barlaam and ioasaph-第28节

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me。〃　〃What；〃　said　the　monk；　〃seest　thou　in　our　case　that　should　by　its　attractions　cause　us　to　cling　to　life；　and　be　afraid　of　death　at　thy　hands？　　Whereas　we　should　the　rather　feel　grateful　to　thee　for　removing　us　from　life　in　the　close　adherence　to　virtue。　　For　we　dread；　not　a　little；　the　uncertainty　of　the　end；　knowing　not　in　what　state　death　shall　overtake　us；　lest　perchance　a　slip　of　the　inclination；　or　some　despiteful　dealing　of　the　devil；　may　alter　the　constancy　of　our　choice；　and　mis…persuade　us　to　think　or　do　contrary　to　our　covenants　with　God。　　Wherefore　abandon　all　hope　of　gaining　the　knowledge　that　ye　desire；　and　shrink　not　to　work　your　will。　　We　shall　neither　reveal　the　dwelling…place　of　our　brother；　whom　God　loveth；　although　we　know　it；　nor　shall　we　betray　any　other　monasteries　unbeknown　to　ye。　　We　will　not　endure　to　escape　death　by　such　cowardice。　　Nay；　liefer　would　we　die　honourably；　and　offer　unto　God；　after　the　sweats　of　virtue；　the　life…blood　of　courage。〃

That　man　of　sin　could　not　brook　this　boldness　of　speech；　and　was　moved　to　the　keenest　passion　against　this　high　and　noble　spirit；　and　afflicted　the　monks　with　many　stripes　and　tortures。　　Their　courage　and　nobility　won　admiration　even　from　that　tyrant。　　But；　when　after　many　punishments　he　failed　to　persuade　them；　and　none　of　them　consented　to　discover　Barlaam；　he　took　and　ordered　them　to　be　led　to　the　king；　bearing　with　them　the　wallet　with　the　relics；　and　to　be　beaten　and　shamefully　entreated　as　they　went。


XXIII。

After　many　days　Araches　brought　them　to　the　king；　and　declared　their　case。　　Then　he　set　them　before　the　bitterly　incensed　king：　and　he；　when　he　saw　them；　boiled　over　with　fury　and　was　like　to　one　mad。　　He　ordered　them　to　be　beaten　without　mercy；　and；　when　he　saw　them　cruelly　mangled　with　scourges；　could　scarcely　restrain　his　madness；　and　order　the　tormentors　to　cease。　　Then　said　he　unto　them；　〃Why　bear　ye　about　these　dead　men's　bones？　If　ye　carry　these　bones　through　affection　for　those　men　to　whom　they　belong；　this　very　hour　I　will　set　you　in　their　company；　that　ye　may　meet　your　lost　friends　and　be　duly　grateful　to　me。〃　　The　captain　and　leader　of　that　godly　band；　setting　at　naught　the　king's　threats；　showing　no　sign　of　the　torment　that　he　had　undergone；　with　free　voice　and　radiant　countenance　that　signified　the　grace　that　dwelt　in　his　soul；　cried　out；　〃We　carry　about　these　clean　and　holy　bones；　O　king；　because　we　attest　in　due　form　our　love　of　those　marvellous　men　to　whom　they　belong：　and　because　we　would　bring　ourselves　to　remember　their　wrestlings　and　lovely　conversation；　to　rouse　up　ourselves　to　the　like　zeal；　and　because　we　would　catch　some　vision　of　the　rest　and　felicity　wherein　they　now　live；　and　thus；　as　we　call　them　blessed；　and　provoke　one　another　to　emulate　them；　strive　to　follow　in　their　footsteps：　because　moreover；　we　find　thereby　that　the　thought　of　death；　which　is　right　profitable；　lendeth　wings　of　zeal　to　our　religious　exercises；　and　lastly；　because　we　derive　sanctification　from　their　touch。〃

Again　said　the　king；　〃If　the　thought　of　death　be　profitable；　as　ye　say；　why　should　ye　not　reach　that　thought　of　death　by　the　bones　of　the　bodies　that　are　now　your　own；　and　are　soon　to　perish；　rather　than　by　the　bones　of　other　men　which　have　already　perished？〃

The　monk　said；　〃Five　reasons　I　gave　thee；　why　we　carry　about　these　relics；　and　thou；　making　answer　to　one　only；　art　like　to　be　mocking　us。　　But　know　thou　well　that　the　bones　of　them；　that　have　already　departed　this　life；　bring　the　thought　of　death　more　vividly　before　us　than　do　the　bones　of　the　living。　　But　since　thou　judgest　otherwise；　and　since　the　bones　of　thine　own　body　are　to　thee　a　type　of　death；　why　dost　thou　not　recollect　thy　latter　　end　so　shortly　to　come；　and　set　thine　house　in　order；　instead　of　giving　up　thy　soul　to　all　kinds　of　iniquities；　and　violently　and　unmercifully　murdering　the　servants　of　God　and　lovers　of　righteousness；　who　have　done　thee　no　wrong；　and　seek　not　to　share　with　thee　in　present　goods；　nor　are　ambitious　to　rob　thee　of　them？〃

Said　the　king；　〃I　do　well　to　punish　you；　ye　clever　misleaders　of　the　folk；　because　ye　deceive　all　men；　counselling　them　to　abstain　from　the　enjoyments　of　life；　and　because；　instead　of　the　sweets　of　life　and　the　allures　of　appetite　and　pleasure；　ye　constrain　them　to　choose　the　rough；　filthy　and　squalid　way；　and　preach　that　they　should　render　to　Jesus　the　honour　due　unto　the　gods。　Accordingly；　in　order　that　the　people　may　not　follow　your　deceits　and　leave　the　land　desolate；　and；　forsaking　the　gods　of　their　fathers；　serve　another；　I　think　it　just　to　subject　you　to　punishment　and　death。〃

The　monk　answered；　〃If　thou　art　eager　that　all　should　partake　of　the　good　things　of　life；　why　dost　thou　not　distribute　dainties　and　riches　equally　amongst　all？　　And　why　is　it　that　the　common　herd　are　pinched　with　poverty；　while　thou　addest　ever　to　thy　store　by　seizing　for　thyself　the　goods　of　others？　　Nay；　thou　carest　not　for　the　weal　of　the　many；　but　fattenest　thine　own　flesh；　to　be　meat　for　the　worms　to　feed　on。　　Wherefore　also　thou　hast　denied　the　God　of　all；　and　called　them　gods　that　are　not；　the　inventors　of　all　wickedness；　in　order　that；　by　wantonness　and　wickedness　after　their　example；　thou　mayest　gain　the　title　of　imitator　of　the　gods。　　For；　as　your　gods　have　done；　why　should　not　also　the　men　that　follow　them　do？　　Great　then　is　the　error　that　thou　hast　erred；　O　king。　　Thou　fearest　that　we　should　persuade　certain　of　the　people　to　join　with　us；　and　revolt　from　thy　hand；　and　place　themselves　in　that　hand　that　holdeth　all　things；　for　thou　willest　the　ministers　of　thy　covetousness　to　be　many；　that　they　may　be　miserable　while　thou　reapest　profit　from　their　toil；　just　as　a　man；　who　keepeth　hounds　or　falcons　tamed　for　hunting；　before　the　hunt　may　be　seen　to　pet　them；　but；　when　they　have　once　seized　the　quarry；　taketh　the　game　with　violence　out　of　their　mouths。　　So　also　thou；　willing　that　there　should　be　many　to　pay　thee　tribute　and　toll　from　land　and　water；　pretendest　to　care　for　their　welfare；　but　in　truth　bringest　on　them　and　above　all　on　thyself　eternal　ruin；　and　simply　to　pile　up　gold；　more　worthless　than　dung　or　rottenness；　thou　hast　been　deluded　into　taking　darkness　for　light。　　But　recover　thy　wits　from　this　earthly　sleep：　open　thy　sealed　eyes；　and　behold　the　glory　of　God　that　shineth　round　about　us　all；　and　come　at　length　to　thyself。　For　saith　the　prophet；　‘Take　heed；　ye　unwise　among　the　people；　and；　O　ye　fools；　understand　at　last。'　　Understand　thou　that　there　is　no　God　except　our　God；　and　no　salvation　except　in　him。〃

But　the　king　said；　〃Cease　this　foolish　babbling；　and　anon　discover　to　me　Barlaam：　else　shalt　thou　taste　instruments　of　torture　such　as　thou　hast　never　tasted　before。〃　　That　noble…　minded；　great…hearted　monk；　that　lover　of　the　heavenly　philosophy；　was　not　moved　by　the　king's　threats；　but　stood　unflinching；　and　said；　〃We　are　not　commanded　to　fulfil　thy　hest；　O　king；　but　the　orders　of　our　Lord　and　God　who　teacheth　us　temperance；　that　we　should　be　lords　over　all　pleasures　and　passions；　and　practise　fortitude；　so　as　to　endure　all　toil　and　all　ill…treatment　for　righteousness'　sake。　　The　more　perils　that　thou　subjectest　us　to　for　the　sake　of　our　religion；　the　more　shalt　thou　be　our　benefactor。　　Do　therefore　as　thou　wilt：　for　we　shall　not　consent　to　do　aught　outside　our　duty；　nor　shall　we　surrender　ourselves　to　sin。　　Deem　not　that　it　is　a　slight　sin　to　betray　a　fellow…combatant　and　fellow…soldier　into　thy　hands。　　Nay；　but　thou　shalt　not　have　that　scoff　to　make　at　us；　no；　not　if　thou　put　us　to　ten　thousand　deaths。　　We　be　not　such　cowards　as　to　betray　our　religion　through　dread　of　thy　torments；　or　to　disgrace　the　law　divine。　　So　then；　if　such　be　thy　purpose；　make　ready　every　weapon　to　defend　thy　claim；　for　to　us　to　live　is　Christ；　and　to　die　for　him　is　the　best　gain。〃

Incensed　with　anger　thereat；　the　monarch　ordered　the　tongues　of　these　Confessors　to　be　rooted　out；　and　their　eyes　digged　out；　and　likewise　their　hands　and　feet　lopped　off。　　Sentence　passed；　the　henchmen　and　guards　surrounded　and　mutilated　them；　without　pity　and　without　ruth。　　And　they　plucked　out　their　tongues　from　their　mouths　with　prongs；　and　severed　them　with　brutal　severity；　and　they　digged　out　their　eyes　with　iron　claws；　and　stretched　their　arms　and　legs　on　the　rack；　and　lopped　them　off。　　But　those　blessed；　shamefast；　noble…hearted　men　went　bravely　to　torture　like　guests　to　a　banquet；　exhorting　one　another　to　meet　death　for　Christ　his　sake　undaunted。

In　such　divers　tortures　did　these　holy　monks　lay　down　their　lives　for　the　Lord。　　They　were　in　all　seventeen。　　By　common　consent；　the　pious　mind　is　superior　to　sufferings；　as　hath　been　said　by　one；　but　not　of　us；　when　narrating　the　martydom　of　the　aged　priest；　and　of　the　seven　sons　with　their　equally　brave　mother　when　contending　for　the　law　of　their　fathers：　whose　bravery　and　lofty　spirit；　however；　was　equalled　by　these　marvellous　fathers　and　citizens　and　heirs　of　Hierusalem　that　is　above。


XXIV。

After　the　monks　had　made　this　godly　end；　the　king　bade　Araches；　his　chief　councillor；　now　that　they　had　failed　of　their　first　plan；　to　look　to　the　second　and　summon　the　man　Nachor。　　At　dead　of　night　Araches　repaired