XXVIII.

When Nachor had fully delivered this oration, the king changed countenance for very anger, but his orators and temple-keepers stood speechless, having nothing but a few weak and rotten shreds of argument in reply. But the king's son rejoiced in spirit and with glad countenance magnified the Lord, who had made a path, where no path was, for them tat trusted in him, who by the mouth of a foeman and enemy was establishing the truth; and the leader of error had proved a defender of the right cause.

But the king, although furiously enraged with Nachor, was nevertheless unable to do him any mischief, because of the proclamation already read before all, wherein he urged him to plead without fear in behalf of the Christians. So he himself made answer in many words, and by dark speeches hinted that Nachor should relax his resistance, and be worsted by the argument of the orators. But Nachor the more mightily prevailed, tearing to pieces all their propositions and conclusions and exposing the fallacy of their error. After the debate had been prolonged till well-nigh eventide, the king dismissed the assembly, making as though he would renew the discussion on the morrow.

Then said Ioasaph to the king his father, "As at the beginning, Sir, you commandedst that the trial should be just, so too crown the end thereof with justice, by doing one or other of these two things. Either allow my teacher to tarry with me to-night, that we may take counsel together as touching those things which we must say unto our adversaries tomorrow: and do you in turn take your advisers unto you, and duly practise yourselves as ye will. Or else deliver your counsellors to me this night, and take mine to thyself. But if both sides be with you, mine advocate in tribulation and fear, but your in joy and refreshment, me thinketh it is not a fair trial, but a tyrannical misuse of power, and a breaking of the covenants." The king, compelled to yield by the gracefulness of this speech took his wise men and priests to himself, and delivered Nachor to his son, still having hopes of him and thinking fit to keep his agreement.

The king's son, therefore, departed unto his own palace, like a conqueror in the Olympic games, and with him went Nachor. When alone, the prince called him and said, "Think not that I am ignorant of your tale, for I wot, of a surety, that you are not saintly Barlaam, but Nachor the astrologer; and I marvel how it seemed you good to act this play, and to think that you couldst so dull my sight at mid-day, that I should mistake a wolf for a sheep. But well sung is the proverb, 'The heart of a fool will conceive folly.' So this your device and counsel was stale and utterly senseless; but the work that you hast accomplished is full of wisdom. Wherefore, rejoice, Nachor, and be exceeding glad. I render you many thanks, that you hast been to-day advocate of the truth, and hast not polluted your lips with foul words and crafty simulation, but hast rather cleansed them from many defilements, and thoroughly proven the error of the gods, as they be wrongly called, and hast established the truth of the Christian faith. I have been zealous to bring you hither with me for two reasons; that the king might not privily seize and punish you, because you spakest not after his heart, and next that I might recompense you for the favour that you hast done me to-day. And what is my recompense for you? To show you how to turn from the evil and slippery road which you hast trodden until now, and to journey along the straight and saving pathway which you hast avoided, not in ignorance, but by wilful wrongdoing, throwing thyself into depths and precipices of iniquity. Understand then, Nachor, man of understanding as you art, and be you zealous to gain Christ only, and the life that is hid with him, and despise this fleeting and corruptible world. Thou shalt not live for ever, but, being mortal, shalt depart hence ere long, even as all that have been before you. And wo betide you, if, with the heavy load of sin on your shoulders, you depart thither where there is righteous judgement and recompense for your works, and cast it not off, while it is easy to rid thyself thereof!"

Pricked at heart by these words, spoke Nachor, "Well said! Sir prince, well said! I do know the true and very God, by whom all things were made, and I wot of the judgement to come, having heard thereof from many texts of the Scriptures. But evil habit and the insolence of the ancient supplanter has blinded the eyes of my heart, and shed a thick darkness over my reason. But now, at your word, I will cast away the veil of gloom, and run unto the light of the countenance of the Lord. May be, he will have mercy on me, and will open a door of repentance to his wicked and rebellious servant, even if it seem impossible to me that my sins, which are heavier than the sand, be forgiven; sins, which, wittingly or unwittingly, I have sinned from childhood upwards to this my hoary age."

When the king's son heard these words, immediately he arose, and his heart waxed warm, and he began to try to raise Nachor's courage which was drooping to despair, and to confirm it in the faith of Christ, saying, "Let no doubt about this, Nachor, find place in your mind. For it is written, God is able of these very stones to raise up children unto Abraham. What means this (as father Barlaam said) except that men beyond hope, stained with all manner of wickedness, can be saved, and become servants of Christ, who, in the exceeding greatness of his love toward mankind, has opened the gates of heaven to all that turn, barring the way of salvation to none, and receiving with compassion them that repent? Wherefore to all that have entered the vineyard at the first, third, sixth, ninth or eleventh hour there is apportioned equal pay, as says the holy Gospel: so that even if, until this present time, you hast waxen old in your sins, yet if you draw nigh with a fervent heart, you shalt gain the same rewards as they who have laboured from their youth upwards."

With these and many other words did that saintly youth speak of repentance to that aged sinner Nachor, promising him that Christ was merciful, and pledging him forgiveness, and satisfying him that the good God is alway ready to receive the penitent, and with these words, as it were with ointments, did he mollify that ailing soul and give it perfect health. Nachor at once said unto him, "O prince, more noble in soul even than in outward show, well instructed in these marvellous mysteries, mayst you continue in your good confession until the end, and may neither time nor tide ever pluck it out of your heart! For myself, I will depart straightway in search of my salvation, and will by penance pacify that God whom I have angered: for, except you will it, I shall see the king's face no more." Then was the prince exceeding glad, and joyfully heard his saying. And he embraced and kissed him affectionately; and, when he had prayed earnestly to God, he sent him forth from the palace.

So Nachor stepped forth with a contrite heart, and went bounding into the depths of the desert, like as doth an hart, and came to a den belonging to a monk that had attained to the dignity of the priesthood, and was hiding there for fear of the pressing danger. With a right warm heart knelt Nachor down before him, and washed his feet with his tears, like the harlot of old, and craved holy Baptism. The priest, full of heavenly grace, was passing glad, and did at once begin to instruct him, as the custom is, and after many days, perfected him with baptism in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And Nachor abode with him, always repentant of his sins, and blessing that God who never willeth that ally should perish, but receiveth all that turn again unto him, and lovingly accepteth the penitent.

Now on the morrow when the king heard what had befallen Nachor, he despaired of the hopes that he once had in him: and, seeing those wise and foolish orators of his mightily discomfited, he was at his wits' end. Them he visited with terrible outrage and dishonour, scourging some severely with whips of oxhide, besmearing their eyes with soot, and casting them away from his presence. He himself began to condemn the impotence of the gods falsely so called, although as yet he refused to look fully at the light of Christ, for the dense cloud of darkness, that enveloped him, still bound the eyes of his heart. Howbeit he no longer honoured his temple-keepers, nor would he keep feasts, nor make drink offerings to his idols, but his mind was tossed between two opinions. On the one hand, he poured scorn on the impotence of his gods; on the other, he dreaded the strictness of the profession of the Gospel, and was hardly to be torn from his evil ways, being completely in slavery to the pleasures of the body, and like a captive drawn towards sinful lusts, and being drunken, as says Esay, but not with wine, and led as it were with the bridle of evil habit.

While the king was thus wrestling with two opinions, his noble and truly royal-hearted son dwelt at peace in his palace, proving to all men by his deeds the nobility, order and steadfastness of his nature. Theatres, horse-races, riding to hounds, and all the vain pleasures of youth, the baits that take foolish souls, were reckoned by him as nothing worth. But he hung wholly on the commands of Christ for whom he yearned, his heart being wounded with love divine. For him he longed, who alone is to be longed for, who is all sweetness and desire and aspiration insatiable.

Now, when he came to think upon his teacher Barlaam, and as in a mirror saw his life, his soul was enchanted with love, and he much occupied himself a-thinking how he might see him; and ever carrying his sayings in his heart, he was like the tree in the Psalms planted by the river side, unceasingly watered, and bringing forth unto the Lords his fruits in due season. Many were the souls that he delivered from the snares of the devil, and brought safely unto Christ; for many resorted unto him, and profited by his wholesome words. And not a few left the way of error, and ran toward the word of salvation; while others bade a long farewell to the concerns of the world, and came to the wrestling-school of the monastic life. He himself spent his time in prayers and fastings, and would often offer up this prayer, "O Lord, my Lord and King, in whom I have trusted, to whom I have fled and been delivered from my error, render you due recompense to Barlaam your servant, because when I was in error he pointed you to me, who art the way of truth and life. Forbid me not to behold once more that angel in bodily shape, of whom the world is not worthy, but grant me in his company to finish the residue of my life, that, treading in the footsteps of his conversation, I may be well-pleasing to you my God and Lord."

XXVIII

Ταῦτα ὡς διεξῆλθεν ὁ Ναχώρ, ὁ μὲν βασιλεὺς τῷ θυμῷ ἠλλοιοῦτο: οἱ δὲ ῥήτορες αὐτοῦ καὶ νεωκόροι ἄφωνοι ἵσταντο, μὴ δυνάμενοι ἀντιλέγειν ἀλλ' ἢ σαθρά τινα καὶ οὐδαμινὰ λογίδια. ὁ δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως υἱὸς ἠγαλλιᾶτο τῷ πνεύματι, καὶ φαιδρῷ τῷ προσώπῳ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Κύριον, τὸν ἐξ ἀπόρου πόρον διδόντα τοῖς πεποιθόσιν ἐπ' αὐτόν, ὃς καὶ διὰ τοῦ πολεμίου καὶ ἐχθροῦ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐκράτυνε: καὶ ὁ τῆς πλάνης ἔξαρχος συνήγορος τοῦ ὀρθοῦ λόγου ἐδείκνυτο.

Ὁ μέντοι βασιλεύς, καίπερ δεινῶς ὀργιζόμενος τῷ Ναχώρ, οὐδὲν ὅμως ἐργάσασθαι κακὸν εἰς αὐτὸν ἠδύνατο, διὰ τὸ προλεχθὲν ἐπὶ πάντων θέσπισμα, ἀδεῶς αὐτὸν λέγειν ὑπὲρ τῶν Χριστιανῶν προτρεπόμενον: πολλὰ δὲ αὐτὸς ἀντιλέγων ὑπεμίμνησκε δι' αἰνιγμάτων ὑπενδοῦναι τῆς ἐνστάσεως καὶ ἡττηθῆναι τῇ διαλέξει τῶν ῥητόρων. ὁ δὲ μειζόνως ὑπερίσχυε, διαλύων πάσας αὐτῶν τὰς προτάσεις καὶ συλλογισμούς, καὶ ἐλέγχων τὸ ἀπατηλὸν τῆς πλάνης. σχεδὸν δὲ μέχρις ἑσπέρας παραταθείσης τῆς διαλέξεως, ἐκέλευσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς διαλυθῆναι τὸ συνέδριον, ὡς τῇ ἐπιούσῃ βουλόμενος αὖθις περὶ τούτου διασκέψασθαι.

Ὁ δὲ υἱὸς ἔφη τῷ βασιλεῖ: Ὡς ἐν ἀρχῇ δικαίαν ἐκέλευσας κρίσιν γενέσθαι, δέσποτα, δικαιοσύνην καὶ τῷ τέλει ἐπίθες, τῶν δύο τὸ ἕτερον ποιῶν: ἢ τὸν ἐμὸν διδάσκαλον ἐπίτρεψον μεῖναι μετ' ἐμοῦ τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ, ὡς ὁμοῦ διασκεψώμεθα περὶ ὧν χρὴ τὴν αὔριον λαλῆσαι τοῖς πολεμοῦσιν ἡμᾶς, τοὺς σοὺς δὲ πάλιν σὺ μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ λαβὼν τὰ εἰκότα μελετήσατε καθὼς βούλεσθε: ἤ, τοὺς σοὺς ἐμοὶ παραχωρήσας τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ, λάβε τὸν ἐμὸν πρὸς ἑαυτόν. εἰ δὲ ἀμφότεροι ὦσι παρὰ σοί, ὁ μὲν ἐμὸς ἐν θλίψει καὶ φόβῳ, οἱ δὲ σοὶ ἐν χαρᾷ καὶ ἀνέσει, οὔ μοι δοκεῖ δικαίαν εἶναι κρίσιν, ἀλλὰ δυναστείαν τῆς ἐξουσίας καὶ παράβασιν τῶν συνθηκῶν. ἡττηθεὶς δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ ἀστείῳ τοῦ ῥήματος, τοὺς σοφοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἱερεῖς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν λαβόμενος, τὸν Ναχὼρ παραχωρεῖ τῷ υἱῷ, ἐλπίδας ἔτι κεκτημένος ἐπ' αὐτὸν καὶ φυλάττειν τὰ ὡμολογημένα δοκῶν.

Ἀπέρχεται τοίνυν ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως υἱὸς εἰς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ παλάτιον, ὥσπερ τις Ὀλυμπιονίκης τῶν ἀντιπάλων κρατήσας, ἔχων μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ τὸν Ναχώρ. καὶ κατὰ μόνας καλέσας αὐτὸν ἔφη: Μὴ νομίσῃς λανθάνειν ἐμὲ τὰ κατὰ σέ: οἶδα γάρ σε ἀκριβῶς μὴ τὸν θειότατον εἶναι Βαρλαάμ, ἀλλὰ Ναχὼρ τὸν ἀστρολόγον. καὶ θαυμάζω πῶς ἔδοξεν ὑμῖν τοιαύτην ὑποκριθῆναι ὑπόκρισιν καὶ τοσαύτῃ ἀμβλυωπίᾳ νομίσαι περιβαλεῖν με μέσης ἡμέρας, ἵνα λύκον δέξωμαι ἀντὶ προβάτου. ἀλλὰ καλῶς ὁ λόγος ᾄδεται, ὅτι Καρδία μωροῦ μάταια νοήσει. τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐνθύμημα τοῦτο καὶ βούλευμα ὑμῶν ἕωλον ἦν καὶ πάντη ἀνόητον: τὸ δὲ ἔργον ὃ εἰργάσω πάσης ἐστὶ συνέσεως πεπληρωμένον. διὸ χαῖρε, Ναχώρ, καὶ ἀγαλλιῶ: πολλὰς γάρ σοι χάριτας ὁμολογῶ, ὅτι συνήγορος σήμερον τῆς ἀληθείας γέγονας, καὶ οὐκ ἐμίανας τὰ χείλη σοι λόγοις μιαροῖς καὶ ὑποκρίσει δολίᾳ, ἀλλὰ τῶν πολλῶν μᾶλλον ἐξεκάθαρας μολυσμάτων, τὴν πλάνην τῶν ψευδωνύμων διελέγξας θεῶν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῶν Χριστιανικῶν δογμάτων κρατύνας. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐσπούδασα ἀγαγεῖν σε μετ' ἐμοῦ δυοῖν ἕνεκα: ἵνα μὴ κατὰ μόνας ὁ βασιλεὺς λαβών σε τιμωρήσηται ἐφ' ᾧ οὐ τὰ καταθύμια αὐτῷ ἐφθέγξω, καὶ ἵνα τὴν χάριν ταύτην, ἣν σήμερον εἰργάσω, ἀνταμείψωμαι. τίς δὲ ἡ ἀντάμειψις; τὸ ὑποδεῖξαί σοι ἐκκλῖναι τῆς πονηρᾶς ὁδοῦ καὶ ὀλισθηρᾶς ἣν ὥδευσας ἕως νῦν, πορευθῆναι δὲ τὴν εὐθεῖαν καὶ σωτήριον τρίβον, ἣν οὐκ ἀγνοῶν, ἀλλ' ἐθελοντὶ κακουργῶν, ἐξέφυγες, βαράθροις καὶ κρημνοῖς ἀνομίας σεαυτὸν κατακρημνίσας. σύνες οὖν, ὦ Ναχώρ, συνετὸς ὤν, καὶ προθυμήθητι τὸν Χριστὸν μόνον καὶ τὴν παρ' αὐτῷ κρυπτομένην ζωὴν κερδᾶναι, τῶν ῥεόντων τούτων καὶ φθειρομένων ὑπεριδών. οὐ γὰρ τὸν πάντα ζήσῃ αἰῶνα: ἀλλά, θνητὸς ὤν, ἀπελεύσῃ ὅσον οὔπω, καθὼς καὶ οἱ πρὸ σοῦ πάντες. Καὶ οὐαί σοι, εἰ τὸν βαρὺν φόρτον τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐπιφερόμενος ἀπελεύσῃ ἐκεῖ ὅπου κρίσις δικαία καὶ ἀνταπόδοσις τῶν ἔργων ἐστί, καὶ μὴ ἀπορρίψῃς τοῦτον, ῥᾳδίας οὔσης τῆς ἀποθέσεως.

Ὁ Ναχὼρ τοίνυν, κατανυγεὶς τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις, ἔφη: Καλῶς εἶπας, ὦ βασιλεῦ, καλῶς. οἶδα γὰρ κἀγὼ τὸν ἀληθινὸν καὶ ἀψευδῆ Θεόν, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα γέγονε, καὶ τὴν μέλλουσαν κρίσιν ἐπίσταμαι, ἀπὸ πολλῶν Γραφικῶν ῥημάτων ταύτην ἀκηκοώς: ἀλλ' ἡ πονηρὰ συνήθεια καὶ ἡ τοῦ παλαιοῦ ἐπήρεια πτερνιστοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐτύφλωσε τῆς καρδίας μου, καὶ σκότος βαθὺ περιέχυσέ μου τῷ λογισμῷ: νυνὶ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ ῥήματί σου, τὸ κάλυμμα τὸ ζοφῶδες ἀπορρίψας, τῷ φωτὶ προσδραμοῦμαι τοῦ προσώπου Κυρίου. ἴσως ἐλεήσει με, καὶ θύραν ἀνοίξει μετανοίας τῷ πονηρῷ δούλῳ καὶ ἀποστάτῃ, εἰ καὶ ἀδύνατον δοκεῖ μοι ἄφεσιν γενέσθαι τῶν ψάμμου βαρυτέρων μου πταισμάτων, ὧν ἐν γνώσει καὶ ἀγνοίᾳ ἥμαρτον νηπιόθεν καὶ μέχρι ταύτης μου τῆς ἡλικίας καὶ πολιᾶς.

Ταῦτα ὡς ἤκουσεν ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως υἱός, εὐθὺς διανίσταται καὶ θερμότερος τὴν ψυχὴν γίνεται. καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν τοῦ Ναχὼρ πρὸς ἀπόγνωσιν συγκύπτοντα ἀναλαμβάνειν ἄρχεται, καὶ στερρότερον περὶ τὴν Χριστοῦ πίστιν διατιθέναι, Μηδείς, ὦ Ναχώρ, λέγων, μηδεὶς ἔστω σοι περὶ τούτου δισταγμός. γέγραπται γὰρ δυνατὸν εἶναι τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ: ὅπερ τί ἄλλο ἢ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὡς ὁ πατὴρ ἔφη Βαρλαάμ, τὸ ἐξ ἀνελπίστων καὶ πάσαις κατακρανθέντων ἀνομίαις δύνασθαι σωθῆναι, καὶ δούλους γενέσθαι Χριστοῦ, ὃς δι' ἄκραν φιλανθρωπίας ὑπερβολὴν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπιστρέφουσι τὰς οὐρανίους διήνοιξε πύλας, οὐδενὶ τῶν πάντων τὴν τῆς σωτηρίας ἀποκλείσας ὁδόν, ἀλλὰ συμπαθῶς τοὺς μετανοοῦντας δεχόμενος; διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ τοῖς περὶ πρώτην καὶ τρίτην, ἕκτην τε καὶ ἐννάτην καὶ ἑνδεκάτην ὥραν προσελθοῦσι τῷ ἀμπελῶνι κατ' ἴσον ἀφορίζεται ὁ μισθός, ὡς τὸ ἅγιόν φησιν Εὐαγγέλιον: ὥστε, κἂν μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ἐν ἁμαρτίαις κατεγήρασας, ἐὰν θερμῶς προσέλθῃς, τῶν αὐτῶν τοῖς ἐκ νεότητος ἀγωνισαμένοις ἀξιωθήσῃ γερῶν.

Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἕτερα περὶ μετανοίας λαλήσας ὁ θειότατος νεανίας τῷ παλαιωθέντι ἐν κακοῖς Ναχώρ, καὶ ἵλεων γενέσθαι τὸν Χριστὸν ὑποσχόμενος καὶ ἐγγυησάμενος τὴν ἄφεσιν, καὶ πληροφορήσας αὐτὸν ὡς ἕτοιμός ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἀεὶ τοῦ δέχεσθαι τὴν μετάνοιαν, τὴν νενοσηκυῖαν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ οἷά τισι φαρμάκοις καταμαλάξας, καθαρὰν ἐχαρίσατο τὴν ὑγίειαν. ἔφη γὰρ εὐθὺς ὁ Ναχὼρ πρὸς αὐτόν: Σὺ μέν, ὦ εὐγενέστατε τὴν ψυχὴν μᾶλλον ἢ τὸ σῶμα, καλῶς μεμυημένος τὰ θαυμαστὰ μυστήρια ταῦτα, μένοις ἐν τῇ καλῇ ὁμολογίᾳ μέχρι τέλους, καὶ μηδεὶς ταύτην χρόνος ἢ τρόπος τῆς σῆς ἐκτέμοι καρδίας: ἐγὼ δὲ πορεύσομαι ἐξ αὐτῆς τὴν ἐμὴν ζητῶν σωτηρίαν, καὶ διὰ μετανοίας τὸν Θεὸν ἐξιλεωσόμενος ὃν παρώργισα. οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ τὸ τοῦ βασιλέως ὄψομαι πρόσωπον, εἰ σὺ μόνον θελήσειας. περιχαρὴς δὲ γενόμενος ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως υἱὸς καὶ ἀσμένως τὸν λόγον δεξάμενος, περιλαβὼν αὐτὸν κατεφίλει, καὶ ἐντενῶς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εὐξάμενος ἐκπέμπει τοῦ παλατίου.

Ἐξελθὼν δὲ ὁ Ναχὼρ κατανενυγμένος τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπὶ τὴν βαθυτάτην ἅλλεται ὡς ἔλαφος ἔρημον, καὶ μοναχοῦ τινος, ἱερωσύνης περικειμένου ἀξίαν, καταλαμβάνει σπήλαιον, ἔνθα ἐκέκρυπτο ἐκεῖνος διὰ τὸν ἐπικείμενον φόβον. τούτῳ δὲ θερμότατα προσπίπτει, πλύνει τοὺς πόδας δάκρυσι, τήν ποτε μιμούμενος πόρνην, καὶ τὸ θεῖον ἐξαιτεῖται βάπτισμα. ὁ τοίνυν ἱερεύς, θείας ὢν χάριτος πεπληρωμένος, ἥσθη τε λίαν, καὶ παραχρῆμα, ὥσπερ ἔθος, κατηχήσας αὐτόν, δι' ἡμερῶν οὐκ ὀλίγων τελειοῖ τῷ βαπτίσματι εἰς ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος. ἔμεινε δὲ Ναχὼρ μετ' αὐτοῦ μετανοῶν ἀεὶ ἐφ' οἷς ἥμαρτε, καὶ εὐλογῶν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν μὴ βουλόμενον ἀπολέσθαι τινά, ἀλλὰ πάντων τὴν ἐπιστροφὴν ἐκδεχόμενον καὶ μετανοοῦντας φιλανθρώπως δεχόμενον.

Ἕωθεν δὲ μαθὼν τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ναχὼρ ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ ἀπογνοὺς ἧς εἶχεν ἐλπίδος ἐπ' αὐτῷ, ἰδὼν δὲ καὶ τοὺς σοφοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ παράφρονας ῥήτορας οὕτως ἀνὰ κράτος ἡττηθέντας, ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ ἦν. καὶ ἐκείνους μὲν ὕβρεσι δειναῖς καὶ ἀτιμίαις βαλών, οὓς δὲ καὶ βουνεύροις σφοδρῶς μαστιγώσας καὶ ἀσβόλῃ τὰς ὄψεις περιχρίσας, ἐξέβαλε τοῦ ἰδίου προσώπου: αὐτὸς δὲ καταγινώσκειν ἤρξατο τῆς τῶν ψευδωνύμων θεῶν ἀσθενείας, εἰ καὶ μὴ τελείως τῷ φωτὶ Χριστοῦ προσβλέψαι τέως ἠθέλησε. τὸ γὰρ τῆς περικειμένης αὐτῷ ἀχλύος παχὺ νέφος κατεῖχεν ἔτι τὰς ὁράσεις αὐτοῦ τῆς καρδίας. ἀλλ' οὖν οὐκ ἔτι τοὺς νεωκόρους ἐτίμα, οὔτε μὴν ἑορτὰς ἦγε καὶ σπονδὰς ἐπετέλει τοῖς εἰδώλοις: ἀλλὰ σαλευομένην εἶχε τὴν διάνοιαν ἀμφοτέρωθεν, ἔνθεν μὲν τῆς ἀσθενείας καταγινώσκων τῶν θεῶν αὐτοῦ, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ τὴν ἀκρίβειαν δεδοικὼς τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς πολιτείας καὶ δυσαποσπάστως τῶν πονηρῶν ἔχων ἐθῶν. πάνυ γὰρ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς κατεδουλοῦτο τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ὅλος ἦν πρὸς τὰ πάθη αἰχμαλώτου δίκην ἀγόμενος, καὶ μεθύων, ὅ φησιν Ἠσαῖας, ἄνευ οἴνου, καὶ ὥσπερ ὑπὸ κημοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς συνηθείας ἑλκόμενος.

Οὕτως οὖν τοῦ βασιλέως δυσὶ παλαίοντος λογισμοῖς, ὁ εὐγενέστατος αὐτοῦ υἱός, καὶ τῷ ὄντι βασιλικωτάτην κεκτημένος ψυχήν, ἠρεμῶν ἦν ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ αὐτοῦ, τὸ τῆς φύσεως αὐτοῦ γενναῖον κόσμιόν τε καὶ βεβηκὸς διὰ τῶν ἔργων πᾶσι παριστῶν. θέατρα γὰρ καὶ ἀγῶνες ἵππων καὶ κυνηγεσίων μελέτη, καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ τῆς νεότητος κεναὶ σχολαὶ καὶ ἀπάται, τὰ τῶν ἀφρόνων ψυχῶν δελεάσματα, παρ' οὐδὲν ἐλογίζοντο αὐτῷ: ἀλλ' ὅλος τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐξήρτητο ἐντολῶν, καὶ αὐτὸν ἐπόθει τρωθεὶς τὴν ψυχὴν ἔρωτι θείῳ: αὐτὸν ἐπόθει τὸν ὄντως ποθητόν, ὅς ἐστιν ὅλος γλυκασμὸς καὶ ἐπιθυμία, καὶ ἀκόρεστος ἔφεσις.

Εἰς μνήμην δὲ ἐρχόμενος τοῦ διδασκάλου Βαρλαάμ, καὶ τὸν ἐκείνου ἐνοπτριζόμενος βίον, ἔρωτι τὴν ψυχὴν ἐθέλγετο, καὶ ὅπως αὐτὸν ἴδοι ἐφρόντιζεν ἐπιμελέστατα, καί, τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ περιφέρων ἀλήστως, οἱονεὶ ξύλον ἦν πεφυτευμένον παρὰ τοῖς ψαλμικοῖς ὕδασιν, ἀρδευόμενον ἀδιαλείπτως καὶ ὡραίους προσάγον καρποὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ. πολλὰς γὰρ ψυχὰς τῶν τοῦ διαβόλου ἐρρύσατο ἀρκύων καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ προσήγαγε σεσωσμένας: πολλοὶ γὰρ εἰς αὐτὸν φοιτῶντες λόγων ἀπήλαυον σωτηρίων, ἐξ ὧν οὐκ ὀλίγοι, τὴν πλάνην φυγόντες, τῷ σωτηρίῳ προσέδραμον λόγῳ: ἄλλοι δέ, μακρὰν τοῖς τοῦ βίου χαίρειν εἰπόντες, τὴν ἀσκητικὴν ὑπεισῆλθον παλαίστραν. αὐτὸς δὲ εὐχαῖς ἐσχόλαζε καὶ νηστείαις, καὶ συχνῶς ταύτην ἀνέπεμπε τὴν φωνήν, Ὦ Κύριε, λέγων, Κύριέ μου καὶ Βασιλεῦ, ᾧ ἐγὼ ἐπίστευσα, ἐφ' ὃν ἐγὼ κατέφυγον καὶ τῆς πλάνης ἐρρύσθην, ἀπόδος μισθὸν ἄξιον τῷ θεράποντί σου Βαρλαάμ, ἀνθ' ὧν μοι τῷ πλανηθέντι σὲ ὑπέδειξε, τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τῆς ζωῆς: καὶ μὴ στερήσῃς με αὖθις ἰδεῖν τὸν ἐν σώματι ἄγγελον ἐκεῖνον, οὗ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ κόσμος ἐπάξιος, καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ τελέσαι τὸ λοιπὸν τῆς ζωῆς μου, ἵνα, κατ' ἴχνος τῆς αὐτοῦ πολιτείας περιπατήσας, εὐαρεστήσω σοι τῷ Θεῷ καὶ Δεσπότῃ.