Religious History 2

Julian, whom the people of the country honored with the surname Saba (the name means “old man” in Greek), founded his ascetic dwelling in the region formerly called that of the Parthians and now that of the Osrhoenians. To the west it extends to the very bank of the river whose name is Euphrates; toward the rising sun it has the boundary of Roman rule, for Assyria succeeds it, the western limit of the Persian kingdom, which later generations called Adiabene. In this nation there are many large and populous cities, and a great deal of country that is inhabited, and a great deal that is uninhabited and desert. This divine man took possession of a remote part of the desert, and finding a cave not made by hands nor well and properly dug out, but able to give some slight shelter to those who wished to take refuge in it, he gladly made the place his home, [finding it more pleasant] than houses adorned with gold and silver … . There he lived, taking food once a week. His food was bread of millet, and that full of bran; his relish was salt; and his sweetest drink the water that springs up of itself, and this not measured by satiety but limited by the need of the food already eaten. His luxury and delicacy and feast of every kind was the hymnody of David and constant converse with God. Enjoying these insatiably, he did not wish to reach satiety, but was always being filled and always crying out: “How sweet are your words to my throat, more than honey and the honeycomb to my mouth.” He heard the blessed David say again: “The judgments of the Lord are true, righteous altogether, more to be desired than gold and much precious stone, and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.” He heard him say again: “Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the requests of your heart”; and again, “Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice”; and, “Make my heart glad, that it may fear your name”; and, “Taste and see that the Lord is good”; and, “My soul thirsted for God, the mighty, the living”; and, “My soul has clung close behind you.” And he transferred to himself the love of the one who had said these things. For it was for this reason that the great David taught these things in song, so that he might make many sharers [in his love]; and he did not fail of his hope, but wounded both this inspired man and countless others with divine love. For he received so great a flame of love that he was drunk with longing, saw nothing of earthly things, and dreamed of the beloved alone by night and pictured him by day.

Many who learned of this highest philosophy of his, some living nearby and others far away (for winged rumor ran everywhere), ran to him begging to share his wrestling school and to live from then on under him as under a trainer and gymnastic master. For not only do birds hunt birds by singing, calling those of their own kind to themselves and making them fall into the snares set around; men too catch those of their own nature, some for ruin and others for salvation. Gathering in this way, they quickly became ten, then twice and three times as many, then they reached the number of a hundred. Though they had become so many, that cave held them, for they had learned from the old man to despise care for the body. They too ate, like their trainer, millet bread seasoned with salt. Later, those who needed attention collected some of the wild vegetables, filled jars with them, mixed in as much brine as was enough, and had them as a relish. But to this relish … for it naturally produces mold and rot. Since, then, this happened to the relish (for the cave let in a great deal of moisture from every side), the members of the company begged the old man to allow them a small hut … for the vessels. At first he did not accept the request; but at last he was persuaded (for he had been taught by the great Paul not to seek his own advantage but that of others) … small and modest dimensions, and went far from the cave to offer his customary [prayers]. For he was accustomed to walk often fifty stades through the desert, and sometimes twice as many, separating himself from all human company, turning in upon himself, conversing with God alone, and beholding as in a mirror that divine and ineffable beauty. Taking advantage of this leisure, those who had been counted worthy of his care built the hut, sufficient for the need, but larger than they had been told. When he returned after ten days, like a Moses from the mountain and from that inexpressible contemplation, and saw that the building had become larger than he wished, he said: “I fear, men, that by enlarging our dwellings on earth we may make smaller our dwellings in heaven. And yet these are temporary and useful to us for a short while, while those are eternal and cannot come to an end.” He said this to train the company in what is more perfect. Nevertheless he bore it, having listened to the apostolic voice: “I do not seek my own advantage, but that of the many, that they may be saved.”

He trained them to offer their hymnody to God in common within, and after dawn to go out into the desert two by two: one, bending his knees, would offer the worship owed to the Master, while the other, standing, would sing fifteen psalms of David; then they would exchange the task, the one rising and singing, the other [kneeling] … They continued doing this until late evening. A little before sunset they rested briefly, and they came together into the cave from every side, some from here and some from there, and all at the same time offered the evening hymnody to the Master. The old man himself was accustomed [to take] one of … . One who followed him more often was a man of Persian race, tall and admirable in appearance, but possessing a soul more admirable than his appearance; his name was James. After the old man's death he shone in every virtue and was renowned and celebrated, not only among those there but also in the schools of philosophy in Syria, in which he died after living, as is said, one hundred and four years. This man, sharing the great old man's journey into the desert, followed at a distance; for the teacher would not let him come near, so that this might not give them an occasion for conversation, and the conversation might not steal the mind away from the contemplation of God. As he followed, he saw on the path a huge serpent lying there. When he saw it he did not dare to go forward, and often, out of fear, wished to turn aside; but he took courage again in his mind. Then he bent down, picked up a pebble and threw it, and saw the serpent remaining in the same position and quite unable to move. Understanding that it was dead, he supposed that the beast's death was the old man's doing. When he had completed the journey and fulfilled the service of hymnody, and the time of rest had come, the old man sat down and told him to rest his body a little too; at first James sat in silence. But when the old man began some conversation, James, with a smile, begged him to make known to him what he did not know. When the old man allowed him to ask, he said: “I saw a very large serpent lying on the path, and at first I was afraid, thinking it was alive; but when I saw that it was dead, I took courage and went on. So tell me, Father, who killed it? For you led the way, and no one else has gone along that path.” The old man said: “Stop being curious about such things, which can bring no benefit to those who pursue them.” But the admirable James pressed him no less, longing to learn the truth. The old man tried for a long time to conceal it, but could not bear to distress his lover any further. “I will tell you,” he said, “if you long to know; but I charge you to make no one else privy to what I shall say while I am alive. For such things ought to be hidden, since they often rouse one to boasting and pride. But when I have gone from here and am free of such passions, I do not forbid you to speak and to tell of the power of the divine grace. Know, then,” said the great Julian, “that as I was walking along the path that beast attacked me and opened its mouth, eager to swallow me. But I called on the name of God and showed it the trophy of the cross with my finger; I shook off all fear, and I saw the beast fall at once to the ground; and having sung the praise of our common Savior, I continued on my way.” Having thus finished the story, he rose and took the path back to the cave.

On another occasion a youth of noble birth, brought up in luxury, [asked] with great eagerness to share his journey into the desert, not this common journey that all took each day, but the very long one, an absence lasting often seven days and often ten. This was the famous Asterius. When the old man spoke of the waterlessness of the desert, the young man insisted on enjoying this privilege. Overcome by his entreaties, the old man gave way, and the youth followed eagerly at first. But when the first, second and third day had passed, burned by the sun's rays (for it was summer, and the height of summer surely brings a fiercer heat), he was tormented by thirst. At first he was ashamed to report what he suffered, remembering what his teacher had foretold; but overcome, and seized by faintness, he begged the old man to have pity on him. The old man reminded him of his warnings and told him to go back. When the young man said that he did not know the road leading to the cave, nor, if he did know it, could he walk back, since his strength had been consumed by thirst, the divine man pitied the young man's suffering, made allowance for the weakness of the body, bent his knees and besought the Master, wetting the ground with hot tears and seeking a means of rescue for the young man. And he who “does the will of those who fear him and hears their prayer” made the drops of tears that touched the dust a spring of water; and when the young man had drunk his fill of the stream, Julian ordered him to leave at once. The spring has remained to this day, bearing witness to the Mosaic prayer of the inspired old man. For just as Moses long ago struck that barren rock with his rod and flooded it with the births of river waters, so that [he might give drink to] those many [tens of thousands], so this man, watering that very dry sand with his tears, poured forth streams of spring water, not to cure the thirst of many tens of thousands, but of one youth. Enlightened in soul by divine grace, he foresaw very clearly the perfection the young man would reach. For many years later, called by divine grace to train many others in the same virtue, he [founded a school of philosophy] in the district of Gindarus (this is a very large village under the jurisdiction of Antioch). He drew many other athletes of philosophy to himself, and he drew also the great Acacius, the celebrated one, I mean, the famous one, who was distinguished in the monastic way of life and sent out bright rays of virtue when he was counted worthy of the high priesthood and was given the shepherding of Beroea. He was entrusted with the leadership of the flock for fifty-eight years, and did not abandon the form of the ascetic life, but mixed ascetic and civic virtue, taking the strictness of the one and the practical management of the other, and joining things that stand apart into one. But the hunter and trainer of this virtue was that Asterius, who remained so warm a lover of the great old man that he often made the journey to him twice a year, and often three times. When he came he used to bring dried figs for the members of the company, loading the burdens on three or four beasts. He would collect two medimni, enough for the old man for the whole year, and put this burden on his own shoulders, making himself the teacher's beast of burden; and carrying this burden he walked, not ten or twenty stades, but a journey of seven days. Once the old man saw him carrying the load of figs on his shoulders and, displeased, said that he would not use them as food; for it was not right that Asterius should endure such toil while he himself feasted on his sweat. When Asterius swore that he would not free his shoulders of the burden unless the old man agreed [to eat them], the old man said: “Let him do as he is bidden; only [let him put down] the sack as quickly as possible.” For in this too he imitated the first of the apostles, who, when the Lord wished to wash his feet, at first [refused] this; but when he heard that he would be cut off from fellowship with the Master if he did not allow it, he begged to have his hands and head washed as well as his feet. So too John, the great one, when he was told to baptize the Savior, first confessed his own servitude and pointed out the Master, and afterwards carried out what he was told, not acting with boldness but obeying the Master. So too this divine man was weighed down at the thought of enjoying food while another labored; but when he saw his servant's very warm eagerness, he preferred that man's service to his own choice.

Perhaps one of those who love to find fault, and have learned only to mock fine things, may say that this story is not worth recording. But I have added it to the man's other wonders, not only wishing to show the reverence of great men for him, but thinking it profitable to make known the sweetness and moderation of his character. For though he was so great and of such virtue, he did not think himself worthy even of ordinary honor; he thrust it away as in no way belonging to him, and yet bore it again as benefiting those who gave it. Fleeing it (for he had become known to all and by his fame drew to himself the lovers of good things), he finally set out for Mount Sinai with a few of his closest companions, entering no city or village, but making the trackless desert passable. They carried on their shoulders the necessary food, bread, I mean, and salt, and a cup made of wood and a sponge tied to a cord, so that if they ever found water rather deep they might draw it up with the sponge, [squeeze it into the cup, and drink]. Having completed a journey of many days to the mountain they longed for, and having worshiped their Master, they stayed there a long time, regarding the solitude of the place and the quiet of the soul as the greatest luxury. On that rock under which Moses, the chief of the prophets, hid and was counted worthy to see God, as far as it was possible to see him, Julian built a church and consecrated a divine altar, which has remained to this day; then he returned to his own wrestling school.

When he learned of the threats of the emperor who bore his name but was impious (for he had threatened utter destruction to the devout when he set out on his campaign against the Persians, and those who shared his views were agape for that accursed return), he offered earnest prayer to God and prolonged it until the tenth day, and he heard a voice saying that the foul and stinking swine had been slain. … the prayer, but changed his petition into hymnody, sending up a hymn of thanksgiving to the Savior of his own people, the forbearing and mighty enemy of strangers. For he had shown long patience with the impious man; but since the long patience led to greater frenzy … . When he had finished the prayer and turned to his own companions, it was plain that he was glad of heart, for his face shone with joy. Those with him were amazed at the strangeness of the sight, for he who always appeared grave was seen smiling then; and when they asked the reason, he said: “Men, the present is a time of gladness and joy; for the wicked one has ceased, as the voice of Isaiah says, and has paid the penalty his outrages deserved. He who played the tyrant against God who made and saved him has received a just death-blow from a subject's right hand. This is why I rejoice, [seeing ended] the … by him, and seeing the guilty man obtain no help from the demons he honored.” Such was the foreknowledge he enjoyed concerning the slaying of this impious man.

When Valens, too, who after him received the reins of Roman rule, abandoned the truth of the gospel doctrines and accepted the deceit of Arius's error, a greater storm arose against the Church, its pilots [being driven out] on every side and [others] brought in in their place. Not to relate the whole of that tragedy at present, I shall leave the rest aside and mention one thing only, which clearly showed the grace of the divine Spirit blooming in this old man. The great Meletius, who had been entrusted by the God of all with the shepherding of Antioch, had been driven from it; and all those enrolled in the sacred clergy had been driven from the divine temples together with the like-minded people, those who honor the one substance of the divine Trinity. Sometimes they occupied the foothills of the mountain and held their sacred assemblies there; sometimes they made the river bank their place of prayer; at other times the military exercise ground lying before the north gate. For those who made war on them would not let the devout settle in one place. The nurslings of falsehood [contrived] and spread a rumor in that city that the great Julian, this old man I mean, embraced communion with the doctrines they professed. This especially distressed the devout, [lest it should catch the simpler] in the nets of the heretics. But the inspired and blessed men Flavian and Diodore, who had been counted worthy of the priestly ministry and presided over the sacred people, and Aphrahat, whose life I shall, with God's help, relate to you separately, persuaded the great Acacius, whom I have already mentioned, to take as companion on the road his own teacher, that celebrated Asterius, [the disciple] of this holy old man, and to run to the common ornament of the Church, the support of the gospel teaching, and to persuade him to leave his life in the desert and to come to … , and to quench the flame of Arius with the dew of his arrival. The divine Acacius ran, and taking the great Asterius as he had been bidden, came to the very great luminary of the Church; and greeting him he said: “Tell me, Father, for what purpose do you endure all this toil with pleasure?” When the old man answered, “The service of God is more precious to me than body, soul, life and my whole existence, and I try as far as I can to offer him a worship pure of defilement and to please him in everything,” Acacius said: “I will show you a way by which you will serve him more than now; and I say this not using my own reasoning only, but having learned it from his teaching. For once he asked Peter whether he loved him more than the others, and having learned what he knew even before Peter spoke (‘For you know, Lord,’ he says, ‘that I love you’), he showed him what he must do to [show] his love the more: ‘[Tend] my sheep, and feed my lambs.’ This, Father, is what you must do too. For the flocks are in danger of being destroyed by wolves, and the one you love greatly loves them greatly; and it is the mark of lovers to do the things that delight the beloved when done. Besides, there is no small danger and a loss of all those many great labors, if you allow the truth, which is so fiercely attacked, to be abandoned in silence, and those devoted to it to be caught, and your name to become the bait of those who are being hunted; for they [claim] to have you as a partner in their impiety.” As soon as the old man heard this, he bade farewell to his quiet for a time, and, [not shrinking] from the tumults of the city, [set out]. Having completed two or three [days' journey] through the desert, he came to a certain place when evening had fallen. A wealthy woman, learning that that sacred company had come, ran to gather his blessing, and rolling at his feet she begged that her house might become their lodging. The old man yielded, though he had kept away from the sight of women for more than forty years. While that admirable woman, who had emulated the hospitality of Sarah, was busy waiting on those holy men, her seven-year-old child (she was the mother of this one only) fell into the well, it being evening and dark. There was an uproar about this, as was natural; the mother, perceiving it, told everyone to keep quiet, put a cover over the well, and kept on with her service. When the table had been set before the divine men, the divine old man ordered the woman's child to be called in to share in the blessing. When the admirable woman said that the child was unwell, he insisted, ordering it to be brought. When the mother made known what had happened, the old man left the table, ran to the well, ordered the cover to be removed and lights to be brought, and saw the child sitting on the surface of the water, playfully striking the water with his hand, and regarding what was thought to be his death as a game and a plaything. [They drew] the child [up] with ropes, and at once he ran to the old man's feet, saying that he had seen him in the water carrying … . So the admirable woman received from the blessed old man the reward of her hospitality.

To pass over the other things that happened on the way: they came to Antioch, and all ran together from every side, longing to see the man of God and each eager to receive some cure for his ailment. He was lodged in the caves at the foot of the mountain, where they say the divine apostle, the blessed Paul, also lodged and was hidden. But at once, so that all might learn that he was a man, a very violent attack of fever came upon him. The great Acacius saw the crowd that had gathered and was distressed at the illness that had come, for he thought those who had come would be [offended] if they learned of the illness, since they expected to find healing through his hand. “Do not lose heart,” said the old man; “for if health is necessary, God will give this too at once.” Immediately after these words he turned to supplication, and, bringing his knees and forehead to the ground as was his custom, he begged to obtain health, if some benefit would come from it to those who had come together. He had not yet finished the prayer when a heavy sweat suddenly broke out [and quenched] the heat of the fever. Then, having freed many from all kinds of diseases, he went to the assembly of the devout. As he was passing the doors of the palace, a beggar who used his buttocks instead of his feet and dragged himself along the ground stretched out his hand and [touched the hem of his garment] … ; [he lost] his ailment by his faith, sprang up, and showed the running he had had before his illness, doing the same as the lame man whom Peter and John raised up. When this happened, the whole multitude of the city flowed together, and the military exercise ground became full of those running there. The slanderers and artisans of falsehood were put to shame, and the nurslings of true religion were in every kind of good cheer and gladness. From there those in need of healing drew the luminary of true religion into their houses. A man who had been entrusted with a very great office and the helm of the East sent and begged him to come and free him from the illness that afflicted him. He came without delay, besought the common Master, loosed the ailment with a word, and charged him to give thanks to God. Having done these and such things, he [returned] to the [desert].

Making his journey through Cyrrhus (this city is two stages distant from Antioch), he [turned aside] into the shrine of the victorious martyr Dionysius. Those who presided over true religion there [came running] and begged him to help them, as they expected manifest destruction. For they said that Asterius, who had been brought up in sophistic falsehood and had slipped into the church of the heretics and been counted worthy of the episcopal ministry, was a formidable advocate of falsehood and used his evil art against the truth. “And we fear,” they said, “that, covering the falsehood with his eloquence as with a bait and spreading the tangles of his reasonings like nets, he may catch many of those who live in simplicity.” For he had been sent for by the opponents for this purpose. The old man said: “Take courage, and beseech God with us, adding fasting and hardship to prayer.” While they were thus imploring God, one day before the festival on which the advocate of falsehood and enemy of the truth was to give his addresses, he received a blow sent by God, and after being ill for a single day he passed out of the register of the living, hearing, no doubt, that voice: “This night they demand your soul from you; and the evils you have prepared, the nets and snares, will be yours and no one else's.” He suffered the same as Balaam, who was himself sent for against the divine people, and, having given Balak unholy counsel against them, paid the penalty himself, receiving his death-blow from an Israelite right hand. So this man too, since he had formed a crafty design against the people of God, was deprived of life through the people of God. This deliverance Cyrrhus enjoyed through Julian's prayer. These stories were handed down to me by that divine head, the great Acacius, who knew everything about him precisely. After spending no little time with them there, Julian passed most eagerly to the life that knows neither age nor sorrow, having practiced freedom from passion in a mortal nature and awaiting the immortality of the body. Here I shall bring my account of this narrative to a stop and go on to another, begging the saints who appear in this narrative to procure for me, through their intercession, the favor from above.