IV.

There was at court a man pre-eminent among the rulers, of virtuous life and devout in religion. But while working out his own salvation, as best he might, he kept it secret for fear of the king. Wherefore certain men, looking enviously on his free converse with the king, studied how they might slander him; and this was all their thought. On a day, when the king went forth a-hunting with his bodyguard, as was his wont, this good man was of the hunting party. While he was walking alone, by divine providence, as I believe, he found a man in a covert, cast to the ground, his foot grievously crushed by a wild-beast. Seeing him passing by, the wounded man importuned him not to go his way, but to pity his misfortune, and take him to his own home, adding thereto: "I hope that I shall not be found unprofitable, nor altogether useless unto you." Our nobleman said unto him, "For very charity I will take you up, and render you such service as I may. But what is this profit which you saidest that I should receive of you?" The poor sick man answered, "I am a physician of words. If ever in speech or converse any wound or damage be found, I will heal it with befitting medicines, that so the evil spread no further." The devout man gave no heed to his word, but on account of the commandment, ordered him to be carried home, and grudged him not that tending which he required. But the aforesaid envious and malignant persons, bringing forth to light that ungodliness with which they had long been in travail, slandered this good man to the king; that not only did he forget his friendship with the king, and neglect the worship of the gods, and incline to Christianity, but more, that he was grievously intriguing against the kingly power, and was turning aside the common people, and stealing all hearts for himself. "But," said they, "if you wilt prove that our charge is not ungrounded, call him to you privately; and, to try him, say that you desirest to leave your fathers' religion, and the glory of your kingship, and to become a Christian, and to put on the monkish habit which formerly you didst persecute, having, you shalt tell him, found your old course evil." The authors of this villainous charge against the Christian knew the tenderness of his heart, how that, if he heard such speech from the king, he would advise him, who had made this better choice, not to put off his good determinations, and so they would be found just accusers.

But the king, not forgetful of his friend's great kindness toward him, thought these accusations incredible and false; and because he might not accept them without proof, he resolved to try the fact and the charge. So he called the man apart and said, to prove him, "Friend, you knowest of all my past dealings with them that are called monks and with all the Christians. But now, I have repented in this matter, and, lightly esteeming the present world, would fain become partaker of those hopes whereof I have heard them speak, of some immortal kingdom in the life to come; for the present is of a surety cut short by death. And in none other way, methinks, can I succeed herein and not miss the mark except I become a Christian, and, bidding farewell to the glory of my kingdom and all the pleasures and joys of life, go seek those hermits and monks, wheresoever they be, whom I have banished, and join myself to their number. Now what sayest you thereto, and what is your advice? Say on; I adjure you in the name of truth; for I know you to be true and wise above all men."

The worthy man, hearing this, but never guessing the hidden pitfall, was pricked in spirit, and, melting into tears, answered in his simplicity, "O king, live for ever! Good and sound is the determination that you hast determined; for though the kingdom of heaven be difficult to find, yet must a man seek it with all his might, for it is written, 'He that seeks shall find it.' The enjoyment of the present life, though in seeming it give delight and sweetness, is well thrust from us. At the very moment of its being it ceases to be, and for our joy repays us with sorrow sevenfold. Its happiness and its sorrow are more frail than a shadow, and, like the traces of a ship passing over the sea, or of a bird flying through the air, quickly disappear. But the hope of the life to come which the Christians preach is certain, and as surety sure; howbeit in this world it has tribulation, whereas our pleasures now are short-lived, and in the beyond they only win us correction and everlasting punishment without release. For the pleasures of such life are temporary, but its pains eternal; while the Christians' labours are temporary, but their pleasure and gain immortal. Therefore well befall this good determination of the king! for right good it is to exchange the corruptible for the eternal."

The king heard these words and waxed exceeding wroth: nevertheless he restrained his anger, and for the season let no word fall. But the other, being shrewd and quick of wit, perceived that the king took his word ill, and was craftily sounding him. So, on his coming home, he fell into much grief and distress in his perplexity how to conciliate the king and to escape the peril hanging over his own head. But as he lay awake all the night long, there came to his remembrance the man with the crushed foot; so he had him brought before him, and said, "I remember your saying that you weft an healer of injured speech." "Yea," quoth he, "and if you wilt I will give you proof of my skill." The senator answered and told him of his aforetime friendship with the king, and of the confidence which he had enjoyed, and of the snare laid for him in his late converse with the king; how he had given a good answer, but the king had taken his words amiss, and by his change of countenance betrayed the anger lurking within his heart.

The sick beggar-man considered and said, "Be it known unto you, most noble sir, that the king harbours against you the suspicion, that you would usurp his kingdom, and he spoke, as he spoke, to sound you. Arise therefore, and crop your hair. Doff these your fine garments, and don an hair-shirt, and at daybreak present thyself before the king. And when he asks you, 'What means this apparel?' answer him, 'It has to do with your communing with me yesterday, O king. Behold, I am ready to follow you along the road that you are eager to travel; for though luxury be desirable and passing sweet, God forbid that I embrace it after you are gone! Though the path of virtue, which you are about to tread, be difficult and rough, yet in your company I shall find it easy and pleasant, for as I have shared with you this your prosperity so now will I share your distresses, that in the future, as in the past, I may be your fellow.'" Our nobleman, approving of the sick man's saying, did as he said. When the king saw and heard him, he was delighted, and beyond measure gratified by his devotion towards him. He saw that the accusations against his senator were false, and promoted him to more honour and to a greater enjoyment of his confidence. But against the monks he again raged above measure, declaring that this was of their teaching, that men should abstain from the pleasures of life, and rock themselves in visionary hopes.

Another day, when he was gone a-hunting, he espied two monks crossing the desert. These he ordered to be apprehended and brought to his chariot. Looking angrily upon them, and breathing fire, as they say, "Ye vagabonds and deceivers," he cried, "have ye not heard the plain proclamation of the heralds, that if any of your execrable religion were found, after three days, in any city or country within my realm, he should be burned with fire?" The monks answered, "Lo! obedient to your order, we be coming out of your cities and coasts. But as the journey before us is long, to get us away to our brethren, being in want of victuals, we were making provision for the way, that we perish not with hunger." Said the king, "He that dreads menace of death busies not himself with the purveyante of victuals." "Well spoken, O king," cried the monks. "They that dread death have concern how to escape it. And who are these but such as cling to things temporary and are enamoured of them, who, having no good hopes yonder, find it hard to be wrenched from this present world, and therefore dread death? But we, who have long since hated the world and the things of the world, and are walking along the narrow and strait road, for Christ his sake, neither dread death, nor desire the present world, but only long for the world to come. Therefore, forasmuch the death that you are bringing upon us proves but the passage to that everlasting and better life, it is rather to be desired of us than feared."

Hereupon the king, wishing to entrap the monks, as I ween, shrewdly said, "How now? Said ye not but this instant, that ye were withdrawing even as I commanded you? And, if ye fear not death, how came ye to be fleeing? Lo! this is but another of your idle boasts and lies." The monks answered, "Tis not because we dread the death wherewith you dost threaten us that we flee, but because we pity you. 'Twas in order that we might not bring on you greater condemnation, that we were eager to escape. Else for ourselves we are never a whit terrified by your threats." At this the king waxed wroth and bade burn them with fire. So by fire were these servants of God made perfect, and received the Martyr's crown. And the king published a decree that, should any be found leading a monk's life, he should be put to death without trial. Thus was there left in that country none of the monastic order, save those that had hid them in mountains and caverns and holes of the earth. So much then concerning this matter.

IV

Ἀνὴρ γάρ τις, τῶν ἐν τέλει τὰ πρῶτα φέρων, ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις ἐτύγχανε, τὸν μὲν βίον ἐπιεικής, εὐσεβὴς δὲ τὴν πίστιν: καί, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίαν, ὡς οἷόν τε, ἐμπορευόμενος, λανθάνων ἦν διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ βασιλέως. ὅθεν τινές, τῆς εἰς τὸν βασιλέα παρρησίας τούτῳ βασκήναντες, διαβάλλειν αὐτὸν ἐμελέτων, καὶ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς διὰ φροντίδος ἦν. καὶ δή ποτε πρὸς θήραν ἐξελθόντι τῷ βασιλεῖ μετὰ τῆς συνήθους αὐτῷ δορυφορίας, εἷς ἦν τῶν συνθηρευτῶν καὶ ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἐκεῖνος ἀνήρ. περιπατοῦντι δὲ αὐτῷ κατὰ μόνας, ἐκ θείας τοῦτο συμβάν, ὡς οἶμαι, οἰκονομίας, εὑρίσκει ἄνθρωπον ἐν λόχμῃ τινὶ κατὰ γῆς ἐρριμμένον, καὶ δεινῶς τὸν πόδα ὑπὸ θηρίου συντετριμμένον, ὅς, ἰδὼν αὐτὸν παριόντα, ἐδυσώπει μὴ παραδραμεῖν, ἀλλ' οἰκτεῖραι αὐτὸν τῆς συμφορᾶς, καὶ εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ἀπαγαγεῖν οἶκον, ἅμα καὶ τοῦτο προστιθείς, ὡς Οὐκ ἀνόνητός σοι καὶ παντελῶς ἀνενέργητος, φησίν, εὑρεθείην ἐγώ. ὁ δὲ λαμπρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ λέγει αὐτῷ: Ἐγὼ μὲν δι' αὐτοῦ τοῦ καλοῦ τὴν φύσιν προσλήψομαί σε καὶ θεραπείας, ὅση δύναμις, ἀξιώσω: ἀλλὰ τίς ἡ ὄνησις, ἣν παρὰ σοῦ μοι ἔσεσθαι ἔφησας; ὁ δὲ πένης ἐκεῖνος καὶ ἀσθενής, Ἐγώ, φησίν, ἄνθρωπός εἰμι θεραπευτὴς ῥημάτων: εἰ γάρ ποτε ἐν ῥήμασιν ἢ ὁμιλίαις πληγή τις ἢ κάκωσις εὑρεθείη, καταλλήλοις φαρμάκοις ταῦτα θεραπεύσω, τοῦ μὴ περαιτέρω τὸ κακὸν χωρῆσαι: ὁ μὲν οὖν εὐσεβὴς ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος τὸ λεχθὲν ἀντ' οὐδενὸς ἡγήσατο, ἐκεῖνον δὲ διὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν ἀπαγαγεῖν οἴκαδε παρεκελεύσατο, καὶ τῆς προσηκούσης ἐπιμελείας οὐκ ἀπεστέρησεν. οἱ δὲ προμνημονευθέντες φθονεροὶ ἐκεῖνοι καὶ βάσκανοι, ἣν πάλαι ὤδινον κακίαν εἰς φῶς προενεγκόντες, διαβάλλουσι τὸν ἄνδρα πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, ὡς, οὐ μόνον τῆς αὐτοῦ φιλίας ἐπιλαθόμενος, ἠλόγησε τῆς πρὸς τοὺς θεοὺς θεραπείας καὶ πρὸς Χριστιανισμὸν ἀπέκλινεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεινὰ κατὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ μελετᾷ βασιλείας, τὸν ὄχλον διαστρέφων καὶ ἑαυτῷ πάντας οἰκειούμενος. Ἀλλ', εἰ βούλει, φασί, βεβαιωθῆναι μηδὲν ἡμᾶς πεπλασμένον λέγειν, καλέσας αὐτὸν ἰδίως, εἰπὲ πειράζων βούλεσθαί σε, καταλιπόντα τὴν πάτριον θρησκείαν καὶ τὴν δόξαν τῆς βασιλείας, Χριστιανὸν γενέσθαι, καὶ τὸ μοναχικὸν περιβαλέσθαι σχῆμα, ὃ πάλαι ἐδίωξας, ὡς οὐ καλῶς δῆθεν τούτου γεγενημένου. οἱ γὰρ ταῦτα δεινῶς κατὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς σκηπτόμενοι ᾔδεισαν τῆς αὐτοῦ γνώμης τὴν εὐκατάνυκτον προαίρεσιν, ὡς, εἰ τοιαῦτα παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούσειεν, ἐκείνῳ μὲν τὰ κρείττονα βουλευσαμένῳ γνώμην δώσειε μὴ ἀναβαλέσθαι πρὸς τὰ καλῶς βεβουλευμένα, καὶ ἐκ τούτου ἀληθῆ λέγοντες ἐκεῖνοι εὑρεθεῖεν.

Ὁ δὲ βασιλεύς, τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς πρὸς αὐτὸν εὔνοιαν ὁπόση μὴ ἀγνοῶν, ἀπίθανά τε ἡγεῖτο καὶ ψευδῆ τὰ λεγόμενα, καὶ ὅτι μὴ ἀβασανίστως ταῦτα προσδέχεσθαι δεῖ, δοκιμάσαι τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ τὴν διαβολὴν διεσκέψατο. καί, προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτὸν κατ' ἰδίαν, ἔφη πειράζων: Οἶδας, ὦ φίλε, ὅσα ἐνεδειξάμην τοῖς τε λεγομένοις μονάζουσι καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς. νυνὶ δέ, μετάμελος ἐπὶ τούτῳ γενόμενος καὶ καταγνοὺς τῶν παρόντων, ἐκείνων βούλομαι γενέσθαι τῶν ἐλπίδων ὧν λεγόντων αὐτῶν ἀκήκοα, ἀθανάτου τινὸς βασιλείας εἰς ἄλλην βιοτὴν μελλούσης ἔσεσθαι: ἡ γὰρ παροῦσα θανάτῳ πάντως διακόπτεται. οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως δὲ τοῦτο κατορθωθῆναί μοι δοκῶ καὶ μὴ διαμαρτεῖν τοῦ σκοποῦ, εἰ μὴ Χριστιανός τε γένωμαι, καὶ χαίρειν εἰπὼν τῇ δόξῃ τῆς ἐμῆς βασιλείας καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἡδέσι καὶ τερπνοῖς τοῦ βίου, τοὺς ἀσκητὰς ἐκείνους καὶ μονάζοντας ζητήσας ὅπου ποτ' ἂν εἶεν, οὓς ἀδίκως ἀπήλασα, ἐκείνοις ἑαυτὸν ἐγκαταμίξω. πρὸς ταῦτα τί φὴς αὐτός, καὶ ὁποίαν δίδως βουλήν; εἰπέ, πρὸς αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας. οἶδα γὰρ ἀληθῆ καὶ εὐγνώμονα εἶναί σε ὑπὲρ πάντας. ὁ δὲ ἀγαθὸς ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος, ὡς ταῦτα ἤκουσε, μηδόλως τὸν ἐγκεκρυμμένον ἐπιγνοὺς δόλον, κατενύγη τὴν ψυχήν, καὶ δάκρυσι συγκεχυμένος ἁπλοϊκῶς ἀπεκρίνατο: Βασιλεῦ, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας ζῆθι: βουλὴν γὰρ ἀγαθὴν καὶ σωτήριον ἐβουλεύσω, ὅτι, κἂν δυσεύρετος ἡ τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλεία, ἀλλ' ὅμως δεῖ ταύτην πάσῃ δυνάμει ζητεῖν: Ὁ ζητῶν γάρ, φησίν, εὑρήσει αὐτήν. ἡ δὲ τῶν παρόντων ἀπόλαυσις, κἂν τῷ φαινομένῳ τέρπῃ καὶ ἡδύνῃ, ἀλλὰ καλὸν αὐτὴν ἀπώσασθαι: ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ τῷ εἶναι οὐκ ἔστι, καὶ οὓς εὐφραίνει ἑπταπλασίως αὖθις λυπεῖ. τά τε γὰρ ἀγαθὰ αὐτῆς τά τε λυπηρὰ σκιᾶς ἐστιν ἀσθενέστερα, καί, ὡς ἴχνη νηὸς ποντοπορούσης ἢ ὀρνέου τὸν ἀέρα διερχομένου, θᾶττον ἀφανίζονται. ἡ δὲ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίς, ἣν κηρύττουσιν οἱ Χριστιανοί, βεβαία ἐστὶ καὶ ἀσφαλεστάτη: θλῖψιν δὲ ἔχει ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἡμέτερα νῦν ἡδέα ὀλιγοχρόνια, ἐκεῖ δὲ ὅλως οὐδὲν ἢ κόλασιν μόνον προξενοῦντα καὶ τιμωρίαν εἰς αἰῶνας μὴ λυομένην: τὸ γὰρ ἡδὺ τούτων πρόσκαιρον, τὸ δὲ ὀδυνηρὸν διηνεκές: τῶν δὲ Χριστιανῶν τὸ μὲν ἐπίπονον πρόσκαιρον, τὸ δὲ ἡδὺ καὶ χρήσιμον ἀθάνατον. κατευθυνθείη οὖν ἡ ἀγαθὴ τοῦ βασιλέως βουλή: καλὸν γάρ, σφόδρα καλὸν τῶν φθαρτῶν τὰ αἰώνια ἀνταλλάξασθαι.

Ἤκουσε ταῦτα ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ λίαν ἐδυσχέραινε, κατέσχε δὲ ὅμως τὴν ὀργήν, καὶ οὐδὲν τέως τῷ ἀνδρὶ λελάληκεν. ὁ δέ, συνετὸς ὢν καὶ ἀγχίνους, ἐπέγνω βαρέως δέξασθαι τὸν βασιλέα τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὅτι δόλῳ ἦν αὐτὸν ἐκπειράζων. ὑποστρέψας δὲ οἴκαδε ἠνιᾶτο καὶ ἐδυσφόρει, ἀπορῶν τίνι τρόπῳ θεραπεύσει τὸν βασιλέα καὶ ἐκφύγῃ τὸν ἐπηρτημένον αὐτῷ κίνδυνον. ἀΰπνῳ δὲ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα διατελοῦντι ἐπὶ μνήμης ἦλθεν αὐτῷ ὁ τὸν πόδα συντετριμμένος, καί, τοῦτον πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἀγαγών, ἔφη: Μέμνημαί σου εἰρηκότος θεραπευτὴν ῥημάτων κεκακωμένων ὑπάρχειν σε. ὁ δέ, Ναί, φησί: καί, εἰ χρῄζεις, ἐπιδείξομαι τὰ τῆς ἐπιστήμης. ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ συγκλητικὸς ἀφηγήσατο αὐτῷ τήν τε ἐξ ἀρχῆς πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εὔνοιαν αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἣν ἐκέκτητο παρρησίαν, καὶ τὴν ἔναγχος προτεθεῖσαν αὐτῷ δολερὰν ὁμιλίαν, καὶ ὅπως αὐτὸς μὲν ἀγαθὰ ἀπεκρίνατο, ἐκεῖνος δὲ δυσχερῶς δεξάμενος τὸν λόγον, τῇ τοῦ προσώπου ἀλλοιώσει τὴν ἐνδομυχοῦσαν αὐτῷ ὀργὴν ἐνεδείξατο.

Ὁ δὲ πένης ἐκεῖνος καὶ ἀσθενὴς διασκεψάμενος ἔφη: Γνωστὸν ἔστω σοι, ἐνδοξότατε, πονηρὰν ἔχειν πρὸς σὲ ὑπόληψιν τὸν βασιλέα, ὡς ὅτι κατασχεῖν αὐτοῦ τὴν βασιλείαν ζητεῖς, καὶ πειράζων σε εἶπεν ἅπερ εἶπεν. ἀναστὰς οὖν, καὶ κείρας σου τὴν κόμην, καὶ ἐκβαλὼν τὰ λαμπρὰ ἱμάτια ταῦτα, τρίχινα δὲ ἀμφιεσάμενος, ἅμα πρωὶ πρόσελθε τῷ βασιλεῖ. τοῦ δὲ πυνθανομένου, Τί σοι τὸ σχῆμα τοῦτο βούλεται; ἀποκρίθητι: Περὶ ὧν μοι χθὲς ὡμίλησας, ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἰδοὺ πάρειμι ἐν ἑτοίμῳ τοῦ ἀκολουθῆσαί σοι τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν προεθυμήθης ὁδεῦσαι: εἰ γὰρ καὶ ποθεινή ἐστιν ἡ τρυφὴ καὶ ἡδίστη, ἀλλὰ μή μοι γένοιτο μετὰ σὲ ταύτην ἀναδέξασθαι: ἡ δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς ὁδός, ἣν μέλλεις βαδίζειν, κἂν δύσκολός ἐστι καὶ τραχεῖα, ἀλλὰ μετὰ σοῦ ὄντι ῥᾳδία μοι αὕτη καὶ εὔκολος καὶ ποθεινή: ὡς γὰρ κοινωνόν με ἔσχες τῶν ἐνταῦθα καλῶν, οὕτω καὶ τῶν λυπηρῶν ἕξεις, ἵνα καὶ τῶν μελλόντων συγκοινωνήσω σοι. ὁ δὲ λαμπρὸς ἐκεῖνος ἀνήρ, ἀποδεξάμενος τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ ἀσθενοῦς, ἐποίησε καθὰ δὴ καὶ αὐτῷ λελάληκεν: ὃν ἰδὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ἀκούσας, ἥσθη μὲν ἐπὶ τούτῳ, ἀγάμενος λίαν τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν εὔνοιαν, ψευδῆ δὲ τὰ κατ' αὐτοῦ λαληθέντα γνούς, πλείονος αὐτὸν τιμῆς καὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν παρρησίας ἀπολαύειν πεποίηκεν: κατὰ δὲ τῶν μοναζόντων ὀργῆς αὖθις ὑπερεπίμπλατο, ἐκείνων εἶναι ταῦτα λέγων τὰ διδάγματα, τὸ ἀπέχεσθαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῶν τοῦ βίου ἡδέων καὶ ἀδήλοις ὀνειροπολεῖσθαι ἐλπίσιν.

Ἐξερχόμενος δὲ αὖθις εἰς θήραν, ὁρᾷ δύο μοναχοὺς κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον διερχομένους, οὓς κρατηθῆναι καὶ τῷ αὐτοῦ προσαχθῆναι ὀχήματι κελεύσας, ὀργίλως τε αὐτοῖς ἐνιδών, καὶ πῦρ, τὸ τοῦ λόγου, πνεύσας, ἔφη: Οὐκ ἠκούσατε, ὦ πλάνοι καὶ ἀπατεῶνες, τῶν κηρύκων διαρρήδην βοώντων μή τινα τῆς ὑμῶν κακοδαιμονίας μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἐν πόλει ἢ χώρᾳ τῆς ἐμῆς εὑρεθῆναι ἐξουσίας, ἢ πάντως πυρίκαυστος ἔσται; οἱ δὲ μοναχοί: Ἰδοὺ (φασὶ) καθὰ δὴ καὶ προσέταξας, ἐξερχομεθά σου τῶν πόλεων καὶ τῶν χωρῶν: μακρᾶς δὲ ἡμῖν τῆς ὁδοῦ προκειμένης τοῦ ἀπελθεῖν πρὸς τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἀδελφούς, ἐνδεῶς ἔχοντες τροφῆς, ταύτην ἐποριζόμεθα, τοῦ ἔχειν τὰ ἐφόδια καὶ μὴ λιμοῦ παρανάλωμα γενέσθαι. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἔφη: Ὁ θανάτου δεδοικὼς ἀπειλὴν οὐκ ἀσχολεῖται εἰς πορισμὸν βρωμάτων. λέγουσιν οἱ μονασταί: Καλῶς εἶπας, ὦ βασιλεῦ: οἱ θάνατον δεδοικότες διὰ φροντίδος ἔχουσι πῶς αὐτὸν ἐκφύγωσι. τίνες δέ εἰσιν οὗτοι, ἀλλ' ἢ οἱ τοῖς ῥευστοῖς προστετηκότες καὶ τούτοις ἐπτοημένοι, οἵτινες, μηδὲν ἀγαθὸν ἐλπίζοντες εὑρεῖν ἐκεῖθεν, δυσαποσπάστως ἔχουσι τῶν παρόντων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δεδοίκασι θάνατον; ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ πάλαι μισήσαντες κόσμον καὶ τὰ ἐν κόσμῳ, καὶ τὴν στενὴν καὶ τεθλιμμένην διὰ Χριστὸν βαδίζοντες ὁδόν, οὔτε θάνατον δεδοίκαμεν, οὔτε τὰ παρόντα ποθοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ τῶν μελλόντων ἐφιέμεθα μόνον. ἐπεὶ οὖν ὁ παρ' ὑμῶν ἐπαγόμενος ἡμῖν θάνατος διαβατήριον γίνεται τῆς ἀϊδίου ζωῆς καὶ κρείττονος, ποθητὸς ἡμῖν μᾶλλον ἢ φοβερός ἐστιν οὗτος.

Ἐφ' οἷς ἐξ ἀγχινοίας δῆθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπιλαβέσθαι τῶν μοναχῶν βουλόμενος, ἔφη: Τί δέ; οὐ πρὸ μικροῦ εἴπατε ὑποχωρεῖν ὑμᾶς, καθὰ δὴ καὶ προσέταξα; καί, εἰ οὐ δεδοίκατε τὸν θάνατον. πῶς φυγῇ ἐχρήσασθε; ἰδοὺ καὶ ταῦτα μάτην κομπάζοντες διεψεύσασθε. ἀπεκρίθησαν οἱ μοναχοί: Οὐ τὸν παρὰ σοῦ ἀπειλούμενον θάνατον δεδοικότες φεύγομεν, ἀλλ' ἐλεοῦντές σε, ἵνα μὴ περισσοτέρας κατακρίσεως αἴτιοί σοι γενώμεθα, προεθυμήθημεν ὑποχωρεῖν: ἐπεί, τό γε εἰς ἡμᾶς ἧκον, οὐδόλως σου τὰς ἀπειλάς ποτε δειλιῶμεν. πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ βασιλεὺς ὀργισθεὶς ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς πυρικαύστους γενέσθαι: καὶ ἐτελειώθησαν οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ θεράποντες διὰ πυρός, τῶν μαρτυρικῶν τυχόντες στεφάνων. δόγμα τε ἐξέθετο, εἴ πού τις εὑρεθῇ μονάζων, ἀνεξετάστως φονεύεσθαι. καὶ οὐδεὶς ὑπελείφθη ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ χώρᾳ τοῦ τοιούτου τάγματος, εἰ μὴ οἱ ἐν ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις καὶ ταῖς ὀπαῖς τῆς γῆς ἑαυτοὺς κατακρύψαντες. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν δὴ τοιαῦτα.