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if the divine wished to deem those bound by the flesh worthy of gifts, it would deem a monk worthy above others. But some also called it the work of a contrary spirit, stealing the glory of God by seizing beforehand the things fitting for God, as the great Antony would say. And by others it was supposed to be possible to know such things from certain studies. But all wished to build up their judgment on the person of the man as on a sure foundation, since as he himself was unknown, all suspicions were fitting. However, that sorrows 364 had befallen the Romans, they said, and these the greatest of which we have received by hearing, they would not need a seer nor indeed a prophet to say. And that it was from a wrathful God, and whatever causes one might mention, though there were many, we yet single out the sins of each individual, which, being Christians and believing in providence, it is right to consider, and if for these reasons the counsel to beseech God earnestly, that he might be gracious and have mercy, stands, it is no wonder. On the contrary, then, it would be a wonder if someone foretold terrible things to those prospering in everything and having nothing grievous, should they for the time being not come to pass, seeing that even Jonah was suspected by the Ninevites who lived luxuriously up to the point of hearing, but not of experience, when the grievous things were stayed. But if someone were deemed worthy of prophecy at a time of increasing evils, he would seem admirable, but we too might be considered blessed since the prediction came to be not for his sake but for ours. For him to be hidden, then, and without appearing to reveal the divine mysteries, besides not being glorious according to scripture, also 365 becomes dangerous. And just as just punishments will come upon us for having been negligent, if he states the causes of the divine wrath, so for him, having been silent about what was foreseen out of concern, danger will arise. But to base the wonder on these things without stating the causes, and these not common and familiar to the world but perhaps plainly particular and novel, lest someone saying such things might acquire the admiration for himself by merely captivating and hunting for glory. Saying these things they were clearly urging the emperor also to reveal the person, and clearly rejoicing if he were judged worthy of such things, receiving from this symbols of God's love for mankind. But the emperor appeared very reticent, guarding against the suspicion of the many. But he wished to secure the opinions of his hearers while they were still pure of passion, so that thus, having marveled at the matter, 366 as was likely, they might not be able to alter their admissions out of shame, if anyone later chose to dispute it, having learned the person. And amid these things the day was spent until late, and night, having come on, persuaded both the emperor and those around him to consider it good to yield to the night as well; and they swiftly dissolved the assembly having nothing more than what had been heard. 36. And at dawn the emperor, having again called together not only these men, but now also all that was pure and elite of the state, and almost all the monks, decided to speak publicly again about this matter. Since, then, the Golden Triclinium did not hold the crowd, as it was very large, going out from the portico to them standing below, with the holy men and the whole imperial court around him, recounting many things, and having detailed everything, how each thing was said and done, finally, having marveled exceedingly at the man, still hiding his name, and having caused the rest to marvel exceedingly also, thereupon, at that very word (for he had prepared himself with a robe and girdle and head-covering and sandals) he sets out on foot toward the hitherto unknown man, and 367 persuades those who were willing to set out also, not commanding imperially but leaving to each his own free will, except that to the one who had toiled to the end he guaranteed the great and good blessing from the man. And to as many as were old men and could not travel on foot, and that in the mud and swamps since it was winter, to these he also allowed to mount horses. And indeed he led the way for those discerning the way by certain signs. And so some of the high priests and monks did this, while others on foot hastened along with the emperor who was on foot. To him, however,

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τῆς σαρκὸς δεσμίων τὸ θεῖον χαρισμάτων ἀξιοῦν βούλοιτο, μο ναχὸν ὑπὲρ ἄλλους ἂν ἀξιῶσαι. οἱ δὲ καὶ ἐναντίου πνεύματος ἀπεκάλουν ἐνέργημα, κλέπτοντος τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ δόξαν ἐκ τοῦ τὰ τῷ θεῷ πρέποντα προαρπάζειν, ὡς τὸν μέγαν λέγειν Ἀντώνιον. τοῖς δὲ καὶ ἐγχωροῦν εἶναι ἔκ τινων μαθημάτων εἰδέναι τὰ τοιαῦ τα ὑπελαμβάνετο. πάντες δὲ ὡς ἐπ' ἀσφαλεῖ θεμελίῳ τῷ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προσώπῳ ἤθελον ἐποικοδομεῖν τὴν διάγνωσιν, ὡς αὐτοῦ γε ἀδήλου ὄντος ἁπάσας ὑπονοίας ἁρμόζειν. πλὴν τὸ μὲν κήδε' 364 ἐφῆφθαι Ῥωμαίοις, ἔλεγον, καὶ ταῦτα τὰ μέγιστα ὧν ἀκοῇ πα ρειλήφαμεν, οὔτε μάντεως οὔτε μὴν προφήτου εἰπεῖν χρῄζοιεν. τὸ δὲ καὶ θεόθεν ὀργιζομένου, καὶ ἃς εἴπῃ τις ἂν αἰτίας, πολ λῶν γε οὐσῶν, ἐξαίρομεν μέντοι καὶ ἁμαρτίας τὰς τοῦ καθ' ἕκα στον, Χριστιανούς γε ὄντας καὶ πρεσβεύοντας πρόνοιαν εἰκὸς ἐννοεῖν, καὶ εἴ γ' ἐπὶ τούτοις ἡ ἐπὶ τοῦ λιπαρῶς θεοῦ δέεσθαι συμβουλὴ ὡς εὐμενίζοιτό τε καὶ ἐλεῴη ἵσταται, θαυμαστὸν οὐ δέν. τοὐναντίον μὲν οὖν ἂν θαυμαστὸν εἰ εὐθηνοῦσιν ἐς ἅπαν καὶ οὐδὲν ἔχουσι λυπηρὸν προέλεγέ τις τὰ φοβερά, ἂν τέως ἀπέ βαινον, ὅπου γε καὶ Ἰωνᾶς ὑπωπτεύετο Νινευΐταις τρυφῶσι μέχρι καὶ ἀκοῆς, ἀλλ' οὐ πείρας, σταθέντων τῶν λυπηρῶν. εἰ δὲ καὶ προφητείας ἀξιῷτό τις ἐπὶ τῷ πλέονι τῶν κακῶν, θαυμαστὸς μὲν ἐκεῖνος δόξειεν ἄν, μακαριστοὶ δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς λογιζοίμεθα ὡς οὐκ ἐκείνου ἀλλ' ἡμῶν γε χάριν τῆς προρρήσεως γεγονυίας. κρύπτεσθαι μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖνον καὶ μὴ φανερούμενον ἐκφανεροῦν τὰ θεῖα μυστήρια, πρὸς τῷ μὴ ἔνδοξον εἶναι κατὰ τὴν γραφήν, καὶ 365 κινδυνῶδες καθίσταται. καὶ ὅσον ἡμᾶς δίκαι περιελεύσονται κατωλιγωρηκότας δίκαιαι, εἰ τὰς αἰτίας ἐκεῖνος λέγει τοῦ δαιμονίου μηνίματος, οὕτως ἐκείνῳ σιγήσαντι τὸ διὰ κηδεμονίαν προο ραθὲν κίνδυνος περιστήσεται. τὸ δ' ἐπὶ τούτοις ἱστᾶν τὸ θαῦμα μὴ τὰς αἰτίας λέγοντα, καὶ ταύτας οὐ κοινὰς καὶ συνήθεις τῷ κόσμῳ ἀλλ' ἴσως ἰδίας καὶ καινοφανεῖς ἄντικρυς, μὴ καὶ ἑαυτῷ τις λέγων τοιαῦτα περιποιοίη τὸν θαυμασμὸν συναρπάζων μόνον καὶ δόξαν θηρώμενος. ταῦτα λέγοντες δῆλοι μὲν ἦσαν παρακι νοῦντες καὶ βασιλέα τὸ πρόσωπον ἐμφανίζειν, ἐμφανεῖς δὲ καὶ χαίροντες εἰ κριθείη τῶν τοιούτων ἐκεῖνος ἄξιος, θεοῦ φιλαν θρωπίας ἐντεῦθεν δεχόμενοι σύμβολα. ἀλλ' ὁ βασιλεὺς πολὺς ἐφαίνετο τὴν ἐχεμυθίαν, τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ὑπόνοιαν φυλαττόμε νος. ἤθελε δ' ἐνεχυράζειν τὰς γνώμας τῶν ἀκουόντων καὶ ἔτι καθαρὰς γενομένας πάθους, ἵν' οὕτω τὸ πρᾶγμα θαυμάσαντες, 366 ὡς εἰκός, παραλλάττειν μὴ ἔχοιεν τὰς ὁμολογίας αἰδούμενοι, ἤν τις ἐν ὑστέρῳ γνωσιμαχεῖν αἱροῖτο μαθὼν τὸ πρόσωπον. κἀν τούτοις ἡμέρα μὲν ἕως ὀψὲ διηνύετο, νὺξ δ' ἐπελθοῦσα καλὸν ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ τὸ νυκτὶ πείθεσθαι καὶ βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς ἀμφ' ἐκεῖ νον ἔπειθε· λύσαν δ' αἰψηρὴν ἀγορὴν μηδὲν πλέον τῶν ἀκου σθέντων ἔχοντες. 36. Ἅμα δ' ἕῳ συγκαλέσας καὶ αὖθις ὁ βασιλεὺς οὐ τού τους μόνον, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ ὅσον ἦν τῆς πολιτείας καθαρόν τε καὶ ἔκκριτον, καὶ μοναχοὺς σχεδὸν πάντας, ἔγνω καὶ πάλιν ἐν κοι νῷ τὰ περὶ τούτου δημηγορεῖν. ὡς τοίνυν τὸ πλῆθος ὁ χρυσο τρίκλινος οὐκ ἐχώρει πολύ γε ὄν, ἐξελθὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ περιπάτου σφίσι κάτωθεν ἱσταμένοις, περὶ ἐκεῖνον τῶν ἱερῶν ἀνδρῶν ὄντων καὶ ὅσον βασίλειον, πόλλ' ἄττα διεξιών, καὶ ὅπως ἐλέχθη τε καὶ ἐπράχθη ἕκαστον πάντα κατὰ μέρος διειληφώς, τέλος ὑπερθαυ μάσας μὲν τὸν ἄνδρα, κρύπτων ἔτι τοὔνομα, ὑπερθαυμάζειν δὲ καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς ἐργασάμενος, ἐντεῦθεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ λόγου (καὶ γὰρ ἡτοίμαστο καὶ στολῇ καὶ ζώνῃ καὶ καλύπτρᾳ καὶ ὑποδήμασιν) ἐξορμᾷ μὲν ἐκεῖνος πεζῇ πρὸς τὸν τέως ἄγνωστον, ἐξορμᾶν δὲ 367 πείθει καὶ τοὺς ἐθέλοντας, οὐ προστάσσων βασιλικῶς ἀλλ' ἀφιεὶς ἑκάστῳ τὸ αὐτεξούσιον, πλὴν τῷ εἰς τέλος κεκοπιακότι μεγάλην καὶ ἀγαθὴν ἐγγυώμενος τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς εὐλογίαν. ὅσοις δὲ καὶ γέρουσιν οὖσι πεζοπορεῖν οὐκ ἦν, ἐπὶ πηλοῖς καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τέλμασι χειμῶνος ὄντος, τούτοις καὶ ἵππων ἐπιβαίνειν ἠφίει. καί γε προῆγε σημείοις τισὶ τεκμαιρομένους τὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ. ταῦτα καί τινες μὲν τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ τῶν μοναχῶν ἔπραττον, ἄλλοι δὲ πεζοὶ πεζῷ συνωπήδουν τῷ βασιλεῖ. τῷ μέντοι γ'