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J. M. Harden, An introduction to Ethiopic Christian Literature (1926)

J. M. Harden, An introduction to Ethiopic Christian Literature (1926)

Preface

1. The Country and Language

2. Brief Historical Sketch of the Country and Church

3. Brief Sketch of the Progress of the Literature

4. The Bible of the Ethiopic Church

5. The Liturgies and Other Service Books

6. Theological and Ecclesiastical Books

7. Hagiology, Chronicles and Romance

8. Philosophy and Law

Appendix A --- List of the chief kings of Abyssinia

Appendix B --- The Confession of Claudius

Appendix C --- List of some other Theological and Ecclesiastical Works

AN INTRODUCTION

TO

Ethiopic Christian Literature

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AN INTRODUCTION

TO

Ethiopic Christian Literature

BY

J. M. HARDEN, D.D., LL.D.

Canon of St. Patrick's, Dublin

[1871-1931]

LONDON

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge

New York and Toronto: The Macmillan Co.

1926

PRINTED IN INDIA BY GEORGE KENNETH AT THE DIOCESAN PRESS, VEPERY, MADRAS----1926. C5696

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PREFACE

The present brief work is not intended to be more than is expressed in its title an Introduction to Ethiopic Christian Literature. It is not meant for Ethiopic scholars, but its purpose is to give as simple an account as possible of the Literature with which it deals. Hence its method. It seemed necessary to say something, first of all, of the language and the general history of the Church and country, which, to say the least, are not at all well known. Then follows a brief sketch of the literature as a whole. The concluding chapters deal each with one department of the literature, commencing with the Bible In these later chapters I have chosen for description such books as seemed to me to be of most general interest, or most typical of their class. My intention has been rather to show the general character of Ethiopic Literature than to describe all the works fully. Of a few other works, chiefly such as have not yet been edited, I have given a very brief account in one of the Appendices. The materials I have drawn from many different sources, but in writing Chapters ii and iii I am particularly indebted to Enno Littmann's Geschichte der äthiopischen Litteratur, which itself forms the last part of the Geschichte der christlichen Litteraturen des Orients (Leipzig, 1909), the first three parts treating respectively of the Literatures of the Syriac, Armenian and Coptic Churches. |vi As I have not always indicated my indebtedness to Littmann, I here desire to do so at the beginning.

A word must be said about the Ethiopic names and words which had to be used. The Ethiopic alphabet, as explained more fully in Chapter I, follows the Hebrew and Aramaic alphabets, except for the addition of four letters, two of which are of rare occurrence and are nowhere transliterated in this book. I have followed the usual method of transliteration. The only letters requiring remark are, I think, the following: Teth is t; s stands for two letters, corresponding to samech and sin ¹ in Hebrew, h and s stand each for two letters, namely, heth and sade of the Hebrew alphabet, and the two additional letters in Arabic which correspond with these. As the two letters in each of these three groups are of identical sound in Ethiopic (at least in modern times), it seemed unnecessary to multiply symbols to distinguish them from each other.

Aleph (alf) and 'ayin ('ain) are respectively represented by the smooth and rough breathing, except in the case of words beginning with alf, in which the breathing has been omitted. The word Geez I have treated as English; it might have been written Ge'ez.

As to the vowels, i, o, u are always long; a and e may be long or short. I have marked them in Ethiopic words, when long, by the circumflex accent.

J. M. H.

¹ Not shin; there is no 'sh' in Ethiopic.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. The Country and Language... 1

II. Brief Historical Sketch of the Country and Church... 8

III. Brief Sketch of the Progress of the Literature...... 19

IV. The Bible of the Ethiopic Church 37 V. The Liturgies and Other Service Books......... 51

VI. Theological and Ecclesiastical Books......... 60

VII. Hagiology, Chronicles and Romance......... 73

VIII. Philosophy and Law...... 92

Appendices----

A. List of the chief kings of Abyssinia......... 103

B. The Confession of Claudius... 104

C. List of some other Theological and Ecclesiastical Works... 108

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CHAPTER I

THE COUNTRY AND LANGUAGE

The name Ethiopia has been used in many senses, but, as it is employed in the history of the Christian Church, it means the country otherwise known as Abyssinia. This country, in its widest extent, stretches from the modern Italian colony of Eritrea on the shores of the Red Sea in the north through more than ten degrees of latitude to British East Africa on the south, and from Somaliland on the east to the Soudan on the west. The divisions of the country, which are most convenient to remember, are Tigre in the north; Amhara, the great table-land and mountainous region in the centre; Shoa, south, or rather south-east, of Amhara; and, furthest south of all, the land of the Galla tribes.

The name Abyssinia comes to us from Arabic writers who speak of the land of Habash, a name which was possibly that given by the Egyptians to some primitive African race. The name given to the country by the Christian inhabitants was Ethiopia. It has no direct connexion with the Ethiopia of classical writers, and with the Ethiopia of the Bible it is also unconnected, except that its adoption was no doubt due to a desire on the part of the Church of Abyssinia to trace back its own history to biblical times. |2

The language of the Church was, as we shall see, Semitic, but it was the language of a minority. Most of the inhabitants were not of Semitic stock. The earliest were of Negro race. Then in pre-historic times there was an immigration of Hamitic tribes who find their modern representatives in the Somali and Danakil tribes in the north and east; the Oromo, or Galla, in the south; and the Agau in the centre. The Falashas also, in spite of their Jewish faith, are said to be of Hamitic stock.¹

Ethiopic Church Literature is much more concerned with a second and much later immigration. This was of Semitic tribes who crossed over from South Arabia, probably by the straits of Bab-el-Mandeb. They did not come all at once, but at different dates. Of the tribes who came two chief groups are to be distinguished, the Geez, who settled more to the north in the neighbourhood of Axum, and the ancestors of the Amhara, whose settlements were further south on the east and south-east of Lake Tsana. It is not known at what date these settlements were made, but it must have been before the Christian era.

It is the evidence of the language that shows that the immigration was from South Arabia. The Ethiopic, or more correctly, the Geez language, is allied to Arabic, but is far more closely akin to the language of the Sabean or Himyaritic inscriptions which have |3 been found in South Arabia.² These are very numerous, and have been preserved from various dates, from long before the Christian era (1000 B.C.) till about a.d. 600.³ The characters too of the Geez alphabet are obviously a development of the Sabean; in fact two of the earliest inscriptions extant in Geez are written in Sabean letters.⁴

Some remarkable changes in their method of writirig were afterwards made by the Semitic tribes who came over to Africa. In the first place they began to write from left to right, instead of from right to left as in Hebrew, Arabic, Aramaic, and even in the Sabean inscriptions. This change was probably due to Greek influence. Besides this they developed an original and most ingenious system of vocalization. It is well known that in the other Semitic languages the consonantal system is entirely distinct from the vowels. In Arabic, Hebrew, or Aramaic the consonantal text may be pointed or unpointed, that is to say, the vowels may or may not be added. In the former case the vowels are denoted by dots, strokes, or other marks, above, in, or below the consonants. In Ethiopic, on the other hand, the form of the consonant itself is slightly modified according to the vowel with which it is to be sounded. Each consonant has at least seven different forms,⁵ for example, the character for 'b' may be so written as to express ba, |4 bi, bu, bâ, be, be, or bo, the sixth of the forms ('orders' is the technical word) being used also for 'b' as a vowel-less consonant. From this ingenious system it results that an Ethiopic document is always 'pointed,' and so far therefore easier to read than an unpointed text in another Semitic language. The system has however one or two disadvantages compared with pointed texts. In the first place there is no mark like the dagesh forte in Hebrew to indicate when the consonant is to be doubled; and secondly, there is no outward mark of distinction between a vowel-less consonant and the same consonant followed by a short 'e;' the sign for 'b' and be is the same and so with all the other letters.

The alphabet consists of twenty-six characters. Of these, twenty-two are identical in nature, and the majority also in name, with the corresponding letters of the Hebrew and Syriac alphabets. In some cases where there has been a change of name, it is hard to say why the change has been made, in others the reason is obvious. The name yod, for example, was. abandoned because the Ethiopic word for 'does' not begin with that letter. A word of similar meaning was therefore substituted, and the letter called 'yaman' (i. e. right hand). Similarly nun was given up, and 'nahas' (meaning, serpent) substituted in its place. This was not in every case consistently done, for 'af' (=mouth) was retained as the name of the letter called 'pe,' 'fa,' etc., in the other Semitic languages. This, however, is the only exception to the rule that the name of the letter should begin with the corresponding sound. |5

Of the four additional letters, two, representing different sounds of 'p,' are of very rare occurrence, being chiefly used in words borrowed from other languages such as Greek. The two remaining are also found in Arabic, and represent an earlier stage of the Semitic alphabet, in which there were two forms of the letters heth and sade which were afterwards merged into one by the Hebrews and Arameans.

The Ethiopic or Geez language is not now spoken. It is quite unknown when it ceased to be used as the language of daily life. Possibly it was about the tenth century. It continued in use, in a more or less debased form, for several centuries longer as a literary language. At present it is used merely as the ecclesiastical language, and is, it is said, unintelligible even to many of the priests.

It has, however, its modern representatives in daughter or kindred languages. Two, which may be described as daughter languages of Geez, are still spoken in the north of the country, including the Dahlak Islands in the Red Sea. Of these two languages or dialects, the first is known as Tigre, the second as Tigray or Tigrina. Better names would be northern and southern Tigre. Tigre, which is not spoken in Tigre proper, but further north and chiefly by Moslems, is more closely related to Geez than is Tigrina which is spoken in Tigre further south. Both of these are essentially Semitic languages, though both contain Hamitic elements.⁶

Better known than either of these is Amharic, |6 which is said to be the most widely spoken, next to Arabic, of all the Semitic languages which are still in use. Amharic has been in Abyssinia the language of the court and state since about the end of the thirteenth century. The natural result was that during the centuries that followed, though Geez was still the language of literature and the Church, it was much influenced by Amharic, chiefly in the way of vocabulary, many of the later works containing numerous loan-words borrowed from the kindred dialect. Indeed, as we shall see later, in one department of literature----the Royal Chronicles----a kind of compromise was effected, and a hybrid dialect, a mixture of Geez and Amharic, was employed.

The Geez language was quite unknown in Europe till the end of the fifteenth century, when Portuguese travellers visited the country, attracted thither by legends as to the famous Prester John. The next century saw envoys from the same country in Abyssinia, soon followed by Jesuit missionaries who endeavoured to introduce a Roman form of Christianity, but had no lasting success.

All our knowledge of the language, and therefore of the literature, depends ultimately on the efforts of two German scholars, one in the seventeenth century, and the other in the nineteenth. The first of these was Leutholf, or Ludolf, as he is generally called, who published in 1661 an Ethiopic Lexicon and Grammar. He afterwards improved both of these and wrote a History of Ethiopia and a commentary thereon. A century and a half later there was a revival of interest in the language and literature, originating |7 in and promoted by the work of the great German scholar Aug. Dillmann. During the nineteenth century also much extra material was made available. Many manuscripts had been brought from the country by missionaries like Krapf and Bruce. The British expedition against Abyssinia in 1868 was the occasion of a great influx of fresh literary material.

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CHAPTER II

BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE COUNTRY AND CHURCH

Very little is known of the history of the country prior to the introduction of Christianity beyond the fact that kings of Semitic stock bore rule there from at least the first century A.D. Their capital was at Axum. It is from these kings that the inscriptions come which have been already mentioned in the preceding chapter. The first of these inscriptions is bi-lingual (Greek and Ethiopic) and tells of the wars of a king named 'Aizana. The second is in Ethiopic only, and comes from the reign of Ela-'Amida. These belong to the fourth century and in them the writing runs from right to left contrary to the method which prevailed later. In two inscriptions of a king Tazana dating from the first years of the following century the new method is already in use. Who preceded these kings, or how far back their dynasty goes are matters of which we have no knowledge. The traditions, or rather legends, of the later Christian Church of Abyssinia, for example, those that are found in the Kebra Nagast (see below p. 87ff.) date back the origin of the kingdom to before the time of Solomon. A king of Ethiopia according to those legends was a son of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Needless to say this is all pure imagination. |9

The traditional story of the conversion of Ethiopia to Christianity rests on a better basis, and has often been told. The story depends in the main on the testimony of Rufinus, the friend (and enemy) of St. Jerome. It has been repeated after him, with some variations, by various writers. The ecclesiastical historian Socrates gives it as follows. A philosopher of Tyre, Meropius by name, desired to visit the land of the Indians. He took with him two youths and set sail for the country. When he had seen all that he wished, he was returning, but had to put in for provisions at a harbour on the coast. It so happened that at that time there was war between the Indians and the Romans. The Indians therefore seized the philosopher and his companions, and put them all to death except the two boys. Them they saved alive as a gift for their king. He was delighted with the appearance of the lads, and (apparently after some time had elapsed) made one of them whose name was Edesius his cup-bearer, and appointed the other Frumentius as his treasurer. When on his deathbed, the king (whose name, according to Ludolf, was Abreha) gave both of them their freedom. They remained on, however, in the country at the request of the queen as tutors of her son (Erazanes,⁷ according to Ludolf) until he came of age. Frumentius, while thus engaged, was in the habit of seeking out the Roman traders who visited the country, and of assembling them, if he found any to be Christians, |10 for divine worship. Eventually he built a church, and began to teach the natives. When the young prince came of age, Frumentius and Edesius, having given a good account of their stewardship, asked and received permission to leave the country and return home. Edesius then went to Tyre to visit his friends, but Frumentius did not go further than Alexandria. There he came into touch with St. Athanasius, who had but a short while before been elected bishop, and recounted the story of his travels and sojourn in Ethiopia, and his hopes for the conversion of the Indians. He begged Athanasius to send thither a bishop and other clergy to work amongst them. Judging that Frumentius was the most suitable person for the work, Athanasius consecrated him bishop at once and sent him back again to the country, where he laboured, won converts, built churches and worked miracles. This story Rufinus claims to have heard from the lips of Edesius himself. In the Ethiopic Senkesar the names of the two chief actors, appear in a somewhat disguised form as Frementos and Adeseyos, the former being also known as Abba Salama.

If the date given in the above account can be relied on, Christianity was introduced into Ethiopia in the second quarter of the fourth century. Others however put the date later. It was, in any case, more than a century later that the 'Nine Saints' arrived. Their coming must be put somewhere about the end of the fifth century. Their names are variously given.⁸ |11 All but one have Ethiopic names, Pantaleon being Greek. These Saints were probably Syrian monks, who reached Abyssinia by way of Egypt or South Arabia, having left their country probably on account of the troubles that followed the promulgation of the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon. It was possibly in consequence of their teaching, but also, in part, because of its close connexion with Alexandria, that the Church of Abyssinia has always been strongly, not to say fanatically, monophysite. The connexion with Alexandria has always been closely maintained, the Abuna or metropolitan of Abyssinia being always an Egyptian, consecrated and sent to rule the Ethiopic Church by the monophysite Patriarch of Alexandria.

The darkness which not unnaturally surrounds the history of the country all through these early times does not clear till we come nearly to the end of the thirteenth century. Two facts may, however, be mentioned about which we have some information, either from outside sources or from the traditions of the Ethiopic Church itself.

The first is that during the earlier half of the sixth century the Christians of Abyssinia made various expeditions to South Arabia to succour their fellow-Christians who were being subjected to persecution. The Abyssinians themselves have but a confused knowledge of these campaigns, and the details found in other historians are often contradictory, but as to the fact of such expeditions having taken place, there can be no reasonable doubt. The hero of these wars is a king of Axum whose name appears in various |12 forms which are ultimately reducible to two, Caleb, evidently his personal name, and Elesbaan, a surname, probably a corruption of a word meaning 'blessed.' ⁹ Elesbaan came to the throne some time before A.D. 518. At that time the Christians in Yemen (South Arabia) were subject to a king named Dhu Nowas (Dunaan) who had, after his accession to the throne, adopted the Jewish faith, and was endeavouring to spread the same by force amongst his subjects. Elesbaan first sent embassies to protest against his cruelties, but, finding these useless, determined on war. He crossed the straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, defeated the tyrant, drove him from his country, and, when he himself returned home to Abyssinia, left a viceroy to rule the country. A few years later, when this viceroy died, Dhu Nowas left his place of retreat, gathered an army together, and attacked Nejran which was the headquarters of the Abyssinian power in Yemen. He eventually became master of the city by treachery and massacred all the inhabitants who refused to abjure their faith. Some fugitives who escaped spread throughout the East the news of the massacre, and the Patriarch of Alexandria urged Elesbaan to invade Yemen again to avenge the wrongs of the Christians. This he did, and this time the tyrant was defeated and slain.¹⁰ After his victories Elesbaan is said to have abdicated and retired into seclusion as a hermit. He has been canonized not |13 only by his own Church but also by the Church of Rome (October 27).

The second fact that stands out during these years of darkness is the fall of the so-called Solomonic line of kings who reigned at Axum. The kings who came after them are described as 'non-Israelitish', and their dynasty as that of the Zâguê. The province of Shoa in the south was the refuge of the descendants of the ancient line. It is not certain when this fall of the old dynasty took place, nor for how long the intruding dynasty held sway. By some native lists its duration is lengthened out to nearly four centuries, and some modern authors take the same view. The more probable duration of the dynasty was from 100 to 150 years. In any case the Zâguê-kings were dispossessed about the year 1270 when Yekuno Amlâk who came from Shoa and was a member of the Solomonic house was restored to the throne of his ancestors, assuming the proud title of Negusa nagast, King of kings, which has ever since been used by the kings of Abyssinia.¹¹ The restoration is said to have been due in great measure to the efforts of the great national saint Takla Hâymânot, and it is further recorded that these efforts on the Saint's part were rewarded by the king by a donation to the Church of one-third of the revenues of the kingdom----a kind of Abyssinian Donation of Constantine. The truth underlying the legend no doubt is that the king to show his gratitude was extremely liberal towards the clergy and the Church, but one-third of the |14 kingdom is, as Littmann remarks, 'somewhat too much.'

During the next two centuries Abyssinia was greatly troubled both by attacks of enemies from outside, and also by internal dissensions, these latter arising chiefly from ecclesiastical matters. The Mahometan Arabs were the external foes. Yet Abyssinia fared better in their attacks than the countries round. This was no doubt due to the difficult nature of the country, the mountain fastnesses proving an obstacle against the invaders. Had the country been an open one like Egypt, it would have succumbed in all probability centuries before, as Egypt did. Two kings are prominent during these centuries, one in the first half of the fourteenth century, the second in the middle of the fifteenth. 'Amda Seyon the first of these reigned from 1312 to 1342, and fought with vigour and success against the Mahometans, while at home he displayed similar energy against the internal unrest caused by the monks. The second, Zar'a Yâ'qob, perhaps the most famous of all the Abyssinian kings reigned from 1434 to 1468. His constant wars did not prevent him, though he came to the throne when already an old man, from efforts to reform the Church and improve the internal organization of the kingdom. Literature also flourished, as we shall see, during his reign, even the king himself entering into the lists as an author.

The first half of the sixteenth century was marked by events of great importance, wars with the Moslems (these were nothing new); the arrival of the Portuguese and the Jesuits; and the invasion of the Galla tribes from the south. |15

As early as the reign of Eskender (Alexander) whose dates are 1478-1495, an envoy of the king of Portugal had been in Abyssinia and had brought back to Europe some account of the Christian kings who reigned in Africa. In the beginning of the sixteenth century a queen, Helena by name, was ruling in Abyssinia as regent for her son Lebna Dengel. She saw with alarm the rising power of the Mahometans in the south-east, where there were two Moslem states----the Emirate of Harar and the kingdom of Adal, the capital of the latter being Zeila, now a port in British Somaliland. The queen bethought her of the Portuguese, and sent as envoy to Portugal an Armenian named Mathaeus who arrived in 1513. The king of Portugal sent de Lima to Abyssinia, who on his arrival found Lebna Dengel already on the throne. Matters do not seem to have moved with any great rapidity, for it was not until 1523 that de Lima returned to his own country accompanied by an Abyssinian envoy with powers to bring about an alliance between the two countries. Meanwhile the Abyssinians were in sore straits. They had been attacked by one of the most powerful foes that they had ever encountered, the Emir of Harar, Ahmed ibn Ibrahim el Ghâzî, generally known as Grañ (i.e. the left-handed). Gran drove Lebna Dengel further and further to the north, conquering, devastating, burning, as he went. Lebna Dengel offered a brave resistance, but the Moslems had fire-arms, and were aided by the Turks. On the death of Lebna Dengel, his son, Galâudêwos (Claudius), succeeded, who bravely continued the unequal struggle, appealing for aid not only to Portugal, but also to |16 the Pope, Paul III At last a Portuguese fleet arrived quite unexpectedly at Massowa on the Red Sea, from which a body of men under the command of Christopher da Gama (brother of the famous Vasco) were landed, and came to the help of the Christians. Christopher was captured by the Moslems and was put to death, but eventually with the help of the Portuguese the Christian cause proved victorious. Grañ was killed in battle in 1543.

A few years later the Jesuits arrived. At first little was accomplished by them, for though the king received them courteously he firmly refused to abandon the faith of his fathers. He engaged personally in controversy with the Jesuit missionaries, and composed a Confession of his Faith,¹² which he sent to Europe. The Jesuits went about their work with a strange want of tact, and only succeeded in stirring up civil strife in a country which required the united effort of all its people to resist their enemies outside. They did succeed in persuading one of the kings Susenyos. to submit to the Church of Rome himself, but his efforts to procure by force the adhesion of his people to the same faith were all in vain. Finally, Fâsiladas (Basilides) the successor of Susenyos, drove out the Jesuits, or Franks, as they were called, altogether.

With the reign of Fâsiladas the political interest of the history of Abyssinia may be said to end, until comparatively recent times. Ethiopic Literature also decayed, as we shall see, and nothing new was written |17 but the annals of the successive kings. The Solomonic dynasty still continued, except for the reign of one usurper,¹³ down to the middle of the nineteenth century, but though the king retained the high-sounding title of Negusa nagast, he enjoyed but a precarious power, and any real power there was, was in the hands of the under-kings. About the middle of the nineteenth century (1855) the old Solomonic dynasty fell. The king of Amhara, Kâsâ by name, succeeded in overcoming his rivals and proclaimed himself king of Abyssinia. He reigned as Theodore II till 1868, when he committed suicide on the capture of his fortress of Magdala by Lord Napier's expedition. His son was taken to England to be educated, but died at school. Yohannes or John, the under-king of Tigre, who had given assistance to the English expedition was allowed to make himself king, and reigned as John IV until 1889 when he was killed in a battle against the forces of the Mahdi. His place was taken by Menelik of Shoa who succeeded in subduing the country and in freeing it from the anarchy into which it had fallen. In this he was assisted by the Italians who had by this time installed themselves in the colony of Eritrea on the shores of the Red Sea. The goodwill between Menelik II and his European patrons was not lasting. A war soon broke out between them which was ended in 1896 by a disaster to the Italian army at Adua.

Menelik reigned until 1914. The great World War had begun. The nearest heir to the throne was |18 Menelik's grandson Lidj Yeassu,¹⁴ the son of Menelik's. eldest daughter and an under-king named Mikail. By the influence of German and Turkish advisers the young prince was prevailed on to declare himself a Mahometan and to proclaim Islam as the national religion. Such an insult to their ancestral faith was, not tolerated by the people. At once the Abuna Mâtêwos declared the king deposed for his apostasy and the crown was offered to one of the princesses, Zaodito, who had remained loyal to the Christian faith. In the war that ensued both Lidj Yeassu and his father Mikail were taken prisoners in the final battle. Abyssinia is still a Christian country.

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CHAPTER III

BRIEF SKETCH OF THE PROGRESS OF THE LITERATURE

In the brief space at my disposal I cannot hope to give an account of the character of the Ethiopic Church, or of its organization and beliefs, or of the manner of life of its people, or of the way in which these have varied throughout the centuries of the Church's existence. To do so would require another volume of size at least equal to the present. My task is merely to give some account of the literature of the Church so far as it is known, tracing also as well as as may be the rise and fall of the literary activity during the different stages of the history.

My subject is 'Ethiopic Christian Literature,' and that, for practical purposes, may be said to embrace all Ethiopic Literature.¹⁵ In no other Church has Christianity so far permeated, outwardly at least, all literature. Nearly every Ethiopic manuscript, whether it be biblical, or liturgical, or theological, or historical, or philosophical, or even but a magic scroll, begins with 'In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God,' or some similar words. |20 This is no doubt to be accounted for by the fact that these manuscripts come to us ultimately from the priests and monks of the Church, in whose hands was all the learning of the country, and who alone were able to read and write.

Much of the literature of the Ethiopic Church, much even of its Bible, is as yet unpublished, and exists only in manuscripts either in Abyssinia, or in the great libraries in London, Oxford, Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin and elsewhere. Fresh works are being edited in Ethiopic, or at least translated every year, but even if all that is extant had already appeared the literature would be but scanty when compared with the literatures of some of the other Oriental Churches, such as the Syrian. This is only natural; the only wonder is that we have so much. The Church was always remote, far away from the different great intellectual movements which made themselves felt elsewhere, and this isolation was naturally intensified after the rise of Islam. The Ethiopic Church and nation was like a Christian oasis in the surrounding desert of Mahometanism. Their only connexion for centuries with the Christian world outside was the ecclesiastical connexion with the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria.

This literature, as it is known to us, is characterized by a conspicuous defect, its want of originality. It is, in the first place, for the most part a literature of translations. With the exception of the Chronicles of the Abyssinian kings, which are all framed on a stereotyped model, there are very few works which have the stamp of originality. Two philosophers, who lived in the first half of the seventeenth century |21 (see p. 93 ff.) showed themselves to be in a large measure original thinkers, but they, though leavened with a truer Christian spirit, were regarded as unorthodox by their contemporaries. Of course all the works which are extant are not translations, but in many cases, when they are not so, they still show a want of originality by being merely native copies of outside models. The Synaxar or Breviary of the Coptic Church was translated into Bthiopic about the middle of the fifteenth century, but it was afterwards enlarged by additions of notices of native saints, written on the same pattern. The longer Lives or Acts also of the Abyssinian martyrs and saints were conformed to those already known; even Apocalypses were written on the model of the Book of Enoch and similar works.

One other remark of a general nature must be made. I give it in the words of Littmann.¹⁶ 'The history of Ethiopic literature is far more a history of books and institutions than of men and ideas. The personal element falls largely into the background; only in a few instances do we know the name of an author or of a translator, and we seldom have any particulars about their lives. Scarcely one single vigorous personality has given an effective literary expression to his life and ideas.'

In tracing the rise and progress and decay of Ethiopic literature we may recognize roughly four periods. First the period of growth, beginning with, or soon after, the introduction of Christianity. This lasted for about three centuries and was followed by |22 a period of darkness about which we know nothing so far as literary activity is concerned, and very little else. Then came a revival of literature at the time of Yekuno Amlâk at the end of the thirteenth century. This period of renascence lasted for about a century and a half and brings us up to the Golden Age of the literature, the times of Zar'a Yâ'qob and his successors (1430-1520). The last period is the time of gradual decay in all literary activity and interests, caused by the wars outside, and still more by the religious and other dissensions within the kingdom.

First Period

The rise of the literature was no doubt due to the introduction of Christianity. Dillmann ¹⁷ writes emphatically of the Ethiopic Bible that it was 'the foundation of all Abyssinian literature and the standard to which all other writers conformed their style of writing.' The introduction of monasticism which came later had probably here as elsewhere an important effect on literary work. In addition to the Books of the Bible, including of course amongst these the apocryphal and other similar books, we have not much remaining from this period. We must remember however that the Ethiopic Bible includes books not reckoned as canonical in other churches, such as the Book of Enoch and the Book of Jubilees. These reached Abyssinia in this early period and were translated into Geez from Greek. This shown by the fact that |23 not alone proper names but also common nouns are transliterated in accordance with their Greek forms.¹⁸ To this same period belongs also the collection of writings known as Qerlos (i.e. Cyril) so called because the first documents of the collection are connected with St. Cyril of Alexandria. The whole work is described by Dillmann ¹⁹ as a 'splendid monument of the older language.' Here too is to be put the translation of the Rules of Pachomius, the Ethiopic text of which has been published by Dillmann in his Chrestomathia Aethiopica, and of which Schodde has given an English translation in the Presbyterian Review (1885). The work consists of three parts, of which the first and oldest exists in Greek also in the Lausiac History of Palladius.²⁰ The Physiologus, a work on Natural History, shows by the fact that it has been translated from the Greek that it too belongs to this first period. The Ethiopic version with a German translation has been edited by F. Hommel (1877).

It seems extremely probable that some at least of the Liturgies were translated during this period. It is hardly likely that the Church could have existed so long without fixed liturgical services. No doubt they were afterwards revised and perhaps interpolated; their number too may have been increased. We |24 have, it is true, no liturgical manuscript from this period, but neither have we any manuscript of the Bible or any other work. What is accounted the earliest of all extant Ethiopic manuscripts is an Octateuch now at Paris which is generally believed to date from the end of the thirteenth century.²¹

Second Period

When the veil is lifted once more after the centuries of darkness, we find in some respects quite a different state of things. The connexion with Alexandria is still indeed maintained, but in Egypt itself a change has meanwhile taken place. Mahometan rule has brought in the use of Arabic. Greek is no longer used, and even Coptic has fallen into the background. From this on, all, or nearly all, the Ethiopic translations are made from Arabic. At any rate none are made any longer from Greek, as they were in the first period. It is just possible that some translations were made from Coptic. Littmann instances the Church Hymn-book Weddâsê Mâryâm (Praises of Mary) as being closer to the Coptic version than to the Arabic. The Ethiopic Didascalia also shows clearly in one place that the Coptic version of the same stands somewhere in its line of descent from the Greek original, and it is different as regards its contents from the Arabic Didascalia found in most manuscripts. Recently another Arabic recension has been discovered which agrees almost entirely with the Ethiopic version. Possibly therefore the Ethiopic |25 Praises of Mary may be a translation of another Arabic version now lost, which was itself derived from the Coptic. There is nothing however antecedently improbable in the supposition that some of the Abyssinians were familiar with Coptic. It will remain true, in any case, however it may have been with a few works, that nearly all the literature of Abyssinia from the commencement of this second period is based on the Arabic literature of the Coptic Church. The name chiefly connected with the renascence of literature during this period is that of Abbâ Salama who ruled the Church during the first half of the fourteenth century. A revision of the Bible was made under his direction, and other works were written or translated at his instigation. The Liturgies also come from this period in so far as they are not from the first. Other ecclesiastical works from this period in addition to the Weddâsê Maryaný already mentioned, and various Lives of Saints and Martyrs, are the Book of Hours (Mashafa ²² Sâ'atât), a Burial Service (M. Genzat), and the apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (Gadla Hawaryat).²³ Somewhat later, but still in the same period, come the Interpretation of Jesus (Fekkâre Iyasus) a kind of apocalyptic work prophesying the advent of a king Theodore who was |26 to bring peace and blessing to his country; and the Book of Mystery (M. Mestir) which is in the main a controversial work against various heresies, but is also professedly historical containing legends as to the rise of Christianity in Abyssinia.

Of other works claiming to be historical which come from this same period, two may here be mentioned, one of native origin, and the other a translation of a foreign work. The native work is the famous Kebra Nagast (The Glory of Kings). It is in reality not history but romance, tracing back the origin of kings to the beginning of the world and the lineage of the Abyssinian dynasty to the time of Solomon. A fuller account of this work is given in a later chapter (p. 87 ff). The foreign work is a translation of the Chronicle of Joseph ben Gorion the Jew, under the Ethiopic title of Zend Ayhud, that is, The History of the Jews. It contains the history of the Jewish nation from the time of Cyrus and the return from Babylon up to the capture of Jerusalem by Titus.

It would seem very likely that we should put also in this period three works which Littmann assigns to the next. All three are quoted as authorities by King Zar'a Yâ'qob who comes himself at the beginning of the third period, and it is scarcely probable that they would have been so referred to by him as authoritative had they not been in existence for a considerable time. The first of these is the collection of ecclesiastical constitutions and canons in eight books known as the Sinodos and reckoned by the Ethiopic Church as part of the New Testament. The other two are the Didascalia and the Testament of our Lord. Of these, |27 the former according to the tradition of the Church comes from the earliest period, but this is improbable, as it is a translation not from Greek, but from Arabic, or perhaps, as mentioned above, from Coptic. The latter, the Testament of our Lord is quoted, according to Dillmann ²⁴ not only by Zar'a Yâ'qob but also in the M. Mestir, itself a work of the second period, as we have already seen. Of all these three works more will be said hereafter (chapter vi).

Third Period

This period, though it is shorter than any of the others, is the Golden Age of Ethiopic Literature. Three at least of the kings who reigned during these years interested themselves in literary matters, and two of them, Zar'a Yâ'qob and Nâ'od, figure as authors. The same types of literature are continued, but we find features that are new, or at least further developed. One of these arises from the circumstances of the time. One of Zar'a Yâ'qob's chief efforts at reform was directed against the magic and superstition which were everywhere rife. He himself is credited with having written the Book of Light (M. Berhân), so called from Christ the Light of the world. Its polemic against heathenish practices shows the kind of magic ceremonies and immoralities which were current at the time. One interesting, though unexpected, result of these literary efforts in opposition to magic was that they gave rise to a literature on the opposite side as well. Superstition and magic were not then, and never have been, banished from the country and the Church. |28

In this period, again, we meet for the the first time the writing of regular Chronicles or Annals. Earlier ones may have been written, but if so, they are now lost. The wars of King 'Amda Seyon at least were recounted, but this was in verse, and not in the form of Chronicles. Church hymns of various sorts also come from this period. Earlier we have met with only the so-called Praises of Mary, hymns in honour of the Blessed Virgin arranged for the days of the week. It must remain uncertain how far back in the history of the Abyssinian Church these Church hymns go. According to the tradition of the Church the founder of Church-song was Yâred, a contemporary of the 'Nine Saints,' but this is probably mere guess-work. The details at least are legendary, for the story runs that he was caught up into Paradise, and brought, down thence the invention of plain-song and the division of the Hymns according to the seasons of the year. From the present-period we have in connexion with the name of Zar'a Yâ'qob himself a collection of hymns for the Saints' Days of the year known as Egzi'abher Nagsa (the Lord reigneth) and also another collection, arranged like the Weddâsê Mâryâm for the days of the week, and known as the Organ of the Virgin, or the Organ of Praises (Arganona Dengel, Arganona Weddâsê). Another king who took an interest in Church Song was Nâ'od to whose authorship is assigned a Malke'a Mâryâm (Likeness of Mary), and a collection of Sellâse (six-lined stanzas). Each of these represents a separate type. The so-called 'Likenesses' are hymns in honour of saints in which the various parts of the Saint's body are recounted |29 one by one, each in a separate stanza.²⁵ The Sellâse are a kind of poem intended to be sung in Church after certain verses of the Psalter.

Other books of Church-song, which may come from the same period, are the Degguâ, the Antiphonary (Mawâse'et, i.e. answers), and the Me'râf, which are collections of hymns or anthems for the various festivals throughout the year.

The third of the kings whose name is connected with literature during this period is Lebna Dengel. He does not appear as an author, but it was at his suggestion that Chrysostom's Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews was translated, as well as a commentary on the gospels ascribed to Dionysios.

Meanwhile two types of literature which were found in the preceding period were continued, Lives of Saints (often in the form of Homilies) and apocryphal Gospels or Acts. Of the former type we have from this period the Lives of Takla Haymanot, the great national saint of the time of Yekuno Amlâk, of Yâred the reputed father of Church-song, and of Na'akueto la Ab, the last of the Zâguê-kings; and of the former several connected with the our Lord's birth, the Book of the Birth (M. Milâd), the Wonders of Mary, and the Wonders of Mary and Jesus.

Allied with these, but of a somewhat more scientific kind, are two other works. The first is the Senkesar or Seneksar (the Ethiopia form of Synaxar). This the Calendar or Breviary of the Church. It was translated from the Arabic Synaxar of the Coptic Church in the |30 middle of the fifteenth century, but was afterwards enlarged by adding many notices of native saints and martyrs, as well as by a feature peculiarly Abyssinian, the addition of a short rhymed poem, known as a salâm, at the end of each commemoration (see below, p. 67). The second is a collection of anecdotes and sayings of the Fathers, which is known by two names, Gannat (i.e. Garden or Paradise) and Stories of the Honoured Fathers (Zênâhomýý la-Abau keburâný). Of historical works during this period in addition to the Chronicles already mentioned we have a translation of the Universal History of George the Egyptian who is known in Abyssinia is Giyorgis walda Amid.

Fourth Period

Political strife without and religious dissensions within marked the greater part of this period of the decadence of Ethiopic Literature. The struggles were on the whole prejudicial to literary activity and to the preservation of its products. The wars with the Moslem Arabs and the savage Galla tribes, so long as they lasted, naturally put an end to all opportunity or wish for writing. Not only so, but much also that had been previously written must then have perished when churches and monasteries were sacked and burnt. The effect of the internal dissensions on the literature was not quite the same, but they tended to confine the desire for writing to controversial works. Of these may be mentioned from the time of Galâudêwos (Claudius) his own Confession of Faith already alluded to (p. 16) and a treatise on the monophysite theology called the Refuge of the Soul (Sawana |31 Nafs). These were original works. From about the same time we have, translated from Arabic, the Fekkârê Malakot (Exposition of the Godhead), and the Hâymânota Abau (Faith of the Fathers), the latter being a collection of documents relating to monophysitism.

Near the close of the sixteenth century arose an important worker in the person of 'Enbâqom (Habakkuk). He was a convert from Islam to Christianity. Originally a merchant of Yemen in South Arabia he ended by being the head of the great monastery of Dabra Libânos. Two works connected with him either as author or instigator are, the Superiority of the Christian Faith and the Gate of Faith (Angasa Amin). The purpose of both of these was to win back the Christians who had gone over to Islam during the troublous times of the wars with Grañ (p. 15). In the same monastery and at about the same time another monk, Salik by name, translated a great theological work known as the M. Hawi. This title seems to be a translation of the Greek Pandectes, for the work is a version in Ethiopic of the religious encyclopaedia of Nicon whose title in the original is Πανδέκτης τῶν ἑρμηνειῶν τῶν θείων ἐντολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου. This book is a collection of precepts on various subjects taken from the Church Fathers, treating of the necessity of knowledge of Holy Scripture, the commandments of God, the monastic life, confession, fasting, etc. Another work emanating from the same monastery at about the same time is a refutation of various heresies known as the Talmid (Pupil). The somewhat strange title is due to the fact that the author of the original work was George, a pupil of Anthony, the Syrian. |32

During the next century very few definitely theological works were produced. One however must be mentioned which was translated from Arabic in 1667 at the suggestion of the queen Sabla Wangel, mother of King Iyasu. It is a penitential work entitled Faus Manfasâwi (Spiritual Medicine) and contains in its thirty-five chapters precepts and recommendations with regard to special sins, ending with a series of instructions on the Holy Communion, Baptism, Chrism, the Church, and clerical discipline. There is also another work bearing the same title whose author and date are unknown.

The same Habakkuk who has been mentioned above interested himself also in history and kindred subjects, being the translator of two works, one, the Universal History of Abu Shâkir and the second the Story of Baralâm and Yezvâsef (Barlaam and Josaphat), a popular religious romance. Similar to the last-named work is another from the same period the Romance of Alexander. This is a translation of the Arabic version of the romance attributed in the Middle Ages to Callisthenes, the Greek historian (grandnephew of Aristotle) who wrote a History, now lost, of Alexander's conquests.²⁶ |33

The wars of the sixteenth century caused a revival of writing of Chronicles. One of the most important of these is the Short or Abridged Chronicle, which is extant in more than one recension. It starts with lists of the ancient kings and contains brief accounts of the reigns of the kings from Yekuno Amlâk to Lebna Dengel.²⁷ A fuller story begins at the time of the wars with Grañ. The Chronicle comes down to the reign of Bakâffâ (1730). There are longer Chronicles also for the reigns of many of the kings from Zar'a Yâ'qob onwards. An important historical translation made in this period is that of the Chronicle of John, Bishop of Nikiou, the Arabic original of which is no longer extant. It owes its importance to the fact that that it is a contemporary account, written from the Christian point of view, of the conquest of Egypt by the Arabs. This translation which also was due to royal suggestion, was made by an Egyptian named Gabriel in the reign of Yâ'qob (1595-1605).²⁸ About the same time a monk named Bahrey wrote a brief account of the wars with the Galla tribes. In this in addition to describing the campaigns he gives a description of the Gallas, contrasting them favourably in some respects, especially as to courage, with the men of his own nation (see below, p. 85 ff.).

During the period of decadence it would seem that there was at least one or perhaps two attempts at a revision of the Ethiopic Bible. This is a matter of |34 inference from the character of the text found in the manuscripts now extant. There is not any direct historical evidence on the question. Littmann supposes that one revision came at the resumption of literary work after the wars of the sixteenth century and that another was connected with the religious struggle in the century following. It is extremely probable that the seventeenth century at least saw some such revision, for the mission of the Jesuits must have emphasized the difference between the text current in Abyssinia and the translations which they made from the Vulgate.

It is during this last period that we meet for the first time in Ethiopic Literature writings connected with two fresh branches of learning, law and philosophy. Zar'a Yâ'qob's Book of Light has, it is true, been already mentioned, which is concerned with Church ordinances, and a large part of the Sinodos is made up of Statutes and Canons traditionally connected with the apostles. There was also a book-entitled Ser'ata Mangest, which is mainly a book of court etiquette, but as yet there was no civil or criminal law-book in existence. An attempt to meet the need for such a book was made by a translation of the Nomocanon of Abu Ishaq Ibn al 'Assal, an Egyptian who wrote in the thirteenth century. This Arabic work is a collection of old Roman laws, biblical precepts and ecclesiastical ordinances. The Ethiopic version received the name of Fetha Nagast (The Law of the Kings). It is still the official law-book of Abyssinia in ecclesiastical, civil and criminal procedure (see below, chapter viii). |35

Of philosophy, we have two works which are amongst the most original to be found in the whole course of the literature. Both of these bear the modest title of Enquiry. They come from the seventeenth century and are the work of a philosopher named Zar'a Yâ'qob and his pupil Walda Heywat. Though these two Enquiries combat many of the positions of the fellow-countrymen of the authors, they are both conceived, as has been already hinted, in a spirit far more truly Christian than are the works accounted orthodox. It is refreshing to find some originality in the midst of the dreary monotony of hagiology and stereotyped chronicles that are met with for the most part elsewhere in the literature. Considering the place where and the time when these Enquiries were written, Littmann hardly goes too far when he says (p. 220) that they are a 'real contribution to the history of human thought.'

The end of the seventeenth century saw the close of Ethiopic Literature for all practical purposes. The state chroniclers indeed continued to write the annals of the successive kings, but the language in which these were written degenerated more and more. This was only natural. Geez had died out long before as the language of daily life. The language of the Court and of the majority of the people was, and had long been, Amharic. Naturally therefore the chroniclers here and there in their chronicles employed the Amharic words which were more familiar to them. A hybrid form of writing arose which is known as the lesâna târik the tongue, or dialect, of history. These Amharic words coming in the midst of true Ethiopic |36 words often have a strange appearance, for the Amharic alphabet requires several additional letters to express the sounds of the language. Finally even the Chronicles came to be written in pure Amharic. Other works also during this final period, which were intended for popular use, were written in the same language. In doing this the Jesuits were the pioneers, but the 'orthodox' had to follow suit. Into the rise and progress of this Amharic literature, which is thought by some to have a future before it, we. cannot enter here.

|37

CHAPTER IV

THE BIBLE OF THE ETHIOPIC CHURCH

The canon of the Ethiopic Bible differs both in the Old and in the New Testament from that of any other Church. In the New Testament the difference is a simple one. The number of the books is reckoned as thirty-five. This number is obtained by adding to the twenty-seven books of our New Testament the eight books of a collection of constitutions and canons of the Church known as the Sinodos. A fuller account of this work will be given later on (p. 61 f.). As to the Old Testament canon there is more uncertainty. The number of the books is given uniformly as forty-six, but 'hardly two lists of these books agree.' ²⁹ Let us take as an example of such lists one that is found in a British Museum manuscript (Add. 16188). It runs as follows: Octateuch, 8; Kufâlê (Jubilees), 1; Kings and Chronicles, 5; Job, 1; Solomon, 5; Greater Prophets, 4; Minor Prophets, 12; Ezra, 2; Maccabees, 1; Tobit, 1; Judith, 1; Assenath, 1; Esther, 1; Sirach, 1; Psalter, 1; Uzziah, 1. The total number here, it will be seen, is forty-six, but this list lacks all mention of the Book of Enoch, Baruch,³⁰ Third (or Fourth) |38 Esdras.³¹ These as well as others are included in other lists.

Of the books named in the list given a few perhaps need a word of explanation. The Octateuch (known to the Ethiopic Church as the Orit, that is, the Law) contains the Books from Genesis to Ruth. 'Kings' includes of course, as in the LXX, the Books of Samuel.³² Five books are assigned in the list to Solomon. This means that Proverbs is counted as two, the two parts being (a) the Proverbs, (b) the Institutions of Solomon (as in Brit. Mus. Add. 16186), and that the other three are Ecclesiastes, Canticles and Wisdom. The Book of Maccabees named in the list is. not the same as any of those generally so entitled. The apocryphal Books of Maccabees were either not translated into Ethiopic at all, or, if they were, the version was lost in early times. To supply their place a romance was composed. This contains the account of the martyrdom of three Jews in the reign of a king who bears the extraordinary name of Sirusâydân, i.e. Tyre and Sidon, followed by discussions on the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the dead, as well as by some account of the general biblical history of the Jews. The name Assenath probably refers to the apocryphal book with regard to the story of Joseph, which is known in various versions, Greek, Latin, Armenian, Sclavonic, and entitled generally the Book of Joseph and |39 Asenath.³³ It was, in its original form, of Jewish origin, but, as we know it now, has been modified by Christian editors. It is quite unknown what book the writer of the list above has in mind in speaking of the Book of Uzziah, which he names last.

Other books, in addition to those already mentioned, which seem to have had at least a semi-canonical authority, were, in the Old Testament, the Ascension of Isaiah, and in the New, the Shepherd of Hennas.

The books of the Old and New Testaments were translated in the early days of Abyssinian Christianity, but probably not all at the same time. A beginning would doubtless be made with the gospels, and the book that was translated last is said ³⁴ to have been the Wisdom of Sirach (a.d. 678). It is generally agreed that the translations were made originally from the Greek, not only in the New, but also in the Old Testament. According to a tradition preserved in the poetry of the country the version was made from Arabic by Abbâ Salama (Frumentius), but this seems to be a mistake due to a confusion of the two men who bore this name, and also to the fact that the Sinodos, which is part of the Ethiopic New Testament, was translated from Arabic. Renaudot held that the version was derived from the Coptic, and Lagarde maintained the extraordinary opinion, which Charles rightly describes as 'preposterous,' that the Ethiopic version was translated from Arabic or Coptic in the |40 fourteenth century. That it was translated from Greek seems proved by internal evidence. In the Old Testament Greek names of animals, plants, precious stones, etc., are at times retained. Hebrew words which are transliterated in the LXX are similarly dealt with in the Ethiopic version, and when the order of the chapters in the LXX differs from that of the Hebrew Bible (e.g. in Exodus), the Ethiopic agrees with the former.

The tradition as to Abbâ Salama has been already mentioned. Others attribute the version to the 'Nine Saints'. It is almost certain that the whole translation is not the work of one man. Not only is the same word translated differently in the different books, but even the style of translation varies from book to book. Some are translated literally, in others paraphrase is employed; some are correctly rendered, others badly.³⁵

It is a matter of dispute what particular type of LXX text formed the basis of the Ethiopic Old Testament. Cornill has argued for the Hesy-chian, others for the Lucianic on the ground that this was the type of text most used in Syria whence the missionaries came. The question can hardly be decided till such time as a critical text of the Ethiopic Old Testament is made. It is more important to notice that though the Ethiopic version is undoubtedly based on the LXX, it differs from it in some places and agrees with the Hebrew text. Dillmann in his Introduction to the |41 Ethiopic version of the Books of Kings says (pp. 3-5) that the extant manuscripts exhibit three types of text. There is first an ancient type, represented by two manuscripts, in which the ordinary division into chapters is not found; second come the manuscripts of the type generally current, which give a text that is the result of a revision from Greek manuscripts; and thirdly there is a type of text, represented by but one manuscript in the Books of Kings, which presupposes a revision of the first type of text in accordance with the Hebrew. This last-mentioned manuscript further agrees with those of the first type in not having the usual chapter-division.

It is, however, possible that this agreement with the Hebrew in these manuscripts is to be accounted for otherwise than by a revision founded on the Masoretic text itself. Archdeacon Charles, for example, favours the idea that Origen's Hexapla was used by the Ethiopic revisers, supporting his opinion by examples taken from the Book of Lamentations.³⁶ The Italian scholar, Guidi, on the other hand, conjectures ² that the reviser may have got help from the Arabic version of the Jew Saadia Gaon. However this may be, it is certain that the original Ethiopic version of the Old Testament was more than once revised, the first revision coming at the revival of literature at the end of the thirteenth century, and the other, or others, between 1500 and 1700.

The case is somewhat similar with regard to the |42 New Testament. Two types of text are found. The first was evidently made from a Greek original, one probably which had the type of text in use in the neighbourhood of Antioch before the rise of the so-called Antiochian or Syrian Greek text. With this later text the second type of Ethiopic text has been brought into agreement. The Ethiopic New Testament, as at present printed, agrees sometimes with the oldest Greek uncials, sometimes with the 'Western' text, and again in other places differs from these in agreement with the great body of later Greek manuscripts. In the New Testament also, as in the Old, there is a crying need for the formation of a critical Ethiopic text.

As examples of the type of mistake by the translators of the Ethiopic version in all the books of the Old Testament, the following examples which I have noted in the Psalter may not be without interest: ----

In xv. 6 κρατίστοις and κρατίστη are each taken as if from κρατῶ; in both xliv. 9 and xlvii. 4 βάρις is confused with βαρύς; in lxii. 2 ἄβατος is translated 'without wood (or tree)', i.e. a) and βάτος; in lxiv. 8 κύτος is read as κῆτος; in lxvii. 23 the words ἐκ Βασάν are taken as if they were together a part of ἐκβαίνω; in lxxvi. 3 ἠπατήθην is translated as if it were from πατῶ; in cxli. 6 ἠδύνθησαν is confused with ἠδυνήθησαν. In this last case it is possible that the translators found ἠδυνήθησαν in their text, as it is the reading of R (the Verona bi-lingual Psalter) with whose text the Ethiopic Psalter is elsewhere in somewhat remarkable agreement. Both, for example, have in xxxvii. 20 the addition 'and they cast forth their brother as an |43 unclean corpse ' and in cxxxv. 16 the addition 'who brought forth water from the rock, for his mercy endureth for ever.'

The first part of the Bible to be printed in Ethiopic was the Psalter together with such biblical Hymns as the Songs of Moses, of Hannah, of Hezekiah, etc., which are generally found at the end of Ethiopic manuscripts of the Psalter. This was edited in 1513 by Potken. A few years later (1548) the greater part of the New Testament appeared. This volume lacked the thirteen Epistles of St. Paul, but these were published in the following year. The editor Tasfa Seyon (Petrus Ethyops, as he is described in the title) had unfortunately poor materials to work on. In the Acts of the Apostles his manuscript was defective and he was obliged to fill up the gaps by translations of his own from the Greek and Latin. The result was not a success. He also asks pardon for the mistakes due to his 'unskilled assistants.' 'Fathers and brothers,' he pleads, 'judge not harshly the faults of this edition, for those who printed were unable to read, and I was unable to print. So they helped me, and I them, as the blind help the blind. Pardon therefore them and me.' The text of this edition with all its manifold errors was reprinted in the following century in Walton's Polyglot. A revised edition of the Ethiopic Gospels was produced under the editorship of Platt by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1828, and the whole New Testament in 1830. Platt's edition was revised by the German scholar, Praetorius, in 1899. None of these editions are of critical value. |44

Much of the Old Testament still remains unprinted, and what has already seen the light has been produced piecemeal. Of the canonical books the following have never yet been published: Chronicles, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Micah, Amos, Habakkuk, and Nahum. All the other books have been published, but in very different forms and at widely different dates. The Psalter, as has been already mentioned, was the first book printed in Ethiopic. Canticles was given along with the Psalter in Walton's Polyglot. In the seventeenth century some of the shorter books were published separately, namely, Zephaniah and Ruth by Nisselius, and Malachi and Joel by Petraeus. It was not until two centuries later that the Octateuch was first published, by Dillmann in 1853-1855. The Books of Samuel and Kings were afterwards edited by the same scholar in 1861 and 1871 respectively. The last decade of the nineteenth century saw the publication of four more books, Obadiah, Lamentations, Isaiah and Zechariah. The first three were edited by Bachmann in 1892-1893, and the fourth by Kramer in 1898. Four new books have been added to the list during the present century, all published in the Patrologia Orientalis, namely, Job, Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah.³⁷ Mention should also be made of the edition of the Ethiopic |45 Octateuch which has been commenced in the Bibliotheca Abessinica (E. J. Brill, Leyden). Two volumes have already appeared, the first containing Genesis in. 1909, the second (1911) containing Exodus and Leviticus. Tn this edition which is based on six manuscripts the method adopted is to print the text of the oldest manuscript, corrected only where obviously in error, and to give the variants of the other five at the foot of the page. The editor, Dr. J. O. Boyd, believes that this oldest manuscript does not, as is commonly supposed, belong to the thirteenth century, but to the fifteenth, or to the fourteenth at the earliest.

The Apocryphal books in their Ethiopic form have fared somewhat better than the canonical with respect to publication. Of those which are found in the Apocrypha of our Bibles by far the greater number were published by Dillmann in 1894. This edition, includes Baruch (with the Epistle of Jeremiah), Tobit, Judith, Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom, the Apocalypse of Ezra, (4 Esdras),³⁸ and 3 Esdras. The extra parts of Esther are to be found in the edition of the Book of Esther above mentioned. As Daniel has not yet been published, the Apocryphal additions thereto are in similar case with the exception of the Song of the Three Children.³⁹ There remain only the Prayer of Manasses and the Books of Maccabees. Of these the former is contained entire in the Ethiopic Didascalia as in the Greek Apostolic Constitutions. Its text is |46 therefore available in Platt's edition of the former (chapter v). The Books of Maccabees have already been mentioned. The early Ethiopic book which bears the name has no connexion with the history of the Maccabees. A version of the first and second books is extant, but it is a late (seventeenth century) translation from the Vulgate.

The Book of Baruch above mentioned is the same as that which is found in our Apocrypha. Another book also connected with the name of Baruch is found in the manuscripts of the Ethiopic Bible after Jeremiah. To the book of this prophet are appended (1) the Book of Baruch as in our Apocrypha, (2) Lamentations, (3) the Epistle of Jeremiah, (4) a short prophecy added with the intention of freeing the reference to Jeremiah in Matt, xxvii. 9 from suspicion of error,⁴⁰ (5) the Rest of the Words of Baruch.

The text of this last-named book has been published in Dillmann's Chrestomathy. It is a translation of a Greek original of the second century, which seems to depend in part on a Jewish work. The book is connected with the better-known Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch, but it is not identical with it.⁴¹

Under the heading of the present chapter mention must also be made of certain books belonging to |47 that class usually designated pseudepigraphic. These are well known by name, but it ought not to be forgotten, as it so often is, that the whole of Christendom, indeed, one might almost say the whole learned world, owes a debt of gratitude to the remote and often neglected Church of Abyssinia for the preservation of these documents. Apart from mere fragments elsewhere preserved, it is that Church alone which has handed them down to us.

Foremost amongst these is the Book of Enoch which throws so much light on Jewish thought on various points during the centuries immediately preceding the Christian era. Archdeacon Charles in his edition of the book speaks ⁴² of it and similar works as 'being practically the only historical memorials of the religious development of Judaism during the two centuries which preceded the birth of Christianity, and particularly of that side of Judaism to which historically Christendom in large measure owes its existence.' It is matter of discussion in what language the book was originally written. The language was certainly Semitic, but whether Hebrew (Halevy) or Aramaic (Schurer and others) is undecided. Charles unites both views, affirming that the original of chapters vi-xxxiv was Aramaic and that of the rest Hebrew. He claims to have discovered also that much of the original text was in verse. Whatever the original may have been, the greater part of the book is now extant only in the Ethiopic version which was translated not from the original but from the Greek. |48

So much has been written in recent years about the Book of Enoch, that it seems unnecessary to speak here of its subject-matter and its various divisions. The editio princeps was the work of the English scholar Laurence who edited it at Oxford in 1838 from a single manuscript which the famous traveller Bruce had brought from Abyssinia in the previous century. The Book was again edited by Dillmann from five manuscripts in 1851, by Flemming in 1902, and finally by Charles in 1906 in a monumental work based on twenty-five manuscripts. There is a convenient English translation, published by the S.P.C.K.⁴³ a reprint of Charles' translation of 1912.

The Book of Jubilees (in Ethiopic Kufâlê, i.e. Divisions) otherwise known as the Little Genesis, has also been preserved entire only in the Ethiopic version. One-fourth of the whole book is extant also in a Latin version and numerous fragments of the Greek version have been handed down in the works of various authors. Here again there is uncertainty as to the original language of the book. For several reasons Charles ⁴⁴ decides in favour of Hebrew. Of this original the Greek version is a daughter, and from the Greek the Ethiopic is derived. The book is the work of a single author but 'based on earlier books and traditions.' It consists, speaking generally, of a reproduction of the subject-matter of the Book of Genesis (whence the name ' Little Genesis ') in the form of a midrash, and its author belonged to the sect of |49 the Pharisees. The name 'Jubilees' is given to the book because its author divides the history from the creation into jubilee-periods of forty-nine years each.

The Ethiopic text was first edited by Dillmann from two late manuscripts in 1859. A later edition, based on these manuscripts and two others (the only ones so far known), was published by Charles in 1895. The same scholar has also published an English translation with full commentary and introduction (1902). This has been reprinted in a convenient form by the S.P. C.K.

We owe to the Ethiopic Church the preservation of yet one more book in its entirety, namely, the Ascension of Isaiah. It was first published by Laurence in 1819 from a single manuscript, afterwards in 1877 by Dillmann from three manuscripts, but both of these editions have been superseded by Charles' edition of 1900. The same work exists in part in Latin. Of the Greek, which was the original language of the book, we have a considerable part preserved in a manuscript of the twelfth century, in which however the book has undergone recasting and rearrangement. The book is also known in Sclavonic. It dates, or at least the various parts of which it is composed date, from the first Christian century. One of these parts gives some information of interest about the early organization of the Christian Church. The opening part of the complete book, which is the work of a Jew, is known as the Martyrdom of Isaiah, the concluding part is the Vision of Isaiah, and these are united by a brief apocalyptic passage which is of Christian authorship. A convenient translation has been issued by S.P.C.K. (1917). |50

Of the books which may be called the Apocrypha of the New Testament, we have in Ethiopic only the Shepherd of Hermas. The Ethiopic text has been edited by d'Abbadie. It seems somewhat strange that we should have none of the works of the other Apostolic Fathers, nor even the Didache, except so far as this tract is preserved in the latter part of the Ethiopic Didascalia (see below, p. 63 ff.).

|51

CHAPTER V

THE LITURGIES AND OTHER SERVICE BOOKS

Le Brun in his Explication de la Messe,⁴⁵ in writing of the Ethiopic Liturgies, ventures to conjecture that one of them was the first of all to be committed to writing. His argument is that while the other liturgies were not written out till the end of the fourth century, 'St. Athanasius making a layman a bishop at one step, and sending him into a country where was neither bishop nor priest to instruct him, must naturally have given him the Liturgy in writing, and that the first Bishop Frumentius would leave it to his Church in order that the bishop who should succeed him might make use of it.' He also refers in proof to the fact that the Liturgy translated by Ludolf makes mention of no Fathers of the Church later than the 318 Orthodox of Nicaea whom St. Athanasius himself had seen. The former argument takes of course for granted that we can fully depend on the historical accuracy of the details as to the introduction of Christianity into Abyssinia.

Brightman,⁴⁶ on the other hand, when speaking of the date of the Liturgy found in the Ethiopic Church |52 Ordinances, says, 'the history of liturgical development in Abyssinia is too little known to justify even conjecture.' The relevance of this argument is not very clear, for in the context he is speaking of Bunsen's view that the Liturgy of the Church Ordinances dates from the second century, at which date, on any theory, there was no Christianity, and therefore no Liturgy in the country. We may, however, regard the words as true generally, and yet in spite of our want of knowledge of liturgical development in Abyssinia count it not unreasonable to argue on general grounds, as has been done in a former chapter, for the existence of a Liturgy, or Liturgies, in the Ethiopic Church in the first stage of its history. Why should Abyssinia, so closely connected as it was with Alexandria have lacked what other churches had?

The earliest form of Liturgy of the Church known to us is that already mentioned as found in the Ethiopic Church Ordinances. These are a part of the Ethiopic Statutes of the Apostles which themselves constitute a section of the larger Sinodos to which reference was made in the last chapter. In the Ethiopic Church Ordinances this Liturgy, or rather Anaphora, is connected with the service for the; consecration of a bishop. Historically it not only has connexion, as Brightman points out, with the Clementine Liturgy found in the eighth book of the Apostolic Constitutions, but also borrows some features from the Canons of Hippolytus. It is also the source from which the later Ethiopic Anaphora known as that of the Apostles was developed. This may easily |53 be seen by comparing the two in the translations given by Brightman.⁴⁷

We have spoken above of various Liturgies of the Ethiopic Church. It would have been more precise to have spoken of various Anaphoras. It is the Anaphora, the central part of the service, which varies, while the common frame-work, the ordo communis, as it is generally called, remains invariable.

The Liturgy printed by Brightman, called by him the Liturgy of the Abyssinian Jacobites, consists of this ordo communis together with the Anaphora of the Apostles. The whole service is known in Ethiopic as the Qeddâsê, though this word is used also in another sense.⁴⁸ The phrase the Qeddâsê of St. Dioscorus, for example, may mean either the variable part, the Anaphora which bears the name of that saint, or the ordo communis together with the same Anaphora.

These Anaphoras of the Ethiopic are sixteen in number. Besides that already mentioned these are according to the order in which they are named by Brightman:

(1) Of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(2) Of our Lady Mary.

(3) Of St. Dioscorus.

(4) Of St. John Chrysostom.

(5) Of St. John the Evangelist.

(6) Of St. James the Lord's Brother. |54

(7) Of St. Gregory the Armenian.

(8) Of the 318 Orthodox.

(9) Of St. Athanasius.

(10) Of St. Basil.

(11) Of St. Gregory Nazianzen.

(12) Of St. Epiphanius.

(13) Of St. Cyril (I).

(14) Of St. Cyril (II).

(15) Of James of Serug.

Two of these, namely, Nos. 6 and 14, are found only in one manuscript.

It would be outside the purpose of the present work to describe from a liturgical point of view the details of the Ethiopic Liturgy. It is enough to say that it shows, as would have been expected, the characteristics of the Alexandrian family. It is most closely connected with the Greek Liturgy of St. Mark and with the Coptic, St. Cyril. Like them it assigns a prominent part to the Deacon, and in it, as in them, the Great Intercession occurs in the middle of the Preface. Hammond is incorrect in saying ⁴⁹ that 'it is unique in not having the " Sursum Corda '" with the usual response.' It will be seen from Brightman these are to be found at the beginning of the Anaphora.

Four Lessons from the New Testament are read at each celebration of the Eucharist, the first from the Pauline Epistles, the second from the Catholic Epistles, the third from the Acts of the Apostles, and the fourth from the Gospels. This is another point, of agreement with the Coptic Liturgy of St. Cyril. |55

The Ethiopic Liturgy was the first to be published of all the Oriental Liturgies. It was printed at Rome in 1548 along with the New Testament mentioned in the preceding chapter, a Latin version being given in the following year. What was then printed was the ordo communis along with three of the Anaphoras, viz. of the Apostles, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our Lady Mary. As it was printed at Rome the editor made it conform to the Roman Missal in certain respects. The words 'and the Son' (the filioque clause) were added to the Creed, and the form of the Epiclesis or Invocation was also mutilated.

The Ethiopic text of the ordo communis is most easily accessible in the appendix to Dr. Swainson's work on the Greek Liturgies published in 1884. In the title of the work it is described as the Coptic ordinary Canon of the Mass! An English translation is also added which bears obvious marks of its having been made by a foreigner. Dr. Swainson did not print the Anaphora, being mistaken in supposing that the manuscript from which the text was taken did not contain it.

The same three Anaphoras already mentioned as published at Rome were translated into English and published by Rodwell in his Ethiopic Liturgies and Hymns (vol. i, pp. 1-40).

Only two of the other thirteen Anaphoras have so far been published, those, namely, numbered 3 and 4 in the above list, that of St. Dioscorus (with a Latin translation) by Vansleb in 1661 from a Bodleian manuscript and that of St. John Chrysostom from the same manuscript by Dillmann in his Ethiopic |56 Chrestomaihy in 1866. The last named is not accessible in any translation.⁵⁰

Besides the Liturgies in the strict sense of the term there are also naturally several other offices of the Church. These are for the most part known only in manuscript form as few of them have been edited. The Baptismal Service (M. Temqat, Book of Baptism) has been published with a German translation by Trumpp (Munich, 1878), and Dillmann has included in his Chrestomathy the Morning Prayers known as the Testament of the Morning. There is also a Testament of the Evening. Mention has been made in a previous chapter of the Ritual for the Burial of the Dead (M. Genzat) and the Book of Hours (M. Sâ'atât).⁵¹ These hours are night, prime, terce, sext, none, vespers, compline. The Weddâsê Amlâk, or Praises of God is the name given to another form of prayers arranged according to the days of the week. The prayers in this collection are ascribed to various saints, those for Sunday to St. Cyril of Alexandria, those for Monday to St. Basil of Caesarea, those for Tuesday and Wednesday to St. Ephraim the Syrian, and so on.

The Gebra Hemâmât, or Acts of the Passion, is a |57 collection of lessons and homilies for the days of Holy Week from the Sunday of Hosannas (Palm Sunday) to Easter Eve. There are also collections of lessons connected with different saints. The Nagara Maryam, or History of Mary, is a collection of stories about her Life arranged for the twelve months of the year. There are besides this collections of homilies to be read on the Festivals of the Virgin; on those days (the twelfth day of each month) dedicated to Michael the Archangel; and on the Festivals of Gabriel and Raphael.

A Lectionary is also used containing the lessons for evening and morning prayer; for the evening two, from the Psalter and the Gospels; for the morning eight, in the somewhat strange order, Psalter, Gospels, Pauline Epistles, Catholic Epistles, Acts, Psalter, Gospels.

Of the Church Song of the Ethiopic Church very little that is definite seems to be known. It has been already mentioned that Yâred was reputed to be its author. The story ran that he was caught up into Paradise and there received the precepts that were to guide him. These precepts are said to be contained in the Mazgabâ Degguâ (Treasury of Plain-song). The three modes of chanting used in the Church known respectively as ge'ez, ezel and arârâi are also attributed to his invention.

The general name for Church-song seems to Degguâ. So Dillmann and Basset use the word, though Littmann speaks of the Degguâ as if it were the name of a collection of Church Hymns. Possibly the word has both meanings. Besides the Degguâ, if |58 it be the name of a collection, there are others. Mention has been already made of the Praises of Mary and the Organ of the Virgin, or Organ of Praises. Both of these are collections of Hymns in honour of the Virgin arranged for the different days of the week. The Psalter of Christ is the name of another similar collection. These collections are sometimes interwoven in a similar arrangement. Thus a combination is found of the Organ of the Virgin and the Praises of Mary, and another in which these two are interwoven with the Weddâsê Amlâk named above.

The Antiphonary of the Church is known as the Mawâse'et (Answers). It consists of anthems for special festivals throughout the year. The Mer'âf also has hymns and chants for the festivals of the year, the difference between the two being apparently the type of hymn contained in each.

Certain types of hymns or poems were particularly popular. The Qenê were one of these. These were short hymns, often extemporized, which were sung after certain verses of the Psalter. Another well-known type was the Salâm, of which more will be said in a later chapter (see below, p. 67).

Lastly, the Malke'a or Likeness may be mentioned. This was a special favourite. In this type the poem consists of numerous stanzas. In each stanza one member of the saint's body is so to speak greeted. For example, the Malke'a of Yârid commences thus: ⁵²

Hail to the hairs of thy head which were not shorn for pleasure! |59

Never was poured on them the defilement of ointment with fragrance

O Yared, priest of the Altar on high in the heavenly places,

Whither the glorious hand of the Father of all hath led thee,

Lead thou me also with thee, that with thee I may chant together.

Then the stanzas continue, greeting in succession the saint's head, face, eyebrows, eyes, ears, cheeks, nose, lips, mouth, teeth, etc. The final stanzas greet the feet, soles, heels, toes, toe-nails! Not a very elevating type of Christian poem.

|60

CHAPTER VI

THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL BOOKS

Chief amongst these, and therefore first to be noticed here, are two, which however important from a doctrinal and ecclesiastical point of view, must be confessed to be extremely uninteresting from the point of view of literature. These are the Qerlos (Cyril) and the Sinodos. The first has already been mentioned as a product of the first period of the literature and the second has been named in chapter iv as a constituent part of the Ethiopic New Testament. Both of these works, or rather compilations, are alike in nature. They are collections of documents of theological import bearing on the early history of the Catholic Church, selected no doubt for translation into Ethiopic as being supposed to favour the monophysitism which was orthodox in Abyssinia.

Qerlos.----It is so named apparently because the documents which come first in it are connected with St. Cyril of Alexandria. The first document is a short biography of that saint,⁵³ which is followed by |61 two treatises of his on the 'true faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.' The first of these is the one that was addressed to the Emperor Theodosius at the time of. the Nestorian controversy, and the second is the former of the two treatises sent at the same time to the princesses, Pulcheria and the Emperor's other sisters. The fourth document is the dialogue between Cyril and Hermias, called Palladius in the Ethiopic version, on the theme that God is One. The other documents in the collection are homilies and letters on points of doctrine, namely, the Epistle of the Council of Ephesus to John of Antioch, the Epistles of John of Antioch to Cyril and of Cyril to John, seven discourses (two about Melchizedek) of Cyril, two of Theodotus of Ancyra, two of St. Epiphanius, and eight other discourses by various authors, including one by St. Gregory Thaumaturgus. The work ends with a disquisition of the Council of Nicaea on the Nicene Creed. The only parts of the Ethiopic text of the Qerlos which have been published are two of the letters and seven of the homilies which Dillmann included in his Chrestomathy, doubtless because they are such 'a splendid monument of the ancient language.'

Sinodos.----The second of these compilations, though so highly regarded by the Ethiopic Church, and though in parts of great interest historically is even more unattractive as literature than the Qerlos.

It is the Corpus Juris Ecclesiastici of the Church. The various elements of which it is composed are all found as a rule in the manuscripts in which it is. contained, but they are not always in the same order |62 in all. These elements are the Constitutions of the Apostles, the Statutes of the Apostles, the Canons of the Apostles, followed by lists of the Canons of different councils, Nicaea, Gangra, Sardica, Antioch, Neo-Caesarea, Ancyra, and Laodicaea. Various discourses and treatises are also included.

(a) An exposition of the decalogue ascribed to St. John Chrysostom.

(b) On the Essence of the Holy Trinity.

(c) How to distinguish between good and evil.

(d) On the fear of God.

(e) On the ancient people and a refutation of the Jews.

(f) A discourse of St. Gregory of Armenia against the Jews.

(g) Hortatory discourse to believers who desire to walk in the paths of wisdom and knowledge.

(h) The discourse of the Nicene Fathers on the Holy Trinity.

(i) The penitential canons of our Lord to Peter.

The Creed of Africa, that is, the Athanasian Creed, is also found amongst these in some manuscripts.

Some of the earlier portions of the Sinodos have been published, viz. by Fell in 1871 and by Horner in 1904.

Qalêmentos (Clement). This is another work, which is contained in various manuscripts, but is strangely left unnoticed by Littmann. It contains the 'Instructions of St. Peter to his disciple Clement.' It is divided by the manuscripts into seven chapters. If the titles of these give any clue to their contents, the subject-matter of the book must be somewhat comprehensive. The first chapter contains an account of the creation and a summary of Scripture history up to |63 the time of Jehoram of Judah. The titles of the remaining chapters are:----

(2) Mysteries revealed by Peter to Clement.

(3) The power and the wonders which God displayed to Peter.

(4) Discourse of Peter to Clement concerning what shall take place on earth for mercy to mankind.

(5) Ordinance of the Christian Church given by our Lord to Peter,

(6) On the Rod of Moses.

(7) The Vision of Simon bar Yona.

Didascalia.----The Ethiopic Didascalia, like the Sinodos, comes probably from the second period of the literature. It seems to have been translated from Arabic inasmuch as it agrees very closely with the earlier of the two Arabic recensions of the same document. The Didascalia in its various versions has been the subject of much discussion in recent years. It is a work which was originally composed in Greek, probably in the middle of the third century. Its general character is well summed up by Bishop Wordsworth who speaks of it as 'a somewhat rambling discourse on Church life and society.' The whole work was afterwards, somewhere in the fourth century, incorporated in the compilation known as the Apostolic Constitutions. The original Greek Didascalia has been lost, but the work is known to us now in various versions besides the Ethiopic. These, though they all bear the same title, do not all contain the same subject-matter. The Syriac version has the substance of the first six books of the Apostolic Constitutions; the Latin, of which only fragments are extant, contains portions of Books I-VI and VIII; the Arabic version |64 found in most manuscripts also runs parallel with Apostolic Constitutions, Books I-VI, but has some extra chapters not found in the Constitutions at all.⁵⁴ The Ethiopic differs from all these. It includes, like the others, the substance of Books I-VI, but adds afterwards the substance of Book VII, a book which in its early chapters is an expansion of the much earlier Didache, and which contains at the end some liturgical» matter, prayers to be used at baptism and other times unspecified. Unfortunately, a fairly long section is now lacking in the Ethiopic Didascalia in this concluding part, but this may be merely due to accident, for the title of one of the chapters seems to imply the former existence of matter now wanting.

The Didascalia, then, in its Ethiopic version probably represents a form intermediate between the shorter Didascalia, best represented by the Syriac version, and the complete work found in the Apostolic Constitutions. It may, of course, be argued that the Ethiopic version is an abbreviation of the Apostolic Constitutions and not one of its component parts, but, if so, why was no part of Book VIII included? It seems more reasonable to suppose that we have in the Ethiopic Didascalia, and in the earlier Arabic recension already mentioned, representatives of an enlarged Didascalia which was compiled in Egypt.

The Ethiopic Didascalia with an English translation was edited in an incomplete form in 1834 by T. H. Platt. He had only one manuscript, which |65 contained only the first half of the work. An English translation of the whole by the present writer has been included by the S.P.C.K. in the Translations of Early Documents (Series IV).

Senkesar.----We pass now to what may be called the Breviary of the Ethiopic Church. It is known as the Senkesar or Seneksar (Synaxar) and has been alluded to in chapter iii as having been translated in its original form from Arabic in the third period of the literature. In this form it was simply the Synaxar of the Coptic Church done into Ethiopic. It was, however, afterwards enlarged, chiefly by the addition of notices of saints and martyrs belonging to the Church of Abyssinia, as well as by short rhymed poems in honour of all those who are commemorated. This latter feature is peculiar to the Ethiopic Senkesar. According to Guidi, who has edited several sections of the whole work in the Patrologia Orientalis, the manuscripts clearly show these two stages. For the month of Sanê (June-July), for example, he used three manuscripts. One of these comes from the fifteenth century, being thus contemporary, or almost so, with the time of its translation from Arabic. The others, which contain the additions, are much later, coming from the eighteenth century. On the 29th of Sanê the list of commemorations (each followed by a salâm, that is, a short poem of the type just mentioned) is as follows: (1) Memorial of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord, (2) The Holy Martyrs, the seven ascetics of Tuna and their 140 companions, (3) The Holy Martyrs, Abbâ Hor, Abbâ Besoy and Daydara their |66 mother, (4) Tewodros (Theodore), son of David, King of Ethiopia, (5) Mark, King of Rome, (6) Twofold translation of the body of St. 'Amda Mikâ'êl, once in the reign of Eskender, and again in the reign of Lebna Dengel. The last three of these, two of which are commemorations of Abyssinian worthies, are found only in the later manuscripts.

As examples of the commemorations peculiarly Ethiopic may be given the following: ----

Sanê 12 (June 6) Lalibala. 'On this day is also (the feast of) Lâlibalâ, King of Ethiopia, the blessed and pure, and the seer of the mystery of the heavens. This saint his parents reared from the day of his birth in the fear of God; and when he grew up and reached the age of manhood, the king, his elder brother, feared that he should inherit the kingdom. Thereupon envy seized on him, and he sat and called him. And when he (Lâlibalâ) came and stood before him, he trumped up a charge against him, and commanded, and he was beaten with many stripes from the third hour of the day unto the ninth. And after this he commanded him to be set before him, and when he stood before him, the king and all his officers were amazed when they saw that no hurt had befallen him. It was that an angel had protected him. And then the king said unto him, 'Forgive me, my brother, for what I have done unto thee.' Then were they reconciled and at peace, the one with the other. And God regarded his torments on that day, and made him to inherit, and gave him the kingdom. And when he became king, he bethought him how he might please God, and gave much alms to the poor and needy. And when God saw the strength of his love, the angel of God appeared unto him in a dream and carried him away unto God. And He showed him how to build the churches of varied shape; and he did as God had showed him. And when he had finished building these churches, |67 he delivered the kingdom to his brother's son and then rested in peace.' May God have mercy upon us by the prayer of this saint for ever and ever. '

Then follows, as usual, the short-rhymed poem known as the salâm. The following version of this, which does not attempt to preserve the rhythm of the original, will give some idea of the style of these.

Hail! King Lâlibalâ, who in dry stone With wisdom churches built, nor mortar used. To show that his should be the kingly power, (People and kings he charmed with honey sweet) Bees round him swarmed the day that he was born.

On Sanê 13 (June 7), there is a commemoration of another native saint, a princess.

And on this day too is the feast of St. Magdalâwit, martyr of Christ, the mother of Fânu'el, of the family of the princes of Dawâro, of the seed royal. She was an Israelitess of the race of the glorious King Saifa Ar'ed.⁵⁵ The Moslems tortured her cruelly in the time of Grañ with various sore torments and she ended her martyrdom by being crucified, and (thus) followed Christ her Lord, She received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. Her prayer and her blessing, and the gift of her aid be with us for ever. Amen.

On Sanê 20 the Old Testament saint Elisha is commemorated. The salâm in his honour is here added as another example of the general type.

To Elisaeus hail! who of Elias asked

A double part on his ascent to heaven.

He found therein a power that mighty proved;

Twice he prevailed therewith to raise the dead

And twice therewith he parted Jordan's stream.⁵⁶ |68

The Testament of our Lord.----The so-called Testament (Kidân) of our Lord Jesus Christ comes from an earlier period than the Senkesar. The Ethiopic version is probably derived from the Arabic. The original of this work was doubtless Greek, but the date of its composition is quite uncertain. Besides, the Ethiopic version there are versions in Syriac and Arabic, and fragments of a Latin and Coptic version are also extant. The first part of the work is Apocalyptic in form containing revelations supposed to have been given by our Lord after His resurrection, telling of the signs which shall usher in His second coming, the doom of various nations, and the advent of Antichrist. This is followed by chapters which are akin in subject-matter to the numerous works, generally grouped together under the name of Church Orders. These chapters give, that is to say, diverse regulations about Church worship and discipline, and include certain forms of prayer to be used on specified occasions. After these comes the 'Word which our Lord Jesus Christ spake to His eleven disciples, in Galilee after He rose from the dead.' This section is also Apocalyptic, but is without any apparent logical order. Its first part is similar to the opening, section of the Testament, but this is followed by other chapters treating of the Birth, Ministry, Resurrection, and second coming of our Lord (this is to be in the 150th year between Pentecost and Passover), |69 prophecies as to the rise of heresy (Cerinthus and Simon are specially mentioned), promises to the apostles, denunciation of sinners, etc. The work concludes with our Lord's Ascension to heaven at the end of the discourse.

This latter part has been published (1912) in the Patrologia Orientalis (9. iii) under the somewhat misleading title of Le Testament en Galilee de Notre-Seigneur Jesus-Christ. It is not the whole Testament, but only the concluding part. No English translation of the Ethiopic version has been published, but there is a translation of the Syriac version into English by Dr. Cooper and Bishop Maclean, with full introduction and notes (1902).

Book of the Mysteries of Heaven and Earth.----I pass next to give some account of a somewhat remarkable book, which is in this respect historically interesting that it was at one time mistaken for the Book of Enoch. It seems to be an original Ethiopic work though modelled of course on the pattern of Enoch and similar Apocalypses. It belongs, according to Guidi, to the fifteenth century, and the single manuscript ⁵⁷ in which it is known may possibly be the autograph of the author. This manuscript was acquired in the seventeenth century by a French bibliophile named Peiresc. How it came into his possession is not certain. It may have been sent to him from Abyssinia by a French adventurer, Vermellius by name, who was for a time commander-in-chief of the Abyssinian army. Peiresc is known to have sent |70 him out books on mathematics and architecture and to have asked for Ethiopic books in exchange. He thought when he got it that he had found the Book of Enoch for which he had been searching. It was the famous Ludolf who discovered the error, and he vented his disappointment by describing the book's contents as 'futiles et absurdissimas narrationes, crassae ac putidae fabulae, etc' Much that is in the book deserves indeed the stigma.

It begins, after a chapter on the mystery of the Trinity, with the creation of the six heavens, the orders of angels, the earth, the sea, the stars, birds, fish, beasts and man. In this section comes quite a Miltonic description of the struggle between Michael and Satan. Then follows an account of the temptation and fall. All the birds refused to show Satan the way to Eve. He then applied in succession to the elephant, the leopard, the hyaena, the bear, the boar, and the 'serg, a strange animal who now lives in the middle of the sea.' All these refused. At last the young Camel agreed and mounted on its back the tempter came to Eve. The tree of which Adam and Eve ate (at the third hour of the morning) was called the 'sezen '. The second part contains an account of the Deluge and a list of Noah's descendants, together with some notices of the Pentateuchal story up to the time of the building of the Tabernacle. Then a wide interval is passed over and the larger part of the book is taken up with a description of the vision of the restored Temple at the end of the Book of Ezekiel. The concluding section is Christian, referring to the Incarnation and the Resurrection of Christ. |71

I have spoken of the description of the fight between Michael and Satan as Miltonic. Indeed, though prosaic, it reminds one of some of the descriptions in 'Paradise Lost.' 'Satan,' we read, 'said, I will set my throne above the stars, and will be made like unto the High and Lofty One.' Then there was a great war in heaven; Michael prepared a great host which God reviewed. The numbers of the heavenly army are given in tedious detail. There were 600,000 targeteers, 800,000 with fiery swords, 700,000 with slings of fire, etc. In the battle Satan first breaks the ranks of his enemies, and they take to flight. Once again they are defeated. The third attack, as in Milton, is the decisive one. God gives Michael the Cross of Light inscribed with the name of the Trinity. When Satan sees this, he is routed.

Again we have in Paradise Lost the well-known description of Satan.

His other parts besides

Prone on the flood, extended long and large,

Lay floating many a rood; in bulk as huge

As whom the fables name of monstrous size.

These other parts, left by Milton to the imagination, are fully detailed here. 'His head was a great mountain, his mouth forty cubits wide, his eyebrows the length of three days' march, the spittle that flowed from his mouth was as the Jordan, etc'

An anecdote that occurs in the first part may be noticed as it shows how the power of the Archangel Michael was regarded in the Church of Abyssinia:

A man never did any good thing in his life, but every month celebrated Michael's feast and had pity on the |72 poor. When he died, the demons rejoiced and came to claim him, but God said, Choose one of these two things. Either Michael shall hide him and you will seek, or you shall hide him and Michael seek. They chose the former, and concealed him in a corner of Gehenna. Three times Michael plunged into Sheol, and the third time found and delivered the man, rescuing many others also at the same time.

|73

CHAPTER VII

HAGIOLOGY, CHRONICLES AND ROMANCE

Lives of saints were, according to Littmann,⁵⁸ first written in the fourteenth century. These were, even in the case of native saints, borrowed from outside sources. Later, Lives were written, which were in a sense more original as not having any foreign work as their basis. Even in these Lives the outside models were not entirely abandoned, but a stereotyped pattern was adhered to.

It would be useless to enumerate here all these Lives, Such as have been published are given in a list at the end of this chapter. The word that is used for 'Life' is a somewhat peculiar one. It is gadl, which, according to its root meaning had the signification of 'conflict, struggle.' When applied to the saints, it seems to be used in the sense of the Latin Acta. It is unnecessary, and indeed misleading, to translate it literally, as Budge attempts to do in giving to the apocryphal Acts of the Apostles the title Contendings of the Apostles.

Littmann,⁵⁹ following the Russian scholar Turaiev, divides the Abyssinian Saints historically into those of five periods.

(1) The Axumitic Period.----To this belong the 'Nine Saints,' and Yâred the founder of Church song. |74 Of the 'Nine' Aragâwi is perhaps the best known. King Kâlêb (Elesbaan) the hero of the wars in South Arabia is also amongst the saints of this period.

(2) The Period of Transition.----From this not many names have come down. Two of the kings of the Zâguê dynasty have been canonized, Lâlibalâ and Na'akueto la Ab. To these may be added the greatest name of all, that of Takla Hâymânot.

(3) The Period of Persecution.----This was a time of contention between Church and State. The cause of this was partly moral, partly ecclesiastical. King 'Amda Seyon had married his step-sister an action which caused protests on the part of the clergy. This first, but there were also differences of opinion as to Sabbath observance and the date of Christmas. Those who were the protagonists on the clerical side against the State were naturally honoured as saints afterwards. Of these may be mentioned, Baþalota Mikâ'el, Filpos (Philip) of Dabra Libânos, Aron the wonder-worker, Filpos of Dabra Bizan, and his pupil Yohannes, Two other names should be added, Ewostâtêwos (Eustathius), the founder of an order of ascetics named after him, and one of the kings Têwodros (Theodore) I.

(4) The Period of Zar'a Yâ'qob.----This king and his wife were both canonized, and so was one of his generals, 'Anýda Mikâ'el. Mabâ'a Seyon and Besua Amlâk also belong to this period.

(5) The Period of the Franks (Portuguese).----The wars with the Moslems and Gallas and the religious struggles between the Jesuits and the 'orthodox' naturally produced many names to be afterwards |75 honoured as saints. Two kings who reigned during this time were canonized, Lebna Dengel and Galâudêwos. The foundress of an order of nuns, Walatta Petros, whose biography is of great importance for the light which it throws on the contemporary religious life, must also be noticed. The list of saints comes down to as late as 1700. Two of the last names to be included were those of King Yohannes I and Zar'a Buruk.

In order to show the type of literature contained in these Lives, I have judged it best not to make extracts from several, but to describe at some length one of the most important, the Gadl of King Lâlibalâ.

I have selected it, not only on account of the description of the remarkable Churches which are mentioned therein, but also because it is one of the earliest. Two manuscripts of this Life are found in the British Museum.

Portions of one of these have been edited with a very paraphrastic and erroneous French translation by Perruchon (Paris, 1892). The life is in the form of homilies or discourses. After a tedious and difficult introduction, which treats, amongst other things, of the Trinity and the Life of Christ and the praises of Lâlibalâ in general, the writer, or orator, proceeds to recount the birth of the saint in simple language quite biblical in character.

Now there was a city of the cities of Ethiopia which was named Roha, the birthplace of the blessed Lâlibalâ, and there was in that city a man of a very great and noble family, exceeding rich in gold and silver, in raiment and fine apparel, in manservants and maidservants. The |76 name of the man was Jan Seyum,⁶⁰ and he took him a wife, and begat a son, this blessed and holy (saint) who was in mystery called Lâlibalâ. Its interpretation I will declare unto you, (and) for what reason he was called by this name Lâlibalâ. When his mother bare him, many bees came and swarmed around him, even as they swarm around honey. And his mother saw that the bees swarmed and thronged around her son as the host surrounds the king. And when she saw this, there descended on her the spirit of prophecy, and she said, 'The bees know that the child is great.' Therefore she named him Lâlibalâ, which means, 'The bees know his grace.'

When he grew up, his brother, Harbây who was King of Ethiopia envied him, and tried, with the help of one of his sisters, to poison him, but though the poisoned cup caused the death of a deacon who tasted it first, it did Lâlibalâ but slight hurt.

God then sent an angel who carried the saint through all the heavens, till he was in the presence of God in the seventh. There he was shown ten wondrous churches made each of a single stone. The Almighty then said unto him, 'Be not anxious for the kingdom, (thinking) that I have set thee for any transitory glory, but for the sake of the churches which thou hast seen that thou mayest build them----for this cause have I anointed thee with the oil of the kingdom and have made thee the Anointed of my people, until thou hast finished these my sanctuaries.'

After three days he is brought back to earth. He meets with further persecution from his brother, and resolves to retire into the desert. While he was in |77 the desert, the angel who had taken him up to heaven appeared to him one day and said to him, 'To-morrow at this same hour a maiden shall come unto thee.' And he described the signs by which he might know her, and the garments which she should wear, and he said unto him, 'She shall be to thee to wife, and she is elect even as thou, and she shall be to thee as thine own heart. The beauty of her acts is not less than thine own. She is a servant of God, and from her thou shalt learn many good works.' It happened as the angel had foretold. Lâlibalâ met the maiden, sought her hand in marriage, and for a while lived happily with her in her father's house.

Hearing of his marriage his brother sent for Lâlibalâ, and when he came he was accused before the king of having taken to wife a maiden who was betrothed to another. At the king's orders he was scourged, but though the scourging lasted for some hours, Lâlibalâ was miraculously preserved from hurt. He then retired with his wife, Masqal Kebra, to the desert where they were miraculously fed like Elijah of old.

There follows then a visit of the saint to Jerusalem in company with Gabriel but this part of the story has not been published. On his return from the Holy Land he rejoins his wife, and both of them go to the royal court along with Gabriel and Michael. Here the way had been prepared for their reception. Our Lord had appeared to Harbây the king in a dream, and bidden him go seek his brother and set him on the throne. The king obeyed, went to meet his brother and they were reconciled. They then return to the capital where Lâlibalâ is proclaimed king |78 under the name of Gabra Masqal. When on the throne he by no means changed his former manner of life, but fasted and prayed and gave alms as before. The next section is chiefly concerned with miracles ascribed to the saint. One example will suffice.

There was a certain rich woman and as she ate the flesh of beasts, she began to eat-the-flesh ⁶¹ of men also in her calumny. And she falsely accused Lâlibalâ of evil deeds, blaspheming against him. And (one day) she was eating flesh, but the flesh choked her, and would not go down or come forth, but stayed in her throat suffocating her. And her eyes started from their sockets from the grievous pain of the choking. Then she cried out in her heart saying, I have sinned against thee, O Gabra Masqal, my lord, the Anointed of God. From henceforth I will not speak evil of thee, nor remember thy name for evil but for good. As she said this, the piece of flesh came forth with (a rush of) blood from her throat, and fell to the ground.

We now reach the concluding section, the real subject of the Life. Lâlibalâ prepares workmen and materials to construct the churches on the pattern which he had seen in heaven. The churches at least are a reality, for they still exist. They are cut from the solid rock, and so are 'of one stone.' They have been described by various travellers.⁶² The names of the ten churches are given in the Life and these agree for the most part with the accounts given by the travellers. The Life however goes on to say that in these works Lâlibalâ was aided by the angels, who |79 added at night thrice as much again as the workmen had built during the day. No wonder the orator adds at the end of his account. 'Any man of Ethiopia who hears the story of the churches made from one stone and does not go to the holy city of Roha is like a man who desires not to see the face of our Lord Jesus Christ.'

His work finished, Lâlibalâ endowed the churches he had built and soon after died, having first made preparation for the return of the kingdom to the house of Israel, that is, to the so-called Solomonic line of kings.⁶³

That Lâlibalâ was an historical personage need not be disputed, but beyond the account in this Life there seems to be nothing to connect him with the building of these churches. The other details of the Life are obviously not such as to inspire much confidence in its author in historical matters.

When we return to the Chronicles of the Kings we have more or less contemporary documents, particularly in the case of the later kings. These works are chronicles, not history. They are far more concerned with relating of the different movements of the king than with giving a real idea of the history of the country and the people. The details of these annals are entered by years and months, and, in the longer chronicles, by the days of the month. Much that is now quite without interest is recorded, but these chronicles may be regarded as giving reliable |80 information as to the civil and religious constitution of the kingdom, whenever these are touched on.

There are Chronicles extant of all the kings from Zar'a Yâ'qob to Sarsa Dengel, then during a time of anarchy there was apparently a break. The Chronicles are however commenced again in the reign of Susenyos and they continue down to the present time, with the exception of the reign of Fâsiladas, of which no account seems to have been written. The majority of these Chronicles have already been edited, chiefly by Pereira at Lisbon and Perruchon at Paris.

In addition to these longer chronicles there is an Abridged Chronicle which is extant in more than one form, but the exact relationship of this to the longer chronicles has not yet been investigated. One form of this Abridged Chronicle has been published by Basset, with a French translation and notes.

The style in which these chronicles are written may best be judged by some extracts. As a first example I take the commencement of the Chronicle of the King, of Kings A'lâf Sagad (Yohannes I).

'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. We begin to write the story----sweeter than honey and sugar, more to be desired than gold and the precious topaz stone, which draweth the mouth to tell and the ear to hear----of the honoured and great king of kings A'lâf Sagad by the grace of God, who was called by the name of Yohannes the Evangelist. Name agreeth with name, and faith with faith, and works with works. He (the Evangelist) driveth forth demons when men resort to his tomb, and healeth every disease and trouble when men anoint themselves with the dust (of the place) where his holy body resteth. And may God bring our writing to a (happy) end.' Amen. |81

'This righteous king was the son of the King of kings Sâlam Sagad (Fâsiladas), the son of the King of kings Seltân Sagad (Susenyos), and was born of the noble lady Ehta Krestos, the daughter of a man of the nobles of Walaqâ, whose name was Aqâryos. And after he was born, he was carefully trained in counsel and discipline, and he learnt the Holy Writings, that is, the Old and the New (Testaments), and when he grew up he was taught to hurl the lance and to shoot the bow, to ride the horse and to swim in the sea. And his father took for him to wife (a lady) whose name was Sablâ Wangel, the daughter of a nobleman, whose name was Gabra Masqal of the people of Mandabây whom he loved. He (Yohannes) loved his wife, and she him, for they twain were united in purity and the fear of God. And Yohannes was good before God and man, for he loved the poor and needy, the widows and the orphans. He wept with those that wept, and rejoiced with those that rejoiced. And for this cause all the men of the city, the judges and the officers loved him more than all the king's sons his brothers.'

These Chronicles may well be included in a history of Christian Literature, for they are as much interested in ecclesiastical as in political matters. That this is so, will be seen from the following extracts from the same Chronicle. During the first year of the king's reign (1667) an account is given of two Franks (Europeans) who had come from Rome disguised as Egyptians pretending to be envoys of the Patriarch of Alexandria. When they were taken prisoners, the king:

Gathered together all the judges, the elders, the doctors, and all the great men of the kingdom, and took |82 counsel to try and examine them (the Franks) touching their faith. Then it became clear and evident that they were men of Rome, andý believed in the faith of the unclean heretic Leo, for they spake with their own lips saying, There are two Natures in Christ. Then the king and his men answered and said, We say not thus, but we say that there is no duality in Christ after the union of the Godhead and Manhood without confusion or intermingling. We believe in the faith of the holy Dioscorus, true in speech. And now it were good for us to take counsel concerning these men, lest they lead astray our people and renew in the minds of the heretics their faith which has now grown cold. Then they passed judgment, and the judges condemned them, saying, It is right that they should die, first, because in their words they divide Christ in twain, as did Leo their father, secondly, because the ancestors of these deceivers put to death our metropolitan Abba Semcon, and slew our fathers the orthodox teachers, and many of our faithful brethren who said there is but one Nature in Christ. The day of their death was the Day of Hosanna,⁶⁴ on the 19th of Magabit. ⁶⁵

Later in the reign (1678) we read of one John, and envoy who came from Armenia with a precious relic, a bone of the hand of St. Eustathius. Though he was introduced by a letter from the Patriarch of Alexandria, a Synod is summoned to test his orthodoxy. After the reading of the Patriarch's letter, the following questions are put to him through an interpreter:----

In whom believest thou?

I believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, who are Three as to personality, and One as to Godhead. |83

Which of the Three Persons put on flesh of men?

It was the Son who put on flesh of men of the Holy Virgin Mary.

Has Christ but one Nature or two?

The Nature of Christ is One, as say Athanasius, and Cyril and Dioscorus and their adherents, the men of Armenia and Syria and Egypt and Ethiopia.

Whom dost thou adore?

I adore the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and I adore our Lady Mary, the mother of God, and I adore the Holy Cross.

If Christmas or Epiphany fall on Wednesday or Friday, dost thou fast or eat?

I do not fast, but eat whatsoever is eaten during the days of Pentecost.⁶⁶

The last quotation is a good index of what was considered orthodox and important in Abyssinia.

As a specimen of the style of the Abridged Chronicle a brief extract from the account of the reign of Lebna Dengel, may be given from the Chronicle edited by Basset.

In this month of yakâtit (the sixth month, February to March) on the third day (of the month) Gechê Ambâ Nagast (i.e. the royal Ambâ) ⁶⁷ was destroyed and pillaged. There was found there much gold and raiment of silk, the treasures of the ancient kings, which had been gathered there from (the time of) Yekuno Amlâk to the reign of |84 Lebna Dengel, and other treasures whose sum none knoweth save God alone.⁶⁸ Then was gold as stones, and raiment of silk as leaves; the price of the heleq (ὁλκή) was 30 amlês ⁶⁹ and that of an ox one ounce. The Israelites ⁷⁰ who dwelt there were slain with the sword, and some were hurled into the sea for their faith's sake. So did the wazir Mudjahid and Amdush. And after this in the year of Matêwos ⁷¹ (Matthew) our king Lebna Dengel entered into rest on the fifth of maskaram, (the first month, September to October) and he slept with his fathers, and the years, of his reign were thirty-two.⁷² And he was buried in Dama in the convent of Abba Aragawi.

The work next to be noticed claims to be historical, but perhaps might have been better included amongst the ecclesiastical and theological works. It deserves at any rate some mention as being in the judgment of its editor an original work, and not a translation as nearly all similar works are. As it is connected with the Jewish controversy, the editor supposes that it may have been written for the benefit of the Falashas or Abyssinian Jews. The book is found in but one manuscript (D'Abbadie 51) and is entitled Sargis of Aberga. It is an account of what happened in the time of the Emperor Herâqâl (Heraclius). He made |85 Sargis governor of two places which appear in the MS. as Afragyâ and Tartagyâ (Africa and Carthage?), and ordered him to baptize the Jews who had been converted to the Lord. Many Jews are forced by Sargis to accept baptism. The story is written by one of those so treated, Joseph by name. In the treatise another of the same Jews who was afterwards convinced of the truth of Christianity explains its doctrines to his fellow-countrymen. The questions discussed are, the Coming of Christ, His Birth, Life, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, the genealogy of the Virgin, and the Christian Church.

Mention has been already made in Chapter iii of several translations into Ethiopic of historical works in Arabic. These were in the second period of the literature, the translation of the Chronicle of Joseph ben Gorion the Jew; in the third, the Universal History of George the Egyptian; and in the last period, the Chronicle of John of Nikiou and the Universal History of Abu Shakir. As these are merely translations of foreign works it seems unnecessary to give extracts from them.

It is otherwise with the brief History of the Gallas which comes also from the last period. We have here to do with an original work of a monk named Bahrey. His description of the men of his nation is of considerable interest, and he is quite impartial in the comparison he makes between them and the Gallas. The main part of his book is an account of the Gallas, their leaders and the wars waged by them against Abyssinia. It is near the close of the book that the passage to which I refer comes. |86

'The wise,' he writes, 'make many enquiries and say, How did the Gallas conquer us, when we are many in number and have many weapons of war? Some have said, The Lord hath permitted this because of our sins. And there are others who have said, It is because of the division of our people into ten classes, nine of which do not go to war, and are not ashamed of their cowardice; and only the tenth fights and wars as well as may be. If our numbers are great, yet those who can fight are few, and there are many who do not go to war One class of these is that of the monks, who are without number. Some are monks from their childhood, like the writer of this Chronicle and such as he, persuaded thereto by the monks at the time of their education; others become monks through fear of war. Another class are called dabtera.⁷³ They study the Scriptures and all manner of things relating to the priests; they clap with their hands, and applaud with their feet (in the public worship), but are not ashamed of their cowardice. They take as their pattern the Levites and priests, the sons of Aaron. The third class... guard the Law, and also themselves, by not fighting.⁷⁴ The fourth class consists of the guardians of the wives of the dignitaries and the princesses----strong men in the prime of life. They do not go to war, but say, We are the guardians of the women.' |87

The next classes mentioned are, in order, the landowners, the labourers, the merchants, the craftsmen (smiths, tailors, etc.), the musicians (singers, drummers, harpists). This last class are beggars.

They bless him who gives to them, and give him (in return) idle praise and empty rewards; and if they curse him who gives them nothing, it is accounted by them no blame, for, say they, It is our custom. These also-keep aloof from war. The tenth class are those who take spear and shield, and understand war, and follow the king on his expeditions; and since these are so few, our land is overcome.

Amongst the Gallas there are none of these nine classes which we have mentioned, but they are all skilled in war from the least to the greatest. Therefore do they destroy us and slay us. Now those who say that (the Gallas) slay us by the command of God take as their reason the conquest of the children of Israel and their destruction at the hands of the kings of Persia and Babylon; and, say they, if the mighty (always) conquered, who would ask help of God, the High and Lofty One? and if the many conquered the few, the word of the Scripture would be vain, which saith, One shall put to flight a thousand, and two shall pursue ten thousand.

Now you, ye wise, will know whether the words of the former disputants, or the latter, are true.

We pass once more to romance when we come to the work called the Glory of Kings, or Kebra Nagast. Not that it is so accounted in Abyssinia. There it passes for genuine history. It is a work written in the thirteenth century with a very definite purpose. Indeed the purpose was twofold, to trace back the origin of kingly power to the creation of the world, and to extol the glory of the kings of Abyssinia by attempting to give an historical foundation for their |88 claims to be descended from Solomon. The following description of the book will make it clear that though the names are the names of the Bible and Church History, yet the ideas are the ideas of the Arabian Nights.⁷⁵

The work consists, roughly speaking, of three parts. In the first it is told that Gregory Thaumaturgus (Gregory the Illuminator is meant) declared at the council of the 318 orthodox Fathers (at Nicaea) that during the fifteen years which he had spent in the pit, he had meditated on human history. He then recounts the history of the kings from Adam to Shem, and how God had given to Shem the rainbow, and promised the Ark in the future, as a sign that He would not again send a deluge. Then the rest of the biblical story is narrated up to the time of David.

In the second part the speaker is Domitius, who is described as the Patriarch of Constantinople. He relates that he had found in the Church of St. Sophia in Constantinople a book in which was written that the whole world belongs to the King of Rome and the King of Ethiopia, both being descendants of Solomon, the latter the first-born. Then follows the 'history' of the kings of Ethiopia. When Solomon was engaged in building the Temple, he sent to all the merchants of the world to get the materials he needed. Amongst these was Tamrin the chief merchant of Mâkedâ, Queen of Ethiopia. On his return from Jerusalem Tamrin told the queen of all the wonders of |89 that city and of Solomon's wisdom, with the result that she determined to go thither herself. She was splendidly received there, given a place to reside in, and loaded with presents every day. In consequence of her conversations with Solomon the queen became a believer in the true God. Before her departure there was a great feast in the royal palace. Mâkedâ remained in the palace for the night, for Solomon had sworn to her that no harm would come to her, if she swore in return to do none to his property. During the night she became thirsty and rose to drink water, but Solomon reminded her of her oath. She answered, Be thou free of thine oath, but let me drink. Next morning the queen took her departure, receiving from Solomon a ring as a sign of remembrance. On the way home she bare a son to whom she gave the name Baina-lehkem (i.e. bin al hakim, son of the wise).⁷⁶ This son, when he was grown, returned to Jerusalem with the ring. He was received with honour and pressed to remain, but refused. Before he departed, he was anointed king with the name David. The sons of some of Solomon's nobles and priests accompanied him on his return to Ethiopia. These carried with them the Ark which the priests' sons had stolen. Miracles marked their homeward way; they are borne to the Red Sea on a chariot of the wind by the archangel Michael. Here it is that David first learns about the theft of the Ark. Solomon also has meanwhile discovered the theft and followed the culprits, but is unable to overtake them. The Ark |90 brings the travellers safely across the Red Sea, and they all reach Ethiopia. An account of the last year of King Solomon and some other matters follow.

In the third part is told how Gregory again rises and enumerates the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament.⁷⁷ Then he is asked for how long will the Chariot of the wind and the Ark of Zion abide with the Ethiopians, and the 'Subduer-of-enemies' (a bridle made out of the nails of the Cross) with the Romans. He answers that the Romans will depart from the true faith and lose the bridle, but that the Ethiopians will ever remain orthodox, and so lose neither of their treasures. The Ark will return to Zion only on the day the Lord returns to dwell there. The Chariot will however eventually vanish, and on this wise. Justinus, King of Rome, and Kâlêb, King of Ethiopia will unite and march on Jerusalem and annihilate the Jews. Each of them will leave behind there one of his sons as governor. Kâlêb's eldest son Israel will be so left, while his second son Gabra Masqal becomes King of Ethiopia. In the contest of the two brothers for the Ark, God will permit them to choose between it and the Chariot. Israel will choose the Chariot, will vanish with it, and become a heavenly king; Gabra Masqal will choose the Ark, and be king on his father's throne, greater than all the kings of the earth.

This summary clearly shows what the views of the Ethiopic Church were about history. No doubt they similarly regarded as history those other romances also |91 which have been mentioned above in Chapter iii as having been translated into Geez, those, namely, of Barlaam and Josaphat, and of Alexander.

Lives of Saints which have been already published. In the Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalis, Series altera----

17

SS. Yâred and Pantalêwon.

20

(i)

SS. Basalota Mikâ'êl and Anorêwos (Honorius).

(ii)

SS. Aron and Filpos.

21

(i)

S. Ewostatêwos (Eustathius).

22

(i)

S. Marqorêwos.

23

(i)

SS. Fere Mikâ'êl and Zar'a Abrehâm.

24

(i)

S. Abakerazun.

(ii)

S. Takla Hawaryat.

25

(i)

S. Walatta Petros.

(ii)

Miracles of Zar'a Buruk.

28

(i)

Acts of the Martyrs.

In the Patrologia Orientalis----

4 (vi) Acts of Severus of Antioch.

By Pereira (at Lisbon) ----

Vida do Abba Samuel, 1894.

Vida do Abba Daniel, 1897.

Historia dos Martyres de Nagran, 1899.

Martyrio de Santa Emerayes, 1902.

Martyrio do Abba Isaac de Tiphre, 1903.

Vida de S. Maria Egypcia, 1903.

Vida de S. Paulo de Thebas, 1903.

Various----

Histories of Takla Maryam (Mabâ Seyon), and Gabra Krestos. Budge, 1898.

Acts of Takla Hâymânot. Conti Rossini. Rome, 1896.

Vie de S. Abba Johannes. Basset, Alger, 1884.

Vie de Lalibala, roi d'Ethiopie. Perruchon, Paris, 1892.

|92

CHAPTER VIII

PHILOSOPHY AND LAW

There is little in Ethiopic Literature that can be considered to come under the first of these two headings apart from the two 'Enquiries' which have already been mentioned more than once. One book seems to make the claim, the so-called M. Falâsfâ Tabibân, that is, The Book of the Wise Philosophers. It, however, consists merely of a collection of aphorisms of various men reputed for wisdom in different ages and amongst divers nations. There are found in it extracts, short and long, from Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Diogenes amongst the Greeks, from Cicero and Gregory amongst the Romans, from David and Solomon amongst the biblical writers, and from Haiqar and Chosroes amongst other Orientals. These names are given only as examples and are by no means exhaustive. The whole work has been edited by Cornill. Selections also of the Bthiopic text are given in Dillmann's Chrestomathy.

Of the names included in the above list that of Haiqar deserves a notice. This is the Ethiopic form of Ahiqar, the wise man whose story is found in many languages, to which there are said to be allusions even in The Book of Tobit. Into the story itself it is unnecessary to enter here, for it does not seem to be |93 extant in Ethiopic. Some of his wise sayings however are included in the M. Falâsfâ Tabibân. Fifteen of these are given by Cornill. As examples of their style the following may be cited:----

My son, if thou hearest a discourse, hide it in thy heart and disclose it not to thy neighbour, that it become not to thee as a coal and burn thy tongue and bring derision upon thee and make thee hateful to God.

My son, make fair thy discourse and thy behaviour; for the wagging of a dog's tail gives him bread, but his jaw brings him stones.

My son, if a house could be built by talk without action, an ass would build two houses in one day.

My son, if a rich man eats a snake, they say of him, He seeks a medicine therein; but if a poor man eats it, they say of him, It was from hunger.

My son, if the course of water should turn backwards and if birds should fly without wings, and if a raven should become white as snow, then may a fool become wise.

Two writers, however, do deserve the name of philosophers. They come late in the history of the literature. These are Zar'a Yâ'qob and his pupil Walda Heywat. The master was born in the year 1599, so both of their Enquiries belong to the seventeenth century. Of the life of the pupil we have practically no information, but Zar'a Yâ'qob gives us some autobiographical details both at the beginning and at the end of his treatise. He was the son of a peasant from near Axum. He tells us of his school days, and how from the first school where he had learnt the Psalms of David, he was sent by his father, at the master's advice, to a better one to learn the zêmâ or Church song. His 'voice was not good, and |94 his throat was rough, and he was a mockery and a laughing-stock to his companions.' So he left at the end of three months, and attached himself to another master. He spent ten years in all in study, and then returned and taught at his native Axum for four years.

This time was an evil one, for in the nineteenth year of the reign of Susenyos came the Abuna Efons (i.e. Alphonso Mendez, the Jesuit) from the land of the Franks, and after two years.there was great persecution in all the land of Ethiopia, for the king accepted the faith of the Franks, and therefore persecuted all those who would not receive that faith.

Zar'a Yâ'qob was no bigoted supporter of either school and so he

was friendly with all men, both with the Franks and with the Egyptians. And when I taught and interpreted the Scriptures, I said, "Thus and thus say the Franks, and thus and thus say the Egyptians." I did not say, "This is good and that is evil," but I said, "All is good, if we are good ".

It was to no purpose, for

on account of this they all hated me; for to the Egyptians I seemed as a Frank, and to the Franks I seemed as an Egyptian.

He was therefore accused before the king, and fled away to the South by night. There in the land of Shoa he found a cave, where he remained hidden for two years until the death of the king. It was during this time that he pondered on the mysteries of life and evolved his teaching. On the death of Susenyos he left his hiding-place, and went again northward. He did not return to Axum, for he 'was not ignorant |95 of the wickedness of the priests.' He found a refuge at the house of a rich man named Habtu, and supported himself there by copying manuscripts and teaching his patron's sons. In this place he married and continued to live till the end of his life, refusing all invitations to return to Axum. Here too he wrote his Enquiry in his sixty-eighth year. He died at the age of ninety-three, according to a note which his pupil Walda Heywat adds at the end of the book.

The Enquiry is throughout an appeal to reason. He is a master of the Scriptures and quotes them freely, but receives them only when they satisfy his conscience, or his understanding, as he calls it. He even works out for himself an a priori proof for the existence of God. He is quite impartial in his criticisms and his censure. Judaism, Christianity and Mahometanism all alike come under them when they teach things contrary to his understanding.

'And thus,' he says, 'if I enquire about other matters in the law of the Orit (i.e. the Octateuch), and in the law of the Christians, and in the law of Islam, I find much which is not agreeable to truth and the righteousness of our Creator which our understanding reveals to us. For the Creator has put the light of understanding in the heart of man that he may see good and evil, and may know what is lawful and what is unlawful, and may discern truth from error.'

The Jews teach that the natural functions of the body are unclean, but as these are natural, they are from the Creator, and therefore without impurity. The doctrine of Mahomet about polygamy cannot be from God, for the number of men and women is equal and this proves that monogamy was intended by the |96 Creator. Similarly, because nature teaches us that all men are equal as brothers, the teaching of Mahomet about slavery is erroneous. The Christians again are astray in their teaching about the excellence of the monastic life. All three alike are astray about fasting, for 'God created man with an equal desire of eating on all days and in all months.'

He has positive teaching as well. The future life is thus proved:

In this world our desire is not fulfilled, but those who lack, seek; and those who have, desire to add to what they have; and even if a man acquired all that is in the world, yet would he not have enough, but would desire more. This disposition of nature teaches us that we are not created for this world alone.

He was a man of prayer, too, and a story which he tells of himself in this connexion is worth recording as showing the man's common sense.

One day a messenger from the king came to me and said, The king says, Come quickly to me. Then was I sore afraid, but could not escape, for the king's men were guarding me. And I prayed the whole night with a sad heart, and I arose in the morning, and went to the king and entered. Now God had made the heart of the king gentle, and he received me kindly, and said unto me nought of what I had feared, but asked me many many questions touching learning and books, and said unto me, Since thou art a learned man, thou oughtest to love the Franks, for they have great learning. And I said unto him, Yea; for I was afraid, and the Franks in truth are learned. And then the king gave unto me five ounces of gold, and sent me away in peace. And when I came forth from before the king, I marvelled and gave thanks to God who had done good unto me. But another time when Walda Yohannes accused me, I fled, and did not |97 pray to God to save me as at the first, for it was possible for me to flee; and a man ought to do all that is possible and not tempt God uselessly.

The Enquiry of Walda Heywat the pupil is not nearly so original, but he works on his master's lines, and falls back fundamentally on reason and conscience. Near the beginning of his book he gives the following warning:

And in like manner believe nothing that is written in books, until thou searchest into them and findest them true. For as for the books, it was men who wrote them, who may write lies. And if thou searchest into books, thou wilt quickly find a base wisdom that agreeth not with our understanding which God hath given us to seek withal.

And again:

And lest I should,err in my faith, I believe nothing but what God hath showed unto by the light of my understanding. And if any say unto me, If thou believest not, judgment from God will befall thee, I say unto them, God cannot bid me believe in lies, and He cannot judge me, if I reject a faith which doth not seem true unto me; for He it is that hath given me the light of understanding that I may discern between good and evil, truth and lies.

Though we have in this second Enquiry no autobiographical details such as those which Zar'a Yâ'qob has given, Walda Heywat occasionally varies his teaching, which is more ethical in tendency than his master's, with illustrative stories.

One or two instances of these may be of interest.

One of his own relatives married young and lived with his wife for ten years in peace. He then grew tired of her, got a divorce, and married again. With |98 the second wife he soon quarrelled, and wishing to divorce her also, she anticipated him, accused him falsely, he was put into prison, and lost all that he had. Two years after he married again. The third wife was passionate and garrulous. One day he was going to beat her, but she was too quick for him, and hurling a log of wood at him, knocked out his eye. In spite of the derision of his friends he still lived with her, and said to them, 'This trouble I have brought on myself. My first wife was a good woman, and I would not dwell with her in peace, so I married the second and she robbed me of my goods. The third has robbed me of my eye, and if I were to marry a fourth, she would kill me.'

The other follows in his own words:

The wife of a certain man was a lazy and rough, so he came to hate her, and was unfaithful to her. Then she grew jealous, and arose and went to a magician, and said to him, My husband hateth me; and now make for me a charm that he may love me (again). And he said unto her Yea; but go thou and pluck three hairs from a lion's forehead, and bring them to me, for they are needed for this charm. And she departed and pondered and said, 'How can I get near to a lion, and he eat me not?' So she took a lamb, and went into the country, and a lion came forth, and ran upon her to eat her, and she gave him the lamb and fled away, and the lion finding somewhat to eat, ceased to pursue her. And on the next day she did likewise, and many days also she persevered in this thing, for jealousy of her husband had seized her. And when the lion saw that this woman brought him food, he hated her not but loved her; and when she came with the lamb he received her with joy, wagging his tail, and caressed her like a dog and played with her. Then she plucked from his forehead the three hairs and brought them to the |99 magician, and said, Lo, I have brought thee what thou needest for the charm. And he said unto her, How wast thou able to pluck them? And she told him all that had happened. Then said he unto her, Go and do unto thy husband as thou didst unto the lion.

These two Enquiries have been edited by Littmann in the Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium (Series Prima, xxxi).⁷⁸

As the necessarily incomplete account that has here been given of these two works scarcely gives an idea of their originality, it may be well to add something as to the impression which the study of them made on their editor. Of the first of them he says, while bewailing the want of originality in Ethiopic Literature in general; 'A man like Zar'a Yâ'qob gave utterance at the time of the Thirty Years' war to thoughts which first became current in Europe at the time of Rationalism in literature.' Again, in words already referred to, he describes them both as ' two religious philosophical works which stand apart as the most original writings in Ethiopic Literature, and which are a real contribution to the history of human thought.'⁷⁹

The Fetha Nagast or Laws of the Kings which I have left to the end might almost have been included in a previous chapter, for it is in large part nothing more or less than an ecclesiastical book. This will justify its place in a History of Ethiopic Christian Literature. Besides this, however, it touches on secular matters and deserves mention as the only book on Law current in Abyssinia. |100 Unlike the Kebra Nagast it is not of native origin, but is a translation made in the sixteenth century of the Nomocanon of Abu Ishaq ibn al 'Assâl, a work written in Egypt in the thirteenth century. The following account of the work has been abridged from that given by Dillmann in his Catalogue of the Ethiopia MSS. in the Bodleian Library. In the MS. which Dillmann is describing the work itself is preceded by a Preface which consists of two parts. In the first of these some account is given of the supposed origin, the use, arrangement, and authority of the book. The account of the origin, by whomsoever and whenever it was written, is not very intelligent, for it makes the Arabic author draw up the work at the request of Constantine! In the second part of the Preface the sources from which the book was compiled are enumerated. Apart from the books of the Bible are mentioned various Canons of the Apostles, the Didascalia, the Canons of different Councils,⁸⁰ the Canons of St. Hippolytus and St. Basil, and the Canons of the (Roman) Emperors. The book itself is divided into two parts, one treating of matters, ecclesiastical and the other of things secular.

The first part consists of twenty-two chapters and these deal in succession with such subjects as the Church, the number of the Canonical Books, Baptism, Patriarchs, Bishops, Priests, Deacons and other orders of the clergy, the Liturgy, the Eucharist, |101 Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving, Martyrs, Confessors, etc.

The twenty-nine chapters of the second part are supposed to refer to things secular, yet so close was the connexion of Church and State in Abyssinia that some subjects, such as marriage, are here introduced which would seem more naturally to belong to the first part. Amongst the matters included which are really secular are the laws as to creditor and debtor, deposit, guardianship, sale, wills, succession to property, murder, punishments, etc.

The whole work, with an Italian translation, has been published in two large volumes by Guidi (Rome, 1897).

I have come to the end of my task of introducing (it is but an Introduction) the reader to the literature of the ancient Church of Abyssinia. It is in some respects a literature which cannot awaken any feelings of lively interest, for it is to a very great extent devoid of that quality of originality, which most of all inspires interest. The dreary monotony of its hagiology, exemplified best of all perhaps in the Acts of the Apostles which Dr. Budge has published, tends to excite weariness rather than interest; and the Chronicles of the Kings are, except here and there, concerned with events of merely local and transitory importance. Yet there is another side. The literature is of priceless value in having preserved for us books which, though known otherwise, are not extant in their entirety in any other language. A literature which contains the Book of Enoch, the Book of Jubilees and the Ascension of Isaiah can never be |102 negligible. For purposes of Biblical criticism too the Ethiopic version of the Old and New Testaments (including the Apocrypha) is already of use, and has been used; and its value in this respect will be increased whenever critical editions have been published. The student of Christian Liturgies also will find in the many Anaphoras of the Church material to help him in his studies. Something has been done to make these available, some yet await publication. The Ethiopic version of the Didascalia probably proves that it was not, as was generally thought, the compiler of the Apostolic Constitutions who wrote the greater part of Book VII of that work, but that he found his material already to hand for him in a lengthened form of a Greek Didascalia. These are all points which inspire interests of various kinds. Church History owes a debt to a work such as the Chronicle of Bishop John of Nikiou which gives a contemporary account of a period of which little is known from the Christian standpoint. Nor should I omit to emphasize once more the interest inspired by a study of the two Enquiries which have been the main subject of this concluding chapter, and which show that even in such an uncongenial soil freedom of thought could flourish, and that the consciences of some at least could shake themselves free from the chains of the bigotry and superstition and folly which were so rife around them.

|103

APPENDIX A

LIST OF THE CHIEF KINGS OF ABYSSINIA

These dates are taken from Basset's Etudes sur l'Histoire d'Ethiopie. They are not in exact agreement with those given by Littmann, but there is in no case a difference of more than two years.

1268-1283 Yekuno Amlâk.

1283-1292 Salomon I.

1312-1342 'Amda Seyon.

1380-1409 Dâwit (David) I.

1409-1412 Têwodros (Theodore) I.

1412-1427 Yeshaq (Isaac).

1434-1468 Zar'a Yâ'qob.

1468-1478 Ba'eda Mâryâm.

1478-1495 Eskender (Alexander).

1495-1508 Nâ'od.

1508-1540 Lebna Dengel.

1540-1559 Galâudêwos (Claudius).

1563-1595 Sarsa Dengel.

1595-1605 Yâ'qob.

1605-1632 Susenyos.

1632-1665 Fâsiladas (Basilides).

1665-1680 Yohannes (John) I.

1680-1706 Iyâsu (Joshua) I.

1706-1709 Têwoflos (Theophilus).

(1709-1784) Yostos (Justus).

1714-1719 Dâwit II.

1721-1730 Bakâffâ, or Bakâfâ (Basset).

|104

APPENDIX B

THE CONFESSION OF CLAUDIUS

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

This is the faith of my fathers, the Israelitish kings, and the faith of my flock, which is the fold of my kingdom.

We believe in One God and in His Holy Son Jesus Christ, His Word and His Power, His Counsel and His Wisdom, who was with Him before the world was created; and in the last days He came unto us, not laying aside (lit. being bereft of) the throne of His Godhead, and was made man of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Virgin Mary; and He was baptized in the River Jordan in the thirtieth year; and He was perfect Man, and He was crucified on the wood of the Cross in the days of Pontius Pilate (lit. Pilate the man of Pontus), He suffered, died, and was buried, and rose again on the third day, and then on the fortieth day He ascended to heaven in glory and sat on the right hand of His Father; and He shall come again in glory to judge the quick and the dead; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-giver, who hath proceeded from the Father; and we believe in one baptism for the remission of sins and we hope for the resurrection of the dead unto life that is to come for ever. |105

And we walk in the King's highroad (that is) plain (and) true, and turn not aside to the right hand or to the left from the doctrine of our Fathers, the Twelve Apostles, and of Paul, the spring of wisdom, and of the seventy-two disciples and of the 318 orthodox who were gathered together in Nicaea, and of the 150 in Constantinople and of the 200 in Ephesus.

Thus I proclaim and thus I teach, I, Claudius, King of Ethiopia, whose reigning name is Asnâf Sagad, the son of Wanâg Sagad, the son of Nâ'od.

And concerning the charge that we honour the first Sabbath (i.e. Saturday), we do not honour it as the Jews do who crucified Christ, saying, 'His Blood be on us and on our children'. For those Jews do not drink water nor light a fire, nor cook food, nor make bread, nor move from house to house; but we so honour it that we celebrate thereon the Eucharist, and have love-feasts, even as our Fathers the Apostles have taught us in the Didascalia. We do not honour it as (we honour) the Sabbath of the first day of the week, which is the new day, concerning which David saith, 'This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us be glad and rejoice in it (or, we will be glad, etc.). For on it our Lord Jesus Christ rose again, and on it the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles in the upper-room of Zion, and on it He became incarnate in the womb of Saint Mary ever-Virgin, and on it He will come again to reward the righteous and to recompense sinners.'

And concerning circumcision, we are not circumcised as the Jews, because we know the words of Paul the spring of wisdom, who saith, ' Circumcision availeth |106 not, and uncircumcision availeth not, but rather a new creature, which is, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.' And again he saith to the men of Corinth, 'He that hath received circumcision, let him not receive uncircumcision.' All the books of the doctrine of Paul are in our hands, and teach us concerning circumcision and uncircumcision. But the circumcision that is practised amongst us is according to the custom of the country, like the tattooing of the face in Ethiopia and Nubia and the piercing of the ear amongst the Indians. And what we do (we do) not in observance of the Law of Moses, but according to the custom of men.

And concerning the eating of swine's flesh we are not prohibited from it, as the Jews are, by observance of the Law. Him also who eats thereof we do not abhor, and him who eats not thereof we do not compel to eat, as our Father Paul wrote to the Church of Rome, saying, 'Let not him who eateth despise him who eateth not; and, God receiveth all'. The Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, all is clean to the clean, but it is evil for a man to eat with offence. And Matthew the Evangelist saith, 'There is nothing that can defile the man except that which cometh forth from his mouth, but that which is in the belly goeth forth and is contained in the draught, and is cast out and poured forth; and (thus) He maketh all meats clean'.

And saying this He hath destroyed all the structure of the error of the Jews who are taught from the Book of the Law.

My faith is also the faith of my faithful priests who |107 teach by my command within my kingdom, and they depart not from the way of the Gospel, nor from the doctrine of our Father Paul, either to the right hand or to the left.

And in the Book of History it is written that Constantine the King gave order in his reign that all Jews that were baptized should eat swine's flesh on the Day of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Howbeit (with us) even as a man is minded in his heart, he abstaineth from eating animal food. There are some who delight in the flesh of fish, and there some who delight in the flesh of fowl, and there are some who abstain from eating the flesh of sheep and every man as it seemeth good unto him follows his own inclination. This is the good will and pleasure of men. And touching the eating of animal food there is no law or canon in the New Testament. All is clean to the clean. And Paul also saith, ' Let him that believeth eat all things'.

This is all that I desired to write, that thou mightest know the truth of my faith.

It was written in the 1555th year from the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, on the 23rd day of sanê in the country of Damot (Domot).

|108

APPENDIX C

LIST OF SOME OTHER THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL WORKS

A list of some other theological and ecclesiastical books, most of which have as yet not been published. 1. M. Berhân.----This work is ascribed to King Zar'a Yâ'qob. It is written against the superstitious and immoral practices which were rife in his time, and contains also an indictment of some heresies and schisms which had arisen. The Stefanites, for example, refused to pay adoration to the Blessed Virgin and the Holy Cross, and the Eustathian monks would have no ordained priests. Other subjects which are discussed are: the two Sabbaths (Saturday and Sunday), feast-days, Church attendance, public worship, the Holy Communion, etc.

2. M. Mestir.----This book contains, according to Ewald, a very minute refutation of all heresies, beginning with those which arose in the time of the Apostles. Then a list of twenty-seven others, which arose later, is given, commencing with Sabellius and going down to the time of Leo and the Council of Chalcedon. The work, he adds, is important not only as showing what was considered the true faith amongst the orthodox, but also as being about the best example of what the Ethiopic Church was able to produce of itself. |109

3. The Apocalypse of Baruch.----This is quite a different work from that which has been mentioned above (p. 46). It consists of two parts. In the first of these Baruch is led by the angel Suryal to visit the abodes of the damned and the blessed in the world below; in the second he is given various revelations, chiefly with respect to the future destinies of the Ethiopic Church.

4. Retu'a Hâymânot or the Right Faith.----A collection of various homilies for divers occasions on the Birth of Christ, His Baptism, various days in Lent, the Ascension, the Trinity, and the Four Beasts.

5. The Book of the Pearl of Great Price.----A doctrinal treatise which discusses the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, various events in our Lord's Life, the Descent into Hades, the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Second Coming, the Holy Spirit, the Equality of the Holy Trinity.

6. Homilies of Severus, Bishop of Esmunayn on Christian doctrine: (1) on the Three Persons of God and their union, (2) on the Incarnation of the Son and His Crucifixion, (3) on passages of the Pentateuch and Joshua which demonstrate the Glory of the Christian faith, (4) on the Passover (the Lord's Supper), (5) on the warring of demons against the faithful and how they may be conquered, (o) on the glory of the First Day (Sunday), (7) on the Fast of Wednesday and Friday, (8) on fasting, (9) on the death which God conquered on the Cross, (10) on the stability of the orthodox Jacobite faith, (11) exposition of the Songs of Moses and Miriam and other songs, and (12) on the consolation of believers and their patience under affliction. |110

7. Hâymânota Abau (Faith of the Fathers).----This work is fully described by Dillmann in his Catalogue of the Ethiopic MSS. in the British Museum (No. xiv). It was, according to the Preface in the MS. translated from Coptic into Arabic, and afterwards from Arabic into Ethiopic. The work commences with extracts from the Testament of Our Lord and the Didascalia. These are followed by multitudinous extracts from different Fathers commencing with Hierotheus and continuing down to the eleventh century. The Fathers from whom the largest number of extracts on doctrinal points is taken are St. Athanasius, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Cyril of Alexandria. The work ends with a series of anathemas against heresy taken from various sources.

8. The Vision of the Virgin.----This is an Apocalyptic work, similar to the Apocalypse of Baruch (No. 3) which relates a vision seen by the Virgin after her death. Accompanied by her Son she visits the abodes of the blessed and the damned, and learns their rewards and punishments. She tells the vision to John who writes the story. The work was originally written in Greek and was translated into Ethiopic from Arabic. The Ethiopic text has been edited by Chaine in the Corpus Script. Christ. Orientalium (series I, vii).

9. The Book of the Birth of Mary.----This is an Ethiopic version of the work known as the Protevangelium Iacobi. It is extant in Greek, Latin, Syriac and Arabic. The last-named version has not been published. The Ethiopic text has been edited by Chaine in the same volume as No. 8. |111

10. The Book of the Passing of Mary.----This work is similar to the two last named. It is extant in Greek, Syriac and Arabic and has been edited in all these languages. The Ethiopic text was first published by Chaine along with that of the two last-named works.

There exist also in manuscript two of the treatises of St. Epiphanius, the Ancoratus and the Hexaemeron (Aksimaros). The writings of Mar Isaac of Nineveh seem to have been particularly favoured, for they are found in many MSS.

1. ¹ Stern, however, says (see Life, etc., by Isaacs, p. 195). 'In physiognomy most of the Falashas bear striking traces of their Semitic origin.' The Falashas themselves trace their descent to the Hebrews who came to Ethiopia with the Queen of Sheba in the time of Solomon.

2. ¹ Amharic too is essentially Semitic.

3. ² Littmann, p. 189.

4. ³ Cf. Noldeke, Die Semitischen Sprachen, p. 68.

5. ⁴ Four of the consonants (q, h, k, g) have five additional forms to mark the insertion of the letter 'u' between the consonant and its vowel. For example, in the case of 'k' the five additional forms express kua, ktýi, kuâ, kuâ kue.

6. ¹ Cf. Noldeke, op. cit., pp. 71-2.

7. ¹ The names of the king and his son given in the Ethiopic Senkesar are, Ela-Alada and Ela.....[damage in photocopy]... Basset, Etudes sur l'Histoire d'Ethiopie, p. 220.

8. ¹ The three most often mentioned are, Aragâwi (Mikâ'el), Garimâ, Pantalêwon.

9. ¹ Most of the later kings of Abyssinia had also two, or even three names, see the extract from the Chronicle of Yohannes I given in chapter vii.

10. ² According to another account he committed suicide.

11. ¹ A list of the most important reigns, with dates, is given in Appendix A.

12. ¹ A translation of this Confession is given in Appendix B

13. ¹ Yostos, i.e. Justus, 1709-1714.

14. ¹ Note that the names are no longer Geez, but Amharic

15. ¹ There is a small amount of literature connected with the Falashas or Jews of Abyssinia. Some of this has been published e.g. the Te'ezâza Sanbat (ordinances of the Sabbath) edited by Halevy (Paris 1902).

16. ¹ pp. 203 f.

17. ¹ Lexicon, Proleg. p. v.

18. ¹ See Charles, Book of Jubilees, Introd., p. xxx.

19. ² Lexicon, Proleg. p. vii.

20. ³ The chapters of the Lausiac History named by Dillmann are xxxix and xl, but in the English translation (S.P.C.K. W. K. Lowther Clarke) they are those numbered xxxii and xxxiii (first section). The second part of the Ethiopic work is also extant in a Greek manuscript at Florence and in a Latin version in the Acta Sanctorum.

21. ¹ The latest editor of the Octateuch does not put the date of this manuscript so early, see below, p. 45.

22. ¹ This word occurs so often in the titles of books that after this I use merely the abbreviation M.

23. ² These have been edited by E. A. Wallis Budge, with an English translation (1899 and 1901) under the title the Contending s of the Apostles. It consists of thirty shorter narratives dealing with the preaching and deaths of the apostles and their followers, succeeded by longer Acts of SS. Thomas Peter and Paul.

24. ¹ Lexicon, Proleg. p. viii.

25. ¹ An example of these is given later on (p. 58 f).

26. ¹ A translation of this work forms the main part of the volume entitled the Life and Exploits of Alexander the Great published by E. A. Wallis Budge in 1896. In the same volume are also included (1) those parts of the Histories of Walda Amid, Abu Shâkir, and Joseph ben Gorion which deal with Alexander's life; (2) an anonymous history of Alexander's death; (3) a Christian Romance on Alexander, and (4) the History of blessed men who lived in the time of Jeremiah the Prophet. As these are all translations from Ethiopic, they deserve a notice here.

27. ¹ Littmann, p. 218.

28. ² This Chronicle was edited by Zotenberg. There is an English translation of his text, published by Charles in 1916.

29. ¹ See Charles, Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, i, p. 791.

30. ² This is no doubt included in Jeremiah, see below, p. 46

31. ¹ Unless, as is not likely, the Books of Esra and Nehemiah are counted as one, and the two apocryphal as another, see below, p. 44 (n).

32. ² Chronicles is obviously counted as one book.

33. ¹ An English translation, by E. W. Brooks, has been published by the S.P.C.K. (Translations of Early Documents, Series ii, 1918).

34. ² See Littmann, p. 203.

35. ¹ Littmann, p. 224.

36. ¹ Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible, i, p. 792. He mentions also The Book of Malachi, but gives no examples from it. ² Cf. Littmann, p. 226.

37. ¹ These last two Ezra-Nehemiah are published Patr. Or. 13 v., under a title calculated to mislead, namely, the Third Book of Ezra. As the editor, Pereira, points out in his Introduction the writings known as Ezra are in the Ethiopic version classed in three books, 1 Ezra = the Apocalypse of Ezra (our 4 Esdras), 2 Ezra = our 3 Esdras, 3 Ezra = the two Canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

38. ¹ The Apocalypse of Ezra had previously been edited by Laurence in 1820.

39. ² This is included amongst the biblical hymns above mentioned.

40. ¹ This runs as follows: 'They will sell him who is above price, and will grieve him who will cure grief, and will condemn him who will forgive sin, and will receive thirty (pieces of) silver, the price of him who was valued whom the children of Israel will sell, and will cast the money into the field of the potter.'

41. ² Cf. Charles, Apocalypse of Baruch, p. xviii. The best edition of the Greek text is that of J. R. Harris (1889).

42. ¹ Introduction, p. ix.

43. ¹ Translations of Early Documents, Series I, No. 3

44. ² Introduction, pp. xxxii-xxxiii.

45. ¹ Edition of 1860, vol. ii, p. 484.

46. ² Liturgies, Eastern and Western, p. lxxv.

47. ¹ Liturgies, etc., pp. 189-93 and 228-43.

48. ² It is also used in a third sense. (Cf. Brightman, Liturgies, etc., p. 579) referring to the 'proclamation of the divine holiness in the tersanctus.'

49. ¹ Antient Liturgies, Introduction, p. lvi.

50. ¹ Neale and Littledaie in an Appendix to their translations of the Liturgies of SS. Mark, James, etc., have given the words of the Formula of Institution as they occur in all the liturgies known to them. It is interesting to notice that in all, except three, of the Ethiopic Liturgies cited by them the words in the case of the Bread run ' This Bread is My Body, not, This is My Body.'

51. ² There is also another M. Sâ'atât differing entirely from the one above mentioned. Cf. Wright, Catalogue of the Ethiopic Manuscripts in the British Museum.

52. ¹ In this translation I have not attempted to preserve the rhythm of the original.

53. ¹ This is not contained in all the manuscripts. Indeed the majority of the manuscripts of the British Museum which have the Qerlos are without the words.

54. ¹ They are however allied to certain parts of the Testament of Our Lord.

55. ¹That is Newâya Krestos (1344-1370).

56. ² The two resurrections from the dead refer to the Shunammite's son and the man raised by Elisha's bones. The double parting of the Jordan is not mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In 2 Kings ii. 14 the Ethiopic version, like the LXX and Vulgate, speaks of a double ' smiting ' of the waters, by Elisha, the first unsuccessful and the second successful.

57. ¹ Apart from a copy of it made by Vansleb.

58. ¹ p. 243.

59. ² p. 244.

60. ¹ The first part of this name is Amharic and not Ethiopic.

61. ¹ To 'eat the flesh' of any one is, according to the idiom of different Semitic languages, to calumniate him.

62. ² By Francisco Alvarez in the sixteenth century, by Rohlfs in 1870, A. Raffray in 1882, and by G. Simon in 1885.

63. ¹ This does not quite agree with the account given in the Senkesar see above, p. 67.

64. ¹ That is, Palm Sunday.

65. ² That is, March to April.

66. ¹ That is, from Easter to Pentecost.

67. ² Ambâ is the name given to the hills of peculiar formation found in Abyssinia. They are of the shape of truncated cones, and are often, as in the case in the text, made into mountain, fortresses.

68. ¹ Basset translates this last phrase in an absurd way: 'et d'autres richesses innombrables, sans possesseur.' The Divine name can never mean 'possessor', though one of its component parts may.

69. ² The amlê was a cake of salt of fixed size used as currency.

70. ³ That is, the members of the royal family of the Solomonic line.

71. ⁴ The years in the Ethiopic reckoning go in cycles of four, each dedicated to one of the Evangelists. Leap Year belong, to St. Luke.

72. ⁵ Basset adds in his translation, 'and thirty-two days.' The words are not in the Ethiopic text which he prints.

73. ¹ Stern thus describes this class: 'The Debterahs (sic), or scribes, constitute the lowest, but most influential body in the church. These worthies enjoy no ecclesiastical rank, are under no ecclesiastical discipline, and yet no service can be properly performed unless they take part in it. Their chief duty consists in chanting the Psalms and Liturgy, but their uncouth gesticulation and discordant shouting, instead of elevating devotion, tend rather, at least in European estimation, to convert the service of God into a sinful burlesque, and the sanctuary into a bedlam. The scanty learning of the country is exclusively monopolized by this order.' (Life, etc., by Isaacs, p. 182.)

74. ² There seems to be a play on the words here which I have endeavoured to bring out in translation.

75. ¹ This account I have abridged from that given by Littmann who has, in his turn, taken the summary he gives from Bezold's edition of the work (Munich, 1905).

76. ¹ Generally known as Menelik.

77. ¹ The list of the prophecies is considered to be a later insertion.

78. ¹ Littmann, p. 202.

79. ² pp 219-220.

80. ¹ Namely of Ancyra, Kertagena, Gangra, Antioch, Nicaea, Laodicaea, Sardica. If we compare this list of Councils with that in the Sinodos it would seem that by the Council of Kertagena is meant that of Neo-Caesarea.

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Introduction to a grammar of modern Syriac, Journal of the American Oriental Society 5 (1856) pp.3-8.

Introduction to a grammar of modern Syriac, Journal of the American Oriental Society 5 (1856) pp.3-8.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

It is an interesting fact that, although the Nestorians of Persia have for many centuries been conquered and outnumbered, and have had very little share in civil affairs, and their brethren in the Koordish Mountains have enjoyed only a doubtful independence, they have preserved to the present time a knowledge of their vernacular language. In Persia, most of the Nestorians are indeed able to speak fluently the rude Tatar (Turkish) dialect used by the Mohammedans of this province, and those of the mountains are equally familiar with the language of the Koords. Still, they have a strong preference for their own tongue, and make it the constant and only medium of intercourse with each other. This is the more noticeable, as in modern times, until within a short period, they had no current literature, and the spoken, dialect was not even reduced to writing. Their manuscript copies of the Bible and other books were very scarce, and were carefully hid out of sight, covered with dust and mildew. Very few, if any, except the clergy, aspired to be readers, and still fewer were able to read with any degree of intelligence.

The first attempt worthy of record to reduce the Modern Syriac to writing, was made by Rev. Justin Perkins, a Missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, at Tabreez, in the winter of 1834-5, in connection with the study of the language, under the instruction of the Nestorian Bishop Mar Yohannan.

The first attempt to write it in a permanent and useful form, was made by Dr. Perkins in the construction of school-cards, in the winter of 1836, after he and Dr. Grant had settled at Oroomiah. On the 18th of January of that year their first school was commenced. Says Dr. Perkins: "Seven boys |4 from the city attended. They all took their stand in a semicircle around the manuscript card suspended on the wall, which Priest Abraham with my assistance had prepared; and as they learned their letters and then began to repeat a sentence of the Lord's prayer, for the first time, with a delight and satisfaction, beaming from their faces, equalled only by the novelty of their employment, I could understand something of the inspiration of Dr. Chalmers, when he pronounced the Indian boy in the woods, first learning to read, to be the sublimest object in the world."---Residence in Persia, p. 250.

In another connection, Dr. Perkins, speaking of the preparation of the cards for that missionary school, says: "There was no literary matter for its instruction and aliment, save in the dead, obsolete language. I therefore immediately commenced translating portions of the Scriptures from the Ancient Syriac copies, by the assistance of some of the best educated of the native clergy. We first translated the Lord's prayer. I well remember my own emotions on that occasion. It seemed like the first handful of corn to be cast upon the top of the naked mountains; and the Nestorian priests who were with me, were themselves interested above measure to see their spoken language in a written form. They would read a line and then break out in immoderate laughter, so amused were they, and so strange did it appear to them, to hear the familiar sounds of their own language read, as well as spoken. "We copied this translation of the Lord's prayer on cards for our classes. Our copies were few. We therefore hung up the card upon the wall of the school-room, and a company of children would assemble around it, at as great a distance from the card as they could see, and thus they learned to read. We next translated the ten commandments, and wrote them on cards in the same way, and then other detached portions of the Word of God; and thus continued to prepare reading matter by the use of the pen, for our increasing number of schools, until the arrival of our press in 1840. This event was hailed with the utmost joy by the Nestorians, who had long been waiting for the press, with an anxiety bordering on impatience; and it was no less an object of interest and wonder to the Mohammedans. They too soon urgently pressed their suit, that we should print books for them also; and a very respectable young Meerza sought, with |5 unyielding importunity, a place among the Nestorian apprentices, that he too might learn to print. The first book which we printed in the modern language, was a small tract, made up of passages from the Holy Scriptures. As I carried the proof-sheets of it from the printing-office into my study for correction, and laid them upon my table before our translators, Priests Abraham and Dunkha, they were struck with mute rapture and astonishment, to see their language in print: though they themselves had assisted me, a few days before, in preparing the same matter for the press. As soon as recovery from their first surprise allowed them utterance, 'It is time to give glory to God,' they each exclaimed, 'that we behold the commencement of printing books for our people;' a sentiment to which I could give my hearty response."

The first printing in the Nestorian character was an edition of the four Gospels published by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1829, the type being prepared in London from a manuscript copy of the Gospels obtained from Mar Yohannan, by the eccentric traveller Dr. Wolff, several years before, and taken by him to England for that purpose. This volume is all that has ever been printed in the modern language of the Nestorians, otherwise than by the agency of our mission-press, with the exception of one or two small Papal tracts, published a few years since at Constantinople, with miserable type prepared under the supervision of the Jesuits in that city.

Since the arrival of our press in 1840, it has been busily employed in printing books for the Nestorians, in both their ancient and modern language, mostly in the latter.

Dr. Perkins has furnished the following list of our more important publications, arranged nearly in the order in which they have been issued from the press.

The Psalms, as used in the Nestorian churches, with the Rubrics, in Ancient Syriac. 196 pp. to.

Instructions from the Word of God, in Modern Syriac. (Extracts from the Bible.) 77 pp. 12mo.

The Acts and the Epistles, in Ancient Syriac. vo.

The Great Salvation, a tract in Modern Syriac.

Sixteen short Sermons, in Modern Syriac.

A Preservative from the Sins and Follies of Childhood and Youth, by Dr. Watts, in Modern Syriac.

Aids to the Study of the Scriptures, in Modern Syriac. 109 pp. vo. |6

Scriptural History of Joseph and the Gospel of John, in Modern Syriac. 316 pp. vo.

The Gospel of Matthew, in Modern Syriac. 192 pp. 12mo.

Tracts on Faith, Repentance, the New Birth, Drunkenness, and The Sabbath, by Mr. Stocking, in Modern Syriac.

The Faith of Protestants, in both Ancient and Modern Syriac, in separate volumes. 164 pp. vo.

Scripture Questions and Answers, in Modern Syriac. 139 pp. vo.

First Hymn Book. 10 pp. 12mo.

The Dairyman's Daughter, in Modern Syriac. 136 pp. vo.

Useful Instructions, in Modern Syriac. The Four Gospels, in Modern Syriac. 637 pp. vo.

The New Testament, in both Ancient and Modern Syriac, the translation being made by Dr. Perkins from the Peshito, with the Greek differences in the margin. 829 pp. to.

Scripture Help or Manual, in Modern Syriac. 192 pp. vo.

Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, in Modern Syriac. 712 pp. vo.

Questions on Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, in Modern Syriac. 99 pp.

Second Scripture Manual, and a larger Hymn Book, in Modern Syriac. 131 pp. vo.

The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, in Modern Syriac. 70 pp. vo.

The Young Cottager, in Modern Syriac. 98 pp. vo.

Smaller Arithmetic, in Modern Syriac. 24 pp. vo.

Larger Arithmetic, in Modern Syriac. 192 pp. vo. By Mr. Stocking.

A Geography, in Modern Syriac. 302 pp. vo. By Dr. Wright.

The Lord's Prayer, Ten Commandments and Catechism for Children, in Modern Syriac. 78 pp. vo.

A Spelling Book, in Modern Syriac. 54 pp. vo.

The Old Testament, in both Ancient and Modern Syriac, the latter being translated from the Hebrew by Dr. Perkins. 1051 pp. large to.

Spelling Book, with Scripture Readings, in Modern Syriac. 160 pp. vo. |7

The Rays of Light, a monthly periodical, devoted to Religion, Education, Science and Miscellanies. Fourth volume now in progress.

In press, an edition of the New Testament in Modern Syriac, and Baxter's Saint's Rest.

Ready for the press, Scripture Tracts, of the American Tract Society, and Green Pastures, an English work, consisting of a text of Scripture, with a practical exposition, for each day in the year.

Our schools have been gradually increasing in number, till the present year. We now have about eighty village-schools and flourishing Male and Female Seminaries. Of course, the number of intelligent readers is rapidly on the increase, and the modern language is assuming a permanent form. It should still, however, be considered as imperfect. It is difficult to give in a precise manner either its orthography, its etymology or its syntax, because the language is not to-day just what it was yesterday, nor just what it will be to-morrow. Until the publication of the Old and New Testaments, there was no standard of usage. It was difficult to say which dialect should have the preference. The same uncertainty in a measure still remains. If we assume that the dialect which is nearest to Ancient Syriac should be the standard, this will necessarily be unintelligible to a large portion of the people. We generally use the language in our books which is spoken on the plain of Oroomiah, unless there are obvious reasons for variation in a particular case.

Rev. Mr. Holladay, one of our missionary associates, prepared a very brief, though excellent sketch of the grammar of the Modern Syriac, about the year 1840. He also aided much in translating works for the press. His health and that of his family obliged him in 1845 to leave us for America, where he still resides, near Charlottesville, Va." ¹

Much time has been bestowed on the preparation of the following grammar; although, as it has been written with indifferent health and amid the pressure of missionary duties and cares, it has not been subjected to so thorough revision as it would have been under other circumstances. The Syriac has been written by Deacon Joseph, our translator, |8 who has had much experience in labor of this kind, and is perfectly familiar with the grammar of the Ancient Syriac, My design has been to trace up the language, as now spoken, to the Ancient Syriac, and I presume no reader will complain of the frequent references made to Hoffman's large and valuable grammar. As some may find occasionally Ancient Syriac words written in a manner different from that to which they are accustomed, it may be well to suggest that the Syriac of the Jacobites, which has generally been the Syriac of European grammars, differs somewhat from the Syriac of old Nestorian books. The latter are of course the standard with us.

It may seem unnecessary to some to link in the Hebrew with the Modern Syriac, and I have had myself many doubts about the expediency of doing it. But, considering how many Hebrew scholars there are in America, who would take pleasure in glancing over the following pages, and how few of them are at home in Ancient Syriac, it seemed to me not inappropriate to adopt the course I have. The references to Nordheimer's Hebrew Grammar certainly add little to the size of the work, even if they do not at all increase the interest of the reader.

Every thing serving to develop the Ancient Aramean of these regions is worthy of investigation. And it has occurred to me, as not at all unlikely, that the Nestorians use many words, and perhaps grammatical forms, in their daily intercourse, which have never found their way into grammars and lexicons, and yet are very ancient, and owe their origin to the Aramean, which was once so extensively spoken in Persia and made even the court-language.---Ezra 4: 7, 8.

I at first designed to give in an appendix an outline of the Jews' language as now spoken in this province. It is nearly allied to the Modern Syriac, and Jews and Nestorians can understand each other without great difficulty. But whether these languages had a common origin, within the last few centuries, or whether they are only related through the Ancient Syriac and Ancient Chaldee, we have not yet the means of determining. The discussion of this subject, which is necessarily omitted now, may be resumed hereafter.

D. T. STODDARD.

Oroomiah, Persia, July, 1853.

1. * Mr. Holladay has kindly consented to superintend the printing of this grammar. Comm. of Publ.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: urmiah_appeal.htm

Proceedings, Journal of the American Oriental Society 14 (1890) pp.clxxx-clxxxv

Proceedings, Journal of the American Oriental Society 14 (1890) pp.clxxx-clxxxv

American Oriental Society's Proceedings, Oct. 1889.

17. Account of a Syriac Lectionary; by Dr. Isaac H. Hall, of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

This manuscript, brought to this country by Mr. Shedd and owned by him, is a splendid Evangelion, or Lectionary of the Gospel, written in magnificent Estrangela, except the two last pages, which are in Nestoriau script, written smaller to get all the matter in. The dimensions of the page are 13.5 x 10 inches, the book 3 inches thick. Written in two columns to the page, about 19 lines to the column. At present it contains 167 leaves. Bound in old leather-covered wooden boards, the leather marked and stamped in patterns. A few leaves are gone, and the condition of the manuscript is somewhat damaged, but it is a line specimen. It was written at El Qosh, by one Daniel, in the year of the Greeks 1519 (=A. D. 1208), finished in the month Heziran. The date of the Hejra is also given, as 604. Yaballaha was then, as the |clxxxi colophon says, on the apostolic throne of Mar Mari, whose seat was in the cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon. The lessons are according to the order of Rabban Ya'qob, said in the colophon to be in regular use about Mosul. The 'unithe and hymn for each Sunday and festival are given regularly with each lesson. At the end is given a scheme of lessons for all sorts of occasional festivals, as the consecration of bishops, etc. On all accounts it is a very interesting manuscript, and 1 only regret that I have not been able to retain it long enough to allow of giving fuller information. The special convent in which the manuscript was written is called xxxxxxx. In numerous details, especially in the formulas of stating the lessons, the lectionary differs from those I have usually seen. I hope that at sometime either I or some one else may be enabled to present its peculiarities in proper shape.

18. Notes and news on Syriac texts and translations; by Dr. I. H. Hall.

I stated that the History of Rabban Sauma and Mar Yawallaha had been printed, and exhibited a copy. It is published at Paris by Maison-neuve, though printed by Drugulin at Leipzig. Its French title is "Histoire de Mar Jab-Alaha, Patriarche, et de Raban Sauma." The preface is not an affair of any great moment, the editor being one of the Oroomia Lazarists, who has edited sundry other works, some of considerable importance and interest, and generally from a point of view antagonistic to that of the American missionaries, and sometimes, I regret to say, with none too great regard for facts. In this preface he has given a notoriously wrong account of the finding of the MS., though in such a way that it cannot be called intentionally false, and would not be worth noticing if it had not misled such a scholar as Rubens Duval (see his recent notice of the publication in the Journal Asiatique). The fact is that the MS. was discovered by Rabban Yonan, secretary of the patriarch, in one of the churches of Kurdistan, and is known by everybody to be at Kochannis, the seat of the patriarchal residence. The copies at Oroomia and those in America were obtained in the most open way; and it is very difficult to explain, in the light of the facts, the obscurity and mistakes under which the editor of the printed text labors. As the editor says that he has made sundry changes in the text of his MS. copy, it is my purpose, as soon as practicable, to collate my own MS. with his printed text, and examine more thoroughly the quality of his work. The editor says:

"Le livre que je public pour la premiere fois est tellement rare que je n'en connais pas de manuscrit en Europe. C'est a M. Salomon, Lazariste Chaldeen du Kurdistan, que je dois la bonne fortune d'en posseder une copie. Mon confrere, ayant vu ce livre enfere les mains d'un jeune homme de Tekhouma (Kurdistan turc), en reconnut la valeur, et en fit faire une copie a Ourmiah, en Perse, au mois de mars 1887. Le possesseur du manuscrit a depuis disparu avec son livre; et je n'ai eu a ma disposition que la copie qui a |clxxxii ete faite a Ourmiah, sans que j'aie pu rien apprendre sur l'age ou la provenance de l'original."

Now the members of the Society will remember that in October, 1886, I exhibited a copy of the MS., and commented upon it in the " Proceedings." My copy was made in 1886. In the early part of that year, a translation of the MS. was published in the "Rays of Light" at Oroomia, extending through several numbers, so that the matter must have been one of common talk and notoriety. In view of all this, the statements of the editor of the printed text are, to say the least, very remarkable---whatever they may be taken to admit.

The remaining portion of the "Notes and News" was in reality expanded into two papers, which I hope to publish in the Journal in due time. They concern a MS. which I recently received from Oroomia, containing several legends extant in other languages, but not common anywhere, and probably of Egyptian or Ethiopian original, but not otherwise known in Syriac except in this MS. The MS. contains 62 written pages, 19 lines to a page, on paper of about ordinary letter size. Contents: 1. "Narrative of Moses approved in Prophecy" (pp. 1-15), giving a colloquy of Moses with the Lord on Mt. Sinai. 2. "The Letter of Holy Sunday, that descended from heaven upon the hands of Athanasius Patriarch of Rome" (pp. 15-27), being a legend similar in matter to that I published in the Journal, but so differently wrought and worded as to be a different recension. It enables me to correct, however, several false readings and interpretations in my publication of the former recension. 3. "Narrative of the Holy Martyr Giwargis (or, the Martyr St. George), brilliant among martyrs" (pp. 27-49). I am not sure whether I have not read the same matter in print. 4. "Narrative of the father Arsenius, King of Egypt, how Our Lord raised him to life" (pp. 49-55). This is a remarkable legend of Christ's finding a large skull on the Mount of Olives, making it answer his questions and describe a man's experience at death and in the lower regions, and finally restoring it to life. 5. Sundry prayers and ceremonies, with a set of magic rules for divining in cases of sickness---which may be a later relic of the "Babylonian numbers" (pp. 55-62).

Mr. W. A. Shedd, of Oroomiah (son of Rev. J. H. Shedd, D.D.), has brought to the country a couple of very interesting Syriac MSS. One is the Gezza, or service book for all the year except Sundays, festivals, etc. It is a ponderous volume, nearly a foot thick, written in the Nestorian script (of course), on paper, and seems to be from 150 to 200 years old. I cannot at present describe it further. The other is the important lectionary above noticed (No. 17).

19. Scheme for collecting and preserving ancient Syriac texts at Oroomia, by Dr. I. H. Hall.

I desire to speak, with much sympathy and earnest recommendation, of a plan now on foot for gathering up and preserving the manuscript Syriac literature in the neighborhood of Oroomia. When we reflect that a large share of the rich Sachau collection at Berlin was obtained |clxxxiii through the American missionaries, that money has otherwise diverted to Europe what should more naturally have come to America and enriched our libraries here, and that the acquisitions actually in our country have for the most part been rather scattered as curiosities than considered as worth preserving in places lit for scholarly use and reference, it would seem to be time to welcome and aid such an effort. It will best be made known in the words of one of the missionaries, the Rev. Dr. J. H. Shedd:

"The effort is being made by the Missionary College at Oroomia, Persia, to obtain a copy of every work still existing among the Nestorians in the Old Syriac language; also to secure valuable ancient manuscripts.

"These works are fast passing away; some can be bought, others can be copied. Some are very rare works, not found in European libraries. "To secure the funds for this enterprise, twice the original cost is charged to the buyers in this country [America --- including transportation and all expenses abroad]. This gives the College at Oroomia the means to save a manuscript or a copy of every work for its library, and provides at a reasonable rate these rare and ancient works for the libraries of scholars of Europe and America. "About $500 worth have been sold on this plan.

"The price for copying which we charge purchasers is three cents per hundred words. Ordinarily some of the manuscripts [i. e. some of the originals as gathered up from native possessors] are for sale at the same rate. Others are cheaper or dearer as the case may be. The work both of buying and copying involves an immense amount of trouble to those in charge at Oroomia. The copying is done carefully by trained native scribes, and for some works a high price must be paid.

"Any person wishing to obtain manuscripts or copies should address me at Marietta, Ohio [or Rev. B. Labaree at Oroomia, Persia, and Rev. Mr. Shedd at the same place before very long], and indicate what books are desired, and the order will be sent to Oroomia, and in a few months the works will arrive. There are now collected over two hundred different works. There are duplicates ready of many of these in [originally acquired] manuscripts or copies.

"The works embrace: Scriptures; Rituals and Church Books; Commentaries; Works on Theology, Philosophy, Ethics; Legends and Chronicles; over twenty Saints' histories and Martyrdoms; Poetry; Grammars; Collections of History, Stories, Charms, and other miscellany.

"Indicate the class of works you desire, and a full catalogue of that class can be given, with a statement of the duplicates now on hand."

I can say, from having obtained and used various manuscripts procured through the above means, that the copies are good, and the enterprise in every way deserving. (A number of such copies were exhibited and commented upon.) An extract from a former letter of Dr. Shedd will serve for comment; |clxxxiv

"As to the study of the ancient literature, you know the condition of such scholarship is leisure. There was a time when some of the missionaries had some knowledge of the ancient language, but they were not proficient scholars. The work they did in the ancient language was done as I am doing it now, through the native scholars. We have plenty of help, but this does not remove the need of the missionaries being ancient Syriac scholars. For the last 15 or 20 years our force has been always so reduced that no one has had the time to devote to such pursuits. The demand is that our college should be placed on the same liberal basis as the Syrian colleges... Then some one would have the time to study... Till then there is not much hope.

[Here follows a long and interesting statement respecting the study of the ancient tongues, but too much interspersed with private matters to permit transcribing.]

"For three or four years past I have taken much trouble to collect all the ancient Syriac MSS., and save here a copy of every extant work. The result is now a collection of about 200 separate works. We have no funds; but by selling some to seminaries, and by some gifts from the native brethren, giving them a share in the library, by using some college funds, and by personally advancing some, we have quite a library, as you see from the enclosed brief mention. [Dr. Shedd, writing from Oroomia, enclosed me a list of works in lines I had indicated. ]

"The students have learned to copy---some of them beautifully---as you mention in reviewing the MS. of the Chronicles of Mar Yawallaha. What we charge for MS. books sent to America is... [three cents per hundred words]. This leaves a margin of nearly one half; and this pays for our library here. At this rate I can furnish the old MSS. as far as they are on hand, or as we have good copies made of any work in our library. It gives to needy students the means of their working their way. [It only costs about $25 to support a student at Oroomia for a year.] There will be no expense of transportation [from Persia to America] besides.

"The MSS. of Old Testaments or parts are very scarce. So of the New Testament; but if we had the funds, some copies of the New Testament in vellum could be had---at considerable expense, much above the terms above.

"I would like very much to employ a copyist to visit Kochannis and copy any work there which we do not possess. There are some old churches where we could do the same, though it would be impossible to buy the MSS. they have. If you see the way to help in such a work, some rare MSS. I think would be rescued, and we should gradually secure all that really exist, and have copy for our library here besides those sent to America. The catalogue of the British Museum is very poor in Nestorian MSS., rich in the Jacobite. So of most of our libraries."

I feel that to this appeal I can add little but testimony. It is in every way a worthy object, and almost vital to Semitic scholarship in America. A working fund of $500 to $1000 would enable the |clxxxv district of Kochannis to be explored, and its literary treasures to be exhumed and preserved, and all our libraries to be enriched. The copies made at Oroomia are done in a scientific way; first by a skilled penman, who writes beautifully, and then compared and corrected by one or two other hands. Some suggestions I have made once or twice in this regard, as well as regarding the preservation of the ancient colophon of the MS. copied, and other particulars, have been adopted; and we can depend upon the Oroomia copies in a manner we cannot upon those of Arabic and Syriac MSS. made farther west. I have already a number of works in MS. which I do not know of as existing elsewhere ----much less in print. The discovery of the History of Rabban Sauma and Mar Yawallaha, whose importance is now everywhere recognized, is perhaps the greatest item thus or thus far accomplished.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2007. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: arabic_christian_writers.htm

Arabic Christian Writers

Arabic Christian Writers

This page contains a list of Christians whose works exist or were written in Arabic. The page numbers are to Georg Graf, Geschichte der christlichen arabischen Litteratur. BOOK 2: ARABIC WRITERS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE 15TH CENTURY

1. MELKITES (pp. 3-93)

Overview 3

Theodor Abu Qurra 7

Doubtful works 16

Works transmitted in Greek 20

Works transmitted in Georgian 20

Spuria 21

Vita of John of Edessa 25

Other anonymous apologetical works prior to the 11th century 26

The Disputation of the monk Abraham of Tiberias 28

Qustā ibn Lūqā 30

Yūhannā (Yahyā) ibn al-Bitriq 32

Eutychius, Sa'id ibn Bitriq (Batriq)

Agapius, Mahbūb ibn Qustantin 36

Atanāyūs 40

Antonius, Abbot of the monastery of St. Simeon 41

Ibrahim ibn Yūhannā al-Antāki 45

Abu 'Ali Nazif ibn Yumn 48

A poem of defamation 49

Yahyā (Yūhannā) ibn Sa'id ibn Yahyā al-Antāki 49

Anonymous Historians 51

Theophilus ibn Taufil 51

Abu 'l-Fath 'Abdallah ibn al-Fadl 52

Translations 53

Original works and anthologies 58

Nikon 64

Taktikon of Constantinople 66

Michael, monk of the monastery of Simeon 69

Caesarius 70

Agathon 71

Michael of Damascus 71

Maximus of Antioch 71

Gabriel from the monastery of Mt. Sinai 71

'Isā ibn Qustantin 71

Abu 'l-Hair al-Mubārak ibn Sarāra 71

Melchite physicians 72

Paulus (Būlus) ar-Rāhib al-Antāki 72

'Afif ibn al-Makin ibn Mu'ammil 78

Al-Fadl ibn 'Isā und Bašir as-Sirri 79

The Disputation of George the Monk 79

Canonists and historians 81

Ibn al-Hidāh 81

Joseph der Aegypter 82

Wahbatallāh Gamāl ad-din 82

Theophilus und Sim'ān al-Antāki 82

Gerasimus 82

Salomon, Sulaimān ibn Hasan al-Gazzi 84

Sulaimān al-Ašlūhi 86

Athanasius, Patriarch of Jerusalem and others 86

Cyrillus al-Lādiqi 89

Nikon of Manbig 89

Simeon of Thessaloniki, translation 89

Stephanus 89

Anonymous theological tractates after the 11th century 90

Moral-ascetical tractates 90

Feast-day and other sermons 91

Exegetical works 92

2. Maronites (pp.94-102)

Qais, the Maronite 94

The book of orthodoxy 94

Thomas, Bishop of Kafartāb

Theodorus al-'Aqūri 100

John, the maronite monk 101

Ignatius, Bishop of Cyprus 101

Ps. -John Maron 101

3. Nestorians (pp.103-219)

Overview 103

The family of Bahtisū' 109

George 110

Bahtisū' 110

Gabriel 110

Bahtisū' 110

Yūhannā 111

Gabriel ibn 'Ubaidallāh 111

Abu Sa'id 'Ubaidallāh 111

'Ali ibn Ibrahim 112

Other translators and secular writers before Hunain 112

Al-Haggāg 112

'Isā ibn Hakam Masih 112

Hārūn ibn 'Azzūr 112

Abu Zakaryā Yūhannā ibn al-Bitriq 112

Yūsuf ibn Ibrahim al-Hābis 113

Abu Zakaryā Yūhannā (Yahyā) ibn Māsawaih 113

Ibrahim ibn 'Isā 114

Timothy I 114

Other church writers of the 9th century 118

Abu Nūh al-Anbāri 118

Abu 'l-Fadl 'Ali ibn Rabbān an-Nasrāni 118

Apologetics writers 118

'Išū ibn Nun 119

Habib, 'Abd Yasū' ibn Bahriz 119

Yahyā ibn Nu'mān 120

Pethion 120

Išo'danāh 121

Yūhannā ibn Narsai 121

Gabriel of Basra 121

Hunain ibn Ishāq 122

Hunain's school 129

Ishāq ibn Hunain 129

Hubaiš ibn al-Hasan 130

Other Christian pupils of Hunain 131

Christian physicians (Nestorian) 131

Elias (Iliyā) al-Gauhari and Elias of Damascus 132

The apology of 'Abd al-Masih al-Kindi 135

The Bahirā legend 145

Ibn as-Salt Yūhannā ibn as-Salt, 149

Hanūn ibn Yūhannā ibn as-Salt 150

John V, Yūhannā ibn 'Isā 151

Abu Bišr Mattā ibn Yūnān al-Mantiqi 153

Various writers of the 10th century 154

Cyriakus al-Harrāni 154

Georg of Mosul 155

Ya'qūb ibn Zakaryā 155

Gabriel ibn Nūh 155

Israel, Bishop of Kaškar 155

Another writer also named Israel 156

Nestorians of the school of the Jacobite Yahyā ibn 'Adi 156

Abu 'l-Hair al-Hasan ibn Suwār 156

'Isā ibn 'Ali 157

Yūsuf ibn al-Buhairi 157

Sabrisū' Bišr ibn as-Sirri 158

Elias I 159

Abu 'l-Farag 'Abdallah ibn at-Taiyib al-'Irāqi 160

Ibn at-Taiyib's exegetical works 162

Dogmatical, ethical and canonistical works 170

Elias of Nisibis 177

Theological works 178

Ethical, canonistical and scientific works 184

Abu Sa'id Mansūr ibn 'Isā 189

Anonymous theological works 189

Al-Mūhtār Yuwānis, Ibn Butlān 191

Abu'l-Hair al-Mubārak 195

Nestorian physicians of the 11th century 195

The Chronicle of Se'ert 195

Maqihā ibn Sulaimān 196

Sa'id ibn Hibatallāh, Ibn Atradi 197

Hibatallāh Amin ad-Daula, ibn at-Tilmid 199

Abu 'l-Hasan Sā'id ibn Hibatallāh, 200

Abu Nasr Sa'id, ibn al-Masihi 200

Sabrisū' ibn al-Masihi 200

Māri ibn Sulaimān 200

Abu Halim Iliyā ibn al-Haditi, 202

Rūbil of Dunaisir 205

Sa'id Mubarak ibn Iliyā 206

Elias al-Bahri 206

Hurmiz ibn Bašir 206

Rašid ad-din 206

Anonymous Tarāgim 206

Other writers 207

Michael 207

Sabrisū' ibn Fūlus 207

Subhān li-Yašū' 207

Isū'yāb ibn Malkūn 208

'Ammār al-Basri 210

Ibn Māri ibn al-Masihi 211

Ibrahim ibn 'Aun 212

Elias, Mutrān 213

Salomon of Basra 213

Denhā 213

Yūsuf, Bishop 214

Ishāq, Monk 214

Ibn al-Quff 214

'Abdišū' (Ebedjesus) 214

'Amr ibn Mattā ibn Bahnām 216

Salibā ibn Yūhannā 217

Authors and writers of uncertain date 219

Thaddāus of Edessa 219

Ibrahim ibn 'Amrū 219

Elias, Bishop of Edessa 219

Anonymous theological works 219

Anonymous liturgical explanations 219

4. Jacobites (pp.220-293)

Overview 220

Habib ibn Hidma Abu Rā'ita 222

Nonnus of Nisibis 226

Cyriakus, Patriarch 227

'Abd al-Masih ibn Nā'ima ibn 'Abdallah al-Himsi 228

Moses bar Kepha 229

John of Dārā 233

Theodosius, Patriarch 233

Yahyā ibn 'Adi. General information. 233

Yahyā ibn 'Adi, contd. Works 239

Various writers of the 10th century 249

Farag ibn Girgis ibn Afrim 249

Abu Zakaryā Denhā 250

Al-Hārit ibn Sinān ibn Sinbāt 251

Basilius of Tiberias 251

Yu'annis ibn aš-Šammā' 251

Abu 'Ali 'Isā ibn Ishāq ibn Zur'a 252

Eustathius 256

Abu Sahl 'Isā ibn Yahyā al-Masihi al-Gurgāni 257

Nagm ad-din abu 'l-'Abbās Ahmad ibn 'Abd ar-Rahmān 259

Muhyi ad-din al-'Agami 259

Abu Nasr Yahyā ibn Garir 259

John X, Yūhannā Yūsa' ibn Šūšān 263

Dionysius ibn as-Salibi 263

Michael the Great 265

John XV, Yūhannā ibn al-Ma'dani 267

Ignatius II 269

Other writers of the 13th century 269

Ya'qūb ibn Sakkā 269

Bahnām as-Sigistāni 269

Ignatius Petrus III 270

Agathos of Homs 270

Ya'qūb al-Māridāni " 270

Abu 'l-Hasan ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Mahrūma 270

Ignatius ibn Wahib 271

Eudoxus of Melitene 272

Gregorius abu l-Farag ibn al-'Ibri, Barhebraeus 272

Translated works. 275

Elias al-Amidi 281

Severus (ibn) at-Tahhān 281

Daniel ibn al-Hattāb 281

Writers of uncertain date 284

Mustafa 'l-Malik abu Yūsuf 284

Abu l-'Farag Giwargis 284

George the monk 284

George, another monk 284

Anonymous exegetical works 284

Pentateuch-Catena 284

History of Thora 289

Explanation of the Gospel-writers 292

5. Copts (pp. 294-468)

Overview 294

Severus ibn al-Muqaffa' 300

History of the Patriarchs of Alexandrien 301

Theological works 306

Abu Ishāq ibn al-Fadlallāh 317

Al-Wādih ibn Raga' 318

'Abd al-Masih al-Isrā'ili 319

Abd al-Masih, Ibn Nūh 320

Abu Sulh Yūnus (Yuwannis) ibn 'Abdallah 320

Christodulus, Patriarch 321

The florilegium "Knowledge of the Fathers" 321

Cyrillus II 323

Michael IV 324

Michael V 324

Makarius, Patriarch, 324

Gabriel ibn Tarik 324

Markus ibn al-Qanbar 327

Michael, Bishop of Dimyāt 333

Simon ibn Kalil ibn Maqāra 336

Anonymous Gospel harmonies 338

Abu Sālih (Sulh) the Armenian 338

Abu 'l-Mukāram Sa'dallāh ibn Girgis ibn Mas'ūd 340

Petrus Severus al-Gamil 340

Abu Bāšir 344

Ar-Rasid abu 'l-Hair ibn at-Taiyib 344

Al-Makin Girgis, Ibn 'Amid 348

Petrus as-Sadamanti 351

Yūsāb, Bishop of Ahmim 356

Paulus al-Būši 356

Cyrillus ibn Laqlaq 360

"The book of the chapter" 367

Yūsāb, Bishop of Fūwah 369

John, Bishop of Samannūd 371

Al-Wagih Yūhannā al-Qalyūbi 375

At-Tiqa ibn ad-Duhairi 378

Ibn Kātib Qaisar 379

Gabriel ibn al-Hāzin 384

Die Aulād al-'Assāl 387

As-Safi abu 'l-Fadā'il ibn al-'Assāl 388

contd. The Nomocanon 398

Al-As'ad abu 'l-Farag Hibatallāh ibn al-'Assāl 403

Al-Mu'taman abū Ishāq Ibrahim ibn al-'Assāl 407

Gabriel 414

Michael, Bishop of Atrib and Malig 414

Faragallāh al-Ahmimi 427

An-Nusū' abū Sākir ibn (Petrus) Butrus ar-Kāhib 428

Chronicon Orientale 434

Abu 'l-Fahr al-Masihi 435

Chronological compilation 436

Abrim, Bishop 436

John, son of Severus 436

Makarius 437

Šams ar-Ri'āsa abu 'l-Barakāt, Ibn Kabar 438

Athanasius, Bishop of Qūs, and anonymous philologists 445

Triadon 446

John ibn Sabbā' 448

Abu 'l-Magd ibn Yuwannis (Yu'annis, Yūnus) 449

Al-Mufaddal ibn abi 'l-Fadā'il 450

Al-Makin Girgis (George) ibn al-'Amid 450

Petrus al-Habbāz 453

A work on the Eucharist 453

Writers of the time of persecution 455

Matthaus, Patriarch 455

Gabriel V 456

Paulus, Bishop of al-Bahnasā 456

Sarkis 457

Raphael 457

Gabriel, Bishop of Marg 457

Myronweihen 457

Anonymous coptic exegetical works 458

Commentary on parts of the Old Testament 458

Introduction to the psalms 458

Introduction to the gospels 461

Explanation of the gospels 461

Introduction to the Corpus Paulinum 462

Commentary on the remainder of the NT 463

Introduction to the Apocalypse 463

Explanations of the Epistle and Gospel readings 464

Anonymous Theological works of the Monophysites (Jacobites and Copts) 465

Anonymous moral-ascetical tractates and homilies of the Jacobites und Copts 467

Appendix (pp. 468-75)

Anonymous works whose denomination is uncertain 468

Biblical 468

Apologetical-polemical works against Islam and the Jews 472

Hagiography 474

Martyrs under Islam 474

Ascetics 474

The story of a learned man and a Chinese settler 475

Agapius

Son of Constantine, arabised as Mahbub ibn Qustantin. Bishop of Manbig (Mabbug, Hierapolis). Contemporary with Eutychius but slightly later. He wrote a World History from the creation to his own times. The last portion, covering the Arab period, only survives in a single manuscript. It ends in the second year of the Caliphate of Mahdi (160 AH, 776-7 AD). The original had the title "Kitab al-'Unwan" or "Book of titles" was continued to 941-2.

For the early history of Christianity, Agapius relied uncritically upon apocrypha and legendary material. For ecclesiastical and secular history after that period he relied on Syriac sources. Foremost among these was the World Chronicle of the Maronite, Theophilus of Edessa (d. 785, according to Baumstark, p.341 f), for the end of the Ummayad and beginning of the Abbasid periods. From the Church History of Eusebius, Agapius used only short extracts. He also used other sources, and so included an otherwise unknown passage by Papias of Hierapolis. He also knew the History of Bardesanes, which Michael the Syrian took, directly or indirectly, from Agapius.

Masriq 12 (1909) 467 f. L. Cheiko, Catal. S. 33., C. Karalevsky in Dict. Hist. Geogr. Eccl. I 899 f.

Editions:

1. L. Cheikho, Agapius Episcopus Mabbugensis, Historia universalis, in CSCO. Scriptores arabici. Textus, Ser. III. t. V. Beirut/Paris (1912). This used Ms. Beirut 3 (16-17 century) and 4 (1819 AD) together with Sarfeh ar. 16/1 (1662 AD). For the last part he used the only manuscript, Florence Palatinus Mediceus or. 132. As a substitute for the lost final portion, he used extracts from al-Makin ibn 'al-'Amid in Ms. Paris ar. 294. See also Masriq 8 (1905) 1051 ff.; Mélanges de la Faculté Orientale VI (Beyrouth 1913) 214-6.

2. A. Vasiliev, Kitab al-'Unwan. Histoire universelle écrite par Agapius (Mahboub) de Menbidj, éditée et traduite. Patrologia Orientalis V.4 (pp.557-692), using Ms. Bodleian ar. christ. Nicoll. 51,1 (Hunt. 478, 1320 AD); Sin. ar. 581, 1 and 456, 6. Continued in PO VII.4 (pp.457-591) and PO VIII.3 (pp.397-550), also reliant on the Florentine ms. for the latter part.

Other manuscripts of the first part exist.

Atanayus (Athenaios)

Along with Agapius of Manbig and Eutychius, al-Masudi (d. 957) lists an Egyptian monk Atanayus (Athenaios) as author of a "History of the Romans and other nations from Adam to Constantine." See Kitab at-Tanbih wal-israj, ed. J. de Geoje, Bibliotheca geographorum arabicorum VIII 154 f. Also B. Carra de Vaux, Maçoudi, Le Live de l'Avertissement et de la Revision. Traduction, Paris 1897, p. 212. Masriq 12 (1909) 484.

There is a world history compiled with extracts from Eutychius and Agapius starting with Heraclius and the advent of Islam in Ms. Sarfeh ar. 16/2, 1 (18th century); see Catalogue p. 480 f.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2007. This file and all material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using unicode.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: catalogue_syriac_mss_jerusalem.htm

A Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the Library of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Dale A. Johnson, A

Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the Library of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem (2007)

Introduction

Old Testament Manuscripts

New Testament Manuscripts

Hymns

Lectionaries

Service Books

Theological Manuscripts

Commentaries

Sermons

Histories

Grammar

Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem

A Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the Library of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem

by the Rev. Father Dale A. Johnson (Bar Yohanon)

The path to manuscript recoveries is often arduous and fraught with difficulties. But the rewards are beyond one's dreams if oriental patience and diplomacy are employed. No less a path of difficulty and frustration was to be encountered with this collection.

In the Spring of 1984, with the help of Arthur Voobus who had previously seen this collection, I negotiated for a month with the Greek Patriarchate to photograph a few examples of their Syriac manuscripts. After week of waiting and the giving of gifts, I was given brief access to the documents. They were in terrible condition. A few photos of colophons were deposited in the Arthur Voobus Syriac Manuscript collection at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Upon my return to Jerusalem in the Spring of 1987 I pursued the possibility of photographing the entire collection. Again I was met with delay and Byzantine tactics. Yet when I was finally given an audience with the secretary to the Patriarch, Father Timothy, he cleared the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Even for him it was difficult to find a way to allow me to study and record this collection.

We agreed that the collection had to be catalogued. Fr. Timothy negotiated with the librarian who was suspicious to say the least. Yet in spite of initial refusals, Fr. Timothy secured a way for this work to be accomplished.

It is difficult to know, after more than 20 years how much of this collection remains intact. The state of the collection at the time I saw it was very poor and I have not read any report to give me hope that the situation has improved.

Overview of the Manuscripts

The School of Nisibis was founded sometime before 489 AD. Founded by Simeon it was transformed by the arrival of Narsai. Narsai left the School of Edessa, the first Christian University, sometime before 489 AD and migrated to Nisibis through the invitation of Barsauma, Bishop of the city. This virtually insured Narsai's success. A building was purchased and the school moved out of the old facilities. New construction commenced and through the experienced leadership of Narsai the school got off to an extraordinary start.

Both Narsai and Barsauma wrote the rules of the school. From these records we learn that reading, writing, and grammar constituted the core curriculum. Joseph Huzuya wrote the first Syriac grammar under the instruction of Narsai. The theology of the school was driven by the writings of Theodore. The three year course emphasized the historical and literary aspects of scripture rather than the allegorical method used in the West. The teaching involved correct recitation of liturgy and music.

From the origins of the School of Nisibis we see the literary traditions form into the texts that are found in this catalogue.

There are 48 Syriac manuscripts in this body of material. The manuscripts are of a distinctive theological character and period.

The manuscripts range in age from 1251 AD to 1880 AD, although most of the manuscripts are 15th and 16th centuries. The oldest manuscript is a document known as the liturgy for the Feast of Rogations of the Ninivites (MS. 37). The next oldest is a New Testament Text with the expected omission of the books of Revelation and of the four Catholic Epistles dated 1261 AD.

Old Testament Manuscripts

There are four Old Testament records. MS Syr. Gr. Pat. 7 is a Psalter. At the back of the manuscript is a record of prohibitions against Thomas of Harkel's texts. According to this colophon, his text was made at Alexandria in 614 AD. Thomas was a Bishop of Mabbug. His works included commentaries on all the books of the New Testament including the Apocalypse, II and III John, II Peter, and Jude.

The texts of Thomas were heavily Hellenized, perhaps as a revision of a prior work by Philoxenus who translated the Greek into Syriac. The textual tradition squeezed the Syriac into a Greek mold. It crushed the beauty and antiquity of the Semitic forms preserved in the Syriac. One can easily understand the resistance in the East to this nearly complete destruction of the language of the liturgy and scripture at the School of Nisibis.

Another supplement in this manuscript is the record of the words of Mar Aba. He was an extraordinary man born of a Zoroastrian family. He was a student at Nisibis and later in Edessa where he received instruction in Greek. Apparently, he travelled extensively throughout the Byzantine world after his student years. Eventually he returned to Nisibis where he became a famous teacher. When the Catholicos Paul died, he was the choice of the bishops to lead the Assyrian Church of the East. It was a job that demanded political skills. His enemies looked for evidence of Zoroastrian beliefs that would corrupt the pure faith.

During his period of rule many people from the West were transported into the Persian territories as prisoners of war. They were integrated into the Christian communities of Persia such as Gunduk Shapur. In spite of the many problems in this war torn period, Mar Aba was able to convene a Synod in 544 AD. According to records he may have been under house arrest at this time. Zoroastrian leaders of Persia were hostile to Christians. But with Mar Aba, even though he was under house arrest, he was able to carry on some of his duties. The Magi did ask him to recind the church laws regarding marriage and evangelism. Mar Aba refused.

In 548 AD an assassination attempt was made upon his life by an excommunicated member. There is record of an excommunication of Abraham, son of Audmir, who did not repent and was deprived of all his former religious privileges. The excommunication order is signed by Mar Aba and eight other bishops. Due to the attempt on his life, he was moved to Selucia where he was a guest of the Royal Court much to the protests of the Magi priests. Mar Aba was used by the Royal family to help suppress a revolt from Anoshazad in Beth Lapat. For this service the King seems to have freed Mar Aba who later died in 1552 AD.

The next Old Testament manuscript is Syr. Gr. Pat. 15. It too is a Psalter. The name of a nun appears in the document. Bart Balgana but no record of her existence can be found in any other source even though we have female saints listed in such manuscripts such as Cod. Sinaiticus, a palimpsest, titled, Lives of Female Saints. More than likely she is the copyist of this text.

A third Old Testament manuscript on the minor prophets, Syr. Gr. Pat. 20, may be of special interest for its extra-canonical material. The story of Bel and the Dragon appears in the manuscript. This story is about an episode in the life of the Prophet Daniel. Daniel challenged the King and the priests of Bel to a contest. Daniel fed the Dragon of Bel and caused it to burst and thereby Daniel claimed victory. Then with the help of Habakkuk he suppressed a revolt of the people. The story captivated the minds of the early church. Its Aramaic quality flowed through the life and culture of the Syriac speaking world. The document has implications for linguistic and biblical studies.

The fourth Old Testament manuscript in this body of materials is Syr. Gr. Pat. 25. This also is a Psalter. The Psalms of David were important in the devotional life of the church and as such frequently appears in church collections.

New Testament Manuscripts

Syr. Gr. Pat. 1 is perhaps the most important manuscript in this collection. Its appearance deepens our understanding of the Syriac textual tradition. The text is an Old Syriac form that emerged prior to the Peshitta, a late th century document that became the standard New Testament text of the Syriac speaking churches. We know that Old Syriac was used by Ephraim, Aphrahaat. Also Eusebius clearly uses this text in his Theophania of 333 AD. Arthus Voobus believes that its origin "probably belongs to the third century." Burkitt suggested 200 AD but was challenged by LaGrange who placed the Vetus Syrus at the beginning of the th century.

general it can be said that the text emerges sometimes in the rd century. It could not have been created prior to 170 AD when Tatian is generally believed to have written the Gospel of Harmony known as the Diatessaron (and also in other places). The Old Syriac is a synthesis of the Diatesseron and the Four-Gospel form.

The Old Syriac text was known as the Mepharesshe, the separated gospels. This title was preserved by the copiest of Syr. Gr. Pat. 1. Until the appearance of this text, only two other Old Syriac manuscripts of this text type were known, the Curetonian and the Sinaiticus. Because the manuscript is in a lectionary format it has escaped the attention of western scholars. Since the appearance of this text in the Greek Patriarchate, a few other manuscripts have been found to harbor Old Syriac text types, such as a lectionary at Mor Gabriel Monastery and another from one of the churches in Tur Abdin. Its microfilm is housed at the Lutheran Institute for Syriac Studies. Furthermore, because the manuscript has resided in a Greek monastery, this is another reason it has escaped notice.

Manuscripts Syr. Gr. Pat. 26 and 40 are pericopes of New Testament texts. They should be of enormous interest as they contain catena and references to other text types and variants.

Hymns

There are eight hymnbooks in this collection. Syr. Gr. Pat. 2 features several important hymn writers. Gabriel of Mosul was the founder of the Upper Monastery in Mosul. Founded before Gabriel's death in 739 AD, it became the center for a major liturgical reform. The movement was as significant in scope and importance as was the Franciscan Latin reform of 1250 AD. Also the hymns of Giwargis Warda are listed. Giwargis wrote his hymns in the first part of the 13th century.

In Syr. Gr. Pat. 23, Mar Ishoyab of Beth Arbaye is mentioned. He instituted a Synod in 585 AD late in his administration. Due to war and theological battles, Ishoyab was plagued by conflict. On the one side, Khusro II aligned himself with Emperor Maurice in order to overthrow the Persian throne. The studied neutrality of Ishoyab caused deep resentment from Khusro. On the other side was the famed teacher Henana of Nisibis who complained about the theology of Isoyab and the Assyrian Church of the East. Still, Isoyab was able to write important documents in the midst of these conflicts.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 31 is another example of a hymnbook of the same type as the previously mentioned two. Here we have the name of Bardaisan, the father of Syriac poetry and contributor to the development of the Syriac language. Bardaisan was bishop Edessa in 154 AD and he is best known for his Hymns Against Heresies and Prose Refutations.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 38 are the hymns of Giwargis Warda exclusively. His works are interesting in light of the fact that he quotes from the Old Testament. Thus, in the 13th century, there is a line of transmission through this manuscript of an ancient strata of literature.

Hymnbook Syr. Gr. Pat. 5 is a lectionary companion. It was to be used in conjunction with the daily scripture lections. Designated hymns were ordered according to the days of the year.

Hymnbook Syr. Gr. Pat 28 is ordered according to the eight tones. For students of liturgy and musicology it may hold important clues to the historical development of these areas of research.

Lectionaries

There are three lectionaries in the collection. Syr. Gr. Pat. 3 is a daily lectionary and a product of late lectionary development.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 4 may be of more value as it includes much information about the Holy Feasts of the year.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 6 includes a menologion with the lectionary. Materials relating to saints of the church are buried within this enormous tome.

Service Books

This is the biggest category of the collection. Syr. Gr. Pat. 13 is a service book for the priest. Syr. Gr. Pat. 16 is a service book for vespers. Likewise Syr. Gr. Pat. 18 is a prayerbook for the mornings of various feasts. It is interesting to note that the author of this document is the famous grammarian Eliya bar Shinaya.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 19 is a servicebook for Easter/Passover. Both 18 and 19 have residual Jewish characteristics that show through. From the earliest times, Eastern Christianity bore the mark of Jewish origins. The Chronicle of Arbela list a number of bishops who have Jewish names. Addai, who is said to be the founder of the Christian church in Edessa, met with the Jew Tobias upon his arrival in the city. Later the heads of the schools in Edessa and Nisibis are called Rabban. It seems that a symbiotic link between the synagogue and the church in diaspora is a primary characteristic of Christianity in the East.

Two other manuscripts reflect the deep impression cast by monastic communities. Syr. Gr. Pat. 21 and 28 are service books for monks. The first one is a liturgy. Monks conducted worship for the laity. This often was a source of conflict between the priests and monks. At times, the clergy scolded the laity for seeking spiritual enrichment and even the sacraments from monks. Driven by a love for God, and the failure of the clergy to serve their needs, the laity often abandoned the clergy directed services on Sunday for the sanctity of monastic worship. A canon of 585 AD states that the laity are forbidden to neglect Sunday services and festivals but they are allowed to visit monks during the weekdays.

Some monks were called Bet Qayama, Sons of the Covenant, and likewise female solitaries were called Daughters of the Covenant. They were the spiritual athletes and preservers of the true way. The clergy, on the other hand, tended to be worldly and despotic in the eyes of the laity. Thus, there were many battles for liturgical leadership as evidenced in the Synod canons.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 24 contains three documents. The first document is a loyalty oath for monks. This must have been demanded from various Kings as eastern Christians were plagued by invading armies in nearly every generation. This document is followed by a section of psalmody. Finally, the third part is a list of the sayings of John bar Penkaye who wrote a remarkable history of the world.

Manuscripts Syr. Gr. Pat. 27 and 29 are prayer books. MS. 27 has general prayers while MS. 29 contains evening prayers similar to Syr. Gr. Pat. 16. Syr. Gr. Pat. 35 is a service book for priests. This text is undated and its value is limited although it appears to probably not much earlier that the 17th century.

The oldest manuscript is Syr. Gr. Pat. 37. Writings about the Rogation of the Ninivites is a major portion of the document. Students of Syrian Liturgy may find this volume especially useful. Also Syr. Gr. Pat. 44 and 50 are special services. MS. 44 is a monastic service of procession and MS. 50 is a service of blessing for children.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 43 is another service book of prayer for evening which is the third such manuscript of this type.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 48 is a funeral service for priests.

Theological Manuscripts

There are six theological manuscripts. They reveal the primary doctrines and dogmas of the Assyrian Church of the East. Syr. Gr. Pat. 8 is the most definitive of the records. Syr. Gr. Pat. 36 and 42 indicate how people are to enter into religious vocation. These guides are titled "The Teaching of the Orders."

Manuscript Syr. Gr. Pat. 39 and 46 are documents on Christology. These reveal understandings of the nature of Christ from his incarnation to his Resurrection.

Commentaries

There are two commentaries in this collection. Both are of considerable importance.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 10 is a commentary of Ishodad of Merv, a 9th century east Syrian exegete. His quotations should be of special interest to those engaged in the study of this important saint. Recovery of Old Syriac texts and perhaps even diatesseron material may await discovery.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 34 is a major discovery of Emmanuel of Mosul who wrote the Hexameron, which has escaped serious attention because of the paucity of manuscripts. This is a poetic commentary on the six days of creation. Many Church Fathers wrote extensively in this area: Rabban Gabriel of Katar, Mar Aba, Basil, Babai, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and others.

Sermons

There are three sermon manuscripts in the collection. The first one is by Abdisho who wrote a catalogue of Syriac works. This is an invaluable document for without it we would not be able to identify some manuscripts. Syr. Gr. Pat. 11 allows us to view the theological landscape of this scholar's mind.

The second book of sermons is also by Abdisho. We can see that his mind was directed to the great personalities of scripture. John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, the Evangelists, and Stephen are the subjects of his homilies. They are written after the manner of Harmonius and Ephrem who created powerful sermonic traditions of metrical writings.

The third and final sermon book is a set of funeral sermons. There are from an unknown author and from an unknown time. The colophon is missing.

Histories

There are two history manuscripts. The first is a remarkable document that includes twenty-three accounts of various saints, evangelists, and martyrs. It does include a section on the words of Jesus also.

Most notable is a text on Rabban Khormizd who was immortalized by monk Shemon in his History of Rabban Khormizd. Professor Voobus writes, In every instance where he presents the Gospel text we meet with readings taken from the Old Syriac Gospel type. A careful study of this phenomenon should be checked in this manuscript Syr. Gr. Pat. 17.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 22 is important for our understanding of the history of the Assyrian Church of the East. Of special importance is a study on the life of Theodore of Mopsuestia in this work.. He was the teacher and primary influence on Nestorius.

Grammar

There is one grammar. Syr. Gr. Pat. 30 was written by Elias bar Shinaya. Elias lived during the 11th century in the autumn of the Syriac age.

Syriac literature falls into three periods. The first ended with the schism between western and eastern syriac churches over the writings of Nestorius. He was condemned in 431 AD. The closing of the school at Edessa was the final blow that eliminated any hope of compromise on theological grounds in 489 AD. With the rise of the school of Nisibis slightly before the th century and extending into the Islamic period until the end of the millennium constitutes the second period. Clearly, Syriac developed into two distinct dialects and grammars. The third period opens with Bar Hebraeus, Elias Tirhan, and Elias bar Shinaya. In this period Arabic gains some influence over Syriac. Nevertheless, linguistic achievements rose to supreme heights at the very point where the living language was gasping for breath.

Elias bar Shinaya formalized the East Syrian dialect along with his contemporary Elias Tirhan. The grammar in this collection was copied within one hundred years of its origin. It appears to be the oldest known copy of Elias' grammar.

Catalogue of Syriac Manuscripts in the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Syr. Gr. Pat. 1

Size: 58x40 cm

Pages: 124

Title: Holy Scriptures of the Reverend Gospels, the Mepharreshe

Comment:Preserves a strata of Old Syriac quotations.

Date: 1679 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 2

Size: 31x20 cm

Pages: 167

Title: Hymns

Comment: Hymns contain hagiographal material on Giorgi Barda, Kamis bar Kardaki, and many others.

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 3

Size: 31x20 cm

Pages: 449

Title: The Final Liturgy and Scriptures that are being offered Each Day of the Year

Comment: Lectionary and Service book combined. Appears to have been made in Mardin.

Date: 1560 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 4

Size: 29x18 cm

Pages: 363

Title: Treasury of Days of Feasts of the Administration and Memorials that are on Fridays that are conducted throughout the whole year in homes and churches.

Comment:

Date: 1586 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 5

Size: 26x20 cm

Pages: 162

Title: Liturgy of Anthems (Kudrah) Ordered according to the Days

Comment:

Date: 1711 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 6

Size: 26x20

Pages: 552

Title: Treasury of Supreme Feasts and Memorials of processions of All the Year

Comment: Festival Breviary

Date: 1645 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 7

Size: 22. x17 cm

Pages: 143

Title: Writings of the Sayings of the Blessed David King and Prophet, Heart of the Lord with Divine Prohibitions to Mat Thomas Issuer of the Holy Scriptures and the Memorials of the Statements to Mar Aba Catholicos.

Comment:

Date: 1588 AD with and addition dated 1724 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 8

Size: 26x16 cm

Pages: 132

Title: Kephalia, that is to say the chief doctrines of the learned and studious.

Comment: This is a theological and doctrinal text.

Date: 1554 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 9

Size: 25x17 cm

Pages: 250

Title: The New Testamentv

Comment: All books but Revelation, Jude, II and III John and II Peter.

Date: 1261 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 10

Size: 25x16 cm

Pages: 191

Title: Light on Difficult verses that are in the Holy Scriptures that makes the Pardon of God by Ishodad the Bishop of Hdatta of Syria

Comment: This is Ishodad of Merv

Date: 1380 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 11

Size: 25x17 cm

Pages: 138

Title: Writing of the Paradise of Eden the planting and arrangement in the metrical sermons of Abdisho bar Berikha appointed Metropolitan of Nisibis and Armenia

Comment: Abdisho was a teacher of exegesis and a librarian. [Also known as Ebed Jesu]

Date: 1458 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 12

Size: 24x17 cm

Pages: 154

Title: Writings on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, the Apostles Peter and Paul, the Evangelists and Stephen

Comment: by Abdisho

Date: 1458 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 13

Size: 22x15 cm

Pages: 170

Title: Topikon (the Pattern)

Comment:

Date: 1710 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 14

Size: 22x15 cm

Pages: 169

Title: Throne of the Departed

Comment:

Date: 1710 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 15

Size: 20x15 cm

Pages: 192

Title: Psalter

Comment: the nun Saltana Bart Balgana appears in the colophon

Date: 1593 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 16

Size: 14x17 cm

Pages: 194

Title: Chant of the Night and the Dark Evening for the whole year being called Kaskoul

Comment:

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 17

Size: 20x15 cm

Pages: 466

Title: Histories

Comment: Histories include the Lives of the 40 Martyrs, History of Joseph, Life of Jacob, Mark the Father, the Martyr Ina, the Holy Philip, Job, the Prophet Jonah, the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, the History of John the Evangelist, Visions of John the Evangelist, the Martyr Maurikios, the Holy Martyr Eugenius, Rabban Kormizd, the Holy Martyr Anastasius, the Martyr Shamoun and his Son.

Date: 1612 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 18

Size: 22x15 cm

Pages: 276

Title: Prayer of the Morning of the Hebrew Feasts According to Mar Elias the Third Catholicos.

Comment: This document may be from Eliya bar Shinaya who for more than 40 years occupied the seat of the Metropolitan of Nisibis and died after the year 1049 AD. He ruled after the downfall of the caliphs. The resulting wars left the Christian populations devastated and lost to Islam.

Date: 1657 AD.

Syr. Gr. Pat. 19

Size: 21x15 cm

Pages: 176

Title: Liturgy According to the Feast of the Passover

Comment: Note the Semitic character of the feast.

Date: 1660 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 20

Size: 20x17 cm

Pages: 158

Title: Writings of the Prophets

Comment: Includes Hosea, Joel, Amos, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Bel and the Dragon

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 21

Size:22x16 cm

Pages: 302

Title: Liturgy of the Reading of the Monks

Comment:

Date: 1593 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 22

Size: 21x16 cm

Pages: 114

Title: Of the Holy Apostles, of Holy Theodore of Mopsuestia, of the Holy Nestorians

Comment:

Date: 1655 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 23

Size: 20x15 cm

Pages: 180

Title: Hymns

Comment: Include hymns of Gabriel, Kamis, Ishoyab Metropolitan of Arbeya, Avia Bar Avali, Giwargis Warda, and Isaac

Date: 1610 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 24

Size: 20x14 cm

Pages: 148

Title: The Pledge for the Monk about the Body and Soul. The Sayings of Solomon the Son of King David the Prophet. Also the Writings of John of Mosul and the Profitable Sayings of Mar John Bar Pankeya.

Comment:

Date: 1649 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 25

Size: 18x13 cm

Pages: 141

Title: Psalter

Comment:

Date: 1656 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 26

Size: 18x13 cm

Pages: 148

Title: Pericopes of Scripture

Comment:

Date: 1550 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 27

Size: x13 cm

Pages: 239

Title: Prayers

Comment:

Date: 1587 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 28

Size: 17. x13.5 cm

Pages: 512

Title: Hymnbook of Eight Tones

Comment:

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 29

Size: 17. x13.5 cm

Pages: 131

Title: Synopsis

Comment: This document is called Kashkool in Syriac

Date: 1571 AD

Syr. G r. Pat. 30

Size: 18x13 cm

Pages: 328

Title: Grammer of the Syriac Language

Comment: Written by Elias bar Shinaya on of the most important East Syriac grammarians.

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 31

Size: 18x13 cm

Pages: 279

Title: Hymns

Comment: Gabriel Metropolitan of Mosul, Kamis, Barda, Maram Issac of Sabdanai, Ephraim, etc. The manuscript appears to have been copied in Nisibis.

Date: 1512 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 32

Size: 18x13 cm

Pages: 183

Title: Teaching of the Orders

Comment:

Date: 1611 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 33

Size: 17x13 cm

Pages: 224

Title: New Testament

Comment: John of the Jacobite Monastery

Date: 1608 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 34

Size: 18. x13.5 cm

Pages: 214

Title: Book of the Four concerning the Six Days with the word of the Administration in the Twenty Eight Sayings - propositions of the servant Emmanuel.

Comment: The work of Emmanuel of Mosul or Emmanuel ash-Shammar. This document is sometimes known as the Hexaemeron composed in heptasyllabic meter. The oldest known text was Ms. Br. Mus. Or. 1300 dated 1685 AD. Now we can push back the date 400 years.

Date: 1289 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 35

Size: 18x13 cm

Pages: 319

Title: Throne of the Shroud of the Priests, Ministers, Bishops, and Monks, and the Patriarch and the Remnant of the Sons of the New

Comment:

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 36

Size: 18x13 cm

Pages: 187

Title: Teaching of the Orders

Comment:

Date: 1683 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 37

Size: 16x12 cm

Pages: 205

Title: The Writing of the Sayings of the Rogation of the Ninivites. Also various materials: Ephrem, etc.

Comment: This is a fast of three days three weeks before Lent.

Date: 1251 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 38

Size: 18x13 cm

Pages: 138

Title: Anthems of the teacher Giwargis Warda

Comment: Other notable manuscripts of Warda are found in MS. Camb. Add. 1982 and Vat. Syr. 184. He wrote his poems in the first part of the 1200's.

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 39

Size: 16x12 cm

Pages: 164

Title: The Teaching of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and the Theophany.

Comment:

Date: 1542 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 40

Size: 15x10 cm

Pages: 304

Title: The Inscriptions and Pericopes of the New Testament

Comment:

Date: 1531 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 41

Size: 16x12 cm

Pages: 140?

Title: The End of the Consolatory Discourses.

Comment:

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 42

Size: 15x10 cm

Pages: 178

Title: Teaching of the Orders.

Comment:

Date:?

Syr. Gr. Pat. 43

Size: 16x10 cm

Pages: 164

Title: Text of the Ordinary Evenings, that is to say, before and after all requisites.

Comment:

Date: 1597 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 44

Size: 14x10 cm

Pages: 174

Title: Liturgy of the Priest like the Liturgy of the Journey in the Monastery of Elias from Mosul

Comment:

Date: 1670 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 45

Size: 15x10 cm

Pages: 170

Title: (misc.)

Comment:

Date: 1579 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 46

Size: 15x10 cm

Pages: 189

Title: His Deeds and Resurrection

Comment:

Date: 1576 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 47

Size:?

Pages: 115

Title: Writings of Rabban Enanisho and Rabban Konan

Comment: Enanisho was a monk of the Monastery of Izla and later Beth Abhe. This prolific monk had both philological and philosophic interests. Sometime during the leadership of Catholicos Giwargis (658-680) he was commissioned to organize monastic documents of a didactic and historical charater. He was most famous for his text "Paradise of the Fathers."

Date: 1880 AD

Syr. Gr. Pat. 48

Size: 14x10 cm

Pages: 170

Title: Memorial for the Priests

Comment:

Date:?

This text was transcribed by Fr. Dale Johnson, 2007. The author has kindly placed this file and all material on this page in the public domain - copy freely.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: abdisho_bar_brika_syriac_writers_01_text.htm

'Abdisho bar Brika (Ebed-Jesu), Metrical Catalogue of Syriac Writers. From G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852) vol. 2, pp.361-379

'Abdisho' bar Brika (Ebed-Jesu), Metrical Catalogue of Syriac Writers. From G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852) vol. 2, pp.361-379

INDEX OF BIBLICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL WRITINGS,

Drawn up by Mar Abd Yeshua, Metropolitan of Nisibis and Armenia, A.D. 1298.

In the strength of Thy help, O Lord, and aided by the prayers of all the eminently righteous, and of the Mother of great name, I write an excellent treatise, in which I shall enumerate the Divine Scriptures, and all the ecclesiastical writings of ancient and modern times. I shall moreover record the names of the authors of the different books, and the subjects of which they treat; and, depending upon God, I begin with Moses.

[PART FIRST.]

[Old Testament Scriptures.]

Genesis.

Exodus.

Leviticus.

Numbers.

Deuteronomy.

Joshua.

Judges.

Samuel.

Kings.

Chronicles.

Psalms.

Proverbs.

Ecclesiastes.

Cautica.

Wisdom.

Jesus the son of Sirach.

Job.

Isaiah.

Hosea.

Joel.

Amos.

Obadiah.

Jonah.

Micah.

Nahum.

Habbacuc.

Zephaniah.

Haggai.

Zechariah.

Malachi.

Jeremiah.

Ezekiel.

Daniel.

Judith.

Esther.

Susanna.

Ezra.

Daniel the Less, probably comprising the Song of the Three Children, and Bel and the Dragon.

Baruch.

Maccabees.

Tobit.

Moses wrote the Law in five books, viz.: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. After these follow the book of Joshua the son of Nun, Judges, Samuel, the book of Kings, the Chronicles, the Psalms of David, the Proverbs of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Songs, the Great Wisdom, the Wisdom of the son of Sirach, Job, Isaiah, |362 Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habbacuc, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Judith, Esther, Susanna, Ezra, Daniel the Less, the Epistle of Baruch, the Traditions [or Expositions] of the Elders, Josephus the historian, the book of Proverbs, the Narrative of the sons of Solomona, the Maccabees, an account of Herod the king, the book of the destruction of the latter Jerusalem by Titus, the book of Asenath the wife of Joseph the son of Jacob the righteous, and the book of Tobias and Tobit the Israelites. ¹

[PART SECOND.]

[New Testament Scriptures.]

Matthew.

Mark.

Luke.

John.

Acts of Apostles.

Epistle of James.

Epistles of Peter.

Epistles of John.

Epistles to the

Romans.

1 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians.

Galatians.

Ephesians.

Philippians.

Colossians.

1 Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians.

1 Timothy.

2 Timothy.

Titus.

Philemon.

Hebrews.

Having enumerated the books of the Old Testament, we shall now record those of the New Testament. First, Matthew wrote in Palestine, in the Hebrew tongue. After him comes Mark, who wrote in Latin at Rome. Luke, in Alexandria, spoke and wrote in Greek. John also wrote his Gospel in Greek at Ephesus. The Acts of the Apostles were written by Luke to Theophilus; and the three Epistles of James, Peter, and John, were written in all languages, and called Catholic. Besides these there are fourteen Epistles of the great Apostle Paul, viz., the Epistle to the Romans, written from Corinth; the First Epistle to the Corinthians, written from Ephesus and sent by the |363 hands of Timothy; the Second to the Corinthians, written from Philippi of Macedonia the great, and sent by the hands of Titus; the Epistle to the Galatians, written at Rome, and sent by the same person; the Epistle to the Ephesians, also written at Rome, and sent by Tychicus; the Epistle to the Philippians, written at the same place, and sent by the hands of Epaphroditus; the Epistle to the Colossians, written at Rome, and sent by Tychicus the true disciple; the First Epistle to the Thessalonians, written at Athens, and sent by the hands of Timothy; the Second to the Thessalonians, written at Laodicea of Pisidia, and sent also by Timothy; the First Epistle to Timothy, also written from Laodicea of Pisidia, and sent by the hands of Luke; the Second to Timothy, written from Rome, and sent by the hands of Luke, the Physician and Evangelist; the Epistle to Titus, written at Nicapolis, and sent by the hands of Epaphroditus; the Epistle to Philemon, written at Rome, and sent by Onesimus, the slave of Philemon; the Epistle to the Hebrews, written in Italy, and sent by the hands of Timothy, the spiritual son. And the [Harmony of the] Gospels, called the Diatesseron, collated by a man of Alexandria named Amonis, who is Tatian.

[PART THIRD.]

[Writings of Western Fathers.]

The following were written by disciples of the Apostles: the book of Dionysius, the heavenly philosopher; the book of Clemens, one of the Seventy; the Narratives of Peter, Paul, and John, and the other Apostles; and the Apostolic Constitutions.

Africanus the Happy, Bishop of Emmaus, wrote a Commentary on the New Testament and a Chronicon. |364

Hippolytus, Bishop and Martyr, wrote a book on the Life and Actions of Christ, an Exposition of Daniel the Less and Susanna, also Sentences against Gaius, an Introduction on the Advent of Christ, and an Exposition of the Gospel of S. John.

Damasus, Bishop of Rome, wrote an account of the Faith, and drew up several Canons, as did also Ignatius.

Symmachus is mentioned by the Expositor [Theodorus of Mopsuestia] as having written several works, one of which is entitled the Distinction of the Commandments.

Eusebius of Caesarea wrote a history in two volumes, a treatise on the Divine Advent, a Chronicon, a book solving the contradictions contained in the Gospels, another entitled a Picture of the World, an account of Constantine and of the Martyrs of the West, and an epic poem in their praise, a narrative of a drought of rain, and a defence of Origen which was condemned by Theodorus.

Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria, wrote many epistles and treatises on the orthodox faith, an account of his flight, and a narrative of S. Anthony, which was sent by him to Epictetus.

Basil the Great wrote a work on the Six days of Creation, besides many other dissertations, narratives, and epistles.

Gregory of Nyssa wrote many treatises, among which are an Exposition of the Lord's Prayer and of the Beatitudes, a book of poems, a dissertation on the Resurrection, a dissertation on the Creation of Man which he sent to his sister, another on Natural Philosophy, one against the Gentiles, an exposition of the Song of Solomon in two volumes, and a treatise on the soul.

Gregory Nazianzen the Great wrote five volumes, and a collection of Poems, several Essays for Caesar, a work called Tragoedia, and a book against the Theopaschites.

John Chrysostom wrote an exposition of the Gospels of SS. Matthew and John, each consisting of two volumes, an Exposition of the Apostolic writings, a book on the Priesthood, another on Baptism, a treatise against the Jews, a book on the Monks of Egypt, a book of Consolations, a treatise on |365 Repentance, a treatise written to Justinian, another to Mitidus the Bishop, another on Generations, besides many epistles on various subjects.

Diodorus of Tarsus wrote sixty books, most of which were burnt by the Arians; among those remaining are the book entitled the Division of Food, one written against Chaldeanism, one against the Eunomians, another against the Manicheans, another against Apollinaris, and an exposition of a portion of S. Matthew's Gospel.

Theodorus the Expositor wrote forty-one volumes containing one hundred and fifty prophecies, each prophecy divided into thirty chapters. He also wrote a theoretical and practical exposition of Genesis in three books, which he sent to Elipia the great; an exposition of the Psalms in five books, sent by him to Cedron and his brother; an exposition of the Twelve Prophets in two volumes for Maurice; an exposition of Samuel in one book, which he sent to Marius; an exposition of Job, sent to Cyril of Egypt; an exposition of Ecclesiastes in one book, written at the request of Porphyry; also an exposition of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel, each in one book. These were his labours on the Old Testament.

On the New Testament, he wrote an exposition of S. Matthew to Julia in one book, and another of SS. Luke and John, in two books, to Eusebius; an exposition of the Acts in one book, to Basil; on the Epistle to the Romans, also to Eusebius; on the Epistles to the Corinthians, in two books, at the request of Theodora; and on the Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, for Staurachius. The Epistles to the Thessalonians he expounded for Jacob, and the two Epistles to Timothy for Peter, and those to Titus and Philemon for Corinne, and the Epistle to the Hebrews he expounded for the same person. All his expositions of the Apostle Paul he collected in five volumes, and he wrote, besides these, a work on the Sacraments, and another on Faith, and another on the Priesthood, also two books on the Holy Spirit, and one on the Incarnation, in two volumes; and two other books against such as say that man cannot help sinning, and two against the Magians, and one addressed to the Monks, and one on Perfection, and another for Basil, and another on the union of the two |366 natures and persons in Christ, and a book of Jewels in which he collected all his epistles, and a treatise on the enacting of Laws, with which he concluded his writings.

Nestorius the Patriarch wrote many celebrated works, most of which were destroyed by the blasphemers. Of those remaining, one is entitled the Tragoedia, one dedicated to Heraclides, and an epistle to Cosmas, which was written in the time of Paul. He wrote, moreover, a large liturgy which was translated [into Syriac] by Tooma and Mar Awa. There is also of his a book of epistles, an Antiphonary, and a collection of epic poems.

Theodotus, the disciple of Theodorus the Expositor, wrote an exposition of Isaiah in two volumes, and in another work he has explained the occasion of the writing of the different Psalms of David, and to what occasions their use is adapted.

Aquilinus wrote a commentary on S. Matthew and S. John the son of Zebedee after the traditions of the ancients.

Basilius wrote several Antiphonaries, and other treatises.

Chiore wrote on the different kinds of worship, and several narratives.

Irenaeus of Tyre wrote five histories on the persecution of Mar Nestorius, and on all the events which transpired during that period.

Phileteus expounded Ezekiel in two volumes, and wrote a book named, from its subject, the Healer.

Theodoret of Cyprus wrote a book entitled "Phileteus," one against Origen, another called the "Division of Food," an exposition of Daniel, excellent histories, Apologies for our righteous Fathers in two volumes, a solution of the Sentences of Cyril, a book against the Philosophers, and many epistles containing much learning and knowledge.

Socrates wrote two volumes of History, and an account of the Emperors Constantine and Jovian.

Titus wrote a work against Manes.

Arniastataeus also wrote a work against Manes.

Theophilus, the Persian, wrote against Dostseus, and another work in which he solved the Sentences of Cyril.

Eutheris wrote a book against the Patripassians, several narratives, antiphonae, and expositions of the Gospel. |367

Epiphanes wrote a work on the Divine Advent, and another on the different heresies which had arisen up to his time.

Zenobius wrote against Marcion and Pamphilus, and epistles to Isidore, Lycullus, Abraham and Job.

Eusebius of Emesa wrote a book against the Jews, and on the ceremonies of the Old Testament, and a narrative of Stephen.

Father Macarius wrote three books on the right mode of living.

Marcus wrote a book of chapters.

John wrote histories.

Evagrius wrote three books.

Father Isaiah wrote one book.

Ammonius wrote epistles.

Macarius, not the same just mentioned, wrote several narratives.

Xistus wrote a book of sacred poems, and a work on the Lovers of God.

Nilus the Monk wrote two wonderful volumes.

Palladius and Hierome wrote the book of Paradise, and the sayings and injunctions of the Elders in three volumes.

John of Apamea, wrote three books, and several epistles on the Spiritual Life, on the Effects of Sin, and on Perfection.

Jacob, the disciple, wrote a short exposition of S. Matthew, of the Epistles, and of the Prophet Jeremiah.

[PART FOURTH.]

[Writings of Syrian Fathers.]

After having enumerated the writings of the Greek Fathers we now begin to record the writings of the Syrian ² Fathers.

Shimeon Barsabbaï wrote epistles to Mar Acac.

Meelis wrote epistles and treatises on various subjects.

Mar Yaw-ahui wrote an epistle to the Eastern Papa, in whose days a letter was written by the Westerns raising this Eastern |368 See into a Patriarchate. The letter was sent, with all honour, by the hands of Agepta of Elam.

Ephraem the Great, called the Prophet of the Syrians, wrote a commentary on Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, the Kings, the Psalms, Isaiah, the Twelve Prophets, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel; besides other books and Epistles on the faith of the Church, poems, anthems, and hymns, and the Anneedhé, [Services for the dead]. He wrote also on the alphabet, a controversy with the Jews, and treatises against Manes, Bardassenes, and Marcion, and an answer to the blasphemy of Julian.

Narsai, the Harp of the Soul, wrote an exposition of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, the twelve minor Prophets, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. He wrote also twelve other books, three hundred and sixty poems, a Liturgy, an exposition of the Sacraments, and a treatise on Baptism. He wrote, moreover, Consolations, Antiphonae, hymns, litanies, homilies, and a treatise on an Evil Life.

Barsoma wrote homilies, anthems, and other poems: also a liturgy, and many epistles.

Auraham of Beit Rabban wrote an exposition of Joshua, Judges, Kings, the Wisdom of the son of Sirach, and Isaiah, in two volumes; also a Commentary on the twelve minor Prophets, on Daniel, and the Song of Solomon, and a book of Moutwé, ³ divided into chapters.

Johanan of Beit Rabban, wrote a commentary on Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Job, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Proverbs, a book against the Magi, one on the Customs of the Jews, and another against heretics. He wrote also a poem on the humiliation of the Ninevites, one on the death of Chosroes, and another on the plague which visited Nisibis, together with consolations for all conditions of men, a Catechism on the Old and New Testament, hymns, poems, and a treatise on Chanting.

Marootha, Bishop of Meiparket, the learned physician, wrote a book of Evidences, Antiphonae, and hymns in honour of the |369 Martyrs. He also expounded the Canons of the 318 [of Nice], and wrote a full account of that Holy Synod.

Mar Awa the Great translated the entire Old Testament from the Greek into this Syriac tongue; he also wrote an exposition of Genesis, the Psalms, Proverbs, the Epistle to the Romans, the second to the Corinthians, the three following Epistles, and that also to the Hebrews. He wrote, moreover, several poems and anthems for the Canons ⁴ of the Psalter, a synodal epistle on the Discipline of the Church, and other Ecclesiastical Rules and Canons.

Hnâna of Hdheiyyeb wrote a Commentary on the Psalms, Genesis, Job, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, the Twelve Prophets, on the Gospel of S. Mark, and the Epistles of S. Paul. Also an exposition of the Faith and Sacraments, a Catechism and a Treatise on the Origin of the Festival of Palms, with poems thereon. Besides these he wrote on the origin of the festivals of Golden Friday, ⁵ of that in commemoration of the Humiliation of the Ninevites, and on the Invention of the Cross, with many other works condemned by Theodorus of Mopsuestia.

Eprahat, the wise Persian, of happy memory, wrote two books, and many poems alphabetically arranged.

Heeba, Comar, and Proba, translated the writings of Theodorus of Mopsuestia from Greek into Syriac, as they did also the works of Aristotle. This same Heeba wrote also a commentary on the Proverbs, Antiphons, and other poems, and a polemical work against the heretics.

The Disciples of Mar Awa wrote many poems, and an exposition of the prophecy of Daniel.

Tooma of Edessa wrote on the origin of the Feasts of the Nativity and Epiphany, an epistle to Kâlé, a work against astrology, a book of Consolations, and a polemical treatise against heretics.

Serghees of Reish Aina wrote a treatise on Logic.

Paul of Nisibis wrote a Commentary on the Bible, a treatise against Caesar, and various epistles. |370

Babai the Great wrote eighty-three books, in one of which he gives an account of the origin of the Feast of Palms, a dissertation on the union of Christ's humanity and divinity, and an exposition of the Book of Hundreds. ⁶ He also expounded the book written by the Father Marcos, wrote an account of Diodorus and his followers, of the Feast of the Cross, and of the Saints for the cycle of the year, such as the Feasts of S. Mary, S. John, and the other feasts and commemorations. He moreover wrote a book for conventual Novices, an epistle to Joseph the Seer, rules for Monks, and an exposition of the whole Bible. Also a work on the Causes of Things, in which he speaks of Mattai who was translated, of Auraharn of Nisibis, and of Gawrièl of Kutr [or Kutra.]

Dad-Yeshua expounded the "Paradise" of the Westerns, and the work of Father Isaiah, and wrote other books on the right mode of living. He also wrote a hymn on the consecration of a Cell, a funeral Dirge, several Epistles, and a Catechism on the Spiritual Life and Quiet.

Joseph the Seer wrote 1900 chapters on various theological subjects, and a book called the "Treasure," in which he solves many difficult questions. He also wrote a work on Calamities, an Exposition of the work entitled the "Merchant's Book," and another, in two volumes, on the Paradise of the Easterns, which contains many historical notices. Besides these, he composed a commentary on the Prophet Ezekiel, a treatise on the Festivals, and an exposition of the Heads of Knowledge, and of the works of Dionysius. He moreover expounded the Vision of Mar Gregorius, and wrote epistles on the life of Anchorites.

John of Dilyâtha wrote two books, besides epistles on the monastic life.

Ishâk of Nineveh wrote seven books on the spiritual and divine Sacraments, and one on the Distribution of Food.

Yeshua-yau, of Gadhla, wrote a commentary on the Psalms, together with epistles, dissertations, and poems on various subjects. |371

Yeshua-yau, of Erzona, wrote a work against Eunomius, and another against an heretical Bishop. Also twenty-three Queries on the Sacraments of the Church, a Synodal Preface, Epistles, and Canons.

Cyprian, of Nisibis, expounded the Theology of Gregory the Great, and compiled an Ordination Office.

Yeshua-yau, of Hdheyyeb, wrote on a Change of Mind, and an Advice to Monastic Novices. He also arranged the Khudhra, and the Baptismal Office, and wrote an Office for the Consecration of a New Church, as also an Ordination Office, and the Office of Hoosâyé. He wrote, moreover, many antiphons, epic poems, epistles, anthems, and Consolations, in the most beautiful style, and a controversial treatise against certain persons.

Hnan-Yeshua wrote a treatise on Chanting.

Michael composed a book of Inquiries into the Bible, in three volumes.

Theodore, Metropolitan of Marro, wrote an account of Mar Eughène, and of the Greek doctors, in poetry; also an Exposition of the Psalms, and other poems, in which he answered the ten theses of Serghees. He composed another excellent book, moreover, at the instance of Mar Awa, the Catholicos.

Gawrièl, brother of the above, and Bishop of Hormuzdshir, wrote a work against Manes, and another against the Chaldeans, besides Homilies and other treatises on various subjects, to the extent of about three hundred chapters.

Elîa, Metropolitan of Marro, wrote antiphons, Consolations, and a Commentary on all the Gospel Lessons; also epistles, and an account of the origin of the Moutwé, and an Exposition of the Proverbs, Genesis, the Psalms, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, the Wisdom of the Son of Sirach, Isaiah, the Twelve Prophets, and the Epistles of the Apostle Paul. He also compiled an authentic History.

Gheorghees, Catholicos, wrote hymns, anthems, a Litany for the Fast of the Ninevites, and a few other Canons and poems.

Gawrièl Arya, of the family of Ishâk of Nineveh, wrote an Exposition of many extracts taken from the whole Bible.

Hnan-Yeshua, surnamed Hgheera [the lame] wrote |372 antiphons, epistles, Consolations, homilies, poems, and several catechisms: also a book of Thanksgiving, on account of Serghees Doda, Two Reasons for Schools, and an Analogical exposition.

Awa, of Cashgar, wrote several homilies and epistles, a book on the rules of Logic, and another in which he explains the Logic of Aristotle.

Hnan-Yeshua, Catholicos, wrote a collection of epistles, Consolations, and anthems, in five books, besides other poems and ten dissertations.

Awa bar Brikh Sowyâne wrote a work on Strategy, several expositions, and antiphons full of wisdom.

Timatheos wrote a book on the Stars, another against the Mehdi, another on Church Matters, with many Synodal Canons, two hundred epistles collected into two volumes, a catechism, and a dissertation against heretics.

Ephràm, of Elam, wrote a work on the Faith.

Tooris, the Anchorite, composed a book in two volumes.

Hoonein, the physician, the son of Ishâk, wrote a book on the fear of God, a Grammar, and a Vocabulary.

Yeshua bar Nun wrote a work called "Theologia," Inquiries into the Bible, in two volumes, a book of sentences, of the Causes of things, Consolations, and epistles. He wrote also on the different Church Services, antiphons, and anthems.

Elisha, the Expounder, wrote a Commentary on Job, and on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, and on the three following epistles. He also composed an account of the Moutwé, and another of the Martyrs, a book of Thanksgivings, and a poem on Shimoon of Germakh. Besides which he explained the Chronicon of Eusebius.

Soreen, the Expounder, wrote in Greek against the heretics, and a book of evidences.

Bar Had-Bshabba, the Arab, wrote a work entitled "The Book of Treasures," in three volumes, and other polemical treatises, against the Gentiles, such as idolaters and others. He also wrote a history, and an account of Mar Diodorus and his followers, and an exposition of Mark the Evangelist, and of the Psalter.

Mikha, the Doctor, wrote Five Causes of the Moutwé, a poem |373 on Cantropos [?], and another on Mar Sawr-Yeshua, of Lashum. Also an exposition of the books of the Kings of Israel.

Kioré wrote various dissertations, homilies, and anaphoras.

Paulona wrote poems, a dissertation against inquirers, a treatise against Marcion, a book on Believers, and another on the Creed.

Serghees wrote an exposition of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and of Daniel, after the style of the ancients.

Mari, the Persian, wrote a Commentary on Daniel, an explanation of the epistle of Akak, and a work against the Magi of Nisibis.

Auraham, of Mahozé, wrote Consolations, Epistles, an account of all the Festivals, and a book of Antiphons.

Paulos, of Ambar, wrote a work against the epistle of Omar, Consolations, and Antiphons, and a treatise against different persons.

Gawrièl, of Kotra, wrote a poem on the union of Christ, and a solution of the difficulties of the Faith.

Yakoob, of Kelta, wrote an exposition of the Proverbs, poems on Diodorus, and a book on the Faith of the Church.

Barsoma, of Kerkook, wrote a work called "the Liver," and another containing thanksgivings, Consolations, and Antiphons.

Ab Yeshua, Bar Bahrees, Metropolitan of Athur, wrote on the Division of Inheritances, and an Explanation of the different Church Services.

Daniel, of Toowaneetha, Bishop of Tahl, wrote a work entitled "the Book of Lilies," Consolations, and Antiphons. Also a book solving the difficulties contained in Holy Scripture, Replies to different Queries, one of Thanksgiving, another of Poems, a Solution of the difficulties in the writings of Mar Ishak of Nineveh, and an exposition of the Heads of Knowledge.

Auraham, Metropolitan of Basra, wrote several epistles.

Ahoob, of Kotra, wrote a Commentary on the Old and New Testaments with the exception of the Pentateuch.

Dinha expounded the Psalms, and wrote Consolations, and other treatises on Church subjects. He also explained the two books of Gregory, and the Logic of Aristotle.

Shallecta, Bishop of Reish Aina, wrote Antiphons, |374 Consolations, Prayers, Canons, and hootamât, [collects for the conclusion of Divine Service]. He also expounded two Litanies.

Babai, the Persian, who became Bishop of Riu Ardsheer, wrote a work solving various difficult questions.

Shehdost, of Teheran, wrote several Synodal Epistles and Letters, besides many small poems and Antiphons.

Habeeb, the Anchorite, wrote Meditations on the Life of Christ, Elements of Knowledge, and made several chants and tunes for Anthems.

Babai of Nisibis, wrote poems, epistles, hymns, narratives, and several homilies.

Shimoon of Taibootha, wrote a work entitled "the way to live," another on Medicine, and an Exposition of the Sacraments.

Yohanan el-Ezrak, of Heerta, wrote a book of Homilies, a Guide, and two hundred and eighty epistles.

Yohanan of Deilom wrote nine poems.

Mar Yau, wrote an epistle and an exposition of the same for Epni Mâran.

Yeshua Pâna, of Kotra, wrote hortatory poems, an exposition of the "Book of Hundreds," another on the Philosophy of the Soul, and many poems, anthems, epistles, Consolations, and hymns, arranged alphabetically.

Babai, the Scribe, of Maarra, wrote a work on the Distinction of Things.

The Turkish Expounder wrote a work on the Joys of Heaven.

Mar Shooha 'l Mâran, of Seleucia, wrote a work called the "Book of Portions," another on Elements of Knowledge, besides many useful epistles.

Yohanan bar Pinkhâyé wrote seven books, one on the Education of Children, a controversial treatise against the "Words of a Merchant," one against Idolatry, one on the Seven Eyes of the Lord, one on Perfection, and a Catechism.

Auraham, of Nethpra, wrote many works.

Gregorius, of Deir, wrote one book and several epistles.

Akb-Shma wrote homilies, Consolations, anthems, on the Principles of Knowledge and Proverbs.

Akhoodemé wrote against the Philosophers and Magi, and on the limits of things. He also wrote a book on Logic, another on the Persons [of Christ], and a third on the inquiry: "Has |375 the will power over the nature of man?" in two parts. He also wrote on the Soul, showing that man is a small world in himself, besides many other instructive treatises in beautiful style and language.

Auraham bar Dishended, wrote a Book of Advice, an exposition of the writings of Father Marcos, a treatise against the Jews, another entitled "the Way of the King," poems on Repentance, and many epistles on various subjects.

Yeshua-Bukht wrote a book on All Things, and another on Church Matters, and poems on the Air.

Yeshua-Dnah, of Basra, wrote three books of History, an exposition of Logic, Consolations, Anthems, and Poems, and a treatise on Chastity, in which he collected an account of all the Saints.

Auraham bar Lipah wrote a Rationale of the different Services.

Alexandros wrote a work against the blasphemy of Julian.

Poplius wrote two books, one on Holy Things, and a Remembrancer.

Abd Mesheeh, of Heerta, wrote a book rich in meaning.

Theodorus bar Coozai wrote a Scholion, a History, and many other dissertations.

Abd Yeshua bar Akarwé wrote several anthems, and a work on the origin of Things.

Andraos wrote antiphons, and a work on the diacritical and vowel points.

Gawrièl, of Basra, collected all the Synodal Canons, in two volumes, and added thereto several dissertations.

Yohanan, of Germaka, wrote on the Principles of Knowledge, Rules for Novices, a short Chronicon, an account of Mar Koodehwi, and many poems and anthems.

Auraham, of Beit Hâlé, wrote a treatise against the Tai [Arabs.]

Mar Shlemon, Bishop of Hdhetta near Mosul, wrote several narratives, and a treatise on the Monastic Life.

Yeshua-dad, also of Hdhetta, wrote a Commentary on the New Testament, and a short exposition of the Pentateuch.

Aboo-Nuah wrote a work against the Koran, a treatise against Heretics, and on several other subjects. |376

Kindi wrote an excellent work on Polemics, and another on the Faith.

Dad-Yeshua wrote a wonderful exposition of Daniel, of the Kings, and of the book of Wisdom, in three volumes.

Yohanan, of Nineveh, wrote a work on Controversy.

Kuriakòs wrote an exposition of the Faith and Sacraments, another work on the Nativity and Epiphany, and a Commentary on the Epistles of S. Paul.

Shimoon bar Tabbâhé wrote a History.

Meshikha Skha also wrote a History.

Mar Athken, the Anchorite, wrote a Controversy with the Wise Brother, and many epistles on the right way of living.

Gheorghees, of Nishra, wrote a book on Obedience.

Anos, of Piros-Shaboor, wrote poems, Consolations, and many other works.

Bood Piryadotha wrote poems on the Faith, a treatise against the Manichees, and another against the followers of Marcion. He also wrote a work in Greek, entitled "Alep-Megheen," and it was he who translated "Kleilagh oo Dimnagh" ⁷ from the Indian language.

Danièl, of Reish Aina, wrote poems against the Marcionites, Manichees, Heretics, and Chaldeans. |377

Auraham bar Kardâkhé wrote anthems, Consolations, poems, and homilies, and an Epistle against Shisban.

Nathnièl wrote against the followers of Severus, against Manes, and against the Kanthi and Mandri [Sabaeans], and an Exposition of the Psalms.

Elisha bar Sabîné wrote an Exposition of the Psalter, on Different Opinions, and a chapter of Proverbs.

Auraham Katteena wrote Catechisms.

Shimoon, of Kurdlah, wrote 1,028 poems and anthems.

Father Yazeedad wrote a vocabulary called "Lookaté."

Bar Shhak wrote one book.

Damanis wrote poems.

Susai, of Sus, wrote a book of Thanksgivings.

Auraham Saba wrote a beautiful Catechism.

Gregor, of Shushtre, wrote a work against Heathenism, on Natural Evidences, Consolations, anthems, a narrative of Auraham of Shushtre, a History, and an account of the different Festivals. It was he who originated the chant "Ittayyeb b'awadheicon." ⁸

Bar Sehde, of Kerkook, wrote a History, and a work against the Magi, the disciples of Zoroaster.

Jacob, of Edessa, wrote a Book of the Times, and a Chronicon.

Shimoon, of Bedhka, wrote a History.

Ara wrote a work against the Magi, and another against Bardassenes, entitled "Beetles."

Pâkor wrote one book.

Bar Dkôsi wrote two volumes against the Chaldeans, and another against Porphyry the heretic.

Danièl ibn Mariam wrote a History in four volumes, and another expounding the Chronicon.

Zacchai, of Supna, wrote on the Wonders of the World.

Bar Daknâna wrote poems for the consolation of the sorrowing.

Yohanan bar Abgaré wrote Canons and Homilies on Church matters, and on the Division of Inheritances. |378

Mar Daweedh, of Beit Rabban, wrote on the Boundaries of countries, and on the Changes of nights and days.

Yohanan, of Estooni, wrote a Grammar.

Yohanan bar Khâmees, Bishop of Temnoon, also wrote a Grammar.

Bar Bahlool collated a Lexicon from many books, assisted by Yeshua bar Ali the Physician, Marozi, and Gawrièl.

Elîa, of Azak, wrote three books of poetry, questions, epistles, prefaces and anthems.

Dad-Yeshua, Bishop of Heerta, called Mattushuah, wrote a Catechism on the Holy Scriptures, and Anthems.

Andor, the Scholar, wrote a dissertation on many things, arranged alphabetically, which he sent to his friend Koorta.

Elîa bar Kanosh wrote Benedictions, Narratives, a treatise on the use of the Psalms, and on the Sacraments of the Church.

Mar Elîa, the First, wrote Decrees, a treatise on Church matters, and a Grammar.

Yohanan bar Keldon wrote a valuable work called "Busnâya," another on the Most Beautiful, and a third on the Merchandize of the Monks.

Elîa bar Yeshnâya, Metropolitan of Nisibis, wrote a History, a Grammar, poems, four books of Church rules, and epistles on various subjects in Syriac and Arabic.

Behishua, of Kamool, wrote on the Monastic life.

Yohanan Hermis wrote poems.

Emmanuèl, the Doctor, wrote a work on the six days of Creation in poetry, homilies, and expositions.

Gawrièl, Bishop of Shabookhwest, wrote a catechism, homilies, controversies, Consolations, and anthems.

The Greek Emperors Constantine, Leo, and Theodosius the Great, convened the Synods of the Westerns, that of the Apostles, of Nice, of Byzantium, of Gangra, the false one of Ephesus, that of Chalcedon, of Antioch, and the -- -- of the Greek Emperors. ⁹

And we possess the Eastern Synods of Ishâk, of Barsoma, of Mar Awa, of Mar Hezkièl, of Yosep, of Yeshua-yau, of Mar |379 Timataos, of Yeshua bar Nun, of Yohanan, the Acts of Shimoon, the Acts of Yeshua-Bukht, Metropolitan of Persia, and those of Abd Yeshua and of Gheorghees, Metropolitans of Athor, besides two volumes of Synods collated by Gawrièl, Metropolitan of Basra, and another of the Catholicos Mar Elîa the First, and four of Elîa of Nisibis, surnamed Bar Ishnâya. We possess, moreover, many other books whose authors' names are unknown; such as the book entitled "the Enlightenment," and the book on the Union. [Here several lines of the original are destroyed.]

Shlemon, of Khlàt, of Basra [prob. Metrop.], wrote a work entitled Debboreetha [lit. The Bee], another on the Heavens and the Earth, and several poems.

Abd Yeshua, my vile self, wrote a Commentary on the Bible [MS. defaced], the book of the Paradise of Eden, a collection of Synods in Arabic, the book entitled Marghianeetha ¹⁰ on the Truth of the Faith, a treatise on the Mysteries of the Grecian Philosophers, and another called "Scholasticus," against heresy. I also collated a book of Church Laws and Discipline, and another consisting of twelve treatises on knowledge in general, besides Consolations, antiphons, and anthems, for various occasions, an explanation of the Epistle sent by Aristotle to Alexander the Great [MS. defaced], also a work solving many difficult questions, and one of arguments, proverbs, and riddles.

After the best of our ability we have recorded the books which we have seen, our object being to show that the perusal of them is profitable. The authors spake by the Spirit, according to the testimony of Paul the Apostle; may their prayers keep and invest with glory us, the sheep of Christ, and may their memory endure for ever, inasmuch as they enlightened the Church by their wisdom, and enriched her children by their attainments. Glory be to that Spirit by whom they themselves were enriched.

Here endeth the catalogue of all the Church books, written by the undeserving Abd Yeshua, Metropolitan of Nisibis and Armenia. To God be thanksgiving and glory for ever. Amen.

[Footnotes moved to the end and numbered.]

1. * The " Narratives," and several of the other works enumerated in the latter part of this paragraph, are probably legends such as are frequently met with in the East. Some of these are written with much pathos, and form epic poems, set to the most plaintive chants. The Legend of Joseph is very common among Mohammedans as well as Christians, and many strolling derweeshes obtain a living by reciting it from house to house.

2. * "Syro-Nestorian'' Fathers are doubtless intended. The Syrian authors in this list who existed prior to the Council of Ephesus, are claimed as co-religionists by the Nestorians.

3. * Literally, "Thrones," as in Coloss. i. 16, of the Syriac version. The term is here applied to certain prayers appointed to be used at the Nocturns, and which are recited alternately by priest and people, all being seated on the ground.

4. * Canons here signify the occasional collects introduced into the Psalms as used in the Church.

5. † The first Friday after Whitsunday: so called from the answer of S. Peter to the impotent man: "Silver and gold have I none," &c. Acts iii. 6.

6. * Kthâwa d'Mawâtha, a learned but very difficult treatise, of which there are a few copies still extant. It is divided into a hundred sections, and is supposed to have been written by Evagrius.

7. * This famous collection of Fables is recorded by all Arabian historians to have been translated from the original into Pehlvi by one Barzooyah, who was commissioned to execute the task by the then reigning king of Persia Nooshirwan, about the year a.d. 510. Baron de Sacy, who published in 1816 an excellent edition of the Arabic Version translated from the Pehlvi by Abdallah bin 'ool Mukatta, after expressing his doubt of this testimony to Bood's labour as recorded by Mar Abd-Yeshua, suggests the following adjustment of the apparent contradiction existing between him and the Arabian historians: "On the other hand, we may suppose that Barzooyah was a Christian monk, who had been employed in the Indian territory bordering on Persia, and that to a knowledge of his own native tongue, and the Syriac of his Church, he joined an acquaintance with the language of India, and hence was employed by Nooshirwan to translate the work called Calila oo Dimna. Abd-Yeshua does not state that the translation made by Bood was into Syriac; he moreover speaks of it as a fact generally known; hence it is not improbable that he understood Bood and Barzooyah to be the same person." De Sacy adduces several plausible reasons in support of this hypothesis, in his "Memoire Historique," appended to his Arabic edition of the work in question.

Assemanni, as quoted by the learned Baron, states that Bood lived during the patriarchate of Ezekiel. This is a mistake, since the name of the Patriarch who filled the Eastern See during the reign of Chosroes Anooshirwan was "Sheela" [Silas.]

"Piryadotha," the title given to Bood, signifies "Presbyter circuitor, seu visitator;" and seems to be cognate with our "Dean." I have so translated it wherever it has occurred throughout this work.

8. * This chant is still in use among the Nestorians.

9. * The meaning of the original is somewhat obscure in this passage, but I conceive the writer to signify that the Nestorians possess the Acts of these Councils and Synods.

10. * For a translation, see the next page.

Note to the online text: the author is given as Mar Abd-Yeshua in Badger, but in the best modern bibliography of Syriac literature, Sebastian Brock, A brief outline of Syriac literature, Series: Moran Etho 9, Kottayam (1997), p.80, the author's name is given as 'Abdisho' bar Brika. Brock states that the text is an invaluable source of information, especially about lost Syriac writers; and that some of the author's own works have not come down to us.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2005. 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: abdisho_bar_brika_jewel_01_text.htm

'Abdisho' bar Brika (Ebed-Jesu), Marganitha or Pearl: the truth of the faith. From G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852) vol. 2, pp.380-422

'Abdisho' bar Brika (Ebed-Jesu), Marganitha or Pearl: the truth of the faith. From G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852) vol. 2, pp.380-422

A TRANSLATION OF

THE JEWEL,

Written by Mar Abd Yeshua, Nestorian Metropolitan of Nisibis and Armenia, A.D. 1298.

In the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ we begin to write the book called Marghianeetha, (lit. "The Jewel,") on the truth of Christianity. Written by the undeserving Abd Yeshua, Metropolitan of Nisibis and Armenia. O Lord, help us. Amen.

[Preamble.]

O God the Cause of all things, the Enlightener of all men, the Giver of life and existence to all beings corporeal and incorporeal, the Vast Ocean of every blessing, the Unfathomable Depth of every knowledge, the Righteous One whose Nature is all-merciful, the Lover of mankind, and the Eternal Spring of all goodness.----Thy Godhead is worthy of all praise and honour, and to Thy Greatness it is fit that unceasing thanks should be offered for Thy wonderful providence towards the world above and the world beneath, and for the abundance of Thy mercies towards Thy heavenly and earthly creatures. With the humility of a servant we implore Thy Eternity, and with earnest longing we beseech Thy Unspeakable Love, to select us as unsullied and chosen vessels for Thy hidden Treasury, and to make us abodes |381 of beauty and purity for the inhabitation of Thy Trinity: that by Thy help we may be drawn up out of the drowning sea of this material world, and be lifted up to the holy of holies, the place of Thy divine mysteries, and be transformed into That Likeness which is above all likeness; and that through the rays of Thy Everlasting Light we may shine forth for ever, being eternal, and live and be confirmed far beyond the reach of all error of mind or of body, and become the companions of those who are near to Thee in spirit and in act, and be happy both here and there for ever and ever. Amen.

The chief of our community and the father of our people, after having been graciously pleased to approve of my book entitled "the Paradise of Eden," written by me in varied versification, directed me to write another in proof of the truth and certainty of the Christian faith, for the perusal and study of his disciples, and for the benefit of all the lovers of Christ under his sway, as it will be an evidence of his own zeal and renown to those who shall come after. As an obedient servant I obeyed his profitable injunction, and wrote this small book, small in size and brief, but precious in its subject matter. Hence I have called it "The Jewel" of the truth of Christianity; and herein I have briefly treated of the origin, roots, plants and branches of the teaching of the Church, and have divided it into five parts, each part subdivided into chapters. And now I conjure, and most humbly and earnestly beseech, every lover of God into whose hands this book may fall, or who may read it, copy it, or hear it, that, for the love of Christ, he will not censure me for whatsoever I have written, but on the contrary pray for me, inasmuch as I have spent much labour therein, although as regards myself I am very weak and unworthy. Let every one follow herein whatever approves itself to his own mind; and may God make them and us meet for blessedness, and enable both to attain the truth. |382

PART I.

OF GOD.

CHAPTER I. -- That there is a God, and that the world is created, made, and temporal.

S. Paul the heavenly apostle, the treasury of the Holy Ghost, and the spiritual philosopher, has, through the Spirit, laid an admirable foundation for Theology, by his saying, that men "should seek God, and feel after Him, and find Him out from His creation." Inasmuch as the artificer is known by his work, and the maker through the thing made.

That the world is made, and created, and had a beginning in time we know from this:----This world is compounded, framed, and disposed, as a whole, and in all its parts; and every thing that is compounded, framed, and disposed, must have a com-pounder, framer, and disposer. That it is compound is proved from its whole being made up of many parts, and from all its bodies being made up of matter and kinds, and from the visible and invisible movers therein. But the most certain witness of its being framed is man, who is a small world in himself, and in whose formation all creation is brought together, as one of the sages has said: "Man is an epitome of the whole world, and of the whole frame of creation."

Now that the world is disposed is clear from the wonderful order of the heavens, the planets, the elements, with all their productive powers, generating plants, trees, mines, and the members of beasts and of men, the astonishing order of which surpasses the wisdom and knowledge of all created beings. |383

In the same way the ancient philosophers concluded that every motion must have a mover, until they arrived at Him Who is not moved, Who is the Cause of all, and of Whom they predicated that He must be good, wise, and almighty. Good, inasmuch as He created the world without a cause [i.e. of His own motion]; wise, because of the admirable order and frame displayed in the universe; almighty, because He overcame the things which are naturally destructive of each other, and brought them together in one agreement.

Further, this world is made up of quality and quantity, as respects its bodies and spirits, and of different dimensions and extensions, of which the mind can inquire, why they were not less or more, higher or lower than they are. And when it would know a cause for the appropriated designs, resemblances, and dimensions, of all and of each, and for their existence and continuance as they are, it can find no other than the will and intelligence of the Creator, who created and disposed them after His own will, and as He knew would be best and most fit. The artificer must of necessity exist before the work, in order that it may be proved of him that he is really the maker of that which did not exist before, and that he made it. This truth, then, being confirmed, it results that the world is made, and had a beginning in time, and is not eternal. It also results that it has a Maker, Who is good, wise, eternal, strong, and possessed of a will.

CHAPTER II. -- That God is one and not many.

That the Maker of this world is one and not many may be proved thus:----It is impossible that many can possess one, perfect, unchangeable, self-consentaneous will; because they must either be co-equal in substance, and in every thing appertaining thereto, which would destroy plurality by the non-existence of distinction, or anything distinguishing, just as it is inconsistent to conceive of the existence of two blacknesses, alike in every respect, and not distinguishable, and having but one and the same substance:----or they must be distinct from |384 each other in substance, and in what appertains thereto; when they would be contrary the one to the other, and destructive the one of the other. But existence could not exist between two opposing makers, nor could a perfect work proceed from them.----Or they must be alike in substance, and distinct in what appertains thereto, each one having an appropriate quality by which he is distinguishable from his associates; when they would all be compounded of the things in which they are alike, and of those in which they are distinguishable. But every compound thing is made, and must have a maker and compounder; hence results the truth of that declaration: "The Lord our God is One God; and though there be gods many and lords many, to us there is but one God."

CHAPTER III. -- That God is Eternal.

Everything that exists must be either eternal or temporal; and everything temporal has a cause and maker, and time and maker must be pre-existent to it. But that the cause of all things is without a cause, and that the Maker of all things has no maker, every right and unprejudiced mind is assured of, because it is natural to it so to judge. It results, then, that the Self-existent is the Creator, and the Eternal, anterior to time, because He Himself created time. For time is a reckoning of the motions of bodies, and as we have already proved that He is the Creator of these, therefore He is eternal, and without beginning. Now that which has no beginning, can be reachable by no end, and must possess of these two opposite extremes whatsoever is the most high and the most glorious, as truth, light, and life, and must be the Best, the Wisest, the Almighty.

CHAPTER IV. -- That God is incomprehensible.

Every thing comprehensible is comprehended either by the senses, or by the mind; and that which is comprehended by |385 the senses must be either a body or an accident. But the adorable God is not a body; for every body is compound, and every body occupies space, and every body has limits, all which is opposed to the Self-existent. Nor is He an accident; for an accident cannot exist alone, but requires a substance wherein to exist.

All that is comprehended by the mind, the mind must either stretch to the ends of its length and breadth, (which are parts of its limits distinguishing it from what it is not,) in order that it may in reality comprehend it; but hereby the thing is at once limited, and extension and dimension are foreign to the nature of the Self-existent:----or the mind does not stretch to its end, or to the boundaries which limit it; but this is not comprehension. Hence the Divine Nature is incomprehensible, it being impossible for the mind to comprehend aught of the knowledge of the Self-existent, except that He does exist.

It is said of a certain great philosopher, that he always used this prayer: "O Thou cause of the motion of my soul, grant me to know that subtle essence which moves me, what it is, and what it is like. But not even that subtle essence wherewith I am endowed, and whereby I am capable of knowing, can comprehend what Thou art, and how Thou art. This only it can know, that Thou dost exist."

Now, when we say [of God] that He is invisible, incomprehensible, impassible, and immutable, we do not describe what He is, but what He is not.

CHAPTER V. -- Of the Trinity.

Everything that exists must be either a material body whose existence is the subject of accidents and changes, and is acted upon by whatever is opposed to it; or not a body, and consequently not the subject of any of these things. Now, we have already proved, that God, (glory be to His incomprehensibility,) is not a body, and therefore is not subject to anything pertaining to materiality, from which He is infinitely removed.

Whatever is immaterial, and not subject to anything appertaining to matter, the traditions of the ancients call Mind. |386 And whatever is exclusive of matter, and of what appertains thereto, must be knowing, and must know himself, because himself is ever present and known to him, and he is not dependent on anything but himself. And whatever knows himself must be living. Therefore God is Wise and Living.

Now, he who is wise is wise because of his wisdom; and he who is living is living because he has life. This is the mystery of the Trinity, which the Church confesses of the Adorable Essence: The Mind, Wisdom, and Life, Three co-essential proprieties in One, and One who is glorified in three proprieties. [The Church] has called the Mind, Father and Begetter, because He is the Cause of all, and First. [She] has called the Son, Wisdom and Begotten, because He is begotten of the Mind, and by Him everything was made and created. [She] has called Life the Holy Ghost, and Proceeding, because there is no other Holy Ghost but He. He who is Holy is unchangeable, according to the expositions of received expositors; and this is that which is declared by John the Divine, the son of Zebedee: "In the beginning was the Word;" and, "the Light is the life of man."

Now, as the reasonable soul has a three-fold energy, mind, word, and life, and is one and not three; even so should we conceive of the Three in One, and One in Three. The sun also, which is one in its disk, radiance, and heat, is another simile adduced by the second Theologus Paul, the chosen vessel: "He is the brightness of His glory, and the Express Image of His Person;" and, again: "Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

Further, every thing that exists is either an accident or a substance. But the Self-existent can in no wise be susceptible of accidents. Therefore these three proprieties must be essential, and are on this account called persons, and not accidental powers, and do not cause any change or plurality in the essence of the Self-existent; for He is the Mind, the Same He is the Wisdom, the Same He is the Life, Who ever begat without cessation, and puts forth [makes to proceed] without distance [i.e. without removal from Himself.] These things [cessation and distance] are infinitely removed from Him, and appertain to bodies. |387

Now, there is no real likeness between created natures and the Nature of the Self-existent, and a simile does not in every thing resemble that which is compared by it; for then the simile and that which is compared by it would be the thing itself, and we [who have just instituted several comparisons] should not be unlike the man who attempts to compare a thing by the self-same thing.

The mystery of the Trinity is expressed in the words of the Old Testament: "Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness; "the occurrence of the letter noon three times in this sentence is an indication of the Trinity. The "Holy" thrice repeated in the seraphic hymn, as mentioned by Isaiah, joined with one "Lord," attests Three Persons in One Essence. The words of David, also, are of the same import: "By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth;" and many other like references. Let the heathen, then, and Jews who rail at the truth of the Catholic Church, on account of her faith in the Trinity, be confounded and put to shame. Here endeth the first part. |388

PART II.

ON THE CREATION.

CHAPTER I. -- On the Creation of the Universe.

He to Whom time was before He wrought, and subsequently began to work, must have wrought either by compulsion, or through necessity, or from a motive of goodness. But God did not create the world of compulsion, because there was no other God beside Him, nor any other Essence to compel Him to act. Neither of necessity, because His Essence is perfect, and in nothing wanting, and He is the Giver of all perfection, and is Himself imperfect in nothing, either in His Essence, or in what appertains thereto. It justly results, then, that He created the world of His goodness and love, He being essentially the origin of all good and bounteous things.

First He created the Angels, the heavens, and the four elements, the light, and the planets. After that trees and plants; then the different classes of animals, with their various species. And when He had adorned the universe with every good thing, and made it like the chamber of a bridegroom, and a wonderful paradise, on the sixth day, after the heavens and the earth with all their hosts were finished, He created the first Adam, the father of the human race, "in the Image of God created He him," according to the testimony of the blessed Moses, the first-born of the Prophets, and the first of the scribes. And he was called an image [of God] for three reasons: First, on account of the reasonable soul with which he was endowed, and which |389 is a likeness of the Divine Image in a twofold respect, first, in its spirituality, subtilty, and incorporeality; and, again, because in his mind, word, and life, man is an emblem of the Trinity. Secondly, on account of his power over all, [Gen. i. 26,] his sovereignty, and his free will. Thirdly, because from him God intended to take a temple for His union [thereto], and to be worshipped of all with it for ever and ever.

CHAPTER II. -- On Man's First Sin.

After God had thus created man a reasonable image, a wonderful temple, and a bond of the universe, in short, a small world existing in the great world, He took from him a rib and made therewith woman, and placed them in the delectable paradise of Eden which He had prepared for them, and commanded them that they might eat of all the trees in paradise, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they were not to eat. And He further decreed, that in the day they should eat thereof they should die the death. Now, hereby God declared the freedom of man's will; for, had they not been free to act, He would have wronged them in punishing their transgression of the command; whereas, if they were really free agents, He justly condemned them, inasmuch as with wicked intent, and in their own self-sufficiency, they trampled upon and despised the Divine command, in order that they might become gods, and be released from obedience to their Creator, after the advice of the devil who deceived them. Because of this, they became debtors to death, and fell under subjection to the devil, and were shorn of their glory, and put on shame, and were removed from the companionship of angels, and became mourners in a land of curses. Their children also, because they walked in the selfsame way of transgression, bound more tightly the yoke of the devil, and of death, on their necks, and these forgat their Creator, and walked after their own hearts' lust, and the desires of their own minds, and nourished iniquity, and strengthened rebellion,----"who, being past feeling, gave themselves over unto |390 lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." On this account justice woke up, and led Noah and his family into the ark, which the Long-suffering had ordered to be made in the hope of their repentance. And every mortal was destroyed by the flood, and the earth was cleansed from their wickedness. And thus after two thousand years, more or less, that barbarous dispensation was brought to an end.

CHAPTER III. -- On the Divine Laws and Ordinances, and of the Prophets.

When Noah went forth from the ark, God gave him ordinances adapted to the infancy of human nature; but, gradually, as his race increased, they forgat these, and some of them deemed it right to worship the images of those whom they revered, whilst others joined in a ruinous confederacy, and made a vain counsel that they would build a tower and a place wherein to rebel against God; so that in case of another flood being sent in His anger, it might serve them as a place of refuge; or in case of His commanding any thing contrary to their will, they might thereby ascend and war against heaven. And after that God had confounded their tongues, and scattered them to the four winds of heaven, because of this, they added idolatry to their wickedness, and sacrificed their sons and their daughters to devils, and served the creature more than the Creator. God then chose our father Abraham, from whose seed He purposed to take to Himself an everlasting temple, gave him the covenant of circumcision, and entered into a compact with him, and in him began the way of the fear of God called Hebrew. After this, through successive generations, God raised up of his family good and righteous persons, who laboured in vain to make men return unto the Lord. Then Moses, the head of the Prophets, was chosen, and to him were given written laws and ordinances, such as were not vouchsafed to the three dispensations which preceded him. And in him began the Jewish dispensation, which like a child who has not yet attained to perfect knowledge, was taught to read in the old law, which enjoined that |391 good should be done towards relations, and towards the good, and evil to evil doers and enemies. It moreover represented God after the similitude of man, with bodily members, as dwelling at Jerusalem, as abiding on Mount Sion and among the congregation of Israel. It makes no mention of hell, or of the kingdom of heaven; but it threatens the transgressors of its laws with corporal punishments, such as submission to enemies, the being scattered among the heathen, with drought, famine, poverty, and barrenness; whilst, on the other hand, the good are rewarded with earthly and temporal rewards. All the Prophets who succeeded Moses followed and confirmed this way, and for it they submitted to every species of trial and persecution.

CHAPTER IV. -- Prophecies concerning Christ.

All the holy Prophets prophesied of Christ, Who was to bring salvation to the world, and to create all things new. And, in order not to lengthen our discourse, we shall adduce the witness of six of the greatest among them.

In the first place Israel, the father of the Prophets declared: "The sceptre," that is, a king, "shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver," that is, a Prophet, "from between his feet, until He shall come Whose it is, and Him shall the nations wait for;" together with the remaining portion of the chapter.

Moses says: "the Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a great prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him shall ye hearken.... and whosoever will not hearken to that Prophet shall be cut off from among his people." The deliverance of Israel, moreover, out of the hand of Pharaoh, was a type of the redemption of all from under the power of the chief of this world. The manna, also, prefigured the mystery of our Lord's Body; the water from the rock, the drinking of His Blood; and the brazen serpent, the life-giving Cross.

David likewise fully prophesied of Christ in the Psalm, "Why do the heathen rage?" and in that beginning with "O |392 Lord our God, how glorious is Thy Name in all the earth!" and in that, "My heart is inditing of a good matter;" as also in the Psalm, "The Lord said unto my Lord, sit Thou on My right hand."

Isaiah prophesies: "Behold a Virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a Child, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father." And, again: "He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;" to the end of the chapter.

Zechariah says: "Fear not, O daughter of Sion, behold thy King cometh unto thee, lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."

Daniel, after having fixed the period of the seventy weeks which were to precede His appearance, writes: "Messiah shall be cut off, and shall have nothing; and the holy city shall be destroyed, and the sacrifice and oblation shall cease." And, again: "I beheld till the thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days did sit; and I saw one like the Son of Man come with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days; and there was given to Him dominion and kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him; for His dominion shall not pass away; and His kingdom shall not be destroyed." Here endeth the Second Part. |393

PART III.

ON THE CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION.

CHAPTER I. -- On the advent of Christ, and of His union [of the divine with the human nature.]

Justice is an universal benefit, since whatsoever man would have others do to him, justice demands that he should do to them; and whatsoever he would not have men do to him, let him not do the same to them. This is the Law and the Prophets, as saith the Saviour. But as the prophets could not hereby reduce to perfect order the lives of men, and bring them to a knowledge of the truth by causing them to forego idols and follow the divine commands, in order that they might be saved, there remained no other way for the renewal of our nature, and for the reformation of our lives, but that God should appear in the world. Like a sovereign, who having sent many messengers to dispense the affairs of his kingdom, and to put in order those whom he would reconcile, if these should be overcome because of their weakness, and be unable to effect any thing, he goes in person to put those of that country in order. But since God is invisible, and because were it possible for Him to appear to the created as He is, all men would be destroyed by the effulgence of His brightness; therefore He took to Himself a man for His habitation, and made him His temple, and the place of His abiding, and thus united an offspring of mortal nature to His Divinity, in an everlasting, indissoluble union, and made it a co-partaker of His sovereignty, authority, and dominion.----That is, the Divine Essence enlightened the human nature by its union therewith, as the pure and faultless jewel is enlightened |394 by the rays of the sun falling upon it, causing the nature of that which is enlightened to be like the nature of that which enlightened it, and causing the sight to be affected by the rays and brightness pertaining to the nature of that which received, as it is by the nature of that which communicated, the light, no change whatever taking place in the agent by his action on that which was acted upon. And, again, just as speech hidden in the soul is united to written discourse by the consent of the mind, and is transmitted from one spot to another without itself moving, from its place,----so the Word of the Father united with the man of us, through the mind, and came into this our world, without, in His self-existence, leaving the Father:----"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." A devout and pious man laboured for many years in prayer to God, that He would disclose to him the meaning of this declaration. A voice from heaven was at length vouchsafed to him, saying: " Ascribe to the flesh the word 'became,' and to the 'Word'' ascribe 'dwelt among us.' " Such was the answer.

CHAPTER II. -- On the life and actions of Christ.

When the angel saluted the Blessed Virgin, saying: "the Lord be with thee; blessed art thou among women;" God the Word, beyond all doubt, united Himself at that moment with that which He formed simultaneously, and without human seed, in the womb of the Holy Virgin, and to which He gave the name of the "Highest;" at whose birth, also, He wrought miracles, and diffused joy over the whole world, and endued It with perfect wisdom, grace and stature. And when He had attained the age of thirty years, in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, and the three hundred and forty-first of Alexander, He presented Himself to the baptism of John. Not that His purity needed a baptism of water; but in order that He might become a pattern and example to us in every thing. He was baptized, and He commanded that we should be baptized. He fasted, and directed us to fast. He prayed and taught us to pray. He humbled Himself, and instructed us to be humble. He was |395 lowly in the exercise of every virtue, and enjoined us to be lowly.----"Whosoever shall do and teach these things, shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

And after having wrought signs and wonders in the land of Judah, such as, the healing of the sick, the raising of the dead, the opening of the blind eyes, the making the lame to walk, casting out devils, and revealing hidden mysteries, He drew near to the time when He was to pay the debt of the first Adam's transgression, and to cancel the writing of condemnation against his race, and to reveal, by an example, the mystery of the general resurrection. He suffered, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, He died, and was buried, and rose again on the third day, as it is written. After His resurrection, He appeared to His disciples through many signs during the space of forty days, saying unto them: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth. As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. Go and disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and, behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." "And He brought them out to Bethany, and lifted up His hands and blessed them; and, as He blessed them, He separated from them, and ascended up to heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. Then the disciples went forth and preached in every place, the Lord helping them, and confirming their words by the miracles which they wrought." This is the origin of Christianity; its truth we shall establish in the following chapter.

CHAPTER III. -- On the truth of Christianity.

Christianity is the belief in One Divine Essence, in Three Persons, and the confession of Christ as has already been explained, and the belief in a resurrection of the dead, and a judgment to come, and a new and eternal life, all which articles of faith are spiritual and unworldly. For the rational soul has a threefold power, lust, anger, and discriminating judgment, from |396 the excess or the want of a due proportion of which, evil acts and follies proceed, and from the harmony of which proceed virtues. Our Gospel, however, inculcates with regard to each of these what is superior to nature. Thus, with regard to lust, Christ saith: "Whosoever shall look upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart." Again: "Be ye like the birds of heaven, and like the flowers of the field." And, again: "Take no thought for the morrow." Of anger, He saith: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and do good to them that despitefully use you." Of discriminating judgment; that the kingdom of God is life everlasting, and everlasting life is a knowledge of the truth:----"This is eternal life, to know Thee the Only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent." What exalted doctrine is this! and what truth can be superior to this, or more certain?

The truth of Christianity is indicated by this also, that like philosophy, it is divided into theory and practice. The end of its theory is truth, as we have already shown, and shall yet further show; and the end of its practice is virtue, as we proved by what we said of the powers of the soul, in regard of which it demands purity of thought, and the sanctification of the spirit, and enjoins good to be done to evil-doers, the love of our enemies, and that we should bless those who curse us.

The truth of the Christian religion is still further established by the credibility of those who preached it,----who preached and wrote of Christ,----men, who without exercising any compulsion, and without holding out any lure, were received by people of various tongues, by kings, sages, and philosophers; for whosoever abandons the religion of his forefathers, and follows him who calls him to embrace another, must do so either from fear, or because of the allurement held out to him, or he is led by the supernatural signs and wonders by which it is attested. But the blessed Apostles had neither weapons nor soldiery to terrify any; neither had they possessions or riches wherewith to allure; it results, then, that the world bowed to listen to them on account of the supernatural signs and wonders which they wrought. But God does not work miracles by the hands of false men, lest they should cause His servants to err, and corrupt the work of His hands. The Apostles, therefore, were true |397 and not false men; and if they were true, those things which we confess of Christ, and which we have received from their preaching and writings, the Christian Church holds to be true, because those who delivered them were true.

CHAPTER IV. -- On the different Sects.

When the light of Christ's brightness, shed abroad by these preachers, had scattered the darkness of error from the face of the world, idolatry ceased, and the worship of pictures and molten images passed away, and the earth was cleansed from the abomination of sacrifices and unclean rites, and the inhabitants of the world learned goodness, holiness, humility, and gentleness, and the earth was full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. This filled Satan with envy and rage, and he forthwith proceeded to act towards us as he had acted towards Adam; so that after the Apostles, and their disciples, and their immediate successors, had slept, Christians rose up against each other, and divisions and controversies sprung up among them, and heresies without number increased in the Church of Christ, until they went so far as to compass each other's destruction, and regarded each other as infidels deserving of death. How many false doctrines were rife, and how many crimes were perpetrated in those days, we learn from the histories of Mar Eusebius. On account of these things, the Oecumenical Council of the 318 was convened, by order of the good and CHRIST-loving Emperor and Saint Constantine, in the year of Alexander 636, and by the power of the Spirit, and by proofs adduced from the Holy Scriptures, they decreed, interpreted, enlightened, disclosed, manifested, and confirmed, the orthodox faith; and by strong argument, and with words of sound doctrine, they condemned all the heresiarchs, excommunicated and cut them off from the body of Christ, as being diseased members not susceptible of cure. And thus the Catholic Church, was purified from every stain of vain worship and false doctrine, and all the world, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, was of one mind, and of one Church. |398

About one hundred years after this a dispute arose between Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria, and Mar Nestorius Patriarch of Byzantium, respecting the Incarnate Word. In the confession of the Trinity all Christians agree, for all receive the Nicene Creed, which creed confesses that the Trinity is co-equal in essence, dignity, power and will; and all confess of Christ that He is perfect God and perfect Man, being fully persuaded thereof by the declarations of the Gospels, of Saint Paul, and of the 318 Fathers. The dispute which now arose respected the manner of the Union, and the words used to express it. Cyril maintained that we ought to call the Virgin "Mother of God," and wrote twelve Sentences excommunicating all who should, in any way, draw a distinction between the divinity and humanity of Christ after the union. Nestorius replied to these Sentences, and showed that they were erroneous, and with respect to the appellation "Mother of God," he argued that it did not exist either in the writings of the Prophets or Apostles. The Prophets prophesied of Christ to come, and the Apostles preached of that same Christ, predicted by the Prophets as coming into the world, that this was He Who was born of Mary. Now, were we to use the expression "Mother of Man' only, we should be like Paul of Samosata, and Photinus of Galatia, who said of our Lord that He was but a mere man like one of the prophets, and on this account they were excommunicated; so if we use the bare expression "Mother of God," we become like Simon and Menander, who say that God did not take a body from Mary; but that His life and actions were in appearance only and not real, and on that account they also were excommunicated. But we call the Virgin "Mother of Christ," the name used by Prophets and Apostles, and which denotes the union generally. Cyril, in the Sentences which he drew up, and in which he excommunicated all who shall distinguish between the divinity and humanity of Christ, virtually excommunicates the Holy Scriptures, since the Apostles and Prophets do distinguish between the natures of the Person respecting Whom the dispute is, and from these the holy Fathers learnt to confess of Christ, that He is perfect God and perfect Man, the Likeness of God and the likeness of a servant, the Son of David and the Son of the Highest, flesh and Word. |399

From this time commenced the division of the Church; some followed Nestorius, whilst others went after Cyril, both parties mutually anathematizing each other; from which resulted sects, and the slaughter, exile, imprisonment, and persecution of the Fathers, such as had never been before, as is fully recorded in the histories of Irenaeus, Bishop of Tyre. After this, tumult and discord went on increasing until the zealous and Christ-loving Marcian undertook to convene the great Council of the 632 in the town of Chalcedon, and commanded that both parties should be examined and judged, and that whosoever did not follow the truth and faith as declared by this Council should be expelled the Church, in order that the Church might be united in one perfect agreement. This Council confirmed the confession, that there are two natures in Christ, distinct in the attributes of each, and also two wills, and anathematized all who should speak of mixture, which destroys the two natures. But because in Greek there is no difference between the meaning of the word Person and Parsopa, they confessed but one Person in Christ. And when the party of Cyril was not satisfied with the expression "two Natures," and the party of Nestorius with the expression "one Person," an imperial edict was issued declaring all who did not consent to this doctrine degraded from their dignity. Some were made to submit through compulsion; but the remainder maintained their own opinions.

Christianity thus became divided into three sects: the first confessing One Nature and One Person in Christ, which doctrine is held by the Copts, Egyptians, and Abyssinians, after the tradition of Cyril their Patriarch; and this is called the Jacobite sect, from a certain Syrian doctor called Jacob, who laboured zealously to spread the doctrines of Cyril among the Syrians and Armenians.

The second sect are those who confess the doctrine of two natures and one Person in Christ, and these are called "Melchites," because it was imposed forcibly by the king. This is the doctrine which is received by the Romans called Franks, and by the Constantinopolitans who are Greeks, and by all the people of the West, such as the Russians, Alani, Circassians, Assaï, [?] Georgians, and their neighbours. But the Franks differ from the rest of these in maintaining that the Holy |400 Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and in their use of unleavened bread in the Lord's Supper. These two sects accepted the appellation "Mother of God;" but the Jacobites have added to the canon: "Holy God," &c. "Who wast crucified for us."

The third sect which confesses two Natures and two Persons in Christ is called the sect of the Nestorians. As to the Easterns, however, because they never changed their faith, but kept it as they received it from the Apostles, they were unjustly styled "Nestorians," since Nestorius was not their Patriarch, neither did they understand his language; but when they heard that he taught the doctrine of the two Natures and two Persons, one Son of God, one Christ, and that he confessed the orthodox faith, they bore witness to him, because they themselves held the same faith. Nestorius, then, followed them, and not they him, and that more especially in the matter of the appellation "Mother of Christ." Therefore when called upon to excommunicate him, they refused, maintaining that their excommunication of Nestorius would be equivalent to their excommunication of the Sacred Scriptures and the holy Apostles, from which they received what they professed, and for which we are censured together with Nestorius, as shall appear in the following chapter.

CHAPTER V. -- Refutation of the foregoing Creeds.

After having carefully distinguished the above Creeds, we shall now briefly refute two of them.

First: If it is right to believe that there is but one nature and one Person in Christ after the union, either the human nature and person are destroyed through the union;----here is destruction, not salvation. Or, the Divine Nature and Person are destroyed;----a monstrous profanity. Or, the two natures and two persons were mingled and confounded together;----behold hence a corruption! neither divinity nor humanity any longer existing. Mar Yohanan bar Pinkhâyé adduced the name |401 of Christ, written with black and red ink, by way of illustrating this confused union which the Jacobites believe, and the union of adherence which we believe; thus, CHRIST, behold corruption! behold confusion! Is it red ink? It is not. Is it black ink? It is not. Now look at this CHRIST ¹ behold beauty! behold light! Is it black ink? It is. Is it red ink? It is.

Secondly: The Divine Nature and Person, before and after the union, is an eternal, uncompounded Spirit. But the human nature and person is a temporal and compound body. Now, if the union destroys the attributes which distinguish the natures and persons in Christ, either the one or the other of these becomes a nonentity, or they become a thing which is neither God nor man. But if the union does not destroy the attributes which distinguish the natures and persons in Christ; then Christ must exist in two natures and two persons, which united in the Parsopa of the Filiation.

Thirdly, the Gospel declares, that the infant Christ "increased in stature, and in wisdom, and in favour with God and man." And the Apostle Peter says: "Jesus, a Man of God, approved among you by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you." And, again, S. Paul, the master-builder of the Church testifies, that "there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus." These three quotations most clearly affirm of Christ, after the union, that He existed in two natures and two persons, and whosoever shall dispute these testimonies is far removed from all truth.

CHAPTER VI. -- On the title "Mother of God."

First: If the Virgin is the "Mother of God," and we understand by the word "God," Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; then she brought forth the Trinity, and not the one only Son.

Secondly: If the Virgin is the "Mother of God," and if He whom she brought forth suffered, died, and was buried, as the |402 four Evangelists testify, either ye hold that He died in reality, (and he who really dies has no power whatever to revivify others or himself, but must remain in death for ever,) and thus ye declare false the saying that He rose again: Or, ye hold that He died in appearance only, and in the same way rose again, (in which case He could not have arisen in reality, seeing that He did not die in reality;) then the hope of the resurrection is vain, since hereby the saying that "He hath raised us up with Christ" is made void.

Thirdly: If Mary is the "Mother of God," and Peter testifieth of Him whom she brought forth, saying: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God;" then, according to you, she is not the Mother of Christ, but the mother of His Father, and Christ is her grandson, not her Son, and she is the mother of His Father. Where, then, is the mother of Christ?

CHAPTER VII. -- Of four Persons.

First. If by our confession of Two Persons in Christ there result four Persons in the Trinity; then, by your confession of two natures in Christ there must equally result two natures in the Deity.

Secondly. If the Trinity, as is admitted by all, is eternal and uncompounded, and the human person temporal and compound, how can this, in any way, be considered as a fourth person to That?

Thirdly. If we maintained two Sons in Christ, this charge might justly be brought against us; because the Father and the Spirit, with these two Sons, would make four persons. But seeing that we confess but one Son, one Christ, one Parsopa, we have no fear of being guilty of blasphemy.

CHAPTER VIII. -- Of the Church.

The term "Church" imports a congregation, and an assembly met together to unite in acts of celebration. It is a model of |403 things above; for as the nine orders which minister to the Most High are divided into three degrees, just so the Church. The Patriarchs, Metropolitans, and Bishops, occupy the place of the Cherubim, Seraphim, and Thrones; the Archdeacons, Deans, and Presbyters, the place of the Dominions, Virtues, and Powers; the Deacons, Subdeacons, and Readers, the place of the Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. The name "Church," as we have said, has this signification; for Christ does not call material foundations and stones "a Church," but the congregation which believes in Him. The nave and the altar are called the Church metaphorically, just as the people of a city are called by the name of the city, as when it is said: "all the city went out to meet Jesus." And just as the city itself is often called by the name of the city, as when it is said; "He entered into the city." |404

PART IV.

OF THE CHURCH SACRAMENTS.

CHAPTER I. -- On the number of the Church Sacraments.

The Sacraments of the Church, according to the Divine Scriptures, are seven in number; 1. The Priesthood, which is the ministry of all the other Sacraments. 2. Holy Baptism. 3. The Oil of Unction. 4. The Oblation of the Body and Blood of Christ. 5. Absolution. 6. The Holy Leaven. 7. The sign of the life-giving Cross. These are necessary because of the wants of man in this carnal world.

In order for a man to be, and to exist in the world, he must be born of a carnal mother through a carnal father, though the figure and perfection of man come from the Father of Lights. In like manner, in order to belong to a world of immortality, it is requisite to be born of the spiritual womb of baptism, through the spiritual father, the priest, notwithstanding that form and perfection are imparted by the Holy Ghost, and by the power of The Highest.

Further, it is requisite for every one belonging to this world to sustain his temporal life by temporal food, and earthly drink. So, in like manner, spiritual meat and divine drink are a means to him who is baptized for sustaining his eternal life in God.

Again, as every one who is in the body, through the changes of the times, and bad living, is subject to sickness and disease, and is in need of physicians who will restore him to his former health if he follow their injunctions; so the man of God, through the effects of sin, and immoral living, falls into the |405 disorders of iniquity, and receives health from the priests of the Church, the spiritual physicians, if he orders himself after their directions.

The Oil of Unction is used in the birth which is by baptism, and the Holy Leaven is used in the spiritual food of the Body of Christ. The Sign of the life-giving Cross is that by which Christians are ever kept, and by it all the other Sacraments are sealed and perfected.

But some Christians who possess not the Leaven reckon Marriage, according to Christ's ordinance, (whereby in the place of a mortal deceased another is raised up,) the seventh Sacrament.

Should any from without inquire what constitutes the holiness and sacramental nature of each of these Seven Sacraments, we reply that these three things sanctify them: First, a true priest, who has attained the priesthood rightly, according to the requirements of the Church. Secondly, the word and command of the Lord of Sacraments, whereby He ordained each of them. Thirdly, right intention and confirmed faith on the part of those who partake of them, believing that the effect of the Sacraments takes place by a heavenly power.

We shall now treat briefly of each of the Sacraments separately.

CHAPTER II. -- Of the Priesthood.

The Priesthood is the ministry of mediation between God and man in those things which impart forgiveness of sins, convey blessings, and put away wrath. It is divided into imperfect, as was that of the law; and perfect, as is that of the Church.

The foundation of the Priesthood in the Church is laid on that declaration of the Lord of the Priesthood to S. Peter, in the town of Caesarea Philippi: "To thee I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven." Its superstructure comes from that other injunction: "Feed My lambs. Feed My sheep. Feed My sheep." Its ornament and perfection from Christ's breathing |406 on the Apostles when He said: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained."

The old Priesthood was one of generation, was not irrespective of family, and did not depend upon the will of those who succeeded to it. But the new Priesthood handed down from the Apostles, and imparted in the Church through the laying on of hands, is committed to those who are deemed worthy of it after examination had of their life and conversation.----"Let these be first proved, and then let them minister being found blameless." Therefore the perfection of this and the imperfection of that Priesthood is evident, since we know that very many wicked children are begotten to righteous fathers, as Cain, Ham, and the children of Lot, of Moses, Eli, and others; and good children are begotten of wicked fathers, as Melchizedek, [?] Abraham, and others. Moreover, the former Priesthood was conferred by material oil; but this latter by the immaterial unction of the Spirit, through the laying on of hands.

As to the matter of the rules whereby he who desires the priesthood is to be tried, whether he be worthy or not, let him who wishes to know this attend to the words of S. Paul, the tongue of the Spirit: "If a man desire the presbyterate he desireth a good work. A Presbyter, then, must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God?) not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach, and the snare of the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these," that is, all the degrees of the priesthood, " be first proved, and then let them use the office of a minister being found blameless." |407

CHAPTER III. -- Of Baptism.

Baptism is the immersion in and the washing with water, and of this there are five kinds: 1. The washing off of the filth of the body, as is commonly done by all men. 2. The legal washings, whereby it was believed that purity towards God from all carnal uncleanness was attained. 3. Those of the traditions of the elders, such as "the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and tables," and as "when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not." 4. The baptism of John, whereby he preached only repentance and the forgiveness of sins. 5. The baptism of our Saviour, which is received, through the Holy Spirit, for the gift of adoption, for the resurrection from the dead, and for everlasting life; which is "the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." For as the circumcision of the flesh was given for a sign denoting those who were of the family of Israel of old according to the flesh; so the baptism of Christ is a sign of spiritual relationship to the new Israel, viz., those who are the called, and the children of God. "Those who received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God."

The matter of Baptism is pure water. "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The form, baptism "in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," according to the words of the Saviour.

There is also a Sixth Baptism, that of blood, as our Lord has noticed: "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened until it is accomplished." Also a Seventh Baptism, of tears, after the saying of the Fathers. These two are allied to the Fifth, which is an emblem of death and the resurrection.

CHAPTER IV. -- Of the Oil of Unction.

The Oil of Unction is an apostolical tradition, and there is |408 still kept up in the Church of God a succession of that which was consecrated by the Apostles. The end of its use we learn from its own physical properties, and from the sacred Scriptures. The Bible instructs us that, according to the Law, such as were set apart for the typical priesthood, or for earthly sovereignty, were anointed with the oil of unction. And in like manner with us: such as are separated to the kingdom of heaven and to the true priesthood, must be anointed with this same manifoldly symbolical unction, in order that they may be truly anointed ones and brethren of Christ, Who by His union with God is truly and supernaturally anointed. "Therefore hath the Lord Thy God anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows." He is the Anointer and the Anointed: the Anointer by His Divinity, and the Anointed by His humanity.

As to the natural properties of oil, we know that the most eminent artists, after having completed a picture with all its rich colouring, anoint it with oil, in order that it may not easily be injured, or receive damage when brought into contact with other objects. In like manner, those who are drawn after the Likeness of the Heavenly King are for the same reason anointed, lest they should receive damage from the chances of the world and from the opposition of the devil.

The matter of the Oil of Unction is pure olive oil. The form the apostolical benediction.

CHAPTER V. -- Of the Oblation.

The Oblation is a service offered up by those below to those above, through material elements, in hope of the forgiveness of sins and of an answer to prayer. The old oblations consisted of irrational animals and of the blood of bodies, but with us the Only-begotten of God, Who took upon Him the form of a servant, He offered His own body a sacrifice to His Father for the life of the world, and hence He is called by John, "The Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world." And again it is said of Him, that "His blood is the new testament, shed for many for the remission of sins." And again: "So God |409 loved the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son," Who was offered up to His Father a living, rational sacrifice for all mankind, thereby reconciling the world to Himself, and bringing salvation to angels and to men. Now, seeing that it was impossible that His identical sacrifice upon the cross for the salvation of all could be showed forth, in every place, throughout all ages, and to all men, just as it was, without any alteration, He beheld with an eye of mercy, and in wisdom and compassion thus ordained: "In that night in which He was betrayed for the life of the world, He took bread into His holy, pure, and immaculate hands, blessed, brake, and gave it to His disciples, saying: This is My body which is broken for the sins of the world. And also of the cup, He gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: This is My Blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Take and eat all of you of this bread, and drink of this cup, and do this, whenever ye shall meet together, in remembrance of Me." Through this divine institution the bread is changed into His Holy Body, and the wine into His Precious Blood, and they impart, to all who receive them in faith and without doubting, the forgiveness of sins, purification, enlightenment, pardon, the great hope of the resurrection from the dead, the inheritance of heaven, and the new life. Whenever we approach these Sacraments we meet with Christ Himself, and His very Self we take into our hands and kiss, and thereby we are joined to and with Christ, His holy Body mixing with our bodies, and His pure Blood mingling with our blood, and by faith we know Him that is in heaven and Him that is in the Church, to be but one Body.

The matter of this Sacrament Christ ordained to be of wheat and wine, as being most fit to represent body and blood. The form He conveys through His life-giving word, and by the descent of the Holy Ghost.

CHAPTER VI. -- Of the Holy Leaven.

The holy and blessed Apostles, Thomas and Bartholomew of the Twelve, and Adi and Mari of the Seventy, who discipled the |410 East, committed to all the Eastern Churches a Holy Leaven, to be kept for the perfecting of the administration of the Sacrament of our Lord's Body until His coming again. And should any Christians dispute the fact of the above-mentioned Apostles having committed to those of the East this Leaven, on the ground that Peter, the head of the Apostles, and his companions did not commit it to the Westerns, and should object to us on this wise: "If it be as you say, then one of these two consequences must result: either the Apostles did not agree in their mode of discipling, which is impossible, or this tradition of yours is false." We reply: The Easterns from the day of their discipleship up to this day have kept their faith as a sacred deposit, and have observed, without change, the Apostolical Canons; and notwithstanding all the persecutions which they have suffered from many kings, and their subjection to the severe yoke of a foreign power, they have never altered their creed nor changed their canons. Such as are well versed in such matters know full well the labour and care required on the part of Christians to observe these canons, and more especially to preserve this Leaven, in a difficult country, where there is no Christian sovereign to support them, nor any commander to back them, and where they are continually persecuted, vexed, and troubled. Had this Leaven not been of apostolical transmission they would not, most assuredly, have endured all these afflictions and trials to keep it together with the orthodox faith.

Then, as to their argument drawn from Peter and the great Apostles who discipled the west, we have this to oppose to them, ---- that those Apostles did transmit the same to the Westerns, but that with their alteration of the faith, the canons also were corrupted, through the influence of heretical rulers. And, in proof of this statement, we urge that if they all held the traditions of the Apostles, the Franks would not offer an unleavened, and the Romans [Greeks] a leavened oblation; since the Apostles did not transmit it in two different ways. Therefore the Westerns have changed the faith and the canons, and not the Easterns. |411

CHAPTER VII. -- Of Absolution and Repentance.

The human race is frail, and easily inclined to evil, and it is hardly possible that all should not be tried with spiritual diseases; and on this account the healing priesthood was given to heal freely.----"Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted." "The whole have no need of a physician; but such as are variously sick." And, again: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance." The parables of the Prodigal Son, of the Hundred Sheep, and of the Two Debtors, were moreover intended to raise the hope of sinners, and to open to them the gate of repentance which leads to heaven and imparts heavenly happiness. To the same end serve the case of Peter after his denial of Christ, and of Paul after his persecution, and the woman who was a sinner, the Publican, and the Thief upon the cross. Hence it behoves believers when, through the infirmity of their human nature, which all cannot keep upright, they are overcome of sin, to seek the Christian Dispensary, and to open their diseases to the spiritual Physicians, that by absolution and penance they may obtain the cure of their souls, and afterwards go and partake of the Lord's Feast in purity, agreeably with the injunction of the eminent doctor, who writes thus: "Our Lord has committed the medicine of repentance to learned physicians, the priests of the Church. Whomsoever, therefore, Satan has cast into the disease of sin, let him come and show his wounds to the disciples of the Wise Physician, who will heal him with spiritual medicine." ² These things will most assuredly result if they are done in faith, and not after a worldly manner, for "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Just as some, for lucre's sake, have made of this sacred thing a merchandize, and a source of temporal profit. |412

CHAPTER VIII. -- Of Matrimony and of Virginity.

Marriage after the ordinance of Christ, and entered into for the sake of the care and labour of a wife about the house, and for the bringing up of children in the fear of God, without idleness or murmuring, and in order that the eye may not wander towards that which belongs to others,----this is called in Scripture a holy estate:---- "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled." Paul makes it the mystery of things far above this world:----" This is a great mystery, but I speak of Christ and His Church." Hence divorce is unlawful except for the cause of adultery. For adultery of the soul, which is divisible into three kinds: sorcery, denial of the faith, and murder. Or of the body:----" Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall many her that is divorced committeth adultery."

With regard to Virginity, the steward of God's house saith: "I have no commandment of the Lord;" for the commandment of the Lord enjoins matrimony. But should any one desire to keep his virginity, and to follow, in this respect, the example of the Baptist, of the Saviour, of Elijah, and of Paul, it is allowable for him so to do, agreeably with the permission, and not after the command of God. Not, moreover, because he counts marriage an unholy and contemptible thing, but on account of what it entails, such as the being obliged to mix with the multitude, to have and to hold converse with them, and to reside in towns and villages, from all of which difficulties arise, which ofttimes make the yoke of marriage heavy by increasing one's cares, and thus the soul's advancement is hindered through its manifold connection with the world. Notwithstanding this, however, he who makes a vow of virginity, and does not become like a spiritual angel in theory and in practice, is inferior to a lax married man; for "no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life." Here endeth the Fourth Part. |413

PART V.

ON THE THEORY OF THOSE THINGS WHICH PREFIGURE THE WORLD TO COME.

CHAPTER I. -- Of worshipping towards the East.

The custom of worshipping toward the East is the subject of an apostolical canon, and is founded upon that saying of our Blessed Lord: "As the lightning cometh forth from the east and shineth towards the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be." And because "of that day and of that hour knoweth no man, neither the angels "of heaven, it becometh us ever to be on the watch, with our faces turned towards the promise of His coming. This custom is therefore profitable in two ways; first, because it stirs up the remembrance of the end, and of the judgment to come, which is a preservative against evil; and, secondly, because it brings to mind our old place from which we were driven out on account of our sins, viz. Paradise, which is situated in the East, and thereby we are led to lay hold on repentance.

It is written in the Commentaries of Mar Ephraim, that the angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin from the East, and that when he said unto her, "Hail, thou highly favoured!" she worshipped at his salutation towards the East. And when our Lord ascended up to heaven, His face was turned toward the west, in the same way in which He will come at the Resurrection. The disciples who were before Him, and looking at Him ascending, worshipped Him towards the East, and the angels said unto them: "This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, in like manner, as ye have seen |414 Him go into heaven." And the early commentators have added that on the first day the seven essences were created in silence, and afterwards the voice went forth, "Let there be light." The angels, who knew not that they had a Creator, when they heard the voice, concluded that if an effect followed it the Speaker must be their Creator, and the Creator of all. "And there was light," instantaneously. Then all of them worshipped towards that part from whence the light sprang forth, which was the East; and this is what Job the blessed says: "When I created the morning star, all My angels worshipped Me." [Syriac Version.]

CHAPTER II. -- On the Worship of the Lord's Cross.

We worship Christ's humanity because of the Godhead in Him; so, through the Cross, we worship God our Saviour. The "Cross " is the name of Christ, being equivalent to our saying the "killed," the "worshipped," ³ and does not rightly designate wood, silver, or brass. Now the great foundation of Christianity is the confession that through the Cross renewal and universal salvation were obtained for all, and that Cross which we use is the same sign of our Lord as is to appear in the heavens before His coming, as He Himself has foretold. When, therefore, we look upon this emblem of our salvation, we conceive as though we were beholding our Saviour outstretched upon it for the remission of our sins, and for the renewal of all creation. Hence we offer a fervent and eucharistic worship, not to the fashioned matter of the Cross; but to Him whom we figure as upon it, and above all to God, who gave His Son to be a Cross [i.e. crucified] for us, through whose crucifixion He wrought out renewal and redemption for us, and through Whom He gives to such as are worthy everlasting life in the kingdom of heaven. "For if, while we were yet enemies, we were |415 reconciled unto God by His Son; how much more shall we be saved through His life."

By this sign the Apostles wrought miracles, and the laying on of hands for the Priesthood, and all the other Sacraments of the Church are perfected thereby. These things, handed down from the Apostles, and confirmed by all those who succeeded them, declare that "the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

CHAPTER III. -- Of the holy First Day of the Week, and of the Festivals commemorative of our Lord.

The observance of the First day of the Week is also the matter of an Apostolical Canon, it being the great day on which our Saviour rose from the dead, and by His resurrection made all created beings to rejoice by giving them, in His own Person, a most certain proof of the general resurrection and of everlasting life. For as the First-born of men arose on the first day of the week, so shall all the race of Adam arise on that same day,----a day which shall be the commencement of an endless world,----of that world which shall not begin with a beginning, but which is to appear. Surely it becomes us to hallow the day on which such great events transpired, and, seeing that at the resurrection all worldly labours shall cease, and all shall return to the worship of God, and be engaged in the contemplation of His unutterable mysteries; hence the Apostles ordained, that on the first day of the week Christians should suspend all worldly occupations, and engage in prayer to God, in reading the Holy Scriptures, and in meditating on the life of Christ. And they enjoined more especially the study of the Prophetical books, which are, as it were, the foundation and introduction to the truth of the life and actions of Christ, Who came to fulfil the prophecies and not to destroy; (for He who cometh to perfect that which was imperfect, though in some things he substituteth perfection for imperfection, how can such a one be deemed a looser or destroyer?) "Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify" that |416 the Father hath sent Me. Hence the Apostles enjoined that the Prophets should be read first, and after these the Gospel which is their fulfilment and seal. And this ordinance we observe every Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection to come, when all shall be rewarded according to their works, that hereby we may be led to eschew evil and to do good.

In like manner, and with the same design, the Church celebrates year by year the life and actions of our blessed Lord, lest, from not being commemorated, those benefits which are given to us through the advent of Christ should be withheld from us, and should finally be lost to us in the darkness of error.

CHAPTER IV. -- Of Friday.

This used to be called the sixth day until the sun set upon it at the crucifixion of our Saviour, and darkness prevailed over all creation on account of the temerity of the Jews; and hence it is called arobta [the setting of the sun]. Creation, we say, put on the garment of mourning and affliction because of the enormity of the first sin, and because of the sins of all, for which He died Who had committed no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. The sun was hid from the heavens, the earth shook and quaked, the veil of the temple was rent, and the rocks were riven, and no carnivorous animals or birds of prey ate meat on that day, or went near to any carcasses, in reverence to the holy corpse of the Saviour which was outstretched upon the wood, as we understand from the comments of Mar Ephrem. Hence the Apostles made a Canon, that Christians should not eat meat on this day, neither on Wednesday, on which latter day the Jews took counsel together to kill the Saviour, and agreed upon the price of the innocent blood with Judas Iscariot. On this account Wednesday is included in the same Canon. And, in truth, Friday ought to be a day of mourning with all, because on it, for the transgression of the first Adam, the sentence of death was passed upon all our race, and we were driven |417 from Paradise into a land of curses. On this same day the flood took place, in the time of Noah, and destroyed all mankind; and thereon also Satan warred with the First-Born of men, viz. on the last of the forty days, as he did on the day of the Passion.

CHAPTER V. -- Of Fasting, Prayer, and Almsgiving.

The foundation of the virtues of true godliness with such as believe in the resurrection, and exercise themselves therein in hope of the world to come, consists of these three, Fasting, Prayer, and Mercy, wrought with the end enjoined in the Gospel, and not from any other motive. As one of our sages has said: "Fasting is superior to all passiveness, and Prayer superior to all other action; but Mercy is the being like God."

Now Fasting is of two kinds: outward, from food; and inward, from evil. It tends to induce the rich to show mercy to others, for by tasting the bitterness of hunger and thirst themselves, they are made to feel what the poor experience. It moreover tends to sanctify the senses, purify the thoughts, and to make us resemble the angels.

Prayer is not only the key of the Lord's treasury, but a spiritual converse, as one of the fathers has said: "My son, when thou art engaged in prayer, thou dost speak with God; and when thou readest the Scriptures, God speaketh with thee."

Mercy doth not only make us resemble God, Whom there is none like, but it is also a medium for the exercise of wisdom on the part of the followers of Christ, Who, through the needy, sends forward to heaven those things which we love and esteem, and declares that in them we shall have joy and exultation without end: "Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up unto yourselves treasures in heaven,... for where your treasure is there will your heart be also." There is a passage in the life of Saint Thomas the Apostle, which beautifully illustrates this Scripture. Having undertaken to |418 build a magnificent palace for the Emperor of India, and received vast sums for this purpose, which he distributed among the poor, when asked about it, he replied that he had built the palace in heaven: and the fact was confirmed by the testimony of a deceased brother of the Emperor, who was restored to life through the prayers of the Apostle. By the exercise of mercy men are made worthy of receiving Angels unawares; and to Cornelius it was said: "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." The Prophets and Apostles moreover testify that this is the only way by which the rich can attain unto God.

CHAPTER VI. -- Of the Girdle.

The girding of Christians at the time of prayer, though it betokens a preparedness for service, and a ready appearance before the Lord, after the manner of those who stand in the presence of the kings of the earth; yet it is nevertheless the subject of a Divine command both in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament the girdle was ordered to be worn by the Priests, the sons of Levi, with the other parts of their vestment; and in the New Testament we read: "Let your loins be girt about, and your lamps burning, and be like those servants waiting for their Lord's coming." The blessed John the Baptist had his loins girt about with a leathern girdle; and it is said of S. Paul in the Acts, that the Prophet Agabus took the girdle from off his waist, and girded himself therewith.

Now there is a threefold object in the use of the girdle: First, he who binds up his loins bears the sign of worship and ministry, and intimates that he is a worshipper and minister in the kingdom. Secondly, as it was enjoined by our Lord, it betokens a wakeful mind, pure intention, and the being in wait for Him, Who is to return from the feast, and to conduct all with Him thither. Thirdly, it is an emblem of death: "another shall gird thee, and lead thee where thou wouldest not." Those who set out on a journey generally gird up their |419 loins; and so it becometh us mortals and wayfarers, whose days, in spite of ourselves, have been brought forward on the road which leadeth above, to make ready a viaticum which shall be useful to us in the other world, viz. a right theory of the orthodox faith, and the practice of good works. The use of the girdle teaches us these things.

CHAPTER VII. -- Of the Resurrection, the Judgment to come, and Everlasting Life.

He who commenceth a work must have a design therein, and when this is attained he ceases working, and maketh an end of his work, otherwise his labour is vain and unprofitable. Now God, who is all-wise, did not create His creation in vain, and without a design; but, as we have already shown, He created it in consummate wisdom, and with an exalted purpose, to be the study of His rational creatures, and for the perfection of His Likeness in them. And when the time decreed in His wisdom shall arrive, He will bring this world to an end; for every beginning is the beginning of an end, and, contrarily, every end is the end of a beginning. On this subject a certain godly man has said: "When the tenth circle ⁴ shall be made up from among men, then shall the end be, and the cutting off of time shall come, and shall not fail." On that day the sun shall set and shall not rise again, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and all this world shall become a chaos of darkness, and all the motions of the elements shall cease. Then shall the sign of the Son of God, the shining Cross, appear in the heavens with power and great glory, accompanied with the awful sounds of the trumpets of angels. Thus shall Christ, the King of kings, appear like the lightning which cometh from the east, and shineth towards the west. His glorious appearance shall shake all the ends of the heavens, and all the foundations of the earth, and He shall then cry out with His life-giving voice: Let the resurrection and the renewal be. This is the |420 last trumpet, at the sound of which the wind of revivification shall blow and enter into those who shall be alive, and shall divest them of their grossness, and suddenly, as in the twinkling of an eye, they shall be changed into the likeness of Angels. And it shall likewise enter into the dead, and these also shall rise up incorruptible. Then shall the righteous ascend up into the kingdom of heaven, and shall enter with their Lord into the chamber of the Bridegroom above, and with unspeakable joy shall exult in the visions and revelations which through His light shall shine in upon them. This is true happiness. But, as to the wicked, they shall remain upon the earth in darkness in which none can walk, and shall be consumed with the fire of remorse for those things which they have committed, and because they bartered everlasting bliss for temporal and deceptive enjoyments, and a real possession for the dung of earth. This is the true hell, whose fire is not quenched, and whose worm dieth not.

But as to those who are deceived, and who fancy that everlasting life consists of something corporeal, such as eating, and drinking, and marriage, things which appertain to mortals, our Saviour reproves such when He says: "In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the Angels of God in heaven." Eating and drinking are profitable for the body, because by replacing the humours which go out thence they preserve the person from decay. And marriage, likewise, by raising up one for the one who dies, keeps up the species until the number decreed in the Everlasting Purpose is made up. Then as these two effects will cease, the causes also by which they existed must necessarily cease. Moreover all carnal blessings serve for the warding off of pain; but, as we have before observed, when man exceeds in the use of them they turn into evils. As, for example, meat and drink: one realizes the blessings of these after the pain experienced from hunger and thirst; but used inordinately and greedily, they bring pain and disease, if not death. And so with all the good things of this world; but with spiritual blessings it is not so, for the more one desires and partakes of these, he ever desireth more, as is seen in the case of those who seek after knowledge, science, and wisdom.

But, now, should any doubtingly inquire how bodies can rise |421 again which have been destroyed, and which have mingled with the dust, which have been eaten of wild beasts, or consumed by fire, or drowned in water? we reply: Should a piece of iron be broken into impalpable powder, and be mixed with dust and sand, the hidden power of a magnet will at once separate the atoms from the dust and sand, and from whatever other heterogeneous bodies with which they may have been mixed; and if such virtue resides in the magnet, how much more possible is it for the power of the Creator, in His wisdom, to separate, bring together, and remodel the bodies of men at the resurrection!

Or, again: if a skilful and ingenious mechanic should form a figure from many materials, and should conceal each of these separate materials in a particular part of his house, no one knowing the place where they are hidden but himself; if asked to construct that figure, could he not at once, and without hesitation, bring forth every part from its separate hiding place, and put all the different parts together in their proper order without any mistake? How much more easy must a like work be to Him Who is the Only Wise, the Almighty! Our bodies, through corruption, return at last to the four elements of which they were composed; the skill whereby these parts were put together in our likeness is hidden with God, and when it pleaseth Him, He can restore each part to its place, in its separate shape and quantity, so as to make it conformable to that figure, the lineaments of which are hidden with Him. Then shall every human body arise, just as it was, "in the stature of the fulness of Christ." As to the final rewards and punishments, these shall be distributed according to the deserts of each, in perfect justice: "the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal."

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Here endeth, by the help of God, the book called Marghianeetha, on the truth of Christianity, written by the undeserving Abd Yeshua, Metropolitan of Nisibis and Armenia. To our God be glory and thanksgiving for ever. Amen. |422

This useful book was written in the month of September, in the year of Alexander 1609, in the blessed city of Khlât, in the Church of the blessed Nestorians; and to God be praise, honour, thanks, and worship, for ever. Amen.

Written by the frail hands of the author for the benefit of his own soul, and for the profit of all who may possess it. May the Lord endue all such with wisdom. Amen.

[Footnotes moved to the end and numbered]

1. Note to the online text: in the printed text, this is printed in black with a red outline. I can find no way to represent this in HTML.

2. * This is a quotation from the service appointed in the Khudhra, to be read on the first day of the commemoration of the Fast of the Ninevites.

3. * The Syriac sleewa, signifies literally the "crucified," and is in the same verbal passive form as kteela, zgheedha, "killed," "worshipped," adduced by the author in the text.

4. * There is a reference here to the nine orders of Angels, who are said to minister in the Church above. See Part III., Chapter viii.

Note to the online text: the author is given as Mar Abd-Yeshua in Badger, but in the best modern bibliography of Syriac literature, Sebastian Brock, A brief outline of Syriac literature, Series: Moran Etho 9, Kottayam (1997), p.80, the author's name is given as 'Abdisho' bar Brika. The subtitle of the work is 'The truth of the faith.' This short but influential exposition of East Syrian theology was written in 1298.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2005. 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: john_bar_zobi_homily.htm

John bar Zo'bi, Extract from a metrical homily. From G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852) vol.2 pp.151-153

John bar Zo'bi, Extract from a metrical homily. From G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852) vol.2 pp.151-153

On the foundation of the two holy sacraments of the Church, viz. Baptism and the Body and Blood of our Lord.

"I confess two sacraments in the holy Church,—one the sacrament of Baptism, and the other the sacrament of the Body and Blood. The foundation of these two is laid in the flesh of our Lord, and it is fit that I should explain this for the edification of the sons of the Church. Peter the Apostle wrote this account, and I am therefore bound to record it without any alteration. When our Saviour was baptized of John in the river Jordan, John beheld His greatness, i.e., His Divinity and humanity, and understood that He did not submit to be baptized on His own account, but in order to set us an example that we should be baptized even as He was. And this blessed John was graciously inspired to take from Christ's baptism a little leaven for our baptism. So when our Lord went up out of the water whilst the water was yet dripping from His body, John approached our Lord and collected these drops in a phial; and |152 when the day of his martyrdom arrived he committed it to his disciple, and commanded him to preserve it with great care until the time should come when it would be required. This disciple was John the son of Zebedee, who he knew would become our Lord's steward. Accordingly, after His baptism, our Lord called John, and made him His beloved disciple; and when He was about to close His dispensation, and His passion and death drew nigh, on the evening preceding the Friday He committed His passover to His disciples in the bread and wine, as it is written, and gave to each a loaf; but to John He gave two loaves, and put it into his heart to eat one and to preserve the other, that it might serve as leaven to be retained in the Church for perpetual commemoration. After this, when our Lord was seized by the Jews, and the disciples through fear hid themselves, John was the only one who remained. And when they crucified the Lord in much ignominy with the thieves, John alone was present, determined to see what would become of Him. Then the chief priests ordered that the crucified ones should be taken down from the cross, and that their legs should be broken, in order that if yet alive they might die outright. The soldiers did this to the thieves, but when they came to our Lord and found that He was dead already, they brake not His legs, but one of them with a spear pierced His side, and straightway there came out blood and water, of which John was witness. Now this blood is a token of the sacrament of the Body and Blood in the Church, and the water is a token of the new birth in believers. John was the only one who perceived this sepa-rateness of the water and the blood, and he bare true witness thereof, as he says, that we might believe. He declares that he saw them unmixed, and that he did not take of them together, but of each separately. He took of the blood upon the loaf which he had reserved from the paschal feast, and he took of the water in that same vessel which had been committed to him by John the Baptist. The very blood of His body, therefore, mixed with the bread which He had called His body, and the water from His side mingled with the water of His baptism. After He rose from the grave and ascended up in glory to His Father, and sent the grace of His Spirit upon His disciples to endow them with wisdom, He commanded His apostles to ordain |153 in His Church that same leaven which they had taken from His body to be for the sacrament of His Body, and also for the sacrament of Baptism. And when the disciples went forth to convert the nations, they divided this leaven amongst themselves, and they took oil of unction and mixed it with the water which was kept in the vessel, and they divided this also amongst themselves to be a leaven for Baptism. The loaf which John had, and which was mixed with the blood which flowed from His side, they bruised into powder, then mixed it with flour and salt, and divided it among them, each portion being put into a separate vessel to serve as leaven for the Body and Blood of Christ in the Church. This is the account which I have read, which bore the sign of Peter, and I have written it as I found it for the benefit of such as may read this our Epistle. The presbyter Rabban Shimoon, who first related the narrative to me, and then afterwards showed me the written account, can witness to the truth." From an ancient work by Yohanan Bar Zöobi.

Note to the online text

John bar Zo'bi was a Nestorian writer who flourished around the end of the 12th century. He wrote metrical homilies, partly in seven syllable, partly in twelve-syllable verse, on the chief points of the Nestorian faith. One of these is mentioned by Assemani, Bibliotheca Orientalis, iii. 1, 309, note 1; and has been translated by G.P.Badger in The Nestorians and their rituals. This translation, which is not properly attributed by Badger, is given here. John bar Zo'bi is better known as a grammarian, however, and is one of the last writers of Syriac. He is not mentioned in S.Brock, A brief outline of Syriac literature (1997) however. So this information comes from W. Wright, A short history of Syriac literature, (1894) pp.258-9.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2005. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: khamis_poem.htm

Khamis bar Kardahe, A poem. From G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852) vol.2, pp.39-49

Khamis bar Kardahe, A poem. From G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852) vol.2, pp.39-49

(a) " Ten thousand times ten thousand glories uttered by the Church, and never-ending springs of the pouring forth of the Spirit, flow towards the dust, unto Thee, Thou Bay of the Mysterious Orb, the Everlasting, the Son of the essence of Self-existence, Who from virginity took a garment of humanity, and hid therewith the effulgence of His Divinity!

(b).... " After the similitude of His hidden likeness had become corrupt, and the image of His mysterious self had been defaced and defiled, and the transcript of His similitude had been utterly ruined, and after the model of His own creation had been swallowed up in the gaping bowels of the insatiable sheal, the good God deigned to renew and to restore it. And when the set time for the fulfilment of this His benevolent purpose towards the creation had arrived, the Lord spread abroad His mercy as the sea, and His pity as the great deep, and He poured forth and enlarged the goodness and the grace of His Divinity, by sending His consubstantial Son,----the Son of Self-existence. In a befitting way His Will descended towards men; He sent His Beloved, the Begotten of Himself, that is, His Express Image, Who in consummate wisdom, took upon Him, from us, a nature and a person. In a wonderful manner he clothed Himself with a corruptible garment, covering therewith His excellent glory, and when the time appointed in His wisdom had come, He mended and repaired it, and sewed together its rents. He was borne in the womb according to the laws and peculiarities of nature, and was brought forth by His mother."

(c) " The Begotten, the Highest, the Ancient of days, Who has set us free, drew milk from the breast as do sucklings and infants, was bound in swaddling clothes, and was placed in a manger like a child of the poor and needy, although He is verily and indeed the King of kings, to Whom the highest worship is due. Crowds of simple and untutored shepherds surround the cave where He lay, and bow to Him in adoration. Legions of spiritual, excellent, and adoring Powers,----the living chariots of |40 the wonderful cherubim,----the speaking wheels, with open eyes and replete with wisdom and intelligence, now stationary, now lifted up,----myriads of Seraphim, as quick as light, with outstretched wings, whose it is to sing thrice Holy,----the glorious, admirable, and awful company of exalted thrones,----the company of those who keep watch over the kingdom of the Lord, all the beautiful armies, lordships, dominions, invincible powers, archangels, angels, and messengers, surround Ephratha in nine circles, fly to and fro, ascend and descend as eagles, dance, rejoice, clap their hands and feet like children of freedom, sing and sound their trumpets on the day of the Nativity, and on their lyres praise the Child Born,----sing the most exalted hallelujahs, thrice Holies, psalms, glories, and holy songs, unto God in the highest, increase of security and peace upon the earth, and the descent of good-will and its continuance among men. The unbelieving Magi, the worshippers of idols, Chaldeans, and sorcerers, and such as adore the great lights,----men well versed in astronomy and astrology, and deeply read in these sciences,----were troubled and perplexed, they snorted like wild beasts, and cried out and demanded one of another, 'Who is this before whom the mountains tremble, and the images are moved, and the idols quake, and the heathen priests are confounded, and their altars fall to ruin, and the high places are annihilated?' They fled to the treasuries of their volumes, opened the scrolls, searched them diligently, and discovered therein that what had been foretold generations before by Zoroaster the highly venerated and esteemed was now fulfilled. Then the lips of these scribes were shut, and they were confounded; and they chose out from among them kings of high renown and of great riches, and they delivered into their hands gifts, tithes, and vow-offerings, and sent them away with a commission, and bade them to be watchful. And as they went forth, behold a star of great brightness, bearing on its surface the image of a woman with a child in her bosom, guided and accompanied them into the land of Judea. In all haste, like men in earnest, they accomplished their journey, and entering the cave they offered their gifts, and bent to Him the knee. After this they returned to their own land continually glorifying God. The spiritual essences, those who dwell in the regions of the Spirit, were enraptured, and the |41 earthly, such as were alive and such as were in the grave, rejoiced, saying: 'He is One to all generations.'

(d).... " From these things, then, let us rest assured that the Messiah is One in two Natures, and two Persons subsisting in one Parsopa of Filiation, since the Natures did not commingle; and in like manner we believe of the Persons. The Son of the Father clothed Himself with Him of Mary, and was conceived in the womb. But let no man filch a word from this, and wilfully pervert it by specious philosophy, so as to conclude that there are two Sons. For there is one Son only, not a Son and a Son making two; but One Son, we repeat, as it is most proper to maintain, even as a man by clothing himself with a garment is not called two men. The Will of the Creator descended and united Itself to the will of the creature: the Divine Nature clothed itself with the human nature, which thus became co-equal in everything, in reverence, in worship, and in praise, for they have but one Parsopa; in essence, however, not so, for this were impossible.....Now, in what we have laid down, there is no doubt, double-meaning, or equivocation whatever; neither in what we have declared is there any folly or ignorance; but as it is written, all has been arranged in a 'goodly and pleasant way,' and after a suitable order;----all, we say, has been set forth worthily, rightly, truly, firmly, and on a solid foundation.....

(e) "Behold Him, Who is clothed with light, wrapped in swaddling bands; what a mystery is here! No less wonderful is it that He Who is seated on the throne of heaven should have been laid in a manger! The Ancient of times became a Son of Mary in the latter time, and appeared as the Father, Lord, and Master, of the sons of Adam, loosing from off their nature the bands of the curse and of sin, and causing a light to shine forth through the shadows of death. The sun of His love chose an orb from the firmament of humanity, and made the rays of His moon to be the rational confidence of man; so that henceforth the grossness of the dark earth cannot hide the one from the other, He having destroyed it by the splendour of His brightness. He brought down the Spiritual, and guided it to the nature of the dust, wherefrom He chose Him out an abode to manifest forth the mystery of perfect and great |42 salvation, and to exhibit true liberty to the children of flesh, who had become the slaves of falsehood and error.....

(f) "A daughter of man, the chaste Virgin, became as a haven of safety to the rational vessel, tossed about in the tempestuous sea, so that henceforth the winds of error are powerless to drive it hither and thither, nor can the tumultuous waves, raised by Satan, cause trouble to its rowers, now that the true Jewel has been brought up by the power of the Almighty arm of God, enclosed in the shell of the chaste Virgin, and elect bosom, which shall, having indeed the companionship of a human body, but without any [conjugal] intercourse, open upon the shore of the cave of Bethlehem, the rivulet of which is small. Towards this Jewel we bow the neck and shoulders, and for it we barter our souls; because it sheds forth light in darkness, and is a Pearl which all the merchants extol. Not all the wealth of the world can purchase it, therefore let us cast away all our silver and gold, and all that we possess, and hasten and gaze on its pure and varied beauty, so that perchance its reflection may be impi'essed upon our minds, and it may become to us a treasure of life in earthen vessels.....

(g) " Behold Adam, the begetter of nations, is begotten again, and the Creator of men has become a little child! He [the first Adam] who would have arrogated to himself the sovereignty unreasonably, took it [in Christ] when He was born an infant. Hail to thee, O daughter, whose Son caused fatherhood to exist! Hail to Thee, O Infant, Who filledst the womb of Thy mother with grace! Hail, Mary, who honouredest in thy bosom a united Man filled with purity, the reasonable temple of the Divinity! The Holy Spirit was the Master Who wove in thee the tabernacle of the Humanity, and the words of the Angel messenger were as His threads thereto. Hail to the Begotten, the Unspeakable, the Wonder working! Hail to the Begotten, the equal with His Father in dominion and sovereignty, Who became the origin of reconciliation and peace!

(h) " The Sceptre has sprung out of the root of Jesse, according to the prophecies, and the branch has arisen out of his stock, as had been declared, and the Star of Jacob has appeared from the Virgin, the second heaven full of purity.

(i) " Let us rejoice and sing praises, let us be merry and |43 joyfull, because the King is born at Ephratha, and has received the adoration of sovereigns through their gifts. Let the priests who surround the altar clap their hands, and let the Church dance for joy, since He is born Who will instantly destroy all those that hate her. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, because the Lord has been sent to create peace above and below, and to make all one. Henceforth the Leader of the weak, Who has been exalted, shall abolish death; and the Strength of the fallen, Who has been raised up, shall drive the oppressor far off. On this day the Law of despised nature puts to silence the scribes, and the Barrier of tradition, Which has been broken through, shall from this time forth annul their scriptures. The time has come for the Holy Church to adorn her neck with glory, because the body of her truth which was wounded is now suddenly healed, and the shoulders of her children are freed from the yoke of death.

(j) " That which good and righteous men, who declared the set seasons, waited for, has at length appeared and come to pass, and has dazzled the minds of men; the Essence, in Itself simple, has, by a wonderful operation, made Itself compound through the different 'kinds of flesh' [1 Corint. xv. 39,] and the accidents of colour, and thereby manifested the hidden mysteries of Itself.

(k) " The hope of the good, and the parables of the just, are now brought to light, and the sayings of the prophets are fulfilled in the birth of the Highest. The Fire and the Spirit, whose mysteriousness Moses the Prophet worshipped on the mount, have manifested their excellence in vile flesh. The stone cut out without hands, as prophesied of by Daniel, appears in the Child born without conjugal intercourse or connexion. Though the seals of virginity are unbroken, behold a child is found wrapped in swaddling bands, even as Isaiah had declared, that a Virgin should bring forth Emmanuel. A Branch from the root of Jesse sprouts out where there is no water; and the daughter of David inwardly magnifies and praises the Lord's Son. The emblem of Aaron's rod that budded speaks from afar that the tree of virginity bears fruit without having been watered. The prophets figured forth the hidden mystery of Him in divers manners, and in various wavs the righteous |44 declared His beauteous signs, and those who searched diligently prefigured Him in proverbs; but the perfect accomplishment of the whole has appeared to us in a wonderful mystery, and in an astounding way. He covered and hid His dazzling brightness with a corporeal, corruptible and vile garment, for had He appeared to the children of the dust in His glory, who could have looked upon His Divine splendour, who would have been so rash as to gaze upon His exalted Image, or who could dare to conceive of Him Who is beyond all conception? Did He not say to the son of Amram: 'Turn back, for no man can look upon Me and live?' Great is He Who is Born, Who strikes all creatures with awe!

(l) " Hitherto the law of nature was in force, but in the appearance of the Saviour from a virgin, the law of birth from [conjugal] union was abrogated; and the mind that would comprehend how this was must lose itself in the inquiry.

(m) " On the exalted throne of that glorious Temple whose two gates are built in wisdom on the confines of the two worlds, [reference here is made to the Divinity and Humanity of Christ,] there the Lord of all creation sat as Supreme Ruler. Like kings who take a survey of all their dominions in order to manifest the greatness of their affection towards the nations under their sway, and to cause peace and safety to dwell among them;----for a similar end the Messiah, the King, took upon Him a human body, that the two worlds, the visible and invisible, might be comprehended in Him, and that by a gate within a gate [the Divine Nature hidden under the Human] He might bring both together, and join them in One. This is the mystery contained in the words spoken by the Spirit, that from a daughter of David and of Abraham the Messiah should be born. David says of Him, that ' His throne shall stand as the sun, and shall endure as the moon to order and to establish all things,' that is, by His manifested Divinity, and by the life and wisdom of His Humanity; for in the motions of Himself He comprehends all the angels in the highest, and, in the members of His Body, He comprehends man who is on the earth, thereby fulfilling, as in a rational way, that the two worlds are, by the power of His Spirit, but One body, and He is that very One Who through these sees the things which we cannot sec. He is the very One |45 Who makes all visible creatures to subsist, Who tries and judges them. Before the Union these offices belonged to the Person of the Divinity; afterwards it was given to the Person of the Humanity. And since all these things are fulfilled in this Begotten One, He is therefore Man and Lord most truly, certainly, and beyond all doubt. Let our abject race, therefore, rejoice, exult, and leap for joy, since the King of the highest and of the deep came down in order to raise it from its fall, and through Him the pure in heart see God. Let not heretics, with perverse minds, dispute this truth; but henceforward let angels and men rejoice together, because they shall abide one Church for ever....

(n) " By His birth He has opened the gates of the highest which were shut, and by His nativity He found again the lost sheep of the Father, as was figured in the shepherds who crowded round the manger, praising Him Who is the Good Shepherd. These did not indeed comprehend the meaning of the occurrence; but nevertheless they took up and repeated the song of the angels. For in those days men were like beasts in every thing, living like brutes in sensual lusts, and they stumbled in their goings over the stumbling-block of sin through the obliquity of their souls: they were, moreover, vain-glorious, and walked after the law of their nature without any discernment. And whilst in this condition, led about forcibly by this law of their nature, they took medicine for their souls from the manger of His Body, and thus prefigured to us the mystery of His sacraments, their actions loudly proclaiming and foreshadowing His Body as our meat, and His Blood as our drink, which fulfil in us the mystery of life. Whilst these were thus engaged round about the manger, the angels in heaven were singing praises unto Him; and let us, in the renewal of that life which was decayed, join in their exultations.

(o) " The Invisible Will came down, took a parsopa, and appeared openly, and thereby renewed that which was broken up. And the rain of the wicked one descended furiously upon Him, because without water He made the rod of the wonderful Virgin Child to bud, and without germinating heat He made it to blossom anew, and thereby consummated all by restoring our nature. |46

(p) " The form which had been marred [human nature] was again glorified; the piece of silver which had been lost was found; the sheep that had wandered was brought home safe; the hungry prodigal ate, and left of that which was placed before him; the leaven leavened the three measures of meal; the stranger in Jerusalem, who had fallen among thieves that robbed him in the descent to Jericho, and who was found plundered, wounded, and stricken, despised, and cast out, has been healed, since the Heavenly Physician has been sent to the earth to dispense medicine to the afflicted, to heal the sick, and to give sight to the blind; and not to this end only, but also to break the gates of steel, and to raise the dead, because His power is great, and His medicine healing, and whatever pleaseth Him that He doeth. Therefore, O Christ, Thy birth is worthy of all worship and praise.

(q) "The wicked one foresaw the shadow of salvation in Moses, and hence it was that he stirred up the deceitful Pharaoh not to suffer a Hebrew child to live, thereby hoping to destroy Moses among the children. And when Satan could not compass this his wicked end, he made use of Herod as a cloak, whom he incited to slay all the children of Bethlehem, the fool thinking in this way to destroy Him Who gives life to all. (Consider these ways of the Creator, thou discriminating one, and observe how His providence is ordered by rule, and preserves the middle of the road. Who can deny His wisdom but the unbelieving; and who can refuse coming to Him to be sanctified but the impure?) When the vile fox discovered that he could not approach the place of the Lion, he was confounded and put to shame, both he and his mean instrument with him. Then the Father brought His Son out of Egypt, even as the prophet David, that lyre of the Spirit, had declared when he said: ' Out of Egypt have I called My Son.' (Attend now, thou prudent one, and perceive how he reminds us of the things relating to Moses in Egypt, who was saved from the water in an ark of bulrushes, even as Pharaoh was afterwards drowned by water.) The birth of the Saviour at Bethlehem, which spot had been purchased by a good and accepted man for seven sheep, and called by him Ephratha on account of its spring, typifies, declares, and makes known to us that He destroys the power of the seven |47carnal lusts which matter generates, and, moreover, that from Him shall flow forth rivers of the knowledge of the fear of God, which shall destroy the wicked one as by a flood. The material water drowned in its depths the material man [Pharaoh], and the immaterial water drowns the immaterial one [i.e. Satan]. Behold a great mystery! Hail, then, to the economy which surpasses all comprehension! Hail to that Providence, the story of which strikes even the pure in heart with awe! Behold, on this day, drink is set down in the place appointed for meat, from the manger issues the spring of life, which is meat and drink, spirit and power, unto all such as believe on Him, but a drowning flood to all those who resist Him. Such is the property of water, that it quenches the thirst of the thirsty, and destroys the rash and froward. Here, then, in the cave of a flinty rock, is set up the beautiful stone, the very building of the Born One, the Temple of the Lord, figuring to us that faith in Him cannot be moved for ever and ever, because it is founded on a truth which frees the world from all doubt and uncertainty.

(r) " The life-giving Spirit was the agent in His pure conception, and gave a body and members to the Infant by the power of God, and joined it to Him in one immutable parsopal dignity, not to be changed for ever and ever.....

(s) "Abraham, Moses, and David, were truly the beauty, excellency, and dignity of the Old Testament, and in their wonderful actions and lives figured forth the mystery of the Son. Abraham through the lamb, Moses through the fire, and the illustrious David, in all his actions, ministered to the mystery of Him. Saul persecuted with all his might the injured David; even so did the wicked and deceitful Herod [persecute the Saviour]. On David's account the priests were slain by the sword of the proud, just as the innocent children were slaughtered on Christ's account. From among the priests Abiathar was the only one saved; so John the son of the barren ones was the only child preserved. David fled and dwelt among the Gentiles; and the Son of David fled into Egypt from the hand of the infidel. The high-priesthood was cut off from the house of Eli in Abiathar; and in John prophecy ceased in the house of Jacob. And whereas He twisted the Old and New Covenants into one, we believe that He is Lord of both. At the |48 annunciation He was called Jesus, that is, a Saviour, because he was destined to redeem men from the power of the Hater. He was also called Christ, a name of union and of dignity, because in Him a new life was joined to the mortality of dust. The legal shadow has now passed away, and the light has broken forth in the renewing of the Spirit, not in the oldness of the letter. The grace of the Father has appeared in the Wonderful Begotten One, teaching us, as it is written, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. On this day the bark of prophecy has reached the shore; in This Begotten One all the types are fulfilled. Water and clay have become like the subtler elements of air and fire, since Jesus took from them a body. Whereto, then, serve the orders, multitudes, classes, and appointments, of the heavenly hosts who magnify the Lord within the veil? Whereto the circuits of the spheres, the sun, and the moon? Whereto the sea and the dry land, the mountains and plains? Wherefore dost thou thus ask, O inquirer? Wouldest thou say that their creation was superfluous, or that humanity could have done without them, or that they cannot hide that radiance? If thereby thou meanest what the apostle did when he said, ' that God may be all in all,' thou dost rightly interpret the mystery of the perfect man [Saint Paul], for this is its true signification. For the Parsopa of the Word, as on this day, appeared in the body, and has centred in His own beauty the sight and contemplation of all minds. Henceforth men will not be deluded into the worship of bulls and calves, nor be attracted after the bright shining of any of the planets. But, thou, keep this charge of mine and be watchful.

(t) " The Church exults in Thy adorable birth, Thou Saviour of the world, since thereby the nations and the nations [Jews and Gentiles] are made one, and the shepherds of earth and the angels in the heavens above unitedly sing and praise Thee.

(u) " Let the Church rejoice in this first-born of festivals, and on this chief of her solemn assemblies, in the contemplation of this glorious and wonderful providence, and let her with watchful mind keep guard over its mysteries, and let her show herself beauteous and perfect by being ready to do good deeds, and in nothing coming short of perfection. Let her bring up her children in every good work little by little, and at all times cause |49 the idea of the Saviour's Image to be conceived in the bowels of their spiritual thoughts, in order that Christ may be truly formed in their hearts, as saith the Apostle Paul in his Epistle. For such is the profit to be derived from all the festivals observed by the Church; and unless this is the result, all our labour will be in vain, and in vain all the round whereby we commemorate the life and actions of the Saviour. O God, make us to be blameless, that we may live in purity, in faith, and in a right spirit, and that we may apprehend salvation by the eye of our minds, close our sight against every earthly lust, and lift up our eyes towards the high and heavenly kingdom, and there behold Him, Who is clothed in a bodily garment hiding therewith His dazzling Form, seated on the right hand of the Almighty, invisible to mortal ken. And as we have honoured this festival of the Nativity with the voice of the [Church] services, so may we sing to the Begotten in the mystical Sion. And now with an equal praise we magnify the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, because He has saved His people in a wonderful way, and redeemed us with a mighty arm.

(w) "We praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one Essence, because He has saved those of earth by the birth of Jesus Christ; to Him be glory. And may this illustrious festival of the Nativity be blessed, and Satan driven far off from the baptized, and may the grace of the Adorable Spirit descend upon us. To the erring author [of this hymn] stretch forth Thy hand, O Lord."----From the Khamees, and appointed in the Gezza to be read on the Feast of the Holy Nativity.

Note to the online edition

Khamis bar Kardahe, of Arbel, was a younger contemporary of Bar-Hebraeus, as we learn from his correspondence with Daniel bar Khattab. He bequeathed his name to one of the Nestorian service books, still called the Khamis. Wright indicates that this passage of Badger is a poem by Khamis.

He is not mentioned in S.Brock, A brief outline of Syriac literature (1997) however. So all this information comes from W. Wright, A short history of Syriac literature, (1894) pp.284-5.

An interesting extract from another Nestorian service book precedes it in Badger:

"With all these proofs to establish the humanity of the Saviour, I am astounded at the tenets of the erring heretics. Manes, Marcion, and the worthless Simon deny [Christ's] body, and thereby deprive our race of salvation. Eutyches, also, who falsely asserted that the [Christ's] body descended from above, equally denies our body, [i.e. that Christ's body was like our own.] Eunomius and his followers denied the soul [of Christ]; Apollinaris denied the mind [of Christ]; but the worst of all was Jacob [Baradseus] who makes the self-existent passible. This erring man maintains that there is but one nature in Christ, and says that the self-existent became flesh, thereby destroying the co-equality of the Persons of the Trinity, and inflicting a serious injury on mankind. After him come the erroneous Chalcedonians, whose creed resembles his, since they believe that there are two Natures and one Person in Christ. And this creed is maintained by all the West, by the Romans, the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Copts, the Melchites, and by most of the Georgians. This wicked party excommunicated Mar Nestorius, who was true, and who taught the truth in the |39 Church. He confessed two Natures and two Persons in Christ even as the disciples declared to all nations in their preaching; and all nations received this doctrine, which is well known in all the Churches of the East as it was preached and manifested by Mar Mari the Apostle." From the Gezza.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2005. 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: spicilegium_0_eintro.htm

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855), Preface to the online edition

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855), Preface to the online edition

This collection of material from Syriac sources was assembled by William Cureton from the Nitrian desert manuscripts. The 'Apology of Melito' is now considered spurious, and the production of a later age.

I have omitted almost all the Greek and Syriac with which the work is liberally studded. Most of the notes are philological, many concerned with highlighting how mistaken Renan or B. Harris Cowper ('B.H.C.') were in their translations of some of this material. I have omitted almost all of those. Selected notes, or portions of them, have been moved from the end to the foot of the work to which they relate. The Greek of Bardesan, quoted from the Praeparatio Evangelica, I have omitted; likewise the Latin of Caesarius. The reason for omission is that I would have to manually transcribe the material, character by character, and I do not know of any online readers to whom it would be of sufficient interest to justify so many days labour.

Roger Pearse

9th July 2003

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: spicilegium_1_intro.htm

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855) Title page, dedication, note

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855) Title page, dedication, note

SPICILEGIUM SYRIACUM:

CONTAINING REMAINS OF

BARDESAN, MELITON, AMBROSE

AND

MARA BAR SERAPION.

NOW FIRST EDITED, WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND NOTES,

BY THE

REV. WILLIAM CURETON, M.A. F.R.S.

CHAPLAIN IN ORDINARY TO THE QUEEN, RECTOR OF ST. MARGARET'S, AND CANON OF WESTMINSTER.

LONDON:

RIVINGTONS, WATERLOO PLACE.

1855.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE

THE LORD JOHN RUSSELL, M.P.,

TRUSTEE OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM,

&c. &c. &c.

MY LORD

THE publication for the first time of remains of writers who have been among the most celebrated in the earliest ages of the Christian Church cannot fail of securing; for this Volume an interest with the scholar, and a place in the libraries of our colleges and public institutions, in spite of any deficiencies on the part of the Editor.

I feel highly gratified, therefore, that the permission to dedicate it to your Lordship has afforded me such an occasion of recording my admiration and respect for your Lordship's talents and virtues; and my gratitude, in common with that of very many others, for your long continued efforts, through evil report and good report, to promote the civil and religious liberty of all classes of society----the best human means of securing both their temporal and eternal happiness;----as well as of expressing my deep sense and acknowledgment of favours and kindnesses, for which I had no claim of personal connection or private influence with your Lordship to afford me the slightest pretension.

I have the honour to be,

MY LORD,

Your Lordship's very faithful Servant,

WILLIAM CURETON.

CLOISTERS, WESTMINSTER ABBEY,

July 20, 1855.

NOTICE.

THE prudent advice which Horace has given to authors, "Nonumque prematur in annum," ¹ has been literally followed by me with respect to this book, although I cannot take the credit of having adopted it intentionally. It is now nine years since the Text of this volume was printed. Other more pressing occupations have hindered me from publishing it before the present time. In the Preface to "The Antient Syriac Version of the Epistles of St. Ignatius," which appeared in 1845, I made known my intention of editing the celebrated Dialogue of Bardesan on Fate which I had found; and as early as the year 1846 I communicated an English translation of the "Oration of Meliton" to the late venerable Dr. Routh, President of Magdalene College, Oxford. At that time he had just completed the first volume of "Reliquiae Sacrae," in which he had collected all that was then known to remain of the genuine writings of the antient Bishop of Sardis. In the same year, when my "Vindiciae Ignatianae" appeared, I announced that the present volume was in the press, and early in 1847 the whole of the Syriac part was printed.

In 1852 M. Ernest Renan, a young orientalist, from whose zeal and diligence we may hope for much hereafter, in a Letter addressed to M. Reinaud, inserted in the "Journal Asiatique" an account of some Syriac Manuscripts which he had seen in the British Museum the year before, and amongst the rest, a notice of that in which are found the treatises comprised in this volume. Not having seen the announcement of my intended publication, he believed that he had been the first to discover the existence of these precious remains of antiquity. In writing to thank M. Renan for the copy of this Letter, which he had been good enough to send to me, I pointed out to him the fact, that they had been already printed four years before. His reply, which is now in my hands, reflects far greater honour upon M. Renan, than the reputation of any such discovery could have done. He is most anxious to |ii repair an injury, which, although in ignorance and unintentionally, he thought that he had done to me by assuming to himself a discovery which I had already made, and to restore to me the full credit----if indeed there be any in so small a matter----by taking the earliest opportunity of stating in the "Journal Asiatique" how the case really stood. Nor did this satisfy him. In a brief notice prefixed to a Latin Translation of this tract of Meliton, which came into my hands in time for me to refer to it in the notes of this volume, he again alludes to the same matter.²

Besides the Syriac text which I had communicated to M. Renan, for the purpose of being inserted in the "Spicilegium Solesmense," edited by my very learned friend, M. Pitra, I also placed in the hands of the Chevalier Bunsen the English translation in manuscript, as well as the printed text, with full permission to make any use of it that he might deem proper, for the second edition of his work, "Hippolytus and his Age."

In the course of the present year, a writer who seems to have been altogether unaware of these facts has inserted, in the "Journal of Sacred Literature,"³ a translation of the pieces attributed to Meliton, published in this volume. It appears to be the attempt of some young man who at present has but a very imperfect acquaintance with the language, as well as with what has been done in Syriac literature of late, or he could hardly have been ignorant that my volume was in the press. It has been my duty, in the course of the Notes, to point out some of the errors into which he has fallen, although I could not undertake to notice them all.⁴ Whoever he be, let him not take this amiss. He deserves encouragement for having applied himself at all to such studies; but he will certainly render a greater benefit to literature, and better consult his own reputation, if henceforth he will advisedly follow the caution of the Roman poet whose words I have quoted above.

1. ¹ De Arte Poetica, v. 388.

2. ¹ Haec ego, mense Septembri 1851, dum Musei Britannici codices assidue verso, non sine gaudio reperi, deque his, in Journal asiatique, april. 1852, breviter egi, simul et operis Melitoniani initium publici juris feci. Mox vero per litteras certior factus sum quae primum nec reperisse credideram, eadem v. cl. GULIELMO CURETONIO bene jam cognita fuisse, imo virum doctissimum et honoratissimum apud se habere eadem fragmenta jam typis excusa, atque in Spicilegio illo syriaco quod oranes Europae viri eruditi tanta expectatione praestolantur, proditura. Curetonii ergo laus sit Melitonem syram primum detexisse. Vide autem quae sit viri illius humanitas: nostris precibus motus, plagulas quibus textus Melitonianus continebatur nobiscum communicavit, easque per nos latinas fieri permisit.

3. ² In the numbers for January and April 1855.

4. ¹ The reader will find these mentioned in the notes. I give one or two here as a specimen of this author's version. He signs himself B.H.C.

B.H.C.'s TRANSLATION.

MY TRANSLATION.

I say that rejection is denounced against those. I affirm that also the Sibyl has said respecting them.

Now the understanding is free and a knower of the truth: whether it is in these things consider with thyself. And if they dress up for thee the figure of a woman. But thou, a free intelligence and cognizant of the truth, enter into thyself, and if they clothe thee in the fashion of a woman.

Against this generation. Touching this matter.

But perhaps thou wilt say, How is my work not the God whom thou worshippest, and not an image? But perchance thou mayest say, Why did not God create me, so that I should then have served Him, and not idols?

And art thou not ashamed that blood should be required of the maker of it? And art thou not ashamed, perchance it should be deficient to demand of him who made it?

Wherein thou wallowest on the earth, and yet art favoured. For things which are destitute of consciousness are afraid of him who maketh the earth tremble. Why rollest thou thyself upon the earth, and offerest supplication to things which are without perception? Fear him who shaketh the earth.

Was seized by the shearer. Was taken from the flock.

Thou didst lie down against rectitude of mind. Thou wast reclining on a soft bed.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Spicilegium Syriacum (1855). Preface

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855). Preface

PREFACE.

THE Manuscript from which the materials for the present volume have been chiefly derived, is one of those which were obtained by Archdeacon Tattam from the Syrian convent in the desert of Nitria in the year 1843. It is now numbered 14,658 amongst the Additional Manuscripts in the British Museum. Several leaves were added in 1847 from fragments subsequently acquired by M. Pacho;¹ and four more were again supplied from other fragments procured also by him from the same source in the year 1850. At present the volume consists of one hundred and eighty-eight leaves. Originally it must have had more than two hundred and twenty; for the last gathering as it now stands is numbered the twenty-second, and each gathering consisted of ten leaves. It is imperfect both at the beginning and the end, has suffered mutilations in several parts of the volume, and some of the leaves have been much stained by oil. It is written in a large bold hand in two columns: the headings of chapters and the titles of separate works are distinguished by red letters. It appears to have been transcribed about the sixth or seventh century of our era.

BARDESAN.

The first work printed from this Manuscript is the celebrated Treatise of Bardesan on Fate, said to have been addressed to the Emperor Marcus Antoninus, commonly known as |ii Marcus Aurelius; although, with the document now complete before us, we find no intimation of its having been so addressed. Eusebius calls it, [Greek]:² Jerome, copying him, writes, "Clarissimus et fortissimus liber quem, Marco Antonino de fato tradidit.³ Theodoretus speaks of the author in the following terms: [Greek].⁴ Epiphanius gives the same account in a rather extended form, supplying also the name of the person to whom Bardesan chiefly addressed himself in this Dialogue: [Greek].⁵ Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History, speaks of the author thus: [Greek];⁶ and again, in his Preparatio Evangelica, he prefaces an extract from the work now before us with these words: [Greek].⁷ He then quotes the long extracts which I have printed, pp. 8-10 and 16-32. Photius, writing of Diodorus, Bishop of Tarsus, has the following words: [Greek] |iii [Greek].⁸ And again, [Greek].⁹

The title, indeed, of the work in this volume is Book of the Laws of Countries, and the name of the person who is introduced as having written down the dialogue is Philip (see pages 5 and 7); but it is evident that it is the same treatise as that alluded to by all these writers whose words have been now quoted. It is a dialogue. Bardesan takes the leading part in it: his discourse is addressed to his companions, one of whom is named Avida, or Abida. The subject-matter is on Fate. It affirms the precise doctrine which is attributed to Bardesan's treatise. The author declares himself to be fully acquainted with the science of Chaldaean astrology, and gives abundant proof of the same; and, further, all those passages which have been quoted as extracts from Bardesan's treatise, are found in this. Moreover, it is written in Syriac, in which most of his works were composed, although he was also well skilled in the Greek tongue, as Epiphanius ¹⁰ informs us. There can be no doubt, therefore, that we have now in our hands, in the original language of the author, and in a complete form, that celebrated Dialogue of Bardesan on Fate, written about the middle of the second century,¹¹ which has been |iv so often referred to by subsequent writers, but of which only a comparatively small portion has hitherto been known to us.

Eusebius has inserted two long extracts from this treatise in his Praeparatio Evangelica, probably from a Greek translation made by some of those friends of Bardesan, who, as the same author, in his Ecclesiastical History, as well as Theodoretus, informs us, translated his dialogues into Greek.¹² I have given both of these passages in this volume, on the same page with the English translation. Besides the Greek version preserved by Eusebius, there is also a Latin translation of the second extract, contained in the Recognitions, falsely attributed to Clement of Rome, which were modified and done into Latin by Ruffinus about the year 400.¹³ I have printed this, as well as the Greek,¹⁴ in juxtaposition with my own English translation, in order that the reader may at one view be enabled to compare the three, and to note their variations as well as their agreement. I have likewise appended an extract from the second Dialogue of Caesarius, brother of Gregory of Nazianzum, in which, although the name of the author be not mentioned, much has been borrowed from that same part of Bardesan's dialogue which relates especially to the laws and habits of different nations. It may be interesting and useful to compare this also with the other versions, and with the original text.¹⁵ |v

With respect to the Author, Bardesan himself, so much has been already said by different writers,¹⁶ that the subject seems to have been exhausted; and I am not aware that I am able to bring any additional facts to light, beyond what is supplied by the treatise itself, now, after the lapse of many centuries, for the first time exhibited in its original integrity. I will therefore only quote a few passages relating to Bardesan and his opinions, which I have extracted from the famous reply of Philoxenus, Bishop of Mabug, to an anonymous writer who had impugned the opinions which he had put forth in an Epistle addressed to the monks.¹⁷ They are taken from one of the Nitrian Manuscripts obtained by Dr. Tattam in 1841, now in the British Museum, No. 12,164: [Syriac] "But thou hast not been mindful of thy instructor, Bardesan, whom his disciples celebrate in their books for his patience and polite answers to every man." fol. 125, b. [Syriac] |vi "Who so confesseth that boy which was born of the Virgin, that her child is the Highest, he assents to Bardesan." f. 127, b. [Syriac] "Therefore this also, that 'the Antient of Eternity was a boy,' we have not taken this from Bardesan, but he has made use of it as a means of concealing his own error, and took it from the doctrine of the Church." f.164. [Syriac] "There are some of them who say, that he sent down the Word a body from heaven, as thou saidest just now, and didest assent to thy teacher Bardesan..... Because thou hast not comprehended the mind of Bardesan, who assumeth the body of Christ to be from heaven." f. 171. b.

MELITON.¹⁸

The second tract in this volume bears the title of "An Oration of Meliton the Philosopher," addressed to Antoninus Caesar. Nor is there any thing contained in it, so far as I am competent to form an opinion, which in any way should lead |vii us to doubt of the correctness of this inscription, or to question the genuineness of the work.

It is true, as M. Bunsen states, that it appears to be entire, and yet does not contain that passage quoted by Eusebius ¹⁹ from the most famous of all Meliton's writings, his Apology to the Emperor Marcus Antoninus in defence of the persecuted Christians. Had indeed that learned ecclesiastical historian been fully acquainted with all the works of Meliton, and also distinctly stated that no other address had been made by him to any one bearing the name of Antoninus Caesar than that in which was contained the passage that he has quoted, it would then have been sufficiently evident that the work before us could not be by Meliton, if indeed it be, as it appears to me to be, complete, and not an abridgment or extract from a larger Apology: this, however, may seem to some to be uncertain.²⁰ Eusebius himself, however, has given us to understand plainly that he did not profess to exhibit a full and exact account of all the writings, either of Meliton or of Apollinaris,²¹ but only of such as had come to his own knowledge. His silence, therefore, as the late venerable Dr. Routh ²² has justly observed, is not of itself to be construed as an argument against the genuineness or authority of any work bearing a name not mentioned by him, if there be no positive external testimony against it, nor any internal evidence in the work itself which |viii may render it doubtful or suspected. Maximus,²³ in his Preface to the writings attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite, says that there were very many works which Eusebius omitted to notice, because they had never fallen into his hands. And as a case in point we may observe that Eusebius has not said one word respecting the Apology of Athenagoras, presented also to Marcus Antoninus about the same time, and containing many things in common with this address, and with the other Apologies offered to the Roman Emperors at that period.

There is no reason why we must suppose that Meliton should not have written two Addresses to the Roman Emperor as well as Justin Martyr, or that one of them might not have escaped the knowledge of Eusebius, or at least have had no mention of it made by him, as well as that of Athenagoras. The Apology cited by Eusebius was probably amongst the latest, or indeed the last of all the works ²⁴ which Meliton wrote; and internal evidence has led critics to conclude that it was presented to the Emperor Marcus Antoninus in the tenth year of his reign, after the death of his associate in the Empire, Lucius Aurelius Verus, about A.D. 169-70. External testimony by the author of the Chronicon Paschale attributes it to the same date, A.D. 169. ²⁵ But the same writer, five years before, A.D. |ix 164-65,²⁶ speaks also of an Apology presented by Meliton to the Emperor. Unless, therefore, we assume that he was not sufficiently well and clearly informed, and has therefore given a confused account ---- an assumption for which the silence of Eusebius cannot afford sufficient grounds ---- we can hardly draw any other conclusion from his words than that Meliton presented two Apologetical addresses to the Roman Emperors ---- the one before us, which contains rather a defence of the true religion against the Polytheism, idolatry, and incorrect ideas of the Deity entertained by Pagans; and the other, as the extract preserved by Eusebius would lead us to infer, against the persecution of the Christians on account of their faith, Indeed the passage which the author of the Chronicon Paschale cites as from Meliton's Apology, and which, from its having been given before he mentions the later date, would lead us, if there were two, to refer it to the former, seems to be sufficiently near to be almost identified with expressions found in the work before us, if we bear in mind, that it must necessarily have undergone some change in phraseology, by the translation out of Greek into Syriac, and also suppose it not to have been intended for an exact and verbatim quotation,²⁷ but only as an allusion.

Judging merely from what we read in the Address itself, I should have been disposed to fix the date about four years earlier than that in which mention is first made of Meliton by the |x Chronicon Paschale, either to the end of 160, or the beginning of 161, a short time before the death of Antoninus Pius, and probably when his health had sensibly begun to decline. Unless, indeed, the expression be intended as generally applicable to every one whose father is still alive, the words "Be solicitous respecting thy father----so long as thy solicitude may be of avail to help him," would imply that Antoninus Pius was still surviving, although perhaps in a state to cause anxiety. In the inscription, Marcus Antoninus is designated Caesar, and not Autocrat, or Emperor. His being associated with Antoninus Pius, and taking a part in the administration of the empire, would be sufficient grounds for Meliton to address him; and in the words of the Apology cited by Eusebius, he alludes to the part which he took in the government: "During the time that thou also with him wast governing every thing." The prospect of his early succession to be the head of the state, might also have prompted Meliton to offer his opinion as to the surest means of governing a realm in peace----by knowing the truth, and living conformably thereto. At the end of the Address he refers to the children of Antoninus. Of these he had several, both sons and daughters.²⁸

In forming an opinion from the internal evidence of the work, I cannot think with the Chevalier Bunsen, that "it bears the stamp of a late and confused composition." It seems certain, indeed, that the writer alludes most clearly to the Second Epistle of St. Peter;²⁹ but inasmuch as I do not hold the same views as my very learned and dear friend respecting the authenticity |xi of that Epistle,³⁰ I do not recognise, in the fact of its having been clearly alluded to in the work which we have now before us, any evidence of the "lateness" of the composition. As to the Address being "confused," it does not seem to me in this respect to differ in its method from the rest of the Apologies of the second century; with which, indeed, it has very many things in common, even to some evident mistakes, such as that of confounding the Egyptian god Serapis with the Patriarch Joseph.³¹ Some of the views of this writer as to the origin of Polytheism and idolatry in certain places are uncommon. They have probably been gathered from traditions at that time current in the East, but of which in these days very little is known.

I will not, however, pursue this subject further at present, but, committing the document into the hands of the reader, leave him to judge and draw his own conclusions for himself.

For an account of the other extracts attributed to Meliton, and the sources from which they have been gathered, I must refer to the notes in this volume.

AMBROSE.

The short work bearing the inscription of Hypomnemata, and attributed to Ambrose, a "chief man of Greece," is the same, with some modifications, as that known by the title of [Greek]----"Oratio ad Gentiles," which, in several copies, is attributed to Justin Martyr, and indeed has been |xii very generally received as his. Many, however, have doubted the authorship, and others have not hesitated to state their conviction that it bears internal evidence of being by a different hand from the undoubted work of Justin, The Dialogue, with Trypho the Jew.³² Assuming the authorship as it is given here to be correct, there seems to be an easy explanation why it might have come to be attributed to Justin, in the fact of its having been often classed in the same volume with his Apologies, which have in a great measure the same object in view; and thence having been supposed to be by Justin himself, a transition which the small bulk of the work may readily account for.

The Ambrose here mentioned as a chief man of Greece, and a senator, can hardly be understood to be any other than the friend and disciple of Origen, whom Epiphanius designates as one of those illustrious in the palaces of kings,³³ and whose wealth enabled him to supply his master with all the necessary expenses for completing his Hexaplar edition of the Scriptures,³⁴ and who also himself suffered martyrdom for the Christian faith. Certainly the inscription of this tract and its contents would well concur with what we know of Ambrose.³⁵ |xiii

MARA, SON OF SERAPION.

We have no information respecting this author beyond what is supplied in the letter itself addressed to his son. Mara, or as Assemani ³⁶ writes it in Latin, Maras, is not an uncommon appellation amongst the Syrians, and there have been many who have borne the name of Serapion ³⁷.

The author speaks of himself as one whose city had been ruined, and himself also taken and detained as prisoner in bonds by the Romans, together with others whom the victors treated in a tyrannical manner, as distrustful of their fidelity to the Roman government. He describes the misery of his friends and companions belonging to the city of Samosata, and the distresses which he and they suffered when they joined themselves together on the road to Seleucia. He alludes to the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews as an act of divine vengeance for their having murdered Jesus; but he makes no direct mention of the name of Christ, and only designates him as the "wise king," who, although put to death, still lived in the "wise laws which he promulgated."

From these facts it is evident that the author wrote at a time when the Romans not long before had been making fresh conquests, or repressing rebellion in the parts of Syria about Samosata and Seleucia, and probably at a period when, on account of the persecution of the Christians, it would not have been prudent or safe to have spoken in more direct terms of Christ. Comagena and its capital Samosata were taken by the Romans in the reign of Vespasian, A.D. 72, or two years after the capture |xiv of Jerusalem by Titus.³⁸ About twenty-three years later the persecution under Domitian began, A.D. 95.³⁹ There would be nothing therefore incongruous in assigning, from its internal evidence, the date of this Epistle to the close of the first century. Nor would the allusion to the catastrophe of Samos at all militate against this, if it be referred to the earthquake in the reign of Augustus, from which several of the neighbouring islands also suffered.⁴⁰

The mention, however, of that island having been covered with sand, as a punishment for the burning of Pythagoras, seems to me to have a direct reference to the Sibylline verses;"⁴¹ [Greek]

I cannot therefore, in my own mind, come to any other conclusion than that this Epistle ought to be assigned to a period when the Sibylline verses were frequently cited, the age of Justin Martyr, Meliton, and Tertullian.⁴² This date, too, will perhaps otherwise coincide quite as well with what is read in the letter as the former. The troubles to which the writer alludes as having befallen himself and his city will apply to those inflicted by the Romans upon the countries about the Tigris and Euphrates which had been excited to rebel against them |xv by Vologeses, in the Parthian war under the command of Lucius Verus, A.D. 162-165.⁴³ I have not found the name of Samosata especially mentioned as having suffered more than other cities in this war; but it is stated that Seleucia was sacked and burned by the Romans, and five or six thousand slain.⁴⁴ The persecution under Marcus Antoninus followed very close upon this war, and as these facts equally agree with the allusions made in this Epistle of Mara, it may perhaps be nearer the truth to assign its date to the latter half of the second century rather than to the close of the first.

If indeed such be the period at which this Letter was written, there is no improbability in supposing, that the Serapion, to whom it is addressed, may be the same as he who succeeded Maximinus ⁴⁵ as eighth Bishop of Antioch, about the year 190, and who himself also wrote short epistles, similar to this in purpose and tendency, for which indeed his father's might have set him a pattern.⁴⁶

[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end]

1. ¹ See the account of the acquisition of the collection in the Preface to my edition of the Festal Letters of Athanasius.

2. ¹ Hist. Eccles. b. iv. c. 30.

3. ² Catal. Script. Eccl. Edit. Erasmus, vol.i. p. 180.

4. ³ Haeret. Fabul. Comp. b. i. c. 22.

5. ⁴ Panarium, edit. Petau, p. 477.

6. ⁵ Hist. Eccles. loc. cit.

7. ⁶ Praep. Evang. b. vi. c. 9.

8. ¹ See Bibliotheca, Cod. 223: edit. Bekker, p. 208.

9. ² Ibid. p. 221.

10. ³ [Greek]. Panarium, p. 476.

11. ⁴ At page 30 he speaks of the recent conquest of Arabia by the Romans. This took place under Marcus Aurelius: see Tillemont, Hist. des Empereurs, vol. ii. p. 402: thus confirming by internal evidence the account of the date of this work given by Eusebius, Theodoretus, Epiphanius, and others.

12. ¹ [Greek]. Hist. Eccl. b. 4. C. 30.

13. ² See his Preface to Gaudentius.

14. ³ Pp. 10-33.

15. ⁴ In giving these extracts I have followed, for Eusebius, the edition of the Preparatio Evangelica, printed at the Clarendon Press in 4 vols. by the late Dr. Gaisford, Dean of Christ Church; for the Recognitions, that of Gersdorf, Lips. 1838; and for Caesarius, that of Gallandi in the Bibiliotheca Veterum Patrum. Venet. 1765. Vol. vi. The text of this last is in a very corrupt state. Several errors might, however, easily have been amended, but I deemed it better to copy the text as I found it.

16. ¹ Two authors have written works expressly on this subject----FRID. STRUNZIUS, Historia Bardesanis et Bardesanistarum. to. Viteb. 1710; and AUGUSTUS HAHN, Bardesanes Gnosticus Syrorum Primus Hymno-logus. Commentatio Historico-Theologica. vo. Lips. 1819. BEAUSOBRE has devoted an entire chapter: De Bardesanes et de ses Erreurs, c. 9, b. iv. vol. ii. in Histoire de Manichee et du Manicheisme. See also, Cave, Lardner, Tillemont, and others. Perhaps the most complete compendious notice is that by Gallandi, Bibl. Veterum Patrum, vol. i. Proleg. p. cxxii.

17. ² See respecting this, Assemani. Biblioth. Orient. vol. ii. p. 27.

18. ¹ Respecting Meliton, and the writings attributed to him, see Eusebius' account printed in this volume, p. 56, and the notes thereon; Cave's "Life of Saint Melito, Bishop of Sardis," in his Lives of the most eminent Fathers of the Church that flourished in the first Four Centuries, and the Notice in his Historia Litteraria. Fabricius, Bibl. Graec. vol v. p. 184; and Piper, De vita et Scriptis Melitonis, in "Theolog. Stud. u. Kritik" by Ullmann and Umbreit, A.D. 1838, p. 54. Dr. Routh has published all that was then known to remain of the genuine writings of Meliton in his Reliq. Sacr. vol. i. p. 113.

19. ¹ See p. 57.

20. ² M. Renan thinks it a fragment. "Melitonis Episcopi Sardium Apo-logiae ad Marcum Aurelium imperatorem fragmentum."

21. ³ See p. 57,1.

22. 15. ⁴ "Neque auctori Praefationis magis deneganda est fides, quam aliis temporum eorundem scriptoribus, ex quorum testimonio multi recepti sunt libri veterum, neque ab Eusebio, neque ab alio quoquam aequalium ejus memorati; praesertim quam infra asserat Eusebius, pervenisse opera certa quaedam ex multis Apollinarii libris." Reliq. Sacr. vol. i. p. 107.

23. ¹ [Greek]: cited by Dr. Routh, Reliq. Sacr. vol. i. p. 167.

24. ² Eusebius writes ---- [Greek], which Ruffinus translates, "Et post omnia Liber ad Antoninum Verum." b. 4. c. 26.

25. ³ In the cxxxvii. Ol. A. C. 169: [Greek], p. 484 ibid.

26. ¹ [Greek].: p. 482. in the ccxxxvi. Olympiad. A. Mund. 5672: A.D. 164-65. edit. Dindorf. p. 482.

27. ² Compare [Greek], p. 483, ibid., with "There in one God the Lord of all ----embracing stones ----, and are willing while they themselves are endowed with senses to serve that which is insensible, p. 47, and within whom he is, and above whom," &c., p. 49.

28. ¹ His two sons, Commodus and Annius Verus, were made Caesars upon the occasion of the triumph of Lucius Verus, A.D. 106. See Tillemont, Hist. Emp. vol. ii. p. 391.

29. ² See p. 50, and the note on the passage, p. 95 below.

30. ¹ M. Bunsen puts the following in the mouth of Hippolytus in his Apology: "You will, on your side, kindly abstain from quoting what yon call the Second Epistle of St. Peter. I might have been induced to do so, in order to prove my theory about the ruining of Antichrist, and the end of the world after 6000 years. But I could not in good conscience. The antient Churches did not know such a letter." Vol. iv. p. 33.

31. ² See p. 43, and notes, p. 89.

32. ¹ See Oudin, Com. de Scriptoribus Ecclesiae Antiqua, vol. i. p. 190. Otto classes it in his edition with Justin's Opera addubitata.

33. ² [Greek]: see Panar. p. 526.

34. ³ See Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. vi. 23.

35. ⁴ See Cave, Historia Literaria, and Life of Origen, § x; Halloix, Origenes Defensus, b. i. c. 8. The name Ambrose, among later Syriac writers seems to have been still further contracted from [Syriac] Ambrose, to [Syriac]. Thus, in the work called [Syriac], or the Bee, c. 51, we read [Syriac], "Abres. He is called in Greek, Ambrosius. The place of his sepulture is not known." Sec also Jo. Saluca, cited by Assemani, Bibl. Orient, vol. i. p. 533. Respecting the Bee, see my Corpus Ignatianum, p. 360.

36. ¹ See Bibl. Orient, vol. i. p. 643.

37. ² Fabricius, Bibl. Graec. vol. viii. p. 192.

38. ¹ See Tillemont, Hist. des Empereurs, vol. ii. p. 30.

39. ² ibid. p. 121.

40. ³ See Gale, Sibyll. Orac. p. 406.

41. ⁴ Ibid. p. 405.

42. ⁵ Lactantius alludes to this line: "Et vero cum caput illud orbis occideret, et r(u&mh esse coeperit, quod Sibyllas fore aiunt," &c. Inst. Div. b. vii. p. 25. [Note to the online edition: the footnote '5' does not appear in the text, so I have inserted the reference at the point that seemed logical to me.]

43. ¹ See Tillemont, Hist. des Emp. vol. ii. p. 385.

44. ² Ibid. p. 389.

45. ³ See Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. b. v. c. 19; and Cave's Histor. Litter.

46. ⁴ See Jerome, De Viris lllus. c. xii. "Leguntur et sparsim ejus breves Epistolae auctoris sui a)skh&sei et vite congruentes." Dr. Routh has given all the remains of Serapion in his Reliq. Sacr. vol. i. p. 449.

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: spicilegium_3_bardesan.htm

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855): Bardesan, Dialogue on Fate / The Book of the Laws of the Countries

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855): Bardesan, Dialogue on Fate / The Book of the Laws of the Countries

BARDESAN.

THE BOOK

OF THE

LAWS OF COUNTRIES.¹

A FEW days ago we went up to visit Shemashgram,² our brother. And Bardesan came and found us there; and when he had felt him, and seen that he was well, he asked us, "What were you talking about, for I heard your voice from without as I was coming in?" For he was accustomed, whenever he found us talking about any thing before him, to ask us, "What were you saying?" that he might converse with us about it. We therefore said to him," This Avida was saying to us: 'That if God he one, as you say, and He created mankind, and willeth that you should do that which you are commanded, why did He not create men so that they should not be able to go wrong, but always should do what is good; for by this His will would be accomplished.'"

Bardesan saith to him, "Tell me, my son Avida,³ why dost thou think that the God of all is not one, or that He is one, and doth not will that men should conduct themselves holily and uprightly?"

Avida saith, "I, my Lord, asked these of my own age in order that they might give me a reply."

Bardesan saith to him, "If thou desirest to learn, it would be advantageous for thee, that thou shouldest learn from one who is older |2 than they: but if to teach, it is not requisite that thou shouldest question them, but that thou shouldest persuade them to ask thee what they desire. For teachers are usually asked, and do not themselves ask. And whenever they do put a question, it should be to direct the mind of the questioner so that he may ask properly, and they may know what his desire is. For it is a good thing that a man should know how to put questions."

Avida saith, "I am desirous of learning, but I began first to question these my brethren, because I was ashamed of asking thee."

Bardesan saith, "Thou speakest cleverly. Nevertheless know that he who putteth (2) his inquiries properly, and is willing to be convinced, and draweth near to the way of truth without obstinacy, needeth not be ashamed, because he will certainly give pleasure to him to whom the inquiry is directed, by those things which I have mentioned. If therefore, my son, thou hast any thing in thy mind respecting this about which thou wast inquiring, tell it to us all; and if it please us also, we shall participate with thee; and if it please us not, necessity will compel us to shew thee why it does not please us. And if thou wert only desiring to know this word, without having any thing in thy mind respecting it, as a man who has lately attached himself to the Disciples and is a recent inquirer, I will inform thee, in order that thou mayest not depart from us without profit; and if those things which I tell thee please thee, we have also for thee other things respecting this matter, but if they please thee not, we for our part shall have spoken without any ill feeling."

Avida saith, "I even greatly desire to hear and to be convinced, because it is not from any other I have heard this word; but I have spoken it of my own mind to these my brethren, and they were not willing to convince me, but say, 'Believe really, and thou wilt be able to know every thing;' but I am not able to believe unless I be convinced."

Bardesan saith, "Not Avida alone is unwilling to believe, but also many, because they have in them no faith, are not even able to be convinced, but always are pulling down and building up, and are |3 found destitute of all knowledge of the truth. Nevertheless, because Avida is not willing to believe, lo! I will speak to you who do believe concerning this which he inquireth, and he will hear something more."

And he began to say to us, "There are many men who have not faith, and have not received knowledge from the wisdom of the truth. And on this account they are not competent to speak and to instruct, and do not easily incline themselves to hear. For they have not the foundation of faith to build upon, and they have no confidence upon which they may hope And because they also doubt respecting God, they likewise have not within them that fear of Him which would liberate them from all fears: for whoso hath not the fear of God within him, he is subject to every fear. For even with respect to that,(3) whatever it may be, which they do not believe, they are not sure that they properly disbelieve; but they are unstable in their minds, and are not able to stand, and the taste of their thoughts is insipid in their mouth, and they are always timid and hasty and rash. But as to what Avida was saying, 'Why did not God create us so that we should not sin and be guilty?' ⁴----if man had been created so, he would not have been for himself, but would have been the instrument of him who moved him; and it is known that, whoso moveth as he chuseth he moveth him either to good or to evil. And how then would a man differ from a harp, upon which, another playeth, or from a ship, which another steereth: but the praise and the blame stand in the hand of the artist, and the harp itself knoweth not what is played upon it, nor the ship whether it be well steered and guided; but they are instruments which are made for the use of him who possesseth in himself the science. But God in his kindness did not will that he should create man so. But he exalted him by Free-will above many things, and made him equal with the angels. For observe the sun and the moon and the sphere, and the rest of those creatures which are greater than we in some things, that there is not given to them Free-will of themselves, but they are all fixed by ordinance that they should do that only which is ordained for them, and nothing else. For the sun |4 never saith, that I will not rise at my time; nor the moon, that I will not change, and not wane, and not increase; nor does any one of the stars say, that I will not rise, and I will not set; nor the sea, that I will not bear the ships, and I will not stand within my hounds; nor the hills, that we will not continue in the places in which we are set; nor do the winds say that we will not blow; nor the earth, that I will not bear and sustain whatsoever is upon me: but all these things serve and are subject to one ordinance, for they are the instruments of the wisdom of God which erreth not. For if every thing ministered, who would be he that is ministered unto; and if every thing were ministered unto, who would be he that ministered? And there would not be one thing differing from another. For that which is single and hath no difference in it, is a Being which up to this hour has not been established. But those things, which are requisite for ministration, have been fixed in the power of man, because in the image (4) of Elohim he was created. On this account there has been given to him these things in kindness, that they might minister to him for a season; and it has been given to him to govern himself by his own will, and that whatever he is able to do, if he will he should do it, and if he will not, he should not do it; and he should justify or condemn himself. For if he had been made so that he would not be able to do evil by which he may be condemned, in the same manner also the good which he should do would not be his, and he would not be able to be justified by it. For whoso should not of his own will do that which is good or evil, his justification and his condemnation would stand in that Fortune for which he is created. On this account, let it be manifest to you, that the goodness of God has been great towards man, and that there has been given to him Free-will more than to all those Elements of which we have been speaking; that by this same Free-will he may justify himself, and govern himself in a godlike manner, and associate with the angels, who also are possessed of Free-will for themselves; for we know, that even the angels, if they had not been possessed of Free-will for themselves, would not have had intercourse with the daughters of men, and would not have sinned nor fallen from |5 their places.⁵ And in the same manner therefore those others which did the will of their Lord, by their power over themselves were exalted and sanctified, and received mighty gifts. For every one that exists stands in need of the Lord of all; and there is no end to his gifts. But nevertheless know ye, that even those things of which I have said that they stand by ordinance, are not entirely devoid of all freedom, and on this account at the last day they all shall be subject to judgment."

I say to him, "And how can those things which are fixed be judged?"

He saith to me, "Not in so far as they are fixed, oh, Philip, will the Elements be judged, but in so far as they have power; for Beings when they are set in order arc not deprived of their natural property, but of their force of energy, being diminished by the mingling of one with another, and they are subdued by the power of their Creator; and in so far as they are subject, they will not be judged, but in that which is their own."

Avida saith to him, "Those things which thou hast said are very good. But lo! the commandments which have been given to men are severe, and they are not able to perform them."(5)

Bardesan saith, "This is the answer of such an one as doth not desire to do that which is good; and more especially of him who has obeyed and submitted to his enemy. For men are not commanded to do any thing but what they are able to do. For there are two commandments set before us such as are suitable and just for Free-will: one that we separate ourselves from every thing which is evil and which we should dislike to be done to ourselves; and the other that we should do that which is good and which we love, and desire that it should also be done to us likewise. What man, therefore, is there who is unable to avoid stealing, or to avoid lying or committing adultery and fornication, or that he should be guilty of hatred and falsehood? For lo! all these things are subject to the mind of man, and it is not in the power of the body they are, but in the will of the soul. For even if a man be poor and sick and old, or impotent, in his limbs, he is able to avoid doing all these things; and as he is able to |6 avoid doing these things, so is he able to love, and to bless, and to speak the truth, and to pray for that which is good for every one whom he knoweth: and if he be in health and have the use of his hands, he is able too to give something of that which he hath; also to support by the strength of body him who is sick arid broken down, this too he is able to do. Who, therefore, it is that is not able to do what those devoid of faith murmur about, I know not. For I think, that it is in these commandments more than in any thing man has power. For they are easy, and there is nothing that is able to hinder them. For we are not commanded to carry heavy burthens of stones, or of timber, or of any thing else, which those only who are powerful in body are able to do; nor that we should build fortresses and found cities, which kings only are able to do; nor that we should steer ships, which mariners only are skilled in steering; nor that we should measure and divide the earth, which geometricians only know how to do; nor any one of those arts which some men possess, and the rest are devoid of them; but there has been given to us according to the goodness of God commandments without grudging, such as every man who possesses a soul within him can do rejoicing; for there is no man who rejoiceth not when he doeth that which is good; nor is there any one who doth not delight within himself when he refraineth from wicked things, with the exception of those who were not made for this grace, and are called Tares: for would not (6) that judge be unjust who should blame a man for such a thing as he is not able to do?"

Avida saith to him, "Respecting these deeds, oh Bardesan, sayest thou that they are easy to perform?"

Bardesan saith, "To him who desireth, I have said, and do say, that they are easy; for this is the good conduct of a free mind, and of that soul which hath not rebelled against its Governors. For there are many things which impede the action of the body, and more especially old age, and sickness, and poverty."

Avida saith, "Perchance a man may be able to avoid wicked things, but to do good things who among men is able?"

Bardesan saith, "It is more easy to do good than to abstain from |7 evil. For the good is the man's own, and on this account he rejoiceth whenever he doeth good; but the evil is the operation of the enemy, and on this account, when a man is troubled and not sound in his nature, he doeth wicked things. For know, my son, that it is an easy thing for a man to praise and bless his friend; but that a man should not blame and revile him that he hates is not easy. But nevertheless, this is possible to be; and whenever a man doeth that which is good, his mind is cheerful and his conscience tranquil, and he is pleased that every one should see what he does; but whenever a man acts wrongly, and committeth an injury, he is agitated and troubled, and full of rage and anger, and is tormented in his soul and in his body: and when he standeth in this mind, he is not pleased to be seen by every one; and those things in which he rejoiceth, which even praise and blessing follow, are rejected by him; but upon those things by which he is agitated and troubled followeth the curse of blame. But perhaps a man may say, that even fools are pleased when they do vile things:----but not in the doing of them, and not in being commended, and not for good hope; and this pleasure doth not continue with them. For the enjoyment which is in a sound state for good hope is one; and the enjoyment in an unhealthy state for bad hope is another. For lust is one thing and love is another; and friendship is one thing and sodality another; and we ought plainly to understand that the unrestrained ardour of love is called lust, which (7) although there may be in it enjoyment for a moment, nevertheless is far removed from that true love, whose enjoyment is for ever uncorruptible and indissoluble."

I say to him, "After this manner again was this Avida saying, 'That it is from his Nature man acteth wrongly; for if he had not been formed naturally to do wrong, he would not do wrong.'"'

Bardesan saith, "If all men did one deed and acted with the one mind, it would then be known that it was their Nature governed them, and they would not have the Free-will of which I spake to you. Nevertheless, in order that ye may understand what is Nature and what is Free-will, I will proceed to inform you. |8

The Nature of man is this:⁶ that he should be born, and grow up, and rise in stature, and beget children, and grow old, by eating and by drinking, and sleeping, and waking, and that he should die. These because they are of Nature, belong to all men, and not to all men only, but also to all animals which have a soul in them; and some of them also to trees. For this is a physical operation which performeth and produceth and establisheth every thing as it has been ordained. But Nature also is found to be maintained by animals too in their actions. For the lion eateth flesh, by his Nature; and on this account all lions are eaters of flesh. And the sheep eateth grass; and for this reason all sheep are eaters of grass. And the bee maketh honey by which it sustains itself; for this reason all bees are honey-makers. And the ant layeth up for itself a store in summer, that it may sustain itself from it in the winter; and for this reason all ants do likewise. And the scorpion striketh with its sting him who hath not hurt it; and so likewise all scorpions strike. And all animals maintain their Nature; and those which feed upon grass do not eat flesh; nor do those that feed upon flesh eat grass. But men are not governed in this manner; but in the things belonging to their bodies they maintain their Nature like animals, and in the things |9 which belong to their minds they do that which they wish, as being free and with power, and as the likeness of God: for there are some of them that eat flesh, and do not touch bread; and there are some of them that make a distinction in the eating of flesh; and there are some of them that do not eat the flesh of any animal in which there is a soul; and there are some of them that have connexion with their mothers, and with their sisters,(8) and with their daughters; and there are some that never approach women at all; and there are some that avenge themselves like lions and like leopards; and there are some that injure him who has not done them any harm, like scorpions; and there are some that are led like sheep, and do not hurt those who govern them; and there are some who conduct themselves with virtue, and some |10 with righteousness, and some with vice. And if any one should say, they have each individually a Nature to do so, let him see that it is not so. For there are some who were fornicators and drunkards, and when the admonition of good counsels reached them, they became chaste and temperate, and abandoned the lust of their bodies. And there are some who conducted themselves with chastity and temperance; and when they became negligent of right admonition, and despised the commands of the Deity, and of their instructors, fell from the way of truth, and became fornicators and prodigals; and there are some who repented again after their fall; and fear came upon them, and they returned to the truth in which they stood. What, then, is man's Nature? for lo! all men differ one from another in their conduct, and in their desires; and those who stood in one will and in one counsel resemble one another: but those men whose lust is enticing them up to the present moment, and whose passion governs them, desire to attribute whatsoever they do wrong to their Creator; so that they themselves may be found without fault, and He who created them may be condemned by a vain plea; and they do not see that Nature has no law, for a man is not blamed because he is tall in his stature or little, or white or black; or because his eyes be large or small; or for any one of the defects of the body: but he is blamed if he steal, or lie, or practise deceit, or poisoneth, or curseth, or doeth such things as are like these; for lo! from hence it is evident, that as to those things which are not done by our hands, but which we have from Nature, we are not indeed condemned by these; neither by these are we justified; but those things which we do by our own Freewill, if they be good, by them we are justified and praised, and if they be wicked, by them we are condemned and blamed." |11

Again we asked him, and said to him, "There are others who say, that by the decree of Fortune men are governed, at one time wickedly, and at another time well."

He said to us, "I likewise, O Phillip and Baryama,⁷ know that there are men (9) who are called Chaldeans, and others who love this knowledge of the art, as I also once loved it; for it has been said by me, in another place,⁸ that the soul of man is capable of knowing that which many do not know, and the same men meditate to do; and all that they do wrong, and all that they do good, and all the things which happen to them in riches and in poverty, and in sickness and in health, and in defects of the body, it is from the influence of those Stars, which are called the Seven, they befal them, and they are governed by them. But there are others which say the opposite of these things,----how that this art is a lie of the Chaldeans, or that Fortune does not exist at all, but it is an empty name; and all things are placed in the hands of man, great and small: and bodily defects and faults happen and befal him by chance. But others say that whatsoever a man doeth, he doeth of his own will, by the Free-will that has been given to him, and the faults and defects and evil things which happen to him, he receiveth as a punishment from God. But as for myself, in my humble opinion, it appeareth to me that these three sects are partly true, and partly false. They are true, because men speak after the fashion which they see, and because, also, men see how things happen to them, and mistake;----because the wisdom of God is richer than they, which has established the worlds and created man, and has ordained the Governors, and has given to all things the power which is suitable for each one of them. But I say that God and the Angels, and the Powers, and the Governors, and the Elements, and men and animals have this power: but all these orders of which I have spoken have not power given to them in every thing. For he that is powerful in every thing is One; but they have power in some things, and in some tilings they have no power, as I have said: that the goodness of God may be seen in that in which they have power, and in that in which they have no power they may know that they have a Lord. There is, therefore, Fortune, as the |12 Chaldeans say: but that every thing is not in our will is apparent from hence----that the majority of men have wished to be rich and to have power(10)over their fellows, and to be healthy in their bodies, and that things should be subject to them as they desire: yet wealth is not found but with few; nor power, except with one here and there; nor health of body with all men; neither do those who are rich have entire possession of their riches; nor those who are in power have all things obedient to them as they wish: and sometimes they are disobedient in a manner which they do not wish: and at one time the rich are wealthy as they desire, and at another time they become poor in a manner which they do not desire; and those who are perfectly poor dwell in a manner that they do not wish, and live in the world in a manner that they do not desire; and they covet things, and they flee from them. And many beget children, and do not bring them up; and others bring them up, and they do not inherit; and others inherit, and become a disgrace and an affliction: and others are rich as they wish, and have ill health as they do not wish; and others are healthy as they desire, and are poor as they do not desire. There are some who have many of the things which they wish, and few of those which they do not wish; and there are some who have many of the things which they do not wish, and few of those which they do wish: and thus it is found, that riches, and honours, and health, and sickness, and children, and various objects of desire, are placed under Fortune, and are not in our own power. But with such as are according as we wish, we are pleased and delighted; and towards such as we do not wish we are drawn by force. And from those things which befal us when we do not wish, it is evident, also, with respect to those things which we do wish, that it is not because we wish them that they befal us, but that they happen as they do happen; and with some of them we are pleased and with some not. And we men are found to be governed by Nature equally, and by Fortune differently, and by our Free-will each as he wishes.

"But let us speak now, and shew with respect to Fortune, that it has not power over every thing; for this very thing itself |13 which is called Fortune is an order of procession which is given to the Powers and the Elements by God; and according to this procession and order, intelligences are changed by their coming down to be with the soul, and souls are changed by their coming down to be with the body: and this alternation itself is called the Fortune, and the Nativity of this assemblage, which is being sifted and purified, for the assistance of that which by the favour of God and by grace (11) has been assisted, and is being assisted, till the consummation of all. The body, therefore, is governed by Nature, the soul also suffering with it and perceiving; and the body is not constrained nor assisted by Fortune in all the things which it does individually; for a man does not become a father before fifteen years, nor does a woman become a mother before thirteen years. And in the same manner, also, there is a law for old age; because women become effete from bearing, and men are deprived of the natural power of begetting; while other animals which are also governed by their own Nature, before those ages which I have specified, not only procreate, but also become too old to procreate, in the same manner as also the bodies of men when they are grown old do not procreate; nor is Fortune able to give them children at that time at which the body has not the Nature to give them. Neither, again, is Fortune able to preserve the body of man in life, without eating and without drinking; nor even when it has meat and drink, to prevent it from dying, for these and many other things pertain to Nature itself; but when the times and manners of Nature are fulfilled, then comes Fortune apparent among these, and effecteth things that are distinct one from another; and at one time assists Nature and increases, and at another hinders it and hurts; and from Nature cometh the growth and perfection of the body; but apart from Nature and by Fortune come sicknesses and defects in the body. From Nature is the connexion of males and females, and the pleasure of the both heads; but from Fortune comes abomination and a different manner of connexion, and all the filthiness and indecency which men do for the cause of connexion through their lust. From Nature is birth, and children; and from Fortune sometimes the children are deformed; |14 and sometimes they are cast away, and sometimes they die untimely. From Nature there is a sufficiency in moderation for all bodies; and from Fortune comes the want of food, and affliction of the bodies; and thus, again, from the same Fortune is gluttony and extravagance which is not requisite. Nature ordains that old men should be judges for the young, and wise for the foolish; and that the valiant should be chiefs over the weak, and the brave over the timid. But Fortune causeth that boys should be chiefs over the aged, and fools over the wise; and that in time of war the weak should govern the valiant, and the timid the brave.(12) And know ye distinctly that, whenever Nature is disturbed from its right course, its disturbance is from the cause of Fortune, because those Heads and Governors, upon whom that alternation is which is called Nativity, are in opposition one to the other. And those of them which are called Right, they assist Nature, and add to its excellency, whenever the procession helps them, and they stand in the high places, which are in the sphere, in their own portions; and those which are called Left are evil: and whenever they, too, occupy the places of height, they are opposed to Nature, and not only injure men, but, at different times, also animals, and trees and fruits, and the produce of the year, and the fountains of water, and every thing that is in the Nature which is under their control. And on account of these divisions and sects which exist among the Powers, some men have supposed that the world is governed without any superintendence, because they do not know that these sects and divisions and justification and condemnation proceed from that influence which is given in Free-will by God, that those actors also by the power of themselves may either be justified or condemned: as we see that Fortune crushes Nature, so we can also see the Freewill of man repelling and crushing Fortune itself: but not in every thing, is also Fortune itself doth not repel Nature in everything; for it is proper that the three things, Nature and Fortune and |15 Free-will, should be maintained in their lives until the procession be accomplished, and the measure and number be fulfilled, as it seemed good before Him who ordained how should be the life and perfection of all creatures, and the state of all Beings and Natures."

Avida saith, "That it is not from his Nature a man doeth wrong. I am persuaded by those things which thou hast shewed, and that all men are not governed equally. But if thou art also able to shew this, that it is not from Fortune and Fate those act wrongly who do act wrongly, then it will be right to believe, that man holds his own Free-will, and by his Nature is brought near to those things which be good, and warned from the things which are wicked, and on this account he will also justly be judged in the last day."

Bardesan saith, "From this, that men are not equally governed, (13) art thou persuaded that it is not from their Nature they act wrongly? Therefore the matter constrains thee to believe that neither also from their Fortune do they altogether act wrongly, if we be able to shew thee that the decree of the Fortunes and the Powers does not move all men equally, but we have Free-will in ourselves to avoid serving Physical nature and being moved by the control of the Powers."

Avida saith, "Prove me this, and I will be convinced by thee, and whatever thou shalt charge me I will do."

Bardesan saith, " Have you read the books of the Chaldeans which are in Babylon, in which are written what the stars effect by their associations at the Nativities of men? And the books of the Egyptians, in which are written all the modes which happen to men?"

Avida saith, "I have read the books of Chaldeism, but I do not know which belong to the Babylonians and which to the Egyptians."

Bardesan saith, "The doctrine of both countries is the same." ⁹

Avida saith, "It is known that it is so."

Bardesan saith, "Hear now and understand, that it is not what the stars decree in their Fortune and in their portions, that all men equally do who are in all the earth; |16 for men have established laws in different places, by that Free-will which has been given to them by God. Because the gift itself is opposed to that Fortune of the Powers, which assume for themselves that which has not been given to them. I will begin to speak so far as I remember from the east, the head of the whole world.

"The Laws of the Seres.¹⁰ The Seres have laws that they should not kill, and not commit fornication, and not worship idols; and in the whole country of the Seres there are no idols, nor harlots, who killeth a man, nor who is killed; while they too are born at all hours, and upon all days. And Mars the fierce, when he is placed in the midst of the heavens, doth not force the Free-will of the Seres that a man should shed the blood of his neighbour with a weapon of iron. Nor does Venus, when she is placed with Mars, force any one of the men of the Seres that he should have connexion with his neighbour's wife, or with another |17 woman; but rich and poor, and sick and healthy, and rulers (14) and subjects, are there: because these things are given to the power of the Governors.

"Laws of the Brahmins ¹¹ which are in India. Again, among the Indians, the Brahmins, among whom there are many thousands and tens of thousands, have a law that they should not kill at all, and not revere idols, and not commit fornication, and not eat flesh, and not drink wine; and among them not one of these things takes place. And there are thousands of years to these men, lo! since they govern themselves by this law which they have made for themselves. Another Law which is in India. And there is another law in India, and in the same Clime, belonging to those, which are not of the family of the Brahmins, nor of their doctrine; that they should serve idols, and commit fornication, and kill, and do other abominable things, which do not please the Brahmins. |18

And in the same Clime of India there are men that by custom eat the flesh of men in the same manner as the rest of the nations eat the flesh of animals. But the evil stars have not forced the Brahmins to do evil and abominable things; nor have the good stars persuaded the rest of the Hindoos to abstain from evil things; nor have those stars which are well arranged in the places which it is proper for them, and in the signs of Zodiac which relate to humanity, persuaded those who eat the flesh of men to abstain from using this abominable and odious food.

"Laws of the Persians.¹² And, again, the Persians have made laws for themselves that they may take for wives their sisters, and their daughters, and their daughters' daughters; and there are some that go further, and take even their mothers. Of these same Persians some have been scattered, and are in Media and the country of Parthia, and in Egypt, and in |19 Phrygia, and they are called Magi; and in all countries and Climes in which they are, they govern themselves by this law which was established for their fathers; but we cannot say that for all the Magi and the rest of the Persians, Venus was placed with the Moon, and with Saturn in the mansion of Saturn in his portions, while Mars witnessed them. And there are many places in the kingdom of the Parthians where men kill their wives, and their brethren, and their children, and incur no vengeance; while among the Romans and the Greeks, whoso killeth one of these incurreth capital punishment, the greatest of vengeance. "

Laws of the Geli. Among the Geli the women sow and reap, and build, and perform all the things of labourers, and do not wear dresses of colours: nor do they put on shoes, nor use sweet ointments; neither does any one blame them when they commit adultery with strangers, or when they have connexion |20 with the slaves of their houses; but their husbands, the Geli,¹³ put on garments of colours, and ornament themselves with gold and jewels, and anoint themselves with sweet unguents; nor is it on account of effeminacy they conduct themselves so, but on account of a law which is established among them; and all the men are lovers of hunting, and makers of war: but we cannot say that, for all the women of the Geli, Yenus was placed in Capricorn, or in Aquarius, in a place of ill-luck; nor for all the Geli is it possible for us to say that Mars and Venus were placed in Aries, where it is written that vigorous and lascivious men are born. |21

"The Laws of the Bactrians. Amongst the Bactrians, which arc called Cashani, the women adorn themselves with the goodly raiment of the men, and with much gold and goodly jewels; and their male and female slaves minister to them more than to their husbands; and they ride horses; and some adorn themselves with vestments of gold and with precious stones. And these women do not observe chastity, but have connexion with their slaves,¹⁴ and with strangers which come to that country, and their husbands do not blame them: and they have no fear, because the Cashani esteem their wives as mistresses; but we cannot say that, for all the Bactrian women, Venus is placed, and Mars, and Jupiter, in the mansion of Mars in the midst of the heavens, where women that are rich, and adulterers, and keep under their husbands in every thing, are born.

"The Laws of the Racami, and of the Edesseans, and the Arabians.¹⁵ Amongst the Racami, and the Edesseans, and the Arabians, not only is she that committeth adultery put to death, but she also, that has the name of adultery against her, has capital punishment. |22

"The Laws in Hatra.¹⁶ There is a law established in Hatra that whosoever committeth the small crime of a theft even of little value should be stoned. Amongst the Cashani, whoso committed such a theft as this, they spit in his face. Amongst the Romans, whoso committeth a little theft is scourged and dismissed. On the other side the Euphrates, and towards the East, he who is reviled either as a thief or as a murderer, does not feel very angry; but if a man be reviled as an arsenocoete, he then avenges himself even to the putting to death.

"Laws of (16) ¹⁷ * * boys * and are not * * Again, in all the country of the East, those who have been insulted, and are known, their fathers and their brothers kill them, and oftentimes they do not even make known their graves.

"Laws of the Orientals.¹⁸ But in the north, and in the country of the Germans, and those that are near to them, such boys among them as are handsome become as wives to the men, and they |23 have also marriage-feasts; and tins is not considered by them as a disgrace, nor as a reproach, on account of a law which they have: but it is not possible that all those that are in Gallia, who are disgraced by this disgrace, should have at their nativity Mercury placed for them with Venus, in the mansion of Saturn, and in the limits of Mars, and in the signs of the Zodiac at the west. For respecting those men who have their nativity thus, it is written that they are disgraced as women.

"Laws of the Britons. Amongst the Britons many men take one wife.

"Laws of the Parthians. And amongst the Parthians one man takes many wives, and all of these are obedient to his command in chastity, on account of a law which is established there in the country.

"Laws of the Amazons. As to the Amazons, all of them, the entire nation, have no husbands, but, like beasts, once in the year, at the season of spring, they go out from their coasts, and pass the river, and when they are over they make a great festival on the mountain, and the men from those quarters come, and abide with them fourteen days, and have intercourse with them, and they become pregnant by them, and then pass again to their own country; and at the time of birth such as are males, they expose, and bring up the |24 females: and it is a known tiling, that according as Nature ordains, because they all become pregnant in one month, they also are delivered in one month, a little more and a little less; and as we have heard, all of them are vigorous and warlike: but not one of the stars is able to help all those males, which are born, from being exposed."

"Book of the Chaldeans.¹⁹ It is written in the Book of the Chaldeans, that whenever Mercury is placed with Venus in the mansion of Mercury, it produceth painters and sculptors, and money-changers; but when they are in the mansion of Venus, they produce perfumers, and dancers, and singers, and poets. And in all the country of the Tayites ²⁰ and of the Saracens,(17) and in Upper Lybia, and amongst the Mauritanians, and in the country of the Nomades, which is at the mouth of the ocean, and in outer Germania, and in Upper Sarmatia, and in Hispania, and in all |25 the countries which are to the north of Pontus, and in all the country of the Alanians, and amongst the Albanians, and amongst the Zazi, and in Brusa which is beyond the Duro,²¹ one seeth not either sculptors, nor painters, nor perfumers, nor moneychangers, nor poets. But this decree of Mercury and Venus is inhibited from the circumference of the whole world. In the whole of Media, all men when they die, even while life is still remaining in them, are cast to the dogs, and the dogs eat the dead of the whole of Media; but we cannot say that all the Medians are born while the Moon is placed for them with Mars in Cancer during the day below the Earth: for thus it is written that those whom the dogs eat are born. The Hindoos, all of them when they die are burnt with fire, and many of their wives are burnt with them alive; but we cannot say, that all those women of the Hindoos which are burnt had at their nativity Mars and the Sun placed in Leo in the night below the Earth, as those men are born which are burnt with fire. All the Germans |26 die by suffocation, except those which are killed in battle; and it is not possible that at the nativity of all the Germans the Moon and Hora should have been placed between Mars and Saturn. But, in all places, every day and at all hours, men are born in nativities which are distinct one from the other, and the laws of men overcome the Decree, and they govern themselves according to their customs; and Fortune does not compel the Seres to kill at all when they do not wish; nor the Brahmins to eat flesh; nor restrain the Persians from marrying their daughters and their sisters; nor the Hindoos from being burnt; nor the Medians from being devoured by dogs; nor the Parthians from taking many wives; nor the Britons from many men taking one wife; nor the |27 Edesseans from being chaste; nor the Greeks from practising gymnastics * * *; nor the Romans from always seizing upon countries; nor the Gauls from marrying one for another; nor constrain the Amazons to bring up the males; neither does the Nativity compel any at the circumference of the world to use (18) the art of the Muses; but as I have said, in every country, and in every nation, all men use the Free-will of their Nature as they wish, and do service to Fortune and to Nature, on account of the body with which they are clad, at one time as they wish, at another as they do not wish; for in every country and in every nation there are rich and poor, and rulers and subjects, and healthy and sick, each of them, according as Fortune and Nativity has reached him.

I say to him, "Thou has convinced us of these things, Father Bardesan, and we know that they are true. But thou art aware that the Chaldeans say, that the Earth is divided into seven portions, which are called Climes; and over these same portions those Seven Stars have authority, each one over one of them; and in |28 each one of those same places the will of its Power prevails; and this is called Law."

He said to me, "Know first, my son Phillip, that for the purpose of deceit the Chaldeans have invented this saying: For although the earth be divided into seven portions, nevertheless, in each one of the same portions there are found many laws which differ one from the other. For there are not found in the world seven laws according to the number of the Seven Stars; nor twelve according to the number of the Signs of the Zodiac; nor also thirty-six according to the number of the Decani:²² but there are many laws in each kingdom, and in each country, and in each circuit, and in every habitation, which are different from their neighbours. For ye remember what I said to you, that in one Clime of the Hindoos there are men that do not eat the flesh of animals, and there are others that eat the |29 flesh of men. And again, I told you respecting the Persians and the Magi, that it was not in the Clime of Persia only they have taken for wives their daughters and their sisters, but in every country to which they have gone, they have used the law of their fathers, and observed the mysteries of what they delivered to them. And again, remember that there are many people I told you, which surround all the world, that are not in one Clime, but in all the winds, and in all the Climes; and they have not the art which Mercury and Venus give when they are in configuration one with the other. And if the laws pertained to the Climes this could not be; but it is known, because those men are distant from the intercourse of men they are many in the manners of their living.(19) How many wise men, think ye, have abrogated from their own countries those laws which seemed to them not to be well made? And how many laws are there which have been broken on account of necessity? And how many kings are there, who, having taken those countries which did not belong to them, have abrogated the laws of their establishing, and instituted such laws as they desired? |30 And whenever these things took place, no one of the Stars was able to preserve the law. But this is at hand for you to see; because but as yesterday the Romans took Arabia, and abrogated all their ancient laws; and more especially that circumcision with which they circumcised. For he that has the power in himself obeyeth such law as is ordained for him by another, who also is possessed of the power of himself. But I will tell you what may avail more than any thing to persuade the foolish, and those lacking of faith. All the Jews, who have received the law at the hand of Moses, circumcise their male children on the eighth day, and do not wait for the coming of the Stars; neither do they respect the law of the country; nor does the Star, which has authority in the Clime, govern them by force; but whether they be in Edom, or in Arabia, or in Greece, or in Persia, or in the North, or in the South, they fulfil this law which was established for them by their fathers; and it is known that this which they do is not from Nativity, for it is not possible that Mars should rise for all the Jews on the eighth day when they are circumcised, so that steel should pass over them, and their blood be shed. And |31 all of them, wherever they are, abstain from worshipping idols; and one day in seven they and their children abstain from all work, and from all building and from all travelling, and from buying and selling; neither do they kill an animal on the sabbath-day, nor kindle fire, nor judge a cause; and there is not found amongst them a man whom Fortune commands that on the Sabbath day he should either go to law and gain his cause, or go to law and lose it, or should pull down or build up, or do any one of those things which all such men as have not received this law do. They have also other things, in which they are not governed like the rest of mankind, while on this same day they both beget, and are born, and fall sick, and die, for these things are not (20) in the power of man. In Syria and in Edessa men used to cut off their foreskins to Tharatha:²³ but when Abgar the king was converted |32 to Christianity, he commanded that every one that cut off his foreskin should have his hand cut off. And from that day, and up to this hour, no man cutteth off his foreskin in the country of Edessa. What, then, shall we say respecting the new race of ourselves who are Christians, whom in every country and in every region the Messiah established at His coming; for, lo! wherever we be, all of us are called by the one name of the Messiah----Christians; and upon one day, which is the first of the week, we assemble ourselves together, and on the appointed days we abstain from food.²⁴ Neither do the Brethren which are in Gallia take |33 males for wives; nor those which are in Parthia take two wives; nor those which are in Judea circumcise themselves; nor do our sisters which are amongst the Geli and amongst the Cashani have connexion with strangers; nor do those which are in Persia take their daughters for wives; nor those who are in Media fly from their dead, or bury them alive, or give them for food to the dogs; nor do those who are in Edessa kill their wives that commit fornication, or their sisters, but withdraw themselves from them, and commit them to the judgment of God. Nor do those who are in Hatra stone the thieves. But whereever they be, and in whatever place that they are, the laws of the countries do not separate them from the laws of their Messiah; neither does the Fortune of the Governers compel them to make use of things which are impure to them; but sickness and health, and riches and poverty----this which does not appertain to their Freewill, befals them wherever they are. For as the Free-will of men is not governed by the necessity of the Seven, and whenever it is governed it is able to stand against its influences, so also is this visible man not able readily to deliver himself from the commands of his Governers, for he is a slave and a subject. For if we were able to do every thing we should be everything; and if nothing came within the reach of our hands to do, we should be the instruments of others. But whenever God pleaseth, all things are possible to be, without hindrance. For there is nothing which can hinder that great and |34 holy will. For even such as think that they stand against Him, it is not in strength they stand, but in evil and in error; and this may subsist a short time, because He is kind, and permitteth all Natures (21) that they should stand in what they are, and be governed by their own will, but being bound nevertheless by the deeds which are done, and by the plans which have been devised for their help. For this order and government which have been given, and association of one with another, softens down the force of the Natures, that they should not be altogether injurious, nor be altogether injured, as they were injuring and injured before the creation of the world. And there will be a time, when also this injury which remaineth in them shall be brought to an end by the instruction which will be in another association. And at the establishment of that new world, all evil motions will cease, and all rebellions will be brought to an end, and the foolish will be persuaded, and deficiencies will be filled up, and there will be peace and safety, by the gift of Him who is the Lord of all Natures.

HERE ENDETH THE BOOK OF THE LAWS OF COUNTRIES.

[Selected endnotes moved here and assigned numbers. Numbers in () are not mentioned by Cureton, although in the text, but are perhaps pages in the manuscript or Syriac text?].

1. P. 1. Book of the Laws of Countries. The title of this treatise is given by Eusebius, Ec. Hist. b. iv. c. 30, [Greek]; by Epiphanius,... Panarium adversus Haeres.; 36, p. 477.

2. L. 1. Shemashgram. This is the pronunciation according to the vowels which have been added by a later hand..... There was a king of Emesa so called, whose daughter was married to Aristobulus: See Josephus, Antiq. Jud. b. 18, c. 6, and b. 19, c. 8. A Priest of Venus at Emesa of this name went out to meet Sapor, king of Persia, when he advanced against that city in the reign of the Emperor Valerian. See Johannes Malela, Chronograph, vol. i. p. 391, edit. Oxon. 1691. In Strabo the name is written.... Geog. b. 16. p. 753, edit. Casaubon, 1620. M. Renan has mistaken this for the name of a place, and supposed the particle and verb... which follow to be the name of a person. It is hardly possible to commit a greater number of errors in the same space than M. Renan has fallen into in translating the first lines of this treatise. "Il y a quelques jours, en allant visiter a Schemsgarm notre frere Evetb.es, nous y rencontrames Bardesane, qui, apres s'etre assure de notre sante," &c. See "Lettre a M. Reinaud sur quelques manuscrits Syriaques du Musee Britannique," in Journal Asiatique. 1852.

3. L. 8. Avida. This name is given by Epiphanius...... M. Renan has again fallen into an error here, and translated this man's name "un de nos compagnons,"...Apparently he was ignorant of the account given by Epiphanius, and has assumed against all authority that Bardesan wrote this treatise in Greek.

4. P. 3. L. 20. Compare what is here said about man's free agency with Justin Martyr. Apol. i. c. 7, 43; Origen, De Princip. iii. c. 1; Philocalia c. xxvi.

5. P. 4. L. 36. The Angels. Bardesan takes here... Gen. vi. 2, to be 'angels.' So Josephus... Antiq. Jud. b. 1. c. 3. Justin Martyr:.... Apol. ii. C. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus:... Strom, b. 3. And again,... b. 5. Edit. Potter, pp. 538, 650. Tertullian.... De Cultu foeminarum, i. c. 2. See also De Idolatria, c. ix. Sulpitius Severus:... De Sacra Historia, b. i. p. 7. Lactantius:... Institut. Divin. lib. ii. c. 14. The author of thc Testaments of the XII Patriarchs.... Test. Reuben, c. 5. Grabe, Spicilegium. Vol. 1. p. 150. This opinion of the more antient Christian writers Chrysostom refutes, Homil. 22 in Genes. Edit. Paris, 1614, p. 249; Theodoretus, Quaest. in Genesin, 47; and Augustin: although in the copies of Genesis, which he used, the term 'angels' was found,...De Civitate Dei b. xv. c. 23. The opinion generally held is this of Augustin and others, that the... "Sons of God" were the descendants of Seth. In this the Book of Adam, lately translated from the Ethiopic by Dillman, concurs: "..."... I find the same notion in the Cave of Treasures,... "And they were not willing to give ear to the commandment of Jared and to the words of Enoch, and they dared to transgress the commandment, and went down an hundred men mighty in valour, and when they beheld the daughters of Cain, that they were fair to look upon, and that without modesty they were unveiled, the sons of Seth. were inflamed with the fire of lust; and when the daughters of Cain beheld their beauty they flew upon them like corrupt beasts, and defiled their bodies, and the sons of Seth lost themselves in fornication with the daughters of Cain." fol. 11....

6. P. 8, L. 1. The nature of man, &c. It will be seen, upon comparing the passage comprised in this and the following pages with that cited by Eusebius, Praepar. Evan. vi. c. 10, printed below, that the Greek varies considerably from the Syriac: there are many interpolations which are not found in the original; and again several sentences of the Syriac have been omitted in the Greek.

7. P.11. L. 4. O Philip and Baryama. J am not sure respecting this latter word, whether it be a proper name or not: perhaps... be rendered "even profoundly," literally, "even a son of the sea."... I do not know whether by my fault or the compositor's, the word is spelled wrongly Phillip in this place.

8. L. 7. In another place. Probably referring to some of his former works.

9. P. 15. L. 30. The doctrine of both countries is the same. The Chaldeans, according to Diodorus Siculus, were a colony from Egypt, Sill. Hist. b. i, p. 73. Edit. Hanoviae, 1604. Clemens Alexandrinus writes...: Stromat. i. p. 361. Cited also by Euseb. Praep. Evang. x. 6. See also Gallaeus, De Sibyllis, p. 484. Julius Firmicus says that he has embodied in his treatise on Astrology all that the Egyptians and Babylonians had said on this head.... See Praefat. The reader who is desirous of further information as to many astrological questions alluded to by Bardesan will find them stated fully by Julius Firmicus.

10. P. 16, L. 7. Seres. Respecting these see Pliny, Hist. Nat. vi. c. 17; Solinus c. 53; Pomponius Mela, i. c. 2; Vetus orbis descriptio Graeci Scriptoris sub Constantio. Ed. J. Gothofred. Genevae, 1628, p. 1.

11. P. 17, L. 1. Of the Brahmins. For the account of the Brahmins amongst the ancients, see Palladius, De Gentibus Indiae et Bragmanibus; and two other writers edited in the same volume by Ed. Bisse, to. Loud. 1(565. Strabo: Geog. x. p. 712. Origen; Contra Celsum, p. 19. Edit. Spencer. Cantab. 1658. Jerome in his Second Book, Adversus Jovinianum, refers to this matter: "Bardesanes, vir Babylonius, in duo dogmata apud Indos gymnosophistas dividit, quorum alterum appellat Brachmanas, alterum Samanaeos, qui tantas continentiae sunt, ut vel pomis arborum juxta Gan-gen fluvium, vel publico orizae, vel farinae alantur cibo, et cum rex ad eos venerit, adorare illos solitus sit, pacemque suae provinciae in illorum precibus arbitrari sitam." Edit. Erasmi, tom. ii. p. 55. There is no mention of the name Samanaei, either in the original Syriac, or by Eusebius, Caesarius, or Ruffinus in his version of the Recognitions. They are named, however, by Porphyry, referring to Bardesan, De abstinentia, lib. 4. § 17..... Origen also speaks of the Samansi in conjunction with the Brahmins,... Contra Celsum, lib. 1, p. 19. Clemens Alexandrinus too mentions them.... Stromat, lib. 1, p. 359. Edit. Potter.

12. P. 18 L. 10. This abominable law of the antient Persians is frequently referred to by the early Christian writers. Tertullian,.... Ad Nationes 1. c. 18. edit. Fr. Oehler, p. 338. See also Clemens. Hom. xix. c. 19: Origen, Contra Celsum, p. 248. 331. See Vetus orbis descriptio, p. 9. The author of this law is stated by Theodoretus to be Zaradas. Graec. Affec. Curat. De legibus: edit. Gaisford, p. 351. In the..., f. 22, b., it is stated that Idashir, the Magus received the following instruction:... "The Daemon said to that priest, that a man cannot become a priest and a Magus until he shall have had connexion with his mother, and with his daughter, and with his sister; and he made Idashir priest in this manner."

13. P. 20. L. 1. Epiphanius makes a blunder, and attributes what is said here of the Geli to the Seres. See Panar. adv. Haeres. p. 1091.

14. P.21. L. 7. With their slaves. These characteristics of the Bactrian women are attributed to the Liburni by Scylax, Periplus, edit. Vossius, Amstel. 1639, p. 7. The same things are also said of the women of the Geli. See above, p. 19.

15. L. 15. The Racami, and of the Edesseans and the Arabians. Eusebius has only [Arabs and Osrhoeans]. The whole is omitted by Caesarius and the Recognitions. In the Peshito, Jud. vi.3, we find... for the Arabians. There is a town of Syria called Racim near Balea, all the houses of which are hewn out of the rock, as if they were one stone.... See Abulfeda, loc. cit. p....

16. P. 22, L. 1. Hatra. This was the town the seige of which Trajan was compelled to raise shortly before his death. See Tillemont, Histoire des Empereurs, vol. ii. p. 209.

17. L. 10. Laws of * * * The rest has been purposely erased. Euse-bius, however, gives Par' #Ellhsi, which is also omitted by Caesarius and the Recognitions.

18. L. 15. Laws of the Orientals. The context seems to shew that this is an error of the transcriber.... The Recognitions [has] 'apud Gallos,' which agrees here with the sequel better than the Syriac.

19. P. 24, L. 7. Book of the Chaldaeans. M. Renan has cited a few lines from this place; but he has erred in stating " Le dernier paragraph est donne sous le titre special de..., Livre de Chaldeans" It will be seen that this is not the last paragraph of the treatise of Bardesan. The heading is only given in distinctive red letters, like..., and the others above.

20. L.12. Tayites.... The name of a race of Arabs, and often used for Arabs generally. Eusebius, probably not understanding the word, has.... Caesarius, who also does not appear to have understood it, has....and the author of the Recognitions, or Ruffinus the translator, has avoided the difficulty by omitting it altogether.

21. P. 25, L. 3. The Zazi, and in Brusa, which is beyond the Duro. Eusebius has...; the Recognitions 'in Chrysea insula' only; and Caesarius omits the passage altogether. Epiphanius, who evidently had this treatise of Bardesan before him, has..., p. 1091. It is plain that the text of Bardesan was not clearly understood by the translators, and, as is often the case in obscure passages, it has suffered further corruption in the transcription. This may be the reason why it is omitted by Caesarius. I find it not an unusual thing for translators to omit what they do not understand, and to take no notice of it whatever.... As it is difficult to pronounce withany degree of certainty what are the precise places meant by Bardesan, I have not thought it expedient to waste my own and the readers' time by offering uncertain conjectures.

22. P. 28, L. 10. Decani. The twelve signs of the zodiac were each divided into three parts, making thirty-six, which, being again each subdivided into ten portions, were called Decani. "Singula signa in tres partes dividuntur: singulae autem partes singulos habent decanos ut sint in singulis signis terni decani." See Julius Firmicus, Ad Mavort. Loll. Astron. p. 17. Manilius, Astronomicon, B. 4. L. 298, gives the following account of them:...

23. P. 31, L, 14. Tharatha. This is the same as the goddess Rhea. Justin Martyr mentions this practice..., Apol. 1. c. 27, edit. Otto, p. 72. Itane propterea Galli abscissi huic Magnae Deae serviunt, ut signifiant, qui semine indigeant, terram sequi oportere? See Augustin, De Civit. Dei, b. 7, c. 24. See also Epiphanius, Panar. p. 1092. Abgar was a general title borne by the Kings or Toparchs of Edessa. See Assemani, Bibl. Orient, tom. i. p. 261. Bayer thinks the king especially alluded to here was Abgar, son of Maanes, who began to reign about A.D. 200. Historia Osrhoena et Edessena ex numis illustrata, p. 169; but this does not accord with the accounts given by other writers. It seems much more probable that this was Abgar, the son of Maanes, who began his reign A.D. 152. See Hahn. Bardesan. Gnost. p. 14.

24. P. 32, L. 9. On the appointed days. The Syriac is.... I do not know what the precise meaning of... here is, and Eusebius gives no aid, for he has omitted this passage, and the Greek also otherwise varies considerably from the original to the end of the treatise. Compare what Bardesan says here relative to the change effected by Christianity, with Eusebius, Praep. Evang. lib. 4, and Theodoret, Graec. Affec. Curat. edit. Gaisford, p. 349.

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

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: spicilegium_4_jacob.htm

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855), p.40.: 'Jacob' on Bardesan

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855), p.40.: 'Jacob' on Bardesan

Bardesan, a man of antiquity, and renowned for the knowledge of events, has written in a treatise composed by him touching the synods of the heavenly luminaries with one another, saying thus: Two circuits of Saturn are 60 years; 5 circuits of Jupiter 60 years; 40 circuits of Mars 60 years; 60 circuits of the Sun 60 years; 72 circuits of Venus 60 years; 150 circuits of Mercury 60 years;¹ 720 circuits of the moon 60 years; and this is one synod of them all, that is to say, the time of one synod of them; so that hence it appears, that for 100 of such synods there would be six thousand years, in this manner: 200 circuits of Saturn 6 thousand years; 500 circuits of Jupiter 6 thousand years; 4 thousand circuits of Mars 6 thousand years; six thousand circuits of the Sun six thousand years; 7 thousand and 200 circuits of Venus 6 thousand years; 12 thousand circuits of Mercury 6 thousand years; 72 thousand circuits of the Moon 6 thousand years: and Bardesan made these calculations when he was desirous of shewing that this world would stand only six thousand years.

[Endnotes moved here]

1. P. 40, L. 16. 150 circuits of Mercury 60 years. This will not agree with the calculation a few lines below, 12 thousand circuits of Mercury 6 thousand years. There is therefore an error in the manuscript in the first instance reading 150 for 120, or in the latter 12 for 15.

Additional Note to page 40.

The extract given here is cited from Add. MS. in the British Museum, 12,154, f. 248, b, respecting which see my Corpus Ignatianum, p. 359. The passage is quoted from a writer known as the Persian Philosopher, whose real name was Jacob: see subscription to Add. MS. 17,182, transcribed A.G. 785, or A.D. 473. There is another copy of this work of nearly as early date, Add. MS. 14,619. The author wrote the last of his treatises in the year of Alexander, 656, or A.D. 342. These treatises, both from their antiquity and the matter contained in them, are very important; but as I am preparing them for publication, I abstain at present from any further observations. [Note to the online text: which strange reticence, even buried at the end of the volume in the wrong place, leaves the reader none the wiser as to the identity of the writer. Steven Ring has kindly emailed me that in fact 'Jacob' is Aphrahat.]

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: spicilegium_5_melito.htm

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855): Ps.-Melito of Sardis: Apology

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855): Ps.-Melito of Sardis: Apology

AN ORATION OF MELITON THE PHILOSOPHER;

WHO WAS IN THE PRESENCE ¹ OF ANTONINUS CAESAR, AND

BADE THE SAME CAESAR KNOW GOD, AND SHEWED HIM THE

WAY OF TRUTH; AND HE BEGAN SPEAKING AFTER THIS

MANNER:

MELITO saith: It is not an easy matter ² readily to bring into the right way that man who has been a long time pre-occupied by error.³ But nevertheless it is possible to be done; for when a man has been turned from error a little, the mention of the truth is acceptable to him; for in the same manner as, when the cloud has been broken a little, there is fine weather, so also a man, too, when he is turned towards God, the thick cloud of error which hindered him from the true vision, is quickly removed from his face. For error, like passion and sleep, holdeth for a long time those who alight under it; but truth, using the word as a stimulus, and smiting such as are asleep, also awaketh them; and when they are awake, seeing the truth, they also understand, and hearing, they also distinguish that which exists from that which doth not exist. For there are men that call wickedness righteousness, and so then they suppose that this is righteousness when a man shall be in error together with the many.⁴ But I say that this is not a good excuse, that a man be in error with the many: for if one only act foolishly his folly is great; how much greater, then, must the folly be when the many are foolish together?

But the folly of which I speak is this, if a man should leave that which really exists, and serve that which really does not exist: but there is that which really exists, and is called God, and He really exists, and by His power every thing subsists; and This same was not made, nor yet brought into being, but exists from eternity, and will exist for ever and ever. He undergoes no change, while all things are changed. No sight is able to behold Him; nor understanding able to comprehend Him, nor |42 words to describe Him; and those who love Him(23) call him after this manner----Father and God of Truth.

And if, therefore, a man abandon the light, and say that there is another God, it is found from his own words that he calleth some created thing God. For if a man call fire God, it is not God, because it is fire; and if a man call the waters Gods, they are not God, because they are waters; and if this earth which we tread upon, and if those heavens which are seen by us, and if the sun, or the moon, or one of those stars which run their course by ordinance and rest not, nor proceed by their own will,----and if a man call gold and silver Gods; are not these things that we use as we please? And if that wood which we burn, and if those stones which we break----how then are these Gods? for, lo! they are for the use of men. How will not they be found in great sin, who change the great God by their word into those things which stand by ordinance so far as they do stand?

But I say nevertheless, that so long as a man not having heard, neither discerneth nor understands that there is a Lord over these creatures, perhaps he is not to be blamed, because no one blameth the blind when he walketh badly. For in the same manner also men, while they were seeking after God, stumbled against stones and stocks; and such of them as were rich, stumbled against gold and silver, and by their stumbling were kept back from that which they were seeking after. But now that a voice has been heard in all the earth ⁵ that there is a God of truth, and an eye has been given to every man to see withal, they are without excuse who are influenced by a feeling of shame towards the many with whom they have been in error, but otherwise desire to walk in the right way. For those who are ashamed to be saved, necessity compels them to die. On this account I counsel them that they open their eyes and see; for, lo! light without envy is given to all of us, that we may see thereby; and if, when light hath arisen upon us, any one closeth his eyes that he may not see, his course is to the ditch. For why is a man influenced by feelings of shame towards those who have been in error together with himself? Rather it behoveth him to |43 persuade them to follow in his steps, and if they be not persuaded by him, he should save himself from amongst them. For there are some men who are not able to raise themselves up from their mother earth: for this cause, also, they make for themselves Gods from the earth their mother.(24) And they are condemned by the judgments of truth, because they affix that name which is unchangeable to those things which are subject to change, and fear not to designate as Gods that which has been made by the hands of man; and dare to make an image for God whom they have not seen.

But I affirm that also the Sybil has said respecting them,⁶ that it is the images of kings, who are dead, they worship. And this is easy to understand; for, lo! even now they worship and honour the images of those belonging to the Caesars, more than those former Gods:⁷ for from those their former Gods, both tribute and produce are paid to Cassar as to one, who is greater than they. And on this account those are slain who despise them, and diminish the revenue of Caesar. For also to the treasury of other kings in various places it is appointed how much the worshippers supply, and how many sacks full of water from the sea. And this is the wickedness of the world, of such as worship and fear that which hath no perception; and many of those who are cunning, cither for the sake of profit, or on account of vain-glory, or for the sake of swaying the many, both worship themselves, and instigate the deficient in understanding to worship that which hath no perception.

But I, according as I know, will write and shew how and for what causes images were made for kings and tyrants, and they became as gods. The people of Argos made images for Hercules, because he was one of their own citizens and was brave, and slew by his valour noisome beasts, and more especially because they were afraid of him, for he was violent, and carried away the wives of many,⁸ for his lust was great, like that of Zuradi the Persian, his friend.⁹

Again, the people of Aete worshipped Dionysius, a king, because he originally introduced the vine into their country.

The Egyptians worshipped Joseph, a Hebrew, who was called |44 Serapis, because he supplied them with sustenance in the years of famine.¹⁰

The Athenians worshipped Athene, the daughter of Zeus, king of the island of Crete, because she built the citadel Athens, and made Ericthippus (Ericthonius) her son king there, whom she had by adultery with Hephaestus, a smith, the son of a wife of her father; and she always was making companionship with Hercules, because he was her brother on her father's side. For Zeus the king fell in love with Alcmene, the wife of Electryon, who was from Argos, and committed adultery with her, and she gave birth to Hercules.(25)

The people of Phoenicia worshipped Balthi,¹¹ queen of Cyprus, because she fell in love with Tamuz, son of Cuthar, king of the Phoenicians, and left her own kingdom, and came and dwelt in Gebal, a fortress of the Phoenicians, and at the same time she made all the Cyprians subject to the king Cuthar: for before Tamuz she had been in love with Ares, and committed adultery with him, and Hephaestus her husband caught her, and was jealous over her, and came and slew Tamuz in Mount Lebanon, while he was hunting wild boars; and from that time Balthi remained in Gebal, and she died in the city Aphaca,¹² where Tamuz was buried.

The Elamites worshipped Nuh,¹³ daughter of the King of Elam. When the enemy had taken her captive, her father made for her an image and a temple in Shushan, a palace which is in Elam.

The Syrians worshipped Athi a Hadibite,¹⁴ who sent the daughter of Belat, who was skilled in medicine, and she cured Simi, daughter of Hadad, king of Syria; and after a time, when the leprosy attacked Hadad himself, Athi entreated Elishah, the Hebrew, and he came and cured him of his leprosy.

The people of Mesopotamia also worshipped Cuthbi, a Hebrew woman, because she delivered Bacru, the patrician of Edessa, from his enemies.

But touching Nebo, which is in Mabug,¹⁵ why should I write to you; for, lo! all the priests which are in Mabug know that it is the image of Orpheus, a Thracian Magus. And Hadran is the |45 image of Zaradusht, a Persian Magus, because both of these Magi practised Magism to a well which is in a wood in Mabug, in which was an unclean spirit, and it committed violence and attacked the passage of every one who was passing by in all that place in which now the fortress of Mabug is located; and these same Magi charged Simi, the daughter of Hadad, that she should draw water from the sea, and cast it into the well,¹⁶ in order that the spirit should not come up and commit injury, according to that which was a mystery in their Magism. And in like manner, also, the rest of mankind made images of their kings, and worshipped them, of which I will not write further.

But thou, a free intelligence and cognizant of the truth, if thou wilt consider these things, enter into thyself; and if they clothe thee in the fashion of a woman, remember that thou art a man, and be a believer in Him who really is God, and to Him open thy mind, and to Him commit thyself, and He is able to give thee everlasting life, which dieth not;(26) for every thing cometh through His hands: and all other things so let them be esteemed by thee as they are, images as images, sculptures as sculptures; and let not any thing which has been made be put by thee in the place of Him who is not made. But let Him, the ever-living God, be always running in thy mind; for thy mind itself is his likeness, for it, too, is invisible and impalpable, and without form; and by its will the whole body is moved. Know thou, therefore, that if thou wilt always be serving Him that is immoveable, as He exists for ever, so thou also, when thou shalt have put off this which is visible and corruptible, shalt stand before Him for ever, living and endowed with knowledge; and thy works shall be for thee riches which fail not, and possessions that do not lack. But know thou that the chief of all thy good works is this: that thou shouldest know God and serve Him. And know that He asketh not for any thing of thee: he needeth nothing.

Who is that God? He who is himself truth, and his word truth. But what is truth? That which is not fashioned, and not made, and not formed; that is, that which, without having been brought into existence, does exist, and is called truth. But if, then, |46 a man worship that which has been made by hands, it is not the truth he worshipeth, neither also the word of truth. But for myself I have much to say touching this matter; but I am influenced by a feeling of shame for those who do not understand that they are better than the work of their own hands; nor do they understand how they give gold to the artists, that they may make for them a god, and give them silver for their ornament and their honour, and they transfer their riches from one place to another, and then worship them. And what disgrace can be greater than this, that a man should worship his riches, and abandon Him who bestowed upon him the riches? and that he should revile man, but worship the image of man, and slay a beast, but worship the likeness of a beast. And it must be acknowledged that is the workmanship of their fellow-men that they worship; for they do not worship the materials while they are laid by in bundles, but when the artists have fashioned images from them they worship them; neither do they worship the substance of gold or of silver, until the sculptors have engraven them, then they worship them. Deficient of understanding! What additional thing has been imparted to the gold that now thou worshippest it? If it be because it resembles a winged animal, why dost thou not worship the winged animal itself? And if because it resembles a voracious beast, lo! the voracious beast itself(27) is before thee. And if it be the artist's skill itself that please thee, then let the artistic skill of God please thee, who made every thing, and in His own likeness made the artists, and they endeavour to do like Him, but resemble Him not.

But perchance thou mayest say, Why did not God create me so that I should then have served Him, and not idols? By this that thou speakest in such a manner, thou wouldest seek to become an idle instrument, and not a living man. For God made thee so well as it seemed good to Him, and gave thee a mind endowed with Free-will. He set before thee abundant things that thou mightest distinguish each thing, and choose for thyself that which is good. He has set before thee the heavens, and he has placed in them the stars. He hath set before thee the sun and the moon, and |47 they every day fulfil their course therein. He hath set before thee many waters, and restrained them by his word. He hath set before thee the vast earth, which is still, and continueth before thee in one fashion. And in order that thou mayest not suppose that of its own nature it continueth, He also maketh it quake whensoever He desireth. He hath set before thee the clouds which by ordinance bring water from above and satisfy the earth: that from these things thou mightest understand, that He who moveth these is greater than they all, and that thou mightest accept the goodness of Him, who hath given to thee a mind by which thou mayest distinguish these things. Therefore I counsel thee that thou shouldest know thyself, and shouldest know God. For understand how there is within thee that which is called the soul: by it the eye seeth, by it the ear heareth, by it the mouth speaketh: and how it employeth the whole body. And whensoever He pleaseth to remove the soul from the body, it falleth and goeth to decay. From this, therefore, which exists within thyself and is invisible, understand how God also moveth the whole world by his power, like the body, and that whensoever it pleaseth Him to withdraw his power, the whole world also, like the body, will fall and go to decay.

For what end, therefore, this world was created, and why it passeth away, and why the body exists, and why it falleth, and why it standeth, thou art not able to know until thou shalt have lifted up thy head from this sleep in which thou art sunken, and have opened thine eyes, and seen that there is one God, the Lord of all, and have served Him with all thy heart. Then will He grant thee to know His will; for every one who is far removed from the knowledge of the living God is dead and buried in his body. On this account thou rollcst thyself upon the ground before demons and shadows, and askest vain petitions from such as hath not what to give. But thou, stand thou up(28)from amongst those who are lying on the earth and embracing stones, and giving their sustenance as food for the fire, and offering their clothes to idols, and are willing, while they themselves are endowed with senses, to serve that which is insensible. And do thou ask |48 petitions which will not fail from God who failcth not, for thy soul which is not liable to decay, and immediately thy Free-will will be evident, and of it be careful; and give thanks to God who made thee, and gave thee a free mind, that thou mightest conduct thyself as thou wishest. He hath set before thee all these things, and sheweth thee, that if thou followest after evil thou shalt be condemned for thy evil deeds; but if after goodness thou shalt receive from Him many good things, together with eternal life which never dieth.

There is nothing, therefore, which hindereth thee from changing thy evil manner of life, because thou art endowed with Free-will; and from seeking and finding who is the Lord of all, and from serving Him with all thy heart, because with Him there is no jealousy of giving the knowledge of himself to those that seek it, so that they are able to know Him.

Let it be thy care first, not to deceive thyself. For if thou sayest with regard to that which is not God, This is God, thou deceivest thyself, and sinnest before the God of truth. Fool! is that God which is bought and sold? Is that God which standeth in need? Is that God which must be watched? How buyest thou him as a slave, and servest him as master? How askest thou of him as of one who is rich to give to thee, and thyself givest to him as to one who is poor? How canst thou expect of him that he will make thee victorious in battle; for, lo! when thine enemies have vanquished thee, they also strip him too?

Perchance one who is a sovereign may say that I am not able to conduct myself well, because I am a sovereign. It behoveth me to do the will of the many. He who should plead thus, truly deserves to be laughed at. For why should not the sovereign be himself the leader in all good things, and persuade the people which is subject to him, that they should conduct themselves with purity, and know God in truth, and set them in himself examples of all good deeds? Because so it becometh him. For it is an absurd thing that a sovereign, while he conducts himself badly, should be the judge, and condemn those who go wrong.

But my opinion is this: that in this way a realm may be governed |49 in peace, whenever the sovereign shall be acquainted with the God of truth,(29) and through fear of Him shall be withheld from injuring those who are his subjects, but shall judge every thing with equity, as one who knoweth that he himself also is about to be judged before God; while those also who are under his hand shall be withheld by the fear of God from acting wrongly towards their sovereign, and shall also be withheld by fear from doing what is wrong to each other. And by this knowledge and fear of God all wickedness may be removed from the realm. For if the sovereign abstain from injuring those who are under his hand, and they abstain from doing wrong against him, and against each other, it is evident that the whole country will dwell in peace. And many advantages will be there, because amongst them all the name of God will be glorified. For what advantage is greater than this, that a sovereign should deliver the people which is under his hand from error, and by this good deed obtain the favour of God? For from error all those evils arise. But the chief of error is this: that while a man is ignorant of God, he should worship in God's stead that which is not God.

But there are men who say, that it is for God's own honour we make the idol;----that forsooth, they may worship the image of the hidden God! And they are ignorant that God is in every country, and in every place, and is never absent, and that there is not any thing done, and He knoweth it not. But thou, feeble man, within whom He is, and without whom He is, and above whom He is, hast gone and bought for thyself wood from the carpenter's house, which is graven and made into an abomination of God. To this same thing thou offerest sacrifices, and knowest not that the all-seeing eye beholdeth thee, and the word of truth reproacheth thee, and saith to thee, The invisible God, how can He be sculptured? But it is the likeness of thyself that thou makest, and then worshippest it. Because the wood has been graven, dost thou not perceive that it is wood, or that it is stone? And the gold one taketh by weight, how much it weigheth: and when thou hast made it, why dost thou weigh it? Therefore thou art a lover of gold, and not a lover of God. And art not thou |50 ashamed, perchance it should be deficient, to demand of him who made it, why he has stolen some of it? And although thou hast eyes, dost thou not see? and although thou hast a heart, dost thou not understand? Why rollest thou thyself upon the earth, and ofterest supplication to things which are without perception? Fear Him who shaketh the earth, and maketh the heavens to revolve, and quelleth the sea, and removeth the mountains from their place; Him who can make himself like fire,(30) and burn up every thing. And if thou be not able to justify thyself, yet add not to thy sins; and if thou be unable to know God, yet think that He exists.

Again, there are men that say, Whatsoever our fathers, bequeathed to us, that we reverence. Therefore, forsooth, those to whom their fathers bequeathed poverty, strive to become rich! and those whom their fathers did not instruct, desire to be instructed and to learn what their fathers knew not! And why, forsooth, do the children of the blind see, and the children of the lame walk? For it is not well for a man to follow after such as have gone before that walked badly; but that we should turn from the same path, lest that which befel those who have gone before should also bring injury upon us. Wherefore, inquire if thy father walked well; if so, do thou also follow after him: but if thy father walked ill, walk thou well, and let thy children also follow after thee. Be solicitous too respecting thy father, because he walketh ill, so long as thy solicitude may be of avail to help him. But as for thy children, say to them thus, That there does exist a God, the Father of all, who never was brought into being, neither was He made, and every thing subsisteth by his will; and He made the lights that his works may behold one another, and He concealeth himself in his might from all his works; for it is not possible for any mutable thing to see Him who is immutable. But such as have been admonished and admitted into that covenant which is immutable, they see God so far as it is possible for them to see him. These same will be able to escape from being consumed when the flood of fire shall come upon all the world. For there was once a flood and wind,¹⁷ and the chosen men were destroyed by a mighty north wind, |51 and the just were left for demonstration of the truth; but again, at another time there was a flood of waters, and all men arid living creatures were destroyed by the multitude of waters, and the just were preserved in an ark of wood, by the ordinance of God. So also it will be at the last time; there shall be a flood of fire, and the earth shall be burnt up ¹⁸ together with its mountains, and men shall be burnt up together with the idols which they have made, and with the graven images which they have worshipped; and the sea, together with its isles, shall be burnt; and the just shall be delivered from the fury, like their fellows in the ark from the waters of the deluge. And then those who have not known God, and those who have made idols for themselves, shall lament, when they behold the same idols on fire together with themselves,(31) and nothing shall be found to help them.

But when thou, O Antonius (Antoninus) Caesar shalt learn these things thyself, and thy children also with thee, thou wilt bequeath to them an eternal inheritance which fadeth not away; and thou wilt deliver thine own soul, and also the soul of thy children from that which is about to befal the whole earth in the judgment of truth and righteousness. Because, as thou hast acknowledged him here,¹⁹ He will acknowledge thee there; and if thou esteem him great here, He esteemeth not thee more than those who have known him and confessed him. Sufficient be these for thy majesty; and if they be too many,----as thou wilt.

HERE ENDETH MELITON.

[Selected endnotes moved here and numbered]

1. P. 41. Who was in the presence. M. Kenan translates "qui factus est coram," referring to "sermo" before. The writer in the "Journal of Sacred Literature," 1855, who signs his initials B. H. C., whom I shall henceforth designate by these letters, has "before Antoninus Caesar," omitting altogether to translate.... It does not, however, seem probable that the oration was made in the Emperor's presence, because the author speaks of writing it. "But touching Nebo, which is in Mabug, why should I write to you." See p. 44, L. 34 above. Meliton appears to have seen and conversed with the Emperor, and afterwards to have written this oration. An active verb relating to the author,..., B.H.C. has made passive, and referred it to the Oration, " and it was addressed."

2. L. 1. It is not an easy matter, &c. There is a sentence so exactly like this in Justin Martyr, that it would almost seem as if the one were copied from the Other..... Apol. i. 12, p. 32, edit. Otto.

3. L. 2. Has been pre-occupied by error. B.H.C. having before made an active verb passive, here makes a passive verb active, and translates "apprehends him." As there are so many grammatical blunders committed by this translator, it would be a waste of time to mention them all. I shall therefore only notice some of the other errors that he has fallen into, which may mislead such as would depend upon his translation, as exhibiting the real meaning of the Syriac.

4. L. 18. A good excuse that a man be in error with the many. Justin Martyr writes,... which, how ever, is cited by Johannes Damascenus with the reading of... as here instead of...: Apol. i. 2, p. 4, edit. Otto.

5. P.42, L. 25. That a voice has been heard in all the earth. Rom. x. 18.

6. P.43, L 10.... Every one conversant with the early Christian writers Justin Martyr, Theophilus, Tertullian, Origen, Clemens Alexandrinus, Lactantius, &c., is aware that they often refer to the prophecies of the Sibyls. The passage to which Meliton seems especially to allude here is the following: See Sibyllina Oracula, edit. Gale, p. 467: This is also quoted, with two slight variations in the first verse, in the Cohortatio ad Gentiles, attributed to Justin Martyr. See edit. Oehler, p. 62.

7. L. 13. More than the former gods. Tertullian writes to the same effect.... Ad Nationes, lib. i, c. 10, p. 328, edit. Oehler. And again in his Apology, c. 28, p. 228:.... Justin Martyr writes:.... 1, C. 21, p. 56. Tertullian also expresses the same opinion as Melito respecting the origin of the heathen gods:...: De Idolatria, c. 15, p. 93. Respecting the divine honours paid to Julius Caesar, see Suetonus, Jul. Caes. c. 76: Valerius Maximus, lib. i. c. 6. § 13. Touching divine honours paid by the Emperor Hadrian to the wretch Antoninus, see Justin Martyr, Apol. i.e. 29, p. 76; Eusebius, Praepar. Evan. b. ii. c. 6; Hist. Eccl. iv. 8; and Valesius' notes ad locum; and Tillemont, Hist. des Empereurs, vol. ii. p. 267.

8. L. 30. The wives of many. See respecting the wives of Hercules, Diodorus Siculus, Biblioth. b. 4; and Eusebius, Praepar. Evang. lib. ii. c. 2.

9. L. 31. Zuradi. That is, Zaradas the Persian, said to be the author of the abominable law of the Persians: see note above, p. 81. Photius speaking of the work of Theodorus on Persian Magic, writes,...: Biblioth. Cod. 81, edit. Bekker, p. 63.

10. L. 35. Joseph, a Hebrew, who is called Serapis. Meliton is not singular in this view. Tertullian,... Ad Nationes ii. c. 8, p. 366. Julius Firmicus Ma-ternus, De Errore profan. relig. c. 9:... Ruffinus states, b. xi. c. 22,.... See Auctores Hist. Eccl. edit. Basil. 1528, p. 256. Suidas has evidently followed Ruffinus:

11. P.44, L. 12. Balthi is the Syriac name of Venus, Tamus of Adonis; and Cuthar is the Kivvpas of the Greeks: see Nork, Die Gotter Syriens, p. 79: Selden, De Diis Syris Synt. ii. c.2,3: Vossius, De Theol. Gent. b. i. c.22,23.

12. L. 21. Respecting the temple of Venus in Apheca:...: see Eusebius, De Vita Constant, b. iii. c. 55; and De Laud. Constant, c. viii. edit. Zimmermann, pp.950,1159; Zosimus, cited by Selden, De Diis Syr. p. 278, writes,.... Lucian says that it was founded by Cinyras: see De Syria Dea, c. 9.

13. L. 23. Nuh. The manuscript reads plainly... B.H.C. has read otherwise, and translated 'Hai:' M. Renan 'Noe.' It is apparently a blunder of the copyist, probably for..., 'Nai;' or 'Anai,'..., the goddess Anais, or Anaitis. M. Renan has also suggested this name.

14. L. 26. Athi a Hadibite. I do not know what... refers to. Nor am I able to offer any satisfactory explanation respecting this account of Meliton. The story seems to have originated in that of the little maid who was brought away captive out of the land of Israel, and waited upon Naaman's wife, and of the cure of Naaman's leprosy by Elisha. 2 Kings c. 5. Perhaps Athi may have some connection with the name... Attis who is said to have instituted the orgies for Rhea. See Lucian, De Syria Dea, c. 13. Vossius: ibid. c. 20. The account by Damascius of his visiting Hierapolis and sleeping there----as Photius has related it, and of the pestilential and deadly vapours which were emitted from a cavern under the temple of Apollo----taken in reference to what Meliton says respecting the unclean spirit in the sacred wood of Mabug, called also Hierapolis, and the way in which this was remedied by the daughter of Hadad, would seem to shew some connection between the stories and the names; but there is so much uncertainty in all this, that it would be needless to waste my own and the reader's time in offering conjectures. The passage alluded to in Photius is this:.... See Bibliotheca, cod. 242, edit. Bekker, p. 345.

15. L. 34. Mabug, more generally known as Hierapolis. Pliny:... b. v, c. 33.

16. P.45, L. 6. That she should draw water from the sea, and cast it into the well. B.H.C., wrongly, "that water should be drawn;" and M. Renan, not less erroneously,... Both have referred to the passage of Lucian De Syria Dea, c. 13,...

17. P.50, L. 35. A flood of wind. B. H. C. gives as a note, but without any authority, "The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is here alluded to." He is, however, altogether mistaken. The flood of wind relates rather to the destruction of the tower of Babel: see Josephus Antiq. b. i. c. 4..... The passage in the Sibyl, to which Josephus alludes, seems to be this:... See Gale Sibyll. Orac. p. 330. Abydenus, cited by Eusebius, Evang. lib. ix. C. 14:.... The author of the Cave of Treasures,.... to which I have already referred, p. 79, gives another account of the Flood of Wind: to which tradition, indeed, Meliton may refer: ----... "And in the hundredth year of Nahor, when God saw that men sacrificed their children to devils, and worshipped idols, God opened the storehouse of his wind, and the tempest's door, and a storm of wind went forth through all the earth, and overthrew the images and the temples of the devils, and collected together the idols and the images, and the statues, and made great heaps over them until this day. And this storm of wind the doctors call the Flood of wind:" see fol. 22. The same account is also given in the Ethiopic Book of Adam,, translated by Dr. A. Dillman in Ewald's Jahrbiicker, 1853, p. 118:...

18. P. 51. L. 5. The earth shall be burnt up, &c. Meliton evidently alludes here to 2 Pet. iii. 10.12. This may probably be one reason why my friend, the Chevalier Bunsen, to whom I lent the translation of this Apology, and who at first did not doubt its authenticity, might have been led afterwards to think that it "bears the stamp of a late and confused composition;" and " for that reason to abstain from giving it a place among the genuine texts:" Hippolytus and his Age, vol. i. p. xi. 1854. Mr. Bunsen does not admit the authenticity of the Second Epistle of St. Peter. It is, however, certainly alluded to here by one of the earliest and most learned writers of the Christian Church in the second century, and consequently appears to have been admitted by him as genuine.

19. L.20. This last sentence is obscure, and I am not sure that I have given the exact meaning. I believe, however, M. Renan's version, as well as that of B.H.C. to be incorrect.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Spicilegium Syriacum (1855): Ps.-Melito -- Fragments

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855): Ps.-Melito -- Fragments

¹ BY MELITON, BISHOP OF SARDIS²,

From the Discourse On the Soul and Body.³

FOR this reason the Father sent his Son from heaven incorporeal, that when He was become incarnate through the womb of the Virgin and was born man, He might save man, and collect those members of his which death had scattered when he divided man. And, further on. The earth quaked, and its foundations were shaken; the sun fled, and the elements turned back, and the day was changed; for they endured not that their Lord should hang upon a tree; and the whole creation was wonderstruck, marvelling, and saying, "What new mystery, then, is this? The judge is judged, and holds his peace; the invisible is seen, and is not ashamed; the incomprehensible is seized and is not indignant; the immeasurable is measured, and doth not resist; the impassible suffereth, and doth not avenge; the immortal dieth, and answereth not a word; the celestial is interred, and endureth! What new mystery is this?" The whole creation was astonished. But when our Lord arose from the dead, and trode death under foot, and bound the strong one, and loosed man,----then the whole creation perceived, that for man's sake the judge was condemned, and the invisible was seen, and the immeasurable was measured, and the impassible suffered, and the immortal died, and the celestial was interred: for our Lord, when he was born man, was condemned in order that He might shew mercy;(32) was bound in order that He might loose; was seized upon in order that He might let go; suffered in order that He might have compassion; died that He might save; was buried that He might raise up.

By the same, from the Discourse On the Cross.⁴

For the sake of these things He came to us; for the sake of these things, while He was incorporeal, He formed for himself a body of our construction; while He appeared as a sheep, He still still remained the shepherd; while He was esteemed a servant, He denied not the souship; while He was borne of Mary, He |53 also was invested with his Father; while he trode upon the earth., He also filled the heaven; while He appeared as an infant, He belied not the eternity of his nature; while He was clad with a hody, He also hound not the singleness of his Godhead; while He was esteemed poor, He also was not divested of his riches; while, inasmuch as He was man, He needed food; still, inasmuch as He was God, He ceased not to feed the universe; while He was clad in the likeness of servant, He also changed not the likeness of the Father. He was every thing in an immutable nature. He was standing before Pilate, and yet was sitting with the Father. He was nailed upon the tree, and yet was upholding every thing.

From Meliton the Bishop; On Faith.

We have made collections from the Law and the Prophets relative to those things which have been declared respecting our Lord Jesus Christ, that we may prove to your love, that He is perfect reason, the Word of God; who was begotten before the light; who was Creator together with the Father; who was the fashioner of man; who was all in all; who among the Patriarchs was Patriarch; who in the law was the Law; among the priests Chief priest; amongst kings Governor; among prophets the Prophet; among the angels Archangel; in the Voice the Word;⁵ among spirits Spirit; in the Father the Son; in God God----the king for ever and ever. For this was He who was pilot to Noah; who conducted Abraham; who was bound with Isaac, who was in exile with Jacob, who was sold with Joseph, who was captain with Moses, who was the divider of the inheritance with Jesus the Son of Nun, who in David and the prophets foretold his own sufferings, who was incarnate in the Virgin, who was born at Bethlehem,(33) who Avas wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manger, who was seen of the shepherds, who was glorified of the angels, who was worshipped of the Magi, who was pointed out by John, who assembled the Apostles, who preached the kingdom, who healed the maimed, who gave light to the blind, who raised the dead, who appeared in the temple, who was not believed on by the people, who was betrayed by |54 Judas, who was laid hold on by the priests, who was condemned by Pilate, who was transfixed in the flesh, who was hanged upon the tree, who was buried in the earth, who rose from the dead, who appeared to the Apostles, who ascended to heaven, who sitteth on the right hand of the Father, who is the rest of those that are departed, the recoverer of those who were lost, the light of those who are in darkness, the deliverer of those who are captives, the guide of those who have gone astray, the refuge of the afflicted, the bridegroom of the Church, the charioteer of the Cherubim, the captain of the angels, God who is of God, the Son who is of the Father, Jesus Christ, the King for ever and ever. Amen.

Of Meliton, Bishop of the city of Attica.⁶ (49)

This is he that became incorporate in the Virgin, and was hanged upon a tree, and was buried in the midst of the earth, and did not undergo dissolution; he that rose from the dead, and raised up men from the earth, from the nether grave to the height of heaven. This is the lamb that was slain; this is the lamb that was dumb. This is He that was born of Mary a fair sheep. This is he that was taken from the flock, and was led to the slaughter, and was slain at eventide, and was buried at night; who had no bone in him broken upon the tree; who did not undergo dissolution in the midst of the earth; who rose from the dead, and raised up the race of Adam from the nether grave. This is he that was put to death. And where was he put to death? In the midst of Jerusalem. By whom? By Israel: because he healed their maimed, and cleansed their lepers, and gave light to their blind, and raised their dead. For this cause he died. Thou gavest the command, and he was crucified; thou wast exulting, and he was buried; thou wast reclining upon a soft bed, and he was watching in the grave and in the coffin; Oh, Israel, transgressor of the law, why hast thou done this fresh wickedness, in casting the Lord into fresh sufferings; thine own Lord, who himself fashioned thee, who made thee, who honoured thee, who called thee Israel. But thou hast not been found to be Israel; for thou hast not seen God, nor understood the Lord. For thou |55 knewest not, oh Israel, that this was the first-born of God, who was begotten before the sun, who made the light to rise, who lighted up the day, who separated the darkness, who fixed the first foundation, who suspended the earth, who collected the ocean, who extended the firmament, who adorned the world. Bitter were thy nails, and keen; bitter was thy tongue, which thou sharpenedst; bitter was that Judas, to whom thou gavest hire; bitter were thy false witnesses whom thou stirredst up; bitter was thy gall which thou preparedst; bitter was thy vinegar which thou madest; bitter were thy hands which were full of blood. Thou slewest thy Lord, and he was lifted upon the tree; and a tablet was fixed up to denote who he was that was put to death. And who was this?----what we would not speak harsh, and what we would speak very terrible, nevertheless still listen while ye tremble:----He, on whose account the earth quaked: he that suspended the earth, was hanged up; he that fixed the heavens was fixed with nails; he that supported the earth was supported upon a tree: the Lord was exposed to ignominy with a naked body; God put to death; the king of Israel slain by an Israelitish right hand. Ah! the fresh wickedness of the fresh murder! The Lord was exposed with a naked body: he was not deemed worthy even of covering; but in order that lie may not be seen, the lights were turned away, and the day became dark, because they were slaying God, who was naked upon the tree. It was not the body of our Lord that the lights darkened when they fled, but men's eyes; for because the people quaked not, the earth quaked: because they feared not the creation feared. Thou smotest thy Lord, thou also has been smitten upon the earth; and thou indeed liest dead, but he is risen from the dead, and gone up to the heights of heaven, having suffered for the sake of those who were suffering, and having been bound for the sake of the race of Adam which was in bondage, having also been judged for the sake of him who was condemned, and been buried for the sake of him who was buried. And further on. This is he who made the heaven and the earth, and in the beginning together with the Father created man; who was preached by the law and the prophets; who |56 was incarnate in the Virgin; who was hanged upon the tree; who was buried in the earth; who rose from the dead, and ascended to the height of heaven, and sitteth upon the right-hand of the Father.

Of the Holy Meliton, Bishop of Ittica.⁷

He that supported the earth was supported upon a tree. The Lord was exposed to ignominy with a naked body; God put to death: the King of Israel slain.

[Selected endnotes moved here and numbered]

1. The four following extracts are taken from one of the Syriac manuscripts brought from Nitria, now in the British Museum, No. 12,150, f. 70.70, 77, written A.D.562. As I have already given a description of this manuscript in my Corpus Ignatianum, p. 352, it is needless for me to repeat it here.

2. P. 52. Of Sardis. The Syriac has of Sardeon, which is the genitive of the Greek retained in the translation.

3. On the Soul and Body. This treatise is named by Eusebius, see below, p. 98; and by Jerome, "De Anima et Corpore:" and by Ruffinus, " De Anima et Corpore et Mente."

4. On the Cross. B.H.C. has translated incorrectly "on the crucifixion." This is not one of those works of Meliton mentioned by Eusebius, who, however, speaks as if he had not seen all his writings.

5. P.53, L. 21. In the Voice the Word. This confirms the reading of the Syriac in the Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, c. ii...., and of the old Latin, "rursus factus sum vox," against the Greek.... see my note on this passage, Corpus Ignatianum, p. 291.

6. P. 54. L. 12. Of Meliton, Bishop of the city of Attica. This and the following extract were not printed at the same time as the others, because I did not believe them to be by the Bishop of Sardis, which inscription the two first bore. It is plain, however, that this is from the same work as that cited by Anastasius from the tract called..., because it contains the passage quoted:...: see Routh, Reliq. Sacr. vol. i. p. 122. I have therefore printed it subsequently at p. 49. No one who compares this with the preceding can fail, I think, to draw the conclusion that they are by the same hand, although perhaps by a different one from that of the Apologies. Neither is there any work attributed by Eusebius to Meliton which has the title Eis to pathos------. It seems probable that there has arisen some confusion in the transcribers between the names Meliton and Meletius. B.H.C. assumes at once that this is the case. That Meletius of Sebaste in Armenia, and afterwards of Antioch, is the person meant, and consequently he has not hesitated to declare that the name of the city is mis-spelt, and Antioch clearly intended; and therefore has made no difficulty in giving Antioch instead of Attica. That a Syrian writer should have made any blunder in spelling the name of their great city Antioch is as improbable as that an educated Englishman should mis-spell London. There is a considerable difference between the words... and.... Besides this Meletius was translated to Antioch contrary to the canons of the Church, and was therefore soon expelled, and driven into exile. He would therefore hardly have been generally styled Bishop of Antioch, although indeed he afterwards returned, and was again expelled, and again returned.... see Ruffinus, Hist. Ecc. b. x. c. 24. The word Attica is unquestionably right, and the error must have arisen from some copyist adding the word city to.... There was a Meletius, Bishop of Sebastopolis, in Pontus, who was present at the Council of Nice, and well known to Athanasius, and to Eusebitis, who, on account of his great learning and powers of oratory, was called The honey of Attica,....: see Eusebius, b. vii. c. 32; and Valesius' notes. He could hardly be the same as Meletius, who was made Bishop of Antioch in the year 360, thirty-five years after the Council, although the similarity of their own names and that of their sees, the one being Bishop of Sebastopolis in Pontus, and the other of Sebaste in Armenia, might cause some confusion. The latter, according to Socrates, was translated from Sebaste, first to Beroca, and then to Antioch: see Hist. Eccl. b. ii. c. 44; and Sozomen, Hist. Eccl. b. iv. c. xxviii. Both Meliton and Meletius were celebrated for their eloquence.

7. P. 56, L. 5. Meliton, Bishop of Ittica. This is the same as the preceding, although written.... This last extract is taken from a volume procured in Egypt in 1843 by Dr. Tattam, with several leaves added in 1847 from the fragments obtained by M. Pacho. It appears to have been written about the seventh or eighth century, is imperfect both at the beginning and the end, and in its present state consists of 186 leaves written in two columns. It contains numerous extracts from the Fathers of the Church, cited in opposition to various heresies. What the title of the work is, or who is its author, does not appear. Cod. Add. 14,533 (not 14,532 as B.H.C. states).

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Spicilegium Syriacum (1855). Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, Syriac version, Book 4 (Extract)

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855). Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, Syriac version, Book 4 (Extract)

FROM THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH: CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FOURTH, CONCERNING THEOPHILUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH, AND PHILIP, AND MODESTUS, AND MELITON, AND THOSE WHOM HE HAS MENTIONED, AND CONCERNING APOLLINARIS AND MUSANUS.¹

BUT as to Theophilus, concerning whom we have said that he was Bishop of Antioch, there are three treatises by him against Antolycus, and another which is inscribed "Against the heresy of Hermogenes," in which he uses testimonies from the Revelation of John; and there are other books by him which are suitable for teaching. But those, who pertained to heretical doctrine, even at that time like tares were corrupting the pure seed of the doctrine of the Apostles; but the Pastors which were in the churches in every country, were driving them like beasts of the wilderness away from the flock of Christ; at one time by teaching and exhortation to the Brethren, but at another time (34) openly before their faces they contended with them in discussion, and put them to shame; and again, also, by writing treatises they diligently refuted and exposed their opinions. But Theophilus, together with others, contended against them; and he is celebrated for one treatise, which was ably composed by him against Marcion, which, together with the others that I have |57 already mentioned, is still preserved. And after him Maximinus received the Bishoprick of the Church of Antioch, who was the seventh after the Apostles.

But Philip, respecting whom we have learned from the words of Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth,² that he was Bishop of the church of the city of Gortyna, he also composed with accuracy a treatise against Marcion; Irenaeus too, and Modestus, who, more than the others, openly exposed the error of this man; and many others whose treatises are preserved in the possession of many Brethren up to this day.

At this time, also, Meliton, Bishop of the church of Sardis, and Apollinaris, Bishop of the church of Hierapolis, flourished with praise; who made, each one of them for himself, a separate apology for the Faith, and presented it to the Emperor of the Romans, who lived at that time. But the treatises by these, with which we have become acquainted, are the following:----by Meliton, On Easter two, and On Polity, and On the Prophets; and another On the Church, and another On the First Day of the Week; and again another On the Faith of Man,³ and another On his Formation; and again another On the Hearing of the Ear of Faith:⁴ and besides these, On the Soul and Body; and again On Baptism, and On the Truth, and On the Faith;⁵ and On the Birth of Christ, and On the word of his Prophecy; and again On the Soul and on the Body;⁶ and another On the Love of Strangers, and On Satan, and On the Revelation of John;⁷ and again another On God who put on the body;⁸ and again another which he wrote to the Emperor Antoninus. But when he wrote respecting the time of Easter, at the commencement he gave this information, "In the time of Servilius. Paulus, proconsul of Asia, Agaris (Sagaris) suffered martyrdom; and there was much questioning in Laodicea touching Easter, which varied as to the time in those days, and these things were written." But this same tract Clement of Alexandria(35) mentions in a treatise of his own which he wrote on Easter, and says that it was on the occasion of this treatise of Meliton that he himself also wrote. But in that apology, which he presented to the Emperor, he relates that such things were done by him to our people: "That |58 which never before took place;----the race of those who fear God is now persecuted by new decrees in Asia; for calumniators and such as covet the possessions of others, who have no shame, under the pretence of their having a decree, openly plunder and rob by night and by day men who have done no wrong." And after other things he proceeds to say, "If thou hast ordered this to be done, well; it is also done; for a righteous sovereign never purposeth any thing unrighteously. We even gladly endure the honour of this death; but we present to thee this supplication only, that thou wouldest first inquire respecting those who are the actors in this contest, and judge righteously, whether they be deserving of death and punishment, or of life and quietness. But if this will, and this new decree, be not from thee, which is not meet to be executed in this manner, not even towards barbarians and enemies,----the more especially do we entreat of thee not to be unmindful of us in this persecution by the world." But after this he proceeds----"Because our philosophy first flourished among the Barbarians; but it also sprung up among thine own people in the days of Augustus, and it became for the empire of the Romans a great power, and for thine own empire especially a good education; for from that time the dominion of the Romans increased and enlarged itself, which thou hast received and augmented, and thou wilt still strengthen it together with thy son, so long as thou protectest this philosophy which groweth up together with thy empire, that commenced with Augustus; which thy fathers also honoured together with the other religions: and this is a great proof, that for the good of the empire our preaching also sprang up together with its auspicious commencement, because since the days of Augustus no evil has befallen your empire, but rather in every thing it has acquired glory and power through the prayers of us all. And of all who have been Emperors, Nero and Domitian only gave heed to envious men, and received the accusation against our doctrine; and from these same, as by some unreasonable custom, it was brought to pass that the violence of falsehood should be directed against us.(30) But thine own ancestors corrected the error of these; for oftentimes |59 they rebuked by letters many who were desirous of attempting to cause troubles on this account; and thy grandfather Hadrian wrote to many touching this; and to Fundius (Fundanus) ⁹ the proconsul of Asia. But thy father wrote respecting us to different cities, that no man should injure us, during the time that thou also together with him wast governing every thing; even to the Pharisaeans (Larissaeans) ⁹ and to the Thessalonians, and to Athens, and to all nations. But respecting thyself, we are persuaded that thou, still more than they, hast a good will concerning these things; and we are persuaded that thou wilt the rather order with wisdom whatsoever we entreat of thee." But so far were these things set down.

But in the Extracts which were written by Meliton, at the beginning of them, he has noted down the number of the books of the Old Testament and shewn which are received: and it is right we should enumerate them here. But he wrote after this manner: "Meliton to Onesimus my brother, greeting: Because oftentimes with that earnestness which thou hast touching the Word, thou hast exhorted me to make for thee Extracts from the Law and from the Prophets relating to our Saviour and to the whole of our faith, and moreover hast been desirous to learn accurately respecting the Antient Books, how many they are in number and what they are consecutively, I have given diligence to do this, because I am persuaded through, thy earnestness touching the faith and touching the doctrine of the Word, that thou esteemest the love of God above every thing, and art striving for eternal life. When, therefore, I went up to the East, and proceeded even to that country in which they were preached and practised, and had learned accurately respecting the books of the Old Testament, I wrote them down and have sent them to thee. Their names are these-----Of Moses five books, Genesis,and Exodus,and Numbers,and Of the Priests (Leviticus), and Deuteronomy; and again of Jesus, the Son of Nun; and the Book of Judges, and Ruth, and four Books of Kings, and two Books of Chronicles, and the Psalms of David; and of Solomon, the Proverbs, which is Wisdom, and Koheleth, and the Song of Songs; and Job; and of the Prophets, Isaiah and |60 Jeremiah, and the twelve Prophets together; and Daniel, and Ezekiel, and Ezra: from which same I have made Extracts, and arranged them in six discourses." All these of Meliton. And again there are also many treatises by Apollinaris which are still preserved in the possession of many; but those which have been seen by us are the following----One, which is the Apology, that was made to the same Emperor of whom we have spoken above; and Against the Heathen five books; and Against the Jews two books; and those which he composed afterwards against the heresy of the Phrygians, which had recently sprung up a little time before, because then Montanus, together with the false prophetesses which were attached to him, had begun to turn aside from the truth.

[Selected endnotes moved here and numbered]

1. History of the Church. This chapter of the fourth book of Eusebius is taken from the antient Syriac version, of which I have inserted an account in the Corpus Ignatianum, p. 350, which see. I have given the entire chapter as it stands. It comprises the 24,25,26, and 27th of the Greek editions. It may be considered a fair specimen of the Syriac version, which future editors of Eusebius should not neglect to consult.

2. P. 57, L. 5. Bishop of Corinth, omitted in the Greek. Ruffinus omits here also all mention of Dionysius.

3. L. 18. On the faith of Man. So Ruffinus, De fide hominis; and also several Greek manuscripts. The editions have...

4. L. 20. On the hearing of the ear of faith. Gr..... Ruffinus, De obedientia fide. De sensibus.

5. L. 22. On the faith; with several manuscripts. Ruffirius, De fide. Some editions have,,,. See Dr. Routh's note on this place, vol. i. p. 139.

6. L. 23. And again on the Soul and on the Body. With several Greek manuscripts, and Ruffinus, Item de anima et corpore.

7. L. 24. The Greek editions add...; and Ruffinus, Item liber qui dicitur Clavis.

8. L. 25. On God who put on the body. Gr.... Ruffinus, De Deo corpore induto. See Dr. Routh's note, p. 143.

9. P. 59, L. 3. Fundius, and below, Pharisaeans: doubtless errors of the scribe.

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SOURCE SECTION: spicilegium_8_hypomnemata.htm

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855), Ambrose, Hypomnemata.

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855), Ambrose, Hypomnemata.

HYPOMNEMATA,¹

WHICH AMBROSE, A CHIEF MAN OF GREECE, WROTE; WHO BECAME A CHRISTIAN: AND ALL HIS FELLOW-SENATORS RAISED A CLAMOUR AGAINST HIM; AND HE FLED FROM THEM, AND WROTE AND SHEWED THEM ALL THEIR FOLLY; AND AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS DISCOURSE HE ANSWERED AND SAID:

Do not suppose, Men and Greeks, that my separation from your customs has taken place without a befitting and just cause; for I have investigated the whole of your wisdom of poetry, and rhetoric, and philosophy; and when I found not any thing right or worthy of the Deity, I was desirous of investigating the wisdom of the Christians also, and of learning and seeing who they are, and when, and what is this its recent and strange production, or on what good things they rely who follow this wisdom, so as to speak the truth.

Men and Greeks, when I had made the inquiry I found not any folly, as in the famous Homer, who says respecting the wars of the two trials,² "for the sake of Helen ³ many of the Greeks perished at Troy, far from their beloved home." For first they say respecting Agamemnon their king, that through, the folly of Menelaus his brother, and the vehemence of his madness, and the incontinence of his lust, he was desirous to go and rescue Helen from a leprous shepherd:⁴ but when the Greeks had been |62 victorious in the war, and had burnt some cities, and taken some women and boys captive, and the land was filled with blood, and the rivers were filled with dead bodies, Agamemnon himself too was found to be taken captive by passion for Briseis: and Patroclus was slain, and Achilles, the son of the goddess Thetis, lamented over him; and Hector was dragged; and Priam, together with Hecuba, wept over the loss of their children; and Astyanax, the son of Hector, was thrown from the walls of Ilium, and his mother, Andromache, Ajax the great took; and that which had been captured in war after a little while was consumed in lust.

But respecting the perfidy of Ulysses, the son of Laertes, and his murders, who shall tell? for in one day his house became the grave for a hundred and ten suitors, and was filled with dead bodies and blood;(39) who also by his vice has gained praises, because through the excess of his cunning he concealed himself: who also, as ye say, sailed over the sea, and heard not the voice of the Sirens, because he stopped his ears with wax. But Achilles himself, the son of Peleus, who leaped over the river, and put to flight the Trojans, and slew Hector, this your champion became the slave of Philoxena, and was vanquished by an Amazon while |63 she lay dead: and he stripped off his armour, and put on the bridal dress, and at last was sacrificed to love.

So much, then, with respect to heroes; and I should have been satisfied for Homer to be left to thee, if thy vain words had only proceeded to speak of men, and not concerning the gods, because, touching the gods,⁵ I am ashamed even to utter them; for the fabled accounts are very wicked and horrible, and surpassing all belief, and necessarily ridiculous; for a man must laugh when he approaches them, nor will he believe when he hears them: gods, indeed! who have not one of them observed the laws of righteousness, and chastity, and modesty, but are adulterers, and have lived in dissipation, and yet have not been condemned to death, as it was just. For the Lord of the gods, that "Father of gods and men," ⁶ according to what you say, was not only an adulterer, for this would have been too little, but he also slew his own father, and was a paederast. First, then, I will speak concerning his adultery,⁷ although I am ashamed, for he appeared to Antiope like a Satyr; and he dropped down upon Danae like gold; and to Europa he became a bull, and a swan |64 to Leda. But the love of Semele, the mother of Bacchus, proved both his own importunity, and also the jealousy of the chaste Juno. And he caught up Ganymede the Phrygian like an eagle, in order that a beautiful and becoming boy might be his cupbearer. Moreover that Lord of the gods slew Saturn his own Father, in order that he might seize upon his kingdom. Oh! of how many censures is the Lord of the gods guilty,⁸ and to how many deaths is he obnoxious, as an adulterer, and as a sorcerer, and as a paederast? Read to the Lord of the gods, oh men and Greeks, the law respecting parricide, and the sentence against adultery, and the shame of the obscenity of paederastism. For how many adulterers has the Lord of the gods instructed? For how many paederasts, and sorcerers, and murderers? for if a man be found to be guilty of lust, he shall not be put to death, because he does this to be like the Lord of the gods; and if he be detected as a murderer, he has an apology in the Lord of the gods; and if a man be a sorcerer, he has learnt it from the Lord of the gods; and if he be(40) a paederast, the Lord of the gods is his advocate. |65

But if a man should speak about courage, Achilles was braver than the Lord of the gods, because.he slew him who had slain his friend; but the Lord of the gods wept over Sarpendon,⁹ his own son, while he was dying, being very sorry. And Pluto, who also is a god, ravished Proserpine, but the mother of Proserpine was in great trepidation, and searching for her daughter in every desert. And Alexander Paris, when he had carried off Helen, received the judgment of vengeance, as being her lover by force; but Pluto, who was a god, and ravished Proserpine, remained without any disgrace. And Menelaus, who was a man, knew how to go in search of Helen his wife, but Ceres, who was a goddess, knew not where to look for her daughter Proserpine. Let Vulcan pass over his jealousy, and be not envious, for he is forgotten because he is old and lame; but Mars is loved because he is a youth and beautiful in stature. But there was the reproach of adultery because Vulcan was not aware of the love of his wife Venus and Mars; but when he did know, Vulcan said, "Come, see a ridiculous and foolish deed, how me, who am her own, Venus, the daughter of the Lord of the gods, is disgracing me, who am her own, and honouring Mars who is a stranger to her. And is it not a shameful thing for the Lord of the gods, because he loved those which were like these? And Penelope continued as a widow twenty years, because she was expecting her husband Ulysses, and was employed with works, and diligent in occupations during the time that all those suitors were urging her; but Venus, who is a goddess, while her husband Vulcan was present with her, abandoned him because she was overcome by love for Mars.

Hear, men and Greeks, which of you would dare to do this, or |66 could even bear to behold it. And if one should dare, what torment is reserved for him, or what stripes? Nevertheless, Saturn, who is a god, who ate up all those children, is not even brought before a tribunal. They say, however, that the Lord of the gods, his son, only escaped from him, and the madness of his father Saturn was deceived, because Rhea his wife, the mother of the Lord of the gods, gave him a stone instead of his son the Lord of the gods, to prevent him from devouring him. Hear, men and Greeks, and reflect upon this madness; for the brute beast, that feedeth in the field knoweth its own food, and will not touch strange food; likewise the animals and the reptiles too, and the birds also, know their own food; but respecting men it is not meet(41) for me to say any thing: you know indeed their food, and understand; but Saturn, who is a god, not knowing his proper food, swallowed a stone. Wherefore, oh men and Greeks, if ye be willing to have such gods, do not blame one another whenever ye do such things as these; and be not thou angry against thy son when he purposeth to kill thee, because he is imitating the Lord of the gods. And if a man be guilty of adultery with thy wife, why dost thou reckon him as an enemy, and yet worshippest and servest the Lord of the gods, who resembles him? And why dost thou blame thy wife, when she is guilty of adultery and is without punishment, but honourest Venus and settest her in temples? Persuade Solon to break his own laws, Lycurgus also to abstain from making laws, and let the judges of the Areopagus break theirs and not judge again, nor let there be any more councils for the |67 Athenians. Let the Athenians dismiss Socrates, for no one resembling Saturn has ever been brought before him. Neither let them put Orestes, who slew his own mother, to death; for, lo! the Lord of the gods has done worse things than these to his father. Oedipus also too hastily inflicted injury upon himself, who put out his eyes because he had slain his father unawares, because he did not look to the Lord of the gods, who killed his father, and remained without any punishment. The Corinthians also expelled Medaea, because she had slain her children, but they serve and honour Saturn, who ate up his own children. And as for Alexander Paris, he did right in ravishing Helen in order that he might imitate the god Pluto, who carried off Proserpine.

Let men be freed from the laws, and let cities belong to lascivious women, and be the abode of sorcerers; for this reason, oh men and Greeks, because your gods are debased like yourselves, but your warriors are brave as your dramas relate, and your histories proclaim; respecting the furies of Orestes, and the bed of Thyestes, and the pollution of Pelops; and concerning Danaus, who through his jealousy slew and cut off some of his sons in their banqueting; and also the feasting of Thyestes upon a corpse in vengeance, and Procne up to this time crying as she flies, and also her sister piping with her tongue cut out. But what is it fit to say respecting the murder of Oedipus, who married his own mother, and whose brothers, who were also his own sons, slew one another?

And I hate also your festivals, for there is no moderation there |68 to the sweet pipes that drive away care, which play with a tremulous motion, and the preparation of the unguents with which ye anoint yourselves(42) and the garlands which ye put on. And in the abundance of your wickedness ye have forgotten shame, your understandings also are blinded, ye have been tempted too by importunity, and have loved the bed of lying. And if these things had been said by another, perhaps they would have brought an accusation against him that they are not true; but your own poets declare them, and your songs and dramas proclaim them. Come, then, and be instructed by the Word of God, and by consoling wisdom: rejoice and partake of it: know too the King incorruptible, and become acquainted with his servants, which boast not in armour, neither make slaughter: because our Captain delighteth not in the multitude of an army, neither in the horsemen and in their beauty, nor in the illustriousness of family; but he delighteth in the pure soul, which a wall of justice |69 sur- rounds. But the Word of God is always instructing us, and the promises of our good King and the works of God. Oh the soul that is purchased by the power of the Word! oh the trumpet of peace without war! oh the doctrine quenching the natural fire of the soul, which maketh not poets, nor produceth philosophers, nor the crowd-followed orator; but goeth and maketh the dead pass over that he die not, and raiseth men from earth as Gods, to the region which is above the firmament. Come, be instructed, and be like me, for I also have been like you.

[Selected endnotes moved here and numbered]

1. P. 61. M. Renan has inserted a few lines from this in the Journal Asiatique. The text is correctly printed, with the exception of.... for..., but he has erred greatly in the translation....

2. P. 61, L. 11. Wars of the two trials. I suppose the author means, of the gods as well as the men engaged in it; to which also reference is made in the Cohortatio ad Gentiles, c. ii. edit. Otto, p. 24; and the passage of Homer, Il. xx. v. 66-72 cited,... Compare Tertullian, Ad Nationes i. c. 10, p. 329.

3. L. 12. For the sake of Helen, &c. Homer, Il. ii. v. 177.

4. L. 16. A leprous shepherd. The Syriac proves the antiquity of the Greek reading leprou~, which has been suspected by critics. See Otto's notes.

5. P. 63. Compare what is said here relative to the Gods with Justin Martyr, Apol. i, c. 21. See also Augustin, De Civitate Dei ii, c. 7, 8; and Joh. Ludov. Vives' notes to these chapters: edit. Fancof. 1061.

6. L. 13. Father of Gods and men. The common expression "of Homer..., which Ennius among the Latins translated "patrum divumque hominunque." See Cicero, De Nat. Deor. p. 104.

7. L. 15. Concerning his adultery. Compare the passage of Homer, Il.xiv.315-327, in which Jupiter recounts his amours to Juno.: cited also in the Cohortatio ad Gent. c. 2. p. 22.

8. P. 64, L. 6. Of how many censures is the Lord of the gods guilty, &c. Compare Tertullian, Apol. c. 11, vol. i. p. 159:...

9. P. 65, L. 3. Wept over Sarpedon. He alludes to the following lines of Homer, Il. xvi. 433, which Athenagoras also quotes, Legat. c. 21... This is also quoted in the Cohort. ad Gent. c. 2. p. 20.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: spicilegium_9_mara.htm

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855), the epistle of Mara, son of Serapion

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855), the epistle of Mara, son of Serapion

THE EPISTLE OF MARA, SON OF SERAPION.

MARA, SON OF SERAPION, TO SERAPION MY SON, GREETING.

WHEN thy master and tutor wrote to me a letter, and informed me that thou art very dililgent in learning for a child of few years, I blessed God, that thou, being a little boy without one to guide thee, hast begun with a good intention; and as for me myself this has been a consolation to me, that respecting thee, a little boy I have heard, of this greatness of mind and good conscience, such as does not readily remain in many. On this account, lo! I have written to thee this memorial of what I have experienced in the world; for the manner of men's living has been experienced by me, and I have walked in instruction, and all those things of the instruction of the Greeks I have found them wrecked together with the birth of life.¹ Be careful, therefore, my son, of those things which are suitable for such as be free, to meditate upon learning, and to pursue after wisdom: and in this manner reckon to be confirmed in that with which thou hast begun; and remember my injunctions with diligence, as a quiet man, who loveth discipline: and although it appear to thee to be very bitter, when thou shalt experience it for a little while, it will be very pleasant to thee, because so also it hath happened to me. But a man when he shall be departed from among his family, and shall be able to retain his own habit, and shall do with justice whatsoever is proper for him, he is that chosen man who is called the Blessing of God, and with whose liberty nothing else can be compared. For such men as are called to discipline, seek to disentangle themselves from the struggle of the time; and such as lay hold upon wisdom are elevated by the hope of righteousness; and those that stand in the truth exhibit the standard of their virtue; and those that devote themselves to philosophy look to escape from the miseries of the world. But thou, too, my son, conduct thyself so wisely in these things, as a wise man who endeavoureth to spend a pure life: and beware lest the acquisition of wealth, which the many thirst after, subdue thee, and |71 thy mind be turned to desire riches which are not real; for neither when men obtain their desire do they abide, not even while they continue in righteousness: and all these things which are seen by thee in the world, as of one who is for a short(44) time, are to be dissolved like a dream; for they are the ups and downs of the times.

And as to vain glory, which occupies the life of men, thou considerest not that it is one of those things which give us joy: speedily it becometh an injury to us: and especially the birth of beloved children. For in both these things the contest of feelings hurts us: for as to the good, love for them torments us, and we are attracted by their manners; and as to the vicious, we labour for their correction, and grieve over their vices.

For I have heard respecting our companions, that when they were departing from Samosta it grieved them; and like those who blame the time, they also spake after this manner: "Henceforth we are driven far away from the habitation of men, and we are not allowed to return to our city, and to behold our men, and to embrace our gods with praise." It is meet that that should be called a day of lamentation, because one heavy grief laid hold upon them all equally. For with tears they remembered their fathers, and with sighs their mothers, and they grieved over their brethren, and sorrowed over their betrothed whom they left behind: and when we heard the report of their former companions, that they were going to Seleucia, we went secretly on the way towards them, and joined our trouble with theirs. Then was our sorrow very vehement, and justly was our weeping augmented by our loss, and the dark cloud collected our sighs, and our trouble was increased from the mountain, for not one among us was able to quell the miseries which were upon him. For the love of life was retained together with the pains of death, and our misfortunes drove us out of the way; for we beheld our brethren and our children as captives, and we remembered our companions that were dead, who were, laid in a country not their own: and each of us was also anxious about himself, lest affliction should be added to affliction, or another grief should overtake the one which preceded it.

What advantage do men that are imprisoned ² gain from having |72 experienced these things! But as for thee, my beloved, let it not grieve thee that thy loneliness has been driven from place to place; because men are born for this end, to receive the accidents of the time. But thus reckon thou, that for wise men every place is equally the same; and for the virtuous, fathers and mothers abound in every city. Even indeed from thine own self take the trial. How many men, who know thee not, love thee as their own children, and a multitude of women receive thee like their own beloved ones. Verily as a stranger thou hast been successful, verily for thy little love many men have desired thee.

What, then, have we to say (45) touching the error which has come into the world? Both the progress in it is with heavy labour, and we are shaken by its commotions like a reed by the wind. For I have wondered at many that cast away their children, and I have marvelled at others that brought up those which were not their own: there are some that acquire the riches in the world, and I have also marvelled at others who inherit that which is not their own. Thus understand and see that it is in the path of error we are walking.

A sage among men once began to say to us: On which of all possessions can a man rely? Or respecting what things can we speak as if they are enduring? On abundance of riches? they are snatched away. On fortresses? they are plundered. On cities? they are laid waste. On greatness? it is brought low. On splendour? it is overthrown. On beauty? it withereth. On laws? they pass away. On poverty? it is despised. On children? they die. On friends? they become false. On honours? envy goeth before them.

Let a man therefore rejoice in his empire like Darius, and in his prosperity like Polycrates, or in his valour like Achilles, or in his wife like Agamemnon, or in his offspring like Priam, or in his skill like Archimedes, or in his wisdom like Socrates, or in his learning like Pythagoras, or in his enlightenment like Palamedes----the life of men, my son, departs from the world, but their praises and their virtues continue for ever.

But thou, my little sou, choose for thyself that which fadeth not away, because they that occupy themselves in such things are called |73 modest and beloved, and lovers of a good name: but whenever any evil thing opposeth thee, blame not man, nor be angry against God, neither murmur against thy time. If thou continue in this mind, thy gift is not a small one which thou hast received from God, which standeth not in need of riches, nor is brought near to poverty, because thou wilt perform thy part in the world without fear, and with rejoicing: for fear and excuse of that which cometh naturally is not for the sake of the wise, but for the sake of those who walk without law; because a man has never been stripped of his wisdom in the same manner as of his wealth. Be careful for knowledge rather than for riches, for by how much the more possessions increase, by so much the more does evil abound. For I have seen that where good things abound, so also (46) misfortunes oppose; and where honours are brought, there also sorrows collect themselves; and where riches are multiplied, there is the bitterness of many years. If, therefore, thou art wise, and diligently keepest watch, God will not cease from helping thee, nor men from loving thee. Whatsoever thou art able to acquire, let that be sufficient for thee; and if indeed thou be able to do without possessions, then shalt thou be called blessed, because no one will even envy thee. And remember this too, that nothing troubles thy life very greatly except possessions, that no man after his death is called master of possessions: because weak men are led captive by the lust of them, and know not that a man dwells like a stranger in his possessions: and they are fearful because they are not secured for them; for they have forsaken that which is their own, and seek that which is not theirs.

For what else have we to say, when wise men are forcibly dragged by the hands of tyrants, and their wisdom is taken captive by calumny, and they are oppressed in their intelligence without defence? For what advantage did the Athenians gain by the murder of Socrates, the recompense of which they received in famine and pestilence? Or the people of Samos ³ by the burning of Pythagoras, because in one hour their country was entirely covered with sand? Or the Jews by the death of their wise king because from that same time their kingdom was taken away? |74 For with justice did God make recompense to the wisdom of these three: for the Athenians died of famine; and the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea without remedy; and the Jews, desolate and driven from their own kingdom, are scattered through every country. Socrates is not dead, because of Plato; neither Pythagoras, because of the statue of Juno;⁴ nor the Wise King, because of the laws which he promulgated.

But I, my son, have experienced in what wretched misery men stand; and I have wondered that they are not overwhelmed by the evils which surround them. Not even wars are sufficient for them, nor griefs, nor sicknesses, nor death, nor poverty; but like vicious beasts they attack one another in hatred, which of them shall inflict the greater evil upon his fellow. For they have gone beyond the limits of truth, and transgress all good laws, because they hang upon their own lust: for so long as a man coveteth that which he lusteth after, how is he able to do with justice that which is befitting him? And they acknowledge no moderation, and seldom do they stretch forth their hands towards truth(47) and virtue, but conduct themselves in their manner of living like the dumb and the blind. The wicked rejoice, and the righteous are troubled: he that hath denieth, and he that hath not striveth to acquire: the poor beg, and the rich conceal: and every one laugheth at his neighbour: the drunken are crazy, and those that have recovered themselves repent: some of them weep, and some sing, and others laugh; others, care has seized upon them: they rejoice in evil things; and they reject the man who speaketh the truth. A man may then wonder, while the world consumes in derision, while they have not one manner of living, they are anxious about these things; and one of them is looking when he shall acquire the name of victory in battle; and the brave look not to how many foolish lusts a man is led captive in the world. But I could wish also that repentance had recurred to them a little, who conquer by their might, and are condemned by their cupidity. For I have tried men; and thus have I tried them, that they look to this one thing----to abundance of riches; and on this account they have no firm counsel, but by the change of their minds each is |75 speedily cast down to be absorbed in grief; and they regard not the vast riches of the world, that whatever there be of trouble it brings us all equally to the same time; for they depend upon the majesty of the belly,⁵ that great disgrace of the corrupt.

But this which comes into my mind to write to thee, it is not enough to read it, but it should also proceed to practise. For I know too, that when thou shalt experience this manner of living, it will please thee much, and thou wilt be free from evil indignation, that on children's account we endure riches. Separate henceforth from thee the cherished grief of men, a thing which never profits at all; and drive away from thee that care which produceth no advantage, for we have no means and discretion except in magnanimity, to be equal to the misfortunes and to endure the griefs, which we are always receiving at the hands of the times; for it behoveth us to look to these things, and not to those which pertain to joy and a good name. Apply thyself to wisdom, the fountain of all good things, and the treasure which fadeth not, and there shalt thou lay thine head and rest, for she will be to thee a father and a mother, and a good companion for life. Have all familiarity with perseverance and patience, which are able to meet all the tribulations of weak men; for in this manner is their power great, because they can bear hunger(48) and endure thirst, and they refresh every grief. But of labour and death they also declare. Attend to these, and thou shalt pass a tranquil life, and thou wilt be to me a consolation, while thou shalt be called the Ornament of his parents. For at that former time, while our city was standing in its magnificence, thou mayst know that against many men abominable words were uttered. But we also acknowledged from the Time, that we fully received from its majesty appropriate love and beauty; but the Time forbade us to complete those things which were resolved upon in our mind. And here, too, in prison we give thanks to God that, we have obtained the Jove of many; for we essayed our soul to continue in wisdom and in rejoicing. But if any drive us by force, he will proclaim the witness against himself, that he is far removed from all good things, and will receive disgrace and |76 shame from the vile object of shame. For we have shewn our truth, that we have no vice in an empire. But if the Romans will permit us to return to our country in justice and righteousness, let them act like humane men, and they will be called good and righteous, and the country in which they abide will also be in tranquillity. For let them shew their own greatness by leaving us free. Let us be obedient to that dominion which the Time has assigned to us, and let them not, like tyrants, treat us as slaves; and whatever may be decreed to take place, we shall not receive any thing more than the tranquil death which is reserved for us.

But thou, my little son, if thou desirest diligently to know these things, first govern lust, and apply moderation to that in which thou abidest, be satisfied, and beware lest thou be angry: and instead of rage be obedient to virtue. For I now am meditating upon this, that, as I recollect, I may leave for myself a book, and with a prudent mind may accomplish the path to which I am condemned, and may escape without sorrow from the evil destruction of the world. For I pray to receive dissolution, and what death, it matters not to me. But and if any grieve or be anxious, I counsel him not: for there in the way of life of the whole world he will find us before him.

One of his friends asked Mara, the son of Serapion, when he was in bonds by his side, "On thy life, Mara, I pray thee tell me what laughable thing has appeared to thee that thou laughedst?" Mara said to him, "I was laughing at the Time, because, without having borrowed any evil from me, it repays me."

HERE ENDETH THE EPISTLE OF MARA, SON OF SERAPION.

[Selected endnotes moved here and numbered]

1. P. 70, L. 11. Wrecked together with the birth of life,... These words are obscure. I suppose they refer to the new birth of a Christian rendering the precepts of Greek philosophy superfluous. Compare what Ambrose says, p. 61 above. There are several very obscure passages in this letter. Although I have endeavoured to give the meaning of them as accurately as I could, I cannot confidently assert that I have in no instances failed. M. Renan has given a short extract from this letter in the Journal Asiatique; and has left off in the middle of a sentence omitting the words which I have just mentioned, and consequently destroying the sense of the passage. He has made several mistakes in the texts...

2. P. 71, L. 36. Imprisoned. The original work... means also, a recluse, a monk practising a certain mode of asceticism, concerning which see Assemani Disser. de Syris Monophysitis. This would well agree with the meaning here; but at P. 75, L. 32, the writer speaks as if he were actually in prison or bondage at the time.

3. P. 73, L. 33. Or the people of Samos. See respecting the burning of Pythagoras, Diogenes Laertius, De vitis et dogm. Philosoph. lib. viii. seg. 39, with Menagius' Notes; and Stanley's History of Philosophy, second edit, p. 506. The Sibylline Oracles were said to have foretold the destruction of Samos..... See Sybil. Orac. p. 405, and Gale's Notes illustrating this matter.

4. P. 74, L. 6. Statue of Juno: This was the statue which the Romans erected in honour of Pythagoras, when they were commanded by the Oracle of Delphi to erect statues to the bravest and the wisest of the.Greeks.

5. P. 75, L. 4. The majesty of the belly: Compare Tertullian.... De Jejunio, c. xvi. vol. i. p, 877.

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

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: spicilegium_cureton.htm

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855). Works by Rev. W. Cureton

Spicilegium Syriacum (1855). Works by Rev. W. Cureton

WORKS BY REV. W. CURETON

I.

BOOK OF RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL SECTS, by MUHAMMAD AL-SHAHRASTANI: now first edited from the collation of several MSS. vo. London. For the Society for the Publication of Oriental Texts. 2 Voll. 1842,1846.

II.

...: TANCHUMI HIEROSOLYMITANI Commentarius Arabicus in LAMENTATIONES: e codice unico Bodleiano literis Hebraicis exarato. vo. Londini, apud Jac. Madden, 1843.

III.

...: PILLAR OF THE CREED OF THE SUNNITES; being a brief Exposition of their principal Tenets, by AL-NASAFI. vo. London. For the Society for the Publication of Oriental Texts. 1843.

IV.

CATALOGUS CODICUM MANUSCRIPTORUM ARABICORUM, qui in MUSEO BRITANNICO asservantur. fol. Londini, Impensis Curatorum Musei Britannici. Pars. 1.1846. Pars. II. 1852.

V.

VINDICIAE: IGNATIANAE: or, The Genuine Writings of St. Ignatius, as exhibited in the Syriac Version, vindicated from the charge of Heresy. vo. London, Rivingtons. 1846.

VI.

...: THE FESTAL LETTERS OF ST. ATHANASIUS, discovered in an Ancient Syriac Version, and edited with a Preface. vo. London. For the Society for the Publication of Oriental Texts. 1848.

VII.

THREE SERMONS, preached at the Chapel Royal, St. James': The Essential Connection of Christian Faith and Practice, being Two Sermons delivered on Sunday, Feb. 27; The Revelations of Christianity with respect to Temporal Polity, preached on Wednesday, March 22. vo. London, Rivingtons; Oxford, Parker, 1848.

VIII.

CORPUS IGNATIANUM. A Complete Collection of the Ignatian Epistles, genuine, interpolated, and spurious, together with numerous Extracts from them as quoted by Ecclesiastical Writers down to the Tenth Century, in Syriac, Greek, and Latin. An English Translation of the Syriac Text, with copious Notes and Introduction. Royal vo. London. Rivingtons. 1849.

IX.

FRAGMENTS OF THE ILIAD OF HOMER, from a Syriac Palimpsest. to. London. Printed by order of the Trustees of the British Museum. 1851.

X.

The Third Part of the ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF JOHN BISHOP OF EPHESUS, now first edited. to. Oxford. At the University Press. 1853.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: addai_1_intro.htm

The Doctrine of Addai (1876). Preface

The Doctrine of Addai (1876). Preface

THE DOCTRINE OF ADDAI, THE APOSTLE,

NOW FIRST EDITED IN A COMPLETE FORM IN THE ORIGINAL SYRIAC,

WITH AN

English Translation and Notes

BY

GEORGE PHILLIPS, D.D.,

PRESIDENT OF QUEENS' COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.

London:

TRÜBNER & CO., LUDGATE HILL.

1876.

LONDON:

PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, WHITEFRIARS STREET AND ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, E.C.

PREFACE.

THE MS. of which a portion is here edited, belongs to the Imperial Public Library of St. Petersburg. It is in fine condition, written in a bold Estrangelo character, comprising several works besides the one now published, and is apparently of the sixth century. It is the only known MS. which contains the Syriac text of "The Doctrine of Addai, the Apostle," entire. There exists in the British Museum a MS. of this work, which forms one of the ancient Syriac documents edited and translated by the late Dr. Cureton, and published after his death. That MS., however, is very imperfect. It does not contain so much as a half of the entire text, and consequently the value of the work in so mutilated a condition is greatly impaired.

Addai, according to Eusebius, was one of the seventy, or according to this document, the Armenian version, and "The Doctrine of the Apostles," one of the seventy-two disciples. "Whatever may be the explanation of this numerical discrepancy, it must in either case be inferred that Addai was one of the second batch of disciples, ordained by our Lord to the office of the ministry (Luke x. 1). The purpose of his mission to Edessa is stated in |iv the beginning of the document. Abgar, the then king of Edessa, sent Hannan, the keeper of the archives, and others to Sabinus, the deputy in the east of the emperor Tiberius, with letters concerning the affairs of the kingdom. The messengers, having most probably heard of the fame of Christ, took that opportunity of going to Jerusalem to see Him. Having entered that city, they saw Christ, and rejoiced. Hannan wrote down what he saw and heard of Christ, for the sake of making a full report to Abgar of our Lord's wonderful deeds on his return to Edessa. The king was greatly impressed by what was related to him, and as he himself was afflicted with a disease, and unable to obtain a cure, he wrote a letter to Jesus, entreating Him to come and heal him. Hannan, the bearer of the letter, delivered it to Jesus. A verbal reply was returned by our Lord to Abgar, in which He promised that after He had gone up to His Father, He would send one of His disciples to cure him of the disease. After Christ had ascended to heaven, Addai was the disciple selected by Judas Thomas to go on the mission to Edessa. His arrival at the city was soon made known to Abgar, who sent immediately for him. Abgar, surrounded by his nobles, received Addai, and he in their presence cured the king of the disease from which he had for a long time been suffering.

A very important inquiry is that which concerns the genuineness, the authorship, &c., of "The Doctrine of Addai, the Apostle." Into this inquiry it is necessary to |v enter. When we consider the great deeds of Addai, his miracles, and the success of his labours as an evangelist, we might reasonably infer that some written account of them would soon appear. Accordingly we find it stated at the conclusion of the document, that, agreeably to the custom of the kingdom, Labubna, the king's scribe, "wrote these things of Addai, the Apostle, from the beginning to the end;" whilst Hannan, the king's sharrir, placed the account among the records. As to the expression "from the beginning to the end," we understand no more than that all which was written of the doings of Addai, and deposited in the archives of Edessa, was written by Labubna. The report drawn up by him might have consisted only of memoranda of the principal acts and chief points of the teaching of Addai, or he might have written in the main the document as we now have it. The latter is the opinion of Dr. Alishan, who translated the Armenian version of "The Doctrine of Addai," under the title of "Lettre d'Abgar." His words are:----"Notre opinion est qu'il est en grande partie rédigé par Laboubnia, Archiviste d'Edesse, contemporain d'Abgar et des disciples de notre Sauveur." I am inclined to this opinion; for if we except certain interpolations, the whole history seems to be consistent with itself, as if it issued from the pen of one and the same individual. The interpolations are considerable. In one place the Acts of the Apostles are mentioned, in another the Epistles of St. Paul; but |vi neither the Acts nor the Epistles could have been known to the Church in the time of Addai. In another place it is recorded that a large multitude assembled day by day for prayer and to read the Diatessaron of Tatian, which was not compiled till about the middle of the second century. The paragraph in p. 50 of the translation, about the ordination of Palut by Serapion, Bishop of Antioch, is contradicted in p. 39, where it is said that Palut was ordained an elder by Addai. The narrative of the portrait of our Lord painted by Hannan, which follows immediately after Abgar's letter, and our Lord's reply is not alluded to by Eusebius, although he has followed the Syriac both before and after this statement. This circumstance shows that, if it formed a part of the Syriac text in his time, he did not believe in the truth of what was related. Other passages are met with which contain internal evidence that they did not form a part of the original text. The story of the invention of the cross by Protonice or, as the name is elsewhere written, Petronice must have been written by some person who was very ignorant of the Roman history of the time when the apostles were living. This is obviously an interpolation, and this and several other passages carry on the face of them their own condemnation. A question arises at what time or times might these interpolations have been introduced into the document. They do not appear to be so many, but that we may fairly assume, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, |vii that they were made by the same individual. The circumstance of the mention of Tatian's Diatessaron shows that they could not have become a part of Addai's work till after the Diatessaron was compiled, and had begun to be used in the Syrian Church. The interpolations, therefore, could not have been introduced till towards the close of the second century. So much for the upper limit. The next question is, Where is the lower limit to be placed? From what follows, I think we may be able to answer sufficiently this question. Eusebius has devoted a chapter of his Ecclesiastical History to Abgar, and the planting of the church at Edessa by Addai. The Syriac of this chapter, from the letter of Abgar to the end is substantially the same as the Syriac of the corresponding portion of our document. "Whoever will take the trouble to compare the two, will find that the variations are not many. He will, I think, be satisfied that Eusebius had our writing before him, when he wrote the thirteenth chapter of the first book of his Ecclesiastical History. Eusebius says:----" The very letters themselves were taken by us from the archives of Edessa." But although the word us is used, it does not follow that the extract was made by himself from the archives. He probably did not make it, for it is not known that he was ever at Edessa. He might have consistently employed the pronoun us, if the extract, which constitutes a chapter of his history, had been made by a person living at a previous period, who |viii wrote, as he himself afterwards did, on the affairs of Abgar, and the origin of the Church at Edessa. It is, indeed, conjectured by Grabe and others that Eusebius might have got the substance of what we find in the thirteenth chapter from the Chronographia of Sextus Julius Africanus; but I can find very little evidence to support that conjecture. It is much more probable that Eusebius would have before him a work professing to have been written by a contemporary of Addai, and written too in Syriac, the language of the country. He himself says that what is contained in his chapter from the letter of Abgar to the end was translated from Syriac into Greek.

But the part of the work which Eusebius translated does not appear to contain any thing, which would warrant us to regard it as an interpolation. We cannot, therefore, say whether the interpolations existed in the Syriac text used by Eusebius; but the following evidence renders it highly probable that they did. In p. 19 of the French translation of the Armenian version is the following note:----"Moïse de Khorène dans sa relation du voyage des Stes. Rhipsiméennes, cite et Patronicée et la sainte Croix, dont elle portait un morceau, qui ensuite par hérédité arriva a Rhipsimée, mais encore elle est mentionnee dans 1'ancien calendrier ecclesiastique, attribué au S. Isaac l'arrière petit fils de S. Gregoire l'illuminateur, et qui occupa la chaire patriarcale de 389 a 439; on y lit, le 17 mai; Fête de |ix l'Invention de la Croix, cherchez dans la Lettre d'Abgar; Patronicée et lisez-la." We infer from this quotation that the letter of Abgar (this is sometimes found as the title of the work) containing the story of Protonice was known in the fourth century, that Protonice had then a place in the calendar of the Armenian Church, and that the festival of the Invention of the Cross existed in that century. The festival was founded, as we read in this extract, on the strength of what is related in our document. The story itself must have been much older than the institution of the festival, or it would not have been believed in as a discovery in the time of St. James. We may, therefore, fairly conclude that our work contained the story of Protonice, and if so, it contained the other interpolations when it was made use of by Eusebius.¹

What has been advanced goes to show that this ancient Syrian document is to be regarded in the main as genuine. The question of its genuineness has given rise to much controversy. It is one of very great importance, and demands a candid and patient consideration. Many able scholars, such as Baronius, |x Tillemont, Cave, Grabe, and the late Dr. Cureton, have arrayed themselves on the side of the genuineness of the work, which is also defended in the Bollandist Acta Sanctorum. I confess that when I first entered upon the inquiry respecting its genuineness, I did so with a strong prejudice against it. As I proceeded, however, the prejudice became weaker and weaker, till it finally disappeared. I will endeavour to lay before the reader, some additional reasons which, in conjunction with those already brought forward, have produced the conviction in my own mind that the claim of the work to genuineness is well founded, and that the objections which have been raised against it may be satisfactorily met.

First: it is historically true that Abgar Ukkama was king of Edessa in the time of our Lord. Having been long afflicted with a disease, and having heard of the miraculous cures effected by Christ, there is surely nothing more probable, nothing more natural, than that he should write a letter to our Lord inviting Him to Edessa to remove the affliction under which he was labouring. But then our Lord is said to have written a letter in reply. This has caused----and it is not surprising that it should----great opposition. It has been made the main argument of the opponents of the genuineness of the work. It is inconceivable, they say, that if Christ wrote a letter, it should have been hidden for three centuries in the archives of Edessa. Christ is not known to have written anything else. If |xi Christ had written a letter to Abgar, it would have been a part of sacred Scripture, and placed at the head of the New Testament; &c., &c. The arguments on which the decree of Gelasius was founded, A.D. 494, against the genuineness of the work rest mainly on the letter of our Lord. Happily for me, it is no part of my duty to answer the arguments which have been advanced against the supposed letter. According to the St. Petersburg MS., and in this it is supported by the Armenian version, the reply of our Lord was merely a verbal message, returned through Hannan to Abgar. He said to Hannan, "Go and say to thy lord," &c. As a further proof that it could have been only a verbal message, it is expressly stated in p. 5 of the translation that Hannan related to Abgar everything which he had heard from Jesus, as His words were put by him in writing. If there be reasons why our Lord did not write a letter, there can be none against a verbal message. This mode of reply was consistent with what our Lord did on other occasions. It was a verbal reply to the question of John the Baptist, which He sent through His messengers (Luke vii. 22). That the reply of our Lord was a written letter is, therefore, an error, and the error was committed by Eusebius. It is not difficult to explain how Eusebius fell into this mistake. He knew that the reply was in writing, and kept in the archives, and he supposed that our Lord Himself had put it in writing, whereas it was done by Hannan. |xii

Our Lord, in this answer to Abgar, made no revelation of Himself which He did not make to those disciples who were in attendance on Him. He informed Abgar that He was going to His father; but this communication He repeatedly made to His followers. See John xiv. 12, 28; xvi. 10; &c.

Again, in the discourse of Addai to the assembled Edessenes, and in his farewell address, there are passages which we find in the Gospels; but this circumstance cannot be cited as evidence against the genuineness of the work. Though these passages are found in the Gospels, it does not follow that they are quotations, or that the Gospels were written at the time these discourses were delivered. They consist of striking sayings of our Lord, which from the time they passed His lips would be sure to become current among His followers, and would be frequently cited. They might have existed, and most probably did exist, traditionally among the first Christians, and became well known to them, and would be certain to be highly appreciated. The passages to which I particularly refer are:----p. 10, "The gate of life is strait," Matt. vii. 13, 14; p. 19, "Behold now is the son of man glorified," John xiii. 31; p. 27, "Behold your house is left desolate," Matt, xxiii. 38; p. 41, "Their angels behold the face of the invisible Father;" compare Matt, xviii. 10; p. 43, "He is gone to prepare for His worshippers blessed mansions;" compare John xiv. 2. In p. 9, Addai |xiii says,----"We were commanded by our Lord to be without purses and scrips;" see Luke x. 4. On the other hand, the reading of the Diatessaron, in p. 34, the reading of the Law and the Prophets and the Gospel, and the Epistles of St. Paul and the Acts of the Apostles, in p. 44; the reading of the Old Testament and the New, and the Prophets and the Acts of the Apostles, in p. 33, must have been interpolations made at a subsequent period by some one, who did not understand what he was writing. Remove these interpolations, and the one in p. 50 already referred to, and especially the story of the Invention of the Cross by Protonice, the most barefaced of all, and you have nothing in the document which bears the aspect of being counterfeit. I do not say that there may not be other insertions made after the time of Labubna; but they are not apparent on the surface.

To return to the discourse, we find the first part of it devoted to an exposition of the great doctrines of Christianity. There is no ambiguity in the assertion of these doctrines. The incarnation is not more clearly set forth by St. John, nor the atonement by St. Paul, than both these doctrines are by Addai. The resurrection of all men, and the judgment to follow, are also distinctly and impressively declared. But that which seems to constitute the burden of the discourse, and that with which the latter part is much occupied, is the |xiv idolatry of those who were listening to the words of Addai. No more conclusive logic against the worship of images and created things is to be met with in the present day. The effect of his preaching was great. By the power of that discourse numbers were persuaded to forsake the idolatry which they had practised, and to embrace the worship of the invisible God. Addai, in his farewell discourse, charges those who were ordained to the ministry, the deacons and priests, to take heed to the duties of their office; for before the judgment-seat of Christ, they would be required to render an account. There are some parts of this address which remind the reader of passages to be met with in the Epistles of St. Paul to Timothy. The duty of the minister is very impressively set forth, and as a whole, it is a model of a pastoral address. Throughout the two discourses, we find nothing but the utterances of pure and eternal truth; discourses worthy of the time in which Addai lived, and worthy of one ordained to the Christian ministry by Christ Himself.

The great antiquity of this document must invest it with deep interest from every point of view. It stands chronologically at the head of Syriac classics, and is certainly to be regarded as important both for theological and linguistic purposes. Impressed with this consideration, I have been induced to submit the Syriac text in |xv its unmutilated state, with an English translation and notes, to the judgment of the public.

I beg to express my grateful thanks to Professor Wright for his valuable assistance in correcting the proof-sheets.

GEORGE PHILLIPS.

[Footnote numbered and moved to the end]

1. * The story of the Invention of the Cross by Helena, the mother of Constantine, is identical in nearly all the details with this by Protonice. There can be no doubt that one story gave rise to the other; and as the story of Protonice takes chronological precedence, the inference is that the Invention of the Cross by Helena is nothing more than a repetition of this Oriental fable.

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The Doctrine of Addai (1876). English Translation

The Doctrine of Addai (1876). English Translation

THE

DOCTRINE OF ADDAI,¹

THE APOSTLE.

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THE letter of king Abgar,² the son of king Ma'nu, and at what time he sent it to our Lord at Jerusalem; and at what time Addai the Apostle came to him (Abgar) at Edessa;³ and what he spake in the gospel of his preaching; and what he said and commanded, when he went forth from, this world, to those who had received from him the hand of the priesthood.

In the three hundred and forty and third year of the kingdom of the Greeks,⁴ and in the reign of our lord Tiberius, the Roman Emperor, and in the reign of king Abgar, son of king Ma'nu, in the month of October, on the twelfth day, Abgar Ukkama sent Marihab and Shamshagram,⁵ chiefs and honoured persons of his kingdom, |2 and Hannan⁶ the tabularius, the sharrir, with them, to the city which is called Eleutheropolis, but in Aramaic Beth-gubrin,⁷ to the honoured Sabinus, the son of Eustorgius, the deputy of our lord the emperor, who ruled over Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine, and the whole country of Mesopotamia. They brought him letters concerning the affairs of the kingdom; and when they went to him, he received them with joy and honour, and they were with him twenty and five days. He wrote for them a reply⁸ to the letters, and sent them to Abgar the king. When they went forth from him, they set out and came on the way towards Jerusalem; and they saw many men, who came from a distance to see Christ, because the fame of his wonderful deeds had gone forth to remote countries. When Marihab, Shamshagram, and Hannan, the keeper of the archives, saw the men, they also came with them to Jerusalem. When they entered |3 Jerusalem, they saw Christ, and they rejoiced with the multitudes, who were joined to Him. But they saw also the Jews, who were standing in groups, and were considering what they should do to Him; for they were disturbed to see that a multitude of their people confessed Him. And they were there in Jerusalem ten days, and Hannan, the keeper of the archives, wrote down everything which he saw that Christ did; also the rest of that done by Him, before they went thither. And they departed and came to Edessa, and entered into the presence of Abgar the king, their lord, who had sent them, and they gave him the reply of the letters, which they had brought with them. After the letters were read, they began to recount before the king all which they had seen and all which Christ had done in Jerusalem. And Hannan, the keeper of the archives, read before him all which he had written and brought with him; and when Abgar the king heard, he was astonished and wondered, as also his princes, who stood before him. Abgar said to them: These mighty works are not of men, but of God; because there is not any one who can make the dead alive, but God only. And Abgar wished himself to pass over and go to Palestine, and see with his own eyes all which Christ was doing; but because he was not able to pass through the country of the Romans, which was not his, lest this cause should call forth bitter enmity, he wrote a letter and sent it to Christ by the hand of Hannan, the keeper of the archives. He went forth from Edessa on the fourteenth day of Adar,⁹ and entered Jerusalem on the twelfth day of Nisan,¹⁰ on the fourth day of the week (Wednesday). And he found Christ at the house of |4 Gamaliel, the chief priest¹¹ of the Jews. The letter was read before Him, which was written thus:----"Abgar Ukkama, to Jesus, the Good Physician, who has appeared in the country of Jerusalem. My Lord: Peace. I have heard of Thee and of Thy healing, that it is not by medicines and roots Thou healest, but by Thy word Thou openest the eyes of the blind, Thou makest the lame to walk, cleansest the lepers, and makest the deaf to hear. And unclean spirits¹² and lunatics, and those tormented, them Thou healest by Thy word; Thou also raisest the dead. And when I heard of these great wonders which Thou doest, I decided in my mind that either Thou art God, who hast come down from heaven and doest these things, or Thou art the Son of God, who doest all these things. Therefore, I have written to request of Thee to come to me who adore Thee, and to heal the disease which I have, as I believe in Thee. This also I have heard, that the Jews murmur against Thee and persecute Thee, and even seek to crucify Thee, and contemplate treating Thee cruelly. I possess one small and beautiful city, and it is sufficient for both to dwell in it in quietness."

When Jesus received the letter at the house of the chief priest of the Jews, He said to Hannan, the keeper of the archives: "Go and say to thy lord, who hath sent thee to Me, 'Blessed art thou, who, although thou hast not seen Me, believest in Me, for it is written of Me, Those who see Me will not believe in Me, and those who see Me not, will believe in me.¹³ But as to that which |5 thou hast written to Me, that I should come to thee, that for which I was sent here is now finished, and I am going up to my Father, who sent me, and when I have gone up to Him, I will send to thee one of my disciples, who will cure the disease which thou hast, and restore thee to health; and all who are with thee he will convert to everlasting life. Thy city shall be blessed, and no enemy shall again become master of it for ever.'"

When Hannan, the keeper of the archives, saw that Jesus spake thus to him, by virtue of being the king's painter, he took and painted a likeness of Jesus with choice paints, and brought with him to Abgar the king, his master. And when Abgar the king saw the likeness, he received it with great joy, and placed it with great honour in one of his palatial houses. Hannan, the keeper of the archives, related to him everything which he had heard from Jesus, as His words were put by him in writing. After that Christ had ascended to heaven, Judas Thomas¹⁴ sent to Abgar, Addai the Apostle, who was one of the seventy-two Apostles. And when Addai came to the city of Edessa, he dwelt at the house of |6 Tobias,¹⁵ son of Tobias the Jew, who was of Palestine. Through all the city a report was heard of him, and one of the nobles of Abgar whose name was Abdu,¹⁶ the son of Abdu, one of those who sat with bended knees ¹⁷ before Abgar, went and said concerning Addai: behold, a messenger has come, and dwells here, he of whom Jesus sent to thee, "I send to Thee one of my disciples." And when Abgar heard these words, and the mighty acts which Addai did, and the wonderful cures which he effected, he thought for certain in his mind: Truly this is he whom Jesus sent, saying, "When I have ascended to heaven I will send to thee one of my disciples, and he will cure thy disease." And Abgar sent and called for Tobias, and said to him, I have heard that a certain powerful man has come, and dwells in thy house. Bring him up to me; a good hope of recovery through him has been found for me. Tobias went early on the next day and took Addai the Apostle, and brought him up to Abgar, Addai himself knowing that by the power of God he was sent to him. And when Addai came up and went to Abgar, his nobles standing with him, and in going towards him, a wonderful vision was seen by Abgar in the face of Addai. At the moment that Abgar saw the vision, he fell down and worshipped Addai. Great astonishment seized all those who were standing before him, for they saw not the vision which |7 was seen by Abgar. Then Abgar said to Addai, "Of a truth thou art the disciple of Jesus, that mighty one, the son of God, who sent to me saying I send thee one of my disciples for healing and for life." Addai said to him, "Because that from the beginning thou didst believe in Him who sent me to thee, therefore have I been sent to thee, and if thou believest in Him, everything in which thou dost believe thou shalt have." Abgar said to him, "So have I believed in Him, that with respect to those Jews who crucified Him, I desire to take with me an army, and to go and destroy them; but because the kingdom belongs to the Romans, I was restrained by the covenant of peace, which was confirmed by me with our lord the emperor Tiberius, like my forefathers." Addai said to him, "Our Lord has fulfilled the will of His Father. And when He had completed the will of His Parent, He was taken up to His Father, and sat with Him in glory, with whom he was from eternity." Abgar said to him: "I also believe in Him and in His Father." Addai said to him:¹⁸ "Because that thou so believest, I place my hand on thee, in the name of Him in whom thou believest."

At the moment that he placed his hand upon him, he was cured of the plague of the disease, which he had had for a long time.¹⁹ Abgar wondered and was astonished, |8 that as it was reported to him concerning Jesus, that which He did and cured; so also Addai himself, without medicine of any kind, healed in the name of Jesus. And also with respect to Abdu, the son of Abdu, he had the gout in his feet, and he too brought his feet near him, and he (Addai) placed his hand upon them and healed him; and he had not the gout again. And also in all the city he wrought great cures, and showed wonderful mighty works in it. Abgar said to him: "Now that every man knoweth that by the power of Jesus Christ thou doest these wonderful works, and behold we are wondering at thy works, I require therefore of thee, that thou wouldest recount to us concerning the coining of Christ, how it was, and concerning His glorious power, and concerning those miracles which we have heard that He did, which thou hast seen with the rest of thy companions." Addai said to him: "I will not keep silent from declaring this; for because of this I was sent here to speak and to teach every one, who, like thee, is willing to believe. Tomorrow assemble for me all the city, that I may sow in it the Word of Life, by the preaching which I will preach before you concerning the coming of Christ, how it was, and concerning His glorious power, and concerning Him that sent Him, for what and how He sent Him, and concerning His power and His wonderful works, and concerning the glorious mysteries of His coming, which He spake in the world, and concerning the certitude of His preaching, how and for what He abased Himself, and humbled His exalted |9 divinity by the body, which He took, and was crucified and descended to the house of the dead, and cleaved the wall of partition, which had never been cleft, and gave life to the dead by being Himself slain, and descended by Himself, and ascended with many to His glorious Father, with whom He was from, eternity in one exalted divinity. And Abgar commanded that they should deliver to Addai silver and gold. Addai said to him: "How are we able to receive anything which is not ours? for, behold, that which was ours we have forsaken, as we were commanded by our Lord to be without purses and without scrips, and carrying crosses upon our shoulders, we were commanded to preach His Gospel to the whole creation: the whole creation felt and suffered by His crucifixion, which was for us, for the salvation of all men. And he narrated before Abgar the king, and before his princes and his nobles, and before Augustina, the mother of Abgar, and before Shalmath, the daughter of Meherdath, the wife of Abgar,²⁰ the signs of our Lord and His wonders, and the glorious miracles which He wrought, and His divine triumphs, and His ascension to His Father; and how they received powers and authorities at the time that He ascended, by which same power he had healed Abgar and Abdu, the son of Abdu, the second person of his kingdom; and how he made them know that which would be revealed at the end of times, and in the consummation of all creatures, and the resuscitation and resurrection, which is about to be for all men, and the separation which is to be between the sheep and |10 the goats, and between the faithful and the unbelieving. And he said to them: "Because that the gate of life is strait and the way of truth is narrow, therefore few are the believers of truth, and in the power of unbelief is Satan's recreation. Because of this there are many liars, who cause to err those who look on. For except that there is a good end for faithful men, our Lord had not descended from heaven, and come to the birth, and to the suffering of death, and also He had not sent us²¹ to be His preachers and evangelists. Those things which we saw and heard from Him, which He did and taught, we confidently preach before all men; for we would not do any wrong with respect to the truth of His Gospel. And not these things only; but also those which were done in His Name, after His ascension, we show and preach.

I will tell before you that which happened and was done in the presence of men, who, as you, believed in Christ, that He is the Son of the living God. Protonice, the wife of the Emperor Claudius,²² whom Tiberius made second²³ in his kingdom, when he went to make war with the Spaniards, who had rebelled against him, this woman, when Simon, one of the disciples, was in the city of Rome, and she saw the signs and wonders, and |11 marvellous works which he did in the name of Christ; denied the paganism of her fathers in which she was brought up, and the idolatrous images which she had worshipped; and she believed in Christ our Lord, and worshipped Him, and praised with those who were joined unto Simon, and held Him in great honour. After this she wished also to see Jerusalem, and those places in which the mighty works of our Lord were done. So she arose promptly and descended from Rome to Jerusalem, she²⁴ and her two sons with her, and her one virgin daughter.

When she was entering Jerusalem, the city went forth to meet her, and they received her with great honour, as that which is due to the queen, the mistress of the great country of the Romans. But James, who was made director and ruler in the church which was built for us there, when he had heard for what purpose she had gone there, arose and went to her. And he entered into her presence where she was dwelling, in the royal great palace of king Herod. When she saw him, she received him with great joy, as also she had Simon Peter. He also showed her cures and mighty works as did Simon, and she said to him: "Show me Golgotha, on which Christ was crucified, and the wood of His cross on which He was suspended by the Jews, and the grave in which |12 He was placed.'' James said to her: "These three things which thy Majesty wishes to see are under the control of the Jews. They possess them, and permit us not to go to pray there before Golgotha and the grave, and neither the wood of His cross will they give us. And not only this, but they also severely persecute us, that we may not publish and preach in the name of Christ, and many times also they bind us in prison." When she heard these things, the queen immediately commanded, and they brought before her Onias, the son of Hannan the priest, and Gedalia, son of Caiaphas, and Judah the son of Ebed Shalom, chiefs and rulers of the Jews. And she said to them: "Deliver up Golgotha, and the grave, and the wood of the cross, to James, and those who agree with him, and let no man forbid them to minister there according to the custom of their ministry." And when she had so commanded the priests, she arose to go and see these places, and she also delivered that place to James, and those who were with him. Afterwards she entered the grave, and found in the grave three crosses, one of our Lord, and two of those robbers, who were crucified with Him, on His right hand and on His left. And at the time that she entered into the grave----she and her children with her----at that instant her virgin daughter fell down and died, without pain, without disease, and without any cause of death. And when the queen saw that her daughter had died suddenly, she kneeled and prayed within the grave, and said in her prayer: "God, who gave Himself to death for all men, and was crucified in this place, and was laid in this grave; and as God, who keepeth alive all, has risen, and made many to rise with Him, lest the Jews, the crucifiers, should hear----and also the erring heathens, whose |13 idols and graven images, and the terrors of paganism, I have denied----and they see me, deride me, and say that all this which has happened to her is because that she denied the gods, which she did worship, and confessed Christ, whom she knew not, and went to honour the place of His grave and His crucifixion; and if, O my Lord, I am not worthy to be heard, because that I have worshipped creatures instead of Thee; spare Thou, for the sake of Thy adorable Name, that it may not be blasphemed in this place, as they blasphemed Thee at Thy crucifixion." She said these things in her prayer, and, in the excitement of her supplication, she repeated them before all those who were there. Her eldest son approached her, and said to her: "Hear that which I shall say before thy Majesty. I think thus in my mind and in my thought, that this death of this my sister, which was sudden, was not for nought; but this is a wonderful work, in which God will be praised, and not that His Name will be blasphemed, as those thought, who heard it. Behold, we enter the grave and find in it three crosses, and we know not which of them is the cross on which Christ was suspended. In the death of this my sister, we may be able to see and to learn which is the cross of Christ, for Christ is not neglectful of those who believe in Him, and seek Him." And the queen Protonice----her soul was very sad at this time----saw in her mind that her son spake these things wisely, justly and rightly. And with her hands she took hold of one of the crosses and placed it upon the dead body of her daughter, which lay before her, and she said in her prayer: "O God, who hast shown wonderful works in this place, as we hear and believe, if this cross, O Lord, be Thine, and on it Thy humanity was suspended by the insolent, show the strong |14 and mighty power of Thy divinity, which dwells in the humanity, and restore to life this my daughter, that she may arise, and Thy Name be glorified in her. May her soul return to her body, that Thy crucifiers may be confounded and Thy worshippers may rejoice! And she waited a long time after she had spoken thus. Afterwards she took that cross from the dead body of her daughter, and placed another, and also said in her prayer:

"O God, by whose nod worlds and creatures endure, and wishing the life of all men that they may be turned to Him, and is not neglectful of the petition of those who seek Him, if this cross be Thine, O Lord, show the power of Thy triumphs as Thou art accustomed, and restore to life this my daughter, that she may arise, and the heathens, worshipping Thy creatures instead of Thee, may be confounded, and the faithful and the true may confess, that their mouth may be opened to Thy praise before those who deny Thee!" And she waited a long time after these things, and took the second cross from her daughter; and she took the third cross and placed it upon her daughter. And as she was going to lift up her eyes to heaven, and to open her mouth in prayer, at that moment, at that time, in the twinkling of an eye, that, the cross touched the dead body of her daughter, her daughter became alive, and she arose suddenly, and praised God, who had restored her to life by His cross. But the queen Protonice, when she saw how her daughter became alive, trembled, and was greatly alarmed, but though alarmed she glorified Christ, and believed in Him, that He was the Son of the living God. Her son said to her: "My lady, thou seest that if this had not occurred today, it might have happened that they would have left this cross of Christ, by which my |15 sister became alive, and have taken and honoured that of one of those murderous thieves. Now, behold, we see and rejoice, and Christ, who has done this thing, is glorified in her."²⁵ And she took the cross of Christ, and gave it to James, that it might be kept with great honour. She also commanded that a great and splendid building should be erected over Golgotha, on which He was crucified, and over the grave in which He was placed, so that these places might be honoured; and that there should be there a place of assembly for prayer, and a gathering for service.

But the queen, when she saw the whole population of the city, which she had collected for the sight of this work, she commanded that, without the covering of honour worn by queens, her daughter should go with her unveiled to the palace of the king, in which she dwelt, so that every one might see her and praise God. But the people of the Jews and the Gentiles, who rejoiced at the beginning of this occurrence, and were glad, became very sad at the end of it. For they would have been well pleased if this had not occurred, for they saw on account of this many believed in Christ; and especially when they saw that the miracles, which were done in His Name after His ascension, were many more than those which were done before His ascension. And the fame of this deed which was done went forth to |16 distant countries, and also to the Apostles, my companions, who preached Christ. And there was rest in the churches of Jerusalem, and the cities round about it; and those who saw not this deed, with those who did see it, praised God. And when the queen went up from Jerusalem to the city of Rome, every city which she entered pressed to see the sight of her daughter. And when she had entered Eome, she recounted before the Emperor Claudius those things which had happened; and when the Emperor heard, he commanded that all the Jews should go forth from the country of Italy. In all that country this deed was spoken of by many, and also before Simon Peter this was recounted, which was done. "Whatsoever also the Apostles, companions, did, we preach before every man, that those who do not know may likewise hear those things which, by our hand, Christ did openly, that our Lord might be glorified by every man. These things which I repeat before you are told, that ye may know and understand how great is the faith of Christ among those who truly join themselves to Him.

But James, the director of the Church of Jerusalem, who with his own eyes saw the deed, gave a written account, and sent it to the Apostles, my companions, in the cities of their countries. And also the Apostles themselves gave written accounts, and made known to James whatsoever that Christ had done by their hands, and these were read before all the multitude of the people of the church.

But when Abgar the king heard these things, he and Augustina, his mother, and Shalmath, the daughter of Meherdath, and Paqûr²⁶ and Abdshemesh, and |17 Shamshagram, and Abdu, and Azzai and Bar-kalba, with the rest of their companions, rejoiced exceedingly, and all of them glorified God, and made their confession in Christ. Abgar the king said to Addai: "I wish that everything which we have heard from thee today, and the rest also of the other things, thou wouldst tell openly before all the city, that every man may hear the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, which thou teachest to us, that he may rest and be confirmed in the doctrine which thou teachest to us, that many may understand that I believed rightly in Christ, in the Letter which I sent to Him, and may know that He is God, the Son of God, and thou art His true and faithful disciple, and that thou showest by works His glorious power before those who wish to believe in Him. The day after, Abgar commanded Abdu, the son of Abdu, who was healed of a sore disease of his feet, to send a herald, that he may proclaim in all the city that the whole population may be assembled, men and women, at the place which is called Beththabara, the wide space of the house of Avida,²⁷ the son of Abd-nachad, that they might hear the doctrine of Addai the Apostle, and how he taught, and in the name of whom he cured, and by what power he wrought these miracles, and those wonders he did. For when he healed Abgar the king, it was the nobles only who stood before him, and saw him, when he healed him by the word of Christ, whom many physicians were not able to heal, but a stranger cured him by the faith of Christ.

And when all the city were assembled, men and women, as the king had commanded, Avida and Labbu, and |18 Chaphsai, and Bar-Kalba, and Labubna,²⁸ and Chesrun,²⁹ and Shamshagram stood there, with their companions, who as they were princes and nobles of the king, and commanders, and all the workmen and the artisans and the Jews and Gentiles who were in this city, and strangers of the countries of Soba and Harran, and the rest of the inhabitants of all this country of Mesopotamia, all of them stood to hear the doctrine of Addai; concerning whom they had heard; that he was the disciple of Jesus, who was crucified in Jerusalem, and he effected cures in His name. And Addai began to speak to them thus:

"Hear, all of you, and understand that which I speak before you; that I am not a physician of medicines and roots, of the art of the sons of men; but I am the disciple of Jesus Christ, the Physician of troubled souls, and the Saviour of future life, the Son of God, who came down from heaven, and was clothed with a body and became man; and He gave Himself and was crucified for all men. And when He was suspended on the wood, the sun He made dark in the firmament; and when He had entered the grave, He arose and went forth from the grave with many. And those who guarded the grave saw not how He went forth from the grave; but the angels of heaven |19 were the preachers and publishers of His resurrection, who if He had not wished, had not died, because that He is the Lord of death, the exit of all things.³⁰ And except it had pleased Him,He had not again clothed Himself with a body, for He is Himself the framer of the body. For the will which inclined Him to the birth from a virgin, also made Him condescend to the suffering of death, and He humbled the majesty of His exalted divinity, ³¹ who was with His Father from eternity, He of whom Prophets of old spake in their mysteries; and they represented images of His birth, and His suffering, and His resurrection, and His ascension to His Father, and of His sitting at the right hand. And, behold, He is worshipped by celestial spirits, and by the inhabitants of the earth, He who is worshipped from eternity. For although His was the appearance of men, His might, and His knowledge, and His power were of God Himself; as He said to us, ³² Behold, now is the son of man glorified, and God glorifies Himself in Him, by miracles and by wonders, and by honour of being at the right hand. But His body is the pure vestment of His glorious divinity, by which we are able to see His invisible Lordship. This Jesus Christ, therefore, we preach and publish, and, with Him, we praise His Father, and we extol and worship the Spirit of His |20 divinity, because that we were thus commanded by Him, to baptize and absolve those who believe in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Also the Prophets of old spake thus: that 'The Lord our God and His Spirit hath sent us.'³³ And if I speak anything which is not written in the Prophets, the Jews, who are standing among you and hear me, will not receive it; and if, again, I make mention of the name of Christ over those who have sufferings and diseases, and they are not healed by this glorious name, they, worshipping the work of their hands, will not believe. If now these things be written, which we say, in the Books of the Prophets,³⁴ and we are able to show the healing powers upon the sick, not a man will look on us without discerning the faith³⁵ which we preach, that God was crucified for all men. If there be those who do not wish to acquiesce in these words, let them draw near to us, and reveal to us what is their mind, that as a disease of their mind we may apply healing medicine for the cure of their wound. For although ye were not present at the time of the suffering of Christ, yet because of the sun, which was dark, and ye saw it, learn and understand concerning the great hororr there was at the time of the crucifixion of |21 Him whose Gospel has flown over all the earth, by the miracles which His disciples, my companions, are working in all the earth. And those who were Hebrews, and knew only the Hebrew tongue in which they were born, behold to day speak in all languages, that those who are far off, as those who are nigh, might hear and believe that He is the same, who confounded³⁶ the tongues of the impious in this district, which lies before us; He it is who to day teaches through us the faith of truth and verity, by humble and wretched men, who were from Galilee of Palestine. For I also, whom ye see, am from Paneas,³⁷ from where the river Jordan goes forth. And I was chosen, with my companions, to be a preacher³⁸ of this Gospel, by which, behold, the regions everywhere resound with the glorious name of the adorable Christ. Let, therefore, no man of you harden his heart against the truth and keep his mind at a distance from verity. Be ye not led captive after thoughts destructively erroneous, which are full of the despair of a bitter death.³⁹ Be ye not taken by the evil customs of the paganism of your fathers, and so keep yourselves at a distance from the life of truth and verity, which are in Christ. For those who believe in Him are those who are trusted before Him, who descended to us by His favour, to make to cease from the earth the sacrifices of heathenism, and the offerings |22 of idolatry; that creatures should no longer be worshipped; but we should worship Him and His Father, with His Holy Spirit.⁴⁰ For I, as my Lord commanded me, behold, I preach and I publish. And His silver on the table, behold I cast before you, and the seed of His word I sow in the ears of every man. Those who wish to receive, theirs is the good reward of confession; and those who do not obey, against them I scatter the dust of my feet, as my Lord commanded me. Turn ye, therefore, my beloved, from evil ways and from hateful deeds, and turn yourselves to Him with a good and honest will, as He turned Himself to you with His grace and His rich mercies. And be ye not as the generations of old, which are passed, who, because that they hardened their heart against the fear of God, received punishment openly; that they may be chastised, and those who came after them may tremble and fear. For that for which our Lord came into the world was altogether⁴¹ to teach and show that at the end of created things is a resurrection for all men. And at that time their acts of conduct will be represented on their own persons, and their bodies become volumes for the written things of justice, and there will not be he who knoweth not writing; because that every man shall read the letters of his own book⁴² at that day, and the account of his actions he taketh with the fingers of his hands. Thus the unlettered will know the new writing of the new language, and there is not he who will say to his fellow, Read me this, because that one doctrine and one instruction shall reign over all men. |23

Let this thought, therefore, be represented before your eyes, and let it not pass from your mind, because that if it pass from your mind, it passeth not from Justice.⁴³ Seek mercies from God, that He may pardon the hateful infidelity of your paganism, for ye have forsaken Him who created you upon the face of the earth, and makes His rain to descend and His sun to rise upon you, and ye worship, instead of Him, His works. For the idols and graven images of paganism, and whatsoever of the creation in which ye have confidence and which ye worship, if there were in them feeling and understanding, for the sake of which ye worship and honour them, it would be right for them, which ye have engraven and established, and have firmly fixed with nails that they be not shaken, to receive your favour. For if the creatures were aware of your honours to them, they would cry, shouting to you, not to worship your fellows, which like yourselves are made and created; because that creatures made should not be worshipped; but that they should worship their Creator, and they should glorify Him who created them. And as His grace covers the wicked here,⁴⁴ so His justice shall be avenged on the infidels there. For I saw in this city that it abounded greatly in paganism, which is against God. Who is this Nebo,⁴⁵ an idol made which ye worship, |24 and Bel,⁴⁶ which ye honour? Behold, there are those among you who adore Bath Nical,⁴⁷ as the inhabitants of Harran your neighbours, and Taratha,⁴⁸ as the people of Mabug, and the eagle, as the Arabians, also the sun and the moon,as the rest of the inhabitants of Harran, who are as yourselves. |25 Be ye not led away captive by the rays of the luminaries and the bright star; for every one who worships creatures is cursed before God. For although there are among creatures such as are greater than their companions, yet they are fellow-servants of their companions, as I have said to you. For this is a bitter pain, for which there is not a cure, that things made should worship things made, and creatures should glorify their fellows. For as they are not able to stand by the power of themselves, but by the power of Him who created them, so they are not able to be worshipped with Him, nor to be honoured with Him; for it is a blasphemy against both parties, against the creatures when they are worshipped, and against the Creator, when the creatures, who are strangers to the nature of His existence, are made partakers with Him. For all the prophecy of the Prophets, and the preaching of us who are after the Prophets, is this, that creatures should not be worshipped with the Creator, and that men should not bind themselves to the yoke of corrupt paganism. It is not because of the creatures being seen, I say, that they should not be worshipped; but everything which is made is a creature, whether visible or invisible. This is a horrible wickedness, to place the glorious name of divinity upon it. For not creatures, as you, we proclaim and worship; but the Lord of creatures. The earthquake, which made them tremble at the Cross, testifies that everything which is made depends on and exists by the power of its Maker, who was before worlds and creatures, whose nature is incomprehensible, in that His nature is invisible, and, with His Father, is sanctified in the heights above, for that He is Lord and God from eternity. This is our doctrine in every country and in every region. And so |26 have we been commanded to preach to those who hear us, not violently, but by the teaching of the truth and by the power of God. And the miracles which were done in His name, testify concerning our faith, that it is true and to be believed. Be obedient, therefore, to my words, and receive that which I have said, and am saying before you; and that I may not require your death, behold, I warn you to be very cautious. Receive my words fitly, and do not neglect. Draw nigh to me ye my distant ones from Christ, and be near to Christ. And in the place Of erroneous sacrifices and oblations, offer now to Him the sacrifices of thanksgiving.

What is this great altar which ye have built in the midst of this city? and what are those going and coming offering upon it to demons, and sacrificing on it to devils? But if ye know not the Scriptures, doth not nature itself teach you, by its power of sight, that your idols have eyes and see not? And ye ⁴⁹ who see with eyes in that ye do not understand, ye are also as they who see not and hear not, and in vain you excite your voices, ineffective to deaf ears. For they are not to be complained of for that which they do not hear, because that by nature they are deaf and dumb. And the blame with which justice is involved is yours, for ye do not wish to understand, even that which ye see. For the thick darkness of error, which is spread over your mind, permits you not to acquire the heavenly light, which is the understanding of knowledge. Flee, therefore, from things made and created, as I have said unto you, that in name only are they called gods, though they are not gods in their nature; and draw near to Him, who in His nature is |27 God from eternity and from everlasting, and is not made as your idols, and also not a creature, and a work of art as the images in which ye make your boast. Because that although He put on this body, He was God with His Father; for the works of creation, which trembled when He was slain, and were terrified by the suffering of His death, they testify that He is He who created the works of creation. For it was not for a man the earth shook, but for Him who established the earth upon the waters; and it was not for a man the sun became dark in the heavens, but for Him who made the great lights. And it was not by a man the righteous and the just were raised to life, but by Him who gave power over death from the beginning. Nor was it by a man the vail of the temple of the Jews was rent from the top to the bottom, but by Him who said to them, 'Behold, your house is left desolate.'⁵⁰ For, behold, except they who crucified Him knew that He was the Son of God, they would not have proclaimed the desolation of their city, also they would not have brought down woes upon themselves. For even if they wished to neglect this confession, the terrible commotions which were at that time would not have permitted them. Behold also some of the children of the crucifiers have become at this day preachers and evangelists, with the Apostles my companions, in all the land of Palestine and among the Samaritans, and in all the country of the Philistines. The idols of paganism also are despised, and the Cross of Christ is honoured. Peoples and creatures also confess God, who became man. If truly when Jesus our Lord was upon earth ye believed in Him that He is the Son of God, and before that ye had heard the word of |28 His preaching, confessed in Him that He is God; now that He has ascended to His Father, and ye have seen the signs and wonders which are done in His name, and the word of His Gospel ye have heard with your ears; not a man of you should let himself doubt in his mind how the promise of His blessing which He sent to you would have been established with you: "Blessed are ye who have believed in me, although ye have not seen me; and because ye have so believed in me the city in which ye dwell shall be blessed, and the enemy shall not prevail against it for ever."⁵¹ Do not, therefore, turn from His faith; for, behold, ye have heard and seen those things which bear witness to His faith, that He is the adorable Son, and is the glorious God, and is the triumphant King, and is the Omnipotent Power; and by His true faith a man is able to acquire the eye of the true mind, and to perceive that every one who worships creatures, the wrath of justice overtakes him.

For everything which we say before you, we say as we have received of the gift of our Lord, and we teach and we show how to possess your life, and not destroy your spirits by the error of paganism; because that the heavenly light hath risen upon creation, and He it is, who hath chosen the ancient fathers and the just men and the Prophets, and hath spoken with them by the revelation of the Holy Spirit. For He is the God of the Jews, who crucified Him, and the erring Gentiles also worship Him, though they know it not; because that there is no |29 other God in heaven and in earth, and behold confession ascendeth up to Him from the four quarters of the earth. Behold now your ears have heard that which was not heard by you before, and behold, again, your eyes have seen that which was never seen by you before. Be ye not therefore unjust to that which ye have heard and seen. Cause to pass from you the rebellious mind of your fathers, and free yourselves from the yoke of sin, which hath dominion over you by libations and sacrifices before graven images. Let it be a care to you concerning your perishing lives, and concerning the vain bowing of your head, and acquire the new mind which worships the Maker and not the thing made, in which is represented the image of truth and verity, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, when ye believe and are baptized in the triple and glorious names. For this is our doctrine and our preaching. For it is not in many things that the truth of Christ is believed. And such of you as are willing to be obedient to Christ, know that many times I have repeated my words before you, that ye might learn and understand whatsoever ye hear. And we will rejoice in this, as a husbandman in his field which is blessed; and our God is glorified by your repentance towards Him. And as ye live in this, we also who counsel you thus will not be defrauded of the blessed reward of this. And because I am confident that ye are a blessed land, according to the will of the Lord Christ, therefore for the dust of my feet which we have been commanded ⁵² to shake off against the city that receiveth not our words; behold I shake off to-day at the door of your ears the words of my lips, in which the |30 coming of Christ is represented, that which has been, and that which is about to be, and the resurrection and resuscitation of all men, and the separation which is to be between the faithful and unbelieving, and the blessed promise of future joys which they who have believed in Christ and worshipped His high Father, and confessed Him and the Spirit of His godhead, shall receive. And now it is right for us to finish our present discourse, and let those who have received the word of Christ remain with us, and also those who wish to be associated, with us in prayer, and then let them go to their homes."

And Addai the Apostle rejoiced in this when he saw that the multitude of the population of the city remained with him, and there were few who did not remain at that time; and these same few, after a few days, received his words and believed in the gospel of the preaching of Christ.

And when Addai the Apostle had said these things before all the city of Edessa, and Abgar the king saw that all the city rejoiced in his doctrine, men and women equally, and were saying to him "Christ, who hath sent thee to us is true and faithful," and he also greatly rejoiced at this, praising God, that according to what he had heard from Hannan, his tabularius, concerning Christ, so he had seen the marvellous mighty works which Addai the Apostle had done in the name of Christ. And Abgar the king also said to Addai the Apostle, As I sent to Christ by my letter to Him; and as He also sent to me and I have received from thee thyself this day; so will I believe all the days of my life, and in the same things continue, exulting, because I know that there is no other power in the name of whom these signs and wonders are done, but by the power of Christ, whom thou preachest in truth and verity. And now I will worship Him, |31 I and Ma'nu,⁵³ my son, and Augustina, and Shalmath the queen. And now, wherever thou wishest, build a church, a house of assembly for those who have believed, and shall believe in thy words. And, as commanded thee by thy Lord, minister thou at times with confidence. And those who are teachers with thee of this Gospel, I am prepared to deliver to them large gifts, that they may not have any other work with the ministry. Everything also which is required by thee for the expenses of the house, I will give thee without taking account; thy word shall be powerful and have rule in this city, and without another man, have thou authority to enter into my presence in my royal palace of honour.

And when Abgar the king went down to his royal palace, he rejoiced, he and his princes with him, Abdu and Garmai, and Shamshagram, and Abubai, and Meherdath, with the rest of their companions, at everything which their eyes had seen, and their ears had heard, and in the joy of their heart they also praised God, who had turned their mind to Him; they renounced the paganism in which they stood, and confessed the Gospel of Christ. And when Addai had built a church, they offered in it vows and offerings, they and the people of the city, and there they worshipped all the days of their life.

And Avida ⁵⁴ and Bar-kalba who were chiefs and rulers, and clothed with royal headbands ⁵⁵, drew near to Addai, and they asked Addai concerning the |32 history of Christ, to tell them how that He being God was seen by them, as man, and how ye were able to see Him. And he satisfied them all concerning this, concerning all which their eyes had seen, and concerning all which their ears had heard of Him. And every thing which the Prophets had said of Him, he repeated before them, and they received his words gladly and faithfully, and there was not a man who rose up against him. For the glorious things which he did permitted not a man to rise up against him.

Shavida and Ebednebo, chiefs of the priests of this city, with Piroz ⁵⁶ and Dancu ⁵⁷ their companions, when they saw the signs which he did, ran and threw down the altars upon which they sacrificed before Nebo and Bel their gods, except the great altar, which was in the midst of the city, and they cried out and said, that this is truly the disciple of the distinguished and glorious Master of whom we heard all those things, which He did in the country of Palestine. And all who believed in Christ, Addai received, and baptized them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And those who were accustomed to worship stones and stocks, sat at his feet, learning, and being corrected of the plague of the foolishness of paganism. The Jews also, conversant with the Law and the Prophets, who carried on |33 merchandise in silks, ⁵⁸ were also persuaded and became disciples, and made confession in Christ, that He is the Son of the living God. But neither Abgar the king, nor Addai the Apostle pressed any man by force to believe in Christ; because without the force of man, the force of the signs compelled many to believe in Him. And all this country of Mesopotamia, and all the regions round about it received his doctrine with love.

But Aggai made the chains ⁵⁹ and headbands of the king, and Palut and Abshelama ⁶⁰ and Barsamya with the rest of the others their companions, adhered to Addai the Apostle, and he received them and made them partakers with him in the ministry; they read in the Old Testament ⁶¹ and the New, and the Prophets, and the Acts of the Apostles, every day they meditated on them. He commanded them cautiously, "Let your bodies be pure, and let your persons be holy; as is right for men who stand before the altar of God; and be ye indeed far |34 removed from false swearing, and from wicked murder, and from false testimony, which is mixed with adultery, and from sorcerers with respect to whom there are no mercies, and from divinations, and soothsaying, and necromancers, and from fates, and nativities, in which the erring Chaldees boast themselves; and from stars, and the signs of the Zodiac, in which the foolish are confident. And keep at a distance from you evil hypocrisy, and bribes, and gifts, by which the pure are condemned. And with this ministry to which ye have been called, let there not be for you another service; for the Lord Himself is the service of your ministry all the days of your life. Be ye also diligent to deliver the sign of baptism, and love ye not the gains of this world, but hearken ye to judgment with justice and truth. And be ye not a stumbling block to the blind, that the name of Him who opened the eyes of the blind, as we have seen, be not blasphemed through you. Let all, therefore, who see you, perceive that ye perform all which ye preach and teach. And they ministered with him in the church which Addai had built by the word and command of Abgar the king, and they were supplied from that which was the king's and his nobles; and some of them they brought for the house of God, and some for the nourishment of the poor. But a large multitude of people assembled day by day and came to the prayer of the service, and to the reading of the Old and New Testament, of the Diatessaron, ⁶² and they believed in the revival of the dead, and |35 they buried their dead in the hope of the resurrection. They also observed the festivals of the Church in their times, and every day they were constant in the vigils of the Church, and they likewise performed acts of charity to the sick and those who were whole, according to the instruction of Addai to them. And in places round about the city churches were built, and the hand of the priesthood many received from him: So also orientals with the appearance of merchants passed into the country of the Romans to see the signs which Addai did, and those of them who became disciples, received from them ⁶³ the hand of the priesthood, and in their own country of the Assyrians they taught the sons of their people, and houses of prayer they built there secretly, because of the danger arising from the worshippers of fire and the adorers of water.⁶⁴

But Nersai,⁶⁵ the king of the Assyrians, when he had heard of these things which Addai the Apostle had done, he sent to Abgar, the king; either send me the man who |36 hath done these signs with thee, that I may see him and hear his discourse, or send me an account of all these things which thou hast seen him do in thy city. And Abgar wrote to Nersai and made him acquainted with the whole history of the affair of Addai from the beginning to the end, and he left not any thing which he did not write to him.

But when Nersai heard those things which were written to him, he wondered and was astonished. But Abgar the king, because that he was not able to pass to the country of the Romans, and to go to Palestine and slay the Jews, because that they had crucified Christ, wrote a letter and sent to Tiberius Caesar, writing it thus: "Abgar, the king, to our Lord Tiberius Caesar, peace. Knowing that not anything is hidden from thy Majesty, I write and inform thy dread and great sovereignty, that the Jews, who are under thy hand, who dwell in the country of Palestine, assembled themselves together and crucified the Christ without any fault worthy of death, when he was doing before them signs and wonders, and showed them mighty works and signs; so |37 that even the dead He raised to life for them. And at the time they crucified Him, the sun became darkened and the earth shook, and all creatures trembled, and as if of themselves, at this deed all creation quailed, and its inhabitants. And now thy majesty knows what is right to command against the people of the Jews, who did these things."

And Tiberius Caesar wrote and sent to Abgar the king, and thus he wrote to him: "The letter of thy fidelity to me, I have received, and it was read before me. With respect to that which the Jews have done with the cross, Pilate the governor hath also written, and informed Olbinus, ⁶⁶ my pro-consul, of these things which thou hast written to me. But because of the war of the Spaniards who have rebelled against me is going on at this time, therefore I have not been able to avenge this matter; but I am prepared, when I have quietness, to make a charge legally against the Jews, who have not acted legally. And because of this, as to Pilate, who was made by me governor there, I have sent another in his place, and I have dismissed him with disgrace, because that he departed from the law, and did the will of the Jews, and he crucified Christ for the gratification of the Jews, who according to that which I hear of them, instead of the cross of death, it was fitting that He should be honoured, and it was right He should be worshipped by them, especially as they saw with their eyes all which He did. But thou, according to thy fidelity to me and thy true |38 compact and that of thy fathers, hast done well to write to me thus."

And Abgar the king, received Aristides,⁶⁷ who was sent to him by Tiberius Caesar, and he replied, sent him back with honourable gifts, which were suitable for him, who had sent him to him. And he departed from Edessa, and went to Ticnutha,⁶⁸ where was Claudius the second, from the king, and from there also he went to Artica,⁶⁹ where was Tiberius Caesar. But Gaius guarded the regions, which were round about the Emperor. And Aristides himself also recounted before Tiberius the mighty works which Addai did before Abgar the king. And when he had rest from the war, he sent, slew some of the chiefs of the Jews, who were in Palestine. And when Abgar the king heard, he greatly rejoiced at this, that the Jews had received punishment, as it was right.

And some years after Addai the Apostle had built the church in Edessa, and furnished it with everything which was suitable for it, and had taught many of the population of the city, also in the other villages, both those which were distant, and those which were near, he built churches, and completed and ornamented them, and appointed in them deacons and elders, and |39 taught in them those who should read the Scriptures, and the orders of the ministry within and without he taught. After all these things he became ill with the disease, by which he departed from this world.⁷⁰ And he called Aggai before all the congregation of the church, and he brought him near, and made him governor and ruler in his place. And concerning Palut, who was a deacon, he made him an elder, and of Abshelama, who was a scribe, he made him a deacon. And when the nobles and chiefs were assembled and stood by him, Bar-kalba and ⁷¹ Bar-Zati, and Marihab, the son of Barshemesh, and Sennac, son of Avida, and Peroz, son of Patricius, with the rest of their companions, Addai the Apostle said to them: "Ye know, and ye testify, all of you who hear me, that everything which I have preached to you and taught you, and ye have heard from me, so have I conducted myself among you, and ye have seen also in works, because that thus our Lord commanded us that whatsoever we preach in words before the people, we in work should do before every man. And according to the ordinances and laws which were appointed in Jerusalem, and by which also the Apostles, my companions, were governed, |40 so also ye, do not turn aside from them, and do not take away anything from them, as I myself also have been guided by them among you, and have not turned aside from them to the right hand, or to the left, that I might not become strange to the promised salvation, which is reserved for those who are guided by them. Take heed, therefore, to this ministry which ye hold, and with fear and trembling abide ye in it, and minister every day. Minister not in it with habits bringing contempt, but with the prudence of faith; and the praises of Christ, let them not cease from your mouth, and let not weariness in prayer at the stated times draw near to you. Take heed to the truth, which ye hold, and to the teaching of the truth, which ye have received, and to the inheritance of salvation, which I commend to you, because before the judgment-seat of Christ you will be sought out by Him, when He taketh account with the pastors and superiors, and when He taketh His money from merchants with the increase of gains. For He is the king's son, and goes to receive a kingdom, and to return, and to come and make a resurrection for all men; and then He sitteth on the throne of righteousness, and judgeth the dead and the living, as He hath said to us. Let not the secret eye of your mind from the height above be closed, that your offences may not multiply in the way in which there are no offences; nor abominable error in its ways. Seek ye those that are lost, and visit those that err, and rejoice ye in those that are found. Bind up those that are bruised, and be ye watchful of the fatlings, because at your hands will the sheep of Christ be required. Look ye not to passing honour, for the shepherd that looketh to be honoured by his flock, badly, badly with respect to him does his flock stand. Let your solicitude for the |41 young lambs be great, for their angels ⁷² behold the face of the invisible Father, and be ye not a stone of stumbling before the blind, but clearers ⁷³ of the way and the path in a difficult country, among the Jews, the crucifiers, and the erring heathen; for with these two parties only is there war for you, in order to show the truth of the faith, which ye hold; also when ye are quiet, your modest and honourable appearance will be fighting for you with those who hate truth and love falsehood. Be ye not smiters of the poor before the rich, for the severe infliction of their poverty is sufficient for them. Be ye not beguiled with the hateful cogitations of Satan, that ye be not stripped naked of the faith that ye have put on,⁷⁴ for unbelief is easier than faith, as sin is easier than righteousness. Take heed, therefore, of those that crucified, that ye be not friends to them, that ye be not responsible with them whose hands are full of the blood of Christ; and ye know, and ye bear witness, that everything which we say and teach of the history of Christ, is written in the Book of the Prophets, and deposited with them. And their words bear witness to our teaching concerning the judgment, and suffering, and resurrection, and ascension of Christ; but they know not, that when they rise against us they rise against the words of the Prophets, and as in their lives they persecuted the Prophets, so also now, since their death, they persecute the truth, which is written in the Prophets. Again, take ye heed of the heathen, who worship the sun and the moon, and Bel and Nebo, and the rest of those which they call gods, though they are not gods in their nature. |42 Flee ye, therefore, from them, because that they worship creatures and things made. And as reported to you before, the whole object ⁷⁵ for which our Lord came into the world was that creatures might not again be worshipped and honoured, because they exist by the nod of their Creator; and when He wishes, He dissolves and makes them cease, and they are as though they are not. For the will of Him, who created the creatures, freed men from the yoke of the paganism of the creatures. For ye know that every one who worships the servants of a king with the king, the death of the sword findeth him in his worship. Be ye not searching for secret things, and inquiring after hidden things, which are written in the holy books that ye possess. Be ye not judges concerning the words of the Prophets. Remember and consider that by the Spirit of God they are said; and he who accuses the Prophets, accuses and judges the Spirit of God. May this be far from you I Because the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous walk in them without stumbling; but the infidels stumble in them; because that they have not the secret eye of the secret mind, which has no need of questions in which there is no profit, but loss.⁷⁶ Remember the menacing judgment of the Prophets, and the word of our Lord, which defines their words, that the Lord judgeth by fire, and all men are tried by it. Wherefore, as wayfarers |43 and sojourners, who tarry for a night and return early to their homes, so may you yourselves consider concerning this world, that from here ye go forth to the places where the Son went to prepare for every one worthy of them. As to kings of countries, their armies go forth before them, and prepare for them a dwelling-house for their honour; but this King of ours, behold, He is gone to prepare for His worshippers blessed mansions ⁷⁷ in which they may dwell. For it was not in vain God created the children of men; but that they might worship and glorify Him. here and there for ever. As He passeth not away, so those glorifying Him cease not. Wherefore my death also, with the disease of which I am bound and lie; as a sleep of the night, let it be esteemed in your eyes. And remember that with the suffering of the Son, Death, which snatches away the children of men, passed away and ceased; and Satan, who causes many to sin and makes war with the true, that they may be without truth. And as a husbandman who puts his hand to the ploughshare, if he looks behind,⁷⁸ the furrows before him cannot be straight; so also ye who have been called to this gift of the ministry, be ye cautious, that ye do not trouble yourselves with the things of this world, lest by chance ye be impeded as to that to which ye have been called.

As to princes and judges, who have embraced this faith, be ye loving them, although do not simulate in any thing, and if they sin, ye reprove them with justice. Ye shall show them openly your rectitude, that they may be corrected so as not again to conduct themselves after their own will. This solicitude ye shall have all the days |44 of your life, that all of you may run after honest things, as ye also counsel others with respect to them; for in these things men find their life before God.

But the Law,⁷⁹ and the Prophets, and the Gospel, which ye read every day before the people, and the Epistles of Paul, which Simon Peter sent us from the city of Rome, and the Acts of the twelve Apostles, which John, the son of Zebedee, sent us from Ephesus; these Books read ye in the churches of Christ, and with these read not any others, as there is not any other in which the truth that ye hold is written, except these books, which retain you in the faith to which ye have been called. And our lord Abgar the king, and his honoured nobles, who have heard that which I have spoken before you to day are sufficient to be for me witnesses after my death, that I have diligently preached the doctrine of our Lord before every man, and that I have not acquired anything with His word in the world. For His word by which I have become rich was sufficient for me, and I have made by it many rich; for it lifts me up in this way in which I go forth before Christ, who has sent after me, that I should go by it to Him. For ye know that which I have said to you, "That all the souls of men, which depart from this body, die not; but they live and rise, and have mansions, and a dwelling-place of rest, |45 for the understanding and the intelligence of the soul do not cease, because the image of God is represented in it, which dieth not. For it is not as the body without feeling which perceives not the odious corruption which has come upon it. Eeward and recompense it is not able to receive without it (the body); because that labour was not its only, but also of the body in which it dwelt. But the rebellious who know not God, they become penitent then to no purpose. Ye, indeed, who are of Christ, whose glorious name is placed upon you, and ruleth, He will direct you in the way of truth, in which, ye shall go and shall arrive at and attain to that which is promised and kept for those who depart not from Him; but abide according to what they were called to by our Lord.

And when Addai the Apostle had said this word, he ceased and was silent. And Aggai, maker of the king's chains, and Palut, and Abshelama, with the rest of their companions, answered and said to Addai the Apostle, "Christ Himself has testified that He sent thee to us, and thou hast taught us the true faith, and hast made us possess the true life. As we have heard from thee and received, all this time thou hast been with us, so we abide all the days of our life. And from the worship of things made and created, which our fathers worshipped, we flee, and with ⁸⁰ the Jews, the crucifiers we will not mix ourselves; and this inheritance, which we have received from thee, we do not let go, but with it we will depart from this world. And in the day of our Lord, before the judgment-seat of righteousness, there will He return to us this inheritance as that thou hast said to us.

And when these things had been said, Abgar the king, |46 arose, he and his princes, and all the nobles of his kingdom, and he went to his own palace, when all of them grieved over him, for he was dying. And he sent to him honourable and costly garments, in which he should be buried; and when Addai saw them, he sent word to him, that not in my life have I taken from thee anything, and I will not falsify in me the word of Christ, which He said to me, "Receive not anything from man, arid acquire not anything in this world."⁸¹ And after three other days, that these things were said by Addai the Apostle, and he had heard and received the testimony of the doctrine of his preaching from the sons of his ministry, before all the nobles, he departed from this world, and it was the fifth day of the week, in the fourteenth of the month Eyor.⁸² And the whole city was in great sorrow and bitter pain; not only Christians sorrowed for Him, but also Jews and Pagans, who were in this city. But king Abgar more than any man sorrowed for him, he and the princes of his kingdom. And in the grief of his |47 mind he despised and forsook the honour of his kingdom on that day; and with mournful tears he wept over him with every man. And all the people of the city, who saw him, wondered at how much he suffered because of him. And with great and excellent honour he carried and buried him, as one of the princes, when he dies, and he placed him in a great sepulchre of ornamental sculpture, in which those of the house of Aryu, the ancestors of the father of king Abgar, were placed. There he placed him carefully with grief and great sorrow. And all the people of the church went from time to time, and prayed there diligently, and the commemoration of his death they made from year to year, according to the command and instruction which was received by them from Addai the Apostle, and according to the word of Aggai, who was himself the guide and ruler and the successor of his chair after him, by the hand of the priesthood, which he had received from him before every man.

And he also by the hand from which he received made priests and guides in all this country of Mesopotamia. For they also, as of Addai the Apostle, thus took his word and heard and received, as a good and faithful heir of the Apostle of the adorable Christ. But silver and gold he took not from man, and the gifts of the princes approached him not. For instead of gold and silver he enriched the Church of Christ with the souls of the faithful. But all the chiefs ⁸³ of men and women |48 were modest and decorous, and they were holy and pure, and they dwelt singly and modestly without spot, in watchfulness of the ministry decorously, in their carefulness for the poor, in their visitations to the sick; for their goings forth were full of praise from those who saw, and their conversation was covered with glory from strangers; so that even the priests of the temple of Nebo and Bel divided with them the honour at all times, by their honourable aspect, by their truthful discourse, by the confidence which they possessed, and by their freedom, which was not enslaved to greediness, and was not in bondage under blame. For every one who saw them ran to meet them, that he might honourably salute them; because even the sight of them spread peace over the beholders. For their words of peace were spread like nets over the rebellious, when they were entering the fold of truth and verity. For there was no man who saw them, and was ashamed of them; because they did not anything which was not just, and which was not becoming, and in consequence of this their countenances were open in the preaching of their doctrine to every man. For whatsoever they said to others and directed them, they exhibited the same by works in themselves; and as to the hearers, who saw that their works were with their words, many became their disciples without persuasion, and confessed Christ the king, praising God who had turned them to Him.

And years after the death of Abgar the king, one of |49 his rebellious sons,⁸⁴ who was not obedient to the truth, arose and sent word to Aggai, when he was sitting in the Church: "Make me headbands of gold, according to that which thou didst make for my fathers of old." Aggai sent him word: "I desert not the ministry of Christ, which has been committed to me by the disciple of Christ, and make headbands of wickedness." ⁸⁵ And when he saw that he did not obey him, he sent, and broke his legs, as he was sitting in the church and expounding. And as he was dying he made Palut and Abshelama swear that in this house, for the sake of whose name, behold, I die, place me and bury me. And as he made them swear, so they placed him within the middle door of the church, between the men and the women. And there was great and bitter sorrow in all the church, and in all the city, above the pain of sorrow, which had been |50 in its interior, as the sorrow, which had been when Addai the Apostle died.

And because that by the breaking of his legs he died suddenly and quickly, he was not able to place the hand upon Palut.⁸⁶ Palut himself went to Antioch, and received the hand of the priesthood from Serapion, Bishop of Antioch. Serapion, Bishop of Antioch, himself also received the hand from Zephyrinus, Bishop of the city of Rome,⁸⁷ from the succession of the hand of the priesthood of Simon Cephas, which he received from our Lord, who was there Bishop of Rome twenty-five years, in the days of the Caesar, who reigned there thirteen years.

And as is the custom in the kingdom of Abgar the king, and in all kingdoms, that everything which the king commands, and everything that is said before him is written down and placed among the records, so also Labubna, the son of Sennac, the son of Abshadar, the king's scribe, wrote these things of Addai the Apostle, from the beginning to the end. Hannan also, the Tabularius, the king's Sharrir, set the hand of witness, and placed it among the records of the writings of the kings, where are put the commands and laws, and the contracts of those who buy and sell are kept there with care, without any negligence.

THE END OF THE DOCTRINE OF ADDAI THE APOSTLE.

[Footnotes numbered and moved to end]

1. a Addai. According to Eusebius, Addai was one of the seventy disciples of Christ. See also p. 5.

2. b Abgar. This king is called here the son of Ma'nu. Of the twenty-nine kings of Edessa mentioned by Assemani, in his edition of the Chronicon Edessenum, Bibl. Or. tom. i. p. 417, ten bore the name of Abgar, and ten that of Ma'nu. The meaning of Abgar in Syriac is lame. Lower down we find Abgar called Ukkama. The latter word is a Syriac adjective, signifying black, and it may have been used because his skin was of a blackish hue. A previous king of Edessa was called Abgar the Red.

3. c Edessa is called, in Syriac, Urhai.

4. d The Seleucian era, which corresponds to B.C. 312-311.

5. e Marihab and Shamshagram. In regard to many of the proper names in this book, it is a matter of conjecture where the vowels should be inserted. In these two I have followed the French translation of the Armenian version. The latter name Cureton, in a note on Bardesanes, in his Spicilegium Syriacum, p. 77, calls Shemashgram. In Greek it is written

Samyige/ramoj or Samyike/ramoj.

6. a Hannan. This name is written in Cureton's text according to the Greek form. Further on, however, in the same text, we have Hanan. He is called in our text tabularius, but in Cureton's tabellarius. The former is more probably correct. Perhaps it and the following word, Sharrir, express, the one in Latin and the other in Syriac, the same office, viz. that of keeper of the archives. There is a passage in the Chronicle of Edessa, in which those who were placed over the archives of a city were called the Sharrirs of that city. Bibl. Or. tom. i. p. 393.

7. b Beth-gubrin. "Ville connue déjà par Ptolémée, qui écrit Baitograbra_." ---- Lettre d' Abgar, p. 11. It is still called Beit-jibrin.

8. c Reply. [Syriac] usually signifies a copy; but here it seems rather to mean a reply to the letters which were brought to Sabinus.

9. a March.

10. b April.

11. a The word in Syriac is [Syriac], "the chief," a title of dignity among the Jews.

12. b [Syriac], spirits. Some adjective, signifying unclean, such as [Syriac] is perhaps to be understood with this noun.

13. c From the expression "it is written," one would infer that these words are a quotation from the Old Testament; but they are not to be found in any part of that sacred Book. Our Lord said to Thomas: "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (St. John xx. 29.) The passage in this reply is somewhat like these words. Although these words are not found in the Old Testament, they are like passages there in sense. See Is. vi. 9; lii. 15.

14. a There is a tradition preserved by Eusebius, see Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, under 'Jude,' that the true name of Thomas (the twin) was Judas ('Iou&daj o( kai\ Qwma~j). It is therefore probable that Judas is mentioned in the text to certify that it was the Apostle Thomas, and not another Thomas, who sent Addai to Edessa. See also Wright's Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles, p. [Syriac].

15. a Tobias. Moses of Chorene calls Tobias Prince Juif, and says: "Qu'on dit être de la race des Pacradouni." It appears, on the same authority, that he did not abjure Judaism with his relations, but followed its laws up to the time when he believed in Christ.

16. b Abdu. Moses of Chorene says of Abdu that he was "Prince de la ville, très honoré dans toute la maison du roi."

17. c With a bending of the knees. The Syriac word is [Syriac], which, according to Castle, means genuflexio, but he cites no instance in which the noun occurs. The verb is found several times, but the noun is evidently very rare. Castle himself got the word from Bar Bahul.

18. a Cureton's text of this document begins here. It is taken from the Nitrian collection in the British Museum, No. 14,654, at fol. 33. It is contained in one leaf only.

19. b A long time. The time is not mentioned by Eusebius in his Eccle siastical History. Moses of Chorene, bk. ii. chap. xxx. p. 217, Histoire D'Arménie, says that Abgar suffered from a disease which he had caught in Persia more than seven years before, and that he had obtained no remedy for it from men.

20. a Moses of Chorene speaks of Helena as the first wife of Abgar, that she was a pious woman, and renounced idolatry. He says the tomb of Helena was a very remarkable one, and was to be seen in his day before the gate of Jerusalem. Book II. c. 35, ed. Le Vaillant de Florival.

21. a With this word ends Cureton's text, p. [Syriac].

22. b "L'Histoire detachée de la première invention de la Croix dit plus clairement que c'était Claude qui alla centre les Espagnols pendant que Tibere était absent de Rome. Cette guerre d'Espagne mentionnee ici et plus bas dans la lettre de Tibere a Abgar n'est citée par aucun auteur Romain: cependant il est très probable que notre auteur fait allusion aux intrigues et aux spoliations des biens des hommes les plus riches d'Espagne et de Gaule, faites par l'ordre de Tibère (v. Suétone, Tiber. 49; Tacite, Annal. vi. 19)."----Lettre d'Abgar, p. 19.

23. c Second in authority.

24. a A leaf is missing in the MS. after fol. 7. It must have been lost at an early date, and its place is now supplied by a rudely written leaf of the twelfth or thirteenth century. It fills the gap in the Syriac text, caused by the loss of the original. This leaf, having become loose, has been bound as fol. 54 of the MS., in the middle of the Acts of St. John at Ephesus (see Wright's Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles, p. 3); moreover, it has been reversed in binding, so that what is really the recto now appears as the verso.

25. a This story of the finding of the cross is the same in most of its details as that which is told of the discovery of it by Helena, the mother of Constantine. It is related of Helena, that on her arrival at Jerusalem, she resolved to lay the foundation of a church, dedicated to the true God, on Mount Calvary. In digging, some pieces of wood were discovered, which were recognised as belonging to the cross of our Saviour. These pieces were sent by Helena to Constantine.

26. a In the French translation of the Armenian version this name is called Phocreas, also Azzai is called Aghi. The orthography of proper names is often modified, to adapt them to the language in which they appear.

27. a The French translation has "Avité fils d'Abdékhil." Lower down, the same name is called Avida.

28. a Labubna. In the French, translation of the Armenian version, this name is written Leboubnia. Moses of Chorene has made a change in the consonants; he calls the name Ghéroupna. Whiston has written the name Lerubnas: "Lerubnas, Apsadari scribas filius, omnes res gestas Abgari et Sanatrucis conscripsit, atque in Tabulario Edesseno posuit," p. 146.

29. b Chesrun. There is mention of this person in Moses of Chorene, lib. ii.: "Abgar s'étant rendu dans sa ville d'Édesse, se ligua avec Arète, roi de Petra, et lui donna des troupes auxiliaires, sous la conduite de Khosran Ardzrouni, pour faire la guerre à Hérode." The name occurs again in p. 237 of the Second Book of the same work.

30. a [Syriac], being in apposition with [Syriac] seems to have the meaning given to it above.

31. b The word rendered divinity was not very much employed till after the times of the Apostles, when Christianity had become to some extent a system, and theological words had begun to be made use of to give it definiteness.

32. c The words which immediately follow are evidently very similar to what we find in St. John xiii. 31. There is very little variation between them and the passage as it is read in the Peshitta version.

33. a This is a quotation from Isaiah xlviii. 16. The plural pronoun us for me is the only variation. This may he because Addai is speaking in the context in the plural number, viz. "the Prophets of old."

34. b The sense seems to require Dolath instead of Vau, Beth, before the Syriac word for Prophets. This suggestion is supported by the Armenian version.

35. c It is here that Cureton's text recommences, p. [Syriac]. The said text, beginning here and continuing to the end, is taken from a MS. different from that in which the previous part of his text appears, viz. from a MS. of the Nitrian collection in the British Museum, Cod. Add. 14,644.

36. a Il fait allusion à la confusion, des langues au Sénaar dans la Baby-lonie, qui n'est pas très loin de la contrée où prêchait S. Thaddée." Lettre d'Abgar.

37. b Paneas, the same as Caesarea Philippi.

38. c Here is found another break in Cureton's text, p. [Syriac].

39. d The sense of this expression I apprehend to be, that erroneous thoughts only fill the mind with despair of being able to escape a bitter death.

40. a The text of Cureton is found to recommence at this place, p. [Syriac].

41. b [Syriac], according to Pratten, is here equal to omnino. Page 15 of Syriac Documents.

42. c Here is found another break in Cureton's text. p. [Syriac].

43. a Justice. [Syriac] is equal in sense to [Syriac]. The former word is not unfrequently found in old Syriac MSS. See this word a little lower down.

44. b By here and there, understand this world and the world to come.

45. c Nebo was an idol of the Babylonians. Traces of this deity are observed in the proper names, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan, &c. Nebo seems also to have been worshipped in other places. In Isaiah xlvi. 1, we read that "Nebo stoopeth." It is supposed that at Dibon, a city of Moab, was a temple to Nebo. See Selden, "De Diis Syris." Syntagma II. chap. xii.

46. a Bel was a Babylonian deity. Calmet thinks that the sun was worshipped under this name. But worshipping the sun is mentioned lower down, and further it must, according to Addai, have been an object of worship distinct from Bel. The worshippers of Bel attributed to him the gift of healing diseases, and asserted that he ate and drank. See the apocryphal story of the Bel and Dragon.

47. b Bath Nical. It is here stated that this idol was worshipped in Harran. There does not appear to be much known with any certainty about it. In the history of Armenia, by Moses of Chorene, translated from the Armenian into French by P. E. le Vaillant de Florival, liv. ii. c. 27, this goddess is called Pathincagh. One has not heard of a god called Nical, and therefore it may be inferred that Bath Nical was a goddess invested with the attribute or attributes implied in the word [Syriac]. The sense of this word, however, is uncertain. The root has been supposed to be the Hebrew [Hebrew] 'He was able.' If this be correct, the distinguishing attribute of this goddess would accordingly be power. It has also been suggested that, [Syriac] is an epithet of Venus = [Syriac] = dolio&frwn Afrodi/th.

48. c Taratha. Jacob of Serug, see Assemani, Bibliotheca Orient. I. 327, mentions this goddess with others, viz. Nebo, Bel, Sin, Bel-shemin, Bar-Nemre, Gadlat, &c. It is thought that Taratha, or Atargatis as she was also called, is considered to have been a correlative of Dagon. Diodorus Siculus says (lib. ii.) that at Askelon the goddess Derceto or Atargatis was worshipped under the figure of a woman with the lower parts of a fish. (See Calmet's Dictionary of the Bible, under Dagon.) Assemani, in a note at the foot of the page cited above, says: "Tarata, Janus fortasse Syrorum nam Tara est Janua, unde faemininum Tarata, quod faeminae specie illud idolum colerent. See the discourse of Jacob of Serug, on the Fall of the Idols, published by M. l'Abbé Martin, in the Zeitschrift of the German Oriental Society, note and translation, p. 131, for the year 1875. These four divinities, in Whiston's Latin translation of Moses of Chorene, are Nabogus, Belus, Bathnicalus and Tharatha.

49. a Here Cureton's text commences, p. [Syriac].

50. a Matth. xxiii. 38.

51. a The city in which ye dwell, &c. This is a quotation from the message of our Lord to Abgar. See p. 5. The passage in this message seems to have given rise to the notion very prevalent and mentioned by several Syriac writers, that Edessa would be henceforth free from hostile invasion and be especially blessed and protected by God.

52. a Matth. x. 14.

53. a Abgar's father bore the name of Ma'nu as well as his son; indeed it is said that he had two sons of that name. This is probably the one who succeeded his father as king. It was the name of many kings of Edessa. See note p. 1.

54. b Avida. In Cureton's text it is [Syriac], evidently a mistake in the MS.

55. c Headlands, According to our Syriac text [Syriac] of [Syriac] has no point to show whether it be a Dolath or a Resh. In Cureton's text it is a Dolath, but elsewhere we find it a Resh. As to the meaning of the word, see Dr. Payne Smith's note, cited by Pratten, Syr. Documents, p. 22.

56. a Piroz. According to Cureton, this is supposed to be the same name as that of Berosus.

57. b Dancu. Cureton has [Syriac] Diku.

58. a Silks. So the Syriac word is translated by Cureton. In Luke vii. 25, we have [Syriac] rendered by soft raiment. See also Matt. xi. 8. It is probable from what is here said and referred to by other writers, that the Jews of Edessa carried on an extensive trade with people of other districts and countries.

59. b The word [Syriac] is by some translated chains, and by others silks or muslins. The former rendering is adopted by Castle, and the latter by Moses of Chorene, and although the word is translated chains by Dr. Cureton in a note p. 157, he seems to think it might be more correctly rendered silks. I prefer the former rendering, because in Numb. xxxi. 50, and Isaiah iii. 22, the former but not the latter will suit the context.

60. c Abshelama. In Cureton this name is read Barshelama.

61. d As the Prophets are mentioned by themselves, the Old Testament here probably means no more than the Pentateuch. Similarly, as the Acts of the Apostles are named apart from the New Testament, the latter is probably intended to comprise only the Gospels.

62. a Diatessaron. In the text of Cureton is Ditornon. The reading of the MS., he remarks, is not quite clear, and he is disposed to think that the word ought to be Diatessaron. The reading of the St. Petersburgh MS., as we see, confirms Dr. Cureton's supposition. The Diatessaron was that made by Tatian, and was, as appears from sundry

testimonies, in general use in the Syrian churches in the second century. It was a volume compiled from the Four Gospels, and seems to have been publicly read at Edessa up to the fourth century. Mention is made of it in Asseman. Bibl. Orient, tom. iii. p. 12: The Gospel which Tatian compiled, and he called it the Diatessaron, A commentary was written on this work by Ephraim Syrus, according to what is affirmed by Barsalibe and Bar Hebraeus as recorded in Asseman. Bibl. Orient, tom. I. pp. 57, 58. The former says that Ephraim illustrated the Diatessaron with commentaries; and the latter, in speaking of Tatian's volume, in his work [Syriac], says that the expression "In the beginning was the word "was elucidated by Ephraim.

63. a According to Cureton, him.

64. b Water. In the MS. we have [Syriac] evidently by mistake for [Syriac]. In Cureton's text the latter word is found.

65. c Nersai. Moses of Chorene speaks of this king as le jeune Nerseh p. 229. In the same page is a copy of the Letter which Abgar wrote to Nersai, viz., "Abgar roi des Arméniens, à mon fils Narseh, salut; J'ai reçu ta lettre et tes hommages; j'ai déchargé Béroze de ses fers, et lui ai remis ses offenses, si cela te fait plaisir, donne lui le gouvernement de Ninive. Mais quant à ce que tu m'écris de t'envoyer ce médecin qui fait des miracles et prêche un autre Dieu supérieur au feu et à l'eau, afin que tu puisses le voir et l'entendre, je te dirai: Ce n'était point un médecin selon l'art des hommes, c'était un disciple du fils de Dieu, créateur du feu et de l'eau, il a été destiné, envoyé aux contrées de l'Arménie. Mais un de ses principaux compagnons, nommé Simon, est envoyé dans les contrées de la Perse. Cherche-le, et tu l'entendras, toi, ainsi que ton père Ardachès. Il guérira tous vos maux et vous montrera le chemin de la vie."

66. a Olbinus. It is the opinion of Cureton that this name has been confounded with that of Albinus, who was made governor of Judaea by Nero, A.D. 62. No person of the name of Olbinus was governor of Judaea at the time mentioned in the document, and the opinion referred to is most probably correct, and the mistake arose from some confusion of the editor.

67. a Aristides. In the Armenian version, this name is written Artidias, which in the French translation is corrected according to the reading in the Syriac text.

68. b Ticnutha. "Cureton lit, mais avec doute, Thicuntha au lieu de Nuthicontha, noms tous deux inconnus dans la géographie."----Lettre d'Abgar, p. 45.

69. c Artica. This word may, by placing different vowels to it, be pronounced Ortyka, which Cureton thinks was intended for Ortygia, near to Syracuse, not far distant from Capreae, where Tiberius resided.

70. a A great difference is found here between the Syriac text and the Armenian version. According to the former, Addai had gathered around him the nobles and chiefs, in order that he might deliver unto them his farewell and dying discourse, but in the latter it is said that "the Apostle Addai conceived the thought of visiting the countries of the East and Assyria to preach there," &c. One statement must be erroneous, and authority obliges us to conclude that the error is in the Armenian version.

71. b And. We have a vau in our MS. which is not in Cureton's text, nor is it supported by the Armenian version; we think, therefore, that the reading should be, not Bar-Kalba and Bar-Zati, but Bar Kalba, son of Zati.

72. a See Matth. xviii. 10.

73. b Lit. "purgers of the way."

74. c Here Cureton's text ends.

75. a In p. 22, we find that that for which our Lord came into the world was altogether to teach the resurrection of man. Here it is stated, that the whole object for which our Lord came into the world was that creatures might not again be worshipped. The author is speaking superlatively. In these days we should in each case say a great object, &c.

76. b They spend their time in useless and injurious questions.

77. a See John xiv, 2.

78. b See Luke ix. 62.

79. a We have already had mention of the Old Testament; and the New of the Diatessaron, p. 34. Here we have the Holy Scriptures more particularly specified. The New Testament is described as consisting of the Gospel, the Epistles of Paul and the Acts of the Apostles. The two latter were probably not written at the time that Addai was preaching Christianity in Edessa. If the Gospel mentioned be that of St. Matthew, that might possibly have been then in existence.

80. a Here Cureton's text recommences.

81. a These words are not according to the letter, but are certainly in the spirit of the instructions, which our Lord delivered to the twelve disciples at their ordination, as we read them in Matt. x. 7-10. Anything like desire or anxiety for the things of this world, the disciples of Christ were frequently and in distinct and impressive language warned against by their Master.

82. b Eyor is the Syriac word for the month of May. In Assemani, Bibl. Orient. tom. ii. p. 392, we find it stated, on the authority of Bar Hebraeus, "that Addai the Apostle was slain on the 30th of July, and buried in the church, which he himself had built in Edessa." This date, however, is contradicted in a foot-note on the same page, in the following terms:----"Amrus Matthaei filius historicus Nestorianus, qui Chronicon Maris ejusdem sectae scriptoris in compendium redegit, Addaeum obiise refert, non die 30 Julii, sed 14 Maii. Et quidem in pervetusto Kalendario Syriaco, quod ad calcem Codicis 32 in fine hujus tomi subjicitur, die Maii 14, Addaeus decessisse dicitur."

83. a Chiefs. This is the rendering in the Armenian version, and it seems to me that it is a sense in accordance with the Syriac text. The Syriac noun, among other meanings, signifies a prefect or chief. Every chief is the same as all the chiefs, and so the noun may agree with the plural number of the verb in the text. The expression thus considered refers to the most distinguished persons of both sexes. Cureton states that it alludes to those who especially belonged to the ministry of the church.

84. a It appears that this rebellious son did not reign till years after the death of Abgar. There must consequently have been another, who was the immediate successor of Abgar; and the name of this successor was Ma'nu, who is said to have reigned seven years, according to what is stated by Assemani, Bibl. Orient, tom. i. p. 421. The successor of Ma'nu was his brother, also by name Ma'nu, and he reigned fourteen years. Moses of Chorene, liv. II. ch. xxxiv., says of this prince: "Il ouvrit les temples des idoles, embrassa le culte des païens. Il envoie dire à Attée, 'Fais moi une coiffure en toile tissée d'or, comme celles que tu faisais autrefois pour mon père.' Il reçut cette réponse d'Attée: 'Mes mains ne feront point de coiffure pour un prince indigne, qui n' adore pas le Christ Dieu vivant.' Aussitôt, le roi d'ordonner à un de ses gens d'armes de couper les pieds à Attée. Le soldat étant allé et ayant vu le saint personnage assis dans la chaire doctorale, avec son glaive lui coupa les jambes, et aussitôt le saint rendit l'esprit."

85. b Wickedness. In Cureton's text the word is in the singular number.

86. a In p. 39, it is said that Addai made Palut an Elder. It would seem, therefore, that this whole paragraph, as Cureton observes, must have been introduced into the text at a later period, and that too by some careless, ignorant person.

87. b In Cureton's text the word is Rome, which is right. The name found in our MS. is obviously a mistake.

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Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 1. Title page and preface. pp.i-xvii

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 1. Title page and preface. pp.i-xvii

LONDON:

GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, WHITEFRIARS, CITY

AND ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, CLERKENWELL

APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

EDITED FROM SYRIAC MANUSCRIPTS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM AND OTHER LIBRARIES

BY

W. WRIGHT, LL.D., PH. D.;

PROFESSOR OF ARABIC IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, AND FELLOW OF

QUEEN'S COLLEGE; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE BERLIN

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ETC., ETC., ETC.

VOL. I.

THE SYRIAC TEXTS

WILLIAMS AND NORGATE,

14, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON

AND 20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH.

1871

TO

THE REVEREND

J. B. LIGHTFOOT, D.D.,

CANON OF ST. PAUL'S,

AND

HULSEAN PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY

OF CAMBRIDGE

THIS WORK IS DEDICATED

BY

HIS OBLIGED FRIEND

THE EDITOR

PREFACE

----

The documents which these volumes contain, in text and translation, are the following:—

1. The history of S. John at Ephesus, taken from two vellum manuscripts, the one of the vith cent., the other of the ixth. The former is in the Imperial Public Library of St. Petersburg, the latter in the British Museum.1. The St. Petersburg manuscript consists of 142 leaves, written in a fine, regular Estrangela, in double columns. The quires were originally signed with both letters and arithmetical figures. Fol. 54, which is misplaced, is a later addition, of about the xith cent., in a cursive hand. [Title, Syriac] The contents are:—The Doctrine of Addai at Edessa, [Title, Syriac] fol. 1 b (Add. 14,644, fol. 1 a); the Doctrine of Simon Peter at Rome, [Title, Syriac] fol. 33 a (Add. 14,644, fol. 15 b); the History of S. John at Ephesus, fol. 38 b; the Invention of the holy Cross by the empress Helene, fol. 74 b (Add. 14,644, fol. 18 b); the Martyrdom of Judas, who became bishop of Jerusalem by the name of Cyriacus, fol. 84 b (Add. 14,644, |viii fol. 23 b); the History of the eight Youths of Ephesus, fol. 92 a (Add. 12,160, fol. 147 a, and elsewhere); the Life of Gregory Thaumaturgus, bishop of Neo-Caesarea, fol. 101 a (Add. 14,648, fol. 125 a); and the Life of Basil of Caesarea by Amphilochius of Iconium, fol. 117 a (Add. 12,174, fol. 125 a). The volume belonged to the convent of S. Mary Deipara in the desert of Scete, according to the note on fol. 142 b: [Syriac] This book, and three others from the same convent (the two Books of Samuel and the Pauline Epistles, both according to the Peshīţtā version, and the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius, dated A.D. 462), were withheld by a Greek named Pacho from the Trustees of the British Museum, who had made use of his services in the acquisition of the Nitrian collection, and were sold by him, in 1852, to the Imperial Public Library of St. Petersburg, for the sum of 2500 silver rubles. They have been carefully described by Professor Dr. Dorn in the "Melanges Asiatiques," t. ii., p. 195. I am indebted for the use of this manuscript, —which would have given invaluable aid to Dr. Cureton in the publication of his " Ancient Syriac Documents" (compare my Catalogue of Syriac MSS. in the British Museum, part iii., p. 1083, no. DCCCCXXXVI.)-—to the liberality of the Imperial Government of Russia, which is always ready to place its scientific treasures at the disposal of scholars of every nation. To his Excellency M. Deljanoff, the Director of the Imperial Public Library, my warmest thanks are due for the promptitude |ix with which he acceded to my application for the loan both of this volume and of the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius. Would that the management of all similar institutions were conducted on equally liberal principles!

2. Of the manuscript in the British Museum, Add. 17,192, it is unnecessary to give a detailed description in this place, as I have described it minutely in my Catalogue, part ii., p. 778, no. DCCLXXXIX. It is of the ixth cent, and was one of the 250 volumes, which were collected and conveyed by the abbat Moses of Nisibis to the convent of S. Mary Deipara in the year 1243, A.D. 932.

These Acts, which are obviously translated from the Greek, being of comparatively late date, and to all appearance destitute of any historical basis, are chiefly valuable from the linguistic point of view. The fact of Eusebius of Cæsarea being named as the author (p. 3), combined with the mention of "Urhāi of the Parthians" at p. 54, suffices, I think, to show that the work was written after the story of the conversion of Abgar, king of Edessa, by Addai, had become generally known, that is to say, after the publication of Eusebius's Ecclesias-tical History, or about the middle of the fourth century. The Greek original, however, is, so far as I am aware, unpublished, if indeed it be still extant.

II. The Decease of S. John, taken from a vellum manuscript in the British Museum, Add. 12,174, which is dated A. Gr. 1508, A.D. 1197 (see my Catalogue, part iii., p.1123, no. DCCCCLX.). This is a translation of the latter portion of the Greek text edited by Professor |x Dr. von Tischendorf in his "Acta Apostolorum Apocrypha" (Leipzig, 1851), from the beginning of chapter 15 (p. 272) to the end.

III. A section from the Περίοδοι. of S. Philip, which is, I believe, not extant, or at least unpublished, in the original Greek, narrating the conversion of the Jew Hananiah or Ananias, and, by his means, of the city of Carthage. I have taken it from a manuscript in the Library of the Royal Asiatic Society of London, which, was placed at my disposal by my friend Mr. Eggeling, the secretary and librarian of the Society. This is a paper manuscript, consisting of 188 leaves, all more or less stained by water, and some of them slightly torn, especially foll. 1 and 97. The quires, twenty-one in number, mostly of ten leaves, are signed with letters (except the last two, which have no signatures). Leaves are wanting after foll. 6, 21, 49, 125, 166, and 172. The volume is written in a good, regular, Nestorian hand, with many vowel-points, ¹ and dated (see fol. 92 b) A. Gr. 1880, A.D. 1569. The name of the scribe was Elias. The contents are:—

a. The theological treatise of 'Ebed-Yeshua', metropolitan of Sobā, entitled, [Syriac] or "the Book of the Pearl." See Assemani, Bibl. Or., t. iii., pars 1, p. 352. Imperfect. Fol. 1 b.

b. The "Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Works in Syriac " by the same 'Ebed-Yeshua', edited by Assemani in the Bibl. Or., t. iii., pars 1. Imperfect. Fol. 18 b. |xi

c. The historical treatise of Solomon, metropolitan of Perath-Maishān or al-Başra, entitled, [Syriac] "the Book of Collectanea (or the Spicilegium), called the Bee." Imperfect. Fol. 26 a. See Assemani, Bibl. Or., t. iii., pars 1, p. 309, and my Catalogue, part iii., p. 1064, no. DCCCCXXII. It has been translated into Latin by Dr. Schönfelder of Bamberg.

d. The narrative, or vision, of Abba Zosimus "regard-ing the holy men who were removed from this world, by the command of God, in the days of Jeremiah the prophet" (the Rechabites; see Jeremiah, ch. xxxv.). Fol. 93 a. See Add. 12,174, fol. 209 & (in my Catalogue, part iii., p. 1123, no. DCCCCLX.).

e. The Acts of S. Philip. Fol. 107 a.

f. The history of a demon, who repented and was accepted by God. Fol. 117 a.

g. The history of the king's son, who was murdered by the teacher of the school to which he went. Fol. 119 b.

h. The history of Onesimus and the ascetics, who revealed themselves unto the paramonarius (or verger) of Alexandria. Fol. 122 a. Imperfect.

i. The history of the blessed Virgin Mary. Fol.,126 a. There are lacunæ in the text on foll. 128 b, 137 b, and 144 b. This is a still fuller form of the history than any of those edited by me in the "Journal of Sacred Literature" and in my "Contributions to the Apocryphal Literature of the New Testament."

j. The history of John bar Malkē, or John of Rome. Fol. 161 b. Imperfect. Of this there are several copies |xii in the Nitrian collection. See, for example, Add. 14,651, fol. 103 b (in my Catalogue, part iii., p. 1101, no. DCCCCXLVIII.).

k. The Eggartā de-Hadbeshabbā Kaddishā,or letter that was sent down from Heaven to Athanasius, patriarch of Rome (!), regarding the observance of Sunday, A. Gr. 1140, A.D. 829. Fol. 169 a. Imperfect. Compare my Catalogue, part ii., p. 1022, no. DCCCLXXIX.

l. The martyrdom of Julitta and Quiricus or Cyriacus. Fol. 173 a.The volume once belonged to a priest named Wardā, the son of the deacon Moses, prior of the convent of Mār Ezekiel, fol. 187 a; and also to one Mār Yūhannān, fol. 187 b. [Arabic] It was bound in the year 1916, A.D. 1605, by a person whose name has been blotted out, fol. 1 a.

IV. The Acts of S. Matthew and S. Andrew, translated from the Greek. See Tischendorf, Acta Apostt. Apocrypha, p. 132, and compare Professor Dr. von Gutschmid's article " Die Königsnamen in den apokryphen Apostelgeschichten," in the Rheinisches Museum für Philologie, Neue Folge, Bd. xix., p. 390. My text is taken from Add. 14,645, which was written A. Gr. 1247, A.D. 936. See my Catalogue, part iii., p. 1111, no. DCCCCLII.

V. The history of S. Paul and Thecla, translated from the Greek. See Tischendorf, Acta Apostt. Apocrypha, p. 40, and Von Gutschmid's article, loc. cit., p. 177. My text with its various readings is taken from four manuscripts:— |xiii

a. Add. 14,652, of the vith cent., denoted by the letter A. See my Catalogue, part ii., p. 651, no. DCCXXXI. This manuscript is older by several cen-turies than any of the Greek codices used by Tischendorf.

b. Add. 14,447, of about the Xth cent., a small frag-ment, denoted by the letter B. See my Catalogue, part L, p. 98, no. CLVI.

c. Add. 14,641, of the Xth or xith cent, denoted by the letter C. See my Catalogue, part iii., p. 1042, no. DCCCCXVIII.

d. Add. 12,174, dated A.Gr. 1508, A.D. 1197,denoted by the letter D. See my Catalogue, part iii., p. 1123, no. DCCCCLX.

VI. The Acts of S. Thomas, or Judas Thomas (i.e.; the Twin), taken from Add. 14,645 (see above, no. IV.).

I regard this piece as the gem of my small collection, since we have here, for the first time, these Acts in a nearly complete form. The portions which are extant in Greek have been edited by Tischendorf, Acta Apostt. Apocrypha, pp. 190—234 and 235—241, but they cover less than half of the Syriac text, viz., [Syriac] and even here there are considerable differences. For example the fourth act of the Syriac (pp. [Syriac]) is altogether wanting in the Greek; and at page [Syriac] the two texts deviate widely from one another (Compare my translation, p. 173, with that in Clark's Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. xvi., p. 408). On the origin and composition of the whole document see the above-mentioned article by Von Gutschmid, pp. 161 and 179. |xiv

Whatever may be the ultimate conclusions to which a careful examination of these Acts may lead biblical and historical critics, I feel almost certain of two things. Firstly, we have here the Syriac version of a Greek text very similar to that from which the Latin translation, which passes under the name of Abdias, was made. Notwithstanding sundry notable differences, the two works are substantially the same, allowance being made for a constant tendency to abridgement on the part of the Latin translator. As examples of such differences I may mention the omission of the third and fourth acts in the Latin, the variations in the account of the examination of S. Thomas by king Mazdai (Fabricius, pp. 714— l ), and the transposition of the prayer of S. Thomas (Fabricius, p. 731). On the other hand, the Syriac text offers us the two hymns of S. Thomas, of which there is not a trace in the Latin redaction.² Secondly, the Syriac text, even in its present shape, is of great antiquity; I am inclined to think, not later than the fourth century. I ground this opinion on the number of rare and curious words which it contains, some of which are as yet unknown to me and to other scholars, whom I have consulted. Such are [Syriac]. |xv

In preparing the present work for publication, my intentions and methods have been the same as heretofore. I wish to appear simply as an editor and translator, not as a commentator and historical critic. As editor, I have sought to reproduce the text of the manuscripts, to which I had access, as closely and accurately, as possible. Where I have made alterations, they are distinctly noted for the information of the reader. My translation I have striven to make as literal as possible; I am fully aware that it is at times painfully so. I am content, however, like Cureton, to leave my work in this shape. Some one, who wishes to earn a cheap reputation for |xvi scholarship, may perhaps, a few years hence, think it worth his while to issue a new edition of the book; revise my translation and make it read more smoothly, correcting (let us hope) some mistakes whilst he does so; incorporate my notes with his own; and then lay claim to have produced a translation which may fairly be considered as independent",³ and which the more ignorant or careless among his readers will probably assume to be the first English version.⁴ Such has been the fate of Cureton's "Ancient Syriac Documents" in this country, and such may possibly be the fate of my "Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles."

In conclusion, I have to thank Mr. Bensly of the University Library, Cambridge, Dr. Hoffmann of Göttingen, Professor Dr. Nöldeke of Kiel, and Professor Dr. Sachau of Vienna, for the counsel and assistance which they have given me from time to time. The Dean of Canterbury read the Syriac sheets after they had passed' through the press, and from him I have received many useful notes and observations; whilst Mr. Thompson, the Assistant-keeper of the Manuscripts in the British Museum, has aided me in revising and correcting the proof-sheets of the translation.

To Canon Lightfoot I am indebted in a different way, for it is his liberality alone, which has rendered the publication of this work possible. Being unable to find a publisher for it, I had actually abandoned my design and sent a notice to Leipzig, for insertion in the Journal of the German Oriental Society, offering my materials to any German scholar who would undertake the labour of making a translation. This being accidentally mentioned to Canon Lightfoot, he wrote to me, proposing to defray the whole cost of publication, a generous offer of which I thankfully availed myself. To him, therefore, I dedicate the book, hoping that he may find the result of my labours not wholly unworthy of his acceptance.

W. WRIGHT.

London, nd October, 1871.

[Footnotes moved to the end and numbered. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]

1. a Which I have reproduced, as closely as possible, in my text.

2. a The former of these hymns is a most curious document, and savours rather of Gnosticism or Mandaism than of genuine Christianity. It is certainly wholly out of place in the mouth of the Apostle, and we need not therefore wonder at its absence from the Latin text. The explanation of it I leave to those who are better skilled in the interpretation of such riddles than I am.

3. a See Clark's. Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. xx., introductory notice to Syriac Documents etc., p. 3.

4. b See the periodical called "Evangelical Christendom" for July, 1871.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.3-60. The History of John, the son of Zebedee, the Apostle and Evangelist

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.3-60. The History of John, the son of Zebedee, the Apostle and Evangelist

APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

EDITED FROM SYRIAC MANUSCRIPTS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM AND OTHER LIBRARIES

BY

W. WRIGHT, LL.D., PH. D.;

PROFESSOR OF ARABIC IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, AND FELLOW OF

QUEEN'S COLLEGE; CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE BERLIN

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ETC., ETC., ETC.

VOL. II.

THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION.

WILLIAMS AND NORGATE,

14, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON

AND 20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH.

1871

LONDON:

PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON,

WHITEFRIARS, CITY, E.C., AND ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, CLERKENWELL, E.C.

THE HISTORIES

OF THE

HOLY APOSTLES.

THE HISTORY OF

JOHN, THE SON OF ZEBEDEE

THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST.

———————

The history of John, the son of Zebedee, who lay upon the breast of our Lord Jesus at the supper, and said, "Lord, who betrayeth Thee?" This history was composed by Eusebius of Cæsarea concerning S. John, who found it in a Greek book, and it was translated into Syriac, when he had learned concerning his way of life and his birth and his dwelling in the city of Ephesus, after the ascension of our Lord to Heaven. ¹

After the ascension of our Lord to Heaven, when the days of Pentecost were fulfilled, and the Paraclete had come to the upper chamber, and all the Apostles were filled with the Spirit of holiness, and were speaking each one of them with a separate tongue — then after (some) days there was the wish to each one of them being full of the Spirit of holiness, that they should go forth to |4 proclaim and preach the truth of the Only-(begotten), the Word God, for the great hearing of the faith, to all nations that are under the heavens. After, then, that Simon Peter had finished his words, they said all of them one to another: " Now that our Lord Jesus has fulfilled all things that are necessary for our feeble race, it is necessary for us too that we should do with diligence all that He commanded us. For He said to us, when He was going up unto Heaven from beside us, as He was blessing us: 'Go forth, teach, and baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness; every one that believes and is baptized shall live.' For us too, then, my brethren, it is necessary to toil and labour throughout the whole world, and to go about in the countries, and to preach, and to teach all those who, in the worshipping of idols and with libations to devils, have kneeled before images, and fallen down (and) worshipped the accursed demons, the children of the left hand; and let us bestow our labour, and let light shine in the ear which the evil one has blinded, and let the father of lying be crushed beneath the feet of us all."

When these words had been spoken among the blessed assembly of the Apostleship, they parted from one another in the body, each of them being full of the Spirit of holiness, who proceeded from the Father and came unto them, as the beloved Son had promised them. |5

Each of them then went to such country and region as he was charged by the grace (of God). And it happened that when this holy virgin, namely John, the son of Zebedee, went forth, the grace (of God) accompanied him, through the Spirit of holiness, that it might lead him to the country of the Ephesians, where the head and power of idolatry was dominant. And when he had parted and gone forth from Jerusalem, he set his face to go to Ephesus. And on the third day after he had set out to proceed upon the journey, he took a cross of wood, and put it up towards the east, and kneeled, and was praying and saying: " Lord Jesus, now that Thy promise is fulfilled, and we have all received of Thy fullness, grant to the garland of Thy disciples, that wherever, Lord, they make mention of Thy birth from the Virgin, and Thy abiding among men, and Thy passion on the Cross, and Thy death and Thy entering within the grave, and Thy resurrection on the third day, and Thy ascension unto Thy Father to Heaven, the feeble race of mankind may be strengthened, which in its infancy the evil one deceived, and took captive, and led them astray to worship idols, and sacrifice to devils, and bow down to senseless stones. Yea, Lord! hear and answer me. Let the devils and the legions of Satan wail, wherever one of us proclaims Thy Gospel; and let the whole assembly of the Apostleship be enriched with the sound of Thy praise thundering in every place. |6 Let the demons tremble at the voices that thunder in the midst of Thy Church; and remember Thy Church, which Thou hast bought with Thy precious blood, which Thy Father hath given that through Her all creation might be atoned for. Thou, Lord, art Light of Light; and because it seemed good unto Thee, in the love of Thy Father, Thou didst walk on earth, and didst humble Thy majesty, that Thou mightest raise us up from the degradation into which the slayer of man had cast us down through his envy. And Thou hast said, and we have heard with our ears of flesh, 'I and My Father are one,' and 'he that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father;' and in this confidence, Lord, my youth beseeches Thee to hear my prayer. For I too trust that I have received the Spirit of holiness with my companions, and of it, lo, have obtained and am full. And whatsoever I ask of Thy Father in Thy name, He will give to me; and nothing shall be too difficult for one of those who believe in Thee, but whatsoever they ask, they shall receive. Yea, Lord! grant me that I may abide in Thy Gospel, and may prosper in all the truth; because I speak the truth, that Thou art from the beginning, the Word that proceeded from the Father; and Thou didst appear to the world in the body (derived) from Adam, from the Virgin Mary, who was preserved in her virginity; and there was not (a time) when the, Father was without Thee, |7 or Thou without Him; and Thou before us hast laid the foundations of the earth; and Thy mercy made Thee bow, and Thou didst enter by the ear of the Virgin, and didst dwell in her nine months, and didst come forth from her, and wast in the world, in contempt and littleness; and Thou didst choose us from the world, that the world might live through our preaching. Now then, Lord, I will go to that place to which Thy heavenly grace hath made me look; and may they be turned, and become (my) disciples, and be baptized in Thy name and in the name of the Father who sent Thee, and receive Thy Spirit of holiness, which has proceeded from Thy Father, and, lo, dwells in us; and may the graven images of error be destroyed; and do Thou build for Thyself in the city of priests churches for Thy glorification, and, in place of the house of altars for the libations of demons, altars for Thy dwelling-places; and may these, who through our means are to take the road and paths to turn unto Thee, make praise ascend unto Thee at all times. Amen."

And when S. John had finished his prayer, our Lord Jesus spake with him. from heaven, and said unto him: " My peace I have given unto thee and have not left thee bereaved. Lo, I am with you unto the end of the world. Be not afraid, son of Zebedee! Go and preach, and take no heed what thou shalt say or what |8 thou shalt speak. But when thou hast converted this city and this country from error, another band too of the disciples, which is labouring in the Gospel, is destined to come and see all that I shall do by thy hands. Go, and tarry not."

And when He had done speaking with him, John arose, and was going on the way confidently, rejoicing in the joy of the Spirit of holiness. He was clothed then after the fashion of the raiment of Palestine, and was walking barefooted, and was going along and preaching in the cities and in the villages concerning our Lord Jesus the Messiah, forty-eight days. Some were saying, "He is a madman;" and others were saying, " No; let him alone; for this (man) has come from a far country, and knows not our mighty gods. But when he has entered in and learned, then he will love them and sacrifice unto them." But many people of Asia heard him gladly, and believed, and thought his preaching true; and he baptized of them in three days about two hundred souls, and made them lay hold on the path of truth.

Then S. John went forth and journeyed to come to the city of the priesthood. And his sustenance was, from the ninth to the ninth hour once, when he had finished his prayer, bread and herbs with a mess of boiled lentils, which he bought for himself (as he went) from town to town, eating, and drinking water only. And he kept |9 himself aloof, that he might not associate with the heathens.

This great and chosen (man), then—as we have found in the books, which are written on paper, in the archives of Nero, the wicked emperor—S. John, then, came and arrived at the city of Ephesus; and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and, lo, a smoke was going up from the midst of the city of Ephesus, for it was a festival of the heathens, and they were sacrificing to the devils. And he stood still and was astonished, saying: "What is this conflagration, which, lo, veils the sun so that it does not shine upon the buildings of the city?" And with terror taking hold on him, he came and reached the southern gate, and lifted up his eyes and saw; and lo, the image of the idol Artemis was standing over the gate, painted by them with paints, with gold laid upon her lips, and a veil of fine linen hanging over her face, and a lamp burning before her. And when S. John looked and saw her, he contemplated her; and sighed, and wept over the city; and he left (the spot), and departed thence to another gate, and saw there the same thing; and he went round and saw thus at all the gates. And at last he came near to the eastern (gate), and said to an old woman, who was standing and worshipping her — he spoke and said to her in the language of the country: "Woman, I see thee, that thou art a woman advanced in years; what is this image that thou art worshipping?" |10

She then said to him: "Dost thou not know, my son, what thou seest? This is our lady, and her image descended from heaven, and she nourishes all flesh." He then, a youth in his body, but exalted above the whole garland of his brethren, the holy virgin John, broke out into anger with her and said: "Hold thy peace, old woman! for thy mind has become enfeebled by sacrifices of unclean things. Talk not to me of the daughter of Satan." But she stooped down, and filled her fists with dust and gravel, and scattered it in his eyes; and he left (her) and departed thence. And he went a little (way) off, and knelt down, and was praying and supplicating. And he placed his face between his knees from the sixth hour to the ninth, and was weeping, groaning and saying: "Lord God, strong and mighty, longsuffering and abounding in grace, Thou art He who from the first didst show Thy longsuffering, for a hundred years, on those (who were) called to repentance of the generation of Noah; but they did not repent, until the flood came and swept away that whole generation. And Thou art He who didst send Thy only-(begotten and) dear Son, that the world might have life through Him; and He came and did good deeds like Thee, because He proceeded from Thee. And Thou art He who, when the people of Israel worshipped the calf, didst find out a reason and didst say to Moses, 'Suffer me to destroy this people,' since it did not honour Thee; for Thou didst wish that it should pray to Thee, because Thou |11 takest great pleasure in the life of men. So also Thy dear Son our Lord Jesus the Messiah, when the Jews took Him to slay Him, prayed and said, 'Forgive them, for they know not what they do.' This mercy, then, which is eternally in Thee, is also found in Thy Son, for Ye are one. Turn, Lord! the heart of these erring ones, who, lo, are shouting and crying out before devils. Thou didst come and slay the evil one; let not his head be lifted up in the assembly of this city; let not be heard the sound of the roaring of the falsehood of the devils. Thou didst die once, and didst raise us to life with Thyself. Dash down Satan, for, lo, he has cast down and brought low the image, that was created in Thy likeness, before the legions of his demons. Let the doomed images be brought into contempt, not of this place only, but of every region through which our preaching runs. Yea, Lord! Thou hast taught us that we should walk in the world humbly and lowlily. Hear the prayer of Thy servant John, and let me enter this city, bearing the sign of Thy Cross; and direct my path to the right hand; and where Thou pleasest, there let be found for me a place in which I can earn my living as a hireling, until, Lord, this city follows (Thee) and confesses Thy name."

And when he had entered by the gate of Ephesus, he looked to the right hand, and saw there a bath, which was built for the washing of the body. And he turned |12 aside thither, and lo, (there was) the man who kept the bath, whose name was Secundus. And S. John spake with him, and said to him in the language of the country: "To thee I say, O man! art thou perchance willing that a stranger should work with thee?" And Secundus, the keeper of the bath, said to him: "How much dost thou require of me by the day?" But S. John said to him: " Whatever thou art willing to give, give." And he fixed for him a hundred shamūnē by the day, and accepted him (as a servant); and he let him come in to work at his trade with him, and he fetched faggots for those who kindled the bath; and he was with him forty days, receiving his wages day by day.

And Secundus the bath-keeper answered and said to the holy man: "I wish to know what thou dost with thy wages; for, lo, all these days thou hast not bought for thyself either shoe or coat. Tell me, if it be enough; and if not, deposit thy wages in my hands, and I will buy for thee whatsoever thou requirest; for thou art a stranger, and hast no kindred here." But S. John said to Secundus the bath-keeper: "I have a Master, and He has ordered me and the disciples my fellows, that none (of us) should possess gold or silver or brass in a purse, or two coats; and I cannot despise his command, otherwise He would be wroth with me." Secundus says to him: " Who is this master of |13 thine? and what is his name? It is fitting that thou shouldst let me know, lest he come and assail me, and, it he be a hard man, give me up (to the magistrates) and put me to great losses; for it is an odious thing, and abominable in the eye of the law, for a man to accept (one as) a servant without his master's consent." And S. John answered and said to Secundus the bath-keeper: "Fear not, Secundus, thou son of free parents! for my Master will not be angry with thee, because He sent me and directed me to thee." Secundus says: "But why didst thou not tell me until to-day that thou wast a slave and hadst a master?" And S. John said to him: "My Master is in Heaven, and all that He wills, He does, on earth and in the seas and in all the deeps; and at His beck everything was made, which is visible and which is invisible; and He established all created things, and made the lights in the firmament of heaven; and then He made man in His image. And when Satan came with his envy, and counselled Eve, and she hearkened to his words and made Adam sin and he transgressed His command, they went forth from Paradise, and became fugitives, and tilled the ground, and multiplied and increased and filled the earth. And Satan went about and plotted, and filled all mankind with the love of idols and (made them) sacrifice to devils, and bow down to the work of their hands, and caused them to forget |14 the Creator, and to reverence those who are not gods. But the good Lord had patience with them until (the time of) his lover Noah; and He made him a preacher for Him for a hundred years, whilst he was making for himself the ark, that they might see and repent and be turned away from the wickedness of their deeds. And when they despised our Creator, His wrath went up, and He sent the waters of the flood and swept them all away. And after the waters of the flood were restrained, the world was established through Noah, and the generations came in succession, and the world was populated at the beck of the Creator; and the minds of men were inclined to do evil and wickedness, and to turn from the living God; but the mercy of the Creator of men was made manifest, and He had compassion upon all the degradation of this feeble race of ours, and He sent the prophets to proclaim His truth, but they did not choose to hear them, and some they beat and some they stoned. But in this time, which is the last, the one beloved Son, His only-(begotten), who was to Him from the time that He was,—Him He sent, and He entered by the ear of the woman, and dwelt in her nine months, without quitting Him who sent Him; and the heights and depths were full of Him, and were ruled by Him by the will of His Father. And when the nine months were fulfilled, He came forth from the woman, the Word that became flesh, and her virginity remained immaculate for ever. And He grew up in the body among men, and walked among men as a man, He the Word God, apart from sin. |15 And He grew up to the full age of thirty years, and chose for Himself disciples, and they clave unto Him whilst he sojourned in the desert. And He made wine out of water at Cana at the feast; and bread was wanting, and he satisfied four thousand men, besides women and children, with five loaves of barleymeal, and they ate and left (some) over, and carried and conveyed to their homes as much as they were able. And again, another time, He satisfied thousands in the desert, after He had healed their lame and sick, and opened (the eyes of) the blind, and some of them are abiding until now; and He made the deaf hear, and cleansed the lepers, and raised the daughter of Jairus, the chief of the synagogue, after she was dead, and, lo, she abideth, with her father, in Decapolis, and if thou choosest to go, thou mayest learn (it) from her. And (He delivered from death) the son of the widow of Nain, as they were going to bury him, and Lazarus, after they had laid him in the grave four days. Many such things mayest thou hear, if thou wilt give me thine ear, and believe, and become His servant, Secundus. And after thirty-two years, after the thirty-third had commenced, the people of the Jews hated Him and detested His good works, as they had rejected His Father and made for themselves a calf at Horeb. And they delivered Him unto Pilate the hěgemon, and scourged Him, and stripped Him of His garments, and mocked Him, and spat in His face, and wove |16 a crown of thorns, and placed it on His head, and crucified Him upon the tree, and gave Him vinegar and gall to drink, and smote Him with a spear in His side and He cried out with a loud voice on the Cross, ('My Father, forgive them'). And when the preaching of the prophets was accomplished, the sun was darkened from the sixth to the ninth hour, and there was darkness over the whole earth on the Friday; and the veil of the temple was rent; and the boulders and rocks, which blocked up the entrances of the tombs around Jerusalem, were split, and the dead came forth and entered into the city, crying out aloud; and they came and worshipped Him as He hung on the tree, and many of them are (still) alive. And they took Him down from the tree, and a man full of the truth, Joseph the councillor, wrapped Him in a swathe of linen, and laid Him in the tomb; and on the third day He rose from the grave, and we saw Him, and He spake with us, and we ate bread with Him and we felt Him, and believed and declared (it) true, that He is the "Word which became flesh and dwelt among us. And He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of His Father, and He has given us power to give life and blessings to every one who believes in His name. And He said to us: 'Go forth, |17 and teach, and baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness; everyone who believes and is baptized, shall live.' And now I beseech thee, Secundus,— for I have proved thee during these days, that thou art not a blasphemer, but art full of good deeds and love of strangers — receive what I have spoken before thee, and count me not a deceiver, but, if thou wilt, come with me to the country of Galilee, and I will show thee (some) of the dead and the blind and the hunch-backed and the palsied and the lepers, whom He cleansed and healed and raised, for they are alive. But if thou dost not choose to come and (yet) believest, thou art greater than I, who have seen Him and have been with Him, for thou wilt believe in Him that He is God who did these things, and He will convert thee and make thee white and pure from the stench of unclean sacrifices. Yea, my brother! set my mind at ease, and thy dwelling shall be blessed, and thou shalt be recognised before Him in the new world."

And Secundus the bath-keeper was sitting (still), and astonished and wondering at what he was hearing from John; and he began to say to him: "Wonderful is what thou hast spoken unto me and verging on marvel; for even though He be not God and did not descend from Heaven, it is fitting that He should be believed in and should be called God, because He came forth from the womb and did not destroy (His mother's) virginity |18 when He came forth; and it is a very deplorable thing, if one does not hold it true that He is God, who raised the dead, and He is the Creator, who made wine out of water; and He has power over our frame, and because of this He opened and healed and cleansed. This one, then, is fitting to be called God, and not yon one, to whom, lo, for sixty years, more or less, I have been paying vows and libations, and she has not opened the eye of my son which was blind. But now, my son John, let this secret be kept which we have spoken, and let it not be revealed until the time that its Lord wishes to reveal it, especially as thou art a stranger, lest it be heard regarding thee that thou dost not worship Artemis, and they burn thee. Now, then, I have assented to, and believed, and hold to be true, all that thou hast said; and do thou be persuaded by me, and take upon thee the management of this bath, and let thine eyes be upon the servants, and do thou have control over the income and over all the outlay." But John said to him: "It becometh me not to eat without working;" and Secundus said to him: "Thy labour is harder than that of him who works.'' Then the holy (man) yielded to him, and took upon him to receive the incomings of the bath and to give a reckoning from morning to morning.

Secundus, then, was amazed, he and his household, how much the receipts of the bath increased during these days, which were twenty-two days (in number); and he used to get up very early, and go down and speak to |19 the holy (man) and ask him: "How is it possible to make me thy associate?" But John said: "After He has opened thy son's eye, that he may be baptized."

And on the twenty-fifth day, (when) the time of an hour of the day (was past), a procurator's son, whose name was Menelaus, and his father's Tyrannus, came and constrained the holy (man) that the bath should be closed and got ready. But it was not known to the holy (man) that any one was going into the bath with him. And the holy (man) gave orders, and the bath was got ready; and this Menelaus came to bathe, and took with him into the bath a harlot, and was with her in the bath. And when he came out from his bath, John arose and said to him: "Hither come not thou again, because thou hast done a great disgrace to this person of thine, which is created in the image of God, in that thou hast gone in with a harlot, and not been ashamed that thou hast seen her shame and she thine." And Menelaus was enraged with the holy (man) and struck him. And S. John said to him: "If thou comest hither, thou shalt not depart hence."

And after two days, he sent two of his servants to get ready the bath. And when the bath was ready, he came to bathe, and brought the former harlot along with him. But S. John, by the agency of God our Lord, had gone out to look after those who kindled (the bath). And when he came, he asked: "Why is the door of the bath closed?" They say unto him: "Menelaus, the |20 procurator's son, is within." But when the holy (man) heard that he was within, and that the harlot was with him, he was grieved, and sighed, and was troubled. And he waited till both of them came out; and he did not look at them till they had put on their clothes. And when they were dressed after their bath, he turned and looked at them, and said to the youth: "To thee I say, may Jesus rebuke thee, whom the Jews crucified on the tree, and He died, and rose after three days, and He is God, and He ascended to Heaven, and is at the right hand of His Father; but thou shalt drop down and die on the spot." And straightway the Angel of the Lord smote him, and he died on the spot. And he was lying (there), and S. John was sitting beside him; and straightway the harlot went forth with a great outcry, with her hands placed on her head. And when they heard it around the bath, they came and saw with fear that the young man was dead and lying (there), and the holy (man) sitting beside him. And they looked on his face and perceived that it was Menelaus, the procurator's son; and lamentation and wailing ran through that whole street. And it was dinner-time, and his father was seated (at table), and expecting him to come up and dine with him. And they came in and said to him: "Lo, thy only son is dead and lying in the bath."

And Tyrannus arose in haste, and cast ashes on his head, and rent his garments; and he made great haste coming to the bath to his son, and a great multitude with him. And he came, and went in, and saw his son dead and lying (there), and S. John sitting beside him; and they |21 seized hold on John, and laid fetters on his hands and feet, and thick collars on his neck. But the father of the youth was crying with a great outcry; and he commanded, and they stripped John, that they might see what he had on. And when they had taken off his coat and the worn-out shirt which he had on, they found on him a cross, which was suspended to his neck, and it was of wood. And the procurator, the father of the young man, commanded that they should take it away; and when they stretched out their hands to take it away, it had four tongues of fire, and they burned the hands of those who came near it. And the whole multitude cried out: "This man is a wizard; let this man be kept to-day in custody and be examined, (to see) how many companions he has." And the procurator commanded that S. John should be dragged away till he entered the prison house, whilst the youth his son was being buried. But S. John cried out, "The youth is not dead;" and his father gave orders, and they lifted him up and turned him over, and he placed his mouth against his, and he was like a stone without sensation. But the holy (man) said, "He is not dead," solely that they might see that he was already dead. And the holy (man) said unto them: "If he be dead, I will bring him to life." And whilst they were dragging away S. John that he might go to prison, Secundus the bath-keeper was standing by and weeping passionately |22 with sobs among the crowd. And S. John was begging of Tyrannus that they might call Secundus the bath-keeper; and the procurator ordered, and they laid hold of Secundus and brought him in to him. And Secundus was weeping for John's sake, for he imagined that John would be put to death; but the father of the youth thought that he was weeping for the youth. And the holy (man), being bound, answered and said to Secundus: "Fear not, Secundus! and be not grieved; to-day it is the will of the Spirit of holiness to make manifest the truth."

And the crowd was great and agitated. And S. John begged the procurator to order the crowd to be silent; and he ordered and the crowd was quiet. And S. John stood up, and cried with a loud voice and said: "To thee I say, (thou) youth Menelaus, in the name of Jesus the Messiah, (who is) God, whom the Jews crucified and killed in Jerusalem, and He died and was buried and rose after three days, and, lo, is above in Heaven at the right hand of His Father,—rise." And straightway he sprang up and arose; and the whole populace of the city marvelled. And the youth fell on his face before S. John, and saw the collars that were laid on his neck and the cord that bound his hands and feet; and the youth loosened them, and kissed S. John's toes. And the youth drew nigh, and stood on a place that was elevated, and beckoned with his hand, and began to tell from the |23 commencement, how he had come to the bath, and all that had happened; and he told with a loud voice before the people, how he had committed fornication with the harlot, and how the holy (man) had bidden him not to come (again). And they began to cry out, "What did he do to thee that thou didst die?" He says to them: "Thus he said to me: 'May the Lord Jesus rebuke thee, whom the Jews crucified in Jerusalem, and He died and was buried, and rose after three days, and ascended to Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of His Father;' and straightway the angel smote me and I fell down. And he took out and carried away my soul, and brought me nigh, and I saw the glory (of God) and a dreadful sight, which one of mankind is not able to narrate, such as I have seen; yet a little out of much, if this (man) who is standing before you bids me, will I tell."

And straightway the father of the youth fell upon his face before John, and said to him: "I beg of thee, sir, permit the youth to speak, and be not angry with him." And the holy (man) made a sign to the youth to speak; and the youth answered and said:

"I saw the chariot of the cherubim, (and) seraphim without number, who had wings, and they were covering their faces that they might not look upon the Creator, and were crying, 'Holy, holy, holy (is) the Lord Almighty, of whose praises Heaven and earth are full.' And I saw twelve men in one band, and in another seventy-two, and I counted them; and they were standing with their heads uplifted to heaven. And a right hand was stretched out from between the cherubim, like fire, and it commanded |24 them in a low and gentle voice: 'Go forth, teach, and baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness; every one who believes and is baptized, shall live.' And I trembled; and being afraid, I drew near to the great troop of seventy-two, and was also entreating them to tell me, who this is; and they answered and said to me: 'This is the Son of God, whom the Jews crucified in Jerusalem; all this, my son, whatever thou seest, is dependent upon and subsists by His nod, and He upholds all the arrangements of the upper world, and by His power subsist all the creatures of the lower worlds; because He is the Power and the Wisdom of the Father, and He sent Him to deliver all those who cleave unto and take refuge with Him; and He draws and brings unto His Father all who believe in Him; and He it is who acknowledged, whilst walking on the earth, 'I am the living bread, who am come down from Heaven, and every one who eats of my body, shall live.' And when I had observed His true aspect, I looked upon the band of twelve, and saw this man there, who, lo, is standing before you, clad in glorious white robes, and standing at the head of the band of twelve, beside an old man; and the eyes of those eleven were looking upon him lovingly, as if he were offering some petition on their behalf, but his eyes were raised aloft, and he was weeping. And the old man drew nearand asked him, 'My son, why weepest thou and prayest thus?' |25 And I had learned, when I asked the band of seventy, that Simon was the name of the old man. And S. John complied with the wish of Simon and said to him: 'Because of the error of the city of Ephesus I am weeping, for lo, it is bound down, and its children, and worships the devils who dwell in the doomed images.' And I saw a gentle voice, which made a sign to him with the finger, (saying:) 'Go; all that thou hast prayed before me, shall happen.' And whilst trembling, I noticed him, that it was this man against whom I rose up to kill him in the bath, because he hindered me from fornication. And whilst I was marvelling at these many evidences, my soul heard his voice and came and lived; and lo, I stand before you. And now therefore, lo, I beseech him to let me draw nigh to the living sign, and to make me his disciple. And ye who have seen this wonder, do ye turn from error, and despise the images, and let us become disciples of His, and let us save our souls alive, and not destroy them with our own hands; and when He has consecrated us, then let us confess and worship Him, believing in the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness, now, and at all times, and for ever and ever, Amen."

And a great multitude had come and was assembled there; and they went forth unto them outside of the bath, the father of the youth holding (the hand of) the holy (man). And the youth was coming, with his hands |26 lifted up to Heaven. And they came and arrived at the great square in the midst of the city, and the whole city was assembled; and it was the ninth hour. And the whole city was agitated, men and women and children. And the priests, when they saw the sign that had taken place, and the youth standing up and become a preacher of the Gospel, said: "This is one of the race of our lady Artemis." But S. John was crying out: "I am a man subject to passions, and the Lord Jesus hath chosen me, the Son of God, who came down from Heaven, and entered by the ear of the Virgin, and dwelt in her womb nine months, and came forth from her without destroying her virginity, and lived in the world as a man, apart from sin, whilst He was God like His Father; and the Jews took Him, and crucified Him upon the tree in Jerusalem; and He died, and was buried, and rose after three days, and ascended to Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of His Father."

And when the procurator, the father of the youth, heard these things, he fell down on his face before the feet of the holy (man), and all the chief men of the city, from the ninth to the eleventh hour. And they were astonished, men and women, at these things; and the half of the crowd were crying out: "Verily, great is this mystery, and Jesus ought to be worshipped, for He is God." Others were saying, "Artemis ought to be worshipped." These, then, who were held worthy to believe, with their daughters and sons, were about |27 36,706 souls, on that afternoon, who were numbered in the evening and their number was given to the procurator. And when there was a great crush and tumult, and the day was on the wane, John encouraged the procurator to stand up, saying to him: "Arise, thou pleasant tree, that yields early fruit, whose smell is sweet and its odour diffused by the Gospel. Arise, my brother! and bid thy nobles arise with thee. Arise, and thy head shall be lifted up, and not sink again. Do not worship me, who am a slave, made and created; but worship and praise Him, who formed us and created us." And all the nobles lifted up their heads, kneeling upon their knees, and looked on the holy (man), and saw his face like light; and they bowed down their faces to the ground, being afraid, for they thought that at that time their lives would perish from among the sons of men. And being afraid, they lifted up their voices, crying out: "Verily, great is this God, who is newly preached in this our city; and these are (things) made and are not gods; and we are the servants of This (One), and will not again be perverted so as to bow down our head before idols which have not profited us and will not profit us We beg of thee, thou who art His servant, bring us near before Him, and let us know His ways, and make us look on His paths, for the good servant, who loves his master, knows to work his pleasure, and his master too hears him."

And the holy (man), when he heard these things, was |28 rejoicing in the Spirit of holiness. And he stretched out his hands to them, and made them rise, and said to them: "Peace be unto you, little flock, for your Father has willed to give unto you the kingdom which is reserved for His friends. Arise, new congregation, which has assembled to-day to hear the Gospel of Jesus, the Son of God. I beg of you, my brethren, salute one another with a holy kiss, because the time is short, and the sun has finished his course, which he was commanded by This (One), whom I preach unto you, to run; and especially too, because there are here persons, who have not yet tasted bread or water." But they were crying with a loud voice: " Sweeter far are Thy words to the roof of my palate than honey to the mouth; for verily we are hungry and thirsty, and we receive nourishment from thy pleasant word." But S. John besought the procurator that the crowd should be dismissed, praying in his heart with sighs and saying: "Lord Jesus, grant concord to our congregation; and let Satan be driven out, that he may not cast discord or sedition into this city, and people die (thereby)."

And the procurator arose and beckoned with his hand that they should be quiet. And when they were still, he began to speak with them, and answered and said: "My brethren and children and friends, if it be pleasing unto you, let us depart at this time from one another; and to-morrow morning I wish that you should assemble |29 at the theatre; and whatever is the will of the Spirit, which we have heard from the mouth of this man, we will do. For this is fitting for us, that all night each man in his house should offer up prayer and entreaty before our Lord, who is in Heaven and brings us nigh unto His Father, on account of our sins, because we have let our feet go astray from His way. If He willeth to mingle us with the bands of those that praise Him, (it is well); and if not, he will (yet) deliver us from the fire that is laid up for the worshippers of idols."

And when the clerk had finished this proclamation, the whole multitude cried out with a loud voice: "Peace be unto thee, thou wise ruler! peace be unto thee, thou wise chief! Peace be unto thee, thou goat, that hast entered (into the fold) and become a lamb! Thou hast shown to-day thy love to us; to-day thou hast become a true chief unto us, and hast given us counsel that we might live and not die."

And when they had finished their outcry, after the nobles had quieted them, the multitude dispersed, and began to go away rejoicing. And the priests of Artemis assembled, and blew horns and lighted lamps; and the |30 gates of the temple were opened; and all the people of Ephesus ran to the temple, as was their custom. And the procurator was enraged, and wished, he and the nobles, to send and massacre the priests, because they had made an assembly without their order. But S. John threw himself upon his face and besought them, (saying): "Whosoever keeps my word and loves our Lord Jesus, let him not go and injure them there, because they too, through your prayers, shall draw nigh unto the mystery of life, and become brethren of ours." And then they obeyed the holy (man).

And some of the nobles, whose names were Antoninus, Marcellus, Epiphanius, and Fortunatus, gave orders, and their slaves ran and brought a hundred and fifty lamps of papyrus to give light, and said by way of petition to the procurator: "It beseems us not to go away this whole night, lest the city be set on fire by the hands of the worshippers of idols, and they be saying, 'Because they forsook the fear of Artemis, fire has fallen in their houses,' and they blame Artemis, whilst she (really) can do nothing; and especially, that there may be no murders."

And when the multitude heard these things, they took S. John upon their shoulders, and ran; and from their joy they did not know what they were crying out. And the foremost ran (and) opened the doors of the theatre; and the procurator and his nobles went in with great pomp. And they ran to spread (carpets) and arrange |31 (a seat) for him, according to custom. And the procurator said: "It is not fitting for me any longer to sit upon the throne; take (it) away from here." And the whole multitude came into the theatre and there was a great tumult. And the sun was set about two hours. And some of the councillors of the procurator besought of him that a thousand men might go out, and perambulate the city, and keep watch till dawn, that no harm might happen, since S. John had begged that no one should be killed; " and if they catch any man, let them say to him: 'There are two watches in the city, one made by Satan in the temple of Artemis, and one made by our Lord Jesus in the theatre; to whichsoever thou choosest to go, go.'" And when the multitude heard these things, they were glad, and stretched out their hands to Heaven, saying: "Glory to Thee, Creator of Heaven and earth, and of night and day." And the procurator commanded, beckoning to them with his hand, that they should be quiet, and said to them: "Let not our assembly become uproarious and tumultuous, but let us be still, and hear the word of life, and see by what we live." And he commanded, and they brought S. John to the highest row (of seats), and the nobles sat beneath his feet. And the procurator was standing, and did not wish to sit down, saying: "I beg of you that I may stand, that, if there be a man who is weak in his body, I may go over and awaken him that he slumber not." And he could hardly be persuaded |32 to sit down. And when he had sat down, there was a great silence.

And when they were quiet, S. John sprang up, and stood, and beckoned to them with his hand to keep silence; and brought out the cross that was on neck, and looked upon it, and laid it on his eyes, and kissed it. And after he had wept, he stretched out hi right hand, and signed with it the whole assembly, and placed it on the highest row (of seats), which was the most eastern of all, and had lamps placed before it And they cried with a loud voice and said: "Thou servant of Jesus, declare unto us, what this is that thou hast done unto us." And the holy (man) beckoned unto them, and they were silent; and he began to speak and; said: "Beloved children, whom the Gospel hath won, this is the Cross of the Son of God, who was eternally with His Father, and He made these heavens and these stars that are arrayed in them, and on Him depend all His creatures. And I have made this Cross a bulwark for you, that Satan may not come, and assemble his demons, and make sleep enter into you or heedlessness of mind." And they cried out: "To us this night is day, for now life is come nigh unto us." And they quieted one another. And when they were quiet, all the people ran; and when they had run, they turned their backs to the west, and fell down on their faces before the cross to the east, and were weeping and saying: " We worship Thee, Son of God, who wast suspended on the tree." And the procurator was lying prostrate before the cross |33 and he went (and) stood in front, and said: " We worship Thee, Father and Son and Spirit of Holiness, for ever, Amen." And they all answered, "Amen."

And they were saying to John: "By our Lord Jesus (we conjure thee), inform us how the Son of God came, and let us know, if we are drawing nigh unto Him, and if He will forgive us all the sacrifices and libations with which we have polluted ourselves." And the holy (man) stood up on the highest row (of seats), and began to speak with them, being full of the Spirit of holiness, and he made known unto them all the ordering of creation, and that the Son of God was with the Father from the beginning, and was not parted nor far away from Him, and that without Him nothing came into being (of) all that is in heaven and in earth, (of) all things visible and invisible. And being full of the Spirit of holiness, he was narrating before them from the Torah and the Prophets, and how God had compassion upon the body of the human race, which was taken in sin, and sent His only Son and He came, and entered by the ear of the Virgin Mary, and dwelt in her womb nine months, and from her was clothed with the body, whilst the height and depth were full of Him, and there was no place in which He was not; and whilst forming children in the wombs (of their mothers), He was with His Father; and when the nine months were fulfilled, He came forth from the womb of the woman, whilst she remained a Virgin, and her virginity was not destroyed but remains |34 for ever; and He grew tip as a man, He the Great One, who became small because He willed (it so); and when thirty years were fulfilled, He came to the Jordan for baptism, and was baptized by John, the son of Zacharias, who was His servant; and when this "Jesus was baptized and multitudes surrounded Him, the Heavens were rent, and His Father cried out over Him, and pointed Him out with the finger, (saying:) ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I take pleasure; hear ye Him.' And straightway He came up out of the water, and multitudes (were) around Him; and He, the Hidden One, who came into the world, began to perform those miracles, which He used to do secretly, so as to do them openly; for He was invited to a wedding-feast, and the wine ran short, and the bridegroom had none; and he commanded the groomsmen and the attendants to draw water and pour it into large jars, which were there. And when the attendants had filled out the water, He made a sign and looked upon the water, and it was blessed and transformed and became pleasant and sweet wine. And they all drank and were pleased; and I drank of it. And when He was teaching in the desert, and the day inclined to its close, after the sick had been healed, and the lepers cleansed, and the lamed walked, and (the eyes of) the blind were opened, those who had been healed were hungry; and the time was short, and there was no bread but three cakes of barleymeal. And |35 He commanded the multitude to sit down; and He gave orders, and they brought to Him these cakes; and He looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake, and gave to them, and they ate, and left (some) over, and were satisfied. And those who ate and were satisfied, and carried (some) away, and went to their homes, were four thousand (men), besides women and children. And He sent us away, that we might go into a ship and sail on the sea, and He stayed behind on the dry land. And when the sun had set and it was dark, the sea arose against us, and we were tossed about all night. And in the fourth watch of the night, this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, came unto us walking on the sea, and we were afraid; and when one of the disciples, my companions, saw (this), he said to Him: 'Lord, if it be Thou, command me to come unto Thee upon the water.' And Jesus said unto him, 'Come.' And he walked and came unto Him. And our Lord Jesus came and entered into the ship, and there was a great calm. And these multitudes were astonished and said: 'Who is this, pray, that He commands the winds and the sea and they obey Him?' And when Jesus came to the land of the Gadarenes, they brought unto Him all those who were grievously afflicted with various diseases, and madmen, and paralytics, and lunatics, and the lame; and He healed them all. And now, |36 my brethren, there cannot be numbered or counted the cures and the miracles which this Jesus did, who is the Son of God. For just as He was seen bodily in this world He was doing these works also when He was concealed in His Father eternally. He appeared in the flesh from the Virgin, and wrought these signs openly that by them He might convict Satan, the father of falsehood and condemn him, and show the whole race of mankind, that every one who is drawn and comes unto Him He brings him near unto the Father who sent Him, and He does works like these. For He and His Father are one; and because the Father loved the world, He gave Him to the Cross, and He died for us and gave us life, and we live with Him, and every one who believes in Him, abides in Him. And as to what ye have asked of me and said unto me, 'If our iniquity will be forgiven us, and our sacrifices and our libations, and our impurity and our uncleanness, if we draw nigh unto Him,'— lo, I say unto you, if ye believe in Jesus, and resolve in your minds that ye will not again be mixed up with libations and the impurity of idols, and no man of you change (his mind), and ye do not worship the work of men's hands, but believe in the Father and the Son and in the Spirit of holiness, I will do what He said unto us and commanded us, when He was ascending to Heaven to His Father; and I will cry unto Him, He will blot out your sins, and forgive your faults, and make white your stains; and I will anoint and soften |37 with oil your knees, which you have bent, and the evil one, our enemy, has lacerated them, making them bend before his idols, which have been made by him a dwelling place for his devils; and I will sign for you with His Cross, which is the sign of life, the head which He has bowed down to the ground, and (which) is glad that it is bowed down, because it is created in the likeness of Him who created it; and I will place a seal upon your foreheads, that when he sees that ye are the asylum of this Lord, he may flee and say: 'These were my kids, and were joined unto me that they might become big he-goats, and might butt with their horns all armies; but now the Son of the Father, who bowed Himself down and became flesh from the Virgin, has taken them and made white their colour, which was (the colour of) the darkness in which I am shut up; and He has made them new lambs, and lo, they dwell with Him.' And this mouth of yours, which was fed fat at the table of bitter herbs,— and lo, the deceiver is proud, because he thinks that he has made you food for the serpent, I will open it, and place in it the living bread, which is the body of God, and gives life to every one who believes in Him; and I will make you swallow the blood of the Son of God, which was rent on Golgotha with the spear, of this Jesus, whom, lo, I preach unto you, who, even when ye are dead, is buried with you, and His body and His blood remain in your flesh, and He will raise you up |38 and ye shall arise. Through this body ye shall come without corruption, and not to the fire or the torment, and ye shall not see the worm that dies not, because ye have believed in the name of the Only (-begotten), that He is the Son of God, and in truth He is the Life-giver of the world."

And after these things, the whole assembly in the theatre cried out and said: "We beg of Thee, servant of the living God, do what thou pleasest, and let us participate in the living Mystery, that we may live and not die; and this in haste."

And the holy (man) commanded the procurator that he should have a place (made) in one of the corners of the theatre; and the stone-cutters came, and set to work in that very hour, and made (a place) like a cistern, and turned the water-pipe, which went into the theatre, into the cistern, and the water came and the cistern was filled. And it was spacious on every side, twelve cubits in length and twelve cubits in breadth, and it was two and a half cubits deep.

And the holy (man) besought the procurator to command and let fine, scented oil come, seventy pints. And he commanded, and it came, and a vat was filled with it. And the holy (man) drew nigh, and kneeled down, and looked up to heaven, and cried out in the midst of the theatre: " Holy is the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness for ever, Amen." And the whole assembly answered, "Amen." Then John made the sign of the |39 Cross over the oil, and said with a loud voice: "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Spirit of holiness for ever, Amen." And again the third time he said: " Holy is the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness, Amen." And straightway fire blazed forth over the oil, and the oil did not take fire, for two angels had their wings spread over the oil and were crying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord Almighty."

And the people, when they saw these things, were afraid with a great fear, and fell on their faces, and were worshipping to the east. And when the oil was consecrated, then the holy (man) drew near to the water, and signed it, and said: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit of holiness, for ever, Amen." And the whole people cried, "Amen." And straightway these two angels came and hovered over the water, and were crying, "Holy, holy, holy, Father and Son and Spirit of holiness," after him. And S. John cried after them, "Amen."

And John answered and said to the whole assembly: "Arise in the power of God!" And they all arose with fear, and their hands were stretched out to Heaven, and they were crying out, saying: "Great is this mystery! We believe in the Father and in the Son and in the Spirit of holiness." And it was about the eighth hour of the night. Then the procurator drew near, and fell on his face before John, and said to him: "What is it |40 necessary for us to do?" And S. John said to him: "Strip off thy garments from thee." And when he had stripped, the holy (man) drew nigh, and took oil in his hand, and made him a cross on his forehead, and anointed his whole body, and brought him nigh to the cistern, and said to him: "Descend, my brother! who art become a new firstling, which enters in at the head of the flock into the fold of the owner of the sheep. Descend, my brother! for the lambs are looking at thee, and running that they may go down, and become white, and get a new fair fleece, instead of that which is rent by ravening wolves." The procurator says: "What must I say, and then descend?" John says to him: "According as thou hast seen, and found true, and believed." And the crowd was silent, as if there was not a man there, that they might see what the procurator and John would say. And the procurator stretched out his hands to Heaven, and cried out, weeping and saying: "I believe in the Father and in the Son and in the Spirit of holiness;" and he leapt down into the font. Then the holy man drew near, and placed his hand on the head of the procurator, and dipped him once, crying out, "In the name of the Father;" and the second time, "In the name of the Son;" and the third time, "In the name of the Spirit of holiness." And when he had come up out of the water, then he clothed him in white garments, and gave him the (kiss of) peace, and said to him: "Peace be unto thee, thou new bridegroom, |41 who hadst grown old and effete in sin, and, lo, to-day art become a youth, and thy name has been written in Heaven."

Then the whole multitude was agitated, and hastened eagerly (to try) which should run down into the font. And all the chiefs were standing around the font; and they signed to the crowd with their hands to be silent. And the whole crowd were crying out, saying with simplicity: "Brethren and fathers, let us run and anoint ourselves with this holy oil, and bathe in this water, and become white, lest perchance either the water become exhausted, or the oil run short."

Then the holy (man) cried out to them and said: "Be quiet, blessed flock, for your Father, who is in Heaven, has willed to give unto you His kingdom, because ye have believed in His beloved Son." They then straightway were quiet. Then the holy (man) drew near and said to the procurator: "Come, sit down on the fair upper row (of seats); for to-day it is fitting that thou shouldst be honoured, for there is joy in Heaven on thy account." And they spread cushions for him and he sat down.

Then he made a sign unto them with his hand to be silent. And when they were silent, then he began to speak with them, saying: "Verily today life has come nigh unto us. Now then, if this holy (man) gives me leave, I will speak." Then the whole crowd cried out to John and said: "In the name of Jesus, bid him speak." And John said to him: "Speak, my lord, whatever thou pleasest." |42

Then the procurator said: "Hearken, my brethren! When I was (first) dipped, I opened my eyes and saw, not that I was going down, but that I was going up to Heaven. And the second time, I looked and opened my eyes, and saw a right hand holding a reed and writing. And the third time, I heard a voice saying: 'The sinner, the sheep which was lost, is found; let him come in.' "

And S. John straightway clasped his hands tightly behind him, and threw himself on his face before the cross, and cried out: "Glory be unto Thee, Maker of all creatures, who hast sent Thy beloved Son, and He walked upon earth, and gave us power to go forth (and) preach His gospel in the world, and turn the erring to repentance.'' Then he spoke to the nobles, and they took off their garments, and he drew nigh (and) anointed them, and baptized them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit of holiness. And when they were baptized, then he baptized the whole crowd, from the eighth hour (of the night) until the sun rose. And a great multitude assembled and came; and when it was morning, they ran and brought their children, and the holy (man) was giving them baptism till the fifth hour. And those who received baptism were, souls. Then the whole multitude departed for that day.

And the procurator took the holy (man) to his house, and they were rejoicing and glad; and he was in his |43 house three days. But on the third day the holy (man) begged that they would let him go (and) dwell in one of the mountains. And he sent and assembled all his free men, and they were beseeching John to remain in the palace; but he was unwilling to be persuaded, for he said: "I must wander about through all Asia, and also in the country of Phrygia." And when he saw that they were distressed and were weeping, he said to them: "If it were the will of the Spirit of holiness that I should go, ye should not be distressed; but now I will remain and abide with you. Let us go out then, and go about through the whole city, and I will look where it is fitting for me to dwell, for the Apostles my fellows are coming unto me.'' And these words seemed good unto them; and the procurator took his seat with pomp, and all his nobles were going before him. And whilst they were going round, the holy (man) said: "I beseech you, my brethren, to show me the temple of these erring ones." And the procurator came with his retinue to the temple of Artemis, and they were wishing to slay the priests and to burn her temple with fire. But John was beseeching (them) that no man should be slain, saying: "These will come and turn to the knowledge of the truth; let us not destroy them with the sword." And when the holy (man) came and saw them and the temple of folly, there was there a place which was elevated; and he saw that place, and said: "I wish to dwell here." And the procurator and the nobles commanded (them) to |44 make a palace for him there. But he said: "No, by the Lord Jesus; if ye build anything, I will not dwell in it and I wish for nothing but a hut alone." And, straightway they brought (materials) and made for him a hut, which was above the temple, and he was sitting under it. And when he had sat there a long, time, there were assembling unto him all those who believed in Jesus the Messiah our Lord, and were being baptized; and he was communicating unto them the body and blood of Jesus. And there was a hut above, the temple of Artemis; and the holy (man) was sitting, and beholding the uncleanness which took place there.

And after three months and ten days, the priests were assembled, and went round (and) informed the congregation of the heathens, (saying): "We must celebrate a festival to our goddess; but let every man prepare whatever he can, both oxen and sheep, and let us sacrifice (them), and see why our goddess is angry with us." Then the heathens were assembled, and prepared and made a feast, and sacrificed unclean sacrifices. And when they were assembled, John was standing above in the hut and looking at everything that took place. And kneeling before her, they said to the priests: "Ask her for what reason, and learn of her why she has neglected and is angry with us men." And there was dissension in the city. Then came Legion,— the sister of her who fell into the sea, she and the swine,— and spoke in the |45 doomed image; and the priests listened and were hearing from the mouth of the image the sound of a humming like that of bees; and they made the heathens keep silence, and drew near, and laid their ear on the mouth of the image, and the devils gave forth a voice and said: "That hut will destroy this temple; fight not with him. For as said that master of ours, he fought with the Master of this (man), and the Master of this (man) overcame him. See then and be ye also afraid of him. And we are afraid lest his Master come to the help of this (man), and be enraged, and cast us into the deep, and our master be deprived of two Legions. We then, lo, are fighting that we may not be conquered; and if he conquers us, we shall be reckoned as if his Master had conquered our master." And the priests were trembling (with fear), and answered and said: "We ask of you, my lords, who is this man's Master?" The devils say: "He is the Son of God, who came down from Heaven; and our master did not perceive when He came down. And He became man, and died on the Cross; and our master imagined that he was a mere (man). And He rose on the third day from the grave and, lo, He is in Heaven, and is assailing us." And the priests when they heard these things, were amazed and astonished. And the multitudes say unto them: "Why are ye amazed?" And the priests answered and say: "Artemis has said that this hut will destroy this temple, and all who are initiated into her mysteries are afraid |46 of this; and accordingly they are beseeching us to be afraid of this man, who dwells in this hut, who, if he will and command, will destroy us in the abyss."

And the multitudes were straightway crying out: "We renounce this Artemis, in whom there is no use; for if of this (man), who is a slave or a disciple, the strength is so great, (that of) his teacher or his master (must be) as much again." And they were beating their faces and saying: "Alas, what has befallen us? for our possessions have been consumed in libations, and we have gained loss for our souls." And the priests said: "Ye are men of sense; whatever is good in your eyes, do; but we will worship and honour Him who is able to make alive and to destroy." And they ran down from the altar, and with speed went up to the holy (man), and cast themselves upon their faces before the holy (man). And the whole crowd cast cords about the image of Artemis, and pulled it down, and dragged it along, whilst bands were crying out before it and behind it: "Thou destroyer of our lives, arise, deliver thyself! Not from heaven didst thou descend; artisans made thee in a furnace."

And S. John saw that the priests were lying on their faces, but he spoke not with them, nor they with him; and he kneeled down among them, and made them look to the east, and was praying and entreating. And whilst the crowd were crying out and dragging along the image of Artemis, the multitude, who had before received baptism within the theatre, were applauding them in stoles and robes, and were saying: |47 "Come in peace, our brethren and children; let us all have one spirit. Come in peace, O congregation that was estranged from its Master, and lo, to-day has repented and been united with the number (of the chosen). Come in peace, O flock, that was led captive by Satan, and which its Master has brought back that the ravening wolves might not rend it."

And when the procurator heard the tumult and great outcry of the whole city, he was afraid, and arose (and) came from his palace, and went up to S. John, and found him kneeling. And the procurator made a sign with his hand that they should desist from (their) outcry. And he commanded and strong men arose to restrain the crowd from going up to John. Then the procurator said to S. John: "Arise, my lord, and sign this new congregation; for if not, their lives will perish for crying out. For lo, I see aged men whose garments are wet with tears and sweat." Then the holy (man) lifted up his head from prayer, and said to the procurator: "I was interceding for them before our Lord Jesus the Messiah, that He would bring them in and bring them nigh before His Father, and pray on their behalf; for He is the door, and through Him a man goes in, and finds pasturage; and without Him, a man is not able to draw nigh unto the Father; and He gave the law from mount Sinai."

Then the holy (man) arose and looked on them from above, and signed them with the sign of the Cross; and |48 they all fell upon their faces before him, crying out with grief and sobbing: "We have sinned and done wrong and committed evil, and we knew it not until today. Have mercy on us, Lord! Lord of Heaven and earth! for henceforth we abjure all idols."

Then the holy (man) cried unto them from above: "Arise in the might of our God! Arise in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, His beloved Son!" And straightway they arose, and were lifting up their hands to Heaven and crying out: "Glory unto Thee, God, the Maker of Heaven and of earth! Our Lord hath appeared unto us; and we know that Thou art the true God, and that by Thee this youth was sent to the city of Ephesus." And a cloud was overshadowing the city; and straightway there was a low thundering. And the whole crowd fell upon their faces for fear and say: "We praise Thee, Thou hidden God, who art invisible, and lo, hast been revealed unto us because we sought Thee. We confess Thee, and there is no other God but Thee."

Then S. John spake with them, and was expounding unto them from the Law and from the prophets, and was teaching them concerning our Lord Jesus, proving and showing unto them concerning our Lord Jesus, that He is the Son of God. And they, after they had received the faith, were beseeching that they might receive the sign of baptism, crying out and glorifying God. And the procurator besought the holy (man), |49 saying: "If thou pleasest, my lord, let criers go forth in the city and proclaim, 'Whosoever believes in the Son of God, let him come (and) bathe, and be cleansed of pollution;' and as for us, let us go to the place where the font is, and every one who comes, give him the sign, and let him live and not perish." S. John said to the procurator: "Well hast thou spoken, my lord; thus will we do, according to thy command." And straightway both of them arose, and the procurator made a sign with his hand that they should be quiet. And when they were quiet, he said to them: "To you we speak, ye new children, whom the Gospel of God hath won. Today, we being all assembled without tumult, go to the theatre, and there ye shall receive the sign of life." They then, being assembled, drew up bands in order, whilst they were crying out and saying to the procurator: "How must we chant and sing?" The procurator says unto them: "Thus say and sing, until ye enter in, 'Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Spirit of holiness! Lord have mercy upon us.'" And the sound of their outcry was going outside of the city more than five miles.

And they came and entered into the theatre. Then came the procurator and John, and entered into the theatre. Then the holy (man) answered and made a sign with his hand that the crowd should be quiet. And when they were quiet, the holy (man) stood up on the steps and |50 said: "Arise in prayer." And they looked to the east, and fell on their faces, and were saying: "Lord, have pity upon us." Then the priests, when the whole people were lying on their faces, came (and) entered last of all, and were walking barefooted and girded with sackcloth, with dust cast on their heads and their faces covered with soot, and were lamenting and crying out: "Thou God, who dwellest in Heaven, have pity upon us; we have sinned before Thee, and have caused many souls without number to sin; it is not hard for Thee to forgive us, if Thou wilt."

And when they had said these things, John arose from his prayer and said: "Arise in the might of God." And when they had arisen, he concluded the prayer, and they all answered "Amen." And he turned, and looked upon the seven priests, who were standing in vile attire, with their heads inclined to the east and their hands raised to Heaven, and tears without end were running from their eyes and dripping down upon their blackened cheeks. And when the holy (man) saw (them), he was grieved and wept, and the procurator with him; and the whole crowd was weeping. And the holy (man) kneeled down, and prayed, and said: "Merciful God, the Father and Sender of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, Thou, Lord, hast said, 'If the dinner turns from his sin and does righteousness before me, through that righteousness, which he hath done, he shall live.' I ask of thee, Lord, |51 have pity upon the work of thy hands, and be not disgusted with it. Let these be received, who were perishing like sheep which have no shepherd, and let them praise Thy great and terrible name and Thy dear Son our Lord Jesus the Messiah, for to Thee and to Him and to Thy holy Spirit is glory and honour for ever, Amen." And the whole congregation answered "Amen."

Then he arose and called them, but they were not able to speak for weeping and sobbing. And he drew near unto them, holding the procurator by his hand, and spake with them, and they did not speak. And the holy (man) made the sign of the cross upon the forehead of each one of them. Then there was an outcry from the whole crowd, and the tears of S. John were running over. And he said unto them: "Take courage; there is no cutting off of hope. Hope was given to men by the birth of the Son of God from the Virgin. Open your mouths and speak with us. We are your members, and are formed of the same material of which ye are formed. We are created by one God, and are one soul. Fear not; He will not cast you off; He will not reject you; He will not be disgusted with you. I have learned of Him, that if ye believe in Him, ye shall rejoice at the table of His kingdom." Then those priests answered and said before the crowd: "How can our deceitful mouth speak? What can we say? for the face of our heart is blackened more than our external face. We cannot open our mouth to speak. But this we know, and |52 believe, and declare true, that there is one God, who created the world by His grace, and His only (and) beloved Son, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who put on the body from the holy Virgin; and whether we die, or whether we live, we know no other man. Woe to us then, if He has not mercy upon us and does not forgive us; because we have much property and gold that passeth away, and with these souls we have acquired it."

And the procurator had a wish that they should draw near to him, because they were far from the crowd and were standing alone. And when they went to bring them near and make them stand in the midst, the priests say: "We beg of you, do not defile your hands with our stench. "We will not draw nearer than here, until He wills it in whose name we have believed." And it was about the third hour of that day.

And the holy (man) answered and said to the procurator: "Command, sir, that water come into the font. We must baptize this assemblage, and speak to them the word of life. And command that tables be (laid out) through the whole city, and whosoever wants food, our Lord Jesus, who satisfied thousands in the desert, will prepare (a feast) before him." Then the procurator called Menelaus his son, who became alive, and said to him: "Take unto thee ten men, and let each of them go and provide for thee a hundred men of those who have received the sign of baptism, and let them lay the tables, |53 and make ready a great banquet." And they went and did according to the command of the procurator.

And S. John arose from the bench on which he was sitting, and came to the priests, and took hold of the hand of their chief, whose name was Apollo, and of the hand of another, whose name was Dionysius, and drew them near to him, and was speaking to them the word of God, and was interpreting (it), and exhorting them. And Apollo and Dionysius the priests were saying aloud: "Have pity upon us, Son of God, and bring us nigh unto Thy Father, we beg of Thee. If we are to be punished for our wickedness, let not these be punished, for we have led them astray from Thy path. We beg of Thee, merciful Lord, have mercy, Lord, upon our wickedness. If Thy righteousness judge us, let not these be judged, for ours, Lord, is their corruption." And the whole people was weeping.

And when the font was prepared, the procurator commanded, and oil was brought. Then S. John arose, and prayed, and said: "Glory to Thee, Father and Son and Spirit of holiness, for ever, Amen." And they answered after him, "Amen" And he said: "Lord God Almighty, let Thy Spirit of holiness come, and rest and dwell upon the oil and upon the water; and let them be bathed and purified from uncleanness; and let them receive the Spirit of holiness through baptism; and henceforth let them call Thee 'Our Father who art in |54 Heaven.' Yea, Lord, sanctify this water with Thy voice, which resounded over the Jordan and pointed out our Lord Jesus (as) with the finger, (saying,) 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him.' Thou art here who wast on the Jordan. Yea, I beseech Thee, Lord, manifest Thyself here before this assemblage who have believed on Thee with simplicity, and let the nations of the earth hear that the city of Ephesus was the first to receive Thy Gospel before all cities, and became a second sister to Urhāi (Edessa) of the Parthians." And in that hour fire blazed forth over the oil, and the wings of the angels were spread over the oil; and the whole assemblage was crying out, men and women and children, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord Almighty, of whose praises Heaven and earth are full." And straightway the vision was taken away.

And the priests fell down on their faces and wept. And S. John drew nigh and raised them up, and they said: "We believe in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness, and we will never know aught else." And John drew near, and washed them (clean) of the soot, and anointed them with oil, and baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness, for the forgiveness of debts and the pardon of sins. And S. John said to the procurator: " Command that they go and fetch fine white bread and wine, whilst the whole multitude is being baptized." |55

And they went, (and) prepared, and made ready every thing. And when the whole multitude was baptized, the priests say: "Brothers and fathers and sons, today we bear the Cross of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. Why stand over the gates of our city the images of the daughter of Satan? Let us go (and) pull them down and burn them, and place over all the gates the Cross of our Lord Jesus the Messiah." And the whole multitude were crying out, "Where ought we to make a church?" And S. John was glad and rejoicing; and he said to the procurator: "Look, sir, where it pleaseth thee." And they chose a place which was fitting, and bore the cross and came thither, and set up there the cross, and over the gates of the whole city crosses. And the holy (man) prayed, and offered the (eucharistic) sacrifice, and let them partake of the body and blood of the Messiah; and thither they were assembling every Sunday, and were breaking (bread) together, and were partaking of the body and blood of our Lifegiver.

After these things, when the Gospel was increasing by the hands of the Apostles, Nero, the unclean and impure and wicked king, heard all that had happened at Ephesus. And he sent (and) took all that the procurator had, and imprisoned him; and laid hold of S. John and drove him into exile; and passed sentence on the city that it should be laid waste.

And after three days, believing men of the city assembled, and counselled one another and said: |56 "Let us assemble at the church, and see what each man is willing to give, and take a bribe, and offer it to this wicked ruler, and he will give up to us this (man), who turned us away from error unto our Lord." And when they had taken counsel thus, they collected three hundred pounds of gold, and took ten men, and they went on board a ship to go to Nero, the wicked king, and give the bribe, and bring back the holy (man).

And when they had gone and entered into Rome, at midnight, when the impure Nero was asleep, the Lord sent to him an angel; and he appeared to him in a flame and bearing a sword, and awakened him. And when he had opened his eyes and looked upon him, he cried out and said: "I pray thee, what I have to do with thee?" The angel says to him: "Send back the man whom thou hast taken from Ephesus and cast into exile; and if not, this sword shall enter into thy unclean heart before the sun rises." And the angel smote him and took away his speech, and he was howling like a dog. And his slaves came in when they heard his lamentation, and said to him: "What is the matter with thee, my lord the king?" And he made a sign, and they brought him ink and a sheet of paper, and he wrote: "Straightway, — if it be possible, today,— let John, the son of Zebedee, the Galilean, whom I took away from Ephesus, pass the night in it." And he wrote also, and sent (word) to Ephesus quickly, that every one who was in prison, should come out and do as he pleased. |57

And there came sailors and men clad in arms, and took the letters written by the king's hand, and went on board ship, and went (and) found John at midday kneeling and praying. They say to him: "The king has commanded that we should convey thee to the place where thou wast." And they took him, and went on board ship, and sailed on the sea in peace, and brought him to the gate of Ephesus, and returned to Rome.

And those men who had brought the bribe, when they heard that the holy (man) had returned to Ephesus, said: "We worship Thee, Father and Son and Spirit of holiness, who hast done what Thy fearers wished." And they went on board ship, and brought those three hundred pounds (of gold with them), and came. And when they had entered Ephesus, they showed the gold and narrated all that had happened, and there was joy through the whole city; and they took counsel one with another, and deposited the gold in a house, and hired artificers, and built with it two churches for the worship of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

And S. John went up (and) sat in the hut; and all the free men of the province of Asia gathered together unto him, and he was teaching and preaching concerning our Lord Jesus; and the word of Nero was established over his own place, but he did not dare again to give orders regarding the province of Asia. It was this wicked man, who slew Paul and Peter.

And after a long interval, when the Apostles |58 heard all that had happened in the whole country of the Ephesians, they were amazed, and said: "This thing is not great for our Lord Jesus, hut to us it is wondrous." And Paul was asking and inquiring of the Apostles, that he might hear the history of S. John; and every day and every hour he was supplicating before God, that he might be deemed worthy to see him.

And when the Gospel rose upon the world, the Spirit of holiness willed, and Matthew was moved and composed the Evangel; and after him, Mark; and after him, Luke. And they wrote, and sent (word) to the holy John that he too should write, and informed him concerning Paul, who had entered into the number of the Apostles. But the holy (man) did not wish to write (a Gospel), saying that they should not say "He is a youth," if Satan cast dissension into the world.

And when the Apostles had travelled about in the countries, and had planted the Cross, and it had spread abroad over the four quarters of the world, then Simon Cephas (Peter) arose, and took Paul with him, and they came to Ephesus unto John. And they rejoiced with a great joy, and were preaching concerning our Lord Jesus without hindrance. And they went up to the holy (man), and found him praying. And they saluted one another, and rejoiced with a great joy, |59 and narrated to one another all that our Lord Jesus had done, and appointed (as) priests believing men.

Peter and Paul entered Ephesus on a Monday, and for five days they were persuading him, whilst rejoicing, to compose an Evangel, but he was not willing, saying to them, "When the Spirit of holiness wills it, I will write." And on the Sunday, at night, at the time when our Lord arose from the grave, the Apostles slumbered and slept. And at that glorious time of the Resurrection, the Spirit of holiness descended, and the whole place, in which they were dwelling, was in a flame; and those men who were awake, awakened their fellows, and they were amazed. And John took paper, and wrote his Evangel in one hour, and gave it to Paul and to Peter. And when the sun rose, they went down to the house of prayer, and read it before the whole city, and prayed, and partook of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus. And they came to the holy (man), and remained with him thirty days; and then they came to Jerusalem, to Jacob (James), the brother of our Lord, and thence they came to Antioch.

And the holy (man) sat in the hut summer and winter, until he was a hundred and twenty years of age, and there his Master buried him in that place, as Moses was buried on Mount Nebo.

Every one who believes, and gives credence to the signs, which our Lord did by the hands of the Apostles, shall find mercy at the day of judgement. And to the |60 Spirit of holiness, who is in the Father and the Son, everything is easy. And let the children of the Church, without division, offer up praise, without investigation, to the Father and to the Son and to the Spirit of holiness, for ever, Amen.

Here ends the Doctrine of John the son of Zebedee, who leaned on the breast of our Lord Jesus at the supper, and instructed and taught and baptized in the city of Ephesus.

[Most footnotes omitted. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]

1. b. In B. the title is: "The history of the holy and beloved Mar John the evangelist, who spoke and taught and baptised in the city of Ephesus."

This text was transcribed by Colin Tunnicliffe, UK, 2004. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.61-68. An account of the decease of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.61-68. An account of the decease of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist

AN ACCOUNT OF

THE DECEASE OF SAINT JOHN

THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST. ¹

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AND S. John was with the blessed brethren, rejoicing and being glad in the Lord.

And on the next day, which was Sunday, when the brethren were assembled, he began to say: "My brethren and fellows, and heirs and sharers of the kingdom of the Messiah, ye know how much God hath given to you through me,—how many signs, how many wonders, how many gifts, rests, services, teachings, rulings, graces, honours,—how many things ye see before your eyes, which are given to you, which are not seen by these eyes and are not heard by these ears. Be strong in Him, therefore, remembering Him in your every deed, and knowing well the mystery of the dispensation that is (come) unto men, why it was wrought. The Lord beseeches you—the Lord through me beseeches, my brethren, and implores—who beseeches us that we should remain not insulting, not injured, not defiled. |62 For He knows insult which (comes) from you, He knows contempt, He knows degradation, He knows torture, when ye do not obey His holy commandments. Let not, therefore, your good God be grieved, the gracious, the merciful, the holy, the undefiled, the only one, the immutable, the true, the guileless, the slow to anger, who is exalted above every appellation that is spoken or thought by you — the God Jesus. Let Him be glad, therefore, whilst ye conduct yourselves well and live purely; let Him glory, whilst ye conduct yourselves chastely; let Him not be anxious, whilst ye live continently in the world; let it be pleasant to Him that ye are in fellowship; let Him glory in your chastity; let Him rejoice, whilst ye love Him. These things I speak unto you, my brethren, whilst I hasten to the work which is appointed, which is already perfected in the Lord. For what is there to say to you? Ye have the surety of God; ye have the pledge of His grace; ye have His coming, which cannot be deprecated. If, therefore, ye sin not again, those things which ye have done without knowledge He will forgive you; but if, when ye have known Him, and have obtained mercy from Him,|63 ye walk in courses which (are) like (unto those), both those former (sins) will be imputed unto you, and ye shall not have part in Him or mercy."

And when he had said these things unto them, he prayed thus: " Jesus, who didst twine this garland with Thy twining; who hast attached these many flowers to Thy flower which falleth not; who hast sown these words of Thine; (who) alone hast compassion on Thy servants; physician that healest for nought; (who) alone art a minister and not haughty; Jesus, who alone art gracious and merciful; do Thou with Thy grace cover all those who hope in Thee, Thou who knowest well the artifices and the plundering of the adversary."

And when he had asked for bread, he prayed thus: "What praise, or what offering, or what thanksgiving, when we break the bread, shall we render unto Thee? But Thyself alone, Thee Jesus the Messiah, we praise, the Name of the Father which was spoken. We glorify Thy entrance by the door; we glorify the resurrection, which through Thee has been announced unto us; we glorify Thy word, Thy glory, Thy ineffable pearl, Thy treasury, Thy net, Thy greatness, Him who for our sake was called the Son of Man, the truth, the knowledge, the rest, the strength, the command, the freedom of speech,|64 the liberty which (is) in Thee as in the truth. For Thou art the Lord, who wast called the root of immortality, and the fountain of incorruption, and the foundation of the universe. Because of this we acknowledge Thy majesty, which is now invisible."

And when he had broken the bread, and stretched out his hand to them, and prayed for every man, that he might be worthy of the grace which (is) in the Lord and of the holy Eucharist, he too did eat, and said: "And to me in the same manner (let there be) a portion with you, and peace, and love."

Then he said to Birrus (Byrrhus): "Take with thee two brethren, who have with them baskets and spades,and come after me." And Birrus, without neglect, did what was ordered him by John, the servant of God.

The blessed John, therefore, went forth from the house, and was walking before the gate, and said to many that they should depart from him. And when he came to the grave of a brother of ours, he said to the youths, "Dig, my sons." And they were digging; but he was urging them exceedingly, and saying: "Let the trench be deep." And whilst they were digging, he was conversing with them, and was exhorting them, with himself and with those who had come forth from the house, edifying (them)|65 and speaking to them of the majesty of the Messiah, and praying over each of them.

And when these young men had finished the trench, as he wished, without our knowing any thing, he stripped off the garments which he wore, and cast them like bedding into the bottom of the trench. And standing in his mantle only, he lifted up his hands, and prayed thus: "God, who hast chosen us for the apostleship of the nations; who hast sent us to the world; who hast shown Thyself through Thy Apostles; who hast never been at rest from the foundations of the world, but who constantly hast saved those who were able (to be saved); who hast made Thyself known through all nature, and hast proclaimed Thyself even among the beasts; who hast made the desolate soul, that had become savage, be peaceable and quiet; who, when it was thirsting for Thy word, hast given Thyself to it; who, when it was dead, hast quickly appeared unto it; who, when it was plunged in sin, hast alone shown Thyself unto it; who, when it was overcome by Satan, hast already manifested Thyself unto it; who hast not left it to be agitated like the body; who hast shown it its enemy; who hast made a clean union; God Jesus, Father of those that are above the heavens, and Lord of the celestials, and God of the celestials, and law of those that are in |66 the ether; course of the aerials, and guardian of those that are on the earth; fear of the terrestrials, and peace of Thine own; receive the soul of Thy John, which perhaps may be worthy before Thee, Jesus, who hast thus preserved me to Thyself pure until this hour, and free from intercourse with woman; who didst appear to me in my youth, when I wished to take to myself a wife, and didst say to me, 'Thou art needful to me, John;' who didst choose for me infertility of body, when three times, being disobedient, I wished to marry; who didst say to me on the sea, 'Thou art needful to me, John, and if not, I would let thee take a wife, to mourn and weep;' who in the third year didst open for me the eyes of my understanding, and didst present me with my visible eyes; who didst make it hard for me to see and gaze upon a woman; who didst deliver me from temporal show (or fancy), and preserve me for that which produceth fruit always; who didst deliver me from the madness of uncleanness that is in the flesh; who didst separate me from bitter death, and didst raise me up who had need of Thee; who didst restrain the hidden disease of the soul, and didst cut off its evil action; who didst afflict and expel from the boundary him who caused disturbance in me; who didst preserve my affection to Thee without spot; who hast established my course towards Thee without slipping; who hast given my faith in Thee (to be) without doubting; who hast traced out for me the pure knowledge which is in Thee; who givest to every work the due reward; who hast placed it in my soul that I should not have any possession save |67 purity; for what can I find that is better than Thou? Now, Lord, I have accomplished the stewardship with which I was entrusted; make me worthy of Thy rest, presenting me with the perfection that is in Thee, which is salvation unutterable and ineffable. And when I am going to Thee, let the fire depart, let the darkness be overcome, let the pit be enfeebled; let the furnace be slackened, let Gehenna be extinguished; let the angels accompany, let the demons be afraid; let the princes be cast down, let the powers of darkness fall; let the places on the right stand, but those on the left not stand; let the Slanderer be muzzled, let Satan be laughed to scorn; let his work be undone, let his glory be put to shame, let his anger be rendered vain; let his children be beaten, let his whole root be crushed. But my path unto Thee do Thou render for me free from insult and from spoliation, and (grant) that I may receive the things which Thou hast promised to those who have lived purely and have loved Thee alone."

And he turned to the east and glorified (God), standing full in the light, and said: "Be Thou with me, Jesus the Messiah our Lord." Then he went down into the trench, where he had spread his clothes, and saying to |68 us "Concord and peace be with you, my brethren," he rendered up his spirit, rejoicing. May his prayer be with us. Amen.

Here ends the account of John the Evangelist. May his prayer be with us. Amen.

[All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted apart from these. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]

1. Compare Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, vol. xvi., p. 449.

This text was transcribed by Colin Tunnicliffe, UK, 2004. 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: apocryphal_acts_04_philip.htm

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.69-92. The History of Philip, the apostle and evangelist

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.69-92. The History of Philip, the apostle and evangelist

THE HISTORY OF PHILIP,

THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST.

----

In the name of the unbegotten nature of the immortal God, I write the wondrous and marvellous history of the glorious acts of Philip the Apostle and Evangelist. Our Lord, help me with grace. Amen.

And our Lord Jesus the Messiah spake with Philip the Apostle in a vision of the night at Jerusalem, and said to him: "Rise, go to the city of Carthage, which is in Azotus, and drive out thence the ruler of Satan, for lo, he rejoices there like a destroying wolf, which rejoices in the flock that has no shepherd; and after thou hast driven him out, preach there the kingdom of Heaven." And Philip said to our Lord: "I beseech Thee, the Raiser to life of all souls, — Thou knowest me, that I am a man of Palestine, and I do not know Latin or Greek, and the people of Carthage are not acquainted with Aramaic,—and how shall I go (and) preach to them the Gospel of Thy kingdom?" Our Lord said to Philip: "Who made Adam in His image and His likeness? Who formed for him a mouth, and eyes, and a tongue to speak? Was it not I the Lord?" And Philip said to our Lord: "Thou art the chosen Son, who didst make Heaven by Thy might, and didst establish the world by Thy wisdom." And our Lord said to him: "Now go in my name, and doubt not. I shall be with thy mouth, and thou shalt speak every tongue that thou wilt." And Philip said to our Lord: "I go, Lord; but let not Thy grace be far from me."

And Philip went down from Jerusalem to Samaria, and from Samaria to Caesarea of Palestine, and went down to the harbour, to look for a ship that was going to the city of Carthage. And he found a ship that was lying ready, and waiting for a wind to blow for it, that it might sail. And Philip came near to the captain, and spake with him, that he might go with them to the city of Carthage. The captain answered and said to Philip: "Pr'ythee, do not annoy me; for lo, it is twenty days that we have been waiting for a wind to blow for us, that we might sail, and it has not blown. Now go, fetch thy baggage, and come; for perchance, by the help of thy prayers, God may send us a favourable wind, and we may go on our journey in peace; for I see that thou hast the appearance of a servant of God." Philip says to the captain: "Thou seest me and my baggage; I have nothing else in this world save Jesus the Messiah, and Him crucified. But because I see that there are in thee the fruits of faith, order the people who are going with us to come on board (and) sit down in the ship." And the captain ordered them, and they all came on board and sat down in it. And when the Apostle and the captain had come on board, Philip said to the people who were in the ship: "Let us rise (and) pray, and ask of the Messiah to send us a favourable wind, that we may go on our journey in peace and joy." And they all stood up for the prayer; and Philip prayed and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, come to our help, for I cry unto Thee at this time, that these people, who are here in this ship, may believe that Thou hast sent me." And he turned again to the west, and was strengthened by the Spirit of holiness, and said with a loud voice: "To thee I say, angel of peace, who hast charge of all favourable winds that serve this great sea,—in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, send me a favourable wind, which may come and convey me to the city of Carthage, not in fifty days, nor in twenty days, nor even in ten days, but today let us be there, that all these people, who are here, may know that He who sent me, Jesus, is the Son of the living God."

There was in the ship a Jew, whose name was Hananyā (Ananias), (who) did not pray, but blasphemed and said: "May Adonai recompense thee and the Messiah on whom thou callest, who, lo, has become dust and lies in Jerusalem, whilst thou livest and leadest astray ignorant men by His name."

And when the Apostle had prayed, there came a breeze, and an Angel with it, and entered into (i. e. filled) the sail of the ship, and she began to roll hither and thither from the violence of the wind. Then the sailors arose to loose the cables of the ship from the shore. And the Jew got up to help them to hoist the sail of the ship; and the Angel of the Lord bound him by the great toes and suspended him head downwards aloft on the top of the sail. And the ship was flying and going over the water like an eagle in the air; and the Jew was suspended head downwards. And he was crying out and saying: "O Apostle of Jesus the Messiah, who knows the secrets of men!"And Philip said to him: "No, by the life of thy friend Haman, thou shalt not come down thence, until thou confessest, how thou hast blasphemed Jesus the Messiah, and thy wicked thoughts against His worshippers. He has bound and suspended thee head downwards."

And the Jew cried out and said: "I confess, Sir, whilst I worship, that when ye arose and prayed in the ship, I did not pray, but blasphemed in my heart and said to thee, 'May Adonai recompense thee and the Messiah on whom thou callest, who, lo, has become dust and lies in Jerusalem, whilst thou livest and leadest astray ignorant men.' And straightway a breeze came, and its Angel with it, and filled the sail, and the ship began to roll.hither and thither from the violence of the wind. And when the sailors arose to loose the cables and hoist the sail, I too got up to help them. Then the Angel of thy God bound me by the great toes, and suspended me head downwards, as thy eyes behold me. And lo, his sword is drawn, and he is standing by me and lashing me with scourges of fire. But I beg of thee, Sir, order him to let me loose, for, lo, my soul is going forth from my nostrils."

Philip says to the Jew: "Now how dost thou view this matter? Dost thou believe in the Messiah that He is the Son of God? Yes or no?"

And the Jew cried out, weeping, and saying with a loud voice: "Yes, Sir, I believe in the Messiah thy God, that He is I am that I am, El Shaddai, Adonai, the Lord (of) Sabaoth, the Strong, the Glorious in His holiness, who made heaven and earth by His word; and He made Adam in His image and His likeness; and He accepted the offering of Abel, and He rejected the offering of Cain the murderer; and He removed Enoch without his tasting death; and He delivered Noah from the flood; and He spake with Abraham His friend; and He saved Lot from the midst of the overturned (city, i. e. Sodom); and He preserved Isaac from the knife; and He revealed Himself to Jacob at Beth-el; and He expounded His secrets to Joseph; and He led Israel out of Egypt; and He spake with Moses in the thorn-bush; and He divided the sea before the people; and He sent down the manna from Heaven and He brought up the quails from the sea; and He dashed to pieces Pharaoh and his host in the sea of Sūph, the Red Sea; and He delivered Joshua the son of Nun in the wars; and He revealed His mystery to Gideon; and He strengthened Barak and Deborah in Israel; and He spake with Samuel in the interior of the temple; and He destroyed Goliath before David; and He gave wisdom to Solomon; and He took up Elijah to Heaven; and He delivered Elisha from the armies; and He took Jonah out of the fish; and He brought Daniel out of the pit; and He extinguished the blazing fire of Ananias and his companions; and He rescued the wronged Susanna; and this is Emmanuel, the mighty God, in whose name the sea and land, and the winds and Angels, are subject unto thee."

And Philip rejoiced at the belief of the Jew, and glorified God, and said: "Praise be to Thee, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who changest rebellious minds and blasphemous tongues, and suddenly makest them harps praising Thy glory. Yea, Lord, pardon Thy servant Hananyā, who has believed in Thee." And in that very hour the Angel of the Lord, who was standing beside him at his right hand, took him and brought him down and placed him in the midst of the ship.

Then Hananyā fell at the feet of Philip, and wept, and said: "Have mercy on me, O Apostle of the Messiah, and beg for me of the Preserver of all, that He will pardon my blasphemies, with which I have blasphemed against thee and against thy gods." And the Apostle lifted him up and said to him: "If the Messiah has absolved thee and pardoned thee, who shall condemn thee? Rise, and fear not. Jesus the Messiah will make thee worthy of His true baptism." And fear laid hold on the 495 men who were in the ship, and they were amazed and said: "It never was thus among men."

And whilst they were wondering at what had happened to the Jew, they lifted up their eyes and looked, and lo, the lighthouse (Pharos) of Carthage was visible. And then they began whispering one to another and saying: "Either this is a vision, or it is a dream, or a demon has deceived us, or of a truth God is with this man. Who has seen a wonder like this? or who has heard a marvel like this? that we have come seventy-five masyune in one day." But when Hananyā saw them whispering one to another, he began biting (one end of) his cloak, and said: "O blind, who see not! and wicked fools, who believe not! Have ye not seen what befell me, because I blasphemed in my heart against the Messiah? Be silent, and plot nothing against this chosen one, because at this moment ye are not all suspended head downwards. Will ye not believe in the God of this just man? for, if he commands that city in the name of the Messiah, it will take all its inhabitants and go (and) stop in Gibtusan."

And while the Jew was speaking thus, (the ship) was found to stop in the harbour of Carthage. And all those men cried out and say: "Glory to Thee, the God of Mār Philip, in whose name the sea and land, and the wind and the Angels, are made subject to Thee." And Philip blessed them in the name of the Lord, and let them go to their homes in peace. But he remained at the harbour that he might confirm the captain in the faith of God.

And on the Sunday Philip went up from the ship to enter the city of Carthage, and to drive out thence the ruler of Satan, as the Lord had commanded him. And as he was entering the gates of the city, he signed himself with the sign of the Cross, and sighed before the Messiah. And he saw an Indian man (i. e., a black man), who was sitting on a throne, with two serpents twined round his loins, and a wreath of vipers placed on his head; and his eyes were like coals of fire, and blazing flames issued from his mouth; and from the place where he was sitting a smell of smoke went up, and troops of Indians (blacks) were standing on his right hand and on his left. And when he saw that the Apostle had entered the gate and crossed himself, the ruler was overturned and fell backwards, and all his troops upon him. The Apostle says to the ruler: "Fall and rise not, thou portion of the fire and child of Gehenna, accursed from of old; (thou) bitter (one), who in (all) thy days didst never sweeten; (thou) hater of the just and enemy of all righteousness; deceiver of Adam, bringer of death upon Eve and upon all her children."

The ruler said to the Apostle: "Why cursest thou me, (thou) chosen of the Most High? Tell me, what have I done wrong? or wherein have I sinned against thee? Rebuke me, because I do not abide in this city, but my troops wander about on the whole earth, and come to me; till the third hour of the day; but to a single one of the disciples of Jesus they do not come near, because I have warned them, and commanded them, and said to them: 'Wherever the name of Jesus is mentioned, abide not there, lest ye bring judgement upon me before my time is come.' Woe is me, if perchance one of my troops has deceived me, and transgressed my command, and afflicted one of His disciples; for lo, the effacer of our footsteps is angry with me, and has sent this chosen one to drive me away from this city. Woe is me! what has become of me? Woe is me! what has happened to me? Alas, what has come upon me? Alas, what has befallen me? Alas, what has reached me? Alas, what has overtaken me? Whither shall I go and be delivered? Whither shall I flee and escape? Where shall I hide myself and be saved? Where shall I conceal myself and be delivered? Whither shall I go from this Mighty (One)? Whither shall I fly from this Strong (One)? Whether I say 'Woe is me,' or whether I am silent, I shall burn in the fire. If I cast myself into the sea, I shall be drowned, because the fire is prepared for me, and torment for all my troops. If I ascend unto Heaven, He will cast me down thence; and if Igo down to Hell, there He will breathe upon me. In the east His Star has made me ashamed; in the west they preach His Gospel; in the north they praise His right hand; in the south they worship His Cross. This Jesus has slain me by His death; He has humbled me by His exaltation; He has brought me to abjectness by His necessity. He has deceived me by His similitudes (or likenesses); He has shamed me by His resurrection; He has dazzled me with His humiliation; He has befooled me with His quietude; He has maddened me with His visions. My snares He has broken; my gins He has disclosed; my nets He has cut to pieces. My crown He has taken away from my head; my throne He has overturned behind Him; my power He has taken from me, and my glory He has given to others. He has made me a treading under foot for children, and offscourings and filth unto infants and the simple. He has made me a reproach unto the little, and a mockery and a scorn to the poor and sinners. He has taken everything from me, and given to me nothing at all, save the weeping and wailing and groans of the darkness, to me and to my ministers and to all my troops."

And the whole city was standing and hearing what the ruler was saying, but no man saw him, save that the Apostle saw him through the Spirit of holiness. Philip says to the ruler: "I bid thee in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Mighty God, who sent me against thee, arise; take thy throne, anda lead away all thy troops, and ye shall go forth from this city, for lo, 3795 years ye have enjoyed yourselves in it." And in that hour the ruler arose, and took his throne, and led away all his troops, and they went forth thence, flying in the air, and wailing as they went, and saying: "Woe is to us for thee, our ruler; woe is to us for thee, our king; woe is to us for thee, our monarch." And they ceased not from weeping, all of them, whilst they were going, till they entered the city of Babel, and there established the throne of their ruler.

And there was fear in the whole city, and they were praising God and saying: "Glory to Thee, Jesus the Messiah, the God of Philip, who hast not recompensed us according to our wickedness, nor dealt with us according to our sins; for we did not know Thee, Lord, and Thou in Thy mercy hast sent us a deliverer. Glory to Thy grace, which has been abundant upon us, for ever and ever, Amen." Philip says to the people of the city of Carthage: "Ye have seen, my brethren, what the ruler said, whilst burning and being scorched by the power of the Son of God, that is, Jesus the Messiah, the Power and Wisdom of His Father. And by this Power was (created) the heaven and the earth and all that is in them; and by this Wisdom was established the world and all its inhabitants. Now therefore, my brethren, leave that former opinion of idolatry, and go not after the mind of painters, and (after) images of wood and stone and gold and silver and brass and iron and tin and lead and clay, which men have made, which have eyes and see not, and have ears and hear not, and there is no breath in their mouth, and they feel not with their hands, and walk not with their feet, and smell not with their nostrils, and speak not with their throats; and with nails and spikes they fasten them, that they may not be broken in pieces; and they carry them about, because they cannot walk; and they are set up like masts, because they cannot speak. Be not afraid of them, because they can do neither harm nor good, and it is said concerning them by God, that their makers shall be like them and all who trust in them. Turn, therefore, to the Son of the living God, in whose hand your souls and spirits are placed. This is the first God, and there is none beside Him. Renounce Satan, my brethren, and believe in the Messiah. Flee from the darkness, and come to the celestial light. Quit the destroying left hand, and the unconquered right hand shall receive you. Be delivered from the fiery Gehenna, and ye shall rejoice and be glad in the Paradise of Eden. Strip off the old man, who is corrupted by the lusts of error, and put on the new man, Jesus the Messiah, who is renewed by knowledge in the likeness of His Creator. Avoid and flee from the desire of women, which burns like fire, and destroys those who are inflamed d with it; and trust in God and be glad. Who has believed in Him, and He has forsaken him? Or who has trusted in Him, and He has cast him off? Or who has called upon Him, and He has not answered him? Because the Lord is gracious and merciful, and forgiving sins, and hearkening to the voice of those that do His will. Believe, my dear (friends), for He will forgive you your sins when ye turn to Him with all your heart, with a pure mind free from doubt."

And when the Apostle had spoken these words to the citizens, they cried out and say: "Glory to God, who has sent us a deliverer.'' And Philip blessed them, and went down to the ship, to the harbour, where the ship was lying, in which he came from Cæsarea of Palestine.

And on the Sabbath day (Saturday) all the Jews, who were in Carthage, were assembled unto their synagogues. And they sent and called Hananyā the Jew, who had believed in the Messiah. And the Jews answered and say to him: "Our brother Hananyā, are the things true which the sorcerer Philip did to thee in the ship?" And Hananyā signed himself with the sign of the Cross, and answered and said to them: "All that ye have heard concerning me is true; and far be it from me ever to renounce our Lord Jesus the Messiah." The Jews say to him: "Do not renounce Moses and believe in the Messiah, because the Messiah was an impostor, and his disciples go about with sorcery." Hananyā answered, rejoicing in the faith, and said to the Jews: "The deception of the Messiah be upon me and upon my wife and upon my children; and the sorcery that His disciples practise, be upon the bones of my parents in Sheol. But as for you, well did Isaiah the prophet prophesy concerning you, to whom God said: 'Go, say to this people of Israel that they shall see a sight and shall not see, and shall hear a report and shall not believe; for their eyes they have closed, and their ears they have stopped, that they may not hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and repent, and I forgive them their sins.' Rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah, an evil and a provoking seed, a generation that has not set fast its heart and has not believed in the God of its spirit; children of crime, an evil and adulterous race, and generations of sinners; a race doomed to woe, a vine of Sodom and a plant of Gomorrha; foolish children and unwise; wise in evil things, but not knowing good things; a people uprooted and flayed; rejected silver; scattered millet; worn-out water-skins; a rent garment; a cloth that is of no use; a menstruous rag; an accursed fig-tree; an evil vineyard, the husbandmen of which are murderers; a restive heifer; broken cisterns in which they cannot collect water; perforated money of a cursed merchant; a dry fleece, the dew of which is sprinkled among the Gentiles; proclaimed sons, whom they do not reckon equal to slaves; bitter roots, which in their days have never yielded sweetness; exchanging their God for a calf; sacrificing their sons and their daughters to devils; haters of the Son, enemies of God, provokers of the Spirit of holiness; worshippers of the sun, offerers of sacrifice to Tamuz, servants of Baal, priests of idols; sons of Ahab, fosterlings of Jezebel; dumb dogs, which are unable to bark; stiff of neck and uncircumcised in heart. For in whom of the prophets have ye believed, that ye should believe in the feeble Hananyā? Moses and Aaron led forth your fathers from Egypt, and how often did ye stone them with stones? There arose Joshua the son of Nun, and ye sought to kill him with deadly poison. There arose Samson, and Gideon, and Barak, and Jephthah, and Deborah, and ye provoked them all their lives and all their days. There arose Eli your priest, and through your greed he was rejected from his priestly office. There arose Samuel the prophet, and ye rejected him and his God. There arose David the prophet, and with reproach ye drove him out of Jerusalem. There arose Solomon the king, and he worshipped Ashtaroth, the goddess of the Sidonians. There arose Isaiah the prophet, and ye sawed him with a saw of boxwood. There arose Ezekiel the prophet, and ye dragged him by his feet until his brains were dashed out. There arose Jeremiah the prophet, and ye cast him into a pit of mire. There arose Micah the prophet, and ye smote his cheeks as if (he had been) a child. There arose Amos (the prophet), and ye hindered him from prophesying. There arose Habakkuk the prophet, and through your sins he went astray from his prophetic office. There arose Zechariah the prophet, and him ye slew like a lamb before the altar of the Lord. There arose Malachi the prophet, and ye wearied his God with your words. There arose Elijah the prophet, and ye made him flee to Horeb. There arose Elisha the prophet, and ye wished to kill him. There arose too John the Baptist, a shining light, and ye cut off his head, and sat in darkness; and he began proclaiming the resurrection to the dead. And again, as the consummation of your sins, ye children of crime, ye crucified the Lord of the prophets on the tree. And lo, ye persecute these His disciples, who are about to sit at the day of judgement on twelve thrones of glory and to judge the twelve tribes of Jacob."

And all those Jews were looking on Hananyā, and were seeing that his face was like to the Angel of the Lord, and were gnashing their teeth like destroying wolves. And one of the priests arose and kicked Hananyā, and he died. And they dug a place there in their synagogue and buried him. And they swore one to another that none of them would disclose in his house what they had done.

And on the next day Philip arose to pray in the ship at the ninth hour, he and the citizens with him, and he made mention of Hananyā in his prayer and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, do Thou deliver Thy servant Hananyā from the perfidy of the Jews, and bring him to us that we may see and be gladdened by him." And God heard the prayer of Philip, and commanded the earth, and it gave a passage like a water-pipe, and (this) conveyed Hananyā down to the bottom of the sea. And the Lord prepared a large dolphin, and it carried Hananyā. And while the Apostle was praying in the ship, he lifted up his eyes and looked upon the water; and lo, the dolphin was swimming on the surface of the sea, with the corpse of Hananyā upon him. And when the people who were there, saw (this), they feared with a great fear, and were imagining that a demon had appeared to them. Then the Apostle answered and said to them: "Fear not, my brethren; for by means of this corpse many are about to believe in the Messiah." And Philip cried with a loud voice and said: "Glory to Thee, O Lord, the Restorer to life; for every one who believes in Thee, although he dies, shall live through Thee; and every one who does not believe in Thee, although he is alive and walking on the earth, is dead before Thee." And Philip said to the dolphin: "I bid thee in the name of the Messiah, the Lord of all creatures, go, convey Hananyā the martyr to the place from which thou didst take him, until I go up to the city and put his murderers to open shame." And the dolphin passed through the sea; and carried Hananyā to the place from which he had taken him; and the deeps conveyed Hananyā to the place in which he was killed; and the Lord commanded the earth, and it closed its barriers, that the deeps might not come up and sweep away the city.

And on the next day Philip the Apostle went up from the ship, and went into the city to the judge, and said to him: "One favour I ask of thee that thou wouldest do for me." The judge answered and said to him: "Command me, sir, and whatsoever thou wishest, I will do for thee." And Philip said to the judge: "Send (and) collect for me all the Jews that there are in this city, because I have a cause to plead with them before thee.'' And straightway the judge sent his officers, and collected unto him all the chiefs of the Jews. And Philip said to the hêgemôn: "Sit thou upon the tribunal of the town-hall, and hear the cause between me and them."

And when the king (sic) had seated himself on his tribunal, Philip said to the Jews: "Where is Hananyā, who came with me in the ship from the city of Cæsarea of Palestine, and became a Christian of the Messiah? For I know and am sure, through our Lord Jesus the Messiah, that ye have counselled him to confess Moses and renounce the Messiah." The Jews answered and said to Philip: "Are we the keepers of Hananyā, (who is) alienated from the Law?" And Philip said to the Jews: "Well did our Lord call you the children of Cain the murderer; for Cain, (when) he killed his brother Abel, thought that no man saw him; and God said to Cain, 'Where is thy brother Abel?' And Cain denied (it) like you, and said, 'I know not, because I am not his keeper.' And God said to Cain, "What hast thou done? Lo, the blood of thy brother Abel cries unto me from the ground. Cursed is the ground for thy sake. A wanderer and a vagabond shalt thou be on the earth, which has opened its mouth and received the blood of thy brother from thy hands.' And now, murderers, disclose to me where Hananyā the martyr is, and I will ask of the Messiah for you that He would forgive you your iniquities." The Jews answered and said: "Once we have said to thee, that Hananyā has not been seen by us, and we do not know what has become of him." And Philip said to the Jews: "Tell me, where is Hananyā, the confessor of the Messiah, who has given his life for his Master, and do not lie and deny (it) before me, for ye do not lie unto me, but to the Spirit of holiness which dwells in me." The Jews say to him: "If the Spirit were with thee, it would be clear to thee that we know nothing of Hananyā; but because thou art a liar and an impostor, and the truth is not in thee, lo, thou standest up and doest us wrong/' And again the Apostle said to them: " And if it be that Hananyā is found with you, what do ye deserve to have done to you?" And the Jews said to Philip: "If it be that he is found with us, we all deserve death from God, and Cæsar." And the Apostle said to them: "And if it be that ye rely upon yourselves, do not your consciences convict you of being conscious of the blood of Hananyā the confessor? Swear to me, for as the Paraclete who is with me commands me, will we do unto you." Then the Jews cried out and said: "No, by the God of Abraham, who spake with Moses from the midst of the thorn-bush, (we swear) that Hananyā has not been seen by us; and we do not know what has befallen him."

Then the Apostle was strengthened by the Spirit of holiness, and said to the assemblage who were standing-there: "Give me a little room." And when they had given him room, the Apostle of God lifted up his eyes and saw a man from the country, who was leading anox which was sick, and had brought it to town that he might sell it to the butchers. And the Apostle called him, and said to the ox: "To thee I speak, ox, beast without speech. I command thee, in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, at whose word all creatures are afraid, be strong, and go to the synagogue of these murderous Jews, and call out there and say:'Hananyā, Hananyā, Philip, the disciple of our Lord, calls thee; rise, come, put to shame the murderous Jews.'" And straightway the ox dragged along his owner, and threw him down on the ground, and ran and went to the synagogue of the Jews, and called out and said, like a man: "Hananyā, Hananyā, Philip, the Apostle of the Messiah, calls thee. Rise, come, put to shame the Jews thy murderers." And at the word the dead (man) rose, and laid hold of the ox with his right hand; and they both ran and came to the Apostle of the Messiah, and the owner of the ox was running after them. And the three of them came and prostrated themselves before Philip. And the Apostle cried out and said to Hananyā: "Whence comest thou, my friend?" And Hananyā said to Philip: " From the synagogue of these murderous Jews, who are standing before thee; for they killed me and buried me in their synagogue, because I believed in the Lord Jesu the Messiah, who gave me life, and became a Christian. And now I ask of thee, Sir, do me justice upon these murdering Jews." And the Apostle said to Hananyā:"Listen, my son and friend Hananyā. It is written for US:'If thou do not judgement for thyself, I will do (it), saith God;' and: 'If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat, and if he be thirsty, give him to drink, and when thou doest these things unto him, thou heapest coals of fire upon his head.' And again He has said: 'Let not evil overcome you, but overcome evil with good. And again it is written: 'Is there a man who envies thee or hates thee, thou shalt not pray for his harm, lest it be displeasing in the eyes of the Lord, and He turn away the calamity from him, and bring it upon thee and upon thy dwelling.' And our Lifegiver has commanded us: 'Pray for your enemies, and bless them that curse you, and do good to him who persecutes you and hates you, that ye may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven, who lets His sun shine upon the good and upon the bad, and lets His rain descend upon the righteous and upon the wicked.' And again our Lord commanded us: 'If ye do not forgive men their offences neither will your Father, who is in Heaven, forgive you your offences.' And again He said: 'Blessed are the merciful, for upon them shall mercy be (shown).' And now draw nigh unto the Jews thy murderers, and as the Spirit of holiness gives unto thee, speak with them." And when the Apostle had said these things to Hananyā, the ox spake again, and said to Philip: "Order me, Sir, that at this moment I may kill and knock down all these murderers, the enemies of the Messiah, with my horns." And the Apostle said to the ox: "Hurt no man but go with thy master, and serve him, and the Lord will heal thee and him (with such) a healing that thou shalt never have a pain." Then the ox and his master bowed down before the Apostle of God, and went to their village in peace.

The hêgemôn says to the Apostle: "These Jews, therefore, are deserving of death." The Apostle says: "The Lord has not sent me to slay but to give life, and to raise up those who, whilst alive, were slain by Satan through sin." And the murderers were standing before the Apostle and before the Judge, with their faces ashamed, and what answer they should give them they did not know. Their mouth was closed, when they saw the miracle that was (wrought) through the ox, which, spake like a man, and Hananyā, who had been killed, who stood before them.

And Hananyā, drew nigh to the Jews who slew him, and said to them: "Today is fulfilled regarding you the prophecy of Jeremiah the prophet, who said:'Like the shame of the thief, when he is found out, so are ashamed the children of Israel, they and their kings and their priests and their nobles, who say to wood, Our father art thou, and to stone, Thou art our mother.' And now ye shall go in peace, ye children of Cain the murderer. Our Jesus the Messiah, in whom I have believed, shall do me justice upon you, and shall demand my innocent blood of your hands." And the Apostle said to the Jews: "Hear, ye who are guilty of death for (shedding) innocent blood, thus has Solomon your king written: 'He who is conscious of (shedding) a man's blood, shall flee to the chosen, and he will not deliver him.' And it is written in your Law: 'Whoso slays a man, he too shall be slain and shall not be atoned for, and it shall not be forgiven him before the Lord, until the blood of him be shed, who shed innocent blood.' But us, followers of the Messiah, Christians, disciples of Jesus the Messiah, He has thus commanded: 'It was said to the ancients, Cheek for cheek, tooth for tooth; but I say unto you, Stand not up against evil, but whoso smites thee on thy right cheek, turn unto him the other too.'" And when the Apostle had spoken vehemently, and they did not repent, and did not ask pardon, the Apostle said to the judge: "Turn them out." And the judge ordered his young men, and they turned the Jews out from before him by tribes.

And afterwards fear seized all the Jews who were dwelling in the city of Carthage; and they were crying out and glorifying God and saying: "The God of Philip the Apostle is One, whom the sea and the winds and the Angels obey, and the dead rise to His glory, and beasts and dolphins praise the majesty of Jesus the Messiah, the God who (is) over all." And there became disciples on that day about three thousand souls of the Gentiles, and of the Jews fifteen hundred; and they received the sign (baptism) of the Messiah, and rejoiced in the love of Jesus the Messiah, who had held them worthy of His grace. But the Jews who did not believe in the word of the Apostle, went away from the city and settled in other cities; and ere the sun had set, the Angel of the Lord smote and slew forty priests of the Jews, because they had shed the innocent blood of a just and righteous man. And all who heard and saw, confessed and worshipped and bowed down and said: "The true God is One, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, and with Him His Father and His holy Spirit, to whom be glory and honour and praise and worship in all generations, for ever and ever, Amen and Amen."

Here ends the history of Philip, the Apostle and Evangelist, and to God be the glory for ever, Amen.

[All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]

This text was transcribed by Colin Tunnicliffe, UK, 2004. 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: apocryphal_acts_05_matthew_andrew.htm

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.93-115. The history of Mar Matthew and Mar Andrew, the blessed apostles

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.93-115. The history of Mar Matthew and Mar Andrew, the blessed apostles

THE HISTORY OF

MĀR MATTHEW AND MĀR ANDREW,

THE BLESSED APOSTLES.

WHEN THEY CONVERTED THE CITY OF DOGS, THE INHABITANTS OF WHICH WERE CANNIBALS.¹

----

After the days of the ascension of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to Heaven, when the days of Pentecost were fulfilled, and the Paraclete had come to the upper chamber of Zion, and the holy Apostles were filled with the gift of the Spirit of holiness, each of them had the wish to go forth and preach the Gospel of the Messiah. And they began to cast lots and to distribute the countries among them. And it happened that, when they had cast lots, it fell to Matthew the Apostle to go to the city of which the inhabitants were cannibals. And the inhabitants of that city neither ate bread nor drank water, but their food was the flesh of men, and their drink too the blood of men. And every man who entered into that city, its inhabitants seized, and dug and put out his eyes, and gave him to drink a cup, which was mingled with sorcery; and as soon as he drank that cup, his heart was changed, and his understanding perished, and he got the heart of a beast.

And it happened that, when S. Matthew entered within the gate of the city, the inhabitants of the city seized him, and dug and put out his eyes, and gave him to drink the cup which was mingled with sorcery, and conveyed him to the prison where every one was imprisoned who fell into their hands; and they threw down for him grass to eat.

And when the blessed Apostle had drunk the cup which they gave him, his heart was not changed; but he was always in urgent prayer and tears, saying: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, for whose sake we have left everything and follow Thee, because we know that Thou art the true God, and the Helper and the Deliverer of all those who trust in Thee,—look, Lord, and see what this hard-hearted people are doing to Thy servant Matthew, how they have made me like unto the beast in which there is no sense; for Thou art the Knower of everything. If thus be Thy will, O Lord; that I should become food for the inhabitants of this city, let Thy will be accomplished; I will not flee from Thy command. Give me the light of my eyes, that I may see what the people of this city do with me. Do not, Lord, forsake me, and do not give me up to this bitter death."

And whilst the blessed Matthew was praying thus, a mighty light shone through the whole place where he was imprisoned, and a voice was heard from the light, saying: "Matthew, my Apostle, lift up thine eyes." And straightway he lifted up his eyes and saw. And again the voice came unto him the second time and said: "Matthew, be firm, and be strong, and fear not; for I will not abandon thee, nor forsake thee; for I will deliver thee from all temptations, and not thee alone but all thy companions, for I am with thee at all times. And now endure in this thy prison-house twenty-five days,² for the help of the souls of many. And after these things I will send unto thee Andrew, and he shall bring thee out of this prison and all those who are with thee here." And when our Saviour had said these things, He was lifted up to Heaven.

Then Matthew said: "Thy grace be with us, our Lord Jesus the Messiah." And he was within in the prison and was singing. And it happened that, when the executioners came into the prison to take out men for slaughter, Matthew shut his eyes, that they might not perceive that he saw the light. And it happened one day, when the executioners came and reached him, they read the ticket which was attached to his hand, and said among themselves, "In three days more we shall take out this one too and slaughter him;" for they used to write upon a ticket of wood the day on which a man was taken, and to tie it to his hand, that they might know the completion of his days.

And it happened that, when the twenty-seven days were completed, from (the time) that the blessed Matthew had been seized, our Lord Jesus the Messiah appeared unto Andrew in the country in which he was teaching, and said to him: "Andrew, rise, go with thy disciples to the city of which the inhabitants are cannibals, and take Matthew out of the prison in which he is; for after three days those wretches are going to take him out and kill him for their food." And Andrew answered and said: "My Lord, I am not able within three days to go to that city, because the way is long; but send an Angel to take him out thence, for Thou, my Lord, knowest that I am clothed with flesh, and am not able to arrive there quickly, neither do I know the way." And our Lord answered and said to him: "Andrew, listen, and obey Him who made thee and brought thee into being; for He is able in the twinkling of an eye to command, and that city would be lifted up and brought hither. For I will command the wind, and it shall convey thee thither. But arise in the morning, and go down to the sea-shore with thy disciples, and lo, thou shalt find a ship. Go on board of it, thou and thy disciples." And when our Lord had said these things, He gave him (the salutation of) peace, and was lifted up into Heaven.

Then Andrew arose in the morning, as he had been ordered, and went to the sea-shore with his disciples, and saw a small vessel, and in the vessel three men were sitting; for our Lord by His command had prepared a vessel, and He appeared in it in the likeness of a sailor, and there were with Him two Angels in the likeness of men. And Andrew, when he saw the vessel and the three men who were in it, rejoiced (with) a great joy, and drew nigh unto the vessel, and said to them: "Whither are ye going, my brethren?" And our Lord said to him: "Weare going to the country of the Cannibals." Now Andrew did not perceive that it was Jesus, but our Lord concealed the might and power of His Godhead, and appeared like a steersman. And Andrew answered and said: "We too wish to go to that city." Then our Lord said to him: "Every man flees from that city, and ye wish to go thither!" Andrew answered and said: "We have something to do there, and we must go thither; and now, if ye are going to do a kindness unto us, show (it) to us." And Jesus answered and said to them: "Come on board in peace."

And Andrew answered and said: "I wish thee to know, my brother, before we go on board the vessel, that we have no ship-hire to give thee, nor have we bread for food with us." And our Lord said to him: "And how do ye come on board the vessel, when ye have no ship-hire? " Andrew says to Him: "Listen, my brother; do not suppose that from stiff-neckedness we do not give thee the ship-hire; but we are the disciples of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who loved us, and chose us twelve, and gave us commandment and said: 'When ye go forth to preach, do not take with you purses nor bags, nor copper (coin) in your purses, nor bread, nor a staff, nor shoes; neither have ye two coats.' If then thou wilt have compassion upon us, tell us quickly; and if not, we will look for another vessel." Jesus answered and said unto them: "If this be the commandment which ye have received, and ye keep it, come on board; for I say unto you, that it is more pleasing to me that the disciples of the Messiah should come on board my vessel than those who give me gold and silver. But this I say unto you, that perhaps I am worthy that the disciple of the Messiah should come on board my vessel." And Andrew answered and said: "Permit me, my brother; may the Lord give thee a reward and pardon."

Then Andrew went on board the vessel,³ and answered and said to his disciples: "My children, if ye choose, stay on shore, until I finish what was commanded me by our Lord, and return unto you." But his disciples said to him: "Far be it from us to do this! For if we remain behind thee, we shall become strangers to the grace which was given us; and now we will be with thee whithersoever thou goest."

Then Jesus answered and said to Andrew: "If thou art in truth the disciple of the Messiah, remind thy disciples of the miracles which thy Lord wrought, that thou mayest strengthen their minds, that they may forget (their) concern about this sea; for lo, we are making ready to loosen the vessel from the land and to sail." Then Jesus made a sign to one of the Angels, and he loosened the vessel from the land; and Jesus came and sat in the midst of the vessel. And Andrew was encouraging his disciples, and saying: "My children, ye have given up your lives for the Messiah; fear not; for He did not forsake us at the time when we were with Him in the vessel, and He had lain down to sleep in the vessel, trying us, for He was not asleep; and when there was a great wind, and the sea reared its waves so that they rose above the mast of the vessel, and great fear took hold of us, our Saviour arose and rebuked the wind, and the waves were assuaged, and there was a great calm on the sea; for everything obeys His command, because they are His creation. And now, my children, fear not." And when Andrew had said these things, he prayed that his disciples-might remain at rest.

And when they had fallen asleep, Andrew turned and said to Jesus, not knowing that it was Jesus: "Tell me, man, and truly show me this art of thy steering; for I have never seen a steersman who managed a vessel as I now see thee. For sixteen times have I sailed on the sea, and this is the seventeenth, and I have never seen skill like this; for verily this vessel is in the midst of the sea just as if it were on land. Show me then thy art, O youth." Then our Lord said to Andrew: "We too have sailed many times on the sea, and a violent storm has risen against us; but because thou art the disciple of the Messiah, the sea has recognised thee and has not uplifted its waves against us." Then Andrew cried with a loud voice and said: "I bless Thy name, my Lord Jesus the Messiah, that Thou hast let me meet with a man who glorifies Thy name." And Jesus answered and said to him: "Tell me, disciple of Jesus, why the wicked Jews did not believe on thy Lord that He is the true God. Show me; for we have heard that He showed His power to His disciples." And Andrew answered and said: "Yes, my brother, He showed us that He is the true God; and now do not suppose that Jesus is not God, for He made man.⁴" And Jesus answered and said: "And why did the Jews not believe on Him?" Andrew answered and said: "O man, who hast the spirit of knowledge and all understanding, why temptest thou me?" Our Lord says to him: "I tempt thee not with these things, but my soul rejoices and exults in them." Andrew says: "My brother, the Lord shall fill thy soul with great joy and grace." Our Lord answered and said: "Narrate to me then." And Andrew answered and said: "Hast thou not heard of the miracles which He did before them? To the blind He gave light, and to the lame to walk, and to the deaf and dumb to hear and speak; and He cast out devils; the lepers He cleansed, the dead He raised to life; He changed water into wine; and He took five loaves and two fishes, and ordered the people to recline upon the grass, and blessed, and satisfied them; and five thousand did eat and were satisfied, and left (something) over. And again He spake a blessing over seven loaves, and satisfied four thousand. And He did many signs and wonders and miracles, which, if I narrate them before thee, thou wilt not be able to bear." Jesus says to him: "I shall be able; but to a enough, though a fool not even many (words) can persuade."

And when our Lord knew that the vessel had arrived near the land, He leaned His head against one of the Angels, and ceased to converse with Andrew. And when Andrew saw (this), he leaned himself against his disciples, and sank into a heavy sleep. And our Lord said to the Angels: " Spread out your hands, and carry Andrew and his disciples, and go, place them at the gate of that city, the inhabitants of which eat the flesh of men." And the Angels did as they were commanded, and took up Andrew and his disciples, and carried (and) placed them at the gate of that city, the inhabitants of which eat men.

And when Andrew awoke from his sleep and opened his eyes, he saw that he was sitting at the gate of that city, and his disciples beside him, who were asleep. And being astonished at what had happened, he awakened them and said to them: "Rise, my children, and see the grace that has been with us, and know that our Lord was with us in the vessel, proving us, and we did not recognise Him." And his disciples answered and said to him: "Do not suppose, our father, that we knew that we were sailing on the sea, because we were sunk in a deep sleep; and we saw that Angels came and took our souls and carried them to Paradise; and we saw there great wonders, for we saw our Lord Jesus the Messiah sitting on a glorious throne, and all the Angels beholding Him; and we saw there Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Fathers and the holy Prophets, and you too the twelve Apostles, standing beside our Lord Jesus the Messiah; and we heard our Lord commanding His holy Angels: 'Be obedient to the Apostles in everything which they say unto you.' This is the vision which we saw, our father."

Then the blessed Andrew, when he had heard these things from his disciples, rejoiced (with) a great joy, that his disciples were worthy to see the great things of God. And he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said: "Pardon me, my Lord, and forgive me what I have done; for as a man I saw Thee in the vessel, and as a man I spake with Thee. Wherein have I sinned, my Lord? (for) Thou didst not show to me Thy majesty." And our Lord said unto him: "Thou hast not sinned, Andrew; but I did these things unto thee, because thou saidst, 'I cannot go to the City of Dogs in three days.' Lo, now have I shown thee that I am able to do everything by (my) power. But arise, and go into the city unto Matthew thy brother, and bring him forth from prison, him and all those who are imprisoned with him. And lo, I make known unto thee, before thou enterest into their city, that they will show thee cruel tortures, and thy body shall be torn, and thy blood shall be poured out upon the earth like water; for death they cannot give unto thee, but great tortures they are about to let pass over thee. But bear up, and harden not thyself against their wickedness. Remember the tortures which I endured, when the Jews smote me with their fists and spat in my face. Was I not able in the twinkling of an eye to move heaven and earth, and to bring chastisement upon those who beat me? But I bore (it), and forgave them, that I might set you an example."

And Andrew straightway arose, and entered into that city with his disciples. And he went to the prison, and saw the seven keepers, who were standing at the gates of the prison and guarding it. And Andrew prayed, and these keepers fell down and died. And when he came nigh to the gate of the prison, he made upon the gate the sign of the Cross; and straightway the gate became open.

And when Andrew had entered the prison with his disciples, Matthew saw Andrew, and straightway he arose, and they asked after each other's welfare. And Andrew said to Matthew: "My brother, how hast thou got in here? For lo, after three days, the men of this city are going to take thee out and kill thee for their food. Where are the holy mysteries which thou hast learned? For if thou didst utter them, heaven and earth would tremble." And Matthew answered and said: "My brother Andrew, thou hast heard our Lord say: 'Lo, I send you like lambs among wolves.' For as soon as I entered into this prison, I prayed before the Lord, and He appeared unto me, saying: 'Bear up for twenty-seven days, and afterwards I will send unto thee Andrew, and he will take thee out of this prison and also all those who are with thee.' And as our Lord promised to me, lo, I see thee to-day; and now, what shall we do?"

Then Andrew looked in the midst of the prison, and saw those men who were bound there, stripped (naked) and eating grass like cattle. And Andrew beat his breast and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, look and see what they have given to men, who are made in Thy image and in Thy likeness, to eat." And the blessed (one) began to rebuke Satan and to say: "Out upon thee, Satan, thou enemy of our God and of His Angels! How long wilt thou fight with the human race?"

And Andrew and Matthew kneeled and prayed; and afterwards Andrew laid his hands upon the eyes of those men who had been blinded, and straightway they all saw the light. And again he placed his hand upon their heart, and their understanding was changed and became like that of men. And he said to them: "Depart now to the lower part of the city. Lo, ye shall find on the road a large fig-tree; sit down under it, and eat of its fruit, till I come to you. And if I delay, ye will find for yourselves on it as much food as sufficeth for you." And those men answered and said to the blessed Andrew: "Come with us, sir, lest perchance the heathen men of this city see us again, and take us, and put us to tortures which are worse than the former ones." And he said to them: "Go in peace; verily I say unto you, that, whilst ye are going, not even a dog shall bark at you." And those men went, as the blessed Andrew had said to them; and they were in number forty-nine. But to Matthew he said that he should go with his disciples to the east side of the city. And Andrew prayed, and a cloud descended, and took away Matthew and his disciples, and set them on a mountain, where Peter the Apostle was sitting and teaching; and they remained with him.

But Andrew, after he had gone out of the prison, was walking about in the city. And he saw a pillar, and upon it was standing a statue of brass; and he sat down by the side of that pillar, that he might see what would take place. And it happened that, when the executioners went to the prison to fetch out men for their food, as was the custom of every day, they found the gates of the prison open and the keepers dead and lying on the ground. And they returned to the chief men, and said to them: "We went to the prison, and found it open and the keepers dead and lying on the ground; and when we went in, we found no man there." And when the chief men heard (this), they said among themselves: "What is this thing that has happened? Have men perchance gone into the prison and killed the keepers, and taken those who were bound there, and departed?" Then the chiefs said to the executioners: "Go to the prison, and bring those seven keepers, that we may eat them to day; and straightway collect for us all the old men of the city, and let them cast lots among themselves, and those on whom the lot falls we shall go on killing every day, seven by seven, for our food, until we choose young men and put them on board ship, and they go to the countries around us, and put men on board their ships and bring (them) hither, that they may be to us for food."

And when the executioners had gone to the prison, they brought those seven keepers dead. And there was there a large furnace, which was built in the midst of the city; and by the side of the furnace there was a large trough of stone, in which they used to kill the men, and their blood ran down and was collected in that trough, and they used to draw up the blood and drink it. And it happened that, when they had brought those seven, who were dead, they placed them beside the trough, that they might lay their hands upon them and lift them up. And the blessed Andrew heard a voice saying to him: "Andrew, look and see what is being done in this city." And it happened that, when he saw (it), he prayed and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who hast brought me to this city, do not permit that there take place in it anything hateful, but let the knives fall from the hands of these executioners." And straightway their hands were paralysed, and they were not able to lift them up or let them down. And when the nobles saw what had happened, they wept bitterly, saying: "Woe unto us, for there are magicians here, and they have gone into the prison, and slain the keepers, and brought out those who were imprisoned there; and lo, they have bewitched the executioners too. What then shall we do?"

Then they said to the executioners: "Go, collect for us the old men of the city, because we are hungry." And they went and collected them, and found two hundred and sixteen in number, and brought them to their nobles; and they commanded them to cast lots, and the lot of seven old men came forth. And one of the old men, upon whom the lot had fallen, answered and said to the executioners: "I beg of you, I have a little son, take him and kill him in my stead, and let me go." And they said to him "We cannot do this, unless the nobles bid us." And the executioners went and told their nobles these things. And the nobles answered and said to them: "If he gives a substitute, let him go"; and the executioners made this known to the old man. And the old man answered and said to them: "I have a daughter too; take her also with her brother for slaughter, and let me go." And he gave them up for slaughter, and the executioners took these children to kill them. And they were weeping and saying: "Do not kill us in this youth (of ours), but allow us to come to full growth, and then ye may kill (us)." And this also was the custom in that city, that they did not bury those who died, but ate them. And the executioners did not heed these children, but took them and went to the trough, in which they used to kill men, to kill them."

And when the holy Andrew saw (this), he wept bitterly, and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, as Thou didst hear me sinful concerning these dead, and Thy Divinity did not suffer them to be eaten, so now too do not suffer them to be brought nigh to the death of these children, but let their hands be paralysed, and let the knives fall and melt like wax before the fire." And the moment that the blessed Andrew had prayed, the knives were loosened, and fell from the hands of the executioners. And when S. Andrew saw what had happened, he glorified God who had answered him in everything.

And when the rulers saw what had happened, they wept bitterly and said: "Woe unto us! what is there now for us to do?" And Satan took the likeness of an old man, and stood in their midst, and said: "Woe to you! What can ye do? For ye have no food. And now arise, and seize in this city a stranger, whose name is Andrew, and kill him; for he has let out these men who were shut up in the prison."

And S. Andrew looked upon Satan, how he was talking among the crowd; but Satan did not see the blessed (one). And the Apostle of the Messiah answered and said to Satan:"O thou enemy of all mankind, who art constantly warring against them, our Lord Jesus the Messiah will humble thee and cast thee into the deep abyss of destruction." And when Satan heard this, he said, "Fie, fie upon thee! Thy voice I hear, but where thou art I know not." And the blessed (one) answered and said to Satan: "Verily thou art blind, and thou canst not «m see the saints." And when Satan heard this, he said to the multitude: "See now, seize him with whom I am speaking, because he is the disturber of your affairs." And those wicked (ones) ran and shut the gates of the city; and they were going about and seeking for the blessed Andrew through the whole city, and did not see him. Then our Lord Jesus the Messiah appeared to him and said to him: "Andrew, arise, show them thy power, that they may learn that the power of Satan, who dwells in them, is nought."

Then the blessed Andrew arose in the sight of the whole multitude, and said: "I am Andrew, whom ye seek." Then the whole people ran and seized him, and said to him: "As thou hast done unto us, we will do unto thee." And they began taking counsel together and saying: " With what death shall we kill him? If indeed we take off his head, it is not a bitter death; and if we burn him with fire, neither is this anything." Then one of them, after Satan had entered into him, answered and said to them: "As he made us suffer, so we too will make him suffer. This let us do unto him. Let us put ropes round his neck, and drag him through the streets and lanes of this city; and when he is dead, then we will divide his body among all of us." And this seemed good before the whole people; and they cast ropes upon his neck, and were dragging him through all the streets and lanes of the city, until his body was torn by the stones over which he was dragged, and his blood was flowing like water. And when it was evening, they cast him into prison, with his hands bound behind him.

And again, when it was morning, they brought him out, and cast cords upon his neck, and dragged him through the whole city, and his whole body was torn by the ground. And the blessed (one) prayed with sighs and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, behold what they do with me, and I bear it because of Thy command, —for if it were not because of Thy mercy, Thou wouldest have sent them into the deep abyss, with their city,—but only, Lord, do not permit the enemy to mock me." And when the blessed (one) had said these things, Satan answered from behind him and said to the people: "Be smiting him upon his mouth, that he may not speak."

And when evening came, they cast him into the prison. Then Satan took with him seven demons, and went into the prison. And they stood before S. Andrew, and were mocking him, saying: " Now art thou caught in our hands. Who then shall deliver thee? For lo, thou destroyest our works out of every city, and hast desolated our temples and shrines, which were built for us." And Satan commanded those seven demons which were with him to slay the blessed (one). Then, when these demons drew near, and saw the seal of the Messiah between his eyes, they were afraid and fled from him. And Satan answered and said to them: "Why flee ye from him? "What is it?" And they say to him: "We cannot come near to him because of the seal which is upon him; but do thou go, slay him, if thou art able." And Satan said to them: "Come then, let us mock him." Then those demons came with Satan their master, and were mocking the blessed (one) and saying: "Thou O Andrew, lo, art come to great disgrace and to hard judgement." Then, when the blessed Andrew heard these things, he said: "If ye kill me outright, I will not do your pleasure, but the pleasure of my Lord; for if my Lord visits me in this city, I will chastise you as ye deserve." And when the demons heard these things, they vanished from before him like smoke.

And when it was morning, they brought the blessed Andrew out of the prison, and tied ropes round his neck, and were dragging him. And again his body (was lacerated) and all the hair of his head was pulled out. And the blessed (one) cried with a loud voice, with sighs and tears, and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, these tortures are enough for me, these three days, by day and by night, of Satan and of the demons and of these heathens. Command, Lord, and receive my spirit, or show me Thy grace that I may be strengthened." And when he had said these things, a voice came to him in Hebrew, saying: "Andrew, heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.And do thou now turn and see thy flesh, which has been plucked from thee, what has become of it." And he looked and saw large trees, which had grown up and bore fruit. And S. Andrew said: "Now, Lord, I know that Thou hast not forsaken me."

And when it was evening, they cast him into the prison, saying: "His body is destroyed, and during this night he will die." Then our Lord Jesus the Messiah appeared to him in the prison, and said to him: "Andrew, give me thy hand." And He took him by his hand, and straightway he rose up whole. And the blessed (one) fell down and worshipped Him. And afterwards he looked into the midst of the pit in which he was imprisoned, and saw a pillar (statue) which was called in Greek Alabastros. And Andrew stretched out his hand and said: "Thou dumb stone, fear the sign of the Cross, at which heaven and earth tremble; and straightway let there flow from thy mouth much water, that it may submerge this city." And straightway that pillar (statue) let much water flow out like a mighty stream; and the water prevailed exceedingly, and killed their children and their cattle; and they were wishing' to flee from the city.

Then the blessed Andrew prayed, and a fiery cloud descended, and surrounded the city like a wall, and they were unable to flee. And when Andrew knew what had happened, he glorified God and said: "I bless Thee, our Lord Jesus the Messiah!" And all the inhabitants of the city trembled, and were weeping and saying: "Woe to us I for all these things have come upon us because of the stranger who is in the prison; but let us go and release him, that we may not die wretchedly by these waters of the flood and by this fire."

And they all came to the prison, crying out with a mournful voice. And when the blessed Andrew saw that their spirit was humbled to him, he said to the pillar (statue): "Enough now; do not emit water any more. Lo, I will go out and preach the word of God; and I say unto thee, that, if the people of this city believe, I will build in it a church, and I will remove thee hence, and convey thee and set thee up in it, in recompense for thy having answered me and done that which was commanded thee." And at that moment the statue ceased from its flowing. And Andrew went forth from the prison, and the water was running before his feet.

Then the old man, who had given up his children to slaughter in his stead, came nigh before him, and said to him: "Have mercy upon us, our lord." And Andrew answered and said to him: "I ask of thee, how canst thou say to me that I should have mercy upon thee, when thou didst not have mercy upon thy children. But I say unto thee, that in a little while these waters shall go and be swallowed up in the midst of the abyss, and these executioners, who were killing the men, and thou too shalt be swallowed up with them." And he turned and said to the assembly: "Come after me, all of you." And whilst they were going after him, the waters were divided hither and thither before the feet of the holy (one), until he came to the place of the trough. And the blessed Andrew lifted up his face to heaven, and prayed, and the earth opened, and swallowed up the water and the executioners and the old man. And when the people of the city saw what had happened, they began to say among themselves: "Woe to us! for this man has been sent hither by God, and he will kill us because of the tortures which we made him bear; for lo, as it has been with the executioners and with that old man, (so) it will be with us." And the blessed Andrew, when he heard (this), said to them: "Fear not, my children, for not even these will God leave in Sheol; these have been snatched away to the lower earth, that ye might believe."

Then Andrew ordered them to bring all those who had been drowned by the water; and they were not able to bring them, because those who had died by the water were many, men and women, and children and animals. Then the blessed (one) prayed before God, and they were resuscitated and all arose. And after these things he baptised them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness. And he marked out for them the likeness of a church, and it was built quickly. And they brought the pillar (statue) which had made the water flow, and set it up in the church. And he sketched out for them rules and laws by which they might subsist, and delivered to them the mysteries of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, and bade them sow and be nourished by the sweat of their faces. And he made haste to depart from them; and they were beseeching him, from the youngest to the oldest, and were saying to him: "We beg of thee, tarry with us a few days, (for) we are yet children in the faith, that we may receive of thy blessed fountain and of thy divine words." But he did not consent to abide with them, but went his way.

Then our Lord assumed unto him the likeness of a comely child, and said to him: "Why art thou going, and leaving them without fruit, and not taking pity upon the children who are coming after thee and crying out? Now therefore return to the city, and abide with them seven days; and when thou enterest into the city, bring up those who were swallowed up in the abyss."

Then Andrew glorified God and said: "Blessed art Thou, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, for Thou dost not wish that a man should perish, but that he should live." And he returned, and entered into the city. And when the people of the city saw that he had returned, they rejoiced (with) a great joy. And he spent there seven days, teaching and confirming them in the faith of our Lord. Then the blessed Andrew prayed, and the men, who had been swallowed up in the abyss, were resuscitated. And after seven days all the people of the city went out, and were accompanying him on his way, from the youngest even to the oldest, and were crying out and saying: "One is the God of the blessed Andrew, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the living God;" to whom is befitting glory and worship and thanksgiving, with His blessed Father and His living and holy Spirit, for ever and ever, Amen.

Here ends the history of Matthew and Andrew, when they converted the City of Dogs; which is ،Írkā.

[All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted apart from these. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]

1. See Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, vol. xvi, p.348.

2. Margin, twenty-seven, as in the Greek and below.

3. Here the Syriac text omits a considerable portion of the Greek, from p.138 l.13, in Tischendorf's edition, to p. 139 l.18. See Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, vol xvi., pp.351, 352.

4. Here again the Syriac text is shorter than the Greek, and some sentences are transposed. See Tischendorf's edition, p.142, line 1, to p.146, line 16, and Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, vol. xvi., pp.353-6.

This text was transcribed by Colin Tunnicliffe, UK, 2004. 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: apocryphal_acts_06_thecla.htm

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.116-145. The history of Thecla, the disciple of Paul the apostle

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.116-145. The history of Thecla, the disciple of Paul the apostle

THE HISTORY OF THECLA,

THE DISCIPLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE.¹

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When Paul had gone up to the city of Iconium after his persecution, there accompanied him Demas and Hermogenes, the coppersmiths, who were full of sedition and spake big words. And they were conversing with Paul as though with their friend; but Paul was looking to the dwelling-place of the grace of the Messiah, and was not doing unto them any harm, but was loving them truly. And he was so loving them, that he was making all the words of the Lord, and of the teaching and preaching and the birth and the resurrection of the Beloved, sink into their souls through the great (doings) of the Messiah. And he showed them how they were revealed to him, and was narrating (them) unto them by word (of mouth).

And a man, whose name was Onesiphorus, heard that Paul had come to the city of Iconium, and went out, with the sons of Simon, and with Zeno, and with his wife, to meet Paul, that they might receive him; for Titus had told him what was the aspect of Paul; for Onesiphorus did not know him in the body, but in the spirit. And he went (and) stood where the roads meet, on the highway which goes to Lystra; and was standing and waiting for him, and looking upon those who were passing and returning, according to the marks which Titus had given him. And he saw Paul coming, and in his stature he was a man of middling size, and his hair was scanty, and his legs were a little crooked, and his knees were projecting (or far apart); and he had large eyes, and his eyebrows met, and: his nose was somewhat long; and he was full of grace and mercy; at one time he seemed like a man, and at another time he seemed like an Angel. And when Paul saw Onesiphorus, he was glad; and Onesiphorus said to him: "Peace be to thee, thou apostle of the Blessed (One)." Paul saith to him: "Peace be to thee, Onesiphorus, and to all thy household." And Demas and Hermogenes were filled with envy, and their jealousy was great; and they said to Paul: "Are we not of the Blessed (One), that thou hast never saluted us thus?" He answered and said to them: "Because I do not see in you the works of righteousness." Onesiphorus saith to them: "If ye be aught, come ye too to my house and rest."

And when Paul had entered into the house of Onesiphorus, there was great joy there, and they kneeled down on their knees, and prayed, and brake bread. And Paul came nigh and spake unto him the words of God concerning the controlling of the flesh and concerning the resurrection, and was saying: "Blessed are they who are pure in their heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are they who have kept their flesh in purity, for they shall be called temples of God. Blessed are they who control themselves, for God shall speak with them. Blessed are they who have despised this world, for they shall be pleasing unto God. Blessed are they who have wives as though they had them not, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they in whose heart is the fear of God, for they shall be called Angels. Blessed are they who tremble at the words of God which they hear, for them shall God call. Blessed are they who have received the wisdom of Jesus the Messiah, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are they who have kept the baptism, for they shall rest with the Father, who is in Heaven, and with His beloved Son. Blessed are they who have received the exhortation of the Messiah, for they shall be in great light. Blessed are they who for the love of God have gone out of this body, for they shall inherit eternal life, and shall stand at the right hand of the Son of God. Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be upon them from God, and on the Day of Judgement they shall receive the kingdom. Blessed are the bodies and souls of virgins, for they shall be pleasing unto God, and the reward of their holiness shall not be lost, for, according to the word of the Father, there shall be found for them works unto life at the day of His Son."

And whilst Paul was speaking these great things of God in the midst of the Church, in the house of Onesiphorus, one Thecla, a virgin, the daughter of Theocleia, who was betrothed unto Thamyris, came and sat at a window, which was close to their roof, and was listening to the words of Paul, which he was speaking concerning purity; and she did not depart from that window, and by night and day was hearkening to the prayer of Paul, and was wondering at the faith. Moreover too she was seeing many women, who were going in unto Paul that they might hear his words, for he was teaching the commandments of God; and she was longing to hear the words of Paul, for his figure had not been seen by her, but it was his words only which she was hearing; and she did not stir at all from that window.

Then her mother sent for Thamyris her betrothed; and when Thamyris her betrothed heard that his mother-in-law had called him, he ran and came to her, as if, lo, she was already granting to him to take her to wife. And Thamyris answered and said to his mother-in-law: "Where is Thecla my betrothed, that I may see her?" Theocleia answered and said to him: "I have something new to tell thee, Thamyris! Thecla thy betrothed, lo, for three days and three nights has not got up from that window, neither to eat nor to drink; but her eyes are intently fixed and she is looking at a strange man, who speaks vain and foolish words as if for a pastime; and accordingly I am surprised how discreet young women are quickly (and) evilly led away after him. I say unto thee, Thamyris, that he has perverted the whole city of the Iconians, and Thecla thy betrothed too, and many (other) women; and the young men go in to him, and he teaches them to worship one God and to live purely. And moreover Thecla is bound like a spider on its web, and is seized with a new desire and with an evil corruption, and her eyes are intently fixed on whatsoever comes out of that chamber, and she does not quit that window either to eat or to drink, and the virgin is quite absorbed (in thought). But do thou, Thamyris, go near to her and speak with her, for she is betrothed to thee."

And Thamyris her betrothed drew nigh unto her, firstly, because he loved her, and secondly, because he had respect for her modesty; and he answered and said to her: "Thecla, thou art my betrothed; why is it that thou doest thus? And what is the evil corruption that has taken hold of thee? Turn to Thamyris thy betrothed, and be ashamed before him." And her mother answered and saith to her: "Why is it that thou thus lookest down, and givest no answer, but art become like a mad woman?" And when the people of their household saw her, they wept; and Thamyris was weeping because his betrothed had parted from him; and the mother because she was parted from her daughter and the women-servants because they were parted from their mistress. And great was the grief and the mourning in their house. And Thecla paid no attention to all these things, but her mind was bent to hear the words of Paul.

Then Thamyris her betrothed became angry, and sprang up (and) went out into the street, and was looking at those who were going in and out to Paul. And suddenly he saw two men who were quarrelling bitterly with one another. And Thamyris drew nigh unto them and said to them: "What are ye? Tell me. And who is this man, who (is) within, who is with you, who leads astray the souls of young women and of virgins, and commands that there should be no marriage-feasts, but that they should live thus (as they are)? I am willing to give you much money, if ye will tell me about him, who he is; for I am the chief (man) of this city." And Demas and Hermogenes, when they saw him, came to him, and answered and say to him: "This man of whom thou hast spoken, we do not know him, who he is; but he separates the young men from the virgins, and the virgins from the young men, and says to them, 'Ye cannot rise from the grave, unless ye keep yourselves purely.'" Thamyris answered and said to them: "Come, my friends, with me to my house, and rest yourselves with me." And they went with him to a great repast, and much meat, and immense luxury, and splendid tables. And Thamyris entertained them, because he loved Thecla his betrothed, that he might get her as a wife on the day which his mother-in-law had fixed for him. Thamyris answered and said to them as they were reclining (at table): "Tell me, my friends, what are the doctrines which he teaches, that I too may know; for they are not few, who complain against him, and I too am grieved for my betrothed, who loves a strange man, and I am parted from her."

And Demas and Hermogenes answered and said to him with one consent: "Thamyris, bring him before Castelus the hêgemôn, and say, 'This (fellow) teaches the new doctrine, and is a Christian'; and lo, straightway he will destroy him, and thou shalt take Thecla thy betrothed (to wife), and we will teach thee the resurrection of the dead, which he teaches."

And when Thamyris heard these words, he was filled with envy and jealousy, and rose early in the morning, and went to the house of Onesiphorus with the chief men of the city and many people with staves. And he answered and said: "Paul, thou hast destroyed the city of the Iconians and my betrothed, so that she will not be mine. Come to Castelus the hêgemôn." And the whole city said: "Drag him along, he is a magician; for he has corrupted all our wives." And the whole people let themselves be persuaded. And when Paul had gone, they holding him, and stood before the hêgemôn, Thamyris answered and said with a loud voice to the hêgemôn: "This man—we do not know who he is; but he does not suffer virgins to become (the wives) of men. Let him tell thee, why he teaches this doctrine." And Demas and Hermogenes the smiths, who were full of sedition, drew near to Thamyris and said to him: "Say that he is a Christian, and lo, at that moment he will destroy him." And when the hêgemôn had heard the words of Thamyris and of the whole people, who were holding Paul, they saw that the hêgemôn called Paul and said to him: "Tell me, Paul, who art thou? And what teachest thou? For they are not few who accuse thee." Then Paul lifted up his voice and said: "I will relate to-day what I teach; listen, O hêgemôn. I teach a living God; a God who does not requite retributions unto men; a God who does not require anything, but to whom the life of men is useful. And he has sent me that I might rescue them from destruction, and from uncleanness, and from all deadly lusts, that they might sin no more. On this account God has sent me, whom I preach, and I proclaim that in Him shall be the hope of all men; who has taken providential care and delivered the nations from error, that they might sin no more, and might not walk in sedition, but that fear might be in them through belief in God, and (that) they might know fear and love in truth. And if I teach whatever God hath revealed unto me, what wrong do I do, O hêgemôn?" And when the hêgemôn heard these words, he commanded that Paul should go to prison, being bound, until he could have an opportunity of hearing him well.

And Thecla in that night took off her bracelets and gave (them) to the doorkeeper of their house, and he opened the door for her; and she went out, and went to the jailer, who was guarding Paul, and gave him her mirror of gold that he might bring her in to Paul. And he brought her in, and she came and sat by the feet of Paul, and was listening to the great things of God. And Paul was not distressed, but was teaching the commandments of God openly to every one who was with him (in the prison). And Thecla with great joy was kissing the bonds and chains which were laid on the hands and feet of Paul.

And when her family and her betrothed sought for Thecla, as if she had been lost, they arose, going about and searching for her in the streets. And the companion of the doorkeeper came, and informed against him, and said: "I saw Thecla by night give her bracelets to the doorkeeper, and he opened the door for her, and she went out." And when they had scourged the doorkeeper, he confessed and said to them: "She went out, and said to me, 'Lo, I am going to the stranger, where he is imprisoned.' " And they went, as the doorkeeper told them, and found her sitting at Paul's feet, she and many persons, and they were listening to the great things of the Most High. And Thamyris went forth thence with many persons, and they went in a great rage, and informed the hêgemôn of what had happened. Then the hêgemôn said: "Fetch Paul." And the young men ran and unbound Paul, and were dragging him from the prison until (they came) before the hêgemôn. And Thecla was prostrating herself and weeping on the spot where Paul had been sitting bound and teaching the commandments of God. And again of a sudden the hêgemôn commanded and said: "Bring Thecla, the betrothed of Thamyris." And Thamyris ran with many men, and they laid hold of Thecla, and were dragging her up to the hêgemôn. And when the hêgemôn saw her, he was very sorry for her; but Thecla was standing before him with great joy, and was not sorry. Then of a sudden the whole people cried out and say: "Destroy this magician"; but he (the hêgemôn ) did not say anything concerning Paul. Then the hêgemôn sat in council, and he arose, he and his companions, and they called Thecla, and say to her: "Why art thou not to thy betrothed according to the law of the Iconians?" And Thecla was standing and looking on Paul, and she answered not a word to the hêgemôn. Then her mother cried out and saith: "Burn the fool in the midst of the theatre, that all the women who see her, those whose doctrine this is, may be afraid." And when the hêgemôn heard (this), he was very sorry for her. Then he commanded, and they scourged Paul, and cast him out of the city and he condemned Thecla to be burned with fire in the midst of the theatre. And the hêgemôn arose and went to the theatre, he and the whole people, that they might see Thecla being burned with fire. And as a sheep on the mountain seeks its shepherd, so Thecla too was seeking that she might see where Paul was. And whilst she was looking among all that crowd, she saw the Lord Jesus the Messiah, who was sitting beside her in the likeness of Paul. And Thecla answered and saith: "Thus indeed hath Paul come and seated himself opposite me, as if I were not able to bear whatever may come upon me." And she was looking upon him, and her eyes were gazing intently at him; and the Lord rose up thence and ascended unto Heaven, And the youths and maidens brought faggots and placed (them) in the theatre, that they might burn Thecla; and they brought her into the theatre naked. And when the hêgemôn saw her, he wept, and was astonished at the strength that was in her. And they piled up the faggots, and the youths laid hold of her that she might ascend the pile. And as soon as Thecla ascended (it), she stretched out her hands in the form of the Cross, and ascended the pile. And when the flames of fire rose, not even an atom of her hair was singed, because the Spirit of God had compassion upon her; and the sound of its roaring went up from the earth; and a rain cloud overshadowed (them), and hailstones and water were poured out abundantly, and many of those people, who were sitting and looking on, perished; and the fire was extinguished, and Thecla preserved alive.

And Paul was fasting, he and Onesiphorus, with his wife and children, in a sepulchre which was open by the roadside of the Iconians. And when they had been many days fasting, the youths say to Paul, "We are hungry;" and they had not wherewith to buy for themselves bread, for Onesiphorus had left his house and his property, and he and his household had gone forth with Paul. Then Paul stripped off his tunic, and gave (it) to a boy, and said to him: "Go, sell (it), my son, and buy bread in abundance, and come (back)." And the boy went to buy bread; and he saw Thecla their neighbour, and was astonished, and said to her: "Thecla, whither art thou going?" She saith to him: " After Paul I am going, for I have escaped from the fire." And the boy said to her: "Come with me, and I will lead thee to him; for he is supplicating and weeping and fasting, lo, these six days, and begging of God concerning thee." And Thecla came with him to the sepulchre, and entered and stood over Paul, and found him kneeling on his knees and praying and saying: "Our Father, who art in Heaven, I beg of Thee, let not the fire touch Thecla, but extinguish it from her, because she is Thine." And Thecla, whilst she was standing beside him, opened her mouth and saith: "Father, who hast made Heaven and earth, Thou Father of the Holy (One), I praise Thee, who hast made me, and hast preserved me alive that I might see Paul." And Paul arose and saw her. And Paul answered and said: "God, the Searcher of hearts, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, I praise Thee because what I asked of Thee Thou hast rescued from the fire, and hast granted me to see Thecla, me and these persons who are with me; and in Thy hands it is an easy thing to deliver from all distress one who praises Thy name for ever."

And Paul was glad and rejoicing with those persons who were with him. And the boy had brought them five loaves of bread, and herbs and water and salt; and they were rejoicing in the pure works of the Messiah. And Thecla saith to Paul: "I will cut off my hair, and go after thee, whither thou goest." He answered and said to her: "It is a hard struggle, and thou art beautiful. (Take care) lest yet another trial come upon thee, which is worse than the first, and thou bear it not." And Thecla said to Paul: "Give me only the sign of God, and temptation shall not come nigh unto me. "Paul saith unto Thecla: "Be patient, and thou shalt receive thy water (of baptism)."

And Paul sent away Onesiphorus with his family, and he went to his home. And Paul took hold of Thecla's hand, and those persons who were with him, and they entered into Antioch. And as they were entering and going along, one of the chief men of Antioch,— Alexander was his name, and he had great influence in Antioch,—saw Thecla and was enamoured of her, and was trying to seduce Paul, and was counselling him that he should give him much silver and gold and he should give him Thecla. And Paul answered and said to him: "I do not know this woman of whom thou speakest, if she be a woman as thou sayest, nor is she mine." And because Alexander was powerful, he came and embraced Thecla in the middle of the street; and she did not endure (it), but was seeking for Paul, and cried out bitterly and said to him: "Do not force the stranger! Do not force the handmaid of God! I am a noble's daughter of the city of Iconium; and because I did not wish to belong to Thamyris my betrothed, they drove me out thence." And she laid hold of Alexander, and tore his garments, and pulled off from him the golden crown of figures, which was placed on his head, and dashed it to the ground, and left Alexander standing naked. And because he loved her, and also because he was ashamed of what she had done to him, he went at once and made (it) known before the hêgemôn. And when the hêgemôn heard that Thecla had done these things, and she confessed what she had done to him, he sentenced her and ordered that they should cast her to the beasts; for Alexander was exhibiting spectacles to the city. And when all the inhabitants of the city heard this, they were astonished, and cried out in complaint before the tribunal and said: "Evil is the doom of Thecla." And Thecla came and stood before the hêgemôn, and made him swear that she should be kept in purity until they threw her to the beasts. And the hêgemôn, when he heard this thing, said to Thecla: " Go whither thou pleasest, and be in safe keeping." And there was there a rich queen, whose name was Tryphaena, whose daughter was dead; and she came and took Thecla, and was keeping her, and it was a consolation to her that she saw Thecla.

And when the beasts were brought into the theatre, (men) came for Thecla, to take her away from the house of Tryphaena; and they led her to the theatre. And they brought (her; and) stripped her, and put a cloth round her loins, and made her stand naked, and brought in against her a huge lioness. And queen Tryphaena was standing beside the door of the theatre, and was weeping for her. And the lioness came (and) drew near to her, and was licking her, whilst Thecla was standing (there). And the whole people were astonished at her and at the power which God had given her. And they wrote on tablets and showed (them) unto all the people who were sitting (there); "Thecla they have called a violator of the temples, because she cast down the crown of Caesar from the head of Alexander, who wished to do uncleanness with her." And all the people were crying out there with their children, and saying: "Thy help, O God, (we implore) against the wickedness which has been (done) in this city." And again they let loose upon her other beasts, and again they did not come near her. Then she went forth from the theatre, she and these beasts; and straightway came queen Tryphaena and took Thecla; because her daughter, who was dead, had appeared in a vision of the night and showed herself to her mother, saying: "My mother, take in my stead this Thecla, the stranger and the persecuted, that she may pray for me, that I may pass into the place of the righteous."

And when Tryphaena had taken her,—firstly, because she was grieved that tomorrow they were again going to throw her to the beasts; and next, because her soul was moved with compassion for her daughter who was dead,—the queen saith: "A second time, Thecla, there is mourning in my house. Pray, and beg of God; that he may have mercy on thee and may deliver thee from these beasts; and pray and beg of God also for my, daughter, that she may live; for thus I saw in my dream." And at that moment Thecla arose, and lifted up her voice, and said: "God, who art in Heaven, the Father of the Most High, grant to queen Tryphaena, according to her wish, that her daughter may live for ever." And when the queen heard these things, she sat in mourning, and was weeping and saying: "This beauty of thine, Thecla, tomorrow again the beasts will devour it."

And when it was dawn, Alexander ran (and) came to lead Thecla away, because he was giving the (exhibition of) beasts to the city at the theatre. And he answered and said: "Lo, the hêgemôn is sitting, and the whole people are hurrying us; give us Thecla who is (sentenced to be) devoured by the beasts, (and) we will carry her off." And Tryphaena cried out at him bitterly; and at the sound of the cry which she uttered at him, he fled. And the queen answered and saith: "Thy help, O God, (I implore); for lo, twice is there mourning in my house, and I have no one to help me; for my daughter lives not, who is dead, and there is none of my kinsmen to stand at my side, and I am a widow. Go, Thecla! Thy God will help thee."

And again the O hêgemôn sent young men for her to fetch her down. And queen Tryphaena did not let go her hold of Thecla, but was taking her by the hand; and going (with her), and saying to her: "My own daughter I accompanied and conveyed to the tomb; and thee, Thecla, lo, I am accompanying and leading, that the beasts may devour thee." And Thecla wept bitterly and groaned before God, and said: "My Lord and my God, I believe in Thee, for I took refuge with Thee and Thou didst deliver me from the fire; and now grant Thou a recompense to Tryphaena, because her soul has had compassion upon Thy handmaiden and she has kept me in purity." And at that moment there was a great confusion, and the sounds of the cracking of many whips, which they were cracking at the beasts, and the sound of the outcry of men and women, who were saying, "Bring out the violator of the temple of the gods." And some of them were saying: "This city will be destroyed for the wickedness which it has done; the hêgemôn has ruined us all; for bitter is the sight which we behold here, and evil is the doom of Thecla."

And the young men came and took Thecla away from the hands of queen Tryphaena, and led her into the theatre to throw her to the beasts. And they brought (her), and made her stand in the midst of the theatre, and stripped (her), and took away her clothes, and put a cloth round her loins; and she was standing naked, and said: "My Lord and my God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, Thou art the Helper of the persecuted, and Thou art the Companion of the poor; behold Thy handmaiden, for lo, the shame of women is uncovered in me, and I stand in the midst of all this people. My Lord and my God, remember Thy handmaiden in this hour." Then they brought in against her a leopard, which was very savage; and again they brought in against her a lioness. And Thecla was standing with her arms spread out in the form of the Cross. And the lioness ran towards her, and when it reached her, it came (and) lay down at her feet. And the leopard came to her, to attack her, and fell down before her and burst. And again they brought in against her a bear,which was very strong; and it ran at Thecla. And the lioness, which was crouching at her feet, arose, and sprang upon the bear and rent it. And again (they let loose) a lion which was trained to run at men, which belonged to Alexander; and it ran at Thecla. And the lioness, which was crouching beside her, arose, and met the lion; and the two sprang upon one another, and after a little (while) the two killed each other. And the women specially sat in sorrow, who were sitting there and looking on, and saying: "The lioness too, which was helping Thecla, is dead."

And again, lo, they let in upon her many beasts. And when Thecla, standing (there), saw that they were letting in upon her many beasts, she spread out her hands and stood praying. And when she had finished her prayer, she turned backwards, and saw a reservoir which was full of water. And Thecla answered and saith: "Lo then, it is time to wash myself." And she lifted up her hands and saith: "In the name of Jesus the Messiah, lo, to-day, the last day, I am baptised." And when the women, who were sitting (there), saw (this), and the whole people, they wept and say to her: "Do not cast thyself into that water, for evil are the beasts that are in it." And the hêgemôn too, when he saw her, wept, that the beasts, who were in that water, should devour this beauty. And Thecla leaped, and fell into the water. And the beasts, which were there, when they saw the flash of light, died, and floated upon the surface of the water. And there was around her, and overshadowing her, a cloud of lightning, so that Thecla could not be seen (to descry) whether she

was naked.

And when the women, who were sitting in the theatre, saw that other beasts were being let in at Thecla, which were worse than the former, they broke out into wailing and say: "Thy help (we implore), O God! What do we see in this city?" And then these women came and cast perfumes upon Thecla; there were some who cast spikenard, and some sweet-marjoram (amaracus), and some tarphūsē; and they were throwing perfumes into the midst of the theatre upon Thecla. And the beasts, which they had let loose at her, came up to her, and sat down around her, behind her and in front of her, and lay down and slept; and not one of them harmed Thecla. And again Alexander ran (and) came and said to the hêgemôn: "I have two bulls, which are very strong and savage; let us bring them and bind between them this (woman who is) doomed to be devoured by beasts, so that perchance they may become furious and destroy her." And the hêgemôn said to Alexander: "Go and do whatever seems good unto thee." And he sent and had the bulls fetched; and they brought Thecla from among the beasts, and took hold of her, and threw Thecla upon her face, and took hold of her feet and bound her between the two bulls. And they brought spits and put them in the fire, and made the spits hot with fire, and laid them upon the thighs of the bulls, that they might become furious and in their anger destroy the captive. And the bulls, because of the pain they suffered, sprang up suddenly; but a flash of fire ran and consumed the ropes which were fastened to the feet of Thecla, and Thecla sprang up and stood beside the bulls, as if she had no pain and as if she had not been bound. And when the hêgemôn and the whole city saw the great marvels which God had wrought with Thecla, they praised God for what they had seen. And queen Tryphaena, who was standing by the door of the theatre, fainted away and fell down on the ground,, because she thought that Thecla was dead. And when her slaves saw that she had fainted and fallen down, they broke out into wailing, and rent their garments and say: "The queen is dead." And when the hêgemôn heard them say "The queen is dead," (he stopped the games,) and the whole city trembled. And Alexander was afraid, and he ran (and) came and said to the hêgemôn: "Have pity on me, sir, and also on this city, and release this (woman, who was) doomed to be devoured by beasts, that she may go away from us, so that the city too may not perish, lest perchance, when Caesar hears of these things which we have done, he may destroy the city; for queen Tryphaena is of the family of Caesar, and lo, she was standing beside the door of the theatre, and she is dead." Then the hêgemôn said: "Bring Thecla before me." And the young men ran and brought Thecla from the midst of the beasts, and made her stand before the hêgemôn on the tribunal. And the hêgemôn answered and said to Thecla: "Who art thou? And who was there beside thee, that not one of these beasts came nigh unto thee?" And Thecla said: "I am the handmaiden of the living God, and He who was beside me is the Son of the living God, in whom I have believed, by reason of whom not one of those beasts came nigh unto me; and He is the limit of life; for He is a companion to all the persecuted, and to those who have no hope, He is hope and life. I tell thee then, hêgemôn, and these men who, lo, are standing before thee, that he who does not believe in God—for, lo, ye have seen the great things of God, what He hath done to His handmaiden,— he who does not believe in Him shall die for ever."

And when the hêgemôn heard these words from the mouth of Thecla, he ordered them to bring clothes for her; and the hêgemôn said to her: "Thecla, take off the cloth that is wrapped round thy loins, and take these garments which I have had brought for thee." And Thecla answered and saith to the hêgemôn: "He who has clothed me with power amid these beasts, He will clothe me at the Day of Judgement with life." And Thecla took off the cloth that was wrapped round her loins, and took the clothes and put them on. And the hêgemôn made criers proclaim to the whole people: "Thecla, who is God's, and Thecla, who is righteous, I have released and given unto you." And the women, who were sitting there in the theatre, shouted out with one voice, and offered praise (unto God), and said: "God is One, and the God of Thecla is One, who has preserved her alive, and brought her forth from the midst of all these beasts." And with the voice of the women who shouted the whole city trembled. And straightway they ran (and) announced it to queen Tryphaena; and she ran (and) came and met Thecla, and embraced her and kissed her and said to her: "My daughter Thecla, now I believe that the dead live, and now I believe that my daughter lives. Come then with me to my house, my daughter Thecla, and everything whatsoever I have, I will assign to thee by deed." And Thecla went with her and entered into her house, and rested there eight days, and taught queen Tryphaena all the commandments of God. And the queen believed in God, and a great many of her handmaidens; and there was great joy there.

And because Paul was dear unto her, Thecla sent and was seeking him everywhere. And when they had found him, they came and said to her: "Lo, he is in the city of Myra." And she arose and departed from the house of queen Tryphaena, and dressed herself like a man, and the queen's handmaidens. And she went and entered into the city of Myra, and found Paul sitting and teaching the commandments of God, And Thecla stood beside him. And when Paul saw her and the people who were with her, he was astonished; for Paul thought that a new trial was come upon him. And Thecla answered and saith to him: "I have received baptism; for He who commanded thee to preach, commanded me too to wash myself." And straightway Paul arose, and took her and all the people who were with her, and led her to the house of Hermseus. And Paul and Thecla, and the people who were with them, sat down; and she narrated to themeverything that they had done with her; and Paul marvelled greatly at the power which was given to Thecla; and all who were standing there and hearing what God had done with her, were greatly confirmed and established. And straightway they all arose, and praised God, who works great things in every one who believes in Him and does His commandments. And they prayed and besought of God for queen Tryphaena, and said: "Our Lord and our God, the Father of the Most High, reward queen Tryphaena, who has had compassion upon Thy handmaiden, and kept her in purity." And Thecla said to them: "I am going to the city of Iconium." Paul saith to her: "Go and teach there the commandments of God." And when queen Tryphaena heard that Thecla was going to the city of Iconium, she took much clothing and gold, and sent (them) to Thecla. And Thecla took the clothing and some of the gold, and sent (them) to Paul for the service of the widows and for those who were in want of them.

And Thecla went (and) entered into the house of Onesiphorus, and fell upon her face on the place where Paul used to sit and teach the commandments of God; and she was weeping and saying: "O Lord, our God and the God of this house, in which light shone upon me from Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, who aided me in prison, and delivered me from the fire, and preserved me from among the furious beasts, and helped me before the hêgemôn, and gave me my baptism, and gave me purity that I might live for ever, and might go into the glories which are kept for me and for those who keep the commandments of God in righteousness—He is one God the Most High, who sitteth upon the throne of the cherubim, to whom be praises for ever, Amen and Amen." And after these great things which God had done with her, she learned there in the city of Iconium that Thamyris her betrothed was dead, but her mother Theocleia alive; and she sent and called her and saith to her: "My mother Theocleia, if thou canst believe, believe that there is one God, the Lord in Heaven; and if thou lovest wealth and gold and silver that perish, lo, they are given unto thee from this hour; but if thou wilt believe that there is one God in heaven, and that there is no other god but He, thou shalt be able to live and to observe whatever I say unto thee; for lo, I stand before thee, who have escaped from the fire, and have escaped from the furious beasts, and have escaped from before the hêgemôn, for my God and my Lord helped me, and gave me power to endure all these things." And all these things did she testify unto her mother; and she departed from the city of Iconium, and went to Seleucia, and there too she enlightened many persons by the word of God, and lay down to sleep in a quiet resting-place.

Peace be with you, servants of Jesus the Messiah, who keep His commandments in purity, that the Father may recompense you with all that He hath promised unto you through His Son, who is our King.

Here ends (the history of) Thecla, the disciple of the Apostle Paul.

[All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted apart from these. The footnotes in the printed edition show very many text variants with words and clauses omitted in one manuscript or another, or additional text added. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]

1. See... Clark's Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. xvi., p.279.

This text was transcribed by Colin Tunnicliffe, UK, 2004. 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: apocryphal_acts_07_judas_thomas.htm

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.146-298. The acts of Judas Thomas (or, the twin), the apostle

Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles (1871) Volume 2. pp.146-298. The acts of Judas Thomas (or, the twin), the apostle

THE ACTS OF

JUDAS THOMAS (OR THE TWIN)

THE APOSTLE.

----

The (first) act of Judas Thomas the Apostle, when He sold him to the merchant Habbān, that he might go down (and) convert India.¹

AND when all the Apostles had been for a time in Jerusalem, — Simon Cephas and Andrew, and Jacob (James) and John, and Philip and Bartholomew, and Thomas and Matthew the publican, and Jacob (James) the son of Alphæus, and Simon the Kananite, and Judas the son of Jacob (James),—they divided the countries among them, in order that each one of them might preach in the region which fell to him and in the place to which his Lord sent him. And India fell by lot and division to Judas Thomas (or the Twin) the Apostle. And he was not willing to go, saying: "I have not strength enough for this, because I am weak. And I am a Hebrew: how can I teach the Indians?" And whilst Judas was reasoning thus, our Lord appeared to him in a vision of the night, and said to him: " Fear not, Thomas, because my grace is with thee." But he would not be persuaded at all, saying: "Whithersoever Thou wilt, our Lord, send me; only to India I will not go." And as Judas was reasoning thus, a certain merchant, an Indian, happened (to come) into the south country from——,whose name was Habbān; and he was sent by the king Gūdnaphar, that he might bring to him a skilful carpenter. And our Lord saw him walking in the street, and said to him: " Thou wishest to buy a carpenter?" He saith to him, "Yes." Our Lord saith to him: "I have a slave, a carpenter, whom I will sell to thee." And he showed him Thomas at a distance, and bargained with him for twenty (pieces) of silver (as) his price, and wrote a bill of sale thus: "I, Jesus, the son of Joseph the carpenter, from the village of Bethlehem, which is in Judæa, acknowledge, that I have sold my slave Judas Thomas to Habbān, the merchant of king Gudnaphar." And when they had completed his bill of sale, Jesus took Judas, and went to Habbān the merchant. And Habbān saw him, and said to him: "Is this thy master?" Judas saith to him: "Yes, he is my master." Habbān the merchant saith to, him: "He has sold thee to me outright." And Judas was silent.

And in the morning he arose and prayed, and entreated of his Lord, and said to Him: "Lo, our Lord, as Thou wilt, let Thy will be (done)." And he went to Habbān the merchant, without carrying anything with him except that price of his, for our Lord had given it to him. And Judas went and found Habbān the merchant carrying his goods on board the ship, and he began to carry (them) on board with him. And when they had gone on board and sat down, Habbān the merchant saith to Judas: "What is thy art which thou art skilled in practising?" Judas saith to him: "Carpentering and architecture—the business of the carpenter." Habban the merchant saith to him: "What dost thou know to make in wood, and what in hewn stone?" Judas saith to him: "In wood I have learned to make ploughs and yokes and ox-goads, and oars for ferry-boats, and masts for ships; and in stone, tombstones and monuments, and temples, and palaces for kings." Habbān the merchant saith to him: "And I was seeking just such an artificer." And they began to sail, because the breeze was steady; and they were sailing along gently, until they put in at the town of Sandaruk.

And when they had disembarked on the land, and were entering and going into the city, they heard the sound of pipes and organs and much singing. And Judas was asking and saying: "What is the rejoicing that is in this city?'' They say to him: "Thee too have the gods brought that thou mayest be glad in this city; for the king has an only daughter, and he is giving her to a man; and this sound of rejoicing is that of the wedding-feast. And heralds have been permitted by the king to proclaim, that every one should come to the feast, both poor and rich, and slaves and freemen, and strangers and citizens. And every one who does not come to the feast, is in danger of the anger of the king." The merchant Habbān saith to Judas: "Let us too go, that we may not be spoken ill of, especially as we are strangers." And when they had stopped at an inn and rested a little, they went to attend the feast. And Judas reclined in the middle, and they were all looking upon him as upon a stranger, who came from another place. And the merchant Habbān, his master, was reclining in another place.

And when they ate and drank, Judas was tasting nothing at all. Those who were beside him say to him: "Why art thou come hither, since thou art not able to eat or to drink?" Judas saith to them: "For something that is better than eating or drinking, am I come hither; and for the king's rest, and that I might accomplish his will; and because the heralds were proclaiming, that he who hears and does not come, shall receive chastisement." And when they had eaten and drunk, both oil and dried fruits were brought in to them, and they took (thereof). Some were anointing their faces, others their beards, and others other places; but Judas was praising, God, and signing the middle of his head (with the Cross); and he moistened his nostrils with a little (of the oil), and put (some) in his ears, and made the sign (of the Cross) over his heart; and a garland of myrtle was placed on his head, and he took a reed-branch in his hand.

Then the flute-girl, who was in the midst of the party, was going round to them all; and when she came to Judas, she was standing and playing over him. And the flute player was a Hebrew (woman).

And when she had stood over him a long time, Judas did not lift up his face, but was looking all the while on the ground. And one of the cup-bearers came, (and) raised his hand and smote him on his cheek. And Judas looked at him and said to him: "My God will forgive thee this in the world to come, but in this world He will show His wonders on the hand which smote me, and I shall see it dragged along by a dog." And Judas began to sing this song.

"My Church is the daughter of light; the splendour of kings is hers. Charming and winsome is her aspect, fair and adorned with every good work. Her garments are like unto flowers, the smell whereof is fragrant and pleasant. On her head dwelleth the King, and He feedeth those who dwell with Him beneath. Truth is placed on her head, joy moves in her feet. Her mouth is open, and it becometh her, wherewith she uttereth all songs of praise. The twelve Apostles of the Son, and the seventy-two (disciples) thunder forth (His praises) in her. Her tongue is the curtain, which the priest raiseth and entereth in. Her neck is the lofty flight of steps, which the first architect did build. Her hands, both of them, proclaim (and point out) the place of life; and her ten fingers have opened the gate of Heaven. Her bridal chamber is lighted up, and full of the sweet odour of salvation. A censer is ready in its midst, love and belief and hope, gladdening all; within, truth (dwells) in humility. Her gates are adorned with truth; her groomsmen surround her, all whom she hath invited; and her pure bridesmaids (go) before her, uttering praise. The living are in attendance upon her, and they look to their Bridegroom who shall come, and they shall shine with His glory, and shall be with Him in the kingdom which never passeth away. And they shall be in the glory to which all the just are gathered; and they shall be in the joy into which some enter; and they shall put on shining garments, and shall be clothed with the glory of their Lord. And they shall praise the living Father, whose majestic light they have received, and have been enlightened by the splendour of their Lord, of whose food they have received, which never hath any excrement, and have drunk of the life which makes those who drink of it long and thirst (for more); and have glorified the Father, the Lord of all, and the only-(begotten) Son, who is of Him; and have praised the Spirit, His Wisdom."

And when he had sang this song, all who were beside him were looking at him, and were seeing that his aspect was changed; but they could not at all understand what he was saying, because he was speaking in Hebrew, and they did not know (it). But the flute-player had heard everything, because she was a Hebrew (woman), and she was looking at him. And when she left him and played to the others, she still kept looking at him, and loved him as a countryman of hers; and in his looks he was more beautiful than all those who were there. And when the flute-player had finished, she sat down opposite to him and did not turn away her eyes from him; but he did not lift up his eyes, and did not look at any one, but was ever looking upon the ground, (waiting) till he might arise and depart from the banquet-room. And the cup-bearer had gone down to the fountain to draw water, and a lion happened to be there, and rent him and tore him limb from limb. Then the dogs were carrying off his limbs singly; and a black dog carried off his right hand, which he had raised against Judas, and brought it into the midst of the banquet-room.

And when they all saw it, they were amazed. And when they were all asking which of them was lost, the hand was found to be that of the cup-bearer who had smitten Judas. Then the flute-player broke her flutes, and came to the feet of the Apostle, (and) sat down, and was saying: "This man is either God or the Apostle of God; for I heard him (say) in Hebrew what he said to that cup-bearer, and immediately it befell him. For he said to him, 'I shall see a dog dragging about the hand that smote me'; and lo, ye have seen how the dog dragged it about." And some of them believed the flute-player, and some of them did not believe (her). And the king, when he heard this story, came and said to Judas: "Come with me, and pray for my daughter, because she is my only one, and today I am giving her away in marriage." And he did not wish to go with him, because our Lord had not yet manifested Himself to him in that place. But the king carried him off by force to the bridal chamber.

And he began to pray and to say thus: "Our Lord,— companion of His servants, and guide and conductor of those who believe in Him, and refuge and repose of the afflicted, and hope of the poor, and deliverer of the feeble, and healer of sick souls, life-giver of the universe, and saviour of (all) creatures,—Thou knowest what things are going to happen, and through us Thou accomplishest them. Thou art the discloser of hidden secrets, and the revealer of mysterious sayings. Thou art the planter of the good tree, and through Thy hands all acts take place. Thou art hidden in all Thy works, and art manifested in their acts, Jesus, perfect Son of perfect mercy; and Thou didst become the Messiah, and didst put on the first man. Thou art the power, and the wisdom, and the knowledge, and the will, and the rest of Thy Father, in whom Thou art concealed in glory, and in whom Thou art revealed in Thy creative agency; and Ye are one with two names. And Thou didst manifest Thyself as a feeble (being), and those who saw Thee, thought of Thee, that Thou wast a man who had need of help. And Thou didst show the glory of Thy Godhead in Thy longsuffering towards our manhood, when Thou didst hurl the evil (one) from his power, and didst call with Thy voice to the dead, and they became alive; and to those who were alive and hoping in Thee, Thou didst promise an inheritance in Thy kingdom. Thou wast the ambassador, and wast sent from the supernal heights, because Thou art able to do the living and perfect will of Thy sender. Glorious art Thou, Lord, in Thy might; and Thy renovating administration is in all Thy creatures, and in all the works which Thy Godhead hath established; and no other is able to annul the will of Thy majesty, nor to stand up against Thy nature as Thou art. And Thou didst descend to Sheol, and go to its uttermost end; and didst open its gates, and bring out its prisoners, and didst tread for them the path (leading) above by the nature of Thy Godhead. Yea, Lord, I ask of Thee on behalf of these young people, that whatever Thou knowest to be beneficial for them, Thou wilt do for them." And he laid his hand upon them, and said to them: "Our Lord be with you"; and he left them and went away.

And the king requested the groomsmen to go out of the bridal chamber. And when all the people had gone out, and the door of the bridal chamber was closed, the bridegroom raised up the curtain, that he might bring the bride to himself. And he saw our Lord in the likeness of Judas, who was standing and talking with the bride. And the bridegroom said to him: "Lo, thou didst go out first; how art thou still here?" Our Lord saith to him: "I am not Judas, but I am the brother of Judas." And our Lord sat down on the bed, and let the young people sit down on the chairs, and began to say to them:—

"Remember, my children, what my brother spake with you, and know to whom he committed you; and know that as soon as ye preserve yourselves from this filthy intercourse, ye become pure temples, and are saved from afflictions manifest and hidden, and from the heavy care of children, the end of whom is bitter sorrow. And if ye have children, for their sakes ye will become oppressors and robbers and smiters of orphans and wrongers of widows, and ye will be grievously tortured for their injuries. For the greatest part of children are the cause of many pains; for either the king falls upon them, or a demon lays hold of them, or paralysis befalls them. And if they be healthy, they come to ill either by adultery, or theft, or fornication, or covetousness, or vain-glory; and through these wickednesses ye will be tortured by them. But if ye will be persuaded by me, and keep yourselves purely unto God, ye shall have living children, to whom not one of these blemishes and hurts cometh nigh; and ye shall be without care and without grief and without sorrow; and ye shall be hoping (for the time) when ye shall see the true wedding-feast; and ye shall be in it praisers (of God), and shall be numbered with those who enter into the bridal chamber."

And the young people were persuaded by our Lord, and gave up themselves to Him, and were preserved from filthy lust, and passed the night in their places. And our Lord went forth from beside them, and said to them: "May the grace of your Lord be with you." And in the morning, when it was dawn, the king had the table furnished early, and brought in before the bridegroom and bride. And he found them sitting the one opposite the other, and the face of the bride was uncovered and she was sitting, and the bridegroom was very cheerful. The mother of the bride saith to her: "Why are thou sitting thus, and art not ashamed, but (art) as if, lo, thou wert (married) along time and for many a day?" And her father too said: " Because of thy great love for thy husband dost thou not even veil thyself?"

And the bride answered and saith to her: "Truly, my mother, I am in great love, and I am praying to my Lord that I may continue in this love which I have experienced this night, and may call for the incorruptible Bridegroom who has revealed Himself to me this night. And that I am not veiled, (is) because the veil of corruption is taken away from me; and that I am not ashamed, (is) because the deed of shame has been removed far from me; and that I am not repentant, (is) because the repentance, which restores to life, abides in me. And that I am cheerful and gay, (is) because, in the day of this transitory joy, I am not agitated by it; and that this deed of corruption is despised by me, and the spoils of this wedding-feast that passes away, (is) because I am invited to the true wedding-feast; and that I have not had intercourse with a husband, the end whereof is bitter repentance, (is) because I am betrothed to the true Husband." And many things which were like unto these was she saying.

Then too the bridegroom answered and said: "I praise Thee, (Thou) new God, who by means of a stranger hast come hither. I glorify Thee, (Thou) God, who hast been preached by means of a Hebrew man; who hast removed me from corruption, and hast sown in me life; who hast delivered me from the disease that was abiding in me for ever; who hast revealed to us Thyself, and I have perceived in what (state) I am; who hast saved me from falling and hast led me on to a better state; who hast rescued me from these transitory things, and hast deemed me worthy of those that are not transitory; who hast let Thyself down even to my littleness, that Thou mightest bring me unto Thy greatness; who didst not withhold Thy mercy from me who was lost, but didst show me (how) to seek for myself and to put away from me the things that are not mine; who, when I did not know Thee, hast sought me Thyself; who, when I did not perceive Thee, hast come unto me; whom I have now perceived, and am not able to say anything which I do not know; against whom 'I cannot consent that I should say aught with boldness, for it is because of Thy love that I am bold."

And when the king heard these things from the bridegroom and from the bride, he rent his garments, and said to those who were by him: "Go forth in haste through the whole city, and go about, (and) bring me that sorcerer, whom I introduced with my own hands into my house, and bade him pray over my unlucky daughter. To the man who shall find him and bring him to me, I will give whatever he shall ask." And they went (and) were going about looking for him, and did not find him, because he had set out. And they went to the inn where he had stayed, and found the flute-girl sitting and weeping, because he had not taken her with him. And when they told her what had happened, she was glad and saith: "I have found rest here." And she arose (and) went to the young people, and was dwelling with them a long time. And they taught the king too, and collected a number of brethren, until news was heard of the Apostle (being) in the realm of India; and they went to him and were united unto him.

Here ends the first act.

The second act, when Thomas the Apostle entered into India, and built a palace for the king in Heaven.

AND when Judas had entered into the realm of India with the merchant Habbān, Habbān went to salute Gūdnaphar, the king of India, and he told him of the artificer whom he had brought for him. And the king was very glad, and ordered Judas to come into his presence. And the king said to him: "What art dost thou know to practise?" Judas saith to him: "I am a carpenter, the servant of a carpenter and architect." He saith to him: "What dost thou know to make?" Judas saith to him: "In wood I know (how) to make yokes and ploughs and ox-goads, and oars for barges and ferryboats, and masts for ships; and in hewn stone, tombstones and monuments and palaces for kings." The king saith to Judas: "And I want such an artificer." The king saith to him: "Wilt thou build me a palace?" Judas saith to him: "I will build it and finish it, for I am come to work at building and carpentering."

And he took him and went outside the gate of the city, and was talking with him about the constructing of the palace, and about its foundations, how they should be laid. And when he had reached the place where the king wished him to build a palace for him, he said to Judas: "Here I wish you to build for me a palace." Judas saith to him: "(Yes,) for this is a place which is suitable for it." Now it was of this sort; it was a meadow, and there was plenty of water near it. The king saith to him: "Begin to build here." Judas saith to him: "Now I cannot build, at this time." The king saith to him: "And at what time wilt thou be able to build?" Judas saith: "I will begin in Teshri (Oct.-Nov.), and I will finish in Nisan (April)." The king saith to him: "All buildings are built in summer; and thou buildest in winter!" Judas saith to him: "Thus (only) is it possible for the palace to be built." The king saith to him: "Well then, trace it out for me that I may see it, because after a long time I shall come hither." And Judas came and took a cane, and began to measure; and he left doors towards the east for light, and windows towards the west for air; and (he made) the bake-house to the south, and the water-pipes for the service (of the house) to the north. The king saith to him: "Verily thou art a good artificer, and art worthy to serve a king;" and he left with him a large sum of money, and departed from him.

And he was sending silver and gold to him from time to time. But Judas was going about in the villages and cities, and was ministering to the poor, and was making the afflicted comfortable, and was saying: "What is the king's shall be given to the king, and many shall have rest."

And after a long time, the king despatched messengers to Judas, and sent (a message) to him thus: "Send me (word) what thou hast done, and what I shall send thee." And Judas sent him (word): "The palace is built, but the roof is wanting to it." Then the king sent to Judas silver and gold, and sent him (word): "Let the palace be roofed." And the Apostle was glorifying our Lord and saying: "I thank Thee, Lord, who didst die that Thou mightest give me life; and who didst sell me that I might be the liberator of many." And he did not cease to teach, and to relieve those who were afflicted, saying: "May your Lord give you rest, to whom alone is the glory; for He is the nourisher of the orphans and the provider of the widows, and He ministers unto all those who are afflicted."

And when the king came to the city, he was asking every one of his friends about the palace which Judas had built for him; but they say unto him: "There is no palace built, nor has he done anything else, but he was going about the cities and villages, and giving to the poor, and teaching them the new God, and also healing the sick, and driving out demons, and doing many things; and we think that he is a sorcerer; but his compassion, and his healing, which was done without recompense, and his asceticism, and his piety, make (us) think of him either that he is a magus, or an Apostle of the new God; for he fasts much and prays much, and eats bread and salt and drinks water, and wears one garment, and takes nothing from any man for himself, and whatever he has he gives to others." And when the king heard these things, he smote his face with his hands, and was shaking his head.

And he sent (and) called Judas and the merchant who had brought him, and said to him: "Hast thou built me the palace?'' Judas saith to him: "I have built thee the palace." The king saith to him: "In what time can we go (and) look at it?" Judas saith to him: "Thou canst not see it now, but when thou hast departed from this world." Then the king became very furious in his anger, and commanded that Thomas and the merchant who had brought him, being bound, should go to prison, till he could question him about what had done — to whom he had given it — and then destroy him. But Judas went rejoicing, and said to the merchant: "Fear not, but only believe, and thou shalt be freed from this world, and shalt receive everlasting life in the world to come."

And the king was considering by what death he should kill Judas and the merchant; and he took the resolution that he would burn him, after being flayed, with the merchant his companion. And in that very night, the brother of the king, whose name was Gad, was taken ill through grief and through the imposition which had been practised upon the king. And he sent (and) called the king, and said to him: "My brother, I commend unto thee my house and my children, for I am grieved and am dying because of the imposition that hath been practised upon thee. If thou dost not punish that sorcerer, thou wilt not let my soul be at peace in Sheol." The king saith to him: "The whole night I have been considering, how I should kill him, and I have resolved to burn him with fire after he hath been flayed." Then the brother of the king said to him: "And if there be anything else that is worse than this, do (it) to him; and I give thee charge of my house and my children."

And when he had said these things, his soul left him. And the king was grieved for his brother, because he loved him much; and he wished to bury him in a splendid sepulchre. But when the soul of Gad, the brother of the king, had left him, angels took it and bore it up to heaven; and they were showing it each place in succession, (and asking it) in which of them it wished to be. Then, when they came to the palace which Judas had built for the king, his brother saw it, and said to the angels: "I beg of you, my lords, let me dwell in one of the lower chambers of this palace." The angels say to him: "Thou canst not dwell in this palace." He saith to them: "Wherefore?" They say to him: "This palace is the one which the Christian hath built for thy brother." Then he said to them: "I beg of you, my lords, let me go, that I may go to my brother and buy of him this palace; for my brother hath not seen it, and will sell it to me."

Then the angels let go the soul of Gad. And as they were enshrouding him, his soul came into him, and he said to those who were standing before him: "Call my brother to me that I may make of him one request." Then they sent word to the king, "Thy brother is come to life." And the king sprang up from his place, and went into the house of his brother with a number of people. And when he had gone in beside his bed, he was astounded and was unable to speak with him. His brother saith to him: " I know, my brother, that if a man had asked thee for the half of thy kingdom, thou wouldst have given it for me. And now I beg of thee that thou wouldst sell me that at which thou hast laboured." The king saith to him: "Tell me, what shall I sell thee?" He saith to him: "Swear unto me." And he swore unto him that he would grant him whatever he asked of all that he had. He saith to him: "Sell me the palace which thou hast in heaven." The king saith to him: "Who hath given me a palace in heaven?" His brother saith to him: "(It is) that which the Christian hath built for thee." The king saith to him: "That I cannot sell to thee; but I pray and beg of God that I may enter into it and receive it, and may be worthy to be among its inhabitants. And thou, if thou really wishest to buy thyself a palace, this architect will build (one) for thee which will be better than that of mine." And he sent (and) brought out Judas and the merchant who was imprisoned with him, and said to him: "I beg of thee, as a man who begs of a minister of God, that thou wouldst pray for me, and beg for me from the God whom thou worshippest, that He would forgive me what I have done unto thee; and that He would make me worthy to enter into the palace which thou hast built for me; and that I may become a worshipper of this God whom thou preachest." And his brother came and fell down before the feet of the Apostle, and said to him: "I beg of thee—I too supplicate before thy God, that I may become worthy to Be a worshipper of His, and may also receive what He hath shown me by the hand of the angels."

Judas saith: "I praise Thee, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who art alone the God of truth, and there is no other, and Thou knowest whatever man does not know. Thou, whose mercy is upon men, whom Thou hast willed and made,—and they have forgotten Thee, but Thou hast not neglected them—do Thou receive the king and his brother, and unite them to Thy fold, and anoint them, and purify them from their uncleanness, and guard them from wolves, and feed them in Thy meadows, and let them drink of Thy fountain, which is never turbid and the stream whereof never faileth; for, lo, they beg of Thee and supplicate, and wish to become servants of Thine, and to be persecuted by Thy enemy and to be hated for Thy sake. Let them therefore have boldness in Thee, and be confirmed by Thy glorious mysteries, and receive of the gifts of Thy gifts."

And they were rejoicing with holy hymns, and were cleaving unto the Apostle and not parting from him; and every one who was needy, was receiving and being relieved. And they begged of him that they might receive the sign (of baptism, saying:) "For we have heard that all the sheep of that God, whom thou preachest, are known to Him by the sign." Judas saith to them: " I too rejoice, and I ask of you to partake of the Eucharist and of the blessing of this Messiah whom I preach." And the king gave orders that the bath should be closed for seven days, and that no man should bathe in it. And when the seven days were done, on the eighth day they three entered into the bath by night that Judas might baptise them. And many lamps were lighted in the bath.

And when they had entered into the bath-house, Judas went in before them. And our Lord appeared unto them, and said to them: "Peace be with you, my brethren." And they heard the voice only, but the form they did not see, whose it was, for till now they had not been baptised. And Judas went up and stood upon the edge of the cistern, and poured oil upon their heads, and said: "Come, holy name of the Messiah; come, power of grace, which art from on high; come, perfect mercy; come, exalted gift; come, sharer of the blessing; come, revealer of hidden mysteries; come, mother of seven houses, whose rest was in the eighth house; come, messenger of reconciliation, and communicate with the minds of these youths; come, Spirit of holiness, and purify their reins and their hearts." And he baptised them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit of holiness. And when they had come up out of the water, a youth appeared to them, and he was holding a lighted taper; and the light of the lamps became pale through its light. And when they had gone forth, he became invisible to them; and the Apostle said: "We were not even able to bear Thy light, because it is too great for our vision." And when it dawned and was morning, he broke the Eucharist and let them partake of the table of the Messiah; and they were glad and rejoicing.

And when many were added and were coming to the refuge of the Messiah, Judas did not cease to preach and to say to them: "Men and women and children, youths and maidens, shun fornication and covetousness and the service of demons; for under these three heads comes all wickedness. For fornication blinds the intellect, and darkens the eyes of the soul; it confuses the steps of the body, and changes its complexion, and makes it sick. And covetousness puts the soul into agitation in the midst of the body, so that it takes what does not belong to it, and is afraid lest, when it returns the thing to its owners, it should be put to shame. And the service of the belly makes the soul dwell in care and sorrow, fearing lest it should come to want, and grasp at things that are far from it. For since ye have been delivered from thence, ye are become without care and without grief; and there remains with you (the saying): 'Take no care for the morrow, because the morrow will take care of itself.' And bear in mind the other (saying), which is written for you: 'Look upon the ravens, and consider the fowl of heaven, which sow not nor reap, and God feedeth them; how much more then will He have care for you, ye lacking in faith?' But expect the coming of Jesus, and hope in Him, and believe in His name, because He is the Judge of the dead and of the quick, and He shall recompense every man according to his works at His last coming. For it will be no excuse for one to say; 'We did not know.' His heralds are proclaiming in the four quarters of the world: 'Repent and believe in the new preaching, and receive the pleasant yoke and the light burden, and live and die not. Gain (these), and perish not. Come forth from the darkness, and the light will receive you. Come to the Good, and receive for yourselves grace, and plant the Cross in your souls.' "

And when the Apostle had said these things, some of them said to him: "It is time for the debtor to be paid." He saith to them: "The creditor always seeketh more, but let us give him as much as is proper." And he spake a blessing over the bread and the olives, and gave unto them. And he himself ate, because the Sunday was, dawning. And when the Apostle was asleep in the night, our Lord came and stood over him and said to him: "Thomas, rise, go forth in the morning after the service, and go along the eastern road about two miles, and I will show in thee my glory; for because of this on account of which thou goest out, many shall come to my refuge and shall live, and thou shalt reprove the power and the nature of the enemy." And when he awoke from his sleep, he said to the brethren who were. beside him: "My children, our Lord will do today whatsoever He will; but let us pray and beg of Him that there be to us no hindrance towards Him, but, just as at all times when He wisheth to show His power in us, (so) now too let His will be accomplished." And when he had spoken thus, he laid his hand upon them, and broke the Eucharist, and gave unto all of them, and said to them: "Let this Eucharist be unto you for grace and mercy, and not for judgement and vengeance." And they said, "Amen."

Here ends the second Act.

The third act of Judas, regarding the black snake.

AND the Apostle went forth to go whither our Lord had told him. And when he reached (the distance of) two miles, he turned aside from the road a little, and saw lying there a corpse of a handsome youth, and said: "Was it for this trial Thou didst bring me out hither, our Lord? Let it be as Thou wilt." And he began praying and saying: "Our Lord, Lord of the dead and of the quick—of the quick, who, lo; are standing, and of the dead, who, lo, are lying, — O Lord, Lord of the souls which abide in the body, and Father of all the souls which have gone out of the body, — come, Lord, at this moment, for the sake of the dust which Thy holy hands have fashioned, and look down from, heaven, for I call upon Thee, and show Thy glory in this (man) who is lying here." And he said again: "This deed has not taken place without the instigation of the enemy, who does these things; but the enemy, who does these things, has not dared (to attempt it) through one who is alien to him, but (through one) who is subject to his will." And when he had said these things, a black snake came forth from a fissure, and was shaking his head violently, and beating his tail on the ground. And with a loud voice he said to the Apostle: "I will say before thee on what account I slew this youth. There was a woman fair of face in this village which is over-against thee; and as she passed by me, I saw her and loved her; and I went after her, and saw this youth kissing her, and he also slept with her, and did other things with her which are unseemly, — easy for me (to say), but to thee I do not dare to utter them, because I know that the ocean-flood of the Messiah will destroy our nature. And in order that I might not alarm her, I did not kill him at that time, but I watched him, and in the evening, when he passed by me, I struck him and killed him, and especially because he had dared to do this thing on the Sunday." Judas saith to him: "Of what seed art thou?"

The snake saith to him: "I am reptile, the son of reptile) and harmer, the son of harmer; I am the son of him, to whom power was given over all creatures, and he troubled them. I am the son of him, who makes himself like unto God to those who obey him, that they may do his will. I am the son of him, who is ruler over everything that is created under heaven. I am the son of him, who is outside of the ocean, and whose mouth is closed. I am the kinsman of him, who spake with Eve, and through her made Adam transgress the commandment of God. And I am he who incited Cain to slay his brother. And on my account, — because for this I was created, — the earth was cursed and thorns grew up in it. I am he who dared, and cast down the just from their height, and corrupted them through the lust of women; and they begat sons large of body, and I worked in them my will. And I am he who hardened the heart of Pharaoh, that he might slay the children of Israel, and keep them down in hard slavery. I am he who led the people astray in the desert, when I subdued them so that they made for themselves the calf. I am he who stirred up Caiaphas and Herod by slander against the Righteous Judge. I am he who caused Judas to take the bribe, when he was made subject to me, that he might deliver up the Messiah to death. I am he to whom the power of this world was given, and the Son of Mary has seized me by force and taken what was His from me. I am the kinsman of him, who is to come from the east, to whom the power is given."

And when he had finished, the multitude was hearing all these things; and fear with belief settled on all those who were there, when they saw and heard these wonders. And they were crying out alike with one voice: "One is the God of this man, who has informed us concerning his God, and by his word has commanded this fearful beast, and it has disclosed its nature." And they were begging of him that, as he had commanded it by his word to speak like a man, so too by his word he would kill it.

Then Judas made a sign to them with his hand, and raised his voice and said: "Thou art audacious, though thy nature is laid bare, and thou shalt be slain. And thy insolence, which has gone so far, ought not to have been (such) that thou shouldst tell those things which were done by those who were subject to thee; and thou hast not feared that thy end was come. But to thee I say, in the name of our Lord Jesus, who struggled against thy nature even to the end for His human beings, that thou suck out the poison which thou hast cast into this youth; because my God has sent me to

ill thee and to raise him up alive before this multitude, that they may believe in Him, that He is the true God and that there is no other." And the snake said to him: "Our destruction is not as yet come, as thou hast said. "Why compellest thou me to take (back) what I have put into this youth? For were even my father to suck out and take (back) what he has cast into the creation, it would be his destruction." The Apostle saith to him: "Show, then, the nature of thy father." And the snake came, and put his mouth upon the wound of the youth, and was sucking the poison from it; and by little and little, as the poison was drawn out, the colour of the youth, which had become like purple, became white, and the snake was swelling. And when he had drawn out the whole of the poison from the youth, he sprang upright, and ran to the feet of the Apostle, and fell down and worshipped him. Then the snake burst, according to the word of Judas; and a great pit was made in the place where the poison of the snake fell. And Judas commanded the king and his brother to fill up that place, and lay foundations, and make in it houses (as) places of entertainment for strangers.

And the youth was glorifying God, through whose grace he had come to life by the hand of the Apostle Judas, and had been rescued from all his former deeds. And he begged of the Apostle that he would aid him in prayer to our Lord, being upbraided by his own conscience, and was saying: "To Thee be glory, merciful and great and glorious God, maker and founder of all created things. Thou hast set a limit and a measure to all Thy creatures whom Thou hast created; and hast appointed for them changes that are beneficial to their natures. Thou art He who didst make man, as Thy Godhead willed, with the fashioning of Thy hands, that he might be ruler above; and didst create for him another creation, that he might strive against it with the free-will which Thou didst give him. But the free nature of man went astray, and he became subject to his fellow; and that (fellow) became an enemy to him, because he found that he had been unmindful of his free-will. And the enemy rejoiced that he had found an entrance into his fellow, and thought that he would be master over all the slaves; but Thou, O Merciful, through Thy great mercy, didst spread over us Thy goodness, and didst send to our human race Thy Word, the Disposer of all created things, through Thy glorious Son. And He, through His free-will, which Thou gavest Him,—Thy goodness aiding Him,—came and found us in those works which our human nature did from the first day. And Thou didst not enter into a reckoning with us for our sins, but didst bring me to life through Thy goodness, and didst show me my remissness, and didst sow in me Thy heavenly love; and didst open my mouth, which was shut, that I might speak of my enslaver and of Thy abundant grace, which is not angry with me for what I say concerning it, about whose great love I am speaking."

And Judas stretched out his hand to him, and raised him up, and embraced him, and said to him: "The grace of our Lord be with thee and with all those who believe in Him." And the youth said: "Glory to Thee, O God,—who did not withhold His mercy from me, who was lost, but showed me (how) to seek my own soul, and informed me concerning thee, that thou art His Apostle, and said to thee: 'I have many things to show through thee, and thou hast many works to accomplish through Me, for which thou shalt receive their reward; and thou shalt give life to many, and they shall become on high, in the light, sons of God. Do thou, therefore, bring to life this youth, who has been smitten by his enemy, because thou at all times beholdest thy Lord.' Yea, my lord, Apostle of God, thou hast done well to come hither, and thou hast drawn many unto Him, and He will not fail thee. And I am without care and without suffering, because of His grace which has come upon me through thee, and (because) His gift has been poured out abundantly upon my weakness. And I have been freed from evil cares and from deeds of corruption, and have been delivered from him, who was alluring me and inciting me to do those things in which thou didst find me, and have understood Him who was saying to me' the opposite of them. And I have destroyed him, who, through darkness, his kinsman, made me stumble by his works; and I have found the Light, the Lord of the day, who had not been seen by me, and I have seen him. And I have destroyed him, who was darkening and obscuring all those who cleave unto him and obey him, so that they cannot see what they are doing and be ashamed of their deeds and desist from them, and his work (thereby) come to an end; and I have found Him, whose doing this is, that those who do His will should never repent. I have been delivered from him, whom fraud supports, and before whom goes a veil (of darkness), and after whom comes shame, and she daring in impudence. And I have found Him, who clears away evils, the Lord of peace and the Confirmer of truth, who makes the

enemy pass away from those who turn repenting unto Him, and heals their afflictions, and destroys their disturber. But I beg of thee, Apostle of God, sow in me thy word of life, so that I may again hear perfectly the voice of Him, who delivered me unto thee and said to thee, 'This is (one) of those who shall live through thee, and henceforth let him be with thee.' "

Judas saith to him: "If thou wilt be delivered from these things which thou hast learned, as thou hast said, from the doer of evils, and wilt listen to Him, whom in the fervour of thy love thou now seekest, thou shalt see Him, and shalt be with Him for ever, and shalt rest with Him by His grace, and shalt be with Him in His joy. But if thou art negligent of Him, and comest to those former deeds of thine, and insultest Him, whom, because of (His) beauty and because of the aspect of His light, thou now eagerly desirest, thou shalt not only be deprived of that life which thou hast seen, but thou shalt also lose this in which thou art abiding."

And Judas came to the city, and took the hand of the youth, and said to him: "My son, these things which thou hast seen are a few out of the many that belong to our God; for He doth not send us tidings concerning these things that are seen, but promiseth us better things; for as long as we are in the world, we are unable to speak about that which all the believers in God are going to receive. For if we say that He hath given us light, we mention something which we have seen; and if we say that He hath given us wealth, we mention something that is in the world; and if we speak of (fine) clothing, we mention something that nobles wear; and if we speak of daintymeats, we mention something against which we are warned; and if we speak of (this) temporary rest, a chastisement is appointed for it. But we speak of God and of our Lord Jesus, and of the Angels and the guardian spirits and the saints, and of the new world, and of the incorruptible food of the tree of life, and of the draught (of the water) of life; of what eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man (to conceive), — what God hath prepared from of old for those who love Him. Of this we speak, and of this we preach. Believe in Him, therefore, my son, that thou mayest live, and trust in Him, that thou mayest not die; for He will not take a bribe, that thou shouldst offer (it) to Him, nor is He pleased with a sacrifice, that thou shouldest sacrifice it (to Him). Look unto Him, and He will not neglect thee, and turn unto Him, and He will not forsake thee; for His beauty will incite thee to love Him, and He will not suffer thee to turn away from Him."

And when Judas had said these things to the youth, great multitudes joined (them). And the Apostle lifted up his eyes, and saw people raised up upon one another that they might see him, and going up to lofty places. And the Apostle saith to them: "Ye men, who are come to the assembly of the Messiah, men who wish to believe in Jesus, take unto yourselves an example from this, that, if ye do not raise yourselves up, ye cannot see me who am little. Me, who am like yourselves, ye are unable to see; Him, who is on high and is found in the depths, how shall ye be able to see, unless ye raise yourselves above your former works, and above the deeds that profit not, and the pleasures that abide not, and the corruptible wealth that remaineth here; and above riches and possessions that perish on the earth, and above garments that decay, and above beauty that becomes old and is disfigured, and above the body, in which all these are included, and which becomes dust, and which all these support? But believe, and trust in our Lord Jesus the Messiah, Him whom we preach, in order that your hope may be in Him, and that in Him ye may live for ever and ever, and that He may be to I you a guide in the land of error, and may be to you a haven in the sea of trouble, and may be to you a fountain of living water in the region of thirst, and may be to you a full basket in the place of hunger, and maybe a rest to your souls and a healer and giver of life to your bodies."

Then the multitudes were crying out: "Apostle of the living God, and guide in the path of life, and revealer of the mysteries of the truth, many are the things that have been done for us, who are aliens from the glorious God whom thou preachest, and until now we do not dare to say that we are His, because our works are alien from Him and hateful before Him. But if He will have compassion upon us, and deliver us from our former deeds, and from the evil things that were done by us in error, and will not enter into reckoning with us nor remember against us our former sins, we will become servants of His and accomplish His will." Judas saith to them: "He will not reckon against you your sins which ye did in error, but He will pardon you your iniquities, those former ones which ye did without knowledge."

Here ends the third Act.

The fourth Act, of the Ass that spake.

AND whilst the Apostle was standing in his place on the road, and speaking with those multitudes concerning the kingdom of God, and concerning their conversion and repentance unto our Lord,—whilst the Apostle was standing on the road, and speaking with those multitudes, an ass's colt came and stood before him. And Judas said: "It is not without the direction of God that this colt has come hither. But to thee I say, O colt, that, by the grace of our Lord, there shall be given to thee speech before these multitudes who are standing here; and do thou say whatsoever thou wilt, that they may believe in the God of truth, whom we preach."

And the mouth of the colt was opened, and it spake like a man by the power of our Lord, and said to him: "Twin of the Messiah, and Apostle of the Most High, and sharer in the hidden word of the Life-giver, and receiver of the secret mysteries of the Son of God; freeborn, who didst become a slave, to bring many to freedom by thy obedience; son of a great family, who became bereaved, that by the power of thy Lord thou mightest deprive the enemy of many, so that thou mightest become the cause of life to the country of the Indians; (thou) who didst come against thy will to men who were straying from God, and, lo, by the sight of thee and by thy godly words they are turned unto life; mount (and) ride upon me, and rest until thou enterest the city."

And Judas lifted up his voice and said: "O Jesus, Son of perfect mercy; O Thou quiet and silent (One), who speakest by animals that have not speech; O hidden (One), that art seen in Thy works; our Nourisher and Guardian; the Giver of life to our bodies and the Giver of life to our souls; sweet spring that never faileth, and clear fountain that is never polluted; Thou who art a help to Thy servants in the contest, and crushest the enemy before them; Thou who standest up in contests for us, and makest us victorious in them all; our true Athlete, who cannot be hurt, and our holy General, who cannot be conquered; Thou who givest to Thine own joy that passeth not away, and rest in which there is no more affliction; Thou good Shepherd, that giveth his life for his flock, who hath overcome the wolf and rescued his lambs; we glorify Thee, and we exalt through Thee Thy exalted Father, who is not seen, and the holy Spirit that broodeth over all created things."

And when the Apostle had said these things, all the multitudes that were assembled there were looking to see what answer he was about to give to the colt. And after the Apostle had stood a long time wondering and looking up to heaven, he said to the colt: "Who art thou? And what is thine errand, that by thy mouth wonders are uttered and great things that are more than many?" The colt saith to him: "I am of that stock that served Balaam the prophet, and God thy Lord rode upon my kin; and I am sent unto thee to give thee rest, and that thereby the faith of these might be confirmed, and that that other portion might be added to me, which I have got today in order to serve thee and which will be taken away from me when I have served thee." Thomas saith to him: "God, who has given thee this gift now, is to be relied on to give it hereafter too in full to thee and thy kindred; for I am too little and weak for this mystery." And he would not ride upon it.

And the colt was begging of him and supplicating him that it might be blessed by his riding (upon it). And he mounted and rode upon it. And the people were going after and before the Apostle, and were running to see what would happen to him, and how he would let the colt go. And when he reached the gate of the city, he dismounted from it, and said to it: "Go, be preserved as thou hast been." And at that moment the colt fell down and died. And all who were there were sorry for it, and were saying to the Apostle: "Bring it to life again." The Apostle says to them: "It is not because I am Unable to bring this colt to life, that I do not bring it to life, for He who gave it speech was able to make it not die; but this is a benefit to it." And the Apostle commanded those who were with him to dig a place and bury its body; and they did as he commanded them.

Here ends the fourth Act.

The fifth Act, of the Demon that dwelt in the Woman.

AND the Apostle went into the city, the multitudes accompanying him; and he was thinking of going to the house of the family of the youth whom he had brought to life, because he had begged this earnestly of him.

And a fair woman cried with a loud voice and said to him: "Apostle of the new God, who art come to India; servant of the holy God, who by thee is proclaimed both the Giver of life to the souls of those that come unto Him, and the Healer of the bodies of those who are tortured by the enemy; (thou) who art the cause of life to the whole people of India; permit them to bring me before thee, that I may tell thee what has befallen me, so that perchance I may get hope from thee, and these who are standing by may be greatly strengthened in the God who is proclaimed by thee. And I tell thee, that I am not slightly tormented by the enemy, lo, for the space of five years. For I was sitting in ease, and peace was around me on all sides, and I had no concern about anything, because I knew no care. And it happened one day, as I was coming out of the bath, a man met me, who seemed troubled in his aspect, (and) his voice and speech were very weak. And he said to me: "I and thou shall be in one love, and do thou have intercourse with me as a man and a woman have intercourse." And I said to him: "I did not yield myself to my betrothed, because I cannot bear a man; and to thee, who wishest to have adulterous intercourse with me, how can I give myself to thee?" And I said to the maiden who was with me: "See the impudence of this young man, (who goes) so far as to talk licentiously to me." And she said to me: "I saw an old man who was talking to thee." And when I had gone home and supped, my heart made me afraid of him, because he had appeared to me in two forms; and I went to sleep thinking of him. And he came in the night and had filthy intercourse with me, and by day too I saw him and fled from him; but by night he used to come in a terrible form, and torture me. And lo, up to the present, as thou seest me, lo, for five years he has not left me alone. But because I know and believe that both devils and spirits and demons are subject to thee and dread thy prayer, I beg of thee, my lord, that thou wouldst pray over me, and ask of God, and drive away from me this affliction, and (that), for the time that is appointed to me, I may be free, and may be united to my former nature, and receive the gift that is given to the penitent.

Then the Apostle, when he saw the instigation of the enemy, lifted up his voice and said: "O evil that cannot be repressed! O enemy who art never at rest! O envious one who art never quiet! O hideous (one) who strivest with the comely, that thou mayest subdue them under thee! O (thou) who hast many hideous shapes, and appearest as thou wilt, but thy black colour never changes, because it is thy nature! O crafty (one) and disturber of good works! O bitter tree, the fruits of which are like unto it! O lying slanderer, who strivest with those that are not thine! O deceit which, coiled up upon itself, rears itself with impudence and dares to assail those who are better than itself! O wickedness, that creepeth like a serpent, and crawleth, and entereth in, and aimeth at virtue! But how long do I say these things (Keep me not waiting,) but show thyself quickly, thou enemy of the servants of the Messiah, that these multitudes may see that we call them unto the true God." And when the Apostle had said these things, the enemy came and stood before him, no one seeing him except the Apostle and the woman, and cried with a loud voice, whilst all those who were there heard him: "What have we to do with thee, Apostle of the Most High? What have we to do with thee, servant of Jesus the Messiah? What have we to do with thee, thou sharer in the holy mysteries of God? Why dost thou wish to destroy us, when our time is not yet come? Why dost thou wish to take away the power that was given us, when till now we have had reliance upon it? What have we to do with thee, that thou art come to drive us out? Thou hast power over them that obey thee, and we have power over them that are subject unto us. Why dost thou wish to use violence towards us before our time, when thou enjoinest others not to use violence towards any man? Why dost thou covet what is not thine? For thine own suffice thee not. Why art thou like unto God thy Lord, who concealed His majesty and appeared in the flesh, and we thought regarding Him that He was mortal, but He turned and did us violence? For thou; namely, art born of Him. For when we thought that we could bring Him under our power, He turned and hurled us down into the abyss; for we did not know Him, because He deceived us by His humble aspect, and by His need and His poverty; and we thought, when we saw Him, that He was one of the children of men, and we did not know that He was the Giver of life to all mankind. But He gave us power not to slacken our hold of our own, so long as our time lasts, and we occupy ourselves with our own. But thou, lo, wishest to acquire more than He has given unto thee and to afflict us."

And when the demon had said these things, he wept again and said: "I quit thee, O my fair wife, whom I found a long time ago and was at rest on thee. I quit thee, my sister and my beloved, on whom I hoped to abide. What I shall do, I know not, nor on whom I shall call for help, that he may aid me. I know what I shall do. I shall go to another country, where I shall not hear tell of this man; for thee, my beloved, I shall find a substitute." And he lifted up his voice and said: " Fare thou not well, who hast taken refuge with one who is greater than I. I go to wander and seek for myself one like thee; and if I find not (one) for me, I will again return unto thee; for I know that now, because this man is near unto thee, lo, thou takest refuge with him. I then depart hence, and thou becomest as thou wast; but when night cometh, and thou forgettest him, I shall have an opportunity (of getting) at thee, for now the name of Him whom this (man) proclaims hath frightened me." And when the demon had said these things, at that moment he was looked for and was not found (i. e., disappeared suddenly), but smoke and fire were seen after him; and all those who were standing there were amazed.

And when the Apostle saw (this), he said to them: "The accursed one has shown nothing strange, but the nature by which he has been consumed; for the fire consumes him, and the smoke ascends from him." And the Apostle began to say: "Jesus, hidden mystery that hath been revealed to me, Thou hast revealed Thy mysteries unto me more than to all my fellows, and hast spoken unto me words with which, lo, I am burning, but which I am not able to utter. Jesus, born a man, slain, dead; Jesus, God, Son of God, Life-giver and Restorer of the dead to life; Jesus, poor, and catching fish for dinner and supper; Jesus, satisfying many thousands with a little bread; Jesus, resting from the fatigue of a journey like a man, and walking upon the waves of the sea like a God; Jesus, exalted Voice that arose from perfect mercy, Saviour of all, and Liberator and Administrator of the world, and Strengthener of the dead; Jesus, right hand of the Father, who hast hurled down the evil one to the lowest limit, and collected his possessions into one blessed place of meeting; Jesus, King, over all and subduing all; Jesus, who art in the Father and the Father in Thee, and Ye are one in power and in will and in glory and in essence, and for our sake Thou wast named with names, and art the Son, and didst put on the body; Jesus, who didst become a Nazīr, and Thy grace provides for all like God; Son of God Most High, who didst become a man despised and humble; Jesus, who dost not neglect us in anything which we ask of Thee, who art the cause of life to all mankind; Jesus, who wast called a deceiver on our account, Thou who rescuest from deceit Thy human beings; I entreat of Thee on behalf of these who are standing (here) and believing in Thee, and in need of Thy help, and expecting Thy gift, and taking refuge with Thy majesty, and opening their ears to hear Thy words which are spoken by us,—let Thy grace come, and Thy faith abide upon them and make them new from their former deeds, and may they put off their old man with his deeds and put on the new man which is proclaimed unto them by me."

And he laid his hand upon them, and blessed them, and said to them: "May the grace of our Lord be upon you for ever and ever, Amen." And the woman begged of him and saith to him: "Apostle of the Most High, give me the seal of my Lord, that the enemy may not again come back upon me." And he went to a river which was close by there, and baptized her in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness; and many were baptized with her. And the Apostle ordered his deacon to make ready the Eucharist; and he brought a bench thither, and spread over it a linen cloth; and he brought (and) placed upon it the bread of blessing. And the Apostle came (and) stood beside it, and said: "Jesus, who hast deemed us worthy to draw nigh unto Thy holy Body and to partake of Thy life-giving Blood; and because of our reliance upon Thee we are bold and draw nigh, and invoke Thy holy Name, which has been proclaimed by the Prophets as Thy Godhead willed; and Thou art preached by Thy Apostles through the whole world according to Thy grace, and art revealed by Thy mercy to the just; we beg of Thee that Thou wouldest come and communicate with us for help and for life, and for the conversion of Thy servants unto Thee, that they may go under Thy pleasant yoke and under Thy victorious power, and that it may be unto them for the health of their souls and for the life of their bodies in Thy living world." And he began to say: "Come, gift of the Exalted; come, perfect mercy; come, holy Spirit; come, revealer of the mysteries of the Chosen among the Prophets; come, proclaimer by His Apostles of the combats of our victorious Athlete; come, treasure of majesty; come, beloved of the mercy of the Most High; come, (thou) silent (one), revealer of the mysteries of the Exalted; come, utterer of hidden things, and shewer of the works of our God; come, giver of life in secret, and manifest in thy deeds; come, giver of joy and rest to all who cleave unto thee; come, power of the Father and wisdom of the Son, for Ye are one in all; come and communicate with us in this Eucharist which we celebrate, and in this offering which we offer, and in this commemoration which we make." And he made the sign of the Cross upon the bread, and began to give (it). And he gave first to the woman, and said to her: "Let it be unto thee for the remission of transgressions and sins and for the everlasting resurrection." And after her he gave to the persons who were baptized with her. Then he gave to every one, and said to them: "Let this Eucharist be unto you for life and rest, and not for judgement and vengeance;" and they said, "Amen."

Here ends the fifth Act.

The sixth Act, of the Young Man who killed the Girl.

AND there was there a young man, who had committed a very hateful deed; and he came and took the Eucharist, and was going to put it into his mouth, but both his hands dried up and did not come to his mouth. And when those who were with him saw him, they came (and) made known to the Apostle what had befallen him. And the Apostle called him, and said to him: "Tell me, my son, and be not ashamed before me. What hast thou done, and art come hither now? For lo, the gift of our Lord hath convicted thee, this (gift) which healeth the many who draw nigh unto it in love and in truth and in faith, but hath utterly withered thee away. These things have not befallen thee without cause." And when the youth saw that he was convicted by the Eucharist of our Lord, he came (and) fell down before the feet of the Apostle, and was begging of him, and interceding before him, and saying to him: "An evil deed have I done. I loved a woman (who lived) at an inn without the city, and she too loved me; and because I heard from thee the truth which thou speakest, and the faith of the God whom thou preachest, and knew in truth that thou art the Apostle of God, I too received the sign with those who received (it). And thou didst say thus: 'Whoever indulgeth in filthy intercourse, especially in that of adultery, hath not life with this God whom I preach.' And because I loved her, I begged of her and tried to persuade her to live with me a life clean and pure and tranquil and chaste and modest, such as thou teachest, but she would not; and when I saw that she would not listen to me, I slept with her and killed her, because I could not bear to see her while she was having intercourse with other men."

And when the Apostle heard these (things), he said: "O corrupt love, that hath no shame, how it hath incited this man to do these things! O the companion of corruption, how this man has not been able to bear up against it! O lascivious intercourse, how it corrupts the minds of men (and turns them away) from the purity of the Messiah! O the work of deception, how it rears itself up exceedingly in its own!" And the Apostle ordered (them) to bring him water in a basin for washing; and they brought him water that he might pray over it. And he glorified (God), and blessed (it), and said: "Water that was given unto us by the Living Water; Light that was sent to us by the glorious Self-existent; Grace that was sent unto us by Grace; let Thy victorious power come, and Thy healing and Thy mercy descend and abide upon this water, over which I have proclaimed Thy name, Jesus our Life-giver." And he said: "May the gift of the Spirit of holiness be perfected in you." And he said to the youth: "Go, wash thy hands in this water." And he went (and) washed his hands, and they became as they had been before they were dried up. And the Apostle said to him: "Dost thou believe then in our Lord, that it is possible for Him to do everything?" The youth saith to him: "I am not lacking in faith; yea, because of this, that I believed in God, I did this deed, since I thought that I did well; for I begged of her, as I have said before thee, and she was not willing to listen to me (and) keep herself in purity and chastity; because of that I did thus." Judas saith to him: "Come, let us go to the inn where thou didst this deed." And he was going before the Apostle, and a great multitude were coming after him. And when they arrived at the inn,, they went into it, and found the woman dead. And when the Apostle saw her, he was grieved for her, because she was a girl; and he said that they should take her up and bring her out into the midst of the inn. And when they had brought her and laid her on a couch, Judas Thomas laid his hand upon her, and began to say: "Jesus, our Life-giver, who never neglectest us at any time when we call upon Thee; Jesus, who comest unto us at all times when we seek Thee; Thou whose ear is inclined to this, that we should seek Thee, and Thou givest unto us; Jesus, who hast not only permitted us to ask, but hast also taught us how to pray; Thou who now art not seen by us with these bodily eyes of ours, but by means of these eyes of our understanding dost not depart from us; Thou who art hidden from us in Thy aspect, and revealed to us in Thy grace and the administration of Thy works and Thy great deeds; Thou whom we know so far as we are able, according to our measure, but who hast given us Thy gift beyond our measure; Thou who hast said, 'Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you;' we ask therefore of Thee, our Lord, fearing because of our trespasses and because of our sins, that Thou wouldst spread over us grace by Thy mercy. Not gold, nor silver, nor riches, nor possessions, nor goods, nor clothes, nor anything at all of these earthly things that are of this world, and come from it and return to it, do we seek; but we ask of Thee and beg of Thy benignity, that Thou wouldst raise up by Thy holy name this (woman) who is lying before Thee, to Thy great glory, and to the praise of Thy Godhead, and to the confirmation of Thy faith in these who are standing by."

And he said to the youth: " Stretch thy mind towards our Lord;" and he signed him with the Cross, and said to him: "Go, take her by the hand, and say to her, 'I with my hand slew thee with iron, but Jesus with His grace raiseth thee up by my faith.'" And the youth went (and) stood over her, and said: "I have in truth believed in Thee, my Lord Jesus the Messiah, the gift of Thy Father, that in Thee are all aids, and in Thee all dispensations, and in Thee all healings, and in Thee life for the repentant, who in truth repent unto Thee with all their heart. Yea, my Lord, I beg of Thy mercy, come to my help and to my conversion, and give life to this (woman) by my hands, since I dare to do this." And he was looking upon Judas Thomas and saying to him: "Pray for me, Apostle of God, that my Lord may come to my aid, on whom I call." And he laid his hand upon hers, and said: "Come, my Lord Jesus the Messiah, and give to this (woman) life and to me the pledge of Thy faith." And as soon as he took hold of her hand, she sprang up (and) stood upright, and was looking on the great crowd who were standing by. And she saw the Apostle of our Lord, who was standing opposite to her, and ran and fell down at his feet, and took hold of his skirts, and saith to him: "I pray thee, sir, where is the other, who was with thee, who did not let me remain in that place which I saw, but gave me over to thee, and said to thee, 'Take this (woman) away unto thee, that she may be made perfect in her love by faith, and then be gathered unto my place.'"

Judas saith to her: "Tell me whither thou wentest and what thou didst see?" She saith to him: "Thou, who wast with me, and to whom he gave me over, dost thou ask to hear of me?" And she began to tell him, (saying): "A man, whose aspect was hideous, and his body black, and his clothes filthy, took me away and carried me to a place which was full of pits, and a stinking smell too was diffused in its midst. And he made me look down into each of the pits; and I saw the first pit, and as it were fire was blazing in its midst, and wheels of fire were revolving in its midst; and he said to me: 'Into this torment are destined to come those souls which transgress the law, which change the union of intercourse that has been appointed by God; and other (souls) are destined to come into this torment, which have not preserved their virginity, and have given themselves up to the deed of shame, and they shall come to this affliction, because they have transgressed the law of God, and shall be given over to evil spirits, and shall be for a mockery and a derision, and retribution shall be (exacted) from them, and they shall go into another torment, which is worse than this, and shall be tormented there.' And again he showed me another pit, and I looked down into it and saw dreadful things, to which are destined to come the souls that do evil; and I saw there many tortures which are prepared for men and women and youths and maidens. Those men who leave their own wives, and have intercourse with the wives of their fellows; and women, who go beyond intercourse with their own husbands; and youths, who do not keep their laws, wantonly indulge themselves with harlots in their lust, and for whom it is not enough to transgress the law among harlots, but they lie in wait for virgins and wantonly indulge in sin; and maidens, who have not kept their state of virginity, (but), because of their wanton lust, have brought shame upon their parents; — (these) shall come to this affliction and shall be recompensed, each according to his works. And he took me away again; and showed me a dark cave, and a stinking smell was coming out of it. And he said to me: ' Look down and see, for this is the prison of those souls about which I said to thee that, when the chastisement of each of them is finished, another cometh in its place; and there are some of them which are utterly consumed, and there are some of them which are handed over to other tortures.' The guardians of those tortures say to the man who led me: 'Give us this (woman), that we may bind her in her place, until she goes to her torture.' The man who led me saith to them: 'I will not give her to you, because I am afraid of Him who delivered her to me, and I was not ordered to leave her here; but I will take her up with me, until I receive an order regarding her.' And he took me and brought me out to the place where men were; and he who was like to thee took me and delivered me unto thee, and said to thee: 'Take this (woman), because she is one of the sheep that have gone astray.' And thou didst take me from him, and lo, I stand before thee, and beg of thee that I too may believe through thee, and may find grace because of thy prayer, and that I too may not go to those tortures which I have seen."

Judas Thomas saith to them: "Ye have heard, my children, what this woman hath said; and there are not these tortures only, but also others, which are much worse than these. Ye too, therefore, unless ye are converted to this truth which I preach, and restrain yourselves from your evil deeds, and from your actions which profit you not, and from your thoughts without knowledge, your end will come to these torments. But do ye, therefore, believe in Jesus the Messiah, and He will blot out your former actions, and will cleanse you from all your earthly thoughts that abide on the earth, and will purify you from your sins, which, unless ye repent of them unto God, will accompany you and go with you and be found before you. Put off, therefore, each of you, his old man, and put on the new man, that is to say, (put off) your old courses and your fleshly works. Let those, then, who stole, steal no more, but toil and work and live; and let those of you who committed adultery, not commit adultery and abandon themselves to the ease of the moment, that they may not go to everlasting torment, for adultery is hateful before God more than all evil works; and put away from you lying and oppression and drunkenness and slander, and requite not any man evil for evil; for all these things are odious to this God whom I preach, and unclean to him; but walk in all humility and temperance and purity, and in hope in God, and ye shall become servants of Him, and shall receive from Him the gifts which are given to some (only.)"

And these multitudes believed, and surrendered themselves to the living God and to Jesus the Messiah, and were enjoying the blessed works of the Most High and His holy service; and were each of them bringing much money for the relief of the widows, who were collected by the Apostle in each city, and to all of whom he was sending by the hand of his deacons what was fitting for them for food and clothing. And he never ceased to preach and to speak unto them, and to show them that it was Jesus the Messiah of whom the Scriptures spake, and whose types and mysteries and likenesses the Law and the Prophets showed forth; who was given as a covenant to the people (of Israel), that they might be restrained for His sake from the worship of idols, and as a light to the peoples (the Gentiles), by means of which the grace of God hath dawned upon them, and all those who keep His commandments shall find rest in His kingdom, and be honoured in glory; and He came, and was crucified, and rose in three days. And he was narrating unto them, and expounding, from Moses even unto the end of the prophets, because they all preached concerning Him, and He came (and) fulfilled (all) in fact.

And the report of him was heard among men in the cities and villages; and every man who had a sick (person), or one possessed by a spirit, or a lunatic, or paralytics,—some they brought on beds and placed them by the road-side, whithersoever they learned that he was going; and he was healing them all by the power of Jesus his Lord. And the sick, who were ill of grievous diseases and in hideous torments, were healed, and the paralytics, who were standing up quite sound; and they were all glorifying (God) with one mouth, and saying: "To Thee be glory, Jesus the Messiah, who hast given us healing by Thy servant and Thy Apostle Judas. For lo, being quite well and seeing, we pray of Thee that we too may become children of Thy fold, and may be numbered among the number of Thy sheep. Receive us, our Lord, and reckon not against us our former sins, which we committed in ignorance."

Then, when Judas Thomas saw them, he lifted up his voice and said: "To thee be glory, Living (One) who (art) from the Living (One); to Thee be glory, Life-giver of many; to Thee be glory, Help and Aider of those who come to Thy place of refuge; to Thee be glory, (Thou that art) wakeful from all eternity, and the Awaker of men, living and making alive. Thou art God, the Son of God, the Saviour and Helper, and Refuge, and Best of all those who are weary in Thy work; the Giver of rest to those who, for Thy name's sake, have borne the burden of the whole day at mid-day. We praise Thee for Thy gift unto us, and for Thy aids to our feebleness, and for Thy provision for our poverty. Make perfect with us Thy grace and Thy mercy unto the end, and give us the boldness that is in Thee. Behold, Lord, that Thee alone we love; and behold, Lord, that we have left our homes and the homes of these our kindred, and for Thy sake are become strangers without compulsion. Behold, Lord, that we have left our possessions for Thy sake, that we might gain Thee, the possession of life, that cannot be taken away. Behold, our Lord, that we have left all our kindred for Thy sake, that we might be united in kinship to Thee. Behold, our Lord, that we have left our fathers and our mothers and our fosterers, that we might see Thy exalted Father and be filled with His divine nourishment. Behold, our Lord, that we have left our fleshly wives and earthly fruits, that we might be united in true union with Thee and produce the heavenly fruits which (are) from above, which men cannot take away from us, but which shall be with us and we shall be with them."

Here ends the sixth Act.

The seventh Act, how Judas Thomas was called by the General of king Mazdai to heal his Wife and Daughter.

AND whilst Judas was preaching throughout all India, the general of a king came to him and said to him: "I pray thee, servant of God, and the more so that thou seest that I myself am come to thee as unto the Apostle of God, because thou art sent for the healing of men who have need of the aid which is given them by thy hands; and I have heard concerning thee that thou takest no fee from any man, but providest for the poor, for if thou tookest a fee, I would have sent thee a large sum of money, and I would not have come hither, because the king doth naught without me; for I have abundance and am rich, and am a great man throughout all India, and I have done no wrong to any man, but this thing hath happened to me contrary (to my deserts). I have a wife, and by her I had a daughter; and I love her much, as nature too teacheth, and I know no other wife along with her. Now there chanced to be a banquet in our city, and the givers of the entertainment were great friends of mine; and they came (and) asked of me, and prepared the feast for her and her daughter. And because they were friends of mine, I could not make any excuse, but I sent her, though against her will, and I sent with her also many of my servants, and I made a great display for her and her daughter. And when it was time to depart, I sent after her lanterns and lamps; and I too was standing in the street and was looking when she should come, that I might see her and receive her and her daughter with her. And whilst I was standing there, I heard a sound of lamentation and a sound of weeping; 'Alas for her, alas for her,' was coming to. my ears from all mouths. Then my servants came to me, rending their clothes, and made known to me what had happened, and say to me: 'We saw a man, and another, a boy, was with him, who was like to him. And the man laid his hand upon thy wife, and the boy upon thy daughter; and they shrank with loathing from them, and we smote them with swords, but our swords sank to the ground; and at that moment the women fell down, and were gnashing their teeth, and dashing their heads on the ground; and we are come to inform thee of what hath happened.' And when I had heard these things from my servants, I rent my clothes, and was beating my face with my hands; and running about in the street like a madman. And I came and found them lying in the street; and I took them and brought them to my house, and after a long time they came to themselves; and I restored (them and) made them sit up, and began to ask my wife: 'What hath happened to thee?' And she saith to me: 'Thou dost not know what thou hast done with me; for I asked of thee that I might not go to the feast, because I was not well in body; and as I was going along the street, and had come to the pipe that throweth up water, I saw a black man standing opposite to me and shaking his head, and another, a boy, who was like to him, standing beside him; and I said to my daughter: 'Look at these men, how hideous (they are);' and my daughter said to me, 'I saw a boy whose teeth were like milk and his lips like coals.' And we left them beside the water-pipe and went on. And when it was evening, and we quitted the house where the entertainment was, and came away with the servants, and arrived at the water-pipe, my daughter saw them first, and came to me for refuge; and after her I too saw them coming towards us; and the servants who were with me fled; and they struck me and my daughter, and threw us down.' And whilst she was narrating (this) to me, they came upon them, and cast them down again; and from that hour they are unable to go out any more into the street, either to go to the bath, or to the house of feasting, or the house of weeping, but they lie there night and day, the mother with her daughter, and are shut up by me in a room within another, because of the laughing-stock that I am become through them, and because, when they come upon them, they throw them down and disgrace them wherever they find them. I beg therefore of thee and entreat thee, help me and have mercy upon me, for, lo, for three years no table hath been laid in my house, and my wife and daughter have not sat at it; but specially for my poor daughter's sake, who hath had no pleasure (of her life)." And when the Apostle had heard these things from the general, he was very sorry for him, and said to him: "If thou believest in my Lord Jesus the Messiah that He can heal them, thou shalt see their recovery." The general, when he had heard these things, saith to him, because he imagined that he was Jesus: "I believe that thou canst heal them." The Apostle saith to him: "I am not Jesus, but His servant and His Apostle. Commit then thyself to Him, and He will heal them and help them." The general saith to him: "Show me how I can ask Him and believe in Him." The Apostle saith to him: "As far as thou art able, stretch thy mind upward, because He is not visible now to these bodily eyes, but by faith is recognised in His works and glorified in His healings." And the general lifted up his voice and said: "I believe in Thee, Jesus the Messiah, God, that Thou art the Living, the Son of the Living, and didst become man, and didst appear (as) a Healer and Life-giver and Saviour for all those who in truth repent unto Thee. Yea, Lord, I beg of Thee and intercede before Thee; help my little faith and my fear, for with Thee I take refuge."

And the Apostle commanded his deacon Xanthippus to assemble all the brethren who were there. And when he had assembled them, the Apostle came and stood in their midst, and said to them: "My sons and brethren and sisters in our Lord Jesus, abide in this faith, and trust in our Lord Jesus the Messiah, Him whom I preach unto you; and let your hope be in Him, and He will keep you; and fall not away from Him, because He will not forsake you. And if it be that ye sleep that sleep, which when a man sleeps, he is not, He will not sleep, but will be wakeful and preserve you. And if ye sit in a ship and on the sea, where no man of you is able to help his fellow, He will walk upon the waves of the sea and support your ship. Because I then am going away from you, and I do not know if I shall see you again in the body, be not ye, therefore, like to the children of Israel, who stumbled, because Moses, their shepherd for a time, departed from them. But lo, I leave you in my stead the deacon Xanthippus, and he too will preach Jesus the Messiah like me. For I too am a man like one of you, and I have no wealth, which is found with some, the end of which is that it destroyeth him who possesseth it, because there is no utility

in it, since it leaveth him in the earth, from which he came, and the transgressions and sins which he committed for its sake are with him; for there are (only) some who are rich and charitable. Neither have I any human comeliness, on which all those who place their reliance are quickly brought to shame; for if he who had beauty becometh deprived (of it), his beauty availeth him nought, but those who loved him because of his beauty, they especially shun him with loathing; for all things which are of the world are loved in their season and hated in their season. But let your hope be in Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, and be ye holding fast by us and looking to us, as the servants of God, since we too, if we bear not the burden that beseemeth this name, shall receive punishment, and it shall be to us for judgement and vengeance."

And he prayed with them a long prayer, and committed them to our Lord, and said: "Lord of all orders of creation," which await Thee, and God of all spirits, which hope in Thee, (Thou) that deliverest from error Thy human beings, (and) freest from corruption and from slavery those who obey Thee and come to Thy place of refuge; be Thou with the flock of Xanthippus, and anoint his flock with Thy oil of life, and cleanse it of its disease, and guard it from wolves and from robbers, that they may not snatch it out of his hands." And he laid his hand upon them, and said to them: "The peace of Jesus be with you, and go with us also."

And the Apostle set out to go on the way; and all of them were accompanying him with weeping, and were conjuring him by his Lord to be mindful of them in his prayers and not to forget them. And when the Apostle had mounted, he sat in the chariot of the general, and all the brethren remained behind. The general came and said to the driver: "I am praying that I may be worthy to sit beneath the feet of the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah, and to be His driver on this road, which many know, that He may be my guide on that road on which some (only) shall go."

And when he had gone about a mile, Judas Thomas begged of the general, and made him get up to sit beside him, and ordered the driver to sit in his place. And as they were going along the road, and Judas was conversing with the general, the cattle became tired from their having driven them so far, and stood still and would not stir. And the general was sorely vexed, and knew not what to do; and he thought of running on foot, and bringing other cattle, wherever he could get them, or horses, because his time was becoming short. And when the Apostle saw this, he said to him: "Be not afraid and be not agitated, but only believe in Jesus, as I told thee, and thou shalt see great wonders." The general saith to him: "I believe in Him, (and) that everything is possible for him to do who asketh of Him."

Now Judas saw a herd of wild asses feeding some distance off the highway, and he said to the general: "If thou believest in Jesus, go to the herd and say to them: 'Judas, the Apostle of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, saith, Let four of you come, for I require them.'" And the general went, fearing greatly, because they were many; and the more he went on, (the more) they came towards him. And when they were close to him, he said to them: "Judas Thomas, the Apostle of Jesus the Messiah, saith: 'Let four of you come to me, because I require them.'"And when they heard this speech, all, the asses came to him with a great rush; and when they came to him, they bowed down unto him by the direction of our Lord.

And Judas Thomas, the Apostle of our Lord, lifted up his voice in praise, and said: "Glorious art Thou, God of truth and Lord of all natures, for Thou didst will with Thy Will, and make all Thy works, and finish all Thy creatures, and bring them to the rule of their nature, and lay upon them all Thy fear, that they might be subject to Thy command. And Thy Will trod the path from Thy secrecy to manifestation, and was caring for every soul that Thou didst make, and was spoken of by the mouth of all the prophets, in all visions and sounds and voices; but Israel did not obey because of their evil inclination. And Thou, because Thou art Lord of all, hast a care for the creatures, so that Thou spreadest over us Thy mercy in Him who came by Thy will and put on the body, Thy creature, which Thou didst will and form according to Thy glorious wisdom. He whom Thou didst appoint in Thy secrecy and establish in Thy manifestation, to Him Thou hast given the name of Son He who was Thy Will, the Power of Thy thought; so that Ye are by various names, the Father and the Son and the Spirit, for the sake of the government of Thy creatures, for the nourishing of all natures, and Ye are one in glory and power and will; and Ye are divided without being separated, and are one though divided; and all subsists in Thee and is subject to Thee, because all is Thine. And I rely upon Thee, Lord, and by Thy command have subjected these dumb beasts, that Thou mightest show Thy ministering power upon us and upon them, because it is needful, and that Thy name might be glorified in us and in the beasts that cannot speak."

And when he had said these things, he said to the wild asses: "Peace be with you, because ye have obeyed the Word, the sovereign of all. Let four of you come and be yoked in place of these cattle, which have stood still and arc not able to go on." And every one of the wild asses crowded round, (striving) which of them should be yoked. And there were some there, that were stronger than their fellows, and these were yoked; and the rest of them went along after and before the Apostle. And when they had proceeded a little way, he said to them: "To you I speak, ye inhabitants of the desert; remain behind and go to your pasture; for if I had had occasion for you all, ye would all have come. Now then go to the place in which ye were." And the wild asses were going along gently, until they were out of his sight.

And the Apostle was seated (in the chariot), and the general, and the driver; and the wild asses were going along gently and quietly and by little and little, that the Apostle of God might not be shaken. And when they reached the gate of the city, they (viz. the asses) distinguished (the house), and went (and) stood before the gate of the court-yard of the general. Then the general was amazed and said: "I am not able to speak and tell what is happening; but let there be another wonder, and then I will tell." And the whole city was coming, because they saw the wild asses which had been yoked in the chariot, and because they heard the report of the Apostle's having gone thither.

The Apostle saith to the general: "Where is thy house? And whither wilt thou conduct us?" The general saith to him: "Thou knowest that thou art standing at the door of thy servant, and these (beasts), which by thy command are come with thee, know better than I." And when the general had spoken thus, he sprang down from the chariot.

And the Apostle began to say: "Jesus, the knowledge of whom is denied in this country; Jesus, the report of whom is strange in this city; Jesus, a stranger among these men; Jesus, who sendest Thy Apostle on before to every country and every city, and art glorified in him and made known by him to all those who are worthy of it; Jesus, who didst put on the body, and become man, and appear to us all, that we might not part from Thy love; our Lord, who didst give Thyself for us, and buy us with Thy blood, and acquire us unto Thyself, a possession that was dearly bought;—for what have we that we can give to Him for His life? For He gave His life for us. It is not anything that belongs to each one (of us), nor does He ask of us anything, save that we should ask of Him and live."

And when he had said these things, many were coming from every place to see the Apostle of the new God, who was come thither. And Judas said: "Why stand we here and are idle? Jesus, what wilt Thou? Command the time, and let the deed be (done)." Then the demons were sore upon that woman and her daughter, and the servants of the general did not think that they would last, for they did not suffer them to eat anything, but kept them constantly lying in bed, without being recognised by anyone, until the day when the Apostle came thither.

And the Apostle said to one of the wild asses which were yoked on the right hand: "Go into the court-yard, and, standing there, call those demons, and say to them: 'Judas the Apostle, the disciple of Jesus the Messiah, saith, Come out hither, because on your account I have been sent and against your kindred, that I might drive you to your own place, ere the time of the consummation cometh and ye go to your pit.'" And the wild ass went in, a crowd of people being with him, and said: "To you I speak, ye enemies of mankind; to you I speak, who close your eyes to the light that ye may not see, for the nature of evil cannot be with good; to you I speak, offspring of Gehenna and Abaddon, children of him who hath never been forced to keep quiet until today, of him who produceth afresh evil servants that suit his nature; to you I speak, audacious wretches, who are to perish by your own hands. And what I should say concerning your end, I know not; and what I should tell, I am unable (to utter); for these things are too great for hearing and have no limit, for however great your bodies may be, they are too small for your retributions. To thee I speak, demon, and to thy son, who accompanieth thee, for now I am sent hither against you. "Why do I go on speaking at great length of your nature? For ye know (it) better than I, and are audacious. But now Judas Thomas, the disciple of Jesus the Messiah, this (man) who hath been sent hither with mercy and grace, saith: 'Come forth unto this crowd, which, lo, is standing here, and tell me of what race ye are.' "

And at that moment the woman and her daughter came out, like to the dead in appearance, and exposed, and disgraced. And when the Apostle saw them, he Was grieved for them, and said: "No pity hath been shown unto you; on this account ye are scarcely conscious. But in the name of Jesus the Messiah depart ye from them, and stand beside them." And when the Apostle had uttered this speech, the women fell down and (to all appearance) died, for there was no breath in them, nor did they utter any sound. And the demon cried with a loud voice and said: "Thou art come again, rebuker of our nature! Thou art come hither again, destroyer of our race! Thou art come hither again, effacer of our footsteps! And, as I see, thou dost not wish to let us remain on earth; but thou art not able at this time to do this to us."

And Judas perceived that it was the demon whom he had driven out of that (other) woman. And he said to him: "I beg of thee, then, give me leave, (and) I will go whither thou pleasest (and) dwell (there); and I will take orders from thee, and not be afraid of him who hath authority over me; for as thou art come to visit (and do good), so am I come to destroy; and as thou, if thou dost not accomplish the will of Him who sent thee, art reproved, so I too, unless I do the will of him who sent me, go before the time unto our nature; and as thy Lord helpeth thee in the things which thou dost, (so) too my father supporteth me in the things which I do; and as He prepareth for thee vessels which are worthy for Him to dwell in, so too he maketh me aware of the vessels which obey him, that I may do in them his will; and as He nourisheth and provideth for thee and for those who obey thee, so also doth He torture me, and torment me and those in whom I dwell; and as to thee He giveth the reward of thy work, that is to say life everlasting, (so) also to me He giveth the recompense of my deeds, everlasting perdition; and as thou takest pleasure in thy prayers, and in thy good works, and in the Eucharist, and in His chants of praise and psalms and hymns, so I too take pleasure in murder and adultery, and in sacrifices and libations of wine on the altars; and as thou turnest men unto everlasting life, so I too turn men unto me, unto everlasting perdition and torment; and thou receivest thy reward, and I mine."

And when the demon had said these things, the Apostle said: "To thee and to thy son Jesus saith by me, that ye shall not again enter the habitation of men, but go (and) dwell without the entire habitation of men." And the demons say unto him: "Lo, we go, as thou hast commanded us; but what wilt thou do unto those who are hidden from thee, and their vessels rejoice, in them more than in thee,—those whom many worship and do their will, sacrificing unto them and pouring out unto them wine as a libation, and offering unto them offerings?" The Apostle saith: "They too shall perish in the end with their worshippers." And the demons were sought and were not found; but the women were lying (there) as if dead, without a word; and the wild asses were standing one beside the other, and were not moving away from one another; but the one to whom speech was given by the power of our Lord, was standing in front of his fellows.

And when all the people were silent and looking on him, that they might see what the Apostle would do, the wild ass looked on them all, and said to Judas: "Why standest thou (there) and art idle, Apostle of the Most High? For lo, the Paraclete is standing beside thee and looking that thou shouldest ask him and he would give unto thee. Why delayest thou, good Disciple? For lo, thy Master wisheth to show great things through thee. Why standest thou (there), preacher of the Hidden? For lo, thy Master wisheth to disclose His hidden nature through thee unto those who are worthy of Him that they may hear these things. Why art thou still, worker of miracles in the name of thy Lord? For lo, thy Lord is standing by and encouraging thee. Fear not; for He will not abandon thee, and His Godhead will not suffer thy manhood to be grieved. Begin, therefore, to call upon Him, and He will answer thee, as He is wont at all times. Why doth amazement seize thee at His manifold doings? For these are small things which He hath shown through thee; and if thou wert to tell of the number of His gifts, thou wouldest not be able to make an end of them. Why art thou astonished concerning these His bodily healings, (which are) ended by dissolution, when thou rememberest His healing of His possessions, which is not ended by dissolution? Why ponderest thou upon this temporal life, when, lo, thou canst reflect every day upon the life everlasting? But unto you, I say, ye multitudes, who, lo, are standing by and waiting to see these arise who, lo, are lying here; believe on the Teacher of verity, and believe on the Shewer of truths; believe on the Revealer of secrets; believe on the Demonstrator of life; believe on the Apostle of the tried Son, Jesus the Messiah, who was born, that the born might live by His birth; and was reared, that the perfect rearing might be seen in Him; and went to school, that through Him perfect wisdom might be known; He taught His teacher,² because He was the Teacher of verity and the Master of the wise; he went to the temple and offered an offering, that they might see that all offerings are sanctified in Him. This is the Apostle of Him; this is the Apostle of truth; this is the doer of the will of Him that sent him. But there shall be a time when false apostles shall come, and lying prophets, whose end shall be like their works; who will say unto you, 'Beware of sins,' whilst they at all times utter sins; who will put on the clothing of lambs, whilst within they are ravening wolves; who will not take one wife legally, but by their words and their deeds will corrupt many women; who will not beget children, but will corrupt many children, and pay the penalty for them; who will be distressed at the happiness of others, and will take pleasure in their distress; to whom what they possess will not suffice, but who will desire that all things should serve them, and will boast of them, and be esteemed as disciples of the Messiah; in whose mouth is one thing, and in their heart another; who teach that ye should shun hateful things, but themselves do not even a single good thing; before whom adultery is hateful, and theft, and oppression, and greed, but in themselves secretly these are all done, whilst they teach that a man should not do them."

And when he spake these things, all the wild asses were looking at him. And when he was silent, Judas said: "What am I to think of Thy servant, Jesus? And how I am to call Thee, I know not. O (Thou) gentle and silent and still and speaking! (Thou) Seer, that art in the heart, and Searcher, that art in the mind! Glory to Thee, (Thou) gracious (One)! Glory to Thee, living Word! Glory to Thee, (Thou) hidden (One), who hast many forms! Glory to Thy mercy, which hath abounded unto us. Glory to Thy grace, which hath been upon us! Glory to Thy greatness, which became small for us! Glory to Thy exaltation, which was humbled for us! Glory to Thy strength, which became feeble for us! Glory to Thy Godhead, which for us put on manhood!

Glory to Thy manhood, which was made new for us, and died for us to give us life! Glory to Thy Resurrection from the grave, that we might have a resurrection and a raising up! Glory to Thy Ascension unto Heaven, by which Thou didst tread for us the road (leading) up on high! And Thou didst promise and swear unto us, that we should sit on the right hand and on the left, and should be judges with Thee. Thou art the Word of Heaven. Thou art the hidden Light of the understanding, and the Study of the path of truth, the Dispeller of darkness and the Destroyer of error."

And when the Apostle had said these things, he came and stood over those women, who were lying (there), and said: "My Lord and my God, Jesus the Messiah, I doubt not regarding Thee, but I call upon Thee, as at all times Thou dost aid us and support us and encourage us. Thou Giver of freedom of speech and of joy unto Thy servant and Apostle, let these (women) be healed b and arise, and let them be as they were before they were smitten by the demons." And when he had said these things, the women turned over, and sat up healed. And Judas commanded the general that his servants should take them and lead them in and give them food, for they had not eaten for many days. And when they had taken them and led them in, he said to the wild asses, "Follow me." And they went after him until he had brought them without the gate. And when they had gone out, he said to them: "Go in peace to your pasture." And the wild asses were going along gently, and the Apostle was standing and looking at them, lest perchance any man should hurt them, until

they had got out of his sight and were no longer visible to him.

Here ends the seventh Act.

The eighth Act, of Mygdonia and Karīsh.³

AND Judas returned from (accompanying) them, and went to the house of the general, and a great multitude with him. And it happened that a woman, (the wife) of a kinsman of the king, whose name was Mygdonia, had come to see the new sight of the new God who was preached, and the new Apostle who was come to their country; and she was sitting in a palanquin, and her servants were carrying her. And because of the great press that there was, they were unable to bring her near to him; and she sent to her husband, and he sent his officers, and they were going before her, and pressing back the people. And the Apostle saw (this) and said to them: "Why do ye ill-treat these (people), who are coming to hear the word? And (why are) ye anxious that they should pass on, and ye yourselves wish to come unto me, being very far off? For our Lord said to those multitudes who were coming unto him: 'Ears ye have, and ye hear not, and eyes ye have, and ye see not'; and (He also said): 'Come unto me, all ye that are weary and bearing burdens, and I will give you rest.' " And he looked upon those men and said: "Now the blessing that was given unto these falleth to the share of you who are carrying; for ye are bearing a heavy burden, and she directeth you by her command. Though God hath made you men, men make you carry a heavy load like beasts; and those who are borne upon you, think in their minds that ye are not men like to them, and do not know that all men are equal before God, whether they be slaves or free; and righteous is the judgement of God, which shall come upon all souls that are on the earth, and no man shall escape from it, neither slaves nor free, nor rich nor poor. Those who have, shall not be profited aught thereby; and those who have not, shall not be delivered by their poverty from this judgement. For we are not commanded to do anything which we are unable to do, nor to take up heavy burdens, nor to build buildings, which carpenters build for themselves with wisdom, nor (to practise) the art of hewing stones, which stonecutters know as their craft; but (we are commanded to do) something which we can do,—to refrain from fornication, the head of all evils; and from murder, by reason of which the curse came upon Cain; and from theft, which brought Judas Iscariot unto hanging; and from gluttony, which removed Esau from his birthright; and from covetousness, unto which when one is subject, he doth not consider what he doeth; and from vain-glory, and from destroying slander; and from evil actions; and from deeds of shame, and from hateful intercourse and unclean connection, in which there is eternal condemnation; and this it is that seizeth the uplifted by force, and casteth them down to the lowest depth, and bringeth them under its power, so that they cannot discern what they do, and their works become hidden from them. But harken ye to me, and conduct yourselves with purity, which is chosen before God more than all good things; and with temperance, for it showeth us intercourse with God, and giveth eternal life. And also conduct yourselves with humility, for this is weighed with every (virtue), and is heavy, and outweigheth (them), and gaineth the crown; and with gentleness, and stretching out of the hand to the poor, and supplying the wants of the needy; but especially it behoveth you to conduct yourselves with purity, for this is chosen before God, and maketh (us) enter into everlasting life, for it is the head of all virtues, and by it are done all good works; for he who is not purified, is unable to do anything good, because all the virtues are after this of purity. For purity is seen of God, and destroyeth evil. Purity is pleasing to God; therefore it proceedeth from him. Purity is the athlete who is not overcome. Purity is the truth that blencheth not. Purity is the tower that falleth not. Purity is worthy before God of being to Him a familiar handmaiden. Purity is comeliness when it is found with many. Purity destroyeth corruption. Purity is the messenger of concord, which bringeth the tidings of peace. Temperance setteth him who acquireth it free from daily cares. Temperance careth for naught but how it may be found pleasing to its Lord. Temperance holdeth on by hope, awaiting deliverance. Temperance sitteth at all times in tranquillity, because it doth nothing that is odious. Temperance seeketh a life of rest, and is a joy to all who acquire it, and exalteth those who are nigh to it. Humility hath subdued Death, and brought him under its power. Humility hath conquered enmity. Humility is the pleasant yoke, and fatigueth not those who bear it. Humility feareth naught, for it is rude to none. Humility is concord and peace and joy and rest. Acquire purity, and take unto you temperance, and strive after humility; for by these three cardinal virtues is typified this Messiah, whom I preach. For purity is the temple of God, and every one who guardeth it, guardeth His temple, and the Messiah dwelleth in him. And temperance is the rest of God; for our Lord fasted forty days and forty nights, and tasted nothing; and the Messiah dwelleth in him who observeth it. And humility is a mighty power; for our Lord said unto Simon the Apostle: 'Return thy sword back (to its sheath); if I am willing to ask strength of my Father, He will give me more than twelve legions of angels.' "

And when Judas had said these things, all the multitudes were listening together, and trampling on one another. And the wife of Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, sprang up and came out of the palanquin, and fell down on the ground before the feet of the Apostle, and was begging of him and saying to him: "I beg of thee, thou Apostle of the new God, who hast come to a desert place from the habitation of men — for we dwell in a desert, because we live like the beasts that have not speech, and now, lo, we are being tamed by thy hands, — that thou wouldst turn unto me too, and pray for me, that I also may obtain grace from this God whom thou preachest, and that I may become a handmaiden of Him, and that I too may be united with you in prayer and in hope and in thanksgiving, and that I too may become a holy temple and He may dwell in me."

The Apostle saith: "I pray and beg of you, my brethren in our Lord and my sisters in the Messiah, that the word of the Messiah may dwell in you all and abide in you, because ye are given power over your own souls." And he began to say to the woman: "Mygdonia, arise from the ground, and be mindful of thyself, and be not concerned about thy ornaments, which pass away, nor about the beauty of thy person, which perisheth, nor about thy dress, nor about this name and dignity in the world that passeth away; and degrade not thyself to this filthy intercourse, and be deprived of the true fellowship. For ornaments perish, and beauty becometh old and marred, and clothes decay, and power passeth away, (accompanied) with punishment, according as each person hath conducted himself in it, and marriage passeth away with much contempt. Jesus alone abideth, and those who hope in Him and take refuge (with Him), and deliver up themselves unto Him." And when he had said these things, he said to the woman: "Go in peace, and may our Lord make thee worthy of His divine mysteries." She saith to him: "I am afraid to go, lest thou leave me and depart to another place." The Apostle saith to her: "Jesus will not abandon thee for His mercy's sake." And she bowed down and prostrated herself before him, because she thought that he was Jesus; and she went home rejoicing.

Now Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, had taken his bath and gone to supper; and he was asking for his wife, where she was, that she had not come to meet him from her chamber. And her maidens said to him: "She is not inclined (to come)." And he went into the chamber, and saw her lying on the bed with her face covered. And he kissed her, and said to her: "Why art thou sad today and sorrowful?" She saith to him: "I am very tired." He saith to her: "Why didst thou not pay proper respect to thy position as a free woman, and stay at home, and not go and hear vain words and (see) deeds of witchcraft? But get up, and come out, and sup with me, for I cannot sup without thee." Mygdonia saith to him: "Today I must be excused from supping with thee and from sleeping with thee, for I am much agitated." And when Karīsh heard from Mygdonia that she spake to him thus, he was unwilling to quit (the room) to sleep or to sup; but ordered his servants to bring (food) to him that he might sup in her presence.

And when they had brought in (food, and) set it before him, he asked her to sup, but she would not; and since she would not sup, he supped alone. And Karīsh said to her: "On thy account I excused myself to my lord, king Mazdai, from (staying to) supper, and thou dost not choose to sup with me!" Mygdonia saith to him: "Because I am not inclined." And he stood up to go to bed and sleep as was his wont, and she said to him: "Did I not tell thee that I must be excused today, that I may sleep alone?"

And when he heard this speech, he went and slept in another bed. And when he awoke suddenly from his sleep, he said to her: "My lady and sister Mygdonia, harken unto a dream which I saw this night. I saw myself reclining in the presence of my lord king Mazdai, and a table was laid before us. And I saw an eagle swoop down from heaven, and carry off from before me and from before king Mazdai a brace of partridges; and he bore them up to his nest and placed them there, and came again and hovered over us. And king Mazdai bade them bring him a bow. And the eagle came again, and carried off again from before us a pigeon and a turtle-dove. And king Mazdai shot an arrow at him, and it passed through him from side to side, and did not harm him; but he soared away to his nest. And I started (out of my sleep), being agitated, and being vexed on account of the partridge which I had tasted, and of which he did not let me put any more into my mouth, and lo, its taste was in my mouth." Mygdonia saith to him: "Thy dream is good; for thou eatest partridges every day, but perchance a partridge had never been tasted by that eagle until now."

And when it was morning, Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, arose early (and) dressed, and put his left shoe on his right foot, and said to Mygdonia: "What is this action? Lo, the dream and the action!" Mygdonia saith to him: "This too is not unlucky, but good; from an unlucky thing something else good results." And he washed his hands, and went to salute king Mazdai.

But Mygdonia, the wife of Karīsh, arose early too (and) went to salute Judas the Apostle. And she found him sitting and conversing with the general and with a great multitude; and he said to them: "My children, the woman who yesterday received our Lord into her heart and soul, whose wife is she?" The general saith to him: "She is the wife of Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, and her husband is a hard man, and all that he biddeth the king (do), he humoureth him in; and he will not let her continue as she hath promised, because he telleth many fine stories about her to the king, and hath said that there is none like to her; and she too loveth him much, and these things which thou sayest unto them are alien from them." Judas saith: "If our Lord hath really risen in her soul, and she hath received the seed which was sown in her, she will neither make account of this life, nor be afraid of death j nor will Karīsh be able any more to do anything to her, nor to make her suffer, because He whom she hath received into her soul is greater than he, if she hath received (Him) once for all with perfect love."

And when Mygdonia heard these things, she saith to Judas: "Of a truth, my lord, through thy prayer I have received the living seed of the Word, and fruits which are like unto the seed I shall yield in my Lord Jesus." Judas saith: "These our souls, which are Thine, praise Thee, our Lord. These our spirits, which are Thy true possessions, praise Thee, my Lord. These our bodies, which Thou hast made worthy to be the dwelling-place of Thy Spirit, that is always to be glorified, praise Thee, my Lord." And the Apostle said to all those who were there: "Blessed are the pure, whose souls never upbraid them, because they have gained them and they are not in doubt regarding themselves. Blessed are the spirits of the pure, who have won the crown and gone up from the contest to what is given up unto them. Blessed are the bodies of the pure, which are worthy to become clean temples in which the Messiah shall dwell. Blessed are ye, pure, for unto you it is allowed to ask and to receive. Blessed are ye, pure, for ye are called judges. Blessed are ye, pure, for to you is granted power to forgive sins. Blessed are ye, pure, for ye have not destroyed what was delivered unto you, but ye take it up on high with you, rejoicing. Blessed are ye, meek, for God hath deemed you worthy to inherit the kingdom. Blessed are ye, meek, for it is ye who have conquered the evil (one). Blessed are ye, meek, for ye are the children of light. Blessed are ye, meek, for ye shall see the face of your Lord. Blessed are ye, temperate, for ye shall be contented and rejoice in those spiritual things which pass not away and are not dissolved, and the eaters of which hunger not. Blessed are ye, temperate, for ye are delivered from sin."

And when the Apostle had said these things, whilst the whole multitudes were listening to him, Mygdonia, the wife of Karīsh, the friend of king Mazdai, was greatly strengthened in purity and temperance and all meekness. And whilst they were solacing themselves the whole day with the praises and the majesty of the Lord, Karish, the friend of king Mazdai, came to dinner, and did not find his wife at home; and he began to ask all his servants about her, (saying,) " Whither is your mistress gone?" And one of them said to him: "She is gone to the strange man, and there she is." And when he heard these things from his servant, he was angry with his other servants that they had not informed him of what had happened. And he went (and) bathed and came back whilst it was still light, and was sitting and waiting for Mygdonia till she should come.

And when it was evening, she came, and he met her and said to her: "Where hast thou been till now?" And she said to him: "I went to the physician's house." He saith: "That strange conjuror is the physician." She saith to him: "Yea, he is the physician, and he is different from all (other) physicians, for all (other) physicians heal these bodies which shall be dissolved, but this physician healeth the bodies with the souls, which shall never more be dissolved." And when Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, heard these things, he was angry in his mind with Mygdonia and with the stranger, but he said nothing to her,—because he was afraid of her, for she was far superior to him in wealth, and also in her understanding,—but he went, (and) entered into the dining-room, and sat down to supper; and she went again into her ante-chamber. And he told his servants to call her to come out (and) sup with him; but she did not wish (it). And when he heard that she did not wish to come out, he went in to her and said to her: "Why wilt thou not come out to sup with me? And perhaps too thou dost not wish to sleep with me according to thy wont? Of this I am sorely afraid, especially as I have heard that that sorcerer and deceiver is most anxious about this, that a man should not be with his wife; a thing that nature enjoineth, and with which the gods too are pleased, he taketh away (from us)."

And when Karīsh had said these things to her, Mygdonia was silent, and he said again to her: "My sister and lady and beloved and wife, Mygdonia, be not led astray by idle and foolish words nor by deeds of witchcraft, which, I have heard, he does in the name of his god; for from the day that the world came into being, it hath never been heard that a man brought the dead to life; but this man, as I hear, maketh as if he brought the dead to life. And as to his not eating or drinking, do not suppose that it is for righteousness' sake that he neither eateth nor drinketh, but because he hath not got anything. For what shall he eat, who hath not even bread for the day? And that he weareth, (only) one (garment) is because he hath not another; and that he doth not take pay from any man is because he knows that he doth not in reality heal any man."

And when Karīsh had said these things to Mygdonia, she was as silent as a stone, and was praying, and asking when it would be morning, and when she could see the Apostle of God. And he left her and went (and) supped in sorrowful mood. And when he was thinking that, lo, he would sleep with her according to his wont,— but she, at the moment when he went out from her, kneeled down, and was praying and saying: "My Lord, and my God, and my Life-giver, the Messiah, do Thou give me strength to overcome the daring of Karish, and do Thou grant me that I may preserve the purity in which Thou takest delight, and by which I shall find eternal life;" and when she had prayed, she covered her face and lay down—Karīsh, as soon as he had supped, came and stood over her, and took off his clothes. And she perceived him, and saith to him: "There is no place for thee beside me, because my Lord Jesus, with whom I am united, is better than thou, and He is always beside me." And Karīsh laughed and said to her: "Thou mockest well that sorcerer, and laughest well at him for saying, 'Ye cannot live before God unless ye be pure.' " And when he had spoken thus, he dared to lie down beside her, but she did not endure (it), but cried out at him bitterly and said: " Help, Thou new God, who through a strange man art come to India! Help, Lord Jesus! Forsake me not, because I take refuge with Thee; for as I have heard that Thou seekest those who know Thee not, lo, now that I am seeking. Thee and have heard tell of Thee and have believed in Thee, come to my help, and deliver me from the insolence of Karīsh, and let not his impurity prevail over me, and let him not have a place beside me." And she arose, and tied his hands, and fled from beside him, and laid hold of the curtain which covered the door of the chamber and wrapped herself (therein), and went out (and) went to her nurse, and slept beside her for that night.

But Karīsh was in sorrow all that night, and was beating his hands against one another, and was wishing to go during the night (and) inform king Mazdai of the violence that had been done him. And he was thinking and saying: "If I go in the great distress which I feel, who will give me admittance to king Mazdai? For I know that, if fate had not ruined me, and hurled me down from my pride and haughtiness and greatness into contempt and abasement, and separated my beloved Mygdonia from me, (even) to king Mazdai, had he been standing at this hour at my door, I would not have gone out and given an answer. But I will wait till morning; and I know that, whatever I say to king Mazdai, he will humour me therein. And I will tell him of the sorcery of the stranger, how he useth violence and casteth down the exalted into an abyss; for I am not grieved at being cut off from intercourse with Mygdonia, but I am sorry for Mygdonia herself, that her greatness hath been degraded, and her freedom brought low, and her high spirit humbled, and that a woman, whom none of her own servants ever saw in any evil tempers, runneth naked out of her chamber, and perchance she is gone out into the street through the influence of the sorcery of the stranger; but I know not whither she is gone, for there was nothing to be seen with her." And when he had said these things, he began to weep and to say: "Woe is to me for thy sake, my true wife, of whom I am now deprived! Woe is to me for thy sake, my beloved and my lover, who wast more to me than my whole kindred! And neither son nor daughter have I from thee, with whom I might rest contented. A whole year thou hast not completed with me, and an (evil) eye hath taken thee from me. Would that the might of death had taken thee by force from me, and I should (still) have counted myself with kings and princes and nobles,—and not this strange man, who is perhaps a slave and a fugitive from his owners, and hath come hither because of my ill luck! I shall never have rest, and never be stopped, until I destroy him and chastise him and avenge myself upon him. To-night I will not appear before king Mazdai; but if he.doth not humour me, and doth not chastise that stranger, I will tell him about the general Sîfûra too, that he hath been the cause of destruction to this (woman); for, lo, he sitteth in his house, and many go in and out unto him, and he teacheth them the new doctrine of purity, and teacheth and saith that a man cannot live, unless he separateth himself from all that belongeth to him, and becometh an ascetic and a wandering mendicant like unto himself, and lo, he wisheth to make companions for himself."

And whilst Karīsh was meditating these things, it became morning. And he rose early (and) dressed and put on his shoes; but he put on sorry garments, and his countenance was gloomy, and he was very sad; and he went in to salute king Mazdai. And when king Mazdai saw him, he said to him: "What is the matter, that thou art come to me in this wretched plight? And why is thy aspect sad, and thy countenance changed?" Karīsh saith to him: "King Mazdai, I have a new fact to tell thee, and a new calamity, which Sîfûr hath brought to India. A Hebrew, a conjuror, is sitting in his house, and never goeth out from beside him; and many go in to him, and he teacheth them the new God and giveth them new laws, which have never been heard of by us; and he saith: 'Ye cannot be children of this everlasting life, which I teach, unless ye sever yourselves, a man from his wife, and a woman from her husband.' Now it chanced that my wretched and miserable wife went to see him, and heard his words and believed them; and she arose by night and fled from beside me, she who could not bear to be away from me for a single hour and could not exist without me. But send (and) fetch Sîfûr and the conjuror who lays snares for him, and chastise them; and if not, all our countrymen will be destroyed by his words."

And when Mazdai heard these things from his kinsman Karīsh, he said to him: "Be not grieved and vexed. I will send and fetch him, and chastise him, and thou shalt get back thy wife; for if I avenge others who cannot avenge themselves, thee, lo, especially (must I avenge)." And he commanded that they should summon Sîfûr the general (to come) to him; and they went to his house and found him sitting on the right hand of Judas, the Apostle of God, and Mygdonia was sitting at his feet, with a great multitude, and they were listening to him. Those who went after Sîfûr the general answered and say to him: "Dost thou sit and listen to vain words, whilst king Mazdai in his wrath is seeking to destroy thee, because of this sorcerer and seducer, whom thou hast brought into thy house?" And when Sîfûr the general heard these things, he was grieved, not because the king was angered with him, but because the king had heard regarding him that he was acquainted with Judas the Apostle. And Sîfûr said to Judas: "I am grieved on thy account, for I told thee a day agone that that woman was the wife of Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, and that he would not let her do what she promised; and whatever he saith to the king, he humoureth him therein." Judas saith to Sîfûr: "Be not afraid, but believe in Jesus, who pleadeth for both me and thee, and for all those who take refuge with Him and come to His place of assembly." And when Sîfûr the general heard these things, he put on his dress and went to king Mazdai.

And Judas was asking Mygdonia, what was the reason that her husband was angry with her, and meditated these things against them. She saith to him: "Because I did not give myself to corruption with him; for in the evening he wished to make me yield, and to subject me to that which he is wont to do; but He to whom I have committed myself delivered me from his hands, and I fled naked from beside him, and slept with my nurse, and I know not what has come to him that he plots these things against you." The Apostle saith to her: "These things, my daughter, harm us not; but believe in Jesus, and He will restrain from thee the lust of Karīsh, and He will deliver thee from corruption and wantonness, and He will be to thee a guide in the path of danger, and a conductor to His and His Father's kingdom, and He will bring thee into everlasting life, and will give thee a sovereignty that passeth not away and changeth not."

And when Sîfûr stood before king Mazdai, Mazdai asked him and said to him: "What is his story, and whence is he, and what doth he teach, the sorcerer who plotteth against thee?" Sîfûr saith to him: "Dost thou perchance not know, my lord, that I and all my friends were in great sorrow about my wife,—whom, as thou knowest, many held in honour,—and about my daughter, in comparison with whom I counted as nought all that I possess? And what calamity and what trial came upon them? And how they became a laughing-stock and an imprecation through the whole country? And I heard tell of this man, and went to him, and asked of him, and fetched him, and we came hither; and I saw wonderful miracles whilst I was coming with him on the road, and here too many saw and heard what the wild ass said, and what the demon declared concerning him. And he healed my wife and my daughter, and lo, they are well, and he asked for no reward except belief and purity, that they might be participators in what he is doing; and he saith, 'Fear one God, the Lord of all, and Jesus the Messiah, His Son, and ye shall live for ever and ever'; and he eateth nothing at all but bread and salt from evening to evening, and drinketh water; and he prayeth much, and whatever he asketh of God, He giveth him; and he enjoineth (us) too, (saying) that this his God is holy and good and benign and gentle and a giver of life, and (that) therefore those who believe in Him draw nigh unto Him in cleanness and purity and love."

And when king Mazdai heard these things from Sîfûr, he sent a number of soldiers from his presence to the house of Sîfûr the general} to fetch Judas Thomas and those whom they found with him. And when they went in, they found him sitting and teaching a great many people, and Mygdonia too was sitting at his feet. And they were afraid, when they saw the great number of people that surrounded him; and they went to tell king Mazdai, (saying): "We did not dare to say aught to him, because a great many people were with him, and Mygdonia too was sitting at his feet and hearing his words." And when Mazdai and Karīsh heard these things, Karīsh sprang up from before king Mazdai, and took with him a number of soldiers, and said: " I will go and fetch him and also Mygdonia, whose senses he hath taken away." And he came to the house of Sîfûr the general in haste, and came and found Judas sitting and teaching. And when he went in, he saw Judas, but he did not find Mygdonia there, for she had gone home, because she knew that they would tell her husband about her that she was there. And Karīsh said to Judas: "Get up, wretch and corrupter and enemy! But what can thy witchcraft do to me? For I will make thy sorceries recoil upon thy own head." And when he had spoken thus to him, Judas looked upon him and said to him: "Thy threats shall recoil upon thee, for me thou canst not hurt at all, because my Lord Jesus the Messiah, with whom I take refuge, is greater than thou and thy king and all thy forces." And Karīsh took the turban of one of his servants, and threw it round the Apostle's neck, and said: "Drag him off; let me see if Jesus will deliver him from my hands." And they were dragging him away until (they came) to king Mazdai.

And when Judas stood before king Mazdai, he said to him: "Tell me what is thy story, by whose power thou doest these works?" And Judas was silent and gave him no reply. And king Mazdai commanded the soldiers, and they struck him a hundred and fifty lashes;a and he gave orders that they should convey him bound to prison; and they bound him and carried him off. And when he was gone and had entered into the prison, Mazdai and Karīsh were planning how they might kill him, because the whole people were worshipping him as God, and they took pains to say (everywhere), "He hath reviled the king, and he is a conjuror"

But Judas, when he went to prison, was glad and rejoicing, saying: "I thank thee, my Lord Jesus the Messiah, that Thou hast deemed me worthy not only to believe in Thee, but also to bear many things for Thy sake." And he said: "I thank Thee, my Lord, that Thou hast deemed me worthy of these things. I thank Thee, my Lord, that Thy providence hath been over me, and that Thou hast deemed me worthy to bear many evils for Thy sake. I thank thee, my Lord, that for Thy sake, I have been a recluse and an ascetic and a pauper and a wandering mendicant. Let me then receive of the blessing of the poor, and of the rest of the weary, and of the blessing of those whom men hate and persecute and revile and say of them odious words. Lo, for Thy sake I am hated and shunned by many; for Thy sake they say of me I know not what."

And whilst he was praying, all those who were in the prison saw that he was praying and begged of him to pray for them too. And when he had prayed and sat down, Judas began to chant this hymn.

The Hymn of Judas Thomas the Apostle in the country of the Indians.

"WHEN I was a little child, and dwelling in my kingdom, in my father's house, and was content with the wealth and the luxuries of my nourishers, from the East our home my parents equipped me (and) sent me forth; and of the wealth of our treasury they took abundantly, (and) tied up for me a load large and (yet) light, which I myself could carry—gold of Beth-‛Ellāyē, and silver of Gazak the great, and rubies of India, and agates from Beth-Kāshān; and they furnished me with the adamant, which can crush iron. And they took off from me the glittering robe, which in their affection they had made for me, and the purple toga, which was measured (and) woven to my stature. And they made a compact with me, and wrote it in my heart, that it might not be forgotten: 'If thou goest down into Egypt, and bringest the one pearl, which is in the midst of the sea around the loud-breathing serpent, thou shalt put on thy glittering robe and thy toga, with which (thou art) contented, and with thy brother, who is next to us in authority, thou shalt be heir in our kingdom.' I quitted the East (and) went down, there being with me two guardians, for the way was dangerous and difficult, and I was very young to travel it. I passed through the borders of Maishan, the meeting-place of the merchants of the East, and I reached the land of Babel, and I entered the walls of Sarbug. I went down into Egypt, and my companions parted from me. I went straight to the serpent, I dwelt around his abode, (waiting) till he should slumber and sleep, and I could take my pearl from him. And when I was single and was alone (and) become strange to my family, one of my race, a free-born man, an Oriental, I saw there, a youth fair and loveable, the son of oil-sellers; and he came and attached himself to me, and I made him my intimate friend, an associate with whom I shared my merchandise. I warned him against the Egyptians, and against consorting with the unclean; and I dressed in their dress, that they might not hold me in abhorrence, because I was come from abroad in order to take the pearl, and arouse the serpent against me. But in some way or other they found out that I was not their countryman, and they dealt with me treacherously, and gave me their food to eat. I forgot that I was a son of kings, and I served their king; and I forgot the pearl, for which my parents had sent me, and because of the burden of their oppressions I lay in a deep sleep. But all these things that befell me my parents perceived, and were grieved for me; and a proclamation was made in our kingdom, that every one should come to our gate (i.e., palace or residence), kings and princes of Parthia, and all the nobles of the East. And they wove a plan on my behalf, that I might not be left in Egypt; and they wrote to me a letter, and every noble signed his name to it:'From thy father, the king of kings, and thy mother, the mistress of the East, and from thy brother, our second (in authority), to thee our son, who art in Egypt, greeting! Up and arise from thy sleep, and listen to the words of our letter! Call to mind that thou art a son of kings! See the slavery,—whom thou servest! Remember the pearl, for which thou wast sent to Egypt! Think of thy robe, and remember thy splendid toga, which thou shalt wear and (with which) thou shalt be adorned, when thy name hath been read out in the list of the valiant, and with thy brother, our viceroy, thou shalt be in our kingdom.' My letter is a letter, which the king sealed with his own right hand, (to keep it) from the wicked ones, the children of Babel, and from the savage-demons of Sarbug. It flew in the likeness of an eagle, the king of all birds; it flew and alighted beside me, and became all speech. At its voice and the sound of its rustling, I started and arose from my sleep. I took it up and kissed it, and I began (and), read it; and according to what was traced on my heart were the words of my letter written, I remembered that I was a son of royal parents, and my noble birth asserted its nature. I remembered the pearl, for which I had been sent to Egypt, and I began to charm him, the terrible loud-breathing serpent. I hushed him to sleep and lulled him into slumber, for my father's name I named over him, and the name of our second (in power), and of my mother, the queen of the East; and I snatched away the pearl, and turned to go back to my father's house. And their filthy and unclean dress I stripped off, and left it in their country; and I took my way straight to come to the light of our home the East. And my letter, my awakener, I found before me on the road; and as with its voice it had awakened me, (so) too with its light it was leading me. It, that dwelt in the palace, gave light before me with its form, and with its voice and its guidance it also encouraged me to speed, and with its love it drew me on. I went forth (and) passed by Sarbug; I left Babel on my left hand; and I came to the great Maishān, to the haven of merchants, which sitteth on the shore of the sea. And my bright robe, which I had stripped off, and the toga that was wrapped with it, from Rāmthā and Reken (?) my parents had sent thither by the hand of their treasurers, who in their truth could be trusted therewith. And because I remembered not its fashion,—for in my childhood I had left it, in my father's house,—on a sudden, when I (received) it. the garment seemed to me to become like a mirror of myself. I saw it all in all, and I too received all in it, for we were two in distinction and yet again one in one likeness. And the treasurers too, who brought it to me, I saw in like manner to be two (and yet) one likeness, for one sign of the king was written on them (both), of the hands of him who restored to me through them my trust and my wealth, my decorated robe, which was adorned with glorious colours, with gold and beryls and rubies and agates and sardonyxes, varied in colour. And it was skilfully worked in its home on high, and with diamond clasps were all its seams fastened; and the image of the king of kings was embroidered and depicted in full all over it; and like the stone of the sapphire too its hues were varied. And I saw also that all over it the instincts of knowledge were working, and I saw too that it was preparing to speak. I heard the sound of its tones, which it uttered with its....., (saying): 'I am the active in deeds, whom they reared for him before my father; and I perceived myself, that my stature grew according to his labours.' And in its kingly movements it poured itself entirely over me, and on the hand of its givers it hastened that I might take it. And love urged me too to run to meet it and receive it; and I stretched forth and took it. With the beauty of its colours I adorned myself, and I wrapped myself wholly in my toga of brilliant hues. I clothed myself with it, and went up to the gate of salutation and prostration; I bowed my head and worshipped the majesty of my father who sent me,—for I had done his commandments, and he too had done what he promised,—and at the gate of his retainers I mingled with his princes, for he rejoiced in me and received me, and I was with him in his kingdom, and with the voice of..... all his servants praise him. And he promised that to the gate too of the king of kings with him I should go, and with my offering and my pearl with him should present myself to our king."

The hymn of Judas Thomas the Apostle, which he spake in the prison, is ended.

The Song of praise of Thomas the Apostle.

"TO be glorified are Thou, Lord of all, self-existent, unutterable, who art hidden in the brightness of Thy glory from all created beings.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the first-born of life, who art from the exalted Father and the Word of life.

"To be glorified art Thou, the one Father, who portray est Thyself with wisdom in all creatures and in all worlds.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son of light, the Wisdom and the Power and the Knowledge, who art in all worlds.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father exalted, who didst rise (like the sun) from Thy secrecy into manifestation by means of all Thy Prophets.

"To be praised art Thou, Son of mercy, by whom all things were fulfilled in wisdom and in silence.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father supreme, born of Thy First-born in the silence and tranquillity of meditation.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son adored, who didst rise (as the sun) from the Father, with His aspect, in peace and in glory.

"To be glorified art Thou, the good Father, who didst reveal the mystery of Thy First-born to the Prophets by the Spirit of holiness.

"To be praised art Thou, the proved Son, who didst reveal the glory of the Father to Thy Apostles in all nations.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father serene, who didst hallow Thy majesty for ever in Thy First-born; the Giver of life to Thy creation.

"To be praised art Thou, the comely Son, who didst rise (like the sun) from the splendour of the Father, and didst deliver our souls by Thy innocent blood.

"To be glorified art Thou, Father omnipotent, who dwellest in Thy glorious light, and art shrouded in Thy glory, and manifested to all in Thy grace.

"To be praised art Thou, the perfect Son, who art sown in the living earth, and wast before the world with Thy holy Father.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Feeder of all, who art in all worlds, on high and in the deep, and there is no place that is void of Thee.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the adored Fruit, who didst rise (like the sun) upon all in mercy, and didst put on our humanity, and whom our adversary slew;

"To be glorified art Thou, the infinite Father, who didst make Thy angels of the overflowings of Thy Spirit and Thy ministers Thy flaming fire.

"To be praised, art Thou, the Son of light, who art borne on the Spirit, and shrouded in the light of the Father, on holy clouds.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father giving life to all, who didst assemble the worlds for Thy glory by the hand of Thy dear (Son), that they might make praise to ascend unto Thee.

" To be praised art Thou Son of life, of whose gift the Father giveth in abundance to the holy, and through it they set out and arrive in the path of peace.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father giving life to all, who hast revealed the mysteries of Thy Son by the Spirit to His saints, in tranquillity and rest.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Fruit of the Father, who hidest Thy chosen ones under Thy wings, and hast fulfilled the will of Thy Father, and redeemed Thy dear ones.

"To be glorified art Thou, the good Father, giving life to all creatures by the hand of Thy dear (Son), in mercy and in grace, through His death by crucifixion.

"To be praised art Thou, the first-born Son, feeding created beings with Thy body, and blotting out our sins with the sign of Thy wounds and with the sprinkling of Thy blood upon us.

"To be glorified art Thou, the good Father, who dwellest in the pure heart, in the mind of Thy worshippers, and art hidden from all in Thy aspect, and revealed to us in Thy Messiah.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Word, proclaiming Thy coming in stillness, who didst put on our humanity and deliver us by Thy living and innocent blood.

"To be glorified art Thou, the living Father, who didst give (new) life to our deadness, for we had erred from Thy way and were dead and perished, but Thy mercy was upon us.

"To be praised art Thou, the beloved Son, who didst give (new) life to our deadness, and didst turn back our I going astray, and wast to us a medicine of life by Thy life-giving body and by the sprinkling of Thy living blood.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father exalted by all mouths and by all tongues, who hast been reconciled to us by Thy Messiah, and whom we have tasted through Thy Fruit and have become children of Thy peace.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Peace-maker, who hast healed our wounds, and persuaded our hardness (of heart), and collected our wandering, and trained us in Thy truth, and we have known through Thee Thy Father.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father omnipotent, who hast sent to us Thy living and life-giving Fruit; and He reconciled by the blood of His Cross Thy mercy with Thy creatures.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Word of light, who didst rise (like the sun) from on high and satisfy us with the knowledge of Thee, and didst cleanse our impurity, and give (new) life to our deadness by Thy sign, the Cross of light.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father of all praises, and to be exalted is Thy great Name in all worlds, for Thou hast not reckoned against us our sins, but hast given us life through Thy Messiah, who is the Life of Thy will.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Voice conceived of knowledge, our holy Priest, who hast made atonement for us by Thy pure and holy offering, and hast poured out Thy living blood on behalf of sinners.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father exalted, who art hidden from all worlds, and art revealed according to Thy will to all Thy worshippers.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son of life, accomplishing the will of Thy Father; who hast reconciled Thy creatures, so that they worship in Thee Him who sent Thee and are become partakers of Thy mysteries.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father exalted, by every knee, which shall bow to Thee, both in Heaven and on earth, through Thy dear (Son).

"To be praised art Thou, the adored Son of perfect mercy, through whom there has come peace and hope for the creatures, that they may know the Creator.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father giving life to all, the riches of whose mercy are never exhausted by the abundance of Thy gifts, but at all times Thou hast a need of giving unto us.

"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Fruit; for Thou art the Gate of light and the Way of truth, and Thou hast made us run in thy footsteps, that we may arrive at the house of Thy exalted Father.

"To be glorified art Thou, the Father benign, who hast given us peace by the hand of our Life-giver, and hast revealed unto us Thy glorious, and holy mysteries by the hearing of Thy doctrine.

"To be praised art Thou, the only (-begotten) Son of the Father, whose mercy hath been upon us, and Thou hast signed us with Thy living and life-giving Cross.

"All mouths and all tongues glorify the Father and worship the Son and praise Thy holy Spirit, the worlds and the creatures which are hidden and which are manifest.

"Thy Angels glorify Thee on high through Thy Messiah, who became in Sheol peace and hope to the dead, who came to life and were raised.

"We beg of Thee, our Lord and our Life-giver, (the accomplishment) of all that Thou hast said and promised. Fulfil with us Thy grace, and raise us up to the place of Thy peace; for Thou art our Life-giver, Thou art our Paraclete, Thou art the medicine of our life, Thou art our sign of victory.

"Blessed are we, Lord, who have known Thee. Blessed are we, who have believed in Thee. Blessed are we through Thy wounds and Thy blood, (suffered and shed) on our behalf. Blessed are we, for Thou art our great hope. Blessed are we, for Thou art our God, and for ever and ever, Amen."

And Karīsh, the husband of Mygdonia, went to his house, rejoicing greatly, because he thought in his mind that henceforth his wife would be with him as formerly, before she heard the word of Judas and believed in our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. And when Karīsh went, he found his wife sitting, and her looks were downcast," and her clothes rent, and she was like a mad woman, because of Judas. He saith to her: "My lady and sister Mygdonia, what is this wicked folly that hath taken possession of thee? And why hast thou done these things? I am Karīsh, the husband of thy youth, and I am he who from the gods and by the law hath power over thee. Why hast thou now acted like a mad woman? And why art thou become a laughing-stock through this whole country? But from, this moment dismiss the thought of that wizard from thy mind, for I am about to take away the sight of him from before thine eyes, that thou mayest see him no more." And when she had heard these things from Karīsh her husband, she was again sorely grieved and afflicted. And he said again to her: "What crime, pr'ythee, hast thou committed against the gods, that they have let thee come to this great misery? And what sin hast thou wrought before them that they have brought thee to this degradation and ridicule? I beg of thee, Mygdonia, torture not my soul by the sight of thee, and pain not my heart by thy care. I am Karīsh, the husband of thy youth, and I am thy true husband, whom the whole country honoureth and whom they fear. What I shall do henceforth, I know not, nor how I shall conduct myself, nor what plan I shall devise. Shall I remember in my heart thy beauty, and be silent? Or shall I think of thy chaste conduct, and say nothing? Who is there, from whom they (try to) take away a goodly and fair treasure, and he letteth go his hold of it? Am I able to bear (the loss of) thy winsome beauties, which are with me at all times? Thy sweet fragrance, lo, is in my nostrils; and thy fair colour, lo, is before my eyes; my soul, which they (are trying to) take away from me; my bright eye, with which I saw, and which they are plucking out and taking away from me; my fair body, of which I was proud, and which they are ill-using and taking away from me; my right arm, which they are cutting off from me; my beauty, which is destroyed; my comfort, through which they are distressing me; my joy, which is turned into sorrow; my rest, which is become an affliction to me; my life, which is changed into death; my light, which is dyed with darkness. The members of my great house shall not see me (again), for in this affliction I have had no help (from them). My noble friends shall not see me (again), who have not saved me from this affliction. I will no longer worship the gods of the East, who have brought me to these miseries, nor will I pray before them, nor sacrifice to them again, nor offer to them an offering, because I am deprived of this my true union. For what (prayer) should I again pray to them? Or what should I beg of them, or ask of them to give me, who have deprived me of that which was dearer to me than everything which I possessed in the world, and with which I was contented? For I have more wealth than I can use, and possessions, the amount of which I cannot reckon. A prince too I have been made, and I have been named the king's f deputy; and many fear me, and many are under myhand. Would that some one would take away from me all these glories and my great wealth, and give me one hour of thy past years, Mygdonia! Would that some one would blind one of my eyes, and that thy eyes would look upon me as they were wont! Would that some one would cut off my right arm, and that I might embrace thee with my left arm!"

Whilst Karīsh was saying these things and weeping, Mygdonia was sitting like one stone-deaf, and looked not at him, but upon the ground, and was silent. And he came near to her again, and said to her: "My daughter and my beloved, Mygdonia, remember that thou didst please me above all the women of India, and that I chose thee when I might have taken many who were of higher rank than thou. But indeed I lie not, Mygdonia; no by God, there is not for me another (woman) in all India like to thee. "What beauty, and what ornament, and what elegance, and what noble qualities am I losing! "Woe to me and to the world, for I shall never hear thee speak again! Although he hath reviled (me), I beg of thee, lift up thine eyes and look upon me, for I am far better than that wizard, and am handsomer than he, and I have wealth and honour, and every one knoweth that no one hath a lineage like to mine. And thou art more to me than my kindred and than all that I have; and lo, they are taking thee away from me!"

And when Karīsh had said these things, Mygdonia saith to him: "Karīsh, He whom I love is more than all that thou possessest and all that thou hast; for all that thou hast is of the earth and remaineth on the earth; but He whom I love is in Heaven, and He will take me up to Heaven unto Himself. For thy wealth passeth away, and thy beauty becomes marred, and thy robes become old and decay and perish, and thou (art left) alone with thy trespasses and thy sins. If thou art not delivered from them, they will cleave unto thee. Remind me not of thy former doings with me, which I pray and beg of my Lord to blot out for me. Remind me not of thy filthy and unclean pleasures and thy fleshly deeds, from which I pray that I may be rescued by the love of my Lord. I have forgotten all thy practices, and thy familiarities and thy doings are at an end with thyself; but my Lord and my Saviour, Jesus, abideth alone for ever, with those souls which have taken refuge with Him. He with whom I have taken refuge, and in whom I have believed, will save me and deliver me from all thy deeds of shame, which I used to do with thee, when I did not believe."

And when Karīsh heard these things, he went and lay down to sleep, being grieved. And he said to her: "Reflect and consider (this) in thy mind to-day, the whole night. If thou wilt be with me as thou wast, before thou sawest this wizard, I will humour thee in all that thou wishest. And if thou wishest, because of the love that thou hast had for him, I will lead him forth (and) convey him away, and he shall go to another country, and I will not cause thee any distress, for I know that thou cleavest unto him. And this did not begin with thee, but the like of this thing hath befallen many women; but at last they have bethought themselves, and discerned what hath befallen them, and come to themselves, and have been saved from insult and mockery. Let not, then, these things, which I have said unto thee, seem to thee as nothing, and let them not pass away as external (or foreign) to thee; and make me not a mockery and a laughing-stock and a proverb in India."

And when he had said these things to her, he went (and) slept. But Mygdonia took twenty zūzē, and went, without any one perceiving her, to the prison, to give it to the keepers of the prisoners, that they might let her in to Judas. And as she was going, Judas met her coming to her; and she saw him and was afraid, for she thought that it was one of the nobles, because of the great light which was coming before him; and she said: "Woe to thee, feeble soul that art perishing! I shall never again see Judas, the Apostle of Jesus, the living God, because I have not yet received the sign (of baptism from him." And she fled, and went into another street, and saith: "It is better for me that others, (who are) poor, should take me, for I can persuade them (to let me go), and that this great man should not take me, who will not accept a bribe from me."

And whilst Mygdonia was meditating these things, Judas came and entered in behind her. And she was afraid, and fell down from terror; and he stood over her, and said to her: "Be not afraid, Mygdonia; Jesus the Messiah will not forsake thee, and thy Lord will not forsake thee, to whom thou hast committed thy soul; the Gracious will not forsake thee, whose mercy is great; the Benignant will not forsake thee for His kindness' sake; the Good will not forsake thee for His goodness' sake; the Great will not forsake thee for His greatness' sake. Rise from the ground, above which thou once wast (raised). Look upon the light of thy Lord, for He will not let those that love Him walk in darkness. Behold the Companion of His servants, to whom He is a light in darkness. Behold the Help of His servants, to whom He is a helper in afflictions."

And Mygdonia arose, and was looking at him and saying to him: "Whither wast thou going, my lord? And who let thee out of prison to see the sun?" Judas saith to her: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah is stronger than all powers and kings and rulers; He opened the doors and lulled the keepers to sleep." Mygdonia saith to him: "Give me the sign of Jesus the Messiah, and let me receive His gift from thy hands, before thou departest from the world." And she took him, and went and entered into her house, and awakened her nurse, and saith to her: "My mother and nurse Narkia, all thy deeds of help unto me, and thy kindnesses from my childhood until now, thou hast done unto me in vain, and my fleeting favour I bestow upon thee for them; but do me this favour which (lasts) for ever, and thou shalt be rewarded by Him who gives everything unto His, and fortune cannot deprive them (thereof)." Narkia says to her: "What wantest thou, my daughter Mygdonia? And what comfort canst thou have? For all the former honours, (which) thou didst promise to do unto me, the strange man doth not let thee (do), and thou hast made me a reproach in this country. Now, pr'ythee, what dost thou want to do anew unto me?" She saith to her: "Be with me a sharer in the everlasting life, and let me receive from thee the perfect education. Fetch secretly for me a loaf of bread, and bring out for me a mingled draught of wine, and have pity upon me a freeborn woman." Narkia saith to her: "I will fetch thee bread in plenty and many flagons of wine, and I will do thy pleasure (for thee)." Mygdonia saith to her nurse Narkia: "Many flagons are of no use to me, but a mingled draught in a cup, and one whole loaf, and a little oil, even if (it be) in a lamp, bring unto me."

And when Narkia had brought (them), Mygdonia uncovered her head, and was standing before the holy Apostle. And he took the oil, and cast (it) on her head, and said: "Holy oil, which wast given to us for unction, and hidden mystery of the Cross, which is seen through it—Thou, the straightener of crooked limbs, Thou, our Lord Jesus, life and health and remission of sins,—let Thy power come and abide upon this oil, and let Thy holiness dwell in it." And he cast (it) upon the head of Mygdonia, and said: "Heal her of her old wounds, and wash away from her her sores, and strengthen her weakness." And when he had cast the oil on her head, he told her nurse to anoint her, and to put a cloth round her loins; and he fetched the basin of their conduit. And Judas went up (and) stood over it, and baptized Mygdonia in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness. And when she had come out and put on her clothes, he fetched and brake the Eucharist and (filled) the cup, and let Mygdonia partake of the table of the Messiah and of the cup of the Son of God. And he said to her: "Now then thou hast received the sign, and gained to thyself thy life for ever and ever." And a voice was heard from Heaven, which said, a Yea, Amen and Amen." And when Narkia heard this voice, she was amazed, and she too begged of the Apostle that she also might receive the sign; and he gave (it) to her and said: "May the grace of Jesus be with thee as with the rest of thy companions." And he went to be shut up in prison, and found the doors open and the watchmen asleep.

And Judas said: "Who is like unto Thee, O God, who dost not withhold Thy love and mercy from man? Who is like unto Thee in mercy and grace, save Thy Father, who hath delivered His universe from misery and error? Love that hath conquered desire; truth that hath destroyed falsehood; Thou fair (One) in whom nothing odious is seen; Thou humble (One), who hast cast down pride; Thou living (One), who hast destroyed death; Thou tranquil (One), who hast put an end to toil;—glory to the Only (-begotten), who (is) of the Father! Glory to the mercy which was sent by mercy! Glory to Thy mercy which is upon us!" And when he had said these things, the watchmen awoke, and found all the doors open, but the prisoners asleep; and they said: "We forgot these doors and did not close them; had this been (done) by an adversary, not a man would have remained here."

And Karīsh went early in the morning to Mygdonia and to her nurse, and found her and her nurse praying and saying: "NewGod, who hast come hither through a strange man; holy God, who art hidden from the whole race of the Indians; God, who hast shown us Thy glory through Thy Apostle Thomas; God, of whom we have heard tell and have believed in Thee; God, to whom, because we perceived that there was life in Thee, we have run that Thou mightest give us life; God, who, because of Thy mercy and Thy grace, didst reach down to our littleness; God; who sought us when we did not know Thee; God, who sittest on high, and nothing that is in the depth is concealed from Thee;—do Thou, Lord, keep off from us the hot anger of Karīsh; do Thou stop his lying mouth; and do Thou cast him beneath the feet of Thy believers."

And when Karīsh heard these things, he saith to Mygdonia: "Well hast thou called me evil and hot and odious and bitter, for had I not humoured thee; this wretchedness and bitterness would not have come about me, and thou wouldst not be invoking against me the witchcraft of that (man). But what thought hast thou then conceived, Mygdonia? And what dost thou wish me to do for thee? Believe me, Mygdonia, there is no good in that wizard, and he cannot do anything that he promiseth to any one. But I will show thee before thy eyes all that I say unto thee, if thou wilt be persuaded by me and listen to my words, and be with me as thou wast with me." And he drew near again to her, and was begging of her and saying to her: "I shall feel no distress, if thou wilt be persuaded by me. Remember, my sister, thy wedding-day, and the first day on which thou didst accept me (as thy husband), and tell me now in truth, who is dearer to thee, I at that time or Jesus at this time." Mygdonia saith to him: "Karīsh, that time required its due, and is gone, and this time requireth its due. That was the time of the beginning; this is the time of the end. That was the time of the temporal life, which passeth away; this is the time of the life everlasting. That was the time of transitory joy; this is the time of the eternal joy, which passeth not away. That was the time of day and night; this is the time of day without night. That marriage-feast thou seest, how it has passed away and is gone; but this marriage-feast shall never pass away. That was a marriage-feast of corruption; this is a marriage-feast of life everlasting. Those were groomsmen and bridesmaids who pass away; these are groomsmen and bridesmaids who abide for ever. That (union) was founded upon the earth, where there is an unceasing press; this is founded upon the bridge of fire, upon which is sprinkled grace. That was a bridal-chamber which was taken down; this is a bridal-chamber which remaineth for ever. That was a bed which was covered with goodly clothes that decay; this is a bed which is covered with love and faith and truth. Thou art a bridegroom who passeth away and is changed; Jesus is the true bridegroom who endureth for ever, and never dieth, and is never subject to corruption. That marriage-gift was money and clothes, which decay and pass away; this marriage-gift is living words, which never pass away."

And when Karīsh had heard these things, he went (and) told them to king Mazdai. And king Mazdai said: "Let us fetch (and) destroy him." Karīsh his friend saith to him: "Have patience with him a little, and bring him out (of prison), and speak to him, and frighten him; perhaps he will go and persuade Mygdonia to be with me as she was."

And king Mazdai sent and fetched Judas Thomas, the Apostle of the Most High. And all the prisoners were grieved because Judas the Apostle had departed from them, and were looking for him and saying: "The pleasure which we had they have taken away from us." And king Mazdai said to Judas: "Why teachest thou a doctrine which gods and men abhor, and in which there is nothing pleasing?" Judas saith to him: "What do I teach that is bad?" Mazdai saith to him: "What thou sayest, that men cannot live unto God, unless they keep themselves purely to the God whom thou preachest." Judas saith to him: "Verily thus I say, and I lie not in what I say. Pr'ythee, can thy servants stand before thee in mean garb, or when soiled or dirty? Thou, therefore, who art an earthly king, and perishest with the earth, requirest of thy servants things fair and clean; as to my King, how sayest thou that I speak ill (in saying) that His servants should serve Him with holiness and purity and temperance, and should be without care and without concern, and should be free from the heavy burden of sons and daughters, and from the great care of wealth, and from the trouble and empty pride of riches? For thou hast willed that those who serve thee and obey thee should conduct themselves as thou dost; and if one of them transgresseth one of thy commandments, he receiveth chastisement from thee. How much more does it behove us, who believe in the name of this God of mine, to serve Him in purity and in holiness and in temperance and in chastity and in modesty, and that all these fleshly (lusts) should be strange to us, adultery and theft and drunkenness and lavishness and the service of the belly and deeds of shame and odious actions?" And when king Mazdai had heard these things, he said to Judas: "Lo, I let thee loose; go (and) persuade Mygdonia, the wife of Karīsh, not to part from him." Judas saith to him: "If thou wishest to do aught unto me, delay not; for, if she hath really received what she hath heard, neither iron nor fire, nor anything else that is worse than these, will do aught unto her or sever Him who hath taken possession of her soul." King Mazdai saith to Judas: "I have heard that wizards can dissolve charms, and that the sting of a viper can be healed by an antidote, which is got from another creature that is worse than the viper. Now therefore, if thou choosest, thou art able to dissolve these former charms of thine, and to make peace and concord between the husband and his wife; and (in so doing) thou wilt have pity upon thyself, for thou art not yet sated of thy life. And know that, if thou dost not persuade her, I will destroy thee out of this life, which is dear to all men." Judas saith to him: "This life is but a loan, and this time passeth away and is changed; but the life which I teach never passeth away and is never changed. This beauty and youth, which is now apparent (in me), will not be mine after a little." King Mazdai saith to him: "I advised thee what was for thy advantage, but thou knowest better than I."

And when Judas Thomas had gone out from before king Mazdai, Karīsh came to him and said to him: "I ask of thee—I have never done any wrong to thee, nor to any (other) man, nor to the gods—why hast thou brought this calamity upon me? And why hast thou brought this desolation into my house? And what profit accrueth to thee from this? Bid me, and I will supply it to thee without labour. And why dost thou do mischief to me, when thou canst not escape from my hands? For know that, if thou dost not persuade her (to return to me), I will destroy thee, and her too I will destroy out of this life, and finally I will destroy myself out of the world. And if, as thou sayest, there be life and death, and condemnation and acquittal, and judgement and recompense, there I will stand with thee in judgement; and if thy God, who teacheth thee, be just, and taketh vengeance justly, I shall be recompensed, as I have done thee no wrong, but thou hast afflicted me, and I have not sinned against thee, but thou hast sinned against me. But even here I can take revenge upon thee, and do unto thee all that thou hast done unto me. Hearken to me therefore, and come with me to my house, and speak to Mygdonia, and persuade her to be with me as she was before she saw thy face."

And Judas went with him laughing, and said to him: "If men loved God as they love their fellows, all that they asked of Him He would give them, and there would be nothing which would not obey them." And when he had said these things, Judas entered into the house of Karīsh, and found Mygdonia sitting, and Narkia standing before her; and her hands were placed on her cheeks, and she was saying to her nurse: "Would that the days passed swiftly over me, my mother, and that all the hours were one, that I might go forth from this world, and go (and) see that Beautiful (One), of whom I have heard tell, that Living (One) and Giver of life to those who believe in Him, where there is neither night nor day, and no darkness but light, and neither good nor bad, nor rich nor poor, nor male nor female, nor slaves nor freemen, nor any who are proud and uplifted over those who are humble."

And whilst she was saying these things, Judas came in; and she sprang upright (and) prostrated herself to him. Karīsh saith to him: "See, she feareth thee and loveth thee, and whatever thou sayest to her, she will gratify thee (therein)." Judas saith to her: "My daughter Mygdonia, consent unto what thy brother saith unto thee." Mygdonia saith to him:

"Thou art unable to name the deed, and how canst thou persuade me to do it? For I have heard thee say: 'This temporal life is (but) a loan, and this rest is (but) temporary, and these possessions abide not.' And again thou didst say: 'Whosoever hateth this life, shall go (and) receive life everlasting; and whosoever hateth this light of day and night, shall go (and) receive the light in which there is no night.' And again thou didst say: 'Whosoever forsaketh these earthly possessions, shall go (and) find possessions that abide for ever;' and other things (similar to these). Because thou art afraid, thou sayest these things to me (now). Who is there that doth a thing and exulteth in it, and turneth round (and) renounceth it? And who is there that buildeth a tower, and overturneth (and) rooteth it up from its foundations? And who is there that diggeth a well in a parched place, and throweth in stones and filleth it up? And who is there that findeth a goodly treasure, and doth not make use of it?" And when Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, heard these things, he said: "I am not like to you, and I will not be in haste to destroy you; but thee I will bind, because I have power over thee, and I will not let thee go to this wizard and converse with him. And if thou yieldest, (good and well); and if not, I know what I will do."

And Judas went out from the house of Karīsh, and went to the house of Sîfûr the general, and was dwelling there. And Sîfûr said to Judas, " Prepare for thyself an apartment, and be teaching in it;" and he did as he said to him. And Sîfûr the general said to him: "I and my daughter and my wife will henceforth live purely, in one mind and in one love; and we beg that we may receive the sign (of baptism) from thy hands, and may become true servants unto our Lord, and may be reckoned among the number of His flock and His sheep." Judas saith: "I am meditating what to say, and am afraid; and I know what I know, (but) I am not able to utter it."

And he began to speak of baptism, and said: "This is the baptism of the remission of sins; this is the bringer forth of new men; this is the restorer of understandings, and the mingler of soul and body, and the establisher of the new man in the Trinity, and which becometh a participation in the remission of sins. Glory to thee, (thou) hidden power of baptism! Glory to thee, (thou) hidden power, that dost communicate with us in baptism! Glory to thee, (thou) power that art visible in baptism! Glory to you, (ye) new creatures, who are renewed through baptism, who draw nigh to it in love!" And when he had said these things, he cast oil upon their heads and said: "Glory to thee, (thou) beloved Fruit! Glory to thee, (thou) name of the Messiah! Glory to thee, (thou) hidden power that dwellest in the Messiah!" And he spake, and they brought a large vat, and he baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness.

And when they were baptized and had put on their clothes, he brought bread and wine, and placed it on the table, and began to bless it, and said: "Living bread, the eaters of which die not! Bread, that fillest hungry souls with thy blessing! Thou that art worthy to receive the gift and to be for the remission of sins, that those who eat thee may not die! We name the name of the Father over thee; we name the name of the Son over thee; we name the name of the Spirit over thee, the exalted name that is hidden from all." And he said: "In Thy name, Jesus, may the power of the blessing and the thanksgiving come and abide upon this bread, that all the souls, which take of it, may be renewed, and their sins may be forgiven them." And he brake and gave to Sîfûr and to his wife and to his daughter.

And king Mazdai, when he had dismissed Judas Thomas, went to his house to sup. And he was telling his wife what had happened to his kinsman Karīsh, and said to her: "See, my sister, what hath befallen that afflicted (man). Thou knowest, my sister Tertia, that a man hath no one like his wife, on whom he relieth. Nowit happened that Mygdonia went to see the sorcerer of whom she had heard tell and of what he was doing, and he bewitched her, and hath parted her from her husband, I know not (how); and he knoweth not what to do. And I wished to destroy him, but he would not let me. But do thou go, and advise her to hearken to her husband, and do not thou listen to the vain words of that (man)."

And in the morning Tertia arose and went to the house of Karīsh, her husband's kinsman, and found Mygdonia sitting on the ground, with sackcloth on and ashes cast upon her, and begging of her Lord that He would forgive her her former sins, and that she might be delivered from the world speedily. And when Tertia came in to her, she saith to Mygdonia: "My sister, and my beloved and close friend, what is this folly that hath taken possession of thee? And why art thou become like to a mad woman? Be mindful of thyself, be mindful of thy family; and bestow a thought on thy numerous kindred, and have pity on thy true husband Karīsh, and do not anything which doth not befit thy free birth."

Mygdonia saith to Tertia: "Thou hast not heard the tidings of the new life, and hast not tasted the words of the preacher of life, and art not freed from the troubles of corruption. Thou hast not seen the everlasting life, and lo, thou standest in the temporal life. Thou hast not become sensible of the true wedlock, and thou art afflicted by the wedlock of corruption. Thou art clothed with garments that decay, and thou dost not long for the garments of eternity. Thou art proud of this beauty of thine which is corruptible, and thou carest not about the loathsomeness of thy soul. Lo, thou are proud of a number of slaves, and thine own soul from slavery thou hast not set free. Thou art proud of the pomp of many (attendants), and thou art not delivered from the judgement of death."

And when Tertia had heard these things from Mygdonia, she went in haste to the house of Sîfûr the general, that she might see the new Apostle who had come thither. And when she came in to him, he began to say to her: "What art thou come to see? A wanderer, despised and wretched above all men, without possessions or wealth? But he hath a possession which kings and princes cannot take away from him, and which is incorruptible and cannot be plundered, — Jesus the Messiah, the Life-giver of all mankind, the Son of the Living God, who giveth life unto all those who believe and come to His refuge, and become of the number of His sheep."

And when Tertia heard these things from him, she saith to him: "I too would become a sharer and a handmaiden in this life which thou teachest, and I too would become a servant to this God whom thou preachest, and I would receive from Him this life which thou promisest, which He giveth to those who come to His place of assembly."

Judas saith to her: "The treasury of the heavenly King is open, and every one who is worthy taketh and findeth rest; and when he hath found rest, he becometh a king. But at first a man cannot come near Him, when he is unclean and when his works are evil; for He knoweth what is in the heart and in the imagination, and no man can deceive Him. Thee too, therefore, if thou really believest in Him, He will make worthy of His holy mysteries; and He will exalt thee, and enrich thee, and renew thy mind, and make thee an heiress in His kingdom."

And when Tertia had heard these things, she went home rejoicing, and found Mazdai her husband expecting her; and he had not dined. And he said to her: "Why doth thy coming in from the street seem more pleasing to me today than on any other day? And why dost thou come on foot,—a thing that is not proper for women like thee to do?" Tertia saith to Mazdai: "I owe thee a debt of thanks that thou didst send me to Mygdonia. I went, and have heard of the new life, and have seen the Apostle of the new God; and I believe that he is the Apostle of God, who giveth life to every one who believeth in Him and doth His will. It is my duty that I too should recompense thee for the kindness which thou hast done me; and I will give thee a good counsel, so that thou too shalt become a king and a prince in Heaven, if thou wilt be persuaded by me and do what I say unto thee. I beseech thee to fear the God who hath come hither by means of this stranger, and to keep thyself purely unto God; because this royalty of thine will pass away, and this rest of thine will be changed into trouble. But come, go to that man, and believe in him, and thou shalt live for ever."

And when he heard these things from his wife Tertia, he smote his face with his hands, and rent his clothes, and said: "May the soul of Karīsh have no rest, who hath brought this sorrow upon my soul! May he have no hope, who hath cut off my hope!" And he went out sore troubled, and found his kinsman Karīsh in the street, and said to him: "Why hast thou taken me as thy companion unto Sheol? Why hast thou defrauded me, profiting thyself naught? Why hast thou injured me, doing thyself no good? Why hast thou killed me, not coming thyself to life? Why hast thou done a wickedness unto me, when thou wast not in equity? Why didst thou not let me destroy that wizard before he could corrupt my wife by his sorceries?" And he was upbraiding Karīsh. Karīsh saith to Mazdai: "What is this that hath happened?" Mazdai saith to Karīsh: "He hath bewitched Tertia also."

And they two went to the house of Sîfûr the general, and found Judas sitting and teaching. And all the people sprang up and stood, but Judas did not stand up before them. And king Mazdai knew that it was he who was sitting; and he seized a seat, and turned it over, and took it by the two legs, and beat him on the head and smote him. And he seized him and delivered him to his attendants, and said to them: "Drag (him) off, that I may sit and hear him publicly." And they were dragging Judas and going to the place where Mazdai used to give judgement.

And when he came to the place, he was standing, whilst the attendants of Mazdai held him. And Vizān, the son of king Mazdai, came and said to the attendants: "Give him to me, that I may talk with him until the king cometh;" and they gave him to him. And he took Judas, and went within to (the place) where the king used to sit and judge. Vizān saith to him: "Thou knowest that I am the son of king Mazdai, and that I have liberty to say to the king all that I wish; and that, if I tell the king, he will let thee live, and if I tell him, he will kill thee. Now tell me, who is thy God? And by whose power dost thou hold fast and glory (in it)? And if it be witchcraft, teach it to me, and I will speak to the king, and he will let thee go."

Judas saith to Vizān: "Thou art the son of Mazdai, this king who passeth away; and I am the servant of Jesus, the king who abideth for ever. Thou hast power to speak to thy father, and to preserve alive those whom thou pleasest in this short life, in which men abide not, even when thou hast given it to them; and both thou and thy father are mortal. And I beg of my Lord and beseech of Him on behalf of men, and he giveth them the new life, which lasteth for ever. Thou gloriest in men and in slaves, and in riches and garments and attendants, and in concubines, and in meats which pass

away, and in the bed of uncleanness; and I glory in poverty and asceticism and contempt, and in fasting and prayer and great thanksgiving, and in the communion of the brethren and of the Spirit of holiness, and in the intercourse of the brethren, who are worthy before God to live in everlasting life. Thou takest refuge with a man like unto thee, who cannot even deliver his own soul from judgement and from death; and I take refuge with Him, who is the Condemner and the Absolver and the Great, and who is the Judge of all men. Thou and he with whom thou takest refuge are today and tomorrow, and after a time ye are not; and I take refuge with Him who is for ever, and who knoweth all times and seasons. Thou too, therefore, my son; if thou wishest to become the servant of this God whom I serve, canst become His quickly. And thou art seen to be His servant by these things which I mention unto thee,—by purity, the chief of all good qualities, and the great beginning, and the returning to a better state, and the communion of this God whom I preach; and by cleanness and by temperance, and by love and by faith and by hope in Him, and by simplicity of pure life." And the youth Vizān was persuaded through our Lord, and was seeking some way by which he might rescue Judas.

And whilst he was considering, the king came. And the attendants came and took Thomas, and led him out; and Vizān too went out with him, and was standing beside him. And the king took his seat, and sent (and) had Judas brought in, with his hands bound behind him. And when he stood before him, the king said to him:"Tell me, who art thou, and by whose power dost thou these things?" Judas saith to him: "I am a man like to thee, and I do these things by the power of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God." Mazdai saith to him: "Speak truly, ere I destroy thee." Judas saith to him: "Thou hast not power over me, as thou thinkest, and thou canst not make me suffer." And when Judas had said these things, king Mazdai was enraged, and gave orders to heat two plates of iron and to make him stand upon them barefooted. And when they had made him sit down, they drew off and took away his shoes, and he was laughing and saying: "Far better is thy wisdom, Jesus, than all the wisdoms of all men. Do Thou take counsel against them; and let Thy loving-kindness make preparation against the anger of these (men)." And they brought the plates (glowing) like fire, and laid hold of Judas to make him step upon them; and suddenly much water rose out of the earth, and the plates were immersed in it, and the men let him go and fled.

And when the king saw the abundance of water, he said to Judas: "Ask of thy God, and He will deliver us from this death by the flood, and we shall not die thus." And Judas prayed and said: "Our Lord Jesus, I ask of thee, bind this nature (or element) and confine it to one place. Thou hast distributed it to various places, and hast given many wondrous signs through Thy servant and Thy Apostle Judas. Thou that makest my soul long that I too may receive Thy splendour; Giver of the reward of all my labours; Thou that lettest my soul be at rest with its own nature, without any intercourse of the harmful (one); Thou that art the cause of my life at all times; do Thou make this flood cease, that it may not rear itself proudly and destroy; for there are (some) of these who are standing by, who shall believe in Thee and live." And when Judas had prayed, there was quiet; and by little and little those waters were swallowed up and disappeared, but the place became as if it had been dried up (by drought).

And when king Mazdai saw (this), he said: "Drag (him) off to prison, till we can consider what we shall do with him." And Judas went to be imprisoned, and the whole people were coming after him; and Vizān, the son of king Mazdai, was coming at the right hand of Judas, and Sîfûr the general at his left hand. And when Judas had entered the prison, he permitted Sîfûr and Vizān, and the wife of Sîfûr and his daughter, to sit down, because they too had gone in with him, that they might hear the word of life, for they knew that king Mazdai would destroy him because of his great anger.

And Thomas began to say: "Thou deliverer of my soul from the slavery of many, because I gave myself to be sold unto one, now, lo, I am glad and rejoice, because I know that the times and the seasons, and the years and the months and the days, are at an end, and I shall come and receive Thee, my giver of rest. Lo; I shall be delivered from (the things) of to-day and of to-morrow, and it is for to-day that I care. Lo, I shall give up hope, and receive truth. Lo, I shall escape from the sorrow and the gladness of every day, and put on joy alone. Lo, I shall be without care and without sorrow and without distress, and shall dwell in rest for ever. Lo, I shall be set free from slavery, and shall go to the liberty unto which I am called. Lo, I have waited upon times and seasons, and (now) I am raised above times and seasons. Lo, I shall receive my pay from a Paymaster, who doth not enter into a reckoning but giveth (freely), because His wealth sufficeth for all His gifts. Lo, I shall take off, and I shall put on and not take off any more. Lo, I shall lie down to sleep, and I shall arise and not lie down to sleep any more. Lo, I shall die, and I shall live and not die any more. Lo, they shall rejoice and look on me, because I shall go and be united with their joy, and they shall place flowers in their garlands. Lo, I shall be made a king in Thy kingdom, Jesus, for from hence have I hoped for it. (Lo,) the wicked shall be put to shame, who thought to subdue me by their powers. Lo, the rebellious shall be destroyed before me, for I have risen above them. Lo, I shall have the peace, unto which the great shall be assembled."

And whilst Judas was saying these things, all those who were there were listening, and were thinking that his departure from the world would be at that moment.

And again Judas said: "Believe in the Healer of all pains, hidden and manifest, and the Giver of life to those souls which ask help of Him; this, the freeborn and King's son, who became a slave and poor; this, the healer of His creation, and the sick because of His servants; this, the purifier of those who believe in Him, and the despised and insulted by those who did not hear Him; this, (who) setteth free His possessions from slavery and from corruption and from subjection and from loss, and is made subject to and insulted by His slaves; this, the Father of (Heaven) above, and the Lord of all creatures, and the Judge of the world; this, who came from on high, and became visible through the Virgin Mary, and was called the son of Joseph the carpenter; this, the littleness of whose body we have seen with our eyes, and whose majesty we have received through faith; this, whose holy body we have felt with our hands, and whose sad aspect we have seen with our eyes, and whose Divine form on the mount we were not able to see by ourselves alone; this, who was called an impostor, and who is the True, that deceiveth not, and the payer of the tax and the head-money for us and for Himself; this, of whom the enemy, when he saw Him, was afraid, and trembled; and asked Him who He was and what was said of Him, and He did not make known to him the truth, because there is no truth in him; this, (who;) though He was the Lord of the world and of its pleasures and of its wealth and of all its delights, put them away from Him, and admonished those who hear Him and believe in Him not to make use of these (things)."

And when he had finished saying these things, he stood up to pray, and spake thus: "Our Father, who (art) in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; and Thy will be (done) on earth as in Heaven; and give us the constant bread of the day; and forgive us our debts and our sins, that we too may forgive our debtors; and bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil (one). My Lord and my God, and my hope and my confidence, and my teacher and my comforter, Thou didst teach us to pray thus. Lo, Thy prayer I am praying, and Thy will I am accomplishing. Be Thou with me until the end; Thou, who from my youth hast sown life in me, and hast guarded me from corruption; Thou, who hast brought me to the poverty of the world, and hast prepared me for Thy true wealth; Thou, who hast made me know that I am Thine, and I have not come near to woman, that what is desired by Thee might not be found with stain. My mouth sufficeth not to praise Thee, nor my understanding to glorify Thy goodness which (is) upon me; Thou who, when I was wishing to acquire and become rich, didst show me by Thy vision that harm cometh to many from wealth and from possessions, and I believed Thy vision, and abode in lasting poverty, until Thou, the true wealth, didst manifest Thyself unto me, and didst fill with Thy true wealth those who are worthy of Thee, and didst deliver them from need and from care and from avarice. Lo, then, I have fulfilled Thy will and accomplished Thy work. I have been poor and needy, and a stranger and a slave, and despised and a prisoner, and hungry and thirsty, and naked and barefooted and weary for Thy sake. Let not my trust fail, nor my hope which (is) in Thee be put to shame. Let not my labours be in vain and let not my toils be found fruitless. Let not my fastings and my urgent prayers perish, and let not my works which (are) in Thee be changed. Let not the enemy snatch away Thy wheat-seed from Thy land, and let not his tares be found in it; for Thy land cannot receive his tares, and they cannot fall into the garners of Thy husbandman."

And again he was saying: "I have planted Thy vine in the land; may it cast out roots downwards, and may its tendrils twine upwards, and may its fruits be seen in the land, and may those, who are worthy of Thee and whom Thou hast acquired, delight in them. Thy silver, which Thou gavest me, I have cast down upon Thy table try it, and give it to me with its usury, as Thou hast promised. With Thy talent I have gained ten; let them be added to what was mine, as Thou hast promised. To my debtors I have remitted the talent; let not that which I have remitted, be demanded at my hand. To the supper I have been invited and have come quickly, and have excused myself from the field and the plough and the wife; let me not "be cast out from it, and let me not eat of it by reason of adjurations. To the wedding-feast I have been invited, and I have put on white garments; may I be worthy of it, and may my hands and feet not be bound, nor I be put out into outer darkness. My lamp is bright with His light; let its Lord keep it until He leaves the banquet-room and I receive it; (and) may I not see it sputter by reason of its oil. Let my eyes receive Thee, and let my heart rejoice that I have fulfilled Thy will and accomplished Thy commandments. Let me be like to the wise and God-fearing servant, who with prudent diligence neglecteth nothing. I have wearied myself with watching the whole night to protect my house from robbers, that it might not be broken into. My loins are girded with truth, and my sandals are bound on my feet; their thongs may I not see loosened. I have put my hand to my ploughshare, and have not looked behind me, that my furrows might not be crooked. My fields are white and are already fit for reaping; may I receive my reward. The garment that weareth out I have worn out, and the work that bringeth unto rest I have accomplished. I have kept my first watch, and second and third; may I receive Thy Face, and worship before Thy holy beauty. I have pulled down my barns and destroyed them on earth; may I take of Thy treasure that faileth not. I have dried up the running spring that was in me; may I lie down by Thy living spring and rest beside it. The bound, whom Thou didst deliver to me, I have slain; the unbound, who is in me, do Thou set free, and let not my soul be kept back from its trust. The internal I have made external, and the external internal; let Thy will be fulfilled in all my members. I have not turned back, and I have not stretched forward; let me not be a wonder and a sign. The dead I have not brought to life, and the living I have not put to death, and the deficient I have (not) filled up; let us receive the Crown of victory, the Ruler of both worlds. Scorn have I received on earth; a recompense do Thou make me in Heaven. The powers shall not perceive me, nor the rulers take counsel against me; the tax-gatherers shall not see me, nor the collectors of tribute oppress me. The low shall not mock at me, and the wicked at the brave and the humble; nor shall the slave and the mean and the great, who exalteth himself, dare to stand before me, because of Thy victorious strength, O Jesus, which surroundeth me; for they flee and hide themselves from it, because they are not able to behold it; for with treachery and in silence do they fall upon those who obey them. The portion of my children, lo, crieth out and shineth, and no man is hidden from them, because it is the fragrance of their nature. "Wicked men are separated (from them); their fruit-tree is bitterness; I will make it pass away to their place in silence, and I will come unto thee. Let joy and peace support me, and I shall stand before Thy glory; and let not the slanderer look upon me, but let his eyes be blinded by Thy light, in which I dwell, and let his lying mouth be closed, for he hath naught against me."

And again he began to say to those who were with him in prison: "Believe, my children, in this God whom I proclaim. Believe in Jesus the Messiah, whom I preach. Believe in the Life-giver and Helper of His servants. Believe in the Giver of life to those who toil at His work; in Him, in whom, lo, my soul now rejoiceth, for the time is come that I may go and receive Him. Believe in this fair (One), whose beauty inciteth me to say concerning Him what He is, though I am unable to say it fully. For Thou, my Lord, art the Feeder of t my poverty, and the Supplier of my want, and the Dispenser of my need. Be Thou with me to the end, that I may come and receive Thee."

And the youth Vizān, the son of king Mazdai, was asking of him and saying to him: "I beg of thee, holy man, Apostle of God, permit me to go, and I will entreat the keepers of the prisoners, and they will grant me that thou mayest go with me to my house, and thou shalt give me the sign of life, and I too shall become a servant of this new God whom thou preachest; because in all these things which thou sayest I was walking in my youth, until my father Mazdai constrained me and gave me Manashar (as) a wife. For I am twenty-one years old today, and lo, it is seven years since I was united in marriage to a woman; for before I took a wife, I knew no other woman, and by my father I was counted as good for naught. And I have not yet had son or daughter by the woman whom he gave to me, and my wife hath lived with me in chastity during these years. And today, if she were well, and had seen thee or heard thy word, I should be at rest and she would live and would receive everlasting life; for she is in great affliction, lo, a long time, through disease. I will therefore entreat the keepers of the prisoners, if thou wilt promise me to go with me to my house, for I live alone in a house by myself, and wilt heal the feeble who is sick." And when Judas, the Apostle of the Most High, heard these things, the Apostle saith to Vizān: "My son, if thou believest, thou shalt see the wonders of our God, how He bringeth to life and hath compassion upon His servants."

And whilst they were speaking, Tertia and Mygdonia and Narkia her nurse were standing at the door of the prison; and they gave 360 silver zūzē to the keepers of the prisoners, and they let them in to Judas. And they entered and saw Judas and Sîfûr and Vizān, and the wife and daughter of Sîfûr, and all the prisoners, sitting and listening to Judas. And they three stood before him, and he said to them: "Who let you come to us? And who opened to you the gate that was closed in your faces?" Tertia saith to him: "Didst thou not open the door for us and say to us, 'Come to the prison, that we may go and take our brethren who are there, and then our Lord will show His glory (in dealing) with us?' And when we came to the door (of the prison), thou didst disappear from us, and we heard the sound of the door which was shut in our faces. And we gave (money) to their keepers, and they let us in; and lo, we stand (here) and beg of thee that thou wouldst do what we wish, that we might let thee escape, until the wrath of king Mazdai cool towards thee." Judas saith to Tertia: "Tell us first how ye were shut up." Tertia saith to him: "Thou thyself hast never quitted us, save for a moment, and dost thou not know how we were shut up? But if thou wishest to hear, hear. King Mazdai sent and had me Tertia brought to him, and said to me: 'That conjuror hath not yet got power over thee, because I have heard that he bewitcheth with oil and water and bread and wine, and he hath not yet bewitched thee. But harken unto me, then, (and hear) what I say unto thee, that I will not torture thee until I destroy thee; for I know, that as long as he hath not given to thee water and oil and bread and wine, he hath not yet got full power over thee.' And I said to him: 'Whatever thou wilt, do unto me. Over my body thou hast power to do all that thou wilt; but my soul I will not destroy with thee.' And when he had heard these things from me, he shut me up in a dark room beneath his dining-room. And his kinsman Karīsh too brought both Mygdonia and Narkia, and shut them up with me. And light did not depart from us, and thou thyself didst bring us out, and lo, we stand before thee. But give us the sign, and let the hope of Mazdai be cut off from me, who is plotting these things against me."

And when Judas, the Apostle of our Lord, had heard these things which she said, he saith: "To Thee be glory, Jesus, manifold in form I To Thee be glory, who showest Thyself like to our poor humanity! To Thee be glory, our Strengthener and Encourager and Reprover and Gladdener, who standest by us in all our afflictions, and strengthenest our weakness, and encouragest our fear!" And when he had said these things, the prisoners were encouraged, and the keepers said: "Blow out the lamps, that they may not slanderously accuse us before king Mazdai." And they blew out all the lamps, and went (and) slept. But Judas said to our Lord: "Thine now is the speed (to help us), Jesus our Illuminator, for lo, the children of darkness have made us sit in their darkness; but do Thou, our Lord, enlighten us with the light of Thy nature." And instantly the whole prison was bright as by day; and all those who were shut up there were asleep, and only those who I believed in our Lord were awake.

And Judas said to Vizān: "Go before us, and prepare for us what is needful for our service." Vizān saith to him: "Who will open for us the doors of the prison? For lo, they have closed them all, and the keepers are asleep." Judas saith to him: "Believe in Jesus, and doubt not, and thou shalt go and find the doors open and turned on their hinges." And when he had gone out, he went before them, and all (the rest) of them were coming after Judas. And when they had gone half-way, Manashar, the wife of Vizān, met them, coming to the prison. And she knew him and saith to him: "My brother Vizān?" And he saith to her: "Yea, and thou my sister Manashar?" She saith to him: "Yea." He saith to her: "Whither goest thou at this time alone? And how wast thou able to arise from the bed?" She saith to him: "This youth laid his hand upon me, and I was healed. And I saw in my dream, that I should go to the stranger, where he is imprisoned, that I might be quite healed." Vizān saith to her: "Where is the youth, who was with thee?" And she saith to him: "Dost thou not see him? For lo, he is holding my right hand and supporting me."

And whilst they were talking, Judas came, with Sîfûr and his wife and daughter, and with Mygdonia and Tertia and Narkia, and they came and entered into the house of Vizān. And when Manashar, the wife of Vizān, saw him, she bowed down and worshipped him, and saith to him: "Art thou come, my healer from sore disease? Thou art he whom I saw in my dream, who didst give me this youth, that he might bring me unto thee to the prison; and thy kindness did not suffer thee (to permit) that I should become weary, but thou thyself art come to me." And when she had said these things, she turned round (to look) behind her, and the youth was not (there). And she saith to Thomas: "I am not able to walk alone, and the youth, whom thou didst give me, is not (here)." Judas saith to her:

"Jesus then will be a Supporter unto thee." And she was running and coming before them. And when they entered into the house of Vizān, the son of king Mazdai, the time was night, and our Lord was giving them light in abundance.

And Judas began to pray and to speak thus: "Companion and Help of the feeble; Hope and Confidence of the poor; Refuge and Rest of the weary; Voice that came from on high, comforting the hearts of Thy believers; Resort and Haven of those that go forth into the region of darkness; Physician without fee, (who) wast crucified among men for many, and for whom no man was crucified; Thou didst descend into Sheol with mighty power, and the dead saw Thee and became alive, and the lord of death was not able to bear (it); and Thou didst ascend with great glory, and didst take up with Thee all who sought refuge with Thee, and didst tread for them the path (leading) up on high, and in Thy footsteps all Thy redeemed followed; and Thou didst bring them into Thy fold, and mingle them with Thy sheep. Son of perfect mercy, who wast sent to us with power by the Father, whom His servants praise; Son, who wast sent by the supreme and perfect Father-hood; Lord of possessions that cannot be defiled; wealthy (One), who hast filled Thy creation with the treasure of Thy wealth; needy (One), who bore poverty and fasted forty days; Satisfier of our thirsty souls with Thy blessing; be Thou, Lord, with Vizān and with Tertia and with Manashar, and gather them into Thy fold, and mingle them with Thy number, and be to them a guide (when they are) in the path of error. Be to them a healer in the place of sickness; be to them a strengthener in the weary place; make them pure in the unclean place; and make them clean of corruption in the place of the enemy. Be a physician for their bodies, and give life to their souls, and make them holy shrines and temples, and may the holy Spirit dwell in them."

And when he had prayed thus, he said to Mygdonia: "My daughter, strip thy sisters." And she stripped them, and put girdles on them, and brought them near to him. And Vizān came near first. And Judas took oil, and glorified (God) over it, and said: "Fair Fruit, that art worthy to be glowing with the word of holiness, that men may put Thee on and conquer through Thee their enemies, when they have been cleansed from their former works,—yea, Lord, come, abide upon this oil, as Thou didst abide upon the tree, and they who crucified Thee were not able to bear Thy word. Let Thy gift come, which Thou didst breathe upon Thine enemies and they went backward and fell upon their faces, and let it abide upon this oil, over which we name Thy name." And he cast it upon the head of Vizān, and then upon the heads of these (others), and said: "In Thy name, Jesus the Messiah, let it be to these persons for the remission of offences and sins, and for the destruction of the enemy, and for the healing of their souls and bodies," And he commanded Mygdonia to anoint them, and he himself anointed Vizān. And after he had anointed them, he made them go down into the water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness, And after they had been baptized and were come up, he brought bread and the mingled cup, and spake a blessing over it and said: "Thy holy Body, which was crucified for our sake, we eat, and Thy life-giving Blood, which was shed for our sake, we drink. Let Thy Body be to us for life, and Thy Blood for the remission of sins. For the gall which Thou drankest for us, let the bitterness of our enemy be taken away from us. And for Thy drinking vinegar for our sake, let our weakness be strengthened. And (for) the spit which thou didst receive for us, let us receive Thy perfect life. And because Thou didst receive the crown of thorns for us, let us receive from Thee the crown that withereth not. And because Thou wast wrapped in a linen cloth for us, let us be girt with Thy mighty strength, which cannot be overcome. And because Thou wast buried in a new sepulchre for our mortality, let us too receive intercourse with Thee in Heaven. And as Thou didst arise, let us be raised, and let us stand before Thee at the Judgement of truth." And he brake the Eucharist, and gave to Vizān and Tertia, and to Manashar and Sîfûr and Mygdonia, and to the wife and daughter of Sîfûr, and said: "Let this Eucharist be to you for life and rest and joy and health, and for the healing of your souls and of your bodies." And they said, "Amen"; and a voice was heard saying to them, "Yea and Amen." And when they heard this voice, they fell on their faces. And again the voice was heard saying: "Be not afraid, but only believe."

And Judas went (back) to be imprisoned, and likewise Tertia and Mygdonia and Narkia, these too went (back) to be imprisoned. And Judas said to them: "My daughters and sisters in our Lord, and my companions, and handmaidens of Jesus the Messiah, listen unto me on this the last day that I shall deliver my word unto you, for I shall never speak with you again in this world. For I shall be lifted up to our Lord Jesus the Messiah; to Him who sold me; to Him who humbled His lofty soul to my littleness, and hath brought me to His greatness which passeth not away, and hath deemed me worthy of being a servant of Him in verity and in truth. And lo, I rejoice that the time is fulfilled and the day come that I may go and receive my reward from my Lord. For my Pay-master is just, and He knoweth how, I ought to be recompensed. For He is not wicked nor envious, but His gifts abound; and He doth not count and give, for He is confident that His wealth will not fail. Listen, my daughters. I am not Jesus, but I am the servant of Jesus. I am not the Messiah, but I am one who ministereth before Him. I am not the Son of God, but I pray and beg that I may be deemed worthy of God. But do ye, my daughters, abide in the faith of Jesus the Messiah, and look for the hope of the Son of God. And be not weary, my daughters, in persecution, and be not in doubt because ye see me treated ignominiously, and imprisoned too, and dying, because I am fulfilling the will of my Lord. For if I were to pray that I should not die, ye know that I am able (to do so); but this which is seen (by us) is not death, but a release from the world. For this reason I receive it gladly; and for this reason I am delivered, that I may go and receive Him who is comely, Him whom I love, Him who is beloved. For much have I toiled in His service, and I have completed (my task) because of His grace, which hath supported me and hath not forsaken me. Let not therefore the enemy enter into you by treachery, and let him not agitate your minds with doubt. Let not that perfidious disturber find an opportunity (of assailing you), because He, whom ye have received, and in whom ye have believed, is stronger than he. Look for His coming, for He will come and receive you, that is (to say), ye shall go and see Him."

And when Judas had finished speaking to them, they entered into the dark house. And Judas said: "Our Life-giver and Bearer of many things for our sake, let these doors be as they were, and let them be sealed with their seals." And he left them and went himself too to be imprisoned; and they were grieved and were weeping, because they knew that king Mazdai would kill him.

The Consummation of Judas Thomas.

AND when he had gone in to be imprisoned, he found the keepers quarrelling and saying: "What wrong have we done to this sorcerer, that he hath opened the doors by the art of his charms, and hath wished to let all these prisoners escape? But let us go and make (it) known to king Mazdai, and let us tell him also about his wife and his son, who come to him." And whilst the chief (keeper) of the prisoners was saying a these things, Judas was silent and listening. And they rose early in the morning, and went to king Mazdai, and say to him: "Our lord the king, either let this sorcerer go, or imprison him in another place, for we are unable to guard him; because twice thy good fortune hath guarded the prisoners, otherwise they would all have escaped; for we shut the doors and we find them open. And both thy wife and thy son, with the rest of the people, never leave him." And when king Mazdai heard these things, he went to look at the seals which he had placed upon the doors; and he found the seals as they were. And he said to the keepers: "Why do ye tell lies, for lo, the seals of the houses are as they were sealed? And how say ye (that) Tertia and Mygdonia come to him to the prison?" The keepers say: "We have told thee the truth."

And king Mazdai went (and) sat in (the hall of) judgement, and sent and fetched Judas, and stripped him and put a girdle round his loins; and they made him stand before Mazdai. And Mazdai said to him: "Art thou a slave or a free man?" Judas saith to him: "I am a slave, but thou hast no power whatever over me." Mazdai saith to him: "And how didst thou run away (and) come to this country?" Judas saith to him: "I came hither that I might give life to many by the word, and by thy hands I shall quit the world." Mazdai saith to him: "Who is thy master? And what is his name? And of what country art thou?"Judas saith to him: "My Master is thy Master and (the Master) of the whole world, and the Lord of Heaven and of earth." Mazdai saith to him: "What is his name?" Judas saith to him: "Thou art not able to hear His true name now at this time, but the name that is given to Him is Jesus the Messiah." Mazdai saith to him: "I have not been in haste to destroy thee, but have had patience with thee; and thou hast added to thy deeds, and thy sorceries are spoken of through the whole country. But I will do unto thee (so) that they shall accompany thee and go along with thee, and that our country shall be relieved of them." Judas saith to him: "These sorceries, which thou sayest shall accompany me, shall never fail from this place."

And when he had said these things, Mazdai was considering, how he should give orders concerning him, that he might die, because he was afraid of the great multitude which was there; for many believed in our Lord, even (some) of the king's nobles. And Mazdai took Judas and went without the city, and there came with him a few soldiers with weapons; and people were thinking that Mazdai was wishing to learn (something) from him, and they were standing and looking at him. And when they had gone about half a mile, he delivered him to (some) of the soldiers who were with him and to one of the princes, and said to them: "Go up on this mountain (and) stab him." And he turned to come (back) to the city.

And people were running after Judas to rescue him; but the soldiers were going on his right hand and on his left and were holding spears, and that one of the princes was holding him by his hand and supporting him. And Judas said: "O the hidden mysteries, which even to the (hour of) departure (from this world) are fulfilled in me! O the riches of the grace of Him, who doth not let us feel the sufferings of the body! How they surround me with weapons, and fight with me even unto death! But to One I am given up, for lo, one chief leadeth me and holdeth me by my hand, in order that he may deliver me to One, whom I look for that I may receive Him; and our Lord, because He is of One, suffered (blows) at the hand of one."

And when he had ascended the mountain, the place where they were about to stab Judas, he said to those who were holding him: "Harken unto me now at least, when I am on the point of departing from the world, and let not the eyes of your hearts be blinded, nor your ears be deafened, that ye too should not hear. Believe in this God whom I preach, and walk not in your hardness of heart, but walk in all the virtues that beseem the freedom and the glory of men and the life that is with God." Judas saith to Vizān: "Son of the earthly king Mazdai, and servant of Jesus the Messiah, permit the attendants to do the will of their king Mazdai; I will go (and) pray." And Vizān spake to the soldiers, and they let Judas go. And Judas went and was praying and saying thus:—

"My Lord and my God, and my Hope and my Saviour; and my Guide and Conductor in all the lands which I have traversed in Thy name, be Thou with all Thy servants, and do Thou guide me too that I may come unto Thee; for unto Thee I have committed my soul, and no man shall take it from Thy hands. Let not my sins | hinder me. Lo, Lord, I fulfilled Thy will and became a slave, for the sake of this freedom which I am receiving! today. Do Thou, Lord Jesus, give (it) to me and fulfil it with me; for I am in no doubt whatever regarding Thy truth and Thy love, but for the sake of these who are standing (by) that they may hear, I speak before Thee."

And when Judas had prayed thus, he said to the soldiers: "Come, fulfil the will of him who sent you." And the soldiers came (and) struck him all together, and he fell down and died. And the brethren were weeping all together. And they brought goodly garments and many linen cloths, and buried Judas in the sepulchre! in which the ancient kings were buried.

And Sîfûr and Vizān would not go down to the city, but were sitting there the whole day, and they passed the night there also. And Judas appeared unto them and said to them: "I am not here. Why are ye sitting and watching me?" I have ascended unto my Lord, and have received what I was looking for and hoping for. But rise and go down hence, for yet a little while and ye too shall be gathered unto me." And Mazdai and his kinsman Karīsh brought Mygdonia and Tertia, and afflicted them much, but they would not yield to their wish. And Judas appeared to them and said to them: "Forget not, my daughters, Jesus our Light, the Holy and the Living (One), and He will soon prepare for you your rest and your help." And when king Mazdai and his kinsman Karish saw that they would not be persuaded by them, they left them alone to walk according to their own will. And all the brethren who were there were assembling together, and praying and offering the (Eucharistic) offering and breaking (bread), because Judas had made Sîfûr a priest and Vizān a deacon, on the mountain, when he was going to die. And our Lord was helping them with His love and was increasing His faith by their means.

And it happened after a long time that one of the sons of king Mazdai had a devil, and no man was able to bind him, because he was very violent. And king Mazdai thought in his mind and said: "I will go (and) open the grave of Judas, and take one of the bones of the Apostle of God, and will hang it upon my son, and he will be healed." And Judas appeared to him in a vision, and said to him: "Thou didst not believe in one living; wilt thou believe in one who, lo, is dead? But fear not. My Lord the Messiah will have mercy upon thee because of His clemency." And he did not find his bones, for one of the brethren had taken them away secretly and conveyed them to the West. And king Mazdai took (some) of the dust of that spot where the bones of the Apostle had lain, and hung it upon his son, and said: I believe in Thee, my Lord Jesus; now that he hath left me, who always troubleth men that they may not see the light." And when he had hung (it) upon his son and had believed, he was healed; and he was united with the brethren. And king Mazdai was bowing his head beneath the hand of the priest Sîfûr, and was entreating and begging of all the brethren that they would pray for him, that he might find mercy with them before our Lord Jesus the Messiah in His kingdom, which is for ever and ever. Amen.

Here end the Acts of Judas Thomas, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who suffered martyrdom in the land of India by the hands of king Mazdai. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Spirit of holiness, now and at all times and for ever and ever. Amen.

[All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted apart from these. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]

1. b See.. Clark's Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. xvi., p.389.

2. b Perhaps a reference to the Gospel of Thomas the Israelite, ch. vi-viii of Tischendorf's Greek text; see my Contributions to the Apocryphal Literature of the New Testament, p.8.

3. a In pseudo-Abdias (Fabricius, p. 705), Mygdonia and Charisius; Tischendorf, p.235, Mugdoni/a and Xari/sioj.

This text was transcribed by Colin Tunnicliffe, UK, 2004. 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: syriac_misc.htm

B.H.Cowper, Syriac Miscellanies (1861)

B.H.Cowper, Syriac Miscellanies (1861).

Extracts relating to the First and Second General Councils, and various other quotations, theological, historical and classical.

SYRIAC MISCELLANIES;

OR

EXTRACTS

RELATING TO THE

FIRST AND SECOND GENERAL COUNCILS,

AND VARIOUS OTHER QUOTATIONS,

THEOLOGICAL, HISTORICAL, & CLASSICAL.

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH FROM MSS. IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM

AND IMPERIAL LIBRARY OF PARIS.

WITH NOTES

by

B. H. COWPER.

[x]

WILLIAMS AND NORGATE,

14, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON;

AND

20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH.

---------

MDCCCLXI.

HERTFORD:

PRINTED BY STEPHEN AUSTIN,

FORE STREET.

PREFACE.

THE following pages owe their appearance to no public desire to investigate the Syriac Literature deposited in the British Museum. England has produced some of the most successful explorers and discoverers of Syriac Manuscripts, and has at this moment a most precious collection of such MSS., which is unequalled by any other in Europe. But, unhappily, there is little curiosity among the general or even the literary public to know anything about the matter. When Robert Huntington made his collections in the 17th century, he was held in honour and rewarded with a Bishopric. When Claudius Rich procured his invaluable collection it was purchased by the nation; and such modern names as Buchanan and Lee, are none the less remembered for their zeal in this department. Dr. Cureton we all pronounce illustrious in connection with this literature; he has been forward in promoting measures for procuring MSS., painstaking in their arrangement, diligent in their examination, and both accurate and learned as an editor. Dr. Etheridge also has |iv rendered good service to the cause as a compiler and translator. A few others have done something worth honourable mention, among whom is Mr. Payne Smith, the editor and translator of Cyril on Luke, and the translator of the third part of John of Ephesus' Church History. But beyond this, little has been done among us, and the deficiencies in this department are many and grievous. The MSS. in the British Museum have not been efficiently catalogued, and their full contents can only be known by wearisome personal inspection. We have no complete lexicon of the language; and only two or three Syriac English Grammars. There is very little general knowledge of even the old Peshito version, the most ancient, as to the New Testament, and still less acquaintance with other works. The immense collection in the British Museum has been stigmatized as a mass of Monophysitism, and thus depreciated by opprobrious epithets. And yet there is in some minds, happily an increasing number, a desire to know more of these things. This laudable curiosity ought to be gratified, and doubtless it will be eventually found that the MSS. in question are an important supplement to our knowledge on many subjects. The information and extracts they contain as to the Fathers, Creeds, Councils, and Church History, are considerable. In addition to versions of much that we already possess, there are many fragments and entire treatises hitherto unknown. This is true both of known and otherwise unknown authors. |v

The following miscellaneous matters owe their appearance to the request of the SYRO-EGYPTIAN SOCIETY, whose members feel a praiseworthy interest in this matter. They requested me to publish a few things in English in order to show what might be obtained from the Syriac MSS. with which I am acquainted. I cheerfully comply with this wish, and have thrown together, with a few supplementary observations, some of the extracts which I have made. These have been designedly few and brief. It would have been easier to select some one treatise, but perhaps not so well for the purpose intended. Hence there will here be found a diversity of quotations on a variety of subjects. Some of them I had already published, but I have thoroughly revised the translation of them and omitted many of the notes. Some of them are of little value, and yet all have peculiar features. Those on the first Nicene Council are the fullest, and to illustrate them I have added a remarkable Greek list of the Bishops who attended that Council, and a fragment of one in Coptic. I have also given a version of the Nicene Canons for comparison with the copies in Greek and Latin, and as this version, like the list of members, is from the oldest MS. of them yet known, it cannot fail to be interesting. From the same document I have copied a list of those who attended at the Council of Constantinople in A.D. 381, and a few other matters. These lists are important in reference to the names of Bishops and of places, |vi as well as for the student of ancient geography. The fragments from Greek authors are obscure, and include some names with which I am otherwise unacquainted. Their chief interest arises from the fact that they clearly form part of some document of the nature of an apology, and are, therefore, in all probability, very ancient. It is well known that the apologists of the second and third centuries defended Christianity by copious citations from Pagan writers, and this is constructed on the same plan, as the conclusion shows. The extracts from Diocles may not be free from interpolation, but they claim to represent the first historian of Rome, a historian from whom, Plutarch tells us, Fabius Pictor drew largely. As to the extracts from Christian authors, they are merely specimens of thousands contained in the MSS., and yet present some points of interest. The matters drawn from the old Syriac Chronicle may furnish the student of history with a few facts, and among them the list of the first successors of Mahomet is peculiarly interesting. This MS. belongs to the th century, and is evidently a compilation from the Chronicle ascribed to Hippolytus, that of Eusebius, and others. The notice of two martyrologies is simply intended to show that at a very early period the legends of superstition were not confined to the Western world.

If any readers are disappointed with the selection I have made I shall regret it. But it must be borne in mind that my object has been somewhat peculiar, and |vii that this work is meant to meet the wishes of those who may take the trouble to investigate it. Yet even on such a text a large biographical, geographical, and chronological commentary might be written.

The version is for the most part very literal, and I have aimed rather to give the sense of the originals than to produce what is called a readable book. There are places where I may have missed the meaning, either because of the obscurity of the construction or the defects of our lexicons, which do not contain all the words.

I must express my thanks to the Council of the SYRO-EGYPTIAN SOCIETY for their kindness in promoting a publication for which they are well aware there can be no remunerative demand, and of which only a small number of copies have been printed. I have cheerfully done my part, and hope they will find in it at least a few things which will gratify them.

B. H. COWPER.

CONTENTS.

PREFACE

COUNCIL OF NICEA:

Extracts from the Codex Syriacus, No 38, in the Imperial Library at Paris

1

Extracts from the Syriac MSS No 14,528, etc, in the British Museum

5

Nicene Catalogue of Fathers and Cities, by Theodorus Lector

25

Fragments of a Coptic List of the same

31

COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE: Extract from the MS No 14,528

34

THE COUNCILS OF ANTIOCH, ANCYRA, etc

40

FRAGMENTS OF GREEK AUTHORS

43

DIOCLES ON THE ORIGIN OF ROME, etc

48

FRAGMENTS OF CHRISTIAN AUTHORS

53

MISCELLANEOUS CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS from the Syriac MS No 14,643

75

Notice of early Councils from the same

88

Ancient List of Mahomet and his Successors from the same

92

NOTICE OF TWO MARTYROLOGIES from No, 14,644

93

OBSERVATIONS

99

SYRIAN MISCELLANIES.

=========

THE COUNCIL OF NICEA.

EXTRACTS FROM THE CODEX SYRIACUS 38 IN THE IMPERIAL

LIBRARY AT PARIS. P. 249, ETC, WRITTEN ABOUT A.D. 795.

Again:¹ Of the great and holy and oecumenical Synod of 318 holy Fathers, which was held at Nicea, the metropolis of Bithynia, in the year 636 of the reckoning of the Greeks, from Seleucus Nicator, king of Syria, which is the reckoning of the Edessenes; in the consulship of the illustrious Paulinus and Julianus: in the month Haziran, on the 19th thereof, the 13th before the calends of July, in the 20th year of the lover of Christ, the great Constantine, the faithful king, who, when these fathers had first assembled at Ancyra of Galatia, called them thence to Nicea, by his epistle to them, which is this:

Epistle of Constantine the King to the Synod of 318 Bishops.

"That there is nothing more honourable in my sight than the fear of God, I believe is manifest to every man. Now, because the Synod of Bishops at Ancyra, of Galatia, consented at first that it should be, it now seems on many accounts that it would be well for a Synod to assemble² at Nicea, a city of Bithynia, both because the Bishops of Italy and the rest of the countries of Europe are coming, and also because of the excellent temperature of the air, and also because I shall be |2 present as a spectator and participator of what is done. Wherefore I signify to you, my beloved brethren, that I earnestly wish all of yon to assemble at this city which is named, that is at Nicea. Let every one of you therefore, considering that which is best,³ as I before said, be diligent without any delay speedily to come, that he may be present in his own person as a spectator of what is done. God keep you, my beloved brethren."

When, therefore, at once, on this command, these Fathers speedily assembled at Nicea, on the day before named, they determined and drew up, all of them in common, with the Holy Spirit that was in them, a definition and confession of faith, that which is put beneath.

Definition of Faith.

"We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things which are visible, and of those which are invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was the only One begotten of the Father. Now he is of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; and he was begotten, not made; equal in substance to the Father; by whose hands everything was, both those which are in heaven and those which are in earth; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down, and became incarnate, and became man, and suffered, and arose the third day, and ascended to heaven, and cometh to judge the living and the dead:

"And in the Holy Ghost.

"As to those who say there was a time when he was not, and that before he was begotten he was not, and that he was of things which were not, or say that he was of another substance or of another essence, or who think the Son of God changeable or mutable, these the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes." |3

This is the faith which the Fathers drew up----first, indeed, against Arius, who blasphemed, and said that the Son of God was a creature; but afterwards also against all heresies, that is of Sabellius and Photinus; and against the heresies of Paul of Samosata, and of Manes, and of Valentinus, and of Marcion; and against every heresy whatever which sprang up against the Catholic Church; these the 318 Fathers condemned when they were assembled together at Nicea.

Now they also drew up these sentences:

"Now we anathematize also those who say, like Paul of Samosata, that before Mary the Son of God was not, but took his beginning from his generation in the flesh; and that he who was of Mary was one, but the Word of God another, and deny the Son that he was the Word of God, who was eternally with the Father; by whose hands all things were, and without him nothing was; who for us became man, when he became incarnate of Mary the Virgin.

"And we, moreover, anathematize those also who say that there are three Gods, and deny that the Word, that is, the Son of God, is God."

Because of these things, those heresies which were before named were anathematized, and also the wicked madness of the Arians. Concerning the Faith therefore, thus did it seem good to all the 318 holy Bishops who were assembled together at the Sacerdotal Synod, those that is, whose names, and cities, and provinces, many of them, are these, which are written below.⁴ But of a few of them the names were not written. For those were zealous who wrote; and also those servants of God, the bishops, zealous for the faith, of the Orientals especially, made it a care to receive the names; and they especially were required to sign, because in the west there was not as with them disputation concerning heresies, or concerning the division and disagreement about the Passover. For they did not say as Sabellius, "one person, with |4 three names, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost," but as it is in the definition of the Holy Synod at Nicea, which is above set down, "that the Father is one truly, and the only Son is one truly, and that the Holy Ghost is one truly," And it was also just and correct with them concerning the Passover. Therefore all of them were not found at the subscribing. Now those Bishops subscribed the orthodox faith thus, "Such a one, Bishop of such a city, and of such a province; so I believe as before written." Concerning the faith, then, all the holy Synod thus decided and wrote; and thus all of them subscribed and affirmed the definition which is before put down.

Now, concerning rules and canons ecclesiastical, these things seemed good, and pleased all who were assembled in the Sacerdotal Synod, before, and with, and in the presence of the lover of God, the great and faithful King Constantine, who not only brought to one mind the Bishops before written, and many others whose names are not written hitherto, since he sought and designed peace for the people of the Christians, but also since he was present at their holy assembly, and at the same time spake and heard, and declared those things which were befitting and best for the holy and universal Church of Christ. Since, therefore, when the matter was investigated, in order that all under heaven might celebrate the holy feast of the Passover, unanimously and at once, without contention, there were found three parts of the world which, with unanimity, and without variance, observed it, together with the Romans and Alexandrians; but one part only, that of the east, was found which was in uncertainty, and continued in strifeand confusion always; thus it seemed well pleasing to them, "that all questioning and strife being removed from the midst, thus also shall our brethren in the east observe the feast of the Passover as do the Romans and Alexandrians, and all others besides, in order |5 that on one day, with consent and agreement of voice, all Christians may offer praises and prayers." Therefore concerning this also all those subscribed who in the east had been divided with one another, and they ended and abolished strife. Now when this also was set right and came to a conclusion, while all the great and holy Synod was assembled, it determined and drew up those things which are written below.⁵

Ecclesiastical canons of the great Synod of Nicea, XX.

[The canons follow, after which the following intimations are given].

Here end the twenty ecclesiastical canons which were determined by the great and holy Synod of Nicea of 318 Bishops.

Again: twenty-four canons which were drawn up at Ancyra, a city of Galatia, by the Synod which assembled there. These canons were prior to those which were constituted at Nicea, but those of Nicea are written first, because of the authority of the great and holy Synod which was at Nicea. Now the names of the Bishops who were assembled at the Synod at Ancyra are these.

[The list of names at Ancyra here follows].⁶

EXTRACTS FROM THE SYRIAC MS. NO. 14528 IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. WRITTEN A.D. 501.

Epistle of Constantine the King summoning the Bishops from Ancyra to Nicea.

That there is nothing more honourable in my sight than the fear of God, is, I believe, manifest to every man. Now because the Synod of Bishops at Ancyra of Galatia consented formerly that it should be, it hath seemed to us on many accounts that it would be well for a Synod to assemble at Nicea, |6 a city of Bithynia, both because of the Bishops who from Italy and the rest of the countries of Europe are coming, and because of the excellent temperature of the air, and because I shall be present as a spectator and participator of those things which are done. Wherefore I signify to you, my beloved brethren, that all of you promptly assemble at the city which was named, that is at Nicea. Let every one of you therefore, regarding that which is best, as I before said, be diligent, without delay in anything, speedily to come, that he may be in his Own person present as a spectator of those things which are done by the same.

God keep yon my beloved brethren.⁷

Letter of the same Constantine against the Arians.

Constantine the King to the Bishops and nations everywhere. Inasmuch as Arius imitates the evil and the wicked, it is right that, like them, he should be rebuked and rejected. As therefore Porphyry, who was an enemy of the fear of God, and wrote wicked and unlawful writings against the religion of Christians, found the reward which befitted him, that he might be a reproach to all generations after, because he fully and insatiably used base fame; so that on this account his writings were righteously destroyed; thus also now it seems good that Arius and the holders of his opinion should all be called Porphyrians, that he may be named by the name of those whose evil ways he imitates: And not only this, but also that all the writings of Arius, wherever they be found, shall be delivered to be burned with fire, in order that not only his wicked and evil doctrine may be destroyed, but also that the memory of himself and of his doctrine may be blotted out, that there may not by any means remain to him remembrance in the world. Now this also I ordain, that if any one shall be found secreting any writing composed by Arius, and shall |7 not forthwith deliver up and burn it with fire, his punishment shall be death; for as soon as he is caught in this he shall suffer capital punishment by beheading without delay.

A confession of faith which was made at Nicea, a city of Bithynia, in the consulate of Paulinus and Julianus, in the year 373 of the reckoning of the Antiochians, after Antiochus, and in the year 636 of the reckoning of the Macedonians, after Alexander, in the month Haziran, on the 19th of it, and on the 13th of the reckoning of the Romans, which is called the calends of June, July.

I believe in one God the Father Almighty, maker of all things, visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, who was begotten of the Father, only begotten. Now he is of the substance of the Father: God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; who was begotten and not made; of the same substance as the Father, by whose hand all things were made which are in heaven and in earth; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down and became incarnate, and was made man, and suffered, and rose the third day, and ascended to heaven, and cometh to judge the living and the dead; And in the Holy Ghost. Now those who say that once he was not, and that he was not before he was begotten, or that he was from nothing, or say that he was of another substance or essence, or think the Son of God changeable or mutable, these the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes.

Confession of Faith of 150 Bishops who were at Constantinople.

I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all tilings visible and invisible: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who was begotten |8 of the Father, before all worlds, very God of very God, who was begotten and not made; of the same essence as the Father; by whose hands everything was made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down, and became incarnate of the Holy Ghost, and of Mary the Virgin, and became man, and was crucified for us, in the days of Pontius Pilate; and suffered, and was buried, and rose the third day according as the Scriptures say; and ascended to heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of his Father; and cometh again in glory to judge the living and the dead; of whose kingdom there is no end: And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Lifegiver, who proceedeth from the Father; who with the Father and the Son, is to be worshipped and glorified; who spake by the prophets: And in one Holy, Apostolic, and Catholic Church: And I confess one baptism for the remission of sins: And I hope for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

NAMES OF THE BISHOPS.

Of Italy, Three.

Hosius, Bishop of Corduba, a city of Italy.⁸ Thus I believe as is above written.

Vito and Vicentius, presbyters of Rome, for our bishop (papa) we subscribe, for we thus believe as is above written.

Of Egypt, Eleven.

Alexander of Alexandria. Secundus of Ptolemais.

Alpocration of Alphocranum. Dorotheus of Pelusium.

Adamantius of Canon. Gaius of Thmuis.

Arbetion of Barathu. Antiochus of Memphis.

Philip of Panephysus. Tiberius of Tauthatis.⁹

Potamon of Heraclea.

Of Thebais, Three.

Atthas of Ascedia. Volusianus of Lycon.

Tyrannus of Arsinoë. |9

Of Upper Lybya, Five.

Daces of Berenice. Secundus of Teuchilibya.¹⁰

Zopyrus of Barce. Titus of Paraetonium.

Serapion of Antipurgos.

Of Palestine, Nineteen.

Macarius of Jerusalem. Paul of Maximianopolis.

Germanus of Samaria. Januarius of Jericho.

Marinus of Sebastena. Heliodorus of Zabulon.

Gajanus of Sebaste.¹¹ Aetius of Lydda.

Eusebius of Caesarea. Silvanus of Azotus.

Sabinus of Gadara. Patrophilus of Beishan.

Longinus of Ascalon. Asclepias of Gaza.

Peter of Nicopolis. Peter of Aila.

Macrinus of Jamnia. Antiochus of Capitolias.

Maximus of Eleutheropolis.

Of Phoenicia, Ten.

Zeno of Tyre. Philocles of Paneas.

Aeneas of Accho. Gregory of Berytus.

Magnus of Damascus. Marinus of Thadmor.

Theodoras of Sidon. Anatolius of Emesa.

Hellanicus of Tripolis. Badonius of Alaso.¹²

Of Coele Syria, Twenty-two.

Eustathius of Antioch. Zoilus of Gabala.

Zenobius of Seleucia. Bassus of Zeugma.

Theodotus of Laodicea. Gerontius of Larissa.

Ulpius of Apamea. Manicius of Hamath.

Bassianus of Raphanea. Eustathius of Aresthan.¹³

Philoxenus of Mabug. Paul of Neocaesarea.

Solomon of Germanicia. Siricius of Cyrrhus.

Papirius of Samosata. Seleucus, Chorepiscopus.

Archelaus of Doliche. Peter of Gindara.

Euphrantion of Balanea. Pegasius of Harba-Kedem.¹⁴

Palladius, Chorepiscopus. Bassonius of Gabala. |10

Of Arabia, Six.

Nicomachus of Bostra. Severus of Sodoma.

Cyrnon of Philadelphia. Sopater of Barathena.

Gennadius of Esbonta.¹⁵ Severus of Dionysias.

Of Mesopotamia, Five.

Ethilhas of Edessa.¹⁶ Mareas of Birtha.

Jacob of Nisibis.¹⁷ John of Persia.¹⁸

Antiochus of Resaina.

Of Cilicia, Eleven.

Theodoras of Tarsus. Paulinus of Adana.

Amphion of Epiphaneia. Macedonius of Mopsuestia.

Narcissus of Neronias. Taracondamantus of Aegae.

Moses of Castabala. Hesychius of Alexandria Minor.

Nicetas of Flavias. Narcissus of Irenopolis.

Eudaemon, Chorepiscopus.

Of Cappadocia, Ten.

Leontius of Caesarea. Gorgonius, Chorepiscopus.

Eupsychius of Tyana. Stephen, Chorepiscopus.

Erythrius of Colonia. Eudrames, Chorepiscopus.

Timothy of Cybistra. Doron, Chorepiscopus.¹⁹

Helpidius of Comana. Theophanes, Chorepiscopus.

Of Armenia Minor, Two.

Eulalius of Sebaste. Euhethius of Satala.

Of Armenia Major, Five.

Aristacius of Armenia.²⁰ Helpidius of Comana.

Acrites of Diospontum. Heraclius of Zela.

Eutychianus of Amasea.

Of Pontus Polemicus, Three.

Longinus of Neocaesarea. Stratophilus of Pityus.

Domnus of Trapezus.

Of Paphlagonia, Three.

Philadelphus of Pompeiopolis. Eupsychius of Amastris.

Petronius of Junopolis. |11

Of Galatia, Five.

Marcellus of Ancyra.²¹ Gorgonius of Ciaena.

Dicasius of Tyana. Philadelphus of Juliopolis.

Arcathius of Gadmeausa.

Of Asia, Six.

Theonas of Corycus. Eutychius of Smyrna.

Menophantes of Ephesus. Mithras of Hypaepa.

Eudion of Ilium.²² Macrinus of Julium.²³

Of Hellespont, One.

Paul of Anaea.

Of Lydia, Nine.

Artemidorus of Sardes. Florentius of Ancyra Ferrea.

Sares of Thyatira. Antiochus of Aurelianopolis.

Etoemasius of Philadelphia. Marcus of Standum.²⁴

Pollio of Baris. Antiochus of Hierocaesarea.

Agogius of Tripolis.

Of Phrygia, Eight.

Nunechius of Laodicea. Athenodorus of Dorylaeum.

Flaccus of Sanis. Paul of Apamea.

Procopius of Synnada. Eugenius of Eucarpia.

Pisticius of Azani. Flaccus of Hierapolis.

Of Pisidia, Ten.

Eulalius of Iconium. Tarsicius of Apamea.

Telemachus of Adrianopolis. Patricius of Ampelada.

Hesychius of Neapolis. Polycarpus of Metropolis.

Eutychius of Seleucia. Academius of Papha.

Uranicus of Limen. Heraclius of Baris.

Of Lycia, One.

Eudemus of Patara.

Of Pamphylia, Seven.

Callicles of Perga. Contianus of Seleucia.

Eurasius of Termessus. Patricius of Maximianopolis.

Zeuxes of Verabon.²⁵ Aphrodisias of Magidon.

Domnus of Aspendum. |12

Of the Islands, Four.

Euphrosynus of Rhodes. Strategius of Lemnos.

Meliphron of Coos. Alitodorus of Corcyra.

Of Caria, Five.

Eusebius of Antioch. Letodorus of Cibyra.

Ammonius of Aphrodisias. Eusebius of Miletus.

Eugenes of Apollonias.

Of Isauria, Seventeen.

Stephen of Barata. Cyrillus of Thaumanada.

Athenaeus of Coracesium. Theodoras of Vasada.

Hedesius of Claudiopolis. Anatolius, Chorepiscopus.

Agapius of Seleucia. Paul of Laranda.

Silvanus of Isauropolis. Conatus, Chorepiscopus.

Postus of Panaemon. Tiberius of Lystra.

Antoninus of Antioch. Aquila, Chorepiscopus.

Nestor of Syedra. Eusebius of the Parochia of Isauropolis.²⁶

Hesychius, Chorepiscopus.

Of Cyprus, Two.

Cyrillus of Paphos. Gelasius of Salamis.

Of Bithynia, Eleven.

Eusebius of Nicomedia. Georgius of Aprusas.

Theognis of Nicea. Euhethius of Adrianopolis.

Maris of Chalcedon. Theophanes, Chorepiscopus.

Cyrillus of Cium. Rufus of Caesarea.

Hesychius of Prusa. Eulalius, Chorepiscopus.

Gorgonius of Apollonias.

Of Europe, One.

Phaedrus of Heraclea.

Of Dacia, Two.

Protogenes of Serdica. Marcus of Calabria.

Of Moesia, One.

Festus of Marcianopolis.

Of Carthage, One.

Cecilianus of Carthage. |13

Of Macedonia, One.

Alexander of Thessalonica.

Of Dardania, Two.

Dacus of Macedonia. Budiaeus of Trobon.²⁷

Of Achaia, Three.

Pistus of Athens. Strateges of Ephestia.

Marsyas of Euboea.

Of Thessaly, One.

Claudianus of Thessaly.

Of Pannonia, One.

Domnus of Pannonia.

Of Gallia, One.

Nicasius of Divio.²⁸

Of Gothia, One.

Theophilus of Gothia.

Of Bosphorus, One.

Cadmus of Bosphorus.

The names of the Bishops and of their cities end, which are in all 220, because the names of the western Bishops were not written.

Ecclesiastical Canons of the great and holy Synod of 318 Bishops, which assembled at Nicea, a city of Bithynia, and determined those things which are written below.

1. Of those who mutilate or cut off their members.

If a man suffers amputation by surgeons, in consequence of disease, or is mutilated by barbarians, let him remain among the clergy. But if, when he is well, a man mutilates himself of his own accord, let him cease from his ministry if he is among the clergy, and henceforth let not him that is such be presented for ordination. And as this is manifestly spoken of those who deceitfully and wilfully dare to cut off their members, so if there be any who are mutilated by barbarians or |14 by their masters, but are otherwise, as to their conduct, found worthy of ordination to the priesthood, these the canon allows to enter the clergy.

2. Of those of the Heathen, who at their Baptism come to ordination for the Priesthood.

Since many things take place against the ecclesiastical canon, either of necessity or through haste, so that men newly come to the faith from the life of the heathen, and after they have been hearers a little time, come at once to the spiritual baptism, and at their baptism are presented for ordination to the episcopate or eldership, it is decided that henceforth no such thing shall be, because a certain time is required of a hearer, and much proof after his baptism, and this the blessed Apostle clearly shows, "Let his discipleship not be recent, lest being lifted up, he fall into condemnation and the snare of Satan." Now if in any of those who hurriedly after their baptism, forthwith have received ordination, as time passes before him, spiritual sin should be discovered, and he be convicted by two or three witnesses, let him be expelled from the clergy; and whoever contrary to this, dares to act against this great Synod, let him be deposed from the priesthood.

3. Of Female Visitors.²⁹

As to female visitors, the great Synod altogether decides that neither with a bishop, nor with an elder, nor with a deacon, nor with any one who is of the clergy, is it lawful that there should be a female visitor, but only a sister or an aunt, or one of such persons as are far from suspicion.

4. Of those in the Provinces who come to the Episcopate.

If possible, he who becomes a Bishop, ought to be constituted by all the Bishops of the province. But if this |15 cannot be, either because of necessity or that the way is long, it is required by all means that three be gathered together, and the rest consenting with them in opinion and by writing, the ordination may take place, but the confirmation of what is done shall be conceded in every province to the metropolitan.

5. Of those things which take place in a Prohibition.

As to what happens in a prohibition from the clergy, or from the rank of the laity, by the bishops in any one of the provinces, this opinion according to the canon [is to be held], that those who are ejected by some shall not be received by others; but let enquiry be made, whether through strife, or through contention, or through a similar cause in the Bishop himself, they are prohibited from the communion of the Church. But that the proof which is needed may be an acceptable matter, it seems good to us, that in every province, its Synod should assemble twice in a year, in order that when all the Bishops of the province are convened together, such questions may be tried, and so those who are clearly known to have disobeyed the Bishop may be prohibited by all the Bishops, until it appear either to the Bishop himself, or to the Synod, that they should show them mercy. Now let these synods be one before the fast of forty (days), that all contention being removed, the offering ³⁰ may be purely presented to God; and the other in the time of Tisri (autumn).

6. Of the Primacy which belongs to distinguished Cities.

Let the ancient customs be retained in Egypt, and in Libya, and in Pentapolis, that the Bishop of Alexandria should have authority over all these: because to him of Rome also, this is customary. And so also in Antioch, and in the other provinces, let the primacy be maintained in the churches. Now let this be everywhere known, that if a man, |16 without the consent or permission of the Metropolitan, shall become a Bishop, the great Synod determines that he shall not be a Bishop. But if to an election, which is common to all,³¹ when it is orderly and according to the ecclesiastical canon, two or three, out of their contentiousness, shall be opposed, let the opinion of the majority obtain and be established.

7. Of the Bishop of Elia, that is Jerusalem.

Because the custom obtains, and ancient tradition, that the Bishop of Jerusalem should be honoured; while there is to him the rank of his honour, let there be also maintained for the Metropolitan his distinction.

8. Of those who are called Cathari.

Of those who sometimes call themselves Cathari, but who come to the Apostolical and Catholic Church, it seemed good to the great and holy Synod, that as they receive ordination, so they should abide in the clergy. But, before all things, it behoves that they confess in writing, that they consent to and observe the laws of the Catholic and Apostolical Church; now that is, that they commune with those who live in second marriage, and those who have denied in persecution, those to whom also a time is determined and limited when they shall be received; and who adhere in all things to what is defined in the Catholic and Apostolic Church. When, therefore, only they are found in a city or in villages with their bishops, and there are not in the city or town other clergy of the orthodox, having received ordination, let them remain in their character. But if in a place in which there is a bishop or presbyter of the Catholic Church, some of them come, it is evident that the Bishop of the Catholic Church retains the authority of his episcopate, but he that among the Cathari is called a Bishop, shall retain the honour of presbyter; now |17 that is, except it seem good to the Bishop of the Catholic Church that he cease to retain the name of the honour of the episcopate. But if this pleases him not, let him bestow on him the place of Chorepiscopus or of presbyter, that he may appear to be among the clergy, that there be not two bishops in a city.

9. On those who come to the Eldership untried.

If, perchance, untried persons become presbyters, or those who, when their conduct is enquired into, confess wherein they have sinned, and when they have confessed, any act in opposition to the canons and lay hands on them, such the canon doth not receive, because the Catholic Church requires unblameableness in everything.

10. On those who deny in persecutions, and afterwards come to be Clergy.

Those who come to be clergy, of such as before denied in persecution, whether known, or because they were not examined and known of those who promoted them, this prejudices the ecclesiastical canon in nothing. When they are known, by all means let them be expelled from their degrees.

11. Of those who deny and are in the rank of Laymen.

As to those who deny without constraint, or without confiscation of their goods, or without peril, or any other oppression, as happened in the tyranny of Licinius; it seemed good to the Synod, that, even if unworthy of compassion, kindness should be shown to them. Therefore all those who perfectly repent, shall spend three years among the hearers, if they are baptized, and seven years with the penitent; but let them commune two years with the people in prayer at the time of the offering, without offering.³² |18

12. Of those that renounce the World and again embrace the World.

Now those who have been called by grace, and showed their first zeal, and laid aside their girdles,³³ but afterwards return to their former vomit, so that some of them give gold and arrange by means of gifts to take their service again; let these repent ten years, after spending three years in the rank beneath that of hearers. Now, with regard to all these, it behoves us to examine the disposition and kind of repentance; and those who in fear, and tears, and patience, and good deeds, exhibit a conversion in deed and not in appearance, when they have fulfilled the period appointed for being lower than hearers, rightly participate in the prayer of the Eucharist, and the Bishop has authority to devise some kindness towards them. But those who receive it with indifference, and think the form of merely entering the church sufficient to them for conversion, let them by all means fulfil the time appointed.

13. Of those who in the time of their death request Communion.

As to those who depart from the world, let the ancient and canonical law be now also retained, that if a man depart from the world he should not be deprived of that provision which it is needful for him to receive; but if, after it is decided respecting him that he is dying, and he is admitted to communion, and receives the Eucharist, he again returns to health and continues in life, let him be only among those who are partakers in the prayer of the Eucharist. But generally, whoever departs from the world, and requests to communicate in the holy mysteries, let the Bishop give him the Eucharist, with much discrimination having made inquiry.

14. On Hearers who deny.

As to hearers who deny (those who are called Catechumens), |19 it pleases the great and holy Synod that they shall be three years with those who come not to the instruction (who are called Acroatae), and shall afterwards pray with the hearers, according to their former rank.

15. That a Priest ought not to change from place to place.

Because of the many disorders and contentions which take place, it is decided that this custom shall be utterly abolished, which is contrary to the canon, if it be in any place found, so that neither bishop, nor presbyter, nor deacon, shall change from city to city. Now, if after this determination of the great and holy Synod, any shall dare and allow himself to practice such conduct, let his arrangements by all means be nullified, and him be restored to the church where he has been bishop, or presbyter, or deacon.

16. Of Clergy who do not continue in Churches in which they were.

Those who, exposing themselves to danger, and not setting the fear of God before their eyes, and not acknowledging the ecclesiastical canon, remove from their churches, whether elders or deacons, or such as are in any way inscribed in one of the orders of the clergy, these ought by no means to be admitted into another church, but let all influence come upon them to return to their places; but if they are obstinate and stay, let them be restrained from the communion of the church. And if any one shall dare to take a person who belongs to another, and bring him to ordination in his church, when the Bishop from whom he has removed does not consent, such ordination shall be void.

17. On Clergymen who receive Interest.

Whereas many who are in one of the orders of the clergy, while they run after profit and base gains, forget the divine |20 Scripture, which says, "He giveth not his money for usury," and when they lend exact so much per cent.; the holy Synod adjudges that, if after this determination any man shall be found to take interest, or in any way whatever shall use this practice, and demand a portion, or devises anything else for base gain, he shall be expelled from the clergy, and be alienated from his ministry.

18. On the precedency of Presbyters,

It hath been made known to the great and holy Synod, that in divers places and cities the deacons give the Eucharist to the presbyters, when neither canon nor custom sanctions that such as have no authority to offer the Eucharist should give the body of Christ to those who offer it; and this also has been made known, that some of the deacons receive the Eucharist even before the bishops: let all these things therefore be removed, and let the deacons abide in their proper stations, knowing that they are the ministers of the bishop, and beneath the elders. Let them therefore receive "the Eucharist in order after the presbyters, either the bishop or a presbyter giving it to them. Moreover, it is not conceded to deacons to sit among the presbyters, because it is contrary to order and the canons. Now if any one will not be obedient to what is determined, let him be removed from his ministry.

19. Of those who come to the Church from the Heresy of Paul the Samosatene.

With regard to those who have been of the heresy of Paul, and afterwards take refuge in the Catholic Church, we lay down a rule that by all means they should be baptised again: but if any of them in time past were in the clergy, if they are found to be without rebuke and without blame, let them |21 be baptised again, and receive ordination from some bishop of the Catholic Church: but if, when inquiry is made respecting them, they appear to be unfit, let them be expelled from their places; so also with regard to deaconesses, and all those who are in the ministry,³⁴ let this order be observed: but deaconesses we admonish that, because they are (such) in appearance, and have not received ordination, they will be altogether reckoned with the daughters of the world.

20. On Kneeling.

Because there are men who on the first in the week and on the days of Pentecost bow the knee: in order that everything may be worthily and uniformly observed in every province, it hath seemed good to the holy Synod that all of us should offer prayer to God, standing.

Fragments from No. 14526, fol. 38.

Again, a history of these Synods. Now the Synod of Nicea was assembled in the days of Constantine the Great; and its chiefs were Alexander, Archbishop of Alexandria; and in the place of the papa of Rome, Vinto and Vicentius, presbyters of Rome.....

Again: now the Synod of Nicea was assembled because of the affairs of wicked Arius, who alienated the Son from the nature of the Father; and in that he was begotten of the Father, they called him "made," and a "creature," and (said) that he was not of the same nature as the Father.

It may not be uninteresting to append here a translation of a Creed, professing to be by Athanasius, from a Syriac MS. in the British Museum, No. 12,106, which was written |22 A.D.562. The volume contains, among other things, the treatise of Timothy of Alexandria "against the Council of Chalcedon," which includes a large number of extracts from the Fathers. The Creed bears evident marks of a Monophysite origin. I am not aware of its existence elsewhere.⁶³

Creed of the blessed Athanasius, head of the bishops (Archbishop) of Alexandria, upon the divine incarnation of God the Word, which consents ⁶⁴ to that of the Holy Synod which was in Nice.

We confess the Son of God, who before the worlds was eternally begotten; who in the end of the worlds was (born) of Mary in the flesh for cur redemption, as the divine Apostle teacheth, saying, "Now when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his son who was (born) of a woman," and he was Son of God and God in the Spirit, but Son of Man in the flesh. The one Son was not two natures, one which is to be worshipped, and another not to be worshipped, but one nature of God the Word, who became incarnate, and is with his flesh, to be worshipped with one worship: nor are there two Sons, one who is the Son of the true God and to be worshipped, but the other from Mary, the Son of Man, and not to be worshipped, being Son of God by grace as men also are: but he who was of God, and God, as I said, is at once Son of God and God; and he was not another who was also born of Mary in the flesh in the last days. As also the angel said to Mary mother of God, when she asked, "How shall this be, for I know not a man?"----"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, and therefore that Holy One who shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." He therefore that |23 was born of the Virgin Mary was by nature Son of God and the true God, and not by grace and communication. In the flesh alone, he that was of Mary was Son of Man, but in the Spirit he was both Son of God and God, who bore our sufferings, as it is written, "Christ suffered for us in the flesh;" and again, "For he that spared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all." For he continued impassible and immutable in the divinity, as it is said by the prophet, "I am God and I change not," who died our death in the flesh for our sins, that he might remove death by death for us, as the Apostle saith, "Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is thy victory? O Grave, where is thy sting?" And again, "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." Now he continued incomprehensible and immortal in death, in the divinity, according to the impassible power of the Father, as Peter saith, "It was not possible that he should be holden of death." And he ascended to heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, according to his flesh (viz.), that of the Word, which went up from earth, as was said by David, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand," which is affirmed of our Lord both by him and by the Apostles. Now in the Divinity he is infinite, and every place is limited by him. With the Father, who is eternal, he is a son of eternity (= eternal), according to the paternal power which is ineffable, according to the teacher Paul, "Christ the power of God, and Christ the wisdom of God." And he coineth, being Son of God and God as is confessed, that he may judge the living and the dead, as the Apostle saith, "Who shall judge the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the thoughts of the hearts: and he shall render glory and contempt to every man as becometh him."

Now if a man teach other than these things from the divine Scriptures, saying that the Son of God is one, and the Son of Man who was of Mary is another who was made a son |24 by grace as we are, so that there are two Sons, one by nature Son of God, who was of God, and one by grace, the Son of Man who was of Mary; or if a man say that the flesh of our Lord is from above, and not of the Virgin Mary; or that the Divinity partook of the flesh, or was confounded or commuted with it; or that the Divinity of the Son was passible; or that the flesh of our Lord is not to be worshipped, inasmuch as it is that of the Son of Man, and is not to be worshipped as being the flesh of our Lord and our God: such a one the Holy and Catholic church anathematizes, since the divine Apostle enjoins it, saying, "If a man preach to you other than ye have received, let him be anathema."

From the same MS. we obtain the Nicene Creed in the following form:----

Confession of Faith of the great and holy Synod of 318 blessed Fathers at Nice.

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, who was begotten of the Father, the only begotten. Now he is of the Substance of the Father; God of God; Light of Light; very God of very God; who was begotten and not made; of the same substance as the Father; by whom all things were made which are in heaven and which are on earth; who for us men and for our redemption, came down and became incarnate, and became man, and suffered, and rose the third day: and he ascended to heaven, and shall come to judge the living and the dead:

And in the Holy Ghost.

Now those who say that once be was not, and that he was not before he was begotten, or that he was from nothing, or say that he was of another substance or essence, or that the |25 Son of God was mutable or changeable; these the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes.

This which is one and alone mas constituted against the Arians.

I shall insert here a version of two lists of Nicene Fathers. The first was originally printed by Zoega, and reprinted by Pitra in the Spicilegium Solesmense as part of a document which contains much in common with the extracts above given from the Paris MS. The second list is ascribed to Theodorus Lector, and has been only once printed in the original Greek by Morelli in his Bibliotheca MS., Graeca et Latina; Bassano, 1802. I owe my acquaintance with this list to the most severe of my critics in the Christian Remembrancer. However, fas est et ab hoste doceri, and I have translated both it and Dom Pitra's Coptic list for comparison with my own. Let it be observed, moreover, that Theodorus Lector, to whom the Greek list is ascribed, is referred by Cave to A.D. 520, or about 20 years later than the Syriac Catalogue was written down in the manuscript from which it has been copied.

The list of Theodorus is preceded by a short notice, as follows:----

"I think it instructive to put down here also the names of the Bishops who assembled at Nicea, as far as I could find them; and of what province and city each was; and the time in which they met."

The list then follows.

GREEK LIST OF THEODORUS.

Spain, One.³⁵

Hosius, Bishop of Corduba, so I believe, as it is written.

Rome, Two.

Vito and Vicentius, presbyters. |26

Egypt, Eleven.

Of Alexandria, Alexander. Of Ptolemais, Secundus.

Harpocration, Alphocranon. Of Pelusium, Dorotheas.

Zeno, Adamantius.³⁶ Of Thmuis, Caius.

Of Pharbaethus, Arbetion. Of Memphis, Antilogus.

Of Panyphis, Philippus. Of Tauthité, Tiberius.

Of Heracleos, Potamon.

Thebais, Four.

Attheas of Scete. Lisianus of Lycae.

Tyrannus of Antinous. Paphnutius.

Upper Libya, Four.

Daces of Berenicé. Sarapion of Antipurgos.

Zopyrus of Barcé. Secundus of Tauché.³⁷

Lower Libya, One.

Titus of Patronium.

Palestine, Nineteen.

Macarius of Jerusalem. Paulus of Maximianopolis.

Germanus of Neapolis. Januarius of Jericho.

Marianus of Sebastenus. Heliodorus of Zabula.

Gainus of Sebaste. Aëtius of Lydda.

Eusebius of Caesarea. Silvanus of Azotus.

Sabinus of Gadara. Patrophilus of Scythopolis.

Longinus of Ascalon. Asclepius of Gaza.

Petrus of Nicopolis. Petrus of Aïla.

Marianus of Jamnia. Antipatros of Capitolias.

Maximus of Eleutheropolis.

Phoenicia, Eight.

Zeno of Tyre. Hellanicus of Tripolis.

Aeneas of Ptolemais. Philocalus of Paneas.

Magnus of Damascus. Gregorius of Berytus.

Theodorus of Sidon. Anatolius of Emesa. |27

Coele-Syria, Twenty-one

Eustathius of Seleucia. Bassus of Zeuma.

Theodotus of Laodicea. Gerontius of Larissa.

Alphius of Apamea. Manicius of Epiphania.

Basianus of Raphanea. Eustathius of Arethusa.

Philoxenus of Hierapolis. Paulus of Neocaesarea.

Salamanes of Germanicia. Syricius of Cyprus.

Piperius of Samosata. Seleucus, Chorepiscopus.

Archelaus of Doliche. Petrus of Gindara.

Euphration of Balanea. Pegasius of Armocadama.

Phaladus, Chorepiscopus. Bassones of Tabulé.

Zoilus of Gabala.

Arabia, Twelve.

Nicomacus of Bostra. Dionysius of Mesopotamia.

Cyrion of Philadelphia. Aithalas of Edessa.

Gennadius of Jebunda.

Jacobus of Nisibis. Severus of Sodoma.

Antiochus of Resiina. Sopater of Beritaneus.

Maraias of Macedonopolis. Severus of Dionysias.

Joannes of Persia.

Cilicia, Ten.

Amphion of Epiphanea. Paulinus of Adana.

Narcissus of Neronias. Macedonius of Mopsuestia.

Moses of Castabala. Tarcodemantus of Aegea.

Nicetas of Phleias. Hesychius of Alexandria Minor.

Eudaimon, Chorepiscopus. Narcissus of Irenopolis.

Cappadocia, Eight.

Leontius of Caesarea. Elpidius of Comana.

Eutychius of Tyana. Gorgonius, Chorepiscopus.

Erothrius of Colonia. Eudromius, Chorepiscopus.

Timotheus of Cybistra. Theophanes.

Armenia Minor, Two.

Eulalius of Sebastia. Euethius of Satala.

Armenia Magna, One. Arustaces. |28

Crete, Four.

... of Diospontum. Elpidius of Comana.

Eutychius of Amasea. Heraclius of Zola.

Pontus Polemoniacus, Three.

Longianus of Neocaesarea. Stratophilus of Pityunta.

Domnus of Trapezunta.

Paphlagené, Three.

Philadelphus of Pompeiopolis. Eutychius of Amastris.

Petronius of Junopolis.

Galatia, Five.

Marcellus of Ancyra. Gorgonius of Cinae.

Dicasius of Tarbia. Philadelphus of Julipolis.

Erichthius of Damaba.

Asia Seven,

Theonas of Cyzicum. Mithres of Hypyrpa.

Menophantus of Ephesus. Marianus of Troas.

Orion of Ilium. Paulus of Anora.

Eutychius of Smyrna.

Lydia, Nine.

Artemidorus of Sardis. Florentius of Ancyra Ferrea.

Seras of Thyatira. Antiochus of Hidron-Caesarea.³⁸

Etoemasius of Philadelphia. Antiochus of Aurelianopolis.

Pollio of Baris. Marcus of Standon.

Agogius of Tripolis.

Phrygia, Fifteen.

Nunechius of Laodicea. Eutychius of Seleucia.

Flaccus of Sanada. Araunius of Limena.

Pistus of Azana. Tarsicus of Apamia.

Athenodorus of Dorylleum. Patricias of Amblada.

Paulus of Apamia. Polycarpus of Metropolis.

Eugenius of Eucarpia. Academius of Papae.

Flacus of Hierapolis. Heracleus of Baris.

Hesychius of Neapolis.

Lycia, Two.

Nicolaus of Myra of Lycia. Eudemus of Patara. |29

Pamphylia, Seven.

Callicles of Perga. Cyntianus of Seleucia.

Euresius of Termissus. Patricius of Mazimianopolis.

Zeuxius of Syarma. Aphrodisius of Magyda.

Domnus of Aspendum.

Islands, Four.

Euphrosynus of Rhodus. Strategius of Lemnus.

Meliphron of Cous. Alitodorus of Cercyra.

Caria, Five.

Eusebius of Antiochia. Letodorus of Cibyra.

Ammonius of Aphrodisias. Eusebius of Miletus.

Eugenius of Appolonias.

Isauria, Seventeen.

Stephanus of Carata. Cyrillus of Oumandra.

Athenaeus of Gorpissus. Theodoras of Ou-Andala.

Edesius of Claudiopolis. Anatolius, Chorepiscopus.

Agapius of Seleucia. Paulus of Laranda.

Silvanus of Metropolis. Cyntus, Chorepiscopus.

Faustus of Panemitichus. Tiberius of Alistra.

Antonius of Antioch. Acylas, Chorepiscopus.

Nestor of Syedra. Eusebius of Paroechia.

Hesychius, Chorepiscopus.

Cyprus, Two.

Cyrillus of Paphus. Gelasius of Salaminé.

Bythinia, Nine.

Eusebius of Nicomedia. Gorgonius of Apollonias.

Theognius of Nicaea. Georgius of Prusias.

Maris of Chalcedon. Euethius of Adriana.

Cyrillus of Cyum. Theophanes, Chorepiscopus.

Hesychius of Prusa.

Europa, One.

Pederos of Heraclia.

Dacia, Two.

Protogenes of Sardica. Marcus of Calabria. |30

Mysia, One.

Pistus of Marcianopolis.

Africa, One.

Caecilianus of Carthage.

Macedonia, One.

Alexander of Thessalonica.

Dardania, One.

Dacus.

Achaia, Two.

Pistus of Athenae. Barsos.³⁹

Byotia, One.

Strategius of Hyphestia.

Thessalia One.

Claudianus of Larissa.

Dardania.

Budius of Stobae.

Pannonia, One.

Domnus.

Gallia, One.

Nicasius Duia.

Gotthia, One.

Theophilus.

Bosphorus, One.

Cadmus.

At the end of the Greek list we read:----

"We have been able to find the names of so many, but of the others we have thus far not found them. And the time of the Synod, as we find in the Annotations, was the consulship of Paulinus and Julianus, on the 20th of the month of May; and this was the 636th year from Alexander King of Macedonia's 19th year. The business of the Synod, then, was accomplished, and it should be known that after the Synod the King set out to the Eastern parts." |31

COPTIC LIST.

Spain, One.

Hosius of the city of Corduba, I believe as above written.

Becon and Ionocentus,⁴⁰ presbyters. We subscribe for our Bishop, who is of Rome; he believes as above written.

Alexander, Archbishop.

Thebais, Fifteen.

Athas of Scethia. Arbetion of Pharboethus.

Adamantus of Coeis. Antiochus of Memphis.

Tiberius of Thmuis. Petrus of Hnes.

Gaius of Panyos. Tyranus of Antinou.

Potamon of Heracleus Throis. Plusianus of Siout.

Dorotheus of Pelusium. Dios of Tkou.

Apoc....... prao.... Arpocrator of Alphocranon.

Philippus of Panephyson.

Libya, Upper and Lower, Six.

Sarapion of Antipurgos. Zopyrus of Bacé.

Dios of Paratonion. Secountus of Ptolmais.

Segentus of Teuchira. Takes of Berenice.

Palestine, Nineteen.

............. Paulus of Maximianopolis.

............. Januarius of Hiericho.

............. Aëtius of Dintia.

....... of Sebasté. Sabinus of Azotus.

Eusebius of Caesarea. Patrophilus of Scythopolis.

Sabinus of Cadara. Asclepas of Gaza.

Longinus of Ascalon. Petrus of Ialon.

Petrus of Nicopolis. Antochus of Gapetulius.

Macrinus of Jamnia. |32

Phoenicia, Twelve.

Zeno of Tyre. Marinus of Palmyron.

Ananias of Ptolmais. Thadoneus of Lazos.

Magnus of Damascus. Anatolius of Emetsa.

Theodorus of Sidon. Philocalus of Panias.

Ellaticus of Tripolis. Synodorus of Antaratos.

Gregorius of Betus. Ballaus of Thersea.

Syria, Superior, Fourteen.

Eustathius of Antochia. Archelaus of Perioche.

Zenobius of Seleucia. Euphrantion of Daneon.

Theodotus of Laodicia. Soilus of Gabalon.

Alphius of Apamia. Phalatus, Chorepiscopus.

Philoxenus of Hierapolis. Bassus of Seucmates.

Salamias of Cermanicus. Sabianus of Heraphantes.

Perperius of Samusata. Cerontius of Larissa.

Syria, Inferior, Nine.

Eustathius of Arethusa. Pigasius of Abogatana.

Paulus of Neocaesarea. Balanus of Carboula.

Siricus of Cyprus. Manicius of Epimia.

Seleucius, Chorepiscopus. Eliconos of Abalas.

Petrus of Cytalu.

Arabia, Six.

Nichomacus of Bostra.............

Cyrion of Philadelphia....... (Bata)neus.

Gennadius....... Dion.........

Mesopotamia, Five.

Ethalas of Edessa. Mereas of Macedonopolis.

Jacobus of Sirinus Joannes Persinus.

Antiochus of Risiané.

Cilicia, Eleven.

Theodorus of Tarsus. Mouses of Cataballa.

Amphion of Epiphania. Nicetes of Flavianus.

Narcissus of Erotanus. Eudumon, Chorepiscopus. |33

Paulinus of Adana...........

Macedo...... Narcissus... en... polis.

Cappadocia, Eight.

Leontius of Caesarea. Stephanus, Chorepiscopus.

Eutychianus of Teana. Rodon, Chorepiscopus.

Erithrius of Collania. Gorgonius, Chorepiscopus.

Timotheus of Comana. Paulus of Spania.

Armenia Major, Four.

Eularius of Sebastia. Eucromius, Chorepiscopus.

Euetheius of Sadola. Theophanes, Chorepiscopus.

Armenia Alter, Two.

Arirteus of Armenia. Arices of Armenia.

Pontus, Three.

Eutychianus of Amasia. Heraclius of Sela.

Eurerius of Comana.

Pontus Polemoniacus, Three.

Longinus of Neocaesaria. Stratolius of Piteous.

Domnus of Trapezunta.

Pamphlogonia, Two.⁴¹

Philadelphius of Pompeiopolis. Eutychius of Amastria.

Galatia, Five.

Pancharius of Ancyra. Corconius of Cinae.

Dicasius of Tauias. Philadelphius of Heliopolis.

Erechthius of Tmausont.

Asia, Six.

Theonas of Cysicus. Eutychius of Smyrna.

Theophantus of Ephesus. Methres of Iemptsa.

Orion of Eli.... Macarius of Elion.

Lydia, Eight.

Artemetorus of Sardis. Acogius of Tripolis,

Sarapas of Thyadira. Brontius of Ancyra.

Ebdomasius of Philadelphia. Antochus of Aulilianopolis.

Pollio of Baris. Marcus of Tanton. |34

Phrygia, Seven.

Nunechius of Laodicea. Athenasotorus of Merineus.

Flaccus of Synanta...........

Procopius of Sanata...........

Pistus of Ozana.

Pisidia, Twelve.

......... of Iconium. Patricius of Alateus.

Telemachus of Atrianopolis. Agathumius of Amordiané.

Hesychius of Neapolis. Polycarpus of Metropolis.

Eutychius of Sicion. Acatemius of Pampa.

Ouranius of Limena. Heraclius of Beresia.

Taracius of Apamia. Theodoras of Ousin.

Lycia, Two.

Adon of Lycia. Eudemus of Patara.

Pamphylia, Seven.

Reliqua desunt.

COUNCIL OF CONSTANTINOPLE.⁴²

Extract on Synod of Constantinople from MS., No. 14528.

"Four Canons of the Synod of Constantinople. In the 9th year of the government of Eucherius and Evagrius, in the month Ab, of the year 429 of the reckoning of the Antiochians.

"The Bishops which, by the grace of God, met in Constantinople from various provinces at the summons of the lover of God, Theodosius, determined.

"These definitions were made of the 150 Bishops who met in Constantinople, at the xeirotonia of Nectarius, the Bishop."

The 4 Canons follow, and then the list of subscribers.

"And subscribed:----Nectarius, Bishop of Constantinople." |35

Of Egypt, Two.

Timothy of Alexandria. Dorotheus of Oxyrhyncus.

Of Palestine, Eight.

Cyril of Jerusalem.

Galasius of Caesarea [Mansi Thalassius. Gelasius].

Macarius of Jericho [Mansi, Macer].

Dionysius of Diospolis [Lydda].

Saturnilus of Sebastia [Samaria].

Rufus of Beishan [Scythopolis. Mansi Nicopolis].

Auxentius of Ascalon.

Alianus of Jamnia [Jabne].

Of Phoenicia, Nine.

Zeno of Tyre.

Paul of Sidon.

Nectabus of Accho [Mansi, Ptolemais].

Philip of Damascus.

Barchus of Panydos [Paneas; Caesarea-Philippi; Mansi, Pancadus].

Timothy of Berytus.

Basilides of Biblos [Byblos].

Mucimus of Arada [Aradus].

Alexander of Arca [Arce].

Of Coele Syria, Fourteen.

Meletius of Antioch.

Pelagius of Laodicea.

Acacius of Haleb [Aleppo, Mansi, Beraea].

John of Apamea.

Binus of Seleucia [Mansi, Bizus].

Eusebius of Hamath [Mansi, Epiphanea].

Marcianus of Seleucobolis [Seleucobelus. Mansi, Seleucopolis].

Patrophilus of Shizar [Mansi, Larissa].

Severus of Paltos [Boldo? Mansi. Patra]. |36

Flavian and Helpid, Presbyters of Antioch.

Eusebius of Kenneshrin [Sobo. Mansi, Chalcidensis].

Domnianus of Gabbala.

Basilianus of Eaphanon.

Of Arabia, Five.

Agapius of Bozrah [Mansi, Agapius Bagadius].

Helpidius of Dionysiados [Dionysias].

Uranius of Adrados.

Chilon of Constantinos.

Severus of Neaspolis.

Of Osrhoene, Three.

Eulogius of Urhi [Edessa].

Vitus of Haran [Carrae].

Abraham of Batnon [Batne].

Of Mesopotamia, Three.

Mara of Amid [Mareas].

Bathi of Tela.

Jobina of Amarios.

Of Auguste Euphratia, Five.

Theodotus of Mabug [Mansi, Hierapolis].

Antiochus of Samosat.

Isidorus of Cyrus [Mansi, Suriensis, etc].

Jovinus of Paran.

Mares of Dalic [Doliche].

Of Cilicia, Eight.

Diodorus of Tarsus.

Corycus of Adana.

Hysichius of Epiphania.

Germanus of Corcos [Corycus].

Aeres of Zopyrus [Zephyrium].

Philomosus of Pompeiopolis.

Olympius of Mompseste [Mopsuestia].

Theophilus of Alexandria by Olympius, a presbyter. |37

Of Cappadocia, Six.

Elladius of Caesarea.

Gregorius of Nysa.

Etherius of Tyana.

Bosphorus of Colonia.

Olympius of Parnassus.

Gregorius of Anzianzi [Nazianzum].

Of Armenia the Little, Two.

Eutherius of Melitene [Malatia].

Eutherius of Arabissus.

Of Isauria, Eleven ⁶⁵.

Symposius of Seleucia.

Montius of Claudiopolis by Paul, a Presbyter.

Philotheus of Irenopolis.

Hypsistes of Philadelphia.

Musonius of Calendaris.

Marianus of Dalisanda.

Theodosius of Antioch.

Artemius of Titiopolis.

Neon of Selinuntos [Selinus].

Montanus of Diocaesarea.

Eusebius of Olbius.

Of Cyprus, Four.

Helios of Paphos [Mansi, Julius].

Theoporphus of Triminthuntis [Trimethunton. Mansi, Theophilus].

Tychon of Tmessus [Tamassus].

Menemius of Citius [Citium].

Of Pamphylia, Ten.

Tryaeus of Egnon [Mansi, Troilus: Lagania].

Gaius of Lerba [Lyrba].

Longinus of Columbarsus [Colybrasus].

Theodulus of Corcasus [Coracesion]. |38

Hysychius of Catana.

Teuxianas of Ceson [Mansi, Cassa].

Midos of Panemus.

Heraclidus of Teichon.

Theodulus of Seilon [Sylloeum?]

Pamenius of Ariasus.

Of Lycaonia, Thirteen.

Amphilochius of Iconium.

Cyril of Eumenadon [Mansi, Manada or Omonada].

Aristophanes of Sopatra [Sabatra].

Paulus of Lystra.

Ainazus of Corinon [Mansi, Inzus].

Darius of Mistra [Misthia].

Leontius of Parton [Barate].

Theodosius of Hydé.

Eustratius of Canon [Canna?]

Daphnos of Derbé.

Eugenius of Prusalon [Passala?].

Elurius of Isaura.

Severus of Amblada.

Of Pisidia, Twenty-four.

Optimus of Antioch.

Theuristius of Adrianopolis.

Attilus of Parastion.

Ananius of Adadon.

Postus of Limenon [Almenia].

Joninus of Salagason [Sagalassus].

Callinicus of Pomnadon [Pomanda?]

Eustathius of Metropolis.

Patricius of Perason [Baris].

Lycius of Neaspolis.

Lolianus of Sozopolis by Simplicius, a Presbyter.

Tyraeus, a presbyter of Amorion.

Euxenos a Presbyter of Apamea. |39

Helladius a Presbyter of Cynaeon.

Theosebius of Philomenon [Philomela?] by Basa a Presbyter.

Titiaeus of Myron.

Pionius of Comatos.

Eudemius of Patara.

Patricius of Eunoanadon [Mansi, Oenoanda].

Lupicianus of Dimoron [Mansi, Lymira].

Macedon of Casandon [Mansi, Xanthon].

Romanus of Pesalidos.

Hermaeus of Bubonan [Pappa, or Bubod of Lycia, Mansi Bubute, all doubtful].

Tyantinus of Araxus [Mansi, Theantimus, Araxa].

Of Phrygia Salutaria, Two.

Vitus of Prymnasus [Primnessus].

Euxenianus of Eucarpius.

Of Phrygia, Pacatiana, Two.

Nectarius of Aphias [Apia].

Theodoras of Eumenius. by Propatoros [Mansi, Profuturus], a Presbyter.

Of Caria, Two.

Eudocius of Aphrodisiados.

Leontius of Citharon [Mansi, Cibyra].

Of Bithynia, Five.

Euphronius of Nicomedia.

Dorotheus of Nicea.

Olympius of Neocaesarea.

Theodulus of Chalcedon.

Eustathius of Prusas.

Of Pontus Amasea, One.

Pansophius of Hiboron [Mansi, Iberorum, of the Iberi].

Of Elysia, One.

Martyrius of Marcianopolis.

Of Scythia, Three.

Ternatius of Tomaeon. |40

Etherius of Carsadisus [Mansi, Chersonnesus].

Sebastianus of Anchialon.

Of Spain, One.

Agrius of Hemimonton [Mansi, Immomonton, etc.]

Of Pont us Polemicus, One.

Atrabius by Aquilimus, a Lector [Mansi, Atarbius by Cylus].

Which are in all 135, and 11 who signed by others.

The list contains 146 names of subscribers.

COUNCILS OF ANTIOCH, ANCYRA, ETC.

The following items are not without interest. The creed of Antioch is not from the same manuscript as the lists of subscribers at Ancyra, Caesarea, Gangra, Laodicea, and Antioch, which are from No. 14,528, and are printed here for comparison with the Nicene Catalogue of Fathers:

Confession of Faith of the first Council of Antioch, A.D. 251.

Confession of Faith of the Synod which assembled at Antioch in the days of Gallienus the king, the heads of which were Dionysius of Rome and Dionysius of Alexandria; there was also at it Gregory the miracle-worker.

"We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ, who was of God and the Father, who was begotten before the worlds of the Spirit, but in the end of days, was born of a virgin in the flesh, is one compound person of heavenly Deity and human flesh; and also in this, that he is man, wholly God and wholly man; wholly God and with a body, but not in this, that the flesh is God; and wholly man, and with man, and with Deity, but not in this, that the Deity is man. So also wholly to be worshipped, and with the body; but not in this, that the body is to be worshipped: wholly to be worshipped, and with the Deity, but not in this, that the Deity is to be |41 worshipped; wholly increate and with a body, but not in this, that the body is increate; wholly made and with the Deity, but not in this, that the Deity is made; wholly co-essential with God, and with the body, but not in this, that the body is co-essential with God, as not in this, that God is co-essential with man, though with Deity in the flesh He is co-essential with us. For also when we say that He being in the Spirit is a partaker of the nature of God, we say not that He in the spirit is a partaker of the nature of man. And again, when we declare Him in the flesh a partaker of the nature of man, we declare him not in the flesh a partaker of the nature of God. For as in the spirit he is not con-natural with us; because he is herein co-essential with God: so in the flesh he is not con-natural with God, because he is partaker of our nature. Now these things we correct and approve, not the dividing of one person indivisible, but the unconfused peculiar confession of the flesh and of the Deity." ⁴³

BISHOPS WHO WERE ASSEMBLED AT THE SYNOD OF ANCYRA.

Vitalius of Antioch of Syria.

Marcellus of Ancyra, Galatia.*

Agricolas of Caesarea, Cappadocia.

Lupus of Tarsus of Cilicia.

Basilius of Amas grmn Major (i. e. Amasea, of Armenia Major).

Philadelphus of Loliopolis of Galatia.* (Loliopolis is called Juliopolis in the Nicene List.)

Eusiteles of Nicomedia of Bithynia.

Heraclius of Zela of Armenia Major.*

Peter of Iconium.

Nunechius of Laodicea of Phrygia.*

Sergianus of Antioch of Pisidia.

Epidaurus of Perga of Pamphylia.

Narcissus of Neronias.*

* Names with an asterisk are also in the Nicene list. |42

THOSE WHO WERE AT CAESAREA (i.e. Neocaesarea, as it is called afterwards.)

Vitalitis of Antioch. Longinus.*

Sanctus. Germanus.*

Lupus of Tarsus. Heraclius of Zela.*

Valentinus. Gerontius.*

Leontius.* Amphion.*

Narcissus of Neronias.* Stephanus.*

Basilius of Amasea. Saadus.

Dicasius.* Salaminius.

Gregorius.* Erythraeus.*

Alphius (comp. Ulpius.)* Leontius.*

THOSE WHO WERE AT GANGRA.

Eusebius.* Eulalius.*

Aelianus. Hypatius.

Eugenius.* Bassus.*

Olympius. Proaeresius.

Bithynicus. Eugenius.*

Gregorius.* Heraclius.*

Philetus. Basilius.

Pappus.

THOSE WHO WERE AT LAODICEA.⁴⁴ (The commencement of this list is lost.)

Of Palestine. Magnus of Damascus* of Phoenicia.

Moses of Castabala* of Cilicia.

Manicius of Hamath of Syria.* Aeneas of Accho of Phoenicia.*

Patricius.

Aetherius. Anatolius of Emesa* of Phoenicia.

Jacob of Nisibis of Syria.*

Agapius of Seleucia* of Isauria. Macedon of Mopsuestia* of Cilicia. |43

Peter of Gindara of Syria.* Of Phoenicia.

Corion (⁶⁶) of Philadelphia.* Of Palestine.

Theodotus,* Of Arabia.

(Theodotus?) Of Mesopotamia.

Of various provinces: Of Cilicia.

Of Coele Syria. Of Isauria.

THOSE WHO WERE AT ANTIOCH.

Eusebius. (⁶⁷)* Hesychius.*

Theodorus. Manicius.*

Theodoras.* Theodotus.*

Nicetas.* Musaeus.

Macedonius.* Mucianus.

Anatolius.* Magnus.*

Taracondamantus.* Agapius.*

Aetherius.* Archelaus.*

Alphaeus (comp. Ulpius). Bassus.*

Mauricius. Siricius.*

FRAGMENT: CONTAINING EXTRACTS FROM GREEK AUTHORS. 14618, fol. 25 b. etc.⁴⁵

Statement of Philosophers concerning the soul.

Plato says:

"The life of the soul consists in the actions of the soul when they are kept from wrong, so that nothing should attach to them which can slay it (the life): for, except it slayeth itself, there is nothing that can slay it, because it is elevated and above the body, and is among spiritual things; neither can that death which ruleth the body see it, for it is conceived by it."

Theophrastus says:

"Very powerful is the soul, and weakness approaches it |44 not, except by its voluntary carelessness, and except it be willing, nor are its treasures exhausted when its riches fail; nor is its life consumed, nor do its times fail, for it is not transitory, nor dissoluble, and it is exalted above the earth, and not very far from heaven."

Mendarus (i.e. Menander) says:

"Whenever the soul is free, honour is from it, and it hateth those properties which impede it. The tongue sufficeth not to open and give room to the utterances of its pure fountains of the words of its wisdom, for it giveth and lacketh not, and enricheth and groweth not poor, and maketh wise the ignorant, and magnifieth the small: and the more it giveth of its own it goes on increasing, and becomes richer and greater."

Critus (Crito? ) says:

"The soul in everything is famous; and after its cursory life, the death of the body is far from it, and approacheth it not, because it considereth and seeketh what is above death, and death cannot come unto it, and therefore they are in pain when separated from one another for a time."

Timachus (?) says:

"He that settleth his mind, that to nothing will he be persuaded, even if many wise, and writers, and scientific, and doctors, set themselves to persuade him, he is not persuaded, because he is persuaded of this only----that he will not be persuaded by man; and as for them they become children unto him. He also becomes unto them a stranger. Because of its imperfect utterance, and not because it is not persuasive does wisdom perish to itself; for it perishes from him, and he doth not perish from it."

Theocrides (Theocritus?) says:

Very beautiful is this, that when man is grand in his body, and holy in his person, he should have to come to the labour of discipline and of learning, that his mind may become unoccupied with odious thoughts, which hinder and disturb |45 instruction. And their words become illustrious when they spring from them as pleasant drink from a fountain which is not troubled. For the desire of woman and the lust of wealth are the treasures of want to fools and the stores of sins to adulterers."

Eusalus (?) says:

"Men who know that they are mortal, to (supply) the need of food, are compelled to labour for gold, which has an appearance of yellow, and also causes its owners to possess its colour in the time of their death, and they leave it here, and it cannot enter Hades with them."

Alexander the King:

"He had taken captive the daughters of Darius. Now they were of surpassing beauty; and when it was told him of them, he would not even consent to see them, saying:----

" 'It is odious in warlike men to be set on fire by women whom they have taken captive; for as fire burns him that touches it, so beauty inflames its beholders with lust.'

"Now this man's action agreed with our precept, that he who sees a woman and lusts after her, has committed adultery with her in his heart. For even if he is restrained from the commission of adultery, and shall be delivered from the guilt, he cannot be free from having desired her in his mind. Now the end of the study of all those whom we mention, was their stability in the nights of their patience (?). Let us see, therefore, how they magnified the soul by their words----these famous ones in wisdom----when they said it was superior to death, and were anxious that a man should not neglect the life of the soul, and were wishful that we should abandon the uncertain hindrances of this world, and they taught that we should not be negligent of comely behaviour.

"Let us, therefore, consider that the race of man is of few days and of little joy; that all their quiet and all their happiness is for a short time and a few days, and their flower as |46 the grass which flourishes, and as the herb of the field which fadeth away. Therefore the true and special care of men----that is, if they are willing----is to regard what is above, and not upon the earth, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Let us, therefore, have our thought above; for, as when we rely upon what is beautiful in appearance, so shall our conversation be in this world; and let us fix our mind in heaven, wherein is our true place, and wherein is the upper Jerusalem, as the renowned of the men of our race have written, who are blessed of God."

End. The discourse of the Philosophers. Glory to the Trinity. Amen.⁴⁶

Pindarus says:

"I wonder at the race of men, who, when they abhor odious things in words, run after them in deeds; and when they love things beautiful, flee from them as from things hateful; and it is not known how we may look on examples (?) and not resemble them; for they love what they hate and hate what they love; and that odious things are regarded as beautiful by those who hate them, and beautiful things as odious things by those who do them not.

Aristippus says:

"We greatly love victory in words without deeds, and this is condemnation and not victory, for who can give victory to him that is fallen? and that showeth the back in battle? or who can withhold victory from the warrior who dies upon his horse in the fight? For not by words is the victory, as the poor is not rich by words but by wealth."

Cartus (Critus?) says:

"Whatever a man loves, to himself the profit is great, even if there is loss, and what he loveth not, to himself there is loss, even if there is abundance. Now who can proceed among troubled thoughts? for the disturbed fluctuate, and |47 the pure mind can direct its gaze to the haven of rest in which the shattered ships repose."

End. The Precept of Plato to his disciple.

For what is difficult in thy sight, O Caria, thee, my son, I command, that even when thou sleepest thou shouldst not cease from enquiring.

The disciple says:

"And how shall this be, for when I sleep I am like one dead; how shall I enquire when I sleep?"

The master says:

"Give thy soul good and temperate habits in its acting, and concentrate (?) it by enquiry and its communion with knowledge, and occupy it with noble thoughts, and exercise (?) it in the understanding of the word of wisdom; and thou shalt not cause it to cease from thinking of the beautiful, and thou shalt cause it to run again after fair enquiry, and urge it to be full of the discoveries of wisdom, so that when thou fallest to rest, thy understanding may be occupied (?) in the good works of waking, and in thy sleep the sweet odour shall exhale within thy understanding, and thy tongue (?) shall utter a voice from the voice of the meditation of thy waking, so that thou shalt know how great is its power of investigation, that even when the body sinks, good habits prevail above it. Arouse thy senses, and say to thyself, that if thou wilt do what I say to thee, thou shalt not be like them that sleep: for from the oblivion which enters by sleep, behold thy heart is free through the noble thoughts of thy waking; and thou art not like the dead, in that thou art not without the motion of thoughts, and thou art different (?) from wakers, because if thou dost not move, there is no action, and that which thy heart devises in thy sleep thou canst not do.

"Faith is that thou affirm what is when thou hearest of it, before thou see it.

"God is, what is not changed, and is always. |48

"Love is affection unsatisfied, and in trials is free in that which is loved, and in prosperity burns with that which is desired.

"Righteousness is the beauty which a man shows to his yokefellow.

"Equity is the mind which awards his own to every man, and as to itself so to every man uses discretion."

End.

DIOCLES.----No. 12152.⁴⁷

The writing of Diocles the wise.

"Now there was after the division of tongues in the days of Peleg, a certain man of the sons of Japhet, and he was called Ag'ur (Agenor). This man went up from the east and came and dwelt on the sea shore, and built a city and called the name of it Ge'ur, which, in the Syrian tongue, is called Tyre. And he had three sons, Syrus his first born, Cylicus his second, and Punicus his third. Now Geur, their father, reigned in Tyre 13 years, and when he died he divided the land for his sons, and gave to Punicus, Phœnicia, and to Cylicus, he gave Cilicia, and to Syrus he gave Syria.

"And in the time of Punicus was Heracles, a wise man, and a mighty man of strength, for he was a mighty man (or giant). He was amusing himself upon the sea-shore of Tyre, and saw a certain shepherd's dog which had caught a shellfish of the sea, called Conchylium, and was eating it, and the mouth of the dog was dyed with the blood of the shellfish. And Heracles called to him the shepherd of the flock and told him about the dog, and the shepherd at once brought wool and wiped the mouth of the dog with it. And the shepherd made for himself of the wool a wreath and put it on his head. And when the sun shone upon it Heracles saw the |49 wreath of wool that it was very splendid, and was astonished at its beauty, and he took the wreath from the shepherd.

"And another day Heracles took the shepherd and the dog, and went to the sea shore, and the dog saw a certain shellfish as he went along, and the dog ran and caught it, and Heracles snatched the shellfish from his mouth, and sent the shepherd to go to his flock. And Heracles walked all day upon the sea shore, and as soon as one of these shellfish came out of the sea, he ran and caught it quickly, and he collected 30 of them, and boiled them over the fire, and dyed white wool with their blood. And he gave it to a certain woman and she made him a robe of it, and he took and brought the garment to Punicus, King of Tyre, and when he saw it he marvelled at its beauty, and commanded that no other man should wear it, except the King alone. Moreover, he gave to Heracles authority to command for him, and wrote that he was the Father of the Kingdom. And this Heracles taught the dyeing of all beautiful colours, and showed and taught men how pearls go up from the sea.

In those days there was a man in the west country and his name was Romias, and he was a mighty man of strength; and in his days there was in the province of Cilicia a certain virgin beautiful of countenance, and she was made a priestess in the temple of Mars (Ares) the God. And when Romias beheld her, he longed for her, and went in unto her, and she conceived by him: and when she perceived that she had conceived by him she was in great fear, and kept herself, lest the priests of Ares the God should be enraged with her and slay her. And when she produced twins, their father took them and gave them to a certain woman, and she reared them. And when the children grew up and became men, their father gave them names, to the one Romlaus and to the other Romus, and they built the city of Rome and [ruled] it, and all their subjects they called Romans, after the name of their |50 father: and for this cause are the sons of Rome called Romans. And they built the Capitol, which is interpreted Head of the City, and it was one of the wonders of the whole earth. And they brought a great image, which was in Hylas, and went up and set it on the top of the Capitol, and it was a great wonder, the like of which was not in the earth. And they built the great demosion which is in Athens, and the Philosophers call it the demosion of Wisdom.

And there happened a quarrel between the two brothers, and Armelaus arose and slew Romus, his brother; and at once the city began to quake. And when the sons of Rome saw that their city quaked, they feared with great fear, and all its inhabitants sought to flee from it. And when Romulus saw that the sons of Rome were in commotion, he entered the temple of the goddess Pythonia, asking her to reveal to him why the city trembled; and she replied, "Because thou didst murder thy brother the city trembles and laments, for he built it with thee, and it will not cease quaking till it sees thy brother sit with thee on the throne of the kingdom, and command, and write, and summon with thee as before." And when this saying was heard in all the city, they met to stone Romlaus with stones, because he slew his brother. And he fled from them and went up to Athens; and when Punitus, the philosopher, heard it, he came and heard the words of Romlaus, and he promised him that if he would write Athens free, that the King of the Romans had no authority over it, he would go to Rome and pacify the sons of the city and their forces. And he confirmed this covenant which he made with him. And Punitus went to Rome, and talked with them, and said to them, "If ye receive your king in peace, this trembling will at once cease from your city, and it will quake no more; but if ye will not receive him, all your city will be destroyed." And at once the sons of Rome all met, and went up after their king to Athens, and when they arrived and came |51 and reached Rome all the city went out to meet him. And they answered and said to him, "If thou knowest that at thy entering our city the quaking will cease from it, come, enter with pomp and glory, and sit on the throne of thy kingdom; but if the trembling does not cease from us, thou shalt not enter." Now he promised them that the quaking should cease from the city. And this philosopher made an image of gold, like his brother, and set it with him upon the throne of his kingdom, and bade them that everything should be done and written as from the mouth of both of them. And they did so, and at once the trembling ceased from their city, and this quaking ceased by the wisdom of this man, and its inhabitants were at peace with their king. Hence the Romans took for a custom to write and command, "We say," "We command." And from that time Athens received its freedom, that the king had no authority over it, to do in it anything by force.

And this Romulus introduced equestrian representations (?) of pleasure, and he introduced gladiators (?) (martios), and he first introduced Veneti and Prasii, because he was afraid of the sons [of the Romans that] they might kill him as he had killed his brother. He first set up two men who were hostile to one another, one from the Veneti and one from the Prasii, and said, 'If the Veneti conspire against me, the Prasii will inform me: and if the Prasii conspire against me, the Veneti will let me know.' He [therefore set] two men before [an assembly] of the city as for pleasure, and clothed one in the Venetian clothing of the sea (i.e. blue) and the other in clothing of Prasian (i.e. green) like the grass of the earth. And he said if the one clothed in Venetian (blue) conquers, the sea will be quiet and the barbarians will not enter and get authority in the islands of the sea, because those who dwell in the sea gain the victory and those who dwell on the dry land are conquered. But if he that is clothed in Prasian (green) conquers, those who dwell in the dry land conquer and defeat |52 those who dwell in the water. And as soon as these two men come together to fight one with another, those who dwelt in the sea prayed that the Venetian might conquer; and those who dwelt on the land, that the Prasian might conquer. And from that time till now there have been these two factions of the kingdom of the Romans, the Venetian and the Prasian.

And Armelaus instituted the Brumalia, because he was a man fond of teaching, and fond of amusement, and fond of youth. And he commanded that, in the days of winter, men should invite one another, and many meeting together with one, and eating and drinking, should take their pleasure. And he ordered that every one of the letters of the alphabet should go in one after another, and every one of them should be invited on its day. And they called them Brumalia, which is interpreted in the Greek tongue, 'let us eat and drink what is others' (a)llotriofa&goi) that is 'for nothing' (gratis).

"And [he instituted the] rank of nobility at Rome: and gave the free born great honour of position and authority, that they might command and be obeyed. And he appointed that there should be heralds in the kingdom of the Romans, ----that is, that there should be ministers in the palace. And he sent to Athens and brought thence Gelasus, and Lathrus, the Philosophers, and he made for them an organ, that they might be amused with sweet sounds. And Armelaus instituted the stadium, and commanded that when the sons of Rome fought at the Capitol, children should be let down by a rope from the top of the Capitol, sitting upon a wheel, and holding out a crown for the kingdom (? to the victor, or a kingly crown), as came down to Nimrod the mighty man a crown, and that the kings should give gifts to these children when they returned and went up. Moreover, he appointed that the Romans should receive spoils (capta), in order that they might be supported all winter; and that in summer they might go forth to war against their enemies. |53

And he appointed and instituted augurs to convey and bring the response to (of) the Molosii from the hosts. Now the day on which the Romans go forth to war, they call Mars (Martius) which signifies victory. And [Armelaus] made and established at Rome great wonders, and various undertakings, and fair laws, and righteous ordinances. There was not among all the Romans a man who excelled in all knowledge and wisdom like him, or that more honoured those who have understanding. Therefore he was rich in his intellect, so that by its appearance and speech he would discern the evil from the good, and the false from the true........

EXTRACTS FROM CHRISTIAN AUTHORS.

IGNATIUS.----14533, fol. 33.⁴⁸

Now Ignatius, who was in truth God-clad (Theophorus) and Martyr, who saw mysteries unutterable, that is to say by any other man, as also he signifies and says of himself, and apprehended with a humble mind.

"For I also, not by this that I am bound, can understand heavenly things, and angelic positions, and the ranks of principalities, visible and invisible: therefore, behold, I am a disciple."

When he wrote to those in Magnesia, he said thus:

"For the divine prophets lived in Jesus Christ. Therefore, also, they were persecuted, for by his grace they were inspired, that they might be persuaded who were not persuaded that there is one God who revealed himself through Jesus Christ his son."

And after a little:----

"How can we live apart from him, whom also the prophets being his disciples in the Spirit, expected as a teacher? And, |54 therefore, he whom they righteously expected, when he came, raised them from the dead."

"Thou seest that they, who like the prophets, lived in Jesus Christ, that is in righteousness (were) pious doers, through the descent of our Redeemer to Sheol were profited, many of whose bodies arose and appeared for the confirmation only of the power of Him that descended to the lowest places of the earth as I said, and it was not the reward of the resurrection which is promised to all together in the day of righteous recompense."

And after other things:

"For on this account, also, was he preached to the dead also, that they might be judged, indeed, in the flesh as men, but live in God in the spirit. For not to the righteous but to sinners especially, and to those who went down in transgression was the Gospel preached, that they might judge themselves, pronouncing sentence upon their own soul humanly, and judging the flesh, and by the words of repentance subjugating and delivering their soul from the divine judgment, because, also, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. In order that they might be judged, indeed, in the flesh as men; now this is as a man when he spares his soul, will judge himself: but they shall live in God in the Spirit."

Of the same, from the Epistle to Anastasia, a Deaconness, of which the beginning is:"Because thou walkest in the way of righteousness.

"Then, that we should suppose that those who arose then at the time of our Redeemer's crucifixion, remained until this day, the saying of the Gospel does not permit, indicating plainly that they went to the Holy city, and appeared unto many. For this, that they appeared, showeth plainly an appearance for a certain time, for the belief, as we said, of the power of our Redeemer who broke the gates of brass and the |55 invincible bars of iron, of those which are beneath the earth. When, therefore, they had showed themselves who arose, again they laid down the bodies, and returned to their places, awaiting that resurrection which is common, and expected by every man."

BARDESANES.----14,658.⁴⁹

Names of the Molossi (Signs of the Zodiac) according to Bardesanes.

1 The Lamb 7 The Balance.

2 The Bull. 8 The Scorpion.

3 The two Images. 9 The Great Image.

4 The Crab. 10 The Goat,

5 The Lion. 11 The Bucket.

6 The Ear of Corn. 12 The Fishes.

HIPPOLYTUS.⁵⁰

Of Hippolytus, Bishop and Martyr, from the Discourse upon the Resurrection to Mammea, the Queen: she was the mother of Alexander, who was at that time Emperor of the Romans.

"The origin of the heresy of the Nicolaitans. Now this was Nicolas, one of those deacons who were chosen at the beginning, as he makes known in the Acts. This man first introduced this way, being moved by a strange spirit, saying that there had been a resurrection to him, for he thought this, that the resurrection was that we should believe in Christ, and be washed, but he denied a resurrection of the flesh. Since from him many took occasion, heresies they set up, but especially arose from them those who are called Gnostics, of whom were Hymenaeus and Philetus, concerning whom the Apostle wrote, saying: 'They say that the resurrection has already happened, and overthrow the faith of many.' " |56

And after a little:

"Now, when there was great commotion, and abundance of dissensions at Corinth, at that time the Apostle was himself troubled, being anxious to return an answer to those who brought in false knowledge, and called in question the resurrection of the flesh; or to those who introduced the practice of the law, and wished to exclude the grace which is in Christ, which abounded among the Gentiles. And again, 'because we have the treasure in an earthen vessel, that the greatness of the power may be of God, and not from us.' "

And again:

"Now, what is our mortal flesh but those vessels before named, wherein, while the treasure of incorruptibility is deposited, it also makes incorruptible [ones for] the body, when (there is) faith in Christ, whom God raised from the dead when he became the first fruits of all, the flesh of our resurrection."

CLEMENS ROMANUS.⁵¹

For holy Clement, Bishop of Rome, and a disciple of the Apostles, teacheth in the Epistle to the Corinthians thus:

"Who is among you therefore that is strong? Who is compassionate and full of love, let him say, 'If because of me there is disturbance, and contention, and schism, I will go whither ye wish, and I will do what is commanded of many, only let the flock of Christ have peace with the elders who preside over it.'

"[If, therefore, Paul is compassionate, and is a possessor of love, since on his account only there is disturbance, let him do what is commanded of many, according to the determination of this man and elder; and let him cease from this, that he should be chief, even if they be unwilling who adhere to him.] |57

Of holy Clement, chief of the Bishops, (Archbishop) of Rome, and martyr, concerning whom, says Eusebius, in the third of the Ecclesiastical Histories, that he was after Anacletus, who was after Linus, who was Bishop there. Now Linus was Bishop of Rome after Peter, chief of the Apostles.

From the second Epistle to the Corinthians, of which the beginning is---- "My brethren, thus it behoveth us to think of Christ Jesus as of God, as of the Judge of the living and the dead.

"And let no man of you say that this flesh is not to be judged and not to rise. Know ye wherein ye are redeemed, wherein ye live, if it is not while ye are in this flesh? Therefore it behoveth you, that as the temple of God ye should guard the flesh. For as while ye are in the flesh ye were called, also in the body shall ye come. If Christ is the Lord, who redeemed us, who was at first indeed Spirit, but became flesh, and so called us, so we also in this flesh shall receive a reward."

CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS.⁵²

What heresy is. Of Clemens Stromateus, The end of the eighth book.

"Heresy is a turning aside in doctrine, or, according to some, a turning aside in many doctrines, which adheres to one after another, and restrains those which seem to tend to this, that one may live well. Doctrine, indeed, is a certain rational apprehension, but apprehension is a habit and consent of the mind. Not only the ephectics (sceptics), but every man of doctrine, is wont to make some reserve, either through weakness of mind, or through the obscurity of the fact, or through the equal force of arguments."

ORIGEN.----12154, fol. 33 b.⁵³

Another Scholium, by Origen.

"It is necessary to enquire why the Psalms are 150. |58 Because the number 50 is sacerdotal in the number of days And this is known from Pentecost, which is very famous, showing a cessation of labours, and rest and joy. And, therefore, we are commanded in these days not to fast nor to kneel. For of this it was a type and shadow also in the law again, that at that time the people of the sons of Israel kept a festival. Moreover, in the years of what is called the Jubilee among the Hebrews, this number of 50 was very great and excellent, wherein they had seven times seven, and wherein was a freedom of servants and remission of debts, and rest of the land from tillage, and the restoration of lands and fields and houses and other things, which had happened to be sold by their owners through some worldly want. The holy Gospel also makes known a remission of fifty, and a like number in the number to this and resembling it; now I mean 500, for not for nothing was remission given of 50 pence and of 500. Thus, therefore, God's praises, which were for the rebuke of enemies and the reception of grace, which is to the helpers of God, it behoves thee to hold, not in one number of fifty but three, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Now the holding of one number of fifty and of seven times seven, as we read, and a week of weeks, and also the beginning, which is after perfect weeks, is the number of eight, which showeth truly the new rest after the end of the world and the resurrection."

End.

DIONYSIUS ALEXANDRINUS.⁵⁴

As holy Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, commanded in an epistle to Novatus, for since he said, "Not by my will are men divided," he wrote to him thus:

"If, as thou sayest, thou hast not come to this by thy own will, show that thou removest of thy own accord, for it |59 behoves thee to bear everything for this, that the Church of God should not be divided. And this martyrdom, that a man will not divide the church, is not less honour to him than that a man will not worship idols; but, as I say, it is even greater than that, for he is a martyr for himself. But now if thou persuadest and constrainest thy brethren to come to unanimity, thy victory is greater than thy sin, and that sin is not to be condemned, but this victory to be praised. But if thou canst not persuade them, deliver thy own soul."

[Therefore by all means it behoveth Paul to cease from this, that he should be chief, that the Church of God may not be rent because of him; and should restrain those who follow him, that they may not be schismatic, because it is a greater evil than any evil for the church to be divided].

JOHN OF JERUSALEM.⁵⁵

Of holy John, Bishop of Jerusalem, in whose days was found the body of Stephen the Martyr.

"Now those who say that when he was scourged with whips, he was not in pain, or that when he was crucified he did not suffer, while the nails were fastened in him, as heretics we anathematise. Now we acknowledge that he truly suffered for our sins, and that his body was buried when it was without the soul, and that he arose truly from the dead the third day, and after the resurrection ate and drank together with his disciples truly and not in appearance only, and that he ascended to heaven, and is about to come at the end of the world, to judge the living and the dead; and that he will raise all the race of men from the dead, who will have the same nature of bodies, wherein when they died they were buried: but it is manifest that [they will be] incorruptible, as his own body was when he rose from the dead." |60

METHODIUS.⁵⁶

Of holy Methodius.

For a resurrection is spoken of that which falls and rises again, and not of that which falleth not.⁶⁸

EUSTATHIUS.⁵⁷

From the Epistle, "a multitude of ranks."

For Eustathius, who was the pious pastor of Antioch, in the discourse against Photinus, that is to say Murinus, when he had before showed, that the Person of the Word is one, and his nature another, taught that the nature appears in three persons, to which your investigation before alleged adheres, which would leave the nature in a mere appellation, because he says that this is manifest in others, and that the beautiful Word of the Father is his Sister in part.

Of holy Eustathius, Bishop of Antioch, from the discourse against Photinus, that is to say Murinus.

"The name of God, therefore, if it be indeed intelligible, is of a person. When we say three persons, by all means also, they say, there are three Gods. Now because it shows that there is a nature, when from its own something above nature has been taken; as of a man indeed laughter, of a dog barking, but they are called properties of natures, exhibiting the natures. We do not say three Gods, because we do not say three natures."

And again:

"For one is the Person indeed, but the nature another. If, therefore, the person had been God, when we say three persons, by all means we say there are three Gods. Now, since we say that the nature of the person is one, of necessity we say that there is only one God." |61

JUSTIN MARTYR,----ADD. MSS., 14,609.⁵⁸

Justin, one of the anthors who were in the days of Augustus, and Tiberius and Gaius, wrote in his third discourse.

That Mary, the Galilean, who was the mother of Christ who was crucified in Jerusalem, had not been with a husband, And Joseph did not repudiate her, but Joseph continued in holiness without a wife, he and his five sons by a former wife; and Mary continued without a husband.

THEODORUS.⁵⁹

Theodoras wrote to Pilate, the governor, "Who is the man, that reproach falls upon him before thee, that he should be crucified by the sons of Palestine? If they righteously desire to do this, why dost thou not assent to their righteousness? But if they seek to do this unrighteously, why hast thou transgressed the law, and commanded what is far from righteousness?" Pilate sent to him, "Because he had done signs, I was unwilling to crucify him; but his accusers said he called himself king, and was a deceiver."

JOSEPHUS.⁶⁰

Josephus says that Agrippa, the king, being clothed in a robe adorned with silver, also saw a vision in the theatre of Caesarea. When the people saw his clothes flashing, they said to him, "Hitherto as a man we have reverenced thee, henceforth thou art above the nature of mortals!" And he saw an angel which stood above him and smote him unto death.

GEORGE, AN ARABIAN BISHOP.⁶¹

From the Reply to the nine questions of Jesus Habishi (the recluse), a Presbyter of the town of Banab.

Chap. 1. Of a man who was called the wise Persian (or |62 Persian philosopher), who also wrote a book of epistles upon various matters. Who this wise Persian was; that is, what his honour or degree in ecclesiastical order was, or what his name or place of abode, we cannot confidently say, for he does not show us these things, or one of them in any place of his book which he wrote, nor elsewhere have we yet found it written, nor do we learn these things from any one who knows them particularly. However, as it seems to me and every lover of truth, we ought not to say and utter, as it happens, what we are not certainly persuaded of, and can give scarcely any proofs of. Now that he was a man of penetrating genius, and that the sacerdotal writings (Scriptures) were read and honoured by him as much as possible, his work shows. Moreover, that he was a coenobite and reckoned with the church clergy, may be known from his expressions. That he was a coenobite he shows in the epistle entitled a "Demonstration of the Sons of the Covenant," for thus were coenobites called then, as well as monks. Herein he writes thus: "Therefore this counsel is fair, and just, and good, which I give myself and you my beloved, that we monks receive not women, and virgins who have no husbands, for those who love holiness, it is right and just and comely, that even if it be by constraint, a man should be alone, and so it becometh him to abide; as it is written by Jeremiah, the prophet, that it is well for a man to bear thy yoke in his youth, and sit alone and be silent, because he taketh thy yoke upon him. For so my beloved, it becomes him that bears the yoke of Christ, to keep his yoke in purity." This shows that the man was a coenobite, who was called the wise Persian. That he was ranked with the clergy of the church, as I imagine those things show which are written in the beginning of the Epistle or Demonstration which is inscribed, "Concerning the strife and divisions which occur in divers places, because of glorying and haughtiness, and concerning |63 struggles about the headship," where we have it thus: "Let us all receive reason when we meet, that we may write this epistle to all our brethren the sons of the church in divers places: we the Bishops, and presbyters and deacons, and all the church of God, with all its offspring in divers places with us: to our dear and beloved brethren the Bishops, presbyters, and deacons, with all the offspring of the church that is with you, and all the people of God in Salec (Seleucia) and Ctesiphon, and in divers places, in our Lord, our God, and our Life Giver, who by his Christ hath quickened us and brought us to himself, great peace!" Behold he hereby shows that he was reckoned with the clergy, as we said.

But where was he? In the city of Nisibis, as is said by some, or in another part of those provinces, he has not at all shown us. But what thy brotherhood has written, that some say he was a disciple of the blessed Mar Ephraim, is false, for the form of his teaching is not like holy Mar Ephraim: nor does the difference of the times of their teaching permit us to say this, for he that is called the wise Persian was famous as a teacher in the year 648 of the Greeks, of Alexander, as he calls them. Moreover, in the year 655 and 656 of the Greeks; for he wrote in the epistle entitled "Demonstration of Death and the Last Times," thus: "These twenty-two discourses I wrote upon the twenty-two letters. I wrote the ten former in the year 648 of the kingdom of Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian, as is written at their close; and the twelve latter I wrote in the year 655, of the kingdom of the Greeks and Romans, which is the kingdom of Alexander, and in the year 35 of Shabor, king of Persia." Again, in the epistle entitled "Demonstration upon the Cluster," he says thus: "I wrote thee this epistle, my beloved, in the month Ab, of the year 656 of the kingdom of Alexander, son of Philip, the Macedonian, and in the year 36 of Shabor, the Persian king, who made the persecution in the year 5, when the churches |64 were overthrown; in the year there was a great destruction of martyrs in the east country, after I wrote thee these twenty-two heads (chapters), which I composed upon the letters one after another."

The year 648, in which he says he wrote and finished the ten former discourses, was the twelfth year after the Holy Synod at the city of Nicea, that is the first year after the pious decease of the faithful King Constantine. For the holy Synod at Nicea, met, as church histories show, in the year 636 of the Greeks, and in the twentieth year in part of Constantine's own reign. Constantine reigned in all thirty-one years: when, therefore, we deduct 636 years from 648, there remain twelve years as we said. When again we subtract the twenty years when the Synod met at Nicea, we have eleven remaining: which is one year before the writer finished the ten former discourses. If, therefore, it was the twelfth year after the Synod at Nicea, and one year after the decease of Constantine the King, when this Persian writer wrote and finished these first discourses, it is clear that it was before the year 648: that is, in the years of the life of King Constantine he wrote these discourses. This is also to be known from hence: the twelve latter discourses, which he wrote afterwards, he made after seven other years, for he wrote as we above set down, thus: I wrote these twenty-two discourses upon the twenty-two letters. I wrote the ten first in the year 648 of the Kingdom of Alexander, son of Philip of Macedon, as is written at their conclusion; and the twelve last I wrote in the year 655 of the kingdom of the Greeks and Romans, which is the kingdom of Alexander. When, therefore, we deduct 648 years from 655 years, seven years remain as we said; and when we add to these seven, one year in which he made the discourse upon the Cluster, the year 656 as he says, there become eight years, in which he made the thirteen last discourses. Altogether, from |65 the Synod of Nicea to the year 656, are 20 years. So that the times in which this Persian author wrote we find as far as possible by his book, before which, and especially before the year 648, we never find that Mar Ephraim taught or wrote, so that we should say he was before this Persian writer, and that he was his teacher or instructor.

Moreover, the times in which the blessed Mar Ephraim was famous as a writer, may be found from hence: for Theodorit, of Cyrus, wrote in chapter 31, of Book 2, of his Church history, when he speaks of Shabor the king, and the host of the Persians, that they came and made war against Nisibis, thus, "Then the admirable Ephraim was a wise writer, and was illustrious among the Syrians. The blessed Jacob, Bishop of the city, sought from him, that he would go up to the wall and see the barbarians, and cast upon them arrows and curses." Now this war happened in the time of Constantius the son of Constantine, a little before the end of the life of Constantius, as also is to be proved by the histories of the same from Chapter 29 of Book IV., when he speaks of the time of Valens the King. At that time were famous, Ephraim, the illustrious, in Urhi, and Didymus, in Alexandria, who wrote against the doctrines contrary to the truth. Now this period was near the end, in part of the life of Valens, as is to be seen by the histories. Therefore passing over what intervenes because of the length of the account, we find by comparison as far as possible, that it was nearly 50 years from the former period in which this Persian author wrote the 12 first discourses, to the time when the blessed Mar Ephraim wrote against the doctrines, that is after the Persians took Nisibis, and he left it and came to Urhi. In this way we assume that the Persian author wrote the ten first discourses in the eight years before the decease of the faithful King Constantine, When we take these eight years, and add twenty-five years which Constantius reigned, and three of |66 Julian and Jovinian, with fourteen from King Valens, they amount to fifty years as we said.

How long each of the Kings named reigned, is known thus: Socrates wrote in Chapter 40, Book I., of his Ecclesiastical History, thus: "Constantine the King lived sixty-five years, of which he reigned thirty-one years." The same, from Chapter 45, Book II.: "Constantius lived forty-five years, of which he reigned twenty-eight; three along with his father, and after his father's death twenty-five years." The same, from Chapter 16, Book III.: "Julian, therefore, in his fourth consulship, which he shared with Sallust, in the 20th of the month Thamuz, died in the land of the Persians, as I said above." Now this year was the third in a part of his reign. The same from Chapter 20, Book III., speaking of Jovinian the King: "In the place, therefore, above named, in the season of winter, he fell ill of a disease of his loins and died, in his own consulship and that of Varonianus his son, in the 17th of the month Shabet, when he had reigned seven months, and lived thirty-three years. Now there is in this third book, a period of three years and two months. The same from Chapter 35, Book IV., speaking of Valens the King, "He lived fifty years, having reigned with his brother Valeutinian thirteen years, and three years after his death." Since, then, there is a space of fifty years from the instruction of doctrine by the Persian author, to the time of the teaching of doctrine by the blessed Mar Ephraim, how can one say that the Persian author was the disciple of Mar Ephraim? It does not appear that this is true, as the examination which we have made above shows. And even if, at some part of the time, holy Mar Ephraim was contemporary with the Persian writer, probably Mar Ephraim was a youth in life and doctrine, and the Persian writer sufficiently advanced in years. Therefore, of him that is called the wise Persian we know not either his name or rank or place of abode; but yet |67 he was a coenobite, who was ranked with the Clergy of the Church, and he was not the disciple of the blessed Mar Ephraim. Thus in brief.

Chap. 2. On this that the Persian writer saith, that on the accomplishment of 6000 years this world will come to an end. As to what thy fraternity wrote, that the Persian writer says, that when 6000 years are fulfilled the end of the world will take place, I wish thee to know that many other Christians since the coming of Christ have held this opinion, as their language shows. Omitting these, on account of their number, let us come to a few of them for the confirmation of our saying. Bardesan, therefore, an ancient man, and famous in the knowledge of things, in a certain dissertation made by him on the conjunctions of the luminaries of heaven one with another, says thus: "two circuits of Cronos are 60 years," etc.

Holy Hippolytus also, bishop and martyr, wrote thus in the discourse upon the prophet Daniel: "For the first coming of our Lord in the flesh at Bethlehem was in the days of Augustus, in the year of the world 5500, and he suffered in the year 33 after his nativity," etc.

To this we shall add holy Mar Jacob, the teacher, who expresses the same opinion, in the sixth of the discourses made by him upon "the six days, writing thus," etc.

Similarly, also, the Persian writer, for he says in the Essay upon Love, as thy fraternity also wrote, thus: "Be not grieved, my beloved, at the word which I write unto thee," etc.

Chap. 3. On what the Persian writer saith, that when men die, the spiritual soul [literally: natural or psychical soul] is hidden within the body, etc.

In the Essay upon the Cluster, he says: "Noah lived till the 58th year of the life of Abraham, and that he was in Ur of the Chaldees, and there died and was buried." He says also that Shem lived till the 52nd year of the life of Jacob. |68 Know, therefore, oh lover of instruction, that according to the tradition of the Scriptures of the Jews, this writer makes all his calculations, and not according to the exposition of the LXX., nor according to the tradition of the Samaritans, aa also thou didst write before; but thou after the tradition to which the version of the LXX. adheres and consents, and especially in the account of the years of the Patriarchs, because wise authors testify that it is rather true than the others. From Adam to the Deluge thou holdest 2242 years, and from the Deluge to Abraham 943 years, and from Adam to Abraham 3185. From Abraham to the Exodus of Israel from Egypt 515 years, and from the Exodus to the commencement of building the Temple 480 years, as is written in the book of Kings [1 Kings, vi. 1]. From the commencement of building the Temple to its burning by Nebuchadnezzar 441 years, and from the burning of the Temple to the commencement of the years of the Greeks 280 years. The total from Adam to the commencement of the years of the Greeks were 4901 years; and from Adam to this year 1025 of the Greeks [A.D. 714] there are 5926 years, being 74 years short of 6000.

Now, not to leave unanswered the question, Why Noah did not admonish those of his time not to worship the image of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad? nor Shem those of his generation not to serve idols? We answer it briefly. Because of the liberty and domestic authority which God conceded to the race of men,----which, if it would, sinned; and, if it would, was righteous. It was on this account also, in the 100 years before the Flood, when they saw Noah planting and cutting down cedars, and making an ark as for deliverance, that they repented not and returned from their evil at that time, but were eating and drinking, taking wives and giving to husbands, till the Flood came and destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord. Again, after the Flood, neither that Cainan. who, as has been said, was a great and wicked sorcerer, and |69 was therefore deified; nor all those in the times of Noah and of Shem were persuaded to refrain from their evil, if, indeed, they were warned by them. For they say well, that in the days of Serug men began to make images and to worship idols. If this is true, neither Noah nor his son Shem attained to that period which reaches from the Deluge to the time of Serug. It is known that, according to the version of the LXX., if the 130 years of Cainan are taken, there are 794. Now Noah lived after the Flood 330 years, 444 (464?) years less than 794. Shem lived after the Deluge 50 (300?) years, being 494 years less than the 794 years to Serug.

Chap. 4. On the reception of heretics.

Chap. 5. On Gregory, the bishop, who taught the Armenians.

O lover of learning, Gregory, who taught the Armenians, as may be known from the words of the history about him, was by race a Roman, who came while he was a youth to the country of Armenia, either because of the persecution which Diocletian raised against the Christians, or for some other reason which we know not. And when he was educated in Armenia, and learned its letters and its tongue, his name spread and was famous, until he was of the attendants and domestics of King Tiridates, who then reigned over the provinces of Armenia, and this while he held his Christianity, and was not known except by a few, through whom it was made known to the King Tiridates. And he called Gregory to him, and asked him, and learned of him that it was so. And he used towards him blandishments and threatenings and various tortures, that he might be turned from his Christianity, and he would not. At last he took and cast him into a certain pit which was full of deadly reptiles and corruption (?) After he had been thirteen years in the pit, as his history says, but we, if yon please, will put three years only, the King went out for pleasure and the hunting of wild beasts, when God suddenly sent an evil spirit upon him, and |70 he was mad and went out of his mind and gnawed his own flesh. And he remembered the holy man, through the solicitude of his wife, and sent and brought him up out of the pit, and he prayed over him and he was healed. When this took place, by command of the King and the solicitude of the holy man, the provinces of Armenia came to Christianity. Then, because on all accounts bishops were needed, the King called some of his honourable men and committed to them Gregory, and sent them to Leontius, bishop and metropolitan of Caesarea, a city in Cappadocia, that he might appoint Gregory bishop. He having received the men, and done what they desired, dismissed them in peace and joy. Therefore, when the holy man had authority in the provinces of Armenia, he built churches and convents with the order of the King and the zeal of his nobles. And he appointed and set in them presbyters and deacons, giving them also laws and rules as seemed good to him. Afterwards, when the holy Synod met at Nicea, he also went up to the Synod, with holy Leontius, who made him Bishop. This is the simple and summary history of Gregory, the instructor of the Armenians.

Now we think it needful for the further confirmation of our account, to set down a few words from the history of this man, to this effect. When Diocletian held the government of the Romans, Tiridates was holding the government of the Parthians and Armenians. Tiridates was informed that in his palace there was a certain man whose name was Gregory, who feared not his gods, but was of the religion of the Christians. Having summoned him, he thought by many blandishments to move him.

And a little after, then the king began to say to him, "Thou earnest unto us a stranger and without a country, and thou hast been thought worthy by us of honour and great glory. How now darest thou reverence a God whom I do not venerate?" |71

And much further on: "Now the blessed one remained in the pit of noisome reptiles wherein he fell, thirteen years, being preserved from the noxious reptiles by the grace of God."

And further on: "And the king commanded his host to be assembled, that he might go out hunting. When this was done, and the chariots were yoked, and he went up to sit upon the chariot of his kingdom, the wrath of God was sent upon him, and an evil spirit smote him, and he was thrown from his chariot upon his face to the ground, and began to be mad, and to bite and devour his flesh with his teeth."

And further on: "Now the holy Gregory bent his knees upon the ground, and prayed to Almighty God to give health to the king. And behold, a voice from heaven was heard by him, saying, 'Gregory, be strong and manly, for I am with thee to the end. Thou shalt build to me churches, and shalt erect to me a house for the dwelling of my saints, and lift up their horn. And for this that thou hast prayed before me, lo, I have heard thee, and lo, I grant thee the request thou hast asked of me.' And when this was said to the saint, he turned to the king and touched his hands and his feet, and restored him to the stable nature of men by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ."

And again after other things: "Now when the king heard he rejoiced and glorified God; and commanded that those who were famous, and the elders, among the satraps and nobles, should assemble, and go with blessed Gregory to the country of Cappadocia, to the city of Caesarea, that the blessed one might forthwith receive the sacerdotal degree, and return to the land of Armenia. And after they went and entered Caesarea, they appeared before the blessed Leontius, the bishop there, and when these things were told him, he made Gregory a bishop, having assembled and brought to him the bishops who were under his hands." |72

So much, in brief, from the long history of Gregory, we have here set down.

Now that he was one of the 318 bishops at the Synod of Nicea, is known by the Acts of the Synod, wherein it is written also of Leontius, of Caesarea, of Cappadocia, that he was convened at the Synod. Holy Gregory Theologus also attests this of Leontius, for in the discourse upon the funeral of his father, he says, "That when the great Leontius passed through Arianzi to go to Nicea against the madness of Arius, he taught his father, and baptized him and made him a Christian."

Since these things are said of Gregory the Armenian, the time is also known wherein he was. Moreover, this also is known as we think, that he was not one of the three holy Gregories, we mean Gregory the miracle-worker (Thaumaturgus), the bishop of Nysa and the Divine (Theologus). His time was more recent than the Thaumaturgus, but older than of the other two. Thus, Gregory Thaumaturgus, who was bishop of Neocaesarea, a city in the country of Pontus, was famous in the time of King Aurelian, and was one of the bishops that met in the city of Antioch against Paul of Samosata; and Eusebius shows this, saying in Chapter 27 of Book VII., of his Church History; "The pastors who were in other churches, assembled from every place, because of this wolf, the destroyer of the flock of Christ. And all of them were assembled and met in the city of Antioch. Among these were especially celebrated, Firmilian of Caesarea, of Cappadocia, Gregory and Theodorus (Athenodorus?) who were brothers and pastors of the Churches of Pontus: and Helenus of the Church of Tarsus; and Nicomas of Iconium; and Hymenaeus of the Church of Jerusalem; Theotecnus of Caesarea of Palestine; Maximus, who gloriously conducted the brethren at Bostra; and many others whom no man could number." |73

From chapter 28: "When Gallienus had stood in the government fifteen years, Claudius arose one year. After him Aurelian received the kingdom, in whose days met many bishops at a Synod at Antioch, and the strange doctrine of Paul, who was chief of that evil heresy, was made known and contemned by every man expressly."

Now from Aurelian the king, and the Synod which expelled Paul the Samosatene, to the faithful King Constantine and the Synod at Nicea, were fifty-five years. Thus, Aurelian reigned six years; Taticus (Tacitus), six months; Probus, six years; Corus (Carus) and his sons, two years; Dioclesian, twenty years; Constantine to the Synod at Nicea, twenty years; all which years collected are nearly fifty-five as we said. So also from the Synod at Nicea to the holy Synod of 150, which met at Constantinople in the days of the great king Theodosius (at which was that godly pair, we mean Gregory, bishop of Nysa, and Gregory Theologus, the bishop of Sasima and of Nazianzum) there are again fifty-five years. Thus: We take eleven years of Constantine the Conqueror, after the Synod of Nicea; twenty-five years of Constantine and Constantius, and Constans his sons; two years of Julian; one year of Jovinian; fourteen years of Valentinian and Valens with Gratian; one year of Gratian and Valentinian the Little; all which collected are 55 years, as we said.

It is known therefore most clearly that this Gregory, the Armenian, was different from the other three named, as also we said above.

As to the last thing thou saidst, that if Gregory was faithful, what is this opinion which he taught the Armenians, not to put water with the wine in the cup of the Eucharist. Know that it was in his power to order them who were under his hands not to put water in the wine: whether he was faithful or not faithful, for ordering them to put water in the wine or not to put it, does not prove him faithful or unfaithful; for |74 even now there are many unfaithful who put water in the wine of the Eucharistic cup. But further, Gregory did not command them by no means not to put water in the wine; or that no one should receive the Eucharist but at the holy festival of the resurrection except elders and deacons and the bishop (babus); or that they should not make pictures in the churches, even if they report these things of him. But even if Gregory gave them this law as they say, they ought to consider that their Gregory is not greater and better than the holy Apostles, who delivered in almost all the churches under heaven to put water with the wine in the cup of the mysteries: Peter and Paul at Antioch and Rome and their provinces; Paul and John at Ephesus and Byzantia and their jurisdictions; Luke and Mark at Alexandria and Egypt and the places round about them; and of these the tradition was borne, and flowed and came to all other churches of Christians to this day.

There are therefore four seats of Patriarchs which attest the putting of water in the wine in the cup at the Eucharist; but for them there is not even one witness, except a custom which obtains among them. And since an Armenian asked thee where it is written that thou mayest prove to him from the Gospel that there was water in the cup which our Lord gave to his disciples, or that we ought to put water in the cup, let him be also asked to show from the Gospel that there was no water in the cup, or that we ought not to put water in the cup of the mysteries. But perhaps he says, it is written in the Gospel that our Lord said to his disciples, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will not drink again of this product of the vine until I drink it anew with you in the kingdom of God." And by this, that he says "product of the vine," it is known that the cup was living wine, and not wine mingled with water. But let him return and hear. What then, in the kingdom of God. that is the period after his resurrection, when our |75 Redeemer ate and drank of his own free will with his disciples to verify his resurrection, when he tarried with them forty days, where is it written he and his disciples drank unmingled wine whenever they ate and drank? And who is so foolish as to say this, but he that says that the cup which our Lord took, and gave thanks and blessed upon it, and his disciples drank of it, had no water in it but only wine? But if a man would refute this perverse opinion as he ought, and those other matters of theirs which I put down above, there would be need of many words and a special treatise. But we, leaving this for the present, will come to another chapter of thy inquiries.

Chap. 6. On Simeon, who took the Lord in his arms.

Chap. 7. On covering the head in prayer.

Chap. 8. On newly baptised children.

Chap. 9. On nocturnal temptations.

CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS.⁶²

No. 14643. ADD. MSS.

Kings of the Assyrians: Belus, 62; Ninus, 52; Shemiram, wife of Ninus, 42 years. From the 40th year of the reign of Ninus, in Asia, to the 20th year of Sardanapalus, we reckon 1196 years.

Abraham was born in the 43rd year of the reign of Ninus.

Joseph was in Egypt 80 years.

The Hebrews served in Egypt 144 years.

Kings of Babel:

Pul; Adrashach, Assyrians.

Tiglath Pileser, Assyrian.

Shalmanezer, Assyrian.

Sennacherib, Assyrian.

Merodach Baladan, Chaldee.

Nebuchadnezzar, Chaldee.

Almorodach, Chaldee.

Belatshatzar, Chaldee.

Darius, Mede.

Darius, son of Shurus.|76

In the first year of the 50th Olympiad the kingdom of the Persians began.

Judah was taken captive and the temple burned by Nebuchadnezzar in the second year of the 47th Olympiad. The sum of all the years of the Kings of Israel is 485.

Beginning of the twenty-seven Persians: Cambyses first reigned over Egypt 6 years. From him to Darius, 114. The Persians, 114. Of the Babylonians and Medes, first Cyrus, 30. Cambyses, 8. The Magians, 7 months. Darius, 36 years. Xerxes, 20. Titicnus, 7. Artachshcsheth, 41. Xerxes, 2 months. Sarginus, 7 months. Arisolthus, 19 years. Artachshesheth, 40 years. Artachshcsheth Uchomo, 26 years. Perses, son of Uch(omo), 4 years. Darius, son of Ershach, 6 years. Alexander of Macedon, 5 years. The sum of all these years is 225 and 11 months. They began in the 45th and ended in the 153rd Olympiad.

The Kings of Ptolemais and of Alexandria and of Egypt.

In the 114th Olympiad Alexander of Macedon died at Babel, and the government of Alexander and the Egyptians was divided. The first king was Ptolemy, the son of Arnoba. Ptolemy, son of Lagos, 40 years. Ptolemy Euergetes, 17 years. Ptolemy Philadelphus, 38. Ptolemy Philopator, 24. Ptolemy Euergetes, 35. Ptolemy Phiscon, 29. Ptolemy Soter, 14 years and 6 months. Ptolemy, who was Alexander, 17. Ptolemy Philadelphus, 8. Ptolemy Dionysius, 30. Cleopatra. 22. In all 296 years and 6 months, from the 114th Olympiad to the 187th.

The kingdom of Syria and Babel and Asia.

In the 13th year of Alexander of Macedon, and Ptolemy son of Arnoba, Seleucus reigned over Asia, Babylon, and Syria. Seleucus Nicator was the first, 32. Antiochus Soter, 19. Antiochus the god, 15. Seleucus Callinicus. 21. Seleucus Ceraunus, 3. Antiochus the Great, 36. Seleucus Philometor, 12. Antiochus Epiphanes, 11. Antiochus Eupator, |77 1 year and 2 months. Demetrius Soter, 2. Alexander, 2, 8 months. Demetrius and Drometer, 3. Antiochus Sidetes, 9. Demetrius, 4. Antiochus Agrippa, 12. Antiochus Cyzik, 18. Philippida 2. In all 219 years and 10 months. From the 117th Olympiad to the 171st.

The Hebrews say that Cambyses was called Nebuchadnezzar the nd, and that Judith was in his days.

In the 16th of Darius, son of Vastasp, in whose days the Captivity returned, the building of the temple was accomplished in Jerusalem.

Chief men of the Jews after the Captivity:

Josiah, son of Josedek, priest with Zerubbabel.

Joiachim, son of Jeshua.

Elisha, son of Joiachim.

Jodoa, son of Neshib.

Johanan, son of Jodoa.

Odias, son of Johanan. In his days Alexander built Alexandria, and came to Jerusalem and worshipped the Lord.

Jonias, son of Iddo and Eliezer. In whose days the Scriptures were translated by seventy wise men of the Hebrews.

Honia, son of Simeon, brother of Eliezer. In the days of that Simeon, was Jeshua, son of Simeon, called the son of Sirach. In the days of Honia, Antiochus Leo persecuted the Jews.

Eliezer, son of Mathitho.

Mathitho and his son. Juda Maccabi, 3 years.

Jonathan, 2 years.

Simeon, 8 years.

John, son of Hyrcanus, 35.

Aristobulus, after 470 years, united the crown with the chief priesthood, 1 year.

Antigonus Jani, who is Alexander, 20 years.

Saleca 9. Whose wife Alexandria, after his death, gave up the kingdom and priesthood to Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, her |78 sons, 34 years: And there was a dissension between them and Antipater, an Idumean, came to help Hyrcanus, and overcame Aristobulus: And when Aristobulus died, his son Alexander arose and warred with Hyrcanus and Antipater, until Herod, the son of Antipater arose, 37 years after the death of his father, and he overcame Alexander and reigned in his stead. Herod begat four sons, Heraclius (Archelaus) and Antipater, who was called Herod, Herod the tetrarch, and Philip; and after the death of Herod, Archelaus, his son, reigned 9 years, and afterwards the kingdom was divided into a tetrarchy.

I find that when Inacus reigned first in Argos, Jacob was chief of the Hebrews.

Abraham, who was of the race of the Chaldees, was in the days of Shemiram.

Moses was after then, but before those whom the Greeks call Ancients, as Homer, and Hesiod, and much before Heracles, Musaeus, and Linus, Carion, Arcos, and Dioscurus, Asclepius, Dionysius, and all the sons of the gods, and Hermes and Apollos, and the other gods of the Greeks and their mysteries and services. Also before the doings of Zeus which are related by the Greeks, who say that all the records are more recent than Cecrops, and Inachus who reigned first in Attica, before whom Moses lived 350 years. From the second of Darius, when the Temple was rebuilt, to the fifteenth of Tiberius, when our Lord came and began his preaching, there were 548 years. From the second of Darius to the first Olympiad, there are 256 years or 64 Olympiads. The first Olympiad was in the time of Isaiah and his fellows. From the 45th of Cecrops to the sack of Ilion, were 330 years; and from the eightieth of Moses and the Exodus to Labaron and Samson, who lived at the fall of Ilion, we have the same number. Moses was, therefore, without doubt, in the days of Cecrops, who first ruled in Athens; and the Olive |79 appeared in the Acropolis in his days, and the name of Athena was given to the city. They say of Cecrops that he first found out the name of Dios, and made an image of Athene, and first established sacrifices which were not yet found among the Greeks, with other wonderful things.

The flood in Deucalion's time was after Cecrops, so was the conflagration in Phaëthon's days.

And the building of Dardania, by Dardanus, who is first mentioned by Homer, and the rape of Cyra, daughter of Zeus, and the mysteries of Demeter, the inscription of the altar which was in Eleusinia, the service of Triptolemus, the rape of Europa by Zeus, King of Troas, from whom Ganymede was carried away by the gods, in whose days was Tantalus, and Tityus, and Apollo sprung from Zeus and Leta. The coming of Camus to Thebes, and the birth of Dionysus was 200 years later than Cecrops. After these were Linus and Zythus and Apion, Musaeus, Europus, Minos, Prusas, Asclepias, Dioscurus, and Heracles, after whom was the sack of Ilium. Much later than this was Homer, and after him were Thaïes, Solon, and the rest of the seven wise men. After these was Pythagoras, the first named a philosopher; and after him Socrates, from whom the systems of the philosophers began.

Ninus and Shemiram first reigned in Athur. This Ninus, son of Belus, held all Asia to beyond the Hindui. From Abraham, who was in their times, to the great Flood, we calculate 1081 years, according to the Hebrew Scripture; and from the Flood to Adam, the first man, 2242. From Ninus and Shemiram to the fifteenth of Tiberius we reckon 2046 as the number of years from Abraham to Tiberius. From the fifteenth of Tiberius to the twenty-fourth of Constantine there were 300 years. From Abraham to the twentieth of Constantine there were 2344: from Adam to Abraham, 3323, and in all 5667. In Hebrew there are 86 |80 Jubilees of 50 years or 4300. From Adam to our Lord's Ascension there were 5522. From Adam to Alexander 5180, and from Alexander to the birth of Christ 310, and to his Ascension 342.

Of the strong kingdoms which were in all the earth. The first king who received a crown from God was named Sichon. Hamathus and the chief of the giants who held the kingdom of Sichon, 17 years. And those who followed, kings and giants, who held the kingdom, were 12, and they held it 140 years. After the giants, the Babylonians took the kingdom, their head, Anger Baladan, with six kings who followed him, and they held the kingdom 177 years.

After the Babylonians, the Arabs took the kingdom, and Sichon was their chief, with fifteen kings after him, and they governed 528 years. After the Arabians, the sons of Phars (Persians) took the kingdom, and their head was Hudarschachar, with thirteen kings after him, and they governed 490 years. After the Persians, the Babylonians took the government a second time, with Tiros their head, and twenty-four kings after him, and they governed 731 years. After the Babylonians, the sons of Athur (Assyrians) and Ninevites governed, with Esthatir, their head, and eighteen kings after him, who ruled 462 years. After the Assyrians and Ninevites, the Babylonians took the government the third time. The Medes and Persians ruled with Esharathchon their head, and 13 kings after him, who governed 330 years. After the Medes and Persians, the second time, the Macedonians ruled, with Alexander their head, and ten kings after him, who governed 143 years. After the Greeks, the Romans ruled, with Augustus their head, and thirty-two kings after him to the nineteenth year of Constantine, and they ruled 335 years and four months.

From the eighth of Nero and the Martyrdom of Paul and Peter to the thirty-second of Constantine, are 272 years: and |81 from Adam to the eighth of Nero, 5556 years. From Adam to the birth of Christ 5490, and from Christ to Constantine, 341.

Jerusalem was taken in the second of Vespasian, on the eighth of Elul. When Nebuchadnezzar took it, it had been built 1480 years and six months. It was first built by a Canaanite, who was called in the language of his fathers Melchizedec. David expelled the Canaanites, and settled his own people in it. After 477 years and six months, the Babylonians wasted it. From David to the overthrow by Titus were 1179 years. Neither its antiquity (2177 years) nor its wealth, nor its universal renown, nor its great glory sufficed to prevent its destruction.

In the year 309 of the era of Alexander of Macedon did our Redeemer appear in the world, and he was in the world thirty-three years, according to the evidence of the true books of the Archives of Edessa, which err in nothing, and which make everything known to us truly.

Ninus reigned 52 years; in his forty-second year he built the city of Ninus, in the land of Athur; the Hebrews call it Nineveh. Shemiram, wife of Ninus, reigned over the Athurians, 42 years, and many stories are related of her. She held Asia, and set up hills because of a flood, and built Babel.

When Abraham was 75 years old he received the promise. To Abraham, first of the prophets, the Word of God appeared in the form of a man, and foretold the calling of the Gentiles. Carus and Belus, the sons of Inachus, built a city at the fort of Antioch, on the river Orontes, in the 160th year of promise. All the years of the sojourning of the Hebrews in Egypt were 415.

In the year 380 of the promise, Cosanthus (? Xanthus) built Tripolis.

Moses was 35 years old when Cecrops reigned in Attica, and hence to the sack of Ilium were 375 years. |82

Eupolemus wrote of Moses, "He was a wise man, who taught the Jews letters and laws. The Phoenicians received them of the Jews, and the Greeks of the Phoenicians. In the year 420 of the promise... Corinth was built, before called Eupora (Ephyre). The temple of Bedlus was built by Eririchthon, son of Cecrops, Epaphus, son of Zeus, son of Olympia [Io] built (Memphis?) when he reigned over Egypt the second time. Cadmon was built by Carmanus son of Semele. Dardanus built Dardania.

In the 5 Books of Moses are recorded the transactions of 3730 years, according to the translation of the LXX.

In the time of Joshua, Dionysius went out against the Hindui to war, and built the city of Nysa, on the river Hindus. Tyre was built 240 years before the Temple of Jerusalem, as Josephus writes in his third book [Antiq. viii. 3.] Of Carchedon (Carthage) Philistus says it was built by Carchedus and Azor, Syrians, at this time.

Shalmanezer first took captive the Israelites. He took ten tribes from Samaria, to Chaldea, and sent Assyrians to keep the land, and since they were zealous to keep the law of the Jews, they were called Samaritans, which is interpreted Keepers. The Latins were called Romans, and Romulus was their first king, and he built Rome. Numa Pompilius reigned there 43 years. He built the Capitol from the foundation, and gave money of wood, leather, and earthenware, instead of gold, silver, etc., as now. Glaucus, of Chios, discovered the welding (adherence) of iron. Tullus Hostilius was king of the Romans 33 years. He first used purple and a sceptre. His house was consumed with lightning, and he was burned with it and died.

The preceding extracts from No. 14643, are not consecutive in the MS. Those which follow are a rendering of the |83 conclusion of the volume from p. 92. They are in three sections.

1. Part of the Chronicle.

2. A notice of Synods.

3. The reigns of Mahomet and his successors.

EXTRACTS FROM CHRONICLE.

Chosroes went up the first time in the year 851 (= 540 A.D.)

In the year 853, Chosroes went up the second time.

In the year 830, Mandar went up the first time.

In the year 865, in Haziran (June), Mandar died.

In the year 843, a Hindoo came in Conon (December-January).

In the year 855, the first plague happened.

In the year 855, an earthquake and the swallowing up of cities.

In the year 881, Mandar made war, and God helped Mandar and doomed Cabus.

In the year 848, died Mar John Bar Carsus, on the 9th of Shabet, the rd.

In his time also was Mar Jacob, the doctor, who died in 830.

In the year 876, died Theodosius, patriarch of Alexandria, on Tammuz the 22nd, in the 13th.

Mar Athanasius was ordained 915, and died 942.

In 684, died Mar Ephraim, the doctor, the 18th of the month Haziran.

In 673, Nisibis was taken from the Romans by the Persians.

In 746, died Mar Rabulas, of Edessa, a Bishop.

In 730, Mar Simeon ascended the pillar, and in 770 he died on the nd of Elul.

In 871, Chosroes and his host went up to Antioch and laid |84 siege to it and took it, and led away its inhabitants captive, and laid waste many cities, and took many captives, and went down to his country and built a city for the captives he had taken from Antioch, and called its name Antiochosrun.

And again, in the year 884, Chosroes and his host went up again and besieged Dara, and sent Mazal Drahman, his satrap, and he went up to Antioch and burned Hemus (---- Hems or Emesa) and the house of Mar Julian, and went to Seleucia, and besieged it, and went to Apamea, which was surrendered to his will and burned, and he took its inhabitants captive and departed; and when he went down to his lord he laid siege to Dara, and took its inhabitants captive, and emptied it, and he put in it of his own people the Persians.

In the year 902, in the 9th (month), Chosrun went up to the land of the Romans when he was a youth, and he was received with great honour, and the Romans brought him down and set him upon his throne.

In the year 910, in the nd (month), Domitian persecuted the faithful.

In the year 814 (914) in the th (month), in the month Ab, on the 23rd of it, the Romans slew Mauricius and his sons.

In the year 915, in the th (month), Dara was besieged the second time.

In the year 920, the 10th month, there was much snow in every place, and a severe frost, until the whole Euphrates was frozen in the night of Epiphany, and sheets of ice remained in it six days, and no boats traversed it, and many fishes died, and olive trees withered in every place.

In the same year Merida was taken; and in the same year Rosaina was taken in summer (?)

In the year 921, were taken Urhi, and Haran, and Callinicum, and Carcusium, and every place besides which remained on the east to the Euphrates: And in the winter the |85 Euphrates became the boundary; and in the th of Ab, of that year, Shahruroz crossed over to Zenobia and took it, for that city was the first taken on the west of the Euphrates.

In the year 922, the Persians entered Hamez, and found there much Oriental people, and sent them every man to his place: and in that year, in summer, the Persians and Romans warred at Mar Thomas of Hamez.

In the year 924, the Persians entered Darmsuk.

In the year 925, Jerusalem was taken.

In the year 929, Beth Damian was annexed.

In the year 930 were annexed those from the parts of Canon and of Augin: and in Haziran of this year, Alexandria was taken.

In the year 940 (? 930) the Persians went out from Alexandria, and all the cities of Syria, in the month of Haziran, by the ordinance of God and not by the power of man.

In the year 934, they entered Asclepia, Crete, and the other islands, and the religious of Keneshro were taken, and there were slain of them about twenty men.

In the year 934, the Persians entered Rhodes, and took the commander there, and took down the captives to Persia.

In that year Heraclius, the king, went forth from his throne, and led a great army, and went down to Persia, and laid waste the land, and took many captives.

In the year 938, on the 10th of Elul, the sun and moon were darkened.

In the year 934 (? 938) in Shebet, died Chosroes, who conquered all the earth and reigned 40 years, and Shirui, his son, reigned after him seven months, and he died that year at its end, and his son reigned after him, and his name was Ardashir (Ardishir, D'Herb. i. 245.)

In the year 940 in Haziran, in the night was a great earthquake, and in Tammuz of that year, Heraclius, king of the Romans, and Shahruroz, the Patrician of the Persians, met |86 in Coelesyria, at a place in the north whose name is Arabissus Tripotamus (? ), and there they built a church and called the name of it Irene, and talked there one with another in peace, and consented that the Euphrates should be the border between them, and so made peace one with another.

In the year 945, Indiction the th, in the th of Shebet, at 9 o'clock in the evening, there was a battle between the Romans and the Teians of Mahomet, of Palestine, from the east to Gaza 12 miles, and the Romans fled and left Patricius, son of Jordan, (or the Patrician, Bar Jordan), and the Teians slew him; and there were slain there about 4000 poor souls (heads) of Palestine, Christians, Jews, and Samaritans: and the Teians wasted all the country.

In the year 947, Indiction the 9th, the Teians went forth into all Syria, and went down to the country of the Persians and conquered it; and the Teians went up to the rock of Merida, and they slew many monks in Kedar and in Banathu, and there died the blessed Simeon, janitor of Kedar, brother of Thomas the elder.

In the year 343, Simeon Cephas laid the foundations of the Church of Antioch.

In the year 344, Stephen the Martyr was stoned of the Jews, in Jerusalem: and from that year Paul began to preach.

In the year 375, Nero slew Paul and Peter at Rome.

In the year 376, Jerusalem was wasted by Vespasian, and by Titus, his son; and in that war Josephus, the historian, was slain (?)

In the year 383, there was a mortality at Rome, so that there died 1000 men.

In the year 420, Mar John, the Evangelist, died.

In the year 415, there was a great persecution of the Christians by Trajan, the wicked king, and Simeon, son of Cleophas, bishop of Jerusalem, nobly suffered martyrdom. |87

In the year 419, Trajan made Armenia a province, and in the same year Ignatius, who was a disciple of John the Evangelist, suffered martyrdom in Antioch.

In the year 448, Marcion and Manetes, heretics in Phrygia, were famous.

In the year 479, Bardesanes, who promulgated the doctrine of Valentinus, was famous.

In the year 543, Sergius and Bacchus suffered martyrdom.

In the year (560? ) persecution arose against the Christians, through Valentinus (Valentinian), an Arian king.

In the year (563? ) Shabor, king of the Persians, wasted the Syrians, and Cappadocia; and in the same year the barbarians crossed over the river Danube and devastated the islands.

In the year 503, arose Paul of Samosata.

In the year 573, arose the deceiver Manes.

In the year 583, Aurelian the king made a persecution, and God smote him in battle, and he died.

In the year 611, there was an overthrow of churches by Diocletian, the wicked, and Peter, bishop of Alexandria, suffered martyrdom.

In the year 619, reigned Constantine the Victor.

In the year 620, Constantine removed the throne from Rome to Constantinople. In the 26th year Constantine conferred liberty upon the Christians, and honoured and enlarged the Churches of Christ.

In the year 636, there was an assembly of 318 bishops.

In the year 648, the great Constantine died.

In the year 670, Mar Ephraim, the doctor, began to be renowned.

In the year 714, Amid was taken on the 24th of Canon the first.

In the year 720, Dara was built.

In the year 724, Armenia rebelled, and Anastasius the |88 king, sent an army and subdued it, and the king uttered coin of 40 denarii (? ), and of 20, and of 10, and of 5.

In the year 730, the bishops of Theodora the queen, were persecuted by Justin everywhere.

In the year 735, Edessa was enclosed.

In the year 740, Zurac took up a great army of Persians to the Roman state, and fought with the Romans at the river Euphrates, and a multitude of the Romans were drowned in the Euphrates.

NOTICE OF COUNCILS.

At what time Synods have met, and in the days of what Kings.

In the year 427, in the days of Hadrian, the king, Sabellius arose against the Church, 117 years after the birth of Christ, and said that there was one Person in the Trinity, and that the body and blood which we receive from the altar is the Trinity. And forty-three Bishops met at Ancyra, of Galatia, and excommunicated him from the Church.

And in the year 530, in the days of Severus, the king, arose Paul of Samosata against the Church. He was Bishop of Antioch, and he called the Son of God righteous, as one of the ancient righteous who had been in the world. And this was 220 years from the birth of Christ. And all the Bishops assembled at Antioch, Dionysius of Rome, and Dionysius of Alpharno (i.e. Alexandria), and Gregory Thaumaturgus, and excommunicated him from the Church.

And in the year 640, in the days of Julian, the impious king, arose Eustathius against the Church, 330 years after the birth of Christ. And there assembled the Sons of the Covenant, who ate not flesh and took not wines, with the Sons of the Covenant who ate flesh and took wines; and there was a division in the Church, and seventy Bishops met in the city |89 of Gangra, and they read in the sacred Scriptures, and decided and said thus: "That after God had set apart for Aaron, the priest, the right shoulder and the jaw and the (appurtenances?) until Eli, the priest, the priests of Israel ate flesh, and no man was stumbled by them, because they ate it in rectitude and propriety, as God commanded by the prophets; and when the sons of Eli came and snatched the flesh from the people, Paul comes and decides it not (to be) for impurity but for gluttony, and says, 'I will never eat flesh, that I cause not my brother to stumble.' "

That of 318, met at Nicea, in the days of Constantine, the first Christian king, in the year 636, on the 19th of Haziran, in the 13th. In this was the overthrow of wicked Arius. From the birth of Christ, it was 326. Its heads were, Silvester at Rome, and Alexander the Great, of Alexandria, and Eustathius of Antioch, and Macarius of Jerusalem. There was there also the great Athanasius, who was a deacon, who ministered as a true son to holy Alexander. There was there also Eusebius of Cardabus (? Hosius of Corduba), who also in that of Saddica (Sardica) was found, with Eustathius of Ludion (?) Ethilhas of Urhi, Jacob of Nisibis, Antiochus of Resaina, Eusebius of Caesarea of Palestine, Eusebius of Nicomedia.

That of 150, met in the days of the great king Theodosius at Constantinople, in the year 691, in the month Ab (the 10th?). Herein was the overthrow of wicked Macedonius of Constantinople, from the birth of Christ 380 years, and from the (Council) of Nicea 55 years. Its chiefs were Timothy of Alexandria, and Meletus of Antioch, and Cyril of Jerusalem. And Nectarius came into the place of Macedonius. There were there also Gregory, the speaker of divine things, (Theologus) of Anzianzi (Nazianzum), and Gregory of Nysa, brother of Basil, and Anphilochius of Iconium, and Diodorus of Tarsus, Gelasius of Caesarea of Palestine, Rufus of Beishan, and Acac |90 of Haleb, Eulog of Urhi, Abrahan of Batnan, Mara of Amid, Betho of Tela, Helladius of Caesarea of Cappadocia, and Eutherius of Tryna (Tyana).

The first of Ephesus of 220, in the 13th consulate of Theodosius the Little, and the rd of Valentinus, in the year 740; 50 years from the preceding, and from the birth of Christ 430. Herein was the condemnation of Nestorius, on the 28th of Haziran. Its principals were, Cyril of Alexandria, and Celestinus of Rome, by means of those who were sent from him; Theodotus of Ancyra of Galatia, Syenasus of Dioscuria, Acac of Melitene, Valerianus of Macalla (?), Menas of Ephesus itself, and Jubilianus of Jerusalem.

The second of Ephesus, in the days of Theodosius the Little, in the year 760, and 450 from the birth of Christ, 19 years after the previous one, met through Flavianus of Constantinople, and Eusebius of Dorylaeum, on account of Eutyches, a chief monk. And they insisted to the wicked Eutyches that the body of our Lord was a partaker of our nature, and he confessed this which before he did not confess. They also urged him to confess that there are two natures in Christ, and because he would not confess this Flavian and the rest made his deposition. This cause forced King Theodosius to assemble the second Synod in Ephesus. Now its leaders were, Dioscurus of Alexandria, and Jubilianus of Jerusalem, and Stephen of Ephesus, and Eustathras of Bostra, and Amphilochius of Saida, and others; and when that was read before them which was done in the imperial city, they found that Flavian required Eutyches to confess the two natures, and they made the deposition of Flavian and of Eusebius. Afterwards they deposed Domius of Antioch, Renius of Tyre, Hiba of Urhi, Celenius of Bibulus, Theodoritus of Cyrus, Daniel of Haran, Spirion of Tela, Mari, a Persian, and others, who were in number 35. Eutyches presented a document, in which was the creed of the 318, and the God-clad fathers |91 anathematised all who had accused him in these things at Constantinople. They received him by this which deceived them as men, that wicked matter of ungodly heresy which was in his soul: for it is written that man sees into the eyes, and the Lord sees into the heart.

That of Chalcedon met in the days of Marcion, the king. There were 665 there, and it was three years after the preceding, and 453 years from the birth of Christ. It met in the year 763, and its chiefs were Leo of Rome, Anatolius of Constantinople, Maximus of Antioch, Jubilius of Jerusalem, Aninicus (?) of Saida, Hiba of Urhi, Theodoritus of Cyrus, Eusebius of Dorliaeus, Basil of Seleucia, in Isauria, Seleucus of Amasea, who, after they were found to be with Flavian, at Constantinople, in the deposition of Eutyches, when they saw that Flavian was condemned, returned and drew up a document at the second Council of Ephesus, and anathematized that opinion, and were there received. And, again, afterwards, they came to the Council of Chalcedon, when they saw that everything was done in opposition to this second Synod cf Ephesus; and at its dissolution, again they returned to their vomit as before, and went back to whatever they did in the second Synod of Ephesus, saying that they did them not willingly, but by compulsion. Now this was the opinion which they set up in Constantinople at the deposition of Eutyches, requiring us to confess two natures in Christ, which was anathematized in the second Synod of Ephesus. When they met in Chalcedon after they had deposed the holy and great confessor Dioscurus, they were asked by the principals and the senators who were with them to make a confession of faith. But they cried out and said, "It is not lawful for us to do this, and we do not venture, and dare not, for there is a canon which forbids us to do this." And after they had said this many times, and the chiefs did not persuade them, they were forcibly persuaded by the |92 chiefs, and they removed all their excommunications, for they anathematized themselves 35 times, saying that there were not two natures in Christ, but unity was in it.

End.

MAHOMET AND HIS SUCCESSORS.

Memorial of the life of Mahomet, (prophet) of God.

After he entered his city, and three months before he entered. From his first year, and how long every king, who after him ruled over the Mahagroye, lived, after they became kings, and how long there was faction among them: three months before Mahomed came.

And Mahomed lived ten years.

And Abubecr, son of Abucohapha, two years and six months.

And Omar, son of Katab, ten years and three months.

And Othman, son of Aphan, twelve years.

And a sedition after Othman, five years and four months.

And Mohawiya, son of Abusaiphan, nineteen years and two months.

And Yezid, son of Mohawiya, three years and eight months.

And a sedition after Yezid, nine months.

And Merwan, son of Hakem, nine months.

And Ebed l'Melek, son of Merwan, twenty-one years and one month.

Walid, son of Ebed l'Melek, nine years and one month.

And Soliman, son of Ebed l'Melek, two years and nine months.

And Omar, son of Ebed l'Aziz, two years and five months.

And Yezid, son of Ebed l'Melek, four years, one month, and two days.

We reckon all these years at 104, five months and two days. |93

PORTIONS OF TWO MARTYROLOGIES.

ADD. MSS. 14644.

The following extracts are from a curious volume of great antiquity, the contents of which are indicated below, on page 97. I gave a further account of the volume in a paper on the Acts of Addi in the Journal of Sacred Literature for Oct., 1858.

The first extract respecting Sophia and her three daughters savours of a Christian allegory, and may have been originally such.

The second on Sharbel relates, beyond question, to a historical personage: its conclusion is, however, fictitious enough to satisfy the most ardent lover of ancient legends.

Martyrdom of Sophia and of her three daughters, Helpis, Pistis, and Agape, in the city of Rome.

By the grace of God, the Gospel is disseminated in all the earth under heaven, by Jesus Christ the Redeemer of all the sons of men; that we should every man believe in God Almighty, and in Jesus Christ the only Son, and in the living and Holy Spirit, and that every man should abandon the worship of idols, and vain error, and should receive help to their souls, and the baptism of expiation for the remission of sins. When this word of life was preached by the Apostles, and by all the preachers, all parts ran with joy to baptism, and in faith the feet of the Apostles were kissed; for they were great and noble teachers of truth, and through them all of us came to the way of truth.

Now there was a certain woman of the great family of the house of Sallust, and her name was Sophia. She entered the city of Rome with her three daughters, fair virgins, and they hoped to receive the seal of Christ our Redeemer. And her daughters had grown up in wisdom and the Grace of God. Now their mother greatly rejoiced and praised God, because |94 the wisdom of God was found in the mind of her daughters: and she prayed the Lord to send help to his handmaids. And since these virgins were strong in the fear of God, and continued in fasting and prayer and vigils, they were acknowledged in the mind of every man; and in the years of youth they exhibited the conduct of martyrs and of apostles.

They went, therefore, according to their custom, on the first day of the week to pray in the house of God. And suddenly Satan moved the heart of Antiochus, one of the heads of the city, and he stood before Herodianus the king, and said to him, 'A certain woman and her three daughters, who came we know not whence, teach the women every day that they should worship one God and his Son Jesus Christ, and we are ourselves become strangers to our wives, for they do not come to meat, nor to drink, nor do they remove from these virgins, and so are they alienated (?) that even the praise of the gods is blotted out of the land.' And when Herodian the king heard this, he sent guards (?) after them, who took them and brought them to the palace of the king. And the believing virgins of Christ, with their mother, came with joy, and took each other by the hand, and when they arrived at the door of the king's palace, there were crosses imprinted on all their breasts. Now the virgins were fair, so that none of the spectators could look at their faces except as at the sun's rays, which are seen afar off and in a glass. The grace of God, moreover, was shed upon these virgins."

Their examination and martyrdom follows, and the story ends with the succeeding manifest imitation of the account of the death of Herod, given by Josephus.

"Now Herodian, the wicked king, died of many torments, for his bowels fell in the house (?), his flesh perished from his bones, his teeth dropped from his jaws, his arms were severed from his shoulders, the filth came from his mouth, everything in his whole body corrupted, and he cried with a loud voice, |95 and said, 'Lord God, who didst help the three virgin sisters and their mother, take my soul from me, for I know that what I endure is because of these three souls.' And when he had said this, he shrieked with a loud voice, and was rent in twain, and his flesh was scattered about, and his bones were not found: And all this happened unto him by prophecy."

End of the martyrdom of the three noble virgins and their mother, the faithful Sophia.

Memorials of Sharbel, who had been a priest of idols, and was converted to the profession of Christianity in Christ.

"In the 15th year of the Emperor Trajan Caesar, and in the rd year of the reign of Abgar, the seventh king, which was the year 419 of the kingdom of Alexander, king of the Greeks, and in the priesthood of Sharbel and of Barsamia, Trajan Caesar commanded the governors of the provinces of his dominions to multiply sacrifices and offerings in all the cities under their jurisdiction. Those who did not sacrifice were to be taken and subjected to scourgings, and tortures, and bitter affliction, and all kinds of torments, and afterwards to suffer capital punishment by the sword. And when the command arrived at the fort (or castle) of Adasa of the Parthians, there was held a great feast, on the eighth of Nisan, and the third day in the week, and the whole city assembled," etc.

After a long narrative of what ensued, the following curious statement occurs:----

"And when the executioners had entered the city, the brethren and young man ran and stole the bodies of both of them, and deposited them in the sepulchre of the father of 'Abshalmo, the Bishop, on the th of Elul, on a Friday.

These memorials were written on paper by me, Marinus |96 and Anatolius, notaries, and put in the archives of the city where the records (chartae) of the kings are laid up.

Now this Barsamia, the bishop, was the teacher of Sharbel, the priest. He was in the days of Binus (Fabianus) Bishop of Rome, in whose days all the manhood of Rome was collected together, and they cried to the governor of the city and said to him, "There are many strangers in the city, and they cause the prostration and the burdening of everything. We therefore request thee to order them to depart out of the city." And when he had given orders that they should remove from the city, the strangers assembled, and said to the governor, "We ask of thee, my Lord, also to give orders that the bones of our dead should be taken away with us." And he ordered them to take the bones of the dead and to go forth. And all the strangers gathered together in order to take the bones of Simeon Cephas and of Paul, the apostles; and the men of Rome said unto them, "We make you no grant of the bones of the apostles." And the strangers said to them, "Learn and observe, that Simeon Cephas was of Bethsaida, of Galilee, and Paul the apostle was of Tarsus. a city of Cilicia." And when the men of Rome perceived that the matter was so, permission was accorded. And when they raised them and removed them from their places, in that same hour there was a great earthquake, and the edifices of the city came to fall, and it was near its overthrow. And when the mon of Rome saw, they returned and besought the strangers to remain in the city, and that their bones should be restored to their places. And when the bones of the apostles were returned to their places, there was a calm, and the tremblings ceased, and the winds were still, and the air was clear, and all the city was glad. So when the Jews and the heathens saw this, they ran and fell at the feet of Fabian, the bishop of their city; the Jews crying out, "We confess Christ whom we crucified, that he is the son of the |97 living God, He of whom the prophets spake in their mysteries." And the heathens also cried and said to him, "We renounce images and statues wherein is no profit, and we believe in Jesus the King, the Son of God, who came, and who will come again; and would that there were no other doctrines in Rome or in all Italy!" These also denied their doctrine as the heathen (Jews?) denied, and confessed the doctrine of the apostles which was preached in the Church.

End of the memorials of the famous Sharbel.

CONTENTS OF ADD. MS., NO. 14644, FOL. 92 b. and 93 a.

We have finished in this writing the histories of select martyrdoms (or testimonies): That of King Abgar, and the doctrine of Addi the apostle, and the Finding of the Cross, and the Finding of the Cross the second time, and the martyrdom of the blessed Cyricus, the Bishop, and the doctrine of Simeon Cephas, and the doctrine of the apostles, the history of Mar Abraham Cydonius, and the triumph of the blessed Mar Sabas (or the old man) Julian, and the martyrdom of Sophia and her three daughters, Pistis, Elpis, and Agape, and the martyrdom of Jacob Maphasco (or the mutilated), and the martyrdom of Sharbel, and the memorials of Mar Cosmas and of Mar Damian, his brother, true physicians (?), and the history of a man of God. They are fourteen in number.

|99

OBSERVATIONS.

=======

[The figures refer to the number of the Note.]

1. ¹ When a volume contains a number of articles, it is customary for the second and subsequent to commence with the word again. It will be observed that the Council of Nicea is called a Synod of 318, although it is subsequently admitted that so many did not subscribe the Acts. The reckoning of the Greeks here alluded to is the well-known era of the Seleucidae commonly regarded as commencing B.C. 311. The Syrian Chronicle from which extracts are given in these pages says that it commenced B.C. 310. It will be noticed that the same reckoning is here called that of the Edessenes, and it is elsewhere termed that of Alexander. The date here assigned to the Council is June 19th, the same as that given by the more ancient document quoted at p. 7. It is well known that the date here assigned to the Council, so far as the day of the month is concerned, agrees with some, and differs from others of the ancient authorities. The statement that the fathers assembled in the first instance at Ancyra of Galatia, appears to rest solely on the authority of this manuscript and the one quoted at p. 7. Supposing it to be true, it seems to intimate that the questions brought before the Nicene Council, had already come before a Synod at Ancyra. That it was the well-known Synod of Ancyra held about A.D. 314, seems very improbable, and we must infer, that the reference is to a Synod of which no other traces have been brought to light, and one which preceded by a very short time, the one held at Nicea.

2. ² The expression "for a Synod to assemble" is in the original literally, "that it should assemble," or "that there should be an assembly." As it regards the genuineness of the letter ascribed to Constantine, a few words may not be out of place. The reviewer of the "Analecta Nicaena" in the Christian Remembrancer, objected to |100 this document, although it has been accepted by the learned Dom Pitra in the Spicilegium Solesmense, and by the writer of the article in Herzog's Real Encyclopadie on the Nicene Council, as well as by others. It is well-known that Eusebius in his life of Constantine, (lib. iii. cap. 6) states that the Emperor summoned the Bishops, or to use his own words, "convoked an oecumenical Synod, summoning the Bishops by respectful letters to make haste from every place." Eusebius goes on to say that the Emperor promised and arranged for the transport of the Bishops, etc. The letter of Constantine is also mentioned by other writers; but as far as I can ascertain, no such document was discovered until I met with a copy in the British Museum. Since then I have found a second, and a third at Paris. The copies differ but very slightly. I have, however, printed here both the one from Paris, and the first I met with in London. And now, to return to the question of genuineness, I will only repeat the statements I made to my reviewer in my reply to his censures:----Allow me to extract from my private notes the heads of argument upon which I relied. Individually some of them may be weak, but taken together I fancy that they will at least prove that I no more write before I think, than before I read. 1. The Letter is not inconsistent with the account given of it by Eusebius. 2. It contains some things which he says were in it, and which it would appear he quoted from it. 3. Its main statements accord with historical facts so far as we can ascertain. 4. It was undeniably written in Greek, as is proved by peculiar Greek idioms which occur in it, and by the statement made at the end of the book, of the contents generally. 5. It was certainly extant in the th century, as it must have existed before it was translated (A.D. 501). 6. It concludes with a formula which Constantine employed in like cases. 7. All the documents associated with it are genuine. 8. No motive can be assigned for its forgery. 9. Another copy of it exists with the same title in a separate and most ancient manuscript. 10. Others were more likely to let it fall into oblivion than the Syrians to forge it. 11. A forger would have made it include all that Eusebius says of the summons to the Council. 12. Some of the difficulties suggested by it are a presumption in its favour, because a forger would have avoided anything calculated to provoke enquiry, if not suspicion. So much for its genuineness. But I do not regard the title of this letter as having formed part of the original document, and I suppose this general circular was accompanied by others, varied according to circumstances, and relating to transport, provision, find such details. |101

As this question of a second Synod at Ancyra, out of which the Nicene Council appears to have been developed, is one of historical importance, I will add a few other remarks. In his second apology against the Arians, Athanasius quotes a letter by Julius of Rome in which these words occur, "The Bishops who came together at the great Synod at Nicea (not without the counsel of God), agreed that the business of a former Synod should be tested at another." In reference to which as an "old custom" M. de Broglie, in his L'Eglise et L'Empire Romain, (vol. ii. p. 428), asks whether the writer "refers to a special decree of the Nicene Fathers, which we have lost, or simply to the conduct which they had tacitly authorized by their example in submitting Arius to a new judgment when he had already been condemned at Alexandria?" My own idea is that the allusion may be to the Ancyrene Synod of the Syriac documents. In any case, time will probably show their true meaning.

As to whether the Pope must take part in calling a general Council, it will be seen that Constantine's letter makes no allusion to him specifically. He does say, as I understand it, that "the Bishops of Italy and the other countries of Europe are coming," but this gives no more prominence to the Bishop of Rome, than to the Bishop of any other place, and the absence of such distinction will be accounted for by every man in his own way.

3. ³ This expression is not very transparent. The participle signifies to consider, have regard to, and is so used in Rom. iv. 19; Phil. iii. 17, etc. The word rendered "best" usually denotes "excellent, or more excellent;" and the whole clause, as I take it, means that each of the Bishops is to have regard to what is good, and devise what shall be profitable.

4. ⁴ Doubtless the names were appended to the original document, but they are omitted in the Paris copy.

5. ⁵ The decisions contained in the preceding extracts are partly contained in the Spicilegium Solesmense, in Coptic (vol. i.) The last of them relating to the Passover or Easter has been also recently printed in the fourth volume of the same work. I printed an account of this Paris fragment with some extracts in the Journal of Sacred, Literature, for January, 1860, in which I remarked as follows:----It serves to confirm some, and to throw fresh light upon others, of the notices of this celebrated and venerable assembly. True, it gives us few new facts and raises one or two difficult |102 ques tions; but it is of importance on several accounts. In the first place it is, as we before said, a consecutive narrative, in which the various decisions of the Council seem to follow each other in the order in which they were adopted. Supposing this to be the case, we have here the nearest approach to a Libellus Synodicus, or minutes of the Council, which, so far as we know, has yet been discovered. A curious question suggested by the document used for the Analecta Nicaena is here again raised, namely, what can be meant by the Bishops being first assembled at Ancyra, and summoned thence to Nicea by the letter of Constantine? Are these the only existing traces of an unrecorded Synod at Ancyra? We must leave to others the resolution of this difficulty. It would appear, moreover, that the attendant Bishops twice subscribed, once to the Confession of Faith, and once to the decree concerning the observance of Easter. The account given of the absence of the names of so many of the western Bishops is worthy of notice, although not absolutely new. On several important points, as to the date of the Council, the number of the canons, etc., the document agrees with the best attested records.

6. ⁶ The Ancyrene list here given varies considerably from that given below from the older manuscript.

7. ⁷"God keep you, my beloved brethren," appears to have been the usual formula with which Constantine concluded his epistles.

8. ⁸ Corduba was in Spain and not in Italy, a pardonable error of the scribe. The cities and towns were not always in the provinces to which they were assigned. The Syrian names of places are often written in imitation of the Greek genitive case. As far as I could I have written them in the nominative.

9. ⁹ Tauthatis may be for Tauthas or Tauthis. I have been unable to identify it.

10. ¹⁰ Teuchilibya probably for Teuchira of Libya. Except it be Tauche, and Libya then belongs to the following line.

11. ¹¹ Sebaste, Sebastena, and Samaria, all appear to be the same, in which case we have three Bishops for one city,

12. ¹² Alaso, i.e. Alasea, Lazo, or Lasa, called Callirhoe by the Greeks. Jerome places it on the border of the Canaanites towards Sidon.

13. ¹³ Aresthan, now Restan or Rostan; the Greek Arethusa on the Orontes. |103

14. ¹⁴ Harba-Kedem. Not identified. See Robinson's Palestine, i. 134.

15. ¹⁵ Esbonta, Heshbon. A Greek plural form.

16. ¹⁶ Ethilhas of Edessa or Urhi. Socrates (i. 6) cites Alexander of Alexandria calling Ethilhas one of the Arian apostates.

17. ¹⁷ Some of the original works of Jacob appear to be now in the British Museum, in Syriac.

18. ¹⁸ John, as a Persian bishop, could be scarcely under the jurisdiction of the Roman See.

19. ¹⁹ Doron, or perhaps Rhodon, as in the Latin.

20. ²⁰ Aristacius or Aristaces is said by the Armenians to have been the son of Gregory the Illuminator, the apostle of Armenia.

21. ²¹ Marcellus of Ancyra. The Latin lists give Macarius and Pancarius, but the Greek agrees with the Syriac.

22. ²² Eudion, or perhaps Orion, as in the Greek, etc.

23. ²³ Julium or Julia. The Greek has Marianus of Troas. Did the Romans call Troas, Julia, to distinguish it from Ilium?

24. ²⁴ Standum has not been identified.

25. ²⁵ Verabon and the Greek Syarma are alike obscure.

26. ²⁶ The Parochia of Isauropolis. Strabo (568) alludes to old and new Isauropolis. Which was the Parochia? I suppose the new city.

27. ²⁷ Trobon may be Ternobus or Trinabus in Moesia. The Greek omits the name.

28. ²⁸ Divio, i.e. Dijon. I am not sure of this, and the Greek does not assist me.

29. ²⁹ Female visitors. The Syriac is one word, and merely denotes persons staying or lodging in the house.

30. ³⁰ Offering, i.e. the Eucharist. I have sometimes so translated the word, but the Syrians said "offering."

31. ³¹ An election common to all, means an open or public election.

32. ³² The penitent was permitted to attend at the Eucharistic service, but not to partake of the elements. |104

33. ³³ Girdles represented military service, and were laid aside by those who left that service.

34. ³⁴ Ministry here seems to include all kinds of service in the church, whether of those who were ordained or of those who were not.

35. ³⁵ This Greek list will help to explain and confirm the Syriac, which it more closely resembles than any other.

36. ³⁸ The second and third Egyptian names are written as here printed, without distinguishing the person from the place.

37. ³⁷ Tauché, or Tauche of Lower Libya. The numerals are not in the Greek.

38. ³⁸ Hidron-Caesarea, i.e. Hieron or Hiero-Caesarea.

39. ³⁹ Barsos, or Barsos of Baeotia. (See note 37).

40. ⁴⁰ Becon and Ionocentus. I have followed the uncouth spelling of many of the Coptic names.

41. ⁴¹ Two. The Coptic text says three, but only gives two.

42. ⁴² The following extract is given mainly because of its interest to the student of ancient geography, although it is interesting for other reasons. The allusions to the lists in Mansi's great work will show that we have here many new readings, and it deserves attention as the most ancient catalogue of this council extant. It will be observed that both here and at page 7 we have the date given according to the reckoning of the Antiochians, and as that era commenced B.C. 48, the Council of Constantinople is correctly placed in A.D. 381. In the following list, the words in brackets, without references to Mansi, usually consist of my own inquiries and suggestions. It will be observed that the Syriac list often gives the Oriental names of places, but not always. Thus we have Beishan, Accho, Haleb, Hamath, and Shizar, for Scythopolis, Ptolemais, Chalybon, Epipbaneia, and Larissa. But we also have Diospolis, etc., in the Greek forms. Some of the places I have failed to identify, and the discussion of them here would occupy too much space.

43. ⁴³ I find that the preceding confession is already known. The three lists which follow differ in several respects from other extant copies. In the first, Loliopolis is an error for Juliopolis.

44. ⁴⁴ The Laodicean list is otherwise unknown, but is unhappily |105 imperfect. The Paris MS. already quoted embodies most of it, however, in the list for Antioch, which I here give as I there find it.

Taracondimantus.

Bassus.

Eustathius.

Musaeus (Moses?)

Manicius.

Macedonius.

Agapius.

Theodorus.

Theodosius.

Theodotus.

Alphaeus.

Agapius.

Archelaus.

Petrus.

Eusebius.

Anatolius.

Jacob.

Conon.

Narcissus.

Antiochus.

Paulus.

Siricius.

Alexander.

Mucianus.

Patricius.

Etherius.

Petrus.

Magnus.

From the provinces.

Of Upper Syria.

Of Phoenicia.

Of Palestine.

Of Mesopotamia.

Of Arabia.

Of Cilicia.

Of Isauria.

The repetition of names in this list is sufficient to prove it compounded of two or more lists. The presence of Jacob of Nisibis, at Laodicea, shows that the council was held prior to 348-9, when he died, if we may rely upon the Syriac Chronicle, from which I print some extracts.

45. ⁴⁵ These extracts are written in a very obscure style, and are evidently taken from some apology or defence of Christianity, the writer of which embodied them in his treatise. What apology it was I cannot say. Neither have I traced the extracts to their sources. Indeed some of the names of the authors are quite unknown to me.

46. ⁴⁶ This inscription seems quite out of place, but I give it as it stands.

47. ⁴⁷ Respecting the passage from Diocles, I made the following remark in the article of the Journal of Sacred Literature already referred to:----"At pp. 201----205 of his work, Dr. de Lagarde publishes an extract from a certain Diocles, respecting whom he gives no further information. This Diocles appears to have been Diocles of Peparethus, an ancient Greek historian, to whom, according to Plutarch in his life of Romulus, Fabius Pictor was largely indebted, |106 and who was the first historian of the foundation of the Roman state. The only other reference to Diocles which we remember is in Festus Pompeius. The substance of what is given as from Diocles, may be found in the Paschal Chronicle, the Chronicle of John Malela and others, who will be found mentioned in the edition of the Chronicon Paschale, published at Paris in 1698, at p. 503, note 1. As it appears in the Analecta Syrica the passage is imperfect, and in some places very obscure."

48. ⁴⁸ These extracts from Ignatius have been overlooked by the learned Canon Cureton in his Corpus Ignatianum. In the article quoted in the preceding note I made some observations upon them, which I will here repeat, as they sufficiently describe their character:----" They are taken from a volume of Extracts from the Fathers on sundry points of Christian Doctrine. Some of them are already known, and the whole appears to be interspersed with the observations of the compiler. The passages are five in number, three of them being already known, and two new. 1. A short extract from the epistle to the Trallians, section the th. 2. One from the epistle to the Magnesians, section the th. 8. Another from the same epistle, section the 9th. 4. This we have been unable to trace, but it relates to the statements contained in 1 Peter, iv. 6. 5. This is described as from an epistle to Anastasia, a deaconness. Doubtless some spurious Ignatian document, of which this is the only trace which has been discovered. We think it best to give this passage as it stands in the Syriac, in order that our leaders may judge for themselves."

As to the Anastasian fragment, I observed:----Probably no one will plead for the genuineness of this passage, and for ought we know it may be found elsewhere under some other name than that of Ignatius; but it cannot be denied that it is deserving of attention both on its own account, and for the honourable name it bears. Who Anastasia was is of course unknown. The form of the name, taken in connexion with the subject of the quotation, would suggest the possibility that it is the invention of the writer. This, however, is not conclusive, because the name is one which occurs in ancient church history. It is moreover a curious fact that Suidas records a correspondence between Chrysogonus a confessor, and Anastasia a martyr, of the fourth century. This correspondence consists of four letters, of which the first and third are ascribed to Anastasia, and the second and fourth to Chrysogonus; but they contain nothing like the passage given above. |107

49. ⁴⁹ The signs of the Zodiac here given as according to Bardesanes, are probably the same as were current among the Chaldean philosophers, and in Assyria in the second century.

50. ⁵⁰ This extract is curious for two reasons. It professes to explain the peculiar doctrine of the Nicolaitans, who, it will be remarked are usually charged with immorality of which nothing is said here. It also explains the much debated clause on the statue of Hippolytus, in which allusion is made to a work of his to Severina. This extract enables us to say that Severina was the mother of Severus, and that she not only listened to the teaching of Origen, but of Hippolytus. Whether Mammea was a Christian, may be considered as probable, but is still uncertain.

51. ⁵¹ Clemens Romanus is not often quoted from in the Syrian manuscripts, and the accompanying extracts have eluded the vigilance of the editor of the Corpus Ignatianum.

52. ⁵² This is the only extract from Clemens Alexandrinus I have yet discovered among the Nitrian manuscripts. The circumstance is one for which I cannot account.

53. ⁵³ Origen also, as far as I can ascertain, is represented by a single extract in the Syrian manuscripts. The passage is fanciful and uninstructive, but I give it as nearly as I can.

54. ⁵⁴ The letter of Dionysius of Alexandria is given, I find, by Eusebius, but I print it for comparison with his copy; and to show the use made of it, I have, as in some other cases, added a portion of the context in which it stands. Dionysius died in or about. A.D. 264.

55. ⁵⁵ John of Jerusalem, died about A.D. 416. It was in his time that the pretended discovery of St. Stephen's relics took place, as stated in the inscription of the extract.

56. ⁵⁶ This short sentence from Methodius is merely given because identical with an expression of Tertullian's referred to in the foot note, Methodius is supposed to have died early in the th century as a martyr. Fragments of his work in defence of the resurrection are extant.

57. ⁵⁷ Eustathius of Antioch was at the Council of Nicea, and strongly opposed Arius. The extracts are remarkable for saying that Photinus was the same as Murinus. Certainly one is a translation of the other. There is extant a document bearing the name of Murinus of |108 whom nothing is known. Photinus was the contemporary of Eustathius.

58. ⁵⁸ I have found no such passage in Justin, as the one here fathered upon him.

59. ⁵⁹ Theodorus is probably a fictitious person, except the name be a mistake for Tiberius, who was at one time believed to have corresponded with Pilate about Jesus Christ.

60. ⁶⁰ This passage in the original is closely connected with the two preceding, and is well known.

61. ⁶¹ George, it seems, lived in the earlier part of the th century, and appears to have been a Bishop among the Arabs. He addresses the treatise from which the extracts are taken, to a friend who resided at Banab or Banabe, which was in Mesopotamia, near the Euphrates (see Ptolemy v. 18). This treatise has been printed by Dr. de Lagarde, and is taken from a volume containing more by the same writer (Add. MSS. 12154. See also 12144, 12165). The style is prolix, but the author says some things at least in which the Chronological student will be interested. His notices of "the wise Persian," whom I take to be Jacob of Nisibis, are by no means unimportant; and his account of Gregory the Armenian is positively valuable, so absolutely have his followers encumbered his history with fables. I have merely given the headings of the last four chapters. For the Mar Jacob alluded to on p. 67, see also p. 83.

62. ⁶² The manuscript from which these items are taken is of the th century. It contains much that is in Eusebius, but also many things neither in his Chronicle nor in any other with which I am acquainted. In the quotations I have followed the spelling of the original as to proper names generally. It would require a commentary to explain and illustrate all the peculiarities and difficulties of this curious document. The chronology is of course the one which dates from B.C. 311, or, as the writer says 310 before Christ. To facilitate the use of it, I will first give the Syriac names of the months, which have the same number of days as the Roman.

January....Canon the latter.

February...Shebat.

March...... Adar.

April........Nisan.

May.........Eyar.

June........Haziran.

JuIy.........Tammuz.

August.....Ab.

September..Elul.

October.....Tishri the former.

November..Tishri the latter.

December...Canon the former. |109

According to the Syrians the year commences with Tishri the former, or October.

In the miscellaneous items, from p. 75 to 88, there are inaccurate calculations, and other errors and obscurities, but some of these are of small importance. Belus is regarded as the first king of Assyria and Sardanapalus as the last. To this latter a place is assigned at least 820 years B.C., and Abraham is made contemporary with Ninus. It will be observed that under the head of Kings of Babel, we commence with Pul and Adrashach; who this Adrashach was is not clear, but he and Pul are the first of five Assyrians, followed by four Chaldeans, a Mede, and Darius, son of Shurus (?) The first year of the 50th Olympiad was 580 B.C., and the second year of the 47th was 591. The list of Persian kings from Cambyses to Alexander is curious, but somewhat incorrect. Titicnus (i.e. Artabanus, I suppose), is put down for seven months, and the actual sum of years is then 236 and 11 months. Arisolthus should be Darius Kothus; Artaxerxes Ochus is transformed into Artachshesheth Uchomo, or the Black; Perses takes the place of Arses; and Darius Codomanus is termed the son of Ershach. The reference to the Olympiads is also wrong.

In the next list, we find Arnoba for Zenobia, and the sum of the years is 274 and six months, although we require as many as are stated, neither is the order of the monarchs always the same as we find elsewhere. The list of Syrian kings also requires examination. It will be seen (p. 77) that Judith is regarded as having lived under Cambyses, here identified with the Nebuchadnezzar of that book.

Without tracing all the details, I will refer to a few. Cecrops found out the name of Dios (Zeus), merely invented it, according to the well-known fable. Some of the Greek classical names are considerably altered, as Camus for Cadmus, and Bedlus for Belus. The reference to Sihon as a king of the Arabians instead of the Amorites is curious, but some of the details in this account are obscure.

At p. 81, the Alexandrian era is made to commence B.C. 309, although 310 is elsewhere given, and 311 generally assumed as the correct reckoning. The Archives of Edessa, here alluded to, were very famous; but, if we may judge from the extracts stamped with their authority, not always to be trusted. We here get an intimation that Carus (i.e. Cres) and Belus were the sons of Inachus. The Tripolis erected by Xanthus is the Triopa Lesbum of Eusebius. For Carmanus, on p. 82, I should read Cadmanus or Cadmus.

At p. 83, Chosroes is regularly termed Chosrun in the MS. Cabas is the Greek Cabades. There are some dates here which |110 require a word of explanation. Thus the year 848, the 9th of Shebat, the third, should be A.D. 537, February 9, Indiction the third. There is, however, an error, either in the year 848, for 837, or in the Indiction. The next instance, AD. 565, July the 22nd, Indiction 13, is correct. On p. 84, the date 802, the 9th, should be the 9th Indiction; 910, the nd, should be the nd Indiction; 904, the th, should be the th Indiction; 915, the th, should be the th Indiction; and 920 should be the 10th Indiction, and not the 10th month. I need scarcely add that the Indictions were periods of fifteen years each, and it will be observed that the word is itself found in the MS. as copied on p. 86. On this page it will be seen that Arabissus has applied to it an epithet which I have written Tripotamus, but I am by no means certain of its true meaning. The chronicler supplies here a record of painful interest. He states that on February th, A.D. 634, a battle was fought near Gaza, between the Teian (Arab) followers of Mahomet and the Romans, in which the Saracens were victorious. This would seem to have been the first or nearly the first victory gained by the Mohammedans in Palestine, soon however to be followed by the conquest of the country. The next entry records their invasion and successes in Syria, and with this the series of events terminates. Those which follow appear to be merely omissions from the preceding pages.

If the reader will turn back to p. 84, he will find reference to Antiochosrum, for which he may refer to Procopius on the Persian Wars, bk. ii. chap. 14. Mazal Drahraan is in the MSS. written as one word. Hemus may stand for Emesa, but I am not sure that Imma, near Antioch, is not meant. In the year 902 Domitian persecuted, etc., ought of course to be Chosrun. There are a few names of places in the succeeding pages which I have failed to identify; nor do I remember to have met with the name of Zurac, the Persian general referred to on p. 88.

In the notice of several Councils there is very little to detain us. Yet I cannot say why Alexandria is called Alpharno (p. 88), and Antioch Ludion (p. 89) except by sheer neglect. Hiba (p.90) is the well known Ibas of Edessa; Aninicus of Saida seems to stand for Arnphilochius of Sida in Pamphylia, rather than for Damian of Sidon, both of whom were at the Council. Eusebius of Dorliaeus is Eusebius of Dorylaeum.

The account of Mahomet and his successors is a precious little chapter of history. The name of Mahomet is written both with a final t and a final d as in the text. In the title of this piece a word, which I believe to have been "prophet," has been erased, and has |111 been supplied in brackets. The term Mahagroye occurs elsewhere, as at the close of the Paris MS. from which the first extracts in this volume are taken: "Epistle of the blessed patriarch (Athanasius, A.D. 684) to the effect that a Christian should not eat of the sacrifices of the Mahagroye who now rule." It seems applied to the followers of Mahomet as such, from the same root as Hegira (flight); and I understand it to mean "fugitives" or "wanderers." The period included in this table is 104 years, one month (not five months), and two days.

The short extracts from two martyrologies are specimens of a large class. It will be seen that they are like all legends of a similar character. Yet there is one in the volume from which I have taken these (a MS. of the sixth century) of extreme interest. I may refer to the journal and article mentioned at p. 93, for a notice of it, and here I will only say that I speak of the acts of Addi, and that I concluded the article in question with this note. After referring to Eusebius, History lib. i. 12, and ii. 1, I remark: ----"On examining those portions of Eusebius which are here referred to, several curious facts are at once elicited by comparing them with the fragments before us. In the first place, both relate to the same series of events, of which the former part is related by Eusebius, and the latter by the Syriac fragment. Secondly, both profess to emanate from the public archives of Edessa. Thirdly, both Eusebius and the Syriac speak of a certain Abdos, son of Abdos (Abdu bar Abdu). Fourthly, both of them speak of the preaching and miracles of the evangelist, and of his success. All these (and others might be pointed out) suggest that we have here a portion of the very document from which Eusebius derived his information. This appears to be an almost necessary inference; but on this very account it encourages the suspicion that the statements made by Eusebius are not all true. He found them in his record, and supposed them to be of some antiquity; but if he had read on to the end, or reflected, he would have seen that the composition was quite a recent one. Mention is made in it of Zephyrinus of Rome, who died about A.D. 202, and of Serapion of Antioch, who lived till after A.D. 210. Besides, it is added that the account was written after all the events it records----that is, of course, after the last of them. It therefore would seem, to be most probable, and almost certain, that the document was composed at or about the middle of the third century. If this be the case, Eusebius's authentic contemporary narrative was not written at Edessa till at most three-quarters of a century before the date at which his own work ends. The whole |112 question is curious, and by no means without interest and importance, especially if it appear that we have here stumbled upon one of the original sources of a remarkable chapter in the Father of Ecclesiastical History. The Greek and Latin writers after Eusebius, who refer to the subject, need not be considered, as they merely borrow from him."

__________________________

STEPHEN AUSTIN, PRINTER, HERTFORD.

[The following footnotes have been given numbers and moved to the end]

63. * Except a part of it, in No. 14,533, among the same MSS.

64. + Or, who consented.

65. * Order, Mansi, 1, 3, 2, 4, 11, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 9.

66. + Called Cymon in Nicene list.

67. ++ A distinct declaration of assent to the decisions of the Council follows this name, and a similar one comes after that of Theodorus.

68. * Cf. Tertullian, De Resur. 18.

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Texts from Mount Sinai: preface to the online edition

Texts from Mount Sinai: preface to the online edition

During the 1890s, a series of apocryphal or fictional texts from Mount Sinai were edited, translated into English and published as a series, Studia Sinaitica. The editor was Margaret Dunlop Gibson (1843-1920), who with Agnes Lewis had uncovered these texts.

The texts are fictional narratives of the lives of apostles and saints. Frequently more than one version exists, in one language or another. Studia Sinaitica 5 contains the following material in English, as well as editions of the texts:

Anaphora Pilati: from the Syriac text, with passages from the Arabic

Recognitions of Clement: from the Arabic text of the Mt. Sinai Ms.

Recognitions of Clement: from the Arabic text of the British Library Ms.

Martyrdom of Clement: from the Arabic

Preaching of Peter: from the Arabic

Martyrdom of James the son of Alphaeus: from the Arabic

Preaching of Simon son of Cleophas: from the Arabic

Martyrdom of Simon son of Cleophas: from the Arabic

At the moment, only one of the Arabic epitomes of the Recognitions of Clement has been placed online: it is hoped to add more. The text was scanned and corrected by Renardo68, who sent it to me, and then proofed against the printed text by myself. Errors are of course my responsibility.

Roger Pearse

25th February 2003

Bibliography

Margaret Dunlop GIBSON, Apocrypha Sinaitica, Studia Sinaitica 5. London: C.J.Clay / Cambridge University Press (1896). xx, 66, 81 p., 1: 4 facsim. (incl. front.); 26cm.

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Recognitions of Clement: Introduction to the Sinai epitome

Studia Sinaitica 5 (1896) pp. xiv-xvii.

INTRODUCTION: THE RECOGNITIONS OF CLEMENT (Sinai Epitome)

The Recognitions of the Roman Clement are too well known in their Latin as well as in their English dress to need any introduction to the scholar. They have been extant hitherto only in the Latin translation of Rufinus of Aquileia, who died A.D. 410¹. It was first published by Sichardus (Basle, 1526) and since then by Cotelier (Apostolic Fathers, Paris, 1672), and by Gersdorf (Leipzig, 1838). A Syriac translation was also |xv published by de Lagarde in 1861, from two MSS. in the British Museum, the older of which was written at Edessa, A.D. 411. The Greek original used by Rufinus was prefaced by a letter from Clement to James the Lord's brother, bishop of Jerusalem, which Rufinus left out, believing it to be of a later date.

The Arabic text given in this volume is contained in the MS. No. 508 of the Sinai Catalogue, and is, compared to Rufinus's Latin text, a very short narrative. It omits almost wholly the discourses of Peter and his discussions with Simon and others. It would therefore be out of place here to do more than allude to the question of the priority of the Recognitions or of the Clementine Homilies to one another, a question which has been debated with so much acumen by A. Schliemann, Hilgenfeld, Uhlhorn, Ritschl, Lehmann, Lipsius and others. Suffice it to say that through the labours of Uhlhorn, Hilgenfeld and Ritschl, it is now pretty generally acknowledged that, as Lehmann suggested, the three first books of the Recognitions are the original document from which the Homilies were composed, and that Books iv.-x. of the Recognitions were afterwards added from the Homilies (Lehmann, Die Clementinischen Schriften, p. 21).

As to the date of the text and its origin, we have internal evidence only to rely upon, though it is evident from the date of the Syriac MS. Add. 12,150 in the British Museum that it cannot be later than the fourth Century. Hilgenfeld has pointed out that Matthidia was the name of the sister of Trajan, mother-in-law of Hadrian; and that the name Faustina was borne by the wife of Antoninus Pius, as well as by her daughter, the wife of Marcus Aurelius. The busts of these two ladies may be seen in the British Museum. This suggests a date between A.D. 150 and 170. The Recognitions, or a document closely allied to them, are quoted by Origen, Philocalia, c. XXIII., Commentary on Genesis 21, which was written A.D. 231.

[... Greek quotation from Origen...] |xvi

Then follows a long quotation, evidently from the Greek text translated by Rufinus, Book x. a.10, 11, 12-23. It is given full by Robinson, The Philocalia of Origen, Cambridge, l893.

All writers on the subject seem to agree that Syria is the place of the origin of these documents, and that the author was a Jewish-Christian, who held doctrines distinctly Ebionistic. This Arabic text does not go so deeply into questions of dogma as the Latin or even the Syriac texts; yet even here we have the superstitious reverence attached to water both in baptism and ablutions; also the refusal of baptized Christians to eat with unbaptized Christians; insomuch that Peter is represented as continuing in the same narrow frame of mind for which his brother-Apostle found it necessary to rebuke him (Galatians ii. 11-14.). The Arabic text is, however, free from the outrageously heathenish idea that Faustinian's face was changed by Simon Magus to look like his own; and the still more heathenish idea that an Apostle could be guilty of a pious fraud by turning the metamorphosis to account.

A. Schliemann has also pointed out that the hierarchical ideas in the Recognitions point to a Jewish Ebionistic origin. Peter appoints a bishop off-hand, and also presbyters and deacons, the former of whom are of the mystical number twelve. It deserves to be noticed, however, that this Arabic text does not take its actors to Rome, but seems to imply that they remained in Syria; and it therefore does not attribute to Peter any breach of the covenant made with Paul (Gal. ii. 9). Nor does it contain any mention of James the bishop of Jerusalem, to whom the Greek text used by Rufinus was addressed.

It is quite possible that this Arabic text is an epitome by some Arab Christian monk who was more fascinated by the interest of the narrative than anxious to edify his brethren by translating the discourses. If so, we must grant that he has shewn considerable literary skill, and has fully appreciated the |xvii dramatic side of his documents. As to the story itself, there is nothing absolutely impossible in it. Communication between Rome and Athens was comparatively frequent in the days of the Empire; and if mere tent-makers like Priscilla and Aquila could have interests in several cities and countries, there is nothing unlikely in a noble Roman lady taking her children to Athens for their education and her own convenience. The only circumstance that in my humble judgment seems somewhat improbable, is that Faustinian should have been for several days in the Island of Aradus, and have time to carry on a philosophical discussion with Peter's young followers: and yet that he and his wife should have needed Peter's intervention to recognize one another.

[Margaret Dunlop GIBSON]

[Note: the remainder of the introduction, dealing with another epitome of this work, in British Library Ms. Add. 9965, also translated in Studia Sinaitica, is omitted.]

1. Rufinus states in the preface to his work that he undertook it at the request of Sylvia (the Pilgrim to Mount Sinai).

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Recognitions of Clement: Sinai Epitome

Studia Sinaitica 5 (1896) pp. 15-28

RECOGNITIONS OF CLEMENT: Sinai Epitome (Arabic)

(From a MS. in the Convent at Mount Sinai. No. 508)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, one God. The Christ is God, my strength, my help, and my hope. This is the tale of [how] Clement recognized his parents and his brothers by means of Peter the Apostle, chief of the Apostles, blessed in the faith; and this is the teaching of the above-mentioned Saint Peter, while he was at Tripolis.

"It is necessary that love to God should be greater than that to parents and children, for He is the cause of all; and it is difficult for us to know what God is, but we are sure that He is God. And do not think that ye are believers, when ye are without baptism, because by it the figure of grace is found in the water, recognizing those who are baptized in the name of the Blessed Trinity, who saves from future punishment; and therefore hasten to the water, for it alone is able to quench that fire. And when he said that, he dismissed the crowd." And when I Clement had completed three months with him, he commanded me to fast for three days, and then we went to fountains of water on the sea-shore, and he baptized me there and with me Maroones, the man who had entertained us. Then he appointed him bishop of Tripolis, and twelve Presbyters, with deacons. Then he left the people of Tripolis, and went out to Antioch in Syria.

And the cause of my meeting him was this. While I was in the city of Rome, in my youthful years, I had carried chastity and righteousness to a great length, as also the recollection of death, and meditation about the soul, whether it is |16 mortal or immortal, and about this world, whether it had a beginning or not, and whether it will perish or not. And whilst I thought on these things, I did not cease frequenting the place of philosophers and wise men, and I did not find anything more from the Porch than a deceitful and vain thing, and I thought I would go to Egypt to those magicians [who foretell] about the dead, and while I thought about this, look, news was spread about in the empire of Tiberius concerning a man in the land of Judaea who was preaching the eternal kingdom of God and who confirmed that by many mighty deeds. And when this was so, behold, Barnabas came to Rome preaching the Christ, and the wise men were mocking him. And meanwhile I knew in him a righteous purpose; and I adopted his evidence, and I forsook like dogs those who do not accept the word of salvation; and I took Barnabas, and I entertained him at my house, and I heard Speech from him; and when they were going out to the land of Judea, I went out with him, and in fifteen days we came to Caesarea; and I heard that Peter was in it, and that he intended [to have] a contest with Simon the next day; and when I went to his dwelling, Barnabas brought me in to him. And Peter received me with much affection, and he was very glad of what I had done to benefit Barnabas in Rome, and he confirmed my vocation, and commanded me to come to him, as he intended to travel to Rome; and when I promised him this, I asked him about the soul and about the world, and he made clear to me briefly by examination the folly that enters into people by means of sin, and that is what overclouds the minds of people like smoke. And he explained to me the coming of the Christ, and the resurrection to life. And in the morning, behold, Zacchaeus came saying that Simon had postponed the contest for seven days. Peter completed his teaching of us about the science of the world, according to what the Holy Spirit gave him. And after this we went to Tripolis, to the place in which I was baptized, and from thence Peter sent Niceta and Aquila with others to Laodicea, and told them to wait for him at the door of the city. |17 But I and he went to Antaradus, and I thanked him for taking me with him as his follower, and he said to me: "If I send thee to a place to buy for us what is necessary, wilt thou die?" And I answered and said to him: "Thou art to me instead of my father and my mother, and my brothers; thou hast been the cause of my knowing the truth; and thou hast made me equal to great people. Wilt thou therefore put me in the place of service?" And Peter answered joking and said to me: "Dost thou think that thou hast never been a servant? And who will watch over my undressing and dressing? and who will prepare for me the many dishes that are necessary to the cooks, and this in the greatness of skill which is designed for luxurious people for the gratification of desire which is a great satisfaction, and I am clothed by it with abundance; and do not imagine that thou shalt know anything of this if thou art with me, for I do not get anything but the smallest bit of bread, and some oil with a little pulse; and all my wardrobe is these rags which thou lockest upon, and I need nothing else, for my mind looks on the good things that are eternal, and does not turn to what is contemptible. And I am surprised at thee, for thou art a man brought up in the enjoyment of the world, and thou hast despised all this, and thou art contented with things in moderation. But I and my brother Andrew were brought up in orphanage and poverty and misery, and we were accustomed to toil and that we should bear fatigue. For this reason I will endure from thee toil and Service to thyself." And when I heard this from him I shuddered at it, and took an example on hearing this from a man whom the world cannot equal, and my eye wept. And when he saw me crying, he said to me: "Why are thine eyes weeping?" And I answered him, saying: "In what have I sinned against thee, that thou causest me to hear this speech?"

And Peter said: "If I did wrong in saying I would serve thee, thou didst a greater wrong at the first when thou didst not see that, and there is no equality in this, yet it is fitting that I should do this to thee."

"But thou, O Apostle from God, Saviour of our souls, it is |18 not fitting that thou shouldst do this." And Peter answered and said: "Behold, I would have accepted thy opinion, if it were not that our Lord, who came for the salvation of the world, to whom alone be honour, bore Service, that He might persuade us not to be ashamed to serve our brethren. And He washed my feet and hands, saying, Thus do to thy brethren." And I Clement said to him, "I thought I should conquer thee in Speech, and I was a fool, but I thank God who has put thee in the place of parents.' And Peter said to me: "Hast thou any kinsfolk?" And I said to him, "There are noble men in my family nearly related to Caesar the Emperor. And he, the husband of my mother, possesses dignity, and by her we are three boys, twins before me, as my father told me, and I do not even know them, nor my mother, except by a faint recollection; and after them my mother gave birth to me, and her name was Matthidia, and my father's name was Faustinian and my brothers, Faustus and Faustinianus. And when I was in my fifth year, my mother saw a vision in her sleep, as my father related to me afterwards, that if the woman did not take her children immediately and go out of Rome and travel for ten years, she would perish, both she and they. But my father, when he heard this, carried them into a ship, with provisions, secretly, with many servants, and sent them to travel to Athens, and he kept me only with him in order to console me, being overwhelmed with grief thereat. And when a year had passed after that, my father sent to Athens goods and money, in order that he might know their state; and the messengers went, and did not return. And in the third year he sent others for that [purpose], and they departed, and came in the fourth year to tell that they had not found the lads, nor their mother, and that these had never got to Athens at all; and they did not find a trace of them. And when my father heard this, he sorrowed with a great sorrow, and he was in much perplexity, but he neither knew how to find [them] nor where to weep for them. And he went to the shore of the sea, and I with him, and he began to ask the sailors from every place where ships had been wrecked for four years past, if any of them had seen a |19 drowned woman with her boys; and he did not fall in with the certainty of the matter, for no one can explore the expanse of the ocean. Thereupon he made me his heir in Rome, and appointed guardians over me; and I that day was twelve years old, and he went from Rome in a ship, and departed to places to look for them. And now I have not heard news of him, nor [seen] writing, and [do not know if he is alive or dead, whilst I think that he must have died, and now today it is twenty years since he separated from me." And when Peter heard this, his eyes wept from pity, and he said to those believers that were with him: "One gains experience by what this man's father hath suffered. It shews concerning believers who are not vain heathen, who suffer here without reward in the last day, that those of the believers who are tried here endure suffering for the forsaking of their sins by means of it." And when Peter said this, one of those present answered before all, and besought Peter, saying, Behold, tomorrow our journey will be to the Island of Aradus in the sea that thou mayest see it. And there are there great pillars of winewood, and the sight of them is wonderful." And Peter allowed us to go, and said to us: "When ye arrive, do not go all of you together to the wonderful place, that no misfortune befall you." And we went, and came to the island, and we got down out of the ship where the pillars were, and every one of us began to turn to some of the marvels that were there. But whilst Peter went to the pillars, behold, a woman sitting outside the gates asking alms. And when Peter saw her, he said to her: "O woman, what is defective in thy limbs, that thou hast submitted to this humiliation of begging, and thou dost not increase what God has given thee by the work of thy hands, so that thou couldst even give bread to me from day to day?' And the woman sighed, and said: "O would that I had hands able for Service and work. but they are in the form hands, yet they are dead, even when I bite them with my teeth." And Peter answered and said: "And what is the cause that obliges thee to do this?" And the woman said: "The cause of it is only weakness; if I had boldness or strength, I would |20 have thrown away my life from a mountain, or in the deep, and I would have had rest from the sorrows and the cares with which my people reproach me.' Said Peter: "And are those who kill themselves saved from punishment, or do they suffer more of it in Gehenna with the souls who did thus to kill them?' And the woman said, "O would I were sure that in Gehenna there are living souls, that I might go there and see my loved ones, even if I were in torment." And Peter said: "And what is it that grieves thee, O woman, tell me; and if I knew perhaps I could cure thee, and convince thee that in Gehenna there are living souls, and give thee skill that thou shouldst not long (to go) with them to drowning, or to anything else, and that thou mayest go out of the body without torment." And she was glad at the promise, and she began to relate to him, saying: "I am a woman who was possessed of dignity, and a nobleman wedded me, a man of position, related to Caesar the Emperor. And I had twin sons by him, and I had another son besides them, and after that the brother of my husband fell in love with me, and I persuaded him to live in chastity, and I did not tell my husband of his wicked desire ¹ towards me. And I resolved that I would not consent to him, nor defile the couch of my husband, besides exciting enmity between them, and that would be a reproach to me before all my people, and I resolved on going out of the city with my son for a short time till this bad wind should cease and vengeance should pass from me, and I left my other son with his father that he might be comforted by him, and I dreamt in a dream as if I saw a vision in the night saying to me: "O woman, go out with thy children from here until a time that I will shew thee thy return, and if not, thou shalt perish with thy husband and children." And therefore I did [it], and when I told this to my husband he shuddered at that, then he rose, and carried me into a ship with my boys, and many servants, and much goods, and sent us to Athens, and while we travelled on the sea, the winds arose against us, and the waves came over us, and we were engulfed in the night, and every one who was |21 with us was drowned and I, miserable being, was thrown with a wave to the side of a rock, and I was inveigled by it (into) a hope of finding my boys alive. On that account, I did not throw myself to the depths and go to rest, and this, by my life, would have been case then, when I was overwhelmed with grief. And when the dawn approached I began to turn and grope for my drowned sons, and I mourn and bewail them with tears, whilst I did not see one of them nor their drowned bodies; and when the people of the place saw me, they pitied me and covered me. Then they sought for my boys in the depths, and did not find them. And there came to me women comforting me, and they were reminded of the misfortunes and the griefs they had suffered like to what had befallen me, and that was a thing that increases my grief because there were no other misfortunes but [such as] mine with which they consoled me. And they invited me to go to them (two) and I went to a poor woman when she invited me to go to page her, and she said to me, "I had a husband, who died by drowning in the sea, and left me that day, being of my own age, and since then I have known no man, though many invited me to wedlock, and I preferred chastity and piety towards my husband. Come, we will go into one life and one household, and I lived with her that she might keep her affection for her husband. And after that I had a pain in my hand, and the woman my house-companion had a paralytic stroke there in the house, and since then for some time I sit here begging alms for myself and for my friend. And now I have explained to thee my affair and my story, and fulfil now thy promise to me, that thou mayest give me the cure, by means of which it will be possible for me to hasten from this world with my friend." And when the woman said this, Peter fell the more into thought, and he was then standing, and I Clement came up to Peter, and said to him, "O good Teacher, where hast thou been, for I have been seeking thee for some time. What dost thou command us to do?" And he said, "Go forward and wait for me in the ship." And I did as he commanded me. And he renewed the questioning of the woman, and said to her, "Tell me about thy |22 family, and thy city, and thy children, and their names, and I will give thee the medicine." And the woman did not wish to tell him about that, and she began to tell him untruthfully, that she might get the medicine. And she said to him, "I am a woman of Ephesus, and my husband was from Sicily," and she changed the names of her boys; and Peter saw that she was trustworthy, and said to her, "I had been thinking, that thou wouldst have had a good fortune of joy this day, because I thought that thou were a woman whose affairs I know." And the woman adjured him, saying: "I ask you to tell me what thou knowest, for I do not think that among women there is one more wretched than I." And Peter began to relate to her truly, and said, "There is with me a lad my follower, in search of the certain knowledge of God, and he is from Rome; besides, he told me about a father whom he had, and twin brothers, and he believed that his mother, as his father had told him, saw in a vision that she should go out of Rome with her sons that she might not perish with her husband, and she went out, and he does not know what became of her, and that his father went in search of her, and news of him failed also, and he does not know what became of him." And when Peter said this, the woman fell in a faint, and Peter came forward, and took her hand, and said to her: "Have confidence, and trust me, and tell me truly what thou hast to do with that." As she recovered from the faint, and wiped her face, she said: "Where is this lad whom thou didst tell me of?" And Peter said: "Tell thou me first thy affair, and I will shew thee him." And she said: "I am the mother of this boy." Said Peter, "What is his name?" She said: "Clement is his name." And Peter said: "He is the youth who is present, and I commanded him to wait for me in the ship." And she fell down and did homage to him. And she said: "Hasten first to the ship, that thou mayest show me my only son, for when I see him, I have seen my boys who were drowned here." And Peter said to her: "I will do this to thee, but when thou seest him, be silent until thou comest down from the Island." And the woman said, "I will do so." And Peter took her by |23 the hand, and brought her near to the ship. And when I saw him holding a woman by the hand, I smiled, then I honoured him for that, and I began to lead the woman, and when I caught her hand, she cried with a loud voice, weeping and embracing me, and she began to kiss me. And I, because I did not know the thing, thought she was insane, or bewitched, and I pushed her from me. And Peter said, "Why, my son, dost thou push thy mother from thee?" And when I heard this from him, that she was my mother, my heart was troubled, and my eyes wept, and I threw myself towards her and my heart warmed to her, page n and weeping overcame me for joy and pity, and I kissed her; and all the people who were there came near us, hurrying to see the beggar woman, how she had recognised her son. And when we wished to go out from the Island, my mother said to me: "O my beloved son, it is my duty to say good-bye to the woman who received me, and besides, she is a paralysed woman, bed-ridden in the house." And when Peter heard [this], he marvelled at the sense of the woman, and he commanded that the paralysed woman should be carried on a couch, and they brought her to him. And when they came near, Peter said, the people listening, "If I am an apostle of Christ, let these people now believe, that God is the only one, Creator of all, and the restoration of this woman is complete." And when Peter said this, the woman rose whole, and did obeisance to Peter, and asked him about these things. And he convinced her, and she knew the certainty of the thing; and when all the people heard they wondered with a great wonder and Peter made them a Speech about religion and about the last day. He said: "Whosoever wishes to hear: the certainty about God for the salvation of his soul, let him travel to Antioch, as I have resolved to stay there for three months; and more obligatory than absence for the merchandise of the gains of the world [is] the search for the salvation of Souls, and the gain of the other [world]." And after the speech of Peter to the people, I gave a thousand drachmas to the woman whom Peter had cured, and entrusted them to an honest man, and recompensed the women who all had known my mother; and we travelled to Antaradus with Peter, and my |24 mother and the rest; and when we arrived at the house, my mother asked me, saying, "How is thy father, O my son?" and I said to her, "From the time when he went out in search of thee no trace was known of him"; and when she heard that she sighed and grieved. And after a day we went out to Laodicea, and when we came near to it, behold, before the gates disciples of Peter, Niceta and Aquila, and they met us and took us to the house; and when Peter saw the place suitable, he was pleased to stay there ten days, and Niceta and Aquila asked me, saying, "Who is this woman?" and I said to them: "This is my mother, whom God permitted me to know by the forethought of my lord Peter"; and when I said this, Peter explained to them the certainty of the thing, how it was, according as I had related it about my mother, according as he heard from her, and he it was who had led us to a knowledge of each other. And when Peter said this, they marvelled much when they heard Peter about the woman and her recollection of her sons Faustus and Faustinianus, and they were astonished at the tale. And they said," Do we see? Is this a vision or the truth? If we are not be-witched it is true." And they beat upon their faces, and they said, "We are Faustus and Faustinianus, and our hearts were straitened when thou didst begin the tale, and we held firm till we should hear the end of the tale, because many of the things are like one another. And this by my life is our mother, and this is our brother.' And when they said this, they embraced me with much weeping, and they kissed me, and they went in to our mother, and found her asleep. And Peter said to them, "Do not wake her, lest an emotion of joy overcome her suddenly, and her soul grow small within her." And when our mother awoke, Peter began to say to her, "I will instruct thee, O woman, about our religion, and our faith in God; we believe in one God, Creator of all this visible world, and we keep His commands, and sanctify and honour [our] parents; and we live a pure life, and have no communion with the heathen in meat or in drink, unless they are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. And if there is a father or mother or wife or son or brother unbaptized, we |25 do not trust him and do not be grieved if thy son is bound by this unless thou becomest like him.' And when she heard this, she said, "And what is necessary, that I should not be baptized today, and that I should not come to this, because my soul has hated false gods, because they inspire the reverse of chastity, on account of which I fled from Rome with my sons Faustus and Faustinian?" And when our mother said this, my brothers Niceta and Aquila did not wait, but they [were] overjoyed and they embraced her and kissed her. And the woman said, "What is this thing?" Said Peter, "0 woman, keep thy presence of mind. These are thy sons Faustus and Faustinianus, whom thou didst think were drowned in the sea, how are they here before thee? 'The sea swallowed them in the middle of the night, and how is the one called Niceta, and the other Aquila?" "Let them tell us now that we and thou may know.1 And when Peter said this, the woman fell in a faint from joy, and we restored her with great labour, and when she sat up, she said to us, "I beg of you, my beloved sons, tell me what happened to you in that night." And my brother Niceta said, "I relate to thee, O my mother, that in that night when our ship was wrecked they carried us into the boat, to make merchandise of us, and they rowed with us to the land, and came with us to Caesarea, and they tormented us there with hunger, and beating, in order that we should not say anything that did not suit them. And they changed our names, and sold us to a Jewess, whose name was Justa, and she bought us and educated us, and when we came to years of discretion, we acquired a sure faith in God, and we began disputing and conversing that the godlessness of all the heathen might be reproved; and we learnt the sayings of philosophy, that by this we might examine vain philosophies and reasonings. And we associated with a man, a wizard, whose name was Simon, and we had much affection for him, and he nearly led us astray. And it came to us that there was a prophet in the land of Judaea, and everyone who believed in him would live without sorrow or death, and we thought it was Simon; and after that we met a disciple of our master Peter, whose name was Zacchaeus, and he exhorted us much and |26 hurried us from the wizard, and conducted us to Peter, and he led us to the knowledge of the truth. And we seek from God that he would count thee worthy to welcome thee to the grace to which we have come, that we may be filled with grace towards one another. This is the reason why thou didst think that we were drowned that night, and we also thought that thou hadst perished in the sea.' And when Niceta said this, our mother ran to Peter and said, "I ask and beg of thee that thou wouldst baptize me, that I may not be deprived one day of intercourse with my children." And we begged this of him; and he commanded her to fast for three days, then after that he baptized her in the sea, in presence of her children, and we took food with her, and we rejoiced at this in the glory of God and the teaching of Peter, and in the knowledge we had got of our mother; and we learnt that chastity is the cause of salvation to the nations; and after that day Peter took us to the harbour, and we washed there, and prayed. And behold, an old man sitting there looking towards us, and observing our prayer closely, and after we had prayed, he approached us to reprove us and to say that everything happens by fortune, and that invocation and prayer are useless; and we remained three days to persuade him to change his opinion of this thing. And thereupon, during our discourse to him, we were calling him "O Father"; and he was calling us, "O my sons." And this was a providence from God, because by it we began to know this word; and Aquila said to me and to Niceta, "Why do you call this stranger Father?" And my brother said to me, "Do not complain of this," and we continued in our talk to him, and he in that opinion of his, and he said: "Although the discourse has convinced me, yet I think of my wife, whose star and whose fortune was in vice, and she fled from wickedness on account of the disgrace, and she was drowned in the sea." And I Clement said to him, "And how dost thou know that the woman when she fled did not marry one of the slaves, and that she died?" "I know certainly, that she did not marry, because she was chaste, and after her death, my brother related to me how she loved him at first and he, in fidelity towards me and his continence |27 in his chastity, did not wish to defile my bed. And she, poor creature, in her fear of me and of disgrace, used an artifice, and she is not to be blamed, for this was fated against her, and she feigned that she had seen a vision and she said to me that: "if I remain here, I shall perish with my sons." And when I heard that from her, verily, through my desire for her safety and [that of] her sons, I sent her, and I kept with me a third son whom I had, as she asserted that she saw in her dreams." And when I heard this from him, I said, "Perhaps this is my father," and my eye wept. And when my brothers Sprung forward, wishing to embrace him, Peter prevented them, and said to them, ' Be silent till it pleases me.' And Peter answered and said to the old man,' What is the name of thy son, the youngest boy?' And the old man said: "His name is Clement." And Peter answered him and said, "If I shew thee today thy chaste wife with her three sons, wilt thou believe that a chaste mind is able to conquer animal emotions, and that my discourse which I made to thee about God is the truth?" And the old man said, "Just as what thou hast promised me cannot be, so there cannot be (anything) without fate." Said Peter, "I call those present to witness that this day I present to thee thy wife with her three sons alive in her chastity. And the proof of this is my knowing the certainty of the thing better than thee. And I tell thee all that she related, in order that thou mayest know and all these may know all this." And when Peter said this he began to relate, saying, "This man whom ye see, my brethren, in his ragged raiment, he is of the people of Rome, of a great lineage, and noble dignity, akin to Cesar, and his name is Faustinianus; and he married a noble woman, and her name is Matthidia; and he had three sons by her, two of them twins, and the third younger than they, whose name is Clement, and this is he, and these are the others, the one Aquila, and the other Niceta, and their names at first were, one Faustus, and the other Faustinianus. And when Peter said this, and named them by their names, the old man was bewildered, and fainted, and his sons fell upon him kissing him and weeping, supposing that he was dead. And the |28 people were bewildered by this marvel, and Peter commanded us to lean off from the old man, and he took him by the hand, and raised him, and he related to the people all the misfortunes that had befallen him, and the reason that they happened. And when our mother learned this, she came hurrying, crying and saying: "Where is my husband and lord Faustinianus, who has been miserable on account of me for a long time, seeking me in every city?" And while she was crying thus, the old man sprang hastily towards her with tears, and they embraced one another. And after all this Peter sent away the crowd of people, and commanded them to come the next day and hear the story. And behold, a man of the nobles came with his wife and children to ask us to go to his house, and Peter did not accept that from him.

And thereupon, behold, [there was] a daughter of the man [who had been] struck by a devil who had possessed her for twenty years, and on that account she was bound with chains, imprisoned in a house; the house was opened suddenly, and the chains were broken, and the devil came out from her; and the girl came and did obeisance to Peter, and said: "O lord, I have come to thee today on account of my salvation, and do not grieve me nor my father." And Peter asked them about the girl, and her parents were bewildered when they saw the chains fallen from her, and her request to Peter. And Peter had pity on her, and commanded us to go to his house. And on the morrow our father came to us, and did all that Peter commanded him; and we turned the discourse so that there might be certainty in the controversy, and after very much speech in reproof of folly, Peter commanded our father not to dwell for any time on what is not necessary to God in religion, but that he should repent, for the end of life is near not only to old men, but also to young ones. And he exhorted the old man with all the people for some days, then he baptized the old man in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, to whom be glory and praise for ever and ever, Amen.

O [thou] who readest, pray for him who wrote it.

The Lord remember thee in mercy, Amen, and all believers.

[Footnote numbered and placed at the end]

1. lit. "desire of wickedness"

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913). Preface to the online edition

The Legend of Hilaria (1913). Preface to the online edition

As Christianity took hold in the Roman empire, it affected every area of life. In particular, folklore also began to take on a Christianised form, being remade into a new version acceptable to a culture in which Christianity was very fashionable. Everyone knew the gospel narratives, and looked to see God at work actively in their current lives, and hungered for accounts of Him doing so. Such expectations were not likely to be disappointed. Stories of miraculous activity promptly came into being.

It would be harsh and anachronistic to regard such stories as forgeries or fakes. Rather, these were the urban legends of their day, reflecting the hopes and aspirations (and fears!) of the society in which they arose. Small events became larger, and more decorated.

Finally, as the distance between history and hagiography became larger, under pressure from these expectations, the gap from hagiography to folkstory narrowed to vanishing point. Much older folk-stories were reworked as amusing or inspirational fiction. The legend of Hilaria is one of these. The basic story is ancient Egyptian -- the Story of Bent-Resh -- but has long since gone into the melting-pot of popular culture. What emerges may legitimately be called 'pious fiction' -- a much abused term, most properly applied to fictional literature for those who wish they saw more miracles than they do.

A series of versions of the story exist, and are translated here. None have any claim to historical reality, any more than the ballads of Robin Hood. But they have great value in helping us to understand the dreams and aspirations of the society that produced them and treasured them.

Note that according to G.P.Badger, The Nestorians and their rituals (1852), vol. 1, p.83, Karshuni is Arabic written with Syriac letters. This form of writing was characteristic of the monophysite Christians around Mosul.

Roger PEARSE

26th January 2004

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. v-viii. Preface

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. v-viii. Preface

LEGENDS OF EASTERN SAINTS

CHIEFLY FROM SYRIAC SOURCES

EDITED AND PARTLY TRANSLATED

BY

A. J. WENSINCK

Vol. II

The Legend of Hilaria

---- With 3 facsimiles ----

LEYDEN

E. J. BRILL LTD.

1913

PRINTED BY E. J. BRILL, LEYDEN (HOLLAND).

PREFACE.

The existence of the story which is published in the following pages, may have been known in Europe since S. E. and J. S. Assemani published the catalogue of the Syriac Mss. preserved in the Vatican library (Bibl. apost. vatic. codd. mss. catalogus, III, p. 494). But it was only in 1879 that more details were made known by the appearance of Wüstenfeld's translation of the Alexandrian synaxary (Synaxarium das ist Heiligen-Kalender der Coptischen Christen, II, p. 252 et sequ.).

In 1887/1888 the Coptic text of the story appeared in the Proceedings of the Society for Biblical Archaeology, X, p. 194 et sequ., together with a translation of another redaction of the text of the Alexandrian synaxary, much longer than the one translated by Wüstenfeld (ib., p. 186). This edition and translation were made by Amélineau.

A new edition and translation of the enlarged Coptic text were published by Giron in his Légendes coptes, p. 44 et sequ.

The Arabic text of the Alexandrian synaxary has been edited by J. Forget (Corpus scriptorum christianorum orientalium, scriptores arabici, series tertia, tomus I et II). The text of Wüstenfeld's translation is to be found in tom. I, p. [Syriac] et sequ., that of Amélineau's translation in tom. I, p. [Syriac] et sequ. |vi

The Syriac and Karshuni texts are published for the first time in the present book.

The general features of the story, contained in the above mentioned versions, are as follows.

Hilaria, daughter of the Emperor Zeno, having a strong inclination towards monastic life, steals away from her father's palace and reaches the valley of Skete, where she lives henceforth in a cell or grotto, disguised as a man. Her sister, having been attacked by a severe illness, is sent by Zeno to the monks in order to be healed. This task is entrusted to Hilaria. After having recovered the girl is sent back to the Emperor, to whom she relates how a monk, a eunuch, kept her in his cell and healed her. Zeno, being disturbed by this fact, summons the monk to his residence. Here it appears that the so-called eunuch is Hilaria. She returns to the desert and only after her death it becomes more generally known that she was a woman: The monastery receives yearly large gifts from the Emperor.

These are the common features of the Coptic, Arabic, Aethiopic, Syriac and Karshuni versions of the legend. On the differences cf. the Introduction.

It was Dr. O. von Lemm, who recognised the prototype of this, apparently thoroughly Christian, story in the old-egyptian tale of Bent-resh (cf. Mélanges asiatiques tirés du Bulletin de l'académie impériale des sciences de St. Pétersbourg, Tome IX, p. 595-597). The translation of this tale, contained in the present book, has been taken from Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, III, 429-447. A French translation is to be found in Maspéro, Légendes populaires de l'Egypte ancienne, p. 183 et sequ. |vii

The translation of the Coptic text is based upon the above mentioned translations by Amélineau and Giron. Dr. von Lemm has revised and corrected it. I am greatly indebted to him for this kindness, as well as for many valuable data.

The Karshuni texts have been printed in Arabic characters for typographical reasons. In order to give an idea of the character of the Mss. I have added some facsimiles. ---- I have not deemed it necessary to translate the Aethiopic texts. They represent the same version as the short Arabic text.

I have to thank Professor K. Lake and Mr. M. G. van Neck for revising the English parts of this book.

I have to thank M. l'Abbé S. Grébaut who kindly lent me his photographs of the Parisian Aethiopic Mss. I have used.

My revered teacher Professor Snouck Hurgronje again read a proof of the whole book.

I beg that the Corrigenda be not overlooked, where also corrections to vol. I are to be found.

Leiden, November 1913. A. J. WENSINCK.

CONTENTS.

Introduction................ p. XI

Corrections in vols. I and II.......... p. XXXII

Translation of the Story of Bent-Resh....... p. 1

Translation of the Coptic text.......... p. 7

Translation of the long Arabic text........ p. 17

Translation of the short Arabic text........ p. 30

Translation of the Syriac text.......... p. 35

Translation of the short Karshuni text (V)...... p. 58

Translation of the long Karshuni text....... p. 63

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. xiii-xxxiv. Introduction

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. xiii-xxxiv. Introduction

INTRODUCTION.

MANUSCRIPTS.

SYRIAC MANUSCRIPTS

A = Ms. Add. 14.649, British Museum (cf. Wright, Catalogue of the Syriac Mss. in the Brit. Mus. acquired since the year 1838, III, p. mo, n°. 25), fol. 162a.

B = Ms. Add. 14.735, British Museum (cf. Wright, I.e., III, p. 1121, n°. 10), fol. 136b.

C = Ms. Add. 12.172, British Museum (cf. Wright, I.e., III, p. 1118, n°. 4), fol. 38«.

D = Ms. Add. 14.650, British Museum (cf. Wright, I.e., III, p. 1107, n°. 20), fol. 206«.

E=Ms. Add. 14.641, British Museum (cf. Wright, I.e.; III, p. 1046/0, fol. 165*.

R = Ms. Rich 7190, British Museum (cf. Catal. Codd. Mss. Or. qui in Museo Britannico asservantur, Pars I [ed. Forshall], p. 83, n°. 81), fol. 353b.

These Mss. belong to the same family; only B has many deviations, which however do not modify the character of the story in any way.

KARSHUNI MANUSCRIPTS.

A = Ms. Sachau 43, Berlin, Royal Library (cf. Die Handschriftenverzeichnisse der Konigl. Bibliothek zu Berlin, Band XXIII, Verzeichniss der Syrischen Handschriften von E. Sachau, p. 746, n°. 4), fol. 26b. |xiv

B = Ms. Sachau 109, Berlin, Royal Library (cf. Sachau, I.e., p. 394, n°. 1), fol. 26b.

C = Ms. Sachau 7, Berlin, Royal Library (cf. Sachau, I.e., p. 381, n°. 10), fol. 66a.

D = Ms. Or. 4403, British Museum (cf. Margoliouth, Descriptive List of Syriac and Karshunic Manuscripts in the British Museum acquired since 1873, p. 32 et segu.), fol. 112b.

There is another Ms. at Jerusalem (cf. Chabot, Notice sur les manuscrits syriaques conservés dans la bibliothèque du patriarcat grec orthodoxe de Jerusalem, in Journal Asiatique, 96 série, tome 3, p. 111). The title of the story runs here: History of the Emperor Zenon. I have not been able to consult this Ms.

V = Ms. CCVI, Vatican Library (cf. S. E. et J. S. Assemani, Bibliothecae apost. vatic, codd. mss. cat., III, 494), fol. 110a-112b.

AETHIOPIC MANUSCRIPTS.

A = Cod. d'Abbadie 66, fol. 146. Cf. Catalogue raisonné de Mss. éthiopiens appartenant a Antoine d'Abbadie.

B = Cod. d'Abbadie 1, fol. 142-3. Cf. op. cit.

C = Ms. éthiopien 126, Bibliothèque Nationale, fol. 155-7. Cf. Zotenberg, Cat. des Mss. éthiopiens de la Bibl. Nat., p. 173.

D = Cod. Add. 16.218, British Museum, fol. 124. Cf. Catalogus Codd. Mss. Orr. qui in Mus. Britannico asservantur, Pars III, p. 45 et sequ.

There are many other Mss. of the Aethiopic Synaxary, but I have not been able to consult all of them. Moreover, those mentioned were sufficient for editing a |xv readable text of the legend. A comparison of A with B, C, D will show, that Guidi's statement concerning the months Sane, Hamle, Nahase of the Aethiopic synaxary ¹), holds also good for this portion of Ter. A is a literal translation of the short Arabic text, which seems to have lost a few words still read by the Aethiopic translator. Unhappily A is only a fragment. After fol. 146 of the Ms. one or more folio's are wanting.

B, C, D, belong to one family of Mss. D is very carelessly written. A large part of the story is omitted on account of homoioteleuton, with the gutturals is dealt in a free manner. There are many scribal errors. It goes finally back to C or the prototype of C, as may be seen on page [Ethiopic], note (21-21), where both in C and D [] is followed by [] which gives no sense. The omitted words [] are in B only. ---- On the other hand D goes with B in some cases. But the exact relation between these Mss. cannot be established without comparing the numerous other Mss. of the Synaxary.

PROPER NAMES.

The heroine of the story is called Hilaria, [].

This name (i9lari/a) is, as Dr. von Lemm has pointed out, a translation of Bent-resh, which popular etymology has taken for "Daughter of Joy"; hence the Coptic translation i9lari/a, "Joy." During her abode with the monks she takes the name of Hilarios, []. The Syriac |xvi and Karshuni versions call her during the time of disguise [].

The name of her sister is not mentioned in any of the texts. Seymour de Ricci and E. Winstedt call her Anastasia on account of a passage in the Coptic story of the forty-nine old men of Skete. In their translation ²) this passage runs: "Et à cause de leur désir de ces saints, les filles des rois laissèrent leur gloire et leur palais; elles allèrent secrètement à Shiêt, la métropole des moines. Et ainsi elles accomplirent leur sainte vie dans les grands et saints déserts de Shiêt. Une d'elles fut Elaria, la fille du pieux roi Zenon, de bonne mémoire, avec Anastasia la servante de Dieu à qui écrivit le saint patriarche Sevêros" and so on.

I do not think that this place gives us the right to call Anastasia the sister of Hilaria. The history of this Anastasia is not only known in extract from this Coptic text, but also in extenso from two Syriac Mss.: British Museum, Add. 14. 649, fol. 99 et seqıı., and Bibliothèque Nationale, Cod. Syr. 234, fol. 399 et sequ., from the Alexandrian Synaxary, ed. Forget, I p. [...] et sequ. and. from the Aethiopic Synaxary (e. g. Br. Mus., Add. 16.218, fol. 127 v°). Here she is called a patrika or a princess, but there is not the slightest hint as to her being a daughter of Zeno. So we must maintain that the name of Hilaria's sister is unknown to us.

Her father is the Emperor Zeno who reigned in the last quarter of the Vth century A. D. (died 491). He is praised here as being orthodox, of course on account of |xvii his Henoticon, which was favourable for the Monophysites. Further it is said, that he led a pious life and equalled Constantine the Great in his love of Christ ³). In the Karshuni text ⁴) he is even compared to Abraham and the other patriarchs. History declares him cruel and voluptuous.

The name of his wife is not mentioned in the Coptic and Arabic texts and V. The Syriac version calls her Augusta, the Karshuni one Shams al-Munîra, "the shining sun". In reality she bore the name of Ariadne and is praised by the historians. History does not mention any daughters of Zeno.

On her journey towards the desert Hilaria reaches Alexandria (Rakote); the short Arabic text does not mention this place, but [], translated in the Aeth. Synaxary as "the land of Egypt"; the Karshuni text has [] what this means, I am not able to say. ----At Alexandria she finds a man who shows her the way to the monastery. According to the long Arabic text this man is a deacon, called Theodore; according to the short Arabic text he is an old monk, called Bamu, which seems to be a corruption of Pambo (see beneath).

The name of the monastery she reaches, is given in the Syriac and Karshuni texts as that of Aba Macarius, a well known place, which has retained its name till the present day ⁵). This Macarius is the famous founder of monasticism in the desert of Skete, who died in 390 A. D.⁶) |xviii A part of the desert is called after him [...]. ⁷). V calls this region Wadi Habib. This name is also well known ⁸). On the map of Evetts and Butler it lies between Cairo and the Nitrian desert; but I do not know whether this location is absolutely trustworthy.

The long Arabic text does not mention the monastery of Macarius; it says only that Hilaria passes by the church of Menas ⁹) and reaches the mountain of Shlhat (Skete), also called "The Balance of Hearts", where she is received by the abbot Bamfu (Pambo). There have been several monks of this name, as Amelineau has remarked; but this one is referred to another time in Eastern literature, viz. in the Alexandrian Synaxary on the th Abib (ed. Forget, II, p....). Here this is said about him: "On the montain of Shlhat was a presbyter whose name was Bamu; it is he who shrouded the corpse of the holy Allaria ¹⁰)". Then there is told how he was present at the death of the holy Kiros.

In the Coptic, long Arabic and Syriac versions of the story Hilaria is trusted to an old man, whose name is given in the first two as Aba Martyrios.

CHARACTER OF THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS.

I. COPTIC VERSION.

As the origin of the legend of Hilaria is to be sought in the old-egyptian story of Bent-resh (see above, p. VI), |xix it is a priori probable that of the Coptic, Arabic, Syriac and Karshuni versions, the first has preserved the original features better than the other ones. This is confirmed by a comparison of the texts. Of course the transition from a profane story to a legend, wholly inclosed in the horizon of solitaries, cannot be a gradual one.

In the Egyptian story the daughter of the king of Bakhtan leaves her country to marry the king of Egypt. Her younger sister, Bent-resh, is the heroine of the tale.

In the Coptic legend the eldest daughter leaves her country to become a nun. The nun is the heroine of the story and receives the (translated) name of the former heroine.

In the Coptic legend the eldest daughter of the king leaves her parents secretly, disguising her sex and effacing all traces which could betray her place of abode. This alteration serves to introduce two motifs which are not rare in Eastern legends:

1°. Women living in monasteries of monks disguised as men.

2°. Children being lost sight of by their parents and becoming united to them again.

We shall speak about these motifs later.

II. ARABIC-VERSIONS.

a. Nearest to the Coptic legend stands the long Arabic text. If we compare the texts, there can be no doubt about the fact that the latter is a rendering of the former, sometimes free, sometimes close. Of the Coptic text we have only the middle part, so we may complete |xx it safely from the Arabic one, which has been preserved wholly.

Here may follow the main traits of this version: King Zeno has no male offspring, but only two young daughters. The elder, Hilaria, becomes inclined to monastic life. Being in a church she beseeches God to give her an indication as to her further way. She receives unmistakable signs, she leaves Constantinople disguised and reaches Alexandria. In the church of St. Mark she meets a deacon Theodore, whom she invites to conduct her to the desert of Skete. He brings her into the presence of Aba Bamfu (Pambo), who gives her a cell. Theodore withdraws. She is invested with the holy habit. [According to the Coptic version God reveals to Aba Pambo after three years, that she is a woman. This is not in the Arabic text.] Hilaria remains beardless, whereupon the monks call her Hilarios the eunuch. On account of her ascetic practices her breasts wither and she becomes exempt from the usual illness of women.

Her younger sister has meanwhile become possessed by a demon. Her father writes to the monks of Skete and orders the governor of Alexandria to take the girl with the letter to Skete, where she is entrusted to her sister, who recognises her without being recognised herself. Hilaria kisses her, sleeps with her on the same bench and makes the demon leave her. The girl is sent back to Constantinople and tells her father how she has been cured by Hilarios the eunuch. Zeno conceives suspicions about the morality of the monk and summons him to the residence, under the pretext of being ill. Hilaria arrives with some other monks and is interrogated by the king about her way of healing the girl. She |xxi induces the king to swear by the Gospel not to betray the secret she will reveal to him. The king swears, she tells who she is. Three months afterwards she departs to Skete; the king sends yearly rich gifts to the desert. Hilaria lives still twelve years; she is buried in her male dress. Aba Pambo tells the brethren the story of her life. Her death is communicated to the king.

This text assumes that it was composed by the holy Aba Pambo; this is not probable, as a glance at the text will show. In the above cited story of saint Kiros in the Aethiopian Synaxary the same Bamu is related to have written the story of Kiros at divine command (l. c., p. 292, 294).

b. The short Arabic text is an abridgment of the Coptic, viz. long Arabic text. There are however some divergent points:

1°. Hilaria leaves the palace without having received a token from heaven in the church.

2°. The man whom Hilaria meets in Alexandria is called Amba Bamu, which is no doubt a corruption of Pambo. Here the rôle of Theodore is left out and Pambo takes his rôle as well.

3°. Hilaria reveals her secret to Bamû. In the Coptic text it is God who reveals it. In the long Arabic text this trait is altogether left out, but at the end of the story there is an allusion to it.

4°. Zeno does not send his sick daughter to the governor of Alexandria, but directly to Skete.

5°. Zeno summons Hilarios the eunuch to his residence, not, as the Coptic text has it, under the pretext of being ill, but pretending to be desirous to receive his blessing. |xxii

6°. In the scene of recognition Hilaria shows her parents bodily peculiarities, which were known to them ¹¹).

The Aethiopic versions are simply a translation of the short Arabic text without material differences; there is only added a notice concerning the building of churches (cf. V) and the usual Salam.

III. THE SYRIAC VERSION.

This version has been enlarged and modified into the usual style of Syriac legends of saints. We shall see, that the author had not before him our Coptic text, but a type of text like the short Arabic one.

We have to swallow the usual exordium; it is very profitable for Believers to hear the great deeds of God at the hands of the saints. So it is a good work to transmit the records thereof by script. Now the author confesses that he is wholly unworthy of undertaking such a work; but as it is profitable for pious souls, he will not be silent (p.... and...).

The same exordium is to be found in text I) and parallel texts of the story of Archelides (vol. I, p....), in 25 of the Acta edited by Bedjan, in the Life of John of Telia (Het leven van Johannes van Tella, door H. G. Kleyn, p. 6, 7).

We do not find these formula's at the head of the old Acts of martyrs, which pretend to be protocols of trials and executions. Only when writing the lives of saints becomes a literary occupation, humble or would-be humble authors begin to use such a captatio benevolentiae; gradually it becomes a form to do so. Ephraim's Hymn |xxiii on Julian Saba has already such a beginning (ed. Lamy, III, 837, nd stanza):

"Whose words can be compared with the treasury of works and excellent deeds ¹²), which sleeps? He is silent, but his silence is too great for his preachers, and his shrine for his treasures. The treasure of our father is too great for my mouth."

But Ephraim does not use these phrases at the beginning of other hymns on saints and martyrs.

After the rather long introduction the story begins. Hilaria is born as the fruit of many prayers ¹³). This is a circumstance she has to share with other heroes of stories, e. g. Jacob Baradaeus ¹⁴), Archelides ¹⁵), Euphrosyne ¹⁶), Samuel in the Old Testament.

Hilaria is a fair child, another trait she has in common with other heroes and heroines, e. g. Archelides ¹⁷), Jacob Baradaeus ¹⁸), Onesima ¹⁹),

Like Archelides she enjoys a literary education and is captivated by the lives of holy persons, especially the monks of Skete, with whom she desires to live. Syriac literature mentions several cases of that sort. John of Telia ²⁰) e. g. is struck by a place in the biography of Tekla, the disciple of St. Paul, and begins ascetic practices in his home, like Hilaria.

The Fathers of Skete enjoyed a high reputation throughout the Christian world, and paying them a visit and hearing their profitable discourses was an ideal of |xxiv many pious persons; Palladius dwelt amongst them and the account of his visit has become one of the most widely spread books in the East. People could not conceive how St. Ephraim had attained to such a spiritual height without having visited Skete; so his enlarged biography is supplemented with a narrative to that extent ²¹). Hilaria prepares her flight with the unconscious help of her waiting woman, whose visits she is able to delay more and more. We do not hear anything of a token from heaven, as in the long Arabic text. She walks from Alexandria to the desert alone, not accompanied by a man as in the long Arabic text. The Syriac author puts a prayer into her mouth which has a certain likeness with Archelides' prayer on his way to the monastery ²²).

Archelides

Our Lord Jesus Christ, who willest not the death of the sinner, hear me this time. Open to me Thy gate full of mercy. Give me Thy helping hand and guide me on Thy way of Life. For my soul loveth Thee more than all visible things. Be Thou my guide where Thou wilt," that I may please Thee according to Thy will and praise and glorify Thee for ever.

Hilaria

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the life and salvation that hath dawned for us, thou who hast come to seek the forlorn and to bring back to the way of truth those who have gone astray. Thou who leadest Thy saints to the eternal way----turn to me, the lost one, for I seek Thee, my Lord; and lead me at Thy right hand to Thy way of life, for Thee alone my soul loveth. And direct my feet in the way |xxv of salvation and receive me into Thy good harbour. For Thou art my strong hope and in Thee I have confided from my youth, now and for ever.

The prior of the monastery asks her name. She answers: "I am John the eunuch, a slave freed by my master." In the older texts it is only after the monks have seen her remaining beardless, that they call her "the eunuch." The Syriac author does not say, like the older texts, that she ceased to be a woman as to the pa&qh of her body. It is clear that in the Syriac version she is considered as one who has been made a eunuch, in the Coptic and long Arabic texts the monks take her for a eunuch by nature. Such persons seem not to have been very rare in the East. In Matthew XIX, 12 they are called eunuchs from their mother's womb, in the Mishna ²³)..... "eunuch of the sun". A similar expression occurs at the end of the Syriac text, where it is said that the monks who buried Hilaria, thought that she was beardless [Syriac]²⁴ i. e. "like the rest of those persons who have no beard on the chin because of great heat". This "great heat" is an expression analogous to the Hebrew one, perhaps no longer understood. Dr. Preuss and Baron |xxvi Dr. von Oefele call attention in explanation of it, to the Egyptian myth of Seth being castrated by Horus (the sun).

Hilaria passes her farther life disguised as a man. This is also a common trait in Eastern legends. Marina resides with her father in a monastery of monks, disguised as one of them ²⁵). Euphrosyne left her father's house and did the same thing ²⁶). Anastasia, flying before Justinian, reached Skete and was henceforth known as a eunuch ²⁷). During her abode in the monastery Hilaria is performing ascetic works ²⁸), just like Archelides ²⁹). Ten years after her flight another daughter is born to her parents. This is an alteration by the Syriac author. In the Coptic and Arabic texts king Zeno has already two daughters at the beginning of the story, in accordance with the Egyptian tale. Perhaps this alteration is due to the tendency of making it more probable, that Hilaria is afterwards not recognised by her younger sister.

The Syriac text, like the short Arabic one, has omitted the governor and the commander of Alexandria, who, according to the older texts, accompany the younger sister with an escort of soldiers to the monastery of Aba Macarius. But her escort consists of soldiers of the king and trustworthy persons, who do not take a royal letter to the monks, but simply give an oral account of the matter. |xxvii

Hilaria is not recognised by her younger sister, who stays with her five years; in the older texts only a week. Neither is she recognised afterwards by her father at Constantinople, but she makes herself known.

Here we have another motif of Eastern tales; the hero is separated from his relatives and after a long interval he meets them again, but one of the parties does not recognise the other at first. This motif has been made use of in the legend of Archelides, the story of John and Arcadius, Xenophon and Maria ³⁰), John bar Malke ³¹), Euphrosyne ³²), in the Old Testament in the story of Joseph and his brethren.

The end of the Syriac story is altogether an addition to the original legend. Here the ascetic predilections of the author again find expression: Hilaria is presumed by the other monks to be a relative of the king and more honour is shown her for that reason. She fears to become conceited and to lose the fruits of her good works. So she goes away secretly and passes the rest of her life in a grotto. We find the same trait in the legend of Onesima (Bedjan, Acta V, 419). On the day of her death she is visited by three monks, who witness her departure. A similar trait is in the story of Kiros (l. c.), where it is said that the priest Bamu travels through the desert in order to shroud the saint, and in the story of Anastasia (see above, p. xxvi note 3). ---- As the monks wash her corpse, they perceive her to be a woman. This we have also in the legend of Anastasia, where there is said that the disciple of Aba Daniel, who washes the corpse of |xxviii the saint, perceives her breasts "like two withered leaves." Nothing more is said about her relatives. She does not inform them of her departing from the monastery to a remote part of the desert. These saints do not care much about "worldly" relations. We have seen the same thing in the story of Archelides; Onesima wishes that her parents may die on the same day, in order to liberate herself from a possible marriage ³³).

IV. THE KARSHUNI VERSIONS.

a. The Karshuni text V is only a very short abridgment of the Coptic legend. The character of the original has been preserved throughout. The following deviations are only to be noticed:

1°. In the Coptic text Zeno orders the monks to send Hilarios to Constantinople. Here he writes again to the Wali (of Alexandria) to carry out his order.

2°. In the scene of recognition at Constantinople Hilaria shows her mother some bodily peculiarities in order to ascertain her identity ³⁴) (V). This trait is not in the long Arabic text.

3°. In the long Arabic text the story closes with the annunciation of Hilaria's death to Zeno. In V the last fact mentioned is Zeno's yearly sending of rich gifts which enable the monks to erect several buildings, e. g. the church of Abu Makar. Here it becomes manifest that the chief interest of the author of V lies in the history of Skete, which was a priori to be expected, as the MS., from which it is taken, is a history of Skete. |xxix

b. That the other Karshuni version has its origin in Syria, appears from the Syriac verses which are intermingled with the Arabic text and from some Syriacisms. The redaction is dependent on the Syriac one. The most important deviations may follow here. The long Syriac exordium has been left out. The narrator starts at once with his story, which has altogether got the character of a tale and is void of all historical probability. Zeno and his wife (here called Shams al-Munir, "the shining sun") are persons of the type of popular tales, always wearing a crown and surrounded by courtiers, but not objecting against a journey to the monks in order to ask their intervention with God for the sake of getting offspring. ---- Hilaria does not conceal from her governess the project of flying to the desert. She only does not tell her at what time she will depart in order to. enable the governess to swear that she does not know when her pupil has fled. According to the Syriac version Hilaria, like Archelides, is travelling to Alexandria on a ship. This way of travelling is not ascetic and romantic enough for our narrator: Hilaria walks all the way barefoot, through deserts, treading on thorns and thistles. She reaches Suk Misr and goes from there to the monastery of Abu Macarius, where she tells the prior that she has been manumitted by a king, whereas in the Syriac redaction it is a nobleman who has freed her.

In the Syriac version it is the governess who is astonished at Hilaria's having disappeared; she informs the king and the queen of the fact. Here, of course, this is not the case. The king and the queen, on visiting their daughter, do not find her and call for the trembling governess. |xxx

In the Syriac version the king sends messengers to search for Hilaria. Here he and the queen travel to the monastery of Abu Macarius and request the prior and the monks to pray for Hilaria's discovery, The colour of this scene is remarkably heightened by the addition that Hilaria herself is among the monks, praying for the contrary and that her prayer prevails over that of the threehundred.

In the Syriac version the king gets the worst suspicions against John the eunuch on hearing in what manner he has healed his daughter. But our narrator apparently does not find it suitable to utter such thoughts in connection with a monk. Here it is only Zeno's curiosity which induces him to summon John the eunuch to Constantinople.

AGE AND RELATIONSHIP OF THE VERSIONS.

The origin of the Hilaria-legend is to be sought in the old-egyptian tale of Bent-resh, as Dr. von Lemm has pointed out. According to Erman ³⁵) this tale was composed as late as the Ptolemaic times, according to Maspéro ³⁶) it dates from the time of the invasions of the Aethiopians.

The Coptic story cannot well have been composed before + 500 A. D., probably later, because there is a lack of historical truth about Zeno and his family in it.

The oldest Syriac Ms. dates, according to Wright, from the IXth century A. D.

At what time the Arabic speaking Syrian Christians |xxxi took up the legend and reproduced it in Arabic, is not to be said. The oldest Karshuni Ms. (Or. 4403, British Museum) dates, according to G. Margoliouth, from the XIIIth - XIVth century A. D.

The Alexandrian Synaxary, is according to Guidi, l.c., an outcome of the movement which, from the thirteenth century onwards, gave new life to the Church in Egypt. The Aethiopic translation of this Synaxary must have originated, according to the same scholar, in the fifteenth century.

The relationship between the different versions can be represented in the following way:

Old-egyptian | Coptic | ---------------------------------- | | | Long Arabic Karshuni V Short Arabic = Aethiopic | Syriac | Other Karshuni

I must however remark that I do not presume that there is a direct relation between any of these texts; the above stemma means only, that e. g. the Syriac version derives from a type of the legend like the short Arabic text. Whether this type was contained in an Arabic or in a Coptic text, it is impossible to make out. |xxxii

CORRECTIONS IN VOL. I.

In the Machrig (1913, n°. 2), Louis Cheikho, S. J., has published an Arabic text of the Legend of Archelides, which is the prototype of our Karshuni Ms. A and gives many good readings.

P. XIX. On account of the common features of the Legend of Archelides and that of Hilaria, and the fact that the latter has a Coptic source, I must alter my opinion, that Archelides is originally a Greek tale: I hold it now for a product of Coptic monks. The Coptic origin explains the form of the hero's name, which is not Greek, but sounds like a Greek one.

P. xvii. That the Karshuni versions go back to a Coptic source is not probable. Several critics have maintained a Syriac origin. I agree with them and have reproduced their arguments also in discussing the origin of the Karshuni version of the Hilaria-legend.

Professor Nöldeke and Professor Seybold sent me some corrections of the texts; Professor Schulthess gave his corrections in the Gottingische gelehrte Anzeigen, 1912, Nr 6. I give here those corrections which seem to me evident.

[Textual corrections omitted]

[Footnotes renumbered and placed at the end]

1. ¹) Journal of the Royal Asiatic society, 1911, p. 739 et sequ.

2. 1) Les quarante-neuf vieillards de Scété, texte copte inédit et traduction française par Seymour de Ricci et Erich O. Winstedt (Notices et extraits, Tome XXXIX).

3. 1) P. [] ult. et sequ.

4. ²) Henceforth by the Karshuni text the longer recension only is meant, with the exclusion of V.

5. 3) Cf. Evetts and Butler, The churches and monasteries of Egypt (Oxford, 1895), p. 194.

6. 4) His Syriac Acta in Bedjan, Acta Martt. V, 177 et sequ.

7. ¹) Evetts and Butler, o. c., p.

8. ²) O. c., Index, II, s. v. Wadi Habib.

9. ³) cf. K. M. Kaufmann, Die Menasstadt und das Nationalheiligtum der altchristlichen Aegypter, I (Leipzig 1910).

10. ⁴) The same place is in the Aethiopian Synaxary, on the th Hamle (ed. Guidi, Patrol. Orient., VII, p. 290).

11. ¹) cf. Vol. I, p. 12.

12. 1) Julian Saba.

13. 2) Sometimes she is simply called "the Fruit of Prayer."

14. 3) cf. H. G. Kleyn, Jacobus Baradaeus, p. 37 et sequ.

15. 4) cf. Vol. I, p....

16. 5) cf. Bedjan, Acta, V, 388.

17. 6) Vol. I, p......

18. 7) o. c., p. 38.

19. 8) Bedjan, Acta, V, 406.

20. 9) Kleyn, Het leven van J. v. T., p. 18.

21. 1) Roman edition of his Opera omnia, III, p. XLI.

22. 2) Vol. I, p....

23. 1) Jebam. VIII, 4. This place has been taken from a letter of Dr. J. Preuss in Berlin to Dr. von Lemm. Many letters on this subject have been kindly lent to me by the latter. Cf. also Tosephta, Berakot V. 14.

24. 2) p....

25. 1) Bedjan, Acta, I, 365 et sequ. I have not at my disposition Clugnet's edition.

26. 2) ib., V, 386.

27. 3) Br. Museum, cod. Add. 14. 649, fol. 99 et sequ. Paris, Cod. Syr. 234, fol. 339 et sequ.

28. 4) p.... infra et sequ.

29. 5) Vol. I, p....

30. 1) Acta Sanctorum, ed. Bolland., January 26. The Syriac text has not yet been published.

31. 2) Bedjan, Acta, I, 344 et sequ.

32. 3) ib., V, 386 et sequ.

33. 1) Bedjan, o. c., V, 406.

34. 2) cf. p. XXII, note I.

35. 1) Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache, 1883, p. 54 et sequ.

36. 2) Les contes populaires de l'Egypte ancienne ⁴, p. 184.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 1-6. The story of Bent-Resh

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 1-6. The story of Bent-Resh

THE STORY OF BENT-RESH.

The Story of Bent-Resh.

Lo ¹), his majesty ²) was in Naharin according to his yearly custom, while the chiefs of every country came bowing down in peace, because of the fame of his majesty. From the marshes was their tribute; silver, gold, lapis lazuli, malachite and every sweet wood of God's-Land were upon their backs, each one leading his neighbour.

Then the chief of Bekhten caused his tribute to be brought, and he placed his eldest daughter in front thereof, praising his majesty, and craving life from him. Now, she was exceedingly beautiful to the heart of his majesty, beyond everything. Then they affixed her titulary as: "Great King's-Wife, Nefrure". When his majesty arrived in Egypt, she fulfilled all the functions of King's-wife. ---- When the year 23, the tenth month, the twenty-second day, came, while his majesty was in Thebes, the victorious, the mistress of cities, performing the pleasing ceremonies of his father, Amon-Re, Lord of Thebes, at his beautiful feast of Southern Opet (Luxor), his favorite seat, of the beginning (of the world), came one to say to his majesty: "A messenger of the chief of Bekhten has come, bearing many gifts for the King's-Wife". Then he was brought before his majesty together with his gifts. He said, praising his majesty: "Praise to thee, Sun of the nine Bows! Give |4 us life from thee". So spake he, smelling the earth before his majesty. He spake again before his majesty: "I come to thee, o King, my lord, on account of Bentresh, thy great sister of the King's-Wife, Nefrure. Sickness has penetrated into her limbs. May thy majesty send a wise man to see her".

Then said his majesty: "Bring to me the sacred scribes and the officials of the court". They were led to him immediately. Said his majesty: "Let one read to you, till you hear this thing. Then bring to me one experienced in his heart, who can write with his fingers from your midst". The king's-scribe, Thutemhab, came before his majesty, and his majesty commanded that he go to Bekhten together with this messenger.

The wise man arrived in Bekhten; he found Bentresh in the condition of one possessed of a spirit. He found her [unable] to contend with him.

The chief of Bekhten repeated in the presence of his majesty, saying: "O King, my lord, let his majesty command to have this god brought.....³).

[Then the wise man whom his majesty had sent, returned] to his majesty in the year 26, the ninth month, at the feast of Amon, while his majesty was in Thebes.

Then his majesty repeated (it) before Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest, saying: "O my good lord, I repeat before thee concerning the daughter of the chief of Bekhten".Then they led Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest to Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker, the great god, smiting the evil spirits. Then said his majesty before Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest: "O thou good lord, if thou inclinest thy face to |5 Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker, the great god, smiting the evil spirits, he shall be conveyed to Bekhten". There was violent nodding. Then said his majesty: "Send thy protection with him, that I may cause his majesty to go to Bekhten, to save the daughter of the chief of Bekhten". Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest nodded the head violently. Then he wrought the protection of Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes, four times.

His majesty commanded to cause Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes to proceed to a great ship, five transports, numerous chariots and horses of the west and the east.

This god arrived in Bekhten in a full year and five months. Then the chief of Bekhten came, with his soldiers and his nobles, before Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker. He threw himself upon his belly, saying: "Thou comest to us, thou art welcome with us, by command of the King Usermare-Setepnere (Ramses II)".

Then this god went to the place where Bentresh was. Then he wrought the protection of the daughter of the chief of Bekhten. She became well immediately.

Then said this spirit which was in her before Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes: "Thou comest in peace, thou great god, smiting the barbarians. Thy city is Bekhten, thy servants are its people, I am thy servant, I will go to the place whence I came, to satisfy the heart concerning that, on account of which thou comest. (But) let thy majesty command to celebrate a feast-day with me and with the chief of Bekhten". Then this god nodded to his priest, saying: "Let the chief of Bekhten make a great offering before this spirit". While these things were happening, which Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes wrought with the spirit, the chief of Bekhten |6 stood with his soldiers, and feared very greatly. Then he made a great offering before Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes and the spirit; and the chief of Bekhten celebrated a feast-day [with] them. Then the spirit departed in peace to the place he desired, by command of Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes, and the chief of Bekhten rejoiced very greatly, together with every man who was in Bekhten.

Then he took counsel with his heart, saying: "I will cause this god to remain with me in Bekhten; I will not permit that he return to Egypt". Then this god tarried three years and nine months in Bekhten.

Then the chief of Bekhten slept upon his bed, and he saw this god coming to him, to forsake his shrine; he was a hawk of gold, and he flew upward to Egypt. He (the chief) awoke in fright.

Then he said to the priest of Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes: "This god, he is still with us; let him depart to Egypt; let his chariot depart to Egypt".

Then the chief of Bekhten caused this god to proceed to Egypt, and gave to him very many gifts of every good thing, very many soldiers and horses.

They arrived in peace at Thebes. Then came the city of Thebes, and the Plan-Maker-in-Thebes to the house of Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest. He set the gift which the chief of Bekhten had given to him, of good things, before Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest, (but) he gave not everything thereof into his house. Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes arrived [at] his [plac]e in peace in the year 33, the second month, the ninth day, of King Usermare-Setepnere; that he might be given life like Re, forever.

[Footnotes renumbered and placed at the end]

1. 1) I have omitted the titles at the beginning of this story.

2. 2) Ramses II.

3. 1) Lacuna.

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 7-16. The story of the two daughters of King Zeno: Coptic version

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 7-16. The story of the two daughters of King Zeno: Coptic version

THE STORY OF THE TWO DAUGHTERS OF KING ZENO.

TRANSLATION OF THE COPTIC TEXT.

The story of the two daughters of king Zeno.

[He knew not that she was a woman¹)]. He gave her a cell near his own cell, to the south of the church. Together with a philosopher, named apa Martyrios, he visited her twice every day. And the words which the saint apa Pambô spake to her for the profit of her soul were translated into Greek by apa Martyrios; for this reason the girl learned the Egyptian language.

When she had dwelled there three years, the Lord revealed to Pambô, that she was a woman, but he knew not that she was the daughter of the king.

When he knew that she was a woman, he said to her secretly: "Let nobody know that thou art a woman, for it is not suitable for our manner of life that a woman dwell amongst us, lest anybody be hurt for our sake." Nine years later, when they saw the girl beardless amongst the brethren, they called her Hilarion the eunuch, for there were many men in such a condition. Her breasts were not like the breasts of other women, on account of her ascetic practices they were withered; and she ²) was not subjected to the illness of women, for God had ordained it in this way. |10

When she had passed nine years under these severe ascetic practices, and her parents had already ceased to think of her, a demon took possession of her younger sister in Constantinople. She was brought into the presence of the great ascetics of Byzantium, that they might pray for her; but God did not grant her recovery at their hands. The courtiers gave advice to the king and said: "May the king live for ever ³)! If it please thy majesty to accept our advice, thou shouldst send thy daughter to the ascetics of Shiit ⁴), who are great I in holiness ⁵), and we believe that God will grant her recovery on account of their prayers."

The king on hearing their advice rejoiced, for there was great sorrow in his house for the sake of the girl.

He prepared what was useful for his daughter and sent with her two eunuchs and two virgins and other servants for her service.

He wrote to Rakote ⁶) to the commander and to the governor to accompany her to Shiit. The king wrote [also] a letter to Shiit, asking for paper and ink to write with his own hand, lest haughty words should be put in the letter, such as are becoming to the royal rank. "The unworthy king Zeno, whom God hath given this honour above his merits, writeth to the saints, worthy of being loved, who pray for us in [the name of] the Lord, Hail. Above all, I worship your assembly in Christ, and if you hold me worthy enough, I shall kiss the dust of your sanctity's feet. But I inform you of what the Lord hath done me, on account of my |11 many sins. I had two daughters. I had no consolation except them. The eldest went from me, she is gone. Hath she died in the sea? Hath she become the prey of the wild beasts? (⁷ Hath she been captured by the Barbarians¹)? God knoweth in what manner she died. A great sorrow struck me on her account, for I found not her corpse to bury her. (⁷ When I had consoled myself somewhat about her, saying: The will of the Lord be [accomplished] ⁷) ---- then another sorrow struck me, much more vehement than the first one: the other [daughter], who was my support, a demon took possession of her; we keep watch over her day and night. I have been advised to send her to your holiness. Now the end of this letter is truly, that God will not reject your prayer".

When the girl had arrived at Rakote, the commander and the governor went with her to Shiit; and when they came into the presence of the saint apa Pambô, they gave him the letter of the king and told him about the girl who was possessed by the demon. He called all the brethren together and read before them the letter of the king. But when they had begun to pray over her the demon took possession of her in the midst of the brethren, threw her on the ground and continued to torment her so that the commander and the governor wondered greatly.

As to the saint Hilaria, when she saw her lay sister, she recognised her: but the lay sister did not recognise her sister, the nun: and how could she recognise her? |12 For her colour had altered, the beauty of her body had withered, her eyes were sunken in, she was only bones and skin.

When she saw her sister, she was vehemently troubled, her bowels were disturbed about her sister, she threw herself at her sister's neck, weeping till the earth was soaked with her tears.

When the brethren saw her weeping, they said: "She hath compassion of heart with her". But when she had recovered a little from her illness, he ⁸) called an old ascetic and said to him: "Take the girl to thy cell and pray over her, till God granteth her recovery". But he said: "I have not attained such a degree of perfection as to be able to take a woman into my cell". But the philosopher Martyrios said to Pambô: "Trust her to Hilarion the eunuch, he is able to take a woman into his house". They trusted the girl to her sister, who took her into her house. When she saw the face of her sister, she was troubled, she threw herself on the ground and weeped vehemently: when she had recovered she kissed her mouth. Sometimes she slept with her on the same bench.

After seven days God granted her the recovery [of her sister]. She took her to the midst of the church and said: "On account of your prayers God hath granted recovery to the daughter of the king". The commander and the governor held a religious meeting and turned back and departed. As to the brethren they wrote to the king through his daughter: "The unworthy [persons] of the Nitrian mountain write to the triumphant king |13 Zeno. Above all we adore thy lofty majesty. May the Lord preserve thy empire without any scandal, like that of David and Solomon. Farewell, thou who providest for us and the whole church".

In this way they arrived at Constantinople. There was a great joy over the recovery of the king's daughter. The king made a feast for all weak and ill persons, he stood and served them and gave everyone with his own hand a goblet of spiced wine. On the next day he made a feast for all the courtiers. But when he asked his daughter about that which had passed to her, she said to him: "They entrusted me to an ascetic, named Hilarion; he hath prayed over me and God hath granted me recovery. (⁹ Great was his compassion with me ⁹). Sometimes he kissed my mouth, sometimes he slept with me on the same bench during the whole night".

When the king heard this, the matter troubled him; he said: "I never heard that monks would kiss women or sleep with them on the same bench; but I have heard that they hated them and would not condescend to speak with them at all. How is this now? I understand it not".

This thought troubled the king. He wrote a second letter to Shiit, in this way: "His victorious majesty Zeno, writeth to the pious fathers dwelling in Shiit. I am a debtor to your prayers and I cannot attain the measure of your honour, nor pay what I wish [to pay ¹⁰)]...... by your intermediary. So I wish that you accept my... and that you send me the brother |14 named Hilarion. There is an illness in the palace and I cannot......" [They called] Hilaria and said to her: ¹¹) "Arrange thy matters, brother, for the king hath sent for thee".

Now the Blessed was much grieved. The brethren consoled her, saying: "Go and the Lord shall go with thee and thou shalt return in peace".

They sent with her two old brethren, hermits. So they went towards Constantinople to the king. When the king heard that they had arrived, he rejoiced greatly and ordered them to be brought to him.......................... ["Tell me the truth, that I] may purify myself from this transgression. But thou, spare no words!"

The holy Virgin meditated saying [to herself]: "I should like to conceal the matter; but lest the other monks be confounded on my account [I shall make known the matter] now that such foulness hath been conceived about these saints. She said to him: "Bring me the Gospels". He brought them her. She said to him: "Swear to me: I shall not [restrain thee] from going to my place". So he swore by the Gospel. She said to him: "I am Hilaria, thy daughter". The king, on hearing this, wondered and was perplexed; he could not speak for an hour. But at once he understood [the matter], hurried towards his daughter, embraced her, weeped on her neck, kissed her mouth like Joseph in his time, when he threw himself on Benjamin's neck and wept over him.

When Hilaria's mother and sister heard [the news], they screamed aloud. For women are naturally inclined to be perplexed. The king restrained them, |15 saying............... lest God bereave us of our two [daughters]. But, on the contrary, let us praise Him because we have found her back alive". Because the king had sworn it to her, he revealed not the matter to the other brethren who had accompanied her and kept her during three months with him in order to continue seeing his daughter's face daily.

He asked her how she had left his house, she told him how she wore her dress of a spatharios and how she had gone to Rakote and how she had gone to Shirt with the deacon.

Then they took leave and returned to their place. The king gave Shiit three thousand [measures of] corn, for the eucharist and for his daughter, with six hundred measures of oil and this hath been continued for the church of Shiit till this day.

After her arrival at Shiit she lived still twelve years. At last she fell into a severe illness and bore it with courage. She called the holy Pambô and conjured him thus: "When I shall have ceased living, thou shalt take care, because thou knowest my whole life, that this coat be not taken from me, but let me be buried with it".

When she had given up the ghost, he stood over her body and buried it in the coat, according to what she had said to him; when she had been buried, he sat down and spoke to the monks a divine word. He said to them: "Verily, a weak vessel hath put to shame this multitude of monks who are dwelling at Shiit: who hath shown such an endurance, when she dwelled struggling amongst men? Who hath shown such an endurance, bereaving herself of rest of the flesh, as she hath done?"

When the brethren heard her life, they were struck |16 with wonder and praised God, saying: "Therefore He hath granted her the grace of deceasing on the day of Mary, the holy mother of God ¹²), i.e. the 21st Touba".

They wrote to her father about her end. He and [Hilaria's] mother were highly grieved. Afterwards he consoled her ¹³) mother, saying: "If he who hath posterity in Sion and kindred in Jerusalem hath been called happy ¹⁴), verily how much happier are we, for we have posterity in the heavenly Jerusalem. Verily.....

[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end]

1. 1) Not in Amélineau's text, but supplemented by Dr. von Lemm.

2. 2) According to a correction of the Coptic text by Dr. von Lemm.

3. 1) Cf. Daniel VI, 22; The Story of Ahiqar, éd. Conybearé, R. Harris, A. Smith Lewis, p. [], 12 paen.

4. 2) Skete.

5. 3) politei/a.

6. 4) Alexandria.

7. (1----1) Only in Coptic Ms. 1101 (Or. 6073), British Museum, according to Dr. von Lemm.

8. 1) Pambô.

9. (1----1) According to corrections of Dr. von Lemm.

10. 2) i.e. my debt.

11. 1) Giron, p. 61.

12. 1) qeoto&koj

13. 2) i.e. Hilaria's.

14. 3) Dr. von Lemm compares Is. XXXI, 9 b according to LXX.

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 17-29. The story of Hilaria: Long Arabic version

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 17-29. The story of Hilaria: Long Arabic version

THE STORY OF HILARIA.

TRANSLATION OF THE LONG ARABIC TEXT.

(Forget I, p. [] et sequ.)

The 21th day of the month of Tubih.

On this day Hilaria the daughter of king Zeno, departed this life. He had no male child, but only two virgin daughters. He gave them a careful education; in the first place he let them learn writing, as was becoming to the royal rank, and let them learn by heart the psalms so that they could read them throughout ¹).

The name of the oldest daughter was Hilaria. She desired to remain a virgin; especially she felt inclined towards monastic life. But she shrank back from going to the monasteries of Byzantium because she knew that they would not receive her from fear before her father.

Then she took a manly resolution and determined what to do in order to enter the pure career of monastic life. One day the king went with his daughter to the cathedral at the time of the ministration of the holy sacrifice and the blessed Hilaria raised her eyes to heaven and said in her heart: "O Lord, if Thou esteemest me worthy of the pure calling and Thou wilt make my way to succeed, let me hear words from the scripture-lessons pointing to my aim and wish." When she entered the church she listened and heard firstly the great word of the apostle: "By faith Moses refused to be called the, son of Pharao's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the |20 pleasures of sin for a season" ²). And also from the catholic epistle: "The wealth of this world is like grass and hay" ³); and from the Acts of the Apostles: "I have coveted no silver or gold or apparel. Yea, you yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities" ⁴); and also from the Psalter: "His joy is sweeter than gold and precious stones and honey and honey-comb" ⁵); and also from the Gospel: "Whosoever forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple" ⁶); and from the sermon of the bishop after the Gospel: "Wherefore, O man, desirest thou what passeth away and what thou must leave behind. Know that the lusts of this world pass away. Therefore confide not in riches, for riches remain here and our sins precede us to the judgment-seat of the Lord." Then she praised God saying: "God hath given success to my course and smoothed my way." When they had received the blessing, she prepared herself for fleeing and God, the beneficent, showed her how to act. On the next morning she clad herself in the dress of a spatharios, girded herself with a girdle of Taif-leather, took a stick in her hand and went in the direction of the sea, where no one would notice her. She found a ship sailing to a town called Safîrâ. She said to the sailor: "I desire to be brought to the shore of Alexandria, for I have to transmit orders of the king." The sailor said: "We go not towards that place, o spatharios; but if the king wanteth it, we cannot thwart him." So they brought her to Alexandria; at that time she was twelve years old and a beautiful girl. |21 She entered the church of Anba Petros, the last of the martyrs, prayed and beseeched him to help her and went "to the church of the holy Mar Marcus and asked him to smooth her way. There she found a deacon, named Theodorus, and said to him: "Peace to thee, brother. I desire that thou travellest with me to the mountain of Shihat, for I wish to visit that place and will give thee thy wages; for I have left my country in order to pay this visit." The deacon said to her: "O spatharios, for a long time I have wished to go to that place, and perhaps it is God's will. But let us eat bread and depart to morrow morning." The blessed said to him: "Good." She took a dinar and gave it him, saying: "Buy for this dinar what we need." The deacon took the dinar and spent of it what they wanted.

The next morning they saddled beasts to ride on and went to the church of Abu Menas ⁷) where they passed the night. On the next morning they went to Shihât. When they had arrived, the holy Man Bamfu was consulted about them: "There is a spatharios who hath brought with him a deacon." He gave order to bring them to him. When they had entered, he clapped his hands, as is the custom of monks, and prayed. When they sat down he told them many profitable stories.

Then the blessed Hilaria addressed herself to the pure old man, saying: "I wish to be invested by thee with the monastic habit and to remain here." Father Bamfu answered and said: "My son, it is impossible for thee to remain here, for thou art accustomed to comfort and |22 bodily rest. But if thou desirest to become a monk, go to Anvatun because it is hidden ⁸) and in that place is a congregation of rich people who have embraced monastic life but live there without trouble, finding consolation. But we are far from Misr, at a distance of forty ⁹) days from the plain and the towns; nay, we are even in need of clothes. And thou canst not endure our meagre food and our hard life." The blessed Hilaria answered him saying: "Know, my father, that I have ¹⁰) come to this holy mountain with my whole heart and now thou repellest me, but the Lord shall call thee to account for my sake."

When the pure old Anba Bamfu heard this he wondered at the acuteness of the boy's answer. At once he cleared a place for her and the deacon where they could be lodged. But the deacon took the prayer ¹¹) [of the prior] and returned to the town. Hilaria, the daughter of the king, said to the prior: "My Father, take this little sum from me and distribute it among the poor." He answered: "We need nothing of it, for the labour of our hands is sufficient for us. But if thou possessest something, I will give it the deacon in order to transmit it to the patriarch." Hilaria gave him all that she possessed and the golden stick and her girdle.

The deacon took leave of them and departed. Then Hilaria turned towards the holy Anba Bamfu and said: "My Father, I desire that thou investest me with the monastic habit." He explained [the precepts] to her, |23 examined her and taught her the ascetic practices, gave her a repaired mitre and a coat of hair. At once she would put them on; he prayed over them and invested her with them, without knowing her to be the daughter of the king. He gave her a cell near his own and visited her at all times. The Lord showed her his grace, so that she learned to speak the language of the Egyptian people. She was extremely ascetic and zealously fasting and praying. The monks wondered how the softness of her body suffered those harsh clothes. When she had stayed there nine years without getting a beard they called her Hilari the eunuch. On account of her frequent fasting and praying and ascetic practices her breasts withered and it ceased to be with her after the manner of women. After the lapse of so long a period her parents had despaired of seeing her again, but the Lord (blessed be His name) would show her and make her known to them. Her younger sister became possessed by a mean villainous demon. So her father the king sent her, escorted by soldiers and two masters, to many monasteries and dwellingplaces of ascetic old men, but the Lord gave her no healing at their hands because God planned Hilaria's glorification. So the courtiers gave advice to the king, saying: "May our Lord the king live for ever ¹²); know that in Wadi Habib there are pure holy monks. Send thy daughter to them and we believe that God will heal thy daughter on account of their pure prayers." When the king heard this he rejoiced greatly. He ordered two masters and two slave-girls and soldiers from his armies to accompany the girl and |24 wrote to the governor of Alexandria ordering him to send his daughter to the mountain of Shihât. He wrote also to the old men: "Thus writeth Zeno, the unworthy of the kingdom, whom God hath given this gift which he meriteth not, to the holy, pious, beloved Fathers, who strive to liberate themselves from the whole world, the ascetic, selfdenying monks in the holy mountain of Shïhât, called balance of hearts, Hail. In the first place I prostrate myself with my face before your holiness. Then I will inform you, my Fathers, of what the Lord hath done me on account of my many sins and trespasses. God had given me two daughters. One left me and I know nothing about her; so I was in great sorrow on her account. And while I had to suffer this great sorrow, there struck me another sorrow greater than the first one: the other daughter, whom I had expected to be my consolation and a compensation for her sister, a demon took possession of her and tormented her day and night so that I am near to saying that death is preferable for her to life. My courtiers have given me advice to send her to your holiness. And now my whole hope is upon you, that God will not reject your request and that she will be saved by your prayers."

When this message reached Alexandria, the emir with many soldiers went to accompany her. They reached the monastery, brought the letter of the king and gave it the holy Anba Bamfu. He assembled the brethren and read the letter before them. When they began to pray, the demon threw her down and continued to beat her among them, so that the emir and all who were with him wondered and said: "How can a demon do so among holy persons?" |25

When the holy Hilaria saw her younger sister, she recognised her and her heart was troubled on her account, her limbs ached and she wept over her. When the brethren saw her sick at heart for her sake, they were sorry. When prayer was finished Anba Bamfu called one of the brethren and said to him: "Take this girl with thee in thy cell and cease not to pray over her till God shall have restored her health." He said humbly: "I have not reached that degree of perfection, and I cannot be entrusted with this girl." Then Anbä Martyrios said: "Trust her to Hilari the eunuch ¹³)." So they trusted the girl to her sister. She began to pray, over her and to weep till she had soaked the earth, to embrace her and to kiss her face, to lie with her on one bench, while she held her to her bosom. After seven days the Lord healed her. The emir and the ka'id and the soldiers received with them the holy eucharist on Sunday and returned to Alexandria. As to the girl, God had given her grace and the villainous demon had left her; so the servants and slave-girls and soldiers took her and returned with her, rejoicing because the Lord had given success to their journey. The old men wrote a letter of explanation to king Zeno in the following terms: "The unworthy inhabitants of the mountain of Natrun write to their victorious lord Zeno, the pious. Above all we prostrate ourselves before thy venerable noble majesty. May the Lord preserve thy throne and confirm thy kingdom like that of David and Solomon and Hezekiah ¹⁴) and Uzziah and rule thy kingdom without trouble. Be safe in the Lord because of thy care for |26 the church of the Lord Christ, our God." When this letter reached the king he rejoiced greatly on account of his daughter's recovery. He arranged meals for the poor and spent much money. He said: "My daughter, what hath happened to thee at Shihât?" She answered: "My father, they entrusted me to a holy, ascetic monk, called Hilari the eunuch. It was he who prayed over me; then I was healed and the Lord gave me health; he was very benignant to me and many times he lay with me on the mat on the bench. But, my father, I hear that monks hate women and therefore inhabit the desert, because they will absolutely not speak with them. And how is this? I know it not."

When the king heard this from his daughter he wondered greatly and said: "This is not the custom of monks who expel demons; this is an innovation among the monks''. He wrote a second letter to Shihât in the following terms: "The victorious king Zeno ventureth to write to the pure, pious Fathers on the mount of Shihât. I am indebted to you on account of your bounty and benignity and your prayers and I cannot pay... ¹⁵) so I beg you to show me the favour of sending brother Hilarion, for I am sick at heart and I cannot undertake a sea voyage and accomplish this great distance because of the heavy.... ¹⁶). The fame of his holiness hath reached us and our confidence is in him; if he cometh to us we shall profit by his prayers."

When this royal letter had arrived and had been read before the rest of the holy monks, the pure presbyter Bamfu called the blessed Hilaria and said: "Prepare |27 thyself, brother, for the king hath summoned thee." When the blessed Hilaria heard this, she felt a great sorrow. The monks consoled her saying: "Go in the peace of the Lord who will be with thee and restore thee to us safely." They sent with her two brothers and two old brothers and they went to Constantinople. When they arrived the king rejoiced and gave orders to introduce them joyfully; he received them personally. He said to them: "Pray for me, that the Lord may keep me in the loyalty of my orthodox fathers." When they went out he retained his daughter Hilaria and remained alone with her saying: "Holy Father Hilarion, we need thy prayers and wish to speak to thee; but be not offended and be not sorry. The little girl hath told me how she was in thy blessed presence: that thou used to kiss her, mouth on mouth, and to lie with her on the mat on the same bench. So I desire that thou teilest me the reason of thy kindness towards her, whether it sprang from spiritual or from bodily love. Tell me the truth and be not ashamed or disturbed by shame, that I may be pure from this trangression." The virgin Hilaria thought: "I should like to conceal this matter, but I fear that the king would cast an eye of contempt on all monks." She said: "The king may live for ever. Let the four holy Gospels be brought before me." When this had been done she said to him: "Swear to me that thou wilt not reveal this secret nor restrain me from going to my monastery." The king swore by the holy Gospel. Hilarion said: "I am Hilaria thy daughter." When the king heard this he wondered and became stupefied so that he could not speak during a long time. When his spirits returned he went up to his daughter |28 and embraced her like Joseph when he embraced Benjamin his brother, and wept vehemently. When her mother and sister heard the news they came running, embraced her and wept and cried, kissed her hands and her face and would restrain her from returning to her monastery. But the king checked them saying: "I have submitted myself to her will and sworn not to restrain her." Then her mother said: "We will retain her with us, in order to crown her with the royal crown." But the king said: "I will not do so, but we will give glory to the Lord, now that we have seen her alive." The king concealed her secret and retained the monks for three months in order to be able to see his daughter every day. He questioned her about her flight from the castle. She told him the details, how she had disguised herself as a spatharios, how she had reached Alexandria and how she had gone to Shihat. When the king heard this he wondered, and gave an official order to send to the monks on the mountain of Shihat every year three thousand measures of corn for the eucharist of his daughter, and three hundred measures of oil. This hath been continued every year until to day.

The king bade them farewell and they departed towards their monastery. After her arrival Hilari lived twelve years. At the end there befell her an illness, the pains of which she bore with great courage. Then the holy virgin called Anba Bamfu and conjured him thus: "When I shall have accomplished my life, make known, my Father, the whole story of my life and allow not that this repaired cowl be taken from me, but if you shroud me, let me keep it." When she had departed this life in glory and honour, the holy Anba Bamfu told them what |29 she had ordered him. When they had buried her the holy Anba Bamfu sat down and told the brethren in an address all about the holiness of this pure virgin, saying: "I am feeble, the unworthiest of all the brethren on the mountain of Shihat. Who is there that like her possesseth the endurance to live continually among so many men? Who possesseth such selfrestraint and is able to neglect all bodily comfort and finery and pleasure?" When the brethren heard this they praised God. And behold, the Lord gave her good fortune and grace for she departed this life on the day of the departure of the mother of Light, the virgin Mary, because she had loved her (Mary's) life; so the Lord gave her this sign of grace.

They wrote to her father the king that she was dead and he began to mourn over her. But her mother consoled him saying: "He hath been called happy who hath posterity in Sion and kindred in Jerusalem, according to what is written in Isaiah the prophet: "Blessed who hath posterity in Sion."¹⁷) For she can be beseeched to intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ so that He forgive us our sins and trespasses."

These words have been written by the holy Anba Bamfu. He hath written and deposited them in the church of Shihat for the sake of glory and profit. May the Lord have mercy upon us by his prayers. Amen. |30

[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end]

1. 1) [Arabic], ad aperturam.

2. 1) Hebrews XI, 24 et sequ.

3. 2) James 1, 10.

4. 3) Acts XX, 33 et sequ.

5. 4) Psalm XIX, 10.

6. 5) Luke XIV, 33.

7. 1) Cf. K. M. Kaufmann, Die Menasstadt und das Nationalheiligtum der altchristlichen Aegypter, I (Leipzig, 1910).

8. 1) I am not sure of the meaning of the text.

9. 2) Amélineau proposes to read: four.

10. 3) The text adds: not.

11. 4) i.e. blessing.

12. 1) Cf. p. 10, note 1.

13. 1) Text: [Arabic]

14. 2) Text: Ezekiel.

15. 1) The text is corrupt.

16. 2) The text has: hunger.

17. 1) Is. XXXI, 9b according to LXX.

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 30-34. The story of Hilaria: Short Arabic version

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 30-34. The story of Hilaria: Short Arabic version

TRANSLATION OF THE SHORT ARABIC TEXT.

(Forget I, p. [Arabic] et sequ.)

On this day (21th Tubih) died also the holy, pure Hilaria, the daughter of king Zeno. This king was orthodox and a friend of the church. He had two daughters, this saint and her sister, but no son. This pure maid Hilaria had from her youth an inclination for being alone. So she began to think about monasticistn and putting on the angelic habit. She left the palace of her father, dressed as a man, reached Egypt and went from there towards Shihât. There she met a holy old man, named Aba Bamu. She told him the plan she had conceived and that she was a woman. He concealed her secret and gave her a grotto to dwell in and took up the habit of visiting her. When she had passed fifteen years in the grotto without getting a beard, the old men thought her to be a eunuch and they called her Hilari the eunuch.

As to her sister, a villainous demon took hold of her. Her father spent much money on her behalf, but she was not healed. Then the advice was given him to send her to the old men in Shihat; for their fame had penetrated throughout the Roman empire, because of their holiness. So he sent her, accompanied by two masters and an escort and slaves and gave them a letter for the old men, in which he informed them of his sorrow, |33 and told them that the Lord had given him two daughters; one of them had left him and he knew not her place of abode, and he had not heard of her. The other was possessed by a demon, she whom he ¹) had expected to be his ¹) comfort and consolation. He asked their holiness to pray over her, that the Lord might heal her. When the old men had read the letter of the king, they prayed over her many days but she was not healed. Lastly they requested Hilari the eunuch, her sister, to take her and pray over her, but she excused herself. Then they induced her to take her and after a few days she was liberated from the demon.

The holy maid had recognised her sister, without being recognised by her; and she used to embrace and to kiss her and to go outdoors to weep. Then she brought her before the old men and said to them: "Behold, the Lord hath healed her by your prayers". Then they sent her to her father in peace. When she arrived, he and all the inhabitants of the castle rejoiced over her and uttered many thanksgivings to the Lord. Her father asked her about her manner of life among the old men. She told him how the holy Hilari had healed her and how he used to embrace her often and to kiss her. The king was disturbed by this fact and he sent a message to the old men wherein he told them to send Hilari the eunuch who had healed his daughter in order to receive his blessing, whereupon the old men told her to go to the king. Then the holy maid wept grievously before all the old men and excused herself. They said to her: "This king is pure, a friend of the |34 church. It is not allowed, according to the scriptures, to thwart him". After a struggle she went to the king. He and his courtiers saluted her. When they were alone, the king drew near to her and uttered his suspicion about her kissing his daughter and how he had been disturbed on hearing this: he asked her to reveal him the cause of this. Only he and the queen were present. So she said to them: "Bring me the Gospel and swear to me, that you will not press me not to return to the desert, when I shall have spoken". They swore, and thereupon she told them that she was their daughter Hilaria, and how she had left them disguised as a man, and showed them the signs they knew. Then they cried aloud and wept together and there was a great tumult in the castle. They said to her: "We allow thee not to go". But she reminded them of the oath and scarcely she agreed to stay a month with them. Then she departed to the desert. From this day onwards the king gave the revenues and the taxes to the inhabitants of the desert and all that they wanted from the revenues of Egypt, so that the number of the monks augmented greatly, and they began to inhabit the cells. As to the pure, holy Hilaria, after her coming back from her father, she lived five years; then she died and nobody knew her to be a woman, until after her death. May the blessing of her prayer be with us. Amen.

[Footnote moved to the end]

1. 1) The text has the st person.

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 35-57. The story of Hilaria: Syriac version

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 35-57. The story of Hilaria: Syriac version

TRANSLATION OF THE SYRIAC TEXT.

The Story of the Holy Hilaria, the daughter of king Zeno.

For the pious, my Beloved, it is always good to occupy themselves with the holy doctrines, teaching the fear of God and leading us in the right ways which are pleasing unto God.

And especially with the stories of the memory of the works of the Saints, who lived well with God and were perfect in the holy service. For there is nothing of such profit to the pious soul as such meditations which show forth the excellent life and holy works and humble habit of monasticism.

For it is well known that there is no small consolation to be gathered from [an examination] as to how they lived and pleased God in humbleness; how they persisted in patience and in that love, which is a perfect sign of being a disciple of Christ, and in great works; how they persevered in steady and long fasting, how they humbled themselves in ascetic exercises beyond all power, and in performing abundant services beloved by God.

Not only blessed men have been seen doing this, but there have also been found women in all generations shining like stars in the whole world. And now, because |38 it is, as I have said, meritorious to make known by writing the memory of the deeds of the Saints, it is also beautiful for us to hand down and to write that which we have heard from trustworthy men who were eyewitnesses of the pious persons who were leading an angelic life by their deeds, and mortified their bodies by asceticism.

So [we will speak] firstly about a woman of royal descent, whose story is above [the power] of our weak words. So it would be becoming for us to be silent, because of our inability, but as such a work, however weak, is of profit for such persons as are longing with a pious mind to hear such things, we will not refrain from speaking, asking the help of God, giver of knowledge.

So we will begin with the time when the famous and pious king Zeno, was reigning beautifully; he was equal in faith and love of Christ to the glorious and great Constantine; but he was vexed and suffering from his having no son and successor to the throne after his death. His desire made him frequently pray and entreat God and send to saintly-living men in mountains and caverns and monasteries, that they should ask God to grant him his wish. This he did because he was very pious and expected that on account of their intercession ¹) with God, who loveth his elected, they could acquire all from him. So shortly after-his accession to the throne a daughter was born to him, she with whom this story dealeth, truly a firstborn fruit of the prayer of the Saints and a reward of his rich vows. When she was sanctified by baptism, the holy sign of divine birth, she was called Hilaria. |39

She was educated as is becoming to children of faithful parents. A heavenly grace was spread over her and with her was to be found humbleness and great peacefulness; the doctrine of the holy Scriptures she learned soon and excelled by great wisdom. She had governesses who taught her the good doctrine, chaste women who were ascetically living as virgins. I mean nuns, who were visiting her constantly. While she recited with them the holy Scriptures and songs and services, there awoke in her the desire of assuming their habit. They told her about the life of holy men and humble virgins who had given themselves to God and were betrothed to Christ and had mortified their flesh by asceticism. They told her especially about the holy Fathers who were aboding in the desert of Egypt, which is called Skete.

All these things she concealed secretly in her soul and hoped that they could be realised in good season. But though she was anxious to assume the holy life and to perform the duties of waking and fasting which are becoming to the holy habit, she would not do this openly because she knew that it was not agreeable to the king and queen, that she had such plans: for they hoped that she would be a source of temporal joy to them; and they thought already about her marrying and having children, that would bear the royal dignity after them.

But she, while living alone in a room in the palace, was, according to a rule of divine wisdom, symbolically practising monasticism, fasting steadily and sometimes eating only every evening or every second day, with long vigils and constant standing in prayer, day and |40 night, reading the holy Scriptures and the stories of elect holy men and holy women. Meanwhile she looked for the realisation of the plan which she had conceived namely to go away secretly and to adopt the solitary life in the foreign country. She hoped fervently to see the Egyptian desert and to live with the solitary ascetics there.

Now her parents, the king and queen, were usually admitted to see her every fifth or tenth day, according to the rule laid down by her; because she would not converse with them frequently, for she lived in a retired manner and was in this way quietly practising the habit of chastety and humbleness under a pretext. Then it happened that the king, when visiting her, perceived that the grace and royal beauty, that was spread over her handsome face, was fading away, that her body was becoming emaciated, that her strength was diminishing and day by day she was fading away and decaying and that she was sinking into a serious decline. So he said: "What hath befallen thee, my daughter? Perhaps thou art sick and, because of thy bashfulness, thou wilt not reveal it to us? Or is there a sickness of heart of which thou informest us not? Verily, thou givest us much trouble and pain, on seeing thee fading away and decaying like one wounded and sick". But she said to them: "Suffer not anyhow, my father; for there is nothing that maketh me suffer, nor is there a pain that troubleth me. On the contrary, my heart rejoiceth very much, because thou art spared and enjoyest peace". So she cheered them up by these words.

As a rule her waiting-woman with whom she had intercourse brought her food from the palace, dishes of all kinds; but she took only the bread and the rest of |41 the food she sent secretly to the poor by the medium of that servant. When she had lived in such a way five years, steadily fasting every second day (she was at that time five and twenty years old), she thought that this was the time for going away to the abode she was longing for; but how could this plan be carried out if she Was seen by her servant every day? And if she were to be sought in vain, they would turn every stone and seek her in every direction and there would be no means of escaping.

But what devised she and what contrived she?

She adopted the rule of delaying [the visits of her servant] more and more, saying to her: "To day I have got food that will be sufficient for three days; trouble me not with thy visit till the fourth day hence. Let nobody know this; otherwise thou wilt be in danger on my account. But take the food, which is given to thee to bring it me, and take it secretly to the poor. And if my parents ask thee, say, as usually: She hath taken and eaten it". In this way she would, when being ready to go away, be able to prolong the interval between her visits and hinder her from entering during five days or more, in order to be able to reach a far distance on her journey before being sought and missed.

Thus she did during one year, saying to her servant: "Till the fourth day hence approach not unto my door". And soon she said: "Till the fifth day", and then: "Till the seventh".

When the day had come, that she was prepared for going away, she said secretly to her servant: "Take this dinar and buy for it a coat of hair and sandals and a cowl, but let nobody see or know it, for I will |42 give this to that nun, which often visiteth me, because I see that she is poorly dressed''. The servant took the dinar and accomplished all according to her command. After a few days Hilaria said to her: "Visit me not during five days". Thereupon she prepared herself for departing, took off the princely dress she was wearing and put on the coat of hair and the sandals.

Then she threw on the capuchin, took some food and some money for expenses and went away in the morning, while no one saw her, to the seashore which was not very far from the town, while a steady prayer was in her mouth and tears stood in her eyes.

Thus she prayed: "O God, Thou who guidest the Saints and leadest them on Thy eternal way, who art everywhere with them and leavest them never, lead me on this way and direct my feet on the way of salvation and bring me to the place which I long for, that I may have intercourse with Thy Saints and serve Thee with them in holiness and praise Thee eternally".

Now it happened that, by divine Providence, at that time a ship was ready for departing in the direction of Egypt, to Alexandria, the place where she wished to go to. When she had asked the people there and had heard "what she hoped, she gave the fare and embarked. And nobody of those who saw her, knew whether she was a man or a woman, because she was dressed humbly and chastely in the humble monastic dress and in the royal residence there were many of such monks and nuns; so those who saw her thought that she was like the rest.

The ship sailed and reached Egypt in a few days. |43 Then she left the ship, entered Alexandria and visited the holy places there, churches and monasteries and strengthened herself by the prayers of those who were performing in holiness the service there. While she was still walking through the town she saw an old hermit, an excellent man of those of the desert. Addressing him she asked in the first place after the way of living of the hermits in the desert, and whether they received strangers gladly into their community, and which place or convent was the first to be reached in the desert.

The hermit said to her: "Their way of living is that each of them reciteth separately and in his own way and every one accomplisheth the holy service in his cell, which he leaveth not during the whole week. But on Sundays, at the time of the ministration of the holy sacrifice, they go to the church that is situated in the midst of the cells and partake of the holy sacraments. Some of them cover their faces with their caps so as not to see anyone and not to be seen by anyone; every one fasteth as he chooseth and according to his strength, some of them every second day, others every third or fourth day. The conspicuous take food only once a week.

This consisteth of dry bread and olives, sometimes they take also boiled vegetables; others feed upon herbs like the beasts.

The monastery which is at the entrance of the desert is called that of Aba Macarius. It is said that the number of hermits belonging to it, amounteth to three thousand. And as to their love of strangers, it is great, praiseworthy and divine. But they admit amongst them no beardless youths nor indulgeth any one in seeing a woman". |44

When she heard this she replied and asked after the way to the desert. He told it her and she made an obeisance before him and received his blessing ²) and each of them went his own way, without knowing the other's sex and without asking after it. When he was far from her and out of sight, she knelt down in order to pray before God and thus she spoke: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, the life and salvation that hath dawned for us, thou who hast come to seek the forlorn, and to bring back to the way of truth those who have gone astray, Thou who leadest Thy Saints to the eternal way ---- turn to me the lost one, for I seek Thee, my Lord, and lead me at Thy right hand to Thy way of life, for Thee alone my soul loveth. And direct my feet in the way of salvation and receive me into Thy good harbour. For Thou art my strong hope and in Thee I have confided from my youth, now and for ever. Amen".

When she had finished her prayer and sealed herself with the holy sign, she took the way to the desert while continually prayer was in her mouth. After three days of travelling, she reached the convent of Aba Macarius, at the entrance of the desert.

It was a sabbathday, and while she was passing between the cells she saw none of the solitaries without the door of his cell. She ventured not to knock at a door; but on going round in order to find some one, she came to the church, their place of congregation. She entered to pray and saw the Presbyter who constantly was aboding there. After having finished her prayer, she asked his blessing, and he invited her to take rest, |45 saying: "From where cometh your pious person, o Father? and what is the cause, why thou visitest us, poor creatures?" For he thought that she was a man because of her manly dress and the changed colour of her face which had become dusky and black.

And thus she answered him in a manly tone: "Your servant, Father, cometh from Constantinople, in order to be the disciple of your holiness, if it please God and you". The Presbyter said: "What is Thy name?" She answered: "John the eunuch. As to my class I am a slave and I belonged to a noble and well-known Roman ³) man and performed with him the service of a slave. And when he deceased in peace, he freed me. Then being master of my own person, I have sought to please God above all and from fear of God I assumed the holy habit. But I had an infinite longing to see the Saints who in this desert are living ascetically and devoting their lives to God, and to pass the rest of my life with them. For that reason I have hastened to come to you now".

Thereupon the Presbyter said: "Thy coming is right, Father. Stay here and take rest to-day. Tomorrow, which is a Sunday, the solitaries will assemble here as usually in order to partake of the holy sacrifice".

So on Sunday morning, at the third hour the solitaries assembled into the above mentioned church; and when they had partaken of the sacramental sacrifice, the Presbyter told them the story of John, the eunuch. On their wish, she ⁴) was brought before them and throwing herself at their feet, her ⁴) lips murmered a prayer, |46 while she ⁵) was trembling from fear, that it might be known who and what ⁶) she ⁵) was.

Then they prayed over her, blessed her, spoke to her words of admonition and taught her how to conduct herself; they gave her also a separate cell and ordered a very old man in her neighbourhood: "Take John the eunuch and let him be as a son to thee and take care to be his guide in the doctrine which is necessary and in the rules laid down amongst us".

Thereupon the old man took her with him and showed her the cell and she dwelt amongst them and regulated her life as they did, in good work and labour. ----Thus far about her departing and arriving in the desert. ----

As to the governess which had served her while being in the royal palace, when the days had passed during which Hilaria had forbidden her to enter, she went to her service and saw that Hilaria was gone and that her royal garments were put aside in a corner of the apartment she at once understood that Hilaria had gone to devote herself to the service of God, and that therefore she had wanted the coat of hair and the capuchin.

Weeping and crying she went to the queen and told her what had happened but she revealed nothing about the rule of her food and her [rare] visits to her; for she was afraid of being endangered, because she had not told them the secret.

The king and the queen, being troubled by what they had heard, went to the apartment, and seeing that |47 their daughter Hilaria had gone, they were in great sorrow and grief.

The king wept, sobbing in a loud voice, and thus lamented: "Woe, my beloved daughter. Who hath severed thee from me? How can I live without thee, support of my old age, crown on my head? Now may death hasten to me and take from me the trouble that never can be consoled away".

When the nobles of the king heard what had happened, they came to lament with him. At once they sent messengers in all directions to ask and to seek. The convents were also examined but she was not found. After a few days the king recovered from his trouble, because he was certain that she had gone to devote herself to God.

And Hilaria, being in the desert of Skete, was going through great struggles and performing works of self-denial above human strength, in many vigils and long fasting, so that even the solitaries wondered at her endurance and patience.

And she was praiseworthy and great in the eyes of all people of her class, because of her great humility and her placidity and meekness.

When she had passed ten years in the desert, another daughter was born to her father the king. When this girl was five years of age, she was tried by the Evil-one. And as the Devil attacked her vehemently, her father said to himself: "There is no hope of healing my daughter, except by the prayers of the solitaries in Skete, who are very near to God and are allowed to speak to Him ⁷)". |48

Thus he resolved in his mind and prepared for her departing. He ordered a trustworthy man, one of his relatives, and he and an escort of soldiers took her, went on their way and reached the desert.

The solitaries had heard of this and many of them had departed, lest they should be seen by the soldiers and the other persons. John the eunuch too had hid himself, without knowing the case exactly.

When the messengers of the king arrived, they told the monks about his belief and his hope on them and explained the reason of their coming. They left the girl with them and returned to the king without delay.

On the next day the solitaries returned to their places and discussed to whom they should entrust the little girl. They choosed John the eunuch because he was a eunuch and advanced in holiness. Thereupon they sent for him and said to him: "The Fathers have discussed with whom the girl should be; and all of them agreed upon giving her to thee, be thou her support and teacher".

Being forced thus he obeyed their will and took the girl to his cell.

One time Hilaria asked the girl: "Answer, my sister, what I ask thee. What is the name of thy father, and what is the name of thy mother?" The girl said: "My father is called Zeno, my mother Augusta". She asked again: "Have they a son or daughter besides thee?" The girl answered: "I have no brother or sister at all, but as I have heard of my mother, who told it me weeping, before my birth they had another daughter, named Hilaria. But she went away from them secretely and nobody knoweth what became of her. They sought her industriously but she was not found". |49

When she heard this from her, she knew certainly that the girl was her sister, the daughter of the parents who had borne herself and with the fervour of a love not to be checked, she embraced her, the tears dropping from her eyes, on account of the girl's saying: "My mother told me weeping, that they had another daughter before me, who went away from them secretly".

When the girl had passed five years with Hilaria, she got recovery from the Lord and became excellent in wisdom and knowledge. She was also distinguished by humbleness and chastity, because Hilaria had taken great care to adorn her with all praiseworthy qualities.

So, when the messengers of the king, whom he used to send in order to get tidings of the girl, came, the Fathers sent her with them to her father. After her arrival, he noticed during his intercourse with her, that she excelled in wisdom and good works, and that she had got spiritual as well as bodily aid, being freed from the influence of the Evil one. So he rejoiced greatly and thanked and praised God.

He asked her: "My daughter, who was it to whom thou wast entrusted and with whom thou hast been? And how was he treating thee? For I will reward him with becoming signs of honour". The girl answered plainly: "When I was sent by thy majesty and the old men had taken me up, they discussed the next day to whom they should entrust me. And they agreed opon giving me to a trustworthy man, whose name is John the eunuch. With him I have been thenceforth and I have improved by him. He shew unto me an infinite love and honoured me greatly. I have never seen him eating before my eyes, nor lying down on the floor to sleep. |50 But when he was overcome by sleep, he would lean against the wall for some time and so he took some comfort from sleep. Innumerable was his kneeling down on the floor, and he ceased not praying and reciting night and day. He took food only once a week".

When the king heard this, he was grieved and he took up evil suspicions against John the eunuch, thinking that he was no eunuch. Being anxious to examine the matter exactly and to be relieved from his care, he sent for John and about ten of the other old men. Here Providence was already at work, in order to make known who John was and that he might be a good example to the glory of God.

When John and his companions had arrived, he lodged them in a quiet place as was becoming to their habit. But he took John and introduced him separately into the palace and held with him many discourses.

Hilaria had a cowl covering her face lest her father should recognise her. While she spoke to him words of admonition an unchecked stream of tears flowed from her eyes, on seeing her father and mother and her sister that was healed. But the king thought that her tears came from repentance. Sometime afterwards, the king said to her: "I have heard of the beautiful things thou art working and of the good thou hast wrought towards my daughter and that she hath received healing from the Lord by thy hands. I have called and forced thee to come towards me, that I may be deemed worthy of seeing thee and being helped by thy prayers and that my house may be blessed by thy footsteps. But I wish to hear from thee who thou art and from where thou earnest to the desert, and what |51 thy sex is". She answered: "Why askest thou me about this, the poorest and most miserable of all children of man? But, now that thou wilt know it, I say: as to my class I am a slave and as to my sex a eunuch. My lord freed me when dying; and being my own master I sought God, the true Lord, above all; Him I loved and to his service I devoted myself. Above all places, I have chosen the dwelling in the desert in order to receive support from the Saints there, by whose prayers I have had the joy of healing the girl".

When the king had interrogated her circumstantially and revealed the trouble of his thoughts and the doubts of his heart, she resolved to relieve him from his cares and from the thoughts which were making a pernicious war against his soul. For she pitied him as a good father and a just king. She said to him: "I will reveal to thee a secret. But swear to me first by the Lord, that thou shalt accomplish my will in all things 1 ask and that thou shalt not oppose me in any thing I wish and that this secret shall not be revealed to any one besides the queen and the girl".

When Hilaria had said this to the king, the tears flowed unchecked from her eyes and she was choked by sobbing. The king swore to her plainly, without thinking of who she might be, for her face was invisible by the cowl which covered it and her speech was altered ⁸) by reciting in the Egyptian language; and, besides, twenty years had elapsed since she left them, and he thought that she had already died.

When she saw that the king had given his assurance |52 by his oath, she took them with her to an inner apartment, took the capuchin off, uncovered her face, showed herself to him and said: "I am whom thou seest, Hilaria, the poor, thy daughter whom thou knowest".

When the king and the queen heard the name Hilaria, they were disturbed and they swooned and fell down on the floor and were as dead.

When Hilaria saw what happened and that her parents were near dying, she took water and signed them with the cross, and sprinkled it on their faces, so that they revived and rose. The king weeped vehemently and they were in great sorrow and scarcely could check their crying and weeping. Then the king and the queen threw themselves at her and kissed her eyes and her hands.

Some time afterwards the king, having recovered from his weeping, said to her: "Hilaria, my beloved daughter, it is a great thing to me, to have seen to-day in thee, that an offspring pleasing to God cometh forth from me and that I may give to God a daughter who is accepted by Him. If thou wouldst only show me this kindness". Hilaria said: "What wishest thou?" The king said: "I have sworn the oath, and thy will shall be accomplished wholly. Only, if thou art willing, allow me to make for thee and those with thee a dwelling-place in our neighbourhood, that will be an abode to thee, in the same manner as there, be it for dwelling separately or commonly, as thou desirest".

But Hilaria agreed not with this, speaking: "It is not well to alter the beautiful institutions which have pleased to the Ancients, and to change a place which has been fittingly set apart by the chosen Fathers for their rest and abode. But, if thou allowest, we soon will |53 take leave in peace. The king submitted to her will and withstood not the word of her mouth concerning all which she said to him".

Five days afterwards, he dismissed her and those with her. And they gave them presents and signs of honour and gifts of gold and silver, and tapers and perfumes and oil, and costly garments for adorning the altars and churches of the convents in the desert.

But Hilaria accepted not the gold and the silver saying: "Gold and silver are usually not to be seen, in the desert. But we will take these other presents". Secretly she said to him: "If thou wilt, we shall spend this gold and silver for works which I will mention to thee. There are places in the desert, where the solitaries are distressed by want of water and the large distance of it. Others are unfit for dwelling, because of the absence of materials necessary for buildings. Send a trustworthy man and let him dig pits and build well-secured dwelling-places and make holes and hidden caves for those who wish to dwell in them secretly, not openly. This will give thee the wages of righteousness".

Her father said to her: "Ay, beloved mistress, I shall accomplish all according to thy wish". Then she took leave and departed from the palace with weeping and crying, and reached the desert of Skete, with the Fathers who were accompanying her.

A few days afterwards the king sent a trustworthy man according to Hilaria's wish. He gave him much money for the expenses of the buildings and for erecting well-secured towers. And thus he spake to him: "Go straightway to John who is called the eunuch; he will tell thee what to do, accomplish his will". |54

When this trustworthy man arrived he did all that Hilaria told him; [he made] cells and pits and caves fit for dwelling therein and high, well-secured houses.

Having finished all, he went back in peace.

Hilaria took up her former way of life, struggling in work and difficult tasks. Her father sent continually messengers to her.

So within every month he sent some one to ask about her, secretly, nobody knowing of it. But this remained not concealed from the solitaries; although not knowing it certainly, yet they presumed John to be a relative or an acquaintance of the king. From that time they began to show her ⁹) signs of honour in the assemblies and in the church. When she perceived their presumption, she began to be afraid that gradually her position might become known and her labour might be lost by vain glory.

So she left them secretly, while they perceived it not, and went to a more remote part of the desert. She concealed herself in a suitable cave in the earth, which she found according to her desire. At fixed intervals she went through the ravine, which led from the bottom of her cave under the earth to the ground, and got up to take the fresh air during a long time. At the mouth of the cave was a well and a little garden of wild vegetables. Whenever she wanted some food she took it there, and drank from the well; so she lived in the cave for ten years. The whole time of her staying in the desert was thirty years. By her heavy labour she was fast decaying so that she, from weakness and old age, |55 lay down on the bottom of her cave to perform her prayer to God. At that time God exhorted three solitaries of the desert, Aba Isidorus and Aba Isaie and Aba Isak, to go through the desert in order to visit the solitaries. They took with them fruits and bread made of flour, garments and coats, to provide and strengthen the sick and weak people with, if they should find them; or if they were dead, to shroud their corpses and to bury them honourably.

On their march through the desert, one day at noontime, they came near the place where Hilaria was living and hearing from within the earth a sound of groaning as from a sick person they wondered and investigated what it might be; so they found the entrance of the ravine on the surface of the earth, but, on going down to enter it they feared that that sound might come from a wild animal there. Going round they perceived the garden and the well and signs of human footsteps. Then they understood that a solitary must be living there. They took heart and entered the ravine and reaching the bottom of the cave, they saw a light as clear as daylight, as the rays of the sun. Then they looked and saw a human being lying on the ground and groaning; the hair of the head was white as wool. When they had prayed and said: "Bless me my Lord", she raised her eyes, perceived them, rose quickly and received them with a salutation. Then they sat down and asked about her coming there, saying: "When hast thou come here, Father? and from which direction hath come thy pious person?"

For they presumed her to be a man.

She answered them and spoke with them excellent |56 words. At last she said to them: "My Fathers, you are sent to-day by God, in order to bury me". Then she rose, and prayed. Having finished her prayer, she stretched herself on the earth and entrusted her spirit to God.

When the Fathers saw that she was dead they praised God and took her immediately from that cave to the ground. There they performed over her the burial service and were going, as was becoming, to shroud her body, presuming her to be an ascetic man like others, who are beardless by great heat ¹⁰). But touching her corpse outwardly, they perceived it to be a woman's and, full of astonishment, they praised Christ, who kindleth the fire of His Love in all mankind, men and women, old men and youths and children.

Then they buried her as she was, and interred her. While their lips murmured a hymn of praise, they went to wash their hands in the well from which she used to drink and to eat of the vegetables there in order to receive a blessing thereby. But they found that well dried up and the garden withered; but in the cave

where she had lived, the water rose, and went up to the surface of the earth and streamed there. Then they praised still more on account of a wonder, the like of which they had neither seen nor heard.

They stayed there three days, entreating God and saying: "O Lord, show thy servants who thy servant was and from where she came".

When the days of death were over, in a divine revelation, there was said to them: "Make a memorial-day for the odour ¹¹) which was accepted by God, three |57 days before, which belongeth to Hilaria, the daughter of king Zeno, who, while dwelling amongst you before, was called John the eunuch". Three days afterwards they departed and went and told the Fathers what they had seen.

This is the Life and holy works of Hilaria. We, chaste brethren and faithful sisters, being envious of the works of the Saints, must imitate their beautiful deeds and perform good works, that we may attain life everlasting, of which we may be deemed worthy by the Grace and Love of Christ. To Him be praise with His Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

Here endeth the story of Hilaria, the daughter of king Zeno, who left the house of her parents secretly and led an ascetic life in the desert of Egypt.

[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end]

1. 1) Parrhsi/a.

2. 1) Litt, his prayer.

3. 1) i. e. Byzantine.

4. 2) The MS. has the masculine.

5. 1) The MS. has the masculine.

6. 2) I. e. her sex.

7. 1) Litt.: Who have parrhsi/a.

8. 1) According to a correction of the text.

9. 1) MS. "him".

10. 1) Cf. the Introduction.

11. 2) Cf. Acta Martyrum, ed. Bedjan, I, 187, 17.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 58-59. The story of Hilaria: Short Karshuni version

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 58-59. The story of Hilaria: Short Karshuni version

TRANSLATION OF THE SHORT KARSHUNI TEXT (V).

It is told that Hilaria, the daughter of king Zeno, when she heard of the desert and the monks living there, left the kingdom and fled to the desert disguised as a servant. The Father of the desert received her; the Holy Ghost had revealed to him that she was a woman. But he concealed this and put her into a grotto, where she remained thirteen years, praying with the monks till her skin grew black, her appearence became altered and her bones grew thin. She reached a high degree of ascetism.

When the old men saw that she remained beardless, they called her the eunuch, but her name was Alaria.

It happened that her sister became insane in a vehement manner, so that her father and her mother were sorry for her sake. He said: "I will give half of my kingdom to him who healeth my daughter." But he found no one. Then there was told to him: "In Wadi Habib, near Alexandria, dwelleth a monk, called the eunuch. When he prayeth over insane persons, they are healed. He is a disciple of a disciple of Abu Macarius."

The king wrote to the governor of Alexandria, in this way: "We have heard, that in Wadi Habib, in the neighbourhood of thy city, there is a monk who healeth insane persons. We send to thee a sick person, dear to us, with an escort. When he reacheth thee, accompany him to that place. The king sent with her ¹) much money |61 and many of those in his confidence. When they reached Alexandria [on their way] to Wâdi Habib, the governor with his soldiers encamped at a distance. Then he took the girl with her trustworthy servants to the monastery of the monks. He told the old men what the matter was. Immediately they called the eunuch. When her sister entered, Hilaria recognized her without being recognized. She wept and kept her with her seven days, weeping and praying over her. When she slept, she held her on her bosom. She used to kiss her eyes. On the seventh day the demon left her; her companions took her and journeyed with her to their country.

When they reached Constantinople and her parents saw that she was healed, they rejoiced greatly and gave opulent alms. Being alone with her they asked her about what had happened to her during her abode in that place. She told them every circumstance and how the holy eunuch (I mean her sister) had healed her. The king was very angry; he said: "A monk, a slave, healeth the sick and abuseth his monastic state in order to look on a woman; prayeth and holdeth her on his breast and kisseth her eyes."

He wrote to the governor, ordering him to send the eunuch. The goyernor did so. When the monk was introduced to the king and he saw his person, he received him, standing, very graciously, and took his blessing. But the monk was like a shadow or a spider: his skin had grown black and his bones had become thin. The king regretted to have summoned him. Afterwards he was alone with him and asked him about what his daughter had told him. He answered: "How troublest thou me and restrainest me from doing my duty by |62 [forcing me to reveal] what I am not bound to reveal to thee. In the presence of the Gospel and the patriarch thou shalt swear to me that thou wilt let me go to my place of abode."

He swore to him, that, after having been entrusted with the secret, he would immediately let him go to the monastery without restraining him. She thought: "There remaineth for me in the world only so and so much." When she was sure of him on account of his oaths, she said: "I am thy daughter Hilaria. Thou believest this not?" He believed her not until she had communicated to him some peculiarities he knew about her and she had told the story of her life, and shown to her mother a token on her body. Then they wept vehemently and pressed her on their bosom.

She stayed with them three days. Then she returned to her dwelling place in Wadi Habib, as if she were a servant. For she had made them swear that they would not betray her state.

The king sent many treasures with her to that place. Then she built.....²) and fortified houses and churches and monasteries all over the desert. And the king ceased not to send these gifts [yearly] till after the death of his daughter. And the other kings followed his example by providing for this place, till Islam appeared. The church of Abu Macarius was built in Wadi Habib.

Their prayers be with us. Amen.

[Footnotes moved to end and renumbered]

1. 1) The text has: him.

2. 1) [...] which I do not understand.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2004. 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: hilaria_09_longkarshuni.htm

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 60-. The story of Hilaria: Long Karshuni version

The Legend of Hilaria (1913) pp. 63-. The story of Hilaria: Long Karshuni version

TRANSLATION OF THE LONG KARSHUNI TEXT.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, one God, we begin to write, with the help and assistance of God, the story of king Zeno and his wife Shams al-Munir and the chosen Hilaria their daughter. May their prayer and blessings be with us. Amen.

There was a faithful king and his name was Zeno. He and his wife were honourable, just and merciful in their life like our noble father and mother Abraham and Sara and like the chosen Isaac and Rebecca, going the way of our father Jacob and Rachel, the Ancients. They were of honourable origin, but they had sorrow in this world because they were barren and had no child nor heir to govern towns and cities after their decease.

One day, by the working of the grace of the Lord Christ, who loveth mankind (honour and praise to him for ever. Amen.) they conceived a plan and they spoke one to the other: "Let us take a part of this money and go to the desert and the monasteries and to the temples of God and to the caverns and mountain-caves and to the clefts which are beneath the earth in darkness..........¹) who are bound, in a way pleasing to |66 God, by their own will, who are nourished and whose thirst is quenched, and who are all provided for by our Lord Jesus Christ, every one according to his wish and need; let us request them to stand before Christ and to pray for us; perhaps God will grant us a child whereby we shall be consoled for the rest of our lifetime.

So they went with zeal and warm faithfulness and with tears which flowed so as to soak their garments and with sighs which would remove mountains, partly on account of their sins and partly from longing for offspring. They reached the venerable places and attained their end by the power of Christ, for the sincere faithfulness that was in their heart. Then they returned to their appartments with joy and gladness.

After the completion of a certain number of days Shams al-Munir perceived [that she was pregnant]. She said to the faithful king Zeno: "My husband, rejoice; by the grace of the Lord and the prayers of the Fathers I perceive that I am pregnant". Then he thanked God and began to show the monasteries and the poor still more mercy and care; till the blessed bore a girl whose beauty was not equalled in her time. Seven days afterwards she was baptized and called Hilaria, the fruit of prayer, and he ²) used to call her by this name.

When she had grown up and had come to years of discretion, her father built for her a pavilion and a beautiful appartment, the most beautiful of his country. And he sent [someone] to ask and to search in the whole town for a chaste, pious, learned woman, able to read the holy Scriptures. When she was brought into the presence of |67 the king and the queen and they spoke to her, she answered in the best manner. Then they praised and thanked God for granting them their wish. Then king Zeno took the hand of his daughter and they entrusted her to her governess, in order to teach her good demeanour and science and reading, that her intellect might shine and her demeanour be beautiful. The chaste woman received [her] with gladness and great joy, kissed the feet of the king and the queen, took the hand of the chosen [maid] and went away confiding in God. He ³) sent with them two blessed old men to wait at the door, and food and drink and servants and utensils, suiting to royal rank. Every fifth day the king took the queen and they visited their daughter, the fruit of prayer, and the joy of their heart.

In this blessed state and good demeanour she stayed for six years; then Christ would lead her to perfection. She used to read in the stories of the martyrs and the narratives of the saints which had reached perfection in the desert. Then her heart thirsted and she loved them warmly and longed for dwelling with and amongst them. So she began to fast, to pray and to observe vigils and to shed tears, the beginning of every [spiritual] gift and of remission of sins. But her beauty began to wither. Her governess observed her and said to her: "My daughter, I see thy beauty withered." She made an obeisance for her and said: "[This is caused] by my longing for meeting the saints and living amongst them. My heart is thirsting vehemently after seeing them; I hope that thy venerable person will hide me from my |68 father and mother. All food, which is brought, I shall, give to the poor; perhaps God will open for us a way to the desert by their prayers". In this state she remained for a year. As she withered her parents observed her and said to her: "Our daughter, blood of our hearts, we find thee withering in a vehement way and we are sorry for thy sake; is there not a secret sorrow which thou revealest not to us?" She smiled and said: "What sorrow can he have, who enjoyeth such honour, who hath so many servants, and whose parents converse with him? Be good to me, that I may lead this agreeable life in your shadow". So she comforted their heart by her words; they rejoiced when she spoke to them in this way; they took leave from her, kissed her and said to her: "Remain in peace". They greeted also her governess and went to their castle and court.

When the chosen [maid] perceived that they observed her she feared they would thwart her and her work would be idle; so she stood the whole night praying and shedding tears like rain; she beseeched God to save and liberate her according to His will and good pleasure. The next morning her governess came to her. They greeted one another and the chosen Hilaria took a golden dinar and gave it her governess, saying: "I request thee to buy for me to day a monk's habit". She went to the porter and said to him: "Run and buy for this dinar a cowl and a mantle and a habit, which must be worn out". He went and brought her what she had commanded; she took it and went to the chosen maid who took it with joy and gladness. They wept together till their garments were soaked by tears. Then they took leave from one another. Hilaria, the |69 pure, said to her governess: "From to day till after three days visit me not, in order that, if they ask thee, thou mayest swear sincerely: "I know not where she hath gone to, nor at what time she hath departed". She accepted her command and this was an achievance from God, strong is His name, exalted His praise.

She rose in the midst of the night and departed confiding in God, reciting psalms and praises and sanctifications to Our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom may be glory and praise. He sent her the angel of grace and protected her wholly against the animals and the children of man, till she arrived at Suk Misr ⁴). While she passed she saw a monk who was going his way, his head bent. She went up to him and saluted him. He answered her salutation. Then she began to ask him about the way of living of the monks in the desert and as to which monastery was the first to be reached and what its name was. He informed her about their whole way of living and said: "The first monastery thou wilt reach is that of Abu Macarius; therein are three hundred monks; part of them feedeth upon grass like the beasts; another part fasteth one, two or three days and [then] eateth some bread; part of them sleepeth not and all are, according to Christ's good pleasure, standing night and day". She said to him: "Pray over me and give me thy prayer ⁵), that I may reach them and dwell amongst them". Then they prayed over one another and went their way both of them.

She went, confiding in God, barefoot, on the thorns |70 and pebbles and thistles till the blood ran from her feet and the sun had burnt her skin and her beauty had faded away and she had become like an Abessinian. When she reached the gate of the monastery by the grace of Christ, she knocked and the porter came and opened the door saying: "What is thy wish, my brother?" He ⁶) answered: "To dwell with your holiness, if it please Christ". He said: "Stay here, my brother, till I shall have informed the prior of the monastery."

He went and informed the prior of the monastery; then the prior of the monastery came to Hilaria, the chosen. When he came near her she rose towards him, made an obeisance and saluted and kissed his feet and his hands. He embraced her and said: "Blessed be thy coming to us, my child; by thy prayer God may protect our monastery from Satan". Then he ⁷) sobbed and wept. The prior of the monastery began to interrogate him saying: "From where art thou, my lord, and what is thy country and thy family? Inform me truly about

thy coming and all thy affairs". He answered: "My name is John the eunuch. I know neither father nor mother other than the Lord who created me. I was the slave of a king. When he was at the point of death he freed me. Meditating I said to myself: "The service of the children of man and of earthly kings is nothing in comparison with [the service] of the king of heaven and earth". Then I went confiding in God, bought this garment from a monk, changed my dress, till I came under the feet of your holiness, our Father. I request |71 from your holiness to guide me by your excellency and bounty.

Then grace came down ⁸) upon the prior of the monastery and he knew that he ⁹) was one of the Lord's chosen. He put before him food and water to drink after the hot journey. Then he ordered the wooden gong to be rung and all the brethren assembled, three hundred in number. They brought water and washed his feet and drank the water in order to obtain a blessing. Then they put on him the holy habit, glory on glory and honour on honour ¹⁰), and grace came down upon him and upon the whole monastery. When they looked upon him joy and gladness increased among them. They gave him a cell that he might perform his works as he liked; whereupon he prostrated himself at the feet of the brethren, received their prayer ¹¹) and went to his cell. Then he began to do his hard works so that all the brethren and the prior of the monastery were ashamed by the ardour of his labour. ---- Now we shall return to her father Zeno and her mother.

As usually they rose and went to the castle. The old men came and opened the doors; then they entered. Now she would run to meet her mother and her father joyfully and to salute them. When they entered they perceived the disorder and traces of her, but they heard no sound. They called for the governess, who began to tremble, so that she could not answer them. When they reached the room, where their daughter used to sleep, |72 they found that she had laid off her silk garments and the golden girdle which was round her waist and her shoes and that she had departed barefoot. Then the king said: "Tell me, woman, and be not afraid, whether thou knowest where she hath gone to". She swore to them: "I know not where she hath gone to, nor at which time she hath departed. But three days before she gave me a golden dinar and said to me: "I beg thee to buy for me a monk's habit". Then I went and bought what she wished". Then they understood that she had gone to the desert. The king beat his breast and threw the crown from his head and began to recite about what had befallen him regarding his daughter:

"O star, that sparkled upon me, and now hath set and become obscure,

O moon, that shone upon me, and now is eclipsed and become dark". And he said: "Thou, Lord, who makest the rivers flow and hast created the creatures in the deepest depth, that they praise Thy holy name; Thou hast created the trees and hast adorned them by beautiful fruit, that they give praises to thy great name". With the axes of his sighs he demolished mountains and with the soap of his tears he washed his garments, saying:

"Thou, who gavest back Joseph to our father Jacob so that his sorrow and his grief ceased, just so I expect from Thy generosity, that I may see her with my eyes and augment praise and glory to Thy name". While he recited and lamented and wept those who heard him trembled from awe before his words. And the old men cried in the metre of Mar Jacob: |73

(¹² "The righteous have bewailed their beloved with great sorrow,

Because resurrection was hidden from them and not spoken out,

Abraham bewailed Sara when he buried her

And accompanied and interred her with great mourning before the eyes of many.

Abraham was bewailed by his heir Isaac.

And when Isaac died he was bewailed by Jacob.

Joseph and his brethren mourned seventy days and bewailed the old Jacob when he had died ¹²)".

Then he ¹³) threw the crown from his head; her mother p. laid aside the royal robe and put on a coat of hair and put off her veil and began to lament and to utter bitter words, till the hard stones would weep with her. She said: "Had I wings like the dove and strength like the eagle, I should fly round the blood of my heart and make cease this heavy sorrow and grief. I must lament with the lamenting dove and cry with the nightingale when she crieth in the trees. So I lament and cry over ----the blood of my heart which hath ruined my strength and vigour and hath gone. She said in the metre of Mar Ephrem:

(¹⁴ This is the gate full of mercy,

In it is mercy.

Enter, o sinner, and beg mercy

From thy Lord who is full of mercy ¹⁴).

Weep, ye daughters of Eve, with me over a ewe which had one lamb and the wolf came and fetched it, and now how can the ewe be consoled? And over a |74 dove which had one cub and the hawk fetched it, and now whereby can the dove be consoled? And over a vineyard which had one bunch and the sparrows came and picked it away and now whereby can the vineyard be consoled? O wine in a glass, O rose of the gardens which hath withered now. O myrtle, whose odours I used to smell when the zephyr blew, which would heal my sickness".

Her mother and her father remained for three days weeping and lamenting. And after three days they opened the treasuries and gave gold to the slaves of the court and said to them: "Go and search in all monasteries and dwellings of hermits; perhaps you will find the light of my eye and the blood of my heart". He took with him his bodyguard and marched towards the desert till he reached the monastery where his daughter was serving her Lord. The monks feared from awe before the king and flew into the desert. When the king...¹⁵) they asked him saying:

"What is thy wish, happy king"? He beat his breast and lamented and wept, saying: "My child Hilaria, the fruit of prayer, hath flown from between my hands and, we know not what hath passed her, we hope that your holiness will, stand praying and beseeching God; perhaps He will accept your prayer and as He hath done the first time, when He gave me her, He will give her back to us this time by your prayers". They rang the

wooden gong and three hundred monks assembled. They stood praying and the chosen [maid], John the eunuch, amongst them. They began to beseech and to pray, that |75 Christ might reveal to them what had passed her; but she beseeched Christ to conceal it and her prayer was accepted and got the upperhand over the three hundred so that she was not found out. Then the prior of the monastery came and began to console the king saying: "Faithful and happy king (may God prolong thy life and forgive thy sins) be not grieved nor....¹⁶) over the brilliant gem which shineth before its Creator. Compare thyself with our father Abraham, how he let down the knife on the neck of Isaac to slay him. Compare thyself, O king (who may be rendered happy by his Lord) with Jephtah who sacrificed his daughter and shed her blood from love for his Lord. Compare thyself, O king (may his Lord render him happy) with the blessed Lady Shamuni, the martyr, how she sacrificed her seven sons to God with joy and gladness. So thou wilt be consoled by Christ and He will comfort thy heart by His grace. Perhaps He will grant thee another child".

The king and queen were consoled by the speech of the venerable Father and their sorrow ceased. They returned to their home being bewildered. After a short time God granted them a girl; they rejoiced over her greatly. She was brought up in the way of princely children, in the best manner, till she had finished five years of her life. Then Satan began to throw her down and to torment her vehemently. The queen said to the king: "My husband, we cannot but send her to the monastery of Abu Macarius, perhaps Christ will heal her by their prayers". The king said: "Thy advice is accepted". At once he ordered the most splendid votive |76 presents to be brought and summoned ten old men, whom he commanded to accompany His daughter to the monastery and to stay with her three days. If she was healed then, they should take her back; but if not, they should leave her behind in the monastery till she would have been healed. They answered: "We shall obey thy command". They took the girl and accompanied her to the monastery, told the monks her history, and made themselves worthy of the confidence the king had put in them. They remained three days with them and, the girl being not healed, they left her behind in the monastery and returned to the king. When it was evening the prior of the monastery and the monks deliberated: "To whom shall we entrust this girl?" They unanimously chose John the eunuch, because he was a eunuch and more abundant in performing offices and ascetic works than any of them. Then they called him and trusted to him the girl his sister, the daughter of his mother and his father. He accepted her with joy and great gladness and took her hand and they went to his cell. When they had entered the cell the chosen [maid] rose, set her sister at her side, and began to shed tears and to sigh and to beat her pure breast and to cover the ground with her face, before Christ.

After three prostrations Satan left the girl, shrieking and flying, like a slave, more black than soot. She went up to her sister, made the sign of the cross upon her and embraced her. She praised the Lord and thanked Him, accepting the signs of His grace, for this gift and the healing which had taken place at her hands.

Then she began to speak with her sister in rest and tranquillity, saying: "What is the name of the king thy |77 father and of thy mother?" She answered: "The name of my mother is Shams al-Munir and the name of my father is king Zeno". She said: "May Christ inspire them with righteousness, prolong their kingdom and give them victory over their enemies". She answered: "Amen. It may be according to thy word and by thy prayer".

When she had given this sweet answer, Hilaria perceived that she was completely healed from her sickness. Then she asked, saying: "Hast thou brethren or sisters?" She answered: "No, Father, I have no brother nor sister. But sometimes my mother sighed and shed tears. When I asked: "Why weepest thou, mother?", she said: "I had a daughter, named Hilaria; she left her castle in the dead of night and we have heard nothing of her". While she told this, the holy maid shed tears; she said: "May the Lord help her and console her sorrow and...."¹⁷). She answered: "Amen. May it be by thy prayer, our Father. May thy word be accepted". Then Hilaria began to teach her reading and knowledge and demeanour and agreeable speech and dignity. And by the prayer of the holy maid, her mind was opened and she began to read and to interpret like one of the old and learned men. After two months the men came to fetch her. They brought presents and all sorts of good things. They asked after the girl and it was told them that she was healed. When she was brought into their presence and they had saluted her, she gave the best answer and began to ask about her parents in most beautiful words. Then they praised God and thanked [Him for] His bounty and kissed the feet of the prior |78 of the monastery and of those who were present with him. They stayed with them three days, till they had overcome the fatigue of the journey, then they took the girl and returned to their abode and castle. When she met her mother and father, they were struck by her good colour and beauty. She began to tell them about the inhabitants of the monastery. Her father said to her: "My beloved, who was the man that healed thee, who was so benevolent towards thee? [Tell us], then we shall honour him. Who hath wrought this benefaction? We shall honour him and reward him twofold for what he hath done for thee". She answered: "My father, when the slaves had left me and were gone, the wooden gong was rung and the monks assembled and deliberated together: "With whom shall we leave this girl?" They said unanimously: "With the chosen John, the eunuch". Then the prior of the monastery called him and said: "Draw near, my child. Accept the word of thy brethren and take the daughter of the faithful king, and beseech Christ thy prayer, that she may be healed and your fame exalted and confidence in Him and in the faithful be augmented by your holiness". Then he wept and prostrated himself on the ground, saying: "Who am I amongst your holy persons? For I am a sinful slave, lower than all the brethren, O Father". The prior of the monastery sobbed and wept and considered his demeanour and modesty. He laid the exalted cross on his head and said: "Contradict not the opinion of the brethren about thyself, O saint of the Lord". Then he drew near and kissed the feet of the prior of the monastery and of the old men, obeyed, and took my hand with love and great joy. I went with him to his cell. |79 When he had entered his cell, he turned towards the East ¹⁸) and began to pray.

He beat his breast and shed tears till they trickled on the ground like rain, and covered the ground with his face, so that I trembled from awe before him. When he had prostrated himself one time and two times and three full times, and laid the cross on my head ---- lo, there departed from me a slave black as soot. He cried to him and scolded him. Then he left the cell and flew. At the same moment I felt that I was healed and that my soul had become quiet. Then he stroked my head with his blessed hand and began to converse with me in quietness and tranquillity. When he spoke with me, I smelled from his mouth an odour like perfume, which refreshed me. Then he began to ask about my father and my mother, saying: "Hast thou brethren or sisters"? And he asked about all my kindred. The more I spoke to him, the more he wept, so that I wondered for which cause those tears trickled and streamed down constantly, not to speak of fasting, prayer, and long vigils. When he desired to sleep he lent against the wall and slumbered somewhat. Then he began with passion and great strength his prostrations and humiliations. When he had finished his prayer he taught me reading and the principles of good demeanour and knowledge. He held me in great honour. And when thou sent after me, my father, it was not a light matter for me to let him alone. May the Lord show us mercy by his prayer, constantly. Amen".

King Zeno wondered at what he heard about this |80 saint and he began to think where this eunuch might come from and which king he possibly could have served and what his origin might be. His thoughts tortured him vehemently. Then he called the old men which had brought back the girl, and said to them: "Go and return to the monastery a second time and take with you food and drink and presents as is becoming to the sacred monastery. And greet the prior of the monastery and tell him to send me ten old men of the monks, amongst them John the eunuch. This is absolutely necessary". Then the slaves of the king rose and loaded up all sorts of things becoming to the monastery and the monks. They departed confiding in God, like all faithful persons. When they had reached the monastery they told the prior of the monastery what the king had said to them. The prior answered: "The order of the faithful king (may God prolong his happiness and confirm his dynasty) be carried out". The wooden gong was rung and all the monks assembled and received the blessing from one another like the angels ¹⁹). They stood during the ministration of the exalted sacrifice, the hope of the living and the dead. The prior of the monastery selected nine old men, called John and said to him: "Rise," confiding in Christ (honour and praise to Him who hath given this gift to thy holiness), O glory of our religion and crown of our heads, joy of our hearts; rise and go to the king and be ever more loyal to him". They received the blessing of one another and went on their way. On the whole way they recited psalms and songs of praise without break, so that the bodyguard of |81 the king trembled from awe before them. When they entered the town the king heard of their arrival. The people went to meet them with signs of honour and great esteem; and the faithful, men and women, would take dust from under their feet and give it their children to drink. And the blessing [of God] took abode in that town by their prayers and blessings.

The king summoned his confidant and said to him: "Take these old men and let them take rest, heat water and wash their feet. Spread the best cloth under them and pour the water of their feet into the storehouses that people may receive a blessing by the blessings of their prayers; and bring food as much as thou canst." He answered: "According to thy good pleasure, O king of the time." The king laid hold on John and went with him to the royal appartment. When he drew near to the girl she uttered a cry and came towards him, kissed his feet and prostrated herself on the ground and covered his feet with her face. Then the Fruit of Prayer cried, in the metre of Mar Jacob: (²⁰ "Peace, peace unto you, who are far and near, sayeth the Lord, who hath spread peace among mortals. The cross hath shown the love of the Father towards the whole world. The Lord hath revealed Himself and the world hath perceived how He loveth it" ²⁰). She blessed her mother and raised her head from the ground. Grace came down upon that place where she had taken abode. ---- When they had taken rest, the king opened the conversation and said: "Our Father, heavenly blessing hath come down upon us by the coming of thy highness and thou hast shown |82 us the utmost bounty and favour by the healing of our daughter. I beseech thy holiness to tell me from where thou art and what thy extraction is, and who was the king whom thou hast served and who hath freed thee, and how thou earnest to the monastery, how thou wast liberated from [the service of] the kings, so that they let thee go to this holy monastery." After every answer the king asked a new question. Then she perceived the thoughts of her father, that he was weary on account of herself. Obedient as she was, she understood that the word of a king is not to be withstood. She said: "Happy king, if thou desirest that I speak to thy majesty about myself, give an order to these servants [to depart] and let nobody stay except thyself and my mother the queen and the beautiful girl." He ordered those who were present to depart. They saluted the king, took Hilaria's blessing and went away. Then she conjured her father, saying: "Swear by the right hand [of God] and by the voice that cried over the Jordan when our Lord was baptized; swear to me by the whole congregation ²¹), and" by the blood and the water which flowed from His side and saved our father Adam and his posterity; and swear to me by His mighty resurrection and His ascension unto heaven, that thou wilt not press me nor divulge my secret; then I will reveal my history to thee". He trembled from awe before the oaths with which she had conjured him. Then he swore to her all the oaths which she had conjured him by. Then she took the cape from her head and raised the cloth from her eyes. She recited, saying in the metre of Mar |83 Ephrem: (²² "You are my father and my mother and I am your daughter Hilaria. Let us cry and say to the Lord, the Highest: Halleluja". The king and Shamsha Munira listened to Hilaria. They were confused and trembled and they fainted, being as dead ²²). You are my father and my mother and I am your daughter Hilaria". They trembled and fainted and were confused and (²³ fell down ²³) on the ground from the vehemence of what had befallen them, they lay down and were as dead. ----When she saw what had befallen her mother and her father, she wept and said: "O Lord, let them constantly be confident in Thee". Then she took water, blessed it, and sprinkled it on them so that they awoke and praised the bounteous Lord and they were no longer sorry but constantly glad; they cried together, in the metre of Mar Ephrem: (²⁴ "A thousand times a thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand be the praise of Thee, who acceptest the praise of the praisers who praise Thee. The whole creation is obliged to praise Thee. The high and the low places sing Thy praise. Praise to Thee" ²⁴). Then they bowed their heads till they ceased weeping. Then they began conversation with their daughter gladly and joyfully and quietly, as she requested them. Her father said: "My daughter, light of my eyes, which hath been augmented to day so that it shineth by thy light; my daughter, my heart's blood, I shall not break towards thee the oath which I have sworn; but how can I dispense with thy holiness? What is the best way of acting, my daughter? Build for thee and for |84 these holy men, thy brethren, a monastery outside this city, that I and thy mother and sister may be with thee morning and evening". She answered: "No, my father; do not annul the institutions of the Ancients, who have laid the foundations of the monasteries in the desert. Know, my father, that the farther the monasteries are from the world the better it is. And regarding me, Christ will give thee patience and inward joy and thy soul will rejoice in the grace of thy Lord." He answered and said: "Amen, may thy word be accepted."

They stayed three days till the fatigue of the journey had disappeared. Then the saints begged him permission to depart. He said: "Your order will be done". He ordered to be brought before his daughter clothes and utensils, gold and silver, tapers and perfume, oil and food, in unnumbered masses. She said: "My father, may thy votive presents be accepted, and the Lord forgive thy sins and trespasses. As to gold and silver, we have no prescript to take it. But I will give thee and thy servants a counsel." He said: "Give order, O blood of the heart of thy mother and father." She said to him: "My father, seven days after our depart thou shalt send masters and workmen in great number in order to make in the monastery deep pits, that all people may drink from their water and thy wages be constant till the end." He said: "Thy will be done, O crown of our heads." Then she took all that could be profitable to the holy monastery; and the rest she told her father to divide among the poor. Then they took leave from her and asked her blessing. And she also prostrated herself before her parents.

Then they went on their way. People perceived them and went to meet them. And they tore pieces from their |85 habits and took the dust from under their feet and the Lord gave them according to their fidelity. With trouble and accompanied by a crowd they departed from the town. They marched singing and sanctifying and. praising God, under the royal safeguard. And the secret remained kept. When they came near the monastery, the prior and all the brethren went to meet them. They made obeisances before one another and praised the Lord and thanked for the signs of His grace. Then everyone took the place becoming to him. After the seven days the king sent his slaves and workmen with them to the monastery. They saluted the prior of the monastery and told him the command of the king: "We have to do what John shall order us". Then John was called. He left his cell, reciting the praise of the Lord and his lips ceased not sanctifying the Lord. They went to meet him and asked his blessing. He asked after the king and the queen and the state of mind of the girl. They answered: "They wish thee much peace. The girl is well". Then they praised God and thanked Him and said to John: "See, where thou wilt have us work". He said to them: "From here till there. Work so and so and it will be completed by the power of the Lord and His good pleasure". They began to dig and built and completed by the power of Him who worketh all completion; to Him be praise and honour eternally. Amen. When the workmen had finished and terminated their work they received the prayers and the blessings of the brethren and returned to the king and congratulated him on the completion of the work. He praised God and thanked Him, and asked after John. They said: "What shall we tell thee about his holiness, standing among us and laying |86 hand on the work like us, while his lips ceased not praising and sanctifying God? Blessed are the father and the mother who begat him." When this word reached his ear his heart trembled ²⁵) and rejoiced, he gave them their wages and presents very graciously and began to send every two months presents in honour of the (²⁶ secret of his heart ²⁶) so that all the monasteries and everyone who heard it, wondered and they began to speak with one another, saying: "If he belonge.d not to his kindred, he would not show him this honour and submissiveness". And she used to take all the presents which her father sent and send them to the monasteries in the neigbourhood. But when she heard that the monks spoke amongst each other in that way, she feared that her history might be revealed and her work become fruitless. Then she went away stealthily and travelled in the desert in heat and thurst, barefoot on thistles and pebbles and thorns, one, two, three days, till she reached the border part of the desert. There she found a garganas-tree and near it a waterpool; at the water grew desert herbs. Near the tree was a hole which could hold one man. She praised God and thanked Him for the signs of His grace and said: "This garganas-tree is winter food, and the herbs are summer food. Then she entered the hole and dwelt in it for ten years, nobody knowing about her except Christ who had created and sent her."

Now there were venerable old men among the priors of the monasteries who used every year to take with them a beast of burden and to load on it food and |87 drink and clothes and shrouds, and to go round the whole desert. And every one whom they saw in need of food, they would feed; and whom they saw bare, they would clothe; and whom they found sick or distressed they would cure, and whom they found dead they would bury according to God's order.

During ten years the existence of this saint remained concealed, till the day of her transition to blessed Paradise came. Then they came up to the entrance of the hole; at once they heard the sound of sighing from the depth of the earth. They thought it to be an animal growling against them. But as soon as they inspected the place they found there the traces of human footsteps. They said to one another: "There is a saint in this hole. Possibly he is ill, let us go in and look." They made the sign of the cross on their face, began to recite and entered up to the border of the hole; at once they saw the hair of the innocent one shining like a polished sword in the sunshine. When she heard their reciting she rose and made an obeisance before them. Then she went back, sat down leaning on her side and trusted her pure spirit to her Lord. At her death her pure odour spread till the desert was filled with her perfume. Then the saints began to praise and to sanctify the Lord Jesus Christ, who loveth the children of man and giveth them such beautiful gifts. They bore her out of the hole and began to put off her worn out clothes and shroud her honourably in new shrouds, as was becoming. But while they were stripping off her clothes they found her breasts withered on her pure bosom like leaves wither beneath the trees; then one of them knocked his head and cried to his companions: |88 "Look here, my brethren, and gaze at this wonder; she is a virgin and not a man." When they saw the wonder they praised God who had helped her and led her to perfection. They dug a grave and buried her and the angels descended to honour her.

When they had buried her, they went to the water-pool to drink. But they found the water dried up and the herbs withered and likewise the tree. Then they praised the great Lord and stayed wondering over this fact. Then each of them laid his head on a stone and lay down to sleep. They beseeched God to make known to them her whole history, and her coming to that place. They laid down their heads and slept. Then the angel descended and made known to them her whole history from the beginning of her beautiful demeanour up to the day of her departure as they had witnessed it. When they awoke and discussed their dream among themselves it appeared to be one and the same. Then they wrote down the history of the chosen virgin and sent it to the parts of the whole world that it might be profitable for the faithful by her prayers.

And we, the sinners, will beseech our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to give you security in your dwelling places and_to protect your wives and to support your old men, to give health to your youths and to bring up your children, to give abundant blessing on the work of your hands, by the prayer of the dome of. light, the mother of all creatures, the mother of Salvation, the mistress of women and men, the hope of the dead and the living, our Lady Mariam, the mother of God, the Virgin, and of Mar Petrus the Apostle, and by the prayers of the pure Prophets and Disciples and the rest of the Martyrs |89 and the Saints and by the prayer of this excellent saint Hilaria, the daughter of the faithful king Zeno. Their prayers and the prayers of all who have the same rank may protect all the faithful and the poor scribe and the reader and the hearers. The mercy of the Lord be upon every one who sayeth Amen, O Lord of the worlds, Amen, (²⁷ our Father in heaven ²⁷).

Here endeth the story of the holy Hilaria, the daughter of king Zeno. May the Lord protect us by her prayers. Amen.

[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end]

1. 1) Some words seem to have fallen out here.

2. 1) The king seems to be meant.

3. 1) The king.

4. 1) See introduction.

5. 2) Nearly synonymous with blessing.

6. 1) Hilaria is henceforth spoken of as of a man.

7. 2) Hilaria.

8. 1) According to A.

9. 2) Hilaria.

10. 3) The author means to say: the glorious habit on a glorious person.

11. 4) Cf. p. 64, note 2.

12. (1----1) Syriac verses.

13. 2) The king.

14. (3----3) Syriac verses.

15. 1) [Karshuni] which I do not understand.

16. 1) []. which I do not understand.

17. 1) [] which I do not understand.

18. 1) The direction of prayer for Eastern Christianity.

19. 1) Litt. the class of angels.

20. 1 ---- 1) Syriac text.

21. 1) i. e. Christianity.

22. (1 ---- 1) Syriac text, followed by an Arabic translation.

23. (2----2) Only in C.

24. (3----3) Syriac text.

25. 1) See the Glossary s. v.[].

26. (2----2) Hilaria.

27. (1 -- 1 ) Syriac words.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2004. 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: pionius_life_of_polycarp_00_intro.htm

Pionius, Life of Polycarp (1889). Preface to the online edition.

Pionius, Life of Polycarp (1889). Preface to the online edition.

This text has come down to us in a single Greek manuscript in Paris, shelfmark Bibl.Nat. 1452, also known as the Medicean manuscript, which dates to the 10th century. It contains various lives, martydoms and eulogies of saints for the month of February. The Life of Polycarp occupies folios 182a-192b, -- although some leaves are wrongly ordered so that they run 182, 185, 183, 184, 187, 188, 186, 189, 190, 191, 192 --, and is assigned to Feb. 23. It is followed immediately by a copy of the genuine Letter to the Smyrnaeans which describes the martyrdom of Polycarp.

The text is imperfect as given in this, the only manuscript. In chapter 3 a list of early bishops of Smyrna is promised, but never appears. In chapter 12 there is a promise to include Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians but this is not found. In chapter 20 we are told that Polycarp's explanations of scripture will appear later, but they do not. The document seems to be mutilated at the end, and a wide lacuna is present between chapters 28-29. Various words are also missing.

Since the colophon to the Martrydom also is signed by Pionius, who intends to explain how he obtained it, and seems to be in the same style as this text, the author is given this name. However this is not the Pionius who was martyred in the Decian persecution, since the work shows no knowledge of the most important facts about Polycarp; that he was the disciple of John and a quartodeciman. The work is therefore a piece of fiction, written late and probably belonging to the latter half of the th century, when so many "pious" legends were invented as entertainment for the newly Christianised society. The writer shows some knowledge of the locality around Smyrna, but perhaps not enough for a native of that city, who might be expected to know of Polycarp's links with St. John. He probably lived in the province and had a casual knowledge of the city.

The text is entirely fictional and tells us nothing about Polycarp. Rather it is useful as an indication of what stories might be written and believed in the late th century. The account of how a bishop was chosen and consecrated is thus of interest as indicating what practises were in force at that date.

Roger Pearse summarised from Lightfoot's preface.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2006. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using unicode.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: pionius_life_of_polycarp_01_text.htm

Pionius, Life of Polycarp (1889) from The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 3.2, pp.488-506.

Pionius, Life of Polycarp (1889) from J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers, vol. 3.2, pp.488-506.

[Translated by J. B. Lightfoot]

LIFE OF POLYCARP.

1. TRACING my steps farther back and beginning with the visit of the blessed Paul to Smyrna, as I have found it in ancient copies, I will give the narration in order, thus coming down to the history of the blessed Polycarp.

2. In the days of unleavened bread Paul, coming down from Galatia, arrived in Asia, considering the repose among the faithful in Smyrna to be a great refreshment in Christ Jesus after his severe toil, and intending afterwards to depart to Jerusalem. So in Smyrna he went to visit Strataeas, who had been his hearer in Pamphylia, being a son of Eunice the daughter of Lois. These are they of whom he makes mention when writing to Timothy, saying; Of the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice; whence we find that Strataeas was a brother of Timothy. Paul then, entering his house and gathering together the faithful there, speaks to them concerning the Passover and the Pentecost, reminding them of the New Covenant of the offering of bread and the cup; how that they ought most assuredly to celebrate it during the days of unleavened bread, but to hold fast the new mystery of the Passion and Resurrection. For here the Apostle plainly teaches that we ought neither to keep it outside the season of unleavened bread, as the heretics do, especially the Phrygians, nor yet on the other hand of necessity on the fourteenth day: for he said nothing about the fourteenth day, but named the days of unleavened bread, the Passover, and the Pentecost, thus ratifying the Gospel.

3. But after the departure of the Apostle, Strataeas succeeded to his teaching, and certain of those after him, whose names, so far as it is |489 possible to discover who and what manner of men they were, I will set down. But for the present let us proceed at once to Polycarp.

One whose name was Bucolus being bishop in Smyrna at that time, there was in those days a certain lady, devout and fearing God, conversant in good works, whose name was Callisto. An angel sent from the Lord stood by her and said to her in a vision of the night; 'Callisto, rise up and go to the gate called the Ephesian, and when thou hast gone forward a little in front of it, two men shall meet thee, having with them a little lad named Polycarp. Ask them, if he is for sale; and when they say "Yes," give them the price that they shall demand, and take and keep him with thee. This child is a native of the East.' Then she, the voice still ringing in her ears and her heart bounding with fear and joy, sat up and arose with haste, and without delay did as she was ordered. And with hurry and flurry she came to the aforesaid gate, and found as the angel told her, and she took him and brought him to her house and delighted in rearing him decently and nurturing him in the nurture of the Lord. And she was amazed, when she saw his intelligence and seemly behaviour and his aptitude for piety. And in point of affection she treated him as a son, while as regards promotion over the servants, gradually as he advanced in age he was made manager of her property. And further she gave into his hand the keys of the storehouses.

4. But when at length it befel that she went away from home for a time, she left Polycarp keeper of her house. And as he went in to measure out rations of food for the servants, he would be followed by widows and orphans and by many of the neighbourhood----all the destitute poor among the faithful----and they would ask to have given them, one corn, and others wine, others oil, and whatsoever each desired. But he, having from a child learnt the lesson of well-doing and having the commandments of God inscribed on the tablet of his soul and on the pages of his heart by the finger of God, even the Holy Spirit, fulfilled the precept, Give to him that asketh thee; and so he emptied all the store-rooms, bestowing lavishly on all that were in need.

5. But when at length Callisto returned after a long time, one of the domestics ran to her and said; 'You, my lady, setting at nought all your servants born in the house, placed everything in the hands of this young lad though he came from the East; and he during your absence from home plundered everything that there was and left nothing.' Then she, being disturbed by the harsh words of the accuser (for the charge was enough to ruffle even a tranquil soul, especially when it conjures up a semblance of pecuniary loss), swelled with indignation in her heart and overflowed with wrath, especially because she held it a very great |490 disaster that one befriended by God and given to her by Him should have squandered everything recklessly; for she did not yet know for what purpose he had employed these goods. Wherefore also very divided thoughts sprang up in her mind. So forthwith she called Polycarp by name, saying, 'Polycarp'; and on his obeying her summons she said, 'Bring me the keys of the closets.' And when he brought them and opened the doors, she went in and began to look round; and a miracle of the mighty working of the Lord Jesus Christ was wrought. For he, when he went in, groaned and prayed saying; 'O Lord God, the Father of Thy beloved Son, that in the presence of Thy prophet Elijah didst fill the vessels of the widow of Zarephath, give ear unto me, that in the name of Christ they all may be found filled.' Accordingly they were all found filled, so that she, thinking the slave had lied, was angry and ordered certain of the domestics [to beat him]. But Polycarp came forward and set himself straight, saying; 'Nay do not ill-treat another for my sake; but rather lay on me the blows intended for him; for he told no lie, but deserveth praise for his affection towards his mistress. But as for me, seeing that I did not spend with an evil intent but on the poor, the God and Father of the blessed Jesus Christ hath both filled the hungry and hath sent His angel to restore to thee thine own, that thou also mayest have to give still to the poor according to the custom which thou followest.' Having heard and seen these things, Callisto was filled with fear, advancing still more in faith and in good works, so that Polycarp became as a son to her; and departing this life in faith she left him her substance.

6. Now after the death of Callisto Polycarp advanced greatly in the faith that is in Christ and that pursues a virtuous life. And in his untiring diligence, he from his Eastern stock bore (if one may so say) blossom as a token of good fruit hereafter to come. For the men who dwell in the East are distinguished before all others for their love of learning and their attachment to the divine Scriptures. So having been brought to Asia and having come by the will of God to live in Smyrna, after making himself fully acquainted with the ways of the people of the country and distinguishing himself far beyond them, he discerned that for every servant of God, while the whole world is [his city], the heavenly Jerusalem is his true father-land; and that here on earth we are bidden to sojourn for a while and not to settle; for we are strangers and visitors. Thus reflecting on this with a godly delight he offered himself day and night wholly and entirely as a consecrated sacrifice to God, exercising himself in the oracles contained in the divine Scriptures and in continual services of prayer and in devotion to all those who |491 needed either attention or relief and in contentment of living. For he a'te such food as came to hand, meagre and simple though it was, and he wore such clothing only as absolute necessity required, for the sake of warmth and of the modest and seemly covering of the body.

7. And for the most part he withdrew into retirement, not appearing in public or conspicuous places, nor where he might reap praise from the spectators. But he spent his time chiefly at home, though sometimes in the suburbs, where he could most easily disregard and escape the turmoil of a great crowd; for he knew that the soul needs tranquillity of sight and hearing flee from contamination with evil things. And in consequence of this he was staid alike in his mental thoughts and in his bodily gestures; for even in youth he had the gait of an elderly man, and his look was manly and unembarrassed by any passion directed towards objects of sight in outward life. But if any of those who met him looked into his face, he would be suffused with a blush, and through his innate respect he made himself respected by others. For the souls of the wise are discerned through the body, as through a mirror, by their blushes. And of those also who came to see him and desired his conversation, he was wont to shun and avoid, if he possibly could, the garrulous and foolish talkers, on the plea that he was intent on some important business and had not noticed the person who met him; but if he happened to get entangled with him, he would answer him briefly just not to seem to be haughty, and then would keep silence. Such was his behaviour towards those from whom no benefit could be got. But bad men he avoided as mad dogs or wild beasts or venomous serpents; for he remembered the Scripture which says, With the innocent thou shalt be innocent, and with the elect thou shalt be elect, and with the perverse thou shalt use perverseness. With those however from whom he could derive benefit he associated very freely, especially in cases where he could reap benefit not only from their words but also from their actions.

8. And as he returned from the suburbs to the city, if at any time he fell in with wood-carriers, especially when they were old men, he had compassion on them for their heavy burden and would attach himself to them and enquire of them if they sold their load as soon as they entered the city; and on their answering that sometimes evening came and they had not succeeded in doing so, he would give them the price and would carry the wood to the widows living near the gate. Thus he gratified the widows with the benefit of the wood, and the woodmen with the enjoyment of their meal at its proper time.

9. Now when he came to man's estate he was more enamoured |492 than ever of godliness; and he discerned that freedom was the proper reward of self-discipline, but that it is attained by few and chiefly by those who have received from God the power of keeping the plumage of their soul unenslaved and unencumbered----men who are privileged to enjoy the free supermundane life through not being dragged down upon the earth by the fetters of marriage. For not one of us can dispense with the necessaries of life; but those persons can least of all dispense with them who harbour in their house an expensive wife that is fond of dress. And he would recount the distractions and annoyances that come from such a wife, rendering it altogether impossible to lead a peaceable and quiet life. For should she be profligate, as Solomon says, the rage of the husband is full of envy; but if she is chaste, she is filled with vanity and is elated in her mind; so that it is better to live in a desert rather than with a contentious and loquacious woman. And altogether no charm of life thrust his soul away from heavenly things; and he was wont to say that the words of Christ and of the prophets and apostles were beautiful to him: Thou art beautiful in thy loveliness beyond the sons of men; grace is shed on thy lips; and again, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things. And for the rearing of children and the care for one's offspring and the arrangements at home consequent thereupon, he used to explain how much a man who entangles himself in these matteis must necessarily want, and what distractions and occupations he must have, and what anxieties about their good behaviour, and what burdens fall upon parents when their children sicken and what griefs when they die, and all the other risks which attend the training of their whole life. For at each successive stage of life the young undergo a change of disposition also, the heat natural to their age fermenting like new wine, and seething and purging the material part more and more, like a colt endeavouring to throw off the reins and yoke, until the controlling and superintending mind, by reason and reflexion, as by a bridle, shall pull him back and rein him in and shall put a stop to the neighing, reducing the disorderly and irrational impulse to order. The mind however only then effects this and prevails, when it is penetrated with a certain divine sense and presence of the Holy Spirit. Wherefore also the inspired David supplicated saying, Renew a right spirit in my inmost parts; stablish me with a commanding spirit, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me; and the Apostle says, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

10. Our next business after this is to recount also the career of his episcopate, what was his conduct in it and how he attained to it; that by these lessons we may also learn to imitate those who are chosen by God |493 as His ministers. Bucolus then, who was bishop before him, cherished him and set great store by him from his childhood. And being sanguine he entertained great hopes of him, as the fathers of good sons rejoice in having steady successors. And he in turn requited Bucolus, cherishing him as he would a parent, yet not with feigned language but inobtrusively and without forcing himself always upon him; and acting with reserve he observed the opportunities which occurred from time to time, so as not to appear to be officious nor yet neglectful. For he was not eager to give him a present or gift when he could supply his own wants, nor was Bucolus on his part eager to receive one; for the latter regarded the young man's alacrity in relieving those in want as his own personal gain, while the former duly fulfilled the command of the Lord Jesus by giving to those who were not able to pay him back; whereas some persons artfully pursue honour and are ever coveting some other greater honour. While then Polycarp, like Jacob, being a simple and plain man, acted in all things without vanity or ostentation, by the labours of his own hands supplying the poor with bodily ministrations as regards food and other necessaries of life, he gained renown by his actual deeds; and Bucolus was informed of this not by the doer, but by the recipients. For as good men regard the conferring of benefits as imperative, so likewise with reasonable men thankfulness on receiving benefits is indispensable. Moreover he rejoiced to see that many persons who were sick and afflicted with devils were restored to sound health through the grace given to him from God, and so the Lord Jesus Christ was glorified. And he beheld many things also concerning him in visions.

11. He perceived therefore that he was worthy; and for the present, owing to his youthfulness, he enrolled him in the order of deacons with the approval of the whole Church. Blessed indeed was he in being permitted to cover such a head with his hand and to bless so noble a soul with his voice. For the approved and discreet advancement of those who are appointed to an office in the sacred ministry through faith in God is a source of confidence and joy to those who have made the good selection, provoking no blame before men and causing no secret reproaches to the conscience.

12. As a deacon then he approved himself among his own contemporaries, as Stephen did among those of the Apostles; for being well-equipped in speech, and adorned with good deeds, he boldly confuted Greeks and Jews and the heretics. And many a time did Bucolus, by exhortation and encouragement, with difficulty persuade him to allow himself to be disciplined by the Lord and to give catechetical discourses in church. Thus there was given him |494 by Christ in the first place an ecclesiastical and catholic rule of correct instruction; and being able to interpret mysteries which were hidden from the multitude he expounded them so clearly that the hearers attested that they not only heard but saw the things described. He wrote also many treatises and sermons and letters, but in the persecution which arose on his account, when he was martyred, certain lawless heathen carried them off. Their character however is evident from those still extant, among which the Epistle to the Philippians was the most adequate. This we will include in its proper place.

13. But in his teaching his chief point was that his hearers should know concerning God Almighty, invisible, immutable, immeasurable, and that He was well pleased to send down from heaven His own Word and Son, that the Word, thus taking Man upon Himself and being truly incarnate, might save His own creation; and that He, according to the prophecy which had been uttered, being born of an undefiled and spotless virgin and of the Holy Ghost, accomplished that mystery of generation which is difficult of comprehension to most men. And He consented to suffer for the salvation of men, according as Christ Himself declared beforehand by the law and the prophets concerning Himself, as also the Father respecting the Son; whom also God raised from the dead, and His disciples saw Him in the body such as He had been before His passion; and they beheld Him taken up in a cloud of light into the heavens in the same body in which He created Adam before his transgression. But as concerning the Holy Spirit and the gift of the Paraclete and all the other spiritual graces, he would demonstrate that they could not be possessed outside the Catholic Church, just as a limb cut off from a body has no power, proving this from all the Scriptures; such as the saying by the mouth of Daniel, And His kingdom shall not be left to another people, and in the Gospel, Mary hath chosen the good part, and it shall not be taken away from her, and other passages similar to these.

14. But in the matter of continence and virginity he was careful to make hortatory discourses, and he would urge that men ought not of compulsion or by commandment of others, even though they might be parents or masters, but by individual choice and desire, to carry it through as a voluntary effort. And he used to say that chastity was the forerunner of the future incorruptible kingdom, and that it received its name of continence (εὐνουχίαν) because it had much affection (εὔνοιαν ἔχειν) towards the Master, and of virginity (παρθενίαν) because the idea of such self-restraint is with God (παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ); for those who discipline themselves to such a life deaden the carnal fire. And he would |495 demonstrate monogamy from the fact of the creation, pointing out that one woman was created for one man; wherefore also the virgin that is brought to her husband bears her name appropriately: the commencement of the name, he said, signified that she was from God (παρὰ Θεοῦ) and the termination describes her as belonging to one (ἑνός), that is one husband. And he observed that Lamech, being descended from Cain, was the first to take to himself two wives; and by taking to himself is meant doing it not according to the will of God. He said then that, though polygamy was called by the name of marriage, yet it was a specious fornication.

15. And on certain Greeks remarking to him that it was difficult and irksome among the Christians to be able to master the desires, he replied; 'It is foolish to suppose that whatsoever things seem impossible to men are really impossible; but understand that the Lord bringeth about all things, and the Master of the universe subjecteth them to His mighty chariot-reins.' For after setting forth three kinds of chastity, he banished and exterminated fornication from the faithful, and established the rule and sovereignty of chastity; for while the rest of mankind have unbalanced and vague and irregular impulses, and like horses rage and neigh after their neighbours' wives, only those who wait in fear to be judged by the heavenly law and the word of God, which is the avenger and champion of all, are satisfied with a single marriage that exists for the procreation of children. Women in like manner are taught to look only to the husband of their virginity.

16. The second kind of chastity is that of widowhood, transcending the one already mentioned. For the latter seemed to be difficult at first until it was surpassed by that which is able to desist from concessions previously allowed. But the third kind which practises a chastity victorious in every feat----what superiority has it not over the others! What desirable and laudable honour does not belong to the kind of continence and virginity, which shakes off and (so to speak) casts away all the shackles of the lower life, and with light bound and agile step outruns and overleaps the feats already described! For it evinces greater determination in the person who adopts it, than the being content with one alone or the desisting after experience, and it proclaims superior power in God who bestowed it. For that it is voluntary on the part of the man who so chooses, and that it is a gift of God whose is the power, our Saviour showed when He said that men made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake, and that all men could not receive this word.

17. But as from that time forward he advanced daily in years also, |496 and the flower of a hoary head, the forerunner of old age, appeared, and here and there a white hair began to smile above his temples----for human nature asserts itself not fortuitously, but by a divine providence, and puts forward each development at the proper season as a reminder to the race, and with much grace of wisdom calls the man to perfection by deeds and words; as for instance when it says, How long, thou sluggard, dost thou lie down; and when wilt thou arise out of sleep? or again, Prepare thy works for thy departure; so also by these means methinks it reminds every one of us of the end before it arrives, that the whiter a man's head becomes by time, the brighter his soul may grow by the Word. Bucolus therefore, seeing that Polycarp's age was adequate and that the propriety of his conduct throughout all his life was even more adequate than the number of his years, perceived that he was most excellent as a fellow-counsellor to him in questions relating to the Chinch and as a fellow-minister in teaching; while the Lord set His seal on and ratified his design, giving him commandment in a vision. Accordingly he appointed him to an office in the presbyterate, the whole Church with one accord welcoming him with great joy, although he himself shrunk from such an undertaking. For he said that it was enough in itself to give account of one office and one ministration, let alone of several. And he went on to say; 'If a man being unworthy dareth to lay hold of such an honorable office, he bringeth judgment on himself; but if he be worthy, he has the full reward of his former works, receiving the order of the priesthood as in a manner a reward.' Seeing then that it was impossible to gainsay the counsel and appeal of God, he receives the order of the presbyterate, whereupon he saw a vision and received much comfort.

18. From that time forward therefore, much progress being made in the word of teaching through him, all men glorified our Lord Jesus Christ. For he would extend his discourse to great length on diverse subjects, and from the actual Scripture which was read he would furnish edification with all demonstration and conviction, so that the things spoken were presented to the hearers as if exhibited to the eye. For he was wont to say that the speaker must first believe what he says; seeing that in this way he sets them forth, not as the relation of others, but as achievements of his own. And his voice was grave and manly, with look and gesture corresponding thereto, having sweetness and melody and being pervaded with the fear of God. And on one occasion a person said to him...... for when holding discourse with Jews and Gentiles and with the sects, he would speak loudly, so that some of those standing below could hear him: and for the purpose of |497 showing what things ought to be said with kindliness and not with heat, he would proceed thus; 'How think ye that the Lord spoke such words as these to him that had his hand withered? as the Scripture saith, And looking round upon them He said in anger, Stretch out thine hand; or that saying? O faithless and perverse generation, and other words such as these; or the Apostle Peter? Why did ye conspire among yourselves to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Or Paul? I would that they would cut themselves off that disturb you. On the other hand when administering comfort, the Lord spoke in gentle language and loving tones; Come, all ye that labour and are heavy-laden. And again with sympathy towards the city of Jerusalem saying, How often would I have gathered thy children, and other words of a like kind. Again Peter with John at the Beautiful Gate addressed the paralytic with pity, and Paul writing to the Galatians says, My children with whom I am in travail again, when the moment for comforting demands it.

19. So also he pursued the reading of the Scriptures from childhood to old age, himself reading in church; and he recommended it to others, saying that the reading of the law and the prophets was the forerunner of grace, preparing and making straight the ways of the Lord, that is the hearts, which are like tablets whereon certain harsh beliefs and conceptions that were written before perfect knowledge came, are through the inculcation of the Old Testament, and the correct interpretation following thereupon, first smoothed and levelled, that, when the Holy Spirit comes as a pen, the grace and joy of the voice of the Gospel and of the doctrine of the immortal and heavenly Christ may be inscribed on them. And he said that they could not otherwise receive the impression of the seal which is given by baptism and engrave and exhibit the form conveyed in it, unless the wax were first softened and filled the deep parts. So also he thought that the hearts of the hearers ought to be softened and yield to the impress of the Word. For he said that it unfolded and opened, like closed doors, the minds of recent comers; and accordingly the prophet was bidden by God, Cry out mightily and spare not, Raise thy voice as a trumpet. What must one say, when even He that was gentler than all men so appeals and cries out at the feast of Tabernacles? For it is written; And on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any man thirsteth, let him come to Me and drink. Yes, for when He is teaching He will cry out, but if He is spitted upon and brought to trial and is tempted and suffers, He will be silent, when He is led as a sheep to the slaughter and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb. For I, it is said, like a deaf man heard not, and I became as a man that heareth not and hath no reproofs in his mouth. |498

20. The wealth of the grace given by Christ to Polycarp has led us on, while recording his course of life, to explain in turn the character of his teaching likewise. How he used to interpret the Scriptures, we will defer relating till another time, setting it forth in order and showing our successors also how to minister correct instruction in the holy and inspired Scriptures. But for the present we will proceed to speak of the episcopate conferred upon him, and what great things he did when he found himself in this position, running the race of godliness successfully. Bucolus then, forasmuch as the Lord had often signified to him beforehand in visions that he had a man of this kind for his successor, in joy and gladness at leaving as it were a prudent heir, when he went to his rest fell asleep in this manner. At the season of his departure he took hold of Polycarp's hand, and pressed it first upon his own breast, then on his face, signifying that whatsoever graces are ministered through these organs of sense (the heart that understands and the eyes that see and the ears that hear and the nostril that inhales the odour of Christ and the mouth that by speech preaches God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ) will all be committed to him. He then having done this and said, 'Glory be to thee, O Lord,' fell asleep. But Polycarp for the present took no account of any of these things, for his hope and longing was always set on things future. But the believers who were present and standing round, when they saw this, compared notes one with another privately, being hopeful of getting such a man for their pastor. So having taken the body of the blessed Bucolus to Smyrna to the cemetery in front of the Ephesian Royal gate, and placed it where recently a myrtle tree sprung up after the burial of the body of Thraseas the martyr, when all was over, they offered bread for Bucolus and the rest. Now they were all of one mind that Polycarp should offer it; but as he was always scrupulous and desired to yield honour to his superiors, they prevented its happening otherwise. And so he was persuaded and performed the service.

21. And without any delay, not many days after, gathering together bishops from the cities round about and making preparations for the reception of the visitors, they took measures for the appointment of a successor to preside over the Church. When they arrived, great crowds gathered from the cities and villages and fields, some knowing Polycarp, others desiring from what they had heard of him to behold him. So when they were assembled together and the church was filled, the glory of a heavenly light shone among them all, and certain brethren saw marvellous visions. One saw hovering over Polycarp's head a white dove encircled in light. Another beheld him, before he had sat |499 down, as if already seated in his chair of office. A third saw him in the guise of a soldier girdled with a crimson belt. To another again he appeared arrayed in purple, and a sort of light shining about his face; while another, a faithful and reverend virgin, saw him twice his proper size, and a scarlet robe on his right shoulder, and his neck glistening like snow, and a seal upon it.

22. And on the sabbath, when prayer had been made long time on bended knee, he, as was his custom, got up to read; and every eye was fixed upon him. Now the lesson was the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and to Titus, in which he says what manner of man a bishop ought to be. And he was so well fitted for the office that the hearers said one to another that he lacked none of those qualities which Paul requires in one who has the care of a church. When then, after the reading and the instruction of the bishops and the discourses of the presbyters, the deacons were sent to the laity to enquire whom they would have, they said with one accord, 'Let Polycarp be our pastor and teacher.' The whole priesthood then having assented, they appointed him notwithstanding his earnest entreaties and his desire to decline.

23. Accordingly the deacons led him up for ordination by the hands of the bishops according to custom. And being placed in his chair by them, he moistened and anointed first with tears of piety and humility the place where in the spirit he saw standing the feet of Christ who was present with him for the anointing to the priestly office. For where the ministers are----the priests and Levites----there in the midst is also the High-priest arrayed in the great flowing robe. Then the company present urged him, since this was the custom, to address them. For they said that this work of teaching was the most important part of the communion. So opening his mouth he spoke out, his voice betraying the fear in his heart, and said; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord, the High-priest and shepherd and teacher and king eternal, even Christ to whom be the glory for ever and ever----the God who proveth us in all things and searcheth our hearts by all means, as He did those of our fathers and of His holy prophets to whom He gave commandments and ordinances that they should make known to the rest the faith that was in them; as even now He hath proved my meanness through the greatness of this office which exceeds my powers; for I well know that no man could fulfil it well, except he hath first received it from the Lord from heaven, as the blessed Apostle Paul hath shown in his epistles, showing in a single word the whole life of one who is appointed to office, when he speaks of it as blameless. This I think cannot have escaped the ears |500 of any one, but must have been impressed upon his inmost soul wholly and completely. Wherefore it is necessary for you, my beloved, to make supplication on my behalf to the Lord, that He will himself grant me to minister acceptably to His spotless bride, the Church. The same also is the duty of all my fellow-servants and ministers, to whom it is needful to make exhortation in the presence of God and of you, that they labour with me and assist with all readiness and with love unfeigned in the struggle that lies before me, knowing that all must run together so that we all may receive the prize, forasmuch as the crown of immortality is offered to all alike, the Omnipotent God and our Lord Jesus Christ crowning without respect of persons him that has fought well and conquered by grace; through whom to the Invisible and Immeasurable, the one only Immortal Father in the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, glory, honour, and power both was and is and shall be for ever. Amen.'

After this the others also, having made the proper exhortations and appeals on the Sabbath and on the Lord's Day, and offerings and eucharists, rejoicing and partaking of food, returned each to his own home rejoicing greatly at having communicated with Polycarp, and glorifying Christ Jesus the Lord for it, to whom is the glory for ever. Amen.

24. And on the following sabbath he said; 'Hear ye my exhortation, beloved children of God. I adjured you when the bishops were present, and now again I exhort you all to walk decorously and worthily in the way of the Lord, knowing that, when I was in the ministry of the presbyters, I applied so great diligence according to my power, and shall do this the more now when the greatest peril awaits me if I am negligent. For after the fear of the judgment, it were shameful to abate and relax anything having regard to men, and not rather to build up higher the zeal which has reached thus far. It pertaineth to you therefore to hold back from all unruliness, both men and women; and let no one imagine that I exact punishment from offenders not from conscientiousness but from human pride. For it has happened that some of those who were put into offices, when they ought all the more, as one might say, to strain every nerve in the race, just then relax their efforts, forgetting that, the greater honour a man appeareth to receive, the greater the loyalty which he ought to pay towards the Master, and to remember the words of the Lord how He himself said, On whom I conferred the more, from him let them demand the more abundantly in return; and the parable of those who had the talents committed to them, and the blessing pronounced upon the servant that watches, and |501 the reproof of those who refused to come to the marriage feast, and the condemnation of him whose garment was not befitting the marriage festivity, and the entering in of the wise virgins, the saying Watch ye, and again Be ye ready, Let not your hearts be weighed down, the new commandment concerning love one towards another, His advent suddenly manifest as of rapid lightning, the great judgment by fire, the eternal life, His immortal kingdom. And all things whatsoever being taught of God ye know, when ye search the inspired Scriptures, engrave with the pen of the Holy Spirit on your hearts, that the commandments may abide in you indelible.'

25. Thus speaking in this way from time to time, and being persistent in his teaching, he edified and saved both himself and his hearers.

But I will now record such of the miracles wrought by his hands as have been handed down to us. Once upon a time Polycarp went to Teos, which is near the warm baths commonly called Lebadia, to visit a certain bishop Daphnus by name, who after supper informed him of the scantiness of his means of subsistence, telling him how meagre a supply of food he had reaped from his husbandry. But he, when Daphnus showed him the barrels nearly empty, laid his hands on them and said; 'In the name of Jesus Christ use them freely.' Whence from that hour such abundance was multiplied that, after sowing the land, and providing without stint for his own household, he was able to give to others also.

26. Now after a lapse of time he came again to visit Daphnus; and Daphnus in thanksgiving for this great favour made an offering in his presence to a number of brethren. Accordingly he set a little cask full of wine in the midst of them. But when he told the servants to bring wine from the house and pour it in, Polycarp said; 'Let it be as it is, for it will not fail' And as they drew and drank the wine, while yet the wine only abounded the more, a servant girl standing by shouted out not in fear, but in merriment and laughter, saying 'Inexhaustible little cask.' At this the angel who was appointed over the miracle of power retired, and the result was that even the wine that was there vanished, whereupon Polycarp said: 'Ay, well was it said by the mouth of David, Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice before Him in trembling.'

27. Now among others whom Polycarp appointed deacons was one named Camerius, who also became bishop the third in succession from him and next after Papirius. This man Polycarp took with him and went into the country, for he was careful to superintend the |502 churches scattered through the villages also. And as he was returning to the city, a widow from a certain field ran up to him in the road and being in great straits brought him a little bird still young; and on his declining to take it, she prevailed upon him, telling him to treat it as an offering. But when evening came, as he generally travelled on his own legs, being tired he decided to put up at a certain inn with Camerius, since the place in question had not yet received the Gospel of grace. Well, it came to pass after supper that when he retired to rest he fell asleep quickly; for voluntary distresses of the body induce rest in solitary places. And when night was nearly half past, an angel of the Lord stood by him and smote his side and said, 'Polycarp.' And he said, 'What is it?' The angel replied, 'Rise and go out of the inn: for it is on the point of falling.' So he woke up and called Camerius. But he, being weighed down with sleep and fatigue together, answered him but not without difficulty: and explaining to him, he tried to induce him to rise. But Camerius replied to him, 'The first sleep is not yet passed, blessed father, and where are we going? Thou art always studying the Scriptures and wakeful. So thou fallest not asleep.' And Polycarp tried to awake him; but he lay still. And when the angel stood by him a second time and said the same thing, again he told Camerius to get up. And on his saying in reply, 'I have trust in God that, while thou art here, the wall will never fall,' Polycarp said, 'I too have trust in God, but I have no trust in the wall' So he fell asleep the third time, and the same word was spoken by the angel. Then he without delay rose first, and Camerius afterwards leapt up hastily. But when they had gone out and had made a little progress on their way, they remembered that they had left the little bird in the inn. When they were distant about a stone's throw, 'Hesitate not,' said he, 'for the blessed widow designated it for an offering.' And he returned and took it: and when he had gone forward a little distance the inn fell entirely to the ground, foundations and all, so that not one of the inmates was saved. Then Polycarp standing and looking up to heaven said; ' O God our Master and Lord Omnipotent, the Father of Thy blessed and holy Son Jesus Christ, who didst foretell the overthrow of the Ninevites by Thy great prophet Jonah, and didst grant him to escape from the dangers, verily I bless Thee that Thou didst rescue us from this danger by the hand of an angel, through whom Thou didst make known unto me that which was about to happen.'

28. And another miracle also was wrought by his hands as |503 follows. When all the men in the city had gone to sleep and it was near midnight, and the bakers were making bread, it happened that fire falling on the faggots near at hand set the shop in flames, and spreading thence got hold of a very considerable part of the city. But when the people had run together and there was much shouting and confusion, the mayor ordered the engines which were prepared for this purpose to be brought up. So the hose and water and every contrivance of art was brought. The Jews also came down under pretence of being able to extinguish it, since they always present themselves uninvited at a fire: for they assert that conflagrations cannot possibly be stopped in any other way but by their presence. This is an artifice of theirs to plunder the property in the houses. As the city then was in danger, the mayor said; 'Sirs, ye who are here with us at the season of this dire spectacle, you see that it is of no use, because the wind is contrary: and when our only hope was in the presence of the Jews, we have failed even in this. What then do I advise? Listen to me. The other day in the mayor's lodging a strange seizure overtook a servant of mine getting up at night, and he cried out and lost his senses. And when we kindled lights, we found him in a phrenzy devouring everything. Now at break of day the Jews came, wanting to cure him by charms: but he, single handed, struck them and was within an ace of killing them, numerous as they were; and tearing off their clothes, he drove them away naked and covered with blood. Then a certain person in my house, who was a Christian, said; "If you bid me, I will summon one who is able to master him." I gave permission, and the teacher of the Christians, whom they call Polycarp, came. But while he was still a very long way off the young man cried out loudly, "Polycarp is coming to me, and I shall fly." And as he approached...'

29........as was wont, making no progress for several days, they stopped at length. And when after some trouble those who held the office of councillors were brought together, and the mayor stated that he neither had corn nor could discover whence to buy it, though ready to pay down the money, a certain person, a man advanced in years, rose up from the midst of them and said; 'Sirs, all of you who were present at that season, when the city was endangered from a conflagration which broke out at midnight, remember distinctly how, when neither we nor the Jews were able to extinguish the fire, a man divinely gifted in the lessons of truth, the priest of those who are called Christians, being invited by you, standing before us all and looking up to heaven said some words or other, and forthwith the flame gathering |504 into a ball and paying respect, I know not how, to his voice sunk down into itself; and the thought has often crossed my mind that that man is some god or other. Now you know that our poets and historians say that the heavens send down their gods in the likeness of men, both to punish wrong-doers and likewise also to avenge those who suffer wrong.' 30. But they, when they heard him, shouted out and demanded that a general assembly should be called. So, without delay, they all went off in a body to the theatre; for being distressed by famine they looked to their immediate necessity, since they were compelled to declare, if only by their shout, that there was one God. When therefore they sent for Polycarp and urged him to come, he was found and brought. Then he was conducted to them; and, while the people shouted aloud, the chief men of the city said to him: 'Polycarp, thou seest that the city of which thou also art an inhabitant is in straits, and thou thyself sharest with us and dost participate, if not in our customs, at all events in the scarcity which now exists owing to the drought. The Smyrnaeans therefore urge thee to ask rain of thy God, that the earth receiving water from heaven may return to the husbandmen the seed committed to it.' But his face was covered with blushes, and his whole body dripped like a fountain with profuse sweat, while his heart leaping and throbbing bounded to heaven in prayer. Then slowly, but yet decidedly, he answered saying; 'Sirs, ye who inhabit this most beautiful city, give ear to me a sojourner and a stranger, to whom every city is foreign by reason of my heavenly citizenship and all the world is a city by reason of the gift of God who created all things. For I have not, as ye suppose, so high an opinion of myself that I am able, when a whole nation is justly chastised for its sins, to divest it of its scourges; but how much is possible, I will explain. Gathered together with me are certain venerable old men with whom I myself confer, when I want to ask a thing of God, urging them to be ambassadors on my behalf. With these then I will confer, that they may also be ambassadors on your behalf with Him through prayer; but to you my advice is, that ye be of good courage and order all the people to throw off this distress and to hope for better things. For God, being long-suffering, giveth times for repentance to the race of men.' Then the mayor took courage, as well from the miracles previously wrought by Polycarp himself, as from the words spoken by him, and said; 'Assuredly ye know all of you, citizens and strangers, that while we strive to propitiate the divine being with our own customs and institutions, performing sacred rites and sacrifices and kindlings of altars and burnings of incense, this man and those whom he says he has with |505 him as fellow priests and fellow ministers, retire apart and offer their prayers to their God more leisurely. Let us then separate----we and they----and let us send this man away, offering him security, that dismissing the fear for his life which has overtaken him from this tumult, he may perform his sacred rites on our behalf with his mind undisturbed and his thoughts calmed.' And with these words he dismissed the people.

30. Then he without delay ran to the Lord's house, where it was customary for the Church of Christ to assemble; and he ordered the deacons to charge them all to take care again that one prayer might be offered up by many. But they, having already prepared themselves from day-break, because of his being taken into the theatre, and because it was Friday (for they were apprehensive lest he should suffer some harm from the people), when they heard it gathered quickly together. Then said he to them; 'Let us remember, brethren, the promises of our Lord Jesus Christ who said, Ask, and it shall be given to you; for if two of you shall agree concerning any thing whatsoever that ye may ask, it shall be done unto them of My Father which is in heaven. Let us therefore ask in faith and without wavering in our minds, for the prayer of the suppliant is in a manner weighed as in a balance, and is swayed on whichever side the mind inclines. This indeed is evident from Peter's walking on the waves: for so long as he had faith he walked, but when he was alarmed at the violence of the wind, he sunk into the deep, as an example to us, that we may understand the inclination on either side. Possessed with such confidence, Moses the servant of God said to the people, when they failed from fear; Stand, and ye shall see the glory of the Lord. For of a very truth we need to stand firm upon the rock, that nothing wavering we may continue unmoved and unscared through faith in our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ; who also gave rain to the blessed prophet Elijah in answer to his prayer, when the heaven was shut three years and six months.'

31. And with these words, kneeling down first with them all, he prayed at great length as follows; 'O God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, O God Omnipotent, that art blessed for ever and ever, Amen; unto whom archangels, glories, and heavenly powers, thrones, dominations, seraphim, and cherubim, do service; Thou God who madest the heaven and the earth and sea and all things that are therein, that fashionedst man after Thine image and likeness, for whom also Thou wast well pleased to send Thy Word upon earth, that being incarnate of a Virgin and the Holy Ghost, |506 He might save and raise up through His passion man who had fallen under the dominion of sin, Give ear, O Lord, look upon us, Thou Holy One, listen to the prayers of Thy holy Catholic Church, and give ram upon the face of the earth, and seed for the sower and bread for food For in the days of necessity the heathen, perceiving that we are thy servants, seek righteousness from us And now, Lord, let all our adversaries perceive it.'

When he had offered this prayer, the heaven gave rain, and all glorified God that worketh marvellous things through His servants, to whom be the glory and the power both now and to endless ages with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit Amen

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2006. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using unicode.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: severus_hermopolis_hist_alex_patr_00_eintro.htm

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (=Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria. Preface to the online edition.

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (=Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria. Preface to the online edition.

THE TEXT

The first half of the Arabic text known as the Ta'rikh batarikat al-Kanisah al-Misriyah was edited and translated into English by B.T.A. Evetts under the title History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic Church of Alexandria. The complete text with appendices and continuations runs up to the end of the 19th century, but Evetts stopped with the 52nd patriarch, Joseph, who died in 849 AD. The text appeared in four parts in the Patrologia Orientalis series. These parts were issued as separate fascicles. The first and second parts appeared in volume 1 of the PO; the third in volume 5, and the fourth in volume 10. The top half of each page was devoted to the Arabic text; the lower half to the English translation, which appears here. Each page was given two page numbers. The first was the page number in the volume of the PO; the second the page number within the four fascicles, if considered as a single volume. The former page numbers have been reproduced here for ease of location and reference in the bound volumes of the PO.

The 4 parts in the PO are available as reprints from Brepols.net in the Netherlands, and can be found in their online catalogue by doing a search and looking for name=Evetts. I have found that Brepols handle credit-card orders quite happily, if you email them.

The remainder of the text does exist in English, but its copyright status is unclear, since Egypt only promulgated a copyright law in 1954 and has been accused of not enforcing copyright on non-Egyptian products even now. The PO text was reprinted in Cairo in the 1940's, as volume 1 of a 4 volume set by the Société d'archéologie copte, under the title History of the patriarchs of the Egyptian Church: known as the History of the Holy Church / by Sawirus ibn al-Mukaffa`, Bishop of al-Asmunin. Further volumes containing the text and translation of the remainder by Yassa `Abd al-Masih and O. H. E. Burmester appeared over the years. In:

(5) 1943: Vol. 2 pt. 1: Khaël II-Shenouti I (A. D. 849-880) tr. & annotated by Yassa 'Abd al-Masih & O.H.E. Burmester.

(6) 1948: Vol. 2 pt. 2: Khaël III-Senouti II (A.D. 880-1066) tr. & annotated by Aziz Suryal Atiya, Yassa 'Abd al-Masih & O.H.E. Burmester.

(7) 1959: Vol. 2 pt. 3: Christodoulus-Michael (A.D. 1046-1102) tr. & annotated by Aziz Suryal Atiya, Yassa 'Abd al-Masih & O.H.E. Burmester.

(8) 1968: Vol. 3 pt. 1: Macarius II-John V (A.D. 1102-1167) tr. & annotated by Antoine Khater & O.H.E. Khs-Burmester.

(9) 1970: Vol. 3 pt. 2: Mark III-John VI (A.D. 1167-1216) tr. & annotated by Antoine Khater & O.H.E. Khs-Burmester.

(10) 1970: Vol. 3 pt. 3: Cyril II-Cyril V (A.D. 1235-1894 A.D.) tr. & annotated by Antoine Khater & O.H.E. Khs-Burmester.

(11) 1974: Vol. 4 pt. 1:Cyril III, Ibn Laklak (1216-1243 A.D.) tr. & annotated by Antoine Khater & O.H.E. Khs-Burmester.

(12) 1974: Vol. 4 pt. 2: Cyril III, Ibn Laklak (1216-1243 A.D.) tr. & annotated by Antoine Khater & O.H.E. Khs-Burmester

The early portions of the text are derived mainly from Eusebius and coptic tradition, and are of little value. But from the th century onwards, the entries grow longer and often seem to derive from documents written by eyewitnesses of the events recorded. The moslem conquest of Egypt is recorded, and a vivid eyewitness account included of the overthrow of the last Ummayad caliph, Marwan II.

The text as we have it is in Arabic. The source documents must have been in Coptic and Greek, and the introduction refers to evidence that a Coptic translation of Eusebius existed.

A coptic correspondent, Imad Boles, tells me of the existence of other editions of the Arabic text:

"In Egypt they publish the lives in Arabic and in very poor publications. The first time I found the lives in clear Arabic and in English translation was when I went to the British Library in 2003 and found the Parisian version. I cried with joy and held my photocopies like I was holding a very precious and sacred manuscript in my hands...."

"There are several Arabic publications of the History of the Patriarchs attributed to Anba Saweris of Ashmunin. They have really proliferated after Pope Shenouda took the patriarchate. But most if not all are in pretty bad shape. Accuracy is not an Egyptian virtue these days. The best one though full of spelling mistake making its reading a very agonising job is the one published under the supervision of the late Anba Samuel, bishop of Shabin al Qanatir. I think it was published in 1999 though it is not clear. I bought it (three volumes) from the Church of Al Moallaqa in Old Cairo in 2003. The printer is Al Ni'aam for Printing and Imports (!). They give their tel. and fax numbers as 2420362/2463633 and 2420362 respectively but I doubt it very much that you will have joy with them. If you happen to visit Egypt again try to visit the Institute for Coptic Studies which is located next to St. Mark's Cathedral which is next to the Patriarchate. Someone I am sure will help there."

SEVERUS

Severus (Sawiros) ibn al-Muqaffac (which means 'son of the dwarf') as a layman was known as Abu Bisr ben al-Muqaffac and was a clerk. He seems to have been born around 915 and grew up in Old Cairo (=Babylon fortress) before the founding of modern Cairo by the Fatimid caliph (on th July 969). He became a monk, and then bishop of al-Ashmunein (Hermopolis Magna as it had been; Shmoun in Coptic) in the Thebaid under patriarch Theophanius (953-956) or Menas (956-975). Information about his early life is unknown. He flourished in the latter half of the 10th century and died at the latest soon after the turn of the century.

In the monastery he became acquainted with a former Moslem who had taken the name Paulos and fled the wrath of his family and coreligionists, and taken refuge in the monasteries in the Wadi Natrun (the same Wadi Habib so often mentioned). A close friendship developed, strengthened by a common literary interest in apologetics. They researched together, and created their works in an atmosphere of constant discussion. The account of this friend is perhaps more panegyric than biography, however. In the process Severus came to realise the necessity of writing in Arabic, as Copts began to lose touch with their own language, and he is the first Coptic writer of importance to write in Arabic.

Severus also participated in Disputations with Moslems, and also with Jews, under the tolerant Fatimid rule. The Disputation with the Jew Mose (975) is extant. Severus wrote more than 20 works in Arabic (26 according to Abu al-Barakat), of which the majority is probably lost. However in the mass of uncatalogued Arabic manuscripts, more may remain to be discovered. Before 955 he also wrote a Book of the Councils in four chapters against the Melkite patriarch Eutychios (877-940), discussing the first four councils, with an appendix of computational material. He then wrote a further book on the same subject at more length, in nine chapters, which is dated and was completed on th September 955. He also wrote an explanation of the Nicaea-Constantinople creed in ten chapters, against the East Syrian or Nestorian bishop of Damascus, Elias, who had written his own explanation of the creed. The work also attacks the Jews, and the Moslem Muctazilites.

Coptic Christians were constantly propagandised by Islam. As knowledge of Coptic faded, the Copts lost access to their own literature, and this left them vulnerable to Islamic propaganda. Severus therefore wrote the Book of the statement, in the first two chapters of which he describes this situation and gives it as a reason for writing. The work contains twelve treatises in letter form, covering the Trinity, the incarnation, the crucifixion of the Saviour, and a range of other topics designed to equip the Christian to answer Moslem attacks. It even included a summary world chronicle.

A further work is a manual of faith. The first 13 chapters (plus some appendices) discuss the christological differences between Jacobites (monophysites like Severus), Melkites and Nestorians. A further 22 chapters explain the church and church practises and obligations. It finishes with 13 key differences between Monophysites and Melkites.

The Book of the precious bead is not attributed to Severus in the manuscripts, but the research of George Grafs and Paul Maibergers has established that he is in fact the author. It contains a further statement of the Christian faith in 15 chapters.

The fame of Severus rests mainly on his History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria, which contains biographies of the Coptic popes and patriarchs of Alexandria. Den Heijer's research suggests that it was first composed in Coptic, and all the entries up to 1051 and 1058 were written originally in that language, and so not by Severus. Michael, bishop of Tinnis, wrote the fifth series of biographies thus. Thereafter it was continued in Arabic, and the original entries were translated into that tongue. This view excludes Severus as author completely. Aziz S. Atiya however believes that the evidence is still for the authorship of Severus for the original portion, in Arabic, but derived from Greek and Coptic sources. The two opinions are mutually exclusive, and more work remains to be done.

WORKS OF SEVERUS

Book of the Councils: Patrologia Orientalis 3, pp.121-242, Arab text and Latin translation.

Second book of the Councils: Patrologia Orientalis 6, pp.465-600, Arab text and French translation.

Book of the statement: edited in Arabic as "book of the precious bead concerning the statement of the religion", Cairo 1925. A second edition by M. WAHAB appeared in Cairo in 1947. A partial edition of the edited version with English translation by R.Y. EBIED and M.J.L. YOUNG: A theological work by Severus ibn aluminium-Muqaffac from Istanbul: Ms Aya Sofia 2360, in Oriens Christianus, volume 61 (1977), pages 78-85. This work is known as the Book of Severus in Ethiopian literature.

Book of clearing up concerning the faith in outline

The Order of Priesthood, ed. Julius Assfalg, Cairo 1955

The book of the precious bead: Statement of the faith in the religion. Paul Maiberger: "The book of the precious bead" of Severus ibn al-Muqaffa`, introduction and Arab text (chapter 1-5), Wiesbaden 1972 (academy of the sciences and the literature, publications of the eastern commission, volume XXV III);

The book of the light of the understanding, ed. Samir Khalil, S.J., Cairo 1978. Pages 7 to 36 include a biography and list of works

A letter to a dignitary which answers his question about the distinct teachings of the Christian parties.

An answer to a Jakobiten writer in Egypt, on his question, why the Christians call the creator a substance.

A refutation of the Jews.

A paper on Egypt, in which he represents the state of Egyptian beliefs and refutes his oponent

A speech on the medicine against grief and the healing of sadness and the improvement of customs. Ethics and asceticism are here placed at the centre

The chain of the jewels and beads. This concerns a refutation of the theory of predetermination and the fate. Severos represents here the teachings that God must punish the good actions recompenced and the bad

The useful speeches represent a defense of his religion. This work follows in the manuscript after the Second book of the Councils.

Further writings treat: A refutation of the Nestorians; an explanation of the orthodox Egyptian faith; the fate of unbaptised infants of believers and unbelievers and the condition of souls after the resurrection; an explanation of the gospels; an explanation of the Old Testament; an instruction on the confession of sin; a book of the meetings; a book of the decisions.

The history of the Patriarchs of Alexandria

FOR FURTHER READING:

Johannes DEN HEIJER, Mawhub ibn Mansur ibn Mufarrig et l'historiographie copto-arabe. Étude sur la composition de l'Histoire des Patriarches d'Alexandrie, in the Subsidia series of the Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium; CSCO vol 513, Subsidia vol. 83. Its bibliography gives references to numerous articles on the work, the various authors and sources.

F. ROFAIL FARAG, The technique of research of a tenth century Christian Arab Writer: Severus ibn al-Muqaffa, in Le Muséon, vol. 86 (1973), pp. 37-66.

Georg GRAF, Geschichte der christlichen arabischen Literatur, Zweiter Band: Die Schriftsteller bis zur Mitte des 15. Jahrhunderts, Vatikanstadt 1947 (Studi e Testi, vol. 133), pp. 300-318, 484.

Johannes DEN HEIJER, History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria, in Aziz S. Atiya: THE COPTIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, vol. 4 (New York 1991), pp. 1238-1242.

C.F. SEYBOLD, Severus Ben al-Moqaffa, Historia Patriarcharum Alexandrinorum, Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium 52, 59 (Scriptores Arabici 8,9), in ser. 3, pts. 1 und 2.

Website: http://www.bautz.de/bbkl/s/s2/severos_i_a_m.shtml. The information on Severus given above is abbreviated from this.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2005. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: severus_hermopolis_hist_alex_patr_00_intro.htm

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1904) Introduction. Patrologia Orientalis 1 pp. 103-104.

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1904) Introduction. Patrologia Orientalis 1 pp. 103-104.

HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS OF THE

COPTIC CHURCH OF ALEXANDRIA

SAINT MARK TO THEONAS (300)

ARABIC TEXT EDITED, TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED

BY

B. EVETTS

PERMIS D'IMPRIMER

Paris, le 6 mai 1904.

P. FAGES, v. g.

Tous droits réservés.

NOTE

The History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria is the Liber Pontificalis of the Coptic church. The first part of it is a compilation made, as we read in one of the prefaces at the head of the manuscripts, by Severus, bishop of El-Eschmounein in upper Egypt, between Minieh and Asiout, based on Greek and Coptic documents which he found in the monasteries of his country, and which he translated with the help of some clerks. This history of the first centuries of the Coptic church is based above all on Eusebius and some primitive Acts, and Mr. Crum has discovered at the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris some fragments of a Coptic translation of the Historia Ecclesiastica which seems to be the unfortunately incomplete original of the Arabic translation of Severus ¹.

But from the seventh century on, and above all from the era of the Arab conquest, the history of the patriarchs becomes much more complete and more interesting. Here we have a series of real biographies written by contemporary authors, such as John the Deacon, in the time of the patriarch Michael I, and George, archdeacon and syncellus of the patriarch Simon.

Some of these biographies were at first written in Coptic; but it is impossible to know how far the work of translation, of which Severus speaks in his preface, extends. This prelate who had written to refute a rival historian, Eutychius, the Melchite patriarch of Alexandria, lived around the end of the tenth century, but the series of patriarchal biographies has been continued up to the twelfth, and some appendices carry it up until the nineteenth century. |104

Moreover this history, while it has never before been published, is well known in name at least in the Latin history of the coptic patriarchs composed by the French orientalist Eusèbe Renaudot, and printed at Paris in the eighteenth century ². However we find that this great scholar was of course unable to reproduce in his work more than a portion, from what we might call the Arabic biographies, containing a mass of information on the doctrine and ritual of the Egyptian church, the relations between the Mahommedans and the Christians, the moral state of these, and even the general history of the country.

This edition, commenced three years ago, will appear in fascicles, each of which will contain a part of the Arabic text with a translation. We will give at the end an introduction in which we will discuss the sources of this history, and where we will record the most interesting details which emerge from it, with other observations on the Copts and their church. We will also add there some notes on the text and on some difficulties to be found in it ³, a catalogue of the patriarchs and governors of Egypt, some tables of proper names and matters of interest, and finally a list of Arab ecclesiastical terms borrowed from other languages.

The text is based on the mss. of the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, 301 et 302 (A). We will add to it the principal variants of the London mss add. 26.600 (B) and or. 1338 (C). Mgr Graffin, who has already furnished us with photographic copies of the Paris mss. 301 and 302, has also procured for us photographic copies of the two Vatican mss, 620 (D) and 686 (E), and of Paris ms. 4773 (F) which will be used for the establishment of the text. We will indicate in the margin the pagination of Paris mss. 301 and 302.

B. EVETTS.

[Original text of French introduction follows: English translation was made for the online edition]

AVERTISSEMENT

L'Histoire des Patriarches d'Alexandrie est le Liber Pontificalis de l'Eglise copte. La première partie est une compilation faite, comme nous le lisons dans l'une des préfaces mises en tête des manuscrits, par Sévère, évêque d'El-Eschmounein dans la Haute-Egypte, entre Minieh et Asiout, d'après des documents grecs et coptes qu'il a trouvés dans les monastères de son pays, et qu'il a traduits avec l'aide de quelques clercs. C'est surtout sur Eusèbe et sur quelques Actes primitifs qu'est basée cette histoire des premiers siècles de l'Eglise copte, et M. Crum a découvert à la Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris des fragments d'une version copte de l'Historia Ecclesiastica qui semble être l'original, malheureusement incomplet, de la traduction arabe de Sévère ¹.

Mais, dès le septième siècle et surtout dès l'époque de la conquête arabe, l'histoire des patriarches devient beaucoup plus complète et plus intéressante. Nous avons ici une série de vraies biographies écrites par des auteurs contemporains, tels que Jean le diacre, au temps du patriarche Michel I, et Georges, archidiacre et syncelle du patriarche Simon.

Quelques-unes de ces biographies ont été écrites d'abord en copte; mais il est impossible de savoir jusqu'où s'étend l'œuvre de traduction dont parle Sévère dans sa préface. Ce prélat qui a écrit pour réfuter l'historien rival, Eutychius, patriarche Melchite d'Alexandrie, vivait vers la fin du dixième siècle, mais la série des biographies patriarcales a été continuée jusqu'au douzième, et des appendices la portent jusqu'au dix-neuvième. |104

D'ailleurs cette histoire, bien qu'elle n'ait pas encore été publiée, est bien connue de nom par l'histoire latine des patriarches coptes composée par l'orientaliste français Eusèbe Renaudot, et imprimée à Paris au dix-huitième siècle ². On trouvera cependant, bien entendu, que ce grand savant n'a pu reproduire dans son ouvrage qu'une partie de ce que nous disent les biographies arabes, qui contiennent une foule de renseignements sur la doctrine et le rituel de l'Église égyptienne, les rapports entre les mahométans et les chrétiens, l'état moral de ceux-ci, et même l'histoire générale du pays.

L'édition, commencée il y a trois ans, paraîtra par fascicules, dont chacun contiendra une partie du texte arabe avec sa traduction. Nous donnerons à la fin une introduction dans laquelle nous discuterons les sources de cette histoire, et où nous relèverons les données les plus intéressantes qui en résultent, avec d'autres observations sur les Coptes et leur Eglise. Nous y ajouterons aussi des notes sur le texte et sur quelques difficultés qui s'y trouvent ³, un catalogue des patriarches et des gouverneurs d'Egypte, des tables des noms propres et des matières intéressantes, enfin une liste des termes ecclésiastiques arabes empruntés aux langues étrangères.

Le texte est basé sur les mss. de la Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris 301 et 302 (A), nous y ajouterons les principales variantes des mss. de Londres add. 26.600 (B) et or. 1338 (C). Mgr Graffin, qui nous avait déjà fourni la photographie des mss. 301 et 302 de Paris, nous a encore procuré les photographies des deux manuscrits du Vatican 620 (D) et 686 (E), et du ms. de Paris 4773 (F) que nous utilisons aussi pour l'établissement du texte. Nous indiquons en marge la pagination des manuscrits 301 et 302 de Paris.

B. EVETTS.

1. ¹ Cf. Eusebius and Coptic Church Histories dans: Transactions of the Society of Biblical archaeology (12 févr. 1902).

2. ¹ Historia patriarcharum Alexandrinorum, 4°, Paris, 1713.

3. ² Nous ne faisons suivre le texte et la traduction que des variantes les plus intéressantes et des renvois à la Sainte Écriture et aux principales sources.

Les caractères arabes employés pour composer le texte de ce fascicule (corps 16) ont été dessinés et gravés exprès pour la Patrologie Orientale par la Fonderie générale Beaudoire et Cie.

(The text and translation are perforce accompanied only by the most interesting variants, and by references to Holy Scripture and to the principal sources. The Arabic font used to compose the text of this fascicle (type 16) were designed and engraved specially for the Patrologia Orientalis) by the foundery Beaudoire & Co.)

After part 1 is the following notice with some (omitted) Arabic variants:

APPENDICE: M. Paul Theillet, vice-consul de France, a collationné les épreuves de ce fascicule, au fur et à mesure de leur publication, sur le manuscrit arabe de Paris n° 4772 (copie de la fin du xixe siècle) et a bien voulu relever les variantes suivantes:

Appendix: Mr. Paul Theillet, vice-consul of France, has collated the proofs of this fascicle, during the progress of the publication, against the Paris Arab manuscript 4772 (copy of the end of the 19th century) and has kindly reported the following variants:

This text was transcribed and translated by Roger Pearse, 2005. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: severus_hermopolis_hist_alex_patr_01_part .htm

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1904) Part 1: St. Mark - Theonas (300 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 1 pp. 105-211 (p.1-113 of text).

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1904) Part 1: St. Mark - Theonas (300 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 1 pp. 105-211 (p.1-113 of text).

HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS OF THE

COPTIC CHURCH OF ALEXANDRIA

I

S. MARK TO THEONAS (300)

ARABIC TEXT EDITED, TRANSLATED, AND ANNOTATED

BY

B. EVETTS

PREFACES

First preface

Second preface

Third preface - by Severus, bishop of Al-Ushmunain

Fourth preface

The priesthood of Christ

PART 1

Chapter 1 -- St. Mark the first patriarch

Chapter 2 -- St. Mark

Chapter 3

Annianus the second patriarch (62-85)

Avilius the third patriarch (85-98)

Cerdo the fourth patriarch (98-109)

Primus the fifth patriarch (109-122)

Justus the sixth patriarch (122-130)

Eumenes the seventh patriarch (130-142)

Mark II, the eighth patriarch (143-154)

Celadion the ninth patriarch (157-167)

Agrippinus the tenth patriarch (167-180)

Julian the eleventh patriarch (180-189)

Chapter 4 -- Demetrius the twelfth patriarch (189-231)

Chapter 5 -- Heraclas the thirteenth patriarch (231-247)

Chapter 6

Dionysius the wise, the fourteenth patriarch (247-264)

Maximus the fifteenth patriarch (264-282)

Theonas the sixteenth patriarch (282-300)

|105

FIRST PREFACE

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the One God.

This is the book of the Lives of the Fathers and Patriarchs. May God grant us the blessing of their prayers!

These patriarchs were the successors of the father and missionary, Saint Mark the evangelist, who preached the holy gospel and the good news of the Lord Christ in the great city of Alexandria, and in the region of Egypt, and in the regions of Ethiopia and Nubia, and in Pentapolis in the West, which is also called Africa, and in the neighbouring territories; for all these countries fell by lot to his preaching, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

And after he had preached and proclaimed the good tidings, and written the gospel in Greek, and finished his course, he became a martyr in the Caesarium, a quarter of Alexandria, which is called in the Hebrew language the |106 city of Ammon ¹. His biography, which records that which was done to him, and how he preached, and what befell him, is set forth in the first of the histories contained in this book.

And after him our orthodox fathers, the patriarchs, were the heirs of his doctrines which save souls from hell; and they remained true to that which he delivered to them, in the guardianship of the orthodox faith and in attachment to it, and in patience under persecution for its sake, at all times, to their last breath, that is to say till death. They sat upon his episcopal throne, one after another, each of them succeeding his predecessor; and thus all were his representatives, and the shepherds of his flock, and his imitators in his faith in Christ.

These histories here given were collected from various places by the care of the celebrated father, Abba Severus, son of Al-Mukaffa, bishop of the city of Al-Ushmunain, who relates that he gathered them together from the monastery of Saint Macarius and the monastery of Nahya and other monasteries, and from scattered fragments which he found in the hands of the Christians. And when these documents were put together by your |107

poor brother into this single volume, after research and trouble on his part, God gave him a long life, until a day came when he wrote out this history and set it in order; but it was not completed till the end of his eightieth year. And now I implore God's help that we may understand what we read therein, and may obey these holy patriarchs, and carry out their precepts, and follow in their footsteps, and remain attached to their faith; for he is the God who hears and answers our prayers. Thanks be to him for ever and ever. Amen.

SECOND PREFACE ²

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the One God.

Praise be to God, the origin and source of learning, the maker and creator of all things, who forms and brings into being all that exists: who guides and elects those whom he pleases, and raises those whom he desires among his servants to be his chosen ones and his holy people, whom he picks out and in whom he takes pleasure; who lifts up the poor from the ground, and the needy from the dunghill, that he may make him ruler over his people, and a prince to govern his servants and his land; and gives him as his inheritance the throne of power, that he may rule over the earth with justice, and among men with truth; that he may deliver the weak from the mighty, |108 and save the oppressed from the oppressor. This is the judgment and wisdom of God which none of his creatures can comprehend, for his mysteries are hidden from the wise and learned; and he raises up at all times those who shall gently guide his people.

The merciful, the compassionate one, the Lord Christ, who gave himself by the mystery of his Incarnation to save his creatures, and vanquished the mighty by humility and weakness; who speaks through the mouth of his prophets by the Holy Ghost; when it pleased him to manifest himself on earth and become incarnate, that he might save his creatures whom he had created after the likeness of the image of his majesty, appeared among them in a human body, born of the Virgin Mary, most excellent of women in creation. For he had elected her from among the offspring of Adam, the sinner and rebel against his Lord, who obeyed his enemy and broke the commandment of his Creator, so that it was necessary that he should die, as God had said to him when he warned him not to disobey; but Adam would not listen, desiring to be a god and similar to his Creator, and so was caught in the net of stumbling. Yet even then God the Word had mercy upon him in pity for him, and became incarnate, ----He, the uncreated in respect of his Godhead, the Man in respect of his Humanity, the pure from all sin. And the Virgin Mary bore him in her womb and brought him forth, by a mystery to which the intelligence of creatures cannot attain, and by which he exalted her above above all other created beings in heaven or on earth; above the Angels, the |109 Powers, the Principalities, the Cherubim and the Seraphim, and all whom God has made in heaven or on earth. For she became the throne of him who is Lord of the first and the last, without division or change, ---- of him whom no space can enclose, and no time contain.

And when, in his unattainable wisdom, he established his dispensation, and the Union of his Humanity with his Divinity, the mystery of which is hidden from all in heaven or on earth, he chose his disciples, the apostles, and gave them the great commission, authorising them to bind and to loose. And so likewise their successors after them inherit this gift in all regions of the world, each one following his predecessor. Thus the inheritance of this power, which Christ gave to the great father and evangelist, Mark, the apostle, is carried on to his successor, the patriarch who sits upon his episcopal throne in the great city of Alexandria, in the midst of the regions where he preached.

Saint Mark, then, was the first patriarch who fed the flock of Christ; and in after times he was followed by the inspired fathers and patriarchs, generation after generation. This see of his is independent, and separate from all other sees. And no patriarch is promoted to it, nor does any obtain from God this glorious station and this high and sublime degree, save one whom he has proved and tried, and who has experienced such trouble and adversity and resistance of enemies and attacks of heretics that by these things he resembles Christ's disciples and apostles, who were assisted by his Holy Spirit, ----those pure ones, those preachers of good tidings, who |110 suffered contempt and blows and scourging and stoning and crucifixion and shipwreck, and burning by fire, and wounds, and casting down from high places to the ground, and death by the sword, and all kinds of torment, which if we were to relate in detail, our narrative would be too long and the description of it would be too copious, and listeners would tremble at the hearing of it, and books and volumes would not contain even a small part of the history. Yet they lived in patience, enduring all these sufferings, and imitating their Lord, their Master and their Christ, who sent them to baptize all men and all nations, and draw them to faith in him. They taught men that by which they might profit through all ages and generations and times to the end of the world, namely the means of saving their souls in this world and the next; and they bequeathed their doctrines to their successors, the fathers and patriarchs, in every region to which their preaching was extended; for the patriarchs are indeed their successors and their followers. So they laid down their lives to preserve their trusted ones among the baptized, the faithful and orthodox. As the great apostle and excellent teacher Paul, the elect one and lamp of the Church of God, says ³, «Rather we glory in the tribulation that we suffer; for we know that tribulation perfects patience in us, and patience trial and probation, and hardships call forth hope, and hope disappoints not, because it pours into our hearts the love of God by the Holy Ghost». As he says in another place ⁴, «Verily if ye be allowed to wander free, and be left |111 without chastisement, and be not branded as the elect friends of God were branded before you, then are ye become strangers to God and are not near to him». And there are many similar testimonies in the books of the Church, from Paul and from others of the inspired apostles and fathers and teachers, since th evenerated prophets.

The patriarchs did not cease to repel the doctrines of the heretics, striving to refute them, resisting them, overthrowing their false tenets, revealing to men their misbelief and the corruption of their creeds. And they composed a homily on every text, until they filled the Church of God with their homilies and sermons and spiritual learning. They never abandoned the study of the scriptures and writings and commandments of God, reading all the ecclesiastical books and other works which they needed for the composition of their homilies, and searching out every jewel of the Divine Word and of other literature. So at last they attained their desire, and obeyed the summons of their Creator who called them, saying, each one of them, «Here ⁵ am I with the sons whom thou gavest me, for not one of them has perished!» Thus they obtained their high degrees, and the mansions, brilliant with happiness and light, the blessings of which are eternal and imperishable.

They did not in the time of their pastorate fear haughty princes. Their hearts and purposes never faltered in the love of God, nor in teaching men, both secretly and openly, the means of saving their souls. And while they governed the Church, they were never careless nor frivolous, |112 nor did they acquire aught belonging to this transitory world; but they were obedient to their Lord's commands, and applied themselves to their duties of instruction and imparting discipline, and observed the canons and precepts of God. So in the eyes of their flock they were great and learned; and when one of their disciples, or one of those who resisted them and their doctrine, beheld them and their deeds, he glorified God for their works, because the words of the Gospel which Christ uttered were now fulfilled: «You are the light of the world. A city, when it is placed upon a hill, cannot be hidden, and a lamp, when it is lighted, is not set under a bushel, but on a candlestick, to enlighten all that are in the house. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven ⁶.»

As one of the wise men says: «He who mounts the steps of learning and public affairs becomes great in the eyes of the multitudes, and he whose nature is noble has his rights acknowledged; to him who despises money men's hopes are directed; he who is reasonable ceases to be unjust; the just man's judgments are carried out; the leader is he who defends his faith with his possessions, and does not defend his possessions by means of his faith». But the best is what is said in one of the jewels of literature as follows: «The good shepherd does good to his flock and with justice rules creation. He who is just in his government is independent of his assistants. He who excels among men by his rank of governor and his superiority as ruler is bound to |113 guard his rank by his good administration, so that his prosperity may continue and that he may be fortunate both in spiritual and temporal matters. He whom God has put into possession of his land and territory, and entrusted with his people and servants, and whose place and rank he has exalted, ought to give thanks to God in faith, and to preserve his religion, and embellish his life, and purify his thoughts, and make virtue his constant habit, and salvation his aim and object. But injustice slips on its feet, and draws down vengeance, and destroys happiness and makes the nations perish. The hasty man fails even when he gains; but the deliberate man succeeds even when he loses. He who relies on his own opinion falls into the net of his enemies. He who rides on haste comes to a fall. He who does what he pleases gets what is evil. The fall of dynasties is caused by the employment of the lowest of the people. He who asks help of the wise gains what he hopes for. He who asks the advice of the prudent walks in the right path. Good government is the light of sovereignty, but evil administration is the source of destruction. To favour the fool is the worst of baseness, but to employ the wise is the best of merits; for the employment of the wise leads to the establishment of wisdom, but the employment of the fool to the maintenance of folly. Every man inclines to his like, and every bird roosts with its fellow. Learn that the cause of the ruin of princes is to be found in the rejection of the virtuous and the employment of the base, and in making light of the counsellor's advice, and in the deception that arises from placing trust in the flatterer. But God assists the right by his bounty and glory |114 and power and majesty. Verily, he can bring to pass all that he pleases. To him be glory for ever!»

THIRD PREFACE

BY SEVERUS, BISHOP OF AL-USHMUNAIN

The author of this history, Severus, son of Al-Mukaffa, the compiler, says thus:

When I, ---- the wretched and sinful one, drowning in the seas of my transgressions, I, the penitent, who waste my days in sin, and grieve over my negligence and the loss of the months and years of my life in hopes and procrastinations, ruinous to my faith and my condition, ---- learnt and ascertained the graces which the Lord Christ, the Saviour, has granted, to whose name worship is due, to all the baptized whom he bought with his precious blood; and how he gave his authority, and bestowed the Holy Ghost upon his disciples and followers, the chosen Twelve and Seventy, and upon those that came after them, such as Paul, the teacher of the Church, whom God specially called because he knew the strength of his faith and his zeal, and such as those whom he elected to the episcopal throne of his martyr and disciple and evangelist, whom he sent as apostle to his people, and as the first of the patriarchs of Egypt, and of Pentapolis, which is Barca and |115 Fezzan and Al-Kairuwan and Tripoli of the West and Africa, and of Ethiopia and Nubia, ---- all of which countries fell under his preaching by the command of the Holy Ghost, ---- whose martyrdom took place in the city of Alexandria, after he had preached the name of the Lord Christ, according to the evidence of his biography, of whose doctrines which save souls from hell our fathers, the patriarchs, became heirs, sitting upon his episcopal throne one after another, each one in succession to his predecessor, all being the successors of Saint Mark, handing down his authority one to another, and the shepherds of his flock, and imitators of his faith in Christ, ---- of Saint Mark, the pure evangelist who saw Christ's face, ---- from whose successors, the patriarchs who came after him, descends to us the knowledge of their history and their names and the changing fortunes of each of them in his time and age, and the troubles and sorrows and struggles which fell to the lot of each of them for the name of his Lord and his Christ, and the preservation of his flock year after year and age after age, ----then, since I am one of those who are not fit to write down with their wretched, perishing hands any of the histories of these patriarchs, I requested the help of those Christian brethren with whose fitness I was acquainted, and begged them to assist me in translating the histories that we found written in the Coptic and Greek languages into the Arabic tongue, current among the people of the present day in the region of Egypt, most of whom are ignorant of the Coptic and the Greek, so that they might be satisfied with such translations when they read them. |116

And I implored him who gives speech to the stammerer, and opens the mouths of the dull, and calls those weighed down by burdens, as I am, in accordance with the words of the gospel, spoken by his own holy mouth, which say: «Come ⁷ to me, ye that are weary and carry burdens, that I may give you rest; and learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart, that ye may receive rest for your souls; and bear my yoke upon you, for my yoke is light and my burden is good. » ---- 1 implored him to pardon my slips, and to forgive the progress which I make in indulgence towards my blameworthy deeds and faults and frequent sins. And I copied that which I knew not from the men of old, in agreement with the canons of the Church, according to that which is now about to be related, besides what tradition and history teach. And I added to the rest what I knew of the histories of the fathers and patriarchs whom I had myself beheld. And I asked God ---- whose power is glorious ---- to pardon me the superfluous eloquence and beautified language that the histories contain, and all that I can claim as the work of my sinful self in relating the accounts of those whose meanest disciple I am unworthy to be, and my description of the virtues of holy monks inspired by the grace of the Holy Ghost, partly from what I have myself beheld and partly from translations of histories.

Now I will make frequent prostrations on behalf of those who shall read what I have written, that they may pray for pardon for me for that which I have attempted and undertaken, and may beg for forgiveness and indulgence and absolution for me, through the intercession of the elect Lady of the first |117 and the last, the Throne of the Lord of the worlds; and through the intercession of the angels who stand beside him, and of the spiritual orders, and of the truth-announcing and inspired prophets, and of the pure and elect apostles, and of the militant martyrs, and of the holy and righteous fathers, and of the virtuous elders, and of all among the posterity of Adam with whose works God is well pleased. Amen.

O God, I pray thee to open the eyes of my heart and my sight, that I may understand thy words, and ray hearing, that I may hear and do that which is right. In thy mercy be not angry with me for that which I have written, but pardon and forgive the faults therein caused by my negligence. And shew thy favour to him who here speaks, relying upon God's pardon.

FOURTH PREFACE

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the One God.

Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised, and great are his works, and inscrutable are his mysteries and his wisdom; nor can any man comprehend any of God's dealings, which are too high for the understanding of those that understand, or of the learned in the law. For these when they are questioned, humble themselves and say: O God, who hast created us and |118 favoured us, and given us commands and prohibitions, and by punishments made us fear to do what thou hast forbidden, and hast guided us towards the salvation of our souls and the good way; we have slipped in our thoughts, and have rebelled in our free-will. Therefore we implore thee, O long-suffering and beneficent and mighty and gracious One, who pardonest all that come to thee with honest purpose, to be gracious to us, and to be our starting-point and our assistance and our final perfection in the road by which we advance to thee; and to open the darkened eyes of our hearts and our clouded thoughts, so that we may observe and do what we read in thy holy books, and in the histories of those whom thou didst love, and didst choose from among thy followers, and didst elect, namely those militant ones, who overcame their desires, who abandoned the world on account of their love for thee, and their obedience to thy commandments and precepts; and to grant us a good end, so that our departure from this world may be the departure of thy chosen ones, who are saved from sins and iniquities, from which no man is free, and that we may be delivered from the terrible and dreaded place, if thou wilt have mercy upon us, and wilt liberate us from the power of the Devil, and from the service of sin; and to grant to us spiritual wisdom, with which we may trample down worldly desires by striving to keep thy commandments; and to let us go forth from this perishing world with provisions for the eternal life; and to give us words of welcome before thy dreaded and terrible tribunal. And among thy benefits to us, guide the course of our life in this world, that it may be passed in doing |119 what pleases thee and in obeying thee, and following thy guiding and life-giving Law; and lead us to thy directing Life, that our minds may be directed to thy kingdom, and that our actions may be ruled by the doctrines of thy holy gospel. Thou sayest, O Lord: «Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you ⁸». So I ask of thee, confiding in thy words, without an action that I have done that can please thee, and having no good deeds which I have offered to thee; but for the sake of thy name by which we are called, as the blessed David says in a Psalm ⁹: «Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to thy name give the glory because of thy mercy and thy truth, that the gentiles may not say: Where is their God? And our God is in heaven and on earth; all that pleases him he has done». O God deliver us and save us, and be to us in this world of ours a Protector and Saviour in all our affairs, whether small or great, whether glorious or mean. And be merciful, O compassionate one, and vouchsafe, O merciful one, to lead us to that which pleases thee, and remove us far from what offends thee. For thou sayest, O Lord: «Return to me, and I will forgive you, even if your sins are as numerous as the sands of the sea, and the stars of heaven». Therefore fulfil thy promise to us sinners, and do not ask of us repentance or works, but by thy mercy and pity and goodness, grant help to the prayer of thy sinful servant, although he neglects thy commandments, namely to him who writes these glorious histories, and hereby begins by saying: |120

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the One God.

Let us begin, with the help of God and with his blessed assistance, to write the histories of the holy Church. The author says: That which I, the sinner, have written, I collected from the monastery of Saint Macarius, and the monasteries of Upper Egypt; and the religious deacon, Michael, son of Apater, was commissioned to make translations of some of the documents from the Coptic language into Arabic, as will be mentioned in its place. This was in addition to that which was found in the great city, and the abridgments of certain histories which were found, the first of them relating to Christ, my Help and my Hope and my Defender and my Salvation. For the first of these documents is that which was translated in the monastery of our Lady at Nahya, concerning the matter of the priesthood of Christ the Lord, whose name is glorious, and of his entrance into the temple. In the peace of God. Amen. Amen. Amen.

THE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST ¹⁰

In the time of Julian ¹¹, the unbelieving Prince, there was a man who was a Jew, and a priest of the Jews, and his name was Theodosius, and he was high in rank. There was also a Christian, a silversmith ¹², who knew him; and there was a strong affection between the two; and the name of the Christian was Philip. And on a certain day Philip went to one of the cities of Syria |121 and moored his ship in the harbour, that he might sell certain goods which he had brought. There Philip met his friend, the Jewish priest Theodosius, and, entering into affectionate conversation with him, said to him: «O my brother, I would that thou wouldst become a Christian, so that our friendship might be a genuine one, and that thou mightest make profit out of this world and the next also». Then Theodosius answered, saying to him with great affection: or I have taken care for my salvation; and I have thought of something that I wish to reveal to thee; for I will not leave thee without the knowledge of the most high God, who bears witness to that which I tell thee. Therefore do not doubt it, for I tell it thee because thou hast shown me thy love for me. But I prefer that thou shouldst keep what I say in thy heart and not repeat it to anyone, and it is this: That he who was announced by the Holy Ghost and the Prophets is the Messiah whom you Christians worship, confessing that he indeed has come; and this I believe with an honest and pure heart, without any doubt at all. For thou art a brother and a friend, and therefore 1 disclose this secret to thee and certify it in thy presence, because thy love and desire of happiness and good things for me are so evident to me. Therefore believe me now, my brother. But my carnal thoughts hinder me from being baptized; for I am not humble, nor am I fit, for I am weak; and I am a priest to this people, and have acquired great renown and honour and high rank, and have gained by them treasure and wealth, and if I left them, I should lose all that. And not only my own people would abandon me, but the Christians also, according to what I have witnessed with regard to the Jews when they are baptized, as to the position that they hold; and I have heard also that you say: «When a Jew is baptized, it is as if one baptized an |122 ass». So how can I now be baptized? Moreover I see Christians sinning and angering God and neglecting the law, instead of walking in the straight path of discipline and in the truth which has come to them. And I have witnessed others who have seen them living thus, and whose hearts and faith have grown weak, so that they have imitated those careless Christians. When we enquire into the salvation which came to you from us, we recognise the Messiah indeed; and the apostles, who became your teachers, are also of our race; but you neglect the good tidings that they brought to you, and the doctrine that they taught you. And as the other nations have not been baptized and have not believed to this day, so also I have not been baptized, because of the glory of the world and the honours which 1 receive from my people, and because I see you neglecting the commands and admonitions which Christ gave you, and the exhortations of his disciples to you. Thus I refused to lose my glory and honour, and to become neglectful like you of that which has been given to you; and this is what hinders me from baptism. For the greater part of our Jewish community believe in the truth of the Messiah and in his miracles more firmly than you do; yet are they far from the salvation which came to you. And now I congratulate thee on the glorious mysteries which we have possessed from the beginning. And I declare this to thee, that we know and believe in Christ's miracles and works more firmly than you Christians do, and we know truly that he is the Messiah who is come. |123

Hear then from me this mystery which took place in ancient times, and while the temple was still standing at Jerusalem. The Jews had a custom of establishing twenty-two priests in the temple by an obligatory law; and there was in the temple a book in which was written the genealogy of every man who became a priest, and the names of his father and mother, that it might be known that he followed the command of the most high God. And the Jews retained this custom.

Now at that time, when Jesus Christ was in Judaea, this book having existed before his appearance, one of the twenty-two priests died, and the rest assembled by themselves to choose whom they should promote instead of him. But their opinions did not agree as to whom they should appoint, and they persisted in opposing one another; and as often as a man was named he was rejected. Then they cast lots with a view of electing him upon whom their lot should fall, and, after electing him, to appoint him to the office, if there were no fault or infirmity in him, and no defect in his family, or other cause; for if they found one who had the correct genealogy but was not learned, they rejected him and would not promote him; and this was a dispensation from the most' high God, because of their strife, so that none might be promoted except the Lord of the priesthood, who was worthy of this place, namely, Jesus Christ. And behold, after this, the Holy Ghost moved in one of the priests, and he became zealous for God and stood up in the midst of them, and said: «We have to day been assembled for ten days, and yet we cannot appoint any one. And I know certainly that our discussion is thus |124 prolonged because of him whom the most high God will appoint, and this is the reason of the disputing among us and the overthrow of our intentions. And this will be made manifest by the will of the most high God». Then they said to him: «If thou knowest anyone, mention him to us openly, and we will acknowledge it as a great favour on thy part». So he said to them: «Not till you make an agreement with me that you will not reject what I say to you, but will accept it from me; and then I will tell you who is fit for the place; but I know that you cannot reject him». So when all the priests heard this, they swore an oath by Truth and Sincerity ¹³ that, if one who was worthy was shown to them, they would accept and appoint him. When he was assured of them, he said to them: «O my brethren, the most high God has put it into my mind that he who is worthy of this place is Jesus, who is called the son of Joseph; for he is a man perfect in his pedigree and in his person and in his conduct, and is capable of speaking and acting before God and men. And know that you will find none like him among this people who has no deceit nor physical defect». So when the priests heard his words, and understood his discourse, they were confounded and perplexed because of the oath; and therefore they said to him with guile, thinking they could reject his proposal: «He whom thou namest is worthy, for we are seeking a good man; but he is not of the lineage of the priests, and the people speak calumniously of his birth, |125 because of the infants whom Herod slew with the sword on his account». Then he answered and said to them without anger: «Cleave fast to the truth; for indeed I will guide you to the right course with regard to him, so that you may not turn away from the most high God; for then we should go far from the truth, and should believe lies, since I know that if we enquire into the truth God will reveal it to us». Then they said: «Satisfy our minds, as thou knowest how, with regard to his birth and family, and we will consent to what thou sayest to us». So he said to them: «Enquire and you will learn that in the days of Aaron the priest there was an alliance by marriage between Aaron and the tribe of Juda, to which the prophet David bore witness. Now I have enquired much about Jesus, his tribe and genealogy, and 1 find that his mother Mary is connected with both tribes. And, she is also innocent of sin, through another great mystery. For this reason I desire that you make enquiries, that you may know with certainty that what I say is true, and may recognize that I speak honestly to you». But the priests thought that by this notion of theirs they would bring his counsel to nought. And they began to enquire about the family of Jesus, and found that Mary united the two tribes, and therefore they could not evade this point on account of the oath. So they began to dispute about the pedigree of Jesus. For they said: «There is a different opinion on this point. We wish to know how his birth was not adulterous, since they accused his mother Mary, when she was given to Joseph». And they all agreed on this subject. And they sent for his mother Mary to the Temple, and exhorted her gently to declare to them the matter of her conception of |126 Jesus, and whence he was. And the Law was in their hands, bearing witness against them with her, that they should not think evil of her if she spoke the truth; and they swore to her accordingly. And they said to her: «O woman, behold, thou seest us all assembled for good, not for evil, but for the business of God most high which we are settling. For we have come to one conclusion with regard to thy son, whom we find to be acceptable to God and men. And he is wonderful among men, and they all glorify God most high on account of him, for he at this time is among them like Solomon son of David, who was given to him by the wife of Uriah the Hittite; and therefore we have chosen him and selected him by lot, to establish him as priest on account of his virtues. But with regard to one report we are still in doubt; for we wish to know from thee whence he is, and by whom thou didst conceive and bring him forth; in order that the truth may be known from thee, so that no evil word be spoken of thee nor of the priesthood. For this reason we sent for thee, that we may know the truth, and may not remain in doubt; then thou wilt put an end to the dispute about the matter before us. And here is the Law before us, and we declare before God most high, the Invisible One, that no harm nor blame shall come to thee from us; but we shall thank thee greatly because thou hast not hidden the truth from us». But Mary thought that if she revealed to them the hidden mystery of her miraculous maternity they would not believe it on account of the difficulty which the matter would present to them; and that their minds would not admit the idea that a virgin could become a mother, and that there could be a son |127 without a father. So she said to them: «If I told you what I know, would you accept it? Nay if I revealed to you the mystery concerning my conception and wonderful maternity, you would not believe my words. Therefore the best thing for me is to be silent». But the priests, moved by their evil thoughts, said to her: «O Mary, in truth we desire to hear from thee whose son Jesus is. For his father Joseph is dead, and our hearts doubt with regard to him whether he was his father; and therefore we ask of thee the true account of the matter, for by giving it thou wilt stop the whole dispute about thy maternity. We beg thee to reveal to us this mystery truthfully and clearly; and do not fear anyone, for the right course is not concealed from us; but if thou hidest the matter, the Law decrees against thee a curse for ever». This they said to her, and the like. So Mary was troubled, saying: «I am perplexed in every way on account of the incomprehensible One, whom I bore; and behold the day is come for me to declare him. And I understand now the secret of my maternity, which you urge me to reveal. But when you hear it, you will not believe it, and you will not accept what I shall tell you. Even Joseph who, as you say, is dead, doubted of my conception, as you do, and asked me, saying: «Who has been with you?» So I swore that no man had ever touched me; yet he did not believe me until the angel of God appeared to him and satisfied his mind. But he is not living to bear witness for me before you to the truth of what I say. For the Law accepts the evidence of two witnesses more readily than the evidence of one. But I affirm before God and this Law that 1 brought forth my son Jesus, although I am a virgin; and I will relate to you how I |128 conceived him». Then they said to her: «Verily the thing is manifest; and we acknowledge before God and his holy Law that thou didst in truth bring forth this son; and this is a thing not to be concealed, for a woman who conceives and suffers the pangs of childbirth is she that rejoices more than others when she brings forth. Now thou hast confessed truthfully that thou didst bring him forth; and thus we, who for a long time have conversed with no one, are now sitting conversing with a woman. But we told thee that we would not reprimand thee, if thou wouldst tell us what it is lawful for us to hear and accept from thee». Then Mary began to think in perplexity and fear, bending her face towards the ground and weeping. At last she said: «Now I know that I brought forth Jesus as you say, and this I confess. But as for your suggestion that a man ravished me, indeed the seal of my virginity bears witness to me that I tell you the truth». When they heard this, they were troubled and said: «This is a statement that we will not accept, for it is a tale of wonder. How can we write the name of thy son in the genealogy, without the name of his father and of the tribe to which he belongs, as the current custom is?» When Mary heard the priests say this, she said to them: «I told you from the beginning that I know nothing of what you have said; therefore do what you wish, for I will not tell you what has not happened to me». So when she said this, not one of them |129 contradicted her; but they were moved by divine providence, and sent and summoned trustworthy women from among their midwives, and begged them strenuously and eagerly to clear up the matter with regard to her, whether she was a virgin, as she said, before God and the Law. So the midwives examined her, and said to the priests: «She speaks the truth; she is a virgin inviolate, as she said; and her virginity was not lost when she brought forth Jesus, for as you all know, he was born of her.» Then they inquired among her neighbours and acquaintances, to see whether they might find someone to deny the birth. But they found no one, for everyone confirmed the fact of her bringing forth a son, and the time at which she so wonderfully became a mother, by a mystery which was understood by none. Thus the priests found nothing which they could allege against her, or by which they could prove her false, but only the manifest truth. Then after that they sent for her, moved by necessity, in fear, and said to her: «We have inquired, and have found nothing contrary to thy words, nor to what thou didst relate to us. But it is not right that we should write down what thou sayest. Now therefore we adjure thee by God Almighty to make known to us who is the father of Jesus, by whom thou didst bring him forth, that we may write his name in the register ¹⁴ and in the genealogy». And Mary was filled with the Holy Ghost, and said: «I will say nothing with guile or falsehood, and God, by whose name you have adjured me, is my witness». And she began to tell them thus: «The Angel Gabriel came to me, and |130 announced the good tidings to me». So she explained to them all that had happened to her. Then they were confounded and marvelled greatly, and prayed God to forgive them the unjust words which they had used against her. And one of them said: «Indeed this is the Messiah, of whom the Prophets prophesied that he would come of the house of David, and from Bethlehem of the tribe of Juda.» Then they called Jesus, and tendered the oath to him as priest, and wrote his name in the genealogy, with the day and the month and the year, describing him as «Jesus, the son of God, and the son of Mary the virgin, whom she bore while still a virgin. He is indeed a priest, and is worthy of the office». And this was a providential dispensation, as Luke the Evangelist, who is said to have been a physician, says in a passage of his Gospel ¹⁵, namely, that «When Jesus returned through Galilee in the power of the Spirit, his fame went forth through all the country, and he used to teach in their synagogues, and all glorified him; and he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, and entered according to his custom into their synagogue on the Sabbath day. And the attendant gave him the book containing the prophecy of Isaias, in which it is written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and therefore he has anointed me and sent me to preach good tidings to the poor, and to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those that are bound, and to announce the acceptable year of the Lord. Then he rolled up the book and gave it to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of those present were fastened upon him. And he began to say to them: To-day has this prophecy been fulfilled in your |131 ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of his mouth».

When Philip the Christian heard these words from Theodosius the Jew, he rejoiced greatly. Then the latter said to him: «I know these things and have spoken of them only because I am one of the teachers and readers of the Law; and it is the Law that has confirmed in my heart the belief that he whom Mary brought forth is the Messiah, and that in him and no other is fulfilled the prophecy of Jacob to Juda, his son, and that no other Messiah shall come after him. For it is assured to us that he it is whom the nations were expecting, and he it is that was to come into the world and to deliver those that believe in him. And there shall not be after him any chief or leader or priest in Israel, according to the words of the Prophet David concerning him in the 109th Psalm ¹⁶: «The Lord sware and repents not, Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech». But who among the posterity of Adam is a priest who shall live for ever? For David also says in the 88th Psalm ¹⁷: «Who is the man that shall live and shall not see death?» Therefore it is the Messiah of whom David said that he is the living and eternal priest.»

Then Philip answered and said to him: «It is right that thou shouldst know that thy concealment of this matter makes thee liable to judgment on the Great Day; and I should prefer to reveal what I have heard from thee to our religious prince, that he may send and bring to light the genealogy |132 written in the register, and the Jews' want of faith, so that they may be openly condemned». But the Jew answered and said to the Christian: «Thou knowest that thou wilt bring a judgment upon thyself for breaking the promise which stands between us. Moreover the thing which thou thinkest that thou wilt succeed in doing, thou wilt not be able to do, but wilt be powerless therein; for when the Jews hear of it, they will stir up a great war, and events will take place by which many men will lose their lives. And if they are urged to show the genealogy, and that which is written therein, they will prefer to burn it in the fire, or all of them will be slain with the sword; but they will not show it. Then thou wilt be to blame, and the genealogy will be lost after all. And the Christians do not need it, because it is the register of the Jewish priests; but you believe in Jesus and know him through the words of the prophets and apostles, and have already assured yourselves of the facts of your religion. But this register will condemn the Jews for ever, so long as it remains with them. Why then dost thou desire to take it away from among them? Believe me, my friend, that every book which I have read of the Law and of the Prophecies of the Prophets with regard to the Messiah is literally in agreement with the genealogy in my eyes, and by it I confirm my faith in the Messiah whom you worship; and this is manifest to all the doctors of the Law. And I know that if thou shouldst mention it, thou wouldst cause its destruction».

Then I, Philip, in spite of many entreaties, at last yielded to his injunctions not to reveal this matter to the prince; for he made me afraid, and so I |133 restrained myself. For he assured me in the name of God, that this evidence proves that Jesus is the Messiah sufficiently to condemn the Jews, and to confirm us and our faith. I, Philip, wrote this report, and laid it before the assembly of the church, and before certain holy bishops and chosen monks. And when they learnt these things they were astonished at them,, and were assured of the truth of the Jew's words and the testimony of his people to the Lord Christ in the matter of the priesthood, as it was written in the register. Then the bishops and the monks wrote treatises about the priesthood of Christ; for they found that Eusebius Pamphili mentions this matter in several passages in the histories of the Church ¹⁸. For Josephus brings the subject to light in the books of the Captivity ¹⁹. And this Josephus says that Jesus was seen to enter the temple with the priests at the time of the sanctification. Then is mentioned also the testimony of Luke the evangelist concerning the incident that we have already quoted, and concerning the fact that the Lord Christ also made a scourge of cords, and drove the traffickers out of the temple. This fact and all these testimonies prove that the Jew's words are true, and that on account of his sincere friendship with Philip he reveal ed this secret matter to him, and bore witness of it to him. And when the Jew Theodosius had finished this true discourse to his friend Philip, he was baptized and became a Christian, and was sealed with the seal of baptism, and received the Holy Mysteries. And everyone was astonished |134 at the soundness of his faith in the Lord Christ, whose power is glorious. And I, Philip, had great joy with Theodosius the neophyte. And when many of the Jews saw this, knowing that he was one of the teachers of the Law among them, and that he was a ruler over them, and had acquired great honours among them, and had then abandoned all that, and become a Christian, many of them believed and were baptized. Therefore I, Philip, glorified God most high, because I had gained the soul of my friend, who was a Jew, but is now a Christian. And glory be to the Lord Jesus Christ with the Father and the Holy Ghost, now and at all times and for ever and ever. Amen. Amen. Amen. |135

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PART I

CHAPTER I. ---- SAINT MARK.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the One God.

The first biography of the history of the holy Church. The history of Saint Mark, the Disciple and Evangelist, Archbishop of the great city of Alexandria, and first of its Bishops ²⁰.

In the time of the dispensation of the merciful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, when he appointed for himself disciples to follow him, there were two brothers living in a city of Pentapolis in the West, called Cyrene. The name of the elder of them was Aristobulus, and the name of the other was Barnabas; and they were cultivators of the soil, and sowed and reaped; for they had great possessions. And they understood the Law of Moses excellently well, and knew by heart many of the books of the Old Testament. But great troubles came upon them from the two tribes of the Berbers and |136 Ethiopians, when they were robbed of all their wealth, in the time of Augustus Caesar, prince of the Romans. So on account of the loss of their property, and the trials which had befallen them, they fled from that province, in their anxiety to save their lives, and travelled to the land of the Jews. Now Aristobulus had a son named John. And after they had taken up their abode in the province of Palestine, near the city of Jerusalem, the child John grew and increased in stature by the grace of the Holy Ghost. And these two brothers had a cousin, the wife of Simon Peter, who became the chief of the disciples of the Lord Christ; and the said John whom they had surnamed Mark, used to visit Peter, and learn the Christian doctrines from him out of the holy Scriptures. And on a certain day, Aristobulus took his son Mark to the Jordan, and while they were walking there a lion and a lioness met them. And when Aristobulus saw them approaching him, and perceived the violence of their rage, he said to his son Mark: «My son, seest thou the fury of this lion which is coming to destroy us? Escape now, and save thyself, my son, and leave them to devour me, according to the will of God Almighty.» But the disciple of Christ, the holy Mark, answered and said to his father: «Fear not, my father, Christ in whom I believe will deliver us from all danger». And when the lions approached them, Mark, the disciple of the Lord Christ, shouted against them with a loud voice, and said: «The Lord Jesus Christ, son of the Living God, commands that you be rent asunder, and that your kind be cut off from these mountains, and that |137 there be no more offspring to you here for ever». Then the lion and the lioness burst asunder in the midst at that moment, and perished straightway; and their young were destroyed. And when Aristobulus, the father of Mark, saw this great miracle which was manifested by his son, through the power of the invincible Lord Jesus Christ, he said to his son: «I am thy father who begat thee, Mark, my son; but to day thou art my father, and my saviour and deliverer. And now, my dear son, I and my brother pray thee to make us servants of the Lord Jesus Christ whom thou preachest». Then the father of holy Mark and his uncle began to learn the doctrines of Christ from that day. And Mary, the mother of Mark, was the sister of Barnabas, the disciple of the apostles.

After this, the following event took place. There was in those regions, in a town called Azotus, a very large olive-tree, the size of which was greatly admired. And the people of that city were worshippers of the moon, and prayed to that olive-tree. So when the holy Mark saw them pray, he said to them: «As for this olive-tree, which you worship as God, after eating its fruit and burning its branches for fuel, what can it do? Behold, by the word of God whom I worship, I will command this tree to fall to the ground, without being touched by any tool». Then they said to him: «We know that thou workest the magic of the Galilean thy master, and whatever thou wilt thou doest. But we will call upon our god the moon, who raised up for |138 us this olive tree that we might pray to it». The holy Mark answered and said to them: «I will cast it down to the ground; and if your god shall raise it up, then I will serve him together with you». And they were satisfied with these words. And they removed all men from the tree, saying: «See that there be no man concealed in it». Then the holy Mark raised his face to heaven, and turned himself towards the East, and opened his mouth and prayed, saying: «O my Lord Jesus Christ, son of the Living God, hear thy servant, and command the moon, which is a second attendant on this world, and gives light by night, to let its voice be heard by thy decree and by thy authority, before these men who have no God, and to make known to them who created it, and who created all creation, and who is God, that they may serve him; although I know, O my Lord and God, that it has no voice nor power of speech, and that it is not customary for it to speak to anyone; so that its words may be heard at this hour through thy irresistible power, that these men who have no God may know that the moon is not a god, but a servant under thy authority, and that thou art its God. And command this tree, to which they pray, to fall to the ground, so that all may recognise thy dominion, and that there is no God but thou, with the good Father and the Holy Ghost, the giver of eternal life. Amen». And at that hour, as soon as he had finished his prayer, a great darkness occurred, at midday, and the moon appeared to them shining in the sky. And they heard a voice |139 from the moon, saying: «O men of little faith, I am not God, that you should worship me, but I am the servant of God and one of his creatures, and I am the minister of Christ my Lord, whom this Mark, his disciple, preaches; and it is he alone that we serve and to whom we minister». At the same moment the olive-tree fell. And great fear came upon all who witnessed this miracle. But as for the people who served and worshipped the tree, they were angry, and rent their garments, and seized the holy Mark and beat him, and gave him up to the unbelieving Jews, who cast him into prison. That night the holy Mark saw in his sleep the Lord Christ, saying to Peter: «I will bring forth all those that are in prison». So when he awoke from his sleep, he saw the doors of his prison open; and he and all those with him in the prison went forth; for the gaolers of the prison were asleep like dead men. But the multitudes who witnessed what took palace said: «There is no end to our work with these Galileans, for they do these deeds by Beelzebub, the chief of the devils».

And Mark was one of the Seventy Disciples. And he was among the servants who poured out the water which our Lord turned into wine, at the marriage of Cana in Galilee. And it was he who carried the jar of water into the house of Simon the Cyrenian, at the time of the sacramental Supper. And he also it was who entertained the disciples in his house, at the time of the Passion of the Lord Christ, and after his Resurrection from the |140 dead, where he entered to them while the doors were shut. And after his Ascension into heaven, Mark went with Peter to Jerusalem, and they preached the word of God to the multitudes. And the Holy Ghost appeared to Peter, and commanded him to go to the cities and villages which were in that country. So Peter, and Mark with him, went to the district of Bethany, and preached the word of God; and Peter remained there some days. And he saw in a dream the angel of God, who said to him: «In two places there is a great dearth». So Peter said to the angel: «Which places meanest thou?» He said to him: «The city of Alexandria with the land of Egypt, and the land of Rome. It is not a dearth of bread and water, but a dearth arising from ignorance of the word of God, which thou preachest». So when Peter awoke from his sleep, he told Mark what he had witnessed in his dream. And after that Peter and Mark went to the region of Rome, and preached there the word of God.

And in the fifteenth year after the Ascension of Christ, the holy Peter sent Saint Mark, the father and evangelist, to the city of Alexandria ²¹, to announce the good tidings there, and to preach the word of God and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is due glory and honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the one God for ever. Amen. |141

CHAPTER II. ---- SAINT MARK.

Martyrdom of the holy Mark, and his preaching in the city of Alexandria ²².

In the time of the dispensation of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, after his Ascension into heaven, all the countries were allotted among the apostles, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that they might preach in them the words of the good tidings of the Lord Jesus Christ. And after a time it fell to the lot of Mark the evangelist to go to the province of Egypt, and the great city of Alexandria, by the command of the Holy Ghost, that he might cause the people to hear the words of the gospel of the Lord Christ, and confirm them therein; for they were in error, and sunk in the service of idols, and in the worship of the creature instead of the Creator. And they had many temples to their contemptible gods, whom they ministered to in every place, and served with every iniquity and magical art, and to whom they offered sacrifices among themselves. For he was the first who preached in the province of Egypt, and Africa, and Pentapolis, and all those regions. So when the holy Mark returned from Rome, he betook himself first to Pentapolis and preached in all its districts the word of God, and shewed many miracles; for he healed the sick, and cleansed the lepers, and cast out devils by the grace of God which descended upon him. And many believed |142 in the Lord Christ through him, and broke their Idols which they used to worship, and all the trees which the devils used to haunt, and from which they addressed the people. And he baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, the One God. And so the Holy Ghost appeared to him, and said to him: «Rise and go to the city of Alexandria, to sow there the good seed which is the word of God». So the disciple of Christ arose and set out, being strengthened by the Holy Ghost, like a combatant in war; and he saluted the brethren, and took leave of them, and said to them: «The Lord Jesus Christ will make my road easy, that I may go to Alexandria and preach his holy gospel there». Then he prayed and said: «O Lord strengthen the brethren who have known thy holy name that I may return to them rejoicing in them». Then the brethren bade him farewell.

So Mark journeyed to the city of Alexandria; and when he entered in at the gate, the strap of his shoe broke. And when he saw this, he thought: «Now I know that the Lord has made my way easy». Then he turned, and saw a cobbler there, and went to him and gave him the shoe that he might mend it. And when the cobbler received it, and took the awl to work upon it, the awl pierced his hand. So he said: «Heis ho Theos»; the interpretation of which is, «God is One». And. when the holy Mark heard him mention the name of God, he rejoiced greatly, and turned his face to the East and |143 said: «O my Lord Jesus, it is thou that makest my road easy in every place». Then he spat on the ground and took from it clay, and put it on the place where the awl had pierced the cobbler's hand, saying: «In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, the One living and eternal God, may the hand of this man be healed at this moment, that thy holy name may be glorified». Then his hand at once became whole. The holy Mark said to him: «If thou knowest that God is one, why dost thou serve these many gods?» The cobbler answered him: «We mention God with our mouths, but that is all; for we know not who he is». And the cobbler remained astonished at the power of God which descended upon the holy Mark, and said to him: «I pray thee, O man of God, to come to the dwelling of thy servant, to rest and eat bread, for I find that to-day thou hast conferred a benefit upon me». Then the holy Mark replied with joy: «May the Lord give thee the bread of life in heaven!» And he went with him to his house. And when he entered his dwelling, he said: «May the blessing of God be in this house!» and he uttered a prayer. After they had eaten, the cobbler said to him: «O my father, I beg thee to make known to me who thou art that hast worked this great miracle». Then the saint answered him: «I serve Jesus Christ, the Son of the ever living God». The cobbler exclaimed: «I would that I could see him». The holy Mark said to him: «I will cause thee to behold him». Then he began to teach him the gospel |144 of good tidings, and the doctrine of the glory and power and dominion which belong to God from the beginning, and exhorted him with many exhortations and instructions, of which his history bears witness, and ended by saying to him: «The Lord Christ in the last times became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and came into the world, and saved us from our sins». And he explained to him what the prophets prophesied of him, passage by passage. Then the cobbler said to him: «I have never heard at all of these books which thou speakest of; but the books of the Greek philosophers are what men teach their children here, and so do the Egyptians». So the holy Mark said to him: «The wisdom of the philosophers of this world is vanity before God». Then when the cobbler had heard wisdom and the words of the Scriptures from the holy Mark, together with the great miracle which he had seen him work upon his hand, his heart inclined towards him, and he believed in the Lord, and was baptized, he and all the people of his house, and all his neighbours. And his name was Annianus.

And when those that believed in the Lord were multiplied, and the people of the city heard that a man who was a Jew and a Galilean had entered the city, wishing to overthrow the worship of the idols, their gods, and had persuaded many to abstain from serving them, they sought him everywhere; and they appointed men to watch for him. So when the holy Mark knew that they were conspiring together, he ordained Annianus bishop of Alexandria, and also ordained three priests and seven deacons, |145 and appointed these eleven to serve and to comfort the faithful brethren. But he himself departed from among them, and went to Pentapolis, and remained there two years, preaching and appointing bishops and priests and deacons in all their districts.

Then he returned to Alexandria, and found that the brethren had been strengthened in the faith, and had multiplied by the grace of God, and had found means to build a church in a place called the Cattle-pasture ²³, near the sea, beside a rock from which stone is hewn. So the holy Mark greatly rejoiced at this; and he fell upon his knees, and blessed God for confirming the servants of the faith, whom he had himself instructed in the doctrines of the Lord Christ, and because they had turned away from the service of idols.

But when those unbelievers learnt that the holy Mark had returned to Alexandria, they were filled with fury on account of the works which the believers in Christ wrought, such as healing the sick, and driving out devils, and loosing the tongues of the dumb, and opening the ears of the deaf, and cleansing the lepers; and they sought for the holy Mark with great fury, but found him not; and they gnashed against him with their teeth in their temples and places of their idols, in wrath, saying: «Do you not see the wickedness of this sorcerer?»

And on the first day of the week, the day of the Easter festival of the Lord Christ, which fell that year on the 29th of Barmudah, when the |146 festival of the idolatrous unbelievers also took place, they sought him with zeal, and found him in the sanctuary. So they rushed forward and seized him, and fastened a rope round his throat, and dragged him along the ground, saying: «Drag ²⁴ the serpent through the cattle-yard!» But the saint, while they dragged him, kept praising God and saying: «Thanks be to thee, O Lord, because thou hast made me worthy to suffer for thy holy name». And his flesh was lacerated, and clove to the stones of the streets; and his blood ran over the ground. So when evening came, they took him to the prison, that they might take counsel how they should put him to death. And at midnight, the doors of the prison being shut, and the gaolers asleep at the doors, behold there was a great earthquake and a mighty tumult. And the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and entered to the saint, and said to him: «O Mark, servant of God, behold thy name is written in the book of life; and thou art numbered among the assembly of the saints, and thy soul shall sing praises with the angels in the heavens; and thy body shall not perish nor cease to exist upon earth». And when he awoke from his sleep, he raised his eyes to heaven, and said: «I thank thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, and pray thee to receive me to thyself, that I may be happy in thy goodness». And when he had finished these words, he slept again; and the Lord Christ appeared to him in the form in which the disciples knew him, |147 and said to him: «Hail Mark, the evangelist and chosen one!» So the saint said to him: «I thank thee, O my Saviour Jesus Christ, because thou hast made me worthy to suffer for thy holy name». And the Lord and Saviour gave him his salutation, and disappeared from him.

And when he awoke, and morning had come, the multitude assembled, and brought the saint out of the prison, and put a rope again round his neck, and said: «Drag the serpent through the cattle-shed!» And they drew the saint along the ground, while he gave thanks to the Lord Christ, and glorified him, saying: «I render my spirit into thy hands, O my God!» After saying these words, the saint gave up the ghost.

Then the ministers of the unclean idols collected much wood in a place called Angelion ²⁵, that they might burn the body of the saint there. But by the command of God there was a thick mist and a strong wind., so that the earth trembled; and much rain fell, and many of the people died of fear and terror; and they said: «Verily, Serapis, the idol, has come to seek the man who has been killed this day».

Then the faithful brethren assembled, and took the body of the holy Saint Mark from the ashes; and nothing in it had been changed. And they carried it to the church in which they used to celebrate the Liturgy; and they enshrouded it, and prayed over it according to the established rites. And they dug a place for him, and buried his body there; that they might preserve |148 his memory at all times with joy and supplication, and benediction, on account of the grace which the Lord Christ gave them by his means in the city of Alexandria. And they placed him in the eastern part of the church, on the day on which his martyrdom was accomplished (he being the first of the Galileans to be martyred for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in Alexandria), namely the last day of Barmudah according to the reckoning of the Egyptians, which is equivalent to the th day before the kalends of May among the months of the Romans, and the 24th of Nisan among the months of the Hebrews.

And we also, the sons of the orthodox, offer glory and sanctification and praise to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom is due laud and honour and worship, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the Giver of Life and Consubstantial one, now and for ever. |149

CHAPTER III

ANNIANUS, THE SECOND PATRIARCH ²⁶. A. D. 62-85.

When the evangelist Mark, the apostle of the Lord Christ, died, Annianus was enthroned as patriarch after him. In his time the brethren and believers in Christ increased in numbers, and he ordained some of them priests and deacons. He continued twenty-two years, and went to his rest on the 20th. of Hatur, in the second year of the reign of Domitian, prince of Rome.

AVILIUS, THE THIRD PATRIARCH ²⁷. A. D. 85-98.

Then the orthodox people assembled and consulted together and took a man named Avilius, and elected him patriarch on the episcopal throne of Mark the evangelist, in the room of Annianus. This Avilius was a man of chaste life; and he confirmed the people in the knowledge of Christ. In |150 his time the orthodox people increased in numbers, in Egypt and Pentapolis and the province of Africa. He remained twelve years in the see; and the Church was in peace in his days. He went to his rest on the st. of Tut, in the 15th year of the reign of the above-named prince. When the priests, and the bishops, his suffragans in the land, heard that the patriarch was dead, they mourned for him. Then they assembled at Alexandria, and took counsel together with the orthodox laity of that city, and cast lots, that they might know who was worthy to sit upon the throne of Saint Mark, the evangelist and disciple of the Lord Christ, in succession to the Father Avilius; and their choice fell with one consent, by the inspiration of the Lord Christ, our Master, upon an elect man, who feared God, and whose name was Cerdo.

CERDO ²⁸, THE FOURTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 98-109.

So they took Cerdo, and appointed him to the see of Alexandria. He was chaste, humble and innocent throughout his life. He held his office for eleven years, and went to his rest on the 21st. day of Baunah, in the ninth year of the reign of Trajan the prince. |151

PRIMUS ²⁹, THE FIFTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 109-122.

After this there was among the orthodox people of Christ a man named Primus, who was chaste as the angels, and piously performed many good works. So they took counsel with regard to this man, and chose him, and appointed him to the evangelical see, as patriarch. He remained in possession of it twelve years, and there was peace in the Church in his days. He went to his rest on the rd. of Misri, in the fifth year of the reign of Hadrian the prince.

JUSTUS ³⁰, THE SIXTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 122-130.

After this the people assembled, and their choice fell upon an excellent and wise man among them, whose name was Justus, and they appointed him patriarch. He continued for eleven years, and went to his rest on the 12th. of Baunah, in the sixteenth year of the reign of Hadrian, and was buried with his fathers. |152

EUMENES ³¹, THE SEVENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 130-142.

And after that they appointed Eumenes patriarch in the see of Alexandria; and he remained for thirteen years, and was acceptable to God and to the Church. He went to his rest on the 10th. of Babah, in the sixth year of Antoninus, the prince.

MARK ³² II, THE EIGHTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 143-154.

So when the aforesaid patriarch departed, the people assembled and took a man who loved God, and whose name was Mark, and appointed him patriarch, and set him upon the throne of the evangelist Saint Mark. He occupied it for nine years and some months, living an admirable life, and went to his rest on the th of Tubah, in the fifteenth year of Antoninus, the prince.

CELADION ³³, THE NINTH PATRIARCH. A.D. 157-167.

There was in those days among the people a man who loved God, and whose name was Celadion. So the orthodox laity assembled, together |153 with the bishops who were at Alexandria in those days, and took Celadion, and appointed him patriarch, and placed him upon the evangelical throne. He was beloved by all the people. He remained fourteen years, and died in the reign of Aurelius and Verus, the two sons of the princes, on the 9th. of Abib. He was enshrouded, and buried with his fathers, the patriarchs, whose names have been mentioned above.

AGRIPP NUS ³⁴, THE TENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 167-180.

Then the people assembled again with one consent, and laid their hands upon a man of the congregation who feared God, and whose name was Agrippinus; and they appointed him patriarch, and set him upon the evangelical throne. He sat for twelve years, and died on the th of Amshir, in the nineteenth year of the reign of the princes already named.

JULIAN ³⁵, THE ELEVENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 180-189.

There was a man who was a wise priest, and had studied the books of God, and his name was Julian; and he walked in the path of chastity and religion and tranquillity. So a body of bishops of the synod assembled, together with the orthodox laity, in the city of Alexandria, and searched |154 among the whole people, but could find none like this priest. So they laid their hands upon him, and appointed him patriarch. He composed homilies and sermons on the saints; and he continued in the see ten years. After this patriarch, the bishop of Alexandria did not remain always in that city, but issued thence secretly, and ordained priests in every place, as Saint Mark, the evangelist, had done. Julian went to his rest on the th. of Barmahat, or on the 12th. of Babah, as some say, in the fifth year of the reign of Severus the prince.

CHAPTER IV

DEMETRIUS ³⁶, THE TWELFTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 189-231.

When the patriarch Julian was dying, an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream, on the night before his death, and said to him: «The man who shall visit thee to-morrow with a bunch of grapes shall be patriarch after thee.» Accordingly, when it was morning, a peasant came to him, who was married, and could neither read nor write; and his name was Demetrius. This man had gone out to prune his vineyard, and found |155 there a bunch of grapes, although it was not the season of grapes; so he brought it to the patriarch. And the patriarch Julian said to the bystanders: « This man shall be your patriarch: for so the angel of the Lord last night declared to me.» So they took him by force, and bound him with iron fetters. And Julian died on that very day; and Demetrius was consecrated patriarch.

And the grace of God descended upon this man, and he was like Joseph, the son of Jacob; yea, and more excellent than Joseph, for though Demetrius was married, he knew not his wife. And if any should say: «How is it lawful that a patriarch should be married?» we reply that the apostles declare, in their canons, that if a bishop be wedded to one wife, that shall not be forbidden him; for the believing wife is pure, and her bed undefiled, and no sin can be laid to his charge on that account. And the patriarch is but bishop of Alexandria, with a right of primacy over the bishops of the different provinces subject to that city; for he is the successor of Saint Mark, the apostle and evangelist, who had jurisdiction over all Egypt and Pentapolis and Ethiopia and Nubia, through his preaching the gospel in those parts; and therefore the bishop of Alexandria also of necessity has jurisdiction over those countries. But the people were unjust towards this patriarch, Demetrius, saying that he was the twelfth of the patriarchs, counting from Mark, the evangelist, and that all of them were unmarried except Demetrius; and |156 they bewailed his fall. He had a gift from God, which was that when he had finished the liturgy, before he communicated any one of the people, he beheld the Lord Christ, giving the Eucharist by his hand; and when a person came up who was unworthy to receive the Mysteries, the Lord Christ revealed to him that man's sin, so that he would not communicate him. Then he told that man the reason, so that he confessed his offence. And Demetrius reproved him, and said: «Turn away from thy sin which thou dost commit, and then come again to receive the Holy Mysteries.» When this practice had continued a long time, the faithful of Alexandria left off sinning for fear of the patriarch, lest he should put them to open shame; and each one said to his friend or his kinsman: «Beware lest thou sin, lest the patriarch denounce thee in the presence of the congregation.» But some of the people said: «This is a married man. How then can he reprove us, seeing that he has dishonoured this see? For none has sat therein to this day who was not unwedded.» Again others said: «His marriage does not lessen his merits, for marriage is pure and undefiled before God.» But it was God's will to make his virtues manifest, that he might be glorified, and might not leave this great secret unknown. As he said in his holy gospel, by his pure mouth: «A city when it is set on a hill cannot be hidden,» so God made the merits of this patriarch manifest, that his people might increase in virtue thereby. Accordingly, on a certain night, an angel of the Lord came to Demetrius, and said to him: «Demetrius, seek not thine own |157 salvation by neglecting thy neighbour; but remember what the gospel says, that the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep». Then Demetrius said to the angel: «O my Lord, teach me what thou commandest me to do. If thou wilt send me to martyrdom, I am ready to let my blood be shed for the name of Christ.» Then the angel said to him: «Listen to me, Demetrius, and I will tell thee. The Lord Christ was incarnate only to save his people; and it is not right that thou shouldst now save thine own soul, and allow this people to be filled with scruples on account of thee.» So Demetrius answered: «What is my sin against the people? Teach me, my Lord, that I may repent of it.» Then the angel said: «This secret which is between thee and thy wife; namely, that thou hast never approached her. Now therefore make this known to the people.» But Demetrius said: «I pray thee that I may die before thee rather than that thou shouldst reveal this secret to any man!» Then the angel answered: «Know that the scripture says: He that is disobedient shall perish. Tomorrow, therefore, after the end. of the liturgy, assemble the priests and the people, and make known to them this secret which is between thee and thy wife.» When the patriarch heard this, he marvelled, and said: «Blessed is the Lord, who does not abandon those that trust in him.» Then the angel departed from him.

So on the morrow, which was the feast of Pentecost, the patriarch celebrated the liturgy, and bade the archdeacon give directions to the clergy and the people that not one of them should leave the church, but that they should |158 gather together round the patriarchal throne. The archdeacon, therefore, proclaimed to the congregation: «The patriarch's wish is to speak to you all. Let none of you, therefore, depart without hearing what he shall say.» When they had sat down, the patriarch bid the brethren collect much fuel; and they did so, marvelling thereat and saying: «What is this that the patriarch will do?» Then he said to them: «Rise and let us pray!» So they prayed, and afterwards sat down. And he said to them: «I beg you out of your love for me, to allow my wife to be present before you, that she may receive of your blessing.» Then they marvelled, and thought in their hearts: «What is this that he does?» And they all said: «Whatever thou biddest us do shall be done.» Then the patriarch commanded one of his servants, saying: «Call my wife, the handmaid of the saints, that she may receive their blessing.» So the holy woman entered, and stood in the midst of the congregation. And her husband, the patriarch, arose, where they could all behold him, and stood by the blazing logs, which had already been lighted, and spread out his cloak, and took burning embers from the fire with his hand and put them in his cloak; and all the spectators were astonished at the quantity of burning fuel in his garment, and yet it was not burned. Then he said to his wife: «Spread out thy woollen pallium which thou hast upon thee.» So she spread it out; and the patriarch transferred the embers to it while she stood there; and he put incense on the fire, and commanded her to incense all the congregation; and she did so, and yet her pallium was not burned. Then the patriarch said again: «Let us pray»; while the embers were blazing in his wife's pallium, which yet was not burned. |159

You have now heard, my friends, this great wonder. This man had made himself an eunuch of his own free will, so that he was more glorious than those that are born eunuchs; and therefore the fire had no effect upon this saint, nor upon his garments, nor upon those of his wife, because he had extinguished the flames of lust. But now let us abridge our discourse upon this subject, and return to the history, glorifying God for ever and ever. So when the clergy had prayed, they said to the patriarch: «We beg of thy Holiness to explain to us this wonderful mystery.» And he replied: «Attend, all of you, to what I say. Know that I have not done this seeking glory from men. My age is now sixty-three years. My wife who stands before you is my cousin. Her parents died and left her when she was a child. My father brought her to me, for he had no other child than me, and she was the only child of my uncle. So I grew up with her in my father's house, and we dwelt together. When she was fifteen, my parents resolved to many me to her, in order that their possessions might not pass to a stranger, but that we might inherit them. So the wedding was performed, as men do such things for their children; and I went in to her. And when they had left us alone, she said to me: «How could they give me to thee, seeing that I am thy sister?» So I said to her: «Listen to what I say. We must of necessity remain together in this chamber without being separated all our lives, but there must be no further connexion between us, until death shall part us; and, if we remain thus in purity, we shall meet in the heavenly Jerusalem, and enjoy one |160 another's company in eternal bliss.» And when she heard this, she accepted my proposal; and her body remained inviolate. But my parents knew nothing of our compact. Then the wedding-guests demanded the customary proof of the consummation of the marriage, as you know is done by foolish men; but my mother said to them: «These two are young, and the days before them are many.» Thus we kept our purity; and when my parents as well as her parents were dead, we remained orphans together. It is now forty-eight years since I married my wife, and we sleep on one bed and one mattress and beneath one coverlet; and the Lord, who knows and judges the living and the dead, and understands the secrets of all hearts, knows that I have never learnt that she is a woman, nor has she learnt that I am a man; but we see one another's face and no more. We sleep together, but the embraces of this world are unknown to us. And when we fall asleep, we see a form with eagle's wings, which comes flying and alights upon our bed between her and me, and stretches its right wing over me, and its left wing over her, until the morning, when it departs; and we behold it until it goes. Do not think, my brethren and ye people who love God, that I have disclosed this secret to you to gain the glory of this world which passes away, nor that I have told you this of my own will; but it is the command of the Lord, who bade me do it, for he desires the good of all men, and he is Christ our Saviour.» |161

When Demetrius had finished this discourse, the people all fell upon their faces on the earth, saying: «Verily, our father, thou art more excellent than many of the saints; and God has shewn his mercy towards us in making thee head over us.» And they gave thanks to him, and besought him to forgive their evil thoughts of him. Then he gave them his blessing, and prayed for them; and they dispersed to their own homes, praising God. And after this, Demetrius bade his wife depart to her house.

Have you ever heard, you that listen to me, of such wonders? This holy, father dwelt so long with his lovely and virtuous wife, and yet endured the trial. Where now are the men who are married, and yet commit adultery also, while professing to be Christians? Let them come and listen to the Father Demetrius, the patriarch, saying: «I have known the face of my wife and no more», that they may be ashamed and confounded! O that valiant saint, fighting against his bodily desires! O that miracle! How could his heart remain unmoved when he beheld his wife's beauty, and how could his senses remain unexcited before her loveliness! How wonderful was thy discourse, O thou saint, in thy bridal chamber! The archer whose arrows strike all men, namely Satan, was unable to strike thee. Demetrius said: «I am a man and have a body like all other men, but I will teach you how to answer the suggestions of the Devil. When my heart was troubled by evil thoughts, I remembered the |162 compact I had made with Christ; and if I broke it, I feared that he would reject me in the kingdom of Heaven, before the Father and his holy angels. Moreover, when I saw the beauty and grace of her form, I thought of the corpses lying in their tombs and the foulness of their odour, so to keep myself from strange words, through fear of the fire that is not quenched, and the worm that sleepeth not, in the other world, where none can open his mouth». O my friends, this Father was chosen by God, and in his courage and valour was braver than those that slay lions; as one of the doctors says: «The brave man is not he that kills wild beasts, but he that dies pure from the embraces and snares of women». Blessed is this saint, for his degree is exalted! Like Joseph in the house of the Egyptian woman, when she solicited him on every occasion that she could, so Demetrius fought against his desires every day and night until his battle was finished, and preserved his chastity and his right faith throughout his life.

Demetrius remained patriarch forty-three years. In his time there was a disturbance at Alexandria, and the emperor Severus banished him to a place called the quarter of the Museum; and there he died on the 12th. day of Barmahat, which, I believe, was the day of the manifestation of his virginity.

Now in the reign of the emperor Severus many became martyrs for the love of God. Among them was the father of a man named Origen ³⁷, who |163 learned the sciences of the heathen, and abandoned the books of God, and began to speak blasphemously of them. So when the Father Demetrius heard of this man, and saw that some of the people had gone astray after his lies, he removed him from the church.

In these days also the martyrs Plutarch ³⁸ and Serenus were burnt alive, and Heraclides and Heron were beheaded. Likewise another Serenus, and the woman Heraïs, and Basilides; and Potamiaena, with her mother Marcella, who suffered many torments and severe agonies; also Anatolius, who was the father of the princes, and Eusebius, and Macarius, uncle of Claudius, and Justus, and Theodore the Eastern; all these martyrs were kinsmen. There was also another virgin named Thecla. Now Basilides was a soldier, and he came forward of his own free will; and when they questioned him, he replied: «I am a Christian because I saw three days ago in a dream a woman who appeared to me, and placed upon my head a crown from Jesus Christ». Thus Basilides obtained the crown of martyrdom; and so likewise a great number were martyred; for Potamiaena was seen by them in dreams, and encouraged them to have faith in the Lord Christ, so that they receved the crown of martyrdom.

Now there had come to Alexandria, in the room of Pantaenus, a new governor ³⁹, whose name was Clement; and he remained governor until those |164 days. And this Clement composed out of his own head books, in which he overthrew the received chronology. Then a Jewish scribe, named Judas ⁴⁰, who had read in the book of the Visions of Daniel, in the tenth year of the reign of Severus, explained the years and dates mystically up to the epoch of Antichrist, on a system of his own, and declared that the time was at hand, on account of the deeds of Severus, the hostile prince.

And when Origen, whom Demetrius had cut off on account of his composing unlawful books of magic, and leaving the books of the holy writers, saw this, he wrote many treatises containing many blasphemies. Among these was his doctrine that the Father created the Son, and the Son created the Holy Ghost; for he denied that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one God, and that the Persons of the Trinity are inferior one to another in nothing, but have the same power and the same might. So, on account of his wicked creed, the Church abandoned him, because he was strange to her, and was not one of her children, for he taught corrupt doctrines. And when he left the Church and was deposed from his office, he departed from Alexandria, and travelled to Palestine, and there intrigued until he obtained priestly rank, and was ordained priest by the bishop of Caesarea in Palestine ⁴¹. Then Origen returned to Alexandria, believing that he would there be recognized as a priest, and would do just as he desired; but the holy Father Demetrius would not receive him, saying to him: «According to the |165 apostolic canon, a priest must not be removed from the altar to which he has been ordained. Return, therefore, to the place to which thou hast been ordained priest, and serve there in all humility according to the canon; for I will not break the canons of the Church to gain the approval of men». So Origen remained rejected. This was before the patriarch knew of Origen's blasphemies and misbelief; and the thing became a scandal to all men, because he had made himself a teacher, although he was unworthy to be even a disciple.

Now Severus, the prince, reigned eighteen years, and then died. And Antoninus, his son, reigned after him. After this time lived many who were strong by the help of Christ, through the dispensation of God. One of these was Alexander, the confessor, and bishop of Jerusalem, who succeeded Narcissus ⁴². This Narcissus performed many miracles in his life time. For, when the church was in need of oil, Narcissus even bade them fill the lamps with water ⁴³, during the vigil-service of Easter, and prayed; and the water was turned into oil, and the lamps were kindled. Such wonders he did many times, through his faith in the oneness of Christ; and all men bore witness to these miracles; and we have learnt his history from persons worthy of credit. But some men hated him in their, wickedness, and wished to kill him, and invented lies concerning him, swearing that he did evil. And one of |166 these wicked men began to kindle a fire, and was burnt thereby; and another's bowels gushed out, so that he died; and another fell sick, and his body was consumed; and another became blind; so that men understood that their words ⁴⁴ against Narcissus were lies, through the proofs that were given of his holiness. Then Narcissus was made bishop; and no evil befell him because he was pious and wise, and confessed the Lord Christ. It came to pass that he fled from the church, and retired into the wilderness, because the people were in disorder, and some of them accused him of intrigue. But the all-seeing eye would not endure this; for God punished those that held an evil and heretical creed and a false faith concerning him; and the first of these men died, with all his household, in a fire from a spark which fell upon them; and another was afflicted with pains from his head to his feet, with a violent fever; and a third tried to flee because of his evil conscience, but God overtook him, and he was struck with sudden blindness, and acknowledged his wicked conduct towards the holy bishop, before all, and was devoured by remorse, and repented, and wept over the loss of his sight. And as for Narcissus, the bishop, he lay hid in the desert, and none knew where he was for many days. But, because the churches over which he was bishop were left without any to govern them, circumstances made it necessary that they should appoint in his stead a man named Dius ⁴⁵, who, however, occupied the see for a short time only, and then died. So they ordained in his place another, named Germanion ⁴⁶. |167 After that, the glorious Father Narcissus was found, like one risen from the dead; and they begged him to return to his see; and the people were greatly rejoiced over him. But he had devoted himself to philosophy, and to the cultivation of the graces which God had granted to him; and therefore he would not return to serve his diocese. Now as for Alexander, who has been mentioned above, he was in possession of another see; but he saw in a dream the angel of God, who bade him go to help Narcissus, and serve God ⁴⁷, for he had already been consecrated bishop in Cappadocia. So he went to Jerusalem at that time to pray, and saw the holy churches which he had desired to behold, and visited all the holy places. Then he was about to return to Cappadocia his native country; but the brethren prevented him; and he was warned in a dream. For they all heard a voice in the church, saying: «Go forth to the gate, and the first man whom you shall meet entering through it make your bishop.» This they did, and there they found Alexander; and they clung to him. But he refused to be their bishop, saying: «I will not consent.» So they appointed him by force, in the presence of an assembly of the bishops, in the city of Jerusalem, and by their command, with one purpose and one consent. And in the letters which Alexander wrote and sent to Antinoe, he spoke of Narcissus, and said that they had one faith in common, and were in agreement in all things in the church of Jerusalem. And in all Alexander's letters, he said: «Narcissus, who |168 preceded me in this bishopric, salutes you. He is now with me and he encourages me, and fortifies me by his prayers, that I may be strong in this ministry. He has continued to serve God thus for one hundred and sixteen years ⁴⁸. I pray you to be of one heart and mind.»

Among the holy men of this time was Serapion also, who was patriarch of Antioch; and when he died Asclepiades, the confessor, was appointed, and his degree was exalted. And Alexander wrote to the people of Antioch with regard to Asclepiades, saying thus: «Alexander, the servant of God, and believer in Jesus Christ, addresses the holy church in Antioch, in the Lord, with joy, by the hand of the chaste priest Clement. My brethren, I desire that you promote Asclepiades, who is worthy of that post.» So he was ordained to the see. Serapion also wrote to the people of Antioch a letter ⁴⁹, in which he said that a Jew, named Marcian, had written books, which he attributed to Peter, the chief of the apostles, and in which the writer spoke lies, «Beware, therefore,» continued Serapion, «of these writings. We receive Peter and the rest of the disciples, as we receive the commands of Christ, because they saw him and heard his words. But these lying books we do not accept, but reject them, because they contain nothing of the doctrine of our fathers.» Now when the priest arrived at Antioch with the letters, he said to them: «Be confirmed in the true faith, and do not turn aside to the spurious writings attributed to Peter, for they are false and delusive, |169 and in them is the beginning of heresy; and for this reason I am come to you in haste, for we have learnt that this Marcian, the Jew, has led multitudes astray by his books, so that they have become heretics.» For this heretic wrote many books, and the history from which we are quoting contains an account of some of them. But because it would make our narrative too long, I think it needless to write down their names.

Now Demetrius, the holy patriarch of Alexandria, displayed much learning and wisdom, although he had formerly been ignorant and unable to read or write; and all his spiritual children were continually admonished by him. But when he found that he was growing old in his researches into the divine doctrines and scriptures, so that he was carried into the church in a litter, although he did not cease from giving instruction from morning to night, while the brethren went and came that they might profit by his teaching, then he named Heraclas as his deputy and successor. Now Heraclas was an elect man, learned in the scriptures of God ⁵⁰, teaching the doctrines of the Church and the science of the word of God; and he knew the canons of the Church by heart.

So when Origen, whom Demetrius had excommunicated, saw that the Church had rejected him, he went to the Jews, and expounded for them part of the Hebrew books, in a new fashion; and he concealed the prophecies which they contain of the Lord Christ, so that when he came to the mention of the thicket in which the ram of Abraham, the Friend of God, was caught |170 by its horns, which the Fathers interpret as a type of the wood of the Cross, Origen even concealed and abandoned this interpretation. He wrote books full of lies and containing no truth. And there was with Origen another heretic named Symmachus, who was the cause of much dissension. He said that Christ was born of Mary by Joseph ⁵¹, and rejected the miracle of the wondrous birth; denying also that Christ, who was born without labour (for so he was born of the Virgin), is very God and Man, and One of Two; thus contradicting the true Gospel according to Matthew, and what he says concerning the Nativity. But the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. This heretic pretended that he was a Christian; and in one place he says that he was a philosopher, and had read the books of the Sabaeans and of the schismatics. Subsequently he contracted a friendship with Origen, and led astray many simple women. At this time there was a holy and excellent man, who possessed divine wisdom, named Ammonius; and he refuted them both, and exposed their false and unrighteous explanations of the Scriptures, and their lies. After this, Origen went to Caesarea in Palestine, where he had been made priest, and brought books back to Alexandria, in great abundance. But the Father Demetrius would not receive him, and banished him, because he knew what his conduct was. So Origen departed and went to a place called Thmuis in Augustamnica, and invented a plausible story for the bishop, whose name was Ammonius; so he placed Origen in one of |171 the churches. But when Demetrius heard of this, he went himself straightway to Thmuis, and banished Origen, and removed the bishop Ammonius who had received him, and in his indignation appointed another bishop in his stead; for having convinced himself that the bishop had received that heretic, although he knew his history and his false doctrine, he appointed in his place a bishop named Phileas, a man who feared God, and was full of faith. But Phileas said: «I will not sit upon the episcopal throne while Ammonius is alive.» So when Ammonius died, the aforesaid bishop, Phileas, sat after him; and he was martyred a long time afterwards ⁵², and departed to the Lord in peace. And Origen, the excommunicate, went to Caesarea in Palestine,,and began to perform his priestly duties as if he were bishop there. So the Father Demetrius wrote to Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem, saying: «We have never heard of a prodigal and heretic teaching in a place in which there were bishops duly established ⁵³.» And he proceeds to blame the bishop of Caesarea, whose name was Theoctistus, and reprehends Origen who was living in his diocese, and condemns his conduct in this matter, saying: «I never thought that such a thing would be done at Caesarea, with this bishop.» For we have found this Origen saying in certain books that the Son and the Holy Ghost are created. So the bishop of Caesarea read the letter of the Father Demetrius in the church, for the hishop of Jerusalem sent it to him; and also he suspended Origen, and drove |172 him away from the diocese of Caesarea. Then Origen shamelessly returned to Alexandria.

On account of the many changes among the princes and patriarchs of Rome and Antioch; we have thought it unnecessary to give an account of them, with a view to brevity and to the avoidance of prolixity. Philetus became patriarch of Antioch, and in his days a heretic appeared, who wrote strange books. Then Philetus died, and Zebinus was appointed patriarch of Antioch instead of him. And Zebinus commanded that neither the works of that heretic nor those of Origen, who had been banished from Alexandria, should be read; for the writings of the latter had become celebrated ⁵⁴.

Now these are the words of Origen ⁵⁵: «Let him who wishes to read the Scriptures read the books named below. The books of the Old Testament are as follows: The five books of the Law; the book of Josue the son of Nun; the book of the Judges; the book of Ruth the Moabitess; the books of Kings, the Paralipomena, the book of Esdras, the Psalms of the prophet David, the Wisdom of Solomon, the book of Isaias, the book of Jeremias, the book of Ezechiel, the book of Daniel, the book of Job, the book of Esther, the book of Samuel, the book of Machabees ⁵⁶, the book of the Twelve Minor Prophets. The books of the New Testament are these: the Gospel of Matthew, which he wrote in |173 Hebrew on a roll, when he was at Caesarea, at the house of a man whose descendants preserve it from generation to generation; and it was translated into Greek, and rendered into all languages by the power of the Lord Christ. Then the Gospel of Mark, which he wrote in Greek, while Peter, chief of the apostles, was with him, and which was read in the assembly of the princes. Then the Gospel of Luke, the disciple of Paul, which he wrote in Greek at Antioch. The Gospel of John, the son of Zebedee, whom his disciples, after he had grown old, frequently solicited until he wrote it in Greek at Ephesus. The book of the Acts of the Apostles and Disciples, called Praxeis. The book of the Epistles of Paul the Elect, which contains fourteen epistles. The book of the Revelation of John the Evangelist, or the Apocalypse». There is also the book of the Didascalia, or Teaching of the Apostles, and Canons of the Church, written by the apostles before they dispersed to preach the gospel. These are the books delivered to the Catholic and Apostolic Church. After them come the books of the Fathers and Doctors, which they composed through the instruction of the Holy Ghost, such as the homilies and other writings; for they added nothing to the Scriptures, and took nothing from them. But the books of the heretic Origen are contemned by God, and there is nothing in them written with the Holy Ghost. As he said by Paul the apostle ⁵⁷: or We receive no spirit of this world, but the spirit that God has given to us.»

Now the glorious father, Demetrius, remained patriarch forty-three years, and went to his rest, as we have related. |174

CHAPTER V

HERACLAS ⁵⁸, THE THIRTEENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 231-247.

This father had been, in the time of the patriarch Demetrius, a teacher in the Church, and gained distinction in the divine sciences ⁵⁹. At this time Firmilian ⁶⁰, who was bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, discovered that Origen had associated himself with the Jews at that place, and had lived amongst them for a time. When Alexander had ruled in Rome for thirteen years, Maximinus Caesar reigned after him. And this prince set up a great persecution against the rulers of the Church ⁶¹ only, because they were the teachers of those that were baptized; and many died in his days. And when Maximin died, Gordian reigned in Rome. And the patriarch of that city was Pontianus, who sat for six years ⁶²; and when he died, Anteros ⁶³ became patriarch after him, and occupied the see for one month. And they enquired of him whom they should appoint in his stead.

And they found a man in the fields upon whom a wonder had been manifested; for the Holy Ghost descended upon him ⁶⁴ in the form of a dove. So they took him, and made him patriarch of Rome. And Zebinus died at Antioch, and Babylas was appointed after him. |175

So Heraclas was made patriarch of Alexandria after Demetrius, and was counted worthy to serve in the sanctuary. And Heraclas gave the direction of the studies at Alexandria to Dionysius, and entrusted to him all the affairs of the patriarchate. This man was of a noble family, and was a distinguished teacher; and he grew up in Alexandria. The cause of his being called, and entering into the orthodox faith was as follows. This Dionysius had formerly been a worshipper of idols, according to the religion of the Sabaeans, among whom he was a leader, and a philosopher. While he was sitting one day, behold there passed an aged widow, holding in her hand a book containing some of the epistles of saint Paul, the apostle; and she said to him: «Wilt thou buy this from me?» So he took the book, and studied it; and it filled him with admiration, and pleased him greatly, and took possession of his heart. And when he understood the book, he marvelled greatly thereat, and rejoiced over it exceedingly. So he said to the old woman: «What price dost thou ask for the book?» And she answered: «One carat of gold». So he gave her three carats, and said to her: «Go and search the place in which thou didst find this book, and whatever thou shalt discover bring to me, and I will give thee more than its full price». Then the old woman went away, and brought him three books; and he took them from her, and gave her nine carats. But when he had read the books, he became aware that a part of the contents was still wanting. So he said to the old woman: «If thou wilt find the rest of this book, |176 I will give thee six denarii». Then the old woman, when she saw his faith and courage, and knew that he had received the grace of the Holy Ghost while he was reading the books, replied: «Trouble not thyself. Go to a church, and beg for the book in its entirety from the clergy, and they will give it to thee, that thou mayest read it. I only found these manuscripts among the books of my fathers, who were readers and singers in the church». So Dionysius said: «But will the people of the church entrust this book to me?» And the old woman answered: «Yes. They will hinder no-one from knowledge, if he asks for it. They will give to all who seek, without demanding payment».

Then Dionysius went to Augustine, one of the deacons of the Church, who gave him the complete epistles of Paul. And Dionysius read them, and learnt them by heart through the power of his lively intelligence. Then he went to Demetrius, of whose death we have spoken above, and begged of him the second Birth; and Demetrius received Dionysius, and baptized him, and gave him the grace which he solicited; and Dionysius was attached to the patriarch's person, and lived in the church. Thus after being a teacher among the idolatrous Sabaeans, he became a teacher in the Church ⁶⁵, and many disciples came to him; and instead of teaching his former errors and receiving a transitory payment, he was afterwards removed by the Lord into the great see, in reward for his labours; and his house was made into a |177 church which exists to this day, and is named after him. The names of his disciples were Theodore and Gregory and Athenodorus ⁶⁶. To these he had imparted in former days his strange philosophy; but, when he was baptized and advanced to the priesthood, he converted them to the wisdom of the Church, so that they were filled with the grace of the Holy Ghost. They lived with him for five years, after his ordination; and they also attained to priestly rank. Dionysius had also another disciple, named Africanus ⁶⁷, who wrote five books with much labour; and when he heard of the wisdom of the patriarch Heraclas, he went to Alexandria to learn of him. And Dionysius used to say to him: «Know that no beast that eats bryony is profited or stimulated by it; and so every man that does not eat spiritual food is perishing. Formerly I was occupied with food that passes away and comes to an end, and neglected the bread of eternal life, until the Lord led me». And he attracted his disciple by these words to the heavenly doctrines, until through his talents he learnt the true harmony of the genealogies in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and found no discrepancies whatever in them.

Now Heraclas occupied the see for thirteen years, and went to his rest on the th. of Rihak, and was gathered to his fathers. |178

CHAPTER VI

DIONYSIUS ⁶⁸ THE WISE, THE FOURTEENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 247-264.

Of Dionysius, who was appointed patriarch after Heraclas, somewhat has already been recorded. Churches grew more numerous, and the faithful were multiplied in his days. And the churches were filled with the divine doctrines; and all was done openly, and in public. At this time certain men in Arabia ⁶⁹ taught a heresy, according to which the soul dies with the body, and shall rise again with it on the Day of Resurrection. But the holy Church rejected this heresy, after the assembling of a council to examine into it. Another heresy ⁷⁰ also arose, which taught corrupt doctrines; but it was extinguished and brought to nought by God's help in the reign of Philip ⁷¹, who ruled the empire during seven years.

After Philip reigned Decius; and there had been between Philip and Decius a great enmity; and therefore the latter inflicted a great persecution upon the Church. The patriarch Fabian was martyred, and Cornelius became patriarch after him. Likewise Alexander, the patriarch of Jerusalem, twice confessed Christ, and showed forth his faith before the misbelievers, |179 and was thrown into prison, and there went to his rest after much suffering. Alexander was endowed by God with a great gift of holiness, patience and courage; and men heard him in the dungeon confessing and glorifying God until he died. After him, a patriarch named Mazabanes sat upon the episcopal throne. The patriarch of Antioch, also, Babylas, confessed Christ, and was imprisoned, and died in the dungeon; and Fabius sat after him. As for the patriarch Dionysius ⁷², he says: «I will record what I endured, and call God to be my witness. Decius, the prince of Rome, sought diligently for me, but God concealed me from him, and he could not discover my hiding-place. After four days, God bid me remove from that place; therefore I fled with my disciples and a band of the brethren, and we wandered far. After four days, when the light had waned, and we were approaching Taposiris, the soldiers took us; and this was after four days of concealment. But Timothy, one of my disciples, escaped from our captors; and he returned to the house where we were, after meeting a countryman, who enquired of him what news he had to give him; so he told him what had befallen the patriarch.» And that rustic assembled his companions; and when they had rescued the patriarch Dionysius from the soldiers, they made him ride upon a bare-backed ass, as he relates of himself; but his disciples walked on foot. |180

Dionysius also sent a letter ⁷³ to Fabius ⁷⁴, patriarch of Antioch, and narrated to him the history of the martyrs, who suffered under Decius at Alexandria. He related that an old man named Metras was seized; and his captors said to him: «Wilt thou worship the idols?» But he refused; and so they inflicted upon him a painful beating, and wounded his face with styli ⁷⁵. Then they led him out of the city, and stoned him until he died. Likewise a certain believing woman ⁷⁶ was led in to offer worship to the idols; but she refused; and they beat her, and stripped her, and bound her feet together and dragged her over the stones so that her flesh was mangled, and her blood ran over the ground in the streets, while she was scourged all the time, until they had drawn her out of the city; and they killed her, and threw her body aside there. Then they returned to the houses of the faithful, and plundered them and wrecked them, and carried off all the gold and silver and furniture that they found in them. At this time Paul ⁷⁷ of Alexandria was martyred, and received his crown with joy. And none could openly profess the knowledge of God. In those days also a faithful virgin, named Apollonia, received the crown of martyrdom. All her limbs were broken, and she was burnt in the fire while still alive, outside the city, because she would not |181 obey them by giving up her faith, and would not deny the Lord Christ. And she looked at the flame of the fire while they burnt her; and it did not terrify her, but she endured it patiently, and gave up her spirit.

And another man was taken, named Serapion, and was severely tortured, and thrown from the third story, so that his bones were broken; thus ho suffered martyrdom. And the faithful had neither a place of refuge nor a place of rest to go to, neither by day nor by night; and in this condition they remained for a long time; and this was the work of Decius the prince. And many were martyred whose names were not recorded. And the blessed Julian also was taken; and he was corpulent and stout in body, and was unable to walk, and therefore he had two men with him; so they led them all to the palace; and one of the two men apostatized, but the other confessed the faith together with the aged Julian; so they dragged ⁷⁸ those two through the city, and burnt them in the fire. And there were many troops prepared for the punishment of the Christians; and they seized another man ⁷⁹, who cried aloud, saying: «O Lord take me quickly to thyself!» Then his head was cut off, and he was burnt in the fire. And two others also were martyred with him; besides another man named Alexander, and a number with him, whom they drove to the prison, and afterwards brought forth thence; and they were put to death. And there was a woman ⁸⁰ who left her children, and was slain. And another believing woman ⁸¹, in the greatness of her zeal for |182 the faith, defied the governor, who therefore put her to death. And a great multitude without number came forward to suffer martyrdom for the name of the Lord Christ with great joy, as a man hastens to his wedding; and likewise many of the inhabitants of the towns and villages.

And a great multitude without number wandered among the mountains, having fled from the unbelievers; and many of them died of hunger and thirst, and from the heat. And an old man, a bishop ⁸², from the city called Malîj, of the province of Egypt, fled, in company with a woman, who followed him; and these two could not be found, nor were any tidings of them known. And many were captured by the soldiers, who afterwards took a bribe from them, and released them. But many wandered forth at random, and never returned.

«I, Dionysius, the patriarch, have not said all this to no purpose; but I have made known to thy Paternity, my brother Fabius, all the trials which have surrounded us, and what we have endured and encountered. And all those persons that I have mentioned to thee, my brother, merited the kingdom by their sufferings and combatings for the name of the Lord Christ. And many of those who apostatized in the persecution have returned to us, and we received them gladly, because we knew the joy of him who desires the repentance of the sinner, and not his death, so that he may be converted and live. |183

And because I am assured of thy fellowship with me, dear brother, I have expounded to thee what befell us; for we are of one spirit and one faith. And to you also, my brethren and my sons, I wish to relate this, for the sake of" my blessed children and their patience; that you may know of the struggles of your faithful brethren for the orthodox faith, and of the happiness to which they have gone, through their endurance for the sake of him who suffered for us and for them, and redeemed us all by his blood. For they were patient for his sake, and would not deny him in the assembly of the unbelievers; and, in their love for him, neither the edge of the sword, nor the plunder of their goods, nor burning in the fire could terrify them. For God showed forth their virtues in this world; and in the next they have a great reward, and a glorious return to him.»

Now there was a certain priest ⁸³ a native of Rome, who said in his pride ⁸⁴: «It is not lawful that we should receive any one of those who denied Christ in the time of trouble and persecution, even if he now returns to the Lord; for he fell and did not endure, but was made one of the misbelievers.» And this priest used to call those that had been constant, «the Pure ⁸⁵»; and he was the head over their community. So a council assembled at Rome, consisting of sixty bishops besides priests and deacons, to try the case of this man and his followers; and they wrote to every place an account of what took place. And there was a man called Novatus, who assisted this |184 priest, out of hatred for the penitents, and helped him to repel from the Church all those that wished to return to her. Accordingly he began to forbid his followers to administer to the people the divine medicine, which consists in repentance and penitence and fasting and watching and weeping and humbly imploring God's forgiveness. So the clergy of Rome wrote to the clergy of Antioch an account of what had passed; and the latter returned an answer to them; and they all agreed that they should receive those that relumed to the Church, and absolve them, and help them to repentance, because God himself receives them. Then they excommunicated the proud priest, who despised those penitent apostates; and they sent for the letters of Novatus concerning the conciliation of such men, and learnt what he wrote about them. After that, Novatus ⁸⁶, unworthy as he was, usurped the title of bishop and remained in that office for three years, ordaining as priests ignorant men who knew nothing; and he made his followers believe that he was the chief of the bishops, and they honoured him accordingly; until the report of his deeds reached Rome, and there was trouble between the two parties in the Church and a great schism.

After that, a synod of bishops assembled, and cancelled all that Novatus had done by his lies, and proved to all those that had accepted him that they were simple men without knowledge, and that all his ordinations and other acts were invalid. Then one of those whom Novatus had ordained came forward and confessed his sin, and wept; and so the bishops received and pardoned him. And they wrote about Novatus to the various sees, |185 and warned the Christians not to receive any of his doctrines. And the number of those who published his teaching, and whom he ordained, was as follows: forty-seven priests, and seven deacons, and seven subdeacons, and seven readers and doorkeepers ⁸⁷. And he had done many things that were invalid, but which it is unnecessary to relate.

Then the patriarch Dionysius wrote letters to all places, enjoining that those who returned from their apostasy should be received; and he made this a permanent canon for those who should repent of their error. He also wrote a separate letter to Conon, bishop of Al-Ushmunain ⁸⁸, containing similar matter, besides those sent to the rest of the bishops.

And Dionysius warned the people who dwelt with him in Alexandria, telling them of all that Origen had done in all the churches, and putting them on their guard against him. Then he wrote canons, which he made perpetual in the Church, and which contained an exposition of doctrines and rules of legal discipline.

Then Dionysius, the great patriarch of the great city of Alexandria, wrote down what had happened to him, and what had befallen him during the period of his primacy; and we have learnt these things from his epistles and his instructions, which we have seen in all the churches, in every place. And altogether Decius did not reign two years; and on account of his |186 persecution of the children of the Church, and his putting them to death, he was slain with his sons, and his princely power was taken away from him.

And after him Gallus was enthroned as prince. And Dionysius wrote a letter to him. Gallus the prince had known all that Decius had done, for he had left behind him an idol ⁸⁹ of stone which he used to worship, saying that this idol had given him the empire; and he slew the priests who used to pray to God for his salvation and the confirmation of his power.

Then Dionysius also wrote a letter to the patriarch of Rome ⁹⁰, requesting of him the establishment of correspondence between them both, and the reception of those who had apostatized during the persecution of Decius, but had returned; informing him also of the entire cessation of the persecution which had been in his diocese of Alexandria, and of the coming of peace to the Church; and of the removal of the schism of Novatus, so that there did not remain an adversary to the Church, for he had only seized the pontificate for himself, and had never become an unbeliever. For Dionysius had examined the followers of Novatus on the unity of doctrine.

At that time «Demetrianus ⁹¹ was bishop in the city of Antioch, and Theoctistus at Caesarea, and Mazabanes at Jerusalem, that is Aelia, and Marinus at Tyre. And Alexander had gone to his rest at Laodicea. And |187 all the churches were in harmony in the orthodox faith and unity of Christ in every place and every region, rejoicing and magnifying God and at one in the true doctrines; with glory to God, the God of heaven, and our Lord Jesus Christ the Word, and the Holy Ghost, One God, wherever there is agreement in one creed, and love of the brethren.» These are the words of Dionysius.

Then he wrote also to Stephen concerning the baptism of those who had returned from their denial of Christ during the persecution, saying that they should settle this matter, because it was very important; and that the council of bishops who met together had spoken of this question, as we have heard; and that those who accepted instruction and abandoned schism and heresy must be washed, that they might become new by immersion, so that they might be purified from their commingling with the filthy.

Dionysius also speaks in his letter of the schism and heresy of Sabellius, because he was the cause of the mischief which led to blasphemy against God Almighty. And Dionysius says in his letter: «He sent word to me of those that desire to rebaptize all the heretics; and they are Helenus and Firmilian and many with them ⁹².»

And the Church remained in tranquillity for a short time, until the prince died, and there reigned after him an unbelieving prince named Valerian. |188 And by his command his deputies seized Dionysius, and imprisoned him. And they killed an innumerable number of martyrs; even ripping open the bodies of infants, and taking their intestines, and twisting them round musical instruments made of reeds which they sounded in honour of the devils ⁹³. Then they tortured Dionysius the patriarch, and demanded that he should worship their idols. So he said to them: «We worship God most high; but you worship what you love. Our worship is offered to the Lord Christ, Creator of heaven and earth, whom we love.» Then the governor said to him: «Thou knowest not the measure of the patience of the princes towards thee. For if thou wilt worship our gods, we will honour and promote thee. But if thou wilt not do so, and disobeyest the command, and wilt not worship the gods, then thou shalt see what will happen to thee.» And the governor took many of the patriarch's companions, and killed them, after exhorting him at length; and then drove him out, and banished him to a place, called the district of Coluthion, the interpretation of which is Chamberlain ⁹⁴. But the inhabitants of that place treated Dionysius and all his companions, who would not worship the idols, hospitably. And after this they brought him back to condemn him to death; and they led him before the governor, who said to him: «We have heard that thou goest to a place apart, and performest the liturgy with |189 thy companions.» Dionysius answered: «We never cease to pray, night or day.» So the governor exhorted him at length, and then left him; and the patriarch returned to his companions and said to them: «Go to every place, and pray and celebrate the liturgy; and if I am absent from you in the body, yet I am with you in the spirit.» Then the patriarch was sent back to the place in which he had been in banishment, and his companions were sad because he was parted from them; but they said: «We know that the Lord Christ is with him in all his ways.»

Then an innumerable multitude of the brethren were martyred in those days for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, because they refused to worship the idols. And Valerian, the prince, made martyrs of many people in every region and every place. Afterwards a multitude of the Barbarians attacked him, and brought great trouble upon him. But he had a son who was very wise, and who remained in possession of the government; and he had been brought up in the days of persecution. And he gave to Dionysius and his companions a letter of release, and commanded that these words should be written in it ⁹⁵: «Publius Caesar, the reigning prince, who loves God, writes to Dionysius the patriarch, and Demetrius and the rest of the bishops, and commands that they be kindly treated. Let those that hate them depart from them, and let their churches be opened to them. Let them take courage from our letter; and let no chastisement touch them after this day, nor sadness |190 nor sorrow after this time; so that they may perform their service and their prayers to God; for we have set them free. And I have appointed Aurelius Cyrenius, and commanded him to guard the bishops safely, and treat them kindly. And let them say their prayers and celebrate their liturgies.»

This letter was written in Greek. And the prince wrote another letter to the bishops, bidding them resume possession of all their monasteries and dwelling-places.

At this time Xystus was bishop of Rome ⁹⁶, and Demetrianus bishop of Antioch, and Firmilian bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and Gregory bishop of Pontus, and his brother Athenodorus bishop of Caesarea in Palestine; and Hymenaeus was bishop of Jerusalem; and he it is whose head they took off because he confessed Christ.

So when Dionysius advanced in age, his body grew weak from the great hardships that he had endured; but nevertheless he did not cease for one night to read the holy scriptures. For since God most high knew his love for the holy scriptures, he granted him the faculty of sight, so that he could see as well as he used to in the days of his youth.

And since he could not go to the council ⁹⁷ which assembled to settle matters concerning Paul of Samosata, he sent his envoys with a letter full of |191 wisdom and instruction to the bishops assembled on his account; for Paul was like the wolf that howls at the sheep. So the bishops of the council went in haste to Antioch for the glory of the Lord Christ. And among those present in the council were Firmilian, bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and Gregory who has already been named, and his brother Athenodorus, and Helenus, bishop of Tarsus, and Nicomas, bishop of Iconium, and Hymenaeus, bishop of Jerusalem, and Maximus, bishop of Bostra; and with them a multitude of bishops and priests and deacons. Then they sent for Paul, and asked him concerning what he had said, and admonished him because he had blasphemed the Lord Christ; and when he would not retract his opinions, they excommunicated him and banished him.

At this time Dionysius, patriarch of Alexandria, went to his rest, after remaining in the see for seventeen years; and he died on the 13th. day of Barmahat. But in a copy in the Monastery of Father Macarius it is said that he continued upon the episcopal throne seven years. Said, son of Batrik, however, bears witness in the book of the annals that the period was seventeen years; and this agrees with the biography from which the present copy was translated. |192

MAXIMUS ⁹⁸ THE FIFTEENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 264-282.

After Dionysius, Maximus was placed upon the throne of Saint Mark in the great city of Alexandria, in the seventeenth year of the reign of Gallienus and Valerian, and he helped the brethren in the affairs of the Church in every place. And he drove out Paul the Samosatene from the Church, when he learnt that he was a heretic, because an account of all that happened in the council of Antioch with regard to Paul was written and sent to Dionysius, patriarch of Rome, and to Maximus, patriarch of Alexandria, when he took his seat after Dionysius. For the whole council subscribed with spiritual consent to the excommunication of Paul, and said that it was not fit that he should be named with the name of Paul the apostle. And they wrote to Dionysius, patriarch of Rome, and Maximus, patriarch of Alexandria ⁹⁹, and to all the bishops of the inhabited world, and to the priests and deacons and all the baptized, and to the whole orthodox Church under heaven, naming the bishops, and saying in their letter: «Helenus and Hymenaeus |193 and Theophilus and Theotecnus and Maximus and Proclus and Nikomas and Aelianus and Paul and Protogenes and Bolanus and Hierax and Eutychius and Theodore and Malchion and Lucius, and the rest, who dwell in the cities near to us. We have written to you, our brethren, the holy bishops, and the laity who love the Lord Christ, the Son of God, calling upon you to pray to the Lord that he may cause to cease from among you the opinions of Paul the Samosatene, who teaches doctrines which beget death for him more than any other; that thus you may be of one mind with us, like Dionysius, patriarch of Alexandria, and Firmilian, bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, who wrote to us at Antioch, so that we overthrew the leader of the error, of whose evil teachings they knew nothing, because it was we who read in the council his writings, containing his corrupt faith; and we and those with us bore witness of this. And after that he promised us to repent; but that was mockery and treachery on his part; for his heart was hard, and he would not repent, but remained in his error, imagining vain things about the Lord in his discourses. So he apostatized and denied the Lord in his creed.

Now the condition of this Paul was of such a nature that he went over from faith to misbelief and error and perdition. And he was notoriously poor by birth, because he inherited nothing from his ancestors, and earned nothing by the work of his hands; but he became rich by the wealth of the church, and |194 used to rob the sanctuaries by the Law, and take bribes from the brethren when judging them; and if their adversaries offered him larger bribes, he turned round and took their side against the others. Thus he gained for himself vain riches by every kind of injustice. Yet in spite of that, he professed that he served God. And he used to walk with an escort, and to tyrannize over the poor, and to make a parade through the chief streets; and he loved to be called bishop, and troubled men by the multitude of his attendants. And he had letters with him, which he read while he walked, as if he was collecting taxes; and he made the people feel that he was a ruler; and he was accompanied by armed men before and behind him. And he hated spiritual teaching, and loved strange doctrines. And he neglected strangers, when he entered the church. And he sought glory from the rulers, and made plans for vain pomp of every kind, so that he even placed for himself a throne with a high platform; pretending to be a disciple of Christ, while in reality he was a stranger to the Church. And he made the women chant songs on the nights of the festivals and at the Easter assembly instead of the Psalms and hymns; but the faithful brethren stopped their ears when they heard them chant. And he would not accept any of the scriptures, nor confess that Christ was the Son of God, nor that he came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Virgin Mary; but he uttered many blasphemies, and |195 declared that Christ was one of us. In consequence of these things it was necessary that we should assemble in council and cut him off. And we have appointed instead of him a man who fears God, named Domnus, son of the blessed Demetrianus, who is now in the Church, and deserves her praise. Thus we have written these things to you in order that you may write to this new bishop, and may receive his letters in peace according to the custom of the Church. Paul the Samosatene then has fallen away from the Faith, and Domnus has received his bishopric in our presence at Antioch.» And the prince Aurelian began to raise a persecution against the Church ¹⁰⁰, but the help of the Lord was not with him in what he intended to do; and alter six years he died. And after him was Probus the prince. In his time a wicked man named Manes appeared, and showed forth evil deeds, and blasphemed the Father Almighty, and the only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost who proceeds from the Father. And he dared to say that he himself was the Paraclete.

This man had been slave ¹⁰¹ to a widow woman, who had much wealth. |196 For there had formerly lived with her a great magician, a native of Palestine, who fell from the house-top and died. After that, the woman bought that wicked slave, and had him taught in the writing-school; and when he grew up, she gave him the books of that magician. And when he had read them, and learnt magic from them, he went to Persia, and visited the place where the magicians and diviners and astrologers dwelt. And when he was strong in the doctrines of sin, Satan appeared to him, and strengthened him, and encouraged in him the hatred of the Church. So he led astray many people by his magic; and money was brought to him; and he had youths and girls, who ministered to his evil desires, and whom he enslaved by his magic. And he led astray a multitude of people, saying to them that he was the Paraclete, whom the Lord Christ promised to send in the Gospel of John.

And there was a rich Christian man, named Marcellus, chief of a city in the province of Syria, where there was a bishop named Archelaus. And upon this chief was the spirit and blessing of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and he was a disciple of the church, and constant in his visits there, morning and |197 evening, like a poor man who possesses nothing. And he used to listen to the sermons of the bishop, as it was his duty to do, and to perform good works with his money among the people of this city. And his door was open to everyone who came to him, whether they were the poor or those oppressed by the taxes, or others; so that he was like the holy Job.

And at that time the Persians took captive the people of a village near the house of Marcellus, and laid waste the village, and killed many people. Then the prisoners sent to him, and asked him to perform an act of mercy towards them. Accordingly he consented to their request in charity, and interceded with the leader of the Persians, and received from him many of those that had been taken. And Marcellus, when he came before the Persian chief, offered money to him and to many who were with him, saying to them: «Take what you please in payment for these captives.» But when the Persians saw his good deed, they refused to do as he proposed, and said to him: «We will not do this, but give us what thou wilt as a ransom for the men who are with us.» So the affair was settled between the parties at three denarii for every person. Thus Marcellus delivered all that were in the hands of the Persians, and paid them the money, and presented to them as a gratuity something beyond the price agreed upon; and he received the captives from them, and remained with them seven days. And he tended the sick among those prisoners as if they were his own children; and he sent to their town, and buried those whom the Persians had slain of them. Then he rebuilt the houses of the living whom he had redeemed; and the hearts |198 of those who remained in the town were set at ease; and he rebuilt for them all the churches, and made them live in their town. And when the Persians went away from his country to their own land, they related all that he had done, and the greatness of his wealth, and the love of the people of his town for him.

Now when Manichaeus, the evil one, heard what this man, Marcellus, had done, he thought over it, and said to himself: «If I could gain this man over, and receive him into my sect, then the whole of Syria would be under my influence.» So he wrote him a letter, in which he said: «The Paraclete, Manes, writes thus to Marcellus. Verily I have heard of the excellence of thy deeds, and therefore I know that thou wilt be a chosen disciple of mine, that I may make known to thee the straight way, which Christ has sent me to teach to men. But now your teachers have led you astray, since they say that God, whose Name is glorious, entered the womb of a woman. And the prophets said untrue words of Christ; for the God of the Old Testament is evil, and wills not that anything should be obtained from him. But as for the God of the New Testament, he is good, and when they take aught from him he does not refuse.» And he said of Christ many words blasphemously, which it is not lawful to repeat; nor has Satan himself ever said the like!

And Manes gave the letter to one like himself, and sent him to Marcellus. But when the messenger came to Syria, none of the people received him on the way, to entertain him at his house; and he suffered greatly from hunger, |199 feeding only upon herbs, until he came to the house of Marcellus. So when Marcellus had received the letter and read it, he sent it to the bishop Archelaus; and having provided the messenger with a lodging, he waited. Then, when the bishop had read the letter, he tore the hair of his head, saying: «Would that I had died before reading this blasphemous letter!» And he sent to Marcellus, who brought the messenger to him; and the bishop asked him concerning the history of this Manes, and in what circumstances he was living. So the man informed Archelaus of those matters. And that messenger desired to remain with these two, when he heard their words, and saw their virtues and their excellence. Then Marcellus requested him to return to Manes with an answer to the letter, and gave him three denarii. But he said: «Pardon me, my lord, but I will not return to him.» Thereupon they rejoiced at the salvation of his soul from the snares of death. And Marcellus wrote to Manes an answer to his letter, and sent it to him bv one of his slaves. And the Father Archelaus said to that slave: «Take nothing from him, and neither eat nor drink with him.» Then he sent him on his journey. And after seven clays, Manes came to Marcellus, dressed in a habit of fine linen, with a striped tunic of fine material beneath it; and he was wrapped in a cloak descending over his feet, adorned with figures in front and behind; and with him were thirty-two youths and girls walking behind him.. So when he entered the house of Marcellus, he |200 went straight to a chair, and sat upon it in the midst of the house; and he thought that they would request him that they might receive instruction from him. So Marcellus sent to the bishop Archelaus, and when he saw Manes sitting on the chair, he was astonished at his want of shame. Then the bishop questioned him, and said to him: «What is thy name?» Manes replied: a My name is Paraclete.» Archelaus said to him: «Art thou the Paraclete of whom the Lord Christ said that he Avould send him to us?» He said: «Yes; I am he.» The bishop asked him: «How many are the years of thy life?» He answered: «Five and thirty years.» Archelaus, the bishop, said to him: «The Saviour Christ said to his disciples: «Remain in Jerusalem, and do not depart, nor preach the gospel, until you are clothed with the power from on high, which is the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost. And after ten days from his Ascension into Heaven, as he said, the Paraclete descended, on the day of Pentecost, which was the completion of fifty days after the Pasch. But according to thy words, the disciples are still awaiting thee at Jerusalem; and yet by Christ's command it is about three hundred years since they began to preach, and their voice went forth into all lands, and their words reached the ends of the world. If the event had been as thou sayest, they would not have preached, but would have remained alive |201 till now. And where didst thou see the Lord Christ, thine age being thirty-five years? And he bade thee not to sit in the chief places at assemblies; yet, behold, thou hast taken the highest seat in the house.»

Then Manes enquired: «Does not the gospel say, I will send you the Paraclete?» Archelaus answered: «If thou believest in the gospel, he said to our Lady Mary, the Virgin: The Holy Ghost shall descend upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; and he whom thou shalt, bring forth is Holy, and shall be called the Son of God.» Then the bishop brought forth the letter of Manes, which he had sent to Marcellus, in which he denied the birth of Christ from a woman, and declared his disbelief in Christ's death and resurrection from the dead. Thereupon Manes began to speak of his false doctrines, saying that there were two gods, one of them Light, and the other Darkness, and uttering similar infidelities. So the bishop Archelaus said to him: «If I refute thee according to thy lies, thou wilt still insist on thy doctrines before me. But behold, I will send and bring into thy presence people who do not know God, the God of Heaven, that they may put thee to shame in thy words.» Accordingly he sent and brought before him two men, one of them a philosopher and physician, and the other a scribe, and said to them: «Hear what this man says. Are there in your books some words which you accept, and other words which you reject?» They answered: «No; but we accept everything in our books, and we reject nothing in them. For if we separated part of our books from the rest, we should neither know how to read them nor how to accept them.» |202

Then the bishop answered and said to them: «This man preaches and says that he is the Paraclete whom Christ sent, and yet he neglects the commands of Christ.» Then they said to him: «We do not accept Christ nor do we touch anything of his.» And when Manes spoke, and the assembly heard his words full of blasphemy, they rushed upon him to kill him; but the bishop forbad them to do that, and said to them: «He will be slain by the hand of another than us.» Then he banished Manes from the city, saying to him: «Take heed that thou be not found in our province, lest thou die!»

When Manes went forth, he betook himself to a village where there was a hospitable priest, with whom he dwelt. And Manes remained for a month in the house of this priest, who did not, however, know who he was. At last he spoke to the priest of his wicked doctrines. So the priest said: «I have never heard of these words before; but I will send to the bishop Archelaus, that he may come and hear from thee what thou sayest, and then if it is good, we will accept it.» But when Manes heard the name of Archelaus, he was troubled thereat, because he knew his valour and the wisdom of God which was in him. Therefore he returned without delay to the land of the Persians, where he continued, as his custom was, to utter blasphemy. But the true Paraclete condemned him in his wisdom; for he delivered him into the power of the king of the Persians, who flayed off his skin, and cast him to the wild beasts, which devoured him. |203

At that time died Felix ¹⁰², patriarch of Rome; and Eutychianus was enthroned after him. And the length of time that Felix remained in the patriarchate was five years. And Eutychianus remained ten months, and then went to his rest. And after him sat Marcellinus. And at that time Timaeus received the patriarchate of Antioch after Domnus.

When Auxelian, the prince, died, Probus received the empire after him, and remained six years and died. Then, after him, reigned Cams and Carinus and Numerian; and they continued three years and then died. And after them reigned Diocletian, through whom a great persecution descended upon the Church, greater than those of his predecessors; for he destroyed the churches, and burnt the books, and slew the bishops and priests and many of the faithful.

And Socrates died at Laodicea, and Eusebius was appointed bishop of that city instead of him. This man had come from Alexandria on account of the council which had assembled at Antioch concerning Paul the Samosatene. His successor was Anatolius, who also had arrived in Syria from Alexandria, whither he had migrated, and where he had taken up his abode in order that he might teach the young people there. For he was skilled in learning, so that his fame reached as far as Rome. And when |204 an army marched from Rome to the city of Alexandria, and besieged it, Anatolius the teacher did not cease negotiating between the two parties, with all fairness until he improved the state of affairs, and established peace, and the war ceased. And the great men of the city were incensed against him, because he urged them to do what they did not wish. So he said to them: «Let the old men and old women and young children leave the city, for they are not required here; but do you do what you will with your city, for so you will retain the provisions which are in your hands, stored up among you.» Thus their hearts were appeased by this advice; and the next day the soldiers and the captains of the city assembled, and took counsel about this matter, and decided that it was right so to act. So they sent out the old men and old women and children; and many others escaped through the gates by night. After that, the emperor Claudius commanded to slay the troops of the city, because they had helped the people to depart from it; and the city was laid waste. And Eusebius also acted between the two parties as a physician or father who heals both sides alike. And this man was bishop of Laodicea, and he came to his see with the other bishop from Alexandria in excellent agreement. And after the fighting which took place at Alexandria, Anatolius wrote many instructions, and the people of the city profited by them. And he wrote for them a calculation of Easter also. |205

And on the st. day of the month after the council, which took place at Antioch to judge Paul the Samosatene, Theotecnus was established as bishop on the episcopal throne of Caesarea in Palestine, and the above-mentioned Eusebius over Laodicea. And Eusebius was a man powerful with the Lord, as also was Anatolius; for they were both inspired by the Holy Ghost to impart spiritual doctrine. Then they went to their rest, one after the other; and Stephen became bishop over Laodicea. He was a man full of wisdom, and everyone was astonished at him; and it was not merely wisdom of words, but the true orthodox faith; and he rebuilt the churches which had been destroyed in his city, and renewed them with the help of God given to him. And his successor, the bishop Theodotus, lived in the time of persecution, and was worthy of the two names by which he was called; for the interpretation of his own name is Gift of God, besides the name of bishop. And he was a lover of the people, and their shepherd and physician, skilful in doing good to their souls, so that it was said that there had been none equal to him in his charity. And Agapius, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, was like him also, and had laboured among his people in great charity; for he loved the poor, and controlled his people like a faithful servant of God; and after this he merited the crown of martyrdom, with many of the priests of Alexandria. And there were martyred also with them Pierius; and Meletius, who had become bishop of Pontus, and was called Honey, on account |206 of the sweetness of his tongue, which was full of the doctrine and grace of God. Meletius loved to give alms to the poor, and grudged nothing; and all his teaching was from the gospel; and he lived in the time when men were scattered and persecuted, and yet was constant in doctrine.

When Hymenaeus, bishop of Jerusalem, went to his rest, Zambdas was appointed instead of him; and when Zambdas died, there came after him Hermon, who suffered hardships in the time of persecution.

And Maximus, patriarch of Alexandria, went to his rest on the 14th. of Barmudah, after he had remained eighteen years in the see.

THEONAS ¹⁰³ THE SIXTEENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 282-300.

When Maximus went to his rest, Theonas took his seat after him upon the episcopal throne of Alexandria, after the people had assembled, and had come to an agreement upon his fitness for the office. So they promoted him in the first year of the reign of Numerian, Carus and Carinus, the princes. And he built a handsome church in the name of our Lady Mary, which was called the Church of the Mother of God ¹⁰⁴. For up to this time the people had celebrated the liturgy in caves and underground places and secret |207 resorts. And from saint Mark the evangelist to the third year of the patriarchate of Theonas were two hundred and nineteen years. And he went to his rest on the nd. of Tubah, after remaining nineteen years in the see. There was in the days of this Father, the patriarch Theonas, a holy priest, who had a pure wife; and these two walked together in the way of the Lord, keeping his commandments, and acting according to his precepts, cleaving to the canons of their religion, firm in the faith. But they had no child, and were sad at heart for this reason. And they multiplied fasts and prayers and alms, that the Lord might be gracious to them and grant them a child, by the sight of whom their eyes might be refreshed. When the least of the two glorious disciples, Peter and Paul, came round, on the fifth day of Abib, and all the faithful were present in the church, to keep their least, the wife of this priest, being present near the place where the picture of those two saints was, saw the faithful bringing their children forward, and anointing them with the oil of the lamp which was lighted before the two pictures. So she sighed, with a wounded heart, and prayed those two saints to intercede with the Lord for her. And she partook of the Holy Mysteries, and received the peace of God, and departed to her home, thanking the Lord of glory. And that night she saw in her sleep two persons in the dress of the patriarchs, who said to her: «Be not sad, for the Lord has heard thy petition, and has given thee a child with whom he will refresh |208 thine eyes. And he shall be a father to many people; and his name and his holiness shall appear like those of Samuel the prophet, for he is the son of a promise. Therefore when the morning comes, go early to the Father Theonas, the patriarch, and make this known to him, that he may bless thec; for God in his mercy will give thee a child who shall be blessed.» Accordingly, when it was morning, she told her husband the priest, and he said to her: «Go and make this known to Theonas the patriarch, as thou wert bidden.» So she went to him, and made the dream known to him; and he blessed her, and said to her: «The Lord will perform thy request, and answer thy prayer; for the Lord is true to his word, and his works are wonderful among his saints.» And she departed to her home. And a short time after that, she conceived; and she guarded herself in all purity, and in continual fasts and prayers night and day, until the day of the feast of Peter and Paul, on the fifth of Abib, when she brought forth a son. And the messenger of good tidings went to Abba Theonas, the patriarch, and informed him that she had become the mother of a son; and he rejoiced greatly thereat. And her husband, the archpriest, also rejoiced. And Abba Theonas, the patriarch, said to them: «Name him Peter.» And it was done so. And the child grew and waxed and increased, like John the Baptist, until he reached the age of three years. Then his parents carried him to the patriarch, and said to him: «This is the son of thy prayers.» So Theonas blessed them and the child, and baptized him. And when the child was five years |209 old, his parents gave him to be instructed. And he learnt wisdom in a very short time, and came to have a better memory than the rest of his comrades who were in the Church. And in his seventh year the patriarch made him reader; and he was filled with spiritual grace. And when he was twelve years old, he made him fully deacon; and he surpassed the other deacons in knowledge and piety, and in the spiritual and heavenly grace which God gave him. When he was fully sixteen years old, he was promoted to be priest, on account of the chastity and modesty and knowledge and piety, and true faith, and soundness of learning, and assiduous service of the churches, night and day, which the patriarch saw in him.

And in those days there had appeared a blaspheming man, named Sabellius, who preached a doctrine divergent from the faith; and this was that he believed that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the holy Trinity, were one Person, and not three Persons, but merely three names. Sabellius disbelieved in the gospel, and would not listen to that which is written therein, that our Lord Jesus Christ, when he was baptized by John, saw the Holy Ghost descending upon him like a dove, and heard the voice of the Father from heaven, saying: «This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.» So many, who heard the teaching of Sabellius, followed him, and he led them astray by his impiety. Then he assembled the members of his sect, and came to the church, when the father and patriarch, Abba Theonas, was present, on the day of a great feast; and he |210 stood at the door, and sent to the patriarch a messenger, who said to him: «Come out and discuss matters with me this day; and if thou art in the right I will follow thee, but if not I will make known to the people that thou art in error.» Then the father and patriarch said to Peter, the priest: «Go out to this misbeliever, and silence him, that he trouble us not.» So Peter went out; but when Sabellius saw him he said: «See the haughtiness and pride of Theonas; he has only sent out to me the least of the youths who attend him.» But Peter said to him: «Though I be young with thee, with my Father Theonas I am old. And the Lord will show thy misbelief hereby this day, for he will give me the victory over thee, as he made David victorious over Goliath the giant. For the Lord will bring his fate upon thee, and will punish thee, and destroy thee with thy companions, and bring thy doctrine to naught, and overthrow thy opinion, so that no word or syllable of thine shall remain.» And he had not finished his words before the face of Sabellius was convulsed, and his neck bent backwards, and he fell on the ground dead. And his followers fled in haste, and all those that were with him. So he perished, and his memory was lost, and his teaching was cut off, and no remembrance of him remained. This is the end of what happened to Sabellius.

And the Lord showed forth another sign by the hand of the holy Peter, which was as follows. There was a great feast in the city of Alexandria, at which the Father Theonas and all the clergy and people were present, glorifying God and keeping festival. And a man among them, in whom was |211 a rebellious devil, stood by the door, and began to throw stones at the faithful, and to foam at the mouth, and growl like a camel. So the people fled from him into the interior of the church, and made known to the patriarch the state of that madman. Theonas, therefore, said to the holy Peter: «Go out to him, and drive this devil out of him.» So Peter took a basin, and poured water into it, and presented it to the patriarch, begging him to make the sign of the cross over it; and he did so. And Peter went out, taking the vessel of water, to the place where the madman was. Then he said: «In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, who cast out the Legion of devils, and healed men of all diseases and sicknesses, go forth from him, Satan, by the prayers of my father Theonas, the patriarch, and return no more to him!» Then immediately the devil went out of him, and the man was healed, and became whole, and reasonable, and calm.

But if we were to describe the wonders which were manifested by this holy man, Peter, the exposition of them would be too long, and books would be too small to contain them.

And when Theonas came to die, so that he was to be gathered to his fathers, all the clergy and people were present with him, weeping and saying: «Alas our Father, thou leavest us like orphans.» Then he said to them: «You are not orphans, but this Peter is your father, and he shall be patriarch after me.» Thus Abba Theonas before his death appointed him to that office.

[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end]

1. 1. Jer. xlvi, 25; Nahum iii, 8; cf. Ez. xxx, 14,15,16, Vulg.

2. 1. Preface II is wanting in CD and E.

3. 1. Rom. v, 3, 4.

4. 2. Hebr. xii, 8.

5. 1. S. John xvii, 12; xviii. 9.

6. 1. S. Matth. v, 14-16.

7. 1. S. Matth. xi. 28.

8. 1. S. Matth. vii, 7; S. Luke xi. 9.

9. 2. Ps. cxv, 1-3 (Sept. cxiii, 9-11).

10. 1. This chapter is wanting in CDE. Cf. Suidas in v. Ἰησοῦς; Anecdota Graeco-Byzantina, ed. A. Vassilief, 1893, p. 60.

11. 2. The Greek versions have: τοῦ ἐν εὐσεβεῖ τῇ μνήμῃ γενομένου Ἰουστινιανοῦ.

12. 3. ἀργυροπράτης

13. 1. Urim and Thummim, Δήλωσος καὶ Ἀλήθεια, Doctrina et Veritas.

14. 1. κώδιξ.

15. 1. S. Luke iv. 14-22.

16. 1. Ps. cx, 4 (Sept. cix).

17. 2. Ps. lxxxix. 48 (Sept. lxxxviii).

18. 1. Cf. Eus., H. E., I. 3.

19. 2. Ἐν τοῖς τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας αὐτοῦ ὑπομνήμασιν.

20. 1. Cf. Bargès, Homélie sur saint Marc, Paris. 1877, p. 73-80 (premier appendice).

21. 1. Eus., H. E., II, 16.

22. 1. Cf. Bargès, loc. cit., p. 81-90 (second appendice); Acta SS., Apr, 25.

23. 1. Τὰ Βουκόλου, Bucolia.

24. 1. Σύρωμεν τὸν βούβαλον ἐν τοῖς Βουκόλου.

25. 1. Τὸ Ἀγγέλιον.

26. 1. Eus.; H. E., II, 24.

27. 2. Ibid., III, 14. 21.

28. 1. Eus., H. E., III,21.

29. 1. Eus., H. E., IV, 1, 4.

30. 2. Ibid., IV, 4, 5.

31. 1. Eus., H. E., IV, 5, 11.

32. 2. Ibid., IV, 11.

33. 3. Ibid., IV, 11. 19.

34. 1. Eus., H. E., IV, 19; v. 9.

35. 2. Ibid., V, 9, 22.

36. 1. Eus., H. E., V, 22; VI, 2, 3, 8, 19, 26. Cf. Acta SS. Oct. 9.

37. 1.Eus., H. E., VI, 1.

38. 1. Eus., H. E., VI. 4, 5. Aquila ([Arabic]) was the prefect of Egypt who carried on the Persecution.

39. 2. τῆς κατ' Ἀλεξάνδρειαν κατηχήσεως καθηγεῖτο. Ib., VI. 6.

40. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 7.

41. 2. Ib., VI, 8.

42. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 8.

43. 2. Ib., VI, 9.

44. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 9.

45. 2. Ib., VI. 10.

46. 3. Ib.

47. 1. Eus., H.E., VI, 11.

48. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 11.

49. 2. Ib., VI, 12.

50. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 15.

51. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 17.

52. 1. Eus., H.E.. VIII, 9, 10.

53. 2. Cf. Eus., Ib., VI, 19.

54. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 23, 24, 25, 32, 36.

55. 2. Ib., VI, 25.

56. 3. Σαρδὴθ Σαρδανὲ Ἔλ.

57. 1. I Cor., ii, 12.

58. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 26, 35.

59. 2. Ib.., VI, 15.

60. 3. Ib., VI. 26.

61. 4. Ib,, VI, 28.

62. 5. Ib., VI, 29.

63. 6. Ib.

64. 7. I. e. Fabian. Ib.

65. 1. Eus., H. E., VI, 29.

66. 1. According to Eus., H. E., VI, 30, Theodore, or Gregory, and Athenodorus were two pupils of Origen.

67. 2. Eus., ib., VI, 31.

68. 1. Eus., H.E., III, 28; VI. 29,35, 40-42, 44-46; VII, 1.2,4-11,20-28.

69. 2. Ib., VI. 37.

70. 3. I. e. that of the Helcesaïtes, ib., VI. 38.

71. 4. Ib., VI. 39.

72. 1. Eus., H. E., VI,40.

73. 1. Eus., VI, 41.

74. 2. The Arabic and some MSS of Eusebius have here «Fabian».

75. 3. καλάμοις ὀξέσι, ib.

76. 4. Quinta, ib.

77. 5. A misunderstanding of the passage: [Greek omitted from online version] ib.

78. 1. Eus. καλήλοις ἐποχούμενοι, perhaps misread καμίλοις.

79. 2. Besas. ib.

80. 3. Dionysia, ib

81. 4. Ammonarion, ib.

82. 1. Chaeremon, bishop of Nilus, Eus., H. E., VI. 42.

83. 1. Novatian.

84. 2. Eus., H,E., VI, 43.

85. 3. Καθαροί.

86. 1. The name here should be Novatian, but Eusebius also has Νοουάτος.

87. 1. These are the numbers of the Catholic clergy in Rome. Eus. has 42 acolytes. 52 exorcists, readers and doorkeepers, ib.

88. 2. τῆς Ἑρμουπολιτῶν παροικίας ἐπίσκοπος, ib., VI, 46,

89. 1. This passage is a mistranslation of Eus., VIII, 1.

90. 2. Stephen, ib., VII, 2-5.

91. 3. Ib., VII, 5.

92. 1. He is here writing to Xystus and speaking of Stephen, ib.

93. 1. A misinterpretation of the words: [Greek omitted from online edition] ib., VII, 10.

94. 2. Severus perhaps derives this name from ἀκόλουθος.

95. 1. Eus., H. E., VII, 13.

96. 1. Eus., H. E., VII, 14.

97. 2. ib., VII, 27.

98. 1. Eus., H. E., VII, 11, 28, 32.

99. 2. Ib., VII, 30.

100. 1. Eus., H.E., VII, 30, 31.

101. 2. The following account of Manes, Marcellus and Archelaus is taken from the Acts of the Dispute of Archelaus, now only existing in a Latin version, first published, according to the imperfect MS. from Bobbio, by H. de Valois, at the end of his edition of Socrates and Sozomen, Paris, 1668, and from the complete copy at Monte Cassino,by L. Zaccagni in Collectanea Monumentorum Veterum, Rome, 1698. There are, however, some variations in the Arabic summary here given. Fragments of a Coptic version of these Acts, and also of Eusebius (VII, 30, 32), coming from the White Monastery in Upper Egypt, and written in the tenth century, from which the Arabic version seems to have been translated, exist in the National Library in Paris (MS. copte 129 ¹⁴). See Crum, Eusebius and Coptic Church Histories in Trans. of Soc. of Bib. Arch. Feb. 12. 1902.

102. 1. The rest of this life is from Eus.; H. E., VII, 32.

103. 1. Eus., H. E., VII, 32.

104. 2. Θεομήτωρ.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1904) Part 2: Peter I - Benjamin I (661 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 1 pp. 383-518 (pp.119-256 of text).

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1904) Part 2: Peter I - Benjamin I (661 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 1 pp. 383-518 (pp.119-256 of text).

HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS OF THE

COPTIC CHURCH OF ALEXANDRIA

II

PETER I TO BENJAMIN I (661)

ARABIC TEXT EDITED, TRANSLATED, AND ANNOTATED

BY

B. EVETTS

Chapter 6 (contd)

Peter I, the seventeeth patriarch (300-311)

Achillas the eighteenth patriarch (311-312)

Chapter 7 -- Alexander I, the nineteenth patriarch (312-326)

Chapter 8 -- Athanasius I, the apostolic, the twentieth patriarch (326-373)

Chapter 9 -- Peter II, the twenty-first patriarch (373-380)

Chapter 10 -- Timothy I, the twenty-second patriarch (380-385)

Chapter 11 -- Theophilus the twenty-third patriarch (385-412)

Chapter 12 -- Cyril I, the twenty-fourth patriarch (412-444)

Chapter 13

Dioscorus I, the twenty-fifth patriarch (444-458)

Timothy II, the twenty-sixth patriarch (458-480)

Peter III, the twenty-seventh patriarch (480-488)

Athanasius II, the twenty-eighth patriarch (488-494)

John I, the monk, the twenty-ninth patriarch (494-503)

John II, the hermit, the thirtieth patriarch (503-515)

Dioscorus II, the thirty-first patriarch (515-517)

Timothy III, the thirty-second patriarch (517-535)

Theodosius I, the thirty-third patriarch (535-567)

Chapter 14

Peter IV, the thirty-fourth patriarch (567-569)

Damian, the thirty-fifth patriarch (569-605)

Anastasius, the thirty-sixth patriarch (605-616)

Andronicus, the thirty-seventh patriarch (616-622)

Benjamin I, the thirty-eighth patriarch (622-661)

|383

CHAPTER VI (Contd)

PETER I ¹, THE MARTYR, THE SEVENTEENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 300-311.

When Abba Theonas, the patriarch, went to his rest, the clergy of Alexandria assembled with the people and laid their hands upon Peter the priest, his son and disciple, and seated him upon the episcopal throne of Alexandria, as Theonas, the holy father, bade them; and that was in the sixteenth year of Diocletian the prince. And when Peter saw that the wicked Arians had filled the whole country with confusion through his unbelief, he cut him off and banished him from the Church.

And in the nineteenth year of the reign of Diocletian, his letters came to Alexandria and Egypt; and he brought trials upon the Christians, and destroyed the churches of God, and killed many persons with the sword; and those that believed in Christ fled into the wilderness, and into dens and caves. Then Diocletian established guards and watchmen in every place of the |384 province of Egypt and the Thebaid as far as Antinoe, and commanded them to kill all the Christians that they found. Afterwards those guards seized the blessed Peter ², patriarch of Alexandria, and threw him into prison, and made known to the prince that they had seized him and bound him; and so the unbelieving prince commanded that they should take off his head. When the letter came to them with this order, they hastened to perform the prince's bidding. But when they wished to bring Peter out from the prison that they might take him and kill him, the people assembled at the door of the prison, and sat by it, to watch over their shepherd, saying:«When we are all put to death, then his head shall be taken.» So those soldiers began to consider how they should bring him forth, so that a great multitude might not die on account of him; for all the people had assembled for his sake, the old and the young, and the monks and the women and the virgins, and were weeping abundant tears. And the soldiers agreed together that they should enter and bring him forth, and slay any of the people who opposed them, as the prince's letter directed.

Now the reason of the prince's command to seek and put to death this |385 father and patriarch was as follows. There was at Antioch a man named Socrates, who was one of the commanders of the troops which served at the palace, and was a comrade of Apater, who was martyred with his sister Irene. This Socrates was by birth a Christian, and was baptized; but he denied his religion, and came to hate the Christians. And he had a wife who was good and charitable and a Christian, by whom God granted him two children. So when they grew and were fit for baptism, the wife said to her husband: «I pray thee, my brother, to travel with me to Alexandria, that we may baptize our children, so that they may not die without baptism, lest the Lord Christ be angry with us for our neglect of them». Then the unbeliever replied: «Be silent; for thou knowest not the troubles which have come upon us in these days; lest the king should hear and be exceeding wroth with us.» Now his intention was to frighten her by this; so that she might leave her children without baptism. But when she perceived that he would not consent, nor travel with her, she took her two children and two trustworthy menservants whom she had; and she went out to the sea-shore, and prayed, saying: «O Lord Almighty, Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, if thou wilt make my journey easy, prepare for me a ship in which I may depart.» Then while she was praying, she saw a ship about |386 to set sail. So she called one of the sailors, and said to him: «Whither are you voyaging?» He answered: «To Alexandria». She said to him: «Carry me with you, and I will pay you a high fare». So he consented to that. And she embarked on that ship, taking her two children, and her two men-servants. And after two days a high wind rose against them, so that everyone in the ship was troubled. Then that believing woman thought: «Verily God will not hear a sinner like me; but that which has come into my mind I will do». Then she arose and spread out her hands, and turned her face to the East, and prayed, saying: «O God, who knowest everything before if takes place, thou knowest what is in my heart, and that I love thee more than life or wealth, more even than my children and my own soul. Behold, we die in the midst of the waves for thy holy name's sake. O Saviour, O Lord, O my God and Saviour of my soul and my body, have a care for my children who are become orphans on account of thy holy name, and let them not die without baptism.» And when she had finished those words, she took a knife and said: «O Lord Almighty, thou knowest my heart». And she cut her right breast with the knife, and took from it three drops of blood, with which she made the sign of the cross on the foreheads of her two children, and over their hearts, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and she dipped them in the sea, saying: «I baptize you, my |387 children, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost». Then she embraced them, saying: «If death is to come to us, then let me die now, me and my two children.» So when the Lord saw her faith thus firm, he quelled that tempestuous wind; and there was a great calm. And they arrived after three days at the city of Alexandria.

So when they entered the city by the help of the merciful God, since that day was in the week of Baptism, which is the sixth week of the Fast, when infants are baptized, that woman went straightway to one of the deacons, and said to him: «My Father, I wish to have an interview with the patriarch». So he said to her: «What is thy business with the patriarch?» She answered: «My Father, I am a stranger, and I wish to baptize these two children of mine». The deacon asked her: «Hast thou no other business than this?» She replied: «No». He said to her: «Take thy seat in the church; behold the patriarch will come and baptize the infants, and will baptize thy children with them». So she did as he bade her; and when the time came, and the father and patriarch had finished the liturgy, they presented to him for baptism the infants who were to be baptized; and so he baptized them. Then they brought to him the two children of the woman of Antioch; but when the patriarch took the two infants to baptize them, the water was congealed, and became like stone. When Peter, the holy patriarch, saw this, he was astonished; and he commanded to set those two aside; but he told no one of the congealing of the water. Then he bade that |388 the other children should be presented to him, and when the other infants were brought the water was liquefied, and became as it was at first; and he baptized those that were presented to him. Then he gave orders that the two children of the woman should be presented a second time; but when they were brought to him, the water was congealed again, and became like stone. So he sent them back, and the infants of the city were offered to him again; and the water was unbound, and he baptized them. After that, he asked for the two children of the woman a third time; and the water was congealed again, and became like stone. Thereupon the patriarch bade the archdeacon of the church fetch their mother; and so he brought her before him; and he said to her: «Make known to me, woman, thy circumstances, and tell me what thy religion is». She replied: «I am of Antioch, and my family are Christians». The patriarch said to her: «Then what hast thou done? For behold, the Lord will not accept thy children for baptism». She replied: «Hear me, my Lord and Father, and be patient with me. For indeed thy Paternity knows how Christians are persecuted throughout the world in these days, and the worst of the trouble is at Antioch. And when these two children of mine grew up, and I found no way of baptizing them there, I asked their father to journey with me to this city, in order to baptize them here, but he would not. So I took these two children of mine, and went out with them to the sea-shore, and there we embarked in a ship; but afterwards |389 when we were in the midst of the waves, a tempest arose against us, so that the ship was near sinking. Therefore I took a knife, and wounded my right breast, and took from it three drops of blood, and made the sign of the cross upon the faces and hearts of my little ones, and dipped them in the sea, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, three times. For this reason the Lord withholds them from baptism. And this, by the truth of thy holy Paternity, is what I did». So the patriarch said to her: «Let thy heart be comforted, my daughter; fear not, for the Lord is with thee. When thou didst wound thy breast, and take from it the blood, and make the sign of the cross upon the faces of thy two children, in the faith of God the Incarnate Word, whose side was pierced on the cross with the spear, when the water and the blood came forth from it, he it was who made the cross over thy two children with his divine hand». Then the patriarch blessed those two among the baptized, but did no more to them; for he could not baptize them a second time, because the Lord had accepted them on the sea. For the patriarch said: «None can be baptized twice, for there is one baptism only; and these two have already been baptized once by the intention and faith of their mother, and by what she did».

Then the patriarch composed on this subject a homily, beginning thus: «The mercy of God which descends upon men». And he gave to the two children of the holy Mysteries. And he took them and their mother into his |390 house until they had kept the Feast of the Holy Easter. Then they returned to their own city in peace.

But when her husband learnt what she had done, he went to Diocletian, the unbelieving prince, and said to him: «Know, my lord the prince, that my wife committed adultery in this city; and when I hindered her, she went away to Alexandria, and committed adultery with the Christians during many days; and she took my children, and performed upon them a rite called baptism. And behold, she has returned hither. What thinkest thou that I should do with her?» Then Diocletian commanded Socrates her husband to bring her and her two children before him; and he. did so. And when she stood before him, he said to her: «O woman deserving of death, why didst thou leave thy husband, and go away to Alexandria, and commit adultery there with the Christians?» Then that holy woman answered him: «The Christians do not commit adultery nor worship idols; but do whatsoever thou wilt; for thou wilt not hear another word from me». The prince said to her: «Make known to me what happened to thee at Alexandria.» But she would not answer him. Therefore the prince commanded that her hands should be fastened behind her, and that her two children should be placed on her lap, and that all three should be burnt in the fire. So the holy woman turned her face to the East, and her children with her; and thus they gave up their souls, and received the crown of martyrdom. |391

Then the prince asked her husband Socrates: «Who is it that does these things at Alexandria?» He replied: «It is Peter, the patriarch of the Christians». So when he heard this, he was filled with anger and wrath, because he was full of indignation against the holy Peter, the patriarch, on account of the writings which he had composed in refutation of the worship of idols. Accordingly he wrote to his deputies at Alexandria, commanding that they should take his head. And while the soldiers were zealously obeying the commands of the prince, and Peter was in prison, as we have said above, Arius, the unbeliever, learnt that they wished to kill the patriarch. Then Arius feared that Peter would go to his rest, while he would remain bound by his sentence of excommunication. So he went to certain priests and deacons and many of the laity, and begged them to visit the prison, that they might throw themselves at the feet of the patriarch, and pray him to set Arius loose from his bonds of excommunication. Now they thought that Arius made this request out of piety, and therefore they consented to his petition. So they entered into the prison, and cast themselves down before Peter, and prayed: Then they made prostrations to him, and besought him to loose Arius from his bonds. But the patriarch cried out with a loud voice: «Do you intercede with me for Arius?» Then he raised his hands and said: «Arius shall be at this time, and in the time to come, excluded from the glory of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ». When he had said this, a great fear came upon them, and not one of them dared to answer |392 a word. But when he saw that they were afraid of him, he comforted their souls. Then he rose up from the midst of them, and took with him the two old men, Achillas and Alexander, his two disciples, and went apart with them, and said to them: «God, the God of heaven, will help me to accomplish my martyrdom. Then thou, Achillas, the priest, shalt sit on this throne after me; and thy brother Alexander after thee. Say not that there is no mercy in me, for I am a sinful man; but Arius is full of hidden guile; and it is not I that have excommunicated him, but Christ. I tell you that this night, when I had finished my prayers and fallen asleep, I saw a youth coming in to me, with his face shining like the light of the sun, wearing a garment which clothed him down to his feet, but it was torn; and he took up the part where it was rent in his hands, and covered with it his breast and his nakedness. So when I saw him, I rose hastily, and cried with a loud voice, and said: O my Lord, who is it that has torn thy garment? He answered: Arius has rent it. Therefore receive him not, and have no fellowship with him. To-day there will come to thee some who will intercede with thee for him; but let not thy heart accept him, for I have forbidden thee to do so. Likewise charge thy disciples, Achillas and Alexander, who will sit after thee on the episcopal throne, that they receive him not. There my speech with him ended. And now I shall accomplish my martyrdom, having charged you as he commanded me. You, |393 my brethren, know how I have been all my time with you, and what trials I have encountered, and the conspiracies of the unbelievers and idol-worshippers; and how I was continually fleeing from place to place, from Mesopotamia to Syria, and to Palestine and Ramleh and the islands. Yet I did not cease to write to you two, secretly and openly, nor to comfort the people through the power of the Lord Christ, clay and night; and I neglected not the flock with which I was entrusted. And my heart was greatly grieved; but in spite of all this I did not neglect the care of Phileas and Hesychius and Pachomius and Theodore, who were imprisoned for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and merited grace from God; for I used to write to them, and to speak of them in my epistles from Mesopotamia. And I suffered great trouble and torment for their sakes, lest anything should happen to them together with the priests who were in prison; for more than six hundred and sixty souls became martyrs. Now, as you know, I have the care of you all; therefore, when I heard that they had been martyred, I worshipped and thanked him who strengthened them, Jesus Christ, who also counted them among his martyrs. So likewise I pray him to number me among them. Moreover you two know the evils which have befallen me from Meletius of Asyut, who divided the Church of God, which the Lord Christ, the Word of God, redeemed with his holy blood, when he laid down his life for it».

Then the father and patriarch, Abba Peter, began to teach those two, |394 and charge them to beware of the guile of the aforesaid Meletius, that they should not associate with him. And he said to them: «Behold, you two see me bound for the love of God, while I am awaiting his will; for the officers of Diocletian daily deliberate how to kill some of us, as you know, and they assiduously carry out what they are commanded to do. But I do not fear for myself, and only desire to finish the course which God has appointed for me, and my ministry, which I accepted from the Lord Jesus Christ, my God; and he will help me to complete it; henceforth, therefore, you two will not see my face in the body after this day. I testify to you that I have declared everything to you; and I am pure and free from sin. Therefore keep the flock which the Holy Ghost has entrusted to you, and guard the Church of God which he bought with his blood; for I know that, after I am separated from you, some of the people will arise and speak words of blasphemy, with the intention of dividing the Church, as Meletius has done, whom many of the people have followed; but I beseech you to be vigilant, for you will encounter trouble. For you know what befell the Father Theonas, who brought me up, and upon whose episcopal throne I sat after him, and the evil which he suffered from the worshippers of idols. And I hope that a grace like his will come to me, similar also to the grace given to the Father Dionysius, who hid himself in various places on account of the heretic Sabellius. What shall I say also concerning |395 Heraclas and Demetrius, the two blessed ones, and the disorders that they encountered, and the hostility which they endured from Origen, the madman, and all that took place through him; and concerning all our fathers, who were before us, and what they bore for the Church of God? But the grace of God, which was with them, was that which overshadowed them and protected them.

And now I commit you to God by the word of grace, which has the power to preserve you, and to preserve his flock».

And when the Father Peter had said this, he fell upon his knees and prayed and worshipped with those two, and gave thanks, and clasped them to himself, embracing them, and kissed them. And Achillas and Alexander kissed his hands and bade him farewell weeping, because of his saying to them that they would not see him after that day in the body.

Then he returned to the assembly near which he was standing, and remained among them and exhorted them, and comforted them, and prayed for them, and blessed them, and consoled them, and dismissed them in peace. And when they went away from him, they informed the people of what he had said, and of what he had done in the prison with regard to Arms. And when the people heard this, they marvelled, for they knew that God was with him, and had separated Arius from them. But when Arius learnt this thing, he kept silence and concealed himself and his opinions and his guile, because his hope in the patriarch Peter was cut off. |396

So when the Father Peter heard of the strife on his account between the troops and the people of the city, who prevented the soldiers from approaching the prison in which he was, he feared that some would be slain for his sake, and resolved to preserve his faithful people, and to redeem them with his own life. Therefore he sent word to the soldiers secretly, saying to them: «Come this night to the wall of the prison at the place where I will knock for you from within; and make a hole through it, and do what the prince has commanded you to do». And when they heard this, they accepted his words. Accordingly they went that night secretly to the place of which he told them, which was a cell where he was separate from the other prisoners, of which none of the people knew; and then he knocked at the wall from within, and when they heard him, they broke open the place where he knocked, and made an opening there. So he made the sign of the cross on his face, and put his head out to them, through the hole which they had opened, saying: «It is better that I should give up my life than that the people should perish for my sake». Thereupon the soldiers cut off his head, and went away. Behold then this most admirable deed!

Now there arose at that hour a violent wind, so that none of the people who were guarding the door of the prison heard the sound of those that pierced the wall; nor did any of the prisoners hear it. Thus this blessed father accomplished the words of the holy Gospel, and the words of the Jews which it reports ³ on the day of the blessed crucifixion, namely, that |397 it is better that one should die for the people than that the whole people should perish; and he was like his Lord, the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for his sheep. But the people meanwhile were sitting by the door of the prison, and knew not what had happened to him.

In another copy, however, it is said that he came out through the hole in the wall, and the soldiers took him and led him away to a place called Boucolia, the interpretation of which is Cattle-yard; and this is the place where was accomplished the martyrdom of the glorious father, Saint Mark the evangelist. But when the soldiers saw the holy Peter thus giving himself up to death, they were filled with awe, and dread fell upon them. So he asked them, and said to them: «I pray you that I may go and receive a blessing from the body of the father, Saint Mark the evangelist». Then they consented to his request, and said with shame and downcast looks: «Whatever thou desirest, father, do quickly». So he went to the place where the body of Saint Mark, the evangelist and bringer of good tidings, lay; and he prayed and received a blessing from the relics, and knelt by them, as if he were discoursing with the saint, saying: «O my father, evangelist and messenger of the Lord Christ, the Only-Begotten Son, who dost bear witness to his passion, thou art the first martyr and the first patriarch of this see. Thou, O pure and holy one, art he whom Christ, truly the most holy, elected. Thou didst preach his name in the land of Egypt, and in this city, and in the provinces which surround it, and didst diligently exercise the ministry which was thy work; and thou didst receive the crown of martyrdom. For |398 this reason, O father and evangelist, disciple and martyr, thou wast worthy to show forth thy faith in God, the Word and Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thou didst elect the blessed Annianus because he was worthy; and after him was Avilius, and those who succeeded those two; then Demetrius and He-raclas and Dionysius and Maximus; and the blessed Theonas, my father, who brought me up until I came to the ministry of this see after him, though I am a sinner, unworthy of this honour which I received only by the greatness of his compassion. Therefore intercede for me, that I may be a martyr in truth, if indeed I be worthy to imitate Christ's crucifixion and resurrection; and that he may fill me with the perfume of life-giving faith, so that I may be to him sweet-smelling incense, by the shedding of my blood for his holy name. For the time is come for my decease; therefore pray, O my father, for me, that I may not be divided into two hearts or purposes; and that the Lord may strengthen me, until I depart from this world. And behold, I leave to thee the flock with which thou didst entrust me, and which thou didst hand over to me, and to those who were before me also, for thou art our teacher, O our lord; therefore be with us and with our children, according to the charge which the Lord Christ gave to thee».

Then Peter rose from beside the tomb, and lifted up his hands to heaven, and said: «O Son of God, Jesus Christ, Word of the Father, I pray and beseech thee to make to cease from us this persecution which is upon thy people, and to grant that the shedding of the blood of this thy |399 servant may put an end to the oppression of thy reasonable flock». Now there was in the neighbourhood of the tomb a dwelling-place, where lived a young virgin with her aged father, and she was at that moment standing to pray; and when her prayer was ended, she heard a voice from heaven saying: «Peter was the first of the apostles; and now Peter is the last of the martyrs». So when the holy father had finished his invocation, he kissed the apostle's tomb, and the tombs of the fathers which were there also. Then he ascended to the soldiers, who saw his face as it were the face of an angel of God, and so they were afraid of him, and did not speak to him; for God does not abandon those who trust in him. Thereupon the saint raised his hands to heaven, and thanked the Lord, and made the sign of the cross on his face, and said «Amen». And he took off his pallium, and bared his neck, which was pure before the Lord, and said to them: «Do as you have been commanded». But the soldiers feared that trouble would befall them because of him. So they looked one at another, and not one of them dared to cut off his head, because of the dread which had fallen upon them. Then they took counsel together and said: «To him that cuts off his head each one of us will give five denarii». Now they were six persons; and one of them had some money; so he took out five and twenty denarii from among the coins and said: «He that will go up to him, and cut off his head, shall receive this money from me and from the four others». So one of the men |400 went forward, and summoned up his courage, and cut off the head of the holy martyr and patriarch Peter; that day being the 29th of Hatur. Now Peter had sat on the evangelical throne for eleven years. But as for that soldier who cast in his lot with Judas Iscariot, he took the money and fled, he and his companions, in fear of the people. And the body of the saint remained lying as it was far into the day, until the people who were sitting before the prison learnt what had taken place, and saw the hole in the wall. Then they went in haste to the place where he was, and found his body covered with his garment, and the old man and the young virgin sitting there and guarding it. So they joined the head to the body, and spread over it a linen cloth; and they collected his blood; and they stood there weeping.

And the city was in confusion, and was greatly disturbed, when the people beheld this martyr of the Lord Christ. Then the chief men of the city came, and wrapped his body in the leathern mat on which he used to sleep; and they took him to the church, and placed him there on the synthronus, until the celebration of the liturgy. And, when the liturgy had heen performed, they buried him with the fathers. May his prayers be with us and all those that are baptized! Amen. |401

ACHILLAS, THE EIGHTEENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 311-312.

When the Father Peter went to his rest, and the people of Alexandria were thus deprived of his presence, they sent and assembled the bishops together. And they made Achillas, the priest, patriarch instead of Peter, as he had charged them before his death. Then, when Achillas had taken his seat upon the apostolic and evangelical throne, a body of the people came to him, and prayed him to receive Arius. Accordingly he admitted their request, and made Arius deacon. But since Achillas received Arius, and thus disobeyed the command of his father Peter, he only remained in the see six months. And he went to his rest on the 19th of Baunah.

CHAPTER VII

ALEXANDER I, THE NINETEENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 312-326.

When Achillas, the patriarch, went to his rest, the people assembled and laid their hands upon the Father Alexander, the priest, as the Father Peter, the last of the martyrs, had charged them; and he sat upon the |402 episcopal throne. And some of the people came to him, and prayed him to receive Arius. But when Alexander, the excellent, saw Arius, he rejected him, and would not receive him, and said to those who interceded with him for that man: «The Father Peter, while he was in prison, said to me and to my brother Achillas: The Lord Christ has anathematized Arius; therefore receive him not. And when Achillas, my brother, disobeyed the Father Peter's injunction, he only remained upon the episcopal throne six months. Therefore I will not receive Arius at all, since he is separated from us». So Arius remained in banishment under sentence of excommunication for many years. After that he went to Constantinople, and laid a complaint before Constantius, son of the blessed prince Constantine, describing how he had been treated, and declaring that he had repented and renounced his false doctrine; and he swore to this. And thus he continued to hide his guile in his heart, until God revealed to him his power over him, and his bowels gushed forth from his body, and so he perished, as it shall be related hereafter. For it was on account of Arius that the holy council at Nicaea took place, at which he was anathematized, and the orthodox faith was established, and the days of the fast and the day of the feast of Easter were fixed. And our Father, the patriarch Alexander, was president of that council. And after that, he went to his rest, holding fast to the orthodox faith. His death took place on the 22nd of Barmudah; and the period of his occupation of the see was sixteen years. |403

CHAPTER VIII

ATHANASIUS I, THE APOSTOLIC, THE TWENTIETH PATRIARCH. A. D. 326-373.

So when the blessed Father Alexander went to his rest, the Church was widowed for a few days. Then the people assembled and took counsel, and appointed the Father Athanasius, and seated him on the evangelical throne. And he wrote excellent treatises and many homilies; and he was called during his patriarchate the Apostolic, on account of the nobility of his deeds, which were like those of the Apostles.

In his days took place the council of Galatia at which Basil the Great, author of the Liturgy, was present, and in which they excommunicated the Arians, in the reign of Julian the misbelieving prince; and Jovian, the patrician, presided over this council; and Julian, the prince, was slain by the hand of the glorious martyr Mercurius; and after him Jovian the patrician was enthroned as prince, and gave rest to the Church during his reign. And Athanasius, the patriarch, endured many trials, and was sent into exile; for evil snares were laid for him, so that he was forced to leave his see by the frequent persecutions that he underwent: and he fled to Upper Egypt, and remained there for many years, and feigned himself a |404 workman, and disguised himself as a hired labourer, and did not disclose that he was patriarch. And the misbelieving princes, Valens and Valentinian, reigned eleven years. So when it was the Lord's will to restore Athanasius to his see again, through this patriarch's holy and accepted prayers, he destroyed those princes by an evil death, on account of what they had done against orthodoxy. And the Lord set up a believing prince, named Theodosius; and the Church rejoiced in his days, and there was tranquillity and security and peace.

When Athanasius returned to his see there was joy and gladness in the land of Egypt at his reappearance, because the Lord had counted the people worthy of the return of their shepherd to them. And this good spiritual shepherd remained on the throne of Saint Mark the evangelist forty-seven years, until he went to his rest on the th of Bashans, governing the Church, and subduing those who rebelled against the truth, and resisted the orthodox religion, and wearing as a garment the honour of the Lord Christ. So the people mourned for this apostolic shepherd of whom they were deprived.

And as for his history, he quitted his diocese three times, on account of the persecutions which overtook him, when the heretics took possession of his see; and his absence the third time lasted eleven years. And he wrote |405 from his exile to certain virgins in the city of Alexandria, saying to them: «Verily your bridegroom is Christ, the invisible and immortal one, so that, as long as you remain obedient to his love, you will not be widows. Know that I used to act as scribe for my father Alexander; and he never read the gospel in his cell or elsewhere seated, but always standing, with the light in front of him; for God most high had made him love to read the scriptures. So while he was one night standing and praying and reading in the gospel, behold, some nuns came, and asked leave to see him. Then they came up to him, and prostrated themselves before him, and said to him: There are in our convent certain virgins who fast during six days of the week continuously; but they do no work with their hands, by which something might be earned to feed the poor. Now we desire of thee, our father, that thou shouldst bid them work, and direct that their fast be kept in moderation. So he said to them: Believe me my sisters, I have never fasted for two whole days together, without breaking my fast during the day; but I only ate in moderation, and neither wearied my soul nor punished my body. For it is good that fasting should be in moderation, and drinking in moderation, and sleep in moderation. For if a man eats as he ought, he is strong for prayer; and so likewise if he sleeps in moderation; but to food there should be a limit, and to drink a limit, and to sleep a limit. So tell them to break their fast in moderation, and to work, for everything is good in moderation, that words may not be multiplied, and the beginning of them may not be forgotten». |406

This is what Athanasius the Apostolic wrote and reported of his holy father, Alexander. He declared also that his words were like honey to those that heard them, for he was full of the grace of the Lord Christ; and that it was reported that Arius had come to this Father Alexander, and prayed that he might enter to him. But Alexander said: «Tell him thus: My father charged me that I should not receive thee, and that thou shouldst not enter to me, and that I should not associate with thee. For my father bore witness that the Lord Christ showed him in a dream his garment rent by thee, and commanded him not to receive thee. Or knowest thou not that it is thy tongue that has separated thee from him by what thou hast said concerning him? Therefore pray to the Lord Christ, the Saviour, and confess thy sin to him; and if he receive thee, then he will command me to receive thee, as he commanded Peter, my father, not to receive thee. For Christ has commanded that we should forbid none of those that believe in him to enter the church. But if a man has committed an offence, and has sinned, then we forbid him, until he repents and is converted; and then if Christ receives him we receive him».

So when Arius heard this he was angry, and went away, and collected to himself a great body of followers, and composed blasphemous treatises, and denied his faith with his tongue that deserved to be cut out, saying that the Son of God was created. And the council at Nicaea was held on account of him; and there the heads of the four sees were assembled to judge him, |407 namely the patriarchs of Rome and Alexandria and Ephesus and Antioch; and Constantine, the believing prince, sat with them. And they finally settled the orthodox faith, and the time of the Fast and of Easter. And the prince said to the bishops in council: «I pray you to make the city of Constantinople a patriarchal see, because it is the city of the prince, and likewise Jerusalem because it is the city of the true, heavenly prince.» So when they saw his humility, they did this as he prayed them. And they cut off Arius the unbeliever; and Constantine, the believing prince, wrote the excommunication of Arius the unbeliever in his own handwriting, saying therein that he had caused those to perish whom Christ bought with his holy blood. Then Arius fled to Africa, and found no rest in the days of Constantine, the prince, and in the days of Alexander the patriarch.

Now Alexander had brought up Athanasius excellently well. For he was the son of a principal woman, a worshipper of idols, who was very rich; and he was an orphan on the father's side. So when he grew up she wished to marry him to a wife, but he did not desire that. Then she intrigued against him, that he might fall with a woman who was a sinner, that she might involve him in the mire of matrimony; but he would not do it, for the Lord was keeping him for great things. And she used to take beautiful girls, and adorn them and perfume them, and make them enter to him into his chamber, and sleep near him and solicit him; but when he awoke he beat them, and drove them away. For her constant desire was to marry him and to establish him in his father's possessions |408 and wealth, but he would never consent. And she sent for a man who was a magician of Alexandria, a wise man among the Sabaeans, and informed him of her circumstances with regard to her son; so he said to her: «Let me eat bread with him to-day.» Thereupon she rejoiced, and prepared a great feast. And the philosopher accompanied her son, and they ate and drank; but when the morning came, he went to her, and said to her: «Trouble not thyself, for thou canst have no power over thy son, for he has become a Galilaean according to the doctrines of the Galilaeans; and he will be a great man.» She said: «Who are the Galilaeans?» He answered:. «The people of the Church, who have ruined the temples and destroyed the images.» Therefore when she heard this, she said within herself: «If I neglect him, he will go away from me, and I shall be left alone.» So straightway she arose, and took him with her, and went with him to Alexander, and related to him the circumstances of Athanasius her son, and all his history. Then she was baptized, and her son also.

And after a time she died, and Athanasius remained like a son with the Father Alexander, who educated him quietly in every branch of learning. And Athanasius learnt the gospels by heart, and read the divine scriptures; and when he was fully grown, Alexander ordained him deacon, and made him his scribe, and he became as though he were the interpreter of the aforesaid father, and a minister of the word which, he wished to utter. |409

So when Constantine, the believing prince, died in a good old age, Constantius his son was enthroned after him, but did not remain firm in the orthodox faith, only fearing and respecting the people. Then Arms found his opportunity, and aimed at taking hold of the prince, and drew him to his own mind, and corrupted his heart, and induced him to incline the empire to his doctrine, and led him astray, till he sent and summoned Alexander from Alexandria to Constantinople. For the prince did not know the power of Alexander, nor the cause for which he had anathematized Arius and removed him from the Church. Now Alexander had grown old and advanced in years, although he was strong in sense and sound in faculties; and Athanasius was his interpreter and scribe and mouthpiece, through the power of the Holy Ghost, on account of his knowledge of the orthodox faith. So the Father Alexander took his seat in the presence of the prince, who then summoned Arius; and Arius uttered his impure discourse, and multiplied his vile phrases. But Athanasius confuted him by the arguments which he delivered, and brought his discourse to naught. Thereupon Arius was troubled, and broke up the assembly, saying: «We will have another sitting.» And since Arius knew that he had no power against Athanasius, he gave money to the attendants at the royal doors, and settled with them that they should prevent Athanasius from entering with the others into the next assembly. So when the morrow came the prince commanded to bring them in; but when Alexander entered, the doorkeepers prevented Athanasius |410 the Apostolic from entering. When the prince had taken his seat, the patriarch being present also, Arius spoke and delivered a long discourse. So the Father Alexander turned to the right and left, but could not see Athanasius, his scribe; and therefore he was silent. Then the prince said to him: «Why dost thou not speak?» Alexander replied: «How shall I speak without a tongue?» So the prince knew that he meant Athanasius, and commanded to bring him in. But when Arius saw that Athanasius had entered, he went out hastily, and would not remain. Then Alexander said to the prince: «Know, O prince, that the cutting off of this Arius took place at the council; and it was not I alone that cut him off, but thy blessed father, the prince, and all the members of the council cut him off, and the prince wrote his anathema in his own handwriting. Therefore if thou wilt look at the letter of thy father, thou wrilt find that it is in his handwriting. Shall I then say of him that was excommunicated by the prince Constantme and the members of the council that I will absolve him? Nay, that would be an act of heresy on my part. For thy father in truth wrote his anathema and his excommunication in his own handwriting, at the council which took place at Nicaea.» So when the prince heard this speech, he was afraid of his brother, that if he should break the command of his father, his brother would find in that a pretext for plotting against him; and therefore he dismissed the Father Alexander, and restored him to his see. Thus Arius justly remained anathematized, and bound by the censures of the |411 Church, for he had supposed that he would succeed in obtaining his desires by his power over the prince, and by giving money to the attendants.

And the Father Alexander went to his rest with his fathers, after he had charged the priests and the people, at the time of his death, that they should seat Athanasius after him upon the throne. So they rejoiced at that, on account of their love for Athanasius. When he sat upon the apostolic throne, he drove the sect of Arius out of the Church, and brought forth the letter of excommunication which was in the handwriting of Constantine, the prince, and the members of the holy council, and read it in the church before the congregation. But when Arius heard of this, he was exceedingly angry, and his pride blazed up like fire, and he went to the prince, and said to him: «If Alexander, patriarch of Constantinople, will receive me by thy command, I shall attain my object.» So the prince summoned the patriarchy and said to him: «Behold, the patriarch of Alexandria has refused to receive Arius, and has disobeyed our command. But thou knowest that we have raised thee, and seated thee as patriarch upon the throne of Constantinople; and therefore it behoves thee not to resist us, as others do., since thou art good, but to take Arius to thyself, and receive him.» The patriarch answered: «Nay, the Church will not receive him, and it is not right that we should receive any except those who agree with her faith. For this man has declared that one of the Trinity is a creature, and has been rightly removed from the Church.» The prince rejoined: «That he does not do, |412 but on the contrary he acknowledges the Trinity.» The patriarch said to him: «Then let him write for me a confession of his faith in his own handwriting, so that I may know what he believes.» So the prince sent for Arius; for this was a thing from God most high; and he wrote a confession of the faith in his own hand, concealing his heresy in his own soul. Then the patriarch asked him to swear that no doubt of the truth remained in his heart; and so he swore to him. Then the prince said to the patriarch: «What remaining objection hast thou against Arius after that?» So the Father Alexander, patriarch of Constantinople, said to the king: «Verily the Father Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria, has read afresh at Alexandria the anathema pronounced against Arius, written in the handwriting of the prince Constantine, thy blessed father, and in the handwriting of the fathers of the council of Nicaea, and has banished his sect from his church. But if no misfortune happen to this Arius from to-day till Sunday, then I will receive him, and will invite him to association with the priests. »

Then Arius went away, and waited for Sunday. So when Sunday came he entered the church, having put on splendid garments, and perfumed and scented himself, and sat by the door of the sanctuary, among the ranks of the priests. But the patriarch and his friends had remained all through the week fasting, and standing before the Lord Jesus, and beseeching him not to reckon to them the sin of Arius; for the prince had sworn to Alexander, saying: «If thou wilt not receive Arius on Sunday after his oath, I will exact from the church a large sum of money». So when the clergy and the |413 people were assembled on that day in the church, while Arius was present, the father and patriarch performed the liturgy, though he was sad. But when the reader read, the bowels of Arius were moved; and he went out to a corner at a distance, that he might relieve himself, and all his bowels gushed out from his body. And as he remained absent from the congregation, they asked after him, but could not find him. So they searched for him, and discovered him sitting rigid, empty, and shrivelled, with all his internal organs lying before him. Then they brought word of this to the father and patriarch, and he marvelled thereat, and was silent, and thanked the Lord Jesus Christ, and glorified him who had passed judgment upon Arius, and destroyed him swiftly, on account of his false oath and his corrupt faith. Then he showed to the prince and the congregation all the truth of what the Father Peter, the martyr, patriarch of Alexandria had said.

So Alexander, patriarch of Constantinople, finished the liturgy on that day with joy and glory and praise, and sent to Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria, saying: «We glorify God and make known to thee, brother, that Arius has died a wonderful death, and his doctrine has been cut off, and his sect scattered.» But the prince was not satisfied with that, on account of the friends of Arius, namely Syrianus and George and their followers. These are they who made the assault upon the church of Alexandria. |414

For the prince gave to George five hundred horsemen of his army, and sent them with him, that they might make him patriarch of Alexandria. And he wrote to every city letters, in which he repeated the doctrine of Arius, that the Son of God was created; but not one in the land of Egypt would accept it, and the people continued to receive the communion from priests whom Athanasius had ordained. So this George entered into the church of Alexandria by guile; and many of the Christian people who followed the doctrine of Athanasius were killed by the soldiers who came with George, until the blood in the church rose up to their knees; and they plundered the vessels of the church, and violated the virgins who were in it.

Meanwhile Athanasius lay hid; and the people continued for a long time to communicate in caves and deserts and in the fields in all the provinces of Egypt as far as the Thebaid; for the Arians, who were friends of the prince, were spread over every place. And Serapion, bishop of Thmuis, wrote to the patriarch Athanasius and all the people, that they should keep themselves from the Arians. And after six years Athanasius showed himself, and went to the prince, thinking that he would kill him, and that he would receive the crown of martyrdom. So the prince commanded that he should be placed in a small boat, and that neither bread nor water should be given him, and that there should be no sailor with him nor anyone to guide the vessel, but that he should embark in it alone, and be sent out to sea; so |415 this was done to him. And the waves carried him, while God guarded and guided him, until he arrived at Alexandria unexpectedly on the third day. Thereupon the priests and people went out to him, and met him with joy and chanting, and so accompanied him until he entered the church, and expelled from it George, and those who believed in his corrupt faith. And Athanasius kept on that day a festival to the Lord; and the people rejoiced in all the provinces of Egypt.

And after seven years a man came whose name was Gregory, with whom were two thousand men who were soldiers; and he pillaged the church, and remained in possession of the see four years. And Athanasius was arrested; and the prince delivered him to a man named Philagrius, an unbeliever and idolater, for he wished to kill him, and to kill Liberius, patriarch of Rome, and Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch, because those three were the fathers of the orthodox faith; but the Lord rescued them from his hand, and saved them. So Athanasius went away with Liberius to Rome, and did not cease to remain with him until Constantius died, and his son Constans reigned after him; and he was orthodox. And as soon as Gonstans took his seat upon the throne he commanded to restore Athanasius to his see.

At that time Cyril was patriarch of Jerusalem; and a great miracle was manifested by his hand, for a pillar of light appeared by the tomb of the Lord Christ our Saviour; and a multitude of the Romans witnessed it, for all |416 those that were in the city and its neighbourhood came and beheld it. And it remained from the third hour to the ninth; and the people hastened to see it from every place. And Cyril wrote to Constantius the prince, and informed him of this wonder. Now Constans the prince loved Athanasius; and when he returned to his see, he remained twenty-five years in tranquillity and peace, although before that time he had passed twenty-two years in the see, in exile and conflict and persecution.

And Constans died, and Julian, the misbelieving gentile and idolater, reigned after him, being the son of the sister of Constantine, the great prince, and began immediately to open the heathen temples. Julian lived at Antioch, because he was unworthy to dwell in the residence of the great Constantine; and when he went to the place of the idols, he took a hawk, which he gave to the priest of the idols, who offered it to Satan, and Julian took its heart and ate it. And he had a sister's son named also Julian, an unbeliever like his uncle, who took the faithful priest Theodoret, and killed him, and then came to his uncle and informed him that he had put him to death. But Julian was angry with him, and said to him: «I did not desire that thou shouldst kill him; for the Christians take a pride in being slain, and say that they have become martyrs; but I am determined, if I return from fighting the Persians, that from everyone of the Christians shall be taken three ounces as a tax»; meaning thereby that he would oppress the Christians, |417 so that they might worship his idols, because they would not be able to pay the tax. Now the Church was in those days rich, and had four pillars to sustain her, namely Athanasius the patriarch, and Anthony and Pachomius, the two monks, in Egypt, and Basil, the bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia; and Liberius was patriarch of Rome. And the aforesaid Basil was a friend of Julian, the prince, and was brought up together with him in the school; so when he heard his evil doctrine, he took with him two bishops, and went to visit him. So Julian looked at their garments and their beards, and then said to them: «What do you seek?» They replied: «We seek a good ruler to rule over us.» Julian said to Basil: «Where didst thou leave the son of the carpenter when thou earnest hither?» Basil answered: «I left him making thy coffin to put thee in.» The prince said to him: «If thou wert not my friend, and if I had not an affection for thee, I would cut off thy head forthwith.» Basil said to him: «Didst thou not love knowledge, and long after it? How then hast thou abandoned philosophy?» The prince replied: «I have studied it and learnt it by heart, and I have found it vile.» Basil said to him: «Thou hast not studied it well, nor learnt it by heart; for if thou hadst understood it, thou wouldst not have thought it base.» The prince answered: «I must imprison you until I return from fighting the |418 Persians, so that you may see what will happen.» Basil rejoined: «If thou go and return, God has not spoken in me.» Julian, the prince, said: «What have I to do with that lying Galilaean, who said, I will destroy the temple which the Jews built? For I will rebuild it as kings build; and it shall be evident to all men that his words, It shall not be built, are false.» Then he cast Basil and the two who were with him into prison.

So Julian marched into the land of the Persians; and when he passed by Jerusalem, he saw the temple in ruins, without a wall standing, for Vespasian, the prince, had demolished it when he destroyed the Jews, and took them captive. But Julian commanded that the ground should be cleared, and the temple constructed anew, and proceeded on his march after leaving behind him one to superintend the building. Then he who directed the work of rebuilding the place began by pulling down the remains of the temple, so that there was not left therein one stone upon another, as the holy Gospel says; and afterwards he began to reconstruct it as a heathen temple. And the builders used to work during the whole day until night-fall, and then they departed to their homes; but when they came on the morrow, they used to find all that they had built destroyed, though not by human hands; nay, they even found the walls torn up from their foundations, and cast down on the ground. So they went on for two months, without being able to rebuild anything. Then the Jews said to them: «Burn down these tombs, in which the Christians lie, and then the building which you erect will be strong.» This advice they followed, and set fire to the tombs, beginning with two |419 tombs, in which were the body of Eliseus, the prophet, and the body of John the Baptist; but the fire had no power over them at all, therefore they wondered greatly. And although the fire continued to be lighted for many days, yet it would not touch them. Then some of the faithful went to the governor, and offered him money, if he would empower them to take away the two bodies which were in the two tombs; and he accepted the money and gave them permission to do so. Then they carried away the two holy bodies, and sent them to the Father Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria; and when they were brought to him, he rejoiced over them, as if he saw them alive before him; and he took them, and concealed them in a certain place, until he should find means of building a church over them.

And while Athanasius was sitting one day, and many of the faithful were with him to hear his discourses which gave life to their souls, behold, he raised his eyes and observed certain mounds opposite to the place in which he was. So he said: «If I find an opportunity, I shall build upon these mounds a church to John the Baptist and Eliseus the prophet.» And Theophilus, the scribe of Athanasius, was sitting with him at the table, with others of the faithful, and heard him say these words, which therefore remained in his memory.

But as for Julian, the unbelieving prince, he marched on into Persia; and God delivered him into the hand of his enemies, on account of the saints |420 whom he had imprisoned and threatened before his march. His death was thus. He saw in the night an army which came down upon him from the air, and one of the soldiers struck him with a lance on the head so that it pierced him through the body. Then, knowing that it was one of the martyrs, he filled his hand with his blood, and threw it upwards, saying: «Take that, Jesus, for thou hast conquered the whole world.» And after blaspheming thus, he fell dead. Thus God delivered his people; and the Romans returned to their own country. And Basil, the holy man, three days before the death of Julian, being in prison, had awaked from his sleep, and said to the two who were with him: «I have seen to-night the martyr, Saint Mercurius, entering into his church, and taking his lance, saying: In truth, I will not suffer this unbeliever to blaspheme my God. And when he had said this, he disappeared from me, and I did not see him again.» Then both his companions said to him: «Verily I also saw the same thing.» So they said one to another: «We believe this firmly, that it is so.» And they sent to the church of the martyr, Saint Mercurius, that they might look for his lance which was kept there, to see whether it was still there or not; and as they could not find the lance, they were assured of the truth of the dream. And after three days the letters with the news of Julian's death arrived at Antioch.

Then the chiefs of the empire assembled, and seated on the throne of the empire a man named Jovian, who was a believer and a holy man, fearing God from his youth. Accordingly at the moment of his election he released |421 the fathers from prison; and thus the saying of that pillar of the truth, Basil, to Julian, the unbeliever, was fulfilled, when he foretold that he would not return; as the prophet Michaeas predicted to Achab, the unbelieving king of the children of Israel; for God, the worker of miracles, was the God of both those men, namely of that prophet and of this holy father, and he accepted their words.

And Jovian, the prince, brought out the three fathers, and honoured them, and gave them many gifts, and sent them to their sees. And he used assiduously to attend the prayers in the churches. And he wrote to Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria, a letter, in which he said: «O true father and trusty shepherd, Athanasius, martyr of Christ who is God, my empire hopes much of you; therefore be of good courage, and take the priestly staff and drive out with it the ravening wolves from among the reasonable flock, namely those whose mouths are full of cursing and the bitterness of the poison of asps, for they are the slayers of souls.» This letter was read in the church at Alexandria, and Athanasius the patriarch sent it to the provinces of Egypt, where it was read in their churches, to comfort and strengthen the faithful. So the followers of Arius were driven away because they were hated; and they were filled with sadness; and after this some of them went to Jovian, the prince, and appealed against the Father Athanasius, but he would not attend to them because he knew their wickedness.

Then Athanasius grew old and advanced in age, after he had written |422 many homilies and treatises; and he wrote concerning Melchisedech, and concerning the Father Anthony, whose biography he related; and he wrote forty-seven Festal Epistles. He wrote also concerning the holy cross, how the Lord Christ was unknown to the devil thereby, so that he believed that he was a mere man; and when he came to him, the Lord pierced his nostrils with his finger, which is next to the little finger, and his thumb, putting them behind him: which means that he rent, shattered, and destroyed Satan's power; showing us that he had overcome the devil's strength by weakness, for the finger which is next to the little finger is one that a man never uses, and is the weakest of the fingers; for he did not kill him speedily, but weakened his power, as the Scripture says, in the 67th Psalm ⁴: «Let God arise, and let his enemies be destroyed.» Athanasius also wrote many works on doctrine, and things that cannot be numbered. And he used to write to Basil; and Basil used to answer his letters, and used to address him as My Father. And he wrote also an epistle to Arsenius, to console him for Theodore his brother, when he went to his rest; and he said in it: «Would that all of us had obtained the place of Theodore thy brother, and would that our ship had anchored in his harbour!» And he wrote a treatise in which he proves that evil comes from the devil, (may God shame him!) and that there is no evil at all with God.

It is said that this Father Athanasius, the patriarch, was borne by an angel of the Lord on one of his journeys, when he was fleeing from the unbelieving princes, until he brought him to the place to which he desired to go, |423 as the angel carried Habacuc the prophet from Jerusalem to Babylon, and as Ezechiel the prophet was carried from Babylon to Jerusalem; for that is not difficult for God most high to do. And there was in Alexandria an idol named Serapis; and when Athanasius was consumed by fever, and his death drew near, he said: «If I find mercy with my Lord Christ, I will prostrate myself before him, and will not raise my face until the gate of this idol be shut.» Accordingly the priests of Alexandria bore witness that after seven days from the day of his death, the prince sent and blocked up the door of the temple in which the idol was.

CHAPTER IX

PETER II, THE TWENTY-FIRST PATRIARCH. A. D. 373-380.

When the patriarch Athanasius, the Apostolic, went to his rest, the bishops and clergy with the orthodox people assembled, and laid their hands upon a priest, named Peter, and appointed him patriarch. And many troubles |424 befell him through a misbelieving man named Lucius, the deaf-eared liar, who was appointed by the scribe Palladius, without authority from the prince. But after some time the matter reached the ears of the prince, and he despatched an officer who seized Lucius the unbeliever and Palladius the scribe, and sent them both into banishment; and they remained in exile until they died. And the Father Peter remained patriarch for eight years, and went to his rest on the 20th of Amshir.

CHAPTER X

TIMOTHY I, THE TWENTY-SECOND PATRIARCH. A. D. 380-385.

And the people assembled, with the bishops, after the death of the Father Peter, and laid their hands upon a priest named Timothy, and made him patriarch. In his days took place the council of Constantinople, at which the number of the bishops who took part in it was one hundred and fifty; and they excommunicated Macedonius, the misbeliever, patriarch of Constantinople, where the council was held, and another, Eunomius, because those two had blasphemed against the Holy Ghost, and said, in their misbelief, |425 that he was created. This was in the time of Theodosius, the faithful prince. And Timothy remained all his days in tranquillity and peace. The period of his occupation of the throne of Alexandria was nine years and a half; and he died on the th of Abib, maintaining the orthodox faith.

CHAPTER XI

THEOPHILUS, THE TWENTY-THIRD PATRIARCH. A. D. 385-412.

When the Father Timothy died, the bishops and people assembled, and appointed Theophilus patriarch. He had been secretary to the patriarch Athanasius, and was righteous in his conduct before God and men. When he took his seat upon the patriarchal throne, news was brought to him that the idolaters had gone to Jerusalem, to open the house of their idols. So he sent some monks thither to drive them away; but the monks were unable to overcome the idolaters. Then Theophilus sent to the monastery of Pachomius in Upper Egypt, and fetched the religious thence, and despatched them to Jerusalem. And when they reached that city, they offered up prayers, |426 and the devils fled from the heathen temple; and that temple was made a habitation for the monks of Jerusalem. When the monks of Upper Egypt returned homewards, the patriarch Theophilus forced them to remain and eat with him by themselves, and entertained them from Sunday to the following Sunday; and he gave them a garden which had belonged to the patriarch Athanasius.

Then the Father Theophilus, the patriarch, remembered the words of Athanasius, which he uttered when he was eating with Theophilus, while he was his scribe. Athanasius said that it was his desire to clear away the mounds of rubbish which he saw, and to build on their site a church to the names of the Baptist and the prophet Eliseus. And at that time, a woman, who had two sons, cleared away the mounds, as his letter testifies, and a stone slab was discovered, upon which three thetas were inscribed; and her history is related in that letter, besides a story of Theophilus and the Angel Raphael, which is not written in this biography. And when Theophilus removed the slab, he found beneath it the money which he required; so he built the churches with it. He built in a certain spot beside the garden a church to which he translated the body of Saint John the Baptist, and the body of the prophet Eliseus; and many miracles were performed by them both on that day, and a number of people who had been sick were healed.

Theophilus wrote, in the course of his life, many homilies and treatises. |427 Now the emperor Valentinian had died after reigning twelve years; and Valentinian and Gratian, his two sons, reigned after him; and they were believers, and loved God, whose name is glorious. When Theophilus administered the sacrament of baptism, he used to behold a beam of light in the form of a cross over the font before him. But in a certain year, when he stood and blessed the font, during the week of baptism, the cross of light did not appear to him; and he was sad. And it was revealed to him that the reason was that he had not sent for the deacon Arsenius to pray with him, and that if he did not do so the light would not appear to him. So Theophilus dismissed the congregation that day, and sent to seek Arsenius, and found him in the neighbourhood of Ushmûn, and brought him to the church in haste. And the patriarch rejoiced greatly over the arrival of Arsenius, and was consoled; and the cross appeared once more over the font. Theophilus, when he saw the humility of this deacon, and his virtue, desired to ordain him priest; but Arsenius would not consent, and begged the patriarch to spare him that promotion, and to bless him, and let him return to his native country. So the patriarch granted the request of Arsenius.

Now Theophilus had a nephew, his sister's son, named Cyril, whom he had instructed and brought up to the best of his power. And after some time the patriarch sent him to the Mount of Nitria, to the desert of Saint Macarius. And Cyril dwelt there five years in the monasteries, reading the books of the Old and New Testaments; for Theophilus urged him to apply himself assiduously to his studies, saying to him: «By these studies thou |428 wilt some day arrive in Jerusalem on high, which is the dwelling-place of the saints». For Cyril was the attendant of Theophilus in the patriarchal cell, and was ordained reader. The patriarch, when he sent Cyril to the desert, entrusted him to Serapion the Wise, and charged him to teach Cyril the doctrines of the Church, which are the true doctrines of God; so Cyril learnt all the Scriptures by heart. He used to stand before his teacher studying, with a sword of iron in his hand; and if he felt an inclination to sleep, he pricked him with the sword, and so he woke up again; and during most of his nights he would read through in a single night the Four Gospels, and the Catholic Epistles, and the Acts, and the first Epistle of the Blessed Paul, namely, that addressed to the Romans; and on the morrow after this, Cyril's teacher would know, by looking at his face, that he had studied all night. And the grace of God was with Cyril, so that when he had read a book once, he knew it by heart; and in these years in the desert he learnt by heart all the canonical books. After this, the patriarch Theophilus sent to him and brought him back to Alexandria, and there Cyril dwelt with the patriarch in his cell, and read aloud in his presence; and the priests and learned men and philosophers were astonished at him, and rejoiced over him on account of the beauty of his form, and the sweetness of his voice which never changed, as it is written ⁵: «I opened my mouth and drew in my breath». And all the people, when they heard him read, desired that he might never cease |429 reading, because he read so sweetly, and was so beautiful in countenance. And his uncle Theophilus loved him greatly, and thanked God that he had granted him a spiritual son who had grown in grace and wisdom. Cyril's conduct was excellent, and his humility great; and he never ceased to study theology, nor to meditate upon the words of the doctors of the orthodox Church, Athanasius and Dionysius and Clement, patriarch of Rome, and Eusebius, and Basil, bishop of Armenia, and Basil, bishop of Cappadocia. These are the orthodox fathers whose works he studied. And he would not follow the doctrine of Origen, nor even take his books into his hand for a single day; but when he heard that one of the faithful had read Origen, he condemned and excommunicated him who had so read. When Cyril read in the Gospel the words ⁶: «Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find», he understood these words, and prayed to God for knowledge, and God gave it him. For he was like the bee, which goes forth to feed upon every plant and tree, and collects what is profitable for itself, until it has filled its bag with pure untainted honey.

Now the history of the Father Theophilus is very copious; for it contains the account of his dealings at Alexandria with Theodosius, the great prince; and the miracles which the Angel Raphael performed for him; and the affair of the widow and her two sons, whom he made bishops; and the three thetas |430 which were found written on the slab of stone which concealed the treasures that were discovered at Alexandria; and the wonders manifested by the Angel Raphael in the church which Theophilus built upon the island; and then the authority given to him by the prince over the property of the heathen temples, from Aswan to the confines of Syria, and in the provinces that lie between them.

CHAPTER XII

CYRIL I, THE TWENTY-FOURTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 412-444.

When the patriarch Theophilus died, the Father Cyril took his seat upon the apostolic throne; and the bishops raised the Four Gospels over his head, and prayed over him, saying: «O God, strengthen this man whom thou hast chosen for us.» The first thing that Cyril did was to appoint priests to take charge of the churches throughout his diocese, so that they might not be drawn away from the spiritual food by which they were able to do that which pleases God; and he began his patriarchate full of the wisdom which gives life. And the prince, Theodosius the Younger, who loved God, followed the injunctions |431 of his fathers, and assembled the monks around him, and performed his devotions in their company; but he had no son, and his sister administered the empire. Now the patriarch Cyril never wearied of composing discourses and homilies by the power of the Holy Ghost, who spoke through him; so that most of the principal inhabitants of Alexandria appointed copyists to transcribe for them what the father composed. Then certain philosophers said to him: «Behold, here are discourses written by the prince Julian, in which he casts contempt upon Moses and all the prophets, and alleges that Christ was a mere man; and we used to read his books because it was the prince who wrote them. Julian says: The words of the Galilean will I make lies; for Christ said ⁷: There shall not remain one stone upon another in the temple of Jerusalem that shall not be thrown down. But I will rebuild the temple, and falsify his words. Accordingly Julian destroyed what remained of the temple, that he might rebuild it; but after all he died without restoring any part of it. Thus the words of the Saviour were proved to be true, and we have learnt how great is his power and majesty because none of his words have been falsified.» Now when Cyril heard these things, he was much troubled, until he had found a copy of Julian's works, and had read them; and he found them worse even than the works of Origen and Porphyry. |432 So when Cyril found that he was unable to collect all the copies of Julian's works which were scattered here and there in the possession of different persons, he wrote to the prince Theodosius to inform him of this matter, saying: «If it is thy pleasure that Julian's works be destroyed and his misbelief rooted out, order these books which he composed, and by means of which he led men astray, to be collected, and cause them to be burnt.» And the prince approved of Cyril's letter, and glorified God, and acted in accordance with Cyril's suggestions, and wrote a reply, in which he requested him to bless his empire. So the Father Cyril rejoiced, and composed homilies and discourses, in which he refuted the writings of the prince Julian, and condemned his actions, pointing out how the angel destroyed him in war like Saul; and much besides.

After this the news concerning Nestorius reached the ears of Cyril, and he was informed of the corrupt doctrine of that heretic. And Cyril was sad when he heard this, and said: «No sooner has the misbelief of Julian passed away, than the blasphemies of Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople, have appeared.» So Cyril, when he had ascertained how false the opinions of Nestorius were, wrote to him as follows:

«Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria, addresses Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople, with the salutation of the brethren in the true God, who has given us the grace which is one, setting all the world in agreement and |433 in one belief, by the shedding of his blood, which grace is the faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ».

The rest of the epistle is well known, and therefore has not been transcribed in this history. And Nestorius returned an answer which was full of blasphemies. So Abba Cyril wrote to the bishops, to inform them of the case of Nestorius; and they met the patriarch in synod, and said to him: «We have heard the reports concerning Nestorius, and there is a special difficulty in regard to his circumstances. For Arius and his followers, and Paul and Manes and the rest of the heretics were not patriarchs, and yet they led a multitude of men astray. How then can this man remain patriarch of Constantinople?»

Then the Father Cyril wrote to Nestorius a second letter in which he said many things, including the following words: «Verily I do not fully believe what is told me of thee». And he added exhortations and warnings, and taught Nestorius what is the right faith, and begged him to return from his heretical doctrine, and told him that he was not strong enough to oppose God who mounted the Cross for our sakes. The following is a transcription of Cyril's letter:

«To my brother and fellow-minister. I did not believe at first what was reported of thee, nor that the contents of the letters, which came to me, and which were said to be written by thee, in reality proceeded from thee. For the lying doctrines which they contained were attributed to the saints; for they were letters full of blasphemy. And now I charge thee to cast away this blasphemy and these disputes; for thou hast no power to fight against |434 God, who was crucified for us in truth, and died in the body, although he was living in the power of his Godhead. For it is he that is sitting on the right hand of the Father, while the angels and principalities and powers worship him; and he is the eternal King, into whose hands the Father has given all things. And he is the Creator of all; so that thou hast no power to oppose him. I told thee what befell the Jews who withstood him, so that thou art not ignorant of it, and what befell the heretics, Simon Magus and the prince Julian and Arius. Behold what Job the truthful says ⁸: Look upon my wounds, and fear, and glorify God. I tell thee that the Church will not endure that thou insult her God; and she it is against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail; for thou knowest what trials she has undergone, and yet that no man has ever had power over her, because she is as a rock in her faith. Beware therefore what thou doest at this time. Farewell.»

When this second letter reached Nestorius, he wrote another answer like his first, full of blasphemies, and, when the Father Cyril received it, he again addressed an epistle to Nestorius, saying:

«If thou wert not a bishop, none would know of thee save thy neighbours and kinsmen; but since thou sittest upon the episcopal throne of the Son of God all know thee, through the fame of the Church. Thou hast attacked the Lord with words of blasphemy, which thou canst not confirm or prove. |435 For if thou searchest the Old Testament, thou canst not find therein that Christ is called a mere man, as thou pretendest; and in saying thus thou showest only that thou dost resist God thy Creator, who bought thee with his blood, namely God the Son, Son of God the Father. So he is called both in the Old and New Testaments. So he is called in the Gospel of John, which speaks of him as the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of his Father ⁹. Matthew the evangelist also says ¹⁰ that Christ is Emmanuel, the interpretation of which is God with us, as Isaias says ¹¹ in his prophecy. Mark testifies ¹² in his Gospel that when the high priest asked of Jesus: Art thou the Son of God? he answered: Yea, I am he; and hereafter you shall see the Son of God sitting on the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds to judge the living and the dead. Is not this testimony that of which Paul says ¹³ that it was the good confession which Jesus made before Pontius Pilate? This is the confession in which the Church perseveres, and for it myriads of martyrs have died, whose numbers cannot be counted. Hast thou not heard Gabriel saying ¹⁴ to our Lady Mary that he whom she should bear was of the Holy Ghost, and should be called the Son of God, who is over all, and glorified for ever and ever? Who is it that bears the sins of the world? Is it not Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, whom she bore for us, God the Word incarnate? If thou believest that he was a prophet like |436 Moses, yet neither Moses nor any of the prophets was able to bear the sins of the world; but it is the Prince of goodness, even Christ, who bears the sins of the world by his being raised upon the cross for our sakes. Hast thou not heard Paul, the apostle, saying ¹⁵: He is not man, but he is God who became man? Again Paul says ¹⁶ that it was no angel or intercessor that saved us, but Jesus Christ; and God the Father raised him from the dead. Seest thou now how he confesses that he is God, and how he acknowledges the sufferings that he endured in his holy body? For if he be not God, how could Paul acknowledge that our salvation came not by a man nor from a man, nor by an angel or intercessor, but by God, even Jesus Christ, whose death he also acknowledges, when he says that the Father raised him from the dead? Thou seest now this wisdom, full of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. I have sent thee these letters, my brother, that thou mayest preserve them in the church. Thou art not without knowledge, so read the scriptures and learn from them these things and more besides. I have sent the brethren to thee, and have asked them to remain with thee, that thou mayest enquire diligently during a month, and search through the scriptures, and write to us of what befalls thee. Farewell.»

When Nestorius had perused this epistle, he would not receive the brethren who had brought it to him, nor would he accept the advice contained |437 in the letter or write an answer to it. So the messengers remained a whole month at Constantinople, as Abba Cyril, the patriarch, commanded them, and paid frequent visits to Nestorius; but he would not allow them to enter, and hardened his heart, as Pharao did.

Now Nestorius had been a friend of the prince Theodosius since the time when they were together in the school; and the prince used to say to Nestorius: «I have never heard any of the doctors of the Church teach according to thy doctrine.» But Nestorius would not listen to him. ---- So the messengers sent to Nestorius by Cyril returned to him, and told him what had happened. Then Cyril availed himself of the weapons of his fathers, Alexander and Athanasius, and put on the breastplate of faith which his predecessors had handed down in the Church of Saint Mark the Evangelist; and he went out to war, as David did, with his heart strong in Christ who is God. And he wrote to the other bishops, and they sent a letter to the prince, begging him to allow them to hold a council to enquire into the teaching of Nestorius, and reminding him that his fathers, who had reigned before him, had at all times been supporters of the Church. «They constantly assisted the bishops to confirm the orthodox faith, that they might bless their empire. But now this Nestorius has divided the Church, and is not far from the error of idolatry, since he blasphemously teaches that Christ is a mere man, and no more than a prophet. Many prophets have come into the world, but none of them has ever been worshipped; so that if Nestorius |438 worships a man, he is become an idolater. When Peter said ¹⁷ to our Lord Christ: Master, it is good for us to be here, and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias, he said it because Christ was the Creator of those two and their God, and had manifested his glory to his disciples by bringing those two, the one from heaven and the other from the earth. Therefore we beg of thy imperial power that we may hold a council to enquire into this man's doctrines. And we will pray for thee and for thy empire that thou mayest obtain salvation, O thou that lovest God!» When the prince had read this letter, he was moved by the power of the Lord, and, acting together with the patriarch, he summoned a council of the bishops to meet in the city of Ephesus. Accordingly, two hundred bishops assembled there from all the cities, each bishop taking with him two priests and a deacon from his diocese. They sent to Nestorius, demanding his presence; and they waited for him many days, but he did not appear; so they wrote to the emperor, informing him that Nestorius had not appeared but that they were waiting for him. And Nestorius requested the prince to send an official with him to protect him, saying: «The bishops are many, and I fear that they will kill me.» So the prince sent with Nestorius a patrician named Candidian, whose opinions agreed with those of Nestorius. When Candidian came to the council, he seized Cyril by night and imprisoned him in a place in which wheat was kept, together with his friends. And Cyril said to his friends: «What is this beneath |439 our feet?» They answered: «It is wheat.» «And he said: «Thanks be to God who has given us the victory; for they have put us into the house of life.»

Now Candidian had done this in order to support Nestorius, and to intimidate Cyril and the bishops with him, who had come together on account of him, that they might be scattered. But Candidian's object was not attained, for the bishops had not met together without having devoted themselves to death, if it should be necessary, for the faith. So when Candidian was convinced of this, he released Cyril and his friends; and as he was afraid lest the affair should reach the ears of the prince, who would cause him to be executed on account of it, he began to guard the roads, and prevented the reporters of news from writing to the prince any account of what had passed. Then the fathers continued for some time, in company with the bishop of Ephesus, assembling together and praying, while Nestorius remained separated from them, and would not join them. So they sent to him three bishops, requesting him to be present with them for prayer; but the soldiers under the orders of Candidian. would not allow these bishops to enter the house where Nestorius was. And as he thus held aloof from them, and the transactions lasted so long that the bishops were troubled at being so far from their dioceses, they were forced to expel that enemy of God from God's Church. Accordingly they brought the four gospels, and also brought the blasphemous writings of Nestorius; and a learned deacon, namely Peter, who was the scribe of Cyril, and knew the blasphemous passages in the compositions of Nestorius, read them out briefly before the holy council; and when they heard them, his misbelief was proved |440 to them. So the bishops anathematized Nestorius and excommunicated him, and subscribed their signatures to the letter of excommunication, which was sent to him; yet he would not receive it, nor give up his misbelief. Then the bishops desired to send a copy of their letter to the prince, but were not able to do so because of those whom Candidian, the patrician, had set to guard the road. So they consulted together; and at last one of them took the letter, and put it inside a stout cane, and disguised himself, and started off and travelled to Constantinople. There he gave the letter to Dalmatius and Eutyches, the two monks. And they presented it to the prince; and the prince handed it to an eunuch, who received it from him, and gave it to the scribe that he might read it before the prince. And when he read it, the contents proved to be as follows:

«The Council assembled at Ephesus declares thus. We believe that Emmanuel is God Incarnate. But it is said that Nestorius does not share with us in this faith. Therefore he is a stranger to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, and a stranger to the tradition of the Apostles, and a stranger to the one Holy Church. Everyone who denies that Jesus is Emmanuel, that is to say, God Incarnate, is anathema. And everyone who denies that the Virgin Mary is the Mother of God the Word, truly Incarnate, is anathema. Jesus is the Creator, Jesus is the Conqueror, Jesus is the Saviour of all. To him belongs glory for ever. Amen.» |441

And when this confession of faith was read to the prince, he and all that were in his palace cried out, saying: «Jesus is Emmanuel, God Incarnate.» Then Eutyches, the monk, said to the prince: «Let thy majesty subscribe to his excommunication, and write to the bishops, commanding them to appear before thee, to salute thee and bless thy empire.» And the prince did so. Therefore the assembly of bishops journeyed to Alexandria, and thence to Contantinople. And the prince received them graciously, and sat in a lower seat than they, and prostrated himself before them, and received their blessing. But he commanded that Nestorius should be sent into banishment. So Nestorius was exiled in company with a chamberlain who conducted him to Egypt. And the bishops sent a letter to him before he started, in which they said: «Confess that the Crucified is God Incarnate, and we will receive thee again and obtain the repeal of thy sentence of banishment.» But Nestorius hardened his heart like Pharao, and returned no answer to them. And when he said to the chamberlain: «Let us rest here, for I am tired,» the chamberlain replied: «Thy Lord also was weary when he walked until the sixth hour, and he is God. What sayest thou?» And Nestorius answered: «Two hundred bishops assembled to make me confess that Jesus is God Incarnate, but I would not do so. Shall I then say to thee that God suffered fatigue?» And the chamberlain conducted Nestorius on his journey until he brought him to Ikhmîm in Upper Egypt; and there he remained in banishment, anathematized and excommunicated, until he died. |442

Now the holy Father Cyril wrote many epistles, among which was an epistle to Abba John, patriarch of Antioch, beginning thus: «Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth exult.» Cyril also wrote an epistle to Acacius, bishop of Malatia, beginning: «How sweet is an assembly of perfect brethren, who remind one another of spiritual doctrines.» And he addressed a letter to Valerian, bishop of Iconium, beginning: «The beloved brother and fellow-minister.» And he sent an epistle to the priests and deacons and monks and ascetes who remained firm in the orthodox faith after the excommunication and banishment of Nestorius; and an epistle to Eulogius, the Alexandrian priest who dwelt at Constantinople, beginning: «Men are wroth with us on account of the faith proclaimed by the bishops of the East.» And he wrote an epistle to Anastasius and Alexander and Martinian and John, and Paregorius, the priest, and Maximus, the deacon, beginning: «I greatly praise your love for learning.» And in every epistle Cyril makes mention of the orthodox faith, and exposes the errors of Nestorius and the corruption of his doctrine, pointing out that it is opposed to the faith of the holy fathers, and to that which is contained in the divine scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; and he proves this by genuine testimonies from the holy writings, in which the Holy Ghost speaks by the |443 tongues of the veracious prophets, the elect apostles, and the holy fathers and doctors of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Cyril also wrote letters to Nestorius, before his banishment, which are conceived in a spirit of benevolence, and in which Cyril exhorts Nestorius, and aims at conciliating and guiding him. Yet Nestorius would not listen to Cyril, nor return from his misbelief and hardness of heart and corrupt creed.

CHAPTER XIII

DIOSCORUS I, THE TWENTY-FIFTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 444-458.

After the holy patriarch Cyril had departed to his rest, Dioscorus was made patriarch in the see of the city of Alexandria. He endured severe persecution for the orthodox faith at the hands of the prince Marcian and his wife; and they banished him from his see, through the partial action of the council of Chalcedon, and their subserviency to the will of the prince and his wife. It is for this reason that the members of that council and all the followers of their corrupt creed are called Melkites, because they follow |444 the opinion of the prince and his wife, in proclaiming and renewing the doctrine of Nestorius.

It was a custom of the ancients to write histories of their predecessors in every generation. In the time of the Israelites, Philo, the Pharian, and Justus and Josephus and Hegesippus wrote part of the life of Jesus Christ, and an account of the ruin of Jerusalem by Vespasian and Titus his son, and of what took place after them. And after that, Africanus and Eusebius wrote, and Mennas wrote of the trials and persecution endured by the pastors and their flocks in the days of the patriarch Abba Cyril the Wise, and what passed between him and Nestorius; also of what the Father Dioscorus after him suffered in the council of Chalcedon. But at that time the creeds were separated, and the sees were torn asunder, so that none was left to write histories of the patriarchs, and the practice of composing them was interrupted. But the Lord remains for ever. In this way no biography of the holy patriarch Dioscorus after his banishment has been found. He preserved the orthodox faith, which persists in the see of the evangelist Saint Mark to this day and for ever, until he received the crown of martyrdom in the island of Gangra, by the command of the prince Marcian; for it was in that island that Dioscorus died. |445

TIMOTHY II, THE TWENTY-SIXTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 458-480.

And after the militant Father Dioscorus, the patriarch, went to his rest, the Lord Christ raised up a patriarch, named Timothy, upon the episcopal throne of the city of Alexandria; and he suffered from hardships, and from warfare with the dissidents. He and his brother Anatolius were banished to the island of Gangra, like Dioscorus, for seven full years, but he returned by the grace of God, at the command of the prince, to Alexandria. His ordination took place in the days of Leo, the prince. He remained patriarch twenty-two years, and went to his rest on the seventh day of Misri.

PETER III, THE TWENTY-SEVENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 480-488.

So when Timothy went to the Lord, Peter the priest was ordained by command of God in the church of Alexandria, and was made patriarch. But the empire of the Romans remained established upon the ever-renewed memory of the impure council of Chalcedon; for it was not built upon the |446 foundation of the firm Rock, which belongs to God the Word who is Jesus Christ. And, after the consecration of Peter, patriarch of Alexandria, Acacius, patriarch of Constantinople, wrote to him many epistles which he sent to him, and letters to ask him to receive him to himself; for he rejected the council of Chalcedon, the members of which he called heretics, and the blasphemous Tome of Leo; and he likewise rejected the doctrine of Nestorius. Therefore Peter wrote letters to Acacius in order that he might be assured that his doctrine was sound to the core. And when they came to him he accepted them with joy and gladness, and showed them to those that wished among the believers in the orthodox faith; and then he wrote a synodical epistle and sent it to the blessed Peter. But there were certain bishops who were not present at the time when the letters were written by the two patriarchs, Peter and Acacius; and Satan (may God confound him!) stirred up trouble in the hearts of those bishops; and James, bishop of Sâ, became their chief, with Mennas, bishop of Munyat Tâmah. And they went to the city of Alexandria, and said to the patriarch: «How couldst thou receive Acacius, when he is one of those who were present at the Chalcedonian council?» So he answered them quietly and calmly: «I received him only because he abandoned that doctrine.» And he informed them of the epistles of Acacius which had come to him, which bore witness of his return to the truth, and of his confession of the orthodox faith; and he reminded them that he had sent the bishops to Acacius, that they might hear his expressions, according to the canon of |447 the Church. But they would not accept his words because pride was established in their hearts; and they separated themselves from the throne of the evangelist, Saint Mark, the apostle, saying in their ignorance, as the children of Israel said, that they had no portion with David, nor inheritance with the son of Isai ¹⁸. And since they were divided from the holy patriarch Peter, and would not enter under his obedience, the orthodox called them Those that had no head ¹⁹. Now the epistles written between the two patriarchs aforesaid formed fifteen books.

This Peter, when he became patriarch over Alexandria, met with trouble from the heretics. For they banished him, and delivered up his see to a man called Timothy, who is also named Anthony or Theognostus, and belonged to Canopus. Then followed John the Tabennisiote, whom they appointed after the death of Anthony. Subsequently, the patriarch Peter returned to his see with great glory; and the period of time during which he sat upon the patriarchal throne was eight years; and he died, in peace and great honour, on the nd of Hatûr. All his epistles are preserved in the Monastery of Father Macarius; and among them is an epistle of Zeno, the blessed prince, with the answer to it, in which are jewels of language, and words of holiness, and the confession of the orthodox faith. |448

ATHANASIUS II, THE TWENTY-EIGHTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 488-494.

When the holy Father Peter went to his rest, Athanasius was appointed. He had been priest in charge of the church of Alexandria; and now he was made patriarch over it. He was a good man, full of faith and the Holy Ghost; and he accomplished that with which he was entrusted; and in his days there was no disorder or persecution in the holy Church. He remained seven years, and went to his rest on the twentieth of Tût.

JOHN I, THE MONK, THE TWENTY-NINTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 494-503.

When Athanasius the Younger went to his rest, John the Monk was appointed, and made patriarch upon the evangelical throne; and he walked according to the lives of the excellent fathers who preceded him. The Church and the people and the inhabitants of the country-districts were in his days in security and peace through the grace of the Lord Christ. And he lived in the time of the holy Zeno, the blessed prince; and on |449 account of his faith and goodness the prince commanded in his clays that there should be carried to the monastery of Saint Macarius, in the Wadi Habib, all that the monks needed of wheat and wine and oil, and whatever they required for the furnishing of their cells. So Abba John, the patriarch, accomplished his ministry in security and tranquillity in the days of Zeno, the blessed and faithful prince, and went to his rest on the th of Bashans, after remaining eight years as patriarch, and was gathered to his fathers.

JOHN II, FORMERLY THE HERMIT, THE THIRTIETH PATRIARCH. A. D. 503-515.

So when Abba John, the patriarch, went to his rest, there was appointed instead of him a man who was a hermit, called John; and this was by the command of God. This John was a kinsman of the departed patriarch. And he wrote in his days many books and homilies. And God shewed forth in his days a wonderful thing, and raised up royalty and priesthood together for the Church, in the persons of the prince Anastasius, the pious believer, and the patriarch Severus, the excellent, clothed with light, occupant of the see of Antioch, who became a horn of salvation to the orthodox Church, and who sat upon the throne of the great Ignatius. |450

And Severus wrote a synodical letter to the Father John, the patriarch, concerning the unity of the fnith, wherein he announced the agreement between them in the one orthodox creed of the holy fathers. So John, the patriarch, and his bishops accepted this letter, and read it in their churches throughout the land of Egypt; and they offered prayers and thanked the Lord Christ, who had restored the divided members to their places. And with great joy and spiritual exultation did John, the holy patriarch, write to the great Severus an answer to his letter in canonical language, full of the orthodox faith, which is that of the doctors of the Church, as the blessed Severus had written to him. And when the envoys of Severus returned to him with this gift, which was a fitting reward for his friendship, he rejoiced and was glad exceedingly. John remained patriarch eleven years, and went to his rest on the twenty-seventh of Bashans.

DIOSCORUS II, THE THIRTY-FIRST PATRIARCH. A. D. 515-517.

And when the Father John, the patriarch, went to his rest, he had a scribe whose name was Dioscorus, and who was a man perfect in all his |451 relations, humble and good; and there was none like him in his time. So they ordained him patriarch upon the evangelical throne. Then he wrote a synodical letter to the Father Severus, in which he informed him of the death of the blessed Father John, and announced that he had taken his seat after him upon the apostolic throne. So Severus wrote an answer to him, to console him, and to confirm him in the orthodox faith, and to charge him to teach the people, and not to cease teaching, and to encourage him in this work. And Dioscorus remained patriarch three years; though in another history it is related that he continued one year and a half; and he went to his rest on the twenty-seventh of Babah, and was gathered to his fathers.

TIMOTHY III, THE THIRTY-SECOND PATRIARCH. A. D. 517-535.

Then Timothy took his seat as patriarch on the throne of Alexandria. And Anastasius the believing prince died; and they raised up after him an evil man, a heretic, whose name was Justinian, that he might govern the empire. When Justinian took his seat upon the throne, he employed all his efforts to make the orthodox believers return to the faith of the Chalcedonian council; and the first thing that he began with was that he seized the holy |452 patriarch Severus. And Justinian assembled a council in the city of Constantinople, on his own initiative, at which were present Vigilius, patriarch of Rome, and Apollinaris, whom the prince had made patriarch over Alexandria, and Eutychius, patriarch of the city of Constantinople, and the bishops who were under their jurisdiction. Moreover Justinian sent to fetch the Father Severus, the patriarch, and the bishops of the East; for he thought that he could conciliate the mind of the holy Severus, and incline him to his doctrine, so that all the bishops might obey him, because they firmly believed in Severus and in his faith, and so they might acknowledge the prince's evil doctrine. But the great Severus paid no heed to the prince. And Severus, with his bishops, went to Constantinople that he might confirm the faith; for he thought that that unbelieving prince would be converted from his corrupt doctrine. So when the Father Severus arrived at Constantinople, then the prince at first honoured him greatly, and exalted his rank, and spoke good words to him, seeking from him that he should make concessions to him with regard to the Tome of Leo, by adopting his faith. But Severus, God's champion, had placed in his heart the words of Peter the Apostle ²⁰ to Simon the Magician: «Let thy gifts perish with thee, for I see that thou art full of bitterness, even more than the serpent.» And Justinian the prince was like Nestorius; and one day he commanded that the bishops, falsely so called, should assemble for that council. But neither the Father Severus, the valiant one, nor any of |453 his bishops would be present with them, for he said: «If they will not first anathematize the Tome of Leo and the impure, contemptible council of Chalcedon, I will not consent with them to the doctrine of unbelief.» Then things were done by the prince which this book is too small to relate, lest the narrative should grow too long by recording them. So when the command of the prince reached Severus, and yet he did not meet the bishops in council nor go to join them, they brought trials upon him, and persecutions came upon him.

But after two years, at the request of the believing princess, Theodora, the prince left Severus alone, and gave him up to her; and so she sent him back to his see.

And in those days Timothy was at Alexandria. So when Severus, the patriarch, and his bishops, who were from the East, were driven away from Antioch, and came to Egypt, those bishops came to the city of Alexandria. And many nuns, who were virgins, were driven out of the monasteries. And the Father Severus, at the time of this trouble, was fleeing from city to city, secretly or openly, and from monastery to monastery. And he wrote to the bishops, his companions, who were at Alexandria, and consoled them, and encouraged them to have patience, and charged them to endure the persecutions with fortitude. And there was with them one who was no true bishop, whose name |454 was Julian. This man plainly showed that he was a partaker in the council of Chalcedon, because he divided the Lord Christ, who is One, into Two, arid made him into Two Natures after the Ineffable Union. And when he found an opportunity in the absence of the Father Severus, he wrote a Tomarion, with an evil purpose, addressed to certain sick and intoxicated people, in which he expresses his approval of the faith of Eutyches, the unbeliever, and Apollinaris and Manes and Eudoxius, the unbelievers; and he filled it also with the blasphemous creed of those who believe in the doctrine of the Phantasiasts, and deny the lifegiving Passion of Christ the Lord. And he sent this book ahout Egypt, and to the monks of the desert. And they received him, and fell into the snare, except seven persons, whose hearts God enlightened, and so they would not accept it; for they heard a voice saying: «This is the impure Tomarion.» Then those who had fallen into the error of Julian rose up against them, and killed two of them. So the rest were scattered, and began to celebrate the liturgy in their cells in the Monastery of Saint Macarius and in other monasteries. And this was the cause of their separation, and of the prevalence of error in the four monasteries and in the hermitages. Then by the power and grace of the Holy Ghost, assistance came to the five monks who remained of the seven, and so they prevented the other monks from accepting the Tomarion. But the source of this error, Julian, did not cease to send his writings into the country to lead men astray and draw them to himself. |455

So when the Father Severus learnt this, by the power of the Holy Ghost which dwelt in him, he wrote to every place, in order that a true account of the facts might be disseminated, and that Julian's true meaning might be made known. For he informed men in his letters that Julian was an evil serpent, filled with blasphemy. And Severus bestowed his care on those that were afflicted with this plague, that he might heal them, and encouraged those that did not follow the Tomarion, from which there arose trouble and antagonism.

And meanwhile the Father Timothy, the blessed patriarch, went to his rest, being established in the orthodox faith. For he fought on its behalf, like the Father Severus, and refuted Julian and all his doctrine. The period during which Timothy remained patriarch on the throne of Alexandria was seventeen years; and he died on the 13th of Amshir.

THEODOSIUS I, THE THIRTY-THIRD PATRIARCH. A. D. 535-567.

By the command of God, the bishops and orthodox people assembled after the death of Timothy, and, by the dispensation of the Lord Christ, they ordained the holy Father Theodosius patriarch. He was a virgin, and a |456 master of the literary style used in ecclesiastical writings. But, after a short time, the hater of good raised up a trial for him, and stirred up trouble among evil people of the inhabitants of the city, the masters of vile arts. For there was a man who was old and advanced in age, and whose name was Gaianus; and he was archdeacon of the church of Alexandria; and he was standing, at the time of the ordination of the Father Theodosius as patriarch, among the bishops and priests and chief men of the city, until they had ordained him, and written his diploma of consecration, and promoted him to the degree of primate over the apostolic diocese, and ratified his appointment with the consent of all Christian and God-loving people. But after that, certain persons led the archdeacon astray, and changed his thoughts, in his simplicity, and gave him counsel, saying: «This degree and this promotion are thy due, and it is not lawful for anyone to be promoted before thee.» Thus they insinuated their evil suggestions into his mind little by little, until he accepted their advice. So they took him, and went with him to the house of a priest, named Theodore, who was an evil-doer and had much wealth; and there they ordained Gaianus, the archdeacon, as patriarch. And there was with them, assisting them, Julian, the corrupt of faith, in agreement with Theodore the priest; for Theodosius the blessed, when he became patriarch, had anathematized Julian, because |457 he was the refuge of the heretics. Then Gaianus went to the governor, and to the commander of the forces, and offered them bribes, and won their hearts by his many gifts, until they were induced to stir up great trouble against the Father Theodosius, the patriarch, and against the Church, and drove out the holy Theodosius from the see of Alexandria to Hierasycaminus, where he remained six months. And the governor hid from the prince what they had done to the patriarch, and also that they had ordained another in his place, and all that was done by Julian and Theodore and Gaianus, who joined together against him. But the wise Severus, the patriarch, used to call Theodosius brother and helper and partner in the one true evangelical work, and used to console and encourage him in his sufferings for the orthodox faith, comparing him to the great Paul the Apostle, when he was first chosen and first believed in Christ, and reminding Theodosius how Paul's family and friends rejected him, and how the believers let him down from the wall in a basket, so that he could flee from Damascus. For the Father Theodosius suffered continual trouble and persecution from the heretics. And this was in the year 242 of Diocletian. Now Severus, the patriarch, was hiding himself from Justinian, the heretical prince, in a Christ-loving town, called Sakhâ, in Egypt, at the house of a man, named Dorotheus, who took care of the affairs of the aged monks who had rejected the error of Julian the unbeliever. And the said |458 man was allowed to visit the governor of Egypt, Aristomachus, and begged him to take pity on the aged among the monks who were in the desert, by granting them the favour of authorizing them to build churches and towers, instead of those that had been taken from them by Julian and his companions, that so he might give rest to the monks. Accordingly the governor gave orders to Dorotheus to do as he wished; and Dorotheus returned thanks to God most high.

Severus, the patriarch, had composed books in which he refuted the heresy of those that believe in the Two Natures, and brought to naught most of those that hold this view, by the glory of God, and through the instructions that he gave with his tongue, which was a spiritual sword. And he continued to teach concerning the books of divine wisdom, until he grew old, and the days of his removal from trouble to rest grew near. For he remained in the midst of struggles, and enduring persecution from the heretics for thirty years, upon the throne of Antioch, and amid opposition and distress for six years; and he did not cease from this life of fighting for the orthodox faith until death. So when he had accomplished his course, still preserving the true faith, he went to the Lord Christ whom he loved, and received the crown of victory with the holy fathers in the assembly of the heavenly virgins.

And as for the blessed Father Theodosius, he was greatly troubled by the heretic Gaianus and his followers. But John, the governor of |459 Alexandria, and others were struggling to save him from them: and so they consulted with the fathers, and took Theodosms secretly, and put him on board of a boat on the river, and conveyed him to a town called Malij, within the province of Egypt, and there he remained two years.

And the laity of Alexandria, and the clergy and officials of the city, were troubled because their patriach was taken away from them, and said to the governor: «Why hast thou removed the good shepherd Theodosius from us?» Then the governor was afraid of them, and dreaded lest the affair should be reported to the prince; and so he sent Gaianus, the heretic, out of the city. After that, one of the officials went to carry out some business which he had with the prince, and so he made known to the faithful princess Theodora that the blessed Theodosius had been banished from the city of Alexandria, whence she herself had originally come. So she went in to the prince calmly and wisely and humbly, and informed him of all that had happened, without his sanction, to the Father Theodosius, patriarch in the city of Alexandria. Then, when the prince heard that, he rejoiced in his heart at the trouble and conflict which the orthodox had endured, because they would not consent to share the corrupt and impure faith of Chalcedon, which he held. But afterwards, wishing to please the |460 princess, and to delight her heart, he gave her power to do by his authority in this matter whatever she desired. So she sent to the city of Alexandria, to enquire into the matter, and to restore the Father Theodosius, the patriarch, to his see; and she bade the messengers inform her how his appointment as patriarch took place at his ordination, and whether it was accomplished according to the canon of the Church. So when her messengers came to the city, according to what she commanded them to do, they enquired into what she bade them enquire into, and examined the circumstances of his ordination, and sought to discover whether it was accomplished according to the canon of the Church; and they also enquired how Gaianus, the archdeacon, had been appointed, and which of them was the first to be consecrated. Therefore the governor, and the commander of the forces, in return for the gifts and bribes which they had received, suborned certain persons who cried aloud saying: «Gaianus was the first to be ordained.» Their words, however, were not confirmed; for one hundred and twenty men, of the priests and officials of the city, subscribed their signatures to a statement that it was Theodosius who was the first to be ordained.

Then they assembled together, and the help of the Lord Christ was with them, and the officers and military chiefs of the prince, who were his envoys and trusted counsellors, were present, and all the Alexandrians were assembled with them in the holy church. And they brought the holy |461 gospels and the prince's decree to which his seal and image were attached, and they introduced the Father Theodosius, the blessed patriarch, and the body of bishops who had been present at his consecration; and they separated them, and questioned them one by one, and wrote down what they said. And their confession proved true, in each case, for they all stated, without hesitation or discrepancy, that it was Theodosius, the blessed, who was ordained first, with the consent of the bishops and people, according to the canon of the Church; and that two months after that they heard that Gaianus had been made patriarch. Then Gaianus came forward before the assembly, and confessed to them that the statement was true, and asked pardon for what he had done. And the assembly begged of the blessed Father Theodosius to receive Gaianus, and prayed him to accept his repentance, on condition that he would write in his own handwriting that he had done this in contradiction to the ecclesiastical canon, and that he would remain in his office of deacon, becoming archdeacon again, as he had been before, and would humble himself and submit to the Father Theodosius, and obey him till the time of his death; and Gaianus consented to do all this. And they all set their seals to this statement as being true and veracious; and the whole assembly rejoiced, and glorified God, and thanked him because their good shepherd Theodosius, the patriarch, had returned to them, and had taken his seat upon his throne, to rule the Church and the people in peace. |462

And as for Julian and Theodore and Manes and all those that dissented, and their followers, the name of heretic was established as their due, for they did not repent; but Gaianus submitted to the obedience of Theodosius, the patriarch.

So when the affairs of the Church and the faithful Christian people were well established, the Father Theodosius rejoiced, and wrote letters in which he thanked the prince and princess; and these letters he sent by their messengers, namely Aristaenetus and Nicetas and Philodorus, whom he thanked for what they had done. And when the envoys arrived, and delivered the letters to the prince, and made known to him all that had happened, his thoughts were despondent and troubled. For he thought: «Behold, I have given up the throne of Alexandria to Theodosius; and yet, even if I bestowed upon him in addition all the provinces of Egypt and Africa and all other countries, he would never agree with me in the creed which I prefer, so that the whole Church might be of one faith.»

Then the prince Justinian, after that, took thought, and wrote to the governor and officials of Alexandria, and to the Father Theodosius, with the view of attracting him by the hope of reward, praying him to receive the Tome of Leo, and yield to him on that point, and promising in that case that he should have the two offices, both the civil patriarchate, and the civil governorship, and that all the bishops of Africa should be under |463 his obedience, and that he should have the command over all that territory; «but» added the prince, «if he will not obey nor consent, then let him be driven out of the Church, and depart whithersoever he will; for he that does not agree with me in my faith shall have no prelacy either over people or Church».

But when the blessed father and patriarch Theodosius, the confessor of Christ, heard the letter and proposals of the prince, he exclaimed in the presence of the assembly, and of the governor and envoys: «The holy gospel says ²¹ that the Devil took the Lord and Saviour, and led him to the summit of a high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of it, and said to him: All this is mine, and if thou wilt worship me I will give it to thee. So likewise what you promise me will be the destruction of my soul, if I do as you propose, and I shall become thereby a stranger to Christ, the true king». And he raised his hands before the envoy sent by the prince, and before the governor and that great assembly, and said: «In truth I anathematize the Tome of Leo and the council of Chalcedon; and whoever acknowledges them is anathema henceforth for ever. Amen.» Then he said to the governor and to all the prince's troop: «The prince has no power except over my body; but the Lord Jesus Christ, the true and great prince, has power over my soul and body together. And now behold the churches are before you |464 with all that they contain, therefore do whatever you wish with regard to them. But as for me, I follow my fathers who have preceded me, the doctors of the apostolic Church, Athanasius and Cyril and Dioscorus and Timothy, and those who were before them, whose deputy I am, although unworthy.» Then Theodosius arose and went out, saying: «Let those that love God follow me. For I came forth from my mother's womb naked, and I shall return to it naked. And he that loses his life at this time for the Faith, shall save it.»

So they took him to the palace, where they guarded him for a day and a night; but when the morrow came, they sent him away, as the prince had commanded in his letter, saying: «Let him go whithersoever he pleases.» Therefore he went out from the city, and the power of the Lord Christ guided him; for Aristomachus provided for his needs, and prepared for him all that he required, and carried him in a boat to Upper Egypt, where he remained teaching the people and the monks in the monasteries, and confirming them in the orthodox faith, and encouraging them to, endure the conflict until death.

And the prince's envoy returned to him, and made known to him all that had happened, and how Theodosius, the patriarch, had gone forth from the city, and would not accept any of the offers made by the prince. When the prince heard that, he and all his attendants were astonished that the patriarch had rejected that post of governor, and had disputed the royal command, and remained firm in the faith. Then Justinian |465 thought within himself and said: «If I leave him where he is, then all the people will follow his faith, and he will not allow them to accept the Tome of Leo.» So he wrote a letter full of assurances and promises to the patriarch Theodosius, declaring that no pain nor damage should come to him from him, but all good and kindness; and he sent this letter by a scribe, to whom he said: «Treat him courteously until thou bringest him to me, and say to him: The prince desires to confer with thee.» So when the blessed patriarch had perused the prince's letter, he prayed for the help of the power of the Lord Christ, and took with him of the clergy certain wise men, learned and excellent; and they embarked in a ship, and journeyed until they arrived at Constantinople. There Theodosius entered to the prince and princess, who, when they saw his serenity and humility and excellence, received him kindly, and lodged him in chambers which they had prepared for him and his companions. Afterwards the prince sent for him a second time, and a third time, until the sixth time, and each time he addressed him courteously, and desired of him that he should yield to him in confirming the council of Chalcedon, and gave him many marks of honour and priority and precedence. But Theodosius said: «Neither life nor death nor dearth nor nakedness nor sword will turn my heart from the faith of my fathers; nor will I abandon a jot or tittle of what my fathers, the inspired doctors, wrote before me, those shepherds of the reasonable flock of Christ, from Mark the evangelist |466 to the day on which I was made a deacon by the Father Timothy, after whom I became patriarch by the dispensation of God.»

So when the prince could not draw Theodosius to his doctrine, he left him and sent him into banishment in disgrace. But he showed favour to the clergy of Alexandria, and caused Mennas, patriarch of Constantinople, to ordain for them a man, named Paul of Tinnis, that he might be patriarch on the throne of Alexandria, and sent him, accompanied by a troop of soldiers, to the city of Alexandria. But when Paul arrived there, not one of the inhabitants would receive him; for they said: «This is the new Judas!» And he remained a year, during which none would listen to him, nor would any communicate from his hand, except the envoy who accompanied him, and the soldiers who arrived with him, and the governor and his attendants only. And the people of the city used to insult Paul, saying: «This is Judas the betrayer!» So he wrote to the prince to make known to him what had happened to him, and how they fled from him as sheep flee from a wolf; and he sent the letter by a patrician. Then the prince was enraged, and sent a letter by another patrician, in which he commanded that the doors of the churches in the city of Alexandria should be shut and sealed with his seal, and guards set before them, so that no one at all might enter. When that sinful letter arrived in the city, there was great sadness on account of it, and anguish and unbounded sorrow that cannot |467 be described, upon the orthodox people. And they remained in this condition for a whole year, without communion, or church to pray in, or place to be baptized in. But the letters of their blessed Father Theodosius came to them from his place of exile, reminding them of the faith, and consoling them, and encouraging them to patience. So when their trouble increased, an assembly of the orthodox met together, priests and laymen, and took counsel together as to building a church in which they might take refuge, so that they might not be like the Jews. And they did what they proposed, and built a church by the power of Christ, in the western part of Alexandria, in the place called the Pillars, or the Serapeum; and this church is the Angelion, which they built secretly at the hundred and five steps. And another congregation of the people also built another church, in the name of Cosmas and Damian, to the east of the amphitheatre, and a little to the west of the colonnade; and they finished it in the year 278 of Diocletian. When the prince learnt this, he sent and opened all the churches, and put them under the authority of the Chalcedonians. So when the blessed Father Theodosius learnt that there remained to him no other than these two newly-built churches, the church of the Angelion, and the church of Cosmas and Damian the Martyrs, he sighed and wept, because he knew the people of Alexandria, and that they loved pomp and honour, and he feared that they would depart from the orthodox Faith, with a view to gaining honour from the prince. And he used to pray, saying: «O my Lord Jesus Christ, thou |468 didst buy this people with thy precious blood, and thou providest for them; therefore remove not thy hand from them; but thy will be done!» And Theodosius remained twenty-eight years in banishment and otherwise, and in Upper Egypt four years, preserving the orthodox faith. And he composed of homilies and doctrinal treatises during his patriarchate, which lasted for thirty-two years, too many to be counted.

Theodosius was removed, in the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ whom he loved, on the 28th day of Baunah; and he received the crown of victory with the assembly of the saints in the land of the living for ever.

And let us, the believers who remain in the orthodox faith, and are counted worthy to be called Theodosians after his name, supplicate and implore God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, that we may have spiritual thoughts, and encouragement, while we keep the right faith without wearying, as it was kept by this holy father and prelate, who confessed before heretics, kings and princes and authorities who lived at that evil time, and that our life before him may be without offence, and that we may not turn aside from his will, and that we may have a full share together with him in the kingdom of heaven, by the grace and mercy and compassion of our God, the Lover of Mankind, Jesus Christ our Lord and |469 Saviour, to whom is due glory with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the Giver of Life, now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.

CHAPTER XIV

PETER IV, THE THIRTY-FOURTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 567-569.

When the patriarch Theodosius was banished by Justinian, the prince, there was set up instead of him, though he was still alive, Paul of Tinnis, who was appointed at Constantinople. So this custom began for the patriarchs of the Melkites, that they should be ordained at Constantinople, and then proceed to Alexandria. And after a short time the Lord destroyed Paul of Tinnis by an evil death; and they appointed in his stead Apollinaris, who also took possession of the church, by the prince's authority; and he ordered that none of the believing bishops should be seen in the city of Alexandria. At that time there was union between the Church of Antioch and the Church of Alexandria in the orthodox faith and in Christian love; for Theodosius confessed before the prince, both he and those who were with him, that he was in union with the Father Severus, patriarch of Antioch, |470 and said: «I accept all that was said by Saint John the Golden Mouth, and by the wise Cyril.»

And when Theodosius went to his rest, Apollinaris, the hypocrite, rejoiced greatly, and made a great feast for the clergy and people of the city; for he thought that they would conform to his creed, because not one of the fathers and bishops was able to show himself, neither in Alexandria nor in Antioch, on account of what the heretical prince had commanded. But, by the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, Alexandria was governed by an excellent and philanthropic man, who had thrown in his lot with the orthodox; and therefore he commanded that they should ordain a patriarch for themselves secretly, in succession to the Father Theodosius. And he said to them: «Go out to the Monastery of Az-Zajaj, as if you wished to pray there, and appoint over yourselves him, whom you shall elect, as patriarch.» So they thanked God, and glorified the Lord Christ, and sent to the northern cities of the land of Egypt, and summoned three bishops, and went out with them to the Monastery of Az-Zajaj, where they ordained a man, who was a priest, named Peter, as patriarch. And the people received consolation through him, and their faith was strengthened; but they could not bring him into the city openly, through fear of the prince, and of Apollinaris, the patriarch of the heretics. So his residence was outside Alexandria, at a |471 distance of nine miles, at the church dedicated to the name of Joseph; and they used to carry to him all that he needed; but the prince knew nothing of him.

And after this the thing became known, that Peter had become patriarch instead of Theodosius the deceased; and when Apollinaris learnt this, he was exceedingly angry, and wrote to the prince to inform him of what had happened. But before his letter reached Justinian, the prince, at Constantinople, the Angel of the Lord smote him and he died; and his death was evil like the death of Herod.

And as for Peter, he was well formed and of beautiful countenance, adorned with every noble deed, loving those in whom was the knowledge of God. For this reason he sought a man excellent and learned in the holy canons, that he might be his scribe. So they pointed out to him a monk who was a deacon, and whose name was Damian, in the Monastery of T n Pater n, and this man was a skilful writer; and the Father Peter, the patriarch, went to the monastery, and talked with Damian, and asked him to help him and labour with him in the works of the Church. And the patriarch begged him and persuaded him to remain with him in the monastery as if he were a bishop, since he could not reveal that he was patriarch, and was not able to enter into the city of Alexandria openly. And the deacon and monk, |472 Damian, consented to do this, and obeyed the patriarch in what he bade him accomplish.

And there were in that place six hundred flourishing monasteries, like beehives in their populousness, all inhabited by the orthodox, who were all monks and nuns, besides thirty-two farms called Sakatinâ, where all the people held the true faith. And the father and patriarch, Peter, was the administrator of the affairs of all of them.

When the orthodox people of Antioch heard of what the inhabitants of Alexandria had done, they also took a man whose name was Theophanes, and made him patriarch in succession to the blessed Father Severus, and seated him on the throne in a monastery called the Monastery of Aphtonius; because the heretics forbad the orthodox bishops to enter, any one of them, into the city of Antioch, as was done also at Alexandria. So the two patriarchs were in similar circumstances, living in two monasteries outside their respective cities.

Then Peter, patriarch of the city of Alexandria, fell sick and went to his rest, after finishing his course and his ministry which was pleasing to God. The period of time during which he remained patriarch was two years; and his death took place on the 25th of Baunah. May his prayers be with us! Amen. |473

DAMIAN, THE THIRTY-FIFTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 569-605.

When the holy Father Peter went to his rest, they enthroned in his place his scribe Damian, the deacon and monk, who was strong in deed and word and in the grace of the Lord which descended upon him. For he had been a monk from his youth in the wilderness of Wadi Habib, and was brought up by saints in the Monastery of Saint John, where he remained sixteen years, serving God according to the service of the holy ascetes, before he came to Pihenaton, to the Monastery of T n Pater n, otherwise called Monastery of the Fathers. This was at the time of the rebuilding of the four monasteries in Wadi Habib, which were growing up like the plants of the field in security and guidance from God; and to their inhabitants was brought all that they needed, and they worked industriously at the building.

But there were among them the Meletians, I mean the followers of Meletius, who used to receive the Chalice many times in the night, before they came to the church. For this reason, when the Father Damian, the patriarch, was counted worthy to sit upon the evangelical throne, he wrote to the holy mountain, and commanded that the Meletians should be banished from it. And after a short time, a voice came from heaven upon that desert, saying: «Flee! Flee! » And when the inhabitants of the four |474 monasteries had left them, they were laid waste. When news of this reached the patriarch Damian, he was exceedingly sad. Now this holy father, the patriarch, was living in seclusion, in the Monastery of T n Pater n, as we said at the beginning, in the condition of a suffragan bishop. And, by the wisdom of God which was given to him, he wrote the Logos, which is a discourse of wisdom. And he also wrote the Mystagogiae, besides the Festal Letters and the Catecheses. And the followers of the impure heresy came to him, and disputed about the Faith; but by the grace of the Lord which was with him he resolved their arguments, sweeping them away like a spider 's web; and he spoke courteously to them, and taught them to understand the mysteries of Christian doctrine, and made them like Achab before our Father Elias, the prophet.

In the eighth year of Damian's patriarchate, a satanic thought fell into the hearts of the Acephali who were living in the east of Egypt. For there were four priests remaining over from that impure council, and they said: «What shall we do? We are perishing, and no bishop is left to us. Come therefore, let us make one of ourselves bishop, lest the remembrance of us perish from the face of the earth.» Then they chose the oldest among them, whose name was Barsanuphi, and the three priests took him and |475 made him bishop, and his heretical doctrine was named after his name.

When the people of the west of Egypt heard of this, they were exceedingly angry because they had done this without consulting them; so they separated from them, and would not join them. For this reason they had none to baptize them or give them communion or pray with them. So the others ordained a bishop for them. Now the prince at that time was Maurice, who loved money exceedingly, and rejected the orthodox.

When the Father Theophanes, the patriarch, went to his rest and departed to the Lord, the people of Antioch took one of the priests of the church, whose name was Peter, and made him patriarch. And he was coarse-minded, and sinful in his thoughts, and disturbed in his intellect, and opposed to the right faith, as that wise man in the Lord, Cyril, the holy patriarch, said with regard to the followers of Anatolius: «They are dark in their thoughts».

On account of the union between the two sees, Peter wrote a synodical epistle to the Father Damian, the patriarch, according to the usual custom. So when the synodical letter came to Damian, he rejoiced at it, and assembled the bishops. But when he examined Peter's doctrine declared in it, he found in it an error in the confession of the Holy Trinity. Therefore he sought in his wisdom and gentleness to draw the said Peter to himself by kindness, that the Church might not be divided, nor the union between the two sees be |476 broken. So he wrote to him a homily in which he reminded him of all the heretics, and of the doctrine laid down by Severus, the patriarch, with the object of making him understand the faith, in order to guide his intelligence. For Peter said in his strange philosophy: «There is no necessity to name the Trinity». Yet all the Doctors of the Church, and Cyril the Wise, and those that came after him, till the days of Damian, in their writings confess the holy Trinity, declaring that it is Three Persons and One Nature and One Godhead, creating and containing nothing created; and that it is divided in Persons, and truly united in substance and in name. They declare that God is the Creator of the two great luminaries; for the sun is made to rule the day, and the moon, as the lesser luminary, to rule the night; and that the act of creation took place before the name was given; and that God said: «Let the waters be gathered together, and let the dry land appear»; and God called the place of the gathering of the waters the seas, and called the dry part land; and that the act preceded the naming. «So likewise must thou understand this», adds Damian, «that the nature of the Creator is the one single nature which does all things. For who knows the thoughts of the Lord, and who can point them out; and who can give to him that he may seek from him a reward? For all things are from him. And glory be to the Holy Trinity, the consubstantial, the all-perfect, who accepts no new thing |477 and no new names at all; but his names are sure, and his deeds together with them».

This discourse the Father Damian, the patriarch, wrote to Peter, patriarch of Antioch. But Peter, patriarch of Antioch, was like the deaf asp ²² which stops its ears and will not listen to the voice of the charmer nor to the medicine which a wise man prepares; nay he remained obstinate in his erroneous ideas, confessing and saying with his tongue which deserved to be cut out: «What is the need of naming the Trinity?» Thus he divided the Undivided Trinity. So there was a conflict between the Egyptians and the Orientals on this account; and they remained thus for twenty years disputing without coming to an agreement, until God had mercy on his people of whom he has care at all times, and broke off the life of the heretic, and removed him from the world.

And Damian, the blessed patriarch, remained all his days composing letters and homilies and treatises, in which he refuted the heretics. And there were in his days certain bishops whom he admired, marvelling at their purity and excellence; and among them was John of Burlus, and John his disciple, and Constantine the bishop, and Cleistus, and many others who tended the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth. And the patriarch Damian did not cease to teach all the davs of his life. And through the multitude |478 of his fasts and prayers and conflicts, when his course was finished, he fell ill, and went to his rest in the peace of the Lord, after remaining patriarch thirty-six years, preserving the true faith in a good old age. And he departed to the Lord Christ whom he loved on the 28th day of Baunah.

ANASTASIUS, THE THIRTY-SIXTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 605-616.

And the Lord Christ considered his people, for he is the chief and leader of shepherds, and raised up a wise man adorned with virtues, whose name was Anastasius, an inhabitant of Alexandria and one of the priests of the, church there, learned in the scriptures and in the doctrines of the faith. So he was placed by the ineffable decrees of God upon the apostolic throne, and began to appoint the bishops and the priests according to the canon of the Church. Anastasius was brave of heart, and went to the city at all times, and entered therein, and ordained the priests there; for, as we have mentioned above, the orthodox bishops were forbidden to enter Alexandria; and he drew many of the people to himself by his wisdom, for he was a learned man, known through his appointment to the city-council. He had been presiding priest in the two churches that we have mentioned, |479 namely the Angelion and the church of Cosmas and Damian, and over the convents of virgins, and most of the monasteries.

Then Anastasius began to build church after church. And he took the church which is on a mound of ruins, and a church named after Michael. He had great trouble from the party of Tiberius and Belisarius, upon whom the name of Gaianus had come, and from the followers of the impure Chalcedonian council, and from another man who was called Eulogius. This man was exceedingly indignant against the Father Anastasius, and desired to bring upon him all evils and torments; but God did not deliver him into his hands.

In those days there arose a man from the palace, one of the chief officers, whose name was Phocas, and killed the prince, and sat in his place, and did wicked deeds; and he loved carnal pleasure, and corrupted all the daughters of the patricians; and he loved discord without fear. Therefore when Eulogius knew of this, and heard the report of these things, he wrote to the prince a calumnious letter, concerning the Father Anastasius, full of lies and folly. For he said that, when Anastasius preached in the church of John the Baptist, he anathematized him and the victorious princes and the Chalcedonian council, adding: «And I marvelled that the springs and |480 the waters were not dried up». This Eulogius wrote to the prince that he might stir up trials for the orthodox. So when Phocas, who had taken possession of the empire, heard this, he was troubled, and wrote to the governor in Alexandria, that he should take from the patriarch Anastasius the church of Cosmas and Damian and all its dependencies, and all that belonged to it, and give it to Eulogius, the misguided. Accordingly they seized that church; and the Father Anastasius, the blessed, was sad, and returned to the monastery with great grief and much sighing. And he desired that God might reunite the members of the Church which Satan had divided; I refer to the division of Antioch from Alexandria, the cause of which was Peter, patriarch of Antioch; and God heard his prayers; for Peter the aforesaid died, and there sat instead of him, upon the throne of Severus at Antioch, a man who was a monk and priest and scholar, named Athanasius, exceedingly wise, and pure in heart. And it was he who delivered a homily in which he spoke of the holy Severus; and everyone that read it knew that the Lord Christ was with him, and his wisdom was within him.

So when the Father Anastasius heard that Athanasius had taken his seat as patriarch upon the throne of Antioch, he hastened to write to him a synodical letter full of wisdom, in which he styled him his colleague and one who was brother and friend, and one turning his attention to the faith, and to the rectification of that which had been corrupted by Peter, the misguided one who was now dead. «For the whole of the spiritual Israel |481 is one flock», wrote Anastasius, «and thou shalt unite it, that thou mayest receive the crown of testimony and unity».

Now Athanasius was good fruitful ground, and therefore he received the spiritual seed with joy, and took the synodical letter which had come to him, and assembled the bishops under his see, and said to them: «Know that the world to-day rejoices in peace and love, because the Chalcedonian darkness has passed away, and there has remained this one light-giving and fruit-bearing branch of the true vine, which is the see of Mark the evangelist, and the province of Egypt. For we have been heretics and schismatics since the patriarch Severus, who was to us a guide and a way of salvation. And you know that Peter the apostle and Mark the evangelist had one gospel which they preached; and so also Severus and Theodo-sius had one faith, and lived in unity, and endured exile and conflicts to the end».

So, when the fathers and bishops heard his discourse, they rejoiced greatly and agreed to accept the synodical letter, and declared that the two churches should be one, and that the two patriarchs should be of one spirit, and a lamp illuminating the orthodox.

So the blessed Athanasius arose, and took with him five bishops, excellent and learned, and journeyed in a ship to Alexandria. But when they arrived, they were informed that the Father Anastasius was in the monasteries; and therefore they went out to him. Then, when he heard that the patriarch of |482 Antioch had come to him, he assembled the bishops and priests and monks, and arose in great humility, and went out on foot, until he met him, with chants and hymns and joy and gladness. And they entered together into the monastery which is on the sea-shore, to the north-east of the monasteries, and there they sat in peace and joy.

And the Father Anastasius sent at once and summoned all the clergy of Alexandria, that they might be present at the meeting of the fathers, and might celebrate the liturgy with them, and communicate of the Holy Mysteries. And Athanasius pronounced at that assembly a wonderful discourse, full of wisdom, so that everyone who was present marvelled; and at the end he said: «At this hour, O my friends, we must take the harp of David, and sing with the voice of the psalm ²³, saying: Mercy and truth have met together; Athanasius and Anastasius have kissed one another. The truth has appeared from the land of Egypt, and righteousness has arisen from the East. Egypt and Syria have become one in doctrine; Alexandria and Antioch have become one Church, one virgin-bride of one pure and chaste bridegroom, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son, the Word of the Father».

And the Father Athanasius remained with the Father Anastasius for one month, while they meditated together upon the holy scriptures and profitable |483 doctrines, speaking of these matters and discussing them. Then Athanasius returned to his province in peace and great honour; and from that day there has been agreement between the see of Antioch and the see of Alexandria to this day.

And the Father Anastasius provided for the affairs of the Church with assiduity, and for spiritual learning, for the Lord granted him tranquillity. And from the first year that he sat upon the throne, he began from the first of the letters of the alphabet, and made each successive letter the first letter of that which he wrote every year in a book, whether mystagogia, or synodical epistle, or systatic epistle, or festal epistle, or homily. And he remained upon the throne, holding the orthodox faith, for twelve years, during which he wrote twelve books.

And during the forty days of the Fast before Christmas, the Lord Christ, who longs for those that believe in him, and who does wonders among his saints, looked upon him, and was pleased to translate him to the land of those that live for ever. So he went to his rest on the 22nd day of Kihak, in the year 330 of Diocletian, the slayer of the Righteous Martyrs. May their intercessions be with us! Amen! |484

ANDRONICUS, THE THIRTY-SEVENTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 616-622.

When Anastasius went to his rest, they seated upon the throne a learned man, a deacon of the church of the Angelion, a virgin and a scribe, whose name was Andronicus. He was very rich, much inclined to almsgiving, a leader of the people, loving mercy, and incessant in giving; and his family were leading people of the city, inasmuch as his cousin had been appointed head of the council of Alexandria. Therefore on account of the power of his authority and his eminence the heretics could not drive him out of Alexandria to the monasteries, as had been done before him; but he resided in his cell at the church of the Angelion, all his days.

Now there had arisen in Persia a king named Chosroes, who assembled a great host, and came with mighty power against the army of the Romans, and destroyed them utterly, and annihilated them. He took possession of the land of the Romans, and the land of Syria, and took captive the land of Palestine and Idumaea, and the land of Egypt, and trod them down as the oxen tread the threshing-floor, and collected their wealth and all that they had into his treasuries. And, on account of his love of money, he would kill a man for one denarius, or for something worth three denarii; for he had many subjects, and he knew not God, but worshipped the sun. |485

So when he took Egypt, and gained power, he made it his care to conquer the great city of Alexandria. And there were at Henaton near that city six hundred flourishing monasteries, like dovecotes; and the monks were independent, and insolent without fear, through their great wealth; and they did deeds of mockery. But the army of the Persians surrounded them on the west of the monasteries, and no place of refuge remained for them; and so they were all slain with the sword, except a few of them, who hid themselves, and so were safe. And all that was there of money and furniture was taken as plunder by the Persians; and they wrecked the monasteries, which have remained in ruins to this day.

And when the news arrived at Alexandria, the inhabitants opened the gates of the city. And the Persian governor, the leader of the war and lieutenant of king Chosroes, saw in his dream at night a personage who said to him: «I have delivered up to thee this city and its buildings and all that it contains. Therefore take heed that thou injure not the city, but let not its inhabitants be left within it; for they are hypocrites in religion». Now the Persians call their leader in their own language Salar, which means «commander»; and it was this Salar who built at Alexandria the palace which is called Tarâwus, the interpretation of the name being «House of the Ring», and it is now named Castle of the Persians. So when he received authority over the people of Alexandria, he did in his cunning as follows. He commanded all the young men in the city, from the age of eighteen to |486 fifty, to go out and receive twenty denarii each. So all the young men of the city assembled, and their names were written down; while they thought that they would receive the gift which he had promised them. And when he knew that all of them had come out, and that not one of them was left within the city, he commanded his troops to surround them, and slay them all with the sword. And the number of those that were thus slaughtered was eighty thousand men.

And when the Salar had done this, he marched away to Upper Egypt. And there were in the city of Niciu, which is also called Ibshadi, certain persons who gave him information concerning the monks who lived on the mountains and in the caves, the number of whom was seven hundred, and told him how they were enclosed within a fortified wall, and that their deeds were reprehensible, on account of the greatness of their wealth. So when the Salar heard this report of them, he sent his troops and surrounded them. And when the sun rose, they entered and slew all of them with the sword, and not one of them remained.

And this Salar was the cause of many troubles, because he knew not God. But the time is too short to recount his deeds.

So when the patriarch Andronicus had accomplished six years in his patriarchal office, and had suffered from this nation of the Persians, and seen all these disasters, which he encountered and patiently endured, he went to his rest, and departed to the Lord in perfect peace, holding fast to the right faith, the faith of his fathers, on the th. of Tubah. |487

BENJAMIN I, THE THIRTY-EIGHTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 622-661.

One year before the Father Andronicus died, there was a God-fearing and believing brother, whose name was Benjamin, in a monastery called the Monastery of Canopus, who came to it at that time and took refuge there with a holy old man whose name was Theonas. For the Persians had not destroyed this monastery among the rest that they had wrecked, because it lay to the north-east of the city, which Saitus was protecting. This brother Benjamin was a native of the province of Al-Buhairah, and came from a hamlet called Barshut. And he had longed after the monastic life and the practice of asceticism; and so he left his parents and all that they had, for they were very rich, and departed to the monastery, where the holy old man, Theonas, clothed him with the habit of the monastic life, and brought him up in the fear of God; and he grew day by day until his holiness and patience and self-restraint made great advances. And he learnt the scriptures by heart, until what happened to Paul happened likewise to him; for the great one Paul was brought up at Jerusalem with a man whose name was Gamaliel; and then his own assiduity and the grace of the Lord Christ raised him, until he became many times more capable and more excellent than his teacher. So also this Benjamin used to chastise himself |488 by ascetic practices, and took no sleep during the nights when there was an assembly in the church. And he read especially in the Gospel of the Blessed John, for he learnt it by heart.

And on a certain night he saw in his dream a man in shining raiment standing by him, who said to him: «Rejoice, O Benjamin, thou humble sheep, who art also the shepherd that shall feed the reasonable flock of the Lord Christ.» So when he heard these words he was troubled and vexed; but afterwards he rejoiced over the grace given to him from heaven; and he rose hastily and told his Father Theonas; and the old man believed his words with regard to this vision, but said to him: «Err not, my son; for Satan desires by this to cause thee to perish through pride. Go now therefore, and watch over thyself, and fall not by vainglory. For behold, I have spent fifty years in this convent without seeing any such vision, nor has anyone ever told me that he has seen any such thing». So Benjamin was silent and accepted his teacher's words; and grace increased in him day by day, sent from the God of glory; and all his words and actions were assisted by heaven. And the old man Theonas, and all who knew Benjamin, were astonished at the grace of God which was upon him, and thought that he was beside himself, until the old man Theonas took him, and went to the Father Andronicus, the patriarch, and explained his circumstances to him. So he said: «Bring him to me that I may hear him speak». When Benjamin entered, he prostrated himself before the Father Andronicus, the patriarch, who saw the grace of Christ |489 which was upon him, and asked him quietly to make known to him what he had witnessed; and Benjamin confessed, and described the event to him; and the patriarch kept them both with him during that night.

And when morning came, Theonas asked Andronicus to allow them to depart to their monastery in peace. But the patriarch said to him: «As for thee, depart in peace; but the Brother Benjamin henceforth belongs not to thee, for the Lord has elected him to be a servant to himself». And straightway he took Benjamin, and ordained him priest. And Benjamin began to live with the patriarch, assisting him in ecclesiastical works, and in his general administration. And Andronicus rejoiced exceedingly over him, and when his death drew near, charged them that Benjamin should be patriarch after him; and so, when he went to his rest, they made the aforesaid Benjamin patriarch upon the evangelical throne.

And the Persians remained rulers of Egypt and its provinces for six more years after that. Then Heraclius, who had been chief of the patricians under Phocas, the misbelieving emperor, succeeded him on the throne, and devoted himself to the task of fighting the Persians. For by the grace of Christ, he marched against them, and slew Chosroes, their misbelieving king, and ruined his city and made it a wilderness, and carried away its wealth and captives in triumph to Constantinople. And when Heraclius obtained possession of the land, he appointed governors in every place. And he sent a governor to the land of Egypt, named Cyrus, to be prefect and patriarch at the same time. |490

So when Cyrus came to Alexandria, the angel of the Lord announced his coming to the Father Benjamin, and bade him flee. For the angel said to him: «Flee thou and those that are with thee here, for great troubles will come upon you. But take comfort, for this conflict will last only ten years. And write to all the bishops who are within thy diocese, that they may hide themselves until the wrath of the Lord pass».

So the Father Benjamin, the confessor, the militant by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, settled the affairs of the Church and put them in order, and gave injunctions to the clergy and laity, and charged them to cleave to the right faith even unto death. Then he wrote to the rest of the bishops of the province of Egypt, that they should hide themselves before the coming temptation.

And after that he went forth by the road towards Mareotis, walking on foot by night, accompanied by two of his disciples, until he came to Al-Munâ. Thence he went to Wadi Habib. And the monks there were few in number, because it was only a short time after the ruin which took place in the days of the patriarch Damian; and the Berbers did not allow them to multiply there. Then Benjamin went forth from the monasteries in Wadi Habib, and departed to Upper Egypt; and he remained hidden there in a small monastery in the wilderness until the accomplishment of the ten years, as the angel of the Lord had told him. These were the years during which |491 Heraclius and the Colchian ²⁴ ruled over the land of Egypt. And on account of the greatness of the trials and the straits and the affliction which the Colchian brought down upon the orthodox, in order that they might enter into the Chalcedonian faith, a countless number of them went astray, some of them through persecution, and some by bribes and honours, and some by persuasion and deceit. So that even Cyrus, bishop of Niciu, and Victor, bishop of the Faiyum, and many others denied the orthodox faith, because they had not obeyed the injunctions of the blessed Father Benjamin, and had not hidden themselves as the others did; for the Colchian caught them with the fishing-line of his error, and so they went astray after the impure Chalcedonian council. And Heraclius seized the blessed Mennas, brother of the Father Benjamin, the patriarch, and brought great trials upon him, and caused lighted torches to be held to his sides until the fat of his body oozed forth and flowed upon the ground, and knocked out his teeth because he confessed the faith; and finally commanded that a sack should be filled with sand, and the holy Mennas placed within it, and drowned in the sea. For Heraclius the misbeliever had charged them, saying: «If any one of them says that the council of Chalcedon is true, let him go; but drown in the sea those that say it is erroneous and false.» Therefore they did as the prince bade them, and cast Mennas into the sea. For they took the sack, and conveyed him to a distance of seven bowshots from the land, and said to |492 him: «Say that the council of Chalcedon is good and not otherwise, and we will release thee.» But Mennas would not do so. And they did this with him three times; and when he refused they drowned him. Thus they were unable to vanquish this champion, Mennas, but he conquered them by his Christian patience.

Then Heraclius appointed bishops throughout the land of Egypt, as far as the city of Antinoe, and tried the inhabitants of Egypt with hard trials, and like a ravening wolf devoured the reasonable flock, and was not satiated. And this blessed people who were thus persecuted were the Theodosians.

And in those days Heraclius saw a dream in which it was said to him: «Verily there shall come against thee a circumcised nation, and they shall vanquish thee and take possession of the land». So Heraclius thought that they would be the Jews, and accordingly gave orders that all the Jews and Samaritans should be baptized in all the provinces which were under his dominion. But after a few days there appeared a man of the Arabs, from the southern districts, that is to say, from Mecca or its neighbourhood, whose name was Muhammad; and he brought back the worshippers of idols to the knowledge of the One God, and bade them declare that Muhammad was his apostle; and his nation were circumcised in the flesh, not by the law, and prayed towards the South, turning towards a place which they called the Kaabah. And he took possession of Damascus and Syria, and crossed the Jordan, and dammed it up. And the Lord abandoned the army of the Romans before him, as a punishment for their corrupt faith, and because of |493 the anathemas uttered against them, on account of the council of Chalcedon, by the ancient fathers.

When Heraclius saw this, he assembled all his troops from Egypt as far as the frontiers of Aswan. And he continued for three years to pay to the Muslims the taxes which he had demanded for the purpose of applying them to himself and all his troops; and they used to call the tax the bakt, that is to say that it was a sum levied at so much a head. And this went on until Heraclius had paid to the Muslims the greater part of his money; and many people died through the troubles which they had endured.

So when ten years were over of the rule of Heraclius together with the Colchian, who sought for the patriarch Benjamin, while he was fleeing from him from place to place, hiding himself in the fortified churches, the prince of the Muslims sent an army to Egypt, under one of his trusty companions, named Amr son of Al-Asi, in the year 357 of Diocletian, the slayer of the martyrs. And this army of Islam came down into Egypt in great force, on the twelfth day of Baunah, which is the sixth of June, according to the months of the Romans.

Now the commander Amr had destroyed the fort, and burnt the boats with fire, and defeated the Romans, and taken possession of part of the country. For he had first arrived by the desert; and the horsemen took the road through the mountains, until they arrived at a fortress built of stone, between Upper Egypt and the Delta, called Babylon. So they pitched their |494 tents there, until they were prepared to fight the Romans, and make war against them; and afterwards they named that place, I mean the fortress, in their language, Bâblun Al-Fustât; and that is its name to the present day.

After fighting three battles with the Romans, the Muslims conquered them. So when the chief men of the city saw these things, they went to Amr, and received a certificate of security for the city, that it might not be plundered. This kind of treaty which Muhammad, the chief of the Arabs, taught them, they called the Law; and he says with regard to it: «As for the province of Egypt and any city that agrees with its inhabitants to pay the land-tax to you, and to submit to your authority, make a treaty with them, and do them no injury. But plunder and take as prisoners those that will not consent to this and resist you». For this reason the Muslims kept their hands off the province and its inhabitants, but destroyed the nation of the Romans, and their general who was named Marianus. And those of the Romans who escaped fled to Alexandria, and shut its gates upon the Arabs, and fortified themselves within the city.

And in the year 360 of Diocletian, in the month of December, three years after Amr had taken possession of Memphis, the Muslims captured the city of Alexandria, and destroyed its walls, and burnt many churches with fire. And they burnt the church of Saint Mark, which was built by the sea, where his body was laid; and this was the place to which the father and |495 patriarch, Peter the Martyr, went before his martyrdom, and blessed Saint Mark, and committed to him his reasonable flock, as he had received it. So they burnt this place and the monasteries around it.

And at the burning of the said church a miracle took place which the Lord performed; and that was that one of the captains of the ships, namely the captain of the ship of the duke Sanutius, climbed over the wall and descended into the church, and came to the shrine, where he found that the coverings had been taken, for the plunderers thought that there was money in the chest. But when they found nothing there, they took away the covering from the body of the holy Saint Mark, but his bones were left in their place. So the captain of the ship put his hand into the shrine, and there he found the head of the holy Mark, which he took. Then he returned to his ship secretly, and told no one of it, and hid the head in the hold, among his baggage.

When Amr took full possession of the city of Alexandria, and settled its affairs, that infidel, the governor of Alexandria, feared, he being both prefect and patriarch of the city under the Romans, that Amr would kill him; therefore he sucked a poisoned signet-ring, and died on the spot. But Sanutius, the believing duke, made known to Amr the circumstances of that militant father, the patriarch Benjamin, and how he was a fugitive from the Romans, through fear of them. Then Amr, son of Al-Asi, wrote to the provinces of Egypt a letter, in which he said: «There is protection and security for the place |496 where Benjamin, the patriarch of the Coptic Christians is, and peace from God; therefore let him come forth secure and tranquil, and administer the affairs of his Church, and the government of his nation». Therefore when the holy Benjamin heard this, he returned to Alexandria with great joy, wearing the crown of patience and sore conflict which had befallen the orthodox people through their persecution by the heretics, after having been absent during thirteen years, ten of which were years of Heraclius, the misbelieving Roman, with the three years before the Muslims conquered Alexandria. When Benjamin appeared, the people and the whole city rejoiced, and made his arrival known to Sanutius, the duke who believed in Christ, who had settled with the commander Amr that the patriarch should return, and had received a safe-conduct from Amr for him. Thereupon Sanutius went to the commander and announced that the patriarch had arrived, and Amr gave orders that Benjamin should be brought before him with honour and veneration and love. And Amr, when he saw the patriarch, received him with respect, and said to his companions and private friends: «Verily in all the lands of which we have taken possession hitherto I have never seen a man of God like this man». For the Father Benjamin was beautiful of countenance, excellent in speech, discoursing with calmness and dignity.

Then Amr turned to him, and said to him: «Resume the government of all thy churches and of thy people, and administer their affairs. And if thou wilt pray for me, that I may go to the West and to Pentapolis, and |497 take possession of them, as I have of Egypt, and return to thee in safety and speedily, I will do for thee all that thou shalt ask of me.» Then the holy Benjamin prayed for Amr, and pronounced an eloquent discourse, which made Amr and those present with him marvel, and which contained words of exhortation and much profit for those that heard him; and he revealed certain matters to Amr, and departed from his presence honoured and revered. And all that the blessed father said to the commander Amr, son of Al-Asi, he found true, and not a letter of it was unfulfilled.

Thus when this spiritual father, Benjamin the patriarch, sat among his people a second time, by the grace and mercy of Christ, the whole land of Egypt rejoiced over him; and he drew to himself most of the people whom Heraclius, the heretical prince, had led astray; for he induced them to return to the right faith by his gentleness, exhorting them with courtesy and consolation. And many of those that had fled to the West and to Pentapolis, through fear of Heraclius, the heretical prince, when they heard of the reappearance of their shepherd, returned to him with joy, and obtained the confessor's crown. So likewise the bishops, who had denied their faith, he invited to return to the orthodox creed; and some of them returned with abundant tears; but the others would not return through shame before men, that it should be known among them that they had denied the faith, and so they remained in their misbelief until they died.

And after that, Amr and his troops marched away from Alexandria, and |498 the Christ-loving duke Sanutius marched with him. And on that night the father saw in his dream a man in shining garments, clothed in the raiment of the disciples, who said to him: «O my beloved, make a place for me with thee, that I may abide therein this day, for I love thy dwelling.» Now the place, wherein the patriarch dwelt, was a pure habitation without defilement, in a monastery called the Monastery of Metras, which was the episcopal residence. For all the churches and monasteries which belonged to the virgins and monks had been defiled by Heraclius the heretic, when he forced them to accept the faith of Chalcedon, except this monastery alone; for the inmates of it were exceedingly powerful, being Egyptians by race and all of them natives, without a stranger among them; and therefore he could not incline their hearts towards him. For this reason, when the Father Benjamin returned from Upper Egypt, he took up his residence with them, because they had kept the orthodox faith, and had never deviated from it.

And when the ships, containing the provisions and booty of the troops, and the baggage of the believing duke Sanutius and his companions, were about to set sail, his own particular ship remained motionless, and could not be got under weigh. Therefore a great crowd assembled near that ship, supposing that it had grounded, and fastened towing-ropes to it, and pulled at it with all their might; and yet it did not move at all. So they went to the duke, and made this known to him, for he was sailing with the commander. Then the duke was greatly astonished; and he anchored the ship |499 in which the commander Amr was, and returned accompanied by many people, and when he arrived at the ship, he saw by it an innumerable crowd of men who were unable to move it. So he said to them: «Turn the prow of this ship to the city.» And when they turned it round as if to enter the city, it sped towards it like an arrow. Then the duke said to them: «Draw it outwards,» So they drew it until it arrived at its former position, and then it stood still and motionless. Then they turned the ship inwards again, and it sped; and they drew it outwards again, and it stood still. This happened three times. Then the duke said to the captain of the ship: «Bring up to me the baggage of the sailors, that I may search among it, so that I may see what it is, and discover the cause which has forced this ship to stand still alone of all these ships». Then the captain who had taken the head of the holy Mark, the evangelist, was afraid, and threw himself at the feet of the duke, and confessed to him what he had done, and that the head was hidden among his baggage. So they brought up his baggage from the hold, and found the head among it.

Then they went in haste and made known to the Father Benjamin exactly what had taken place. So he mounted his horse at once, and took with him a body of the clergy, and came to the duke, and related to him the dream which he had seen that night; and thereupon they all said: «Truly this is the head of the holy Mark the evangelist». And as soon as the patriarch |500 Benjamin came to the ship and took the pure head, and so released the ship, it got under sail at once and departed in a straight course. So he and the duke and all the people knew the truth of the story, and bore witness to this miracle, and glorified God.

And the duke gave to the patriarch much money, and said to him: «Rebuild the church of the holy Mark, and pray to him for safety for us». And the Father Patriarch returned to the city, carrying the head in his bosom, and the clergy went before him, with chanting and singing, as befitted the reception of that sacred and glorious head. And he made a chest of teak wood with a padlock upon it, and placed the head therein; and he waited for a time in which he might find means to build a church.

And his care was bestowed night and clay upon the conversion of those members of the Church who had been separated from her in the days of Heraclius; and no other business made him neglect that; for he was filled with faith and the Holy Ghost; and the grace of the Holy Ghost, which was with Athanasius the Apostolic, was with him in his words and in his deeds; and, through his agency and through his prayers, the Lord shewed mercy to his people. By his intercession began the rebuilding of the monasteries of Wadi Habib and of Al-Munâ; and the good works of the orthodox grew and increased, and the people rejoiced like young calves, when their halters are unfastened and they are set free to be nourished by their mothers' milk.

When Amr returned to Egypt, he departed thence once more to the army of |501 the prince of the Muslims; and a man named Abd Allah, son of Sa'd, was sent to Egypt instead of him. This man arrived, accompanied by many people; and, as he was a lover of money, he collected wealth for himself in Egypt; and he was the first who built the Divan at Misr, and commanded that all the taxes of the country should be regulated there.

And in the days of Abd Allah, son of Sa'd, a great dearth took place, the like of which had not been seen from the time of Claudius the unbeliever up to his time. For all the inhabitants of Upper Egypt came down to the Delta, in search of provisions; and the dead were cast out into the streets and market-places, like fish which the water throws up on the land, because they found none to bury them; and some of the people devoured human flesh. And if the Lord had not been compassionate, through the multitude of his mercies and the prayers of our Father Benjamin, the holy one, and speedily put an end to that dearth, all the inhabitants in the land of Egypt would have perished; for every day there died of the people countless myriads. But the Lord accepted the prayers of the patriarch, and had mercy on his people, and satisfied them with his good things, and sought out his heritage in his beneficence, as it is written ²⁵: «The eyes of all look unto thee, hoping for thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in its season; and when thou givest it them they live and are satisfied with good things.»

Now the holy Benjamin had with him a man full of grace and wisdom, meek like a dove, whose name was Agathon; and he was a priest in the |502 church, and was a native of Mareotis. And he used to disguise himself at Alexandria in the days of Heraclius in the garb of a layman, and went about at night, comforting the orthodox who were concealing themselves there, and settling their affairs, and giving them of the Holy Mysteries. And if it was in the daytime, he carried on his shoulder a basket containing carpenters' tools, and pretended to be a carpenter, that the heretics might not hinder him, and that so he might find a means of entering the houses or lodgings of the orthodox, that he might give them of the Mysteries, and encourage them to patience, and console them. And ¹ so he remained ten years until the time of the appearance of the Muslims. Then, when the blessed Benjamin returned to his see in peace, he adopted Agathon as his son in the administration of the holy Church.

Then the blessed Father Benjamin was attacked by a disease in his feet, besides the old age which had come upon him. And he remained thus sick for two years, until the saints prayed for him that God would release him from the prison of this world, so full of sadness, and would bring him to them in the place wherein is no sadness nor sorrow, but which is full of joy, in the land of the living. And God accepted their prayers, and sent to Benjamin three personages, namely Athanasius the Apostolic, and Severus and Theodosius the patriarchs, who were present at his death, and went before his holy soul, while the holy angels bore it on their pure wings, ascending with it to heaven with glory and honour, with the voices of praise and |503 glorification preceding it, until it reached the land of the saints, as the bridegroom enters his chamber, or the king his palace. So he departed to Christ his king, after finishing his conflict, and accomplishing his course, and keeping his faith, without losing one of his flock, on the th of Tubah, when he had been patriarch thirty-nine years, keeping the faith, wearing the crown of exile, which he received from the Lord Christ, to whom be glory with the merciful Father and the Holy Ghost, the Giver of Life. Amen. Abba Agathon says: «Those whose thoughts are in heaven are enlightened by the glory of God, who is the Father of Light; and the spiritual love of God is in them, as it is written ²⁶: Taste and see that the Lord is good. Such was the Father Benjamin, the patriarch, the teacher of the orthodox, who understood the interpretation of the scriptures, and dwelt in the desert, and grasped many mysteries; for he despised his body and cut off his desires, for the love of the Lord Christ our God who is above all. And as for me, |504 the sinner Agathon, I was the son of the Father Benjamin, and knew much of his virtues through my intimacy with him.

And he told me of the great mystery which he had seen manifestly at the consecration of the holy sanctuary of the glorious father, Saint Macarius, in Wadi Habib, and of the canons and rules which he had drawn up. And to that belongs the following account which he related to me:

When I was in my city of Alexandria, having found a time of peace and deliverance from persecution and from the warfare of the heretics, the festival of the Nativity of the Lord Christ arrived on the 28th of Kihak, and we assembled in the church of the Pure Lady Mary, the Mother of the Light, which is called the Porch of the Angels. And we offered many prayers, in the presence of the clergy, and of the chief men of the city, and of all the people old and young, to celebrate the praises of the Lady and Virgin, who brought forth God the Word, the truly Incarnate in this world, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, to whom is due glory with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the One God; and to observe at the same time also the festival of the Lord Christ, the Only-begotten Son, who was incarnate and was made man, and was born of the Pure Virgin at Bethlehem of Juda, one undivided Christ. Then I saw certain monks of calm and dignified appearance, like angels, who had entered into the midst of the congregation; and some of them were priests and some of them were from the desert of the holy Macarius; but they |505 could not reach me, on account of the multitude of the people. So one of the priests came towards me, and made their entrance known to me; therefore I said to him: I have seen them; and I bade him go to them, and he invited them to come to me. When they approached me, I enquired of them the cause of their coming so far. Then they said: We are come to thee with the object of praying thy Paternity, with a prostration, for God's sake to undertake the trouble of a journey to the monastery in the Holy Mountain, Wadi Habib, the home of our father, Macarius the Great, in order to consecrate the new church which has been built to him at the foot of the rock among the cells; because many of the old and sick inhabit cells far away, which are near the water, and are wearied if they mount to the top of the rock. Be gracious then to us, O our father, and endure the fatigue, that the fathers and monks may receive thy blessing; for they all long to behold thy Holiness.

When I heard this, I said to them, in my poverty, with joy: Ah indeed may God make me worthy of that task! So they waited until we had finished the festivities of that day, and of its morrow, which is the 29th of Kihak, and of the third day of the feast. Then I said to thee, O Agathon, and to Cosmas, the scribe, thy companion: Provide for us what we need for the journey to Wadi Habib, that we may receive a blessing from the Father Macarius, and from the brethren and monks.

So we undertook this task; and we began our journey on the second day of Tubah. And when we arrived at Tarûjah, the inhabitants thereof met us |506 with great joy. Then we reached the desert of Al-Munâ, which is that of Abba Isaac, near the mountain of Barnûj; and the brethren who were there rejoiced greatly over us, and we remained there two days, after which they took leave of us; but some of them accompanied us to show us the way leading to the desert and to the mountain; and they were holy and excellent men. So they brought us to the extremity of the desert of the mountain of Nitria.

Then we turned to the Monastery of Baramus, or Maximus and Domitius, where we alighted at the Church of the Holy Isidore; and we abode there one day. Then the brethren and monks who had come to visit us in the city of Alexandria departed, and made our arrival known to the monks of the Monastery of Saint Macarius, save two of their priests who remained with us, together with the brethren who had accompanied us from Al-Munâ; and therefore some of the monks came out to us. And on the th day of Tubah we visited the rest of the monasteries, and received blessings from them.

Finally we proceeded to the Monastery of the holy Macarius. And when we drew near to it, the young monks met us with palm-branches in their hands; and after them came old men, carrying smoking censers, and a body of the clergy, chanting like angels, resembling those who came to meet the Lord Christ from Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

And they began to give to my weakness that of which I was not worthy. And there was with them the great teacher Basil, bishop of Niciu. So I glorified the Lord Christ because he had counted me worthv once more to |507 see this renowned desert, and these holy fathers and brothers, and the manifestation of the orthodox faith; and had delivered me from the persecution of the heretics, and saved my soul from the great dragon, the tyrant who drove me away on account of the right faith; and had vouchsafed to me that I should behold my children once more around me. Then all the monks, the priests and the brethren, went before me until I entered the newly built church of Christ. There I seemed to enter Paradise, the place of meeting of the angels, and the joy of the saints, and the abode of rest for the just.

When the morrow arrived, the th day of Tubah, I said: Bring to me the priest Agathon, who suffered with me for the faith, in the time of the troubles which came upon me, when the Colchian, that enemy of the truth, attacked my weakness. So when thou earnest to me, I said to thee: O my son, bring forth the books which are requisite for the consecration; and accordingly thou didst bring them forth for me. Then we began the prayers; and with me were Abba Basil, bishop of Niciu, and all the clergy surrounding me, and all the monks, as thou sawest. At that time, while I was thus performing the rite of consecration, behold, I saw an old man, with a great light and radiant brilliancy upon his face; and as I gazed upon him and considered him, I said within myself: This man is fit to be made a bishop, to rule over many people; and if the Lord be pleased, as soon as a see is vacant, I will set him over it; for this person is a holy |508 man, fit for that office. So, while I was thinking of this, I saw a seraph with six wings, who appeared to me, and stood beside me. And he said to me: O bishop, why art thou thinking of this old man? This is Saint Miacarius, father of the patriarchs and bishops and monks who have lived in this desert; and he has come for the consecration of this church. Thereupon I was confounded before him, and considered him while he was standing among his sons with great joy; and the voice of that seraph resounded in my ears, and I was afraid of him. Then he said to me: If his sons walk in the straight way in which he walked, then they will enter with him into the place of the king, and rejoice with him. But he that breaks his commandments has no lot with him, but shall be driven out of the flock and shall have no inheritance with him.

Then the holy Macarius said to him: Put not thy seal, O my Lord, upon my sons with these words; for if a single grape be found in a bunch, it shall not perish, because the blessing of God is in it; and so I also trust in Christ, the Lover of my soul, that if he find among my children a single commandment kept, namely the love of one another, or if they raise their eyes to heaven to the Lord Christ even once every day, he will not forget them in his mercy, but will deliver them from the punishment of eternal hell. For the Lord, the Lover of mankind, grants repentance to the sinner, and desires not his death, in order that he may turn and repent, that so he may receive him. |509

Thus when I heard the words of Saint Macarius to the seraph, I understood his love for his children. For the interpretation of the name of the Father Macarius is the Blessed one, honoured by God and man. He, the Father Macarius, the disciple of God the Lord, is the net which gathers together of every kind for the kingdom of heaven. Then I said, so that those that were near me might hear me: Blessed art thou, O Saint Macarius, and blessed is thy order and blessed are thy children, since they deserve that thou shouldst be a powerful intercessor for them before the judgment-seat of God our Lifegiver, when our Ring and our God, Jesus Christ, shall come at his second appearing, to reward everyone according to his works in truth. Thou, O Saint Macarius, art the great ark which carries so many souls, and brings them into the harbour of safety and salvation, and thou art the intercessor for us all. As David says in his psalm ²⁷: Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of hypocrites, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful! Thou art indeed the champion and the prince! Blessed is the womb that carried thee and brought thee forth into the world! Remember me, O thou true saint of God!

Then thou, O Agathon, didst say to me, and the bishop of Niciu said to me: To whom speakest thou, O our father? So I said to you both: I am addressing Saint Macarius, the father of this mountain. For there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. |510

And I went up to the sanctuary, and said the prayer over the chrism, and took it to anoint the holy sanctuary. And I heard a voice saying: Observe, O bishop! So when I marked the sanctuary with the chrism, I saw the hand of the Lord Christ, the Saviour, upon the walls, anointing the sanctuary. Therefore great fear came upon me and trembling, such as thou sawest in me; but thou and those present did not know the cause of it, nor what I had seen and heard. Then I said, with the Father Jacob ²⁸: Verily this is a dreadful place, and this is the house of God in truth, and this is the gate of heaven, and the resting-place of the most High.»

Agathon the priest says: «At that time we had looked upon him, and he was like fire, and his face shone with light; and not one of us could speak a word to him, but we were confounded at him. Then the Father Benjamin said: This is the tabernacle of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And he walked round the sanctuary three times, saying Alleluia. Then he chanted the eighty-third Psalm, saying: How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth and pineth after the dwelling-places of the Lord, thy altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God ²⁹. And he finished saying the psalm to the end.

Then, when he had completed the consecration of the dome, he went out into the body of the church, to consecrate its walls and columns; and at the end he returned and sat in the dome. And he said to us: I have been carried away to-day to the Paradise ³⁰ of the Lord of Sabaoth, and I have |511 heard voices that cannot be uttered nor conceived in the heart of man, as the wise apostle Paul says. Believe me, my brethren, I have seen to-day the glory of Christ filling this dome; and I beheld with my own sinful eyes the holy palm, the sublime hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour, anointing the altar-board of this holy sanctuary. I have witnessed to-day the seraphim and the angels and the archangels, and all the holy hosts of the Most High, praising the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost in this dome. And I saw the father of the patriarchs and bishops and doctors of the orthodox Church, standing among us here in the midst of the brethren, his sons, with joy, ---- I mean the Father Macarius the Great. Truly this sanctuary is beneath the throne of the Almighty. This sanctuary is that which Isaias the prophet describes, when he says ³¹: There shall be an altar to God in the land of Egypt, and a platform, and five towns that speak the language of Chanaan.

Arise now, my children, and let us finish the liturgy, and obtain the blessing of the fathers, and glorify God most High».

Agathon the priest says: «The patriarch continued his narrative as follows. When I had finished the divine service and communicated the clergy, I saw again a great grace which I must not hide from thee. For when the old men came up for communion, I saw a vapour of incense ascending like perfume from their mouths, so that I thought that each one of |512 those fathers and monks carried incense when he came up to communion. Then the roof of the church opened, and that perfume ascended from it. And I observed their mouths as they prayed when they approached the Host, and I saw the words and the incense which issued from their mouths ascending to heaven. So I was assured then that it was their petitions and their prayers, which they uttered when they received the Holy Mysteries, which are the Body and Blood of the pure Lord Jesus Christ. And I saw the angels receiving those prayers of theirs, and carrying them up before the throne of the Lord. And, on account of the power of their prayers and supplications, I thought: Verily this is the golden candlestick holding the lamp; and this is the precious jewel; and this is the morning-star which rises and shines upon the whole world. And I sang the hymn of the three young men, Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, which they recited in the furnace of burning fire: Blessed art thou O Lord, God of our fathers, and praised and glorified for ever ³². And blessed in truth is the Lord, the, God of these saints, by whom and by whose like he directs the world. This is the meeting-place of the angels, and the harbour of all the souls which flee to God, the Deliverer of all souls. Then I glorified and thanked the Lord Jesus Christ, who made me worthy to witness what I saw.

And when I fell asleep that night, I saw standing before me a shining |513 personage who said to me: Awake, O bishop, and arise to set in order the canons of this church and this sanctuary together; so that every one, whether priest or deacon, may guard himself in his conduct therein in perfect patience and virtuous tranquillity, because Christ our Lord and all his angels are here; and write these canons as a memorial for this holy church for ever. For there will come a crooked generation who will love the praise of men more than the glory of God, and they will trample down this holy place shamelessly and haughtily, and will barter for gold the grace of the Holy Ghost which he gave to his people, and will break the apostolic canons. For who can desire to have an inheritance in this holy place who is without fear of the Lord and whose soul is not tried at the beginning? And the glory of this holy and renowned and venerated place shall be changed by such, who shall occupy as it were stalls for cattle at their entrance into it; for those who are of this kind have hearts like the hearts of cattle, and neither read nor understand. All of them go out of the way and become abominable; and their care is for their bellies, and their glory is in shame; and they go upon their bellies like serpents, and swell, and bite men, and are insolent, haters of their brethren, occupied with eating and drinking, as cattle which have no understanding or their like; and the Apostolic Church separates them from herself.

CANONS FOR THE MONASTERY OF SAINT MACARIUS.

¹. No priest shall ascend to this sanctuary until he has put on his pallium first, before he carries the incense into the sanctuary. |514

[II]. No priest or deacon shall communicate therein until he has vested himself in the epomis or a pallium.

[III]. No priest or deacon shall speak in this holy dome any idle words, nor sit therein to read any book. And he that shall break this canon shall be anathema.

[IV]. If any priest or monk shall enter into this dome, unless he be appointed for the service of this sanctuary, let him be anathema.

[V]. If any of the priests belonging to this place bring a strange priest from Misr or an official into this dome and holy tabernacle, for the sake of human glory, let him be anathema.

[VI]. If any man shall persist in entering into this holy dome, the Lord Jesus Christ shall cast him out.

[VII]. And if any man transgresses in order that he may have a lot in this holy place by means of money or bribe, then let him, and everyone who assists him to enter it for the sake of human glory, be degraded, especially if he be notorious for evil and pride.

Know, my brethren, that not one of these shall receive the lot of Jacob; and the power which dwells in this place and in this holy sanctuaiy will not consent to any of these things. But let a monk be humble, pure, peaceable, perfect in all the approved qualities, as the Teacher Paul testified in what he |515 said about this degree; for he says what is certain in his glorious epistles.

Then this shining personage, by whom I am unworthy to be addressed, said to me: Thy departure, O Benjamin, from this world, which is the separation of thy soul from thy body, will correspond to the day of the consecration of this church. And thou shalt depart to the Lord Christ whom thou lovest, that thou mayest rest in the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the predestined, together with all the elect. So I said to him: O my Lord, I trust that God may make me worthy of what thou sayest, and may receive me, his sinful servant; and that I may go to him on the said day. And blessed be my Lord Jesus Christ, the Lover of my soul and spirit, because his mercy is abundant towards me. Thereupon the seraph disappeared from me.

And the patriarch Benjamin said to us: Think not, my brethren, that I have written these anathemas for this generation. Nay, rather I have written them because there will come another generation in the last times which will deserve what I have written, according to that which the seraph announced to me, who talked with me. Therefore it behoves every believer to beware of following the praise of men; but let him do what is fitting for the glory of God, and love him with all his heart. And do thou my son Agathon, the priest, write down for thyself the date of this consecration; and remind me of it constantly and every day, that I may remember the words of the seraph on this day, that on the same day will take place my departure from this world, it being the th of Tubah, on which took place the consecration of the holy church in the name of the holy Macarius, our father. |516

Now we will record another miracle which took place on the same day. There was in the city of Niciu a great and eminent official, whose custom it was to enter at all times into the holy monasteries in Wadi Habib; and accordingly he was present on the day of the consecration of the church of Saint Macarius, accompanied by a son of his who was afflicted by disease, in whom was manifested another great and conspicuous wonder, worked by the blessed Father Macarius, who is the father of the holy mountain in Wadi Habib, and the comforter of all the patriarchs and bishops and monks and teachers in the whole world; for the odour of the incense of his works, and the beauty of his deeds have filled the land, and his lamp illumines all that come to him. And it was the custom of this official to come to the monastery always at the feasts of the Nativity and of the Baptism and of Easter; and thus he was present on the day of the consecration together with his son, whom he entrusted to the charge of a holy monk, with whom was a youth who served him. When the consecration and the liturgy were finished, and the people had communicated, the son of the official was sleeping in the holy church; and at that moment he cried out in his sleep so that he frightened the people who were present with his cries. But that monk took courage, and went up to the lad, and awoke him; and when he awoke, the congregation observed him, and behold, he was healed, and seemed like a new creature on that day. So they glorified God for this great miracle which had taken place. |517

The Father Benjamin, the patriarch, said: So when I had finished the communion, I called the official, the father of the lad, and inquired of him concerning the circumstances of his son, and he informed me of his sickness and all that had happened to him. Then I called the lad and said to him: O my son, explain to me what thou sawest in thy dream, and hide nothing of it from me. So the lad said: While I was sleeping, I saw a tall old man with a light beard descending over his breast, and he squeezed my body with his hands, so that I cried out with the pain. Then he grasped with his hand the edge of my garment and drew it up over my head, and I saw all my disease and sores adhering to my garment, and they were stripped off with it from my body. And he said to me: Be of good courage, my son, for behold, thou art cured. So when this father and monk had finished, I rose up healed. This is what happened to me, O my lord and father.

So I, Benjamin, beheld him with my eyes on that day, and he was healed; and I glorified the Lord Jesus Christ, who showed to me his power and wonders by the hand of the holy Saint Macarius, who heals souls and bodies by his intercession with God, and who is become a harbour for the salvation of the world. Blessed therefore is the Mountain of Nitria, which was worthy to be inhabited by Saint Macarius, the intercessor for us and for all who visit him. O mountain in which is the mystery of God! O mountain on which are assembled those elect ones who shine therein more |518 brightly than the light of the sun by day, and whose prayers ascend like a flaming fire! O mountain in which the spiritual fruit bears thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold! O mountain which salts souls, and restores them from sin, and purifies them by repentance, so that they are white like snow! Thou art the true mountain on which are assembled the kings and the rich men and the poor, to serve God there. Thou art the mountain of salt in truth, which salts souls that stank with sin and iniquity. It is thou that hast made robbers into teachers and martyrs and saints. Therefore may they pray now without weariness before our Lord Jesus Christ, that he may strengthen us in the orthodox faith, in his illuminating Church, that all of us who are baptized may exult at all times therein. And we pray him to deliver us from the persecutions of those who rule over us, and from the wiles of the hunter and enemy of the truth, Satan, the evil prince.

Glory and power and majesty be to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, now and always and for ever and ever. Amen.»

With the help of God is finished the first half of the first part of the book of the Histories of the Patriarchs in the great city of Alexandria, successors of Saint Mark the Evangelist. May God grant us the blessing of his prayers and of their prayers! And their number is thirty-eight patriarchs.

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. 1. Eus., H. E., VII, 32; VIII, 13; IX, 6. ---- The seven mss. collated for the preceding fasciculus have been consulted also for the present one, the Paris ms. 4772 being here designated by the letter G. C. like E. contains an abridged text.

2. 1. See the three versions of the Acts of St. Peter, published by Baronius and afterwards Mai. Spicil. Rom., III, p. 673. Rome, 1840; Surius (25 Nov.); and Combefis, Illustrium Christi Martyrum lecti Triumphi, etc. p. 189, Paris, 1660. The last alone is in the original Greek, the others being Latin translations. Cf. Viteau (Greek text), Passions des saints Ecaterine, Pierre d'Alex., etc., Paris, 1897; Bedjan (Syriac version). Acta mart. et sanct., t. V, Paris. 1895, pp. 543-561; Hyvernat, Actes des Martyrs, tirés des Mss. coptes, etc.. Paris, 1886.

3. 1. S. John, xi, 50; xviii. 14.

4. 1. Ps, lxviii, 1 (Sept. lxvii).

5. 1. Psalm cxix, 131 (Sept. cxviii).

6. 1. S. Matth., vii, 7; S. Luke, xi, 9.

7. 1. S. Matth., xxiv, 2; S. Mark, xiii. 2; S. Luke, xix, 44; xxi, 6.

8. 1. Job, vi, 21 (Sept.).

9. 1. S. John, i, 18.

10. 2. S. Matth., i, 23.

11. 3. Is., vii, 14.

12. 4. S. Mark, xiv, 61, 62.

13. 5. I Tim., vi, 13.

14. 6. S. Luke, i, 32-35.

15. 1. Phil., ii, 6, 7.

16. 2. I Thess., i, 10; Hebr., i, 4-6, 13; ii, 5. 8, 9.

17. 1. S. Matth., xvii, 4; S. Mark, ix, 4: S. Luke, ix, 33.

18. 1. III Kings, xii, 16.

19. 2. The Acephali.

20. 1. Acts, viii, 20, 23.

21. 1. S. Matth., iv, 8-10. S. Luke, iv, 5-8.

22. 1. Ps. lviii, 4, 5 (Sept. lvii).

23. 1. Ps. lxxxv, 10 (Sept. lxxxiv, 11).

24. 1. Mukaukas seems to be the Coptic [Coptic], «Colchian» or «Caucasian», and to denote Cyrus, bishop of Phasis. appointed by the emperor Heraclius to be patriarch of Alexandria, and prefect of Egypt. See Dr. A. J. Butler, On the identity of Al-Mukaukis of Egypt in Trans. of Soc. of Bib. Arch. 1901.

25. 1. Ps. civ, 27, 28; cxlv. 15. 18 (Sept. ciii. cxliv.)

26. 1. Ps. xxxiv, 8 (Sept. xxxiii. 9).

27. 1. Ps. i. 1.

28. 1. Gen., xxviii, 17.

29. 2. Ps. lxxxiv, 1. 2. 3 (Sept. lxxxiii).

30. 3. II Cor., xii, 4.

31. 1. Isaias, xix, 19. 18.

32. 1. Daniel, iii. 52 (Greek).

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: severus_hermopolis_hist_alex_patr_03_part .htm

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1910) Part 3: Agathon - Michael I (766 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 5 pp. 3-215 (pp.257-469 of text).

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1910) Part 3: Agathon - Michael I (766 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 5 pp. 3-215 (pp.257-469 of text).

HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS

OF THE COPTIC CHURCH OF ALEXANDRIA

III

AGATHON TO MICHAEL I (766)

ARABIC TEXT EDITED, TRANSLATED, AND ANNOTATED

BY

B. EVETTS

Chapter 15

Agathon, the thirty-ninth patriarch (661-677)

John III, of Samannûd, the fortieth patriarch (677-686)

Chapter 16

Isaac, the forty-first patriarch (688-689)

Simon I, the forty-second patriarch (689-701)

Chapter 17

Alexander II, the forty-third patriarch (705-730)

Cosmas I, the forty-fourth patriarch (730-731)

Theodore, the forty-fifth patriarch (731-743)

Chapter 18

Michael I, the forty-sixth patriarch (744-767)

|3

CHAPTER XV

AGATHON, THE THIRTY-NINTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 661-677.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, the one God.

The second division of the histories of the holy Church, consisting of six chapters and the lives of fourteen patriarchs.

Agathon was the son of the patriarch Benjamin in the spirit, not in the flesh; and he is the thirty-ninth in the series of the patriarchs.

When the great champion and maintainer of the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and teacher of the orthodox creed, Abba Benjamin, returned from banishment, and resumed his seat upon the evangelical throne in the Church of God, he restored that which had been overthrown by Heraclius, and by the impure Chalcedonian Council, in the person of Proterius. For this Father Abba Benjamin reconstructed all things, and set them in order with the help of the Lord Christ, the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for his |4 sheep, according to his words in his pure Gospel ¹: «The Good Shepherd gives his life for his sheep». So Benjamin walked in the footsteps of his Lord, and carried his cross and followed him, and endured trials and woes and great temptations till death for the right faith, but neither retreated nor turned backwards in his conflict, until he had finished it; so that he received his reward with the saints, his fathers, who preceded him. As David says ² in the Psalms: «Precious before the Lord is the death of his pure ones».

So the Father Benjamin died. And the faitful God-fearing people, by the command of the Lord, took that God-fearing priest Agathon, and enthroned him as patriarch, according to the agreement of his name with his actions; for he was good and his conduct was good, adorned with every noble deed, full of the grace of the Holy Ghost and of the orthodox faith.

Now the Muslims were fighting against the Romans furiously. And the Romans had a prince whose name was Tiberius, whom they had made their ruler, and who possessed many islands. So the Muslims took the Romans captive, and carried them away from their own country to a strange land. Thus with regard to Sicily and all its provinces, they took possession of that island, and ravaged it, and brought the people captives to Egypt. And this holy patriarch Agathon was sad at heart when he saw his fellow-Christians in the hands of the Gentiles; and as the conquerors had offered many souls of them for sale, he bought them and set them free. But they |5 were followers of the impure and heretical sects, known as the Gaianites, who do not communicate with the orthodox, and as the Barsanuphians.

And Abba Agathon did not neglect to ordain bishops in every place, that they might bring back the sheep which Satan had led astray to the Church of the Lord Christ. Therefore Satan brought down upon him great trouble on account of his purity of heart and excellence of character.

In those days Alexandria was governed by a man whose name was Theodore ³, who was a chief among a congregation of the Chalcedonians, and was an opponent of the orthodox Theodosians. This man went to Damascus to the leader of the Muslims, whose name was Yazîd, son of Mu'âwiyah, and received from him a diploma giving him authority over the people of Alexandria and Maryût and all the neighbouring districts, and declaring that the governor of Egypt had no jurisdiction over him; for he had given Yazîd much money. Then Theodore returned and tyrannised over the father, Abba Agathon, and troubled him; not only demanding of him the money which he was bound to pay, and taking from him thirty-six denarii as poll-tax every year, on account of his disciples, but that which he spent upon the sailors in the fleet he also exacted from him. And whenever he wanted funds he required the patriarch to supply them. But the community of the Chalcedonians would not associate with this man. The |6 patriarch needed seven thousand denarii to satisfy the demands of Theodore the Chalcedonian, besides the taxes upon his property, and was prevented from leaving his cell by the governor's cruel hostility on account of his orthodox faith, for he even issued a command, saying: «Whoever shall see the pope of the Theodosians going out by night or by day, may stone him to death, and I will be responsible for him». So the Father Agathon lay hid during the days of that impious official, praying for him according to the injunction of the Gospel ⁴: «Love your enemies, bless those that curse you». In the days of Abba Agathon was built the church which was dedicated in the name of the Father Macarius. And the brethren multiplied so that they built the cells near the Marsh; and they increased by the grace of the Lord Christ, and the believing brethren assisted them. In those days there appeared at the monastery a man, pure in body and clean of heart, learned in the two kinds of wisdom, the ecclesiastical and the secular, whose name was John, a native of Samannûd. While he was making a pilgrimage to the desert he was attacked by a sore sickness, and none of the seniors believed that he would be healed. Then one night he saw a dream as if one in human form giving forth light and in great glory, sitting on the throne of the Seraphim and surrounded by a multitude, |7 alighted near the door of his cell. And he beheld a band of seniors, the holy fathers who live in the desert, going forward to receive the blessing: of him that sat on the throne. And he said in his own mind: «If I had some one who would take me, I also would go forward to this great heavenly king, and receive his blessing, and then perchance I should recover from this sickness and pain». At that moment there approached him one of those who had been standing around the throne and him that sat upon it, a man clothed in the raiment of the patriarchs and apostles, and holding upon his breast a book like the gospel; and he said: «Wilt thou that I bring thee to our Lord that he may grant thee the grace of healing?» Then John prostrated himself before that man with tears and prayed him saying: «Have pity on me, O my Lord, and take me to him, for I am in great trouble». So that holy one answered and said to him, for he was a priest: «O John, tell me that, if thou shalt be healed by the Lord, thou wilt be a son to me, and I will take thee to him». And he promised him in the vision that he would be a son to him until the day of his death; and that man took his hand and brought him to the Saviour of the world. Thereupon John fell prostrate at his feet, and the Saviour said to him: «O John, why love ye vanity, ye sons of men, and neglect the truth, and seek lies ⁵? Behold, didst thou intend in coming hither to build for thyself a cell of clay which will quickly disappear, or to lay up for thyself treasures in heaven, |8 and erect for thyself in the heavenly Jerusalem, the new city, a mansion which will not perish?» So he fell at his feet and prayed to be forgiven. And the Lord raised him up and said to him: «Now I grant thee the healing of thy sickness for the sake of Mark the Evangelist; therefore depart, and do all that he bids thee». Then the Lord ascended to heaven with glory and majesty.

After that John awoke from his dream, healed of his sickness. And he meditated, saying: «What is this that has now been done?» Then consolation descended upon him from that day. And he went to a monastery in the province of the Faiyûm, accompanied by his two disciples; and he concealed himself there.

Subsequently there appeared to Abba Agathon one who said to him: «Send to John the priest, who is of Samannûd, that he may help thee and assist thee; for it is he that shall sit after thee upon the throne». Accordingly the patriarch despatched some of the clergy to the bishop of the Faiyûm, Abba Mennas, and wrote bidding him send to him the priest John. Now that bishop loved John, and profited by his discourse, but he could not contradict the Father Patriarch. So he sent the messengers to John, and they brought him in a boat, and the bishop despatched him to Alexandria.

When the patriarch saw John he rejoiced over him. because he was very wise; and therefore he delivered to him his church, and gave him |9 authority over it and over the city. And some of the people prayed him to ordain John bishop over Upper Egypt, and others suggested some other see. But God was reserving him for his gentleness like David, that he might accomplish for him what had been promised in the vision in Wadî Habîb.

And that true father, Agathon, was occupied all his days in providing for the ordination of priests who were worthy of the laying on of hands and were fall of the fear of God; while men thanked God for his deeds. In his time lived the blessed bishop Gregory, bishop of Al-Kais, and a Syrian, whose name was Joseph. In his days also appeared the foul heresy of the Monk.

There was a commander among the Muslims, whose name was Maslamah, and he called together seven bishops, and sent them to Sakha on business connected with some people there, who were alleged to have burnt with fire some of the clerks employed there. The bishops were directed to try the accused; and, when they arrived at Sakha, they acted in concert with a man who was a magistrate there, named Isaac, and they corrected the state of affairs; and those men were healed from the burning. And the said Isaac came to an agreement with the governor of Sakha, and together they prevailed over Theodore the Chalcedonian who was at Alexandria. For this Isaac had received authority over the whole province on his account, because of the harm that he had done to the patriarch. |10

Then the patriarch Agathon finished his days in a good old age, and at the end he fell sick after remaining seventeen years upon his throne, and went to his rest on the 16th of Babah. And his body was placed, as it is written in the history of Saint Macarius, with the Father Benjamin. He died keeping the orthodox faith, and is now wearing the crown of righteousness with all the saints in the land of the living for ever and ever. Amen.

JOHN III, OF SAMANNUD, THE FORTIETH PATRIARCH. A. D. 677-686.

When the holy father, Abba Agathon, went to his rest, Theodore the Chalcedonian laid his hand on everything, so that they did not find even bread to eat on the day of the patriarch's death; for he set his seal on all that belonged to Agathon, and on all that they had. But at last the Lord took vengeance on Theodore by a sore plague in his vitals, namely the disease of the dropsy; and he began to eat every day twelve pounds of bread and twenty-four pounds of meat and two baskets of figs, and to drink daily one skin of wine of Maryût; and yet neither his hunger nor his thirst was satisfied, nor was his belly filled. Thus he died an evil death.

And his son was appointed governor instead of him, and became like a son to our father Abba John, for he had confidence in him and love for him. Thus the Father Patriarch led him like a son. At the beginning of his |11 occupation of the see took place the slaying of Tiberius who was prince of Byzantium; and his son took the empire, and his name was Augustus. And when this man began to reign, he made war upon the coasts which the Muslims had taken, and recovered them. And he took many islands of which the Muslims had gained possession, and so likewise he restored Sicily.

At that time there arose one who was no true monk in the city of Constantinople, whose name was Maximus; and he stirred up disturbance and trouble in his country. For he said: «If you truly believe in the faith of Chalcedon, then confess the doctrine of two Natures and two Persons and two Hypostases and two Wills and two Velleities, which the council taught.» So many people followed him; and there arose a great dispute between the two parties. And Augustus the prince was angry with them, and sent this man who was no true monk into exile. And this prince went to Sicily after a time, and was killed there like a slaughtered victim by one of his two attendants.

After him his son Justinian ruled the empire instead of him, and he was a bold prince; and the fear of him fell upon the hearts of the Muslims as when a lion leaps out upon a pack of wolves.

But in those days, after the death of Yazîd, the son of Mu'âwiyah, there arose from the land of the Muslims a prince, whose name was Marwân, who rushed forth like a lion when he comes out of his den hungry, and |12 devours the rest or tramples them under foot. He took possession of the East and of Fustât Misr. And he made his sons governors over all the provinces. To the eldest of them, whose name was Abd al-Malik, he gave Damascus; and to the second, Abd al-Azîz, he gave Egypt.

And there was great enmity between Marwân and the Egyptians, because they had set their hopes on the arrival of another man, whose name was Ibn az-Zubair. But when he arrived, Marwân defeated him. And there were appointed for Abd al-Azîz two secretaries, trustworthy and orthodox, whom he set over the whole of the land of Egypt and Maryût and Marâkiyah and Pentapolis which is Libya. One of them was named Athanasius, and he had three sons, and was a native of Edessa in the land of Syria; while the other's name was Isaac, and he and his two sons were natives of Shubrâ Tani, of a good and orthodox family.

And when Abd al-Azîz became governor of Egypt, the Father Patriarch wrote from Alexandria to Misr to the two scribes who presided over his divan, to make known to them what had been done concerning the seal, which was set upon all the places, and the trouble with the misbelieving Chalcedonians from which he was suffering. Thereupon the said scribes sent messengers to Alexandria with instructions that the seal should be broken in the places named, and that all the property of the Church should be delivered to the Father Patriarch.

Now this father was a saint, and the grace of God appeared in his face |13 as in Moses the prophet, so that none could look upon his face, nor discern its features nor the sockets of his eyes, on account of the great light which was upon it. And the Lord healed many of the sick through his prayers; and he was a virgin in soul and body; and he lived in peace with all men. And his deeds and wonders were manifested, so that even the prince and all in his palace heard of them, and sent gifts to him from Constantinople. And in the first year that Abd al-Azîz became governor, he went to Alexandria, according to the custom of those who were appointed governors, to receive its taxes, which were every day a thousand denarii in cash. Then much money was sent to the prince of the Romans; and there was a truce for ten years without war. When the governor arrived at the city, since his entry was not public but private, the patriarch did not go forth to meet him, because he did not know of his coming. Thereupon he was denounced by many people, misbelievers and heretics, whose leader was a man named Theophanes, the husband of the sister of Theodore the Chalcedonian; for they said that he did not go forth nor meet him on account of the greatness of his pride and haughtiness, and his great wealth. Then Abd al-Azîz sent in anger and summoned the blessed Abba John to the palace, and made him stand before him, and said to him: «What is the cause of thy stiff-necked pride and of thy delay in coming forth to meet me outside this city?» The blessed one answered and said to him: « God knows that I did not |14 do this on account of stiffness of neck, but on account of my weakness, and because I cannot always go forth from the city to another place». Then the Amir was angry and delivered him to certain officers until he should pay a hundred thousand denarii; and he was received into custody by the governor of a castle, who was named Samad, a man without mercy, hard of heart and full of evil. This man received the patriarch on the first day of the Great Week before Easter; and took him and brought him to his dwelling, to torment him until he should pay the money. Afterwards he made him stand before him; and there were with the patriarch two men of good families, namely Arâs the priest, steward of the property of the Church, a man of peace, adorned with every excellence, famous for his gentleness among the inhabitants of the whole city, and the deacon, his secretary, a wise man, loving his fellows, learned in the Scriptures, and virtuous. So when that evil man made our father, the patriarch, stand before him, he said to him: «I require of thee one hundred thousand denarii, which the Amir commands thee to pay». So he answered and said to him calmly and quietly: «Thou demandest of me one hundred thousand denarii, and I have not out of that sum one hundred thousand drachmae. But my God has not put in his law a command that I should save anything for myself, or gain money at all, for it is the root of all evil. Do therefore whatever it pleases thee to do. My body is in thy hands, but my soul and body are both in the hands of my Lord Jesus Christ». When the misbeliever heard this, |15 he was greatly indignant, and he gnashed with his teeth at the saint, and commanded that a brazen vessel full of coals of fire should be brought, and his feet placed in it until he should say that he would pay the money. But God, the ruler of his servants, sent down that night upon the wife of the Amir Abd al-Azîz a sore sickness, so that she was troubled and sent her eunuch to Samad, to say to him: «Take heed that thou do no harm to that man of God, the patriarch, whom they have delivered to thee; for great trials have befallen me on account of him this night». So Samad against his will released the patriarch, as well as his two good and excellent sons, until the morrow, that he might take thought as to what he should do with him.

Then at the time of cock-crow Samad went to the Amir and had an interview with him, and made known to him what had happened, and that he had not put the patriarch to the torture. So the Amir said to him: «Beware of touching his body, because of what has befallen us this night on his account. But whatever thou canst obtain from him, take it from him by gentle means, and if that be impossible, yet do no harm to him, for God has revealed to me that he is his servant».

So Samad returned to his house. And it was now Tuesday in the Great Week. So he summoned John, the holy patriarch, before him, and threatened him with many threats, and brought him the garments of a Jew, and swore that if he would not pay the sum of money that he had first |16 required of him, he would clothe him with those garments, and defile his face with ashes, and lead him round the whole city. But John was not at all afraid, but kept saying to him with a brave heart: «Even if the Lord my God does not save me from thy hand, yet thou hast no power to do aught to me except by his command». Then Samad the misbeliever said to him: «I will yield to thee fifty thousand denarii; and thou shalt pay fifty thousand denarii; and I will release thee to negotiate as thou canst, and raise that sum for me». The saintly patriarch answered and said to him: «The only things that I can dispose of are my garments which are upon my body». After that Samad did not cease to lower his demands until he reached ten thousand denarii. So the patriarch said to him: «I will not promise what I cannot perform». Then when the news came to the secretaries who administered the affairs of Alexandria that the sum demanded had come down to ten thousand denarii, they sent to Abba John and said to him: «Undertake to pay the ten thousand denarii, and we will divide the debt among the bishops and the secretaries and the divans in which we serve, so that nothing may happen to the Church».

Then they went to Abd al-Azîz, and prayed him to summon the patriarch, and hear from him what he had to say. And that day was the Great Thursday. So when the governor had sent for him, and raised his eyes to him, he saw him as if he were in the similitude of an angel of God. Then he commanded at once that an ample cushion should be brought for Abba John; and when it was laid down, he sat upon it. And Abd al-Azîz said to him: |17 «Knowest thou not that the governor may not be thwarted?» The saint answered and said to him: «The governor's command is obeyed in what is right, but his orders are disobeyed when they are displeasing to God. For our Lord says in the Gospel ⁶: Fear not those that kill the body, and have no power over the soul, but fear him who can destroy the soul and the body together: that is to say God, who alone can do this» Then the Amir said to him: «Thy God loves honesty and truth». The patriarch replied: «My God is all truth, and there is no lie in him; but he destroys all those that speak lies». The Amir answered and said to him: «Thou art honest with me. Therefore whatever the Christians shall give to thee, because I demanded it of thee, give it to me, and I will require no more of thee». So the secretaries said to the patriarch: «Do this». Accordingly the patriarch accepted that proposal, and the Amir released him with honour and joy, while gladness and rejoicing were spread among the orthodox, but sorrow and shame among the enemies of the Church.

And the blessed patriarch rode forth from the governor's palace, amid the acclamations of the people, who walked before him, while he was mounted on his horse, with chanting and singing, until he entered the church. There he blessed the basin of water, and washed the feet of the people; and afterwards he celebrated the Liturgy, and carried the Holy Mysteries, and |18 communicated the people. Then he returned to his Cell, by the mercy and help of God.

Much shame and sorrow came to the heretics from this, and more to those who had accused him than to any other, and especially to Theophanes the governor of Maryût. For in those days the Amir arrested him suddenly, and delivered him to the secretary, who sent him to prison, and afterwards put him to death after severe torments. And he went to Hell.

God, the only worker of miracles, vouchsafed to the Father Patriarch acceptance and favour with the Amir, who commanded throughout the city that none should address the patriarch except with good words nor say any evil of him, and that none should hinder him in what he desired, nor in going out of the city nor coming into it. Then the magistrates and believing scribes and all the orthodox people found their opportunity, and assisted Abba John, until he had paid the Amir the sum that he had finally demanded of him. And after that they assisted him also in the rebuilding of the church of the glorious martyr and evangelist Saint Mark; and he completed it in three years with every kind of decoration, and bought for it house-property in Misr and in Maryût and in Alexandria. And he built a mill to grind wheat into flour for making biscuit, and a press for linseed oil, and many houses which he settled upon the church of the holy Saint Mark. And the Lord blessed him in every way in his deeds and words. In his days also the orthodox received into their community the people of Agharwah and the people |19 of the Xoite nome, who had been Chalcedonians. Thus the grace of Christ helped and strengthened him.

And he prayed the Lord to reveal to him who was fit to sit after him upon the throne. So when he heard of a brother, named Isaac, learned, excellent, clothed with every virtue, who was serving God in the monastery of the holy Saint Macarius in Wadî Habîb, and had been spiritual son to a bishop, named Zacharias, full of the grace of the Holy Ghost in his venerable character and dignity and humility and good deeds, then the holy patriarch John wrote and summoned that brother to himself, and guarded him like the pupil of his eye. And the brother Isaac was engaged in the works of God, and in writing and copying books; but the patriarch notwithstanding that commanded him to become his partner in administering the affairs of the Church.

Then there came a dearth in the days of the holy John, the said patriarch, which lasted three years; but God assisted this father in supporting the poor of the city during three years; for, if he had not done so, they would have perished in the famine. He gave them their food twice every week, and also gave them money; and the mill for biscuit did not cease working night or day, but continued to grind for those that were destitute. |20

And the patriarch's eye was full of affection, and he was great in charity, and used to give alms as abundant as the sea; and he neglected nothing in his works which could please God, like John the Evangelist. At last he was attacked by a disease in his feet, arising from the gout, and he was greatly tormented by it, until the physicians treated him by the advice of his family and of the brethren who surrounded him.

At that time Abd al-Azîz journeyed to Misr, and Abba John travelled in company with him, until he arrived at the capital. There the patriarch suffered from a sharp pain in his side; and when the Amir was informed of it, he was sorry for him, and sent the secretaries to visit him; and they prepared a boat for him, that he might return down the river to Alexandria. And the writer of this history was with him, for he was his spiritual son. When he arrived at the city of Alexandria, the news was brought to the assembly of the bishops that he was prostrate with fever. So they entered to him. And there were in company with them Gregory, bishop of Al-Kais, and Abba John, bishop of Niciu, and Abba James, bishop of Arwât, and Abba John, bishop of Sakhâ, and Abba Theodore, bishop of Metelites, and a body of the laity: and they were all sad because they saw their shepherd called from earth to heaven. For indeed none remained in their generation |21 like him in his deeds. And when he came to the church of the holy Saint Mark the Evangelist, which he had rebuilt by the incomprehensible decrees of God, they carried him and brought him into the great altar. Thereupon he stood up by the power of the Spirit, and said the whole of the prayer of thanksgiving; and then he lost consciousness. After that they carried him and brought him into his chamber; and so he gave up his spirit into the hand of the Lord Christ in glory and honour.

The period during which he remained on the throne was nine years; and he went to his rest on the first day of Kîhak. And his body was laid in the place which he had built for himself before his death, in the church of Saint Mark the Apostle, with chanting and praises ascending to God. To whom belong glory and honour and praise and majesty and power for ever and ever. Amen.

CHAPTER XVI

ISAAC, THE FORTY-FIRST PATRIARCH. A. D. 686-689 ⁷.

This is the father, Abba Isaac, of whom it was revealed to the father, Abba John, that he should sit after him, by his prayers and wishes, |22 according to what has been related before. For the Scripture says ⁸ that the Lord visits his chosen ones. And it says also ⁹: «None shall take an honour by himself unless it be given him by the Lord from heaven». And it says in the Psalm ¹⁰: «Blessed is he whom thou choosest and receivest unto thee». For when Abba John departed to the Lord in good remembrance, the bishops assembled together under the presidency of Gregory, the bishop of Al-Kais; and James, bishop of Arwât, and John, bishop of Niciu, and a body of bishops and of the Christian laity took counsel with the clergy of Alexandria, and associated with themselves the secretary who was commissioner for the city; and they agreed that they should promote the deacon George, who was a native of Sakhâ, to the dignity of patriarch, without consulting the Amir Abd al-Azîz. For they said: «If he is angry with us or murmurs, we will tell him that Abba John, the patriarch, commanded us that this man should sit in his place after his death, and made us promise and swear to this, and so we could not oppose him». Then they took the deacon George, and ordained him priest, and clothed him with the monastic |23 habit; and they proclaimed in the church that on the morrow the patriarch would be consecrated, forgetting the words of the Scripture ¹¹: «The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, and maketh the thoughts of the people to be of no effect, and hindereth the commands of princes». And when the morrow came, they clothed the deacon George with the vestment of the patriarchal office, and prepared what they needed, and brought him forth in pomp. But while they were intent upon his consecration, they met the archdeacon of the city, whose name was Mark, and who was a man of understanding, virtuous, and of high reputation in the city; and he forbad them, saying: «If you will not come to the church on Sunday, according to the custom prescribed by the canons, when all the people of the city shall be assembled, I will not assist in the ordination of this man». Now this was God's command, that he might promote that man whom he had chosen at first, namely Abba Isaac, the monk, who was a native of Shubrâ.

For when the morrow came, some of the attendants of the Amir arrived and said: «Where is he whom they have appointed patriarch, and where are the bishops and the priests who appointed him, that we may take them to Misr under our charge?» So they took them and departed. Then, when they had enquired into the affair, they found that the documents bore witness that it was not George of whom Abba John had spoken during his lifetime. So the Amir Abd al-Azîz was angry, and cancelled George's nomination, and commanded them to appoint Isaac. And the thing was |24 from God. So the bishops took him, and ordained him, and he sat upon the patriarchal throne for three years.

And the Lord was with Abba Isaac helping him, so that he repaired the Great Church of the Holy Mark, when its walls were sloping in, and also renewed the episcopal residence. And by his means the liturgies in the churches of the orthodox, where they could not be performed before, were restored. And he built a church at Hulwân, because at that place he used to go to visit the Amir Abd al-Azîz, who had commanded the magistrates of Upper Egypt and all the provinces to build, each one of them for himself, a residence at the town of Hulwân.

In those days the patriarch addressed letters to the king of the Abyssinians and the king of the Nubians, bidding them make peace together and praying that there might be no ill will between them; and he wrote this on account of a dispute which there was between the two. Thereupon certain intriguers seized the opportunity of slandering Abba Isaac before Abd al-Azîz, who was greatly incensed, and sent his officers to bring him that he might put him to death. But the secretaries wrote letters different from the patriarch's letters, and gave them to the messengers whom he had sent to the Abyssinians, and took those first letters from them, in fear for the patriarch. This they only did lest evil should befall the Church. And before the patriarch was brought before the Amir, they informed him that the messengers were there, and the letters with them. So he sent |25 in haste to seek them, and took the letters; and when he had perused them, he found nothing in them of what had been told him. Thus his anger was pacified, and he sent at once, and bade the patriarch return to Alexandria, and did not cause him again after this to come up southwards.

Then he commanded to destroy all the crosses which were in the land of Egypt, even the crosses of gold and silver. So the Christians in the land of Egypt were troubled. Moreover he wrote certain inscriptions, and placed them on the doors of the churches at Misr and in the Delta, saying in them: «Muhammad is the great Apostle of God, and Jesus also is the Apostle of God. But verily God is not begotten and does not beget.»

Then the blessed one went to his rest and departed to the Lord in peace, keeping the orthodox faith, and wearing the crown of righteousness with all the Saints; and after his decease, his body was put in the place which he had prepared in the church of Saint Mark, with chanting and hymns. And the people and the priests took care as to whom they should promote after him upon the throne of the patriarchate. And a dispute took place between the clergy of Saint Mark the Evangelist and the clergy of the church of the Angelion in the city. For some said with regard to John, the Hegumen in the Monastery of Az-Zajâj, which is called in Greek To Enaton, that he was worthy of this office, because he was a learned man and a writer, |26 and he was also godfather to the government-secretary; but others spoke of a man, whose name was Victor, Hegumen of the Monastery of Taposiris, who was also an excellent person. When the people of the church of the Angelion were informed of John, they rejoiced, and the secretary supported them, because it was the Great Church, and there were one hundred and forty ecclesiastics attached to it. So Theodore, the magistrate of the city of Alexandria, wrote for them to the Amir Abd al-Azîz, to inform him of John, the Hegumen of the Monastery of Az-Zajâj; saying that the choice of the community had fallen upon him, that he should be patriarch.

Now the period, during which our father, the patriarch Abba Isaac, remained on the apostolic throne, was two years and nine months. And he went to his rest on the second day of Hatûr, and departed to the Lord Christ, keeping the faith, and ruling his flock. According to another copy, however, he is said to have remained in the patriarchal office three years. May the Lord have mercy upon us by his prayers, and the prayers of all whose works he approves! Amen. |27

SIMON I, THE FORTY-SECOND PATRIARCH. A. D. 689-701.

There was with Abba John in the monastery a holy man fearing God, excellent, learned more than many in his generation, whose name was Simon, of the people of the East, whose parents had brought him to Alexandria in his youth, and given him as an offering to the Church like Samuel, for the sake of the body of the holy Saint Severus; for it lies in a shrine in that monastery, and the Syrians used to bring to it gifts and votive offerings. Then the aforesaid Theodore took Simon, who was then a deacon, at the beginning of the days of Abba Agathon, and brought him to Abba John, that he might teach him the art of writing, and the sections of the Scriptures. And by the grace of the Lord Christ who was with him he learnt the Old Testament and much of the New in a short time, for Abba John was excellent as a teacher. So, when Abba Agathon saw that Simon was good in his conduct, he ordained him priest, so that he was the second in rank in the monastery, after his spiritual father John. Then, in consequence of what has been related, the Amir wrote a letter, and sent to summon John, whose spiritual son Simon travelled with him, besides some of the clergy of Alexandria, and Theodore the magistrate in their company. When they arrived, they gave the Amir their letter, containing the name of John: and |28 so the Amir wished to see him. And when the Amir saw John, his heart inclined towards him, because he was a handsome person, beautiful in countenance. Then he asked the priests and bishops concerning him, and they answered: «Yea, he is fit».

But there happened on that day a wonderful thing, like the matter of Phares and Zara, or like Adonias and Solomon, the sons of David. And this was that, after the appointment of John had been confirmed, God raised up one of the bishops like Daniel at that time, without collusion or consultation with anyone, and he said: «This man shall not be our patriarch». Thereupon silence and wonder fell upon all the people, so that none answered him a syllable. So the Amir enquired: «Then who is fit, sayest thou?» Then the bishop said in the presence of the assembly: «Simon is worthy of this degree». So the Amir commanded that Simon should be brought before him. And when he saw him, he asked them and said: «Whence comes this man?» So it was told him: «He is a Syrian of the people of the East». When he learnt this, he said to the bishops: «Then can you not appoint one of your own country?» And they answered him and said to him: «Verily the man whom we chose we brought before thee; but the matter belongs to God, and in the second place to thee». Then he turned to the blessed Simon, and asked him whether he approved this |29 venerable John as patriarch. And Simon gave his assent and said to him: «There is not found in the land of Egypt nor in the East one who is as worthy as this man, and he is my spiritual father, and my master from my youth; and his life is as the life of the angels». So when the Amir heard this, he marvelled greatly. And there was a great multitude assembled; and a shout was raised among the magistrates and bishops and clergy, who cried: «May God prolong the life of the Amir for us many years! Deliver the see to Simon, for he is worthy to be patriarch. As was Abba Benjamin, so is Simon. Verily the Church supports them». When the Amir looked at them, and heard their words with regard to a foreigner whom they had not known at all for more than two days, then he bade them with God's help take him and ordain him patriarch. And he commanded the greater part of the bishops to travel in his company. Accordingly they brought him to Alexandria, and enthroned him upon the apostolic throne in the Great Church, called the Angelion. Thus the orthodox people had great joy and peace and unity in the Church, and her affairs grew in prosperity day by day.

Then Abba Simon set his spiritual father John over the affairs of the |30 Church, while he devoted himself to the study of the holy Scriptures. And as long as John lived, the Father Patriarch did not occupy himself with any of the affairs of the Church, but gave all that up to John his father, in the same way that he used to do with him in the monastery, obeying him and calling him «My Father».

Then Abba Simon wrote a synodical epistle to Julian, patriarch of Antioch, at which the latter marvelled; and Simon sent it by certain bishops, and in it he reminded Julian of unity, and that this one faith and unity were between the two sees, Alexandria and Antioch. Then, when Julian studied it, he found it full of the wisdom of God and of the spiritual books, and he rejoiced greatly; and he preached in his church in the name of the father Abba Simon. He also wrote him an answer to his synodical letter, and sent back his envoys with rich gifts to Egypt.

When Simon had continued three years, his father John went to his rest in peace, and was counted worthy that the blessed Simon the Patriarch should lay his hand upon his eyes, and even shroud him with his own hand. Thus he received his father's blessing and carried him to the monastery, and buried him, and remained beside him forty days, until he had built a tomb for him. And he laid his body in it, and made it large enough to contain his own body, when he should die, that he might be buried with him therein.

Then there came to Abba Simon a trial from God, who proves his elect and purifies them like one who purifies pure silver from dross, so that they |31 become like pure gold; and by the grace of the Lord Christ he endured until he obtained the crown. For he was a man salted with salt, like the salt of the Gospel, having no hypocrisy nor greediness of comfort or of meat or drink, but during his whole life his breakfast was bread and crushed salt with cummin and purslain or such like herbs, that he might weaken the force of his bodily appetites, and make the flesh the servant of the spirit. He used not to associate with the bishops or clergy, because he used to seek solitude so as to observe the times of prayer; and for this reason he was hated by the people of Alexandria. Therefore some of the clergy went to certain magicians, and gave them gold so that they made for them by their magic art a deadly poison, which they put in the vessel in which the Father Simon, the patriarch, used to drink, and brought it to him that he might take some of it. But he had communicated of the Holy Mysteries before he drank of it, and therefore, when he swallowed it, it did not injure him. Then those parricides did the same thing a second time, but it did not hurt him nor do him injury. So when the magicians saw this, they were amazed at what had happened to this saint. Then indeed they took fair figs out of season, and put deadly poison in them, and charged the priests, and said to them: «Give him these to eat, while he is fasting without food, and has not made his communion, and then he will burst asunder in the midst». So they brought him the fruit with cunning and |32 hypocrisy, and begged him and entreated him to eat of them; and there were some who pointed them out to him, and induced him to swallow of the poisoned figs. Accordingly his bowels were moved that night, and he remained forty days in great anguish, so that every one thought his death inevitable. But the Lord who gives life raised him up, and showed forth a miracle in him. And there appeared to him in a vision one who said to him: «For what cause dost thou endure these trials?»

So when the Amir came to the city, he looked upon Abba Simon, and his appearance was changed through that which had happened to him; and when the Amir asked the reason of this change, he was told by the scribes that four of the priests had given the patriarch poison to drink. Thereupon the Amir commanded that they should be burnt alive, and the magician with them, outside the city, on the north side of it, in a place called Pharos. But when they were about to burn them, the patriarch fell upon his face with many tears before the Amir, and interceded with him for them, saying to him: «If anything happens to them on my account, I must be suspended from my office, for it is not right that I should be patriarch after that». Then the Amir marvelled at the goodness of his acts, and commanded that the ecclesiastics should be released, but that the magicians should be burnt alive on account of their former deeds. So they were burnt in the fire.

After this, Abba Simon committed to Abba John, bishop of Niciu, the management of the affairs of the monasteries, because he was conversant |33 with the life of the monks, and knew their rules; and he gave him authority over them. At this time the monks were industriously rebuilding the cells, while the officials took charge of their maintenance. Then, however, some of those who were given up to their appetites took a virgin out of her monastery, and conveyed her to Wadî Habîb and committed sin with her secretly. When this was made known among the monks, there was great distress among them, the like of which had not been heard of in that place. So the bishop took the monk who had committed the sin, and inflicted a painful beating upon him; and ten days after his punishment that monk died. Then when the affair became known, all the bishops in the land of Egypt assembled in secret and enquired of the bishop what had happened to the monk, so he informed them concerning the event, and confessed that it was he who had beaten him; and therefore they condemned him to be deposed, because he had transgressed the limit of what humanity required in him. So they deposed him, and he was silent while they did so; and they had said to him: «It is unlawful for thee henceforth to approach any of the vessels of the sanctuary, but thou shalt receive the Mysteries like a mere monk». Then he cried and said to the people: «Since you have deposed me unjustly, the Lord, the God whose name I know, shall make you |34 all, O ye bishops, strangers to your sees until the end of the time during which you have condemned me». Then they appointed another man, named Mennas, of the monastery of Saint Macarius, to be bishop in his stead; yet he was a man held in honour, powerful in words, loving the brethren.

But after a few days the saying of this holy bishop was fulfilled upon the bishops who assisted to depose him, and upon all the bishops; for a calamity came upon them. There were at that time men who were like the Gentiles, and abstained from their lawful wives, and took unlawful mistresses, showing their subjection to their passions; and yet they said that they were Christians. But the bishops rejected them, and repulsed them from the Holy Mysteries. So some of them went to the Amir and said to him: «We are forbidden to marry, and they have cast us out so that we are forced to commit fornication». Then he was angry, and assembled the bishops from their sees to Alexandria. Accordingly sixty-four bishops were gathered together, but they knew not why they had come nor the cause of their meeting; and they used to pay their respects to the Amir every week. And the heretics, who were no true bishops, also met there, namely, Theophylact, a bishop of the Chalcedonians, and Theodore, who was one of the Gaianite adherents of Eutyches; and of the followers of Barsanuphi there was George, besides a number of others who were called bishops, and who had also been called together. |35

Then when it was Sunday, news came to the Amir that the army of the Romans had risen against the prince Justinian, and deposed him, and had appointed Leontius instead of him. So the governor at once commanded that the magistrates of every province should be gathered together, and the people of Alexandria and the bishops and the Muslims, that he might make known to them the disaster of the Romans. So a great multitude was then gathered together, and they said: «It has always been the custom of. the Romans that one prince is deposed and another takes his seat». Then the Amir commanded on that day that the Liturgies of the Christians should be forbidden. For the Muslims said that the Christians were in error, giving God a wife and a son, and uttering many falsehoods in their religion; and the Amir rebuked their want of agreement in the doctrines of religion.

Then he turned to Theodore the bishop, chief of the Gaianites, and said to him: «Of these three bishops, which is nearest to thee, and whom does thy soul receive?» He answered: «Abba Simon». Then the Amir turned to Theophylact, the bishop, leader of the Melkites, and said to him: «Which is nearest to thee, and whose religion preferrest thou?» So he said: «I prefer the religion of Abba Simon.» Then Abd al-Azîz said to George, the Barsanuphian: «Which is the nearest to thee of these bishops, and whom does thy soul receive?» He replied: «My religion and the religion of Abba Simon are one, and it is he whom my soul loves». Then |36 he turned lastly to the father, Abba Simon, the preacher of the truth, and said: «Which of these is the nearest to thee, and the one whom thy soul loves?» So he answered and proclaimed in the assembly in a loud voice, saying: «Not one of these is near to me, nor do I love one of them, but I excommunicate by writing and by word of mouth them and their vile doctrine and their fellowship; and those who favour them and those who communicate with them I contemn as Jews». Then the people cried with a great voice, saying: «Abba Simon confesses the truth without error». Thereupon those men were overwhelmed with shame.

After this there came a priest from the people of the Indians to Abba Simon, to ask of him that he would ordain for him a bishop for the Indians. Now the people of the Indians were not subjects of the Muslims. So the patriarch said to the Indian priest: «I cannot ordain a bishop for you without the command of the Amir, who is governor of the land of Egypt. Go to him, and make thy need known to him. Then, if he bids me, I will do for thee what thou requirest, and thou shalt return in peace to thy country with companions». So the priest went from the patriarch's house to go to the Amir. Then some of the Gaianites met him. and took him to Theodore, the chief of the Phantasiasts. and told Theodore the cause which had |37 brought the priest from his country. Therefore Theodore said to him: «I will do what thou needest for thee». Then Theodore took a man of Maryût, and ordained him bishop for him, and ordained two priests for him, and sent them away secretly to India. But after they had travelled twenty days, the guardians of the roads, who were employed by the Muslims, seized them, and sent them to the caliph, whose name was Abd al-Malik. The Indian priest, however, escaped, and returned to Egypt; but they brought the three others bound to Abd al-Malik. And when the caliph knew that they were of the land of Egypt, and from Maryût, and were travelling to a foreign country, he cut off their hands and feet, which he sent to Egypt, to Abd al-Azîz, to whom he wrote, reproaching him with incapacity, and saying: «It seems that thou knowest not what takes place in thine own country, namely that the patriarch of the Christians, who lives at Alexandria, has sent information of the affairs of Egypt to India. Now, when thou readest this letter, thou must inflict upon him two hundred stripes, and take from him one hundred thousand dinars, and send the money to us forthwith by the envoys who come to thee, without delay».

Now the patriarch, Abba Simon, was at that time at Hulwân, accompanied by a bishop. When the letters came to the Amir from his brother at the second hour of the night, he sent some Slavonians and summoned the holy Abba Simon, and his two spiritual sons, that is to say, his scribes. And |38 the Amir said to him: «Fear God, and take heed of thyself, and let no lie come forth from thy mouth with regard to that on which I shall question thee». So the patriarch answered: «I fear my God, and govern my soul in my conduct so that it may be saved by doing good at all times; and as for lies, not only to-day, but during my whole life I have despised them, for they come from Satan, the enemy of mankind. Thus I am ready either for death or life. With regard to the truth as far as I know it, I will tell it before God and thy authority». Then the governor's anger blazed less furiously, and he said to him: «Didst thou indeed appoint a man to the bishopric of the Indians?» So he answered and said to him: «There came to me a priest from, their country, and requested this thing of me, but I sent him away, telling him that, unless he would bring me an order from the Amir, I could not do this thing. Then I wrote for him to the secretaries, that they might inform thee of his business; and he left my house, when I was at Alexandria, and has not returned up to now». When the Amir heard these words, he imagined that the blessed one was afraid of death, and for that reason concealed the truth; so he said to him: «Woe to thee! Behold the hands and feet of thy friends, which the caliph has sent to me. And he commands also that I take from thee one hundred thousand dinars, after inflicting upon thee five hundred stripes. Thou hast concealed the truth, therefore I will destroy thee, and kill the bishops with the sword, |39 and pull down all the churches. Yet now this is my sure promise to thee. If thou wilt tell me the truth, I will pay the money instead of thee from my own treasury, and no harm shall befall thee from me. Now be honest with me».

Now this was at night. Then the holy man answered without fear and said to him: «It is the glory of the prince that he love justice, and the lips that are moved in hatred shall be despised. And now, as I think, if a voice came from heaven, bidding me deviate from the truth, I would say no otherwise. But thou wilt not believe me because of what is between us with regard to the coming of the letters to thee, concerning the people whose limbs were cut off, and the men by whom they were cut. Yet now they and the letters will bear witness to me and show the truth. So if I find grace before thee, write that the men may be sent to thee, that the truth of the matter may be known from them and from the letters which were found in their hands, and that they may tell you who sent them. Then if anything appears which contradicts my words, do what thou wilt». But the Amir answered and said to him; «How shall they bring hither men whose hands and feet are cut off? thou think that there is any other patriarch of the Christians in the city of Alexandria besides thee? Why dost thou |40 dispute with me?» Then the holy man Simon answered and said to him: «I am pressed on every side. Thou dost not accept the truth from me, but thou desirest to force me to accuse myself of that which I have not done. Yet by the love of God in thy heart grant me a delay of seven days, and thou shalt know all that took place according to the truth». So he said to him: «Perchance thou desirest to flee or to kill thyself. But this monk, what is he in relation to thee?» The patriarch replied: «He is my son». The Amir enquired: «Hast thou confidence in him?» He answered: «Yea he is as my own life». So the Amir said to him: «As my brother did to the men who were taken while they were travelling to India, so I will do to thee if thou dost not tell me the truth». The holy man answered and said: «Behold, we are before thee with God, therefore do whatever thou wilt. For I have told thee already what took place with me». Then the Amir was silent for a time, and at length said: «I will grant thee a delay of three days. Therefore depart, and beware what thou doest, and perchance God will let know me the truth».

So he went out from his presence and prayed to God humbly with tears, and begged him to show the Amir his innocence of the charge which he laid against him in this matter. And at sunset on the second day his spiritual son, the monk, looked towards the river bank, and saw walking there that black Indian priest and monk, who had come to Abba Simon and asked |41 him to ordain a bishop for him, and who did not know anything of what had happened since then, because he had been a fugitive. So he went to that Indian, and grasped him and brought him to the holy patriarch, and said to him: «O my father, God has accepted thy prayer, and exposed the unjust treatment that we suffered». And he made known to the patriarch that he had taken the Indian priest, and he brought him in. And the Indian told Abba Simon what had taken place, and how Theodore the Gaianite had ordained for him a bishop and priests. So when the morning of the third day came, he took him to the Amir, guarding him and taking thought how to save him, and to save Theodore also from death. When the Amir saw him, he said to him: «Perchance thou wilt now tell the truth without lies». So the holy Simon answered him, after adoring God upon his face, and said: «The authority of men comes from the authority of God, and he who exercises authority in this world must be long-suffering, and willing like God most high to grant respites with generosity. Now I desire that thou give the promise of God to me and to those present with me in regard to this occurrence, that them wilt do them no harm, but wilt pardon them for God's sake; and then the truth shall be made known to thy lordship». So he gave him his hand that he would do him no evil. Accordingly he brought before Abd al-Azîz the Indian priest, who made known to him all that had |42 happened, and that Simon was innocent of this occurrence. When the Amir learnt this, he sent the Indian to prison, and commanded that Theodore should be taken and crucified. And he thanked the holy man, Simon the patriarch, and rejoiced over him, and acknowledged his honesty. He wrote also to Abd al-Malik, his brother, to inform him of what had happened and that the patriarch of the Christians in the city of Alexandria had nothing to do with this matter, but was innocent of it; and he praised him to the caliph, and recounted his goodness and uprightness and chastity. And Abd al-Azîz performed for Abba Simon what he had promised, by sparing for his sake Theodore and the Indian priest; for he had learnt that there was no deceit in him.

And after three years Abd al-Azîz dismissed the bishops to their sees, and commanded them to build two churches at Hulwân. And the bishops spent of their own means upon the building of them; and the governor deputed Gregory, bishop of Al-Kais, to superintend the building of them. Now the Amir loved building, and therefore he built Hulwân, and constructed reservoirs there; likewise at Misr he built houses and market-places and baths; and so he did in every town on the river from Misr to Alexandria. He commanded also to dig the canal of Alexandria on the north of the city near the pool of Nicetas; and he ordered that milestones should be set up along it as far as Alexandria. So also he did in the city itself, for he restored her streets after they were ruined. For he made use of men as |43 Pharao did in his time; and there are many things which he did, but which this biography has no room to relate, for fear of making it too long. Meanwhile this holy man Simon was striving all his life to prevent difficulties between the Christians and the Muslims, so that none might suffer loss through him. And through him the Lord used to show his wonders. He had an oeconomus whom he entrusted with the care of the diaconicon, and who was a priest, and in his charge was all that belonged to the church. And the patriarch used to exhort him at all times and say to him: «O priest Mennas, see that thou be not careless with regard to the church, in leaving in thy house a book or anything that belongs to it, for otherwise trouble will come upon thee». But Mennas was not pleased with these warnings. And the Lord gave this priest no child, as he smote the firstborn of Egypt in ancient times; yet though he thought of repentance he was not converted. Then God sent down upon him suddenly a disease through which his tongue clove to his palate, and his reason left him, and he used to bite his tongue while he was sleeping upon his bed. And three men took him on account of what he did to himself, and carried him to his house. And the Father Simon, the patriarch, was troubled about him and about the property of the church, because it was in his charge, and no one besides him knew the amount of it. So he remained awake, and prayed the Lord Jesus Christ to raise Mennas up from this sickness for the sake of the church. Then when midnight came, news was brought to the Father Patriarch that |44 the priest Mennas was near death. So he sent his son to him, and bade him ask his wife if he had said anything to her about the property of the church; but before the patriarch's messenger arrived at the house, there was heard the voice of one crying that the priest was dead. And when he expired, they dressed him in the priestly garments, and laid him on his bed, according to the custom of the Alexandrians, vested in his liturgical vestments. Therefore when the patriarch's son came to the house in which Mennas was laid out, with a great number of the clergy around him, because of his priestly office and his rank, the brother bent over him to kiss him. And the priest sat up and clasped his hands round his neck, and said: «God is the One, the God of the blessed Abba Simon». So when all those who were around him saw him, they fled in fear from that brother whom he had embraced. Thereupon he said to him: «Be confident and of good courage, and be patient, O priest Mennas». Then he answered and said to him: «Through the prayers of my Lord, the Father Patriarch Abba Simon, God has given me life a second time». Then the brother called the clergy and the rest of those who were in the town, and made known to them that the priest Mennas had spoken; and the priest Mennas said to them as they stood astonished and amazed: «Verily I died like all men who die, |45 and two shining men led me before the throne of Christ, the great and mighty King; and I saw the fathers and patriarchs in their ranks, beginning with the Father Isaac back to the Evangelist Saint Mark. And they reproved me saying: Why didst thou hide the property of the church and all that belongs to it from our successor Abba Simon? Then I was placed before Christ the King, and he said: Take him into outer darkness. And while they were dragging me away, the holy patriarchs prostrated themselves before the Lord Christ, saying with supplications: Have pity on our son, this servant, and release him this time, because he has not given an account of the property of the Church, and this our brother Simon is praying for him. Therefore Christ commanded that I should be brought back a second time, and he said to me: Thus thou diest and art worthy of death, but for the sake of our chosen one and vicar, Simon, I release thee this time. Yet if thou repentest not and takest not heed to thyself, thou shalt return hither, and I will accept no prayers on thy behalf». Then Mennas arose and stood upright, and he had recovered from his sickness. Afterwards he brought forth all the property of the church, and delivered it to the holy Father Abba Simon; and the Father Patriarch delivered it to his spiritual son. And Mennas remained with him to the time of his death in the fear of God. And all the people glorified God, the doer of wonders among his saints, on account of this great miracle.

Then the Father Patriarch, Abba Simon, chose spiritual men, brilliant |46 in their deeds, deeply learned in the scriptures and in wisdom and sciences, and ordained them bishops over every place. And the first of these sons of his was the Father Abba Zacharias, bishop of the city of Sakhâ; and he made Abba Ptolemy, the spiritual brother who was his brother in the monastic life, bishop over the see of Upper Manûf. And there are many others whose names are forgotten. These he ordained and distributed the dioceses among them that they might feed the reasonable sheep. And he remained patriarch nine years and a half. Then he fell ill on the day of Pentecost, and recognised that it was a mortal sickness. So he said to his son: «Let us travel to the holy valley, Wadî Habîb, that I may receive the blessing of the holy fathers and the monks; for I shall not see them again after this time in the body». So he went down from Hulwân, for he had gone thither from Alexandria for the sake of the bishops, until he had dismissed them to their dioceses. And he went down to Wadî Habîb, and received the blessing of the holy fathers, the monks; and then he went on to Alexandria. And he was removed by the incomprehensible decrees of God to the land of the living on the 24th of Abîb, which corresponds to the 18th of July according to the Roman months, in the year 416 of Diocletian, the unbelieving prince, the slayer of the Martyrs. And he bad his sons lay his body in the Monastery of Az-Zajâj, in the place where the body of his |47 father John was laid. Accordingly the monks of the monasteries assembled together at Henaton, until they had finished the prayers over him. And his body was lowered into his tomb with hymns of worship and praise to the Lord Christ, to whom glory and honour are due, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, the Giver of life, for ever and ever. Amen.

Here ¹² ends the sixteenth chapter wherein the History of the Fathers is completed, as far as the life of Abba Simon, the forty-second patriarch. May God grant us the blessing of their prayers! Hereafter will follow that which we have translated from the documents in the Monastery of Saint Macarius, namely the history of ten patriarchs, from Michael ¹³ the Last to Sinuthius the First. We also translated in this monastery the lives of nine other patriarchs, in the year 796 of the Martyrs. This is written by Apacyrus, the deacon, and Michael, son of Apater, of Damanhur. Through the grace of God, which enabled us to find the histories in the Monastery of Saint Macarius, with the help of the brother Theodore, the steward, son of Paul, on Sunday the th of Ba'ûnah, in the year 797 of the Righteous Martyrs. We have compared the manuscripts with one another, and found them |48 corresponding to what we copied; and so we assured ourselves of their authenticity.

CHAPTER XVII

ALEXANDER II, THE FORTY-THIRD PATRIARCH. A. D. 705-730.

We must now record the events which took place after the death of the glorious, venerable, and blessed father, the good shepherd Abba Simon, who heard from the Lord Jesus Christ the words: «¹⁴ O thou faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over little, I will set thee over much. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord». When his death was made known to the Amir Abd al-Azîz and to the scribes at Misr, these latter were afflicted with grief and sadness because all the Christians had lost their shepherd, at a time of difficulty and trials, caused by the civil governors. But the Lord Christ did not cease to govern the Church. And Athanasius, the believer, was president of the Divân; and he protected the interests of the churches. On this occasion he and the scribes went to the Amir with one consent, and said to him: «The property of the Church at Alexandria obliges her to pay |49 a heavy tax. Therefore we pray thee to despatch the bishop Gregory to Alexandria, to watch over the possessions of the Church and everything connected with it. So may God lengthen thy life, O Amir!» Then Abd al-Azîz consented to what Athanasius asked for, and despatched Gregory, bishop of Al-Kais, to Alexandria, and gave him authority over the property of the churches and the establishment of the patriarch, with free power of administration; and accordingly he wrote a decree for him to that effect. So Gregory took the decree and departed. And they began to take thought as to whom they should promote to be patriarch, in accordance with their desire for a man known for wisdom and learning. So they waited three years in this state, until it was the Lord's will; and at length the heart of the civil governors was well disposed in this matter, after much supplication. Then by the will of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who knows whom he will choose from among the pure and chaste and clean of heart, they brought forward the priest Alexander from the Monastery of Az-Zajâj. He was a monk, a virgin, humble, without defect, learned in the Scriptures from ins youth. And they brought Alexander to the Amir, who saw the grace in his face, and so allowed them by the will of God to promote him to the patriarchal office. |50

So the orthodox laity agreed together, in the presence of an assemblage of bishops and priests and the secretaries of the divan. Then the Father Alexander was consecrated patriarch on the festival of the holy Saint Mark, namely the last day of Barmudah, in the year 420 of Diocletian. And the land of Egypt rejoiced greatly, and especially the orthodox, because the Church had been left in solitude three years, and they were therein like orphans. And the Lord was with the Father Alexander, making all his affairs easy, on account of his humility and chastity and trust in the Lord alone as his ruler. Then when a short time had passed, during which he remained in peace, Satan stirred up strife against the bishops, as we will relate.

Abd al-Azîz, the governor of Egypt, had a son, the eldest of his sons, called Al-Asbagh, and he thought that he would sit in the seat of government in his father's room when he died. So he made him ruler over the whole country as wâli and receiver of the revenue, and all ranks obeyed him with fear, because he was the Amir's son, and because of the authority which he had given him. Now Al-Asbagh was a hater of the Christians, a shedder of blood, a wicked man, like a fierce lion. At that time a deacon, |51 named Benjamin, became attached to him and grew intimate with him; and Al-Asbagh loved him more than all his companions. And he treacherously revealed to Al-Asbagh the secrets of the Christians, and even expounded the Gospel to him in Arabic as well as the books of alchemy. For Al-Asbagh sought out books that they might be read to him, and so for instance he read the Festal Epistles, in order that he might see whether the Muslims were insulted therein or not. And he did not shrink from any cruelly that he could inflict upon the Christians. For as the damned heretics were in the habit of calumniating the Christian monks and saving that they did nothing but eat and drink, he sent one of his trusted friends, named Yezîd, accompanied by another, and mutilated all the monks in all the provinces and in Wadî Habîb and on Mount Jarâd and in other places. And he laid a poll-tax upon them of one dinar from each individual, and commanded that they should make no more monks after those whom he mutilated. Now this tax of the infidel Al-Asbagh was the first poll-tax paid by the monks.

After this, Al-Asbagh compelled the bishops of the provinces to furnish a sum of two thousand dinars besides the taxes on their lands, and this sum they paid every year. And he acted proudly, and compelled the people to pray as he bade them. And Benjamin, the monk and deacon, was a |52 worse enemy to the Christians than any other, and excited his friend to every kind of persecution. So he forced many persons to become Muslims, among them being Peter, governor of Upper Egypt, and his brother Theodore, and the son of Theophanes, governor of Maryût, and a body of priests and laymen not to be numbered on account of their multitude. But the Lord Jesus Christ did not long respite Al-Asbagh, and in a short time hurried him out of the world, because he hated the Christian people. This took place as follows. On the Saturday of Light he entered into the Monastery of Hulwân, and looked at the pictures being carried in procession according to the rule. And there was a picture of our Pure Lady Mary and of the Lord Christ in her lap; so when he looked at it and considered it, he said to the bishops and to several people who were with him: «Who is represented in this picture?» They answered: «This is Mary, the mother of Christ». Then he was moved with hatred against her, and filled his mouth with saliva, and spat in her face, saying: «If I find an opportunity, I will root out the Christians from this land. Who is Christ that you worship him as a God?» And that night God sent down vengeance upon him. For in the morning he came to his father, and found him sitting, surrounded by a body of Muslims and Christians. And the day was Easter Sunday. So Al-Asbagh sat down and said to his father; «O my Lord, the devils have chastised me this night». His father said to him: «How, |53 my son?» He replied: «I looked, and there was One sitting on a great throne, exceedingly awful and terrible; and his face shone with light brighter than the rays of the sun; and round him were thousands and tens of thousands bearing weapons, and their garments were white as snow; and I and thou stood behind him, bound with iron chains. And I asked one in a low voice: Who is this who has taken the government of the land of Egypt from my father? He said to me: Hast thou not known him till now? So I asked him in the dream: And who is he? Then he answered and said: This is Jesus Christ, the King of the Christians, who is more glorious and higher than all the kings of the earth. This is he whom thou didst mock, and in whose face thou didst spit. He shows thee thy weakness in this dream, thou wretched one, together with thy father; and he shows thee his glory and majesty». And while he was saying this to me, behold, one of those bearing weapons came to me, I being naked, and he struck me with a spear in my side, and did not take it out again until I had given up my spirit to them; and they were the devils who mocked me». When his father heard this tale he was very sad. And the young man was immediately seized with a violent fever, and was carried away forthwith; and they laid him upon his bed, and he did not open his mouth after that, nor did he eat or drink. So at the second hour of the night he died. And he was buried; and none could comfort his father because of him. And |54 after forty days his father also died, according to the dream which his unbelieving son had seen.

When these things had happened, Athanasius, the believer and lover of Christ, went with his sons to the sovereign prince Abd al-Malik at Damascus. But Abd al-Malik arrested Athanasius there, and called him to account, and took from him all the gains that he had acquired in Egypt since the collection of the taxes had been left to him. Then the prince sent one of his sons, named Abd Allah, to govern the land of Egypt; and when he came to Egypt, he also did evil deeds; and all the officials feared him on account of the deeds to which Satan tempted him. For he made instruments with which to torture the people, and was like a fierce wild beast; so that often when he sat at table men were put to death in his presence, and perchance their blood spurted out into the dish from which he was eating, and he took pleasure in that. In those days the blessed Alexander went forth, and travelled to Misr to salute Abd Allah, according to the custom among patriarchs and governors. But when Abd Allah saw him, he said: «What is this man?» They replied: «This is the father and patriarch of all the Christians». So he took him, and gave him over to one of his chamberlains, to whom he said: «Humiliate him in whatever way thou wilt, until he shall pay three thousand dinars». So he took him, and he remained with him three days. And the Christians continued to petition |55 the governor that he would remit part of what he had said, but he would not. And all the people in the country were in great distress on this account; and great fear fell upon the bishops and monks on account of the money which he tried to extort from the patriarch. So when George the deacon, a native of Dimru, saw this, that Abd Allah would not set the patriarch free until he had received the money, he went to him and said to him: «O our Lord, dost thou desire the life of the patriarch or money?» He answered: «I wish for the money». So the deacon George said to him: «Trust me with him for the space of two months, that I may go down with him to the North, to beg for him from the officials and Christians, and I will pay thee for him three thousand dinars». So the governor gave the patriarch up to him, and he went round the cities and villages with him, and visited those who believed in Christ, until he had collected the money and brought it to Misr. And he used to assemble to himself the bishops and principal men and monks, and then mock them, and speak proudly with hard words, saying to them: «You are to me like the Romans, and if a man slays one of you, God will pardon him, because you are the enemies of God». And when he received from the people the taxes which they were accustomed to pay, he demanded the double amount from them, requiring a dinar and two thirds from those who were bound to pay one dinar, so that many churches were ruined for that cause; for he loved money greatly. |56

Then Abd Allah commanded that of the youths of his country all those should be gathered together that were twenty years old or under. So they went and assembled together; and the leaders whom he appointed were two men, friends of his, named Asim and Yazîd, and with them a body of officials; and they brought down great trials upon the people, and many were killed on this account. And they branded the strangers whom they found, on their hands and foreheads, and sent them to places which they did not know. Thus there was trouble and confusion in the land. The governor also gave orders that no dead man should be buried until they had paid the poll-tax for him; and he appointed a man named Muhammad over this business, so that even the indigent, who could not buy bread, were not buried when they died, except by his command. How great then were the sadness and misery and sighing in the provinces of Lower and Upper Egypt on account of the deeds of these men, until the Lord took vengeance suddenly on Abd Allah, after he had continued for two years to do such deeds! For the Lord took away the life of his father, Abd al-Malik, whose eldest son, named Al-Walîd, became ruler in his stead. When Al-Walîd took his seat on the throne of the empire, he began to remove the provincial governors, and to nominate others from among his friends. So he appointed as governor of Egypt one named Kurrah. But that infidel Abd Allah did not know of this change; and while he was sitting in his |57 official residence, the governor appointed to replace him arrived unexpectedly, and took his seat in his place. Thus great ignominy and shame came to him on this account.

And Kurrah brought down great trials upon the friends of Abd Allah, both Christians and Muslims, and cast them into prisons where they remained for a year. And there was in his days a man of the orthodox faith, named John, a native of Damirah, who had authority to command or forbid. But Kurrah caused trials among the churches and the monks, as shall be described.

Meanwhile the Roman monarchy was like a game for children. For when the Romans had deposed Justinian the prince, they made Leo their ruler in his place. But Leo was put to death before he had completed the third year of his reign; and after him reigned Apsimarus, who put many patricians to death at Constantinople; and he also killed the patriarch. When Apsimarus came to the throne, he released many captives from his country, and they returned to their own homes; and he provided each one with three dinars for the expenses of the journey. After him reigned Philippicus. Then after two years Anastasius was made prince of the Romans, and is still reigning. (N. B. By ¹⁵ saying «still» the writer means at the time of composing the history.)

Now the president of the divan of Alexandria in those days was |58 Theodore; and there was great hostility between him and the Father Patriarch, Alexander. For when Kurrah came to Misr, the Father Patriarch went according to the custom to congratulate him on becoming governor, and to salute him. But Kurrah arrested him on his arrival, and said to him: «Thou must pay me a sum equal to that which Abd Allah, son of Abd al-Malik, took from thee». The Father Patriarch said to him: «Our Law bids us not to lay up treasure and not to multiply gold or silver, but that we spend something day by day on account of what we need for daily use and for the poor and the needy. Abd Allah acted as he did towards me only through the calumnies of evil men, because of which he treated me unjustly and exacted three thousand dinars from me. But he found none of that money in my possession, so that he sent me out into the country like a beggar asking alms, until God gave me what I needed; and even now I owe five hundred dinars. So whence shall I get anything?» Then the Amir said to him: «Wilt thou swear to me then that thou hast no gold?» The patriarch answered: «God has commanded us not to swear at all. Believe me therefore now that the taxes on my property which must be paid are beyond my means, and God knows that I have no gold». Then the Amir said: «These words will not avail. If thou must sell thine own flesh, thou must pay me three thousand dinars, and if not, thou shalt not escape from my hand». So when he saw that he could not escape from him, he begged him |59 to let him travel to Upper Egypt, and whatever God allowed him to collect by the alms of the people he would send it to him. Then Kurrah released him, and he went up to Upper Egypt, and went round the cities and villages, and begged. And the Lord Jesus Christ healed many sick persons by his prayers, and every one rejoiced in him, saying: «Since the time of the Father Benjamin we have not seen a patriarch in Upper Egypt until this father». But he suffered fatigue and trouble and the miseries of travel, and at last Satan, who hates the good, did this thing of which an account follows. There was a hermit, named Petubastes, who dwelt on a rock with two monks, his sons. One day their father, the hermit, bade them clean out for him a place away from the rock; and while they were clearing it and digging, they found five brazen pots full of money in Roman coin. So they hid one of the pots, and showed the other four to the hermit. So the old man said to them in his simplicity: «Is this all that you found?» And when they said that it was all, he was glad at that. Then he said to them: «The Lord has disposed this money for the Father Patriarch, because he is required to pay what he does not possess». Afterwards he sent to the patriarch's steward, whose name was George the monk, and to his scribe, and summoned them both, and delivered to them the four pots, and said to them; «Take these and give them to the governor for the father Alexander, the patriarch ». So they took the pots and went |60 away and buried them dishonestly. And the Father Patriarch was absent collecting money in Upper Egypt. So the monks, the sons of the hermit, took the pot of money, and divided it between themselves, and began to act impiously; for they abandoned the monastic life, and bought fine raiment and maidservants. So the governor of the town and the clerk seized one of them and said to him: «Whence hast thou this money?» And when he was chastised, and the stripes caused him anguish, he said to them: «Promise me that you will do me no hurt, and I will make everything known to you». So they promised him, and he informed them of the affair of the five pots, and that he and his comrade had taken one of them, and that the other four pots were in the possession of the patriarch's steward and scribe. Then they at once informed Kurrah of this, and he commanded that the patriarchal residence should be shut, and all the vessels and gold and silver and books and cattle in it seized. And he brought down great trials upon the friends of the patriarch, and took the four pots of money, besides the vessels of the church and the goods found in the patriarchal residence, and he sent to Upper Egypt, and summoned the patriarch, and was minded to slay him because he had sworn that there was no gold in his possession. And when he took from them the four pots, all the friends of the patriarch fled like the apostles at that time. Then when they brought the patriarch before Kurrah. he gnashed his teeth upon him and wished to slay him, but the Lord restrained him; so he |61 loaded him with iron fetters, and cast him into prison, where he remained seven days. Then after that he compelled him to pay the three thousand dinars, and great trouble and distress came upon him, until one thousand dinars were paid to him after two years; and many trials came to the holy father, but he endured them patiently. Afterwards wicked people went and accused him falsely of having men in his house, who coined dinars, and alleged that he possessed a die for stamping coin. And while he was sitting at the ninth hour of the day, on a certain day, breaking his fast, and ignorant of what was to happen, before he knew anything, they had surrounded the patriarchal residence, and the people of the city of Alexandria with the town-clerk, by command of Kurrah, had seized the patriarch and his companions; and they threw him to the ground, and beat his companions, who were tortured till their blood flowed on the ground, and they almost died by the torture; and after all they found what they had accused him of to be false. And they did not cease from these persecutions till the second day of Amshir, in the year 430 of Diocletian.

Then after these persecutions which the father suffered, the people and clergy of Alexandria rose against him, and demanded that he should pay them some of the dues and church-rates on the third day of the Feast of Easter, but he had nothing to give them. And he said to them: «O brethren, you have seen how we have been robbed of all the property of |62 the church, even of the cups in which the Pure Blood is offered; so that we have been forced to make chalices of glass and patens of wood instead of the gold and silver vessels, because Kurrah has robbed us of them». But they reviled him with many hard words, while he patiently endured their abuse, and prayed to the Lord Christ, the chief shepherd, that he would receive his people from him and grant them salvation.

And the Lord Jesus Christ did in his days wonderful things, because he cares for the salvation of each one among men. For there was a man named John, an official, to whom God gave favour with the governors. So he went to Kurrah and said to him: «It is right that thou shouldst know that the taxes weigh heavily upon the monks and bishops in every place. Here then is an easy matter, for some of them are rich; while others have not the means of nourishment; and we know the state of all the Christians; if therefore thou thinkest fit to set me over their affairs, I will collect the taxes». So he set him over the bishops and monks. And when Kurrah gave him authority, he said to him: «There are among them some who do not believe in the faith of the Coptic Christians, and yet will not pray with the Muslims. What then thinkest thou that I should do to them?» The governor answered: «Do to them according to the law of the Christians, and take a double poll-tax from them». Accordingly John went out from before him, by the dispensation of God, and went first to the |63 diocese of Sa, which was his own diocese, where there were certain heretics, Gaianites and Schematics, living without the blessing of God. He therefore put a stop to their foul heresy, and baptized them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, enlightening them with the illumination of baptism; and their souls were filled with joy. Then John went to Al-Munâ, where the bishop of the diocese was Abba Hor, and baptized the monks there, after they had abjured their heresy; and thus the Gaianites and the Barsanuphians, who were there, were led by him into communion with the orthodox. When he left that place, he journeyed to Wadî Habîb, where also the heresy of the Gaianites had existed during a hundred and seventy years, from the time of the schism caused by Julian; and he brought them also back to the orthodox faith. Thus he united all the churches in one body by the grace of the Lord Christ who helped him; not only these, but those in every place in which he found roots of bitterness, that is to say, foul heresies among the monks or others. For in the city of Banâ and Busir and Samannûd and the neighbourhood, and at Rosetta and Damietta, the Lord rooted out their false principles and cast them away; and he united the whole land of Egypt in one faith with true agreement, and brought all the foul heresies to nought. |64

And the Amir Kurrah was a great lover of money; and whenever an official died, he seized all his goods. Thus on the death of the chief of the Divân of Alexandria, and of Apacyrus of Tinnis, who was a clerk, and of an innumerable multitude of officials at Misr, he confiscated their property; and he even took away the endowments of the bishops. By these means he added a hundred thousand dinars to the established revenue of the country. And men began to flee from place to place with their wives and children, but no place would harbour them because of the troubles and the exaction of taxes; and his tyranny was greater than that of any of his predecessors.

Then Kurrah appointed a man, named Abd al-Azîz, of the city of Sakhâ, who collected the fugitives from every place, and brought them back and bound them and punished them, and sent everyone to his own place; and the people endured heavy trials. After this, God sent a great plague upon Egypt, and the number of those who died daily was not known; but the majority of those who died were Muslims. At last the plague entered the house of Kurrah, and his wives and his pages died; and he fled from place to place in fear of death, until he finished the term allotted to him, and then died suddenly a painful death.

Now Julian had been patriarch of Antioch, and had charge of the church from the days of John, patriarch of Alexandria, to the days of the Father Alexander; but he had gone to his rest, and departed to eternal |65 happiness. So the bishops of the East assembled in order to appoint his successor; but their prince, whose name was Al-Walîd, would not allow them to do this. For he said: «I will not permit a patriarch to be appointed in my days». And the bishops were sad because of this; and therefore they took a God-fearing bishop, filled with the grace of the Holy Ghost, named Elias, and seated him upon the throne in the church of Antioch. And he wrote a synodical letter according to the law of the ancient canons, and despatched it by a bishop, named Stephen, to the Father Patriarch Alexander, because of the agreement between the two prelates. But the holy Alexander was visiting various places, so the bishop found him in Wadî Habîb, and delivered to him the synodical letter from the bishop Abba Elias, whom they had seated on the throne of Antioch. And Alexander found the letter in accordance with the orthodox faith, and. therefore he accepted it with joy, and summoned the chief men of the provinces, and made known to them what had happened in the East, and how the prince had forbidden the faithful to appoint a patriarch, but that the bishops had given the late patriarch a successor, so that he might consecrate the bishops until the season of wrath should cease. And a similar occurrence had happened in the time of Gregory Theologus and our Father Theophilus with the Arians and Acacians, and the distress lasted until they called the aforesaid Gregory to Constantinople, and the church was delivered |66 to him. Therefore the bishops of Egypt and the patriarch were consoled, and he wrote an answer to the synodical letter, and gave it to Stephen and his companions; and Stephen departed in peace to his own country. And when Theodore undertook the government of Alexandria in the reign of Al-Walîd and in the days of the Father Alexander, there was there a physician, a native of the city, named Onopes, which means Ass's face. When this man gained influence, he begged the Amir to command Theodore to appoint him patriarch of Alexandria; and he was a Roman, and a blasphemous Chalcedonian. The Amir accepted his petition; and a certain clerk named Anastasius, a native of Alexandria, gave to the Amir a thousand dinars, and so induced him to establish this false Chalcedonian patriarch in the city of Alexandria. And he opposed the right faith and derided Abba Alexander, especially when he was enduring trials at that time. After that the people wished to depose the Chalcedonian, and rose against him; so he fled, and went to the Father Alexander, and prayed him humbly, and begged to be excused for what he had endured through him, and requested him to receive him into the orthodox faith. Therefore Alexander received him with Christian charity, and obeyed the |67 commandments of God, who says ¹⁶: «If thou seest the ass of thine enemy lying under his burden, turn not from him until thou hast raised him up». And he did not cease to hold the orthodox faith.

Then there arose trials in the Church, and a wicked edict was issued that the coloured pillars and the marble which were in the churches should be taken away, and they were all carried off. And the Father Patriarch was sad for the sake of his church, because it became a ruin through that which was done with him. But in spite of this he gave thanks to God, and was bravely patient.

At that time two serious disasters happened, in the year 431 of Diocletian, in the 13th year of the Indiction, on account of our sins and our evil deeds. For after the death of Kurrah, Al-Walîd sent to Egypt as his successor a governor named Usâmah. This man, when he arrived at Al-Fustât, demanded a description of the boundaries of all the provinces, and wrote it down in Arabic; and he was a man of great intelligence. Then, when he had begun this, there came a great dearth, the like of which had not been heard of since the earliest ages; and more died in that dearth than had died in the plague, for all the rich and the poor were threatened with death. Afterwards a great abundance came, till wheat sank to twenty-five ardebbs for one dinar. But after a short time the plague returned, and destroyed the people; and |68 if the Lord had not taken pity on those that remained of them on the earth, not one would have survived.

And the Amir continued to do evil, while all the Muslims and Christians feared him. For he commanded that no one should lodge a stranger in the churches or at inns or on the wharfs, and the people were afraid of him and drove out the strangers that were in their houses. And he commanded the monks not to make monks of those who came to them. Then he mutilated the monks, and branded each one of them on his left hand, with a branding iron in the form of a ring, that he might be known; adding the name of his church and his monastery, without a cross, and with the date according to the era of Islam. Thus there was, in the year 96 of the Hegira, trouble among the monks, and oppression of the faithful. If they discovered a fugitive or one that had not been marked, they brought him to the Amir, who ordered that one of his limbs should be cut off, so that he was lame for life; and the number could not be counted of those whom he maimed for this cause. And he shaved off the beards of many, and slew a great multitude, and put out the eyes of many without mercy, and killed many under punishment with scourges. And out of love for money he commanded the governors to put the people to death, and bring him their money; and he wrote to them, saying: «I have delivered up to you the lives of the people, therefore collect all the wealth that you can, from bishops or monks or churches or any of the |69 people, and bring stuffs and money and cattle and all that you find belonging to them, and respect no one. And whatever place you visit, pillage it». Accordingly the officials laid the country waste, and carried off the columns and the woodwork, and sold what was worth ten dinars for one dinar, until silver sank to thirty-five dirhems for a dinar, and wheat to forty ardebbs for a dinar, and wine to forty wineskins for a dinar, and oil to a hundred kists for a dinar. And everyone who possessed anything was afraid to show it, lest he should be put to the torture; and through anguish and distress men were minded to sell their own children. Yet when the Amir was informed of these things, his heart was not softened, and he had no mercy, but increased in his wickedness. For he wrote and said: «Wherever a man is found walking, or passing from one place to another, or disembarking from a boat, or embarking, without a passport, he shall be arrested, and the contents of the boat confiscated, and the boat burnt». And if any Romans were found on the river, they were brought to him; and some of them he slew, and others he impaled, and the hands and feet of some he cut off. At last the roads were made impassable, and no man could travel or sell or buy. The fruits of the vineyards were wasted, and there was no one to buy them for a single dirhem, because their owners remained within their houses for two months, awaiting the passport to release them thence. If a mouse ate a man's passport, or if it were injured by water or fire or any accident, whether part |70 or the whole of it remained to his possession, if its lettering were damaged, it could not be changed for a new one until he paid five dinars as a fee for it, and then it could be changed for him.

Now there was a poor widow who received a passport for her son, who was her only one and fatherless, and to whose labour she trusted for her sustenance. So she departed from Alexandria to go to Aghrawah. But when the young man went out to the river to drink water, a crocodile devoured him with the passport which was fastened to him. And his mother wept and mourned for him, and then returned to Alexandria, where she informed the unbelieving Amir of what had happened to her; but he had no pity on her, and kept her prisoner until she paid ten dinars for the passport, because she had entered the city without a passport. And she sold her garments and all that she had, and went about begging, until she had paid the ten dinars. And Satan, whom the Amir resembled in heart, suggested evil to him all day long. After this he sent his officers to inquire into the state of the monasteries, and found there many monks who had no mark of a ring on their hands; so some of them were beheaded, and some died under the lash. Then he nailed up the door of their church with iron nails, and demanded of them a thousand dinars, and assembled the superiors of the monks, and tortured them, and required a dinar from each one of them, And he said: |71 «If you do not pay this, I will destroy the churches, and turn them into ruins, and make you serve on board the ships of the fleet». So the seniors of the monks were troubled; and they longed for death, and knew not what to do, and could only assemble in the churches, and pray, and humbly entreat the Lord Christ in grief and sadness that he would have pity on them. At last the gracious and merciful God heard their supplication, and delivered them suddenly; for Sulaiman, son of Abd al-Malik, who was at that time the sovereign prince, died and was succeeded by Omar, son of Abd al-Azîz who had been governor of Egypt. And by the will of the merciful God, Omar at once sent a governor to Egypt, who fastened a mass of iron to the feet of Usâmah, the evil one, and a block of wood to his hands, and put him in prison; and he was kept in darkness until he should make up his mind concerning him. Then he took him, and brought him out from Alexandria to Misr. But God took away his life on the way in a grievous and painful manner, as he deserved.

Yet this Omar, son of Abd al-Azîz, though he did much good before men, acted ill before God. He commanded that there should be no taxes upon the property of the church and the bishops, and began to set the churches and bishops free from the impost on land; and he abolished the new taxes, and rebuilt the ruined cities; and the Christians were in security and prosperity, |72 and so were the churches. But after that be began to do evil; for he wrote a letter charged with sadness to Egypt, in which were written the following words: «Omar commands saying, Those who wish to remain as they are, and in their own country, must follow the religion of Muhammad as I do; but let those who do not wish to do so, go forth from my dominions». Then the Christians gave him all the money that they could, and trusted in God, and rendered service to the Muslims, and became an example to many. For the Christians were oppressed by the governors and the local authorities and the Muslims in every place, the old and the young, the rich and the poor among them; and Omar commanded that the poll-tax should be taken from all men who would not become Muslims, even in cases where it was not customary to take it. But God did not long respite him, but destroyed him swiftly, and granted him the government no longer, because he was like Antichrist.

Then Yezîd reigned after him; but we have no wish to relate nor describe what happened in his days, on account of the miseries and trials; for he walked in the path of Satan, and deviated from the paths of God. As soon as he undertook the government, he restored the taxes of which Omar had relieved the churches and bishops for one year; and he required great sums of money from the people, so that everyone was distressed in his dominions. And he was not satisfied with this only, but he even issued orders that the crosses should be broken in every place, and that the pictures |73 which were in the churches should he removed. For he commanded this, but the Lord Christ destroyed him for this reason, and took his soul, after he had endured before his death many sufferings. And the time during which he reigned was two years and four months.

And after him reigned Hishâm his brother, who was a God-fearing man according to the method of Islam, and loved all men; and he became the deliverer of the orthodox. For when he learnt that we Christians had had no patriarch in the East since Julian, the late patriarch of Antioch, in whose stead the bishop Elias had taken his seat, and that Elias also had died, he took a man named Athanasius, full of every spiritual grace, who also was a bishop, and gave him the patriarchate of Antioch. So the bishops laid their hands upon him in turn, and made him patriarch. This Athanasius wrote a synodical letter with learning and great humility to the blessed Father Patriarch Alexander, saying: «Verily I am unworthy of this degree on account of my sins; yet I have not been promoted by my own will, but by that of the prince». For he had known him before this time. So Alexander received the letter with joy, and then wrote an answer to it, asserting the unity of the faith, and containing good wishes and salutations. At the end he wrote thus: «We bless the prince Hishâm, and pray that he may enjoy |74 a reign of many years, and overcome his enemies, so that he may do that which is right before the Lord». And he dismissed the envoys in peace.

After this, Hishâm wrote to Egypt, commanding that a receipt in his name should be given to everyone who paid the taxes, so that none might be unfairly treated, and that there might be no injustice in his dominions. So God gave him a prosperous reign, and he continued to rule for twenty-two years; and no war continued against him, but everyone that rose up against him was delivered by God into his hands, through the prayers of the two glorious patriarchs, Alexander at Alexandria and Athanasius at Antioch. Now the orthodox church at Damascus was adjoining the palace in which Hishâm resided. Then he commanded that the patriarch should build his house next to the prince's reception-hall, because of his great love for him, so that he might hear him pray and read. For he often used to say to him: «When thou beginnest to pray at night I receive great comfort, and I cease to trouble about the affairs of the empire, and then sleep comes to me restfully». And Hishâm loved Athanasius greatly for that reason; and he gave great gifts to the churches and the Christians. And there was at his court a Muslim who greatly loved the orthodox churches, and he was named Ubaid Allah. And when the prince Hishâm saw him act so, he rejoiced greatly, and made him governor of Egypt, and commanded him to act with kindness towards all baptised Christians. When Ubaid Allah came to Egypt, he commanded that the people and the cattle should be numbered, |75 and the lands and vineyards measured with measuring lines, and accordingly this was done; also that a leaden badge should be placed on the neck of every man, from the youth of twenty to those who were a hundred years old; and he had them numbered, and wrote down the names of all of them, and the number of their beasts, young and old, and an account of the bad lands, difficult of cultivation, which produce coarse grass and thorns. And he set up milestones in the midst of the enclosed lands, at the boundaries and on the roads, throughout the land of Egypt; and he doubled the taxes.

So after Ubaid Allah had accomplished all that we have related, and had committed much injustice which we have not related, when he came to Al-Fustât, he went to the city of Memphis and remained there four months. And he commanded that the chief men of the towns should assemble at Memphis. And he had the mark of a lion put on the hands of the Christians, according to the words of the Book, which John the Son of Thunder uttered, saying ¹⁷: «None shall sell or buy except those upon whose hand is the mark of the lion». Then, when he had accomplished this, he wrote to the provinces of Egypt, saying thus: «If anyone is found in any place without the mark on his hand, his hand shall be cut off, and he shall be heavily fined, because he has disobeyed the commands of the prince and acted rebelliously towards him». Now he had two sons, one of whom he |76 despatched to the South, and the other to the North, and there was great distress and perturbation in all the land of Egypt. Then Ubaid Allah arrived at Al-Gizah, and built a large house for himself there; and he wrote to the provinces of Egypt, commanding that a body of men should be collected for him, that he might set them to work as long as he wished. And he built at Al-Fustât, until the men perished through fatigue from the great labours which he imposed upon then. In consequence of these things, when the forced labours and the payment of the taxes which he had doubled became grievous, war broke out between the Christians and Muslims, so that much blood was shed in the land of Egypt between the two factions, first of all in the city of Banâ and the city of Sa and the city of Samannûd and their neighbourhood, and in many places in Lower Egypt; and there was likewise fighting on the roads and mountains and by the canals; but if we were to relate the history of it the account would be too long. When the governor of Alexandria entered that city to mark the people, he seized the patriarch in order to brand him, but he refused to be so treated. Yet the governor would not release him, and, though the patriarch requested to be allowed to go to the prince, would not consent to that. Then after a time he sent the patriarch to Misr, with a troop of soldiers who were to bring him to Ubaid Allah; and accordingly, when he appeared before him, he made known to him the cause of his arrival. But Ubaid Allah would not let him go without branding him. Therefore when the Father Patriarch Alexander saw that he |77 could not escape, he said to Ubaid Allah, the Amir: «I pray thee to grant me a delay of three days». So he consented to this, and granted him the respite. Then the patriarch entered his private chamber, and prayed the Lord not to suffer him to be branded, but to remove him from this world speedily; and when God saw the thoughts of his servant that they were good, he visited him; and accordingly he fell sick on the third day, and the sickness increased each day upon him. When he knew that the Lord Christ had heard him and received his prayer, he sent trustworthy persons and certain chiefs of the orthodox, his children, to Ubaid Allah, to beg him to release him, that he might depart to his see before his death. But he would not allow him, suspecting that this was a ruse, and that he was not sick. So when four days had passed, the father said to the brethren: «Prepare the boat at sunset that we may depart, for to-morrow the Lord Jesus Christ will visit me». Accordingly they departed; but not one of the bishops was with him, except Abba Shamul, bishop of Wasîm. Then when they had descended the river in their flight, they reached Tarnût by the morning; and at that hour the blessed Alexander went to his rest at that place. When Ubaid Allah learnt that the patriarch had escaped without |78 leave, he despatched an officer to bring him back with his companions; but when he came up with them and took them into custody to bring them back in wrath, he found that the Father had gone to his rest. So he left him alone, but seized Abba Shamul, and conducted him to Ubaid Allah, who said: «The truth is that thou didst induce him to flee, therefore thou must pay a thousand dinars to the government treasury». But Abba Shamul was poor, in want of sustenance from day to day, and went thinly clad; and he was sweet of countenance and virtuous in conduct; and he used to exhort sinners, and they listened to him; and likewise he confirmed those who were weak in the orthodox faith. So he swore to the Amir that he could not pay a single dinar, and did not possess one; but he would not accept this excuse, and gave him up to two officers of police. Then when those two Muslims, whose names we will not record, had taken him, they gave him up to some Berbers, like lions in their actions, who hauled and dragged him away through the midst of Misr, until they brought him to the door of the church of Saint George, trailing him along. And there was there a great crowd assembled of sellers and buyers; and many began to run after him through Misr. And they demanded a thousand dinars of him in spite of the exiguity of his possessions; and they began to torture him that day without mercy, and stripped him of his garment, and clothed him in a hair-cloth, and hung him up by his arms, thinly clad as he was, while all the people looked on, and scourged him with whips of |79 cowhide until his blood ran on the ground. And the multitude beheld him and what befell him at the hands of the police; but they continued for a week to torture him in this way until the people collected for him three hundred dinars. But when there came down some of the friends of Ubaid Allah to interview him, while the chiefs of the Christians said to them: «He is near death, and he is guiltless of any fault in this matter according to what we know», then upon that they released him after severe torments, for he was near death.

Thus when the Father Alexander, a saint indeed, went to his rest in a good old age, great sadness fell upon the Christians because of his death. For he had remained for twenty-four years and a half upon the throne. And there were during the days of his life certain very holy men in the land of Egypt, in the deserts and monasteries, who wearied themselves in the service of God, and by whom wonders and signs were manifested. For there was a man, who was a priest and at the same time a fisherman, in the province of Isnâ, who laboured with the nets, while he followed the rule of the monastic life. And after a long time he departed and built a monastery on the mountain, and many became monks with him there; and they lived in virtue and poverty. And the fame of that old man went forth through the outer country; and his name was Matthew, and he was a native of Asfant. So God manifested by his means many wonders among the sick and the |80 lepers; and he healed those in whom were unclean spirits, and raised the dead in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And after some days a great miracle took place in his presence. There was a Copt at Asfant, who had two sons and one daughter, all of whom he kept in his house; and they were pure virgins, serving God. But Satan led the three astray by a vile deed, namely that he entered into the elder of the sons, and said to him: «Since thy father will not give thee a wife, go in to thy sister, and sleep with her, for she will be sufficient for thee for a time». And he made this deed seem pleasant to him, so he committed it. Likewise he tempted the other younger brother to sin with her also. Thus the two brothers did with their sister that foul deed; but the one did not know of the other; and that perverse girl kept this secret, until she speedily became pregnant. And her parents kept her on account of the shame, and they did not know what had been done; so she remained many months without bearing a child. Then they set her upon a beast, and took her to the holy Matthew; and when they drew near to the mountain, the old man came forth, fleeing and tearing the hair of his beard, until he met them at the foot of the mountain. Thereupon the parents made known to him what had happened to her, and wished to give him gifts, that he might pray over her, that she might bring forth; so he bade them take her gently down from the back of the beast; and she alighted, being in great agony. Then he said to her: «Make known to me what thou hast done, thou vile woman!» So she made known to him what we have recorded, |81 and more also. Thereupon he raised his hands to heaven, and prayed; and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed her up. And many were present, and witnessed this; and one who was present bore witness to us, being a truthful and trustworthy man, of the children of the Church, that that spot became like a dark well, descending into the depths of the earth, and remained so six months, while fire ascended from it into the air, and an evil smell came up from it, so that none could approach it. The place was at some little distance from the monastery, about twenty-five bowshots.

Likewise in the monastery of the holy Abba Sinuthius on the Mount of Adriba, you know that many of the saints were confirmed there, and especially the blessed Archimandrite Abba Seth. For he was a man who walked in a good path during his life; and after his departure to the Lord, we beheld with our own eyes his tomb, which was built over him in gratitude for the many miracles and the healing and the cures, which take place through his holy body to this hour, and are innumerable from their multitude; for wonders are worked by it every day.

In the desert of Wadî Habîb also there were holy men who saw visions and revelations, to whom God disclosed that which took place in the world, so that they beheld it as if they were present everywhere. For to some of |82 them the Lord Christ and the holy Apostles appeared, and raised them up in their poverty and devotion; and to some of them the angels appeared. And there was among them an old man in the monastery of Saint Macarius, named John, a native of Shubrâ Maisinâ, which is also called Arwât. Him the Berbers seized three times, and took, prisoner; and they made him a slave, and ill-treated him and caused him to suffer. But the Lord looked upon his patience continually, and restored him to his holy monastery. After this he became hegumen, for he was a priest; and this was a rule in the desert of Wadî Habîb, that every monk who attained the rank of priest was appointed hegumen. And he never communicated of the Holy Mysteries without seeing the Lord and Saviour in his vision, with our Lady the Virgin; and great secrets were made manifest to him. And there were holy men with him of this desert, whose history we need not relate. And he had a disciple, named Epimachus of Arwât, who was counted worthy of the office of hegumen after him, and was like him in his heart in all his actions; and upon him was much grace, like Moses the prophet in his time; for he healed the sick, and cured every disease, and lived for more than a hundred years.

And the grace of the Holy Ghost descended upon him, and he learnt glorious matters, so that he even knew what he had neither seen nor heard |83 before anyone questioned him upon it. He had two spiritual brothers, one of them being Abba George and the other Abba Abraham, and they were holy and famous for virtuous living and great deeds; and trustworthy men bore witness of them, that they walked in the way of the great Anthony, and brought it to perfection. Now the lay monks at that time worshipped God zealously; and these two holy men beheld the baptized people in the church like white sheep, both old and young. But lo, one of the community became slothful, and went back from the good service of God; and so these two old men beheld him with his colour changed to black in the midst of the brethren. And when the priests had dimissed the brethren, those two went to the cell of that brother, and said to him: «Turn from thy sloth». And they exhorted him and comforted him. So on the morrow, when he came to the church, those two looked upon him, and he had become whiter than all the brethren; and therefore they praised God for his mercy to the race of men, In this way, if thou wilt that I record the deeds of the saints, they would be too many for the time, and too numerous for the pens, and too many for the sheets of paper. Glory be to God for ever and ever! |84

COSMAS I, THE FORTY-FOURTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 730-731.

When the Father Alexander went to his rest, they appointed instead of him a man named Cosmas, who was a holy monk of the desert of Saint Macarius, and a native of Banâ. So they seated him on the throne against his will; but he did not cease to pray night and day to the Lord Christ that he would receive him to himself. And at the end of fifteen months he went to his rest with glory and honour, on the last day of Ba'unah.

Now there was outside Maryût a monastery called Tamnûrah, in which there was an old monk, holy and spiritual, and also a young monk; and they used to chastise their bodies with iron and with chains. For the superior, whose name was John, was endowed with grace and the power of prophecy, and saw wonders many times, and he had a disciple who served him and was named Theodore; and this man envied his deeds, and imitated his life and all his works with spiritual love, and surpassed all in the monastery in his conduct, in the diaconicon and at the table of the brethren and in all the affairs of the monastery and its service, seeking abasement at |85 all times. For Theodore used to follow the words of Christ to his disciples ¹⁸: «He among you who desires to be great, let him be to you a servant». And he acted in this manner until he grew old, as he said to us with his own holy mouth when he was counted worthy of the patriarchal dignity; for he taught us and incited us to humility at all times. And in the lifetime of Alexander, his spiritual father said to him prophetically: «O my son Theodore, believe that I do not lie». He answered: «Yea O my father, I have never heard the name of a lie from thy mouth». The father said to him (another copy reads, The old man said to him): «O believer in God, verily in the year in which Alexander dies, I in my meanness shall die with him, and thou shalt sit upon the throne of the glorious Father Saint Mark, not after the Father Alexander, but after him who shall follow him». And the words of that orthodox old man, the Archimandrite, were fulfilled.

For the people of Alexandria, the priests and officials, were taking thought as to whom they should appoint in the room of Abba Cosmas, until the Lord recalled to their minds the memory of the holy father and monk Theodore. Therefore they journeyed to the monastery, and took him and brought him to Alexandria. |86

THEODORE, THE FORTY-FIFTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 731-743.

And an assembly of the holy bishops met together and consecrated the holy Father Theodore patriarch by the command of the Lord Christ. And the affairs of the patriarchate and of the orthodox church grew and prospered during all his days, until they returned to their former state, and became still more flourishing, so that it seemed as if the church had never been plundered. And Theodore was a good man, tranquil, full of charity towards all men, beautiful in countenance like an angel of God; and in his days nothing evil was done.

But Ubaid Allah, the ruler in Egypt, brought punishments and trials and losses upon the people of Egypt, and added an eighth of a dinar to every dinar of the taxes; and through his oppression of the people the dinar grew rare and rose in value. Yet when he continued long in this course, God would not suffer him, but raised up against him some of the chief among the Muslims, who went to Hishâm the prince, and made known to him the evil which he did, and the troubles that he had caused in Egypt. Therefore Hishâm was filled with wrath against Ubaid Allah, and wrote at once to remove him, and despatched an officer with many attendants to Egypt in great anger. And he commanded that he should be banished with his younger son, Isma'îl, to the land of the Berbers in the province of Africa, |87 and that Isma'îl should be exiled thence to the land of the Setting Sun, and punished because he did not do what was commanded him. So this was speedily done to him. Hishâm made Ubaid Allah's elder son, Al-Kasim, governor in Egypt, and set him over her affairs instead of his father, who was banished to the Berbers. When he had remained there a short time he ruled over the Berbers in Africa, where his son Isma'îl was, until he was banished whither the prince commanded. For Ubaid Allah wrote to Hishâm, seeking to conciliate him, and expressing repentance of what he had done, and begging him to make him governor of that country; and so he was made governor over the Berbers in Africa. Yet his deeds were again evil, for he seized the daughters of rich men and the daughters of the chiefs and officers, and sent them to Hishâm the prince as maidservants, writing to him that they were slave-girls whom he had bought for him as maidservants. Likewise the sheep, when they- were near parturition, he ripped them open, and took out the lambs just covered with wool, and took their skins and made pelisses of them, and sent them to Hishâm, saying that he had bought them for him; so that he destroyed large numbers of sheep from that country. Therefore the Berbers conspired against him, forming a plot to kill his son Isma'îl and the people of his house; and they seized Isma'îl and his wives and concubines and all that belonged to him, and killed them all in his presence, while he looked on. And they ripped the women open, and took the infants from them, and threw them down before him. |88

Then they brought Isma'îl to Africa, taking him bound to his father, and killed him in his presence while he looked on, after ripping him open and striking his father on the head and face with his dead body; and afterwards they drove his father away from their country, following and insulting him, while he was sad and weeping. And our father Theodore lived to see all these things.

Then the Lord visited him, and he departed to him in a good old age and in the grace of the Lord Christ. And the Church was growing, without adversaries or internal divisions, all his days. He remained upon the apostolic throne eleven years and a half, and went to his rest on the seventh day of Amshir.

CHAPTER XVIII

MICHAEL I, THE FORTY-SIXTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 744-768.

As the Scripture says in the 77th Psalm ¹⁹: «What we have heard we have seen, and our fathers have told us»; and as Moses the Prophet wrote |89 history, for he described what had happened on the earth from Adam the first man to his own time; and after him were the prophets who prophesied what should take place; and after them the holy apostles preached what they themselves had witnessed: so those who followed them did likewise. Then there were the teachings of the inspired fathers of the Church, and the words which confirmed the faith and the baptized brethren who put on the garment of light; and the divinely assisted fathers who gave strength to the firm foundation and to the immovable pillar ²⁰. And we have the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour, who delivered us and saved us from our sins by his Incarnation of the pure Virgin, and graciously granted to us the opening of our hearts and understandings by the hearing of his holy Scriptures. Philo and Justus and Josephus, the Jews, were the first who related the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who composed for us the history of the holy Church were Africanus and Eusebius and Sozomenus, who showed us the good and the evil, and the trials which befell the saints and shepherds of the flock of the Lord Christ, and the troubles which they underwent for the sake of the Church and the orthodox people at the hands of the secular governors at all times, not only in Egypt, but also at Antioch and Rome and Ephesus. There appeared the heresy of Nestorius, whose tongue deserved |90 to be cut out at the root, and the false teaching of the other heretics at that time; but God dispersed them all, like the dust before the wind, that is to say, by means of the young lion, Cyril, who excommunicated Nestorius with the rest of the heretics, and whose writings were placed in all the orthodox churches of the world. This is shown to us by that book which begins with the names of the patriarchs as far as the true confessor and champion, Dioscorus, who anathematized Leo, the soul-devouring lion, as his name implies, and excommunicated the six hundred and thirty, assembled at Chalcedon, and Marcian the prince and the vile princess Pulcheria, and all the followers of Leo, and was deposed by command of the princes, and sent into exile, where he finished his fight. Dioscorus brought back many souls to the Lord Christ by his action. And all that happened was written down for us to that point in the twelfth part of the histories of the Church. And for the first history of events subsequent to that, from the time of the Father Cyril when he was in the monastery of Ablah, down to the days of the father and confessor Alexander, we may consult the teacher and scribe in his time, who was the archdeacon and companion and secretary of the Father Patriarch Abba Simon, patriarch of Alexandria, namely |91 the monk, Abba George. For he wrote that history on the mountain of the holy Macarius in the Wadî Habîb, and informed us of what happened in the time of Marcian, the unbelieving prince, and the trouble that overtook our fathers and those that came after them, down to the time of Sulaiman, son of Abd al-Melik, prince of the Muslims, after whom reigned Omar, son of Abd al-Azîz, who drove away Usâmah, the unbelieving governor, who had been before his reign in Egypt. Therefore I, the vile sinner, beg you to pray the Lord Christ for me, that through your prayers he may loose the bond of my feeble tongue, and open my darkened heart, and give me knowledge of words, so that perchance I may be able to show to you, my brethren and my father, what you ask of me, although it exceed my power, not as a teacher and guide greater than you, but as a scholar, since I saw that of which I have written with my own eyes, and its importance imposes a debt upon me, and my hand touched it, besides what I heard from friends older than myself, such as I could trust and believe. God forbid that I should act according to the words of the true gospel ²¹, concerning the servant who buried his Lord's silver in the ground. I declare to your Holiness, vile sinner among men as I am, that I follow the words of David, when he praises the Creator in the 112th Psalm: «Who raises the poor from the earth and the needy from the dunghill, and sets him with the rich of the people ²² ». He it is who has seated me among the holy fathers, so that |92 I witnessed what befell them in my heart, that I might write it down, although unworthy; for they became shepherds upon the earth, and in many cases gave up their lives for the name of Christ. Let me then record a few of their deeds, for the rest of them the Lord Christ alone knows, with all that took place in former times. But indeed the Lord Christ knows that we have added nothing to the facts, having related what took place down to the death of the blessed Father Theodore, patriarch of Alexandria, and the affairs of state in his days, to the end of the seventeenth chapter of the History, completed above. Now, by the will of God and your holy prayers, we will write the eighteenth chapter of the History of the Church.

When Ubaid Allah left Egypt, Al-Kasim, his son, became governor after him, and was much more wicked than his father, according to the words of the holy gospel; «Every evil tree brings forth evil fruit ²³». This man did evil before God and men in his time of government, and walked in the bad path, as I will relate further on. Solomon, the wise son of David, says: «Woe to the people of a kingdom which is ruled by a child ²⁴!» Now this Al-Kasim was a child in age and conduct; and when an ignorant prince rules, all his companions will be like him. The first beginning of his acting thus was that he loved evil and loved women, like horses which neigh one |93 after another. He obtained for himself female slaves of every race without number, and his heart was exceedingly pleased with them, as we witnessed with our own eyes many times. For he used to send for the blessed patriarch Theodore, acting like a wolf in sheep's clothing; and the Father Patriarch was accompanied by my spiritual father, the bishop Abba Moses, who went to bear him company; and the governor loved my father more than all the bishops. Then the governor brought his young female slaves to the patriarch that he might bless them; and I myself saw them; and he said to the Father Patriarch: «These are thy children; lay thy hand upon them and bless them, and give them a benediction, for I bought them recently». This he did on several occasions with the Father Patriarch. Once when we visited him according to custom, the bishop Abba Abraham, bishop of the Faiyûm or Arsinoites, was there on account of important business. And when we also appeared, Al-Kasim called one of his female slaves, who was a native of the West, and said to our father Abraham: «This is thy daughter». And he placed the bishop's hand upon her hand, for his heart was as the heart of babes. And he said to the bishop: «Thou knowest that I have loved thee greatly since my father's |94 time, and all that thou didst ask of my father, I will do for thee». Then the holy Abraham said to him: «It is good». So Al-Kasim continued: «I desire of thee three hundred dinars». Thereupon the father gave directions to the archdeacon Simeon, who was his steward and had come with him, and who was counted worthy of the bishopric in succession to Abba Abraham. And the bishop said to the archdeacon: «Bring the three hundred dinars». And he forthwith brought the money, and the bishop handed it over to Al-Kasim. For he had much property belonging to the churches, since he possessed in his diocese thirty-five monasteries in the Faiyûm, of which he was the administrator; and he was bound to pay a tax of five hundred dinars, which were due to the Public Treasury upon this property. He had authority over all these monasteries, and the merchants of Egypt sold to him and bought of him. Then after the bishop had paid the three hundred dinars, Al-Kasim said to him: «I do thee this great honour that I have even made my wife a daughter to thee, and yet thou wilt not give her anything to honour her therewith». Accordingly the bishop gave her a hundred dinars into her hand, and Al-Kasim reckoned them as part of the taxes due from him.

And Al-Kasim walked in the path of ignorance continually, and the oppression of the people was doubled in his days. He appointed subordinate governors throughout Egypt worse than himself, men who amassed money from strangers from Aswan to Alexandria; and he caused great trouble to |95 the people throughout the land and in all the provinces, both great and small. The great man devoured the small man, and the strong devoured the weak, like the fishes of the sea; and those who collected the strangers' money devoured the poor and seized their property, until everyone was in distress.

After that, Al-Kasim made boats like the castles of kings, and when he had furnished them, he embarked in them his wives and his slaves, and sailed through the land of Egypt, and took them with him to Alexandria and Tinnis and Damietta, in order to take the money of the merchants and of the people and of the officials in those places. And he went up the river to Upper Egypt as far as Aswan, doing the same thing. And a body of troops and armed men travelled in his company; and they entered the theatre at Ansina.

And on a certain day Al-Kasim arrived at the Monastery of Saint Sinuthius, and went up with great pomp, taking with him one female slave whom he loved more than all the rest, besides his mamelukes; and he made her ride a mare, while he rode another mare at her side. He was accompanied also by an old man, who was a chief among the Muslims, named Rayân, son of Abd al-Azîz, the former governor of Egypt. So, when they reached the door, the aged superior of the monastery came out to meet them with all his sons, that they might do honour to the governor on account of his office. After Al-Kasim had passed through the second door, which |96 is in the fortified wall which surrounds the church, while he remained on horseback, then he came to the door of the church, and began to prepare to enter it, still mounted. But the aged superior of the monastery cried aloud and said: «Dismount, O governor! Enter not into the house of God in such pride, and above all in the company of this woman who is with thee; for no woman has ever entered this church, and come out of it alive. Nay she will die on the spot». Yet Al-Kasim gave no heed to his words, but entered, accompanied by his soldiers. Now the church was very large, and capacious enough to contain thousands of people. So when he reached the middle of the church, still riding, the mare on which the female slave was mounted plunged, and fell to the ground by the power of God; and the female slave died on the spot, both she and the horse that was under her. And as for Al-Kasim, there came upon him an unclean Satanic spirit which threw him down and choked him and buffeted him, so that he foamed at the mouth and gnashed with his teeth like a wild boar. But when he recovered a little, he saw that the old man, the superior of the monastery, was grieved for him; and he gave to the church four hundred dinars as a votive offering, as well as the horse which he was riding. And there was in the monastery a chest of teak-wood, inlaid with ivory, fitted with shelves, above which was the body of Saint Sinuthius. This chest had been |97 made for the sake of the votive offerings, for the convenience of those who should put their votive offerings in it; and the books also were placed therein; and it was of handsome workmanship, admirable and beautiful. So Rayân, who was travelling together with Al-Kasim, admired it, and wished to take it away with him. Now Saint Sinuthius had spent much money on it. So they said to that man: «Thou canst not take it, for he who placed it here forbad its removal.» But he answered: «I must take it, either for a price or as a gift.» Then he bade ten men lift it up, but they could not. Then he called thirty men, but they could not move it. So when he saw the miracle, he gave the monks three hundred dinars. Then they all went away in fear and trembling and wonder. And the unclean spirit did not depart from Al-Kasim until the day of his death, but continued to torment him.

Then God sent down a great dearth upon the land of Egypt, on account of the sins of Al-Kasim. In the first year the land was blasted by the scirocco, and so provisions were scarce, and there was no wheat to be found; and many men and cattle died. Afterwards, in the second year, there came a pestilence upon Egypt, such as had not been before. But in spite of all this the wickedness of Al-Kasim did not diminish but increased, and he doubled the taxes laid upon the people. And when a person went to sleep at night he dreaded the light of morning, and yet he could not wish for night that |98 he might rest from his many troubles. After the second year of famine came the third year, in which there was a scirocco, and the Nile did not rise at all; and the people saw no prosperity in the days of that governor, but the years passed in turn in this manner by God's command, a year of plague followed by a year of scirocco, until the end of the year in which the government was taken from him, namely the seventh year. And the plague lasted from the beginning of Hatûr each year until the twenty-second of Baunah, and raged chiefly at Misr on account of the multitude of sins committed there. And from the eighth of Bashans to the first of Baunah the mortality among the people was so great that not even a part of those who died could be counted; for on one day two thousand perished, and another day twelve hundred, and another day two thousand four hundred at Misr and Al-Gizah, among the people who inhabited those places and traders sojourning there; so that the burial of the dead was interrupted, and there were no tombs to hold them. And no male might be buried until the authorities knew of his death; and then his name was written down, and the name of his father, even in the case of young infants. Then our holy fathers prayed to the Lord, and the rich and the poor did likewise, and they besought him with fasting and prayer and weeping and supplication, until the Lord had pity on them, and took away the plague. |99

After this the merchants sold wheat to the people, and there was an abundant supply of it. So some of the corn-merchants went to a deacon, who practised magic, and lived at Memphis, which is the ancient Misr; and they gave him much money, and begged him to enable them by his magic arts to sell their wheat at a high price. So he began to exercise his art in such a manner that God was angered, and to practise his vile sorcery. For there was with him an orphan boy, the son of a widow who had no other children. And he said to the widow: «Thou hast nothing to eat or to feed thy son withal. Give him to me that I may make him my son, and teach him my art». So she delivered her son to the magician with joy. Now that unbeliever had visited many magicians in divers places, until they taught him to practise profound witchcraft; and thus he was able to do that by which the wheat became dear. Then indeed that miscreant took the widow's son, and led him into a chamber, and shut the door upon him, and hung him up by his hands and feet above the ground, and did to him what made God angry; for he did not cease gradually to flay the skin of the youth from his face to the back of his head daily, until he came to his shoulders. Then wheat became rare and scarce, and whereas it had been sold at the rate of fourteen ardebbs for a dinar, and then at two mudds for a dinar, at last it was not to be procured at all. At that time the monitor of the boys in the school went to the widow woman, and said to her: |100 «Thy son has not attended our school for many days. Where then is he?» So she went to that miscreant and enquired after her son, but could not find him. For he said to her: «I have not seen him for many days. He left my house, and returned to thine, and I know nothing about him». Therefore when she heard this from him, she departed in great grief. But the boy was not dead even then, but was still fastened up and partly flayed. And the young monitor saw the magician, his master, entering hour after hour into the closet in which the boy was fastened. So he said in his heart: «What does my master do in these days, entering this closet and coming out?» And he was a sagacious youth. So when the master entered, he followed him secretly. Then he heard that boy, the widow's son, weeping and sighing and imploring his master; but he took no pity on him. And he uttered words in the sadness of his heart such as these: «Alas for thee, my mother, widowed and mourning as thou art, for thou knowest not what has become of me! Alas for thy womb which bore me, and thy breasts which gave me suck! Where dost thou behold the torments of thy orphan son? Would that I had died when thou didst bear me in thy womb, and would that thou hadst never brought me forth upon earth, so that I should fall into this grievous torment! Where are thine eyes beholding me, longing to see me and gaze upon me, who am in this torment?» And the boy said many things like these, in the hearing of the young monitor. So the monitor went away quickly in |101 great terror, stumbling and raising himself again in the extremity of his fear, until he reached the house of the widowed mother of the bov. So he said to her: «I have found thy son.» Then she came speedily, after he had repeated to her what he had heard from her son's mouth, and went to the governor, and repeated to him what had happened and what she had heard. So the governor despatched with her some trustworthy Muslims, and some officials with them, to the house of that miscreant, and they found him within the closet, in which the boy still was, fastened up and flayed from his neck to his shoulders. So they carried the lad away, and led the magician bound before the governor. For at once they fastened his hands and feet, and his ears were cut off in the presence of the governor, and then he confessed all that had been done by him. And they brought in the boy, and beheld him in that state. And they wrote at once to Al-Kasim governor of Egypt; and when he had read the letter, he gave orders that the magician should be stoned and burnt in the fire.

But, in spite of all these things, Al-Kasim did not desist from his evil ways and his love for the amassing of gold. And he used constantly to change the subordinate governors, who acted as his deputies. Now there was a tribe in the mountains in the eastern part of Egypt, from Bilbais to Al-Kulzum and the sea, consisting of Muslims who were called Arabs. And there were among them more than thirty thousand horsemen, roving through those deserts and districts, and they had chiefs in command over them. |102

Al-Kasim, therefore, appointed as their governor a steward of the palace, named Abu Jarah; and his tents were near a monastery named after Our Lady Mary, near Tinnis. In this monastery there were many monks and priests, adorned with good works, and a holy hegumen named Epimachus, who had come from Wadî Habîb, from the Monastery of Saint Macarius, and who was afterwards counted worthy to be made a bishop. And there were with him, among the monks in this monastery, Abba Mennas, who became bishop of the city of Memphis, and Abba James the priest, and many others. And the steward of the palace had two brothers, whom he took up to the monastery; and he entered the church with them, and drove out the monks; and they plundered the church, and seized everything in the monastery, whether stuffs or provisions or furniture. And the steward's younger brother was worse than he. For there was in the cell of the hegumen a cross erected at the east end, with which he drove away the devils who frequently appeared to him. So that youth entered the cell and said to the hegumen: «What is the purpose of this cross?» Whereupon he answered: «It is the cross of Christ, my God.» He said to him: «Dost thou adore him?» The monk answered: «Yea». So the young man spat upon the cross, and treated it insultingly, and reviled the aged hegumen. And the old man went forth from the monastery in great sorrow, saying: «If God do not requite this youth for his deed, I |103 will never return to this church all the days of my life.» Then he departed to another place, and remained there; and he said within himself: «I will wait ten days, and see what will take place; and if nothing occur, I will depart.» So, on the eighth day, that young man went and sat in the privy place, and his bowels gushed out, as it had happened to Arius the unbeliever. Therefore when his brother, the steward of the palace, beheld that punishment, he was afraid, and departed from the monastery; and fear came to all who heard or saw.

Afterwards the steward went round through that district until he found the holy Epimachus, whom he brought back to the church, after entreating him with respect and honour; and he restored to him all that had been taken away. And great fear fell upon the Muslims and long remained among them.

During all this time, the church of Alexandria remained widowed, without a patriarch. Therefore the orthodox Theodosians assembled, and called the bishops together. And a number of the heretical Chalcedonians met together; and they formed a council at Misr. And three men were brought forward, that one of them might be chosen, and enthroned as patriarch. But it did not please the Lord that one of them should receive that degree, but he kept it for him whom he had selected and marked out from the womb, as shall appear further on in our discourse. |104

And God took away the government from Al-Kasim; for the caliph sent to him one who arrested him and carried him away to his master under guard and restraint. And when he reached Bilbais, together with those in charge of him, who were conducting him to the caliph, the bishops and a body of Christians came to him at Bilbais, and begged him to allow them to appoint a patriarch. Then he demanded of them that they should give him money; but they would not give it, and so he refused permission, and would not allow them to appoint a patriarch. Then Abba Theodore, bishop of Misr, who was the chief of the bishops at that time, and was the first of three bishops named Theodore who successively occupied the see of Misr, said to my spiritual father, Abba Moses, bishop of Wasîm: «Behold, Father, the conduct of this Al-Kasim, and the evil that he has done among men, such as thou hast never seen before this day, but which I have beheld during the greater part of my time!» The bishop Abba Moses replied: «Pardon me, my Lord and Father. If this man return to Egypt, then God has not spoken by me the sinner. But thou shalt hear what God will do to this wicked wretch».

After this the commissioners conducted Al-Kasim on his journey. And he never returned to Egypt, but all his goods were seized, while he was |105 tortured and imprisoned. And the caliph sent to Egypt, and seized his male and female slaves, who were carried away to the caliph.

Then the bishops returned with their attendants to Misr, where they found that the Chalcedonians had anticipated then, having chosen a follower of their sect, a man who made needles in the market-place, named Cosmas. For they had collected among themselves gold and silver and plate, and had given them to that perverse governor, Al-Kasim, before he departed; and he had given orders that they should appoint him patriarch. So the Chalcedonians took that man Cosmas, and ordained him patriarch for themselves, and triumphed over the orthodox, because they had elected a patriarch, whereas the latter had not nominated one for themselves.

The governor of Egypt who succeeded Al-Kasim was a man named Hafs, son of Al-Walîd, a native of Hadramaut, of high rank in the army of the Muslims in Egypt, and a Sunnite according to their religion. In those days a council of bishops assembled at Misr, in the year 459 of Diocletian, on the 28th day of Misri. And there were with them the clergy of Alexandria and the chief laymen, who brought men with them, so that the election might fall upon some one. And one of the bishops mentioned a certain name secretly; but God, who knows all, had reserved this degree for him who was worthy of it.

These are the names of the bishops assembled to appoint the patriarch: |106 Abraham, bishop of the Faiyûm; Moses, bishop of Wasîm; Mennas, bishop of Tmai; James, bishop of Busîr; Theodore, metropolitan bishop, bishop of Misr; Victor, bishop of Malîj; James, bishop of Sahrajt; Isaac, bishop of Samannûd; Abraham, bishop of Bilbais; Peter, bishop of Tarnût; Michael, bishop of Atrib; besides the clergy of Alexandria. Then they went to the governor, Hafs, and prayed him to allow them to appoint a patriarch. And he said to them: «When your choice is fixed upon some one, keep him until I have seen him.» So they went out from before him, and proceeded to the church of Saint Sinuthius at Misr, and prayed, and took their seats according to their rank in agreement with the canon of the church, each one sitting with his father and bishop, while the clergy of Alexandria sat in front of the bishops. And all were tranquil and dignified, and none spoke a word unless the bishops commanded; and the faces of all were bent upon the ground, both small and great. And when the sixth hour had passed, the aged bishop, Abba Mennas, bishop of Tmai, lifted up his face, and said in a low voice to Abba Abraham, bishop of the Faiyûm: «O my Father, pardon me. What thinkest thou that we are about, and |107 for what reason are we assembled?» He answered: «My Father, the Lord Christ will settle all matters, and so will Saint Mark, and all of us also, for the chief Shepherd of our souls and bodies is with us.» Then all the people and. the assembly cried with a loud voice together saying: «The Lord Christ will accomplish this matter according to his will.» Thereupon they stood up and prayed; and when they had finished the prayers, they agreed to meet on the morrow; and each one of them departed to his own place. Now some of the bishops, from the North, had mentioned the name of one whom they had selected; and Abba Abraham, bishop of the Faiyûm, heard of it. So Abba Peter, bishop of Tarnût, who had lived all his days in the desert of Father Macarius, and was beautiful in his conduct and excellent in his actions, said to them: «I warn thee not to lay thy hand on him whom they shall bring forward to thee, until the opinion of the assembly shall be unanimous concerning him; for he is not fit for this degree.» Now Abba Peter had grown weak through his great age, and was kept apart from the rest.

And on the second day they assembled and prayed and took their seats. The clergy of Alexandria being present, the archpriest exclaimed: «Bring this matter to a settlement, my Lords and Fathers.» So Theodore said to them: «Who is it that you have chosen, that we also may know him?» Thereupon the archpriest said: «Such and such an one, and here is his name written down.» Then Theodore said to them: «If the assembly approve of |108 him, he is fit.» The archpriest replied: «This affair regards us, not the bishops, who have nothing to do except to lay their hands upon him, and no more; for it is we who elect the patriarch.» Then Abba Abraham, bishop of the Faiyûm, said to them: «Your bishops also may propose to you him whom they choose. Yet if you have proposed one who is worthy, we will ordain him; but if he is not worthy, we shall reject him.» Thus a discussion took place between the two parties on the second day; and after prayer they dispersed. And they continued to act in this way till ten days were over. During this time there was peace between them, and there were many discussions by day and by night; yet they would not give up their views, nor would the bishops of Upper Egypt adopt their opinion in this matter, but remained separated from them, saving: «If this man were the only man possible, we would not appoint him.» But some of the bishops of the northern dioceses were in agreement with the clergy of the Alexandrians with regard to his appointment. Then on the th day of the new month, namely Tût, Satan began to sow dissension among them, so that sadness and weeping came to them on account of it. For the bishops who were in agreement with the Alexandrians cried and said: «If we do not elect this man whose name we have written, we will not elect anyone.» But the Lord Christ, who cared for all these matters, was displeased at their words; while the man whom he approved for this ministry was kept |109 in reserve. Thus there was a quarrel between them that day, as there had been over the matter of the Barsanuphians. And while they were in this plight, God put it into their hearts at that hour to send for the two bishops, Abba Moses of Wasîm and Peter of Tarnût; for they said: «If you do not bring the two aforesaid, there will never be peace between us.» Now Abba Moses was very weak, because he had been confined by sickness for six months in the Monastery of Nahyâ, and Abba Peter likewise at the church of Our Lady on the Holy Mountain of Wasîm, in the Monastery of Nahyâ, which stands on the bank of Al-Gizah to the west of Misr. So the bishop of Misr and the bishop of the Faiyûm went to those two, and informed them of what had occurred. But Abba Moses could not mount a beast or sit upon it on account of the great pain which he was suffering; so the fathers contrived a plan, and had him carried on the bier on which the dead were borne, for they found nothing else there. And some of the faithful bore him on their shoulders, till they brought him to Al-Fustât. But they made Abba Peter ride on a horse; and there was a great company with hiM. When they arrived, the assembly met together on the th day, and the clergy of Misr and the officials with them, that they might settle this business by the will and help of God. And there were with them the archdeacon of the church of Saint Sergius, and the aged officials Mennas |110 and Paul, and many of the Christians of Misr. So they prayed and took their seats, and began to attack one another with words, as at the beginning. As the strife increased, the bishops of the North said: «Wilt thou not appoint this man whose name is written down?» But Abba Abraham, bishop of the Faiyûm, said: «We have no part or lot with him.» Then Abba Abraham said: «If you would listen to me, we would all of us beseech God, as the canons command, and pray him to raise up for us whom he will, that so the Church may not be divided into two parties». Then some of the Northern bishops signified their approval of this proposal, and took their seats with the bishops of Upper Egypt. Now the blessed Abba Moses, bishop of Wasîm, was lying in the midst of the assembly, on account of the severity of the pain which he suffered, and when he heard them speak of schism, he rose up by the power of the Holy Ghost which was with him, and beckoned with his hand to the clergy of Alexandria, so that they drew near to him. Then he said to them: «What are you saying?» They answered: «What Abba Mennas, bishop of Tmai, says, that is our opinion; for it is we that appoint the patriarch, and you have nothing to do with this matter.» Now there was by his side a staff for him to lean upon on account of his infirmity, so he called to mind what the Lord did in the Temple, when he drove out the money-changers therein with the scourge of cords; and he rose up and drove out the clergy of Alexandria, and pursued them, striking |111 them with the staff, till he had forced them out through the door, saying to them: «Depart from the midst of us! Ruin not the church of God through the desires of your hearts!» Then he turned to the bishop Abba Mennas, and the bishops with him, and said: «What have I to do with this man who is not chosen by the Lord Christ, but whom thou desirest and delightest in? If thou knowest any of his virtues, recount them in the midst of the assembly. Then, if they approve of him, it is a thing from God, and he may be appointed.» When Abba Mennas heard this, he said to Abba Moses: «The books forbid this, therefore leave him; but if you know the virtues of any man, then appoint him.» Then he made a prostration, and departed, saying: «Let there be unity and concord among you; I am innocent of this mischief.» Then they separated on that day, after the prayer of the Sixth Hour, in sorrow and great grief, because they had not found anyone to appoint. For the names of many were mentioned, but they would not agree to any one of them.

But at midnight a deacon in the company of Abba Moses awoke and said to him: «Pardon me, my Father, I know one worthy of this office.» He said to him: «Who is he my son?» The deacon answered: «He is the holy and precious one, the priest Michael at the church of Saint Macarius, a pure virgin, brought up in the desert». Then the bishop Abba Peter cried and said: «He who speaks by this deacon is Christ. O my son, verily this priest Michael is worthy of this rank». So on the morrow they assembled, and there was a discussion among them, according to their custom; and |112 then they mentioned the priest Michael, the aforesaid. So all the people cried out, old and young with one voice, saying: «In truth that man is worthy». And before this he had seen a holy man, who received revelations from the Lord, for he bore witness to him of that and said: «I heard a voice from heaven, while I was in the church of the holy Saint Macarius, saying: The priest Michael is worthy to be patriarch».

Then they all rose up and proceeded to the palace, and made known to Hafs what had taken place, and what they had agreed upon, and prayed him to write a letter to the seniors and priests of Wadî Habîb, that they might give up the said Abba Michael to the bishops and clergy. So the governor wrote letters for them, and they took them and went out of his presence. Now the Lord Jesus Christ had already moved the superiors of Wadî Habîb for a certain cause; and they had come forth from the desert with the aforesaid priest Michael in their company; and the reason was that they had met together and taken counsel, saying: «Al-Kasim, the tyrant, increased our land-tax and poll-tax beyond our power to pay. Now a new governor is come, therefore let us go and visit him and pray for him, and congratulate him on his appointment; and let us have |113 confidence in God, and beg the governor to remove these unjust exactions from us». So they arrived at the Island on the 13th of Tût. And on that day the messengers of the council had started with the letters on their way to the desert; and when they had crossed the river, they met the superiors of the monks, and with them Abba Michael, on whose account they had undertaken their journey. Therefore, when they saw him, they were greatly astonished, and wondered and rejoiced exceedingly; and each one of them marvelled at what the Lord Christ had done. So they took him, and conducted him to the governor's palace, with all the clergy of Misr acclaiming him and chanting before him, till they reached the palace. And they said: «The Lord has sent us the trusted shepherd, the new Mark». Then when they informed Hafs of what had happened, he marvelled greatly; and he clapped his hands together and said: «Let us bless the God of the Christians, who has done deeds at which we wonder». And he said to them: «This man is he whom God has chosen for you, to be a father for you. Take him, and depart with him in peace». And Abba Theodore, the bishop of the diocese, went forward and approached the governor and prayed for him, and then departed with the patriarch. And the people cut off pieces of Michael's garments for the sake of a blessing.

And on the morrow, which was the 14th of Tût, the bishops embarked |114 in the boats, and went down the river to Alexandria, which they reached on the night of the 16th of Tût; and many people came forth to meet the patriarch. But as they entered the streets of the city, carrying candles and crosses and books of the gospels before him, rain began to descend upon them; and it lasted three days and three nights, pouring in torrents. And all the tribes in Alexandria said: «This man is from God. Two years have passed without a fall of rain in this city. Blessed is the entrance of this man into our city!» And they consecrated him on the 17th day of Tût. Now we would fain relate a few of his deeds in the monastic life, and his miracles before he became patriarch; but we fear to be tedious, for everything has a measure, as the Scriptures say. Moreover I have related these matters in the book of his biography, apart from this history.

At that time the blessed Athanasius at Antioch departed to the Lord. And Hishâm, the prince, appointed after, him a trustworthy man, named John. Then Hishâm died, and the government of the empire was undertaken by a man named Al-Walîd, son of Yazîd, son of Abd al-Malik. Since, however, his people hated him, he began to build a city named after himself in the desert, for he gave his name to it; but the water was fifteen miles distant from it. He collected workmen from all quarters, and built that city by means of forced labour; and on account of the multitude many died every day from the scarcity of water; for though the water was carried thither by twelve |115 hundred camels daily, yet this was not enough for them; the camels being divided into two bands, six hundred carrying water one day, and six hundred the next. Then Al-Walîd was attacked by a man named Ibrahim, who killed him, and seized the government instead of him. Ibrahim released the enslaved workmen, who departed each one to his own place; and he appointed a new governor in Egypt, named Hassân, son of Atâhiya; and this Ibrahim was a cousin of his. (But according to another copy the governor's name was Isa, son of Abu Atâ.) The new governor had been secretary to Usâmah, and he was acquainted with all that Usâmah had done. Now Egypt, before Hassân was governor, abounded in gold; and a dinar was as common as a dirhem among the people at that time. But when he arrived, a great pestilence broke out in the land, until a young calf was sold for twenty dinars. When Hassan's commissioners and friends informed him of this, he observed: «I know what the people of Egypt do. If I live, I will make them buy a bull for two dinars». And at this time the Egyptians suffered great losses, and trials and troubles were brought upon them, so that the people offered their cattle and their children for sale.

And there was at Misr a young man, a Muslim, named Rajâ, who |116 assembled a body of followers, and seized the government, with the assistance of Hafs the former governor. And they went to Hassân, and wished to kill him; but he fled from them to Damascus. And Hafs commanded that everyone in the provinces of Egypt should pray according to the laws of the Sunnite ritual, and proclaimed that all those, who would give up their own religion and become Muslims, should be exempted from the poll-tax; for that was an impost due from all of them. By means of this procedure Satan did much harm to many people who gave up their religion; and some of them enrolled themselves among the soldiery. And the patriarch, Abba Michael, saw these things with sadness and tears, because he beheld men denying the Lord Christ. And for these causes the bishops left their sees, and departed into the desert, and entered the monasteries, where they humbled themselves before the Lord in prayer.

At that time the Father Moses, bishop of Wasîm, was detained by his spiritual children in his see, and they would not let him depart from it to any other place; but. he prayed for his flock that the wolf might not carry them away from his Church. And he remained at Al-Gizah and in the neighbourhood of Misr, constantly superintending the affairs of his children. And behold, some of the orthodox officials of Misr came to his house in sadness, and said to him: «Father, pray for us earnestly. For we have counted those who have seceded to the religion of Islam from among our brethren, the baptized Christians, in Misr and its neighbourhood, through the |117 persuasions of this governor, and they amount to twenty-four thousand persons». So the father said to them: «My children, be assured that this month you will see with your own eves this unbelieving governor Hafs burnt with fire in the midst of Fustât Misr; and Rajâ will be slain with the sword». And the father's prophecy was speedily fulfilled. Morever this holy man used to heal the sick in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and gave to men the gift of repentance.

Then the prince sent a general to Egypt, accompanied by five thousand fighting men, that they might make war upon Hafs. The name of this general was Hautharah; and he gained possession of Egypt, and caused Hafs to be burnt in the fire, and killed Rajâ with the sword, and seized all their goods, as the blessed one had prophesied. So the prince took away the government from those two, because they had driven Hassân away from the country, and had taken the power into their own hands without his orders. And Hautharah sent their property to the prince. And the government was restored to Hassân for these reasons; and he was a wise judge like Solomon, and loved the churches and the bishops and monks; and he loved the patriarch Abba Michael, and used to admit him, and converse with him often, when he visited him, from the first days of his patriarchate. And as for Hautharah, after what had happened, he remained in Egypt with his troops. And he loved the orthodox; and, as he resided at Wasîm with all his army for three years, he used to consult the Father |118 Abba Moses about the salvation of his soul. But there was much disturbance in the outer provinces, and fighting among the Muslims, and they killed one man after another, so that even their governors did not remain in office for a whole year but were slain before it was over. At last there arose a man named Marwân, prince of those Turks; and he brought his army, and seized the empire by force, and ruled it with a strong arm like Pharao; and none could withstand him, but he destroyed them with the sword; and every year he shed much blood of those who fought against him. And there was in Marwân's house a Chalcedonian deacon, named Theophylact, who was a goldsmith and wrought in gold for the prince's household; and he prayed them to gain promotion for him from the prince, by making him patriarch over his fellow-countrymen, the Greeks; for they had no patriarch at that time. So this was done for him speedily; and they appointed him patriarch over the Chalcedonians.

Now peace and prosperity continued in Egypt for five years. Then the governor was removed from Egypt, and a man named Abd al-Malik was appointed. He was a son of Musa, son of Nasir, of the family of Hassân the Jew, who had overrun part of the West. And this governor hated the Christians greatly, and was exceedingly proud, and caused much trouble |119 to the people of Egypt, and gave rise to much disturbance in the country, seizing for the benefit of Marwân the gold and silver and copper and iron, and everything that he could find. This he did by the advice of an evil man, who had learnt these deeds from Satan, and was director of all the arsenals of Egypt, and of the affairs of the government, and was named Abd ar-Rahîm. His labours at last produced results unheard of before, namely that he took linen rags and smeared the ships of the fleet with decoctions of herbs which he mixed up together; so that, when the fire was thrown by the Romans upon the ships, they did not burn. And this I saw with my own eyes; for the ships caught lire, but yet did not burn; and the fire was at once extinguished.

And merchants came from the country, bringing their wares, and collected money among themselves, and gave it to Marwân, and prayed him to allow them to rebuild the churches of Misr; and so he consented to their request. But the friends of Theophylact the Chalcedonian, who was also called Cosmas, said to him: «Verily there are many churches of ours in Egypt, of which the Theodosians, that is to say the Copts, took possession, when the government of the Romans was overthrown; and now we have no church there. We beg the prince to write for us to Egypt, and send by us letters commanding that the church of Saint Mennas at Maryût be handed over to us, so that we may communicate there. » For that church was famous for many |120 miracles, and had been endowed with property in many places. So Theophylact took to Abd al-Malik, son of Musa, son of Nasir, letters which directed him to settle the dispute between the Jacobites and the Chalcedonians, and ordered that the truth concerning the founders of that church should be ascertained, and that it should be handed over to them. And when Abd al-Malik had read the letters from Marwân, he despatched an officer to Alexandria, and commanded that the two patriarchs, the Jacobite and the Chalcedonian, should be brought before him. Now the fast was at hand, so he commanded that they should be summoned.

And when Abba Michael reached Wasîm, the bishop, Abba Moses, went out to meet him, and travelled with him until they came to Abd al-Malik. And there was with us the bishop Abba Theodore, bishop of Misr, who, before he became bishop, had been archdeacon of the church of Saint Macarius in Wadî Habîb. And we attended at the palace together with the Chalcedonians every day, and this we continued to do during the forty days of the fast, from early morning to the end of the day. And the bishop of the Romans, and their patriarch Cosmas went with us. Now the said bishop hated the people of his religion; for he said: «I have not gone so far as to add a fourth Person to the Trinity.» His name was Constantine, and with him was a deacon, named Anastasius, of the church of the Melkites at Alexandria. And Abd al-Malik assembled the Melkites, and read the decree to them, and enquired into the truth of the allegations. And the dispute carried |121 on before him had great results; for the orthodox with their arguments from the Holy Scriptures prevailed over the Chalcedonians, so that Abd al-Malik marvelled. Then he summoned the chief of his Divân, who was a Muslim with two Divâns under his authority, and another man called Isa, son of Amir, and handed them over to him, that he might thoroughly investigate the matter, and make it known; and he ordered that each party should expound its claims in a letter. But the Chalcedonians went secretly to the house of Isa, and offered him bribes, that he might favour them in their claims. And the patriarch, Abba Michael, assembled his bishops, and wrote a letter full of all wisdom and of the grace of God, and of the words of the holy Scriptures of God, giving an account of the foundation of the church of the martyr, Saint Mennas, and of the troubles and banishments endured by our fathers, the patriarchs, at the hands of the Chalcedonians, and of the taking of the churches from them by the hands of the princes of the Romans; and that report was written down in Coptic and in Arabic. Afterwards they assembled together, and gave that report to the aforesaid Isa, who read it and marvelled at the patriarch's eloquence. Then the Chalcedonians sent him a letter a span long, with two words in it; and, when he had read it, he laughed and shook his head; and the two letters were read in public, and all present heard their contents. Then our father the patriarch, Abba Michael, said to Isa: «My Lord Secretary, it is not right that we should allow our enemies, who have no God, to hear our words, so that they |122 may take them as a proof hereafter.» Isa replied: «I will read the letter.» But he only did this in guile, and in his care for the interests of the Chalcedonians, because of the bribe which he had received from them.

Now behold, we will cite a part of the contents of the letter written by the blessed Father Patriarch: «Michael, by the grace of God bishop of the city of Alexandria and of the Theodosian people, to the governors, with regard to the church of the glorious Saint Mennas at Maryût. At that time reigned the faithful and pious princes, Arcadius and Honorius, in the days of the holy father, the patriarch Theophilus. He began to build the church of John the Baptist, and when he had finished it, he built the church of Saint Mennas at Maryût, and another church named after Theodosius, son of Arcadius the prince, who helped him to build the churches. When Theophilus was dead, all his successors added to that church, little by little, until the days of the patriarch Timothy; so that it was he who completed it. After that time there came a diabolical prince, named Marcian; for it was he who divided the church through his corrupt creed, and banished the glorious father, the patriarch Dioscorus, who fought for the right faith of his fathers. And Marcian invented a vile new creed, being assisted therein by Leo, patriarch of Rome, who was anathematised by the patriarch Dioscorus together with his impure writings, which were full of heresy. And the aforesaid prince did wicked deeds against the children of the |123 orthodox church, and was exceedingly tyrannical; for he slew some, and drove others away into exile; and they suffered severely at his hands. Nor did they cease to be oppressed in like manner, until the government was transferred to our lords the Muslims. And to this day we continue to dispute with the followers of that new creed.»

This is a little out of much contained in the letter of the glorious father, Abba Michael the patriarch. But as for the Chalcedonians, they wrote and said: «In the beginning the power was in our hands, and the churches with all their property were ours. But the Muslims, after their conquest of Egypt, handed them over to the Copts».

Isa however, for the sake of the bribe which he had received from the Chalcedonians, was desirous of proving them in the right, and of convicting the Copts of falsehood. So he said: «Neither you nor they have brought any proof of your words. Go therefore and write two other letters besides these two, and bring them to us.» So we did as he said. Then he said again; «These are no arguments. Go therefore and write something besides these two letters.» And he did not cease to put us off for a whole month. Then one of those present said to Abba Moses, bishop of Wasîm: «My advice is that our father, the patriarch, should give something to this man, that he may deliver us from these adversaries who oppose and resist us.» But Abba Moses answered: «My son, it is not right that patriarchs and bishops should offer bribes to anyone, nor is it right that they should |124 take bribes from anyone. And we have not had to endure persecution for a year or two years or thirty years, like our fathers; but we are now living in our own homes, and our churches are in our own possession, and God does not forsake us nor cease to help us.»

And during that week God requited those heretics through the prayers of our father. For the governor deprived Isa of his office of secretary and his Divân; and there came another in his place, a man of the sons of the judges of the Muslims, named Abu 'l-Husain, who was an old man, tranquil, not given to showing favour to anyone, nor to taking bribes; and he was wise in his discourse, and just in his judgments. So they delivered us to him, that he might judge between us. And at the beginning of his judgment he said: «Which among you is the father of the Jacobites?» So those present pointed to Abba Michael, and said: «Behold him here!» Then he said: «The father of the Melkites?» And they showed him the other. Thereupon he said to Abba Michael: «Thou holdest the faith of James, bishop of Jerusalem, one of the disciples of the Lord Christ.» He said: «Yea, that is my belief.» Then he turned to the other and said: «Make known to me, Sir, who is thy father, and what is thy creed.» The patriarch of the Melkites said to him: «I hold the faith of Marcian the prince». Upon that the judge rejoined: «Thou believest in the prince, and |125 not in God?» And he continued: «Tell me who is the father of thy sect, and whence he came, that I may know and judge between you.» The Melkite answered: «My father, who first laid the foundation, was Nestorius. A council was assembled at Ephesus, at which the leader was Cyril, the spiritual father of this man. They had with them a monk from the Mount of Adriba, in the province of Ikhmîm, and they drove Nestorius out of the Church; for they were assisted by the princess at that time. But after that, God speedily raised up Marcian and the patriarch Leo, who agreed with Nestorius and his followers, and everywhere took possession of the churches, over which bishops have ruled up to this day. But our bishop at Alexandria, Proterius, was slain by the Alexandrians; and therefore the prince commanded that an army should be collected, and sent it to Alexandria, and bade the soldiers slay with the sword; and so they killed thirty thousand in one hour.»

When the judge heard that, he clapped his hands together, and said to those around him: «How cruel and tyrannical was that deed!» Then our spiritual father answered and said to the judge: «Behold, we have been occupied with this matter for two months. The governor delivered us over to Isa, son of Amir, as thou knowest, O judge, whom God loves on account of thy just judgments; and we wrote reports and gave them to Isa, but he would not settle our case, but asked of us more than we know». So the judge commanded to bring forth the reports of the Jacobites and Melkites; and he read them and understood their contents, and was filled with |126 astonishment at the difference between them; and he took the documents, and carried them to the governor, who read them, and was also astonished, and commanded him to pronounce his sentence, and dismissed him. Accordingly the judge came forth, and said to Cosmas: «Thou art a man without religion or God. For behold, the reports bear witness against thee that the church belongs to Abba Michael. We understand all that you have written; therefore go and write other reports besides these, and bring them to me».

So we went out from his presence. But the Chalcedonians recognised that they were vanquished, and therefore they invented among themselves words of guile, and sent them to us. And Constantine, bishop of Misr, was with the messengers; and so he said to Abba Michael: «Thy Paternity knows what has happened to us at Alexandria for the sake of the faith; and to this day the dispute about our creed continues Therefore we desire that there be an agreement between thee and us concerning the church, and we wish to make a compact with thee, and to become one flock together. Send a message therefore to the father concerning this matter». Then the blessed Abba Michael said to the bishops: «What do you say on this question? Shall we send a messenger to him, to hear his proposals?» But they said: «He is acting thus with guile deceitfully». And Abba Moses said to them: |127 «O my fathers, in their hearts are seven thoughts, as it is written ²⁵. They think of things that they cannot bring to pass. But let us try them». Then Abba Michael ordered a priest who was his scribe, and me the sinner, the writer of this history, and sent us to the Chalcedonian patriarch to hear his words. So when we arrived, they came out to meet us with joy; and when we had taken our seats, and the priest Mennas had addressed Cosmas with words of Scripture, for he was learned, then Cosmas heard from him the words of the patriarch. For Mennas began with the creed of our fathers, the Three Hundred and Eighteen, and Athanasius and Cyril, and confirmed the matter with a great and terrible oath, before the Melkite patriarch and Constantine, the Melkite bishop of Misr; and they made their confession. And Constantino the Melkite bishop of Misr said: «This was my faith before to-day, and I will hold it to my last breath; one Union, one God, one Lord, one Nature, namely the Lord Jesus Christ. He who does not believe thus is a Jew; and he who says that there are Two Natures in the One Christ, after the Union, is a stranger to the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, and his lot will be with Judas the Traitor. This then is my creed». But when Anastasius heard that, he was angry and could not speak, and he waited for what was to happen after this. Then we departed to the fathers, and told them all that had taken place, and so they sent us |128 back to them, saying: «This that you have said you shall write down in a letter in your own hand». So when we returned to them, Cosmas their patriarch said: «I have another word which I desire to speak to you». The priest answered: «Hide none of thy thoughts from us, for God looks at the heart, not at the face». So he continued: «If unity be established, what will you do with me?» The priest Mennas replied: «Make known to us what thou desirest». Cosmas answered: «I desire, if unity be established, that my church and your church should be one at Alexandria. And when your father, the patriarch, is present on the days of liturgies, I should be with him; and when he had finished the prayers, each of us should go forth to his own place; and none should hinder me from visiting any of the churches; and so likewise with regard to him». Then the priest said to him: «These are words containing deceit». Cosmas answered: «"What thinkest thou?» So he said: «I will depart to my father, and bring the answer back to thee». Then when the bishops heard this, Abba Moses cried aloud and said: «Our Lord Christ charges us not to call any father upon earth. But now if you approve what they say, then I will speak». The patriarch said to him: «Speak now». So he said: «If he consent to be made by us bishop over the whole of Egypt, and to become our brother, not our father, since Christ will keep thy Paternity that thou mayest guard his holy Church, then we will do it». Then they went to Cosmas |129 and informed him of this their decision; and he rejoiced, and his soul was satisfied. And Anastasius said: «You will surely make me also bishop of some see». But the priest Mennas answered: «Knowest thou not that no man who seeks another degree for himself is fit to be a bishop? But the people of Misr will assist thee in this matter». So Anastasius said to him: «If you do not consent, then be not troubled nor speak at all of this matter». Then we went out from their presence.

After this we all visited Abd al-Malik, who had written a letter at that time to all the provinces of Egypt, commanding that the scribes and officials from every town should assemble before him; and when he admitted them, the palace was crowded with people in such numbers that none could hear anything through the multitude of voices. So we too entered, surrounded by many people. Then, when we had taken our seats, the bishop Constantine separated himself from the Melkites and sat with our bishops, begging them to receive him as one of themselves, and give him a see; and the assembled multitude and the people of the country around us were observing us, wishing to know what would be settled, and looking at the bishops, both orthodox and Chalcedonian. But after a while some of the people from Upper Egypt rushed upon Constantine, when they learnt that he was a Chalcedonian, that they might drive him away, until the |130 orthodox bishops cast some of their garments over him, and surrounded him among themselves; for otherwise the people of Upper Egypt might have killed him. Then the latter cried and said: «Remove the wolves from the midst of the sheep! Flee from the ravenous lions that devour souls! Drive away the foxes that destroy the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth! Remove Judas from among the disciples of Christ! Let not your garments touch these unclean ones, O servants of Christ!»

Meanwhile Cosmas hid himself until their anger had abated; and then, after much questioning of our fathers, the people began to be a little pacified. Moreover when our bishops made it known to the people that Constantine had prayed them to receive him among the Theodosians, they rejoiced and cried in the midst of the palace: «Constantine has confessed the right faith, the faith of our orthodox fathers». Then suddenly Ibrahim al-Mâhiki, the official who was governor of Alexandria, appeared, for he had been sitting in an apartment of the palace, and with him a band of heretics, including the deacon Sergius, the patriarch's son, and two of the teachers of the heretics. So the people ran back and wished to flee. But there was a man of Damietta who had been exceedingly wicked, and for that reason I, the sinner, admonished him with a word that I had heard; and he leapt into the midst of the assembly, and stood and reviled me, and blasphemed the Holy Trinity. Then I and all those present saw his garment rent from |131 the top to the bottom in three pieces, and everyone in the palace cried, both Muslims and Christians: «There is no faith except the faith of the father, Abba Michael». And there was a great shouting in the palace, and men rushed to see what had taken place, so that some of the people and the soldiers were injured or killed through the great press. Then Abd al-Malik commanded that all should be sent out of the palace.

And on the morrow he commanded the judge to decide the matter in question, saying: «Settle their affair, and let them depart.» Accordingly the judge sat down with the members of the Divâns, namely the scribes and the chief personages of the government. When they had taken their seats, they said to the patriarch, Abba Michael: «Wilt thou swear that this church rightfully belongs to thee and thy fathers?» The patriarch answered: «Our Law commands me not to swear, whether truly or falsely; but I will write a report, and declare the truth to thee therein». Then the judge said to the heretic Cosmas: «Wilt thou swear that this church is thine, that I may give it over to thee?» So he replied: «Yea, I will swear». Then the judge shook his head, as if mocking him, and said to him: «Where hast thou a witness to this statement that it belongs to thee, even if thou shalt swear to it?» Then he said to our father, Abba Michael: «Hast thou anyone to offer testimony that this church belonged to thy fathers?» He replied: «Yea, I have one who will be my witness to that fact, from the day that it was built until now». The judge asked: |132 «How many days is it since it was built?» Abba Michael answered: «Three hundred and fifty years» So the judge said to him: «And do the witnesses live to this day from that time? Thou speakest to me in parables. Make the truth known to me». Then the patriarch answered and said: «Verily my father Theophilus and his successor Timothy were the builders of this church, and it is they also who testify to me that Theophilus founded it and set up its rows of pillars, for there is his name written upon them; and, when he died, Timothy erected the remainder, since there is his name inscribed. These are my witnesses who testify to this day». Thereupon the judge sent his confidential friends, accompanied by the secretaries and the interpreters, and they ascertained what was written upon the pillars, and found that it was as Abba Michael had declared. And the judge enquired carefully into the truth of the matter, and reiterated his questions concerning it, and discovered that the patriarch's account was correct. So, when he had tested the truth of his words and proved it, he delivered the church to us, and dismissed us with congratulations and honour. Thus we recovered our church once more.

Now our father John, patriarch of Antioch, who had been a bishop, had a dispute during many days with his bishops, and could not make peace with them; therefore he wrote letters to the prince. And he had written a synodical epistle, but had not been able to find means of sending it to Egypt |133 till this time. So when the messengers arrived, and the Father Abba Michael had received the synodical and other letters from them, he read them, and was greatly distressed by the disagreement between the patriarch and his bishops. For they said that he was a mere bishop and no patriarch, and that they had not been able to give him the title of patriarch in the days of Hishâm. Then Abba Michael summoned all the seniors among his bishops in the land of Egypt, and the letters were read to them. Thereupon they said: «We will not write a letter nor despatch it thither, for this is a difficult matter. If they desire to expel their patriarch, the prince will say to them: Nay, for he is a bishop. But if we write and advise them not to depose him, the bishops will be divided, as they have said in their letters. Rather leave the matter, Father, remaining as it was». And accordingly he did so.

Now I desire to record a little out of much that the Lord did by the hand of the bishop Abba Moses, and concerning the gift of prophecy and of the healing of diseases which he received from the Lord. Therefore believe my words with a pure heart!

We were travelling to Alexandria in order that the Father Abba Michael might take possession of the evangelical throne of Mark, and the holy synod disembarked on the way. When we walked through the Christ-loving |134 city of Wasîm, there was in the church a youth, who had been paralysed in his hands and feet from birth. He was now fifteen years old, and the martyr Saint George had appeared to him, and said: «Thou shalt not be healed except by the hand of the bishop, Abba Moses». So this youth came, and would have touched my father's garment; but the multitude around him prevented him. Therefore he cried, saying: «Make the sign of the cross, my Father, over my paralysed limbs». Then the bishop made the sign of the cross over his hands and feet, and we went on our way. But when we returned according to the will of God, that youth came out to meet us, walking and leaping with the people of the city, and recounting what had happened to him, and glorifying God, and thanking his good servant, the bishop. And this bishop also cleansed the lepers, and cast out devils, and did mighty works, like the Disciples.

Now there was in those days great trouble in the East on account of the bishops. Moreover at that time great hosts came against Marwân, and they met in battle; and much blood was shed among them. Then Abd al-Malik assembled the officers of his army at Misr, and imprisoned them for seven days, and also confined the secretaries of state, and the chiefs of the towns and superintendents of inherited property, and required them to send in their accounts, and to pay what they owed. Then he summoned the Father, Abba Michael, to Misr, in order that he might pay the taxes on his churches. But when we came before Abd al-Malik, he demanded of us |135 what we could not pay, and therefore he commanded that we should be put in prison, and that a great block of wood should be fastened to the patriarch's foot, and a heavy iron collar to his neck. And there was nobody with him except Abba Moses, bishop of Wasîm, and Abba Theodore, bishop of Misr, and Abba Elias Paul, son of Abba Moses in the Spirit. Then they put us into a dark chamber, where we could not see the sun, and which had no window, for it was hewn in the rock. And our father, the patriarch, was greatly tormented through being thus loaded with iron, from the 11th of Tût to the 12th of Babah, seeing no sunlight all that time. While he was in the prison, there were besides him three hundred men; and there were women also imprisoned, in greater straits than the men; and there was sadness and weeping, and much distress at the end of the day, when the governor of the prison shut the door upon us, and went away; and he did not return till the seventh hour of the day. The sick used to come to the patriarch in prison, that he might bless them, and then they rejoiced; and Christians and Muslims, and even Berbers, came to him, and confessed their sins which they had committed; and so did the prisoners, some of whom said that they had been in prison three years, and others four. And he consoled them and exhorted them to patience, saying to them: «If you vow to God that you will not return to your former deeds, God will |136 receive your repentance and save you before the end of this year». Then they swore to him that they would not return to their sins. And they were all accordingly rescued from prison before the end of the year by his prayers.

As for our fathers, the bishops, they could not change their garments nor their caps for the space of seventeen days, while they remained close by the father patriarch; for they were chained to him by their souls though not by iron. And the superintendent of the governor's table was a believer and a good man, who provided for the patriarch; and he used to visit us, and brought for us into the prison what we needed; while I, the sinner, was engaged in ministering to those three bloodless martyrs night and day.

And that year there had been a great pestilence among young infants at Misr, so that they all died. And while I was lying at the feet of the patriarch one night, and he was teaching me from the Scriptures, and answering all my questions about them, I asked him concerning the death of the infants. And I said to him: «Thinkest thou, Father, that God takes them on account of the sins of their parents or for some other cause?» Then he answered: «Do not suppose, my son, that this is the cause. But God beholds the human race, and sees that most of them do the will of |137 Satan by their vain devices, and that Hell is full and Paradise empty; and so he takes the infants who are without sin to Paradise, the place of mercy.» Then I asked him: «Why did God expel Satan from Heaven before he created the world or men?» He answered me: «O my son, who am I, the vile sinner, to deal with this problem, that thou shouldst question me about it?» But as I persisted all the more in questioning him on this subject, he said to me: «The holy Gregory Theologus says that Satan was, from the time when he was first created, in the habit of slandering his companions the angels before God; but God granted him a term of trial and was patient with him. Then when God created a new heaven and a new earth, and formed man in his own image and likeness ²⁶, since it lay in God's foreknowledge that Satan loved pride, he bade him behold Adam and the beauty of his countenance. So Satan took with him the host over which God had made him leader, and went to the place where Adam was; and, when he saw it he was filled with admiration of it. And he said to his lollowers: I desire to set up for myself a throne upon the clouds, and the high mountains shall be beneath me, and I will be like the Most High; and the whole world shall be under my power, and I will rule over it. Then when he ascended again to heaven, God said to him: Admirest thou what thou hast seen, and art thou pleased with the world that has been created? For he knew his secret thoughts. Then God said to Satan: I have made |138 thee lord over the world. And God said this to Satan in order that he might not fall from the glory in which he was. But Satan kept evil in his heart, and in his thoughts there was wickedness; and after that he considered and said: I desire to know the nature of the Godhead, so that when I go down to the world I may act accordingly, and may no longer have need of God. For this was the design that Satan had conceived. And, wishing to behold the Godhead, he entered into the midst of the Angels suddenly; but God commanded ten thousand of the heavenly angelic Powers to cast him down to the lowest Hell in outer darkness, him and all his companions. This is what God revealed to Gregory Theologus, who wrote it down for us. Glory be to God for ever and ever. Amen».

Then I questioned the patriarch again, saying: «Will God have patience with these unbelieving rulers who commit these crimes against us at all times, and will not release us from these bonds?» He answered: «Be patient, my son, and be of good cheer. When we go forth from this place, we shall fall into worse misfortunes than this. Therefore be patient now, for none shall receive his reward without suffering; but he who endures to the end shall be saved. And thou wilt see what shall take place hereafter, for in these two rulers there is no good».

Then when seventeen days of the before mentioned month were over, while we were still in this distress, the governor commanded that he should be brought before him. So we came into his presence, and he demanded the money of the patriarch, saying to him: « None of thy |139 churches pays taxes, and I require of thee that which is rightfully due from them.» And he pressed him sorely. Then the patriarch answered: «If it he so, permit me to depart to Upper Egypt; and whatever the Christians may give me and supply me with I will bring to thee.» Then the governor released him, and we quitted his presence, and journeyed to Upper Egypt. At that time we suffered greatly from the cold; for there was hoar-frost at night, and heat in the day-time from the sun. And the people of Egypt had perished through oppression and poverty and taxation. And the father, Abba Michael, was fatigued during our journey, and suffered much. While we travelled, he healed many that were sick, merely by making the sign of the Gross; and he cast out unclean spirits from among the people,and converted many who had gone astray from the orthodox faith, for God helped him. Then we returned to Misr on the night of the 21st of Tubah, the night on which our Lady, the Virgin Mary, went to her rest. And that night there came great wrath from God, for there was a great earthquake in the land, and many houses were ruined in all the cities; and none was saved from them, not a single soul; and likewise on the sea many ships were sunk on that night. This happened all over the East, from the city of Gaza to the furthest extremity of Persia. And they counted the cities that were |140 wrecked that night, and they were six hundred cities and villages, with a vast destruction of men and beasts. But the land of Egypt was uninjured, except only Damietta. And at Misr there was only great fear, without any death or ruin of houses; for though the beams in the doorways and walls were moved out of their places, they went back again to their places after two hours. We were assured by one whose word we trust that none of the churches of the orthodox nor of their dwellings was destroyed throughout the East. But the father, Abba Michael, bade all the inhabitants of Misr and the neighbourhood prolong their fasting and prayers. So when the misbeliever, Abd al-Malik, saw what had taken place through the wrath of God, he accepted the alms given by the Christians to the patriarch, and released him.

Now I have omitted much without writing it down, that the history might not become too long and weary the reader, but I am constrained to record briefly a matter which must not be passed over. That is that there was at Dongola, a city of the Nubians, a king named Mercurius, who was called the New Constantine, for he became by his beautiful conduct like one of the Disciples; and the Lord gave him a son whom he named Zacharias. When king Mercurius died, Zacharias did not choose to become |141 king, but occupied himself with the word of God and the salvation of his soul, and gave up his rank as king, and appointed to the kingly office a kinsman of his named Simon, who was orthodox, and walked in the excellent path of Mercurius. When Simon died, Zacharias adopted a valiant youth attached to the palace, named Abraham, and made him king; but he was proud and wicked. And the bishop of the capital city used to warn him and instruct him, but he paid no heed to him, and therefore a dispute took place between the king and the bishop. So the king wrote a letter to the father patriarch, Abba Michael, in which he said with an oath: «If thou do not excommunicate Cyriacus, I will make all my country worship idols». For he had written concerning that bishop absurd calumnies and false testimonies. But when the patriarch had read this letter, he wrote letters of peace to the king. Yet the king was not satisfied, but wrote other letters worse than the first, full of false testimonies, and despatched them to Alexandria by Cyriacus, the holy bishop. So the father assembled the bishops, and formed a synod in the city of Alexandria. And when they had met together, he produced the letters, which were read aloud; but the bishops recognised that their allegations were absurd. Then indeed they spoke a word concerning the king of that country, fearing lest Satan should bring corruption upon it: and therefore they prayed the bishop Cyriacus to reside |142 in one of the monasteries of Alexandria, until the wrath of the king should subside; but he refused to do that. So, when they saw that he would not listen to them, they said: «Depart whithersoever thou wilt, in order to abide there.» But they would not allow him to celebrate the Liturgy in the churches of Egypt. And they ordained him whom the king had sent to them, a man named John, saying to Cyriacus: «If this matter is not from God, thou wilt see what will happen, and wilt return to thy see once more. For we have not removed thee from thy see by excommunication, but on account of the wickedness of the king, and his evil intentions».

But when they rose up to depart, each to his own place, there appeared a great wonder. For there was a great board over the throne of the patriarch, Abba Michael, on which was a painting of John Chrysostom; and, after the bishop had been removed from his see, the cords of the picture broke, and it fell into the midst of the bishops, and continued to move and leap until it had passed beyond them. Therefore they went and took it up, and restored it to its former place. Then it did the same thing a second and a third time; for as often as they hung it up it fell again, until it reached a certain place in the church and remained there. Now that bishop resembled the picture of John Chrysostom, for his cheeks were almost free from hair, so that he seemed to have no beard, and this was one of the characteristics of John Chrysostom's face. And the bishop Cyriacus was an old man, eighty |143 years of age on that day; and his appearance was like that of an angel of God. Then the bishops dispersed to their own districts; and Cyriacus departed to one of the monasteries of Nubia, while John, the new bishop, went to the capital city. Now trustworthy persons have testified to me that no rain fell upon that city during the remainder of the life of Cyriacus, the bishop, and that every year the people were visited by a pestilence, and that those who bore false witness against him were suddenly struck blind. And he lived to be one hundred and four years old. Then he prayed God to remove him from the body; and, when he was dead, the people of his country visited his tomb, and prayed him with many tears to beseech God to send down rain upon them; and this took place so that their country was fertilized, and the pestilence ceased from them.

So when king Zacharias saw these things, he banished king Abraham to an island in the midst of the river, and appointed a king named Mark instead of him; for Zacharias had been father of the kings up to this time. Then the friends of Mark went secretly with guile, to slay Abraham in his place of exile. But, when the partisans of king Abraham learnt this, they conspired against king Mark; and, while he was praying in the church before the sanctuary, they slew him, in the sixth month of his reign.

Then they set up a king named Cyriacus, an honest and virtuous man, who has remained king to the day on which I write this history. |144

Now letters had been sent to this king from Egypt, and had reached him while the father, Abba Michael, was in prison with us. And Abd al-Malik heard of these communications, and therefore he seized the patriarch, and kept him in custody. Then king Cyriacus marched forth from the land of the Nubians towards Egypt with a great army, including a hundred thousand horsemen, with a hundred thousand horses and a hundred thousand camels. And we were informed by one who had witnessed it with his own eyes that the horses which the Nubians rode used to fight with their forefeet and hindfeet in battle as their riders fought upon their backs, and that they were small horses, no higher than asses. And when they approached Misr that they might capture the city, and had encamped at the Pool known to this day as the Pool of the Ethiopians, they plundered and slew and made prisoners of the Muslims. And they had already treated the Muslims of Upper Egypt in like manner. And the king before he reached Misr had sent an envoy, called the Eparch, one of the great men of the kingdom, to Abd al-Malik, bidding him release the patriarch; but Abd al-Malik seized that envoy and imprisoned him with the patriarch. But when the governor heard of the arrival of the king before Misr, not having any means of resisting him, and being, greatly afraid of him, he released his envoy, the Eparch, from prison. So the latter went forth to meet the king, having, previously made an engagement with Abd al-Malik, and sworn to |145 induce the king to return with his army to his own country, and not to let him approach his fortresses nor besiege him. Now the Muslims were in the habit of kidnapping the Nubians, and selling them as slaves in Egypt. So the king, after carrying off much plunder from the Muslims, led back his army, because the Eparch informed him that the patriarch had been released, and had been kindly treated by Abd al-Malik, and himself bade the Nubians return homewards with his blessing.

Now many of the tribe of Al-Kais worshipped an idol named Salkit, and therefore the king of the Nubians conquered them and plundered them, and his army carried off the booty which they had taken from them. Then Abd al-Malik sent to the patriarch, bidding him write to the king of the Nubians. So Abba Michael wrote letters of peace to Cyriacus, in which he prayed for him, and blessed him and his followers; and the king returned without fighting a battle. Now these events took place in the hundred and thirtieth year after the foundation of the empire of the Muslims. And there were under the supremacy of Cyriacus, king of the Nubians, thirteen kings, ruling the kingdom and the country. He was the orthodox Ethiopian king of Al-Mukurrah; and he was entitled the Great King, upon whom the |146 crown descended from Heaven; and he governed as far as the southern extremities of the earth, for he is the Greek king, fourth ²⁷ of the kings of the earth; and none of the other kingdoms stands up against him, but their kings attend him when he passes through their territory. And he is under the jurisdiction of Mark the Evangelist, for the patriarch of the Jacobites in Egypt exercises authority over him, and over all the kings of the Abyssinians and the Nubians; and he has in his country an orthodox bishop whom the patriarch ordains as metropolitan, and who ordains for the king the bishops and the priests in that land. And when the metropolitan dies, the patriarch of Alexandria appoints another for him, whom he chooses, and ordains him for that people.

Now when we came out of prison, many people came together to us, and prayed the father patriarch to celebrate the Liturgy for them, and to give them with his holy hand the communion of the Body and the Precious Blood. So they conducted him to the church of the two Martyrs, Sergius and Bacchus; and he celebrated the Liturgy for them that day, and communicated to them the Holy Mysteries, and gave them an exhortation and instruction |147 And there came a man seeking to communicate, as soon as the brethren began to make their communion; but the patriarch refused him, and, though he returned, would not give him the oblation. And when. Abba Michael had dismissed the congregation, and sent the people away in peace, that man appeared before the father, weeping, and said: «I desire thee, Father, to tell me for what cause thou didst refuse me communion». The spiritual father answered and said to him: «My son, I also am a sinner. None but the Lord Christ refused thee communion. He it was who forbad thee to receive it. Therefore declare now what thou hast done in the midst of this assembly of thy brethren, lest any of them do like thee». Then that man cried aloud, saying: «I pray thee, my Lord and Father, if it was a sin which I committed, forgive it me, for I will not be guilty of it again». The father said to him: «Thou must confess it». So he said to him: «I have been accustomed to break my fast in my own house, and to come after my breakfast to the church to communicate. Thus I did to-day. And afterwards when I heard that thou wouldst give communion to thy people, I said in my heart: I will go and receive the communion from his holy hand. And I did so out of love for thee in my humility. Now I have declared this to thee who didst refuse me. But in Upper Egypt there are many who do this without knowing that it is a sin». When the Father heard that, he commanded that letters should be written to every place, ordering that none of the faithful should communicate unless fasting, and that none should make |148 his communion twice in one day ». Then he gave his blessing to that man, who departed glorifying God, who does wonders by his saints.

But Egypt found no tranquillity nor rest during the government of Abd al-Malik, for not one of the family of the princes of the Ishmaelites who ruled over them was like him. And he did to the monasteries what was not lawful, because he hated the Christians; for as he pleased to do, so he did. Yet the Lord Christ, in whose hand are the hearts of princes, turned his heart to love Abba Michael the patriarch; therefore he invited him to his palace, and we accompanied him; and he begged the patriarch to pray for him. And the governor's daughter, who was four years old, was possessed by an unclean spirit, and so her father requested the patriarch to pray over her. Then Abba Michael took oil, and blessed it, and anointed her with it; and the devil went out of her immediately. Thus the governor began to love the Christians, because he loved the father patriarch; and he also loved the bishops, and showed them honour.

Now our father, Abba Michael, was sweet in speech, beautiful in countenance, perfect in stature, decent in his attire, well-formed and dignified; and his words were like a sword against the rebellious, and his teaching was like salt to people of virtue and modesty. And the hand of God was with him in those hardships which he endured through Abd al-Malik. And |149 the church at Alexandria had suffered greatly in the time of the late patriarch Alexander, when its marble and glorious woodwork, which were priceless, were taken away from it. So the Father Michael provided money for it, and restored it, and improved it. And he built other churches to the east and west of the town, and his buildings were completed in his lifetime.

And on a certain day the governor of Alexandria desired to launch the ships of the fleet on the sea. And there was a congregation of the orthodox in the Church of our Lady Mary, of about ten thousand persons. And a young man of the Muslims saw, painted on the wall, a picture of the Lord Christ upon the Cross, while the soldier with the spear was piercing his side. So he said to the Christians, tempting them: «What is this man upon the Cross?» They answered: «This is the sign of our God Christ, who died upon the Cross for the salvation of the world.» Thereupon that young man took a rod, and mounted to the upper gallery, and pierced the picture in the other side, namely the left, mocking and blaspheming at the Christian's words. And immediately the form of the young man became stretched, as if he were himself crucified, after the likeness of the picture which he had pierced, and a great pain seized him, as if he had been pierced in the side in like manner, and his hand clove to the rod with which he had pierced it, and no man could take it out of his hand; and he remained fixed in the midst of the congregation, between heaven and |150 earth. So he continued all day, crying aloud: «O ye people, I am pierced in the side.» Then the Muslims cried to the Christians with a loud voice, glorifying God, the doer of wonders, and begged them to pray to God for the man's release. So the Christians prayed, saying Kyrie eleison many times. But that young man could not descend from the place where he was, until one of the Muslims said to him: «Verily unless thou shalt confess the faith of the Christians, and say that this picture is the likeness of Christ, the Son of God, and profess their creed, and believe like them, he will never let thee come down.» Then he accepted the words of that Muslim, and confessed that it was the picture of Christ, and said: «I am a Christian, and will die in the religion of Christ.» After that confession he descended into the midst of the assembly, and departed to the monasteries, and was baptized there.

Now the prince at that time was Marwân, who ruled from Persia to Spain. His hand was very heavy upon his soldiers, and for a time the Muslims fought one against the other, and shed one another's blood, so that on one day twenty thousand or thirty thousand or even seventy thousand were slain. And they did not cease from war during the seven years of Marwân's reign, because he had usurped the government over them. And in the seventh year a young man named Abd Allah had a dream, in which the |151 voice of a certain one said to him three times: «Fight against Marwân, fight. By God thou wilt overcome him.» This young man, Abd Allah, was a Bedouin, and lived in tents in the desert; and his father was an old man, named Abu Muslim, to whom the same vision came in a dream as to the young man, Abd Allah; and the old man wrote an account of the dream, and fastened it on the door of his tent. Therefore, when the Muslims saw it, they came together to him in order to know what had happened; and, when he told them, they said: «We will help thee; and, if God shall give thee the victory, we will make thee prince over us.» Accordingly, many of the tribes assembled to him, when they heard of this; and twenty thousand horsemen gathered together with him. But they had no weapons, and so they cut branches from the palm-trees, and fastened spear-heads to them, and went forth to fight, the power of God being with them. Thereupon Marwân came out against them, accompanied by a hundred thousand fighting men, well equipped, and provided with weapons and coats of mail and helmets; and the two armies met. Then Abd Allah divided his army into two parts; and when Manvan saw them, he said, as Goliath the giant said to David ²⁸: «Hast thou come out to meet me like a dog?» Then Marwân sent out against Abd Allah forty thousand horsemen in many-coloured |152 garments, wearing cuirasses and iron armour, whereas most of Abd Allah's soldiers were footmen. Yet Abd Allah's men slew Marwân's men with God's help, so that not one of them was saved; for God gave to the former the victory over the latter, as the prophet Moses says ²⁹: «One man, if God helps him, shall put to flight a thousand, and two shall terrify a host.»

And Abu Muslim saw the angel of the Lord, with a golden rod in his hand, on the top of which was a Cross, putting his enemies to flight; for, wherever the Cross approached, he saw them fall dead before it. So the followers of Abd Allah and Abu Muslim took the horses and weapons of the enemy.

Then Marwân again sent another forty thousand horsemen against them, at the fourth hour of the day, from behind rocks; but God delivered them into their hands, and they captured their horses and weapons. So, when Marwân saw that, he fled. And he executed the following stratagem. He brought out what he possessed of money and vessels and furniture, and put the gold in bags, and scattered it along the road, while he was fleeing, accompanied by twenty thousand horsemen, who remained with him. But Abd Allah and Abu Muslim did not understand his deceit, and so, as they pursued him, they busied themselves with seizing the money and the weapons for seven days, so that Marwân escaped and crossed the Euphrates. |153 But many of his followers were drowned, and he set fire to the boats, and none reached the shore but he and eight thousand men with him.

So the old man Abu Muslim bade his soldiers make crosses of every kind, and place them on their breasts, saying to them: «By means of this sign God has given us the victory, and it has conquered the empire for us.» And his followers multiplied, for men came to them from every place at which they arrived: from Khorassan and Sidon and the Euphrates and the land of the Romans; and all that heard of them in distant lands. And at every city which they captured, their followers established a camp.

But as for Marwân, he set fire to every place that he reached in his flight, When Abu Muslim and Abd Allah came to the Euphrates, and saw the burnt boats, they put on black garments, and left their heads unshaven, and neglected their wives, and continued to fast and pray for six months, until God gave their enemy into their hands. Then they took the boats that they could get, and crossed the Euphrates, and pursued Marwân. And when they reached a place where there were Christians, they marked it out by the sign of the Cross, which they also had marked on their tents and garments. And the Muslims among them wore black garments. And him who was without these two signs they put to death, because the followers of Marwân were Persians, and therefore did not approve of these things. And so, when they found them, they killed them, |154 and ripped them open. And they used to rip open their pregnant wives, and kill the babes, saying: «We will leave them no offspring on earth to go about the world as beggars.»

Then Marwân went into the public treasury at Damascus, for that was the capital of the Omeyyads, and brought forth much money and jewels and treasures, and burnt the rest with fire. And he went on doing thus, till he had laid waste seven provinces with fire. When Abd al-Malik, the governor of Egypt, heard the news, he feared that Marwân would summon him to fight, and therefore he wrote to him a letter with guile, inviting him to Egypt, and saying: «Thy enemies cannot enter this country.»

Accordingly, Marwân marched thither, slaying the chiefs of the towns and provinces through which he passed, and seizing their money. So also he did in the monasteries of the monks, which he wrecked and robbed of their money. And there was in Palestine a clean and decent monastery, which entertained thousands of travellers, and contained a thousand monks; and it was called Dair Mût, and in Coptic, the Monastery of Abba Harmanus. Maximus and his brother Domitius were first received here; and it was Abba Harmanus who took the Tome of Leo, and went to the tombs of his fathers, accompanied by the soldiers of the prince, and cried over their tombs with a loud voice, saying: «Think not that you are asleep, and that this does not concern you! As the Lord lives, if you answer me not, I will |155 take out your bones and burn them with fire. Tell me what you think. Shall I receive the Tome of Leo, or the Faith of Nicaea? Tell me plainly and speedily.» Then they all answered with one voice, crying and saying: «Cursed be Leo, the misbeliever, the soul-devouring lion, and his foul Tome! And cursed be Marcian, the misbeliever, and the vile Pulcheria! And cursed be the Council of Chalcedon, the six hundred and thirty heretical bishops; and cursed be all that receive them. And cursed be those that make Christ the Son of God into Two Natures after the Union.» So, when the blessed Abba Harmanus heard this, he fell upon the ground. And when the noble who brought the Tome saw him, and heard their words addressed to him, he shaved his head, and became a monk with many others. Afterwards this saint was counted worthy of martyrdom; for when Marcian, the prince, was informed of what he had done, he sent and put him to death. And since that time there has been a body of the orthodox remaining in that glorious monastery. So when Marwân arrived at the aforesaid monastery, he demanded of them a sum of money amounting to three weights; and he severely chastised the superior of the monastery and his assistant, for he killed those two; and he plundered the monastery, and continued his march, accompanied by his army. Then, when they were at a short distance from the monastery, there was a hermit upon a pillar, a very old man, who had been there many years, an orthodox Theodosian. |156 So one of Marwân's friends said: «Verily all that this old monk says comes to pass, for he speaks the truth.» And he came up to that hermit, and asked him what would be his fate. So the old man said in a low voice, like the voice of Jeremias the prophet ³⁰: «If I tell thee the truth, thou wilt slay me; yet will I declare what God has revealed to me. That which God has told me of thee is this. With the measure with which thou hast measured it shall be measured to thee. As thou hast made mothers childless, so shall thy mother be childless. And thy path shall be very terrible to all that behold thee; for thy children and thy wives and all that are thine shall be taken captive; and he who is now pursuing thee shall take thy empire, and none of thy family shall reign after thee for ever. And thine enemies shall put thee to flight, until thou comest to Arsinoites, to Cleopatra. All this shall befall thee this year in the month of Misri.» When Marwân heard this, he commanded that the pillar should be overthrown; and he brought down the old man, and burnt him alive in the fire.

Then Marwân arrived in Egypt on the twentieth day of the month of Baunah, in the year 467 of the Martyrs. And before these things happened, some of the Bashmurites had rebelled against Abd al-Malik, under their |157 leader Mennas, son of Apacyrus, besides other insurgents, inhabitants of Shubrâ near Sanbat. And they seized that province, and refused to pay taxes to Abd al-Malik or to the chief of the Divân of Misr; and at last the Lord visited them, and gave them the victory. For Abd al-Malik brought out an army against them, but they put him to flight by the power of God, and slew his soldiers with the edge of the sword. And he despatched another army, and a fleet of ships on the river, and by the power of God they put all his men to flight or slew them. And when Marwân reached Egypt, all this was made known to him. So he wrote letters and a decree of pardon for those rebels; but as they would not accept him, he despatched against them a great army of Egyptian Muslims, and of those who came in his company from Syria. But this army could not reach them at all, because they fortified themselves in marshy places, which could only he approached by men marching in single file; and if a man's foot slipped from the path, he would sink into the mud and perish. And as the troops watched the Bashmurites from a distance, the latter marched out against them at night by ways which they knew, and took the soldiers by surprise, and killed those whom they could, and carried off their goods and their horses; and as the troops grew tired of these attacks, they marched away and left them. |158

Then Abd Allah, the prince, arrived with a great army in the province of Damascus, and divided his troops between two brave commanders, one of whom was named Sâlih, son of Ali, and the other Abu Aun, his friend, saying to them: «If you shall find Marwân and capture him, I will promote you two to be princes; and to Abu Aun I will give Egypt.» Then he sent with Sâlih sixty thousand horsemen and sixty captains; and he gave to Abu Aun forty thousand horsemen and four hundred officers. So the two arrived at Damascus, the governor of which was Marwân's son-in-law, having married his eldest daughter; but, as he submitted to them, they retained him in office. Then they marched on to Egypt. When they arrived at Gaza, the inhabitants told them: «The people of Damascus have not put on the black, nor remained obedient to you.» So they returned in wrath, and slew a great number of the chiefs of the people of Damascus, and killed the governor, Marwân's son-in-law, and took the daughter of Marwân prisoner. And when the news reached Marwân, he reviewed his troops, and found that those who had come with him were eight thousand in number. Then he gave orders to his subjects, the natives of the land, saying: «If any of the people of Egypt refuse to enter into my religion, and to pray as I do, and to adopt my creed, I will slay him and impale his body. But whoever shall enter with me into my religion I will clothe with a robe of honour, and I will mount him upon a horse, and will place his name in my |159 Divân, and make him rich.» In consequence of these words he was soon followed by a thousand persons, who recited his prayer; and accordingly he gave to each one ten dinars. Then two thousand Muslims of Egypt joined him, besides those whom he had released from prison, and those who served him of the troops of the army of the empire. And he sent his sister's son to Alexandria, accompanied by one of the chiefs of his army, and commanded him to enlist the Ishmaelites, on condition that they recited his prayer. For there was at Alexandria a chief man and leader of the Muslims, named Al-Aswâd, to whom many men had gathered while the Muslims were fighting the Romans; and Marwân had commanded those whom he sent thither to kill him and ten of his officers, because he had not come to him at Misr; but Al-Aswâd had a friend at Misr in attendance on Marwân and an associate of his, who heard of this and wrote to Al-Aswâd to make known to him what had been done, before those men arrived at Alexandria. When the Alexandrians learnt what Marwân intended, they swore fidelity to Al-Aswâd; and he and they became of one heart, and so when Marwân's envoy and his companions arrived, the Alexandrians arrested them, and cast them into prison. Al-Aswâd gathered a large body, from Alexandria and Maryût and Al-Buhairah, of Muslims who lived in those districts, and placed them outside the wall of Alexandria to keep the roads. Therefore when Marwân was informed, he sent a great army under an Amir and |160 chief, named Kauzârâ, who was like a wild beast in form and character, and of great courage, and with him were five hundred fighting men; and Marwân commanded them to lay Alexandria waste. So they encamped at a place named Bakûm at a distance from Alexandria. When Al-Aswâd heard this, he sent against them his brother and five hundred men with him, to reconnoitre; and when Marwân's followers saw them, they thought that they were an army from the town, and that there was none left therein who would fight them except these. So they rose up against them, and killed most of them, and the remainder fled and returned to the city, while the enemy pursued them. When they reached Al-Aswâd and his companions, they cried saving: «Our city is taken.» So they all fled, their number being thirty thousand, and Al-Aswâd escaped and hid himself. And Marwân's army entered the city with Kauzârâ, and took possession of it, and killed many of the inhabitants, and plundered its officials, and their children and wives were taken prisoners, and their goods were seized. And the Father Abba Michael was captured; and Kauzârâ said to him: «How couldst thou permit thy children, the Christians, to fight against us?» By this he meant the Bashmurites. And he reproved the patriarch with many words, and demanded money of him. But, as Abba Michael had nothing, he put him in prison, and fastened a mass of iron to his feet. And. the patriarch's |161 disciples and some of his priests had fled on account of what had happened at Alexandria, and none remained save Abba Mennas, the priest, who was the oeconomus of the church of Saint Mark the Evangelist and Disciple, and Valentinus, the deacon and secretary of the Cell, and Bartholomew, the monk of Samannûd; for they were bound together with Abba Michael. Then Kauzârâ also seized Cosmas, patriarch of the Melkites, and put his feet in the stocks, together with the feet of our father and patriarch. But after five days, Cosmas raised from his congregation and his church the sum of a thousand dinars, and paid them to Kauzârâ, who thereupon released him. And Kauzârâ sent to our father, and said to him: «Do likewise, and I will release thee.» But he answered: «There is nothing in my church; therefore I give myself instead of the money, and thou must do with me what thou wilt.» Then he pressed him sore, till the end of nine days. After that he sent for him, and laid his hand upon him, and dragged him on his face, and threw him on his knees. And there was a rod in his hand, so he struck him with it two hundred times on his head with all his might and main. But the Lord Christ was Abba Michael's helper and protected him, so that he suffered no hurt. Then Kauzârâ commanded that the patriarch's head should be cut off; and they dragged him along like a dumb sheep. And when they had gone a short distance from that misbeliever, Abba Michael drew down his cap over his face, so that his head might be taken off, and then he readily with joy stretched out his neck. |162

And the swordsman put forth his hand, and drew his sword, and cried, saying: «Shall I take off his head?» For it was according to custom that he should ask permission three times. And, when he asked permission for the second time, the Amir gave it to him. Then God put a thought into Kauzârâ's heart, and he said: «How does it profit us to kill this old man? For he forbad the Bashmurites to fight with us, and wrote to them, but they would not listen to him. Rather let us carry him with us to Rosetta, and make him write to them again, and tell them that all that which has happened to him is on their account.» So Kauzârâ commanded that the patriarch should be released.

When the Bashmurites heard of these events, they attacked those who were besieging them, and slew them or routed them, they being at a distance of a two days journey. And those who escaped death went to Marwân, and made known to him what had happened to them. And when Marwân learnt that his enemies were coming after him, and had killed his son-in-law, his daughter's husband, the governor of Damascus, he sent a letter by those who had fled to him in order to escape from the Bashmurites, saying to his followers: «Come to me speedily, for I have need of you. And pillage every town that you reach, and slay the inhabitants». Therefore those miscreants marched into Upper Egypt, and killed many of the officials, and carried off their goods, and took captive their wives and servants and children. And they burnt the monasteries of the monks, and carried off the |163 nuns, until they came to the Eastern district. And there was in those parts a convent of nuns, virgins who lived there as the brides of Christ, thirty in number. So Marwân's troops took them prisoners. And there was among them a young maiden, who had entered the convent when she was three years old; and when they saw her they marvelled at her beauty, saying: «We have never beheld among human beings a form like hers.» So they took her, and removed her from the midst of her sisters, and consulted together as to what they should do with regard to her, some saying: «Let us cast lots for her,» and others: «Let us take her to the prince.» And, while they were saying these things, the maiden asked of them: «Where is your leader, that I may let him know of something that is worth money, so that you may let me go? For I am a servant of God, and it is not lawful for you to profane my service. But, if I make known to you that thing by which you shall gain money, you will send me back to my convent.» So their commander answered her, saying: «I am he.» She said to him: «My fathers were fighting men, brave and strong, and gave me a medicament, with which they used to anoint themselves when they went out to fight, so that iron did them no hurt, but swords and spears became like wax candles before them. If then thou wilt let me go free, I will give this drug to thee. And if thou dost not believe my words, I will anoint my neck in thy presence; then bring the best sword that thy men have, and let the strongest among them strike me, and I shall not be cut at |164 all, so that thou mayest know the truth of my words. » But she only said this because she desired to die by the sword, that she might not be contaminated by the defilements of those miscreants, nor her pure body be: polluted by them. Then she entered her chamber, and brought out a phial containing oil, which the holy men had blessed, and which was preserved in her possession; and she anointed her neck and face and all her body with it, and prayed kneeling upon her knees, and stretched out her neck. So those ignorant men thought that the thing was true, and knew not what was in her heart. Then she said to them: «Let him that is strong among you, and has a sharp sword, display his strength upon me; for you will see the glory of God in this medicament.» Thereupon a young man sprang forward with a sword of which he was proud. And she covered her face with her pallium, and laid down her head, saying: «Strike with all thy. might, and spare not.» So he struck at the holy martyr, and her head fell. Then they recognised what her aim had been, and that she had eluded them; and so they repented and were exceedingly sad, and great fear overwhelmed them. And after her they touched no more of the nuns and virgins, but left them in peace and departed glorifying God.

Then Marwân wrote to Kauzârâ, whom he had despatched to |165 Alexandria, bidding him hasten to him without delay; but, when he reached Rosetta, he was informed that the Bashmurites had slain the Muslims in the town and laid it waste, and burnt it with fire, and also that the enemy was at hand. So he delivered the father patriarch to one of the officers, that he might conduct him to Marwân. Then I journeyed and informed my father, Abba Moses, of what had taken place, on account of the power of prophecy which God had given him, and the miracles which he worked. Therefore ye must believe truly in that which I am about to say, for I saw it with my own eyes. That is that before Marwân came to Egypt, and before there was any fighting there, Abba Moses had made known, by revelation from God, what would become of the princes, and what would happen to the churches and faithful people of Christ. For it was said to him in vision: «Prepare, for thou wilt be with the fathers in the battle.» And that year he multiplied his prayers and devotions and sleepings upon the ground day and night, and his continuance in prayer and sadness and weeping and copious tears. So when I, the sinner, saw him, I begged and implored him to tell me the cause of his doing thus with himself. Now that holy father hated vain glory, and he said to me: «O my son, my sins are many; and, when I remember them, I weep and repent, and offer prayers to God, praying to him for pardon.» But since I, the sinner, enjoyed some freedom with Abba Moses, because I attended him night and day, |166 I grasped his feet and kissed them, and my tears ran over them, and I said: «I will not rise nor lift my face until thou shalt make known to me the truth of this matter.» So he answered: «If thou must know, thou also wilt share my lot with me; ---- for none will be safe in the days of this government; ---- above all in the harm that the people will do to the Church. But I know that the Lord Christ will not abandon her finally, but that she will be delivered from her trouble. For this government will perish with all its armies, and there will be a new government after it.» Thus I heard much from him of these and other matters. And I know that every word he said was true and is fulfilled in its season; and I continued to meditate on this and what would come after it. And after that day, Marwân and his government were driven out, and he came to Egypt, as has been related. For I was pondering and wondering what would happen to the Church of God in the time of peace and prosperity, and other things; and while he was conversing with me, behold, the father patriarch arrived, escorted by the soldiers, at the door of the holy church in the city of Wasîm, on the morning of Sunday, the 10th of Abîb. When my holy father Moses saw them, he said to me: «My son, this day which I was expecting, and of which I spoke to thee, has arrived, and seeing is better than hearing. Now therefore let him who is willing to give up his life follow me. I rejoice to day, because |167 I have long desired this, although I confess that I am not worthy to shed my impure blood in return for the pure blood shed for us. But great is the sadness in my heart, because the generation of the saints is scattered, and we are become exceedingly poor, since we cannot find a man to share with us in this ministry, as I bore witness at the time of the synod.» And my father Moses, in spite of his fasting and prayer and virtue, said: «Woe to me, the sinner! I believe that Christ will not forsake me, but will help me.» After this the soldiers began to molest us. Then we received the holy communion from the hand of the glorious father, Abba Michael, the holy patriarch and chosen martyr. Meanwhile we saw flames ascending from Al-Fustât; and we were informed that Marwân had set fire to the storehouses ot provisions and cotton and straw and to the supplies of barley. So, when the soldiers learnt this, they troubled us much, and cried out upon us with great indignation. And my father Moses laid his arm on mine, and put on an outer garment, and I supported him, and he left all that was in his church, and went out. And there was not one of the bishops or ecclesiastics with the patriarch save me alone and one reader of the church of Saint Macarius, named James, a native of Bilbais.

Now Marwân had commanded that the trumpet should be sounded at Misr, and a proclamation made during three days, saying: «If after three |168 days I find man or beast remaining in Misr, I will put that man or that beast to death, for I will set fire to the whole city of Al-Fustât.» So all the people passed over to Al-Gizah and the Island and other parts, escaping in the boats; even the carefully guarded girls, who had never been out of doors, went away with their families; and the people left all their goods behind. And the caliph caused Misr to be set on fire from the south to the north, until it reached the Great Mosque of the Muslims. And a countless number of men and beasts were drowned in the river, because they could find none to carry them across, when they fled from the fire. For brother fled from brother, and friend from friend; and the blind found none to lead him; and the cripple and the paralytic and the sick and the old man about to die and the aged woman unable to move, ---- all these were burnt in the fire. And people were lying in the streets and lanes and gardens in the district of Al-Gizah like corpses, in consequence of all that they had suffered in their great misery and hunger and thirst. And they found no food on account of the multitude of people; for Marwân had burnt the supplies of provisions in Misr. So the soldiers went to Kauzârâ, whose name in another copy is |169 Hautharah, and reported our arrival to him; and he commanded a man named Azrak to take charge of us, until he should settle what was to be done. At that time Marwân was informed that his enemies, the Khorassanians, had arrived at Al-Faramâ. So he sent troops in boats to the north to every district, that they might burn all the boats that they found on the river; and this purpose they carried out. And he despatched other troops by land, with orders to burn the cities and villages and vineyards and water-wheels and every thing that they could find. So they marched on till they reached Atrib, which they were minded to burn. And there were there five streams of water running westwards, besides canals flowing from the river called Gehon ³¹, which is the River Nile. And Marwân thought that he could remain on the western side of the Nile, while the Khorassanians were on the eastern bank, and that, when they found the country laid waste, they would retire, because it was empty of men and beasts and provisions and stores, and that they would not find in the land anything to repay their trouble, nor boats by which they might cross over to him, and so that they would not remain there, but would turn upon their heels. But afterwards he learnt that his enemies were approaching near, and that there were fords in the river by which they might reach him. And when this was made known to him, he sent a messenger to bring back those whom he had despatched to Atrib; and therefore they did not burn that town, because they returned speedily to |170 him. And on the 18th of Abîb, in the year 470 of the Martyrs, Marwân burnt a fort at Misr on that night. For he crossed in the boats, he and all his army, and encamped on the bank of the river until he had burnt the fort. But he did not burn the boats which were with him on the western bank. And when the soldiers came to him every day, he said to them: «Take care of the boats.» And wherever he marched he took us about with him, we being in great distress through the multitude of people and beasts, and the crowd and throng.

And at sunset, on the 18th of Abîb, the Khorassanians reached Misr, and he beheld them from the western bank; and he commanded his followers to assemble that night. The Khorassanians marched into Misr next day, heaping foul insults upon Marwân and his sons. These strangers formed a vast host, and they pitched their tents to the north of Al-Fustât, at a place called the Stable; and their camp extended from that spot to the mountains. Thus their vanguard were on the bank of the Nile, while their rearguard reached from Al-Faramâ to Gaza; for these who had arrived at Misr were their scouts.

When Marwân encamped for a time during the night of the 20th of Abîb, being then on the march, he ordered that we should be brought before him; for he was filled with anger and wrath against us on account of what |171 Hautharah had told him of us. How great were the grief and the anxiety which settled upon us at that hour! When I think upon what took place, I fear and tremble for those who would not weep if they beheld what happened to us, nor grieve for what we underwent. For the words of David the Prophet, in the 37th Psalm, were fulfilled upon us, where he says ³²: «My acquaintances stood far from me.» All the disciples that had been around us fled with the others, and none remained with us save the priest Mennas, archpriest of the church of Saint Sergius, and the hegumen Theodore, who was afterwards counted worthy to be made a bishop, and the deacon who was the patriarch's secretary, because he had been at Misr. These had left their wives and children and goods, and followed us, saying: «We will die with you.» So, when the Father Michael saw the goodness of their thoughts, he blessed them, and bade them return and not follow us, but this they would not do; and they continued to march with us. And I was wearing the habit of the monks, although unworthy. And my Father Moses, the bishop, took the father's left arm, and I took his right arm.

And when we arrived at Marwân's tent, the swordsman came out to us, and he was very terrible; and he conducted us within by order of the prince. So when Marwân beheld us, he said: «Which of you is the patriarch?» |172 When he was told which was he, he commanded that they should bring the patriarch forward before him; and they delivered my father to soldiers who were devourers of men's flesh; but they set us apart on one side. Then the father, Abba Moses, was thrown upon his knees, and they lifted up his feet, and beat him with brazen clubs upon his sides and neck, saying to him: «Give us money, and we will release thee.» But he answered not a word, for he knew not what they said to him, except what I understood of their words, and repeated to him word by word. And he was prostrate on the ground, thanking God and praying him to make him worthy to suffer for the Church of God. And the officer did not address a single syllable to me, for they considered my dress disgraceful. Now the holy father, Abba Michael, the patriarch, was standing with his face towards Marwân, whose eyes were turned towards Misr, where he saw his enemies; while the Khorassanians were looking in his direction, and all the people of Misr on the bank of the Nile were insulting Marwân, as we said before. And behold, one of the Khorassanians shot an arrow towards the western bank, while we were looking at him. And those that were left of the Christians at Misr said to the Khorassanians: «There is our father, the patriarch, standing before Marwân, the misbeliever; and we know not what he will do with him.» The Bashmurites also had met the Khorassanians at Al-Faramâ and said to them: «Marwân has seized our patriarch, with intent to kill |173 him, because we fought against the prince, and slew his soldiers before you came.» Meanwhile Hautharah, the misbeliever, was with Marwân, and was saying to him: «This patriarch said: Be of good courage, for God will take away the government from Marwân, and deliver it to his enemies.» And many words like this were uttered by him. So when Marwân heard these accusations, his interpreter said to the father patriarch: «Art thou the patriarch of Alexandria?» For that was Marwân's question. Abba Michael answered: «Yea, I am thy servant.» And I heard him say this, because I was near him. So Marwân said to him: «Tell me, art thou the chief of the enemies of our religion?» Then the holy patriarch answered and said: «I am not the chief of wicked men, but of good men; and my people do not work evil, but they have been ruined by troubles, so that they have even been forced to offer their children for sale.» After that, I did not hear another word from his mouth. Then Marwân commanded the officials who were holding him to stretch forth their hands to him forthwith, and pull out the hair of his beard from his cheeks; and they cast his hair into the river, and I saw it with my own eyes floating on the water. Now his beard had been full and handsome, flowing over his breast like the beard of Jacob Israel. And the Khorassanians on the eastern bank were observing what Marwân did to the patriarch; and if they had found means of crossing over |174 to Marwân, they would have killed him because of the tyranny and hardness of heart which they saw in him; but they could not find any boats at all in which to cross. The river, however, did not rise at all before the st of Misri; and the western branch had sunk so low as to be without water; and in the other branch, namely the eastern, there were a few places that could be forded, but the Khorassanians did not know them; and Marwân guarded them because he knew of them; and no boat from the western bank approached Misr.

The sixth hour passed that day while the father patriarch was standing before Marwân beardless with bare cheeks. And while my father Moses was all the time undergoing the torments which we have mentioned before, the Lord opened the eyes of his heart, and he beheld the two martyrs, Sergius and Bacchus, with the grace of God surrounding them, in the likeness of two horsemen of the army of the prince; and they crossed the river, riding their horses, while no man saw them but he alone, until they stood opposite to Marwân, and said to him: «Why dost thou sit here paralysed, when thine enemies have crossed over to the west?» But no man beheld those two, except my father, the bishop Abba Moses, and Marwân, and no other. For the father patriarch was still in the hands of the officials, and they were tormenting him. Then the two holy martyrs disappeared. |175

And Marwân forthwith broke up his camp, and commanded the troops to follow him, ordering that we should be kept till the morrow. Thus we remained the rest of that day on the bank of the river, exposed to the sun, in consequence of the command which the caliph had given to the soldiers, until I thought that my father would not live till sunset, after the severe torment which they had inflicted upon him. Then, on the morrow early, we were visited by bishops, and monks from Wadî Habîb, who had come to see what had been done to us; and subsequently they remained with us. Then Marwân appeared, for he was riding; and he took his seat, and commanded that we should be brought before him early in the morning. So when the sun rose he summoned a swordsman, and sent for our father, Abba Michael, alone, that the officer might bring him into his presence. Accordingly the swordsman took his hand and led him in, saying to us: «Stand here till he calls you». But my father, Abba Moses, cried out, saymg: «As the Lord lives, I will never be separated from my father, but will follow him whithersoever they take him!» Then I also hastened with them, in order to find out what would become of them. But, when the swordsman saw me, he said: «The prince ordered that the patriarch alone should enter.» The bishop said to him: «I have told thee that I cannot |176 be separated at all from my father, for I only came here for his sake; therefore do whatever thou desirest, but I will never be parted from him.» Then the swordsman was angry and said to him in fury: «It is not lawful to disobey the prince; yet thou wilt not hearken». Now he had in his hand a brazen club, which weighed twenty pounds, and he raised it to strike my father upon the head; and he offered his head to him. But when he was about to strike him, a body of his companions, who were in attendance, cried out upon him, and would not let him strike. And all the soldiers said in their language and speech: «Verily what an excellent servant this bishop is to his master!» Then there came a messenger saying: «Bring them all in, for the prince summons them.» So we all entered; and found Marwân sitting on the bank of the river. Then first the blessed father went forward alone, as Marwân ordered; and the prince made him stand before him all that day for about ten hours, confronting him; but the patriarch's heart was with Christ, while his hands were stretched out, and his very limbs seemed to pray; and he made the sign of the cross over his face, without fear of the prince who hated the sign of the cross. And the caliph did not address a single word to him; and there were around him many drawn swords and weapons of war. |177

As for us, Marwân commanded his men to set us on his left hand in a place apart; and again he ordered that we should be brought forward and delivered to certain soldiers, other than those who had conducted us from Alexandria; so they handed us over to men who were like wild beasts. And he bade one of his companions take charge of us, namely Yazîd, a leader of certain men with him, who was braver than any other of his followers. Our number on that day was ten, besides the father patriarch, Abba Michael; and Yazîd put with each one of us three soldiers, who oppressed us sorely. Then, when the sun was burning, that officer prepared for us various instruments of torture; for they had not agreed as to what kind of death they should make us suffer; upon which I and my father Moses begged the father patriarch to say over us the Prayer of Absolution, according to the canon of the church; and so he did. Afterwards we prayed one for another, and the younger of us said to the elder: «If thou shalt find mercy with Christ, remember me.» And we turned our faces to the East and prayed, while the people were looking at us from the eastern bank, and also on the western side, and many of the Muslims wept for us; and Marwân's eldest son, named Abd Allah, was weeping for us also, together with the people.

Then Marwân lifted up his eyes towards the eastern bank, and saw |178 the Khorassanians in great numbers; and he was dismayed for this and said: «How shall I fight them?» For he knew not what to do. Now Abd ar-Rahîm, the misbeliever whom we mentioned before, had discovered a mixture with which he smeared the boats, so that fire could not injure them. Therefore Marwân caused the boats to be thus anointed, and embarked on each boat eighty men, and bade them fight the people; so they threw fire over them, and burnt all the boats that they found. But a boat which was approaching the eastern bank, where stood Sâlih and Abu Aun and their companions, was upset with its occupants, and all were drowned except one man; and the people of Misr picked up the corpses, and took what was on them and the ammunition and money that they had. And the living, who were not drowned, they took as prisoners, and bound them together two and two, with iron chains round their necks, and dragged them to land and delivered them to the Khorassanians. Now the Khorassanians had brought many boats with them to Misr.

And when the tenth hour of that day had passed, Marwân ordered Yazîd, in whose charge we were, to take us to the north of the Island of An-Nuzahât. So we prayed upon the edge of the river, in the enclosure Then, when they took us away, they hurried us along in great wrath. But |179 the Lord beheld our secret thoughts and our faith, and he put into the heart of Abd Allah, the elder son of Marwân, the wish to intercede with his father, Marwân, weeping with copious tears; for he begged his father to let us go, saying: «Behold, thou seest our enemies surrounding us; while we are preparing, if things go hard with us, to escape to the land of the Blacks, who are, as we have been told, the spiritual children of this old man; so that, if thou slayest him, they will not welcome us, but they also will rise up against us and slay us.» When Marwân had heard these words of his son, we were taken back to prison. Now there were in that place four prisons. So, when they brought us into the prison, they made us fast with wood and iron, and we were in great distress. And the first to be fettered with iron was the holy father and patriarch; and after him the bishop, Abba Moses, and I, his son John, the poor sinner and deacon, upon whom he had laid his holy hand without any merit of mine. Then followed the bishop of Tunbuda, Abba Mennas, the patriarch's secretary, and Abba Zacharias, bishop of Atrib, and his spiritual son, the bishop of Busîr, whose name was Peter, and who had recently taken possession of his see, and the deacon George, the son of the spiritual father who received the see of Al-Basrât, and Athanasius, archpriest of the church of Saint Macarius, and Abba |180 James, who was also counted worthy of the bishopric of Sanjâr, and his spiritual brother, the son of the Father Peter of Samannûd. And they fastened to the feet of each one of us eleven a mass of iron, exceedingly heavy, weighing half a Khunjûr; and they put us behind three wooden doors without light or air or means of rest, one looking to the east and another to the west; and the narrow space in which we were oppressed us more than the iron, so that we almost died from crowding, and the gaolers were pitiless; for that misbelieving prince, Marwân, had given orders that we should be closely confined. And our father's sadness on our account was greater than his care for himself; but he encouraged us with the word of God and the holy canons of our ancient fathers. So not one of us hid anything from the others, but we were all one soul, as Paul says ³³, awaiting the end; and we prayed God to send it quickly, that we might lay down our lives for the people, rather than that one of them should perish. When the father discoursed to us, he spoke a spiritual language like the music of a harp, while the breath of life came forth from his mouth with spiritual praises; and he persevered in fasting and in prayer day and night.

As for my father Moses, in the first hour after they brought us into the prison and put us in fetters he prophesied to us, saying: «They will not |181 slay us this time; yet we shall not be released from the prison as long as Marwân is alive.» And it was as he said. And when we wished to break our fast, a man named Ibn Kustus sent to us provisions for breakfast; but we had no room to eat, and could not turn to the right or left on account of the narrow space. And there was a great dearth in the district of Al-Gizah through the multitude of people; for wheat was not to be found at all, nor barley, after a waibah had been sold at a high price; but in spite of the distress salt was sold at the usual rate.

Then Marwân, after these troubles which he had brought upon every place, ordered his followers to slay and take prisoners and pillage; and they obeyed him. And he sent to Upper Egypt, and slew all the Christians there; the leader of that business being a man named Marwân, son of Abd al-Azîz the founder of Hulwân. And they laid waste the country from Memphis to the city of Theodosia.

But when the Lord desired to take vengeance upon them, he endured them no longer, after the crimes which they had committed in corrupting and violating women, and polluting many of the virgins. Accordingly there came some men who knew the fords of the river, and made them known to the Khorassanians, whom they guided thither, thus conducting them across to the western bank. And the Khorassanians divided their army |182 into four parts: one part with a man named Sâlih, told off to guard Misr; and one with a man named Abu 'l-Hakam, who was in high favour with the prince; and one in the lower parts of Shatnûf and its neighbourhood, to prevent anyone from crossing the river; and one with Abu Aun, who encamped beside a ford, where the water was low. Then Marwân despatched Hautharah and his men to take up their position opposite to the Khoras-sanians, intending to prevent their crossing. But Marwân's boats were seized by the Khorassanians of the black-robed party, who had destroyed the church of the Martyr Apater. Meanwhile we, in spite of all these events, remained in the prison at Al-Gizah, in bonds and in distress with our companions; and all men were hindered from enquiring after us by fear lest we should be put to torture; but, whenever a man desired to come to us to receive the blessing of the fathers, he bribed our gaoler heavily. After that they oppressed us even more cruelly, as they did to Ignatius, the saint and martyr, when they delivered him to the ten lions. So they acted even when our brethren did good to them, for they tormented us yet more. At that time then we remained with the patriarch ten days and ten nights in this fashion; but when the deacon and reader of Bilbais saw our distress he hastened away to the Monastery of Saint Macarius, in Wadî Habîb, and |183 assembled all the holy fathers and monks; and they began to fast and pray in the church night and day, crying to the Lord Christ to look upon us, and to take away our misery and all that men were suffering by captivity and slaughter and pillage, and o put a stop to the lamentations of young and old. So the gracious God heard them, and raised up the Khorassanians to help them: for Abu Aun crossed the river with his army to the western bank; and when Hautharah and his troops, Marwân's followers, saw him, they took to flight. And the Khorassanians pursued and fought them, and did not cease slaughtering them until they reached Wadî Habîb, in answer to the prayers of the saints; for the army of the Khorassanians crossed over the river on the day on which the monks assembled in the church, which was Saturday, the last day of Abîb. And they slew so many of Marwân's army, that of eight thousand men whom he led out of Misr only four hundred survived and no more.

When Marwân learnt that his enemy's troops had been divided into four parts, he fled two days before they crossed the river, carrying his wives and his goods with him; and thus he escaped secretly. And of the followers of Yazîd three hundred were slain, for he fled from Shatnûf in the direction of Mount Wasîm; and then his own men killed him, and killed his horse that he rode, and went over to the other party, and swore allegiance to them. |184

But the two sons of Marwân were at Al-Gizah when their father fled, and they knew not whither he had gone. For he had sent his younger son to the north of the Island of An-Nuzahât; and he was very wicked like his father. But as for the elder, Abd Allah, our fathers had prayed for him that he might not meet with trials nor troubles because of what he had done for them; and so it was. Now the younger son was fifteen years old; and he fled to An-Nuzahât, accompanied by four hundred horsemen; and he found there a certain oil, called dogs' oil, in marble jars, and he upset it into the river; and after setting fire to An-Nuzahât, he joined his father Marwân. And although he released those that were in the prisons at that place, we were not released, but he wished to burn us in the fire. Then he went into the midst of the boats of the fleet to burn them; and a voice was heard, crying mightily: «Behold, thy enemies are come!» So he and his companions fled quickly., And those who remained at An-Nuzahât of its inhabitants extinguished the fire, and set us free at sunset from the prison, and released us from the irons on our feet. God be witness that some of the Muslims who were on horseback dismounted, and took off the iron from us; and men took women's dresses and put them on, and hid themselves in the storehouses and cellars, through fear of that terrible voice which they had heard. And they took us and led us away to Saint Peter's church at |185 Al-Gizah, while some of the faithful walked with us, it being the night of the first Sunday in Misri.

Now there was no water at all in the canal of Al-Gizah, for it was dried up by God's command; nor did the water rise or stir at all until the day when we crossed over it on our feet. And when the Khorassanians learnt that their enemy had fled, they embarked in the boats that night and crossed to Al-Gizah, taking their horses also on board. So they pursued Marwân. And every man that they met, who was not wearing the black garments, they put to death. And that night the van of the army, which had crossed with Abu Aun from Shatnûf, came southwards with their drawn swords in their hands, and all wearing iron cuirasses, purposing to fight Marwân and to capture him. And as for us, we felt no inclination to sleep that night. For the Khorassanians stayed three days and three nights, joining their forces at the beginning of Misri, and marching onwards; while we beheld them as one host from the mountains to the river. Then Hautharah begged for a safe-conduct; but they would not accept him, saying: «If thou wilt not deliver to us the enemy of God, Marwân, thou shalt have no safe-conduct from us.» So he departed and took Marwân, and acted deceitfully with him, saying: «Behold, our enemies have drawn near to us. Arise, let us take our women and children and goods, and let us embark |186 secretly in the boats, and descend the river, and escape to the Romans; for, if we fall into this man's hand, he will destroy us.» Marwân answered: «Ah Hautharah, thou art acting treacherously with thy master!» And thereupon Marwân took his sword, and cut off Hautharah's head and killed him. And none opposed the Khorassanians nor stood before them, after Hautharah was slain. Then they called upon every man who was a Christian to fasten a cross of gold or silver or copper upon his forehead, or upon his garment, and upon the door of his house, and whoever did not do so was slain; but this was no fault of ours. And the Khorassanians also had crosses of gold and silver on their horse's necks. Then the army of which Sâlih was leader overtook Marwân and his son, after pursuing him for a whole day, and, when they met, the fighting did not cease between them from evening till morning, so that many were slain. And they followed him as far as Mount Abbah to the west of Cleopatra, the city founded by Alexander the Macedonian, the place concerning which the prophecy was uttered by the holy old hermit, whom Marwân burnt alive in the fire, and who told him, before he burnt him, that he would be killed at that place. And with Marwân was killed also Rayân, son of Abd al-Azîz; but the two sons of Marwân |187 escaped. And the Khorassanians took possession of Hulwân and all that was therein, and slew the women, and seized all the money of Egypt that was at Hulwân. And the Persians, Marwân's followers, were slain with the sword; and the enemy seized all that belonged to them, and carried it away in the prince's boats.

And now the Nile began to rise, although it had been sinking till the Khorassanians had crossed over to the bank of Al-Gizah, and had destroyed Marwân, After that it increased again, from the first day of Misri, and rose every day about a cubit, till finally it reached eighteen cubits that year, for which reason men said that the hand of God was with the Khorassanians. Whenever the latter found men bearing the sign of the cross, they lightened their taxes, and behaved kindly to them, and did good to them, in whatever part of the country they might be.

But they impaled Marwân head downwards, after they had killed him. For they took him prisoner at a place called Dâwatun, and we were witnesses of this event; and they cut off the head of his vizier. And when those princes, the leaders of the Khorassanians, inquired after us, we went to them; and they set the holy father and martyr, Abba Michael, free, and honoured him greatly. And his beard had grown again and was more |188 comely than before, by the power of the Lord Christ; and we and all who had witnessed these occurrences glorified God. And the father, Abba Michael said: «Verily I saw a personage while I was in prison, who touched my face with his hand, and my beard grew again handsomer than it had been before.» When the father, Abba Michael, requested of the governor to protect the property of the churches in all the provinces, he complied with his request. And as for the Bashmurites, he made them free of taxation, and gave them other revenues as a gift. Now Marwân had burnt all the books and accounts of the Divâns, so that they did not know the amount of the revenues, whether paid in cash or in kind. In those days great events took place in Egypt; but Sâlih departed with his army to Palestine.

When we were set free, each one of us departed to his own place. And Abu Aun was made governor of Egypt. And a short time afterwards there came to Egypt two men, officials of the divans, sent by the prince. They were Muslims, and one of them was named Atâ, son of Shurahbil, and the other Safi; and they were far from the knowledge of God. And Abu Aun laid before them all the accounts of Egypt, and brought the country back into the state in which it had been under Marwân. Although they were driven away from the palace, the prince sent them back; and they imposed two fresh |189 duties upon Lower Egypt, and one upon Upper Egypt. This was in the second year of security and prosperous government. And they instructed the governor, and taught him how to cause great trouble, through their hatred of us, the Christians, and their love of money; for authority was given to them to do what they would. Now of the revenue of Egypt, after deducting the soldiers' pay, and the expenses of the government offices, and what was needed to carry on the administration, what remained over and was carried to the Public Treasury altogether every year amounted to two hundred thousand dinars ³⁴, apart from the necessary outlay and expenses and what we have already mentioned. And in the third year of the rule of the Khorassanians they doubled the taxes, and exacted them from the Christians, and would not fulfil their promises to them. For the two secretaries aforesaid find the Khorassanians forgot that it was God who had given them the government, and neglected the holy Cross which had gained them the victory. And Abd Allah, the prince, sent letters over the whole of his empire, declaring that every one who would adopt his religion, and pray according to his prayer, should be exempted from the poll-tax. So in consequence of the cruel extortions and burdens imposed upon them, many of the rich and poor denied the faith of Christ, and followed Abd Allah. Then the father patriarch, |190 Abba Michael, went to Abu Aun, the governor, and addressed him with reference to the troubles which had been caused in Egypt, instead of the good administration which he had purposed; and he answered: «The prince gave those orders because wicked men bore witness to him, saying: If the people of Egypt find rest for one year, they will conspire against thee, and make war upon thee, as the Bashmurites made war upon Marwân.» Then Abba Michael prayed the governor to relieve the churches of Alexandria by lightening the taxes on the land which is cultivated for them only; so Abu Aun gave orders to those two secretaries, telling them to do what the patriarch desired; yet they would not obey him, but began to incline his heart to evil. So the father patriarch, and my father, Abba Moses, with him, and I, the mean one, remained for more than a month attending at the palace and interviewing those miscreants. And there was there an old Ishmaelite, who beheld us daily at this business; and he feared God. And he related a story to our father, Abba Michael, saying: «As we, the Muslims who serve God, have grown poor, so I know that you also will be like us.» The father said to him: «Thou speakest truly; but I desire a fuller explanation of the meaning of thy speech.» So the old man replied:

«In my youth, my parents entrusted me to two friends, Ishmaelite merchants, that I might carry goods with them to Africa, to sell them there. |191 When we had journeyed as far as the Five Cities, with our camels laden with the rarities of Egypt and the East, we halted by a lake that was very deep. And each one of us had tied to his belt a purse, containing four hundred dinars. And in consequence of the fatigue of the journey and the heat, one of us stripped off his clothes, that he might go down into the water and bathe. So he threw his belt to his comrade, that he might keep it until he came up from the water; but it slipped from his friend's hand into the water unnoticed by anyone else. The man who had dropped it stripped himself, and went down to seek it, but could not find it. So when he came up again, he gave his comrade his own girdle, instead of that which was lost, without telling him that it was lost. And we journeyed onward into Africa, where we sold our merchandise, and bought other wares suitable for Egypt. Then the elder of my companions said to the younger: Give me the four hundred dinars which thou hast, that I may buy merchandise with them. But he answered: What we have bought is enough for us this time. And though the other insisted, he did not tell him what had happened. So the other bought certain goods with the four hundred dinars which he had. When we returned to the lake, the same thing happened as before; for the elder, to whom the lost money belonged, stripped himself and went down to bathe. And he found his belt, which had been lost; and when he looked at it, he recognised it as his own. So he said to his friend: |192 Tell me what thou hast done. Then his friend made known to him what had happened, and how he had dropped the girdle. But the other did not tell him that he had found it, until they arrived at Misr, and sold their wares. Then the elder gave to the younger the interest of the four hundred dinars as well as the principal, saying to him: God gives thee this money of thine, and thou must also have the interest of it. When he had done this, his comrade discussed with him what had taken place between them; and the thing became known to the governor, and all men marvelled thereat. And both of them took some of their money, and gave it as alms to the poor; and after that they devoted themselves entirely to religion, and I imitated them; and not one of us either sells or buys any more. But at the present day, O holy man, behold, thou seest how all men love injustice, and have set evil as a crown upon their heads; and thou art a witness to this, and knowest that it is true.»

When he had related this tale to us, we departed to our own places. And God did not endure the Khorassanians, but raised up wars against them from every side. First there was Abd ar-Rahman, son of Habîb, brother of Al-Aswâd before mentioned, who seized Africa. For Abd Allah, the prince, sent troops to Africa in order to take it, in the fourth year of his |193 reign; and in the year 470 of the Martyrs he marched from Egypt at the beginning of the month of Abîb. Yet his army did not dare to enter Africa, but remained in the desert, where most of them perished with thirst. And in that year God destroyed Abd Allah, and his son sat upon the throne instead of him. And great fighting took place in Egypt between Sâlih and his brother, who now began to govern. Then the prince sent Sâlih into Egypt to seek his troops, and rescue them from the hand of his brother. Then he brought back the army which he had sent into Africa, and entered Misr on the 19th of Babah. And he marched to Palestine, that they might fight Sâlih's brother. And Abu Aun was there also; and many of his soldiers were killed. And the war continued between them without interruption, for God requited them for the evil which they had done in the land Egypt; and they destroyed one another without the interference of a stranger, and did not cease fighting until Sâlih went away to the sovereign prince in Al-Irak, and Abu Aun returned to Egypt, and Sâlih's brother fled, and did not appear again, after they had destroyed the troops between them. At that time Abba John, patriarch of Antioch, went to his rest, after he had continued in reconciliation with the bishops for three years. And God hindered the water from rising while Abu Aun was in Egypt; for its |194 highest level was below fourteen cubits, where it stopped, whereas the height required by the government for its revenue was sixteen cubits. But God only held back the water on account of those two secretaries, who were like Antichrist in their deeds. And this check to the water took place by God's will, that he might show his wonders which he manifests at all times, and prove the truth of the Christian religion. The bishops had come from their sees to the patriarch, that they might meet together in his presence at the Feast of the Cross, according to their custom of assembling before him and forming a synod twice in the year. So the bishop of Misr and the others went to him. Now God had revealed this matter to my father the bishop, Abba Moses. And orders were given that none should go that year to Alexandria for the synod according to custom. So the bishops assembled at Misr before the patriarch. And on the 17th of Tût, the day of the Feast of the glorious Cross, the clergy of Al-Gizah and An-Nuzahât assembled with most of the people of Al-Fustât, and the old and the young of the laity: and they bore the gospels, and censers with incense. And we entered into the great church, the Catholicon, named after Saint Peter, the foundations of which were laid in the river. But the church could not contain the people through their multitude, so that they stood in the fields and places |195 around. And the patriarch lifted up the cross; while beside him stood Abba Mennas, bishop of Memphis, bearing the holy gospel. And he led us all forth, carrying crosses and books of the gospels; and we stopped upon the bank of the river, it being before sunrise. And the father patriarch prayed, and Abba Mennas, the bishop, prayed; and the people did not cease to cry Kyrie eleison until the third hour of the day, so that multitudes of the Jews and Muslims and others marvelled at our cries to God, the Glorious and Exalted. And he heard us, praised is his glorious name! For the river rose and increased by one cubit; and all glorified and gave thanks to God. And when the news reached Abu Aun, he marvelled and feared, he and all his troops. And by God's inspiration he said to his soldiers and to the people of Misr: «We desire to know which of the religions is the true one». So he gave orders that the Muslims dwelling at Misr should assemble, and go forth to the mountain to the east of Misr. Therefore they gathered together, small and great, old and young, slaves and freemen; and not one of the people of his faith and religion was left; and the multitude were assembling from midnight till the. fourth hour of the day. And they prayed and offered supplications to God, saying thus: «O God, the Only One, who hast no fellow, O Creator of heaven and earth, thou knowest that we associate no other with thee, and worship none besides thee, and that we say not, as the Christians do, that thou hast a Son, or that thou wast |196 born, but we confess thee to be One, and worship thee in Unity. We desire this day to see thy wonders, which thou dost work, that we may know and prove that there is no religion like ours, which we inherit from our fathers; and we pray thee to work a miracle for us, as thou didst yesterday for the Christians, who are our enemies and the enemies of our creed, for they set beside thee another God, begotten by thee from the beginning, whom they call Christ born of Mary, saying that he is thy Son, with the Holy Ghost, and that thou art the Third of them, with many such doctrines. We pray thee to give us a sign and miracle in this water.» And while they were thus employed, behold, one of the men who measure the water ran up and said to them: «The water has sunk just as much as it rose yesterday.» Then great sadness came upon them, and the governor knew not what to say; and the people went away to their own places in great grief. Then Abu Aun ordered that the people of Misr should be tried, and bad the crier proclaim that the Muslims were to go out to the mountain to pray. And on the morrow they all issued forth. And the Jews and the Samaritans went out the second day; but the water neither rose nor sank, but remained as it was. So Abu Aun, the governor, remained in sadness and without faith. But he said: «So that I may see the end of the matter»; and he remained in perplexity, saying: «By the prayers of the Christians the water rose, and at our prayers it sank.» Then he ordered on the third |197 day that no one at all should go out, and that none should ascend to the mountain nor pray. And the water did not rise during the three days at all. After that he gave orders to bring the Christians who were at Al-Fustât, and certain tribes whose names we do not remember; and he commanded Abba Moses to pray, him and his people. So they recited the prayers, and gave thanks to God till the sixth hour of the day, and went down and walked round Misr, and came to the bank of the river, and prayed for the rest of the day. And that night the river rose three cubits, so that altogether it completed seventeen cubits. Then all the people rejoiced greatly, and thanked God and glorified his name.

And as for Abu Aun, for this reason he increased his benefits towards the Christians and their churches, and lightened their taxes. And from that day the Father Patriarch and the bishops, with those who were baptized and the whole Church, lived in security and peace, in great joy and gladness, in the land of Egypt and the Five Cities and all the places under the see of the evangelist, Saint Mark, because of the miracles of the Church which the governor beheld, and her mighty works. And the governor said that the Christians were of one heart, living in agreement together. For the conduct of the fathers in that generation resembled the works of the spiritual |198 angels; for one cured diseases, and another showed forth wonders, and another expounded the scriptures and taught and exhorted, and another exercised his body in works and labours; and all the laity were filled with admiration of them, and sought their blessing. And the father, Abba Michael, for this cause was happy in his bishops and all his flock, and used to go round among them, and enquire into all their circumstances with care, and exhort them with his life-giving words, like the apostles and fathers at the beginning, and like the dwellers in the deserts and caves, encouraging them and teaching them how to fight the Satanic spirits. And to the monks of the monasteries he taught humility and mutual love; and the faithful laity he led to that which God approves, and to those of little faith he taught the doctrines of the gospel, and those who were engaged in disputes he conciliated together, and calmed their malice, and appeased their enmity by his instructions in the Holy Scriptures.

But if we did not aim at abridgment, books would be insufficient to contain the deeds of this holy father, Abba Michael. Now there were two parties of heretics, the followers of Meletius, who lived in ancient times, and of Julian. So the father sent messengers to them, and wrote to them; but they would not answer him. Then he went himself to visit them, but could not bring them back to a right heart. For they denied that they were heretics, and they remained dissidents, some of them in the monasteries and some in |199 the deserts. So he raised his hands to heaven, and said: «If these are they who have denied thee and done evil deeds, show forth a sign speedily without delay, so that all may see them, and glorify thy name.» Accordingly, after a short time, the Lord destroyed them, and caused them to disappear, as he destroyed Sodom. And at the monastery wherein there were three thousand persons, there no longer remained any save ten souls, who were believers and did not walk in their path. And 1, the mean one, addressed them, and visited them, when the wild beasts had dwelt in their habitations through the prayers of the holy father, Abba Michael, during the governorship of Abd Allah. And if anyone, ignorant of the history, asks: «What was the sin of those men, for which they perished?» I will answer you with God's help.

In the days when Dionysius the Wise was patriarch of Alexandria, there appeared the misbeliever, Paul of Samosata, who was patriarch of Antioch, and who angered God by his foul deeds. So, when Dionysius heard of him, he wrote to the pious and faithful princes, to inform them of the news that had reached him concerning Paul the heretic. Therefore they drove him away, and none knew how he escaped. And anyone who desires to know |200 of his foul deeds will find an account of them in the epistle of Athanasius the Apostolic, which he wrote concerning them, and then he will understand and know that matter. And when Abba Moses was first ordained there were many monasteries in his diocese of Wasîm, belonging to those followers of Meletius, in which they dwelt. So he banished them all. But some of them had received the habit from his hand, when they put it on, and became united to us; and for this reason there was friendship between me and them, during the time when I was a layman. So when they stripped off them the spiritual habit, received from my father's hand, there was no longer any affection between me and any of them. And I questioned him about their former deeds, when he was calling them sorcerers and the children of Satan; and he answered me: «I will tell thee of another thing done by those men, who were not worthy to enter among the people of God nor into his kingdom, namely, that they bewitched children, and led them out into the desert, and bound them where none could see them, and sat down near them to guard them; and if they complained of thirst, they gave them nothing to drink; and when their thirst became severe, they poured water over their heads and bodies; and when one of them was near death, and his eyes started out of his head, and his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth, they cut off his head with a knife before he died, so that Satan might speak through those heads without falsehood, and they might |201 lead men astray with their devilish and shameful deeds». Now there was a holy priest in our company, living in the Cell at Wasîm; and on Friday, during the Fast, while I was with him in the Cell, but Abba Moses was seeing no man, since he was employing himself in prayer and self-discipline, except on Saturdays and Sundays, then that priest saw a great dragon in his cell. Therefore he made a cross of silver, and placed it on the spot where he had seen it; and on the morrow he found the dragon dead beneath the cross.

Is there then any power greater than the power of those who worship God with a pure and honest intention and a firm faith?

And there was in those days a great dearth, and so a man came to An-Nuzahât to ask alms, and stole something thence. And another man saw mm, who was a believer; and he wished to reprimand him, so that he might repent of the theft, but was prevented from doing so by his kindness and charitable thoughts. Afterwards that man went again, and stole some corn from his neighbours, and buried it, that he might take and eat it. Then the owner of the corn visited my father Moses, who read to him from the Scriptures, and charged him not to reward evil with evil, but to recompense evil with good. Accordingly he did so, and followed his advice, and therefore God increased his wealth until all who knew him marvelled at him. |202

I have mentioned to you, my brethren, the fate of the accursed people of Palestine, that you might hold yourselves aloof from them. Now I desire to relate another miracle, shown forth by the Father Epimachus, the bishop. One day he was teaching his people in the city of Al-Faramâ, and exhorting them to avoid heretics, and never to associate with them in anything. And behold, a priest of the Chalcedonians appeared before him to tempt him with guile; and the bishop delivered a long discourse, at the end of which the priest said to him: «I believe in thy creed and confess it.» But the bishop Epimachus took holy oil from the body of the holy Severus, the patriarch, and anointed the face of the heretical priest, saying to him: «If thou mockest the Lord, let his power appear in thee!» And immediately a spirit of an unclean devil leapt upon him, and threw him down, and choked and tormented him, so that he foamed at the mouth; and it did not cease to possess and torment him till the day of his death.

Then the bishop gave orders that his flock should never have a stranger as sponsor, but only members of their own family or their parents. And there were there some heretics, who would not obey him; but God requited them speedily, so that every one marvelled at the doctrines of the Lord. And there was a wealthy woman, who took a man who had committed sin with her, |203 and made him godfather to her child. When they returned to their town, while they were on the way, they came to a desert place, and sinful desires were stirred in them according to their custom; so they laid down the child with the garments of baptism upon him, and entered an inn by the way side, and committed their sin; and so the house fell down upon them, and they were killed. And the bishop testified to us that he had beheld those two still together, when the stones were removed from them, and their heads were as they had been, the face of the man and the face of the woman. And many people saw them, and feared. And the news was spread abroad among all men, and the people published it. So the bishop's theology was confirmed among our fathers, and from that day they forbad all men to take a stranger as sponsor, but only their own kinsfolk. And none alter that took a stranger as sponsor. But I in my youth saw many commit sin with their sponsors, during my own lifetime, in consequence of which their lives were cut off and their habitations laid waste.

Now the bishop, Abba John, bishop of Sarsana, used to cast out unclean spirits through the grace given to him for his virginity and asceticism. For he remained monk and bishop all his life, and died in a good old age. So also Abba Cyrus, bishop of Tânah, to whom during his monastic life a wonder was manifested, namely that a heretic deceived him on account of the faith, and took his hand to lead him into the furnace at the baths, but could not |204 induce him, and he escaped from his hand. Then the bishop took his mantle, he being a monk, and threw it into the fire, and it was not burnt.

Now I know that I have made my discourse long, but my only object has been to teach you what took place, that you may understand it. And as for what is said about the deeds of Abba Zacharias, bishop of Atrib, he dwelt from his youth up in the desert, continuing in prayer; and his tears flowed like streams of water, and weeping was sweet to him; and he was assiduons in alms-giving to the anchorites, and everyone loved him; and his spiritual sons walked in his path. So likewise the blessed Stephen, bishop of Shutb, and his fathers who were before him over that see, who were excellent in their lives above the rest of the bishops of Egypt, among whom was the bishop Abba Hesychius, the great Theomantis and confessor, who spoke of divine matters. And to Stephen, who walked in his path, God granted the gift of healing the sick, and knowing what was to happen before it took place; and he showed forth many wonders. Now there was in his diocese a priest, whose wife was pregnant when he died; and she was a pure woman. Yet after his death, her elder sons cast her out, saying that she had conceived by another. But the bishop said to them: «Leave her alone until she brings forth.» So when she was delivered, he took the babe and baptized it, and carried it on his shoulder in the presence of all the people of his diocese, and bade the babe speak before the people, and say who was its father. And immediately it spoke with its tongue, as if it |205 were a lion's cub, saying: «I am the son of such an one, the priest, by whom my mother conceived me nine days before his death, although none knew of that but God who created me. And my brothers wished to cast my mother out wrongfully.» Then the bishop made the sign of the cross over its lips, and bade it speak no more, until the proper age of speech. And so it was. Like these was the aged Abba Paul, bishop of Akhmim, who had been the second superior of the Monastery of Sinuthius, the saint, the star of the desert. There was a magician, who took a maiden, and turned her into an ass by his wicked arts, in the presence of all who saw her. And she remained with him three years, as she related. And when he took her out into the desert, he made her a woman, that she might serve him, and he might commit sin with her. But when he entered the city, he rode upon her, as if she were an ass. Then on the th of Abîb, the feast of the holy Sinuthius, the excellent prophet, the aged Abba Paul met that man, when she was with him, and took her from him, though none knew of her except the accursed misbelieving magician. And Abba Paul took the magician, and gave him up to the governor, who caused him |206 to be burnt in the fire, after he had been put to death. Then the bishop loosed the woman from the bonds of Satan, and delivered her to the superior of the convent of nuns. For there were among them many women of the laity, living with them.

These then are the fathers whom we saw, and whose words we listened to, and whose glorious deeds cannot be counted. And one of them, Abba Cyrus, who was of Jaujar which is the chief of four sees, had been married in his youth, and lived long with his wife in great devotion and reached the age of a hundred and five years. And those two were two pure virgins, sleeping on one bed for a long time; and their food was barley bread and salt; and all that they had or found they gave in alms to the poor. Then, when they advanced in years, Abba Cyrus gave up his pure wife to the convent of nuns. Another of them was the Father Abba Isaac, bishop over the see of Samannûd, and we know what he endured of torments and fighting with the Barsanuphians, until he brought them back to the faith in the see of Saint Mark the Evangelist.

Now the church of Antioch was widowed and without a patriarch. And a man named Abd Allah Abu Ja'far, who belonged to the family of the first princes, was now reigning, and Abu Muslim was called his uncle. And Abu Aun was in Egypt, and Sâlih with Abd Allah. And the Church was prosperous and at peace in the days of the holy patriarch, Abba Michael, in consequence of the troubles and struggles which he had endured, and some of which we |207 have related, until his ministry was ended and he went to his rest, and departed in peace to the merciful Lord Christ, as we have described at the end of this history. And the church of Antioch remained without a patriarch after the decease of Abba John, on account of the wars and the armies, until the Khorassanians took possession of the land. At the beginning of their rule, Isaac, bishop of Harran, went to Abd Allah, and petitioned him concerning the patriarchate of Antioch; for Abba John had died, as his two sons informed us, when they came to visit us. They said that Abd Allah was a native of Harran, and bis wife was barren; and she saw in a dream one who prophesied to her: «Seek Isaac, the bishop, that he may pray for thee, and the Lord will give thee a son.» And this woman served and feared God; and when Abd Allah solicited her to marry him, she made a condition with him that he should marry no other wife besides her, and should take no concubine. For she said to him: «We know that God created us in the beginning male and female, and, if thou wilt not make this compact with me, I will not marry thee.» So he made the agreement with her, and kept it till the day of her death. Therefore they summoned the bishop Abba Isaac to her, on the morning of the next day, and she made known to him what she had seen in her dream. So he appointed a week between her and him, and prayed God to fulfil her request. Then he departed to the monastery in which he had been a monk, and informed the brethren of the matter; so they |208 assembled in the church before the body of the founder of the monastery, and prayed him to intercede with God on her account. And three days afterwards, while they were fasting, the woman saw two men standing near her bed, who resembled Abba Isaac the bishop and the Father of the monastery, saying to her: «Verily God has heard the prayers, and this night thou shalt conceive a male child.» Then they disappeared. So she told this dream to her husband, and they were exceedingly glad. Then she conceived and brought forth a son. And for this reason they loved the bishop Abba Isaac, until God gave the government of the empire to Abd Allah, and then the prince gave Isaac authority to be patriarch of Antioch and the East, and commanded that whoever should oppose him should be slain with the sword. Afterwards indeed the prince slew two great metropolitans of this country, because they said to Abba Isaac: «Thou art bishop of Harran. How canst thou break the canons, and accept the support of the government, in taking the patriarchal throne by violence. Thou forcest us to excommunicate thee, for the canons decree that all who take advantage of the government shall be excommunicated.» Abba Isaac therefore laid a complaint before the prince, who gave orders that those two metropolitans should be slain; and there was great trouble in that country. Then Abba Isaac received a |209 decree from the prince for Abu Aun, governor of Egypt, in which he said; «Obey all that the patriarch, Abba Isaac, writes to thee, and do it for him». Isaac also wrote a synodical letter in his own name to the blessed Abba Michael, patriarch of the city of Alexandria, and sent it, accompanied by gifts, by two sons of his, a priest and a deacon, who were his scribes, and two of the chiefs of the metropolitans, one of them being metropolitan of Damascus, and the other metropolitan of Emesa, that they might receive an answer for him. Therein he wrote salutations to the patriarch of Egypt and his bishops, requesting him to exalt his name among them according to custom and for the sake of unity. He also wrote a letter from himself to Abu Aun, the governor, asking that, if the patriarch refused to comply, he might be sent to Abd Allah, the prince. When the letters reached Abu Aun, he sent to Alexandria and summoned Abba Michael, the patriarch, to Misr by himself; and when the letters and the decree were read to him, he answered, saying: «Do not force me to this, until I have assembled the bishops, and they have taken counsel upon this matter, according to our canons and laws». Then the governor conceded this to him, and allowed him a delay; and the patriarch took up his residence at Misr, and wrote to the bishops of the north and south and of the farther and nearer parts of Upper Egypt, bidding them all assemble to him, and look into this affair, and write him an answer, When they arrived, |210 they answered, saying to the patriarch: «He is thy equal, Father, and thy partner in the ministry; therefore do what seems good to thee with him; for, as for us, we have nothing to do with this matter.» And there was great trouble among them. And there was with him Abba Theodore, the second bishop of Misr of that name, who had been hegumen of Al-Fustât, and priest of the church of Saint Sergius: he and my father Abba Moses, bishop of Wasîm, alone. So they sent to me, the sinner, because they knew that I was one of their members, as it is written ³⁵, not by my knowledge, but by spiritual love. So I went to them as a son, after a month, while they were holding converse with the envoys, in order to seek for answers, and for the sake of the decree of confirmation, that is say, the systatic letter. Now these envoys from the east were men in whom were found religion and charity. So when they saw me, I was wearing the habit of monks, though my conduct was far from that which a monk's ought to be, and they pointed to my fathers, saying: «Art thou here present alone with us, because thou art acting as deputy for thy brethren?» Then when they beheld me sitting with the bishops, and arguing with them in the discussion, they marvelled and said: «We never saw a monk argue with the patriarch, like this man». And the metropolitans said: «His tongue is like a sword, and cannot be opposed.» Then my fathers said to them: «He is in the position of a bishop.» So |211 they marvelled. Then one of the metropolitans said to me: «How many children hast thou in thy diocese and province?» I answered: «I have ten villages in each of which are ten adults, so that they produce every year about fifty human beings.» Then they said: «In truth we see thee worn and weak in body.» And one of them said: «I have under my see nine hundred hamlets, besides cities and villages and small dioceses; and our provinces are few.» And much discourse passed between us; for they were men imbued with religion and charity.

And in the second month they assembled in the church of our Lady, and the affair was settled with the patriarch, Abba Michael, who said: «Sword or fire or casting to lions or exile or captivity, ---- these are things that trouble me not; but I will not enter into what is not lawful, nor incur my own excommunication, which I subscribed with my own hand and initiated, to the effect that no bishop shall become patriarch. For the excellent fathers excommunicated him who shall take a degree in the hierarchy by the help or lavour of the government, and the bishops wrote to me from Antioch, in the time of Abba John, the patriarch, that any bishop who should be established on the throne after him should be excommunicated, and I subscribed my name to that declaration in my own handwriting. How then is it lawful for me to excommunicate myself, and to declare lawful to day what I anathematized yesterday, and to approve to-day what I condemned yesterday, and the holy fathers condemned before me?» Then he broke off the |212 discussion. So they proceeded to Abu Aun, the governor, and said to him: «Wilt thou send the patriarch with us to our own country, as the prince commanded?» But Abu Aun did not wish to send the father, because he loved him and the Christians; and he had found favour before God through them, and through God's acceptance of their prayers for him. So he said to the patriarch: «Thou art advanced in years, and the way is very long. Therefore depart and take counsel with thyself for a few days; and if the matter appears easier to thee, well and good; but if not, thou mayest go or not as thou wilt.»

So we went out from his presence. Then the metropolitans and envoys troubled us, and discoursed with the patriarch concerning the accomplishment of the command to journey with them, and would not leave us. So the father patriarch took thought for the journey, being sad at heart, and saying to my father Moses: «Wilt thou accompany me on this difficult road?» So my father Moses prepared to travel with him, besides Abba Theodore, bishop of Misr; and so also did I, John, the sinner. But when we were ready to start, the news that night arrived at Misr that Isaac, the bishop, who had usurped the throne of Antioch by the help of the government, had died at Antioch, and the see had been occupied by a man named Athanasius, who took his seat that very day before sunset, but died himself also the third day, and both were buried. When the metropolitans |213 and their clerical companions heard this news, they fled, and we knew not how they departed, only that we never beheld them again after that day.

Now I will tell you what was told us concerning this Athanasius. He was one of the chief bishops and a metropolitan, and exercised jurisdiction from the boundary of Harran inwards; and his province was very extensive, so that he used to travel over mountains and rocks and sharp stones on foot, wearing iron sandals, that he might go round every district. And they told us that he was very strong, tall in stature, stout in body; and the privilege had been granted him in synod to ordain the bishops, on account of the distance of the province from Antioch. But as soon as he usurped the patriarchal throne, he died.

And there came to us a Chalcedonian, named George, who was a good man; and he entered with us into the orthodox faith. So the choice of the synod fell upon him, and they made him patriarch of Antioch. But, a little time after he had established himself there, he was attacked by a bishop, named Abba David, whose mother had been nurse to Abu Ja'far al-Mansur, prince of the Muslims. This bishop accused him of that which may not be mentioned in the history of the Church; for our misdeeds and sins require no addition to them. After this the prince arrested this George, and fettered him with iron and wood, and put him in prison in the eighth |214 year of his reign. And from that time to now no synodical letter has reached us, and no such letter has gone from us.

Now I will tell you the strange story of the patriarch of Constantinople, and the prince, and a Chalcedonian, in the year 480 of the Martyrs. There was a man of high rank at Constantinople, named Philip, whom the patriarch persuaded to attack the prince, saying: «If thou fightest against him, thou wilt conquer him, and take possession of the government.» But when the news reached the prince, he banished that patriarch to a distant town, where he was cast into a narrow dungeon; and another was made patriarch. Now this prince committed deeds not fit to be named, and removed the pictures from the churches. And I have related this to you, only that you may know that these things were general, and did not take place at Antioch alone, but throughout the empire. Thus the two patriarchs of Constantinople and Antioch were imprisoned at the same time.

Now we have related a little of the good fight fought by the Father Patriarch, Abba Michael. And there was none who remained with him in. his distress and weakness to assist him, except the father and bishop, Abba Theodore, bishop of Misr, and Abba Moses, bishop of Wasîm. And when he was advanced in age, he prayed God mercifully to remove him |215 from this world, that he might rest with the saints; and God answered his prayer, and he gave up his soul after all his struggles and the good works that he had done, on the 16th of Barmahât. And he remained upon the evangelical throne, according to the statement which we found in the library in the Monastery of Saint Macarius, twenty-three years and a half; and his holy body was deposited with the bodies of our holy fathers, in glory and honour. May their prayers be with us! Amen.

[Footnotes moved to the end and renumbered]

1. 1. S. John. x. 11.

2. 2. Ps. cxvi, 15 (Sept. cxv. 6).

3. 1. Some mss. have «Theodosius».

4. 1. S. Matth., v. 44; S. Luke. vi. 27, 28,

5. 1. Ps. iv. 3.

6. 1. S. Matth.. x, 28: S. Luke, xii. 4, 5.

7. 1. Cf. Amélineau, Histoire du patriarche copte Isaac, étude critique, texte copte et traduction, in Bulletin de correspondance africaine, Paris, 1890. and Bulletin de l'Institut Egyptien, e serie. n° 6 annee 1885. Le Caire. 1886.

8. 1. Gen., L, 24: Exod., xiii. 19.

9. 2. Hebr., v. 4.

10. 3. Ps. lxv. 5 (Sept. lxiv).

11. 1. Ps. xxxiii. 10 (Sept. xxxii).

12. 1. This note was apparently added in the time of Mauhub, son of Mansur, one of the compilers of the history.

13. 2. Michael III. A. D. 881-913.

14. 1. S. Matth., xxv, 21. 23; cf. S. Luke, xix. 17.

15. 1. This note is evidently added by the translator.

16. 1. Exod., xxiii, 5.

17. 1. Apoc, xiii. 17.

18. 1. S. Matth., xx, 26-27; S. Mark, x, 43, 44.

19. 1. Ps. lxxviii, 3 (Sept. lxxvii).

20. 1. I Tim., iii. 15.

21. 1. S. Matth., xxv, 25: cf. S. Luke, xix, 20.

22. 2. Ps. cxiii, 7 (Sept. cxii).

23. 1. S. Matth., vii. 17.

24. 2. Eccl., x, 16.

25. 1. Prov., xxvi, 25.

26. 1. Gen., i, 26.

27. 1. Daniel, vii, 17 ff; viii. 21 ff; x, 20; xi, 2, 5 ff.

28. 1. I Kings, xvii, 43.

29. 1. Deut., xxxii, 30: cf. Lev., xxvi, 8; Jos., xxiii, 10.

30. 1. Jer., i, 6.

31. 1. Gen., ii, 13; Eccli., xxiv, 27 (Vulg. 37; also Jer., ii, 18, Sept.).

32. 1. Ps. xxxviii; 12 (Sept, xxxvii).

33. 1. Rom,, xii. 16; xv, 5; I Cor., i, 10; II Cor., xiii, 11; Phil., ii, 2: iv. 2. etc.

34. 1. The copyists have added another word, making it 200,000,000.

35. 1. Rom., xii, 5; Ephes., iv, 25.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

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Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1910) Part 4: Mennas I - Joseph (849 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 10 pp. 359-551 (pp.473-665 of text).

Severus of Al'Ashmunein (Hermopolis), History of the Patriarchs of the Coptic church of Alexandria (1910) Part 4: Mennas I - Joseph (849 AD). Patrologia Orientalis 10 pp. 359-551 (pp.473-665 of text).

HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS

OF THE COPTIC CHURCH OF ALEXANDRIA

IV

MENNAS I TO JOSEPH (849)

ARABIC TEXT EDITED, TRANSLATED, AND ANNOTATED

BY

B. EVETTS

Chapter 19

Mennas I, the forty-seventh patriarch (767-774)

John IV, the forty-eighth patriarch (775-799)

Mark III, the forty-ninth patriarch (799-819)

James, the fiftieth patriarch (819-830)

Chapter 20

Simon II, the fifty-first patriarch (830)

Joseph, the fifty-second patriarch (830-849)

A = Paris, arabe 301.

B = Brit. Mus., add. 26 100.

C = ---- or. 1338.

D = Vatican, arabe 620.

E = ---- 686.

F = Paris, arabe 4773.

G = ---- 4772.

|359

CHAPTER XIX

MENNAS I, THE FORTY-SEVENTH PATRIARCH. A.D. 767-774.

It is our duty to make enquiries and researches into the whole history of the Church, as our forefathers used to do. For Philo and Justus and Josephus, the Jews, narrated the events that took place at Jerusalem on account of Christ. And those who wrote the history of the orthodox Church were Africanus and Eusebius and Sozomenus; and after them again Mennas the scribe. These men related that which happened to the Church until the time of Dioscorus, the great father, who confessed Christ, and declared the truth, which saved us from the second deluge, and from drowning in the bottomless abyss, and from the six hundred and thirty assembled at Chalcedon, and the miscreant Leo, lord of Rome. An account of such matters has been written for us, in the twelfth part of the History of the Church, by those whose names we have mentioned because |360 they concerned themselves with these things. And so in every generation God has not left us without a record. Thus there was the archdeacon, the spiritual parent of our father, the holy father Abba Cosmas, patriarch of Alexandria, who was his kinsman. And Abba Macarius also, and Macarius the monk. And after them John, the spiritual son of Abba Moses, bishop of Wasîm.

And I, poor sinner, was ordered by my father the monk through a dream which he saw, for he was a holy old man; and he bade me and commanded me to write the history of my blessed fathers, both what I had witnessed and what was reported to me by trustworthy persons. For I was ministering to my father Abba Joseph, and slept at his feet; and he was my spiritual father and was advanced in age. And likewise the father patriarch, Abba Sinuthius, bade me write. So I prayed to the gracious God, and said like David ¹: «O Lord open thou my lips, that I may relate that which happened to the blessed fathers with profit to those that shall read it, and with benefit to those that shall hear it. »

When our blessed father, Abba Michael, fell sick through old age, and went to his rest in glory and honour, his body was carried up |361 to be with the bodies of his fathers at Alexandria, in the church of Saint Mark the Evangelist, amid proofs of respect and veneration, while all the people wept for him. And they prayed and besought God to raise up, as successor to Abba Michael, a patriarch who should rule as he did. So the assembly met together, with the bishops, to appoint him whom God, who knows the secrets of all hearts and gives grace to those that are worthy of it, should choose. Then mention was made of the priest Mennas, the monk, of the church of Saint Macarius. Mennas was a man who excited general admiration by his sense and conduct. He had been a monk from his youth, and was the spiritual son of the father Abba Michael, and superintendent of his habitation in the monastery of Saint Macarius. So he was promoted to the patriarchal dignity by God's dispensation, amid the joy of all. And God vouchsafed to his Church this faithful shepherd, who had lived with Abba Michael, witnessing his works, because he was with him from his youth.

When Abba Mennas had taken his seat upon the apostolic throne, he imparted the spiritual doctrine, so that everyone marvelled at the mighty grace which was descending upon him, and at his admirable teaching. And the Lord, who had selected him, gave to the Church increase and protection in all her provinces, until men forgot all that had happened to them in the days of Abba Michael, now at rest; and peace continued in the Church. |362

But after a time Satan, the hater of good, raised up a trial for the blessed father. For he spoke by the tongue of a deacon and monk named Peter, in whom he took up his abode, that he might suggest to him great crimes of which Abba Mennas and the bishops under his see might be accused. This deacon and monk was a native of a village called Dasimah, and had been spiritual son to Abba Michael, now at rest, and was brought up in his cell, And the hater of good put into his heart the thought of soliciting a bishopric, though he was not worthy of it, from our father, Abba Mennas. But the father answered him as Peter the Apostle replied to Simon the magician, saying ²: «He has no lot nor share with us.» Then the deacon would not endure this treatment, but embarked in a ship, and departed to Syria. And when he arrived there, he composed letters, falsely purporting to be addressed by Abba Mennas to the patriarch of the Syrians, Abba George, patriarch of Antioch, and to his bishops and metropolitans, saying in those letters that great trouble and persecution and distress had been caused to the Church in Egypt by the governors. For Peter was skilled in the art of writing letters to patriarchs and metropolitans and bishops. So when the patriarch of Antioch had read the letters, he received Peter with great joy, because he said that he was the envoy of the patriarch's brother, the patriarch of Alexandria. And the patriarch |363 collected money for Peter, and gave him letters addressed to all the metropolitans and bishops subject to Antioch, bidding them also make collections for him and honour him with much attention; for the patriarch was infatuated with him. As soon as a sufficient sum had been raised to give him the assistance that he needed for his evil deed, and the means of reaching the princes, the hater of good still walked with him. And after some days Peter arrived at the capital city, and began with his heart full of wrath and cunning to write letters, containing false reports of the patriarch Abba Mennas. For Peter said in his report that the prince's treasury was empty of money, in spite of all that he needed for the expenses of the army and the administration of the government; while in Egypt there was a person, a great patriarch among the Christians, who knew how to practise alchemy for the permutation of substances into gold; and that by such means he had filled his churches with vessels of gold and silver, in which the holy offerings were presented. «But thou, my prince and my lord», he added, «hast the right to possess in thy storehouse these splendid golden vessels, which are in the churches of Egypt, and with which things displeasing to God are done». When this foul sinner had written this report, he waited for a day on which he might find means of laying it before the prince; and he gave bribes to all the attendants of the prince, in order that they |364 might introduce him. And Satan worked a great wonder for him, as he does for his favourites and followers, like the conjuring of the witch when she raised up the prophet Samuel from the tomb for Saul. Far be Samuel from this imagined likeness! We are only pointing out to you how Satan causes semblances and illusions in all ages.

These events were in the reign of Abû Ja'far Abd Allah, nephew of Abû Muslim, whom we have already mentioned in the eighteenth chapter of the History of the Church. He was the first who took possession of Khorassan. He had married a chaste wife while he was at Harran before he began to reign; and afterwards, when he became caliph, he lived at Damascus. This woman feared God; and she was of high rank in her tribe and nation; and she had made her husband swear, when she was married to him, that he would marry no other wife while she lived, so that she might keep the Law of God. But when he married her, God gave him no child for many years. Afterwards, however, she saw in a dream one who said to her: «Send for Isaac, bishop of Harran, that he may pray for thee; for God will accept his prayers on thy account and give thee a son.» Therefore she obeyed the vision with faith, and caused Abd Allah, her husband, to send and fetch the bishop. And before he arrived, she saw in a second dream a personage, who announced to her that God had heard |365 her petition and would fulfil her desire through the prayers of the bishop Isaac. Then, when he came, he prayed over her, and blessed her. So she conceived and bore two children. And for this cause the bishop stood high in favour with Abd Allah and his wife. So when Abd Allah began to reign, the father and bishop Isaac begged of him authority over the patriarchate of Antioch and the East; and the prince granted his request. And this was the cause of Isaac's fall, because he broke the canons. But since God would not endure to leave him upon the throne, as the holy gospel says ³: «Behold the axe is laid at the roots of the trees, therefore every tree that bears not good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire», thus it happened with this Isaac; when he acted foolishly and broke the law of God, and took his seat as patriarch by the power of the government, and transgressed the injunctions of his fathers, God cut off his life from the earth, and he died suddenly before the end of the year. And another man, named Athanasius, sat upon the throne by force on the day of Isaac's death; but he also died that very night, as it has been related in the eighteenth chapter of the History.

When the two sons of Abd Allah and of his chaste virtuous wife, before |366 mentioned, had grown up, one of them died. And the prince was exceedingly sad for him, and his mother mourned with all the household; for they were greatly grieved on his account. And the courtiers knew how much his mother loved her son, so that she never ceased to weep for him one single hour by night or by day, while the prince was very sorrowful. Now the death of this young son of the prince had taken place before the arrival of the deacon Peter, unworthy of that name. And the prince went out of the palace one day with his guards, and rode round the city, seeking distraction from his grief for his son according to the custom of men and princes. And he chanced to look aside and see that unworthy Peter, whom Satan transformed in the prince's eyes into the likeness of his son who was dead, so that he seemed to be the very same, in no wise differing from the young man's appearance even in the hair of his head. Therefore the prince, as soon as he perceived Peter, with joy caused him to be summoned, and embraced him, and kissed his mouth and eyes as if he were his son indeed. And in the excess of his gladness he returned to the palace, and with haste went in to his wife and said to her: «If thou couldst see the living image of thy son, wouldst thou cease from this weeping and sadness?» She answered: «Whence can he come to me?» Then the prince commanded that the deacon in whom Satan dwelt should be brought in to her; and Satan made him in her eyes like the form of her son. So when she saw him, she rose up |367 quickly and went to meet him rejoicing, imagining that he was her son; and more wonderful than this is the fact that Satan removed from her heart the grief that she had felt for her son. Therefore Peter remained with the prince and his wife in the palace some months, while they looked upon his face and were consoled by his presence. And God granted him favour with them, so that the prince said: «If thou hast any need, make it known to me, that I may satisfy it for thee». Then Peter told him what we related above, and after a stay of three months in the palace prayed the prince to send him to Egypt, and to write a decree for him appointing him patriarch over Egypt, and to give him authority over the patriarch Abba Mennas and his bishops, that he might do with them what was wanted. In compliance with this request, the prince drew up for Peter a document, addressed to the governor of Egypt at that time, whose name was Ibn Abd ar-Rahmân, directing him to do for Peter whatever he might bid him do. Then Peter gave orders that a cap should be made for him of splendid and priceless material; and his name was written upon it in Arabic letters thus: «Peter, patriarch of Egypt». And besides his own name the name of the prince also was written upon it; for Peter added in his folly, after putting his own name first: «And servant of the prince».

As soon as Peter arrived at Misr, he gave the document to the governor, who, after he had read it, sent and summoned the holy patriarch Abba |368 Mennas and his synod. When the governor's messengers arrived at the frontier-city of Alexandria and informed the patriarch of what had happened, he was sad and cried to the Lord from the depths of his heart, saying: «O Lord, save me from this snare which is secretly laid for me, for thou art my God; and give me not up to those that oppress me, for false witnesses have risen up against me. And behold, thine eyes, O Lord, are upon those that fear thee and trust in thy mercy, that thou mayest deliver their souls from death». And he did not cease to pray and weep the whole night long until the morning. Then the messengers appeared before him, and urged him to start upon his journey. Therefore he arose, and said with cheerfulness: «O Lord, make me worthy to suffer for thy name's sake; for thou alone art my hope, O Lord my God, and therefore I fear not what man can do to me». And he continued to repeat these words during his journey from Alexandria, until he arrived at Fustât Misr.

Then the governor was informed of the patriarch's arrival, and gave orders that he should be brought before him, and rejoiced when he saw him. For the governor loved the Christians, and had been friendly with the holy father, Abba Michael the patriarch, now at rest. So he said to the father, Abba Mennas: «Thou shalt receive all fair treatment from me, according to that which I used to do for the deceased patriarch who was thy predecessor. But the prince's mandate has arrived, bidding thee obey the bearer of it, who is a follower of thy faith and creed, and forbidding |369 thee to dispute with him concerning that which he shall command thee to do.» Thereupon the valiant one, who had no fear of the awfulness of earthly princes, the truth-speaking Abba Mennas, looked up into the face of the new Judas, I mean Peter the deacon, who relied upon worldly power, and believed himself to be invested with the authority of the patriarchate, and said to him: «Good is that which the true gospel ⁴ says concerning thee: None shall receive honour from himself unless it be given him from heaven by God. But hear what God says concerning thee and those that act like thee, declaring what thou deservest, where our Lord Christ says with his pure mouth ⁵: Every tree which my heavenly Father plants not shall be cut down and rooted up. So this name shall be taken away from thee, and thou shalt die in poverty an evil death». Then that fool answered him, and said to the holy father: «Do now what I command thee, that thou mayest escape the punishment, which I shall otherwise inflict upon thee, until I learn that thou dost resist the prince's mandate». And the vile wretch turned and said to the governor: «Instead of answering that as he hears so he will obey the prince's command, behold, he utters words which mean that he prays God to strip me of the authority which the prince has conferred upon me.» Then the governor answered and said to the patriarch: «Do not oppose the command of the prince, but perform what he ordains.» Mennas replied: «I will do so with joy, that |370 I may carry out the Law which bids me obey the king as I would obey God; for it says ⁶: He who resists and disputes authority, resists God, his Lord.» When the governor heard these words, he was pleased with the patriarch's answer, and said to the wretch: «Bid him do whatever thou desirest.» So he said: «Let him send and summon all the bishops under his jurisdiction, that I may give them in his presence the orders that are necessary.» Then the father begged of the governor that he might be allowed a delay of some days, till he could assemble the bishops. But that heretic said: «Let us send him away to prison, so that I may enter the churches in Misr and go up to their altars, as the patriarchs do. »

So the patriarch was imprisoned with Theodore, bishop of Misr, and ordered the secretaries to write letters to all the bishops, that they might come to him. For that heretic Peter believed that they would obey him and do for him what he had planned, though it was contrary to the canons of the Church. The letter which the father patriarch wrote was full of sadness and grief, but he did not explain any matter to the bishops lest he should discourage them, so that they would shrink from the struggle. The contents of the letter were as follows: «Satan does not at any time leave the Bride of Christ, the Universal Church, without opposition, but raises |371 up persecution and disorder with the object of vanquishing her in the war that he wages against her. But her Bridegroom, Christ the Truth, crushes Satan's power by the words which he said to Peter, chief of the apostles ⁷, that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against her. You know now that it is the Lord Christ who is the conqueror. Therefore advance to the combat and dispute not, but trust in the Lord; for he will abase our adversary and bring his counsels to nought, and glorify his Church which is his Bride. Let us also rejoice because we have armed ourselves like warriors for battle in this campaign, that we may obtain the heavenly crown, according to the summons which he gives us at all times, as Paul, the sweet-tongued, says ⁸: A man will not obtain the crown unless he fight. Hasten therefore now, that you may gain that reward, O my friends whom I love in the Lord.»

When the bishops had read the patriarch's letter, so full of consolation for them, they journeyed with all speed, and assembled at Fustât Misr. As soon as that erring son of Satan learnt that they were gathered together in the church on Sunday, he arose in his obstinacy, escorted by a troop of soldiers from the governor's palace, and proceeded without fear, and ascended into the sanctuary, intending to say the prayer of thanksgiving and the prayer of peace like the patriarch, wearing on his head the cap on which the name of the prince was written. But when the fathers and bishops saw him do this, they joined together in the Holy Ghost; and Abba |372 Mennas, bishop of Sanabû, rushed upon him, with Abba Moses, bishop of Wasîm; and they seized the cap and threw it down, and cast him out of the sanctuary, crying: «Ah thou second Julian, the churches of Egypt do not deserve to be defiled by thy presence!» At first that foul wretch was filled with confusion, but afterwards gave way to anger and commanded his escort to lead all the bishops away to prison, and to put irons upon their necks and feet. And when the holy father patriarch beheld them, he welcomed them and comforted them, saying: «O my friends, he who fights for us is greater than he who fights against us; and the Lord will rescue us from our enemies, and save us from those that rise up against us, and deliver us from the workers of iniquity.» The bishops, hearing these words, exclaimed: «Our father, we are ready to die with thee, and we believe and trust that we shall obtain salvation by thy prayers!»

Thus the bishops passed a few days in prison while that foul wretch was considering what evil he should do to them and to the patriarch; and then he ordered the governor to bring them out of confinement and make them stand before him; and the governor did so. Thereupon that miscreant said to the father patriarch: «I will do nothing with thee that thou fearest, such as others in my place have done to others in thy place before thee, from the time of the patriarch Abba Agathon; for he was compelled to build ships for the fleet. So Theodore the Chalcedonian, the governor of |373 Alexandria, treated Agathon in the reign of the caliph Yezîd, son of Mu'âwiyah. Come, bring forth from the church the vessels of gold and silver, that they may be carried to the prince's treasury. For this is the purpose for which I am come». On hearing this the patriarch said within himself ⁹: «The pains of death have surrounded me, and the terrors of Hell have fallen upon me». This he said because he knew that there was nothing in the churches such as Peter demanded of him. For notorious misfortunes had happened to the fathers before Abba Mennas, and none of the vessels of the churches had been left among their possessions; for the Copts had been robbed of every thing time after time by the adversaries who hated them. And when this glorious father was consecrated and enthroned, nothing had been restored, so that in the city of Alexandria no vessel was found, from which the people could receive the Communion, except a chalice of glass and another of wood. Therefore the holy father answered that miscreant, saying: «Thou knowest not the condition of the church from that time till now». But the wretched infidel replied: «Lo, I know that thou hast a book by means of which thou canst speedily become rich; for it teaches the art of making gold». The spiritual father said in answer to him: «I know nothing of that of which thou speakest. But I will do whatever thou mayest choose to command, and my trust is in |374 God; for I know that there is nothing in the church such as that which thou namest. And thou hast told lies to the prince». Then Peter said to the patriarch: «I will act generously towards thee, nor will I compel thee to spend any sum of money upon the fleet. But, by the prince's truth, none shall work at the task of pitching the ships but thou and thy bishops, with your own hands». Abba Mennas replied: «I will do that gladly, for so I shall act according to the words of Paul the Apostle, who says ¹⁰: I work with my own hands. Paul says also: They revile us and we bless them; they drive us away and we bear it patiently; they defame us and we entreat them».

So the father Abba Mennas and the bishops who were with him went out to perform the task allotted to them every day in the arsenal at Misr, working with their own hands at all that was needed for the ships for a whole year, while their faces were exposed to the sun all day during the summer. Thus the patriarch and bishops were labouring among the workmen and the ash-heaps in Fustât Misr, with tears and sighs. At the end of the day the father and all the bishops were taken back to the prison. And all the time Peter continued to demand of them the vessels of the churches, saying to them: «I came hither from the prince's court for this purpose only». But when some days had passed, while they were still in |375 prison, and he repeated his claims, at last the Lord looked upon the sighs of his pure ones, and worked a miracle; and he who has the power to repay took vengeance. We have already remarked that the governor favoured the Christians. Yet although he saw that contemptible person persecuting the patriarch and bishops, he could not hinder him, because he feared the prince, but could only urge upon him that it was not lawful for him to act so with the chief of the Christians. At last Peter answered: «Dost thou also call that man the head of the Christian community, and ignore the prince's decree? Then I will go to the prince, and let him know that thou hast deprived me of the dignity which he conferred upon me». Then, when Peter said this, the words ¹¹ of Solomon the Wise were fulfilled in him: «A fool's tongue is a snare to him». For the governor exclaimed: «Thou desirest to depart to the prince, in order to tell lies to him against me, and present a calumnious report against me in accordance with what thou hast said and done with regard to this old man who fears God. Now after this day I will no longer suffer thee to behold the light of the sun, but all men shall know that God has exacted justice from thee for this old man». Accordingly the governor gave orders that very hour that Peter should be taken away to prison, and thrown into the dungeon, and that his hands and feet should be fettered with iron, and he be kept there |376 in a narrow place. So Peter remained in this condition three years. At the same time the governor gave orders to release the militant patriarch and bishops from punishment. And they began to praise God and to say: «As the prophet Isaias ¹² says: God destroys the counsel of the adversaries and hypocrites; and the Lord will not forsake those that trust in him, those who fear God. Now is fulfilled the word of the prophet Malachias ¹³ in us: Ye who fear my name, upon you the Sun of Righteousness shall shine. Go forth, rejoicing like calves released to their mothers. And ye shall tread down the hypocrites».

Then the father departed to Alexandria; and there he entered the church with joy. And the Alexandrians glorified God with public thanksgivings. And Abba Mennas occupied himself with the care of Christ's flock and the administration of the Evangelical See, through the grace which was with him. Yet in spite of all this he was sad on account of that poor miserable sinner, who had given up his soul to death by sin. And Abba Mennas prayed to God, saying: «Thou art the merciful God who saidst ¹⁴: I desire not the death of a sinner, so much as that he should return and be converted. Therefore thou, O Lord, wilt save the soul of this other man, that he may not die in sin. Rather save him, that he may repent and weep for his error, |377 so that his soul may live. For Satan at all times drags down to Hell those who obey him».

Now Satan, the hater of good, filled him who was in prison with evil designs and bad notions, and suggested foul thoughts in his heart concerning the patriarch and concerning the bishops and the Church for his sake. And at the end of three years, while Peter was still in prison, Ibn Abd ar-Rahmân, the governor, was removed from Egypt, and another was sent thither. When the new governor arrived at Al-Fustât, he examined the prisons that he might learn what was the offence of every prisoner; and so, as soon as the case of Peter was reported to him, he commanded that Peter should be brought before him. And the governor recognised Peter on seeing him, and said to him: «Art thou not he whom the prince despatched to Egypt at such a time?» He replied: «Yes, I am he». Then the governor asked him: «What befell thee, and cut off the memory of thee from before the prince, so that thou becamest as one dead?» Thereupon Peter answered by accusing the patriarch and Ibn Abd ar-Rahmân, the governor lately dismissed, of committing great crimes, and added: «For he left the prince's edict without effect, and kept me in prison three years». And Peter brought many charges against the Christians and the Church. The governor said to him: «Thou shalt depart to the prince's court. I will send thee to him». Peter replied: «That is well; for such is my |378 desire, in order to accomplish that which is in my heart». So the governor despatched him in haste, bidding him take with him a letter, in which an explanation of what had happened to him was given. Thus Satan, the hater of good, drove Peter back to his former circumstances, and raised in the prince's heart a greater love for him than before. This was especially because Peter said to him: «I wish to enter into thy religion, and to return to Egypt and claim my rights from my enemies». At this the prince rejoiced. Then the foul wretch denied the name of Christ the Saviour, and confessed the religion of Islam; and for that the prince gave him many gifts on that day, garments and money and horses and female slaves, and named him Abu'l-Khair ¹⁵.

But the Lord, whose name is blessed, purposed to give rest to the holy father Abba Mennas, that he might not undergo any punishment from this renegade. For God showed forth a miracle, when he looked upon him who was called Abu'l-Khair, but was in reality father of all mischief and guile. The prince gave him the letters to the governor that he asked for, and he journeyed to Egypt, believing that he was about to do all the harm to the patriarch that lay in his power. Before he arrived in Egypt, however, Abd Allah, the prince, died. So when the wretch learnt that his hopes were thus frustrated, the words ¹⁶ of the prophet were fulfilled in him: |379 «Contemptible is the man who trusts in a man.» For in shame he departed to his native town; but as soon as his family and kinsmen and acquaintances saw him, he was hated and detested among them like the Jews who slew their Lord. And they began to reproach him, saying: «Ah thou that art become a son of Satan, and hast strayed from the way of life, where hast thou left the fear of God and of Hell, and the voice of our Creator pronouncing the terrible sentence ¹⁷: Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I deny before the Father who is in Heaven? Thou hast rejected this true voice, and therefore thou shalt hear instead of it ¹⁸: Take him away to the fire which is not quenched and the worm which sleeps not. This shall be the reward of thy apostasy. To thee will be spoken also his words addressed to those like thee ¹⁹: Depart from me, ye cursed, into the fire kindled and prepared for the Devil and his hosts. Then it will be said to thee that, instead of the bishopric which thou didst demand, there is the gain of rebellion, and instead of the Spiritual Paradise thou hast earned the foulness of apostasy.» And Peter had to listen to many such reproaches every day, filled with sorrow and shame. At last he went away to the bishops of Egypt, whom he had afflicted with such torments; and he begged them to pray to God for him |380 that he might save him from this error, professing that his heart was right. Then he heard from the mouth of the bishops, as the Lord said ²⁰ to his disciples at that time concerning Judas Iscariot, that none should perish except the son of perdition.

After these events it was God's will to give rest to the father Abba Mennas, and translate him to Jerusalem on high from this world full of misery and trouble. So he went to his rest, after occupying the see seven years, on the last day of Tubah, and brought his teaching to a close, preserving the faith of his lathers; and he departed in peace to the Lord Christ, whom he loved, and received the crown of victory together with the assembly of his militant brethren, and entered into joy with them in the land of the living. And after his decease, that rebel returned to the town where he was born, and died there a bitter death in sin and poverty, as our father Abba Mennas had prophesied concerning him. Thus all who witnessed his fate marvelled and glorified God, saying: «That which the father Abba Mennas foretold by the Holy Ghost against this man has come to pass.» And they said, as David, the servant of the Lord, says in the Psalm ²¹, that he humbles the proud as one that is wounded. David says also in the 118th. Psalm ²²: «Cursed are all those that swerve from thy commandments.» |381

So the Church remained a widow without a pastor. But the Lord visited his sheep, whom he had bought with his blood; and the bishops assembled in the city of Alexandria, and consulted together, and prayed the Lord to shew them a faithful shepherd. Many names were mentioned, and they continued to discuss this matter during several days, while the Lord was reserving his chosen one, whom he was about to elect and anoint with the oil of his mercy, that he might be called to the patriarchal office, because it belonged to him. Now our fathers, when they met together in order to come to an agreement upon the appointment of a patriarch, were accustomed to write many names on small sheets which, they laid in the sanctuary. Then the bishops and priests and orthodox laity used to pray to the Lord with a sincere intention, and cry Kyrie eleison. Afterwards they brought a young child, ignorant of sin, which put forth its hand and took one sheet from among the number. And him whose name was drawn they promoted to the patriarchal dignity.

Now they had begun to carry out this procedure. And there was in charge of the church of Saint Mennas a priest named John, the son of the father Abba Michael; and his birthplace was at Bana Busir, and he had become a monk in Wadî Habîb, and had then been, entrusted with the office of oeconomus under the father Abba Mennas, lately gone to his rest. This man was named by an aged deacon of pious character, one of the |382 clergy of Alexandria, who said to the assembly: «Have you remembered the priest John, in charge of the church of Saint Mennas, so as to write his name down?» Now they had not remembered him, but the Lord recalled him to memory by the mouth of the old ecclesiastic. So they wrote down his name, and prayed, and did three times what we have described above. And the name of John was drawn each of these three times. Then all those that were present marvelled; and they cried aloud saying: «Truly he is worthy!» So they appointed John, and he sat upon the throne.

JOHN IV, THE FORTY-EIGHTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 775-799.

After the father Abba John had been enthroned, he wrote a synodical letter full of wisdom to the blessed father, George, patriarch of Antioch, to make known to him his unity with him in the faith and the circumstances of his taking his seat upon the throne. Now a report had been presented to the prince, against this George of whom we speak, by one of his bishops; and in consequence of this report the prince arrested George, and put him in fetters and imprisoned him. And the bishop who accused him sat upon the throne, but had written no epistle nor announced a decree of |383 appointment to the patriarch of Alexandria. Then that bishop died, and George returned, having been released from prison, and sat upon the throne of Antioch with glory and honour, after an absence of ten years. George, therefore, having read the letters of the blessed patriarch, Abba John, upon the arrival of his envoys at Antioch, welcomed those envoys and rejoiced over them; and so likewise the synod of metropolitans and bishops, assembled with their chief, glorified the Lord Christ, with great joy and spiritual gladness, on account of the agreement of the doctrine of the two patriarchs concerning the orthodox Faith, and their common accord after the days that had passed. And George with his metropolitans and bishops composed an epistle in answer to the synodical, and sent it to the father, Abba John, according to the ecclesiastical canons, which are exempt from error.

Now Abba John was beautiful in form, perfect in stature, inspired by God in all his affairs. And everyone desired to behold his welcome form; and it was granted to him to be acceptable to all princes and governors, like Joseph the Truthful, with whom God's hand was, and whom God saved from all his sorrows, and to whom he gave grace and wisdom before Pharao. And the father John was assiduous in doing good, and provided means for the building of a church and a patriarchal residence, which he adorned with all beautiful ornaments. He also embellished the churches |384 at Alexandria with all decoration and adornment. The times were propitious towards him, and the authorities respected him, and enabled him to carry out his desires, and accepted his opinion, and did not hinder him from anything that he wished; and the orthodox people obeyed him, and the Church enjoyed tranquillity and peace in his days. He did not cease from doing good, and his chief care was for the building of the churches of Alexandria, so that he raised a great monument to himself in this city. His conduct was admirable, so that the heretics at Alexandria were jealous of him, according to the custom of those accursed ones in dealing with the orthodox, even in matters relating to the Faith, especially in the days of this holy John, because they beheld his good works in the Church and in all the churches at Alexandria with glory and honour.

The liar, who was at that time the father of the heretics, was a person named Politian. He was a skilful physician, and the prince's of Islam used to treat him with favour on account of his art. And he did not cease to speak of our father John with words of jealousy. But God, who knows that which is secret, was raising up this man day after day, and the sweet odour of his teaching reached all the people. Therefore those who loved God took thought and said: «We will hand over to him our money, that he may build with it the churches of Alexandria, as a memorial for us and for |385 those that shall come after us». Accordingly they used to bring to him, that saint adorned with virtues, large sums of money and gifts, and to pray him to provide for the building of the churches, until that which is said 23 of the prophet David was fulfilled in Abba John: «The zeal of thine house has eaten me up.» And he accepted those gifts from the people, because he knew how great were their charity and their sacrifice of their wealth and their goodness and right faith in God.

And there was with Abba John a deacon, who loved God, and was very vigilant and full of faith and spiritual wisdom. This deacon was named Mark, and was an Alexandrian; and he had grasped with zeal the helm of the Ark, which is the Church, the Ark of salvation from the deluge of the devils. Our father Abba John had known him from his youth. Mark was in charge of the church of Saint Mennas, and the patriarch, because of his acquaintance with him and his family, made him deacon; and wherever the patriarch celebrated the Liturgy or was present, Mark used to chant the gospel, with a voice of tenderness and moving tones, so that the hearts of listeners were touched by their music. For this reason the people used to come early to the church in order to hear his chanting and his beautiful voice, and because he understood the art of chanting, and for |386 the sake of his beautiful countenance; and when he chanted he put every word in its right place. He was also learned in the Scriptures and in the study of all the Mystagogia. So men used to say: «Blessed is the Lord God, who has given a wise son to David ²⁴, as it is said.» The faithful laity used to say, glorifying God: «Blessed is God, who has raised up for us this deacon Mark who loves God. Blessed is the Lord who has made this branch to flourish for us from this blessed tree, ---- our holy father John and his son Mark. Happy is our city which has merited this grace!» And when our father the patriarch beheld this deacon and his actions, he rejoiced over him and thanked God, who had given him this gift for the Church, and had left Mark to him as an adviser in all his circumstances. And Mark, in each step to which the patriarch promoted him, grew more and more humble towards all, both small and great; and more excellent than this was his obedience to the father in all that he commanded him. to do. Then Mark, when he was filled with grace, begged our father to hold him worthy of the Angelic Habit, that is the monastic estate. So Abba John, when he saw Mark's desire, took him with him, on the 27th. of Barmahât, which is the day when Saint Macarius went to his rest, to the monastery of the illuminating father, Saint Macarius, the meeting-place of monks, and the home of high wisdom and of prayer, continuing night and day with |387 glorification of the Holy Trinity. And when Mark had put on the habit, an aged monk, enlightened by the Holy Ghost, looked at him and said: «This deacon, whose name is Mark, is worthy to sit upon the throne of his father, Mark the evangelist.» And Mark began to increase in humility and purity and holiness, till there was accomplished in him that which God says ²⁵: «To whom shall I look, except to the humble of heart who fears me?»

Now when you hear these words from me, brethren, be not angry with me because I have left the discourse of the blessed fathers, and the building of the church in the city of Alexandria, and the narration of their history in spite of its importance to us; for likewise is it incumbent upon us to mention the humble sons, who were saved by their works, and pleased the fathers by their conduct, in order that future generations and peoples may hear of them, and that they too may grow in the grace of the Holy Ghost, according to that which Paul the sweet-tongued wrote ²⁶, where he says in the Spirit: «I am jealous»; and therefore I do not leave this unsaid. The interpretation of the words: «I am jealous», is that they mean jealous in spiritual works.

Hear how our father, the patriarch Abba John, began to take thought for the building of the church, in accordance with the request of those two |388 blessed ones who loved God, Cyrus and Barnabas, when they saw that Christ's people desired this. And the churches possessed endowments. So Abba John called the deacon Mark, and said to him: «My son, it shall be to thee a reward from God that thou shalt superintend the building of the churches; for thou art acquainted with the city and the workmen and their trades. And I know that God is with thee, and I believe and trust that the good care which thou shalt bestow upon this matter in thy faith will be returned to thee in perfection». Mark replied: «Thy Holiness knows that the accursed heretics have many arguments with which they will oppose us. But it would be a sin upon my conscience if I resisted the Holy Ghost who dwells in thee; and now, my father, thou desirest to do a good deed». Then he made a prostration before the patriarch, and said to him: «Pray for me, my father!» And the patriarch answered: «The Lord bless thee and be with thee, until thou shalt complete the building of his holy house, so that thou mayest rejoice in it after we are gone». Thereupon Mark said to the patriarch: «Thy Paternity commands me to lay the foundation as God shall give me light».

Therefore the patriarch supplied all that was needed for the fabric, and assembled the workmen and overseers. And he said prayers, and laid the foundations of the church and of the surrounding habitations. And he delivered all that church needed into the hand of the pious deacon Mark, that he might provide for the construction. Thus Mark was entrusted with the building of the holy church; and God was helping him with grace, and |389 the building grew and advanced daily. Then Satan whispered to the [heart of the lying heretic, the chief of the believers in the Two Natures, that he should accuse the father, Abba John, before the governor of occupying buildings belonging to the government and turning them into churches. This charge was brought by that heretic in envy, that he might stop the building, like the Chaldeans who desired to put an end to the building of the holy house of God. But the father, Abba John, endured patiently and suffered greatly through that which was done to him by that liar, and was forced on account of it to pay a heavy fine to the government. And the wretch rejoiced thereat, and accused Abba John of all sorts of evil deeds and of lies. And as often as his enemies beheld him growing and increasing day by day, while his people were orthodox, and his teaching was uninterrupted, and his churches were flourishing, and he also continued to build and restore in the churches, then they grew yet more wrathful. But they could not resist the power of God, and were as the Chaldeans with regard to the temple of Jerusalem, when God brought their efforts to nought; for so he did likewise in this case, scattering the counsel of the heretics, those new Jews. For by the mercy of the Lord Christ, he put it into the heart of the governor to command the father, Abba John, to finish the church and furnish it as he desired. So he completed the church in the space of five years, and consecrated it in the name of the Archangel Michael. This |390 church is called at the present day, in the city of Alexandria, the church of Repentance. And there was with our father the patriarch a scribe and deacon, named John, who was counted worthy of the bishopric of the see of Sakhâ after the decease of the father, Abba John.

After the completion of the church of the Angel Michael, by the Lord's inscrutable decrees a great dearth came upon the city of Alexandria and Upper Egypt, so that the price of wheat rose to a dinar for three waibahs, and many persons perished. And our father was sad on account of the dead and the mortality that he saw, and prayed with tears, saying, like the prophet Isaias ²⁷: «Thou hast turned away thy face from us, and given us up because of our sins. And now, O Lord, thou art yet our Father, and we are all dust and the work of thy hands. Deal not with us according to our sins, and be not angry with us for ever; and remember not our offences, but turn to as, O Lord, for we are thy people». And he continued in prayer night and day, saying: «O Lord, have mercy on thy creatures and the work of thy hands; deal not with us after our sins. We deserve indeed all chastisement, for we have not walked in the way of thy commandments. But now, O Lord, chastise us not with the rod of thy wrath, and remember not our transgressions before thee».

And the patriarch beheld the distress of the people from the severity of |391 the dearth, and his pity excited him to pray. Then Abba John called his son and partner in his works, the deacon Mark, and gave him authority to distribute alms among all the inhabitants of the city; and the storehouses and the accounts of the church were under his superintendence, for the father, Abba John, had entrusted him with the charge of them, making trial of his conduct. So Mark began to assist all those that were starving, giving them their food morning and evening every day. And he used to see at the patriarch's door many people of every race, whom he would supply with provisions out of the stores of the church; for she had at that time an abundance of good things. Thus the sweet perfume of his good deeds spread, and filled all places. Basil and Eusebius, the two bishops, were those who made almsgiving their uninterrupted occupation, making more of it than of the fulfilment of any other commandment. In the same way this holy man acted as they did, emulating their excellence until he resembled them in that point; but though he did thus, yet he did not neglect any of the precepts of religion: And he visited the officials and the rich men, and said to them: «Be merciful to the needy». And he urged them to alms-giving with arguments from the holy scriptures, saying to them: «Profit by this time and this grace which is glorious before God». |392

And he began to exhort them in the words of the prophet David to his son ²⁸: «Turn not thy face from the poor, and then the Lord will not turn his face from thee». He quoted also the saying of another prophet ²⁹:«Alms saves from death, and raises from Hell, and does not suffer a man to enter into darkness». He reminded them also of that which Paul wrote to Timothy his son, saying to him ³⁰: «Charge the rich in this world that they be not proud, but that they place their trust in God, who gives riches to each one, that they may have enough of all things, and may lay for themselves a foundation, in order that they may take hold of the true life». And he admonished them with these and other words, until the rich men and the officials emulated his works, and began to do as he advised them with their money; and none of them was backward in giving alms, nor in visiting the widows and orphans and prisons and taking to them food and clothing; and so also they did for the clergy and the poor. And many of the officials had fallen into poverty at this time, and they also were assisted. And Mark used to entertain strangers. But at last the Lord took pity on his people and relieved them of the dearth, through the prayers of the holy father, Abba John.

At that time the patriarch of Antioch, Abba George, went to his rest. And a holy man, named Cyriacus, was appointed in his place by a |393 dispensation from God, and through the united votes of the metropolitans and bishops and of all the laity of Syria and the East. He was full of the Holy Ghost, and when he heard of the works of the holy father, Abba John, he summoned his metropolitans and bishops, and said to them: «We must not delay writing to the father, Abba John, who occupies the evangelical throne in the great city of Alexandria, which is an inheritance of ours from our fathers, since the time of the father Severus and of Theodosius, who both fought for the orthodox faith.» Now I have already mentioned the deceased father, Abba George, and observed that in the past years, during which he was in prison, no synodical letter came from him to Egypt to the father Mennas, on account of Abba George's troubles and confinement, and because Abba Mennas also did not write, being otherwise occupied through the persecution which he suffered at the hands of the excommunicated deacon Peter, the apostate unworthy of his name; until the patriarch and bishops escaped from durance, and then the correspondence took place as we have related above. Therefore the father Cyriacus said: «If we should not write, we should be guilty of an offence and a sin, on account of the agreement and unity which exist between us. In the time of our forefathers, they agreed with us in the true faith and in charity; and they commemorate our fathers' names in all the sanctuaries of Egypt. For this reason |394 let us not interrupt the Christian charity and spiritual concord which we share with them. » Accordingly, our father, Abba Cyriacus, patriarch of Antioch, addressed to Abba John, patriarch of Alexandria, a synodical letter, full of the grace of the Holy Ghost, and despatched it by the hand of Anastasius, metropolitan of Damascus, who was accompanied by two bishops of his province. In this epistle Cyriacus spoke of the orthodox union existing between the two sees of Antioch and Alexandria, and announced how he had taken his seat upon the throne of Ignatius, the Wearer of Divinity. And when the letter reached Abba John, and he had read it, he rejoiced greatly, and glorified the Lord Jesus Christ, who always cares for his Church and for his people, whom he bought with his precious Blood.

Afterwards our father, Abba John, commanded that the letter should be read before the people, who marvelled when they heard its eloquence, and because it was a long time since a synodical had arrived; and they gave thanks to God for it. And when the envoys, Anastasius and the two bishops, visited the church at Alexandria, they were filled with admiration of its paintings and decoration, and the marshalling of the patriarch and bishops and clergy, and the seven ecclesiastical orders, and the dignity of all of them and their serenity and piety. And the Syrians wondered and glorified God for the magnitude of the grace which rested upon the clergy of |395 Alexandria, through the holy favour of Saint Mark the evangelist. Therefore, beholding these things, they said what David says in the psalm ³¹: «As we have heard, so have we seen.» And they rejoiced with a great spiritual joy, according to that which is written in the Acts ³²: «A report came to the ears of the Church in Jerusalem concerning them, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch, and when he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced.»

The envoys remained with the holy father John a few days, and then he bade them farewell with respect and honour, after he had written for them an answer to their letter. So they departed to their own country glorifying God for what they had witnessed.

I desire, my holy fathers, to bring to an end my discourse concerning the deeds of our blessed father Abba John. This I do, not because my faltering tongue could not relate a few more of his actions; but, while I record the names of the holy men who lived in his time, I must describe for your Paternities their good works and their prophecies, that your hearts may be gladdened, as it is written ³³: «When the righteous are commemorated, the people rejoice.» There was in those days at Al-Burlus a holy old man, named George, who was beautiful in his conduct. And |396 through the Holy Ghost, he used to see that which was about to happen far away by a great mystery, before the event took place so that he might know it, on account of his excellent virtues. Now Abba George, bishop of Misr had gone to his rest at that time; and he was a holy man, merciful and generous in alms-giving; and he had lived long among the people of Misr, ruling them in purity and justice. Therefore the faithful people mourned for him, and met together and took counsel, and wrote to the father, Abba John, praying him to appoint his son Mark, the deacon, bishop over them at Misr, in the place of George now at rest. When the patriarch read the letter, he was willing that they should obtain their desire because of his pastoral care for their souls; and he commanded that Mark, the deacon, should be promoted to their see. Mark, however, refused the dignity which was offered to him. Thereupon the patriarch caused iron fetters to be placed upon Mark's feet, and ordained him priest, intending to complete his consecration as bishop. But this proceeding was against Mark's will, and he was weeping and sad, saying: «O Lord, thou knowest that I am not fit for this post; therefore I pray thee, O my Lord, to save me from this burden which I cannot bear.» And the Lord, who loves mankind, and chooses those whom he elects for his grace before they are born, heard him; for he said to that faithful one: «Rise, leave this place in which thou art.» So he arose at that moment; and the irons fell from his feet, and |397 the door opened for him, and he escaped; and none of those who were guarding him awoke as he went out. When morning came, the patriarch sent for Mark, but found that he was gone. And Abba John, though he gave orders to enquire after the fugitive, could not discover him, and therefore was indignant. Then the patriarch appointed a son of his, named Cosmas, and ordained him for the people of Misr; but after a short time he died. And there was a person called Michael, of virtuous life; therefore Abba John consecrated him bishop for them.

And the patriarch was angry with Mark the deacon, because he had escaped and disobeyed his father's command. So he wrote a letter to the holy father George at Al-Burlus, whom we mentioned at the beginning of this narrative. The letter was written in order to let him know that the patriarch was displeased with his son Mark, on account of his disobedience to his father, and flight from him, and because Mark had lowered the patriarchal dignity in the eyes of the people of Misr. To this the holy George, the prophet, answered, saying: «Let not thy Paternity be angry with thy son because he resisted thee. For thou didst desire to oppose God's decree, since that which thou didst purpose for Mark was not from God. But God has reserved him, that he may receive thy see and thy primacy after thee.» When the father patriarch heard this prophecy, he marvelled; for he believed all that the holy old hermit said to him. And when Mark learnt this, he returned to the patriarch, and prostrated himself before him and |398 asked his pardon. And he was no longer displeased with Mark, who from that day enjoyed high estimation with the patriarch, and was never separated from him again, but accompanied him wherever he went.

Then the patriarch betook himself to Fustât Misr, on account of the taxes which were imposed upon the Church property; and this was the last time that he went thither. And Satan, the hater of good, contrived that certain persons should attack Abba John. For Satan said: «This old man resists me, and builds churches and memorials; I also will cause his remuneration to be scanty.» There was at that time a governor who hated Christ; and Satan suggested to him that he should demolish some of the churches of Misr. But the Lord who loves mankind speedily took vengeance on that man, and he suddenly died an evil death. And after him there was appointed in his room a person who favoured the Christians. So he directed them to clean out the churches, which his predecessor had begun to pull down; but he did not bid them rebuild. Now the patriarch was at Misr, where he had accomplished all his duties, and was intending to return to Alexandria. But it was the feast of the Lord, the 28th. day of Kîhâk. So the bishops and laity begged him to celebrate the Liturgy for them, and to communicate them, before he separated from them. And this prophecy was current among them, that they should receive the Holy Mysteries from his hand before his departure from this world. |399

And when he entered the church, he saw that it had no roof. Therefore he sighed, saying: «O my Lord and God, Jesus Christ, thou saidst to Peter, the chief of the disciples: I will build my church upon the rock, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against her. And though some of the hypocritical princes have oppressed her somewhat, yet according to thy word she shall never be destroyed. Proud princes like Diocletian and Julian and such as resembled them have been repulsed, but the Church is exalted in every age, and faith is perfected. O Lord, I pray and implore that thou wilt renew the Church by grace, and overthrow all the hypocritical princes that oppose her, and show them their weakness speedily, and bring their counsels to nought. And grant me a governor, seeking the truth, who will command that the churches be rebuilt, and restored to their former condition of decency and beauty, by making thy light to rise among them.»

And while he was praying with these and similar words, he heard, like the blessed David, a voice saying: «As for thee, I will take thee to myself, and give thee rest from the troubles of this world. But he who shall come after thee is he that shall build and restore the churches.» When the patriarch heard these words, he began the liturgy; and as soon as he had finished the service, he communicated the laity of the Holy Mysteries, and gave them the salutation of peace. Afterwards the bishops returned to their dioceses. At that time our father, Abba John, was attacked by fever, and |400 he began to suffer from pains in his head. Now the fathers and bishops hoped that he might attain his desires, and that his heart might be satisfied; and they said to him: «Our father, let not thy heart be troubled because the church is wrecked! The Lord will raise up for it one who will rebuild it, so that it shall be better than it was before, in return for thy prayers and thy holy life.» But the patriarch did not heed their words, for his heart was occupied with the voice that he had heard, telling him that he was about to depart from this world. So he prayed the bishops, saying to them: «Take me to my city, the place which the Lord chose for me, that I may worship the Lord upon the throne of my father, Mark the evangelist, before my soul leaves my body.»

And they obeyed him, and carried him to a boat. And there were with him of the bishops Michael, bishop of Misr, and George, bishop of Memphis. And on the day of their departure from Misr, a new governor, named El-Laith, son of El-Fadl, was appointed over Egypt; and he was a good man and favoured the Christians. And while we went down the river, the patriarch began to address us, as he sat in the boat, saying: «A thought has come into my mind, which I will tell you for the sake of your holy lives; and I will reveal to you what lies hid from you. You know what trouble I have encountered, and how I have endured even to the shedding of blood. But now I am about to be removed to the place where my fathers dwell. For I prayed God not to take me away suddenly without fruit, but to leave me for one year, and to grant to me that I might turn |401 to him with my whole heart, and repent and weep over my sins. And I prayed him to let me see a just governor in the land of Egypt, who would favour the Christians. And God did not refuse me this request, but granted me life for one year, the end of which will be in these few days. And the tidings has reached me that a governor has been appointed, and that he does all that is good to the churches and the brethren. But I am about to depart to God, and you will see me no more in the body; for my time, of which I have been warned by God, is at hand. Therefore listen now. When I am dead, hasten and place him whom God shall choose upon the throne.»

The fathers and bishops, on hearing these words, were assured of the patriarch's approaching death. Therefore they gave vent to sighs, and could not endure their grief through the abundance of their tears, on account of his saying: «You will see me no more in the body.» And they said to him: «Our father, when God revealed thy departure from this world, of whom did he make known to thee that he would sit upon the throne after thee?» Abba John replied: «It is he whom God has preserved till now, and whom he has chosen to rule his people. I indeed desired to make him a bishop; but it was God's dispensation to keep him for this ministry. It is, namely, my son, the priest Mark.» This the patriarch said, while they were descending the river on the boat. And when he arrived at the city of Alexandria, his sickness and fever grew heavy upon him. And here is another wonder which God manifested to our holy father, |402 Abba John, and which must not be left unnoticed. For on the 16th. day of the month of Tubah, the feast of the holy martyr Philotheus, which was the birthday of this father, as it is generally related, and also the day on which he was ordained patriarch, ---- on that very day he gave up his soul to the Lord.

Abba John remained upon the throne twenty-four years, and his death took place in the year 515 of the Martyrs. So the grief of the orthodox laity was great that day on his account. And when the prayers and the liturgy had been said for him, his holy body was laid with his holy fathers, the Theodosian patriarchs. And the Lord received his pure soul; and he was numbered with the saints in the land of the living. Glory is due to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his merciful Father and to the Holy Ghost, the Giver of life, now and at all times and for ever and ever! Amen.

MARK III, THE FORTY-NINTH PATRIARCH. A. D. 799-819.

Then the two bishops returned in haste to Misr, namely Abba Michael, the bishop of that city, and George, bishop of Memphis, that they might |403 forward the appointment of a successor to Abba John. So when the bishops and orthodox laity assembled at Alexandria, and took counsel together as to whom they should nominate, the bishops said: «We have heard that our father, Abba John, mentioned the name of the priest Mark, and said that it was he that should sit after him.» Then all the clergy cried with one voice: «He is worthy indeed of this rank. He is the saint who has been approved by the Holy Ghost, and was approved by our blessed father John all the days that he remained with him.» Then all the bishops and clergy wrote a letter, addressed to Michael, bishop of Misr, saying thus: «Thy Paternity knows the state of orphanhood into which we are fallen, through the departure of our blessed father, Abba John, to the Lord at this mournful time, and also how the princes are changed. And thy Paternity knows that a flock of sheep without a shepherd is entered and scattered by the wolf, and that every city without a wall is destroyed by the enemy. For this cause we have assembled in the Great Church of Alexandria with the fathers and bishops, and have written with one consent that our hearts approve the priest Mark, that he may be a father to us. For we know that the Lord has chosen him, and that our departed father informed you of this before his death. Therefore we say, as the blessed David said ³⁴: Instead of the fathers there came sons, whom thou shalt make rulers over all the land.» |404

This letter was conveyed to its destination by some of the bishops and the archdeacon of the city. But when the priest Mark received the news of the letter, which had been written concerning him, he was much grieved, and immediately rose up and fled to the monastery of Saint Macarius in Wadî Habîb. Now the desert was at that time like the Paradise of God, inhabited by holy and spiritual men, one of whom prophesied of this saint that he was worthy of this ministry, as we related above. Then when the father, Abba Michael, bishop of Misr, read the letter, he recalled the words of his teacher, Abba John, the deceased patriarch. Therefore Michael summoned all the chief men at Misr, and they went to the governor. And the bishops, that is Abba Michael and the envoys, entered into the governor's presence, for he admitted no other. And he said to them: «What is your business?» Abba Michael replied: «We make it known to thy lordship that our father, the chief and father of our religion, whom we had, is dead.» Then the governor asked: «What then do you desire?» They answered: «May God lengthen thy days! There are heavy taxes upon the property of the Church, and therefore we desire to appoint a successor to him, who may administer the affairs of the Church and the people.» Then the governor enquired: «And what is his name?» They said that it was Mark. So he ordered that Mark's name should be written in the Divan, and then gave them permission to appoint him in the place of Abba John. And they went out from his presence. |405

After this the bishop, Abba Michael, learnt that the priest Mark had fled. Now the bishop, Abba Michael, was superintendent of all matters concerning the monasteries. So he at once despatched the bishops and clergy, and bade them fetter Mark, and conduct him to Alexandria. And this they did to him on the nd. day of Amshir, the feast of the Father Longinus; and Mark arrived at Alexandria on a Sunday. And among the bishops was George, bishop of Memphis.

And Mark was ordained on the aforesaid day in the city of Alexandria. When he had taken his seat upon the evangelical throne, while all the people bore witness of him that he was worthy, then he read before them the Exegesis, which is called among the orthodox the Logos, in which he declared that he was acquainted with their works. And this Logos was full by the grace of the Holy Ghost of the doctrines of the orthodox; and he demonstrated therein how the Council of Chalcedon had fallen and was rejected; and he explained their error as consisting in the worship of a man. He also refuted those who deny the sufferings of Christ our God, who endured them for our sake by his own will in the body, which according to their teaching was a phantom. And when Abba Mark had performed the service of the Liturgy according to custom, he communicated all the congregation of the Holy Mysteries of the Body and the pure Blood. And |406 when all was accomplished, a week after his consecration came the week of carnival; and therefore he departed to the holy monastery, the Monastery of Az-Zajâj, in order that he might live in retirement there for prayer during the days of the Fast. After he arrived there, he received letters from Abba Michael, bishop of Misr, advising him to repair to Misr after the holy feast of Easter, in order to pay his respects to the governor. This was a dispensation from God, because some of the churches were in a state of ruin up to that time, and therefore the people mourned.

Accordingly, when the feast of Easter was over, the father patriarch, Abba Mark, made his entry into Fustât Misr, that he might salute the governor. And when he reached the city, its bishop, the father Michael, and the people were informed of their patriarch's arrival, and went out to him, carrying books of the gospel and crosses and censers, and met him with great rejoicing and shouting and chanting; and they said: «Happy and blessed is thy arrival amongst us, O Mark, son of Mark.» Then he proceeded to his lodging to rest, for it was the end of the day. And on the morrow the patriarch and the bishop Michael, and the rest of the bishops assembled with them, arose, that they might pay a visit to the governor. And when they reached the governor's house, and asked permission to see him, the governor commanded that the patriarch should enter. Then he went in and saluted the governor, who welcomed him; and afterwards |407 the patriarch prayed for him; so that the governor admired the sweetness of Abba Mark's voice and his gracious words and the grace with which he. was surrounded. So God put good will towards the patriarch into the governor's heart, and he bade Abba Mark sit beside him, and conversed with him on equal terms, and said to him: «Take courage and be of good comfort, for I will perform all thy needs, and enable thee to obtain all that thou desirest of me.» The patriarch answered: «God will exalt thy authority and make thy days prosperous, and bring thy subjects into accord with thy rule.» And he went out from his presence in peace.

When they afterwards considered the governor's discourse with Abba Mark, and the interest which the former manifested with regard to the churches, Abba Michael, bishop of Misr, said: «We must take measures for the rebuilding of the churches now, because the governor evidently favours the Christians.» Accordingly, on the morrow the patriarch again visited the governor, and saluted him. And the governor showed respect and honour to Abba Mark, and raised him from the ground and gave him a seat, and addressed him as follows: «I told thee yesterday that I would perform all thy needs, but thou hast asked nothing of me. Now therefore, mention to me whatever thou requirest, and it shall be carried out by me, because I have an affection for thee ». Then the patriarch said to him with soft |408 words: «May the Lord preserve thy days, and exalt thee yet more, and increase thy power! Thou knowest that thy servant has not been made ruler over money and revenue, but over souls and churches. I request then of thy highness, ---- for we have here churches, some of which were demolished by the tyrant before thy arrival in Egypt; and so the Lord demolished his houses, and cut off his life from the earth. If then thy wisdom sees good to order that we rebuild our churches, so that we may pray in them and intercede for thy highness, the matter lies in thy hands». Then God quickly put it into the governor's heart that he should give orders for the restoration of the churches;and accordingly all the churches of Fustât Misr were rebuilt. And all the orthodox rejoiced greatly, and praised God for the great mercy which he had granted to them, and their sadness was turned into joy. And our father Mark uttered praises in the spirit, and sang with David ³⁵: «Blessed is the Lord who has not rejected my prayer, nor removed his mercy from me».

Then Abba Mark returned to Alexandria, and occupied himself with maintaining the unity of the two sees of Alexandria and Antioch. For he wrote according to custom a synodical letter, which was full of all wisdom, and sent it to Cyriacus, patriarch of Antioch, informing him therein of the decease of the father, Abba John, and relating how he himself had taken his seat upon the evangelical throne. And Abba Mark in his epistle reminded Abba |409 Cyriacus of all the heretics, and of the war waged by our fathers for the true Faith, and renounced all schism and all heretics and the impure council of Chalcedon, as being the cause of doubt throughout the world, and abjured the sect of Nestorius, composed of the new Jews. And Abba Mark declared the concord of the two sees, and called Cyriacus Father and Partner in the ministry. This letter he sent by two bishops who understood how to pronounce an oration in Greek, one of them being Mark, the wise bishop of Tinnîs, and the other also Mark, bishop of Al-Faramâ, besides the deacon George, superintendent of the church of Alexandria.

When they had delivered the synodical to the patriarch Cyriacus, and he had read it, he mourned over the departure of the Father John, and rejoiced at the appointment of the father, Abba Mark, and over the holy bishops. And when the letter was read in the church of Antioch, the souls of the people were filled with joy, as they heard Abba Mark's words and the wisdom, full of spiritual perfume, which flowed from his heart, full as he was of the Holy Ghost; and they blessed the Lord, and praised the fathers who were counted worthy to sit upon the throne of Mark the evangelist. Then they admired the bishops, who had brought the synodical from Egypt, for their comely faces and garments, and their humility, and the eloquence of their speech and the sweetness of their words. And the bishops stayed a few days with the patriarch, until he dismissed them with gifts worthy of the patriarchal dignity; and he sent by them a letter of salutation, |410 glorifying our holy father, the patriarch Mark. When they reached Egypt, and the letter of the patriarch Cyriacus was read in the churches of Egypt, the people glorified God and rejoiced over the union of the two patriarchs, the one with the other.

We will now record another work done by the Lord in the days of our father Mark, that your hearts may rejoice, and that you may know that he resembled the father Severus and Cyril and Dioscorus, those men who repulsed the heretics in their time. There was a community in Egypt named after Barsanuphi, and also called Those that have no head; and this sect continued a long time, from the days of the patriarch Peter, who held the see after Timothy the confessor, in the time of Zeno, the pious prince; and afterwards they remained in their opposition to the truth. Therefore the father Mark, who concerned himself with the salvation of men's souls, was sad, and prayed to the Lord for them, saying: «O eternal Lord of hosts, unattainable and inscrutable Light, whom none beholds nor approaches, who seest thy creatures drowned in the depths of sin through their disobedience, thou hast offered us salvation by an incomprehensible mystery, and made earth like heaven by thy death and holy resurrection. As the wise |411 Paul says ³⁶: That he may gather the nations to himself in peace by the power of his Cross, which destroyed the enemy, and announced peace to us, both those that are near and those that are afar off. Who also didst go to the mountain, until thou hadst brought back the sheep that was lost ³⁷, and saved him from the mouth of the cruel wolf, rescuing him not by sword nor scourge, but by thy great mercy. And thou wast not content with his return, but didst summon the heavenly hosts and the sublime orders of the angels to rejoice with thee, saying to them in thy gospel ³⁸: Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost. Now, O Lord, hear the prayer of thy servant, and let my prayer enter before thee on behalf of these lost sheep; and let the members of thy Church be gathered together, that they may be one fold and one Shepherd according to the true words of the gospel ³⁹ ». So the Lord heard his prayer speedily, and moved the hearts of the chiefs of that sect. Now their leader was a man named Abraham, whose father in the flesh was a bishop of theirs. And the patriarch taught those two to recognise the error in which the Barsanuphians were living, having left the fount of the water of life flowing from the evangelical see, and dug for themselves a well of error, as the prophet Jeremias says ⁴⁰. So they rose up quickly, and visited the patriarch, Abba Mark the Younger, and cast |412 themselves down prostrate before him, saying: «Blessed is God, who has enlightened us by the teachings of thy Holiness, which have come to our ears, and converted us from the error which has kept us in darkness during this long period of time. Now we shall be reckoned among thy sheep, as children of thy evangelical see, which is the see of Saint Mark». Then when our father, the patriarch, saw that they had abandoned their former tenets, and had returned to the spiritual flock, he rejoiced greatly and glorified God for that conversion, and uttered the praises that were fitting in the words of David, where he praises God in the Psalm ⁴¹: «When the Lord turned again the captivity of his people, we became as those that are consoled. Let Jacob rejoice, and Israel sing praises!»

And through the grace of God, shining forth in our holy father, the patriarch, he desired to prove and examine the faith of the two men, whether they were humble as befits those that wish to return to Christ, or were clothed with pride on account of the high offices which they had occupied. Then he said to them with humility and kindness: «Hear what was said by him in whom was the fount of mercy, Paul, the sweet-tongued, in one of his epistles ⁴²: What portion has the believer with the unbeliever, and what pleasure has Christ in Satan? Therefore now think not that you two will remain in this office which you hold, and which you received from |413 your heretical sect, without ordination according to the canons. For the Holy Ghost did not come down upon you, as he descends upon bishops at the reading of the canonical prayers, established for them by the apostles.» When the two men heard these words of the patriarch, they replied with humility, through the grace which had come to them by the prayers of the holy father, and said to him: «Our holy father, henceforth we are not worthy to be in office nor to remain in it. But we came to thee that we might be under the shadow of thy prayers. Only there is one thing that we beg of thee, that thou wilt pray the Lord to forgive us the offence of our former error and negligence.» This they said in the power of faith and confession. And they requested him to give them ink and paper, as they sat before him; and they wrote in their own handwriting a declaration that they would never, under pain of anathema, solicit of him a bishopric or any clerical office in any place whatsoever. So when he saw how strong their faith was, and that they had returned to the orthodox belief of our holy fathers, who were clothed with light, he blessed them from the depths of his heart, saying like the apostle Paul ⁴³: «May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, that you may abound in the right faith by the |414 power of the Holy Ghost!» And according to the custom of charity, and the manifestation of good at all times, and the rewarding of it, God soon declared himself to those two men.

Then Abba Mark commanded that those two men, George and his son Abraham, should be received. And after the patriarch had ascertained their intentions, he ordained them bishops, and read the canonical prayers over them, and clothed them with the episcopal vestments in the church of the martyr, Saint Mennas, at Maryût, on the day of his glorious feast, which is the 15th of Hatûr, when all the orthodox people were assembled to keep the martyr's festival. And the congregation stood upon tiptoe, that they might see what was taking place. And they glorified God, who performed wonders by the hand of this holy man, saying: «Glory be to thee, O Lover of mankind, who hast saved the souls of these two men from the service of Satan, the seducer.» Then when the patriarch had finished the celebration of the holy feast, he returned to the city of Alexandria, accompanied by all the people with great rejoicing; for they praised him because he had presented this offering to the Lord. And he took those two bishops to himself, and attached them to his person. But after a little while two bishops died among those in the land of Egypt, one of them being Apacyrus, bishop of Tunbudha, and the other, Mennas, bishop of Atrîb. Then the patriarch |415 appointed Abraham to Atrîb and George, his father, to Tunbudha; and these two bishops became his elect ones to the day of their death. Glory be to the Lord Jesus Christ, who rejoices over those that return to life!

The Barsanuphians of Egypt, mentioned above, when they saw that their chiefs had returned to orthodoxy, and that no foundation remained for their community, wrote to Abba Mark, praying him to visit them and consecrate their churches. And when he read the letters, he rejoiced exceedingly, and left all his work, and went in haste to Misr, and consecrated their churches and monasteries for them, and established liturgies for them according to the ecclesiastical rule, and gave them the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, our God. So there was at Fustât Misr great joy and spiritual gladness.

And the Lord Jesus Christ did for our holy father Mark all that he asked of him. And all the congregations assembled to hear his discourse and his salutary doctrines. Thus after a few days he found that the church which he had consecrated for the Barsanuphians, the followers of that doctrine, would not contain the congregation, when he went thither to celebrate the liturgy. Therefore he called the workmen, and spent money upon it from his own resources, so that it was rebuilt and became a handsome edifice. For this reason it is called the patriarch's church to the present day. |416

And this wonderful grace increased in his days. But the Enemy would not be patient, when he saw this prosperity and these sublime events, and how the patriarch established the divine precepts in the hearts of the faithful, and the liberation of the captives who returned through his prayers. Therefore Satan discharged his arrows against the Church of the east. For he influenced one of the metropolitans of Cyriacus, patriarch of Antioch, named Abraham, so that he spoke perverse words of the mysteries of Christ, such as we should have no desire to record, were it not necessary, lest the hearing them should defile the ears of the faithful and pure. For I know that you are surrounded by grace at all times through that Light of men, Saint Mark; since by the prayers of our father the evangelist there will never be a lack of grace. The error into which that metropolitan strayed was by blaspheming against the mysteries. Then when our father Mark heard of it, he was greatly grieved and said: «What should we gain if we were at all times of one accord in the faith, when this strange doctrine appears in the Church of Antioch? This grief of mine is on account of the union of the orthodox fathers, to which we and they cleave; and above all on account of Paul's words ⁴⁴: «If one member of the body suffers, all the |417 members suffer; and if one member of the body is glorified, the whole body rejoices with it.» This the holy Mark, the patriarch, said, while he was praying to the Lord. And because he cared greatly for the Faith and for union with the Antiochenes, he wrote to the Father Patriarch Cyriacus a letter of which here is a copy: «A report has reached us of the seed that Satan has sown in your holy Church in the error of Abraham. Therefore our Church mourned; and we assembled together on that account, because we never heard before these days of anything out of harmony with our union in the orthodox Faith, and with that which the Lord joined together, when he brought us all into the true light. And now we have become like those who have taken a prisoner, and offered him as a gift to the king; but while he is making provision for him, he is attacked by a strange nation, which takes possession of the captive. But I trust in that king, with whose weapons we are armed to fight his enemies, that he will speedily put his enemies to shame, and deliver the captive from their hands. Therefore, O blessed father, neglect not to seek out the erring one, and feed him with the food with which the sick ought to be fed, namely the word of God. As the teacher Paul wrote to us, saying ⁴⁵: Receive the weak in the faith, and help them, not with disputations on opinions, but by the exercise of the art |418 of healing. Human bodies are cured by those who understand their sickness. Through proper treatment of the sick, they are restored to health and grow strong. Thou art now a physician of souls, and, by the power of the doctrine of our Lord Christ, thou wilt remove the disease implanted by the enemy. Salutation to our holy and blessed Father! Amen. »

When this letter reached Cyriacus, patriarch of Antioch, he admired the solicitude shown by this holy man, and strove with all his might to bring back that sinner, but had no power over him. For Satan continued to incline Abraham's heart; and finally a number of his brother bishops in the regions of Antioch joined him, and went astray with him in this error. Then the people of the east called them Abrahamites; and they separated themselves from the Church and the orthodox Synod.

When our father Mark returned to Alexandria, after the building of the church known by his name, the orthodox rejoiced and were all filled with divine emulation. And Solomon, the pious magistrate, and a band of Christians with him, visited our father, and prayed him earnestly, saying to him: «The whole land of Egypt is filled with joy through the building of the churches, especially that church which thou hast built at Misr. And thou, our father, knowest that during the lifetime of our father, Abba John, we begged him to rebuild the church of the Lord and Saviour, and to enlarge it and increase it, because it stands in the midst of the city. But |419 the work was not done, and the church has remained as it was till now. Therefore we ask thee to let us see this joy in thy days.» But the good shepherd answered and said to them: «You know the jealousy of these neighbours of yours. When we begin to do the work that you have mentioned, they will present petitions to the governor against us, and complain of us; and so we shall fall into trials such as we endured many times from them, I and my father John, during the building of the church of Michael the Angel, also called the church of Repentance.» Nevertheless as often as he spoke to them thus, they begged him again and urged him still more, saying: «Thy holy prayers will be a strong wall for us, so that this monument may be completed». And when he saw the strength and ardour of their faith, he consented to their request.

Then Abba Mark gathered together a body of workmen and architects. And he laid the foundation in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this church stood in the midst of the city. So the patriarch used to rise at the time of prayer and at cockcrow, that he might witness and superintend the progress of the building, as if he were one of the architects; for the Lord had granted him all wisdom. And Abba Mark counted his labour rest, because he loved good works and the building of churches. And while he went on building the aforesaid church, through the grace of the Lord which |420 descended upon him, he adorned it with all kinds of decoration, until it became a sadness to the Chalcedonian heretics, and a joy and delight to the faithful orthodox.

And on the 17th. day of Tût, the feast of the Cross, the bishops who were in the district of Alexandria, with other neighbouring bishops of Egypt, assembled together; and the church was consecrated in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. How great was the joy on that day, with the singing of hymns and pronouncing of blessings and glorifying of God, as the heavenly orders do in the highest! And the patriarch gave large alms on that day to the poor and needy. How many were the works of the glorious father, Mark the patriarch! For they cannot be counted, nor can my feeble tongue describe them.

In those days the father appointed a superintendent over the patriarchal service. But that superintendent was full of jealousy and malice against all men, and especially against a secretary of our father Abba Mark, whom he accused of all wickedness, in order that our father, the patriarch, might cast out that secretary, and commit the care of the church to the superintendent by himself alone. And although our father restrained him, and forbad him to say such words, yet he would not receive the medicine from the physician. So on a certain day, namely the 16th. day of Tubah, when the holy father was about to commemorate the death of the father John, who went to his rest on that day, that wicked man appeared, and began to calumniate the brother and secretary, as Joseph's brethren did to him. Then the |421 patriarch said to him: «Now is thy malady dangerous. Now we have tried upon thee every means of saving thy soul; but instead of checking thyself thou growest worse. Therefore now let thine injustice rest upon thine own head, as the prophet says in the psalm ⁴⁶». And there was near them a picture, in which the glorious Lady Mary was painted with the Lord Christ in her lap; and it was set up in the chamber where the patriarch sat. So that superintendent looked upon it, and, stretching out a finger of his right hand, he said: «By her power, if I have told a lie in that which I have related, may this picture take vengeance upon me!» Now hear the bitter fate that befell this wretch according to the denunciation of that holy prophet, who spoke with authority. For he uttered against him words full of terror, like the words of Daniel ⁴⁷ the prophet to the two old men who contradicted the testimony of the chaste Susanna, saying: «O thou that art grown old in wickedness, the angel of the Lord shall strike thee and cut thee in two, as he did to those who bore false witness against Susanna». And at that moment, when the words which came from his mouth were ended, that wretched man fell at the patriarch's feet upon his right side, that being the side of his right hand, which he had stretched out towards the picture with evil intent; and he was struck with paralysis of one side, which lasted to the day of |422 his death. Therefore, when men saw this miracle and this terrible occurrence, they all feared the patriarch's words, which were like the words of the prophets.

Now my lords and fathers, and ye children of the orthodox, I told you at the beginning that I could never give a perfect account of the deeds of my fathers, as the greatness of those deeds deserves; for I am like the gleaner after the reapers. And I have no illuminating wit, because I am plunged in the darkness of my sins. Yet from reliable and truthful persons, who were constantly ministering to our holy fathers, we have heard the narratives which we are relating in part. I will therefore give a further description of that which was manifested by this father, the patriarch Abba Mark, that you may marvel and glorify God for the mercy and compassion which he shows to his elect. As Paul says ⁴⁸: «For those that love God he does every excellent work».

There was in the time of this saint a great plague of locusts, which appeared in the province of Al-Buhairah and near Alexandria, and devoured all the fruits of the earth and of the vineyards. As it is written in the Psalm ⁴⁹: «He spoke, and locusts and grasshoppers came, and ate up all the green things on the earth». So the father was sad when he was informed of this calamity. And he bade the orthodox people proceed forth with incense |423 and crosses and books of the gospel, and pray the merciful God to remove from them the wrath which had descended upon them. And the father went out with them and besought God in his heart with abundant tears. Thus they marched outside the city to the place where the locusts were, as Abba Mark directed them. There they saw the locusts, which had flown up high into the air; and there were so many of them that the air was darkened. And the tears of the people were mixed with their prayers. Then the patriarch said: «O Lord of mercy and pity, destroy us not for our sins and offences, but turn away from our transgressions for thy mercy's sake. As thou didst hear the people of Nineve, hear, O Lord, our supplication, and accept our petition. And as thou didst hear the prayer of Moses in ancient times, and drive away the locusts from the land of Egypt, so hear our request to-day, and look upon the tears of thy people and their sighs which come from the depth of their hearts, and remove this wrath from us». If we did not abhor prolixity, we would fully report all the prayers and humble supplications that they offered, and their ardour and their weeping. And God is the Mighty one, who hears the prayers of his servants, and delivers those that cry to him. How great was that miracle, in no respect less than that which took place in the days of Moses! How great was the power of Christ in our father the patriarch! For at that very hour the locusts flew away over the heads of the people, and afterwards |424 came down again upon the waves of the sea, where they all perished, through his prayers.

Hear now, my fathers and brothers, a thing at which your hearts will rejoice on account of the gift of divine mercy, which God gave to this father. After this event, while he was returning from Misr, and was making a visitation of the people, he passed through a town now called Agharwah, but in former times Aghra. And the clergy came out to meet him according to the custom, that they might chant before him, with a body of the laity, chief men and leaders of the people; and he blessed them and prayed for all of them. And there came out among the others a person possessed by a devil, which threw him down in the midst of the people, and choked him until foam flowed from his mouth. So our father, when he saw that man, pitied him and was sorry, and being filled with the Holy Ghost, said to the people: «Bring him to me.» Then Abba Mark signed that man's face with the sign of the Gross, and said: «O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Word of the Father, who didst confound the devils and free thy creatures from them, thou art he whom the devils recognised, and thou art he who didst cast them down to Hell, wherefore they cried ⁵⁰: What have |425 we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God, art thou come to destroy us before the time when we shall be chastised? Now, my Lord Jesus Christ, drive away this unclean devil, and cast him out of this man!» And when he had said this, the man fell upon the ground, and became unconscious and tranquil as if he were asleep; and when he arose, a moment afterwards, the devil had left him through the patriarch's prayers. So that man threw himself at Abba Mark's holy feet, and thanked God for the deliverance thus granted. Then the father repeated to him the words, addressed by Jesus in the gospel to the man with the withered hand, after he healed him: «Thou art made whole, therefore sin no more, lest worse things than this befall thee ⁵¹. And beware how thou goest up to receive the Holy Mysteries, and learn that the punishment which overtook thee was because thou didst communicate of the Holy Mysteries unprepared. Therefore guard thyself from vain words, which come forth from thy mouth.»

You have seen then, my friends, this excellent grace of which our father, the patriarch Abba Mark, was counted worthy, and that by the word of his mouth he cast out devils by command and with authority, like the pure apostles and disciples of Christ. He also anointed many of the sick with oil in the name of the Lord Christ, and prayed over them, and they quickly recovered their health. And if any objector say: «Why did he |426 not cure himself of the painful sickness from which he suffered?», let him read in the scriptures, and he will find that God declares that he tries his elect by sicknesses and trials. So, for example, he tried Job the truthful by leprosy; and Joseph by his being cast into the pit by his brothers; and Daniel with the fierce lions; and the three youths in the furnace of fire; and Isaias with the wooden saw. But the prophets and good men of this class are many, and if we were to relate all that each of them suffered, the volumes would not contain it. For if the shadow of the apostle Peter ⁵² passed over a sick man in the way, he was healed of his sickness; and therefore the sick used to sit in the road which Peter would traverse, and then his shadow passed over them, and they were healed. And Paul ⁵³ had a pustule in his leg, from which he suffered, and which he could not cure; but God only tried him thereby in mercy to him, lest he should magnify himself when he was working miracles in the name of Christ. Simeon, the hermit, also suffered from inveterate ulcers, which he could not cure; although by his prayers he healed the blind, and cleansed lepers, and did many works; and he continued in his sickness three years. And our holy |427 father, Abba Mark the patriarch, continued in his pains twelve years. Yet he used to give thanks to God, saying: «I thank thee my Lord and God, because thou hast counted me worthy of these sufferings like Lazarus the beggar.» And the people and all the land of Egypt remained in peace and prosperity all his days.

But Satan, the hater of good, would not endure patiently, because he saw Abba Mark's works and wonders, which increased every day. Therefore he began to raise up seditions against the land of Egypt, and there was mourning in every place, including Alexandria. And great trouble came upon the patriarch, such that no man who hears of it can refrain from weeping. Now therefore I will relate to you that which happened.

In those days Hârûn ar-Rashîd had died at Bagdad; and his son Muhammad, called Al-Amîn, sat in his father's place. The cause of offence was that Hârûn ar-Rashîd before his death had assembled the chief personages of the empire, and said to them: «After me, the caliphate belongs to my son, the lord Al-Ma'mûn.» But when Muhammad al-Amîn heard of this, he was filled with anger, and gathered a host together, and made war upon his brother. But Al-Ma'mûn killed Al-Amîn, and sat upon the throne of the empire. When the strife broke out between the two brothers, a certain rebel arose, and assembled an innumerable army, and kept the road between |428 Egypt and the East. And he robbed those that were journeying to Misr or Upper Egypt or Abyssinia or Nubia of all their goods; so that travelling was interrupted on the roads and all the tracks through fear of him. This attack upon Egypt lasted long on account of the disturbed state of the government of Bagdad. And the insurgents rose against the government in Egypt, and gathered the taxes for themselves. There was among them a man, called Abd al-Azîz al-Jarawi, who seized the land from Shatnûf to Al-Faramâ, with the eastern province of Egypt, Bilbais and its territory. And there was one named As-Sarî, son of Al-Hakam, who took the country between Misr and Aswan. These two men took possession of the revenues. Moreover those that are called Lakhm and Judhâm, the two tribes, seized the western part of Egypt and the districts of Alexandria and Maryût, and ruled over the whole of Al-Buhairah. These two tribes were generally at war one with the other, and plundered one another; and the country suffered greatly from them. So when they reduced the city of Alexandria to extremities, the inhabitants prayed, and implored the Lord's help, and begged him to deliver them from this tyrannical people.

Now there was in those days to the west of Alexandria a monastery, known as the Monastery of Az-Zajâj, at which there was an aged hermit, endowed with grace to see through the Holy Ghost signs and visions; and his name was John. And he said to the Alexandrians prophetically: «I see that you are distressed by this people. In the same way, believe |429 me, a nation will come from the west, and will destroy without mercy this people and this city, and plunder all that it contains.» And after he had said this, Alexandria was invaded by a host of those who are called Spaniards, laden with much booty from the islands of the Romans. And they continued to make raids from Egypt, as they had done elsewhere, upon the islands of the Romans, plundering them, and bringing the captives to Alexandria, and selling them as slaves. Therefore when our father Mark saw these captives, he was grieved because human beings were sold, as if they were cattle; moreover many of them became Muslims. And because his heart was compassionate he redeemed many of them, such as monks and priests and deacons and virgins and mothers of children, until he had bought as many as six thousand souls. When he purchased one of these prisoners, he wrote a deed of emancipation for him on the spot, and gave into his hand a letter which set him free. And Abba Mark said to those whom he liberated: «If any of you wish to settle with me, he shall be as my son. But to him that desires to return to his native country I will give the means of bringing him to his own people.» And many of them, when they saw his deeds, settled with him. And he placed them with teachers, who taught them the Psalms and the doctrine of the Church. But to those that preferred to go back to their people he gave provisions for the journey and all that they required. Then the report of him and what he did was spread abroad in the kingdoms and among the officials |430 of the various states, and he gained a fair fame among them. Therefore Satan was filled with envy against him on account of his deeds, and brought trials upon him and showed the sting of his wickedness.

There was in the city of Alexandria in those days a governor of high lineage among the Muslims, named Omar son of Mâlik. But the tribes of Lakhm and Judhâm and Madlajah rose against him and sought to slay him, that they might take possession of the city. So they began to fight with him, but could not prevail against him. And there was among the Spaniards a very old man who had come to Alexandria in his youth, and was skilful in all guile and deceit; and he acted as mediator between the tribe of Lakhm and the Spaniards, in order that the latter might assist the former to kill the governor; and they all came to an agreement upon this matter. Accordingly the Spaniards joined the Lakhmites on the 10th. day of Ba'ûnah, in the year 530 of the Martyrs; and, after the old man's suggestions had been accepted by them, he acted as their guide in this deed. Then they killed the governor and took possession of the city. And that which happened subsequently is such as to sadden and grieve us. For on the day after the murder of the governor, namely the 11th. of Ba'ûnah, there was a quarrel between the Lakhmites and the Spaniards; and instead of peace hostility and war broke out. And there was an encounter between |431 them, and the fighting did not cease till night, when the Spaniards were victorious. When the Alexandrians saw these things, they drew their swords and marched into the streets and lanes and baths and houses, and killed any of the Spaniards that they found in any place; and the number of those whom they slew was eighty souls. When the combatants parted, and the Lakhmites fled, the Spaniards enquired after their comrades; and, having been informed that the Alexandrians had slain them, were filled with fury like fierce lions, for they were very courageous, and drew their swords, and sallied forth raging through the city, and killed all the townsmen that they met, whether Muslims or Christians or Jews. And wherever the Spaniards found one of their comrades who had been slain, they burnt that place with fire. Thus when they reached the church of the Saviour, which is called the Soter and was rebuilt by our father Mark, they found some of their nation lying at its doors, because the Muslims had killed them there in the houses, and carried them out and cast them by the door of the church. This sight exasperated the Spaniards; and at that moment there appeared a wicked old man, looking down upon the street from the roof of the houses; and he was Satan who appeared in that form. And he said to the Spaniards: «I saw the master of this church kill your comrades.» Then they |432 set fire to the church; and the conflagration spread so far that it consumed buildings at a distance from the church.

When our father heard of this calamity, he wept bitterly and was exceedingly sad. For those men slew a countless number of people, and pillaged and burnt many buildings. After this narrative we now desire to speak of the sufferings which entered the heart of our father, the patriarch Mark, especially with regard to the church of the Soter. He lamented in the words of the Psalm ⁵⁴: «O God, the heathen are entered into thine inheritance, and have defiled thy holy temple. They have turned Jerusalem into ruins like the darkness of a prison. They have made the dead bodies of thy servants food for the birds of the air, and the flesh of thy saints for the beasts of the earth, and have shed their blood like water around Jerusalem, and they have none to bury them». Then he descended from his throne, and sat on the ground, and continued this lamentation, as the blessed Job says ⁵⁵: «I was in peace and he scattered me abroad, and stripped my garment from me, and shot his arrows at me». These and similar words he uttered, and did not break his fast that day nor that night; and none could make him sit upon his throne nor even on a mat; but he lay upon the ground mourning. Then at midnight he arose to pray according |433 to his custom. And early on the next day he went out in company with two of his sons. And he said: «O holy city, in which much slaughter has been committed, and of which the enemy has taken possession! O throne on which I believed that I should never sit! O home of my holy fathers, clothed with light, where they died in joy and gladness, while I have become a stranger therein for my sins!» This he said; and then he went forth from the city, and journeyed from place to place, crossing rivers of waters and passing over difficult ground. In this state of distress he remained during five years after his departure from the city, like one who has been taken captive. Yet all this time he used to thank God day and night.

What trials befell the children of the church at that time, and the fathers and bishops, and the chief of the laity! But they used to come to the patriarch, and console him, and consult him; and each of them begged to be allowed to entertain him as a guest, in order to receive his blessing; but he would never consent. And the pious official Macarius, son of Seth, a native of Nebrûwah, was of the diocese of Samannûd. Therefore when he heard what had happened, he arose and went to the residence of Abd al-Azîz, who was in possession of the eastern provinces, and solicited his protection for the father patriarch, Abba Mark, saying: «The tribes which have conquered Alexandria have robbed him of all his goods, and he has left his |434 see, and is come to live beneath the shadow of God and thy shadow. Therefore, if I have gained any favour before thee, write him a letter in thine own name, that he may be encouraged by thy command to dwell in his place in confidence».

Then Abd al-Azîz wrote an urgent decree, as the pious official requested. At that time the official acted the part of Dorotheus, the magistrate of Sakhâ, with whom the holy father Severus lodged until he died; for he sent messengers from his house with the decree of the Amir to the father patriarch, praying him to come and live in the dwelling of that official. So our father the patriarch arose and prayed, and journeyed till he arrived at Nebrûwah. And the official came forth with all his household to meet the patriarch, in honour of his primacy, and, on seeing the father, prostrated himself before him in the power of his faith, saying: «The Lord has done for me to-day a merciful deed in bringing thy Paternity to lodge at the house of thy servant. For I believe that thy coming to us will be a blessing and a healing to our souls». Thereupon he conducted him to the church, with chanting before him, as the rule for the patriarchs is. Afterwards he established him in a place befitting his primacy, in a building erected by that magistrate's parents, and dedicated to Saint Macarius of Wadî Habîb.

But in spite of all these troubles the holy father did not relinquish his care for the holy churches at Alexandria, and the patriarchate, and the |435 church of the martyr Saint Mennas at Maryût, nor for the union of the separated members of the church of Antioch, who had been led astray by the metropolitan Abraham and his followers. While Abba Mark was taking thought for these matters, the Lord removed the father Cyriacus of Antioch, and he went to his rest. After him an excellent person, named Dionysius, was elected. When he took his seat upon the throne, he began to make gentle advances to Abraham, and brought back many of those who had erred in his company; and they showed signs of repentance, and confessed their error. As soon therefore as our holy father Mark heard of this, he rejoiced greatly, and hastened to write a letter to the father Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch, expressing interest in the conversion of the erring. The opening of the letter was thus: «Blessed be the Lord and God of glory, who has never ceased to care for his flock, that is his Church, those whom he bought with his pure Blood and taught at the beginning. Verily thy Paternity will become by his holy name, as he testified of Paul ⁵⁶: He shall be for me a chosen vessel in my Name before kings and gentiles. So by his holy will he has elected thee especially at this time to which we have been assigned, and which is the end, as the blessed apostle says ⁵⁷. Now I beg thy Paternity to offer many prayers and supplications to the merciful Lord Christ, our God, that he may guide us and his Church, since we are in |436 great poverty; for by his inscrutable decrees he will finish what he has begun». Abba Mark continued: «The gentiles have entered his inheritance, and defiled our holy temples, and made the great city of Alexandria like a prison, through the fighting that has taken place therein between the tribes. At last the slain found none to bury them; and many of their corpses became food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth». Such were the thoughts which he expressed, because these events were like that which is written concerning Jerusalem in the Lamentations of the prophet Jeremias, with reference to the fate of that city after the Resurrection of the Lord Christ, when, in punishment for the sins of the misbelieving Jews, God sent against them Titus, prince of the Romans, the miscreant Magian, to do to them what is described in the second part of the writings of Josephus, son of Cyrtus, who undertook to compile the history of the Jews. «For this reason,» pursued the patriarch, «we quitted the city because of what we had witnessed therein. For they refrained not from slaying and plundering and burning. And there was none to hinder them. Therefore we have chosen to live in exile, and to pray to the Lord Christ our God. These things we desired to make known to thy Paternity. But there is great sorrow on account of those that have separated themselves from the Church, through the fault of him that is called Abraham! |437 Therefore when we heard recently that some of them have sought repentance, and are returning from their errors, we rejoiced greatly, and forgot the griefs which surround us. For if there were unity in the holy Church, and she remained at peace, graces would be doubled among us. Now, my holy Father, we know the mercy of the Lord Christ, our God, who came into the world not for the sake of the good, but for the sake of sinners. Therefore open to them now the door of repentance, and lead them to the way of truth, that the heavenly orders may rejoice at their return, because they are numbered among the children of light».

When this letter reached the father Dionysius, he, as well as the whole Syrian people, was much pleased by the forethought and goodness of our father, Abba Mark. And by this means the patriarch brought back those that had gone astray in those days, when they heard his letter, all but a few who continued to adhere to Abraham, the source of their error, and who are called Abrahamites to this day. So the Church of Antioch rejoiced greatly.

Then the father Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch, wrote a synodical letter to the father, Abba Mark, to show him the bond of charity which existed between them, and to thank him for his love and care for the salvation of all men. For this there was great joy in the land of Egypt and in the East, on account of this unity; and they glorified God. |438

But when God's favour had thus been shown, Satan, the perpetual adversary of peace and supporter of evil, would not endure it. Therefore he began to bring great trouble upon the desert of Wadî Habîb, which is a place where the Arabs dwell. Now the desert of Wadî Habîb had been like the Garden of Eden. But the Arabs plundered it, and took the monks captive, and demolished the churches and the cells there. And the holy seniors were scattered in every part of the world. When therefore the father, Abba Mark, saw such a calamity, this saint and mine of spiritual charity, whence love and faith abounded towards all men, especially those in the holy desert of our fathers, meditated on these things. And he could not bear this grief, but besought the Lord from the depths of his heart, repeating the words of David in the Psalm ⁵⁸: «My heart is disquieted within me, and in my reins a fire is kindled. O Lord, let me know my end; for my hope is vanished, and I have no harbour of safety where I can be secure. For the joy of Egypt has ceased, and Wadî Habîb, the Holy of Holies, has become a ruin, the dwelling of wild beasts. The homes of our blessed fathers, who passed their nights in prayer, have become the resort of the owl and the dens of cruel foxes, namely this |439 foul tribe.» Thus our father did not cease to weep night and day for the distress and grief which had come, and especially for the ruin of the holy monasteries and their churches.

So when the Lord saw these trials and griefs which this holy man was enduring, he desired to give him rest from the treachery of this world. Accordingly he was attacked by a fever during a few days. Then Mark the evangelist appeared to him in a dream on the 17th. day of Barmûdah, which was the Sunday of Easter that year, and said to him: «Rejoice, O Mark, my trusted successor; rejoice, O champion of the Truth! Behold the Lord Jesus Christ grants thee this favour, that he will transfer thee to his eternal mansions on the day of his holy Resurrection. Be ready to meet him this night, when thou shalt be parted from this body. And this shall be a sign to thee. When thou shall partake of the Holy Mysteries, God will receive thy soul to himself.» Therefore the holy father on awaking said to the bishops sitting with him: «Hasten to celebrate the Liturgy in honour of the Resurrection of Christ our Lord.» But as the fathers and bishops saw him much agitated, they did not wish to leave him; nevertheless, after he had made the sign of the Cross over them, they did as he desired, and said the Liturgy. And when the Liturgy was finished, they brought the Chalice to him; and he partook of the Body and Blood of Christ our God. Afterwards, having said to them: «I |440 commend you all to the Lord», he opened his mouth and gave up the ghost. O how great was that sorrow which fell upon all the orthodox! Thereupon they gathered around his body, and read the appointed office over him, and enshrouded him, and laid him in a wooden coffin, which they placed in the church of Nebrûwah, until God should permit its removal to Alexandria. Abba Mark had occupied the see twenty years and seventy days; and he died on the 22nd. of Barmûdah, in the year 535 of the Martyrs, ruling the holy Church. He wrote during his pontificate twenty one books of Mystagogia, and twenty Festal Letters. And he went to dwell with the Saints in the Land of the Living. Glory belongs to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost for ever. Amen.

JAMES, THE FIFTIETH PATRIARCH. A. D. 819-830.

Before the decease of the holy father, Abba Mark, the holy desert of Wadî Habîb had been laid waste; and this devastation had so tried the |441 said father, that he besought the Lord to remove him from this world, and not to leave him to the sorrow which he endured for those monasteries, because of what they suffered at the hands of the miscreant Arabs, through their having taken possession of them and driven out our holy fathers who dwelt there, and killed many, and burnt the churches and the manshûbahs ⁵⁹, that is to say, the cells, with fire. In consequence of this slaughter, the monks were dispersed among the cities and villages and monasteries, in the various provinces of Egypt and the two Thebaids. Thus none was left in the cells of Wadî Habîb save a few persons, who chose death, that they might redeem the life of their brothers by their own life, and so inherited eternal life by their endurance. And God protected them, so that none did them any further hurt or injury.

At that time there was in the monastery of our father Macarius a priest, called James, who shed light around him by his conduct. When the devastation of the monasteries began, he quitted them and departed to a monastery in Upper Egypt, that he might serve God there, while awaiting a time when he might return to the holy mountain of Mîzân al-Kulûb, or Wadî Habîb. And the Lord, the Lover of mankind, who knows the hidden secrets, which he reveals to his saints at all times, working his will among them, |442 performed a wonderful thing concerning this holy priest James, whom we have named, since he was counted worthy to receive a revelation. For while he was in his cell at prayer according to his custom, he saw a marvellous vision, in which our pure Lady, the Mother of the Light, appeared to him standing beside his head at night, wearing a great crown, and shining with a very great light, and accompanied by two angels. And the Queen of Truth said to him: «O my son James, what harm have I done to thee? It is I that have brought thee up from thy childhood, and preserved thee till now, since my beloved son elected thee from the time when thou wast in thy mother's womb, to set thee over his household; and yet now thou hast departed from me. Do not so, but rise up and return to the place which thou hast quitted. For thou shalt be chief over a great congregation, namely those who have been chosen for the place of rest; and that time is near and not far off». Then a great fear fell upon him. But he had not two minds nor any manner of doubt concerning the dream which he had beheld; nay, he rose up quickly, and returned to the holy desert, Mîzân al-Qulûb. As soon as he arrived there, the Lord desired that he should be comforted, and caused the spiritual father Macarius to appear to him, saying: «Blessed is thy coming hither, O thou in whom the Lord has confidence! See now, be not of two minds, and doubt not concerning the dream which thou hast seen, for through thee my sons shall reassemble in their dwellings, from which Satan has scattered them». |443

Thus James continued among the monks who had remained in their places, comforting and consoling them day after day. After he had seen that dream, he grew in devotion and in good works, until he witnessed great and sublime wonders; and all those that saw the light that shone around him knew that God had chosen him. At that time God granted him a wonderful communication. While he was standing in prayer at night, and spending the rest of the night working with his hands according to his custom, fear and dread came over him, and he wept sore. His companions said to him: «What has befallen thee, my holy Father, art thou not asleep?» And he replied: «My sons, my thoughts have been caught up to high places, and I heard things concerning our holy father, Abba Mark, that he would remain patriarch forty years. But afterwards I heard another thing from the Lord, that he will take our father the patriarch to his rest this year. Therefore I wept with a burning heart. Then I prayed the Lord to choose him whom he will seat upon this throne for his merit». After these words he was silent. And only a short time passed after he had seen that vision before the holy father Mark first fell sick of his mortal sickness, as we have related that he prayed the Lord to remove him to himself. And there were with the father Mark bishops, who prayed him humbly, |444 saying: «Our blessed Father, we beg thee to tell us what the Lord has revealed to thee. Who is worthy to sit after thee upon the evangelical throne?» But the holy father would not reveal nor declare to the bishops that he knew aught of this matter, only answering them thus: «The Lord has lighted the lamp, and set it on the candlestick, that it may give light to all in the house, which is his Church». But one of the bishops, in whom was a firm faith in the father patriarch, stood up and began to beg and adjure him, in the name of the Lord and of the holy see, to declare who it was that the Lord had chosen to sit after him upon the throne. Then he answered in a low voice and said to that bishop: «The holy James of the church of our father, Saint Macarius, is the man adorned by his deeds». And he commanded the bishop not to disclose this secret to anyone, and made him swear this for the sake of the Church, that they might see the glory of God perfected in him. After that the holy father died, as we have before related. O the great glory of the throne of Saint Mark the evangelist, and of all that sit thereupon! For by the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Fire, they are chosen and elected through his descent upon each one of them. As the Lord said to his disciples and apostles ⁶⁰: «Behold, I am with you all days even unto the end of the world». |445

Now I would recount to you a few of the deeds of the holy James, the priest, while he was a monk, before he was ordained priest, and before he sat upon the throne, if I did not know my incapacity, and that I cannot at all attain to an adequate description of the magnitude of his actions, and of the glory of the Trinity which surrounded him. For this reason I will abridge my discourse. As for his ordination and that which he endured at first, those things were a profit and a blessing to all the orthodox.

When our father, the patriarch Abba Mark, went to his rest, the Church and all the people mourned for him deeply, and above all the God-loving city of Alexandria, because they missed the sight of their father among them, and because of his absence from them. After a time the fighting and conflict ceased in Alexandria and Egypt, and among all the tribes of the Spaniards and Lakhmites and Madlajites. Then the people began to pray and beseech God to remember his Church, which he bought with his Blood, and to show them their shepherd, who should feed and console them in their trouble. So the bishops and the Christ-loving laity gathered together, to seek one who was worthy of this degree. And they mentioned many names, and among them that of the illuminator, James the priest. This was a dispensation from God, who placed this name in |446 their mouths because James was the one worthy of this primacy. Then the blessed bishop, to whom the deceased patriarch Mark had spoken of James, the pillar of light, mentioned this fact, and made the secret known to the assembled bishops. Therefore they cried with one voice: «He is worthy, he is worthy, he is worthy, whose deeds are as the deeds of the angels. He is of earth, and yet he is of heaven». So they hastened, and came to the desert, to the church of Saint Macarius, and took the priest James suddenly, before he knew. And they conducted him to the city of Alexandria, while he wept, saying: «Blessed is the Lord! Alas for me, who am unworthy of this great honour! For I am unfit for this office and the great glory to which I am promoted». And he prayed God the whole of that night and day to remove him from this world, before investing him with this dignity. And behold, while he was weeping and praying for this release, he saw a wonderful dream, as he often did; for God consoled him, and said to him, as he said to Jacob ⁶¹, the ancient father: «Fear not James, for behold I go with thee to Egypt; and I will strengthen thee and be with thee in thy conflict, that thou mayest deserve the crown like thy militant brethren Severus and Dioscorus, whose life thine own resembles». Then he awoke trembling. Afterwards he was brought |447 into Alexandria, and consecrated archbishop with full authority and valid ordination. And he was counted worthy of this ---- that an aged monk, who had come out of the desert, when the open book of the gospels was held over the head of Abba James, beheld two forms, one of them like the picture of Dioscorus and the other like that of Severus, which grasped the gospels on this side and on that; and the name of the patriarch James was between them. After he had witnessed this wonder, and while he was thinking upon it, he saw men conversing together, who said: «This man's conduct indeed resembles the conduct of these two men».

O my fathers, the life of this saint was virtuous like the life of the holy Severus! Moreover Abba James was an admonition to the heretics, because they stood in awe of him, and because of the excellence of his faith, and his confession and his office; and they held his words in reverence. For when he was enthroned, he delivered an admonitory discourse, in which he anathematized all the banished heresies, and the impure council of Chalcedon, and the Phantasiasts, that is the Gaianites, who deny the |448 lifegiving Passion of God the Word, which he accepted in the flesh. On a certain day the patriarch communicated the people, and then came to his residence. Now it was the custom of the Alexandrians that the heretics used to pray with them, in order to see their festivals and the glory of the patriarch. And they used to do this, that the orthodox might show the glory that God had given them to the heretics, and the works which he manifested for his people of the fathers, who came and sat upon the throne of Mark the evangelist. So the heretics did the same thing with the father and patriarch James; for a company of them were present, and saw him full of the grace of the Holy Ghost, while they were mixed with the orthodox. Thereupon he exclaimed, like Paul the apostle ⁶²: «What fellowship has truth with error, or light with darkness? Or how does Christ agree with Satan? Or what share has one that believes with a heretic?» Then he added: «Let these heretics and their congregation remain far from this faithful and blessed assembly! For as they have no share with us in spiritual things, so they shall have none in material things!» So all the heretics went out in shame and confusion through |449 the door of the church. And there was among them a rich man, who had been set over the collection of the taxes at Alexandria at that time, and had authority and superintendence among the Spaniards. Therefore that man quickly departed, and informed the superintendent of the revenue of what had happened, and accused the father patriarch, Abba James, declaring that he had excommunicated them. The heretic, on hearing this, was filled with wrath against our father, the patriarch, and uttered violent words, and sent a message to the father, saying: «I will make thee turn round in the church, when thou sayest Peace be with you, and not find a person to answer And with thy spirit». But our father, when he heard these words from the heretic, answered by the grace of the Holy Ghost thus: «Well did Isaias ⁶³ prophesy against this heretic, saying that his wrath and fury and imagination should return upon his own head. And thy violence and anger have come up to me, and therefore I will fasten thee with a bridle between thy lips. And he shall not remove from his place till this judgment be executed upon him; and so his fate shall be. And I tell you truly that I shall not enter the church of the Lord before God shall swiftly carry out this sentence upon him». After that, a lawsuit was brought against this man, and he was put to death, and everything that was in his house was seized, and nothing was left that belonged to him. Therefore, when the heretics of Alexandria saw this wonder that had |450 taken place, and the fulfilment of that which was said by the father, who was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost, not one of them could say a word against him. And their own patriarch respected and feared him, and would not oppose him. And the good works of Abba James increased and grew more than those of his monastic days. And he did not look for the praise of men, but worked the works of God; and his mind was set on high like that of Paul the apostle ⁶⁴, who did not cease to proclaim and preach the name of Jesus Christ, and to praise God.

And Abba James said to his people: «I hear that there are among you vain idlers. But I pray you to do your work quietly, and eat your bread, according to the words of the apostle Paul ⁶⁵: I served with my own hand, and was not a burden upon you. And it is good to improve the lot of the needy». And he did not take from anyone, and little of this world's goods sufficed him; nor did he take up arms against misfortunes, as men do; but he ate his bread with tears. Yea, his works shone forth in his face. And all that he asked of God he gave him. And his word was sharper than a two-edged sword.

Now I will inform you, my brethren, that in the days of this blessed father, Abba James, there was a near relation of his, named Macarius, who loved Christ; and he was a prominent official at Nebrûwah. This man, |451 when he heard that Abba James had been enthroned, rejoiced greatly, and glorified God who chooses his elect, and increased in almsgiving and in charity towards his brethren, and sent to Alexandria what was needed by the churches, on the ground that he was a kinsman of the patriarch. And Macarius honoured the bishops and respected them.

But famine and plunder began to reappear at Alexandria; and the patriarch could not find that which he was wont to give to the churches, for nothing was left to him. And the visits of the faithful from all parts to the church of the martyr Saint Mennas at Maryût were interrupted; and with them the patriarch used to trade. The cause of all this was the war and fighting that took place between the Egyptians and the Madlajites and Spaniards; and the scene of these disturbances was at Alexandria. And there was a deacon, named George, who was one of the chief of the clergy of Alexandria, and superintendent of the church of Alexandria. But he began to speak against this father, Abba James, and even said to him: «Thou shalt give us what we need according to custom, or else go back to the desert whence thou earnest». When the father patriarch heard this rebel speak thus, and perceived that he stood in no awe of the patriarchal dignity, but increased in his insolence, he said to him: «Henceforth thy foot shall never again enter through this door into this chamber». And the deacon went out in great wrath from his presence, and departed to |452 his own house, and did not beg for absolution from the holy father, nor did he repent. And a fever, accompanied by shivering fits, attacked him; so that they had to hold him on account of the violent convulsions which seized him; and he died on that very day. When the patriarch was informed, he lamented deeply, and prayed God to absolve the soul of the deacon George from the bonds of excommunication with which he was bound, and to absolve him also from sin. And from the day on which that deacon died, death and dissolution visited all his household, and none of them has remained to this day. Therefore when the multitude saw this wonder, and that the word of Abba James had authority like that of the apostles, they were awestruck, and trembled with tear; and none dared to rebuke him, for he was among them as a prophet.

On the approach of the Forty Days, the holy fast, the father resolved to visit the desert of Saint Macarius, that he might comfort and console the brethren and monks, and remain among them till the feast of holy Easter, as the custom of the patriarchs was. When he reached the desert, the monks rejoiced, and met him, crying: «Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord». And all the fathers and seniors came from their caves and from |453 the mountains, running like deer which long for the waterbrooks ⁶⁶. And they received his blessing with great gladness. And this desert was like the Paradise of the Lord, through the prayers of the father patriarch and the assistance of the baptized Egyptians. The patriarch had a great affection for the desert, more than the monks had. And he acted there as Cornelius 67 did in his time; for he sent a message to all the fathers and to the cells, saying: «If anyone need anything for his cell, let him come and take it». For the barbarians had robbed them of all their goods, and wrecked the churches, and burnt the cells with fire. So when the monks came together again, they praised the Lord for the renewal of his favour upon them, and glorified God for these mercies. The father also rejoiced, seeing that the doves had returned to their former nest. In the days of his priesthood he had begun to build a sanctuary in the name of Saint Sinuthius, to the south of the sanctuary of Saint Macarius; and there the monks began to assemble instead of the ruined churches. Now he finished it, and restored the other churches. And they praised and glorified the Trinity, as the angels do.

But when Satan saw this, he roared like a lion, and prepared arrows to discharge against the patriarch and the Church. Now the patriarch had at that time a deacon, who was attached to him for his service, and who did |454 what he liked without taking advice. This deacon punished one of the disciples by a severe beating for something that he had done; and the blows were so many that the disciple died. And this accident was caused by the snares of the Enemy, the Devil. When therefore the Madlajites, the protectors of the monastery, heard of this crime, they seized the father patriarch, and troubled him on account of the death of that person, and demanded of him that he should deliver the deacon to them, that they might put him to death in retaliation for the murder. But the father strove hard to save the life of the deacon, whom he had brought up from his youth, and had intented to promote to a higher degree among the clergy. Thereupon the Madlajites, seeing that the father was greatly interested in that deacon, and would not give him up to them, grew violent in their demand, and required a large sum of money. But the patriarch had nothing with which to satisfy them, and therefore the bishops and the God-loving people assisted him, and contributed a sum of money, and so saved him from the hands of that tribe.

After this the blessed father James departed to Upper Egypt, to make a visitation of the people and the monasteries. And whenever the people and the monks came out to meet him, they glorified God, saying: «Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord». And they marvelled at his works, |455 and said: «Blessed is our father, the new Elias». He remained among them a few days, and then returned. But they continued to boast of his deeds and excellent virtues.

And our father remembered the unity and charity and bonds between himself and Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch, and desired to see him either by bodily presence with him or by interchange of letters. But he was hindered in this by the wars, carried on in the land of Egypt and on the roads to Syria; for they lasted fourteen years. And ho used to pray God to confirm the love between the two glorious sees, the Alexandrian and the Antiochene; and he implored God to join them together by personal intercourse and by letters. And God did not disregard the prayer of this father, but granted it by allowing him to behold the father Dionysius in the body. I will give you an account of this event, and of the trouble and distress that came upon the land of Egypt and upon the father James, the patriarch.

The Spaniards had possession of Alexandria, and Abd al-Azîz al-Jarawi ruled over part of the country. And the father was praying and weeping over the devastation of the land and the long continuance of the wars and fighting, and because the bodies of men became food for the birds of the air, and because Al-Jarawi did not cease to slay the people and take their goods. Al-Jarawi used to bury in the ground by night the money that |456 he had seized; and when he had buried it, he killed the men who had helped him to bury it, so that none might be left, who knew where his buried treasures lay. So in him the words of the prophet Michaeas ⁶⁸ were fulfilled, where he says: «These are they that meditate evil and wickedness; for they raise their hands to this, and take fields, and oppress orphans, and seize a man and his house and his heritage. Therefore, saith the Lord, I will bring evil upon their tribes, and what they purpose shall not be accomplished». For the judgment of God, the high and mighty One, came upon this man in the following way. He had collected the wheat from the whole of Egypt, and stored it in the granaries which were under his own authority, saying: «I will cause a dearth throughout Egypt, and gather in their money, as Joseph's Pharao did, so that all my adversaries will submit to me.» And he did this, and there came a great dearth, so that wheat reached the price of a dinar for one waibah. And he refused to send wheat to Alexandria, aiming at the destruction of the Spaniards, who had taken possession of the city. So a waibah of wheat was sold at Alexandria for two dinars and one dirhem; and the people in the land of. Egypt found nothing to buy, and therefore they perished, especially at Alexandria. Then that proud man heard that the people had perished, and he opened his mouth and said a word, |457 which God did not say: «I will make them sell wheat at a kadah for a dinar». But in him the words of the prophet Nahum ⁶⁹ were fulfilled, where he says: «God declares: To me belongs vengeance upon my foe, and I will destroy my adversaries and my enemies swiftly». For the Lord pitied the sighs of men, and the dearth which he beheld, and the condition of the people, and took vengeance on that man Abd al-Azîz, as we will now relate. For he departed with his army to Alexandria, to fight the Spaniards; and they fled from him within the walls, and shut the gates. And the blockade lasted until they were driven by hunger to devour the flesh of their horses. Meanwhile Abd al-Azîz was beating upon the walls with catapults, in order to demolish them; and it was his intention to destroy all the inhabitants of Alexandria with the sword. At the same time he was in pursuit of the patriarch, to whom he had sent a message, in order to intercede for a certain person, and to request the patriarch to make that person a bishop. But the patriarch refused to break the canon of the church. Nevertheless the pious Macarius, seeing how angry Abd al-Azîz al-Jarawi was, wrote to the father patriarch, and begged him to ordain that person bishop; and the patriarch consented to do so. Still Al-Jarawi was eager in pursuit of the patriarch, and declared that he would demolish the churches and slay the bishops everywhere, if the patriarch would not meet him. Then Macarius, |458 the magistrate of Nebrûwah, having heard of this threat, wrote a letter to the patriarch, saying: «Thou canst not avoid consenting to an interview with this man; for otherwise he will destroy the churches and kill the people». Macarius also swore to Abba James, saying: «I will give all my money for thee, that thou mayest suffer no distress». Thereupon the patriarch repeated the words of the prophet Isaias: «My life is not precious to me, but belongs to God; therefore let the Lord see to my salvation, for I trust in him, and fear not what men can do to me ⁷⁰». So he went out to meet Abd al-Azîz. And there was with them a priest, who loved God, named Joseph, of the church of Saint Macarius; and this priest was counted worthy to sit upon the apostolic throne; and we shall record his virtues in this history. So while the patriarch was on the way, after he had finished his prayers, he said to the priest Joseph: «I trust in God, my son, that this man will not see us, nor we see him alive». And when morning came, a stone from the wall fell upon Abd al-Azîz, and his eyes were struck out of his face, and the top of his skull was fractured, and so he died. Thus on him was fulfilled the word of the prophet Zacharias ⁷¹: «He purposed evil, but did not attain to the performance of it». And he was extricated from the stones; and when his companions saw this, they carried his body away, and buried it in one of the hamlets. And they stopped their noses for the odour of him and the stench of his corpse. And when the news came to the |459 father, his friends who had been with him glorified God; and, as they had heard what he said to them before the event, they exclaimed: «Our father, what thou didst foretell has been accomplished!» He answered: «My children, God has punished this man thus, because he desired to kill human beings by starvation».

Then the son of Abd al-Azîz became governor after him, and his name was Alî; and he did not act according to the deeds of his father. So there came a great abundance, such that men forgot the dearth, from which they had suffered. Therefore they said: «We praise thee, O God, on this day according to the words of the prophet Isaias ⁷². For thou hast been angry with us, and then didst turn thine anger from us and have mercy on us; for thou art our Lord and our Saviour, and we trust in thee». At that time God looked upon the dispersion and separation of the monks, the sons of Saint Macarius, in every place, and so he brought them back to their holy dwellings. For this cause the father patriarch gave thanks to God, and glorified him, saying like the prophet David in Psalm ⁷³ 83: «Thou hast brought us back to life. Thy people rejoice in thee. Show us, O Lord, thy mercy and grant us thy salvation». And again: «He speaks peace concerning his people and his saints». Now the father, Abba James, saw |460 that the sanctuary of Saint Sinuthius was not large enough to contain the congregation of the monks; and therefore he rebuilt the church which is named after Saint Macarius, and which is the sanctuary of Benjamin. For it was in a state of decay, but Abba James adorned it with every kind of ornament, and, when it was completed, he consecrated it on the first day of Barmûdah. And this edifice became a monument to the patriarch, and a glory to the Lord.

Now Macarius of Nebrûwah, the magistrate, desired to see the father patriarch and congratulate him in his own dwelling, and therefore came to his house. A son had been born to Macarius, in whom he took delight; and he remained with the patriarch, and gave large alms, and did works of charity. And it was God's purpose to glorify the patriarch on this occasion; and so he manifested the following miracle. For after a few days the child fell sick and died. Then his father took him in faith, and brought him to the patriarch's cell, like the ruler of the synagogue, whose daughter Christ raised. And the magistrate said to the patriarch: «Help thy servant, for my son is dying». The patriarch replied: «Bring him to me». So he brought the child, and the patriarch received him, and made the sign of the Cross on his breast and heart and forehead, saying: «O Lord Jesus Christ, who givest life and bestowest grace from thyself, restore this infant to life for his father». Thereupon the breath of life returned to the child, and he |461 opened his eyes and moved his hands and feet. So our father said in a loud voice to Macarius, the father of the child, as the Lord Christ said to the ruler of the synagogue: «Thy son is not dead, but was asleep». And when the magistrate saw this great miracle, he was struck with profound awe of the patriarch, and glorified God, who works wonders among his saints. And at that hour the magistrate increased in his almsgiving and doing good; and his alms flowed from his hands like a running and overflowing river, and he gave a third of his wealth to the widows and orphans, and clothed them with garments, and did all that it was right to do. And a report of these things reached the city of Jerusalem, whither Macarius the magistrate sent, and built a church there, which is now to this day the place of refuge of the orthodox, and of those who make pilgrimages to that city, in order to pray there. Macarius built this church as a monument of himself for ever; and it is called the church of the Magdalene. Therefore God blessed the work of his hands, and doubled his wealth, as he did to the holy Job. Moreover it was God's will to show this man a great and wonderful mystery for his abundant faith and charity, that God might give him the hope of eternal life. And on a certain day Macarius took an oath that he would carry out two resolutions, namely that he would never repulse any one who begged of him, nor shut his door in the face of any one.

Hear now what happened to him! He used to put faith and hope in the |462 intercession of Saint Theodore, who guided him in his conduct, and satisfied his wants. Now under the caliphate of Hârûn ar-Rashîd the taxes which Macarius had to pay were very heavy, because of his large fortune and extensive possessions. So he left his home and went to the prince, in order to pay what was due from him, and was away so long, that he spent all the money that he had with him. For Macarius did not refrain from almsgiving, and could not have an interview with the prince. But there came a day when Macarius was proceeding to the prince's palace, and he perceived on the way a large mansion, highly adorned, which he had not seen before that day. So Macarius said to his servants: «We have missed our way, for we have never seen this house on our road before to-day». And he became like a person bewildered or without his senses. Then he beheld a shining personage, resembling one whom Macarius knew in Egypt, who came out of the house, and said to the official: «O Macarius, many days have passed since thou camest hither, and yet thou hast not visited me». And the magistrate, in the presence of those who accompanied him, answered his acquaintance, who approached and embraced him; and they kissed one another. And the master of the house took the magistrate's hand, and led him into the building through many doors, and brought him into a chamber containing much money, which looked like kings' treasures, and said to him: «Take all that thou needest for thy expenses, and when thou shalt return to thine own country thou shalt repay me. Moreover today I will accomplish what thou requirest with the prince, and do all that |463 is necessary for thee». Accordingly the official, having received the money from the house of that bright being who was conversing with him, went out and handed it over to his servants, who had accompanied him and were standing at the door. And the man mounted his horse, and rode off in haste before the magistrate. So as soon as the latter approached the palace, the courtiers began to call for him, saying: «Where is Macarius, the Egyptian?» Then they took his hand and led him to the prince, who addressed him, saying: «Ask for all that thou needest and whatever thou requirest, so that I may accomplish it for thee this day». So the prince brought to pass that which Macarius desired. But the shining personage, who had accosted him, after having conducted him through the palace, and brought him outside, disappeared from beside him. The magistrate, seeing him no longer, supposed that he had returned to his own house, where the two friends had first met one another. When, however, Macarius reached the spot where the mansion had stood, he found no trace of it at all. Thereupon the man gazed around, and lost his understanding for a moment. But after a time he comprehended that his benefactor was the great martyr Theodore, the commander of the troops, who had acted thus because Macarius had a devotion for him. Therefore Macarius glorified God and increased in charity and almsgiving and good works, and remained steadfast in this way of life until God removed him from this world.

Now let us proceed with the history of the patriarch Abba James. For |464 our only purpose in relating these incidents in the life of Macarius, the magistrate, was to show the value of the orthodox laity, since God does not desert them in this world nor in the world to come. As Paul the apostle says ⁷⁴: «Cease not to do good, so that thou mayest reap what thou hast sown. As long therefore as our time lasts, let us do good to all men, especially to our brethren, the people of faith». Again he exhorted Timothy, his son, saying to him more concerning the doing of good to the faithful. For he writes ⁷⁵ thus to him: «Charge the rich of this world that their hearts be not proud, and that they set not their hope and trust on the rich, for there is no profit in riches; but let their trust be in God, who gives us all things richly; and let our actions be good, and let our riches be in laudable works, that we may be upright and loving, so that we may have a firm foundation in the time to come, and may lay hold on the true life». Therefore accept my excuse, and hear from me the remaining deeds of this holy and inspired father, who was a prophet, and to whom God granted the gift of seeing hidden things from afar.

When God remembered the sick land of Egypt, that he might make wars to cease therein, he revealed the matter to the holy father, that it was near and not far off. So Abba James, as he had learnt that his archdeacon was |465 acting against his will in certain matters, called him and said to him: «My son, a governor will come soon to the land of Egypt, and rule over Misr and her chiefs and over Alexandria and all her province. Therefore when we come to Alexandria with the peace of God, beware of listening to any man, or of raising thine eye to anything that belongs to this world. For in that case thou wilt sin against the works of God, and we shall be abased before the heretical tribe, which God has abased before us with their wicked leader. Know then that if thou shalt neglect my advice, the Church of God will fall into great trials». Shortly after he had said this, there came to Egypt from the prince of the Muslims an Amir, named Abd Allah son of Tâhir, who was a good and merciful man in his religion, and loved justice and hated tyranny. Therefore God subdued all rebels under him, and humbled before him the tribe of the Spaniards who were at Alexandria. And he remained some days in Egypt until public affairs were settled.

Now let us return to the story of Abba James and his relations with Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch. Abba James had been unable to send a synodical letter on account of the wars in Egypt and the East. In this way the father patriarch Dionysius, since he was hearing of the works of the father patriarch Abba James, desired to salute him, while he was still in the body. Therefore when this Amir, on his way to Egypt, made an |466 agreement with the patriarch Dionysius, he travelled in his company as far as this country. Our father, Abba James, on seeing Dionysius, rejoiced with a great spiritual joy, and met him with the best of welcomes. And the whole land of Egypt exulted when those two beheld one another. And the Egyptian clergy chanted before them from the words ⁷⁶ of David: «Mercy and justice have met together, truth and peace have come to us». Then the father Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch, remained many days with the father, Abba James the patriarch, that each of them might be satisfied with the holiness of the other. But the bishops of Egypt began to lay complaints before the father Dionysius concerning the archdeacon of our father Abba James, «because he imparts to him all that we undertake or say». Upon this the father Dionysius began as one who wished to remind this holy man, Abba James, that he should reprove the archdeacon, and that he ought not to be a cause of distress to the bishops, nor to address them unless he were required by the canons to do so. But when the pillar of light, Abba James, heard this, the spirit of prophecy flowed forth from him, and he said to the father Dionysius: «How could the bishops send this message, and accuse one who is the elect of God and preaches him? But blessed is he, like him who worked for one hour in the vineyard ⁷⁷, together with him |467 who had worked eleven hours, and received the wages for the whole day». When the patriarch Dionysius heard the words of the father, Abba James, and saw the Holy Ghost shining forth in his face, he prostrated himself before him and said, like the prophet David ⁷⁸: «As we have heard so have we seen. I believe that I have beheld a man who holds with God the post of intercessor for the land of Egypt». Then he prayed our father the patriarch James to let him depart to his see. So Abba James gave him splendid gifts in proportion to his primacy, and then with the bishops bade him farewell in peace, glorifying and blessing God, because they had witnessed his holiness and comeliness and dignity and chastity. And when Dionysius reached the East, the land of Syria, he discoursed on what he had witnessed of the holiness of our father Abba James, and thanked the Lord Jesus Christ, who glorifies his elect.

The Amir Abd Allah, son of Tâhir, on arriving in Egypt, appointed an Amir, who was one of his companions, as governor of Alexandria and collector of taxes there and in the neighbouring districts. And the name of him whom he thus nominated was Elias, son of Yazîd. At that time the |468 deacon of our father James, mentioned above, neglected the advice which he had formerly given him, namely that he should not raise his eyes to any of the things of this world, for he went to certain villages and levied a rate upon them, thinking that he would gain something for the Church thereby. For he did not know that the prophecy of the father James would be accomplished; and therefore both the father and the deacon fell into great sorrow through the taxes which they were compelled to pay, when they had not the means of paying them. And the blessed father repeated to that deacon the words of Paul, the wise apostle, saying: «It was not right for thee, my son, to make for thyself an argument, but to obey what I enjoined thee to do, in faith and love of the Lord Christ. Hast thou not heard, my son, what Paul said ⁷⁹, that those who desire to be rich fall into trials and errors and foolish longings, which do not profit at all, but cast men into destruction and perdition? For the root of all evil is the love of money, which many have loved; and so they have gone astray from the faith, and drawn upon themselves great cares». Thereupon that deacon wept and begged the patriarch to pardon his disobedience.

Now that Amir began to act harshly towards the father in demanding taxes when he had nothing with which he could pay, as we related, through |469 the poverty of the Church, arising from the interruption of the pilgrimages to the church of Saint Mennas, the Martyr, in consequence of the continual wars. When Abba James found no means of paying the taxes, he brought forth the vessels of the church, to give them to the miscreant tribe. But the Lord, who loves mankind and shows his wonders at all times in his Church, and makes her victorious over princes in all ages, manifested a miracle, at which we must marvel. While the Amir was sitting one day that he might break up the vessels, and the goldsmith was breaking up one of the holy chalices, much blood flowed over his hands, like the blood of a Lamb ⁸⁰ that had been slain. So when they saw this miracle, great fear fell upon them, and the Amir and all these that were present were afraid. And the Amir commanded that none of those vessels should be broken; and after that he feared to place them in his treasury, and therefore he ordered that they should be restored to the father. But he demanded the taxes with greater severity than before, and the patriarch was in great difficulties before he could pay the taxes that he owed.

Afterwards the Amir in the city of Alexandria was removed, and departed to his own country, where he was attacked by a mortal sickness. Many days later he remembered the great miracle of the issue of blood from the Chalice; and at that time he commanded his sons with insistence to send |470 to Egypt the money that he had taken from the patriarch, that it might be handed over to him who should be found to be patriarch of Alexandria. So his sons obeyed him. And this miracle was accomplished in the days of one who deserved that it should come to pass in his hands, as we will show to your charity at the end of this history.

Now hear another wonder which was also manifested in the days of this holy man, Abba James, the patriarch. While the Amir Elias was governor of Alexandria, a bishop, who held the see of Fau in Upper Egypt, died; and a person was sent to the patriarch, that he might consecrate him as successor to the deceased. But this man feared lest God should make his conduct known to the patriarch, who would then refuse him. Therefore he went to the Amir, and gave him money, and prayed him to command the father patriarch, Abba James, to appoint him. In consequence of this the Amir requested that the appointment might be made; but the father patriarch refused, because his faith and his attachment to the canons were strong. Those that were present, however, asked him, saying: «Wilt thou consent to the request of the Amir, lest evil befall both thee and the Church?» Thus they did not cease to cajole him until he appointed that man. But when the newly made bishop departed, Abba James uttered concerning him the following words, like those of Peter to Simon the Magician in his time; for he said: «In the place where this bishop expected to gain wealth, he shall disappear after a little while, and the wealth which he has acquired |471 shall be far from him». And when that bishop drew near to his diocese, he fell sick on the way; and he died before he could see his diocese. Who now will not fear these wonderful works, and glorify God, who shows them forth in this chosen one? But if we were to record a few out of the many miracles and the noble struggles that we have heard related of this holy man, the account would be long. And we cannot explain such things, because our darkened understanding is too weak to deal with them. Yet we will relate what must be related, and describe the end of his conflict, for the profit of those that listen, and as a blessing to them.

When Abba James proceeded to the eastern provinces, to visit the churches and the people, and came to a village called Bait Tashmat, they brought to him a young man possessed by a devil, which had made him dumb and deaf; and they begged the patriarch to lay his hand upon him. Then the father took a little oil from the lamp which hung over the bones of Saint Severus, and anointed the youth therewith, making the sign of the cross on his face and ears, and saying: «In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who delivered his creatures from the service of Satan, may this young man be healed, and may the bonds of Satan be loosed from him!» And the young man was healed on the spot, and his mouth and ears were opened, and he both spoke and heard; and all that saw him marvelled, |472 and glorified God in truth. Now this father was in his holiness like the disciples, through the trials that he endured and the miracles performed by him; for he brought the dead to life, and cast out devils, and cured many that were sick. And our Lady, the Mother of the Light, appeared to him before he became patriarch, and the Lord Christ also, and the Saints whom he was counted worthy to see.

Then Abba James desired to remain a few days in the city of Tandâ, when he passed by it. And when he stayed there, one of the bishops, an honourable and trustworthy man, bore witness to us, saying: «I went to him, to pay him a visit and receive his blessing. And when I stood at the door of his chamber, I heard him say something in a low voice; and the words were: O my Lady, Mother of my Lord, I pray thee to pardon me, for I am ready to carry out what thou commandest me, and to observe it to my last breath». The bishop continued: «And when I was intending to show myself through the door within which he was, and before I could enter, he cried aloud at what he saw, and I was afraid through my respect for his dignity, and turned back. But I heard him say: God pardon thee, my brother, for having hindered me from beholding the glory and light of my Lady, and allowed her to depart from me.»

After the blessed patriarch had seen these great mysteries which were shown to him, he bore witness that no patriarch sits upon this throne except |473 those whom God chooses, but that Satan resists their advancement and hinders their doing good. There are indeed men who say in their hearts: «If we advance so far as to receive this degree, that is on account of our birth». But it is not so, for it is the Lord of glory who chooses. And the father Abba James said this before his death, that it is God who elects the man whom he will appoint; and although Satan tries to oppose him, it is God who prevails.

It was the custom of this patriarch, when he purposed to appoint bishops, to watch and fast strictly, so that God might reveal their deeds to him. He used also to observe the anniversaries of the death of the fathers, from Mark the evangelist to Mark, his own father in the Spirit. On such days he used to keep festival in their honour, and put on his vestments, and celebrate the Liturgy, whether he were in the city or in the monasteries, or in the villages, to the glory of our Lord Christ, and in commemoration of his fathers.

And when God willed to give him rest from labour and translate him to the heavenly mansions of the illuminated, the Lord appeared to him, seated on a cloud of light, and accompanied by the twelve disciples, and said to him: «Have courage, thou good servant, who hast made use of the talents of thy Lord, and gained a profit. Now will I take thee to myself, and give thee rest from thy labours; and thou shalt sit with thy companions, who carried on the warfare like thee, for thou hast become perfect like them». Now before this marvellous vision, Zacharias, bishop of Tandâ, had died; and the archdeacon, whom we have before mentioned, and of whom we said that he |474 would be a chosen vessel of God, had been enthroned in his stead. So our father James fell sick, and his strength diminished; and on the 14th. day of Amshir he went to his rest, that being the day of the death of the holy father Severus. And at the fourth hour of the night they heard him saying: «Happy is your coming, my fathers Severus and Dioscorus». And again he said: «The whole world is absolved through the prayers of the saints». Thereupon he gave up his spirit into the hand of the Lord. And a sweet perfume exhaled from his body, and filled the whole chamber.

When morning came, they enshrouded his body. And they offered the Sacrifice in commemoration of the two blessed fathers, Severus and the father James. Thus the holy monk's vision of the two figures, which he saw consecrating Abba James with the gospel, was fulfilled. And so his life ended in a good old age, when he had held the evangelical see during ten years and eight months. He committed his flock to the Lord of Sabaoth, strong in the faith; and he was worthy to hear the voice saying ⁸¹: «Come to me, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the creation of the world». |475

The brother, who had prophesied of him, he ordained bishop; and he was firm and strong, and did not lay by for himself a single dirhem, but was rich in the works of the Lord, and in spiritual writings. He was counted worthy to close the patriarch's eyes, and to receive his last blessing. And in the strength of his faith he laid the body of Abba James in a coffin, and kept it in his city of Tandâ, that he might be blessed by its presence, and offer intercessions at its feet. And after a short time the bishop died, through the prayers which his father offered for him before the Lord Christ. To whom belongs glory, with his Father and the Holy Ghost, the Giver of life, the Consubstantial, now and for ever. Amen.

CHAPTER XX

SIMON II, THE FIFTY-FIRST PATRIARCH. A. D. 830.

After the going to rest and departure to the Lord of the holy and glorious father, the patriarch Abba James, the chosen and elect of the Lord, and the pillar of light, through whose prayers God had scattered the armies and the wars and the ceaselessly fighting tribes, which prevailed over Alexandria and the provinces of Egypt, then a short time after his decease |476 they appointed as his successor, by the command of the most high God, a deacon and monk, whose name was Simon, a native of the city of Alexandria of good family. He was a son of the father, Abba James, and dwelt in his cell; and he had been brought up from boyhood with the late father Abba Mark.

Abba Simon remained upon the evangelical throne five months and sixteen days. And he went to his rest on the third day of Bâbah. During the whole time that he occupied the see he was afflicted by the disease of the gout, from which he suffered greatly until he died.

May the Lord have mercy upon us through the prayers of all of these saints!

JOSEPH, THE FIFTY-SECOND PATRIARCH. A.D. 830-849.

So after the father Simon went to his rest, the orthodox people met in the city of Alexandria, and deliberated together with a view to the appointment of a patriarch, since the see was vacant. For it had remained without a patriarch after the father, Abba James, during a long interval; but then they had received consolation in the appointment of the father, Abba Simon. Then upon his death, their trouble increased; and they said, like the |477 prophet David ⁸²: «Remember not, O Lord, my first offences, but let thy mercy reach us soon, for we are become very poor.» And all of them went about the city, and the community of the Alexandrians and the bishops sought and enquired who was lit to sit upon the throne. You are acquainted with the people of Alexandria, and are aware that they love material pleasures. Accordingly they devised an evil plan in those days, contrary to the canons of the Church. For there was at Fustât Misr at that time a man of family and wealth; and he and his kinsmen possessed gold and silver and furniture. He was the chief of the Divan of the governor of Egypt; and his name was the lord Isaac, son of Anthony. So, when the Alexandrians saw his position and his wealth, together with the consideration in which he was held, they wrote him a letter, saying: «We will not elect any man, to appoint him patriarch, except thee». But he was a layman and married to a wife. So some of the bishops held aloof from this transaction of the hypocritical Alexandrians, who followed this man for the sake of human glory, not remembering that which is written ⁸³ in the fifty-second Psalm of David: «The Lord shall scatter the bones of those that act hypocritically towards men.» And again he says: «They are ashamed because the Lord |478 brings them to nought.» At that time some of the bishops visited Isaac, and paid court to him, saying: a We can have no patriarch except thee». The names of these bishops were Zacharias, bishop of Wasîm, and Theodore, bishop of Misr. These two men next persuaded Isaac to write a letter to Alexandria, promising to confer many benefits on the clergy and people there, when he should become patriarch. For he said: «If I take my seat upon this throne, I will rebuild your ruined churches for you, and restore the dwellings attached to the churches. And I will relieve you of the taxes as long as I live, by paying them out of my own money for the clergy and the poorer laity». And he promised them many other things. Therefore when they heard all this, they were inclined to him, and desired him, forgetting the words ⁸⁴ of the gospel: «No man takes an honour of himself, unless it be given him from heaven from God».

But there were at that time holy bishops, such as speak the truth, and are filled with grace. Such were Abba Michael, bishop of Bilbais, and Abba Michael, bishop of Sâ, and Abba John, bishop of Bana; and there were many like them, perfect in faith and religion. And when they were informed of what the two bishops and the assembly of the Alexandrians had |479 done, the grace of God stirred within them, and they called together a synod concerning those two. And they proceeded to Alexandria, as the canon prescribes. Having subsequently verified the design of the Alexandrians, they said to them: «Where have you left the fear of the Lord, since you have broken the canons so far as to have recourse to a layman married to a wife, in order to seat him upon the throne of Saint Mark the evangelist, in opposition to custom and to the canons?» Thereupon the people were silent, knowing their fault, and uttered not a syllable in answer to the bishops. Then by the inspiration of God, who visits his people at all times, and makes his face to shine ⁸⁵ upon his heritage, mention was made of a holy man, perfect in good works; and his name was confirmed in the assembly by the dispensation of God's grace. This man was the shining lamp Joseph, the priest and superintendent of the church of Saint Macarius in Wadî Habîb. And when he was named, my heart rejoiced, and my tongue sang praises.

Now I should desire to relate a little of his life and the works which he did while he was a monk, only I fear to interrupt the description of the events which took place at his enthronement. Yet will I relate those things subsequently, that the hearts of those that hear the history of this holy |480 man may rejoice. When the assembly, together with the bishops and clergy, had accepted him, because they knew him when he was a lamp to the father, Abba Mark, then they sent some of the bishops and Alexandrian clergy to the Wadi. And while they were on the journey, they said thus: «If the Lord approves the appointment of this person, we shall find the door of his cell open». So when they reached the monastery on the morrow, and presented themselves at the door of his cell, they found him standing there, for he had come out to shut the door after his sons, who had gone to draw water. Upon this they marvelled, and looked one at another, saving: «What we said on the way is fulfilled. The Lord has made our journey easy; and we believe that God has chosen this holy man.» When this blessed one, steadfast in purity and humility, saw the visitors, he made obeisance before them, and saluted them, and at once conducted them into his cell. As soon as they were within his chamber, they laid hands upon him, and put the iron fetters over his feet, and said to him; «Thou art indeed worthy of the patriarchal office». But he began to weep profusely, saying: «What is the use of an incompetent man, who takes upon him this heavy yoke?» On hearing these words, they consoled him and pacified him. And they assembled in the church, and partook of the Holy Mysteries; for it was the feast of the Angel Michael, the 12th. of Hatûr. And Joseph received the benediction of the holy fathers, and |481 begged them to pray for him, that God would bring his course to an end. So they all prayed for him, and blessed him from the depth of their hearts, and bade him farewell, weeping because they had lost from their monastery a holy man, full of the Spirit of God.

So they started on their homeward journey. When they reached the top of the rock, Joseph being with them, they heard a voice behind him saying: «The Lord will be with thee, Joseph, and strengthen thee, that thou mayest endure the troubles which will befall thee, and by which thou wilt obtain the crown of life». The holy man and his companions, hearing this great voice, but seeing no one, marvelled and were amazed, and knew that great trials and bitter griefs would come upon him. Then they arrived at the city of Alexandria. And the multitude, as soon as they heard that the envoys had returned, came forth to meet them, singing praises and glorifying God. Then the people learnt from the envoys what had happened to them on the way, and how they had found the door of Joseph's cell open, and how they had taken him prisoner, and of the voice which they had heard behind them near the road of the Cherubim on the top of the rock. Therefore the people glorified God, who alone works wonders at all times.

After this they informed the Amir, who was governor of Alexandria, and was called Abd Allah son of Yezîd, that they had brought this holy man, in order to obtain the governor's consent and order, according to the perpetual custom before they consecrated the patriarch. But the governor |482 refused, and would not authorize them to appoint Joseph, saying: «Isaac, the son of Antony, of Misr, has sent to me, and promised me a thousand dinars, if he shall sit upon this throne. Therefore, if you have elected this man, give me the same sum that Isaac has promised me». Thus Abd Allah prevented them from ordaining Joseph for some days. But the bishops continued to visit the governor's house, begging and imploring him to give them his consent. Yet he refused, because he loved money. Then the bishops from the eastern provinces assembled, and said to him: «We are not under thy authority. Therefore, if thou wilt not grant our request, we will go to Fustât Misr and ordain him there.» So when he saw their firmness, and understood that they would do what they said, he gave them his permission.

So they met together in the Church of Mark the evangelist, as it is customary, on the 21st. day of Hatûr in the year 547 of the Martyrs. And they recited all the prayers in the sanctuary, and inaugurated the elevation of Joseph to the rank of patriarch, blessing and glorifying God.

Now I desire in this place to record the life of that blessed saint from his youth, so that all who hear it may glorify God, before I describe the end of his consecration, and the troubles which befell him, and which he patiently endured. This holy man was of a good family of repute in the city of Upper Manûf, and his fathers were well known among the chief men |483 of Egypt. When his parents were dead and the saint was left an orphan, an official, named Theodore, who had the rank of metwalli in Egypt, and was a native of Nakyus, saw Joseph in this condition, and took him to himself, that he might make him his son for the love of Christ, and on account of his honourable kindred. So the child remained with that magistrate a long time. Then Joseph thought within himself: «Behold, I am now an orphan; therefore there is nothing better for me than the holy desert which is a place of refuge for orphans». So he went to the chief in whose house he lived, and who had brought him up, and begged him humbly for permission to depart to the holy desert. But Theodore replied: «O my son, thou art of an excellent family, and hast been brought up in the midst of wealth. Thou wouldst therefore be overcome by weariness in the desert, and couldst not endure its hardships.» Thus Theodore would not allow him to depart thither, but sent him to the city of Alexandria to the father patriarch, Abba Mark, to whom the magistrate wrote a letter, in which he recounted the history of Joseph's life, and confided him to the patriarch as a pledge.

So the holy Mark rejoiced over him, and put him under the care of a deacon, who had charge of the sons of the Cell at that time and was a learned man, that he might teach the youth to write in the Greek language. And God's assistance was with Joseph, and did not allow him to forget |484 his desire to retire to the monasteries. Accordingly, after a short sojourn with the holy Abba Mark, Joseph made a prostration before him, and prayed the patriarch to send him to the holy mountain. And the patriarch observed how he longed to go thither, and knew by revelation from God that the youth had found grace. For this reason Abba Mark speedily despatched him to the monastery of Saint Macarius, and placed him in charge with a holy priest and hegumen named Paul, whose mode of life was admired by all. For God revealed secrets to him, and enabled him to prophesy. So Paul, when he looked upon the young man, was pleased with him and with his good conduct and humility, and did not cease to nourish him with the holy teachings of the monks, and blessed him by night and by day, especially on seeing his modesty. Then Joseph was counted worthy to be made a deacon, and shortly afterwards to be ordained priest by the father, Abba Mark, the patriarch. As the hegumen Paul grew old, he fell sick of various diseases, and Joseph, the young saint, served him day and night in hope and faith, in order to obtain his blessing. And the old man laid his hand upon Joseph's head, invoking upon him great blessings without number, and, on the approach of death, began to say to this young man, upon whom his spirit rested: «Behold, Joseph, the Lord grants thee his grace and his inheritance that thou mayest inherit it». Afterwards the |485 hegumen added, using the words of the Lord ⁸⁶ to Peter: «Return some time, thou also, and strengthen thy brethren, who have become thy partners in the labour of this ministry, and promote them among the clergy». For Paul had sons with him, who ministered to him, besides Joseph. And Paul's words were fulfilled when Joseph was seated on the throne, and those brethren of his in service were counted worthy of the grace of the diaconate and the priesthood for a time in the church of Saint Macarius. I have related this incident, that it may be profitable to all who hear it among the young monks, that they may learn that God chooses those who serve him with an honest intention.

Now I will return to the continuation of the history of this holy man, the glorious father Abba Joseph. When he had taken his seat upon the evangelical throne, since the Church had no real property, he began to make monuments, vineyards and mills and oil-presses, which were to belong to the Church. But Satan, the hater of good, as he is wont, would not endure this peace, and stirred up, at the beginning of Abba Joseph's pontificate, a great war in the eastern and western parts of Egypt, which led to universal plunder and slaughter. For there was much fighting throughout the country. In the words of the prophet Amos ⁸⁷: «This is what the Lord, the Ruler, says. There shall be lamentation in all places». |486

So when the holy father saw these calamities, he mourned, and besought the Lord to protect and preserve the Church and the orthodox people, wherever they were. For the patriarch prayed, saying, like David in the 73rd. Psalm ⁸⁸: «O Lord, remember thy congregation, which has been from the beginning. And thou hast delivered the rod of thine inheritance, mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt. Raise up thy hand against their pride for ever, for many are the wicked deeds that the enemy has done». Thus Satan did not cease to stir up wars and murder. Two men at that time were overseers of taxes, one of whom was named Ahmad son of Al-Asbat, and the other Ibrahîm son of Tamîm. These two men, in spite of the troubles from which the people were suffering, persisted in demanding the taxes without mercy, and men were increasingly and incalculably distressed. Their greatest trouble arose from the extortion practised by the two overseers of taxes; for what they could not pay was required of them. After this the merciful God by his righteous judgment sent down a great dearth upon Egypt, so that wheat reached the price of one dinar for five waibahs. Many of the women and infants and young people, and of the old and the middle-aged, died of starvation, in fact of the whole population a countless number, through the severity of the famine. And the overseer of taxes was doing harm to the people in every place. And most of the |487 Bashmurite Christians were severely chastised, like the Israelites; so that at last they even sold their own children to pay their taxes, because they were greatly distressed. For they were tied to the mills and beaten, so that they should work the mills like cattle. And their tormentor was a man named Ghaith. So, after long and wearisome days, death put an end to their sufferings.

But afterward the Bashmurites, seeing that they had no means of escape, and at the same time that no troops could enter their country on account of the abundance of marshes which it contained, and because none was acquainted with the roads except themselves, began to rebel and to refuse to pay the taxes. And they came to an agreement and plotted together over this matter. Now the prince at that time was Abd Allah al-Ma'mûn, son of Hârûn ar-Rashîd. When the state of Egypt and the conduct of the conquerors and the overseers was reported to him, he sent an army thither under the command of an Amir, named Al-Afshîn. Then this man slew the conspirators and rebels, from the eastern parts of Egypt until he reached the great city of Alexandria. He even wished to kill all the inhabitants of Alexandria, since they had not fought, because they had allowed the enemy to enter their city. But God prevented his doing this on account of the tears of the faithful and the prayers of the patriarch, Abba Joseph. For Al-Afshîn used even to put the innocent to death for |488 the fault of the guilty, so that he would have allowed no one that he could see to escape slaughter. And he killed many of the chief men of the Christians in every place.

The patriarch Joseph was grieved by these troubles that he witnessed: the plague and the famine and the sword. Meanwhile the Bashmurites developed their plot, and prepared weapons for themselves, and made war against the government. For they bound themselves not to pay the taxes; and they rose up against any one who came to them for the purpose of acting as mediator in their affairs, and put him to death.

When our father, the patriarch Abba Joseph, saw this rebellion, he mourned over those weak ones, for they had no power to withstand the government, and had deliberately chosen destruction for themselves. And since he was full of anxiety for the salvation of his people, and was their true steward, he began to write to the Bashmurites letters full of fear, and reminded them of the fate that would befall them, hoping that they might return and repent, and give up their disobedience, and cease to resist authority. But they refused to return to their obedience. Yet he continued to write to them every day, and quoted for them passages of the scriptures, saying: «Paul, the sweet-tongued, declares ⁸⁹ that whoever resists the power |489 resists the ordinances of God, and he that resists him shall be condemned». When the patriarch's letters by means of his bishops were conveyed to the Bashmurites, those wicked men as soon as they saw the bishops assaulted them, and robbed them of all that they had with them, and treated them with ignominy. Therefore the bishops returned to the patriarch, and made known to him what had been done to them. Then he said: «Destruction will not be slow in coming to those men. Yea, the words of the prophet Isaias ⁹⁰ will be fulfilled upon them, where he says: I will give you up to the sword, and ye shall all fall by slaughter; because I called you, and ye listened not to my words, but disobeyed and did evil before me».

On account of these troubles and sorrows which have been mentioned, the father patriarch was unable to write a synodical letter to his partner in the ministry and in the faith, the patriarch of Antioch. This omission caused Abba Joseph more auxiety than the trials which befell him. For indeed he did not find rest for a single day after he was enthroned, so that he could address to the see of Antioch a letter containing assurances of union in charity and unswerving orthodoxy. Nevertheless the Lover of |490 mankind did not leave him thus in his sadness, for the sake of the union of the two sees, Alexandria and Antioch; for he ordained a wonderful thing, namely that the father Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch, should come to Egypt, and that the two patriarchs should behold one another, as we. will relate hereafter.

The commander Al-Afshîn, seeing that the Bashmurites continued long in their hostility, and would not change their conduct, wrote a letter to the caliph, Abd Allah al-Ma'mûn, to inform him of the events that had taken place.

Listen now to this also. There was on the episcopal throne of Tinnîs a bishop, named Isaac, against whom his people had repeatedly brought serious accusations. They said to the father Joseph: «If thou wilt not remove this bishop, and take him away from us, we will forsake the religion of orthodoxy». There was also at Misr another bishop, named Theodore, and his flock spoke of him in a similar manner. For the inhabitants of Misr wrote to the patriarch, saying: «If thou wilt not remove him and take him away from us, we will stone him to death». The holy patriarch, seeing this rising of the people, was much grieved and troubled, saying: «What shall I do in this distress?» And he prayed, saying: «O Lord, confirm thy people in loyalty to their pastors, and let there be no disaffection in my days! » Moreover he continued to send letters to the people at the two |491 cities of Tinnîs and Misr, saying, from the words of Paul ⁹¹: «Why are you glad when we are sick and you are strong? This is what I pray for on your behalf, that you may be saved. And I write this to you, being absent from you, as if I were present with you. I will not pronounce a sentence of excommunication nor suspension, since the Lord commands me to build up and not to pull down». But the people persisted in their conduct, saying with one voice which they never altered: «If these two bishops are not removed, not one of us will remain in the orthodox faith, but we will join the dissident party; and thou art responsible for our action». When Abba Joseph heard this, he hastened to Tinnîs, and begged the people to cease from their wrath; but they refused, and grew still more furious. So also did the city of Misr with its bishop. When the patriarch saw this, he sent and gathered together the bishops from every place, and made the matter known to them. And he said to them: «I and you are innocent of this offence at last. Let us therefore write and suspend the two bishops, Isaac, bishop of Tinnîs, and Theodore, bishop of Misr». |492 Accordingly they deposed those two men from their dignity, and removed them from the rank of. bishop. Yet our charitable father did not cease to pray continually, nor to shed profuse tears, nor to give vent to sighs over the cutting off of these two bishops.

Now Al-Afshîn at Misr was awaiting the answer to the letter which he had adressed to Al-Ma'mûn concerning the Bashmurites. Al-Ma'mûn was a wise man in his conduct, and used to make enquiries into our religion. And wise men used to sit with him, explaining our scriptures for him. In this way he began to love the Christians. So he came to Egypt, and assembled his army. And he invited the patriarch Dionysius of Antioch to accompany him

When the father patriarch, Abba Joseph, learnt that Al-Ma'mûn had arrived, and in his company the patriarch of Antioch, he gathered the bishops together and journeyed to Fustât Misr, to salute the caliph according to the respect which is due to princes. And when the father Dionysius saw the father, Abba Joseph, he rejoiced with great spiritual joy. And this was a dispensation from God, as I said at first, because Abba Joseph had not been able to send the synodical letter to Dionysius. And Abba Joseph was honoured according to his rank at the court of Abd Allah Al-Ma'mûn, |493 who, being informed of his arrival, commanded that he should be brought before him, and when he came into his presence received him with joy, through the divine grace which descended upon the patriarch. Then Abba Dionysius made known to the prince that our father had not delayed to write to the Bashmurites, and to dissuade them from resisting the commands of their sovereign; and this information was gratifying to Al-Ma'mûn. Upon hearing it, he said to the father, Abba Joseph: «Behold, I command thee and thy colleague, the patriarch Dionysius, to pay a visit to those people, and to lay your prohibition upon them, as you are bound to do according to your law, in order that they may return from their disobedience and may submit to my rule. Then if they consent, I will confer upon them all the benefits that they shall ask of me. But if they persist in their rebellion, then we shall be innocent of their blood».

Therefore our fathers, the two patriarchs, obeyed his command, and journeyed to the Bashmurites, and besought them, and admonished them, and reprimanded them, that they might cease from their deeds. But the insurgents refused to listen, and would not accept the entreaties of the |494 prelates. So the patriarchs returned, and informed Al-Ma'mûn of this state of affairs. Then the caliph commanded the amir Al-Afshîn to march against the Bashmurites with his army, and to fight them. But he could do nothing against them, because their districts, which are named At-Tanfir, were fortified by the waters. The Bashmurites, on the other hand, slew every day many of the soldiers of Al-Afshîn. Therefore as soon as this was reported to Al-Ma'mûn, he started with his troops, and went down to that region. And he gave orders to collect from the cities and neighbouring villages and all places all the men who knew the roads of the Bashmurites, and from among the natives of Tandâ and Shubra Sunbût those who were acquainted with the ways through those places. And the troops followed those guides until they betrayed the Bashmurites to them. Then the soldiers destroyed the insurgents and slew them with the sword without sparing any, and plundered them and wrecked and burnt their dwellings, and demolished their churches. Thus the words of the prophet David in the 77th. Psalm 92 were fulfilled upon them: «He delivered their strength into captivity and their wealth to their enemies, and gave his people over to the sword, and had no pity on his inheritance». But when Al-Ma'mûn saw the multitude of the slain, he bad his soldiers hold their swords; and those of the |495 Bashmurites who remained he carried as prisoners to the city of Baghdad, both men and women.

When the father patriarch, Abba Dionysius, asked what was the cause of the rebellion of these people, he was told that it was because of the extortions of the two overseers of taxes from which they had formerly suffered. Therefore his heart was grieved for their destruction, and he approached Al-Ma'mûn, and told him this, relying on the position which he held at court. And there was in the suite of Al-Ma'mûn his brother Ibrahîm, who reigned after him. And Dionysius said to the caliph: «These men were disaffected against the government because they suffered from the tyranny of the two overseers of taxes, who also taunted and insulted them». On hearing these words, the caliph answered: «Take care of thyself, and remain no longer in Egypt; for if this saying be reported to my brother Ibrahîm, he will put thee to death, because the tax-collectors came from among his followers». So when the father Dionysius received this reply, he went forth sadly troubled, and took leave of the father, Abba Joseph, saying to him.: «I cannot stay in Egypt an hour longer». Then he enquired what the reason might be, and the patriarch Dionysius told him what |496 had happened. And he bade him farewell weeping. And when Ibrahîm was informed of this matter, he sought the patriarch Dionysius, and sent after him, but learnt that he had departed to his own city. Thereupon he was greatly enraged, and his wrath overpowered him for many days. And after the death of Al-Ma'mûn and the enthronement of his brother Ibrahîm, the patriarch Dionysius fled, and would not remain in Antioch or its province, until the caliph promised him that he would not slay him. And when Ibrahîm, the prince, returned again to Misr, and the patriarch went out, he took leave of him according to the respect due from him to princes. And he came to Misr, and remained there.

When the patriarch, Abba Joseph, was at Misr, he saw that official, Isaac, who had solicited the patriarchal dignity, burning with inward fire because he and the bishops were mocked by the Alexandrians. But the patriarch, meeting and accosting him, addressed him pleasantly, as was his wont with all men, speaking soft words to him, in order to calm his troubled thoughts. Next he contrived a wise plan, that he might thereby appease him, for he said to him: «O my Lord Isaac, I have been longing after thee, and I have a strong affection for thee. I desire that thou be equal to myself, I wish thee to be my deputy in all my affairs, and hold the |497 patriarchal signet-ring, so that all men may know that thou art my administrator in all my business, both ecclesiastical and civil». When Isaac heard this, he rejoiced greatly, and was consoled, and said to our father, the patriarch: «I am thy servant, and under thy orders in whatsoever thou shalt command me to do». And when the people attended the church of our Lady at Misr, in the Fort of Ash-Shama', on the Feast of Palms, the patriarch ordained the official Isaac deacon. And there was a great congregation in the church on that day, so that the number of those who were present could not be counted.

But Satan the hater of good was there, and stirred up great trouble. For he entered into the two deposed bishops, and made them his vessels. Accordingly they visited Al-Afshîn, who was military commander under the caliph, and said to him: «God has delivered up to thee thine enemies and those of the prince, and thou hast exterminated them. Now it is binding on thee not to leave one surviving of those who were the cause of their rebellion.» He answered: «Who was it then that drove them to conspire against the prince?» And they replied: «It was the patriarch Joseph who did this, and he desired thereby even to slay the prince. And behold, |498 Joseph is now present at the church, accompanied by a large body of men who never disobey him. All that has been done was done by his orders; and thus this great calamity befell the prince and the amir, may God preserve him». Now when the two bishops entered into the presence of Al-Afshîn, he was drunk. So he was filled with wrath, and sent his brother to the church, and many men with him, that he might bring the patriarch to him, in order that he might put him to death. And Isaac, who had been bishop of Tinnîs, acted as their guide, like Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Lord Christ to the Jews. For he entered into the sanctuary and pointed with his finger at the patriarch, that he might make known to his companions which he was, so that they might seize him. Thereupon the brother of Al-Afshîn drew his sword to cut off the patriarch's head. But when he was in the act, his hand slipped; and so the sword struck against a marble column, and was broken. At this he grew still more angry. And he had at his waist a knife, which he took and aimed at the patriarch's side, intending to kill him. But ah the greatness of the miracle that was worked at that moment in the presence of all, and which God manifested among his saints! When that man struck the patriarch |499 with the knife, it cut the vestments which he was wearing, and penetrated as far as the girdle which was around his waist, and cut that; but his body-was not wounded at all. Then all the congregation in the church were thrown into disorder and shouted loudly, thinking that he was dead. But when he who was clothed in good works saw the confusion, and perceived the anxiety and excitement of the people, he made a sign to them with his hand, and exclaimed: «Be not troubled!». And when they understood that Abba Joseph was alive, they rejoiced greatly, and glorified God, and moved over towards him, to see what had happened to him; and they found him safe and sound, for nothing had been cut save the vestments and the girdle. Therefore they praised God, and cried aloud in the words of the prophet David ⁹³: «The Lord preserves his chosen ones; the Lord preserves the righteous, and will deliver them from the hand of sinners». And they thanked God for the patriarch's safety, and said ⁹⁴: «If the Lord had not delivered us, my soul would have been in Hell; and if I said that my foot had slipped, thy mercy, O Lord, assisted me. And on account of the multitude of the griefs of my heart thy consolation rejoiced me». |500

The brother of Al-Afshîn, seeing this miracle, and perceiving that the Lord was with the patriarch, took him that he might conduct him to his brother, as he had commanded. And while he was being drawn along, that he might be brought outside, while the people hung upon him, he said to them: «Keep me not back, for we do not resist the government». So he went out, while the people followed him weeping, and kissed his feet and hands, thinking that he would be put to death. And when the brother of the amir saw them holding him, he was greatly enraged, and, lifting up his hand, struck him with a rod on the head with such violence that his eyes were injured.

So the patriarch entered into the presence of Al-Afshîn, who addressed him as it was necessary, and told him what the bishops said of him, and of what they accused him. Thereupon the patriarch said to those present, by the grace of God: «The affair of the two bishops is a strange matter. For the fact is that I deposed them from their episcopal rank. And the cause of that was----». And he proceeded to make the events known to Al-Afshîn, and showed him the falsity of their charges. For nothing that they had said of him was true. Then he told the amir the reason of his |501 removing those two bishops because their people rose up against them. And Al-Afshîn perceived the truth, and saw that the bishops' words concerning the patriarch were lies; and he began to think that those two were responsible for the trouble. And he observed to those that were present: «These two men intended to make me share in a great crime, and put the father of all the Christians to death». Then when the holy man saw that vengeance was descending upon those two for his sake, he said to the amir: «My religion bids me do good to those that do harm to me. God has now shown thee the truth with regard to the accusations that these two men brought; and therefore I pray thee to treat them generously, as thou hast authority to do. Leave them alone then in honour of God». And when Al-Afshîn saw what the patriarch did, he marvelled; and he set the two bishops free. So the people glorified God and gave thanks to him, declaring that he was worthy of praise, because he had raised up as their leader this holy father, who acted according to the divine commandments.

And when Al-Ma'mûn learnt the news from those who visited him, he commanded that a decree should be written, directing that the patriarch should be honoured and respected, and that none should oppose him in his judgments or with regard to those whom he should appoint or depose. Afterwards Al-Ma'mûn gave orders that search should be made for the |502 Bashmurites still remaining in Egypt, and that they should be deported to Baghdad. So they were removed, and remained in the prisons for a long period, until it was God's will to save them from the hand of Ibrahîm, who reigned after his brother. Then some of them returned to their native towns while others remained there at Baghdad, and laid out gardens there, and continued in those parts until the present day, still bearing the name of Bashrûdites.

After this the father Joseph desired to appoint two bishops at Tinnîs and at Misr, in the place of those who had been deposed, that the words of the apostle Paul ⁹⁵ might be fulfilled: «The greatest of my duties is the care of the churches». Therefore he consecrated as bishop over Wasîm Isaac, the official, whom he had made a deacon and his own deputy. And he appointed a person named Demetrius over Tinnîs. But Fustât Misr was left without a bishop; and the bishop of Wasîm continued to be administrator of the diocese of Misr, and exercised authority over it; and none could resist him because of the influence which his words had with the governors and his brethren and his community, and he remained over the two sees until his death, |503 When the patriarch had recovered his strength a little, he took thought for the affairs of Abyssinia and Nubia, and sent a letter to the people of those countries, and enquired after them and their churches. But he did not succeed in communicating with them on account of hostility between their kings and the Muslim governors of Egypt. And he prayed to God that there might be peace between them, so that he might attain his object, which was to restore the buildings under the jurisdiction of the Father, Saint Mark the Evangelist. And God heard his prayer, and answered his petition. Now this war had lasted fourteen years between them, until Ibrahîm, brother of Al-Ma'mûn, began to reign. He set guards on the road to Abyssinia and Nubia. Now the king over the Nubians was Zacharias. So Ibrahîm sent, and said to him: «If thou wilt do what other kings have done before thee, then send the tribute for the past fourteen years. Otherwise we will make war upon thee.» Now a deacon, named George, was the secretary of the governor of Upper Egypt. So he wrote to the patriarch to make known to him what was contained in the letter of Ibrahîm, the prince. And the patriarch, on hearing it, glorified God, and rejoiced, saying: «This is an opportunity for me also to write to the kings of what |504 concerns the Church». So he wrote a letter, full of the grace of the Holy-Ghost, as it behoved him; and he saluted and praised the kings, and informed them of the kindly treatment that he had received from the princes of the Muslims, since the Lord had seated him upon the glorious and holy throne. And he added: «I am unworthy of this post, but I was desirous of obtaining news of you. Only my sin prevented my communicating with you, on account of the wars which have been waged in the land of Egypt, and the rebellion of the Bashrûdites against the commands of the prince, until he slew them, and laid their dwellings waste, and demolished their churches. But now we have found an opportunity by this correspondence of making known to you what has happened. And now, my. friends, you are bound to accomplish your duty to these princes. And if it were wrong that we should bid you do any of these things, then I have undergone punishment from my brethren, as Joseph, the son of Jacob, suffered from his brethren. And now you are bound to pray that there may be peace between you, O you that love God, and that peace may appear in the Church for your sake».

This epistle Abba Joseph despatched to the governor of the mines near Uswân, that he might forward it. And when this letter reached king Zacharias, and was read to him, he said: «What shall I do concerning the |505 prince's demand upon me? Who will collect for me the tribute of fourteen years in human souls, that I may send them to him? For I cannot leave my capital, lest the savages who are in rebellion against me should take possession of it. Now must I despatch my son to the prince.» So the king sent for his eldest son, whose name was George. And he had the trumpet blown, and appointed a herald who proclaimed that George should reign after him. Then he sent him to Misr, in company with the envoys who had come thence, together with gifts which he had prepared.

And when George arrived at Misr, he was met by the blessed father Abba Joseph. On seeing the patriarch, George, son of king Zacharias, rejoiced greatly, and prostrated himself before him. Then the patriarch gave him his benediction, and informed him of some of the events that had taken place, in order to excuse himself for the delay in sending a letter to the kingdom of the Nubians. But George replied ⁹⁶: «Blessed is the Lord, who deals not with us after our sins! But it was our fault that hindered thee till this time; and it is thy holiness that has made me worthy to kiss |506 thy holy hands, O thou Lamp, that enlightenest the orthodox throughout the world!»

Then George started upon the road to Baghdad. And he begged the patriarch to pray for him that God might bring him back in safety. On his arrival at Baghdad, the capital of the empire, the prince received him with joy and said to him: «God gives thee the tribute of all the past years, in return for thy coming to my court and thy obedience to me». And George remained with him many days in honour. Afterwards the prince dismissed him with many gifts of gold and silver and garments, and despatched a troop of soldiers with him, that they might conduct him to his own country in safety.

So he returned to Misr with great glory and ceremony, holding a golden cross in his hand, while all the people welcomed him, according to the honour which the caliph had paid him. And George requested leave of the patriarch that he might transport into the governor's palace, where he was lodging, a consecrated sanctuary, made of wood, that could be taken to pieces and put together again. And there were with him bishops from his own country, |507 who celebrated the Liturgy for him, so that the king's son and all his companions made their communion there. And he gave orders that the wooden gong should be struck on the roof of the palace at the time of the Liturgy, as it is done at the churches. And all men marvelled thereat; and all the Christians rejoiced and glorified God for what he had shown forth through the prayers of this holy man, the patriarch. And in his days the said king's son set out and started upon his homeward journey. Therefore our father, the patriarch, proceeded with him, as far as a place called Bûlâk, with great state. And the father was thereby consoled for the trials which he had passed through.

Now who will not marvel when he hears these wonders, namely that every patriarch who sits upon this holy throne directs his care towards three departments of business: the care for the synodical letter to the patriarch of Antioch; secondly our relations with the Abyssinians and the Nubians; and thirdly the carrying out of decrees issued by the governor of Egypt to the patriarch and bishops, that the affairs of the orthodox churches may be kept in good order? And God brought these three |508 departments together for our father, the patriarch Abba Joseph, by the coming of the caliph Al-Ma'mûn from his country and the patriarch's interviews with him, and the arrival of his brother Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch, with whom he held intercourse, and the coming of the son of the king of the Nubians, as we have related, and the prosperity of affairs, and his seeing the great glory in truth, as the prophet David says ⁹⁷: «All nations shall worship before him».

And God worked for him another wonder, so that he performed for him all that he had prayed for, in order that the see of the illustrious father, Saint Mark the Evangelist, might be glorified. May the blessings of his prayers preserve us! There was at that time a bishop named John, whom the father, Abba James, had ordained for the land of the Abyssinians. Now the king of the Abyssinians had gone forth to war. Then the people became disaffected, and drove away that bishop, and appointed another of their own free choice, thus breaking the canon. And the aforesaid bishop returned to Egypt and took up his abode at the Monastery of Baramus in Wadî Habîb, because he had first become a monk there. But the Lord, who loves mankind, and desires to save them and restore them to the knowdedge of |509 the truth, did not allow that country and its inhabitants to remain in their disobedience, but he raised up against them the evangelical throne once more, that the Lord might show forth wonders in the following manner. For he sent down upon them and upon their cattle a plague with great mortality, and caused their king to be defeated by all who fought against him; and his followers were slain. So, when he came back from the war, great sadness fell upon him. And he did not know what had been done to the bishop, nor how he had been banished from their city. For it was the queen who had caused this mischief, acting as Eudoxia did in her time against John the Golden Mouth. As soon therefore as the king learnt this, he hastened and wrote a letter to the good shepherd, Abba Joseph, saying to him: «I prostrate myself before the evangelical throne, upon which thy Paternity has been counted worthy to sit, and by the grace of which my royal authority is confirmed. Now the people of my country have strayed away from the light of the holy see, and have set their feet in a path full of thorns by driving away thy vicar. Therefore the Lord has sent down the punishment of that deed upon our heads, and has given us a taste of his vengeance through the death of men and cattle by the plague. Moreover he has forbidden heaven to rain upon us. But now, our holy father, overlook |510 our folly, and send us someone who will pray to God for us, and intercede for us, that we may be saved by thy acceptable prayers».

When the father had read this letter, he rejoiced over the king's faith and quickly sent and summoned that bishop from the monastery of Baramus, and having encouraged and consoled him sent him back to the Abyssinians. And he despatched an escort of trustworthy men with him on account of the dangers of the road, and gave him sufficient provision for the journey. And he dismissed the party, giving them his blessing that God might make their path easy. And God heard him; for they safely reached the friendly king, who rejoiced over them with all the natives of the land.

After this, Satan, the enemy of peace, suggested an idea to some of the people of that country. Accordingly, they waited upon the king, and said to him: «We request thy majesty to command this bishop to be circumcised. For all the inhabitants of our country are circumcised except him». And the working of Satan was so powerful that the king approved this proposal, namely that the aged bishop should be taken and circumcised, or else that he should return to the place whence he had come. And when the bishop recollected the hardships of his journeys, both when he departed and when he returned, and then of what he would experience again, he dreaded the difficulties of the road both by land and water. So he said: «I will submit |511 to this, for the salvation of these souls, of which the Lord has appointed me shepherd without any merit of mine. Yet now Paul the apostle enjoins us, saying ⁹⁸: If any man is called without circumcision, let him not be circumcised». So when he made this concession to them, God manifested a miracle in him, as he wrote to our father the patriarch, Abba Joseph; namely, that when they took him to circumcise him, and stripped him, they found the mark of circumcision in him, as if he had been circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. And he swore in his letter that he knew nothing of this before that day. Thus the king and the people of the country were satisfied, and rejoiced greatly over this wonder, and accepted the bishop with joy.

When the letter containing an account of this matter reached the patriarch, he rejoiced greatly over the return of those erring ones to their shepherd and over the miracle which had been manifested, saying: «Blessed is the Lord, who has turned the captivity of his people and saved them from the hand of the enemy, and has not left them in error for ever». And |512 because this good shepherd took so much care of his sheep and gave his life for them, he appointed many bishops, and sent them to all places under the see of Saint Mark the evangelist, which include Africa and the Five Cities and Al-Kairuwân and Tripoli and the land of Egypt and Abyssinia and Nubia. For he said: «If the shepherds be not many to guard the flock, the sheep will perish; therefore I do not neglect them, lest any of them be lost or destroyed, even one, for whom I should be held responsible by Christ. For with what purpose did he appoint me, unless it were to protect his flock from the lion which is always watching for negligence on the part of the shepherd, that it may seize and devour and destroy. Afterwards I shall say also in the presence of the Lord ⁹⁹: Not one of those whom thou gavest me has perished». Yet while he was acting thus, the adversary who is ever fighting bestirred himself that he might raise up trials and sorrows for him. But the Lord was with this holy father, and delivered him at all times, and showed him the weakness of his enemies and of the enemies of the Church day after day, according to the words of the Lord, who said ¹⁰⁰: «The gates of Hell shall never prevail against my Church».

At that period the prince Ibrahîm sent men to Egypt with orders that |513 the columns and the marble should be taken from the churches in everyplace. He who came to search for these things was a malignant heretic of the Nestorian sect, named Lazarus. So when he arrived at Misr, the people of his foul sect gathered together to meet him; and they were the Chalcedonian heretics dwelling at Alexandria. They did not cease denouncing the churches by night and by day, and they persuaded Lazarus to demolish the churches of Alexandria. And they guided him to the places where there were columns and pavements; and so he carried them off by force and violence. Afterwards they led him out to the church of the martyr, Saint Mennas, at Maryût, in their great jealousy against it, and then they said to him: «None of the churches is like this one, for all that thou hast come to seek thou wilt find herein». So that Nestorian hastily arose, by the advice of the informers, and entered the church of the martyr Saint Mennas. And when he looked at the building and its ornaments, and saw the beauty of the columns and coloured marbles which it contained, he marvelled and was amazed, and said: «This is what the prince needs. This is here, and I knew nothing of it!» Therefore our father, Abba Joseph the patriarch, hearing that this wicked person did not hold back his hand through the evil |514 and malice that was in his heart, and learning what the heretics had found, said to him: «Behold, all the churches under my jurisdiction are before thee. Do with them therefore as the prince commands thee. But this church alone I desire of thee that thou injure not. And whatever thou shalt ask of me I will deliver to thee».

Yet the heretic would not listen to the patriarch's words nor to his request, but answered him face to face with unseemly language, and then set to work and robbed the church of its coloured marbles and its unequalled pavement, which was composed of all colours and had no match, nor was its value known. And when the marble arrived at the city of Alexandria, that it might be forwarded to the court, the father was greatly grieved for the church, and said: «I know that thou art able, O holy Martyr, to exact just punishment for the wrong done to thee by this heretic, who has not respected thy house, although it is a consolation for all the faithful». And he did not cease to mourn thus night and day for the calamity that had befallen this holy church. And he took care to restore it quickly. For he sent for surface decoration from Misr and Alexandria, and began to repair with all beautiful ornament the places from which the pavements had |515 been stripped, until no one who looked at them could perceive that anything was gone from them.

And in those days, while the heretic Lazarus was at Alexandria, the words that are ¹⁰¹ written were fulfilled concerning him: «Who is he that resists the Lord? For he shall be crushed.» For the Lord struck him speedily with a plague in the following manner. His body and his inward parts were swollen with the disease called the dropsy, and the colour of his face was changed, and he remained in a recumbent posture, unable to raise his head. He had also fallen into great poverty, so that he found none to supply nourishment for himself or his beasts, nor to treat him medically. Therefore he begged and implored the father patriarch to give him something to spend upon himself. And this father did what Lazarus asked, according to that which is written ¹⁰², namely: «If thine enemy hunger feed him, and if he thirst give him to drink». And the pains grew upon Lazarus greatly, as he lay prostrate, and all who beheld him glorified God and his martyr, Saint Mennas, and blessed the good shepherd, because he had done good |516 to all who did evil to him. And the father's tongue was like a sharp sword. Who would not be filled with admiration on hearing of the virtues of this holy and blessed father, Abba Joseph? Listen now to yet another wonder, my friends, concerning this father. There was at Alexandria a man who was one of the Chalcedonian heretics; and he was very rich, and possessed water-wheels. So when he went out one day to take recreation in one of his vineyards outside Alexandria, he saw a broken water-wheel, and asked for a carpenter. Now there was an old man, a priest, who was also a carpenter. So the Chalcedonian said to him: «Wilt thou come now with me, that thou mayest mend the water-wheel for me?» But the priest replied: «To-day is the Great Friday; and I can do no work to-day, because it is the day on which the Word of God, the Saviour of the world, was crucified». Then that cursed heretic opened his cavilling mouth in answer, and blasphemed God the Word, saying what must not be recorded. So the aged priest reproved him, and went away and left him. Now our father, the patriarch, was staying in the desert of Wadî Habîb, in order to keep Easter in the monastery, and to finish the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ: but as soon as he returned to Alexandria, the aged priest reported |517 to him the blasphemies that had been uttered by the heretic. Thereupon he who was overshadowed by the Holy Ghost answered with the voice of prophecy: «Let the lips which utter blasphemy against Christ my God be struck with dumbness!» And he said also in the words of David ¹⁰³: «An enemy has invented lies against the Lord, and a foolish people has provoked thy name to anger». Ah that great miracle! At that very moment the heretic became dumb and could not speak; and he remained paralysed to the day of his death. And a great dread fell upon all the Alexandrian heretics who beheld this, so that even their chief, the pseudo-patriarch, whose name was Sophronius, began to have faith and trust in our father, and paid several visits to him, and acted humbly towards him, and saluted him.

In the seventh year after Abba Joseph's appointment, namely the year 554 of the Martyrs, God showed a great sign in the sky. For a great star appeared in the east and reached to the west, like a gleaming sword; and it remained many days. And men said: «We have never seen anything like this. What is likely to happen through this star?» And after some days there came a terrible pestilence upon the cattle, and the beasts began |518 to fall down dead in the enclosures and in all places, until the people of Egypt had not a beast left, and lost the means of carrying on their work. And no one could walk through the streets without stopping his nose for the multitude of dead animals. Thus the cultivation of the land was interrupted, and there was little produce; and the land of Egypt was full of sadness. Afterwards the plague attacked men also, so that they perished like the cattle. As David says ¹⁰⁴ of the people of Egypt: «He spared them not from death, nor their beasts». Meanwhile our father did not cease to weep for the men and the beasts, nor to pray to God with tears, saying: «O Lord, thou hast turned thy face away from thy people on account of my sins. Yet deal not with them according to my transgressions; but let thy mercy reach them speedily, and save thy people, and renew the face of the earth, O God, Lover of mankind». And God heard his servant's prayer, and changed his wrath into health for men and beasts, and taught them that He can do all things. For men and beasts multiplied in Egypt, and the people forgot what had taken place; and the beasts even began to bring forth two at a birth, until men and beasts became as if not one of them had died nor any of them perished. |519

I wish to relate to you an incident which occurred during the struggles and labours of this father, that you may hear and glorify God, who worked wonders for him, and saved him from his sorrows and distress. Upon the death of Isaac, bishop of Wasîm, who also ruled the see of Misr, and who had formerly solicited the patriarchate, Abba Joseph appointed in his place Banah the deacon, at the request of the chief men of Misr. But he promoted to the see of Wasîm another of his sons, named Apacyrus, who died after a short time. Now Isaac the deceased had a son named Theodore, a name common to three bishops who sat in succession upon the episcopal throne of Misr. This man solicited the see of Wasîm, but the people did not approve him; and the father did not think it right to appoint him against the will of the people. There was in Egypt at that time a governor named Alî, son of Yahya, the Armenian, acting on behalf of Abû Ishâk Ibrahîm al-Mu'tasim, son of Hârûn ar-Rashîd, and brother of Abd Allah al-Ma'mûn. So Theodore cast aside the fear of God, and paid a visit to the governor, and promised him money that he might compel the patriarch to raise him to the episcopate. Therefore the governor sent and enquired concerning the father |520 patriarch, and interceded with him for Theodore. But the patriarch answered that Theodore should never become bishop, and resisted the governor, saying: «I have no power in this matter». Then the governor was greatly enraged for the sake of the money which Theodore had promised him, and began to pull down the churches of Fustât Misr. And he began by attacking first of all the church which is in the Fort of Ash-Shama', called the Hanging Church. So they demolished its upper part, until they reached the gallery. And the father patriarch and the people were lamenting sadly and in great grief, and were weeping bitter tears. As David the prophet says ¹⁰⁵: «O Lord God, God of Hosts, how long wilt thou be wrath against the prayer of thy servant? Thou feedest me with bread with my tears, and givest me tears to drink. Thou makest me a byword to my acquaintances and a sorrow and mockery to my enemies. O Lord God of Hosts, return, O Lord, and make thy face shine upon us, so that we shall be saved». And Abba Joseph gave vent to deep sighs in sadness of heart for the demolition of the church.

But certain persons came to the father, and said to him: «How long wilt thou refuse to appoint this man bishop? Until all the churches are |521 demolished? God has seen thy solicitude and thy struggle for the truth. Deal with this man who relies upon worldly authority as he demands, and God will give him his portion, and his sin shall be on his own head». Then the patriarch consented to that which the people proposed. Yet the governor did not cease from his fury, but required money of the father, saying: «I will not put a stop to the destruction of the churches unless thou give me three thousand dinars». Thereupon the laymen and the bishops present with him were vexed and exclaimed: «O our father be not distressed, we will furnish this money. Therefore divide the debt equally among us, that thou mayest save the churches and no harm may befall them». So the officials proceeded to visit the governor, and gave him sureties that they would pay three thousand dinars. Upon that his anger was appeased, and he commanded that the bishop should be ordained. Accordingly the father ordained him. And he said from the depth of his heart concerning the governor, as the prophet David says in the fifth Psalm ¹⁰⁶: «The Lord abhors the wicked man, but does justice to the poor». He quoted also the word which is in the Law of Moses ¹⁰⁷: «On the day of vengeance I will reward them, on the day when their feet shall slip». And he added: «On the day of their destruction I will reward them, and |522 will judge the enemies and the oppressors». And all men knew that his words were like prophecy, and said: «What, thinkest thou, will come to pass after this prophecy?» A short time afterwards, indeed, the caliph sent this governor to the land of the Romans, to make a raid upon it; and he took some of them captive, and conquered territory. Then the caliph sent him a second time; and some of the Romans came out against him, and slew him and all his soldiers with cruelty, as the father had foretold with regard to him.

When the trouble ceased from the churches, and that which had been pulled down was restored, and the faithful provided for it and improved it, so that it became finer and more beautiful than it had been before, because the Church is founded upon the Rock, and nothing prevails against her, but she prevails over those who oppose her, and destroys them, then the father said, in the words of the prophet David ¹⁰⁸: «O Lord, who is like unto thee? Thou hast shown us great troubles, but thou hast returned and quickened us, and brought us up from the depth of the earth». And again ¹⁰⁹: «The Lord has stripped off my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness, and turned my lamentation into joy». |523

And the bishop of Misr began to request further promotion of the father patriarch. And there was a judge at Misr, named Muhammad, son of Abd Allah, whom that man used to consult in all his business. And this judge was a man to be feared, and one whose words none could resist, for he was looked up to by all the Muslims as a lawyer and a leader, and was learned in their religion. But he secretly did deeds that were worthy of blame, and loved to drink wine and to hear singing, and he purchased beautiful slave-girls, and indulged in amusement and debauchery without fear of God or shame before men, according to the words of the Gospel ¹¹⁰ concerning those like him. Nevertheless God endured him, and allowed him a respite, and added to his days one equal to a thousand years, while he persisted in his folly and insolence against the people of this orthodox religion and the other Christian communities, and swore against Christ. In accordance with this character, he brought lawsuits against the father patriarch several times, and mocked him. So God brought down his deeds upon his own pate, as David says in the Psalm ¹¹¹: «Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee». Therefore when Banah, bishop of Misr, saw the power of this judge, and his influence over the governor and commanders of the Muslims, he made friends with him, in order that the judge might do what he desired, and that none might oppose him in his administration, just as |524 the judge acted among the Muslims in what he decreed, whether it were honest or perverse or deceitful.

But the father, Abba Joseph, did not cease to fight for the truth, and to declare his trust in God; and therefore he feared none but God, who created him. Now the patriarch knew what had taken place between the bishop and the judge. And the judge began to think what evil he should do to the patriarch. So one day he gave orders that the father patriarch should be summoned. And certain bishops were present at the judge's house that day, and were trying to conciliate Banah, bishop of Misr; and their names were Abba Pachomius, bishop of Bastah, and George, bishop of Taha, and another George, bishop of Ahnâs, and Zacharias, bishop of Al-Buhairah, and Mennas, bishop of Al-Bahnasa, besides others. So when the patriarch appeared before the judge, the latter said to him: «Who gave thee authority to be chief over all the Christians?» The patriarch replied: «God gave me this authority». Then the judge turned to the aforesaid bishops and to the bishop of Misr, who was with them, and said to them: «Obey this patriarch no longer from this day forth, and call him not father; but make this man your father (that is to say Banah, bishop of Misr), and let him be |525 your leader». And the bishops assented to his words, and said: «This that thou sayest is good, O judge, and what thou commandest shall be done». Now this took place by a previous agreement made by them with the judge, and they had promised to give him money. Then Zacharias, bishop of Al-Buhairah, said to our father, the patriarch: «Did I not say to thee yesterday: Hinder not the bishop, Abba Banah, from doing all that he desires, as the judge commands?» Our holy father, Abba Joseph, answered him and said with an awful voice, in the Coptic language: «O you that have no understanding, how have you gone astray thus, how have you accepted these words that have no accomplishment? But true is that which Paul the Apostle prophesied ¹¹² of you; and he showed your folly when he said: We did not do the truth of God with understanding, that we should be converted of ourselves. And you have not obeyed the truth of God». And there were some of the lawyers sitting in the presence of the judge, and among them were some who understood the Coptic tongue, and they discerned the meaning of the patriarch's words, and how he was admonishing the bishops; and so they reported to the judge all that he had said. When the judge heard it, he was furious, and said to the father: «Thinkest |526 thou that my commands will not be carried out?» Our father answered in a humble voice: «Hast thou power to lay thy hand upon the sun, and hide its brightness? For if thou canst do this, then thou wilt be able to do what thou sayest. Or canst thou resist God, or the commands of my lord the prince, whom thou servest? I said before that my primacy is of God, not of man. But now I also hold a decree from the prince which establishes my power. Yet behold, thou sayest these words to these bishops who have no authority over me: whereas my authority over them is from God and from the prince, and the execution of my sentence takes place among my people and my flock; and I have power tocut off and banish all those who err from the right path». When the judge heard these words from the patriarch's mouth he said to him: «Holdest thou a decree from the prince, giving thee power to do what thou wilt?» Our father replied: «Yes, it is so». The judge said to him: «Bring it to me that I may read it». Now Abba Joseph had with him diplomas from the princes, from Al-Ma'mûn Abd Allah, son of Hârûn ar-Rashîd, issued when he came to Egypt, and from Ibrahîm, his brother. And when |527 Hârûn al-Wâthik, son of Ibrahîm, began to reign, he was asked to issue a new decree for our father, and accordingly it was written for him. And it was Harûn al-Wâthik who appointed this judge over Egypt. Therefore our father handed him the decrees; and he read them, and learnt from them the superior strength of those that walk straight over those that deviate from duty and from the right path. And the judge was ashamed and confounded, and bade our father depart with honour, so that all that were present were amazed. Now there were many of the bishops who had disapproved of these transactions, and had remained loyal to the patriarch, namely, Mennas, bishop of Tânah, and Sinuthius, bishop of Sâ, and the rest of the bishops. So he gave them the fruit of his lips ¹¹³, praying for them and blessing them. The father patriarch also used to say concerning the bishops who rebelled: «O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge ¹¹⁴».

After this Satan brought upon Abba Joseph another trial. For this father was merciful, and desired not the perdition of any man. So Satan put it into the heart of the unjust judge, who had become his instrument, that he should seize the Roman and Abyssinian pages of the patriarch, who were |528 not yet of full age, and try to make Muslims of them. Now many people used to give information, one against another, for this cause concerning the pages belonging to their households, whom the judge thereupon took and into custody and perverted to the religion of Islam, by means of persecution and intimidation. He also sometimes imprisoned their masters for a time, and when they bribed him, he set them free. Then he made curious inquiries concerning the Roman and Abyssinian pages of the patriarch, who had been sent as presents to him from Africa and the Five Cities and Abyssinia and Nubia. For he was told that the patriarch had pages at Alexandria, who were being taught in the school. So he sent his officers thither in the company of the deposed bishop of Misr, whose name was Banah, the interpretation of which is Fire. The bishop went as far as the city of Alexandria, and entered the house wherein the pages were. And he took them and led them away like lambs to the slaughter, while they wept helplessly until they were brought into Misr, being eight in number. Then when the unjust judge saw them, he rejoiced, saying: «This is a matter which will disappoint and vex the patriarch». Next he said to our father: « It is not lawful for thee to resist the princes' command nor to |529 trample upon their orders; and it is not lawful for thee to attempt to enslave these youths and make Christians of them». The patriarch answered: «I do not resist the prince's command nor any good words, but only unjust orders». The judge said to him: «Then am I unjust in thy opinion?» He replied: «Thou knowest that none of thy predecessors forced any one like these, who are Christians and the sons of Christians, to become Muslims. For they were presented to the churches as gifts, and came from the king of the Abyssinians, or from the Nubians or Romans; and they were sent to me as a present, and given to me». But the judge, through Satan's power over him, would not listen; and, as David says ¹¹⁵, he was like the deaf asp that stops her ears, and will not hear the voice of the charmer. Therefore he gave orders that the youths should be brought in, while the patriarch was there, and intimidated them so that they acknowledged themselves Muslims before him in the patriarch's presence, although he tried to hold them to the Christian faith. So he said, weeping: «Woe is me, my sadness is renewed, and my heart burns within me ¹¹⁶; I have seen my punishment, my limbs are cut asunder from me. Now, O Lord, let me know my end, for the sorrows of Hell encompass me». Then the judge said to the father: «There can be no further communication between |530 thee and these youths, for they are become Muslims. Take their price and leave them». The father replied: «If it is thy desire to make slaves of the free, I have no such wish; for these are free and the limbs of my body; and God will judge thee for them, and thou wilt give an account of them before God, the God of all». After that the judge gave orders that the pages should be separated, and accordingly the Muslims shared them among themselves. And when this compassionate father saw this transaction, he sighed, and said before the Lord: «Thou seekest out blood and rememberest them. Forget not the voice of the poor ¹¹⁷». He said also: «They have humbled thy people, and done harm to thy heritage, and slain the orphans and the strangers, and said: God doth not see ¹¹⁸ ». Thus he ceased not to weep and sigh and lament. And he said: «If any one outrage these youths, may God destroy him!» Further he said: «O Lord, I am a sinful man, but yet, O Lord, thou wilt take vengeance upon this unjust judge in return for his wicked conduct, and thou wilt fulfil upon him the words of wise Solomon: In the day of vengeance ¹¹⁹ the hypocrites shall perish». Such grief did the father endure, while he prayed night and day, |531 saying: «O Lord, them wilt not forsake thy people on account of my sin».

There were in his time faithful men, holy monks, who prayed for him that patience might be given to him under these trials that afflicted him. And there was a hermit among them whose name was Ammonius, at the monastery of Saint John. There was also Abba Mennas, the hermit, on Mount Armûn, who was endowed with the spirit of prophecy, and healed all the sick; many testified of him that he had power over unclean spirits and cast them out of men.

And I, the mean and feeble one, visited him, and he discoursed with me concerning the Church. He was a eunuch from birth, pure unto God, and had been a monk from his youth in the monastery of Saint John. But when the desert was ravaged in the last years of the patriarch, Abba Mark, as we related above, this monk took refuge in a church named after the Disciples, in a certain village. And he showed forth many miracles by healing the sick and casting out devils. And I, the mean one, was present with him, and he taught me writing; and that was in the tenth year of the patriarchate of the father, Abba Joseph.

This holy old man was sitting one day, reading in the history of the ancient churches and of what happened to the fathers, in the seventeenth part |532 of the history of the church, and I said to him in my simplicity, not knowing what I said: «What is this that he says?» And he answered me in the words of the Holy Ghost: «O my son, blessed is he who wrote and provided for the history of the patriarchs. Believe what I say to thee, my son, that none shall begin the eighteenth part of the history of the Church, before he comes, whose name is eighteen. And thou art he that shall take thought for the writing of it, for the Lord calls thee to it». Thereupon I became as if I were absent-minded, and could not ask him anything further. Now this old man remained all his life a hermit. And he frequently gave me his blessing. But I have abridged what I have written, and have left much unwritten through fear of those who will read what I have written concerning this holy old hermit. Here I have left the history of the fathers, and ceased to relate their history. Severus, bishop of Sanabû, dilates in one of his homilies upon the history of this hermit.

But let us now return to that which God did by means of the father patriarch, Abba Joseph, and I will relate the following miracle. When this father was at Misr in the time of the unjust judge, whose dealing with him we have recounted, there came to him a Christian person who said to him: «O my spiritual father, take pity on me! For I have a son who has been |533 possessed many days by a diabolical spirit which torments him. And he cries aloud saying: I will not leave him until Abba Joseph, the patriarch, commands me. Therefore have mercy on my son, thy servant, O father». Now the father was exceedingly humble, and he said to the man with a pure and humble heart: «What have I to do, my son, with these of whom thou speakest? Yet on account of thy faith, thy son shall be delivered». Then the man accepted his words, as the centurion accepted the words of the Lord, exclaiming: «I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under the roof of my house, but speak the word only, and my lad shall be healed». So this faithful person did not cease to beg and implore the patriarch, saying: «Have pity on me, O my father!» Again the father asked: «What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?» He answered: «I am not worthy that thou shouldest go with me nor enter my house; but wilt thou write for me with thine own hand a sentence in thine own name, and nothing more, commanding the devil to depart? For then he will depart from my son». When our father heard him say this, he marvelled at him, and at the greatness of his faith, and thought that he ought not to allow him to go away without that which he asked of him. And I, the writer of this history, hearing this, became like the God-loving deacon Theopistus, while he |534 was with the holy father Dioscorus in the island of Gangra, on account of the man with the withered arm who was cured by the blood from the confessor's hand. For I believed that the Lord would do by means of this father that which would cure this man's son. And while I was meditating on this, the Lord willed to increase my faith by this holy man. For he bade me take a sheet of paper and an inkstand, and write upon the sheet thus: «Joseph, the mean one, the least of all the patriarchs, speaks and bids thee, unclean spirit, depart from the servant of Christ our God, and forbids thee to return to him henceforth, through the power of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, the one God».

Thereupon the father of the youth took this letter, and departed quickly to his house, and read the writing over his son; and at once the devil went out of him, and did not return to him. And while our father remained at Misr, that man came to him and prostrated himself before him with great faith, saying: «I thank the Lord for thy prayers; for by thy words my son was healed». But our father forbad him under pain of ecclesiastical penance to tell anyone of this matter. And the man swore to us that the devil had never returned to his son since that day.

In those days the father Dionysius, patriarch of Antioch, went to his rest. So the metropolitans and the bishops and the orthodox laity took thought |535 and appointed in his place a person, perfect in his qualities, named John. This was in the 15th. year of the patriarchate of Abba Joseph, and in the year 562 of the Martyrs. After John's enthronement at Antioch he wrote to our father a synodical letter according to custom, proclaiming the unity of the two sees, and sent it by two metropolitans, namely Athanasius, metropolitan of Apamea, and Timothy, metropolitan of Damascus, accompanied by others of the clergy. Therefore the father, Abba Joseph, having heard that they were approaching Egypt, with the synodical letter in their charge, travelled to Alexandria, in order that they might meet him there with honour. And as they drew near to the city, he sent to welcome them a body of bishops and clergy, who chanted before them, and conducted them as far as the patriarchal cell with glory and reverence. And when our father had received the synodical letter, he commanded that it should be read aloud to the orthodox people; and they rejoiced exceedingly..

But the perpetual enemy saw this grace, and immediately began to stir up troubles against our father the patriarch by means of one who was his instrument, as he had done with the unjust judge. Now that judge |536 employed a man worse than himself, who acted as his deputy at Alexandria and in the neighbouring province; and this man's name was Muhammad son of Bashîr. So those whom the patriarch had formerly excommunicated went to this man, and advised him to put the patriarch to shame in the presence of the metropolitans. These children of fire contrived this plan, thinking that this action would weigh heavily upon him; whereas he, being clothed with humility, paid no heed, and did not think of what they were thinking. For they thought in their hearts that, if they disgraced him before the metropolitans, his dignity would be lessened, and knew not that their counsels were contemptible; while the ever victorious one conquered, and gained the crown after the contest, and received a blessing for his endurance. And by this his fame and the report of his patience reached the ends of the east, after those righteous metropolitans had witnessed that which was done to him.

At that time the judge of Alexandria sent and summoned the holy father, Abba Joseph the patriarch, and the metropolitans with him. And when he appeared in the judge's presence, he said to him: «I am informed that thou hast pages, whom the judge, my master, commanded thee not to take to thyself again. Some of them are in thy house, and thou hast |537 converted them to thy religion». Then the holy man answered and said to him: «I have none of those of whom thou speakest, nor have I beheld the face of one of them since that day». Thereupon the judge ordered that the patriarch should be beaten upon his neck without mercy; and they belaboured him soundly, and did not cease from beating him for a considerable time. In consequence of this his head was bowed, and he could not raise it for his weakness; and he did not open his mouth to utter a word, except when he said thus: «I thank thee, Lord Jesus Christ». But we, his children, wept bitterly for witnessing what was done to him by this wicked judge. Yet the patriarch did not despair of mercy, but was filled with courage. And so those metropolitans marvelled, and said: «Blessed be God, who has counted us worthy to behold so faithful a champion!» And our blessed father repeated the words of the Lord concerning the unjust judge, that the Lord would show forth vengeance in him, which should come upon him, as Luke says ¹²⁰: «God shall soon avenge his elect who pray to him day and night, though he is longsuffering concerning them».

After this the patriarch Joseph wrote to the patriarch John an answer to his synodical letter, and dismissed the envoys with the glory and honour |538 which befitted them. And they praised our father Joseph, and began to publish his deeds throughout their country.

And there were in his days grace and peace. A wonderful thing took place in his time; for he beheld the monasteries in every place grow and increase every day, through his prayers and the prayers of the holy men who lived at that time. Above all the monasteries of the Wadî Habîb were like the Paradise of God, especially that of Saint Macarius. And God's assistance was with all the monks, and more than any with that oeconomus Sinuthius, the holy priest, by whose means God manifested countless good works through his faith in Saint Macarius. For Sinuthius raised monuments in honour of Saint Macarius, vineyards and gardens and cattle and mills and oilpresses, and many useful things that cannot be numbered. And when the faithful people beheld what he did, they rejoiced thereat, and were zealous for his deeds, and helped him with good intentions.

And there were in the holy monastery innumerable persons, not only the orthodox, but also heretics, on account of the wonders that were manifested in that church. This was the doing of this oeconomus Sinuthius, who |539 hoped for a reward from God, as Paul, the Apostle, says ¹²¹: «We in the spirit in faith wait for a true hope». And when Sinuthius saw the monks increasing in numbers through the grace of God which called them, he began and built a church to the north of the Great Church, and named it after the Fathers and Disciples. And he completed it, and adorned it with every kind of ornament. And he invited our holy father, Abba Joseph the patriarch, to visit this church; and when he saw it, his heart was filled with joy; and he consecrated it on the first day of Barmûdah in the seventeenth year of his patriarchate. And the father did not cease to bless this oeconomus Sinuthius from the depths of his heart, and looked upon the monuments which Sinuthius made day after day, and especially this holy church, which was capacious in size, and beautiful in structure. And we, the sons of this father, had a great affection for this oeconomus Sinuthius, on account of our father's love for him which we beheld. And the father said to us by the power of the Holy Ghost, who descended upon him: «My sons, believe me, this brother has many monuments which he will make, and there is building of churches and chapels for him». When we heard him say this, we |540 said to him: «Thinkest thou that he will build other churches on this mountain?». And his words were like a prophecy, but we did not know it until there was manifested to us after that a thing that we will record.

Our father had in his hand an elegant pastoral staff, which he gave to Sinuthius, the oeconomus, saying to him: «Take this, my son, as a memorial for thyself». On seeing this, we said: «Verily this refers to something that will appear; for all his actions are done by the grace of the Holy Ghost».

In the eighteenth year of Abba Joseph's patriarchate there was made governor of Alexandria an amir, named Mâlik, son of Nâsir al Hadar, who was a wicked man and unjust. So when he entered the city he began to do harm to many people, more than the governor who preceded him. For he interfered with the artisans and the great merchants and dealers in woven stuffs and shopkeepers, ordering them not to sell or buy except within certain limits which he laid down for them. And he made a great measure; and a crier began to proclaim thus: «If anyone is found having a garment less than this measure, I will imprison him and put him to shame and slay him». So when the people of Alexandria saw this, they were sad and |541 said: «We know now that God has abased this city and its inhabitants by the hand of this unjust man». But the poor people, the weavers and the tailors, were left without employment because their means of livelihood were cut off, and their children were forced to be idle, so that they were without food, and were inclined to emigrate and depart to other countries, that they might earn a living. And they were crying out night and day that God would save them from this tyrant.

And God did not neglect their supplication, but heard them speedily. For he said by the prophet David's tongue in the ninetieth Psalm ¹²²: «Cry unto me, and I will answer thee and deliver thee». And again: «The Lord is near those that call upon him ¹²³». So on a certain day that amir mounted his horse and came to the patriarch's Cell, accompanied by certain female slaves; and he ate and drank with them. Then he arose and walked round all the patriarch's chambers, until he reached the closet in which the patriarchs always slept. Thereupon he drove the father out of it, and brought in his slaves and ate and drank with them there, and reposed in that |542 chamber, which was full of the savour of incense and sweet perfume from the prayers of the holy patriarchs. Therefore the holy father, seeing this, was grieved and wept much, repeating the words of David, the prophet ¹²⁴, in the 78th. Psalm: «O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance, and have defiled thy holy temple». After this man had done these foul deeds without fear, he departed and returned to his own house. And God, the worker of miracles at all times, took revenge upon him; for that very day he was attacked by a pain in the inward parts, and quickly drew near to death. Yet he did not cease from his injustice and wicked deeds. At that time the children of fire went and laid information against the father, saying: «This man writes letters to the princes of the Romans, and they send him much money». So the amir sent speedily, and summoned our father, and commanded that he should be imprisoned in a narrow dungeon, and entrusted him to the charge of certain guards, who were to watch over him. And he desired to torment the patriarch until he should give him a thousand dinars, while the patriarch patiently endured; and the amir did not cease to threaten him, and finally insisted on the sum of four hundred dinars. But during |543 all this the pains were increasing upon him; and the blood ran from his body, and he could not sleep by night or by day. And he could not find a physician who could treat him, nor did medicine benefit him. Meanwhile the father remained in prison for the sake of the four hundred dinars, and prayed to God night and day, saying: «Let my supplication come before thee, O Lord, and the sighing of the sick and the captives 125 ». And he remained in straits many days, while the governor threatened and intimidated him, in order that he might bring the money. And the patriarch's disciples and friends were in great grief and trouble, and counselled him to pay the money. So he, upon whom the spirit of prophecy rested, said to them, that if he were not to quit that place until he had paid what that tyrant demanded of him, then on the seventh day after they had entered therein, one of God's sudden judgments would be manifested, at which all men would marvel. Then Abba Joseph paid the four hundred dinars, and he and his companions were released from the prison. And I, the mean writer of this history, was with him in the dungeon. And the Lord, who beholds all things, accomplished the words of this holy man; for on the seventh day after he paid the money, while we were with him, certain men entered to him and informed him that the governor was dead, and that the crier was calling in |544 the streets to the people: «Rise up and bury the governor!» And all men praised God, the worker of wonders among his saints. And the people of the city began to respect and honour the father for the troubles and sorrows and straits which he had endured, and because God had saved him from them all, manifesting wonders by his means.

Then on account of the straits and the sorrow and distress that had afflicted Abba Joseph, it was God's will to give him rest from this world, and to call him to the mansions of light, that he might enjoy eternal life. For so God had promised to that saint, saying to him: «Thou shalt be happy for ever, and shalt live eternally». Accordingly after these events the patriarch fell sick of a fever. And on the seventh day of his sickness the Lord visited him, and took him to himself. So he went to his rest on the twenty-third day of Bâbah, in the year 566 of the Martyrs, at the time of the communion of the Holy Mysteries, the day being Sunday. Thus he had remained upon the evangelic and apostolic throne eighteen years and eleven months.

And they carried his body to the city of Alexandria and laid him with his holy fathers, with glory and honour. And the people of Alexandria, both men and women, wept copious tears over him, because they had lost a |545 man who was constant in his fight against evil. And he obtained the crown of victory.

Such were the events which I witnessed with my own eyes; but I have abridged my narrative on account of the multitude of its wonders. We pray the Lord to allow the prayers of that saint to be with us.

Now it is right for you, my holy lords, and my duty also that I should make known to you and you should listen to the fulfilment of a prophecy which he uttered to me, while he was living, and which the Lord accomplished after his death, that those who hear may marvel and glorify God who is glorified in his elect. I related before that, at the time when the unjust judge brought troubles upon Egypt, the patriarch said: «As I am a sinner. God will send down vengeance upon this tyrant for his deeds, yet not in my lifetime, but after my death». And when Abba Joseph went to his rest, there was a prince of the Muslims, named Ja'far, son of Ibrahîm; and he sent to Egypt a man named Ya'kûb, son of Ibrahîm, to enquire into the state of Egypt, and make it known to him. So when Ya'kûb came hither, he was informed, by God's decree, of the conduct of the unjust judge, and of his evil deeds which he committed secretly and openly. Thereupon Ya'kûb suddenly arrested the Superintendent of Public |546 Order without his previous knowledge; and accordingly all the judge's hypocritical acts by which he deceived the people were brought to light, as well as his secret, foul, and reprehensible conduct So Ya'kûb took him, and paraded him through all the streets of Misr, after shaving his beard and baring his bead, while all gazed upon him; then he threw him into prison, and confiscated his goods. And all his companions who surrounded him, and even his children, were scattered in all directions. Afterwards he banished him to the capital city of the empire, and there he died a cruel death. Ya'kûb also dealt with the judge who was the other's deputy at Alexandria, and who commanded that the father Abba Joseph should be beaten, as he had dealt with his superior, and he was imprisoned; but he escaped subsequently and none ever saw him again in the city, nor has anyone set eyes upon him to this day. And all who saw these things or heard of them marvelled, and glorified God on account of these two unjust judges upon whom vengeance was executed as they deserved. As it is written: «The fool and he that is without understanding shall perish together».

We have recorded, on account of your love, the combat of the holy father, Abba Joseph. We will now mention to you what he did during his |547 whole time. As long as he remained upon the patriarchal throne his heart was never preoccupied, nor was he distracted by the troubles that came upon him, but he continued in prayer night and day. And he completed the reading of the whole Psalter every day; seventy-five Psalms in the daytime, and seventy-five Psalms up to midnight. This was in addition to the hymns that he recited, in supplication to the Lord with devotion and humility. These were his qualities all the days of his life, I mean humility and charity and tranquillity and chastity and continuance in prayer and giving alms; so that, after all these years during which he remained patriarch, his cares and thoughts and feelings were like those of one who lives in the corner of a cell in the Wadî Habîb. By these means he gained the crown of his deeds from the Lord Jesus Christ, and entered with the saints into the land of the living. Glory belongs to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost for ever. Amen.

End of the second division of [the first part of] the Histories of the holy Patriarchs. May their prayers be with us and their supplications protect us! Amen.

[Footnotes renumbered and moved to the end]

1. 1. Ps. li. 17 (Sept. l).

2. 1. Acts, viii, 21.

3. 1. S. Matth., iii, 10; vii, 19; S. Luke, iii, 9.

4. 1. S. John, iii, 27; viii, 54.

5. 2. S. Matth., xv, 33.

6. 1. Rom,, xiii. 2.

7. 1. S. Matth., xvi, 18.

8. 2. II Tim., ii, 5.

9. 1. Ps. cxvi, 3; cf. xviii, 6 (Sept. cxiv, xvii).

10. 1. I Cor., iv, 12,13.

11. 1. Prov., xvii, 20.

12. 1. Is., viii, 10; xix, 3.

13. 2. Mal., iii, 20 (iv, 2).

14. 3. Ezech., xxxiii, 11.

15. 1. Father of good.

16. 2. Jer., xvii, 5.

17. 1. S. Matth., x, 33; cf. S. Mark, viii, 38; S. Luke, ix, 26.

18. 2. S. Mark., ix, 44;Is., lxvi, 24.

19. 3. S. Matth., xxv, 41.

20. 1. S. John, xvii, 12.

21. 2. Ps. lxxxix, 11 (Sept. lxxxviii).

22. 3. Ps. cxix, 21 (Sept.cxviii).

23. 1. Ps. lxix, 10 (Sept. lxviii).

24. 1. III Kings, v, 21 (7).

25. 1. Is., lxvi, 2.

26. 2. II Cor., xi, 2.

27. 1. Is., lxiv, 7, 8, 9.

28. 1. Tob., iv, 7.

29. 2. Tob., iv, 10 (11).

30. 3. I Tim., vi, 17. 19.

31. 1. Ps. lxxviii. 3 (Sept, lxxvii).

32. 2. Acts, xi, 22, 23.

33. 3. Prov.. xxix, 2 (Sept.).

34. 1. Ps. xlv, 17 (Sept. xliv).

35. 1. Ps. lxvi, 20 (Sept. lxv).

36. 1. Eph., i, 10; 11, 16. 17; Col. i. 20.

37. 2. S. Matth., xviii, 12.

38. 3. S. Luke, xv, 6.

39. 4. S. John. x. 16.

40. 5. Jer., ii, 13.

41. 1. Ps. cxxvi, 1; xiv, 7; liii, 7 (Sept. cxxv, xiii, lii).

42. 2. II Cor., vi, 14, 15.

43. 1. Rom., xv, 13.

44. 1. I Cor., xii, 26.

45. 1. Rom., xiv, 1.

46. 1. Ps. vii, 17.

47. 2. Dan., xiii, 52, 55, 59 (Greek).

48. 1. I Cor., ii. 9.

49. 2. Ps. cv, 34, 35 (Sept. civ).

50. 1. S. Matth. viii. 29.

51. 1. S. John, v, 14.

52. 1. Acts, v, 15.

53. 2. II Cor., xii, 7.

54. 1. Ps. lxxix, i, 2. 3 (Sept. lxxviii); cf. I Mach., vii, 17.

55. 2. Job, xvi, 12.

56. 1. Acts, ix, 15.

57. 2. I Cor., x, 11, etc.

58. 1. Ps. xxxix, 4. 5 (Sept. xxxviii).

59. 1. Coptic [Coptic].

60. 1. S. Matth., xxviii, 20.

61. 1. Gen., xlvi, 3, 4.

62. 1. II Cor., vi, 14, 15.

63. 1. Is., xxxvii, 29; IV Kings, xix, 28.

64. 1. Eph., ii, 6; Phil., iii, 20; Col., iii, 1.

65. 2. I Thess., ii, 9; II Thess., iii, 8; cf. I Cor., iv, 12; II Cor., xi, 9.

66. 1. Ps. xlii, 1 (Sept. xli).

67. 2. Acts, x. 2. 31.

68. 1. Mich., ii. 1,2.3.

69. 1. Nah., i. 2. Cf. Deut., xxxii, 35, 41, 43; Ps. xciv, 1 (Sept. xciii); Rom., xii. 19: Hebr., x. 30.

70. 1. Is., li, 12: Ps. lvi, 5, 12; cxviii, 6 (Sept. lv, cxvii); Hebr., xiii. 6.

71. 2. Zach., vii, 10: viii. 17; Job. v. 12; Ps. xxxiii, 10 (Sept. xxxii).

72. 1. Is., lvii. 17, 18: xxv, 9, etc.

73. 2. Ps. lxxxv, 7. 8, 9 (Sept. lxxxiv).

74. 1. Gal., vi, 9, 10.

75. 2. I Tim., vi, 17, 18, 19.

76. 1. Ps. lxxxv, 11 (Sept. lxxxiv).

77. 2. S. Matth., xx, 6 ff.

78. 1. Ps. lxxviii, 3 (Sept. lxxvii).

79. 1. I Tim., vi. 9. 10.

80. 1. Apoc., v. 6, 12.

81. 1. S. Matth., xxv, 34.

82. 1. Ps. xxv, 7, 16 (Sept. xxiv).

83. 2. Ps. liii, 6 (Sept. lii).

84. 1. S. John, iii, 27. Heb., v, 4.

85. 1. Num., vi. 25; Ps. xxxi, 17 (Sept. xxx), etc.

86. 1. S. Luke. xxii, 32.

87. 2. Am., v. 16.

88. 1. Ps. lxxiv, 2 (Sept. lxxiii).

89. 1. Rom., xiii. 2.

90. 1. Is., lxv, 12.

91. 1. ii Cor., xiii. 9, 10.

92. 1. Ps. lxxviii, 61 (Sept. lxxvii).

93. 1. Ps. xcvii, 10 (Sept. xcvi).

94. 2. Ps. xciv, 17, 18, 19 (Sept. xciii).

95. 1. II Cor., xi, 28.

96. 1. Ps. ciii, 10 (Sept. cii).

97. 1. Ps. lxxii, 11 (Sept. lxxi).

98. 1. I Cor., vii. 18.

99. 1. S. John, xviii, 9.

100. 2. S. Matth., xvi, 18.

101. 1. I Kings, ii, 10.

102. 2. Prov., xxv, 21; Rom., xii, 20.

103. 1. Ps. lxxiv, 18 (Sept. lxxiii).

104. 1. Ps. lxxviii, 50 (Sept. lxxvii).

105. 1. Ps. lxxx, 5, 6. 7, 8 (Sept. lxxix).

106. 1. Ps. v, 7; cxl, 13 (Sept. cxxxix).

107. 2. Deut., xxxii, 35.

108. 1. Ps. lxxi, 19, 20 (Sept. lxx).

109. 2. Ps. xxx, 12 (Sept. xxix).

110. 1. S. Luke, xviii. 2.

111. 2. Ps. vii, 17; lxxix, 6 (Sept. lxxviii).

112. 1. Gal., iii, 1.

113. 1. Osee, xiv, 3 (Sept.); Hebr., xiii, 15.

114. 2. Acts, vii, 60 (59).

115. 1. Ps. lviii, 5, 6 (Sept. lvii).

116. 2. Ps. xxxix, 4, 5 (Sept. xxxviii).

117. 1. Ps. ix, 13.

118. 2. Ps. xciv, 5, 6, 7 (Sept. xciii).

119. 3. Prov.. vi. 34.

120. 1. S. Luke, xviii, 7.

121. 1. Gal., v, 5.

122. 1. Ps. xci, 15 (Sept. xc).

123. 2. Ps, cxlv, 18 (Sept. cxliv).

124. 1. Ps. lxxix, 1 (Sept. lxxviii).

125. 1. Ps. lxxix. 11 (Sept. lxxviii).

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2005. All material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: john_ibn_saba_precious_pearl.htm

John Ibn-Saba: The precious pearl, on ecclesiastical knowledge (2006). Extract

John Ibn-Saba: The precious pearl, on ecclesiastical knowledge (2006). Extract

CHAPTER XVII -- The offering of sacrifices in the tabernacle.

God gave this order to Moses: "Speak to the children of Israel and tell them that whoever has sinned and transgressed the law must bring a ram which will be immolated by a Levite, while the priest holds it by the horns with his hands. The priest will take the blood of this ram, will sprinkle the altar with it, will dip his fingers in it and will put it on him who offers the ram for his sins; then I will forgive him for it." "The sin of man has never been forgiven but by the effusion of blood." The Lord gave them great commandments, as is told in the book of the Torah, but to discuss it would be very long.

CHAPTER XVIII -- The tablets preserved in the Ark of the Covenant.

Among these [commandments], there are those which God traced with the finger of His power on the tablets which came to them by the hand of Moses. These are: "Hear, O Israel, your God, He alone is the Lord. You will serve no others but Him. You will not covet the wife of your neighbour, nor his field, nor his ass, nor the things in his house. God also says: You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery at all. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not cheat. Honour your father and your mother. Love your neighbour like yourself. Observe the sabbath of the Lord." And in another place: "You shall not mix wool with cotton, nor cotton with wool. You shall not cook a kid in itrs mother's milk" and other precepts which it would take too long to discuss.

As for this word: "You shall not mix wool with cotton, nor cotton with wool," this expresses the complete justice of God Almighty, who does not wish cotton to be corroded by wool, which is stronger than it. And if God, in the Torah, did not permit mixing wool with cotton, for fear that one would have the advantage of the other, this was to establish among men a justice which would prohibit anyone from doing violence to his neighbour. When He came to save man by His divine power, He did not provoke Satan to anger, He did not treat Him with violence, taking man from him by force; but He abased his grandeur, He hid His divinity from the devil and his minions.

The latter entered the princes of the Jewish priests and pushed them to crucify Our Lord (to Him be glory!), so Christ purchased man at the price of His own shed blood. He did not take Satan by violence, but by justice.

The word: "You shall not eat a kid with the milk of his mother" is said, because God Almighty had ordered that the first fruits of all things be given to Him. This was an way to extract the first-born of the herd, for fear that man, from covetousness, would not want to give it up to Him.

Next, the people forgot the Lord their God, and worshipped idols, while saying that they were the mediators between them and the spirits of the stars.

CHAPTER XIX -- On the sect of the Sabaeans, worshippers of the stars.

The people returned to the sect of the Sabaeans who worshipped the stars. For the call to this worship had been launched earlier by some important personages.

Among these was Feridoun who worshipped Mercury ('Otêrid). He presented him with offerings, sacrificed victims to his spirit and burned incense to him, so that this spirit descended upon him in the form of a spark of fire and spoke to him. Feridoun said to the people that surrounded him what this spirit had said to him: "I will give you power, greatness and the direction of affairs in the eyes of the men. I will provide for your needs and for those of my worshippers, if they and you, you do all that I will order you, if you offer me victims, oblations and incense."

Similarly, the spirit of Saturn (Zohal) appeared to a man named Zoroaster (Zarâdacht). His doctrine has been spread for one thousand five hundred years. He sent out on a mission seventy men on whom seventy spirits coming from the spirit of Saturn had come down and who invited the people to the worship of this star. Zoroaster said to them in the hour of his death: "If you do not eat my body and do not drink my blood, you will have no part in salvation." After his demise, his disciples did therefore boil his body and drank of this turbid fluid. He thus obtained the accomplishment of what he had said to them.

It was the same for Benderitous, born from the two spirits of the moon and Jupiter (Al'Mochtari): he is the king of talismans; he is the first that taught magic to men, sorcery, astrology, the knowledge of white magic, the knowledge of hidden things and who mentioned in reality the conjunctions of the celestial spheres and all the ways in which men can make contact with them, rendering worship to the stars and seeking to make their spirits descend.

Satan suggested making idols that would serve as an intermediary between men and the spirits of the stars. He resided in these idols and, from their interior, spoke with the people, attributing what he said to the spirits of the stars. This last error was worse than the first, for all the ancients believed because of the action of the spirits of the stars and accustomed themselves to render them worship to provide for their needs. These influences propagated themselves among men for long centuries, while the appeal spread of those who attributed to themselves the divinity in this world. The name of [Benderitous] was so great among the philosophers that they believed that all that they did was accomplished only by the glorification of the name of the stars and thanks to the offerings that they made to them and to the adoration of their names.

Because of their power over minds, these ideas left innumerable tracks. Their principles imprinted themselves on the intelligent, and their traces affixed themselves most intimately, holding their place, believing in their words and devoting themselves to the worship of their divinities, with evident signs and the most extraordinary miracles. This is how they saw that might unite the astral forces with ordinary elements in special forms and special duties. And it resulted from this strange consequences that stunned human intelligence. This is thus for example that they made a figure with this rock under such a horoscope, in a valley infested with lions and absolutely no lion would any longer pass through this place. They similarly acted to drive away ferocious beasts, birds, vipers, insects, etc., according to the teaching that they had received from the astral spirits of which we spoke. On the treasuries full of money and of various gems they constructed engines in the form of a sword, or of ferocious beasts, of floods of water or of vipers; and no one could approach unless they had their knowledge. In respect of talismans, enchantments and services obtained from demons, they did what the language is powerless to express.

Aristotle did similar things for Alexander, when the latter went into the country of the Persians, and it is necessary for us to relate this. "Know, O king," said Aristotle, "that Persia is an immense region in which there are waterless and uninhabited deserts. As your army is numerous, you need talismans that will help you to attain your goal and will facilitate your great enterprises. You will carry therefore an iron coffer in which you will place your effigy in iron, as well as the effigies in iron of your army mounted on iron horses. You will carry also the effigies in lead of your enemies each of which will carry, in their hand, a sword of lead curved behind on the back of the hand, and, in the other hand, a lead lance, the point downwards; to each of them you will give a bow of which the string will be broken. You will place, between the army and the coffer, an iron curtain; then you will offer a sacrifice and incense to Benderîtous, king of talismans, you will glorify him and will exalt him the most possible. You will carry this coffer with you in your army wherever you camp, wherever you go; every step you take, you will place the coffer in your hand and no one will touch it but you. Thus, you and yours, you will be secure against the tricks of the enemy, against his pitfalls, against his deceptions and against the stratagems that he will employ against you with all his army. ---. You will carry another talisman to let fountains flow in the waterless deserts. By this means, you will have springs gushing in the dried out deserts; you will be able to quench the thirst, of both your army and all its beasts."

Seeing that the intelligence of men led them to the worship of other gods than Him and that they were accustomed to look at only the things that they could see and touch, as He wanted only their salvation in the abundance of his mercy and of his compassion, God (let him be glorified!) resolved to bring back to him these intelligences by the objects that were familiar to them and He opposed the works of Satan, attributed to sidereal spirits, by similar works derived progressively from his mercy. He opposed to the flame that, coming from the spirit of Saturn, had showed itself to Féridoun and his troop and had said: "I will give you the power and the force and I will provide for your needs," the flame that He showed to Moses in the incombustible bush. When Moses had directed himself towards Him, He heard the voice of God that cried to him: "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob."

---. It was the same for Zoroaster, when there lived in the seventy men that he had established the seventy spirits originating from the spirit of Saturn and engaging the men to render worship to him. The Christ, the eternal Son, divine person, the Word, sent similarly seventy disciples to urge men to believe in Him and He said to them: "Heal the sick, revive the dead, purify the lepers, expel the demons. You received freely, give freely."

CHAPTER XX -- The signs of God placed in opposition to the signs attributed to the stars.

God put next in opposition the ark, covered with leaves of gold, containing the stone tablets written by his finger, with the iron coffer that Aristotle had made for Alexander against his enemies of the desert. Moses and Aaron established priests for the ark, like those that were intended for the service of this coffer. Moses struck the earth with his staff and the water of twelve fountains gushed forth, in opposition to the talismans that, in the desert, had made waters gush for Alexander.

Thus, the will of Moses accomplished what corresponded to all the things attributed to the sidereal spirits, because mankind was accustomed only to the acts that it could sense. When God (may He be glorified!) had seen that human intelligences were led to another worship than His and that they were accustomed only to the things they could sense and see, He sent His Holy Spirit on the Sages, before the coming of the Law; after the Sages, came the Law and the Prophets.

CHAPTER XXI -- On the Sages established to prophesy about Our Saviour the Christ and on their words.

Among the Sages, one of them, speaking in conformity to wisdom, said: "It is necessary that a man applies his soul to justice and purity and that he strips it of all defilement. In this manner, he disposes himself to know the name of six letters and to see the Word, the son of God, who did not suffer and who suffered."

Commentary on these words. ---. These words: "He disposes himself to know the name composed from six letters" designate the name of the Messiah that contains 'a l m s î h': i.e. six letters. According to these other words: "He will see the Word, the Son of God, who did not suffer and who suffered", [it is necessary to notice that] the Messiah pulls this name from two different sources, the one his divinity, the other his humanity; these two sources form together a single Messiah and a single Lord. The Messiah suffered, during his crucifixion, in His humanity, but He did not suffer in His divinity. He became then the single Messiah, as was prophesied, by an inspiration of the Spirit of wisdom or the Holy Spirit, the Sage in question, when he said that He suffered and that He did not suffer.

Nason (Nêsoun) the Sage said also: "The Father spoke first, when He sent to the world his Son by his will. The latter is the voice of the Father, his unique Word."

Iloun the Sage said: "The very great Son of God will come clothed in flesh and will resemble the mortal ones on earth."

Porphyry (Barfounîs) the Sage said: "The light, the substantial intelligence, when it will have come out and descended, will climb back up; this is a light that would remain inaccessible, if it did not descend into the world."

Batarnêtis the Sage said: "Thus the Word is God, He has everything in His hand. When He descended from the sky and had clothed Himself in flesh, He published his humanity and showed his magnitude. More, He is God, as He always had been before his coming."

Ormuz the Sage said: "The Word [comes] from the first Father. When He was born being already perfect in light, He obtained not a complement in his nature. He is son and agent in his descent [on earth]; his incarnation of a virgin [results] from the shadow on the water."

Manes (Mani) the Sage said: "When the fire that exists before the darkness appears and descends on the earth, when He shows Himself in an earthly body, a lot of people will not understand it. He will return then and will climb back up to his first position of which the glory is sublime."

The Sage Sabla said: "Inthe sixth era, a powerful king will arise who will see in the sky the sign of the cross on which God, son of God, must be suspended. In the east a God will be seen whose mother will not have known man. A king will raise his head who will be incapable to save himself and will kill the young children because of the one that will have been born in a city of Judah."

Ormuz the Sage said: "A star, rising in the east, will travel from the East towards the West, for two years and a half, then will return to his post: this will be the star of the good news. It will travel before the sages that will come from the East towards the eternal King to worship him and to offer him their presents. Because of him, little children will be slaughtered, and that, after hundred eighty-three revolutions of the old Saturn (Kaiwân)."

Commentary on this passage. ---. According to Kaiwân Al-' Atîq, this is the planet of Saturn (Zohal). It is called 'Atîq, because this is the first of the celestial spheres from the top down. It crosses the sky in a revolution that lasts thirty years. If one multiplies thirty by hundred eighty-three one obtains 5490 years; and in the ten years that complete the 5500 years of the age of the world appeared Our Lord the Christ in the flesh, as the other prophets and sages had announced.

Plato said in the Book of the Mysteries: "The Most High will appear on the earth; He will revive the dead and will manifest his divine signs. Then He will return to his redoubtable throne and will be seen no more until the day of the great judgement."

Aristotle said in his book entitled the Treasure of Treasures: "The treasure of life lies in the God Adonaï who will appear in the world in which we live. Those who are in their tombs will hear his voice and will revive."

Such are the indications contained in the words of the Sages.

CHAPTER XXII -- The predictions of the Prophets concerning the coming of our Lord the Christ (to Him the Glory!) OUR LORD THE CHRIST.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2008. This file and all material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely. Translation made from the French in the Patrologia Orientalis 16.

Greek text is rendered using unicode.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: severus_hermopolis_book_of_councils_cairo.htm

Severus of al-Ashmunein, An unpublished fragment of the "Book of the Councils" from Cairo Coptic Museum Ms. Theol. 196, ff.268v-270v (2008)

Severus of al-Ashmunein, An unpublished fragment of the "Book of the Councils" from Cairo Coptic Museum Ms. Theol. 196, ff.268v-270v (2008)

Georg Graf in his "Geschichte der arabischen christlichen Literatur" refers to 'Cairo 111': "Severus ibn al-Muqaffa' of al-Ashmûnain (10th century) in his polemical "Book of the Councils" (= S) 2...² In Cairo 111 (1544 AD), ff. 268v-270v. This portion was not included in the printed edition in Patrologia Orientalis III, 2." (Graf vol. 1. p-483-6) Graf nr 111 is found in the Coptic Museum. Its shelf number there is Theol. 196. It is also described in Simaika's catalogue under nr. 53. In the film collection at BYU, it is found in Roll A15-4. Here is an English translation of ff.268v-270v.

English translation

Arabic text

[Translated by Youhanna Youssef]

...Do not hold it because it would be unfair to him. In case his words are correct, grant him words and mysteries,¹ so if he keeps that so it would be considered as a supplication. The Just testified in his favour and also said: "The sun will be eclipsed ² for six to nine hours³; though it was not at the regular time of eclipse but for the sake of the afflicted (man). He will be falsely accused, sought after to be executed by his people. And his people will reward his good deeds with evil. The houses of gods and their altars will fall down. The "sultan" (the prince) of the afflicted men⁴ will cry out to them and to all the creation: "My son, at that time, the dead (people) will be raised and the wonders will be performed by the afflicted because by his power will tread on earth and will conduct the creation."

Hermes said also from that time till the shining of light of the afflicted to Egypt will be (equal to) fifty of old sheikh Kiwan's cycles. So from the time that Hermes said that to the coming of Christ will be 1,500 years.

Anasolus said: "O my son; the great king is pious⁵ without sin. You are the great Lord of men, who manages⁶ everything under your sight.⁷ You are the powerful, immaculate, almighty, king⁸ of (all) dead and living⁹."

He said also: "These powers are three divine names in one by his power and his might. The only God, who is unseen by anybody. Power that nobody is able to contend or to realise its nature. And through these powers everything came to be."

And Arkus said: "One divinity in three names, by which everything came to be."

And Arfush said: "Unique is the unseen¹⁰ light, who at all times liberates the thought, and the word born from Him is perfect in everything and by him everything was made."

And Plato (Aflatun) said: "(first) the old reason [fol. 268v] which is the grace above¹¹ every reason. Second the action that creates everything, and third reason is the soul¹² which gives life¹³ to all living."

Ares said: "He is God the Word. When the perfect was born [in every birth, who is working in the nations, the father]¹⁴ descended and dwelt in nature. And through nature the water turned to wine."

And Plato (Aflaton) said also: "One is the highest God in the highest, through His own imperceptible Word, a maiden conceived. He passed through her womb like the iron axe goes through the fire. He saves the world by presenting (himself) a sacrifice to His father. The name of the maiden is the Virgin."

Plato said in the book of the mysteries: "The highest of the high will appear on the earth and will raise the dead. His divine wonders will be realised and he will return to his fearful throne and they will not be able to see him again till the great day judgement."

Junius (Yunius) the wise said: "He is the almighty, the great, sitting above the heavens, surrounded by the heat of light, whose kingdom has no end. He will appear on earth and will raise the dead, heal the sick and will demonstrate the divine wonders; then will return to his throne in the highest; for he is in the highest heaven. And the Persians, when he appears on earth, (Faris) will offer their sacrifices to Him, for he is the king of kings, lord of Lords and his kingdom has no end.

And Plato said: "The trinity is one sublime unique God. His unchangeable word in a maiden virgin¹⁵ conceived without intercourse, like a fire in the world. [He will come, will hunt to all and offer sacrifice]¹⁶. To for him will be this house, I mean the body."

And Nifius the wise said: "The ( )¹⁷ thrown in the fire which is the divinity. He is the everlasting life and unchangeable light. He will be seen on earth while He is in Heaven. He commands in heaven and earth, and in him (folio 269r) there is life to all who take refuge."

He said also: "He will descend, manifest himself and the Lord will shine on earth. The inhabitants of Persia will come and glorify him by offering presents. (He is)... ¹⁸. The sublime and wonderful God will be manifested on earth, being higher than the speech and superior to the mind. He will endure forever, without end."

Augustus the wise, in the science of astronomy, said: "There is a young Hebrew man, called Christ. He is eternal (of the eternity), by nature; he will appear openly, holding the authority of Lordship. He will raise the dead, purify the lepers, loosen the tongues of dumb."

Aristotle (Aristo) the wise, in his book known as the highest sciences, said: "You do not see the true God without (looking) through his veil (Hijab) that obscures his light from your sights in order that you may not lift up your eyes from his seeing.¹⁹ By his appearance, they will recognise the majesty of his authority and by this (appearance) you will know that he is the king of kings and lord of Lords."

He said also in his message to Alexander: "Diligently seek the water of life. You would not find the water of life except by one man who will appear in the world wearing cloth of the world.²⁰ If you find him, you will get from him the water of life and he will feed you, from the eternal tree of life. Through his hands, the water of eternal life will flow."

He in his book called the book of treasures said: "The treasure of life belongs to the Lord (Adonay) God who will appear in the world and those who are in the tombs will hear his voice and raise up."

Nikius (or Niphius) the wise said: "Honour be to you, O threefold blessed, who are God being alive through his death. He will destroy death being risen after three days."

Plato (Aflatun) said: "My father sent me, entrusted for the truth. They are not aware of what they say; that are the priests. They reject his words. The sent prophets of old, who were informed by God in truth (folio 269v) about the manifestation of Lord Christ, to whom is glory, incarnated in the world, and performing miracles and accepting life-giving sufferings for our sake; the believers."

Among those (prophecies) Moses the prophet, may the peace be upon him,²¹ said: "A star will come forth out of Jacob and son of Man in Israel and will reign on Adam and no end will be to his kingdom." (Numbers 24:17?) He said also: "God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren like me. All soul would listen to him will perish from its people."(Deuteronomy 18:15) He said also: 'You will see your lives suspended and you would not believe"

Jacob said in his blessing to Judah, his son: " The kingdom nor the leadership shall not depart from Judah from his feet, a prophet descendants until come to whom is the kingdom. (Genesis 49:10) and upon Him all peoples will rely and all nations will hope.

And Ezekiel the prophet said: "The Lord appeared to me in the midst of Zion, veiled with a veil of human flesh like me"

He said also: "I saw a gate facing eastwards and it was shut, sealed with a marvellous seal and nobody enter by it except the lord of Hosts who entered in and came out and the gates was not opened and seal was not changed (Ez.44:1-2 cf. also the Coptic Psalmodia, Lobsh of Wednesday, first two stanzas).

Isaiah the prophet said: "Behold the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel which means God with us" (Is 7:14)

Zakariah the prophet said: "They will know that I am the Lord their God when I appear among the people and talk manifestly to them. (XXX)

Isaiah the Prophet said: "It might that I come to you in your dress and cloth and bind the broken -heated (second part Is 61:1).

He said also: When the Lord comes, in those days, the blinds shall see, the dumb shall speak, the lame shall stand up, the lame shall walk and the lepers shall be cleansed, the dead are raised up and the poor preached (Is: 29:18, 35:4-6, 42:7, Mt 11:5).

He said also: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called king [fol. 270r] of the great counsel, the mighty God, the prince of peace and the everlasting Father." (Is 9:6)

He said also: "The will be wonder of wonders in Israel from the Lord of angels, who is dwelling in Zion.

He said also: "God will manifestly appear as saviour, he will reject the impiety from Jacob and the transgression from Israel."

He said also: "said to the daughter of Zion that my son will raise up and will be elevated and he will be wonderful, he will make dumb the lips of the kings and teach them what they do not know and to whom the arm of the Lord was announced.

He said also: "I shall send my boy, my beloved, to whom I was delighted, I will put my spirit on him, so that he will teach the nations of the judgment. He will not argue. Nor cry out and nobody in the streets will hear his voice. A bruised reed, he shall not break, and the smoking flax he shall not quench, he shall bring forth the judgement²² unto the victory and upon his name the nations will trust. (42:1-3 Mt 12:19)

He said also: Many will make covenant to you, binding their waist, praying to you, prostrating to you for God is on You. You are truly God.

He said also: "Strengthen you, weak hands and confirm the feeble knees, the fearful heart shall comfort and would not fear for the Lord the reward will come with judgement and save you. Then He will open the eyes of the blinds, the ears of the deaf shall hear, the lame man shall jump like a deer, the tongues of the dumb shall utter. The water shall water in the wilderness, which was thirsty like the water of the sea. (Is 35:3-5)

Jeremiah the prophet said: "God will descend on earth and will walk with people"

Job the just said: " I know that God will appear on the earth, by the end of the time and will walk on the sea as if it was the earth.

Nahum the prophet said: "The Lord will come wearing like my cloth, he will destroy the arrogant and will walk on the sea and will satisfy from bread in the deserts and will (folio 270v) bring forth from his vine twelve branches from the sons of Israel and all the nations will worship him for he is God who wrote on the tablets of Moses the prophet.

He said also: " I shall come and dwell in you said the Lord the almighty."

Zephaniah the prophet said: Comfort you, o Zion, let your hands no be slack for the Lord our God, the mighty, will come in the midst of you and save you (Zephaniah 3:16-17.)

Joel the prophet said: " I saw a virgin from the house of Jacob from the descendant of David becoming a throne to the Lord. I asked the Cherub and said: "Who is this?" He said to me: "This is the chosen throne from the nature of Adam in order to deliver the nations and the sign of my vision is that my hand was burnt from the hand of the angel."

Hosea the prophet said: "God will descend feet from heaven to the earth, he will enter to Egypt and destroy the temples of idols. He will send his disciples. He is God who created me and taught me. Do not reject him, o son of Israel in order that he will not cease your kingdom and your sacrifices and will take the prophecy from you and give it to the circumstanced with his oil and he will make another nation out of you."

He said also: The Lord will truly come and appear on earth."

Isaiah the prophet said: "The word hits ²³ and cuts and the Lord will make it to pass²⁴

He said also: There will not be an establish root and will raise from him will be the head of the nations will hope him."

Elisha the prophet said: "The Lord will come from heaven and will walk in the markets, he will command the righteousness and to him will listen all the nations."

Micah the prophet said: "The Word of the Lord will appear in Jerusalem and from Zion will come out the Law ²⁵"

He said also: " But you Bethlehem you are not the least among the kingdom of Judah from out of you will come a notable who will pastor my people Israel (Micah 5:2 Theotokia of Thursday 5)

He said also: "I will make my son God for nations and a king for them...

¹ Meaning unclear in Arabic depending on the previous context.

² The Arabic adds: "and the eclipse will be".

³ Other possibility "from the sixth to the ninth hour".

⁴ Meaning unclear.

⁵ The Arabic here is not clear, it could be also read "was exiled".

⁶ Lit you see, or watch.

⁷ lit under your light.

⁸ lit. holding on.

⁹ lit non-dead.

¹⁰ lit. "intangible".

¹¹ reading uncertain.

¹² the word is not clear in the Ms.

¹³ lit adds "which is the life all".

¹⁴ Meaning unclear due to the bad condition of the manuscript.

¹⁵ Text adds "overshadows".

¹⁶ Meaning unclear.

¹⁷ Perhaps "axe".

¹⁸ I cannot read it.

¹⁹ perhaps meaning "in order to protect your eyes from the brightness of his sight"?

²⁰ in the margin.

²¹ Islamic formulation for the prophets.

²² In the margin.

²³ meaning uncertain.

²⁴ meaning uncertain.

²⁵ or the year or the tongues.

فلا يمنعها بيته فانك تظلمه فان يكون كلامه حقا امنحه بالكلام والاشتراك

فان حفظ ذلك كان دعاء فقد شهد له الحق وقال ايضا تنكسف

الشمس ويكون الكسوف من سته ساعات من النهار الى تسعة ساعات

وليس هو وقت كسوف بل من اجل المحزون انه يفتري عليه عليه ويطلب

ويهلك من شعبه ويجازيه شعبه على صنيعه بهم الخير بالشر ويقع

بيوت الالهه وهياكلهم ويصيح سلطان المحزون عليه وعلي جميع الخلق

يا ابني للموتي في هذا الوقت يعيشون والعجايب تظهر من المحزون لانه

بقوته يمشي على الارض ويباشر المخلوقين وقال ايضا هرمس ان

من هذا الحين الى دخول النور المحزون الى مصر يكون في خمسين دورة

للشيخ كيوان العتيق يكون لهذا القول ايضا من هرمس المتكلم

الى مجي المسيح الف وخمسايه سنة وقال سولس يا ابني الملك

العظيم تقيا بلا دنس انت عظيم رب الانام الذي كل شئ من بعد

ضياك تنظره انت الذي ليس فيك دني القوي القادر على كل

شئ ملك المايتين وغير المايتين وقال ايضا هذه القوات ثلاثة

اسماء الاهيه واحد من قوته وجبروته الوحيد الاله الذي لا ينظره احد

وقوة ما يستطيع يلقاها ولا ينظرها بطبعا ومن هذه القوات

كل شئ وقال ارخس قلاقة اسماء في لاهوت واحد بها

كان كل شئ وقال ارقس واحد هو فقط الضو الغير محسوس

وهو في كل فت الذي يحرز الفكران والكلمة المولودة منه

كاملة في كل شئ وصانعة كل شئ وقال افلاطون العلة القديمة

التي هي النعمة التحتة على كل علة ثانية العقل الذي خلق كل شئ العلة

الثالثة النفس الصانعة الحياة التي هي كل حي ويقال ارس

هو الاله الكلمة ان ولد الكامل في كل مولد الصانع في الامم الوالد نزل

وسكن بالطبع وبالطبع امر الماء يحل تاويله ان صار خمرا وقال افلاطون

ايضا واجد هو الاله العلي في العلا الذي بكلمته الغير محسوسة جارية

حبلت بها وهذا مثل الفوس الحديد المتردية بالنار ويسلك في

احشايها ويدخر العالم ويقربه لابيه قربانا اي اسم الجارية العدرا

وقال افلاطون في كتاب الاسرار ان العلى الاعلا يظهر في الارض

ويقيم الموتا وتظهر اياته الربانية ويرجع الى عرشه المرهوب ولا

يعودوا يروه الى يوم الحكم العظيم وقال يونيون الحكيم هو القديم

العظيم الجالس فوق السموات المتردي بلهيب النور الذي لا يفنا

ملكه يظهر على الارض ويقيم الموتا ويشفي المرضي ويظهر الايات الربانية

ويرجع الى عرشه [العلوي] لانه في السموات العلا وعند ظهوره في الارض

ياتون اهل فارس ويقدمون قرابينهم اليه لانه ملك الملوك ورب

الارباب وملكه لا يفنى وقال افلاطون الثالوث الاله واحد عال

وحده الذي كلمته لا تتغير في جارية عذرى ظلته من غير جماع

تحبل وشبيه النار في العالم يحضر ولكل يصيد لابيه يقرب قربانا

وله يكون هذا البيت اعتي الجسد وقال نيفوس الحكيم الفار الذي

مقل النار الذي هو لاهوت وحياة لا تنقضي وضو لا يتغير

ينظر في الارض وهو في السماء ويامر في الماء وفي الارض وفيه

حياة لكلمن يلجا اليه وقال ايضا ظاهر يشرق على الارض

وياتون اهل فارس ومعهم العطايا ويقربونها له تمجيدا بد [الاله عظيم

وعجيب يظهر في الارض وهو ارفع من الكلمة واعلا من العقل والى الانقضاء

ولايزول وقال اوغسطس الحكيم في علم التنجيم ان شاب عبراني يدعى

المسيح هو ذاته ازلي الازلي يظهر علانية وبيده سلطان الربوبية

فيقيم الموتا ويطهر البرص ويطلق الالسنة الخرص وقال ارسطو

الحكيم في كتابه المعروف بالعلوم العلوية انكم لا تشاهدوا الاله

الحقيقي الا بحجابه الذي به يخفي نوره عن ابصاركم ليلا تشخص

عيونكم من نظره فاذا ظهر استدلوا على عظمتة سلطانه وبهذا

تعلموا انه ملك الملوك ورب الارباب وقال في رسالته الى

الاسكندر جد في طلب ماء الحياة وانك ما تجد ما الحياة الا

في رجل واحد يظهر في العالم لابس لباس [العالم] فاذا وجدته ظفرت

عنده بماء الجياة ويغذيك من شجرة الحياة الابدية بطعامه

ومن يديه يجري ماء الحياة الابدية وقال في كتابه المسمى كتاب

الكنوز ان كنز الجياة عند ادوناي الاله الذي يظهر في المسكونة

ويسمع صوته الذين في القبور ويقومون وقال نيقوس الحكيم

فخرا لك ايها المثلث الغبطة الذي الاله ممتد وهو ميت يفني

الموت اذ اقام ثلثة أيام بيانا وقال افلاطون لا والدي ارسلني

امين الحق ما يدرون ما يقولون يعني الكهنة وينكرون كلامه

الذي تقدن وقالت الانبيا المرسلين الذين انباهم الله بالحق

على ظهور السيد المسيح له المجد متجسد في العالم وعمله بالايات

وقبوله الالام المييه لها نحن المومنين من ذلك ما قاله

موسى النبي عليه السلام سيطلع كوكب في يعقوب وابن بشر

في اسراييل ويملك على ادم ولا يكون لملكه امقضا وقال ايضا

ان الله يقيم لكم نبيا من اخوتكم مثلي وكل نفس ما تسمع له تهلك

من شعبها وقال ايضا ستنظرون حياتكم معلقا ور تومنون

وقال يعقوب في بركته على يهوذا ولده لا يزال الملك والرياسة

في يهوذا واقدام نبي مبشرا من صلبه حتي ياتي الذي له الملك عليه

تتوكل الشعوت وله ترجوا الامم وقال حزقيال النبي ان الرب

ظهر لي في وسط صهيون محتجب بحجاب لحم انسانمثلي وقال ايضا

رايت بابا في المشرق مغلق نختوما بخاتم عجيب لم يدخله غير رب القوات

دخل فيه وخرج ولم ينفتح الباب ولم يتغير الخاتم وقال اشعيا النبي

هوذا العذرى تحبل وتلد ابنا ويدعى اسمه عمانويل الذي تاويله

الله معنا وقال زكريا النبي سيعلمون اني انا الرب الاههم اذ ظهرت

بين الناس وكلمتهم باعلان وقال اشعيا النبي لابد ان اتيك في زيك

ولباسك البس واجبر منكسري القلوب وقال ابضا يا بني

اسراييل اذ جاء الرب في ملك الايام العميان يبصرون والخرس

ينطقون والمقعدين ينهضون والعرج يمشون والبرص يطهرون

والموتا يقومون والمساكين يبشرون وقال ايضا ولد ولد لنا

وابنا اعطيناه الذي سلطانه على منكبيه ويدعى اسمه ملك

المشورة العظما الاه مسلما قادر رييس السلامة واب الدهر الاتي

وقال ايضا انه يكون عجيب الاعاجيب في اسراييل من رب

الملايكة الذي هو ساكن في صهيون وقال ايضا ان الله يظهر جهرا

ومخلضا فيرد الكفر عن يعقوب والاثم عن اسراييل وقال ايضا قل

لابنه صهيون ان ابني يقوم ويرتفع ويكون عجبا ويخرس السنة الملوك

ويوريهم ما لم يعرفوه وذراع الرب لم اعلن وقال ايضا هوذا انا

مرسا فتاي حبيبي الذب به سررت اضع روحي عليه يخبر الامم

بالحكم لا يماري ولا يصيح ولا يسمع احد صوته في الشوارع قصبة

مرضوضة لا يكسر وسراج يطفطف لا يطفي حتى يخرج بالغلبة وعلى

اسمه تتوكل الامم وقال ايضا كثيرون يتعبدون لك مربوكين الاوساط

ويصلون نحوك ويسجدون لك لان الله حال فيك وانت الاله

بالحقيقة وقال ايضا يقوى اتيها الايدي المرتعشة والركب المرتعدة

والصغيري القلوب يتعزوا ولا يخافوا فان الرب المجازي بالحكم ياتي

ويتجيك حينيذ يفتح عيني العميان والاذان الصم تسمع ويقفز الاعرج

مثل الايل وتنطلق السن الخرس ويروي الماء في البراري التي

لم تزل عطشا كمثل مل البحر وقال ارميا انبي ان الله سينزل على

الارض ويمشي بين الناس وقال ايوب الصديق انا اعلم ان اله

له سيظهر على الارض في اخر الزمان ويمشي على البحر كاليبس

وقال ناحوم النبي ان الرب ياتي [بصورتي] ولباسه كلباسي فيهلك المتجبرين

ويمشي على البحر ويشبع من الخبز البراري ويخرج

من كرمته اثني عشر قضيب من بني اسراييل وتسجد له كل الامم وهو الله

الكاتب هذه الالواح لموسى النبي وقال ايضا هوذا اجي واسكن فيك

قال الرب ضابط الكل وقال صفونيا النبي تعزى يا صهيون

ولا تسترخي يديك فان الرب الهنا القوي ياتي وتحل فيك وينجيك

وقال يوييل النبي رايت عذرى من بيت يعقوب ونسل داود قد

جعلت كرسيا الرب فسالت الكاروبي وقلت له من هذه فقال

لي هذه كرسي المختار من طبيعة ادم لتخلص الامم وعلامه رؤياي ان

كفي احترق من قبضة الملاك وقال عوزيا النبي ان الله ينزل من

السماء قدميه الى الارض ويدخل الى مصر ويهدم برابي الاوثان

ويرسل تلاميذه وهو الله الذي بناني وعلمني فلا تكفروا به يا بني اسراييل

فيبطل ملككم وقرابينكم وياخذ النبوة منكم ويعطيها للمختونين

بدهنه ويجعل له امة غيركم وقال ايضا ياتي الرب حقا ويظهر

على الارض وقال اشعيا النبي كلمة صرت وقطعت وسيمضيها

الرب وقال ايضا انه سيكون اصل ثابت والذي يقوم منه

رايسا للشعوب واياه ترجوا الامم وقال اليشع اللنبي

ان الرب ياتي من السماء ويمشي في الاسواق ويوصي الامم بالبر ويسمع

له جميع الامم وقال ميخا النبي كلمة الرب تظهره بيروشليم

ومن صهيون تخرج السنة وقال ايضا وانت يا بيت لحم

لست بصغيرة في ملوك بهوذا لان منك يخرج مقدما يرعي

شعبي اسراييل وقال ايضا اجعل ابني الاها للامم وملكا عليهم

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: ms_mingana_syr_481_extract.htm

A first translation of Mingana Ms. Syr. 481, ff.221v-225v (2007)

A first translation of Mingana Ms. Syr. 481, ff.221v-225v (2007)

[Translated by Sasha Trieger]

Samir Khalil Samir's article in The Coptic Encyclopedia says that this text is a fragment of an unpublished commentary on the Creed by Abu al-Majdalus.

"At the article "he was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary," Abu al-Majdalus' Commentary cites several messianic witnesses from among pagan philosophers: the Kitab al-Asrar attributed to Plato (cf. Graf, Vol. 1, p. 486, sec. 3); the Kitab al-'Ulum al-'Ulwiyyah and

the Letter to Alexander attributed to Aristotle (cf. Graf, Vol. 1, p. 485, sec. 4); the 'Ilm al-Tanjim attributed to the philosopher Augustus (cf. Graf, Vol. 1, pp. 485, sec. 3, and 486, sec. 4); and a text attributed to a certain Yuniyun or Yuthiyun, depending upon the

manuscripts, as yet unidentified."...

"Furthermore, the Mingana Syriac 481 (Western garshuni, A.D. 1689, fols. 221v-25v) appears to contain a fragment of this commentary (d. cols. 586 and 889 of the Mingana catalog, Vol. 1)."

Translation

With hope in the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we [begin to] write (select?) statements of wise philosophers that they pronounced concerning the coming of our Lord, glory be to Him, many generations before His arrival, from a Book of Secrets famous among them on the science of astronomy. This is about the Incarnation of Christ the Lord, praise be to Him.

The first [statement]: Hermes the wise said in his book entitled Book of the Nine Stones, in which he addresses his son saying: Know, my son Natana, that there must be a descent of the Awesome Cause and the Boundless Fire, rays of the Perfect and Self-Subsisting Cause, who is in no need of anything else. It will walk upon the earth in veils made for It, and thereupon will return to Its elevated state and the footstool of Its throne, without [spatial] motion. O my son Natana, open your eyes and the eyes of your heart and preserve that with which I entrust you in the storehouses of your mind. The Cause of causes will encompass you.

He said also: (222r) Justice (?) will be abolished, and the mighty nation will branch out (?) and demand what does not belong to it in truth. Then the days of the Hidden One will appear. He is the Father who will be upon the earth, and the impure peoples and their sages will conspire untruly against the King of kings.

He said also: Woe, Azur will work miracles in Roman Qaytilun (?). This will be abolished (?) by two wise old men who will be killed therein by its king. These two old men will work many wonders and will remain therein forever, for they are those who annihilate the rule (?) with dreadful wounds. For they are the two [messengers] sent by the Cause and the Fire to appear in the universe.

Hermes the wise said: The eastern star of Sagittarius will move from East to West, and the direction of prayer (will remain there?) for two years and a half. Then it will return to its center and dominion. This is the star called the Star of Annunciation. It will lead the way to the sages coming from the East to [great] the Eternal King who is to appear, to venerate Him (222v), and to present to Him their offerings. Many infants will be killed on His account in the middle of the earth, while the Hidden Fire will enter the land of Egypt. Astrologers will go there. The two peoples will become one, for the [period of] one hundred eighty three revolutions of Saturn, the old man Saturn, which they call Zuhal.¹ For it traverses the heavens every thirty years. The number will be (determined?) by the revolutions of the sphere[s], o my son, on account of the appearance of that ancient God, who had been expected for five thousand and five hundred years.

He said also: O my son Natana, take images for yourself mighty (?) as the philosophers. O my son, do not sit in the company of the ignorant, and if you do happen to sit with them, do not speak in their company concerning the wisdom that I have disclosed to you. O my son, look forward toward the Light which is born of the Light which proceeds from the True Light, the Wisdom, the Word, and the Life. If you teach this to someone who is ignorant or unworthy, he will take this from you and mock you. (223r) However, if he is noble, do not deprive him of this, for you would be doing injustice to him. If his speech is true, grant him this by way of speech and in secret. If he memorizes this, this will become a prayer, and will testify for him in truth.

He said also: O my son, there must be a solar eclipse, which will last from the sixth hour of the day to the ninth hour, not in the time [appointed] for an eclipse, but on account of the Hidden One. He will be calumniated, and sought after, and killed by His people. His people will pay him evil for His granting (?) them good. The houses and temples of the gods will fall, and the Hidden One will gain power over them and over the entire creation.

He said: O my son, at that time the dead will come to life, and the Hidden One will work wonders, for He will walk upon the earth with power and give good tidings to human beings.

Hermes said also: From that time, which is the entrance of the Hidden Light into Egypt, after fifty revolutions of the old man Saturn (...?). From Hermes to the coming of Christ there will pass one thousand and five hundred years.

Anasolus said: O my son, the great king, pure without blemish, you are great indeed, the master of human beings, whom everyone sees in your glory (?), you have no blemish, the mighty king who has power over all things, both mortal and immortal.

Anasolus said: These powers are three divine names, one from His power and dominion, of the One God, which no one shall see, and a power that no one can meet, nor perceive its nature. All things came into being from these powers.

Archos the wise said: Three names in one divinity, by which all things came into being.

Arposh (?) the wise said: The imperceptible Light is one only, and it is the Thought in every available moment. The Word born of Him is perfect in all respects and makes all things.

Plato said: The Ancient Cause, which is the grace, [is the one] dispensed to all (?). The second² cause is the Intellect that created all things (224r). The third cause is the Soul, which created life, which is the life of every living being.

Aristotle said: He is God the Word. When He, being perfect in every birth, was born and created a mother (?) [for Himself] among the nations, He descended and lived in [the realm of] nature, and by nature He commanded water to loosen (?), and it became wine.

Plato said also: One is the Highest God on high, whose imperceptible Word a maid conceived. This, o my son, is like a sharp ax (?) clothed with fire. He goes through her womb and rules the world, and offers it to His Father as an offering. The name (?) of the maiden is the virgin.

Plato said in the Book of Secrets: The supremely High One will appear upon the earth and raise the dead and show his lordly signs. Thereupon He will return to His awesome throne, and will not come back (?) until the day of the Great Judgment.

Yonion the wise said: He is the Ancient the Mighty, who sits over the heavens, clothed in flame[s] (224v) of fire and light; His kingdom shall have no end. He will appear upon the earth, raise the dead, cure the sick, and show His lordly signs. Thereupon, he will return to His celestial throne, for He is in the highest heavens. At the time of His appearance upon the earth, the Persians will come to present Him with their offerings, for He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, whose kingdom shall have no end.

Plato said: The Trinity is one God, who alone is supreme. His Word indwelled a virgin maiden, without change (?), overshadowing her without intercourse, and she conceived. This is similar to the fire present in the world, who will catch everything and present [it] as an offering to His Father. He will reside in this house, i.e. the body.

Yanfus the wise said: The Thought, which is like fire, which is divinity and life everlasting (?), and an immutable light which will be seen upon the earth. He will (ascend?) into the sky and command (...?).

He said also: He will descend in purity and shine forth [as] the Lord upon the earth, and (225r) the Persians will come with gifts, and He, praise be to Him, will offer guidance of the Great and Mysterious (?) God. He will appear upon the earth, being higher than the Word and superior to the Intellect, and will never cease.

Augustus the wise said in the Book of Astrology: There must appear a Hebrew youth, who will be called Christ and is eternal in His essence. The Eternal will make a public appearance, having the lordly power in His hand. He will raise the dead and clean the lepers and loosen the mute tongues.

Aristotle said in his book, entitled Celestial Sciences: You shall not see the True God except behind a veil by which His light is concealed from your vision, so that your eyes may not (go blind?) from His sight. But when He appears, one will be able to realize the greatness of His rule. By this you will understand that He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Aristotle said also in his letter to Alexander the king: Be earnest, o king, in the pursuit of the water of life. You shall not find water of life except in a Man (225v) who is to appear in the world, clothed in this world's clothes. If you find Him, you will find the water of life with Him. He will feed you with His food from the eternal Tree of Life. Water of life will be flowing from His hands.

He said in his treatise entitled the Book of Treasures: The treasure of life is the God Adonai, who is to appear in the universe. Those in the graves will hear His voice and will rise.

Yanfus the wise said: Glory (?) to you, o thrice-blessed, who is God the eternal (?), who shall die and abolish death clearly, when He will rise after three days.

Plato the wise said: No, by Him who sent me, verily they do not know what they speak, nor what they do. By this he means the priests of the sons of Israel who deny his words cited above.

Zoroaster the Magian said to his disciples in the Book of the Elements of Science:³ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, will remain in me and I in him.

To the Awesome Father, and to the Son who helped and assisted, and to the Holy Spirit who perfected may there be Glory now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen.⁴

Transliteration

وعلى رجا الثالوث المقدس الاب

والابن والروح القدس نكتب اقوال

بقترار(؟) من اقوال الحكما الفلاسفه

الذي (!) قالوه على ظهور سيدنا له

المجد من قبل مجيه باجيال كثيره

من كتاب الاسرار المعروف عندهم

في العلوم الفلكيه وذلك على تانس

السيد المسيح الذي له التسبيح

اول ذلك قال هرمس الحكيم في

كتابه المعروف بكتاب التسعة

احجار يخاطب به ولده قايلا: اعلم

يا ابني ناتانا انه لا بد من نزول العله

الهايله والنار الغير محصوره

شعاع العلة التامه القايمه

بذاتها من غير حاجه منها الى غيرها

ويمشي على الارظ(!) بحجابات صنعه لها

ثم ترجع الى علوها وكرسي عرشها

وليس بانتقال. يا ابني ناتانا

افتح عينيك وعيني قلبك واودع

في خزاين لبك ما انا مستودعك.

علة العل(!) تحوط بك وقال ايظا(!)

(222و)

العدل يبطل والامة القدره تشعب

وتطلب ما ليس لها بحق ايظا(!)

والمخزون تضهر(!) ايامه. وهو اب

يكون في الارظ(!) وتتوامر الشعوب

النجسه بالباطل هم وحكماوهم

على ملك الملوك وقال ايظا(!) ويل

عازور يظهر عجايب في قيطيلون

روميه. يبطل من شيخين حكمين

يقتلان بها من ملكها. واوليك الشيخين

يظهران عجايبا(!) كثيره ويدومان بها

الى الابد وهما المبطلان لرياسة

بالجرايح الهايله. لانهما مبعوثان(؟)

من العله. والنار الطاهره (الظاهرة؟) في

المسكونه وقال هرمس الحكيم.

يسير كوكب قوس الشرقي من

المشرق الى المغرب. والقبله

سنتين ونصف. ويرجع الى مركزه

وملكه. وهو كوكب يسمى كوكب

البشاره. يسير بين يدي الحكما

الاتين من المشرق. الى الملك

الازلي الذي يظهر. ليسجدوا له.

(222ظ)

ويقدمون قرابينهم اليه. ومن اجله

تقتل اطفال كثيره. في وسط الارظ(!).

والنار المخزون يدخل الى ارظ(!) مصر.

وحكما النجوم يدخلون اليها. ويختلطان(!)

الشعبان ويصيران شعبا واحد مايه

وثلاثه وثمانين تدويره. لكيوان

الشيخ العتيق كيوان. هو عندهم

زحل. لانه يقطع الفلك في كل

ثلاثون(!) سنه. يكون العدد عن دوران

الفلك. يا ابني لضهور(!) هذا الاله

العتيق المنتضر(!) خمسه الاف.

وخمسماية سنه. فقال ايظا(!)

يا ابني ناتانا. اتخذ لك صورا. والفلاسفه

عزا. يا ابني لا تجالس الجهال. وان

جالستهم فلا تتحدث بهذه الحكمه

التي اوضحتها لك. فيما بينهم.

يا ابني انظر نحو النور المولود

من النور المنبثق من النور بحق.

الحكمه. والكلمه والحيوه. ان

انت علمت هذه لجاهل او غير مستحق

فانه ياخذها منك. ويستهزي بك.

(223و)

فان كان كريما. فلا تمنعه امنه

فانك تضلمه(!). فان يكون كلامه حق(!)

امنحه بالكلام. والاسرار فان حفض(!)

ذلك كان دعا. فقد يشهد له الحق

وقال ايضا يا ابني لا بد ما تنخسف

الشمس ويكون الخسوف في ستة(!)

ساعات من النهار الى تسع ساعات.

وليس في ذلك الوقت. هو وقت

خسوف. بل من اجل المخزون. انه

يفترى عليه. ويطلب. ويهلك من

شعبه. ومن قومه. ويجازيه شعبه

على رنيعه بهم الخير بالشر وتقع

بيوت الالهه وهياكلهم ويصح سلطان

المخزون عليهم وعلى جميع الخلق

وقال يا ابني الموتى في ذلك

الوقت يعيشون. والعجايب تظهر من

المخزون. لانه بقوته يمشي على

الارظ(!) ويباشر المخلوقين. وقال

ايضا هرمس ان من هذا الحين الذي

هو دخول النور المخزون الى مصر

يكون في خمسين دورة الشيخ كيوان

(223ظ)

العتيق يكون لهذا القول ايضا من

هرمس الى مجي المسيح الف

وخمس مايه سنه وقال اناسولس

يا ابني الملك العضيم(!) نقيا بلا دنس.

انت عضيم(!) رب الانام الذي كلشي(!) من بعظ(!)

طياك(ضياك؟) تنظره. انت الذي ليس فيك دنس

القوي القادر على كلشي(!) ملك. المايتين

والغير مايتين وقال اناسولس هذه

القوات ثلثة اسما. الهيه واحد من

قوته. وجبروته الوحيد الاله. الذي

لا ينظره احد وقوة لا يستطيع احد

يلقاها. ولا ينظرها بطبعها. ومن هذه

القوات كلشي(!) كان. وقال ارخس الحكيم

ثلثة اسما في لاهوت واحد بها كان كل

شي وقال ارفش الحكيم واحد هو فقط

الظو(!) الغير محسوس. وهو فيكل(!) وقت

الذي يجوز الفكر. والكلمه المولوده

منه كامله فيكلشي(!) وصانعة كل شي.

وقال افلاطون العله القديمة التي

هي النعمة المتحننه على كل علة

ثابته (ثانية؟) العقل. الذي خلق كل شي

(224و)

العله الثلثه النفس الصانعه

الحياه التي هي حياه كل حي

وقال ارسطاطاليس هو الاله الكلمه

لما ان ولد الكامل في كل مولد

الصانع في الامم الوالده نزل. وسكن

بالطبع. وبالطبع امر الما.

يحل تاويلها صار خمرا وقال افلاطون

ايظا(!) واحد هو الاله العلي في العلى.

الذي بكلمته الغير محسوسه

جاريه حبلت بها. وهذا يا ولدي

مثل الفوس (=الفؤوس؟) الحديد المترديه

بالنار. ويسلك في احشايها. ويذكر (يدبر؟)

العالم. ويقربه لابيه قربان.

وان اي اسم الجاريه العذرى. قال

افلاطون في كتاب الاسرار ان العلي

الاعلى يظهر في الارظ(!). ويقيم الموتى.

ويظهر اياته الربانية. ويرجع الى

عرشه المرهوب. ولا يعود وايدوه

الى يوم الحكم العظيم وقال يونيون

الحكيم هو القديم العظيم الجالس

فوق السموات المتردي بلهيب

(224ظ)

النار والنور. الذي لا يفنا ملكه.

يظهر على الارظ(!). ويقيم الموتى.

ويشفي المرظا(!). ويظهر الايات الربانيه.

ويرجع الى عرشه العلوي. لانه في

السموات العلا. وعند ظهوره في

الارظ(!). ياتون اهل فارس. ويقدمون

قرابينهم اليه. لانه ملك الملوك.

ورب الارباب. وملكه لا يفنا وقال

افلاطون الثالوث اله واحد. عال

وحده. الذي كلمته لا تغير حلت في

جاريه عذرى. ظللته من غير جماع

تحبل. وشبيه النار في العالم

يحظر(!) ولكل يصيد. ولابيه يقرب قربان.

وله يلكون (يكون؟) هذا البيت. اعني الجسد.

وقال ينفوس الحكيم الفكر الذي

مثل النار الذي هو لاهوت وحياه

لا تنقطي (تنقطع؟). وظو(!) لا يتغير ينظر في

الارظ(!) *** في السما. ويامر في

السماء و*** الارظ(!). وفيه حياه لكل

من يلتن ***. وقال ايظا(!). وينزل

ظاهرا ويشرق للرب (الرب؟) على الارض وياتون

(225و)

اهل فارس. ومعهم العطايا. ويقرس (ويقدس؟)

له تمجيد تدبير الاله العظيم وعجيب.

يظهر في الارظ(!). وهو ارفع من الكلمه.

واعلا من العقل. والى الانقطا (الانقطاع؟) لا يزول.

قال اوغسطس الحكيم في كتاب

علم التنجيم لا بد ان يظهر شاب

عبراني. وهو يدعا المسيح في ذاته

ازلي. الازلي يظهر علانيه. وبيده

سلطان الربوبيه. فيقيم الموتى.

ويطهر البرص. ويطلق الالسنة

الخرس. وقال ارسطوا في كتابه

المعروف بالعلوم العلوية انكم لا

تشاهدوا الاله الحقيقي الا بحجابه

الذي به يخفى نوره عن ابصاركم.

ليلا تشخص عيونكم من نظره. فاذا

ظهر استدلوا على عظمه سلطانه.

وبهذا تعلموا انه ملك الملوك.

ورب الارباب وقال ايظا(!) ارسطوا في

رسالته الى الاسكندر الملك جد

ايها الملك في طلب ما الحياة

وانك لا تجد ما الحياة. الا في رجل

(225ظ)

واحد يظهر في العالم. لابس لباس

العالم. فاذا وجدته ظفرت عنده

بما الحياة. ويغذيك من شجرة الحياة

الابدية بطعامه. ومن يديه تجري

ما الحياة الابدية وقال في كتابه

المسمى كتاب الكنوز. ان كنز

الحياة ادوني الاله الذي يظهر في

المسكونه. ويسمع صوته الذين

في القبور. ويقومون وقال ينفوس

الحكيم فكرا (فخرا؟) لك ايها المثلث ب

بالغبطه الذي هو الاله ممتد(؟). وهو

ميت يفني الموت. اذا قام في ثلثة

ايام بيانا وقال افلاطون الحكيم لا

والذي ارسلني امين الحق ما يدرون

ما يقولون. ولا يدرون ما يفعلون. وذلك

يعني بهم على كهنة بني اسرايل

الذين ينكرون كلامه الذي تقدم وقال

زرادشت المجوسي في كتاب الاستقصات(؟)

العلمية لتلاميذه. من اكل من لحمي.

وشرب من دمي يثبت فيي(!). وانا اثبت

فيه. كمل

ܫܘ ܠܐܒܐ ܕܚܝܠ ܘܠܒܪܐ ܕܣܝܥ ܘܥܕܪ ܘܠܪܘܚ

ܩܕܝܫܐ ܕܫܡܠܝ ܗܫܐ ܘܒܟܠܙܒܢ ܘܠܥܠܡ

ܥܠܡܝܢ ܐܡܝܢ

¹ This is the Arabic term for Saturn.

² MS: stable. But I suspect the original reading was "second" which is easily misread as "stable" in Arabic letters. This would indicate that the MS was copied (directly or indirectly) from a manuscript in Arabic letters.

³ So in the text. However "of the World" is a possible reading, if a small emendation is made.

⁴ The last sentence (a copyist's addition) is written in Syriac rather than Karshuni.

This text was transcribed by Roger Pearse, 2008. This file and all material on this page is in the public domain - copy freely.

Greek text is rendered using unicode.

Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: ms_mingana_142_extract.htm

The Mingana Collection (Birmingham): MS 142, ff.48a-61b

The Mingana Collection (Birmingham): Ms. Syr. 142, ff.48a-61b

[Translated by Martin R. Zammit (University of Malta)]

(f. 48a)We say, first, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen. We will instruct you, my brethren, about these extraordinary words from which the minds flee. For when we, the Christians, call "Father" God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ - that is, the name of the Living, the One speaking by the Son - this is the word "Father". And we also say "of the Son" - that is, we mean the power of God. The Holy Gospel attests to this (truth): "... and the power of God shall come upon you, because the child born from you shall be called the Most Holy and the Son of God." And our saying "and of the Holy Spirit", (that is) because the Holy Spirit is the spirit of life of every living person from (?). The Holy Gospel bears witness (to this truth), in the words of the angel Gabriel: "... because the child born from you is from the Holy Spirit."

As regards, our brethren, the way of the foreigners, their original deities (f. 48b.) were three: the First Cause, the Mind born from it, and the Soul emanating from it. For this reason, they made each one of the temples of their deities consisting of three sanctuaries: the sanctuary of the First Cause, the sanctuary of the Mind and the sanctuary of the Soul. They covered them with gold and paintings, and in every sanctuary they set up an idol representing their deity. They said that the soul of the worshipped emanated onto that idol and it became a mediator between them and the humans. They offered sacrifices to them, as attested by their sects. Most of them worship the seven planets in the seven climes. For this reason, the fathers and the prophets opposed them with signs and wonders which transcend the minds. Firstly, the great wonder, such as the splitting of the sea and its rising on two sides (f. 49a) like a great mountain, and the passage of the Israeli soldiers and the loss of the armies of the Egyptians. Despite all these (extraordinary) matters, the divine Book does not attest that any of the foreign peoples returned to the worship of God, the Exalted, but rather the (holy) Books attest that the Children of Israel, who are the people of God, after their ascent from the sea, ahead of the Pharaoh, and having seen those strange signs and the great wonders, they also worshipped the planets, the celestial bodies, the humans persons and the persons of the animals, and they (also) worshipped the calf, whose existence was well-known (to them). They said to the Calf: "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. All that (happened) because they relied on the things existing in front of them, and the worshipped (deity) was concealed from them. For the demons used to speak face to face with their worshippers.

(f. 49b) The Children of Israel had lived in Egypt and had seen these deeds. They mixed in their blood and in their veins, and were encouraged when witnessing those wonderful matters and the wonderful signs such as magic, - - -, talismans, and divination. All nations went to hell for a number of years, till the enactment of the law of our Lord Jesus Christ. He ordered the Apostles, saying: "Go and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," (this being) an indication against those who used to say that the spirit of the deities emanates onto the bodies so as to be a mediator between them and the worshippers. Moreover, our lords the Apostles made innumerable signs which magicians cannot make, such as the raising of the dead, the lifting up of the crippled, the healing of the blind (f. 50a) and the mad. Their turning (into healthy bodies) is easy unto God, the Exalted. They shattered the idols and destroyed the temples (?). All miracles that the apostles were doing, they were doing them with these three attributes, namely the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - because they were called by them (the gentiles) "the triunity", because they used to say: "The Creator is the spirit of the celestial sphere." This is found in the book of al-Istāmāsīs. The wise Aristotle said: "There was in the clime of Mercury a man whom the spirit of Mercury had clothed. He was called Afrīdūn the wise, and he was a wise king. Mercury said to him: 'I am choosing you and assuming you as a wise man for me, and I am clothing you with a spirit that will abide with you. I am making you my cultic leader, but you shall make for me a fixed feast. Gather all the people of your reign and call them to (follow) me! (f. 50b) If you (and your people) do that, I shall emanate my spirit upon you, and I shall give you what you demand.' In the morning, Afrīdūn informed the high officials of his state and the people of his reign about the whole vision which he had seen. The people of that clime belonged to different religions, and they did as he had told them. A spirit came, like a torch of fire, and spoke thus: 'O Afrīdūn, behold I am staying with you and helping you in your affair against them.'" Here is Christ the Lord, in the grace of the Holy Spirit which alighted upon the disciples in the upper room of Zion and annulled the spirit of Afrīdūn and his satanic stratagems, with the power of the Holy Spirit and the life-giving spirit of God.

We will also inform you about what Afrīdūn did and (what) God (did) against him, by means of the prophet Moses. The spirit spoke through Afrīdūn and said: "(You are) my clime and my share (f. 51a), and I shall clothe you with my spirit, my rule and my direction. I am making one my spirits between me and you. So protect it and keep it from impurities and filth, and conceal it from the eyes of the common people. When you want anything, enter and ask the spirit, and I shall give that to you." Afrīdūn ordered that a spacious house be cleaned up and a golden throne be placed in it. The people in the house were to offer seven goats. The goats were then skinned and their fat was put around the table. He made special prayers, whilst incensing with that incense. He then took the meat, brought it out and ordered that it be cooked, and he prepared enough bread for the people of that country. When he did that, and invoked those names, that spirit appeared in its well-known form. It made laws and norms for it and ordered that (f. 51b) it shoulb be served by four beautiful youths whose faces are free from hair. Then that spirit remained inside that place, sniffing the fat of that meat. Then Afrīdūn ate, and he ordered them to eat quietly, in silence and without speaking. He ordered that whatever remained of it they should carry it to their houses and distribute it among their households.

God (was) against them by means of Moses, and annulled their action. Firstly, he appeared to Moses from the fire, then he ordered Moses to make the Dome of Time. He ordered that in its midst he should make a stove altar, when the fire of the spirit descended towards it. He charged the sons of Aaron to guard it, and ordered him to sacrifice sacrificial offerings and to put the fat around that place, upon the fire which was on the altar, and to bring out the meat (f. 52a) to the house, and to cook (it) and eat from it quietly and soberly. Then the people, those present, stayed. "O my brethren, consider the greatness of our Lord, how he annihilated the deeds of those who worshipped others instead of him, with his powerful force and the vivifying Spirit of his holiness.

We will also instruct you, brethren, that which the dissidents and the averse have done, and how our Lord opposed them because of it. Aristotle said to Alexander, on his way to the country of the Persians: "You ought to know, O King, that the country of the Persians is extensive and has desolate wastes and dry deserts. Your army is a tremendous one and great in number, and you must have with you talismans which help you attain the desired goal and facilitate for you your great affairs. It is (the following): make an ark of iron (f. 52b) and put inside it a statue made of iron, gold, silver, and copper in your image, and an iron statue representing your armies riding on horses, and make statues of bent lead (?), with its hand (turned) backwards, and in the other hand a lance of lead, reversed backwards. Everyone shall have a bow with broken chord. You shall put between the two of them, in the ark, an iron veil - I mean, between your armies and their enemies - then offer a sacrifice and incense to Bandarītūs, king of the talismans, and glorify and magnify him profusely. Then you shall take it with you wherever you go - with you and with your soldiers - and wherever you go, you shall put the ark in front of you, and nobody shall touch it, except you. Whoever is present with you and offers incense to Bandarītūs, you and whoever is with you shall be safe from all the enemies (f. 53a) and the adversaries."

God, the Exalted, opposed him when he said to Moses: "Make an ark and place in it the tablet of the covenant, the staff of Moses and Aaron, and the container of the manna. Nobody shall touch it, except the priests from the tribe of Levi. Wherever you go to fight the enemies, the priests shall carry the ark in front of the soldiers, glorifying and jubilating, and they shall return behind them (behind the soldiers) and they (your enemies) shall be broken and the movements of their hands shall be lax." Consider, our brethren, the people of God: God annulled with this ark - made on the command of God - the power of the ark made in the name of Bandarītūs, the enemy of God. Consider, our brethren, the wisdom, the power, and the marvels of God.

Moreover we inform you (about the following): Aristotle said to Alexander: "Make four talismans; one of them will make waters gush out in the desolate steppes (f. 53b) and the dry deserts. And it (works in this way): you shall take such and such (a quantity of) lead, and such (a quantity of) gold and make it in such and such a form, and offer a sacrifice to Bandarītūs. When you settle in the dry deserts, put this talisman on your right hand and you shall say this incantation. Offer a sacrifice, there, and burn incense to Bandarītūs. He shall make waters from springs gush out for you, whatever is sufficient to you and to your army, and (the waters) will flow over the face of the earth."

God opposed him with his saying to Moses - when thirst got hold of the people in the desert - Our Lord said to Moses: "O Moses, strike the rock with your staff and it will make water to gush out for the people to drink - they, their riding beasts and their small cattle." Moses did that, and God ordered that stone to be carried wherever they went and wherever they settled. Why did God do this? (f. 54a) Because the people of the Children of Israel were magnifying the gods of the peoples and were inclined towards their worship, because of what they heard about them concerning strange magical matters, and the minds of the Children of Israel inclined towards them.

Aristotle also said to Alexander: "Moreover, O Alexander, there shall be with you talismans preventing fatigue, barefootedness, sicknesses and diseases." The powerful God opposed them by the staying of the Children of Israel for forty years in the desert, safe from sicknesses, accidents and diseases. Their garments did not get torn, neither the shoes of their feet, and their riding beasts did not get tired. He covered them from the sun by the cloud, and at night by the column of fire.

Aristotle also said to him: "Make a trnj (?) fat which will repell the savage beasts, the snakes, the vipers, the insects and the harmful beasts of prey." (f. 54b)God opposed him when he said to Moses: "Make a snake of copper and put it on the head of a lance. Whoever is bitten by a snake shall look at this copper snake and shall be healed. And likewise (they will be safe from) all the harmful animals and the damaging insects." As he said in Ps[alm] 90 that he who relies on God "... shall tread upon the asp and the viper, and shall trample the lion and the dragon, because he has hoped in me, and I shall deliver him, save him and protect him."

He (Aristotle) also told him: "Make a talisman, so that when you enter a city, and its inhabitants escape from you and enter inside their fortresses, fortifying themselves, and keeping themselves inaccessible to you with their stratagems, on a Sunday night you shall place that ark containing the talismans and ask Bandārītūs, and he shall open for you the city without fighting." God opposed him by means of Joshua son of (f. 55a) Nūn. The people of Jericho escaped from him and fortified their fortresses. He ordered the priests to carry the ark of the covenant and to go around the city for six days. On the seventh day, in the morning, the priests carried the ark and Joshua said: "Raise your voices, for God gave you this country!" So they shouted to God, the Exalted, and went around the city, and the seven walls of the city fell and its inhabitants were exterminated.

Aristotle also said to Alexander: "Take a pearl, make it a stone for your ring, put it in your finger and all the people shall obey you. When you seal a letter with your seal to one of the kings, and send it to him, he will not disobey you. You shall offer a sacrifice to Bandarītūs so that he may expedite the granting of your necessity." God opposed him when Joshua went up from the Jordan and the people (f. 55b) were carrying the ark of the covenant in which there was the stone engraved by the finger of God. And they went to the country of their enemies. He said: "When the ark went up, and the Amorites and the Canaanites heard (this) their hearts melted out of fear, as is mentioned in the fifth book: "One Israeli defeats one hundred, and one hundred defeat myriads."

Then we will follow this (account) with a little of that with which God opposed the nations, through our Lord Jesus Christ. We shall, then, instruct you also (that) Alexander asked Aristotle saying: "From which types of spirits is Bandarītūs?" Aristotle said to him: "He is a spirit born from 'Adyūs, the spirit of the moon, and Māmūs, the spirit of Jupiter. That is because 'Adyūs is from the clime of Jupiter and Istahmāmūs, and from it was born (f. 56a) Bandārītūs, the lord of the talismans." And the wise and the philosophers used to magnify Bandārītūs and offer him sacrifices, and they would magnify him exceedingly. This was still going on in their minds until our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of humanity, opposed him with his birth and his baptism, and (with) the breaking of the idols and the destruction of the temples (?), and with his power he annulled the demons' deeds and those cults. In compensation for the birth of Bandārītūs from the spirit of Jupiter, He was born from a pure virgin by means of the Holy Spirit, without seed, and he came (among us) united with the Word of God the Exalted. That (happened) with the annunciation of the angel to our lady the Virgin Mary, peace be upon her. He said to her: "The Holy Spirit shall alight upon you and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you, because he who is born (f. 56b) from you will be called the Most Holy and the Son of God."

We shall also inform you concerning Saturn. Saturn emanated seventy-two of its spirits onto seventy-two men, and taught them sorcery and magic to attract people by sorcery, incantations and talismans. The Lord Jesus Christ opposed them with seventy-two evangelizers and twelve Apostles and sent them to the countries of the earth to attract the people to the worship of God the Exalted. When he sent them out (to preach), he said to them: "Heal the sick, make straight the crippled and expel the demons. Freely have you taken, and freely shall you give." With his saying "expel the demons" He gave them the power to annul the movement of the talismans.

Know that the book of al-Istāmāsīs attested that every one (f. 57a) of the spirits of the seven planets has channels in the human bodies. Firstly, the spirit of the Sun runs in seven veins of the mind. The spirit of the moon runs in seven veins of the lung and the throat, and the spirit of Jupiter in seven veins of the heart. The spirit of Mercury runs in seven veins of the liver, the spirit of Mars runs in seven veins of the gall bladder, and the spirit of Saturn runs in seven veins of the spleen. The spirit of Venus runs in seven veins of the kidney. He said: "The veins of these parts are interconnected and interpose each other. That is similar to the constitutions of the macrocosm and the upper celestial sphere. (f. 57b) And for this reason man has been called the microcosm." And these defiled diabolic spirits continued flowing in these mentioned veins to mislead humanity. Therefore Christ enacted the law of baptism which is bathing in holy water, to expel, with the Spirit of God, the evil spirits. It ordered that the person to be baptized should be anointed with holy oil on the head, the liver, the heart and the kidney, and the rest of the human parts (a lacuna?) which distinguish the mentioned parts, and the mentioning of the cross of Christ when they are anointed. It ordered the godfather to say: "I renounce you, Satan, and all your power, all your filthy commands and your bad sayings." Its completion is (found in) what is written in (f. 58a) the book of baptism. Then the priest blows over his mouth (i.e. the mouth of person baptized) to expel, with the Holy Spirit, all the defiled spirits. Then (Christ) enacted the law of the sacrifice: the holy bread which is the body of Christ and his blood, born of the Holy Spirit, so as to flow, always, in the channels of the aforementioned parts, thus avoiding the arrival and settlement of the bad spirits and the diabolic thoughts, and so that the bodies acquire an overpowering force. For this reason Christ the Lord said to those who become defiled after baptism: "The unclean spirit, when it leaves man, wanders in waterless regions looking for rest, but it finds none, and it says: 'I will return to my house from which I came out.' And it will come and it will find it empty, swept and (f. 58b) put in order. It will (then) go and take seven spirits more evil than itself, and the end of that person will be worse than his beginning." And he made clear that whatever wanders in the aforementioned seven parts of the entire body in the unclean diabolic spirits (a lacuna?)

As regards the sect of the Magians, we also mention to you what Zoroaster did in the days of 'Adyūn (sic), the eighty-second king since Adam. He opened the temples of fire and made manifest miracles which attracted souls to obey him. Among his signs (he used to do the following): he used to be where the people were, so that they find themselves in the temples of fire, and those who look on think that they got burnt. All that was an act of magic. After (some) time the people were seeing that they (f. 59a) were at fault when they were in their temples, as attested in the Book of ZBHR and in other books of the Magians. Zoroaster also said this to his disciples: "Whoever does not eat my body and drink my blood, and mixes with me and I mix with him, he shall not have salvation." When his deeds became great and his call spread throughout existence, they boiled him and drank his brew (?). Christ the Lord, the Saviour of the world, opposed them with the true resuscitation of the dead, the healing of sicknesses and diseases, the cleaning of the lepers and the evildoers, the healing of the chronically ill and the disarticulated, the expulsion of demons and the annulment of the works of Zoroaster from all existence. At the end, our Lord said to his disciples: "Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood, he shall have perpetual life."

He also said, opposing him (Zoroaster?): "Whoever wants to save his life, let him lose it, (f. 59b) and whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of my Gospel, shall save it." Then, after that, the Christian believers changed concerning his love (?): a people with the sword and a people with fire, and so on, being certain of their rising from death to life everlasting.

He also ordered the Apostles, saying to them: "Go, teach all the nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." When he sent them to the country of the Jews, in which his name was known, they did not address them with this expression (?), but he ordered them, first, telling them: "Go to the surrounding lands, in the Jordan, and announce to them the good news of the kingdom of God, to whom befits glory and thanksgiving, now and always and for ever and ever, Amen."

He said: "And the divine Book said (f. 60a): 'And Moses came to the enemy, and all the messengers after him, and none of them returned to the worship of the Exalted. Even the Children of Israel, his own people, most of them were secretly worshipping the idols and prostrating themselves before the stars, as attested in the books of the Law. They took for themselves the calf and prostrated themselves before it, saying: This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.'" That (happened) when Moses was (still) present (among them), because they relied on verifying things by the appearance of their senses, and the concealment of the worshipped (deity) from their eyes, and (because of) their inclination towards the worship of idols and the visible things whose existence they can be see. Therefore they worshipped the planets and the celestial bodies whose existence can be demonstrated, and on account of the appearance of their traces and effects. (f. 60b) So they renounced its (i.e. creation's) Originator and its Creator, because of his concealment from their eyes. And on account of his superabundant compassion and mercy towards them, and because he knows that, whenever his existence is not proven by the evidence which comes from the senses, they do not grasp his existence at all, he made himself in human forms to the prophets who were sent to them. The Exalted took upon himself the bodily characteristics and the requirements of humankind. So he appeared to some of them in the form of a whole man sitting upon the seat of the Cherubim, and to some he appeared sitting on the throne, and to Abraham (he appeared) in the form of a man crossing his camp. The Torah said: "And God spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." And he said in the Torah: "And God descended in the pillar of cloud and stood above the Dome of the Testimony (i.e. the tabernacle)."

(f. 61a) Concerning the ten commandments written in the stone tablets, he said that they were written by the finger of God." Thereupon he said to Moses: "Tell the Children of Israel: 'Today you have heard him who spoke to you from the pillar of cloud. So do not take for yourselves idols.'"

As regards his characterization with human organs, such as the eye, the hand, and the emotional states, such as anger and satisfaction, much is as was written and known. All of that (happens) in order that the Exalted may assert his presence among them by that which is familiar to them. So they worshipped him, as was appropriate, because the Exalted has body members and organs! May he be exalted far above that! When the prophets and messengers succeeded each other, and the people did not renounce their worship of the idols, the celestial bodies, the planets and the animals, (f. 61b) God, the Exalted, warned them that the day shall come when he shall make a most clear appearance. You should know that when God, the Exalted, imposed the law of justice, he supported it with signs (miracles) and, through it, called upon the Children of Israel to affirm only his divinity and existence. He did not expect too much of them concerning that. And since they did not know him as they should, but in most cases they were secretly worshipping idols and offering incense to the planets of the sky, and doing what is not allowed legally and mentally, as attested in the books of the law, he threatened them, through the prophets, that he would cut them off from his aid, and that he would bring forth a nation, instead of them, which would always praise him, and whose conscience will not need the existence of anybody else (apart from God), as he said through (next folio) the prophet... (end of MS).

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Gerasimos, Apology (extract from Ms. Beirut 548 p.243-271) (2008)

Gerasimos, Apology (extract from Ms. Beirut 548 p.243-271) (2008)

[Translated by Sam Noble]

[The following item appears in Beirut, Saint-Joseph University manuscript 548, pp.243-271. It is an extract from book 4 of the 5-book apology of Gerasimus, abbot of the monastery of St. Simeon the Wonderworker near Antioch, and contains a collection of sayings by pagans predicting the teaching of Christ.]

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God.

We begin with the help of God- may He be exalted- to write the words of the excellent father Gerasimos, abbot of the monastery of Simeon Stylites. He compiled a book and named it al-Kafi fi al-Ma'na al-Shafi and gathered within it testimonies from the Old and New [Testaments], from all the religions, from the books of the sages and the [illegible] and the book of the Muslims which confirm the true religion. Here we copy them. The Old and New [Testaments] we have with us, but the testimonies of the Muslims and [illegible], are not with us and here we copy them with God's help.

We say: the testimonies to the unity of God's substance which is exalted above every substance.

The wise Sybille said: One is God, may He be exalted. His greatness is not varied. He alone sees all, though He is not seen by any mortal body.

Plato: All these are a part of time that was and will be. However, it is not proper for us to attribute these to the eternal substance because we say that it was and it also will be. Rather, what is appropriate for it in true and precise language is that it is only a verbal expression, as 'was' and 'will be' must be predicated upon being in time.

Also among what he wrote to Dionysius about God the Father: Because the existence of all of this and its maker is difficult to grasp, if He exists speech about Him is forbidden to all people because He is not like all the other things.

From the fourth book of Cyrus about the One God and that He does not have a name: There is no name for Him and human knowledge does not grasp Him.

[illegible] said: because He has no need for anything, not for a part nor substance nor words, nor deeds. Rather, He is the cause of all these things.

From the words of Hermes Trismegistos about God: Here is what I recounted about the One God alone. Nothing at all of Him is reached. We say that He is unattainable.

Antisianus: He is not known from the image of his likeness¹ and is not seen with the eye. He resembles nothing. Therefore no one can grasp Him from the image of His likeness.

Xenophon: It is evident that the One who shakes all though He is unmoved is a great and powerful god. Any thing is subordinate with regard to form. One who wishes to know the lacking as manifest is in need of faith.

Socrates: O excellent one, we do not need to think about what the many say about us. Rather, we need to heed the righteous and the hypocrites. He is one and the truth itself.

Also Plato: That which the treatise on definition arranges is the god of the beginning. What is below it is the gods.

Tatawus Allakrus: The beginning of all is one and He is not part of being, because if He was under being He is not a beginning.

On the hypostasis of the Son the Word.

Plato: The eternally emanating essence of the Father which does not change or cease has a personal will and power. From it the eternal word took substance and upon its taking substance it alone governed all and graced the giver with the same governance.

Also from him: I swear by the chief of all the gods under existence and the [illegible] their being. After Him are the chief and His son the Lord. He is the one whom you will know if you rightly philosophize.

Aristotle: God's nature is not overcome and its being has no beginning. From it the word took substance, the God who is powerful over all.

From his fourth philosophical book: He came out before all ages from God the cause, complete since he is begotten in himself because his coming out did not only become a movement of that in the begetting².

Arfaqus: I swear to you O sky, the perfect work of God is wisdom. I swear to you by the word of the Father who by it established the world.

Hermes: The word of the creator is like an eternal begetting, moving in itself without increasing or decreasing. It does not change and does not decay. He alone resembles and is equal to himself, standing upright, steadfast and watchful. He is one after the god the knowledge of whom is prior.

Numithius: God the creator should be thought of as a father, the first god.

The man given to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, in the time of Moses: When Pharoah, whose name was Batsunius, king of Egypt, became enraged with Moses at the release of the People he immediately went to the city of Munif, to the famous temple. When he made a sacrifice he asked the Thibia, saying thus: 'Inform me who the first among you is, the great god of Israel.' So he gave an oracle thus: 'In the great heavens there is a fire that surpasses description, eternally moving and immortal. The earth, the sea, and the depths are shaken by it and the demons are drowned by it. This is a god, the ruler of all, a father to a son, threefold not one. As for us, we are after³ the angels. Go silently.'

Plutarch: Do not conceive of something prior to the cause of all, may it be exalted. From everything which is from every other thing is something else like it because it necessitates a change in it.

Babunius:⁴ From one intellect and the word which is from it aroseand was differentiated all of this.

Bukididus: The nature of God's begetting is always power and it has no first. From Him himself the word took substance from the one with three hypostases.

Porphyry: The substance of God goes out to three hypostases: the lofty and righteous god, the one who is after him and second to him, the creator, and the third is the soul of the world.

Hermes: In himself he has not ceased to be in his own intellect. His light and his spirit enclose all.

Also by him: There is no god besides him, and no angel and no demon and no other substance because he is the lord and father of all and his is god, source, life, power, light, intellect, and spirit. All is with him and under him.

Another oracle given to Tudi, king of Egypt, in the temple of Africa: First is a god, then after him is a word and a spirit is with them. These agree in nature and their progress is towards the one.

Anthimus: God, the word, and the spirit are together. They do not cease to be one thing, one substance, and one majesty.

The sermon of Darius the Wise: The three divine names are from the power of the one whose lordship is singular, whom no one has seen. He is the cause of all that has being and the cause of all that has a body.

Hermes: I swear to you O sky by the father, the creator of wisdom, the divider of reason and intelligence. I swear to you by the word which created, perfected, caused confusion, and steadied. I swore to you by the spirit which divided the water and formed all that is in it.

When they passed to the house prepared in the city of Muriqus, someone said to them 'who is a man like?' Philo said, 'Know that this house is for a god one and threefold and for his word unbound and unperceived.

What follows this afterwards in the testimonies which pertain to the incarnation of the word:

Philo also: What do you claim? Philo claimed⁵ one god with three names. One of them is the First Cause. The second is Power. The third is Wisdom pouring out upon all. The second is the word which creates all and the third is the life-giving soul.

The statement on the birth of our lord Christ.

Amilius the philosopher: One who aspires to becoming a philosopher must possess continence and distance himself from all evils and his action must be upright. When you philosophize thus then you will know the name and the one letter and you will behold the son of God who is free of passion and will become manifest.

The words of Sybille the Wise: The maiden will come and with her the heavenly word.

[illegible] The king Manidus gave an oracle and said, 'The word of God the pre-eternal Father will come in the body.' The king said, 'from which womb or from which seed will this appear?' He said to him, 'from the womb of a pure young maiden of short stature, with a light, shining complexion.' The king said to him, 'So without seed or sexual relations?' He said, 'By the wisdom foretold with the father. Then this body will be crucified and at that time doubts will come and minds will weaken.' His disciple said to him, 'Who sowed the seed about whom much will be said and discussed?' He said, 'The hidden will of God shall appear, my son.'

He pronounced another oracle that the word which was born perfect, who is the son and creator and maker came down and was born by a woman and roused the blind.

Dimilitus pronounced an oracle and said, 'The word was with God and was God and made all with his hand. When he came down and was clothed in a robe of flesh man looked upon him and he revealed the substance of the majesty of the divine nature and he was as he was before his coming down.

Severus: In the fifth age the youth will come from the south whose mother was not touched by man. The king will resist him and the children will be killed in the land of Judah for his sake.

Philon: The son of God will come in the flesh, resembling the mortals of the earth.

[illegible] Hermes pronounced an oracle: Hermes, when Pharaoh asked him at the time of his worshipping the star known as Saturn to give him an oracle and to tell him who is greater than it. He said, 'Pardon me,' and he did not pardon him. Then he said, 'Greater and more magnificent is the one who treads upon the heavens. His robe is eternal light and his rays do not change or diminish. He is not disturbed and is not penetrated. Before him are two blazing fires and he is the pre-eternal God and the eternal father. The divine nature is his and from him and in him. He has no father before him. He has a son from him and in him who is from no one but him. Pharaoh set this down on stone tablets and erected them in the temple which is in the city of Murikus. Time passed, and each one said 'this house is mine.' Their grandees gathered and accepted Philon. He pronounced an oracle and said, 'know that this house belongs to one threefold god and his unbounded and imperceptible word. I see a virgin girl with child and it is like a light coming from her. The one born will frequent this house. Then he will be offered as a sacrifice.

Aristotle said: The uncreated is created and the created is uncreated. The father is a father and the son is a son and the one is three. One incorporealbecame incarnate a land which gave birth to the maker of heaven.

Apollo: Do all that leads towards the good and the beautiful. I will confirm three times the one, king of exaltedness, God whose wisdom and word do not decay. He will be born with them from a virgin girl and they will pass through the world like a bow blazing with fire. He will catch all and will offer it as a gift to the father.

On statements about the holy passions of Christ

Solon: In the end, he will come to the earth which is variegated in multiplicity and become flesh, free of sin. Within him will be the power of the unconquered divine nature to heal incurable ailments. For the sake of this he will be born in an unbelieving people in the flesh and will be persecuted by them and hung on a piece of wood.

Giun: At a certain time there will come to this drowning world a certain person free from sin and he will be born in the body without passion afflicting the divine nature. He will heal the corruption of incurable passions and the unbelieving people will be jealous of him. He will be crucified as one condemned to death and by this pleased all with his meekness.

From the stories of the people of the city of Athens: The wise men of the city of Athens upon seeing the darkness which fell during the passions of our Lord Christ asked Dionysius the Areopagite, who was still a pagan, 'O teacher, what do you say about this darkness, because we have determined the correct paths of the sun and moon but we cannot determine the cause [of this].' He said to them, 'The Son of God was slandered by a people.'

Sagharklis on the response of the houses of idols: The god who made the long heaven and earth is one, while mortals are many and wandering in the heart. We have set up idols of stone and brass and images from works of gold and ivory. We offer to them wondrous sacrifices and feasts and think that in this way we perform proper worship.

Porphyry of Tyre said: Now you are surprised if a plague afflicts a city of this size for years, [but] it is because Asclepios and the rest of the gods have no presence and Jesus is honored for no one is granted a deceitful benefit from the gods.

From one of the stories of the Romans: In the fifty-fifth year of the rule of Augustus, he went to the temple and performed a sacrifice. He asked who will rule the Romans after him but he was not given a response by the pythia. He made another sacrifice and asked, 'why do you not speak?' and this was said to him: 'A Hebrew child will take precedence over me as he is a gracious and powerful god. He will spur me on to leave this place and everything attached to it.

From an oracle of Apollo al-Daqnuni: When the maidservants of the temple of Apollo asked him 'Why do you no longer give inspiration and knowledge like you used to?' he responded to them with this response: 'O ones more wretched than the other maidservants of my temples, it was not necessary to ask me this last question which inquires about the wondrous god and the breath of his divine nature which envelopes all creation which hangs from it like a bunch of grapes-- all creation, which is the stars and fire, the rivers and the lower frost, wind and light. [The divine nature] expelled me from Athens, from the temple which is here, and I did not desire this. The works of my three-legged stand which I retain today are emboldened to lose me. Apollo has perished and is extinguished, since the human and heavenly man is angered at me and the one who has suffered is a god and his divine nature itself did not suffer.

The end of what I can explain of the statements of the sages about the truth of the religion of Christ, which is the religion of the Christians, praise be to God forever.

بسم الاب والابن والروح القدس الاه واحد نبتدي بعون الله تعالى نكتب قول الاب الفاضل جراسيموس رييس دير سمعان العمودي صنف كتاب وسماه الكافي في المعنا الشافي وجمع فيه شواهد من العتيقة والحديثة ومن ساير الاديان على تثبيت دين الحق ومن كتب الحكما و وكتاب المسلمين وها نحن كاتبوها: اما كتب العتيقة والحديثة فهي موجودة عندنا وامّا شواهد المسلمين و ليست عندنا وها نحن نكتبها بعون الله فنقول الشهادات على وحدانية جوهر الله المتعالي على كل جوهر قالت سبيلة الحكيمة واحد هو الله تعالى عضمه غير متلوّن هو وحده ناظر الكل وامّا هو فما ينظر من كل جسد مايت افلاطن جميع هذه جزو من زمان كان ويكون واما نحن فما يستقيم لنا ان ناتي بهذه على الجوهر الازلي لانّا نقول انه كان وهو ويكون وامّا اللايق بذلك بمقتضى القول الحقيقي فلفظة هو فقط واما كان ويكون ويجب ان يقالان على الكون في الزمان وله ايضاً مما كتبه الى ذيونيسيوس عن الله الاب لان وجود هذا جميعه وصانعه وادراكه عسر هو فاذا وجد فالحديث فيه عند الكافة فممتنع لان ليس هو كباقي التعاليم من كتاب كريس الرابع عن الاله الواحد وان لااسم له لا اسم يقع عليه ولا معرفة بشرية تدركه لانه لا يحتاج الى شي من الاشيا لا الى جزا ولا الى جوهر ولا قول ولا افعال لكنه انما هو علة لهذه الاشيا جميعها من كلام هرمس المثلث في التعظيم في الله فاذا ما رويت في ذلك الاله الواحد وحده ولا يحصل على شي منه البتّة نقول انه ممتنع انتيسيا نوس من صورة تمايله لا يعرف وبعين لا يرى ولا يشبه شياً فلاجل هذا لا يقوا احد ان يدركه من صورة تماثله كسونوفن ان الذي يزعزع الكل ولو لا يتحرك ظاهر هو الاه عظيم وقوي واما اي شي هو من حيث الصورة فغليب هو فمن احب اذاً ان يعرف العديم ان يكون ظاهر محتاج هو الى امانة سقراط فاذاً ايها الفاضل ما يجب علينا ان نفكّر فيما تقول الكثيرون عنّا لكن ان نسامع الصديقين والمنافقين واحد هو والحق نفسه افلاطن ايضاً امّا ما تنظّمه رسالة الحدّ فالاه الابتدا وما دونها فالهة تطاوس اللكروس مبدا الكل واحد وهو غير متكون لانه ان كان تحت الكون فليس هو مبدا واماعن قنوم الابن الكلمة افلاطن عين الاب المتدفقة دايماً التي لا تحول ولا تزول لها ارادة قوّة ذاتية منها تجوهرت الكلمة الازلية القوية وعند تجوهرها وحدها راست الكل واكرمت المعطي بنفس الرياسة وله ايضاً انا اقسم برييس جميع الالهة الذي تحت الوجود والمستا كونهم وبعده الرييس وابنه الرب هذا الذي ستعرفونه ان انتم تفلسفتم مستقيماً ارسطاطاليس تبعيعة الله لا تقهر ولا ابتدا لكونها ومنها تجوهرت الكلمة الاله القادر على كل شي ومن كتابه الرابع الفلسفي فخرج من قبل كل الدهور من الله العلة متكاملاً اذ هو في ذاته مولود لانه ليس انما صار خروجه محركة من ذلك في الولادة ارفقس اقسم عليك ايتها السماء صنعة الله الكاملة الحكمة اقسم عليك بكلمة الاب الذي الذي بها وطد العالم هرمس ان كلمة الباري كولود ازلي متحرك في ذاته لا يزداد ولا ينقص ولا يتغير ولا يفسد وهو وحده شبيه ومساوي لذاته مستوي حسن الثبات حسن الترتيب واحد هو بعد الاله المتقدمة معرفته نوميثيوس وامّا الاله الخالق فيجب ان يعتقد له اباً الاله الاول الرجل المعطى لفرعون ملك مصر في زمان موسى ان فرعون الذي كان اسمه بتصونيوس ملك مصر لما انغاظ من جهة موسى في اطلاق الشعب للحين مضى الى مدينة منف الى المعبد الشايع ذكره وعندما ضحى استخبر من الثيبيا قايلاً هكذا اخبرني من هو الاول فيكم الذي هو الاه اسرايل المعظم فاعطى زجراً هكذا ان في السموات العظيمة نار تجوز الوصف دايمة الحركة غير مايتة التي منها ترجف الارض والبحر والاغماق ومنها تغرق الجن هذا الاه ضابط الكل اب لابن هذا مثلثاً ليس واحد وامّا نحن فجر من الملايكة اذهب صامتاً بلوطرخس لا تعقل شي اقدم من علة الكل تعالى كل من كل اخر منه مثله اخر لانه يوجب غير به ببونيوس من عقل واحد ومن الكلمة التي منه قام هذا جميعه وافترق بوكيديدوس طبيعة ولادة الله دايماً القوة وليس لها اول ومنه نفسه تجوهرت الكلمة عن المثلثة الاقانيم برفيرويوس انّ جوهر الله تخرج الى ثلثة اقانيم الاله الاعلى الصالح والذي بعده وثانيه الخالق والثالث نفس العالم هرمس في ذاته لم يزل دايماً في عقل ذاته ونوره وروحه تحتوي على الكل وله ايضاً ليس الاه سواه ولا ملاك ولا جنّي ولا جوهر اخر لانه للكل ربّاً واب والاه وينبوع وحياة وقوة ونور وعقل وروح والكل معه وتحته زجر اخر اعطى لتودي ملك مصر في معبد افريقية اولاً الاه ثم من بعده كلمة وروح معهما وهذه فمتفقة في الطبيعة ومصيرتهما الى واحد انثيموس الله والكلمة والروح معا ولم يزالوا وهم شياً واحد وجوهر واحد وعظمة واحدة خطبة ذاريوس الحكيم الاسما الثلثة الالهية من قوة الواحد المتفرد الربوبية ذاك الذي لم يراه احد وهو علة كل متكون وسبب كل متجسد هرمس اقسم عليك ايتها السماء بالاب خالق الحكمة وقاسم العقل والفطنة اقسم عليك بالكلمة التي خلقت فاتقنت وحيّرت فاحكمت اقسمت عليك بالروح التي فرقت على الماء وجبلت كلما فيه ولما جازوا في البيت المنصوب في مدينة موريقس فقيل كمن هو رجل لهم فيلن قال اعلموا ان هذا البيت لاله واحد مثلّث وكلمته غير محدودة ولا محسوسة وما يتبع ذلك فيما بعد عند الشهادات التي تناسب في تجسد الكلمة فيكن ايضاً وفيماذا تدعي وفيلن نفر بالاه واحد ذي ثلثة اسماء الواحد منها العلة الاولة والثاني القوة والثالث الحكمة الفايضة على الكل والثانية الكلمة الخالقة الكل والثالثة النفس واهبة الحياة القول في ميلاد سيدنا المسيح اميليوس الفيلسوف يجب على من رام ان يصير فيلسوف ان يقتني العفة ويبتعد من جميع الشرور وان يكون فعله مستقيماً فاذاما تفلسقت هكذا حينيذ تعرف الاسم والحرف الواحد وتعاين ابن الله الكلمة العرية من الالم العتيدة ان تظهر وان كلام سبيلة الحكيمة سوف تاتي الجارية ومعها الكلمة السمايية ايضاً زجر منيدوس الملك وقال تظهر كلمة الله الاب القديم بالجسد فقال الملك من اي الارحام او من اي الزروع تظهر هذه فقال له من رحم جارية فتاة مقتصدة القامة شقراة اللون بهية طاهرة فقال له الملك فبلا زرع ولا مباضعة قال بالحكمة المكتوبة عند الاب ثم يصلب هذا الجسد وعند ذلك تقع الشكوك وتفسد الظنون قال له تلميذه فمن زرع هذا الزرع الذي من اجله يكثر الاقوال والمجاوبة قال ارادة الاب المستورة ظهرت يا ابني وقال زجرة اخر ان الكلمة الذي ولد كاملاً وهو ابن وخالق وصانع هبط وحمل في امراة وازعج الاميا ديميليطس زجر وقال كان الكلمة عند الله والله كان وبيده عمل الكل ولما هبط وتردا بردا اللحم وانظهر اليه انسان واظهر جوهر جلالة اللاهوت فهو كان قبل نزوله وسويرس في العصر الخامس يظهر من التيمن الفتى الذي ولدته لم يمسها رجل ويقاومه الملك وتقتل من اجله الاطفال ببلد يهوذا فيلن ابن الله ياتي وقد تجسد وتشبه باموات الارض زجر هرمس لان هرمس حيث ساله فرعون وقت تعبيده للكوكب المعروف بزحل ان يزجر له ويعرفه من هو اكبر منه قال اعفني ايها الملك فلم يعفيه فقال اكبر منه وعظم هو الذي يطا السماء ورداه النور الدايم وشعاعه لا تستحيل ولا يضمحل ولا يتكدر ولا ينفذ وامامه نيران تتوقدان وهو الاله القديم والاب الازلي اللاهوت له ومنه وفيه وليس له اب بقدمه وله ابن منه وفيه لا من سواه فاثبت ذلك فرعون في الواح من حجارة ونصبها في الهيكل الذي في مدينة موريكس ومضت الايام وكل يقول هذا البيت لي واجتمعوا اكابرهم ورضيوا بفيلن فزجر وقال اعلموا انّ هذا البيت لاله واحد مثلث وكلمته غير محدودة وغير محسوسة وارا جارية بكر تحبل وكالنار تظهر عنها ويحضر المولود في هذا البيت ثمّ يقرّب قرباناً وقال ارسطاطاليس القديم محدث والمحدث قديم والاب اب والابن ابن والواحد ثلثة واحداً غير متجسد فتجسد ارض ولدت الصانع السماء ابللن كل ما يسوق الى الفضيلة والجمال اصنعوا فانا اثبت ثلث مرات الواحدة ملك العلي الله الذي حكمته وكلمته لا تفسد وسيحبل بها من جارية عذرى وتسلك وسط العالم كالقوس الواقدة بالنار ويصيد الكل ويقدمه هدية للاب في القول عن ام المسيح المقدسة صولن في نهاية امره يصل الى الارض المتفرعة بالكثرة فيصير لحماً خلواً من خطية وهو في حدوده قوة اللاهوت الغير مقهورة ليحل من الام لا شفا لها فمن اجل هذا فولد في الشعب الكافر جسدا ويبتلي منهم وهو معلق على خشبة جيون سيفد وقت ما الى هذه الارض الكثيرة الغرق شخص ما خلواً من خطية ويولد بجسم من غير الم يعرض للاهوت ويحل فساد الالم التي لا شفا لها ويحسده الشعب الذي ليس بمومن ويصلب كمن حكم عليه بالموت ويرضي بذلك اجمع بوداعه ومن قصص اهل مدينة اثيناس ان حكما مدينة اثيناس لمّا روا تلك الظلمة الصايرة في الام سيدنا المسيح سالوا الذيونيسيوس الاروياجنيس وقد كان بعد حنفياً ما قولك يا معلم في هذه الظلمة لانّا قد حسينا حقيقة مسير الشمس والقمر ولم يمكنا ان نصيب السبب فقال لهم ان ابن الله يفتدي عليه من قوم وعن جواب بيوت الاصنام صغر كلس الاله واحد هو صنع السماء والارض الطولة والمايتون كثيرون تايهون في القلب انصبنا اصنام للالهة من الحجارة والنحاس ومن عمل الذهب والعاج رسوماً ونحن نقدم لها ذبايحاً ومافلاً عجيبة ونظن على هذه الصفة اننا نحسن العبادة قال برفيرس الصوري الان تعجبون انكان الو بالحق المدينة سنيناً هذا مقدارها لان من حيث لا حضور لاسكليبيوس ولا لباقي الالهة ويسوع يكرم ولا واحد يحسن بفايدة غاشة من الالهة من بعض قصص اخبار الروم في الخامس وخمسون سنة من ملك افغسطنس توجه الى معبد وعمل هناك ذبيحة وسال من هو الذي يملك على الروم بعده فلم يعطا جواب من البيثيا فعمل ذبيحة اخرى وسال لماذا لا يتكلم فقيل له هذه ان صبي عبراني يزعم عني وهو الاه طوبان متملك يحثني ان اترك هذا الموضع وما يتبع ذلك من زجر لكن الدقنوني ان حاد مات متجسد ابللن لما سالنه ما بالك ما تعمل ما كنت تعمله فيما سلف من الوحي والتعريف احابهنّ بهذا الجواب ايتهن الشقيات اكثر من خادمات باقي مساجدي ما كان ينبغي ان تسالنني عن هذا السوال الاخير المتقضي عن الاله العجيب وعن نسمة لاهوته الحاوية البرايا كلها التي تتعلق بها كالعنقود جميع البرايا التي هي كل النجوم والنور الانهار والزمهرير السفلى والهوا والنار التي طردتني اثينة المسجد الذي هاهنا ولم اكن لذلك موثراً وان ما بقا لي اليوم من افعال طستي الكبير ذي ثلثة الارجل تجسروا على فقدي هلك ابللن وباد اذ كان البشري والانسان السماوي غضبني والذي تالم فهو الاه ولاهوته بعينه فلم يتالم هذا نهاية ما امكن شرحه من اقاويل الحكما في تحقيق دين المسيح وهو دين النصارا ولله السبح الى الابد.

¹ Reading تماثل for تمايل

² This sentence is rather unclear in the Arabic, either due to a copyist's error or a clumsy translation from the Greek.

³ Tentativly reading فجرas فاخر

⁴ possibly to be corrected to Yunius?

⁵ This seems to be the sense here.

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Early Church Fathers - Additional Texts

SOURCE SECTION: al-majdalus_01_translation.htm

Al-Majdalus, Commentary on the Nicene Creed (2009)

Al-Majdalus, Commentary on the Nicene Creed (2009)

Al-Majdalus, Commentary on the Nicene Creed.

[Translated by Samuel Noble.] In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God. We begin with divine help and the assistance of the Holy Spirit to write the commentary on the Orthodox Creed which three hundred and eighteen blessed spiritual fathers set down by the grace of the Holy Spirit, as it was commented upon by the priest father Abu al-Majdalus, God rest his soul. May we benefit from the movement of his knowledge and his prayers, amen. May the copyist and the reader and the hearer be forgiven. Know, dear brother-- may God aid you with the Spirit of success and write your name in the Book of Life, the registry of the day of reckoning-- that when our three hundred eighteen fathers were aided by Christ and set down this creed according to how Christ deified them, Christ was with them at its setting down and they numbered three hundred nineteen when they sat on their seats. This is according to the words of Christ to them- 'two of you do not gather in my name without me being the third and not three without me being the fourth.' There is nothing in it which is not from the Law of Moses and the prophecies of the prophets, their blessings be upon us, amen. First, the believer says 'we believe in one God.' This expression is taken from the Law of Moses, since God said in it, 'hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one.' They began by confirming God's sole lordship, as in unity He is the God of every thing. No one is His partner, no likeness resembles Him, and no opposite rivals Him. In His eternal essence there is no mass and no breadth because mass is bounded by dimensions and dimension confines it and form touches it. The parts of that which is divided separate and what is described is bounded by its description, but the Absolutely One is not resembled by His works or comparable to His creature. He is not described except by the attributes of His eternity because He was Creator before every attribute and description. His essence is unrestricted and His work is unimpeded. He is veiled from intellects just as He is veiled from vision. He has no bounded description and no numbered time. Shortcomings and defects do not reach Him. Times and seasons do not change Him. Pre-eternal, He remains eternal. His existence has no beginning. Pre-eternal is an expression referring to one before whom there is nothing. The Absolutely One is an expression referring to one who has no second. Just as 'alif' is the first letter and nothing precedes it, the Creator—may He be praised—is the first without beginning, eternally existent with nothing before Him. Everything depends upon His will and comes out of His volition. Moses bore witness in his great Law and all the prophets in their prophecies to the oneness of God and the pre-eternity of His being eternal. God, may He be exalted, said in the Law, 'Hear, O Israel, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Do not worship any god other than Me and do not bow to any god besides Me.' He also said, 'Look, look, I am He and there is no god other than Me. I cause death and I bring life. I strike and I heal. No one escapes from My hand.' The prophet Isaiah said, 'I am the first and the last. There is no god before Me nor will one come after Me.' The one is unique in oneness. No one shares in it. The prophet Isaiah said, 'You are the mighty God, the God of Israel who sits upon the cherubim. You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth.' The prophet Jeremiah said, 'Our Lord is one. We do not worship another with Him.' The Holy Gospel said, 'Bow to the Lord your God and worship Him alone.' The believer says: 'Father almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, what is seen and what is not seen.' These words are taken from the prophecy of the prophet Zakariah, 'O children, love truth and goodness, said God almighty.' Our fathers made known to us that the God whose unity they confirmed and whose lordship they confessed is eternal, everlasting and that the eternal one is the master of all things and holds all in his lofty power and his lordly arrangements. He alone is singular in his creating and fashioning. He is singular in his bringing things into being and originating. Nothing similar resembles Him and no opposite rivals Him. He is the one who reveals and the one who causes to return. He is the master of all of his works through his greatness and their arranger through the loftiness of His word, sensible things of what is seen and intelligibles of what is unseen. Nothing leaves His governance and nothing evades His knowledge. He knows all knowable things and encompasses all created things. Nothing is dependant except on His will and nothing emerges except from His volition. He brought all extant things into being and is self-sufficient in His essence and in the perfection of His attributes. Limits do not confine Him and changes do not change Him. Those sent by Him, the prophets, and the saints, those close to Him, bear witness to this. Zachariah said, 'God almighty says these things: Lo I shall save My people from the eastern and western ends of the earth. I will lead them into their land and settle them amidst Jerusalem.' The prophet Nahum said, 'O Judah, lo I shall come and dwell in you, said God almighty.' As for their saying 'father,' the prophet David said, 'as a father has mercy on his children, so likewise the Lord has mercy on those who fear Him.' He also said, 'I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me.' The prophets called God 'father' due to the pre-eternity of his eternity and His having mercy on his creation and they called His Word 'son' not because this sonship was a prophetic term but because it is an eternal sonship from an eternal father. Through it the Word of God is above all the attributes of the sonship of created things, like the begetting of power from one powerful and speech from one speaking. The essence is absolutely one, above attainment, division, or dimension. The believer says: 'We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages.' Their saying 'the only son of God' is an expression taken from the prophet David: 'The Lord said to me, "you are my son and today I have begotten you."' By their saying 'the only son of God,' they mean that the eternal Word of God is begotten from His eternal essence, as is witnessed by the prophet Micah who said, 'You, oh Bethlehem of Judah, are not small among the kings of Judah because from you will emerge a leader to shepherd my people Israel, whose begetting is before the ages.' The sense of this is that Christ is that eternal Word, begotten from God who said 'be!' at the beginning of eternity, by whom all came into being. His begetting is from the Father in the same way as when one says 'My speech is begotten from my intellect and my tongue speaks of what my thought begets. My thought is begotten from my essence and my essence is one with my reason.' God's speaking is begotten from His eternal essence and not a letter of it is cut off from it. Rather, it is begotten from the essence which eternally speaks it. It comes forth from an eternal essence and is present and subsistent in it. It is described by the pre-eternity and eternity with which God describes His eternity. Just as His will is pre-eternally present in His eternal essence in order to create His creation, so is the Word pre-eternally in the will and present in it in the essence of its Speaker. It was begotten from Him by the eternal command. The Word of God is a pre-eternal characteristic of His eternal essence and is not an essence other than the essence of God who speaks and not a substance other than His substance and not an attribute other than His attribute. His is not a sonship which He added to Himself, separate from His eternal essence. God has one Word by which He devised worship through the power of His eternity. From His divine nature God does with it what He wills. It is the will of God which surpasses all wills. His will is from His substance and the will is one and the sovereignty of his majesty. Its essence is eternal in His divine eternity. The law established for us that God's Word is eternal and all the prophets testified to its pre-eternity and existence and that it is eternal from the eternity of God who speaks by it, that it is uncreated, and that the eternal God alone possesses the Word of His eternity and is satisfied with it. It is not cut off broken up into letters. It is established in the law that Christ is the Word of God. God said about Him, "I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me." Christ, the Word of God, appeared by His lofty will and His lordly economy and his divine volition. He established to the world that He is the Word of God. We found Him to be eternal light from God's eternal light and we saw Him in the sight of His creation as a limited human. God alone possesses His Word. The evangelists announced his appearance and said, "The one who is from the beginning is the one whom we saw and witnessed with our eyes and touched with our hands." When the veil of darkness was removed from our vision, we saw that He had shone light and removed from us the darkness of blindness and enlightened us with His eternal light. He taught us that He is God's eternal Word by whom all things came into being. God's Word is uncreated and is of an eternal essence. There is not anyone from the beginning and to the ages of ages who has the power of divinity while being in the human form other than Christ, the son of the living God. He alone possesses His signs and the majesty of His lordship without comparison to creatures. He is called 'Christ' and 'lord' and 'powerful' and 'worker of lordly signs' and 'maker of the divine powers.' He is described in the books of His prophets by eternity of essence and the working of signs. He appeared by His lofty and lordly will as one upon whose divine essence createdness did not enter and as one who by a mystery too subtle to be understood and too lofty for the imagination was not transported from the majesty of lordship by it. His appearance was through the power of one mighty and eternal, who by it is above relation to creatures and the actions of limited beings because He has an eternal essence and the eternity of the Word and He is above any name by which He could be named or any mention of Him that could be made. One who claims that Christ, the Word of God, is created and attributes servanthood to this creating Word is irrational and has no knowledge of God. He will not see the face of God and He has no place in this world or in the world to come. God will keep him in hell unto the ages of ages. The creator bore witness and His witness is true and His prophets whom He sent and the holy ones dear to Him bore witness that Christ is His eternal Word though whom He created all the worlds and that Christ has active power which comes from one active and capable. His is power and majesty and lofty will and the greatness of divine authority. All his actions are heavenly and not earthly. No created being can perform a single one of his wonders such as raising the dead and great signs. God bore witness and his prophets with him that Christ is his son and his word begotten from his eternal essence. Christ went up Mount Tabor along with his pure disciples and they heard God's testimony and his life-giving voice as he addressed his word, Christ, by saying, "You are my beloved son with whom I am pleased." God is truthful even if all the people disbelieve. The prophets and the one giving the prophets to prophecy bore witness to the eternity of the Word of God who is Christ. One who disbelieves God and the prophets he sent deserves an eternity in hell as well as one who teaches disbelief in the Word of God and does not believe his testimony on account of his ignorance of the divine books and says that Christ, the hypostasis of the Word of God is created and disbelieves the Law of Moses even though the prophecies of the prophets who went before testified that the unseen God appeared to all the prophets in the human form in which Christ appeared to the Children of Israel, and those who denied the prophecies of the prophets and disbelieved the Law of Moses and the prophecies of the prophets and deny the appearance of the Word of God who will appear on the day of resurrection and all human eyes will see him and testify that he is lord and master and judge. He will appear to one who believes in him in this world in the court of the resurrection in the image in which he was seen in this world. This will be counted as great righteousness and a good work which causes him to merit eternal life as the prophet Moses testified in the Law that God appeared to Abraham by the oak tree and Abraham believed and this was counted for him as righteousness. Out of the greatness of Abraham's faith in him he stood before him and prostrated to him and called him 'the judge of the earth.' The Law testifies that he appeared to Jacob in the form of a very powerful man and said to him, "From now on your name will not be called Jacob, but rather Israel, whose meaning is 'one looking upon God.'" God said to Moses when the Children of Israel thirsted in the desert, "Lo I go behind you and stand in Horeb upon a rock. When you see me standing on it, strike the staff with which you struck the sea and water will come out of it for you." God appeared to all the prophets in the form of Christ and they prophesied about his appearance to the world in the human form in which Christ dared to appear to the world and to the Children of Israel just as the prophets saw him in it and confirmed in it the vision of the God of Sabaoth and confirmed through it his presence to them. In it they became certain of his appearing to them openly to them and to the rest of the servants of God. They hope for him and if the people searched the books of the prophets for what they set down relating to the appearance of God the eternal word, they would realize the existence of their creator through the vision of Christ and would behold their creator because God and all the prophets testify to the coming of Christ as his appearing two times: the first time is his appearance in human form from the Virgin Mary and the second time is his coming in human form to sit in judgment and judge the whole world in truth. The book of the Muslims testifies to this when it says, "faces looking to their Lord" and everyone who read the Law of Moses and the prophecies of the prophets and believed in the appearance of Christ the Word of God in human form is called to knowledge of him through it, believing in God and witnessing the truth through the existence of his creator and maker. The prophet David said, "The God of gods will appear in Sion." He also spoke of the birth of the eternal word from the divine essence and its second birth from the Virgin Mary when he said, "From the womb before the morning star I begat you." Isaiah said, "A child is born to us and a sign and a son is given to us and he is the mighty God and the king of great council. His authority is on his shoulders." The prophet Moses said, "This is your father who made you and created you." Solomon said, "Who is the one who went up to heaven and came down to earth and gathered the winds in his fist and the waters in his robe. What is his name and the name of his father, if you knew?" He also said, "He begat me from the beginning and I was with him when he separated the sky and the earth and set his throne upon the wings of the wind. When he gathered the clouds in their storehouses I was with him and he begat me." The believer says: "Light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not created, equal to the Father in essence." This expression is taken from the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah who says, "A light will shine in the darkness," though human vision cannot see that light and it is not a light that lights space and does not accept accident. It is not a light from the heaven of createdness or one of the similar accidents. Rather, it is a light which is above all light, present in the beginning and above being specified with dimensions, a light above all light to which can be attributed spatialiality and movement and rest. Christ is from this light which is above all light because his essence is from the essence of God his father. From his divine light he shown that light from God the eternal father because his essence is from the essence of the greatness of God and his light is begotten from the unattainable uncircumscribable eternal light. That light is not sensed and is not compound. It is a light from the light of God's greatness and his power. Anyone who does not believe that that light is from God walks in darkness all the days of his life and he will not behold the truth, neither in this world nor in the world to come because the light of God did not shine in his intellect. Christ is an eternal light and that light abolishes all darkness since his essence is eternal and subsistent in the eternity of the eternal creator. That light appeared ineffably because he is not bounded by dimension and he is not encompassed by any kind of vision into his essence because he is a light beyond human capability and too holy for dimensions and space. When Christ appeared with his light from the divine light of God's essence, this light was not divided though his divine light is from the substance of the true God. The fathers said, "light from light true God from true God equal to God his father in substance and essence and greatness," just as Christ said from his pure mouth, "I am the light of the world and one who follows me does not walk in darkness." He said to the Children of Israel, "The light is with you for a short time so walk in the light as long as you have the light." When they realized that light, they called it the light of truth. The Law said, "Moses looked at a fire in a tree and its branches were not burning and he said, 'let me see this strange and wondrous sight.' He went forward to see and God called out to him from that fire which is the light of truth, "I am God, the God of your fathers," and taught us that that fire is from the light of truth because the tree did not burn. The Muslims said that God is a light and is like the light which is like a lamp in a niche. The creator, may he be praised, is robed and veiled with light. Human vision cannot see that light nor can it see its eternal divine essence. As the prophet David said, "With you, O lord, is the spring of life and in your light we see the light." He also said, "Your light is great in the eternal mountains." The Prophet Isaiah said, "Shine O Jerusalem! He is present and the grace of the lord has shone upon you. The lord will see in you and his grace will rest upon you and the nations will walk with you in your radiance and the kings by your light. Jeremiah said, "Thus says the lord, 'I will raise up for David the light of light and he will rule over the domain and set up justice in the midst of the earth and on that day I will save Jerusalem from those who combat her. The name of the one who will save her is God.' Thus said the lord, 'A son of David will not cease to sit on his throne until eternity.'" The believer says: "who for the sake of us men and for the sake of our salvation came down from heaven." They took this expression from the prophet David who says, "O lord, incline in your heaven and come down." As for their saying, "came down from heaven," they intend the closeness of the lord to them, the connection of their intellects to knowledge of him and their witnessing his human appearance which all the prophets going before had desired to see with their eyes as the Children of Israel saw him with their eyes because God appeared to all the prophets and He favored them over all mankind. So they prophesied of his coming in the appearance with which they saw him with their eyes, just as the apostle Paul said, "in every way and every form God spoke to our fathers on the tongues of the prophets of old and in these days he spoke to us in his only son whom he made an inheritor of all, the one through whom he made the ages who is the light of his glory and the image of his eternity and he held all in the power of his Word." The expression "descent" is a connection of the soul to the maker of its life and the witnessing of the light of truth without a movement in the divine essence and its descent from the heaven of its dread throne to the passing, decaying material world. By "descent," they intended the creator's drawing near to his servants through his fellowship with them and his appearing to them in human form, since he was high on his heavenly throne above their appearing to him and loftier than them in the high of his heaven, above their seeing his divine essence. When the prophets brought tidings of his coming in human form, this necessitated vision in terms of the human eye achieving vision of the divine essence which is holy beyond dimensions and space. All the books of God that have been sent down testify that he will come down and appear to his servants openly, and it is an expression used in the books of God, even though no one in heaven or on earth can see the light of the greatness of his divine essence because of its loftiness. Just as God said to Moses when he asked to see the divine essence, "No one sees me and lives," this indicates that human vision does not attain his light. When the prophets saw him, as they testified, in his appearance they only saw him in the appearance of the form in which he announced to them him appearing to them as Christ in his material world, just as he will appear in it on the day of resurrection to judge them and pass judgment over them in it. One who understands God's having written his name on the tablets of Moses without the divine essence becoming present in those tablets or being encompassed by them has understood when we point to it with this meaning that the writing was engraved in the tablets and was not God but rather just as God, may he be praised, willed that the writing be engraved it was as he willed, may he be exalted, and the words are subsistent in the essence and preserved in the heart and written on the tablets for Moses without leaving his divine essence. The Lordly Judge has a lofty will which appears by his will a he wishes and how he wishes by his divine will which is connected to his lordly wisdom. The powerful one is powerful and those over whom he has power do not reach him and his lofty will. The thing which is made does not reach the work of its maker. When Moses saw him in the veil of light in the bush though the wonder of sight and God assured him of his presence in it and called out to him from it, "I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob," Moses realized that that light was calling out to him, "I am God," and that he appeared to him through a veil of fire and made it a veil for his power. Moses did not doubt and did not think that the fire was other than the eternal essence and he believed that the one addressing him by sound was God and that it was his will in his appearance through the veil of fire. We will follow with some of what the prophets testified regarding his descent in human form. The prophet David said, "He will come down like rain upon wool and like the drop of water upon the earth." He also said, "The heavens leaned down and descended and the fog is under his legs. He rides upon the cherubim and flies upon the wings of the wind." He also said in the 143rd Psalm, "O lord, incline in your heaven and come down!" He said about his birth in Zion, "O mother of man, a man is born in her and he is the exalted one who established her forever." He also said, "The God of gods will appear in Zion and in his entering into the city of Zion." The prophet Zachariah said, "Say to the daughter of Zion, behold your king will come to you humbly, riding upon a foal, the son of an ass." The believer says: "and became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary." The fathers took this expression from the prophet Isaiah who says, "Behold the virgin will conceive and bear a son and his name will be called 'Immanuel,'" the interpretation of which is, "our God is with us." As for the fathers' saying, "became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary," they mention two incarnations and this statement is exalted beyond human understanding or material ideas. The fathers said with the help of the Holy Spirit that when the Spirit of God rested upon the prophets, they learned of the appearance of the Eternal Word and that it took its substance from its eternal essence without being divided into parts and without separation from this essence of its ineffable majesty and it took from the Virgin Mary a sensible body in a manner which human intellects cannot understand, just as the prophet Samuel said when they asked him what form the speech of God takes when it speaks to him in the temple, 'God appears to me in the form of a man like me. In this way he will appear in Sion at the end of days.' The form in which he appeared from the Virgin Mary was not a temple or a veil or a place existent before the union. Rather, he appeared as Lord and Christ and Savior, and as the worker of divine wonders and the receiver of bodily acts, except that the union is beyond human resemblance and psychological notions. The Gospel of God says, 'The Word became flesh and dwelt among us' and we saw his glory insofar as he became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. The word appeared in human form without descending from the seat of his majesty or coming down from its throne, from his dread throne and from his heavenly glory. We learned that the Creator, may he be exalted, is capable of everything and is great in his power. He is able to appear to whom he wishes how he wishes. He decrees as he wishes and his is the lofty will and the divine, lordly power. He appeared from the Virgin Mary as He willed and as his will preceded in his appearing. The prophets prophesied it and the form in which He appeared was a human form to which was united the Eternal Word. His is the lordly authority and his is the will which is above all wills. He is the Lord of the Judgment and He will appear in this form on Judgment Day. He will appear with great and indescribable glory and He will be more majestic than the creatures as He is the judge of those in heaven and on earth. The Gospel of God says that when the angel Gabriel was sent by God to the Virgin Mary, he said to her, 'Rejoice O full of grace! The Lord is with you!' He did not say to her, 'You will bear a son' or 'an apostle' or 'a human'. Rather, he said, 'You will conceive and bear a son and he will be called the Son of the Most High and his kingdom will have no end.' The holy Gospel says in the Gospel of Matthew, 'And Mary was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit' and the ineffable divine seed whose way of being is unknowable took its place in her and he revealed to her the mystery of God who sent him to bring tidings of it, saying to her when she asked how there could be seed in violation of what is usual, 'The Holy Spirit will dwell within you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you because the one to be born of you is holy and will be called the Son of God.' When he said this to her, the Spirit of God dwelt in her and purified her with its divine gift through the dwelling of the Eternal Word within her. The indwelling of the Word was without its being split or divided. That light surpasses all light and the light shone in the inner darkness and wisdom built a house for the light by its eternal will and from the Virgin Mary, as Solomon said, 'Wisdom built itself a house and established it upon six pillars,' meaning that that house became incarnate in six dimensions. The book of the pagans bears witness that the Virgin Mary bore the Word of God and that He cast his eternal Word into her and He came from her as a man, just as the Gospel of God says, 'the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' The book of the pagans honors the Pure Virgin Mary by saying, 'Mary, the daughter of Imran who guarded her virtue, we breathed into her from our spirit and she believed the words of her Lord and was among the obedient.' This agrees with the Gospel of God's saying that in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee which is called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of the house of David. When the angel announced to her the dwelling of the Word of God within her, she asked him how there could be conception without human seed because there had not been a sign like this. The angel revealed the mystery of God which He had entrusted to him and he informed her that the conception would not be from seed but rather that the one to be born from her would be from the Holy Spirit. All the prophets sent forth prophesied this birth, that it is the Eternal Word of God born from God the Father and from his eternal essence. Many of the ancient wise men and philosophers spoke of this and afterwards the prophecies of the prophets were transmitted. In the book of the wise Hermes on the science of astrology known as the book of the nine stones, he addresses his son saying, 'O my son, the great and uncontainable cause, the rays of the perfect cause, subsistent in itself, not needing anything outside itself, must descend and walk on earth in a veil which it will make for itself and it will return to its heights and the seat of its throne. This is not movement from place to place. He also said, 'A star will go from east to west for two and a half years and will return to its center. It is the star of the good tidings. It will go unto the wise men coming from the east to the eternal king in order to worship him and give their offerings. For his sake the children of Bethlehem and its surroundings will be killed. This is after 183 rotations of Saturn, the ancient Zuhal, because its rotation crosses the sky every thirty years. Plato said in the book of mysteries that the most high would appear on the earth and would raise the dead and would exhibit lordly signs. He would be lifted up to his throne and would not be seen until the day when He judges the world. The wise Jovatian said, 'He is the great one of old, the pre-eternal who sits above the highest of the heavens, the lofty one dressed in flames of fire, whose kingdom does not pass away. He will appear upon the earth and raise the dead and heal the sick and he will exhibit lordly signs and return to his lofty throne. When he appears upon the earth wise men will come to him from the land of Persia and will present their offerings to him for he is the king of kings and his kingdom does not pass away. Augustus, the wise in astrology, said that a Hebrew youth whose name is Christ and who is eternal in his essence will appear openly and bear lordly authority. He will raise the dead and cleanse the lepers and unbind the tongues of the mute. The wise Aristotle said in his book known as the Lofty Sciences, 'You do not behold your God except through the veil in which he appears. He hides his light from your vision lest your eyes become fixed upon looking at Him. If He appeared and you saw Him, his signs would demonstrate the majesty of his authority and by this you would know that He is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.' He said in his letter to Alexander when he went off to search for the water of life, 'You will not find the water of life except in one who will appear in the world wearing the clothing of the world. If you find him, you will gain the water of life from him. He will redeem you with the tree of life by tasting him and the water of eternal life flows from him. He said in his book known as the Book of Treasures that the treasure of life is with the god Adonai who will appear in the world and the dead will hear his voice from the graves and they will rise. The prophets whom he gave to prophecy in truth spoke in veiled terms about the appearance of Christ and his incarnation from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. The prophet Nahum said, 'God will come in my image and his dress like my dress and his name will be engraved in the books of the name. His vineyard is twelve branches from the Children of Israel. He will have mercy on the nations and provide bread in the wildernesses. He will walk upon the sea and the waves will bow to him. By his hand He wrote the tablets for Moses. The prophet Zephaniah said, 'O daughter of Zion, do not let your hand slacken for our God will come and live in you and will save you.' The prophet Isaiah said, 'Rejoice O daughter of Zion for the one within you is the Holy One of Israel.' He also said, 'A rod will come from the back of Jesse and will sprout a branch from his root. The Spirit of God will dwell in him, the spirit of wisdom and intellect. The evil will retreat from his land and he will smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and he will kill the hypocrite with the speech of his lips.' God said in the Law of Moses, 'Judah, the lion's cub. There will not cease to be in Judah a king ruling and a prophet sent until the one who has authority comes and the peoples will hope in him.' The prophet Daniel said, 'I saw a mountain uncut by a hand and it struck the foot of the idol which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream and it broke the clay, the brass, the iron, and the silver and they were like the short-lived dust and. A strong wind blew and no trace of them was seen. The great stone filled all the earth.' The believer says: He suffered and was buried. The fathers took this expression from the prophet Isaiah's saying 'the one in whom was found no lie came to death.' Know my son that Christ, glory to Him, fulfilled the prophecies of the prophets about his receiving passions and death. When the Laws which the Hebrews possess and the prophecies of the prophets prophesied about the coming of Christ, they prophesied about his receiving passions and death, as Isaiah said that Christ would come and be killed because Christ appeared in a sensible body susceptible to passions and death. The body in which he appeared was coarse and he did not want to return that coarse body to heaven. He decided to strip away from it from the corruptible, decaying form and to clothe it in the dress of lastingness and eternity and to glorify it with the eternal resurrection to which no one was magnified except Him and to exalt it with the robe of glory in the resurrection of glory and eternity and to magnify this form with eternal glory. If it was raised to its lofty throne, the form rested in the light of its divine majesty and the form became visible in the light of its eternal essence just as David said, 'The Lord has put on glory and is exalted in loftiness. When he willed by his heavenly will the body, He kept it free from the clothing of being and decay by death and He clothed it in the clothing of eternal kingship in his resurrection from the dead and raised it to his dread throne in the form of everlasting eternity. It will no longer be subject to change. Death and decay do not change it, like the grain of wheat that became through its death a fruitful ear. Its death was the cause of its becoming the fruit of life. Likewise, the death of Christ in the form of Adam which God had condemned to death he raised in the divine form of eternal kingship and lordly majesty. He sat upon his dread throne in his lofty place in which his righteous angels praise Him, just as the prophet Daniel said about Him, 'I saw in the cloud of heaven one resembling the Son of Man go down to the Ancient of Days and He gave him kingship and authority. Thousands of thousands of angels serve him and myriads of myriads stand before him. His rule will not end and will not cease unto the ages of ages.' Death spares his essence; it is only a movement from abode to abode, from the abode of passing away to the abode of eternity. Christ willed by his accepting passions to rise up to his heavenly throne. We have compared the passions of Christ which He accepted by his will and the wonders He worked by his power and we see that one of his signs among all his signs suffices for a thousand of the passions which He accepted in human form. The Children of Israel imagined that the passions of Christ are due to weakness on his part because of their unbelief. The wise looked at the passions of Christ as heavenly and lordly wisdom that is not understood except by those who have been helped, those to whom God has revealed the hidden things of his divine wisdom. The death of Christ which He revealed openly distinguished between the spirit and its body. The word of God is united to the spirit always and eternally from the time of the union and forever because the Word is light from God's eternal essence and the light rests in him eternally, united with him and one with him existing eternally. One in whom is God and whom He has made one with his eternal essence is in the body in which Christ accepted death and in the soul which left its body. They both have eternal life since the union and forever, just as the prophet Isaiah said when he saw with the eye of prophecy, 'God truly rests within you and God is none other and you are the hidden God, the God of Israel and its savior.' The Holy Gospel said, 'The Word became flesh' and the Word is light that does not suffer and is not subject to passions because it is beyond the intellect of humans and it is not a sensible body that suffers. The light of truth does not suffer and is not subject to passions in his lordly essence and the light of truth is the maker who is not attained by creatures. The Maker is present in the form in which he appeared as Christ and the form received passions and the Word does not receive what coarse things receive except that the form is the form of the eternal essence and became one with him in the union and it rose as Christ and lord and judge. If the Wise Maker made a garment and was robed in it while his essence is one and eternal, what does the maker cause to suffer or in what is he ignorant of his creation? He did not enter into it in a garment added to his essence nor with a lacking since his unity is always more majestic than created attributes and corporeal actions. God caused all his prophets whom He sent to prophesy Christ's accepting passions and death, which is a decree of divine wisdom. That which God caused his prophets to prophesy is the passions which the Children of Israel wrought upon him, just as the prophet Moses said that God commanded him when the snakes in their multitude bit the Children of Israel, 'Make a snake of copper and hang it on a piece of wood before them. Let all of those whom the snake bit lift their gaze up to the copper snake and they will be healed.' Then Moses prophesied saying, 'Truly I say to you that you will see the one who gave you life suspended before your eyes and you will not believe.' The prophet David said, 'Why were the peoples disturbed and the nations guided in falsehood? The kings and chiefs of the earth rose up and make orphans of all against the Lord and his Christ. May He break their chains and throw off their fetters. The One who dwells in heaven laughs at them. The Lord despises them. Then He will speak to them in his anger wrath and will forget them.' The prophet Nathan said, 'The Lord will appear in Jerusalem with a rod of three kinds and with it he will save the nations. Their kings will be honored by that wood and He will purify them in the water of the Jordan.' The prophet Isaiah said, 'In difficult straights they think of you and in necessity they seek you.' He also said, 'God gave me the tongue of knowledge because I wore away my cheeks with the flow of tears and I did not turn my face from the contempt of those who spit.' He also said, 'Every man among us has gone astray in his path. The Lord was given up for our sins. Humble, not opening his mouth, like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before the slaughterer. Who can speak of his stories?' The prophet Jeremiah said, 'The Lord will come with great glory and the sign of his coming is that the nations will bow to the wood of the tree and the ark.' The prophet Amos said, 'When three pieces of wood are nailed together outside of Jerusalem and the sign of salvation is planted upon it, then the Children of Israel will return to hunger and famine and shame.' He also said, 'The Lord will come with his saints. There will not be light on that day, but rather there will be hail and ice. It is a single day known to the Lord. There will not be in it day or night and at evening there will be light.' The prophet Obadiah said, 'God will come down from the heaven of his holiness to the earth and will scatter the Children of Israel to the ends of the earth and make them a curse in the mouths of the nations. They will kill him but he will rise on the third day and raise the dead by his tree.' The prophet Jothan said, 'When you see the stone cry out with a voice then the end has drawn near and the hope of the hopeful has drawn near. When you see the nations with their loins girded then fear will come forever to Israel.' The prophet Habakkuk said, 'God will come from the south and the Holy One from Mount Pharan, which is the shaggy mountain, and they will know him among wild beasts.' The prophet Amos said, 'God will appear veiled and will renew Adam by rising upon a tree. He will cause the life of the world to appear and He will cause bread to be tasted in the desert and make a new creation. The dead will hear his voice and come to life. He is the Holy One who will appear from the tribe of Judah.' The prophet Zachariah said, 'God will save Adam by the tree and the feet of the ark when he rides upon it in the middle of the earth and there will be fear upon Zion.' The prophet Malachi said, 'The Lord will appear from Judah and mix with the house of David and manifest his glory to the ends of the earth. His food from the people of Israel will be will be vinegar and myrrh and they will stab him with a spear though he is their God.' The prophet Daniel said, 'After seven weeks the Christ will come and will be killed. Jerusalem has no savior but him.' David said, 'Many dogs surrounded me and a group of evil people enclosed me. They pierced my hands and my feet. They counted all my bones. They divided my robes among them and drew cast lots over my clothes.' He also said, 'They all took council against me and plotted to take my soul.' He also said, 'They put myrrh in my food and gave me vinegar to me when I was thirsty.' He also said, 'They hated me unjustly.' He also said, 'They rewarded me with evil rather than good and cast me away, the beloved one, as one rejected and nailed my flesh with nails.' The prophet Zachariah said, 'The ones who pierced him will know their recompense from the Lord.' The believer says, 'and rose on the third day'. The fathers took this expression from the prophet David who said, 'The Lord rose like one sleeping, like the mighty one drunk with wine.' Know, my son, that Christ put his body to death by his will and brought it to life by the power of his majesty. He cast off of it the robe of passing away and dressed it in the robe of eternity and the majesty of his lordliness. He raised it to the seat of majesty and the pure angels bowed to him, just as the prophet Daniel said with the true eye of prophecy, 'I saw in the cloud of heaven one resembling the Son of Man go down to the Ancient of Days and he gave him kingship and authority and all tongues worship him and his authority is forever.' Christ said to his pure disciples after his resurrection from the dead, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.' He aided them after his resurrection with the greatness of his authority and said to them, 'Raise the dead' and they raised them and 'cleanse the lepers' and they cleansed them and 'heal the sick' and they healed them. They worked great signs by his power with which He aided them after his resurrection. He lived among them for forty days after his resurrection, teaching them his life-giving law. He granted them his heavenly help and they subjugated the demons beneath their feet. Their shadow raised the dead and their speech put the spirits of devils to death. Then He rose to the seat of majesty and sat on the right hand of the lordly power. 'The right hand' is an expression referring to the power which is beyond all majesty and all authority. The Creator, may He be exalted, is not in his eternal essence a compound body and He has no right or left. The right and left hands of power are not sensible and are not compound because God, may He be exalted, is exalted above the attributes of created beings and the actions of limited beings. His saying to us, 'He sat at the right hand of the father in the heights' is like the Book's saying 'he sat upon the throne'. If our saying this was not an expression then we would not be able to distinguish God's right hand from his left. Christ rose up to the essence of majesty which is an unattainable place and cannot enter into the human intellect. Its essence is unattainable. Human bodies are created from dust and will return to their first element, as God says to Adam, 'You are created from dust and to the dust you will return.' For this reason Christ put to death that in which He appeared to the world and raised it and did not let the dust corrupt it, as the prophet David prophesied about him, 'O Lord do no let your pure one see corruption.' The bodies of Moses, Abraham, David and all the prophets decayed in the soil while Christ is in heaven above the highest of the heights of honor. The soil did not corrupt his body and the changes that God previously decreed to Adam when He said, 'You are created from dust and to the dust you will return' did not change him. There has been no one in the world from Adam until eternity who died by his own will and rose by the power of his own authority other than Christ. For this reason we realized that He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Only He lifted up his body as an offering to God his father for the sin of Adam and his seed. This pure and holy sacrifice is for the forgiveness of sins and their redemption from the prison of hell and for returning them to the paradise of blessedness. When He accepted the passions—which are his economy and divine wisdom—He manifested with them things that dazzle the minds of the philosophers: earthquakes and the disturbance of the inhabited world and the distress and sadness which befell the people upon his rising up on the cross, the covering of the world with darkness. The mountains shook and the sun hid its light. The rocks split and the graves opened. The dead rose from their graves and left their graves and cried out weeping in the streets of Jerusalem. When the Children of Israel did all this to their creator, if He had not been the Lord of the sun it would not have veiled its light at his passions and if He were not Lord of the temple then the temple's veil would not have split on account of Him. At his resurrection from the tomb it shined upon the entire inhabited world with the light of his resurrection. The sun multiplied its light seven times. The light of his resurrection shone with it upon the believers. This is because the light shone to those sitting in darkness and the shadows of death. He released those imprisoned in the prison of hell and took them out of the darkness, just as Hannah, the mother of Samuel, said, 'The Lord will go down to hell and release those who are bound from its mouth.' We follow with some of what the holy prophets have said about his resurrection. The prophet David said, '"Now I rise" said the Lord, "and I work salvation openly."' He also said, 'Rise up O Lord and destroy your enemies.' He said, 'The Lord will rise and scatter all his enemies.' He also said, 'The Lord rose in the assembly of the gods and in the midst of their assemblies He judges them.' He also said, 'The Lord rose with the decree and saves the humble of the earth.' Isaiah said, 'The Lord said, "Now I will rise and go up."' He also said, 'If the Lord rises the earth will indicate it and they will cast away the idols of gold and silver which they adopted for worship.' He also said, 'The Lord of Sabaoth will arise and raise in righteousness his paths.' He said, 'Those who think evilly of the Most High will know. The body will give forth drops of water and blood and the voice of the servant will be heard from the wood of the tree. He will be buried and will rise from the dead and from the earth, ascending to heaven. He will be eternal and rise to the right hand of the Most High and will be above the cherubim where he was in the beginning. The holy ones in him will be proud.' The prophet David said, 'The Lord went up with praise. The Lord went up with the sound of the horn. Sing to our Lord! Sing, sing to our king!' He also said, 'The Lord went up with the sound of triumph.' He also said, 'I looked at the Lord in front of me at all times. For this reason my heart is joyous and my tongue gives praise.' He also said, 'The Lord went up to the heavens and thundered and He will judge the ends of the earth.' The prophet Hosea said, 'We will return to the Lord whom we smote and He will heal us. After two days, on the third day He will rise alive and He will give us life.' The believer says, 'He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father in the heights.' The fathers took this expression from the prophet David who said, 'He sits upon the wings of the winds.' He ascended into heaven as the gospel of God said, 'no one ascends to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man who is still in heaven.' There has not been anyone who came down from heaven and ascended to heaven except Christ alone. All the prophets and the friends of God remain in the earth until the day of resurrection. When it is the day of resurrection Christ will come, the one who ascended to heaven in the greatness of his dread glory with all his holy angels. Then he will call to the dead with his voice and all the dead will arise and stand before his throne. He will judge them in truth. He will judge them because when Christ ascended to heaven He ascended to the unlimited space, to the seat of his ineffable majesty. 'The right hand' is an expression referring to the unlimited right hand of the majesty of the Creator because the right hand is lordly power without bodily sensation because if we raise or hands to heaven we gesture towards the height of his majesty and intend an unlimited essence that is not lacking in anything. The one who ascended to this majesty is the eternal Word of God and the Word of God does not cease to be with God and God is the Word. Its ascent is to its eternal essence and it sits upon its throne in the place which is unattainable. The light that does not dawn is begotten from the light of the eternal essence of God who dawned on us with his lordly light as Lord and Christ with the meaning which He desired. It happened in his lordly knowledge and He appeared by his lordly will which is incomprehensible to the human mind. That light appeared in the world and shone in the darkness. He guided the world to knowledge of his lordship and He ascended to his throne unto the completion of divine will. He sat at the majesty of the right hand of his father ineffably and without delimited dimensions. His sitting in his lofty place is in the form in which he appeared as Christ but it subsists in the divine light which vision does not apprehend. This is the form in which he will appear on the day of resurrection. On that day their faces will gaze and just as I cannot explain how He sat upon his throne likewise I cannot explain his place at the right hand of the majesty of the ineffable lordship other than that we indicate his majesty and the place of the indescribable divine power. No one defines the creator or delimits his ineffable essence. If we said that the king unsheathed a sword and killed his enemies with it, then the essence of the king is not defined and sight does not attain it. The king returned the sword to its scabbard in the majesty of his glory and his original glory shines forth. Who can comprehend the direction to which the king raised his sword when the king's light is above all things? The pagans say that God raised Christ and cannot discern the direction to which God raised him. Our minds cannot reach knowledge of Christ's ascension to his lofty place and his sitting at the right hand of the divine majesty except what we have read and we do not attain any knowledge of his appearing in the bodily world except what we have explained and what the prophets who have been sent said to us. If we went far into uncovering the depths of this mystery then no man's intellect will attain it. The good disciple and evangelist John said, 'The one who is from the beginning is himself the one whom we saw with our eyes and touched with our hands on account of the word of life.' The prophets spoke openly about Christ's ascent. The prophet Jeremiah said, 'The Lord will go up from Sinai and will come with great glory.' Also, the prophet David said, 'The Lord went up with praise. The Lord went up with the sound of the trumpet. Sing, sing to our king, sing for the Lord has gone up to the seat of his glory.' He also said, 'Rise up, you eternal gates to let the King of Glory enter in. Who is the King of Glory? The mighty Lord, He is the King of Glory.' The prophet Zachariah said, 'From the Mount of Olives the feet of the Lord arise towards the east and from the Holy House He ascends to heaven.' The prophet David said, 'The Lord said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand so that I put your enemies under your feet."' The prophet Daniel said, 'I saw one resembling the Son of Man go up to heaven and draw near to the Ancient of Days and He gave him eternal dominion.' The believer says, 'and He will also come in glory to judge the living and the dead, whose kingdom has no passing away or end.' The fathers took this expression from the Law of Moses because God said, 'I will come and judge and recompense in truth.' Know, my son, that no one at all has seen God, as the gospel of God says his light enlightens all light. If He appeared to creation with his divine light then the creatures would not have been able to see him and their vision would be rent by the light of his awesomeness, as He said to Moses when he asked to see Him, 'No one will see me and live.' The creator's essence, may He be exalted, is unattainable and far above resting in space. The vision by which Moses and Abraham and Jacob saw him in bodily form as Christ is a kind of divine wisdom. That in which He appeared to them was not fantasia and was not imaginary. His appearance affirmed his existence and the necessity of his wisdom and if He relied on an unseen judge and perfect wisdom in his appearance on the day of resurrection in the bodily form of Christ in which they denied his lordship, He will chastise those who opposed him for their denial of his lordship in it. He will judge him for their works and for how they opposed his words and commandments. When they see him on the day of resurrection in that form of Christ, He will appear in it as Lord and Christ and Judge. He will judge them as the judge who fashions his judgment's acceptance. They will realize that that form is the vision of God and the image of his eternity and the mirror of his eternal essence and they will realize that it is the vision of the judge who judges righteousness, just as the prophet David said, 'He will judge the inhabited world with true judgment.' He also said, 'Out of Zion comes the law and the Word of God from Jerusalem and he will judge the peoples.' He also said, 'The Lord reigned and the earth gives praise. The islands rejoice, the fog and clouds around him. A just judgment is before his face.' He said, 'They said on the earth, "the Lord has reigned and established the inhabited world."' The prophet Isaiah said, 'The Lord will arise and judge his people. He is the Lord who judges the elders of his people.' Solomon said, 'The Lord said, "vengeance is mine and I will repay." The prophet Malachi said, 'Lo the Lord comes ruling all and those who endure to the end, to the day of his coming. His appearing is like fire and he will sit in judgment, to purify mankind like silver.' He also said, 'Our God, God is the judge and blessed are those who rejoice with Him.' The believer says, 'We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds, whom we worship and glorify with the Father and the Son, who speaks in the prophets.' The fathers took this expression from the Law which says, 'the Spirit of God hovers upon the waters' and 'the Spirit of God created me.' David said, 'Your mighty Spirit established me.' Know, my son, that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God by which He gives life to every living thing because it is the Spirit of corporeal and spiritual beings. When the fathers confirmed the unity of the Creator, they showed that He is above having human attributes, and attested to his unity in the attributes of his subsistence and established his existence with eternal essential attributes. He has two essential attributes by which his essence is described, may He be exalted. He exists in silences except for these two attributes which, if they did not exist, H e would not exist. They established that He is subsistent in himself, living. Since nothing is alive without the Spirit of God, it is an eternal essential attribute of God who is subsistent in himself. Then they said that his one living, rational hand is a living Lord and a rational God and when the one Creator is described by these two attributes by which they established his existence they said, 'We believe in the Holy Spirit,' meaning that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the true God who comes out of Him, who causes the prophets to prophesy. When Isaiah gazed upon Christ with the eye of prophecy he said, 'the Spirit of the Lord is upon me for the sake of the one who anointed me and sent me to bring good tidings to the poor and to heal the broken-hearted and to warn those imprisoned in annihilation and those blinded in vision and I will bring good tidings in the year received by the Lord.' The prophet Joel said, 'In those days I will pour out my Spirit upon all those who have bodies and your sons and will prophesy and your old men will dream dreams and your youths will see visions.' The prophet David said, 'You established me by your mighty Spirit.' He also said, 'Send your Spirit and they are created and renew the face of the earth.' The prophet Ezekiel said, 'The Spirit of God has reached me and the Spirit of God has removed me.' The believer says, 'we confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.' The fathers took this expression from the prophet Isaiah who said, 'They were given to drink with joy from the fountain of salvation.' Know, my son, that the water of holy baptism is the water of life upon which the Holy Spirit blows just as God said in the Law, 'the Sprit of the Lord blows upon the waters.' It blows upon the baptized and gives light to their darkness and enlightens their essences. The universal soul rests upon the particular soul and the Holy Sprit rests upon everyone who is baptized and by this they merit entrance into God's heaven and rise from the world of darkness to the world of light. Those who are not baptized do not rise to heaven and do not enter into the kingdom of God and God does not count them among his righteous or write their name in the Book of Life, as Christ said by his truthful mouth, 'anyone who is not born of water and the Spirit will not enter the kingdom of God and he will not count him with his righteous or write his name with the righteous.' The pure gospel said, 'one born from flesh is flesh and one born of the Spirit is spirit.' Christ has given us two births: a birth from the flesh from mothers and fathers and a birth from the Spirit. The birth from the flesh decays and changes while the birth from the Spirit does not decay and does not change because it is the birth of life, the birth from God to perfect the human form by this second birth because the Spirit of perfection is in baptism and brings the salvation of the soul from the darkness of the body. The Spirit of God rests in the temple of God and if the Spirit of God rests in it, then it opens its eyes so that it might witness the truth. Just as the soul of the body gives it the life of acting in the corporeal world, so too the Spirit of God gives those baptized the eternal life of action in the eternal heavenly world because the birth of the flesh is susceptible to corruption and change, just as God said to Moses, 'my Spirit will not rest upon them because they are flesh.' The apostle Paul said, 'flesh and blood will not enter into the kingdom of God' because the unbaptized soul must be in the world of darkness. Baptism washes the soul from the effects of sin and enlightens the essence of the soul so that it may be worthy to rise to eternal bliss, as David said, 'sprinkle me with hyssop and I will be cleansed. Wash me with it and I will be white like snow.' The prophet Ezekiel said, 'I will take you out from the worldly and put you into your land. I will sprinkle you with pure water which will purify you from your sins and your transgressions. I will take out of you the heart of stone and give you a merciful heart.' The believer says, 'We hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come, amen.' The fathers took this expression from the prophet Isaiah who said, 'The dead will rise from the graves.' Know, my son, that God created two abodes: the abode of this world and the abode of the world to come. This world is the abode of change and decay but the world to come is the abode of eternity and lastingness. He created the body coarse, temporary and susceptible to destruction through death. He compounded within it a rational intelligent soul, abstract and indestructible. It uses the body in obedience to its Creator and intends its elevation within its own spiritual world after its purification from the filth of corporeal nature so that it might rise with it in the resurrection of life because the rational soul is bounded within the body. Death is the perfection of the human form- and the resurrection its second existence unto eternity- because when the wise builder destroys a house he builds one better than it and when the planter wants plants to grow, he sows it in the earth and rejoices at its death in the earth so that pure fruit might come out. God created the element of earth and created his creation from that element and decreed that it will return to its element. The elements are in his mastery and they obey his command to return what they absorbed for He alone is unique in creating out of nothing by generosity. The rational soul of man which He compounded within the body will only receive the gift of God in the beatitude of paradise through its good works in the abode of this world. He caused its temple which was taken from the elements to live with the soul but it is the house of its darkness and quick to decay. Just as it was in the darkness of the belly, turning about in the enclosure of vileness, so the soul turns about in the body, in the darkness of the elements in which it grew. However, it does not know what will become of it in its turning about in the corporeal world. So too, the when the soul leaves the house of its darkness, it leaves to a spacious world of light and looks upon the spiritual world and the heavenly nations with their lofty ranks and spiritual levels. At that hour, it will see that which it deserved on account of its actions. If it was good in the obedience of its Creator, then it will go among the enlightened spiritual ones. He will raise it on the day of resurrection and the light of its works will shine upon it if they were righteous. Likewise, the gospel of God says, 'the righteous will shine in the kingdom of their Father' because the resurrection of the dead is eternal life for the happiness of those in whose righteousness He is pleased while the one who is proud of his ignorance sin will be tormented. The scriptures of God and the scriptures of his prophets bear witness to the resurrection of the dead and the recompense of each soul for what it did, just as the priest Ezra said, 'God will resurrect those in the grave all at once after death unto the judgment. He will announce that truth and justice will know the people's works and He will chastise them for their evil works.' The prophet David said, 'O Lord of Mercy who recompenses each one according to his works.' Solomon said, 'God will recompense everything you do in the abode of the world to come, what you have done secretly and what you have done openly, if they were good and if they were evil.' Isaiah said, 'The day of the Lord is near. He comes without forgiveness because He comes in anger and wrath and will destroy the sinners. The stars of the sky will not give their light and the sun will go dark at its rising.' Ezekiel said, 'God said to me, "O son of man, will you say how the dead will arise? Come to the place of worn-out bones and prophesy upon them so that you might see their resurrection." Thus spoke the Lord of Lords that each muscle may join to its sinew. I did as the Lord said to me and I saw at those bones move and come together with an earthquake of motion. The Lord said, "Prophesy, so that they put on flesh and veins and nerves" and I saw them as complete bodies. Then the Lord said to me, "O son of man, prophesy that the living spirit might enter into them" so I did as He said and I saw them rise up and stand on their feet alive. He said, "O son of man, these bones are from the Children of Israel and lo I open their graves and raise them up to judgment." Thus said the Lord of Lords.'

بسم الاب والابن والروح القدس اله واحد

نبتدي بالمعونة الالهية وموازرة روح القدس نكتب تفسير الامانة الارتدوكسية الذي¹ وضعوها الابا² الروحانيين المغبوطين³ بنعمة روح⁴ القدس الثلثماية وثمانية عشر مما فسرها الاب القس ابي⁵ المجدلوس نيح الله نفسه ونفعنا بحركة علومه وصلاته امين وغفر لناقلها وقاريها وسامعها.⁶

اعلم ايها الأخ العزيز ايدك الله بروح التوفيق وكتب اسمك في سفر الحياة بديوان عالم التحقيق ان اباونا الثلثماية وثمانية عشر لما ايدهم المسيح ووضعوا هذه الامانة على حسب ما الههم المسيح لان المسيح كان معهم وفي وقت وضعها كانوا اذا جلسوا على الكراسي يعدوا ثلثماية وتسعة عشر كما تقدم قول المسيح لهم ما اجتمع اثنان منكم باسمي الا وانا ثالثهم ولا ثلاثة الا وانا رابعهم وما قيها الامن توراة موسى و⁷من نبوات الانبياء بركاتهم علينا امين⁸.

فاولها قال المومن نومن باله واحد وهذه اللفظة ماخوذة من توراة موسى فان الله قال فيها اسمع يا اسراييل الرب الاهك واحد هو ابتدوا بالاقرار لله بالربوبية وحده وهو اله كل شي بواحدانية لا يشارك فيها احد ولا مثل يشابهه ولا ضد ينازعه ليس في ذاته الازلية جسم ولا عرض لان الجسد تحده الجهات والجهة تحيزه والصورة تمسه والمنقسم تتفرق⁹ اجزاوه والموصوف تحده صفته والواحد المحض لا تناسبه مصنوعاته ولا يماثله¹⁰ مخلوقاته ولا يوصف الا بصفات ازليته فانه خالق قبل كل صفة وموصوف وليس لذاته تكييف ولا لصنعته تكليف احتجب عن العقول كما احتجب عن الابصار وليس له وصف محدود ولا وقت معدود ولا تلحقه النقايص والافات ولا تغيره الازمان والاوقات قديماً لا يزل ازلياً ليس لوجوده اولاً والقديم عبارة عنمن ليس له قبل والواحد المحض عبارة عنمن ليس له ثاني وكما ان الالف اول الحروف ولا يتقدمها شي كذلك الباري سبحانه اول بلا بداية له ازلي موجود لا قبل له كل شي مسنود الى مشيته وصادرا عن ارادته وقد شهد موسى في توراته المعظمة وجميع الانبياء في نبواتهم بوحدانية الباري وقدم ازليته قال الله تعالى في التوراة اسمع يا اسراييل انا الرب الاهك الذي اخرجتك من ارض مصر فلا تعبدوا اله غيري ولا تسجدوا للاه سواي وقال ايضاً انظروا انظروا اني انا هو وليس الله غيري انا اميت واحيي واضرب واشفي وليس من¹¹ ينفذ من يدي وقال اشعيا النبي انا هو الاول والأخر وليس كان قبلي الاه ولا ياتي بعدي ايضا والواحد منفرد بالوحدانية لا يشاركه احدا فيها وقال اشعيا النبي انت الله القوي اله اسراييل الجالس على الشاروبيم انت الله وحدك على كل مملكات الارض وقال ارميا النبي ربنا واحد لا نعبد معه اخر وقال الانجيل المقدس للرب الاهك اسجد وله وحده اعبد.

وقال المومن اب ضابط الكل خالق السما والارض ما يرى وما لا يرى وهذه الكلمة ماخوذة من نبوة زكريا النبي يا بني حبوا الحق والسلامة قال الله ضابط الكل اعلنوا لنا اباينا ان الاله الذي اقروا بواحدانيته واعترفوا بربوبيته ازلي دايم الوجود وانه الازلي ضابط كل شي وماسكه بقوته العلوية وتدابيره الربانية انفرد وحده بالخلق والابداع انفرد بالايجاد والاختراع لا مثيل¹² يشابهه ولا ضد ينازعه مبدي ومعيد ضابط كل مصنوعاته بعظمته ومدبرهم بعلو كلمته ما يرى منهم من المحسوسات وما لا يرى من المعقولات لا يخرج عن حكمه شي ولا يغرب عن علمه شي عالم بجميع المعلومات محيط بكل المخلوقات ولا مستند الا لمشيته وصادر عن ارادته احدث الموجودات واستقل بذاته وكمال صفاته ان تحده¹³ الحادات ولا تغيره التغييرات قد شهدت بذلك المرسلين انبياوه والمقدسين اوليايه قال زكريا هذه الاقوال يقولها الله¹⁴ ضابط الكل ها انا اخلص شعبي من مشارق الارض ومغاربها واقتادهم الى ارضهم واسكنهم وسط اورشليم وقال ناحوم النبي يا يهودا هوذا اجي واسكن فيك قال الله ضابط الكل واما من اجل قولهم اب قال داوود النبي كما يترااف الاب على بنيه كذلك يترااف الرب على خايفييه وقال ايضاً انا اكون له اباً ويكون هو¹⁵ لي ابناً والانبيا سموا لله لقدم ازليته وترافه على بريته اباً وسموا كلمته ابناً غير ان هذا البنوة لفظة نبوية وهي بنوة ازلية من اب ازلي تعالت كلمة الله بها عن جميع صفات بنوة المخلوقات كولادة القدرة من القادر والكلمة من المتكلم والذات واحدة محضة متعالية عن الادراك والقسمة والتحيزات.

قال المومن ونومن برب واحد يسوع المسيح ابن الله الوحيد المولود من الاب قبل كل الدهور واما قولهم ابن الله الوحيد فهذه¹⁶ اللفظة ماخوذة من داوود النبي الرب قال لي انت ابني وانا اليوم ولدتك وقولهم ابن الله الوحيد فانهم يعنوا ان كلمة الله الالزية المولودة من ذاته الازلية كما شهد بذلك ميخا النبي القايل وانت يا بيت لحم يهودا لست بصغيرة في ملوك يهودا لان¹⁷ منك يخرج مقدم يرعا شعبي اسراييل ومولده قبل الدهور الحكم فيه ان المسيح تلك الكلمة الازلية والكلمة مولودة من الله المتلكم بالكن في قدم الازلية الذي كل بها كان وولودها من الاب مثل من يقول كلامي متولد من عقلي ولساني ينطق عنما يستولده فكري وفكري متولد عن ذاتي وذاتي واحدة مع نطقي وكلام الله متولد من ذاته الازلية ولا ينقطع حروفاً ولكنه مولود من ذات المتكلم به ازلياً صادر عن ذات ازلية موجوداً فيه وقايماً به موصوف بالقدم والازلية الذي وصف الله به ازليته وكما ان ارادته قديمة موجودة في ذاته الازلية ليبدّع بها خلقه فالكلمة قديمة بالارادة موجودة¹⁸ بها في ذات المتلكم بها ولدت منه بالامر الازلي وكلمة الله خاصية له قديمة لذاته الازلية وليس هي ذات غير ذات الله المتكلم ولا جوهر غير جوهره ولا صفة من¹⁹ غير صفته ولا بنوة اضافها لنفسه مشتقة من غير ذاته الازلية وانما هي كلمة واحدة لله²⁰ اخترع بها عبادة بقدرة ازليته²¹ ومن جوهره الالهي يفعل الله بها ما يريد وهي مشية الله التي تعلو كل المشيات²² ومشيته من ذاته والمشية واحدة وسلطان عظمته وذاتها ازلية بازليته الالهية اثبت لنا الشرع ان كلمة الله ازلية وشهدت جميع الانبيا بقدم ازليتها ووجودها وانها ازلية من ذات الله المتكلم بها وانها²³ غير مخلوقة وان الله الازلي مستقل بكلمة ازليته مستغني بها لا تنقطع حروفاً وثبت لنا شرعاً ان المسيح كلمة الله وقال الله من اجله اني اكون له اباً وهو²⁴ يكون لي ابناً وظهر المسيح كلمة الله بارادته العلوية وتدابيره الربانية ومشيته الالهية وثبت²⁵ للعالم انه كلمة الله ووجدناه نوراً ازلياً من نور الله الازلي ورايناه في روية خلقه بشراً محدوداً وان الله الازلي مستقل بكملته وقد بشرنا المبشرون بظهوره وقالوا ان الكاين²⁶ منذ البدي هو²⁷ الذي رايناه باعينا وشاهدناه وجنيناه بايدينا²⁸²⁹ ولما انكشف حجاب الظلمة عن ابصارنا رايناه³⁰ قد اشرق نوراً وحصن عنا ظلمة العما وانارنا بنوره الالهي فعلمنا انه كلمة الله الازلية الذي كون بها كل شي وكلمة الله غير مخلوقة وهي من ذات ازلية ولم يوجد قط منذ البدي والى ابد الابدين من له قدرة اللاهية³¹ وهو في صورة بشرية غير المسيح ابن الله الحي واستقل باياته وعظم ربوبيته عن مناسبة المخلوقين ودعي مسيح ورب وقادر وصانع الايات الربانية والقوات اللاهية وهو موصوف في كتب انبيايه بقدم الذات وصنع الايات ظهر بارادته الربانية العلوية ظهور من لم يدخل الحدث على ذاته الازلية ولا ينتقل بها عن عظمة الربوبية بسر يدق عن الافهام ويتعالى عن الاوهام ظهوراً بقدرة من قادر ازلي متعالي بها عن مناسبة المخلوقين وافعال المحدودين لان له قدم الذات وازلية الكلمة ويتعالا بعظمته عن كل اسم يسمى وعن كل ذكر يذكر فمن زعم ان المسيح كلمة الله مخلوق ونسب تلك الكلمة الخالقة العبودية فان ذلك لا عقل له ولا معرفة بالله ولا يرى وجه الله ولا له دنيا ولا اخرة³² ويخلده الله في الجحيم الى ابد الابدين والباري تعالى شهد وشهادته حق وشهدوا انبياوه المرسلين واولياوه المقدسين ان المسيح كلمته الازلية الذي خلق بها كل العالمين وان المسيح له قدرة فعالة تصدر عن فاعل قادر وله القدرة والجلالة والمشية العلوية وعظمة السلطان الالاهي كل اعماله سمايية لا ارضية فان اياته لا يقدر احد³³ من المخلوقين يفعل واحدة منها من قيامة الموتى وعظايم الايات وقد شهد الله وشهدت معه انبياوه المرسلين ان المسيح ابنه وكلمته مولودة من ذاته الازلية وحين صعد المسيح على طور تابور ومعه تلاميذه الاطهار فسمعوا شهادة الله وصوته المحيي وهو يخاطب لكلمته الذي هو المسيح لقوله انت ابني الحبيب الذي بك سررت والله صادق ولو كذبوا جميع الناس وقد شهدوا الانبيا ومنبي الانبيا بازلية كلمة الله الذي هو المسيح فمن كذب الله وانبياوه المرسلين وجب له الخلود في الجحيم ومن علم غور حكمة الله ولا يامن بشهادته لجهله الكتب الالاهية وقال ان المسيح قنوم كلمة الله مخلوق وكذب توراة موسى ونبوات الانبيا المتقدمين شهدوا بان الله الغير المريي ترايا لجميع الانبيا بالصورة الانسانية الذي ظهر المسيح لبني اسراييل ومن انكر نبوات الانبيا وكذب توراة موسى ونبوات الانبياء وجحد ظهور كلمة الله الذي يظهر يوم القيامة وتراه كل اعين البشرسيين ويشاهدوه رباً وحاكماً ودياناً فالمومن به في الدنيا يظهر له في عرصة القيامة بالرويا التي راه بها في الدنيا وصدق بذلك وعده وحسب له ذلك براً عظيماً وعملاً صالحاً يستوجب به حياة الابد كما شهد موسى النبي في التوراة ان الله ترايا لابرهيم عند شجرة البلوط وامن ابراهيم وحسب له ذلك براً ومن عظم ايمان ابراهيم به قام امامه وسجد له وسماه ديان الارض وشهدت التورات المعظمة ان يعقوب ترايا له في صورة رجل شديد القوة وقال له من الان لا يدعوا اسمك يعقوب بل اسراييل معناه ناظر الله وقال الله لموسى لما عطش بني اسراييل في البرية ها انا اسبقك واقف بحوريب على الصخر ا فاذا رايتني قايماً عليها اضرب الصخرة بالعصا التي³⁴ ضربت بها البحر فيخرج لك منها الما وجميع الانبياء ترايا الله لهم بالصورة المسيحية نبوه على ظهوره للعالم بالصورة البشرية الذي كان مزمع ان يظهر المسيح بها³⁵ للعالم ولبني اسراييل كما راوه الانبيا بها وحققوا بها روية الله الصاباووت وثبت بها وجوده لهم وتيقنوا بها ظهوره لهم علانية ولساير عباد الله يترجوه ولو فحصوا الناس كتب الانبيا فيما دونوه عن ظهور الله الكلمة الازلية تحققوا بروية المسيح وجود باريهم ويشاهدوا صانعهم لان الله وساير الانبياء يشهدون بمجي المسيح وظهوره دفعتين الدفعة الاولة ظهوره بالصورة البشرية من مريم العذرى والدفعة الثانية مجيه بالصورة البشرية ليجلس للقضا والدين ويدين العالم باسره بالحق فقد³⁶ شهد كتاب الحنفا بذلك لقوله وجوه ناظرة الى ربها وكلمن قرا توراة موسى ونبوات الانبيا امن بظهور المسيح كلمة الله بالصورة البشرية دعي لمعرفته بها مومناً بالله وشاهد الحق بوجود³⁷ باريه وصانعه وقال داوود النبي الاه الالهة يظهر في صهيون وقال عن مولد الكلمة الازلية من الذات الالهية وميلادها ثانية من مريم العذرى قال من البطن قبل كوكب الصبح ولدتك وقال اشعيا النبي ولداً ولد لنا وعلاماً³⁸ وابناً واعطينا وهو الاله القوي وملك المشورة العظما وقال سلطانه على منكبيه وقال موسى النبي هذا ابوك الذي صنعك وخلقك وقال سليمان من الذي صعد الى السما وهبط الى الارض وجمع الرياح في قبضته والمياه في ردايه وما اسمه واسم ابيه ان كنت تعرف وقال ايضاً انه ولدني من البدي وكنت معه عندما افرق بين السما والارض وجعل كرسيه على اجنحة الرياح ولما جمع الغيوم في اهرايها انا كنت معه وهو ولدني.

قال المومن نور من نور اله حق من اله حق مولود غير مخلوق مساوي الاب³⁹ في الجوهر وهذه الكملة ماخوذة من نبوة اشعيا النبي القايل نور يضي في الظلمة غير ان ذلك النور لا يستطيع الابصار ان تراه وليس هو نوراً يشعل حيزاً ولا يقبل عرضاً وليس هو نوراً من سما الحدث ولا عرضاً من الاعراض المشابهة لكنه نور يفوق كل نور موجود في الاول منزه الذات عن الاختصاص بالجهات نوراً يعلو كل نورينسب للتحيز والحركات والسكنات والمسيح من ذلك النور الذي يفوق كل نور لان ذاته من ذات الله ابيه ومن نوره اللاهي اشرق ذلك النور من الله الاب الازلي لان ذاته من ذات عظمة الاله ونوره مولود من النور الازلي الغير مدروك الغير محصور ذلك النور غير محسوس وغير مركب⁴⁰ نور من نور عظمة الله وقدرته وكلمن لا يومن بذلك النور انه من الله سلك في الظلمة كل ايام حياته ولا يشاهد الحق لا دنيا ولا اخرة لان نور الله لم يضي في عقله والمسيح نوراً ازلي وذلك النور ادحض كل ظلمة فان ذاته ازلية قايمة بازلية البادع الازلي وظهر ذلك النور ظهور من لا كيفية له لانه لا يتحيز في جهة ولا تحصره الروية الى نوع الادراك في ذاته لانه نور متنزه عن الاقدار مقدساً عن الجهات والاقطار ولما ظهر المسيح ونوره من نور ذات الله اللاهي لم ينقسم ذلك النور الا ان نوره اللاهي من جوهر الاله الحقيقي.

قالوا الابا نور من نور الاه حق من الاه حق مساوي لله ابيه في الجوهر والذات والعظمة كما قال المسيح من فمه الطاهر انا نور العالم ومن يتبعني لا يمشي في الظلام وقال لبني اسرايل النور معكم زمناً⁴¹ يسيراً⁴² فسيروا في النور ما دام لكم النور فلما حققوا ذلك النور سموه نور الحق قالت التوراة ان موسى نظر ناراً في شجرة واغصانها لا تحترق فقال دعني لانظر هذا المنظر الغريب⁴³ العجيب فتقدرليرا فناداه الله من ذلك النار الذي هو نور الحق انا الله اله ابايك فاعلمنا ان تلك النار من نور الحق لان⁴⁴ الشجرة لم تحترق وقالوا الحنفا ان الله نور ومثل النور الذي كمشكاة في مصباح فالباري سبحانه رداه وحجبه النور ولا تستطيع الابصار ان ترى ذلك النور ولا ذاته الالهية⁴⁵ الازلية كما قال داوود النبي عندك يا رب ينبوع الحياة وبنورك نعاين النور وقال ايضاً نورك في الجبال الابدية عظيماً وقال اشعيا اللنبي استضي يا اورشليم فان نورك قد حضر وكرامة الرب اشرقت عليك ويرى الرب فيك وكرامته تحل عليك وتمشي الشعوب معك بضوك والملوك بنورك وقال ارميا هكذى يقول الرب اقيم لداوود ضو النور ويملك الملك ويقيم العدل في وسط الارض وفي ذلك اليوم اخلص اورشليم ممن يقاتلها واسم الذي يخلصها الله هكذى قال الرب لايزال ولد⁴⁶ لداوود يجلس على كرسيه الى الابد.

قال المومن الذي من اجلنا نحن البشر ومن اجل خلاصنا نزل من السما وهذه اللفظة اخذوها من داوود النبي القايل يا رب⁴⁷ مل بسماك وانزل واما قولهم نزل من السما فيعني بقرب الرب اليهم واتصال عقولهم الى معرفته ومشاهدتهم لرويته البشرية الذي كانوا ساير الانبيا المتقدمين يشتهوا ان يروه بها عياناً كما رواه بني اسرايل عياناً لان ساير الانبيا ترايا الله لهم وفضلهم على ساير البشر فتنبوا بظهوره بالروية التي راوه⁴⁸ بها عياناً كما قال بولس الرسول بكل نوع وكل شبه كلم الله اباينا على السن الانبيا في قديم الدهر وفي هذه الايام كلمنا بابنه الوحيد الذي جعله وارثاً للكل الذي به صنع الدهور⁴⁹ وهو ضيا مجده وصورة ازليته ومسك الجميع بقوة كلمته فلفظة النزول اتصال النفس بواجد حياتها ومشاهدة نور الحق من غير حركة للذات اللاهية وهبوطها من سما عرشها المرهوب الى العالم الجسماني الفاني التالف قصدوا بمعنى النزول تقرب الباري لعباده بموانسته لهم وبظهوره لهم بالصورة البشرية اذ كان عالياً في عرشه السماوي عن رويتهم اليه وسامياً عنهم في علو سمايه عن نظرهم لذاته اللاهية ولما بشرت الانبيا بظهوره بالصورة البشرية فاوجبت الرويا بوصل العين البشرية لروية الذات اللاهية مقدسة من الجهات والاقطار وجميع كتب الله المنزلة تشهد انه ينزل ويظهر لعباده علانية وهي لفظة مستعملة في كتب الله غير ان نور ذاته اللاهي لا يستطيع احد⁵⁰ من السمايين والبشريين ان يروا نور عظمته لشرفها كما قال الله لموسى حين سال الروية لذاته اللاهية انه لا يراني احد⁵¹ فيعيش وهذا دليل على ان نوره لا تدركه الابصار ولما نظروه الانبيا كما شهدوا برويته لم يروه الا بروية الصورة الذي نباهم بظهوره لهم بها مسيحاً في عالمه الجسماني كما يظهر بها يوم القيامة يدينهم ويوجب الحكم عليهم بها ومن عقل كون الله كتب اسمه في الواح موسى من غير حلول الذات اللاهية في تلك الالواح واحصارها فيها فقد عقل لما اشرنا اليه بمعنى ان الخط سطر في الالواح ولم يكن ذلك باله بل كما اراد الله سبحانه ان يكون ذلك الخط مسطر فكان كما اراد تعالى والكلام قايماً بالذات محفوظاً في القلب مكتوباً في⁵² الالواح لموسى من غير مفارقة لذاته اللاهية وللحاكم الرباني ارادة علوية تظهر بارادته كما يشا وكيف يشا وذلك بمشيته اللاهية اللايقة بحكمته الربانية والقادر قادر لا يدركه المقدور وارادته العلوية لا تبلغ المصنوع ادراك صنعة صانعه ولما راه موسى بحجاب النور في العليقة بعجب الروية فحقق الله له وجوده فيها وناداه الله منها انا الله الاه ابراهيم والاه اسحق واله يعقوب فحقق موسى ان ذلك النور المنادي له انا الله وانه ظهر له بحجاب النار وجعله حجاباً لقدرته ولم يشك موسى ولا فكر فيه ان النار غير الذات الازلية وقد امن ان المخاطب له هو الله بالصوت وكان هذا ارادته في ظهوره بحجاب النار ونحن نتلوا بعض ما شهدوا به الانبيا بنزوله بالصورة البشرية قال داوود النبي ينزل مثل المطر على الصوف ومثل القطر على الارض وقال ايضاً طاطا السموات ونزل والضباب⁵³ تحت رجليه ركب على الكاروبيم وطار على اجنحة الرياح وقال ايضاً في مزمور المياه وثلثة واربعين يا رب امل بسمايك وانزل وقال عن ولادته في صهيون يا ام الانسان وانسانا⁵⁴ً ولد فيها وهو العلي الذي اسسها الى الابد وقال ايضاً الاه الالهة يظهر في صهيون وفي دخوله الى مدينة صهيون قال زكريا النبي قولوا لابنة صهيون هو ذا ملكك ياتيك متواضعاً راكباً على جحش ابن اتان.

قال المومن وتجسد من روح القدس ومن مريم العذرى وهذه الكلمة اخذوها الابا من اشعيا النبي القايل هوذا⁵⁵ العذرى تحبل وتلد ابنا ويدعى اسمه عمانوييل الذي تاويله الاهنا⁵⁶ معنا واما قول الابا تجسد من الروح القدس ومن مريم العذرى فقد ذكروا تجسدين وتعالى القول عن الافهام البشرية والخواطر الجسمانية قالوا الابا المويدون بروح القدس ان روح الله لما حل على الانبيا وعلموا بظهور الكلمة الازلية فاخذت قواماً من ذاتها الازلية من غير تجزي ولا افتراق من ذات عظمتها الذي لا تدرك واخذت من مريم العذرى جسداً محسوساً وكيفية ذلك لا تدركه العقول البشرية كما قال صمويل النبي لما سالوه عن مخاطبة الله في الهيكل باي صورة يظهر بها له فقال لهم ان الله يظهر لي⁵⁷ في صورة انسان مثلي وهكذى يظهر في صهيون اخر الايام والصورة التي ظهر بها من مريم العذرى لم تكن هيكلاً ولا حجاباً ولا محلاً موجوداً قبل وجود الاتحاد اذ لم يظهر الا رباً ومسيحاً ومخلصاً وفاعل الايات اللاهية وقابل الافعال الجسمانية الا ان اتحادها⁵⁸ يتعالى عن التشبهات البشرية والخواطر النفسانية قال انجيل الله والكلمة صار جسداً وحل⁵⁹ فينا وراينا مجده بما به تجسدت من روح القدس ومن مريم العذرى وظهرت الكلمة بالصورة البشرية من حيث لم تهبط من كرسي عظمتها ولا تسافلت عن عرشها ومن عرشها المرهوب ولا من مجدها السمايي وقد علمنا ان الباري تعالى قادر على كل شي عظيم في قدرته يقدر يظهر لمن يشا كيف يشا يحكم كما يشا وله المشية العلوية والقدرة اللاهية الربانية ظهر من مريم العذرى كما اراد وكما سبقت مشيته في ظهوره وتنبا بها انبياوه والصورة الذي ظهر بها صورة بشرية متحد بها الكلمة الازلية ولها سلطان الربوبية وله المشية التي تعلو كل المشيات وهو ولي الدينونة وظهوره بهذه الصورة يوم القيامة ويظهر بمجد عظيم لا يوصف ويجل بها عن⁶⁰ المخلوقين وهو حاكم السمايين والارضيين قال انجيل الله ان جبراييل الملاك⁶¹ لما ارسل من الله الى مريم العذرى قال لها افرحي يا ممتلية نعمة الرب معك ولا قال لها انت تحملي ابناً ولا رسولاً ولا بشراً من البشرين بل قال لها انك تقبلين حبلاً وتلدين ابناً ويدعا اسمه ابن العلي وليس لملكه انقضا وقال الانجيل المقدس في بشارة متى ووجدت مريم حبلاً من روح القدس فقام لها مقام الزرع اللاهي الغير مدروك الذي لا يعلم كيفيته واظهر لها سر الله الذي ارسله مبشراً به قايلاً لها لما⁶² سالت عن كيفية الزرع باخراق العادة قال لها روح القدس تحل عليك⁶³ وقوة العلي تظللك لان المولود منك قدوس وابن الله يدعا فعند قوله لها حلت عليها روح الله وطهرها بموهبته الالهية بحلول الكلمة الازلية فيها وحلول الكلمة من غير ان تتجزا او تنقسم⁶⁴ وذلك النور يفوق كل نور والنور اضا في الظلمة الاحشايية وبنت الحكمة للنور بيتاً بارادتها الازلية ومن مريم العذرى كما قال سليمان الحكمة بنت لها بيتاً وادعمته⁶⁵ بستة دعايم يعني ان ذلك البيت تجسد بستة جهات وشهد كتاب الحنفا ان مريم العذرى ولدت كلمة الله والقا اليها كلمته الازلية وكان منها بشراً كما قال انجيل الله الكلمة صار جسداً وحل فينا وفضل كتاب الحنفا الطاهرة مريم العذرى في قوله مريم ابنة عمران التي احصنت فرجها فنفخنا فيها من روحنا فصدقت بكلمات ربها وكانت من القانتين فوافق ذلك قول انجيل الله القايل في الشهر السادس ارسل جبراييل الملك من عند الله الى مدينة الجليل التي تسمى الناصرة الى عذرى خطيبة لرجل اسمه يوسف من بيت داوود ولما بشرها الملاك بحلول كلمة الله فيها استفهمت منه كيف يكون الحبل بغير زرع بشر لان تلك اية لم يكن مثلها فكشف لها الملاك⁶⁶ سر الله الذي اوتمن عليه واعلمها ان حبلها لم يكن من زرع ولكن المولود منها من روح القدس وكل الانبيا المرسلين⁶⁷ تنبوا بهذا⁶⁸ المولود انه كلمة الله الازلية المولود من الله الاب ومن ذاته الازلية وقد تكلموا فيه جماعة الحكما والفلاسفة المتقدمين ونتلوا بعد ذلك نبوات الانبيا ووجد في كتاب هرمس الحكيم في علم التنجيم المعروف بكتاب التسعة احجار يخاطب ولده قايلاً يا بني لا بد من نزول العلة الهايلة الغير محصورة شعاع العلة التامة⁶⁹ القايمة بذاتها الغير محتاجة الى غيرها وتمشي في الارض بحجاب تصنعه لها وترجع الى علوها وكرسي عرشها وليس ذلك بانتقال ولا حركة وقال ايضاً يسير كوكب من المشرق الى المغرب سنتين ونصف ويرجع الى مركزه وهو كوكب البشارة ويسير بين يدي الحكما الاتين من المشرق الى الملك الازلي يسجدون له ويقدمون قرابينهم ومن اجله تقتل اطفال بيت لحم ومايلها⁷⁰ وذلك بعد ماية وثلثة وثمانون دورة لكيوان العتيق زحل لانه يقطع الفلك في كل ثلثين سنة دوره وقال افلاطون في كتاب الاسرار بان العلي الاعلا يظهر في الارض ويقيم الموتى ويظهر اياته الربانية ويرفع الى عرشه ولا يعود يروه الى يوم يدين العالم وقال يواتيون الحكيم هو القديم العظيم القديم الجالس فوق اعلا السموات العلا المتردي بلهيب⁷¹ النار الذي لا يفنا ملكه يظهر على الارض ويقيم الموتى ويشفي المرضا ويظهر الايات الربانية ويرجع الى عرشه العلوي وعند ظهوره على⁷² الارض ياتوا⁷³ اليه حكما من ارض فارس ويقدموا⁷⁴ قرابينهم اليه فانه ملك الملوك وملكه لا يفنى وقال اوغسطوس الحكيم في علم التنجيم ان شاب عبراني اسمه المسيح وهو في ذاته ازلي الازل يظهر علانية وبيده سلطان الربوبية فيقيم الموتى ويطهر البرص ويطلق السنة الخرس⁷⁵ وقال ارسطوطاليس⁷⁶ الحكيم في كتابه المعروف بالعلوم العلوية انكم لا تشاهدوا الاهكم الا بالحجاب الذي يظهر به ويخفي نوره عن ابصاركم ليلا تشخص عيونكم عند نظره واذا ظهر ورايتموه استدلوا باياته على⁷⁷ عظمة سلطانه وبهذا تعلموا انه رب الارباب وملك الملوك وقال في رسالته الى الاسكندر حيث جد في طلب ما الحياة انك ليس تجد ما الحياة الا في واحد يظهر في العالم لابس لباس العالم فاذا وجدته ظفرت منه بما الحياة ويفديك من شجرة الحياة الابدية بطعامه ومن يديه⁷⁸ تجري ما الحياة الابدية وقال في كتابه المسمى بكتاب الكنوز ان كنز الحياة عند ادوناي الاله الذي يظهر في المسكونة وتسمع صوته موتى من القبور فيقومون وقالوا الانبيا الذين⁷⁹ نباهم بالحق وتكلموا بالمغيبات من اجل ظهور المسيح وتجسده من روح القدس ومن مريم العذرى وقال ناحوم النبي ان الله ياتي بصورتي ولباسه كلباسي ويكون اسمه مرسوماً في كتب الاسم وكرمته اثني عشر قضيباً من بني اسراييل فيترااف على الامم ويشبع الخبز في البراري ويطا على البحر وتسجد له الامواج وهو كاتب الالواح بيده لموسى وقال صفونيا النبي يا ابنة صهيون لا تسترخي يديك فان الاهنا ياتي يحل⁸⁰ فيك وينجيك وقال اشعيا النبي افرحي يا ابنة صهيون فان الذي فيك قدوس اسراييل وقال ايضاً تخرج عصا من ظهر⁸¹ يسا وينبت قضيباً من اصله ويحل فيه روح الله روح الحكمة والعقل وترجع الاشرار من ارضه ويضرب الارض بقضيب فيه وتميت المنافق بكلام شفتيه وقال الله في توراة موسى يهودا جروا الاسد لا يزال في يهودا ملكاً مسلطاً ونبياً مرسلاً الى ان يجي الذي له الحكم واياه ترتجي الشعوب وقال دانيال النبي رايت جبلاً قد قطع بغير يد وانه ضرب رجل الصنم الذي راه بختنصر في نومه فكسر الفخار والنحاس والحديد والفضة فكانوا مثل الغبار الامد وهبت ريح شديدة ولم يرى لهم اثر ان الحجر العظيم ملا الارض كلها.

قال المومن وتالم وقبر وهذه الكلمة اخذوها الابا من اشعيا النبي الذي لا يوجد فيه كذب جا الى الموت اعلم يا بني ان المسيح له المجد كمل نبوات الانبيا على قبوله الالام والموت والتوراة التي⁸² بيد العبرانيين ونبوات الانبيا لما تنبوا بمجي⁸³ المسيح تنبوا بقبوله الالام والموت كما قال دانيال النبي ان المسيح ياتي ويقتل لان المسيح ظهر بجسد محسوس قابل الالام والموت والجسد الذي ظهر به كثيف ولم يشا ان يرجع ذلك الجسد الكثيف الى السما حق يعريه من الصورة الفاسدة المضمحلة ويلبسه لباس البقا والدوام ويعظمه بالقيامة الابدية الذي لم يعظم لها احداً سواه ويجلله بحلة البها في قيامة البها والتخليد ويعظم تلك الصورة بالمجد السرمدي فاذا ارتفعت الى عرشها العلوي حلت الصورة في نور عظمتها الالهية وصارت الصورة المريية في نور ذاتها الازلية كما⁸⁴ قال داوود النبي لبس الرب البها وتجلل بالعلا ولما اراد الجسد بارادته السمايية نزع عنه لباس الكون والفساد بالموت والبسه لباس الملك الدايم بقيامته من بين الاموات ورفعه الى عرشه المرهوب صورة البقا والتخليد ولا يعود يدخل تحت التغيرات ولا تغيره⁸⁵ الموت والفساد مثل حبة الحنطة التي صارت بموتها سنبلة مثمرة وكان موتها سبب انتقالها لثمرة الحياة هكذى موت المسيح صورة ادم التي حكم الله عليها بالموت واقامها صورة الاهية الملك الدايم والعظمة الربانية واستوى على عرشه المرهوب في محله العلوي الذي تسبحه فيه ملايكته الابرار كما قال عنه دانيال النبي رايت في سحاب السما شبه⁸⁶ ابن الانسان دنا الى عتيق الايام فاعطاه الملك والسلطان والوف الوف من الملايكة يخدموه وربوات ربوات قيام بين يديه وملكه لا ينقضي ولا يزول الى ابد الابدين والموت كافي ذاته انما هو انتقال من دار الى دار من دار الفنا الى دار البقا والمسيح اراد بقبوله الالام الارتقا الى عرشه السمايي فقد قايسنا بين الام المسيح التي قبلها بارادته وبين الايات البارهة التي⁸⁷ فعلها بقدرته وراينا ان واحدة من اياته تفي من⁸⁸ كل اية بالف من الالام التي قبلها في صورة البشرية وبني اسراييل تصور لهم⁸⁹ ان الام المسيح عجزاً منه لكفرهم واهل الحكمة نظروا الى الام المسيح انها حكمة ربانية سمايية لا يفهمها⁹⁰ الا المويدين الذي كشف الله لهم غوامض حكمته اللاهية⁹¹ وموت المسيح الذي اظهره علانية انه افرق بين الروح وبين جسدها وكلمة الله متحدة بها دايماً باقية خالدة منذ الاتحاد والى ابد الابدين لان كلمة نوراً من ذات الله الازلية والنور فيه حال حلول البقا والتخليد متحد به واحد معه ابدي الوجود ومن كان الله فيه وقد صيره واحد مع ذاته الازلية في ذلك الجسد الذي قبل فيه المسيح الموت وفي النفس التي فارقت جسدها فلهما الحياة الابدية منذ الاتحاد والى دهر الداهرين كما قال اشعيا النبي لما را بعين النبوة قال الله حق يقين حال فيك وليس الله اخر غيره وانك الاله المكنون اله اسرايل ومخلصه وقال الانجيل المقدس الكلمة صار جسداً والكلمة نوراً لا يتالم ولا تالمه الالام لانها تفوق عقل البشريين وليس هي جسد محسوس تالم ونور الحق فلا يتالم ولا تالمه الالام في ذاته الربانية ونور الحق صانع لا يدركه مصنوع والصانع موجود في الصورة التي ظهر بها مسيحاً والصورة قبلت الالام بطبيعتها والكلمة فلا تقبل ما تقبله الكثايف الا ان الصورة صورة الذات الازلية وصارت بالاتحاد واحد معه فقامت بها مسيحاً ورباً ودياناً واذا صنع الصانع الحكيم ثوباً وتردى به⁹² وذاته واحدة ازلية فماذا يولمه الصانع او بماذا يجهل صنعته ولم يدخل عليه بلباس زيادة في ذاته ولا نقض ووحدانيته دايمة تجل عن الصفات المخلوقة وافعال الجسمانيين واما قبول المسيح الالام والموت فان الله نبى به ساير انبياوه المرسلون وذلك حكم⁹³ من حكمة اللاهية والذي نبا الله به انبياوه هو الذي صنعوا به بني اسراييل ما صنعوا من الالام كما قال موسى النبي ان الله امره لما اكلت الحيات بني اسراييل من كثرتها قال له اصنع حية من النحاس وعلقها على خشبة امامهم وكلمن اكلته الحية يرفع نظره الى تلك الحية النحاس فتبرا عند ذلك تنبا موسى قايلاً الحق اقول لكم انكم ترون محييكم معلقاً بين اعينكم ولا تومنون وقال داوود النبي لماذا ارتجت الشعوب⁹⁴ وهدت⁹⁵ الامم⁹⁶ بالباطل قامت ملوك الارض وروسايها وايتموا جميعاً على الرب وعلى مسيحه ليقطع اغلالهم ويلقي عنانيرهم الساكن في السما يضحك بهم الرب يمقتهم حينيذ يكلمهم بغضبه ورجزه يذهلهم وقال ناتان النبي يظهر الرب في يورسليم بعصا من ثلثة اجناس وبها تخلص الامم وتتشرف بتلك الخشبة ملوكهم ويطهرهم بما الاردن وقال اشعيا النبي في الضيق افتكروك وعند الضرورة افتقدوك وقال ايضاً الله اعطاني⁹⁷ لسان العلم لاني بذلت خدي للطم ولم ارد وجهي عن خزي البصاق وقال ايضاً كل انسانا منا ضل في طريقه والرب اُسلم من خطايانا تواضع لم يفتح فاه ومثل الخروف سيق الى الذبح ومثل النعجة امام الجزار وقصصه من يقدر يحدث بها وقال ارميا النبي ياتي الرب بالمجد العظيم وعلامة مجيه تسجد جميع الامم لعود الخشبة والتابوت وقال عاموص النبي اذا سمرت ثلثة عيدان في وسط الارض خارجاً عن اورشليم ونصب عليها علم الخلاص حينيذ ترجع بني اسراييل الى الجوع والمجاعة والخزي وقال ايضاً ياتي الرب وكل قديسيه معه وذلك اليوم لا يكون فيه نور لكن يكون فيه برد وجليد وهو يوم واحد معروف عند الله لا يكون فيه نهار⁹⁸ ولا ليل⁹⁹ وعند العشا يكون نور¹⁰⁰ وقال عبوديا النبي ان الله ينزل من سما قدسه الى الارض ويبدد بني اسراييل في اقطار الارض ويجعلهم لعنة في افواه الامم ويقتلوه ويقوم في اليوم الثالث وبخشبته¹⁰¹ يقوم الموتى وقال يوتان النبي اذا رايتم الصخرة تصيح بصوت فقد دنت الاخرة ودنا رجا المرتجا واذا رايتم الامم مشد ودين الاوساط يصير لاسراييل الخوف الى الابد وقال حبقوق النبي ان الله ياتي من التيمن والقدوس من جبل فاران وهو الجبل الاشعر ويعرفوه بين وحشين وقال عاموص النبي ان الله يظهر محتجباً بحجاب ويجدد ادم بصعوده على خشبة ويظهر حياة الارض ويطعم الخبز في البراري ويخلق خلقاً جديداً والموتى يسمعون صوته يحييون وهو القدوس يظهر من سبط يهوذا وقال زكريا النبي ان الله يخلص ادم بالخشبة وقوايم التابون اذا ركب عليها في وسط الارض ويكون الخوف على صهيون وقال ملاخيا النبي يظهر الرب من يهوذا ويخالط بيت داوود ويظهر مجده في اقطار الارض يكون طعامه من شعب اسراييل الخل والمرارة ويطعنوه بحربة وهو الاههم وقال دانيال النبي الى بعد سبعون سابوع¹⁰² ياتي المسيح ويقتل وليس لاورشليم مخلص غيره وقال داوود احاطوا بي كلاب كثيرة وجماعة الاشرار اكتنفوني ثقبوا يدي ورجلي واحصوا جميع¹⁰³ اعظامي¹⁰⁴ اقتسموا بينهم ثيابي¹⁰⁵ وعلى لباسي اقترعوا وقال ايضاً تشاوروا علي جميعهم وتواروا لاخذ نفسي وقال ايضاً جعلوا في طعامي مرارة وعند عطشي سقوني خلاً وقال ايضاً¹⁰⁶ ابغضوني¹⁰⁷ ظلماً وقال ايضاً جازوني عوض الخير شراً وطرحوني انا الحبيب مثل ميت مرذول وسمروا لحمي بالمسامير وقال زكريا النبي سيعلموا الذين طعنوا مجازاتهم من الرب.