thais-第31章

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Then；　wiping　his　face　again

〃Persons　deserving　of　belief　have　assured　me　that　this　monk　has　not
left　his　column　for　a　single　moment　since　he　mounted　it　a　year　ago。　Is
that　possible；　Aristaeus？〃

〃That　which　is　possible　to　a　lunatic　or　a　sick　man；〃　replied
Aristaeus；　〃would　be　impossible　to　a　man　sound　in　body　and　mind。　Do
you　know；　Lucius；　that　sometimes　diseases　of　the　mind　or　body　give　to
those　afflicted　by　them　a　strength　which　healthy　men　do　not　possess？
For；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　good　health　or　bad
health。　There　are　only　different　conditions　of　the　organs。　Having
studied　what　are　called　maladies；　I　have　come　to　consider　them　as
necessary　forms　of　life。　I　take　pleasure　in　studying　them　in　order　to
be　able　to　conquer　them。　Some　of　them　are　worthy　of　admiration；　and
conceal；　under　apparent　disorder；　profound　harmonies；　for　instance；　a
quartan　fever　is　certainly　a　very　pretty　thing！　Sometimes　certain
affections　of　the　body　cause　a　rapid　augmentation　of　the　faculties　of
the　mind。　You　know　Creon？　When　he　was　a　child；　he　stuttered　and　was
stupid。　But；　having　cracked　his　skull　by　tumbling　off　a　ladder；　he
became　an　able　lawyer；　as　you　are　aware。　This　monk　must　be　affected　in
some　hidden　organ。　Moreover；　this　kind　of　existence　is　not　so
extraordinary　as　it　appears　to　you；　Lucius。　I　may　remind　you　that　the
gymnosophists　of　India　can　remain　motionless；　not　merely　for　a　year；
but　during　twenty；　thirty；　or　forty　years。〃

〃By　Jupiter！〃　cried　Cotta；　〃that　is　a　strange　madness。　For　man　was
born　to　move　and　act；　and　idleness　is　an　unpardonable　crime；　because
it　is　an　injury　to　the　State。　I　do　not　know　of　any　religion　in　which
such　an　objectionable　practice　is　permitted；　though　it　possibly　may　be
in　some　of　the　Asiatic　creeds。　When　I　was　Governor　of　Syria；　I　found
/phalli/　erected　in　the　porches　at　the　city　of　Hera。　A　man　ascended；
twice　a　year；　and　remained　there　for　a　week。　The　people　believed　that
this　man　talked　with　the　gods；　and　interceded　with　them　for　the
prosperity　of　Syria。　The　custom　appeared　senseless　to　me；　nevertheless
I　did　nothing　to　put　it　down。　For　I　consider　that　a　functionary　ought
not　to　interfere　with　the　manners　and　customs　of　the　people；　but　on
the　contrary；　to　see　that　they　are　preserved。　It　is　not　the　business
of　the　government　to　force　a　religion　on　a　people；　but　to　maintain
that　which　exists；　which；　whether　good　or　bad；　has　been　regulated　by
the　spirit　of　the　time；　the　place；　and　the　race。　If　it　endeavours　to
put　down　a　religion；　it　proclaims　itself　revolutionary　in　its　spirit；
and　tyrannical　in　its　acts；　and　is　justly　detested。　Besides；　how　are
you　to　raise　yourself　above　the　superstitions　of　the　vulgar；　except　by
understanding　them　and　tolerating　them？　Aristaeus；　I　am　of　opinion
that　I　should　leave　this　nephelo…coccygian＇*＇　in　the　air；　exposed　only
to　the　indignities　the　birds　shower　on　him。　I　should　not　gain　anything
by　having　him　pulled　down；　but　I　should　by　taking　note　of　his　thoughts
and　beliefs。〃

＇*＇　Nephelo…coccygia；　the　cloud…city　built　by　the　cuckoos；　in　the
　　　　/Birds/　of　Aristophanes。

He　puffed；　coughed；　and　placed　his　hand　on　the　secretary's　shoulder。

〃My　child；　note　down　that；　amongst　certain　sects　of　Christians；　it　is
considered　praiseworthy　to　carry　off　courtesans　and　live　upon　columns。
You　may　add　that　these　customs　are　evidence　of　the　worship　of　genetic
divinities。　But　on　this　point　we　ought　to　question　him　himself。〃

Then；　raising　his　head；　and　shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand；　to　keep
off　the　sun；　he　shouted

〃Hallo；　Paphnutius！　If　you　remember　that　you　were　once　my　guest；
answer　me。　What　are　you　doing　up　there？　Why　did　you　go　up；　and　why　do
you　stay　there？　Has　this　column　any　phallic　signification　in　your
mind？〃

Paphnutius；　considering　Cotta　as　nothing　but　an　idolater；　did　not
deign　to　reply。　But　his　disciple；　Flavian；　approached；　and　said

〃Illustrious　Sir；　this　holy　man　takes　the　sins　of　the　world　upon　him；
and　cures　diseases。〃

〃By　Jupiter！　Do　you　hear；　Aristaeus？〃　cried　Cotta。　〃This　nephelo…
coccygian　practises　medicine；　like　you。　What　do　you　think　of　so　high　a
rival？〃

Aristaeus　shook　his　head。

〃It　is　very　possible　that　he　may　cure　certain　diseases　better　than　I
can；　such；　for　instance；　as　epilepsy；　vulgarly　called　the　divine
malady；　although　all　maladies　are　equally　divine；　for　they　all　come
from　the　gods。　But　the　cause　of　this　disease　lies；　partly；　in　the
imagination；　and　you　must　confess；　Lucius；　that　this　monk；　perched　up
on　the　head　of　a　goddess；　strikes　the　minds　of　the　sick　people　more
forcibly　than　I；　bending　over　my　mortars　and　phials　in　my　laboratory；
could　ever　do。　There　are　forces；　Lucius；　infinitely　more　powerful　than
reason　and　science。〃

〃What　are　they？〃　asked　Cotta。

〃Ignorance　and　folly；〃　replied　Aristaeus。

〃I　have　rarely　seen　a　more　curious　sight；〃　continued　Cotta；　〃and　I
hope　that　some　day　an　able　writer　will　relate　the　foundation　of
Stylopolis。　But　even　the　most　extraordinary　spectacles　should　not
keep；　longer　than　is　befitting；　a　serious　and　busy　man　from　his　work。
Let　us　go　and　inspect　the　canals。　Farewell；　good　Paphnutius！　or
rather；　till　our　next　meeting！　If　ever　you　should　come　down　to　earth
again；　and　revisit　Alexandria；　do　not　fail　to　come　and　sup　with　me。〃

These　words；　heard　by　all　present；　passed　from　mouth　to　mouth；　and
being　repeated　by　the　believers；　added　greatly　to　the　reputation　of
Paphnutius。　Pious　minds　amplified　and　transformed　them；　and　it　was
stated　that　Paphnutius；　from　the　top　of　his　pillar；　had　converted　the
Prefect　of　the　Fleet　to　the　faith　of　the　apostles　and　the　Nicaean
fathers。　The　believers　found　a　figurative　meaning　in　the　last　words
uttered　by　Aurelius　Cotta；　to　them；　the　supper　to　which　this　important
personage　had　invited　the　ascetic；　was　a　holy　communion；　a　spiritual
repast；　a　celestial　banquet。　The　story　of　this　meeting　was　embroidered
with　wonderful　details；　which　those　who　invented　were　the　first　to
believe。　It　was　said　that　when　Cotta；　after　a　long　argument；　had
embraced　the　truth；　an　angel　had　come　from　heaven　to　wipe　the　sweat
from　his　brow。　The　physician　and　secretary　of　the　Prefect　of　the　Fleet
had　also；　it　was　asserted；　been　converted　at　the　same　time。　And；　the
miracle　being　public　and　notorious；　the　deacons　of　the　principal
churches　of　Libya　recorded　it　amongst　the　authentic　facts。　After　that；
it　could　be　said；　without　any　exaggeration；　that　the　whole　world　was
seized　with　a　desire　to　see　Paphnutius；　and　that；　in　the　West　as　well
as　the　East；　all　Christians　turned　their　astonished　eyes　towards　him。
The　most　celebrated　cities　of　Italy　sent　deputations　to　him；　and　the
Roman　Caesar；　the　divine　Constantine　who　favoured　the　Christian
religion；　wrote　him　a　letter　which　the　legates　brought　to　him　with
great　ceremony。　But　one　night；　whilst　the　budding　city　at　his　feet
slept　in　the　dew；　he　heard　a　voice；　which　said

〃Paphnutius；　thou　art　become　celebrated　by　thy　works　and　powerful　by
thy　word。　God　has　raised　thee　up　for　His　glory。　He　has　chosen　thee　to
work　miracles；　heal　the　sick；　convert　the　Pagans；　enlighten　sinners；
confound　the　Arians；　and　establish　peace　in　the　Church。〃

Paphnutius　replied

〃God's　will　be　done！〃

The　voice　continued

〃Arise；　Paphnutius；　and　go　seek　in　his　palace　the　impious　Constans；
who；　far　from　imitating　the　wisdom　of　his　brother；　Constantine；
inclines　to　the　errors　of　Arius　and　Marcus。　Go！　The　bronze　gates　shall
fly　open　before　thee；　and　thy　sandals　shall　resound　on　the　golden
floor　of　the　basilica　before　the　throne　of　the　Caesars；　and　thy　awe…
inspiring　voice　shall　change　the　heart　of　the　son　of　Constantinus。
Thou　shalt　reign　over　a　peaceful　and　powerful　Church。　And；　even　as　the
soul　directs　the　body；　so　shall　the　Church　govern　the　empire。　Thou
shalt　be　placed　above　senators；　comites；　and　patricians。　Thou　shalt
repress　the　greed　of　the　people；　and　check　the　boldness　of　the
barbarians。　Old　Cotta；　knowing　that　thou　art　the　head　of　the
government；　will　seek　the　honour　of　washing　thy　feet。　At　thy　death　thy
/cilicium/　shall　be　taken　to　the　patriarch　of　Alexandria；　and　the
great　Athanasius；　white　with　glory；　shall　kiss　it　as　the　relic　of　a