barlaam and ioasaph-第27章

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The　king　sat　down　before　all　on　a　doom…stool　high　and　exalted；　and　bade　his　son　sit　beside　him。　　He；　in　reverence　and　awe　of　his　father；　consented　not　thereto；　but　sat　near　him　on　the　ground。　There　stood　the　learned　in　the　wisdom　which　God　hath　made　foolish；　whose　unwise　hearts　had　gone　astray；　as　saith　the　Apostle；　for；　〃professing　themselves　to　be　wise；　they　became　fools；　and　changed　the　glory　of　the　uncorruptible　God　into　an　image　made　like　to　corruptible　man；　and　four…footed　beasts；　and　creeping　things。〃　　These　were　assembled　for　to　join　argument　with　the　king's　son　and　his　fellows；　and　on　them　was　fulfilled　the　proverb；　〃Gazelle　against　lion。〃　　The　one　made　the　most　High　his　house　of　defence；　and　his　hope　was　under　the　shadow　of　his　wings；　while　the　others　trusted　in　the　princes　of　this　world；　who　are　made　of　none　effect；　and　in　the　ruler　of　the　darkness　of　this　world；　to　whom　they　have　subjected　themselves　miserably　and　wretchedly。

Now　came　on　Nachor；　in　the　disguise　of　Barlaam；　and　the　king's　side　were　like　to　reach　their　goal；　but；　once　again；　very　different　was　the　ordering　of　the　wise　providence　of　God。　　When　all　the　company　was　come；　thus　spake　the　king　to　his　orators　and　philosophers；　or　rather　to　the　deceivers　of　his　people；　and　fools　at　heart；　〃Behold　now；　there　lieth　before　you　a　contest；　even　the　mightiest　of　contests；　for　one　of　two　things　shall　befall　you。　　If　ye　establish　our　cause；　and　prove　Barlaam　and　his　friends　to　be　in　error；　ye　shall　have　your　fill　of　glory　and　honour　from　us　and　all　the　senate；　and　shall　be　crowned　with　crowns　of　victory。　But　if　ye　be　worsted；　in　all　ignominy　ye　shall　pitiably　perish；　and　all　your　goods　shall　be　given　to　the　people；　that　your　memorial　may　be　clean　blotted　out　from　off　the　earth。　　Your　bodies　will　I　give　to　be　devoured　by　wild　beasts　and　your　children　will　I　deliver　to　perpetual　slavery。〃

When　the　king　had　thus　spoken；　his　son　said；　〃A　righteous　doom　hast　thou　judged　this　day；　O　king。　　The　Lord　establish　this　thy　mind！　　I　too　have　the　same　bidding　for　my　teacher。〃　　And；　turning　round　to　Nachor；　who　was　supposed　to　be　Barlaam；　he　said；　〃Thou　knowest；　Barlaam；　in　what　splendour　and　luxury　thou　foundest　me。　With　many　a　speech　thou　persuadedst　me　to　leave　my　father's　laws　and　customs；　and　to　serve　an　unknown　God；　drawn　by　the　promise　of　some　unspeakable　and　eternal　blessings；　to　follow　thy　doctrines　and　to　provoke　to　anger　my　father　and　lord。　　Now　therefore　consider　that　thou　art　weighed　in　the　balance。　　If　thou　overcome　in　the　wrestling；　and　prove　that　the　doctrines；　which　thou　hast　taught　me；　be　true；　and　show　that　they；　that　try　a　fall　with　us；　be　in　error；　thou　shalt　be　magnified　as　no　man　heretofore；　and　shalt　be　entitled　‘herald　of　truth'；　and　I　will　abide　in　thy　doctrine　and　serve　Christ；　even　as　thou　didst　preach；　until　my　dying　breath。　　But　if　thou　be　worsted；　by　foul　play　or　fair；　and　thus　bring　shame　on　me　to…day；　speedily　will　I　avenge　me　of　mine　injury；　with　mine　own　hands　will　I　quickly　tear　out　thy　heart　and　thy　tongue；　and　throw　them　with　the　residue　of　thy　carcase　to　be　meat　for　the　dogs；　that　others　may　be　lessoned　by　thee　not　to　cozen　the　sons　of　kings。〃

When　Nachor　heard　these　words；　he　was　exceeding　sorrowful　and　downcast；　seeing　himself　falling　into　the　destruction　that　he　had　made　for　other；　and　being　drawn　into　the　net　that　he　had　laid　privily；　and　feeling　the　sword　entering　into　his　own　soul。　　So　he　took　counsel　with　himself；　and　determined　rather　to　take　the　side　of　the　king's　son；　and　make　it　to　prevail；　that　he　might　avoid　the　danger　hanging　over　him；　because　the　prince　was　doubtless　able　to　requite　him；　should　he　be　found　to　provoke　him。　　But　this　was　all　the　work　of　divine　providence　that　was　wisely　establishing　our　cause　by　the　mouth　of　our　adversaries。　　For　when　these　idol…priests　and　Nachor　crossed　words；　like　another　Barlaam；　who；　of　old　in　the　time　of　Balak；　when　purposing　to　curse　Israel；　loaded　him　with　manifold　blessings；　so　did　Nachor　mightily　resist　these　unwise　and　unlearned　wise　men。

There　sat　the　king　upon　his　throne；　his　son　beside　him；　as　we　have　said。　　There　beside　him　stood　these　unwise　orators　who　had　whetted　their　tongues　like　a　sharp　sword；　to　destroy　truth；　and　who　（as　saith　Esay）　conceive　mischief　and　bring　forth　iniquity。　There　were　gathered　innumerable　multitudes；　come　to　view　the　contest　and　see　which　side　should　carry　oft　the　victory。　　Then　one　of　the　orators；　the　most　eminent　of　all　his　fellows；　said　unto　Nachor；　〃Art　thou　that　Barlaam　which　hath　so　shamelessly　and　audaciously　blasphemed　our　gods；　and　hath　enmeshed　our　king's　well　beloved　son　in　the　net　of　error；　and　taught　him　to　serve　the　Crucified？〃　　Nachor　answered；　〃I　am　he；　I　am　Barlaam；　that；　as　thou　sayest；　doth　set　your　gods　at　nought：　but　the　king's　son　have　I　not　enmeshed　in　error；　but　rather　from　error　have　I　delivered　him；　and　brought　him　to　the　true　God。〃　　The　orator　replied；　〃When　the　great　and　marvellous　men；　who　have　discovered　all　knowledge　of　wisdom；　do　call　them　high　and　immortal　gods；　and　when　all　the　kings　and　honourable　men　upon　earth　do　worship　and　adore　them；　how　waggest　thou　tongue　against　them；　and；　in　brief；　how　durst　thou　be　so　mighty　brazen…faced？　　What　is　the　manner　of　thy　proof　that　the　Crucified　is　God；　and　these　be　none？〃　　Then　replied　Nachor；　disdaining　even　to　answer　the　speaker。　　He　beckoned　with　his　hand　to　the　multitude　to　keep　silence；　and　opening　his　mouth；　like　Balaam's　ass；　spake　that　which　he　had　not　purposed　to　say；　and　thus　addressed　the　king。


XXVII。

〃By　the　providence　of　God；　O　king；　came　I　into　the　world；　and　when　I　contemplated　heaven　and　earth　and　sea；　the　sun　and　moon；　and　the　other　heavenly　bodies；　I　was　led　to　marvel　at　their　fair　order。　　And；　when　I　beheld　the　world　and　all　that　therein　is；　how　it　is　moved　by　law；　I　understood　that　he　who　moveth　and　sustaineth　it　is　God。　　That　which　moveth　is　ever　stronger　than　that　which　is　moved；　and　that　which　sustaineth　is　stronger　than　that　which　is　sustained。　　Him　therefore　I　call　God；　who　constructed　all　things　and　sustaineth　them；　without　beginning；　without　end；　immortal；　without　want；　above　all　passions；　and　failings；　such　as　anger；　forgetfulness；　ignorance；　and　the　like。　By　him　all　things　consist。　　He　hath　no　need　of　sacrifice；　or　drink…offering；　or　of　any　of　the　things　that　we　see；　but　all　men　have　need　of　him。

〃Now　that　I　have　said　thus　much　concerning　God；　according　as　he　hath　granted　me　to　speak　concerning　himself；　come　we　now　to　the　human　race；　that　we　may　know　which　of　them　partake　of　truth；　and　which　of　error。　　It　is　manifiest　to　us；　O　king；　that　there　are　three　races　of　men　in　this　world：　those　that　are　worshippers　of　them　whom　ye　call　gods；　and　Jews；　and　Christians。　　And　again　those　who　serve　many　gods　are　divided　into　three　races；　Chaldeans；　Greeks　and　Egyptians；　for　these　are　to　the　other　nations　the　leaders　and　teachers　of　the　service　and　worship　of　the　gods　whose　name　is　legion。　　Let　us　therefore　see　which　of　these　hold　the　truth；　and　which　error。

〃The　Chaldeans；　which　knew　not　God；　went　astray　after　the　elements　and　began　to　worship　the　creature　rather　than　their　Creator；　and　they　made　figures　of　these　creatures　and　called　them　likenesses　of　heaven；　and　earth　and　sea；　of　sun　and　moon；　and　of　the　other　elements　or　luminaries。　　And　they　enclose　them　in　temples；　and　worship　them　under　the　title　of　gods；　and　guard　them　in　safety　lest　they　be　stolen　by　robbers。　　They　have　not　understood　how　that　which　guardeth　is　ever　greater　than　that　which　is　guarded；　and　that　the　maker　is　greater　than　the　thing　that　is　made；　for；　if　the　gods　be　unable　to　take　care　of　themselves；　how　can　they　take　care　of　others？　　Great　then　is　the　error　that　the　Chaldeans　have　erred　in　worshipping　lifeless　and　useless　images。　　And　I　am　moved　to　wonder；　O　king；　how　they；　who　are　called　philosophers　among　them；　fail　to　understand　that　even　the　very　elements　are　corruptible。　　But　if　the　elements　are　corruptible　and　subject　to　necessity；　how　are　they　gods？　　And　if　the　elements　are　not　gods；　how　are　the　images；　created　to　their　honour；　gods？

〃Come　we　then；　O　king；　to　the　elements　themselves；　that　we　may　prove　concerning　them；　that　they　are　not　gods；　but　corruptible　and　changeable　things；　brought　out　of　non…existence　by　the　command　of　him　who　is　God　indeed；　who　is　incorruptible；　and　unchangeable；　and　invisible；　but　yet　himself　seeth　all　things；　and；　as　he　willeth；　changeth　and　altereth　the　same。　　What　then　must　I　say　about　the　elements？

〃They；　who　ween　that　the　Heaven　is　a　god；　are　in　error。　　For　we　see　it　turning　and　mowing　by　law；　and　consisting　of　many　parts；　whence　also　it　is　called　Cosmos！　　Now　a　‘Cosmos'　is　the　handiwork　of　some　artificer；　and　that　which　is　wrought　by　handiwork　hath　beginning　and　end。　　And　the　firmament　is　moved　by　law　together　with　its　luminaries。　　The　stars　are　borne　from　Sign　to　Sign；　each　in　his　order　and　place：　some　rise；　while　others　set：　and　they　run　their　journey　according　to　fixed　seasons；　to　fulfil　summer　and　winter；　as　it　hath　been　ordained　for　them　by　God；　nor　do　they　transgress　their　proper　bounds；　according　to　the　inexorable　law　of　nature；　in　common　with　the　heavenly　firmament。　　Whence　it　is　evident　that　the　heaven　is　not　a　god；　but　only　a　work　of　God。

〃They　again　that　think　that　the　Earth　is　a　goddess　have　gone　astray。　　We　behold　it　dishonoured；　mastered；　defiled　and　rendered　useless　by　mankind。　　If　it　be　baked　by　the　sun；　it　becometh　dead；　for　nothing　groweth　from　a　potsherd。　　And　again；　if　it　be　soaked　overmuch；　it　rotteth；　fruit　and　all。　　It　is　trodden　under　foot　of　men　and　the　residue　of　the　beasts：　it　is　polluted　with　the　blood　of　the　murdered；　it　is　digged　and　made　a　grave　for　dead　bodies。　This　being　so；　Earth　can　in　no　wise　be　a　goddess；　but　only　the　work　of　God　for　the　use　of　men。

〃They　that　think　that　Water　is　a　god　have　gone　astray。　　It　also　hath　been　made　for　the　use　of　men。　　It　is　under　their　lordship：　it　is　polluted；　and　perisheth：　it　is　altered　by　boiling；　by　dyeing；　by　congealment；　or　by　being　brought　to　the　cleansing　of　all　defilements。　　Wherefore　Water　cannot　be　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　Fire　is　a　god　are　in　error。　　It　too　was　made　for　the　use　of　men。　　It　is　subject　to　their　lordship；　being　carried　about　from　place　to　place；　for　the　seething　and　roasting　of　all　manner　of　meats；　yea；　and　for　the　burning　of　dead　corpses。　Moreover；　it　perisheth　in　divers　ways；　when　it　is　quenched　by　mankind。　　Wherefore　Fire　cannot　be　a　god；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　the　breath　of　the　Winds　is　a　goddess　are　in　error。　　This；　as　is　evident；　is　subject　to　another；　and　hath　been　prepared　by　God；　for　the　sake　of　mankind；　for　the　carriage　of　ships；　and　the　conveyance　of　victuals；　and　for　other　uses　of　men；　it　riseth　and　falleth　according　to　the　ordinance　of　God。　Wherefore　it　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　the　breath　of　the　Winds　is　a　goddess；　but　only　the　work　of　God。

〃They　that　think　that　the　Sun　is　a　god　are　in　error。　　We　see　him　moving　and　turning　by　law；　and　passing　from　Sign　to　Sign；　setting　and　rising；　to　warm　herbs　and　trees　for　the　use　of　men；　sharing　power　with　the　other　stars；　being　much　less　than　the　heaven；　and　falling　into　eclipse　and　possessed　of　no　sovranty　of　his　own。　Wherefore　w