barlaam and ioasaph-第53章

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But　whilst　he　found　some　food；　though　scanty　and　insufficient；　from　the　herbs；　of　water　he　was　quite　destitute　in　that　waterless　and　dry　desert。　　And　so　at　noon…tide；　as　he　held　on　his　way　under　the　fierce　blaze　of　the　sun；　he　was　parched　with　thirst　in　the　hot　drought　of　that　desert　place；　and　he　suffered　the　extreme　of　anguish。　　But　desire　of　Christ　conquered　nature；　and　the　thirst　wherewith　he　thirsted　for　God　bedewed　the　heat　of　thirst　for　water。

Now　the　devil；　being　envious　and　full　of　hate　for　that　which　is　beautiful；　unable　to　endure　the　sight　of　such　steadfastness　of　purpose；　and　glowing　love　towards　God；　raised　up　against　Ioasaph　many　temptations　in　the　wilderness。　　He　called　to　his　remembrance　his　kingly　glory；　and　his　magnificent　body…guard；　his　friends；　kinsfolk　and　companions；　and　how　the　lives　of　all　had　depended　on　his　life；　and　he　minded　him　of　the　other　solaces　of　life。　　Then　he　would　confront　him　with　the　hardness　of　virtue；　and　the　many　sweats　that　she　requireth；　with　the　weakness　of　his　flesh；　with　his　lack　of　practice　in　such　rigours；　the　long　years　to　come；　this　present　distress　from　thirst；　his　want　of　any　comfort；　and　the　unendingness　of　his　toils。　　In　a　word；　he　raised　a　great　dust…cloud　of　reasonings　in　his　mind；　exactly；　I　ween；　as　it　hath　been　recorded　of　the　mighty　Antony。

But；　when　the　enemy　saw　himself　too　weak　to　shake　that　purpose　（for　Ioasaph　set　Christ　before　his　mind；　and　glowed　with　love　of　him；　and　was　well　strengthened　by　hope；　and　steadfast　in　faith；　and　recked　nothing　of　the　devil　and　his　suggestions）；　then　was　the　adversary　ashamed　of　having　fallen　in　the　first　assault。　　So　he　came　by　another　road　（for　many　are　his　paths　of　wickedness）；　and　endeavoured　to　overthrow　and　terrify　Ioasaph　by　means　of　divers　apparitions。　　Sometimes　he　appeared　to　him　in　black；　and　such　indeed　he　is：　sometimes　with　a　drawn　sword　he　leapt　upon　him；　and　threatened　to　strike；　unless　he　speedily　turned　back。　　At　other　times　he　assumed　the　shapes　of　all　manner　of　beasts；　roaring　and　making　a　terrible　din　and　bellowing；　or　again　he　became　a　dragon；　adder；　or　basilisk。　　But　that　fair　and　right　noble　athlete　kept　his　soul　in　quietness；　for　he　had　made　the　Most　High　his　refuge：　and；　being　sober　in　mind；　he　laughed　the　evil　one　to　scorn；　and　said；　〃I　know　thee；　deceiver；　who　thou　art；　which　stiffest　up　this　trouble　for　me；　which　from　the　beginning　didst　devise　mischief　against　mankind；　and　art　ever　wicked；　and　never　stintest　to　do　hurt。　　How　becoming　and　right　proper　is　thy　habit；　that　thou　shouldest　take　the　shape　of　beasts　and　of　creeping　things；　and　thus　display　thy　bestial　and　crooked　nature；　and　thy　venomous　and　hurtful　purpose！　　Wherefore；　wretch；　attempt　the　impossible？　　For　ever　since　I　discovered　that　these　be　the　contrivances　and　bug…bears　of　thy　malice；　I　have　now　no　more　anxiety　concerning　thee。　　The　Lord　is　on　my　side；　and　I　shall　see　my　desire　upon　mine　enemies。　　I　shall　go　upon　the　adder　and　basilisk；　the　which　thou　dost　resemble；　thee；　the　lion　and　dragon　I　shall　tread　under　my　feet；　for　I　am　strengthened　with　the　might　of　Christ。　　Let　mine　enemies　be　ashamed　and　turned　backward：　let　them　be　driven　and　put　to　shame　suddenly。〃

Thus　speaking；　and　girding　on　that　invincible　weapon；　the　sign　of　the　Cross；　he　made　vain　the　devil's　shows。　　For　straightway　all　the　beasts　and　creeping　things　disappeared；　like　as　the　smoke　vanisheth；　and　like　as　wax　melteth　at　the　fire。　　And　he；　strong　in　the　might　of　Christ；　went　on　his　way　rejoicing　and　giving　thanks　unto　the　Lord。　　But　there　dwelt　in　that　desert　many　divers　beasts；　and　all　kinds　of　serpents；　and　dragon…shaped　monsters；　and　these　met　him；　not　now　as　apparitions　but　in　sober　sooth；　so　that　his　path　was　beset　by　fear　and　toil。　　But　he　overcame　both；　for　love；　as　saith　the　scripture；　cast　out　fear；　and　longing　made　toil　light。　　Thus　he　wrestled　with　many　sundry　misfortunes　and　hardships　until；　after　many　days；　he　arrived　at　that　desert　of　the　land　of　Senaar；　wherein　Barlaam　dwelt。　　There　also　he　found　water　and　quenched　the　burning　of　his　thirst。


XXXVIII。

Now　two　full　years　spent　Ioasaph　wandering　about　the　ocean　of　that　desert；　without　finding　Barlaam；　for　here　also　God　was　proving　the　steadfastness　of　his　purpose；　and　the　nobility　of　his　soul。　　He　lived　thus　in　the　open　air；　scorched　with　heat　or　frozen　with　cold；　and；　as　one　in　search　of　precious　treasure；　continually　looking　everywhere　for　his　treasured　friend；　the　aged　Barlaam。　　Frequent　were　the　temptations　and　assaults　of　the　evil　spirits　that　he　encountered；　and　many　the　hardships　that　he　endured　through　the　lack　of　herbs　that　he　needed　for　meat；　because　the　desert；　being　dry；　yielded　even　these　in　but　scant　supply。　　But；　being　kindled　by　love　of　her　Master；　this　adamantine　and　indomitable　soul　bore　these　annoyances　more　easily　than　other　men　bear　their　pleasures。　　Wherefore　he　failed　not　of　the　succour　that　is　from　above；　but；　many　as　were　the　sorrows　and　toils　Chat　he　endured；　comfort　came　to　him　from　Christ；　and；　asleep　or　awake；　refreshed　his　soul。　　By　the　space　of　those　two　years　Ioasaph　went　about　continually；　seeking　him　for　whom　he　yearned；　and　rivers　of　waters　ran　from　his　eyes；　as　he　implored　God；　crying　aloud　and　saying；　〃Show　me；　O　Lord；　show　me　the　man　that　was　the　means　of　my　knowledge　of　thee；　and　the　cause　of　my　many　blessings。　　Because　of　the　multitude　of　mine　offences；　deprive　me　not　of　this　good　thing；　but　grant　me　to　see　him；　and　fight　with　him　the　ascetic　fight。〃

By　the　grace　of　God；　he　found　a　cave；　by　following　footsteps　that　led　thither。　　There　he　met　a　monk　pursuing　a　hermit　life。　　Him　he　embraced　and　saluted　tenderly。　　He　asked　where　to　find　Barlaam's　dwelling；　and　told　him　his　own　tale；　laying　all　bare。　　Of　him　then　he　learned　the　abode　of　the　man　whom　he　sought；　and　thither　went　foot…hot；　as　when　a　cunning　hunter　happeneth　on　the　tracks　of　his　game。　　And　when　he　had　met　with　certain　signs；　pointed　out　to　him　by　this　other　old　hermit；　he　went　on　rejoicing；　strong　in　hope；　like　a　child　hoping　after　long　absence　to　see　his　father。　For　when　divine　love　hath　broken　into　a　soul；　it　proveth　hotter　and　stronger　than　the　natural。

So　he　stood　before　the　door　of　the　cave；　and　knocked；　saying　〃Benedic；　father；　benedic！〃　　When　Barlaam　heard　his　voice；　he　came　forth　from　the　cave；　and　by　the　spirit　knew　him；　who　by　outward　appearance　could　not　easily　be　known；　because　of　the　marvellous　change　and　alteration　that　had　changed　and　altered　his　face　from　its　former　bloom　of　youth；　for　Ioasaph　was　black　with　the　sun's　heat；　and　overgrown　with　hair；　and　his　cheeks　were　fallen　in；　and　his　eyes　deep　sunken；　and　his　eyelids　seared　with　floods　of　tears；　and　much　distress　of　hunger。　　And　Ioasaph　recognised　his　spiritual　father；　for　his　features　were；　for　the　more　part；　the　same。　　So　the　old　man　stood；　and；　facing　the　East；　offered　up　to　God　a　prayer　of　thanksgiving；　and；　after　the　prayer；　when　they　had　said　the　Amen；　they　embraced　and　kissed　each　other　affectionately；　taking　their　full　fill　of　long　deferred　desire。

But；　when　they　had　done　with　embracing　and　greeting；　they　sat　them　down　and　conversed。　　Barlaam　began；　saying；　〃Welcome　art　thou；　son　well　beloved　son　of　God；　and　inheritor　of　the　heavenly　kingdom　through　Jesus　Christ　our　Lord；　whom　thou　lovest；　whom　thou　rightly　desirest　above　the　things　that　are　temporal　and　corruptible！　　Like　a　prudent　and　wise　merchant；　thou　hast　sold　all；　and　bought　the　pearl　that　is　beyond　price；　and　hast　found　the　treasure　that　cannot　be　stolen；　hidden　in　the　field　of　the　commandments　of　the　Lord；　thou　hast　parted　with　all；　and　spared　naught　of　the　things　that　so　soon　pass　away；　that　thou　mightest　purchase　that　field　for　thyself。　　The　Lord　give　thee　the　eternal　for　the　temporal；　the　things　that　are　incorruptible　and　wax　not　old　for　the　corruptible！

〃But　tell　me；　dearly　beloved；　how　thou　camest　hither？　　How　did　thy　matters　speed　after　my　departure？　　And　hath　thy　father　learned　to　know　God；　or　is　he　still　carried　away　with　his　former　foolishness；　still　under　the　bondage　of　devilish　deceits？　〃

Thus　questioned　Barlaam；　and　Ioasaph　answered；　telling　him　piece　by　piece　all　that　had　befallen　him　since　he　went　away；　and　in　how　many　ways　the　Lord　had