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when he was hidden, when he appeared I did not turn back, I did not hesitate at all, I did not give up running, nor did I consider him (228) a deceiver or one tempting me at all, but with all my strength, but with all my power I was seeking him who was not seen, I was examining the roads and fences, as to where he would appear. And I was filled with tears and I was asking everyone, those who had once seen him. And whom do you suppose I say that I was asking? The wise of this world or do you think I mean the gnostics? By no means, but prophets, apostles and fathers, those wise in truth, those who possess that very wisdom itself, who is that very Christ, the wisdom of God. These, therefore, with tears and intense pain of heart I was asking to tell me, where they had ever seen him or in what place this one or how and in what manner. and as they were telling me I was running with all my strength, I did not sleep at all, but I was forcing myself. Wherefore seeing my desire (229) he was moderately seen by me, whom, seeing as I said before - I pursued vigorously. Therefore when he saw me considering all things as nothing, but all things in the world,

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κρυπτομένου, φαινομένου οὐκ ἐστράφην εἰς τοὐπίσω, οὐ κατώκνησα οὐδ᾿ ὅλως, οὐκ ἐνέδωκα τοῦ τρέχειν, οὐδ᾿ ὡς πλάνον ἡγησάμην (228) ἤ πειράζοντά με ὅλως, ἀλλά πάσῃ μοι ἰσχύϊ, ἀλλά πάσῃ μου δυνάμει μή ὁρώμενον ἐζήτουν, τάς ὁδούς περιεσκόπουν καί φραγμούς, τό ποῦ φανεῖται˙ ἐπληρούμην τε δακρύων καί τούς πάντας ἐπηρώτων, τούς ποτε αὐτόν ἰδόντας. Τίνας δέ ὑπολαμβάνεις λέγειν με, ὅτι ἠρώτων; Τούς σοφούς τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἤ τούς γνωστικούς με οἴει; Οὔμενουν, ἀλλά προφήτας, ἀποστόλους καί πατέρας, τούς σοφούς ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, τούς αὐτήν ἐκείνην ὅλην τήν σοφίαν κεκτημένους, ὅς ἐστίν αὐτός ἐκεῖνος ὁ Χριστός Θεοῦ σοφία. Τούτους οὖν μετά δακρύων καί σφοδροῦ καρδίας πόνου ἐπηρώτων τοῦ εἰπεῖν μοι, ποῦ ποτε αὐτόν κατεῖδον ἤ ἐν ποίῳ τοῦτον τόπῳ εἴτε πῶς καί ποίῳ τρόπῳ˙ καί λεγόντων μοι ἐκείνων ἔτρεχον δυνάμει πάσῃ, οὐκ ἐκάθευδον οὐδ᾿ ὅλως, ἀλλ᾿ ἐβίαζον ἐμαυτόν. Ὅθεν βλέπων μου τόν πόθον (229) καθωρᾶτό μοι μετρίως, ὅνπερ βλέπων ὡς προεῖπον - κατεδίωκον εὐτόνως. Ὡς οὖν εἶδέ με τά πάντα εἰς οὐδέν ἡγησάμενον, ἀλλά πάντα τά ἐν κόσμῳ,