his own hand and the things written, he found the oracle written on his hand. 6.4.4 And it is this: Threads are set on the threads of two Fates for your life. If you would embrace cities and the towns of men, then you shall have imperishable fame, shepherding the godlike impulse of young men. But if you shepherd the pasture of sheep and also of bulls, then indeed expect yourself to be a companion even to the blessed immortals. Thus has the thread spun for you. 6.4.5 And the oracle held these things; but he, following, as one ought to follow, was urged on toward the better path, and he looked around for a small piece of land and applied himself to the life of a certain goatherd herdsman; but he did not escape the notice of those needing words or education on account of his pre-established fame, but tracking him down they stood around him, like dogs howling around the gateways, and threatening to tear him apart, if he should turn so great and so much wisdom to the mountains and the cliffs and the trees, as if he had not even been born a man nor knew what is human. 6.4.6 And having been forced by such words and deeds into common association, he gave himself over, carrying himself to the worse of the paths, and he left Cappadocia, handing over to Eustathius the care of things there (and they were not distant in lineage). 6.4.7 But he himself, having crossed into Asia, with all Asia stretching out its hands to him, settled in old Pergamum, and to him came both Greeks and the neighbors, and his fame touched the stars. 6.5.1 But concerning Eustathius it is even impious to omit the things that lead to the truth; for it was agreed by all that this man was seen and was most handsome, and most formidable to come to a test of words, and the charm on his tongue and lips seemed not outside of sorcery. And so much gentleness and mildness blossomed in his words and poured forth, that those who heard his voice and words, having given themselves up, just like those who tasted the lotus, 6.5.2 hung upon his voice and words. In this way indeed he was not far from the musical Sirens, so that the emperor <summoned> him, and yet he was engrossed in the books of the Christians, since a disturbance possessed him, and a certain necessity was pressing from the king of the Persians, who had already invested and was shooting up Antioch, who indeed, having seized the heights above the theater unexpectedly and suddenly, shot down and destroyed the great multitude of spectators. 6.5.3 But although these things were occupying him, so 6.5.3 were all captivated and bewitched, that no one hesitated to introduce a Greek man to the ears of the emperor; and yet the emperors were formerly accustomed to appoint for embassies those praised in the army, either army commanders or those chosen for command after them; 6.5.4 then, even with necessity reigning, the most prudent of all was sought out and agreed upon: Eustathius. Therefore he was summoned by the emperor, and was immediately present, and such great charm was upon his lips, that those who advised the embassy be sent through Eustathius both obtained greater dignities from the emperor, and the emperor inclined toward their good will. 6.5.5 So some of these even voluntarily set out with him on the embassy, wishing to make a greater test, whether the man had the same charm even with the barbarians. 6.5.6 And when they arrived in the land of the Persians, and although a certain Sapor was reported to be tyrannical and savage toward those who approached, and truly he was, [and] it was reported, but nevertheless when Eustathius had an audience with the king as part of the common embassy, he admired both the haughtiness in his eyes and his gentleness, although he had contrived many things to astound the man. 6.5.7 And as he heard the voice of him speaking gently and without distress, and of the things running forth in an orderly manner and
ἑαυτοῦ χεῖρα καὶ τὰ γεγραμμένα, εὗρε τὸν χρησμὸν ἐπὶ τῆς χειρὸς 6.4.4 γεγραμμένον. ἔστι δὲ οὗτος· δοιῶν Μοιράων ἐπὶ νήμασι νήματα κεῖται εἵνεκα σῆς βιοτῆς. εἰ μὲν πτολίεθρ' ἀγαπάζοις ἄστεά τ' αὖ φωτῶν, καί σοι κλέος ἄφθιτον ἔσται, ἀνδρῶν ποιμαίνοντι νέων θεοείκελον ὁρμήν. ἢν δ' αὖ ποιμαίνῃς μήλων νομὸν ἠδ' ἔτι ταύρων, δὴ τότε σαυτὸν ἔελπε συνήορα καὶ μακάρεσσιν ἔμμεναι ἀθανάτοισι. λίνον δέ τοι ὧδε νένευκεν. 6.4.5 Καὶ ὁ μὲν χρησμὸς ταῦτα εἶχεν· ὁ δὲ ἑπόμενος, ὥσπερ ἕπεσθαι χρή, πρὸς τὴν κρείττονα ὁδὸν συνηπείγετο, καὶ χωρίδιόν τέ τι περιεσκόπει καὶ πρὸς αἰπολίου τινὸς βοτῆρος ἑαυτὸν ἐνέτεινε βίον· τοὺς δὲ λόγων δεομένους ἢ παιδείας διὰ τὸ προκατακεχυμένον κλέος οὐκ ἐλάνθανεν, ἀλλ' ἀνιχνεύοντες αὐτὸν περιεστήκεσαν, ὥσπερ κύνες ὠρυόμενοι περὶ τὰ πρόθυρα, καὶ διασπάσασθαι ἀπειλοῦντες, εἰ τοσαύτην καὶ τηλικαύτην σοφίαν ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη καὶ τοὺς κρημνοὺς καὶ τὰ δένδρα τρέποι, καθάπερ οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπος γεγονὼς 6.4.6 οὐδὲ εἰδὼς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον. τοιούτοις δὲ λόγοις τε καὶ ἔργοις ἐκβιασθεὶς εἰς τὴν κοινὴν ὁμιλίαν, ἐπέδωκεν ἑαυτὸν φέρων τῇ χείρονι τῶν ὁδῶν, καὶ τὴν μὲν Καππαδοκίαν ἐξέλιπεν, Εὐσταθίῳ παραδοὺς ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τῶν ἐκείνῃ (καὶ κατὰ 6.4.7 γένος οὐκ ἀφεστήκεσαν). αὐτὸς δὲ εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν διαβάς, ὅλης Ἀσίας προτεινούσης αὐτῷ χεῖρας, ἐν τῷ παλαιῷ Περγάμῳ καθιδρύθη, καὶ παρ' ἐκεῖνον μὲν Ἕλληνές τε ἐφοίτων καὶ οἱ πρόσχωροι, καὶ ἡ δόξα τῶν ἄστρων ἔψαυεν. 6.5.1 Περὶ δὲ Εὐσταθίου καὶ ἀσεβές ἐστι παραλιπεῖν τὰ ἐς ἀλήθειαν φέροντα· παρὰ πάντων γὰρ συνωμολογεῖτο τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον ὀφθῆναι καὶ εἶναι κάλλιστον, καὶ εἰς πεῖραν λόγων ἐλθεῖν δεινότατον, τό τε ἐπὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ καὶ τοῖς χείλεσιν αἱμύλιον οὐκ ἔξω γοητείας ἐδόκει. καὶ τὸ μείλιχον καὶ ἥμερον ἐπὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις ἐπήνθει καὶ συνεξεχεῖτο τοσοῦτον, ὥστε οἱ τῆς φωνῆς ἀκούσαντες καὶ τῶν λόγων, παραδόντες αὑτούς, καθάπερ οἱ τοῦ λωτοῦ γευσάμενοι, 6.5.2 τῆς φωνῆς ἐξεκρέμαντο καὶ τῶν λόγων. οὕτω δὴ πολύ τι τῶν μουσικῶν οὐκ ἀπεῖχε Σειρήνων, ὥστε ὁ βασιλεὺς <μετεκάλεσεν> αὐτόν, καί τοί γε τοῖς τῶν χριστιανῶν ἐνεχόμενος βιβλίοις, ἐπειδὴ θόρυβος αὐτὸν κατεῖχε, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως ἀνάγκη τις ἐπέκειτο, καὶ τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν ἤδη περιειργασμένου καὶ συντοξεύοντος, ὅς γε τὴν ἄκραν τὴν ὑπερκειμένην τοῦ θεάτρου καταλαβὼν ἀδοκήτως καὶ ἐξαπιναίως, τὸ πολὺ πλῆθος τῶν θεωμένων συνετό6.5.3 ξευσε καὶ διέφθειρε. τούτων δὲ ὅμως κατεχόντων, οὕτως 6.5.3 πάντες ἦσαν ᾑρημένοι καὶ κατακεκηλημένοι, ὥστε μὴ κατοκνῆσαί τινα Ἕλληνα ἄνθρωπον ἐς τὰ ὦτα τοῦ βασιλέως παραβαλεῖν· καί τοί γε εἰώθεσαν πρότερον οἱ βασιλεύοντες τοὺς κατὰ στρατιὰν ἐπαινουμένους ἐπὶ τὰς πρεσβείας χειροτονεῖν, ἤτοι γε στρατοπεδάρχας ἢ ὅσοι γε μετ' ἐκεί6.5.4 νους ἐς τὸ ἄρχειν ἐξῃρημένοι· τότε καὶ ἀνάγκης τυραννούσης, ὁ φρονιμώτατος ἁπάντων περιεσκοπεῖτο καὶ συνωμολογεῖτο Εὐστάθιος. μετεκλήθη τε οὖν ἐκ τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ αὐτίκα παρῆν, καὶ τοσαύτη τις ἐπῆν ἀφροδίτη τοῖς χείλεσιν, ὥστε οἱ συμβουλεύσαντες τὴν πρεσβείαν δι' Εὐσταθίου πεμφθῆναι, ἀξιωμάτων τε ἔτυχον παρὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ μειζόνων, καὶ πρὸς τὴν εὔνοιαν αὐτῶν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπεκλί6.5.5 νετο. τούτων μὲν οὖν τινες αὐτῷ καὶ ἐθελονταὶ συνεξώρμησαν ἐπὶ τὴν πρεσβείαν, μείζονα διάπειραν θέλοντες λαβεῖν, εἰ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς βαρβάρους ἔχοι τὸ αὐτὸ θελκτήριον 6.5.6 ὁ ἄνθρωπος. ὡς δὲ εἰς τὴν Περσῶν ἀφίκοντο χώραν, καί τοί γε τυραννικὸς καὶ ἄγριός τις Σαπώρης εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς ἐσιόντας, ἦν τε ἀληθῶς, [καὶ] ἐξηγγέλλετο, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐπεὶ πρόσοδος Εὐσταθίῳ κατὰ τὴν κοινὴν πρεσβείαν ἐγένετο πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, τήν τε ὑπεροψίαν τὴν ἐν τοῖς ὄμμασι καὶ τὸ μείλιχον ἐθαύμασε, καί τοί γε πολλὰ ἐς κατάπληξιν 6.5.7 τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μηχανησάμενος. καὶ ὡς ἡμέρως καὶ ἀλύπως διαλεγομένου τῆς φωνῆς ἤκουσεν, καὶ τῶν ἐπιτρεχουσῶν κοσμίως καὶ