barlaam and ioasaph-第13章

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eir　eyes；　in　meekness　and　gentleness；　in　silence　of　the　lips；　in　poverty　and　want；　in　chastity　and　temperance；　in　humbleness　and　quietude　of　mind；　in　perfect　charity　toward　God　and　their　neighbour；　carrying　their　present　life　down　to　the　grave；　and　becoming　Angels　in　their　ways。　Wherefore　God　hath　graced　them　with　miracles；　signs　and　various　virtues　and　made　the　voice　of　their　marvellous　life　to　be　sounded　forth　to　the　ends　of　the　world。　　If　I　open　my　mouth　to　declare　in　every　point　the　life　of　one　of　them　who　is　said　to　have　been　the　founder　of　the　monastic　life；　Antony　by　name；　by　this　one　tree　thou　shalt　assuredly　know　the　sweet　fruits　of　other　trees　of　the　like　kind　and　form；　and　shalt　know　what　a　foundation　of　religious　life　that　great　man　laid；　and　what　a　roof　he　built；　and　what　gifts　he　merited　to　receive　from　the　Saviour。　　After　him　many　fought　the　like　fight　and　won　like　crowns　and　guerdons。

〃Blessed；　yea；　thrice　blessed；　are　they　that　have　loved　God；　and；　for　his　love's　sake；　have　counted　every　thing　as　nothing　worth。　For　they　wept　and　mourned；　day　and　night；　that　they　might　gain　everlasting　comfort：　they　humbled　themselves　willingly；　that　there　they　might　be　exalted：　they　afflicted　the　flesh　with　hunger　and　thirst　and　vigil；　that　there　they　might　come　to　the　pleasures　and　joys　of　Paradise。　　By　their　purity　of　heart　they　became　a　tabernacle　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　as　it　is　written；　‘I　will　dwell　in　them　and　walk　in　them。'　　They　crucified　themselves　unto　the　world；　that　they　might　stand　at　the　right　hand　of　the　Crucified：　they　girt　their　loins　with　truth；　and　alway　had　their　lamps　ready；　looking　for　the　coming　of　the　immortal　bridegroom。　　The　eye　of　their　mind　being　enlightened；　they　continually　looked　forward　to　that　awful　hour；　and　kept　the　contemplation　of　future　happiness　and　everlasting　punishment　immovable　from　their　hearts；　and　pained　themselves　to　labour；　that　they　might　not　lose　eternal　glory。　　They　became　passionless　as　the　Angels；　and　now　they　weave　the　dance　in　their　fellowship；　whose　lives　also　they　imitated。　　Blessed；　yea；　thrice　blessed　are　they；　because　with　sure　spiritual　vision　they　discerned　the　vanity　of　this　present　world　and　the　uncertainty　and　inconstancy　of　mortal　fortune；　and　cast　it　aside；　and　laid　up　for　themselves　everlasting　blessings；　and　laid　hold　of　that　life　which　never　faileth；　nor　is　broken　by　death。

〃These　then　are　the　marvellous　holy　men　whose　examples　we；　that　are　poor　and　vile；　strive　to　imitate；　but　cannot　attain　to　the　high　level　of　the　life　of　these　heavenly　citizens。　　Nevertheless；　so　far　as　is　possible　for　our　weakness　and　feeble　power；　we　take　the　stamp　of　their　lives；　and　wear　their　habit：　even　though　we　fail　to　equal　their　works；　for　we　are　assured　that　this　holy　profession　is　a　means　to　perfection　and　an　aid　to　the　incorruption　given　us　by　holy　baptism。　　So；　following　the　teachings　of　these　blessed　Saints；　we　utterly　renounce　these　corruptible　and　perishable　things　of　life；　wherein　may　be　found　nothing　stable　or　constant；　or　that　continueth　in　one　stay；　but　all　things　are　vanity　and　vexation　of　spirit；　and　many　are　the　changes　that　they　bring　in　a　moment；　for　they　are　slighter　than　dreams　and　a　shadow；　or　the　breeze　that　bloweth　the　air。　　Small　and　short…lived　is　their　charm；　that　is　after　all　no　charm；　but　illusion　and　deception　of　the　wickedness　of　the　world；　which　world　we　have　been　taught　to　love　not　at　all；　but　rather　to　hate　with　all　our　heart。　　Yea；　and　verily　it　is　worthy　of　hatred　and　abhorrence；　for　whatsoever　gifts　it　giveth　to　its　friends；　these　in　turn　in　passion　it　taketh　away；　and　shall　hand　over　its　victims；　stripped　of　all　good　things；　clad　in　the　garment　of　shame；　and　bound　under　heavy　burdens；　to　eternal　tribulation。　　And　those　again　whom　it　exalteth；　it　quickly　abaseth　to　the　utmost　wretchedness；　making　them　a　foot…stool　and　a　laughing　stock　for　their　enemies。　　Such　are　its　charms；　such　its　bounties。　For　it　is　an　enemy　of　its　friends；　and　traitor　to　such　as　carry　out　its　wishes：　dasheth　to　dire　destruction　all　them　that　lean　upon　it；　and　enervateth　those　that　put　their　trust　therein。　　It　maketh　covenants　with　fools　and　fair　false　promises；　only　that　it　may　allure　them　to　itself。　　But；　as　they　have　dealt　treacherously；　it　proveth　itself　treacherous　and　false　in　fulfilling　none　of　its　pledges。　　To…day　it　tickleth　their　gullet　with　pleasant　dainties；　to…morrow　it　maketh　them　nought　but　a　gobbet　for　their　enemies。　　To…day　it　maketh　a　man　a　king：　to…morrow　it　delivereth　him　into　bitter　servitude。　　To…day　its　thrall　is　fattening　on　a　thousand　good　things；　to…morrow　he　is　a　beggar；　and　drudge　of　drudges。　　To…day　it　placeth　on　his　head　a　crown　of　glory；　to…morrow　it　dasheth　his　face　upon　the　ground。　To…day　it　adorneth　his　neck　with　brilliant　badges　of　dignity；　to…morrow　it　humbleth　him　with　a　collar　of　iron。　　For　a　little　while　it　causeth　him　to　be　the　desire　of　all　men；　but　after　a　time　it　maketh　him　their　hate　and　abomination。　　To…day　it　gladdeneth　him：　but　to…morrow　it　weareth　him　to　a　shadow　with　lamentations　and　wailings。　　What　is　the　end　thereof；　thou　shalt　hear。　　Ruthlessly　it　bringeth　its　former　lovers　to　dwell　in　hell。　Such　is　ever　its　mind；　such　its　purposes。　　It　lamenteth　not　its　departed；　nor　pitieth　the　survivor。　　For　after　that　it　hath　cruelly　duped　and　entangled　in　its　meshes　the　one　party；　it　immediately　transferreth　the　resources　of　its　ingenuity　against　the　other；　not　willing　that　any　should　escape　its　cruel　snares；

〃These　men　that　have　foolishly　alienated　themselves　from　a　good　and　kind　master；　to　seek　the　service　of　so　harsh　and　savage　a　lord；　that　are　all　agog　for　present　joys　and　are　glued　thereto；　that　take　never　a　thought　for　the　future；　that　always　grasp　after　bodily　enjoyments；　but　suffer　their　souls　to　waste　with　hunger；　and　to　be　worn　with　myriad　ills；　these　I　consider　to　be　like　a　man　flying　before　the　face　of　a　rampant　unicorn；　who；　unable　to　endure　the　sound　of　the　beast's　cry；　and　its　terrible　bellowing；　to　avoid　being　devoured；　ran　away　at　full　speed。　　But　while　he　ran　hastily；　he　fell　into　a　great　pit；　and　as　he　fell；　he　stretched　forth　his　hands；　and　laid　hold　on　a　tree；　to　which　he　held　tightly。　　There　he　established　some　sort　of　foot…hold　and　thought　himself　from　that　moment　in　peace　and　safety。　　But　he　looked　and　descried　two　mice；　the　one　white；　the　other　black；　that　never　ceased　to　gnaw　the　root　of　the　tree　whereon　he　hung；　and　were　all　but　on　the　point　of　severing　it。　　Then　he　looked　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　pit　and　espied　below　a　dragon；　breathing　fire；　fearful　for　eye　to　see；　exceeding　fierce　and　grim；　with　terrible　wide　jaws；　all　agape　to　swallow　him。　　Again　looking　closely　at　the　ledge　whereon　his　feet　rested；　he　discerned　four　heads　of　asps　projecting　from　the　wall　whereon　he　was　perched。　　Then　he　lift　up　his　eyes　and　saw　that　from　the　branches　of　the　tree　there　dropped　a　little　honey。　　And　thereat　he　ceased　to　think　of　the　troubles　whereby　he　was　surrounded；　how；　outside；　the　unicorn　was　madly　raging　to　devour　him：　how；　below；　the　fierce　dragon　was　yawning　to　swallow　him：　how　the　tree；　which　he　had　clutched；　was　all　but　severed；　and　how　his　feet　rested　on　slippery；　treacherous　ground。　　Yea；　he　forgat；　without　care；　all　those　sights　of　awe　and　terror；　and　his　whole　mind　hung　on　the　sweetness　of　that　tiny　drop　of　honey。

〃This　is　the　likeness　of　those　who　cleave　to　the　deceitfulness　of　this　present　life；　　the　interpretation　whereof　I　will　declare　to　thee　anon。　　The　unicorn　is　the　type　of　death；　ever　in　eager　pursuit　to　overtake　the　race　of　Adam。　　The　pit　is　the　world；　full　of　all　manner　of　ills　and　deadly　snares。　　The　tree；　which　was　being　continually　fretted　by　the　two　mice；　to　which　the　man　clung；　is　the　course　of　every　man's　life；　that　spendeth　and　consuming　itself　hour　by　hour；　day　and　night；　and　gradually　draweth　nigh　its　severance。　　The　fourfold　asps　signify　the　structure　of　man's　body　upon　four　treacherous　and　unstable　elements　which；　being　disordered　and　disturbed；　bring　that　body　to　destruction。　　Furthermore；　the　fiery　cruel　dragon　betokeneth　the　maw　of　hell　that　is　hungry　to　receive　those　who　choose　present　pleasures　rather　than　future　blessings。　　The　dropping　of　honey　denoteth　the　sweetness　of　the　delights　of　the　world；　whereby　it　deceiveth　its　own　friends；　nor　suffereth　them　to　take　timely　thought　for　their　salvation。〃


XIII。

Ioasaph　received　this　parable　with　great　joy　and　said；　〃How　true　this　story　is；　and　most　apt！　　Grudge　not；　then；　to　shew　me　other　such　like　figures；　that　I　may　know　for　certain　what　the　manner　of　our　life　is；　and　what　it　hath　in　store　for　its　friends。〃

The　elder　answered；　〃Again；　those　who　are　enamoured　of　the　pleasures　of　life；　and　glamoured　by　the　sweetness　thereof；　who　prefer　fleeting　and　paltry　objects　to　those　which　are　future　and　stable；　are　like　a　certain　man　who　had　three　friends。　　On　the　first　two　of　these　he　was　extravagantly　lavish　of　his　honours；　and　clave　passionately　to　their　love；　fighting　to　the　death　and　deliberately　hazarding　his　life　for　their　sakes。　　But　to　the　third　he　bore　himself　right　arrogantly；　never　once　granting　him　the　honour　nor　the　love　that　was　his　due；　but　only　making　show　of　some　slight　and　inconsiderable　regard　for　him。　　Now　one　day　he　was　apprehended　by　certain　dread　and　strange　soldiers；　that　made　speed　to　hale　him　to　the　king；　there　to　render　account　for　a　debt　of　ten　thousand　talents。　　Being　in　a　great　strait；　this　debtor　sought　for　a　helper；　able　to　take　his　part　in　this　terrible　reckoning　with　the　king。　　So　he　ran　to　his　first　and　truest　friend　of　all；　and　said；　‘Thou　wottest；　friend；　that　I　ever　jeopardied　my　life　for　thy　sake。　　Now　to…day　I　require　help　in　a　necessity　that　presseth　me　sore。　　In　how　many　talents　wilt　thou　undertake　to　assist　me　now？　　What　is　the　hope　that　I　may　count　upon　at　thy　hands；　O　my　dearest　friend？'　　The　other　answered　and　said　unto　him；　‘Man；　I　am　not　thy　friend：　I　know　not　who　thou　art。　　Other　friends　I　have；　with　whom　I　must　needs　make　merry　to…day；　and　so　win　their　friendship　for　the　time　to　come。　　But；　see；　I　present　thee　with　two　ragged　garments；　that　thou　mayest　have　them　on　the　way　whereon　thou　goest；　though　they　will　do　thee　no　manner　of　good。　　Further　help　from　me　thou　mayest　expect　none。'　　The　other；　hearing　this；　despaired　of　the　succour　whereon　he　had　reckoned；　and　went　to　his　second　friend；　saying；　‘Friend；　thou　rememberest　how　much　honour　and　kindness　thou　hast　enjoyed　at　my　hands。　　To…day　I　have　fallen　into　tribulation　and　sorrow；　and　need　a　helping　hand。　　To　what　extent　then　canst　thou　share　my　labour？　　Tell　me　at　once。'　　Said　he；　‘I　have　on　leisure　today　to　share　thy　troubles。　　I　too　have　fallen　among　cares　and　perils；　and　am　myself　in　tribulation。　　Howbeit；　I　will　go　a　little　way　with　thee；　even　if　I　shall　fail　to　be　of　service　to　thee。　　Then　will　I　turn　quickly　homeward；　and　busy　myself　with　mine　own　anxieties。'　　So　the　man　returned　from　him　too　empty…handed　and　baulked　at　every　turn；　and　he　cried　misery　on　himself　for　his　vain　hope　in　those　ungrateful　friends；　and　the　unavailing　hardships　that　he　had　endured　through　love　of　them。　　At　the　last　he　went　away　to　the　third　friend；　whom　he　had　never　courted；　nor　invited　to　share　his　happiness。　　With　countenance　ashamed　and　downcast；　he　said　unto　him；　‘I