The three main Mss. fall into two families: V and the others. V has 10 books; S and L have 12. In V the paragraphs on the major and minor prophets are in Septuagint order, as aso in the parallel passage in the Chronicon Paschale; in S and L, they are disarranged into the order of Theodore of Mopsuestia, as in McCrindle's translation. Winstedt suggests this shows that Cosmas' literary executor added two books from his papers, and 'corrected' the order into that favoured among Nestorians, and perhaps added other notes at various points, found only in L and S. Cosmas wrote his own notes, so supplementary paragraphs cannot be distinguished from the original with ease. S cannot be a copy of L, and is more reliable as L has been corrected by an educated man who corrected Cosmas' bad Greek at various points. V is undoubtedly the best manuscript.

Roger PEARSE

th July 2003

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) Title Page, Contents, Editor's Preface

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) Title Page, Contents, Editor's Preface

WORKS ISSUED BY

The Hakluyt Society

------------0------------

THE CHRISTIAN TOPOGRAPHY

OF

COSMAS.

FIRST SERIES.NO. XCVIII-----MDCCCXCVII

KOSMA

AIGUPTIOU MONAXOU

XRISTIANIKH TOPOGRAFIA.

----------------

THE

CHRISTIAN TOPOGRAPHY

OF

COSMAS, AN EGYPTIAN MONK.

Translated from the Greek, and Edited, with Notes and Introduction

BY

J. W. McCRINDLE, M.A., M.R.A.S., F.R.S.G.S.,

LATE PRINCIPAL OF THE GOVERNMENT COLLEGE AT PATNA, AND FELLOW OF

CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY;

AUTHOR OF A SERIES OF WORKS ON ANCIENT INDIA, AS DESCRIBED BY THE CLASSICAL AUTHORS,

INCLUDING THE "INDICA" OF CTESIAS, MEGASTHENES AND ARRIAN; THE PERIPLÛS

OF THE ERYTHRAEAN SEA"; PTOLEMY'S "GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA", AND THE

"INVASION OF INDIA BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT".

COUNCIL

OF

THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.

---------

SIR CLEMENTS MARKHAM, K.C.B., F.R.S., Pres. R.G.S., PRESIDENT.

THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY, VICE-PRESIDENT.

REAR-ADMIRAL SIR WILLIAM WHARTON, K.C.B., VICE-PRESIDENT.

C. RAYMOND BEAZLEY, ESQ., M.A.

COLONEL G. EARL CHURCH.

THE RIGHT HON. GEORGE N. CURZON, M.P.

ALBERT GRAY, ESQ.

ALFRED HARMSWORTH, ESQ.

THE RIGHT HON. LORD HAWKESBURY.

EDWARD HEAWOOD, ESQ., M.A.

ADMIRAL SIR ANTHONY H. HOSKINS, G.C. B.

VICE-ADMIRAL ALBERT H. MARKHAM.

A. P. MAUDSLAY, ESQ.

E. DELMAR MORGAN, ESQ.

CAPTAIN NATHAN, R.E.

ADMIRAL SIR E. OMMANNEY, C.B., F.R.S.

CUTHBERT E. PEEK, ESQ.

E. G. RAVENSTEIN, ESQ.

HOWARD SAUNDERS, ESQ.

CHARLES WELCH, ESQ., F.S.A.

WILLIAM FOSTER, ESQ., B.A., Honorary Secretary.

CONTENTS

PAGE

EDITOR'S PREFACE ix-xii

INTRODUCTION:

Sources of the Text ----Biography of the Author; His system of the world; Opinions about his work; His place in history i-xxvii

THE AUTHOR'S SUPPLICATION FOR DIVINE AID 1

PROLOGUE I 2

PROLOGUE II 3

BOOK I:

The Places and Figures of the Universe; the heresy of affirming that the Heavens are spherical, and that there are Antipodes; Pagan errors as to the causes of rain and of earthquakes 7

BOOK II:

The position, figure, length and breadth of the earth; the site of Paradise; the Greek inscriptions at Adulê; extract from Ephorus; the ancient empires; the Fall of Man and its effect on the Angels; the circumscription of angels, demons and souls 23

BOOK III:

The Tower of Babel; the Mission of Moses to the Israelites; comments on his history of the Creation of the World; the conversion of the nations to Christianity 91

BOOK IV:

A recapitulation of the views advanced; theory of eclipses; doctrine of the sphere denounced 129

BOOK V:

Description of the Tabernacle: Patriarchs and Prophets who predicted the coming of Christ and the future state; the agreement of these with the Apostles 138

BOOK VI:

The size of the Sun; a dissertation on the two states 244

BOOK VII:

The Duration of the Heavens 263

BOOK VIII:

Interpretation of the Song of Hezekiah; the retrogression of the Sun; ancient dials; predictions referring to Cyrus 304

BOOK IX:

Courses of the Sun and Moon and other heavenly bodies; their movements effected by the angels 321

BOOK X:

Passages from the Christian Fathers confirming the Author's views 331

BOOK XI:

Description of certain Indian animals and plants, and of the island of Taprobane (Ceylon) 358

BOOK XII:

Old Testament narratives confirmed by Chaldaean, Babylonian, Persian and Egyptian records; the island Atlantis 375

APPENDIX:

Plates with figures illustrative of the Text, and explanations of them 387

INDEX 393

---------------------

ERRATA

Page ix, line 17, for Theodosius, read Theodorus

.. 5, line 24, " vail,, veil

,, 23, note 2,,, e0gku&klion,, e0gku&klioj.

" 43, line 19, " each of,,, each pair of

" 76, line 4,,, diameter,,, dimensions

154, note 1,,, pavilio, '' papilio

" 213, line 5, " Appolinarius, " Apollinarius

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

------------------

H E Christian Topography of Cosmas Indicopleustes is one of the prodigies of literature. The boldness and perverse ingenuity with which its author, from a long array of irrelevant scripture texts, seeks to construct an impossible theory of the universe can scarcely fail to astonish everyone who reads it. It made its appearance at that period in the world's history, when Christendom, fast losing the light of Greek learning and culture, was soon to be shrouded in the long night of mediaeval ignorance and barbarism. The work reflects with singular distinctness this prominent characteristic of the age which produced it; for while Cosmas, on the one hand, held the principles of the Christian faith combined with others pervading the theology then current which led to the darkening of all true knowledge, he had, on the other hand, a somewhat considerable, if inexact, acquaintance with the philosophical and scientific speculations of the Greeks. He may thus not inaptly be compared to a two-headed Janus, with one face turned to the light of departing day, and the other to the shadows of the coming night. |x

In our Introduction will be found a statement showing the sources whence the text of this unique work has been derived. A biography of its author then follows; next, a synopsis of his cosmological views, and finally, citations of the opinions which have been passed upon his system of the world and the contents of his work generally.

The translation here presented is literal, as far as the exigencies of idiom would permit. It is the first that has been made of the whole work into English, or, indeed, into any other language except Latin and Norwegian. In its preparation we have lacked the advantage, generally enjoyed by translators of classical texts, that of having at hand for reference a variety of translations and commentaries to throw light on passages that are dark, dubious, or disputed, or otherwise perplexed. We have had, indeed, the assistance of Montfaucon's Latin version, but no commentary whatever to give us light where we found Cosmas dark. That good and learned Father is generally accurate, but, like the good Homer, he sometimes nods, and we give at the foot of the page a list of notes which refer to passages whereof his interpretations differ from our own.¹ Another list of notes follows, in which suggestions are offered for the correction of the Greek text.² |xi

Cosmas tells us, in the outset of his work, that he has inserted notes ( paragrafai/) for the clearer exposition of the text (to_ kei/menon).These notes he seems to have placed, not in the margin, but in the body of the work, after the text to which they refer. In our translation they appear in a similar position, but printed in a type somewhat smaller than that of the text.

Our rendering of the word #Ellhnej requires a word of explanation. In the days of Cosmas it was used, not so much to designate persons of Hellenic descent, as persons who clung to the old superstitions of Greece and Rome and rejected Christianity. Montfaucon's rendering is Graeci, but we have considered Pagans as preferable.³ This class of persons Cosmas sometimes calls also oi9 e cwqev, those without the pale of the Church, an expression which we render mostly by pagans.

Cosmas had some skill in drawing, and seems to have taken as much delight in covering his MSS. with illustrative sketches as was taken, according to his showing, by the Israelites of old in covering the rocks of Mount Sinai with inscriptions when once they had been taught by Moses the art of writing. Montfaucon, having made a selection from these sketches, relegated them en masse to the end of |xii his work. His copies of them, which are not always quite exact, have been reproduced for the present work, by photographic processes, in a way which leaves nothing to be desired, and will be found, with explanatory notes, in the Appendix.

The passages of Scripture to which Cosmas refers are very numerous, and the words are cited at length both in the Greek text and in the Latin version. We have, however, given only the references, in cases where this could be done without inconvenience to the reader.

In conclusion we have to express our obligations to Mr. J. Coles, Map-Curator of the Royal Geographical Society, and to Dr. James Burgess of Edinburgh, for their kindness in writing for us those mathematical notes to Book vi, in which they show how egregiously Cosmas erred in his calculations of the size of the sun;⁴ while to Mr. C. Robertson of Edinburgh, late of the Indian Civil Service, we stand greatly indebted for valuable suggestions and criticisms made while he had the goodness to hear us read over our translation to him. Mr. Foster, the Secretary of the Society, must permit us further to say how much the work has profited by his careful correction of the final proofs, and the suggestions which he was kind enough on occasion to offer.

J. W. McC.

32, LAURISTON PLACE, EDINBURGH,

November 1897.

[Footnotes have been renumbered and placed at the end]

1. ¹ N. 2, p. 2; n. 1, p. 19; n. 3, p. 24; n. 3, p. 71; n. 1, p. 85; n. 2, p. 92; n. 1, p. 94; n. 2, p. 106; n. 5, p. 119; n. 1, p. 123; n. 2, p. 131; n. 1, p. 138; n. 2, p. 183; n. 4, p. 192; n. 1, p. 264; n. 2, p. 277; n. r, p. 279; n. 1, p. 322; n. 2, p. 336; n. 3, p. 341; n. 2, p, 361; n. 1, p. 363; n. 2, ibid.; n. 3, p. 364.

2. ² N. 1, p. 12; n. 1, p. 13; n. 1, p. 16; n. 1, p. 29; n. 1, p. 50; n. 4, p. 120; n. 1, p. 138; n. 1, p. 170; n. 2, p. 190; n. 1, p. 202; n. 1, p. 212; n. 1, p. 224; n. 2, p. 305: n. 4, p. 321; n. 1, p. 329; n. 3, p. 347; n. 1, p. 355; n. 7, p. 366; n. 2, p. 369; 11. 2, p. 383.

3. ¹ This point will be found further explained in n. 2, p. 3.

4. ¹ For the note with diagrams on pp. 247-8, we are indebted to Mr. Coles; and for n. 2, p. 249, n. 1, p. 250, and n. 1, p. 252, to Dr. Burgess.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) Introduction.

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) Introduction.

INTRODUCTION.

----------------

SOURCES OF THE TEXT.

H E Christian Topography of Cosmas, surnamed Indicopleustes, or the Indian Navigator, has been preserved in two copies: one a parchment MS. of the tenth century belonging to the Laurentian library in Florence, and containing the whole work except only the last leaf; the other, a very fine uncial MS. of the eighth or ninth century, belonging to the Vatican library, and containing sketches drawn by Costnas himself, but wanting entirely the twelfth book, which is the last. There is, besides, in the Imperial library in Vienna, a Cosmas MS., but this contains only a few leaves of the Topography. The existence of the work, which had been for ages forgotten, and the importance and interest of its contents, were first made known in the latter half of the seventeenth century by Emeric Bigot. This learned French scholar, while visiting Italy, extracted from the Florentine Codex a copy of the |ii Adulitic Inscriptions,¹ and of passages relating to Ethiopia and India. These extracts were afterwards published in Thevenot's Relation de divers Voyages, accompanied with a translation into French. Twenty years later (1706), the work appeared in its complete form as exhibited in the Florentine Codex, collated with that of the Vatican. It was not, however, published separately, but was included in the second volume of the splendid work Nova Collectio Patrum et Scriptorum Graecorum, edited by Father Montfaucon, a Benedictine monk, celebrated for his profound knowledge of Patristic literature. The Greek text was illustrated by a learned introduction and a Latin translation of great elegance and accuracy. Notes were also added, chiefly to point out where discrepancies exist in the readings of the MSS. The present translation has been prepared from Montfaucon's text, as reprinted in the 88th volume of the Patrologia Graeca, printed at the Migne Press, Paris, 1864.

THE TITLE OF THE WORK.

In the Florentine Codex, the index of the work reads thus: Au#th h( bi/bloj Xristianikh_ Topografi/a periektikh_ panto_j tou~ ko&smou par' h(mi=n w)nomasme/nh. This Book named by us Christian Topography comprehensive of the whole world, Montfaucon entitles it: Cosmae Egyptii Monachi Christiana Topographia, sive Christianorum Opinio de Mundo: The Christian |iii Topography of Cosmas, an Egyptian Monk, or the Opinion of Christians concerning the World. As Cosmas all through the work keeps harping, with the most provoking reiteration, on his doctrine that the universe consists of only two places, namely, the earth which is below the firmament, and heaven, which is above it, the term Topography designates the treatise properly enough; though on turning to peruse it for the first time, we should from its title expect its contents to be very different from what they are found to be.

NOTICE OF THE WORK BY PHOTIUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE.

Montfaucon does not seem to have been aware that a brief notice of the Topography is to be found in the Bibliotheka of Photius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who was elected to that dignity in A.D. 858. Photius states that the work had for its title

Xristianw~n bi/bloj, and was an exposition extending to the eighth book. He does not give the author's name, but states that he flourished in the reign of the Roman Emperor Justinus, and dedicated his work to a certain Pamphilus. He condemns it as being below mediocrity in style, and faulty in its syntax; and at the same time calls in question the author's veracity, saying that he makes up stories so incredible that he may fairly be regarded as a writer of fables rather than of facts. He then gives a very concise summary of the |iv contents of the Topography, and concludes with a reference to the last four books, which had from time to time been added to defend the doctrines set forth in those which had preceded.

THE NAME OF THE AUTHOR OF THE "TOPOGRAPHY."

A doubt long ago arose as to whether Cosmas was the proper or family name of the author of the Topography. Isaac Voss first started this doubt, and Fabricius subsequently gave currency to the opinion that Cosmas was so called because his work was devoted to a description of the Kosmos: just as the Abbot John of Sinai was called Climacius because he had published a work entitled Climax. In the absence of evidence, this must remain an open question.

BIOGRAPHY OF COSMAS.

The Topography fortunately contains passages which throw light on the personal history of its author, and enable us also to fix with certainty the date at which he wrote. He was most probably a native of Alexandria, and may have been of Greek parentage. His education was confined to the more elementary branches of knowledge, such as would fit him for the career he pursued in the earlier part of his life----that of a merchant. But though he was not instructed, as he tells us himself,² |v in the "learning of the schools," yet so inquisitive was his turn of mind and so sharp his intellect that he eventually acquired such a knowledge of literature and science as raised him to the level of the culture of his time, and to his being accepted as a capable exponent and defender of the Christian faith.

The commercial pursuits of Cosmas carried him into seas and countries far remote from his home. Thus he tells us that he had sailed upon three of the great gulfs which run up into the earth from the ocean, namely, the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and Persian Gulf.³ He sailed also upon that part of the Erythraean Sea which beyond Cape Guardafui stretches southward toward the outlying ocean, which in those days was regarded with terror and held to be unnavigable on account of the violent currents and dense and dismal fogs in which it was thought to be enveloped. When the ship which carried Cosmas was approaching this dread region of currents and fogs, a storm gathered overhead, and flocks of albatrosses, like birds of ill omen, hovered on the wing high above the mast. Dismay seized alike the passengers and the crew, and amidst outcries of "port the helm," the course of the vessel was reversed and she headed northwards.⁴ Cosmas does not say whether in the course of this voyage he reached India, which was his destination when he embarked. |vi If he did not, he must have made a second and more successful attempt; for no one, we think, who reads his eleventh book, in which he describes the island of Ceylon and the ports, commerce, and animals of India, can doubt that he writes about these places from personal knowledge of them.

One of the most interesting and instructive parts of the Topography is that in which Cosmas relates what he had heard and seen in the course of his travels in Ethiopia.⁵ By the name of Ethiopia he designates in a general way the vast region which stretches southward from Egypt down towards the equator; and from an incidental remark which he drops when treating of the Adulitic inscription on the throne,⁶ we learn that he had traversed it almost throughout its length and its breadth. Like Herodotus of old, he was ever athirst after knowledge, and when he was unable to visit places which lay in the vicinity of his route, he made inquiries about them from such persons as knew them and could be trusted to report things truly. The capital of Ethiopia at that time was Axum, an important centre of commerce, and also of religion and learning. It was one of the places which Cosmas, in pursuit of his calling, visited,⁷ and from one or two of his statements we may infer that he was well received at Court, and was permitted by the King, who professed the Christian faith and could speak Greek, to travel freely through his dominions. |vii

The seaport of Axum was Adule or Adulis,⁸ the modern Zulá or Thulla, situated near Annesley Bay and distant from the capital about one hundred and twenty miles or an eight days' journey. Cosmas found himself here in the year 525 A.D., at which time Elesboas, the King of Axum, was preparing an expedition against the Homerites in Arabia.⁹ Here, at the request of the Governor, Cosmas, along with his friend Menas, a monk of the monastery at Raithu, copied the famous Greek inscriptions on the marble tablet and the basanite throne, which lay together outside the town on the road which led to Axum.¹⁰

Among other parts of Ethiopia which our traveller visited we may include the Aromatic country----that great projection on the east of the African Continent which terminates in Cape Guardafui. His description of this district (which supplied the Egyptians of old with their spices for embalming the dead), and of its products and its foreign trade, shows that it must have come from the pen of an eye-witness.¹¹ He may also have proceeded to the north-west, and visited the kingdom of Meroe (now Khartum), for in that direction lay the seats of several tribes mentioned in the inscription on the throne. Montfaucon, in his Preface, credits him with the discovery, in the Abyssinian province called Agau, of the true source of the Nile. It was not, however, the source of the main stream |viii which he discovered, but that of the Blue Nile,¹² which, a millennium afterwards, was rediscovered by the Portuguese, and more recently by the Scottish traveller Bruce. There was still another interesting locality which the traveller tells us he visited, and this lay on the other side of the Red Sea----the Desert, namely, of Sinai, where he found, strewn among the sands, fragments of rock covered with inscriptions which he took to have been carved by the Israelites when they were wandering in that wilderness.¹³

Cosmas, when all his travels were over, returned to Alexandria, perhaps after paying a visit to Jerusalem; and, abandoning the secular life, retired to the seclusion of the cloister, where he devoted his leisure to the composition of works on descriptive geography, cosmography, and Scriptural exegesis. Of these, the Christian Topography alone is extant. The loss of the geographical treatise, as Montfaucon well says, is to be deplored with tears. It has been conjectured that the geographical passages in the Topography, as, for instance, the description of Ceylon in the eleventh book, are extracts from that treatise.

THE CHRISTIAN SECT TO WHICH COSMAS BELONGED.

In the days of Cosmas ecclesiastical controversies were rife, and professing Christians were divided |ix into numerous sects. That to which Cosmas most probably belonged was the Nestorian. To this point Photius makes no reference, and it has been equally overlooked by Montfaucon. The first who called in question the orthodoxy of our Monk was De La Croze, who, in his Histoire du Christianisme des Indes, adduced the following arguments to prove his Nestorian proclivities: ----1°, that Cosmas calls Patricius, who was the Archbishop of Persia when that country had been infected with Nestorianism, a divine man and an illustrious teacher;¹⁴ 2°, that Cosmas, in his list of heretical sects, names the Manichaeans, the Marcionists, the Eutychians, the Arians and the Apollinarians, but not the Nestorians;¹⁵ 3°, that in his exposition of Scripture, and in his system of the world, he always follows Theodosius of Mopsuestia and Diodorus of Tarsus, who were the principal teachers of the Nestorians; 4°, that concerning Christ and the Incarnation of the Word, he uses the same modes of expression as the Nestorians.¹⁶ We may add as a fifth argument the glowing terms in which Cosmas speaks of the wide diffusion of Christianity among the heathen nations of the east, which was mainly the work of missionaries from Persia, where Nestorianism reigned supreme.¹⁷ Only one passage occurs to throw some doubt on the certainty of this conclusion----that in which Cosmas addresses Mary as |x the Mother of God, an expression abhorrent to the Nestorians. Had Cosmas in his monastery relapsed into what was there considered orthodoxy?

THE DATE AT WHICH THE "TOPOGRAPHY" WAS WRITTEN.

We have already mentioned that the Topography has data from which the time when Cosmas wrote can be certainly determined. In the second book (p. 55), where he mentions his visit to Adulê, he observes that it was made when Elesboas the Axumite King was preparing an expedition against the Homerites in Arabia, and that this was at the beginning of the reign of the Roman Emperor Justinus, since which time some five-and-twenty years more or less had elapsed. Now, as it is known that the expedition was made in A.D. 522, and that Justinus was at that date in the fifth year of his reign, Cosmas must have been writing about the year 547. It is true that an indication which apparently conflicts with this appears in the tenth book (p. 351), where he speaks of Theodosius, the heretical Bishop of Alexandria, as residing at the time in Constantinople, and then on p. 353 refers to the death of his predecessor in office, Timothy the younger,¹⁸ as an event of recent occurrence. Now it is known that this Timothy died in 535, and was succeeded by Theodosius, who, after a brief |xi residence in his diocese went to Constantinople, whence he was banished in 536. The tenth book must therefore have been written in the year preceding. How, then, is this earlier date to be reconciled with the later? Montfaucon answers this question satisfactorily. Cosmas, he points out, in order to meet objections urged against his opinions, was in the habit of making additions from time to time to the number of its books. The earlier date thus probably indicates the time when he began to make such additions, and the later when he was making the last, or one of the last, recensions of his work.

OPINIONS OF THE LEARNED REGARDING THE "TOPOGRAPHY."

The condemnatory verdict of Photius upon the work of Cosmas has not been endorsed by modern opinion. The style of the Topography has no doubt the shortcomings which the Patriarch pointed out; but Cosmas, it is proper to remember, expressly disclaims all pretensions to the learning of the schools. He pleads that from his early years he had been so engrossed in business, and had been besides so much abroad, that he had found no spare time for studying rules of grammar and the art of composition; he could, therefore, only write in a homely style, without attempting any flights of rhetoric. Rhetoric, moreover would, he thought, be out of place in his books, since "he wrote for |xii Christians, who had more need of correct notions than of fine phrases." The style has, notwithstanding, some redeeming points. Cosmas, in spite of his loose grammar, seldom fails to make his meaning clear, or to put forward his arguments with sufficient point and force. Some passages, besides, which give us an insight into the depth and fervour of his faith, rise to an eloquence which suggests the belief that, had he cultivated the art, he might have shone in pulpit oratory.

It is, however, in relating his travelling experiences that Cosmas is found at his best. The language he uses is simple, and his descriptions are not only remarkably vivid, but are, above all things, truthful. In this respect modern opinion is entirely at variance with that of Photius. The greater knowledge now possessed of the remote regions which Cosmas visited goes all to show that the thought of tickling the fancy of his readers with tales of wonder had never entered his mind, but that on the contrary he was a man who had a supreme regard for truth, and who was at once an acute observer, and shrewd in judging the value of the information which he received from others.

As soon as the Topography, in its complete edition by Montfaucon, made its appearance, it excited great interest in the circles of learning, and at once took rank as a work which contained more accurate and more valuable information on geographical subjects than any other document that had come down from the early mediaeval age. |xiii At the same time, the extreme singularity of the views which it propounded on cosmology and on the interpretation of Scripture texts filled its readers, with combined feelings of amazement and amusement.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

The Topography was republished at Venice in 1776 in Gallandi's Bibliotheca veterum Patrum, and its most valuable sections were, printed, along with a French translation, at Paris in 1855, in Charton's Voyageurs Anciens et Modernes. Its contents were made use of by Robertson in his Disquisition on Ancient India, and by Gibbon in his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The latter, referring to the absurd theory of the world held by Cosmas, remarks that "the nonsense of the Monk was, nevertheless, mingled with the practical knowledge of the traveller".

Among the eminent geographers who have turned the Topography to account may be mentioned Mannert, Gosselin, Humboldt, Dodwell, Playfair, Bredow, Reinaud, Létronne, Sir Henry Yule,¹⁹ and Mr. Raymond Beazley;²⁰ while among |xiv ecclesiastical writers may be noted Allatius, Bandini, De La Croze, Assemanni, Cave and Milne Rae.²¹ The Adulitic inscriptions again have exercised the pens of such scholars as: Fabricius, Chishull, Vincent, Salt, Boeckh, V. de Saint-Martin, Dr. H. Müller of Vienna, and Dr. Glaser of Munich.

THE SYSTEM OF THE WORLD ACCORDING TO COSMAS.

The Christian Topography is a production of which It may be truly said to_ pa&rergou krei=ttou tou~ e rgou. It is essentially controversial, its professed design being to refute, from Scripture and common sense, the impious Pagan cosmography, according to which the earth is a sphere; and the centre around which the heaven, which is also a sphere, revolves with all its luminaries. The arguments with which Cosmas seeks to demolish this theory and to illustrate his own are absurd in the extreme; and were it not for the geographical, historical, and other kinds of notices which are here and there incidentally introduced into its pages, his work would chiefly serve for amusement. According to his view, the figure of |xv the universe can best be learned from a study of the structure and furniture of the Tabernacle which Moses prepared in the wilderness.²² This wonderful conception did not originate with himself. Some of the Christian Fathers who preceded him had entertained it in a vague and general way, believing it might be warranted by the expression's in Hebrews, ix, 23 and 24, where the Tabernacle and its contents are said to be patterns (u(podei/gmata) and antitypes or figures of the true (a)nti/tupa tw~n a)lhqinw~n). It was left to Cosmas to develop the conception and work it out into all its details. So he explains again and again that the division of the Tabernacle into two places, by means of the veil, typified the division of the universe into two worlds----an upper and a lower, by means of the firmament. The table of shew-bread, again, with its waved border, represented the earth surrounded by the ocean, while its other parts and the things upon it symbolized each some object or other in the natural world. Now, as the table was twice as long as it was broad, and was placed lengthwise from east to west, and breadthwise from north to south, from this we learn that the earth is a rectangular plane which extends in length from east to west, and in breadth from north to south, and is twice as long as it is broad. The ocean, he further gives us to know, is unnavigable, and, while encompassing this earth of ours, is itself encompassed by another earth, which had been the |xvi seat of Paradise and the abode of man until the Ark, floating on the billows of the Flood, wafted Noah and his family over into this earth. The heavens come downward to us in four walls, which, at their lower sides, are welded to the four sides of the earth beyond ocean, each to each. The upper side of the northern wall, at the summit of heaven, curves round and over, till it unites with the upper side of the southern wall, and thus forms, in the shape of an oblong vault, the canopy of heaven, which Cosmas likens to the vaulted roof of a bathroom. This vast rectangular hall is divided at the middle into two stories by the firmament, which thus serves as a ceiling for the lower story and a floor for the upper. The lower story is this world, where men and angels have their abode until the Resurrection, and the story above is heaven ---- the place of the future state. As to the position (qe/sij) of the earth in the scheme of things, Scripture left Cosmas in no doubt. The Psalmist had declared that the Creator had founded the earth upon its own stability (e0pi th_n a)sfa&leian au)th~j); Job, that He had hanged it upon nothing; and Isaiah, that, while heaven was His throne, the earth was His footstool. Clearly, therefore, the place of the earth was at the bottom of the universe ---- a position to which it must have naturally sunk (as he shows in a very curious passage) at the very instant of its creation.²³ What then can be more absurd than the Pagan doctrine that the earth is in the |xvii middle of the universe? Were it in the middle, there must be something below it as well as above it; but there is nothing below it, since we learn from Genesis that God made heaven and earth, and nothing else beyond these. Here then the Pagans are at war with divine Scripture; but, not content with this, they are at war also with common sense itself and the very laws of nature, declaring, as they do, that the earth is a central sphere, and that there are Antipodes, who must be standing head-downward and on whom the rain must fall up.

Referring to the figure of the world as thus conceived by Cosmas, Sir Henry Yule with grim humour remarked that "one of the huge receptacles in which female travellers of our day carry their dresses, forms a perfect model of the Kosmos of Kosmas". The theory, again, by which Cosmas accounts for the vicissitudes of day and night is no less preposterous than his idea of the figure of the world. The Pagan theory that the earth is spherical and placed in the centre of the universe, with the heavenly bodies revolving round it, accounted satisfactorily for the disappearance of the sun during the night; but where could Cosmas, in whose philosophy there was neither a spherical earth nor any under-world, find a place for the great orb of light when no longer visible? The problem did not baffle his ingenuity. Calling to his aid the words of Solomon, which declared that the sun on rising turned first towards the south and then |xviii towards the north, where he went down, and thence hastened to the place in which he arose, he made them the basis of the following extraordinary theory. The earth, he tells us, gradually rising up from the south, extends westward, until it culminates at last in a huge conical mountain situated somewhere in the far-away frozen north. Behind this immense cone, the sun at the close of day disappears from view, and leaves the world which we inhabit in darkness, until, having circled round the cone, he reappears in the east to give birth to a new day. According, moreover, as he is high or low during his nocturnal revolution, the nights vary in their length; while, owing to a slight obliquity in his motion, eclipses are produced. On the question of the magnitude of the great luminary Cosmas differed widely from the Pagan philosophers, and wrote his sixth book mainly to prove that, instead of its being, as they thought, many times larger than the earth, it was no more than the size of two only of the earth's climates or zones, those between the latitudes of Alexandria and Rhodes, and Rhodes and Constantinople, an extent of about 635 geographical miles.²⁴ But the words of Solomon form by no means the only Scriptural warrant for taking this view of the order of nature, for the candlestick placed on the south of the table of shew-bread typified the sun shining upon the earth from the south towards the north, while the waved border |xix which ran round the table typified the ocean surrounded by the outer earth, both of which were illuminated by the sun while circling round the gigantic mountain.²⁵

The Pagan theory which Cosmas especially detested, and made most frequently the subject of his scornful and violent invective, was that which maintained that the heavens were spherical and in constant revolution. He heaps text upon text to confute the advocates of this most pestilent doctrine, which, if admitted, would, he contended, abolish the future state and make the resurrection of Christ of no account.

But while Cosmas regarded as impious the doctrine that the heavens revolve, he admitted the revolution of the celestial luminaries, which, he held, were propelled in their courses by the angels, who do not live in heaven but are restricted to the aerial spaces below the firmament, until the resurrection.

All these and other views no less absurd, though interesting, Cosmas states and re-states with the most wearisome pertinacity, and holding them to be most vital verities, sanctioned alike by common sense and the paramount authority of divine Scripture, denounces again and again "those reprobate Christians who, instead of accepting them, prefer, through their perverse folly or downright wickedness, to adopt the miserable Pagan belief |xx that earth and heaven are spherical, and that there are Antipodes on whom the rain must fall up.

CRITICISMS OF HIS SYSTEM.

Since the Topography had for its main design the exposition of these views, it has been compared by Yule to "a mere bank of mud, but remarkable on account of certain geographical fossils which are found imbedded in it". This comparison, however, we venture to think, does less than justice to the work, for besides the geographical there are many other "fossils" to be found in the mud, of different kinds and generally of more or less interest and value. A list of these----but not pretending to be complete----has been given by Montfaucon in his Introduction. Among others may be specified the indication of Clysma as the place of the passage of the Red Sea; the wares brought by merchants to the Israelites when they sojourned in the wilderness; the seat of the terrestrial Paradise; the worship of Mithras by the Persians; the rite of baptism; the date of the Nativity; the question of the canonicity of the Catholic Epistles; the exposition of the prayer of Hezekiah; the inscriptions on the rocks found in the desert of Sinai; the state of Christianity in Socotra, Ceylon and India; the extent to which Christianity had spread over the heathen world; the interpretation of the prophecies of Daniel; extracts from Pagan writers and Fathers of the Church preserved only by Cosmas; and his views on the destiny of children |xxi who die in the womb or in infancy. The portion, moreover, of the Topography which is the "mud bank" of the comparison is not without some value. It is a specimen of a once prevalent and not yet quite extinct mode of Scriptural exegesis; it reveals what were some of the main currents of thought which permeated the Christian world at the beginning of the Middle Ages; it discloses to what a lamentable degree, as Monotheistic Christianity rose to the ascendant, triumphant alike over the Persian Dualism of the Manichceans, and the Greek Pantheism of the Neo-Platonists, the light of Hellenic learning and science had faded from Christendom before as yet Islam, which was destined to receive and preserve that light, had appeared in the world; and while it exhibits the attitude in which Theology and Science in those days stood to each other, it illustrates the signal danger of regarding Scripture as a store-house of divine communications which may be turned to account in defending or in oppugning scientific speculations. To quote Yule once more: "The work is a memorable example of that mischievous process of loading Christian truth with a dead weight of false science."

OTHER WORKS BESIDES THE "TOPOGRAPHY" WRITTEN BY COSMAS.

Besides the Christian Topography Cosmas wrote several other works, of which the most important |xxii was one addressed to Constantinus, in which he described the whole earth. Cosmas mentions it in Book 1. A second was entitled A Delineation or Image of the Universe and of the Stellar Motion, made in imitation of the artificial Sphere of the Pagans, and a Treatise thereon addressed to the most Pious Deacon Homologus. A third book was A Commentary on the Song of Songs; and a fourth An Exposition of the Psalms.

GENERAL NATURE OF THE CONTENTS OF EACH BOOK OF THE "TOPOGRAPHY."

To the Topography, when first published, Cosmas prefixed two prologues, in the first of which he exhorts his readers to bestow upon his works a diligent and careful perusal; and in the second, which contained the dedication to Pamphilus and apologies for his own shortcomings as a writer, he points out the nature of the contents of each of the five books of which the work then consisted. In the first book he attacks, and to his own satisfaction demolishes, the pernicious anti-Christian doctrines of the Pagan philosophy, that the world is spherical and that there are Antipodes. In the second he propounds the true theory which all Christians are bound to accept, based as it is upon the inspired Word, and maintained, besides even by some of the Pagan philosophers themselves. By the citation of measurements of the earth made from east to west and from north to |xxiii south, he seeks to prove that the length of the earth is twice its breadth. In the third book he insists on the authority and harmony of Scripture, adducing many texts, which, as in the preceding book, he twists with audacious ingenuity to lend support to his own impossible theory. In the two following books he again demolishes the doctrine of the spheres, while he re-states and fortifies his own theory with a long array of additional texts.

The publication of these books, which gave definite and uncompromising expression to views of which the germs had long been vaguely floating about in the air of Christendom, produced, as might have been expected from their novelty when seen wrought together into a self-consistent system, a startling effect. Objections were urged----directed especially against his views regarding the figure of the world. How, he was asked, could the sun, which was many times larger than the earth, be hidden behind the mountain in the north, however great its altitude? The sixth book was written to show that the sun, so far from being many times larger than the earth, was in point of fact only the size of two of the earth's "climates".

The seventh book, addressed to Athanasius, sought to refute a work written by a professing Christian, who held that heaven was an ever-revolving sphere, but nevertheless dissoluble. Cosmas cites and expounds numerous texts to show that the heavens cannot be dissolved, and that neither men nor angels can "enter into them until after the |xxiv Resurrection. The eighth book is addressed by Cosmas to another of his friends, called Peter, who had asked him to expound the Prayer of Hezekiah. The exposition is given, and Cosmas then proceeds to show how the minds of the Babylonians had been impressed by the miraculous sign of the retrogression of the shadow upon the sun-dial----and how Cyrus had been led to favour the Jews and dismiss them from their Babylonian captivity by his reading the prophecies of Isaiah which referred to himself even by name. The ninth book, treating of the heavenly bodies, ascribes their motions to the angels, who groan under this hard and incessant toil which they perform for the benefit of man, and not for their own. They would have sunk, therefore, into despair, had they not seen that, even after the Fall, God was merciful and kind to man, on whose destinies their own depended. They were further encouraged when they afterwards saw that the Apostle Paul was caught up into the third heaven, and was there entertained with a glimpse of its glories.

In the tenth book Cosmas cites a number of the Fathers to show that his doctrines were in closest harmony with the teachings of the Church. In the eleventh, which is entirely geographical, he describes some animals and plants which he had seen or heard of in the course of his travels, and gives an account also of the island of Ceylon, and of its extensive commerce with India, Persia, China, and the countries of the west. The twelfth |xxv and last book shows that several of the old Pagan writers bore testimony to the antiquity of the Old Testament scriptures.

THE MAPS AND SKETCHES WHICH ILLUSTRATE THE VIEWS OF COSMAS.

"There is," says Mr. Raymond Beazley, in the admirable work we have already referred to, "another interest about the Topography. It contains in all probability the oldest Christian maps that have survived. There is little reason to doubt that the numerous sketches.... which are to be found in the Florentine manuscript of the tenth century were really drawn by Cosmas himself (or under his direction) in the sixth; and are thus at least two centuries earlier than the Map of Albi, or the original sketch of the Spanish monk Beatus" (p. 281). The Plates found in the Appendix have been reproduced by photography from those which accompany Montfaucon's edition of the Topography.

THE PLACE OF COSMAS IN HISTORY.

With regard to the place which Cosmas holds in history, we cannot do better than cite the estimate expressed by the same writer, whose wide and accurate knowledge of mediaeval literature enables him to speak ex cathedra on the subject. "Cosmas," he says, "is of interest to us as the last of the old Christian geographers, and in a sense, too, the first |xxvi of the mediaeval. He closes one age of civilization which had slowly declined from the self-satisfied completeness of the classical world, and he prepares us to enter another that, in comparison, is literally dark. From the rise of Islam the geographical knowledge of Christendom is on a par with its practical contraction and apparent decline. Even more than actual exploration, theoretical knowledge seemed on its death-bed for the next five hundred years" (p. 33). In a subsequent passage dealing with the same topic, he says: "The place of Cosmas in history has been sometimes misconceived. His work is not, as it has been called (in the earlier years of this century), the chief authority of the Middle Ages in geography. For, on the whole, its influence is only slightly, and occasionally, traceable. Its author stated his position as an article of Christian faith, but even in those times there was anything but a general agreement with his positive conclusions... The subtleties of Cosmas were left to the Greeks, for the most part; the western geographers who pursued his line of thought were usually content to stop short at the merely negative dogmas of the Latin Fathers; and no great support was given to the constructive tabernacle system of the Indian merchant.... Yet, after all, the Christian Topography. must always be remarkable.... It is one of the earliest important essays in scientific or strictly theoretic geography, within the Christian aera, written by a Christian thinker" (p. 283). Mr. Beazley concludes his long |xxvii notice of the great Christian Cosmographer in these terms: "He felt himself to be the apostle of full supernatural theory in science. He knew that his work was unique. And such it has always been recognised----by some with rapture, by others with consternation, by most with derision. At least it is a monument of infinite, because quite unconscious, humour. 'For neither before him was any like unto him, neither shall be after.' "

[Footnotes have been renumbered and moved to the end]

1. ¹ Pp. 57-66.

2. ¹ P. 23.

3. ¹ P. 39.

4. ² Pp. 39, 40.

5. ¹ Pp. 50-68.

6. ² P. 67, line 9

7. ³ P. 359.

8. ¹ P. 54.

9. ² Pp. 55, 56.

10. ³ Pp. 51-53.

11. ⁴ P. 62.

12. ¹ Pp. 5 2-54.

13. ² Pp. 159, 160.

14. ¹ P. 24.

15. ² Pp. 212, 213.

16. ³ Pp. 187, 188.

17. ⁴ Pp. 118-121.

18. ¹ So called to distinguish him from Timothy the Cat.

19. ¹ This distinguished Orientalist, in the Introduction to his Cathay and the Way Thither, has given a translation of the geographical portions of the Topography. He also occasionally cites the work in his celebrated edition of Marco Polo.

20. ² This writer, in his work The Dawn of Modern Geography, published this year,----a work remarkable for learning and research, and its happy combination of accuracy of detail with breadth of view, makes frequent reference to the Topography, and even devotes an entire chapter to a searching analysis and criticism of its several books.

21. ¹ Author of The Syrian Church in India, a well-written, scholarly work (published in recent years), in which he comes to the conclusion that there is no evidence of the planting of a Christian Church in Southern India before the beginning of the sixth century, or less than half a century before Cosmas wrote.

22. ¹ Pp. 42-4, 299, and passim.

23. ¹ See p. 29.

24. ¹ See pp. 251-2.

25. ¹ See pp. 40-43 and 322-4.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 1-22. Prologues, Book 1

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 1-22. Prologues, Book 1

THE CHRISTIAN TOPOGRAPHY;

OR,

THE OPINION OF CHRISTIANS CONCERNING THE WORLD.

BY COSMAS, AN EGYPTIAN MONK.

-----------------------

¹¹³¹ This book, which embraces the whole world, I have designated "Christianikê Topographia".

-----------------------

N the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost----the one adorable Godhead in three Persons----the consubstantial and life-originating Trinity of the one God, from whom every good gift and every perfect gift comes down to us from above, I, a miserable sinner, open my slow and stammering lips, trusting that for my humility's sake in soliciting utterance, and for the advantage of my hearers, He will give me the spirit of wisdom and utterance in the opening of my lips: He who is the Lord of Grace and Dispenser of all good things; God over all and blessed for evermore, Amen! |2

[(HERE), WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF GOD, THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK

Book I, work of a Christian

Against those who want to be Christian, but believe and profess, like those outside, that heaven is spherical.

Book II

Christian theories on the form and layout of places in the whole universe, taking their proofs from the divine scriptures.

Book III

That divine scripture is sure and worthy of trust, that it reveals things which agree among themselves and with the whole, in both the Old and New Testament, and that it indicates the utility of the shape of the whole universe.

Book IV

Concise recapitulation, with illustration, of the shape of the universe according to the divine scriptures, and refutation of the sphere.

Book V

Where is found the description of the tabernacle and the agreement of the prophets and the apostles.

This work is thus called by us CHRISTIAN TOPOGRAPHY EMBRACING THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.

Book VI, additional

The size of the sun.

Book VII

Dedicated to Anastasius and proving that the heavens are indestructible.

Book VIII

On the canticle of Ezechiel, and the retrogradation of the sun.

Book IX

Design of the course of the stars.

Book X

Citations of the Fathers agreeing with the whole of our writing.

Moreover, apart from the work: Book XI

Drawings and description of the Indian animals; in the same way about the trees and of the island of Taprobane.

Still another book: Book XII

Explaining that many ancient writers, among outsiders, attest the antiquity of the divine scriptures composed by Moses and the prophets and that the Greeks seem to have learned to write later than everyone else, as well as the divine scriptures, because of their inveterate incredulity.]

PROLOGUE I.

FIRST of all I exhort those who will read this book to peruse it with all attention and diligence, and not to run over it in a perfunctory manner, but with loving pains to study it and take into their minds impressions of the places, figures, and histories which it contains; and when the book has been read to the end, let them further look into the volume which we have composed for that lover of Christ, Constantinus: a volume wherein we have described more fully the whole earth, both the one beyond the ocean, and this one, and all its countries, together with the southern parts from Alexandria to the Southern Ocean, namely, the river Nile and the countries adjacent, and all the races of Egypt and Ethiopia; the Arabian Gulf besides, with the countries adjoining and their inhabitants as far as the same ocean, and likewise the middle country between the river and the gulf, with the cities, districts and tribes therein contained----a volume ² to prove that what things are said by us are true, and those false which are said by our adversaries, ¹¹⁴ for whose sake this book and the drawings ³ it contains have been prepared----those, I mean, concerning the size of the sun, and that sun-burnt, uninhabited part of the world about which they din our ears, and vomit out fictions and fables. Let me next exhort my readers to examine the sketch ⁴ of the universe and the stellar motions which we have prepared as a representation of |3 the organic sphere of the pagans ⁵, and to study the account of it sent to the pious deacon Homologus, then they with God's help are quite competent, especially with this book and the volume mentioned, to overthrow from the foundation the error of the pagan ⁶ theories. For if any Christian possesses these three works, and is by divine grace carefully exercised in the divine scriptures, he will easily confute the foolish views of the fable-mongers, for, from the figure itself, the constitution of the world and the very nature of things, they prove that the divine scriptures and the doctrines preached by Christians are perfectly true. Be strong then, ye Christians, in the Lord.

PROLOGUE II.

The Christian Topography of the whole world demonstrated from divine scripture, about which Christians ought not to doubt.

IN days long gone by I hesitated, O God-beloved, God-loving and Christ-loving ⁷ Pamphilus, to take in hand the treatise descriptive of the constitution of the whole world which you enjoined me to draw up. For even had I so wished, it was out of my power, as you well know, on account of the lingering illness by which I was prostrated. |4 But since, in answer to your frequent prayers, I have recovered from that illness, accept at last the Preface to the books of the work which I submit, partly as fulfilling the obedience I owe you, and partly as dreading the condemnation of the sluggish servant which the discourse of our Saviour in the Gospels has pronounced. And let no one condemn me as overbold, because I conduct the exposition of my subject in a style homely and unmethodical, since it is not fine phrases the Christian requires but right notions. For while many be the darts and helmets and shields and wars set in motion against the Church, some supposed to be Christians, holding divine scripture of no account but despising and looking down upon it, assume like the Pagan philosophers, that the form of the heavens is spherical, being led into this error by the solar and lunar eclipses.⁸ We have therefore conveniently divided the subject of the book into five parts. In the outset then the first part is directed against the persons referred to who have been misled, and argues that one who wishes to profess Christianity cannot be led away by the plausible ¹¹⁵ errors of those outside the Church----errors which are opposed to divine scripture. For should any one choose to examine closely the Pagan theories he will find them to be entirely fictitious, fabulous sophistries, and to be utterly impossible. Then again, for the Christian who will naturally ask and say: these being refuted, what are the true theories that must be admitted in opposition to them? I have written the second book, which proceeds to explain from divine scripture the nature of the Christian theories----to describe the figure of the whole world, and to notice that some of the ancient Pagans have been of the same opinion. Then again, by way of replying to one |5 who should doubt and ask: how does it appear that Moses and the prophets in saying such things say what is true? the third book exhibits the credibility of Moses and the Prophets, showing that they spake not of themselves, but as inspired by divine revelation, and that the writers alike of the Old and New Testament, men approved both by word and deed, having foreseen these things, declared them accordingly. It further shows what is the utility of delineations of the world, and how the notion of the sphere had its origin and beginning. The fourth book, again, has been written for behoof of those who wish to run their eye over the figures, and is a brief recapitulation, along with delineations, of what has been said before----a refutation, in fact, of the theory of the sphere and of the Antipodes. Then again, the fifth book has been written for those enquiring what the Christian theories are, and it shows that in what we have said and have represented by drawings we have neither devised fictions of our own nor invented new fables; but from revelation and from what God who created the world has ordained, have beheld the pattern of the whole world----namely the Tabernacle prepared by Moses, which the New Testament consistently with this view has pronounced to be an image of the whole world; and which also by means of the vail Moses divided, and so made one tabernacle into two, just as God also in the beginning divided what was one region, extending from the earth to the highest heaven, into two regions, by means of the firmament; and just as in the tabernacle there was an outer and an inner place, so here there was a lower and an upper. Now the lower is this world, and the upper is the world to come, into which also the Lord Christ, after having risen according to the flesh from the dead, ascended the first of all, and into which the righteous shall in their turn afterwards ascend. And since from Adam to Moses, and from Moses to John, and from John all the Apostles |6 and Evangelists, have each and all in harmony, and both by words and types spoken of these two states; and since not one of them has uttered a discordant note, either saying that there was a state before the first, or supposing that there is a third after the second; but all of them, as if inspired by the Holy Ghost, have proclaimed that there are ¹¹⁶ but two states only, we, therefore, putting our confidence in the scriptures, which are truly divine, have not only sketched the figures of the whole world, but also of those very places by which you will find the Israelites made their exodus, also the mountain on which they received the law in writing, and were instructed in the knowledge of writing; also the delineation of the Tabernacle and the settlement in the Land of Promise; until he who was expected to arise from among them, and who was predicted by all the men of old and by the Prophets, did actually appear, proclaiming the future second state, which on his coming he showed in himself to us all, having entered into the inner Tabernacle, into the upper celestial region, into which at his second coming he shall call the righteous, saying: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. To Him be glory for ever, Amen! |7

BOOK I OF COSMAS, A MONK.⁹

Against those who, while wishing to profess Christianity, think and imagine like the pagans that the heaven is spherical.

S many as ardently desire true knowledge and are lovers of the true light, and earnestly endeavour to become fellow-citizens of the saints in the age to come, who regard the Old and New Testament as in reality divine scripture, who are obedient to Moses and the Christ, who follow out to the end the principles they have adopted, who acknowledge |8 that the world was produced by God out of mere nothing, and who believe that there is a resurrection of men and a judgment, and that the righteous shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; all these carefully examine the divine scriptures all throughout, to see whether in Moses, who wrote the account of the Creation, and in the other Prophets, they |9 contain descriptions of the places and figures of the whole creation, among which is indicated also the position of the Kingdom of Heaven, which the Lord Christ promises God will give to righteous men. And when they find the Old and New Testaments to be in mutual harmony, they abide therein firmly grounded and immovable, in nothing confounded by their adversaries. But those on the other hand who prank themselves out in the wisdom of this world, and are self-confident that by scholastic reasonings they can comprehend its figure and position, scoff at all divine scripture as a mass of fables, stigmatising Moses and the prophets, the Lord Christ and the Apostles as idle babblers,^{10 117} and given over to vain delusions; while with supercilious airs, as if they far surpassed in wisdom the rest of mankind, they attribute to the heavens a spherical figure and a circular motion, and by geometrical methods and calculations applied to the heavenly bodies, as well as by the abuse of words and by worldly craft, endeavour to grasp the position and figure of the world by means of the solar and lunar eclipses, leading others into error while they are in error themselves in maintaining that such phenomena could not present themselves if the figure was other than spherical. But concerning these matters we shall not enter into any discussion just at present, since those persons sufficiently confute the one the other. But those who wish to profess Christianity, while wishing at the same time to |10 bedeck themselves with the principles, the wisdom, and the diversity of the errors of this world, and contend that one thing and another should be accepted, seem to differ nothing from a shadow which exists while the intermediate body from which it is projected is in light, but which cannot exist when that body is not in light, nay, is even obliterated by the light when the body is illuminated all round.

It is against such men my words are directed, for divine scripture denounces them, as of old it denounced the strangers sojourning in Samaria, because they feared God and burned incense and offered worship on the high places.¹¹ Were one to call such men double-faced¹² he would not be wrong, for, look you, they wish both to be with us and with those that are against us, thus making void their renunciation of Satan whom they renounced in baptism, and again running back to him. Now, such men cannot be with us at all; but they occupy a middle position, like empty houses standing high up in the air, without having either foundations in the earth below, or anything from above to hold them fast.¹³ For while they have as yet scarcely come by their principles they set about destroying them; and before they have yet destroyed them, they show that their end is unaccomplished, as they stand firm neither on the one side nor the other, but rather laugh at every one, and are themselves laughed at by all. In the first place, then, when arguing with them about the spherical figure, we showed that this figure was not possible, and was indeed quite inconsistent with the nature of things. Certain of them say that the heaven is a body consisting of four elements,¹⁴ but some later on superciliously |11 reconstructed it with an additional fifth new element,¹⁵ though formerly its essential constitution comprised only four elements, for they saw at a glance that the heaven could not revolve if it was composed of these. But herein again they are found to be blind even when they think that those who are sharp-sighted do not see. For since the heaven is seen to be of sundry and diverse colours, whence a power to produce heat and cold seems to be inherent in them, they say that the eyes of all are deceived by reason of their immense distance. Well, then, let any one of them who so wishes come forward and tell us: Why do the stars which, according to you are evidently fixed in an immovable sphere, not ¹¹⁸ apparently differ in colour and size, though their distances from us are seen to be unequal, if the centre of the earth be the point from which our eyes are directed towards them? And how is it that many of the fixed stars are equal and like to the planet we call Mars, to which a lower sphere has been assigned, and how do we in like manner see not a few of them to be like the planet Jupiter? But |12 further, we do not even see the heaven itself to be of one and the same colour, for, if it were asked from whence can we surmise that the cloud-like concretions which you have named the galaxy, and which you have so designated simply because of the difference of their colour, have derived their peculiar appearance, while the surface on which the ray of vision strikes is uniform? and if I replied that these were proofs of the composition and mixture of different elements, no one, I apprehend, would dare to contradict me, even though he were a lover of falsehood, and much less if one of those who always assign the foremost place to truth. Now if the heaven has been constituted not of one single element endowed with a circular motion of its own, but of the mixture of the four elements, then it cannot well revolve. For it has been said that it must either be moved downward if the heavy element preponderate, or be carried upward if the opposite light one prevail, or must be stationary when no element is preponderant. This is certainly obvious to everybody. For no one would admit that he has ever seen the heaven move either upwards or downwards.¹⁶ It must be allowed therefore that it is firmly fixed. But should they ask: Whence are these motions that differ from the rest in an element that is simple and without qualities? since they say, and not untruly, that those bodies which they call planets revolve oppositely to the universe; and if in like manner they say that their revolution is accomplished in certain |13 times which the Creator has fixed, it is evident that they do not even deny that the planets advance from the East.¹⁷

Then being mazed with perplexing doubts, as usually happens to those who shrink from the truth, they say, on finding no way of escape, that the stars make retrogressions and pauses. But tell me, ye souls that are so ingenious in tying and untying knots, if from their very nature they have motion, how comes it that they stand still? For nothing that can thwart them enters as an element into their natural constitution. And tell me this besides, what is the force or what the necessity which imposes on them the contrary motion? And here let no one tell me that it is an ocular deception; for it is no minute distance to which they advance, seeing that they are often observed to shift their place from a sign of the zodiac that is in the rear to one in front. But what must we say of our opponents when passing on to the operations of the stars themselves, they reach the very height of absurdity, all unconscious that they themselves stand still or move backward, and are but a sorry set of good-for-nothing rascals? Now anyone would say that the star previously seen in Aries, but at present appearing in Pisces, was not in the house of Mars, but in that of Jupiter, and that it ¹¹⁹ makes movements, not such as they babble about when it is in Aries, but those which they ascribe to it in its transit through Pisces. But if they do not admit the retrograde motion of the planets which is apparent, whence then or wherefore is their course in both directions? They will perhaps in reply assign as the cause those invisible epicycles which they have assumed as vehicles on which, as they will insist, the planets are borne along. But they will |14 be in no better case from this invention, for we shall ask: Why have they need of vehicles? Is it because they are incapable of motion? Then, if so, why should you assert them to be animated, and that too even with souls more than usually divine? Or is it that they are capable? The very idea is, methinks, ridiculous. And why have not the moon and the sun their epicycles? Is it that they are not worthy on account of their inferiority? But this could not be said by men in their sober senses. Was it then from the scarcity of suitable material the Creator could not construct vehicles for them? On your own head let the blasphemy of such a thought recoil.

Cease, O ye wiseacres! prating worthless nonsense, and learn at last though late to follow the divine oracles and not your own baseless fancies. For, tell us, how ye think that the fixed stars move in an opposite direction to the universe? Is such a motion theirs only or that of the sphere in which they are placed? Then, if it is theirs, how do they traverse unequal orbits in equal time? And how comes it that of the stars in the galaxy not one has ever gone outside of it, nor any of those outside is seen nearer it or within it? But if one should say that it is the sphere which moves in the opposite direction, then it will be found that at the same time it moves oppositely to itself. But who can imagine a greater absurdity than this? Thus they do their best to prevent anyone surpassing them in their effrontery----or rather, let me say, in impiety, since they do not blush to affirm that there are people who live on the under surface of the earth. What then, should some one question them and say: Is the sun to no purpose carried under the earth? these absurd persons will, on the spur of the moment, without thinking, reply that the people of the Antipodes are there----men carrying their heads downwards, and rivers having a position opposite to the rivers here! thus taking in hand to turn every thing |15 upside down rather than to follow the doctrines of the truth, in which there are no futile sophisms, but which are plain and easy and full of godliness, while they procure salvation for those who reverently consult them.

But you will most effectually rebuke them if you say: Why does that sphere of yours not revolve from the north to the south, or from some other quarter to its opposite? And do not tell me, in answer, that such seemed better to the Maker of the world, for my ¹⁸.... But how can you ¹²⁰ deem that you speak consistently with the nature of things in supposing that the whole heaven is in motion and describes a circle, without also supposing that outside of it there is either some other space or body, even though it were imaginary. For it is impossible any thing can move apart from the four elements, but must move either in earth, or in water, or in air, or in fire, whether it is transferred from place to place into the infinite, or whether it always revolves in the same place. But if the heaven as it revolves passes into the infinity of space, we must suppose that beyond it there is an infinite earth into which it rolls, when noiselessly leaving what is behind it; but if one of the other three elements be supposed, in not one of them is the sphere adapted to roll and rotate; nay, were it to be shot into any of them, a whizzing noise would attend the transition. But if, again, it rolls and rotates always in the same spot without moving from place to place, then it must be upheld by supports like a turner's lathe, or an artificial globe, or on an axis like a machine or a waggon. And if so, then we must again inquire by what the supports and axles are themselves upheld, and so on ad infinitum. And tell me, pray, how are we to suppose the axis passes through the middle of the earth, and of what material it consists.

When these problems then concerning the nature of |16 things are discussed, there remains the conclusion, as we said before, that the heaven is fixed and does not revolve. But even in supposing that the earth is in the middle of the universe, as its centre, you immediately give the deathblow to your own theory when you repeat that the middle is below, for it is impossible that the same thing can at once both be in the middle and below, for the middle is the middle between up and down, or between right and left, or between before and behind. Why do you then, when beleaguered with difficulties, utter absurdities contrary to nature, in opposition to scripture? For being in terror lest any one should pose you with this question: How can this unspeakable weight of the earth be held suspended by the air and not fall down? you have invented stones of things that are not true, but strange; and, reversing the order of things, give out that the middle is below; so that if any should suppose that instead of the earth, fire was the middle, you would then say that the middle was above instead of below, seeing that the tendency of fire is upward. To me, therefore, they seem to subvert the first by means of the second, and the second by means of the first. But if they say that the air because it surrounds the earth equally on all sides, is pushed on by the universe, and that the earth remains immovable, and swerves neither to the one side nor the other, why do men ¹⁹ and the irrational animals that live on land or fly in the air not move along with it, while all of them cleave the air in walking and in traversing it, and in going on high. And not only is it incapable of resisting these, but it cannot even sustain the weight of the lightest inanimate things, such as the shortest of feathers and the smallest of straws, but all of them cut it, it is so attenuated and so rare, and they outstrip it according to the force with which they are propelled. How then can we receive such false theories? |17

But should one wish to examine more elaborately the question of the Antipodes, he would easily find them to be old wives' fables. For if two men on opposite sides placed the soles of their feet each against each, whether they chose to stand on earth, or water, or air, or fire, or any other kind of body, how could both be found standing upright? The one would assuredly be found in the natural upright position, and the other, contrary to nature, head downward.²⁰ Such notions are opposed to reason, and alien to our nature and condition. And how, again, when it rains upon both of them, is it possible to say that the rain falls down upon the two, and not that it falls down to the one and falls up to the other, or falls against them, or towards them, or away from them. For to think that there are Antipodes compels us to think also that rain falls on them from an opposite direction to ours; and any one will, with good reason, deride these ludicrous theories, which set forth principles incongruous, ill-adjusted, and contrary to nature.

And if one should examine that other sophism of theirs, namely, that the earth is inflated with air, and that earthquakes occur when the pent-up air shakes the earth violently, he would be amazed at the imposture and the contradiction in their statements. For if the earth when equally pressed by the whole air stands unshaken and unswerving, then, when inflated it ought to be all the heavier in that quarter, and to swerve to a side, after the example of man which they adduce. For not only does a man shake and tremble when attacked with |18 flatulency, but he trembles when seized with terror, and when overcome with wine, and pinched with cold, and when his blood boils with anger, and when he is old and imbecile, but when he reels under the effects of flatulency death results. Why then does not the earth also, which according to them is inflated with air, not collapse and lose its proper place? And why, again, do they further say that Egypt, because its soil is porous and its furrows allow the air to escape without violent shocks, is not subject to earthquakes, while in point of fact earthquakes have been of frequent occurrence in that country, and so violent as to overthrow cities and level them with the ground: and not only so, but even in the times of the Greeks, when Alexander, and Seleucus, and Antiochus, and Ptolemy ruled and reigned, they had recourse to the assistance of philosophers----Aristotle and his like----and frequently gave practical effect to what they advised? And when Antioch was being founded by Seleucus ²¹ and Antiochus, how was it that the philosophers were not able to point out that the country there was not safe from earthquakes, but on the ¹²² contrary exposed to their frequent visitations? And this we say from having seen that this city has been repeatedly overthrown by earthquakes; and not Antioch only but Corinth also, which has close at her hand the mob of the philosophers.

But if we should care to examine yet another of their opinions----that in which they say and try to prove by illustrations----that rain is produced from vapour drawn up |19 by heat into the atmosphere, in the same way, say they, as the bath draws up vapour from the heat, and lets it fall in drops; and just as a cupping-glass draws up moisture by means of tow and fire, so too does the sun draw up vapour, and in course of time lets it fall in drops, whence rain is produced. One cannot but marvel at such wisdom as this, imposing, as it does by its speciousness, upon the multitude. For since the bath derives its heat not from above but from below, how can it be said to draw up, and npt rather to push up? So too in the case of a caldron: it receives its heat not from above but from below, and in both instances the vapours are pushed up by the heat, and in the rebound, due in the one case to the roof and in the other to the lid, they fall in drops. Similar is the case of the cupping-glass, which, did not this instrument itself constrain nature and suck up moisture, would never have sucked it up at all,²² no, not even if fire and tow had been applied ten thousand times over. But further, when one thrusts a damp faggot into the fire, moisture is to such a degree pushed by the heat that both moisture and smoke are expelled from the other end of the faggot. And when one has kindled a fire on the ground he sees the moisture in the faggots conveyed upwards by the smoke, not drawn up by what is above but pushed up by the heat of the fire. Nay, more, if one washes a garment and spreads it on the ground, and if, when it has been dried by the sun, he lifts it up, he will find the moisture which has been expelled from it by the heat impressed on the ground in the very |20 shape of the garment. In like manner, if one places a hot piece of meat on a trencher he will see the moisture discharged in both directions, both upwards and downwards, the heat being intermediate, for above he sees the steam mounting upwards, and below he sees the trencher bathed in moisture on which the meat has impressed its own shape; whence it appears that heat does not draw up, as these sages tell us, but rather pushes up.

But when we propose a new question to them: Why is it that in the Thebaid, where the ground is parched up by the heat, the moisture is not drawn up and turned into rain for that country? they defend themselves by saying that it is a moderate and not an excessive heat that causes the drawing up. To this we shall give a very summary reply: And how happens it, we shall ask, that beyond the Thebaid, in Ethiopia, where the heat is far greater, there are frequent copious downfalls of rain? And how can they say, those many and tip-top wise men, that the sun has the power of drawing upwards, and assert also quite confidently that in the course of his revolution he becomes heated by friction, while they will not entertain the supposition that the heat is in him by nature. But more: when they allow that the air is moist and hot, what need have ¹²³ those wiseacres to resort to sophistry and say that the moisture is drawn up from elsewhere, when up above they have the heat and moisture at the same spot? But if one should ask them about one particular element as it is in itself, that is, should ask them to show its distinctive quality, they immediately find themselves at a loss, and attribute two qualities to one single element and say: Earth is dry and cold; water, cold and moist; air, moist and warm; fire, warm and dry; so that, being beleaguered with difficulties, they assign eight qualities to the four elements. But at times they say that all the qualities exist in each of the elements. Once more, therefore, they |21 contradict their own words, by ascribing not four but only two qualities to each of the four elements. I marvel accordingly at those most excellent men when they attribute to water coldness and humidity, and to the air humidity and heat. How do they say that water, that is, the cold and moist, congeals and becomes ice in winter-time? Wherefrom comes that extreme cold which converts it into ice? For if they shall say that the departure of the sun naturally produces this effect, why does it not produce the same effect on the air, which is naturally warm, and at the same time moist, but makes it, on the contrary, extremely cold? And how does the cold itself----that is, water----not make the air----that is, the moist----freeze, but, on the contrary, it is the latter which makes the former freeze, as we actually see? Now though I have many things more to say about this question and the examples which they erroneously adduce in favour of their view of it, I curb myself, for I feel ashamed of the foolishness of what is said by them, and consider what has already been said on this subject sufficient.

There is, however, another sophism held by these wise men which I am especially anxious to deal with, and will forthwith proceed to discuss. They say that the heaven which they call a body contains the whole world, and stoutly maintain that outside of it nothing whatever exists; and yet they define angels and demons and souls, which are parts of the world as uncircumscribed, neither containing the heaven, nor contained by the heaven, not understanding what they say, since that which neither contains nor is contained is never by any possibility seen among things that are. If then these things be as they say, let them tell us with respect to their own soul whether it is, or is not. And if they say it is not, then to their own shame and disgrace they assume themselves to be soulless. But if they say that it exists, let them tell us whether it is |22 in them or is not in them. If they reply that it is not in them, they answer not less shamelessly and foolishly than they did before. But if they reply that the soul is in them, we must ask them a further question: As the body is circumscribed by the heaven, why is not the soul also circumscribed? And if, as they say, it illuminates the body without being circumscribed along with it, the question arises, where is it when it illuminates the body? since it is impossible that, being a created thing, it should not exist with things created. And if they say it exists somewhere ¹²⁴ within the heaven, then it is again circumscribed by the body itself of the heaven, although it was represented by them as uncircumscribed. But if they make it exist outside the heaven, they, in the first place, confute themselves; in the next place, it will either be in a part of the heaven and occupy but a small part of it, or it will be in the whole of it, in which case it will circumscribe the heaven and will be found having form like a bodily substance; and this a spherical form embracing and limiting the sphere. But if, again, they say that as being uncircumscribed it pervades all things both within and without, let them not blind themselves to the fact that they arc both introducing polytheism and imagining an equality with God. For this property pertains to none except the uncreated Deity who created and fashioned the universe. So then, professing themselves to be wise, they become fools, as says the blessed Paul the Apostle, having changed the glory of the uncircumscribed Deity to their own created souls, thus appropriating to themselves the glory due to God. They must therefore in every way be avoided. For, saith the Apostle, from those turn away who hold an outward form of godliness but deny the power thereof.

[Footnotes have been moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ The numerals in the margin indicate the pages in Montfaucon's edition of Cosmas in the Nova Collectio Patrum. [Online edition: placed in square brackets. Material in red is not in the printed text. The summary of contents is found in the manuscripts so has been added from a Greek critical edition, although its exact position is doubtful]

2. ¹ This work on Cosmography is one of the lost treasures of antiquity. Its loss appeared to Montfaucon one to be deplored even with tears.

3. ² Katagrafai\. The Latin version erroneously renders this by paragraphi.

4. ³ Gr. ska&rifon. See Sketch No. 6 in the Appendix, and for the stars, Sketch No. 9.

5. ¹ Tw~n e cwqen, lit. of those without the Church.

6. ² 9Ellhnikw~n. The Greek-speaking Jews used #Ellhn, Graecus, and some of its derivatives, in the sense of pagan, gentile, idolater, apparently because the Greeks were the most prominent Gentile people with which they were acquainted. This signification passed into the works of Christian authors, the Greeks, properly so-called, being designated by the term #Elladikoi/ or Graikoi/.

7. ³ Qeofikh~, Qeo&file/ te kai\ Xristo&file. These were official titles. The superlative of the first, qeofile/statoj, was applied to the Emperor, bishops, deacons and monks. In the Greek church it is now applied only to epi/skopoi.

8. ¹ Aristotle from the circularity of the earth's shadow in eclipses inferred the rotundity of the earth.

9. ¹ To this title Cosmas has prefixed the following: "The notes (paragrafai\) which occur in this work have been inserted for the clearer exposition of the text (tou~ keime/nou). The reader should therefore read first the text and then the notes." As Cosmas in this book seeks to confute the system of astronomy called the Ptolemaic----because Ptolemy, though not its founder, was its chief exponent----it may be of service if we remind the reader of the main outlines of that system. It assumed that the earth was the Centre of the universe, and that the heavenly bodies revolved round it in perfect circles and at a uniform rate of motion. Such phenomena as were found to be inconsistent with these assumptions were explained by means of subsidiary hypotheses. The belief that the earth was the centre of the universe seemed to accord with the relation in which the primary elements of which the material world was thought to be composed stood to each other. Thus earth, as being the stablest element, held the lowest place and supported water, above which was placed air, and above that again, fire, while ether was supposed to extend indefinitely above the others. In or beyond the ether were certain heavens, each of which contained a crystalline sphere, whereto was attached a heavenly body, which by the revolution of its crystalline sphere was made to move round the earth. When it was discovered that the planets move sometimes from west to east, sometimes from east to west, and for some time remain stationary at the point where progression ends and retrogression begins, the ancient astronomers were greatly puzzled, and to account for these irregularities in the planetary movements invented the hypothesis of epicycles. This doctrine is explained as follows in the article on the Ptolemaic System of Astronomy in Chambers's Encyclopaedia: " The acceleration of the sun on one side, and retardation on the other side of his orbit, is only apparent, and results from the earth not being in the centre of his sphere, c (see fig.), but at E, and consequently his motion appears to be slowest at P and quickest at R.

"The alternate progression and regression of the planets was accounted for by supposing them to move, not directly with their crystallines, but in a small circle whose centre was a fixed point in the crystalline, and which revolved on its axis as it was carried round with the latter; thus (fig.) the planet was carried round the small circle A B D, as that circle was carried round P Q R (now supposed to represent the planetary crystalline). The planet, while in the outer portion of its small circle, would thus have a forward and in the inner portion a backward motion. The larger circle was called an eccentric and the smaller an epicycle"

10. ¹ Gr. spermolo&gouj. "The word", says Dr. Bloomfield in his annotated edition of the Greek New Testament, "was used properly of those small birds which live by picking up scattered seeds; but metaphorically of those paupers who frequented the market-places, and lived by picking up any scattered or refuse produce; and generally of persons of abject condition, without any certain means of support. Again, as the tribes of small birds which live by picking up seeds are especially garrulous, the word came to denote a prater." Though Cosmas here uses the word in its metaphorical sense, he once or twice afterwards uses it in the literal sense of a picker-up of seeds.

11. ¹ See II Kings, xvii, 24-41.

12. ² Gr. dimo&rfouj, lit. two-formed.

13. ³ An anticipation of the myth regarding Mahomet's coffin.

14. ⁴ The Platonists.

15. ¹ Aristotle invented a term, e0ntele/xeia, to denote actuality of existence in contrast to its mere potentiality, du&namij. His followers, however, eventually came to use the term in the sense of a fifth element, namely mind, which differed entirely in its nature from the four elements of common speech. To this effect I may quote the words of Cicero: "Dicaearchus.... quemdam Phthiotam senem.... disserentem inducit, nihil esse omnino animum et hoc esse nomen totum inane.... Aristoteles.... quum quattuor nota illa genera principiorum esset complexus, e quibus omnia orerentur, quintam quamclam naturam censet esse, e qua sit mens. Cogitare enim et providere et discere.... haec et similia eorum in horum quattuor generum inesse nullo putat: quintum genus adhibet vacans nomine et sic ipsum animum e0ndele/xeian appellat novo nomine quasi quamdam continuatam motionem et perennem." (Tusc. Disp., i, 21, 22). Cicero has here confounded e0ntele/xeia with e0ndele/xeian, of which he has given the meaning correctly. Probably he had not seen the word in the written pages of Aristotle, but only heard it from the lips of Greek Peripatetics, who, like their countrymen of the present day, pronounced the letter tau~ very like de/lta.

16. ¹ The Greek text, so far as I can see, must be wrongly punctuated. Ou)de\ ga_r a nw fero&menon, ou)de\ ka&tw, ti/j o(mologh&seien e(wrake/nai pw&pote; I remove the mark of interrogation and construe the negative with tij, and not with fero&menon. The Latin version, however, follows the punctuation: Quis autem dicat se vidisse coelum nec sursum nec deorsum ferri? This rendering is inconsistent with the immediately subsequent context, where the author states his own view that the heaven is immoveable.

17. ¹ This sentence ends with a clause which cannot be construed with it, but which might serve to begin the next paragraph. The clause is: 0Oura&nion te poiou&menoi porei/an = Then when making (i.e. tracing) the course of the planets through heaven.

18. ¹ The hiatus has after it e0sqai fqeggo&menoj.

19. ¹ The text has a0nqrw&pouj, an evident mistake for

a!nqrwpoi.

20. ¹ See Cicero, Acad. Prior., 2, 39, and Plutarch, 2, 869 c., on Antipodes. Nearly all the Christian Fathers held the same opinion as Cosmas abput the Antipodes; as, for instance, Lactantius, who asks: "Est quisqam tam ineptus qui credat esse homines, quorum vestigia sint superiora quam capita?" Augustin, Chrysostom, Severianus of Gabala, Beda, were likewise anti-Antipodeans.

21. ¹ Antioch on the Orontes was founded by Seleucus Nicator in 300 B.C. Its first recorded earthquake occurred in 148 B.C., and it has frequently suffered since from the same cause. The one to which Cosmas here refers occurred in 526 A. D., and almost entirely destroyed the city, which, however, Justinian had rebuilt with great splendour before it was captured by Chosroes in 540 A.D. Corinth also suffered severely from this memorable earthquake.

22. ¹ Gr. siku&a, which means both a cucumber and a cupping-glass. Montfaucon renders the word by the Latin cucumis, which means a cucumber but not a cupping-glass. Can he have used it in mistake for cucurbita? Charton does not give this illustration, though he gives the two which precede it. The argument is that it is the instrument ( o!rganon, i.e., the cupping-glass), which draws up the blood to the punctures, and not the heat from the wick burning inside the glass to produce a vacuum. There is an ambiguity in the statement of the argument.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 23-90. Book 2

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 23-90. Book 2

BOOK II.

The Christian theories regarding the form and position of the whole world, the proofs of which are taken from Divine Scripture.

OW long I put off the composition of my work regarding the figure of the world, even though other admirable men as well as thyself frequently urged me to undertake it, you know best of all. O dearest, God-loving and Christ-loving Pamphilus, a man worthy of that name, since all holy men love thee ¹----a sojourner in the earthly Jerusalem, but enrolled among the first-born and the prophets, with whom when of yore I knew thee only by report I was knit in the bonds of warmest friendship; but now I have had the satisfaction of having seen thee face to face, when by the will of God you came hither to us, to Alexander's great city, and never ceased to importune us about this work, enfeebled though we were in body, afflicted with ophthalmia and costiveness of the bowels, and as the result suffering afterwards from constant attacks of illness; while besides we were deficient in the school-learning of the Pagans,² without any knowledge of the rhetorical art, |24 ignorant how to compose a discourse in a fluent and embellished style, and were besides occupied with the complicated affairs of everyday life. Nevertheless you ceased riot pressing us to compose a treatise about the Tabernacle prepared by Moses in the wilderness, which was a type and copy ³ of the whole world, as I explained to thee personally by the living voice in a cursory way, not as communicating opinions and conjectures of my own framing, but what I had learned from the divine scriptures, ¹²⁵ and from the living voice of that most divine man and great teacher Patricius, who when fulfilling the vows of the Abrahamic rule,⁴ set out from Chaldaea with his disciple Thomas of Edessa, a holy man who followed him wherever he went, but by the will of God was removed from this life at Byzantium. Patricius propagated the doctrines of holy religion and true science, and has now by the grace of God been elevated to the lofty episcopal throne of all Persia, having been appointed to the office of Bishop Catholic of that country.⁵ So then being greatly perplexed about this undertaking, on account more |25 especially of those who delight in censoriousness, whose tongues are glib at calumny, and who can always find abundance of material for their scoffs and jeers, I shrank with more than ordinary hesitation from addressing myself to the work. But you again pressed me to proceed with it, loading me with condemnation upon condemnation if I refused, and assuring me that the work would be useful for the guidance of life and for the study and understanding of the divine doctrines, as well as for a refutation of the Greek preconceptions; while showing that the whole scope of divine scripture has respect to the future state, as is most pointedly affirmed by the Apostle when he says: For we know that if the earthly house of this our tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God----a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.⁶ When in these and such like terms you appealed to me, and it was beyond my power to gainsay the injunctions laid upon me by your piety, I consented, trusting to receive the benefit of your prayers; while making supplication ourselves that the divine grace without which we can do nothing aright |26 might be vouchsafed to us in the opening of the mouth, so that we might be able without polished and artistic modes of expression, but in the simple words of ordinary speech (while grace manifests her own peculiar powers), both to teach her foster-children the divine knowledge of the doctrines, the lives of pious men, and the figure of the world and its origin, without ambiguity; as well as to describe with all readiness, and to communicate ungrudgingly, what we ourselves have freely received from God.Having finished, therefore, O God-beloved, the first book concerning pretended Christians, and having convicted them, to the best methinks of my power, of having attempted impossibilities, without our having sought to disparage the beauty of their language, which God forbid I should do, but to refute the fictitious and fabulous Greek theories; and having finished that book, we now in obedience to thy order proceed to discuss first in this second book the Christian theories regarding the figures and the position of the world. We shall then in the third book show that in describing and explaining the utility of the figures of the world, divine scripture alike in the Old and the New Testament is in itself sure and trustworthy. In the fourth book again we shall offer a recapitulation ¹²⁶ and a delineation of the figures of the world; and similarly shall in the fifth book present a description of the tabernacle prepared by Moses, and exhibit the harmony of what has been said by the Prophets and Apostles. Be this then the book which we have entitled Christian Topography, embracing the whole world and deriving its proofs from the truly divine scriptures, regarding which a Christian is not at liberty to doubt. Since then aid from above, as has been said, cooperates with us through your prayers, we proceed to state our theories. Moses, then, the Divine Cosmographer, says: In the beginning God made |27 the heaven and the earth.⁷ We assume, therefore, that heaven and earth comprise the universe as containing all things within themselves. And that this is so he himself again proclaims: For in six days God made the heaven and the earth and all that in them is ⁸; and again in like manner he says: And the heaven and the earth were finished and all the host of them.⁹ And again, when recapitulating and giving its name to the book, he speaks thus: This is the book of the generation of heaven and earth,¹⁰ as if they contained all things, and as if all things that are in them ought to be signified along with them. For if, according to the counterfeit Christians, the heaven alone comprises the universe, he would not have mentioned the earth along with the heaven, but he would have said: This is the book of the generation of heaven. Evidently, however, he has not done so, nor any other of the prophets, and it is manifest that they knew that the two together comprised the universe, and indeed the whole company of the righteous and of the prophets always indicate the heaven along with the earth. Hear what each of them says. Melchisedech first when blessing Abraham thus speaks: Blessed be Abraham of God most High who created the heaven and the earth.¹¹ In the second place, Abraham says: I will stretch out my hand to God most High who created the heaven and the earth. And again: Place thine hand under my thigh and I will make thee swear by the Lord the God of the heaven and the God of the earth.¹² For when the most faithful Abraham wished to make his servant swear with more than usual solemnity by the circumcision as being a seal royal, Place, he said, thine hand under my thigh, instead of under the seal royal, that is, the circumcision. See also: Gen. xxiv, 7; |28 ¹²⁷ Psalm cxiv, 15; cxxxiv, 6, ci, 25; Isai. xlii, 5; Zech. xii, i; Isai. li, 13, xliv, 24, xlviii, 13, xlvi, 1, xl, 22; Jerem. x, 11; Daniel iii, 59; Acts xvii, 24, xiv, 15; Math., xi 25.¹³ Since then the divine scripture of both the Old and the New Testament shows by its customary declarations that all things are contained within heaven and earth, how is it possible that one can be a Christian who disbelieves all this, and says that all things are contained within the heaven only.

¹²⁸ Since then the heaven and the earth comprise the universe, we assert that the earth has been founded on its own stability by the Creator, according once more to the divine scripture, and that it does not rest upon any body; for in the Book of Job it is written: He hangeth the earth upon nothing; and again (xxxviii, 4, 5, 6): Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? etc. And in like manner in David (Psalm cii, 5) it is said: He who laid the foundations of the earth upon its own stability. By the power, therefore, of the Deity who created the universe, we say that it was founded and is supported by him. Upholding all things, as the Apostle saith, by the word of his power.¹⁴

For if a body of any kind whatever were either underneath the earth or outside of it, that body could not keep its place, but would fall down according to what is seen always occurring in the natural world. For if we take air, for instance, or water or fire, we find that things which are heavier than these do invariably fall down in them. Since therefore the earth is heavier than any other body whatever, the Deity placed it as the foundation of the universe, and made it steadfast in virtue of its own inherent stability. To illustrate this, let us suppose a place to have a depth |29 of a hundred cubits, and this place to be filled with a body denser say than water; then if one should lift a stone with his hand and drop it into the place, in what interval of time would it reach the bottom? One may reply, in four hours, let us say. But further, supposing the place to be filled with some rarer substance, air, for example, in what interval of time would the stone now reach the bottom? Evidently in a shorter time: in two hours, let us say. Supposing in the next place a still rarer substance, then the bottom will be reached in an hour, and with a yet rarer substance in half an hour. And again, if a rarer still be supposed, the stone will touch the bottom in a still shorter time; and so on until the body when attenuated to the last degree becomes incorporeal, and the time ceases of necessity to be any time at all. Thus then in the case supposed, where no body at all exists, but where there is only the incorporeal, the heavy body of necessity gains the bottom in no time at all and becomes stationary. The Deity, having thus in the order of nature, as the scripture declares, suspended the earth upon nothing, when it had reached the bottom of space laid its foundations upon its own stability so that it should not be moved for ever. But should one again, from a wanton love of contradiction, assume that outside of earth and heaven there exists ¹²⁹ a place made of another invisible and imaginary substance, even such a place must of necessity rest upon something else, and this again upon another, and so on ad infinitum. Nevertheless let us, with God's help, tackle this subject as more a question of physical science. If one should suppose that place to be chaos, then because.....¹⁵ as the heaven is light and tends upwards, and the |30 earth heavy and tends downwards, and extremes are bound together with extremes, that, namely, which tends upwards with that which tends downwards, they support the one the other by their pulling against each other, and so remain unmoved. The Deity accordingly having founded the earth, which is oblong, upon its own stability, bound together the extremities of the heaven with the extremities of the earth, making the nether extremities of the heaven rest upon the four extremities of the earth, while on high he formed it into a most lofty vault overspanning the length of the earth. Along the breadth again of the earth he built a wall from the nethermost extremities of the heaven upwards to the summit, and having enclosed the place, made a house, as one might call it, of enormous size, like an oblong vaulted vapour-bath. For, saith the Prophet Isaiah (xlix, 22): He who established heaven as a vault. With regard, moreover, to the glueing together of the heaven and the earth, we find this written in Job: He has inclined heaven to earth, and it has been poured out as the dust of the earth. I have welded it as a square block of stone.¹⁶ Do not the expressions about inclining it to the earth and welding it thereto clearly show that the heaven standing as a vault has its extremities bound together with the extremities of the earth? The fact of its inclination to the earth, and its being welded with it, makes it totally inconceivable that it is a sphere.¹⁷ |31

Moses, likewise, in describing the table in the Tabernacle, which is an image of the earth, ordered its length to be of two cubits, and its breadth of one cubit. So then in the same way as Isaiah spoke, so do we also speak of the figure of the first heaven made on the first day, made along with the earth, and comprising along with the earth the universe, and say that its figure is vaultlike. And just as it is said in Job that the heaven has been welded to the earth, so do we again also say the same. Having learned, moreover, from Moses that the earth has been extended in length more than in breadth, we again admit this, knowing that the scriptures, which are truly divine, ought to be believed. But further, when God had produced the waters and angels and other things simultaneously with the earth and the highest heaven itself, he on the second day exposed to their vision this second heaven visible to our eyes, which, as if putting to use the creations of his own hands, he formed from the waters as his material. In appearance it is like the highest heaven, but not in figure, and it lies midway between that heaven and the earth; and God ¹³⁰ having then stretched it out extended it throughout the whole space in the direction of its breadth, like an intermediate roof, and bound together the firmament with the highest heaven, separating and disparting the remainder of the waters, leaving some above the firmament, and others on the earth below the firmament, as the divine Moses explains to us, and so makes the one area or house two houses----an upper and a lower story.

But again, the divine scripture speaks thus in Moses concerning the second heaven: And God called the firmament heaven¹⁸; and in the inspired David we find these words: Stretching out the heaven as a covering¹⁹; and he adds: |32 who covereth his upper chambers with the waters; saying this evidently with respect to the firmament. But scripture, when coupling the two heavens together, frequently speaks of them in the singular, as but one, saying through Isaiah: He that established the heaven as a vaulted chamber, and stretched it out as a tent to dwell in²⁰; meaning here by the vaulted chamber the highest heaven, and by what is stretched out as a tent the firmament, and thus declaring them in the singular number to be bound together and to be of similar appearance. David again speaks to this effect: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth forth his handiwork²¹; here beginning with a duality and ending with a unity. For since, agreeably to the idiom of the Hebrew language, the same word serves to express both heavens and heaven, and the two heavens are not only bound together as one, but are also like in appearance and aspect, the divine scripture speaks of heaven both in the plural and in the singular number indiscriminately. For the blessed David, using this idiom, exclaims: Praise him, ye heavens of heavens,²² where you might say in the singular number a heaven of heaven, for he says elsewhere: And the water which is above the heavens: here distinctly employing the plural number, heavens, and indicating that the firmament has the waters above it. For following the idiom, instead of saying, the heaven of the heaven, he said the heavens of the heavens. For he again says also in another place: the heaven of the heaven belongs to the Lord, but the earth hath he given to the sons of man,²³ here calling the highest heaven which is like a vault heaven of heaven, as it is the heaven of the firmament, being up above it and much loftier. And in Deuteronomy the great hierophant Moses thus speaks: |33 Behold unto the Lord thy God belongeth the heaven and the heaven of heaven, the earth with all that is therein. The great apostle Paul, moreover, uses this idiom, exclaiming: For our citizenship is in the heavens, from which also we look for the Saviour;²⁴ beginning here with the plural number and ending with the singular, for he uses from which in the singular number. David also frequently makes use of this mode of expression, exclaiming: Praise the Lord from the heavens;²⁵ and after he had said: Praise the Lord from the earth, he thus ends: the praising of him in earth and heaven;²⁶ and in another passage, To him who made the heavens in wisdom;²⁷ and on this subject he uses many such expressions.

We have said that the figure of the earth is lengthwise ¹³¹ from east to west, and breadthwise from north to south, and that it is divided into two parts: this part which we, the men of the present day, inhabit, and which is all round encircled by the intermedial sea, called the ocean by the Pagans, and that part which encircles the ocean, and has its extremities bound together with those of the heaven, and which men at one time inhabited to eastward, before the flood in the days of Noah occurred, and in which also Paradise is situated.²⁸ Men, strange to say, having crossed the ocean in the Ark at the time of the Deluge, reached our part of the earth and settled in Persian territory, where also the Ark rested on the mountains of Ararat, having saved alive Noah and his sons, together with |34 their wives, so that there were four pairs, and all the brute animals, three pairs of clean, but of wild only one poor pair. Since Noah appears to have offered up to God in sacrifice the superfluous one pair of all the clean animals, there were four pairs of human beings, and of clean animals three pairs, but of wild beasts only one poor pair. Now when the Ark had crossed over into this part of the earth which we now from that time forth inhabit, the three sons of Noah divided the earth among them. Shem and his posterity obtained the regions extending from Asia as far as the eastern parts of the ocean²⁹; Ham and his posterity the regions from Gadeira³⁰ in the west to the ocean of Ethiopia, called Barbaria, beyond the Arabian Gulf,³¹ receiving besides the regions extending as far as our sea, |35 that is to Palestine and Phoenicia, as well as the southern parts, together with all that part of Arabia which adjoins us, and that which is called the Happy; and Japhet and his posterity: the regions extending from Media and Scythia in the distant north, as far as the western ocean and the parts outside of Gadeira, according to what is written in Genesis by the inspired Moses, who, in describing the division of the earth, speaks thus concerning these three: The sons of Japhet, Gamer (Gomer) ³² and Magog ³³ and Madaï and Javan (Iouaun) and Elisa,³⁴ whereby he indicates the hyperborean nations of the Scythians and Medes, and then similarly the Ionians ³⁵ and the Greeks, ³⁶ and likewise Thôbel ³⁷ and Mosôch ³⁸ and Thêres (Qh&raj) that he may show what nations lay near them. For he calls the Thracians Thêres, and from these, he tells us, some |36 were removed and dispersed among the islands of the Gentiles ³⁹ and adjacent localities, for this indicates Tharseis. ⁴⁰ The inhabitants of Cyprus he calls Kêtioi, and those of Rhodes, Rhodians.⁴¹ The sons of Ham (Cham), Cush (Chous) and Mesraim, thereby designating the Ethiopians and Egyptians. ⁴² Finally, Phut (Phouth) and Canaan,⁴³ |37 whereby he designates the Libyans and adjoining nations. The sons of Cush, Saba and Elêsâ, whereby he designates the Homerites and their neighbours ⁴⁴; similarly also the ¹³² nations one after another that occupy the southern parts. The Chananeans again, he says, were descended from Mesraim, that is the Egyptians and Sidonians and all the neighbouring nations. The sons of Shem, Elam and Ashur, that is the Elamites ⁴⁵ and Assyrians and remaining nations, and as many of these as were spread far and wide over Asia and the East----the nations of the Persians, Huns, Baktrians, ⁴⁶ Indians, onwards to the ocean.

The pagans even, availing themselves of what Moses has thus revealed, divide the whole earth into three parts: Asia, Libya and Europe, designating Asia the east, Libya the south, extending to the west; Europe the north, also extending to all the west; and in this our part of the earth there are four gulfs which penetrate into it from the ocean as the pagans also say, and say with truth when treating |38 of this subject ⁴⁷ namely, this gulf of ours, which entering from Gadeira in the west extends along the countries subject to Rome; ⁴⁸ the Arabian Gulf called the Erythraean ⁴⁹ and the Persian, both of which advance from Zingium to the southern and more eastern parts of the earth from the country called Barbaria, which begins where the land of the Ethiopians terminates. ⁵⁰ Now Zingium, as those who navigate the Indian sea are aware, is situated beyond the country called Barbaria which produces frankincense,⁵¹ and |39 is girdled by the ocean which streams from thence into both the gulfs. The fourth gulf is that which flows from the north-eastern part of the earth, and is called the Caspian or Hyrcanian Sea.⁵² These gulfs only admit of navigation, for the ocean cannot be navigated on account of the great number of its currents, and the dense fogs which it sends up, obscuring the rays of the sun, and because of the vastness of its extent. Having learned these facts from the Man of God, as has been said, I have pointed them out as coincident also with my own experience, for I myself have made voyages for commercial purposes in three of these gulfs----the Roman, the Arabian and the Persian, while from the natives or from seafaring men I have obtained accurate information regarding the different places.

Once on a time, when we sailed in these gulfs, bound for Further India ⁵³ and had almost crossed over to Barbaria, beyond which there is situated Zingium, as they term the |40 mouth of the ocean, I saw there to the right of our course a great flight of the birds which they call Souspha, which are like kites, but somewhat more than twice their size.^{54 133} The weather was there so very unsettled that we were all in alarm; for all the men of experience on board, whether passengers or sailors, all began to say that we were near the ocean and called out to the pilot: "Steer the ship to port and make for the gulf, or we shall be swept along by the currents and be carried into the ocean and be lost." For the ocean rushing into the gulf was swelling into billows of portentous size, while the currents from the gulf were driving the ship into the ocean, and the outlook was altogether so dismal that we were kept in a state of great alarm. A great flock, all the time, of the birds called Souspha followed us, flying generally high over our heads, and the presence of these was a sign that we were near the ocean.

The northern and western parts of the earth which we inhabit are of very great elevation, while the southern parts are proportionately depressed.⁵⁵ For to what extent of its breadth the earth is imperceptibly depressed it is found to have an elevation of like area in the northern and western parts, while the ocean beyond is of unusual depth. But in the southern and eastern parts the ocean beyond is not of unusual but of the medium depth. When these facts are considered, one can see why those who sail to the north and the west are called lingerers. It is because they are mounting up and in mounting up they sail more |41 slowly, while in returning they descend from high places to low, and thus sail fast, and in a few'days bring their voyage to an end. Then the two rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, flowing down from the northern parts, that is, from Persarmenia to the south, have far more rapid currents than our river the Nile----that is, the Gêôn. For this river Nile flowing from low-lying regions in the south towards the elevated northern regions, and running, as one may say, up,⁵⁶ pursues quietly the even tenor of its way. The eastern and southern parts again, as low-lying and overheated by the sun, are extremely hot, while the northern and western from their great elevation and distance from the sun are extremely cold, and in consequence the inhabitants have very pale complexions, and must keep themselves warm against the cold. But the whole of this portion of the earth is not inhabited, for the parts in the extreme north are to the last degree cold, and remain uninhabited, just as the parts in the extreme south remain also uninhabited on account of the excessive heat. For the blessed David thus speaks: Neither from the goings forth nor from the goings down (of the sun); nor from the desert mountains,⁵⁷ where he calls the east exodous and the west dusmas, and the other regions, namely the extreme north and extreme south desert mountains. The pagans when ¹³⁴ writing on these subjects say what is true concerning them.

These things being so we shall say, agreeably to what we find in divine scripture, that the sun issuing from the east traverses the sky in the south and ascends |42 northwards, and becomes visible to the whole of the inhabited world. But as the northern and western summit intervenes it produces night in the ocean beyond this earth of ours, and also in the earth beyond the ocean;⁵⁸ then afterwards when the sun is in the west, where he is hidden by the highest portion of the earth, and runs his course over the ocean through the northern parts, his presence there makes it night for us, until in describing his orbit he comes again to the east, and again ascending the southern sky illumines the inhabited world, as the divine scripture says through the divine Solomon: The. sun riseth and the sun goeth down and hasteth to his own place. Rising there, he goeth to the south, and wheeleth his circuit, and the wind turneth round to his circuits.⁵⁹ Here he calls the air the wind, for, as he says, the sun making a circuit in the air from east to south, from south to west, from west to north, from north to cast, causes the vicissitudes of day and night and the solstices; for, by the expressions wheeleth his circuit, and turneth round to his circuits, he signified not only the revolution but also the solstices, for it is the plural number he uses. For he does not say that the wind describes a circuit, but that the sun does so through the wind, that is, through the air.⁶⁰ Yea, even the blessed Moses having been ordered on Mount Sinai to make the Tabernacle according to the pattern which he had seen, said under divine inspiration, that the outer Tabernacle was a pattern of this the visible world. Now the divine Apostle in the epistle to the |43 Hebrews, in explaining the inner Tabernacle, or that which was within the veil, declares that it was a pattern of the heavenly----that is, of the kingdom of the heavens or the future state, taking the veil which divides the one Tabernacle into two for the firmament; just as the firmament placed in the middle, between the heaven and the earth, has made two worlds----this world namely, and that which is to come, into which world to come the first who entered was the forerunner on our behalf, Christ, who thus prepared for us a new and living way. Now in his description of the first Tabernacle, Moses places in the south of it the candlestick, with seven lamps, after the number of days in the week----these lamps being typical of the celestial luminaries----and shining on the table placed in the north of the earth. On this table again he ordered to be ¹³⁵ daily placed twelve loaves of shewbread, according to the number of the twelve months of the year----three loaves at each corner of the table, to typify the three months between each of the four tropics.⁶¹ He commanded also to be wreathed all around the rim of the table a waved moulding,⁶² to represent a multitude of waters, that is, the ocean; and further, in the circuit of the waved work, a crown to be set of the circumference of the palm of the hand, to represent the land beyond the ocean, and encircling it, where in the east lies Paradise, and where also the extremities of the heaven are bound to the extremities of the earth. And from this description we not only learn concerning the luminaries and the stars that most of them, when they rise, run their course through the south, but from the same source we are taught that the earth is surrounded by the ocean, and further |44 that beyond the ocean there is another earth by which the ocean is surrounded.

But again, from the prophecy of Lamech, the father of Noah, we learn that Noah, by means of the world-carrying Ark, was to convey men and the brute beasts into this earth of ours, for the prophecy runs somewhat to this effect: This same shall give us rest concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord God hath cursed.⁶³ For this reason also Lamech gave Noah his name, which means rest. For the first man having sinned, and having been cast by God out of the garden into the earth, which was foul with thorns and effete, those ten generations smarted under grievous chastisement, being forbidden according to the sacred scripture to eat any longer of fruit that grew upon a tree, because man had transgressed by eating the fruit of a tree. And meagre truly was the fare on which the generations from Adam to Noah subsisted, since they neither ate the olive, nor tasted either wine or flesh, but were commanded to eat only grain, and that too although there the earth was by no means productive, but required the very hardest toil for its cultivation; for thus saith the scripture: Cursed is the ground in thy labours; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread.⁶⁴

Note.

With regard to wine, it is manifest from what is recorded in Scripture that, after the Deluge, Noah having planted and cultivated the vine and expressed the juice from the grapes, drank to excess of the sweet must of which he had no previous experience, and made himself drunk; and with regard to flesh the case is still more manifest, for God instructed him in these terms: |45 Lo! I have given you all things as the green herb to eat, but flesh in the blood thereof shall ye not eat⁶⁵; meaning this: Lately I interdicted you from eating many things, but now I permit you ¹³⁶ to eat of all things, and to eat even flesh. Sacrifice, therefore, and pour out the blood, and then eat the flesh as ye eat vegetables; and eat also of the olive, of which before the Flood it was not permitted to eat, because it also was the fruit of a tree. But perhaps someone will object and say: If it is true that before the Flood they did not eat flesh, why is it then written: Abel was a keeper of sheep, and brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof?⁶⁶ If they did not eat flesh, why did they take upon them the care of sheep? And why did Abel, when he brought a lamb for sacrifice, not slay it? Now, one who so enquires, will be truly answered that, in making the oblation, he presented the holocausts alive; for one of the editions shows this, saying: Over Cain and over his sacrifice he did not apply fire, so that it is evident that the offerings were consumed with divine fire. They provided themselves with a flock to procure for themselves milk and wool. Another objection: If they did not eat flesh, how came it into their head to select the fat for the sacrifice to God? Answer----Because when anything is to be burned in the fire, fat is more readily set ablaze.

Text.

When God in his mercy wished that the human race should be no longer pinched with such scanty fare, and such hard toil, as they were less robust than the first men, who, being newly created, were better able to sustain their punishment, God taking occasion from the wickedness of men, of whom he found none righteous except Noah, brought in a flood for two or even for more reasons----that he might destroy the wicked, and save alive him that was righteous for the instruction of future generations----that, by the untimely end of the wicked, he might the better deter those who are liable to death, and will some |46 time or other die, from doing what is wicked----and that he might bring men, and the brutes that were created for the use of man, into this earth of ours, which is better than the other, and almost equal to Paradise; which also he hath done, having ordered Noah, who was left in this earth after the Flood, to taste of everything whether tree or grain, and having taught him also to eat flesh. But that he brought in the Flood not for the purpose merely of destroying the wicked, is evident from the fact that the water prevailed for a length of time, although one or two days were quite sufficient to have destroyed them all; but he brought it in also, that he might take the Ark across the ocean, and bring it to this earth of ours. For during one hundred and fifty days did the water prevail without diminishing, until, wonderful to relate, the Ark came to this earth of ours. The circumstance, moreover, that the water rose fifteen cubits above the tops of the highest ¹³⁷ mountains, makes it evident beyond all question that this was due to the depth to which the Ark was submerged in the waters, in order that it might rest upon the mountains. For a half of the height of the Ark was under water to the depth of fifteen cubits, for its entire height was thirty cubits. From this, then, as well as from the prophecy of Lamech, and the construction of the table in the Tabernacle, we can learn that beyond the ocean there is an earth which encompasses the ocean. Nay more; the hierophant Moses also in Deuteronomy saith thus: And thou, Israel, hear the command which I give unto thee this day. Do not say in thine heart who shall go up into heaven to bring it down to us, or who shall go over the sea for us to bring it to us; but the word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth.⁶⁷ By this he means: Say not it is impossible to go up into heaven to bring down thence the divine precepts, or to |47 cross over to the farther side of the sea to bring them thence, for lo! they are in thy mouth and in thy heart. In the same passage he teaches us two truths----that beyond the ocean there is land or a place, and that it is impossible to cross the ocean, just as we, while in this mortal state, cannot possibly go up into heaven. Even Baruch, the scribe of Jeremiah the Prophet, when giving counsels of prudence in his epistle, being a man well taught in the institutions of Moses, speaks in the same strain with Moses, and says: Who hath gone up into heaven and taken it and brought it down from the clouds, who hath passed over the sea?⁶⁸ Here he does not speak of our sea, for it admits of being crossed, but of the ocean itself.

Yet if Paradise did exist in this earth of ours, rnany a man among those who are keen to know and enquire into all kinds of subjects, would think he could not be too quick in getting there: for if there be some who to procure silk⁶⁹ for the miserable gains of commerce, hesitate not to travel to the uttermost ends of the earth, how should they hesitate to go where they would gain a sight of Paradise itself? Now this country of silk is situated in the remotest of all the Indies, and lies to the |48 left of those who enter the Indian sea, far beyond the Persian Gulf, and the island called by the Indians Selediba and by the Greeks Trapobanê (sic).⁷⁰ It is called Tzinitza, and is surrounded on the left by the ocean, just as Barbaria is surrounded by it on the right. The Indian philosophers, called the Brachmans, say that if you stretch a cord from Tzinitza to pass through Persia, onward to the Roman dominions, the middle of the earth would be quite correctly ¹³⁸ traced, and they are perhaps right. For the country in question deflects considerably to the left, so that the loads of silk passing by land through one nation after another, reach Persia in a comparatively short time;⁷¹ whilst the route by sea to Persia is vastly greater. For just as |49 great a distance as the Persian Gulf runs up into Persia,⁷² so great a distance and even a greater has one to run, who, being bound for Tzinitza, sails eastward from Taprobanê; while besides, the distances from the mouth of the Persian Gulf to Taprobanê; and the parts beyond through the whole width of the Indian sea are very considerable.⁷³ He then who comes by land from Tzinitza to Persia shortens very considerably the length of the journey. This is why there is always to be found a great quantity of silk in Persia. Beyond Tzinitza there is neither navigation nor any land to inhabit.

If one measures in a straight cord line⁷⁴ the stages which make up the length of the earth from Tzinitza to the west, he will find that there are somewhere about four hundred stages,⁷⁵ each thirty miles in length. The measurement is to be made in this way: from Tzinitza to the borders of Persia, between which are included all Iouvia,⁷⁶ India, and the country of the Bactrians, there are about one hundred and fifty stages at least; the whole country of the Persians has eighty stations; and from Nisibis to Seleucia⁷⁷ |50 there are thirteen stages; and from Seleucia to Rome and the Gauls and Iberia, whose inhabitants are now called Spaniards, onward to Gadeira, which lies out towards the ocean, there are more than one hundred and fifty stages; thus making altogether the number of stages to be four hundred, more or less. With regard to breadth: from the hyperborean regions to Byzantium there are not more than fifty stages. For we can form a conjecture as to the extent of the uninhabited and the inhabited parts of those northern regions from the Caspian Sea, which is a gulf of the ocean. From Byzantium, again, to Alexandria there are fifty stages, and from Alexandria to the Cataracts thirty stages;⁷⁸ from the Cataracts to Axômis, thirty stages;⁷⁹ from Axômis |51 to the projecting part of Ethiopia, which is the frankincense country called Barbaria, lying along the ocean, and not near but at a great distance from the land of Sasu which is the remotest part of Ethiopia, fifty stages more or less; so that we may reckon the whole number of stages at two hundred more or less; and thus we see that even here the divine scripture speaks the truth in representing the length of the earth to be double its breadth; For thou shalt make the table in length two cubits and in breadth one cubit, a pattern, as it were, of the earth.⁸⁰

The region which produces frankincense is situated at the projecting parts of Ethiopia, and lies inland, but is washed by the ocean on the other side. Hence the ¹³⁹ inhabitants of Barbaria, being near at hand, go up into the interior and, engaging in traffic with the natives, bring back from them many kinds of spices, frankincense, cassia, calamus,⁸¹ and many other articles of merchandise, which they afterwards send by sea to Adulê, to the country of the Homeritcs, to Further India, and to Persia. This very fact you will find mentioned in the Book of Kings, where it is recorded that the Queen of Sheba, that is, of the Homerite country, whom afterwards our Lord in the Gospels calls the Queen of the South, brought to Solomon spices from this very Barbaria, which lay near Sheba on |52 the other side of the sea, together with bars of ebony, and apes and gold from Ethiopia which, though separated from Sheba by the Arabian Gulf, lay in its vicinity. We can see again from the words of the Lord that he calls these places the ends of the earth, saying: The Queen of the South shall rise up in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.----Matt, xii, 42. For the Homerites are not far distant from Barbaria, as the sea which lies between them can be crossed in a couple of days, and then beyond Barbaria is the ocean, which is there called Zingion. The country known as that of Sasu is itself near the ocean, just as the ocean is near the frankincense country, in which there are many gold mines. The King of the Axômites accordingly, every other year, through the governor of Agau,⁸² sends thither special agents to bargain for the gold, and these are accompanied by many other traders----upwards, say, of five hundred----bound on the same errand as themselves. They take along with them to the mining district oxen, lumps of salt, and iron, and when they reach its neighbourhood they make a halt at a certain spot and form an encampment, which they fence round with a great hedge of thorns. Within this they live, and having slaughtered the oxen, cut them in |53 pieces, and lay the pieces on the top of the thorns, along with the lumps of salt and the iron. Then come the natives bringing gold in nuggets like peas,⁸³ called tancharas, and lay one or two or more of these upon what pleases them----the pieces of flesh or the salt or the iron, and then they retire to some distance off. Then the owner of the meat approaches, and if he is satisfied he takes the gold away, and upon seeing this its owner comes and takes the flesh or the salt or the iron. If, however, he is not satisfied, he leaves the gold, when the native seeing that he has not taken it, comes and either puts down more gold, or takes up what he had laid down, and goes away. Such is the mode in which business is transacted with the people of that country, because their language is different and interpreters are hardly to be found. The time they stay in that country is five days more or less, according as the natives more or less readily coming forward buy up all their wares. On the journey ¹⁴⁰ homeward they all agree to travel well-armed, since some of the tribes through whose country they must pass might threaten to attack them from a desire to rob them of their gold. The space of six months is taken up with this trading expedition, including both the going and the returning. In going they march very slowly, chiefly because of the cattle, but in returning they quicken their pace lest on the way they should be overtaken by winter and its rains. For the sources of the river Nile lie somewhere in these parts, and in winter, on account of the heavy rains, the numerous rivers which they generate obstruct the path of the traveller. The people there have their winter at the time we have our summer. It begins in the month Epiphi of the Egyptians and continues till Thôth,⁸⁴ and during the |54 three months the rain falls in torrents, and makes a multitude of rivers all of which flow into the Nile.

The facts which I have just recorded fell partly under my own observation and partly were told me by traders who had been to those parts. And I now wish to give an account to your Piety of a matter quite pertinent to our subject. On the coast of Ethiopia, two miles off from the shore, is a town called Adulê, which forms the port of the Axômites and is much frequented by traders who come from Alexandria and the Elanitic Gulf.⁸⁵ Here is to be seen a marble chair, just as you enter the town on the western side by the road which leads to Axômis. This chair appertained to one of the Ptolemies, who had subjected this country to his authority.⁸⁶ It is made of costly white marble such as we employ for marble tables, but not of the sort which comes from Proconnesus.⁸⁷ Its base is |55 quadrangular, and it rests at the four corners on four slender and elegant pillars, with one in the middle of greater girth and grooved in spiral form. The pillars support the seat of the chair as well as its back against which one leans, and there are also sides to right and left. The whole chair with its base, five pillars, seat and back and sides to right and left, has been sculptured from a single block into this form. It measures about two cubits and a half, and is in shape like the chair we call the Bishop's throne.⁸⁸ Behind the Chair is another marble of basanite stone, three cubits in height and of quadrangular form, like a tablet, which at the centre of its upper portion rises to a sharp point whence the sides slope gently down in the form of the letter lambda (λ), but the main body of the slab is rectangular. This tablet has now fallen down behind the Chair, and the lower part has been broken and destroyed. Both the marble and the chair itself arc covered over with Greek characters. Now when I was in this part of the country some five and twenty years ago, more or less, at the beginning of the reign of the Roman Emperor Justinus,⁸⁹ Elesbaan, who was then King of the Axômites, ¹⁴¹ and was preparing to start on an expedition against the Homerites on the opposite side of the Gulf ⁹⁰ wrote to the |56 Governor of Adulê directing him to take copies of the inscriptions on the Chair of Ptolemy and on the tablet,⁹¹ and to send them to him. Then the Governor, whose name was Abbas, applied to myself and another merchant called Mênas, who afterwards became a monk at Rhaithû,⁹² and not long ago departed this life----and at his request we went and copied the inscriptions. One set of the copies was made over to the Governor; but we kept also like copies for ourselves which I shall here embody in this work, since their contents contribute to our knowledge of the country, its inhabitants, and the distances of the several places. We found also sculptured on the back of the Chair figures of Hercules and Mercury; and my companion, Menas, of happy memory, alluding to these would have it that Hercules was the symbol of strength and Mercury of wealth. I remembered, however, the Acts of the Apostles, and would on this one point differ from him, upholding |57 that we should take Hermes rather as the symbol of speech, for it is recorded in the Acts that they called Barnabas, Jupiter, and Paul, Mercury, because he was the chief speaker. Here is the form of the Chair and of the marble, and Ptolemy himself.⁹³

Inscription on the Tablet.

The great king, Ptolemy, son of King Ptolemy and Queen Arsinoe, twin gods, grandson of the two sovereigns King Ptolemy and Queen Berenice ⁹⁴----gods sôtêres----sprung from Hercules the son of Jupiter on the father's side, and on the mother's side from Dionysus the son of Jupiter----having received from his father the Kingdom of Egypt and Libya and Syria and Phoenicia and Cyprus, and Lycia and Caria, and the Islands of the Cyclades, made an expedition into Asia with forces of infantry and cavalry, and a fleet and elephants from the Troglodytes and Ethiopia----animals which his father and himself were the |58 first to capture by hunting in those countries, and which they took down to Egypt, where they had them trained for employment in war.⁹⁵ And when he had made himself master of all the country on this side of the Euphrates, and of Cilicia and Pamphylia and Ionia, and the Hellespont and Thrace, and of all the forces in the provinces, and of the Indian elephants,⁹⁶ and had also made subject to his authority all the monarchs who ruled in these parts, ¹⁴² he crossed the Euphrates river, and when he had subdued Mesopotamia and Babylonia and Susiana and Persis and Media, and all the rest of the country as far as Bactriana, and had collected all the spoils of the temples which had been taken away from Egypt by the Persians, he conveyed them to that country ⁹⁷ along with the other |59 treasures, and sent back his troops by canals which had been dug.⁹⁸

Such was the inscription on the tablet so far as we could copy it out, and, but for a few words, it would have been the whole, for it was only a small part of the tablet that had been fractured. The inscription again on the Chair was a continuation of the other,⁹⁹ and ran thus:----

Having after this with a strong hand compelled the nations bordering on my kingdom to live in peace, I made war upon the following nations, and by force of arms reduced them to subjection.¹⁰⁰ I warred first with the nation |60 of Gazê,¹⁰¹ then with Agamê ¹⁰² and Sigyê,¹⁰³ and having conquered them I exacted the half of all that they |61 possessed. I next reduced Aua ¹⁰⁴ and Tiamô, called Tziamô, and the Gambêla,¹⁰⁵ and the tribes near them [he means the nations beyond the Nile],¹⁰⁶ and Zingabênê and Angabe and Tiama and Athagaûs and Kalaa,¹⁰⁷ and the Semênoi ---- a people who lived beyond the Nile on mountains difficult of |62 access and covered with snow, where the year is all winter with hailstorms, frosts and snows into which a man sinks knee-deep.¹⁰⁸ I passed the river to attack these nations, and reduced them. I next subdued Lazine and Zaa and Gabala, tribes ¹⁰⁹ which inhabit mountains with steep declivities abounding with hot springs, the Atalmô and Bega,¹¹⁰ and all the tribes in the same quarter along with them. I proceeded next against the TangaTtae,¹¹¹ who adjoin the borders of Egypt; and having reduced them I made a footpath giving access by land into Egypt from that part of my dominions. Next I reduced Annine and Metine----tribes inhabiting precipitous mountains.¹¹² My arms |63 were next directed against the Sesea nation. These had retired to a high mountain difficult of access; but I ¹⁴³ blockaded the mountain on every side, and compelled them to come down and surrender. I then selected for myself the best of their young men and their women, with their sons and daughters and all besides that they possessed. The tribes of Rhausi I next brought to submission: a barbarous race spread over wide waterless plains in the interior of the frankincense country. [Advancing thence towards the sea] I encountered the Solate, whom I subdued, and left with instructions to guard the coast.¹¹³ All these |64 nations, protected though they were by mountains all but impregnable, I conquered, after engagements in which I was myself present. Upon their submission I restored their territories to them, subject to the payment of tribute. Many other tribes besides these submitted of their own accord, and became likewise tributary. And I sent a fleet and land forces against the Arabitae and Cinaedocolpitae ¹¹⁴ who dwelt on the other side of the Red Sea, and having reduced the sovereigns of both, I imposed on them a land tribute and charged them to make travelling safe both by sea and by land. I thus subdued the whole coast from Leucê Cômê ¹¹⁵ to the country of the Sabaeans. I first and |65 alone of the kings of my race made these conquests. For this success I now offer my thanks to my mighty God, Arês, who begat me, and by whose aid I reduced all the nations bordering on my own country, on the East to the country of frankincense, and on the West to Ethiopia and Sasu.¹¹⁶ Of these expeditions, some were conducted by |66 myself in person, and ended in victory, and the others I entrusted to my officers. Having thus brought all the world under my authority to peace, I came down to Aduli and offered sacrifice to Zeus, and to Ares and to Poseidon, whom I entreated to befriend all who go down to the sea in ships. Here also I reunited all my forces, and setting down this Chair in this place, I consecrated it to Ares in the twenty-seventh year of my reign.

Scholia of Cosmas on the Inscription of Ptolemy. From the Vatican codex.

Then Lazine and Zaa and Gabala. These nations are called by these names up to the present time.

I conquered the Sesea nation. Here he indicates the nations of Barbaria.

The Arabitae and Cinaedocolpitae. Note----He refers to the people of the Homerite country, that is, the inhabitants of Arabia Felix.

From Leuce Come. Note----In the territories of the Blemmyes there is a village (Kw&mh) called Leucoge.

As far as the country of the Sabaeans. Note----The land of the Sabaeans is also in the Homerite country.

And to the places of Sasu. Note----The land of Sasu, where there is much gold----that which is known as Tancharas, is the remotest in Ethiopia. Beyond this, and also beyond the country of the Barbareotes, the people who trade in frankincense, lies the Ocean. |67

Such is the inscription on the Chair, and at this very ¹⁴⁴ day in the very place where that Chair stands they execute in front of it condemned criminals; but whether this custom has prevailed from the time of Ptolemy I cannot say. I have set all this down from a desire to show that he is quite correct in taking the land of Sasu and Barbaria to lie at the extremity of Ethiopia, since he had subjugated all these regions and the tribes by which they were inhabited, most of which we ourselves have seen, while about the rest we obtained accurate information when we were in their neighbourhood. For most of the slaves which are now found in the hands of merchants who resort to these parts are taken from the tribes of which we speak. As for the Semenai,¹¹⁷ where he says there are snows and ice, it is to that country the King of the Axômites expatriates any one whom he has sentenced to be banished. The nation again which has its seats beyond the Arabitae and the Cinaedocolpitae and the country of the Sabaeans he calls the Homerites. We can accordingly, from what has been above recorded, correctly estimate the breadth of the earth from the hyperborean regions down to Sasu and Barbaria, the frankincense country, to be not more than two hundred stages (of thirty miles each). I have written thus with the advantage of possessing exact knowledge, and I cannot therefore have fallen much short of the truth. For the facts I am indebted partly to what I observed in the course of my voyages and travels, and partly to what I learned from others on whose accuracy I could depend. Thus even in this matter divine scripture is proved to be right and the pagans to be wrong, who, in preference to the truth and in support of their vanity, advance conjectures, sophistries, and old wives' fables no matter how false, inventing forsooth another zone farther |68 south than the torrid, and like the earth which we inhabit; and although no one has either seen or heard of such. For how could that be seen or heard of, that has never come within the ken of our senses? Hence the nonsense they babble cannot be accepted; for it is the jargon of mere novices in quibbling, and not of old adepts in that art. These youngsters supposed that by their plausible sophisms they could refute the opinions of those who were born before them, thus attempting the impossible, as we have proved in brief in the preceding book.

Note on Ptolemy.

This Ptolemy is one of those Ptolemies who reigned after Alexander the Macedonian, concerning whom the prophet Daniel prophesied in different passages, and especially in the dream of Nabuchodonosor and in the vision of the four beasts that rose up from the sea which Daniel himself saw; namely in the image, a head of gold, but in the vision a lioness, by which he signified the kingdom of the Babylonians, that is Nabuchodonosor. Then, ¹⁴⁵ in the image, the breast and the arms of silver, but in the vision, a bear----namely, the empire of the Medes, which was inferior to that of the Babylonians, whereby he means Darius the Mede. Next again in the image----the belly and the thighs of brass, but in the vision a leopard, the kingdom namely of the Persians, by which he signifies Cyrus, whose empire was no less splendid and renowned than that of the Babylonians. Then again in the image, the legs of iron, and in the vision, a beast terrible and dreadful, with claws of brass and teeth of iron, by which he indicates the Macedonian empire----that is Alexander----breaking kingdoms in pieces and subduing them. Then again in the image, the feet and toes partly of iron and partly of clay; and in the vision, ten horns corresponding in number with the toes, by which he means the empire of Alexander broken up after his death, which, in the vision also of the ram and the he-goat was, he says, broken up towards the four winds of heaven. For, when Alexander was approaching his end, he divided his empire among his four friends, of whom one reigned in Europe, that is, in Greece, another in Asia, another in Syria and Babylonia, and |69 the fourth in Egypt, Libya and the southern parts.¹¹⁸ Unto these four were many sons born, who filled their thrones after them and brought manifold evils upon the world, as has been recorded in the book of the Maccabees. Now the little horn speaking great things, that was in the midst of the ten horns, signifies Antiochus Epiphanes, who warred against the Jews in the days of the Maccabees. He speaks therefore of all these things as partly of iron and partly of clay, to show them as conquering each other and being conquered in turn, and not mixed together, just as iron and clay do not commingle.

Then again, in the image, he speaks of a stone cut out of the mountains without hands, and, in the vision, of the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, whereby he indicates the Lord Christ on both side's of his descent----from Abraham and from the Virgin without human seed, for here the words without hands mean without human seed; while the words on the clouds of heaven are employed because the clouds without human hands carry as it were in their womb the rains to which they give birth. Then again, in the image, the words: And he smote the clay, the iron, the brass, the silver and the gold, and they became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors, and the wind with its gusts swept them away and there was no more place found for them (Dan. ii, 35); and in the vision the words: I beheld till the beast was slain and his body destroyed, and given to be burned with fire; and as for the rest of the beasts their dominion was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season (Dan. vii, ii), signify respectively the same thing----namely, that at the coming of the Lord Christ all these empires would be taken away----the Babylonian, the ¹⁴⁶ Median, the Persian and the Macedonian, while all the kingdoms that arose from the partition of the last would become of no account. And such was the very condition of things in the time of Christ, for neither did the Babylonian, Median, Persian nor Macedonian empires then exist, but they had all been destroyed.

Then again, in the image, he says: And in the days of those kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people, and it shall stand for ever (Dan. ii, 44). And in the |70 vision he says: And he came even to the Ancient of days and they brought him near before him----and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (Dan. vii, 13, 14). This is one instance more of his saying the same thing both in the image and the vision, namely, that at the coming of the Lord Christ those kingdoms shall pass away and be destroyed, but his kingdom shall be indissoluble and eternal. This Ptolemy is therefore one of those who reigned, either Philometor or Euergetes the Second, or the king called Dionysus, who preceded the last Cleopatra.¹¹⁹ For these reigned more than seven and twenty years, and were descended from the first Ptolemies who were the sovereigns of Egypt, in accordance with the inscription on the marble tablet of which we have given a copy. For concerning the kings that now are, nothing has been written in the Prophet (Daniel), as the Lord himself says that the Law and the Prophets prophesied until John. For when Nebuchodonosor was cogitating whether his kingdom would endure, and Daniel whether the Judaic rites would be perpetually observed, the same revelation was made to both alike. At one and the same time shall thy kingdom come to an end, and the Judaic and ritual observances be abolished, and a new and better dispensation shall supersede the old----and be eternal and indissoluble----and this shall have its beginning when the first kingdoms and legal rites shall cease, and be openly exhibited when its supreme head makes his appearance. For concerning the Roman empire nothing is expressly written in the Prophet, for it did not rise by succession from Nabuchodonosor, nor has it congruity with the polity of the Jews, or, to speak more correctly, with the laws which they obey; but is rather calculated to destroy them. Nor did it succeed the empire of the Macedonians, for he says: The God of Heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. Here he speaks of the Lord Christ, and within the scope of his words includes, though but darkly, the Roman empire, which made its appearance ¹⁴⁷ contemporaneously with the Lord Christ. For while Christ was yet |71 in the womb, the Roman empire received its power from God as the servant of the dispensation which Christ introduced, since at that very time the accession was proclaimed of the unending line of the Augusti by whose command a census was made which embraced the whole world. The evangelist certainly indicates that this enrolment ¹²⁰ was first made in the days of Augustus Caesar, when the Lord Christ was born, and deigned to be enrolled in a country subject to Roman dominion, and to pay tribute thereto.

The empire of the Romans thus participates in the dignity of the Kingdom of the Lord Christ, seeing that it transcends, as far as can be in this state of existence, every other power, and will remain unconquered until the final consummation, for he says that it shall not be destroyed for ever. Now, if that expression for ever be taken as applying to the Lord Christ, it signifies endless duration, in accordance with what Gabriel also says to the Virgin: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end.¹²¹ If again the expression be taken as applying to the Roman empire which made its appearance in the world along with Christ, this shall not be destroyed while this world continues. For I assert with confidence, that though, by way of chastisement for our sins, hostile barbarians rise up for a short while against the Roman dominion, yet that by the valour of him who governs us the empire will continue to be invincible, provided it does not restrict but widens the influence of Christianity. I say so because this imperial family ¹²² believed in Christ before the others, and this empire is the servant of the dispensation established by Christ, on which account he, who is the Lord of all, preserves it unconquered till the final consummation. The royal family of the Persians on the other hand is not of Persian lineage, nor in the line of the succession of its former kings, but it sprang from an |72 alien power, that is, from the Magi.¹²³ For by the time of Christ the empire of the Persians had been destroyed by Alexander in accordance with the prophecy, and the successors to his empire ruled that part of the world until the time of Antiochus, after which the Parthians gradually made themselves masters of the country.¹²⁴ In point of fact, they marched in arms against Jerusalem, and took prisoner Hyrcanus, the Ruler of the Jews, not long before the advent of the Lord Christ.¹²⁵ As regards this empire of the Magi, it is now about four hundred years since it was founded, and in my opinion it ranks next to that of the Romans, because the Magi, in virtue of their having come to offer homage and adoration to the Lord Christ, obtained a certain distinction. For it was in the Roman dominions that the preaching of Christianity first became current in the days of the Apostles, and it was immediately afterwards extended to Persia by the Apostle Thaddaeus.¹²⁶ And, to be sure we find ¹⁴⁸ this written in the Catholic Epistles: The Church that is in Babylon elect together with you, saluteth you.¹²⁷ The Roman empire, |73 moreover, has many bulwarks of its safety in that it is the foremost power in the world, in that it was the first to believe in Christ, and in that it renders services to every department of the Christian economy. There is yet another sign of the power which God has accorded to the Romans. I refer to the fact that it is with their coinage all the nations carry on trade from one extremity of the earth to the other. This money is regarded with admiration by all men to whatever kingdom they belong, since there is no other country in which the like of it exists.¹²⁸ Let us now return to our proper subject.

Text.

For some of the old philosophers, who in the course of their travels visited almost every part of the inhabited world and wrote accounts of what they learned, have explained the position of the earth ¹²⁹ and the revolution of the heavenly bodies in close agreement with divine scripture. Let one of them now come forward and give this evidence.

Extract from the fourth Book of the History of Ephorus.¹³⁰ The Indians inhabit a country in the east near sunrise, while the Ethiopians dwell in the south near the Meridian, the Kelts in the west near sunset, and the |74 Scythians in the north towards the Pole. These divisions are not of equal size, Scythia and Ethiopia being larger and India and the Keltic divisions smaller. The two larger, however, are of similar size, and so are the two smaller. For the Indians are situated between the summer and the winter sunrise, while the Kelts occupy the regions from the summer to the winter sunset. The two distances are equal as well as nearly opposite each other. The Scythians again inhabit those regions which the sun leaves unvisited in the course of his revolution. They are situated opposite the nation of the Ethiopians, which seems to extend from the winter sunrise to the shortest sunset.

Note. ¹⁴⁹ This Ephorus is an old writer, philosopher, and historian.

Ephorus, both in his text and by means of his sketch, explains accurately, like the divine scripture, the position of the earth and the revolution of the heavenly bodies. For this Ephorus was an historical writer who, in the fourth book of his History, has inserted the exposition which we have cited. Pytheas of Marseilles,¹³¹ again, in his work concerning the ocean, informs us |75 that when he had reached the remotest parts of the north the barbarous people found there showed him the cradle of the sun, for, in the parts where they live, the nights always have their source. Xenophanes also, the Colophonian,¹³² is clearly no believer in the sphere, for he supposed that the earth had no limits. Thus, then, the pagans are found, in what they have said, chiming in with sacred scripture.

But, to pursue our argument, we again assume that the four rivers which divine scripture says emanate from Paradise cleave a passage through the ocean and spring up in this earth. Of these, the Pheison is the river of India, which some call Indus or Ganges. It flows down from regions in the interior, and falls by many mouths into the Indian Sea. It produces beans of the Egyptian sort, and the fruit called Neilagathia; savoury herbs, also, and lotus plants, and crocodiles, and everything the Nile produces.¹³³ The Geon, again, which rises somewhere in Ethiopia, passes through the whole of Ethiopia and Egypt, and discharges its water into our Gulf by several mouths, while the Tigrés and |76 Euphrates, which have their sources in the regions of Persarmenia, flow down to to the Persian Gulf. Such, then, are our opinions on these points. Divine scripture, with a view to show the diameter of Paradise, how great it is, and how far extended eastward, mentions the four rivers only, and thence we learn that the fountain which springs up in Eden and waters the garden, ¹⁵⁰ distributes the residue of its waters among the four great rivers which cross over into this earth and water a large part of its surface.

Text.

Since then, the luminaries of heaven in this manner pursue their course, making day and night, seasons and years, serving also for signs for those sailing upon the seas or travelling through deserts, while they also supply the earth with light, we shall not say that they are moved by the revolution of the heavens, but rather by powers that are rational, as if they were so many torch-bearers, as we shall prove once more by the declaration of divine scripture. For the divine Apostle, speaking of the Adversary, teaches what was his work from the beginning in these words: According to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience ¹³⁴ ----words which clearly show him to have been formerly a prince endowed with the power of moving the air and changing its place, but one now cast out for ever from this dignity; yea, rather, one who from sheer depravity works upon sinners, as is evident from the fact that he stood not alone in having the power to do this, but shared it in common with many others. For some of the angels were commissioned to move the air, some the sun, some the moon, some the stars, while others prepared the clouds and the rains, and rendered many other services---- for this is the work, the appointed duty, of the angelic orders and powers----to minister to the well-being and honour of the |77 image of God, that is, of man, and to move all things like soldiers obeying the commands of the king. This work they were commanded to do on the fourth day, when God adorned the heaven with its stars. The work of the adverse demons, as rebels against God, is to do what will mar his image, for on the fourth day they transgressed the command and were cast out of heaven, as elsewhere he says: Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be the heirs of Salvation? ¹³⁵ thus expressly declaring that they were ordained for the service of man. He further says: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.¹³⁶ By the creature he here designates the angels, and by the sons of God the human race. By the term

a0pokaradoki/a (earnest expectation), he represents the creature as straining its neck to scan the distant horizon in hope of descrying some help coming to man. For if the angels had not been subjected to servile ministrations they would not have longed for liberty; for when man had sinned and received sentence of death, they were smitten with sore grief, concluding that all was hopelessly lost; for since man was the bond uniting the whole creation, as well as the image of God, they abandoned after his sentence all hope both of themselves and of the universe, and were unwilling to be his ¹⁵¹ servants and subordinates without resulting advantage. By the words, however, in the passage cited, by reason of him who hath subjected it in hope, the Apostle would have us understand that God did not permit the wish of the angels to prevail, but gave them some hope that they |78 might not despair, but be cheered with the prospect that in the course of time some good would accrue to man.

Note.

On the sixth day the demon who hates good, seeing man honoured and thought worthy to have great care bestowed on him, became envious, and formed a design to drag him down to ruin with himself. But when he was at a loss how to assail him, he happened to perceive the beasts running straightway to their food, while the object of his envy, looking around him at such of the trees as were pleasant to the eye, remained quite unmoved the while by the calls of appetite; whence he concluded he had received some command from God about them. Having then approached nearer in the form of the serpent, he sought to learn the nature of the command, and craftily says: What! hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree in the Garden? ¹³⁷ Then the woman who had just been brought into the world, and was far inferior to the other in quickness of intelligence, answered his enquiry. Then, pretending he had already known the command (which he had only that moment learned), he began to accuse God of giving grudgingly, and to entice man to eat of the fruit, advising him at the same time to transfer his allegiance to himself; and thus, forsooth, become as God, infecting him in this way with his own disease. The man was, in fact, persuaded in the afternoon, and was that same day cast out of the garden, just as his tempter had himself, as soon as he sinned, been cast out of Heaven. Then the man heard the sentence of death pronounced upon him: Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.¹³⁸ This filled the angels with sore grief, and all the more as they were also disheartened at some of their own number having transgressed; although they were more especially distressed about man, as on him depended what lot should befall the whole creation----and he was also the pledge that secured the amity of all the world. For should this bond be in reality dissolved, the universe would of necessity be also dissolved. They bewailed, therefore, their own dissolution along with that of the universe, and could no longer endure to minister to man without any good resulting. But when |79 God, who is full of compassion, had, through his renewed care for man and the postponement of his punishment, inspired them with good hope, they began under its influence to render their services with alacrity. In each generation, moreover, God, by exalting the righteous to great renown, still further stimulated their alacrity, and implanted in them hopes of renovation, of restoration, and of resurrection. At the birth, particularly, of the Lord Christ according to the flesh, the whole multitude of the invisible ¹⁵² powers, having seen him born through whom comes the destruction of death, the beginning of the renovation and the resurrection, and their own freedom, lifted up their voices in hymns of praise to God, the cause of all, exclaiming: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.¹³⁹ Then away were thrown at last all the sorrow and dejection which at one time they had suffered on account of man, and they gave expression to their joy at the birth of the second Adam. Wherefore they also, at the time of his temptations, remembering how in the days of old they had witnessed the discomfiture of the first Adam, which had filled them with dismay, but seeing now the victory of the second Adam, and how fairly not once but thrice in close grip with his tempter he had flung him out of the lists----they, I say, rejoiced with a great joy, and were eager in bestowing their services, as scripture has recorded, not now as if prompted by some hope, but because, having seen with their own eyes the victory of the second Adam, they came to minister to him with joyful alacrity.

But the host of his adversaries in their turn now mourned and lamented, being confounded with shame at the victory of the second Adam. Their chief accordingly finding himself unable to throw him down began to plot against him, with the Jews as his instruments, and having stirred up the Jewish mob against him and crucified and put him to death, imagined that he was at once and for ever rid of him. But when, not long afterwards, the resurrection----that wondrous, glorious, unexpected and mighty event----had taken place, and he had no longer to experience death or any other form of suffering whatever, but along with incorruption and immortality had obtained also immutability of soul; and when again he afterwards ascended heavenward in a chariot of cloud, |80 borne up like a conqueror who celebrates his triumph; then did he enter within the firmament, and was the first of all who opened up for us a new and living way. The angels therefore, clad in white raiment, rejoiced along with men, and brought the good tidings to the disciples and the women. But their adversaries, seeing the superiority to themselves and to the whole creation of the human nature, which they had at one time tripped up by the heels, but by which they were now thrown down, remained dumb with madness and overwhelmed with uttermost shame. Wherefore the Lord exclaimed to the disciples: Let not your hearts be troubled. I have overcome the world.¹⁴⁰ And again: Lo! I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and all the power of the enemy ¹⁴¹----as much as to say: Man of old having sinned when the serpent in Paradise assailed him, it was said to him: He shall lie in wait for ¹⁴² thy heel, but thou for his head; that is, Ye shall he divided and at enmity against each other, that man may not be under obedience to him. So the warfare was then waged on equal terms, each having the power to hurt the other; for the serpent watching for the heel of man, that is, besetting his path in order to hurt him on finding him out of the path, as he ¹⁵³ could do by creeping about his heel; while man being of upward stature and on his guard, and not straying from his path, was able to bruise ¹⁴³ the head of the serpent. And now having conquered the serpent and brought him finally to shame, and having through his agency unjustly endured death for the whole race, and nailed the bond against it to the cross and blotted it out, I rose again on the third day victorious over death, and became the champion ¹⁴⁴ who has achieved victory for all the human race, for through me the victory has been extended to all humanity. Be ye therefore of good courage. Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and on all the power of the enemy. He says in effect the serpent is no longer able to hurt your heel, being himself trampled down under your feet. So then, just as Adam |81 had on the sixth day sinned by eating about mid-day of the fruit of the tree, and was cast out of the garden in the afternoon, so also on the sixth day and at the sixth hour, the Lord Christ for his sake endured in the flesh the Cross, by which we are saved. And just as again from the time of the transgression to the expulsion from the garden, all the angels were filled with great dismay, expecting nothing else than the destruction of man and of themselves and of the universe, so also during the Passion from the sixth hour until the ninth the whole creation was shrouded in darkness at the wickedness that was being perpetrated. And just as the two, Adam and Eve, were at the ninth hour cast out of Paradise, so also at the ninth hour the Lord Christ in the spirit and the thief entered into Paradise. On the same day, therefore, in which Adam was made, that is, on the sixth, there occurred both the Fall and the grief of the angels, the sentence of death and the expulsion from Paradise, so also at the time of the Passion, on the same day, there occurred the death of the Saviour by the tree of the Cross, the mourning of the creation, and in the afternoon the putting away of the mourning and the entrance into Paradise. Verify I say unto you, saith the Saviour to the thief, to-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. ¹⁴⁵ Glory to God for ever and ever, Amen! But we must now return to our text.

Text.

Wherefore the angels did not desist from the ministrations which they rendered to men liable to death and corruption, for the Apostle speaks thus: For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, that is, they were unwilling to labour and serve to no purpose; but, he goes on to say, by reason of him who subjected it in hope. ¹⁴⁶ In what hope? Because, as is quite evident, after the transgression the angels, when they saw that God was not carrying into effect the sentence upon man, but treating him with loving care and providing him with clothing, came to entertain better hopes of man, so that they did not despair of him but ministered in his behalf. Then ¹⁵⁴ |82 afterwards he says: And the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glory of the liberty of the sons of God;¹⁴⁷ that is, the angels themselves shall be delivered and with them the whole creation, when men shall be delivered from corruption and be glorified, and be made immortal, and the sons of God at the world's final consummation, when the form of this world shall pass away, and the resurrection of the dead shall take place, and the existing prder of things shall be changed. For when it shall come to pass in accordance with divine scripture that the stars shall fall, and the course of night and day cease, and the angels who move them be liberated through the exemption of men from corruption, who shall thus not at all need them, what then can these new law-givers say who think that the heaven is spherical, and assert that the stars are moved and yet move of themselves? For what useful purpose, let them tell us, if at least they define themselves to be Christians, will the heaven then perform revolutions? But away with these inept, these unstable men, for the Apostle yet again exclaims that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth together in pain until now,¹⁴⁸ thereby again showing that the whole creation, and especially the angels themselves, are burdened in this state of existence from being subservient to corruption and mutation. For since they are themselves mutable they are constantly absorbed in reflections about mutation, thinking over and hoping for liberty and longing to obtain it; and obtain it they shall, as has been stated, when men rise from the dead. For unless they had themselves received a law prescribing what they should and should not do, they could not have fallen into sin, for some of them could not have transgressed (as they did) unless they had received this law from God. Those consequently who transgressed were cast |83 down from on high to the earth, for I saw----it is the Lord who speaks----Satan like lightning fall from heaven.¹⁴⁹ But without law it is impossible there should be transgression, as saith the Apostle: For where there is no law there is no transgression,¹⁵⁰ and Without the law sin is dead.¹⁵¹ So that the angels themselves in every way want to obtain freedom from the law and from mutation. Now, of this liberty, the cause has been and will be the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ. For all things, the Apostle saith, both those which are in heaven and those which are on the earth are summed up in Christ; and, If any one is in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.¹⁵²

Note.

On the first day, that is the Lord's day, the foundation of the world and the beginning of the creation took place. God having begun in the evening to create those things which comprise the whole world, that is to say, heaven and earth, creating along with them the darkness and the water and the air and the fire which has been commingled with the earth, and the angels----producing all these at one time. Wherefore on the same day and the same night a new creation of the whole world again took place, for the whole world has its circumscription in man,¹⁵³ because man, as has been frequently stated, is the bond which holds all the world together. When man, therefore, rose again on the same night of the Lord's day, incorruptible and immortal and unchangeable, he gave a pledge to the whole creation visible and invisible that it would obtain like benefits. Wherefore the Apostle saith: To sum up all things in the Christ, both the things that are in heaven and that are in the earth;¹⁵⁴ and: If any one be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things have become new.¹⁵² He says all things, because; in man are contemplated things visible and invisible. He then who denies |84 to the Lord Christ the possession of perfect manhood ¹⁵⁵ is deceived by failing to understand the great dispensation which God has planned, as well as to conceive aright the Christian doctrine. In like manner again he who denies his perfect godhead ¹⁵⁶ is chargeable with guilt and is utterly misled. Since then this hope is placed before Christians, that the angels and the whole creation shall be renovated into a better and a blessed state of existence, who is so malignant and so impious as to abandon this hope and lean for support on the new and beguiling folly of the pagans? For he shall hear in that day from the Judge these words: Verify I say unto you I know you not; depart from me, all ye that work iniquity.¹⁵⁷ For it is in sooth a great iniquity to reject the declarations of God, and in opposition to them to ascribe a spherical form to the heaven. For such men are incapable of receiving the blessed hope and manifestation of the glory of the great God, our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us; nor do they wish along with the faithful to hear the Lord Christ exclaiming from on high: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,¹⁵⁸ but always erring in their opinions they are whirled round in ceaseless revolution along with their sphere, without any hope that there will ever be a pause.

Text.

Since the heavenly bodies then, according to divine scripture, are moved in their orbits by invisible powers, and run their course through the north, and pass below the elevated part of the earth, it is possible, with such a configuration, for eclipses of the moon and the sun to be |85 produced. For the angelic powers, by moving the figures on rational principles and in regular order, and with greater speed than lies in us to apprehend, produce these phenomena, plying their labours by night and by day without ever pausing. For as on the one hand the pagans assert that underneath the earth these bodies revolve far out of sight, thus, as was before shown, advancing views not only out of harmony with the nature of things, but opposed to the divine testimony, so we on the other hand following divine scripture, conceive that the revolution and the course of the heavenly bodies have some slight obliquity, and affirm that they are accomplished in this manner. For this being so, eclipses of necessity follow, and we are thus opposed neither to the Deity nor to the nature of things. For God must be believed in preference to all the notions and all the teaching of men. And with reference again to the four elements, we say that God having first established the earth as being dry, made it the foundation of the universe because of its heaviness. Water again, which is the moist element, he set above the earth on account of its fluidity; and the two as being opposite in their qualities he thought good to place together on account of their good temperature.¹⁵⁹ Next he placed above these the air, which is the cold element, and above the air again fire, which is the warm element, because these are both lighter than the other elements. They are, however, mutually opposed, and therefore the two elements which are placed together in the middle----water which is moist and air which is cold----having many mutual affinities, the one being of a fluid and the other of a porous nature, while both are soft to the touch, and |86 readily receiving into themselves the qualities of each other and of their opposites, impart them in return to each other and blend the whole together; these two elements, I say, he thought good to place in the middle between the other two, the dry and the warm, that all nature might not be destroyed and reduced to a cinder. For from the readiness with which these two middle elements pervade each other, the pagans have fallen into error, and turning things the opposite way call air moist and water cold; consequent upon this they bestow two qualities upon a single element, and frequently even four.

God again provided rains for the good of the earth through the angelic powers, who with the utmost exertion bring them up from the sea into the clouds, and in obedience to the divine command discharge them where-over the divine command directs, for saith scripture by the prophet Amos: He that calleth forth the water of the sea, and poureth it out over the face of the earth (Amos ix, 6; see also Zech. x, I; I Kings xviii, 41). With regard to earthquakes we affirm that they are not produced by wind, for we do not, like our opponents, have recourse to fables, but simply say that they occur by divine appointment, for saith scripture through David: He looketh upon the earth ¹⁵⁷ and maketh it tremble (Psalm civ, 32; see also Acts ii, 2; Amos ix, 5; Haggai ii, 20; Isaiah, in sundry passages).

With regard again to the Antipodes, divine scripture does not suffer me either to say or hear anything about these fables: For he made, saith the Apostle, of one the whole race of men to dwell upon the whole face of the earth. He does not mean upon every face of the earth, but upon its face.¹⁶⁰ The dead, again, that are buried in the earth, |87 he calls the subterraneans, as in the passage: That in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of beings celestial and terrestrial and subterranean¹⁶¹; where by beings celestial are meant the angels, by the terrestrial men, and by the subterranean those that are buried in the earth. For the Apostle says that this is to take place at the resurrection, when all, alike angels that are in heaven, men that are upon the earth, and the dead that are buried in the earth, shall all rise and bow the knee in the name of Jesus the Son of God. For we are said to tread upon the earth, in the sense of the expression as used in the passage: I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions.¹⁶² To tread therefore implies treading above some one, but if we tread above any one he who treads in the opposite direction must be below him who treads above him; but according to those wiseacres, a spherical body has neither an above nor a below, and hence we neither tread nor are trodden on in return, nor do we at all walk on the earth. Consequently, all their theories are but inventions and fables.

With regard again to angels and demons and souls, divine scripture represents them as completely circumscribed, and as living in this world, as when the Apostle says: We are made a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men,¹⁶³ as if they all lived in one and the same world. In Daniel also it speaks thus on the same point: And the prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days, but lo! Michael one of the chief princes came to help me, and I left him there with the King of the Persians. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days.¹⁶⁴ The expression he withstood me, and that other, he came and went away and I left him there, and others of like import, refer to beings whose |88 natures are circumscribed. It is, moreover, to be observed that archangels are entrusted with the administration and guardianship of particular nations and kingdoms: Yea, even that an angel attends each man as his guardian; as when the church says concerning Peter in Acts: It is his angel.¹⁶⁵ The Lord likewise in the Gospels exclaims: For ¹⁵⁸ their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven;¹⁶⁶ thus plainly showing that each one of us has his angel, evidently as his guide and his guardian. For Deity alone is uncircumscribed, existing everywhere, and as the same and in the same manner. For if I ascend, saith David, into heaven, thou art there; if I descend into Hades thou art present there; if I should take to myself wings at morning----that is, in the east----and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea----that is, in the west----even there shall thy hand lead me:¹⁶⁷ evidently indicating here the uncircumscribed nature of the Deity. But this cannot be supposed to hold good of the angels, who in the passage above cited are said to have been left in a certain place. With respect to souls, divine scripture declares them to be circumscribed, and indicates them to be circumscribed by the body itself, as in the passage: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me;¹⁶⁸ thus speaking of the soul as being within. And again: My heart and my flesh.¹⁶⁹ Here it uses the heart instead of soul, as if the soul had its seat in the heart, and was within the body, as when it again says: In my heart have I hid thy words that I might not sin against thee;¹⁷⁰ that is, I have hid them in my soul. And again: Create in me a clean heart, O God!¹⁷¹ meaning a clean soul. The Lord too speaks thus: Not that which goeth into a man defileth him, for it goes into the belly and is cast out into the draught, |89 but the things which proceed out of the heart----that is, the soul----these defile the man: such as evil thoughts ¹⁷² and other things peculiar to the soul which he enumerates. Elsewhere again he says what is more adapted to put the Jews to shame: The Kingdom of God is within you, ¹⁷³ instead of saying: Ye ought always to have the Kingdom of God within the soul. And again, to the thief who believed in him he gave this promise: Verily I say unto you, to-day shall thou be with me in Paradise. ¹⁷⁴ Here as evidently as possible he speaks of the soul as in a place. And that he speaks with reference to the soul and not to the body, is evident from the fact that the body of the Lord was buried by Joseph of Arimathea in Jerusalem, and that of the thief was buried there also. Most manifestly therefore he speaks of the soul when saying: To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Besides, most of the evangelists when speaking of the death of the Lord say: He gave up the spirit----that is, the spirit within----namely, the soul, which went out of the body. Another of the evangelists says: Having bowed his head, he gave up the spirit. ¹⁷⁵

We have advanced the foregoing conclusions as expressive of the true Christian theory, having been moved to accept them by divine scripture, for they arc not inventions or conjectures of our own, but we have strictly followed what God has spoken to us through the prophets and the ¹⁵⁹ Apostles and his own Son. Now, as all those who undertake to deal with such topics in dependence on their own reasonings and conjectures fall into endless perplexities and errors, and can say nothing with certainty, it behoves every true Christian to take refuge in God, the Maker of all, who knows the how and the why of everything, in order that we may not wander and be blown about by |90 every wind of the doctrine of men, according to what the Apostle says: In craftiness of speech and after the wiles of error,¹⁷⁶ and thus even ourselves be condemned along with the world. Moses also in the Old Testament, in the Book of Numbers, gives expression to the same thoughts: And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the children of Israel and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of each border a cord of blue: and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them: and that ye go not about after your own follies and after your own eyes, after which ye used to go a whoring, that ye may remember and do all my commandments and be holy unto your God. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the Land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord your God (Num. xv, 38). God himself in that passage teaches more clearly what the Apostle also has taught us, that we should not follow our own imaginations, but rather the divine precepts. God grant, O honoured Head, that we may abstain from these things, and cling instead to those that are divine, through the prayers of your Holiness,¹⁷⁷ O most Christian Father, so that we may find mercy and grace before the throne of grace for evermore, Amen!

[Footnotes have been moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ A play upon the name of Pamphilus, which means beloved by all.

2. ² Gr. th~j e cwqen e0gkukli/ou paidei/aj. 'Egku&klion paidei/a, the circle of the arts and sciences taught in Greek schools.

3. ¹ Gr. tu&poj kai\ u(pografh_.

4. ² Gr. w(j ta&cin 'Abramiai/an plhrw~n. Abram, or Abraham, of Cascar, who flourished about the beginning of the sixth century of our aera, retired into the desert of Scete and dwelt in a cave on Mount Izla, near Nisibis. He founded a monastic order among the Nestorians. The w(j plhrw~n of the text is translated both by Montfaucon and De la Croze: quum implevisset, but erroneously. The use of the present participle indicates that Patricius set out to teach in fulfilment of the vows of his order.

5. ³ According to the Latin version of Montfaucon, it was Patricius who died at Byzantium, and Thomas who became Primate of Persia. This rendering, however, conflicts with the rules of Greek syntax, and states, besides, what is historically untrue. For from the Catalogue of the Nestorian Patriarchs it has been clearly proved that Patricius, who was a Magian and was called by the Syrians Abas or Mar-Abas, became Bishop Catholic of the whole of Persia. This passage has received much notice from writers on early ecclesiastical history, and has been used to show that Cosmas was himself a Nestorian.

The real founder of Nestorianism was Theodorus of Mopsuestia. "In the Persian School of Edessa", says Gibbon, "the rising generations of the faithful imbibed their theological idiom; they studied in the Syriac version the ten thousand volumes of Theodore of Mopsuestia, and they revered the Apostolic faith and holy martyrdom of his disciple Nestorius, whose person and language were equally unknown to the nations beyond the Tigris"; vol. viii, c. 47. Nestorius, a presbyter of Antioch, was appointed Patriarch of Constantinople in 428, but having been deposed by the Council of Ephesus, was banished first to Antioch and afterwards to the Greater Oasis in Upper Egypt, where he died before the year 450. The Nestorians, or Chaldaean Christians as they call themselves, are still numerous in the East, and retain their tendency to distinguish carefully between the human and divine natures of Christ, and their objection to call the Virgin Mary the Mother of God.

6. ¹ II Cor. v, 1.

7. ¹ Gen. i, 1.

8. ² Exod. xx, 11.

9. ³ Gen. ii, i.

10. ⁴ Ibid., 4.

11. ⁵ Gen. xiv, 19.

12. ⁶ Gen. xxiv, 2.

13. ¹ The passages are quoted in full both in the Latin and the Greek text.

14. ² Heb. i, 3.

15. ¹ Here some passage or passages must have fallen out, as there is no connection between the opening and the conclusion of the sentence. Cosmas, besides, does not here tackle, as he must have done in accordance with what he says, the assumption that there was a place outside heaven and earth. I have indicated by marks, which, however, are found neither in the Greek text nor Latin version, that here there must be a hiatus.

16. ¹ Gr. keko&llhka de\ au)to_n w#sper li/qon ku&bon. Cosmas, in quoting the Old Testament, always uses the Septuagint. The reading in the Vatican copy of the Septuagint is li\qw| ku&bon. The English Revised Version reads: When the dust runneth into a mass, and the clouds cleave fast together.----Job, xxxviii, 38.

17. ² Cosmas's idea of the figure of heaven and earth will be readily understood from his delineation of it, as shown in Fig. 7 at the end of this work.

18. ¹ Gen. i, 8.

19. ² Psalm cii, 3.

20. ¹ Isai. xl, 42.

21. ² Psalm viii, 1.

22. ³ Psalm cxlvii, 4.

23. ⁴ Psalm cxii, 16.

24. ¹ Philip, iii, 20.

25. ² Psal. cxlvii, 1.

26. ³ Ibid., 14.

27. ⁴ Psal. cxxxiv, 5.

28. ⁵ Montfaucon, in a note upon this passage, says: "The idea of Cosmas is that this earth which we inhabit is surrounded by the ocean, but that beyond the ocean there is another earth which on every side encompasses the ocean, and which had been formerly the seat of Paradise. It was this earth whose extremities were fastened together with the extremities of heaven."

29. ¹ By Asia here is meant the Roman province of Asia Minor. Shem, thus extending from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean, intersected the portions of Japhet and Ham.

30. ² Now Cadiz----the Gades of the Romans. The name is Phoenician, as we learn from Dionysius Periêgêtes and his copyist Avienus, who says:

Gadir prima fretum solida supereminet arce,

Attollitque caput geminis inserta columnis.

Haec Cotinusa prius fuerat sub nomine prisco,

Tartessumque dehinc Tyrii dixere coloni,

Barbara quinetiam Gades hanc lingua frequentat:

Poenus quippe locum Gadir vocat undique septum

Aggere praeducto. ---- Descriptio Orbis Terrae, ll. 610-616.

Dionysius to the same effect says:

Kai\ th_n me\n naeth~rej, e0pi\ prote/rwn a&nqrw&pwn

Klh|zome/nhn Kotinou~san, e0fhmi/canto Ga&deira. Perieg. ll. 455-6.

31. ³ Barbaria extended from the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb to the Aromatic Cape, now called Cape Guardafui. Ptolemy, however, in his Geography (Books I, c. 17, and iv, vii, 28) applies it as a general designation to the coast regions of East Africa from the Aromatic Cape southward as far as Zanzibar, beyond which his knowledge did not extend. The author of the Periplus again says that Barbaria, h( Barbarikh_ xw&ra, extended southward from Berenice, a great seaport in the south of Egypt, not far from the Tropic.

32. ¹ Gomer is taken by Josephus to denote the Galatians of Northern Phrygia, by others the Gimmeri, or Cimmerii, who inhabited the Crimea and eastern shores of the Euxine; others, again, the Cappadocians.

33. ² Magog is supposed by some to have been the ancestor of the Scythians and Tartars, and by others of the Persians.

34. ³ Gen. x, 2.

35. ⁴ Gr. Iouau~n. This is the reading of the Laurentian codex, while the Vatican has 9Iuwoua~n. Javan was the ancestor of the Ionians and of the Greeks generally. The form of the name in the cuneiform inscriptions is Yavnan or Yunan, and this designates Cyprus, where the Assyrians first came into contact with the Greeks. Elisa is the Elishah of Ezekiel, xxvii, 7: "Blue and purple from the isles of Elishah". Josephus identified Elishah with Aeolis; but it is generally taken for Elis in the Peloponnesus, or for the Peloponnesus itself. The Tyrians found along the shores of Greece and her islands the shellfish which yielded their famous purple dye.

36. ⁵ Gr. 9Elladikou_j. #Ellhnej often means Pagans or Gentiles.

37. ⁶ Tubal, supposed to be the ancestor of the Tibarêni, who were settled along the coast of Pontus. They are mentioned by Herodotus, and are thought to have been a Scythic people.

38. ⁷ Meshech, a remote nation, and one of the rudest in the world. "Woe is me", saith one of the Psalms of Ascents, "Woe is me, that I sojourn in Meshech!"

39. ¹ By the islands of the Gentiles are meant the sea-coasts and islands of the Mediterranean. The Thracians, I take it, were called Thêres, i.e, wild beasts, on account of the barbarity and ferocity for which they were proverbial.

40. ² The Tarshish of scripture and Tartessus of Greek writers, who designated thereby the district of Spain which lay beyond the pillars of Hercules, and also a city in the region, probably Gadeira.

41. ³ The Kêteioi are mentioned by Homer, Odys., xi, 521, and also by Strabo in several passages (B. xiii, i, 69, and iii, 2; B. xiv, v, 23 and 28). He makes them, however, a continental people, and places them between the Cilicians and the Pelasgi. They are the Kittim of 7. Chronicles I, v. 7, as the Rhodians are the Rodanim of the same passage. For Khti/ouj the Florentine MS. has Skuqi/ouj.

42. ⁴ The word Ham means adust, and has reference to the dark sunburnt complexions of the Ethiopians and Egyptians, of whom Ham was the progenitor. Mizraim was the name of Egypt in Hebrew and Mesr in Arabic. The Cushite settlements have proved a fertile theme of discussion among critics. Cush, as a country, is African in all passages of the Bible except Genesis, ii, 13, where the Revised Version has Cush instead of Ethiopia, as in the Authorised. It was supposed by the Greeks, after the conquests of Alexander had made them acquainted with India, that the Egyptians, Ethiopians or Nubians, and Indians, were derived from the same stock (Arrian, Anab., vi, 9); while Dioclorus Siculus held that the Egyptians and their civilisation were derived from Meroë. It has again been supposed that the early Babylonians came from Ethiopia; but though in support of this view some striking evidence was advanced, it is now rejected along with that of Diodorus. It has been thought that there took place a later emigration of Cushites from the Nile to Western India, through Arabia, Babylon, and Persia.

43. ⁵ Phut is Libya. In the Atlas Antiquus, however, of Justus Perthes, Phut is placed along the south-western shores of the Red Sea, to the south of the Troglodytes. The tribes descended from Canaan are enumerated in Genesis, x, 15-19. They occupied Palestine and Phoenicia, and spread as far north as the valley of the Orontes.

44. ¹ Saba denotes here that part of Arabia which is known as Yemen, or Arabia Felix, and which of old was thought to have been situated at the very ends of the earth. It was civilised in very early times. The climate was salubrious, the soil fertile, and its products varied and valuable. The inhabitants at the same time were noted for their great stature (Isaiah, xlv, 14), their commercial enterprise, and their opulence and luxury. The Homerites are the Himyari of Oriental history. Their alphabet is one of the oldest, and is thought to have been the source of the Indian. Saba denoted also the kingdom of Meroe, or at least that part of it which extended along the western shores of the Red Sea, from the Adulitic Gulf southward to the Aualitic. Elêsâ probably denotes the Elisari (the El-Asyr tribe of Burchardt), who are mentioned in Ptolemy's Geography as situated between the Cassaniti and the Homerites at the Straits of the Red Sea. Cosmas may have called at Muza (one of their ports) on his way to India, and have there heard of this people.

45. ² Elam is the name in scripture of Susiana, one of the provinces of which was Elymais.

46. ³ The Huns are again mentioned in Book xi, where see note regarding them (Montf. p. 338). Baktria is now the province of Balkh.

47. ¹ The Baltic is, however, omitted.

48. ² Gr. (Ko&lpoj) o( kata_ th_n Rwmani/an. Montfaucon has the following note upon this. "Romania hic intelligitur terra illa omnis, quae ad Romanam ditionem pertinebat. Quo item usu Athanasius, p. 361, et Epiphanius, p. 728, Rwmani/an memorant." The numbers refer to the pages in his own editions of these two authors.

49. ³ The Erythraean, in its wider sense, includes both the Arabian and Persian Gulfs, beside the ocean between Africa and India.

50. ⁴ On Zingium Montfaucon has the following note: "Cosmas after the custom of his age designates by Zingium not only the strait of the Arabian Gulf (Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb), but also the sea-coast beyond the Straits, and likewise the adjacent sea; which name still subsists, since the Zanguebaric coast, from the strait of the Arabian Gulf almost to the very Cape of Good Hope, which is constantly visited by European ships, is by the inhabitants called Zangui, for Zanguebar signifies the sea of Zangui." Ptolemy in his Geography, iv. vii, 11, has a cape called Zingis or Zengisa on the coast of the Barbaric Gulf, which seems to be Ras Hafun in Lat. 10°25' N. Ethiopia designated vaguely those parts of Africa which extended from the southern limits of Egypt and Libya southward to the Equator. It designated also the frankincense country of southern Arabia----as shown by the famous bilingual inscription of Axum. Dr. Glaser derives the name Ethiopia from atyôb (the plural of taib, frankincense), so that it thus denotes generally the frankincense countries. In its restricted application Ethiopia designated the Kingdom or Island of Meroë. This realm, which lay between the Abyssinian highlands on the east and the Libyan desert on the west, and which was watered by the Nile and some of its affluents, was wondrously opulent, and the scat of a civilization introduced in early times from Yemen, as shown by its place-names, many of which are Sabasan.

51. ⁵ Cosmas is here in agreement with the author of the Periplus, who makes the Aromatic Cape (Guardafui) the end of Barbaria: teleutoi=on th~j barbarikh~j h)pei/rou. Ptolemy, however, makes it begin here, and extends it to Rhaptum in the Gulf of Zanguebar.

52. ¹ Cosmas shared the error prevalent in ancient times, that the Caspian was not a land-locked sea but was a gulf of the great ocean. Herodotus, however, is not chargeable with having been under this delusion.

53. ² Gr. e0pi\ th_n e0swte/ran 'Indi/an. Literally "Inner India". This generally means that part of India which lies on the further side of Cape Comorin or of the Straits between Ceylon and the mainland. But as the name of India was sometimes applied to Southern Arabia, and even to Eastern Africa, India as lying beyond these countries may be here meant. John Malela, or Malala, the Byzantine historian, who wrote not long after the time of Cosmas, calls both of them India: "At this time it happened that the Indians warred against each other, those called Auxumites with those called Homerites.... The Roman traders go through the Homerites into Auxume, and to the interior Kingdoms of the Indians, for there are seven Kingdoms of the Indians and Ethiopians." Friar Jornandes calls Eastern Africa India Tertia.

54. ¹ The size of these birds, and the fact afterwards mentioned that they kept flying aloft, might indicate them to be albatrosses.

55. ² Virgil (Georg., I, 11. 233 seq.) gives poetical expression to the same idea: "High as the globe rises towards Scythia and the pinnacles of Rhipaean hills, so deep is its downward slope to Libya and its southern clime. The one pole ever stands towering above our heads; the other is thrust down beneath the feet of murky Styx and her abyssmal spectres."----Conington's Transl.

56. ¹ Gr. a nw pou tre/xwn. Cosmas here annihilates his own objection to the doctrine of Antipodes. Rain could as easily fall up to them as the Nile could run up to the sea.

57. ² Gr. a)po_ e0rh&mwn o)re/wn. Psalm LXXV. v. 6. The Revised Version translates the verse thus: "For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, cometh lifting up;" giving in the margin: "from the wilderness of mountains cometh judgement."

58. ¹ Montfaucon has here this note: "Cosmas thought that in the northern parts of the earth there existed a very lofty mountain of a conical shape which the sun always went round; and that night was produced in this earth by the shadow of the mountain, while the sun was traversing that part of his orbit which is turned away from us." See, in the Appendix, the figure of the mountain as sketched by Cosmas.

59. ² Eccl. i, 5, 6.

60. ³ The Revised Version, however, attributes the making of a circuit to the wind as well as to the sun.

61. ¹ Cosmas extends the name of tropics to the points at which the sun turns northward from the Equator on the 21st of March, and southward from it on the 21st of September.

62. ² Gr. Kuma&tion strepto_n ku&klw|.

63. ¹ Gen. v, 29.

64. ² Gen. iii, 17.

65. ¹ Gen. ix, 3.

66. ² Gen. iv, 3.

67. ¹ Deut, xxx, 12.

68. ¹ Baruch, iii, 29.

69. ² Gr. meta&cion ----sometimes written mata&cion----a foreign word, and only found in later Greek. In classical Greek the name for silk is bo&mbuc, and also shriko_n, from which our word silk is derived by the change, which is not uncommon, of r into l. The Seres from whom it was procured inhabited Northern China, whence it was conveyed by various land routes to the nations of the west. Southern China, again, which Cosmas calls Tzinitza, was inhabited by the Sinae, who sent their products by sea to Ceylon and India, and other countries farther west. Full details as to the commodities which China in ancient times exported and imported, as well as to the trade routes by which they were conveyed, will be found in the late Dr. De Lacouperie's great work, The Western Origin of Chinese Civilization. It was in the days of Cosmas that the silk-worm was for the first time introduced into Europe. Gibbon, in the fortieth chapter of The Decline and Fall, presents us with an admirable account of the silk trade up till the time of the Emperor Justinian, and of the far-reaching effects upon commerce which eventually resulted from the receipt by that emperor of eggs of the silk-worm which had been surreptitiously conveyed to him from China.

70. ¹ Montfaucon has the following note here: "Selediba is written afterwards Sielediba. It is the island Ceylan, the name being so far changed. For diba, or diva, means 'island'; hence Maldive, just as Sielediva, signifies the island Siele. Tzinitza, immediately below, in the Vatican copy is read Tzknê (Tzinê?) Tsina, or Sina, namely; the country of the Sinae, which, as Cosmas himself attests, is bounded by the ocean on the east." In Book xi Cosmas gives at some length an account of this island, and in one of the notes to that book the etymology of these names is examined.

71. ² "A valuable merchandise of small bulk is capable of defraying the expense of land carriage; and the caravans traversed the whole latitude of Asia in two hundred and forty-three days, from the Chinese Ocean to the sea-coast of Syria. Silk was immediately delivered to the Romans by the Persian caravans, who frequented the fairs of Armenia and Nisibis.....To escape the Tartar robbers and the tyrants of Persia, the silk caravans explored a more southern road; they traversed the mountains of Thibet, descended the streams of the Ganges or the Indus, and patiently expected, in the ports of Guzerat and Malabar, the annual fleets of the West."----Gibbons, Decline and Fall, c. xl.

72. ¹ The Persian Gulf has a length of 650 English miles, while the distance from Ceylon to the Malacca peninsula only is nearly twice that distance.

73. ² Not very far short of 2,000 miles.

74. ³ Gr. w(j a)po_ sparti/ou o)rqw~j... tij metrw~n. Eratosthenes estimated the breadth of the habitable world from the parallel of Thule (which he took to coincide with the Arctic Circle) to Sennaar, at 38,000 stadia, and its length, from the westernmost point of Gaul to furthest India, at 77,800, thus making its length about double its breadth.

75. ⁴ monai/, mansions or halting-places.

76. ⁵ Gr. Iouui/a. So the Florentine copy, while the Vatican has ou)nni/a in a second hand. This would mean the country of the Huns, concerning whom sec note to Book XI.

77. ⁶ Nisibis, the capital of Mygdonia, was, after the time of Lucullus, considered the chief bulwark of the Roman power in the East. It was an ancient, large, and populous city, and was for long the great northern emporium of the commerce of the East and West. It was situated about two days' journey from the head waters of the Tigris in the midst of a pleasant and fertile plain at the foot of Mount Masius. The Seleucia here referred to was situated on the Tigris about 40 miles to the north-east of Babylon, from the ruins of which it was mainly constructed: just as, afterwards, its own ruins served to build Ctesiphon. Next to Alexandria, it was the greatest emporium of commerce in the East.

78. ¹ Gr. monai\ l/. Here the numeral l/ = 30 must be an error for k /= 20, because the distance from Alexandria to Syene, in the neighbourhood of the Great Cataract, is about 600 Roman miles; and because, moreover, in the summing-up of the figures as in the text there is an excess of ten over the given total. Montfaucon has not noticed this discrepancy.

79. ² Axômis (Auxumê in Ptolemy) is the modern Axum, the capital of Tigré. In the early centuries of our era it was a powerful State, possessing nearly the whole of Abyssinia, a portion of the south-west Red Sea coast and north-western Arabia. It was distant from its seaport, Adulê, which was situated near Annesley Bay, about 120 miles, or an eight days' caravan journey. It was the chief centre of the trade with the interior of Africa. The Greek language was understood and spoken, both by the court and the numerous foreigners who had either settled in it or who resorted to it for trading purposes. In this connection I may quote the following remarks from the pen of M. Vivien de Saint-Martin: "Plusieurs faits bien connus prouvent d'ailleurs l'action direct de l'hellénisme égyptien sur le developpement de la civilisation Axoumite. Ainsi l'auteur du Périple rapporte que le roi d'Axoum qu'il nomine Zoskalès, était familiarisé avec les lettres Grecques; et ce qui montre que cette influence eut un longue durée c'est que deux siècles et demi plus tard on voit la langue Grecque employée a Axoum dans les inscriptions concurremment avec la langue éthiopienne. Ce qui existe encore de l'ancienne Axoum, particulierement ses obélisques, est d'un style grec, bien qu'on y sente une reminiscence égyptienne. Enfin, la religion des Grecs d'Egypte avail penétré dans le royaume d'Axoum, en même temps que leur langue et leurs artistes, car dans les inscriptions le roi éthiopien se dit 'fils d' l'invincible Arès'" (Journal Asiatique, sixth series, vol. ii, pp. 333-4). Christianity was introduced into Axum in the fourth century by Oedisius and Frumentius, the latter of whom was afterwards appointed its first bishop. Sasu, which is next mentioned, is near the coast, and only 5° to the north of the equator.

80. ¹ Ex. xxxvii, 10.

81. ² The sweet calamus mentioned in Exodus, xxx, 23.

82. ¹ The Agau people is the native race spread over the Abyssinian plateau both to east and west of Lake Tana. Montfaucon has the following note: "There is at this day in those parts, namely in the kingdom of the Abyssinian Ethiopians, a region called Auge, where those celebrated fountains of the Nile are, as is related farther on. But what Cosmas here tells us about that singular method of trading practised by the Ethiopians and the Barbarians who speak a different language.... is still in vogue in many parts of Africa, as one may see in books of travel in Africa, and the descriptions given in them of the country." This "dumb commerce", as it was carried on along the Atlantic coast of Africa, is described by Herodotus in his Fourth Book, C. 196. It was practised elsewhere than in Africa, as, for instance, in China (see Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, chap. lxv).

83. ¹ Gr. Qe/rmia. Dimin. form of Qe/rmoj, a lupine.

84. ² From July to September.

85. ¹ In the Periplus (c. 6), which is perhaps the earliest work in which the name of Adulê occurs, a list is given of its imports and exports. Pliny says it was the greatest emporium of the Troglodytes----or, as we must now write their name---- Trogodytes. It is represented by the modern Thulla or Zula, of which the latitude is 15 13' north. With regard to the Elanitic Gulf, Ela, the Vatican copy has 'Ela_, the Laurentian, i.e., the Florentine, 'Ahla&. It is the Elath of scripture, the Ailanê of Josephus, and the Elána of Ptolemy.

86. ² Cosmas was mistaken in thinking that the inscription on this celebrated chair was a continuation of the inscription on the basanite tablet afterwards mentioned, in which Ptolemy Euergetes recorded a series of conquests which he had made in Asia in the earlier years of his reign. Mr. Salt showed that the two inscriptions had nothing in common except their juxtaposition, and that the one on the chair related to conquests made in Ethiopia and Arabia by an Axômite king who lived several centuries after King Ptolemy. Attempts have been made to discover these precious monuments of antiquity, but hitherto without success.

87. ³ Proconnesus is the island now called Marmora, a name which it has given to the sea in which it lies, and for which it is indebted to the celebrity of its rich marble quarries. The marble, which is of a white colour with streaks of black, was used in building the palace of Mausolus, and in paving the floor of the famous church of St. Sophia, erected in Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian.

88. ¹ Gr. kaqe/dra. A drawing to show the shape of the chair is given in the Appendix.

89. ² Justinus I, or the Elder, was Emperor of the East from the year 518 to 527 A.D. He was succeeded by the great Justinian, whom he had adopted, and who reigned till 565.

90. ³ John Malala, whom we cited in a previous note, gives an account of an embassy sent by Justinian to the Emperor of the Axômites, whom he calls Elesbóas: thus fortunately, says Salt in his work descriptive of his Voyage to Abyssinia (p. 468), identifying Anda, Ameda and Elesbóas, as titles of the same sovereign. This author points out that what gave occasion to the expedition of Elesbóas was the murder of St. Aretas by the Homerites. He fixes the death of Aretas in the year 522, which was the fifth year of the Emperor Justinus; the visit of Cosmas to Adulê to about 525, and the expedition against the Homerites to about 530. Montfaucon has here the following note: "In the Vatican copy in the first hand the reading is Ellatzoba&a. This Elesbaan, King of the Axômites, in that expedition which Cosmas mentions, destroyed the kingdom of the Homerites, having defeated Dunaanus, a king of the Jewish religion, who inflicted horrible tortures on the Christians. This Elesbaan was known by another name, Caleb, and was celebrated alike by Greeks and Arabians and Ethiopians, and was enrolled in the number of the saints. He is mentioned by Nonnosus in Photius, by Metaphrastus, by Callistus, and by Abulpharagitis. All this you will find recorded at great length in Job Ludolph, a most accurate expounder and investigator of Ethiopian affairs."

91. ¹ Gr. ei0ko&ni. The word ei0kw&n denotes both an image or a figure, and also a picture. In the Greek church the word has only the latter signification.

92. ² Rhaitô was a place on the Red Sea near Mount Sinai. It is now called Tor. Cosmas, in Book V., says that it was formerly Elim, where the Israelites found twelve springs of water which still existed in his time.

93. ¹ He here refers to his drawing of the chair and the tablet, the latter of which is surmounted by the figure of Ptolemy armed with buckler, helmet and spear, and standing in a very warlike attitude. The inscription on the tablet is of great historical value, as it is the only record now extant of the expedition which was made into Asia by Ptolemy Euergetes soon after his succession to the throne in 247 B.C.

94. ² Ptolemy I., surnamed Soter, was reputed to be the son of Lagus by Arsinoe, while Berenice was the daughter of the same Lagus by Antigone, the niece of Antipater. Ptolemy Soter was regarded by the Macedonians as the son of Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, since his mother had been Philip's concubine, and was pregnant with Ptolemy when she married Lagus. This story seems, however, to have been invented to flatter Ptolemy when he had become a great King. The second Ptolemy, surnamed Philadelphus, married Arsinoe, the daughter of Lysimachus, the King of Thrace, and his wife Nicaea, and by her became the father of Euergetes. He banished her, however, and afterwards, to the great scandal of the Grecian world, married his own sister Arsinoe, who had been the wife of the same Thracian King. By her he had no children.

95. ¹ Conf. Periplus, c. 3. "To the south of the Moschophagi, near the sea, lies a small emporium about 4,000 stadia distant from Berenice, and called Ptolemais Theron, from which, in the days of the Ptolemies, the hunters whom they employed used to go up into the interior to catch elephants. This place was very suitable for the purpose, as it lay on the skirts of the great Nubian forest in which elephants abounded. Before it was made a depot for the elephant trade, the Egyptian Kings had to import these animals from Asia; but as the supply was precarious and the cost of their importation very great, Philadelphia made most tempting offers to the Ethiopian elephant hunters to induce them to abstain from eating the animal, or at least to reserve a portion of them for the royal stables. They rejected, however, all his offers, declaring that even for all Egypt they would not forego their favourite luxury."

96. ² Probably among them some of the 500 which Seleucus Nicator had received from Sandrocottus, the King of Palibothra (now Patna).

97. ³ Ptolemy Euergetes added greatly to his popularity with his Egyptian subjects by restoring to them the statues of their gods, which had been carried away to Persia by Cambyses and some of his successors. For this and other benefits, a synod of priests which assembled at Canopus in the ninth year of his reign passed a decree which conferred upon him and his queen the title of Benefactors. This queen was Berenice, the daughter of Magas, King of Cyrene. She vowed to sacrifice her hair to the gods if her husband returned safe from the expedition recorded in the inscription. The hair was stolen, but according to the great astronomer Conon, the winds wafted it to heaven, and there it forms the constellation Coma Berenices. The inscription was not written by Euergetes himself, but that it is a truthful record is confirmed by a passage in St. Jerome's commentary on Daniel (xi, 8): "in tantum ut Syriam caperet et Ciliciam, superioresque partes trans Euphratem, et propemodum universam Asiam." See Mahaffy's Empire of the Ptolemies, p. 200.

98. ¹ Gr. duna&meij a)pesteile dia_ tw~n o)ruxqe/ntwn potamw~n. Dr. Vincent was of opinion that the canals mentioned here were those near Susa, in which Cambyscs had deposited the gods and the other spoils which he had carried away from Egypt. He remarks that Susiana was, like Babylonia, intersected with numerous canals. Bigot, however, to judge from his translation of the clause, supposed that the canals were dug by order of Ptolemy: Et faisant des canaux où il était nécessaire pour rendre à ses troupes le passage plus aisé. Boeckh, again, believed that the words were badly transcribed, and referred to a new expedition, and therefore to Nile canals.

99. ² In note 2, p. 54, it has been pointed out that the inscription on the chair had no connection with that on the tablet.

100. ³ "If we had the precise date of this inscription," says V. de Saint-Martin, "the chronological question of the origin of the kingdom of Axum would be resolved, for it enables us to accompany, in a sort of way, step by step the formation and development of the Axumite empire. The first and only one of the kings of my race I have brought all these peoples under subjection, says the Prince; and the identification which we are able still to make of one part at least of the districts and tribes mentioned in the inscription shows us his first conquests in the neighbourhood itself of Axum, and at a little distance from that city, which was evidently the seat of his native principality. Then we see his arms carried successively into one after another of the surrounding countries----to the west, between the Takazzé and the great lake Tzana (Tana); to the north, into the low plains watered by the Atbara and the Mareb, and thence still farther into the deserts of Nubia, where the caravans will henceforth have an assured communication from Axum to Egypt; to the south into the hot region which we designate by the very improper name of the kingdom of Adel, into the country of Harrar and of the Somalis, which produces aromatics, and on to the coast region which is washed by the sea of Aden, and which terminates at Cape Guardafui. Finally, crossing over the narrow basin of the Arabian Gulf, the Ethiopian conqueror sends a naval expedition to the opposite coast, and makes his authority to be recognised, if not over Yemen or the country of the Sabaeans (this the text leaves doubtful), at least over a great part of the coast of Hedjaz, in his progress northward to the latitude of Berenice of Egypt, that is to say, over an extent of coast of 6 degrees at least, even towards the 25th parallel." From a memoir read to the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Lettres, and published in the Journal Asiatique, 1863, th series, vol. ii, pp. 347-8. For the identifications which follow I am chiefly indebted to this memoir. Dr. Glaser has quite recently been able to determine approximately the date of this inscription, as towards the end of the third century of our a era.

101. ¹ Salt sees in this word the town of Adé-Gada in the north of Tigré, but Saint-Martin believes that it has a much wider signification. "It is certain", he says, "that Agazi or Agoazi has been at another time the name of the portion of the Abyssinian plateau, the declivity of which commands the Red Sea above Massawa. The name appears to have now fallen into disuse, but the passages which Ludolf (in his Hist. Aeth., I, i, iv, and Commentar., p. 56) has collected prove that even till the seventeenth century it was employed, at least by the learned, as a synonym of Abyssinia. The word remains in use for a different purpose----to designate the ancient language of northern Abyssinia (the ghîz or ghez, at present the learned language)." ----pp. 349, 350. Pliny (vi, 29) mentions a place called Gaza, which lay farther south than the Abalitic Gulf and the Island of Diodorus.

102. ² Agamê still designates an important province of the plateau of Tigré, directly to the east of the position of Axum. Salt describes it as a rich and fertile territory, owing to its great elevation in a torrid climate.

103. ³ Saint-Martin thinks that the name Sigye is connected with Tzigam, the name of a large Agau tribe now seated to the west of Lake Tzana, but which its own traditions connect with the Agaus of the Takazzé. The Agaou people, which is the aboriginal race of the Abyssinian plateau, has been in conflict at all the epochs of history with the lords of the country of Axum, now Tigré. ---- pp. 350-1.

104. ¹ The position of Aua is fixed by the itinerary of Nonnosus, the envoy of Justinian to the King of Axum in 531, only eleven or twelve years after the time when Cosmas visited those shores. In this itinerary Aue is a district situated half-way between Adulê and Axum. The name still exists in that of the city of Adoua (Ad'Oua = city of Oua) the present capital of Tigré (p. 351). Nonnosus on his return from Axum wrote a history of his embassy, which has perished, but of which we have an abridgement by Photius, reprinted in the Bonn Collection of the Byzantine writers. Bent thinks Aua is perhaps in Yeha.

105. ² Montfaucon here notes that Tiamô is read Tiama in the Vatican copy, and that Tziamô was called also Tziama. He says that Tzama is the name by which a certain prefecture of the kingdom of Tigré, immediately adjacent to Agamê, is to this day designated. Both Salt and Saint-Martin confirm this identification, and the latter recognises Gambela in the valley of Iambela in the province of Enderta. The name of Tiamô, he adds, recurs elsewhere several times in Abyssinian geographical inscriptions.

106. ³ The words within brackets appear, says Montfaucon, to have formed a marginal note which has crept into the text of Cosmas. By the Nile here is not meant the Nile proper, but its great eastern tributary the Takazze, which, however, before joining the Nile unites with the Atbara (the Astaboras of the ancients) in Nubia.

107. ⁴ Zingabene, Angabe, and Tiama cannot now be identified, but Athagaus and Kalaa seem to correspond respectively to Addago and Kalawe, two districts which lie to the left of the Takazze below the mountains of Semen. Dillmann conjectures that Zingabene was written for Zingarene, and so identical with Zangaren in Hamasen. Dr. Glaser suggests that Kalaa may be the Koloe of the Periplus, which describes it as a town three days' journey inland from Adulê, and a five days' journey from Axum. With regard to the Athagaus, Dillmann agrees with Montfaucon in taking them to be a part of the very ancient Agau people, perhaps those in Lasta.

108. ¹ For Semenai the Vatican copy reads Samine. The inscription gives this name in exact accordance with its present orthography. Samen, or Semen, with its lofty mountains which rise to the height of 15,000 ft. above the sea-level, is the most remarkable region in all Abyssinia.

109. ² A little below, Cosmas tells us that in his time these three provinces still bore the same names as in the inscription, from which it would appear that these were well-known districts. Their names have now disappeared, or are too much changed to be recognisable. Saint-Martin, however, conjectures that Lazine may be the land of Basena on the northern frontier of Tigré, at the foot of the last declivities of the plateau. Basena, he adds, is in the direction of the Taka, the great oasis of eastern Nubia, whereto the inscription proceeds to lead us.

110. ³ "Bega refers to the ancient race of the Bedjas or Bodjas (which the Arab authors call also Boga), who, under the actual name of Bicharieh cover with their nomadic tribes a great part of the sandy regions of Nubia between the Nile and the Red Sea"(l. c. p. 354). In a note it is pointed out that Bicharieh and Bedja are but two forms of the same name. Dr. D. H. Müller, of Vienna, identifies the Bega with the Bougaitai of the Greek inscription of Axum.

111. ⁴ "The Tangaites, at the time to which the inscription takes us back, were the most powerful of the Bedja tribes; this tribe has given its name to the country of Taka, which is watered and fertilised by the united waters of the Takazze and Atbara. Tangaites, for Tanga or Taka, is a form purely Greek" (l. c. p. 354).

112. ⁵ The fact that these two tribes lived in a mountainous region showed that their position was eastward toward the coast of the Red Sea.

113. ¹ "The rest of the inscription is concerned with expeditions all different. Here the Axumite conqueror conducts us towards the country of Barbara, where incense grows, that is to say, into the cinnamon-bearing country of the Greeks and Romans. He then subdues the peoples of Sesea, the Rhausi, and the Solate, and obliges the last to watch over the security of the coast. With the exception of the Solate, of whom the identification is uncertain, the other names mentioned in this part of the inscription are recognisable without difficulty. Barbara, or Berbera, has been at all times the appellation of a part of this country stretching towards the Indian Ocean. It is on this side the last extension of a name of aboriginal race and of primordial origin of which we find the traces disseminated through a great portion of the valley of the Nile, and through all the north of Africa, and we know that Berbera remains the name of the principal part of the coast of Somal, right opposite Aden. Sesea ought to designate a part at least of the Somali people, of which one of the principal tribes bears still the name of Issa, which even appears to have been the patronymic appellation of the race. Cosmas, who beyond question employs the name as it was pronounced by the Greek sailors in these seas, departs still further from the proper Ethnic name in writing Sasu. It was, he says, the last country of Ethiopia towards the Erythraean Sea, and he informs us that in his time the kings of Axum sent thither annual caravans which brought back much gold. Lastly, the name of the Rhausi (who very probably are no others than the Rhapsii of Ptolemy, iv, viii) exists with but little alteration in that of the Arousi, a large tribe in the interior to the south of Abyssinia, one of those which carry on a regular traffic with the coast" (l. c. pp. 354-5). Sasu, as Dr. Glaser tells us, lay in the south-east part of the Somali peninsula, not far from the Italian colony Hobia (Oppia, Obbia), and consequently quite in the eastern portion of the conquests made by the king who was the author of the inscription. This decision as to the position of Sasu was indubitably correct, but was utterly inconsistent with the statement in the inscription that Ethiopia and Sasu formed the western boundary of his dominions. Here was indeed a Gordian knot to untie, and Dr. Glaser's peace of mind was quite taken away until he found a solution, namely, that not Sasu at all, but Kasu is to be read. Kasu, he explains, was shown by Dillmann to be a far westward territory, since in the Axumite inscription in which it occurs, it admits of being located only in or near Meroe. "Now", he exclaims, "did all at a stroke become clear. The king penetrated westward to Ethiopia and Kasu, that is, into the region of Khartum."

114. ¹ The name of this people is found in Ptolemy, and written exactly as here. Saint-Martin takes them to have been a branch of the great tribe of Kinda, to which the tribe of Kelb united itself. They occupied Hedjaz, which is now the Holy Land of Arabia, containing as it does the sacred cities of Mecca and Medina.

115. ² Towards the northern frontier of the Cinaedocolpitae was situated the port and trading mart of Leucê Comê, from which at one time the costly wares received from India and Arabia were transmitted to Petra of the Nabathaeans. It has been identified with the port called Hauara [lat. 24° 59' N., long. 37° 16' E.]. Cosmas in a note says, that in the country of the Blemmyes there is a village (Kw&mh) called Leucoge, which he erroneously takes to be Leucê Comê, since the Blemmyes lived not in Arabia but Nubia, on the other side of the Red Sea.

116. ¹ Saint-Martin, commenting on the geography of this passage, says: "This shows, first, that the Axumites properly called (that is to say, the inhabitants of our actual Tigré", which is the north-east part of the Abyssinian plateau) had not yet adopted for themselves the Greek appellation of Ethiopians, as they have since done. The name of Saso, which appears there for the first time, carries us to the unknown countries of the West; it is then by a manifest confusion that Cosmas, deceived by an apparent relation, has confounded it with the maritime country of Sesea. Mr. Harris, who was sent to the Ras du Choa in 1842 by the East India Company, with a view to form commercial relations with this powerful chief of southern Abyssinia, among the items of information that he collected during his stay about the countries of the Nile basin still more southern, heard mention of a great kingdom of Sousa, the most powerful, he was told, of the native states towards the south and south-west of the Choa."----(l. c. pp. 357-8). Saint-Martin takes this country, of which Mr. Harris had heard, to be Kafa, which he thinks is the name given to it by the Galla, while Sousa is its ancient and indigenous name. Dr. Glaser's solution of the difficulty regarding Sasu, given in note 1, p. 63, is, however, preferable. Saint-Martin follows up his examination of the geography of the inscription with an attempt to ascertain its date, and this he is led to assign either to the earlier or to the later half of the second century of our aera. Professor Dillmann, on the other hand, assigned to the inscription a much earlier date, being of opinion that the king whose conquests it records reigned in Axum before Zoskales (called Zahakale in the list of Axumite kings), who filled the throne at the time when the author of the Periplus, from whom we learn the fact, was making trading voyages in the Erythraean Sea. As these voyages appear to have been made between A.D. 56 and A.D. 71, the inscription would thus date as far back as about the beginning of the Christian aera. Professor D. H. Müller, of Vienna, again, thinks that the author of the inscription was no other than this Zoskales himself, who is described in the Periplus as an ambitious man, and well versed in Greek literature (

tou plei/onoj e0cexo&menoj... kai\ gramma&twn 9Ellhnikw~n e mpeiroj ). Dr. Glaser, however, who is one of the greatest living authorities on questions of Arabian history, which he has assiduously studied, by the light of numerous inscriptions found in various parts of Arabia, refers the inscription in question to the closing years of the third Christian century. Some of the conquests of the Axumite king lay in Arabia, and Dr. Glaser finds that the date he has fixed is that which is most compatible with ascertained facts, both of Arabian and Axumite history. To this conclusion he has also been guided by statements advanced in the Periplus, and the famous bilingual Axumite inscription.

117. ¹ The Vatican copy has Salmene.

118. ¹ Antigonus, Perdiccas, Seleucus Nicator, and Ptolemy.

119. ¹ Philometor was the sixth of the Ptolemies, and Dionysus, the brother of the celebrated Cleopatra, was the twelfth.

120. ¹ Gr. a)pografh_ ----the term used in Luke ii, 2.

121. ² Luke i, 32.

122. ³ Gr. basi/leioi ---- Montfaucon here translates this word by imperium (and in the next sentence by regnum) leaving basilei/a, which almost immediately follows, unrendered. It is evident, however, that in each sentence basi/leion means the reigning dynasty,

ge/noj being understood.

123. ¹ The monarch of Persia when Cosmas wrote was the great Khosru, or Chosroes I, as he is called by the Greeks. His reign extended from A.D. 531 till A.D. 579. He belonged to the dynasty of the Sassanidae, which was founded by Ardishir, the Artaxerxes of the Greeks and Romans, in A.D. 226. The family to which he belonged was Persian, and professed the faith of Zoroaster and his priests the Magi.

124. ² Arsaces, the founder of the Parthian power, revolted from the Syrian yoke in the reign of Antiochus II, in the year B.C. 250. One of his successors, Mithridates I, who reigned from B.C. 174 to B.C. 136, made extensive conquests, and exalted the Parthian name to great glory. Before the Christian aera his successors had extended their rule along the east coast of Arabia, and also along the southern, so that they possessed the frankincense country.

125. ³ In the year B.C. 40, under Pacorus, the son of the Parthian King Orodes I.

126. ⁴ Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History, informs us that Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles, sent Thaddeus, who was reckoned among the seventy disciples of Christ, to Edessa, as a preacher and evangelist of the doctrine of Christ.---- Book I, c. 13. Edessa, which was a town of great importance, situated in the northern extremity of Mesopotamia, in the province of Osrhoene, played a very prominent part in the early history of the Christian Church.

127. ⁵ I Pet. v, 13.

128. ¹ See below (Book XI, text and notes).

129. ² This expression seems to mean here the relative position of the our great divisions of the inhabited world.

130. ³ Ephorus was a native of the Aeolian city of Cyme, in Asia Minor, and flourished in the fourth century B.C. Like the historian Theopompus, he studied oratory under Isocrates, who advised him to devote his powers to the study and composition of history. The most celebrated of his works was a history consisting of thirty books, which began with the Return of the Heracleidae, and brought down the narrative of events to the siege of Perinthus by Philip of Macedon, in 431 B.C. The work treated not only of the history of the Greeks but also of the barbarians, and was thus the first attempt made in Greece to write a universal history. The work is unfortunately lost, with the exception of some detached fragments. Ephorus attempted to give a faithful record of events, but was deficient in critical acumen.

131. ¹ The date of this navigator cannot be fixed with certainty, but he probably lived in the time of Alexander the Great, or somewhat later. Besides the work Concerning the Ocean, which Cosmas here mentions, he wrote another called a Periplus, in which he described a voyage from Cadiz to the Tanais, or Don, a name which he probably applied in error to the river Elbe. He is frequently cited by the ancient writers, who inclined, however, to disparage his authority----Strabo especially, who denounces him again and again as a charlatan and a liar; although even he is constrained to admit that, as far as astronomy and the mathematics are concerned, he reasoned correctly. Pytheas is better appreciated by modern writers. For Masaliw&thj the Vatican codex has Metalew&thj.

132. ¹ Xenophanes flourished between 540 and 500 B.C. He was a poet, and the founder also of the Eleatic school of philosophy. With him the Eleatic doctrine of the oneness of the universe is supposed to have originated.

133. ² Strabo informs us that Alexander the Great, upon seeing crocodiles in the Hydaspes (Jhilam), and Egyptian beans in the Acesines (Chenab), thought that he had discovered the source of the Nile.----Book xv, i, 25. Diodorus Siculus has a passage similar to this of Cosmas. He says (Book I, c. 34): "The lotus grows in great plenty here, of which the Egyptians make bread for the nourishment of their bodies. Here is likewise produced in plenty Ciborium, called the Egyptian bean." Kibw&rion, the name under which Cosmas mentions this bean, designates the seed-vessels of the kolokasi/a in which it is contained. Cosmas appears to be the only writer in whom the word Neilagathia occurs.

134. ¹ Ephes. ii, 2.

135. ¹ Heb. i, 15.

136. ² Rom. viii, 19.

137. ¹ Gen. iii, 1.

138. ² Gen. iii, 19.

139. ¹ Luke ii, 14.

140. ¹ John xvi, 33.

141. ² Luke x, 19.

142. ³ Gr. thrh&sei.Gen. iii, 15.

143. ⁴ Gr. qla~sai.

144. ⁵ Gr. pro&cenoj. This name was given to a citizen of a state who undertook or was appointed to protect and act hospitably towards visitors to that state who belonged to a friendly state. His functions resembled those of our modern consuls.

145. ¹ Luke xxviii, 43.

146. ² Rom. viii, 20.

147. ¹ Rom. viii, 21.

148. ² Rom. viii, 22.

149. ¹ Luke x, 18.

150. ² Rom. iv, 15.

151. ³ Rom. vii, 8.

152. ⁴ I Cor. v, 17.

153. ⁵ Gr. o( pa~j ga_r ko&smoj e0n tw~| a)nqrw&pw| perigra&fetai.

154. ⁶ Ephes. i, 10.

155. ¹ Cosmas, who was most probably a Nestorian, here hits at the Docetae and Gnostics, who held that the human nature of Jesus Christ was a semblance and not a reality; and hits also at the Monophysites, who maintained that Jesus Christ had but one nature, or that the human and divine were so intimately united as to form one nature only.

156. ² Cosmas refers here to the Arian heretics, who held that the Son was not co-equal or co-eternal with the Father, but was created by an act of the divine will. The Nestorians have always maintained that Christ was perfect God and perfect man, and that these natures were distinct.

157. ³ Matt, vii, 23.

158. ⁴ Matt, xxv, 34.

159. ¹ Montfaucon, following the punctuation, construes the words dia_ th_n eu)krasi/an with the clause which follows, but they seem to belong to that which precedes.

160. ¹ Acts xvii, 26. Cosmas argues that as scripture speaks only of two classes of men, the terrestrial and the subterranean, and by the latter means those buried in the earth, there can be none under the earth.

161. ¹ Philipp. ii, 10.

162. ² Luke x, 19.

163. ³ I Cor. iv, 9.

164. ⁴ Dan. x, 13 seqq.

165. ¹ Acts vi, 13.

166. ² Matt, xviii, 10.

167. ³ Psalm cxxxix, 8.

168. ⁴ Psalm ciii, i.

169. ⁵ Psalm lxxxiv, 2.

170. ⁶ Psalm cxix, 11.

171. ⁷ Psalm li, 10.

172. ¹ Matt, xv, 17.

173. ² Luke xvii, 21.

174. ³ Luke xxiii, 43

175. ⁴ Matt, xxvii, 50

176. ¹ Ephes. iv, 14.

177. ² Gr. 9Agiosu&nhj.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 91-128. Book 3

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 91-128. Book 3

BOOK III.

That the divine scripture is firm, sure and trustworthy, both in the Old and the New Testament, and in accordance with itself in the details which it gives, while it also shows the utility of the figures representing the whole world.

HEN men at first after the Deluge were high up in the air, building the tower in their warfare with God, they suspected from their constantly observing the heavenly bodies, but erroneously, that the heaven was spherical; for since the city where they were building the tower belonged to the Babylonians, an invention such as this must have originated with the Chaldaeans; whence also the descendants of Abraham who were Chaldaeans elaborated a barbaric sphere, and when they went down to Egypt communicated this notion to the Egyptians. The Egyptians in turn having grasped it as a basis for much active investigation developed it still further, until the Greek philosophers who visited Egypt----Pythagoras, Plato and Eudoxus the Cnidian----became acquainted with it, and basing their study of it on what they had learned ¹⁶⁰ from preceding enquirers elaborated it still further.

Note.

After the Deluge, when men had multiplied in the interior parts of the East, where, as has been recorded, the Ark rested, they removed a little way from their first seats and found a plain in |92 the land of Sennaar (Shinar). Now, as they were all of one speech, they talked together with one accord, saying: The men who were before us God has destroyed with a deluge; if he shall again think fit to be wroth with us and seek to destroy us even with a deluge, we shall all perish to a man. But come, let us prepare bricks and burn them with fire, that they may withstand the waters, and building them together with asphalt, let us make a high tower the top of which shall reach to heaven, in order that being delivered from the deluge we may find safety in the tower. And we shall readily be able to array ourselves against him in battle, being very near him, as long as we are all of us together, before being scattered in different directions, for this is shown by their saying: And let us make unto ourselves a name before we are dispersed over the face of the earth.¹ When they had therefore begun to build, and in their rebellious mood² wanted to mount up into heaven, God, who is full of kindness and compassion, knowing and foreknowing man whom he had created with freedom both of will and action----knowing, I say, the strength of reason which he possessed, but at the same time the weakness of his flesh, was moved with compassion rather than with anger towards him, and made again a grand dispensation, and suffered them not to labour nncl toil in vain. For, besides being crushed with hard labour, they were dashed to pieces, if when high up in the tower they were hurled down from the top by the violence of the winds, or tumbled down if scorched by heat through their nearness to the sun, and blinded by terror at the dizzy height. He therefore confounded their language and divided it into many kinds, and put an end to their impious madness. He scattered them besides, and settled them over the whole earth. This was the cause of the dispersion of the nations, and of every country becoming inhabited. In the last days therefore God being well pleased with men, according to what is written: Good pleasure towards men,³ of his own counsel and goodness resolved to lead them up into heaven, and after forty clays from his resurrection led (Christ) our first-fruits up into heaven. And further, in order that |93 he might indicate beforehand the ascension of the rest of mankind, he on the day of Pentecost, having through the Holy Spirit joined together the tongues which he had formerly divided, gave them from heaven to the Apostles, and they spake with tongues the mighty works of God. as the Spirit gave them utterance, so that all who stood around gathered together from all the nations heard, each of them in his own speech, the mighty works of God, and knew the good-will he was pleased to show to men, because when of old men had rebelliously sought to go ¹⁶¹ up into heaven, their design proved abortive; whereas now by the good pleasure of God, the faithful are carried up into heaven. Glory to the wise and compassionate God who has granted these favours to men. Amen!

Further Note.

When the first men were there at a great height engaged in building the tower, and frequently turned their eyes upward to the heavenly bodies and saw some of the stars ascending and others descending, they suspected that the heaven was somehow made to revolve on some kind of mechanical contrivance, so that it was spherical. For they were ignorant of the figure of the earth and were not aware that the heavenly bodies are moved in the air by angels. Under the influence of this suspicion they made those gates which gave passage through the tower in all directions, contriving that the tower might not be of course thrown down by the waters of the deluge. In like manner also they built it with bricks that it might withstand the waters; for it was thus the tower was constructed. They say, moreover, that its foundations occupy a breadth in every direction of three miles, and also affirm that the steps by which it is ascended are arranged circle-wise in the exterior walls, in order that they may receive light through the windows made in them.

Text.

While the Israelites were still sojourning in Egypt Moses was born, and being reared in the palace of the Egyptian king was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Having also from his own observations accepted the sphere |94 and made himself acquainted with astronomy, or even with magic and hieroglyphic letters----or as I should rather say, the symbols of letters, for as yet letters were unknown; and, to speak briefly, having become a participant of all this wisdom, as the divine scripture informs us, when he reached manhood he preferred to side warmly with his own ancestral race, and he slew the Egyptian; and being afraid fled into the land of Midian, where he married and became the father of two sons. And when he was feeding the flocks of his father-in-law and led them up to Mount Sinaï, he saw that wonderful vision of the bush----the bush which burned with fire and yet was not consumed. Then, when he was making haste to see the great marvel, the angel of God called to him in the name of God, and commanded him to go to King Pharoah in Egypt for the purpose of leading the children of Israel out of their bondage to the Egyptians. And when he begged to be let off on account of the impossibility of the thing (for he saw that as he was a mere man he could not fight against such a mighty king), God through the angel filled him with confidence, reminding him of his forefathers: how that through a barren woman and aged parents he had raised ¹⁶² up a great and numerous people. At the same time he prepared him beforehand for working wonders by means of the rod which Moses held in his hand. By these wonders Moses was quite astounded, and was persuaded to go away into Egypt. When he had gone thither, and had several times conversed with Pharoah, since he was going to show him how God had produced the whole creation----what creatures first and what second, and so on in proper order⁴... And these things were incredible to men, even as they are also now to those very clever men----yea, they |95 were even incredible to Moses himself, for he had not as yet acquired experience of these matters; but in agreement with the Egyptians, he also conjectured that the heaven was of a spherical figure.

God therefore prepared him to work wonders, and in the name of God to change the elements, and to show to all the Egyptians and to the Israelites, and through them to the whole of mankind, that he was faithful to God in all that he said and did, disposing them and preparing them beforehand to accept him with readiness. The enchanters also by whom he had been educated combined to contend with him, and in the divine power he enters the lists against them, instructed to hold such opponents in contempt, so that they cry off and say: This is the finger of God.⁵ When he had changed accordingly the constitution of the waters into blood and killed the fish, and changed the blood back into water living and productive, and had divided the Red Sea and made it stand as a wall on this side and that side in presence of the Israelites and the Egyptians, he was fully believed by them when he afterwards said:----God said let there be a firmament in the middle of the water, and it shall divide in the middle water from water, and it was so.⁶ In like manner again, when he had made darkness for three days successively among the Egyptians, while the Israelites had light, he was again fully believed when he said:----And there was darkness over the abyss, and God said let there be light, and God divided the light from the darkness; and he assumed that the first and second and third day had passed without the sun, moon and stars running their course, saying:----God divided the light from the darkness.⁷ Then again he brought frogs out of the river and fleas out of the earth, and therefore he was trusted when saying:----God said let the waters bring |96 forth living creatures, and it was so; and again he said:----Let the earth bring forth this and that, and it was so; and other things in like manner marvellous. Last of all, when he had slain all the first-born he was entitled to belief when saying last of all:----God made man.⁸ And, as we have said above, he so prepared him beforehand that the Israelites could readily believe what he said and did, since they saw with their own eyes what he performed.

When again he had led them out of Egypt and had ¹⁶³ brought them through the Red Sea on dry land, and conducted the people to Mount Sinaï, in which he had seen the divine vision, God still working wonders before the people filled the mountain with flames of fire and with smoke, while there were heard the notes of trumpets resounding from heaven and waxing louder and louder; and when with gloom and darkness and tempest he had made them tremble with exceeding great fear, he began to speak to Moses in sight of the people out of the cloud. Then, having taken him up into the mountain to remain for forty days without food, he hid him in a cloud and in a manner abstracted him from all earthly things, and made him oblivious of all, including even what he had learned from the Egyptians, giving him birth anew as if he were a child in the womb. But at the end of the forty days he gave him a new form and a new soul, and revealed to him all that he had done in the making of the world in six days, and showing him in other six days by means of visions the making of the world, performing in his presence the work of each day, namely, on the first day the first heaven, and the earth a most spacious house, and within it water, air, fire commingled with the earth, darkness and angels, having produced everything singly and collectively from nothing whatever; employing, |97 moreover, his voice alone for the instruction of the angels, he created the light for the house itself, thus giving light to everything as by a lamp. Then on the second day he constructed out of the water the firmament, which in the middle of the height of heaven binds all firmly together, dividing the waters above from the waters below, as it is placed in the middle between them. There are therefore two places----an upper and a lower story, so to speak; the lower he made fit to be a dwelling-place for this mortal and changeful life; the upper he has made ready beforehand for the coming deathless and unchanging life.

Note.

The great Moses, after relating that on the second day God had created the firmament, and by dividing it had made one place into two, explained nothing further about the future state----that is, the upper place----but turned his discourse entirely upon this state-----that is, upon the lower place----relating that God gathered together the waters, and brought forth out of the earth the green herbs and the trees, and in like manner adorned the heaven with stars, and again from the waters produced the winged fowl and aquatic animals, and in like manner again made from the earth brute animals and man. Then again, when he had been commanded to make the Tabernacle in imitation of the form of the world, he divided the one tabernacle by means of the veil, and made it into two----an inner and an outer----within the outer of which the priests continually discharged their sacred offices as being in this world, while into the inner the high priest alone once a year entered, as if into the upper place, that is, into heaven. ¹⁶⁴ On this account the inner Tabernacle was entirely inaccessible to them, being a type of the things in heaven. He was, moreover, believed when with the same authority he suitably prescribed the laws, and burdens, and punishments, and the correction of transgressors, having prepared himself for prescribing what was conducive to discipline and the working of wonders, as when he involved the Egyptians in plagues and chastisements of various kinds, and likewise made the Israelites suffer so sorely in the wilderness for their repeated sins and transgressions, that he |98 destroyed all the men of that generation except two only that were left alive, while even he himself came to his end with that generation.

But when the Lord Christ for the salvation of the whole world had appeared among us to bring to a close the present state and proclaim the one to come, and announced expressly that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, he also, appropriately to his proclamation, wrought wonders for the benefit of men, and not in a single instance for the punishment of any man. He freed those that were possessed with devils, healed the sick, strengthened the weak, made the lame walk erect, restored sight to the eyes of the blind, opened the ears of the deaf, loosened the tongues of the dumb, cleansed lepers, restored the withered to a well-tempered life, cured withered hands, stanched by his power issues of blood, reanimated the dead even when corrupt and stinking, prepared the living for finishing their course, brought good tidings to the poor of treasures of which they could not be robbed, stilled by his rebuke the rage of the winds and the fury of the sea, and did all things else which are in harmony with the proclamation of the Gospel and with the future state; for in that state no devil gives trouble, no debility exists, all sickness has been banished, with disease of limbs and distempers, and penury, and issues of blood and commotions of the elements, and the last enemy----death----is destroyed. When the Jews considered all this----when they saw that he had not wrought a single miracle for the punishment of men, except only two, and these not inflicted on man, but upon the swine and the fig tree, upon brutes and an inanimate object, in order to show that these also were subject to his power ----they attempted to bring a charge against him, saying to him in turn: We wish to see a sign from thee, that is, a sign such as that of Moses, which was for the punishment of men. But the Lord, knowing the thoughts of their hearts answered, saying: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and no sign shall be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonas.⁹ For as Jonas remained shut up in the belly of the whale for three days, and afterwards came out therefrom alive and uncorrupted, so I also being dead, after remaining ¹⁶⁵ in the earth three days shall rise up from the dead living and incorruptible. At another time, again, when he had made a |99 scourge of small cords and cast out all from the temple, they said to him: What sign shewest thou that thou dost these things?¹⁰ and this although many signs had been given by him. But he in turn said to them: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again¹¹----thus giving the same answer both times and speaking of the resurrection of his body as if he should say: When ye see me risen from the dead and see miracles wrought in my name, then shall ye know our power and our proclamation of good tidings; that my coming is not for the punishment of men, but for conferring upon them the resurrection, and immortality, and incorruption, and immutability, and blessedness. Accordingly, in consistency with his teaching, he wrought also his miracles. And this very thing Matthew also shows when speaking thus: And Jesus went about their cities and villages teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness,¹² thus implying that he wrought miracles of a nature consistent with what he preached. But John the Evangelist thus speaks: Many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Jesus said, therefore, unto the twelve: Would ye also go away? But Peter immediately answering on behalf of all said: Lord, to whom shall we go away? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we have believed that thou art the Holy One of God;¹³ meaning this: What thou teachest us we see even by the works which are done by thee, for thou promisest us life and a heavenly kingdom, and we see all things that are done by thee to have regard to the life of men. How then can we leave thee and attach ourselves to another? Our portion is therefore with thee, Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

But some one may raise a difficulty and ask: Since he had given not even one sign with a view to the punishment of men, how then did he, taking, as has been said, a scourge, beat those that were selling in the temple and cast them out of the temple? Answer: What is alleged is false, for it was not at all to the human being he applied the scourge, but he adopted an admirable and becoming and appropriate course, for he scourged the brute beasts only, as it is written: And having made a scourge of small cords he drove all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen,¹⁴ as |100 much as to say: He scourged animals, but only the irrational, driving also out of the temple even those that were brought for sacrifice according to the law, showing by this means that the Judaic dispensation was coming to an end. Things, again, that had neither life nor sensation he pushed away and overthrew, as it is written: And he poured out the money-changers' money and overthrew their tables. The rational beings, however, he neither scourged nor drove away, but he chastised the irrational, as it is written: And to those that sold doves he said: Take these ¹⁶⁶ things hence, and make not my Father's house a house of merchandise¹⁵----showing by all these words and acts that the things offered for sacrifice in the first tabernacle according to the law were to cease, and that another dispensation would be introduced in its place, harmonising with the inner tabernacle, which was a type of the things in heaven----that is, of the future dispensation. But the Jews having perceived how he was shadowing forth to them the cessation of the Jewish dispensation, questioned him, saying: What sign showest thou that thou dost these things?¹⁶ But taking appropriate advantage of the question, he promised them that he would do something darkly to foreshadow the answer. I refer to the destruction of the temple and to its renovation, because the destruction of the temple----that is, of his body----is the destruction of this world, while the renovation and change made upon the temple----that is, upon his body----is a manifestation of the future state. My argument, accordingly, good reader, holds sure that he never wrought for the punishment of man but for his benefit, and he himself elsewhere exclaims: For the Father hath not sent the Son to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.¹⁷

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Then he collected the water into one mass and exposed to view the dry land, which he called earth and which was before hidden by the waters; and he made the seas, that is, the ocean, as it is called, which encircles this earth, and is itself encircled by the earth beyond it, and also made |101 the four gulfs which run up into this earth of ours----in order that he might render the air of the ocean which is interposed between the earth here and the earth beyond salubrious to those at any time inhabiting either the one or the other. He also so prepared the gulfs that they could be navigated and afford a means of transit to different parts of the world, thus always uniting the dispersed nations in the bonds of amity through the facility with which commodities might be transported from nation to nation. And he commanded all kinds of fruits and trees and green herbs to spring up out of the earth. And again on the fourth day he divided the light, and with its purer portion made the sun, and with the remainder the moon and the stars, embellishing these heavenly bodies with the harmonious beauty which adorns all nature, giving order and harmony to the universe, while assigning to the invisible powers as their function and their law to administer, rule, and adjust these bodies to the service of God, that is, of man, and of all that exists on his account; thereby accustoming and training even these exalted powers to be under law, and calling into play the good or evil qualities of their rational powers, whence some of them having transgressed were hurled down from heaven and deprived of their dignity. For, I saw, saith the Lord, Satan like lightning fall from heaven;¹⁸ for being puffed up because of the service entrusted to him by God for the good of men, and because it was his office to move the air for man and regulate its motion for his uses, and deeming that he had of himself advanced of his own will ¹⁶⁷ to this height, he usurped to himself the worship due to God, and was forthwith hurled down. For the Apostle again when instructing Timothy not to be hasty in conferring office on a neophyte----one, that is, who has but |102 recently been converted to the faith, thus addressed him: Not a neophyte, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil ¹⁹; which, says the Apostle, the devil suffered through being puffed up, and has hereby clearly shown why he was hurled down, namely, by his being puffed up, deeming himself to be God, whence also he had the wish to communicate his own disease to man, saying: Ye shall be as Gods.

Note.

When God Almighty had along with the heaven and the earth produced all the angels, who had not hitherto existed, they stood all of them mute with surprise, being distinguished by the possession of reason from all around them, and were at once filled with amazement, and bent on considering who he was, the Creator who had called themselves and everything with them into existence. For they saw themselves existing in the midst of these things, and that they did not exist before them, and further reflected: The Creator of these and those things is surely one, or each must have had a different creator----or again: Were all things produced spontaneously of themselves, or who then is greater than the other? But when they were revolving such thoughts in their minds for the space of that night (for, as it is written, God called that darkness, night) God entering into their thoughts, all at once without being visible, said in clear tones: Let there be light; and the production of the light from nothing, following instantaneously with the word, struck them all with astonishment, and at the same time taught them that he who had produced this light out of nothing had produced also themselves and the things existing with them out of nothing. Then all bending down worshipped the invisible God, who had produced themselves and all things out of nothing. This, moreover, divine scripture declares in Job speaking in the. person of God: When I made the stars all my angels praised me with a loud voice and celebrated me with hymns,²⁰ from one indicating all successively. It must, however, be observed that in the sight of the angels he called into existence out of non-existence two substances----the one first |103 of all and the other last of all----the one first created being the light, and the other our soul; the one visible, perceptible and devoid of reason, the other invisible, intelligent and rational. All other things, however, he produced from things that are; intending thereby to teach them in turn that he was the maker of all creatures, both rational and non-rational, both those discernible by sense and those by intelligence, both those visible and those invisible----having called them into existence from the state of non-existence. Nor is it unlikely that they on that day and night, since they possessed reason, considered with themselves whether he who had produced this light had also produced the heaven. Then by a further word of command, he made before their eyes ¹⁶⁸ the second heaven, forming it from waters and like in its appearance to the first heaven. And by this they were once more taught that he is the maker both of this and of the first heaven----and so he brought to an end the work of the second day. Then when they were again engaged in thinking and looking to the things of the earth, he, in like manner [as when making the second heaven] gathered the water together, and having exposed the dry land itself to view named it the earth, for, being its lord, he gave it its name just as he also named the firmament heaven Then he produces from the earth seeds and plants and green herbs and trees, teaching them that he uses each of his creatures to effect his purposes, since they were created by him. Then, when on the third day he had produced plants and seeds, thereafter on the next----that is, on the fourth day, inasmuch as such productions had need of temperature and arrangement, he makes out of the light, which he had before produced, the great luminaries and the stars----and having placed in the firmament of heaven the host of the invisible powers he directed them to move these bodies in order, on rational principles, and to make them revolve for the supply of temperature to the plants and all that would use them, in order that after their setting the plants might be refreshed by the coolness and motion of the air, and be again warmed by the presence of the luminaries. Accordingly some of the invisible powers, having from the beginning remained till now wavering in their mind, and ungrateful to their maker, entered on the office with which he had entrusted them in forgetfulness of his goodness, and being inflated with pride in their natural acumen, and in the power and the reason bestowed on them, and |104 valuing nothing, but even despising the voice and the command which had come forth from God----yea, not so much as understanding that they had been, like the other creatures, produced along with the darkness, they were overcome by the delirium of their folly, and fancied they had of themselves by their own free act advanced to their high estate. I refer, of course, to the devil, who had been entrusted with the power of the air, and his associates, who had been entrusted some with this and others with that office, who having usurped for themselves the worship and glory due to God, and having been puffed up with pride and become insubordinate, were promptly----to prevent them misleading the others----hurled down from on high and from their dignities to go wandering about the earth. Whence also on the sixth day and after man had been formed, Satan, who was going about in the earth and envying the great care shown by God towards man, wished by affecting him with his own disease to drag down man along with him.

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On the fifth day again he ordered animals after their kind to issue forth from the waters----the monsters of the deep and the other sorts of fish, and along with them the winged fowl of every species that pass through the air. Then again on the sixth day he made out of the earth all cattle and wild beasts and creeping things after their kind. And after he had prepared the whole house and fully furnished and adorned it, then, just as a king, when he has founded a city and completed it, places there his ¹⁶⁹ own image, tinting and embellishing it with various colours, so also the all-wise God, when he had as it were gathered together the manifold and diversified works of his hands----the rational and non-rational----the mortal and the immortal ----the corruptible and the incorruptible----the sensible and the intelligible----he completed and adorned one particular animal constituted with every natural quality, namely, Man, and in the house which had been prepared he installed him in the rank of his own image which makes |105 known that he who is the Creator of all is one. Hence those angels, who are well-affected towards God, admire his image, and hover as guardians around it, and minister thereunto. In like manner also the whole creation----the sun on high shining and making day for man, the moon and stars which impart some light amid the deepest gloom, accomplish their course by night for man; while all the months and seasons and tropics and years furnish signs to those who traverse the open seas or pursue their way through the desert; the air again serves the image for respiration, coolness and warmth; fire, for baking bread, heating water, giving light by night, cooking food and for other purposes; water, for drinking, washing, fermentation, irrigation and many other useful purposes; the earth, for habitation and the production of all kinds of fruit and for ministering to many other wants. Then the clean quadrupeds minister to his pleasure and supply him with clothing, the cattle labour for him and afford him leisure, the wild beasts contribute the delight and terror of the chase, and so also do the reptiles; while all things serve for the exercise of his rational powers and supplying what is useful for man, who is the bond uniting all the creation in friendship----who walks upon the earth, and yet flies on the wings of thought and surveys the universe, who is upright of stature and with ease confronts face to face the heavens as his dwelling-place, who is the king of all things on earth and reigns along with the Lord Christ in the heavens, and becomes a fellow-citizen of heavenly beings, and unto whom as the image of God all creation ministers while it is under subjection to God, and preserves its affection and gratitude towards its Creator.

Note.

When on the fifth day again animals were produced from the waters, the angels were taught that God is the Maker of this water, |106 which was produced simultaneously with themselves. In like manner again when on the sixth day animals were produced from the earth, they were still more effectively taught that God is the Maker both of animate and of inanimate creatures. Accordingly all the angels again looked around them, gazing at all the things made by God which had sprung into existence before their eyes in the six days, and concluded that all things were ¹⁷⁰ varied, and wonderful, and fitted to excite astonishment, but among them they did not see anything like themselves----rational and invisible and intelligent. There was here ground for suspecting whether after all the Creator of the rational, invisible and intelligent beings is one person, and the Creator of the objects that are irrational, perceptible and visible, a different person. God, however, wishing to remove this supposition of theirs, produced last of all one living being constituted with all the natural qualities, namely, man----constituted with reason and sensation and intelligence, and with visibility and invisibility, and appoints him to serve as his image, which makes known that the Creator of the universe is one. Whence the angels being lost in wonder were taught by their own eyes through man the glory and the power and the greatness and the wisdom and the goodness of the one and only God, and that all the elements and what had been brought into existence after themselves had been prepared before on account of man. With alacrity therefore did they obediently serve and minister in moving everything that conduced to assist the image of God as being themselves members thereof, whence again they greatly rejoice over the welldoing and the righteousness of men, but are on the other hand greatly distressed by his evil-doing and by his sinning, as saith also the Lord himself: For there is great joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.²¹

It must, however, be here observed that just as God produced first in the sight of the angels out of non-existence the sensible, visible and non-rational light, and afterwards that which is rational and intelligible²² and invisible, so also in the case of man he |107 made first, according to Moses, his body, and afterwards his soul. Hence it was possible for some to fancy that if there had been another day after the six days, God would have made some other things, but since there is not another day after the six, he would not have been able to produce more. But God to remove this supposition of theirs, makes also a seventh day over and above, and does no work therein, thus showing that the world is quite finished and without any defect left in its structure to be afterwards supplied, for if he had left such he would have completed on the seventh day what was defective. But since nothing had been left defective in it, he rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had undertaken to make. Perhaps again some one will ask: Why did he make the whole creation not in one, or two, or three, or four, or five, but in six days? Such an one will learn this to be the truth of the matter----that, inasmuch as the angels are rational and mutable, one day would not have sufficed for their instruction if the whole had been produced in one day, for they would certainly have thought that things had been confusedly brought into existence like so many phantasms and been produced in disorder. But God Almighty having set apart one day for each single work, in due order formed the universe in parts, that it might be discriminated and thus better understood by the angels. First of all on the first day after they had been produced along with the heaven and the earth and the elements, he made the light before their eyes. On the second day he made the firmament: on the third day he gathered together the waters and produced from the earth trees and green herbs. On the fourth day he adorned the heaven with the luminaries; on the fifth he produced fish and fowl from the waters; and on the sixth he made from the earth animals and man, and accomplished the whole of those works in the six days. On this account therefore he made the whole world by parts in the six days for the discrimination and instruction of the angels, who from their acute intelligence were able each day to discriminate each separate part of the work and the Maker thereof. Whoso wishes can hence learn that along with the heaven and the earth the angels were also produced, because as they were present at all his works, God uttered his voice in their presence for their instruction, saying: Let this and let that be; but when he created the heaven and the earth he did not utter his voice |108 nor say: Let heaven and earth and the things in them be; for there were none to hear and be instructed. But since in the case of all the other works, there were present those who could be instructed, the voice was opportunely uttered.

Since the angels therefore were produced along with the heaven and the earth, the historian Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit began his narrative with them, as they contained the angels, saying: In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.²³ And further the Apostle, knowing well what pertains to man and how he is figured, in his Epistle to the Romans has placed man, as destined in the future for heaven, superior to all, for he says: And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and of four-footed beasts and creeping things;²⁴ mentioning man as superior to all, then the birds as inferior to him, then again the four-footed beasts as inferior to the birds, and as inferior to these again the creeping things which lurk underneath the earth, mentioning them according to their rank in the scale of being. But further, of all the quadruped brutes which walk upon all fours and turn their looks earthward, not one is capable of observing the heaven with ease. In like manner with regard to creeping things which with their whole body wriggle along the earth, not one of these is able to observe the heaven. All birds again, being bipeds, and in consonance with this having their legs in the middle of their body, direct their eyes towards the earth when they are high up ¹⁷² on the wing; but when they are standing they find it difficult to turn their eyes upwards unto the heaven. Man alone, of all the animals on the earth, being rational and destined for heaven, received from the Creator a figure in congruity with such a destiny. For he is a biped, being destined to fly away and walk in heaven. In figure he is erect, as if he were ready and destined to ascend on high.²⁵ And it is easy for him to behold with his eyes both the earth and the heaven as if he were hastening to ascend from the earth into heaven, conscious that |109 earthly and heavenly things were bound together through him. Moreover, all the brute animals copulate without seeing each other face to face, and have commerce in a brutal and shameless manner. But man alone as rational proceeds to the act face to face, so that the pair seeing each other may embrace with reason, modesty, and reverence, and may thankfully sing the praises of their Maker for his goodness in giving to their nature help and mutual impulse for the propagation and multiplication of our race. God moreover made the woman from the man's side, because the two sides bind the whole body close together; for he neither made her from the front of man lest the woman should exalt herself above him, nor from his back parts that he might not exalt himself above the woman; but from his side, as being in her nature his equal, although the man, as the cause, is first in point of time, but not, however, in his nature itself. And still further----since the hand always protects and guards the side to which it belongs, so when he had made the female from the male, and the male from the earth, God pronounced the two to be one flesh, both from the constitution of the two sides, and from the fruit that springs from their connection. Wherefore the fornicator sins by estranging his own flesh and sowing illegitimate progeny; nay, he that commits adultery is ranked with the homicide, since he divides what is one flesh, and thus perpetrates murder.

Some one again may perhaps propose a question and say: Why was it that, while all the irrational animals were created by God, male and female at the same time, man alone was not created with the female, but remained quite solitary until the female was made later on? To this enquirer I shall reply that since all the animals were created by God without either the gift of reason, or the capacity of knowing anything, while all the angels, the instant they were created, were rational and knew the Maker of all things from those things which had been produced, one by one, that is, in the six days, it was necessary that man who had been created by God possessed of reason, and as the bond uniting all the creation, should himself be taught to know the Creator of all; but since, as he was not the first but the last of all to be produced, he could neither from the things made before him, nor from himself know God, it was God's pleasure to produce ¹⁷³ the female not along with him, but afterwards out of him, that he might thereby know that he who had taken out from him a |110 being like himself was his Creator. Wherefore also he threw him into a trance²⁶ and a deep sleep, in order that by taking his rib from him without trouble and pain as in sleep, he might by the grace of God gain a perception of what had occurred, and celebrate the praises of his Maker, confessing and saying: This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh----she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.²⁷ As then the angels had been created rational, and from the works produced in the six days had been taught to know him who was the cause of them, so of necessity man also was taught through the female, and learned that God was the Maker both of himself and of the universe; but especially as he had beforehand heard God say: Let us make a helpmeet for him.²⁸

Text.

Then again on the seventh day, after he had revealed to Moses how the whole world had been made, and had honoured him with such mystic visions, he then held converse with him, and having given him the law written with the finger of God on tables of stone, and instructed him in the knowledge of letters and made his countenance shine with glory, he let him descend from the mountain.

Note.

Here men, having first received the Law from God in writing, were taught letters and communicated them to all the nations.

Text.

He then afterwards directed him to construct the Tabernacle according to the pattern which he had seen in the mountain----being a pattern, so to say, of the whole world. He therefore made the Tabernacle, designing that as far as possible it should be a copy of the figure of the world, and thus he gave it a length of thirty cubits and a breadth of |111 ten. Then, by interposing inside a veil in the middle of the Tabernacle, he divided it into two compartments, of which the first was called the Holy Place, and the second behind the veil the Holy of Holies. Now the outer was a pattern of this visible world which, according to the divine Apostle, extends from the earth to the firmament, and in which at its northern side was a table, on which were twelve loaves, the table thus presenting a symbol of the earth which supplies all manner of fruits, twelve namely, one as it were for each month of the year. The table was all round wreathed with a waved moulding symbolic of the sea which is called the ocean, and all round this again was ¹⁷⁴ a border of a palm's breadth emblematic of the earth beyond the ocean, where lies Paradise away in the East, and where also the extremities of the first heaven, which is like a vaulted chamber, are everywhere supported on the extremities of the earth. Then at the south side he placed the candlestick which shines upon the earth from the south to the north. In this candlestick, symbolic of the week of seven days, he set seven lamps, and these lamps are symbolic of all the luminaries. And the second Tabernacle which is behind the veil and called the Holy of Holies, as well as the Ark of Testimony, and the Mercy-seat, and above it the Cherubim of glory shadowing the Mercy-seat, are, according to the Apostle, a type of the things in heaven from the firmament to the upper heaven, just as the space from the veil to the wall of the inner Tabernacle constitutes the inner place.

Note.

That the first historian in the world was Moses, both Eusebius, the son of Pamphilus,²⁹ and Josephus in their writings testify; for |112 they have clearly shown that of all writers Moses was the most ancient.

Text.

When Moses had accordingly been instructed in letters by God, having with his very eyes perceived the beginning of all things revealed to him, and when his countenance had been glorified so that he could not be beheld by his people without a veil, then as one who could claim belief and who had been glorified by God, he, the first among men, wrote the Book of Genesis in these words: In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth,³⁰ showing that when the world was created by God heaven and earth were produced at the very beginning, comprising as they did all existing things, while all the other creatures which he made either along with them or after them one by one, were contained within them. Then having ended his account how all things existing within heaven and earth had been successively created from the first day onwards to the sixth, and having then spoken of God as having rested on the seventh day and made nothing more, because the whole creation had been completed, and nothing been left defective in the harmony of the world to mar its supreme beauty, he again adds: This is the book of heaven and earth; thinking these words sufficient to indicate collectively all things within heaven and earth. And again in another place he says: For in six days he finished and rested from all his works which God had begun to make;³¹ always speaking to the same effect, namely, that all things are contained within heaven and earth, and that before these seven days ¹⁷⁵ he had made nothing whatever, but began on the first day |113 and finished on the sixth, and rested on the seventh without making anything else, and that he made only two heavens, the first along with the earth, while placing the second in the middle and preparing two states----the present and the future----just as in the Tabernacle he had ordered two places to be formed in imitation of the world, for he says: According to the pattern shown to thee in the mount;³² for the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews explains with regard to this Tabernacle that the outer was a pattern of this world, and the inner of the heavens.

When therefore a describer of the world so great and so divine as Moses had been attested and glorified, in the Old Testament by God and in the New by the Christ, while other divinely inspired prophets and apostles along with him bear witness about all things and about the figure of the whole creation as we have set forth in the preceding book, and they agree with him in every particular concerning the creation itself, who can be so obtuse, so foolish, and so far led astray, especially if he calls himself a Christian, as to disbelieve such truth as this, confirmed by such sacred testimony, and would not rather, bending lowly to earth, reverence the crowd of testimonies, the selection, the revelations, the wisdom, the glory, the predictions, the astonishing signs, the great wonders, the fulfilments of prophecies, the testimony of God himself, who spake with Moses face to face as a friend with a friend, while in the New Testament the Lord Christ frequently bears witness to him? In very truth, to express myself more warmly, I assert that, unless one fights against God, he shall not find it in his power to gainsay these things. For afterwards repenting he shall say: the finger of God is in it; and he will confess his defeat, just as the Egpytian enchanters and sorcerers Jannes and Jambres spoke concerning him. |114 Since therefore according to the great cosmographer Moses, and according to Paul, that most divine teacher of the Church, in whom the Lord Christ speaks, two heavens, and two only, were created by God, and not seven or eight, or nine, how is it possible to listen to the pagans advocating views based on conjecture, sophistries, and arrogant assumptions, and inventing fables, not from the old but chiefly from certain recent writers, who, to meet the difficulties of their own doctrines, have devised apologies more foolish even than the doctrines themselves. And how can those who listen to these pagans maintain and yet be in accordance with scripture, that there are waters above the heaven, or that the first, the second, and the third day passed without the sun, moon and stars running their course? Or how in the deluge of Noah did the waters cover the whole earth and again retire? Or how can they say that there will be a final consummation of the world----that the heavenly bodies falling will cease to run their courses, and no longer cause the succession of day and night; and that the present state will altogether end, and that another state will be exhibited quite strange and far superior to this; and that the righteous will enter into the upper heaven beyond this the visible heaven, where is the kingdom of the heavens----the second Tabernacle called the Holy of Holies, of which the inner place in the Tabernacle was a pattern, into which also the Lord Christ entered, having been taken up into the heaven above the firmament, having become the forerunner on our behalf, and having prepared for us a new and living way? Or how can they say that, after the consummation, the seven or eight or nine heavens, or the heaven again which is by them called the sphere, will revolve? For what useful purpose will this revolution be? let them tell us and not grudge us this information; or how can such persons believe the stupendous miracles of which we have often spoken, that were wrought in the |115 time of the great Moses? And likewise that miracle wrought in the time of Joshua, the son of Nun, when he made the sun and moon stand still, and added greatly to the length of the day, until he put the enemy to rout? And that other miracle performed in the time of Hezekiah, the going back of the sun ten degrees, which struck the Babylonian with consternation and induced him to send an embassy to Hezekiah?

Note.

Some have said that up to the present day a feast is celebrated by the Persians to Mithras, that is, the sun,³³ in commemoration of the sign in the time of Hezekiah.

Text.

Why need I speak of the all-devouring fire in the time of Nebuchodonosor, which burnt the bonds of the three children, but did not consume so much as a hair of their head, or any of their garments? Or of the renowned Elijah, who in a chariot of fire sped his way through heaven, who raised the dead, and who by his word withheld rain for two and forty months? Or of his disciple Elisha, who threw the wood into the water and brought back iron, and whose dust raised up the dead? In like manner why should I speak of the miracles wrought under the Lord Christ: his marvellous birth from a virgin; the attestation of the Star that then appeared; the adoration of the Magi; the good tidings brought with joy to the shepherds by the angels; the doxology of the whole angelic host; the prayer of Simeon conjoined with the giving of thanks; the confession of Anna; the first miracle of Christ himself in Cana of Galilee, who at a marriage miraculously provided a liberal supply of wine for drinking; the giving of sight to the eyes of the man born blind, by clay wrought with spittle; ¹⁷⁷ |116 the restoration to life of Lazarus after he had been four days dead and his intestines were stinking; the host of opposing demons trembling at his power and exclaiming: Thou hast come before the time to torment us³⁴; the command and the bridle imposed on the raging sea; the walking upon the surface of the waves, when he invited Peter to walk with him upon them; and when Peter was seized with distrust and began to sink and cried out: Lord, save me! ³⁵ his drawing him up from the deep, and his again going with him and placing him safe and sound in the boat; the eclipse of the sun at the time of the Passion which continued for three hours, and that too in the fourteenth day of the moon: an occurrence quite contrary to worldly philosophy, for according to the adepts therein an eclipse cannot result except at the time of new moon; the quaking of the earth, the rending of the rocks and of the veil of the temple? But passing over all the other miracles which cannot now conveniently be enumerated, I hasten to speak of the resurrection itself, which is the renovation of men and of all the world; the gift of incorruption, immortality and immutability bestowed by God upon the whole world; of the ascent again of men into heaven, into which the first who entered in flesh was the Lord Christ; of the shadows of the Apostles which gave strength to the weak; of the rapture of the Apostle Paul even into the third heaven,³⁶ that is, to a third of the distance of the height of heaven from the earth----namely, as far as the firmament; then his rapture into Paradise where he was privileged to be the |117 hearer of the unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter. All which things are marvellous and transcend our nature or our state.

Another Note.

In the days of Joshua, the son of Nun, the sun stood still. In the days of Hezekiah, through the agency of Isaiah, it went back. At the Passion of the Christ, contrary to the law of the pagan philosophers, it was altogether eclipsed. The credentials of the prophets and Apostles and of Christ himself are great and amazing miracles, and the prophecies; while Plato and Aristotle, Ptolemy and the others, challenge our belief on the ground of their knowledge of eclipses of the sun and moon derived from calculations ---- if even thus they speak what is true.

Text.

The occurrence of these marvels prepared the men of those days to place belief in the prophecies also, while the fulfilments of the prophecies prepare ourselves to believe in the signs and in all things of which the prophets spake, as was the case also in the time of the Lord Christ, who in those days when he had come down from the Mount of Olives, and beheld Jerusalem and wept over it as it lay opposite, said: How often would I have gathered thy children even as a hen ¹⁷⁸ gathereth her chickens under her wing, and ye would not. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.³⁷ Then when he had passed sentence on the temple, his disciples who were still under the influence of Judaic sentiment were sorrow-struck; and scripture afterwards says: When descending from the Mount they showed him the building of the temple,³⁸ in order no doubt that they might move him to pity, and that he might recall what he had said with regard to the temple, for they knew and believed that everything spoken by him would come to pass. But he knowing [what would be] said to them: Do you see all these things? Verily, I |118 say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone, upon another that shall not be thrown down.³⁹ Then were they possessed with fear, and remained silent, and said nothing further on this matter. Accordingly thereafter came the Romans, and levelled with the ground the temple and the city, and made it an utter desolation, executing as if by compact what had been commanded by the Lord. And up to this day we see with our very eyes that lo! for more than five hundred years it has lain so desolate that it cannot be renovated. Moreover he said to his disciples: Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.⁴⁰ And again: The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church;⁴¹ and again he declares that all the world shall be filled with his doctrine, even as the three measures of meal, in which the woman hid the leaven, were all leavened throughout and made one by that leaven. And again: The Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world:⁴² and along with it shall the woman too be told of who did him a kindness----and we see that all these predictions have been fulfilled. For the Christians who were at one time persecuted by the Greeks and Jews have conquered, and drawn their persecutors over to their own side. In like manner we see that the Church has never been destroyed, but that its adherents have been greatly multiplied, and that similarly the whole earth has been filled with the doctrine of the Lord Christ, and is still being filled, and that the gospel is preached throughout all the world. This I avouch to be the veritable fact, from what I have seen and heard in the many places which I have visited.

Even in Taprobanê,⁴³ an island in Further India, where the Indian sea is, there is a Church of Christians, with clergy |119 and a body of believers, but I know not whether there be any Christians in the parts beyond it. In the country called Malê,⁴⁴ where the pepper grows, there is also a church, and at another place called Calliana⁴⁵ there is moreover a bishop, who is appointed from Persia.⁴⁶ In the island, again, called the Island of Dioscoridês,⁴⁷ which is situated in the same Indian sea, and where the inhabitants speak Greek, having been originally colonists sent thither by the Ptolemies who succeeded Alexander the Macedonian, there ¹⁷⁹ are clergy who receive their ordination in Persia, and are sent on to the island, and there is also a multitude of Christians. I sailed along the coast of this island, but did not land upon it. I met, however, with some of its Greek-speaking people who had come over into Ethiopia.⁴⁸ And |120 so likewise among the Bactrians and Huns and Persians, and the rest of the Indians, Persarmenians, and Medes and Elamites, and throughout the whole land of Persia there is no limit to the number of churches with bishops and very large communities of Christian people, as well as many martyrs, and monks also living as hermits. So too in Ethiopia and Axôm, and in all the country about it; among the people of Happy Arabia----who are now called Homerites----through all Arabia and Palestine, Phoenicia, and all Syria and Antioch as far as Mesopotamia; among the Nubians and the Garamantes,⁴⁹ in Egypt, Libya, Pentapolis,⁵⁰ Africa⁵¹ and Mauretania, as far as southern Gadeira,⁵² there are everywhere churches of the Christians, and bishops, martyrs, monks and recluses, where the Gospel of Christ is proclaimed. So likewise again in Cilicia, Asia, Cappadocia, Lazica⁵³ and Pontus, and in the northern |121 countries occupied by the Scythians, Hyrcanians, Heruli,⁵⁴ Bulgarians, Greeks⁵⁵ and Illyrians, Dalmatians, Goths, Spaniards, Romans, Franks, and other nations, as far as Gadeira on the ocean towards the northern parts, there are believers and preachers of the Gospel confessing the resurrection from the dead; and so we see the prophecies being fulfilled over the whole world.⁵⁶

Among the famous philosophers who flourished among the pagans, which of them, Socrates, or Pythagoras, or Plato, or Aristotle, or any other, was held worthy to foretell or announce any thing of such advantage to the world as the resurrection of the dead, and the free gift to men of the Kingdom of Heaven, which cannot be shaken? For they can announce nothing except only that, by means of calculations and secular learning, they declare when eclipses of the sun and the moon will occur, whereby, even if they predict them truly----as in fact they do----no benefit will accrue to the world, but rather the evil of pride; while should they say nothing about them they will do no manner of harm. For what boy who learns arithmetic will be found ignorant of this knowledge? or what old woman or country-bred yokel has not an acquaintance with some of the works and ways of nature? or what nation or what barbarian knows not these things----astronomy I mean, and geometry and the various practical arts, medicine, carpentry, stone-cutting, weaving, smithwork, agriculture, and others of which the Greeks have no conception? or what nation |122 between east and west, between north and south, that believes in Christ, does not by various methodical calculations fix for many years beforehand when the Easter festivals are to be celebrated? In fact, they correctly determine the dates in advance, since they all with one consent, from one end of the earth to the other, on one and the same day, celebrate Easter according to their different calculations and methods of computing the time.

For since God has endowed man with wisdom and reason he has rendered him capable of finding out whatever mind can attain to, and whatever he can acquire from education; for such is the nature of that rational animal----man. For when the men of early times had invented an art, they made many mistakes; but afterwards either they or their successors rectified these mistakes under the teaching of experience, time and practice. In like manner those who received the art from them firmly retained what had been transmitted to them. On the other hand the divine teachings, be they doctrines or be they arts, are not in this manner brought to perfection by human intelligence; but being at first given by God, one receives them with full assurance, even as did those whom God inspired with wisdom for the preparation of the Tabernacle in the time of Moses, namely, Beseleêl himself the son of Urias, the son of Ôr, of the tribe of Judah, and Eliab, the son of Achisamach of the tribe of Dan, and all to whom he gave understanding, and filled with the Spirit of God and knowledge to devise all manner of workmanship, both of carpentry and of working in gold and silver and brass----and blue and purple and scarlet thread, and fine twined linen----and stonework and woodwork, according to all the works which the Lord commanded them to make for the Tabernacle of testimony, both the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy-seat over it, and the furniture of the Tabernacle, its altar and its table and all its vessels, and the laver and |123 its base, and the official robes of Aaron and his sons when ministering as priests before God, and the anointing oil and the sacred incense composed of sweet aromatics, according to all things which God commanded him to make. And beyond question you will find that up to this very day the most of these arts are most zealously cultivated among the Jews.

Note.

When the first man had sinned and had come to a sense of his ¹⁸¹ transgression, and was fittingly convicted thereof by God and filled with confusion and shame, he began to consider next by what contrivance he could cover his nakedness, and being stimulated by God to exert his faculty of reason, he invented the art of sewing, and with the thorns of shrubs stitched together for himself leaves of the fig tree. And being at the same time instructed by God as to the preparation of tunics, he learned to make them from the bark of trees.⁵⁷ It is attested by scripture that Cain discovered the art or science of agriculture, and Abel that of the keeping of sheep. Then again, when Cain after the murder of his brother had been cast out by God, as it is written: Cain went out from the presence of God and dwelt in the land of Naïn.⁵⁸ as much as to say, that Cain was cast out by God and banished from his home to a wretched country, for they thought that Paradise was God's dwelling-place, as he was wont to go forth therefrom and ofttimes showed himself there. The sons therefore of Sêth who lived near Paradise, and were so to speak under God's care, and ofttimes conversed with him, were always called the sons of God, while the sons of Cain who were settled somewhere far away from Paradise, and were not constantly under the care of God, but lived in a wild and wretched country, and were under their own care rather than God's, were called the sons of men. Since Cain therefore and his offspring lived in fear, they invented other arts for their security, as, for instance, carpentry, |124 stone-cutting, metallurgy and music. Carpentry----for making tents and doors and roofs for the protection of themselves and their cattle; masonry----for building houses and cities by way of providing for their safety and defence; metallurgy----for the tilling of the soil, and breaking it up with the ploughshare, and reaping the crops with hooks, and for making flutes and many other articles; lastly----music to keep them awake by night with the flute and the lyre and the singing of songs, and to protect themselves and their cattle from the attacks of wild beasts. So then they lived on in fear, and in exile they devised all kinds of expedients to ensure their safety, for scripture thus speaks of them, saying of Cain: And he built a city and named it Enoch after the name of his son;⁵⁹ then of Thobel (Tubal), the son of Lamech by Ada, it says: He was the father of such as dwell in the tents of shepherds;⁶⁰ and of Jubal, the brother of Thobel, it says: It was he who taught the use of the psaltery and harp.⁶¹ Scripture speaks also of metallurgy when it says concerning Thobel whom Sella (Zillah) bare: He was the forger of cutting instruments of brass and iron.⁶²

¹⁸² God having thus from the first given man ingenuity, fitted him to invent arts, and while the first men at the outset invented them, their successors, starting from where they left off, by dint of assiduous practice, brought them to greater perfection. It will be well therefore if we here take up an argument against those sophists who say that the world is eternal and without beginning, and remind them how far they are in error, understanding neither from the things themselves ----namely, from the arts, that it is not eternal and without beginning, but of recent production. For if the arts were discovered gradually, and all human society subsists through art and rational science, how is it possible for the world to subsist without art and rational science? For without the art of stone-cutting, how can houses, fortifications and cities be reared for the protection of men and civic communities? In like manner, without the art of weaving, whence could men obtain coverings sufficient to protect them from cold and from frost. In like manner, were there not an art of working in metals, how would |125 it be possible for men to till the soil, and break up the earth with ploughs, or reap the crops with sickles, in order to provide themselves with food? If again there was no art of medicine, how could the sufferings to which men are liable be cured and their illnesses be mitigated?

From all this it is quite manifest that the world is not eternal, but a recent production, just like the inventions and the arts and the sciences of men. For where will they find among astronomers one equal to or greater than Ptolemy; or among philosophers, than Plato and Aristotle; or what greater geometricians and arithmeticians will they find than Euclid and Archimedes, who alone discovered the quadrature of the circle?⁶³ But if these learned men were more exact than their predecessors, is it not most manifest that the arts were gradually discovered through the ingenuity which was bestowed by God upon men? Wherefore also the scripture, referring everything to God, exclaims: All wisdom is from God.⁶⁴ They are therefore either liars or consummate fools in supposing the world to be eternal, when they are convicted of being in error by actual facts. But sacred scripture speaks more truly when it says: In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.⁶⁵ I should like again to put to those wise men this question: since the hammer, the anvil and the forceps precede the entire art of metallurgy, who was it prepared these instruments? Let them tell us and not begrudge us a reply. They, however, not having the sense to take refuge in God, the maker of the universe, who endowed the race of mankind with wisdom, and gave them the faculty of invention, but wishing after the ways of their own heart to construct and to demolish theories, on finding themselves beset with difficulties and the most formidable perplexities of reasoning, presume next to declare that the world is eternal and had no beginning, for such assertions show to what straits they are reduced. How hard, for instance, are they pressed both with respect to man and bird, since the one is produced from seed and the others from eggs; and if this opinion of theirs is true, the question arises did men and birds ----the products respectively of seed and of eggs----exist at the same |126 ¹⁸³ time with God, or did they not? And if they did exist, the seed and the eggs will of necessity be found existing before God, and before men and birds; but if they did not exist they must submit to divine scripture, when it informs us through Moses: God said, Let us make man in our image, and through the Apostle at Athens on the Areopagus [tells us what we read in Acts xvii, 24-28]. So then, as has already been said, the sons of Seth, those namely who are called the sons of God, went in against the will of God but in obedience to their own self-will, to the daughters of men ----that is, to the women of the race of Cain----and joined themselves to them in marriage. Wherefore God, taking occasion from this, made a new dispensation and destroyed those who had sinned by means of the Deluge, but him that was righteous he preserved by the Ark, and transferred to this earth of ours, which was a better one and almost equal to Paradise.

Text.

But to continue,----the divine doctrines, the structure of the world, and the prophecies cannot possibly be explained unless one learn them from divine revelation, or receive them from men divinely inspired, the Prophets themselves, and the Apostles, and all divinely inspired scripture; for it is impossible to acquire such learning from conjectures or arrogant assumptions or human wisdom. But that the structure of the world coincides with the doctrine of the Christians, the whole of divine scripture, as has been said, proclaims, namely, Moses and the Prophets, the Lord Christ and the Apostles, as we have repeatedly explained. For God divided the one place which extends from the earth to the higher heaven by interposing in the middle the second heaven, and thus made two places; and to this mortal and mutable state he assigned the lower place, and to the immortal and immutable state the higher, which is called also the Kingdom of Heaven, and about which the Lord Christ speaks thus in the Gospel of Matthew: For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, |127 but are as the angels of God in heaven;⁶⁶ and again: He shall to those on the right hand say----Come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the ¹⁸⁴ found-ation of the world,⁶⁷ as if he should say prepared from that time; [see also] John xii, 32; Matt, xiv, 40; viii, 11, 12; Heb. iv, 11; Philipp iii, 20; Rom. viii, 17; Ephes. ii, 6; Philipp. iii, 14; Galat. iv, 26; Heb. iii, I; Ephes. ii, 19; Heb. xi, 9, 10; Ibid, v, 16; Ibid, xii, 22-24; Ibid, xiii, 14; Luke xxiv, 51; Acts i, 10, 11; Heb. ix, 24; Ibid.¹⁸⁵ vii, 26; Ibid, vi, 18-20; Ibid, x, 19, 23.

Can any one then be so infatuated, so lost in misery as to disbelieve such promises and such true prophecies, which both from the two places created in the beginning and made ready so to speak by God from the foundation of the world, and from such preparations are shown to be true and in harmony with the doctrine of the Christians? And this with regard both to the principles and the ends, namely, that when God had set apart the present mortal and mutable state of existence for the exercise of the reasoning faculty, and had led it through its trial, he at last releases the world from its toil and discipline, and reveals the future state, graciously bestowing everlasting benefits, exemption from penury and the sway of the passions, immortality, incorruption, immutability, perfect knowledge, righteousness, sanctification, redemption and blessedness for evermore, Amen! For the present state will not remain for ever, as the pagans are foolish enough to assert, supposing that God delights in evil, or rather that he is deficient in power or gives grudgingly, so that he is unable to grant the world release from its struggles and from corruption; yea, that day after day he adds destruction and sufferings, and death and trials, and is not strong enough to give the prizes of contests, or to award crowns, |128 or to bring the toils with which men are exercised to an end. For as they suppose him to be merely the artificer who shapes the material which he has at his command, so even now they suppose that he is not able to make it better, disbelieving the resurrection of the body as a thing impossible, and disbelieving also the whole of divine scripture. Wherefore those miserable men admit the spherical form of the heaven to be true, disbelieving, yea, rather execrating, the whole of divine scripture, and turning away from the truth as from old wives' fables. Far however be it from us to boast except in the whole of divine scripture, through which the outside world is crucified to us and we to the outside world. Be it ours, O most ¹⁸⁶ pious Father Pamphilus, along with a good life, to embrace the divine oracles, and to repudiate those of our adversaries, according to the will of Him that is mighty, and by the help of Christ the saviour of us all, with whom to the Father, together with his holy and adorable Spirit, be glory now and evermore, world without end.----Amen!

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ Gen. xi, 4.

2. ² Gr. turannikw~| tro&pw|. In later Greek the adjective was used in this sense. Montfaucon, however, translates: tyrannico more.

3. ³ Luke ii, 14.

4. ¹ There is evidently here a hiatus. Montfaucon has passed without notice.

5. ¹ Exod. viii, 19.

6. ² Gen. i, 6.

7. ³Gen. i, 2.

8. ¹ Gen. i, 20.

9. ¹ Matt. xi, 38.

10. ¹ John ii, 18.

11. ² John ii, 19.

12. ³ Matt, i.x, 35.

13. ⁴ John vi, 67.

14. ⁵ John ii, 15.

15. ¹ John ii, 16.

16. ² John ii, 18.

17. ³ John iii, 17.

18. ¹ Luke x, 18.

19. ¹ I Tim. iii, 6.

20. ² Job xxxviii, 7.

21. ¹ Luke xv, 7.

22. ² Gr. to_ nohto_n.----Montfaucon translates this by intelligentum, but what Cosmas means is that the soul is discerned by the intellect and not by the senses.

23. ¹ Gen. i, i.

24. ² Rom. i, 23.

25. ³ Compare Ovid, Metamorph., Book i, 11. 84-86:

Pronaque cum spectent animalia caetera terram,

Os homini sublime dedit, coelumque tueri

Jussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus.

26. ¹ Gr. e kstasin.

27. ² Gen. ii, 23.

28. ³ Gen. ii, 18.

29. ¹ This is Eusebius, the father of ecclesiastical history, who succeeded Agapius as Bishop of Caesareia in 315. He was a native of Palestine, and took the surname Pamphili as a token of his great affection for the martyr Pamphilus, who had been the bishop of the same See, and of whom he wrote a life, now lost.

30. ¹ Gen. i, 1.

31. ² Gen. ii, 3.

32. ¹ Exod. xxv, 40.

33. ¹. See Strabo, xv, iii, 13

34. ¹ Matt, viii, 29.

35. ² Matt, xiv, 30.

36. ³ "The expression e wj tri/tou ou)ranou~ is founded on Jewish phraseology, by which heaven was considered as threefold, consisting of: 1. the aerial (or skyey); 2. the sidereal (or starry); and 3. heaven itself, the abode of God and the angels."----Bloomfield, Note on II Corinthians xii, 2. The interpretation put upon the expression by Cosmas is manifestly disingenuous.

37. ¹ Matt, xxiii, 37, 38.

38. ² Matt, xxiv, 1.

39. ¹ Matt, xxiv, 2.

40. ² John xvi, 33.

41. ³ Matt, xvi, 18.

42. ⁴ Matt, xxiv, 14.

43. ⁵ For a description of Taprobanê (Ceylon) see Book XI.

44. ¹ Malabar, see below, Book xi.

45. ² Ibid.

46. ³ Gr. a)po_ persi/doj xeirotonou&menoj. This is the verb used in the Acts of the Apostles, xiv, 23: ordained by the laying on of hands.

47. ⁴ Dioscoridês is the island now called Socotra. The name, though in appearance Greek, is in reality Sanscrit, from Dvîpa Sukhâdâra, that is, Island Abode of Bliss. A description is given of it in c. 30 of the Periplûs of the Erythraean Sea, which was writtten about the middle of the first century. It is described as "of great extent but désert, and very moist, and as having but a scanty population, which was settled on its north side, and consisted of an intermixture of foreigners----Arabs, Indians, and even Greeks----engaged in commerce." The people of the interior are still of distinct race, with curly hair, Indian complexion, and regular features, while the coast people are of mixed descent. Abulfeda says the people were Nestorian Christians and pirates, but the late Sir H. Yule says that "some indications point rather to a connection of the island's Christianity with the Jacobite or Abyssinian church. Thus they practised circumcision.... and De Barros calls them Jacobite Christians of the Abyssinian stock. Barbosa speaks of them.... as Christian only in name, having neither baptism nor Christian knowledge.... Now not a trace of former Christianity can be discovered, and the social state of the people could scarcely be lower." See his edition of The Book of Ser Marco Polo, vol. ii, pp. 401-2.

48. ⁵ Gr. a)ndra&sin tw~n e0kei=.... e/lqou~sin e/n th~| 'Aiqiwpi/a|.----Montfaucon translates: qui in Aethiopian proficiscebantur. Cosmas had probably met them at Adule or at Axum.

49. ¹ The Garamantes were the inhabitants of the great oasis in the Libyan desert called Phazania, and now Fezzan, but the name was often used in a wider sense to denote the people of northern Africa who lived to the south of the Syrtis.

50. ² Pentapolis, the name for any association of five cities, denotes here the five chief cities of the province of Cyrenaica in north Africa. These were Cyrênê, Berenice, Arsinoê, Ptolemais, and Apollonia, the port of Cyrênê.

51. ³ Africa, in its narrow sense, meant the regions between Mauretania and Cyrênê.

52. ⁴ Gr. Gadei/rwn, ta_ pro_j no&ton. Cosmas slips here in his grammar, using ta_ for tw~n. A little below he speaks of another Gades----Gadeira tou~ Wkeanou~, that is, Gades in Spain. Southern Gades, Yule thinks, may be Tingis, or Cape Spartel, called by Strabo Kôteis.

53. ⁵ "In the time of Pliny, Arrian, and Ptolemy", says Gibbon, "the Lazi were a particular tribe on the northern skirts of Colchos. When the Romans stationed on the Phasis were either withdrawn or expelled, the tribe of the Lazi, whose posterity speak a foreign dialect, and inhabit the sea-coast of Trebizond, imposed their name and dominion on the ancient kingdom of Colchos. Their independence was soon invaded by a formidable neighbour.... In the beginning of the sixth century their influence was restored by the introduction of Christianity, which the Mingrelians still profess with becoming zeal, without understanding the doctrines or observing the precepts of their religion."----Decline and Fall, Chap. xlii.

54. ¹ The Heruli under Odoacer, who is styled their king, in A.D. 476 overthrew the western empire. Their seats lay to the north of the Euxine.

55. ²Gr. 9Elladikw~n.

56. ³ Towards the end of the seventeenth chapter of the Decline and Fall, Gibbon has summarised what Cosmas here says regarding the wide spread of Christianity.

57. ¹ Gr. e0k derma&tw~n cu&lwn-----Montfaucon translates ex pellibus ovium, taking cu&lwn to be a mis-reading of the MS.

cu&lon, however, has sometimes, especially in Alexandrian Greek, the meaning of live-wood, or a tree.

58. ² Gen. iv, 16.

59. ¹ Gen. iv, 17.

60. ² Gen. iv, 20.

61. ³ Gen. iv, 21.

62. ⁴ Gen. iv, 22.

63. ¹ Cosmas refers here to the work of Archimedes, which is still extant, on the Quadrature of the Parabola.

64. ² Eccl. i, 1.

65. ³ Gen. i, 1.

66. ¹ Matt, xxxii, 30.

67. ² Matt, xxv, 34.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 129-137. Book 4

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 129-137. Book 4

BOOK IV.

A summary recapitulation and description of the figures of the world; also the refutation of the sphere.

T is written: In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.¹ We therefore first depict along with the earth, the heaven which is vaulted and which has its extremities bound together with the extremities of the earth. To the best of our ability we have endeavoured to delineate it on its western side and its eastern; for these two sides are walls, extending from below to the vault above. There is also the firmament which, in the middle, is bound together with the first heaven, and which, on its upper side, has the waters according to divine scripture itself. The position and figure are such as here sketched.² To the extremities on the four sides of the earth the heaven is fastened at its own four extremities, making the figure of a cube, that is to say, a quadrangular figure, while up above it curves round in the form of an oblong vault and becomes as it were a vast canopy. And in the middle the firmament is made fast to it, and thus two places are formed.

From the earth to the firmament is the first place, this world, namely, in which are the angels and men and all the |130 present state of existence. From the firmament again to the vault above is the second place----the Kingdom of Heaven, into which Christ, first of all, entered, after his ascension, having prepared for us a new and living way.

On the western side and the eastern the outline presented is short,³ as in the case of an oblong⁴ vault, but on its north and south sides it shows its length. Its figure is therefore something such as this.⁵

Note.

This is the first heaven, shaped like a vaulted chamber, which was created on the first day along with the earth, and of it Isaiah speaks thus: He that hath established the heaven as a vaulted chamber.⁵ But the heaven, which is bound to the first at the middle, is that which was created on the second day, to which ¹⁸⁷ Isaiah refers when he says: And having stretched it out as a tent to dwell in.⁶ David also says concerning it: Stretching out the heaven as a curtain,⁷ and indicating it still more clearly he says: Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters.⁶ Now, when Scripture speaks of the extremities of heaven and earth, this cannot be understood as applicable to a sphere. Isaiah again says: Thus saith the Lord, he that made the heaven and pitched it;⁸ and the Apostle in like manner says: Of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man.⁹ They both speak of the heaven as standing on and fixed on the earth, and not as revolving round it. Nay more, the extremities of the heaven are bound together with the extremities of the earth, and on both sides, and concerning this it is written in Job: And he inclined heaven to earth, and the earth is poured out as dust, and I have fastened it as a square block to a stone.¹⁰ And with regard to the earth it is again written in Job: He that hangeth the earth upon nothing;¹¹ meaning, that it had nothing underneath it. And David in harmony with this, when he could discover nothing on |131 which it was founded, says: He that hath founded the earth upon its own stability,¹² as if he said, it hath been founded by thee upon itself, and not upon anything else.

To the best of our ability we have endeavoured to depict heaven having the firmament within it and the mountain peaks in the middle of the earth which we now inhabit, and the ocean surrounding it, and the four navigable gulfs which run into it----the Roman, the Arabian, the Persian and the Caspian or Hyrcanian. The ocean again we have depicted as surrounded by the land on its farther side, where also Paradise lies in the east. Then again we depict the breadth of the earth and of the ocean, and of the gulfs, and of the earth beyond, and Paradise, leaving out for the present the peaks, in order that a comprehensive view may be more readily gained by those who examine the delineation. Now the figure of the whole earth, with respect to this surface and to the breadth, is such as has been indicated.

With that earth which is situated beyond the ocean, the first heaven, which is like a vaulted chamber, is bound together at its extremities on all sides, and at its west and at its east side a wall is found rising straight upward, but at the south and at the north side there is a wall equal at the base until it takes what has evidently the form of a vaulted chamber, while at the top it rolls itself into a very lofty arch, like the spacious roof over a bath, with an arena-like floor below,¹³ so that the wall itself forms a vaulted roof. Then, as we have just stated over and over again, the firmament which is spread out in the middle is at a certain height bound together with the heaven itself in order that two places may be formed----an upper place and a lower.¹⁴ Now one of these places, namely, the lower, comprising the earth and the water and the other elements and the heavenly bodies, is this world which extends from the earth to the firmament, having the earth for its floor, the walls reaching down from the first heaven for its sides, and the firmament for its roof. The |132 other place again which extends from the firmament to the vault of the first heaven is, to wit, the Kingdom of Heaven into which the Lord Christ, after he had risen from the dead, ascended, and into which the righteous shall also afterwards ascend, and has for its floor the firmament or second heaven, and the first heaven itself for its walls and its vaulted roof. We further again depict the altitude and figure of this earth which we men dwell in, and which is encircled by the ocean, and contains the four navigable gulfs. Its eastern and its southern parts are low and depressed, while its northern and western are of very great elevation, but slope so gradually that the inequality is not perceived. The earth has therefore in its northern and western parts an elevation equivalent to its breadth. We therefore thus depict its figure according to the best of our ability.¹⁵

Note.

The earth taken as a whole is quadrangular according to the delineation already given. We have also indicated the altitude of its most central part and the heights in its northern and western parts. Hence we have delineated it as placed in the centre surrounded by the ocean and also by the earth on the opposite side of the ocean, with the heavenly bodies circling round it, so that the conical mountain¹⁶ can project a shadow according even to the pagans, while in accordance with this figure eclipses can occur, as well as the vicissitudes of night and day. Divine scripture confirms the truth of this, saying: The sun riseth and the sun goeth down, and draweth to his own place. On his rising he goeth then to the south and wheeleth his circles, and turneth round the air upon his circles;¹⁷ meaning that in circling through the air he comes back again to his own place.

Text.

In this view the inhabited parts of the earth are thus represented. In accordance therewith the sun rising in the east, and running through the south in the course of |133 his revolutions, always, when giving light to the summit of the earth, or even to the earth itself, makes night to the ocean and the earth beyond it. Then again, when he is in the west and the north beyond the summit of the earth, he leaves us here in darkness, until in making his circuit he again appears in the east where the earth is depressed, and mounting the sky in the south again illumines all this side. The eclipses of the moon therefore, even according to this delineation, if at any rate what the pagans say is true, can occur when either the sun or the moon is hidden by the summit of the earth; for they say that a solar eclipse is not produced by the shadow of the earth, but because in a perpendicular line the moon is directly below the sun, so ¹⁸⁹ that she is illuminated on that side which the sun sees, but not on that which he does not see----yea, rather, she prevents him from being visible by running under him, at the occurrence at all events of the lunar new month, when the moon is not enlightened on that side which is visible to us. The opinion therefore which we hold is in no wise adverse to such views, except only with respect to the motion and revolution of the heaven----a theory subversive alike of all divine scripture both of the Old and the New Testament, and of Christian doctrine. But to enquire further into these matters we have no leisure; for such knowledge is unprofitable to us who have access to a more profitable knowledge, which imparts to our soul a good and beneficent hope which God hath promised he will give to those who believe in him, while those who act unjustly he has doomed to perdition. But with God's help we shall delineate the figure of the earth on the reverse side in its northern portion, that we may be able again in turn to delineate the circuit of the heavenly bodies----and it is thus.¹⁸

When therefore the setting sun runs from here by the |134 ministration of the invisible powers, according to the views of divine scripture, he makes night in the other part----that namely which is inhabited; but when he runs hither he makes darkness there. But we shall now concisely, according to our ability, delineate the heaven and the earth, and we do so thus:----¹⁹

Note 1.

This part of the earth situated beyond the north, where the luminaries pursue their course from the west through the north towards the east is uninhabited, and this stands upright like a wall, and when the sun comes to it, he leaves in darkness the other part which is inhabited. The earth therefore is found to have in this part, from the ocean beneath up to its summit, an altitude according with the measure of the breadth of its inhabited parts. Hence as it intercepts midway the light of the heavenly bodies, the nights and all the rest follow.

Note 2.

It is necessary for those who wish to be considered Christians to enquire into which of these eight or nine heavens Christ has ascended, and into which they themselves hope to ascend, and what is the use of the other seven or eight heavens. For having already delineated the world in accordance with the scriptural view, we assert that two places were created, one adapted to the present state of existence, and the other to that which is to come, since we have such a hope, one that is better than the ¹⁹⁰ life here. And you, if as Christians you hold such a hope, will of necessity be asked what is the use of the seven or eight other heavens. For the pagans who hold the theory of the sphere, if consistent with themselves, neither entertain such a hope, nor allow that there are waters above the heaven, nor are found to acknowledge that the heavenly bodies and the world will come to an end; but expect that the world in the state of corruption will continue for ever. If the sphere which has motion forces the others to revolve along with it from east to west, whence is |135 produced the motion, in the contrary direction, of the seven planets? Is it the spheres that have the contrary motion, or the stars themselves? If the spheres, how can they at one and the same time move both westward and eastward? And if the stars, how do the planets cut their way through the heavenly bodies? Is it not evident that a heavenly body cannot be cut asunder? For unless it were corruptible, it could not be cut through. How then do ye make such suppositions?

Since beyond this sphere neither place, nor body, nor element nor any of their parts anywhere exists, how do ye say it is moved? Tell us, begrudge us not an answer. For, except in some place or in space at large, it cannot possibly be moved. Show us therefore by what instrument----naming any one you please-----it can be moved without place or body, or element or space. And do not, because you are adepts in the science of nature, jauntily treat us to nothing but empty phrases. But since some insist that the sphere rotates like a lathe by the shaft,²⁰ or like a waggon or a machine by the axle, let these show on what support the shaft and the axle rest, and then again on what this support rests, and so on to infinity. How then do you reason with respect to the natural world? and how does an axis not also pass through the earth, which is in the middle, and turn it round? And again tell me, ye who follow these men and yet wish to be Christians, into what place of the eight spheres, or of the ninth which is called by some the starless, hath Christ entered, or shall we ourselves enter? Or how can waters be contained on a rotating sphere? or how when the stars fall at the final consummation can such spheres as yours be preserved? or what can be the use of them? Is it not evident that you argue against the hope held out by the Christian doctrine? For these views cannot be consistently held except by Pagans, who have no hope of another and better state, and who consequently suppose that the world is eternal, in order that the rich abundance of the spheres in which the planets will accomplish their courses may be preserved for them----while in another sphere are the fixed stars----and their error has some show of reason in its favour. But ye advance arguments altogether incredible, and will have it that there is a multitude of spheres, and that there is no final consummation of the world since ye are |136 unable to tell what is the necessity of these things. And in like manner ye will have it that the waters above the spheres rotate----¹⁹¹ a most ridiculous idea and altogether idiotic, and ye advance arguments which are self-contradictory and opposed to the nature of things. And though ye allow that the universe was created in six days, yet ye find no mention of the making of a third heaven, and far less of the eight or nine which ye venture to affirm. How great is your knowledge! how great your wisdom! how great your intelligence! how great your inconsistency! No man can serve two masters,²¹ as has well been said by the Lord, but if one will serve God, let him serve him, or if Mammon, then Mammon. And again he says, through Paul: Ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils.²² And again: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with lawlessness, and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? and what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?²³

And how again was it possible for the earth, which according to you is placed in the very middle of the universe, to have been submerged by the deluge in the time of Noah? or how can it be believed that on the first and the second day it was covered by the waters, and on the third, when the waters were gathered together, that it made its appearance, as is recorded in Genesis? But with even greater wisdom ye suppose that there are men walking all the earth over with their feet opposite the feet of other men. We therefore depict according to your view the earth and the Antipodes,²⁴ and let each one of you who has sound vision and the power of reasoning justly turn the earth round whatever way he pleases, and let him say whether the Antipodes can be all standing upright in the same sense of the expression. But this they will not show even should they speak unrestrained by shame. Such then is our reply to your fictitious and false theories and to the conclusions of your reasonings which are capricious, self-contradictory, inconsistent, doomed to be utterly confounded, and |137 to be whirled round and round even more than that unstable and revolving mythical sphere of yours. Wherefore, O Christ-loving Father, since I have thus brought to an end the fourth book with a delineation of the Antipodes, I shall begin the fifth book, as I promised at thy pious desire, and it will contain a description of the Tabernacle prepared by Moses in the wilderness, if God will, who is the Saviour of us all.

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ Gen. i, 1.

2. ² Gr. h( qe/sij kai\ to_ sxh~ma. For the sketch, see Plates 2 and 7 in the Appendix.

3. ¹ The MS. has makro_n, which Montfaucon gives in his text, but in a note corrects into mikro&n.

4. ² Gr. w(j e0pi\ qo&lou mega&lhj.

5. ³ See Pl. 7 in the Appendix.

6. ⁴ Isai. xl, 22.

7. ⁵ Psalm civ, 2, 3.

8. ⁶ Isai. xlii, 5.

9. ⁷ Heb. viii, 2.

10. ⁸ Job xxxviii, 38.

11. ⁹ Job xxv, 7.

12. ¹ Psalm civ, 5.

13. ² Gr. pe/xma, which Montfaucon translates by lacunar, a "ceiling", but no lexicon gives this as a meaning of the word. Sophocles gives "the area of a circus or of a theatre", as the meaning in Byzantine writers.

14. ³ Gr. a)na&gaion kai\ kata&gaion.

15. ¹ See Pl. 4 in the Appendix.

16. ² See Pl. 8 in the Appendix.

17. ³ Eccl. i, 6, 7.

18. ¹ See Pl. 5 in the Appendix.

19. ¹ See Pl. 6 in the Appendix.

20. ¹ Gr. u(po_ klw&takoj.

21. ¹ Matt, vi, 24.

22. ² I Cor. x, 21.

23. ³ II Cor. vi, 14, 16.

24. ⁴ See Pl. 10 in Appendix.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 138-243. Book 5

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 138-243. Book 5

BOOK V.

In which is contained a description of the Tabernacle, and in which the harmony is exhibited of the Prophets and Apostles. ¹⁹²

F the Tabernacle which was prepared by Moses in the wilderness, it is now time to give a description, as we have received it from that most divine man and teacher. And having made divine scripture our ¹ starting point and accepted its testimonies, we begin with the exodus from Egypt, when the first-born of the Egyptians died, suffering the last of the plagues brought upon them through Moses----when also the Israelites, after having sacrificed, ate the Passover standing, having their loins girt, and holding staffs in their hands, ready prepared for their departure, on the first day of the first month at evening on the fourteenth day of the moon, which things were a shadow and type of the things that would be under the Lord Christ, namely, the deliverance from tyrannical bondage, the renovation of the world, accomplished by the resurrection from the dead, and |139 the everlasting rest into which men shall enter. For at that very season of the year the world appears to have been created by God, and to have had its beginning. Likewise also in the time of Noah after the Deluge, there was again at that season a beginning of the world. It was the season again when there took place the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt; and it was then also that there occurred the conception by the Virgin of the Lord Christ according to the flesh----of him who is the second Adam, the Chief Captain of the second state. In it again also occurred the resurrection from the dead of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh, and it is said further that the general resurrection also shall then take place. The pagans moreover bear witness to the season, thieves that they are, deeming it to be an opinion of their own, and regarding Aries as the beginning of the Zodiac circle. In this sign there is, according to divine scripture, the first month of the year, and herein is a clear proof of their being plagiarists, especially as they assign a beginning to a circle----an idea scouted even by themselves as ridiculous. In fact they have nothing that is good but what they have purloined from divine scripture; but being puffed up with pride, and wishing to set themselves up as quite superior persons, they use as their own what is the property of other people.

But that the Law serves the purpose of foreshadowing some things that are future the Apostle testifies, exclaiming: For the Law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things ²----speaking of a shadow as when one draws a rough sketch of a man without taking a full likeness of him, that is without representing his features and all his different members, so that it can be ¹⁹³ known what sort of a man he is, whether old or young, |140 whether comely or uncomely, but merely sketches an outline of his bodily figure; so by what he calls an image he means the characteristic features, that is, the mysteries celebrated by us, namely the regeneration through baptism, and participation in the mysteries.³ But what he calls the real things themselves are the resurrection from the dead, the transformation of our bodies, the change from corruption to incorruption, the immutability of the soul instead of its mutability, perfect knowledge for that which is in part, an habitation, a rest, and an entrance into heaven, instead of earthly things heavenly, and instead of temporal things eternal. And all these boons have been secured for the human race through our Lord Jesus Christ. He therefore calls the Law the shadow of these things while the image and its characteristics are the mysteries celebrated by the Christians, as for instance, the lamb offered in sacrifice----a type of the Passion of Christ, in accordance with what the Apostle Paul says: For Christ our Passover was sacrificed;⁴ and John the Baptist thus speaks: Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.⁵ Then after this, for the Israelites of that time there was their deliverance from the destroying angel and from the bondage to Pharaoh; for us, our deliverance from the devil and from our bondage to the very burdensome law. Then for them, their passage through the sea |141 and their sojourning in the wilderness, and the giving of the law and the setting up of the Tabernacle; for us, our passage through baptism and our sojourning in the Church, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. For them, a copious supply of water from the rock to sustain their life; for us, the life-giving mysteries; for them, the land of promise as a place of rest; for us, heaven not made with hands as our place of rest; for them, temporal life; for us, life eternal and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption and blessedness. The former things therefore serve the purpose of a rough sketch, but those that are ours are the images and characteristic features of the things themselves. And we are not yet within the things themselves, but it shall come to pass that we shall rise from the dead; for no one, save only the Lord Christ in the flesh, has been within the things, having been the first of all to rise from the dead.

When the Egyptians were accordingly hastening the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, these carried away on their shoulders the flour itself, which with their hands they had kneaded into cakes without any leaven, and without the dough being baked. So when they had taken their departure and were drawing nigh to the Red Sea, the Egyptian Pharaoh who had repented and collected an army, pursued after them and overtook them near the sea opposite the encampment in the midst of Migdol and right opposite Beelsephon. Then evening at length coming on, the pillar of cloud or of fire, which always went before them and guided them on their way, that night came behind them and prevented the Egyptians from attacking ¹⁹⁴ the Israelites. Then afterwards when the day was about to dawn, and when the Israelites cried to God, God commanded Moses to smite the sea with his rod and to divide it. Moses, having therefore done as he was commanded, smote the water and divided it, so that it stood up as a |142 wall on this side and on that side, and the Israelites passed through. But when the Egyptians with their chariots were in the midst of the sea pursuing the Israelites, the waters, driven by the anger of God, were turned back upon them and they were all overwhelmed in the sea and perished. Now that very place is in Clysma,⁶ as they call it, on the right hand as you go to the mountain, where also the tracks of the wheels of their chariots are visible, and can be traced for a considerable distance as far as the sea, and are preserved even to the present day, as a sign to unbelievers and not to believers.

Note. Regarding the conception of the Lord.

When Zacharias on the tenth day of the seventh month had gone into the temple, according to the tradition of the law, and it had been announced to him that John would be born to him by Elisabeth, word also came to the Virgin in Elisabeth's sixth month that her own first month had begun. For as Zacharias had received word on the tenth day of the month, and Elisabeth had conceived in that very month, it is evident that six months of the year had elapsed, and that six months were still left with the exception of those ten days, with two or three or seven others added, until Zacharias returned to his house, so that there would remain 161 or 167 or 163 days. The beginning therefore of the conception of the Lord, that is, the beginning of the first month, was Elisabeth's sixth month according to what is handed down in the Gospels. For God has always observed this order and continues to observe it. This we can know for certain, since |143 we all celebrate the Nativity of Christ when the ninth month has been completed, reckoned from the beginning of the first month, that is Choiac 28. But the Christians of Jerusalem, as if on the authority of the blessed Luke, who says that Christ was baptised when he began to be thirty years of age,⁷ celebrate his nativity on Epiphany.⁸ And both the evangelist and they of Jerusalem say what is true, but their reckoning is not accurate, for on the day of his nativity fell also his baptism, as both Luke and the Christians of Jerusalem say. But from ancient times the Church, lest by observing the two festivals together one of them should be forgotten, ordained that twelve days, after the number of the Apostles, should be interposed, and that the Feast of Epiphany should then be celebrated; just as it also ordained that the fast of forty days, which the Lord endured before he entered on his contest with the devil, should be concluded by the resurrection of the Lord, in order that we also, taking example, should by fighting to the utmost of our power and imitating him, become recipients of the ¹⁹⁵ Passion and the Resurrection of the Lord, although the fasting did not take place on the self-same days. In like manner the Church therefore ordained that the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus should be observed twelve days subsequent to his nativity. But the Christians of Jerusalem alone, guided by probable conjecture but inaccurate calculation, celebrate his birth at Epiphany. But on his birthday they celebrate the memory of David and the Apostle James----not because they both died on that very day, but all, as I think, celebrate their memory lest they should remain excluded from the feast dedicated to all who were kinsmen of Christ according to the flesh, while glorifying God in all things. Amen!

The passage of the Israelites into the Desert after their departure from Egypt.

When the Israelites passed over to the other side to the place called Phœnicôn ⁹ they began to traverse the desert of Sur (Shur), God expanding a cloud over them by day to protect them from |144 the scorching heat of the sun, and guiding them in it, while by night he appeared in a pillar of fire and led them on their way through all the wilderness, as it is written: He spread a cloud for a covering: and fire to give light in the night.¹⁰ And all this can be thus depicted.¹¹

Then again setting out from Merrha (Marah) they came to Elim which we now call Raithu, where there were twelve springs of water which exist to the present day.¹² But at that time the number of palm-trees was far greater than it is now. Up to this point they had the sea on their right hand, and on their left the wilderness, but thenceforth they advanced into the interior towards the mountain, leaving the sea behind them as they marched forward into the wilderness. When they were half way between Elim and the Mount Sinai, then the manna descended upon them, and there for the first time they observed the Sabbath, according to the commands which God gave to Moses at Marah, but not in writing. This also you can see thus depicted.¹³

When they had advanced to Elim from Marah, and had again journeyed into the wilderness in that place half way between Elim and Mount Sinai, the quails descended upon them at evening, and the manna in the morning. There again they began to keep the Sabbath, the manna not corrupting from the sixth day till the Sabbath, while on the other days it could not be kept, but it stank and was corrupted, and they were thereby taught to observe the Sabbath; for some wished to gather it even on the Sabbath but did not find it, according to what is recorded.

Then again they pitched in Raphidin (Rephidim), in what is now called Pharan (Paran). And when they thirsted, Moses according to the commandment of the Lord went with the elders ¹⁹⁶ (and his rod was in his hand) to Mount Horeb, which is in Sin near Pharan, being only about six miles off. And when he had there struck the rock, abundance of water gushed out, and the |145 people drank, as David in the Psalms exclaims: He clave the rock in the wilderness and gave them drink as out of the great depths;¹⁴ and again: He opened the rock and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like rivers;¹⁴ and again: He brought water out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.¹⁵ But the Apostle says: For they drank of that spiritual rock which followed them, and that rock was Christ;¹⁶ by which he meant that, just as the flood of water from the rock which followed them gave them without stint water to drink, so Christ supplies to us life-giving waters, through the mysteries of which the rock was a type. And in that place again, they routed Amalek in battle, and there also Iothôr (Jethro) met his son-in-law Moses, to whom he brought his two sons and his wife; for Moses had sent back to him his wife and his children.

This hiatus is followed by a citation of the Ten Commandments.

Text.

Then when he had come down from the Mountain he was ordered by God to make the Tabernacle, which was a representation of what he had seen in the Mountain, namely an impress ¹⁷ of the whole world. For see, said He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shown thee in the Mount.¹⁸ Now the blessed Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews has declared that the first Tabernacle was a pattern of this world, for he says: For the first had also ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary; for there was a tabernacle made; the first wherein was the candlestick, and the table and the shew-bread, which is called the Sanctuary.¹⁹ In calling it worldly ¹⁹⁷ he indicated that it was, so to speak, a pattern of the world, wherein was also the candlestick, by this meaning the luminaries of heaven, and the table, that is, the earth, and the shew-bread, by this meaning the fruits which it |146 produces annually: which, he says, is called the Sanctuary, by this meaning the first Tabernacle. Afterwards he speaks of the second in these terms: We have such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man;²⁰ and again: But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us;²¹ and again: for Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.²² In this last passage he says that heaven is the true tabernacle, while the things which were prepared by Moses are antitypes. He therefore calls the things of Moses things made by hands, but the real things not made with hands. Having then been commanded to make the Tabernacle he made it according to the pattern which had been shown to him, and also its appurtenances according to their pattern, the Ark of testimony, and the Mercy-seat above, and the two Cherubim stretching out their wings, and overshadowing the Mercy-seat above, and in like manner the veil and the table and the candlestick, and the hangings of the Tabernacle (namely the first coverings) and curtains made of goats' hair (that is stypta ²³) and these again were the second coverings of the Tabernacle. In like manner also the third coverings made of skins dyed red and sky-blue, that is, of what is |147 called leather, and all things cunningly worked and wonderful. We have depicted the Tabernacle thus.²⁴

Note.

We must here again observe that he (Paul) speaks of the Tabernacle which was pitched by God, namely heaven, as the true. Moreover he calls heaven that perfect Tabernacle not made with hands, as it was created by God. For he calls the Tabernacle which Moses prepared made with hands. And further in contrast with the Tabernacle prepared by Moses, he calls the other the true, because it abides for ever, while the former is dissolved. Then again he calls the curtains au)lai/a, and it is thus the pagans who use the Attic dialect call them, meaning by au)lai/a a large and variegated piece of tapestry. Hyperides the orator ²⁵ in his speech against Patrocles speaks thus: But the nine Archons were feasting in the portico, having fenced off that part of it from being seen, by ¹⁹⁸ means of an au)laia (or curtain). Menander also uses the word [in the line]: Stuptei=on, e0le/fanta, mu&ron, oi]non, au)lai/an.

The twenty pillars are twenty boards standing upright, one cubit and a half being the breadth of each of the boards, so that in the twenty pillars there are thirty cubits, and this is the length of the Tabernacle. But their sockets were double within and without, being placed on both sides of the board, and the sockets were of silver. The capitals again were simple but of gold, and in like manner the boards and the bars and the tenons. The tenons were two planks joined together and overlaid with gold and nailed to each board, turned to and falling against each other, in order that they might bind together all the boards. And the tenons and the bars, which passed through the rings called psalides, bound the whole Tabernacle securely together; but the fifth bar in the middle was not borne up by passing through the rings, but was made to pass through the boards for the greater safety of the Tabernacle. The height again of each board was eleven cubits, and the breadth of the Tabernacle was likewise |148 eleven cubits, and the wall opposite to this wall was similar to it. When the veil of the temple was rent in twain at the Passion of the Lord three things were indicated by this circumstance. First it proved the audacity of the Jews against the Lord, the divine temple, as it were, mourning and rending its garments; next, it showed the approaching dissolution and abolition of the Judaic ritual, by the taking away of the first Tabernacle; and it showed thirdly that the inner Tabernacle, which was invisible and inaccessible to all, and even to the priests, had become visible and accessible to men. Glory for all to Christ the King for ever and ever, Amen!

Text.

Here is a delineation of the Tabernacle without its pertinents. Its first coverings were woven of diverse colours, blue and purple and fine-twined linen, and scarlet, as was also the veil ²⁶ which scripture calls hangings. And they were of similar length with the curtains.²⁷ The length of a curtain was eight and twenty cubits, and its breadth four cubits. But he says that five curtains were coupled together one to another, and likewise other five curtains, and that the couplings of the five with the five from the middle at the edge of the one set were loops, and at the edge of the other, clasps. And they put the clasps into the loops, and fastened the ten curtains together just as what are called sigistropylai, the bags for holding slaves' bedding,²⁸ or saddle-bags, are fastened.²⁹ But when they marched carrying the Tabernacle with its furniture, the five curtains were detached from the other five and were carried separately. This they did also in the case of the coverings of the second Tabernacle, which were made of goat's hair woven, and were called ¹⁹⁹ leather screens.³⁰ They were eleven in number, each being thirty cubits long, and thirty also broad. Five of them |149 were coupled together, and likewise the other six. They were joined together by clasps and loops, and the whole of them again became one. The length of the Tabernacle was therefore thirty cubits. For there were twenty pillars, that is, boards; each of which was one cubit and a half in breadth, thus making altogether thirty cubits. Then also there were the six pillars, each of them one cubit and a half in breadth, making nine cubits. Then there were at the corners two pillars of one cubit and a half each, and thus there were eight pillars of ten [twelve] cubits collectively, and these were made secure with bars on all sides. The ten curtains accordingly, when conjoined, made a breadth of forty cubits, and covered all the length of the Tabernacle, and the wall at the back which was ten cubits in height, altogether forty cubits. But the curtains, which together were eight-and-twenty cubits long, covered the breadth of the Tabernacle which was ten cubits. The two side-walls were ten cubits in height, the others twenty cubits, making together thirty cubits. There were besides curtains of eight-and-twenty cubits, and with the exception of one cubit, these covered the one wall, and also the other wall with the exception again of one cubit; but the screens of leather covered the other two cubits; for they were each thirty cubits in length, while the one leather screen which remained over was let down for the door of the Tabernacle. We therefore delineate their appearance along with the three coverings of skins and they are as you see.³¹

Note.

Here Moses, after he had been privileged to witness the terrible scenes on the Mount, is commanded by God to make the Tabernacle according to the pattern which he had seen in the Mount, this being a pattern of the whole world. For see, saith He, that |150 thou make all things according to the pattern which was shown thee in the Mount.³² Since therefore it had been shown him how God made the heaven and the earth, and how on the second day he made the firmament in the middle between them, and thus made the one place into two places, so he, in like manner in accordance with the pattern which he had seen, made the Tabernacle and placed the veil in the middle, and by this division made the one Tabernacle into two, an inner and an outer. The Apostle therefore declared the outer to be a pattern of this world, saying thus: For the first Tabernacle had ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a Tabernacle prepared, the first, wherein were the candlestick and the table and the shew-bread ²⁰⁰ which is called the Holy place,³³ as if he said, it exhibits a pattern of the world, in which are the earth, and the monthly fruits and the luminaries (of heaven). And then when explaining the second Tabernacle he speaks thus: But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy place having obtained eternal redemption;³⁴ as if he said: Just as the high priest once a year enters into the inner Tabernacle through the blood of goats and calves, making propitiation for the people, so also Christ entered into the Tabernacle not made with hands, that is, into heaven, having once for all procured eternal redemption. And again: For Christ is not entered into the Holy place made with hands which is an image of the true, but into heaven itself; and again he says: For the law had a shadow of good things to come;³⁵ for, as in an outline, by the inner Tabernacle he has signified the ascension of Christ after the flesh, and the entrance into it of just men. Wherefore he again admonishes us in these words: Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great high-priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart;³⁶ and again in declaring that Christ is in heaven he says: Whom God set forth to be a propitiation by his blood;³⁷ since the |151 Propitiatory (Mercy-seat) was placed within the second Tabernacle. And many other such references are contained in the Epistles of the Apostle, and throughout divine scripture.

But perhaps again some one will still ask: Why did Moses ordain that the entrance to the Tabernacle should be in the east, and that the inner Tabernacle, that is the Holy of Holies, should be in the west? Such an enquirer will be answered very concisely, that since he was commanded by God to make the whole Tabernacle as an image of the whole world, according to the pattern shown to him in the Mount, he so made it, and at the same time has recorded that God, when he had created man, introduced him into the world in the east, and so commanded him, when in course of time he had increased and multiplied, to extend himself and to fill the earth towards the west. For this reason the door of the Tabernacle was placed in the east. And further, since the Tabernacle was an image of the heavenly mansions, at the end of the times it was determined that, through the high priest and the universal King our Lord Jesus Christ, it should be declared that the last dispensation had come. And since the human race had its origin in the east, and in the course of its progress advanced westward as it multiplied, for this reason the [inner] Tabernacle, as being the second and placed last, looked ²⁰¹ towards the west. From this circumstance also the Church has a tradition that Christians everywhere when worshipping God should turn towards the cast, as it was there that He was first manifested to men. For she remembered the days of old, and now renders thanks to Him who has multiplied and extended the human race from the east unto the west. But the Jews, whose notions of the Deity were too anthropomorphic, worshipped God towards Jerusalem, where the temple stood.³⁸ On this point we can gain light from the story of Daniel, who, when he had opened the window of his chamber which looked towards Jerusalem, worshipped with his face turned towards the temple. One who finds himself in a place lying to the east of Jerusalem turns as a matter of course to the west when he worships; but if he be in the west, he turns to the cast, if in the north to the south, and |152 if in the south to the north, so that in a manner the four are shown as facing each other when worshipping. But the practice of the Christians is different, for in one and the same manner they offer to God, as being uncircumscribed, one spiritual worship with faces turned eastward, since it was from the east that in the beginning He was manifested to them, and that He multiplied them towards the west. To Him be glory for ever, Amen!

The seven lamps, tongs,³⁹ and oil-vessels.

This candlestick which had seven lamps and stood in the south of the Tabernacle ⁴⁰ was a type of the luminaries, for, according to the wise Solomon, the luminaries rising in the east and running to the south, shine upon the north of the earth, and again, they are seven after the number of days in a week, seeing that all time, beginning with weeks, completes both months and years. He ordered them, however, to be lighted on one side, since the table was placed towards the north, in order that their light might from the south shine on the north; for Solomon speaks thus with reference to the luminaries: The sun ariseth and goeth towards the south and moveth round to the north; the wind whirleth about continually and returneth again according to its circuits.⁴¹ Thus both Solomon and Moses have expressed themselves alike concerning the luminaries, in their general relations.

Note.

The table itself ⁴² is a type of the earth, and the loaves signify its fruits, and being twelve they are symbolic of the twelve months of the annual cycle. The four corners of the table signify the four tropics of the year, one occurring every three months; the waved border with which it is wreathed all round signifies the entire sea, or the ocean, as it is called by the pagans; and the crown which is round it indicates the earth that ²⁰² lies beyond the ocean where Paradise is.

Text.

The veil again he ordered to be made of blue and purple and fine linen and scarlet, variegated like the four elements, |153 or perhaps in order to produce a beautiful effect. For they were made evidently to serve not only for symbols, but evidently also for decorative and liturgical purposes. And he placed the veil in the middle of the Tabernacle, which he thus divided into two places. In the inner place was set the Ark of the Propitiation, which was concealed behind the veil, and was not seen by any one. The Propitiatory was a type of the Lord Christ according to the flesh, as saith the Apostle: Whom God set forth to be a propitiation by his blood;⁴³ and again the high priest was himself a type of the Lord Christ, according to the Apostle: For, saith he, just as the high priest once a year entereth into the inner Tabernacle, so Christ, having come a high priest of the good things to come through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy place, having obtained eternal redemption,⁴⁴ as methinks I have frequently mentioned. Here is a delineation of the Ark of propitiation [or the Mercy-seat].⁴⁵

Note.

Zacharias then and Abia were both of them priests who alternately year by year entered into the temple to effect the remission of sins. It fell accordingly to the lot of Zacharias at the time of the Lord's conception to be exercising the priest's office; and having entered, as Luke records: He saw a vision of an angel which also said unto him: Fear not, Zacharias, because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son;⁴⁶ as if he had said, "Thou hast entered here to ask for the people remission of their sins, lo! I bring to you the good tidings that your prayer will be fulfilled, for there shall be born to thee a son by Elizabeth to be the forerunner of Him who of his grace will bestow upon the world a complete remission of their sins." John himself verily, pointing out with his finger the Lord Christ, exclaimed: Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,⁴⁷ as if he said: Him who takes away and abolishes |154 mortality and corruption and mutation, and makes us immortal and incorruptible and immutable and no longer capable of sinning.

Text.

The court of the Tabernacle had a length of one hundred cubits with twenty pillars, and a breadth of fifty cubits with twelve pillars. But to form the breadth of the Tabernacle on the east He ordered that there ²⁰³ should be three pillars on this side, and three on that side, and that the veils like vestures of fine linen, alone measuring fifteen cubits, should be stretched over the three pillars. He ordered further that the four other pillars should be made the gate of entrance into the court, and that the veils should be variegated with four colours. But all the veils of the court were to be made of fine linen and of that alone. They were five cubits in height and were furnished with loops and pegs and cords, on which were stretched the coverings of the Tabernacle and the veils of the court. And the whole structure of the Tabernacle was at once awe-inspiring and of highest excellence. I must therefore to the best of my ability delineate these also, representing them in the form of what are called pavilions.⁴⁸

Concerning the garments of the priest.

The garments of the priest were the following: an embroidered tunic, and an ephod and a long robe and a turban and a girdle and a mitre and a plate, two shoulder-pieces ⁴⁹ for the shoulders of the priest joined together the |155 one to the other and with the ends folded back from the left to the right and from the right to the left, and covering the bareness of his neck. These shoulder-pieces were interwoven with threads of gold and wrought and variegated with genuine purple, and with a blue dye and fine linen and scarlet. In the shoulder-pieces upon the two shoulders were set two stones of emerald ⁵⁰ on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes, six names on one stone and six on the other. But the oracular plate of judgment,⁵¹ which was woven, was a square piece of cloth of a palm's breadth, doubly wrought with gold thread, variegated in the weaving with the four colours already mentioned, and set with four rows of stones, three stones being in each row, so that they were twelve in all.⁵² The stones were enchased in gold, and were inserted in the oracular plate of judgment, and each of them had engraved upon it the name of one of the twelve tribes. He ordered also two small shield-shaped clasps of gold ⁵³ to be placed |156 upon the two shoulders in the front, and fringes intertwined with gold and coloured tissues, to depend from these, and the oracular plate to hang suspended thereby upon the breast; as well as by means of two wreathen chains of gold drawn back from the two sides of the oracular plate underneath, and fastened together behind alternately at the two tips of the two shoulder-pieces at the back of the priest, so that the wreathen chains might be on the back of the priest, and serve to join diagonally the oracular plate to the shoulder-pieces before and behind. The undergarment was all of a blue colour, from the breast down to the ankles,⁵⁴ where a border was woven with it. But the hem underneath, being widened by a fringe of various colours, had golden bells and golden pomegranates adorned with flowers suspended around it, and so disposed that a bell alternated with a pomegranate. He had also a turban of fine linen,⁵⁵ and a girdle of various colours which at the top girt the under garment around under the breast. The ²⁰⁴ priest wore the mitre on his forehead, and above the mitre a blue lace, having on its border a gold plate, on which was the seal of Holiness to the Lord,⁵⁶ namely, what is called a tetragram, and thus arrayed he entered into the Holy place. He wore also to cover his legs linen drawers ⁵⁷ from his loins to his thighs for the sake of decency. The figure of the priest moreover can be thus delineated.⁵⁸ |157

It is evident therefore that the different parts of the attire were types of certain things, and that they were intended both for ornament and to impress the mind with awe; for instance, the two stones of emerald which the priest wore on his shoulders, on which were the names of the twelve tribes, signify the twelve tribes which were descended from one ancestor Abraham, for this is shown by the fact that the emerald stone had been made into two, that there might be one for each shoulder. But he ordained that on the shoulders of the priest should be laid the burden of the twelve tribes, as it was he who wore the stones and went into God's presence on behalf of the tribes. But the oracular plate which was worn on the breast and was twofold, signifies the soul and the body. It was therefore twofold, and was placed upon the heart. The twelve stones were different from each other, because each man has his own peculiar mode of thinking, and because there were so many different tribes. Then, as there was one [common] ancestor, he commanded one stone, an emerald, to be set upon the shoulders, as one ancestor. But because the tribes and the ways of thinking are different, he commanded different stones to be placed upon the breast. And on the plate of the seal of Holiness to the Lord, which was on the forehead, he says that there were letters engraved. These letters formed the name of God, and what is called in Hebrew the tetragram. In fine, the other things were designed to please the eye by reason of their beauty. But the golden bells and the pomegranates were made to produce sound, a symbol by which the priest was instructed that he should not presume to enter into the Holy place until he had made the sound to be heard. For just as one who intends going into the presence of men of exalted rank, when he finds no one to announce him, begins to knock, not daring to enter without warning, so here the priest is enjoined to advance with the bells and |158 set them ringing.⁵⁹ And such is our description of the Tabernacle and of the priest

A cloud by day rested over the Tabernacle and fire by night, in the sight of all Israel as often as they resumed their march----according to what is recorded in scripture----and when merchants, chiefly Ishmaelites and Midianites, came to them with their loads, all their wants were through divine providence abundantly supplied, as is written in ²⁰⁵ Deuteronomy ii, 7, and viii, 4; and also xxix, 5, where it is said: He hath led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes were not waxen old upon you, and your shoes were not worn off upon your feet; for it is not the fact, as some marvelmongers, and especially they of the circumcision, have supposed, that their garments and shoes did really and truly not wear away, though Moses seems to say so, while, what he means is, that they lacked for nothing in the desert, since the merchants continually brought them necessary supplies; for how was it possible for the children born to them in the wilderness to wear the garments and shoes of their fathers, who were full-grown men while they were very small? And how could they have been ordered to make every day the twelve new loaves of shew-bread, unless the merchants had brought them corn? For ye know that with regard to this matter they murmured, saying: Is he able to give us bread also, or to prepare a table for his people? ⁶⁰ Or how could they have procured the fine flour for making the cakes, or the skins for making the scarlet and blue leather curtains of the Tabernacle, unless they had purchased them from the merchants? And because, while the merchants, through the providence of God, supplied their wants, they still murmured both |159 against God and against Moses, even though they possessed the wealth of the Egyptians, he wrought wonders for them, ungrateful and unbelieving as they were, supplying them now with abundance of water from the rock, now with manna from heaven, now with quails from the sea for thirty days----and further, in teaching them to curb their lusts, he chastised them with plagues, at one time consuming a portion of their encampment with fire, at another visiting with death four and twenty thousand of them, at another sending serpents among them, while at yet another, under the wrath of heaven, the earth swallowed up the company of Dathan, Abiram and Korah, with all their families and their cattle, thus teaching them not to be distrustful and ungrateful to God, but to live soberly. And when they had received the law from God in writing, and had learned letters for the first time, God made use of the desert as a quiet school, and permitted them for forty years to carve out letters on stone. Wherefore, in that wilderness of Mount Sinai, one can see, at all their halting-places, all the stones, that have there been broken off from the mountains, inscribed with Hebrew letters, as I myself can testify, having travelled in these places. Certain Jews, too, who had read these inscriptions informed me of their purport, which was as follows: The departure of so and so of such and such a tribe, in stick and such a year, in such and suck a month, just as with ourselves there are travellers who scribble their names in the inns where they have lodged. And the Israelites, who had but newly acquired the art of writing, continually practised it, and filled a great multitude of stones with writing, so that, all those places are full of Hebrew inscriptions,⁶¹ which, as I think, |160 have been preserved to this day for the sake of unbelievers. ²⁰⁶ Any one who so wishes can go to these places and see for himself, or at least can enquire of others about the matter, when he will learn that it is the truth we have spoken. When the Hebrews therefore had been at the first instructed by God and had received a knowledge of letters through those tables of stone, and had learned them for forty years in the wilderness, they communicated them to their neighbours the Phoenicians, at that time first when Cadmus was King of the Tyrians, from whom the Greeks received them, and then in turn the other nations of the world.

The Israelites encamped in the desert, arranged in an order prescribed by God, as thus: the priests and the Levites encircled the Tabernacle and the twelve tribes were disposed around them----three on the east side of the Tabernacle, the tribe of Judah with Moses and Aaron being in the middle, as that tribe had the precedence of the others. Then there were three tribes on the south, three on the west, and three on the north side. And in this order they halted----and still observing it resumed their march, and went forward in the manner here represented.

In this manner then they encamped each day in the desert until at last when Moses and Aaron were dead, and Jesus the son of Nanê (Joshua the son of Nun) had obtained the leadership, and in a miraculous manner had |161 conducted them over the Jordan, he gave them for inheritance the land of promise in accordance with divine predictions and arrangements. Then the tribe of Judah obtained the Metropolitan city of Jerusalem, until from that tribe He should come forth who was expected and foretold by the law and the prophets----He through whom God wrought the great and eternal salvation and renovation for the world----I speak of the Lord Christ according to the flesh----according, that is, to the promises made by God to Abraham, and according to his purpose from the very beginning, as the Apostle also says in the Epistle to the Galatians, where, as if in answer to the question What then is the law? meaning, Why was the law given? he at once replies and says: It was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator;⁶² whereby he means, that the reason why the law was added was this, that by means of it and of the priesthood the people which had received the promise should be under safe guardianship----the people, namely, sprung from Abraham----and that there should be no intermixture of this people with any other; so that thereby he who had been foretold might be recognisable by all----he, by whom the world is being renovated, and by whom also the purpose and economy which God had from the first designed is being fulfilled. For it was the purpose of God from the very beginning to make others participants of existence, and to give them a share of his goodness----reason and knowledge and immortality and blessedness, and of every good thing as far as the capacity of the participant might admit. And since the Deity, being by intuition in possession of all true knowledge, cannot be ²⁰⁷ taught, while it is the proper nature of the brute creatures |162 to be moved by instinctive impulses without reason and true knowledge; and while again in like manner inanimate objects are altogether destitute of self-motion, of instinctive impulse, and of knowledge, God, having in his goodness been pleased to make, what was possible, an intermediate class of beings, endowed with reason and capable of acquiring knowledge by teaching and experience, subjected them to probation, and in accordance with his purpose from the beginning, made the future state, that is, the place on high. So when in the first place he had set apart this present state, employing it as a school suitable for our needs, he made it mortal and mutable, in order that we, possessing the power of judging and reasoning, might enjoy our share of its blessings, and avoid its evils. Wherefore also the present dispensation has its joys and its sorrows, that we, who are every day living in the midst of them, might shun the one, and adhere to the other. For the same reason laws have been ordained, accompanied by threats and chastisements, to curb our vicious appetites; and lastly, death itself, which seems a token of his anger, but which in reality brings to a close this troubled life and our term of discipline, just as God also in his providence brought it upon the first man, to make his sin hateful to him and to make righteousness the object of his desires, thus encouraging him and all through him, to enter into the life prepared for us beforehand, and into the eternal Kingdom, and into righteousness, sanctification, redemption and blessedness, which the purpose of God from the beginning contemplated. God accordingly, as if moved by anger, wisely, yea most wisely, inflicted death upon the first-made man on account of his sin, that he might render sin a thing hateful to him. Then again afterwards, in order that the man might not sink into despair under his misery, he took care of him as a father takes care of his child, and made raiment for him. Then he avenged the blood of |163 Abel, and translated Enoch, that the sentence of death might have no power over him; he saved Noah from the shipwreck of the world; he chose Abraham by whom and his seed he accomplished the renovation of the world, Isaac also and Jacob, the patriarchs, and the children of these, and the twelve tribes sprung from them, which with a high hand he redeemed from Egyptian bondage and guided miraculously through the wilderness, and presented with a written law; and when he had distributed the nation into ranks of war, he gave them the land of Palestine distributed into lots; and he raised up for them prophets, David their first king, and Samuel, the great Elijah, his disciple Elisha, the twelve prophets, and the four great prophets who foretold the coming of the Lord Christ, who was to arise from among them according to the flesh, in whom and through whom is, and is fulfilled, God's purpose from the beginning, and his great scheme of salvation. For just as he ordained to introduce death on account of ²⁰⁸ the sin of the first man, so also, through the obedience of the Lord Christ according to the flesh, he ordained the resurrection and the renovation and the gathering together of the whole creation. For, as Paul says, as by man came death, so by man the resurrection from the dead ⁶³ has been brought into the world. This is the great salvation, and dispensation and wisdom of God, who has produced all things and has again restored them. Wherefore also he made the two states from the beginning, and the whole scope of divine scripture has regard to the future life which succeeds this present life, as have also the Christian preaching and the hope of the Christians. For this reason in baptism the rite is not administered to any one unless he first confess his belief in the Holy Trinity and the resurrection of our flesh. Without doing this, he is neither |164 accounted a Christian, nor pronounced to be one of the faithful. This is the scope of the whole of the divinely inspired scriptures both of the Old and of the New Testament, pointing out that, according to the pattern of the Tabernacle prepared by Moses in the wilderness, God made the whole world into two places, this world, namely, in which he thought fit that we, mortal and mutable creatures, should first spend our days as at school, and have experience of pain and of pleasure, for without education it is not possible there can be learning. For no chastening, saith scripture, seemeth for the present to be joyous but grievous:⁶⁴ On those accordingly, who have been rationally tested, he" has decreed to bestow afterwards in the future state his good things that are everlasting, and to fulfil what has been his primary purpose from the beginning----having taken, as God, a providential care of what concerns us, as became him, and as was for our advantage. We sketch the encampment ⁶⁵ of the Israelites in the wilderness, and their passage of the Jordan with Joshua the son of Nun after the death of Moses, and their rest in the land of promise, and Jerusalem, and how they got the land by lot and how they held it in possession.

While they dwelt in this land God at times raised up prophets to announce the advent of the Lord Christ according to the flesh, through whom the future state was to be revealed, while they also called to the remembrance of the people the promises which God gave to Abraham Let us therefore sketch each of the men of old and each of the prophets, to show how each of them was thought |165 worthy to predict something about the coming of the Lord Christ, whether recording it by means of his words or by means of his deeds ---- if only he be deemed worthy to speak or do anything with reference to him, for this is in consonance with the argument of our work, wherein we would show from first to last what is the purpose which all divine scripture ever keeps in view.

Adam.

This is Adam,⁶⁶ the first-made man, who was held worthy ²⁰⁹ to make a prediction concerning himself and his wife, who with the divine benediction were both through copulation united into one flesh, to which the Lord bears witness in the Gospels, saying that God had spoken this by the mouth of Adam, unto whom he had himself brought his bride; and the Apostle Paul has used this as an illustration, explaining it in a mystical manner, concerning the Lord Christ and the Church, saying: This mystery is great, but I speak of Christ and of the Church.⁶⁷ For just as Adam is the head of all men in this world, as being the cause of their existence, and their father, so also the Lord Christ according to the flesh is the head of the Church, and the father of the future age. Adam also was the first who had the honour to be, and to be called, the image of God, but with respect to the Lord Christ, this is in a still higher degree the case, as the Apostle says: Who is the image of the invisible God.⁶⁸ Adam again was the first and only one of men who from his side, through God, produced the female without seed, and the Lord Christ according to the flesh was, as a male, produced from the female without seed, thus preserving the equality of privilege and satisfying the debt of nature.⁶⁹ Adam was the first of men who |166 sinned, having been beguiled by the devil. The Lord Christ on his account paid the debt, having opportunely annulled the bond and trampled the. enemy under his feet.

Note.

In the first epistle to the Romans the Apostle has declared Adam to be a type of Christ, saying: Who is a figure of him that was to come;⁷⁰ and in like manner he has called Adam the first man, and Christ the second. Since God threatened the first man with death that very day should he transgress the commandment, and yet when he did transgress did not immediately visit him with death in accordance with the threatening, but was long-suffering towards him, and having disciplined him by means of the law, and cast him out of Paradise, and permitted him to live to a good old age before he died, God showed great forbearance and kindness towards man, particularly in having provided him with clothing, and in that he did not in wrath inflict death upon human nature, but instructed man in prudence and wisdom, and made sin hateful to him, and righteousness the object of his desires. Then, through the guarding of the tree of life, he taught men to love and hope for immortality. Glory to him who from the beginning to the end has bestowed his provident care upon man.

Note.

²¹⁰ Any one who so wishes can learn that, in dispensing his lot to the man, God was not actuated by anger, but rather by benevolence and wisdom, and that after his transgression he not only treated him with forbearance, and provided for his wants, but even endowed him with the power of prophecy. For he said concerning his wife: And he called her name Zôè (Life), because she was the mother of all living.⁷¹ For he could not possibly have foreseen that he would make the world of men from his wife, had he not been inspired with divine power and grace. And again when Cain had murdered Abel who had not yet begotten |167 offspring, but was still in immature youth, Adam, foreseeing that Cain who survived and his seed would be destroyed by a deluge, named the third son that he begat, Sêth, as if calling him the foundation of the human race----for such is the interpretation of the name Seth. In one and the same prophecy he uttered two, both that the seed of Cain is to perish, and that he who had been begotten is, so to speak, a beginning and a new foundation of the human race. And not only Adam but his wife also herself speaking of her son, gave him his name, for it is of her that it is said: And when she had conceived, she bare a son and called his name Sêth, for, said she, God hath raised me up another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew;⁷² implying by this that Abel has died childless, and the seed of Cain is to perish; this hath God given me as a new foundation for the human race. So far Eve.

After the sacred historian had related the birth of Sêth and of his son Enoch he took up again the account of Adam and says: This is the book of the generation of mankind. In the day that God created Adam, in the likeness of God made he him; male and female created he them. And he blessed them and called his name Adam in the day when he created them. And Adam lived 230 years and begat a son in his likeness and after his image, and called his name Sêth.⁷³ In this place likewise he called his name Sêth, as being the foundation of the human race, and as bearing his own characteristics and the proper dignities. And here it must be observed that the historian says that it was God who gave the first man his name, and the man who gave the woman hers, and that they both gave the name to their son. By the merciful dispensation under which man was placed even the unseen powers, endowed as they are with reason, are instructed in the things which pertain to God. For since man is the bond which unites the whole creation, and is also the image of God, the dispensation under which he lives is a school for his own instruction, and for that of all rational beings. For when he had sinned and had received the sentence of death, these other beings began to lament, deeming all hope to be lost both for themselves ²¹¹ and for the universe; but when again they saw that God cared for him, they were led to conceive a good hope both for him and |168 for themselves. This, moreover, the Lord declares in the Gospels when he says: There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,⁷⁴ as on the other hand it is clear there is sorrow when any one sins. Nay, the Apostle even says that the angels were subjected to be under bondage to vanity on account of man, from a hope that God would also give them deliverance when men should receive the hope laid up for them when installed as the sons of God in glory.. And again the Apostle testifies that the angels are taught the things that pertain to God by the dispensation under which man has been placed, for he says: To the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known, through the Church, the manifold wisdom of God:⁷⁵ thus clearly showing that they are taught through the Church the wisdom of God.

Abel.

This is Abel the righteous, who, having been unrighteously put to death, was the first of all men who showed that the foundations of death were unsound. Wherefore also he being now dead yet speaketh, announcing the resurrection of the dead, which the Lord Christ the first of all, showed in his own person, and overthrew the supposed power of death. This is that Abel who is figuratively a representative of the Passion of Christ, seeing that, through the ill-will excited by his good works, he was unrighteously put to death by his brother. Of him the Apostle Paul also thus speaks in his Epistle to the Hebrews: But ye have come into the Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, to the general assembly and Church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than Abel.⁷⁶ |169

Note.

Here it is shown more clearly, when the righteous Abel came to his end that death was not brought upon man in anger, since he, who did not sin, died before him who did sin. Wherefore also an inquiry was made by God about the life of Abel, and vengeance was inflicted for his death. And since after his death he speaks, it is from this evident that he will come back again to life. And again, since death was not permitted to come first upon him who had sinned, but upon him who had not sinned, it is shown that death will be destroyed, inasmuch as he made his first assault not righteously but unrighteously----for he laid his ²¹² foundations upon a righteous man and not upon a sinner, whence we can learn that death laid foundations that were unsound. Wherefore he was very quickly to be destroyed, and this came to pass under the Lord Christ, by whom his seeming power was destroyed. Glory be to him who from the beginning to the end has made the good of man his special care! And again, that death is not sent in anger is shown by this fact, that those who are acknowledged to be righteous come untimely to their end, while those who are acknowledged to be sinners, after fulfilling the number of their days, come to their end in a good old age. For It is appointed by God unto all men once to die,⁷⁷ as saith the Apostle, speaking of them in general; for neither do all die, nor did Lazarus and others whom the Lord raised die only once, but he refers to all men that are in this state of existence, and are mortal as God created them. Hereafter another and a better state will be introduced in which the righteous shall be discriminated from the unrighteous, the godly from the ungodly----a state wherein death no longer prevails. Some have further said that when the first man had sinned and received the sentence of death without being as yet invested with immortality, his lot was changed to mortality. And by way forsooth of explaining this they say: When God said: In what day thou eatest of the tree, thou shalt surely die,⁷⁸ he pronounced him to have become mortal, for we sec that he did not die immediately according to the threat, so that it is evident the words hinted this: Immortal though thou art, thou shalt become |170 mortal, and, say they,⁷⁹ in order that the sentence pronounced by God may be proved true. Wherefore also his offspring, having fallen under the condemnation of their father, are born mortal. Well then, if all this be true, why was Abel, who, according to them, had fallen under this condemnation and was born mortal, but was declared to be righteous and virgin, why was he not only involved in this condemnation, but, as if it had not been sufficient, subjected also to a further punishment, that, namely, of an untimely death? Why was this punishment superadded to him, a righteous man and virgin, and more especially since, though he was born, as it is said, under the condemnation of his father, that is, was born mortal, mortals that are righteous can be exempted from death, as we see exemplified in Enoch, who also, as ye say, had fallen under the condemnation of his father, and had a wife and children, and yet did not taste of death, while Abel did so who had neither wife nor children. And why, when Cain petitioned for death through horror at his fratricide, did God not give it, but rather delivered him over to a still heavier punishment, namely, to remain on the earth lamenting and trembling----an evil from which he said death would be a deliverance? God therefore said: Whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold,⁸⁰ thereby signifying that whosoever should slay him would take away from him many penalties, and would ²¹³ himself suffer his punishment. From this also we can see that, since God permitted a man who was righteous and virgin to be slain, death was not brought upon man in anger, as those marvel-mongers represent, but rather in benevolence and wisdom on the part of the merciful God for our discipline, as we have just said. And further, how came it, we ask, that when the first man had sinned by eating the fruit of a single tree, God according to them condemned him with all his posterity to mortality, while, when he had condemned the first murderer to lamentation and trembling, he did not condemn succeeding murderers to the same, but to a different punishment, which the first of such criminals asked to be inflicted on him, but without obtaining what he asked? |171

Enoch.

This is Enoch on whom the sentence of death did not take effect, for he was translated by God that he should not see death, as is recorded in divine scripture, in order that thereby it might be declared to us that death shall not have power over man, but that his power over him shall be dissolved, as was exhibited in the case of the Lord Christ, when his power was entirely broken. This is Enoch who was translated to life, as a proof of the power of God to after generations, a power capable of warding off death from mortals, yea even of permitting them while living to undergo the change to a better state. This is he who along with Elias will in the last days withstand the Antichrist, and refute his error, according to the ecclesiastical tradition. This is he who through faith escaped the way of death.

Note.

In this case also it is shown still more distinctly that death has not been brought on man in wrath, nor even the sentence of death; but in order that, as we have said, God might make sin hateful to him, and righteousness the object of his desire. Wherefore neither the sentence of death, nor death itself has had power over him, nor will have power, for By faith, saith the Apostle, Enoch was translated that he should not see death;⁸¹ clearly showing that he did not see death, yea even that while living he underwent the change to a better state, as shall also all those that are left alive at the coming of the Lord, and do not die before the resurrection and the future state. Then further, let those marvel-mongers who say that death is sent to us by the anger of God, and not by his providence and wisdom, tell us how conies it that, while all men ought once to die under the sentence passed upon their father, this man did not incur this penalty?

[Here there is a gap in the text.]

Now the length of the ark was 300 cubits, and its ²¹⁴ |172 breadth below, as has been said, 50 cubits, and at the top one cubit, for in summing up he saith: Thou shalt make it, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it.¹ The height then was 50 cubits. Those 50 cubits he therefore divided into three stories, each of which was 10 cubits in height----for saith he: Of two stories and of three stories shalt thou make it; ⁸² as if he said, make within two chambers, and above make the third chamber that there may be three stories. And in the lowermost story he placed the wild beasts, and the venomous reptiles, because they were always wont to lurk in dens and holes under the earth. Then next he placed in the second story four-footed animals and those that bounded over the hills, because they lived on the surface of the earth and on the mountains. But the winged creatures and man he placed in the third story, because the former were denizens of the air, and the latter would become celestial. This is Noah who was a perfect man and righteous in his generation, who unwittingly made himself drunk, and when in that state had mysteries revealed to him. For the scripture saith: And Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his younger son had done unto him.⁸³ And after this statement, by way of cursing him, he tells the things to come, and to his other sons, by way of blessing them, he predicts the future and says: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; and again: Let God enlarge Japhet and let him dwell in the homes of Shem;⁸⁴ for in a manner he did not curse the first, and bless those others, but uttered a prediction of the mysteries to be fulfilled through the Lord Christ. For the sons of Canaan did not serve their brethren, but rather it was the latter who served the former in Egypt. Nor did even the Gideonites, as some have supposed, serve them, but it was God whom they served. For the Israelites |173 appointed the Gibeonites to be bondsmen and carriers of water to the temple of God, and not to themselves. What else then is it but just a prediction that they themselves also shall serve Christ, who according to the flesh was descended from Shem? But the exclamation: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; is it only his God that is blessed? No, for Noah further says: Let God enlarge Japhet and let Him----that is God----dwell in the tents of Shem;⁸⁵ here making a transposition of the clauses, so that what he says is this: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem, and let Him dwell in the tents of Shem, and then: Let God enlarge Japhet, for he did enlarge both Japhet and Canaan, and again both of them serve Christ who sprang from Shem. For God made his dwellings among men partly in the prophets, but has now made them wholly and uninterruptedly and universally in the Lord Christ, who according to the flesh was descended from Shem, in the same way as it is written concerning the Lord Christ according to the flesh: In whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead ²¹⁵ bodily.⁸⁶ By these visions therefore Noah was privileged to predict what was fulfilled in the dispensation of the Lord Christ.

Note.

And in the case of this man it is shown still more clearly that it was not in anger that death was brought upon man. For, though on a cursory view all men seemed to have perished in the deluge by the anger of God, yet in truth they so perished that, by their premature death, the burden of the sins which they had to commit might be lightened, and while this man like a jewel of great price was so carefully guarded and in this way provided for, the truth is, as we have said, that death has not been brought upon man in wrath, but for the benefit and discipline and cessation of this miserable life. For Noah himself, whom God so carefully protected and provided for, did not escape the way of |174 death. And those who perished by the death which, as mortals, they would have had to suffer not long afterwards, suffered it as if, through its being premature, it had been sent in anger, whereas it rather benefited them, and relieved them of the burden of the many sins which, if living, they would have added to the account. But to Noah God renewed, and that in even greater measure, the same honour and blessing and promise which he had bestowed on the first man, saying: And the Lord blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth; and the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hands are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be food for you; as the green herb have I given you all; but flesh with the blood thereof shall ye not eat.⁸⁷ And a little afterwards: Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God have I made man.⁸⁸ Hence it is manifest that God, both before the transgression and long after its occurrence, gave to man the same honour and power and dominion. Nay, he now gave even more, because before the transgression in the garden he commanded the man to eat of every tree except one, and after his expulsion from the garden, he no longer commanded him to eat of the tree but of the seeds (fruits) of the earth. God accordingly, having disciplined those ten generations in the earth beyond (the ocean) which was overrun with thorns, and where he subjected them to an altogether austere and miserable existence, conveyed such of them as survived into this earth by means of Noah, and commanded them to dwell there as in a better country, and one that ²¹⁶ was nearly equal to Paradise, permitting them to eat of everything----of the fruits of trees and plants and still farther to eat even flesh.

Who is there that, on considering this wonderful providence and care on the part of the wise and compassionate God, would not find great difficulty in asserting that death has been inflicted on man by the anger of God, but would not rather wisely and with thankfulness reflect, that, since God wished to discipline the human race, he wisely brought death upon the first man for his |175 sin, in order that he might make sin hateful to him, and having expelled him from the garden where the tree of life was guarded, again brought him by discipline to entertain a longing after immortality? For when God said: Lest he should put forth his hand and take of the tree of life and eat, and live for ever,⁸⁹ he inspired man with a longing desire, and a love, and a good hope of immortality, and through him similarly inspired the invisible powers. For he did not exclude man from any of the promises given before the transgression, nor deprive him of them; nay, after having chastised him, he even gave him more, and through Noah augmented the dignity of his title as the image of God, for he said: Because in the image of God made I man.⁹⁰ For this, therefore, has God made man, that in the present life he should pass his days mortal and mutable, and after his course of discipline here should be rendered immortal. And this again you can more clearly see, because, from the beginning to the end, God gradually has led and is leading man to a better condition by discipline and instruction, while he also imparted to the first men the gift of prophecy. And Noah has some similitude to the Lord Christ according to the flesh. For just as, from out the mass of the first men, he was preserved and transferred to a better earth, in order that men might not suspect that the Lord God, as if repenting and reprobating his own handiwork, had destroyed men with the deluge, so also the Lord Christ according to the flesh was taken out of the mass of men for the salvation of the whole world, and was translated to a better and a heavenly kingdom. ---- Glory to God, Amen!

Melchisedek.

This is Melchisedek ---- that so great priest of God most high, who received tithes from the priests under the Mosaic law. This is the King of peace and righteousness, and at the same time a priest of God most high, who was made like to the Son of God ---- who neither received the priesthood in succession to other priests, nor transmitted it to other priests. This is he who did not perform the rites |176 of divine worship according to the law of Moses, but exercised his priestly office with other and more excellent symbols. This is he who blessed the patriarch Abraham, he who was without father and without mother and did ²¹⁷ not trace his descent from them; the only person who was priest and king, who was made like to the Son of God, and was held worthy to be the revealer of so many good things.

Note.

After the deluge, when men had again multiplied, he, alone of them all, was by special choice appointed the priest of God most high and king of Jerusalem, after the likeness of the Son of God; and to God he presented sacred offerings, the choicest of all created things by which the human race is always sustained and gladdened, as scripture says. This is the king who habitually instructed the people under his rule to lead a religious life in the enjoyment of these things, whilst officiating himself in the order of his priesthood and making propitiation for his people. Though he was no doubt a Canaanite and king of the Canaanites and not of the race of the patriarchs, yet was he known to the patriarchs of the Abrahamic stock, and being such was declared to be a righteous man, a king, and a priest. He was the first who, when as a priest he had blessed Abraham and had given thanks to God, received tithes of all that Abraham possessed. Now I think, and perhaps shall be saying what is true, that Rebecca when she had gone, as is written, to inquire of the Lord concerning the twins then in her womb, heard through him the response: The elder shall serve the younger ⁹¹----for to him as the priest of God was she wont to go, according to the custom of that time, to inquire of the Lord. The Apostle has declared him to be without father, without mother, and without pedigree, and to have neither beginning of days nor end of life, since he was not one of those men who were lineally descended from Abraham. In this respect, however, he had a likeness to the Lord Christ, who was without a father with respect to the flesh, and without a mother with respect to his divine nature, in virtue of which |177 again he had no end of life, while in like manner in his human nature, he became immortal and immutable. God is therefore always reminding men, whether by words or by symbols, that after the life here there is a second state laid up in store for men.

Abraham.

This is the patriarch Abraham, the first of men who left his country, his kindred and his people and put his trust in God, and who for this, and for the promises which God made unto him, was declared righteous. This is he who from a body as good as dead and a womb also dead, produced myriads of men----who, as its root, produced for the world the blessed fruit by which the world is blessed and renovated; who by his works and the promises made to him revealed to the world the resurrection of the dead---- ²¹⁸ by promises and works [such as are mentioned in the following passages]: Gen. xxviii, 14; Gal. iii, 16; John viii, 56; Heb. xi, 17-19; Rom. iv, 17-25. Now the journey which Abraham made for three days until he reached the place which God showed him as that where he should offer up his son as a sacrifice on one of the mountains, as is written, and his showing the father a ram which he might offer instead of his son who was born to him in wedlock and in the course of nature----these were all symbols and types of the mystery of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ, for all scripture keeps this object in view.

Note.

Henceforth God begins with Abraham first to reveal both by words and by signs the future state of existence, for the great Abraham at the bidding of God meditated offering up his beloved son, in the belief that God was able to raise him up from the dead, and to bestow such boons upon him as are intimated in scripture. Wherefore also in the Gospels the Lord mentions the typical bearing of the sacrifice of Abraham, when he called it a type of his own day. And through the promises he showed it to ²¹⁹ Abraham himself, saying: In thee and in thy seed shall all the |178 nations be blessed;⁹² a promise which showed to him the dispensation according to Christ. Moreover, since God foresaw and from Abraham knew that He would come forth through whom the resurrection and the renovation of the universe are effected, He chose the faithful Abraham whom He had proved by every test, so that he was not chosen prematurely; and having found him the most faithful among the Chaldaeans, a people versed in astronomy and astrology, he transferred him to the enchanters called Karênoi,⁹³ and having there shown himself faithful, he was commanded to inhabit the land of the idolatrous [Canaanites]. And since, while he dwelt there he was found to be superior to its inhabitants, and did not incline to any of the three ways that have been mentioned,⁹⁴ but rather submitted himself to the worship and to the commandments of God, he was thought worthy to receive the great promises and gifts of God, and to hear it said that from his seed should He come forth, who should first show to the world the blessing and the promise through him; He through whom also the creator and renewer of the world graciously bestows upon the world the resurrection and the promise. And they say that Abraham made the sacrifice of Isaac on that very mountain, where also the Lord Christ was offered up as a sacrifice for the whole world, and where he endured the saving cross.

Isaac.

This is Isaac the co-heir of the promises and the blessings of God given to Abraham his father----who was a type of the sacrifice of the Lord Christ, since for three days he travelled on to death, and afterwards returned alive----who on his own shoulders carried the wood for his own sacrifice, as also the Lord Christ carried his own cross on his shoulder----who died in intention and was given his life by God; he in exchange for whom a ram was slain, and whose father heard these words from God: |179

Because thou hast not spared the son whom thou lovest,⁹⁵ so in like manner it has been said with reference to Christ the son of God: Who spared not his own son but has given him up for us all;⁹⁶ although the flesh alone is that which has been given for the life of the world, since it is impossible for deity to die; but since the flesh has thus been given, scripture saith that his own son hath been given, because the flesh is a substitute for and a counterpart⁹⁷ of the son, after the example of the blessed Isaac. For thus saith the Lord: Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad.⁹⁸ This is Isaac who involuntarily transmitted to Jacob the blessing promised by God ²²⁰ to himself and his father, saying: Let peoples serve thee, and let their princes bow down to thee, and be thou Lord over thy brethren, and let thy father s sons bow down to thee; cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be every one that blesseth thee.⁹⁹ But we see not all these things accomplished upon Jacob, but see rather that Jacob, having prostrated himself seven times upon the ground, made obeisance to Esau. And thirty kings, sprung from Esau, reigned before ever a king reigned in Israel; so that these blessings await Him who was expected to descend from them, namely, the Lord Christ, whom the whole scope of divine scripture has in view.

And this man who was co-heir of the gifts and promises of Christ, and a type of the Lord Christ himself, was he who transmitted the blessing, which he himself had received from his father, not to the son whom he wished to inherit it, but to him to whom God ordained it should be given. Glory to our God who in supreme wisdom administers the affairs of men, Amen! |180

Jacob.

This is Jacob, himself also a co-heir of the promises of God, and one who looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God----that is, the heavenly Jerusalem, into which, as our forerunner, Christ has entered----and to which state of existence the whole scheme of Christian worship looks, which new and living way the Lord Christ first of all instituted for us, which also the great Jacob predicts in transmitting it to Judah his own son, when he was blessing him; by whom also Jesus Christ is announced as the Lord of the promises in these words which he spake: Judah, thee shall thy brethren praise: Thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; thy father's sons shall bow down before thee; Judah is a lion's whelp; from the branch,¹⁰⁰ my son, hast thou ascended, he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as a lions whelp; who shall rouse him up? A ruler shall not fail from Judah nor a leader from his thighs until what is laid up in store for him shall come, and he the expectation of the nations. Binding his foal unto the vines, and to the tendril of the vine his ass's colt. He shall wash his garment in wine, and his vesture in the blood of the grape. Wine shall make his eyes sparkle with joy, and his teeth shall be whiter than milk.¹⁰¹ But the sons of his father did not bow down before him, nay, on the contrary he made obeisance to Joseph, even after the death of his father. It is evident therefore that the whole of this prophecy had its fulfilment in the Lord Christ who descended from him according to the flesh, and that it sets before the mind his kingly power, and his Passion, and his blessed Resurrection after his Passion. |181

Note.

And this Jacob, who is the third patriarch, being reckoned ²²¹ with the other two, married a wife whom he did not from the first himself wish to marry, namely Leah; and on the fourth son whom he begat by her, that is, on Judah, he conferred the blessings and the promises; so that from this it is manifest, that the blessing did not accrue to any chance person but to those from whom the Lord Christ according to the flesh, the Prince of the second life, was to spring. And from Judah himself we can learn, that it was not from his own wife, but from his daughter-in-law Thamar that the line of descent of his posterity, from which sprang the Lord of the promises, was reckoned. Most clearly still, when the patriarchs had received such great promises from God, namely, that in them and in their seed all the nations should be blessed, and this promise in like manner: Unto you I will give this land, and unto your seed,¹⁰² and when they had received not so much of it as they could set their foot on, but dwelt in tents, they, being full of faith, showed themselves to be expecting and hoping for another dispensation in which they would receive the promises. Wherefore also each one of them in his dying moments transmitted the blessing to him whom God had ordained to receive it. Wherefore also again scripture, laying up, as it were, the fathers in a treasure-house, says with reference to each of them: And he was gathered unto his fathers, meaning that all of them together being treasured up for the future state, will receive possession thereof.

Moses.

This is that great Moses by whom marvellous signs and wonders were wrought, and by whom the history of the Creation was written; he, who was honoured to receive the shadows ¹⁰³ of our true shepherd Christ; who by words and deeds announced beforehand the nature of the dispensation of the Lord Christ; by deeds, as, for instance, by redeeming Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians---- |182 by instituting the Passover and the shedding of blood----by making the passage through the sea, as in baptism----by foretelling through the cloud the setting of the law ¹⁰⁴----by pre-figuring under his sojourning ¹⁰⁵ in the wilderness, our abiding in the Holy Spirit and in the Church; by his predicting the Passion of the Lord Christ on the cross, by lifting up on high the brazen serpent; by his describing beforehand the habitation in the heavens, when he procured an entrance into the land of promise by Joshua. O wondrous office of Mediator! by manifold miracles announced! And what need is there to speak of the Tabernacle which was an image of the whole world, in which was placed the mercy-seat, holding the office of the Lord Christ? But that we may not lengthen out the ²²³ discourse, having before repeatedly said these things, let us come to the prophecy itself which was expressed by words----so then, he speaks thus: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you----him ye shall hear. And that man ¹⁰⁶ who shall not hear what ever that prophet shall speak in my name, that soul shall be cut off from his people. ¹⁰⁷ And again he records what was spoken by Balaam: A star shall arise out of Jacob, there shall be raised up a man out of Israel----and he shall smite the princes of Moab----and destroy all the sons of Seth.¹⁰⁸ By the sons of Sêth he means the whole world. And this is not applicable to anyone except |183 the Lord Christ, for Sêth is by interpretation a foundation Since therefore Cain and his seed perished utterly in the deluge, while Abel the younger died childless, Sêth was posterior to these, from whom both Noah and all the world are descended, and who is thus a foundation as it were of mankind. Moreover for this reason Adam, inspired by the deity, addressed him by the name of Sêth, that is, foundation; and therefore he said: And he will subdue all the sons of Seth, that is, the whole world. Now this is applicable to Christ, and to Him alone, whom all scripture ever keeps in view.¹⁰⁹

Note.

This Moses, who was a comely man bom for God,¹¹⁰ was brought up in the royal court of Egypt and instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and in after days, having been taken up to Mount Sinai, he was taught also the wisdom of God, and was sent back to Egypt in the character of a type of him who redeems the world from bondage, and graciously bestows freedom and adoption into sonship. For he redeemed the Israelites from their bondage to the Egyptians, having prescribed beforehand the shedding of blood and the Passover. Having led the people through the Red Sea, he thus prefigured baptism. By the giving of the law he foreshowed the descent of the Holy Spirit. By the sojourn in the wilderness, he signified beforehand the discipline of the Church. By the entrance into the land of promise, effected by his successor, he foretold the dwelling-place of heaven. By the glory wherewith God made his face to shine, he foreshadowed in part the future glories.¹¹¹ It was. however, not only by types that he prophesied concerning the mystery as to Christ, but he did so also by words: and again he was the first who communicated to mankind and to the world the |184 knowledge of letters and the practice of writing. Having seen the creation of the whole world, and the delineation of it revealed to him in mysteries, he committed what he had seen to writing, and showed the types of the first and of the second state of existence. Glory be to him who, through those whom he has reared up, has wisely provided for the interests of mankind.

Text.

²²³ After Moses and his successor Joshua the son of Nun, and after those who became Judges in Israel, and after Saul had been invested with the sovereignty and been rejected as unworthy, God raised up to them a King virtuous, righteous, and a prophet, who composed the book of 150 psalms, when moved by the Holy Spirit. These psalms were written metrically in accordance with the metre proper to the Hebrew language, and he chanted them with melody and rhythm, accompanied with the music of different instruments, and with dances and melodies. For he himself handled the harp, and he had under him a number of choirs of the minor prophets, for so they called those who attached themselves to the prophets, and who were also frequently designated the sons of the prophets. The instruments upon which they played were various: one part of the choir had cymbals, another flutes, another drums, another trumpets, another a psaltery and harp, while another played on what are called shepherd's pipes.¹¹² Each of the choirs had its leader;¹¹³ one was called Asaph, another Idithum, others the sons of Core, another Aetham an Israelite, another Moses, a man of God.¹¹⁴ When David therefore was moved by the Spirit, he would then predict something as to the captivity |185 of the people, or as to their return therefrom----or he would inculcate lessons of morality, or take Providence for his theme, or the Lord Christ Each psalm he composed in metre----and it turned upon a single subject----on which account some psalms are short and others long. On composing a psalm he would hand it over to one of the choirs which he had proved, or to the one which it fitted best, and that choir sang it first. And if again in the middle of a psalm he considered that he should make over the rest of the psalm to another choir, then that succession of the measure was called a diapsalma;¹¹⁵ because those singers received in succession the rest of the psalm to be sung by them. But any one who so wishes can learn about this from what is written in the Chronicles of the Kings, namely: And he sung this song by the hand of Asaph the prophet.¹¹⁶ But when the psalm had first been handed over in the manner stated, then each choir afterwards, both by itself and in conjunction with all the other choirs in responsive, joyous, and measured strains, some with these instruments and others with those, sang the psalm, along with dancing to the glory of God. But again we can learn with regard to this matter that David himself, when he had received the Ark from aliens, danced before it, and when reproached for so doing by his wife Melchol (Michal), said: I will play and laugh for gladness before the ²²⁴ Lord.¹¹⁷ For not only did he not cease doing so, but promised that he would long persist in the practice. But some, neither understanding this ordinance and the real truth of the matter, nor wishing to be instructed by those who know, have betaken themselves to allegorical interpretations, and have maintained that all the psalms are not David's, but allege that they are manifestly the |186 compositions of those who received them from David to be sung. But never did either the Apostle or the Lord himself mention them as being the psalms of any other than David.

David.

This is that great David, the King and prophet----the man after the Lord's own heart, to whom, as to Abraham, God again correspondently gave the promises that his seed should remain for ever, and that the throne of his kingdom should likewise be perpetual. For when Abraham, having left his country and his kindred, trusted God, God correspondently promised that he would make him the father of nations, and that he would bless all the nations through him and through his seed, that is, through Christ. And to David also, since he was a king, and one with whom He was well pleased, He promised that both his seed and the throne of his kingdom should remain in perpetuity----and here again Christ is meant. This David was privileged to prophesy under inspiration of the Spirit concerning the Lord Christ, having composed four psalms which refer entirely to him, namely, psalms ii, viii, xlv and cx.¹¹⁸ I say so because both the Lord Christ and the Apostles appear to have taken testimonies concerning him from these four psalms; as for instance, it is related in the Acts of the Apostles that, when the whole company of the Apostles were praying to God, they said: For of a truth against Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate have been gathered together in this city;¹¹⁹ accepting the second psalm as having reference to Christ. In like manner in the Acts themselves, Paul when he was discoursing in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia spoke thus: And we bring you good tidings of the promise made unto the fathers, |187 how that God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children in that he raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.¹²⁰ Paul here, by Christ's having been begotten, understands his resurrection, and he too has decided that the second psalm has been spoken concerning him, as all the Apostles also have affirmed. And these things have been said about his humanity, for it is about his deity that in this very psalm it has been said: Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron; as a potters vessel shalt thou dash them in pieces;¹²¹ as if at the same time making known the force and might of his divinity, and indicating the renovation or regeneration of the human race----for the potter's vessel, though dashed to pieces, provided it has not as yet been subjected to the furnace, admits of being refashioned.

In like manner also David composed the eighth psalm ²²⁵ with reference to Christ, speaking of his divine nature in the first verses of it, as the Lord Christ himself also testifies of it in the Gospel, when they strewed his way with branches and praised him with shouts of welcome, saying: Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!¹²² And when the Jews, finding themselves powerless to rebuke the multitudes and the children, (for it was a marvellous spectacle----to see boys, babes and sucklings, and the disciples and the multitudes joining in shouts of applause, and with loud voices praising him in song), took in hand to throw questions at him, and said to him: Hearest thou not what these are saying?¹²³ But another evangelist says: Some from among the crowd said to him: Rebuke thy disciples;¹²⁴ as if they would say----Why dost thou blaspheme, accepting a hymn which can be suitably applied to God alone? each of the parties who |188 addressed him having the same purpose in view. Unto them the Lord said----to the one party: Yea, have ye never read; Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained praise?¹²⁵ clearly indicating that the eighth psalm had reference to him; and at the same time obscurely hinting that he did not take by robbery the things which belonged to God, since he was God; as the Apostle also declares: He counted it no robbery to be on an equality with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant;¹²⁶ to the other party he said: Why do ye wonder at the children and the disciples? If these should hold their peace the stones will cry out.¹²⁷ But these men, knowing it had so been written, and seeing in very deed babes and sucklings in an astonishing manner with loud voices chanting the hymn, they reflected that if he could make babes beyond their natural capacity sing the hymn with loud voices, he could also make inanimate things cry out ----and thus reflecting, they for very shame put a bridle on their tongues. O how amazing the power of the Lord Christ! O how amazing his loving-kindness! O how amazing his merciful condescension! How by his teaching regarding the form of a servant which he took upon him, did he deign to show mildly glimpses of his divinity, to receive accusations preferred against him by his own creatures, and to answer them, not with anger but with mildness and forbearance? O the excess of his long-suffering! as David was privileged still further to make such prophecies, for he speaks also concerning his human nature in the same psalm from the passage: What is man that thou art mindful of him?¹²⁸ on to the end, unto which the divine Apostle Paul bears witness in ²²⁶ the following passages: Heb. ii, 9; ii, 5; ii, 6-8; Acts xvii, 30, 31; as does also Peter in Acts x, 42. |189

In like manner David again spake of him in the forty-second psalm (our 43rd) in which we again find him speaking both of his divine and his human nature. To whom again the blessed Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews bears witness in these words: And of the Son he saith, thy throne, O God! is for ever and ever; the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.¹²⁹ Having said this concerning his divinity, he forthwith speaks of his humanity and says: Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.¹³⁰ For it is not his divinity which is anointed on account of his loving righteousness and hating iniquity, nor is it in any case anointed, nor has it another God [for fellow], for God exists by himself. But it is his humanity which is anointed with the oil of gladness (by which is meant, with the Holy Spirit) above its fellows----that is, above all the anointed. For his divinity has no other fellow, for God is one, the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, but the humanity of Christ has for its fellows all men, especially those who have been anointed. For by reason that the humanity of Christ was anointed above all others, since it was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, a distinction accorded to none of the others who were anointed, he used the words: Above all thy fellows. The whole psalm, moreover, he wrote with reference to Christ and the Church, speaking of the one as a royal bridegroom and of the other as a royal bride.

And in like manner also he uttered the 109th psalm (our 110th) with reference "to him, as the Lord himself testified when he addressed the Jews in these words: How then does David in the spirit call him Lord, saying: The Lord |190 said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand till I put thy enemies underneath thy feet; if David then calleth him Lord, how is he his son?¹³¹ The expression, his Lord, clearly indicates that he was God, and that other, sit thou at my right hand, is clearly suited to his humanity. For, the word sit he said to him who was not sitting. But Deity is established in its own blessedness, and honour and glory, and is neither conceded by one who is greater to one who ²²⁷ is less, nor is one who is less invited to assume it. But the humanity of Christ is, by the Deity which is inseparably united, invited¹³² in the words: Sit thou at my right hand, that is, in my dignity----for God being uncircum-scribed has neither right hand nor left. But he says this to his humanity, sit in my dignity----that is, in my person, as the image of God, shown to all the world. For thus also Daniel speaks: And there was given to him a kingdom and dominion,¹³³ et cetera; and the Lord himself says: There hath been given to me power in heaven and on earth.¹³⁴ Farther down again in the same psalm he saith with reference to his deity: Out of the womb before morning have I begotten thee, as if the Father were saying to the Son, with reference to his deity, Thee before all creation have I brought forth from the womb (thus showing him to be con-substantial) and not afterwards, but having thee in myself without beginning and without limit, as if from the womb, from my own substance have I begotten thee, being with me and co-existing with me. Then immediately again with reference to his humanity he says: The Lord hath sworn and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec;¹³⁵ for deity does not exercise the priestly office or render worship, but is rather itself |191 worshipped and the recipient of sacred services. The Apostle also mentions this passage, saying in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Even as Aaron, so Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that spake unto him, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee; as he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec;¹³⁶ thus extracting all that referred to the humanity of Christ.

Thus then the blessed David spoke these four psalms with reference to the Lord Christ and to him alone, for he did not confound the things of the Lord Christ with those of servants, but he spake of the things which properly belong to the Lord as the Lord's, and of the things of servants as those of servants. But whatever other passages the Apostles quoted from the psalms, they did not extract them because they were specially spoken of him, but because they suited their argument. For example: They parted my garments among them,¹³⁷ and again: They gave me gall for my meat,¹³⁸ and: I have set the Lord always before me,¹³⁹ and: Thou hast ascended on high leading captivity captive;¹⁴⁰ and other such like passages they extracted, when they suited the argument they had in hand. The blessed Paul in like manner did this, transferring the passage of Moses in Deuteronomy to his own argument which it suited: Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down) or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead),¹⁴¹ thus accommodating the passage to suit the requirements of his argument. For the remaining parts of the psalms from which they ²²⁸ quoted are not applicable to the Lord Christ. For instance, the passage: They parted my garments among them, occurs |192 in the 21st (our 22nd) psalm. Is that psalm then speaking of him where it says: Far from my safety, the words of my transgressions? ¹⁴² No----that is out of harmony and at variance with divine scripture, and to cite such a passage as referring to Christ would be clear madness. As regards however those four psalms which speak concerning the Lord Christ, each of them is entirely throughout applicable to Him. For, as we have just observed, the blessed David discriminated what was said with reference to the Lord Christ from what was said with reference to any one else. For even the Saviour himself manifestly did this when the Jews accused him, saying: Why workest thou on the Sabbath day? and he replied to them saying: My Father worketh even until now.¹⁴³ And when they accused his disciples, he said: Know ye not what David did when he was an-hungered and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God and did eat the shew-bread, which it ivas not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but for the priests alone?¹⁴⁴ thus expressly contradistinguishing¹⁴⁵ himself from the Father, as a son relatively to his father, and his disciples from the prophets, or, at any rate, the priests, as servants relatively to servants. When the Lord was transfigured on the mountain before Peter and James and John in great glory, and Moses and Elias talked with Him, the disciples, witnessing the exceeding glory, were thrown into amazement and rapturous delight, and desire and ardent longing |193 for that wondrous beauty. But Peter, after a manner identifying himself with the others in their common astonishment at the spectacle, answered and said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here,¹⁴⁶ as if he said, Lo! beautiful is the sight, and the place, the splendour and the transcendent glory. Wherefore should we go down hence, putting ourselves again into the hands of those who wish to plot against us and to oppress us, while we have to remove from place to place, and are persecuted? If thou wishest therefore, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.¹⁴⁶ And because Peter considered Moses and Elias to be equal in honour to the Lord, seeing that with reference to their equality he reckoned the number of the tabernacles, assigning one to each, the evangelist Luke notes this and in these terms: Not knowing what he said,¹⁴⁷ that is, Peter not knowing what he said with reference to the Lord. Straightway moreover a cloud overshadowed them, and separated Moses and Elias from them and hid them from the disciples, and as for Jesus, who was left alone in the midst, the Father pointed out and showed him to the disciples saying: This is my son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him.¹⁴⁸ Ye are mistaken, he says, in putting Him on an equality with the others, for He is my Son. They, like yourselves, are servants. Him therefore as Lord and as my Son, hear ²²⁹ ye in all things.

Thus then the prophet David also, being moved by the Holy Ghost, did not indiscriminately confound what had an underlying reference to the Lord with what had an underlying reference to servants, but those four psalms which had a special reference to the Lord he was privileged to compose with prophetic foresight; while all the other psalms he gave out to the whole world for useful |194 instruction with regard to other persons or things or histories, in order that they might be held fast and well remembered by all as calculated to delight. And this is abundantly clear that, in all the churches of the world, we shall find that the Psalms of David are sung, and that they are on the lips of nearly all men, whether small or great, and are more studied and remembered than the other prophets and scriptures. But bringing this subject also to an end, let us pass on to the great Elias and supply a worthy delineation of him also. Here then you see him thus delineated.

Elijah.

This is Elijah the first of men who showed to men the path to heaven----the first of men who showed to angels and to men the one way----who though his lot was to be an inhabitant of earth, all at once penetrated into heaven----who though a mortal yet vies even with the immortals----who walked upon the earth, and yet, as a spirit, treads with the angels the paths of heaven; who with his mantle of sheep-skin imparted to his disciple Elisha a double share of his own gifts----a man who has lived for ages and is from old age exempt----who is reserved to be leader against Antichrist, standing up against him and convicting him of deception and overweening pride----who from the error into which he has seduced them, leads back all men to God at the consummation of the age. This is he who is deemed worthy to be the fore-runner of the second and glorious advent of the Lord Christ. O the wondrous measure of his services, in which he competes with the angels! Glory to God who graciously bestows these gifts upon men. Amen! |195

Note.

This is the great Elijah, who having been taken up as into heaven shows to men and angels how highly human nature has been honoured, and by means of him God has again laid the foundations of a good hope, that it is possible for men, if God will, to ascend into heaven. For it is a great and wondrous thing to see this man, bridle in hand, riding his fiery chariot as he sweeps the fields of air. Oh! what wondrous kindness on his ²³⁰ part who has bestowed the honour. Let those be ashamed of themselves who do not extol the mighty dispensation of God----who do not praise and admire how wisely and how dispassionately God, on the one hand, awards to men their punishments, and on the other, preserves the honour of man who was made in his image. Glory and nraise to him for ever and ever, Amen!

The Prophet Hosea.

This is Hosea, the first of the twelve prophets who was privileged to speak concerning the Lord Christ in these terms: When they are afflicted, let them rise early to seek me saying, Come and let us return unto the Lord our God, for he hath smitten us and he will heal us; he that hath struck us will bind us up. After two days will he heal us. On the third day we shall be raised up again and we shall live! ¹⁴⁹ With reference to this passage the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians: For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.¹⁵⁰ For that he was buried, and that he was raised up on the third day according to the scriptures, is not to be found anywhere else. The prophet still further says what is applicable to Christ: My flesh is of them; and again he says: Ephraim compasseth me about with falsehood, and the house of Israel and Judah with ungodliness. Now God knoweth them, and there shall be called a holy people of God, from the tribe,¹⁵¹ |196 through him who appeared out of it, namely, the Lord Christ according to the flesh----the prophet calling Judah the holy people of God. Yet again the same prophet says: From the power of the grave will I ransom them. Where is thy victory, O death! Where is thy sting, O grave!¹⁵²----a passage which the Apostle has used concerning the resurrection.

Note.

This prophet also clearly predicted the resurrection on the third day, saying: On the third day we shall rise up. In like manner also he foretold the destruction of death and the vengeance upon the sting of the grave. How should we not be lost in astonishment at the ineffable benevolence of God, which is at all times making provision for the human race. Glory to him for his unspeakable gift!

The Prophet Joel.

This is Joel the second in order who was privileged to prophesy concerning the mystery of the Lord Christ, for he speaks thus (chap. ii, 28-32): And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; ²³¹ and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. A nd I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered-----a passage which the blessed Peter mentions in the Acts of the Apostles as having been fulfilled when the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles occurred on the day of Pentecost. |197

Note.

This prophet also foretold the wonderful things that took place in the time of the Lord Christ through the Holy Ghost, such as prophesyings, dreams and visions under his influence; likewise the day of the great, terrible, and glorious advent of the Lord Christ. For examples we may point to the revelations made, in different ways, to Joseph and to the Wise Men in sleep, as the Gospels relate; and to the revelation made by the Holy Ghost through visions to Symeon (Simeon) who took up the Lord Christ in his arms. Anna again the daughter of Phanuel gave thanks to the Lord because of him. There were also those who prophesied, such as Agabus and the daughters of Philip. Arid the women who were at the Passion of the Lord saw visions of angels, as did also the disciples. And why need I speak of the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles; yea, even upon Cornelius and upon all the faithful of whom the Apostle writes (I Cor. xii, 8-14): For to one is given the word of wisdom; to another faith in the same spirit; to another gifts of healings in the same spirit; to another workings of miracles; to another prophecy, and to another discernings of spirits, and to another divers kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues; but all these worketh the one and the same spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will! Glory to God who through all the prophets foretold these things, glory for ever and ever, Amen.

The Prophet Amos.

This is Amos the third in order, who also was privileged to tell of the coming of the Lord Christ and in these words: Lo! I am he that confirms the thunder and that creates the wind and that announces to men his Anointed.¹⁵³ And again he says (ix, 11, 12): In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old, that the rest of men and all the nations may enquire who have been called by my name, saith the Lord |198 who doeth these things. A passage of which James the Apostle makes mention in the Acts of the Apostles.

Note.

²³² This Prophet, in agreement with the first, announces Christ, through whom the salvation of the whole world is effected. And through him God promises that he will raise up again the Tabernacle of David which had fallen, and will extend help to all the nations. And these are the same tidings which all the prophets proclaim.

The Prophet Obadiah.

This is Obadiah (Abdiou) the fourth in order, who also was privileged to prophesy concerning the mystery regarding Christ, and who speaks thus: Because the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations.¹⁵⁴ This taken in its obvious meaning is spoken of the Scythians, that is, of Gog and Magog, but it is most properly applicable to the Lord Christ, for the prophet shortly afterwards says: But on Mount Zion there shall be salvation.¹⁵⁵

Note.

This prophet also again clearly proclaims that the day of Salvation in Zion is near at hand and upon all the nations. Glory to God evermore. Amen!

The Prophet Jonah.

This is Jonah the fifth in order, who not by words, but by what he did and by what he typified, predicted the resurrection of Christ. For the Lord says: as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.¹⁵⁶ For as the whale vomited out Jonah uncorrupted, so also did the sepulchre vomit out the Lord to a better life. |199

Note.

This prophet prefigured through his actions the sepulchre and the miraculous resurrection and incorruption of Christ, through whom is dispensed the renovation of man and his summing up in him. Glory to God who doeth these things. Amen!

The Prophet Isaiah.

This is the great Isaiah the son of Amos, who in a figure foresaw the things concerning the mystery of Christ, when he saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up, while the Seraphim stood in a circle around him, the one having six wings, and the other six wings, with which they did cover themselves, and the one cried out to the other and said: Holy, holy, holy Lord of Sabaoth! the whole earth is full of his glory.¹⁵⁷ Thereupon one of the Seraphim ²³³ was sent to him who with the tongs took [a live coal] from the altar, and touched his lips saying: This will take away thy sins.¹⁵⁸ Isaiah by the vision which was shown to him, and by the hymn of praise, and by the figure was instructed to prophesy the mystery concerning Christ, and further again in words he thus speaks: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer, so was he dumb.¹⁵⁹ The Ethiopian eunuch on reading this passage asked Philip to interpret it to him, and he at once explained that it was spoken by the Prophet with reference to the Lord Christ. And again he says: A man who is under chastisement and knows what it is to bear sickness;¹⁶⁰ and so in other passages----Isaiah liii. 9-11; xxviii. 16; lxi. 10; and in lxi., 1; The spirit of'the Lord is upon me----a passage which the Lord having read in the synagogue on the Sabbath said: Verily I say unto you, to-day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.¹⁶¹ |200

Note 1.

Isaiah, that prophet of sublimest strain,¹⁶² by his words and visions proclaimed beforehand to men the confession even of the Holy Trinity, that is, of the one God, and the resurrection of human nature which the Church of God also now proclaims. Glory to God who wisely dispenses all things for the good of the human race!

Note 2.

But he too did not prophesy things strange and unusual, but like the other prophets predicted the things that would be through Christ, and among them again that great day of the Lord on which he would send the Prophet Elijah still surviving. Glory to God who created all things and again created them anew!

The Prophet Micah.

This is Micah the seventh in order, who also was privileged to prophesy concerning the coming of the Lord Christ, and he says: And thou Bethlehem, the house of Ephratha, art the least to be among the thousands of Judah. From thee, there shall come forth to me one who shall be for a ruler over Israel, whose goings forth have been of ²³⁴ old from everlasting.¹⁶³ The chief priests and scribes of the Jews, taking this passage, when Herod asked them where the Christ should be born, replied, In Bethlehem of Judaea, upon which he sent the Wise Men away to Bethlehem. This prophet further says: He will turn again and have compassion upon us; he will tread our iniquities under foot, and all our sins shall be cast into the depths of the sea. He will perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham, as he hath sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.¹⁶⁴

Note.

This prophet also in harmony with the others, predicts that he who was raised up from of old to be a ruler over Israel should |201 come out of Bethlehem and Judah, he through whom absolution is given to the world, the taking away of our sins and conducting us into the better state. Glory to God who all things dispenses wisely and foretells the things which concern man!

The Prophet Nahum.

This is Nahum the eighth in order who was also privileged to prophesy concerning the resurrection of the Lord Christ, and he says: Feast, O Judah, keep thy feasts, perform thy vows, for they shall add to pass through thee no more.¹⁶⁵ It has been consummated, it has been taken away. He went up breathing upon thy face, delivering thee from affliction.¹⁶⁶

Note.

See how this prophet also exhorts us to rejoice over the resurrection of Christ and over our own, showing beforehand that we shall never grow old, proclaiming, that is, our incorruption and our immortality. Glory to God, Amen!

The Prophet Habakkuk.

This is Habakkuk the ninth in order, who was also privileged to speak concerning the resurrection of Christ in these terms: Behold, ye despisers, and regard, and wonder marvellously, and vanish for ever, because I work a work in your days which ye will not believe though it be told you.¹⁶⁷ This passage Paul cited at Antioch of Pisidia as having reference to the resurrection of the Lord Christ.

Note.

In like manner also this prophet is commanded to predict marvellous and incredible things to men, and especially to despisers, things namely concerning the resurrection. Glory to God, Amen! |202

The Prophet Jeremiah.

²³⁵ This is Jeremiah the tenth in order, who was also privileged to prophesy concerning the mystery respecting Christ, saying thus: And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, whom certain of the sons of Israel did price, and they gave them for the potter s field as the Lord appointed me.¹⁶⁸ The evangelist Matthew mentions this passage as having been fulfilled at the time of the passion. The same prophet again says: Lo! the days are coming, saith the Lord, and I shall make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.¹⁶⁹ etc. This passage is cited by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans.

Note

This prophet in like manner predicts things which have reference to the Lord Christ who is the Prince of the second dispensation----for he describes in the clearest manner the first and second dispensation, the second whereof had its beginning in the Lord Christ. Glory to Cod for ever, Amen!

The Prophet Saphonias (Zephaniah).

This is Zephaniah the eleventh in order who was also privileged to prophesy concerning the Lord Christ, and he speaks thus: The Lord will come suddenly upon them, and will utterly destroy all the gods of the nations of the earth, and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the nations!¹⁷⁰ From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia shall they bring offering to me;¹⁷¹ and again: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem; the Lord hath taken away thine |203 iniquities. The King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more.¹⁷² All things are more especially applicable to the Lord Christ.

Note.

This prophet most plainly points to the manifestation of the ²³⁶ Lord, to the destruction of idols, and the conversion of the nations to God through the Lord Christ. Glory be to God for ever, Amen!

The Prophet Ezekiel.

This is Ezekiel who prophesied in Babylon, and who was also privileged to predict concerning the dispensation of Christ, and he says: I will redeem them from all their transgression, wherewith they have sinned, and I will purify them, and they shall be to me a people, and I the Lord will be their God. And my servant David shall be ruler in the midst of them, he alone shall be the shepherd of them all, because they shall walk in my precepts;¹⁷³ and again: And he said unto me, This water, issuing forth into Galilee which lies towards the East, was going down into Arabia and came even to the sea, to the water at the outlet,¹⁷⁴ and it shall heal the waters. And it shall come to pass that every living creature which swarmeth in every place whither the river comes shall live.¹⁷⁵

Note.

This prophet, like the others, under a figure foreshows the great founder and ruler of our second state, and foreshows also its constitution. Glory to God for the wisdom of all his dispensations, Amen! |204

The Prophet Daniel.

This is Daniel who prophesied in Babylon and who was also privileged to utter predictions concerning the Lord Christ, and he speaks thus: And thou shalt know and discern that from the going forth of the commandment to the response and the building of Jerusalem, until the anointed one a prince, shall be seven weeks and three score and two weeks,¹⁷⁶ and so forth. And again: A stone was cut without hands, and it brake in pieces the clay, the iron, the brass, the silver and the gold, and it filled the whole earth;¹⁷⁷ and again: Behold one like unto the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven, and he came even unto to the Ancient of days, and he was brought near before him. And there was given unto him dominion and glory and a kingdom, and all the peoples and nations and languages shall serve him. His dominion,¹⁷⁸ and so forth.

Note.

And this prophet spoke out more clearly concerning the conning of Christ, intimating both his time and the power belonging to him, and his birth from a virgin and the propagation of his gospel throughout all the earth, which things have all come to pass with God's help and will still come to pass. Glory to God who through all the prophets has revealed these things beforehand, Amen!

The Prophet Haggai.

This Haggai was also privileged to utter predictions concerning the Lord Christ, as, under the person of Zerubabel, he says things which are applicable to the Lord Christ: And I will make thee as a signet, because I have chosen thee, saith the Lord God.¹⁷⁹ |205

The Prophet Zechariah.

This Zechariah was also privileged to prophesy concerning the coming of the Christ, saying thus: Rejoice greatly O daughter of Sion, shout O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having salvation; lowly and riding upon an ass----even a young colt.¹⁸⁰ This passage he uttered with reference to Zerubabel, in a strain of hyperbole as regards him, for it had properly its accomplishment in the Lord Christ, whom Zerubabel as it were, personified. He further says: And I will say unto him, What are these wounds between thine hands? And he shall say, wounds which I received in the house beloved by me.¹⁸¹ And shortly afterwards again he says: I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.¹⁸² Of this passage also the Lord made mention at the time of his Passion, applying it to himself when he was on the point of being betrayed.

Note.

This prophet, while he said nothing alien to the utterances of the other prophets, indicated the sovereignty of the Lord Christ in the future state.

The Prophet Malachi.

This is Malachi, who also was privileged to prophesy concerning the things relating to the dispensation of the Lord Christ. And it is thus he speaks: For, from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations; and in every place incense is offered unto my name and a pure offering, for my name is great among the nations, saith the Lord Almighty;¹⁸³ and again he says: Behold I will send my messenger, and he |206 shall prepare, the way before thy presence.¹⁸⁴ This passage the Lord applied to himself and to John the Baptist. The same prophet further says: But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth and gambol as calves released from the stall. A nd ye shall tread down winds; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet, in the day that ²³⁸ I do make, saith the Lord Almighty. And behold, I will send you Elijah the Tishbite before the great and notable day of the Lord.¹⁸⁵ As the Lord said to the Jews, and if ye are willing, receive it of John the Baptist: This is Elijah who was to come.¹⁸⁶ And now at last having finished with God's help the twelve prophets we shall proceed to the four great prophets.¹⁸⁷

Note.

Now this prophet did not utter predictions respecting what would be done by Christ different from the other prophets, but predictions of a similar nature; and he again prophesied the great and notable day of the Lord, in which he says that he will send before him the Tishbite Elijah, who is still surviving. Glory to God who created all things and who again creates them anew. Amen!

Text.

All the prophets predicted, and reminded the Jews of the promises of God which he had made to their fathers; how he promised to bless all the nations in the seed of Abraham through the dispensation of the Lord Christ. They reminded them how God in former times had |207 redeemed them with a high hand from bondage to the Egyptians and given them the land of promise, and predicted how they would be led away captives to Babylon by Nabuchodonosor and would return again with glory; and again, how they would suffer great miseries at the hands of Antiochus and the nations around them, and how by the divine power they would overcome them; and then He, who was expected from the seed of Abraham, would come for the salvation of the whole world according to the promises earlier given. This was the work of the prophets. Some of them accordingly wrote their own books. David, for instance, composed the Book of Psalms, and Daniel at the time of the Captivity was commanded to write what was revealed to him through visions, and there were others besides. But the rest did not write their prophecies with their own hands, but in the temple there were scribes who wrote the words of each prophet as in a diary.¹⁸⁸ And when a prophet was sent by God to proclaim anything, either concerning Jerusalem, that it would be led away into captivity, or concerning Samaria, or other places, or concerning the return from captivity, or concerning Antiochus, or the surrounding nations, or concerning the Lord Christ himself, on the day in which they prophesied, the scribes wrote, in the book of that prophet, what he announced, that is, concerning a single subject; and again after some time had elapsed, if he wished to announce anything about another matter, the scribe again committed it to writing, recording it in its order among ²³⁹ the sayings of the same prophet, and inserting what he announced as the beginning of a new chapter; and so in this manner they compiled the whole of his book. Hence we may find in their books a chapter relating to the Captivity at Babylon, or to the Return, and |208 immediately thereafter another chapter which has reference to Christ, and then once more a chapter speaking again of the Captivity and the Return. And to speak briefly, unless one reads with close observation, he will find very much apparent confusion. And not only the books of the prophets, but the books of the kings were in this manner written in the temple, part by part. Thus the events under Saul were recorded for Saul in his time, part by part, until the end of his reign. The events in the time of David were thus also recorded to the end of his reign, and similarly the events under each king were committed to writing during his period. In like manner they wrote also in the records¹⁸⁹ of the Kings what we call Paralipomena.¹⁹⁰ It was Moses who wrote the Pentateuch----which is a history of things past, present and future. Joshua again wrote the book which bears his name. The book of Judges was written in the temple, or it may be, in the Tabernacle, and the same may be said of the book of Ruth. Solomon again wrote his own works, Proverbs, the Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes. For though he had received the gift of wisdom from God, and counselled every man to conduct himself wisely in this life, he did not receive the gift of prophecy. As many, therefore, as we have found to have been privileged to prophesy concerning the dispensation of the Lord Christ, we have arranged in their order. And we further write concerning the four other prophets whatever things they were commissioned to predict----whereunto the whole scope of divine scripture has respect. We bring forward therefore first the sublimely eloquent Isaiah,¹⁹¹ who both by figure and |209 by word was privileged to see and prophesy concerning the mystery of Christ.

John the Forerunner.

This is the greatest of all men----John the Baptist, who was filled with the Holy Ghost while he was yet in the womb, and leaped in joy and eagerness to be the forerunner of his Lord----a man great in the sight of God, the forerunner of Christ, preparing for him a people put in readiness to receive him----a man superior to the prophets, born into the world before the Apostles, intermediate between the Old and the New Testament, the last under the law, the receiver of the new dispensation----the man who showed to all the Lord Christ as present among them, who surpassed all men in the austerity of his manner of life, and outdid all men in service rendered----who went before in the spirit and power of Elias, and surpassed Elias, in that he baptized the Lord----a lamp that was lighted before the sun of righteousness. He ²⁴⁰ proclaimed the presence of the Lord, saying: Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,¹⁹² calling him a lamb as being a sacrificial victim, and taking away the sin of the world----as delivering the world from sin, rendering men incorrupt, and immortal and immutable through the resurrection. This great John was privileged to be the herald of such a ministry and of such great things.

Note.

This is John the greatest of all men, who had both his father and his mother as fellow-prophets, who not only shows the Lord Christ to be present as the Prince of the second state, but proclaims him to be the Judge of all, saying: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with |210 unquenchable fire.¹⁹³ He again proclaims beforehand the kingdom of heaven, and prepares the way for Him who comes after him, and who shows in himself in very deed the kingdom of heaven, which is the second state. Glory to God who has produced all things out of nothing, and again creates them anew in Christ. Amen!

The Prophet Zachariah.

This Zachariah the priest, who was himself thought worthy of the power of prophecy, spoke both concerning his own son and the Lord Christ together, in these words: And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways.¹⁹⁴

The Prophetess Elisabeth.

This is the prophetess Elisabeth, who by the Holy Spirit was privileged to prophesy both concerning the Lord Christ and the Holy Virgin, speaking thus: And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?¹⁹⁵ Thus both the father and the mother of the forerunner were privileged to announce beforehand the Lord Christ. To him be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever. Amen!

The Virgin Mary.

This is the holy virgin, Mary, who brought forth her blessed offspring to the world without seed by the Holy Spirit, who even before his birth announced with great joy the dignity of her son, and said: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;¹⁹⁶ and again: He hath holpen Israel his servant, that lie might remember ²⁴¹ mercy, as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed for ever.¹⁹⁷ To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen! |211

The Prophetess Anna, the daughter of Phanuel.

This is Anna the daughter of Phanuel, who gave thanks to God concerning Him in the temple, when His parents brought Him up into the temple in the days of their purification, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written.¹⁹⁸

Simeon.

This is the righteous Simeon who, when he had taken up the Lord Christ in his arms, prayed to God to let him depart this life, as it had been revealed to him by the spirit, saying thus: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart, in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people----a light for revelation to the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.¹⁹⁹

The Lord Christ.

This is the Lord of all, Christ, concerning whom all prophecy made its predictions to men, unto whom all creation turns its eye, and to whom every tongue shall confess, bending the knee to the glory of God----Christ, in whom all prophecy terminates, the judge of the quick and the dead, the light from the light, the Son of the living God----unto whom the whole creation is subjected both of things in heaven, and things on earth and things under the earth, who also spoke through His own lips: The law and the prophets until John predicted Christ.²⁰⁰ To Him be glory with the Father and with the Holy Ghost for ever. Amen.

Introduction concerning the Apostles.

We have now fulfilled our promise in accordance with the obligations it imposed upon us, namely to show that |212 the men of primitive times and all the prophets uttered predictions concerning the mystery of Christ, and that they all, from the first-created man, Adam, until John the Baptist, had the future state full in their view; which also the Lord Christ and his disciples and Apostles afterwards explicitly proclaimed, setting forth that there is a future state far better than the present state, which the Lord Christ first showed in himself to us when he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, which also the men of old with some purpose in view²⁰¹ [obscurely?] announced, and which those who came afterwards clearly set forth. We have also shown that not one of them whether of the later or the earlier ever proclaimed or imagined that ²⁴² besides those two states there was any other state at all either before or after them; but that when God began to make the whole creation, he made these two states and these only, ordaining that this present state, in which we live as citizens, should be first, and then the future state, whereunto the whole purpose of God and of his prophets has respect. Let the Pagans then take shame to themselves, who suppose the world to be co-eternal with God, while they both advocate the doctrine of a previous life, and deny the resurrection of the body. And let those too take shame to themselves who are their followers, and who, while they regard themselves as Christians, nevertheless think as do the Pagans who assert that the heaven is spherical. For their views differ not at all from those which the Pagans proclaim; as for instance, that the bodies of which the world is made are always in corruption, and that there is no resurrection of the body, nor any other state than the present Let the Manichaeans |213 and the Marcionists²⁰² take shame to themselves, who reject the flesh, and maintain that it is the production of the evil principle. Let all be ashamed who contemn our souls with their intelligence, Eutychês to wit, Arius, and Appolinarius²⁰³ and all their followers. Let all the heretics take shame to themselves who acknowledge not one God the Maker of heaven and earth, known and worshipped in three persons, and who acknowledge neither the resurrection of our flesh, nor the existence of angel or spirit. Let the unbelieving Jews take shame to themselves who have not received Him who was expected, and confess not the Christian resurrection, but only such a condition of life as our present, in which there is marrying and being given in marriage. But well-done! well-done! ye who are truly Christians, to you be joy and exultation, to you who believe all divine scripture, both the Old and the New Testament, who have been led by the law and have believed in Christ and all that he has proclaimed, especially when saying: The law and the prophets prophesied until John;²⁰⁴ and: From the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force;²⁰⁵ meaning that as many as do violence to themselves, and live righteously, and are not guided by their own notions, but have faith in God, all obtain that kingdom. |214 And to be sure, when the mother of John and James asked the Lord that one of them should sit on His right hand and the other on His left hand in His Kingdom, He answered her saying: It is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father;²⁰⁶ that is, the gift of God is extended to all, the rising again from the dead, and becoming incorruptible, and immortal and immutable----but to be preferred in honour to another, this is not a gift, but what is prepared by God for those who believe and act aright. For the Lord again saith: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you;²⁰⁷ and when it was prepared he tells us by adding: from the foundation of the world.

²⁴³ Since Moses then, who describes the world, and all the other prophets, and the men of old have spoken of these two states and of these only, without making mention of any others, but proclaiming only these and committing them to writing----and since not these only but also the Lord when he came among us, and his disciples, Evangelists and Apostles have proclaimed nothing else than only these two states and these alone, what is there further wanting to confute the belief that these things are not true? Who will not pay regard to the multitude of predictions----to the fulfilment of prophecies----to the multitude of signs and astonishing miracles----to the very walk and conversation of all the saints and of the Lord Christ and his Apostles----to the harmony of the Old and the New Testament? Which of these dissented from the others, and maintained that the heaven was spherical, or proclaimed the pre-existence of this world, or represented that the world was eternal, or denied the resurrection of the body, or the dispensation of Christ, under which righteous men go up to heaven? But all of them, |215 as being guided by one divine Spirit, predicted the same things by words and by acts and by figures, and all of them direct their view to the future state. And the Lord Christ himself shows in the Gospels in what place perfect righteous men, intermediate men, and impious men shall have their abode. And concerning the perfect righteous, he shows their place when he calls them to himself saying: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom, prepared for you from the foundation of the world;²⁰⁸ and concerning the impious he shows theirs, when he says to those on his left hand: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels,²⁰⁹ as if he said, to the righteous, come above to the inner heaven beyond this visible firmament, and to the impious, go down to the place about the earth,²¹⁰ into which the devil also was hurled down. We are left under the necessity of seeking the place of the intermediate men. Christ says then in the parable of the ten virgins, that the five who were wise went in with the bridegroom into the bride-chamber, that is, into heaven, because, since they were wise, they chose virginity and alms-giving----but the foolish virgins who had, chosen the one of these but despised the other, remained outside of the bride-chamber, having found the door shut, and heard these words: Depart from me, I know you not;²¹¹ being neither permitted to enter, nor condemned along with the impious, but remaining outside of the bride-chamber.

Thus then each one who has right and unfeigned faith and a worthy life enters with confidence into the Kingdom, but such, on the other hand, as have not even one of them, neither right faith nor an honest life, are condemned ta spend their time along with the devil about the earth. But |216 those who have one and hot the other, are the intermediate ²⁴⁴ men, condemned to remain outside the bride-chamber, that is, the firmament. The particular nature, however, either of the good things or of the punishments, it is impossible for us to know, except by our actual experience of them; but by what was merely an example taken from the punishments and the good things of life here, He indicated what would be hereafter. For, since it was not possible for us before we had as yet acquired experience, to hear new things otherwise than in so far as they were figuratively stated, He said: The Kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain King who made a marriage feast for his son,²¹² having selected the highest of the good things of this life, and likened them to the good things of the future life. In like manner also to the worst things----fire, the undying worm, Tartarus, the gnashing of teeth, darkness and things similar to these, because they are the most frightful forms of earthly punishments, to these he likened the punishments of the hereafter. But it is possible to estimate neither the good things of the future life, nor its terrible things, nor the things that are intermediate. But that other state is far better than the present, and is altogether very far superior, just as this present life is far better than that when we were within our mother's womb. For we must consider what was our condition within the womb, where we existed in a confusion of darkness, blood, bad humours, bile and all kinds of impurity, while we were in ignorance of everything. But having emerged into this life we see things quite different, of which we had gained no previous experience----an extension of freedom, inspiration of the air, the enjoyment of the beautiful light, the framework of nature, the workmanship of an all-wise artificer, and this too while we are filled with the knowledge of God; |217 not one of which things it was possible for us either to know, or to conceive, or to hear, or to enjoy, while we were still in the womb. In like manner also it is impossible for us, while we are still in this life, to understand or to conceive or to picture to our minds the future state which is altogether better than this, unless we are in the midst of the things themselves, for, saith He: Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, and which entered not into the heart of man, whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.²¹³ Just as God then has in this life freely bestowed a common gift upon all, making the sun rise upon just and unjust, and sending his rain upon good and bad, so also in the future state he bestows a common gift upon all, immortality and incorruption and life and immutability, but each one, according to his former deeds, procures for himself either the Kingdom, or the punishment due to him, or ascent into heaven, or remaining about the earth, or in the intermediate condition. All these things, moreover, are eternal and infinite, both the good things and the very worst. And altogether that state differs much, yea as much as can be, from the state here. In contrast to the good things which have been prepared for the righteous are set the things of the impious, punishment of the utmost ²⁴⁵ severity, and judgment without mercy; for the judgment and punishment of this present state have their analogy in the future state. Let us then now come to the Evangelists and Apostles and show that they also speak in harmony with the ancients, declaring that these two states and these alone have been made by God: the first, being this in which we now exist, and the future, that unto which all we Christians direct our gaze. Let us therefore delineate Matthew the first of the evangelists who speaks concerning such things. |218

Matthew the Evangelist.

This is the first of the evangelists who wrote a Gospel. A Gospel ('Euagge/lion) is so called because it is an announcement (a)ggeli/a) of good things. When upon the outbreak in Jerusalem of the persecution in which Stephen was stoned to death, he was on the point of quitting the city, and certain of the faithful requested him to leave them his teaching in writing; he, who knew by personal experience the manner of life of the Lord incarnate upon earth, wrote for them an account thereof, for the purpose of setting before them an image of virtuous social intercourse, of a heavenly life, and of a divine walk and conversation. In carrying out this design he begins the narrative which he composed in these words: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham,²¹⁴ as if he said, addressing to you, O most faithful, my discourse of the miraculous generation, of our highest duty to others, of the heavenly life, and of the new state, I lay my book before you. And, seeing that God made promises to David and to Abraham that all the nations of the world should be blessed through their seed, and that their seed should reign for ever, I set forth the genealogy of Him who sprang from their seed, of Him, through whom God blesses the world and creates it anew, and on whom He bestows an everlasting Kingdom, and I show that He is the Prince of the future state, conceived and born in a new and becoming way, and that He directed His life in all righteousness and holiness and without sin. For just as the first-made man Adam was produced by divine power from earth which had not been sown nor tilled by man, so also the Prince of the second state was |219 produced from human kind, that is to say, He was produced from the virgin earth without seed, without man, by the power of the Holy Ghost And just again as formerly the female was produced from the male, so too in this case the male was produced from the female; and just as the former, having been worsted by the devil, brought death upon the human race, so too the latter, having proved victorious, destroyed the power of death over the race, and procured for it, besides, immortality and life without end. The blessed Matthew, having in view to tell these and such like things, gave forth the work which he had written, wherein he showed how Christ had been conceived without seed by the Holy Ghost, and how, as He advanced in ²⁴⁶ years, He lived without sin among His fellow men, and fulfilled the requirements of the law and gospel, and all other righteousness; and how, when He was delivered over to the tempter, He came off victorious, having remained invincible, and having hurled out of the arena²¹⁵ the adversary of human nature; and how when the Jews plotted against Him and delivered Him over unjustly to death, He submitted willingly even to this, for the sake of our race----in order that having, as reason required, torn up the old bond, He might nail it to the cross, and might, as a reasonable sacrifice, pay the penalty of death that was due for all, by offering Himself to God spotless. Then afterwards, having after three days risen from the dead, He showed to all the destruction of death, and exhorted all to rejoice because He had taken away henceforth the power of death. Matthew also mentions the ascent into heaven, if not at the end of his book, yet in the course of his narrative, when he speaks concerning John the Baptist thus: And in those days came John the Baptist |220 preaching in the wilderness of Judaea and saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;²¹⁶ as if he said, the mansion in the heavens is now ready to be revealed, as the Christ is now near. But even in the Beatitudes and everywhere in his book, he mentions the kingdom of heaven, but more especially when the Lord in arguing with the Pharisees and Sadducees concerning the resurrection he speaks thus: For in the resurrection thcy neither marry nor are given in marriage, but arc as the angels of God in heaven.²¹⁷ This is the design which the blessed Matthew the Evangelist had in view when composing his narrative.

Mark the Evangelist.

This is Mark, the second who composed a Gospel, a work which Peter in Rome enjoined him to undertake. He described, as the beginning of the Gospel or the Gospel dispensation, the baptism which was a type of the resurrection from the dead, through which we are born again into an immortal and unchangeable life. Then, after he had given an account of the temptations and the victory, and likewise of the plotting against Him, and the death, and the resurrection, he brought his composition to a close. He too mentions John the Baptist as proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven was at hand----and all that he announced was in harmony with the blessed Matthew.

Note.

And he also, being a preacher of the New Testament, wrote for us the same things as his predecessor, beginning with the account of the baptism, which is a type of the resurrection from the dead----that is, of the new and heavenly dispensation. He showed how Christ was baptized, and what was His manner of life, and how He was put to death, and rose again and ascended |221 into heaven, where there is the seat and the polity of the second state. Glory to God who from the beginning has prepared it, ²⁴⁷ and announced it beforehand and has fulfilled it, and is fulfilling it. Amen!

Luke the Evangelist.

This is Luke the third of the Evangelists, who, having seen that many had taken in hand to write Gospels, and invented many things out of their own head, at once wrote to his own disciple Theophilus, warning him not to be carried away with their fictions, and not to be turned away from what he had learned at first: That thou, he says, mightest know accurately the certainty of those things wherein thou wast instructed.²¹⁸ He relates therefore to him what he had already delivered to him, beginning from the birth of John, announcing this, that the birth of the Forerunner also was miraculous. He then related the birth of the Lord Christ according to the flesh which was also miraculous, and, following the design of Matthew, who had preceded him, he enumerated his ancestors retrogressively, showing that he was descended from David and Abraham, and going still farther back he derived him from Adam. As he found no remoter ancestor he then at length fell back upon God, saying: who was the son of God, that is, of Him who, according to the sacred historian Moses, originated the creation, and made the first man Adam. Then again after having narrated things similar to the other evangelists, concerning the baptism and the temptations, and still further concerning His death and resurrection, he relates after these, both in the Gospel itself and in the Acts, His ascension into heaven, and states that He will in like manner come back again. And so he also closes his work directing his eyes to the object of |222 desire which all expect, and instructing in this also his disciple the God-beloved Theophilus.

Note 1.

This preacher of the New Testament also said the same things with the others, beginning from the generation of the Forerunner, and coming to the birth of Jesus, and showing what was the manner of His life. In like manner he also discoursed of the evangelical life----I mean baptism, death, resurrection, and finally of the ascent into heaven, which is the place of our habitation in the second state. Glory to God who from the beginning prepared these things and announced them beforehand, and who has now fulfilled and is fulfilling them. Amen!

Note 2.

It was he again who noted down the doxology of the multitude of the host of the angels, who were rejoicing and exulting at the birth of the Lord Christ according to the flesh, and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure among men,²¹⁹ now putting away from themselves the old dejection brought upon them through the first-made man, and rejoicing at the birth of the second Adam.

John the Theologian.

This is the Theologian John, the Chief of the Evangelists, who was the most loved of all by Christ, who leaned upon the breast of the Lord, and who from thence as from an ever-flowing fountain drew forth the mysteries, to whom, when resident in Ephesus, there were delivered by the faithful the books composed by the other three evangelists, having received which he expressed his approbation of them. Some things, however, he said, had been omitted by them which it was necessary should be narrated. And having been requested by the faithful, he also gave to the world his book, which in a manner supplied what had been |223 omitted; as for instance, the account of the marriage in Cana, the account of Nicodemus, of the Samaritan woman, of the nobleman, of the man who was blind from his birth, of Lazarus, of the indignation of Judas at the anointing of the Lord with myrrh, of the Greeks that came to him, of the washing of feet, and of further doctrines concerning the Comforter stated in the course of the narrative; but in particular he made clear proclamation also concerning the divinity of Christ, which he set forth in the outset of his work as its foundation----all which subjects had been omitted by the other Evangelists. Having begun therefore with the divinity of Christ he forthwith passed to his humanity also, stating such things as had been recorded before by the others, the baptism, temptations, death and resurrection. Then again he added such things as Christ had done after the resurrection, how He entered when the doors were shut, how He showed His hands and His feet and His side to His disciples, how He ate and drank with them, how He journeyed with them, how He held their eyes that they should not see Him, how, as often as He wished, He at once vanished from them, how by way of instructing her He said to Mary: Touch me not,²²⁰ teaching her by these words that intercourse between immortals and mortals is not fitting, but rather intercourse with immortals must be in heaven. Wherefore also He directed her to go away and tell the disciples: I ascend into heaven into which ye also are to ascend. So when he also had written all these things, he brought to an end the book which he had written, having the same object in view as the other Evangelists, namely, to teach us that we ought to look away from this state to that which is to come, unto which all inspired scripture both of the Old and of the New Testament has reference. |224

Note.

This illustrious preacher of the New Testament, having committed to writing the omissions of the other Evangelists, and filled up what they left defective, discoursed in like manner with the others²²¹ of baptism, manner of life, death, resurrection and ascent into heaven, which is the abode of immortal and righteous ²⁴⁹ men and of angels, that is, it is the seat of the second state. Glory to Him who has prepared these things, and announced them beforehand and is still fulfilling them. Amen!

Peter the Apostle.

This is Peter the Chief of the Apostles, who was entrusted with the keys of heaven, who has the Church founded on his own confession, who thrice denied, and thrice confessed, who nobly prayed that he might sustain crucifixion with his head downward ---- and he, keeping in view the same object as the other evangelists, thus spoke in the Acts (see Acts ii, 22-24 and 32-36). Here I would have it to be observed, that within the compass of merely a few lines, he has described the whole of the argument of the Evangelists, making mention, when speaking concerning Him (Christ), of Nazareth where He was brought up, and saying that He was a man from God, as being the second Adam, and that through Him God wrought wonderful works; also that with His own consent He was put to death by lawless men, and that God raised Him up immortal and immutable (for so he said) having loosed the pangs of death, and that, having been exalted by divine power, He ascended into heaven, and sent down from thence the Holy Spirit. For no one else, not even David himself, ascended into heaven, but the Lord himself, concerning whom David said: The |225 Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet.²²²

He says again when he addresses Cornelius----[For the ²⁵⁰ words see Acts x, 38-43]. In like manner when he healed the lame man, he said (what is recorded in Acts iii, 19-21). He mentions also the passage in Moses: A prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you.²²³ In several passages the blessed Peter bears his testimony in like manner as the Evangelists, arid declares that all the Prophets had announced all these things beforehand----that God had made, and is making, a second new state, which also he announced beforehand by the mouth of all the Prophets, but neither said that before this state there existed another, nor did he declare that after the future state there would be another, but along with all the Prophets and Apostles he asserted that there were only two states----the present and the future.

Note.

At the time of the building of the Tower, when the men who fought against God wished to ascend into heaven, God, by dividing their tongues, frustrated their designs. But when, at the end of the times He had come for the salvation of men, and led up our nature into heaven, then on the day of Pentecost, by way of announcing beforehand the ascent of the rest of mankind, He brought the tongues together again, through the Holy Spirit from heaven, and gave them to the Apostles. And Peter, who was appointed to be the great preacher of the New Testament, when he was discoursing to the multitude, and carrying the keys of the heavens, which had been entrusted to him by Christ, proclaimed confidently the things which the Evangelists also had taught in their writings----baptism, holiness of life, death, resurrection, immortality, grace and incorruption. For this is the import of the saying: Having loosed the pangs of death;²²⁴ and in like manner he calls the future state the ascent into heaven and |226 ²⁵¹ the times of refreshing, and this he calls the blessing which had been promised beforehand to Abraham, and says that it had been preached to all the nations by all the Prophets, and that the Prince of it was the Lord Christ, through whom all. the nations will be blessed and honoured by God. Glory to Him who has prepared these things!

Stephen.

This is Stephen the first martyr of the New Testament and the first Deacon, who had for his slayer the great Paul while he was as yet zealous for the law----who alone by himself contended against the whole synagogue and made the Judge of the contest ²²⁵ rise from his seat to witness the spectacle. This is he who saw the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. For while the whole of divine scripture speaks of Him as sitting, this man saw Him standing; for the vehemence of the contest made the Judge rise up for the view.²²⁶ Wherefore also on being invited to ascend to that glory, he prayed for those who were stoning him, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, but do thou thyself receive my spirit.²²⁷ Lo! he also saw and preached the same things with the others, namely that Christ, the Prince of the second state, is in heaven, and of Him he entreated that He would receive him into that place.

Note.

And this man, who was a preacher and a zealous champion of the New Testament, with his very eyes saw within the firmament Jesus spiritually, whom also he entreated to receive his spirit. While addressing at great length an assembly of the Jews, he accused them of having been the murderers of Jesus. Wherefore he also has exhibited to us as trustworthy what those who |227 had preceded him had taught----death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. Glory to Him who prepared these things and announced them beforehand, and has now fulfilled and is fulfilling these things. Amen!

Paul the Apostle.

This is the great Paul the Apostle, the leader of the heavenly phalanx, who has Christ speaking within him, who carries about the marks of Christ in his body----the great teacher of the Church, who endured daily ten thousands of deaths for the Church, who gloried in the Lord and in his own infirmities, who had the grace of Christ flowing in him, who spoke to all nations in their tongues, who was once a persecutor, but is now persecuted, who was once a sinner, but has now obtained mercy, who was caught up into the third heaven, and again into Paradise, who was the hearer of unspeakable words, the occult judge of spiritual gifts----Paul who prescribed the regulations of divine service, and surpassed the other teachers of ²⁵² the Church; whose salutation in all his epistles, to serve as a token, is the grace of the Lord. In all his epistles generally, as if he were already in the second state, he continues always rejoicing and full of assurance, saying: He hath raised us up with Him and made us sit with Him in the heavenly places;²²⁸ and: By hope have we been saved,²²⁹ and countless other expressions he uses which we cannot now conveniently cite. Some however we will mention that we may not too far prolong our discourse, I Cor. xv, 19; Heb. vi, 17-20; Heb. x, 34; xii. 28; xiii, 14; I Cor. vii, 31; I Tim. iv, 8; Philip, iii, 13-15; and 20, 21; Tit. ii, 13; ²⁵³ Coloss. iii, 1, 2; I Thess. iv, 14-17; Heb. xi, 14, 15, 10; viii, 2; Acts xxvi, 7, 8, and 21-23. And if we cared to collect all the utterances of the Apostle on this subject, |228 we shall find references thereto in nearly all his fourteen epistles, namely, that we are hastening to run from this present state towards that which is to come, whence also he exhorts us in these words: Let us be eager to enter into that rest;²³⁰ speaking of that rest as if there is no other after it, but a kingdom that cannot be shaken, meaning one that has no successor.

Note 1.

What need is there to speak of this chosen vessel----a new and mighty trumpet, sounding among the Gentiles, gathering together Jew and Gentile into one Church; since the choice of him at first was made by Jesus calling to him from heaven, and when he was instructed, he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision? He again when still sojourning in this present state was caught up into the third heaven, and saw the ranks of the angels, and beheld the worship observed by the invisible Virtues, the Principalities, the Powers and the Dominions----and having entered in and viewed, as in a glass, the ministrations of all the Virtues that have been named, he exclaimed: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?²³¹ So also he spoke of the rank which the adversary once held, how he had the power of the air, and he announced his fall from heaven in consequence of his pride. He again exclaimed: Know ye not that we shall judge angels? ^{232 254} And again; The saints shall judge the world.²³² This is he who in all his Epistles exhorts us to think of heavenly things and to seek heavenly things and to make haste to run to heaven, and to press forward in order to obtain the things above. This is he, who, when he had declared that heaven was the city and habitation of the righteous, angels and men, and in a word of the whole Church, declared besides that the Lord Christ after the flesh was the supreme Head of the whole body. For he said that He was above all Principalities and Powers and Virtues and Dominions----and above every name that is named, not only in this world but in that which is to come. |229 And, to speak briefly, this Apostle is the great teacher and interpreter of the heavenly hosts, and of the Church, and he makes mention of the present and the future state only, and of immortality and immutability and ot all the good things in the world above----the power of which we are not able to reckon. To God who has prepared these things beforehand, and announced them beforehand and who has now fulfilled and is still fulfilling them, be glory for ever, Amen!

Note 2.

Paul at the very outset (of the Epistle) commends the faith of the Romans which was proclaimed throughout the whole world, and calls them his fellow-believers. But the Corinthians he reproves, because, as being recently philosophers of this world, after already believing in the resurrection of the Lord Christ, they make this as of no use to them, seeing that they do not believe our own resurrection. The Athenians therefore were right in calling him a picker-up of sown seeds,²³³ since he tore up by the root the tares of their superstition. The Galatians he calls senseless both because they readily changed their opinions like insensate things, and because after baptism they had been deceived, and submitted to circumcision. To the Ephesians he reveals the whole counsel of God, and declares that in their city he had fought as it were with wild beasts, prophesying and saying to them that afterwards there would come some to them as wolves, and would tear them asunder; and therewith he said that from themselves would arise some who would, like wolves, ravage the Church. The Philippians he regards with the utmost admiration, praising them as those who alone displayed their great care and love for him in his bonds, and in his defence, and who often sent him supplies for his wants. The Colossians again he praises for their faith; if they continue in the same, having love to all the saints. The Thessalonians he calls lovers of the brethren, and speaks of them as being persecuted, and as suffering on account of their godliness. He calls them, in like manner as the |230 Hebrews, faithful, and confirms them, in like manner as the Corinthians, in the belief of the resurrection of the dead, along with the belief of the second coming of the Lord. As a Hebrew and as a member of the Hebrew community, regarding its ²⁵⁵ interests as his own, he designates them holy brethren, and called, and partakers of heavenly things, and speaks of them as persecuted and suffering for that godliness, only however, he adds, if we hold fast the beginning firm unto the end;²³⁴ and he cautions them not to become faint-hearted from the fear of persecution, and not to run back again to the unbelievers. To Timothy again, who was then in Ephesus, he sends a message in writing, warning him against the teachers of a different doctrine, and against his giving heed to their fables, while he confirms him in the doctrines and delivers to him ecclesiastical canons, That thou mayest know, he says, how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God.²³⁵ He says also that some heresies would show themselves at the last, and would subvert the truth. And he predicts that they would not make progress to what is better, but that they would become manifest, and that their foolishness would be evident to all. To Titus again, who was in Crete, he delivers ecclesiastical canons and confirms him in the doctrines, and administers rebukes to the Cretans, as being liars, and frivolous, and crafty, and led astray by those of the circumcision. Writing to Philemon, he bears witness to his abundant faith, to his piety, and to the love which he has for the saints, whose slave, Onesimus, when unprofitable, he had changed for the better, and made a pious man; and the great Apostle exhorts the master of this slave to receive him no longer as a slave but as a brother. In all his Epistles moreover he urges it upon all men to enter into the habitation in the heavens, through right faith and a good life, and not to miss the good things kept in store for the righteous----along with whom, unworthy as we are, deign, O Lord God, Maker of the Universe, in thy compassionate goodness, to number us. Amen! I must observe further that Paul being a Hebrew wrote to the Hebrews in the Hebrew language, but his Epistle was translated into the Greek tongue, as they say, by Luke, or by Clement, in like manner as the Gospel according to Matthew. |231

Text.

It behoves us, O most beloved of God, to observe the harmony that exists between Moses, the historian of the world, and all the Prophets and the Evangelists and Apostles, how they all harmoniously assert that God made the whole world divided into two states. For to this end, when God began the work of creation, he made on the second day the firmament, and bound it together with the first heaven, having placed it midway between the earth below and the heaven above, thus dividing the one place into two places, and the lower of the two places he ordained to be this world, but the higher he prepared from the beginning to be the future world, according to his previous design. For it is not in this transitory life that our hope lies, but in that future life which hath no end, wherein is our adoption as sons, and redemption and immutability, and righteousness, and sanctification, and blessedness, and perfect knowledge and glory, and ²⁵⁶ whatever other blessings are laid up for us to be received from God, after we have had here experience of things both good and bad, in order that as far as possible we may know the full strength of the good things reserved for us, who in a certain sense become the sons of God, and are exalted to glory and joy unspeakable. On this account, even here, we the faithful, after baptism, become partakers of the mysteries of the body of the Lord Christ,²³⁶ in order that after the resurrection, by devoting ourselves to the Lord Christ, we may become partakers of His glory, attracting to ourselves glory from the glory that is His. Wherefore also the term partaking ²³⁷ is used according to what is written by the Apostle when he says: |232 But we all with unveiled face beholding reflected as in a mirror ²³⁸ the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as from the spirit of the Lord;²³⁹ as if he said, when the Lord is nigh, all we the faithful, in the most manifest manner, without any veil, behold the glory of the Lord as in a mirror----and are transformed into the same image as the Lord has, partaking of his glory for our own glory. For the partaking of the mysteries indicates also our partaking of his glorified body, just as we behold him reflected as in a mirror and partake his glory. For out of his fulness do we all receive,²⁴⁰ nor does he, in giving liberally, suffer any diminution of his fulness. But the expression as from the spirit of the Lord is intended to show us, that just as Moses received [glory] from the Lord, so do we receive [glory] through the Holy Spirit.

Note.

Just as we who are born in this world are nourished by the milk of our parents----that is, are organised for living from their flesh and their blood, so we are commanded to take our nourishment mystically from the body and blood of the Lord Christ; since in the future state, according to the view of scripture, He is our Father, from whom and through whom we receive glory, and are, so to speak, reborn into life eternal. In this state takes place the initial birth and the nourishment of milk in the mysteries, organising, suitably for living, him that has been generated----a type of the regeneration through water and the spirit, and the mystical nourishment of the body and blood of Christ inviting and strongly drawing to life eternal him that believes and partakes. In the future state again is the resurrection from the dead, whereby we rise up from our graves as from the womb, and are born anew and refashioned; and especially |233 there is the participation of the glorified, immortal and incorruptible and immutable body and soul of Christ. Glory to God the Creator and Renovator of the universe for ever. Amen!

Text.

Divine scripture is wont to speak of the creation as ²⁵⁷ being from the Father, and the incarnation as being from the Son, and the regeneration from the dead as being from the Holy Spirit. Not that the Father does this alone, or the Son that, or the Holy Spirit something else, but the Holy Trinity conjointly effects the creation, and the incarnation and the resurrection. For, as has been said, divine scripture with a view to show that there is one God in three persons ²⁴¹ is wont thus to distinguish them, namely----by ascribing to the Father as Cause, the causing the world to exist, by ascribing to the Son as begotten, the cause of the incarnation, as possessing a worthy adoption and being the fountain of knowledge, and by ascribing to the Holy Spirit as proceeding from the Father, in virtue of His life-giving and sanctifying power, the regeneration and redemption and sanctification of the future state. For just as the sun has in himself the power of giving light and heat, and without these cannot be perceived, so likewise the Father has two powers proceeding from himself, apart from which He cannot be seen, the Son, namely, and the Holy Ghost. And just as the sun is a fiery body and has as one of his powers to give light, and as another to |234 give heat; and neither the heat-giving is the light-giving power, nor the light-giving the heat-giving power, while the sun and his powers are inseparable the one from the other; so in the Father and Son and Holy Ghost there is one God----the Father with his two powers existing inseparably the one in the other, and these are seen by the mind in their proper Persons. For in this case, God is properly incorporeal, but the similitude, so far forth as it is such, is obscure. But we may take a further similitude from our own soul. For just as the soul has inherent in itself word (or discourse) and understanding (lo&gon kai\ nou~n) and the discursive faculty (to_ logiko_n) is one thing and the understanding faculty (to_ noero_n) a different thing, and the word goes forth from the soul inseparably----not dissevered from it, [while the same is true of the understanding], nay, they are in the soul and from it and with it, so we must think of God.

Wherefore also John the Evangelist employing this illustration called the Son the Word as proceeding from the Father and being with Him, and being of the same substance; and the Apostle Paul taking an illustration from the material world called him the effulgence. But the Old Testament says: Let us make man in our image and after our likeness.²⁴² Here in both the words poih&swmen and h(mete/ran it expresses plurality, but the phrases in our image and after our likeness do not mean the same thing, but the former of them means one thing, and the other a ²⁵⁸ different thing. The expression in our image has this sense, that man and man alone, as having all things in himself----things visible and things invisible, things perceived by the intellect and things perceived by the senses, things corruptible and things incorruptible, indicates that there is one Creator of all things that are, even God, |235 and man is in this respect the image of God, through his knowing that there is one Creator of the universe, as the Apostle exclaims: For a man ought not to cover his head, being the image and glory of God;²⁴³ thus expressly declaring that man was made for the glory of God, and, in accordance with this, calling him His image, as man alone is capable of knowing that there is one Creator of the universe, even God, who formed man as the only living creature in whose composition are found all the natural qualities. But the other expression after our likeness has this sense, that Adam was a father and not a son, and, from his own substance by procession produced Eve, who is called neither a son nor a sister, and by generation produced his own son Sêth, who again was of his own substance, producing him by generation, and her by procession, thus producing the one, one way, and the other, another way, out of his own substance. But inasmuch as Adam had a beginning, those also who spring from him have a beginning, but as God and the Father has no beginning, those who are of Him proceed from Him without beginning, and are eternally with Him, just as the effulgence and heat are with the sun, and just as the word and the intelligence are with our soul, according to the similitudes of divine scripture. And some of the Fathers have employed similitudes regarding the Holy Trinity drawn from the material world, some of them speaking of two rivers as flowing forth out of an ever-flowing fountain, and others of branch and fruit produced from a tree as the root. But all, whether Apostles or Fathers, as being but men, have spoken under the inspiration of the Spirit, in similitudes drawn from the natural world, which however fall altogether short of exhibiting the divine substance. But in the |236 future state again, when we shall rise up spiritual beings, we shall know more exactly concerning God.

In this manner therefore divine scripture in these passages, having in view to set before us the Persons in the Trinity, frequently employs this phraseology, declaring the Creation to be, so to speak, from the Father, and the Incarnation to be of the Son, and the Resurrection to be of the Holy Ghost. But yet it is the Holy Trinity which does all things. The blessed Moses however, as if God were speaking, said: Let us make man;²⁴⁴ here the word (poih&swmen) though in the plural number can be understood to refer to two only. Since therefore it seemed good to God not to deliver to us at the first an acknowledgment of the Holy Trinity, lest we should think the Persons of whom it consists to have material bodies, and we should thus suspect that there are three Gods, when He came to the creation of man, He then expressed Himself ambiguously in the plural number, yet in such a way that it could be understood ²⁵⁹ that He was speaking only of two. But after some time had elapsed, He is again found using an expression more distinctly plural when He says: Come, let us go down and confound their language ²⁴⁵-----an expression which can no longer be thought applicable to two only, but to three or more. Then again after an interval of a great many years, not to introduce a host of instances, God again used an expression ambiguously respecting the Trinity, repeating thrice through Isaiah the word Holy which he made applicable to one God, saying: The Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory;²⁴⁶ showing both the number of the three Persons and the unity of the Godhead. But in the days of the Lord Christ according to the flesh, He taught this clearly, saying: Go ye, and make disciples of all |237 the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,²⁴⁷ speaking indeed of one name, but distinguishing them into three Persons. And since he was going to proclaim these things clearly, giving intimation of them beforehand, through the form of the bond-servant, on his first making the announcement at the creation of man, He used the plural number: Let us make man. When therefore the Lord shall come from heaven, He takes with Himself into the kingdom of heaven the faithful, the righteous, the worthy, both angels and men; but as for the rest, some of them He permits to be outside of the firmament, and others He consigns to the nether parts around the earth, according to what He says in the Gospel in the account of the consummation of things: Then there shall be two men in the field, one is taken, and one is left; two women shall be grinding at the mill, one is taken, and one, is left;²⁴⁸ as if He said those in the field, namely, all those that are in the world whether rich or poor or middle-class, that is to say whatever be their rank in life, whosoever is found worthy is taken into heaven; but if he be not worthy, he is left upon the earth. Then when He speaks of those grinding at the millstone, He means those that are bond-servants, and such of those bond-servants as are found worthy are taken into heaven, while those that are unworthy are left upon the earth. By His using the masculine form in the first instance, and then the feminine form²⁴⁹ afterwards, He has indicated the difference of sex, whether they be males or females, whether they be righteous or sinners.

The Apostle Paul also, in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians, expresses himself to the same effect, saying: |238 At the revelation of the Lord Jesus, from heaven, with the angels of his power, in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from, the glory of his might, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed;²⁵⁰ he also showing that for the faithful saints, great and unspeakable glory is treasured up, but to the unbelieving, a doom of destruction,²⁵¹ that is, a punishment in congruity with that state. For in destruction, and sorest ²⁶⁰ punishment and deep repentance, is every one found who does not enjoy the holy delights and glories, and the blessedness treasured up for the righteous. It is the duty then of every Christian in this life to bring himself into bondage, and thereby to make himself obedient unto God, and to believe the whole body of divine scripture both the Old and the New Testament, and to be a strict guardian of the doctrines, and to lead a life consistent with the faith; and, in accordance with what we professed and vowed when going forward to baptism, to thrust away from us and renounce all Satanic and Pagan error, and unbelief and folly and groundless hope. For by remaining in them they will incur the most grievous harm, while calculating and predicting eclipses as a divine science, without possessing any hope beyond this, and while leading others into the errors into which they have themselves been led. Now if any one resorts to these men, as to prophets, when he has lost a mantle or anything else, he hears from them of it, or recovers it through them, who deceive him as to the truth, but if not, then not even this. Such are the hopes of those weak-minded men who ascribe to the |239 heaven a spherical form; nor are they able to hope for anything further, neither a resurrection, nor a kingdom of heaven, nor a better state, since they both lose the sphere, and ruin the hope itself which they have. May it be ours, O honoured head, at the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of our Lady the Mother of God,²⁵² and through those of all the holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors and teachers, to be numbered along with those on the right hand, and to hear with them that surpassing and blessed utterance: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.²⁵³ To Him be glory for ever. Amen!

Note.

The whole scope of this work and of the delineations is to set forth that from the beginning, God, through all the men of old, and also through Moses the Cosmographer, and all the Prophets and Apostles, has shown that there are two states ---- the present state and the future; and we have exhibited also the figure of the whole world, and have shown, that Christians prefer to follow their own principles, and that their ends are in conformity with their principles; and herein we have proclaimed the goodness of |240 God, in the exercise of which He has set an end to this state of discipline, and to wresthngs, and to corruption and death. And we have set forth that in the Lord Christ immortality, incor-ruption, immutability, blessedness, sanctification and righteousness everlasting were prepared for all men, as he had prepared from ²⁶¹ the foundation of the world the second place, which is in heaven, and the second state, as again he showed it to us beforehand typically, by means of the Tabernacle. We have shown besides that the opinion of the Pagans is one which holds out no hope, for they neither expect a second state, nor believe that there will be a resurrection of our bodies, but they lead others into error and are themselves in error, their minds whirling round and round along with that sphere of theirs; and they think it to be impossible for God to raise the bodies of all men, although, as being wise, they ought to know that, if God is judge of the thoughts and hearts of all men, and can discern the thoughts of each man since the beginning of time, He should be able all the more to discriminate the bodies of men. For if he is able to discriminate the things of the spirit, much more is He able to discriminate bodies. For He shakes from its foundations the whole frame of nature, heaven and earth, together with the other elements at the final consummation, and each of these renders back whatever human body it possesses, God, by His power, making the discrimination. And just as one who sifts with a sieve will find the object which he seeks, so, when the whole creation is shaken, those who are sought for will be found amidst it; for saith He through the prophet: For yet once more I shall shake not the earth alone but also heaven.²⁵⁴ But the word, yet once more, signifies, as the Apostle shows, the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show²⁵⁵ thankfulness whereby, we may offer service well-pleasing to God, with reverence and piety and supplication.²⁵⁶

And the Lord referring to the final consummation says: [The texts here quoted are Matt. xxiv, 29 seqq.; I Thess., 15-17; |241 I Cor., xv, 52, 53.] These are the good tidings of the Christians ²⁶² ----these the great and wondrous hopes of the faithful----the resurrection of the dead, and the kingdom of heaven prepared from the foundation of the world for men, who, as soon as they have obtained immortality and incorruption and immutability, together with Christ shall inherit the kingdom of heaven, treading on high the paths of air, and shall reign as kings with Christ----shall with Christ possess heaven as their dwelling-place----being permitted to tread with Christ the entrance into the Tabernacle not made with hands, being called, along with Christ and the holy angels, citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem; rejoicing with Christ, exulting with Christ, exalted with Christ, wearing crowns along with Christ, glorified with Christ, enjoying with Christ the throne of grace, enjoying with Christ righteousness and sanctification and redemption and blessedness, and every eternal and unspeakable good. What nation, or what sect, can by believing possess such hopes except Christians alone?

The Pagans do not believe and are without hope, being in love with the wisdom of this world, which has not the power of itself to take hold of even one of the things, unless a divine illumination should follow. In like manner also the Jews, not believing in Christ, when He appeared and openly proclaimed these things, and confirmed them both by Himself and by His Apostles, have incurred the loss of all these things. The Samaritans ²⁵⁷ again, and the Montanists,²⁵⁸ being more stiff-necked than the Jews, when they could not be taught by Moses and the figures of the world, and did not believe even the prophets, confessing neither angel, nor spirit, nor the immortality of the rational soul, but denying the same doctrines as the Pagans, even the resurrection of the body, suffer the loss of all these things. |242 In like manner again the Manichaeans, who hate the body and do not confess its resurrection, but suppose it to be the workmanship of an evil deity,²⁵⁹ and expect that it will be destroyed, these also are deprived of all good things, being condemned as impious, along with that deity whom they elected for themselves upon earth. In like manner also all the heretics, whosoever deny the assumption of our flesh and of our soul at the time of the Incarnation, and whosoever, by denial, take away the divinity of the Son, and seek to lessen the divinity of the Holy Ghost, are also deprived of all these good things. For those alone who acknowledge one God in three Persons, without beginning, eternal, uncircumscribed, invisible, intangible, incorruptible, immortal, imperturbable, incorporeal, unlimited, incomprehensible, uncompounded, indivisible, the Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible, known and adored in Father, Son and Holy Ghost; who, in the last of the days, at the time of the ²⁶³ Incarnation, desiring to renovate the world which He had created, and having taken again from the holy Virgin Mary our substance, God the Word, with the Father and Holy Ghost, without seed, with a view to renovate the microcosm which is the bond of the whole creation, namely, Man, by His own mere inclination, became united to him, in a union wondrous and indissoluble, in such a way that the assumption was not understood to precede the union, but the formation and assumption and union were simultaneous, and He consented to suffer and to be put to death; and when He had made man perfect through the resurrection, He led him up into heaven, and honoured him with a seat at His right hand, and appointed Him to be judge of all. Those also who, in like manner with Him, live uprightly, enter into the bride-chamber along with the bridegroom, those, to wit, who take away neither His divinity nor His humanity; these with Christ sing together for joy, and reign with Him in heaven, hearing from Him at the final consummation these words: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ²⁶⁰

But of the day of the consummation no one knows except |243 God alone. They say however that, until men become equal in number to the angels, the consummation of the world will not take place. For Moses says: He set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God;²⁶¹ as if he said: He set the bounds in this, in their becoming equal in number to the angels. The Apostle in point of fact also says: But when the fulness of the Gentiles has come in, then all Israel shall thus be saved,²⁶² here clearly speaking of the final consummation. Nay, even the Lord manifestly hints obscurely at this when He says: At the resurrection they are equal to the angels.²⁶³ Ye then, as many as are Christians, and take hold of this hope, and have the Lord Christ as your example and model, when reading this book of mine, pray for me a sinner, that the Lord of all will not disdain me, but will in His mercy make me to be numbered along with you, in company with those on His right hand, while He overlooks our transgressions; and that I may not fail to obtain that blessedness unspeakable, through your prayers and supplications, and by the compassion and kindness and grace of Christ the Saviour of us all, to whom with the Father and with the Holy Ghost be glory both now and evermore world without end, Amen!

A Christian's Christian Topography embracing the whole world.

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ According to the reading of the Greek text (poihsame/nou, a)rcame/nou), which Montfaucon follows in his Latin version, his should be substituted for our; but as Cosmas can neither have meant that Moses made divine scripture, which did not yet exist, his starting-point (ta_j a)forma_j), nor that the narrative of Moses began with the destruction of the firstborn of the Egyptians, I have taken as the proper readings poihsa&menoj and a)rca&menoj.

2. ¹Heb. x, 1.

3. ¹ Gr. meta&lhyin musthri/wn. Metalepsis is still in the Greek Church the term in use for the Holy Communion. By the Mysteries are meant the symbolic rites of the Christian faith, chiefly baptism and the eucharist. The mysteries recognised by St. Theodorus, abbot of the monastery of Studium, in Constantinople, who flourished towards the end of the eighth century, were baptism, eucharist, unction, orders, monastic tonsure, and the mystery of death or funeral ceremonies. The Greek Church now recognises seven mysteries: baptism, chrism or unction immediately after baptism, eucharist, priesthood, penance (meta&noia), marriage and unction (eu)xe/laion), administered by seven priests.

4. ² II Cor. v, 7.

5. ³ John i, 29.

6. ¹ The Heroopolitan, or Western Gulf at the northern extremity of the Red Sea, is called by Eusebius Clysma. As it was said to have been so designated from a town at the northern extremity of the gulf, Clysma was probably situated at, or somewhere near, Suez. Orosius mentions the wheel-tracks here spoken of by Cosmas, as does also Philostorgius in the abstract of his Ecclesiastical History made by Photius (Book in, c. 6). Athanasius, however, and others, thought Clysma was in Arabia, near the mountain to which Philo, an Egyptian bishop, was banished by Constantius.

7. ¹ Luke ii, 22.

8. ² The Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, with special reference to the day on which he was worshipped by the Wise Men of the East.

9. ³ This word means a palm grove. See Strabo's Geog., xvi, ii, 41.

10. ¹ Psalm cv, 38.

11. ² Note by Montfaucon: "This, with the figures that follow, we have purposely omitted, because they were either omitted by the copyists, or clumsily drawn and otherwise useless."

12. ³ See note 2, p. 56.

13. ⁴ The picture is not given in Montfaucon.

14. ¹ Psalm, lxxviii, 16.

15. ² Psalm, cv, 41.

16. ³ I Cor. x, 4.

17. ⁴ Gr. e0kmagei=on.

18. ⁵ Exod. xv, 30.

19. ⁶ Heb. ix, i, 2.

20. ¹ Heb. viii, i, 2.

21. ² Heb. ix, 11, 12.

22. ³ Heb. ix, 24.

23. ⁴ This word (from stu&fw, I contract) is to be found neither in Liddell and Scott's Dictionary nor in that of Sophocles. It is rendered by ex tela in Montfaucon's Latin version.

24. ¹ See the Tabernacle as Cosmas has depicted it in Pl. 12 in the Appendix.

25. ² One of the Ten Attic Orators. He was the friend and political ally of Demosthenes. His orations are lost.

26. ¹ Gr. Katape/tasma, the inner veil, the outer being Ka&lumma.

27. ² Gr. Korti/nai, a Latin word.

28. ³ Gr. strwmatode/smwn.

29. ⁴ dissaki/wn.

30. ⁵de/r0r9eij.

31. ¹ See Pls. 14 and 17 in the Appendix.

32. ¹ Exod. xv, 30.

33. ² Heb. ix, 12.

34. ³ Heb. ix, 11, 12.

35. ⁴ Heb. x, 1.

36. ⁵ Heb. 19, 21.

37. ⁶ Rom. iii, 25.

38. ¹ Irenaeus (76) and Epiphanius (Haer., 30, 13) inform us that the Ebionites (Jewish Christians) maintained the Jewish custom of turning in prayer towards Jerusalem as to the Holy City.

39. ¹ The Greek text has la&brej, which Montfaucon has corrected into labi/dej.

40. ² See Pl. 15 in the Appendix.

41. ³ Eccl. i, 6.

42. ⁴ See Pl. 19 in the Appendix.

43. ¹ Rom. iii, 25.

44. ² Heb. ix, ii, 12.

45. ³ See Pl. 16 in the Appendix.

46. ⁴ Luke i, 13.

47. ⁵ John i, 29.

48. ¹ Gr. papulew&nwn, incorrect for papilew&nwn or papiliw&nwn. This is a Latin word (pavilio, a butterfly, a tent), and hence Cosmas may be excused for tripping in its spelling. See Pl. 18 in the Appendix.

49. ² Gr. Xitw_n kosu&mbrwtoj, kai\ e0pwmi\j, kai\ podh~rej (should be podh&rhj, xitw&n being understood), kai\ ki/darij, kai\ zw&nh, kai\ mi/tra, kai\ pe/talon. The word e0pwmi/j, as used by Greek writers, denotes the point of the shoulder where it joins the collar-bone, and also the part of the women's tunic which was fastened on the shoulder by brooches. The ephod, or vestment worn by the Jewish high priest over the blue tunic, consisted of two shoulder-pieces, one covering the back, the other the breast, and was therefore not unlike the Greek epomis.

50. ¹ Gr. smara&gdou. The stones, however, were onyx-stones. See Exod., xxviii, 9.

51. ² Gr. to_ logei=on th~j kri/sewj. Logeion denoted the place on the Attic stage from which the players spoke; pulpitum in Latin. Here it is used in the sense of lo&gion, an oracle. Kri/sij denotes the judicial sentence by which one is justified or condemned; and the wearing of the plate was meant to signify God's acceptance of Israel, grounded on the sacrificial functions of the high priest.

52. ³ Some think that in the breastplate there were inserted two images which personified Lights and Perfections, the mysterious Urim and Thummim. Others again take Urim and Thummim to be the breastplate itself, with its rows of precious stones. After the taking of Jerusalem it was carried to Rome, and with other spoils deposited in the Temple of Peace.

53. ⁴ Gr. a)spidi/skaj, lit. small shields; the ouches of our bible.

54. ¹ Hence its name, podh&rhj.

55. ² Gr. ki/darin bussinh_n. Cidarim Persae regium capitis vocabant insigne; hoc caerulea fascia albo distincta circumibat.----Q. Curtius, iii, 3.

56. ³ Gr. sfragi\j a(gia&smatoj Kuri/ou. See Exod. xxviii, 36: " And thou shall make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, Holy to the Lord." The plate was worn in the mitre, or upper turban.

57. ⁴ Gr. bombwna&ria. A very rare word. It is used by the Byzantine historian Malala.

58. ⁵ See Pls. 20 and 21 in the Appendix.

59. ¹ According to Josephus, the bells signified thunder, and the pomegranates lightning, or were meant to give notice to the people outside when the priest entered or came forth from the Holy place.

60. ² Psalm lxxviii, 20.

61. ¹ Numerous inscriptions, partly Egyptian and partly Nabataean, are still to be found on the rocks of Sinai. The Egyptian are of great antiquity, even long prior to Moses, as they contain the names of Egyptian kings from Senefu and Cheops down to Ramses II.

The discovery, moreover, of the cuneiform tablets at Tel-el-Amarna shows us that in the century before the exodus people were writing and corresponding with each other in the east from the Euphrates to the Nile. The Nabataean inscriptions, again, belong to the early inscriptions of the Christian aera, and the characters used are the Western Aramaic or Syriac. Cosmas, with easy credulity, took them to be as old as the time of Moses. Along with Eusebius and Jerome, he identified Mount Serbal with Mount Sinai. The famous monastery of St. Catharine was founded by Justinian in the time of Cosmas.

62. ¹ Galat. iii, 19.

63. ¹ I Cor. xv, 21.

64. ¹ Heb. xii, 11.

65. ² Gr. Diagra&fomen... th_n stratopedarxi/an. The proper meaning of stratopedarchia is the office of a military commander. Cosmas seems to use it here instead of stratopedeuma---- a camp. Neither these sketches, nor those of the men of old and the Prophets mentioned below, are given.

66. ¹ See note 2, p. 164.

67. ² Ephes. v, 32.

68. ³ Coloss. i, 15.

69. ⁴ Gr. th_n i0sotimi/an kai\ to_ xre/oj th~j fu&sewj a)naplhrw&saj. The debt was that which was due by the woman to Adam, and which she acquitted by bearing Christ without seed. There seems to be reference also to the debt which Adam incurred by his sin, and which Christ paid by His death.

70. ¹ Rom. v, 14.

71. ² Gen. iii, 20.

72. ¹ Gen. iv, 25.

73. ²Gen. v, 1-3.

74. ¹ Luke xv, 7.

75. ² Ephes. iii, 10

76. ³ Heb. xii, 22-24.

77. ¹ Heb. ix, 27.

78. ² Gen. ii, 17.

79. ¹ Gr. fhsi/n, saith he, that is, the Apostle, which I think should be fasi\n -- say they.

80. ² Gen. iv, 15.

81. ¹ Heb. xi, 5.

82. ¹ Gen. vi, 16.

83. ² Gen. ix, 24.

84. ³ Gen. ix, 26, 27.

85. ¹ Gen. ix, 27.

86. ² Coloss. ii, 9.

87. ¹ Gen. ix. 1-4.

88. ² Gen. ix, 6.

89. ¹ Gen. iii, 22.

90. ² Gen. i, 27.

91. ¹ Gen. xxv, 23.

92. ¹ Gen. xxii, 19.

93. ² Montfaucon has here this note: "He (Cosmas) calls them Careni, from Charan or Carrhae, whither Abraham withdrew on leaving Chaldaea."

94. ³ Astronomy, Astrology, and Incantation.

95. ¹ Gen. xxii, 10.

96. ² Rom. viii, 32.

97. ³ Gr. a)nta&llagma kai\ a)nti/deicin. The latter is not a classical word. The Dictionary of Sophocles gives demonstration as its meaning.

98. ⁴ John viii, 56.

99. ⁵ Gen. xxvii, 29.

100. ¹ Gr. e0k blastou~----the reading of the Septuagint.

101. ² Gen. xlix, 8-12.

102. ¹ Gen. xxviii., 15.

103. ² I.e., to receive the things which foreshadowed Christ.

104. ¹ Gr. dia_ th~j vefe/lhj promhnu&wn th_n du&sin tou~ no&mou. The cloud here referred to is the thick cloud which rested upon Sinai at the giving of the law. Such expressions as: We are not under law but under grace, We have been discharged from the law, and others similar, used by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, warrant Cosmas in speaking of the setting of the law under the Christian dispensation.

105. ² Gr. diagwgh_n. The Latin version has commemorationem by a printer's error for commorationem.

106. ³ "We thus," says Montfaucon in a foot-note "restore the mutilated text, for in the Codex it is unlike the Greek Septuagint."

107. ⁴ Deut. xviii, 15, 18.

108. ⁵ Num. xxiv, 17.

109. ¹ The Latin version has collimat, a printer's error for collinet.

110. ² Gr. a)stei=oj, tw~| Qew~| gennhqei\j. The Latin version has vir urbanus, Deo natus. In Exod. ii, 2, where Moses is described as a goodly child, the Septuagint has, as the corresponding epithet, a)stei/on.

111. ³ ta_j meta_ tau~ta do&caj merikw~j prodiegra&feto. The Latin version has: gloriam postea distributam per partes praenuntius adumbrabat.

112. ¹ Gr. tou~ de\ w)|dou_j touj legome/nouj, boukoli/ouj. lit., "another, the songs called pastoral." boukoli/ouj is not a classical form.

113. ² Gr. e carxon. Cf. 'Aoidoi\ qrh&nwn e carxoi. Homer, Il. xxiv, 271.

114. ³ Cosmas takes this to be a different man from the real author, the great Moses.

115. ¹ The word used in the Septuagint for the Hebrew Selah.

116. ² I Chron. xxv, 6.

117. ³ II Sam. vi, 21.

118. ¹ The last two Psalms are numbered in the Greek text 44 and 109, as in the Septuagint.

119. ² Acts iv, 27.

120. ¹ Acts xiii, 32, 33.

121. ² Psalm ii, 9.

122. ³ Matt. xxi, 9.

123. ⁴ Matt. xxi, 16.

124. ⁵ Luke xix, 39

125. ¹ Matt, xxi, 16.

126. ² Philip, ii, 6.

127. ³ Luke xix, 40.

128. ⁴ Psalm viii, 5.

129. ¹ Heb.i, 8.

130. ²Heb. i, 9.

131. ¹ Matt, xxii, 43, 44.

132. ² The text has e0pitre/petai, but this must be a mistake for protre/petai and I have translated accordingly.

133. ³ Dan. vii, 14.

134. ⁴ Matt. xxvii, 18.

135. ⁵ Psalm cx, 4.

136. ¹ Heb. v, 4, 5.

137. ² Psalm xxii, 18.

138. ³ Psalm lxix, 21.

139. ⁴ Psalm xvi, 8.

140. ⁵ Psalm lxviii, 18.

141. ⁶ Deut. xxx, 12.

142. ¹ Psalm xxii, 1.

143. ² John v, 16, 17.

144. ³Matt. xii, 3, 4.

145. ⁴ Gr. a)ntidiaste/llwn. Montfaucon translates this by comparat, which not only reverses the meaning of the word, but makes the argument unintelligible. Cosmas means that the disciples having done, like David and his men, what was unlawful must, like them, be contradistinguished from the priests, though they were servants like themselves. In the last of the examples, Peter is rebuked for not having made a proper discrimination between Christ and the two prophets.

146. ¹ Matt. xvii, 4.

147. ² Luke ix, 33.

148. ³ Matt. xvii, 5.

149. ¹ Hos. vi, 1-3.

150. ² I Cor. xv, 3.

151. ³ Hos. xi, 12.

152. ¹ Hos. xiii, 14.

153. ¹ Amos iv, 13.

154. ¹ Obad. i, 15.

155. ² Obad. i, 17.

156. ³ Matt. xii, 40.

157. ¹ Isai. vi, 1-3.

158. ² Isai. vi, 7.

159. ³ Isai. liii, 7.

160. ⁴ Isai. liii, 3.

161. ⁵ Luke iv, 18.

162. ¹ Gr. megalofwno&tatoj. In the Greek Anthology this epithet is applied to Pindar.

163. ² Mic. v, 2.

164. ³ Mic. vii, 19.

165. ¹ Gr. dio&ti ou) mh_ prosqh&swsin e)ti tou~ dielqei=n dia_ sou~ ei0j palai/wsin.

166. ² Nah. i, 15.

167. ³ Habak. i, 5.

168. ¹ This is a quotation from Zachar. xi, 12; see Matt, xxvii, 9-10.

169. ² Jerem. xxxi, 31-34.

170. ³ Zeph. ii, 11.

171. ⁴ Zeph. iii, 10.

172. ¹ Zeph. iii, 14, 15.

173. ² Ezek. xxxiv, 23-25.

174. ³ Gr. e0pi\to_ u#dwr th~j diekbolh~j. The Revised Version translates this passage thus: These waters issue forth towards the eastern region, and shall go down into the Arabah: and they shall go toward the sea; into the sea shall the waters go which were made to issue forth.

175. ⁴ Ezek. xlvii, 8, 9.

176. ¹ Dan. ix, 26.

177. ² Dan. ii, 45.

178. ³ Dan. vii, 13 seqq.

179. ⁴ Hag. ii, 24.

180. ¹ Zach. ix, 9.

181. ² Zach. xiii, 6.

182. ³ Zach. xiii, 7.

183. ⁴ Mai. i, 11.

184. ¹ Mal. iii, 5.

185. ² Mal. iv, 2-5.

186. ³ Matt. xi, 14.

187. ⁴ Montfaucon has here the following note: Cosmas at first had placed the four great Prophets after the twelve minor; but afterwards either Cosmas himself or someone else mixed up the great with the minor as in the present text.

188. ¹ Gr. w(j e0pi\ h(merologi/ou.

189. ¹ Gr. e0n toi=j skrhni/oij. This is an erroneous transcription of the Latin word scrinium, a chest for keeping documents.

190. ² Gr. Paraleipome/naj sc. bi/blouj. The two Books of Chronicles.

191. ³ See note 1, p. 200.

192. ¹ John i, 29.

193. ¹ Luke iii, 17.

194. ² Luke i, 76.

195. ³ Luke i, 43.

196. ⁴ Luke i, 48.

197. ⁵ Luke i, 51.

198. ¹ Luke ii, 22.

199. ² Luke ii, 28-32.

200. ³ Luke xvi, 16.

201. ¹ Gr. skopw~| tini. Montfaucon translates: aliqua ratione et scopo; but Cosmas no doubt wrote sko&tw|, with some obscurity.

202. ¹ Marcion flourished about the middle of the second century; Manichaeus, after the middle of the third.

203. ² Eutychês, who belonged to the fifth century, was a Presbyter and Abbot at Constantinople, where he headed the party opposed to the Nestorian doctrines. He asserted that in Christ there is but one nature----that of the Incarnate Word. Arius denied that the Son was co-equal or co-eternal with the Father. He flourished in the earlier part of the fourth century. Apollinarius, called Apollinaris by Latin writers, was Bishop of Laodicca in 362. He was condemned as a heretic by the Council of Constantinople in 381, on the ground that his doctrine denied the true human nature of Christ.

204. ³ Luke xvi, 16.

205. ⁴ Matt, ii, 12.

206. ¹ Matt. xx, 24.

207. ²Matt, xxv, 34.

208. ¹ Matt. xxv, 34.

209. ² Matt. xxv, 41.

210. ³ Gr. ka&tw peri\ th_n gh~n.

211. ⁴ Matt. xxv, 12.

212. ¹ Matt, xxii, 2.

213. ¹ I Cor. ii, 9.

214. ¹ Matt, i, 8.

215. ¹ Gr. e cw tou~ ska&mmatoj u(perakonti/saj. Scamina. is a place dug out and sanded for wrestling, leaping, &c.

216. ¹ Matt. iii, 1, 2.

217. ² Matt. xxii, 30.

218. ¹Luke i, 4.

219. ¹ Luke ii, 14.

220. ¹ Luke xx, 47.

221. ¹ The Greek text reads: kai\ a)naplhrw&saj ta_ loipa_ toi=j a!lloij. I have, however, translated in accordance with what must be the proper punctuation: kai\ anaplhrw&saj: ta_ loipa_ toi=j a!lloij o(moi/wj e0cei/pe.

222. ¹ Psalm cx, 1.

223. ² Deut. xviii, 15.

224. ³ Acts ii, 24.

225. ¹ Gr. a)gwnoqe/thn.

226. ² This idea Cosmas borrowed from St. Chrysostom.

227. ³ Acts vii, 59.

228. ¹ Ephes. ii, 6.

229. ² Rom. viii, 24.

230. ¹ Heb. iv, ii.

231. ²Heb. i, 14.

232. ³I Cor. vi, 2, 3.

233. ¹ Gr. spermolo&gon. This word means figuratively one who picks up and retails scraps of knowledge, and is translated by babbler in Acts xvii, 18. See note on this word in Book vii.

234. ¹ Heb. iii, 6.

235. ² I Tim. iii, 15

236. ¹ I.e., of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

237. ² Gr. meta&lhyij. See note 1, p. 140.

238. ¹ Gr. katoptrizo&menoi. I follow Beet's translation of this word----beholding re flected as in a mirror. 'The Revised Version has: reflecting as a mirror.

239. ² II Cor. iii, 18.

240. ³ John i, 16.

241. ¹ Gr. u(posta&sesin. Hypostasis denotes the real nature of a thing, as underlying its outward form and properties. It is thus equivalent to ou)si/a, and to its own Latin etymological representative substantia. The Latin Christians, however, since they used substantia to translate ousia, found it necessary to use a different term to translate hypostasis, and adopted persona (pro&swpon). Hypostasis thus came to differ from ousia as species differs from genus, so that it denoted the specific nature (i0diw&mata) of a person or thing, in contra-distinction to the generic nature.

242. ¹ Gen. i, 26.

243. ¹ I Cor. xi, 7.

244. ¹ Gen. i, 26.

245. ²Gen. xi, 7.

246. ³ Isai. vi, 3.

247. ¹ Matt, xxviii, 19.

248. ² Matt, xxiv, 40.

249. ³ Referring to the text quoted above: o( ei[j paralamba&netai and mia paralamba&netai.

250. ¹ II Thess. i, 7-9.

251. ² Gr. di/kh o)le/qrioj. The Latin version gives here poena aeterna.

252. ¹ Gr. th~j despoi/nhj h(mw~n Qeoto&kou. Latin: Dominae nostrae deiparae. Nestorius, the Primate of the Eastern Church, vehemently condemned the application of the term Qeoto&koj to the Virgin Mary. "The Blessed Virgin", says Gibbon, "he revered as the Mother of Christ, but his ears were offended with the rash and recent title of Mother of God, which had been insensibly adopted since the origin of the Arian controversy. From the pulpit of Constantinople.... he repeatedly preached against the use, or the abuse, of a word unknown to the Apostles and unauthorised by the Church." He thus kindled a controversy which raged so furiously that it threatened the disruption of the Church, led to the convocation of the Council of Ephesus (431 A.D), and resulted in his deposition from his episcopal office. It seems singular that Cosmas, who was most probably a Nestorian, should use a term so much reprobated by his master.

253. ² Matt, xxv, 34.

254. ¹ Hagg. i, 7.

255. ² Gr. e xomen. A printer's error for e xwmen.

256. ³ Heb. xii, 28.

257. ¹ Members of this sect still exist at Nablus, as they have existed in that district from the time of Christ. In their creed and form of worship they closely agree with the Rabbinical Jews, but they reject the "Traditions". They retain, however, the sacrifice of a lamb at the Passover.

258. ² This was a Phrygian sect founded about 171 A.D. The Montanists practised fasting, held the doctrine of the Millennium, and were noted for their austere manners and the severity of their discipline. Jerome wrote against them.

259. ¹ Manichaeus, called also Manes, being a Persian, maintained the doctrine of two co-eternal principles, the one good and the other evil.

260. ² Matt. xxv, 34.

261. ¹ Deut. xxxii, 8. This is the reading of the Septuagint. In our version the reading is: according to the number of the Children of Israel.

262. ² Rom. xi, 25, 26.

263. ³ Luke xx, 36.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: cosmas_06_book .htm

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 244-262. Book 6

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 244-262. Book 6

BOOK VI. SUPERADDED.

Regarding the Size of the Sun.²⁰⁴

FTER my work had been finished, some questioned us about the figure of the world, saying: "How can the sun possibly be hidden, as you hold, by the northern parts of the earth, which according to you are very high, while he is many times larger than the earth? For in the case of the sphere which we advocate, however much greater the sun may be than the earth, he will always, when giving light to one part of her surface, leave the other in shadow." To those so questioning us we have made a very brief reply, that such a thing is false and a pure fiction, having shown first from the climates ¹ which they themselves, recognise, that the sun projects shadows between which there is no difference, and next from what we ourselves saw with our own eyes in the parts of Axômis in |245 Ethiopia. For, at the beginning of the summer solstice on the twenty-fifth day of the month Payni at the sixth hour of the day when the sun is now at the meridian, we plainly saw that a man's shadow inclined to the south.² And when I was resident here in Alexandria, at the same time of the year on the twenty-fifth, that is of Payni, and until the thirtieth of Thôth at the sixth hour of the day when we were standing under the sun, I pointed out that the shadow inclined to northward only a single foot. And, according to them, Alexandria is the third climate. Now in this city there happened to be living that extremely pious and admirable man, Abbot Stephanus, the Presbyter of Antioch, a most Christian man and verily to be |246 numbered among the perfect, and as he was accurately versed in lunar calculations, and moreover able, in accordance with the scheme of the world which we have laid down from divine scripture, to predict readily both solar and lunar eclipses, he willingly turned his attention to this subject. Accordingly when in the month Thôth of the current tenth indiction ³ he was asked by the erudite Anastasius, a man of science and learning, and superior to many in point of experience, to predict when an eclipse of the sun would take place, he stated that there would be one in that very indiction on the twelfth day of the month Mechir; and it did so occur. He predicted also a lunar eclipse for the twenty-fourth of Mesori in the same indiction. Anastasius was much surprised, and asked him next to tell what past eclipses there had been, and when he had declared them correctly great again was his surprise. There were present too some other scientific men, friends of ours, at this conversation. Now this God-beloved man, who has a curiosity to investigate such ²⁶⁵ matters, and who lived in Antioch and, for many years also, at Constantinople, told us himself that he had measured the shadows in both these cities, and assured us that at Antioch the shadow projected a foot and a half at the time already mentioned,⁴ while at Byzantium it projected two feet. Now Antioch is in the same climate as Rhodes, namely, in the fourth, but Byzantium is a little |247 beyond the fifth. For it is in the following way they distinguish the climates. The first is, they say, the climate of Meroê; the second of Syênê; the third of Alexandria, the fourth of Rhodes, the fifth of Hellespont, the sixth of the middle of Pontus, the seventh of the river Borysthenes and the Maeotic lake, and the last of the Ocean. If therefore, as we have seen with our own eyes here, in the climate which, according to their own laying down, is the third, the shadow falls only one foot towards the north, and in the fourth one foot and a half, and in the fifth two feet, is it not manifest that the shadow is either lengthened or shortened by half a foot for each climate? And if this be true, as assuredly it is, the sun will be found to have the size of two climates and no more. For if, in the third climate, he throws a shadow of one foot, in the second he will beyond all question throw one of half a foot, while in the first he will throw none at all.⁵ |248 But as we said by anticipation in the second book, there He between Meroê and the Ocean in the south many of the |249 stages into which the earth is partitioned. For, from the Cataracts to the ocean we remember having stated that the number of halting-places in that distance was seventy more or less. But the number of climates which they suppose to exist they reckon at somewhere about twenty only.⁶ So then quite clearly the shadow in the climate of Axômê, a city of the Ethiopians, is found projecting more than a foot to the south, so that everything goes to show that, if the sun in his passage through the summer tropic be between Syênê and Axômis, he has the size of two climates.⁷ Is it not then false and fabulous what they say about the sun, that he is greater than the earth? And how too comes it, if, as they say, the earth is spherical, the shadow does not vary on the convex surface of the earth? For since they place the torrid zone in the centre, it follows of necessity that the parts on each side of that zone must be depressed. And they assert that none can inhabit the torrid zone----yea, even that the northern part of the world which is inhabited by us is many stages distant from the torrid zone. And I wonder again if, in those convex parts of the earth which they suppose to exist, the shadows are able to observe such a proportion that they increase or diminish by half a foot for each climate, as with God's help we have demonstrated and with our very eyes have witnessed to be the case, and have shown to the men with whom we have conversed----men by no means novices but adepts in science, |250 and earnestly maintaining this opinion. But further again ²⁶⁶ they affirmed most positively that when the illuminating body is large and the body which is illuminated small, and each of them spherical, the shadow produced is beyond question conical----for the rays of the larger sphere, passing beyond the smaller on this and on that side, necessarily make a very acute cone; and they endeavoured by means of geometrical demonstrations to circumvent us; but on this point we very concisely by optical experiments again showed the falsehood of what they alleged; for, fetching a small wooden globe, we drove a nail into it by which we held it in our hands, and on stretching it out to the sun, we saw that the shadow was round and not conical. And we said to them, look you now how small the sphere is which we hold out, and how great, according to you at any rate, the sun is, and yet he does not make a conical but a round shadow.⁸ And we made the experiment both at a short and at a long distance----and they found nothing to show the truth of what they say, but with their specious sophistries they delude the multitude. We, again, fetching a cone-shaped vessel, then showed them that a conical body produces a shadow conical like itself. And, it is the truth I speak, O most God-beloved Father, through the power of Christ they went away dumbfounded and sadly crestfallen, having been put to shame by our exposure of their fictions. And now behold, we also, in accordance with an art of theirs, having drawn lines and imprinted one for each climate as they are wont to do, are able, if first |251 strengthened by the divine power, to show that the sun is not greater than two climates, in order that they may learn in this manner not to arch their neck proudly, but to bow submissively to divine scripture.

²⁶⁷ The straight (horizontal) line is the earth----the nine lines drawn perpendicular to it are so many bodies standing each of them for one of the climates. The lines drawn from the sun to these bodies are the rays of the sun which, falling simultaneously upon the bodies on this and that side, produce the shadows as we have depicted them in ink. That particular line which descends straight down, since it falls upon the top of the body perpendicularly, produces no shadow for it is greater than the body and shines all round it.

The Lord also bears me witness in the Gospels, when He calls the country of the Homerites, which is not more |252 than a two days' sail by sea distant from Barbaria, the ends of the earth. It is evident again that I am right from the climates which they acknowledge, and from the places of which Ptolemy speaks, he who made war against Ethiopia, and of whom we made mention in the second book. And from the shadows themselves which are produced in each climate, it is proved that the sun does not exceed in size two climates, nay, even that the earth is flat, as the delineation shows, and not spherical.⁹

²⁶⁸ A dissertation by which it is proved more clearly and comprehensively that, throughout the whole of divine scripture, we are taught that God has made two states----the present state and the future.

First of all, it is proved from the account of the creation that God divided the one place which extends from the |253 earth to the first heaven, by placing in the middle the firmament, that is, the second heaven, thus making the one place into two places.

Secondly, it is proved from the very structure of man, inasmuch as he consists of two, namely, of mortal and immortal, evidently subjecting him through their contrariety to a life of conflict, in order that he may afterwards be honoured with gifts.

Thirdly, through the two trees which grew in the midst of Paradise, scripture shows that there are two states, one mortal and mutable, and one immortal and immutable. For the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a type of this world as a school of discipline----and the tree of life is a type of the future state, in which neither death nor change has any power.

Fourthly, because the expulsion of the man from the Garden, by God, and his warning him and saying: Lest he should stretch forth his hand and touch the tree of life and eat and live for ever;¹⁰ these are the words of one who imparts knowledge, and obscurely hints that some gift of life eternal is reserved for men after the life of conflict here.

Fifthly, again, we are taught through Lamech the father of Noah, who prophesied and said that his son would deliver us from toils and the curse, and would conduct us to the enjoyment of a better condition.

Sixthly, again, through this Noah we learn that from that first earth, all miserable and thorny, we were transferred to this earth, which we men now inhabit: an earth that is better, and almost equal to Paradise, whereby we are taught the difference between the first and the second state.

Seventhly, we learn that God chose Abraham out of the |254 land of the Chaldaeans and transferred him to Palestine, and promised to give him great gifts and possession of the land, without giving him, however, so much of it as to set his foot on, according to divine scripture, and trained him to have faith, so that he knew to expect with confidence gifts to be bestowed afterwards. And in like manner He showed through Ishmael and Isaac the worth of the two covenants----namely, that one was servile, and the other free.

Eighthly, a second time through Isaac and Rebecca, when twins were born, it was said: The elder shall serve the younger,¹¹ thereby again showing there are two states, one of bondage and the other of freedom.

²⁶⁹ Ninthly, in the case again of Jacob and of Joseph, who could not bear to be buried in Egypt, but only in the Land of Promise, it was shown how each of them longed to obtain from God the hope which had been promised them----namely, of the second state.

Tenthly, the exodus itself in the time of Moses and the deliverance from the bondage of the Egyptians, and the freedom [thus obtained] and the entrance into the Land of Promise, accomplished through Joshua the son of Nun, clearly signified beforehand the two states.

Eleventhly, in like manner the construction of the Tabernacle and of the Temple, which, by means of the veil placed in the middle, was made from one into two----an inner and an outer----prefigured this state and the future state.

But what need is there that I should speak of the dispensations that existed through good men, for instance, the confidence Abel displayed after death, who yet speaketh, crying from the earth in bringing to birth the return of life.

If any reflects about the translation of Enoch, who |255 because he pleased God, was translated that he should not see death, knows with the utmost certainty that there will be a better state, from an occurrence of this nature. Any one who is filled with astonishment, as he thinks of the ascension of Elijah and his passage in a chariot of fire, must see how much the nature of humankind has been honoured, as, it is thereby taught and has the hope, that it can pursue its way to heaven.

Any one who heard the multitudinous host of the heavenly ranks singing in chorus and rejoicing and exulting at the birth of our Lord Christ according to the flesh, and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good-will to men,¹² would be astonished beyond measure as he reflected that the inhabitants of heaven and of earth had joined in making one confession, and that God was well pleased with men.

Any one who had seen the power of the resurrection from the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would, with all his soul stirred up, celebrate without ceasing God the Saviour of all, who made the conflict of body and soul to cease, and brought into concord these two antagonistic parts of our nature, making them in things spiritual mutually conformable.

Any one who takes into view the ascension into Heaven of our Lord Christ, and the angels clothed in white raiment announcing to the Apostles his second coming, would never cease magnifying Jesus who showed and opened up to men the ascent into the future heavenly state, which He had prepared from the foundation of the world;

Any one who looks at the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, and the speech of the great Peter in the midst of all the people, would in praying extol God ²⁷⁰ |256 the giver of all with loud praises, who gave such an earnest and pledge of the future state to men.

Any one who contemplates the calling of the great Paul made from heaven, and his being caught up into the third heaven, and again into Paradise, will lift up his voice to God and say: Glory be unto Thee who through all and unto all graciously givest gifts to men!

Any one who reads the writings of the company of the prophets and priests and righteous men, and also of the Apostles and Evangelists, and thinks of the miracles recorded by them, and of the prophecies and their exact fulfilment, will find that they make mention only of a first and a second state, and have not enumerated any others, as coming either before the first or after the second. Glory to God who spake and prophesied through them all, for ever and ever. Amen!

Any one who preserves deep in his heart remembrance of the second illustrious and glorious coming of our Lord and Saviour Christ, and who takes into mental account His blessed resurrection from the dead, and the change for the better which the world has undergone, and the unspeakable joy and hope laid up for men, will many a time beyond measure admire and extol in songs of praise the Cause of all, the Creator and Restorer of the universe. Yea, rather he will not be able in adequate terms to address Him, who is above all praise and glory and tribute of song, and who, in his supreme goodness from the beginning suitably for us, founded the two states, educating us in the first, and by instruction and reason teaching us to act prudently, and leading the human race and through it the whole creation into the second state. Glory to Thee, glory to Thee, glory to Thee, O thrice Holy, Creator, Maker of all and Restorer of the universe, for ever and ever. Amen!

By all these considerations the opinion of the Christians |257 is shown to be the best of all, and in accordance and harmony with the constitution of the world, and to be most true. It is in accordance with what those who are real and not pretended Christians acknowledge, that from the beginning God not unsuitably, but for apposite and useful ends, divided the one place into two places, preparing and making ready beforehand this place for this present state, and that other place for the future state. The Pagans accordingly, who suppose the world to be eternal, and deny the resurrection of our bodies and their ascension into heaven, looking upon this as foolishness, are properly, in view of their theory, deprived of future honours and of the ascension into heaven. The Jews, who read Moses and the prophets and understood not the great and wise dispensation of God, which through the prophets shows that from the beginning God made two states for the benefit of men, and who did not receive the Prince of the second state----nay, He proved even a stumbling-block ²⁷¹ to them; nor, even until now do they believe that there will be an ascension of men into heaven, but they expect, forsooth, one to come whom they call the Anointed, and who, they hope, will reign over their country, and subject to Himself all the nations, and make no account at all of things heavenly. They thus reject the counsel of God and think that the habitation in the heavens has been prepared without occasion, which Moses, however, shows to have been made not without occasion, saying that it was made on the second day, and that the firmament was placed in the middle, and that two places came to exist; and they themselves also are excluded from this habitation. The Samaritans in like manner, being ignorant of the same things as the Jews, and not believing, and entertaining doubts besides, about the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul, are also like the Jews banished |258 from the habitation in the heavens. The Manichaeans,¹³ holding the same opinions as the Pagans, and supposing also the heaven to be spherical, and expecting the utter destruction of the body, these, along with their evil deity whom they elected for themselves about the earth, are condemned and driven away from the City above, which they denied. In like manner, every heresy which denies the perfect humanity of Christ, namely, a rational soul endowed with intellect, and a body, and which does not acknowledge all the distinctive qualities of the soul and of the body, but wavers in doubt; and the heresy which denies the divinity of Christ and impairs it, and which says that either He or the Holy Spirit is inferior to the Father,¹⁴ all these fail to attain the heavenly mansions.

Blessed then are all those who, through the divine scriptures of the Old and New Testament, recognize the Maker of all things as one God in three Persons, namely Father and Son and Holy Spirit, a holy Trinity, consubstantial, equal in power, in strength, in glory and in honour, and without beginning, and who also recognize the great and wise and omnipotent dispensation of Him who is the Cause of all things; how wisely and harmoniously He established the two states from the beginning----the present state and the future----and through the perfect humanity of Christ who is like to us in all things both in body and soul, sin only excepted, and who sojourned among men in the last times when He declared and showed the future state, and gave assurance unto all by raising up that humanity from the dead. All the perfect therefore |259 who walk by this rule, peace be upon them and mercy, and at the judgment of God these shall of right hear Christ the Lord in the future state saying unto them from heaven: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.¹⁵ To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen!

The whole scope accordingly of the divine economy is this----for we must briefly recapitulate what that scope ²⁷² is----God of His goodness willed to let others participate in existence, and power, and reason, and knowledge, but, because those who participate in these cannot possibly know and possess all things in combination (for this belongs to God alone, to know all these things without learning and experience, being of Himself both power and reason and knowledge, while created beings participate in all these things from their Maker), He made those two states together, the first mortal and mutable, for the trial and discipline of rational beings, in order that, being exercised by the variety of the universe and the juxtaposition of contraries, we might have experience of pleasures and pains; then the second state, an immortal and immutable enjoyment of His gracious goodness, to the end that, from our acquired power of discernment, we may receive possession of the pleasures. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen!

No religion therefore, neither the Judaic, nor the Samaritan, nor the Pagan, nor the Manichaean, believes or hopes that there is a resurrection or an ascension into heaven for men; but such of these religions as think that heaven is a sphere, namely the Pagan and the Manichaean, are consistent with themselves in holding their unbelief. For, where are they able to find a place in the sphere for the kingdom of heaven? They are both of them |260 therefore justified in denying the resurrection of the body, and in saying that souls only are glorified or punished after the life here----or in saying, as some of them do, that souls are whirled round along with the sphere and see all things, or are condemned to be cast into Tartarus. Some of them even hold that souls are transmigrated into other bodies, while others deny the soul's immortality, and not one of them possesses any hope of the body after the present life. But those religions which do not believe in a sphere, namely the Jews and Samaritans, but think that the firmament, which is in the middle of the one place and thus makes two places, was made without occasion, these also, it necessarily follows, have fallen under the sway of unbelief; for the Samaritans acknowledge neither a resurrection nor an ascension into heaven, nor admit that the soul is immortal, but think that our race will continue for ever, while the Jews acknowledge a resurrection for men, but say that we shall live upon the earth and eat and drink and marry and be given in marriage, as, in the Gospels, the Sadducees proposed a question to the Lord, saying: In the resurrection of which of the seven shall she be the wife? ¹⁶ These the Lord very summarily convicted of error and of not knowing divine scripture, in which there is the power of God, saying to them: For, in the resurrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the ²⁷³ angels of God in heaven.¹⁷ It is therefore proved against these, both from what is written and from the figure of the world prepared from its foundation, that the upper place was not made without occasion----but that there is a second heavenly state prepared from the foundation of the world. And, in like manner, every heresy among the Christians can be refuted; those also among the Pagans, the Manichaeans for instance, which suppose the |261 heaven to be a sphere, or those which embrace the theory of an antecedent life, or those which deny that in Christ there was aught of our nature, either body or soul or intellect, do greatly err, neither knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. For those only are perfect Christians who without error follow divine scripture, and who know, both from what is written and from the figure of the first and second state, the places and the figures which divine scripture mentions, for as this world consists of men and angels: We, saith the Apostle, are made a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men,¹⁸ so also the higher place again has been prepared beforehand for angels and men. Glory for all to God the King of the Ages. Amen!

The heaven is bound together with the earth, and is divided into parts, for as it forms the two vaulted chambers and the two walls on each side, and after the manner of vaulted chambers has one of these walls curving round till it joins the other, and completes the entire figure (to_ sxh~ma) of the world. And this figure, that is, the |262 magnitude of the sun and of the earth, we here delineate ¹⁹ in accordance with the views of those pagans, in order that any one who sees the two delineations may be able to compare the one with the other, how that in the delineation, which represents our view ²⁰ in accordance with the reality, the rays of the sun falling upon bodies produce shadows for each climate agreeably to our previous description, these shadows showing a difference of half a foot for each climate----and how also that in the delineation here which represents their views, the rays do not fall upon the bodies, so that those climates which they speak of, bodies namely, cannot be illumined by the sun; and hence we see that they turn away from the truth and make a great boast in vain about their fables.

[Footnotes have been renumbered and moved to the end]

1. ¹ Before it was known that the earth was a globe, it was supposed that its surface sloped from south to north, and this slope was called kli/ma. But as science advanced, this term was employed to designate different belts or zones of the earth's surface, as determined by the different lengths of the longest days on their southern and northern limits. Hipparchus (about 160 B.C.), first used this division. The term kli/ma came afterwards to denote the average temperature of each of the zones, and hence the present use of the word.

2. ¹ Mr. Ernest A. Floyer, in a letter sent from Egypt, which appeared in The Academy of th Oct., 1895, makes some interesting remarks about primitive sun-dials in Upper Egypt. He found that there the hours of work for a waterwheel were fixed by such sun-dials. "Two kinds were used. At Edfu a horizontal dhurra stalk lay north and south on two forked uprights. East and west were pegs in the ground, dividing evenly the space of earth between the sunrise and sunset shadows of the horizontal gnomon. Further south the gnomon was a vertical stick." Afterwards he says: "It is generally admitted that the Egyptians ascertained the length of the year to within a few hours. This approximation must have been obtained by measuring the shadow of a gnomon at the summer solstice, which coincided with their principal natural phenomenon, the rising of the Nile. It could hardly be otherwise. Given a constant and never-clouded sun, and a need to divide up the day, the upright stick is brought into use at once. But little time could have elapsed before it was noticed that the noon shadow was longer or shorter one day than the preceding day.... Thus the period from one summer solstice to another could not have remained long unknown". After tracing further the progress of discovery, the writer concludes with two remarks: "First, the effect of the use of a gnomon's shadow leaves its trace to this day on Arabic astronomy. Angles are called shadows. Secondly, measuring the exact length of a shadow on a somewhat rough plane was not easy. Perhaps better results were obtained by examining the faces of an obelisk. If the north face of an obelisk at Luxor sloped at an angle equal to the difference of latitude between Luxor and Syene, then at the summer solstice only all four faces would be equally illuminated."

3. ¹ Regarding indictions, see last note to Book X.

4. ² The height of a man who would cast a shadow of 1½ foot in the latitude of Antioch, when the sun was on the meridian "at the beginning of the summer solstice", would be about 6¾ feet. This, however, can only be considered approximate, as there is some uncertainty about the length of the foot used, and of the exact declination of the sun at a time now so long past. In computing the height of the man, a plus correction of 12' has been applied to the sun's declination at the present day, and this may be taken as approximately correct.

5. ¹ The sun is so far distant from the earth that its mean parallax is only about 8", and therefore the rays of light falling on to the earth may be considered as parallel lines; and from the diagram below it will be at once seen that if the earth were flat, as Cosmas supposes,

the shadow of the gnomon would be the same length all the world over, at the same instant of time. Thus what is advanced by Cosmas in support of his theory of a flat earth proves the very opposite; for the fact of the shadows being of different lengths, as he had observed them to be, at the same season in different latitudes, is owing entirely to the curvature of the earth's surface. This, I think, is very clearly shown on diagram 2. If the sun were a small object and near to the

earth, of course the length of the shadows would be different for different latitudes, supposing the earth to be flat. This is shown in diagram 3. It is on the assumption of a near sun that the fallacy of

the whole argument lies. Cosmas builds his whole theory on this false basis.

6. ¹ Ptolemy reckoned nineteen climates. See Ukert. Geog., vol. i, Pt. II, pp. 182 ff.; or Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, p. 297.

7. ² The fallacy of this so-called proof lies also (as shown in note on pp. 247, 248) in the fact that Cosmas founds it on the supposition that the sun is near the earth. It falls through at once when we consider that the sun's rays are practically parallel lines, and the fact that the shadows vary in length, and in one place fall to the north and in another to the south, is owing to the spherical form of the earth.

8. ¹ Cosmas evidently misunderstood the phrase used: a cone casts a conical shadow when the rays are perpendicular (or nearly so) to its axis, and fall on a parallel surface, and the great distance of the sun prevents the cone of shadow from a sphere being observed, unless it be so small that it can be held more than 110 times its diameter from the surface on which the shadow falls. As the distance is increased, the circular shadow diminishes to a point, and then vanishes.

9. ¹ Cosmas is more plausible than lucid in his reasoning; his figure shows three climates from Syene to Axomis, but possibly he meant to say between Syene and Ethiopia. Taking the breadth of the two between Alexandria and Byzantium as about 635 geographical miles, this is his "size" of the sun. In order to appear with a diameter of about 33' of arc, its distance from the earth would be about 66,260 miles. But this is inconsistent with his argument from the length of the shadows. A gnomon 7 feet in height would cast a shadow of 11 inches at the summer solstice at Alexandria; of 1 foot 6 4/5 inches at Antioch; and of 2 feet 1 inch at the Hellespont, or 2 feet 2 inches at Byzantium; his measurements are, therefore, only approximate. But assuming them----that his gnomon was one of 7 feet, and that the earth were a plane, the sun's distance is easily deduced as about 4,400 miles, and his diameter as about 42 miles; a flat earth and a sun at a much greater distance than this would bring the shadows more near to the same length.

Cosmas was not the last to hold the theory of the earth being a plane. From 1848 to about 1865, Mr. S. Goulden, in various papers, propounded the doctrine that the earth is not a globe; he called his system Zetetic Astronomy. About 1865 was issued the prospectus of a book on the subject, in the contents of which was given "Distance of the Sun from London 4028 miles----How measured."----See De Morgan's Budget of Paradoxes, pp. 807-8.

10. ¹ Gen. iii, 22.

11. ¹ Gen. xxv, 23.

12. ¹ Luke ii, 14.

13. ¹ Manes, or Manichaeus, their founder, appeared about the year 270 A.D. The sect spread chiefly in Persia, Arabia, Egypt, and other parts of the East. St. Augustine at the age of twenty became a Manichaean, and continued to be one for nine years. See note 1, p. 242.

14. ² The Arians.

15. ¹ Matt, xxv, 34.

16. ¹ Matt, xxii, 28.

17. ² Ibid., 30.

18. ¹ I Cor. iv, 9.

19. ¹ See preceding page. [Note to online text: diagram in body of text]

20. ² See above, p. 251.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 263-303. Book 7

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 263-303. Book 7

BOOK VII.

Concerning the Duration of the Heavens.^{1 274}

WILL not refuse, O most studious Athanasius, to comply with your request, that I should compose a discourse on heaven; but, for the sake of clearness, I shall first enquire whether divine scripture pronounces it to be indissoluble or dissoluble, for you have informed me that one of those who glory in being Christians, when wishing to speak against the Pagans, unconsciously agreed with them in their opinion, that heaven is a sphere which is always revolving; and yet that in the same work he proclaimed it to be dissoluble. I know not what induced him to make this assertion, and I could not but wonder that the wisdom of a man of so great learning should be blinded by his craving for distinction. For if, as a Christian, he had in view to refute the view of the Pagans, he ought first to have overthrown from the foundation their principles relating to the sphere and its revolution, just as we ourselves, by the will of God, have done in the other work, which as requested we composed. But if he admits their foundation and their principles, from which their demonstrations of eternal duration proceed, why does that wise man indulge to no |264 purpose in idle talk, basing his nonsense not on a rock, but upon the sand? For no man of common sense would assert that what is in perpetual motion is corruptible and dissoluble, or that what is corruptible and dissoluble is in perpetual motion, but would admit that what is in perpetual motion is, in virtue of such motion, incorruptible, but that what is not in motion and dissoluble, is beyond question corruptible, because, by ceasing to move, it is not in perpetual motion. How then does that man who is so very learned, while admitting that the heaven is in perpetual motion, though divine scripture judges otherwise, determine it to be dissoluble? For among the philosophers whether of old or late times who are the most celebrated among the pagans, and have been of opinion that the heaven is a sphere, has he found one affirming that it is dissoluble? It is the fact rather that all of them, proceeding on the illative method, have declared it to be indissoluble. This man, observe, invents new absurdities, and neither following the teaching of those outside the Church, nor submissively accepting the spiritual tradition of those within her pale, but ignorant both of the diversity of the doctrines of the Pagans, and of the pure and simple learning of those within the Church, has taken in hand to teach new doctrines without previous examination, and without taking into account that his own statements are in mutual conflict, and ²⁷⁵ without thinking of the questions to which they give rise; just as an inexperienced traveller, who has strayed from the highway, is cruelly pierced² and torn by thorns and briars and the points of jagged rocks, on whichsoever side he turns; so this admirable man, being wounded when taking his way into the enemy's country, is easily overthrown. |265

Wherefore, O Christ-loving! I deemed it sufficient that you, on reading our little treatise (for we must speak humbly of what we have done), namely, the Christian Topography of the whole world, should see how that in the first book we used arguments drawn from the natural world, against those, who, while seeming to be Christians, nevertheless supposed heaven to be a sphere----that in the second, we have exhibited the Christian theories concerning the figure and position of the whole world from divine scripture; that in the third we have shown how firm and sure, and how worthy of belief is divine scripture, and of what utility figures of the whole world are; that in the fourth we have given a summary recapitulation together with a drawing of the Tabernacle prepared by Moses, and shown also the harmony of the Prophets and Apostles; and that in the sixth we have treated of the size of the sun, and have thus brought our little work to its completion. Nevertheless I again, at the earnest desire and request of your Reverence, which, as has been said, I cannot disregard, will endeavour, agreeably to your command and to the best of my ability, to confute briefly from divine scripture those who hold that the heavens will perish, and, with the help of divine grace and your prayers, to prove their permanency. We shall state first, what forms of speech divine scripture employs when treating of heaven, and then shall show that it everywhere decides that the heavens are indissoluble.

Since the Old Testament was written for the Hebrews, it follows of necessity that it was written in the Hebrew tongue and in Hebrew characters. The Hebrew tongue then uses similarly the expressions, the heaven and the heavens, so that there is no difference between them, but the singular form is employed for the plural, and the plural for the singular, as when it says: Praise him, ye heavens of the heavens----instead of saying heaven of heaven----and |266 adds: And the water which is above the heavens³ ---- that is: this visible heaven ---- namely, the firmament ---- for the waters are above the firmament only, according to the sacred historian Moses. In like manner it says: The heavens declare, the glory of God, and the firmament showeth forth the work of his hands⁴ ---- here beginning with the plural number and ending with the singular ---- in order that by each form of expression it may indicate the same thing, that the very sight of the heaven, that is, of the firmament which we see, proclaims both the glory and the handiwork of God, through the order and magnificence which they display. In like manner again: The heaven of heaven to the Lord, but the earth hath he given to the sons of men,^{5 276} here calling the first and higher heaven which is the heaven to this visible heaven, and which is placed above it ---- the heaven of heaven. In like manner again the great Moses says: Behold the heaven of the Lord thy God, and the heaven of heaven; as if he said: this heaven visible to us, and its heaven, that is, the heaven above it. Paul also uses this form of expression, exclaiming: But our citizenship is in the heavens, from which also we look for a Saviour,⁶ here beginning with the plural number but ending with the singular, for instead of saying from which in the plural, he says from which in the singular.⁷ For as two heavens were made by God, as the blessed Moses relates, and the two were bound together, sacred scripture speaks of them sometimes in the plural number and sometimes in the singular, in accordance, as has been said, with the idiom of the language, or even because the heavens at some of their parts are mutually conjoined and so become as one, as has been said.

Lest therefore you should be led into error when you |267 hear that the blessed Paul had been caught up into the third heaven, I must point out that there are not three or more heavens, and that he neither means to say this, nor contradicts Moses----but he means to say that he was caught up from the earth all the distance to the height of heaven except a third of it----as if he said: I was caught up from the earth so very far that there was left to me but a third of the distance to the height of heaven.⁸ Such being the case it is now time for us to remark that divine scripture all throughout proclaims that heaven or the heavens are indissoluble. The Apostle Paul, then, speaks to this effect: For we know that if the earthly house of our Tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, in the heavens,⁹ in order that he may show that the earthly state here shall be dissolved, but that the future state, which is also a heavenly, is indissoluble and eternal. And again he says: We have snch a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man ¹⁰----as if he said: the Lord Christ had been taken up into the heavens, into the true Tabernacle, that is, one which is permanent and indissoluble. For the expression true indicates that it is indissoluble, since that which was prepared by Moses was dissolved; this one as being indissoluble, by way of distinction and in contrast with the other, he calls the true----as being permanent and firm and indissoluble. And again he says: But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own body, entered in once, for all into the holy place, having obtained |268 eternal redemption.¹¹ What he means is something like this: Since God commanded Moses to make the Tabernacle in imitation of the whole world, and he made it, dividing it by the veil in the middle, thus converting the ²⁷⁷ one Tabernacle into two, an outer and an inner, thereby hinting, as it were, at this place, and at that which is above it----And into the first Tabernacle the priests always enter, accomplishing the services, but into the second, the high priest alone, and but once a year enters, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the people.¹²

Wherefore the Apostle Paul says that Christ having come as high priest of the heavens, entered into the higher place with his own blood, just as the earthly high priest entered into the inner tabernacle with the blood of others; and just as the Tabernacle here is small and made with hands, and, as being but a type, is imperfect and dissoluble, so the heavenly is great, and not made with hands, and is steadfast and true and eternal and indissoluble, and in it is the eternal redemption. For the high priest being eternal, of necessity the salvation also and the Tabernacle are eternal, in accordance again with what is written: And they indeed are many priests, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. Wherefore also, he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing that he always liveth to make intercession for them. For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.¹³ The expression higher than the heavens means, according to the idiom of the language, heaven; and, more clearly still, the expressions a)para&baton (unchangeable), and to_ me/nein ei0j to_n ai0w~na (the abiding for ever), and pa&ntote (always) indicate a state of things that |269 is indissoluble. For if the priest is unchangeable, the Tabernacle also, wherein he exercises his office, must of necessity be unchangeable, that is, exempt from succession. And elsewhere again he says: Wherefore we, receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken,¹⁴ as if he said, one that is abiding and immovable and indissoluble and not liable to succession. And again he says: Let us give diligence to enter into that rest;¹⁵ calling it a rest as not admitting of succession, and because when we are there, we shall not be transferred thence, but shall for ever rest in heaven itself. And again he says: Having therefore a great high priest who hath passed througli the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession ¹⁶----the expression who hath passed through the heavens, that is heaven, according to the idiom of the language, means that He is within the two heavens, as in a Tabernacle not made with hands. And again he says: Having therefore boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way;¹⁷ the entrance into the Holies made by the blood of Jesus, he calls His entrance into the heavens, which He made after his Passion and Resurrection, when He was taken up into heaven; which also he calls a new and living way, dedicated for us, because He himself first of all in a new and fresh manner trod that living and holy way, leaving us an example for us to follow. And ²⁷⁸ again he says: And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins; but this man, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever set down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. For by one offering he hath perfected them that are sanctified.¹⁸ If, as He says, he sits for ever at |270 the right hand of God after His Passion and Sacrifice, and for ever sanctifies those coming unto Him, how is it possible that heaven can be dissolved when He sits there for ever, and those coming unto Him are sanctified. And again he says: For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood;¹⁹ and again: For it is testified of him, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.²⁰ Behold how in the clearest terms he speaks of Christ as a perpetual priest in virtue of His power and indissoluble life. How then is it possible for the Priest to be indissoluble whilst the Tabernacle, of which He is the minister, is subject to be dissolved? For he says: A minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man,²¹ thus here, as also in Heb. vi, 16, 17, and 20, and x, 34, expressly declaring it to be true and indissoluble.

See again, admirable Sir, how he speaks of that entrance into what is within the veil, that is, the firmament, into which Jesus entered, and into which we shall enter, that he declares it to be immovable and strong, and secure and steadfast, and abiding and eternal, and like an anchor holding us fast; and again he says: For we have here no abiding city, but we seek that which is to come,²² meaning: We seek that ever-abiding and eternal heavenly Jerusalem, which is free and the mother of all the faithful, for, the one which is here is, he says, in dissolution, according to that which hath been said [in I Cor. vii, 31, and Coloss. iii, 1]. I have told you, Paul there says, the things that are above where Christ is now seated; seek therefore the things that are there, not the things here. But that he calls the city prepared already, you may learn again from Paul [Heb. xi, 16] and ²⁷⁹ from Christ himself [Matt, xxv, 34]. And when |271 was the kingdom of which he there speaks prepared? From the foundation of the world, he tells us, as if he said, from the time at the beginning of the creation, along with the making of the heaven and the earth and the things produced along with them, the place of the kingdom of heaven was prepared, God having provided something better for us. For He says again further in the Gospel according to John: In my Father s house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.²³ He calls the habitation which is in the heavens, His Father's house. In this then, He says, is your habitation, which has been prepared for you by rny Father. Then again He says: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.²⁴ And again to the mother of James and John, who asked that the one of them should sit at His right hand and the other on the left in His kingdom, He answered, saying: It is not mine to give, but for whom it has been prepared by my Father.²⁵ Those that are worthy, therefore, shall obtain these things before I bestow them whether on your sons or on others that are worthy. But the expression that where I am there ye may be also, shows very remarkably that that place is indissoluble, and has been aforetime prepared, and not that another place is substituted (as those wise men imagine), in which we are to dwell after the resurrection, when this place of the heavens shall have been dissolved. And to speak briefly, the passages in divine scripture are almost innumerable which show that the heaven, into which Christ has entered and into which we also shall enter, is indissoluble.

And these things the Lord proclaimed to his disciples; but the Apostle Paul wrote to such of the Hebrews |272 as believed in Christ, pointing out, as was suitable for them, the proper distinctions between all the things relating to the Tabernacle, both to the outer which has reference to this place, and to the inner which has reference to the upper and heavenly place. But to those from among the Pagans who believed, the Corinthians, I mean, men who cultivated learning and philosophy, and who already believed in the resurrection of Christ, but were in doubt concerning the resurrection of men in general, to them again he used the same arguments, and says: Now, if Christ is preached that he hath been raised from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead, neither hath Christ been raised? and if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain and your faith also is vain;²⁶ as if he said: Your faith in Christ is of no use to you, unless our resurrection also is believed by ²⁸⁰ you. For if ye have believed of one that he was raised from the dead, how is it not to be believed that it is possible for all others besides to be raised? For he that can raise one can also raise all. Then he observes: Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up, if so be the dead are not raised.²⁷ But we, he says, who have testified unto you that God raised up Christ shall be found to be liars and impostors. And again he repeats this: For if the dead rise not, neither hath Christ risen, but if Christ hath not risen, your faith is vain-----ye are yet in your sins;²⁸ from that which was confessed and believed in by them, he confutes them and says: for if He, concerning whom you have believed, when He was dead rose again, why do you doubt the resurrection of the other dead, so that you make it appear that you have believed in vain about the resurrection of but one. For he, who is able to |273 raise one of the dead, is able also to raise all the others that are dead. So that by not believing in the resurrection of the dead, you revert to your former superstition, and have fallen away, for this he means by saying: Ye are yet in your sins.²⁹

Then a little after he states also the reason saying: For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection.³⁰ And by way of showing who the first man was by whom death was introduced, he adds; For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.³¹ Then shortly afterwards he says: Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead?³² If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for the dead? Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour?³³ As if he said: Since we are baptized mystically for our dead bodies, being submerged in the holy water and emerging therefrom, thus imitating death and resurrection, from the hope and promise of the resurrection from the dead, why, he says, do we perform these acts in vain by not walking in accordance with them? And why, besides, do we stand in jeopardy every hour, proclaiming these things to so great a multitude, and fighting against the prejudices which prevail in the world? And further he endeavours again shortly afterwards by an antithesis³⁴ and an example taken from the natural world to persuade them on the point and says: But some one will say, How are the dead |274 raised? and with what body do they come? To that he has, be sure, an answer: Thou fool! he says, that which thou sowest is not quickened, unless it die, and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat or of some other kind; but God giveth it a body even as it hath pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own.³⁵ What he says is this: Consider, O men, ²⁸¹ that the bare grain when sown in the earth, in the first place undergoes dissolution, for if this, he says, first dies, it then grows up by the power and providence of God, and reappears richly endowed, artfully contrived and exceeding beautiful; instead of one grain, a great number, instead of being bare, enfolded in a sheath, instead of being easily plucked up and trodden underfoot, firmly rooted and aided by having ears to keep it safe from all that could do it harm. This very body then which has been corrupted and changed into earth, and again sprouts up from the earth multiplied and of an admirable beauty, is a work full of wisdom and art, and most fair to see----a product of the providence of God by whom all things were made.

Consider then that God gives it a body as it pleases Him, and gives to each of the seeds its own body, suitable for it; as if he said: When multiplying seeds God gives to each neither an alien nor a strange body, but a body similar and suitable to it. Then again, after having compared different kinds of flesh, and bodies earthly and heavenly, and shown that a great difference exists between them, he goes on to say: So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power,³⁶ and so forth. Then again he says: But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.³⁷ Having |275 here recourse to arguments from analogies in the natural world, he endeavours to convince of this those conversant with the wisdom of the world, and from the example about grain turns to the resurrection of the dead, saying: Just as corn is sown and is dissolved, so also the bodies of men, when planted as corpses in the earth, are dissolved; and just as the grain sprouts up with large increase, stability and beauty, so also the bodies of men are raised up with great honour and glory and power and beauty unspeakable, being discriminated by the omnipotent wisdom and ineffable might of God, who made and who renovates all things. For whatever be the element by which the human body may be found to have been absorbed and digested, He will at the last day restore to their proper souls their own particles, shaken after a thorough search out of countless other bodies. And just as in a sieve that which is sought for is found in the sieve's centre, so also with respect to the bodies of men, after the elements have been tossed and shaken, their particles that are sought for are brought together to the centre. Nor is this a wonderful thing for God to do; for as He is judge of the hearts and thoughts and intents of men, and discerns, from the beginning of time till the final consummation, the thoughts and intents of every man at each particular time, so He is able to do what is easier, namely, to discriminate one body from another: For, saith He, yet once more I shake not the earth only, but ²⁸² also the heaven.³⁸ And this word "once more" signifieth the. removing of those things that are shaken as of things that have been made, that those things that are not shaken may remain;³⁹ as if He said: In the consummation I will shake yet once more all things, and throw them into commotion, in order that all things may be changed back into their proper state. For as these things have been made from |276 the beginning, and have undergone corruption or change, I shall easily remodel everything into its proper nature, that they may thereafter remain in a better state and be no longer subjected to commotion and shaking.

But again some one will ask, how are our bodies raised the same, after having been already absorbed and changed into myriads of other bodies? To this we shall reply that just as when we are children we eat many kinds of flesh, of oxen and swine, for instance, and various others, also of fowl and fish, and these, when digested add to the size of our body without its being changed or transmuted from one thing into another, but still maintaining its identity, so also in the resurrection, when we are in the opposite state, and our bodies have been dissolved in the elements, you will see their forms by some kind of motion easily restored when separated by the divine power. For just as while we are living, our bodies, as God hath appointed, are not changed by their association with other bodies, so also when we die they are preserved from a transmutation into anything else, being readily kept distinct by His power. And again, admirable Sir, see how the Apostle speaks of heavenly and of earthly men: And as we have borne, he says, the image of the earthly, that is, the mortality and infirmity and corruption of Adam, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly,⁴⁰ that is, of Him who hath already gone before and ascended into heaven after the resurrection from the dead. I speak of Christ according to the flesh, who has become powerful and incorruptible and immortal and glorified, and we in like manner have, with Him, become heavenly. And after having said we have borne, well does he say, as if speaking next of the future, we shall bear; wherefore he again with joy and exultation adds: But when this corruptible shall |277 have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swall owed up in Victory. Where, O Death, is thy sting?⁴¹ As if he said: Death being swallowed up shall disappear, life in us having become more than victorious. Wherefore let us exclaim: Where, O Death, is thy overweening pride? And where, O Hades, thy strength? Finally, he ascribes to God all things that have been procured and dispensed through Christ and says: Thanks be unto God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ; as if he said: This victory over death accomplished by Jesus Christ hath He given unto ²⁸³ us, He who is the God of all, to whom it becomes us to give glory and thanks for ever, Amen! And he wrote nothing to the Corinthians different from what he had written to the believers among the Jews: that we pass from this perishable state into that which is to come, that is, into the heavenly place, which he calls the kingdom of heaven, as if we had sovereign power over our passions ⁴² and corruption and death, and lived in a place most choice, eternal, and adapted to our nature, and where after being transformed from corruption to incorruption we have our heritage.

For the Apostle, as already quoted, has signified this in the example of the grain of wheat, wherein he uses the example of what is corruptible towards the illustration of incorruption, saying: Do not think that, in examples, the things compared are in all points similar, for, this I say unto you, that it is impossible for us being mortal and mutable (for it is this he means by blood and flesh), to inherit the kingdom of heaven, unless we first rise from the dead incorruptible and immortal and immutable. Yea, the |278 Lord also used the same example when some of the Greeks requested Philip to show them Jesus, and Philip told the Lord their request, who answered saying: Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone, but if it die, it beareth much fruit;⁴³ as if he said: Why do they wish to see me now, when I am despicable in appearance and alone, like a grain of wheat; for except I die like a grain, and rise up like the wheat in ear and in the fulness of its bloom, having become incorruptible and immortal and immutable, and except mighty deeds and wonders shall be wrought in My name, they will not know My power and glory. In like manner also when John the Baptist was discoursing concerning the Lord, and was eager to show that in the future state He would be Judge of all, he also used the example about wheat and spake thus: Whose fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor; and he will gather the wheat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn up with unquench-able fire.⁴⁴ And when Paul was addressing the Greeks ²⁸⁴ themselves in Athens on the Areopagus [Acts xvii, 22-31], he said nothing to his hearers other than what he had said before to such of the Jews and the Pagans as believed, namely, that God, since He is uncircumscribed and omnipotent, will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He raised from the dead, in order to give assurance unto all men, having appointed Him Judge of all.

The Apostle in like manner said concerning Him: And he made him sit at his right hand;⁴⁵ and John the Baptist in like manner said: His fan is in his hand and he will sift the wheat from the chaff,² giving over sinners to punishment when separated like chaff from the wheat. Accordingly some of them believed, as has been recorded, but some hearing of the resurrection of the dead mocked, and some |279 again said: What does this picker-up of seeds ⁴⁶ mean to say? as if they said: he is digging up the seeds we sowed; while others said: We will hear thee again about this matter, and others again: He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods, because, says Luke, he preached Jesus and the resurrection; and others again: May we know what is this new doctrine which thou teachest? In short, most of them derided Paul when discoursing about the resurrection of the dead. But when Paul was further accused by the Jews before Festus the Governor, and Agrippa the King, and stood on the tribunal, Festus, by way of explaining the nature of what had already been done in the case, said to Agrippa: They have certain questions against each other of their own religion, and of one Jesus who was dead whom Paul affirmed ⁴⁷ to be alive.⁴⁸ Then Paul having received their permission to speak, in accents clear and loud, boldly entered on his defence [for which see Acts xxvi, 6-S and 21-23]. And in like terms again he ²⁸⁵ addressed the unbelieving Jews in Antioch of Pisidia, when he had been granted permission to speak [see Acts xiii, 16-41]. And having expounded things similar ²⁸⁶ to these from the prophets, he said to them nothing else than what he had spoken of before, death, resurrection and the kingdom of heaven, being eager to persuade all men, God assisting him with signs and wonders and mighty works, which both Paul and all the Apostles wrought in presence both of the Pagans and the Jews, whether they were believers or unbelievers. God further, |280 by prophecies and their fulfilment, confirmed them in all things which transcend this world. At the same time also He made them, as Paul writes, sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life;⁴⁹ as if he said: We have been made sufficient by God by means of signs and of the Holy Spirit, while teaching such things, to persuade those who hear us; for God hath appointed us ministers of the new and life-giving covenant, not of the old letter, that is, of the written law which threatens death, but of the life-giving power, that is, of the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, again he says: Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will; and I will know not the word of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power;⁵⁰ as if he said that the word of the kingdom of heaven surpasses all words, and that some are in vain puffed up while endeavouring to establish themselves by word. For that word only, which comes from the power of the Holy Spirit and from the signs which accompany it, merits belief.

And again he says: Seeing that ye seek a proof of Christ that speaketh in me; who to youward is not weak, but is powerful in you;⁵¹ as if he said: It is powerful from the signs that are wrought in you in His name----and so much on these points. Some, however, assert that the angels are not in the world, but that they are in the higher place above, against whom in turn we shall quote a few words from divine scripture, showing that the angels spend their time along with us in our place here, and that as yet not one of them has been privileged to obtain the things above. The Lord, then, first thus addresses Nicodemus: And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended |281 out of heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven ⁵²----thus very clearly showing that no one at all had ascended into the upper place except the Lord Christ Himself. Then the Apostle Paul says: We have been made a spectacle to the world, and to show whom he means by the world, he adds: to angels and men, as if he said: We are seen by all as in a theatre in this place, and by all I mean angels and men, as both these and those are in. one place. Then again he says: For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God;⁵³ and, as if some one was uncertain as to his meaning and asked him: For the sake ²⁸⁷ of what or by doing what, does the creation await this? he proceeds and says: because the creation was subjected to vanity not willingly; as if he said: in this corruptible and mutable world. For this he calls vanity----when creatures by the command of God were ordered to serve even against their will. Whence we learn by the expression not willingly that he is speaking of rational beings, and this is the law laid down for them. Should some one, he then says, put the question, And how again shall they serve, they who now move all things? They do serve, he replies, but as far as concerns the sin of Adam through which he was condemned to death, they could not endure to serve longer and toil in vain on our behalf. But I say this, he adds, on account of him who hath subjected them in hope, this namely, that God has given them a hope that some good will result to men in the course of time, and for this reason they were subjected, and do render service in expectation of their freedom, when men also are freed from death and corruption and these vanities, and shall receive the hope of God, and the glory which is reserved for them. Accordingly he adds: Because the creation itself shall be delivered from bondage, into the liberty of the glory |282 of the sons of God ⁵⁴----and again he says elsewhere: Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation? ⁵⁵ saying here, that all of them together have been ordained for service to men, as living with them in this place. And again he says: To the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God.⁵⁶ Clearly has he again signified that they are not only here, but he also says that they had been taught by those things which had been dispensed to man. For by using the expression through the Church, he evidently signified through men.

Then again in the Old Testament, the Patriarch Jacob saw a ladder which reached from the earth up to heaven. And at the top of it he saw God standing, and the angels ascending and descending on it. He shows them at first ascending and then descending. Then again this same Patriarch saw a multitude of angels and called them an embattled host.⁵⁷ In like manner Moses had recorded that only two heavens were made, namely, the first which in the beginning was made along with the earth, and the second which was made on the second day, and which he calls the firmament. He likewise frequently speaks of angels as in this place of ours, ministering among others to Hagar and to Abraham and to Lot and to Jacob himself. And in the great song⁵⁸ he says: Rejoice, O ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God adore him; here, after the heavens, speaking of the angels as being in this place of ours; whence he added: Rejoice, ye nations with his people; here again referring to those who are in this place. In like manner also David, having the same object in view as |283 Moses, and having himself become a prophet after Moses, thus speaks, discriminating between the things that are in ²⁸⁸ heaven and the things that are on the earth: Praise ye the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye him, all his host;⁵⁹ here properly beginning with the firmament and the place on high, and then proceeding to the place below, he speaks next of the angels, calling them at the same time God's host. Lastly again he mentions the things that are with them: Praise ye him, sun and moon, praise him, all ye stars of light.⁶⁰ From this he recurs to the upper place, and says: Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, instead of saying, heaven of heaven, calling the first heaven the heaven of heaven, since it is the heaven of the visible firmament. Then he says: and the water which is above the heavens; that is above the heaven. Having now spoken clearly of the things above, he evidently recognizes the first mentioned things as below.

Then when he had called upon all things that are in the heavens to praise God, he states the reason why they ought to praise him with hymns, and says: For he spake and they were made; he commanded and they were created. He hath also established them for ever and ever; he hath made a decree which shall not pass away.⁶¹ Then finally he passes on to all things on the earth, and mentions all things that live in the air and in the waters and upon the land, whereon also he places man, and again enjoins them thus: Let them praise the name of the Lord, and tells them for why: Because his name alone is exalted. At last he takes them all conjointly saying: The confession of him as above earth and heaven;⁶² thus at the same time showing that all things are within earth and heaven. In like manner also God Himself, |284 speaking through Moses, says: For in six days God made the heaven and the earth and all things that are therein; ⁶³ thus still more clearly showing that all the angels are within heaven and earth and are circumscribed by them. Then again David elsewhere says: Who stretcheth out the heaven like a curtain, who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters;⁶⁴ here manifestly speaking of the firmament which has the waters on its surface, as serving us for a covering. For the coverings overhead of a tent are properly called screens (de/r0r9eij) whether they be made of canvas or of hair. Then in continuation he says: Who maketh the clouds his chariot, who walketh upon the wings of the winds, who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.⁶⁵ Having here again mentioned things from the firmament above to the clouds and winds below, he adds as being among these, angels, whom he also calls ministers. So far David. And now let us pass on to Daniel that Prophet most nobly endowed. What saith he in the hymn which he puts into the mouth of the three children. Bless ye the Lord, all ye works of the Lord, praise him and exalt him on high for ever. Praise the Lord, O ye heavens.⁶⁶ He also mentions the angels after the heavens, not leaving unnoticed the waters which are above the heaven; and----employing again the consecutive order, he resumes his theme, and proceeding from the lowest, he mentions next after them ²⁸⁹ the angels, whom he calls powers, and with whom he conjoins the sun, moon and stars, showers, dews and winds, fire and frost and heat, clouds and snows and lightnings, and all things that are in the air and the waters and the earth----and, following David and Moses, he at last mentions man, on whose account all the things before enumerated were created. For since man is a kind of bond and pledge of the union in |285 love of the whole world, man of necessity includes to a certain degree all the things already said. For it has well been said by the pagans: Man is a microcosm.

Accordingly all the inspired men----Prophets and Apostles, men who have been adorned by most holy lives, and have exposed themselves for their religion to countless sufferings and deaths, of whom, as it is written, the world was not worthy,⁶⁷ and who wrought miracles without number and beyond the power of description, and performed a variety of mighty deeds, and were by God made fit to teach and persuade and visit all the earth under heaven,⁶⁸ and to draw all the nations to religion and piety----these men have spoken concerning two such states without mention of any others. And all of them with one consent have spoken of this place as that of angels and men, and have declared that the place on high will, after the resurrection, be likewise the place of angels and men. What kind of a defence then have those pretended Christians for their disbelieving all these things, and saying that the heavens shall be dissolved, on which hangs our firm, immovable and indissoluble hope, which is laid up in store for us by God, and concerning which Paul exclaims: Which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what things God hath prepared for them that love him;⁶⁹ and again: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to usward.⁷⁰ Again in like manner: For our light affliction which is for the moment worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory, while we look, not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, |286 but the things which are not seen are eternal.⁷¹ By this he means that if you weigh in the balance against the afflictions of this world the good things of the future state, these will be found to surpass in glory and to outweigh beyond measure the lightness and insignificance of the afflictions of this world, which in comparison are of exceeding brief duration, and which at last utterly disappear. For, he says, the things which are seen, that is, the things of this world, are temporary, but the things which are not seen, that is, of the heavenly place or world on high, are eternal. Now we must turn to the Epistles General and adduce their testimony on this subject. And ²⁹⁰ there it is said: Into which things the angels desire to look;⁷² as if he said: They also have not yet obtained the good things laid up for us in heaven----yea, they have not so much as the privilege of seeing them. For this is similar to what the Apostle says: For the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now;⁷³ as if he said, even the angels are heavily burdened by the change, and groan along with all creation, eagerly longing for liberty. How then is it possible to expect that the heavens will be dissolved, and other new heavens be produced? For, were it so, all that has been said before is shown to be false, namely, that they have been prepared and are indissoluble, and that we shall enter the place whereinto Christ hath entered. According, however, to the fables of the pretended Christians, all is imposture and deception that is written in divine scripture. But above all, if the heavens be dissolved, as they say, and others be put in their place, then Christ who is in them must of necessity be dissolved, and another new Christ must be introduced along with the other new heavens, provided of course that we are to be with the Christ. But away with this trifling! and let the |287 blasphemy recoil on their head. For saith the Apostle: Our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we expect the Saviour the Lord Jesus;⁷⁴ as if he said: I speak of those heavens from which we expect the Lord will come, who will transform us from corruption to incorruption, and take us up where He himself has entered before us. For this also he says elsewhere: The forerunner himself hath for us entered.⁷⁵

Since, therefore, some corrupting the meaning of the divine scriptures have misinterpreted the saying of our Lord, namely: The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away,⁷⁶ failing to recognize that the mode of expression is hyperbolical, we shall interpret what their meaning properly is; for he says: It is possible for them to be dissolved, but for my words, never. And again it was said by David: Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they shall perish, but thou shalt remain.⁷⁷ This they distort, not understanding that here also in contrast to the uncreated deity he speaks of created things as perishable, because these things, having been previously non-existent, afterwards came into being; and if he wished the annihilation of existence, then, just as he produced these things when non-existent, so now that they exist, he is able to destroy them. For that which has not been made by any one cannot be destroyed by any one; but that which has been made can also be destroyed, especially if its Maker should so wish. Something similar is asserted in the Epistles General: In which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.⁷⁸ But in their ignorance they misinterpret the new heaven and the new earth as well |288 as His promises, through their not understanding what is said, but they actually assert that these heavens shall be ²⁹¹ dissolved, and other new heavens be created----a view which is opposed to all divine scripture. For if these heavens, into which Christ after He had risen from the dead, and having become incorruptible in body and immutable in soul has now ascended, and into which we also shall enter when we have risen from the dead; and if divine scripture pronounces this hope and this life to be indissoluble, how is it possible that these heavens can be dissolved and other new heavens be produced? For if the place in the heavens is the habitation of those who are now incorruptible and immortal and immutable, how shall it not receive us when we have risen and become incorruptible and immortal and immutable? Away with such madness! For God does not repent of what He hath done, so that He should destroy these and produce others. He will, however, renew the whole creation to better its condition, as we have frequently said. For if man, who is the bond of the whole creation, shall be renewed, becoming incorruptible and immortal in body, and immutable in soul, is it not evident that all the elements of which the body of man is composed, and all rational beings, as being akin to the soul of man, shall be renewed and brought into a better state? For all things, saith the Apostle, are summed up in Christ, both the things that are in the heavens and the things that are on the earth. And again, he says: If any one be in Christ he is a new creature----old things are passed away, behold! all things are become new;⁷⁹ here speaking of all things as new, or of the renovation of all existing things; for, when he speaks of the summing up and the new creation, he signifies by each the same thing, that each is effected in Christ. For just as Christ according to the flesh, when |289 risen from the dead was not a different Christ from the Christ who had died, but was the same who had suffered death, yet in like manner as He was victorious in His resurrection over sufferings and death, so also the whole creation, while not perishing but retaining its identity, is changed into a better condition. For, as the divine oracle says, He hath established them for ever and ever; He hath made a decree which shall not pass away.⁸⁰ Wherefore God takes not hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham, according to what is written. For had He taken hold of the angels, rational beings only, as being of a kindred nature, could have hoped to be renovated. But now having taken hold of the seed of Abraham, that is, of a body and a rational soul, and conducted it into the heavenly place, He laid the foundation beforehand of a hope for all creation. Whence the declaration in the Epistles General: In which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt in fervent heat but [we look for] new heavens and the new earth,⁸¹ has this as its purport, that with a great noise, as in the twinkling of an eye, all the elements, being on fire as in a furnace and being thus purified, undergo the change for the better. ²⁹² And as regards the heavens and the earth----these shall be made new and the conditions of life in them shall be changed in accordance with the saying of Paul: The fashion of this world passeth away;⁸² as if he said: the present order of things shall be changed, the succession of day and night shall cease, the stars shall no longer accomplish their courses and the air shall no longer be in motion, and neither the water nor the earth shall any more produce their harvests, but a new state of things shall be introduced suitable for immortal and incorruptible men and angels. |290

But we say nothing of the fact that the Church from the first has held the Catholic Epistles to be doubtful. No one certainly of those who have commented on the divine scriptures has taken any account of these Epistles. Nay, even those, who have drawn up the list of the canonical books of divine scripture, have all of them placed them in the doubtful category. I refer to Irenaeus the Bishop of Lyons, a man of eminence and of illustrious life, and who flourished not long after the Apostolic age,⁸³ and to Eusebius Pamphili,⁸⁴ and to Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria,⁸⁵ and to Amphilochius who became Bishop of Iconium and was the friend of, and in communion with,⁸⁶ the blessed Basil, and who in the iambic verses which he addressed to Seleucus declared the Epistles |291 to be doubtful.⁸⁷ In like manner Severianus also, the Bishop of Gabala, proscribed them in his work Against the Jews.⁸⁸ In fact most of the authorities deny that these Epistles were written by the Apostles, but assign them to some other authors----simple Presbyters. Hence Eusebius Pamphili in his Ecclesiastical History ⁸⁹ informs us that there were two tombs in Ephesus----one of John the Evangelist, the other of John the Presbyter who wrote two of the Epistles General [of John]----the second and the third, of which the former is inscribed thus: The Elder to the Elect Lady, and the latter thus: The Elder to Gaius the beloved. For he, as well as Irenaeus, says, that with the exception of the first Epistle of Peter and the first of John, the Epistles General were not written by the Apostles, while others say that they were all written by Presbyters, and not by the Apostles. For the first and second and third of John are so written that it is evident that the three are the productions of a single person. But others receive also the Epistle of James along with these two (I John and I Peter) while others receive them all. |292 Among the Syrians, however, none are found except only the three already mentioned, namely, the Epistle of James and that of Peter and that of John----while the others do not even find a place among them. The perfect Christian ought not therefore to depend upon books that are doubtful, seeing that those which have been admitted into the Canon, and which are commonly acknowledged ⁹⁰ suffice to declare everything concerning both the heavens and the earth and the elements and the whole scheme of Christian doctrine.

Those accordingly seem to me to be wanting in sense and to have no inner knowledge at all of the divine scriptures----those inventors of the new doctrines, who think that the heavens will be dissolved. For since God from the very beginning has knowledge and fore-knowledge, ²⁹³ and is always cognisant, and never receives any accession to His knowledge, and whereas He wished to give to others a share in existence, and to fill them with his own goodness and knowledge and wisdom, He made the whole world, comprising it within the compass of heaven and earth, but placing the firmament in the midst, and binding it to the first heaven; and when He had made the one place into two places, He allotted to the mortal and mutable state, this place, while He prepared beforehand the upper place for the future state, according as the delineation of its figure at the end of my work shows, as well as the structure of the Tabernacle, which was itself an image of the whole world. And it was His pleasure that we should for the present live in this state as in a useful school, where there are pains and pleasures, in order that we may be disciplined by the pains, and may be kept from fainting by the pleasures, being instructed in the knowledge of the |293 Maker and attracted to it by the diversity of the things created, and the all-wise harmony, and the difference between beings; while the Maker himself, who has at times been seen, has given us laws in aid of our weakness, inducing rational beings, as has been said, to seek the knowledge of His supreme loving-kindness and goodness, which is the chief end of all such beings. For since we are created beings, and have our being from another, we always need that other for the continuance of our existence and the acquisition of knowledge. For it could not be that, as soon as we were made, we could possess all knowledge, for this is an attribute which belongs only to God who is unoriginated.

Since then God in His goodness has, for mysterious reasons, made the lower animals devoid of knowledge, for the instruction and assistance of ourselves who are rational, He has made, as was possible, the rational to be intermediate between himself and the irrational, in order that by the variety in the universe, and by the laws imposed upon us and by the pursuit of knowledge, we may, through a longing produced by our experience of pains and pleasures, be induced to seek part by part a knowledge of the world. For the invisible things of him, saith the divine Apostle, are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and godhead; so that they may be without excuse;⁹¹ as if he said: The invisible things of God, namely, His power and wisdom and providence and goodness and His eternal godhead, we apprehend and see from things existent and visible, and through all His works we, in our measure, perceive the Creator, so that we cannot offer any excuse of ignorance (for this is what without excuse signifies) since we have it in our own hands to know from all these things in |294 our measure the Creator of ourselves and of the universe. In like manner again he says: God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in His Son,⁹² thus distributing the word into portions and manners, into the prophets and His Son. By portions, ²⁹⁴ he means the difference of the places in which God appeared and spake to the men of old through the prophets, and by manners, the diversity of the visions themselves, which He, when seen at one time and another in cases of immediate necessity, exhibited either in person or through the Prophets, having a desire to signify this, that God in every way, both by real things and by visions, did not neglect to instruct rational beings in the knowledge of Himself, placing it before them at one time through the prophets, and now through His own Son; then for them, when they had at last been proved, He prepared the future state, in which, after having made us incorruptible and immortal, He would place us, filling us, as having acquired experience, with the perfect knowledge of Himself as far as we ought to know. For this reason He has made two states from the very beginning, since we could not, as has been said before, receive the whole knowledge of Him in one collective mass without a process of instruction. For the Deity only is self-taught, and is the foundation of knowledge, receiving no accession to it from any other, but able to impart it to others, while we are again taught when we are immortal and immutable, by the hardships we have undergone. Since the Apostle says: All discipline, seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous;⁹³ for without discipline and suffering it is impossible there can be learning. For the purpose of discipline therefore, He made this |295 world mortal and mutable and diversified, in order that by the affliction of learning and the variety of the universe, we may, by this experience, ascend to the knowledge of God. For if He had made us from the beginning immortal and immutable, we would have differed nothing from the non-rational animals which have by nature something good and useful, though without their knowing what they possess----just as the bee which with wisdom constructs its honeycomb, and the spider which with great skill weaves its network, and the ant which in summer prepares its store of food, do not do these things with any rational knowledge, but are as unconscious of their art as gold and pearl are of the beauty which adorns them.

God therefore with wisdom----yea, with supreme wisdom ----made from the first two states, in order that having had experience here of pleasure and pain we may in the second state have perfect knowledge of the power of His goodness, through the unspeakable and everlasting good things bestowed upon us, and may recognize from what things into what things we have passed. These and similar things the whole of divine Scripture proclaims, and this is its whole scope. For those admirable men, who destroy the heavens and produce others for us that are new, are ignorant of the scope of the divine scriptures. For it is not to be imagined that God was at one time ignorant, but has now come to know better, how to make other heavens and a better state, according to the fable of these demented and pretended Christians; but He is always the same, existing after the same manner and principle, knowing how and when and how great, and where ²⁹⁵ and what like He would make the whole world. But nevertheless they propose to us, quite reasonably of course, the difficulty which emerges from this, asking us: Why then do embryons which have died in the womb advance to the knowledge of God without having had experience |296 of pleasures and pains, but have been taught at a distance from hence concerning God?----to whom we shall reply that the embryon which is rational, having been in close touch, so to speak, with the maternal womb, and the maternal womb being in a dim sort of way a symbol of this world in which are heat and cold and dryness and moisture, the embryon when gathering knowledge in the future state, has a remembrance, and an awakened consciousness of the maternal womb, in which it had some partial experience of this present world. It sees moreover even the elements themselves and the whole world standing as its teacher; and reflecting with itself in virtue of the perfect knowledge, it arrives straightway at a knowledge of its past life, and thereafter at the knowledge of God as the Maker of all things. But as concerns the judgment to be pronounced on them, we leave that to God himself, for it is not possible for us to know all things in this life. We say only, and this is all it behoves us to say, that they form an intermediate class, neither destined to receive crowns, nor to undergo punishments, for they are exempted from punishments, because they have not enjoyed the good things of this life, but they fail to obtain crowns, as they have not undergone toils in this life.

But if any one should say that God will judge them according to what he knows would have been their manner of life and conduct had they survived, we do not reject this notion, but leave it to those who know better than ourselves. For we have no perfect knowledge how God judges, deeming that whatever seems good to Him will be altogether fair and wise, acknowledging with the utmost pleasure that the matter is beyond us, and even pluming ourselves on⁹⁴ our ignorance regarding it, in accordance with the great Apostle |297 Paul when he says: For we know in part and prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away;⁹⁵ for we shall then know perfectly, as we ought to know, when we have all risen from the dead perfect, as the Apostle again says: Till we all attain unto the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.⁹⁶ But they will yet again question us on this point: How does one who is diminutive in body rise perfect? And how can the maimed and the lame or he that is mutilated in one of his limbs rise up sound and quite perfect? Let them listen to us replying from scripture and from what is seen in Nature thus: Just as God took Adam's rib, a very small member of his body, and constructed out of it a perfect woman, mysteriously ²⁹⁶ supplying what was deficient; and just as a man and woman copulate, of whom one or the other is, as is often the case, blind or maimed, and their offspring is born sound and entire, so it is to be believed and understood with respect to the resurrection of the dead, in which we are born anew from the tomb into a better birth than from the womb. But I will delineate for thee, O most beloved, the figure of the heaven and the earth, and of the firmament in the middle----also the Tabernacle prepared by Moses which is a pattern of the universe, and also that famous sphere of the pagans,⁹⁷ in order that you may know by the sight itself agreeably to the figure, what divine scripture and the Christian teaching alike declare, and how altogether different therefrom is the sphere of the pagans. |298

Notes from divine scripture in mutual harmony concerning the figure of heaven and earth.

In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.⁹⁸ He speaks of these as comprehending other things, and at the same time time signified the things that are within them and which were produced along with them. And again: The heaven and the earth were finished and all the host of them,⁹⁹ as if again they comprehended other things, and the whole host of things were within them. And again: In six days God made the heaven and the earth and all that in them is,¹⁰⁰ as if again all things exist within them, and they were comprehensive of them. And again: And God rested on the seventh day from all the work which he began to make;¹⁰¹ meaning that He began to create and ceased from creating; and again: This is the book of the generation of heaven and earth;¹⁰² meaning, this book records the coming into being of the whole world which is circumscribed by heaven and earth. And again about its figure Isaiah says: He that hath established the heaven as a vaulted chamber and stretched it out as a tent to dwell in;¹⁰³ the expression as a vaulted chamber has reference to the first heaven, but the other expression stretched it out as a tent, to the second heaven, which he speaks of as a house where people live and make their abode. And again David says: Stretching out the heaven as a curtain,¹⁰⁴ speaking here of the firmament and speaking of it as a curtain, that is, as the coverings which made the roof over the Tabernacle, whatever these coverings were, whether made of hair or of canvas for the coverings above which roofed the Tabernacle are properly called de/r0r9eij (leather curtains). He no doubt says: Who layeth the beams of his upper chambers in the waters:¹⁰⁵ here more clearly speaking concerning the firmament itself as if it were a covering. But that there is nothing under the earth, is thus declared in Job: He hangeth the earth upon nothing,¹⁰⁶ meaning that there is nothing underneath it. In like manner again in Job: Whereupon were the foundations thereof fastened?¹⁰⁷ meaning that |299 there is nothing underneath on which it is fixed. And David says: He hath founded the earth upon its own stability;¹⁰⁸ as if he said ²⁹⁷ that it has been founded upon itself and not upon anything. But with regard to the heaven being fastened to the earth he declares in Job: He hath inclined heaven to earth; dust is poured out as earth,¹⁰⁹ but I have cemented it as if with stone a square block; ¹¹⁰ intimating that the heaven is inclined to the earth and at its lower part fastened to it like a cube, that is, at the four corners.

The Tabernacle, as a whole, is therefore a pattern of the whole world, as the divine Apostle explains to us----speaking in these terms of the outer Tabernacle: For the first Tabernacle had ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world;¹¹¹ calling it of this world as being a pattern of this world; but with regard to the inner tabernacle he speaks thus: For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands like in pattern to the true, but into heaven itself;¹¹² calling heaven the true holy place, and the inner tabernacle its antitype. Let the reader then consider the figure of the heaven and of the earth and their model ----i.e., the Tabernacle----how, to wit, that all are in harmony with the Christian doctrine----that there are two paths ¹¹³ of the whole world----this here and the upper, prepared from the foundation of the world. This here has been given in the present state to men and angels, and the upper is given, in the future state after the resurrection from the dead, to men and angels. For the famous sphere of the pagans does not harmonize at all with what Christian doctrine proclaims; but is adapted rather for those who hope neither for a resurrection of the dead nor for another state after it, but assert that the whole world is in an endless process of generation and corruption.

Another Note.

If those teachers of error say that the Lord Christ entered into the first sphere where the moon is, it is, in the first place, in beautiful agreement with their error, that they should admit that |300 He abides with their goddess. In the second place, since their sphere is solid, let them tell us whether, along with the moon, He cleaves His way, like a fish in the water, through the body of heaven, going in the opposite direction to that which it pursues, or whether, along with the universe, He is violently whirled round in its direction----which is all the most ridiculous nonsense. In the third place, it is in agreement with your error, that above Him are the other planets which are gods of yours, namely, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the father of your gods----gods to whom ye have been seen offering sacrifice----then also those fixed houses of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, and the six-and-thirty decani.¹¹⁴ And how shall the Apostle not lie, according to you, when he says that Christ is above these: Far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named.¹¹⁵ But if they shall say that He is in the second ²⁹⁸ sphere, they will be confronted again with the same difficulties, and so will they be if they say that He who is above all is in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth¹¹⁶ and what is said by the Apostle will be found false, that from the first tabernacle, that is, from this world, Christ entered into the second, that is, into the heavenly place, having obtained eternal redemption----the second, observe, and not the ninth. He therefore, who sincerely desires to be a Christian, follows divine scripture and puts no reliance on the fallacious theory of the pagans which teaches the plurality and the equality of gods, and brings destruction on the souls of men.

Text.

Since therefore all the spheres lie in a continuous series and are solid, how is it possible to conceive that in such a configuration there can be a resurrection of the dead, and that men can ascend into heaven, and reign in heaven, that is, in the second Tabernacle, whereinto Christ also, |301 saith scripture, hath already entered the first of all? to which add all that has been said before. For the pagans who think that there is a sphere, in consequence neither acknowledge a resurrection of the dead, nor say that the dead ascend into heaven, nor admit that there are waters above the heaven, nor admit that the fashion of this world, that is, the revolution of the heavenly bodies, will be changed and all things one after another, nor that any one at all has ever ascended into heaven with his body, or will go up thither. Some of them, however, say that their souls and these only move round with the sphere, and sec or know all things,¹¹⁷ while others maintain that souls migrate into other bodies, and others again believe in the pre-existence of the soul, and these consequently say that the sphere will be dissolved----that is, that every corporeal nature will be utterly destroyed, while the souls will revert to their original condition----an opinion held also by the admirable Origenes¹¹⁸ and his disciples. Others again maintain that the heavens had no beginning and will never have an end----and that the world is continually undergoing renovation and destruction; from which it is inferred that they speak of God as delighting in evil, or as powerless or jealous, nay, think that there is no god at all. For it is repugnant to the divine nature to permit the world to be constantly subject to renovation and destruction----and hosts of other difficulties besides, that their views involve, start up for all these. The Christians then alone are |302 perfect, being like wheat-plants of piety in the midst of tares and thorns----believing as they do in the whole of divine scripture, both in the Old and New Testament----and neither saying that there had been any state before this present state, nor asserting that after the future state there will be any other; but that there are only two states, which our delineation in conformity therewith shows, that we shall be transferred from this state to that which is ²⁹⁹ future and heavenly; and again, that we shall live with the Lord, as the whole of divine scripture argues----namely, that when God began to create and had made the two places, He rested from his work according to His purpose from the very first. Things very different from these, most excellent Sir, did that person write, whom you mentioned, a pretended Christian, who says that the heavens, which he also thinks to be spherical, shall be dissolved according to the theory of the pagans, and to be always revolving, thus committing to writing old wives' fables rather than Christian doctrines, and following in general no authority, unless in part the worthy Origenes, for his writings are completely at variance with Christian opinion.¹¹⁹

For it will be your part next to judge and compare each dogma and question, and to consider to which dogma and figure one, who is truly a Christian and wishes to live piously, ought to adhere. For I see much fallacy and guile on the part of the present writer of the fables, who bestows a spherical figure on the heavens and says that they shall again be destroyed. As for myself, dearest friend, I am of one mind with divine scripture, and I am confident that you also are such as I am-----a Christian following the divine scriptures, and the tradition of the |303 Holy Church when saying: I believe in one God, that is, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, the consubstantial Trinity, and in the Resurrection of the flesh, in one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church----as also the Creed says: I believe that there will be a Resurrection of the dead and that there will be a life to come; and as the priests in like manner pray, using these words with reference to those presenting offerings: The thank-offering of thy servants receive on thy heavenly and estimable altar, on the amplitude of thy heavens, giving back to them for corruptible things incorruptible, for temporal things eternal, for earthly things heavenly----and for the dead these words: Give repose, O Lord, to his soul----collecting also together again his flesh on the day that thon hast appointed, according to thy true promises ¹²⁰----with whom I also joining in prayer, add what is left over: Grant us of Thy grace to have before Thy presence a Christian and happy end-----for ever. Amen!

[Footnotes have been placed at the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ "The Vatican Codex has Xristi/nou peri\ diamonh~j, where we should, I think, read Xristianw~."-- Montfaucon. This reading would mean "To the Christian concerning duration".

2. ¹ Gr. o)du&nh| peripei/retai, which Montfaucon renders inadequately by anxius versatur.

3. ¹ Psalm cxlviii, 4.

4. ² Psalm xix, 1.

5. ³ Psalm cxv, 16.

6. ⁴ Philipp. iii, 20.

7. ⁵ Gr. e0n ou)ranoi=j, e0c ou[. Oi[ used for w[n.

8. ¹ See note 3, p. 116.

9. ² II Cor. v, 1.

10. ³ Heb. viii, 1.

11. ¹ Heb. ix, 11, 12.

12. ² Ibid., 6, 7.

13. ³ Heb. vii, 23-26.

14. ¹ Heb. xii, 28.

15. ² Heb. iv, 11.

16. ³ Heb. iv, 14.

17. ⁴ Heb. x, 19, 20.

18. ⁵ Ibid., 11-14.

19. ¹ Heb. vii, 14.

20. ² Ibid., 17.

21. ³ Heb. viii, 2.

22. ⁴ Heb. xiii, 14.

23. ¹ John xiv, 2.

24. ² Ibid., 3.

25. ³ Matt. xx, 23.

26. ¹ I Cor. xv, 12, 13.

27. ² Ibid., 15.

28. ³ Ibid., 16, 17.

29. ¹ I Cor. xv, 17.

30. ² Ibid., 21.

31. ³ Ibid., 22.

32. ⁴ Gr. oi9 baptizo&menoi u(pe\r tw~n nekrw~n. This expression is still generally taken in the sense in which Cosmas, as he shows below, understood it. It has, however, been supposed that Paul is referring to a practice in the early Church, according to which Christians underwent baptism on behalf of friends who had died in the faith, but before the rite had been administered to them. St. Chrysostom, in commenting on the passage, notices that this practice existed among the Marcionites.

33. ⁵ I Cor. xv. 29, 30.

34. ⁶ The antithesis between the grain and the plant.

35. ¹ I Cor. xv, 35-38.

36. ² Ibid., 42.

37. ³ Ibid., 50.

38. ¹ Hagg. ii, 7.

39. ² Heb. xii, 27.

40. ¹ I Cor. xv, 49.

41. ¹ I Cor. xv, 54, 55.

42. ² Gr. tw~n paqw~n, "sufferings"? Montfaucon renders morbos animi.

43. ¹ John xii, 24.

44. ² Matt, iii, 12.

45. ³ Heb. viii, 1.

46. ¹ Cosmas uses the word spermolo&goj here in its primitive sense. Montfaucon, however, translates it, according to its secondary meaning, by verbi sator, "a babbler", but the context shows this interpretation to be here inadmissible.

47. ² Gr. e faske. By the use of this particular term the speaker implied that he had doubts as to whether Paul really believed that Jesus was alive. He might be pretending.

48. ³ Acts xxv, 19.

49. ¹II Cor. iii, 6.

50. ² I Cor. iv, 18, 19.

51. ³II Cor. xiii, 3.

52. ¹ John iii, 13.

53. ² Rom. viii, 19.

54. ¹ Rom. viii, 21.

55. ² Heb. i, 14.

56. ³ Ephes. iii, 10.

57. ⁴ Gr. parembolh_n. See Gen. xxxii, 2.

58. ⁵ The Song of Moses, given in Deuteronomy xxxii, 1-43.

59. ¹ Psalm cxlviii, 1, 2.

60. ² Ibid., 3.

61. ³Ibid., 5, 6.

62. ⁴Ibid., 12, 13.

63. ¹ Exod. xx, ii.

64. ² Psalm civ, 2, 3.

65. ³ Ibid., 4.

66. ⁴ Dan. iii, 57, 58 (Song of the Three Children).

67. ¹ Heb. xi, 38.

68. ² In the Greek text gh~n is, by a printer's mistake, omitted.

69. ³ I Cor. ii, 9.

70. ⁴ Rom. viii, 18.

71. ¹ II Cor. iv, 18, 19.

72. ² I Pet. i, 12.

73. ³Rom. viii, 22.

74. ¹ Philipp. iii, 20.

75. ² Heb. vi, 20.

76. ³ Matt, xxiv, 35.

77. ⁴ Psalm cii, 26, 27.

78. ⁵ II Pet. iii, 12.

79. ¹ II Cor. v, 17.

80. ¹ Psalm cxlix, 6.

81. ²I Peter iii, 12.

82. ³I Cor. vii, 31.

83. ¹ Irenaeus, who was a native of Smyrna and a disciple of Polycarp, became Bishop of Lyons in Gaul, A.D. 177. Like his contemporaries, Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian, he accepted as canonical the four Gospels, Acts, the thirteen Pauline Epistles, the first Epistle of Peter and the first of John, and the Apocalypse.

84. ² Eusebius, who took the surname of Pamphili, in token of his devoted friendship for Pamphilus, Bishop of Caesarea, was born in Palestine about 264 A.D., became Bishop of Caesarea in 315, and died about 340. He recognised three classes of New Testament Scriptures: 1. Homologoumena, those universally recognised which embraced those enumerated in note 1, above, with the exception of the Apocalypse; 2. Antilegomena, those not universally recognised, which included, among others, the Epistles of James and Jude, the second of Peter, and the second and third of John: 3. Notha, that is spurious, such as the Acts of Paul, the Shepherd, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Epistle of Barnabas, and others (see his Hist. Eccles., Book iii, c. 25).

85. ³ Athanasius was born in A.D. 296 in Alexandria, of which he became the Archbishop in 326. In his Festal Letter written in 373, announcing to the churches (as he did annually) the date of Easter for that year, he gives a list of the sacred books which were known and recognised as authoritative, and in this list he places the seven Catholic Epistles and the Acts.

86. ⁴ Gr. fi/loj kai\ koinwniko_j.

87. ¹ St. Amphilochius became Bishop of Iconium in A.D. 273-4. On his elevation to this ofifice he received from St. Basil a congratulatory letter which is still extant. At Constantinople, to which he had gone to attend the (Ecumenical Council in 381, he signed as a witness the will of St. Gregory of Nazianzus. The iambic poem here attributed to him consisted of 333 lines. The Seleucus to whom it was addressed was the nephew of St. Olympias, who had herself been brought up by the Bishop's sister. Other testimonies, besides that of Cosmas, have been adduced in support of the authority of the poem. Its object was to instruct Seleucus in a godly life, and to warn him against prevailing vices, but its principal value consists in the list of canonical scriptures with which it closes.

88. ² Severianus, in the year 400 A.D., if not earlier, became Bishop of Gabala, a town in the northern part of the sea-coast of Syria. He united with Serapion, and Theophilus the Archbishop of Alexandria, in the conspiracy against St. Chrysostom, who had formerly been his friend.

89. ³ Book iii, 39.

90. ¹ Gr. tw~n e0ndiaqe/twn kai\ koinw~j w(mologhme/nwn grafw~n. 'Endia&qhkoj like e0ndi\a&qetoj is used to signify canonical.

91. ¹ Rom. i, 20.

92. ¹ Heb. i, i, 2.

93. ² Heb. xii, 11.

94. ¹Gr. stefanoforou~ntej e0pi\.

95. ¹ I Cor. xiii, 9.

96. ² Ephes. iv, 13.

97. ³ See Pls. 2, 7, 9, and 10 in the Appendix.

98. ¹ Gen. i, 1.

99. ² Gen. ii, 1.

100. ³ Exod. xx, 11.

101. ⁴ Gen. ii, 2.

102. ⁵ Gen. v, 1.

103. ⁶ Isai. xl, 22.

104. ⁷ Psalm civ, 2.

105. ⁸ Psalm civ, 3.

106. ⁹ Job xxvi, 7.

107. ¹⁰ Job xxxviii, 6.

108. ¹ Psalm civ, 5.

109. ² The Greek text has gh~| in mistake for gh~.

110. ³ Job xxxviii, 58.

111. ⁴ Heb. ix, 1.

112. ⁵ Heb. ix, 24.

113. ⁶ Gr. to&poi. Cf. po&roi a(lo&j, paths of the sea, i.e., the sea itself (Odys. xii, 259).

114. ¹ Decani is a Latin astrological term, having gradus in the plural understood. It is thus equivalent to the Greek dekamoiri/a, "ten degrees of the zodiac", or a thirty-sixth part of its whole circuit.

115. ² Ephes. i, 21.

116. ³ These are the spheres of the seven planets.

117. ¹ This high conception inspired Byron to compose the noble and impressive lyric beginning:

"When darkness wraps this suffering clay,

Ah! whither strays the immortal mind?

118. ² Origen, the father of biblical criticism and exegesis, was born at Alexandria in 185 A.D., and died at Tyre in 254, from sufferings which he had undergone not long previously, during the Decian persecution.

119. ¹ In 232 A.D., Origen was excommunicated, chiefly because of his denial of eternal punishment.

120. ¹ "Prayer for the dead".----Note by Montfaucon.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 304-320. Book 8

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 304-320. Book 8

BOOK VIII.

On the Song of Hezekiah and the going back of the Sun.³⁰⁰

S I know well, my dear Peter, how hard it is to please the race of man, I hesitated long to comply with your request, for there be some men who cast reproach on those who choose to commit their thoughts to writing, on the ground that they immerse themselves in business, though it be in their option to abstain from all exertion and to enjoy a life of leisure and repose. Others again, since they set no value on writing, put out of sight what is laborious, and seek quiet in seclusion. Some too there be who begin to read books with unbounded eagerness, but afterwards, consigning them to utter neglect, play the part of the poor brutes that walk on all fours; while others, who are conversant with literature, do what is still worse, for in the case of new writers, aware though they be that these have reached the very pinnacle of fame, they will not condescend to peruse their works, even when they are compositions of most sterling merit. Persons again of the common sort, led by their ignorance, disparage even what is said to the purpose,¹ and, to speak plainly, calumny is ever inventive, and has |305 no lack of material for sneering and indulging in censorious remarks, the grounds for which envy supplies without stint. When I turned over all this in my mind, I put off, notwithstanding you besought me with great importunity, to give a written interpretation of the Song of the blessed Hezekiah. But you have now, my admirable friend, I know not how, prevailed over me and done away with my reluctance, representing to me that there is no lack in this world of those who are willing to labour hard from their eagerness to read the works of all, and to approve those that are excellent,² according to the injunction of the divine Apostle (Rom. ii, 18), and among such thou thyself rankest as one. For this is a worthy subject on which to bestow your pains, anxious as thou art to ascertain whether anything tending to profit is to be gained from the Song; for it would be quite in keeping with your good sense in such matters, were you to be convinced that what appears of least importance in divine scripture is capable of affording no little help; and certainly an eager desire to learn the use of everything is a point in your character, which stands not far remote from your devotion to work. So then, as I had with God's help all but completed my exposition of the Song of Songs, which our common and admirable friend, Theophilus, had invited me to take in hand, as you are yourself aware, I put off the matter until now; but as I have just quite completed that work, I shall at once proceed to fulfil your request,³ if the Holy Spirit will, without whom there can be |306 no good thing in us. I shall state first with what purpose in view he uttered the Song, and shall then proceed to its ³⁰¹ detailed exposition, and shall at the same time point out what is useful in each passage, for in this way the point of what is said will become clearer.

The blessed Hezekiah then, who was King of the Jews, and a very pious and virtuous man and an object of God's especial care, entertained the idea that the blessed David had spoken of him prophetically in many of the Psalms, such as the nineteenth, the twentieth,⁴ and many others besides, and having moreover applied to himself the prophecy which had once been made in his father's time by Isaiah: Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,⁵ he was uplifted in mind by the workings of human passion, and imagined himself to be the Christ who had been predicted. He was in consequence at first unwilling to take a part in the common offices of life, through the existence of another opinion among the Jews, that Christ when He comes, never dies, but abides for ever, as they also said in the Gospel: We have heard ont of the Law that Christ abideth for ever.⁶ So Hezekiah being of this opinion abstained from taking a wife and providing for the succession of his line by having children, being under the belief that he would live always. But when it came to pass that Senachêreim (Sennacherib) ⁷ the King of the Assyrians warred against Judaea and went up to Jerusalem to plunder it, Hezekiah on hearing what had been said by the impious Rapsacus (the Rab-shakeh) ⁸ as well |307 as what had been written by Senachêreim himself, rent his royal robes, and went into the temple clad in sackcloth, and besprinkled with ashes, and there supplicated God to deliver him from the Assyrians. But when his prayer was heard, and 185,000 men of the Assyrian army had been destroyed in one night by the angel, and when a victory so great and so marvellous had been wrought for him by God, he held more firmly than ever the estimate of himself which he had formerly entertained, claiming that he was beyond all doubt the Christ who had been predicted. Wherefore, as he was again uplifted in mind by this conception of himself, he did not go after his victory into the temple, as was his duty, to render thanks and give glory to God, but he was uplifted with pride, as it is recorded in the second Book of Chronicles (xxxii, 26): That he humbled himself for the pride of his heart, and, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart (ibid., 31).

But God who, in mercy to man, always works for his salvation, desiring to dispossess Hezekiah of that notion which his erring human judgment had suggested to him, and remembering also his virtues, did not permit him to be deluded to the end, but sent him such a sickness as led him to despair of his life. Then Isaiah the prophet going in unto him said: Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die and not live;⁹ and thus at once took away the two opinions he had entertained. For some of the Jews said that the Christ never dies, while others held that he does really die, ³⁰² but rises again from the dead. So by saying thou shalt die the prophet took away from him one opinion----that according to which he thought he would never die, but when he added thereto and said: thou shalt not live, he took away the other opinion, according to which others asserted that he rises from the dead. For, being under the |308 test of sickness, he was taught by both expressions that he was not Christ. But the Prophet with great wisdom suggested to him by the power of the Holy Spirit, that he was not the Christ, when he said to him: Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die and not live; as if he said, arrange thine affairs, setthng to whom thou wilt transmit thy kingdom, in order that the promise of God may be guarded against the possibility of failure, for thou art not the Christ proclaimed by the Prophets, who has a kingdom without successor, but thou shalt undoubtedly have a successor, and thou hast not done well in neglecting to beget children to succeed thee in thy kingdom. It must therefore be thy concern now to arrange thine affairs, and to declare whom thou wilt have to be thy successor in the kingdom. As he had fancied that he would have but himself for his successor, Hezekiah on coming to know otherwise wept bitterly, and having repented and turned himself on his bed to the wall----the quarter in which the Temple lay, in accordance with the practice obtaining among the Jews----he made his supplication with his thoughts, you may be sure, directed to the Temple.¹⁰

But when he had changed his estimate of himself, and corrected his false notion, inasmuch as his prayer had been heard and he had recovered from his sickness, and been deemed worthy of an addition to his life, of fifteen years, and had been assured of this by another very wonderful sign, namely, by the retrogression of the sun, of which I shall state the cause a little farther on, then he sang the song to the Lord, wherein he set forth each of the circumstances already mentioned, for he speaks thus [see Isaiah xxxviii, 10-20.] I said in the noontide of my |309 days I shall go,¹¹ as if he said, I always cherished this thought in my heart, saying to myself, that I shall live always and never die. For by his saying: In the noontide of my days I shall go, he indicated that his days would never be shortened; and as if some one, while he was silent, had asked: while you were absorbed in these meditations what happened to you? he continues and says: At the gates of the grave I shall leave the residue of my years;¹¹ meaning, while I was thus meditating, I was all at once seized with a dreadful sickness, and could no longer cling to my former notion, but thought 1 should spend the rest of my years in the grave. Then: I shall no longer behold the salvation of God upon the earth.¹² The salvation of God here signifies Christ; for thus also Symeon, when he took up Christ in his arms, prayed God to be allowed to depart from this life, since his eyes had seen the salvation of God, namely Christ himself for it had been revealed to him by the Spirit that he should ³⁰³ not see death, until he had seen the Lord Christ.¹³ What Hezekiah then meant to show was this: I not only abandoned that idea and ceased to entertain those lofty imaginations concerning myself, but I do not even think I shall be privileged to see the Christ upon the earth, as I have only other fifteen years to live. I shall no longer see a man of my own kindred ¹⁴----this means, after the fifteen years which God has granted to me as an addition to my years, I shall, when dying, not only not be counted worthy to see Him, but not even to see any man, nay, not so much as one of my kindred. I am deprived of the residue of my life;¹⁵ this means, having thrown away therefore my former estimate of myself, and considering what was my duty for the future, I recognised that my life would come to an end. |310

After this he says: It has gone out and gone away from me, as one takes down the tent which he had pitched;¹⁶ meaning: And so completely has my former overweening arrogance departed from me, that I am like one, who, after having pitched a tent, forthwith takes it down again. The breath within me is as when a weaver is preparing to cut away the web from the loom;¹⁷ meaning: My very soul had all but left me, just as when the web of a woman who is weaving is ready to be cut. In that day I was delivered till morning as to a lion, he did so break all my bones----from day even to night was I delivered over;¹⁸ meaning: In the time then of my sickness, I was delivered over to the fever as to a terrible lion that was crushing all my bones, so that, as it raged, I was tortured incessantly from morning till evening and from evening till day-dawn. As a swallow so shall I chatter, and as a dove so shall I mourn;¹⁹ that is, In the time of my sickness I would utter cries like the sharp and quivering notes of the swallow, and in my pangs I would wail after the wont of doves. The words, I shall chatter, and I shall mourn are used instead of I chattered and I mourned, one tense being put for another----this being an idiom of frequent occurrence in divine scripture; as when Isaiah says: He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,²⁰ instead of he will be led. Mine eyes failed me in looking at the height of heaven towards the Lord, who rescued me, and took away the anguish of my soul, O Lord; concerning it, it was told unto thee;²⁰ meaning: And so much did I strain the eyes of my mind in looking up to the height of heaven, laying upon Thee, even upon God the Preserver of all, the anguish of my soul, which Thou didst remove from me, having changed my arrogance into humility and obedience to religion, on account of which, O Lord, I shall for |311 ever give thanks unto Thee. And thon hast resuscitated my breath, and having been comforted by thee I lived. For thou didst rescue my soul that it might not perish, and thou hast cast behind me all my sins;²¹ meaning: For by comforting me Thou didst resuscitate my breath and I lived; having ³⁰⁴ rallied my soul that was perishing, Thou hast cast my sins behind, and not suffered them to be spread out before me. For they that are in the grave cannot praise thee, nor can the dead celebrate thee; nor can they that are in the grave hope for thy mercy. The living shall praise thee, even as I also do;²² meaning: For if Thou hadst not granted me still to live, how could I have been converted, or have repented and been saved, or have hope of Thy mercy, since the dead who are in the grave can do nothing of this kind, but in Thy compassion Them hast graciously granted me this.

It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps;²³ nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps.²⁴ Accordingly after the shadow of the sun, as he proceeded [from mid-heaven] had declined the ten steps, then by the divine power, through the prayer of the Prophet, the sun returned backward till he was again in mid-heaven, and the shadow was found to have gone back the ten steps, according to sacred scripture. For if, on the contrary, it had been the |312 third hour of the day, the shadow having by this time gone forward, could neither have gone back, nor could the sun have moved backward, if even it had so happened that the door and the steps of the house of Hezekiah looked to the west. And so much with regard to the position of the house. But the reason for such a sign being accorded was this----that most of the nations and perhaps all of them, serving especially the host of heaven, honour the sun as a greater god than all the others, and, as the father of lights. God therefore by ordering him to go backward, showed to all the nations that He himself was Lord of all, and that the sun was His servant, and was not God. For if He ordered so great a luminary to go back contrary to his use and wont, much more can He order those that are smaller, and treat them as His servants. But with God's help I shall now declare what advantage thence accrued. When the sun then went backward, the circumstance became known to all the nations, even to the ends of the earth, so that even the King of Babylon, Merodach,²⁵ the son of Baladon, who lived far off and yet beheld the sign, was struck with consternation, and a desire of searching into the nature of this dread and strange miracle. For amazement and terror overcame the king himself and his courtiers, who eagerly sought to learn from all that were conversant with astronomy the cause of this dread and mighty sign. And after much inquiry had been made, he learned that Hezekiah the King of Judaea having fallen into a sickness, and been brought to despair of his life, made prayer unto God, and God restored him to health and gave him an extension of his life of fifteen years, and with a view to give him a sure belief in the promise, He wrought for him this dread and mighty sign because He is the God of gods, |313 who made heaven and earth and all things that therein ³⁰⁵ are.

The Babylonian having learned this, and having been taught by the occurrence that He by whom it was wrought was the God of the universe, lost no time in sending many gifts and an embassy to Hezekiah, as being a true and beloved servant of the God of all. On this occasion he was likewise taught that heaven is not a revolving sphere, according to the opinion of the Babylonians, who at first suspected it to be such, when they were engaged in building the Tower to a lofty height, but that it was stationary and fastened to the earth as a vault. For if it were a sphere, then while the universe was wheeling in a forward direction, the sun, since he could not but be carried along with it, could not be advancing in the opposite direction so as to move backwards for the space of three hours, that is, the fourth part of a day, and again another fourth part, until he came back to the place from which he had retrograded. But about all these figures we wrote in the Christian Topography, as you yourself, admirable Sir, know, at the exhortation of the God-beloved Parnphilus of Jerusalem. For the very Prophet through whom the retrogression of the sun was effected, when, by means of the dread sign, he had in reality confuted the theory of the Babylonians, by showing that the heaven is not a revolving sphere, and that they held an opinion that is erroneous, this very Prophet not long afterwards speaks thus of the figure of the heaven: He that established the heaven as a vaulted chamber;²⁶ and again: The Lord God who made the heaven and fixed it,²⁷ thus declaring at once that it is a vault, and that it is established and fixed and not in revolution. But by committing such things to writing it is manifest that he did a good service to the Babylonians. For whoso |314 wishes can learn this from what took place in the time of Cyrus the King of the Persians. For taking into his hands the book of Isaiah he found as he read the section which contained the prophecy concerning himself; since Isaiah says in that section: Thus saith the Lord to his Anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden to subdue nations before him, and I will loose the loins of kings. I will open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut. I will go before thee and will level mountains. I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron; and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places will I present to thee, that thou mayest know I am the Lord, which call thee by thy name, even the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant's sake and Israel my chosen, I have called thee by thy name and I will accept thee;²⁸ and shortly afterwards: I have raised him up a king in righteousness, and I will make straight all his ways. He shall build my city, and lead back the captivity of unpeople, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.²⁹ Cyrus, struck with wonder at the foreknowledge and the ³⁰⁶ prediction, and finding his own name expressly announced by the Prophet beforehand,³⁰ ordered the people to go up to Jerusalem, after having released them from captivity, and given them funds wherewith to build their city and their temple. And not only did he do this, but those also who came after him did trie same until the City and the Temple were finished.

The decree of Cyrus, which is committed to writing and |315 recorded in Chronicles and in Esdras (Ezra), and which enjoined all the people to go up, runs thus: In the first year of Cyrus King of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of the Persians that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing, saying: Thus saith Cyrus King of the Persians, all the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord, the God of heaven, given me, and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem which is in Judaea. Whosoever there is among you of all his people, be God with him and let him go up!³¹ See, my admirable friend, how he acknowledges that he had read the book of Isaiah, and believed in what was written, and fulfilled what was written in scripture with all diligence and without sparing the expense. How then is it not manifest that much benefit to religion accrued to all nations from all these circumstances? And how could those who had such faith in the scripture of Isaiah disbelieve what he said concerning the figure of heaven in his book. He that hath established the heaven as a vault?³² especially when in that age the miracles of the overthrow of Senachereim and of the retrogression of the sun were still recent events; whence also all the men of rank among them being convinced as to the truth of these world-renowned miracles, and convinced also by the prophesying of Isaiah, agreed to the opinion of the king, and released the people with honour. Since then the Babylonians were the first who conjectured and suspected that the heaven was a sphere, they again were the first to be taught, through Isaiah the Prophet, that it is not a sphere but a vault. From these sources having derived all the figures we have also depicted them in the Christian Topography, in the preface thereto, giving the name of the master who taught |316 us, namely, the great Patricius,³³ who came here among us from the country of the Chaldaeans----and so much again on these matters.

When the ambassadors of the Babylonian king came to Hezekiah, his heart in a fresh access of human weakness was lifted up with pride, and he received them with all gladness, for his own glory; and contrary to the will of God, he led them into the palace, displaying to them his treasures and all his riches. Then again Isaiah was sent to him to correct his frame of mind, and said to him ironically: What do these men say, and whence came they unto ³⁰⁷ thee? And Hezekiah said: From a far country have they come unto me----even from Babylon. Then said Isaiah again: What have they seen in thine house?³⁴ But the King, seeing that the Prophet put the question knowing how matters stood, told the truth and said to him: All that is in my house have they seen, and there is nothing in the house which they have not seen----yea they have even seen all my treasures:³⁵ Then he told him, by way of a threat to chastise the pride which uplifted his heart, what would come to pass after him and says: Hear the word of the Lord of Hosts. Behold the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon;³⁶ as if He said, For you ought to have been instructed by your former experiences that, not so much for your glory as for Mine, were the mighty signs wrought, in order that the nations also may be made acquainted with My greatness, which them again didst think lightly of, and wert uplifted with pride, not giving |317 Me thanks. But since without My sanction thou didst receive the ambassadors, and didst show them the wealth which thou hast obtained from Me, be therefore henceforth taught that hereafter, in the time of thy successors, I will deliver over to the Babylonians all thy wealth to be plundered and captured, because thou hadst again no regard for My glory, but didst honour thyself in preference to Me. But inasmuch as thou hast ever been virtuous and pious, none of these things shall happen in thy times. Hezekiah, on hearing and understanding this, humbled himself, as he was a righteous man and obedient to God, and giving thanks said to Isaiah: Good is the word of the Lord which he hath spoken. Let there be peace in my days.1 But that all things happened according to the word of the Prophet is a clear matter of fact, for Nabouchodonosor (Nebuchadnezzar) the King of Babylon having plundered Jerusalem took all the spoils to Babylon, and having selected young men of the royal line, Daniel, Ananias, Azarias, Misael and their companions, he made them eunuchs and appointed them to his own service; for it was a custom for the King to be served by eunuchs, as they were his personal attendants. In divine scripture certainly there is no record of the marriage of any one of them, or of child born to them, nor was any thing of this nature heard regarding them. But tradition and custom alike, according to the prophecy, represent them, as shown in their pictures, to be beardless snd smooth-skinned. But that, in their time, there were many miracles and prodigies and revelations and predictions which proved of great benefit to the Babylonians, Medes and Persians, thou art not unaware, O admirable Peter, and that in consequence the Kings greatly honoured them, and among their own subjects published decrees touching religion, which ³⁰⁸ |318 proclaimed, with reference to the God of all, that He is the God of gods and the Lord of lords; and they moreover ordained that such as uttered blasphemy against Him should be punished. Thus God who continually directs all things, by means of His own people, teaches all the nations by raising to honour those who do righteously, while He punishes those who sin, and sends them into captivity----thus teaching the nations by each of these dispensations to recognize His beneficence and His majesty; in order that they also may take their share in the duties of religion, being trained beforehand for the faith to be afterwards revealed through our Lord Jesus Christ. For not one jot or one tittle of scripture has been written needlessly, but all that is therein has been recorded for some useful end and for the common and manifold advantage of men. Wherefore, my Christ-loving friend, I beseech, through you, those who fall in with this composition of mine to read constantly divine scripture, and to reap therefrom all the gain wherewith it can help every man in affairs human and divine. God grant that we may obtain the divine blessing and promises through the prayers of our teachers and of thy brotherhood, O thou who lovest Christ with thine whole heart.³⁷

Just as the twelve loaves of shew-bread which lay on the table are a type of the annual cycle and of the fruits of the earth, as was said when we treated of the Tabernacle, and as is described in the ninth book, so also now we have delineated the cycle of the twelve months of the year, and the fruits produced in each month, giving thanks to God ³⁰⁹ the giver of all, as also David moved by the Holy Spirit thus in a psalm addresses God: Bless thou the crown of |319 the year of thy goodness;³⁸ thus in a remarkable way styling the cycle of the twelve months of the year a crown of goodness, as crowning the surface of the earth with beauty, and fostering the growth and maturity of its monthly fruits through the tempering of the elements which the invisible powers accomplish. Wherefore he further adds: And the plains shall be filled with thy fatness;³⁸ and again: Thou hast prepared their food, for thou hast so prepared it.³⁹ And elsewhere again he speaks thus: They all look to thee to give them their food in due season;⁴⁰ as if he said, Thou nourishest us, preparing our food from the products of each season. And elsewhere he thus speaks concerning our most necessary food, which the summer tropic perfects, and continues to give us for three months successively: They have been increased with their corn and wine and oil ⁴¹----here again in a remarkable way, in the giving of thanks, observing the order in nature and mentioning first corn, then |320 wine, and thirdly oil, in accordance with the order, in which by the blessing of God, they are produced during the three summer months, by the agency of the rational orders, namely, angels and men. It is therefore the duty of every Christian to read divine scripture neither in a cursory nor perfunctory way, but with studious care and in a suitable order, as in the outset we advised, in order that the divine grace, accepting our resolution, may cooperate in enabling us to know the mighty works of God. To Him be glory for ever, Amen! Be strong, ye Christians, in the Lord.

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ Gr. ta_ kalw~j lego&mena may perhaps mean what is finely said or expressed.

2. ¹ Gr. dokima&zein ta_ diafe/ronta, translated in the Revised Version "to approve the things that are excellent", but in the margin thereof "to prove the things that differ." Cosmas seems to have understood the words in the former sense. The expression has occasioned much controversy.

3. ² Gr. a!rcomoi kai\ th_n sh_n ai!thsin. Boulh&sei.... plhrou~n. As ai!thsin is governed by plhrou~n, the reading should be ai!thsin boulh&sei, &c.

4. ¹ The Psalms here meant are the twentieth and the twenty-first of our Bible. In the Septuagint the ninth and tenth psalms appear as but one, and hence the difference in the numeration.

5. ² Isai. vii, 14.

6. ³ John xii, 34.

7. ⁴ Sennacherib the son of Sargon was the King, according to Herodotus (ii, 141), of the Assyrians and Arabians. He invaded Judaea in the fourteenth year of the reign of Hezekiah, who ascended the throne in 726 B.C. and died in 697. Sennacherib died in 681.

8. ⁵ Rab-shakeh is a title, meaning Commander-in-Chief.

9. ¹Isai. xxxiii, 1.

10. ¹ Thus Daniel prayed at three distinct times of the day with his face turned towards Jerusalem. The Ebionites maintained this Jewish custom of turning in prayer towards the sacred city.

11. ¹ Isai. xxxviii, 10.

12. ² Ibid. 11.

13. ³ Luke ii, 26.

14. ⁴ Isai. xxxviii, 11.

15. ⁵ Ibid. 12.

16. ¹ Isai. xxxviii, 12.

17. ² Ibid.,

18. ³ Ibid., 13.

19. ⁴ Ibid., 14.

20. ⁵ Isai. liii, 7.

21. ¹ Isai. xxxviii, 17.

22. ² Ibid., 18, 19.

23. ³ Gr. a)nabaqmou&j. "Cyril of Alexandria and Jerome thought that the steps were really stairs, and that the shadow (perhaps of some column or obelisk on the top) fell on a greater or smaller number of them according as the sun was low or high. The terrace of a palace might thus easily be ornamented." Smith's Dictionary of the Bible. Josephus quotes a passage from Apion to the effect that in Egypt "Moses set up pillars instead of gnomons, under which was represented a cavity like that of a boat, and the shadow that fell from their tops fell down upon that cavity, that it might go round about the like course as the sun itself goes round in the other." See Whiston's Josephus --contra Apion. Book II, near the beginning.

24. ⁴ II Kings xx, 10.

25. ¹ According to Bêrôsus, this king, whom he calls Mardocampados was himself, like Hezekiah, tributary to the Assyrians.

26. ¹ Isai. xl, 22.

27. ² Isai. xlv, 18.

28. ¹ Isai. xlv, 1-4.

29. ² Ibid. 13.

30. ³ The foregoing quotations are taken from the forty-fifth chapter of Isaiah. Some biblical critics contend that the latter chapters of this Prophet (40 to 66) were written by a deutero-Isaiah who was about a century later than the first. One of their arguments in support of this view is, that Cyrus is mentioned by name, and that an intimate knowledge is exhibited of his career.

31. ¹ Ezra i, 1-3.

32. ² Isai. xl, 22.

33. ¹ See note 2, p. 24.

34. ² Isai. xxxix, 3.

35. ³ Ibid., 4.

36. ⁴ Ibid., 5-7.

37. ¹ Montfaucon has here this note: Cosmas here again delineates the figure of the conical mountain which causes nights and eclipses, as he thought it would contribute much to the understanding of the things said before, and of the ninth book, regarding the course of the stars. For the cycle of the twelve months, see Pl. 23 in the Appendix.

38. ¹ Psalm lxv, 12.

39. ²Ibid., 10.

40. ³ Psalm civ, 27.

41. ⁴ Gen. iv, 7.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 321-330. Book 9

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 321-330. Book 9

BOOK IX.

Concerning the course of the heavenly bodies.

HE circle of the twelve months is the uppermost, that of the sun is lower, and that of the moon is lower still.¹ Divine scripture signifies this by the structure of the candlestick, whereby the circular branches spring out from its shaft three on the one side and three on the other in such wise that one branch precedes another branch,² and each day the circle of the twelve months outruns the sun one degree, so that the sun is found in thirty days running through one month, and thus in twelve months completing the year, falling short, as has been said, one degree each day.³ The circle again of the sun outruns the circle of the moon ⁴ twelve degrees each day,⁵ so that it is found that the moon in thirty ⁶ days falls short of accomplishing the whole of the circle, that is, one month. But if any |322 ³¹⁰ should choose to consider the matter in the reverse way,⁷ then the circle of the moon falls short of that of the sun every day twelve degrees and some minutes, and the circle of the sun falls short of the uppermost circle of all, that is, of the twelve months, every day one degree. But these bodies are moved by the invisible Powers in an orderly and rational manner according to the will of God, these Powers having received this as a law, according to what is written in David: Bless the Lord, all ye his angels, ye mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless the Lord all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure.⁸ To Him be glory for ever and ever, Amen!

And these courses of the twelve mansions of the twelve stars and of the two great luminaries, according to the length of their three circles, we have explained to the best of our power in terms consistent with Christian doctrine, being moved by divine assistance, and at the same time drawing our conclusions from optical appearances. But as to the course of the two great luminaries in respect of latitude, and as to their transitions, their ascensions and declinations, conjunctions and seasons of full moon, nodes and elongations of their courses,⁹ parallaxes and phases, regular and irregular motions, and their northern and southern limits, and other terms which the pagans are pleased to employ, whereby they calculate the eclipses of the same luminaries, we resign the calculation to those who know and investigate such subjects with a view to calculate and foretell eclipses, since by this our withers are unwrung, and we are |323 even more confirmed in our views. For if terms of this kind, namely, transitions, ascensions, declinations, etc., hold [as they do] a place in our scheme, contention is futile. Now we have not cared to show anything else by this treatise of ours than that these eclipses of the two luminaries do occur, and are in harmony with our scheme, although the heaven should not be moved at all from east to west, or from west to east, and whether it be spherical or consist of many spheres; while at the same time the stars and luminaries in the air, by the agency of the rational powers, complete their course in observance of their order, and the figure of the two heavens and of the earth is preserved in accordance with divine scripture----a figure in which from the beginning God prepared two states ----the present and the future, namely those circles which we have described, and not heavens that are spherical, continuous, solid of body and transparent-----according to the nonsensical babble of the pagans.

We remember to have stated in the second book that the angels move the luminaries and the stars and all else, as having been ordained for the service of men, and there also we have delineated the scheme as far as it is possible ³¹¹ to exhibit it graphically. For we have testimonies from divine scripture showing that this is so. For that these bodies have a circular motion David shows when he says: Thou shalt bless the crown of the year with thy goodness;¹⁰ here with wonderful propriety styling the circle of the twelve months a crown, as crowning the face of the earth with beauty, whence he added: And the fields shall be filled with thy fatness.¹ For by the circular motion and the succession of returns from the tropics, the fruits of the earth grow and reach maturity. Yea, even Moses placed upon that which was typical of the earth, namely, upon |324 the table all round, the twelve loaves of shew-bread, three at each corner, signifying by the corners the four tropics, each distant from each three months, and by the circle the twelve months, and by the loaves the fruits of the earth, thus mystically representing the months by a circle crowning the earth above. In like manner also he arranged the twelve tribes in a circle around the Tabernacle, three on the east, three on the south, three on the west, and three on the north, beginning from the east, going up to south, descending again to the west and then lastly running through the north in accordance with the motion of the stars and the position of the earth.

This circle the pagans call the Zodiac which we have ourselves delineated in accordance with their theory.¹¹ But the other seven stars, which they call planets, Moses obscurely represented by placing seven lamps in the candlestick, which he placed in the south, so that it cast its light upon the table towards the north, while by the lamps he signified a week of seven days, signifying by all these the days, the weeks, the months, the tropics, and the year. By the daily loaves which were each day laid down new upon the table, he indicated the days, and by the seven lamps the week, and by the number of the loaves the twelve months, and by the four corners the tropics, and by the circle the year, concerning which things the divine Apostle speaks in the Epistle to the Hebrews:¹² Now if he were on earth he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned of God when he is about to make the Tabernacle: For, see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern which was shown thee in thc Mount. And Solomon says: The sun ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to |325 his place. Arising he goeth there towards the south and wheeleth round in his circuit, and the wind goeth on its circuits.¹³ He also, in what he says, agrees with Moses and David, namely, that the sun proceeding from the east ascends to the south, and by making a circuit through the.north, causes the tropics, and completes the great circle of the year in his passage through the air; for this is what the expression the wind goeth on means, as if he said, in the ³¹² air. And that the heavenly bodies are moved by the invisible Powers, divine scripture intimates this also, when it says: For the creation was made subject to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it in hope that the creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God;¹⁴ meaning by this, that at the final consummation, the angels shall be delivered from this bondage, and from the ministrations which they render on account of men, for men, having then become immortal and immutable, will no longer be in need of such ministrations, as the Lord also in the Gospels speaks thus concerning the consummation: For the powers of heaven shall be shaken,¹⁵ thus calling the angels the powers of heavens, and by the expression they shall be shaken, He means they shall be set free from their former office. As the angels, therefore, who move the stars themselves and other things, are certainly set free from this office and ministry, He declares that the stars fall to the earth.

The language of the Apostle also: Are they not all ministering spirits senf forth to minister for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?¹⁶ very clearly shows that they all for the sake of man are occupied night and day in their ministrations and services, and in doing everything else |326 towards giving men relaxation from their toils and towards supplying their wants. For, when we shall no longer need them, they shall be set free from this bondage and service, and shall cast down the stars upon the earth. As Paul endured many toils and afflictions and persecutions for the Church, and at last, from the multitude of his impending dangers, was driven to despondency, the divine grace consoled him by means of frequent visions, encouraging him not to despair, but to persevere, and to minister to the growth and propagation of the Church. He therefore sets forth from these things for us two causes [of the visions], one pointing to labour, and the other to reward. For what does he say? I know a man in Christ fourteen years ago (whether in the body I know not, or whether out of the body I know not, God knoweth), how that he was caught up into the third heaven;¹⁷ and again he says: And I know such a man that he was caught up into the third heaven and heard unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter;¹⁸ here manifestly setting forth things concerning himself in the person of another. I know, he says, O Corinthians, if I needs must myself come to visions and revelations of the Lord, that I was, in a wondrous manner beyond all conception, caught up to a vast height, that of the distance from the earth to the firmament, two-third parts, so that only one third of the whole height of heaven remained to me to be ascended.¹⁹ And what was the cause of his being thus caught up I will with God's help explain. Since the invisible powers in this height ³¹³ up to which Paul was caught, in obedience to the divine ordinance, for the sake of man move the heavenly bodies unceasingly and unhesitatingly by night and by day, He |327 therefore caught up Paul, and conducted him thither, to show him the incessant service which they perform for the sake of men----to show him in what a rational, orderly, rhythmical and intelligent a manner, and with what toil and assiduity and solicitude, they render their service, and fulfil their work, that he might thus in a measure comfort Paul, so that in labouring for the Church, he might not give way to despondency, but persevere in his ministry, as he saw the angels were doing in theirs. Paul therefore had the boldness to reveal how they ranked in dignity, naming Principalities, and Powers, and Virtues, and Thrones, and Dominations. For some of them perform the work while others superintend the workers, and others exercise power as commanders of squadrons; and to say all in a word, all of them alike, groaning and travailing in pain together, perform their labour with great anxiety and solicitude, and in rational order, all of them being together desirous to gain their freedom from that bondage under which they serve for the sake of men.

I shall here speak again, God helping me, concerning the being caught up into Paradise. Since, after their departure from the body, the souls of the righteous, who are thought worthy to enter into the kingdom of heaven, are consigned to Paradise (as we learn from the case of the thief who was crucified along with the Lord), until the resurrection, being there kept as in a choice and honoured place by the invisible Powers, who entertain them with hymns and every mark of honour; God caught up Paul thither, and by way of comforting him, showed him, but in part only, the crowns which were the prizes of his toils and struggles; whence he was unable to give a perfect description of the things there; yea, he rather declared them to be unspeakable and incomprehensible, but he had the boldness to write, that for him, as one who had finished his course of service, and had kept the faith, there was |328 laid up a crown of righteousness by the Lord, and not for him only, but also for all who are like him. And so much we have said with regard to the visions.

But here it is to be noted that all the heavenly bodies are under the firmament, and are moved and wheeled in their orbits below the two-thirds of the height of heaven,²⁰ by the ministry and the arrangement of the invisible Powers. And from this we learn that an angel does not ascend beyond the heavenly bodies. For if they are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation,²¹ let any one who is opposed to this opinion declare in what service the angel, who goes above the firmament, is engaged; and if he is at a loss to point this out, let him submit, I do not say to us, but to divine scripture. For it is impossible for any of us, while still mortal or corruptible or mutable, to go beyond the stars, unless we receive from God incorruption and ³¹⁴ immortality and immutability by the resurrection from the dead; unless the angels also are, in like manner, along with us, delivered from bondage, and casting down the stars to the earth, likewise obtain immutability and freedom, we do not go beyond the stars and cleave the firmament to enter into the kingdom of heaven. For this the Apostle shows when he says: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;²⁰ here by the word flesh meaning mortality, and by blood mutability. He declared therefore that it is impossible for one who is mortal or mutable to inherit the kingdom of heaven. He subjoins immediately: Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption ²²----and he repeated this, by way of showing that nothing that is corrupt can go up and enter there, for harm rather than any advantage would |329 result. For just as we, who are far away from the sun, have not the power, should we direct our eyes to his disc, to continue doing so, but would be injured and blinded rather than profited, so would it fare with any one if, while still mortal or mutable or corruptible, he should seek to overstep the boundaries, and approach the way which leads to the kingdom of heaven, while still far off therefrom. So then, just as the Lord Christ when He had risen from the dead, having become incorruptible in the body and immortal, and in soul immutable, then passed beyond the heavenly Powers, and when He had approached the firmament, having become, as it is written, better than the angels, He pierced it and entered into the kingdom of heaven; as Paul also declares when he says that he ascended far above all principality, etc., so we also and the angels, having obtained these attributes, enter therein. Again, the two trees in the middle of Paradise mystically presignify the present state and the future, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a type of this world which is mortal and mutable, having pleasures and pains, and being a school of discipline,²³ just as Adam was taught by this tree both good and evil. Now the tree of life is a type of the future heavenly world, in which life and blessedness reign, for the saying: Lest he stretch forth his hand and take of the tree of life,²⁴ signified the vast height of the tree and thereby signified the mansions above. As therefore He commanded the Cherubim with the flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life, so He commanded the angels and the luminaries which revolve round the height of the firmament, to guard the way which is there that leads into the kingdom of heaven; |330 intending to signify that the mansions above are meanwhile inaccessible to men. At His Passion therefore the Lord Christ ³¹⁵ carried with Him the soul of the thief into Paradise, having suspended the guardianship of the Cherubim and of the flaming sword, which turned every way. But after His resurrection, when He came to his ascension, He opened a passage through the host of the invisible Powers, and the luminaries and the firmament itself, and entered into the kingdom where immortality, and immutability, and blessedness reign. At the final consummation therefore, when the angels cease to make the luminaries revolve and when the stars fall, then the Cherubim and the flaming sword waving both ways no longer prevent men from entering into the true life, but the righteous, raised on high and traversing the new way and piercing the firmament with the Lord Christ, shall inherit the kingdom of life. Do Thou, who hast compassion and great pity, deem us also, along with Thy righteous, worthy of this life and inheritance.

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ See Pl. 9 in the Appendix, depicting the celestial sphere of Ptolemy.

2. ² See Pl. 15 in the Appendix.

3. ³ More exactly 59' 8 1/3".

4. ⁴ Gr. To_n de\ ku&klon th~j selh&nhj, h( tou~ h(li/ou protre/xei. As

protre/xei governs the genitive, the reading should be tou~ de\ ku&klou, and h( should be o(.

5. ⁵ More exactly 12° 11' 26 2/3".

6. ⁶29 1/2 + days.

7. ¹ Gr. 'Ei de/ tij e0c a)ntistro&fou bouleiqei/h noei=n. Montfaucon translates this wrongly: Quod si quis facta comparatione rem considerare voluerit.

8. ² Psalm ciii, 21, 22.

9. ³ Gr. e0kdiame/trwn dro&mwn. Montfaucon renders: de diametralibus cursibus.

10. ¹ Psalm lxv, 11.

11. ¹ See Plates 9 and 22 in the Appendix.

12. ² Heb. viii, 4, 5.

13. ¹ Eccl. i, 5, 6.

14. ² Rom. viii, 20.

15. ³ Matt, xxiv, 19.

16. ⁴ Heb. i, 14.

17. ¹ II Cor. xii, 2.

18. ² Ibid., 3.

19. ³ From this it would appear that Cosmas took the distance from the earth to the firmament to be double the distance from the firmament to the summit of heaven. But see note 3, p. 116, and its text.

20. ¹ That is two-thirds of the height of heaven above the earth. See note 3, p. 116, and note 3, p. 326,

21. ² Heb. i, 14.

22. ³ 1 Cor xv, 50.

23. ¹ According to the Greek text there should be a full stop after discipline; but it seems better to place it after the clause which follows.

24. ² Gen. iii, 22.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 331-357. Book 10

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 331-357. Book 10

BOOK X.

Passages from the Fathers.

ERTAIN of those [Christians] who delight in wrangling, on reading this book and finding it no easy matter to face such a weight of testimony as we have adduced in this treatise from the divine scriptures, thus addressed us: "You and the Fathers on whom you rely interpret divine scripture in a peculiar way to make it correspond with your own opinions, for nothing is conveyed by it about figures and types such as you assert. But the Fathers on whom we rely, who could not but have known accurately the true scope of divine scripture, have in their expositions transmitted to us nothing such as you say, since scripture tells us: God hath set in the Church, first Apostles, secondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers.¹ To the Apostles indeed and to the Prophets you seem to have attached yourself in your interpretation, but as for the Teachers who are the exponents of the true scope of divine scripture, you hold aloof from them entirely, and travel a strange road, known to none but to yourself and your friends." On this account, therefore, we are constrained to make manifest once more to all their love of contention, and to this end we have placed together in this book the testimonies of |332 the Fathers, even those whom they themselves adduce either in pretence or in sincerity, in order that they may be refuted by their own authorities, and be convinced how admirably our treatise is confirmed by the testimonies of all the Apostles and Prophets and Teachers. And first let step forward the great Athanasius² who proclaims the same views as ourselves.

From the Festal Epistles of Athanasius.³

[316-319] Observe, pray, how this great Teacher is constantly in agreement with ourselves and our doctrine, in the view he takes of the whole figure of the world, calling the kingdom of heaven a great and supramundane hall, sufficient for the whole creation, and proclaiming that the Lord Christ as our forerunner is therein, and that we shall enter into it along with him at his second coming; And the saying: Enter into the joy of thy Lord:⁴ he refers to that very hall, that is, to the heaven of heavens which is the kingdom of heaven----and he says that this has been prepared for men by God from the foundation of the world, and that the Tabernacle erected by Moses is a type of the heavens. Can the lovers of contention show how this great Teacher does not agree with us, or how we have been going a strange road different from that of the Church? But away with the vain labour of these men! We will add to Athanasius, Gregory of Nazianzus⁵ with whose praises |333 they make the world ring, and who yet proclaims the same views as the previous authority and ourselves.

Extract from the discourse on the Passover by Gregory of Nazianzus.

"But let us sacrifice to God a sacrifice of praise upon the altar on high along with the choir above; let us go through the first veil, let us draw near to the second, let us glance into the Holy of Holies." How then is it not manifest that we have not gone a strange road different from that of the Church? Let the men of strife therefore be ashamed of themselves when they see the harmony of the Church, and let them not be intolerant of us, for it is hard for them to kick against the pricks. But let us introduce a third after him, one who was his contemporary, even Theophilus Bishop of the Church at Alexandria,⁶ who also bears testimony to our opinions, yea rather, to the truth.

From the first Festal Epistle of Theophilus of Alexandria.⁶

"In order that, being engaged in higher than earthly ³²⁰ doings in the sublime mansion of virtue, we may, like the disciples, eat the Passover in the upper chamber, having with us Christ, who was sacrificed for us, while we eat Him all, as our life."

From the same Festal Epistle of the same.

"In order that, having again drawn back the veil of the word, we may with unveiled face behold the festival of the |334 divine Passover,⁷ appealing thus to Jesus: Where wilt thou that we prepare to eat the Passover with thee? ⁸ On receiving his reply that this feast was to be celebrated in an upper chamber, a chamber, that is, of second things,⁹ the disciples with alacrity of heart betook themselves with all speed to enter the Holy of Holies, into which Christ Himself hath entered for us, and hath done away with any further need of the typical High Priest, having obtained eternal redemption for us, and on our behalf presenting Himself before the face of God. Formerly indeed the High Priest alone once a year entered into the Holy of Holies, the people remaining without by reason of the littleness of their power. But the Saviour having entered in, has given full liberty of access to all who wish."

Observe how this authority is also in harmony with us in calling the upper chamber a house, into which the Lord Christ as forerunner hath entered for us (of whom the High Priest in the Tabernacle of Moses was a type) to present Himself before the face of God, and hath given full liberty to all who wish, to enter into the Holy of Holies, that is, into the kingdom of heaven. Let those who are on the side of the schismatics reply to the following questions. How have we gone a strange road different from that of the Church? How is it that they do not regard the words of their own Fathers? but falsely traduce them as if they were heretics. But passing from this Father, let us turn to the fourth who was his contemporary and fellow mystic, Severianus, namely, the Bishop of Gabala,¹⁰ who can be taken as a witness to confirm all that is written in my work. |335

From the first book of the Hexaemeron (Six days of the Creation) of Severianus, Bishop of Gabala.

"For on the first day He made the matter out of which things were created; but on the other days He gave their form and arrangement to the things created. For example, He made the heaven which was before non-existent----not this visible heaven, but the one above it, for the visible was made on the second day. God made the higher heaven----the heaven of heavens to the Lord,¹¹ and it is higher than this visible heaven, and, as in a house of two stories,¹² between it and the "earth another heaven is interposed. God having thus created the world as one house, placed this visible heaven as a roof in the middle, and the waters above it. Wherefore, David says: Who covereth his upper chambers with waters.¹³ God then made the heaven when it was not, the earth when it was not, the abysses when they were not, and wind, air, fire, water; of all the things that came into existence He made their matter on the first day. But some one will say that it is recorded that He made the heaven and the earth, while nothing is recorded of waters and fire and air. In the first place then, brethren, when He said that the heaven and the earth were made, He indicated by the things which contain, the things that are contained. Then after the interposition of a few passages, hear Him next relate when the air was made: And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.¹⁴ Here He does not speak of the Holy Spirit, for the uncreated is not numbered along with what is created, but it is the motion of the air which He calls spirit. God said, Let there be light,¹⁵ and the nature of fire came into being. And again proceeding He says: But our souls He |336 fenced round with the body, while He made the angels bodiless. So then, what we see to be the case with respect to human souls and to angels, the same is the case with respect to fire, for the fire above subsists without matter, but the fire below with matter, for the fire above is akin to the fire below, just as our souls are also akin to the angels. How so? because the former are spirit and the latter too are spirit. And again: All of them were then brought into existence, fire, abyss, winds, the four elements, earth, fire, water, air; for whatever Moses omitted he comprehended in that marvellous summary where he says: For in six days God made the heaven and the earth and all the things that therein are.¹⁶ And just as in the case of the body he did not speak of all its members, so in the case of the creation he did not enumerate all its parts, although all things were created simultaneously with the world. But if there was not fire in the world, it could not at the present day be struck from rock and from wood; for the friction of wood against wood generates fire, but if Nature did not hold it, from what source does she, produce it?"¹⁷

From the same, from the second book.

"On the second day God said: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.¹⁸ He made this heaven, not the one above, but the visible heaven which he crystallised from the waters like ice. But I shall endeavour to place the matter before your eyes, for many things are better explained by ocular ³²² than by oral demonstration. This water, let us suppose, overflowed the earth five cubits. Then God said: Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water,³ and |337 thereupon a solid ice-like substance was produced in the midst of the waters, which made lighter the upper half of the water, and left the other half underneath, as it is written: Let there be a firmament (stere/wma) in the midst of the water, and let it make a division between the waters.¹⁹ But wherefore does he call it the firmament? It is, because God made it firm and solid (e0stere/wse) from waters which are of rarer and less compact substance. Wherefore David also says: Praise him in the firmament of his power;²⁰ and, to take another example, we may adduce smoke, which when emitted from burning wood is rarified and attenuated, but when it mounts up high into the air becomes transformed into the density of a cloud. In this wise, when God had made the waters, which are by nature rarified, ascend on high, He there made them solid. And that this example is to the point, and true, Isaiah testifies where he says: The heaven was made firm and solid as smoke.²¹ The heaven having therefore become solid in the midst of the waters made the upper half of them light, but the other half He left underneath. Why then and for what purpose were the waters placed above? Was it that we might drink them or that we might sail on them? For that there are waters above, David testifies, saying: And the water which is above the heavens.²² Observe then the wisdom of the Creator; the heaven was crystalline, having been consolidated from the waters; but since it was to receive the flame of the sun and of the moon and the countless hosts of the stars, and was entirely filled with fire, then in order that it might not be dissolved, nor burned with the heat, He spread over the upper surfaces of heaven those sea-like expanses of water, with a view to soften, and as it were to anoint the upper |338 surface and thus render it capable of resisting the scorching heat of the flames. An example of this is ready at hand: if, for instance, you to-day put a pot on the fire, with water therein, the pot withstands the fire, but if you do not supply water the pot will crack or melt. Accordingly, against fire He opposed heat as its counteractive, in order that the upper surface of heaven being, as it were, anointed with the waters, might be well enough able to maintain its existence. And observe what is here marvellous; in the body of heaven which is assailed by so much fire, the moisture is so superabundant that it lends a constant supply to the earth. For whence cometh the dew of the cloud? from nowhere? The air holds no water; so it is clear that the heaven drops it from its superabundance. Wherefore also the Patriarch Isaac when blessing Jacob said: "God give thee of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth"²³----And later on he²⁴ thus continues: "Observe, I pray you, that the waters above the heaven render another service, for not only do they preserve the heaven, but they also send down the flame of the sun and the moon, since, if the whole heaven were transparent, the rays would mount upwards; for, as it is the nature of ³²³ fire to ascend, it would leave the earth destitute of light. On this account, therefore, He compressed the heaven above with a boundless expanse of waters, in order that the rays, being confined, might be sent downwards. Behold then the wisdom of the Architect. And thou hast even in thyself the image of the Architect. So attend particularly, I pray you, to what I shall now say: Suppose this head to be the heaven above, and what is above the tongue to be the other heaven, namely, the firmament, whence also [the palate] is called the little heaven,²⁵ or roof of the |339 mouth; now, above, in the invisible parts is the brain not manifest to sight, while in the lower heaven is the the tongue, a thing manifest to sight, just as the upper heaven is classed with things discerned by the intellect, but the world, with the things we ordinarily talk about."²⁶

From the same discourse.

"For on the third day the fruits were produced, and in order again that it might not be supposed that they were produced by the influence of the sun, it was not until their creation was finished, that He made the sun and the moon and the stars. But whence did He make them? For it has been said that on the first day He made all things of nothing, but on the other days, out of things existing. Whence then the Sun? Why, out of the light created on the first day which the Architect modified at His pleasure and transformed into objects of varied aspects, creating, in the first place, the substance of the light, and then producing the luminaries, just as if one should bring forward a mass of gold, and should then coin it into pieces of money, and by so doing make it a thing of beauty. For just as He divided the abyss, which was then one mass of water, into the water on high, into seas, into rivers, into fountains, into lakes, into wells, so also did the Architect divide the light, which was a single uniform mass, and distribute it into the sun, into the moon and into the stars." And subsequently we read: "He made therefore the heaven, not a sphere, as those vain babblers conceive----for He did not make a rolling sphere, but, as the prophet says: Who hath made the heaven as a vaulted chamber and stretched it out as a tent to dwell in;²⁷ for none of us is so impious as to be persuaded by these triflers, and not by the words of the Prophet, which declare that the heaven has a beginning and an end. For this |340 reason therefore the sun is not said by them to ascend but to go out, for the scripture saith: The sun goeth out upon the earth,²⁸ not goeth up; and again he says: From the end of heaven is his going forth, and at the end of heaven is his goal,²⁹ Not a going up then----but if it is circular, it has not an end----for where are we to find an end of what is perfectly round? Does then David only say this, or does the Saviour also say so? Hear then this which is spoken by the Lord: When the Son of Man cometh he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather ³²⁴ together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.³⁰ But, we ask again, where does the sun set, and where does he pursue his course by night? as we have said. Well, according to the pagans, under the earth, but according to us who speak of it as a tent, consider, I pray you, whether what we assert be false, or has the seal of the truth to attest it. Now, with my expression the place too [where we are met] coincides;³¹ for such things are better explained by a reference to what is seen than by words addressed to the ear. Suppose a dome to be placed over the church with its east towards sunrise, its north in this direction, its south here, and its west there. Suppose next the sun rising and then going down----going down not under the earth, but pursuing his course through the northern parts, and hidden from view as by a wall, the waters not permitting his path to be seen----pursuing his course, I say, through the northern parts, and reaching again the quarter in which he rises. But whence is it made clear that this is so? By the blessed Solomon then, when in the book of Ecclesiastes, a book attested [to be inspired], and not rejected [from the canon] he says: The sun ariseth, and the |341 sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place; arising there he gocth to the south, and wheeling in his circuits, wheels towards the north; the wind goeth and turneth about in its circuits.³² Behold then the sun running his course in the south, and wheeling round to the north, and be instructed." And further on he says: "All things, therefore, obey the law of God. The heaven stands, not as upheld by its own power but firmly compacted by the divine word. For should I be at a loss to understand how the heaven was consolidated out of the waters, the blessed David resolves the difficulty when he says: By the word of the Lord were the heavens made solid;³³ because made from the waters----for in no passage elsewhere is the [heaven] said to be solid; it is one thing to be made solid, and another to be solid. The expression being made solid is used when that which is rarified and attenuated becomes consolidated."

From the same-----from the sixth discourse.

"So then that tree had not a power in itself to produce a knowledge which would result in death, but it got its name from the dire calamity that befell Adam in connection with it. I shall briefly explain the matter; for divine scripture presents no difficulty. To-day we have the saving food of which the faithful partake. That tree then has a natural salutariness. If, through the glory invoked,³⁴ you have a pledge from things that are present, why do you doubt about those that arc past? There the food was death-giving, here it is life-giving. If this saves by its natural properties, and not by grace----then that also killed by its natural properties, and not by the purpose he put before him; if this food saves by its natural properties and |342 not by grace, that also kills by its natural properties and not by the breaking of the commandment."

³²⁵ From the same-----from the fourth discourse.

"For the angels having been created beings were not co-workers with God, but His ministers who praised Him in song, and expressed their gratitude for being brought into existence, being aware that, as they had no previous existence, they had been created by the Spirit of goodness. So they stood as spectators merely, beholding the things made along with them, and after them; for they beheld the heaven made of nothing, and were struck with astonishment; they beheld the sea parted off, and were lost in wonder; they saw the earth in her beautiful apparel, and were thrilled with delight. But that the angels were not co-workers, but admiring spectators, God says in Job: When I made the stars, all the angels praised me and celebrated me in song;"³⁵ subsequently he says: "He beheld Adam sinning, but He foresaw his posterity acting righteously; He saw him being cast out from Paradise, but He foresaw that a kingdom had been prepared for him. And what is wonderful is this, that even before Paradise the kingdom had been made. Why then do you wonder at his having been cast out of Paradise, when the real wonder is that before Paradise existed, the kingdom of the heavens had been prepared for him?----as saith the Saviour: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!³⁶

From the same-----from the third discourse.

"It now remains to be examined why God made the moon at her full. Pray attend closely, for the subject to be considered is deep, as she required to be made on |343 the fourth day in order to present a fourth day's appearance. And again, if she appeared four days old, she could not have occupied the extremity of the west. She was found therefore having an advantage of eleven days----for on the fourth day she appeared full, as she would have appeared on the fifteenth day. By eleven days then the moon is in advance of the sun, not by the act of her creation, but by her shining.³⁷ Wherefore what advantage she then gained, she paid back to the sun, for as the number of days in the lunar month is twenty-nine and a-half she makes in twelve months a year of three hundred and fifty-four days. For if you reckon twenty-nine and a-half days for each month there are in the year three hundred and fifty-four days, in order that the moon may pay back annually to the sun the days which she then gained. Let any one who can count make the calculation."

(Cosmas now speaks).

What will those lovers of strife say to this, when they hear that there is such harmony between this author and myself, both as regards the figure of the first heaven and of the second, and as regards the two places made by the interposition of the firmament ---- that the first heaven, according to divine scripture, is not a sphere, but ³²⁶ a vaulted chamber,----that this second heaven, which is visible, was consolidated from the waters, and carries the waters, that it may not be dissolved by the heat of the heavenly bodies, but be preserved therefrom by the chillness of the waters----that the dew falls from the firmament----that the heavenly bodies pursue their course through the northern parts during the night----and that the angels were created along with the heaven, and were |344 spectators of God's six days' handiwork, and were taught, thereby, and filled with astonishment; and what will they say as to his reasoning concerning souls, that they are enclosed within the body and operate in the body. How then shall not every mouth be stopped that speaketh unrighteousness against God, and against ourselves who carefully study divine scripture, and argue therefrom agreeably to the tradition of the Church? For, observe, I pray, it was shown that the Prophets and the Apostles, and the Evangelists, and the Lord himself and all divine scripture----yea, moreover even those who in common report are called Fathers and Teachers, whether in truth or pretence, differ not from my opinions, but all bear testimony to my words, so that by them all the truth may be established, and every mouth be stopped that speaketh unrighteous things. But, taking our leave of this author, let us pass on to his fellow-servant, Epiphanius the Bishop ³⁸----the fifth in order, to show that he also testifies to our words and is in agreement with them.

From the work of Epiphanius, Bishop of Cyprus, On Measures and Weights.

"Two and twenty works, O lover of the good and the beautiful, did God make from the beginning until the seventh day, namely these. On the first day He made the higher heaven, the earth, the waters from which come snow, ice, hail, frost and dew; then the spirits which minister before His face, such as these----the angels standing in His presence, the angels of glory, the angels of the clouds and darkness and snows and hail and frost----the angels of sounds, of thunder and lightning; the angels |345 of cold and heat, of winter and autumn, and the angels of all the spirits of His creatures which arc in heaven and upon earth and in Chaos; then the darkness and the brooding over the abyss, the waters which once covered the earth, out of which darkness comes evening and night, the light of day and of the dawn. These seven mighty works did God make on the first day. On the second day was made the firmament which is in the midst of the waters. On the same day the waters were divided, one half of which ascended above the firmament, while the other half was underneath the firmament, upon the face of all the earth. This was the only work which God made on the second day."

This author also agrees with us testifying as to the figure, declaring the heaven to be above, and the ³²⁷ firma-ment, which also carries the waters, to be underneath. And with regard to the angels he says what is in explicit agreement with our own views, namely, that they arc all in this world, and are all engaged in moving all things, and ministering for the sake of man, and that they also were brought into being on the first day along with the upper heaven and the earth. And hearing this, do not, O men, fret and fume, overmastered by the spirit of strife and envy, but rather from a love of truth, recognize the ecclesiastical, yea rather, the veritable harmony. For when ye are unable to face the truth, it is of no avail to take to reviling. Regard then with all due deference the great host of witnesses. But, if we have not yet adduced a sufficiency of them for you, let us leave this authority for the Bishop of the Capital----the admirable John, who was treated contemptuously by the three foregoing writers, and let us show that this illustrious champion [of the Church], who was devoted to deeds of mercy, bears testimony to our argument and is in agreement therewith. |346

From the work on Alms by John Chrysostom.³⁹

"A human being is a great thing, and a man, if merciful, is to be honoured. Behold, how great a thing is mercy----the merciful man God likens to Himself; for He saith: Be ye merciful, even as your Father which is in heaven is merciful.⁴⁰ Should death come, there your riches abide."

From the Commentary by the same on the Epistle to the Ephesians.

"In all wisdom and prudence, he says, having made known unto us the mystery of his will,⁴¹ as if one should say: he made known to us the things in his heart. For this is the mystery which is full of all wisdom and prudence. For what seekest thou that is greater than this wisdom? Those who were nothing worth----even those He found out, that He might lead them to great riches. What is there that can compare with this inventive skill?⁴² He that was an enemy, He that was hated: this very man has on a sudden been raised on high, and not only so, but at this particular time, and this was done in wisdom also. And that this was done by the Cross, it would require a long discussion to show. What a matter of wisdom this was, and how it has made us wise!"

Again.

"According to his good pleasure, he says, which he purposed in him;⁴¹ that is, He longed for this, He was in throes, as one may say, to bring forth this mystery. And of what nature is this? It is that it is His will to set man on high, |347 and this He desires with a view to a dispensation of the fulness of the times to sum up all things in Christ, the ³²⁸ things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth."

From the Commentary of the same, on the Epistle to the Hebrews in the chapter where it is said: "Now in the things which we are saying the chief point is this."⁴³

"Where are those who say that the heaven is in motion? Where are those who think it to be spherical? For both these opinions are here swept away."

From the same Commentary of the same on the chapter which says: "Wherefore he is the Mediator of a new covenant."⁴⁴

"And how come these to be patterns of the things in the heavens? And what does he call the things which are now in the heavens? Is it heaven? is it the angels?⁴⁵ No, none of these, but our things, for heavenly things are ours, yea, even though they be accomplished on the earth, since the angels also are on the earth, and are nevertheless called heavenly. And the Cherubim too appeared on the earth, and yet they are heavenly. But what am I saying?----that they appeared? Is it upon the earth then they spend their time as if in Paradise? Nay, not so, for they are heavenly and our citizenship is in the heavens, although we spend our life with those that are here." And subsequently He says: "I show by actual facts those that attain to this height. And who be these? I mean Paul and his followers, who, though they were on earth, sojourned in heaven. But what am I saying?----in heaven? Nay, they |348 were higher exalted than heaven, yea even than the other heaven, for they ascended to God Himself."

And this great and wise teacher, again, expresses opinions which are marvellously in accordance with our own and with those of such as hold with us with regard to the figure of the world. For with regard to this figure he gradually advances upward from the regions of the earth to the sovereign throne, and describes finely the gradations of the ascent. He places the air first, then the moon, then the sun; in the next place, the firmament, then again, the heaven of heaven, without saying there are more than two heavens, and he ridicules those who say that it is a sphere, and maintain that it is in motion. And with regard to the angels and the cherubim, he declares that they are all in this world along with ourselves, and that up to this time not one of them has winged his way beyond this world. And with regard to doctrine again he expounds it clearly, making a safe use of the figure in doing so. For why? he says, He that was an enemy, He that was hated, all of a sudden this Person has been raised on high. And again he says, that it is the will of God to set man on high, etc. For when God had made the heaven and the earth, on the second day He made the firmament, and, having placed it midway on high, He divided the one world into two worlds, ³²⁹ namely this and the one above. And when He had on the sixth day finished all this world, last of all, as a bond to unite the whole world of things visible and invisible, He made man----the one living being compounded of all the natures. At the end of the days therefore, when it behoved that the second world also should be displayed, God, having taken him who was the bond of the whole world of things visible and invisible, namely, Man; and having renovated him by raising him from the dead, and made him better, he conducted him in presence of all into heaven, namely, into the second place----that is, into the second world. |349 For a restoration and a renovation was effected by the dispensation of God in man as the bond between heavenly and earthly things, that is, of all things visible and invisible.

This Father then, knowing these things and the mystery of the will of God, took pleasure in declaring them, and proclaimed that he who had been expelled from Paradise as hated on account of his disobedience, had suddenly through God's good pleasure become heavenly, for the summing up in him of the universe.⁴⁶ Oh! how wonderful the concord of the Church! how wonderful the spiritual unanimity of the teachers! How is he not to be condemned who sets himself in opposition to them? O Lord God of the universe, confirm us evermore in Thy mysteries, Amen! Let the lovers of strife cease from wrangling, and let them rather submit their necks to the Church. For from a habit such as this we, along with the Church, turn away with aversion. But having ended our citations from this authority, let us adduce a seventh witness who completes the testimony of the divine Testament both the Old and the New. For if in divine scripture it is said that in the mouth of two witnesses or three every word shall be established, how much more then in the mouth of seven; for the company of seven witnesses shows the testimony of the perfect testament. It is Philon then the Bishop of Carpathus ⁴⁷ who gives the same testimony as the other six. |350

From the Commentary on Canticles, by Philon Bishop of Carpathus on the passage: The King brought me into his inner chamber.⁴⁸

"The banqueting-house of the heavenly King, that is, His body which He built up for Himself as His house, and then also the kingdom of heaven."

From the same on the passage: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.⁴⁹

"For the son of God assumed humanity, which He put on [received] from the Church, and in return gave back His sacred flesh to be partaken of in the sacrament."

³³⁰ From the same on the passage: The King fettered in his movements to and fro. Why wert thou made beautiful, and why wert thou established?⁵⁰

"For when He passed from heaven to earth, and when He descended to hell, yea to the very lowest depth of hell, He thence will draw up the dead." And farther on he says: "It was not His divine nature that was in reality made beautiful, and that was established, for this does not admit of increase or diminution, but it was the flesh which He assumed, and the humanity which He wore. He was beautified by being conformed to the beauty of divinity----and was established in the kingdom of heaven at the right hand of God."

From the same on "The six days" where he discourses on the man that was born blind.

"For although thou wert looking at the man himself, yet thou oughtest from those very works to see God in man."

Consider pray, how this Father also maintains the same view with ourselves concerning the figure of the world and |351 as to the figure remark how he calls the kingdom of heaven God's tamieion----the tamieion ⁵¹ being the innermost and securest apartment of the house, and this he speaks of as the kingdom of heaven. And concerning the doctrine, remark, how he represents man, whose nature God assumed, and whom God recalled from death, and deemed worthy of the place of honour at His right hand, as being seated and established in the tamieion itself, that is, in the kingdom of heaven. How then do those lovers of strife cry out against us, as if we have gone a strange road----a road that is known to nobody? Let them desist from that voluntary madness, and no longer assail us with slanders: for it is God who justifieth, where is he that condemneth?⁵² For it is God who first confirms our opinions, then the Prophets and Apostles and the Evangelists and the renowned company of the Fathers----Fathers from among whom ye yourselves profess to accept some, while moreover there are even old pagan writers who in some points are in agreement with our opinions. But that we may not unduly prolong the discussion, we have deemed it sufficient to advance solely the testimonies already offered for the sake of the lovers of strife, and for their sake only who have the assurance to challenge our principles, or rather, I should say, the truth itself; and this we have done, in order that they may have an absolute refutation of their ill-timed madness, and from a desire to make manifest to all that the motive, by which they are actuated, is a sheer love of strife. And in order that what we have written may be supported not solely by the testimonies of these ancient authorities I will adduce the testimony, and that even in abounding measure, of a recent schismatical Father of theirs, one who is still living, and resident in Constantinople, and who whether from |352 ignorance, or from being constrained by the truth itself, agrees with what we have written.

³³¹ From Theodosius, Bishop of Alexandria----On the fortieth day of the Ascension of the Lord.

"To-day human nature is conveyed into heaven----to-day heaven is thrown open and man enters therein."

What will our opponents say to this? How has he not borne testimony to our opinions both with regard to the figure of the world and to the doctrine? Oh how wonderful the force of the truth, which attracts to it even its enemies against their will!

From the same----in another exposition.

"It is no great thing if God overcame the devil."

Oh how wonderful! Here also the truth reveals their ill-timed love of strife. For if he says it is no great thing for God when contending with the devil to overcome him, why then----to say the opposite is downright madness; for to God, not only the devil but the whole of creation is subordinate, and will be counted as nought. How then is it not manifest that he means, that it was man who contended with the devil and overcame him? Now this is even a great point, for he had before spoken of man, as having entered as a conqueror into heaven. And that he holds to this meaning is shown when again he exclaims: For it behoved, it behoved, I say that this nature, which had been foiled in wrestling, should be adorned with a crown----as if he said: This nature which was overcome by the devil in Paradise, as he,says, namely man, whom he declares frequently and at great length to have been bettered by the resurrection----him, I say, he pronounced with all frankness to have been carried up into heaven. |353

From an exposition by the same given in the great Church when the Gospel was read: "Father, if it be possible, let it pass from me"⁵³ etc.

"The sufferings of this flesh----and the tokens of suffering, anguish, and sweat, grief and perturbation of soul----all these are indicative of human nature."

Oh what a marvel is here! They say such things and yet they quarrel with us, making divisions in the Churches in defiance of all authority.⁵⁴ For where is it written that He was in agony and sweated, if not in Luke where it is said: And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground----and there appeared unto him an angel from heaven strengthening him.⁵⁵ How dare they say these words, and on the other hand condemn those who dare to ³³² expound them? Is not the love of strife on the part of such men manifest? But dismissing this authority, let us pass over to one who was his predecessor in office, Timotheus the younger,⁵⁶ who recently died, and show that he also unwillingly assents to what we have written. He writes, then, in explanation of the passage which, at the sacred period of Easter in the Church of St. Victor, was read from the Prophet Isaiah, who says: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before her shearer is dumb so he opened not his mouth;⁵⁷ and when in his exposition he referred to the passage: Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me,⁵⁸ he spoke to this effect: |354

Timotheus on the passage: "Father, if it be possible," etc.

"For it is natural for the soul to love to dwell always in the body, and to be vexed at taking leave of life." And again in the Church of Sarapammon he exclaimed: "And greater things than those will be given unto Me by the Father----resurrection from the dead, renovation of nature, and vivification, instead of corruption."

From a discourse of the same at the festival of the Holy Nativity

----on the birth of Christ, on the 30th of Choiac in the 10th Indiction.⁵⁹

"The Virgin brought forth a son who was perfect and sinless"----and a little subsequently he says: "Let us be circumcised with Christ, that we may also be purified along with Him."

And again in the Church of St. Theodorus on the th of Tybi in the 10th Indiction.

"For through that which was apparent he showed the power of that which was concealed." |355

From an exposition by the same in the Church of Quirinus on the Lord's Day on the 22nd ⁶⁰ of Pachôn in the th Indiction, when the passage in the Gospel of John had been read. "Now Jesus being wearied with his journey was sitting."⁶¹

"Since therefore He is at once both God and man He is proved to be both by His works, and this cannot escape the notice of the spectators. For, that He is by nature God, is shown both by His works and His signs, cleansing the lepers, giving sight to the blind, strength to the paralytic, and life to the dead----and what is greatest of all (for the Prophets also equally succeeded in doing these things) He expressly and unreservedly said: I and my Father are one.⁶² But, by the things mentioned, the might of His divinity is fully proved----and that He is also truly man, this He does not wish to go unobserved; thus in anticipation refuting those who erroneously think He assumed a body in appearance only, for He showed ³³³ clearly that He submitted to sufferings----and to what kind of sufferings? to those, forsooth, which are assigned to flesh by reason of its infirmity and not by reason of sin----I mean, for instance, hunger and thirst and the need of sleep, and fatigue. For as these things happen to us by nature and not by our choice, they do not affect with sin those who have to endure them. By these sufferings then which were not incurred by sin the Lord declared that His flesh obeyed, showing clearly that He had become man in nature and in truth, and not in seeming."

From a discourse of the same in the sanctuary at the Pachôn Festival.

"It belongs to God to work miracles, to command the |356 elements, and to make predictions of future events, but to man when civilized and leading a social life, it belongs to honour parents, to maintain kindly intercourse with brothers, and to converse with disciples and acquaintances. Accordingly our Lord Jesus Christ being both God of God, and having become man for our sake, exhibits both the power of His divinity, and observes also the laws of our humanity, proving what He was and is by His miracles, and showing by His actions what He deigned to become."

From a discourse by the same on the fortieth day from the Ascension of the Lord, on the 25th Pachôn in the 9th Indiction----the text, taken from the Gospel of John, being: "It is expedient for you that I go away." ⁶³

"But let us consider the words now spoken by Him to His illustrious disciples----namely: It is expedient for you that I go away. For your salvation have I come down to the earth, for your benefit it is well that I go up into heaven. For your sakes did I, hitherto bodiless, come down----it is expedient for Me to be there with the body; your race did I resolve to draw up to heaven; it behoves Me in the flesh to take My seat on the right hand of the Father. It behoves Me to open up a way that before was strange, as a new way, and to show that heaven is accessible to man. I take my way first through the air, in order that you also afterwards may be caught up into the air in clouds to meet Me." And I fancied I heard him, as he was reading, expressly proclaim⁶⁴ how that this man shrinks from departure from life, and "how that He through suffering and the resurrection received incorruption and renovation of His nature and vivification----how that through prevailing infirmity He was formerly subject to sufferings and fatigue----how that |357 moreover He was drawn to heaven and deemed worthy of the seat on the right hand, and was the first to traverse the strange way, and the first to make heaven accessible ³³⁴ to men."

O harmony of those not in harmony with us! Oh! the involuntary agreement of the schismatics with us! Oh! the unwilling laudation, the assent, that is, of our revilers to our opinions! How have we not all round shown ourselves to be the children of the Church? They say, forsooth, we have not trodden the beaten way. How are they not to be utterly condemned who disbelieve all these things or argue against them? How is our work not in all things attested to be the true offspring of the tradition of the Church? God is our witness, then the Apostles, Prophets, the glorious company of the holy Fathers.

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ I Cor. xii, 28.

2. ¹ For a notice of Athanasius and his Festal Epistles, see note 3, p. 290.

3. ² Montfaucon here notes that he had published the passages adduced by Cosmas in vol. xxvi, column 1431, of the Patrologia. So they do not appear either in the Greek or Latin texts.

4. ³ Matt, xxv, 21.

5. ⁴ St. Gregory, the son of Gregory Bishop of Nazianzus, was born in the year A.D. 329, and was eminent for the zeal with which he defended the Nicene creed against the attacks of the Arians. When offered by his friend St. Basil the See of Sasima, he declined it, but he was afterwards installed as the Patriarch of Constantinople,----an office which he resigned after only a brief tenure. He died in 389 or 390.

6. ¹ Theophilus became Bishop of Alexandria in 385 A.D. He was one of the most violent and unscrupulous ecclesiastics of his time. He opposed Chrysostom, persecuted the Origenists, and took violent measures to drive all the Pagans out of his diocese. His turbulent career came to an end in 412.

7. ¹ Gr. th_n diabath&rion tou~ Qei/ou Pa&sxa----"transitoriam divini paschatis celebritatem"----Montfaucon. Philo also uses diabath&rion to designate the Passover.

8. ² Matt, xxvi, 17.

9. ³ Gr. deute/rwn pragma&twn.

10. ⁴ Regarding Severianus, see note 2, p. 291.

11. ¹ Psalm cxiii, 5.

12. ² Gr. e0n oi kw| diwro&fw|.

13. ³ Psalm civ, 3.

14. ⁴ Gen. i, 2.

15. ⁵ Ibid., 3.

16. ¹ Exod. xx, 1 1.

17. ² Gr. po&qen genna~|. Montfaucon renders this by quomodo generabit.

18. ³ Gen. i, 6.

19. ¹ Gen. i, 6.

20. ² Psalm cl, 1.

21. ³ Isai. li, 6.

22. ⁴ Psalm cxlviii, 4.

23. ¹ Gen. xxvii, 23.

24. ² Severianus.

25. ³ Gr. ou)rani/skoj. Aristotle uses ou)rano&j itself in this meaning: tou~to d' ei0j me\n to_n e0gke/falon ou)k e xei po&ron, ei0j de\ to_n tou~ stomatoj ou)rano&n.----Hist. Anim., i, 11.

26. ¹ Gr. e0n toi=j laloume/noij.

27. ² Isai. xl, 22.

28. ¹ Psalm xix, 5.

29. ² Ibid. 6.

30. ³ Matt, xxiv, 30, 1.

31. ⁴ Gr. Suntre/xei de/ mou th~| fra&sei kai\ o( to&poj. The expression to which he refers is skhnh&, a tent, and the place must be the church in which the address was delivered.

32. ¹ Eccl. i, 5.

33. ² Psalm xxxiii, 6.

34. ³ Gr. dui\ th_n e0pikaloume/nhn docan. Montfaucon renders: gloriam te advocantem.

35. ¹ Job xxxviii, 7.

36. ² Matt, xxv, 34.

37. ¹ That is, by her being fully illuminated in advance by eleven days.

38. ¹ The Bishop of Constantia (the ancient Salamis) in Cyprus, and the Metropolitan of that island. He was the first of three of the same name who held the same office.

39. ¹ John, surnamed Chrysostomos (the golden-mouthed), from the force of his eloquence, was born in Antioch 347 A.D.; succeeded Nectarius as Archbishop of Constantinople in 397; died in exile at Comana in Pontus in 407.

40. ² Luke vi, 36.

41. ³ Ephes. i, 9.

42. ⁴ Gr. eu0mhxani/aj.

43. ¹ Heb. viii, 1.

44. ² Ibid., 6.

45. ³ Gr. 'Ara to_n ou)rano_n. a)lla_ tou_j a)gge/louj; a)lla_ is evidently a press error for a}pa.

46. ¹ Gr. e0pi\ a)nakefalaiw&sei tou~ panto&j. See Ephesians, i, 10. Montfaucon renders ad universi restaurationem.

47. ² Philon was ordained Bishop of Carpathus, an island between Crete and Rhodes, by Epiphanius of Cyprus, about the beginning of the fifth century. His surname was probably Carpasius rather than Carpathius, as there is a town called Carpasia in the north of Cyprus. He is principally known from his Commentary on the Canticles, which he treats allegorically.

48. ¹ Song of Sol., ii, 4.

49. ² Song of Sol., i, 2.

50. ³ Not in our Bible.

51. ¹ Cosmas has not quoted the passage where this word occurs.

52. ² Rom. viii, 34.

53. ¹ Matt. xxvi, 39.

54. ² Gr. turannou~ntej. See note 2, p. 92.

55. ³ Luke xxiii, 44.

56. ⁴ So called to distinguish him from Timotheus, nicknamed Aelurus or the Cat.

57. ⁵ Isai. liii, 7.

58. ⁶ Matt. xxvi, 39

59. ¹ Gr. i0nd. i/. The time from which reckoning by Indictions began was the st, but, according to others, the 15th of September, 312 A.D. The Indiction is a cycle of fifteen years, which was used in reckoning time chiefly by ecclesiastical historians onward from the time of Athanasius, and it is still used by the Popes, who reckon it as commencing st January, 313. See Gibbon's Decline and Fall, chap, xiv, n. 62; also chap, xviii, n. 170. The word originally meant a summons to pay a tax, and only gradually came to be a mode of reckoning time. The expression, the Tenth Indiction, does not mean the tenth period of fifteen years from 313 A.D., but the tenth year of any current Indiction. We express ourselves similarly when we say, for instance, the tenth January instead of the tenth of January.

60. ¹ Gr. Pasxw~n kb'. Montfaucon translates Pachon decima quarta. The circumflex on w shows Paschôn to be a misprint for Pachon.

61. ² John iv, 6.

62. ³ John x, 30.

63. ¹ John xvi, 17.

64. ² These words seem to be added by Cosmas himself.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 358-373. Book 11

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 358-373. Book 11

BOOK XI.

A description of Indian Animals, and of the Island of Taprobane.

HIS animal¹ is called the rhinoceros from having horns upon his snout. When he is walking his horns are mobile, but when he sees anything to move his rage, he erects them and they become so rigid that they are strong enough to tear up even trees by the root, those especially which come right before him. His eyes are placed low down near his jaws. He is altogether a fearful animal, and he is somehow hostile to the elephant. His feet and his skin, however, closely resemble those of the elephant. His skin, when dried, is four fingers thick, and this some people put, instead of iron, in the plough, and with it plough the land. The Ethiopians in their own dialect call the rhinoceros Arou, or Harisi, aspirating the alpha of the latter word, and adding risi. By the arou they designate the beast as such, and by arisi, ploughing, giving him this name from his shape about the nostrils, and also from the use to which his hide is turned.² In Ethiopia I once saw a live |359 rhinoceros while I was standing at a far distance, and I saw also the skin of a dead one stuffed with chaff, standing in the royal palace, and so I have been able to draw him accurately.³

The Taurelaphus, the Bull-stag or Ox-deer.

The taurelaphus is an animal found in India and in Ethiopia. Those in India are tame, and are used for the transport of pepper and other stuffs packed in saddle-bags. They are milked, and from the milk butter is made. We also eat their flesh, the Christians killing them by cutting their throats and the Pagans by felling them. The Ethiopian kind, unlike the Indian, are wild and have not been domesticated.

The Camelopardalis----the Giraffe. ³³⁵

Cameleopards are found only in Ethiopia. They also are wild creatures and undomesticated. In the palace ⁴ one or two that, by command of the King, have been caught when young, are tamed to make a show for the King's amusement. When milk or water to drink is set before these creatures in a pan, as is done in the King's presence, they cannot, by reason of the great length of their legs and the height of their breast and neck, stoop down to the earth and drink, unless by straddling with their forelegs. They must therefore, it is plain, in order to drink, stand with their forelegs wide apart. This animal also I have delineated from my personal knowledge of it. |360

The Agriobous or Wild Ox.

This wild ox is a large Indian animal,⁵ and from it is got what is called the toupha,⁶ with which commanders of armies decorate their horses and banners when taking the field. If his tail, it is said, catches in a tree, he does not seek to move off but stands stock-still, having a strong aversion to lose even a single hair of his tail. So the people of the place come and cut off his tail, and then the beast, having lost it all, makes his escape. Such is the nature of this animal.

The Moschus or Musk-deer.

The small animal,⁷ again, is the Moschus, called in the native tongue Kastouri. Those who hunt it pierce it with arrows, and having tied up the blood collected at the navel⁸ they cut it away. For this is the part which has the pleasant fragrance known to us by the name of musk. The men then cast away the rest of the carcase.

The Monoceros or Unicorn.

This animal is called the unicorn,⁹ but I cannot say that I have seen him. But I have seen four brazen figures of |361 him set up in the four-towered palace of the King of Ethiopia. From these figures I have been able to draw him as you see.¹⁰ They speak of him as a terrible beast and quite invincible, and say that all his strength lies in his horn. When he finds himself pursued by many hunters and on the point of being caught, he springs up to the top of some precipice whence he throws himself down¹¹ and in the descent turns a somersault so that the horn sustains all the shock of the fall,¹² and he escapes unhurt. And scripture in like manner speaks concerning him, saying, Save me from the mouth of lions, and my humility from the horns of unicorns.¹³ And again: And he that is beloved as the son of unicorns;¹⁴ and again in the blessings of Balaam wherewith he blessed Israel, he says for the second time: God so led him out of Egypt even as the glory of the unicorn;¹⁵ thus bearing complete testimony to the strength, audacity, and glory of the animal.

The Chaerelaphus or Hog-deer and Hippopotamus. ³³⁶

The hog-deer I have both seen and eaten. The hippopotamus, however, I have not seen, but I had teeth of it so |362 large as to weigh thirteen pounds,¹⁶ and these I sold here.¹⁷ And I saw many such teeth both in Ethiopia and in Egypt.

Piperi----pepper.

This is a picture of the tree which produces pepper. Each separate stem being very weak and limp twines itself, like the slender tendrils of the vine, around some lofty tree which bears no fruit. And every cluster of the fruit is protected by a double leaf. It is of a deep green colour like that of rue.

Argellia----The Narikela of Sanskrit----Cocoa-nuts.

The other tree [represented] bears what are called argellia, that is, the large Indian nuts. It differs nothing from the date-palm, except that it is of greater height and thickness and has larger fronds. It bears not more than two or three flower-spathes, each bearing three nuts. Their taste is sweet and very pleasant, like that of green nuts. The nut is at first full of a very sweet water which the Indians drink, using it instead of wine.¹⁸ This delicious drink is called rhongcosura. If the fruit is gathered ripe and kept, then the water gradually turns solid on the shell, while the water left in the middle remains fluid, until of it also there is nothing left over. If however it be kept too long the concretion on the shell becomes rancid and unfit to be eaten. |363

The Phoca or Seal, the Dolphin and the Turtle.

The seal, the dolphin, and the turtle we eat at sea ¹⁹ if we chance to catch them. When we want to eat the dolphin and turtle we cut their throat. But we do not kill the seal that way, but strike it over the head as is done with the large kinds of fish. The flesh of the turtle, like mutton, is dark-coloured; that of the dolphin is like pork, but dark-coloured and rank;²⁰ and that of the seal is, like pork, white and free from smell.

Concerning the Island of Taprobanê. ²¹

This is a large oceanic island lying in the Indian sea. By, the Indians it is called Sielediba, but by the Greeks |364 Taprobanê, and therein is found the hyacinth stone.²² It lies on the other side of the pepper country. Around it are numerous small islands ²³ all having fresh water and cocoa-³³⁷ nut trees. They nearly all have deep water close up to their shores.²⁴ The great island, as the natives report, has a length of three hundred gaudia, that is,of nine hundred miles,²⁵ and it is of the like extent in breadth. There are two kings in the island, and they are at feud the one with the other.²⁶ The one has the hyacinth country, and the other the rest of the country where the harbour is. and the centre of trade.²⁷ |365 It is a great mart for the people in those parts. The island has also a church of Persian Christians who have settled there, and a Presbyter who is appointed from Persia, and a Deacon and a complete ecclesiastical ritual.²⁸ But the natives and their kings are heathens.²⁹ In this island they have many temples, and on one, which stands on an eminence, there is a hyacinth as large as a great pine-cone, fiery red, and when seen flashing from a distance, especially if the sun's rays are playing round it, a matchless sight.³⁰ The island being, as it is, in a central position, is much frequented by ships from all parts of India and from Persia and Ethiopia, and it likewise sends out many of its own. And from the |366 remotest countries,³¹ I mean Tzinista and other trading places, it receives silk,³² aloes, cloves, sandalwood³³ and other products, and these again are passed on to marts on this side, such as Male,³⁴ where pepper grows, and to Calliana³⁵ which exports copper and sesame-logs, and cloth for making dresses, for it also is a great place of business. And to Sindu³⁶ also where musk and castor is procured and androstachys,³⁷ and to Persia and the Homerite country, and to Adulé. And the island receives imports from all these marts which we have mentioned and passes them on to the remoter ports, while, at the same time, exporting its own produce in both directions. Sindu is on the frontier of India, for the river Indus, that is, the Phison, which discharges into the Persian Gulf, forms the boundary between Persia and India.³⁸ The most notable places of trade in India are these: Sindu, |367 Orrhotha,³⁹ Calliana, Sibor,⁴⁰ and then the five marts of Male which export pepper: Parti, Mangarouth,⁴¹ Salopatana, Nalopatana, Poudopatana.⁴² Then out in the ocean, at the distance of about five days and nights from the continent, lies Sielediba, that is Taprobanê. And then again on the continent is Marallo, a mart exporting chank shells,⁴³ then Caber⁴⁴ which exports alabandenum, and then farther away is the clove country, then Tzinista which produces the silk.⁴⁵ Beyond this there is no other country, for the ocean surrounds it on the east. This same Sielediba then, placed as one may say, in the centre of the Indies and possessing the |368 hyacinth receives imports from all the seats of commerce and in turn exports to them, and is thus itself a great seat of commerce.

³³⁸ Now I must here relate what happened to one of our countrymen, a merchant called Sopatrus, who used to go thither on business, but who to our knowledge has now been dead these five and thirty years past. Once on a time he came to this island of Taprobane on business, and as it chanced a vessel from Persia put into port at the same time with himself. So the men from Adulé with whom Sopatrus was, went ashore, as did likewise the people of Persia, with whom came a person of venerable age and appearance.⁴⁶ Then, as the way there was, the chief men of the place and the custom-house officers received them and brought them to the king. The king having admitted them to an audience and received their salutations, requested them to be seated. Then he asked them: In what state are your countries, and how go things with them? To this they replied, they go well. Afterwards, as the conversation proceeded, the king inquired Which of your kings is the greater and the more powerful? The elderly Persian snatching the word answered: Our king is both the more powerful and the greater and richer, and indeed is King of Kings, and whatsoever he |369 desires, that he is able to do. Sopatrus on the other hand sat mute. So the king asked: Have you, Roman,⁴⁷ nothing to say? What have I to say, he rejoined, when he there has said such things? but if you wish to learn the truth you have the two kings here present. Examine each and you will see which of them is the grander and the more powerful. The king on hearing this was amazed at his words and asked, How say you that I have both the kings here? You have, replied Sopatrus, the money ⁴⁸ of both ---- the nomisma ⁴⁹ of the one, and the drachma, that is, the miliarision ⁵⁰ of the other. Examine the image of each, and you will see the truth. The king thought well of the suggestion, and, nodding his consent, ordered both the coins to be produced. Now the Roman coin had a right good ring, was of bright metal and finely shaped, for pieces of this kind are picked for export to the island. But the miliarision, to say it in one word, was of silver, and not to be compared with the gold coin. So the king after he had turned them this way and that, and had attentively examined both, highly commended the nomisma, saying that the Romans were certainly a splendid, powerful, and |370 sagacious people.⁵¹ So he ordered great honour to be paid to Sopatrus, causing him to be mounted on an elephant, and conducted round the city with drums beating and high state. These circumstances were told us by Sopatrus himself and his companions, who had accompanied him to that island from Adule; and as they told the story, the Persian was deeply chagrined at what had occurred.

But, in the direction of the notable seats of commerce already mentioned, there are numerous others [of less importance] both on the coast and inland, and a country of great extent. Higher up in India, that is, farther to the north, are the White Huns.⁵² The one called Gollas when going to war takes with him, it is said, no fewer than two |371 thousand elephants, and a great force of cavalry. He is the lord of India, and oppressing the people forces them to pay tribute. A story goes that this king once upon a time would lay siege to an inland city of the Indians which was on every side protected by water. A long while he sat down before it, until what with his elephants, ³³⁹ his horses and his soldiers all the water had been drunk up.⁵³ He then crossed over to the city dryshod, and took it. These people set great store by the emerald stone and wear it set in a crown. The Ethiopians who procure this stone from the Blemmyes ⁵⁴ in Ethiopia take it into India and, with the price it fetches, they invest in wares of great value. All these matters I have described and explained partly from personal observation, and partly from accurate inquiries which I made when in the neighbourhood of the different places.

The kings of various places in India keep elephants,⁵⁵ such as the King of Orrhotha, and the King of Calliana, and the Kings of Sindu, Sibor and Male. They may have each six hundred, or five hundred, some more, some fewer. Now the King of Sielediba gives a good price both for the elephants and for the horses that he has. The elephants he pays for by cubit measurement. For the height is |372 measured from the ground, and the price is reckoned at so many nomismata for each cubit, fifty it may be, or a hundred, or even more. Horses they bring to him from Persia, and he buys them, exempting the importers of them from paying custom. The kings of the continent tame their elephants, which are caught wild, and employ them in war. They often set elephants to fight with each other for a spectacle to the king.⁵⁶ They keep the two combatants apart by means of a great cross beam of wood fastened to two upright beams and reaching up to their chests. A number of men are stationed on this and that side to prevent the animals meeting at close quarters, but at the same time to instigate them to fight one another. Then the beasts thrash each other with their trunks till one of them gives in. The Indian elephants are not provided with large tusks, but should they have such, the Indians saw them off, that their weight may not encumber them in action. The Ethiopians do not understand the art of taming elephants; but should the king wish to have one or two for show, they capture them when young and subject them to training. Now the country abounds with them, and they have large tusks which arc exported by sea from Ethiopia even into India and Persia and the Homerite country and the Roman dominion. These particulars I have derived from what I have heard.

The river Phison separates all the countries of India [lying along its course] from the country of the Huns. In scripture the Indian region is called Euilat (Havilah). For it is thus written in Genesis: Now the river goeth out from Eden to water Paradise. And from there it was parted and became four heads. The name of the first is Phison (Pishon); that is it which compasseth the whole land of Euilat, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good; there is the |373 carbuncle and the jasper stone;⁵⁷ where the writer clearly calls the country Euilat. This Euilat, moreover, is of the race of ³⁴⁰ Ham. For thus again it is written: The sons of Ham, Cush and Misraim, Phut and Caraan the sons of Cush, Sabâ and Euilat; that is the Homerites and Indians, for Sabâ is situated in the Homerite country, and Euilat is in India. For the Persian Gulf divides those two countries. And that country has gold according to sacred scripture. It has also the pezerôs⁵⁸ which Scripture calls anthrax (carbuncle) and the jasper stone, by which it designates the leek-green stone.⁵⁹ Clearly therefore does divine scripture, as being really divine, relate these things, even as the whole of our treatise goes to show.

[Footnotes renumbered and placed at the end]

1. ¹ In the Codex the pictures of the animals and plants precede the description of them. See the Plates in the Appendix.

2. ² Salt states that the name, by which the rhinoceros (two-horned) is designated to this day all over Abyssinia, is absolutely the same as that given by Cosmas. Hence he was convinced that the language spoken at the Court of Axum was Gheez.

3. ¹ The animal, however, as depicted by Cosmas is more like a horse than a rhinoceros. A description of the rhinoceros and its mode of fighting with the elephant is given by Agatharchides in his work on the Erythraean.

4. ² Cosmas here uses the Latin word: palati/w.

5. ¹ This is evidently the yak, the Bos grunniens of naturalists.

6. ² The Chowries or fly-flappers used in India, particularly on occasions of state and parade. Tupha is the Turkish name of the horsetail standard.

7. ³ It is little more than three feet in length.

8. ⁴ The cyst of the male, which is about the size of a hen's egg, contains a clotted, oily, friable matter, dark-brown in colour, and this is the true musk.

9. ⁵ The first author who has given a description of the unicorn is Ctesias of Cnidos, a physician who spent seventeen years at the Court of Artaxerxes Mnêmôn, where he heard all manner of marvellous stories about India. The one-horned animal which he describes under the name of the wild ass of India, and which Aristotle speaks of as the Indian ass, is best identified with the rhinoceros, notwithstanding all the errors of the description.

10. ¹ Lobo, in his history of Abyssinia, describes the unicorn as resembling a beautiful horse, and in the picture of it by Cosmas its body is not unlike that of a horse. For a remark on this picture, see Yule's Marco Polo, vol. ii, 273.

11. ²Gr. ei0j krhmno_n e0fa&lletai, kai\ r(i/ptei e(auto_n e0k tou~ u#youj. Montfaucon's rendering of these words: "deorsum in praecipitia sese conjicit," does not give their full import.

12. ³ This is said to hold true of the oryx.

13. ⁴ Psalm xxii, 21. The Revised Version has here: from the horns of the wild ox. To the influence of the Septuagint Version, which rendered the Hebrew word for the wild ox (reem) by unicorn, may be traced most of the fables about the unicorn.

14. ⁵Psalm xxix, 6.

15. ⁶ Numb. xxiii, 22.

16. ¹ Gr. litrw~n. This word is the Sicelo-Greek form of the Latin libra. The coinage system of the Dorians of Sicily was borrowed from Italy.

17. ² In Alexandria----and probably in his earlier years, when he was a merchant.

18. ³ "Possibly," says Yule, "Cosmas has confounded the cocoa-nut milk with the coco-palm toddy. For sura is the name applied on the Malabar coast to the latter. Roncho may represent lanha, the name applied there to the nut when ripe, but still soft."

19. ¹ Gr. kata_ qa&lattan. Montfaucon renders ad oram maris "on the sea shore."

20. ² Gr. w(j xoi/rou, melamyo&u de\ kai\ bromw~dej. Montfaucon in his rendering overlooks the de\, and thus makes Cosmas say that pork is black and foul-smelling. bromw~dej is an incorrect form of brwmw~dej, an epithet applied by Strabo to the district of Puteoli, which was noted for its foul smells.

21. ³ Ceylon has been known by many names. In Sanskrit works it is called Lanka, an appellation unknown to the Greeks. Megasthenes, who wrote his work on India about 300 B.C., calls it Taprobanê, a compound which is generally regarded as a transliteration of Tâmraparnî, copper-coloured leaf, a name given to the island by its Indian conqueror, Vijaya. This name is found in its Pâli form, Tambaparni, in Asôka's inscription on the Girnâr rock. Some are, however, of opinion that Taprobanê is a slightly-altered form of Dwîpa-Râvana (Island of Râvana), as the country was called by Brahmanical writers. From the Periplûs and Ptolemy we learn that Taprobanê was anciently called Simoundou, but in his own time, Salike, i.e., the country of the Salai. Here we have in a slightly-altered form the Siele-diva of Cosmas, for diva is but a form of Dwipa, the Sanskrit for island. Both salai and siele have their common source in sihalam (pronounced as Silam), the Pâli form of the Sanskrit sinhala, a lion. To the same source may be traced all its other names, such as Serendivus, Sirlediba, Serendib, Zeilan, Sailan, and Ceylon. As there are no lions in Ceylon, sinhala must be taken to mean a lion-like man----a hero----the hero Vijaya.

22. ¹ Some think this is not our jacinth, but rather the sapphire; others take it to be the amethyst.

23. ² The Laccadives. The name means, islands by the hundred thousand.

24. ³ Gr. 'Assobaqai\ de\ w(j e)pi\ to_ plei=ston pa~sai/ ei0sin. Montfaucon renders alia aliam proxime sitae, thus taking no account of baqai\, the predominant partner in the compound. 'Assobaqo\j is a barbarous form of a)gxibaqh&j.

25. ⁴ "The Hindus" says Tennent in his Ceylon, Chap. I., "propounded the most extravagant ideas, both as to the position and extent of the island; expanding it to the proportions of a continent, and, at the same time, placing it a considerable distance south-east of India." The Classical and Arab writers were no less extravagant in their estimates than the Hindus. Even Ptolemy, who determined correctly the general form and outline of the island, as well as its actual position with reference to the adjoining continent, represented it as some fourteen times larger than it is. Its extreme length from north and south is 271 1/2 miles, its greatest width 137 1/2 miles, its circuit somewhat under 700 miles, and its area one-sixth smaller than that of Ireland. With regard to the word gaudia, Tennent says (Ceylon, vol. ii., p. 543, note): "It is very remarkable that this singular word, gaon, in which Cosmas gives the dimensions of the island, is in use to the present day in Ceylon, and means the distance which a man can walk in an hour.....A gaon in Ceylon expresses a somewhat indeterminate length, according to the nature of the ground to be traversed."

26. ⁵ Gr. e0nanti/oi a)llh&lwn. Tennent (ibid.) prefers to render this expression by "ruling at opposite ends of the island."

27. ⁶ Tennent (ibid.) rejects Thevenot's notion that by hyacinth Cosmas meant here "the part of the island where jacinths are found;" on the ground that the region which produces gems, namely, the south part of the island, is that which also has the port and the emporium. The King who possessed the wonderful gem (called by Gibbon the luminous carbuncle) ruled the northern part of the island. The emporium, according to Gibbon, was Trinquemale, but Tennent takes it to be Point de Galle.

28. ¹ Gr. kai\ pa~san th_n e)kklhsiastikh_n leitourgi/an.

29. ² Gr. a)llo&fuloi. Tennent renders the sentence thus: "The natives and their kings are of different races." Cosmas, however, here uses the term in the sense in which the kindred compounds a)llofule/w and a)llofulismo&j are used in the Septuagint. The latter word in II Maccab. iv, 13, means the adoption of gentle manners and customs. Montfaucon rightly renders: alieni cultus.

30. ³ The Chinese pilgrim Hiouen Thsiang, who was a century later than Cosmas, relates that at Anarajapura, on a spire surmounting one of its temples, a ruby was elevated which with its transcendent lustre illuminated the whole heaven. Marco Polo again relates that the King of Ceylon was reputed to have the grandest ruby that ever was seen----one that was flawless and brilliant beyond description. "It is most probable" says Tennent (quoting the authority of Dana's Mineralogy, vol. ii, p. 196), "that the stone described by Marco Polo was not a ruby but an amethyst, which is found in large crystals in Ceylon, and which modern mineralogists believe to be the 'hyacinth' of the ancients." There is no authentic record of the ultimate history of this renowned jewel, unless it be the "carbuncle" of unusual lustre which was purchased early in the 14th century for the Emperor of China. See Tennent's Ceylon, vol. i, pp. 543-4, note.

31. ¹ Gr. tw~n e)ndote/rwn. The countries inside of Cape Comorin, that is, to the east of it.

32. ² Gr. me/tacin-me/taca and not me/tacij is the usual form of this word. Metaxa is a Latin as well as a Greek word, and means properly "yarn." It was used, however, by the mediaeval Greeks to signify silk in general. Procopius, who was contemporary with Cosmas, says that clothing was made from it, and that of old Greeks called this clothing mêdikê, but in his time, sêrikê. See Note 2, p. 47.

33. ³ Gr. tzanda&nan.

34. ⁴ The Malabar littoral.

35. ⁵ Calliana, now Kalyâna, near Bombay, is named in the Kanhêri Bauddha Cave inscription. Mention is also made of it in the Periplûs of the Erythraean Sea, which states that it was raised to the rank of a regular mart in the times of the elder Saragones, who was probably one of the great Sâtakarni or Andrabhritya dynasty.

36. ⁶ Probably Diul-Sind at the mouth of the Indus. See Yule's Hobson-Jobson, p. 247.

37. ⁷ Gr. a)ndrosta&xhn. This word, so far as I know, is not met with elsewhere. I take it to be an error in transcription for na&rdou sta&xun or nardo&staxun, Latin spica nardi, whence our spikenard.

38. ⁸ The Persian empire when overthrown by Alexander the Great extended to the Indus, and even embraced some territory in Sindh lying along the eastern bank of that river.

39. ¹ Pliny, in his list of the Indian races, mentions a people called the Horatae, whose country adjoined the Gulf of Khambay. Their name is an incorrect transcription of Sorath, the popular form of Saurâsh-tra ----or, as it is called by the author of the Periplûs and by Ptolemy, Surastrênê, i.e., Gujarat. Some have therefore identified Orrhotha with Surat, but as Surat was not a place of any importance till the arrival of the Portuguese in India, this view cannot be accepted. Yule took it to be some place on the western coast of the peninsula of Gujarat.

40. ² Yule identifies Sibor with Chaul or Chênwal, a seaport situated 23 miles to the south of Bombay. It is the Simylla of Ptolemy, and the Saimûr or Jaimûr of the Arabian geographers.

41. ³ Mangarouth is now Mangalôr.

42. ⁴ These three ports appear to have been situated on the coast of Cottonarikê, the pepper country, somewhere between Mangalôr and Calicut. The termination patana means " town". Poudopatana means "New town", and the place so called may be identified with Ptolemy's Podoperoura.

43. ⁵ Gr. koxli/ouj.

44. ⁶ Caber is the emporium called by Ptolemy Chavêris, which Dr. Burnell identified with Kâvêrîpattam----a place situated a little to the north of Tranquebar, at the mouth of the Podu-Kâvêrî (New Kâverî). Kâvera is the Sanskrit word for saffron. What its export, alabandenum was, is unknown.

45. ⁷ Gr. h( tzini/sta th_n me/tacin ba&llousa. Anciently Seres was the name of the Chinese nation as known by land, and Sinae as known by sea. In the Periplûs the country is called Thîna. Cosmas was the first who laid down its correct boundary on the east by the Ocean.

46. ¹ "Cosmas", says Tennent in his Ceylon (vol. i, p. 542, note 2), "wrote between A.D. 545 and A.D. 550; and the voyage of Sopatrus to Ceylon had been made thirty years before. Kumaara Daas reigned from A.D. 515 to A.D. 524." He further states (ibid., p. 393) that of the eight kings who reigned between A.D. 515 and A.D. 586, two died by suicide, three by murder, and one from grief occasioned by the treason of his son. The Malabars, taking advantage of the anarchy prevailing, made frequent descents on the island then and afterwards. This author, following the French version of Thevenot, has been misled into saying that Sopatrus sailed from Adulé in the same ship with the Persian bound for Ceylon. Cosmas describes the Persian as a presbu&thj, i.e., an old man, and not an orator (i.e., an ambassador), as Montfaucon renders the Greek word.

47. ¹ "Vincent has noted the fact that in his interview with the Greek, he (the King) addressed him by the epithet of Roomi, "su_ (Rwmeu~", the term which has been applied from time immemorial in India to the powers who have been successively in possession of Constantinople, whether Roman, Christian, or Mahommedan" (Tennent's Ceylon, vol. i, p. 542, note 2).

48. ² Gr. taj moni/taj. This is a Latin word, and should be monh&taj. Monêta was a name of Juno, in whose temple money was coined. Proprie, nota numinis impressi moneta est.

49. ³ Gr. no&misma. This would be an aureus. Constantine the Great coined aurei of seventy-two to the pound of gold, and at this standard the coin remained to the end of the empire.

50. ⁴ This word is generally written miliarh&sion, a silver drachma of which twenty made a daric, which was equivalent to an Attic stater. Among the imports of Barygaza (Bharoch) enumerated in the Periplus we find gold and silver denarii----dhna&rion xrusou~n kai\ a)rgurou~n.

51. ¹ "This story," says Tennent (Ceylon, vol. i, p. 542), "would, however, appear to be traditional, as Pliny relates a somewhat similar anecdote of the ambassadors from Ceylon in the reign of Claudius, and of the profound respect excited in their minds by the sight of the Roman denarii."

52. ² Gr. leukoi\ Ou}nnoi. The absence of the rough breathing from the name is notable, since another form of it is Xou~noi. About the year 100 of our aera the most warlike tribes of the Huns, impatient of bearing longer the Chinese yoke, turned their faces westward, and having left behind them the mountains of Imaus, directed their march, some to the Oxus, and others to the Volga. "The first of these colonies", says Gibbon in his 26th Chapter, "established their dominion in the fruitful and extensive plains of Sogdiana, on the eastern side of the Caspian, where they preserved the name of Huns, with the epithet of Euthalites or Nephthalites. Their manners were softened, and even their features were insensibly improved by the mildness of the climate, and their long residence in a flourishing province which might still retain a faint impression of the arts of Greece. The white Huns, a name which they derived from the change of their complexions, soon abandoned the pastoral life of Scythia." Sir William Hunter, at p. 170 of his work on The Indian Empire, says: "The latest writer on the subject (the fortunes of the Scythian or Tartar races in Northern India) believes that it was the White Huns who overthrew the Guptas between 465 and 470 A.D. He (Dr. J. Ferguson) places the great battles of Korur and Maushari, which 'freed India from the Sâkas and Hunas', between 524 and 544 A.D. Cosmas Indicopleustes, who traded in the Red Sea about 535 A.D., speaks of the Huns as a powerful nation in Northern India in his days."

53. ¹ Even as the army of Xerxes and his beasts of burden drank up the Scamander.----See Herodot. vii, 43.

54. ² The Blemmyes were fierce predatory nomads of the Nubian wilds and the regions adjacent. Emeralds were found in the mines of Upper Egypt, and were no doubt shipped from Adule for the Indian markets by the Ethiopian traders who bought them from the Blemmyes. If taken to Barygaza (Bharoch), they could be transported thence by a frequented trade-route to Ujjain, thence to Kabul, and thence over the Hindu Kush to the regions of the Oxus.

55. ³ Pliny has preserved from Megasthenes a section of his Indika, in which he states the number of elephants kept by each of the Indian kings in his time.

56. ¹ A custom still in vogue.

57. ¹ Gen. ii, 10-12.

58. ² This is an incorrect form of paide/rwj, a kind of opal.

59. ³ Gr. li/qon pra&sinon.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 374-385. Book 12

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 374-385. Book 12

NOTICE TO THE READER.

(From the Latin of Montfaucon.)

WE wish to apprise the reader that this twelfth book of Cosmas Indicopleustes which is contained in the Laurentian Codex, but in a mutilated state at the end, is not found in the Vatican Codex of the eighth or ninth century. For, as one may see in the course of perusing the work, the books which compose it were written at different times by the author, who, when he had published in the outset only five books on the figure of the world, added the sixth book, and at intervals the seventh, eighth, ninth, etc., against the champions of the opposite view, who clamoured against the work immediately after it appeared. As his opponents did not remain silent, and afterwards started new objections, Cosmas manfully, in his new books which he added to the original work, replied to those who stood out against him as best he could; and since it is probable that copies of the published books had got into circulation before he could add new books to the original, it seems to have come about that that copy, from which the text of the Vatican Codex was derived, was in the hands of the public before the twelfth book had been added. Nor will it be out of place to point out that Cosmas Indicopleustes not only added new books to those already finished, if the case so required, but even altered, added, deleted much and made marginal notes; whence it happens that the Vatican is not altogether in unison with the Laurentian Codex. For, as we have already stated, that copy, from which the Vatican text is derived, makes the beginning much shorter, whence it can be plainly seen that the copy of Cosmas, from which the Laurentian text was derived, had been revised and extended by subsequent labours of the author.

BOOK XII.

Yet another book showing that many of the old Pagan writers testify to the antiquity of the divine scriptures uttered through Moses and the prophets. And that the Greeks appear to have learned letters the last of all, and to have their unbelief with regard to the divine scriptures deeply rooted.

N the Chaldaean books of Bêrôsus¹ and certain others it is thus written: that ten kings reigned over the Chaldaeans 2242 myriads of years, but, under their tenth king Xisuthrus, as they called him, there was a great flood, and that Xisuthrus being warned by God embarked in a ship with his wife and kindred and cattle, and that having been brought over in safety, as their story goes, to the mountains of Armenia, he offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Gods after the flood. These writers have thus presented in a new form nearly all the account given by Moses; for men continued to live in the earth beyond [the Ocean] |376 2242 years for a course of ten generations, and, under Noah who was the tenth the flood having occurred, they passed over to this earth by means of the Ark. For Noah is he whom they call Xisuthrus. But by having changed the days into years, they asserted that those ten kings had lived 2242 myriads of years, since the number of years reckoned by Moses to have elapsed from Adam to the deluge of Noah was 2242. In like manner the philosopher Timaeus ² also describes this earth as surrounded by the Ocean, and the Ocean as surrounded by the more remote earth. For he supposes that there is to westward an island, Atlantis, lying out in the Ocean, in the direction of Gadeira (Cadiz), of an enormous magnitude, and relates that the ten kings having procured mercenaries from the nations in this island ³⁴¹ came from the earth far away, and conquered Europe and Asia, but were afterwards conquered by the Athenians, while that island itself was submerged by God under the sea. Both Plato and Aristotle praise this philosopher, and Proclus has written a commentary on him. He himself expresses views similar to our own with some modifications, transferring the scene of the events from the east to the west. Moreover he mentions those ten generations ³ as well as that earth which lies beyond the Ocean. And in a word it is evident that all of them borrow from Moses, and publish his statements as their own. |377

For the writers of Chaldaean history as being more ancient, and living farther east, have mentioned in their works both the deluge and the building of the Tower, since they saw that Tower with their own eyes under the process of construction, being no doubt well aware that the men of that time, in fear of another flood, erected it for themselves as a place of refuge and safety. But the men of later times, when they had read Moses also, and found that Noah, in whose time the deluge occurred, was the tenth from Adam, they feigned that they also had ten kings, who had reigned 2242 myriads of years, as has already been said. Of these the first was Alorus, that is, Adam; the second Alaaprus, Seth; the third, Almêdôn, Enoch; the fourth, Ammeôn, Cainân: the fifth, Ammegalaros, Mahalaleel; the sixth, Daonus, a keeper of sheep, Jared; the seventh, Euedôrachos, Enoch; the eighth, Amempsinachus, Methuselah; the ninth, Otiortes, Lamech; the tenth, Xisuthrus, Noah. In his time they say the great flood recorded by Moses occurred.

The writers again of Egyptian history, namely, Manethô,⁴ and Chaerêmôn,⁵ Apollonius surnamed Molôn,⁶ |378 Lysimachus⁷ and Apiôn the Grammarian⁸ mention Moses and the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt. For, as being Egyptians and the historians of Egypt, they also agree in their relations of local transactions, and traduce Moses as a promoter of sedition, who stirred up a mob of rascally beggars and lepers,⁹ and say that these had gone away to Mount Sinai and Jerusalem, and were called Jews. And in a word the Chaldaeans and Egyptians, as being older nations than the Greeks, testify in a manner to divine scripture, asserting that both the deluge in the days of Noah did occur, that a Tower was built, and that there was a departure of the children of Israel from Egypt. But the Greeks, who are later than these, and were later in learning the art of writing, and who are settled, far away from the east, in the regions of the west, and live far remote both from Judaea and from Egypt, knew nothing about these events, either by seeing them or hearing about them. ³⁴² Wherefore even unto this day they refuse to believe both |379 the Old and the New Testament, thinking that what they relate is fabulous.

But the Chaldaeans and the Medes and Persians, having a somewhat wider knowledge, were instructed by the building of the Tower, and the deluge, and by what happened in the case of Hezekiah and Jonah, and by the Captivity, and by Daniel and the Three Children, and also partly by the writings themselves. In like manner also the Egyptians were instructed by the affairs of Joseph and of Moses, and by the people of Israel, and these nations were thus better prepared for a ready acceptance of Christianity. Even the Greeks, however, did believe later on through the Apostles, when they saw the wonders which they wrought. And when still later again signs ceased, and time rolled on, you will find Greeks who have believed, and have been baptized, lapsing, nevertheless, many of them into unbelief, and ignoring the Old and the New Testament, that is, divine scripture, as persons who have not long had the root of religion and the foundation of faith deeply implanted. Wherefore in their writings they have not mentioned, as the early Chaldaeans and Egyptians have done, anything about the deluge and the building of the Tower, and the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt, and about the first historian, Moses. But though they regard themselves as very superior persons and the wisest and foremost of men, they are nevertheless from their swelling vanity ignorant of many things. Wherefore one of the Egyptians, whose name was Solomon, said to Plato: The Greeks are always children, and no Greek is ever old, nor is there any learning among you that is of hoar antiquity.¹⁰ Yet some, for instance Dius and Menander, |380 who translated the antiquities of the Tyrians into the Greek language, in the works they composed bear testimony to Solomon and the Jews; and further, the whole, I may almost say, of Ethiopia, and the regions to the south of it, bear testimony to divine scripture. But the Greeks alone, who are wise in their own conceit, know not wherein their salvation lies. Timaeus alone, who has been already mentioned, drawing from what source I know not, but perhaps from the Chaldaeans, recast the story of those ten kings, feigning that they came from the earth beyond the Ocean into the island of Atlantis, which he says was submerged below the sea, and that taking its inhabitants as mercenaries, and arriving in this earth, they conquered Europe and Asia----all which is a most manifest invention, for as he could not point out the island, he gave out that God had consigned it to a watery grave.

But those Greeks already mentioned who are admired for their wisdom, when at a late period they had acquired letters and had become possessed of laws, imagined that they alone had rained wisdom upon the world. I refer to their Lycurguses and their Solons and their Teucers of ³⁴³ the Locrians, and all the rest of them, who are but men of yesterday, if put in comparison with the renowned Moses, in whose time not so much even as the name of Law ¹¹ was known among the Greeks. Homer is my witness, who nowhere in his poetry uses the word. For there was not |381 in his days such a thing, but the people were governed by the best judgments and the commands of their kings; and from that time till long afterwards, they continued to use unwritten customs, and to alter many of them from time to time according to circumstances. For the Lacedemonians and Cretans conducted education by the training of the habits and not by oral instruction, but the Athenians and nearly all the other nations prescribed by law what ought to be done, while neglecting to accustom the people to conform in practice to the law. Yet one nation after another made a gradual advance to a fixed and authoritative code of laws, not imposed from the beginning like that of Moses of old, who educated his nation in the knowledge of letters and of fixed law, being the first who showed both by word and deed the firm and permanent nature of the law and of letters, until, after a long course of time, he conducted the nations, guided and guarded by the firm nature of the law, to the predicted Lord Christ and his teaching.

The Phoenicians accordingly, being next neighbours to the Jews and having learned letters from them, both wrote inscriptions earlier than the Greeks,¹² and prepared the Greeks to learn letters; for Cadmus, taking the letters of the alphabet from Tyre, carried them into Greece. Let not the Greeks then show any supercilious pride, as if they had been the first to invent any thing new of benefit to the world, seeing that they have borrowed from others letters and laws and the notion of the sphere, and astronomy |382 and astrology. For as it was late before they made a figure in the world, they imagined the world to be eternal; having been taught by others to regard the heaven as a sphere, they, as if they were the first who held this opinion, claimed as a discovery of their own the laws of astronomy; and although they were taught letters by others, they suppose themselves to be the oldest and earliest writers: although they have been taught by others to frame laws, they have depicted themselves as the legislators of old times, and founders of just government; although they have received a copious language and an elegant mode of speech from the bounty of God, yet, being unthankful to God the Giver, they are disobedient to His words; and while they have received everything from God and their predecessors, they set them aside, and with swaggering insolence ascribe everything to themselves. For, contending against the divine words, which say: He that established the heaven as a vault,¹³ these most superior persons cry out in opposition and say: "It is not so, for it is spherical, and this is manifest from the eclipses which we have already adduced." But further, when they hear the resurrection preached to them, they pronounce this to be impossible, for how, say they, can one who has been used up to form ³⁴⁴ countless bodies in succession, rise up? And, to be brief, they attack with sophistries the Giver of their speech in their endeavour to overthrow the doctrines of His Church. And yet He has not left them without a witness to Himself, that He was working for their good and taking thought for it beforehand, for He manifested to them some tokens of His goodness, some four hundred years or more ¹⁴ before the coming of Christ, in the days of Alexander the Macedonian, long after the Trojan war, when the Greeks were still |383 flourishing. Let me give an instance of this: When Alexander the Macedonian was passing by Jerusalem in prosecution of his war against Darius, the High Priest of the Jews, arrayed in the robes of his office, came forth to meet him, whereupon Alexander dismounted from his horse and in a very kindly manner embraced him. And when his attendants reproached him for so doing and said: Why hast thou done so? he excused himself and said: When I set out at first from Macedonia, a man dressed in this style was seen by me in a dream who said to me: Go forth and conquer. The result was that the King himself offered sacrifices to God and bestowed many gifts on the Temple, and accorded many privileges to the country of the Jews.¹⁵

In subsequent times Ptolemy surnamed Philadelphus, after having made careful inquiry from Tryphon the Phalerean¹⁶ about the Jewish books, and learned the truth concerning them, earnestly solicited them from the High Priest Eleazar, to whom as well as to the Temple he sent many presents. These books he received along with seventy elderly men, who translated them from the Hebrew into the Greek tongue, and he deposited them on the shelves of his own library. This also was a work of divine providence, that the translation had been prepared before the coming of Christ, lest, if it were done afterwards in the days of the Apostles, it would be exposed to general suspicion, as if they had interpreted what had been said of old by the prophets both concerning Christ and the calling of the Gentiles in a way to suit their own predilections. |384 When Ptolemy Physcôn ¹⁷ again had conquered the Jews, and wished to destroy those here in Alexandria by means of his elephants, but God had unexpectedly turned the rage of the animals against his soldiery, he was taught to revere God, and he honoured thereafter with sacrifices and oblations of gifts Him who was the true God, and His people, namely, the Jews. And other kings of the Macedonian empire there were who invited them to be their allies in war; while others, again, who preferred to war against them and held them under subjection for a long time afterwards, witnessed Providence turning to work in their favour, and aroused for their help, and even saw themselves conquered by men who were insignificant and few in number.

And to speak briefly they were trained by wars and miracles and dreams and their sacred books, and were thus taught to know Him who was truly God, Him whom the Jews revere and worship, in order that they also might be ³⁴⁵ the better prepared for the reception of Christianity, so that, at the time when our Lord sojourned upon earth, many nations of Greece, seeing the signs wrought by the Apostles, assented to the faith of Christ, confessing His resurrection and His ascension into heaven. But now, after a long lapse of time and the cessation of signs, they have fallen into a sort of oblivion of that faith, and have reverted to the former superstition, declaring it impossible that there can be a resurrection of the dead and an ascent into heaven. Wherefore you find them observing baptism, and yet thinking that the heaven has a spherical form, in order that the resurrection of their bodies and their ascension into heaven may be denied. These men one will mostly |385 find discussing philosophy with the Pagans alone, and setting forth eclipses as arguments to prove the world of a spherical figure, as if that were a divine doctrine, in this themselves deceived while they deceive others. Wherefore we, by undertaking to exhibit the figures and the places of the whole world, and the revolution of the heavenly bodies, controvert their views from divine scripture, doing our best by means of all these ¹⁸ * * *

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ Cosmas seems to have derived his knowledge of the works of the historians whom he cites in this book mainly from Josephus.

Berosus was a priest of Belus at Babylon. He was born in the reign of Alexander the Great, and in that of Antiochus Theos wrote in the Greek language the history of Babylonia. This work, which includes notices of the history of Chaldaea, Assyria and Media, is now lost, but some fragments of it: have been preserved in Josephus, Eusebius, and some of the Christian Fathers. Berosus was acquainted with the Jewish scriptures, and hence his statements are often in agreement with those of the Old Testament.

2. ¹ Timaeus the Locrian was a Pythagorean philosopher, and is said to have been one of Plato's teachers. In the dialogue which bears his name, Plato puts into his mouth, on account of his deep knowledge of physics and astronomy, a long and learned discourse on the origin of the universe and the formation of man. It is not Timaeus, however, who in that dialogue delivers the myth about "the island Atlantis which was larger than Libya and Asia put together," but Critias. See chap. vi. of the Dialogue.

3. ² The Timaeus merely states that in the Atlantic island there was formed a powerful league of kings, but their exact number is not specified as Cosmas would have us believe.

4. ¹ Manethô, who flourished in Egypt during the reign of the first Ptolemy and survived till that of Philadelphus, was, like Berôsus, a priest, and like him, wrote a history of his own country based upon its priestly records. As many fabulous stories were circulated by other writers under his name, his work, which was written in Greek, and gave an account of the religion, history and chronology of the Egyptians, sank into discredit, and it was not until quite recent times that his authority as an historian has been restored, the inscriptions on the Egyptian monuments having been found to confirm such portions of his works as have come down to our times.

5. ² Chaerêmôn, who flourished in the earlier part of the first century of our aera, and was by birth an Alexandrian, was chief librarian of the famous Alexandrian library, and was also one of Nero's preceptors. He wrote a work on the history of Egypt, in which, according to Josephus, he advanced wilful falsehoods. Only one or two fragments of this work have been preserved.

6. ³ This is the famous rhetorician of Rhodes, who went to Rome, where he pleaded causes and had the honour of giving instructions in rhetoric to Cicero and to Julius Caesar. In one of his works, mentioned by Josephus, he wrote against the Jews. Not one of his writings is extant.

7. ¹ Lysimachus was an Alexandrian grammarian who flourished during the latter half of the second century. Josephus cites a work called 'Aiguptiaka&, which is supposed to have been written by him.

8. ² Apiôn, who was a native of Oasis, but wished to be considered an Alexandrian, taught rhetoric at Rome in the reigns of Tiberius and Claudius. He was so loquacious and so boastful of himself that the former of these emperors was wont to call him the cymbalum mundi. Among the numerous works which he wrote was one, highly valued, upon Egypt, in which he frequently attacked the Jews. He attacked them also in a separate work, entitled Against the Jews, and of this the contents are known from the reply made by Josephus. The largest fragment of his writings is that which has been preserved by Aulus Gellius, containing the story of Androcles and the lion.

9. ³ Gr. plh~qoj tw~n a)gurtw~n kai\ lelwbhme/nwn. This is Manethô's description of the Israelites. See Josephus, Contra Apion. i, 28.

10. ¹ Cosmas must here be quoting the Timaeus of Plato from memory, for he misrepresents what is there stated----namely, that the charge advanced against the Greeks of being always children was made to Solon by an Egyptian priest. It is well known that Solon, after his legislation had been adopted, withdrew from Athens for ten years, and that one of the countries which he visited during that time was Egypt, where he conversed with two learned priests, Psenophis of Heliopolis and Sonchis of Sais. It seems singular that Cosmas should have converted a name so well known as that of Solon into Solomon. Had he only a hearsay knowledge of the dialogue?

11. ¹ Gr. no&moj. The laws of Solon were called no&moi, those of Draco qesmoi/.

12. ¹ One of the earliest known Greek inscriptions is that which is to be seen in Nubia near Abu Simnel. It was made in the reign of Psamatik II, King of Egypt, by his generals Apollonius and Amasis, and its date is about 595 B.C. Kadmos, according to Mr Sayce, is certainly Phoenician. The question has been settled by a cuneiform tablet, which informs us that Qadmu was the name of the "god". See The Academy, 22nd September, 1894, p. 217.

13. ¹ Isai. xl, 23.

14. ² Not more but less by about 70 years.

15. ¹ This story is now discredited, as is also that which immediately follows concerning the Septuagint, of the origin of which little or nothing is known for certain. Both stories are taken from Josephus's Antiquities of the Jews.

16. ² Tryphon is evidently a slip of memory on Cosmas's part for Demetrius,

17. ¹ Physcôn (so called from his obesity) was the seventh sovereign of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and reigned from B.c. 170 to B.C. 117. Cosmas has copied the story here related of him from Josephus, Contra Apion. 11, 5.

18. ¹ The last leaf of the Florentine MS. is wanting. Hence the abrupt breaking off in the middle of a sentence.

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) Plates

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) Plates

Plates 1-8

Plates 9-10

Plates 11-21

Plates 22-27

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Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 389-392. Explanation of the plates

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) pp. 389-392. Explanation of the plates

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.

Plate I.----The picture on the left represents the City of Adulê----that on the right an Ethiopian travelling from Adulê to Axômê. The lower picture on the left is the tablet with the Greek inscription copied by Cosmas. It is surmounted by the figure of Ptolemy Euergetês, standing in a warlike attitude. The throne represented on the right is ascribed to the same Ptolemy by Cosmas, but erroneously. It was placed at Adulê by an Axumite conqueror. The writing on the right of it is Di/froj Ptolemoiko&j, Ptolemy's chair.

Plate 2.----The figure of the earth and the heaven, as Cosmas and the ancient Fathers conceived it. The cross-bar represents the firmament.

Plate 3.----A picture of the waters above the firmament.

Plate 4.----A representation of the conical mountain, and also of the sun and the moon under the firmament. The inscription along the pillars is: of oi9 stu&loi tou~ ou)ranou~, the pillars of the heaven.

Plate 5.----A tracing of the inhabited world (gh~ oi0koume/nh).

Plate 6.----A representation of the oblong rectangular figure of the earth which we inhabit, with its surrounding ocean, which is itself surrounded by the other earth which was the seat of Paradise and the abode of man before the Flood. The four gulfs which penetrate into our earth from the ocean, and the rivers which flow into it from Paradise, are also depicted. Above the ocean in the outer earth is this inscription: Fh~ pe/ran tou~ w)keanou~ e nqa pro_ tou~ kataklusmou~ katw&koun oi( a!nqrwpoi, the earth beyond the ocean where men dwelt before the Flood. The lateral inscription is: Fh~ pe/ran tou~ w)keanou~, the earth beyond the ocean. The inscription in the figure of the great gulf coming from the west is Rwmaiko_j Ko&lpoj, the Roman gulf, ie., the Mediterranean. The gulf coming from the north Cosmas calls Kaspeta& Qa&lassa, the Caspian Sea. The name of the northern river is Feisw~n, and of the southern Fhw~n potamo&j, the Pison and Gihon of our bibles. |390

Plate 7.----A representation of the earth with the walls which come down to it from heaven. The four gulfs are shown, and the conical mountain in the north-west whence the earth slopes downward to the south.

Plate 8.----A picture of the conical mountain with three circling lines to show the paths of the sun as he moves round it at different altitudes, thus making the nights shorter or longer. The words written here are mikra_ nu_c, me/sh nu_c, mega&lh nu_c, short night, night of medium length, long night.

Plate 9.----The figure of the world according to the Ptolemaic system. The twelve signs of the Zodiac are shown, and the names are given of the Roman and Egyptian months. The earth, in the form which Cosmas so much abhorred, is in the centre, encircled by the orbits in succession of the Moon, Selh&nhj; of Mercury, E(rmou~; of Venus, 'Afrodi/thj; of the Sun, H(li/ou; of Mars, A reoj; of Jupiter, Di/oj. The names of the Roman months are given in Greek characters, thus: Genarij, Fleba&rij, Ma&rtioj, Auri/llioj (u = v), Maioj, Iounioj, Ioulioj, 'Augustoj, Septebrioj, uktwbrioj, Noeurioj, Dikebrij. Above the outer rim of the Zodiac are given the names of the twelve signs with the names of the corresponding Egyptian months: Aigo&-kerwj Tybi; toco&thj Choiac; skorpi/oj Athyr: zugo_j Phaophy; parqe/noj Thôth; le/wn Mesori; karki/noj Epiphi; Didumoi Payni; tau~roj Pachôn; krio_j Pharmouth; i)xqu~j Phamenôth; u(dro&xooj Mechir.

Plate 10.----Antipodes drawn to deride the idea of their possibility.

Plate 11.----A delineation of the figure and dress of the pagan inhabitants of Attica, oi( e cwqen 'Attikoi/, as seen in the time of Cosmas. These figures are meant for those of Hyperides and Menander, mentioned in p. 147.

Plate 12.----A representation of the outward form of the Tabernacle, h( Skhnh&. The words written outside indicate the directions, a)natolh&, east: bor)r(a~j, north; Du&sij, west. The double line in the centre drawn from north to south represents the veil, katape&tasma, dividing the Tabernacle into the inner and outer sanctuary. The division to the right represents the outer, which contained the table of shew-bread, h( tra&peza; the candlestick, luxni/a; Aaron's rod, r(a&bdoj the vessel of sprinkling, sta&mnoj; the two tables of the Law, ai9 plake/j; the serpent, o!fij. In the inner Tabernacle, e0swte/ra skhnh&, is depicted the Ark of the Testimony, h( kibwto&j tou~ marturi/ou. See pp. 148-154.

Plate 14.----A delineation of the coverings of the Tabernacle, skepa&smata th~j skhnh~j: the loops, a)gku&lai, and clasps, kri/koi, by which they were joined. |391

Plate 15. ---- A picture of the table of the Tabernacle turned by the lathe, tra&peza torneuto&j, and another of the candlestick with its seven lamp-wicks, luxni/a e(pta&muxoj; its shaft, kaulo&j; its ball, karu&iskoj, in the middle of the shaft; its spherical bowl, sfairwth_r krath_r; its lily, kri/non; and its branches kalami/skoi, three on each side of the shaft, making, along with the terminus of the shaft, seven in all, and representing, according to Cosmas, the seven days of the week. See p. 152.

Plate 1 6. ---- The Ark of the Testimony, h( kibwto&j tou~ marturi/ou. Above it is the Propitiatory or Mercy-seat, i(lasth&rion. Above it the Cherubim xeroubi/m figure of Zacharias on one side, and that of Abia on the other.

Plate 17. ---- A delineation of the Court of the Tabernacle, h( au)lh_ th~j skhnh~j; the other words denote the directions: a)natolh_, du&sij, a!rktoj, meshmbri/a, east, west, north, south.

Plate 18. ---- The upper figures represent the celestials; the middle, the terrestrials; and those below, the subterraneans or the buried. See pp. 300-303.

Plate 19. ---- A delineation of the order in which the contents of the outer Tabernacle were arranged. On the left is the table (tra&peza) of shew-bread, with three loaves at each of its four corners, to represent the fruits of each of the four seasons (see p. 152); then follow the candlestick, luxni/a; the vessel of sprinkling, sta&mnoj; the tables of the Law plake/j; the serpent o!fij.

Plate 20. ---- Melchisedek arrayed in his royal robes. See p. 175.

Plate 21. ---- A front and back view of Aaron wearing his priestly robes to_ sxh~ma tou~ i(ere/wj. Montfaucon states that Cosmas, in explanation of this sketch, wrote for the figure on the right: 'Aarw_n me/gaj a)rxiereu_j e)mprosqofanh&j front view of Aaron, the great high priest; and for the figure on the left: 'Aarw_n me/gaj a)rxiereu~j o)pisqofanh&j back view of Aaron, the great high priest.

Plate 22. ---- A delineation of the circle of the twelve months and the fruits produced in each month. Outside the circle are written the names of the Egyptian months Mhne\j 'Aigupti/oi, and of the four seasons, which he designates respectively, e0arinh& troph& the spring tropic; qerinh& troph& the summer tropic; metopwrinh& troph& the autumn tropic; xeimeri\nh& troph& the winter tropic. The fruit produced in Egypt in Pharmouth (April) is sko&roda, garlic; in Pachôn (May), ki/nna a kind of pulse; in Payni (June), ka&rua 'Arme/nia Armenian nuts; in Epiphi (July), si=toj kopu&mwra. Montfaucon takes the latter |392 word to be a mistake for suko&moroj the fig-mulberry, called also suka&minoj h( 'Aigupti/a; in Mesori (August), su~ka stafu&lia, figs, grapes: but to judge from the picture only one kind of fruit is indicated; in Thôth (September), elaio&dakna an unknown fruit; in Phaophy (October), foi/nikej, palms or palm-leaves; in Athyr (November), a)spara&gia asparagus; in Choiac (December), mala&xai mallows; in Tybi (January), e0utu&bia, endives; in Mechir (February), a)gla&tia: this is unknown; in Phamenôth (March), ki/tra fruit of citron?

The remaining plates are pictures of the animals and plants which Cosmas has described in the earlier portion of the eleventh book.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2003. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using the Scholars Press SPIonic font, free from here.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: cosmas_15_appendix_plates.htm

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) Appendix: further plates.

Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography (1897) Appendix: further plates.

Plate 1

Plate 2

Plate 3

Plate 4

Plate 5

Plate 6

Plate 7

Plate 8

Plate 9

Plate 10

Plate 11

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The Chronicle of Arbela (1907). Preface to the online text

The Chronicle of Arbela (1907). Preface to the online text

The supposed th century Chronicle of Arbela was first published by Alphonse Mingana in 1907. But soon after many doubts were raised as to whether it was not, in fact, a forgery by Mingana himself. The Bryn Mawr Classical Review article on an Italian translation summarises the problems:

Mingana had published the Chronicle as the work of a sixth-century writer named Meshihâ-zkhâ ("Christ has conquered"), a lost work known otherwise only from a thirteenth century catalogue of Syriac ecclesiastical works. In 1941, the great French scholar J.-M. Vosté disclosed that Mingana had actually persuaded a local scribe to insert the name Meshihâ-zkhâ into his copy of the text. Subsequent to this, Julius Assfalg examined the only known manuscript -- then labelled Ms. Berl. Or. 3126 -- and noticed that not only did Mingana's text not always correspond to the manuscript -- including one page for which there was no manuscript text at all -- but the script of the manuscript, albeit in Estrangelo, an early Syriac script, clearly indicated that this manuscript was a modern copy, and not one from the tenth-century as Mingana had claimed. At nearly the same time, J.-M. Fiey went so far as to pronounce the text to be a complete fabrication on the part of its editor, noting that the authenticity of earlier editions of Syriac texts prepared by Mingana had already been brought into question by other scholars. Sebastian Brock has since proved that the work cannot be a forgery, but lingering doubts from these earlier studies still cast a dark cloud over the reputation of this Chronicle. Thus, until very recently, consensus among Syriac scholars was that the work is almost totally unreliable, although scholars of Jewish and Sasanian history and religion generally held the text in somewhat higher regard. Its most recent editor, Peter Kawerau, however, argued in his introduction that there is more historically reliable data in the Chronicle of Arbela than had been previously recognized.

Richard Burgess wrote in the ("http://omega.cohums.ohio-state.edu/mailing_lists/LT-ANTIQ/1998/10/0061.php") LT-ANTIQ list:

The two standard treatments of the 'forgery' argument are Assfalg, Julius, 'Zur Textuberlieferung der Chronik von Arbela. Beobachtungen zu Ms. or. fol. 3126'. Oriens Christianus 50 (1966): 19-36, and Fiey, J.-M., 'Auteur et date de la Chronique d'Arbeles'. L'Orient Syrien 12 (1967): 265-302. Two recent supporters of the antiquity of the work are Brock, Sebastian, 'Syriac Historical Writing: A Survey of the Main Sources'. Journal of the Iraqi Academy Syriac Corporation 5 (1979/80): 1-30 (reprinted in Studies in Syriac Christianity. History, Literature and Theology. Aldershot, Hampshire, 1992. Paper I) and Schrier, Omert J., 'Syriac Evidence for the Roman-Persian War of 421-422'. GRBS 33 (1992): 75-86. My own studies of this work support the argument that it was written in antiquity from a variety of sources (including at least one local document from Arbela) and is not a modern concoction.

I began to translate the French translation provided by Mingana in 2003, but never got further than chapter 4. Since I don't wish to see this effort wasted, I have uploaded it here. The uncorrected French text is also added, in case I ever do more.

While looking for the date of the text, I found online an English translation by Timothy Kroll for CSCO 468 (1985) ("http://www.sasanika.com/pdf/Chronicle%20of%20Arbela.pdf"), although it may disappear, I suspect.

Roger Pearse

th December 2006

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The Chronicle of Arbela (1907) Introduction. pp.viii-xi

The Chronicle of Arbela (1907) Introduction. pp.viii-xi

SOURCES SYRIAQUES

MŠIHA-ZKHA (TEXT AND TRANSLATION)

BAR-PENKAYE (TEXT)

BY

A. MINGANA

PROFESSOR OF SYRIAC AT THE SYRO-CHALDAEAN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

SOLD BY OTTO HARRASSOWITZ, LEIPZIG

1

MŠIHA-ZKHA

PRESS OF THE DOMINICAN FATHERS AT MOSUL

TO MY MASTER AND SUPERVISOR

SEBASTIEN SCHEIL O. P.

PREFACE

The pages which we deliver today to the public, fill a gap. Ignorance of this area, of the beginnings of Christianity in the Persian empire, is always to be highly regretted. The manuscript of which we give here the text and the translation, will cure partly this defect in our knowledge, and will allow us at the same time to rectify many errors still current in the work of our modern syrologists.

The life and the character of Mšiha-zkha are unknown to us. On this subject, here are the few indications which we can extract from his history. He came from the country of Adiabene; the tone and the content of his book demonstrate this point with certainty. He was probably a pupil of the school of Nisibis. What makes us suppose this is that he goes into detail concerning this famous university on points which can be explained only by admitting that he had himself heard the scholarly teachers who directed this school. All of which leads us to believe that he was a disciple of Abraham of Beth Rabban; as proof, the praise which he gives him in the life of bishop Hnana. However since this famous interpreter directed the school from 509 to 569 (¹), Mšiha-zkha must have lived in the th century. He was apparently a priest or rather a ordained monk; this appears from the pious and edifying tone that he gives to his style at the same time very simple and very clear. |viii

We can prove with certainty that Mšiha-zkha composed his history between the years 550 and 569. While speaking about the bishop of Nisibis, Paul, he says that he was ordained after the return of Mar Aba of Huzistan; however this return having taken place in 550 (²), we are obliged to admit, as the time of its composition, the second half of the th century. On the other side, we cannot exceed the year 569, since the author employs the present tense, contrary to his usual practice, when he speaks about Abraham of Béth Rabban. The two limits are thus inevitably the nineteen years ranging between 550 and 569.

According to what we noted with some certainty, the sources of Mšiha-zkha are, for the history of the Occident: Eusebius of Caesarea, Clement, and perhaps Socrates; finally an apocryphal book now lost; for the history of the East: Habel the doctor, the collection of the martyrs of Adiabene (³), whose drafting can be placed at the beginning of the th century, and the local tradition.

Modern syrologues seem to identify and confuse the three historians: Mšiha-zkha, Išo'-zkha and Zkha-Išo', because of the similarity of their names; something which appears impossible to us, because by comparing the borrowed quotations, in posterior times, in Išo' -zkha and has Zkha-Išo', with the text of Mšiha-zkha, none them could be allotted to the latter. An example is enough to show this: Thomas of Marga who wanted to fix, in his monastic history, the time of the emigration of James, founder of the convent of Béth-'Abé, quotes Išo' -zkha, according to whom James went to Upper Adiabene, under the government |ix of Mar Babai, and that in the fifth year of Kosrau son of Hormizd (⁴), corresponding to year 595/6, since this king started to reign into 590 (⁵). However we saw that we cannot place the composition of the history of Mšiha-zkha, later than 569; our author could not thus report events which would be posterior to him by at least twenty five years. This Išo'-zkha, quoted by Thomas of Marga, would be thus a historian who lived right at the start of the th century (⁶), about fifty years after ours author.

The history of Mšiha-zkha forms a series of biographies of twenty bishops who controlled the church of Adiabene until the th century. Each of these biographies contains the principal facts, during the reign of each bishop from the see of Arbela. Generally the duration of each episcopate is given to us in years, at the end of his life; when it is not, some indications in the margin allow us to determine it. In order to classify these groups of years within a chronological framework, we make use of certain date-points; e. g. the th year which followed the defeat of Kosrau king of the Arsacids by Trajan; the year of the fall of Parthians, i.e. Wednesday, 27 Nissan, year 535 of Greeks etc etc. Events outside the country, but attached to it by their religious character, enter the narrative more or less arbitrarily and are grouped somewhat elastically around such or such episcopate, as frequently the words "in this time, about the same time, in these days... " indicate. |x One thus should not be astonished to see them overflowing on this side beyond the groupings to which they are annexed.

In addition to the advantages which we find in Mšiha-zkha from the point of view of the chronology, he provides us with still other very significant ones, such as: 1° some precise data on the beginnings of Christianity under the Arsacids and Sassanids, data placing the evangelization of the trans-euphrates regions in the first century of our era and not in the third, as some critics seem to say nowadays; 2° the fixing of the time when the apostle Addai lived, a question much discussed by scholars; 3° details that he transmits to us about the Parthians whose history is quite obscure; 4° some unquestionable data which enables us to solve several questions concerning the patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon etc: all details, which put the work of Mšiha-zkha well at the top of the list of historical compilations that the civilized Syrians left us.

Let us say a word on the manuscript itself which preserved for us the history of Mšiha-zkha. Sixteen miles to the North-East of Zakho, and twenty miles approximately to the North-West of Ašitha, there is a large Moslem village named Ekrour. This village was formerly inhabited by the Christians, who were dispossessed more than 150 years ago, by the tribe of Gogayes. It was also used as the residence of the Nestorian bishops who were eager to collect the books of their ancestors there which had escaped the plundering of the plains: the single heritage which remained to them of their glorious past. At the time of the invasion of Gogayes, the peasants carried with them some of these books which they regarded as sacred objects, hid some more and burned, it is said, the remainder, so that they were not defiled by the invaders. The manuscript which contains |xi the history of Mšiha-zkha belongs to the collection of these books which had the good luck to have been able to avoid the fire. It is written on large paper of octavo format, in Estrangelo characters whose age is rather difficult to determine, unless the question is avoided by assigning them to the 10th century: which would not be too early. Later a manuscript containing the homilies of Warda was joined to it. After having detached these added books, I had newly reassembled by an expert, the invaluable remainders containing the chronicle of Mšiha-zkha, to make transport easier. The manuscript being truncated at the beginning and the end, it was impossible for us to know the author of it. Extremely fortunately, we found the title written in the margin, in the body of the manuscript itself (see p. 49).

A. MINGANA.

MOSSOUL, JUIN, 1907.

1. (1) See the historic text of the chronicle of Barhadhbšabba edited by us in Narsai homiliae et carmina vol, I, p. 8 et 35 et sqq.

2. (1) Cf. J. Labourt, Le Christianisme dans l'Empire Perse, p. 191.

3. (2) In Bedjan, Acta Martyrum et Sanctorum, vol. IV, p. 128-165.

4. (1) Thomas of Marga, p. I. chap. 23, p. 36 (Bedjan edition).

5. (2) Noeldeke. Geschichte der Perser und Araber (Tabari) p. 435,.

6. (3) Thomas also tells us that he wrote under Iso'Yahb II, from 628 to 643; ibid. p. 36.

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The Chronicle of Arbela (1907) Translation (partial) pp.76-...

The Chronicle of Arbela (1907) Translation (partial) pp.76-...

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF ADIABENE UNDER THE PARTHIANS AND THE SASSANIDS

By MŠIHA-ZKHA ( th century)

(Translation)

'Mšiha-zkha made a solid ecclesiastical history'. (Catalogue of Ebedjesu)

(¹)............. and several times you have asked me, my dear Pinhes, to outline for you the history of all the bishops of our hyparchy, of the martyrs who were killed there for the love of Christ, and of all those who have acquired a good reputation in this world and in the world to come, so that by this glory is returned to God, and that we also have a good commitment to heaven; because you know that the history of the leaders of the Church leads us naturally to the founder of the Church, who is our Lord Jesus-Christ, |77 who breathes life into our poor humanity, we will just love him better. He must be the goal of our thoughts and we must give ourselves to his love. And if we do that, the Holy Ghost will live in us and we will be sanctuaries for the Holy Trinity, which will reside in us all. Because it is the grace of this Trinity we adore who plants in us a vine, surrounds us by a hedge and digs there a press (Isaiah 5: 1): a vine, because we are the culture of God, planted by him and we belong to him; it is written: He came to his own people (John 1: 11); a hedge: so that we there are kept and hidden and that the claws of our visible and invisible enemies do not tear us. The press is known to you from the martyrs who are killed for the love of Christ and are pressed like the grapes under the feet of the infidel torturers. The holy David said: For you we were killed each day and we were regarded as sheep (intended) for slaughter (Ps. 44: 23). We will thus treat, by the grace of God, of the leaders and of the martyrs, and, in prayer, we request help from our Good God, so that by His grace He forgives us our failures and makes us appear with merry faces in front of the throne of His glory; to Him we return praises and blessings down the centuries of the centuries.

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I. Bishop PKIDHA (104-114). (²) The first bishop in the country of Adiabene, as the learned Habel says (³), was Mar Pkidha on whom the apostle Addaï |78 laid hands in person. He was the son of a poor man called Beri, who was in the service of a magus. But grace of the Holy Ghost who was given to us in abundance by Our Lord Jesus Christ, moved in the heart of his son, when he saw the miracle by which the Addaï Apostle (⁴) brought a girl back to life, when she was being taken to the cemetery, and delivered her to her parents. He thus resolved to become the disciple (of the Apostle). The tongue could not describe, nor spirit conceive the persecution he underwent at the hands of his father and nearest relatives. As despite everything that he was immoveable in his intentions, his parents imprisoned him in a dark house; but he was helped there, and the door opened for him. He ran and went from there to seek the apostle; but did not find him. When he learned that he had gone into the villages of the mountain, he went to his |79

side at once to become his disciple and to be blessed by him. When after several days he arrived where the blessed one was, the apostle was greatly delighted and started to take him along with him everywhere he went. It is said that after five years he laid hands on him and returned him to his country. He started to preach in the middle of a crowd (hedges) of pagans, did wonders and miracles like the apostles and brought into the fold of Christ a great number of sheep, which he fattened on the divine grace. After ten years he died and was buried by his disciples in the house of his parents who had had a change of heart and had followed him.

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II. Bishop ŠEMŠOUN (120-123). Six years afterwards, Mezra, bishop of Beth-Zabdai (⁵) came to Adiabene with a caravan of traders. When he learned that there was a community of Christians there, he came furtively to them, and after he had reassured them, they took him to the house and said to him that they had been for six years without a leader. They begged him to lay hands on the deacon Šemšoun and to consecrate him as bishop. Agreeing to their good desires, he laid hands on him, because he had learned that he was a deacon of Pkidha. The latter started in his turn to govern this holy community and to lead it into the good pastures (Ps. XXIII, 2). Outside, he started to preach |80 in the surrounding villages, which worshipped fire and threw their little children in it at the time of their great festival that they called Šahrab-Gamoud. Habel, the writer, described in the following way this festival: This festival, known as it, happened in the month of Iar, and in all the regions nearby. After bathing, one sat down, made food and ate with all the slaves. The inhabitants themselves did not eat unless they had thrown into the fire one of their little children; seizing its liver and kidneys, they suspended them on the branches of the trees which were there, in remembrance of their festivals. Then they launched several arrows towards the sky, rejoicing, and returned to their houses. After preaching for two years, he baptized a great number of them, and the Christian religion was spread in the country, thanks to the virtues of Šemšoun. When this event came to the knowledge of the important people in the region and the magi, they threw him in irons, and after several torments, decapitated him. This happened, says the learned Habel, seven years after the defeat of Kosrau, king of the Arsacids, by Trajan, king of the Romans, who had come to visit our countries (⁶). Šemšoun was the first |81 martyr of our country which went up to heaven. That the Lord helps us by his prayers and makes that we imitate all his conduct, in order to enjoy his delights. What I will say now! How I will exalt this happy apostle who had taken our Lord as his model, that he did not cease contemplating. We adore our Lord Jesus-Christ, who entrusted to his apostles and after them to their successors the deposit of his word, which gave to their speeches the power so that uncultivated and cruel people were struck with admiration and were dazzled; the echo of these words was heard by all the earth, because it is written: their news spread through all the earth and their words until the end of the world (Ps. XIX, 5). It is He that by strengthening them, did all by their means; to him be glory always and through the centuries of the centuries. It is such men who gave birth to our country! my dear Pinhes; it is with their blood that the furrows of our country were sprinkled, from which their seed sprouted and gave some thirty, some sixty and others hundredfold. The Šemšoun of the Old Testament put to flight, and subjected the Philistines by his power, and the Šemšoun of the New Testament threw down the pagans, the Philistines of his time, and put them under the yoke of the constraint of Christ, by the power of his Lord, his fasting and his mortifications, so that they could by no means break their bonds. In the Old Testament (the Lord) showed his power and in New his grace; that his strength and his grace will accompany us all our days.

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III. Bishop ISAAC (135-148) After this athlete of Christ, Mar Isaac became head of the now numerous many Christians, |82 a zealous and modest man (⁷) who was offered like a living sacrifice to God following the example of Isaac (⁸). The Divine Providence did not allow the features of the malignant enemy of any holiness to transpierced him. He, in his turn, preached the Gospel, like his fellows, without rejecting himself.

In his time, there was a famous and opulent man, named Rakbakt, which, it is said, had been named by the kings to govern this region. As soon as he heard Mar Isaac speak, he looked for him and |83 questioned him on his religion; he liked it much and asked to become part of it. After several days, Isaac baptized him in secrecy, because of the fear inspired by Walgaš II, king of the Parthians (⁹). By the means and the support of this divine man, the Constantine of his time, the Christian religion spread itself in the villages of the surroundings, and the pagan priests rose against him and wanted to change his ideas; but after vain attempts, they resolved to kill him so that the religion of the magi would live. However Habel, the doctor, says that they gave orders to other co-religionists of the magi, who lived in the mountains, to change their clothes and dress in the manner of faraway countries, and to come to the Saint of the Lord, like guests who do nothing but pass through, and remaining at his place all the night, to kill him towards the end of the night, after which they would return to their country. The enemies of the Almighty and friends of Satan, damned him, going well beyond their orders, directed and indoctrinated as they were by the magi their brothers, thus sent ahead several servants to inform faithful Rakbakt that there were some Lords who came to him from the distant country of the Romans, and who wanted to spend the night in his house; and that consequently, he had to prepare for them a feast worthy of their rank. When the Saint of the Lord learned this, he laboured to prepare, as fast as possible, all that it was necessary, and his heart rejoiced in God, thinking that he could perhaps convert (these people) to the religion of only one God, maker |84 of heaven and earth. All ready, when these envoys of Satan arrived, mounted on caparisonned horses. But God who is good towards Israel and towards those of pure heart (P. LXXIII, 1) did not allow the arrows that they had ready (Ps. XI, 2) to harm him; because at supper time, a messenger from Ctesiphon came to find the Saint of the Lord and ordered him on behalf of king Walgaš, to come without delay, if he wished him well, to Ctesiphon, so that after discussion between the two of them, the impetuosity of the cruel tribes from the mountains of Kardou who had plundered and destroyed several cities might be repressed (¹⁰). He rose then at once, entrusted the responsibility of his satanic guests to his brother, who was a pagan, and got under way, without delay, with the messenger, only accompanied by some men of his house, after having instructed his brother to join together troops, to lead them in person and to bring them to Ctesiphon. As the net of the priests of lies was broken and as Rakbakt, strong in his Lord, had escaped (Ps. CXXIII, 1), the magi distilled all their venom on the head of the Saint of the Lord, the giant and honest Isaac. Two days afterwards, they thus went to imprison him in a dark tiny room. They would have wished to kill him but they feared a riot and the clamour of the people; an extreme fright seized them also, because of the general Rakbakt. |85

When he, victorious by his God, learned this affecting news, he ordered from Ctesiphon, where he was, the release of the servant of God, to make him leave prison and to grant a complete freedom to him. He threatened, with many oaths to kill whoever did not comply with this order and refused to do such; the prophet of God left prison then. Rakbakt, the giant of power, remained sixteen days at Ctesiphon; from this city, general Aršak gave his orders, and some twenty thousand soldiers, all infantrymen, being joined together to him, he went against the rebels. God knows what difficulties he met on the way, and which steep mountains they climbed until they arrived. At the first moment of their meeting, there was between (the belligerents) light skirmishes, in which the rebels were defeated. In the end, one of the rebel chiefs, called Kizo, led Aršak into a defile in these mountains and blockaded him in. A great battle was fought there, which lasted three days; but the troops of Aršak weakened by the rigours of hunger and despairing to overcome, started to disband. Then the brave Rakbakt left the ranks of the troops, called his soldiers and climbing the mountain like an eagle which flies from its nest (Deuter. XXXII, 11), engaged (the barbarians) in a dreadful fray and opened the way for Aršak and the other troops, to flee and save themselves from these violent wolves.

But the hero of God had succumbed in the middle of the ranks of the enemy; one of those having pierced his side with a blow of a lance, he fell dead, after having offered his heart, like Judas Machabée, in sacrifice to the |86 Lord, for the safety of his people; because if he had not acted thus, by an effort of his charity, all the soldiers would have perished. The rebels, at this sight, proposed to descend into the plains to take all the cities from Aršak, but they, in their turn, having learned how that another barbarian people had crossed the sea and had come like robbers, to ransack their cities, to burn them and to carry all that they had, including their wives, made at once volte-face to go to carry help to their own country. When they arrived there, they warred against (the bandits) for two whole months, until they had triumphed and had made them pass back over the sea. The quill cannot describe the great sadness which seized our country with the disturbing news of the death of Rakbakt. The true Christians especially poured tears on him and cried for him as David did for Jonathan (II. Sam 1, 19 and ff.). How the giant fell in combat! Jonathan, the dead are on your hills; O Jonathan, my brother, I am in the affliction because of you; you made all my happiness. Who can now tell the pain which invaded Isaac, at the death of his protector! To this question we must keep silence, because at the day of the judgement we will see, clearly all things as they really are.

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IV. Bishop ABRAHAM(148-163) A little time from there, there also died the friend of God, the bishop Mar Isaac, after having ruled the see for thirteen years. This active man that the zeal of the house of the Lord had devoured (Ps. LXIX, 10) had built a large well-ordered church which exists today and is called by his name. After him |87 came Abraham, the doctor, son of the late Solomon, whose flesh was from Herda, a village located around the tower of the Hebrews (¹¹). His great father had come; to fix himself at Arbela and his parents had been converted, while he was still young, at the time of the bishop Šemšoun (¹²). (Abraham) ruled, in his turn, the seat with a gentleness and humility above any praise. He remained for a long time in the high mountains, teaching the Christian faith there, preaching the true religion and baptizing in the name of the Father of the Son and the Holy Spirit (Mat. XXVIII, 19).

While he lived in the high mountains, teaching the Christian faith, the magi rose against the Christians of our country, plundered all their goods and tormented them atrociously. This news having come to the bishop Mar Abraham, he went down from the mountains; by the force of the miracles which he worked and by the ascendancy of his incomprehensible wisdom, he prevented the rapacious wolves from devouring all the servants of Christ. After having appeased them, he went down to Ctesiphon. The king |88 Walgaš II had died (¹³), and Walgaš III had succeeded to him. The servant of God had taken with him many gifts, for the great ones of the city, so that by this means he obtained from the pagan king a letter in favour of the Christians of his country, so that they were not abused, without reason and wrongfully, by the magi. The disordered affairs of the kingdom did not enable him nevertheless to achieve his goal, because many troops having gathered there from all regions (¹⁴), and prepared to descend on the countries of the Romans, he thus returned without being able to bring letter. But God did not allow the desire of kings (Arsacides?) to be accomplished; because after several reverses, the Parthians were overcome and pursued by the Roman troops, until they had been trapped in Ctesiphon. God intending thus to punish both (adversaries), released against them a cruel plague and made a considerable number perish. The Romans were constrained to retrace their steps and to return to their country; they could not even find safety in this flight, because the plague which tracked them, decimated them in great number. They gave up considerable wealth in Parthia; because fear left them no time to carry anything, no matter what it was, with them. This plague reigned for three months, and destroyed many houses of the inhabitants. When that plague appeared in our country, bishop Abraham strove, with all the divine power which was in him, to comfort and relieve the faithful |89 who were struck down by it. He, in his turn, was struck down violently by it. He then laid hands on his deacon Nôh, and went to paradise, where he will receive (¹⁵) the good reward of his labours, from the just judge. He had ruled the illustrious see of Adiabene for fifteen years.

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V. EV. NOH (163-179) the parents of this pure man were from the desert of Anbar and had made the voyage from Jerusalem. There, the young child had Christian connections and was baptized in the power of the divine grace. When his parents returned to the East, they came to Adiabene, because there was there a good number of Jews. They feared to return to their first country, because of the disorders which emerged unceasingly there. As soon as the young child knew that here also there were Christians, he went to find Abraham and became his friend. By the means of fasting, of continual prayer and prolonged and innumerable vigils, he arrived at a high degree of holiness and was worthy of the vision of God, thanks to whom he was capable to work wonders and miracles equal to those of the apostles. But for that reason, who can tell the torments and persecutions that he endured from infidels, and principally from the magi.

This is the good part that was given to the apostles and through them to the entire Church of God. It is written: remember the word that I said to you, that there is no servant who is above his Master; that if they persecuted me, they will persecute you also|90 (John XV, 20) and again: I told you these things, so that you will not be afraid; they will drive out you of their synagogue, and there will come a day when whoever kills you will believe himself to be offering a sacrifice to God (John XVI, 1-2). The Church is the spiritual kingdom of Christ on earth; but this Church is confronted with the wicked, the infidels, the magi and the pagans, and at every moment it makes war on them; we have the hope that it will always have the victory and the advantage, because Our Lord (14) said: I have overcome the world, and the doors of hell will not prevail against it (John. XVI, 33. Matt.XVI, 18). This enmity which exists between the Church of Christ and the world will finish only at the end of times, when the corn is separated from the chaff, which will be thrown into the fire to be burned (Matt. XIII, 30). Bishop Noh remembered all this, when thrown five times into prison, and the seas of joy flooded him, when twelve times he was beaten with rods and sticks until he was covered with blood, while he kept silent like an ewe in front of the shearer (Isaiah LIII, 8). In the end, God himself undertook to avenge his saint and to deliver him from the hands of the perverts, so that the word of David was accomplished: I was small and now I am aged, and I have not see a just man forsaken (Psalm XXXVII, 25). Thus on a certain day the son of a man named Razšah, a rich and noble man from a town in the country of Adiabene, fell from the top of the house, breaking his foot and fracturing the principal bone of the forearm. When this accident took place, Raz-ah was not at home, but at the town of Arbela, on domestic business. He left with bitter imprecations in order to see the outcome of the matter. Saint |91 Noh was then in this large village, located on the Zab; because he had fled the poison of the magi and hid there.

(To be continued)

1. Some lines of the introduction are lacking, which would perhaps have acquainted us with this Pinhes. The numbers in brackets relate to the corresponding pages of the Syriac text.

2. (1) The chronology which we too hastily drew up in our response to M. J.-B. Chabot (p.19) must be corrected by that which we adopt here.

3. (2) We know nothing precise about this Habel. The epithet of 'doctor' which follows shows that he was a Christian, but certainly not a bishop. Mšiha-zkha only mentions him three times. Thus he cannot be Mar Habel, the sixth bishop of Arbela, as one might otherwise be tempted to believe. Could he perhaps be one of the numerous authors of martyrdoms who in the th century busied themselves with collecting details of the martyrs in the persecution under Sapor II?

4. (1) We believe that the historicity of Addai, once the fabulous details with which writers of the th and th centuries decorated his life have been removed, cannot be doubted. Barhadhbšabba 'Arabaya ( th century) whose information came from students at the famous school of Edessa, mentions his apostolate in the capital of Osrhoene (see his discussion in our book, Narsai Homiliae et carmina, vol. I, p. 33). All the oriental bishops gathered at the court of king Khosrau II ( nd June, 612) affirm that the oriental countries were evangelised by this disciple of our Lord (Syn. Or. p. 581). Finally Mšiha-zkha, citing an author who preceded him, peremptorily affirms the mission of Addai in the lands between the two rivers and places his date towards the end of the first century of our era. On the other hand the existence of his disciple Mari must be considered by itself at best problematic and even fabulous.

5. (1) The evangelisation of the country of Béth-zabdai, situated on the right bank of the Tigris, appears to have been timely. According to the story of Mšiha-zkha, one is tempted to believe that it had the good fortune to have bishops before Adiabene. This detail allows us to indicate the route followed by the Disciple Addai to Adiabene. From Osrhoene he must have gone south to Arzanene and from there into the valley of the Tigris.

6. (1) Trajan ayant visité l'Adiabène en 116 la mort de Šemšoun doit tomber en 123. Son règne, d'après le texte du manuscrit, est de courte durée, de trois ans, semble-t-il (deux ans de prédication suivis du baptême des catéchumènes); il aurait donc commencé à occuper le siège d'Arbèles en 120. Entre son élection et la mort de Pkidha il y eut six ans de vacances; Pkidha meurt donc en 114. Son épiscopat ayant duré dix ans, le commencement doit en être reporté en 104. Mais avant de recevoir l'imposition des mains, Pkidha avait été pendant cinq ans le compagnon de Mar Addaï, dans ses missions apostoliques, donc de 99 à 104; ce qui nous oblige à fixer l'arrivée d'Addaï, en Adiabène, avant la fin du premier siècle.

7. (1) Ces mots n'entraînent pas nécessairement une succession immédiate. Au contraire. force nous est même d'admettre en cet endroit une vacance de siège d'une douzaine d'années Durant les deux premiers siècles, période de fondation, de lutte avec la religion nationale, et de persécution de la part des mages, ces vacances forcées sont mentionnées par notre auteur à plusieurs reprises. Celle que nous admettons ici, sans qu'il en soit fait mention, est imposée par le fait suivant; Abraham, le second successeur de Šemšoun, est dit être mort de la peste qui décima l'armée romaine, dans la Babylonie, sous Lucius Vèrus, en 163/4. En remontant et en ne donnant à Abraham et à Isaac, les deux successeurs de Šemšoun, que le nombre d'années d'épiscopat qui leur est assigné par le texte, il nous manque douze années pour arriver jusqu'à 123, septième année du passage de Trajan dans l'Adiabène, et année de la mort de Šemšoun.

8. (2) Jusque vers la fin du III siècle, les noms de personnes dans le monde Syrien, étaient pour la plupart ou Juifs ou païens. Après cette période, vint la réaction qui introduisit une nouvelle onomastique, en faisant des noms Syriens un complexe formé, la plupart du temps, du nom de Dieu, du Christ et d'un de leurs attributs immédiats. Les noms de Hnaniso', Iso'iahb, Iso'dnah, Zkha-Iso', Alaha-zkha, Iahb-Alaha etc. deviennent courants et supplantent complètement les vieux noms païens. Tant que la religion chrétienne fut chose cachée, ses adeptes s'abritèrent sous le couvert des noms da pays, juifs ou païens; mais dès qu'elle fui devenue publique, elle ne craignit pas d'adopter des noms signifiant franchement sa croyance en un seul Dieu, en Jésus, etc... Cependant certains noms juifs, consacrés par les apôtres et leurs successeurs, survécurent.

9. (1) Vologèse II régna, d'après les critiques, de 120 à 148 (cf. GUTSCHMID, Untersuchungen ueber die Geschichte des Koenigsreichs Osrhoene, 1887, p. 30).

10. (1) Le lecteur verra dans le cours de cette histoire, qu'à peu près toutes les invasions, contre les Parthes, vinrent du côté des lointaines montagnes qui bordent la mer Caspienne, ou avoisinent la Bactriane proprement dite et l'Oxus. Nous pouvons en inférer que les Parthes, pas plus que les Assyriens, ne purent venir jamais à bout de subjuguer entièrement les hordes barbares qui habitaient ces plages lointaines.

11. (1) Mossoul et ses environs étaient appelés dans l'ancienne littérature Syriaque: tour des Hébreux;voir Narsai Homiliae et Carmina, vol.II, p. 410. Cette dénomination prouve-t-elle l'existence d'un grand nombre de Juifs dans cette contrée?

12. (2) On est étonné de la simplicité du processus usité dans la primitive Eglise pour la création des évêques. L'apôtre choisissait, parmi les nouveaux baptisés, le plus apte à le remplacer, et le laissait à la tête de la petite communauté, après lui avoir imposé les mains, et s'en allait évangéliser d'autres pays. Dans ce but, comme on Je voit par la suite de cette histoire, assez souvent l'évêque se faisait accompagner d'un diacre à qui il imposait les mains lorsqu'il se sentait près de mourir. Le sacrement d'ordre était déjà conféré, tel qu'il l'est aujourd'hui dans l'Eglise, mais surtout dans l'église orientale,

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: arbela_03_french.htm

The Chronicle of Arbela. Sources Syriaques, t. 1 (1907) French text.

The Chronicle of Arbela. Sources Syriaques, t. 1 (1907) French text.

SOURCES

SYRIAQUES

MŠIHA-ZKHA (TEXTE ET TRADUCTION)

BAR-PENKAYE (TEXTE)

PAR

A. MINGANA

PROFESSEUR DE SYRIAQUE AU SÉMINAIRE SYRO-CHALDÉEN

SE VEND

CHEZ OTTO HARRASSOWITZ LEIPZIG

1

MŠIHA-ZKHA

(Catalogue d'Ebedjésu)

IMPRIMERIE DES PÈRES DOMINICAINS A MOSSOUL

A MON MAITRE ET DIRECTEUR

SEBASTIEN SCHEIL O. P.

PRÉFACE

Les pages que nous livrons aujourd'hui au public, comblent une lacune. L'ignorance où nous sommes, des commencements du Christianisme dans l'empire Perse, a toujours été vivement regrettée. Le manuscrit dont nous donnons ici le texte et la traduction, remédiera en partie à ce défaut de nos connaissances, et nous permettra en môme temps de redresser maintes erreurs ayant encore cours dans les travaux de nos syrologues modernes.

La vie et le personnage de Mšiha-zkha nous sont inconnus. Voici, à ce sujet, les quelques indications que nous avons pu extraire de son histoire. Il était du pays de l'Adiabène; le ton et la teneur de son livre nous démontrent ce point avec certitude. Il était probablement élève de l'école de Nisibe. Ce qui nous le fait supposer, c'est qu'il entre, touchant cette célèbre université, dans des détails que nous ne pouvons nous expliquer qu'en admettant qu'il fut auditeur des savants professeurs qui dirigeaient cette école. Tout nous porte à croire qu'il était disciple d'Abraham de Béth Rabban; à preuve, l'éloge qu'il fait de lui dans la vie de l'évêque Hnana. Or ce fameux. Interprète ayant dirigé l'école de 509 à 569 (¹), Mšiha-zkha aurait vécu au VI s. Il était, semble-t-il, prêtre ou plutôt prêtre-moine; ce point ressort du ton pieux et édifiant qu'il donne à son style en môme temps très simple et très clair. |viii

Nous pouvons prouver avec certitude que Mšiha-zkha a composé son histoire de l'an 550 à 569. En parlant de l'évêque de Nisibe, Paul, il dit qu'il fut ordonné après le retour de Mar Aba du Huzistan; or ce retour ayant eu lieu en 550(²), nous sommes obligés d'admettre, pour l'époque de sa composition, la dernière moitié du VI siècle. D'un autre côté, nous ne pouvons pas dépasser l'an 569, puisque l'auteur emploie le temps présent, contrairement à son habitude, quand il parle d'Abraham de Béth Rabban. Les deux limites sont donc forcément les dix-neuf ans compris entre 550 et 569.

D'après ce que nous avons constaté avec quelque certitude, les sources de Mšiha-zkha sont, pour l'histoire de l'Occident: Eusèbe de Césarée, Clément, et peut-être Socrate; enfin un apocryphe aujourd'hui perdu; pour l'histoire de l'Orient: Habel le docteur, la collection des martyrs de l'Adiabène (³), dont la rédaction peut être placée au commencement du V siècle, et la tradition locale.

Les Syrologues modernes semblent identifier et confondre les trois historiens: Mšiha-zkha, Išo'-zkha et Zkha-Išo', à cause de la similitude de nom; chose qui nous paraît impossible, car en comparant les citations empruntées, dans les temps postérieurs, à Išo'-zkha et a Zkha-Išo', avec le texte de Mšiha-zkha, aucune d'elles ne saurait être attribuée à ce dernier. Un exemple suffit pour démontrer ce que nous avançons: Thomas de Marga voulant fixer, dans son histoire monastique, l'époque de l'émigration de Jacques, fondateur du couvent de Béth-'Abé, cite Išo'-zkha, d'après lequel Jacques se serait rendu dans la Haute-Adiabène, sous le gouvernement |ix de Mar Babai, et cela la cinquième année de Kosrau fils de Hormizd (⁴), correspondant à l'an 595/6, puisque ce roi a commencé à régner en 590 (⁵). Or nous avons vu plus haut que, pour la composition de l'histoire de Mšiha-zkha, on ne peut pas dépasser l'année 569; notre auteur ne pourrait donc pas relater des événements qui lui seraient postérieurs au moins de vingt cinq ans. Cet Išo'-zkha, cité par Thomas de Marga, serait donc un historien qui aurait vécu au plus tôt au commencement du VII siècle (⁶), une cinquantaine d'années après nôtre auteur.

L'histoire de Mšiha-zkha forme une série de biographies de vingt évoques qui ont gouverné l'église d'Adiabène jusqu'au VI siècle. Chacune de ces biographies renferme les faits principaux, qui ont signalé le passage de chaque évêque sur le siège d'Arbèles. Généralement la durée de chaque épiscopat nous est donnée en années, à la fin de sa vie; quand elle ne l'est pas, des indications d'à côté permettent de la déterminer. Quand à classer ces groupes d'années dans un cadre chronologique, certaines dates-jalons nous permettent de le faire; v. gr. la e année qui a suivi la défaite de Kosrau roi des Arsacides par Trajan; l'année de la chute des Parthes, c-à-d. le mercredi, 27 Nissan, 535 des Grecs etc. etc. Les faits étrangers à l'histoire du pays, mais s'y rattachant par leur caractère religieux, entrent plus ou moins arbitrairement dans cette trame et sont groupés quelque peu élastiquement autour de tel ou tel épiscopat, comme l'indiquent fréquemment les mots «en ce temps, vers le même temps, en ces jours...». |x Il ne faut donc pas s'étonner de les voir déborder deçà delà les groupes auxquels ils sont annexés.

Outre les avantages que nous trouvons dans Mšiha-zkha au point de vue de la chronologie, il nous en fournit d'autres encore très importants, comme 1° des données précises sur les débuts du Christianisme sous les Arsacides et les Sassanides, données faisant remonter l'évangélisation des contrées ciseuphratiques au premier siècle de notre ère et non au troisième, comme semblent l'admettre quelques critiques de nos jours; 2° la fixation de l'époque où l'apôtre Addai a vécu, question très discutée par les savants; 3° les détails qu'il nous transmet sur les Parthes dont l'histoire est des plus obscures; 4° des données certaines qui nous permettent de trancher plusieurs questions concernant le patriarcat de Séleucie-Ctésiphon etc.: tous détails, qui mettent l'œuvre de Mšiha-zkha bien au dessus des compilations historiques que les Syriens civilisés nous ont laissées.

Disons un mot sur le manuscrit lui-même qui nous a conservé l'histoire de Mšiha-zkha. A seize lieues au nord-est de Zakho, et à vingt lieues environ au nord-ouest d'Ašitha, se trouve un gros village musulman nommé Ekrour. Ce village était jadis habité par les chrétiens, lesquels en furent dépossédés, il y a plus de 150 ans, par la tribu des Gogayés. Il servait aussi de résidence aux évêques nestoriens qui étaient jaloux d'y réunir les livres de leurs ancêtres, échappés au pillage des plaines: unique héritage qui leur restât de leur passé glorieux. Au moment de l'invasion des Gogayés, les fuyards emportèrent avec eux quelques-uns de ces livres qu'ils considéraient comme des objets sacrés, en cachèrent d'autres et brûlèrent, dit-on, le reste, pour qu'ils ne fussent pas souillés par les envahisseurs. Le manuscrit qui contient |xi l'histoire de Mšiha-zkha fait partie de la collection de ces livres qui ont eu la bonne chance d'avoir pu éviter l'incendie. Il est écrit sur gros papier de format in-8°, avec des caractères stranguélis dont l'âge est assez difficile à déterminer, à moins qu'on ne veuille trancher la question en les faisant remonter au X siècle: ce qui ne serait pas lui faire trop d'honneur. On lui avait accolé, après coup, un manuscrit contenant les homélies de Warda. Après en avoir détaché ces cahiers surajoutés, j'ai fait refaire à neuf, par un homme de métier, les précieux restes renfermant la chronique de Mšiha-zkha, pour en rendre le transport plus facile. Le manuscrit étant tronqué au commencement et à la fin, il nous était impossible d'en connaître l'auteur. Fort heureusement, nous en avons trouvé le titre écrit en marge, dans le corps même du manuscrit (voir p. 49).

A. MINGANA.

MOSSOUL, JUIN, 1907.

1. (1) Voir le texte historique de la chronique de Barhadhbšabba édité par nous dans Narsai homiliae et carmina vol, I, p. 8 et 35 et sqq.

2. (1) Cf. J. Labourt, Le Christianisme dans l'Empire Perse, p. 191.

3. (2) Dans Bedjan, Acta Martyrum et Sanctorum, vol. IV, p. 128-165.

4. (1) Thomas de Marga, p. I. chap. 23, p. 36 (édition Bedjan).

5. (2) Noeldeke. Geschichte der Perser und Araber (Tabari) p. 435,.

6. (3) Thomas nous avertit d'ailleurs qu'il écrivait sous Iso'-iahb II, de 628 à 643; ibid. p. 36.

HISTOIRE DE L'EGLISE D'ADIABÈNE SOUS LES PARTHES ET LES SASSANIDES

PAR MŠIHA-ZKHA (VI S.)

(Traduction)

Mšiha-zkha fit une solide histoire ecclésiastique. (Catalogue d'Ebedjesu)

(¹)............. et plusieurs fois tu m'as demandé, mon cher Pinhés, de t'esquisser l'histoire de tous les évêques de notre hyparchie, des martyrs qui y furent tués pour l'amour du Christ, et de. tous ceux qui ont acquis un bon renom dans ce monde et dans le monde futur, afin que par cela gloire soit rendue à Dieu, et que nous aussi ayons un bon gage au ciel; car tu sais que l'histoire des chefs de l'Eglise nous conduisant facilement au fondateur de l'Eglise, qui est notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ, |77 le vivificateur de notre pauvre humanité, nous ne l'enaimerons que mieux. Lui doit être le but de nos pensées et nous devons tendre à son amour. Et si nous faisons cela, l'Esprit-Saint habitera en nous et nous serons des sanctuaires pour la Sainte Trinité, qui résidera en nous tous. Car c'est la vertu de cette Trinité adorable qui plante en nous une vigne, nous entoure d'une haie et y creuse un pressoir (Isaïe V, 1): une vigne, parce que nous sommes la culture de Dieu, lui nous a plantés et nous lui appartenons; il est écrit: Il est venu chez lui (Joan I, 11); une haie: afin que nous y soyons gardés et cachés et que les griffes de nos ennemis visibles et invisibles ne nous déchirent pas. Le pressoir a été dit à t'adresse des martyrs qui sont tués pour l'amour du Christ et pressurés comme les raisins par les pieds des bourreaux infidèles. Le divin David a dit: Pour vous nous fûmes tués chaque jour et nous fûmes considérés comme des brebis (destinées) à la boucherie (Ps. XLIV, 23). Nous traiterons donc, par la vertu de Dieu, des chefs et des martyrs, et, dans la prière, nous demandons secours à notre Bon Dieu, afin que par sa grâce il nous pardonne nos défaillances et nous fasse paraître avec des faces joyeuses devant le trône de sa gloire; à lui soient rendues louanges et bénédictions dans les siècles des siècles.

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e EV. PKIDHA (104-114) (²) Le premier évêque qu'eut le pays d'Adiabène est, comme le dit le docteur Habel (³), Mar Pkidha à qui l'Apôtre Addaï en personne |78 imposa les mains. Il était fils d'un homme pauvre appelé Béri, lequel était au service d'un mage. Mais la grâce de l'Esprit-Saint qui nous fut donnée en abondance par Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ, tressaillit dans le cœur de son fils, quand celui-ci vit le miracle par lequel l'Apôtre Addaï (⁴) ressuscita une jeune fille, au moment où on la portait au cimetière, et la livra à ses parents. Il résolut donc de devenir le disciple (de l'Apôtre). Quelles persécutions subit-il de la part de son père et de ses proches parents, la bouche ne saurait le peindre, ni l'esprit le concevoir. Comme malgré tout cela il fut inébranlable dans ses projets, ses parents l'emprisonnèrent dans une maison ténébreuse; mais il y fut secouru, et la porte lui fut ouverte. Il courut et s'en alla chercher l'apôtre; mais il ne le trouva pas. Lorsqu'il apprit qu'il était allé dans les villages de la montagne, il se dirigea aussitôt de son |79 côté et le rejoignit pour être son disciple et pour être béni par lui. Quand après plusieurs jours il arriva au bienheureux, celui-ci se réjouit beaucoup à son sujet et commença à l'emmener avec lui partout où il allait. On dit qu'après cinq ans il lui imposa les mains et le renvoya à son pays. Il commença à prêcher au milieu des foules (haies) des païens, fit des prodiges et des miracles comme les apôtres et fit entrer au bercail du Christ un grand nombre de brebis, qu'il engraissa de la grâce divine. Après dix ans il mourut et fut enterré par ses disciples dans la maison de ses parents qui avaient changé de sentiment et l'avaient suivi.

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e EV. ŠEMŠOUN (120-123) Six ans après, Mezra, évêque de Beth-Zabdai (⁵) vint au pays d'Adiabène avec une caravane de gens de commerce. Lorsqu'il apprit qu'il y avait la une communauté de chrétiens, il vint furtivement chez eux, et après qu'il les eut rassurés, ils le firent entrer dans la maison et lui dirent qu'ils étaient depuis six ans sans chef. Ils le supplièrent d'imposer les mains au diacre Šemšoun et de le leur sacrer évêque. Acquiesçant à leurs bons désirs, il lui imposa les mains, parce qu'il avait appris qu'il était diacre de Pkidha. Celui-ci commença à son tour à gouverner cette communauté divine et à la parquer dans les prairies de la force (PS. XXIII, 2). Se répandant au dehors, il commença à prêcher |80 dans les villages environnants, qui adoraient le feu et y jetaient de petits enfants lors de leur grande fête qu'ils appelaient Šahrab-Gamoud. Habel, l'écrivain, décrit de la manière suivante cette fête: Cette fête, dit il, arrivait au mois d'Iar, et de toutes les contrées on se réunissait près de la grande source. Après qu'on s'y était baigné, on s'asseyait, faisait la cuisine et donnait à manger à tous les esclaves. Les habitants eux-mêmes ne mangeaient qu'ils n'eussent jeté dans le feu un de leurs petits enfants; se saisissant de son foie et de ses reins, ils les suspendaient aux branches des arbres qui se trouvaient là, en souvenir de leurs fêtes. Ensuite ils lançaient plusieurs flèches vers le ciel, en guise de joie, et retournaient à leurs maisons. Après leur avoir prêché deux ans durant, il en baptisa un grand nombre, et la religion chrétienne se répandit dans le pays, grâce aux vertus de Šemšoun. Cet événement étant venu à la connaissance des grands de la contrée et des mages, ceux-ci le jetèrent dans les fers. et après plusieurs tourments, le décapitèrent. Ceci arriva, dit le docteur Habel, sept ans après la défaite de Kosrau, roi des Ârsacides, par Trajan, roi des Romains, lequel était venu visiter nos pays (⁶). Šemšoun fut le premier |81 martyr de noire contrée qui monta au ciel. Que le Seigneur nous aide par ses prières el fasse que nous imitions tous sa conduite, afin de jouir de ses délices. Que dirai-je maintenant! Comment exalterai-je ce bienheureux apôtre qui avait pris notre Seigneur comme modèle, qu'il ne cessait de contempler. Adorons Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ, qui a confié à ses apôtres et après eux à leurs successeurs le dépôt de sa parole, qui a donné à leurs discours la force qui a fait que les peuples incultes et barbares, soient dans l'admiration et éblouis; l'écho de ces paroles a été entendu par toute la terre, car il est écrit: leur nouvelle se répandit par toute la terre et leurs parôles jusqu'aux extrémités du monde (Ps. XIX, 5). C'est lui qui en les fortifiant, faisait tout par leur moyen; à lui soit la gloire toujours et dans les siècles des siècles. C'est de pareils hommes qu'a fait naître notre pays! mon cher Pinhès; c'est de leur sang que les sillons de notre pays ont été arrosés, que leurs semences ont levé et ont donné les unes trente, les autres soixante et les autres cent. Šemšoun de l'Ancien Testament a mis en fuite, et soumis les Philistins par sa force, et Šemšoun du Nouveau Testament a assujetti les païens, les Philistins de son temps, et les a mis sous le joug de la servitude du Christ, par la force de son Seigneur, par son jeûne et son abnégation, de telle sorte qu'ils ne purent nullement rompre leurs liens. Dans l'Ancien Testament (le Seigneur) montra sa force et dans le Nouveau sa grâce; que sa force et sa grâce nous accompagnent tous les jours.

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3' EV. ISAAC (135-148) Après cet athlète du Christ, il y eut, comme chef des nombreux chrétiens d'alors, Mar |82 Isaac, homme zélé et modeste (⁷) qui fut offert comme un Sacrifice vivant à Dieu à l'instar d'Isaac (⁸). La Providence divine ne permit pas que les traits du malin ennemi de toute sainteté le transperçassent. Lui, à son tour, prêcha l'Evangile, comme ses confrères, sans se rebuter.

En son temps, il y avait un homme illustre et opulent, nommé Rakbakt, qui, dit-on, avait été nommé par les rois pour gouverner cette contrée. Dès qu'il entendit parler de Mar Isaac, il vint le trouver et l'interrogea |83 sur sa religion; celle-ci lui plut beaucoup et il demanda à en faire partie. Après plusieurs jours, Isaac le baptisa en secret, à cause de la crainte que lui inspirait Walgaš II, roi des Parthes (⁹). Par le moyen et l'appui de cet homme divin, Constantin de son temps, la religion chrétienne se répandit dans les villages des environs, et les prêtres païens se levèrent contre lui et voulurent changer ses idées; mais s'y étant fatigués vainement, ils résolurent de le tuer afin que la religion des mages vécût. Or Habel, le docteur, raconte et dit qu'ils donnèrent ordre à d'autres coreligionnaires mages, qui habitaient dans la montagne, de changer d'habits et de se vêtir à la manière des pays lointains, et de venir au Saint du Seigneur, comme des hôtes qui ne font que passer, et séjournant chez lui toute la nuit, de le tuer vers la fin de la nuit, après quoi ils retourneraient dans leur pays. Les ennemis du Très-Haut et amis de Satan, le maudit, firent beaucoup plus qu'il ne leur avait été mandé, dirigés et endoctrinés qu'ils étaient par les mages leurs frères.11 envoyèrent donc en avant plusieurs serviteurs pour informer le fidèle Rakbakt qu'il y avait des Seigneurs qui venaient chez lui des lointains pays des Romains, et qui voulaient passer la nuit dans sa maison; et que par conséquent, il eût à leur préparer un festin digne de leur rang. Lorsque le Saint du Seigneur apprit cela, il s'ingénia à préparer, au plus vite, tout ce qu'il fallait, et son âme se réjouit en Dieu, en pensant qu'il pourrait peut-être convertir (ces gens) à la religion d'un seul Dieu, créateur |84 du ciel et de la terre. Tout était prêt, quand ces envoyés de Satan arrivèrent, montés sur des chevaux caparaçonnés. Mais Dieu qui est bon envers Israël et envers ceux, qui ont le cœur pur (Ps. LXXIII, 1) ne permit pas que les flèches qu'ils avaient ajustées sur la corde (Ps. XI, 2) lui nuisissent; car au temps où il était encore au souper, un messager de Ctésiphon vint trouver le Saint du Seigneur et lui mander de la part du roi Walgaš, de venir sans retard, s'il le voulait bien, à Ctésiphon, afin que parla force d'eux deux, fut réprimée l'impétuosité des peuplades barbares qui s'étaient ruées sur les pays des montagnes de Kardou et avaient pillé et détruit plusieurs villes (¹⁰). Il se leva alors sur le champ, confia le soin de ses hôtes sataniques à son frère, qui était païen, et se mit en route, lui, sans délai, avec le messager, accompagné seulement de quelques hommes de sa maison, après avoir chargé son frère de réunir des troupes, de les conduire en personne et de les amener à Ctésiphon. Comme le filet des prêtres de mensonge était rompu et que Rakbakt, fort en son Seigneur, s'était échappé (Ps. CXXIII, 1), les mages distillèrent tout leur venin sur la tête du Saint du Seigneur, du géant et brave Isaac. Deux jours après, ils allèrent donc l'incarcérer dans un réduit ténébreux. Ils auraient désiré le tuer mais ils redoutèrent une émeute et la clameur du peuple; une frayeur extrême les saisit aussi,du côté du général Rakbakt. |85

Quand celui-ci, vainqueur par son Dieu, apprit cette nouvelle désolante, il ordonna de Ctésiphon, où, il était, de libérer le serviteur de Dieu, de le faire sortir de prison et de lui octroyer une liberté complète. Il menaça, sous la foi de nombreux serments de tuer quiconque n'obtempérerait pas à cet ordre et refuserait de faire ainsi; le prophète de Dieu sortit alors de prison. Rakbakt, le géant de force, demeura seize jours à Ctésiphon; de cette ville, le général Aršak donna ses ordres, et de nombreux soldats, au nombre de vingt mille, tous fantassins, s'étant réunis à lui, il marcha contre les rebelles. Dieu sait quelles difficultés il? rencontrèrent en chemin, et quelles montagnes escarpées ils gravirent jusqu'à ce qu'ils fussent arrivés. Au premier instant de leur rencontre, il y eut entre (les belligérants) de légères escarmouches, dans lesquelles les rebelles furent défaits. A la fin, un des chefs des rebelles, appelé Kizo, fit entrer Aršak dans un défilé de ces montagnes et l'y bloqua. On y livra une grande bataille, qui dura trois jours; mais les troupes d'Aršak affaiblies par la rigueur de la faim et désespérant de vaincre, commencèrent à se débander. Alors le brave Rakbakt sortit des rangs des troupes, appela ses soldats et gravissant la montagne comme un aigle qui plane sur son nid (Deuter. XXXII, 11), engagea (les barbares) dans une mêlée affreuse et aplanit la voie à Aršak et aux autres troupes, pour s'enfuir et se sauver de ces loups violents.

Mais le héros de Dieu avait succombé au milieu des rangs des ennemis; l'un de ceux-ci lui ayant percé le côté d'un coup de lance, il tomba mort, après avoir offert son âme, comme Judas Machabée, en sacrifice au |86 Seigneur, pour le salut de son peuple; car s'il n'en avait pas agi ainsi, par un effort de sa charité, tous les soldats auraient péri. Les rebelles, à cette vue, se proposèrent de descendre dens la plaine pour prendre toutes les villes a Aršak, mais eux, à leur tour, ayant appris qu'un autre peuple barbare avait traversé la mer et était venu comme des voleurs, saccager leurs villes, les brûler et emporter tout ce qu'ils avaient, y compris leurs femmes, firent aussitôt volte-face pour aller porter secours à leur propre pays. Lorsqu'ils y arrivèrent, ils guerroyèrent contre (les bandits) pendants deux mois complets, jusqu'à ce qu'ils en eussent triomphé et leur eussent fait passer derechef la mer. La plume ne saurait décrire la grande tristesse qui saisit noire pays à la nouvelle navrante de la mort de Rakbakt. Les vrais chrétiens surtout versèrent des larmes sur lui et le pleurèrent comme David le fit pour Jonathas (II, sam. 1, 19 et sq.). Comment est tombé le géant dans le combat! Jonathas, les morts sont sur tes collines; o Jonathas, mon frère, je suis dans l'affliction à cause de toi; tu faisais tout mon bonheur. Qui peut maintenant mettre un terme à la douleur qui envahit Isaac, à la mort de son protecteur! A cette question nous devons garder le silence, parce qu'au jour du jugement nous verrons, clairement toutes choses comme elles sont en réalité.

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e Ev. ABRAHAM(148-163) A peu de temps de là, mourut aussi l'ami de Dieu, l'évêque Mar Isaac, après avoir gouverné le siège pendant treize ans. Cet homme actif que le zèle de la maison du Seigneur avait dévoré (Ps. LXIX, 10) avait bâti une église grande et ordonnée qui existe de nos jours et est appelée de son nom. Après lui |87 se leva Abraham, le docteur, fils du défunt Salomon, dont l'origine corporelle était de Herda, village situé aux environs de la tour des Hébreux (¹¹). Son grand père était venu; se fixer à Arbèles et ses parents avaient été évangélisés, lui encore jeune, au temps de l'évêque Šemšoun (¹²). (Abraham) gouverna, à son tour, le siège avec une douceur et une humilité au dessus de tout éloge. Il demeura pendant longtemps dans les hautes montagnes, y enseignant la foi chrétienne, prêchant la véritable religion et baptisant au nom du Père du Fils et du Saint-Esprit (Mat. XXVIII, 19).

Pendant qu'il habitait les hautes montagnes, enseignant le foi chrétienne, les mages se levèrent contre les chrétiens de notre pays, pillèrent tous leurs biens et les tourmentèrent atrocement. Cette nouvelle étant parvenue à l'évêque Mar Abraham, celui-ci descendit des montagnes; par la force des miracles qu'il opéra et par l'ascendant de son incompréhensible sagesse, il ne permit pas que les loups rapaces dévorassent tous les serviteurs du Christ. Après les avoir apaisés, il descendit à Ctésiphon. Le roi |88 Walgaš II était mort (¹³), et Walgaš III lui avait succédé. Le serviteur de Dieu avait pris avec lui de nombreux cadeaux, pour les grands de la ville, afin que parleur moyen il obtînt du roi païen une lettre en faveur des chrétiens de son pays, pour qu'ils ne fussent pas malmenés, sans raison et injustement, par les mages. Les affaires bouleversées du royaume ne lui permirent pas néanmoins d'atteindre son but, car des troupes nombreuses s'étaient réunies là de toutes les contrées (¹⁴), et se disposaient à fondre sur les pays des Romains, il revint donc sans pouvoir apporter de lettre. Mais Dieu ne permit pas que le désir des rois (Arsacides?) fût accompli; car après plusieurs chocs, les Parthes furent vaincus et poursuivis par les troupes romaines, jusqu'à ce qu'ils se fussent enfermés dans Ctésiphon. Dieu voulut alors tirer vengeance des deux (adversaires), lâcha contre eux une cruelle peste et en fit périr un nombre considérable. Les Romains furent contraints de revenir sur leurs pas et de retourner dans leur pays; ils ne purent pas même trouver leur salut dans cette fuite, car la peste qui les traquait, les décimait en grand nombre. Ils abandonnèrent des richesses considérables aux Parthes; car la crainte ne leur laissa pas le temps d'emporter quoi que ce fût avec eux. Cette peste régna trois mois durant, et anéantissait plusieurs maisons des habitants. Lorsque celle peste se déclara dans notre pays, l'évêque Abraham s'ingénia, avec toute la force divine qui était cachée en lui, à consoler et à soulager les fidèles |89 qui en étaient atteints. Lui, à son tour, en fut atteint violemment. Il imposa alors les mains à son diacre Nôh,s'en alla au paradis, d'où il recevra (¹⁵) la bonne récompense de ses labeurs, du juge équitable. Il avait gouverné l'illustre siège d'Adiabène pendant quinze ans.

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e EV. NOH (163-179) Les parents de cet homme chaste étaient du désert d'Anbar et avaient fait le voyage de Jérusalem. Là, le jeune enfant eut des relations avec les chrétiens et fut baptisé dans la force de la grâce divine. Lorsque ses parents retournèrent en Orient, ils vinrent dans l'Adiabène, parce qu'il y avait là un bon nombre de juifs. Ils redoutaient de se transporter dans leur premier pays, à cause des troubles qui sans cesse y surgissaient. Dès que le jeune enfant sut qu'ici aussi il y avait des chrétiens, il alla trouver Abraham et devint son ami. Par le moyen du jeûne, d'une prière continuelle et de veilles prolongées et sans nombre, il parvint à un haut degré de sainteté et fut digne de la vision de Dieu, grâce à laquelle il fut à même de faire des prodiges et des miracles à l'égal des apôtres. Mais à cause de cela même, qui peut narrer les tourments et les persécutions qu'il endura de la part des infidèles et principalement des mages.

C'est là la bonne part qui fut donnée en partage aux apôtres et, en leur personne, à toute l'Eglise de Dieu. Il est écrit: souvenez-vous de la parole que je vous ai dite, qu'il n'y a pas de serviteur au-dessus de son maître; que s'ils m'ont persécuté, ils vous persécuteront aussi |90 (Joan. XV, 20) et encore: je vous ai dit ces choses, afin que vous ne vous scandalisiez pas; ils vous chasseront de leur synagogue, et viendra une heure où quiconque vous fera mourir, croira offrir un sacrifice à Dieu (Joan.XVI, 1-2). L'Eglise est le royaume spirituel du Christ sur la terre; mais cette Eglise est confondue avec les méchants, les infidèles, les mages et les païens, et à chaque instant elle leur fait la guerre; nous avons l'espoir qu'elle aura toujours la victoire et la supériorité, car Notre Seigneurl a dit: moi j'ai vaincu le monde, et les portes de l'enfer ne prévaudront pas contre elle (Joan. XVI, 33. Malt.XVI, 18). Cette inimitié qui existe entre l'Eglise du Christ et le monde, n'aura de terme qu'à la fin des temps, lorsque le blé sera séparé de l'ivraie, laquelle sera jetée au feu pour être brûlée (Matt. XIII, 30). L'évêque Noh se rappelait tout cela, quand on le jeta par cinq fois en prison,, et des mers de joie l'inondaient, lorsque douze fois on le battit de verges et de fouels jusqu'à l'effusion de son sang, tandis que lui se taisait comme une brebis devant le tondeur (Isaïe LIII,8). A la fin, Dieu lui-même se chargea de vengerson saint et de le délivrer des mains des pervers, afin que la parole de David s'accomplit: J'étais petit et maintenant j'ai vieilli, et je n'ai pas vu un juste délaissé (Psal. XXXVII, 25). Un certain jour donc le fils d'un homme, nommé Razšah, riche et noble, d'un bourg du pays de l'Adiabène, tomba du haut de la maison, se brisant le pied avec fracture de l'os principal de l'avant-bras. Lorsque cet accident eut lieu, Razšah n'était pas chez lui, mais à la ville d'Arbèles, pour affaires de sa maison. Il partit avec des gémissements amers pour voir l'issue de la chose, Saint |91 Noh se trouvait alors dans ce gros village, situé sur le Zab; car il avait fui le poison des mages et se tenait caché là.

Lorsque Razšah arriva et vit son (fils) unique à deux doigts de la mort (m. à m. ballant les portes de la mort), il perdit la raison par l'accablement de sa tristesse, et commença à répandre de la cendre sur sa tête et dans toute sa maison. Alors le Saint de Dieu se rendit sur les lieux et promit aux gens de la maison de leur remettre leur enfant sur pied, à condition qu'ils croiraient en Jésus-Christ. Ils répondirent: si tu donnes de nouveau la vie à cet enfant chéri, nous ferons tout, comme tu le voudras. Le Saint pria alors et dit: Seigneur! Dieu des patriarches, toi qui as montré ta force dans le peuple juif et dans les gentils; toi qui. par Moïse, as fait des prodiges éclatants et sans nombre, et as fait sortir les enfants d'Israël (de l'esclavage), par la force de ta toute-puissance; toi qui as déclaré aux yeux de tous les hommes que tu ne le réjouis pas de la mort des pécheurs, mais (que tu désires) qu'ils fassent pénitence de leur iniquité et vivent (Ezéch. XXIII, 11); toi qui as ressuscité ton ami Lazare, mort depuis quatre jours (Joan. XI, 17-45) et qui as dit: Celui qui croira en moi fera de plus grandes choses (Joan.XIV, 12); toi, par la vertu des miracles de qui, les apôtres ont fait connaître ton nom dans tous les lieux, ont fondé ton Eglise et l'ont bâtie sur le roc inexpugnable de Simon Pierre (Matt. XVI, 18); toi maintenant, Seigneur, regarde ton serviteur, ce petit enfant qui croit en toi (et confesse) que tu es le Dieu de vérité (Joan. XVII,3) par sa pureté et son silence; et regarde avec compassion cette foule qui s'est réunie ici attendant la grâce; ranime cette âme qui a été créée à ton image et à ta ressemblance (Gen. I, 26)et guéris-la |92 de la maladie de son corps, En prononçant sa dernière parole, il fit le signe de la croix sur l'enfant, qui aussitôt se leva guéri de tout mal et de toute infirmité et sans aucune lésion. Le peuple, en grand nombre, connut ce miracle, et un chacun rendit grâces à Dieu qui manifesta sa majesté par ses créatures. Razšah et les gens de sa maison accomplirent ce qu'ils avaient promis, reçurent le baptême et vécurent saintement tout le temps de leur vie. Le Saint de Dieu qui ne pouvait plus retourner à la ville d'Arbèles, par crainte des mages, demeura dans la maison de Razšah, et convertit tous les habitants du village à la vraie religion. Il alla même au pays de Ninive et fit pénétrer le nom du Christ dans plusieurs villages où il n'avait jamais été entendu. Les habitants d'un village, entre autres, nommé Réši, adorant un térébinthe, se convertirent tous et crurent que Jésus, crucifié par les Juifs, était vraiment le Fils de Dieu. D'après les principes reçus dans ce village, personne ne pouvait verser du sang aux environs de cet arbre (¹⁶). Or un jour des enfants s'amusaient |93 près de cet arbre maudit, et voilà qu'un serpent noir y monta. Les enfants poussés par l'esprit de Dieu l'y tuèrentà copp de pierres et versèrent le peu de sang qu'il avait. Le soir venu, les habitants du village allèrent prier au même endroit; mais, oh!l'étonnante merveille! Ils y virent du sang. Ils rétrogradèrent sur le chanp par crainte de leur dieu, et commencèrent à se lamenter. Or le Saint de Dieu se trouvait là, et par la grâce de l'Esprit-Saint, fit le signe de là croix adorable sur l'arbre et celui-ci disparut aussitôt de là; et après plusieurs jours, on le trouva transplanté dans la ville de Dakouk (¹⁷). Ces païens lièrent alors le saint et se disposèrent à le brûler vif, car ils croyaient qu'il était, lui, l'auteur du premier et du dernier des maux. Mais à l'heure même où ils s'apprêtaient à mettre le feu au bûcher, l'arbre revint et se fixa à sa place. Alors ces pervers se dirent les uns aux autres: vraiment notre dieu ne veut pas que nous tuions cet homme, parce que à |94 l'heure même où nous nous disposions à le tuer, notre dieu revint. Il parait que, par cette indication, il nous dit de ne pas le tuer. Nous ne pouvons donc contrarier notre dieu qui nous manifeste si clairement sa volonté. Cet homme ressemble à cette fleur qui ayant reçu une bonne pluie, s'épanouit majestueusement, mais le soleil venant la flétrit; et lorsque, après coup, elle reçoit de nouveau la pluie, elle prend plus d'accroissement que jamais. Celui-ci aussi était sec, et notre Dieu voulant le délivrer de nos mains, l'inonda de pluie (¹⁸). Laissons-le donc, et donnons-lui la liberté afin que nous n'attirions pas sur nous la terrible vengeance (m. à m. le fort pied) de notre dieu (¹⁹).

Le saint de Dieu voyant qu'ils étaient absorbés dansées pensées, commença à leur démontrer la vérité de la foi chrétienne, et plusieurs crurent en elle. Au nombre de ces privilégiés se trouva le chef du village, du nom de Razmardouk. Par le zèle de ce revêtu de Dieu (Noh?), la graine du magisme fut déracinée de cette localité, et la foi en Jésus-Christ prévalut contre (cette erreur) et se dressa en face d'elle. (Le saint) éloigna (ces gens) des |95 faux dieux qui ont des oreilles et n'entendent pas, une bouche et ne parlent pas, des yeux et ne voient pas. (Ps. CXIV, 12).

En peu de mois, le bienheureux Noh baptisa tous les habitants, et resta là une année entière; après quoi il se rendit secrètement à Arbèles. Après y avoir travaillé deux ans durant, dans la vigne du Seigneur, et après avoir imposé les mains à plusieurs prêtres (²⁰) et diacres, il s'en alla à son Seigneur, pour recevoir de lui la bonne récompense qu'il avait méritée par ses bonnes œuvres, par ses veillés assidues et par son éclatante vie, pleine de prodiges et de miracles. Il avait gouverné les nombreux chrétiens de notre hyparchie, pendant seize ans. Après sa mort, notre église resta sans pasteur et demeura veuve, à cause de la haine des païens et des mages. Nos frères souffrirent beaucoup en ce temps. Bon nombre d'entre eux qui étaient jeunes et faibles dans leur foi, retournèrent à la religion des démons; car ils voyaient leurs maisons pillées, leurs garçons et leurs filles ou saisis ou (vivant) cachés, et eux-mêmes battus durement par les disciples de l'ennemi du genre humain. |96

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e EV. HABEL(183-190) Quatre ans écoulés, les Chrétiens de notre contrée se réunirent, de concert avec les prêtres et les diacres, et choisirent pour la charge de l'épiscopal, Mar Habel qu'ils conduisirent à Hanitha (²¹), pour que Zkha-išo' évêque de la ville, lui imposât les mains. Avec tout cela, le souvenir du bienheureux Noh ne s'effaça pas de la mémoire des fidèles. Ils lui bâtirent une église qu'ils mirent sous son vocable et dont l'emplacement se voit jusqu'aujourd'hui. Les Chrétiens y vont chaque jour se placer sous son patronage et se recommander à ses prières, eux et leurs maisons (²²). Tels sont les héros qui se sont élevés dans notre pays, cher Pinhés, et nous sont devenus un modèle de vertu et un type de sainteté que nous devons sans cesse imiter.

Or Mar Habel était le fils d'un ouvrier charpentier du village de Zaira (²³). Lorsqu'il eut grandi, son père le fiti gardien des brebis qui lui appartenaient. Dès son enfance, il se faisait remarquer par ses bonnes mœurs et l'aménité de son caractère, qui jetaient dans l'admiration ceux qui le voyaient. Il était l'un de ces pauvres d'esprit que mentionne l'Evangile sacré et à qui il promet la |97 béatitude: bienheureux les pauvres d'esprit, car à eux appartient le royaume des cieux (Matth. V, 3). Son cœur n'était aucunement attaché aux biens terrestres, et son père comprenait clairement que son fils ne cherchait pas les richesses d'ici-bas, mais bien autre chose. Lorsqu'on parlait (à cet enfant) des choses du monde, il n'y faisait pas attention, et n'avait cure d'augmenter ses possessions terrestres. S'il manquait de quelque chose, il ne s'attristait ni ne murmurait. C'est pour cela que quelquefois il négligeait le soin de ses brebis, laissait le chien seul (veiller) à la garde de son troupeau, et s'en allant, il entrait souvent dans une grotte pour y réfléchir à la vanité et à la fragilité de ce monde. Pour cette raison même son père ne l'aimait point.

Un certain jour Habel perdit deux agnelles dans la montagne, et fut aussitôt chassé de la maison par son père. Le lendemain matin, les deux agnelles revinrent au bercail de leur propre mouvement. Le père se repentit alors d'avoir chassé son fils. Celui-ci s'était dirigé sur Arbèles; or il arriva que par une disposition de la providence divine, il se réfugia dans l'église des Chrétiens. Ceux-ci se mirent à lui donner à manger pour l'amour du Christ, et l'un d'eux lui faisait passer la nuit chez-lui. A peu de jours de là, l'enfant demanda à être baptisé, et deux ans après il devint le diacre de Mar Abraham (ce qu'il resta) pendant six mois. Lorsque le saint de Dieu mourut, le jeune homme s'attacha à tout jamais au bienheureux Noh qu'il aimait comme son père (²⁴). Comme nous l'avons dit |98 plus haut, ce pasteur était doux et humble, et c'est ce qui lui a valu de posséder la terre (Matt. V, 5), c'est-à-dire la terre des cieux. Par sa douceur il sut apaiser le feu des discordes qui avaient lieu entre chrétiens et païens. Il savait subjuguer sa langue, par laquelle nous bénissons le Seigneur et le Père et par laquelle nous maudissons les hommes faits à l'image de Dieu (Jac. III, 9). Nous ne devons pas croire que pour cela il aimât les enfants du siècle et marchât dans leurs voies, parce que les saints (qui) sont parfaits, ont en eux l'Esprit-Saint (qui les empêche) de faire rien de mauvais; ils comprennent clairement que l'amour de ce monde est une inimitié vis-à-vis de Dieu (Jac. IV, 4).

En ce temps Walgaš IV, roi des Parthes, ayant pris des forces, enleva plusieurs pays aux Romains, et se retourna contre les Perses qui s'étaient depuis longtemps préparés à l'attaquer. Walgaš, lui-même, marcha contre eux avec cent vingt mille soldats. On se rencontra dans le pays du Khorassan. Les Parthes ayant traversé une première fois un petit fleuve, se virent cernés de tous |99 côtés par les troupes des Perses et des Mèdes, et après une grande bataille, furent vaincus et se mirent à prendre la fuite. Ils gravirent les montagnes du pays, en débandade, et abandonnèrent tous leurs chevaux aux Perses. Ceux-ci les poursuivirent, et cernant toutes les montagnes, en tuèrent un nombre incalculable. Lorsque les Parthes virent que sans un héroïque courage, ils seraient tous infailliblement tués, ils ranimèrent leur ardeur et se ruant sur les Perses avec une violence sans pareille, les mirent en fuite et frappèrent de panique. Ils les poursuivirent jusqu'à la mer, en jonchant la terre de leurs cadavres, comme de sauterelles. A leur retour, ils rencontrèrent d'autres Perses qui s'étaient séparés de leurs compagnons; une nouvelle bataille s'engagea entre eux, et dura deux jours. La nuit du troisième jour arrivée, les deux camps se reposèrent afin de reprendre le combat le lendemain matin; mais lorsque les Parthes se réveillèrent, ils ne virent plus aucun des Perses. Ceux-ci s'étaient tous enfuis la nuit, pour aller rejoindre leurs compagnons et faire corps avec eux. Les Parthes revinrent alors victorieux et fiers d'eux-mêmes.

En ce temps, cher Pinhés, il y avait des guerres partout et des nouvelles douloureuses en tout pays; et si le Seigneur n'était pas sans cesse avec son Eglise, selon sa promesse, pour en consolider à chaque instant les fondements, elle serait mille fois détruite. A ne considérer que le pays des Romains, depuis le commencement de l'Eglise, les persécutions n'y ont jamais cessé. Nous pouvons apprendre cela de l'histoire d'Eusèbe de Césarée. Celui qui réfléchit, comment, après tant de tourments et d'afflictions de tout genre, l'Eglise n'a pas été détruite, ses |100 canons et sa discipline anéantis et abolis, croira fermement qu'elle est sortie du sein de Dieu le Verbe.

Or le premier qui persécuta les chrétiens fut Néron, le pervers, qui ne se conlenla pas de les tourmenter lui en personne, mais prétendit démontrer qu'ils étaient la cause de tous les crimes qui se commettaient. A l'effet de quoi, il fit incendier une grande partie de la ville de Rome, et répandant le bruit que c'étaient les chrétiens qui l'avaient incendiée, donna ordre de les massacrer sans pitié. Alors ceux qui étaient réfractaires (à la foi) et ne cherchaient qu'une excuse pour exterminer nos frères et fils de l'Eglise et les anéantir, ne négligèrent aucune espèce de tourments qu'ils ne leur infligeassent. Dans cette cruelle persécution, mourut le couple béni des princes des apôtres. Pierre fut crucifié comme son maître; mais pour ne pas lui ressembler en tout, il demanda à être attaché à la croix, les pieds en haut et la tête en bas. Paul eut la tête tranchée; et à l'instant même à l'endroit où (tous deux) furent tués, deux arbres magnifiques et majestueux s'élevèrent, pour perpétuer le souvenir de leur vie, de leur mort, de la honte et de la confusion de leurs persécuteurs. Après Néron, plusieurs autres rois païens surgirent, qui cherchèrent et inventèrent des variétés de tourments dignes de l'enfer, et certainement c'était Satan qui leur inspirait tout et attisait leur courage de toute sa force. Domitien, Marc et Sévère et plusieurs autres ne se lassèrent ni ne se rebutèrent de décapiter les disciples du Christ. Ceux-ci se cachaient partout et, ne se trouvant pas d'asile, s'enfuyaient dans la montagne, et les païens comme des tigres, avides de sang, les y traquaient. S'ils demeuraient dans leurs maisons, ils étaient immolés, comme des agneaux, |101 avec leurs femmes et leurs enfants; et ceux à qui il était, fait grâce, étaient condamnés à travailler sans pitié dans les mines, du malin au soir. Ceux donc que le Christ, Fils de Dieu, avait affranchis et nommés ses amis, étaient devenus des esclaves. Oh! la dure servitude, par laquelle les fils de Dieu, devenaient forcément des esclaves et des serviteurs des adorateurs des idoles. Or Domitien, cet abîme de paresse, de fainéantise et de jeux enfantins, source de tous forfaits, ne se mit en frais, ne se trouva de courage et n'arma ses troupes que pour le massacre et le sang des chrétiens. Comment cette main, qui a écrit la sentence de l'apôtre Jean, ne s'est-elle pas aussitôt contractée et n'a-t-elle pas perdu tout mouvement! Et comment les châtiments que (l'Apôtre) relate dans son Apocalypse contre les pervers et les iniques, ne fondirent-ils pas sur lui et ne renvoyèrent-ils pas au fond du šiol.

Malgré tout cela, croyons, cher Pinhés, que si quelquefois des maux nous environnent, c'est pour notre intérêt qu'ils nous arrivent, et qu'après les afflictions, les joies inonderont nos cœurs. Les Juifs qui, pour adoucir leurs souffrances et leurs peines, disaient: Sur le bord des fleuves de Babylone nous nous assîmes et pleurâmes (CXXXVII, 1). lorsque le temps qu'avait assigné le créateur des mondes toucha à son terme, exaltèrent par des chants de triomphe ut d'actions de grâces leur retour, qui eut lien sous le règne de Cyrus le Perse.

De même pour nous, parce que Narsai, roi de l'Adiabène, n'était pas parti en guerre avec les Parthes, ces loups injustes s'irritèrent, et comme ils s'en revenaient en triomphe du combat, ils entrèrent dans notre pays, détruisirent nos villes, les pillèrent et s'en allèrent chez |102 eux, après avoir noyé le roi Narsai dans le grand Zab. Dans ces massacres et ces ruines, les chrétiens qui se trouvaient dans notre pays, souffrirent beaucoup et élevaient des mains suppliantes vers le Très-Haut, en faisant monter vers son Fils unique, Verbe éternel, des chants de pénitence. Or Habel, le pasteur des agneaux opprimés, commença à tourner dans tous les villages, selon ce que nous avons appris d'hommes dignes de foi, encourageant les frères qui s'y trouvaient à supporter ces tribulations pour l'amour du Christ. Gomme il se trouvait un certain jour au village de Rahta, il tomba atteint par la fièvre.

Après qu'il eut imposé les mains à son diacre 'Ebedh-Mšiha, il mourut la nuit, le treize du mois d'iloul (septembre). Le chagrin qu'en eurent les chrétiens est indicible.

Cinq mois après, une grande foule partit de la ville d'Arbèles, emporta son corps conservé dans toute sa pureté et sa fraîcheur et l'introduisit dans l'église en grande pompe. Le Seigneur prit part à cette cérémonie des chrétiens, et montra par un miracle éclatant, combien il se plaisait à ce qui se faisait pour son serviteur, et comme il l'agréait. Un jeune enfant avait été porté par sa mère à l'église, afin de voir la cérémonie qui se fait pour les serviteurs du Christ. Cet enfant était muet et sa langue était liée; il avait trois ans et ne pouvait pas même prononcer une syllabe. Or sa mère poussée par l'Esprit-Saint, porta son enfant près du cadavre du Saint, dont elle lui apprit à baiser la main droite, qui était étendue; l'enfant la baisa et sur le champ sa langue s'étant déliée et détendue, il commença à parler sans difficulté. Tout le peuple bénit Dieu qui montra sa puissance par le moyen de son saint. |103

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e EV. 'EBHDH-MSJHA (190-225) 'Ebedh-Mšiha était d'Arbèles, et avait habité dès son enfance, et pendant longtemps, Antioche puis Damas; c'est là qu'il avait embrassé la vraie foi. Il revint à son pays et se consacra au service de l'église et des prêtres du peuple. Lui, à son tour, à l'instar de ses prédécesseurs, montra un zèle et une application extrême à prêcher l'évangile et à éloigner du peuple chrétien, les troubles et les désordres. Pendant toute la durée de son épiscopat, Dieu donna partout la paix et la sécurité, et à cause de cela les églises se multiplièrent et les couvents s'augmentèrent (²⁵); de toutes les bouches on entendait des paroles de glorification.

En ce temps était renommé, chez les Romains, |104 dans les sciences divines, Clément d'Alexandrie. Il ne se trouva pas un livre quelconque au sujet duquel il n'écrivit un traité. Tu peux voir l'histoire et les écrits de cet homme illustre parmi les écrivains, dans l'histoire ecclésiastique d'Eusèbe de Césarée.

'Ebedh-Mšiha ayant occupé l'épiscopat pendant la longue durée de trente cinq ans, alla rejoindre ses confrères au paradis.

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e Ev. HIKAN (225-258) Après 'Ebedh-Mšiha, parut le bienheureux Hiran, qui était du pays de Béth-Aramayé. Aux débuts de son épiscopat, il y eut partout la terreur et des guerres. Le soleil s'éclipsa et refusa de nous éclairer de sa lumière: signe du courroux du Seigneur contre le peuple exaspérant. Car de son temps, nombreuses furent les guerres entre Romains et Parthes, et Artaban, roi des derniers, entra dans le pays des Romains et brûla plusieurs villes du Béth-Aramavé. Šahrat, roi d'Arbèles s'était adjoint à lui. Macrin, roi des Romains, entendant cela, vint fondre sur lui avec une terrible armée. La lutte se prolongea entre eux; mais à la fin, les deux princes s'accordèrent à ne verser, ni l'un ni l'autre, le sang humain sans une grande raison; et les deux partis retournèrent; chacun dans son pays (²⁶). |105

Les Parthes se montraient alors très forts, très puissants et fiers; ils ne respiraient que meurtre, mais Dieu qui a dit par son prophète: si lu t'élèves comme un aigle, et que tu niches au milieu des étoiles, je te ferai descendre de là (Abd. I. 4), les brida et prépara leur chute. Dans les temps anciens, les Perses désiraient détrôner les Parthes, et plusieurs fois ils essayèrent leurs forces à la guerre; mais repousses, ils ne purent tenir tête aux Parthes. Cependant ceux-ci s'étaient affaiblis par le grand nombre de (leurs) guerres et batailles. Les Perses et les Medes comprenant cela, s'unirent a Šahrat, roi de l'Adiabène, à Domitiana, roi de Kerkh-Sloukh, et engagèrent au printemps, une grande lutte avec les Parthes. Ceux-ci furent défaits et leur royaume cessa pour jamais. Dès le commencement ils s'étaient rués sur la Mésopotamie, puis sur le Beth-Aramayé, puis sur le Béth-Zabdai et Arzoun. Dans l'espace d'une année, ils prirent tous ces pays, et toute l'activité des Parthes ne leur servit de rien; car leur jour était arrivé et leur heure avait sonné. A la fin, ils s'enfuirent complètement dans les hautes montagnes, en laissant aux Perses tous leurs pays et toutes leurs richesses gardées dans les Villes (= Séleucie-Ctésiphon).

Le jeune fils d'Artaban, nommé Aršak, fut tué sans pitié par les Perses, à Ctésiphon, où (les vainqueurs) s'installèrent et dont ils firent leur capitale. Le jour qui vit la fin du royaume des Parthes, enfants du brave Aršak, était un mercredi, le vingt septième du mois de Nissan, de l'an |106 cinq cent trente cinq du royaume des Grecs (²⁷). Au commencement du règne des Perses, il y eut la paix pour les chrétiens qui purent se développer et s'étendre.

Toutes ces choses arrivèrent pendant les jours de l'évêque Hiran; mais lui s'endurcissait de plus en plus devant les. tribulations et prenait de plus en plus courage, par la grâce qui fut versée sur nous par Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ. Sache, cher Pinhés, qu'en cette année de la conquête de tout l'Orient par les Perses, il y avait bon nombre de chrétiens dans tous les pays d'Occident comme d'Orient. Mais en Occident, les persécutions ne cessaient jamais, et tous les jours le sang des chrétiens coulait dans les marchés publics ainsi que dans les rues; là, la paix était absente. Chez nous il n'y avait rien de tout cela; les rois étaient lassés et tiraillés par des guerres de chaque jour, et les cruelles persécutions ne s'étaient pas encore élevées contre nous. C'est pour cela que la nouvelle de; l'Evangile fut à même d'étendre en nous ses pampres jusqu'à la mer, et ses rejetons jusqu'aux fleuves (Ps. LXXX, 12). Elle avait plus de vingt évêques: à Béth-Zabdai, à Karkhade Béth-Slokh, à Kaškar, à Bèth-Laphat, à Hormizd-Ardašir, à Prath-Maišan, à Hanitha, à Herbath-Gelai, à Arzoun, à Béth-Niktor, a Šahr-Kard, à Béth-Meskéné, à Holuan, à Béth-Ketrayé, à Béth-Hezzayé (²⁸), |107 à Béth-Dailoumayé, à Šigar (²⁹), et dans d'autres villes encore. Nisibe (2) et les Villes n'avaient pas encore d'évêques. par crainte des païens. Mais lorsque le royaume des, Arsacides-Parthes expira, les chrétiens (des Villes) demandèrent un évêque pour eux, comme nous le raconterons, en son lieu, avec le secours de Dieu.

En ce temps s'illustrait dans les sciences de tous genres, Origène, docteur admirable et divin, auquel l'Esprit-Saint mettait, dit-on, à la bouche tout ce qu'il devait dire, et Eusèbe raconte de lui que sept notaires écrivaient successivement sous sa main (³⁰). |108

Lorsque les Perses furent maîtres de l'Orient, les chrétiens craignirent quelque peu qu'on ne les immolât au tranchant du glaive. Car (les Perses) avaient vaincu tous les rois de l'Orient et les avaient remplacés par des gouverneurs et des marzbans qui leur étaient soumis. Ardašir. le premier roi des Perses, députa à notre pays un gouverneur nommé Adorzahad. Mais Dieu qui a sans cesse les yeux sur son Eglise, pour que les flots et les tempêtes ne la submergent pas. lui ménagea un sort heureux. Or le roi Ardašir édicta que de nouveaux pyrées fussent élevés en l'honneur des dieux; que le soleil, le grand dieu de tout l'univers, fût honoré par des adorations spéciales. Lui, le premier, prit le titre de Roi des Rois et de dieu; de sorte qu'à l'injustice il ajouta le blasphème, en voulant revendiquer jusqu'à l'honneur dû aux dieux. (Il contraignit) plusieurs cultes étrangers à entrer et à se fondre dans celui du soleil et du feu. Mais l'évoque Hiran s'appliquait à préserver son peuple de tout mal et des pièges de Satan. Il sacrifiait son âme pour son troupeau comme un vrai pasteur. Grâce à ce zèle, il put faire entrer dans le bercail du Christ plusieurs âmes asservies par l'ancien ennemi,, l'adversaire de l'humanité entière. Après avoir fait fructifier durant plusieurs années son talent spirituel, trente trois ans, comme il me semble, il mourut dans une extrême vieillesse; et voilà qu'on lui prépare la couronne de la victoire que lui donnera le juge équitable. |109

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9e Ev. ŠAHLOUPHA. (258-273) Après Hiran, parut l'illustre parmi les saints, Šahloupha, le zélé et le très actif dans la crainte de Dieu. Ce père spirituel était aussi de Béth-Aramayé. Dès sa jeunesse, il avait été instruit dans la véritable religion; il commença donc à la faire prévaloir contre ses ennemis visibles et invisibles. En ce temps avait lieu une grande persécution, chez les Romains, contre les disciples du Christ. Maximin le pervers, ne négligeait pas le moindre moyen pour les anéantir et les détruire de la face de la terre. Dans cette persécution, le ciel se remplit d'un grand nombre d'âmes chastes qui suppliaient Je créateur de diminuer ces jours de tristesse et de les changer (en jours), de joie. En Orient, comme nous l'avons dit, toute chose se passait dans la paix, et Šahloupha s'enflammait de plus en plus dans le zèle de l'amour de Dieu; C'est lui qui initia les habitants du village de Tellniaha à la religion de l'adorable Trinité, et cela par un miracle au moyen duquel le Seigneur s'est plu à manifester la vérité de la parole de son serviteur.

Un des grands du village, nommé Nakkiha, était atteint gravement de la maladie de la dysenterie. Comme son mal ne faisait qu'empirer chaque jour, et que dans son village il ne se trouvait personne qui pût l'en guérir, ses parents le portèrent à la ville d'Arbèles. Or saint Šahloupha ayant eu connaissance de la chose, par une inspiration divine, à l'exemple du bienheureux Ananias (³¹), se rendit chez lui, dans un temps où tous ses parents venus avec lui, étaient réunis, il leur promit de le guérir complètement de sa maladie, s'ils faisaient tout ce qu'il |110 leur demanderait; et il commença à leur expliquer la foi chrétienne par les livres divins et par la rapidité de sa propagation sur toute la terre. Il leur montra que ce Jésus crucifié par les Juifs à Jérusalem, est Dieu, fils de Dieu, qu'il n'a souffert que par sa volonté et afin de nous délivrer de la servitude des démons. Tous acquiesçant à sa proposition et lui promettant que s'il leur prouvait la vérité de sa parole par la guérison de Nakkiha, ils croiraient, se feraient baptiser et entreraient dans le giron de la sainte Eglise, saint Šahloupha se mit à prier et guérit cette maladie incurable par le signe de la croix; car toute chose est facile à Dieu. Un grand nombre d'habitants du village de Tellniaha crurent à la parole de Dieu et reçurent le baptême.

En ce temps Ardašir, roi des Perses, mourut, et Sapor lui succéda (³²). Ce dernier était d'un naturel peu endurant. Dès la première année, il eut une guerre avec les Khouarazmiens (³³) et les Mèdes de la montagne et les défit dans une bataille meurtrière. De là, il alla assujettir les Géliens (³⁴) les Dailoumiens et les Gourganiens, qui habitent les lointaines montagnes près de la dernière mer (³⁵). |111 Un chacun fut saisi de crainte devant lui. Plusieurs fois il eut à combattre les Romains. Or il y avait dans les troupes de Sapor un chrétien opulent, nommé Ganzkan qui, lorsqu'il vint dans l'Adiabène et vit qu'il y avait dans la contrée et ses villages plusieurs chrétiens, supplia Šahloupha de se rendre à Gtésiphon pour visiter le petit groupe de frères qui avaient commencé à s'y montrer (³⁶). Šahloupha appréhenda d'y aller; mais Ganzkan l'ayant rassuré et tranquillisé, le fort en son Dieu y alla, et prit avec lui Nakkiha, qu'il avait guéri de la maladie de la dysenterie,, avec deux diacres. Mais comme ils étaient en chemin, des Ismaélites les rencontrèrent et les, emmenèrent avec eux; ce n'est que quatre mois après qu'ils purent s'évader. Ils entrèrent alors dans la riche ville de Ctésiphon, réunirent tous les frères qui s'y trouvaient et les encouragèrent. Šahloupha imposa alors les mains à un homme de là et l'ordonna prêtre. Il resta là deux ans, à partir du retour du roi Sapor à Gtésiphon. Plusieurs diacres (d'Arbèles) allèrent alors le chercher et le ramenèrent derechef à Arbèles avec grande pompe. |112 Les chrétiens dé Séleucie et de Ctésiphon l'accompagnèrent de leurs larmes, et la tristesse remplit leur cœur. Ils ressemblaient aux apôtres regardant Notre Seigneur monter au ciel. A son arrivée dans son pays, il arrangea plusieurs affaires, et imposa les mains à plusieurs diacres et prêtres. Comme nous l'avons appris d'hommes dignes de foi, Šoubha-lišo', évêque de Béth Zabdai, vint aussi le voir, et ils demeurèrent ensemble dans une grande intimité pendant une année. Les deux se rendirent à Herbath-Gelal (³⁷) et à Rassonin (³⁸) où ils imposèrent les mains à un évoque. De la ils se transportèrent à Šahr-Kard (³⁹), où ils virent plusieurs chrétiens qui s'y étaient rassemblés d'autres endroits; ils leur ordonnèrent aussi un prêtre, car leur évêque était mort depuis peu de temps. Ensuite les deux revinrent à Arbèles où ils se séparèrent. Šoubha-lišo' alla alors dans son pays, en admirant le grand nombre des chrétiens et le bon ordre dans lequel marchaient les églises. Il |113 commença à imiter cet ordre en glorifiant Dieu de la grandeur de l'hyparchie de l'Adiabène et de ses canons ecclésiastiques et apostoliques.

Quelques années après, lorsque l'ouvrier infatigable de son Dieu, Šahloupha, se fut consumé et eut livré son âme pour le Christ, son Sauveur, il mourut à ce monde d'angoisses pour le monde des joies. Il fut enterré dans la petite église construite sous le vocable de Noh (⁴⁰), lequel l'avait précédé dans cette sublime fonction du gouvernement des brebis du Christ. Or il avait régi le siégé auguste de l'Adiabene quinze ans durant.

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10 EV. AHADABUHI (273-291) Après lui, s'éleva Abadabuhi, homme laborieux et zélé, fils d'un prêtre (païen) de la ville d'Arbèles. Celui-ci avait, dit-on, quatre enfants, et les quatre étaient prêtres. Leur mère était de la race des mages, et eut un commerce charnel avec celui de ses fils qui précédait Ahadabuhi (⁴¹). Ce dernier (né de cette union) fut nommé, pour cela, Ahadabuhi, c'est-à-dire le frère de son frère qui eut commerce avec sa mère. Il était mage dans son enfance, et était allé à Ctésiphon pour la guerre contre les Romains. De là il était revenu dans son pays et s'était converti à la foi chrétienne. Il fut le compagnon de l'évêque Hiran, jusqu'au jour de son ordination (⁴²). Il évangélisa à son tour plusieurs païens. |114

En son temps, Goufrašnasp, satrape de l'Adiabène, se révolta contre Warharan III, roi des Perses (⁴³). Il se bâtit dans la montagne une hante citadelle qui devait le garantir de l'impetuosité des ennemis. Il y emmena avec lui plusieurs hommes, habiles archers au nombre de cinq cent soixante, selon la tradition qui s'est transmise d'année en année. Ceux-ci sortaient chaque jour, au nombre de cinquante ou soixante, volaient et pillaient dans les chemins tout ce qu'ils trouvaient. Les voyages de ville en ville et de village en village cessèrent à raison de leurs razzias. Plusieurs des habitants de l'Adiabène quittèrent leur foyer et s'en allèrent dans d'autres pays, et de riches villages devinrent déserts. Les gens ne pouvaient même ensemencer, car les laboureurs, par crainte des voleurs, ne sortaient même pas de leurs maisons. Des riches sans nombre allèrent d'un commun accord aux Villes afin d'exposer l'affaire à Warharan, le Roi des Rois. Il écouta leur. requête et envoya de nombreuses troupes qui vinrent pour détruire et raser la tour de Goufrašnasp. Mais ils ne purent l'approcher, même de loin, à cause des nombreuses flèches que lançaient contre eux, avec une grande habileté, les soldats de Goufrašnasp. Après s'être fatigués là deux mois durant sans rien pouvoir faire, ils en informerent Warharan, qui envoya d'autres troupes innombrables, avec un général habile et expérimenté nommé Zarhasp. Celui-ci non plus ne put prendre la tour, car elle était très haute et les soldats qui l'occupaient étaient très courageux et d'habiles archers, qui ne laissaient point approcher (l'ennemi) même de loin. Zarhasp usa |115 alors de ruse et imagina malicieusement d'amener Goufrašnasp dans un guet-apens. Il lui envoya donc son fils avec des présents riches et précieux, en lui faisant dire que "le Roi des Rois, depuis qu'il a entendu parler du courage que lu as montré, recherche ton amitié et veut te faire gouverneur général de tout le royaume. J'ai donc à te parler seul à seul, de manière qu'il n'y ait aucun soldat avec nous. Cesse donc de combattre et viens seul dans un endroit où nous conférerons ensemble." Goufrašnasp (⁴⁴) crut au général; lui aussi souhaitait et brûlait de faire la paix, car la lutte s'était prolongée et il en était las avec ses soldats. Il sortit dans un endroit éloigné de la tour et invita Zarbasp à venir le trouver pour entrer en pourparler (avec lui). Or Zarhasp ordonna à plusieurs braves soldats de se mettre en embuscade non loin d'eux, et dès qu'ils les verraient tons deux assis et conversant, de fondre sur eux pour se saisir de Goufrasnasp. Goufrašnasp ayant été saisi, grâce a cette ruse, on détruisit sa tour et on l'emmena, lui, aux Villes, auprès du Roi des Rois, Warharan. Celui-ci se réjouit beaucoup de ce que Zarbasp avait fait et ordonna qu'on |116 arrachât la peau à Goufrašnasp et qu'on la suspendit dans son palais royal (de Ctésiphon), afin que tous ceux qui la verraient fussent terrifiés et apprissent de quelle manière terrible le Roi des Rois lire vengeance et justice de celui qui lui est insoumis (⁴⁵).

Le brave Ahadabuhi voyant toute cette dureté et sauvagerie ne laissa pas son âme s'abattre ni perdre courage. Il commença à tourner dans sa grande hyparchie, en distribuant de bons conseils, en réprimandant et en menaçant en toute longanimité et charité, comme il sied aux disciples du Christ. Un jour des messagers envoyés par les chrétiens de Ctésiphon vinrent le trouver et le prièrent de venir, lui aussi, chez eux, à l'instar de Šahloupha qui l'avait précédé (⁴⁶), pour les instruire et leur apprendre le vrai chemin des bonnes mœurs, les encourager et consoler quelque peu. Ils avaient en outre élu cinq hommes fidèles et craignant Dieu, pour qu'il leur imposât les mains. Semblable au commerçant actif et diligent, qui sans cesse se soucie d'augmenter sa fortune, il acquiesça à leur demande et imposa les mains à ces hommes. De plus, il accompagna les envoyés dans les Villes (⁴⁷) avec Zkha-išo', évêque de Herbath-Gelal (⁴⁸) et Sabtha, évêque |117 de Beth Zabdai (⁴⁹). Ils y demeurèrent pendant une année, selon ce que rapporte la tradition, y redressant cequi n'était pas droit.

Un jour, Sabtha se leva au milieu de la foule, pour prêcher et démontrer au peuple qu'il ne devait pas craindre celui qui peut faire périr seulement le corps, mais bien celui qui peut jeter et l'âme et le corps dans laGéhenne de feu (Matt. X, 8). Il parla sur ce sujet très durement, et montra que la victoire de Notre Seigneur est vraiment une victoire, tandis que la victoire des rois de la terre n'est qu'orgueil, prétention, maux, tourments, souffrances et mort. Orgueil: parce que, quand les rois triomphent, ils ne triomphent que selon le corps, et c'est à cause de cela (⁵⁰) qu'ils deviennent hautains et ailiers outre mesure. Ils oublient leur nature mortelle et se croient des dieux; en cela ils ajoutent infiniment à leurs péchés, et leur récompense sera le feu qui ne s'éteindra jamais. Maux: parce qu'au temps même de leur victoire, qui peut narrer les fatigues qu'ils endurent. Avant que le combat ait lieu, ils ne cessent de se préoccuper de. l'issue. de la bataille: vaincront-ils? ou seront-ils vaincus? En cela ils se tourmentent jour et nuit; et combien de nuits passées dans l'insomnie! Mort: parce qu'infailliblement il y aura des morts dans les deux camps, et cela cause des souffrances aux parents et aux proches, fait verser les larmes des yeux des mères dont les enfants ont été coupés en deux par le tranchant du glaive, et dont les fils tendrement aimés ont été transpercés au côté, par le fer des lancés. La victoire du Christ (au contraire) fut une cause de joie pour tout homme, même pour ses ennemis, païens |118 et juifs. Comme (Sabtha) était encore au milieu de son discours, un des païens qui se trouvaient Jà, se leva et rapporta à un ministre du roi que le peuple chrétien enseigne que le Roi des Rois sera torturé et tourmenté par le feu, et que sa victoire n'est pas une victoire mais une révolte et une exaction. Les chrétiens apprenant cette nouvelle, en furent grandement attristés et se cachèrent dans leurs maisons; d'aucuns s'enfuirent au désert. L'évêque Sabtha se leva la même nuit et marcha devant lui, sans savoir au juste où il allait. Par crainte il ne put pas se montrer, redoutant d'être saisi et châtié. Il demeura dans cet état pendant deux ans. Les chrétiens firent des présents à un ministre nommé Radgan et le supplièrent d'éloigner d'eux la colère du roi, que des hommes menteurs et séditieux avaient injustement excitée contre eux. Dieu disposa le cœur de Radgan de façon qu'il arrangea cette affaire et apaisa ce grand courroux. Ainsi, grâce à Dieu, Seigneur de toutes choses, la sécurité revint dans la tempête et la paix dans la persécution, et par le moyen du frottement du fer contre le fer (⁵¹), la raison pour laquelle plusieurs frères auraient été tués, fut réduite à néant. Le temps des persécutions n'était en effet pas encore arrivé. Ahadabuhi, durant tout ce temps de trouble et de terreur, ne quitta pas son poste et ne cessait de rassurer les fidèles en leur faisant mettre leur confiance. dans le Dieu vivant, leur sauveur. Je ne crois pas que quelqu'un puisse nier que cette paix ne fût due uniquement à ses prières. Qui pouvait, sans l'admirer, le regarder à genoux priant avec un cœur contrit! Or Dieu ne méprise pas le cœur contrit (Ps. LI,19). |119

Les habitants de Ctésiphon lui demandèrent avec instance d'imposer les mains à un évêque qui restât toujours au milieu d'eux. Il y a ici bon nombre de chrétiens, lui dirent-ils, et les Seigneurs les évêques, sont loin de nous et incapables de se transporter toujours auprès de nous pour pourvoir à nos besoins et nous guider dans les voies de la justice, spirituellement et corporellement. Il agréa avec joie leur demande, et en informa Hai-be'ël, évêque de Suse (⁵²). Les deux élurent d'un commun accord l'araméen Papa, homme très savant et sage, puis chacun s'en retourna dans son pays, admirant l'efficace de la grâce de Dieu et de sa Providence sur son Eglise sur laquelle (le Seigneur) ne cesse de fixer ses yeux (⁵³); car elle lui est fiancée par le sang qui a coulé de son côté sur le bois |120 de là croix. Lorsque Ahadabuhi arriva à Arbèlés, tous les chrétiens, plusieurs mages et païens allèrent à sa rencontre et lui firent faire une entrée pompeuse, à cause de l'intégrité de ses mœurs, de la douceur de son langage et de l'aménité de son caractère. Or, après plusieurs travaux heureux, il remit son âme en la main de Dieu. son créateur, après un épiscopat de dix huit années.

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11e EV. ŠRI'A (291-317) Après Ahadabuhi, s'éleva dans le gouvernement du peuple du Seigneur, l'ouvrier zélé elle prêtre véridique, Šri'a. Il était d'Arbèles et issu de parents chrétiens, aimant le Christ. Il fréquentait dès son enfance l'église et était épris du service divin. Il livra, lui à son tour, un grand combat contre les disciples de Satan. En son temps eut lieu la grande victoire en faveur de l'Eglise de Dieu, ô Pinhés, ô amant de Dieu! Après trois cents ans environ, pendant lesquels elle était persécutée, bouleversée et sapée jusque dans ses fondements, elle eut la paix et la victoire sur tous ses ennemis par le moyen de Constantin, le roi victorieux.

Un peu avant son temps (de Constantin), Dioclétien, roi inique, avait voulu effacer le nom du christianisme de dessus la terre, chose après laquelle il soupirait jour et nuit. Il donna donc ordre que les églises fussent détruites et tous les fidèles tués sans merci. De quelle terreur et de quel tremblement fut saisi le monde entier, lorsque cet ordre impitoyable fut édicté! Les païens ne suffirent pas à égorger les chrétiens un à un mais ils les faisaient mourir en masse ou les brûlaient, sans même les faire passer devant les juges. On vit quelquefois le père devenir le bourreau de son enfant et le frère celui de son frère. Le rempart |121 (haie) de la compassion naturelle était renverse. Pendant que les rois romains ne se livraient qu'à de pareils forfaits et qu'une telle passion de tuer les dévorait, ils étaient incapables de gouverner le peuple. Hormizd (⁵⁴), roi des Perses, ayant eu connaissance de cela, prit une grande armée et saccagea plusieurs villes des Romains. Dieu, à la vue de tous ces sacrilèges, se leva et tous ses ennemis se dissipèrent et ceux qui le haïssaient s'enfuirent de devant lui, s'évanouissant comme la fumée et fondant comme la cire (Ps. LXVIII, 1, 2). Il les livra à des supplices sans miséricorde et fit régner sur eux son serviteur Constantin à qui il montra le signe de la croix sur les nuées lumineuses, portant écrit: par ce signe tu vaincras. Il prit cet emblème de la croix et en donna à tous ses soldats. Par lui il mit en fuite, comme des mouches, les soldats des démons rebelles, et la croix qui était le signe de la honte, devint pour tous un signe de victoire: aux riches et aux pauvres, aux nobles et aux roturiers, aux savants et aux ignorants.

En Orient, comme Papa, évêque des Villes, que nous avons nommé, habitait la capitale du royaume, les autres évêques avaient besoin de lui pour des affaires extérieures. Il prétendit donc à la suprématie sur tous les évoques, comme si ceux-ci devaient n'avoir qu'un seul chef. Les prêtres des Villes et tout Je peuple lui firent opposition en cela, et à ce sujet songèrent à le déposer; même Simon son archidiacre réprouva toutes ces nouveautés, et en donna avis à Miles de Suse, à 'Keb-Alaha de Karkha de Beth-Slokh (⁵⁵) et à plusieurs autres. Papa eut alors grand'peur, |122 parce que les parents de Simon approchaient le roi de très près et étaient estimés de tous. Il écrivit alors aux évêques d'Occident, surtout à l'évêque d'Edesse, nommé Sa'da. Tous l'agréèrent, parce qu'ils étaient d'avis que c'était un homme redoutable, qu'il y avait lieu de craindre. Ils lui promirent de le soutenir près du Roi des Rois, Constantin. Ils avaient compris que ce serait une bonne chose, si l'évêque de la capitale avait la supériorité sur tous les évêques de l'Orient. Ils lui écrivirent (à Papa?) donc une lettre à ce sujet en leur nom et au nom des rois et des grands de l'Occident (⁵⁶), disant que, de même qu'en |123 Occident c'est-à-dire sous l'empire des Romains, il y avait plusieurs patriarches, ceux d'Antioche, de Rome, d'Alexandrie et de Constantinople, ainsi fallait-il qu'en Orient c'est-à-dire sous l'empire des Perses, il y eût au moins un patriarche.

Dieu qui, à l'occasion de la faute d'Adam, ordonna que Je Sauveur, qui est son fils unique, vînt au monde; qui fit recouvrer aux Israélites leur liberté par le moyen des plaies de l'Egypte; qui fait sortir des fruits des épines et épanouir des fleurs sur les ronces; qui peut toujours du mal tirer le bien, permit dans sa Providence divine et dans son gouvernement adorable que l'idée de Papa réussît. Celui-ci fut ainsi donné à son insu (⁵⁷), comme supérieur général de tous les évêques et de tous les chrétiens de la terre de l'Orient. Tous les évêques (orientaux) consentirent à ce qui avait été décidé par l'Occident; par crainte que les évêques occidentaux ne les missent entre deux forts ennemis: en Occident, les rois chrétiens de Rome, et en Orient, les rois pervers de la Perse. Simon, l'archidiacre de Papa, n'accepta pas cette innovation, mais il chercha à l'anéantir au nom du roi, par le moyen de ses parents. Mais Papa usa de ruse et contenta le père de Simon, en lui promettant, qu'après sa mort, il le désignerait comme son successeur.

En ce temps était connu dans la ville des frontières (⁵⁸) l'homme craignant Dieu, Jacques, qui fit des |124 miracles comme les apôtres et des prodiges comme les prophètes. Il passait souvent la nuit toute entière en prière, comme son Seigneur. Ses veilles, ses jeûnes étaient connus en tous lieux; et parce qu'il était un homme vraiment divin, nous parlerons de lui dans la suite. Notre Šri'a. qui, à son tour, brûlait du zèle de l'amour de Dieu, alla plusieurs fois le trouver pour être béni par lui et s'entretenir ensemble. Après de longues fatigues et des labeurs sans nombre, (Šri'a) mourut un vendredi d'été l'an six cent vingt sept des grecs et fut enterré avec grande pompe dans l'église.

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12e EV. IOHANNAN (317-346) A près Šri'a s'éleva le pasteur vigilant et zélé, Iohannan, qui fut nommé «fils de Marie» parce qu'il aimait grandement la bienheureuse |125 Marie, mère du vivificateur et rénovateur des mondes. Il prêcha, lui aussi, l'Evangile à un grand nombre de païens et de Juifs. C'est pourquoi (ces deux nations) l'exécrèrent d'une haine mortelle (Ps. XXV, 19). Par leurs menées, il fut expulsé d'Arbèles et des soldats furent envoyas à sa suite pour le tuer; mais lui se cacha et échappa à leurs pièges. Il erra longtemps dans les villages et dans la montagne. Son amour pour Dieu s'accroissait de plus en plus et allait en progressant. Il put faire entrer plusieurs agneaux dans le bercail du Christ.

En ce temps, pendant que des rois chrétiens gouvernaient le monde et que les affaires de l'Eglise prospéraient, l'enfer éleva sa corne, ouvrit sa bouche infecte et vomit des paroles contraires à la foi orthodoxe. Il (l'enfer) se trouva un artisan de mensonge pour répandre sa doctrine, l'entreprenant, méchant et inique Arius. Sans souci de son honneur (Ps. XLIX, 21) il crut qu'il était superflu de dire que le fils du Dieu créateur fût descendu (du ciel) pour notre salut. Il nia donc la divinité du Christ et prétendit follement que le Christ n'est pas créateur, mais créature; qu'il n'est pas fils de Dieu par nature, mais de nom seulement. il y eut à cause de lui une grande rumeur sur toute la terre et les évêques se réunirent pour le réfuter, dans la ville de Nicée, au nombre de trois cent dix huit (⁵⁹) et en présence du roi Constantin, d'heureuse |126 mémoire. Ces pères anathématisèrent Arius et tous ceux qui adhéreraient à ses opinions. Ils définirent que le Christ, le Fils, est de même nature que son Père et lui est consubstantiel.

En ce même temps Sapor II, roi des Perses, partit dans les hautes montagnes pour faire main basse sur des montagnards, voisins de la mer, lesquels dans une irruption avaient détruit plusieurs villages. Il avait dans la pensée de saccager plusieurs villes aux Romains: ce qui eut lieu comme nous le verrons dans la suite. Chacun pouvait penser que le temps était proche où les églises seraient détruites et les sanctuaires profanés. Dieu à qui toute chose est connue avant qu'elle n'arrive, vit et se tut et nous livra aux transports de son courroux. Lorsque le roi Sapor II, qui régna à peu près soixante-dix ans, depuis l'an six cent vingt des grecs jusqu'à l'an six cent quatre-vingt-dix (⁶⁰), vit que Constantin, le roi victorieux, qui avait rempli la terre de sa terreur, était mort, et qu'à sa place s'était élevé Constance, son fils, pour la partie orientale des pays des Romains, il crut que le temps était venu où il pourrait, sans obstacle, s'emparer des terres des chrétiens. Il alla donc assiéger Nisibe, ville des frontières. Il ne savait pas que cette ville n'était gardée et |127 protégée, comme une fleur parmi les épines, que par le bras du Seigneur des armées, le Roi des Rois. Mais Dieu qui, par Judith, femme faible, brisa et réprima l'orgueil et les soldats d'Eliphana; qui à la prière Esther, femme chétive, fit suspendre sur le bois Haman le pervers; qui par Samson tua des milliers de Philistins; ce Dieu éloigna aussi, en cette circonstance, le roi Sapor de la ville, grâce aux prières de l'évêque chaste et d'illustre mémoire, le victorieux Jacques (⁶¹).

Quand ce père des tribus eut compris que ses enfants allaient être dispersés partout et devenir la risée des démons impurs, il se mit à la brèche devant eux, comme Moïse, l'élu du Seigneur (Psal. CVI, 23). Il sortit sur les remparts de la ville et se mit à supplier le Seigneur de le faire mourir ou bien de délivrer son peuple. de la main des paiens et de la mort violente. Le Seigneur l'exauça, et voilà qu'une armée d'insectes, se montrant dans le ciel, vint s'abattre sur l'armée de Sapor. Ces insectes entrant dans les nasaux des chevaux, les tourmentèrent et obscurcirent la vue des hommes, qui n'eurent que le temps de s'enfuir. Ils craignirent qu'au milieu de cet aveuglement, l'armée romaine ne vînt les attaquer à l'improviste et les massacrer dans ce désordre. Des gens allèrent informer Constance de ce qui avait eu lieu; il glorifia et remercia Dieu de la grâce qu'il avait versée sur son serviteur Jacques. Le roi (Sapor) s'en retourna alors |128 avec, des menaces, et jura de déraciner la religion des Romains de ses terres.

Jean, évoque de notre pays, n'était pas en ce moment avec son troupeau, mais depuis l'an six cent quarante des grecs, il était descendu aux Villes avec d'autres évêques, afin d'élire un homme fidèle et sage à la dignité patriarcale (⁶²). Car le siège de Séleucie était dépourvu de patriarche depuis la mort douloureuse, de Mar Papa, dont nous avons parlé depuis peu (⁶³). On dit qu'il resta aux Villes deux ans, après lesquels il alla au Beth Houzayé pour les affaires de l'Eglise. Il était là, lorsque émana l'ordre impitoyable, intimant à tous les marzbans des pays, de tuer les chrétiens sans merci et de détruire leurs églises. Le six du mois de Nissan (⁶⁴), |129 dans le temps où le roi se trouvait au Béth Houzayé, en l'an trente-et-unième de ce (prince) sacrilège (⁶⁵), qui ne sut ce que c'est que la compassion, l'épée commença à se repaître sans pitié, et quiconque osait dire qu'il était chrétien, était massacré.

Jean, évoque d'Arbèles, quitta alors le Béth Houzayé et vint au milieu de son troupeau, pour paître les agneaux et les brebis dont le soin lui incombait. Mais son cœur se remplit de joie quand il vit que l'épée qui devait immoler les chrétiens de notre pays, était encore dans son fourreau. Car Paghrasp, marzban du pays, s'était accordé avec les grands de la ville, pour ne tuer les chrétiens qu'au mois d'iloul, temps des vendanges et des approvisionnements. On dit que le roi s'était repenti d'avoir donné cet ordre cruel de la persécution, et qu'il voulait le rapporter; mais les Juifs et les Manichéens, ennemis du nom chrétien, travaillèrent les mages pour les empêcher de laisser le roi suivre cette idée. Ils leur montrèrent que les chrétiens étaient tous des espions des Romains, et que rien n'arrivait dans le royaume qu'ils n'écrivissent à leurs frères de là-bas (⁶⁶); qu'ils étaient tous riches et menant une vie tranquille; tandis que le Roi des Rois était en butte aux tourments d'une vie agitée par les guerres et les combats, eux (les chrétiens) étant exempts de la |130 guerre et jouissant toujours de la paix. Les mages changèrent l'esprit du roi par leur calomnie et il ordonna que les chrétiens payassent une capitation double, avec confirmation de son premier ordre de les tuer.

Alors nous fûmes la risée des païens et des infidèles. Les Juifs nous raillaient disant: où est voire Dieu? qu'il se lève maintenant, votre Christ crucifié dans l'opprobre sur le Golgotha, qu'il vous secoure et fasse mourir vos persécuteurs (⁶⁷). Ne vous a-t-il pas dit:je suis avec vous jusqu'à la fin des temps? Les Manichéens nous conspuaient, plus que les Juifs et nous considéraient comme la lie du peuple. Le berger a été frappé et le troupeau s'est dispersé. C'était le temps des ténèbres, et la lumière fut bannie. C'était le temps où une créature passible et finie était imposée à l'adoration, à la place du créateur. Car le soleil que Dieu a créé pour le service des hommes, des sacrifices et des offrandes lui étaient offerts par les hommes. Le feu qui a été créé pour les nécessités des fils d'Adam, les fils de la lumière étaient sommés de lui bâtir des sanctuaires. Car on construisait des pyrées aux dénions, pour faire entrer les églises du roi céleste dans le (sombre) four de l'oubli. Oh! blasphème! Oh! rébellion et révolte des hommes!

De la même manière que l'homme qui veut anéantir un arbre, en détruit tout d'abord la semence, puis en arrache et projette les racines, ainsi les mages païens se proposaient de détruire les pasteurs et les chefs. Aussitôt donc Mar Simon Bar Sabba'é qui occupait le siège de l'Orient fat saisi, avec plusieurs prêtres et diacres, et conduit près du roi à Karkha de Lédan. Comme après |131 plusieurs interrogatoires, le fort de Dieu et son grand pasteur ne fut pas intimidé par les menaces du roi et n'adora pas le soleil, qui est une créature, Sapor livra aux souffrances ses compagnons, au nombre de cent deux. Pour lui, on lui trancha la télé, après tous ces athlètes du Christ qu'il fortifiait et encourageait dens cette lutte de courte durée. Ceci arriva le vendredi de la grande Passion. Depuis ce jour et jusqu'au dimanche après pâques (⁶⁸), le glaive ne se reposa dans tout l'Orient. De tous les horisons du ciel, on conduisait à la boucherie des chrétiens en niasse, comme des troupeaux de moutons, et cela sans compter ceux qu'on tuait sur place.

Dans notre pays d'Adiabène, grâce à la vigilance du miséricordieux marzban, Paghrasp, on ne sacrifia, dit-on, qu'un très petit nombre (de victimes) dont les noms nous sont inconnus. L'année d'après (⁶⁹), le marzban Paghrasp étant mort, on nomma à sa place Pirouz-Tamšabour, et le sang des chrétiens commença à couler dans notre contrée sans relâche. Il arrosa la terre que remplissaient d'iniquité et de perversité ses habitants, les faux disciples de Satan le maudit; il la purifia de toute scorie et souillure par le déluge d'un sang chaste et innocent, afin qu'elle devînt réellement une épouse belle et agréable, à l'époux spirituel, qui s'est fiancé à elle en sa croix, sa honte et son opprobre sur le Golgotha, dans des tourments et des souffrances indicibles. Il a dit à tous ses disciples et, après eux, à leurs successeurs et à tous les enfants de l'Eglise: vous serez heureux, lorsqu'à cause de moi, on vous dira des injures, qu'on vous persécutera et qu'on dira faussement |132 de vous toute sorte de mal; réjouissez-vous alors et tressaillez de joie, parce que votre récompense sera grande dans les cieux, car on a ainsi persécuté les prophètes qui vous ont précédés (Matth. V, 11-12).

Il m'est difficile, cher Pinhés, de t'énumérer, un à un, les noms des chrétiens qui ont succombé sur toute la terre d'Orient. Car il est impossible de compter et supputer les chastes agneaux,, qui par le couteau des bouchers, ont été offerts à Dieu, comme des sacrifices vivants et dignes du royaume céleste. Je te rappellerai seulement ceux qui ont arrosé la terre de notre ville et de notre pays, car c'est là ta demande, afin, que par cela lu saches quels hommes vraiment divins t'ont précédé, et comment tu peux, sans difficulté, marcher sur leurs traces. Ils nous furent des généraux et des guides dans le chemin de la perfection, qu'ils ont suivi tous avec douceur (⁷⁰).

Or l'an trente-cinquième du roi Sapor, sur l'ordre de Pirouz-Tamšabour, fut saisi l'évêque Jean (⁷¹), avec |133 Jacques, son prêtre. Ce marzban, étranger à tout sentiment de compassion, les mit tout d'abord dans la tour de Bdigar; ils restèrent là, dans cette tour, durant une année. Les païens leur y firent subir des tourments innombrables que ces vaillants athlètes du Christ supportèrent avec une patience au dessus de tout éloge. Ils étaient joyeux et contents d'avoir souffert quelque chose pour l'amour du Christ. Le même jour, des hommes, des femmes et des religieuses de tout âge furent massacrés en masse. De leur nombre étaient le prêtre Narsai; ainsi que Hannania et Rhima, diacres de l'église (⁷²). Comme ni interrogatoire, ni insinuation quelconque ne servirent de rien à Satan, pour abattre leur admirable courage, ils furent conduits hors de la ville et crucifiés comme leur vivificateur et leur Seigneur. Leurs corps furent dérobés, cette même nuit, par les chrétiens, et voilà que leurs ossements sont une source qui fait jaillir la grâce divine en faveur de tous les fils pécheurs d'Adam, qui ont recours à eux. A partir de ce jour, jusqu'à la fin de l'année, l'épée s'enivra de notre sang sans se désaltérer, et les mages se firent les bouchers de notre pays sans pouvoir s'engraisser; comme des chiens enragés, ils léchaient tous les jours les caillots de notre sang qui empourprait les rues et les places publiques de la ville comme des marais, et ils étaient frappés de plus en plus de démence et de rage. |134

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13e EV. ABRAHAM (346-347) Les chrétiens se réunirent alors et choisirent clandestinement Mar Abraham, pour gouverner l'Eglise de Dieu, dans le temps où Jean, le soldat du Seigneur, serait en prison. Les mages s'en allèrent également à maintes reprises chez lui (Abraham), pour se saisir de lui, car ils avaient appris que les chrétiens s'étaient choisi un nouveau chef; et cela leur avait déplu. Mais le Saint se cacha, un mois durant, dans la maison d'un des fidèles, et échappa aux dents avides de sang des loups rapaces. En ces jours, pendant que le roi se trouvait à Béth Laphat, il envoya un messager à Pirouz-Tamšabour, le marzban, pour lui dire de se rendre chez lui, au plus vite. Celui-ci, pour se montrer obéissant et docile à l'ordre du Roi des Rois, gagner ses grâces et éloigner de lui sa colère menaçante, emmena avec lui Jean et Jacques, son prêtre. Ces derniers, arrivés à Beth Laphat, furent sommés de croire au dieu soleil; et ayant refusé de détester la cause pour l'effet et d'échanger le créateur contre la créature, le roi leur fit trancher la tête avec le glaive, le premier de Tešri dernier (novembre). Que leur souvenir soit en bénédiction et que nous soyons assistés de leurs prières. Pirouz-Tamšabour, croyant avoir satisfait en cela au bon plaisir du roi, fut dealitué de sa charge, laquelle fut donnée par le roi à un autre nommé Adorparéh, autrefois général. Car on recrutait de notre pays un grand nombre de soldats, et on se proposait de faire une grande guerre contre les Romains (⁷³), afin que les chrétiens fussent en une fois |135 privés de royaume et, de sacerdoce. Ce marzban était plus violent que le précédent. Il avait grincé des dénts à l'encontre du sang et s'était engagé par serment au massacre. Lorsque Abraham apprit que ce lion dévorant était venu en son pays, il s'enfuit aussitôt au village de Telniaha, dans l'espoir de pouvoir peut-être se sauver et de ne pas devenir inutilement la proie, du lion destructeur. Le marzban envoya contre lui plusieurs hommes. (Homme on le sommait sans pitié à force de coups, à renier le Christ, son Seigneur, el, que lui ne faisait que se moquer de leurs menaces et de leurs coups, il fut décapité dans ce village où il s'était enfui, le cinq du mois de Sebat (février).

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14e Ev. KARAN-ZKHA (317-376) Les chrétiens se réunirent de nouveau et élurent secrètement le prêtre Maran-zkha. C'étaient là les années de la perdition et de la tribulalion; ceux qui dans les temps anciens, et alors qu'il n'y avait que peu de chrétiens, ne se réunissaient que chaque vingt ou Irenie ans une fois, pour se choisir un pasteur, maintenant une année ne se passait pas sans que leur pasteur ne devînt la proie des loups. C'était là manifestement l'effusion sur nous, de la colère du Seigneur, qui avait résolu de châtier nos crimes et nos sacrilèges cf. de tirer vengeance de nous, parce que nous avions profané, par noire rébellion, le sang de son Fils unique Jésus-Christ. Il nous a réprimandés dans sa colère et lancés dans son courroux, et notre âme a été grandement bouleversée (Psal. VI, 4).

Maran-zkha se leva alors comme un pasteur vigilant, et les encouragea (les fidèles), par l'espoir de la fin prochaine de la persécution. Il raviva leur foi qui avait |136 commence à défaillir devant le tranchant de l'épée, Il excita leur courage endormi qui était sur le point de chanceler et de s'évanouir complètement. Qui peut, cher Pinhés, compter tous ceux qui sont morts dans notre pays! Des maisons entières furent totalement anéanties, et pour d'autres sans nombre, voilà que leur postérité verse des larmes jusqu'à nos jours sur leur perte. Le glaive resta suspendu à leur cou jusqu'à l'an six cent soixante deux.

En cette même année (⁷⁴), le roi Sapor réunit toutes ses troupes et alla assiéger des villes romaines. On tua beaucoup de monde et détruisit plusieurs villages. Ne pouvant prendre Nisibe, (Sapor) fit poster, devant celle ville et dans toute la Mésopotamie, un grand nombre de troupes et retourna dans son pays, afin que lui aussi défendit ses villes contre les peuples barbares qui étaient venus contre lui d'au delà de la dernière mer.

Il y avait alors dans la ville un prêtre de la déesse Šarbel, nommé Itilaha, qui souffrait d'un flux de sang, comme les femmes (⁷⁵). Un jour pendant qu'il criait dans le temple de la déesse, pressé par la souffrance, un chrétien passa et entendit sa voix. Il crut qu'un homme s'y mourait et demanda à Itilaha ce qui le tourmentait et le gênait. Quand il eut appris ce qu'il avait, il lui dit: va-t-en chez un homme de la religion des chrétiens, nommé Maran-zkha, lequel te guérira par la vertu de Dieu. Il se leva alors pour se rendre chez lui. et comme il était encore loin de l'église, son hémorragie s'arrêta et il fut guéri. Il s'approcha et entra chez l'évêque et chez les disciples du Christ réunis. Ceux-ci eurent grand'peur, parce qu'ils |137 savaient qu'il était le prêtre de la déesse Šarbel. Après qu'il les eut rassurés et tranquillisés par son langage, il leur raconta tout ce qui lui était advenu, et comment, avant de les rejoindre, il avait été guéri par le Dieu des chrétiens; tous glorifièrent alors Dieu qui s'était plu, dans ces jours de tribulations, à montrer sa puissance dans le chef et prêtre de ces païens qui les massacraient sans pitié. Il demeura chez eux quelques jours, et les mages ayant eu vent de lui, voulurent le saisir et le faire mourir de mort violente. Mais lui s'enfuit cette même nuit et s'en alla à Šahrkat, près de l'évêque Habbiba. Comme là encore il redoutait les mages, il se réfugia chez les chrétiens de Mahoza d'Arion. Il s'y instruisit complètement dans la foi, pour laquelle il devait être prêt à donner, peu de temps après, sa vie en sacrifice. Il y fut baptisé et revint dans son pays pour y semer la foi en un seul Dieu en trois personnes. C'était là un spectacle vraiment surprenant: ce second Saul qui, voulant tuer de prime abord les chrétiens, fut instruit dans leur foi et versa pour elle son sang. Combien les gens étaient étonnés et admiraient ce nouvel ouvrier de la grâce divine qui bouillait de l'amour du Christ et prêchait la croix! C'est là la puissance du Très-Haut qui d'un rien fait quelque chose, et unit entre elles les natures contradictoires.

Après avoir baptisé beaucoup de monde, il fut accusé près du mage du pays, Šabour-Tamšabour, qui donna ordre de le lui amener. Tous les chrétiens furent alors saisis de crainte et se mirent à s'enfuir secrètement. Maran-zhka, lui aussi, se dirigea vers les hautes montagnes, et se tint caché dans les grottes et les cavernes, afin |138 d'éviter cette tempête redoutable que les démons maudits avait excitées contre l'Eglise de Dieu. Itilaha, lui aussi, essaya de se sauver, mais étant dans les rues, il fut reconnu et amené au serviteur pervers du soleil. Celui-ci ordonna à un chrétien, nommé Mèharnarsa, qui avait abjuré sa foi et était retourné à son vomissement, de couper l'oreille droite au serviteur de Dieu. Sitôt que ce Judas, qui avait renié son maître, l'eut coupée, il fut frappé de mauvais ulcères et devint comme un objet de crainte pour tous les spectateurs. Ainsi le Christ, notre Dieu, vengea son serviteur en celui qui avait reçu le caractère du baptême. Mais l'esclave du démon ne s'assagit pas à la vue de ce signe éclatant; au contraire son coeur s'endurcit comme celui du roi Pharaon, et le feu éternel lui fut certainement réservé pour la perte de son âme. Le serviteur de Dieu fut alors jeté dans les fers.

Après quelques jours de séjour en prison, il lui arriva des consolateurs à sa douleur et des compagnons de souffrances; entre autres Hafsai, diacre de l'église de Matha de 'Arahayé. A la suite de quoi les deux furent conduits chez le chef des mages; comme ils n'abjuraient pas leur foi, on jugea bon de les envoyer à Béth Laphat, auprès du roi. Comme ni serments, ni tourments, ni promesses ne servirent de rien au démon maudit, pour les faire changer de sentiment, ils furent décapités (à Béth Laphat). Leur corps demeura sur la terre. mais leur âme s'envola et monta vers son créateur, où elle se réjouit et tressaillit d'allégresse en face de ses meurtriers, qui sont tourmentés dans des souffrances sans nombre, dans les siècles des siècles (⁷⁶). |139

Pourquoi t'allonger mon discours, cher Pinhés, en le racontant l'histoire navrante de la passion des martyrs de Notre Seigneur. Aucun chiffre ne peut égaler leur nombre, ni aucune plume décrire leurs tourments. Pendant tout le temps que régna Sapor, le sang de nos frères ne tarit point, le glaive ne se replia point et la destruction ne connut de trêve (⁷⁷). Or, pour Maran-zkha, après avoir |140 longtemps séjourné dans les montagnes et clans les villages, dans une crainte et tremblement indicible, il mourut avant Sapor, après avoir tenu le siège durant vingt neuf ans de la persécution. |141

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15e Ev. ŠOUBHA-LIŠO' (376-407) Ses parents, originaires de Karka de Béth Slokh, étaient venus dans la suite habiter Arbèles. Dès son enfance, il fréquentait l'église. Là il avança dans la vertu, de degré en degré, jusqu'au moment où il fut digne de devenir le chef universel de toute l'hyparchie d'Adiabène. On dit qu'il avait un extérieur très beau et que de lointaines contrées on venait pour le voir. Dans la dixième année (de son épiscopat (⁷⁸)), il commença à imposer la main aux prêtres et aux diacres; car ils étaient en petit nombre à cause de la persécution. Dans plusieurs villages, il n'y avait pas même un seul prêtre. En peu d'années, la foi revint, dans notre pays, à sa beauté primitive qui étonnait ceux qui la voyaient.

Au temps de Šoubha-lišo', brillait dans tous les genres du connaissances, l'homme vraiment divin, Mar Théodore l'Interprète. Lui le premier, prouva par la philosophie et la raison l'économie des mystères divins de la naissance et de la souffrance de Notre Seigneur, et enseigna la véritable doctrine de l'existence de deux personnes dans le Christ Notre Seigneur; lui fut le premier maître de Mar Nestorius lequel versa même son sang pour l'orthodoxie. Partout il régnait une grande paix parmi nous et les racines du christianisme pénétraient dans les peuples étrangers et s'y affermissaient. Mar Šoubha-lišo' fut, pour toute cette oeuvre divine, d'un secours immense, et la prit grandement à coeur, de telle sorte qu'il n'en dormait pas du tout la nuit, mais songeait à l'oeuvre de l'évangélisation. Après avoir porté le joug de l'épiscopat dans des labeurs indicibles et des tribulations |142 innombrables, il mourut et fut enterré avec grande pompe, ayant gouverné les fidèles durant la période de trente et un ans.

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16e EV. DANIEL (407-431) Après lui se leva Daniel l'homme doux et humble du village de Tahl; son père était païen et sa mère chrétienne. Il évangélisa et baptisa plusieurs païens, entre autres deux mages. Mais de son temps, comme du temps de Maran zkha, à l'instigation des deux rois pervers, Iezdegerd et Warharan (⁷⁹), il y eut une cruelle persécution contre les chrétiens. Ceux-ci arrosèrent de nouveau la terre de leur sang et pour cela le feu de la guerre s'alluma entre les Perses païens et les Romains chrétiens.

Dans cette guerre, les deux camps s'accordèrent à donner liberté complète en matière de religion, dans leurs pays. A cette condition, le glaive, notre bourreau, commença à se reposer dans son fourreau (⁸⁰). |143

A la faveur de cette légère paix donnée aux chrétiens, le patriarche Mar Iabalaha écrivit et invita tous les évêques à s'assembler chez lui pour affaires ecclésiastiques (⁸¹). Avant cela, ils s'étaient réunis une autre fois, au temps de Mar Isaac (⁸²), et avaient décidé que le siège d'Arbèles serait métropolitain et aurait sous sa dépendance, de nombreux autres sièges: ceux de Béth Nouhadra (⁸³), de Béth Bagaš, de Béth Daçan de Ramonin (⁸⁴), de Béth Bahkart (⁸⁵) et de Dabarna (⁸⁶). Mais pour cause de grave maladie, Mar Daniel ne put assister à ce synode; et il prit part à celui de Mar Dadišo' qui eut lieu quatre ans après (⁸⁷). Les pères y établirent la suprématie du patriarche de Ctésiphon sur tous les évêques, pareille à la supériorité de Pierre sur les apôtres.

Pendant que l'Orient était en paix, et qu'une grande uniformité régnait dans sa doctrine et une charité ineffable sur tous les coeurs, l'Occident était bouleversé et soulevé dans sa doctrine, par le second Pharaon, Cyrille l'Egyptien, |144 lequel, par le secours du bras royal et de la force mondaine, combattit la vérité et persécuta le vrai martyr, Mar Nestorius, patriarche de Constantinople. Lorsque Mar Daniel eut connaissance de ce dissentiment, il prédit, dit-on, que le temps était venu où l'Occident s'obscurcirait et ou la lumière serait vue en Orient. C'est au milieu de ces chagrins et pensées qu'il mourut, le dimanche de l'Octave de Pâques, après avoir abreuvé son troupeau de l'eau de la vie durant vingt quatre ans.

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17e EV. RHIMA (431-450) Ce père était de la ville d'Arbèles, et les Ismaélites reconduisirent chez eux dans le temps où ils fondirent sur le pays d'Adiabène. Il demeura chez eux, selon la tradition qui a été transmise, plus de quinze ans. Il s'enfuit, seul, en errant à travers le désert, jusqu'à ce qu'il fût arrivé dans son pays. Alors se révéla en lui la grâce de l'Esprit-Saint qui l'avait choisi pour la grande oeuvre de l'épiscopat. Lui aussi prit à coeur la conversion des infidèles, imposa les mains à des prêtres et à des diacres pour tous les villages et les villes, convoqua tous les évêques de son hyparchie afin de redresser, d'un commun accord, les affaires tortues, de réconcilier les déchus, d'affermir ceux qui étaient debout et de perfectionner ceux qui marchaient droit.

Pendant qu'en Orient on s'occupait des affaires du gouvernement du peuple et de la sauvegarde de la foi, les pères Occidentaux ruinaient toute bonne oeuvre dans le synode sacrilège d'Ephèse, où Cyrille, l'ouvrier d'iniquité, fit sanctionner le grand sacrilège et le blasphème impudent que dans le Christ vivificateur de notre humanité, il y a une personne et une nature; et Mar |145 Nestorius, bien que n'y ayant pas même assisté, ainsi que plusieurs autres évêques. fut anathématisê et excommunié faussement par les menées de l'Egyptien, et la scission de l'Orient d'avec l'Occident fut complète. Cyrille se reposa alors, car il était parvenu à ses vues perverses, et il avait réussi à rompre l'union de l'Eglise et ses liens indissolubles, se préparant le feu éternel comme récompense de ses labeurs.

Or Mar Rhima, l'an seize de Warharan (⁸⁸), commença à parcourir tout son diocèse, en enseignant la voie de la vérité, réprimandant les égarés et leur montrant le vrai chemin de la religion chrétienne (⁸⁹). Les discussions et controverses touchant la foi orthodoxe commencèrent alors à travailler la maison du Seigneur et à miner ses fondements; elle fut détruite chez les Romains et édifiée dans le royaume des Perses. C'est dans cette oeuvre spirituelle que Mar Rhima termina sa vie et alla rejoindre son; Seigneur, l'an douze de Iezdegerd.

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18e EV. 'ABBOUŠTA (450-499) Après lui se leva Mar 'Abboušta; ce père spirituel était d'un village de la montagne, nommé Tallpna. Dès son enfance, il habita Nisibe; dans la suite, il vint à Arbèles. On dit que ce père bâtit vingt cinq églises, depuis le commencement de son |146 gouvernement. Il recueillait de l'argent des fidèles et même des païens, et tout le monde travaillait pour lui gratuitement.

En ce temps, était connu à Edesse l'homme parfait, l'évêque Mar Ihiba, dont les labeurs avancèrent beaucoup l'orthodoxie (⁹⁰). Quelles souffrances et quelles difficultés ne subit-il pas de la part des disciples de l'iniquité; la plume ne saurait le décrire. Il ne cessait d'enseigner la vraie doctrine (m. à m. des choses vraies) et d'anéantir la fausse (m. à m. les choses fausses), dans l'école d'Edesse, jusqu'à l'heure de sa mort. Après sa mort, les disciples du mensonge se concertèrent, unirent leurs forces et réussirent à chasser de la ville tous les élèves persans (⁹¹). Ceux-ci vinrent dans leurs pays, y fondèrent plusieurs écoles, afin de ne pas tourner le dos à Satan (i. e. s'avouer vaincus). Barsauma, évêque de Nisibe, reçut chez lui (⁹²) Narsai, le célèbre docteur, lequel érigea une grande école (composée) d'une nombreuse |147 compagnie de frères, qui ne cesse d'élever des enfants et d'illustres docteurs à (l'église) catholique. Là (ce docteur) interpréta tous les livres divins, sans dévier en rien de l'enseignement de l'Interprète (⁹³). Un grand nombre d'Adiabéniens se rendirent chez lui, comme je l'ai entendu dire à des hommes dignes de foi. Au nombre de ces fils de la droite, se trouva Joseph, qui devint plus tard évêque d'Adiabène, comme nous allons le dire dans la suite. L'Eglise de Dieu se sépara alors en deux tronçons: les Occidentaux crurent en une seule nature et abaissèrent la divinité à des humiliations qui ne lui siéent point et qui répugnent à sa nature, et les Orientaux confessèrent deux natures en un seul «parsopa».

Dans le but d'étendre la religion du Christ et d'allumer dans le coeur des fidèles le feu de l'amour du martyre, Mar 'Abboušta s'entendit avec Jean, évêque de Karkha de Béth Slokh, pour informer le calholicos Mar Babowi, que chaque année tous les évêques de Béth Garmai eussent à se réunir et à faire ensemble la mémoire joyeuse et triomphante de tous les martyrs qui avaient versé victorieusement leur sang pour l'amour du Christ, dans le temps de Iezdegerd (⁹⁴).

En cette année, au mois d'août, Pirouz, roi des Perses, mourut en allant en guerre contre les Huns (⁹⁵). Ce roi, quoique païen, avait grandement secouru les chrétiens, dans sa vie, se conduisant toujours et gouvernant d'après les conseils de Barsauma de Nisibe (⁹⁶). |148

Dans la deuxième année du Roi des Rois Walaš, le catholicos Akak convoqua tous les évêques de l'Orient au synode qu'il rassembla, selon l'habitude générale (⁹⁷). Mar 'Abboušta ne put s'y rendre, car une très grave maladie l'avait atteint et plusieurs avait désespéré de lui (⁹⁸); mais par la grâce du Seigneur, il dut sa guérison aux prières du moine parfait, Abba Mšiha-Rahmeh, d'heureuse mémoire. Il renouvela la construction de l'église d'Arbèles qui existe de nos jours, et l'embellit de toutes sortes d'ornementations, de manière que celui qui la voit, en est dans l'admiration et glorifie Dieu pour les grâces qu'il a abondamment versées sur lui.

La deuxième année du roi Zamasp (⁹⁹). dans le temps où Mar Babaï prenait le gouvernement du siège patriarcal de l'Orient,, eut lieu le dixième synode et les évêques s'y réunirent de toutes les contrées (¹⁰⁰). Or parce |149 que Mar 'Abboušta était devenu vieux et décrépit, il ne put s'y rendre, lui en personne, mais il envoya à sa place Joseph son prêtre et Sidora, son notaire (¹⁰¹). Là on établit que ce serait chaque quatre années qu'aurait lieu la réunion des évêques auprès du patriarche, et non pas chaque deux ans, comme c'était l'habitude antérieurement (¹⁰²). L'année qui suivit ce synode, mourut Mar 'Abboušta dans une vénérable vieillesse, et les fidèles le pleurèrent pendant longtemps. Avant sa mort, une femme se disposait à apporter chez le saint du Christ, son fils, pour qu'il le guérît, par la vertu de la croix, de la fièvre intense qu'il avait. Mais en faisant lever l'enfant, celui-ci tomba de la chambre où elle était et qui était située dans la partie supérieure de la maison, et il arriva jusqu'au |150 rez-de-chaussée où il mourut aussitôt. Lorsque sa mère descendit et le vit mort, sa raison l'abandonna par la violence extrême de sa douleur. Elle commença alors à prier Dieu de le ressusciter par les prières de 'Abboušta, son serviteur. Elle n'avait pas encore achevé ses supplications que l'enfant se releva joyeux et gai. Elle glorifia Dieu et fit connaître ce miracle par tout le pays. On ne cessa de remercier Dieu de toutes les faveurs, miracles et prodiges qu'il avait accordés à son serviteur 'Abboušta.

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19e EV. JOSEPH (499-511) Ce père était du village de Teldarra. Lorsqu'il eut vingt et un ans, il se rendit a l'école de Nisibe, et là il apprit près du docteur Mar Narsai, tous les livres saints et la doctrine vraie de Mar Théodore. Dès son enfance, il montra des signes de la grâce divine, qui devait faire de lui un homme nouveau. Il resta sept ans (à Nisibe), suçant ce lait spirituel et s'abreuvant de ces eaux douces de l'orthodoxie.

En ce temps, une grande guerre s'alluma entre les Perses et les Romains. A peine Kawad eut-il pris l'empire pour la seconde fois (¹⁰³), qu'il s'avança contre le pays des Romains, avec une forte armée (¹⁰⁴). Le roi des Romains de ce temps s'appelait Anastase. Les Perses prirent plusieurs pays aux Romains: Amed et Reš'aina. Leur but était de susciter de nouveau une persécution contre les chrétiens; mais la guerre ne se termina pas entre eux, |151 et les Perses furent contraints de retourner sur leurs pas, afin de protéger leurs propres pays contre la grande impétuosité des Huns, qui avaient commencé à fondre sur eux. Mar Narsai, le docteur, mourut alors, pendant que les soldats étaient à Nisihe (¹⁰⁵). A sa place se leva Elisée de Kouzbou (¹⁰⁶), dans le pays de Marga. Celui-ci suivit. son maître et marcha sur ses traces; il remplit l'Eglise de ses éprits, et tous ceux qui les lisent, s'étonnent vraiment de la sagesse divine dont il était illuminé.

En ce temps, l'évêque Mar Joseph eut l'idée d'aller dans la montagne, pour devenir solitaire et y mener une vie paisible, en travaillant pour son Dieu et l'aimant de tout son coeur, de toute son âme et de toute sa force, selon son commandement. Il convoqua donc tous ses prêtres et diacres et leur manifesta son intention. Eux commencèrent à pleurer amèrement sur sa séparation et se mirent à le détourner de cette idée, pour le bien du peuple et l'édification de l'Eglise. Comme aucun n'y réussissait, il y eut une grande rumeur dans toute l'hyparchie. On écrivit une lettre collective à Mar Šila (¹⁰⁷) qui avait alors les clefs de l'autorité du trésor céleste. Notre Seigneur le patriarche l'obligea, au nom de Dieu, à retourner à sa charge. Voici la copie de la lettre qu'il lui envoya:

«A l'ami du Christ, Mar Joseph, évêque, métropolitain d'Adiabène; Šila, évêque, patriarche, par l'ordre et la volonté de Dieu, se prosterne devant Ta Sérénité et demande tes prières. |152 a Ta Sérénité le sait mieux que moi, Dieu fait monter les hommes au ciel et les fait parvenir à une digne fin de différentes manières: quelques-uns d'entre eux par l'ascétisme pendant qu'ils sont éloignés de tout tumulte et de tout bruit du monde; quelques autres, par l'état chastedu mariage évangélique (¹⁰⁸), pendant qu'ils sont liés par l'amour de la femme, que leur coeur est divisé et qu'ils ont soin de leurs enfants pour les élever dans la crainte de Dieu; certains autres, par le moyen de la supériorité pendant qu'ils dirigent le peuple de Dieu et le conduisent dans la voie de la justice, en le parquant dans les prairies de la force: à ces derniers est promis une plus grande récompense et un plus ample salaire; car celui qui a pour lui l'action et l'enseignement, celui-là sera nommé grand dans le royaume des deux, selon la parole de Notre Seigneur; quelques autres de différentes autres manières. Ta Sérénité sait aussi que l'ascétisme (¹⁰⁹), est incompatible avec le mariage, comme aussi avec la supériorité, parcequ'il empêche (ces deux états) de remplir les devoirs qui y sont attachés, comme il sied et comme il faut. Toi donc aussi, ô élu de Dieu, parce que tu as été appelé au rang élevé de la supériorité (représentée par les) dix talents, il ne te convient pas, de par la parole de Notre Seigneur, de devenir solitaire et de t'opposer aux devoirs de ta charge. ---- Souviens-toi aussi, ô Sérénissime, que la volonté de. Dieu t'est manifestée par le concours unanime de l'amour de tout le peuple qui t'est confié et qui te réclame comme évêque et comme guide. Tu sais qu'en ne le conduisant |153 pas de la sorte, le désordre sera semé dans le peuple et tu; iras contre la volonté de Dieu, ce qui est mal, car c'est à nous d'empêcher le désordre et la contravention à la volonté de Dieu. Qui sait, quoique cela soit bien loin de ma pensée, si cette idée n'est pas des princes des ténèbres; car ces ennemis de toute l'humanité ont 1'habitude se détourner les hommes de Dieu de la vraie voie, par des pensées saines, mais qui sont opposées à la perfection. Ne les voyons-nous pas faire entrer chaque jour dans la secte des Messaliens maudits, un nombre incalculable d'hommes de Dieu et les fourvoyer dans le vagabondage? Pour ces causes et pour d'autres semblables, nous ordonnons et décidons, au nom de Notre Seigneur et par la vertu de l'Esprit-Saint, que tu retournes à ton ancienne fonction, que ton peuple fasse ta joie et que tu fasses la sienne. Prie pour ma faiblesse afin que le Seigneur pardonne mes imperfections; et demeure dans les ardeurs de l'amour de Notre Seigneur.»

Comme Mar Joseph était un homme doux, aimant l'obéissance aux commandements de Dieu et à l'ordre des supérieurs plus que le sacrifice, il obtempéra à la hâte à l'ordre de Mar (Šila) le patriarche, et rentra à Arbèles. Quelle fut la joie qui remplit le coeur des fidèles et surtout des prêtres et des diacres, lorsque derechef ils virent leur père; la plume ne saurait le décrire. Mais cette joie fut courte et ne dura pas longtemps, car le temps désigné pour la fin de Mar Joseph était arrivé, et il était devenu digne de cette couronne à laquelle il aspirait depuis son enfance. Il mourut le quatre du mois de septembre de la douzième année du deuxième empire du roi Kawad (¹¹⁰). |154

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20e EV. MAR HNANA (511-??) (¹¹¹) Ce père était également (¹¹²) du nombre des élèves de Narsai, le docteur; il s'instruisit donc à l'école de Nisibe, mais ses parents étaient du village de Telniaha en Adiabène. Il composa, lui aussi, après sa sortie de l'école, des discours utiles que nous lisons avec plaisir et admiration (¹¹³).

En ces jours mourut Elisée de Kouzbou (¹¹⁴), l'interprète de l'école, et sa place fut occupée par l'homme zélé, l'ouvrier actif, très docte dans l'enseignement de la crainte de Dieu et très versé dans les livres divins, Mar Abraham l'ami de Mar Narsai. Celui-ci dirige l'école avec beaucoup de sagesse, et il nous faut, cher Pinhés, prier et demandera Dieu, qu'il multiplie dans son Eglise des docteurs parfaits, tels que ceux-ci; car la moisson est abondante et les ouvriers sont peu nombreux (¹¹⁵) (Luc, X, 2). |155 Mais de peur que l'homme ne se croie plus sage qu'il n'est, ne s'enorgueillisse, ne se complaise en lui-même et ne tombe dans la superbe, mère des vices, les lecteurs et les épellateurs de l'école s'assemblèrent et dans la réunion qu'ils tinrent, des canons particuliers furent sanctionnés pouf le majordome, et Jean de Béth Rabban fut donné: comme aide à Abraham, à cause. de son jeune âge (¹¹⁶); car un désordre était survenu dans l'école à cause de la mauvaise administration de ses biens temporels. Mar Hnana étant venu à apprendre ce désordre qui eut lieu, le zèle de la maison du Seigneur le dévora et s'étant rendu à Nisibe, par l'efficace de sa sagesse, il fit régner la paix dans cette grande communauté. La barque de l'Eglise reprit son calme, et son gouvernail fut dirigé dans la voie de la sécurité. Au retour, il visita toute son hyparchie, en distribuant conseils et menaces, et après deux ans il atteignit sa ville royale.

En ce temps l'Eglise de Dieu fut très tourmentée, non par des gens du dehors, mais par des gens du dedans, non par des étrangers, mais par des gens de la maison. Car le démon, l'ennemi de notre humanité, voyant que par le glaive de la destruction, il n'arriverait pas à prévaloir contre (l'Eglise) Catholique, et que par les rois païens il ne pourrait tarir la source de son progrès et de; sa propagation, ne trouva d'autre moyen que celui d'émeuter les enfants de l'Eglise et de jeter le trouble et la discorde parmi ses supérieurs. Après la mort du patriarche Šila, il se fit deux réunions d'évêques où on choisit deux patriarches, Narsai et Elisée, contre tous les canons ecclésiastiques (¹¹⁷). |156

L'un et Vautre s'attribuaient l'autorité séparément. Les ennemis de l'Eglise furent alors dans la joie et ses amis dans la tristesse; en bas l'enfer tressaillit d'allégresse, et en haut le ciel gémit. Ce désaccord dura plusieurs années. C'est pourquoi Mar Hnana. en proie à une grande tristesse, se mit à encourager les pusillanimes, à fortifier et à confirmer les faibles. Il se rendit à Nisibe, source des sciences, et là il répara plusieurs brèches. Il manda à Arbèles Mar Paul de Béth Nouhadra, pour lui confier, pendant tout le temps de son absence, le gouvernement du siège métropolitain de l'hyparchie. Cet évoque, d'heureuse mémoire, avait élu précédemment à la fonction patriarcale, Narsai, et pour cela le trouble, avait bouleversé son diocèse (¹¹⁸). Mar Abraham l'interprète céda à Mar Hnana, le docteur Paul, dans le but de fonder dans le pays d'Adiabêne, une école pour les enfants, afin d'imprimer la foi dans leur esprit et la protéger contre les assauts des hérétiques et des Messaliens. Ce Paul demeura chez nous plus de trente ans, remplissant avec humilité et crainte de Dieu la fonction qui lui avait été confiée par les chefs de l'Eglise. Il ne voulut s'en désister que sur l'ordre de Mar Aba, Catholicos, qui l'obligea, au nom de Notre Seigneur, à accepter l'épiscopat de Nisibe, et cela après le retour (du Catholicos) du Huzistan, comme nous le verrons ci-après (¹¹⁹)..... |157

1. N. B. manquent quelques ligues du l'introduction qui auraient pu peut-être nous faire connaître le personnage du Pinhés. Les chiffres en vedette renvoient aux pages correspondantes du texte Syriaque.

2. (1) Nous faisons remarquer que la chronologie que nous avons trop précipitamment dressée, dans notre réponse à Mr J. B. Chabot, (p. 19) doit être corrigée selon celle que nous adoptons ici.

3. (2) Nous ne savons rien de précis sur cet Habel. L'épithète de docteur qui le suit indique qu'il était chrétien, mais certainement pas évoque. Mšiha-zkha ne le cite que trois fois. Il ne peut donc être Mar Habel le sixième évêque d'Arbèles, comme on serait tenté de le croire. Serait-ce plutôt un de ces nombreux auteurs de Passions qui, au IV siècle, s'occupèrent à ramasser les fastes des martyrs du la persécution de Sapor II?

4. (1) Nous pensons que l'historicité d'Addaï, abstraction faite des détails fabuleux dont les écrivains du V, VI, s. ont orné sa vie, ne peut plus être révoquée en doute. Barhadhbšabba 'Arabaya (VI s.) qui tenait ses informations des auditeurs de la fameuse école d'Edesse, mentionne son apostolat dans la capitale de l'Osrhoène (v. son récit dans notre livre, Narsai Homiliae et carmina, vol. I, p. 33). Tous les évêques Orientaux réunis à la cour du roi Kosrau II (21 juin 612) affirment que les contrées orientales ont été évangélisées par ce disciple de Noire Seigneur (Syn. Or. p. 581). Enfin Mšiha-zkha, citant un auteur qui l'a précédé, affirme péremptoirement la mission d'Addaï dans les pays renfermés entre les deux zabs, et fixe son époque vers la fin du premier siècle de notre ère. Par contre, l'existence du disciple Mari doit être considérée, jusqu'à nouvel ordre, de plus cri plus problématique et même fabuleuse.

5. (1) L'évangélisation de la contrée de Béth-zabdai, située sur la rive droite du Tigre, paraît avoir eu lieu de très bonne heure. D'après le récit du Mšiha-zkha, on sérail tenté de croire qu'elle a eu le bonheur d'avoir des évoques avant l'Adiabène. dette donnée nous indique la route suivie par le disciple Addaï pour se rendre en Adiabène. De l'Osrhoène il aurait gagné le sud de l'Arzanène et de là il serait entré dans la vallée du Tigre.

6. (1) Trajan ayant visité l'Adiabène en 116 la mort de Šemšoun doit tomber en 123. Son règne, d'après le texte du manuscrit, est de courte durée, de trois ans, semble-t-il (deux ans de prédication suivis du baptême des catéchumènes); il aurait donc commencé à occuper le siège d'Arbèles en 120. Entre son élection et la mort de Pkidha il y eut six ans de vacances; Pkidha meurt donc en 114. Son épiscopat ayant duré dix ans, le commencement doit en être reporté en 104. Mais avant de recevoir l'imposition des mains, Pkidha avait été pendant cinq ans le compagnon de Mar Addaï, dans ses missions apostoliques, donc de 99 à 104; ce qui nous oblige à fixer l'arrivée d'Addaï, en Adiabène, avant la fin du premier siècle.

7. (1) Ces mots n'entraînent pas nécessairement une succession immédiate. Au contraire. force nous est même d'admettre en cet endroit une vacance de siège d'une douzaine d'années Durant les deux premiers siècles, période de fondation, de lutte avec la religion nationale, et de persécution de la part des mages, ces vacances forcées sont mentionnées par notre auteur à plusieurs reprises. Celle que nous admettons ici, sans qu'il en soit fait mention, est imposée par le fait suivant; Abraham, le second successeur de Šemšoun, est dit être mort de la peste qui décima l'armée romaine, dans la Babylonie, sous Lucius Vèrus, en 163/4. En remontant et en ne donnant à Abraham et à Isaac, les deux successeurs de Šemšoun, que le nombre d'années d'épiscopat qui leur est assigné par le texte, il nous manque douze années pour arriver jusqu'à 123, septième année du passage de Trajan dans l'Adiabène, et année de la mort de Šemšoun.

8. (2) Jusque vers la fin du III siècle, les noms de personnes dans le monde Syrien, étaient pour la plupart ou Juifs ou païens. Après cette période, vint la réaction qui introduisit une nouvelle onomastique, en faisant des noms Syriens un complexe formé, la plupart du temps, du nom de Dieu, du Christ et d'un de leurs attributs immédiats. Les noms de Hnaniso', Iso'iahb, Iso'dnah, Zkha-Iso', Alaha-zkha, Iahb-Alaha etc. deviennent courants et supplantent complètement les vieux noms païens. Tant que la religion chrétienne fut chose cachée, ses adeptes s'abritèrent sous le couvert des noms da pays, juifs ou païens; mais dès qu'elle fui devenue publique, elle ne craignit pas d'adopter des noms signifiant franchement sa croyance en un seul Dieu, en Jésus, etc... Cependant certains noms juifs, consacrés par les apôtres et leurs successeurs, survécurent.

9. (1) Vologèse II régna, d'après les critiques, de 120 à 148 (cf. GUTSCHMID, Untersuchungen ueber die Geschichte des Koenigsreichs Osrhoene, 1887, p. 30).

10. (1) Le lecteur verra dans le cours de cette histoire, qu'à peu près toutes les invasions, contre les Parthes, vinrent du côté des lointaines montagnes qui bordent la mer Caspienne, ou avoisinent la Bactriane proprement dite et l'Oxus. Nous pouvons en inférer que les Parthes, pas plus que les Assyriens, ne purent venir jamais à bout de subjuguer entièrement les hordes barbares qui habitaient ces plages lointaines.

11. (1) Mossoul et ses environs étaient appelés dans l'ancienne littérature Syriaque: tour des Hébreux;voir Narsai Homiliae et Carmina, vol.II, p. 410. Cette dénomination prouve-t-elle l'existence d'un grand nombre de Juifs dans cette contrée?

12. (2) On est étonné de la simplicité du processus usité dans la primitive Eglise pour la création des évêques. L'apôtre choisissait, parmi les nouveaux baptisés, le plus apte à le remplacer, et le laissait à la tête de la petite communauté, après lui avoir imposé les mains, et s'en allait évangéliser d'autres pays. Dans ce but, comme on Je voit par la suite de cette histoire, assez souvent l'évêque se faisait accompagner d'un diacre à qui il imposait les mains lorsqu'il se sentait près de mourir. Le sacrement d'ordre était déjà conféré, tel qu'il l'est aujourd'hui dans l'Eglise, mais surtout dans l'église orientale,

13. (1) Vologèse III régna, dit-on, de nov. de l'an 148 à l'an 191, cf. GUTSCHMID, Untersuch. p. U, et DUVAL, Histoire d'Edesse, p. 57.

14. (2) Ces troupes étaient composées, d'après les écrivains latins, de quatre cent mille hommes; cf. G. CANTU, Histoire Universelle, vol. V, p. 408.

15. (1) Allusion à la croyance des Orientaux que les justes ne seront récompensés qu'après le jugement dernier.

16. (1) Le paganisme, au moment de l'apparition du christianisme dans la vallée du Tigre, était représenté par le mazdéisme, mais un mazdéisme altéré, corrompu, formé de superstitions étrangères à la religion de Zoroastre, se réduisant à îles pratiques grossières qui s'adressaient principalement aux arbres, aux fontaines, aux grottes etc. (voir plus haut, p. 80) entretenues et exploitées soigneusement par la supercherie et l'avidité d'une tourbe de mages, sans toutefois exclure, cela va sans dire, le culte essentiel du soleil et du feu. Ce culte dégénéré était la religion du peuple, contre laquelle eut à lutter principalement, pendant plus de deux cents ans, lu christianisme a son début. Les Rois Parthes s'en accommodaient facilement, et n'en faisant point une affaire d'étal, avaient abandonné exclusivement le soin de ses intérêts à la caste du clergé. C'est ce qui explique pourquoi tel évêque du II s. (roir p. 87) se voit obligé de se rendre à Séleucie pour solliciter d'un Vologèse une lettre de protection contre les mages de son hyparchie. Ce culte si grossier, si en rapport avec les instincts religieux du peuple, semble s'être survécu dans la religion actuelle des yézidis.

A côté de cette religion déchue, abâtardie, il y avait le marzdéisme officiel, national, plus dégagé de superstitions, se réduisant à peu près uniquement au culte de feu et de soleil, dans des lieux consacrés ad hoc, les pyrées, religion pratiquée sans fanatisme, peut-être même quelque peu négligée par jes rois Pannes, mais remise en honneur, comme nous le verrons plus bas, à partir de 225 paroles Sassanides, et, unie à des motifs politiques, devenant l'occasion pour les Chrétiens, de verser leur sang en témoignage de leur foi, dans des persécutions sanglantes qui s'étendaient aussi loin que l'empire perse lui-même. Dans ce cas, mages et rois s'unissaient pour verser le sang chrétien et déraciner de leur empire les derniers vestiges du christianisme.

17. (1) Dakouk étant situé à huit heures au sud de Kerkouk, sur la route de Mossoul à Bagdad, et le Saint se trouvant dans le pays de Ninire, l'espace franchie par l'arbre, serait de dix heures environ.

18. (1) Phrase à sens assez vague et contourné. Le dieu-arbre, dans le cas, par sa réapparition au milieu de ses adorateurs, a l'action bienfaisante de la rosée à l'égard de l'évêque Noh. Celui-ci semblable à une fleur en détresse sous les ardeurs du soleil, allait subir un mauvais parti; mais le dieu, en réapparaissant au moment critique, semble protester et prendre l'infortuné sous sa protection, eu exerçant sur lui l'action vivifiante de la rosée.

19. (2) Nous voyons ici réalisée, dans une certaine mesure, la promesse de Notre Seigneur dans St Luc (cap. XVII, 6) «Eradicare et transplantare». ----Comme le lecteur l'aura remarqué, rien, dans celle histoire, qui dénote, chez l'auteur, la prétention à un étalage, souvent grotesque, de merveilleux, tel que cela se voit chez les auteurs orientaux de date récente. Les miracles sont peu nombreux, de bon aloi, présentés sobrement et sans apparat, à leur place: "Domino sermonem confirmante, sequentibus signis".

20. (2) Le nom de prêtre ne se rencontre, pour les temps anciens, dans l'histoire de Mšiha-zkha, que vers la fin du II siècle, sous l'évêque Noh. Celte donnée n'est pas en contradiction avec l'histoire ecclésiastique de l'époque. Le plus souvent c'était l'évêque qui administrait les sacrements et représentait son peuple au dehors, comme successeur des apôtres (Cf. DE SMEDT, Revue des questions historiques, 1888, t. XLIV, p. 329-386; L. DUCHESNE, Origines Chrétiennes, chap. VI). Le diacre l'assistait dans cette charge, ou conférait même certains sacrements, avec sa permission. Les prêtres n'eurent d'action régulière que lorsque les chrétiens se furent multipliés, et que l'évêque ne put plus suffire au travail.

21. (1) Cette ville est sans doute Xnaiqa_ de Théophyl. et Xamaiqa_ de Théophanes. Elle devait être située près de la vallée de Rawandouz, affluent du petit Zab (cf. HOFFMAN, Auszüge ans Syrischen Akten persicher Martyrer, p. 216.) Nous savons que vers la fin du IV s. celle tille avait un évêque, EVOD-ASSÉM. Acta Martyr. Orien. I. p. 82.

22. (2) C'est la première église placée sous le vocable d'un saint, dont notre histoire fasse mention; n'est-ce pas là une preuve que le culte des saints est aussi ancien, en Orient, que 1 Eglise elle-même.

23. (3) Le village de Zaira ou Zira était, semble-t-il, au nord-est d'Arbèles, à la distance d'une journée environ; son nom ne se trouve, à notre connaissance, dans aucun autre écrivain.

24. (1) Ne connaissant que l'année de l'avènement d'Habel (179 + 6 de vac. = 183) il nous est impossible de fixer la durée de son épiscopat. La difficulté peut être tournée de la manière suivanie; le deuxième successeur d'Habel, Hiran, a assisté à la chute des Parthes (225, d'après l'auteur; voir plus bas, p. 105). En le faisant donc occuper le siège d'Arbèles, celle même année (225), il s'ensuit que la durée de l'épiscopat de ses deux prédécesseurs = 225-183 = 62 ans. Or 42 moins les 35 de 'Ebedh-Mšiha, prédécesseur immédiat de Hiran, = 7 ans pour Habel, 183 +7= 190. Donc Habel a occupé le siège métropolitain de 183 à 190. ---- D'après l'auteur, Habel a vécu sous Vologèse IV, lequel, d'après la chronologie courante, mais certainement imparfaite, commence à régner en 191. Mais on ne peut faire vivre Habel en 191, car son deuxième successeur, Hiran, ne verrait pas la chute des Parthes (225), contrairement au texte. La date de 191 pour le commencement de Vologèse est donc impossible, d'après notre texte, et doit être avancée.

25. (1) La diffusion du Christianisme, en ces pays, a donc été plus précoce, plus rapide, et plus complète que ne le font supposer les conjectures des savants de nos jours. Avec nos idées actuelles, se ressentant nécessairement du milieu dans lequel nous virons, il nous est difficile de concevoir un état de choses, ancien de 2000 ans. Sur un terrain surtout hérissé d'obstacles, comme l'était la société païenne, au moment de l'apparition du Christianisme, difficilement on conçoit que le doctrine du Christ, ait, en quelques années, laissé des traces assez profondes pour faire croire à la formation d'une société nouvelle au sein de l'ancienne, et éveiller les appréhensions et la jalousie des rois païens. C'est qu'il y a un fadeur avec lequel, bon gré mal gré, il faut compter, si on ne veut pas se heurter à la diffusion subite de l'Evangile du Christ comme à un fait inexplicable. Ce facteur, qu'on perd trop facilement de vue, c'est l'action très positive et très concrète de la Divinité; c'est l'action miraculeuse, visible, à jet continu, que le fondateur de la religion chrétienne avait mise à la disposition de ses ouvriers de la première heure; action aujourd'hui très atténuée dans l'Eglise, mais alors courante, maîtresse, qui produisait tous ces effets si rapides, si étonnants, que nous admirons dans la formation de ces églises, de ces diocèses, de ces communautés chrétiennes et monastiques, dont parlent nos archives des premiers temps.

26. (1) Cette campagne eut lieu vers la fin de l'an 216. Nous savons, en effet, que Macrin, ayant appris la mort de Caracalla, voulut hâter son voyage à Rome et consentit à quitter le territoire Parthe, en signant un traité, aux termes duquel le monarque Arsacide rendait tous les prisonniers de guerre à Macrin et payait une indemnité pour les pertes qu'il avait éprouvées. ----Bien que notre texte dise de son temps, le lecteur remarquera que cette expression doit être prise dans un sens large, comme nous l'avons fait remarquer dans la préface (p. IX-X), et que par conséquent, il ne faut pas s'étonner que cette campagne ait précédé de neuf ans l'avènement de Hiran.

27. (1) D'après Mšiha-zkha, la chute des Parthes arrive le mercredi, 27 Nissan, 535 de l'ère des Séleucides, ou 225 de l'ère chrétienne; donc ni en 224 ni en 226, car le 27 Nissan ne tombe un mercredi qu'en 225. Chaque fois donc que l'auteur rapporte une date de l'ère grecque, c'est 310 qu'il faut soustraire, pour avoir l'année de notre ère.

28. (2) Localité que nous n'avons pas pu identifier. Serait-ce Hezza le gros et ancien village de l'Adiabène, qui est mentionné par les auteurs Syriaques

et qui avait un évêque à la fin du XI s. au dire d'Ebed-Jésu de Nisibe? (cf. Syn. Orien. p. 619). Mais pour un village, le titre de Béth Hezzayé est bien gros. Serait-ce aussi une faute de copiste pour le Béth Houzayé? Ou bien, enfin, une ancienne ville qui servait de résidence à un évêque, et qui aurait changé de nom ou bien aurait été détruite deux cents ans après??

29. (1) Pour l'identification de ces noms géographiques, voir HOFFMANN Auszuge ans Syrischen Akten persicher Martyrer; MARQUART, Eransahr, nach der Geographie des Ps. Moses Xoronaci; NOELDEKE, Geschichte der Perser und Araber zur Zeit der Sasaniden.

30. (2) Nous verrons, dans la vie de Šri'a, à propos de Jacques de Nisibe, que le siège de cette célèbre ville fut eu effet fondé vers la fin du III s. (3) Euseb. lib. VI, cap. XXIII, p. 224 - (édit. Vales). Nous savons par le livre de Unione, encore inédit, de Babai le grand, que les écrits d'Origène étaient très estimés à l'école de Nisibe, vers la fin du VI s. L'enseignement de Hnana d'Adiabène qui commença à diriger cette école en 572 en est une autre preuve. Les Nestoriens devaient haïr Justinien, leur ennemi en doctrine, car il avait dans le cinquième concile œcuménique fait porter des anathèmes qui devaient détruire les derniers représentants du dyophysisme (553). Ce prince haïssait de la même manière Origène, et il avait, en 562 promulgué un édit contre ses partisans (MANSI, t. IX, p. 534; cf. DIEKAMP, Die origenistischen Streitigkeiten... MUNSTER, 1900). Les Nestoriens rien que pour se venger de Justinien qui les avait tant molestés, commencèrent à témoigner un intérêt tout particulier à l'égard d'Origène, et son enseignement pénétra insensiblement dans leurs écoles. Que Mšiha-zkha, compatriote et peut-être disciple de Hnana, ait donc jugé Origène et son maître Clément d'Alexandrie, dignes d'une mention particulière dans son histoire, il n'y a rien là qui doive nous étonner.

31. (1) cf. Act. Apost, Cap. IX, 10-19.

32. (1) Ardašir régna jusqu'à 241 et Sapor I lui succéda en effet, en cette même année; cf. NOELDEKE, Geschichte der Perser und Araber, p. 435.

33. (2) Peuple qui habitait au nord du Tabaristan et du Mazendéran. Barhebraeus, Chron. Syr. p. 445 dit: [Syriac] "Khouarazm est un nom de pays, et la ville principale de ce pays s'appelle Gourgania.»

34. (3) C'est le peuple barbare, appelé aujourd'hui Ghilan, qui habitait le S. O. de la mer Caspienne entre le Cyrus et le Mardus des géographes grecs.

35. (4) La dernière ou la lointaine mer, dans la géographie de l'histoire de Mšiha-zkba, parait être la mer Caspienne.

36. (1) Le lecteur remarque que les patriarches, prédécesseurs de Papa, Šahloupha et Ahadabuhi, mentionnés par les annalistes du moyen âge (Mari, 'Amr, Barhebraeus), ne sont que les évêques d'Adiabène qui allèrent à Ctésiphon pour encourager le petit groupe de chrétiens qui avaient commencé à s'y former dans la e moitié du III s. Cette donnée concorde parfaitement avec les anciens documents Syriaques qui nomment Papa évêque de SéleucieCtesiphon (cf. Acta Miles, dans E. ASSEM. Acta Martyr. Orien. I. 72, et BEDJAN Vol II. p. 266 et sqq. ); avec Sozomène et les autres sources grecques qui qualifient ses successeurs du même titre (Sozom. Hist. Eccl. VII, 19 et 10). Il ne peut donc plus y avoir de doute, la liste patriarcale, dressée par les écrivains du moyen âge, n'a aucune valeur historique.

37. (1) Ville située probablement sur le petit Zab (HOFFMANN, Auszùge aus-Syrischen Akten, p. 261); Joseph, son évêque dès l'an 410 est mentionné dans le Syn. Orient, p. 273. En cette même année elle fut placée sous la juridiction du métropolitain de Karka (ibid). Il paraît que, dans les temps anciens, elle dépendait d'Arbèles.

38. (2) Nous n'avons pas pu identifier ce nom; serait-il Rammonin qui en 610 avait un évêque nommé 'Akeb-Alaba, lequel fut placé sous la juridiction de la métropole de l'Adiabène? (Syn. Orient, p. 273). Rammonin ou Rassonin devait être situé au Nord-Ouest d'Arbèles.

39. (3) Ville située entre Dakouk et Arbèles (HOFFMANN, op. cit. p. 270); nous savons par ailleurs qu'elle avait des évoques, dès le commencement du IV siècle (Histoire de La ville de Béth Slokh: Bedjan, Acta Mart. et Sanct. II, p. 515 et passim; Catalogue des évêques, des prêtres et des diacres qui souffrirent le martyre sous Sapor II, dans le Martyrol. Hieronym. de De Rossi et Duchesne, t. II, p. I, p. LXIII).

40. (1) Voir ci-dessus, p. 96.

41. (2) Cette phrase de Mšiha-zkha est de nature à infirmer, une fois, de plus, les données de Clément d'Alexandrie qui assurait que les mages pratiquaient une continence absolue (Stromates, III, p. 446); voir à ce sujet HOVELACQUE, l'Avesta, Zoroastre et Le Mazdéisme, p. 461-463; G. MASPÉRO, Histoire Ancienne, vol. III, p. 588-589.

42. (3) C'est-à-dire d'Ahadabuhi; il est assez malaisé de savoir de quelle ordination il s'agit; nous pensons que ce serait du diaconat.

43. (1) Bahram ou Warharan, régna de 270 à 293 (NOELDEKE, op. cit. ibid, ).

44. (1) Remarquer l'analogie qui existe entre les hauts-faits de ce satrape païen et la passion de Kardagh, autre satrape chrétien, qui serait mort, d'après sa vie, vers l'an 358 (BEDJAN, Acta Martyrum et Sanctorum, II, p. 442; cf. DUVAL, Littérature Syriaque, p.137-138, NOELDEKE. Zeitschr. der deut. morg. Gesell. t. XLIV, p. 530). Le second pourrait-il être identifié avec le premier? Les annalistes chrétiens, après plus de trois siècles, auraient débaptisé ce premier sous le nom de Kardagh, et en auraient fait un martyr digne d'orner les fastes de leurs passionnaires. Considérant l'état où se trouve actuellement sa vie, surchargée d'anecdotes et de faits postérieurs aux événements qu'elle nous lègue, nous serions tenté d'en placer la composition vers le milieu du VIII siècle.

45. (1) On voit que les supplices infligés par les Sassanides ne le cédaient nullement en barbarie aux tourments inhumains édictés par les anciens Achéménides et les Assyriens; l'intervalle de plus de 500 ans qui sépare les deux puissances iraniennes, n'empêche pas les premiers de suivre les brisées des derniers (cf. G. MARPÊRO, Histoire Ancienne, vol. III, p. 412 et suiv. et 674 et suiv.).

46. (2) Voir ci dessus, p. 111.

47. (3) Se rappeler que le mot Villes, dans la Littérature Syriaque et Arabe, est l'équivalent de Séleucie-Ctésiphon (cf. plus baut p. 105).

48. (4) Voir ci-dessus, p. 112.

49. (1) Voir plus haut, p. 79.

50. (2) C.-a-d. pour si peu.

51. (1) C'est-à-dire de l'emploi d'un ministre inique contre un maître inique.

52. (1) Il paraît, par ces mots, que les chrétiens de Séleucie relevaient, dans les commencements, des évêques de Suse. C'est le motif, croyons-nous, qui a mis quelques années plus tard, Séleucie et Suse, en conflit continuel de juridiction (Miles et Papa). Les évêques de Suse ne se crurent satisfaits qu'au commencement du V siècle, où le Synode d'Isaac (410) qualifie l'évêque de Kaškar, leur voisin, de «fils de la droite et fils du ministère du Catholicos,» et le charge d'administrer le diocèse patriarcal, sede vacante; le synode de Joseph (554) renouvelle cette disposition, en y ajoutant le droit de convoquer le collège électoral qui nommera le patriarche (Syn. Orient, p. 272 et 365). Sur les démêlés de Papa, voir J. LABOURT, Le Christinanisme dans l'Empire Perse, p. 18-28; comp. J. B. CHABOT, Syn. Orient, p. 289, n. 2. BEDJAN, vol. II,p. 266 et Sqq.

53. (2) Papa fut ordonné, d'après notre texte, vers la fin de l'épiscopat d'Ahadahuhi qui occupa le siège jusqu à 291. L'élection de ce fameux patriarche doit donc être placée entre 285 et 291. On peut par là redresser l'erreur de Mari (p. 8 de l'édition latine de Gismondi) qui donne à l'apa79 ans de règne (de 247à 326). D'après Mšiha-zkha, Papa n'aurait occupé le siège de Séleucie que pendant 35 ou 40 ans tout au plus.

54. (1) Hormizd II régna de 302 à 309 (NOELDEKE, op. cit. p. 435).

55. (2) Voir l'Histoire de Beth Slokh (BEDJAN, vol. Il, p. 515 et Auszüge, p. 48). Si cet évêque est le même que celui qui est mentionné dans les actes du synode d'Isaac (Syn. Orient, p. 274)nous devons lui donner cent ans d'épiscopat (cf. BRAUN, Der Briefwechsel des Katholicos Papa von Seleucia, et la Zeitscher. fur Kathol. Théologie, 1894.

56. (1) L'hypothèse d'après laquelle Papa devrait la suprématie sur les évêques de l'Orient, à l'intervention des prélats occidentaux, est, croyons-nous, très plausible; mais la lettre que ces derniers écrivirent à Papa, n'est certainement pas celle qui est consignée dons les actes juridiques d'Ebedjésu de Nisibe (Coll. Can. tr, IX, cap. V.Amr, p. 4 et sq). Cependant l'existence d'une lettre de ce genre est attestée, non seulement par les compilateurs du moyen âge (Mari, p 5; 'Amr, p. 4; Barhebraeus II, col. 26) et par Mšiha-Zkha, mais, encore par les actes du synode de Dadišo' qui eut lieu une centaine d'années après (Syn. Orient, p. 285) ainsi que par la correspondance, apocryphe, dit-on, de Papa (BRAUN, op. cit. ) La rédaction de cette dernière peut être placée au commencement du V siècle. Comme Sa'da, évoque d'Edesse, dont parle Mšiha-zkha, a occupé le siège de 313 à 324 (DUVAL, Histoire d'Edesse, p. 138) et qu'il est un des prélats occidentaux consultés, Papa en aurait appelé aux primats syriens de 315 à 324. Cette intervention des pères occidentaux n'est pas unique; voici en quels termes s'expriment, à ce sujet, les orateurs du synode de Dadišo', tenu en 424: «Vous le savez, ô nos Pères! chaque fois que le schisme et la discorde ont existé chez nous, les Pères occidentaux ont été les soutiens et les auxiliaires de cette (Paternité (du siège de Seleucie-Ctesiphon)... Ils nous ont aussi délivrés et libérés des persécutions excitées contre nos Pères et contre nous par les mages, grâce aux ambassadeurs qu'ils envoyèrent en noire faveur.

57. (1) C-à-d. ignorant la démarche des Occidentaux auprès de Constantin.

58. (2) C'est-à-dire de Nisibe; au dire d'Elie de Nisibe, le siège de cette ville fut créé en 300/1 par Babo qui l'occupa jusqu'à 309. D'après le même auteur, Babo eut pour successeur Jacques qui siégeait déjà en 237/8 (cf. Elle de Nisibe cité par les éditeurs de la Chron. Eccles de Barhebraeus, col. l n. 2). Oc 337/8 à 363 et an delà, le siège fut occupé, d'après Si Ephrem, par Babo (II?), Vologèse et Abraham. Le Saint Docteur dit en effet dans une de ses hymnes composée avant 363, année de la cession de Nisibe et de sa banlieue, par Jovien: [Syriac] «Le. diocèse de l'illustre prêtre Jacques, s'illustra avec lui et comme lui, et parce que lui avait uni sa charité à son zèle, il (son diocèse) revêtit la crainte de Dieu et la charité. (Ce même diocèse) libéra les captifs avec de l'argent, par le moyen de Babo, ami des aumônes. Il ouvrit son cœur aux Livres Saints par Vologèse, expert dans la loi. Que par toi (évêque Abraham) il soit grandement secouru». ---- Il resterait une difficulté à résoudre: faut-il croire, avec Elie que Babo a précédé Jacques, et partant admettre deux Babo, l'un prédécesseur et l'autre successeur de Jacques, ou bien faut-il s'en tenir à St Ephrem qui nomme Jacques, son maître, comme le premier évêque de la ville?

59. (1) Les Syriens appellent, sur la foi de Socrate (Hist. Eccles. I, VIII), le concile de Nicée "le concile des 318"; mais rien n'est plus incertain que le nombre des Pères. Eusèbe rapporte qu'ils étaient plus de 250. MM. Gelzer, Hilgenfeld, Cuntz, ont étudié les listes des souscriptions dans Patrum Nicaenorum nomina latine, graece, coptice, syriace, arabice, armenice (Lipzig, 1898 jet ont compté en effet 250 noms; mais on ne peut guère en reconnaître avec certitude que 237 (ibid, p. LXV-LXX, et J. B. Chabot, Syn. Orient, p. 259, n. 2). Aucun évoque Perse ne prit part à ce concile; quelques listes syriaques nomment un Jean de Béth Parsayé, mais ce nom est une falsification de Jean, évêque de Perrhae. La présence donc, dans ce concile de Jacques de Nisibe, avec son disciple Ephrem, et des évêques de Šahrkard et de Béth Slokh (Histoire de cette ville, BEDJAN, vol. II. p. 510 et sqq.)etc. etc. n'est qu'une fable.

60. (1) Si notre note (p. 106) est fondée, il y aurait, dans le règne de Sapor II, une année de différence entre la chronologie de noire auteur et celle établie par Noeldeke: 309-379.

61. (1) Cette campagne serait celle qui eut lieu une année environ après la mort de Constantin le Grand, et quelques mois avant celle de Jacques de Nisibe, c'est-à-dire, vers la fin. de 338 (Cf. JULIEN, Orat. I, p. 33); car l'auteur dit plus bas que Sapor, forcé de lever le siège, jura d'exterminer le nom chrétien, ce qu'il tenta par le premier édit de persécution, qui partait de la fin de 339.

62. (1) L'élection de Siméon Bar Sabba'é aurait donc eu lieu en 328 / 9. Sa mort arrivant en 341, il n'aurait gouverné que 12 ans, et non 18 ('Amr, p. 19) ou 15 (Mari, p. 8, 14); comp. Barhebraeus, Chron. Eccl. II, p. 35.

63. (2) La phrase suivante du Syn. Orient (p. 47du texte) ne prouverait pas que Papa eût des prédécesseurs sur le siège de Séleucie: [Syriac] Le prétérit [Syriac] (ou à la rigueur la particule [Syriac]), pourrait indiquer une ancienneté d'ordination, par laquelle un évéque avait le droit d'être nommé, dans les diptyques, avant un autre d'ordination plus récente. Les anciens diptyques mentionnaient en effet les évêques, par ordre d'ancienneté de leur sacre. Le mot sous-entendu et à suppléer peut donc être [Syriac] qui l'ont précédé par leur ordination et non pas nécessairement [Syriac] qui l'ont précédé dans le patriarcat de Séleucie cf. LABOURT,, op. cit p. 13 n. 2.

64. (3) D'après Mšiha-zkha, il y aurait eu deux édits de persécution, l'un datant du 6 Nissan de la fin de 339, et l'autre de septembre de l'an 340. Le premier aurait subi un ralentissement motivé par les préparatifs de guerre cf. LABOURT, op. cit. p. 50, n. 2. Les Passions des martyrs prennent pour point de départ le premier édit (cf. la passion d'Azad, Bedjan, Acta Mart. et Sanct. II. p. 248.

65. (1) C'est-à-dire vers la fin de 339 d'après la chronologie de Noeldeke, et au commencement de 34l d'après celle de Mšiha-zkha. Le compùt de Bar Penkayé que nous éditons aujourd'hui est conforme à celui de Noeldeke: [Syriac] «l'an 3 de la royauté de Constantin, roi fidèle, régna en Perse Sapor, le mage.» Constantin ayant été proclamé Auguste à la mort de Constance Chlore en 306, la troisième année de son règne tomberait en 309.

66. (2) Cf. Act. Mart. et Sanct. vol. II, p. 143.

67. (1) Comp. Aphraate (Démonst. XXI, col. 932 et 933, édit. Parisot).

68. (1) Comp. Ad. Mart. et Sanct. II, p. 26l et 268.

69. (2) C'est-à-dire, d'après Mšiha-zkha, vers la fin de 342.

70. (1) Le but de Mšiha-zkha, en composant son histoire, paraît donc avoir été de tracer sommairement la série des évêques de sa métropole, et des prêtres ou des diacres qui y souffrirent le martyre. C'est pour cela qu'il ne fait pas une mention détaillée des martyrs laïcs de son pays. Pinhés, à qui le livre est destiné, paraît donc avoir été un prêtre ou un nzira, c'est-à-dire un enfant destiné dès son enfance à être évêque, comme c'est l'usage aujourd'hui chez les nestoriens; mais ce dernier point est fort douteux, et nous ne savons vraiment pas s'il y avait des nzirés au V-VI s. et nous ne saurions décider si la classe des [Syriac] (BEDJAN, vol. II, p. 241 et 251; Syn. Orient, p. 265 etc. ) qui ne peuvent nullement être des pèlerins de Jérusalem: [Syriac], sont à identifier avec les nzirés de de nos jours, quoiqu'une glose marginale du Syn. Orient. (ibid. n. 7) explique le mot [Syriac].

71. (2) On voit qu'il n'est pas dit que Jean assista au concile de Nicée, comme le prétend l'auteur de l'histoire de la ville de Béth Slokh (BEDJAN, II, p. 515); voir plus haut, p. 125 n. 1.

72. (1) Ces martyrs nous sont inconnus de par ailleurs; le volume IV (p. 131) des Act. Mart. contient la passion d'un Hannania qu'on ne pourrait identifier avec celui dont parle notre auteur, car 1° il était laïc, tandis que le nôtre était diacre de l'église, 2° il fut massacré en 345, et le nôtre subit le martyre en 344.

73. (1) Voir Sozomene, H. E. II, 12. Patr. Graec. LXVII, col. 965. Celle campagne ne serait-elle pas celle que devait entreprendre Sapor, pendant que Constance s'employait à réduire Magnence et que les généraux romains s'occupaient de la question de l'élévation de Gallus à la dignité de César, le 15 Mars, 351?

74. (1) C'est-à-dire vers 351 2; cf. Act. Mart, et Sanct. vol. IV, p. 166, à propos des martyrs Gèles.

75. (2) Comp. Act. Mart. et Sanct. Vol, IV, p. 133.

76. (1) Nous croyons utile de dresser une liste, quoique très imparfaite, des roitelets et des gouverneurs militaires de l'Adiabène, connus par l'histoire de Mšiha-zkha:

Vers 149 Rakbakt (p. 82)

Vers 189 Narsai (p. 101)

Vers 225 Šahrat (p. 105)

Vers 230 Adorzahad (p. 108)

Vers 2*6 Goufrašnasp (p. 114)

En 365 Pagrasp ou Pargasp (p. 131)

En 366 Pironz-Tamšabour (p. 132 cf. Bedjan, IV, p. 128)

Vers 355 Adorparéh (p. 134 cf. Bedjan, IV, p. 130) Les passions des martyrs (Bedjan, vol. II, p. 286 et sq.) nous font connaître un roi (sic!) d'Adiabène, nommé Ardašir, qui régnait dans la e moitié du IV. s; mais cette donnée est difficile à expliquer, car 1° elle ne paraît pas être en pleine conformité avec le passionnaire de l'Adiabène (ibid. vol. IV, p. 128-165) et avec Mšiha-zkha; 2° depuis l'avènement de Sassanides, l'Adiabene fut réduite en satrapie et l'époque des roitelets expira par le fait même (p. 108). Cet Ardašir serait donc un des chefs de mages, pareil à celui dont il est question à la p. 137 ou bien un gouverneur de la province de l'Assyrie, ou bien enfin le fameux Ardašir, le frère de Sapor II (Tabari, p. 70, n. 1). Les gouverneurs (ou plutôt les mobeds) de 355 et au delâ, comme Kourkasid (IV, p. 137) et Adoršag (p. 131) ne sont pas mentionnés par notre auteur.

77. (1) Sozomène affirme que le nombre des martyrs de la persécution de Sapor, dont les noms étaient connus montait à 16,000 (H. E. II, 14: P. G. t. LX. V I, col. 969). Ce chiffre peut ne pas paraître exagéré, si l'on songe au grand nombre de chrétiens qui peuplaient le domaine des successeurs des Achéménides. Mšiha-zkha (p. 106) compte plus de 17 évêques, en 225, dans les provinces du centre seulement; les actes des martyrs mentionnent plus de 16 évêques de pays différents qui subirent le martyre; ne s'en trouyait-il pas d'autres qui furent épargnés? (cf. ASSEM. Acta Mart. Orient. I, p. 136, 82, 220, 227, 151, 230, 81, 41, 83, 80; BEDJAN, IV, p. 128, 130. etc. etc. ). Les passionnaires publiés, de nos jours, nous fournissent des données certaines sur le grand nombre de chrétiens (BEDJAN, II, p. 261 et sq. etc. ) Parmi ces chrétiens nous trouvons plusieurs religieux et religieuses qui subissent le martyre (Evod. Assem. ibid. p. 166, 165, 100, 71, 166, 123, 103, 55). Aphraate (lre moitié du IV s. ) qui a consacré sa VI homélie à ces religieux et religieuses appelés «fils et filles de pacte» montre très bien qu'ils étaient très nombreux et très appliqués à la vie parfaite et insinue qu'il était lui-même de leur nombre. Nous pourrions nous demander si une centaine d'années suffiraient pour établir tout cet attirail et pour faire propager si rapidement une religion. Par la force des choses, il nous faut donc faire remonter l'évangélisation des chrétientés persanes aux débuts même du christianisme. ---- Les paroles des historiens occidentaux ne sont pas moins expresses; Tertullien écrit (Adv. Judaeos, cap. VII) «in quem enim alium (nisi in Christum) universae génies crediderunt, Parthi, Medi, Elamitae, et qui habitant Mesopotamiam..." Cf. Iren. adv. haer. lib. I, cap. X. Denys d'Alexandrie (Euseb. VII, 5) parle des églises de la Mésopotamie et de leurs rapports avec les autres églises; Eusèbe de Césarée (praepar. evang. VI, 10, 66) mentionne des chrétientés en Parthie, en Médie, en Perse, en Bactriane. et dans le pays des Gèles (cf. HARNACK, Die Mission und Ausbreitung des Christentums in den ersten drei Jahrhunderten, p. 642 et sq. ) Le commerce entre Antioche, Edesse et Arbèles était très actif au commencement de notre ère (plus haut, p. 103; 89); de plus les actes des apôtres nous apprennent qu'au temps pascal les Juifs de la Parthie, de la Médie, de l'Elam et de la Mésopotamie se rendaient à Jérusalem (Act. II, 9). Rien n'aurait empêché le zèle des apôtres du Christ de se rendre sur le territoire Perse et y semer la doctrine de leur maître. Pourquoi franchiraient-ils les mers pour aller dans des pays à moeurs étrangères, et négligeraient-ils des contrées avoisinantes qui avaient les mêmes habitudes et souvent la même langue, et qui étaient habitées par un nombre tres considérable de Juifs? (voir plus haut, p. 89, 87 n. 1).

78. (1) C'est-à-dire en 386.

79. (1) Iezdegerd I régna de 399 à 420 et Bahram V qui lui succéda de 420 à 438 (NOELDEKE, op. cit. ibid. ).

80. (2) Nous pouvons inférer du récit de Mšiha- zkha que les persécutions de Iezdegerd I (399-420) et de Warharam V (420-438) ne sévirent pas en Adiabène; l'édit de Iezdegerd qui parlait de la fin de l'hiver de 420 n'eut pas le temps de faire un grand nombre de victimes 1° parce qu'il n'aurait duré que six mois environ, car le roi mourut en automne de cette même année (TABARI, p. 77, n. 1); 2° parce que le roi qui avait promulgué cet édit contre ses dispositions (cf. SOCRATE, Hist. Eccles. VII, 18) forcé par les instances des prêtres du feu, n'aurait pas déployé un grand zèle à le mettre en exécution. ----- La persécution de Warharan n'eut pas non plus le temps d'étendre ses cruautés dans les pays renfermés entre les deux Zabs; commençant vers la fin de 421, elle cessa en 422, grâce au sucrés des armes d'Ardabure sur Miharnarsé. Nous ne pourrions donc pas croire avec l'auteur de la passion de Pérouz (HOFFMANN, op. cit. p. 39)que cette persécution dura cinq ans.

81. (1) En 420 (Syn. Orient, p. 276).

82. (2) En 410 (ibid. p. 253).

83. (3) Les Orientalistes n'ont pas pu reconnaître le véritable emplacement de ce pays; Lamy l'identifie avec Nehard*a au S. E. de Babylone, où florissait une grande colonie juive (Barhebr. Chron. Eccles. II, p. 69, n. 1). Hoffmann, Chabot, Marquart (Loc. cit. p. 208-216. ---- Syn. Orient. 669. ----p. 22) le placent entre le Tigre et le Habour, le Tour 'Abdin et le Djebel Sindjar. Béth Nonhadra est situé au nord de Ma'alta et à l'ouest de la montagne de Béth' Edré, aux environs du cada de Dehok actuel.

84. (4) Voir plus haut p. 112.

85. (5) Nous ne pouvons identifier ce nom qui s'appelle aussi [Syriac] (Syn. Orient, p. 33).

86. (6) Cette localité qui est écrite [Syriac] dans le Syn. Orient. (p, 33), n'a pu être identifée jusqu'à nos jours.

87. (7) I.e. après le synode de Iabalaba,

88. (1) C'est-à-dire en 436

89. (2) L'auteur de l'histoire de Bèth Slokh, (Act. Mart. et Sanct. II, p. 521) mentionne un évêque d'Arbèles qui fut martyrisé sous Iezdegerd II, vers 4'j , mais il a bien garde de nous le nommer. L'évêque de l'Adiabène, en cette année, s'appelait Rhima et notre lexie ne dit pas qu'il a été martyrisé. Si l'information de l'auteur anonyme est fondée, il faut dire que cet évêque, n'était pas à proprement parler celui d'Arbèles, mais bien celui d'une ville dépendant de cette métropole.

90. (1) Il s'agit de l'évêque d'Edesse Ibas (635-657) qui contribua plus que tout autre à la propagation du nestorianisme (Duval, Littérature Syriaque p. 363-346)

91. (2) Cf. le récit de Simon de Béth Aršam dans Assem. B. 0. I, 346

92. (3) II est assez malaisé du savoir en quelle année Barsauma quitta Edesse pour se rendre à Nisibe; il s'est certainement rendu sur le territoire perse avant 657, année de la mort d'Ibas et de l'expulsion desdocteurs. Nous pouvons déduire cela du récit de Barhadhbšabba (dans Narsai Homiliae et Carmina 1. p. 34) et de Mšiha-zkha etc. Il se trouyait aussi à Edesse en 669 où ses accusateurs demandent instamment son bannissement (MARTIN, Revue des sciences ecclésiastiques 1876, p. 539). Tout nous porte à croire qu'il aurait quitté pour toujours la capitale de l'Osrhoène en 450/1 et qu'il aurait été sacré évêque de Nisibe peu de temps après. Il est donc inexact de croire avec Ebedjésus et Elie de Nisibe qu'il fut promu à l'épiscopat en 435.

93. (1) c'est-à-dire Théodore de Mopsueste; sur les commentaires de Narsai et ses autres oeuvres voir Narsai homiliae et Carmina. 1, p. 9 et sq.

94. (2) Cf. Histoire de la ville du Béth Slokh, vol. II, p. 531

95. (3) Pirouz mourut en 484 (Tabari, p. 126 et sq. )

96. (4) Comp. Barheb. Chron. Eccles. II, p. 65.

97. (1) Le Synode d'Acace eut lieu eu 486 (Syn. Orient, p. 299)

98. (2) Les quelques mois d'entrée en matière du synode d'Akak (Syn. Orient, p. 30), mentionnent l'Adiabène parmi les villes dont les évêques étaient présents au concile, mais ils ne nous, donnent pas le nom de 1'évêque. Cette donnée proviendrait d'une interpolation d'un scribe, pareille à tant d'autres que nous présente, dans sa forme actuelle, le Syn. Orient. à preuve, l'absence, à la fin du concile, d'un signataire du pays d'Adiabène; car si un métropolitain d'Arbèk s y était présent, sa signature n'aurait pu y faire défaut. Le mieux est donc de s'en tenir à Mšiha-zkha qui dit que 'Abboušta, alors évêque de la métropole, n'assista pas au concile, pour cause de maladie.

99. (3) En 498.

100. (4) Voici l'ordre que l'auteur aurait suivi, selon nous, pour arriver au nombre de dix, dans l'énumération des conciles: Ancyre, Nicée, Gangres, Antioche, Laodicée, Isaac, Iabalaha, Dadišo', Acacius (Cf. Syn. Orient, p, 609 et sq. ) Il serait intéressant de savoir la législation et les autorités judiciaires des nestoriens du VI s. Quels synodes locaux de l'Occident leur étaient connus? Quels sont ceux qu'ils rejetaient? Avaient-ils traduit, dans leur langue, l'ensemble des lois, générales et locales, qui régissaient le grand état Occidental?

101. (1) Par cette phrase de Mšiha-zkha, on peut comprendre l'erreur du copiste du Syn. Orient, qui, à la page 315, 1. 17, nomme Joseph, évêque d'Arbèles et métropolitain de l'Adiabène, et à la page 317, nomme Sidoura comme notaire de 'Ahboušta l'évêque et te métropolitain de l'Adiabène, et le fait signer pour lui. Faut-il supposer (chose impossible) qu'il y avait deux évêques sur le même siège? Après le concile de Nicée, cette anomalie ne s'est jamais présemée dans l'église Orientale. La difficulté pourrait se résoudre de deux manières: ou bien il y a une faute de copiste et une interpolation du texte original qui devait être constitué de la manière suivante «Joseph, prêtre d'Arbèles, métropole de l'Adiabène», au lieu de «Joseph évêque d'Arbèles, métropolitain de l'Adiabène»; ou bien Joseph, devenant évêque de l'Adiabène, un an après le synode, le collecteur du synodicon, a nommé Joseph, comme évêque signant en son propre nom, c'est-à-dire acceptant tous les décrets du synode tenu antérieurement (cf. Chabot, ibid. p. 618).

102. (2) cf. Syn. Orient, p. 313.

103. (1) Kawad régna de 688 à 696; en cette même année il fut déposé, et Zaraasp fils de Pirouz le remplaça jusqu'à l'an 498; il fut replacé de nouveau sur le trône qu'il occupa jusqu'à 531.

104. (2) Cette guerre qui a été racontée parle pseudo-Josué (édit. Martin) commença le 22 août 501 (Tabari, p. 146, n. 1),

105. (1) Narsai mourut on 502, (Narsai Homiliae et Carmina, I, p. 8)

106. (2) Barhadbbšabba 'Arabaya l'appelle Bar Kouzbayé et dit qu'il dirigea l'école pendant sept ans (ibid. p. 35).

107. (3) Šila occupa le siège de Séleucie de 505 à 523.

108. (1) Se rappeler que Šila était marié (Mare, p. 41; 'Amr, p. 22)

109. (2) Pris dans un sens tout objectif, pour l'ensemble des règles et des pratiques auxquelles assujettit la vie érémitique et cénobitique.

110. (1) c'est-à-dire en 511.

111. (1) Si ce Hnana est le même que celui qui a assisté au synode de Mar Aba I tenu en 564, il aurait occupé le siège plus de 33 ans (Syn. Orient, p. 366, 365), et serait mort bien avant 556 puisque nous voyons un autre évêque d'Adiabène, nommé Msabbha, qui signe au synode de Joseph (556); cf. Syn. Orient, p. 366.

112. (2) C'est-à-dire comme Joseph son prédécesseur (v. plus haut, p. 150)

113. (3) Il ne nous est rien parvenu des oeuvres de ce Hnana; ses écrits n'auraient-ils pas été dans la suite confondus avec ceux de Hnana également d'Adiabène, et directeur de l'école de Nisibe depuis 572? (Narsai homiliae et Carmina I, p. 8, 37 sq. )

114. (4) Elisée de Kouzbou mourut en 509, après avoir dirigé l'école pendant sept'ans. ---- Mr l'abbé Chabot, nous a, par méprise, imputé une erreur que nous n'avons jamais faite; il écrit dans le journal asiatique (1905, p. 465, n. 4): «d'après une note du P. Mingana, selon Barhadhbšabba, cet Elisée est le même qu'Elisée évoque de Nisibe.» Or le sens de notre phrase est, mot pour mot, opposé à cette idée «secundum Barhadhbšabbam hic auctor alius est ac Elisaeus qui fuit episcopus Nisibin.» (Ibid p. 8).

115. (5) Cette histoire est donc l'oeuvre d'un contemporain, admirateur d'Abraham.

116. (1) i. e. le jeune âge d'Abraham.

117. (2) Šila mourut en 522 / 3, et la compétition de Narsai et d'Elisée

dura jusqu'à 539, c'est-à-dire seize ans environ (cf. Amr, p. 22; Mari, 42-43).

118. (1) 'Amr (p. 22) mentionne aussi ce Paul parmi les électeurs de Narsai, mais il dit faussement qu'il était métropolitain d'Arbèles.

119. (2) En examinant attentivement le manuscrit, nous avons remarqué que les pages disparues ne seraient qu'au nombre de quatre seulement, à moins d'admettre (ce qui est peu probable) qu'un cahier entier ait disparu, après ces deux feuilles. ---- Ce Paul, qui devint évêque de Nisibe, ne peut donc être identifié avec Paul le Perse de Mercati (Per la vita e gli scritti di Paolo il Persiano, 1899, p. 3, n, 2) qui se trouvait à Constantinople, au temps dont parie Mšiha-zkha, c'est-à-dire de 525 à 533 (LABOURT, le Christianisme dans l'empire perse, p. 166 ). — Les conclusions tirées de ces dernières pages, pour l'époque de la composition de celle histoire, sont exposées dans la préface ( p. VIII - IX ).

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911). Preface to the online edition

Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911). Preface to the online edition

I became aware of the existence of this translation by accident. An American gentleman emailed me and asked after this work, and also Optatus of Milevis. A quick search revealed the existence of this translation; an inter-library loan brought the book to my hands in a week; and a weekend's work placed it online.

The work itself is medieval; collections of hearsay about miracles of the saints. Much of it is plainly exaggerated or untrue. Some people blasphemously call this 'pious fiction' -- I am less sympathetic to this, although perhaps I expect too much accuracy. In my view telling plainly doubtful stories about miracles simply encourages scepticism about the Christian faith. But the constant refrain of the book is the devastation caused by the Lombard invasions. Perhaps it is harsh to criticise people trying to find some comfort from stories, in a dreadful world; and the later history of the book is not the responsibility of its author.

The book itself is an Arts and Crafts movement volume. The headings are all in Gothic, the binding is a reproduction of a 16th century Italian binding, and illustrations, some in colour, appear at intervals. The illustrations are all photographs or colourings of Renaissance paintings, and have been omitted. Likewise the list of illustrations with notes has been omitted. The notes appeared at the back; I have mixed them in with the footnotes (all biblical references) and placed them at the end of each book. The text itself OCR'd very easily; the headings had to be typed in.

The text is very old-fashioned, and was modernised only in spelling, and not always then. I have added some more -- 'Bennet' changed to 'Benedict', 'Totilas' to 'Totila', etc. But I do not have the time to remove all the Jacobean phraseology.

Book 2 had been scanned long ago by the St. Pachomius Library, an Orthodox website. They placed it in the public domain, for which many thanks. I have used this as the basis for book 2, while adding in page numbers and footnotes.

Roger PEARSE

23rd August 2004

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Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Introduction. pp.xix-xxvi.

Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Introduction. pp.xix-xxvi.

The Dialogues of Saint Gregory, surnamed the Great: Pope of Rome & the first of that name. Divided into Four Books, wherein he entreateth of the Lives and Miracles of the Saints in Italy and of the Eternity of Men's Souls. Translated into our English Tongue by P.W. and printed at Paris in mdcviii. Re-edited with an Introduction and Notes by Edmund G. Gardner, M.A. With Illustrations after the Old Masters annotated by G.F.Hill.

London: Philip Lee Warner

vii Grafton St., Bond St. W. mdccccxi.

Introduction

The four books of Dialogues of Saint Gregory the Great, "concerning the life and miracles of the Italian Fathers and the eternity of souls," were written in 593, three years after his elevation to the papacy, at the request of certain monks of his household.

"My brethren who dwell familiarly with me," writes Gregory to Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse, "would have me by all means write something in brief fashion concerning the miracles of the Fathers, which we have heard wrought in Italy. For this purpose I earnestly need the help of your charity, that you should briefly inform me of all those which come back to your memory, or which you have happened yourself to know. For I remember that you related certain things, which I have forgotten, concerning the lord abbot Nonnosus, who lived near the lord Anastasius de Pentumis. I beseech you, therefore, to put down this, and whatever others there are, in your letters, and forward them to me with speed, unless you yourself are coming to me shortly."¹

There is no other book that gives us so vivid a picture of religious life in Italy during the sixth century: the century that witnessed the brief epoch of Gothic |xx domination, the restoration of the imperial Byzantine power, and finally the invasion of the Lombards, that "barbarous and cruel nation," writes Gregory, which, "drawn as a sword out of a sheath," wrought such unutterable havoc and devastation in the peninsula that many, with Bishop Redemptus, held verily that "the end of all flesh was come." ² It is the century that closed the period of classical civilisation, and ushered in that dreariest epoch in the history of mankind known as the Dark Ages.

Inevitably, men turned from the spectacle of a world "fraught with so many miseries and divers afflictions,"³ to prepare in the solitude of the cloister for the end which they deemed fast approaching, if it were not already come. They naturally sought eagerly to grasp such phenomena as seemed to them miraculous, as visible signs that God had not utterly abandoned His creation, and to find proofs that the soul, at least, was immortal, and might look forward to a better life hereafter by forgiveness of injuries, and by offering herself up before death as a sacrifice to Him that had made her.⁴ It is this that gives pathos even to the apparent triviality of some of the miracles that Gregory records, and deeper significance to the note on which the work ends.

Three great figures illumine the general darkness of the sixth century in Italy: Boethius, the last philosopher of the classical world; Benedict, the organiser or western monasticism; and Gregory himself the chief agent in the building up of the mediaeval ideal of the papacy.

The Roman senator, Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius, whom Gibbon calls "the last of the Romans whom Cato or Tully could have acknowledged for their countryman," was tortured to death by the orders of |xxi King Theodoric the Goth, in 524 or 525. Dante was to meet him among the glowing spirits of great teachers in the fourth sphere of Paradise: "In the vision of all good there rejoiceth the holy soul, who unmasks the world's deceit to whoso giveth good heed to it. The body whence it was hunted lieth below in Cieldauro, and it from martyrdom and from exile came unto this peace."⁵ Though a martyr for the liberty of Rome rather than for the faith of Christ, Boethius was (as we now know for certain) an advocate of Christianity, albeit from the philosophical rather than the religious standpoint; but his famous work, De Consolatione Philosophiae, composed in his prison at Pavia under the shadow of death, attempts to "assert eternal Providence and justify the ways of God to men" from the standpoint of human reason alone. It is somewhat curious that his name, which rings through the literature of the Middle Ages from Alfred to Dante, occurs nowhere in the Dialogues, although his fellow-victims under the tyranny of the last years of Theodoric's rule, John the Pope and Symmachus the Senator, are mentioned more than once, and the monkish legend of their persecutor's terrible end is related in full.⁶

Some four or five years after the death of Boethius, Benedict of Nursia founded the great monastery of Monte Cassino, about 529. Here in 543, fourteen years later, he died. Even in the west, Benedict was naturally not without precursors; such as Martin of Tours, Cassianus of Marseilles, Cesarius of Arles, Equitius, who, "by reason of his great holiness of life, was the father and governor of many abbeys in the province of Valeria," ⁷ and some others; but it was more especially the work of the great Italian monk, |xxii whose face Dante so ardently desired to behold unveiled in Paradise, to elevate this western monastic life into a system, with fixed laws and an ideal, like the object of hope according to the scholastic definition, "arduous but not impossible of attainment." The famous rule, the Regula Sancti Benedicti, which he wrote and promulgated from Monte Cassino (based, in part, upon the eastern rule of St. Basil), for all its apparent simplicity, is one of the few great constructive works of the sixth century. Although, from the standpoint of the Divina Commedia, Dante makes the Saint declare that his regola remained on earth solely to waste the parchment on which it was written, per danno delle carte, it became the norm according to which generations of men and women throughout the western world devoted themselves to the highest spiritual life, and became "kindled by that heat which gives birth to flowers and holy fruits."⁸

The second book of the Dialogues, De vita et miraculis venerabilis Benedicti, is the earliest and most authoritative account of St. Benedict that we possess. Indeed, it, together with his Rule, is our only source for the story of his life and the understanding of his character. As has been well said, it is "the biography of the greatest Monk, vritten by the greatest Pope (himself also a Monk.)"⁹

Gregory was born probably a year or two before the death of St. Benedict. The son of the Roman senator, Gordianus, and a scion of the noble house of the Anicii, he inherited vast possessions in the Roman Campagna and in the territory of Tivoli, stretching almost to the gates of Praeneste (Palestrina), and a palace on the Caelian Hill. His childhood was passed amidst the disastrous events of the struggle between Justinian's generals and the Goths, when Rome was taken and retaken again and again by the Goths and the |xxiii barbarian armies of the Empire. In his early manhood, after the death of Justinian and the recall of Narses to Constantinople, came the even more disastrous invasion and partial conquest of Italy by the Lombards. "Late and long," he writes, " I put off the grace of conversion, and, after I had been inspired with celestial desire, I thought it better to be clothed in the secular habit." ¹⁰ In 573, when still a young man, he was prefect of Rome. A few years later, he became a monk, turned his palace into a monastery, made over his lands to the monks, and disposed of his property to religious and public uses. After serving as apocrisiarius, or papal legate, to the imperial court of Byzantium, for Pope Pelagius II., he was, on the latter's death during the terrible pestilence that devastated Rome at the beginning of 590, elected Pope, and, in spite of his resistance, was compelled to accept the choice of the Romans, which (in accordance with the usage of the times) was confirmed by the Emperor Mauritius.

This is not the place to tell again the story of Gregory's pontificate. Physically a complete invalid, suffering from almost incessant pain, he held the see for fourteen years (dying on March 12, 604), with an indefatigable vigour and an incessant activity, in times of wellnigh unqualified difficulty and gloom. Convinced in his own mind that the end of the world was at hand (he had announced it to the people in his first public homily as Pope in St. Peter's, and the conviction abode with him until his death),¹¹ he nevertheless did not neglect even the care of temporal things, when these were forced upon him by the duties of his state and the pressure of the times. His conception of the temporal power of the papacy, and the relations of Church and State, was poles asunder from that of the Popes of |xxiv Dante's century, and essentially the same as that of the poet himself. Of the vast territorial possessions of the Church, the administration of which he thoroughly reformed, he regarded the Pope, "not as possessor, but as dispenser of the fruits for the poor of Christ, on behalf of the Church." ¹² Compelled to act as a secular ruler in defence of Rome against the Lombards, he regarded himself, in the temporal field, as the subject of the State. Like Dante, he conceives of the Church and State as mutually co-operating, but ruling over different spheres, and the Emperor is God's vicar and representative on earth in all things temporal: "What he does, if canonical, we follow; if it is not canonical, we bear it, as far as we can without sin."¹³ In the ecclesiastical sphere, on the other hand, he is uncompromising in asserting the supremacy of Rome over all other Christian churches. His work of converting the English, and preparing the conversion of the Lombards, need not be told here. Gregory was the creator of the spiritual ideal of the mediaeval papacy, even as Benedict had created that of western monasticism.

The Dialogues were translated into Greek by one of St. Gregory's successors, Pope Zaccharias I. (741-752): "that so the Grecians might be instructed in the rules of good living," as Platina's seventeenth-century translator puts it. With a similar desire for the edification of the English, an Anglo-Saxon version was made, about 890, by Bishop Werferth of Worcester, at the instigation of Alfred the Great.¹⁴ The Dialogues were among the most popular reading of the Middle Ages, and early translations exist in almost every European language. In the fourth book, we find the first |xxv rudiments of the mediaeval conception of the three states of souls in the other world. The story of the vision seen by a certain soldier ¹⁵ is practically the first in the west of those more or less fictitious visions of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, which (inspired so many imitations throughout the Middle Ages, from Venerable Bede's legends of Fursaeus and Drythelm to the visions of Tundal, Alberic of Monte Cassino, and the monk Edmund of Eynsham----the long series which (speaking superficially) may be said to culminate in the Divina Commedia. Dante himself knew the Dialogues well. His account of St. Benedict in the sphere of Saturn, and his own vision of the nothingness of the world in his ascent to the Stellar Heaven, were directly suggested by St. Gregory's words.¹⁶ From Gregory, too, came his doctrine of the "Mansions of Beatitude," albeit its significance had for him acquired a deeper and intenser note by the passage through the mystical mind of Bonaventura. Echoes of the Dialogues may likewise be discerned in the De Monarchia and in the Letter to Can Grande. The influence of Gregory's earlier work, the Moralia, or Exposition of the Book of Job, is also very marked in many passages of the Divina Commedia.

The translation of the Dialogues, here offered to the reader, was published at Paris in 1608----seventeen years, that is, before the first English version of Boccaccio's Decameron. It was dedicated "to the high and excellent princess Anne: by God's singular providence, Queen of great Britain, France, and Ireland"; that is, to Anne of Denmark, the consort of King James I. The translator claims to be the first thus to present a book to her: "For whereas divers, of divers professions, have directed their works to our most dread Sovereign, |xxvi and one also to our young Prince (your dear son, and the orient object of our country's joy), so none at all, for aught that I can learn, much less that professeth the religion of St. Gregory, hath hitherto presented any book to your Princely person." His "epistle dedicatory" is dated "the first of January, 1608," and signed " Your Majesty's most devoted servant, and daily orator, P.W." This "P. W." has not been identified; the Jesuit father, Henry James Coleridge, who edited his translation, in a somewhat modernised form, in 1874, suggested that he was "an English Catholic, desirous to interest the Queen in favour of the ancient religion." The Dialogues are further introduced by a lengthy preface "to the courteous and virtuous Christian reader," and followed (with an independent title-page) by " A short Relation of divers Miracles wrought at the memories or shrines of certain martyrs, especially St. Stephen, the Protomartyr of Christ's Church," the contents of which are mainly taken from the City of God of St. Augustine and the Life of St. Bernard. The present re-issue of the translation, save for the spelling, follows verbally the edition of 1608. The Latin text cited is that given by Migne (P.L. lxxvii.).

The Dialogues of St. Gregory have exercised a certain influence upon Christian iconography. Spinello Aretino at San Miniato, Luca Signorelli and Giovanni Antonio Bazzi at Mont' Oliveto Maggiore, Fra Filippo Lippi, Neroccio of Siena, Benedetto Bonfigli, and many other Italian masters found subjects ready to their hand in its pages; while the pilgrim to Subiaco and the other sanctuaries of the Roman Campagna, hallowed by the footsteps of these "fathers of the olden time," will still find the words of the great pontiff of the sixth century the most vivid of guides.

EDMUND G. GARDNER

August 15, 1911

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. ¹ Gregorii I. Registrant, Epist. in. 5 (ed. Ewald and Hartmann, I. p. 206). Cf. Dialog, i. 7, 8, iii. 36. The title "lord" (domnus) is given to an abbot in accordance with the Rule of St. Benedict (cap. 63): "Abbas autem, quia vices Christi agere creditur, Domnus et Abbas vocatur."

2. ¹ Dialog, iii. 38.

3. ² Ibid. iii. 38.

4. ³ Ibid, iv, 60.

5. ¹ Par. x. 124-129. Cieldauro is the church of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro (the Golden Roof) at Pavia, where Boethius was buried.

6. ² Dialog, iii. 2, iv. 30.

7. ³ Ibid. i. 4.

8. ¹ Par. xxii. 46-48, 73-75.

9. ² Hodgkin, Italy and her Invaders, vol. iv., p. 411.

10. ¹ Moralia, Epistola missoria (to Leander of Seville), cap. i.

11. ² Homilia I. in Evangelia (Migne, P.L., lxxvi. coll. 1077-1081).

12. ¹ De Monarchta, iii. 10.

13. ² Epist. xi. 29 (Ewald and Hartmann, II. pp. 299-300).

14. ³ Bischofs Waerferth von Worcester Ubenetzung der Dialoge Gregors des Grossen. Ed. Hans Hecht. Leipzig, 1900.

15. ¹ Dialog, iv. 36. See Notes.

16. ² Cf. Par. xxii. 37-45, Dialog, ii. 8; Par. xxii. 133-153, Dialog.ii. 35.

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Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Book 1. pp.1-48

Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Book 1. pp.1-48

Chapter One: of Honoratus, abbot of the Monastery of Funda.

Chapter Two: of Libertinus, Prior of the same Abbey.

Chapter Three; of a certain monk, that was gardener to the same Abbey.

Chapter Four: of Equitius, abbot in the Province of Valeria.

Chapter Five: of Constantius, Clerk of the Church of St. Stephen.

Chapter Six: of Marcellinus, Bishop of Ancona.

Chapter Seven: of Nonnosus, Prior of the Abbey in Mount Soracte.

Chapter Eight: of Anastasius, Abbot of the Monastery called Suppentonia.

Chapter Nine: of Bonifacius, Bishop of Ferenti.

Chapter Ten: of Fortunatus, Bishop of the City of Tuderti.

Chapter Eleven: of Martirius, a Monk in the Province of Valeria.

Chapter Twelve: of Severus, a Priest in the same Province.

The Dialogues of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome

The First Book

Being upon a certain day too much over-charged with the troubles of worldly business, in which oftentimes men are enforced to do more than of duty they are bound, I retired myself into a solitary place, very fit for a sad and melancholy disposition; where each discontentment and dislike concerning such secular affairs might plainly show themselves, and all things that usually bring grief, mustered together, might freely be presented before mine eyes. In which place after that I had sat a long while, in much silence and great sorrow of soul, at length Peter, my dear son and deacon, came unto me; a man whom, from his younger years, I had always loved most entirely, and used him for my companion in the study of sacred scripture: who, seeing me drowned in such a dump of sorrow, spake unto me in this manner: "What is the matter? or what bad news have you heard? for certain I am, that some extraordinary sadness doth now afflict your mind." To whom I returned this answer: "O Peter, the grief which continually 1 endure is unto me both old and new: old through common use, and new by daily increasing. For mine unhappy soul, wounded with worldly business, doth now call to mind in what state it was, when I lived in mine Abbey, and |4 how then it was superior to all earthly matters, far above all transitory and corruptible pelf, how it did usually think upon nothing but heavenly things; and though it was enclosed in mortal body, yet did it by contemplation pass far beyond earthly bounds, and penetrate to the very height of heaven; and as for death, the memory whereof is almost to all men grievous, that it did love and desire, as the end of all misery, the reward of her labours, and the very entrance to an everlasting and blessed life. But now, by reason of my pastoral charge, my poor soul is enforced to endure the burden of secular men's business, and after so excellent and sweet a kind of rest, denied it is with the dust of worldly conversation: and when it doth, at the request of others, attend to outward affairs, no question but it returneth back, far less fit to think upon those that be inward, spiritual, and heavenly. Wherefore, at this present, do I meditate what I suffer, and consider what my soul hath lost: and the memory of my former loss doth make that more grievous which I do now endure. For do you not behold at this present, how I am tossed with the waves of this wicked world, and see the ship of my soul beaten with the storms of a terrible tempest? and therefore, when I remember my former state of life, I cannot but sigh to look back, and cast mine eyes upon the forsaken shore.

"And that which doth yet grieve me more is because I see myself so carried away amain with the boisterous blasts of this troublesome world, that I cannot now scarce behold the port from whence I did first hoist sail;¹ for such be the downfalls of our soul, that first it loseth that goodness and virtue which before it possessed; yet so that it doth still remember what it hath lost; but afterwards, carried away more and more, and straying further from the path of virtue, it cometh at length to that pass, that it doth not so much as keep in mind what before it did daily practise: and so in conclusion, it falleth out as |5 I said before, that sailing farther on, we go at length so far, that we do not so much as once behold the sweet harbour of quiet and peace from whence we first set forth. Sometime also my sorrow is increased, by remembering thrives of certain notable men, who with their whole soul did utterly forsake and abandon this wicked world: whose high perfection when I behold, I cannot also but see mine own infirmities and imperfection: very many of whom did, in a contemplative and retired kind of life, much please God: and lest by dealing with transitory business they might have decayed in virtue, God's goodness vouchsafed to free them from the troubles and affairs of this wretched world. But that which I have now said will be far more plain, and the better perceived, if the residue of my speech be dialogue wise distinguished, by setting down each of our names, you asking what you shall think convenient, and I by answer, giving satisfaction to such questions as you shall demand at my hands."

PETER. I do not remember any in Italy, that have been very famous for virtue; and therefore ignorant I am who they be, that, comparing your life to theirs, you should be so much inflamed to imitate their steps; for although I make no doubt but that there have been many good men, yet do I verily think that none of them wrought any miracles, or at least they have been hitherto so buried in silence that, whether any such thing hath been done or no, not any one man can tell.

GREGORY. If I should, Peter, but report only those things which myself alone have understood by the relation of virtuous and credible persons, or else learned by myself, concerning the life and miracles of perfect and holy men, I should sooner in mine opinion lack day to talk in, than matter to speak of.

PETER. Desirous I am that you would vouchsafe to make me partaker of some of them: and not to think |6 much, if, upon so good an occasion, you interrupt your other study of interpreting the scripture, because no less edification doth grow by the relation of miracles. For as by the exposition of that, we learn how virtue is to be found and kept: so by recounting the miracles of holy men, we know how that which is found out and possessed, is declared and made manifest to the world. And some there are that be sooner moved to the love of God by virtuous examples than by godly sermons: and oftentimes, by the lives of holy fathers, the heart doth reap a double commodity; for if, by comparing of his own life with theirs, he findeth himself inflamed with the love of heaven, although before he had haply a good opinion of himself, yet seeing now how far others do excel him, he becometh also more humble, and is brought to have a more lowly conceit of his own actions and virtue.

GREGORY. Such things as venerable and holy men have told me, I will now, without any further delay, make you partaker of, and that following the example of sacred scripture: for sure I am that St. Luke and St. Mark learned that gospel which they wrote, not by sight but by the relation of others: yet lest any in reading should have occasion to doubt whether such things as I write be true or no, I will set down by what means and of whom I have learned them: yet in some of them you have to know that I remember not all the particulars, but only the matter: in other some, both the matter and also the words. And besides, if I should have been so curious as to have kept in mind each man's particular words, many, uttered after the country manner, would have made the style of my discourse nothing handsome nor seemly. Tnac story which I mean first to begin with, I had by the report of passing reverent men and of great years.

Chapter One: of Honoratus, abbot of the Monastery of Funda.

In times past one Venantius, a noble man, had a living in the country of |7 Samnium; the farmer whereof had a son called Honoratus, who from his very childhood by the virtue of abstinence did thirst after the joys of heaven: and as in other things he led an holy life, and refrained from all idle talk, so did he much, as I said before, subdue his body by means of abstinence. His parents, upon a certain day, had invited their neighbours to a banquet which consisted altogether of flesh, whereof because for the love of mortification he refused to eat, his father and mother began to laugh at him, willing him to fall to that which they had: "For can we," quoth they, "get you any fish here in these mountains?" (for in that place they used sometimes to hear of fish, but seldom to see any.) But whiles they were thus jesting, and mocking at their son, suddenly they lacked water: whereupon a servant with a wooden bucket (as the manner is there) went to the well to fetch some: into which, as he was a drawing, a fish entered in, which upon his return, together with the water, he poured forth before them all. And the fish was so great, that it served Honoratus very well for all that day. At this strange chance all were stroken in admiration, and his parents abstained now from further scoffing at his virtue, and began to have him in reverence for his abstinence, whom before for that very cause they did mock and scorn: and by this means, the fish, brought miraculously from the well, discharged God's servant from that shame, which he had endured through their uncivil jesting. Honoratus, proceeding forward in virtue, at length was made free by the foresaid Lord Venantius: and afterward, in that place which is called Funda,² he built an Abbey, wherein he was the father almost of two hundred monks: and he lived in so great holiness that he gave good example to all the country round about. Upon a certain day, it fell so out, that a stone of an huge greatness, which was digged out of the |8 mountain that hung over the top of his Abbey, tumbled down by the side of the hill, threatening both the ruin of the house and the death of all the monks within: which danger the holy man seeing ready to come upon them, called often upon the name of Christ, and, putting forth his right hand, made against it the sign of the cross, and by that means did he stay it, and pin it fast to the side of that steep hill: which thing Lawrence, a religious man, affirmed to be most true. And because it found not there any place upon which it might rest, it hangeth at this time in such sort, that all which now look upon it do verily think that it would continually fall.

PETER. I suppose so notable a man as he was, and who afterward became master to so many scholars, had himself some excellent teacher of whom he was instructed.

GREGORY. I never heard that he was scholar to any: but the grace of the Holy Ghost is not tied to any law. The usual custom of virtuous men is, that none should take upon him to rule, who first hath not learned to obey: nor to command that obedience to his subjects, which before he hath not given to his own superiors. Yet some there be which are so inwardly taught by the doctrine of God's holy spirit, that although they have no man to instruct them outwardly, yet do they not want the direction of an inward teacher: which liberty of life notwithstanding is not to be taken for an example by such as be weak and infirm, lest, whiles each one doth in like manner presume to be full of the Holy Ghost, and contemn to learn of any, they become themselves erroneous masters. But that soul which is full of God's holy spirit, hath for proof thereof most evident signs, to wit, the other virtues, and especially humility, both which if they do perfectly meet in one soul, apparent it is that they be testimonies of the presence of heavenly grace. And so we read not that John Baptist |9 had any master, nor yet that Christ, who by his corporal presence taught his Apostles, took him in amongst the number of his other disciples, but vouchsafed to instruct him inwardly, and left him, as it were, in the sight of the world to his own liberty. So Moses, likewise, was taught in the wilderness, and learned by the Angel what God gave him in charge, which by means of any mortal man he knew not: but these things, as before hath been said, are of weaklings to be reverenced, and not by any means to be followed.

PETER. I like very well of your opinion: yet I beseech you to tell me, whether so notable a father as he was, left not some scholar behind him, that did imitate his master's steps.

Chapter Two: of Libertinus, Prior of the same Abbey.

GREGORY. The reverent man, Libertinus, who, in the time of Totila,³ king of the Goths, was Prior of the same Abbey of Funda, was brought up and taught by him: of whom, albeit the certain report of passing many hath made his sundry virtues known to the world, yet the foresaid religious man, Lawrence, who still liveth and that time had very familiar acquaintance with him, hath often told me many things, whereof some few, which now come to my mind, I will here set down. In the same province of Samnium, as Libertinus was in his journey about business of the Abbey, it so fell out that Darida, captain of the Goths, with his army, met him, by whose soldiers the man of God was thrown from his horse; which injury he taking very patiently, offered them also his whip, saying: "Take this, that you may make him the better to go"; and having said so, he betook himself to his prayers. The army marched on very fast, and quickly came to the river called Vulturnus, where they began to beat their horses both with their lances and also to spur them, till the blood came, and all this to |10 make them take the water; but yet no beating nor spurring could enforce them forward: for they were as much afraid to enter the river as though it had been some deep downfall. At length, when they were all wearied with beating, one amongst the rest said, that the reason why they were thus punished was for taking away the horse from God's servant: whereupon returning straightways back, they found Libertinus prostrate at his prayers; and calling upon him to rise and take his horse, he bade them go on a God's name, saying that he needed him not; but for all that they alighted and set him perforce upon his own beast, and so in all haste departed, and returning back to the river they passed over so quickly as though in the channel there had been no water at all; and so it fell out that God's servant having restitution made him of his one horse, that all the soldiers came likewise to enjoy the use of their own.

At the same time one Buccellinus ⁴ entered Campania with an army of French men, and because it was commonly said that the Abbey in which the holy man lived had great store of money, the French men, very greedy of so good a booty, came thither, and with raging minds went into his oratory (where he lay prostrate at his prayers) seeking and crying out for Libertinus; and a strange thing it was, for though they came in, and stumbled upon him, yet could they not see him, and so, deceived through their own blindness, away they departed as empty as they came.

At another time likewise upon business of the monastery, at the commandment of the Abbot who succeeded his master Honoratus, he took his journey to Ravenna. And for the great love which he bare to venerable Honoratus, always did he bear about him in his bosom one of his stockings. Being in his way it fell so out that a certain woman was carrying the corpse of her |11 dead son; who no sooner saw the servant of God, but, for the love of her child, she laid hold upon his bridle, protesting with a solemn oath that he should not depart, before he had raised up her dead son. The holy man, not acquainted with so strange a miracle, was much afraid, to hear her make such a request, and willing to have got away, yet seeing no means how to effect his desire, greatly did he doubt what was best to be done. Here it is worth the noting to consider what a conflict he had in his soul: humility and the mother's piety striving together: fear to presume upon so unusual a miracle, and grief not to help the desolate, mother. At length, to the greater glory of God, piety and compassion overcame that virtuous soul, which therefore may truly be called invincible, because it did yield and was conquered; for a virtuous soul it had not been, if piety and compassion had not overcome it: wherefore, lighting from his horse, he fell upon his knees, lift up his hands to heaven, drew the stocking out of his bosom, laid it upon the breast of the dead corpse; and behold, whiles he was at his prayers, the soul of the child returned into the body, which he perceiving, took it by the hand and delivered it alive to his sorrowful mother, and so went on the rest of his journey.

PETER. What is to be said in this case? For was it the merit of Honoratus, or the prayers of Libertinus, that wrought this miracle?

GREGORY. In the working of so notable a miracle, together with the faith of the woman, the virtue of both did concur; and therefore, in mine opinion, Libertinus had power to raise up that dead child, because he had learned to trust more upon the virtue of his master than his own: for when he laid his stocking upon the child's breast, no doubt but he thought that his soul did obtain that for which he did then pray. For we read the like |12 of Heliseus, who carrying his master's cloak, and coming to the river of Jordan, stroke the waters once, and yet divided them not; but when straight after he said, Where is now the God of Helias? and then stroke the river with the same cloak, he made a way open for himself to pass through.⁵ Whereby you perceive, Peter, how much humility availeth for the working of miracles, for then the merit of the master had force to do that which he desired, when he called upon his name; and when with humility he did submit himself to his master, he wrought the same miracle which his master had done before him.

PETER. I am well pleased with your answer: but is there, I pray you, anything else of him yet remaining, which may serve for our edification? GREGORY. Surely there is, if there be yet any that list to imitate so notable an example: for I make no doubt, but that the patience of so worthy a man did far excel all his signs and miracles, as you shall now hear. Upon a certain day, the Abbot, who succeeded Honoratus, fell so pitifully out with venerable Libertinus, that he stroke, him with his fists: and because he could find never a staff, up he took a footstool, and with that did so strike his head and his face, that they both swelled and became black and blue. Being thus unreasonably beaten, without giving any words, he went quietly to bed. The next day, he was to go forth about business of the Abbey, and therefore, when matins were ended, he came to his Abbot's bedside, and humbly demanded of him leave. The Abbot, knowing how greatly all did honour and love him, supposed that he would for the former injury have forsaken the Abbey: and therefore he asked him, whither he meant to go: to whom he answered: "Father," quoth he, "there is a certain matter concerning the Abbey to be handled, where I must needs |13 be, for yesterday I promised to come, and therefore I am determined to travel thither." Then the Abbot, considering from the bottom of his heart his own austerity and hard dealing, and the humility and meekness of Libertinus, suddenly leapt out of his bed, gat hold of his feet, confessed that he had sinned and done wickedly, in presuming to offer unto so good and worthy a man so cruel and contumelious an injury. Libertinus, on the contrary, prostrate upon the earth, fell down at his feet, attributing all that he had suffered, not to any cruelty of his, but to his own sins and demerits. And by this means, the Abbot was brought to great meekness; and the humility of the scholar became a teacher to the master. Going afterward abroad about the foresaid business of the Abbey, many gentlemen of his acquaintance, that had him in great reverence, much marvelled, and diligently enquired by what means he came by such a swollen and black face: to whom he answered: "Yesterday," quoth he, "at evening, for punishment of my sins, I met with a footstool, and gat this blow which ye see." And thus the holy man, preserving both truth in his soul and the honour of his master, did neither bewray the fault of his father, nor yet incurred the sin of lying. PETER. Had not so venerable a man as this Libertinus was, of whom you have told so many miracles and strange things, in so great a convent, some that did imitate his holy life and virtues?

Chapter Three; of a certain monk, that was gardener to the same Abbey.

GREGORY. Felix, called also Corvus, one whom you know very well, and who not long since was Prior of the same Abbey, told me divers very strange things, some of which I will pass over with silence, because I hasten to other, but one there is which by no means I can omit. This it was. |14

In the same Abbey there lived a certain monk, very virtuous, who was the gardener. A thief likewise there was, that used to climb over the hedge, and so to steal away the worts. The holy man, seeing that he did set many which afterward he could not find, and perceiving that some were trodden down, and other stolen away, walked round about the garden to find the place where the thief came in, which when he had found, by chance also as he was there, he lighted upon a snake, which he willed to follow him, and bringing him to the place where the thief entered, gave him this charge: "In the name of Jesus," quoth he, "I command thee to keep this passage, and not to suffer any thief to come in." Whereupon the snake forthwith, obeying his commandment, laid itself across in the way, and the monk returned to his cell. Afterward in the heat of the day, when all the monks were at rest, the thief, according to his custom, came thither, and as he was climbing over the hedge and had put one leg on the other side, suddenly he saw the snake, which stopped the way, and for fear falling backward, he left his foot hanging there by the shoe upon a stake, and so he hung with his head downward, until the return of the gardener; who, coming at his usual hour, found the thief hanging there in the hedge, whom when he saw, he spake thus to the snake: "God be thanked, thou hast done what I bade thee, and therefore now go thy way": upon which licence, the snake by and by departed. Then, coming to the thief, he spake thus unto him: "What meaneth this, good brother? God hath delivered you, as you see, into mine hands: why have you been so bold as so often to rob away the labour of the monks?" and speaking thus, he loosed his foot, without doing him any harm, willing him also to follow him; who brought him to the garden gate, and gave him those worts which he desired to have stolen, speaking also to him in sweet |15 manner after this sort: "Go your way, and steal no more; but when you have need, come hither to me, and what sinfully you would take, that will I willingly bestow upon you for God's sake."

PETER. I have hitherto, as I now perceive, lived in an error: for never did I think that there had been any holy men in Italy, which had wrought miracles.

Chapter Four: of Equitius, abbot in the Province of Valeria.⁶

GREGORY. By the relation of venerable Fortunatus, Abbot of the Monastery which is called Cicero's Bath, and also of other reverent men, I have come to the knowledge of that which now I mean to tell you. There was a passing holy man called 'Equitius, dwelling in the province of Valeria, who, for his virtuous life, was in great admiration with all men, with whom Fortunatus was familiarly acquainted. This Equitius, by reason of his great holiness of life, was the father and governor of many Abbeys in that province. In his younger years, many and sore carnal temptations he endured, which made him more fervent and diligent in prayers, and to persevere continually in that holy exercise, which he did, craving most instantly of God to afford him some remedy. Living in that manner, it fell so out, that in vision, upon a certain night, he saw an Angel come unto him, who made him an eunuch, and so delivered him from all those carnal motions in such sort that never after he felt any more, as though he had not been any man at all. Trusting now upon this great grace received by the special goodness of God, as before he was a governor of men, so afterward he took charge likewise of women, and yet, for all that, did he continually admonish his scholars not easily to credit themselves herein, nor to follow his example, nor yet to trust upon that gift, which they had not in themselves, lest it turned to their own ruin and destruction. |16

At such time as divers witches were here in this city of Rome apprehended, one Basilius, that was a principal man in that wicked art, put upon him the habit of a monk, and so fled away to Valeria; and coming to the reverent Bishop of the city of Amirtin,⁷ he desired his help, that he would, for the good of his soul, commend him to Abbot Equitius. The Bishop went with him to the Abbey, where he made suit to the servant of God, that he would vouchsafe to receive into his convent that monk which he brought, whom so soon as the holy man beheld, he said to the Bishop: "This man, good brother," quoth he, "whom you commend unto me, seemeth in mine eyes to be a devil, and not any monk"; whereunto the Bishop replied and said, that he sought excuses not to grant his petition. "Not so," quoth the servant of God, "but I do denounce him to be such a one as I see him, and because you shall not think that I will be disobedient, what you command I will perform." Whereupon he was received into the Abbey. Not many days after, God's servant travelled far off to preach unto the people in the country; after whose departure it fell out that, in the monastery of virgins which was under his charge, one of them, which in respect of her corruptible carcase seemed beautiful, fell into an ague, to be afflicted with sore fits, and not so much to speak as pitifully to cry out in this manner: "I shall die forthwith, unless Basilius come unto me, and by his skill in physic restore me to my health." But, in the absence of their father, none of the monks durst presume to enter into the monastery of virgins, much less was he permitted, that was yet but a novice, and whose life and conversation was not known to the rest of the brethren. A messenger, therefore, with all speed was dispatched to the servant of God, Equitius, to let him understand how such a Nun was fallen into a terrible burning ague, and how she did earnestly |17 desire to be visited of Basilius: which news so soon as the holy man did hear, in an anger he smiled, and said: "Did I not say beforehand that this companion was a devil and not a monk? Go your ways, and turn him out of the Abbey; and as. for the virgin that is so sick of a fever, take no further care, for hereafter it shall not trouble her any more, nor she make any further inquisition after Basilius." The monk that was the messenger returning back, understood that the Nun was at that very hour restored to her health, in which the servant of God, Equitius, far distant, affirmed that she should: no question but by special miracle, like to the example of our Saviour, who, being desired to visit the son of a lord, did by his only word restore him to his health, so that the father at his return knew his son to be restored to life at that very hour in which he heard so much from the mouth of truth itself.⁸ The monks, putting their father's commandment in execution, turned Basilius out of the Abbey, who being so expulsed did often say, that he had by his incantations hanged Equitius his cell in the air, and yet that he could not hurt any of his monks. This wretch not long after, in this city of Rome, through the zeal of good people, for his wickedness was burnt, and so ended his life.

Upon a certain day, one of the Nuns of the same monastery, going into the garden, saw a lettice that liked her, and forgetting to bless it before with the sign of the cross, greedily did she eat it: whereupon she was suddenly possessed with the devil, fell down to the ground, and was pitifully tormented. Word in all haste was carried to Equitius, desiring him quickly to visit the afflicted woman, and to help her with his prayers: who so soon as he came into the garden, the devil that was entered began by her tongue, as it were, to excuse himself, saying: "What have I done? What have I done? |18 I was sitting there upon the lettice, and she came and did eat me." But the man of God in great zeal commanded him to depart, and not to tarry any longer in the servant of almighty God, who straightways went out, not presuming any more to touch her.

A certain noble man likewise called Felix, of the province of Nursia, father to Castorius,⁹ who now dwelleth here with us in Rome, understanding that Equitius had not received holy orders, and yet that he did visit many places and preach unto divers, upon a day very boldly went and asked him, how he durst presume to preach, not having received holy orders, nor yet licence of the Bishop of Rome, under whom he did live; upon which demand, the holy man, being thus compelled, gave him to understand by what means he had obtained licence to preach: speaking thus unto him: "What you say unto me, myself have seriously thought upon; but, on a certain night, a young man in vision stode by me, and touched my tongue with such an instrument as they use in letting of blood, saying: 'Behold, I have put my word into thy mouth, go thy way and preach.' And since that day, though I would, I can not but talk of God."

PETER. Desirous I am to know, what manner of life he led, who is said to have received such gifts at God's hand.

GREGORY. The work, Peter, proceedeth of the gift, and not the gift from the work, otherwise grace were not grace: for God's gifts do go before all works of ours, although the gifts by the works which follow do increase; but to the end that you may understand what life he led, which was known to the reverent man Albinus, Bishop of Reatino; and many there be yet alive, which might very well remember the same. But what do you seek for further works, when as his purity of life was answerable to his diligence in preaching? for |19 such a zeal to save souls had inflamed his heart, that albeit he had the charge of many monasteries, yet did he diligently travel up and down, and visit churches, towns, villages, and particular men's houses, and all this to stir up the hearts of his auditors to the love of heavenly joys. The apparel which he ware was so base and contemptible, that such as knew him not would have thought scorn so much as to have saluted him, though himself had first offered that courtesy. And whithersoever he went, his manner was to ride, but that upon the most forlorn beast which could be found; his bridle was but an halter, his saddle no better than plain sheep's skins. His books of divinity were put into leather bags, and those he did carry himself, some hanging on the right side of his horse, and some upon the left: and to what place soever he came, he did so open the fountains of sacred scripture, that he watered their souls with the heavenly dew of his sermons. Whose grace in preaching was so great, that the fame thereof came even to Rome itself: and as the tongues of flatterers do with their glorious words kill the souls of such as give them the hearing, at the same time some of the Roman clergy did in flattering sort complain unto the Bishop of this Apostolic see, saying: "What manner of rustical companion is this, that hath taken upon him authority to preach, and, being without learning, presumeth to usurp unto himself the office of our Apostolical Lord? wherefore, if it please you, let him be sent for before your presence, that he may taste of the severity of ecclesiastical discipline." And as it falleth out, that he which hath much business is overcome sometime by flattery, if that pleasing venom be not speedily dispatched from the soul, at the persuasion of his clergy the Pope gave his consent that he should be sent for to Rome, to understand what talent and gift he had received from God. And so one Julianus,¹⁰ who afterward was made Bishop of Sabinum, was sent, |20 having yet commandment given him to bring him up with great honour, to the end that the servant of God might not thereby sustain any injury or detriment in his fame: who, to gratify the Pope's clergy, went in post to the Abbey, and finding there in his absence certain antiquaries writing, demanded of them for the Abbot; who told him that he was in the valley at the bottom of the Abbey, mowing of hay. Julianus had a man very proud and stubborn, and such a one that he could scarce rule him. This man he sent in all haste for the Abbot; who in an angry mood went his way, and coming quickly into the meadow where beholding all that were there cutting of grass, he demanded which of them was Equitius; and when they shewed him where he was, being yet far off, he fell into a great fear, and became therewith so faint, that he could scarce go upon his legs: trembling in that manner he came to the man of God, and humbly bowing down his head, he embraced his knees and kissed them, telling him that his master was desirous to speak with him. After God's servant had saluted him again, he willed him to take up some of the grass, and to carry it home for their horse, "and I will," quoth he, "straightways come, when I have dispatched this little work which remaineth."

In this meantime, Julianus much marvelled what the matter was, why his man tarried so long, and seeing him at length to come laden with grass upon his neck, in great rage he cried out to him, saying: "Sirrah, what meaneth this? I sent you to fetch me the Abbot, and not to bring meat for mine horse." "Sir," quoth his man, "he will come to you by and by": and forthwith the man of God came in base apparel and a pair of shoes beaten full of nails, carrying his scythe upon his neck; and being yet far off, his man told him that he was the Abbot. So soon as Julianus beheld him attired in that base sort, he contemned him, and devised with himself how to |21 speak unto him in the most cross and crooked manner he could. But when God's servant drew nigh, such an intolerable fear came upon Julianus, that he fell a trembling, and his tongue so faltered, that he could scarce deliver the message for which he came: whereupon he fell down at his feet, and desired that he would vouchsafe to pray for him; and withal gave him to understand, that his Apostolical father the Pope was desirous to see him. Upon the receipt of which news the venerable man, Equitius, gave almighty God most hearty thanks, saying that heavenly grace had visited him by means of the highest Bishop; and straightways he called for some of his monks, commanding horse to be made ready in all haste: but Julianus, weary of his journey, told him that he could not travel so soon, but of necessity must rest himself that night. "I am very sorry for that," quoth the holy man, "for if we go not to-day, to-morrow we shall not": and thus, by reason of the other's weariness, he was enforced that night to remain in the Abbey. The next morning, about the dawning of the day, came a post with a tired horse, bringing letters to Julianus, commanding him not to presume to molest or to draw the servant of God out of his monastery. And when he required the reason of this counter-command, the messenger told him that, the next night after his departure, the Pope was terribly frighted in a vision, for presuming to send for the man of God: whereupon Julianus, rising suddenly out of his bed, and commending himself to the venerable man's prayers, spake thus unto him: "Our father desireth you not to trouble yourself any further, but to stay in your monastery": which when God's servant heard, very sorry he was, and said: "Did not I tell you, that if we did not set forward on our journey by and by, that afterward we should not?" Then upon charity he entertained his messenger a little while with him in his Cloister, and though by all means |22 he refused, yet he enforced upon him a reward for the pains he had taken. See therefore, Peter, how God doth preserve and keep them, who in this life do contemn themselves, and how they are secretly honoured of the citizens in heaven, who are not ashamed outwardly to be little esteemed in this world; and on the contrary, in the sight of God they be of no account, who in the eyes of their own friends and neighbours do swell through desire of vain glory. And therefore our Saviour Christ, who was truth itself, said to certain: You are they that justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts, for that which is high to men is abominable in the sight of God.¹¹

PETER. I marvel very much how so great a Bishop could be deceived in so worthy a man.

GREGORY. Why do you marvel, Peter? for the reason why we are deceived is, because we be men. What? have you forgotten how David, who usually had the spirit of prophecy, pronounced sentence against innocent Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, when he gave credit to the lying words of his servant Siba? ¹² which thing notwithstanding because it was done by David, we both believe to be just in the secret judgment of God, and yet by human reason how it was just we cannot perceive. What marvel then is it, if we, that be not prophets, be sometimes by lying tongues abused, and otherwise transported than charity and justice would: for it is much to be considered, that every Bishop hath his mind troubled with a world of business, and it cannot be, when the mind is distracted about many things, but that it is the less able sufficiently to examine those that be particular, and so much the sooner is he deceived in some special case, by how much he is busied with the multitude of many.

PETER. It is most true that you say.

GREGORY. But I must not pass over with silence that which the reverent man Valentinus,¹³ some time mine |23 Abbot, told me concerning Equitius. For he said, that his body being buried in the oratory of St. Lawrence the martyr, a certain country man set upon his grave a chest full of wheat, little considering or respecting how worthy and notable a man lay there buried. Whereupon suddenly a miraculous whirlwind came, and overthrew that chest and cast it far off, all other things remaining still in their former places; by which all did plainly perceive of what worth and merit that man was, whose body lay there buried.

To this must I also add another thing, which I heard of venerable Fortunatus, a man that doth much please me for his years, life, and simplicity. At such time as the Lombards came into the province of Valeria,¹⁴ the monks of the monastery of the reverent man Equitius fled from thence into the oratory, to the holy man's sepulchre, into which place the cruel men entering, they began by violence to pull the monks forth, either to torment them, or else with their swords to kill them. Amongst whom one sighed, and for very bitter grief cried out: "Alas, alas, holy Equitius, is it thy pleasure, and art thou content, that we should be thus miserably haled and violently drawn forth, and dost not thou vouchsafe to defend us?" Which words were no sooner spoken, but a wicked spirit possessed those savage soldiers in such sort that, falling down upon the ground, they were there so long tormented, until all the rest of the Lombards which were without understood of the matter, to the end that none should be so hardy as to presume to violate that holy place. And thus, as the holy man at that time defended his own monks, so did he likewise afterward succour and preserve many more that fled unto the same place.

Chapter Five: of Constantius, Clerk of the Church of St. Stephen.

That which I intend now to tell you, I learned by the relation of one of my |24 fellow Bishops, who lived in a monk's weed many years in the city of Ancona, and led there a good and religious life. Many also of mine own friends, who be now of good years and live in the same parts, affirm it to be most true. Near to the foresaid city of Ancona there is a church of the blessed martyr St. Stephen, in which one called Constantius, a man of venerable life, did serve there for clerk, who for his virtue and holiness was famous far and near, being one that utterly despised all worldly things, and with the whole power of his soul thirsted after the joys of heaven. Upon a certain day, it fell so out that there wanted oil in the church, by reason whereof the foresaid servant of God had not wherewith to light the lamps: whereupon he filled them all with water, and, as the manner is, put a piece of paper in the midst, and then set them on fire, and the water did so burn in the lamps as though it had been very oil; by which you may gather, Peter, of what merit this man was, who, enforced by necessity, did change the nature of the element.

PETER. Very strange it is that you say, but desirous I am to know what humility he had inwardly in his soul, who outwardly was so wonderful in the eyes of the world.

GREGORY. Among miracles very fitly do you enquire the inward state of the mind; for it is almost incredible how miracles, wrought in the sight of men, do with their temptation inwardly assault the soul. But after you have heard only one thing, which this venerable Constantius did, you will quickly perceive what an humble man he was.

PETER. Having now told me one of his miracles, it remaineth that you do edify me also with the humility of his soul.

GREGORY. Because the report of his holy life was very much spread abroad, many from divers countries travelled |25 to Ancona, being very desirous to see him; and amongst others a certain country fellow was come far off, for that very purpose: at which time it so chanced that the holy man was standing upon a pair of wooden stairs, busying himself there in mending of lamps. A very little person he was of stature, with a thin face, and to the outward view contemptible. This fellow that came to see him enquired earnestly which was the man for whose sake he had travelled so long a journey. Those that knew him forthwith told him, pointing to Constantius. But as foolish souls do measure the merits of men by the quality of their bodies, so he, beholding him so little and contemptible, by no means could be persuaded that they told him truth; for in the country fellow's mind there fell out, as it were, a great contention betwixt that which he had heard, and that which he saw; and he verily persuaded himself that he could not be so little in his eyes, who was so great in his former conceit; and therefore, when very many did constantly affirm that he was the man, the simple soul despised him, and in scoffing manner said: "I verily believed that he had been a goodly great man, but this fellow hath not any thing at all in him that is like a man." Which words of his the servant of God, Constantius, hearing, forthwith left his lamps which he was in hand with, and in great haste came merrily down the stairs, embraced the country clown, and of exceeding love held him fast in his arms, kissed him, gave him great thanks for having that opinion, and spake thus unto him: "Thou only," quoth he, "hast thine eyes open, and dost truly behold what I am." By which fact we may easily gather what an humble man he was, that loved the country fellow the more for contemning him; for injurious words and contumelious usage try what a man is inwardly in his soul: for as proud men are glad of honour, so those that be humble for the most part rejoice in contempt and disgrace, and when they |26 behold themselves to be of no account in the opinion of others, glad they are, because they see that to be confirmed by the judgment of others which inwardly in their own souls they had of themselves.

PETER. This man, as I perceive, was outwardly great in miracles, but yet greater by his inward humility of soul.

Chapter Six: of Marcellinus, Bishop of Ancona.

GREGORY. Marcellinus, also a man of holy life, was Bishop of the same city of Ancona; who was so sore troubled with the gout, that being not able to go, his servants were enforced to carry him in their hands. Upon a day, by negligence, the city was set on fire, and though many laboured by throwing on of water to quench it, yet did it so increase and go forward that the whole city was in great danger; for it had laid hold of all the houses that were next it, and consumed already a great part of the town, none being able to help or withstand it. In so pitiful a necessity and great danger, the Bishop, carried by his servants, came thither, and commanded himself to be set down right against those furious flames, and in that very place whither the force of the fire did seem most to bend: which being done, the fire marvellous strangely turned back into itself, and as it were cried out, that it could not pass the Bishop; and by this means was it stopped from going forward, [and] went out of itself, not being able to touch any other buildings. By which, Peter, you see what an argument of great holiness it was, for a sick man to sit still, and by his prayers to quench those raging flames.

PETER. I do both see it and much wonder at so notable a miracle.

Chapter Seven: of Nonnosus, Prior of the Abbey in Mount Soracte.

GREGORY. Now I intend to let you understand somewhat of a place not far distant, which I heard of the reverent Bishop Maximianus,¹⁵ and |27 of the old monk Laurio, one whom you know: both which are yet living; and as for Laurio, he was brought up under that holy man Anastasius, in the Abbey which is hard by the city of Nepi; and Anastasius, both by reason of the nearness of the place, equal love of virtue, and like profession of life, was daily in the company of holy Nonnosus, Prior of the Abbey which is in mount Soracte. This Nonnosus had for his Abbot a very sharp man, whose rough conditions notwithstanding he did always bear with wonderful patience, and did in such sweet sort govern the monks, that oftentimes by his humility he appeased the Abbot's anger. The Abbey, standing in the top of an hill, had never an even and plain place fit for a garden; one only little plot of ground there was, in the side of the mountain, but that was taken up of a great stone which did naturally grow there, so that by no means it could serve for a garden. Yet venerable Nonnosus, upon a day, began to think with himself that at least that piece of ground would serve very well to set worts, if by any means that huge stone could be taken away; but then he likewise thought that five hundred yoke of oxen would not be able to stir it; whereupon, despairing of all human help, he betook himself to God's goodness, and in that very place gave himself to prayer in the quiet time of the night, and behold, on the morning, when the monks came thither, they found that huge stone removed far off, and a very fit plot of ground left to make them a garden.

At another time, the same holy man being washing of lamps made of glass, one of them by chance fell out of his hands, and brake into many pieces; who, fearing the great fury of the Abbot, did forthwith gather up all the fragments, laid them before the altar, and there with great sighing fell to his prayers; and afterward, lifting up his head, he found the lamp entire and whole. And thus, in these two miracles, did he imitate two notable |28 fathers, to wit, Gregory and Donatus; the first of which removed a mountain, and the other made a broken chalice safe and sound.

PETER. We have, as I perceive now, miracles after the imitation of old saints.

GREGORY. How say you? are you content also in the conversation of Nonnosus, to hear how he did imitate the fact of the prophet Heliseus?

PETER. Content I am, and most earnestly desire it.

GREGORY. Upon a certain day, when the old oil was spent, and the time to gather olives was now at hand, the Abbot, because their own trees took not, thought it best to send the monks abroad to help strangers in the gathering of theirs, that for the recompense of their labour they might bring home some oil for the necessities of their own house. This determination the man of God, Nonnosus, in great humility did hinder, lest the monks, going abroad from their cloister to get oil, might lose somewhat in the devotion of their souls. And therefore, because he saw that their own trees had yet a few olives, he willed those to be gathered and put into the press, and that oil which came forth to be brought unto him, though it were never so little; which being done, he set the little vessel before the altar, and after their departure he offered his prayers to God, which being ended, he called for the monks, commanding them to take away the oil which they brought, and to pour a little thereof into all the vessels which they had, that each of them might have some of the benediction of that oil: which being done, he caused the vessels, empty as they were, to be close stopped, and the next day they found them all full.

PETER. We find daily the words of our Saviour to be verified, who saith: My Father even to this time doth work, and I do work.¹⁶ |29

Chapter Eight: of Anastasius, Abbot of the Monastery called Suppentonia.¹⁷

GREGORY. At the same time the reverent man Anastasius, of whom I spake before, was notary to the church of Rome, whereof by God's providence I have now the charge; who desirous only to serve God, gave over his office, and made choice of a monastical life: and in that Abbey which is called Suppentonia, he lived many years virtuously, and governed that place with great care and diligence. Over the Abbey there hangeth an huge rock, and beneath it there is a steep downfall. Upon a certain night, when God had determined to reward the labours of venerable Anastasius, a voice was heard from the top of that rock, which very leisurely did cry out: "Come away, Anastasius"; who being so called, straight after, seven other monks were severally called by their names. And then the voice stayed for a little time, and then called again the eighth monk. Which strange voice the Convent hearing very plainly, made no doubt but that the death of them that were so called was not far off; wherefore not many days after, before the rest, Anastasius himself, and then the others in order, departed this mortal life, as they were before called from the top of the rock. And that monk who was called after some pausing did a little while survive the rest, and then he also ended his life: whereby it was plain that the staying of the voice did signify that he should live a little longer than the other. But a strange thing happened, for when holy Anastasius lay upon his death-bed, a certain monk there was in the Abbey, that would needs die with him, and therefore fell down at his feet, and there began with tears to beg of him in this manner: "For his love to whom you are now going, I beseech and adjure you, that I may not remain in this world seven days after your departure"; and indeed it so fell out, that before the seventh day was come, that he left this mortal life, and yet was not he |30 that night named by that voice amongst the rest, so that it appeareth plainly that it was only the intercession of Anastasius which obtained that his departure.

PETER. Seeing that monk was not called amongst the other, and yet by the intercession of that holy man was taken out of this life: what other thing can we gather hereof, but that such as be of great merit, and in favour with God, can sometime obtain those things which be not predestinate?

GREGORY. Such things as be not predestinate by God, cannot by any means be obtained at his hands; but those things which holy men do by their prayers effect, were from all eternity predestinate to be obtained by prayers. For very predestination itself to life everlasting, is so by almighty God disposed, that God's elect servants do through their labour come unto it, in that by their prayers they do merit to receive that which almighty God determined before all worlds to bestow upon them.

PETER. Desirous I am to have this point more plainly proved: to wit, that predestination may by prayers be holpen.

GREGORY. That which I inferred, Peter, may quickly be proved; for ignorant you are not that our Lord said to Abraham: In Isaac shall seed be called to thee;¹⁸ to whom also he said: I have appointed thee to be a father of many nations;¹⁹ and again he promised him, saying: I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand of the sea.²⁰ Out of which place it is plain that almighty God had predestinate to multiply the seed of Abraham by Isaac, and yet the scripture saith: Isaac did pray unto our Lord for his wife because she was barren, who did hear him, and Rebecca conceived.²¹ If, then, the increase of Abraham's posterity was predestinate by Isaac, how came it to pass that his wife was barren? by which most |31 certain it is, that predestination is fulfilled by prayers, when as we see that he by whom God had predestinate to increase Abraham's seed obtained by prayer to have children.

PETER. Seeing reason hath made that plain, which before I knew not, I have not herein any further doubt.

GREGORY. Shall I now tell you somewhat of such holy men as have been in Tuscania;²² that you may be informed what notable persons have flourished in those parts, and how greatly they were in the favour of almighty God?

PETER. Willing I am to give you the hearing; and therefore beseech you to proceed forward.

Chapter Nine: of Bonifacius, Bishop of Ferenti.²³

GREGORY. A man of holy life there was, called Bonifacius, Bishop of the city of Ferenti, one that with his virtuous conversation did well discharge his duty. Many miracles he did, which Gaudentius the Priest, who yet liveth, doth still report: and seeing he was brought up under him, no question but by reason of that his presence he is able to tell all things the more truly.

His Bishopric was passing poor (a thing which to good men is the preserver of humility), for he had nothing else for his revenues, but only one vineyard, which was also at one time so spoiled with a tempest of hail, that very few grapes did remain. Bonifacius coming in, and seeing what was happened, gave God great thanks, for that he had sent him further poverty to his former necessity. And when the time came that those few grapes which remained were ripe, he appointed one, according to the custom, to keep his vineyard, commanding him carefully to look well unto it. And upon a certain day, he willed Constantius, who both was a Priest and his nephew, to make ready, as before they were wont to do, all the barrels and wine-vessels they had: which thing when his nephew the Priest understood, he marvelled much |32 to hear him command so mad a thing, as to make ready the vessels for wine, himself having no wine at all to put in: yet durst he not enquire the reason why he gave that charge, but did as he commanded, and made all the vessels and other things ready, as before they had always used to do. Then the man of God caused the poor remnant of grapes to be gathered and carried to the wine-press, and dispatching all others away, himself tarried there still with a little boy whom he commanded to tread those grapes, and when he perceived that a little wine began to run forth, the man of God took it, and put it into a little vessel, and poured somewhat thereof into all the other barrels and vessels which were made ready, as it were to bless them with that little quantity: when he had so done, he called straightways for the Priest, commanding him to send for the poor, upon whose coming the wine in the press began to increase and run out so plentifully, that it did fill all the pots and other vessels which they brought. When they were all served, he bade the boy to leave treading, and come down; then, locking up the storehouse, into which he had put his own vessels, and setting his own seal upon the door, to the church he went, and three days after he called for Con-stantius, and having said a few prayers, he opened the door, where he found all the vessels into which he had before poured but a very little liquor working so plentifully, that, if he had not then come, they had all run over into the floor. Then he straightly commanded the Priest his kinsman, not to reveal this miracle to any, so long as he lived, fearing lest, by means thereof, the outward opinion of men might through vain glory inwardly have hurt his soul: following therein the example of our master Christ, who, to teach us to walk in the path of humility, commanded his disciples concerning himself, not to tell any what they had seen, until the Son of Man was risen again from death. |33

PETER. Because fit occasion is now offered, desirous I am to know what the reason was, that when our Saviour restored sight unto two blind men, and commanded them to tell nobody; yet they, after their departure, made him known throughout all that country. For had the only-begotten Son of God, who is co-eternal to his Father and the Holy Ghost, a desire herein to do that which he could not perform: to wit, that the miracle which he would have kept secret, could not yet be concealed?

GREGORY. All that which our blessed Saviour wrought in his mortal body, he did it for our example and instruction, to the end that, following his steps, according to our poor ability, we might without offence pass over this present life: and therefore, when he did that miracle, he both commanded them to conceal it, and yet it could not be kept in, and all this to teach his elect servants to follow his doctrine; to wit, that when they do any notable thing whereof glory may arise to themselves, that they should have a desire not to be spoken of, and yet for the good of others, contrary to their own mind, they should be laid open and known: so that it proceed of their great humility to desire that their works may be buried with silence, and yet, for the profit of others, it should fall so out, that they can not be concealed. Wherefore our Lord would not have any thing done which he could not effect: but what his servants ought to desire, and what also, contrary to their minds, was convenient to be done, like a good master he taught us by his own example.

PETER. I am very well satisfied with this your answer.

GREGORY. For as much as we have now made mention of Bonifacius, let us prosecute a few more of his acts, not yet spoken of. At another time, upon the feast-day of St. Proculus the martyr, one Fortunatus, a noble man that dwelt in that town, did heartily entreat the Bishop |34 that, after he had done the solemnity of mass, he would vouchsafe to come unto his house, to bless his meat and dine with him. The man of God was content to satisfy his request, so charitably was he invited: and therefore, when mass was done, he went thither: but before the table was yet blessed, suddenly (as some men by such means get their living) one came to the gate with an ape, who began to play upon an instrument, which the holy man hearing, was discontented, and said: "Alas, alas, this wretched man is dead, this wretched man is dead. Behold, I am come hither to dinner, and have not yet opened my lips to praise God, and he is here with his ape, playing upon his instrument." Then he desired them to give him some meat and drink: "Yet I would have you know," quoth he, "that he is a dead man." When the unhappy wretch had filled himself and was going out at the gate, a great stone fell from the house, and brake his head. Of which blow he fell down, and was taken up half dead, and being carried away the next day, as the man of God had before said, he departed this life; wherein, Peter, we have to consider how holy men are with fear to be reverenced: for they no question be the temples of God, and when an holy man is enforced to anger, who is then moved but he that dwelleth in that temple? wherefore we have so much the more cause to fear how we provoke such kind of persons to wrath, seeing we know that he is present in their souls, who hath power and might sufficient to inflict what punishment himself best pleaseth.

At another time, the aforesaid Priest Constantius, his nephew, had sold his horse for twelve crowns, which money he laid up in his chest; and being abroad about other business, it so happened, that certain poor people pitifully begged of the holy Bishop, that he would vouchsafe to bestow something upon them for the relief of their necessity. The man of God, not having anything |35 to give them, was much, grieved to send them away empty: whiles he was thus troubled, suddenly it came to his mind how his nephew had sold his horse, and that the money was in his chest; whereupon, in his absence, by virtuous violence, he brake open the lock, took away the twelve crowns, and bestowed them as best pleased himself upon the poor people. Constantius, returning home and finding his chest open, locked for his money, and finding it not, he began to exclaim, and with great noise and fury to cry out against his uncle, saying: "All other can live here in quiet, only I can not." The Bishop, hearing him crying out in that manner, came unto him, as also the rest of his family; and when he began with sweet speech to mitigate his fury, in great anger he replied, saying: "All other can live with you, only I can not be suffered to be in quiet: give me my money, which you have taken out of my chest." The Bishop, moved at his words, departed away, and went into the church of the blessed virgin Mary, where, lifting up his hands with his vestment upon them, he began standing to pray, that she would help him to so much money, that he might quiet the fury of the mad Priest: and casting suddenly his eyes upon the garment that lay between his arms stretched out, he found twelve crowns lying there, so fair and bright, as though they had then newly come from the mint; who forthwith going out of the church, cast them to the raging Priest with these words: "Lo, there is your money which you have kept such a stir for; but know you that after my death you shall never be Bishop of this place, and that for your covetous mind." By which true censure of his we gather that the Priest provided that money for the getting of the Bishopric. But the words of the man of God did prevail: for the same Constantius ended his life without any further promotion than to the dignity of Priesthood. At another time, two Goths came unto him for |36 hospitality, saying that they were travelling to Ravenna; unto whom he gave with his own hands a little wooden bottle full of wine, enough, haply, for their dinner; of which, notwithstanding, they drank until they came to Ravenna, and though they stayed some days in that city, yet they had no other wine than that which the holy man bestowed upon them: and so likewise they continued until they returned back again to the same venerable Bishop, drinking daily of the same, and yet never lacking wine to serve their necessity: as though, in that wooden bottle which he gave them, wine had grown, and not there increased.

Not long sithence, there came from the same country a certain old man that is a clerk, who reporteth divers notable things of him, which must not be passed over with silence. For he saith that going upon a day into his garden, he found it all full of caterpillars, and seeing all his worts spoiled, turning himself to them, he spake thus: "I adjure you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to depart from hence, and not to eat any more of these worts ": after which words, those worms did forthwith so vanish away, that there was not one to be found in all the whole garden. But what great marvel is it, to hear such things reported of him that was now a Bishop, being then, both by reason of his orders, and also holy conversation of life, grown into favour with almighty God, seeing those are more to be admired which this old clergyman said that he did, being yet but a little boy? For he affirmeth, that at such time as Bonifacius dwelt with his mother, and went abroad, that sometime he came home without his shirt, and oftentimes without his coat: for no sooner did he see a naked man, but he gave away his clothes, and put them upon him, to the end that himself might be clothed with a reward in the sight of God. His mother rebuked him often for doing so, and told him that it was no reason |37 that, being poor himself, he should give away his apparel to other. Upon another day, going into the barn, she found almost all her wheat, which she had provided for the whole year, given away by her son to the poor: and as she was, for very grief thereof, beating and tearing of herself, the child of God, Bonifacius, came, and with the best words he could began to comfort his afflicted mother; but when by no means she would be quieted, he entreated her to go out of the barn where the little wheat that remained was. When she was departed, the virtuous youth fell straightway to his prayers; and after a little while, going out, he brought his mother back again, where she found it as full of wheat as before it was: at the sight of which miracle, she, being touched in soul, exhorted him to give as he pleased, seeing he could so soon obtain at God's hands what he asked. His mother also kept hens before her door, which a fox, that had his berry not far off, used to carry away: and upon a certain day, as the youth Bonifacius was standing in the entry, the fox, after his old manner, came and took away one of the hens; whereupon in all haste he ran to the church, and prostrate there in prayer, with loud voice he spake thus: "Is it thy pleasure, O Lord, that I shall not eat of my mother's hens? for behold, the fox doth devour them up ": and rising from his prayers, he went out of the church, and straightways the fox came back again with the hen in his mouth, leaving it where he found it, and forthwith fell down dead in the presence of Bonifacius.

PETER. It seemeth strange unto me, that God vouchsafeth in such small things to hear the prayers of them that put their trust in him.

GREGORY. This falleth out, Peter, by the great providence of our Creator, to the end that by little things which we receive at his hands, we should hope for greater: for the holy and simple lad was heard in |38 praying for small matters, that by them he should learn how much he ought to trust in God, when he prayed for things of greater importance. PETER. What you say pleaseth me very well.

Chapter Ten: of Fortunatus, Bishop of the City of Tuderti.²⁴

GREGORY. Another man also there was in the same parts, called Fortunatus, Bishop of Tuderti, who had a most singular grace in casting out of devils, in so much that sometime he did cast out of possessed bodies whole legions; and by the continual exercise of prayer, he overcame all their temptations. Julianus, who had an office here in our church, and not long since died in this city, was familiarly acquainted with him, by whose relation I learned that which I will now tell you: for by reason of his great and inward familiarity, often was he present at such miracles as he wrought, and did divers times talk of him to our instruction and his own comfort.

A certain noble matron there was, dwelling in the hither parts of Tuscania, that had a daughter-in-law, which, not long after the marriage of her son, was, together with her mother-in-law, invited to the dedication of the oratory of the blessed martyr, St. Sebastian: and the night before this solemnity, overcome with carnal pleasure, she could not abstain from her husband; and though in the morning her former delight troubled her conscience, yet shame drave her forth to the procession, being more ashamed of men than fearing the judgment of God, and therefore thither she went together with her mother-in-law. And behold, straight upon the bringing of the relics of St. Sebastian the martyr into the oratory, a wicked spirit possessed the foresaid matron's daughter-in-law, and pitifully tormented her before all the people. The Priest of the oratory, beholding her so terribly vexed and lifted up, took a white linen cloth and cast upon her; and forthwith the devil also entered |39 into him, and because he presumed above his strength, enforced also he was by his own vexation, to know what himself was. Those that were present took up the young gentlewoman in their hands, and carried her home to her own house. And for as much as she was by the enemy continually and cruelly tormented, her kinsfolk that carnally loved her, and with their love did persecute her, cause her to be carried for help to certain witches; so utterly to cast away her soul, whose body they went about by sorcery for a time to relieve. Coming into their hands, she was by them brought to a river, and there washed in the water, the sorcerers labouring a long time by their enchantments to cast out the devil, that had possessed her body: but by the wonderful judgment of almighty God, it fell out that whiles one by unlawful art was expelled, suddenly a whole legion did enter in. And from that time forward, she began to be tossed with so many varieties of motions, to shriek out in so many sundry tunes, as there were devils in her body. Then her parents, consulting together, and confessing their own wickedness, carried her to the venerable Bishop Fortunatus, and with him they left her: who, having taken her to his charge, fell to his prayers many days and nights, and he prayed so much the more earnestly, because he had against him, in one body, an whole army of devils: and many days passed not, before he made her so safe and sound, as though the devil had never had any power or interest in her body.

At another time, the same servant of almighty God cast forth a devil out of one that was possessed: which wicked spirit, when it was now night and saw few men stirring in the streets, taking upon him the shape of a stranger, began to go up and down the city, crying out: "O holy Bishop Fortunatus, behold what he hath done; he hath turned a stranger out of his lodging, and now |40 I seek for a place to rest in, and in his whole city can find none." A certain man, sitting in his house by the fire, with his wife and his little son, hearing one to cry out in that manner, went forth, and enquired what the Bishop had done, and withal invited him to his house, where he caused him to sit with them by the fire: and as they were among themselves discoursing of divers matters, the same wicked spirit on a sudden entered into his little child, cast him into the fire, and forthwith killed him: then the wretched father, by the loss of his son in this manner, knew full well whom he had entertained, and the Bishop turned out of his lodging.

PETER. What was the cause, that the old enemy presumed to kill his son in his own house: who, thinking him to be a stranger, vouchsafed him of lodging and entertainment?

GREGORY. Many things, Peter, seem to be good and yet are not, because they be not done with a good mind and intention; and therefore our Saviour saith in the gospel: If thy eye be naughty all thy body shall be dark.¹ For when the intention is wicked, all the work that followeth is naught, although it seem to be never so good; and therefore this man who lost his child, though he seemed to give hospitality, yet I think that he took not any pleasure in that work of mercy, but rather in the detraction and infamy of the Bishop: for the punishment which followed did declare that his entertainment going before, was not void of sin. For some there be, which are careful to do good works, to the end they may obscure the virtue of another man's life; neither take they pleasure in the good thing which they do, but in the conceit of that hurt which thereby they imagine re-doundeth to others; and therefore I verily suppose that this man, which gave entertainment to the devil, was more desirous to seem to do a good work than to do

¹ Matt. 6, 23.

|41 it indeed; to the end that he might seem more charitable than the Bishop, in that he entertained him whom the man of God, Fortunatus, had thrust out of his house

PETER. It is verily so, as you say: for the end of the work declared that the intent of the doer was not good.

GREGORY. At another time, likewise, one that had lost his eyesight was brought unto him, who craved his intercession and obtained it: for so soon as the man of God had prayed for him, and made the sign of the cross upon his eyes, straightways he received his sight. Beside this, a certain soldier's horse became so mad, that he could scant be holden by many, and so cruel he was, that he rent and tare the flesh of all such as he could reach with his teeth. At length, as well as they could, they tied him with ropes, and so brought him to the man of God; who putting forth his hand, made upon his head the sign of the cross, and forthwith all his madness departed, in such sort that he became more gentle than ever he was before. Then the soldier, seeing his horse so miraculously cured, determined to bestow him upon the Bishop: which because he refused, and yet the other instantly entreated that he would not reject his poor gift, the holy man took the middle way, and yielded so to the soldier's request, that yet he would not take any reward for the doing of that miracle; for he gave him first so much money as the horse was worth, and then received him; for perceiving that the soldier would have been grieved, if he had refused his courteous offer, upon charity he bought that whereof he had then no need.

Neither must I pass over with silence that which I heard almost twelve days since: for a certain poor old man was brought unto me (because I loved always to talk with such kind of men), of whom I enquired his country; and understanding that he was of the city of |42 Tuderti, I asked him whether he knew the good old father, Bishop Fortunatus; to which he answered that he knew him, and that very well. "Then I beseech you," quoth I, "tell me whether you know of any miracles which he did, and because I am very desirous, let me understand what manner of man he was." "This man," quoth he, "was far different from all those which live in our days; for he obtained at God's hands whatsoever he requested. One of his miracles which cometh to my mind, I will now tell you.

"Certain Goths, upon a day, travelling not far from the city of Tuderti, as they were in their journey to Ravenna, carried away with them two little boys from a place which belonged to the said city. News hereof being brought to the holy Bishop Fortunatus, he sent straightways, desiring those Goths to come unto him: to whom he spake very courteously, being willing by fair speech to pacify their fierce and cruel natures; and afterward told them that they should have what money they desired, so they would make restitution of the children: 'and therefore, I beseech you,' quoth he, 'gratify my request in this one thing.' Then he which seemed to be the chief of them two told him, that whatsoever else he commanded they were ready to perform, but as for the boys, by no means they would let them go. To whom the venerable man (threatening in sweet sort) spake unto him in this manner: 'You grieve me, good son, to see that you will not be ruled by your father; but give me not any such cause of grief, for it is not good that you do.' But for all this the Goth, continuing still hard-hearted, denied his request, and so went his way, yet coming again the next day, the holy man renewed his former suit concerning the children; but when he saw that by no means he could persuade him, in sorrowful manner he spake thus: 'Well I know that it is not good for you to depart in this |43 manner, and leave me thus afflicted.' But the Goth, not esteeming his words, returned to his inn, set those children on horseback, and sent them before with his servants, and straightways himself took horse and followed after; and as he was riding in the same city by the church of St. Peter the Apostle, his horse stumbling, fell down, and brake his thigh in such sort that the bone was quite asunder: up was he taken, and carried back again to his inn; who in all haste sent after his servants, and caused the boys to be brought back again. Then he sent one to venerable Fortunatus with this message: 'I beseech you, father, to send unto me your deacon'; who when he was come unto him lying in his bed, he made those boys, which before upon no entreaty he would restore, to be brought forth, and delivered them to him, saying: 'Go and tell my Lord the Bishop: Behold you have cursed me, and I am punished, but I have now sent you those children which before you required, take them, and I beseech you to pray for me.' The deacon received the children, and carried them to the Bishop; whereupon the holy man forthwith gave his deacon some holy water, saying: 'Go quickly and cast it upon him where he lieth '; who went his way, and coming to the Goth, he sprinkled all his body with holy water: and O strange and admirable thing! the holy water no sooner touched his thigh but all the rupture was so healed, and himself so perfectly restored to his former health, that he forsook his bed that very hour, took his horse, and went on his journey, as though he had never been hurt at all: and thus it fell out, that he which refused for money and upon obedience to restore the children, was by punishment enforced to do it for nothing." When the old man had told me this strange story, ready he was to proceed unto other; but because I was at that time to make an exhortation to some that expected me, and the day was well spent, I |44 could not at that time hear any more of the notable acts of venerable Fortunatus; and yet if I might, never would I do any thing else, than give ear to such excellent stories.

The next day, the same old man reported a thing far more wonderful: for he said that in the same city of Tuderti, there dwelt a good virtuous man called Marcellus, together with two of his sisters, who, falling sick, somewhat late upon Easter even departed this life: and because he was to be carried far off, he could not be buried that day. His sisters having now longer respite for his burial, with heavy hearts ran weeping unto the Bishop; where they began to cry out aloud in this manner: "We know that thou leadest an Apostolical life, that thou dost heal lepers, restore sight to the blind: come, therefore, we beseech you, and raise up our dead brother." The venerable man, hearing of their brother's death, began himself likewise to weep, desired them to depart, and not to make any such petition unto him: "for it is our Lord's pleasure," quoth he, "which no man can resist." When they were gone, the Bishop continued still sad and sorrowful for the good man's death; and the next day being the solemn feast of Easter, very early in the morning he went with two of his deacons to Marcellus' house, and coming to the place where his dead body lay, he fell to his prayers; and when he had made an end, he rose up and sat down by the corpse, and with a low voice called the dead man by his name, saying: "Brother Marcellus "; whereat, as though he had been lightly asleep, and awaked with that voice, he rose up, opened his eyes, and looking upon the Bishop, said: "O what have you done? O what have you done?" To whom the Bishop answered, saying: "What have I done?" "Marry," quoth he, "yesterday there came two unto me, and discharged my soul out of my body, and carried me away to a good place, and this day one was |45 sent, who bade them carry me back again, because Bishop Fortunatus was gone to mine house." And when he had spoken these words, straightways he recovered of his sickness, and lived long after. And yet for all this we must not think that he lost that place which he had, because there is no doubt, but that he might, by the prayers of his intercessor, live yet more virtuously after his death, who had a care before he died to please almighty God.

But why do I spend so many words in discoursing of his wonderful life, when as we have so many miracles, even at these days, wrought at his body? for, as he was wont to do when he lived upon earth, so doth he now continually at his dead bones dispossess devils, and heal such as be sick, so often as men pray for such graces with faith and devotion. But I mean now to return to the province of Valeria, of which I have heard most notable miracles from the mouth of venerable Fortunatus, of whom long before I have made mention, who, coming often to visit me, whiles he reporteth old stories, continually he bringeth me new delight.

Chapter Eleven: of Martirius, a Monk in the Province of Valeria.

A certain man lived in that province, called Martirius, who was a very devout servant of almighty God, and gave this testimony of his virtuous life. For, upon a certain day, the other monks, his brethren, made a hearth-cake, forgetting to make upon it the sign of the cross: for in that country they use to make a cross upon their loaves, dividing them so into four parts: when the servant of God came, they told him that it was not marked: who, seeing it covered with ashes and coals, asked why they did not sign it, and speaking so, he made the sign of the cross with his hand against the coals: which thing whiles he was in doing, the cake gave a great crack, as though the pan had been broken with the fire: after it was baked and |46 taken out, they found it marked with the sign of the cross, which yet not any corporal touching, but the faith of Martirius had imprinted.

Chapter Twelve: of Severus, a Priest in the same Province.

In the same country there is a valley, which is called of the plain people Interocrina ²⁵; in which there lived a certain man of a rare life, called Severus, who was a parish priest of the church of our blessed Lady the mother of God and perpetual virgin. One that lay at the point of death sent for him in great haste, desiring him to come with all speed, and by his prayers to make intercession for him, that doing penance for his wickedness, and loosed from his sins, he might depart this life. So it chanced, that the Priest at that time was busy in pruning of his vines; and therefore he bade them that came for him to go on before: "and I will," quoth he, "come after by and by." For seeing he had but a little to do, he stayed a pretty while to make an end of that, and when it was dispatched, away he went to visit the sick man; but as he was going, the former messengers met with him, saying: "Father, why have you stayed so long? go not now any further, for the man is dead." At which news the good man fell a trembling, and cried out aloud that he had killed him; whereupon he fell a weeping, and in that manner came to the dead corpse, where before the bed he fell prostrate upon the earth, pouring out of tears. Lying there weeping very pitifully, beating his head against the ground, and crying out that he was guilty of his death, suddenly the dead man returned to life: which many that were present beholding cried out, and began to weep more plentifully for joy, demanding of him where he had been, and by what means he came back again; to whom he said: "Certain cruel men," quoth he, "did carry me away; out of whose mouth and nostrils fire came forth, which I could not endure; and as they were leading me |47 through dark places, suddenly a beautiful young man with others met us, who said unto them that were drawing me forward: 'Carry him back again; for Severus the Priest lamenteth his death, and our Lord, for his tears, hath given him longer life.'" Then Severus rose up from the earth, and by his intercession did assist him in doing of penance. And when the sick man that revived had done penance for his sins by the space of seven days, upon the eighth with a cheerful countenance he departed this life. Consider, Peter, I pray you, how dearly our Lord loved this Severus, that would not suffer him to be grieved for a little time.

PETER. They be marvellous strange things which you report, and which before this time I never heard of: but what is the reason that in these days there be not any such men now living?

GREGORY. I make no doubt, Peter, but that there be many such holy men now living; for though they work not the like miracles, yet for all that, may they be as virtuous and as holy. For true judgment of one's life is to be taken from his virtuous conversation, and not from the working of miracles, for many there be who, although they do not any such strange things, yet are they not in virtue inferior to them that do them.

PETER. How, I beseech you, can it be maintained for true, that there be some that work not any miracles, and yet be as virtuous as they which work them?

GREGORY. Sure I am that you know very well that the Apostle St. Paul is brother to St. Peter, chief of the Apostles in Apostolical principality.

PETER. I know that indeed, for no doubt can be made thereof: for though he were the least of the Apostles, yet did he labour more than all they.

GREGORY. Peter, as you well remember, walked with his feet upon the sea; Paul in the sea suffered ship-wreck. And in one and the same element, where Paul |48 could not pass with a ship, Peter went upon his feet; by which apparent it is, that though their virtue in working of miracles was not alike, yet their merit is alike in the kingdom of heaven.

PETER. I confess that I am well pleased with that you say, for I know most assuredly that the life, and not the miracles, are to be considered; but yet, seeing such miracles as be wrought do give testimony of a good life, I beseech you, if any more be yet remaining, that you would, with the examples and virtuous lives of holy men, feed mine hungry soul.

GREGORY. Desirous I am, to the honour of our blessed Saviour, to tell you some things now concerning the miracles of the man of God, venerable St. Benedict: but to do it as it ought, this day is not sufficient; wherefore we will here make a pause, and to handle this matter more plentifully, take another beginning.

The End of the First Book

[Footnotes moved to the end and combined with editorial notes]

1. Introduction, p. 4. Similarly in the letter addressed to Leander of Seville, prefixed to the Moralia, or Exposition of the Book of Job (composed before his elevation to the papacy), St. Gregory had written: "Now that the times are disturbed through multiplied evils, the end of the world being at hand, we ourselves, who are believed to be devoted to the inner mysteries, are involved in external cares." Cf. below, Bk. III. chap. 38; Bk. IV. chap. 41.

2. Chapter I. p. 7. Funda, more correctly Fundi (the translator is somewhat casual in his rendering of the Latin names of places), is the modern Fondi, in the province of Caserta, between Terracina and Formia. Cf. Horace, Sat. I. 5, 34-36. Honoratus is celebrated in the Roman Martyrology on January 16.

3. Chapter II. p. 9. For Totila, see below, Bk. II. chap. 14. He was king of the Ostrogoths in Italy from 541 to 552.

4. Ibid, p. 10. In 553, after the death of Totila's successor, Teias, Leutharand Butilin (here called Buccellinus), chiefs of the Alamanni, who were subject to the king of the Franks, invaded Italy in support of the scattered remnants of the Goths. Butilin ravaged Campania in 554, until defeated and slain by Narses at the battle of Capua. See Hodgkin, Italy and her Invaders, V. bk. vi. chap. I.

5. ¹ 4 Kings 2. 12

6. Chapter IV. p. 15. The province of Valeria included the cities of Reate (Rieti) and Tibur (Tivoli), and the modern province of Aquila (Abruzzi). St. Equitius is commemorated on March 7. It is uncertain whether the monastery quod appellatur Balneum Ciceronis was at Tusculum, or (as seems more probable from the context) on the site of the present abbey of San Domenico Abbate near Isola del Liri in the diocese of Sora.

7. Ibid. p. 16. Amiternum, an ancient Sabine town, the birthplace of Sallust, is some five miles from the modern city of Aquila; its site is occupied by the village of San Vittorino. Two letters of Cassiodorus, written in the name of King Theodoric, refer to this Basilius, who, together with another Roman noble named Praetextatus, was imprisoned for practising magical arts, but made his escape. Theodoric ordered that he should be recaptured, and examined by a board of five persons, one of whom was the patrician Symmachus (Cf. Bk. IV. chaps. 13 and 30). See Hodgkin, The Letters of Cassiodorus, pp. 246, 247. Baronius places these events in the year 504 or thereabouts. Nothing is known of the subsequent fate of Basilius, to which St. Gregory refers; he is evidently not the same person as the Basilius mentioned by Boe'thius, in the De Consolatione Philosophiae, as one of his accusers.

8. ¹ John 4, 53.

9. Ibid. p. 18. Castorius (or Castus) was a military officer (magister militum), who shared in the defence of Rome against the Lombards, and is mentioned with high praise by St. Gregory himself in a letter of 595 to the Emperor Mauritius (Registrum, Epist. v. 36, ed. Ewald and Hartmann, i. p. 317). For "Bishop of Reatino" (Reatinae antistes ecclesiae) read "Bishop of Reate" (Rieti). The Bishop of Rome mentioned in this chapter is probably Pope Symmachus I. (498-514), for whom see below, Bk. IV. chap. 40.

10. Ibid. p. 19. Julianus is described in the Latin text as being then defensor (of the Church of Rome). The Defenders of the various Churches were ecclesiastical lawyers, clerics appointed to look after the interests of the Church. See Moroni, Dizionario di Erudiziotie storico-ecclesiastica, xx. pp. 38 et seq., and St. Gregory, Registrum, Epist. v. 26, ed. Ewald and Hartmann, i. p. 307.

11. ¹ Luke 16, 15.

12. ² 2 Kings, 16 and 19.

13. Ibid. p. 22. Valentinus was the second Abbot of Sant' Andrea, the monastery into which St. Gregory converted his palace on the Caelian Hill.

14. Ibid. p. 23. The Lombards came into the province of Valeria in 571, three years after their first appearance in Italy.

15. Chapter VII. pp. 26, 27. For Maximianus, Bishop of Syracuse, see Bk. III. chap. 36. The "Abbey which is hard by the city of Nepi" is the monastery "called Suppentonia," mentioned in the next chapter. There were a number of early mediaeval monasteries on Mount Soracte; the one presided over by Nonnosus was, perhaps, that traditionally associated with St. Sylvester, which was afterwards in the eighth century refounded by Carloman the Frank.

16. ¹ John 5, 17. 28

17. Chapter VIII. p. 29. Suppentonia is the modern Castel Sant' Elia, between Nepi and Civita Castellana. Anastasius is commemorated on January n.

18. ¹ Gen. 21, 12.

19. ² Gen. 27, 29.

20. ³ Gen. 22, 17.

21. ⁴ Gen. 25, 21.

22. Ibid. p. 31. Tuscania, more properly Tuscia, is, of course, the modern Tuscany.

23. Chapter IX. p. 31. The place meant is apparently Ferentinum (Ferentino), near Frosinone, which, however, is in Latium not Tuscany. Bonifacius is commemorated on May 14.

24. Chapter X. p. 38. Tuder is now Todi in Umbria. Fortunatus died in 537, and is commemorated on October 14. The Julianus here mentioned, nostrae ecclesiae defensor, is not the same person as the Julianus connected with St. Equitius (Bk. I. chap. 4), who previously held the same office of "defender."

25. Chapter XII. p. 46. "In eo etiam loco Interorina vallis dicitur, quae a multis verbo rustico Interocrina nominatur." The place is apparently Interocrea, or Intocrium, the modern Antrodoco, between Rieti and Aquila.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: gregory_02_dialogues_book .htm

Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Book 2. pp. 51-101

Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Book 2. pp. 51-101

Chapter One: how he made a broken sieve whole and sound.

Chapter Two: how he overcame a great temptation of the flesh.

Chapter Three: how Benedict, by the sign of the holy cross, broke a drinking-glass in pieces.