barlaam and ioasaph-第1节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




Barlaam　and　Ioasaph

by　St。　John　of　Damascus



It　is　not　known　where　or　when　this　story　was　written；　but　it　is　believed　to　have　been　translated　into　Greek　（possibly　from　a　Georgian　original）　sometime　in　the　11th　Century　A。D。　　Although　the　ultimate　author　is　usually　referred　to　as　〃John　the　Monk〃；　it　has　been　traditionally　ascribed　to　St。　John　of　Damascus。



BARLAAM　AND　IOASAPH

AN　EDIFYING　STORY　FROM　THE　INNER　LAND　OF　THE　ETHIOPIANS；　CALLED　THE　LAND　OF　THE　INDIANS；　THENCE　BROUGHT　TO　THE　HOLY　CITY；　BY　JOHN　THE　MONK　（AN　HONOURABLE　MAN　AND　A　VIRTUOUS；　OF　THE　MONASTERY　OF　SAINT　SABAS）；　WHEREIN　ARE　THE　LIVES　OF　THE　FAMOUS　AND　BLESSED　BARLAAM　AND　IOASAPH。

INTRODUCTION　

〃As　many　as　are　led　by　the　Spirit　of　God　they　are　sons　of　God〃　saith　the　inspired　Apostle。　　Now　to　have　been　accounted　worthy　of　the　Holy　Spirit　and　to　have　become　sons　of　God　is　of　all　things　most　to　be　coveted；　and；　as　it　is　written；　〃They　that　have　become　his　sons　find　rest　from　all　enquiry。〃　　This　marvellous；　and　above　all　else　desirable；　blessedness　have　the　Saints　from　the　beginning　won　by　the　practice　of　the　virtues；　some　having　striven　as　Martyrs；　and　resisted　sin　unto　blood；　and　others　having　struggled　in　self…discipline；　and　having　trodden　the　narrow　way；　proving　Martyrs　in　will。　　Now；　that　one　should　hand　down　to　memory　the　prowess　and　virtuous　deeds　of　these；　both　of　them　that　were　made　perfect　by　blood；　and　of　them　that　by　self…denial　did　emulate　the　conversation　of　Angels；　and　should　deliver　to　the　generations　that　follow　a　pattern　of　virtue；　this　hath　the　Church　of　Christ　received　as　a　tradition　from　the　inspired　Apostles；　and　the　blessed　Fathers；　who　did　thus　enact　for　the　salvation　of　our　race。　　For　the　pathway　to　virtue　is　rough　and　steep；　especially　for　such　as　have　not　yet　wholly　turned　unto　the　Lord；　but　are　still　at　warfare；　through　the　tyranny　of　their　passions。　　For　this　reason　also　we　need　many　encouragements　thereto；　whether　it　be　exhortations；　or　the　record　of　the　lives　of　them　that　have　travelled　on　the　road　before　us；　which　latter　draweth　us　towards　it　the　less　painfully；　and　doth　accustom　us　not　to　despair　on　account　of　the　difficulty　of　the　journey。　　For　even　as　with　a　man　that　would　tread　a　hard　and　difficult　path；　by　exhortation　and　encouragement　one　may　scarce　win　him　to　essay　it；　but　rather　by　pointing　to　the　many　who　have　already　completed　the　course；　and　at　the　last　have　arrived　safely。　　So　I　too；　〃walking　by　this　rule；〃　and　heedful　of　the　danger　hanging　over　that　servant　who；　having　received　of　his　lord　the　talent；　buried　it　in　the　earth；　and　hid　out　of　use　that　which　was　given　him　to　trade　withal；　will　in　no　wise　pass　over　in　silence　the　edifying　story　that　hath　come　to　me；　the　which　devout　men　from　the　inner　land　Of　the　Ethiopians；　whom　our　tale　calleth　Indians；　delivered　unto　me；　translated　from　trustworthy　records。　　It　readeth　thus。


I。

The　country　of　the　Indians；　as　it　is　called；　is　vast　and　populous；　lying　far　beyond　Egypt。　　On　the　side　of　Egypt　it　is　washed　by　seas　and　navigable　gulphs；　but　on　the　mainland　it　marcheth　with　the　borders　of　Persia；　a　land　formerly　darkened　with　the　gloom　of　idolatry；　barbarous　to　the　last　degree；　and　wholly　given　up　to　unlawful　practices。　　But　when　〃the　only…　begotten　Son　of　God；　which　is　in　the　bosom　of　the　Father；〃　being　grieved　to　see　his　own　handiwork　in　bondage　unto　sin；　was　moved　with　compassion　for　the　same；　and　shewed　himself　amongst　us　without　sin；　and；　without　leaving　his　Father's　throne；　dwelt　for　a　season　in　the　Virgin's　womb　for　our　sakes；　that　we　might　dwell　in　heaven；　and　be　re…claimed　from　the　ancient　fall；　and　freed　from　sin　by　receiving　again　the　adoption　of　sons；　when　he　had　fulfilled　every　stage　of　his　life　in　the　flesh　for　our　sake；　and　endured　the　death　of　the　Cross；　and　marvellously　united　earth　and　heaven；　when　he　had　risen　again　from　the　dead；　and　had　been　received　up　into　heaven；　and　was　seated　at　the　right　hand　of　the　majesty　of　the　Father；　whence；　according　to　his　promise；　he　sent　down　the　Comforter；　the　Holy　Ghost；　unto　his　eyewitnesses　and　disciples；　in　the　shape　of　fiery　tongues；　and　despatched　them　unto　all　nations；　for　to　give　light　to　them　that　sat　in　the　darkness　of　ignorance；　and　to　baptize　them　in　the　Name　of　the　Father；　and　of　the　Son；　and　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　whereby　it　fell　to　the　lot　of　some　of　the　Apostles　to　travel　to　the　far…off　East　and　to　some　to　journey　to　the　West…ward；　while　others　traversed　the　regions　North　and　South；　fulfilling　their　appointed　tasks　then　it　was；　I　say；　that　one　of　the　company　of　Christ's　Twelve　Apostles；　most　holy　Thomas；　was　sent　out　to　the　land　of　the　Indians；　preaching　the　Gospel　of　Salvation。　　〃The　Lord　working　with　him　and　confirming　the　word　with　signs　following；〃　the　darkness　of　superstition　was　banished；　and　men　were　delivered　from　idolatrous　sacrifices　and　abominations；　and　added　to　the　true　Faith；　and　being　thus　transformed　by　the　hands　of　the　Apostle；　were　made　members　of　Christ's　household　by　Baptism；　and；　waxing　ever　with　fresh　increase；　made　advancement　in　the　blameless　Faith　and　built　churches　in　all　their　lands。　

Now　when　monasteries　began　to　be　formed　in　Egypt；　and　numbers　of　monks　banded　themselves　together；　and　when　the　fame　of　their　virtues　and　Angelic　conversation　〃was　gone　out　into　all　the　ends　of　the　world〃　and　came　to　the　Indians；　it　stirred　them　up　also　to　the　like　zeal；　insomuch　that　many　of　them　forsook　everything　and　withdrew　to　the　deserts；　and；　though　but　men　in　mortal　bodies；　adopted　the　spiritual　life　of　Angels。　　While　matters　were　thus　prospering　and　many　were　soaring　upward　to　heaven　on　wings　of　gold；　as　the　saying　is；　there　arose　in　that　country　a　king　named　Abenner；　mighty　in　riches　and　power；　and　in　victory　over　his　enemies；　brave　in　warfare；　vain　of　his　splendid　stature　and　comeliness　of　face；　and　boastful　of　all　worldly　honours；　that　pass　so　soon　away。　　But　his　soul　was　utterly　crushed　by　poverty；　and　choked　with　many　vices；　for　he　was　of　the　Greek　way；　and　sore　distraught　by　the　superstitious　error　of　his　idol…worship。　　But；　although　he　lived　in　luxury；　and　in　the　enjoyment　of　the　sweet　and　pleasant　things　of　life；　and　was　never　baulked　of　any　of　his　wishes　and　desires；　yet　one　thing　there　was　that　marred　his　happiness；　and　pierced　his　soul　with　care；　the　curse　of　childlessness。　　For　being　without　issue；　he　took　ceaseless　thought　how　he　might　be　rid　of　this　hobble；　and　be　called　the　father　of　children；　a　name　greatly　coveted　by　most　people。　　Such　was　the　king；　and　such　his　mind。

Meanwhile　the　glorious　band　of　Christians　and　the　companies　of　monks；　paying　no　regard　to　the　king's　majesty；　and　in　no　wise　terrified　by　his　threats；　advanced　in　the　grace　of　Christ；　and　grew　in　number　beyond　measure；　making　short　account　of　the　king's　words；　but　cleaving　closely　to　everything　that　led　to　the　service　of　God。　　For　this　reason　many；　who　had　adopted　the　monastic　rule；　abhorred　alike　all　the　sweets　of　this　world；　and　were　enamoured　of　one　thing　only；　namely　godliness；　thirsting　to　lay　down　their　lives　for　Christ　his　sake；　and　yearning　for　the　happiness　beyond。　Wherefore　they　preached；　not　with　fear　and　trembling；　but　rather　even　with　excess　of　boldness；　the　saving　Name　of　God；　and　naught　but　Christ　was　on　their　lips；　as　they　plainly　proclaimed　to　all　men　the　transitory　and　fading　nature　of　this　present　time；　and　the　fixedness　and　incorruptibility　of　the　life　to　come；　and　sowed　in　men　the　first　seeds；　as　it　were；　towards　their　becoming　of　the　household　of　God；　and　winning　that　life　which　is　hid　in　Christ。　Wherefore　many；　profiting　by　this　most　pleasant　teaching；　turned　away　from　the　bitter　darkness　of　error；　and　approached　the　sweet　light　of　Truth；　insomuch　that　certain　of　their　noblemen　and　senators　laid　aside　all　the　burthens　of　life；　and　thenceforth　became　monks。

But　when　the　king　heard　thereof；　he　was　filled　with　wrath；　and；　boiling　over　with　indignation；　passed　a　decree　forthwith；　compelling　all　Christians　to　renounce　their　religion。　　Thereupon　he　planned　and　practised　new　kinds　of　torture　against　them；　and　threatened　new　forms　of　death。　　So　throughout　all　his　dominions　he　sent　letters　to　his　rulers　and　governors　ordering　penalties　against　the　righteous；　and　unlawful　massacres。　　But　chiefly　was　his　displeasure　turned　against　the　ranks　of　the　monastic　orders；　and　against　them　he　waged　a　truceless　and　unrelenting　warfare。　Hence；　of　a　truth；　many　of　the　Faithful　were　shaken　in　spirit；　and　others；　unable　to　endure　torture；　yielded　to　his　ungodly　decrees。　　But　of　the　chiefs　and　rulers　of　the　monastic　order　some　in　rebuking　his　wickedness　ended　their　lives　by　suffering　martyrdom；　and　thus　attained　to　everlasting　felicity；　while　others　hid　themselves　in　deserts　and　mountains；　not　from　dread　of　the　threatened　tortures；　but　by　a　more　divine　dispensation。


II。

Now　while　the　land　of　the　Indians　lay　under　the　shroud　of　this　moonless　night；　and　while　the　Faithful　were　harried　on　every　side；　and　the　champions　of　ungodliness　prospered；　the　very　air　reeking　with　the　smell　of　bloody　sacrifices；　a　certain　mall　of　the　royal　household；　chief　satrap　in　rank；　in　courage；　stature；　comeliness；　and　in　all　those　qualities　which　mark　beauty　of　body　and　nobility　of　soul；　far　above　all　his