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| Of the holy monk Aphraates. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter XXIII.—Of the holy monk Aphraates.
On the
north of the river Orontes lies the palace. On the South a vast two
storied portico is built on the city wall with lofty towers on either
side. Between the palace and the river lies a public way open to
passengers from the town, through the gate in this quarter, and leading
to the country in the suburbs. The godly Aphraates was once passing
along this thoroughfare on his way to the soldiers’ training
ground, in order to perform the duty of serving his flock. The emperor
happened to be looking down from a gallery in the palace, and saw him
going by wearing a cloak of undressed goat’s skin,770
770 The
word Sisura was used for a common upper garment, but according to the
grammarian Tzetzes (Schol. Ad. Lyc. 634) its accurate meaning is the
one given in the text. | and walking rapidly, though of advanced
age. On its being remarked that this was Aphraates to whom all the town
was then attached, the emperor cried out “Where are you going?
Tell us.” Readily and cleverly he answered “To pray for
your empire.” “You had better stop at home” said the
emperor “and pray alone like a monk.” “Yes,”
said the divine man, “so I was bound to do and so I always did
till now, as long as the Saviour’s sheep were at peace; but now
that they are grievously disturbed and in great peril of being caught
by beasts, I needs must leave no means untried to save the nurslings.
For tell me, sir, had I been a girl sitting in my chamber, and looking
after the house, and had seen a flash of flame fall and my
father’s house on fire, what ought I to do? Tell me; sit within
and never mind the house being on fire, and wait for the flame to
approach? or bid my bower good bye and run up and down and get water
and try to quench the flame? Of course you will say the latter, for so
a quick and spirited girl would do. And that is what I am doing now,
sir. You have set fire to our Father’s house and we are running
about in the endeavour to put it out.” So said Aphraates, and the
emperor threatened him and said no more. One of the grooms of the
imperial bedchamber, who threatened the godly man somewhat more
violently, met with the following fate. He was entrusted with the
charge of the bath, and immediately after this conversation he came
down to get it ready for the emperor. On entering he lost his wits,
stepped into the boiling water before it was mixed with the cold, and
so met his end. The emperor sat waiting for him to announce that the
bath was ready for him to enter, and after a considerable time had gone
by he sent other officers to report the cause of the delay. After they
had gone in and looked all about the room they discovered the
chamberlain slain by the heat, and lying dead in the boiling water. On this
becoming known to the emperor they perceived the force of the prayers
of Aphraates. Nevertheless they did not depart from the impious
doctrines but hardened their heart like Pharaoh, and the infatuated
emperor, though made aware of the miracle of the holy man, persisted in
his mad rage against piety.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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