170

For God made known what had happened, doubtless, I think, assuring men that those who show themselves to be such towards His servants deceive Him who knows and hears and sees all things. 7.28.1 But such are the things I learned. From that time Acacius also was distinguished among the bishops, having already before been entrusted with the episcopate in Beroea of Syria. It is likely that other things worthy of record are reported of him, inasmuch as from his 7.28.2 youth he had practiced the monastic life and conducted himself with exactitude. But he gave a proof of the greatest virtue by keeping his episcopal residence open at all times, so that both at mealtime and at bedtime, those who wished, both strangers and 7.28.3 citizens, could see him without fear. And this I especially admire; for either he lived in such a way as to always be confident, or, preparing himself against the readiness of nature for evil, he devised this, so that, expecting to be always observed by those entering unexpectedly, he might not, in his constant vigilance, fail in what was necessary, but be engaged in serious matters. 7.28.4 At that time Zeno and Aias, brothers, were also distinguished; who previously practiced philosophy not in monasteries, but in Gaza by the sea, which they also call Maiuma. Both were most faithful concerning the doctrine and confessed God courageously, so as to be often cruelly tortured by the 7.28.5 Hellenists. It is said that Aias married a most beautiful woman, and came together with her only three times in all, and had three children, and that after this, having renounced such intercourse with his wife, he lived a monastic life; and of his sons, he trained two for divine things and celibacy, but the other for marriage. He managed the church of Bitulium fittingly and with much approbation. 7.28.6 But Zeno, while still young, renouncing marriage and worldly life, became most diligent concerning the service of God. At least they say of him, or rather we ourselves have seen him as bishop of the church in Maiuma, when he was already aged and about one hundred years old, never being late for morning or evening hymns or any other service of God, unless 7.28.7 illness prevented him. Leading his life in monastic philosophy, he wove linen garments on a single loom, and from this he had his necessities and also provided for others, and he did not cease managing the same work until his death, although he was first in seniority among the priests of the nation and presided over a very large church in people and wealth. 7.28.8 But I have mentioned these things as proof of the clergy of that time, but to go through all of them is a task, since most of them were good, and the Divine testified to their lives, readily hearing them when they called and working very many wonders. 7.2.1 Being led by such men, the church everywhere led the peoples and the clergy to concord and virtue. Not only did these things dignify the religion, but also Habakkuk, and not long after him 7.2.2 Micah, the first of the prophets to be revealed around this time. The bodies of both, as I learned, were revealed through a divine vision in a dream to Zebennus, who was then in charge of the church of Eleutheropolis. For indeed, in this district were the village of Cela, formerly called Keilah, where Habakkuk was found, and Berathsatia, a place about ten stadia distant from the city; and near this was the tomb of Micah, which the locals, not knowing what they were saying, called the Faithful Monument, naming it Nephsameemana in their native tongue. 7.2.3 These things, therefore, also sufficiently coincided for the glory of the Christian doctrine during the present reign. After the victory over Eugenius, while the emperor Theodosius was still staying in Milan, he fell ill, and having considered, I think, the prophecy of John the 7.2.4 monk, he suspected his end was near. He quickly summoned his son Honorius from Constantinople, and upon seeing him arrive seemed to feel better, so that he even went forth with him to the spectacle of the hippodrome. But suddenly after the midday meal, badly

170

γὰρ ἀνέλυσε τὸ γεγονὸς ὁ θεός, πάντως, οἶμαι, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους πιστούμενος ὡς αὐτὸν τὸν πάντα εἰδότα καὶ ἀκούοντα καὶ ἐφορῶντα ἐξαπατῶσιν οἱ τοιούτους σφᾶς περὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ θεράποντας παρέχοντες. 7.28.1 ᾿Αλλὰ τὰ μὲν ὧδε ἐπυθόμην. ἐξ ἐκείνου δὲ καὶ ᾿Ακάκιος ἐν ἐπισκόποις διέπρεπεν, ἤδη πρότερον τὴν ἐν Βεροίᾳ τῆς Συρίας ἐπισκοπὴν ἐπιτραπείς. τούτου δὲ εἰκὸς μὲν καὶ ἄλλα φέρεσθαι γραφῆς ἄξια, καθὸ τὸν βίον ἐκ 7.28.2 νέου μοναχικῶς ἀσκηθεὶς ἀκριβῶς ἐπολιτεύσατο. τεκμήριον δὲ μεγίστης ἔδωκεν ἀρετῆς παρὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον τὸ ἐπισκοπικὸν καταγώγιον ἠνεῳγμένον ἔχων, ὡς καὶ τροφῆς ὥρᾳ καὶ ὕπνου ἀδεῶς οἷς ἐδόκει ξένοις τε καὶ 7.28.3 ἀστοῖς αὐτὸν ὁρᾶν. ἄγαμαι δὲ τοῦτο μάλιστα· ἢ γὰρ οὕτως ἐβίω ὡς ἀεὶ πεποιθέναι, ἢ πρὸς τὸ ἕτοιμον εἰς κακίαν τῆς φύσεως παρασκευαζόμενος τουτὶ ἐπενόησεν, ὥστε ἀεὶ φωραθήσεσθαι προσδοκῶν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐξαπίνης εἰσιόντων ἐν τῇ συνεχεῖ φυλακῇ μὴ διαμαρτάνειν ὧν δεῖ, ἀλλ' ἐν σπουδαίοις εἶναι πράγμασιν. 7.28.4 ᾿Εν δὲ τῷ τότε ἐπισήμω ἤστην καὶ Ζήνων καὶ Αἴας ἀδελφοί· οἳ δὴ τὸ πρὶν ἐφιλοσόφουν οὐκ ἐν μοναγρίαις, ἀλλ' ἐν Γάζῃ πρὸς θάλασσαν, ὅπερ καὶ Μαϊουμᾶν ὀνομάζουσιν. ἄμφω δὲ πιστοτάτω περὶ τὸ δόγμα ἐγενέσθην καὶ θεὸν ὡμολόγησαν ἀνδρείως, ὡς καὶ πολλάκις πρὸς τῶν 7.28.5 ῾Ελληνιστῶν χαλεπῶς αἰκισθῆναι. λέγεται δὲ Αἴαντα μὲν γῆμαι εὐειδεστάτην γυναῖκα, τρίτον δὲ μόνον αὐτῇ συνελθεῖν ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ τρεῖς παῖδας ποιῆσαι, τὸ μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ συνουσίας ἕνεκα τοιᾶσδε τῇ γαμετῇ ἀποταξάμενον μοναχικῶς πεπολιτεῦσθαι· καὶ τῶν υἱέων δύο μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ θεῖα καὶ τὴν ἀγαμίαν παιδαγωγῆσαι, τὸν ἄλλον δὲ ἐπὶ γάμον. ἐπιεικῶς δὲ καὶ μάλα εὐδοκίμως τὴν τοῦ Βιτουλίου ἐκ7.28.6 κλησίαν ἐπετρόπευσε. Ζήνων δὲ ἔτι νέος ὢν γάμῳ καὶ βίῳ ἀπαγορεύσας ἐπιμελέστατος ἐγένετο περὶ τὴν διακονίαν τοῦ θεοῦ. φασὶ γοῦν αὐτόν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς τεθεάμεθα ἐπισκοποῦντα τὴν ἐν τῷ Μαϊουμᾷ ἐκκλησίαν, ἤδη γηραλέον καὶ ἀμφὶ τὰ ἑκατὸν ἔτη ὄντα, μηδεπώποτε ἑωθινῶν ἢ ἑσπερινῶν ὕμνων ἢ ἄλλης λειτουργίας θεοῦ κατόπιν γενόμενον, εἰ μή γε 7.28.7 νόσος αὐτὸν ἐπέσχεν. ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ δὲ μοναχικῇ τὸν βίον ἄγων λινῆν ἐσθῆτα ὕφαινεν ἐπὶ μονήρους ἱστοῦ, ἐντεῦθέν τε τὰ ἐπιτήδεια εἶχε καὶ ἄλλοις ἐχορήγει, καὶ οὐ διέλιπεν ἄχρι τελευτῆς τὸ αὐτὸ διέπων ἔργον, καίπερ ἀρχαιότητι τῶν ἀνὰ τὸ ἔθνος ἱερέων πρωτεύων καὶ λαῷ καὶ χρήμασι με7.28.8 γίστης ἐκκλησίας προεστώς. ἀλλὰ τῶνδε μὲν εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τῶν τότε ἱερωμένων ἐπεμνήσθην, πάντας δὲ διεξελθεῖν ἔργον, ἐπεὶ οἱ πλείους ἀγαθοὶ ἐγένοντο, καὶ τὸ θεῖον ἐμαρτύρει τοῖς αὐτῶν βίοις ἐπικαλουμένων ἑτοίμως ἐπακοῦον καὶ πλεῖστα θαυματουργοῦν. 7.2.1 ῾Υπὸ δὲ τοιούτων ἀγομένη ἡ πανταχῇ ἐκκλησία πρὸς ὁμόνοιαν καὶ ἀρετὴν τοὺς λαοὺς καὶ τοὺς κλήρους ἀνῆγεν. οὐ μόνον δὲ ταῦτα τὴν θρησκείαν ἐσέμνυνεν, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ᾿Αμβακούμ, μετ' οὐ πολὺ δὲ τούτου καὶ 7.2.2 Μιχαίας, πρῶτοι προφητῶν περὶ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον ἀναφανέντες. ἀμφοῖν δὲ τὰ σώματα, ὡς ἐπυθόμην, κατὰ θείαν ὀνείρατος ὄψιν ἀνεδείχθη Ζεβέννῳ τῷ τότε ἐπιτροπεύοντι τὴν ᾿Ελευθεροπόλεως ἐκκλησίαν. καὶ γὰρ δὴ καὶ τοῦ νομοῦ ταύτης ἤστην Κελὰ ἡ πρὶν Κεϊλὰ ὀνομαζομένη κώμη, καθ' ἣν ὁ ᾿Αμβακοὺμ ηὑρέθη, καὶ Βηραθσάτια χωρίον ἀμφὶ δέκα στάδια τῆς πόλεως διεστώς· περὶ τοῦτο δὲ ὁ Μιχαίου τάφος ἦν, ὃ μνῆμα πιστὸν ἀγνοοῦντες ὅ τι λέγουσιν οἱ ἐπιχώριοι ἐκάλουν, Νεφσαμεεμανᾶ τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ ὀνομάζοντες. 7.2.3 ἱκανὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ τάδε πρὸς εὔκλειαν τοῦ Χριστιανῶν δόγματος ἐπὶ τῆς παρούσης βασιλείας συνεκύρησε. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν κατὰ Εὐγενίου νίκην ἔτι ἐν Μεδιολάνῳ διάγων Θεοδόσιος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀρρώστως διετέθη, ἐννοηθείς τε, ὡς οἶμαι, τὴν ᾿Ιωάννου τοῦ 7.2.4 μοναχοῦ προφητείαν ὑφωρᾶτο τελευτήν. ἐν τάχει τε τὸν υἱὸν ᾿Ονώριον ἐκ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως μετεκαλέσατο καὶ παραγενόμενον ἰδὼν ἔδοξε ῥᾷον ἔχειν, ὡς καὶ ἐπὶ θέαν ἱπποδρομίας σὺν αὐτῷ προελθεῖν. ἐξαπίνης δὲ μετὰ τὸ ἄριστον κακῶς