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ordered—he established the ascetic wrestling-ground. And he drew to himself many other athletes of philosophy, and he drew also the great Acacius, I mean the renowned, the much-talked-of, who excelled in the monastic life, and sent forth brilliant rays of virtue, having been deemed worthy of the high priesthood and having received the lot of shepherding Beroea. And having been entrusted with the care of this flock for fifty-eight years, he did not abandon the form of the ascetic life, but blended ascetic and civic virtue; and taking the exactness of the one and the management of the other, he brought together into one things that were separate. 2.10 But of this virtue that Asterius was both a hunter and a trainer, who remained so ardent a lover of the great Elder that often twice a year, and often even three times, he would make the journey to him. And arriving, he was accustomed to bring dried figs to the company, placing the loads upon three or four beasts of burden. But gathering two medimni, as sufficient for the old man for the whole year, he would place such a burden on his own shoulders, both calling and making himself a beast of burden for his teacher. And carrying this burden he would walk, not for ten or twenty stades, but completing a journey of seven days. And once the Elder, seeing him carrying the burden of dried figs on his shoulders, was displeased and said that he would not make these his food, for it was not right that the one should endure so much toil, while he himself should luxuriate in his sweat. But when the other swore that he would not relieve his shoulders of the burden unless the Elder agreed to partake of the food that had been brought: "I will do," said the old man, "what is commanded, only put down the sack as quickly as possible". 2.11 For in this too he was imitating the first of the apostles who, when the Lord wished to wash his feet, at first refused, protesting that this would not happen. But when he heard that he would be cut off from the Lord's fellowship if he did not permit this, he begged that both his hands and his head be washed in addition to his feet. So also John the renowned, when commanded to baptize the Savior, at first both confessed his own servitude and pointed out the master; but later he carried out what was commanded, not using audacity, but obeying his master. So also this divine man was burdened at enjoying food while another was toiling; but when he saw the most ardent eagerness of his attendant, he preferred the care of that man to his own choice. 2.12 And perhaps one of those who are fond of censure and have been taught only to mock what is good might say that this narrative is not worthy of mention. But I have added this to the man's other wonders, not only wishing to show the reverence of great men for him, but also considering it profitable to declare the sweetness and moderation of his character. For being so great and such in virtue, he did not consider himself worthy even of the slightest honor and would push it away, as in no way belonging to him, but then he would endure it, as benefiting those who offered it. 2.13 Fleeing this—for having become known to all, he drew to himself through his fame the lovers of good things—he finally set out for Mount Sinai with a few of his closest companions, not entering a city, nor a village, but making the pathless desert passable. And they carried on their shoulders their necessary food—I mean the bread and salt—and a cup made of wood and a sponge tied to a cord so that, if ever they should find deeper water, they might draw it up with the sponge,

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τεταγμένη-τὴν ἀσκητικὴν παλαίστραν ἐπήξατο. Καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν καὶ ἄλλους φιλοσοφίας πρὸς ἑαυτὸν εἵλκυσεν ἀθλητάς, εἵλκυσε δὲ καὶ τὸν μέγαν Ἀκάκιον, τὸν πάνυ λέγω, τὸν πολυθρύλητον, ὃς διέπρεψε μὲν ἐν μοναχικῇ πολιτείᾳ, λαμπρὰς δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐξέπεμψεν, ἀρχιερωσύνης ἀξιωθεὶς καὶ τὴν Βέροιαν ποιμαίνειν λαχών. Ὀκτὼ δὲ καὶ πεντήκοντα ἔτη τῆσδε τῆς ἀγέλης τὴν κηδεμονίαν ἐγχειρι σθείς, οὐκ εἴασε μὲν τῆς ἀσκητικῆς πολιτείας τὸ εἶδος, ἀσκητικὴν δὲ καὶ πολιτικὴν ἐκέρασεν ἀρετήν· καὶ τῆς μὲν τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, τῆς δὲ τὴν οἰκονομίαν λαβὼν, εἰς ἓν τὰ διεστῶτα συνήγαγεν. 2.10 Ἀλλὰ ταύτης τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ θηρευτὴς καὶ παιδο τρίβης Ἀστέριος ἐκεῖνος ἐγένετο, ὃς οὕτω θερμὸς τοῦ μεγάλου Πρεσβύτου διέμεινεν ἐραστὴς ὡς πολλάκις μὲν καὶ δὶς τοῦ ἔτους, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ τρὶς τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀποδημίαν ποιεῖσθαι. Ἀφικνούμενος δὲ ἰσχάδας εἰώθει τοῖς θιασώταις κομίζειν, τρισὶν ἢ τέτταρσι κτήνεσιν ἐπι τιθεὶς τὰ φορτία. ∆ύο δὲ μεδίμνους συλλέγων, ὡς διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ἔτους ἀποχρῶντας τῷ γέροντι, τοῖς οἰκείοις ὤμοις ἐπετίθει τὸ τοιοῦτον φορτίον, κτῆνος ἑαυτὸν τοῦ διδασκάλου καὶ καλῶν καὶ ποιούμενος. Καὶ τοῦτο φέρων τὸ φορτίον ἐβάδιζεν, οὐ δέκα σταδίους ἢ εἴκοσιν, ἀλλ' ἑπτὰ ἡμερῶν ἐξανύων πορείαν. Καί ποτε θεασάμενος ὁ Πρεσβύτης ἐπ' ὤμων αὐτὸν φέροντα τὸ τῶν ἰσχάδων φορτίον, δυσχεράνας ἔφη μὴ ποιήσασθαι ἂν ταῦτα τροφήν, οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον ἐκεῖνον μὲν τοσοῦτον ὑπομένειν κόπον, αὐτὸν δὲ τοῖς ἱδρῶσιν ἐντρυφᾶν τοῖς ἐκείνου. Τοῦ δὲ ἀπομοσαμένου ὡς οὐκ ἀπαλλάξει τοῦ φορτίου τοὺς ὤμους, εἰ μὴ συνομολογήσειεν ὁ Πρεσβύτης μεταλήψεσθαι τῆς κομισθείσης τροφῆς· "Ποιήσω, ἔλεγεν ὁ γέρων, τὸ κελευόμενον, μόνον ἀπόθου τὸν θύλακον ὅτι τάχιστα". 2.11 Ἐμιμεῖτο γὰρ κἀν τούτῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων τὸν πρῶτον ὅς, τοῦ κυρίου ἀπονίψαι αὐτοῦ τοὺς πόδας ἐθελή σαντος, πρότερον μὲν ἠρνήθη, ἀντισχυρισάμενος ὡς οὐ γενήσεται τοῦτο. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἤκουσεν ὡς τῆς δεσποτικῆς ἀπορραγήσεται κοινωνίας εἰ μὴ τοῦτο συγχωρήσειεν, ἱκέτευε καὶ τὼ χεῖρε πρὸς τοῖς ποσὶ καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀπονίψασθαι. Οὕτω καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ πάνυ βαπτίσαι κελευσθεὶς τὸν σωτῆρα, πρότερον μὲν καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ὡμολόγησε δουλείαν καὶ τὸν δεσπότην ὑπέδειξεν· ὕστερον δὲ τὸ κελευσθὲν ἐπετέλεσεν, οὐ θρασύτητι χρώμενος, ἀλλὰ δεσπότῃ πειθόμενος. Οὕτω δὲ καὶ ὁ θεῖος οὗτος ἀνὴρ ἐβαρύνετο μέν, ἑτέρου πονοῦντος, αὐτὸς ἀπολαύειν τροφῆς· ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶδε θερμοτάτην τοῦ θεραπευτοῦ τὴν προθυμίαν, τῆς οἰκείας αἱρέσεως τὴν ἐκείνου θεραπείαν προείλετο. 2.12 Καὶ ἴσως τις τῶν φιλοψόγων καὶ σκώπτειν τὰ καλὰ μόνον δεδιδαγμένων φαίη ἂν μὴ ἀξιομνημόνευτον εἶναι τουτὶ τὸ διήγημα. Ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς ταῖς ἄλλαις τοῦ ἀνδρὸς θαυματουργίαις καὶ τοῦτο προστέθηκα, οὐ μόνον τῶν μεγάλων ἀνδρῶν τὸ περὶ αὐτὸν σέβας ἐπιδεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ ἤθους αὐτοῦ τὸ γλυκὺ καὶ μέτριον δηλῶσαι κερδαλέον ἡγούμενος. Τοσοῦτος γὰρ ὢν καὶ τοιοῦτος τὴν ἀρετήν, οὐδὲ τῆς τυχούσης τιμῆς ἄξιον ἑαυτὸν ὑπελάμβανε καὶ ἀπωθεῖτο μὲν αὐτὴν, ὡς οὐδαμόθεν αὐτῷ προσήκουσαν, ἠνείχετο δὲ πάλιν, ὡς τοὺς δρῶντας εὐεργετοῦσαν. 2.13 Ταύτην ἀποδιδράσκων-δῆλος γὰρ ἅπασι γεγονὼς εἷλκε πρὸς αὑτὸν διὰ τῆς φήμης τοὺς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐραστάς-, τὸ τέλος ἐπὶ τὸ Σίναιον ὄρος μετ' ὀλίγων τῶν συνηθεστέρων ἐξώρμησεν, οὐ πόλεως ἐπιβαίνων, οὐ κώμης, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄβατον ἔρημον βατὴν ἐργαζόμενος. Ἔφερον δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων καὶ τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τροφὴν-τὸν ἄρτον φημὶ καὶ τοὺς ἅλας-καὶ κώθωνα ἐκ ξύλου πεποιημένον καὶ σπογγιὰν σμηρίνθῳ προσδεδεμένην ὅπως, εἴ ποτε βαθύτερον εὕροιεν ὕδωρ, ἀνιμήσαιντο μὲν τῇ σπογγιᾷ,