This is the only one of the five primary romances which
we possess in its entirety. It is of great length and considerable
interest. The Stichometry (see p. 24) gives it only 1,600 lines: this
is far too little: it may probably apply only to a portion of the
Acts, single episodes of which, in addition to the Martyrdom, may
have been current separately. We do, in fact, find some separate
miracles in some of the oriental versions.
There is a consensus of opinion among Syriac
scholars that our Greek text of these Acts is a version from Syriac.
The Syriac original was edited and translated by Wright in his
Apocryphal Acts, and older fragments have since been published by
Mrs. Lewis (Horae Semiticae IV, 1904. Mythological Acts of the
Apostles).
Certain hymns occur in the Syriac
which were undoubtedly composed in that language: most notable is the
Hymn of the Soul (edited separately by A. A. Bevan, and others) which
is not relevant to the context. It has been ascribed to Bardaisan the
famous Syrian heretic. Only one Greek MS. of the Acts (the
Vallicellian, at Rome, Bonnet's MS. U, of the eleventh century)
contains it; it is paraphrased by Nicetas of Thessalonica in his
Greek rechauffe of the Acts.
There is, in fact, no room to doubt that the
whole text of the Acts, as preserved complete in MS. U and partially
in other manuscripts, is a translation from the Syriac. But in the
Martyrdom four manuscripts (including a very important Paris copy-Gr.
1510, of eleventh century, and another of ninth century) present a
quite different, and superior. text, indubitably superior in one
striking point: that whereas Syr. places the great prayer of Thomas
in the twelfth Act, some little time before the Martyrdom (ch. 144
sqq.), the four manuscripts place it immediately before, after ch.
167, and this is certainly the proper place for it.
It is, I believe, still arguable (though denied
by the Syriacists) that here is a relic of the original Greek text:
in other words, the Acts were composed in Greek, and early rendered
into Syriac. Becoming scarce or being wholly lost in Greek they were
retranslated out of Syriac into Greek. But meanwhile the original
Greek of the Martyrdom had survived separately, and we have it here.
This was M. Bonnet's view, and it is one which I should like to
adopt.
At the very least, we have a better text of the
Martyrdom preserved in these four manuscripts than in U and its
congeners.
As to other versions. The Latin Passions-one
probably by Gregory of Tours- have been much adulterated. We have
also Ethiopic versions of some episodes, and there is also an
Armenian one of which little use has been made. However, versions are
of little account in this case, where we have such comparatively good
authorities as the Greek and Syriac for the whole book.
My version is made from the Greek text,
(Bonnet, 1903) with an eye on the Syriac as rendered by Wright and by
Mrs. Lewis and Bevan.
Acts of the Holy Apostle Thomas
The First Act: When he went into India
with Abbanes the merchant.
At that season all we the apostles were at
Jerusalem, Simon which is called Peter and Andrew his brother, James
the son of Zebedee and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the publican, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon
the Canaanite, and Judas the brother of James: and we divided the
regions of the world, that every one of us should go unto the region
that fell to him and unto the nation whereunto the Lord sent
him.
According to the lot, therefore, India fell
unto Judas Thomas, which is also the twin: but he would not go,
saying that by reason of the weakness of the flesh he could not
travel, and 'I am an Hebrew man; how can I go amongst the Indians and
preach the truth?' And as he thus reasoned and spake, the Saviour
appeared unto him by night and saith to him: Fear not, Thomas, go
thou unto India and preach the word there, for my grace is with thee.
But he would not obey, saying: Whither thou wouldest send me, send
me, but elsewhere, for unto the Indians I will not go.
2 And while he thus spake and thought, it
chanced that there was there a certain merchant come from India whose
name was Abbanes, sent from the King Gundaphorus [Gundaphorus is a
historical personage who reigned over a part of India in the first
century after Christ. His coins bear his name in Greek, as
Hyndopheres], and having commandment from him to buy a carpenter and
bring him unto him.
Now the Lord seeing him walking in the
market-place at noon said unto him: Wouldest thou buy a carpenter?
And he said to him: Yea. And the Lord said to him: I have a slave
that is a carpenter and I desire to sell him. And so saying he showed
him Thomas afar off, and agreed with him for three litrae of silver
unstamped, and wrote a deed of sale, saying: I, Jesus, the son of
Joseph the carpenter, acknowledge that I have sold my slave, Judas by
name, unto thee Abbanes, a merchant of Gundaphorus, king of the
Indians. And when the deed was finished, the Saviour took Judas
Thomas and led him away to Abbanes the merchant, and when Abbanes saw
him he said unto him: Is this thy master? And the apostle said: Yea,
he is my Lord. And he said: I have bought thee of him. And thy
apostle held his peace.
3 And on the day following the apostle arose
early, and having prayed and besought the Lord he said: I will go
whither thou wilt, Lord Jesus: thy will be done. And he departed unto
Abbanes the merchant, taking with him nothing at all save only his
price. For the Lord had given it unto him, saying: Let thy price also
be with thee, together with my grace, wheresoever thou goest.
And the apostle found Abbanes carrying his
baggage on board the ship; so he also began to carry it aboard with
him. And when they were embarked in the ship and were set down
Abbanes questioned the apostle, saying: What craftsmanship knowest
thou? And he said: In wood I can make ploughs and yokes and augers
(ox-goads, Syr.), and boats and oars for boats and masts and pulleys;
and in stone, pillars and temples and court-houses for kings. And
Abbanes the merchant said to him: Yea, it is of such a workman that
we have need. They began then to sail homeward; and they had a
favourable wind, and sailed prosperously till they reached
Andrapolis, a royal city.
4 And they left the ship and entered into the
city, and lo, there were noises of
flutes and water-organs, and
trumpets
sounded about them; and the apostle inquired, saying: What is this
festival
that is in this city? And they that were there said to him:
Thee also have the gods brought to make merry in this city. For the king hath an only daughter, and now he
giveth her in marriage unto an husband: this rejoicing, therefore, and
assembly of the wedding to-day is the festival which thou hast seen.
And the king hath sent heralds to proclaim everywhere that all should
come to the marriage, rich and poor, bond and free, strangers and
citizens: and if any refuse and come not to the marriage he shall
answer for it unto the king. And Abbanes hearing that, said to the
apostle: Let us also go, lest we offend the king, especially seeing
we are strangers. And he said: Let us go.
And after they had put up in the inn and rested
a little space they went to the marriage; and the apostle seeing them
all set down (reclining), laid himself, he also, in the midst, and
all looked upon him, as upon a stranger and one come from a foreign
land: but Abbanes the merchant, being his master, laid himself in
another place.
5 And as they dined and drank, the apostle tasted nothing; so they that were about him said unto him: Wherefore
art thou come here, neither eating nor drinking? but he answered
them, saying: I am come here for somewhat greater than the food or
the drink, and that I may fulfil the king's will. For the heralds
proclaim the king's message, and
whoso hearkeneth not to the heralds shall be subject to the king's
judgement.
So when they had dined and drunken, and
garlands and unguents were brought to them, every man took of the
unguent, and one anointed his face and another his beard and another
other parts of his body; but the apostle anointed the top of his head
and smeared a little upon his nostrils, and dropped it into his ears
and touched his teeth with it, and carefully anointed the parts about
his heart: and the wreath that was brought to him, woven of myrtle
and other flowers, he took, and set it on his head, and
took a branch of calamus and held it
in his hand.
Now the flute-girl, holding her
flute in her hand, went about to them all and played, but when she came
to the place where the apostle was, she
stood over him and played at his head
for a long space: now this flute-girl was by race an Hebrew.
6 And as the apostle continued looking on the ground, one
of the cup-bearers stretched forth his hand and gave him a buffet;
and the apostle lifted up his eyes and looked upon him that smote him
and said: My God will forgive thee in the life to come this iniquity,
but in this world thou shalt show forth his wonders and even now
shall I behold this hand that hath smitten me dragged by dogs.
And having so said, he began
to sing
and to say
this song:
The damsel is the
daughter of light, in whom consisteth and dwelleth the
proud brightness of
kings, and the sight of her is
delightful, she shineth with beauty and cheer. Her garments are like
the flowers of spring, and from them a waft of fragrance is borne;
and in the crown of her head the king is established which with his
immortal food (ambrosia) nourisheth them that are founded upon him;
and in her head is set truth, and with her feet she showeth forth
joy. And her mouth is opened, and it becometh her well: thirty and
two are they that sing praises to
her.
Her tongue is like the curtain of the door,
which waveth to and fro for them that enter in: her neck is set in
the fashion of steps which the first maker hath wrought,
and her two hands signify and show,
proclaiming the dance of the happy ages, and her fingers point out the
gates of the city. Her chamber is bright with
light and breatheth forth the odour of balsam and all spices, and
giveth out a sweet smell of myrrh and Indian leaf, and within are
myrtles strown on the floor, and garlands of all manner of odorous
flowers, and the door-posts(?) are adorned with freedst.
7 And surrounding her her groomsmen keep her,
the number of whom is seven, whom she herself
hath chosen. And her bridesmaids are seven, and they dance before her. And twelve in
number are they that serve before her and are subject unto her, which
have their aim and their look toward the bridegroom, that by the
sight of him they may be enlightened; and for ever shall they be with
her in that eternal joy, and shall be at that marriage whereto the
princes are gathered together and shall attend at that banquet
whereof the eternal ones are accounted worthy, and shall put on royal
raiment and be clad in bright robes; and in joy and exultation shall
they both be and shall glorify the Father of all, whose proud light
they have received, and are enlightened by the sight of their lord;
whose immortal food they have
received,
that hath no failing (excrementum, Syr.),
and have drunk of the wine that giveth then neither thirst
nor desire.
And they have glorified and praised with the
living
spirit,
the Father
of truth and the mother of wisdom.
See the contrast with the pagan Agape
feast.
8 And when he had sung and ended this song,
all that were there present gazed upon him; and he kept silence, and
they saw that his likeness was changed,
but that which was spoken by him
they understood not, forasmuch as he was an Hebrew and that which he
spake was said in the Hebrew
tongue.
But the flute-girl alone heard all
of it, for she was by race an Hebrew and she went away from him and
played to the rest, but for the most part she gazed and looked upon him,
for she loved him well, as a man of her own nation; moreover he was
comely to look upon beyond all that were there.
And when the flute-girl had played to
them all and ended, she sat down over against him, gazing and looking
earnestly upon him. But he looked upon no man at all, neither took
heed of any but only kept his eyes looking toward the ground, waiting
the time when he might depart thence.
But the cup-bearer
that had buffeted him went down to the
well to draw water; and there chanced to be a lion there, and it slew
him and left him Lying in that place, having torn his limbs in
pieces, and forthwith dogs seized his members, and among them one
black dog holding his right hand in his mouth bare it into the place
of the banquet.
9 And all when they saw it were amazed and
inquired which of them it was that was missing.
And when it became manifest that it
was the hand of the cup-bearer which had smitten the apostle, the
flute-girl brake her
flute and cast it away and went and
sat down at the apostle's feet, saying: This is either a god or an
apostle of
God, for I heard him say in the Hebrew tongue: ' I shall now see the
hand that hath smitten me dragged by dogs', which thing ye also have
now beheld; for as he said, so hath it come about. And some believed
her, and some not.
But when the king heard of it, he came and said
to the apostle: Rise up and come with me, and pray for my daughter:
for she is mine only-begotten, and to-day I give her in marriage. But
the apostle was not willing to go with him, for the Lord was not yet
revealed unto him in that place. But the king led him away against
his will unto the bride-chamber that he might pray for them.
10 And the apostle stood, and began to pray and
to speak thus:
My Lord and MY God, that travellest
with thy servants, that guidest and correctest them that believe in
thee, the refuge and rest of the oppressed, the hope of the poor and
ransomer of captives, the physician of the souls that lie sick and
saviour of all creation, that givest life unto the world and
strengthenest souls; thou knowest things to come, and by our means
accomplishest them: thou Lord art he that revealeth hidden mysteries
and maketh manifest words that are secret:
thou Lord art the planter of the good tree, and of thine hands are
all good works engendered: thou Lord art he that art in all things
and passest through all, and art set in all thy works and manifested
in the working of them all. Jesus Christ, Son of compassion and
perfect saviour, Christ, Son of the living God, the undaunted power
that hast overthrown the enemy, and the voice that was heard of the
rulers, and made all their powers to quake, the ambassador that wast
sent from the height and camest down even unto hell,
who didst open the doors and bring up thence
them that for many ages were shut up in the treasury of darkness, and
showedst them the way that leadeth up unto the height: l beseech
thee, Lord Jesu, and offer unto thee supplication for these young
persons, that thou wouldest do for them the things that shall help
them and be expedient and profitable for them.
And he laid his hands on them and said: The
Lord shall be with you, and left them in that place and
departed.
11 And the king desired the groomsmen to depart
out of the bride-chamber; and when all were gone out and the doors
were shut, the bridegrroom lifted up the curtain of the bride-chamber
to fetch the bride unto him.
And he saw the Lord Jesus bearing
the likeness of Judas Thomas and speaking with the bride; even of him
that but now had blessed them and gone out from them, the apostle;
and he saith unto him: Wentest thou not out in the sight of all? how
then art thou found here?
But the Lord said to him: I am not Judas which
is also called Thomas but I am his brother. And the Lord sat down
upon the bed and bade them also sit upon chairs, and began to say
unto them:
12 Remember, my children, what my brother spake
unto you and what he delivered before you: and know this, that if ye
abstain from this foul
intercourse, ye become holy temples,
pure, being quit of impulses and pains, seen and unseen, and ye will
acquire no cares of life or of children, whose end is destruction:
and if indeed ye get many children, for their sakes ye become
grasping and covetous, stripping
orphans and overreaching widows, and
by so doing subject yourselves to grievous punishments. For the more
part of children become useless oppressed of devils, some openly and
some invisibly, for they become either lunatic or half withered
or blind or deaf or dumb or paralytic or foolish; and if they be
sound, again they will be vain, doing useless or abominable acts, for
they will be caught either in adultery or murder or theft or
fornication, and by all these will ye be afflicted.
But if ye be persuaded and keep your souls
chaste before God, there will come unto you living children whom
these blemishes touch not, and ye shall be without care, leading a
tranquil life without grief or anxiety, looking to receive that
incorruptible and true marriage, and ye shall be therein groomsmen
entering into that bride-chamber which is full of immortality and
light.
13 And when the young people heard these
things, they believed the Lord and gave themselves up unto him, and
abstained from foul desire and continued so, passing the night in
that place. And the Lord departed from before them, saying thus: The
grace of the Lord shall be with you.
And when the morning was come the king came to
meet them and furnished a table and brought it in before the
bridegroom and the bride. And he found them sitting over against each
other and the face of the bride he found unveiled, and the bridegroom
was right joyful.
And the mother came unto the bride and said:
Why sittest thou so, child, and art not ashamed, but art as if thou
hadst lived with thine husband a long season? And her father said:
Because of thy great love toward thine husband dost thou not even
veil thyself?
14 And the bride answered and said: Verily,
father, I am in great love, and I pray my Lord that the love which I
have perceived this night may abide with me, and I will ask for that
husband of whom I have learned to-day: and therefore I will no more
veil myself, because the mirror (veil) of shame is removed from me;
and therefore am I no more ashamed or abashed, because the deed of
shame and confusion is departed far from me; and that I am not
confounded, it is because my astonishment hath not continued with me;
and that I am in cheerfulness and joy, it is because the day of my
joy hath not been troubled; and that I have set at nought this
husband and this marriage that passeth away from before mine eyes, it
is because I am joined in another marriage; and that I have had no
intercourse with a husband that is temporal, whereof the end is with
lasciviousness and bitterness of soul, it is because I am yoked unto
a true husband.
15 And while the bride was saying yet more than
this, the bridegroom answered and said: I give thee thanks, O Lord,
that hast been proclaimed by the stranger, and found in us; who hast
removed me far from corruption and sown life in me; who hast rid me
of this disease that is hard to be healed and cured and abideth for
ever, and hast implanted sober health in me; who hast shown me
thyself and revealed unto me all my state wherein I am; who hast
redeemed me from falling and led me to that which is better, and set
me free from temporal things and made me worthy of those that are
immortal and everlasting; that hast made thyself lowly even down to
me and my littleness, that thou mayest present me unto thy greatness
and unite me unto thyself; who hast not withheld thine own bowels
from me that was ready to perish, but hast shown me how to seek
myself and know who I was, and who and in what manner I now am, that
I may again become that which I was: whom I knew not, but thyself
didst seek me out: of whom I was not aware, but thyself hast taken me
to thee: whom I have perceived, and now am not able to be unmindful
of him: whose love burneth within me, and I cannot speak it as is
fit, but that which I am able to say of it is little and scanty, and
not fitly proportioned unto his glory: yet he blameth me not that
presume to say unto him even that which I know not: for it is because
of his love that I say even this much.
16 Now when the king heard these things from
the bridegroom and the bride, he rent his clothes and said unto them
that stood by him: Go forth quickly and go about the whole city, and
take and bring me that man that is a sorcerer who by ill fortune came
unto this city; for with mine own hands I brought him into this
house, and I told him to pray over this mine ill-starred daughter;
and whoso findeth and bringeth him to me, I will give him whatsoever
he asketh of me. They went, therefore and went about seeking him, and
found him not; for he had set sail. They went also unto the inn where
he had lodged and found there the flute-girl weeping and afflicted because he had not taken her with him. And when they
told her the matter that had befallen with the young people she was
exceeding glad at hearing it, and put away her grief and said: Now
have I also found rest here. And she rose up and went unto them, and
was with them a long time, until they had instructed the king also.
And many of the brethren also gathered there until they heard the
report of the apostle, that he was come unto the cities of India and
was teaching there: and they departed and joined themselves unto
him.
The Second Act: Concerning his coming
unto the king Gundaphorus.
17 Now when the apostle was come into the
cities of India with Abbanes the merchant, Abbanes went to salute the
king Gundaphorus, and reported to him of the carpenter whom he had
brought with him. And the king was glad, and commanded him to come in
to him. So when he was come in the king said unto him: What craft
understandest thou? The apostle said unto him: The craft of
carpentering and of building.
The king saith unto him: What
craftsmanship, then, knowest thou in wood, and what in stone? The
apostle saith: In wood: ploughs, yokes, goads, pulleys, and boats and
oars and masts; and in stone: pillars, temples, and court-houses for
kings. And the king said: Canst thou build me a palace? And he
answered: Yea, I can both build and furnish it; for to this end am I
come, to build and to do the work of a carpenter.
18 And the king took him and went out of the
city gates and began to speak with him on the way concerning the
building of the court-house, and of the foundations, how they should
be laid, until they came to the place wherein he desired that the
building should be; and he said: Here will I that the building should
be. And the apostle said: Yea, for this place is suitable for the
building. But the place was woody and there was much water there. So
the king said: Begin to build. But he said: I cannot begin to build
now at this season. And the king said: When canst thou begin? And he
said: I will begin in the month Dius and finish in Xanthicus. But the
king marvelled and said: Every building is builded in summer, and
canst thou in this very winter build and make ready a palace?
And the apostle said: Thus it must
be, and no otherwise is it
possible. And the king said: If, then,
this seem good to thee, draw me a plan, how the work shall be,
because I shall return hither after some long time. And the apostle
took a reed and drew, measuring the place; and the doors he set
toward the sunrising to look toward the light, and the windows toward
the west to the breezes, and the bakehouse he appointed to be toward
the south and the aqueduct for the service toward the north. And the
king saw it and said to the apostle: Verily thou art a craftsman and
it belitteth thee to be a servant of kings. And he left much money
with him and departed from him.
19 And from time to time he sent money and
provision, and victual for him and the rest of the workmen.
But Thomas receiving it all dispensed it, going about the cities and the villages round about,
distributing and giving
alms to the poor and afflicted, and
relieving
them, saying:
The king knoweth how to obtain recompense fit
for kings, but at this time it is needful that the poor should have
refreshment.
After these things the king sent an ambassador
unto the apostle, and wrote thus: Signify unto me what thou hast done
or what I shall send thee, or of what thou hast need. And the apostle
sent unto him, saying: The palace (praetorium) is builded and only
the roof remaineth. And the king hearing it sent him again gold and
silver (lit. unstamped), and wrote unto him: Let the palace be
roofed, if it is done. And the apostle said unto the Lord: I thank
thee O Lord in all things, that thou didst die for a little space
that I might live for ever in thee,
and that thou hast sold me that by
me thou mightest set free
many. And he ceased not to
teach and
to refresh the afflicted, saying: This hath the Lord dispensed unto you, and he
giveth unto every man his food: for he is the nourisher of orphans and
steward of the widows, and unto all that are afflicted he is relief and rest.
20 Now when the king came to the city he
inquired of his friends concerning the palace which Judas that is
called Thomas was building for him. And they told him: Neither hath
he built a palace nor done aught else of that he promised to perform,
but he goeth about the cities and countries,
and whatsoever he hath he giveth
unto the poor, and teacheth of a new God, and healeth the sick, and
driveth out devils, and doeth many other wonderful things; and we think
him to be a sorcerer.
Yet his compassions and his cures which are
done of him freely, and moreover the simplicity and kindness of him and
his faith, do declare that he is a righteous man or an apostle of the
new God whom he preacheth;
for he fasteth continually and prayeth, and
eateth bread only, with salt, and his drink is water, and he
weareth but one garment alike in fair weather and in winter,
and receiveth nought of any man, and that he hath he giveth unto others. And when the
king heard that, he rubbed his face with his hands, and shook his
head for a long space.
21 And he sent for the merchant which had
brought him, and for the apostle, and said unto him: Hast thou built
me the palace? And he said: Yea.
And the king said: When, then,
shall we go and see it? but he answered him and said:
Thou canst not see it now, but when thou
departest this life, then thou shalt see it.
And the king was exceeding wroth, and commanded
both the merchant and Judas which is called Thomas to be put in bonds
and cast into prison until he should inquire and learn unto whom the
king's money had been given, and so destroy both him and the
merchant.
And the apostle went unto the prison rejoicing, and said to the merchant: Fear thou nothing, only
believe in the God that is preached by me, and thou shalt indeed be
set free from this world, but from the world to come thou shalt
receive life. And the king took thought with what death he should
destroy them. And when he had determined to flay them alive and burn
them with fire, in the same night Gad the king's brother fell sick,
and by reason of his vexation and the deceit which the king had
suffered he was greatly oppressed; and sent for the king and said
unto him: O king my brother, I commit unto thee mine house and my
children; for I am vexed by reason of the provocation that hath
befallen thee, and lo, I die; and if thou visit not with vengeance
upon the head of that sorcerer, thou wilt give
my soul no rest in hell. And the king said to his brother: All this
night have I considered how I should put him to death and this hath
seemed good to me, to flay him and burn him with fire, both him and
the merchant which brought him (Syr. Then the brother of the king
said to him: And if there be anything else that is worse than this,
do it to him; and I give thee charge of my house and my
children).
22 And as they talked together, the soul of his
brother Gad departed. And the king mourned sore for Gad, for he loved
him much, and commanded that he should be buried in royal and
precious apparel (Syr. sepulchre). Now after this angels took the
soul of Gad the king's brother and bore it up into heaven, showing
unto him the places and dwellings that were there, and inquired of
him: In which place wouldest thou dwell? And when they drew near unto
the building of Thomas the apostle which he had built for the king,
Gad saw it and said unto the angels: I beseech you, my lords, suffer
me to dwell in one of the lowest rooms of these. And they said to
him: Thou canst not dwell in this building. And he said: Wherefore ?
And they say unto him: This is that palace which that Christian
builded for thy brother. And he said: I beseech you, my lords, suffer
me to go to my brother, that I may buy this palace of him, for my
brother knoweth not of what sort it is, and he will sell it unto
me.
23 Then the angels let the soul of Gad go. And
as they were putting his grave clothes upon him, his soul entered
into him and he said to them that stood about him: Call my brother
unto me, that I may ask one petition of him. Straightway therefore
they told the king, saying: Thy brother is revived. And the king ran
forth with a great company and came unto his brother and entered in
and stood by his bed as one amazed, not being able to speak to him.
And his brother said: I know and am persuaded, my brother, that if
any man had asked of thee the half of thy kingdom, thou wouldest have
given it him for my sake; therefore I beg of thee to grant me one
favour which I ask of thee, that thou wouldest sell me that which I ask
of thee.
And the king answered and said: And what is it
which thou askest me to sell thee? And he said: Convince me by an
oath that thou wilt grant it me. And the king sware unto him: One of
my possessions, whatsoever thou shalt ask, I will give thee.
And he saith to him: Sell me that
palace which thou hast in the heavens?
And the king said: Whence should I have a
palace in the heavens? And he said: Even that which that Christian
built for thee which is now in the prison, whom the merchant brought
unto thee, having purchased him of one Jesus: I mean that Hebrew
slave whom thou desiredst to punish as having suffered deceit at his
hand: whereat I was grieved and died, and am now revived.
24 Then the king considering the matter,
understood it of those eternal benefits which should come to him and
which concerned him, and said: That palace I cannot sell thee,
but I pray to enter into it and
dwell therein and to be accounted worthy of the inhabiters of it, but
if thou indeed desirest to buy such a palace, lo, the man liveth and
shall build thee one better than it.
And forthwith he sent and brought out of prison the apostle and the merchant that was shut up with him, saying: I
entreat thee, as a man that entreateth the minister of God, that thou
wouldest pray for me and beseech him whose minister thou art to
forgive me and overlook that which I have done unto thee or thought
to do, and that I may become a worthy inhabiter of that dwelling for
the which I took no pains, but thou hast builded it for me, labouring
alone, the grace of thy God working with thee, and that I also may
become a servant and serve this God whom thou preachest. And his
brother also fell down before the apostle and said: I entreat and
supplicate thee before thy God that I may become worthy of his
ministry and service, and that it may fall to me to be worthy of the
things that were shown unto me by his angels.
25 And the apostle, filled with joy, said: I
praise thee, O Lord Jesu, that thou hast revealed thy truth in these
men; for thou only art the God of truth, and none other, and thou art
he that knoweth all things that are unknown to the most; thou, Lord,
art he that in all things showest compassion and sparest men. For men
by reason of the error that is in them have overlooked thee but thou
hast not overlooked them. And now at mv supplication and request do
thou receive the king and his brother and join them unto thy fold,
cleansing them with thy washing and anointing them with thine oil
from the error that encompasseth them: and keep them also from the
wolves, bearing them into thy meadows. And give them drink out of
thine immortal fountain which is neither fouled nor drieth up; for
they entreat and supplicate thee and desire to become thy servants
and ministers, and for this they are content even to be persecuted of
thine enemies, and for thy sake to be hated of them and to be mocked
and to die, like as thou for our sake didst suffer all these things,
that thou mightest preserve us, thou that art Lord and verily the
good shepherd. And do thou grant them to have confidence in thee
alone, and the succour that cometh of thee and the hope of their
salvation which they look for from thee alone; and that they may be
grounded in thy mysteries and receive the perfect good of thy graces
and gifts, and flourish in thy ministry and come to perfection in thy
Father.
26 Being therefore wholly set upon the apostle,
both the king Gundaphorus and Gad his brother followed him and
departed not from him at all, and they also relieved them that had
need giving unto all and refreshing all. And they besought him that
they also might henceforth receive the seal of the word, saying unto
him: Seeing that our souls are at leisure and eager toward God, give
thou us the seal; for we have heard thee say that the God whom thou
preachest knoweth his own sheep by his seal. And the apostle said
unto them: I also rejoice and entreat you to receive this seal, and
to partake with me in this eucharist and blessing of the Lord, and to
be made perfect therein. For this is the Lord and God of all, even
Jesus Christ whom I preach, and he is the father of truth, in whom I
have taught you to believe. And he commanded them to bring oil, that
they might receive the seal by the oil. They brought the oil
therefore, and lighted many lamps; for it was night (Syr. whom I
preach: and the king gave orders that the bath should be closed for
seven days, and that no man should bathe in it: and when the seven
days were done, on the eighth day they three entered into the bath by
night that Judas might baptize them. And many lamps were lighted in
the bath).
27 And the apostle arose and sealed them. And
the Lord was revealed unto them by a voice, saying: Peace be unto you
brethren. And they heard his voice only, but his likeness they saw
not, for they had not yet received the added sealing of the seal
(Syr. had not been baptized). And the apostle took the oil and poured
it upon their heads and anointed and chrismed them, and began to say
(Syr. And Judas went up and stood upon the edge of the cistern and
poured oil upon their heads and said):
Come, thou holy name of the Christ
that is above every name.
Come, thou power of the Most High, and the
compassion that is perfect.
Come, gift (charism) of the Most High.
Come, compassionate mother.
Come, communion of the male.
Come, she that revealeth the hidden
mysteries.
Come, mother of the seven houses, that thy rest
may be in the eighth house.
Come, elder of the five members, mind, thought,
reflection, consideration, reason; communicate with these young
men.
Come, holy spirit, and cleanse their reins and
their heart, and give them the added seal, in the name of the Father
and Son and Holy Ghost.
And when they were sealed, there appeared unto
them a youth holding a lighted torch, so that their lamps became dim
at the approach of the light thereof. And he went forth and was no
more seen of them. And the apostle said unto the Lord: Thy light, O
Lord, is not to be contained by us, and we are not able to bear it,
for it is too great for our sight.
And when the dawn came and it was morning, he
brake bread and made them partakers of the eucharist of the Christ.
And they were glad and rejoiced.
And many others also, believing, were added to
them, and came into the refuge of the Saviour.
28 And the apostle ceased not to preach and to
say unto them: Ye men and women, boys and girls, young men and
maidens, strong men and aged, whether bond or free, abstain from
fornication and covetousness and the service of the belly: for under
these three heads all iniquity cometh about. For fornication blindeth
the mind and darkeneth the eyes of the soul, and is an impediment to
the life (conversation) of the body, turning the whole man unto
weakness and casting the whole body into sickness. And greed putteth
the soul into fear and shame; being within the body it seizeth upon
the goods of others, and is under fear lest if it restore other men's
goods to their owner it be put to shame. And the service of the belly
casteth the soul into thoughts and cares and vexations, taking
thought lest it come to be in want, and have need of those things
that are far from it. If, then, ye be rid of these ye become free of
care and grief and fear, and that abideth with you which was said by
the Saviour: Take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall
take thought for the things of itself. Remember also that word of him
of whom I spake: Look at the ravens and see the fowls of the heaven,
that they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and God
dispenseth unto them; how much more unto you, O ye of little faith?
But look ye for his coming and have your hope in him and believe on
his name. For he is the judge of quick and dead, and he giveth to
every one according to their deeds, and at his coming and his latter
appearing no man hath any word of excuse when he is to be judged by
him, as though he had not heard. For his heralds do proclaim in the
four quarters (climates) of the world. Repent ye, therefore, and
believe the promise and receive the yoke of meekness and the light
burden, that ye may live and not die. These things get, these keep.
Come forth of the darkness that the light may receive you! Come unto
him that is indeed good, that ye may receive grace of him and implant
his sign in your souls.
29 And when he had thus spoken, some of them
that stood by said: It is time for the creditor to receive the debt.
And he said unto them: He that is lord of the debt desireth always to
receive more; but let us give him that which is due. And he blessed
them, and took bread and oil and herbs and salt and blessed and gave
unto them; but he himself continued his fast, for the Lord's day was
coming on (Syr. And he himself ate, because the Sunday was
dawning).
And when night fell and he slept, the Lord came
and stood at his head, saying: Thomas, rise early, and having blessed
them all, after the prayer and the ministry go by the eastern road
two miles and there will I show thee my glory: for by thy going shall
many take refuge with me, and thou shalt bring to light the nature
and power of the enemy. And he rose up from sleep and said unto the
brethren that were with him: Children, the Lord would accomplish
somewhat by me to-day, but let us pray, and entreat of him that we
may have no impediment toward him, but that as at all times, so now
also it may be done according to his desire and will by us. And
having so said, he laid his hands on them and blessed them, and brake
the bread of the eucharist and gave it them, saying: This Eucharist
shall be unto you for compassion and mercy, and not unto judgement
and retribution. And they said Amen.
Note by Professor F. C.
Burliitt, D.D.:
In the Acts of Thomas, 27, the apostle,
being about to baptize Gundaphorus the king of India with his brother
Gad, invokes the holy name of the Christ, and among other invocations
says (according to the best Greek text):
'Come, O elder of the five members,
mind, idea, thoughtfulness, consideration, reasoning, communicate
with these youths.'
What is the essential distinction of
these five words for 'mind', and what is meant by the 'elder'
(presbuteros, Greek)? We turn to the Syriac, as the original language
in which our tale was composed though our present text, which rests
here on two manuscripts, has now and then been bowdlerized in the
direction of more conventional phraseology, a process that the Greek
has often escaped. Here in the Syriac we find (Wright, p.193, l.13;
E.Tr., p.166, last line but one):
'Come, Messenger of reconciliation, and
communicate with the minds of these youths.'
The word for 'Come' is fem., while
'Messenger' (Izgadda) is masc. This is because the whole prayer is an
invocation of the Holy Spirit, which in old Syriac is invariably
treated as feminine. The word for Messenger is that used in thc
Manichaean cosmogony for a heavenly Spirit sent from the Divine
Light: this Spirit appeared as androgynous, so that the use of the word here with the feminine
verb is not inappropriate. It further leads us to look out for other
indications of Manichaean phraseology in the passage. But first it
suggests to us that [presbuteros] in our passage is a corruption of,
or is used for, [presbeutes], 'an ambassador'.
As for the five words for 'mind', they
are clearly the equivalents of [hauna, mad'a, re'yana, mahshebhatha,
tar'itha], named by Theodore bar Khoni as the Five Shekhinas, or
Dwellings, or Manifestations, of the Father of Greatness, the title
by which the Manichaeans spoke of the ultimate Source of Light. There
is a good discussion of these five words by M. A. Kugener in F.
Cumont's [Recherches sur le Manicheisme] i, p. 10, note 3. In English
we may say:
hauna means 'sanity', mad'a means
'reason', re'yana means 'mind', mahshabhetha means 'imagination',
tar'itha means 'intention'
The Greek terms, used here and also in
Acta Archelai, are in my opinion merely equivalents for the Syriac
terms.
Act the Third: Concerning the
servant
30 And the apostle went forth to go where the
Lord had bidden him; and when he was near to the second mile (stone)
and had turned a little out of the way, he saw the body of a comely
youth lying, and said: Lord, is it for this that thou hast brought me
forth, to come hither that I might see this (trial) temptation? thy
will therefore be done as thou desirest. And he began to pray and to
say: O Lord, the judge of quick and dead, of the quick that stand by
and the dead that lie here, and master and father of all things; and
father not only of the souls that are in bodies but of them that have
gone forth of them, for of the souls also that are in pollutions (al.
bodies) thou art lord and judge; come thou at this hour wherein I
call upon thee and show forth thy glory upon him that lieth here. And
he turned himself unto them that followed him and said: This thing is
not come to pass without cause, but the enemy hath effected it and
brought it about that he may assault (?) us thereby; and see ye that
he hath not made use of another sort, nor wrought through any other
creature save that which is his subject.
31 And when he had so said, a great (Syr. black)
serpent
(dragon) came out of a hole, beating with his head and shaking his
tail upon the ground, and with (using) a loud voice said unto the
apostle: I will tell before thee the cause wherefore I slew this man,
since thou art come hither for that end, to reprove my works. And the
apostle said: Yea, say on. And the serpent: There is a certain
beautiful woman in this village over against us; and as she passed by
me (or my place) I saw her and was enamoured of her, and I followed
her and kept watch upon her; and I found this youth kissing her, and
he had intercourse with her and did other shameful acts with her: and
for me it was easy to declare them before thee, for I know that thou
art the twin brother of the
Christ and always abolishest our nature
(Syr. easy for me to say, but to thee I do not dare to utter them
because I know that the ocean-flood of the Messiah will destroy our
nature): but because I would not affright her, I slew him not at that
time, but waited for him till he passed by in the evening and smote
and slew him, and especially because he adventured to do this upon
the Lord's day.
And the apostle inquired of him, saying: Tell
me of what seed and of what race thou art. 32 And he said unto him: I
am a reptile of the reptile
nature and noxious son of the noxious
father: of him that hurt and smote the four brethren which stood
upright (om. Syr.: the elements or four cardinal points may be meant)
I am son to him that sitteth on a throne over all the earth that
receiveth back his own from them that borrow: I am son to him that
girdeth about the sphere: and I am kin to him that is outside the
ocean, whose tail is set in his own mouth:
I am he that entered through the barrier
(fence) into paradise and spake with Eve the things which my father
bade me speak unto her: I am he that kindled and inflamed Cain to
kill his own brother, and on mine account did thorns and thistles
grow up in the earth: I am he that cast down the angels from above
and bound them in lusts after women, that children born of earth
might come of them and I might work my will in them: I am he that
hardened
Pharaoh's heart that he should slay the children of Israel and
enslave them with the yoke of cruelty: I am he that caused the
multitude to err in the wilderness when they made the calf: I am he
that inflamed Herod and enkindled Caiaphas unto false accusation of a
lie before Pilate; for this was fitting to me: I am he that stirred
up Judas and bribed him to deliver up the Christ: I am he that
inhabiteth and holdeth the deep of hell (Tartarus), but the Son of
God hath wronged me, against my will, and taken (chosen) them that
were his own from me: I am kin to him that is to come from the east,
unto whom also power is given to do what he will upon the
earth.
33 And when that serpent had spoken these
things in the hearing of all the people, the apostle lifted up his
voice on high and said: Cease thou henceforth, O most shameless one,
and be put to confusion and die wholly, for the end of thy
destruction is come, and dare not to tell of what thou hast done by
them that have become subject unto thee. And I charge thee in the
name of that Jesus who until now contendeth with you for the men that
are his own, that thou suck out thy venom which thou hast put into
this man, and draw it forth and take it from him. But the serpent
said: Not yet is the end of our time come as thou hast said.
Wherefore compellest thou me to take back that which I have put into
this man, and to die before my time? for mine own father, when he
shall draw forth and suck out that which he hath cast into the
creation, then shall his end come. And the apostle said unto him:
Show, then, now the nature of thy father. And the serpent came near
and set his mouth upon the wound of the young man and sucked forth
the gall out of it. And by little and little the colour of the young
man which was as purple, became white, but the serpent swelled up. And
when the serpent had drawn up all the gall into himself, the young
man leapt up and stood, and ran and fell at the apostle's feet: but
the serpent being swelled up, burst and died, and his venom and gall
were shed forth; and in the place where his venom was shed there came
a great gulf, and that serpent was swallowed up therein. And the
apostle said unto the king and his brother: Take workmen and fill up
that place, and lay foundations and build houses upon them, that it
may be a dwelling-place for strangers.
34 But the youth said unto the apostle with
many tears: Wherein have I sinned against thee? for thou art a man
that hast two forms, and wheresoever thou wilt, there thou art found,
and art restrained of no man, as I behold. For I saw that man that
stood by thee and said unto thee: I have many wonders to show forth
by thy means and I have great works to accomplish by thee, for which
thou shalt receive a reward; and thou shalt make many to live, and
they shall be in rest in light eternal as children of God. Do thou
then, saith he, speaking unto thee of me, quicken this youth that
hath been stricken of the enemy and be at all times his overseer.
Well, therefore, art thou come hither, and well shalt thou depart
again unto him, and yet he never shall leave thee at any time. But I
am become without care or reproach: and he hath enlightened me from
the care of the night and I am at rest from the toil of the day: and
I am set free from him that provoked me to do thus, sinning against
him that taught me to do contrary thereto: and I have lost him that
is the kinsman of the night that compelled me to sin by his own
deeds, and have found him that is of the light, and is my kinsman. I
have lost him that darkeneth and blindeth his own subjects that they
may not know what they do and, being ashamed at their own works, may
depart from him, and their works come to an end; and have found him
whose works are light and his deeds truth, which if a man doeth he
repenteth not of them. And I have left him with whom lying abideth,
and before whom darkness goeth as a veil, and behind him followeth
shame, shameless in indolence; and I have found him that showeth me
fair things that I may take hold on them, even the son of the truth
that is akin unto concord, who scattereth away the mist and
enlighteneth his own creation, and healeth the wounds thereof and
overthroweth the enemies thereof. But I beseech thee, O man of God,
cause me to behold him again, and to see him that is now become
hidden from me, that I may also hear his voice whereof I am not able
to express the wonder, for it belongeth not to the nature of this
bodily organ.
[Before this speech Syr. (Wright) inserts
one of equal length, chiefly about man's free will and fall. But the
fifth-century palimpsest edited by Mrs. Lewis agrees with the
Greek.]
35 And the apostle answered him, saying: If
thou depart from these things whereof thou hast received knowledge,
as thou hast said, and if thou know who it is that hath wrought this
in thee, and learn and become a hearer of him whom now in thy fervent
love thou seekest; thou shalt both see him and be with him for ever,
and in his rest shalt thou rest, and shalt be in his joy. But if thou
be slackly disposed toward him and turn again unto thy former deeds,
and leave that beauty and that bright countenance which now was
showed thee, and forget the shining of his light which now thou
desirest, not only wilt thou be bereaved of this life but also of
that which is to come and thou wilt depart unto him whom thou saidst
thou hadst lost, and will no more behold him whom thou saidst thou
hadst found.
36 And when the apostle had said this, he went
into the city holding the hand of that youth, and saying unto him:
These things which thou hast seen, my child, are but a few of the
many which God hath, for he doth not give us good tidings concerning
these things that are seen, but greater things than these doth he
promise us; but so long as we are in the body we are not able to
speak and show forth those which he shall give unto our souls. If we
say that he giveth us light, it is this which is seen, and we have
it: and if we say it of wealth, which is and appeareth in the world,
we name it (we speak of something which is in the world, Syr.), and
we need it not, for it hath been said: Hardly shall a rich man enter
into the kingdom of heaven: and if we speak of apparel of raiment
wherewith they that are luxurious in this life are clad, it is named
(we mention something that nobles wear, Syr.), and it hath been said:
They that wear soft raiment are in the houses of kings. And if of
costly banquets, concerning these we have received a commandment to
beware of them, not to be weighed down With reveling and drunkenness
and cares of this life -speaking of things that are- and it hath been
said: Take no thought for your life (soul), what ye shall eat or what
ye shall drink, neither for your body, what ye shall put on, for the
soul is more than the meat and the body than the raiment. And of
rest, if we speak of this temporal rest, a judgement is appointed for
this also. But we speak of the world which is above, of God and
angels, of watchers and holy ones of the immortal (ambrosial) food
and the drink of the true vine, of raiment that endureth and groweth
not old, of things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither
have they entered into the heart of sinful men, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him. Of these things do we converse
and of these do we bring good tidings. Do thou therefore also believe
on him that thou mayest live, and put thy trust in him, and thou
shalt not die. For he is not persuaded with gifts, that thou
shouldest offer them to him, neither is he in need of sacrifices,
that thou shouldest sacrifice unto him. But look thou unto him, and
he will not overlook thee; and turn unto him, and he will not forsake
thee. For his comeliness and his beauty will make thee wholly
desirous to love him: and indeed he permitteth thee not to turn
thyself away.
37 And when the apostle had said these things
unto that youth, a great multitude joined themselves unto them. And
the apostle looked and saw them raising themselves on high that they
might see him, and they were going up into high places; and the
apostle said unto them: Ye men that are come unto the assembly of
Christ, and would believe on Jesus, take example hereby, and see that
if ye be not lifted up, ye cannot see me who am little, and are not
able to spy me out who am like unto you. If, then, ye cannot see me
who am like you unless ye lift yourselves up a little from the earth,
how can ye see him that dwelleth in the height and now is found in
the depth, unless ye first lift yourselves up out of your former
conversation, and your unprofitable deeds, and your desires that
abide not, and the wealth that is left here, and the possession of
earth that groweth old, and the raiment that corrupteth, and the
beauty that waxeth old and vanisheth away, and yet more out of the
whole body wherein all these things are stored up, and which groweth
old and becometh dust, returning unto its own nature? For it is the
body which maintaineth all these things. But rather believe on our
Lord Jesus Christ, vvhom we preach, that your hope may be in him and
in him ye may have life world without end, that he may become your
fellow traveller in this land of error, and may be to you an harbour
in this troublous sea. And he shall be to you a fountain springing up
in this thirsty land and a chamber fill of food in this place of them
that hunger, and a rest unto your souls, yea, and a physician for
your bodies.
38 Then the multitude of them that were
gathered together hearing these things wept, and said unto the
apostle: O man of God, the God whom thou preachest, we dare not say
that we are his, for the works which we have done are alien unto him
and not pleasing to him; but if he will have compassion on us and
pity us and save us, overlooking our former deeds, and will set us
free from the evils which we committed being in error, and not impute
them unto us nor make remembrance of our former sins, we will become
his servants and will accomplish his will unto the end. And the
apostle answered them and said: He reckoneth not against you, neither
taketh account of the sins which ye committed being in error, but
overlooketh your transgressions which ye have done in
ignorance.
The Fourth Act: Concerning the
colt
39 And while the apostle yet stood in the
highway and spake with the multitude, A she ass's colt came and stood
before him (Syr. adds, And Judas said: It is not without the
direction of God that this colt has come hither. But to thee I say, O
colt that by the grace of our Lord there shall be given to thee
speech before these multitudes who are standing here; and do thou say
whatsoever thou wilt, that they may believe in the God of truth whom
we preach. And the mouth of the colt was opened, and it spake by the
power of our Lord and said to him) and opened its mouth and said:
Thou twin of Christ, apostle of the Most High and initiate in the
hidden word of Christ who receivest his secret oracles, fellow worker
with the Son of God, who being free hast become a bondman, and being
sold hast brought many into liberty. Thou kinsman of the great race
that hath condemned the enemy and redeemed his own, that hast become
an occasion of life unto man in the land of the Indians; for thou
hast come (against thy will, Syr.) unto men that were in error, and
by thy appearing and thy divine words they are now turning unto the
God of truth which sent thee: mount and sit upon me and repose
thyself until thou enter into the city. And the apostle answered and
said: O Jesu Christ (Son) that understandest the perfect mercy! O
tranquillity and quiet that now art spoken of (speakest, Syr.) by
(among) brute beasts! O hidden rest, that art manifested by thy
working, Saviour of us and nourisher, keeping us and resting in alien
bodies! O Saviour of our souls! spring that is sweet and unfailing;
fountain secure and clear and never polluted; defender and helper in
the fight of thine own servants, turning away and scaring the enemy
from us, that fightest in many battles for us and makest us
conquerors in all; our true and undefeated champion (athlete); our
holy and victorious captain: glorious and giving unto thine own a joy
that never passeth away, and a relief wherein is none affliction;
good shepherd that givest thyself for thine own sheep, and hast
vanquished the wolf and redeemed thine own lambs and led them into a
good pasture: we glorify and praise thee and thine invisible Father
and thine holy spirit [and] the mother of all creation.
40 And when the apostle had said these things,
all the multitude that were there looked upon him, expecting to hear
what he would answer to the colt. And the apostle stood a long time
as it were astonied, and looked up into heaven and said to the colt:
Of whom art thou and to whom belongest thou? for marvelous are the
things that are shown forth by thy mouth, and amazing and such as are
hidden from the many. And the colt answered and said: I am of that
stock that served Balaam, and thy lord also and teacher sat upon one
that appertained unto me by race. And I also have now been sent to
give thee rest by thy sitting upon me: and (that) I may receive (Syr.
these may be confirmed in) faith, and unto me may be added that
portion which now I shall receive by thy service wherewith I serve
thee; and when I have ministered unto thee, it shall be taken from
me. And the apostle said unto him: He is able who granted thee this
gift, to cause it to be fulfilled unto the end in thee and in them
that belong unto thee by race: for as to this mystery I am weak and
powerless. And he would not sit upon him. But the colt besought and
entreated him that he might be blessed of him by ministering unto
him. Then the apostle mounted him and sat upon him; and they followed
him, some going before and some following after, and all of them ran,
desiring to see the end, and how he would dismiss the colt.
41 But when he came near to the city gates he
dismounted from him, saying: Depart, and be thou kept safe where thou
wert. And straightway the colt fell to the ground at the apostle's
feet and died. And all they that were present were sorry and said to
the apostle: Bring him to life and raise him up. But he answered and
said unto them: I indeed am able to raise him by the name of Jesus
Christ: but this is by all means expedient (or, this is not by any
means expedient). For he that gave him speech that he might talk was
able to cause that he should not die; and I raise him not, not as
being unable, but because this is that which is expedient and
profitable for him. And he bade them that were present to dig a
trench and bury his body and they did as they were commanded.
The Fifth Act: Concerning the devil
that took up his abode in the woman
42 And the apostle entered into the city and
all the multitude followed him. And he thought to go unto the parents
of the young man whom he had made alive when he was slain by the
serpent: for they earnestly besought him to come unto them and enter
into their house. But a very beautiful woman on a sudden uttered an
exceeding loud cry, saying: O Apostle of the new God that art come
into India, and servant of that holy and only good God; for by thee
is he preached, the Saviour of the souls that come unto him, and by
thee are healed the bodies of them that are tormented by the enemy,
and thou art he that is become an occasion of life unto all that turn
unto him: command me to be brought before thee that I may tell thee
what hath befallen me, and peradventure of thee I may have hope, and
these that stand by thee may be more confident in the God whom thou
preachest. For I am not a little tormented by the adversary now this
five years' space [one Greek MS. And the apostle bade her come unto
him, and the woman stood before him and said: I, O servant of him
that is indeed God am a woman: the rest have, As a woman] I was
sitting at the first in quiet, and peace encompassed me on every side
and I had no care for anything, for I took no thought for any other.
43 And it fell out one day that as I came out from the bath there met
me a man troubled and disturbed, and his voice and speech seemed to
me exceeding faint and dim; and he stood before me and said: I and
thou will be in one love and we will have intercourse together as a
man with his wife; And I answered and said to him: I never had to do
with my betrothed, for I refused to marry, and how shall I yield
myself to thee that wouldest have intercourse with me in adulterous
wise? And having so said, I passed on, and I said to my handmaid that
was with me: Sawest thou that youth and his shamelessness, how boldly
he spake with me, and had no shame? but she said to me: I saw an old
man speaking to thee. And when I was in mine house and had dined my
soul suggested unto me some suspicion and especially because he was
seen of me in two forms; and having this in my mind I fell asleep. He
came, therefore, in that night and was joined unto me in his foul
intercourse. And when it was day I saw him and fled from him, and on
the night following that he came and abused me; and now as thou seest
me I have spent five years being troubled by him, and he hath not
departed from me. But I know and am persuaded that both devils and
spirits and destroyers are subject unto thee and are filled with
trembling at thy prayers: pray thou therefore for me and drive away
from me the devil that ever troubleth me, that I also may be set free
and be gathered unto the nature that is mine from the beginning, and
receive the grace that hath been given unto my kindred.
44 And the apostle said: O evil that cannot be
restrained! O shamelessness of the enemy! O envious one that art
never at rest! O hideous one that subduest the comely! O thou of many
forms! As he will he appeareth, but his essence cannot be changed. O
the crafty and faithless one! O the bitter tree whose fruits are like
unto him! O the devil that overcometh them that are alien to him! O
the deceit that useth impudence! O the wickedness that creepeth like
a serpent, and that is of his kindred! (Syr. wrongly adds a clause
bidding the devil show himself.) And when the apostle said this, the
malicious one came and stood before him, no man seeing him save the
woman and the apostle, and with an exceeding loud voice said in the
hearing of all:
45 What have we to do with thee, thou apostle
of the Most High! What have we to do with thee, thou servant of Jesus
Christ? What have we to do with thee, thou counsellor of the holy Son
of God? Wherefore wilt thou destroy us, whereas our time is not yet
come? Wherefore wilt thou take away our power? for unto this hour we
had hope and time remaining to us. What have we to do with thee? Thou
hast power over thine own, and we over ours. Wherefore wilt thou act
tyrannously against us, when thou thyself teachest others not to act
tyrannously? Wherefore dost thou crave other men's goods and not
suffice thyself with thine own? Wherefore art thou made like unto the
Son of God which hath done us wrong? for thou resemblest him
altogether as if thou wert born of him. For we thought to have
brought him under the yoke like as we have the rest, but he turned
and made us subject unto him: for we knew him not; but he deceived us
with his form of all uncomeliness and his poverty and his neediness:
for seeing him to be such, we thought that he was a man wearing
flesh, and knew not that it is he that giveth life unto men. And he
gave us power over our own, and that we should not in this present
time leave them but have our walk in them: but thou wouldest get more
than thy due and that which was given thee, and afflict us
altogether.
46 And having said this the devil wept, saying:
I leave thee, my fairest consort, whom long since I found and rested
in thee; I forsake thee, my sure sister, my beloved in whom I was
well pleased. What I shall do I know not, or on whom I shall call
that he may hear me and help me. I know what I will do: I will depart
unto some place where the report of this man hath not been heard, and
peradventure I shall call thee, my beloved by another name (Syr. for
thee my beloved I shall find a substitute). And he lifted up his
voice and said: Abide in peace for thou hast taken refuge with one
greater than I, but I will depart and seek for one like thee, and if
I find her not, I will return unto thee again: for I know that whilst
thou art near unto this man thou hast a refuge in him, but when he
departeth thou wilt be such as thou wast before he appeared, and him
thou wilt forget, and I shall have opportunity and confidence: but
now I fear the name of him that hath saved thee. And having so said
the devil vanished out of sight: only when he departed fire and smoke
were seen there: and all that stood there were astonied.
47 And the apostle seeing it, said unto them:
This devil hath shown nought that is alien or strange to him, but his
own nature, wherein also he shall be consumed, for verily the fire
shall destroy him utterly and the smoke of it shall be scattered
abroad. And he began to say:
Jesu, the hidden mystery that hath been
revealed unto us, thou art he that hast shown unto us many mysteries;
thou that didst call me apart from all my fellows and spakest unto me
three (one, Syr.) words wherewith I am inflamed, and am not able to
speak them unto others. Jesu, man that wast slain, dead buried! Jesu,
God of God, Saviour that quickenest the dead, and healest the sick!
Jesu, that wert in need like and savest as one that hath no need,
that didst catch the fish for the breakfast and the dinner and madest
all satisfied with a little bread. Jesu, that didst rest from the
weariness of wayfaring like a man, and walkedst on the waves like a
God.
48 Jesu most high, voice arising from perfect
mercy, Saviour of all, the right hand of the light, overthrowing the
evil one in his own nature, and gathering all his nature into one
place; thou of many forms, that art only begotten, first-born of many
brethren God of the Most High God, man despised until now (Syr. and
humble). Jesu Christ that neglectest us not when we call upon thee,
that art become an occasion of life unto all mankind, that for us
wast judged and shut up in prison, and loosest all that are in bonds,
that wast called a deceiver and redeemest thine own from error: I
beseech thee for these that stand here and believe on thee, for they
entreat to obtain thy gifts, having good hope in thy help, and having
their refuge in thy greatness; they hold their hearing ready to
listen unto the words that are spoken by us. Let thy peace come and
tabernacle in them and renew them from their former deeds, and let
them put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new that now
is proclaimed unto them by me.
49 And he laid his hands on them and blessed
them, saying: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be upon you
for ever. And they said, Amen. And the woman besought him, saying: O
apostle of the Most High, give me the seal, that that enemy return
not again unto me. Then he caused her to come near unto him (Syr.
went to a river which was close by there), and laid his hands upon
her and sealed her in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Ghost; and many others also were sealed with her. And the apostle
bade his minister (deacon) to set forth a table; and he set forth a
stool which they found there, and spread a linen cloth upon it and
set on the bread of blessing; and the apostle stood by it and said:
Jesu, that hast accounted us worthy to partake of the eucharist of
thine holy body and blood, lo, we are bold to draw near unto thine
eucharist and to call upon thine holy name: come thou and communicate
unto us (Syr. adds more).
50 And he began to say:
Come, O perfect compassion, Come O
communion of the male, Come, she that knoweth the mysteries of him
that is chosen, Come, she that hath part in all the combats of the
noble champion (athlete), Come, the silence that revealeth the great
things of the whole greatness, Come, she that manifesteth the hidden
things and maketh the unspeakable things plain, the holy dove that
beareth the twin young, Come, the hidden mother, Come, she that is
manifest in her deeds and giveth joy and rest unto them that are
joined unto her:
Come and communicate with us in this eucharist
which we celebrate in thy name and in the love-feast wherein we are
gathered together at thy calling. (Syr. has other clauses and not few
variants.)
And having so said he marked out the cross upon the bread, and brake it, and began to distribute it.
And first he gave unto the woman, saying:
This shall be unto thee for
remission of sins and eternal
transgressions (Syr. and for the
everlasting resurrection).
And after her he gave unto all the others also
which had received the seal (Syr. and said to them: Let this
eucharist be unto you for life and rest, and not for judgement and vengeance. And they said, Amen. Cf. 29 fin.).
"Several historical allusions
are illustrated in this remarkable Invokation. Firstly, it is easy to
misconstrue the suggestion of an erotic-spiritual element in the text (compare this with the poem by
St. John of the Cross quoted in Artist of the Month, Vesta 1997.)
This fact, combined with the observation that there were "deviant" Gnostic sects that
incorporated certain aspects of Pagan fertility rites, then one can see why the Church
Fathers felt so threatened by Gnosticism in general. Naturally,
Gnostic Pagans Celebrate the Pagan connection with Gnosticism. Bearing these details in mind, one can
also see the strong, positive influence Gnosticism had on the
writings of Aleister Crowley.
Regarding the cultic
associations and the Love-Feast, Rudolph comments:
...the ceremony
only superficially resembles the Christian eucharist, but
rather continues older
Greek and Hellenistic secret cults (like that of Eleusis and that of
the god Sabazios, in
which the snake was
worshipped as a symbol
of the chthonic
deity and fertility).
For the Ophites or Nassene gnostics the snake was a medium of
revelation and mouthpiece of the most sublime... Resource GNOSIS: The Nature & History of
Gnosticismby Kurt Rudolf p. 242
The Horae
Yet another version of
Aphrodite as Triple Goddess,
Agape 'love
feast,'
Irene 'peace,' and
Chione 'snow queen.'
Irene was also a Goddess in her
own right, and she had an attendant named Opora 'autumn.' The Horae
who 'greeted' her on the shores of Kyprus were her three high
priestesses who carried her statue through the shallows, clothing it
on the beach during Aphrodite's bathing and purification festival.
Irene was the Crone, bringer of the peace of death, Agape the ruler
of sacred sexual rites, and Chione was the new year, born at Winter
Solstice, unapproachable and serene. The priestesses who served each
avatar were the original angels, who developed calendars and
sacred
dances. While today
their dances are mainly represented by the hora, an imitation of the spinning
cycles of time, their
work in the field of time keeping remains.
The Horae were among the
mathematici 'learned
mothers' who defined
the Zodiac and the star
movements marking the
seasons, one translation of the word 'hora.' Another is 'hour,' and
the Horae developed various means to mark time. Hence the word for
time keeping, 'horology' and the French word for clock 'horlogue.'
The patriarchs became the most
incensed over the sacred
women of Agape. Among
their symbols were the lotus, lily, and dove,
all representations of the
vulva.
Among their mysteries
was ritual cunnilingus, which demands respect for female pleasure and the female
body.
This aspect of the sacred
feminine was among the first to be erased. The effort began early.
Originally, the land of the 'Lotus Eaters' was in the Amazon
territories of North Africa, then was moved further away still, to
beyond the Southern Sea. Source
The Charites
Aphrodite as the Triple Goddess
of beauty in action: love,
physical grace, and refined manners. Her title, Pasithea Kale
Euphrosyne 'Goddess who is Beautiful and Brings Joy to All' was also
a list of one of the oldest versions of the Charites, 'Goddess of
All,' 'the Fairest,' and 'Heart's Joy.' They were originally
represented by three standing stones, as at Orchomenos.
Still another version of the
triad consisted of Aegle 'the light of the Sun or Moon,' Phaenna
'shining,' and Peitho 'persuasion.' When Aphrodite was considered
their mother instead, she was called Charis, although Charis was
originally a separate Goddess of joy that inspires art, or Eunomia
'good order.'
Skilled weavers, the Charites
nevertheless always appeared naked in art, two with their heads
turned, suggesting the past and future versus the present. Rulers of
death and vegetation, they sometimes lived with the Muses, in which
case they were Euphrosyne 'heart's joy,' Thaleia 'festive,' and
Aglaea 'splendid,' considered the youngest of the three. Priestesses
of the Charities danced
in the temples and groves of the Goddess, always by moonlight. Sacrifices to them on Paros
did not include flowers or ritual
music, similar to thanksgiving rituals to
Sarasvati, the scribe Goddess of India, when all writing utensils
were cleaned and no writing was done.
True to Aphrodite's arrival off
the South coast of Greece, the Spartans seem to have worshipped her
as Pasithea Kale Euphrosyne, although one Charite was finally lost and the other renamed
Kleite 'the invoked, or sound.' The Athenians also worshipped only two Charites,
Auxo whose name means both waning and increase [The waning of the
Sun, and the increase of the harvest], and Hegemone 'mastery,
sovereignty.'
Like the Lakonian Charites,
they were Moon Goddesses, immeasurably ancient. Hegemone appeared
early, representing the soil and the force that enabled it to produce
the harvest. She also personified the sense of connection people have
to the land they are born on, and presided over oaths.
The Sixth Act: Of the youth that
murdered the Woman.
51 Now there was a certain youth who had
wrought an abominable
deed, and he came near and
received of the eucharist with his
mouth: but his two hands withered up,
so that he could no more put them unto his own mouth. And they that
were there saw him and told the apostle what had befallen; and the
apostle called him and said unto him: Tell me, my child, and be not
ashamed, what was it that thou didst and camest hither? for the
eucharist of the Lord hath convicted thee. For this gift which
passeth among many doth rather heal them that with faith and love
draw near thereto, but thee it hath withered away; and that which is
come to pass hath not befallen without some effectual cause. And the
Youth, being convicted by the eucharist of the Lord, came and tell at
the apostle's feet and besought him, saying: I have done an evil
deed, yet I thought to do somewhat good. I was enamoured of a woman
that dwelleth at an inn without the city, and she also loved me; and
when I heard of thee and believed, that thou proclaimest a living
God, I came and received of thee the seal with the rest; for thou
saidst: Whosoever shall partake in the polluted union, and especially
in adultery, he shall not have life with the God whom I preach.
Whereas therefore I loved her much, I entreated her and would have
persuaded her to become my consort in chastity and pure conversation,
which thou also teachest: but she would not. When, therefore, she
consented not, I took a sword and slew her: for I could not endure to
see her commit adultery with another man.
52 When the apostle heard this he said: O
insane union how ruinest thou unto shamelessness! O unrestrained
lust, how hast thou stirred up this man to do this! O work of the
serpent, how art thou enraged against thine own! And the apostle bade
water to be brought to him in a basin; and when the water was
brought, he said: Come, ye waters from the living waters, that were
sent unto us, the true from the true, the rest that was sent unto us
from the rest, the power of salvation that cometh from that power
which conquereth all things and subdueth them unto its own will: come
and dwell in these waters, that the gift of the Holy Ghost may be
perfectly consummated in them. And he said unto the youth: Go, wash
thy hands in these waters. And when he had washed they were restored;
and the apostle said unto him: Believest thou in our Lord Jesus
Christ that he is able to do all things? And he said: Though I be the
least, yet I believe. But I committed this deed thinking that I was
doing somewhat good: for I besought her as I told thee, but she would
not obey me, to keep herself chaste.
53 And the apostle said to him: Come, let us go
unto the inn where thou didst commit this deed. And the youth went
before the apostle in the way, and when they came to the inn they
found her Lying dead. And the apostle when he saw her was sorry, for
she was a comely girl. And he commanded her to be brought into the
midst of the inn: and they laid her on a bed and brought her forth
and set her down in the midst of the court of the inn. And the
apostle laid his hand upon her and began to say: Jesu, who always
showest thyself unto us; for this is thy will, that we should at all
times seek thee, and thyself hast given us this power, to ask and to
receive, and hast not only permitted this, but hast taught us to
pray: who art not seen of our bodily eyes, but art never hidden from
the eyes of our soul, and in thine aspect art concealed, but in thy
works art manifested unto us: and in thy many acts we have known thee
so far as we are able, and thyself hast given us thy gifts without
measure, saying: Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and ye
shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you: we beseech thee,
therefore, having the fear (suspicion) of our sins; and we ask of
thee, not riches, not gold, not silver, not possessions, not aught
else of the things which come of the earth and return again unto the
earth; but this we ask of thee and entreat, that in thine holy name
thou wouldest raise up the woman that lieth here, by thy power, to
the glory and faith of them that stand by.
54 And he said unto the youth (Syr. ' Stretch
thy mind towards our Lord,' and he signed him with the cross), having
signed (sealed) him: Go and take hold on her hand and say unto her: I
with my hands slew thee with iron, and with my hands in the faith of
Jesus I raise thee up. So the youth went to her and stood by her,
saying: I have believed in thee, Christ Jesu. And he looked unto
Judas Thomas the apostle and said to him: Pray for me that my Lord
may come to my help, whom I also call upon. And he laid his hand upon
her hand and said: Come, Lord Jesu Christ: unto her grant thou life
and unto me the earnest of faith in thee. And straightway as he drew
her hand she sprang up and sat up, looking upon the great company
that stood by. And she saw the apostle also standing over against
her, and leaving the bed she leapt forth and fell at his feet and
caught hold on his raiment, saying: I beseech thee, my lord where is
that other that was with thee, who left me not to remain in that
fearful and cruel place, but delivered me unto thee, saying: Take
thou this woman, that she may be made perfect, and hereafter be
gathered into her place?
55 And the apostle said unto her: Relate unto
us where thou hast been. And she answered: Dost thou who wast with me
and unto whom I was delivered desire to hear? And she began to say:
[This description of hell-torments is largely derived from the
Apocalypse of Peter] A man took me who was hateful to look upon
altogether black, and his raiment exceedingly foul, and took me away
to a place wherein were many pits (chasms), and a great stench and
hateful odour issued thence. And he caused me to look into every pit,
and I saw in the (first) pit flaming fire, and wheels of fire ran
round there, and souls were hanged upon those wheels, and were dashed
(broken) against each other; and very great crying and howling was
there, and there was none to deliver. And that man said to me: These
souls are of thy tribe, and when the number of their days is
accomplished (lit. in the days of the number) they are (were)
delivered unto torment and affliction, and then are others brought in
in their stead, and likewise these into another place. These are they
that have reversed the intercourse of male and female. And I looked
and saw infants heaped one upon another and struggling with each
other as they lay on them. And he answered and said to me: These are
the children of those others, and therefore are they set here for a
testimony against them. (Syr. omits this clause of the children, and
lengthens and dilutes the preceding speech.)
56 And he took me unto another pit, and I
stooped and looked and saw mire and worms welling up, and souls
wallowing there, and a great gnashing of teeth was heard thence from
them. And that man said unto me: These are the souls of women which
forsook their husbands and committed adultery with others, and are
brought into this torment. Another pit he showed me whereinto I
stooped and looked and saw souls hanging, some by the tongue, some by
the hair, some by the hands, and some head downward by the feet, and
tormented (smoked) with smoke and brimstone; concerning whom that man
that was with me answered me: The souls which are hanged by the
tongue are slanderers, that uttered Lying and shameful words, and
were not ashamed, and they that are hanged by the hair are unblushing
ones which had no modesty and went about in the world bareheaded; and
they that are hanged by the hands, these are they that took away and
stole other men's goods, and never gave aught to the needy nor helped
the afflicted, but did so, desiring to take all, and had no thought
at all of justice or of the law; and they that hang upside down by
the feet, these are they that lightly and readily ran in evil ways
and disorderly paths, not visiting the sick nor escorting them that
depart this life, and therefore each and every soul receiveth that
which was done by it. (Syr. omits almost the whole section.)
57 Again he took me and showed me a cave
exceeding dark, breathing out a great stench, and many souls were
looking out desiring to get somewhat of the air, but their keepers
suffered them not to look forth. And he that was with me said: This
is the prison of those souls which thou sawest: for when they have
fulfilled their torments for that which each did, thereafter do
others succeed them: and there be some that are wholly consumed and
(some, Syr.) that are delivered over unto other torments. And they
that kept the souls which were in the dark cave said unto the man
that had taken me: Give her unto us that we may bring her in unto the
rest until the time cometh for her to be delivered unto torment. But
he answered them: I give her not unto you, for I fear him that
delivered her to me: for I was not charged to leave her here, but I
take her back with me until I shall receive order concerning her. And
he took me and brought me unto another place wherein were men being
sharply tormented (Syr. where men were). And he that was like unto
thee took me and delivered me to thee, saying thus to thee: Take her,
for she is one of the sheep that have gone astray. And I was taken by
thee, and now am I before thee. I beseech thee, therefore, and
supplicate that I may not depart unto those places of punishment
which I have seen.
58 And the apostle said: Ye have heard what
this woman hath related: and there are not these torments only, but
others also, worse than these; and ye, if ye turn not unto this God
whom I preach, and abstain from your former works and the deeds which
ye committed without knowledge, shall have your end in those
torments. Believe therefore on Christ Jesus, and he will forgive you
the sins ye have committed hitherto, and will cleanse you from all
your bodily lusts that abide on the earth, and will heal you of all
your trespasses which follow you and depart with you and are found
upon (before) you. Put off therefore every one of you the old man,
and put on the new, and forsake your former walk and conversation;
and let them that stole steal no more, but live by labouring and
working; and let the adulterous no more fornicate, lest they deliver
themselves unto eternal torment; for adultery is before God exceeding
evil beyond other sins. And put away from you covetousness and Lying
and drunkenness and slandering, and render not evil for evil: for all
these things are strange and alien unto the God who is preached by
me: but rather walk ye in faith and meekness and holiness and hope,
wherein God delighteth, that ye may become his own, expecting of him
the gifts which some few only do receive.
59 All the people therefore believed and gave
their souls obediently unto the living God and Christ Jesus,
rejoicing in the blessed works of the Most High and in his holy
service. And they brought much money for the service of the widows:
for the apostle had them gathered together in the cities, and unto
all of them he sent provision by his own ministers (deacons), both
clothes and nourishment. And he himself ceased not preaching and
speaking to them and showing that this is Jesus Christ whom the
scriptures proclaimed, who is come and was crucified, and raised the
third day from the dead. And next he showed them plainly, beginning
from the prophets, the things concerning the Christ, that it was
necessary that he should come, and that in him should be accomplished
all things that were foretold of him. And the fame of him went forth
into all the cities and countries, and all that had sick or them that
were oppressed by unclean spirits brought them, and some they laid in
the way whereby he should pass, and he healed them all by the power
of the Lord. Then all that were healed by him said with one accord:
Glory be to thee, Jesu, who hast granted us all alike healing through
thy servant and apostle Thomas. And now being whole and rejoicing, we
beseech thee that we may be of thy flock, and be numbered among thy
sheep; receive us therefore, Lord, and impute not unto us our
transgressions and our former faults which we committed being in
ignorance.
60 And the apostle said: Glory be to the
only-begotten of the Father! Glory be to the first-born of many
brethren! Glory be to thee, the defender and helper of them that come
unto thy refuge! that sleepest not, and awakest them that are asleep
that livest and givest life to them that lie in death! O God Jesu
Christ, Son of the living God, redeemer and helper, refuge and rest
of all that are weary (labour) in thy work, giver of healing to them
that for thy name s sake bear the burden and heat of the day: we give
thanks for (to) the gifts that are given us of thee and granted us by
thy help and thy dispensation that cometh unto us from thee.
61 Perfect thou therefore these things in us
unto the end that we may have the boldness that is in thee: look upon
us for for thy sake have we forsaken our homes and our parents, and
for thy sake have we gladly and willingly become strangers: look upon
us, Lord, for we have forsaken our own possessions for thy sake, that
we might gain thee the possession that cannot be taken away: look
upon us, Lord, for we have forsaken them that belong unto us by race,
that we might be joined unto thy kinship: look upon us, Lord, that
have forsaken our fathers and mothers and fosters, that we might
behold thy Father, and be satisfied with his divine food: look upon
us, Lord, for for thy sake have we forsaken our bodily consorts and
our earthly fruits, that we might be partakers in that enduring and
true fellowship, and bring forth true fruits, whose nature is from
above, which no man can take from us, with whom we shall abide and
who shall abide with us.
The Seventh Act: Of the
Captain.
62 Now while the apostle Thomas was proclaiming
throughout all India the word of God, a certain captain of the king
Misdaeus (Mazdai, Syr.) came to him and said unto him: I have heard
of thee that thou takest no reward of any man, but even that thou
hast thou givest to them that need. For if thou didst receive
rewards, I would have sent thee a great sum, and would not have come
myself, for the king doeth nought without me: for I have much
substance and am rich, even one of the rich men of India. And I have
never done wrong to any; but the contrary hath befallen me. I have a
wife, and of her I had a daughter and I am well affectioned toward
her, as also nature requireth and have never made trial of another
wife. Now it chanced that there was a wedding in our city, and they
that made the marriage
feast were well beloved of me: they
came in therefore and bade me to it, bidding also my wife and her
daughter. Forasmuch then as they were my good friends I could not
refuse: I sent her therefore, though she desired not to go, and with
them I sent also many servants: so they departed, both she and her
daughter, decked with many ornaments.
63 And when it was evening and the time was
come to depart from the wedding I sent lamps and torches to meet
them: and I stood in the street to espy when she should come and I
should see her with my daughter. And as I stood I heard a sound of
lamentation. Woe for her! was heard out of every mouth. And my
servants with their clothes rent came to me and told me what was
done. We saw, said they, a man and a boy with him. And the man laid
his hand upon thy wife, and the boy upon thy daughter: and they fled
from them: and we smote (wounded) them with our swords, but our
swords fell to the ground. And the same hour the women fell down,
gnashing their teeth and beating their heads upon the earth and
seeing this we came to tell it thee. And when I heard this of my
servants I rent my clothes and smote my face with my hands, and
becoming like one mad I ran along the street, and came and found them
cast in the market-place; and I took them and brought them to my
house, and after a long space they awaked and stood up, and sat
down.
64 I began therefore to inquire of my wife:
What is it that hath befallen thee? And she said to me: Knowest thou
not what thou hast done unto me? for I prayed thee that I might not
go to the wedding, because I was not of even health in my body; and
as I went on the way and came near to the aqueduct wherein the water
floweth, I saw a black man standing over against me nodding at me
with his head, and a boy like unto him standing by him; and I said to
my daughter: Look at those two hideous men, whose teeth are like milk
and their lips like soot. And we left them and went towards the
aqueduct; and when it was sunset and we departed from the wedding, as
we passed by with the young men and drew near the aqueduct, my
daughter saw them first, and was affrighted and fled towards me; and
after her I also beheld them coming against us: and the servants that
were with us fled from them (Syr.) and they struck us, and cast down
both me and my daughter. And when she had told me these things, the
devils came upon them again and threw them down: and from that hour
they are not able to come forth, but are shut up in one room or a
second (Syr. in a room within another): and on their account I suffer
much, and am distressed: for the devils throw them down wheresoever
they find them, and strip them naked. I beseech and supplicate thee
before God, help me and have pity on me, for it is now three years
that a table hath not been set in my house, and my wife and my
daughter have not sat at a table: and especially for mine unhappy
daughter, which hath not seen any good at all in this world.
65 And the apostle, hearing these things from
the captain, was greatly grieved for him, and said unto him:
Believest thou that Jesus will heal them? And the captain said: Yea.
And the apostle said: Commit thyself then unto Jesus, and he will
heal them and procure them succour. And the captain said: Show me
him, that I may entreat him and believe in him. And the apostle said:
He appeareth not unto these bodily eyes, but is found by the eyes of
the mind. The captain therefore lifted up his voice and said: I
believe thee, Jesu, and entreat and supplicate thee, help my little
faith which I have in thee. And the apostle commanded Xenophon (Syr.
Xanthippus) the deacon to assemble all the brethren; and when the
whole multitude was gathered, the apostle stood in the midst and
said:
66 Children and brethren that have believed on
the Lord, abide in this faith, preaching Jesus who was proclaimed
unto you by me, to bring you hope in him; and forsake not (be not
forsaken of) him, and he will not forsake you. While ye sleep in this
slumber that weigheth down the sleepers, he, sleeping not, keepeth
watch over you; and when ye sail and are in peril and none can help,
he walking upon the waters supporteth and aideth. For I am now
departing from you, and it appeareth not if I shall again see you
according to the flesh. Be ye not therefore like unto the people of
Israel, who losing sight of their pastors for an hour, stumbled. But
I leave unto you Xenophon the deacon in my stead; for he also like
myself proclaimeth Jesus: for neither am I aught, nor he, but Jesus
only; for I also am a man clothed with a body, a son of man like one
of you; for neither have I riches as it is found with some, which
also convict them that possess them, being wholly useless, and left
behind upon the earth, whence also they came, and they bear away with
them the transgressions and blemishes of sins which befall men by
their means. And scantly are rich men found in almsgivillg: but the
merciful and lowly in heart, these shall inherit the kingdom of God:
for it is not beauty that endureth with men, for they that trust in
it, when age cometh upon them, shall suddenly be put to shame: all
things therefore have their time; in their season are they loved and
hated. Let your hope then be in Jesus Christ the Son of God, which is
always loved, and always desired: and be mindful of us, as we of you:
for we too, if we fulfil not the burden of the commandments are not
worthy to be preachers of this name, and hereafter shall we pay the
price (punishment) of our own head.
67 And he prayed with them and continued with
them a long time in prayer and supplication, and committing them unto
the Lord, he said: O Lord that rulest over every soul that is in the
body; Lord, Father of the souls that have their hope in thee and
expect thy mercies: that redeemest from error the men that are thine
own and settest free from bondage and corruption thy subjects that
come unto thy refuge: be thou in the flock of Xenophon and anoint it
with holy oil, and heal it of sores, and preserve it from the
ravening wolves. And he laid his hand on them and said: The peace of
the Lord shall be upon you and shall journey with us.
The Eighth Act: Of the wild
asses.
68 The apostle therefore went forth to depart
on the way: and they all escorted him, weeping and adjuring him to
make remembrance of them in his prayers and not to forget them. He
went up then and sat upon the chariot, leaving all the brethren, and
the captain came and awaked the driver, saying: I entreat and pray
that I may become worthy to sit beneath his feet, and I will be his
driver upon this way, that he also may become my guide in that way
whereby few go.
69 And when they had journeyed about two miles,
the apostle begged of the captain and made him arise and caused him
to sit by him, suffering the driver to sit in his own place. And as
they went along the road, it came to pass that the beasts were
wearied with the great heat and could not be stirred at all. And the
captain was greatly vexed and wholly cast down, and thought to run on
his own feet and bring other beasts for the use of the chariot; but
the apostle said: Let not thine heart be troubled nor affrighted, but
believe on Jesus Christ whom I have proclaimed unto thee, and thou
shalt see great wonders. And he looked and saw a herd of wild asses
feeding by the wayside, and said to the captain: If thou hast
believed on Christ Jesus, go unto that herd of wild asses and say:
Judas Thomas the apostle of Christ the new God saith unto you: Let
four of you come, of whom we have need (or, of whom we may have
use).
70 And the captain went in fear, for they were
many; and as he went, they came to meet him; and when they were near,
he said unto them: Judas Thomas the apostle of the new God commandeth
you: Let four of you come, of whom I have need. And when the wild
asses heard it, they ran with one accord and came to him, and when
they came they did him reverence. [Syr. has a long prayer: And Judas
Thomas the apostle of our Lord lifted up his voice in praise and
said: Glorious art thou, God of truth and Lord of all natures, for
thou didst will with thy will, and make all thy works and finish all
thy creatures, and bring them to the rule of their nature, and lay
upon them all thy fear that they might be subject to thy command. And
thy will trod the path from thy secrecy to manifestation, and was
caring for every soul that thou didst make, and was spoken of by the
mouth of all the prophets, in all visions and sounds and voices; but
Israel did not obey because of their evil inclination. And thou,
because thou art Lord of all, hast a care for the creatures, so that
thou spreadest over us thy mercy in him who came by thy will and put
on the body, thy creature, which thou didst will and form according
to thy glorious wisdom. He whom thou didst appoint in thy secrecy and
establish in thy manifestation, to him thou hast given the name of
Son, he who was thy will, the power of thy thought; so that ye are by
various names, the Father and the Son and the Spirit, for the sake of
the government of thy creatures, for the nourishing of all natures,
and ye are one in glory and power and will; and ye are divided
without being separated, and are one though divided, and all subsists
in thee and is subject to thee, because all is thine. And I rely upon
thee, Lord, and by thy command have subjected these dumb beasts, that
thou mightest show thy ministering power upon us and upon them
because it is needful, and that thy name might be glorified in us and
in the beasts that cannot speak.] And the apostle said unto them:
Peace be unto you. Yoke ye four of you in the stead of these beasts
that have come to a stand. And every one of them came and pressed to
be yoked: there were then four stronger than the rest, which also
were yoked. And the rest, some went before and some followed. And
when they had journeyed a little way he dismissed the colts, saying:
I say unto you the inhabiters of the desert, depart unto your
pastures, for if I had had need of all, ye would all have gone with
me; but now go unto your place wherein ye dwell. And they departed
quietly until they were no more seen.
71 Now as the apostle and the captain and the
driver went on, the wild asses drew the chariot quietly and evenly,
lest they should disturb the apostle of God. And when they came near
to the city gate they turned aside and stood still before the doors
of the captain's house. And the captain said: It is not possible for
me to relate what hath happened, but when I see the end I will tell
it. The whole city therefore came to see the wild asses under the
yoke; and they had heard also the report of the apostle that he was
to come and visit them. And the apostle asked the captain: Where is
thy dwelling, and whither dost thou bring us? And he said to him:
Thou thyself knowest that we stand before the doors, and these which
by thy commandment are come with thee know it better than I.
72 And having so said he came down from the
chariot. The apostle therefore began to say: Jesu Christ, that art
blasphemed by the ignorance of thee in this country; Jesu, the report
of whom is strange in this city; Jesu, that receivest all (Syr.
sendest on before the apostles in every country and in every city,
and all thine that are worthy are glorified in thee; Jesu, that didst
take a form and become as a man, and wert seen of all us that thou
mightest not separate us from thine own love: thou, Lord, art he that
gavest thyself for us, and with thy blood hast purchased us and
gained us as a possession of great price: and what have we to give
thee, Lord, in exchange for thy life which thou gavest for us? for
that which we would give, thou gavest us: and this is, that we should
entreat of thee and live.
73 And when he had so said, many assembled from
every quarter to see the apostle of the new God. And again the
apostle said: Why stand we idle? Jesu, Lord, the hour is come: what
wilt thou have done? command therefore that that be fulfilled which
needeth to be done. Now the captain's wife and her daughter were sore
borne down by the devils, so that they of the house thought they
would rise up no more: for they suffered them not to partake of
aught, but cast them down upon their beds recognizing no man until
that day when the apostle came thither. And the apostle said unto one
of the wild asses that were yoked on the right hand: Enter thou
within the gate, and stand there and call the devils and say to them:
Judas Thomas the apostle and disciple of Jesus Christ saith unto you:
Come forth hither: for on your account am I sent and unto them that
pertain to you by race, to destroy you and chase you unto your place,
until the time of the end come and ye go down into your own deep of
darkness.
74 And that wild ass went in, a great multitude
being with him, and said: Unto you I speak, the enemies of Jesus that
is called Christ: unto you I speak that shut your eyes lest ye see
the light: unto you I speak, children of Gehenna and of destruction,
of him that ceaseth not from evil until now, that always reneweth his
workings and the things that befit his being: unto you I speak, most
shameless, that shall perish by your own hands. And what I shall say
of your destruction and end, and what I shall tell, I know not. For
there are many things and innumerable to the hearing: and greater are
your doings than the torment that is reserved for you (Syr. however
great your bodies, they are too small for your retributions). But
unto thee I speak, devil, and to thy son that followeth with thee:
for now am I sent against you. And wherefore should I make many words
concerning your nature and root, which yourselves know and are not
ashamed? but Judas Thomas the apostle of Christ Jesus saith unto you,
he that by much love and affection is sent hither: Before all this
multitude that standeth here, come forth and tell me of what race ye
are.
75 And straightway the woman came forth with
her daughter, both like dead persons and dishonoured in aspect: and
the apostle beholding them was grieved. especially for the girl, and
saith unto the devils: God forbid that for you there should be
sparing or propitiation, for ye know not to spare nor to have pity:
but in the name of Jesus, depart from them and stand by their side.
And when the apostle had so said, the women fell down and became as
dead; for they neither had breath nor uttered speech: but the devil
answered with a loud voice and said: Art thou come hither again, thou
that deridest our nature and race? art thou come again, that blottest
out our devices? and as I take it, thou wouldest not suffer us to be
upon the earth at all: but this at this time thou canst not
accomplish. And the apostle guessed that this devil was he that had
been driven out from that other woman.
76 And the devil said: I beseech thee, give me
leave to depart even whither thou wilt, and dwell there and take
commandment from thee, and I will not fear the ruler that hath
authority over me. For like as thou art come to preach good tidings,
so I also am come to destroy; and like as, if thou fulfil not the
will of him that sent thee, he will bring punishment upon thy head,
so I also if I do not the will of him that sent me, before the season
and time appointed, shall be sent unto mine own nature; and like as
thy Christ helpeth thee in that thou doest, so also my father helpeth
me in that I do; and like as for thee he prepareth vessels worthy of
thine inhabiting, so also for me he seeketh out vessels whereby I may
accomplish his deeds; and like as he nourisheth and provideth for his
subjects, so also for me he prepareth chastisements and torments,
with them that become my dwellingplaces (Syr. those in whom I dwell);
and like as for a recompense of thy working he giveth thee eternal
life, so also unto me he giveth for a reward of my works eternal
destruction; and like as thou art refreshed by thy prayer and thy
good works and spiritual thanksgivings, so I also am refreshed by
murders and adulteries and sacrifices made with wine upon altars
(Syr. sacrifices and libations of wine), and like as thou convertest
men unto eternal life, so I also pervert them that obey me unto
eternal destruction and torment: and thou receivest thine own and I
mine.
77 And when the devil had said these things and
yet more the apostle said: Jesus commandeth thee and thy son by me to
enter no more into the habitation of man: but go ye forth and depart
and dwell wholly apart from the habitation of men. And the devils
said unto him: Thou hast laid on us a harsh commandment: but what
wilt thou do unto them that now are concealed from thee? for they
that have wrought all the images rejoice in them more than thee: and
many of them do the more part worship, and perform their will,
sacrificing to them and bringing them food, by libations and by wine
and water and offering with oblations. And the apostle said: They
also shall now be abolished, with their works. And suddenly the
devils vanished away: but the women lay cast upon the earth as if
were dead, and without speech.
78 And the wild asses stood together and parted
not one from another; but he to whom speech was given by the power of
the Lord -while all men kept silence, and looked to see what they
would do- the wild ass said unto the apostle: Why standest thou idle,
O apostle of Christ the Most High, who looketh that thou shouldest
ask of him the best of learning? Wherefore then tarriest thou? (Syr.
that thou shouldest ask him, and he would give thee? Why delayest
thou, good disciple?) for lo, thy teacher desireth to show by thy
hands his mighty works. Why standest thou still, O herald of the
hidden one? for thy (Lord) willeth to manifest through thee his
unspeakable things, which he reserveth for them that are worthy of
him, to hear them. Why restest thou, O doer of mighty works in the
name of the Lord? for thy Lord encourageth thee and engendereth
boldness in thee. Fear not, therefore; for he will not forsake the
soul that belongeth unto thee by birth. Begin therefore to call upon
him and he will readily hearken to thee. Why standest thou marvelling
at all his acts and his workings? for these are small things which he
hath shown by thy means. And what wilt thou tell concerning his great
gifts? for thou wilt not be sufficient to declare them. And why
marvellest thou at his cures of the body which he worketh? (Syr.
which come to an end) especially when thou knowest that healing of
his which is secure and lasting, which he bringeth forth by his own
nature? And why lookest thou unto this temporal life, and hast no
thought of that which is eternal (Syr. when thou canst every day
think on that which is eternal)?
79 But unto you the multitudes that stand by
and look to see these that are cast down raised up, I say, believe in
the apostle of Jesus Christ: believe the teacher of truth, believe
him that showeth you the truth, believe Jesus, believe on the Christ
that was born, that the born may live by his life: who also was
raised up through infancy, that perfection might appear by his
manhood (man). He did teach his own disciples: for he is the teacher
of the truth and maketh wise men wise (Syr. who went to school that
through him perfect wisdom might be known: he taught his teacher
because he was the teacher of verity and the master of the wise). Who
also offered the gift in the temple that he might show that all the
(every) offering was sanctified. This is his apostle, the
shewer-forth of truth: this is he that performeth the will of him
that sent him. But there shall come false apostles and prophets of
lawlessness, whose end shall be according to their deeds; preaching
indeed and ordaining to flee from ungodliness, but themselves at all
times detected in sins, clad indeed with sheep's clothing, but
within, ravening wolves. Who suffice not themselves with one wife but
corrupt many women; who, saying that they despise children, destroy
many children (boys), for whom they will pay the penalty; that
content not themselves with their own possessions, but desire that
all useless things should minister unto them only; professing to be
his disciples; and with their mouth they utter one thing, but in
their heart they think another; charging other men to beware of evil,
but they themselves perform nought that is good; who are accounted
temperate, and charge other men to abstain from fornication theft,
and covetousness, but in all these things do they themselves walk
secretly, teaching other men not to do them.
80 And when the wild ass had declared all these
things, all men gazed upon him. And when he ceased the apostle said:
What I shall think concerning thy beauty, O Jesu, and what I shall
tell of thee, I know not, or rather I am not able, for I have no
power to declare it, O Christ that art in rest, and only wise that
only knowest the inward of the heart and understandest the thought.
Glory be to thee, merciful and tranquil. Glory to thee, wise word.
Glory to thy compassion that was born unto us. Glory to thy mercy
that was spread out over us. Glory to thy greatness that was made
small for us. Glory to thy most high kingship that was humbled for
us. Glory to thy might which was enfeebled for us. Glory to thy
Godhead that for us was seen in likeness of men. Glory to thy manhood
that died for us that it might make us live. Glory to thy
resurrection from the dead; for thereby rising and rest cometh unto
our souls. Glory and praise (good report) to thine ascending into the
heavens; for thereby thou hast shewed us the path of the height, and
promised that we shall sit with thee on thy right hand and with thee
judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Thou art the heavenly word of the
Father: thou art the hidden light of the understanding, shewer of the
way of truth, driver away of darkness, and blotter-out of
error.
81 Having thus spoken, the apostle stood over
the women, saying: My Lord and my God, I am not divided from thee (or
doubt not concerning thee), nor as one unbelieving do I call upon
thee, who art always our helper and succourer and raiser-up; who
breathest thine own power into us and encouragest us and givest
confidence in love unto thine own servants. I beseech thee, let these
souls be healed and rise up and become such as they were before they
were smitten of the devils. And when he thus spake the women turned
and sat up. And the apostle bade the captain that his servants should
take them and bring them within (Syr. and give them food, for they
had not eaten for many days). And when they were gone in, the apostle
said unto the wild asses, Follow me. And they went after him until he
had brought them without the gate. And when they had gone out, he
said to them: Depart in peace unto your pastures. The wild asses
therefore went away willingly; and the apostle stood and took heed to
them lest they should be hurt of any, until they had gone afar off
and were no more seen. And the apostle returned with the multitude
into the house of the captain.
The Ninth Act: Of the Wife of
Charisius.
82 Now it chanced that a certain woman, the
wife of Charisius, that was next unto the king, whose name was
Mygdonia, came to see and behold the new name and the new God who was
being proclaimed, and the new apostle who had come to visit their
country: and she was carried by her own servants; and because of the
great crowd and the narrow way they were not able to bring her near
unto him. And she sent unto her husband to send her more to minister
to her; and they came and approached her, pressing upon the people
and beating them. And the apostle saw it and said to them: Wherefore
overthrow ye them that come to hear the word, and are eager for it?
and ye desire to be near me but are far off, as it was said of the
multitude that came unto the Lord: Having eyes ye see not, and having
ears ye hear not; and he said to the multitudes: He that hath ears to
hear, let him hear; and: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
83 And looking upon them that carried her, he
said unto them: This blessing and this admonition [Here and elsewhere
there is a marked divergence between the texts of U and P, the Roman
and Paris MSS.: Bonnet prints them separately. P is on the whole much
shorter. Syr. differs from both. I follow U, but it is very corrupt.]
which was promised unto them is for you that are heavily burdened
now. Ye are they that carry burdens grievous to be borne, and are
borne about by her command. And though ye are men, they lay on you
loads as on brute beasts, for they that have authority over you think
that ye are not men such as themselves, whether bond or free. For
neither shall possessions profit the rich, nor poverty save the poor
from judgement; nor have we received a commandment which we are not
able to perform, nor hath he laid on us burdens grievous to be borne
which we are not able to carry; nor building which men build; nor to
hew stones and prepare houses, as your craftsmen do by their own
knowledge. But this commandment have we received of the Lord, that
that which pleaseth not us when it is done by another this we should
not do to any other man.
84 Abstain therefore first from adultery, for
this is the beginning of all evils, and next from theft, which
enticed Judas Iscariot, and brought him unto hanging; (and from
covetousness,) for as many as yield unto covetousness see not that
which they do; and from vainglory and from all foul deeds, especially
them of the body, whereby cometh eternal condemnation. For this is
the chief city of all evils; and likewise it bringeth them that hold
their heads (necks) high unto tyranny, and draweth them down unto the
deep, and subdueth them under its hands that they see not what they
do; wherefore the things done of them are hidden from them.
85 But do ye become well-pleasing unto God in
all good things, in meekness and quietness: for these doth God spare,
and granteth eternal life and setteth death at nought. And in
gentleness which followeth on all good things, and overcometh all
enemies and alone receiveth the crown of victory: with gentleness
(Syr.), and stretching out of the hand to the poor, and supplying the
want of the needy, and distributing to them that are in necessity,
especially them that walk in holiness. For this is chosen before God
and leadeth unto eternal life: for this is before God the chief city
of all good: for they that strive not in the course (stadium) of
Christ shall not obtain holiness. And holiness did appear from God,
doing away fornication, overthrowing the enemy, well-pleasing unto
God: for she is an invincible champion (athlete), having honour from
God, glorified of many: she is an ambassador of peace, announcing
peace: if any gain her he abideth without care, pleasing the Lord,
expecting the time of redemption: for she doeth nothing amiss, but
giveth life and rest and joy unto all that gain her. [P has nothing
of this, and Syr. makes better sense, but is not very
interesting.]
86 But meekness hath overcome death and brought
him under authority, meekness hath enslaved the enemy (U and P and
Syr. now present the same text), meekness is the good yoke: meekness
feareth not and opposeth not the many: meekness is peace and joy and
exaltation of rest. Abide ye therefore in holiness and receive
freedom from me, and be near unto meekness for in these three heads
is portrayed the Christ whom I proclaim unto you. Holiness is the
temple of Christ, and he that dwelleth in her getteth her for an
habitation (Syr. and temperance is the rest of God), because for
forty days and forty nights he fasted, tasting nothing: and he that
keepeth her shall dwell in her as on a mountain. And meekness is his
boast: for he said unto Peter our fellow apostle: Turn back thy sword
and put it again into the sheath thereof: for if I had willed so to
do, could I not have brought more than twelve legions of angels from
my Father?
87 And when the apostle had said these things
in the hearing of all the multitude, they trode and pressed upon one
another: and the wife of Charisius the king's kinsman leapt out of
her chair and cast herself on the earth before the apostle, and
caught his feet and besought and said: O disciple of the living God,
thou art come into a desert country, for we live in the desert; being
like to brute beasts in our conversation, but now shall we be saved
by thy hands; I beseech thee, therefore, take thought of me, and pray
for me, that the compassion of the God whom thou preachest may come
upon me, and I may become his dwelling place and be joined in prayer
and hope and faith in him, and I also may receive the seal and become
an holy temple and he may dwell in me.
88 And the apostle said: I do pray and entreat
for you all, brethren, that believe on the Lord, and for you,
sisters, that hope in Christ, that in all of you the word of God may
tabernacle and have his tabernacle therein: for we have no power over
them (Syr. because ye are given power over your own souls). And he
began to say unto the woman Mygdonia: Rise up from the earth and
compose thyself (take off thine ornaments, P; be mindful of thyself,
Syr.). For this attire that is put on shall not profit thee nor the
beauty of thy body, nor thine apparel, neither yet the fame of thy
rank, nor the authority of this world, nor the polluted intercourse
with thine husband shall avail thee if thou be bereaved of the true
fellowship: for the appearance (fantasy) of ornamenting cometh to
nought, and the body waxeth old and changeth, and raiment weareth
out, and authority and lordship pass away (U corrupt; P abridges;
Syr. has: passeth away accompanied with punishment, according as each
person hath conducted himself in it), and the fellowship of
procreation also passeth away, and is as it were condemnation. Jesus
only abideth ever, and they that hope in him. Thus he spake, and said
unto the woman: Depart in peace, and the Lord shall make thee worthy
of his own mysteries. But she said: I fear to go away, lest thou
forsake me and depart unto another nation. But the apostle said to
her: Even if I go, I shall not leave thee alone, but Jesus of his
compassion will be with thee. And she fell down and did him reverence
and departed unto her house.
89 Now Charisius, the kinsman of Misdaeus the
king, bathed himself and returned and laid him down to dine. And he
inquired concerning his wife, where she was; for she had not come out
of her own chamber to meet him as she was wont. And her handmaids
said to him: She is not well. And he entered quickly into the chamber
and found her Lying on the bed and veiled: and he unveiled her and
kissed her, saying: Wherefore art thou sorrowful to-day? And she
said: I am not well. And he said unto her: Wherefore then didst thou
not keep the guise of thy freedom (Syr. pay proper respect to thy
position as a free woman) and remain in thy house, but didst go and
listen unto vain speeches and look upon works of sorcery? but rise up
and dine with me, for I cannot dine without thee. But she said to
him: To-day I decline it, for I am greatly afeared.
90 And when Charisius heard this of Mygdonia,
he would not go forth to dinner, but bade his servants bring her to
dine with him (Syr. bring food to him that he might sup in her
presence): when then they brought it in, he desired her to dine with
him, but she excused herself; since then she would not, he dined
alone, saying unto her: On thine account I refused to dine with
Misdaeus the king, and thou, wast thou not willing to dine with me?
but she said: It is because I am not well. Charisius therefore rose
up as he was wont and would sleep with her, but she said: Did I not
tell thee that for today I refused it?
91 When he heard that he went to another bed
and slept; and awaking out of sleep he said: My lady Mygdonia,
hearken to the dream which I have seen. I saw myself lie at meat near
to Misdaeus the king, and a dish of all sorts was set before us: and
I saw an eagle come down from heaven and carry off from before me and
the king two partridges, which he set against his heart; and again he
came over us and flew about above us, and the king bade a bow to be
brought to him; and the eagle again caught away from before us a
pigeon and a dove, and the king shot an arrow at him, and it passed
through him from one side to the other and hurt him not; and he being
unscathed rose up into his own nest. And I awoke, and I am full of
fear and sore vexed, because I had tasted of the partridge, and he
suffered me not to put it to my mouth again. And Mygdonia said unto
him: Thy dream is good: for thou every day eatest partridges, but
this eagle had not tasted of a partridge until now.
92 And when it was morning Charisius went and
dressed himself and shod his right foot with his left shoe; and he
stopped, and said to Mygdonia: What then is this matter? for look,
the dream and this action of mine! But Mygdonia said to him: And this
also is not evil, but seemeth to me very good; for from an unlucky
act there will be a change unto the better. And he washed his hands
and went to salute Misdaeus the king.
93 And likewise Mygdonia rose up early and went
to salute Judas Thomas the apostle, and she found him discoursing
with the captain and all the multitude, and he was advising them and
speaking of the woman which had received the Lord in her soul, whose
wife she was; and the captain said: She is the wife of Charisius the
kinsman of Misdaeus the king. And: Her husband is a hard man, and in
every thing that he saith to the king he obeyeth him: and he will not
suffer her to continue in this mind which she hath promised; for
often-times hath he praised her before the king, saying that there is
none other like her in love: all things therefore that thou speakest
unto her are strange unto her. And the apostle said: If verily and
surely the Lord hath risen upon her soul and she hath received the
seed that was cast on her, she will have no care of this temporal
life, nor fear death, neither will Charisius be able to harm her at
all: for greater is he whom she hath received into her soul, if she
have received him indeed.
94 And Mygdonia hearing this said unto the
apostle: In truth, my lord, I have received the seed of thy words,
and I will bear fruit like unto such seed. The apostle saith: Our
souls give praise and thanks unto thee, O Lord, for they are thine:
our bodies give thanks unto thee, which thou hast accounted worthy to
become the dwelling-place of thy heavenly gift. And he said also to
them that stood by: Blessed are the holy, whose souls have never
condemned them, for they have gained them and are not divided against
themselves: blessed are the spirits of the pure, and they that have
received the heavenly crown whole from the world (age) which hath
been appointed them: blessed are the bodies of the holy, for they
have been made worthy to become temples of God, that Christ may dwell
in them: blessed are ye, for ye have power to forgive sins: blessed
are ye if ye lose not that which is committed unto you, but rejoicing
and departing bear it away with you: blessed are ye the holy, for
unto you it is given to ask and receive: blessed are ye meek for you
hath God counted worthy to become heirs of the heavenly kingdom.
Blessed are ye meek, for ye are they that have overcome the enemy:
blessed are ye meek, for ye shall see the face of the Lord. Blessed
are ye that hunger for the Lord's sake for for you is rest laid up,
and your souls rejoice from henceforth. Blessed are ye that are
quiet, (for ye have been counted worthy) to be set free from sin [and
from the exchange of clean and unclean beasts]. And when the apostle
had said these things in the hearing of all the multitude, Mygdonia
was the more confirmed in the faith and glory and greatness of
Christ.
95 But Charisius the kinsman and friend of
Misdaeus the king came to his breakfast and found not his wife in the
house; and he inquired of all that were in his house: Whither is your
mistress gone? And one of them answered and said: She is gone unto
that stranger. And when he heard this of his servant, he was wroth
with the other servants because they had not straightway told him
what was done: and he sat down and waited for her. And when it was
evening and she was come into the house he said to her: Where wast
thou? And she answered and said: With the physician. And he said: Is
that stranger a physician? And she said: Yea, he is a physician of
souls: for most physicians do heal bodies that are dissolved, but he
souls that are not destroyed. Charisius, hearing this, was very angry
in his mind with Mygdonia because of the apostle, but he answered her
nothing, for he was afraid; for she was above him both in wealth and
birth: but he departed to dinner, and she went into her chamber. And
he said to the servants: Call her to dinner. But she would not
come.
96 And when he heard that she would not come
out of her chamber, he went in and said unto her: Wherefore wilt thou
not dine with me and perchance not sleep with me as the wont is? yea,
concerning this I have the greater suspicion, for I have heard that
that sorcerer and deceiver teacheth that a man should not live with
his wife, and that which nature requireth and the godhead hath
ordained he overthroweth. When Charisius said these things, Mygdonia
kept silence. He saith to her again: My lady and consort Mygdonia, be
not led astray by deceitful and vain words, nor by the works of
sorcery which I have heard that this man performeth in the name of
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; for it was never yet heard in the world
that any raised the dead, and, as I hear, it is reported of this man
that he raiseth dead men. And for that he neither eateth nor
drinketh, think not that for righteousness sake he neither eateth nor
drinketh but this he doth because he possesseth nought, for what
should he do which hath not even his daily bread? And he hath one
garment because he is poor, and as for his not receiving aught of any
(he doth so, to be sure, because he knoweth in himself that he doth
not verily heal any man, Syr.).
97 And when Charisius so said, Mygdonia was
silent as any stone, but she prayed, asking when it should be day,
that she might go to the apostle of Christ. And he withdrew from her
and went to dinner heavy in mind, for he thought to sleep with her
according to the wont. And when he was gone out, she bowed her knees
and prayed, saying: Lord God and Master, merciful Father, Saviour
Christ, do thou give me strength to overcome thc shamelessness of
Charisius, and grant me to keep the holiness wherein thou delightest,
that I also may by it find eternal life. And when she had so prayed
she laid herself on her bed and veiled herself.
98 But Charisius having dined came upon her,
and she cried out, saying: Thou hast no more any room by me: for my
Lord Jesus is greater than thou, who is with me and resteth in me.
And he laughed and said: Well dost thou mock, saying this of that
sorcerer, and well dost thou deride him, who saith: Ye have no life
with God unless ye purify yourselves. And when he had so said he
essayed to sleep with her, but she endured it not and cried out
bitterly and said: I call upon thee, Lord Jesu, forsake me not! for
with thee have I made my refuge; for when I learned that thou art he
that seekest out them that are veiled in ignorance and savest them
that are held in error And now I entreat thee whose report I have
heard and believed, come thou to my help and save me from the
shamelessness of Charisius, that his foulness may not get the upper
hand of me. And she smote her hands together (tied his hands, Syr.)
and fled from him naked, and as she went forth she pulled down the
curtain of the bed-chamber and wrapped it about her; and went to her
nurse, and slept there with her.
99 But Charisius was in heaviness all night,
and smote his face with his hands, and he was minded to go that very
hour and tell the king concerning the violence that was done him, but
he considered with himself, saying: If the great heaviness which is
upon me compelleth me to go now unto the king, who will bring me in
to him? for I know that my abuse hath overthrown me from my high
looks and my vainglory and majesty, and hath cast me down into this
vileness and separated my sister Mygonia from me. Yea, if the king
himself stood before the doors at this hour, I could not have gone
out and answered him. But I will wait until dawn, and I know that
whatsoever I ask of the king, he granteth it me: and I will tell him
of the madness of this stranger, how that it tyrannously casteth down
the great and illustrious into the depth. For it is not this that
grieveth me, that I am deprived of her companying, but for her am I
grieved, because her greatness of soul is humbled: being an
honourable lady in whom none of her house ever found fault
(condemned), she hath fled away naked, running out of her own
bedchamber, and I know not whither she is gone; and it may be that
she is gone mad by the means of that sorcerer, and in her madness
hath gone forth into the market-place to seek him; for there is
nothing that appealeth unto her lovable except him and the things
that are spoken by him.
100 And so saving he began to lament and say:
Woe to me, O my consort, and to thee besides! for I am too quickly
bereaved of thee. Woe is me, my most dear one, for thou excellest all
my race: neither son nor daughter have I had of thee that I might
find rest in them; neither hast thou yet dwelt with me a full year,
and an evil eye hath caught thee from me. Would that the violence of
death had taken thee, and I should yet have reckoned myself among
kings and nobles: but that I should suffer this at the hands of a
stranger, and belike he is a slave that hath run away, to mine ill
fortune and the sorrow of mine unhappy soul! Let there be no
impediment for me until I destroy him and avenge this night, and may
I not be well-pleasing before Misdaeus the king if he avenge me not
with the head of this stranger; (and I will also tell him) of Siphor
the captain who hath been the occasion of this. For by his means did
the stranger appear here, and lodgeth at his house: and many there be
that go in and come out whom he teacheth a new doctrine; saying that
none can live if he quit not all his substance and become a renouncer
like himself: and he striveth to make many partakers with him.
101 And as Charisius thought on these things,
the day dawned: and after the night (?) he put on a mean habit, and
shod himself, and went downcast and in heaviness to salute the king.
And when the king saw him he said: Wherefore art thou sorrowful, and
comest in such garb? and I see that thy countenance is changed. And
Charisius said unto the king: I have a new thing to tell thee and a
new desolation which Siphor hath brought into India, even a certain
Hebrew, a sorcerer, whom he hath sitting in his house and who
departeth not from him: and many are there that go in to him: whom
also he teacheth of a new God, and layeth on them new laws such as
never yet were heard, saving: It is impossible for you to enter into
that eternal life which I proclaim unto you, unless ye rid you of
your wives, and likewise the wives of their husbands. And it chanced
that mine unlucky wife also went to him and became a hearer of his
words, and she believed them, and in the night she forsook me and ran
unto the stranger. But send thou for both Siphor and that sorcerer
that is hid with (in) him, and visit it (?) on their head, lest all
that are of our nation perish.
102 And when Misdaeus his friend heard this he
saith to him: Be not grieved nor heavy, for I will send for him and
avenge thee, and thou shalt have thy wife again, and the others that
cannot I will avenge. And the king went forth and sat on the
judgement seat, and when he was set he commanded Siphor the captain
to be called. They went therefore unto his house and found him
sitting on the right hand of the apostle and Mygdonia at his feet,
hearkening to him with all the multitude. And they that were sent
from the king said unto Siphor: Sittest thou here listening to vain
words, and Misdaeus the king in his wrath thinketh to destroy thee
because of this sorcerer and deceiver whom thou hast brought into
thine house? And Siphor hearing it was cast down, not because of the
king's threat against him, but for the apostle, because the king was
disposed contrary to him. And he said to the apostle: I am grieved
concerning thee: for I told thee at the first that that woman is the
wife of Charisius the king's friend and kinsman, and he will not
suffer her to perform that she hath promised, and all that he asketh
of the king he granteth him. But the apostle said unto Siphor: Fear
nothing, but believe in Jesus that pleadeth for us all, for unto his
refuge are we gathered together. And Siphor, hearing that, put his
garment about him and went unto Misdaeus the king,
103 And the apostle inquired of Mygdonia: What
was the cause that thy husband was wroth with thee and devised this
against us? And she said: Because I gave not myself up unto his
corruption (destruction): for he desired last night to subdue me and
subject me unto that passion which he serveth: and he to whom I have
committed my soul delivered me out of his hands; and I fled away from
him naked, and slept with my nurse: but that which befell him I know
not, wherefore he hath contrived this. The apostle saith: These
things will not hurt us; but believe thou on Jesus, and he shall
overthrow the wrath of Charisius and his madness and his impulse; and
he shall be a companion unto thee in the fearful way, and he shall
guide thee into his kingdom, and shall bring thee unto eternal life
giving thee that confidence which passeth not away nor
changeth.
104 Now Siphor stood before the king, and he
inquired of him: Who is that sorcerer and whence, and what teacheth
he whom thou hast lurking in thine house? And Siphor answered the
king: Thou art not ignorant, O king, what trouble and grief I, with
my friends had concerning my wife, whom thou knowest and many others
remember, and concerning my daughter, whom I value more than all my
possessions, what a time and trial I suffered; for I became a
laughing-stock and a curse in all our country. And I heard the report
of this man and went to him and entreated him, and took him and
brought him hither. And as I came by the way I saw wonderful and
amazing things: and here also many did hear the wild ass and
concerning that devil whom he drove out, and healed my wife and
daughter, and now are they whole; and he asked no reward but
requireth faith and holiness, that men should become partakers with
him in that which he doeth: and this he teacheth to worship and fear
one God, the ruler of all things, and Jesus Christ his Son, that they
may have eternal life. And that which he eateth is bread and salt,
and his drink is water from evening unto evening, and he maketh many
prayers; and whatsoever he asketh of his God, he giveth him. And he
teacheth that this God is holy and mighty, and that Christ is living
and maketh alive, wherefore also he chargeth them that are there
present to come unto him in holiness and purity and love and
faith.
105 And when Misdaeus the king heard these
things of Siphor he sent many soldiers unto the house of Siphor the
captain, to bring Thomas the apostle and all that were found there.
And they that were sent entered in and found him teaching much
people; and Mygdonia sat at his feet. And when they beheld the great
multitude that were about him, they feared, and departed to their
king and said: We durst not say aught unto him, for there was a great
multitude about him, and Mygdonia sitting at his feet was listening
to the things that were spoken by him. And when Misdaeus the king and
Charisius heard these things, Charisius leaped out from before the
king and drew much people with him and said: I will bring him, O
king, and Mygdonia whose understanding he hath taken away. And he
came to the house of Siphor the captain, greatly disturbed, and found
him (Thomas) teaching: but Mygdonia he found not, for she had
withdrawn herself unto her house, having learnt that it had been told
her husband that she was there.
106 And Charisius said unto the apostle: Up,
thou wicked one and destroyer and enemy of mine house: for me thy
sorcery harmeth not, for I will visit thy sorcery on thine head. And
when he so said, the apostle looked upon him and said unto him: Thy
threatenings shall return upon thee, for me thou wilt not harm any
whit: for greater than thee and thy king and all your army is the
Lord Jesus Christ in whom I have my trust. And Chalisius took a
kerchief (turban, Syr.) of one of his slaves and cast it about the
neck of the apostle, saying: Hale him and bring him away; let me see
if his God is able to deliver him out of my hands. And they haled him
and led him away to Misdaeus the king. And the apostle stood before
the king, and the king said to him: Tell me who thou art and by what
power thou doest these things. But the apostle kept silence. And the
king commanded his officers (subjects) that he should be scourged
with an hundred and twenty-eight (hundred and fifty, Syr.) blows, and
bound, and be cast into the prison; and they bound him and led him
away. And the king and Charisius considered how they should put him
to death, for the multitude worshipped him as God. And they had it in
mind to say: The stranger hath reviled the king and is a
deceiver.
107 But the apostle went unto the prison
rejoicing and exulting, and said: I praise thee, Jesu, for that thou
hast not only made me worthy of faith in thee, but also to endure
much for thy sake. I give thee thanks therefore, Lord, that thou hast
taken thought for me and given me patience: I thank thee Lord, that
for thy sake I am called a sorcerer and a wizard. Receive thou me
therefore with the blessing (Syr. let me receive of the blessing) of
the poor, and of the rest of the weary, and of the blessings of them
whom men hate and persecute and revile, and speak evil words of them.
For lo, for thy sake I am hated: lo for thy sake I am cut off from
the many, and for thy sake they call me such an one as I am
not.
108 And as he prayed, all the prisoners looked
on him, and besought him to pray for them: and when he had prayed and
was set down, he began to utter a psalm in this wise:
[Here follows the Hymn of the Soul:
a most remarkable composition, originally Syriac, and certainly older
than the Acts, with which it has no real connection. We have it in
Greek in one manuscript, the Vallicellian, and in a paraphrase by
Nicetas of Thessalonica, found and edited by
Bonnet.]
When I was an infant child in the
palace of my Father and resting in the wealth and luxury of my
nurturers, out of the East, our native country, my parents
provisioned me and sent me.
And of the wealth of those their treasures they
put together a load both great and light, that I might carry it
alone.
Gold is the load, of them that are above (or of
the land of the Ellaeans or Gilaeans), and silver of the great
treasures (or of Gazzak the great) and stones, chalcedonies from the
Indians and pearls from the Kosani (Kushan).
And they armed me with adamant
and they took off from me (Gr. put on me) the
garment set with gems, spangled with gold, which they had made for me
because they loved me and the robe that was yellow in hue, made for
my stature.
And they made a covenant with me, and inscribed
it on mine understanding, that I should forget it, and
said:
If thou go down into Egypt, and bring back
thence the one pearl which is there girt
about by the devouring serpent thou shalt put on the garment
set with gems, and that robe whereupon it resteth (or which is
thereon) and become with thy brother that is next unto us (Gr. of the
well-remembered) an heir (Gr. herald) in our kingdom.
109. And I came out of the East by a road
difficult and fearful, with two guides and I was untried in
travelling by it.
And I passed by the borders of the Mosani
(Maishan) where is the resort of the merchants of the East, and
reached the land of the
Babylonians.
But when I entered into Egypt, the guides left
me which had journeyed with me.
And I set forth by the quickest way to the
serpent, and by his hole I abode watching for him to slumber and
sleep, that I might take my pearl from him.
And forasmuch as I was alone I made mine aspect
strange, and appeared as an alien to my people.
And there I saw my kinsman from the East, the
free-born a lad of grace and beauty, a son of princes (or an anointed
one).
He came unto me and dwelt with me, and I had
him for a companion, and made him my friend and partaker in my
journey (or merchandise).
And I charged him to beware of the Egyptians,
and of partaking of those unclean things (or consorting with those
unclean men).
And I put on their raiment, lest I should seem
strange, as one that had come from without to recover the pearl; and
lest the Egyptians should awake the serpent against me.
But, I know not by what occasion, they learned
that I was not of their country.
And with guile they mingled for me a deceit,
and I tasted of their food.
And I knew no more that I was a king's son, and
I became a servant unto their king.
And I forgot also the pearl for which my
fathers had sent me, and by means of the heaviness of their food I
fell into a deep sleep.
110. But when this befell me, my fathers also
were ware of it, and grieved for me and a proclamation was published
in our kingdom, that all should meet at our doors.
And then the kings of Parthia and they that
bare office and the great ones of the East made a resolve concerning
me, that I should not be left in Egypt, and the princes wrote unto me
signifying thus (and every noble signed his name to it, Syr.):
From the (thy) Father the King of kings, and
thy mother that ruleth the East, and thy brother that is second unto
us; unto our son that is in Egypt, peace.
Rise up and awake out of sleep, and hearken
unto the words of the letter and remember that thou art a son of
kings; lo, thou hast come under the yoke of bondage.
Remember the pearl for the which thou wast sent
into Egypt (Gr. puts this after 46).
Remember thy garment spangled with gold,
<and the glorious mantle which thou shouldest wear and wherewith
thou shouldest deck thyself.> Thy name is named in the book of
life, and with thy brother whom thou hast received <thou shalt
be> in our kingdom.
111. <And my letter was a letter> and the
King [as ambassador] sealed it <with his right hand>because of
the evil ones, even the children of the Babylonians and the tyrannous
demons of Labyrinthus (Sarbug, Syr.).
It flew and lighted down by me, and became all
speech.
And I at the voice of it and the feeling of it
started up out of sleep and I took it up and kissed it <and brake
the seal> and read it.
And it was written concerning that which was
recorded in mine heart.
And I remembered forthwith that I was a son of
kings, and my freedom yearned (sought) after its kind.
I remembered also the pearl for the which I was
sent down into Egypt and I began (or came) with charms against the
terrible serpent, and I overcame him (or put him to sleep) by naming the
name of my Father upon him, And I caught away the pearl and turned
back to bear it unto my fathers.
And I stripped off the filthy garment and left
it in their land, and directed my way forthwith to the light of my
fatherland in the East.
And on the way I found my letter that had
awakened me, and it, like as it had taken a voice and raised me when
I slept, so also guided me with the light that came from it.
For at times the royal garment of silk
<shone> before mine eyes, and with love leading me and drawing
me onward, I passed by Labyrinthus (Sarbug), and I left Babylon upon
my left hand and I came unto Meson (Mesene; Maishan) the great,
that lieth on the shore of the sea, from the heights of Warkan
(Hyrcania?) had my parents sent thither by the hand of their
treasurers, unto whom they committed it because of their
faithfulness>.
112. But I remembered not the brightness of it;
for I was yet a child and very young when I had left it in the palace
of my Father, but suddenly, [when] I saw the garment made like unto
me as it had been in a mirror.
And I beheld upon it all myself (or saw it
wholly in myself) and I knew and saw myself through it, that we were
divided asunder, being of one; and again were one in one
shape.
Yea, the treasurers also which brought me the
garment I beheld, that they were two, yet one shape was upon both,
one royal sign was set upon both of them.
The money and the wealth had they in their
hands, and paid me the due price, and the lovely garment, which was
variegated with bright colours with gold and precious stones and
pearls of comely hue they were fastened above (or in the
height).
And the likeness of the King of kings was all
in all of it. Sapphire stones were fitly set in it above (or, like
the sapphire stone also were its manifold hues).
113. And again I saw that throughout it motions
of knowledge were being sent forth, and it was ready to utter
speech.
And I heard it speak:
I am of him that is more valiant than all men,
for whose sake I was reared up with the Father himself.
And I also perceived his stature (so Gr.- Syr.
I perceived in myself that my stature grew in accordance with his
working).
And all its royal motions rested upon me as it
grew toward the impulse of it (And with its kingly motions it was
spreading itself toward me).
And it hastened, reaching out from the hand of
<him that brought it> unto him that would receive it and me
also did yearning arouse to start forth and meet it and receive
it.
And I stretched forth and received it, and
adorned myself with the beauty of the colours thereof (mostly Syr.;
Gr. corrupt) and in my royal robe excelling in beauty I arrayed
myself wholly.
And when I had put it on, I was lifted up unto
the place of peace (sahltation) and homage and I bowed my head and
worshipped the brightness of the Father which had sent it unto me.
for I had performed his commandments, and he likewise that which he
had promised, and at the doors of his palace which was from the
beginning I mingled among, and he rejoiced over me and received
me with him into his palace, and all his servants do praise him with
sweet voices.
And he promised me that with him I shall be
sent unto the gates of the king, that with my gifts and my pearl we
may appear together before the king.
[Immediately on this, in the Syriac,
follows a Song of Praise of Thomas the apostle consisting of
forty-two ascriptions of praise and four final clauses (Wright, pp.
245-51). It has no bearing on the Acts, and is not in itself so
remarkable as to need to be inserted here.]
114 And Charisius went home glad, thinking that
his wife would be with him, and that she had become such as she was
before, even before she heard the divine word and believed on Jesus.
And he went, and found her with her hair dishevelled and her clothes
rent, and when he saw it he said unto her: My lady Mygdonia, why doth
this cruel disease keep hold on thee? and wherefore hast thou done
this? I am thine husband from thy virginity, and both the gods and
the law grant me to have rule over thee, what is this great madness
of thine, that thou art become a derision in all our nation? but put
thou away the care that cometh of that sorcerer; and I will remove
his face from among us, that thou mayest see him no more.
115 But Mygdonia when she heard that gave
herself up unto grief, groaning and lamenting and Charisius said
again; Have I then so much wronged the gods that they have afflicted
me with such a disease? what is my great offence that they have cast
me into such humiliation? I beseech thee. Mvgdonia trangle my soul no
more with the pitiful sight of thee and thy mean appearance and
afflict not mine heart with care for thee I am Charisius thine
husband, whom all the nation honoureth and feareth. What must I do? I
know not whither to turn. What am I to think? shall I keep silence
and endure? yet who can be patient when men take his treasure? and
who can endure to lose thy sweet ways? and what is there for me?
(Syr. thy beauties which are ever before me) the fragrance of thee is
in my nostrils, and thy bright face is fixed in mine eyes. They are
taking away my soul, and the fair body which I rejoiced to see they
are destroying, and that sharpest of eyes they are blinding and
cutting off my right hand: my joy is turning to grief and my life to
death, and the light of it is being dyed (?) with darkness. Let no
man of you my kindred henceforth look on me; from you no help hath
come to me, nor will I hereafter worship the gods of the east that
have enwrapped me in such calamities, nor pray to them any more nor
sacrifice to them, for I am bereaved of my spouse. And what else
should I ask of them? for all my glory is taken away, yet am I a
prince and next unto the king in power; but Mygdonia hath set me at
nought, and taken away all these things. (Would that some one would
blind one of my eyes, and that thine eyes would look upon me as they
were wont, Syr. which has more clauses, to the same effect.)
116 And while Charisius spake thus with tears,
Mygdonia sat silent and looking upon the ground; and again he came
unto her and said: My lady Mygdonia, most desired of me, remember
that out of all the women that are in India I chose and took thee as
the most beautiful, though I might have joined to myself in marriage
many more beautiful: but yet I lie, Mygdonia, for by the gods it
would not have been possible to find another like thee in the land of
India; but woe is me always, for thou wilt not even answer me a word:
but if thou wilt, revile me, so that I may only be vouchsafed a word
from thee. Look at me, for I am more comely than that sorcerer: but
thou art my wealth and honour: and all men know that there is none
like me: and thou art my race and kindred; and lo, he taketh thee
away from me.
117 And when Charisius had so said, Mygdonia
saith unto him: He whom I love is better than thee and thy substance:
for thy substance is of earth and returneth unto the earth; but he
whom I love is of heaven and will take me with him unto heaven. Thy
wealth shall pass away, and thy beauty shall vanish, and thy robes,
and thy many works: and thou shalt be alone, naked, with thy
transgressions. Call not to my remembrance thy deeds (unto me), for I
pray the Lord that I may forget thee, so as to remember no more those
former pleasures and the custom of the body; which shall pass away as
a shadow, but Jesus only endureth for ever, and the souls which hope
in him. Jesus himself shall quit me of the shameful deeds which I did
with thee. And when Charisius heard this, he turned him to sleep,
vexed (dissolved) in soul, saying to her: Consider it by thyself all
this night: and if thou wilt be with me such as thou wast before, and
not see that sorcerer, I will do all according to thy mind, and if
thou wilt remove thine affection from him I will take him out of the
prison and let him go and remove into another country, and I will not
vex thee, for I know that thou makest much of the stranger. And not
with thee first did this matter come about, for many other women also
hath he deceived with thee; and they have awaked sober and returned
to themselves: do not thou then make nought of my words and cause me
to be a reproach among the Indians.
118 And Charisius having thus spoken went to
sleep: but she took ten denarii (20 zuze, Syr.), and went secretly to
give them to the gaolers that she might enter in to the apostle. But
on the way Judus Thomas came and met her, and she saw him and was
afraid, for she thought that he was one of the rulers: for a great
light went before him. And she said to herself as she fled: have lost
thee, O my unhappy soul! for thou wilt not again see Judas the
apostle of <Jesus> the living <God>, and not yet hast
thou received the holy seal. And she fled and ran into a narrow place
and there hid herself, saying: I would rather choose to be killed
(taken) by the poorer, whom it is possible to persuade, than to fall
into the hand of this mighty ruler, who will despise gifts.
The Tenth Act: Wherein Mygdonia
receiveth baptism.
119 And while Mygdonia thought thus with
herself, Judas came and stood over her, and she saw him and was
afraid, and fell down and became lifeless with terror. But he stood
by her and took her by the hand and said unto her: Fear not,
Mygdonia: Jesus will not leave thee, neither will the Lord unto whom
thou hast committed thy soul overlook thee. His compassionate rest
will not forsake thee: he that is kind will not forsake thee, for his
kindness' sake, nor he that is good for his goodness' sake. Rise up
then from the earth, thou that art become wholly above it: look on
the light, for the Lord leaveth not them that love him to walk in
darkness: behold him that travelleth with his servants, that he is
unto them a defender in perils. And Mygdonia arose and looked on him
and said: Whither wentest thou, my lord? and who is he that brought
thee out of prison to behold the sun? Judas Thomas saith unto her: My
Lord Jesus is mightier than all powers and all kings and
rulers.
120 And Mygdonia said: Give me the seal of
Jesus Christ and I shall ( Let me) receive the gift at thy hands
before thou departest out of life. And she took him with her and
entered into the court and awaked her nurse, saying unto her: Narcia
(Gr. Marcia), my mother and nurse, all thy service and refreshment
thou hast done for me from my childhood until my present age are
vain, and for them I owe thee thanks which are temporal; do for me
now also a favor, that thou mayest for ever receive a recompense from
him that giveth great gifts. And Narcia in answer saith: What wilt
thou, my daughter Mygdonia, and what is to be done for thy pleasure?
for the honours which thou didst promise me before, the stranger hath
not suffered thee to accomplish, and thou hast made me a reproach
among all the nation. And now what is this new thing that thou
commandest me? And Mygdonia saith: Become thou partaker with me in
eternal life, that I may receive of thee perfect nurture: take bread
and bring it me, and wine mingled with water, and spare my freedom
(take pity on me a free-born woman, Syr.). And the nurse said: I will
bring thee many loaves, and for water flagons of wine, and fulfil thy
desire. But she saith to the nurse: Flagons I desire not, nor the
many loaves: but this only, bring wine mingled with water and one
loaf, and oil <even if it be in a lamp, Syr.>.
121 And when Narcia had brought these things,
Mygdonia stood before the apostle with her head bare; and he took the
oil and poured it on her head, saying: Thou holy oil given unto us
for sanctification, secret mystery whereby the cross was shown unto
us, thou art the straightener of the crooked limbs, thou art the
humbler (softener) of hard things (works), thou art it that showeth
the hidden treasures, thou art the sprout of goodness; let thy power
come, let it be established upon thy servant Mygdonia, and heal thou
her by this freedom. And when the oil was poured upon her he bade her
nurse unclothe her and gird a linen cloth about her; and there was
there a fountain of water upon which the apostle went up, and
baptized Mygdonia in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Ghost. And when she was baptized and clad, he brake bread and took a
cup of water and made her a partaker in the body of Christ and the
cup of the Son of God, and said: Thou hast received thy seal, get for
thyself eternal life. And immediately there was heard from above a
voice saying: Yea, amen. And when Narcia heard that voice, she was
amazed, and besought the apostle that she also might receive the
seal; and the apostle gave it her and said: Let the care of the Lord
be about thee as about the rest.
122 And having done these things the apostle
returned unto the prison, and found the doors open and the guards
still sleeping. And Thomas said: Who is like thee, O God? who
withholdest not thy loving affection and care from any who is like
thee, the merciful, who hast delivered thy creatures out of evil.
Life that hath subdued death, rest that hath ended toil. Glory be to
the only-begotten of the Father. Glory to the compassionate that was
sent forth of his heart. And when he had said thus, the guards waked
and beheld all the doors open, and the prisoners <+ asleep,
Syr.>, and said in themselves: Did not we fasten the doors? and
how are they now open, and the prisoners within?
123 But at the dawn Charisius went unto
Mygdonia <and her nurse, Syr.>, and found them praying and
saying: O new God that by the stranger hast come hither unto us,
hidden God of the dwellers in India (Syr. who art hidden from); God
that hast shown thy glory by thine apostle Thomas, God whose report
we have heard and believed on thee; God, unto whom we are come to be
saved; God, who for love of man and for pity didst come down unto our
littleness; God who didst seek us out when we knew him (thee) not;
God that dwellest in the heights and from whom the depths are not
hid: turn thou away from us the madness of Charisius. And Charisius
hearing that said to Mygdonia: Rightly callest thou me evil and mad
and foul I for if I had not borne with thy disobedience, and given
thee liberty, thou wouldest not have called on God against me and
made mention of my name before God. But believe me, Mygdonia that in
that sorcerer there is no profit, and what he promiseth to perform he
cannot: but I will perform before thy sight all that I promise, that
thou mayest believe, and bear with my words and be to me as thou wast
beforetime.
124 And he came near and besought her again,
saying: If thou wilt be persuaded of me, I shall henceforth have no
grief; remember that day when thou didst meet me first; tell the
truth: was I more beautiful unto thee at that time, or Jesus at this?
And Mygdonia said: That time required its own, and this time also;
that was the time of the beginning, but this of the end; that was the
time of temporal life, this of eternal; that of pleasure that passeth
away, but this of pleasure that abideth for ever; that, of day and
night, this of day without night. Thou sawest that marriage that was
passing, and here, and single but this marriage continueth for ever;
that was a partnership of corruption, but this of eternal life; those
groomsmen (and maids) were men and women of time, but these abide
unto the end. That marriage upon earth setteth up dropping dew of the
love of men (Syr. That union was founded upon the earth where there
is an unceasing press: this is founded upon the bridge of fire upon
which is sprinkled grace: both corrupt); that bride-chamber is taken
down again, but this remaineth always; that bed was strown with
coverlets (that grow old), but this with love and faith. Thou art a
bridegroom that passest away and art dissolved (changed), but Jesus
is a true bridegroom, enduring for ever immortal, that dowry was of
money and robes that grow old, but this is of living words which
never pass away.
125 And when Charisius heard these things he
went unto the king and told him all: and the king commanded Judas to
be brought, that he might judge him and destroy him. But Charisius
said: Have patience a little, O king, and first persuade the man
making him afraid, that he may persuade Mygdonia to be unto me as
formerly. And Misdaeus sent and fetched the apostle of Christ, and
all the prisoners were grieved because the apostle departed from
them, for they yearned after him, saying: Even the comfort which we
had have they taken away from us.
126 And Misdaeus said unto Judas: Wherefore
teachest thou this new doctrine, which both gods and men hate, and
which hath nought of profit? And Judas said: What evil do I teach?
And Misdaeus said: Thou teachest, saying that men
with the God whom thou
preachest. Judas saith: Thou sayest true, O king: thus do I teach.
For tell me, art thou not wroth with thy soldiers if they wait on
thee in filthy garments? if then thou, being a king of earth and
returning unto earth, request thy subjects to be reverend in their
doings, are ye wroth and said ye that I teach ill when I say that
they who serve my king must be reverend and pure and free from all
grief and care of children and unprofitable riches and vain trouble?
For indeed thou wouldest have thy subjects follow thy conversation
and thy manners, and thou punishest them if they despise thy
commandments: how much more must they that believe on him serve my
God with much reverence and cleanness and security, and be quit of
all pleasures of the body, adultery and prodigality and theft and
drunkenness and belly-service and foul deeds?
127 And Misdaeus hearing these things said: Lo,
I let thee go: go then and persuade Mygdonia, the wife of Charisius,
not to desire to depart from him. Judas saith unto him: Delay not if
thou hast aught to do: for her, if she hath rightly received what she
hath learned, neither iron nor fire nor aught else stronger than
these will avail to hurt or to root out him that is held in her soul.
Misdaeus saith unto Judas: Some poisons do dissolve other poisons,
and a theriac cureth the bites of the viper; and thou if thou wilt
canst give a solvent of those diseases, and make peace and concord
betwixt this couple: for by so doing thou wilt spare thyself, for not
yet art thou sated with life; and know thou that if thou do not
persuade her, I will catch thee away out of this life which is
desirable unto all men. And Judas said: This life hath been given as
a loan, and this time is one that changeth, but that life whereof I
teach is incorruptible; and beauty and youth that are seen shall in a
little cease to be. The king saith to him: I have counselled thee for
the best, but thou knowest thine own affairs.
128 And as the apostle went forth from before
the king, Charisius came to him and entreated him and said: I beseech
thee, O man: I have not sinned against thee or any other at any time,
nor against the gods; wherefore hast thou stirred up this great
calamity against me? and for what cause hast thou brought such
disturbance upon mine house? and what profit hast thou of it? but if
thou thinkest to gain somewhat, tell me the gain, what it is, and I
will procure it for thee without labour. To what end dost thou make
me mad, and cast thyself into destruction? for if thou persuade her
not, I will both dispatch thee and finally take myself out of life.
But if, as thou sayest, after our departing hence there is there life
and death, and also condemnation and victory and a place of
judgement, then will I also go in thither to be judged with thee: and
if that God whom thou preachest is just and awardeth punishment
justly, I know that I shall gain my cause against thee; for thou hast
injured me, having suffered no wrong at my hands: for indeed even
here I am able to avenge myself on thee and bring upon thee all that
thou hast done unto me. Therefore be thou persuaded, and come home
with me and persuade Mygdonia to be with me as she was at first,
before she beheld thee. And Judas saith to him: Believe me, my child
that if men loved God as much as they love one another, they would
ask of him all things and receive them, and none would do them
violence (there would be nothing which would not obey them,
Syr.).
129 And as Thomas said this, they came unto the
house of Charisius and found Mygdonia sitting and Narcia standing by
her, and her hand supporting her cheek; and she was saying: Let the
remainder of the days of my life, O mother, be cut off from me, and
all the hours become as one hour, and let me depart out of life that
I may go the sooner and behold that beautiful one, whose report I
have heard, even that living one and giver of life unto them that
believe on him, where is not day and night, nor light and darkness,
nor good and evil, nor poor and rich, nor male and female, nor free
and bond, nor proud that subjecteth the humble. And as she spake the
apostle stood by her, and forthwith she rose up and did him
reverence. Then Charisius said unto him: Seest thou how she feareth
and honoureth thee and all that thou shalt bid her she will do
willingly?
130 And as he so spake, Judas saith unto
Mygdonia: My daughter Mygdonia, obey that which thy brother Charisius
saith. And Mygdonia saith: If thou wast not able <to name> the
deed in word wilt thou compel me to endure the act? for I have heard
of thee that this life is of no profit, and this relief is for a
time, and these possessions are transitory. And again thou saidst
that whoso renounceth this life shall receive the life eternal, and
whoso hateth the light of day and night shall behold a light that is
not overtaken, that whoso despiseth this money shall find other and
eternal money. But now <thou sayest these things> because thou
art in fear. Who that hath done somewhat and is praised for the work
changeth it? <who buildeth a tower and> straightway
overthroweth it from the foundation? who diggeth a spring water in a
thirsty land and straightway filleth it in? who findeth a treasure
and useth it not? And Charisius heard lt. and said: I will not
imitate you, neither will I hasten to destroy you; nor though I may
so do, will I put bonds about thee (but thee I will bind, Syr.); and
I will not suffer thee to speak with this sorcerer; and if thou obey
me, well, but if not, I know what I must do.
131 And Judas went out of Charisius' house and
departed unto the house of Siphor and lodged there with him. And
Siphor said: I will prepare for Judas a hall (triclinium) wherein he
may teach (Syr. Siphor said to Judas: Prepare thyself an apartment,
&c.). And he did so; and Siphor said : I and my wife and daughter
will dwell henceforth in holiness, and in chastity, and in one
affection. I beseech thee that we may receive of thee the seal, and
become worshippers of the true God and numbered among his sheep and
lambs. And Judas said: I am afraid to speak that which I think: yet I
know somewhat, and what I know it is not possible for me to
utter.
132 And he began to say concerning
baptism:
This baptism is remission of sins (the Greek MSS. U and P have
divergent texts, both obscure): this bringeth forth again light that
is shed about us: this bringeth to new birth the new man (this is the
restorer of understandings Syr.): this mingleth the spirit (with the
body), raiseth up in threefoldwise a new man and <maketh him>
partaker of the remission of sins. Glory be to thee, hidden one, that
art communicated in baptism. Glory to thee the unseen power that is
in baptism. Glory to thee, renewal, whereby are renewed they that are
baptized and with affection take hold upon thee.
And having thus said, he poured oil over their
heads and said: Glory be to thee the love of compassion (bowels).
Glory to thee name of Christ. Glory to thee, power established in
Christ. And he commanded a vessel to be brought, and baptized them in
the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.
133 And when they were baptized and clad, he
set bread on the table and blessed it, and said: Bread of life, the
which who eat abide incorruptible: Bread that filleth the hungry
souls with the blessing thereof: thou art he that vouchsafest to
receive a gift, that thou mayest become unto us remission of sins,
and that they who eat thee may become immortal: we invoke upon thee
the name of the mother, of the unspeakable mystery of the hidden
powers and authorities (? we name the name of the unspeakable
mystery, that is hidden from all &c.): we invoke upon thee the
name of [thy?] Jesus. And he said: Let the powers of blessing come,
and be established in this bread, that all the souls which partake of
it may be washed from their sins. And he brake and gave unto Siphor
and his wife and daughter.
The Eleventh Act: Concerning the wife
of Misdaeus.
134 Now Misdaeus the king, when he had let
Judas go, dined and went home, and told his wife what had befallen
Charisius their kinsman, saying: See what hath come to pass to that
unhappy man, and thou thyself knowest, my sister Tertia, that a man
hath nought better than his own wife on whom he resteth; but it
chanced that his wife went unto that sorcerer of whom thou hast heard
that he is come to the land of the Indians, and fell into his charms
and is parted from her own husband; and he knoweth not what he should
do. And when I would have destroyed the malefactor, he would not have
it. But do thou go and counsel her to incline unto her husband, and
forsake the vain words of the sorcerer.
135 And as soon as she arose Tertia went to the
house of Charisius her husband's <kinsman>, and found Mygdonia
Lying upon the earth in humiliation, and ashes and sackcloth were
spread under her, and she was praying that the Lord would forgive her
her former sins and she might soon depart out of life. And Tertia
said unto her: Mygdonia, my dear sister and companion what is this
hand (Syr. this folly)? what is the disease that hath overtaken thee?
and why doest thou the deeds of madmen? Know thyself and come back
unto thine own way, come near unto thy many kinsfolk, and spare thy
true husband Charisius, and do not things unbefitting a free-woman.
Mygdonia saith unto her: O Tertia, thou hast not yet heard the
preacher of life: not yet hath he touched thine ears, not yet hast
thou tasted the medicine of life nor art freed from corruptible
mourning. Thou standest in the life of time, and the everlasting life
and salvation thou knowest not, and perceivest not the incorruptible
fellowship. Thou standest clad in robes that grow old and desirest
not those that are eternal, and art proud of this beauty which
vanisheth and hast no thought of the holiness of thy soul; and art
rich in a multitude of servants, (and hast not freed thine own soul
from servitude, Syr.) and pridest thyself in the glory that cometh of
many, but redeemest not thyself from the condemnation of
death.
136 And when Tertia heard this of Mygdonia she
said: I pray thee, sister, bring me unto that stranger that teacheth
these great things, that I also may go and hear him, and be taught to
worship the God whom he preacheth, and become partaker of his
prayers, and a sharer in all that thou hast told me of. And Mygdonia
saith to her: He is in the house of Siphor the captain; for he is
become the occasion of life unto all them that are being saved in
India. And hearing that, Tertia went quickly to Siphor's house, that
she might see the new apostle that was come thither. And when she
entered in, Judas said unto her: What art thou come to see? a man
that is a stranger and poor and contemptible and needy, having
neither riches nor substance; yet one thing I possess which neither
kings nor rulers can take away, that neither perisheth nor ceaseth,
which is Jesus the Saviour of all mankind, the Son of the living God,
who hath given life unto all that believe on him and take refuge with
him and are known to be of the number of his servants (sheep, Syr.).
Unto whom saith Tertia: May I become a partaker of this life which
thou promisest that all they shall receive who come together unto the
assembly of God. And the apostle said: The treasury of the holy king
is opened wide, and they which worthily partake of the good things
that are therein do rest, and resting do reign: but first, no man
cometh unto him that is unclean and vile: for he knoweth our inmost
hearts and the depths of our thought, and it is not possible for any
to escape him. Thou, then, if verily thou believest in him, shalt be
made worthy of his mysteries; and he will magnify thee and enrich
thee, and make thee to be an heir of his hingdom.
137 And Tertia having heard this returned home
rejoicing, and found her husband awaiting her, not having dined, and
when Misdaeus saw her he said: Whence is it that thine entering in
to-day is more beautiful? and wherefore art thou come walking, which
beseemeth not free-born women like thee? And Tertia saith unto him: I
owe thee the greatest of thanks for that thou didst send me unto
Mygdonia, for I went and heard of a new life, and I saw the new
apostle of the God that giveth life unto them that believe on him and
fulfil his commandments; I ought therefore myself to recompense thee
for this favour and admonition with good advice; for thou shalt be a
great king in heaven if thou obey me and fear the God that is
preached by the strangrer, and keep thyself holy unto the living God.
For this kingdom passeth away, and thy comfort will be turned into
affliction: but go thou to that man, and believe him, and thou shalt
live unto the end. And when Misdaeus heard these things of his wife,
he smote his face with his hands and rent his clothes and said: May
the soul of Charisius find no rest, for he hath hurt me to the soul;
and may he have no hope, for he hath taken away my hope. And he went
out greatly vexed.
138 And he found Charisius his friend in the
market-place, and said unto him: Why hast thou cast me into hell to
be another companion to thyself? why hast thou emptied and defrauded
me to gain nought? why hast thou hurt me and profited thyself not at
all? why hast thou slain me and thyself not lived? Why hast thou
wronged me and thyself not got justice? why didst thou not suffer me
to destroy that sorcerer before he corrupted my house with his
wickedness? And he kept hold upon (was upbraiding, Syr.) Charisius.
And Charisius saith: Why, what hath befallen thee? Misdaeus said: He
hath bewitched Tertia. And they went both of them unto the house of
Siphor the captain, and found Judas sitting and teaching. And all
they that were there rose up before the king, but he arose not. And
Misdaeus perceived that it was he, and took hold of the seat and
overset it, and took up the seat with both his hands and smote his
head so that he wounded it, and delivered him to his soldiers,
saying: Take him away, and hale him with violence and not gently,
that his shame may be manifest unto all men. And they haled him and
took him to the place where Misdaeus judged, and he stood there, held
of the soldiers of Misdaeus.
The Twelfth Act: Concerning Ouazanes
(Iuzanes) the son of Misdaeus.
139 And Ouazanes (Iuzanes, P; Vizan, Syr.) the
son of Misdaeus came unto the soldiers and said: Give me him that I
may speak with him until the king cometh. And they gave him up, and
he brought him in where the king gave judgement. And Iuzanes saith:
Knowest thou not that I am the son of Misdaeus the king, and I have
power to say unto the king what I will, and he will suffer thee to
live? tell me then, who is thy God, and what power dost thou claim
and glory in it? for if it be some power or art of magic, tell it me
and teach me, and I will let thee go. Judas saith unto him: Thou art
the son of Misdacus the king who is king for a time, but I am the
servant of Jesus Christ the eternal king, and thou hast power to say
to thy father to save whom thou wilt in the temporal life wherein men
continue not, which thou and thy father grant, but I beseech my Lord
and intercede for men, and he giveth them a new life which is
altogether enduring. And thou boastest thyself of possessions and
servants and robes and luxury and unclean chamberings, but I boast
myself of poverty and philosophy and humility and lasting and prayer
and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost and of my brethren that are
worthy of God: and I boast myself of eternal life. And thou reliest
on (hast taken refuge with) a man like unto thyself and not able to
save his own soul from judgement and death, but I rely upon the
living God, upon the saviour of kings and princes, who is the judge
of all men. And ye indeed to-day perchance are, and to-morrow are no
more, but I have taken refuge with him that abideth for ever and
knoweth all our seasons and times. And if thou wilt become the
servant of this God thou shalt soon do so; but show that thou wilt be
a servant worthy of him hereby: first by holiness (purity), which is
the head of all good things, and then by fellowship with this God
whom I preach, and philosophy and simplicity and love and faith and
<good hope> in him, and unity of pure food (simplicity of pure
i e, Syr.).
140 And the young man was persuaded by the Lord
and sought occasion how he might let Judas escape: but while he
thought thereon, the king came, and the soldiers took Judas and led
him forth. And Iuzanes went forth with him and stood beside him. And
when the king was set he bade Judas be brought in, with his hands
bound behind him; and he was brought into the midst and stood there.
And the king saith: Tell me who thou art and by what power thou doest
these things. And Judas saith to him: I am a man like thee, and by
the power of Jesus Christ I do these things. And Misdaeus saith: Tell
me the truth before I destroy thee. And Judas saith: Thou hast no
power against me, as thou supposest, and thou wilt not hurt me at
all. And the king was wroth at his words, and commanded to heat iron
plates and set him upon them barefoot; and as the soldiers took off
his shoes he said: The wisdom of God is better than the wisdom of
men. Thou Lord and King (do thou take counsel against them, Syr.) and
let thy goodness resist his wrath. And they brought the plates which
were like fire, and set the apostle upon them, and straightway water
sprang up abundantly from the earth, so that the plates were
swallowed up in it, and they that held him let him go and withdrew
themselves.
141 And the king seeing the abundance of water
said to Judas: Ask thy God that he deliver me from this death, that I
perish not in the flood. And the apostle prayed and said: Thou that
didst bind this element (nature) and gather it into one place and
send it forth into divers lands; that didst bring disorder into
order, that grantest mighty works and great wonders by the hands of
Judas thy servant; that hast mercy on my soul, that I may always
receive thy brightness; that givest wages unto them that have
laboured; thou saviour of my soul, restoring it unto its own nature
that it may have no fellowship with hurtful things; that hast always
been the occasion of life: do thou restrain this element that it lift
not up itself to destroy; for there are some of them that stand here
who shall believe on thee and live. And when he had prayed, the water
was swallowed up by little and little, and the place became dry. And
when Misdaeus saw it he commanded him to be taken to the prison:
Until I shall consider how he must be used.
142 And as Judas was led away to the prison
they all followed him, and Iuzanes the king's son walked at his right
hand, and Siphor at the left. And he entered into the prison and sat
down, and Iuzanes and Siphor, and he persuaded his wife and his
daughter to sit down, for they also were come in to hear the word of
life. For they knew that Misdaeus would slay him because of the
excess of his anger. And Judas began to say: O liberator of my soul
from the bondage of the many, because I gave myself to be sold
<unto one, Syr.>; behold, I rejoice and exult, knowing that the
times are fulfilled for me to enter in and receive <thee my giver
of rest, Syr.>. Lo, I am to be set free from the cares that are on
the earth; lo, I fulfil mine hope and receive truth; lo, I am set
free from sorrow and put on joy alone; lo, I become careless and
griefless and dwell in rest; lo, I am set free from bondage and am
called unto liberty; lo, I have served times and seasons, and I am
lifted up above times and seasons; lo, I receive my wages from my
recompenser, who giveth without reckoning (number) because his wealth
sufficeth for the gift; <lo, I put off and on my raiment,> and
I shall not put it on again; lo, I sleep and awake, and I shall no
more go to sleep; lo, I die and live again, and I shall no more taste
of death; lo, they rejoice and expect me, that I may come and be with
their kindred and be set as a flower in their crown; lo, I reign in
the kingdom whereon I set my hope, even from hence; lo, the
rebellious fall before me, for I have escaped them; lo, (unto me) the
peace hath come, whereunto all are gathered.
143 And as the apostle spake thus, all that
were there hearkened, supposing that in that hour he would depart out
of life. And again he said: Believe on the physician of all
<diseases>, both seen and unseen, and on the saviour of the
souls that need help from him. This is the free-born <son> of
kings, this the physician of his creatures; this is he that was
reproached of his own slaves; this is the Father of the height and
the Lord of nature and the Judge (? Father of nature and Lord of the
height and supreme Judge, Syr.): he came of the greatest, the
only-begotten son of the deep; and he was called the son of (became
visible through, Syr.) Mary
the virgin, and was termed the son of
Joseph the carpenter: he whose littleness (we beheld) with the eyes
of our body, but his greatness we received by faith, and saw it in
his works whose human body we felt also with our hands, and his
aspect we saw transfigured (changed) with our eyes, but his heavenly
semblance on the mount we were not able to see: he that made the
rulers stumble and did violence unto death: he, the truth that lieth
not, that at the last paid the tribute for himself and his disciples:
whom the prince beholding feared and the powers that were with him
were troubled; and the prince bare witness (asked him, Syr.) who he
was and from whence, and knew not the truth, because he is alien from
truth: he that having authority over the world, and the pleasures
therein, and the possessions and the comfort, <rejected> all
these things and turneth away his subjects, that they should not use
them.
144 And having fulfilled these sayings, he
arose and prayed thus: our Father, which art in heaven: hallowed be
thy name: Thy kingdom come: Thy will be done, as in heaven so upon
earth: <Give us the constant bread of the day, Syr.> and
forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
My Lord and God, hope and confidence and
teacher, thou hast taught me to pray thus, behold, I pray this prayer
and fulfil thy commandment: be thou with me unto the end; thou art he
that from childhood hast sown life in me and kept me from corruption;
thou art he that hast brought me unto the poverty of this world, and
exhorted me unto the true riches; thou art he that hast made me known
unto myself and showed me that I am thine; and I have kept myself
pure from woman, that that which thou requirest be not found in
defilement.
[At the words 'My Lord and God' begins the
double text, represented on the one hand by the MS. U and on the
other by the Paris MS. P, and three (partly four) others. These
insert the prayer after ch. 167. Their text, I believe, may be the
original Greek. I follow it here, repeating the first
paragraph.]
(144) My Lord and God, my hope and my
confidence and my teacher, that hast implanted courage in me, thou
didst teach me to pray thus; behold, I pray thy prayer and bring thy
will to fulfilment: be thou with me unto the end. Thou art he that
from my youth up didst give me patience in temptation and <sow
in> me life and preserve me from corruption; thou art he that
didst bring me into the poverty of this world and fill me with the
true riches; thou art he that didst show me that I was thine:
wherefore I was never joined unto a wife, that the temple worthy of
thee might not be found in pollution.
145 My mouth sufficeth not to praise thee,
neither am I able to conceive the care and providence (carefulness)
which hath been about me from thee which thou hast had for me). For I
desired to gain riches, but thou by a vision didst show me that they
are full of loss and injury to them that gain them and I believed thy
showing, and continued in the poverty of the world until thou, the
true riches wert revealed unto me, who didst fill both me and the
rest that were worthy of thee with thine own riches and set free
thine own from care and anxiety. I have therefore fulfilled thy
commandments, O Lord, and accomplished thy will, and become poor and
needy and a stranger and a bondman and set at nought and a prisoner
and hungry and thirsty and naked and unshod, and I have toiled for
thy sake, that my confidence might not perish and my hope that is in
thee might not be confounded and my much labour might not be in vain
and my weariness not be counted for nought: let not my prayers and my
continual fastings perish, and my great zeal toward thee; let not my
seed of wheat be changed for tares out of thy land, Let not the enemy
carry it away and mingle his own tares therewith; for thy land verily
receiveth not his tares, neither indeed can they be laid up in thine
houses.
146 I have planted thy vine in the earth, it
hath sent down its roots into the depth and its growth is spread out
in the height, and the fruits of it are stretched forth upon the
earth, and they that are worthy of thee are made glad by them, whom
also thou hast gained. The money which thou hast from me I laid down
upon the table (bank); this, when thou requirest it, restore unto me
with usury, as thou hast promised. With thy one mind have I traded
and have made ten, thou hast added more to me beside that I had, as
thou didst covenant. I have forgiven my debtor the mine, require thou
it not at my hands. I was bidden to the supper and I came: and I
refused the land and the yoke of oxen and the wife, that I might not
for their sake be rejected; I was bidden to the wedding, and I put on
white raiment, that I might be worthy of it and not be bound hand and
foot and cast into the outer darkness. My lamp with its bright light
expecteth the master coming from the marriage, that it may receive
him, and I may not (? he may not) see it dimmed because the oil is
spent. Mine eyes, O Christ, look upon thee, and mine heart exulteth
with joy because I have fulfilled thy will and perfected thy
commandments; that I may be likened unto that watchful and careful
servant who in his eagerness neglecteth not to keep vigil (other
MSS.: I have not slumbered idly in keeping thy commandments: in the
first sleep and at midnight and at cockcrow, that mine eyes may
behold thee, &c.). All the night have I laboured to keep mine
house from robbers, lest it be broken through.
147 My loins have I girt close with truth and
bound my shoes on my feet, that I may never see them gaping: mine
hands have I put unto the yoked plough and have not turned away
backward, lest my furrows go crooked. The plough-land is become white
and the harvest is come, that I may receive my wages. My garment that
groweth old I have worn out, and the labour that hath brought me unto
rest have I accomplished. I have kept the first watch and the second
and the third, that I may behold thy face and adore thine holy
brightness. I have rooted out the worst (pulled down my barns, Syr.)
and left them desolate upon earth, that I may be filled full from thy
treasures (Gr. MSS. add: all my substance have I sold, that I may
gain thee the pearl). The moist spring that was in me have I dried
up, that I may live and rest beside thine inexhaustible spring (al.
and Syr.: rest beside thy living spring). The captive whom thou didst
commit to me I have slain, that he which is set free in me may not
fall from his confidence. Him that was inward have I made outward and
the outward <inward>, and all thy fullness hath been fulfilled
in me. I have not returned unto the things that are behind, but have
gone forward unto the things that are before, that I become not a
reproach. The dead man have I quickened, and the living one have I
overcome, and that which was lacking have I filled up (Syr. Wright,
not the older one, inserts negatives, ' not quickened ', &c.),
that I may receive the crown of victory, and the power of Christ may
be accomplished in me. I have received reproach upon earth, but give
thou me the return and the recompense in the heavens. (U omits
practically all this chapter.)
148 Let not the powers and the officers
perceive me, and let them not have any thought concerning me; let not
the publicans and exactors ply their calling upon me; let not the
weak and the evil cry out against me that am valiant and humble, and
when I am borne upward let them not rise up to stand before me, by
thy power, O Jesu, which surroundeth me as a crown: for they do flee
and hide themselves, they cannot look on thee: but (for) suddenly do
they fall upon them that are subject to them, and the portion of tile
sons of the evil one doth itself cry out and convict them; and it is
not hid from them, nor their nature is made known: the children of
the evil one are separated off. Do thou then grant me, Lord, that I
may pass by in quietness and joy and peace, and pass over and stand
before the judge, and let not the devil (or slanderer) look upon me;
let his eyes be blinded by thy light which thou hast made to dwell in
me, close thou up (muzzle) his mouth: for he hath found nought
against me.
[We revert to U.]
149 And he said again unto them that were about
him: <Believe, my children. in the God whom I proclaim, believe in
Jesus Christ whom I preach; believe in the giver of life and helper
of his servants, Syr.> believe in the Saviour of them that have
laboured in his service: for my soul already flourisheth because my
time is near to receive him; for he being beautiful draweth me on
always to speak concerning his beauty, what it is though I be not
able and suffice not to speak it worthily: thou that art the light
(feeder, Syr.) of my poverty and the supplier of my defects and
nurturer of my need: be thou with me until I come and receive thee
for evermore.
The Thirteenth Act: Wherein Iuzanes
receiveth baptism with the rest.
150 And Iuzanes the youth besought the apostle,
saying: I pray thee, O man, apostle of God, suffer me to go, and I
will persuade the gaoler to permit thee to come home with me, that by
thee I may receive the seal, and become thy minister and a keeper of
the commandments of the God whom thou preachest. For indeed, formerly
I walked in those things which thou teachest, until my father
compelled me and joined me unto a wife by name Mnesara; for I am in
my one-and-twentieth year, and have now been seven years married, and
before I was joined in marriage I knew no other woman, wherefore also
I was accounted useless of my father, nor have I ever had son or
daughter of this wife and also my wife herself hath lived with me in
chastity all this time, and to-day, if she had been in health, and
had listened to thee, I know well that both I should have been at
rest and she would have received eternal life; but she is in peril
and afflicted with much illness; I will therefore persuade the keeper
that he promise to come with me, for I live by myself: and thou shalt
also heal that unhappy one. And Judas the apostle of the Most High,
hearing this, said to Iuzanes: If thou believest, thou shalt see the
marvels of God, and how he sayeth his servants.
151 And as they spake thus together, Tertia and
Mvgdonia and Narcia stood at the door of the prison, and they gave
the gaoler 363 staters of silver and entered in to Judas; and found
Iuzanes and Siphor and his wife and daughter, and all the prisoners
sitting and hearing the word. And when they stood by him he said to
them: Who hath suffered you to come unto us? and who opened unto you
the sealed door that ye came forth? Tertia saith unto him: Didst not
thou open the door for us and tell us to come into the prison that we
might take our brethren that were there, and then should the Lord
show forth his glory in us? And when we came near the door, I know
not how, thou wast parted from us and hid thyself and camest hither
before us where also we heard the noise of the door, when thou didst
shut us out. We gave money therefore to the keepers and came in and
lo, we are here praying thee that we may persuade thee and let thee
escape until the king's wrath against thee shall cease. Unto whom
Judas said: Tell us first of all how ye were shut up.
152 And she saith to him: Thou wast with us,
and didst never leave us for one hour, and askest thou how we were
shut up? but if thou desirest to hear, hear. The king Misdaeus sent
for me and said unto me: Not yet hath that sorcercr prevailed over
thee, for, as I hear, he bewitcheth men with oil and water and bread,
and hath not yet bewitched thee; but obey thou me, for if not, I will
imprison thee and wear thee out, and him I will destroy; for I know
that if he hath not yet given thee oil and water and bread, he hath
not prevailed to get power over thee. And I said unto him: Over my
body thou hast authority, and do thou all that thou wilt; but my soul
I will not let perish with thee. And hearing that he shut me up in a
chamber (beneath his dining-hall, Syr.): and Charisius brought
Mygdonia and shut her up with me: and thou broughtest us out and
didst bring us even hither; but give thou us the seal quickly, that
the hope of Misdacus who counselleth thus may be cut off.
153 And when the apostle heard this, he said:
Glory be to thee, O Jesu of many forms, glory to thee that appearest
in the guise of our poor manhood: glory to thee that encouragest us
and makest us strong and givest grace and consolest and standest by
us in all perils, and strengthenest our weakness. And as he thus
spake, the gaoler came and said: Put out the lamps, lest any accuse
you unto the king. And then they extinguished the lamps, and turned
to sleep; but the apostle spake unto the Lord: It is the time now, O
Jesu, for thee to make haste; for, lo the children of darkness sit
(make us to sit, Syr.) in their own darkness, do thou therefore
enlighten us with the light of thy nature. And on a sudden the whole
prison was light as the day: and while all they that were in the
prison slept a deep sleep, they only that had believed in the Lord
continued waking.
154 Judas therefore saith to Iuzanes: Go thou
before and make ready the things for our need. Iuzanes therefore
saith: And who will open me the doors of the prison? for the gaolers
shut them and are gone to sleep. And Judas saith: Believe in Jesus,
and thou shalt find the doors open. And when he went forth and
departed from them, all the rest followed after him. And as Iuzanes
was gone on before, Mnesara his wife met him coming unto the prison.
And she knew him and said: My brother Iuzanes, is it thou? and he
saith, Yea, and art thou Mnesara? and she saith Yea. Iuzanes said
unto her; Whither walkest thou, especially at so untimely an hour?
and how wast thou able to rise up? And she said: This youth laid his
hand on me and raised me up, and in a dream I say that I should go
where the stranger sitteth, and become perfectly whole. Iuzanes saith
to her: What youth is with thee? And she said: Seest thou not him
that is on my right hand, leading me by the hand?
155 And while they spake together thus, Judas,
with Siphor and his wife and daughter and Tertia and Mygdonia and
Narcia came unto Iuzanes' house. And Mnesara the wife of Iuzanes
seeing him did reverence and said: Art thou come that sayedst us from
the sore disease? thou art he whom I saw in the night delivering unto
me this youth to bring me to the prison. But thy goodness suffered me
not to grow weary, but thou thyself art come unto me. And so saying
she turned about and saw the youth no more; and finding him not, she
saith to the apostle: I am not able to walk alone: for the youth whom
thou gavest me is not here. And Judas said: Jesus will henceforth
lead thee. And thereafter she came running unto him. And when they
entered into the house of Iuzanes the son of Misdaeus the king though
it was yet night, a great light shined and was shed about
them.
156 And then Judas began to pray and to speak
thus: O companion and defender (ally) and hope of the weak and
confidence of the poor: refuge and lodging of the weary: voice that
came forth of the height (sleep, Gr.): comforter dwelling in the
midst: port and harbour of them that pass through the regions of the
rulers: physician that healest without payment: who among men wast
crucified for many: who didst go down into hell with great might: the
sight of whom the princes of death endured not; and thou camest up
with great glory, and gathering all them that fled unto thee didst
prepare a way, and in thy footsteps all they journeyed whom thou
didst redeem; and thou broughtest them into thine own fold and didst
join them with thy sheep: son of mercy, the son that for love of man
wast sent unto us from the perfect country (fatherland) that is
above, the Lord of all possessions (undefiled possessions, Syr.):
that servest thy servants that they may live: that fillest creation
with thine own riches: the poor, that wast in need and didst hunger
forty days: that satisfiest thirsty souls with thine own good things;
be thou with Iuzanes the son of Misdaeus and with Tertia and Mnesara,
and gather them into thy fold and mingle them with thy number; Be
unto them a guide in the land of error: be unto them a physician in
the land of sickness: be unto them a rest in the land of the weary:
sanctify them in a polluted land: be their physician both of bodies
and souls: make them holy temples of thee, and let thine holy spirit
dwell in them.
157 Having thus prayed over them, the apostle
said unto Mygdonia: Unclothe thy sisters. And she took off their
clothes and girded them with girdles and brought them: but Iuzanes
had first gone before, and they came after him; and the apostle took
oil in a cup of silver and spake thus over it: Fruit more beautiful
than all other fruits, unto which none other whatsoever may be
compared: altogether merciful: fervent with the force of the word:
power of the tree which men putting upon them overcome their
adversaries: crowner of the conquerors: help (symbol) and joy of the
sick: that didst announce unto men their salvation that showest light
to them that are in darkness; whose leaf is bitter, but in thy most
sweet fruit thou art fair, that art rough to the sight but soft to
the taste; seeming to be weak, but in the greatness of thy strength
able to bear the power that beholdeth all things. Having thus said [a
corrupt word follows]: Jesu: let his victorious might come and be
established in this oil, like as it was established in the tree
(wood) that was its kin, even his might at that time, whereof they
that crucified thee could not endure the word: let the gift also come
whereby breathing upon his (thine) enemies thou didst cause them to
go backward and fall headlong and let it rest on this oil, whereupon
we invoke thine holy name. And having thus said, he poured it first
upon the head of Iuzanes and then upon the women's heads, saying: In
thy name, O Jesu Christ, let it be unto these souls for remission of
sins and for turning back of the adversary and for salvation of their
souls. And he commanded Mygdonia to anoint them but he himself
anointed Iuzanes. And having anointed them he led them down into the
water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Ghost.
158 And when they were come up, he took bread
and a cup, and blessed it and said: Thine holy body w}lich was
crucified for us do we eat, and thy blood that was shed for us unto
salvation do we drink; let therefore thy body be unto us salvation
and thy blood for remission of sins. And for the gall which thou
didst drink for our sakes let the gall of the devil be removed from
us: and for the vinegar which thou hast drunk for us, let our
weakness be made strong: and for the spitting which thou didst
receive for us, let us receive the dew of thy goodness: and by (or
for) the reed wherewith they smote thee for us, let us receive the
perfect house: and whereas thou receivedst a crown of thorns for our
sake, let us that have loved thee put on a crown that fadeth not
away; and for the linen cloth wherein thou wast Wrapped, let us also
be girt about with thy power that is not vanquished and for the new
tomb and the burial let us receive renewing of soul and body: and for
that thou didst rise up and revive, let us revive and live and stand
before thee in righteous judgement. And he brake and gave the
eucharist unto Iuzanes and Tertia and Mnesara and the wife and
daughter of Siphor and said: Let this eucharist be unto you for
salvation and joy and health of your souls. And they said: Amen. And
a voice was heard, saying: Amen: fear ye not, but only
believe.
[THE MARTYRDOM Here we revert to the text
of P and its companions.]
159 And after these things Judas departed to be
imprisoned.
And Tertia with Mygdonia and Narcia also went
to be imprisoned. And the apostle Thomas said unto them -the
multitude of them that had believed being present: Daughters and
sisters and fellow-servants which have believed in my Lord and God,
ministers of my Jesus, hearken to me this day: for I do deliver my
word unto you, and I shall no more speak with you in this flesh nor
in this world; for I go up unto my Lord and God Jesus Christ, unto
him that sold me, unto that Lord that humbled himself even unto me
the little, and brought me up unto eternal greatness, that vouchsafed
to me to become his servant in truth and steadfastness: unto him do I
depart, knowing that the time is fulfilled, and the day appointed
hath drawn near for me to go and receive my recompense from my Lord
and God: for my recompenser is righteous, who knoweth me, how I ought
to receive my reward; for he is not grudging nor envious, but is rich
in his gifts, he is not a lover of craft (OT sparing) in that he
giveth, for he hath confidence in his possessions which cannot
fail.
160 I am not Jesus, but I am his servant: I am
not Christ, but I am his minister; I am not the Son of God, but I
pray to become worthy of God. Continue ye in the faith of Christ:
continue in the hope of the Son of God: faint not at affliction,
neither be divided in mind if ye see me mocked or that I am shut up
in prison <or die, Syr.>; for I do accomplish his will. For if
I had willed not to die, I know in Christ that I am able thereto: but
this which is called death, is not death, but a setting free from the
body; wherefore I receive gladly this setting free from the body,
that I may depart and see him that is beautiful and full of mercy,
him that is to be loved: for I have endured much toil in his service,
and have laboured for his grace that is come upon me, which departeth
not from me. Let not Satan, then, enter you by stealth and catch away
your thoughts: let there be in you no place for him: for he is mighty
whom ye have received. Look for the coming of Christ, for he shall
come and receive you, and this is he whom ye shall see when he
cometh.
161 When the apostle had ended these sayings,
they went into the house, and the apostle Thomas said: Saviour that
didst suffer many things for us, let these doors be as they were and
let seals be set on them. And he left them and went to be imprisoned:
and they wept and were in heaviness, for they knew that Misdaeus
would slay him (not knowing that, M. would release him, P.).
162 And the apostle found the keepers wrangling
and saying: Wherein have we sinned against this wizard? for by his
art magic he hath opened the doors and would have had all the
prisoners escape: but let us go and report it unto the king, and tell
him concerning his wife and his son. And as they disputed thus,
Thomas held his peace. They rose up early, therefore, and went unto
the king and said unto him: Our lord and king, do thou take away that
sorcerer and cause him to be shut up elsewhere, for we are not able
to keep him; for except thy good fortune had kept the prison, all the
condemned persons would have escaped for now this second time have we
found the doors open: and also thy wife, O king, and thy son and the
rest depart not from him. And the king, hearing that, went, and found
the seals that were set on the doors whole; and he took note of the
doors also, and said to the keepers: Wherefore lie ye? for the seals
are whole. How said ye that Tertia and Mygdonia come unto him into
the prison? And the keepers said: We have told thee the truth.
163 And Misdaeus went to the prison and took
his seat, and sent for the apostle Thomas and stripped him (and
girded him with a girdle) and set him before him and saith unto him:
Art thou bond or free? Thomas said: I am the bondsman of one only,
over whom thou hast no authority. And Misdaeus saith to him: How
didst thou run away and come into this country? And Thomas said: I
was sold hither by my master, that I might save many, and by thy
hands depart out of this world. And Misdaeus said: Who is thy lord?
and what is his name? and of what country is he? And Thomas said: My
Lord is thy master and he is Lord of heaven and earth. And Misdaeus
saith: What is his name? Thomas saith: Thou canst not hear his true
name at this time: but the name that was given unto him is Jesus
Christ. And Misdaeus saith unto him: I have not made haste to destroy
thee, but have had long patience with thee: but thou hast added unto
thine evil deeds, and thy sorceries are dispersed abroad and heard of
throughout all the country: but this I do that thy sorceries may
depart with thee, and our land be cleansed from them. Thomas saith
unto him; These sorceries depart <not, Syr.> with me when I set
forth hence, and know thou this that I <they, Syr.> shall never
forsake them that are here.
164 When the apostle had said these things,
Misdaeus considered how he should put him to death; for he was afraid
because of the much people that were subject unto him, for many also
of the nobles and of them that were in authority believed on him. He
took him therefore and went forth out of the city; and armed soldiers
also went with him. And the people supposed that the king desired to
learn somewhat of him, and they stood still and gave heed. And when
they had walked one mile, he delivered him unto four soldiers and an
officer, and commanded them to take him into the mountain and there
pierce him with spears and put an end to him, and return again to the
city. And saying thus unto the soldiers, he himself also returned
unto the city.
165 But the men ran after Thomas, desiring to
deliver him from death. And two soldiers went at the right hand of
the apostle and two on his left, holding spears, and the officer held
his hand and supported him. And the apostle Thomas said: O the hidden
mysteries which even until our departure are accomplished in us! O
riches of his glory, who will not suffer us to be swallowed up in
this passion of the body! Four are they that cast me down, for of
four am I made; and one is he that draweth me, for of one I am, and
unto him I go. And this I now understand, that my Lord and God Jesus
Christ being of one was pierced by one, but I, which am of four, am
pierced by four.
166 And being come up into the mountain unto
the place where he was to be slain, he said unto them that held him,
and to the rest: Brethren, hearken unto me now at the last; for I am
come to my departure out of the body. Let not then the eyes of your
heart be blinded, nor your ears be made deaf. Believe on the God whom
I preach, and be not guides unto yourselves in the hardness of your
heart, but walk in all your liberty, and in the glory that is toward
men, and the life that is toward God.
167 And he said unto Iuzanes: Thou son (to the
son, P) of the (earthly) king Misdaeus and minister (to the minister)
of our Lord Jesus Christ: give unto the servants of Misdaeus their
price that they may suffer me to go and pray. And Iuzanes persuaded
the soldiers to let him pray. And the blessed Thomas went to pray,
and kneeled down, and rose up and stretched forth his hands unto
heaven, and spake thus:
[Here P and the rest give - rightly - the
prayer of cc. 144-8. U and its companions give the following: He
turned to his prayer; and it was this: My Lord and my God, and hope
and redeemer and leader and guide in all countries, be thou with all
them that serve thee, and guide me this day as I come unto thee. Let
not any take my soul which I have committed unto thee: let not the
publicans see me, and let not the exactors accuse me falsely (play
the sycophant with me). Let not the serpent see me, and let not the
children of the dragon hiss at me. Behold, Lord, I have accomplished
thy work and perfected thy commandment. I have become a bondman;
therefore to-day do I receive freedom. Do thou therefore give me this
and perfect me: and this I say, not for that I doubt, but that they
may hear for whom it is needful to hear.]
168 And when he had thus prayed he said unto
the soldiers: Come hither and accomplish the commandments of him that
sent you. And the four came and pierced him with their spears, and he
fell down and died.
And all the brethren wept; and they brought
beautiful robes and much and fair linen, and buried him in a royal
sepulchre wherein the former (first) kings were laid.
169 But Siphor and Iuzanes would not go down to
the city, but continued sitting by him all the day. And the apostle
Thomas appeared unto them and said: Why sit ye here and keep watch
over me? I am not here, but I have gone up and received all that I
was promised. But rise up and go down hence; for after a little time
ye also shall be gathered unto me.
But Misdaeus and Charisius took away Mygdonia
and Tertia and afflicted them sorely: howbeit they consented not unto
their will. And the apostle appeared unto them and said: Be not
deceived: Jesus the holy, the living one, shall quickly send help
unto you. And Misdaeus and Charisius, when they perceived that
Mygdonia and Tertia obeyed them not, suffered them to live according
to their own desire.
And the brethren gathered together and rejoiced
in the grace of the Holy Ghost: now the apostle Thomas when he
departed out of the world made Siphor a presbyter and Iuzanes a
deacon, when he went up into the mountain to die. And the Lord
wrought with them, and many were added unto the faith.
170 Now it came to pass after a long time that
one of the children of Misdaeus the king was smitten by a devil, and
no man could cure him, for the devil was exceeding fierce. And
Misdaeus the king took thought and sad: I will go and open the
sepulchre, and take a bone of the apostle of God and hang it upon my
son and he shall be healed. But while Misdaeus thought upon this, the
apostle Thomas appeared to him and said unto him: Thou believedst not
on a living man, and wilt thou believe on the dead? yet fear not, for
my Lord Jesus Christ hath compassion on thee and pitieth thee of his
goodness.
And he went and opened the sepulchre, but found
not the apostle there, for one of the brethren had stolen him away
and taken him unto Mesopotamia; but from that place where the bones
of the apostle had lain Misdaeus took dust and put it about his son's
neck, saying: I believe on thee, Jesu Christ, now that he hath left
me which troubleth men and opposeth them lest they should see thee.
And when he had hung it upon his son, the lad became whole.
Misdaeus the king therefore was also gathered
among the brethren, and bowed his head under the hands of Siphor the
priest; and Siphor said unto the brethren: Pray ye for Misdaeus the
king, that he may obtain mercy of Jesus Christ, and that he may no
more remember evil against him. They all therefore, with one accord
rejoicing, made prayer for him; and the Lord that loveth men, the
King of Kings and Lord of lords, granted Misdaeus also to have hope
in him; and he was gathered with the multitude of them that had
believed in Christ, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy
Ghost, whose is power and adoration, now and for ever and world
without end. Amen.
[U (and Syr.) ends: The acts of Judas
Thomas the apostle are completed, which he did in India, fulfilling
the commandment of him that sent him. Unto whom be glory, world
without end. Amen.]
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