barlaam and ioasaph-第4章

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ry　and　are　enamoured　of　them；　who；　having　no　good　hopes　yonder；　find　it　hard　to　be　wrenched　from　this　present　world；　and　therefore　dread　death？　　But　we；　who　have　long　since　hated　the　world　and　the　things　of　the　world；　and　are　walking　along　the　narrow　and　strait　road；　for　Christ　his　sake；　neither　dread　death；　nor　desire　the　present　world；　but　only　long　for　the　world　to　come。　　Therefore；　forasmuch　the　death　that　thou　art　bringing　upon　us　proveth　but　the　passage　to　that　everlasting　and　better　life；　it　is　rather　to　be　desired　of　us　than　feared。〃

Hereupon　the　king；　wishing　to　entrap　the　monks；　as　I　ween；　shrewdly　said；　〃How　now？　　Said　ye　not　but　this　instant；　that　ye　were　withdrawing　even　as　I　commanded　you？　　And；　if　ye　fear　not　death；　how　came　ye　to　be　fleeing？　　Lo！　　this　is　but　another　of　your　idle　boasts　and　lies。〃　　The　monks　answered；　〃Tis　not　because　we　dread　the　death　wherewith　thou　dost　threaten　us　that　we　flee；　but　because　we　pity　thee。　‘Twas　in　order　that　we　might　not　bring　on　thee　greater　condemnation；　that　we　were　eager　to　escape。　　Else　for　ourselves　we　are　never　a　whit　terrified　by　thy　threats。〃　　At　this　the　king　waxed　wroth　and　bade　burn　them　with　fire。　　So　by　fire　were　these　servants　of　God　made　perfect；　and　received　the　Martyr's　crown。　　And　the　king　published　a　decree　that；　should　any　be　found　leading　a　monk's　life；　he　should　be　put　to　death　without　trial。　　Thus　was　there　left　in　that　country　none　of　the　monastic　order；　save　those　that　had　hid　them　in　mountains　and　caverns　and　holes　of　the　earth。　　So　much　then　concerning　this　matter。


V。

But　meanwhile；　the　king's　son；　of　whom　our　tale　began　to　tell；　never　departing　from　the　palace　prepared　for　him；　attained　to　the　age　of　manhood。　　He　had　pursued　all　the　learning　of　the　Ethiopians　and　Persians；　and　was　as　fair　and　well　favoured　in　mind　as　in　body；　intelligent　and　prudent；　and　shining　in　all　excellencies。　　To　his　teachers　he　would　propound　such　questions　of　natural　history　that　even　they　marvelled　at　the　boy's　quickness　and　understanding；　while　the　king　was　astounded　at　the　charm　of　his　countenance　and　the　disposition　of　his　soul。　　He　charged　the　attendants　of　the　young　prince　on　no　account　to　make　known　unto　him　any　of　the　annoys　of　life；　least　of　all　to　tell　him　that　death　ensueth　on　the　pleasures　of　this　world。　　But　vain　was　the　hope　whereon　he　stayed；　and　he　was　like　the　archer　in　the　tale　that　would　shoot　at　the　sky。　　For　how　could　death　have　remained　unknown　to　any　human　creature？　　Nor　did　it　to　this　boy；　for　his　mind　was　fertile　of　wit；　and　he　would　reason　within　himself；　why　his　father　had　condemned　him　never　to　go　abroad；　and　had　forbidden　access　to　all。　　He　knew；　without　hearing　it；　that　this　was　his　father's　express　command。　　Nevertheless　he　feared　to　ask　him；　it　was　not　to　be　believed　that　his　father　intended　aught　but　his　good；　and　again；　if　it　were　so　by　his　father's　will；　his　father　would　not　reveal　the　true　reason；　for　all　his　asking。　Wherefore　he　determined　to　learn　the　secret　from　some　other　source。　　There　was　one　of　his　tutors　nearer　and　dearer　to　him　than　the　rest；　whose　devotion　he　won　even　further　by　handsome　gifts。　　To　him　he　put　the　question　what　his　father　might　mean　by　thus　enclosing　him　within　those　walls；　adding；　〃If　thou　wilt　plainly　tell　me　this；　of　all　thou　shalt　stand　first　in　my　favour；　and　I　will　make　with　thee　a　covenant　of　everlasting　friendship。〃　The　tutor；　himself　a　prudent　man；　knowing　how　bright　and　mature　was　the　boy's　wit　and　that　he　would　not　betray　him；　to　his　peril；　discovered　to　him　the　whole　matter　the　persecution　of　the　Christians　and　especially　of　the　anchorets　decreed　by　the　king；　and　how　they　were　driven　forth　and　banished　from　the　country　round　about；　also　the　prophecies　of　the　astrologers　at　his　birth。　〃'Twas　in　order；〃　said　he；　〃that　thou　mightest　never　hear　of　their　teaching；　and　choose　it　before　our　religion；　that　the　king　hath　thus　devised　that　none　but　a　small　company　should　dwell　with　thee；　and　hath　commanded　us　to　acquaint　thee　with　none　of　the　woes　of　life。〃　　When　the　young　prince　heard　this　he　said　never　a　word　more；　but　the　word　of　salvation　took　hold　of　his　heart；　and　the　grace　of　the　Comforter　began　to　open　wide　the　eyes　of　his　understanding；　leading　him　by　the　hand　to　the　true　God；　as　our　tale　in　its　course　shall　tell。

Now　the　king　his　father　came　oftentimes　to　see　his　boy；　for　he　loved　him　passing　well。　　On　a　day　his　son　said　unto　him；　〃There　is　something　that　I　long　to　learn　from　thee；　my　lord　the　king；　by　reason　of　which　continual　grief　and　unceasing　care　consumeth　my

soul。〃　　His　father　was　grieved　at　heart　at　the　very　word；　and　said；　〃Tell　me；　darling　child；　what　is　the　sadness　that　constraineth　thee；　and　straightway　I　will　do　my　diligence　to　turn　it　into　gladness。〃　　The　boy　said；　〃What　is　the　reason　of　mine　imprisonment　here？　　Wily　hast　thou　barred　me　within　walls　and　doors；　never　going　forth　and　seen　of　none？〃　　His　father　replied；　〃Because　I　will　not；　my　son；　that　thou　shouldest　behold　anything　to　embitter　thy　heart　or　mar　thy　happiness。　　I　intend　that　thou　shalt　spend　all　thy　days　in　luxury　unbroken；　and　in　all　manner　joy　and　pleasaunce。〃　　〃But；〃　said　the　son　unto　his　father；　〃know　well；　Sir；　that　thus　I　live　not　in　joy　and　pleasaunce；　but　rather　in　affliction　and　great　straits；　so　that　my　very　meat　and　drink　seem　distasteful　unto　me　and　bitter。　　I　yearn　to　see　all　that　lieth　without　these　gates。　　If　then　thou　wouldest　not　have　me　live　in　anguish　of　mind；　bid　me　go　abroad　as　I　desire；　and　let　me　rejoice　my　soul　with　sights　hitherto　unseen　by　mine　eyes。〃

Grieved　was　the　king　to　hear　these　words；　but；　perceiving　that　to　deny　this　request　would　but　increase　his　boy's　pain　and　grief；　he　answered；　〃My　son；　I　will　grant　thee　thy　heart's　desire。〃　　And　immediately　he　ordered　that　choice　steeds；　and　an　escort　fit　　for　a　king；　be　made　ready；　and　gave　him　license　to　go　abroad　whensoever　he　would；　charging　his　companions　to　suffer　nothing　unpleasant　to　come　in　his　way；　but　to　show　him　all　that　was　beautiful　and　gladsome。　　He　bade　them　muster　in　the　way　troops　of　folk　intuning　melodies　in　every　mode；　and　presenting　divers　mimic　shows；　that　these　might　occupy　and　delight　his　mind。

So　thus　it　came　to　pass　that　the　king's　son　often　went　abroad。　One　day；　through　the　negligence　of　his　attendants；　he　descried　two　men；　the　one　maimed；　and　the　other　blind。　　In　abhorrence　of　the　sight；　he　cried　to　his　esquires；　〃Who　are　these；　and　what　is　this　distressing　spectacle？〃　　They；　unable　to　conceal　what　he　had　with　his　own　eyes　seen；　answered；　〃These　be　human　sufferings；　which　spring　from　corrupt　matter；　and　from　a　body　full　of　evil　humours。〃　　The　young　prince　asked；　〃Are　these　the　fortune　of　all　men？〃　　They　answered；　〃Not　of　all；　but　of　those　in　whom　the　principle　of　health　is　turned　away　by　the　badness　of　the　humours。〃　　Again　the　youth　asked；　〃If　then　this　is　wont　to　happen　not　to　all；　but　only　to　some；　can　they　be　known　on　whom　this　terrible　calamity　shall　fall？　　or　is　it　undefined　and　unforeseeable？〃　　〃What　man；〃　said　they；　〃can　discern　the　future；　and　accurately　ascertain　it？　　This　is　beyond　human　nature；　and　is　reserved　for　the　immortal　gods　alone。〃　　The　young　prince　ceased　from　his　questioning；　but　his　heart　was　grieved　at　the　sight　that　he　had　witnessed；　and　the　form　of　his　visage　was　changed　by　the　strangeness　of　the　matter。

Not　many　days　after；　as　he　was　again　taking　his　walks　abroad；　he　happened　with　an　old　man；　well　stricken　in　years；　shrivelled　in　countenance；　feeble…kneed；　bent　double；　grey…haired；　toothless；　and　with　broken　utterance。　　The　prince　was　seized　with　astonishment；　and；　calling　the　old　man　near；　desired　to　know　the　meaning　of　this　strange　sight。　　His　companions　answered；　〃This　man　is　now　well　advanced　in　years；　and　his　gradual　decrease　of　strength；　with　increase　of　weakness；　hath　brought　him　to　the　misery　that　thou　seest。〃　　〃And；〃　said　he；　〃what　will　be　his　end？〃　They　answered；　〃Naught　but　death　will　relieve　him。〃　　〃But；〃　said　he；　〃is　this　the　appointed　doom　of　all　mankind？　　Or　doth　it　happen　only　to　some？〃　　They　answered；　〃Unless　death　come　before　hand　to　remove　him；　no　dweller　on　earth；　but；　as　life　advanceth；　must　make　trial　of　this　lot。〃　　Then　the　young　prince　asked　in　how　many　years　this　overtook　a　man；　and　whether　the　doom　of　death　was　without　reprieve；　and　whether　there　was　no　way　to　escape　it；　and　avoid　coming　to　such　misery。　　They　answered　him；　〃In　eighty　or　an　hundred　years　men　arrive　at　this　old　age；　and　then　they　die；　since　there　is　none　other　way；　for　death　is　a　debt　due　to　nature；　laid　on　man　from　the　beginning；　and　its　approach　is　inexorable。〃

When　our　wise　and　sagacious　young　prince　saw　and　heard　all　this；　he　sighed　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart。　　〃Bitter　is　this　life；〃　cried　he；　〃and　fulfilled　of　all　pain　and　anguish；　if　this　be　so。　And　how　can　a　body　be　careless　in　the　expectation　of　an　unknown　death；　whose　approach　（ye　say）　is　as　uncertain　as　it　is　inexorable？〃　　So　he　went　away；　restlessly　turning　over　all　these　things　in　his　mind；　pondering　without　end；　and　ever　calling　up　remembrances　of　death。　　Wherefore　trouble　and　despondency　were　his　companions；　and　his　grief　knew　no　ease；　for　he　said　to　himself；　〃And　is　it　true　that　death　shall　one　day　overtake　me？　And　who　is　he　that　shall　make　mention　of　me　after　death；　when　time　delivereth　all　things　to　forgetfulness？　　When　dead；　shall　I　dissolve　into　nothingness？　　Or　is　there　life　beyond；　and　another　world？〃　　Ever　fretting　over　these　and　the　like　considerations；　he　waxed　pale　and　wasted　away；　but　in　the　presence　of　his　father；　whenever　he　chanced　to　come　to　him；　he　made　as　though　he　were　cheerful　and　without　trouble；　unwilling　that　his　cares　should　come　to　his　father's　knowledge。　　But　he　longed　with　an　unrestrainable　yearning；　to　meet　with　the　man　that　might　accomplish　his　heart's　desire；　and　fill　his　ears　with　the　sound　of　good　tidings。

Again　he　enquired　of　the　tutor　of　whom　we　have　spoken；　whether　he　knew　of　anybody　able　to　help　him　towards　his　desire；　and　to　establish　a　mind；　dazed　and　shuddering　at　its　cogitations；　and　unable　to　throw　off　its　burden。　　He；　recollecting　their　former　communications；　said；　〃I　have　told　thee　already　how　thy　father　hath　dealt　with　the　wise　men　and　anchorets　who　spend　their　lives　in　such　philosophies。　　Some　hath　he　slain；　and　others　he　hath　wrathfully　persecuted；　and　I　wot　not　whether　any　of　this　sort　be　in　this　country　side。〃　　Thereat　the　prince　was　overwhelmed　with　woe；　and　grievously　wounded　in　spirit。　　He　was　like　unto　a　man　that　hath　lost　a　great　treasure；　whose　whole　heart　is　occupied　in　seeking　after　it。　　Thenceforth　he　lived　in　perpetual　conflict　and　distress　of　mind；　and　all　the　pleasures　and　delights　of　this　world　were　in　his　eyes　an　abomination　and　a　curse。　　While　the　youth　was　in　this　way；　and　his　soul　was　crying　out　to　discover　that　which　is　good；　the　eye　that　beholdeth　all　things　looked　upon　him；　and　he　that　willeth　that　‘all　men　should　be　saved；　and　come　to　the　knowledge　of　the　truth；'　passed　him　not　by；　but　showed　this　man　also　the　tender　love　that　he　hath　toward　mankind；　and　made　known　upon　him　the　path　whereon　he　needs　must　go。　　Befel　it　thus。


VI。

There　was　at　that　time　a　certain　monk；　learned　in　heavenly　things；　graced　in　word　and　deed；　a　model　follower　of　every　monastic