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44

he used it. And many of his acquaintances, having learned of this, continually took the belt for the assistance of the sick; and everywhere it demonstrated the working of his grace. In this way someone, having taken it, deprived those who had given it, becoming ungrateful to his benefactors. In this manner we were stripped of that gift. 9.16 Thus having shone and illuminated Antioch with his rays, he departed from the contests, awaiting the crown laid up for the victors. And I, having entreated to enjoy now that blessing which I enjoyed while he was alive, will put an end to this narrative as well. 10.t THEODOSIUS 10.1 Rhosus is a Cilician city, on the right as one sails into the Cilician gulf. To the east and south of it is a high mountain, vast and shady; and it nourishes wild beasts in its thickets. In this mountain, having found a certain glen sloping down to the sea, the great and much-celebrated Theodosius, having built a small hut, alone embraced the evangelical way of life; a man hailing from Antioch, and distinguished by the splendor of his family, but nevertheless having left behind home and kin and all other things, he bought, to speak evangelically, the pearl of great price. 10.2 Concerning his fasting, sleeping on the ground, and hair-shirt, it is superfluous to speak to those who observe his followers and disciples and see this way of life among them; yet he pursued these things in an extraordinary way, since he set himself forth as a model for those he was leading. And to these things he added the burden of iron on his neck and loins and both his hands; and he wore his hair unkempt, reaching down to his very feet and extending even further, and for this reason tied to his waist. Using prayer and psalmody continuously, he lulled to sleep desire and anger and pride and the other wild beasts of the soul. And always adding labors to labors, he also pursued work with his hands, now weaving the so-called baskets and fans, now preparing small fields in the glen and sowing seeds and gathering from there sufficient food. 10.3 Since, as time went on, his fame spread everywhere, many ran together from many places, desiring to share with him his dwelling and labors and way of life; and receiving them, he guided them to this life. And one could see some weaving sails, others hair-cloth, others plaiting fans or baskets, and others who had undertaken farming. And since the place was by the sea, he later constructed a ferryboat, and used it for the need of transporting goods, both taking out the works of his companions and bringing in what was needed. For, remembering the apostolic voice which says: "Working night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you" and: "These hands have ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me," he both worked himself and advised his companions to contribute the sweat of the body to the labors of the soul; "for it is absurd that those who are engaged in the world and have the trouble and toil of children and wives should provide for themselves, and in addition to this also pay taxes and be required to pay tribute and offer first-fruits to God and, as far as they are able, relieve the want of beggars, while we do not procure our necessary needs from our labors—and this while using mean and scant food, and mean clothing—but sit with our hands inside and the things of others

44

ἐκέχρητο. Πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τῶν γνωρίμων τοῦτο μεμαθηκότες συνεχῶς εἰς ἐπι κουρίαν τῶν νοσούντων τὴν ζώνην ἐλάμβανον· καὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς ἐκείνου χάριτος ἐδίδασκε τὴν ἐνέργειαν. Οὕτω τις αὐτὴν λαβὼν τοὺς δεδωκότας ἐστέρησεν, ἀγνώμων περὶ τοὺς εὐεργέτας γενόμενος. Τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἐκείνης τῆς δωρεᾶς ἐγυμνώθημεν. 9.16 Οὕτω λάμψας καὶ τὴν Ἀντιόχου ταῖς ἀκτῖσι φωτίσας, ἔξω τῶν ἀγώνων ἐγένετο, τὸν ἀποκείμενον τοῖς νικηφόροις στέφανον ἀναμένων. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἧς περιόντος ἀπέλαυον εὐλογίας, ταύτης καὶ νῦν ἀπολαῦσαι καθικετεύσας, πέρας ἐπιθήσω καὶ τῷδε τῷ διηγήματι. 10.t ΘΕΟ∆ΟΣΙΟΣ 10.1 Ῥῶσός ἐστι Κίλισσα πόλις, ἐν δεξιᾷ εἰσπλέοντι εἰς τὸν Κιλίκιον κόλπον. Ταύτης πρὸς ἕω καὶ μεσημβρίαν ὄρος ἐστὶν ὑψηλόν, ἀμφιλαφὲς καὶ κατάσκιον· τρέφει δὲ καὶ θῆρας ἐν ταῖς λόχμαις ἀγρίους. Ἐν τούτῳ νάπην εὑρών τινα πρὸς θάλατταν ἀποκλίνουσαν, ὁ μέγας καὶ πολυθρύ λητος Θεοδόσιος βραχύν τινα οἰκίσκον οἰκοδομήσας μόνος τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν ἠσπάζετο πολιτείαν· ἀνὴρ ἐκ τῆς Ἀντιόχου μὲν ὁρμώμενος, ἐπίσημος δὲ ὢν ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ γένους λαμπρό τητος, ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ οἰκίαν καὶ συγγένειαν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα καταλιπών, τὸν πολυτίμητον εὐαγγελικῶς εἰπεῖν ἐπρίατο μαργαρίτην. 10.2 Περὶ μὲν οὖν ἀπαστίας καὶ χαμευνίας καὶ τῆς ἐκ τριχῶν ἀμπεχόνης, περιττόν ἐστι λέγειν τοῖς τοὺς ἐκείνου θιασώτας καὶ φοιτητὰς θεωμένοις καὶ ταύτην ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁρῶσι τὴν πολιτείαν· διαφερόντως δὲ ὅμως ταῦτα ἐκεῖνος μετῄει ἅτε δὴ παράδειγμα ἑαυτὸν προτιθεὶς τοῖς ἀγομένοις. Προσετίθει δὲ τούτοις τὸ ἐκ σιδήρου φορτίον αὐχένι καὶ ὀσφύϊ καὶ ἀμφοῖν τοῖν χεροῖν· καὶ κόμην δὲ ἔφερεν αὐχμηρὰν καὶ μέχρις αὐτῶν διήκουσαν τῶν ποδῶν καὶ περαιτέρω προβαίνουσαν καὶ τούτου χάριν τῇ ἰξύϊ προσ δεδεμένην. Προσευχῇ δὲ καὶ ὑμνῳδίᾳ διηνεκῶς χρώμενος, ἐπιθυμίαν καὶ θυμὸν καὶ τῦφον καὶ τἄλλα τὰ ἄγρια τῆς ψυχῆς κατε κοίμιζε θηρία. Πόνοις δὲ πόνους ἐπαύξων ἀεὶ καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν χειρῶν ἐργασίαν μετῄει, νῦν μὲν τὰς καλουμένας σπυρίδας ὑφαίνων καὶ ῥιπίδας, νῦν δὲ σμικρὰς ἀρούρας ἐν τῇ νάπῃ κατα σκευάζων καὶ σπέρματα καταβάλλων καὶ τὴν ἀποχρῶσαν ἐκεῖθεν συλλέγων τροφήν. 10.3 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ, τοῦ χρόνου προϊόντος, πάντοσε αὐτοῦ τὸ κλέος διέτρεχε, συνέθεον πολλοὶ πολλαχόθεν, κοινωνῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ οἰκήσεως καὶ πόνων καὶ πολιτείας ἐπιθυμοῦντες· καὶ τούτους ὑποδεχόμενος ἐπὶ τοῦτον ἐποδήγει τὸν βίον. Καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν τοὺς μὲν ἱστία, τοὺς δὲ δέρρεις τριχίνας ὑφαίνοντας, τοὺς δὲ τὰς ῥιπίδας ἢ τὰς σπυρίδας διαπλέ κοντας, ἄλλους δὲ τὴν γηπονίαν ἀναδεδεγμένους. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ παραθαλασσίδιον ἦν τὸ χωρίον καὶ πορθμεῖον ὕστερον κατασκευάσας, τούτῳ εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀγωγίμων ἐκέχρητο χρείαν, καὶ ἐκκομίζων τῶν συνοίκων τὰ ἔργα καὶ εἰσκομίζων τὰ δέοντα. Τῆς ἀποστολικῆς γὰρ μεμνημένος φωνῆς τῆς λεγούσης· "Νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ἐργαζόμενοι εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐπιβαρῆσαί τινα ὑμῶν" καὶ· "Αἱ χεῖρες αὗται ἐμοὶ καὶ τοῖς σὺν ἐμοὶ ἐπήρκεσαν", αὐτός τε εἰργάζετο καὶ τοῖς ὁμοσκήνοις παρῄνει τοῖς κατὰ ψυχὴν πόνοις καὶ τοὺς σωματικοὺς συνεισφέρειν ἱδρῶτας· "καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον τοὺς μὲν ἐν βίῳ στρεφομένους καὶ παιδία καὶ γυναῖκας ταλαιπωρουμένους καὶ πονοῦντας ἀποτρέφειν, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις καὶ φόρους εἰσφέρειν καὶ δασμοὺς ἀπαιτεῖσθαι καὶ τῷ θεῷ προσφέρειν τὰς ἀπαρχὰς καὶ τῶν προσαιτῶν εἰς δύναμιν θεραπεύειν τὴν ἔνδειαν, ἡμᾶς δὲ τὴν ἀναγκαίαν ἐκ τῶν πόνων μὴ πορίζεσθαι χρείαν-καὶ ταῦτα εὐτελεῖ μὲν τροφῇ καὶ βραχείᾳ, εὐτελεῖ δὲ ἐσθῆτι χρωμένους-, ἀλλὰ καθῆσθαι εἴσω τὰς χεῖρας ἔχοντας καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων