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partaking of what they need, they again refuse participation of him. 5.10 Such things I have learned about the great Publius, some things I received by hearing, and others by seeing his disciples and discerning the teacher in the disciples, and by understanding the trainer through the athletes. Therefore, considering it unjust and malicious to consign so great a benefit to silence for those who are ignorant, I have set forth the narrative, both securing for them the benefit from it and acquiring for myself the gain that comes from the memory. For I have heard the Lord saying: "Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven." And I know clearly that by bringing the memory of these men to people, I will enjoy remembrance from them before the God of all. 6.t SYMEONES THE ELDER 6.1 If someone were to willingly pass over Symeones the elder and consign the memory of his philosophy to oblivion, he would rightly not escape a charge of injustice and malice, for neither being willing to praise praiseworthy things, nor setting before those who wish to be edified worthy objects of emulation. But I, not out of fear of accusation, but from a desire to praise his way of life, will make the narration. For he spent the very longest time embracing the solitary life and living in a small cave; he enjoyed no human consolation—for he chose to live alone—but he conversed continually with the God of all. And he made the edible plants his food. 6.2 This labor also granted him rich grace from above, so that he could command even the most powerful and ferocious wild beasts. And this became clear not only to the pious but also to the unbelieving Jews. For on account of some need they were traveling to one of the fortresses, situated outside our inhabited world; but when a violent rain came and a tempest struck, they lost their way, being unable to see ahead. And they wander through the desert, finding neither a village, nor a cave, nor a traveler; and while being tossed about in the middle of the mainland much like those who sail, they come upon the cave of the divine Symeon as a kind of harbor and they behold a man squalid and filthy and wearing a small rag of goat's hair on his shoulders. He at once saw and greeted them—for he was very affable—and asked the reason for their arrival. When they had narrated what had happened and implored him to learn the road leading to the fortress, he said, "Wait, and immediately I will give you guides who will show you the desired road." So they obeyed and rested. And while they were sitting, two lions arrived, not looking fierce, but fawning on him as some master and indicating their servitude. With a nod he ordered these to guide the men and to lead them back to that road which they had left and so endured their wandering. 6.3 But let no one think the narrative to be a fable, having the common enemies of the truth bearing witness to the truth. For those who had received the good deed themselves continually proclaimed this. And this great James related this to me, saying that he was present with them when they were narrating the wonder to the divine Maron. Therefore, one who disbelieves Jews who bear witness to the wonder-working of the Christians, how would he not rightly be called more unbelieving than the Jews, if they, though being hostile, are nevertheless overcome and yield to the rays of the truth, while those who are considered well-disposed and partners in the faith do not even

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χρείαν μεταλαμβάνοντες πάλιν παραιτοῦνται αὐτοῦ τὴν μετάληψιν. 5.10 Τοιαῦτα καὶ περὶ τοῦ μεγάλου Πουπλίου μεμάθηκα, τὰ μὲν ἀκοῇ δεξάμενος, τὰ δὲ τοὺς ἐκείνου φοιτητὰς θεασάμενος καὶ ἐν τοῖς φοιτηταῖς διαγνοὺς τὸν διδάσκαλον, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἀθλητῶν τὸν παιδοτρίβην καταμαθών. Ἄδικον τοίνυν νομίσας καὶ βάσκανον τοσαύτην ὠφέλειαν παραδοῦναι σιγῇ τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι προτέθηκα τὸ διήγημα καὶ αὐτοῖς τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ὠφέλειαν πραγματευόμενος καὶ ἐμαυτῷ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς μνήμης περιποιούμενος κέρδος. Ἤκουσα γὰρ τοῦ δεσπότου λέγοντος· "Πᾶς ὅστις ἂν ὁμολογήσῃ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁμολογήσω κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός μου, τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς." Καὶ οἶδα σαφῶς ὡς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὴν τούτων μνήμην προσενεγκὼν τῆς ἐπὶ τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων παρ' αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσομαι μνήμης. 6.t ΣΥΜΕΩΝΗΣ Ο ΠΑΛΑΙΟΣ 6.1 Συμεώνην δὲ τὸν πρεσβύτην εἴ τις ἑκὼν παραλίποι καὶ λήθῃ τῆς ἐκείνου φιλοσοφίας παραδοίη τὴν μνήμην, ἀδικίας ἂν εἰκότως καὶ βασκανίας οὐ φύγοι γραφὴν ὡς μήτε ἐπαινεῖν ἐθέλων τὰ ἀξιέπαινα μήτε τοῖς ὠφελεῖσθαι βουλομένοις εἰς μίμησιν τὰ ἀξιέραστα προτιθείς. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ φόβῳ τῆς κατηγορίας, ἀλλὰ πόθῳ τῆς εὐφημίας τῆς τοῦδε πολιτείας ποιήσομαι τὴν διήγησιν. Οὗτος γὰρ πλεῖστον ὅτι μάλιστα διετέλεσε χρόνον τὸν ἐρημικὸν ἀσπαζόμενος βίον καὶ ἔν τινι βραχεῖ διαιτώμενος ἄντρῳ· παραψυχῆς μὲν ἀνθρωπίνης οὐδεμιᾶς ἀπέλαυε -μόνος γὰρ βιοτεύειν προείλετο-, τῷ δὲ θεῷ τῶν ὅλων ἐνδελεχῶς προσδιελέγετο. Τὰς ἐδωδίμους δὲ τῶν βοτανῶν ἐποιεῖτο τροφήν. 6.2 Οὗτος ὁ πόνος αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν πλουσίαν ἐδωρή σατο χάριν ὡς καὶ τοῖς ἀλκιμωτάτοις καὶ θρασυτάτοις ἐπιτάττειν θηρίοις. Καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον οὐ τοῖς εὐσεβέσι μόνοις ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἀπίστοις Ἰουδαίοις ἐγένετο. Χρείας μὲν γάρ τινος ἕνεκα ἀπεδήμουν εἴς τι τῶν φρουρίων, τῶν ἔξω τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης διακειμένων· ὑετοῦ δὲ λάβρου γενομέ νου καὶ λαίλαπος προσβαλούσης διαμαρτάνουσι μὲν τῆς ὁδοῦ, τὰ πρόσω βλέπειν οὐ δυνάμενοι. Ἀλῶνται δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον, οὔτε κώμην, οὔτε ἄντρον, οὔτε ὁδίτην εὑρίσ κοντες· ἐν ἠπείρῳ δὲ μέσῃ τοῖς ναυτιλλομένοις παραπλησίως κλυδωνιζόμενοι, καταλαμβάνουσιν οἷόν τινα λιμένα τοῦ θείου Συμεώνου τὸ σπήλαιον καὶ θεωροῦσιν ἄνθρωπον αὐχμῶντα καὶ ῥυπῶντα καὶ βραχύ τι ῥάκος σισύρας ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φέροντα. Ὁ δὲ εἶδέ τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἠσπάσατο-καὶ γὰρ εὐπροσήγορος ἦν-καὶ τῆς ἀφίξεως ἤρετο τὴν αἰτίαν. Ὡς δὲ τὸ συμβὰν διηγήσαντο καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ φρούριον ἄγουσαν ὁδὸν μαθεῖν καθικέτευσαν· "Μείνατε, ἔφη, καὶ παραυτίκα ὑμῖν ἀγωγοὺς δώσω τὴν ποθουμένην ὁδὸν ἀποδεί ξοντας". Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπείθοντό τε καὶ διανεπαύοντο. Καθημέ νων δὲ αὐτῶν ἀφίκοντο δύο λέοντες οὐ βλοσυρὸν βλέποντες, ἀλλ' οἷόν τινα δεσπότην σαίνοντες καὶ τὴν δουλείαν ὑποση μαίνοντες. Τούτοις ἐκέλευσε διανεύων ξεναγῆσαι τοὺς ἄνδρας καὶ εἰς ἐκείνην ἀπαγαγεῖν τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν καταλιπόντες τὸν πλάνον ὑπέμειναν. 6.3 Ἀλλὰ μηδεὶς μυθῶδες εἶναι τὸ διήγημα νομιζέτω τοὺς κοινοὺς τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροὺς μαρτυροῦντας ἔχων τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. Αὐτοὶ γὰρ οἱ τῆς εὐεργεσίας τετυχηκότες τοῦτο ᾄδοντες διετέλεσαν. Καὶ τοῦτό μοι οὗτος ὁ μέγας Ἰάκωβος διηγήσατο, παρεῖναι φήσας αὐτοῖς τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Μάρωνι διηγουμένοις τὸ θαῦμα. Ὁ τοίνυν Ἰουδαίοις τῇ τῶν χριστιανῶν μαρτυροῦσι θαυματουργίᾳ διαπιστῶν, πῶς οὐκ ἂν εἰκότως ἀπιστότερος Ἰουδαίων κληθείη, εἴπερ οἱ μὲν καὶ δυσμενεῖς ὄντες ἡττῶνται ὅμως καὶ ταῖς τῆς ἀληθείας ἀκτῖσι παραχωροῦσιν, οἱ δὲ εὖνοι νομιζόμενοι καὶ τῆς πίστεως κοινωνοὶ οὐδὲ