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And with these was also someone from the region of the Antiochenes, appointed to shepherd many villages; he was begging the elders of those present to persuade the man to place his right hand on a small flask. But when they said that he would not tolerate it, after this, as a prayer was being made and my divine head was praying, he, standing behind, held out the small flask with his two hands; and it gushed forth so that two or three of those present stretched out their hands and received them filled with the oil. 24.8 But nevertheless, though emitting the rays of grace and abounding in all kinds of right actions and daily gathering the wealth of philosophy, he is so moderate in his mind that he embraces both feet of each of those who come to him and places his forehead on the ground, whether he be a soldier or an artisan or a rustic. And I will relate something that can teach his simplicity and moderation. A certain notable man, having obtained the governorship of this province and having arrived at Cyrrhus, wished to enjoy with me the sight of these great athletes. So after visiting the others, we came also to this man whose virtue we are now narrating. So when I said that he who had come with me was the governor and a guardian of justice and a lover of the pious, the divine man, stretching out both his hands and taking hold of both his feet, said, "I wish to announce a certain request to you." But when he was greatly displeased and begged him to get up and promised to do whatever he might command—for he was guessing that he was interceding for one of his subjects—the divine man said, "Therefore, since you have promised and confirmed the promise with an oath, earnestly offer up prayers to God on my behalf." But he, striking his forehead, begged him to release him from the oath, as he was not worthy to offer even his own supplications to the Lord. For a man at such a height of philosophy, who has such great moderation of mind, what speech would suffice for worthy praise? 24.9 His love of labor not even all kinds of afflictions that befell him refuted, but being besieged by a various disease, he endures the same labors. And after using many arguments many times, with difficulty we built this little hut, contriving a little warmth for his completely chilled body. To him many, when alive, often brought gold, and they also left it when they died; but he never accepted anything from anyone, but commanded them to become stewards of what was brought. And the great James sent him a goat's hair cloak that had been brought to him by someone; but he sent this back too, seeing it was too waterproof and too useful; for he continually uses very mean and cheap garments. And so he considers poverty more lovely than any kingdom, as to not even always have the necessary food. For I know from having come many times and asked for a blessing, and finding nothing else than only two dried figs. His honey is thrice-desired by those who see it and very lovely to those who hear of it. For I know of no man, not even of the utter scoffers, who has ever cast blame on him; but all sing his praises and speak well of him, and when they visit him, they do not wish to depart. 25.t ASCLEPIUS 25.1 Of this company is also Asclepius the admirable, being distant ten stades, but having emulated the same way of life. For his food is the same, and clothing, and moderation of character, and hospitality, and love of the brethren, and gentleness and meekness, and converse with God, and the utmost poverty, and abundance of virtue, and of philosophy the

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συνῆν δὲ τούτοις καὶ τῆς Ἀντιοχέων τις χώρας, κώμας πολλὰς ποιμαίνειν τεταγμένος· οὗτος τῶν παρόντων τοὺς γεραιτέρους ἱκέτευε πεῖσαι τὸν ἄνδρα ληκυθίῳ τινὶ ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν δεξιάν. Τῶν δὲ εἰρηκότων ὡς οὐκ ἀνέξεται, εὐχῆς μετὰ ταῦτα γινομένης καὶ τῆς θεσπεσίας μοι κεφαλῆς προσευχομένης, ὄπισθεν ἐκεῖνος ἑστὼς προὔ τεινε ταῖν χεροῖν τὸ ληκύθιον· τὸ δὲ ἀνέβλυσεν ὡς δύο καὶ τρεῖς τῶν παρόντων ἐκτεῖναι τὰς χεῖρας καὶ πεπληρω μένας ταύτας τοῦ ἐλαίου λαβεῖν. 24.8 Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τῆς χάριτος ἀφιεὶς τὰς ἀκτῖνας καὶ παντοδαποῖς κατορθώμασι βρίθων καὶ ὁσημέραι συλλέγων τῆς φιλοσοφίας τὸν πλοῦτον, οὕτως ἐστὶ τὸ φρόνημα μέτριος ὡς ἑκάστου τῶν ὡς αὐτὸν ἀφικνουμένων ἄμφω τὼ πόδε περιπτύσσεσθαι καὶ τὸ μέτωπον ἐπιτιθέναι τῇ γῇ εἴτε στρατιώτης εἴτε χειροτέχνης εἴτε ἄγροικος εἴη. ∆ιηγήσομαι δέ τι καὶ τὴν ἁπλότητα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μετριότητα διδάξαι δυνάμενον. Ἀνήρ τις σπουδαῖος τοῦδε τοῦ ἔθνους τὴν ἡγεμονίαν λαχὼν καὶ τὴν Κύρρον καταλαβὼν σὺν ἐμοὶ τῆς τῶν μεγάλων τούτων ἀθλητῶν ἀπολαῦσαι θεωρίας ἠθέλησε. Τοὺς ἄλλους τοίνυν περινοστήσαντες ἀφικόμεθα καὶ παρὰ τοῦτον οὗ νῦν τὴν ἀρετὴν διηγούμεθα. Ἐμοῦ τοίνυν εἰρηκότος ὡς ἡγεμών ἐστιν ὁ σὺν ἐμοὶ παρα γενόμενος καὶ τοῦ δικαίου φροντιστὴς καὶ τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἐραστής, ὁ θεσπέσιος ἄνθρωπος ἄμφω τὼ χεῖρε προτείνας καὶ ἀμφοῖν τοῖν ποδοῖν λαβόμενος· "Αἴτησίν τινα, ἔφη, ἐπαγγεῖλαί σοι θέλω". Τοῦ δὲ λίαν δυσχεράναντος καὶ ἀνίστασθαι ἱκετεύοντος καὶ ποιήσειν ὅ τι ἂν κελεύσειεν ὑπισχνουμένου-ἐτόπαζε γὰρ αὐτὸν περί τινος τῶν ὑπηκόων παρακαλεῖν-, ἔφη ὁ θεσπέσιος ἄνθρωπος· "Οὐκοῦν, ἐπειδήπερ ὑπέσχου καὶ ὅρκῳ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ἐβεβαίωσας, σπουδαίως τὰς ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ τῷ θεῷ προσένεγκε προσευχάς". Ὁ δὲ τὰ μέτωπα τύπτων ἱκέτευε λῦσαι τὸν ὅρκον ὡς οὐκ ἀξιόχρεως ὢν οὐδὲ τὰς ὑπὲρ αὑτοῦ ἱκετείας τῷ δεσπότῃ προσφέρειν. Τὸν ἐν τοσούτῳ τοίνυν ὕψει φιλοσοφίας τοσαύτην ἔχοντα φρονήματος μετριότητα ποῖος ἂν λόγος εἰς ἀξίαν εὐφημίαν ἀρκέσειεν; 24.9 Τούτου τὴν φιλοπονίαν οὐδὲ παντοδαπὰ προσπεσόντα διήλεγξε πάθη, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ νόσου ποικίλης πολιορκούμενος τῶν αὐτῶν πόνων ἀνέχεται. Πολλοῖς δὲ πολλάκις χρησάμενοι λόγοις, μόγις τουτονὶ τὸν οἰκίσκον ᾠκοδομησάμεθα, θάλπος ὀλίγον τῷ σώματι πάμπαν κατεψυγμένῳ μηχανησάμενοι. Τούτῳ πολλοὶ μὲν πολλάκις χρυσίον περιόντες προσήνεγκαν, κατέλιπον δὲ καὶ τελευτήσαντες· ἐδέξατο δὲ οὐδὲν παρ' οὐδε νὸς οὐδεπώποτε, ἀλλ' αὐτοὺς οἰκονόμους γενέσθαι τῶν προσφερομένων ἐκέλευσε. Καὶ σισύραν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ μέγας Ἰάκωβος ὑπό τινος αὐτῷ κομισθεῖσαν ἀπέστειλεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύτην ἀντέπεμψε στεγανωτέραν αὐτὴν καὶ εὐεργεστέραν ἰδών· εὐτελέσι γὰρ λίαν καὶ εὐώνοις ἱματίοις κεχρημένος διατελεῖ. Οὕτω δὲ τὴν πενίαν πάσης ἐρασμιωτέραν βασιλείας ἡγεῖται ὡς μηδὲ τὴν ἀναγκαίαν ἔχειν ἀεὶ τροφήν. Οἶδα γὰρ πολλάκις ἀφικόμενος καὶ εὐλογίαν αἰτήσας καὶ μηδὲν ἕτερον εὑρὼν ἢ δύο μόνας ἰσχάδας. Τούτου τὸ μέλι καὶ τοῖς ὁρῶσι τριπόθητον καὶ τοῖς ἀκούουσι λίαν ἐπέραστον. Οὐδένα γὰρ οἶδα ἀνθρώπων, οὐδὲ τῶν κομιδῇ φιλοσκωμμόνων, τούτῳ μῶμον ἐπιτεθηκότα πώποτε· ἀλλὰ πάντες ᾄδουσι καὶ εὐφημοῦσι καὶ παρ' αὐτὸν φοιτῶντες οὐ θέλουσιν ἀπαλλάττεσθαι. 25.t ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΟΣ 25.1 Ταύτης ἐστὶ τῆς συμμορίας καὶ Ἀσκληπιὸς ὁ θαυμά σιος, δέκα μὲν σταδίους ἀφεστηκώς, τὴν αὐτὴν δὲ πολιτείαν ἐζηλωκώς. Καὶ τροφὴ γὰρ αὐτῷ ἡ αὐτὴ καὶ ἐσθὴς καὶ ἤθους μετριότης καὶ φιλοξενία καὶ φιλαδελφία, ἡμερότης τε καὶ πρᾳότης καὶ ἡ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ὁμιλία καὶ ἡ ἀκροτάτη πενία καὶ ἡ τῆς ἀρετῆς περιουσία καὶ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ὁ