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and to move the exceedingly merciless, by his simplicity, and equity, and by his great and tempered goodness. And who was so given to shamelessness, that on looking at him, did not blush, and somehow become more well-behaved than himself? Perhaps, then, someone hearing such a multitude of right actions, will think that this divine man did not delve into the depth of ecclesiastical doctrines. For what leisure, I would say, did such a man have, being divided among so many virtues? But the knowledge of the divine doctrines was not superficial in him. For he did not pursue this knowledge only so far as to speak and advise others; but he was well-instructed in both: the very doctrines of the Church, and those who attempt to contradict them; the one, learning by practice; the other, for the refutation of heretics. For zeal moved him against the beasts of the Church; whence also a certain unwritten account has reached us, demonstrating to us his zeal for the truth, which goes thus, that the light-minded, or rather, mindless and irrational Apollinarius, having innovated many things and belched them from his belly, hastily composed an unjust writing on piety, compiling it in two books. He entrusted these for safekeeping to a certain woman, who, as it was rumored, ministered to his pleasures. But when the contents of the writing became known to the Great one, the wise man, adopting the guise of his doctrine, approaches the woman who was guarding the profane books, making himself known, and bringing her blessings as if from the desert, and perhaps also devising certain other things. Then, therefore, he beseeches that the writings of the teacher be given to him for the sake of benefit, as he said, so that he might easily contend against the heretics, supposedly so calling us.

But she, her mind not being enlightened, and being deceived that he too was of the party of Apollinarius, provided the books, asking for their swift return. But this great Jacob, having supplanted the profane Esau, and having taken the wicked first-born of his thoughts, wisely withdrew; for having folded leaf upon leaf, and having smeared the whole with fish glue, he worked the entire book into one tablet, one part not being allowed to be separated from the other by the strong bond. Having thus contrived with the two books, he gave them back again to her who had lent them; who, being a woman, and inexperienced in wise thoughts, seeing their appearance to be intact, did not examine their depth. And when not very many days had passed, the divine elder suggests to some of the orthodox to call the impious Apollinarius to a debate. But he, accepting the invitation, and trusting in his godless books, 46.841 came on the appointed day, and he himself refused to debate, being worn out by old age; he requested that his own books be brought forward, and through them to answer and to dispute. Therefore, when his fellow initiates brought the books, being greatly proud of them; that one, grown old in evil days, the judge of iniquity, having taken them, attempted to unroll one of the books. But as it did not yield, being pressed by the glue, he made the attempt about its middle; but it was similarly unrolled. When, therefore, he failed with the first, he then proceeded to the second, and seeing it too to be wholly indivisible and completely unyielding, his face was changed with shame; and in perplexity, he was astonished in his soul, and having been separated from the council, the madman, through despondency and sickness, even drew near to death at last, not bearing the insult. Such was our great father and teacher Ephraim also with regard to his zeal for piety; in some things showing his gentle and equitable nature, when there was no need for war; but in others his astringent and austere side, especially when there was danger concerning the faith, handling all things wisely, and as the occasion required.

For this was no less than his many fastings and tears, and unceasing prayers; I speak of his zeal according to God, or rather, even beyond those; inasmuch as those things limit the benefit to the one doing them alone; but that one

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καὶ τοὺς ἄγαν ἀμειλί κτους κινῆσαι, ἁπλότητι, καὶ ἐπιεικείᾳ, καὶ πολλῇ κεκραμένῃ καλοκἀγαθίᾳ. Καὶ τίς οὕτως ἦν ἀναιδείᾳ προ[σ]κείμενος, ὃς προσβλέψας αὐτὸν, οὐκ ἠρυθρία, καί πως αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ κοσμιώτερος ἐγεγόνει; Τάχα τοίνυν τοσοῦτόν τις πλῆθος ἀκούσας κατορ θωμάτων, δόξει ὡς οὐκ ἐν βάθει τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ἐχώρησε δογμάτων ὁ θεῖος οὗτος ἀνήρ. Ποίαν γὰρ εἶχε σχολὴν, φαίην ἂν, ὁ τοιοῦτος, τοσαύταις μερι ζόμενος ἀρεταῖς; Τῷ δὲ οὐκ ἐπεπόλαζε τῶν θείων δογμάτων ἡ γνῶσις. Οὐ γὰρ ὅσον εἰπεῖν καὶ παραι νέσαι τοῖς ἄλλοις, ταύτην μετῄει· ἀλλ' ἄμφω καλῶς ἐπαιδεύθη, τά τε δόγματα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας αὐτὰ, τά τε τούτοις ἀντιλέγειν ἐπιχειροῦντα· τὰ μὲν, ὅσον ἐπιτη δεύσει μαθών· τὰ δὲ πρὸς ἔλεγχον τῶν αἱρετικῶν. Ζῆλος γὰρ αὐτὸν κατὰ τῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐκίνει θη-ρῶν· ὅθεν καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς ἔφθασέ τε τις ἄγραφος λόγος, τὸν πρὸς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ τούτου ζῆλον ἡμῖν ἀποδεικνὺς, ἔχων οὕτως, ὡς ὁ κουφόνους, μᾶλλον ἄνους καὶ ἄλο γος Ἀπολινάριος, πολλὰ καινοτομήσας καὶ ἀπὸ κοι λίας ἐρευξάμενος, ἄδικον τῆς εὐσεβείας Γραφὴν ἐσχε δίασεν, ἐν δυσὶ βιβλίοις ταύτην συντάξας. Ἐνεχεί ρισε δὲ ταύτας πρὸς φυλακὴν καί τινι, τῇ τὰς ἐκείνου ἡδονὰς, ὡς ἐφημίσθη, θεραπευούσῃ. Ὡς δὲ τῷ Με γάλῳ τὰ τῆς συγγραφῆς ἐγνωρίσθη, τῆς ἐκείνου δόξης σχῆμα πλασάμενος ὁ σοφὸς, προσέρχεται τῇ γυναικὶ τῇ τὰς βίβλους φυλαττούσῃ τὰς βεβήλους, ἀναγνωρι ζόμενος, καὶ εὐλογίας αὐτῇ ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρήμου κο μίζων, τάχα δὲ καὶ ἕτερά τινα τεχναζόμενος. Ὕστε ρον οὖν ἱκετεύει δοθῆναι αὐτῷ χάριν ὠφελείας, ὡς ἔλεγε, τὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου συγγράμματα, ὡς ἂν τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς, ἡμᾶς οὕτω δῆθεν ἀποκαλῶν, ἀντιφέρεσθαι εὐπετῶς ἔχοι.

Ἡ δὲ τὸν νοῦν οὐκ ἐμφω[τισ]θεῖσα, καὶ τῶν τῆς Ἀπολιναρίου συμμορίας καὶ τοῦτον εἶναι φε νακισθεῖσα, τὰς βίβλους παρέσχετο, ταχινὴν ἀξιώσασα τὴν τούτων γενέσθαι ἀποστροφήν. Ὁ δὲ μέγας οὗτος Ἰακὼβ, τὸν βέβηλον πτερνίσας Ἡσαῦ, καὶ τὰ πονηρὰ πρωτότοκα τῶν τούτου νοημάτων λαβὼν, σοφῶς ὑπεξῆλθε· φύλλον γὰρ φύλλῳ προσπτύξας, ἰχθύος τε κόλλῃ τὸ πᾶν καταχρίσας, ὡς ἓν πυκτίον τὸ πᾶν τῆς βίβλου κατειργάσατο, θάτερον μέρος θατέρου διασπα σθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ σφοδροῦ συνδέσμου μὴ συγχωρούμενον. Οὕτως ταῖς δυσὶ τεχνασάμενος βίβλοις, τῇ χρησάσῃ πάλιν ἀνταπέδωκεν· ἣ, οἷα γυνὴ, καὶ τῶν σοφῶν ἄπειρος νοημάτων, τὴν πρόσοψιν τούτων σώαν θεα σαμένη, περὶ τοῦ βάθους οὐκ ἠκριβολόγησεν. Ἡμερῶν δὲ οὐ πάνυ συχνῶν διελθουσῶν, τισὶ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων ὑποτίθησιν ὁ θεῖος πρεσβύτης, τὸν ἀσεβῆ καλέσαι Ἀπολινάριον διαλεξόμενον. Ὁ δὲ τὴν πρόσ-κλησιν δεξάμενος, καὶ ταῖς ἀθέοις αὐτοῦ βίβλοις 46.841 θαῤῥῶν, εἰς τὴν κυρίαν ἀπήντησε, καὶ διαλέγεσθαι μὲν αὐτὸς ὡς γήρᾳ τρυχωθεὶς, ἀπηνήνατο· τὰς οἰ κείας βίβλους προκομισθῆναι, καὶ δι' αὐτῶν ἀπο κρίνασθαι καὶ ἀντιλέγειν ἠξίου. Ὡς οὖν οἱ τούτου συμμύσται τὰς βίβλους ἐκόμισαν, μεγάλως ἐπ' αὐ ταῖς βρενθυόμενοι· λαβὼν ἐκεῖνος ὁ πεπαλαιωμένος κακῶν ἡμερῶν τῆς ἀδικίας κριτὴς, τὴν μίαν βίβλων ἀναπτύξαι ἐπεχείρει. Ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἐνεδίδου τῇ κόλλῃ πιεσθεῖσα, περὶ τὸ μέσον ταύτης τὴν ὁρμὴν ἐποιεῖτο· ἡ δὲ ὁμοίως ἦν ἀνεπτυγμένη. Ὡς γοῦν τῆς πρώτης ἠστόχησεν, ἐπὶ τὴν δευτέραν λοιπὸν ἐχώρησε, καὶ δὴ καὶ αὐτὴν ὅλην ἀδιαίρετον καὶ πάντως ἀνύπεικτον κατιδὼν, τῇ μὲν αἰσχύνῃ τὸ πρόσωπον ἠλλοιώθη· τῇ ἀπορίᾳ δὲ, τὴν ψυχὴν ἐξεπλάγη, καὶ τοῦ συνεδρίου χωρισθεὶς ὁ παραπλὴξ ἀθυμίᾳ καὶ νόσῳ, καὶ τέλος θανάτῳ προσήγγισε, τὴν ὕβριν οὐκ ἐνεγκών. Τοιοῦτος ἦν καὶ πρὸς τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας ζῆλον ὁ μέγας πατὴρ ἡμῶν καὶ διδάσκαλος Ἐφραΐμ· ἐν ἄλλοις μὲν τὸ πρᾶον καὶ ἐπιεικὲς ἐνδεικνύμενος, ὅτε μὴ χρεία πολέμου· ἐν ἄλλοις δὲ τὸ στύφον καὶ αὐ στηρὸν, ὅτε μάλιστα περὶ τὴν πίστιν ὁ κίνδυνος, πάντα σοφῶς μετερχόμενος, καὶ ὡς ὁ καιρὸς ἐδεῖτο.

Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο τῶν πολλῶν αὐτοῦ νηστειῶν καὶ δακρύων, καὶ ἀκαταπαύστων οὐκ ἔλαττον προσευχῶν· ὁ κατὰ Θεὸν λέγω ζῆλος, μᾶλλον δὲ, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐκεῖνα· ὅσον αὐτὰ μὲν εἰς μόνον τὸν δράσαντα περι ορίζει τὴν ὄνησιν· ἐκεῖνο