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was reciting a tragedy, and showed the small oil-flask. And he was indignant, as was natural for one not wanting to display his virtue; but having threatened nevertheless, that if he dared such things again, he would be deprived of that company and stripped of his ministry- and the loss was very great to those who understood the gain-, he sent him away, ordering him to return it to the one who had given it. And while he was giving these orders, the demon, four stages away from the one casting him out, cried out the power; and Marcianus in Beroea was doing the work of judges, using certain executioners against the demon, both casting out the sinner, and declaring the girl clean of his influence. And the girl's father learned this precisely. For as he was returning and was a few stades away from the city, a certain servant met him, having been sent to the country by his mistress. This man, therefore, seeing his master, brought the good news of the miracle that had occurred, saying that the wonder had happened four days before. Therefore, having counted the days and examined the time precisely, he learned that it was that time in which the presbyter had brought out the small oil-flask. 3.10 But I take into consideration what this great man would not have done, if he wished to work miracles. For if even while being eager to hide the grace he had received, he emitted such radiance, what wonder would he not have worked if he had wanted to? So also he did not reveal his spiritual wisdom to all, and this at the last, having permitted those who wished to come in to him after the feast of the saving passion and the Lord's resurrection. 3.11 Indeed, at that time everyone was eager to see him. And indeed at one time the first of the bishops came to him, gathered together: Flavian the great, entrusted with shepherding the Antiochenes, and the divine Acacius, whom I also mentioned before, and Eusebius of the Chalcidians, and Isidore, who was then entrusted with governing Cyrrhus, all excelling in virtue. And with them was also Theodotus, holding the reins of Hierapolis, shining in asceticism and gentleness. And there were present some men of office and rank, having the spark of faith. Therefore, as all were sitting in silence and awaiting his sacred voice, he himself also sat silent for a long time, his tongue being idle, but his hearing being active. Then one of those sitting, who was an acquaintance of his because of the care of his soul and was otherwise brilliant in rank: "All, he said, O father, and the divine fathers, thirsting for your teaching, await your sweetest streams. Therefore, share the benefit with all who are present, and do not hold back the fountains of your benefaction." But with a great groan: "The God of all," said he, "every day, both speaks through creation, and converses through the divine scriptures, and advises what is necessary, and introduces what is expedient, and frightens with threats, and exhorts with promises, and we reap no benefit. How then could Marcianus benefit by speaking, since he along with others sends away so much benefit and is unwilling to find profit from there?" From this, many words were set in motion by the fathers, which I thought it superfluous to insert into the narrative. But having stood up and prayed, and wanting to impose upon him the ordination of the priesthood, they feared the attempt again. And this one urged that one, and that one this one. But all having likewise refused, they made their return. 3.12 But I wish to add to these another story, which is a mark of his divine understanding. A certain Abitus was the first to set up an ascetic hut in the other desert; and it is more northerly than this one and lies a little toward the east, according to the north wind which is near the east wind. This man of the great Marcianus

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τραγῳδίαν ἐδίδασκε, καὶ τὸ ληκύθιον ἐπεδείκνυ. Ὁ δὲ ἠγανάκτει μέν, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν τὸν δεικνύναι τὴν ἀρετὴν οὐ βουλόμενον· ἀπειλήσας δὲ ὅμως, ὡς, εἰ αὖθις τοιαῦτα τολμήσειε, καὶ τῆς συνουσίας ἐκείνης στερη θήσεται, καὶ τὴν διακονίαν ἀφαιρεθήσεται- μεγίστη δὲ ἦν ἡ ζημία τοῖς τὸ κέρδος ἐπισταμένοις-, ἀπέπεμψεν ἀποδοῦναι τῷ δεδωκότι κελεύσας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ταῦτα ἐκέλευε· τέτταρας δὲ σταθμοὺς ὁ δαίμων ἀφεστηκὼς τοῦ ἐξελαύνοντος ἐβόα τὴν δύναμιν· καὶ Μαρκιανὸς ἐν Βεροίᾳ τὰ δικαστῶν εἰργάζετο δημίοις τισὶ κατὰ τοῦ δαίμονος χρώμενος, καὶ τὸν ἀλιτήριον ἐξελαύνων, καὶ τὴν κόρην καθαρὰν τῆς ἐνεργείας ἀποφαίνων ἐκείνου. Καὶ τοῦτο μεμάθηκεν ἀκριβῶς ὁ τῆς κόρης πατήρ. Ἐπανιόντι γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ ὀλίγους τοῦ ἄστεως σταδίους ἀπέχοντι οἰκέτης τις ἀπήντησεν, εἰς ἀγρὸν ὑπὸ τῆς δεσποίνης ἀποσταλείς. Οὗτος οὖν τὸν δεσπότην θεασάμενος προσέφερε τῆς γεγενημένης θαυματουργίας τὰ εὐαγγέλια, πρὸ τεττάρων ἡμερῶν λέγων γεγενῆσθαι τὸ θαῦμα. Ἀριθμήσας τοίνυν τὰς ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσας, ἐκεῖνον εἶναι μεμάθηκεν, ἐν ᾧ τὸ ληκύθιον ἐξεκόμισεν ὁ πρεσβύτης. 3.10 Ἐγὼ δὲ εἰς ἔννοιαν λαμβάνω τί οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασεν ὁ μέγας οὗτος ἀνήρ, εἰ θαυματουργεῖν ἐβούλετο. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ κρύπτειν ἐσπουδακὼς ἣν ἐδέξατο χάριν, τοσαύτην αἴγλην ἠφίει, ποίαν οὐκ ἂν τερατουργίαν ἐθελήσας εἰργάσατο; Οὕτω δὲ καὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν αὐτοῦ σοφίαν οὐχ ἅπασιν ἐδήλου, καὶ ταῦτα τὸ τελευταῖον, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους καὶ τῆς δεσποτικῆς ἀναστάσεως ἑορτὴν εἰσιέναι τοὺς βουλομένους πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπιτρέψας. 3.11 Ἀμέλει κατ' ἐκεῖνον ἅπαντες ὁρᾶν αὐτὸν ἐσπούδαζον τὸν καιρόν. Καὶ δή ποτε ἀφίκοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν συναχθέντες τῶν ἀρχιερέων οἱ πρῶτοι, Φλαβιανὸς ὁ μέγας τὴν Ἀντιοχέων ποιμαίνειν πεπιστευμένος, καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀκάκιος, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθην, Εὐσέβιός τε ὁ τῆς Χαλκιδέων, καὶ Ἰσίδωρος ὁ τότε τὴν Κύρρον κυβερνᾶν πεπιστευμένος, ἀρετῇ διαπρέποντες. Συνῆν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ Θεόδοτος τῆς Ἱεραπολιτῶν κατέχων τὰς ἡνίας, ἀσκήσει καὶ πρᾳότητι λάμπων. Παρῆσαν δέ τινες τῶν ἐν τέλει καὶ ἀξιώμασι, τῆς πίστεως τὸ ζώπυρον ἔχοντες. Πάντων τοίνυν σιγῇ καθημένων καὶ τὴν ἱερὰν ἐκείνου προσδεχομένων φωνήν, σιγῶν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ πολὺ καθῆστο, ἀργῶν μὲν τὴν γλῶτταν, ἐνεργὸν δὲ παρέχων τὴν ἀκοήν. Τότε τις τῶν καθημένων, συνήθης ὢν αὐτῷ διὰ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ ἄλλως δὲ ἀξιώματι λάμπων· "Ἅπαντες, ἔφη, ὦ πάτερ, καὶ οἱ θεῖοι πατέρες τῆς σῆς διψῶντες διδασκαλίας, τὰ ἥδιστά σου προσμένουσι νάματα. Μετάδος τοίνυν τοῖς παροῦσιν ἅπασι τῆς ὠφελείας, καὶ μὴ κωλύσῃς τοὺς τῆς εὐεργεσίας κρουνούς." Ὁ δὲ μέγα στενάξας· "Ὁ τῶν ὅλων, ἔφη, θεὸς καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, καὶ διὰ τῆς κτίσεως φθέγγεται, καὶ διὰ τῶν θείων γραφῶν διαλέγεται, καὶ παραινεῖ τὰ δέοντα, καὶ εἰσηγεῖται τὰ συμφέροντα, καὶ ἀπειλαῖς δεδίτ τεται, καὶ προτρέπει ταῖς ὑποσχέσεσι, καὶ ὄνησιν οὐδεμίαν καρπούμεθα. Πῶς ἂν τοίνυν Μαρκιανὸς φθεγγόμενος ὠφελήσειε, τοσαύτην ὠφέλειαν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποπεμ πόμενος καὶ ὄνησιν ἐκεῖθεν εὕρασθαι μὴ βουλόμενος;" Ἐντεῦθεν πολλοὶ μὲν παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἐκινήθησαν λόγοι, οὓς ἐνθεῖναι τῷ διηγήματι παρέλκον ἐνόμισα. Ἀναστάντες δὲ καὶ προσευξάμενοι, καὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης αὐτῷ τὴν χειρο τονίαν ἐπιθεῖναι θελήσαντες, ἔδεισαν πάλιν τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν. Καὶ οὗτος μὲν ἐκείνῳ, ἐκεῖνος δὲ τούτῳ παρεκελεύετο. Πάντες δὲ ὁμοίως παραιτησάμενοι τὴν ἐπάνοδον ἐποιήσαντο. 3.12 Ἀλλὰ γὰρ βούλομαι καὶ ἄλλο τούτοις προσθεῖναι διήγημα, τῆς θείας ὕπαρχον αὐτοῦ συνέσεως γνώρισμα. Ἄβιτός τις εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν ἔρημον τὴν ἀσκητικὴν καλύβην πρῶτος ἐπήξατο· βορειοτέρα δὲ ταύτης ἐστὶ καὶ μικρὸν πρὸς ἕω κειμένη κατὰ τὸν ἀπαρκτίαν ἄνεμον τὸν τῷ ἀφη λιώτῃ πελάζοντα. Οὗτος τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρκιανοῦ