The Book of Governors (chapters 9.–8. Of the repentance of the people of adiabene, and of the most humble entreaty which they offered to mār īshō-yahbh that he would occupy his episcopal throne)

The Book of Governors

continued

Chapter 9.

1 Of the revelation which mâr mâran-ʿammeh received in a vision of the angel of the lord, to destroy with his hands the seed that worked evil and the corrupt children who were in the country of margâ. Among the sins which are committed by man there is none more abominable and filthy than that of the lust of the body, for it draweth him that indulgeth in it into all error, and driveth him out in disgrace from every thing which is seemly; and the lawful gratification of the desire of the body which is full of shamefacedness and modesty testifieth to this, for it is performed in the night season and in the darkness. 2 And thus the working of impurity cast to destruction the whole generation that lived in the days of Noah; it burned the Sodomites with fire; it threw Judah into disgrace; it drove Samson forth from the Divine care which accompanied him; and it laid a blemish upon David. And from this [thing] the blessed and divine Paul hath commanded us to keep at a distance, saying, "Flee fornication", and "Whosoever destroyeth the temple of God, him will God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are. Now certain men who were members of religious houses in various places in the country of Margâ, through this gratification of corrupt and destructive lust, and by toiling in other habits of life which provoke our Lord, put themselves away from what is seemly through the counsel of the Evil One, and others who were not deserving of the penalty of evil were made participators with them, just as in the case of the famines which took place in the days of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, those holy men also were participators with the wicked men on whose account the famines arose. What then? Now it came to pass one night that when the holy man was engaged in prayer in the cell in which he lived, that the Angel of the Lord appeared to him face to face, in a glorious and exceedingly sublime vision, and the temple of the blessed man was filled with a beautiful odour.

3 And he was greatly moved, and answered and said to the spiritual being, "Who art thou, Master? And the angel answered and said to him, "I am the Angel of the Lord who ministereth to this apostolic throne of Arbél. And the holy man answered and said to him, "What doth my lord command his servant [to do]? And the angel answered and said to him, "A command hath gone forth from before the Lord to waste and destroy by thy hands a sinful people and a people mighty in iniquity, which is in the country of Margâ, for their iniquity, like that of the people of Sodom, hath gone up before the Lord, and like them they shall receive punishment in divers ways according to thy command. The blessed man answered and said, "The Lord God is able to destroy them in a moment as He destroyed the hosts of the Assyrians, how then can my feeble intervention be required by Him by Whose nod the worlds stand, to whom if He appeareth they shriek violently, and at the sight of Whom the mountains reel, and the earth trembleth? The spiritual being said to him, "I am the angel who hath accompanied thee in all thy administration, and all those who have been before thee, and I shall accompany all those who shall come after thee until the end, and until time shall cease and be annihilated; I will be a participator with thee in their destruction.

4 The blessed man answered and said to him, "It is neither just nor seemly that I should be the executioner of my own children, and the slayer of those who have been sanctified by me with baptism and the laying on of hands, and whom I have made to drink of the living water of the doctrine of Christ; spare me, a sinful man from doing this. The destruction of the Assyrians, and the destruction of the people of Israel which took place in the days of David, the many cities which were overthrown, and the great and mighty deeds which God hath worked from generation to generation, were not wrought by the hands of men but by angels; go thou thyself then and do that which thou commandest me to do. The angel said to him, "Dispute not with the Divine command, lest thou appear pertinacious and obstinate; if vengeance is not taken upon them by means of thee, it will not be known that they have justly been destroyed and have perished, and also they will [not] be a warning to others not to be like unto them; and when the angel had spoken these things with him, he disappeared from him, and Mâr Mâran-'ammeh saw him no more.

Chapter 10. Of How the Blessed Man Left his Episcopal House and Fled, and of the Angelic Agency which Prevented his Flight

1 Now when it appeared to the holy man thus, and he knew that the word had gone forth from before the Lord, with tears and great grief he secretly left his cell, and went out by night to go forth into solitude remote from all mankind, that he might not be the means by which the matter which the angel required of him [should be accomplished]; and he turned the impetuosity of his course with very rapid steps to a mountain eastwards, having his eyes filled with tears, and prayer and supplication in his mouth. But just as the Lord turned back the fugitive prophet in the belly of the whale unto the preaching of Nineveh, and completed by him that which was required of him, so also did He turn back this fugitive priest, not by means of a fish, but by means of the element of fire did He make him afraid; and he returned to His service. Now when he had gone on the whole day, without food and without water, he came to a valley in which was a pool of water, and there were reeds round about it, and he went into the place where the reeds were dense that he might satisfy his hunger with the plants and herbs which were round about him. Then that guardian angel stood above him as before, and answered and said to him, "Whither canst thou flee from before the Lord? Behold the heavens and the earth are filled with Him;

2 thou appearest to be acting like a stupid and ignorant man. Mâr Mâran-ʿammeh said to him, "Even if I perish like a child of perdition I will neither become a wicked shepherd, and break the ankles of my sheep, nor the slayer of innocent lambs over whom the Holy Spirit has set me in a place of trust. The angel said to him, "I could take thee now and place thee, like Habakkuk, in thy cell, O simple old man, I do not, however, wish thy service to be forced but voluntary. And while he was yet disputing, by means of the spiritual being fire came round about him, and the thicket began to burn, and the angel said to him, "Wilt thou go now, or shall I consume thee with these reeds? And when the body of the old man began to wax hot, he promised with tears to go according to his command, and the angel took him, and in one moment placed him in the cell where he lived.

Chapter 11. Of the departure of the blessed mâr mâran-ʿammeh to the country of margâ, and of the miracles which took place there by his hands

1 Now when the holy man had returned from his flight, and had tarried a little he prepared himself to go forth to the mournful and sorrowful work which had been sent to him; and he crossed the Zâb, and made his way direct to the province beyond the Zâb which lay to the east of Margâ, and went up to a great village, situated in the mountain, the name of which was Birtâ. And he passed the night in the church [there] according to [his] custom, and it appeared to him in a dream that [one said to him], "This village is one of those which have provoked thy Lord, cast into it one of the arrows of thy curses, and get thee forth from it early." And with the falling of the sun upon the earth, he mounted his ass and went forth from it, and he turned his face towards it, and said, "O village full of iniquity, nevermore shall the cock, the harbinger of peace, crow in thee, nevermore shall his voice be heard in thee; thy inhabitants shall go forth from thee, and be scattered, and moreover thou shalt nevermore be inhabited." And with the word of the righteous man there went forth fire from the four ends of the village, and burnt up all the houses in a moment, and behold to this day no man dwelleth therein.

2 From this [village] he came to Bêth Têhûnâi in which dwelt certain Shahrighân who possessed many estates in the country. And one of these men whose name was Armenâzwâi, had a wife, who was from the village Kêphar 'Uzzêl, and she was well acquainted with the holy man; now she was a lady of noble birth. And there was in the village of Bēth Tēhūnāi a convent of holy women, and the husband of this woman used to commit fornication with one of those nuns. And when the blessed man went into the church, the wife came to him as to her father and as to the one who had reared her, and began to make an accusation against her husband concerning the secret unchastity which he wrought, and that he had forsaken her and was working fornication. And he called the man before him, and began to rebuke and to reprove him; saying, "Thou art not acting rightly, for instead of [the] lawful union, thou makest Satan to rejoice through [thy] corrupt union with strangers; moreover thou hast condemned thine own soul, and wilt be cast forth from being a member of His household. Now Armēnāzwāi, instead of receiving the rebuke, and confessing his sin, and asking [pardon] with prayers, and promising repentance, abused the holy man with foul names, and also lifted up his hand to strike him.

3 And the holy man answered and said to him, "I trust in our Lord that thou and all thy village shall go down alive into Sheol, like Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And when the wife saw the cursing of the holy old man, and it fell upon her ears, she knew that straightway his command would be carried out, and she answered and said to him, "Father, what shall I and these my two sons do? He said to her, "Get thee forth quickly, and flee to the Monastery of Kûrâi, and tarry not here for an instant, that ye perish not. And it came to pass in the morning season, when the reapers were in the fields, that a sound like unto mighty peals of thunder was heard, and like that of the earth being rent asunder under the village, and the mountain which was above it gave forth a sound as of falling upon it; and while the reapers of millet were looking on at a distance, they saw two horsemen mounted on horses of fire holding swords of fire in their hands; and they stood, one above the mountain, and one below it. And the horseman that was above answered and said to him that was below, "Do thou destroy from below, and I will destroy from above; and thus the village of Bêth Têhûnâi sank into the earth with its inhabitants unto this day.

4 Now those who remember these things told us that for quite two months before this happened, smoke and stinking vapours were ascending from the village; and [its destruction] became a proverb and a saying for ever. 5 And from this [village] he departed and came to Bêth ʿAināthâ, a village in the neighbourhood of the village of Bâshôsh, and Mâr Mâran-ʿammeh had a vision concerning it. And as he was riding along he stood upon a hill above the village, and lifting up his hand against it, he cursed it, saying, "The Lord shall make mighty winds to blow upon thee, and all thy houses shall be swept away, all thine inhabitants shall perish, and thou shalt never [again] be inhabited to the end of time, and all thy lands shall the village Bâshôsh inherit." And it came to pass in the night which followed that day that a mighty south wind came upon it, and destroyed it and wasted it, and it became an inheritance for the people of Bâshôsh to this day. And he was also commanded by the spiritual being to destroy another village in the neighbourhood of Bâshôsh, which was called Ḥabbûṣhtâ, and this he did with words of wrath and destruction.

6 And he left this village also, and it appeared to him in a vision that he should go to the village of Bêth Edrê. Now this was the [native] village of the father of the holy Mār Abraham, the Catholicus in our days, and the name of his father was Shābhōr, and that of his brother was Ḳenārgh. And concerning this man, a certain priest whose name was Emmanuel, from the village of Bāshōsh, told me that, "during the whole course of his life he worshipped the sun, and that he bowed down to the east, in the morning when it rose, to the south at mid-day, and to the west in the evening; finally he became a heathen and [afterwards] a preacher. And the blessed Māran-ʿammeh came to the village of these men. Now there was in it a small school, and twelve scholars and their teacher, and he went into it when the teacher was making ready to have a passage read from the Bible, and the passage was from Isaiah. And the blessed man asked him what passage he was going to read, and [when he had told him] Mār Māran-ʿammeh said, "Leave this passage to-day, and begin from where I will shew thee. And he opened out the Book and shewed him [the passage], "Howl, O village; cry out and complain, O village; all Philistia is troubled; for smoke cometh forth from the north, and there is in thee no one person of his who striveth," and he added the passage which cometh after it.

7 And when he had finished, he answered and said to the teacher and to the scholars, "Get ye forth from this village, and go to Shalmath which is above you, for the ruin of the lords of the village is nigh. And on the following day men came from the north as they had read, and slew Shâbhôr, the lord of the village, and it became a ruin, and to this day no man dwelleth therein. 8 And from this village he came to Mayâ Karîre, the village of the honourable Zâdhâi, and there was in it a famous school, and he possessed seventy and two estates in Margâ, Gôghmal and Nineveh; now for what sin Mâr Mâran-ammeh cursed this man is hidden from us. And he answered and said to him, "Thou shalt fall from all this glory in which thou art, thy estates shall be taken from thee, and finally thou shalt perish of hunger;" which [thing] actually took place, to the great astonishment [of all], for his riches and glory departed, and all his estates became the property of strangers, and that during his lifetime and while his eyes could see it. And Shâbhôrân, the Shahrîgh, from the village of Kôph, related to me concerning this man, that in his old age he came to such absolute poverty that he must have brought in the beginning of the fast without bread, if a certain man of his household had not brought him a handful of wheat, which he roasted on hot coals, and thus brought in the fast of forty days.

9 Now there was in the village which was called Bêth Kârdâgh, a certain heretic who dwelt upon a pillar of limestone; now this man had dwelt for many years on this pillar, but from the swift punishment which came upon him by the hands of the holy man it was known that he performed all his labour and his dwelling thereon by the wish of devils. And when he saw the blessed man, and the multitudes that were with him, from afar off—now they followed close after him by reason of the wonderful deeds which he wrought, and it is said that seventy nobles of the Shahrighān and of the Dihkān accompanied him,—he understood that it was the Metropolitan. And he called quickly to his disciple and said to him, "Run fast and quickly before the Metropolitan of the Nestorians (for behold he cometh from Mayā Ḳarīrē), and salute him for me, saying, 'Thou knowest, my lord, the obligation by which I am bound and that it is not easy for me to come to salute thee; but I entreat thee by the love of our Lord, to draw near to me that I may see thee and be blessed by thee.'" Now when his disciple met Mār Māran-ʿammeh at some distance away, he bowed down before him, and repeated to him everything which his master had said. And the holy old man answered and said, "He who withholds a salutation from his companion forsaketh the fear of the Highest.

10 Then the man in the pillar-shaped tower, seeing that the Metropolitan had turned aside into the road which went to his village, and being confident that he was coming to visit him, thrust his head through the window and said to the people of his village. "Behold how excellent is my manner of life before God! for behold the head of the wicked Nestorians cometh to be blessed by me while ye despise me, and make a mock of my wishes. Now Shârzâdh, who was afterwards, when he became a monk, called George, and who became Catholicus, with his servants had gone out to the chase; and when he saw the Metropolitan he alighted from his horse, and was blessed by him. And Mâr Mâran-'ammeh asked him, "Whose son art thou, my son? and he said, "I am the son of Mihrói, from the village of Hennes; and Mâr Mâran-'ammeh said, "Mount thy horse, and come with us, for we are going to thy village. And when he had come and stood beneath the man in the tower he answered and said to the dweller [therein], "Why didst thou send after me? and the man said to him, "That I might salute thee and ask for thy prayers, O Mâr Metropolitan.

11 The blessed man said to him, "I have confidence in the mercy of our Lord, that if, as thou sayest, thou didst call me for the sake of greeting and love, our Lord will cleanse thy heart from [thy] blasphemy concerning His manhood, so that thou mayest understand Him [as] God and Man in one person of holy sonship; that He will make thee a member of the household of the true faith which we hold; that for all thy labour up to this day propitiation may be made, and that it may be acceptable before Him; and that He may hold thee worthy of the enjoyment of His kingdom with His saints. But if, on the other hand, thou hast, in the scorn of thy boasting, acted in a scoffing manner, may the Lord smite with hail-stones this tower upon which thou dwellest outside the doctrine of orthodoxy, and may it fall and be destroyed; and may fire go forth from the hail and consume thy body, and mayest thou be a reproach and a byword for all generations which shall come after. And those who were spectators tell me that with the word of the blessed old man, there appeared a little black cloud rising up and coming from Mount Matthew, and mighty thunders roared, and blazing lightnings played round about it, and it came on and rested over that pillar.

12 And the stones of which it was built were rent asunder and scattered abroad by mighty and violent hail-stones, and fire went forth from the hail, and set fire to the body of that wretched man and consumed it; and thus he became a mockery and a byword according to the curse [laid] upon him by the old man. Then Shârzâdh, that is [to say] George, when he saw the storm, and the things which had taken place, answered and said to the Metropolitan, "Is the power which cleaveth to the saints so mighty as this? and the Metropolitan said, "My son, what hast thou seen yet of the deeds of the Apostles? And George said to him, "If it be thus, as the Lord liveth, I will become a monk, and I will renounce the world, and everything that I have. The holy man said to him, "If now thou wilt do as thou sayest, and wilt make thyself a monk, our Lord will make thee the head of all His church; and the prophecy of the holy man actually happened to the blessed Shârzâdh. For he went and became a disciple in the monastery of Bêth 'Abhê, and when he had become the head of the monastery he said to the monks who were in his monastery, "My foot hath begun to tread the ladder of preferment according to the word of the blessed Mâran-ammeh;

13 and when he had been Metropolitan of Elam for twenty-five years, he sent to the sons of his monastery, saying, "Another step is reserved for me, according to the word of the holy man. And when Rabban Îshô bar-Nôn died, this George became Patriarch after him, 14 marvellous acts of strength, who spake and burned up him that dwelt insolently in a tower, avenged the blood of the righteous Mâr Nestorius." and he sent to his monastery, saying, "See, my brethren, the prophecy of Mâr Mâran-ʿammeh concerning me has, in very deed, been fulfilled." Now therefore the blessed Mâr Mâran-ʿammeh went forth from Hennes, and he went up in anger to the province of Birtâ, against the village of Heṭrê, and against it he also cast the arrow of his curses, saying, "There shall never be bread in thee, and the life of everyone who shall dare to dwell in thee shall perish by famine and sickness;" and this village also was clothed with the curse, and it became a ruin for ever. And from these [deeds] the blessed man returned to his habitation like a valiant soldier, who had destroyed the enemies of his lord, and who had overthrown their lands for ever, and who had scattered to every wind those that were left.

Chapter 12. Of the drought and famine which took place in the days of the holy mâr mâran-ʿammeh, and of the wonder which he shewed by his staff

1 Now in the time of the extreme old age of the holy man there took place in the countries of his against the Catholicus Timothy whom, playing upon his name, he called Tâlcmathêôs or "God-reviler," and when Timothy died he was elected Catholicus A. D. 820. He sat four years, and died aged eighty-four years; he was buried in the Monastery of Kelîl-Îshô' (See B. O., ii. pp. 434, 435; Bar-Hebraeus, Chron. Eccles., ii. col. 181). For 'Abhd-Îshô's list of his works see B. O., iii. 1, p. 165. dominion the great drought which is called by the Elders the "first drought", since this took place following the two hundred and fourth year of the Arabs; and the famine waxed very great during the drought, and slew many by its severity. And when the blessed man saw the orphans and widows that were dying of hunger, he rose up and went to Ḥesnâ 'Ebhrâyâ, and he began to go round and to ask alms of the believers, wherewith he might feed the orphans and poor people

2 which none remembered ever to have blown before,"; see Gottwaldt, Hamzae Ispahanensis Annalium, Leipzig, 1844, vol. 1, p. 188; Abû-'l-Maḥâsm, ed. Juynboll, vol. 1, p. 801; and Bar-Hebraeus, Historia Dynastiarum, Oxford 1663, pp. 92, 93, 94, 98. of his country. And because they were well acquainted with his greatness, and with the Apostolic wonders and mighty deeds which he wrought, the believing lovers of God gave to him abundantly. And when he had collected much money, and went forth to come [to his own country], certain thieves who had watched him from Môṣul to Bèth Tartar of the Ninevites, went before him on the road, and lay hidden in a mountain hollow and watched for him to pass by. And when he passed by singing a psalm, they knew that he had none of his property with him; but when his disciples entered that hollow, the thieves rose up and laid hold upon the possessions which were under them. And his disciples cried out to him, and he turned back and saw the thieves making ready to carry off everything that he had with him. And he said to his disciples, "Give me my staff;" and when they had given it to him, he tied his turban cloth around the top of it, and threw it towards heaven in anger. And he began to weep, saying, "My soul abhorreth that which troubleth it;" how many are they increased who trouble me; how many are my days in which thou dost not depart from me, and in which I do not see evil days?

3 Dynastiarum, pp. 404, 441; and Tuch, De Nino Urbe, p. 49. In Bk. iv. chap. 5 is said to be in "Nineveh" and in Bk. v. chap. 2 it is said to be a "town". for behold now thou hast delivered the alms which I have begged for the poor into the hands of the spoilers." Now the rod stood between earth and heaven, and a gentle wind was blowing towards the holy man, but sparks of fire came forth from the knotted fringes of the turban cloth, and smote the thieves in their faces. And when they saw this wonder they were in great fear, and they let go their hands from the mules, and asked for alms from him like wretched beggars, saying, "Consider us also, O blessed man, like those poor people to whom thou art carrying this money, and give us alms from it, for it is through hunger that we have done this." And he commanded his disciples, and they gave money to them, and thus those thieves turned back, and travelled on their way rejoicing; and when they came to their habitation they proclaimed continually throughout the whole country the wonderful thing which the blessed man had wrought. These are [some of] the glorious things of the holy Mâr Mâran-ʿammeh, and these are the miracles which he wrought; it is evident that we have only written down some few of them, for the complete accounts have been blotted out through the lapse of time, and through the remissness of scribes who have neglected to set down in writing for us [all] the noble acts of the blessed man.

Chapter 13. Of the sickness which smote the holy man, and of his departure from this life of time to that of eternity

1 Now when the blessed man had arrived at infirm old age, after he had laboured prosperously in the vineyard of his Lord from the breasts and from tender childhood to the evening of advanced old age, the glorious end of his contests drew near and arrived. And he perceived the beginning of his fatal sickness, and commanded and they prepared an animal for him to ride upon, and he went to the Monastery of Bârka with the hope that he would gain benefit from drinking the waters of the Tigris. Now when he had tarried there ten days, and saw that every day he was going backwards, he rose up to come to his country, and when he arrived at the village of Bēth Rēwāi, he went in to lie there for the night. And when the inhabitants of Rēwāi saw that his departure from [this] life was at hand, they would not allow him to depart from them; and with all manner of reasons and deeds they worked that he might finish his course with them, and that his holy body might be laid in their church. And Mār Māran-ʿammeh sent secretly to Lōhrāsāph, and he came to him;

2 and while Lōhrāsāph was weeping in his presence, because he saw that he was already laid in the chamber of the tomb, the holy man quieted him, and whispered to him, saying, "I desire and very much wish to lie in thy church, and it is also the will of our Lord that I should be laid there, for thy village is about to become a very rich and much inhabited place; but these villagers are scheming and planning all manner of devices so as not to allow me to depart from here. Do thou then ask for thy ten thousand zūzē from me, and demand from them either that they shall give thee ten thousand zūzē, and that thou shalt leave me here to them, or that they shall allow thee to carry me with thee to thy village. And Lōhrāsāph began to speak to the Metropolitan in an audible voice, saying, "Master, give me that money, ten thousand zūzē, which thou didst borrow from me before thy departure, give it to me, for it is my children's means of subsistence; and the Metropolitan promised, saying, "I am in debt to thee, carry me away that I may go and give thee the money. And when the inhabitants of Rêwâi began to prevent him, the holy man said to them, "If ye wish to keep me back give this nobleman the ten thousand zûzê which I owe him, or depart from me that I may go and give them to him while I am alive.

3 Now the inhabitants of Rêwâi were poor and were wholly unable to do this, and he commanded that they should prepare an animal for him to ride on, and when he had come half way on the road, the soul of the blessed man departed, and went by the hands of holy angels with spiritual hymns of praise to Paradise, and rested with the spirits and souls of the righteous who have been made perfect. And the nobles and the dahkânê of the village, together with the multitudes who came from the estates round about, paid honour to his holy body, and bore it with the ceremony which befitted the greatness of his person, and laid it in the church close by the of the, on the right hand side, that it might be in this 4 altar of sacrifice, stood. (Compare soleas, Pars templi quae Bemati observatur, quae uno aut altero gradu aedis sacrae pavimento eductior est. bema Sacrarium, Locus in templo ubi consistant sacerdotes, et quem nulli Laico ingredi fas erat. Du Cange, Glossarium, coll. 195, 1513). The also included the and its pavement was three steps above the pavement of the rest of the church. (See B. O., iii. ii. p. 802, note 1). seems to mean primarily a "tiled pavement" (compare Bekker, Anedota Graeca, Tom. 1. p. 269, l. 27, where kalamidas is explained by e tous thelukous kalamous tous pros sundesmon ton plinthinon katastromaton tes oikodomias), and cannot be older than the edaphos plinthois katastromenon which was laid on the ground before the temple where the altar of burnt sacrifice was placed. is also the "deck of a vessel; compare katastromata, tes neos meros, en o estotes naumachousin, Hesychius, Lexicon, ed. Schmidt, Jena, 1857, p. 435. On men-of-war the katastroma must have been the uppermost deck of all, as the combatants were posted on it when the ship went into action: see Thucydides, i. 49. 1,3; Polybios, i. 44. 3; Plutarch, Themistocles, 14, Antonius, 67. On merchant-men the katastroma must also have been the uppermost deck, for the depth of the ship was reckoned from the katastroma to the bottom of the hold: see Lucian, navigium, V. See also Kraus, Real-Encyklopädie der Christlichen Alterthümer, Freiburg in Breisgau, 1880, articles ambon, bema (vol. 1, pp. 43—46), and Basilica (vol. 1, pp. 109—143); De Vogüé, Syrie Centrale, Planches 119, 126, 138;

5 L'Eglise de Saint-Férémie à Abou-Gosch (Emmaus), with plans, by C. Mauss in Revue Archéologique, 3ième Série, Tom. xix. p. 223 ff. and Assemânî, B. O., iii. 1, p. 537, capp. 3 and 5; iii. ii. pp. 795, 821, 835. In Assemânî, Codex Liturgicus, tom. ix. Appendix, p. 281, note 2, we have explained by Cancellos "qui Ecclesiae Sanctuariam a Navi, seu loco fidelium separant. From comes the Arabic balustrade en bois ou en bronze autour du cénotaphe d'un saint. Dozy, Supplément, tom. ii. p. 358, col. 2. 6 world before the face of the Lord in His holy temple as long as the world endureth, even as he will be on the right hand of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ, for everlasting, in that world where there is no space of time to be divided into seasons and years; and his holy body is a fountain of help for the afflicted and diseased, and a strong wall to the whole village. Let us praise God, the Lord of all, Who made the holy man victorious, and the honourable Ḥasān who zealously encouraged setting down his history in writing, that his glorious acts and deeds might not flee into oblivion, but that they might all be brought to light. May we be preserved from every harmful thing in this world by his prayers, and in the next may we be neighbours in the happiness which God hath prepared for the holy man; and may we all together praise and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, and may His grace and mercy be with us all, now and always, for ever and ever! Amen.

7 Here endeth the history of the similitude of the manner of life of the holy and pious Mār Māran-ʿammeh, Metropolitan Bishop of Adiabene; to God be glory, and upon us His mercy, Amen! ing, meant the beginning of the; compare Payne Smith, Thes., col. 2727; and "limina Cancellorum," B. O., iii. ii. p. 821, l. 28. In Brit. Mus. Or. 2441, fol. 342b, col. 2, we have A METRICAL HOMILY ALSO UPON THE HOLY MĀRAN-ʿAMMEH WHICH WAS COMPOSED BY MĀR THOMAS, BISHOP OF MARGĀ. Response. May We FIND MERCY THROUGH THE PRAYERS OF THE PRIEST WHOSE COMMEMORATION IS CELEBRATED WITH GREAT HONOUR IN OUR CONGREGATION.

My Brethren, Bless Ye the Lord!

8 O lovers of truth, bring near to my wretchedness the entreaty of truth, That I may weave with my words a crown of the praises of the pious man. The children of the nobility of this world, and of that of Christ, Have asked from me a petition wholly full of the love of the righteous man. 5 The guests of light, and those who enjoy the Living Mystery Have made me the means [of recounting] the glorious praises of the noble labourer. The children of the right hand have urged my uninstructed right hand To paint a picture of his perfection full of beauty. The chief of pastors, and the father of priests, Māran-ʿammeh, 10 The man who was pre-eminent in the Holy Church, they wish to praise. The watchful shepherd, and steward of the treasures of the Spirit, Their command seeketh to crown by means of our speech.

9 To the angel of light, to the pure and entirely holy man, May they and I devote our words on the day of his commemoration. 15 And with the offering and sacrifice of truth, which his vigil requireth, We will compose a discourse in which [his] contests shall be sung. And while with my mouth and understanding I take refuge in his prayer, May my tongue well up with a pleasing discourse on his glorious deeds. May my feeble speech travel on with his history, 20 And may it repeat the stories concerning him, in order, even as they were performed. The holy man sprang from Ḥaṭre a city in Ṭirhân, From a family and holy race of righteous men. Mâran-ʿammeh was he named by his parents, And as in prophecy [he was named] with a noble name [so also] his person was distinguished. 25 Our Lord Jesus was with him, and chose him for Himself,

10 And from his youth up He set him aside and sanctified him for His household. To be a member of His heavenly household was the holy man worthy, And as he grew in bodily stature he increased in the doctrine of Life. And when the beloved youth had arrived at early manhood, 30 He forsook his parents, and friends, and relations, and kinsmen. He despised and contemned the love of the world which passeth away, And he fastened his love upon Him that had chosen him, as upon an anchor. The love of his Lord inflamed the mind of the noble labourer, And he began to walk on the way of life as to heaven. 35 Now at that time the much enlightened Rabban Bābhai Was praised by many on account of his teaching. In his city Gēbhiltā the teacher of truth founded a school, And like the Tigris a fountain of learning flowed from his belly.

11 By the theory and practice of his teaching 40 He made the truth of his enlightenment shine upon many. Towards this man did [Mār Māran-ʿammeh] direct the impetus of his steps at the beginning of his way, That he might be his disciple as was Joshua of Moses the Great, Before this [man] he was instructed in the writings of the Spirit, And in the expositions of Theodore, the scribe of truth. 45 By the vigilance of his mind was he directed in a straight line, And he received fully the doctrine of the Holy Church. Now when the Lord stirred up the heart of Rabban Bâbhai, To go up to our country, and to sow in it the teaching of Life, He associated Mâran-ʿammeh with him in that going up, 50 Like Jesus, the son of Jozadak and Zerubbabel. They two arrived with many [people] at the country of Arbela,

12 And first of all planted a great school in Kêphar ʿUzzêl. Peter; on Titus, and Philemon, and Hebrews for Cyrinus; and five volumes on the works of the other apostles. He wrote a book on the "Sacraments;" another on "Faith;" two volumes on the "Priesthood;" two volumes on the "Holy Spirit;" one volume on the "Incarnation;" two volumes against "Eunomius;" two volumes against those who would say, "Sin is ingrained in [our] nature;" two volumes "against Magianism;" one volume "to Monks;" one on "obscure speech"; one volume on "Perfection of manner of life;" five volumes against "Allegorists,"; one volume "on behalf of Basil;" one volume on "the taker and that which is taken,"; "the Book of the Pearl," in which his letters are collected; and a "discourse on the laying down of the Law",. See Asse-manî, B. O., iii. 1, pp. 30—35; iii. ii. pp. 190, 203, 227, 228; Bar-Hebraeus, Chron. Eccles., i. col. 124; ii. coll. 58, 64, 74; Fabricius, Bibl. Graec., vol. x. p. 346ff.; Tillemont, Mémoires, tom. vi. p. 219 (ed. Brussels 1732); and Wright, Catalogue of Syriac MSS., p. 1329, col. 1.

13 And when it flourished with scholars and doctors, He left it in the hands of Mâran-ʿammeh and went away from it, That he might go and plant other schools like unto it, And place in them teachers from among his disciples. The holy Rabban Bâbhai planted sixty schools, And established sixty men, teachers of the truth, in them. He ordained that Mâran-ʿammeh should be established in this our [school], And he departed to Gêbhîltâ, and there he died. Mâran-ʿammeh became a teacher in this church, In which his venerable body was laid at the end of his life. By the glorious rays of his teaching and manner of life Every one round about him shone by the power of the grace which clave to him. He became a teacher and a preacher of the Spirit, And he preached and taught the doctrine of his Lord like Paul. He planted spiritual cuttings in the courtyards of the Church, And he reared them upon the rain and dew which [fell] from his lips.

14 He weaned his body from the dainty things of all manner of pleasant foods, 70 And by voluntary abstinence from a life of softness he emaciated his body. The mind which is devoted to the flesh is wont to beget a thick belly, When it remaineth barren of the mind devoted to spiritual things. He sanctified himself to be an offering to the name of the Creator, And he cleansed his heart from all the passions of the body and soul. 75 His thoughts shone like incorporeal light, He made his feelings to possess a chaste demeanour, and a pure report. At every moment he made his eyes to be occupied with the writings of the Spirit, He also sanctified his hands by means of almsgiving. His feet had for a firm standing-place truth and rectitude, 80 As it is written concerning his fellows in the writings of the Spirit.

15 He became a temple and a pure shrine according to the command, And was a dwellingplace for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, As our Lord Jesus promised to the friends of His love, That they should be a dwelling for His Godhood in the manner of their lives. 85 Moreover his Lord gave him the [power] of healing all sicknesses, And He blessed by his hand also the signs of the Cross which he made. From his right hand sicknesses of all kinds fled, And by his blessings he made the sterile fruitful, and dried up wombs he made fertile. And although he excelled in all divine beauties, 90 Praise to his Lord was attributed by all mouths. And from the labour of teaching the Spirit raised him up, To the great glory of the headship of the Holy Church, To the throne of Salâkh, the country of Yânes (Jannes) mentioned by the Apostles.

16 His Lord distinguished him [as] a good servant to lead His sheep. 95 The good shepherd received five talents from the Spirit, And like that wise steward he made use of them with skill and care. The provisions of time he made use of in an excellent manner, [being] truly wise, And there accrued to him the blessing of our Lord [which is] in the Gospel. He went to his country and began to visit the flocks of his Lord, 100 And to rear them, and to make them increase according to the command. He set out for a village which was called Bêth Nâwâ, and he heard and learned That one tare had taken root and begun to grow among the wheat. He tore up this tare by its root, and gave it to the fire, And it became its own murderer, like Saul. 105 He passed over to another [village], and there was a young man, the son of a widow,

17 Being carried out to the grave of the dead, with great sorrow. He saw the poor [mother] tearing out her hair unsparingly, And crying out upon her only son with tears of suffering. "Woe is me, woe is me, my beloved son," she cried out, 110 "For after thee I have no other to open or to shut for me. "Let the old woman thy mother die with thee, and not survive thee, "That her life may not be days full of death." The tears streamed from the eyes of the watchful shepherd for the sake of his ewe, And he commanded them to take the body back to the church that he might pray over it. 115 He put out all men and remained alone with the dead, And began [to pray] with tears and fervent prostrations. His Lord Who saw the prayer and the tears which were offered to Him,

18 Restored the soul of the young man to its body, and rejoiced His servant. With sorrow the earnest master prayed for him that was lying there, And our Lord made His glorious light to shine [on them] as on Paul, When he went forth to persecute the apostles who were in Damascus. They also returned to what was seemly, like Paul, 130 And they confessed Jesus [to be] the God of all, and the Son of God. He subdued the untamed mule, and it received the bridle With quietness and tranquillity, according to his command. He drove away from the wall of the holy temple a nest of ants, And in a moment they all departed through his prayers. 135 And while the tried priest was excelling in such-like things, The Spirit lifted him up another step higher than this. Metropolitan of all Adiabene, and Margâ, and Ḥephtôn, The Spirit entrusted to him to hold the oars of the elect Church.

19 And with the advancement from grade to grade of the pious man, our father 140 Was also exalted by miracles which were exceedingly sublime. Before the coming of the mighty man to this country Certain men dared to seize the mill belonging to the episcopal house. And when he saw their avariciousness and obstinate strife [concerning it] He carried them to the mill that he might shew them the truth of what he said. 145 "Let us all go to the mill, and it shall teach us To whom it belongeth and who hath a right to it, whether you or I". The believing nobles and also the assembly of the priests went with him That they might see how and what would come to pass from that which should be wrought. He adjured the mill, and instead of wheat it ground out ashes, 150 He commanded it again, and it changed the ashes to pure flour.

20 The large assembly of spectators who were with him marvelled, And the avaricious men were put to shame, and left the mill in the hands of the righteous man. As unto Moses dumb things of nature were submissive unto him, And he brought forth from them the power of wonder and marvel. 155 In the country of Margâ there were men of evil life, The Lord was stirred up to reward them twofold into their bosom. He sent one of the Watchers to the soldier of the Spirit, That he might arm himself, and make an end of them by his curses. The spiritual being came, and manifested himself to the noble labourer, 160 When he was standing in prayer and vigil according to his custom. The holy man saw the spiritual Watcher and marvelled and was astonished, And he asked for what cause he had come to him. "I am," said he, "the guardian angel

21 Who ministereth to the throne of this country by the command of my Lord. 165 And the Nod which ruleth creation and maketh times to pass away hath sent me, That thou mayest go and destroy the blind people who have trodden His laws under foot, A foolishly wicked and godless people in the country of Margâ Who by thy hands shall suffer death and destruction. Take hold of the sword of the Word of our Lord without pity, 170 And cast down and destroy good and evil men without sparing." He made answer to the Watcher, "I cannot do this deed, Because the Creator needeth not for power the help of man. By the hand of angels He overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, And now by the hand of the Watchers on high let Him do this." 175 The Watcher answered, "Do not dispute my words, For whether thou wilt, or whether thou wilt not, perforce thou must go".

22 And when the Watcher had disappeared from him, he departed and fled, That he might live the life of an anchorite in the wilderness far away from men, Like Jonah when he fled by sea to Tarshish, 180 That he might not go at his Lord's command to the city of Nineveh. The Watcher overtook the blessed old man, and surrounded him with fire, Threatening him that if he would not return he would consume him. The Lord brought Jonah in the belly of the fish back to land, And He terrified our father with fire and he turned back. 185 The mighty man arose, the charioteer mounted, the athlete made ready, And he took in his quiver eight arrows breathing death, That he might make them devour the flesh and blood of evil men, And perform by them the vengeance of wrath according to what they deserved. Like Joshua, holding the spear after the manner of a warrior, 190 And being wrathful and full of fighting zeal against the iniquitous, He went up to the village, the name of which was Birtâ, and the Watcher showed him, [Saying,] "Curse this village and its inhabitants by the wrath of thy words." He stood upon a hill and waved his hand like David, He took one arrow from his quiver, and cursed the village, and passed on, 195 And at once from every side fire went forth, And licked it up like stubble, and it came to an end and perished suddenly. He came to the village of Bêth Ṭêḥûnâi, which is situated on the bank of a river, In this village was a whoremonger who was exceedingly cruel.

23 The holy man called him and began to rebuke him, as he would his sons, 200 "What I hear thou art doing is not right, Cease from the way that leadeth to Gehenna, and return To that which is proper, and the hatefulness of thy [past] life shall be forgiven thee." The wretched man who was worthy of the death of the Sodomites, turned, And as Shimei cast dirt at the just man David, 205 He sent forth his hand like Shimei(?) against the holy man, And answered the master and good shepherd with words of mocking scorn. [Mâran-ʿammeh] rose up, and went forth and took a spiritual arrow, And shot it into him, and cursed him and his village in great anger, "Be thou swallowed up in the earth like Abiram and the wicked men his companions; 210 Thy village shall be overthrown, and the earth shall cover it and its inhabitants."

24 Suddenly there appeared Watchers of fire like horsemen, One on the plain, one on the mountain, each facing each. The Watcher above answered, "Thou below, and I above, Let us make the village sink into the earth, and consume its inhabitants within it." 215 The earth reeled, and gave forth a sound like the sea. The mountain which was above the village thundered with violent thunders. And the earth was opened below it, and it was swallowed up, And the smoke of it began to go up like that of Sodom. Darkness remained above it for sixty days, 220 The report flew abroad, like a bird, into all countries. [Māran-ʿammeh] came and arrived at BēthʿAināthā and Ḥabūshtā, And he sent two arrows flying into them and destroyed them. A violent wind like that of Job blew suddenly, And they fell and were destroyed [and remained] without inhabitants for ever. 225 He passed on from these villages to the little village of Bēth Edhrē,

25 And with a sharp arrow he rent it asunder, saying, "Howl, O village, complain, O village, for thine inhabitants, For thou shalt put on mourning by the reason of the nearness of complete desolation". Like Bêlṭeshâṣar by Darius on the last night, 230 Was slain Shâbhôr, the Lord of the village, and all who were therein fled. He went forth from these villages and in his quiver [were] three arrows, Five had been emptied on the villages which he had passed and they had destroyed them. He came to the village of Zâdhôi the nobleman, He took an arrow and drew it out from himself for his bitterness, 235 He shot it at Zâdhôi, and prophesied to him what was about to come to pass, "All the glory with which thou art clothed thou shalt be made to put away, And thou shalt live a life of hunger and misery."

26 And this happened to the old man Zâdhôi even as [Mâran-'ammeh] had said to him. In Kârdhâghîâ there was a man who lived on a pillar, 240 Like a vulture and an unclean carrion crow seated on a hill. He distinguished from afar the star of dawn by his clear light, And the son of darkness thought and decided that he would make a mock of him. He cried out to his disciple to go out quickly to meet him, And to ask him to turn aside to him that he might be blessed [by him]. 245 He saw that the blessed old man had turned aside to pass by his way, And he put on boasting, and he laid out his tongue for blaspheming. He answered and said to the dwellers in the village below him, "Behold, even the head of the Nestorians hath need of my salutation, While in your opinion, I am of little worth, and despicable, and of small account,

27 250 And ye do not confess the hidden power in which I dwell." The strenuous soldier turned aside to the son of destruction, And he came to the crafty one, and asked him in love for what reason he had called him. That man answered him falsely, "That I might be blessed [by thee] Did I send that thou shouldst come to me, and that I might see thy face." 255 "I have confidence in that God Whom I serve," The holy man with righteous mouth made answer to the wicked one, "If, according to this thy word, thou hast called me to be blessed [by me], May our Lord draw off the veil of darkness from thy understanding, May He make the light of His belief to shine in thy mind, 260 That thou mayest confess Him and know Him [to be] God [and] Man, in one Sonship." He took from his quiver a poisoned and fire-scattering arrow, And he added to it that which was meet from that of Zâdhô, He placed it in the bow, and directed its aim towards the pillar, He stretched the string and shot the arrow, and it smote him and passed on. 265 [Saying], "If, O servant of devils, thou hast called me to disgrace and mock me, May the Lord smite this thy tower with hailstones, And mayest thou fall among the stones thereof into an evil death,

28 May fire go forth from within the hail and devour thy bones, Mayest thou be a mocking and a byword to all generations. 270 And all those who pass by the way shall make a mock of thee for ever!" At the words of the mighty old man, which were filled with death, A cloud of darkness filled with hail, and [having] fire inside it, Suddenly surrounded the whole tower like a garment, To take vengeance upon the despicable scoffer who had acted insolently. 275 And the coming down of the [hail-]stones upon the pillar was [a sight] to see! [They were] like the [hail-]stones which the Lord brought down by Joshua the son of Nun. Every man stood at a distance looking at that which was done, And fear and wonder filled the hearts of the multitudes that were with him. The wretched man was beaten to pieces, and fire went forth and consumed his body,

29 280 And the old man avenged our father Mâr Nestorius. The despicable offspring of bats, the lover of darkness, Threatened to make war, forsooth, with an eagle of mighty wings. His claw smote him on the head, and ripped him open, and cast him into the darkness of his nest, The stone crushed him, the fire devoured him, and he remained for perdition. 285 He became a reproach for the wayfarers, and a proverb for generations, According to what the sanctified mouth of our pious father said. The head of the Holy Church was exalted by reason of that which was wrought, And the heretics, the followers of Severus were made a mockery. The report flew like a bird into all countries, 290 And the hidden power which is in holy men was glorified. And to George, by the spirit of revelation, he prophesied, [saying], "Our Lord Jesus will exalt thee to be the head of all His Church",

30 And also to this man was this thing wrought in a sublime manner, And he was appointed Catholicus and Patriarch of the Church. 295 He went forth from these [villages], being led by the hand of the angel, To the village of Ḥeṭrē which is situated at the ends of the earth. And the arrow which was left he threw and cast at it, and it remained a ruin, Its inhabitants forsook it, and they were scattered about to all countries. The Lord made to disappear and scattered from village to village 300 Those who went forth, like brands from the fire. Their mighty villages he left in ruin, And the stones of their buildings he piled up in heaps like hills. The strenuous soldier passed on and came to his throne, His garments were red with the blood of men like a treader of grapes, 305 Like a treader of grapes in the winepress had he trodden their bodies,

31 And he had pierced them with sharp arrows and had destroyed them. May our Lord Jesus have mercy upon them through his prayers, And may He hold to be sufficient for them the judgment with which they were judged in this world. His Nod beareth all sinners graciously, 310 And by means of them He spreadeth out His righteousness without sparing. His dispensation is hidden from us, namely, why He made an end of the good and evil together. A mighty famine took place in the days of the good shepherd, Want, in which there was no solace, spread over every thing. 315 Starving men and languishing beggars and orphans increased, The blessed man saw their afflictions and was pained and was grieved. He went to the city of the Athôrâyê on their behalf, To collect from them a sack full of alms and oblations for them. Every man gave to him with a full and ever flowing hand,

32 320 For they held him to be like unto a prophet and an Apostle. The things which he wrought shone brightly in their sight, For he was established as a mighty man in their opinion. He took the money which had been given to him with diligent zeal, And he went forth from thence like Abraham from Egypt. 325 There met him on the way six wicked men who were thieves, And they dared to plunder him, and likewise to take the money which he had with him. He took his rod, and tied his turban cloth upon the top of it, and threw it up into the air. And what had been done was bitter, and painful and grievous to him. He cried out with mournful sighs to our Redeemer concerning his injury, 330 And he called his days a life full of every affliction. "Behold from the time that I came into the world I have lived an evil life,

33 And a little rest hath never appeared to me in the habitation of time". His rod stood [in the air], and that spiritual being who accompanied him, Surrounded it on all sides with arrows of fire. 335 He emitted and shot out sparks from the fringes of the turban cloth, And they came down and lighted upon the faces of those evil men. They were overcome and brought low by the fiery darts of the burning, They sought to escape and were no longer wishful to do harm to his holiness. "Restrain from thy servants, O blessed old man, the sparks of fire, 340 Let us depart as we have come in this matter. Famine compelled us and through necessity have we done this thing, Spare our lives which are come to an end and are extinguished by the suffering of hunger". The holy man took a handful of his blessings (alms),

34 And made the men participators in his provisions, and went on his way, 345 The blessed man being by what he had done like unto The mercy of the God of the universe in respect of our wickednesses. He distributed the silver and gold which he had brought to the mouths of the starving, And he wisely fed the orphans and the needy. And while the glorious priest was excelling in such things, 350 He was advancing in years, and becoming old and grey. He drew near, and had already come to the end of his days And the end of his course began to appear, and the conclusion of his life. Sickness came upon him, and the powers of his body began to be enfeebled, And little by little his body melted away, and came to an end, and perished. 355 His ship came to rest in the harbour of peace away from storms,

35 And his rich cargo went forth uninjured from among the waves. He forsook the dwelling of mortality, reserved for corruption, And in the pure path of all the righteous he ended his journey. His soul departed in the hands of the Watchers, borne with great honour, 360 And with the songs and hymns of praise of the spiritual beings, His pious soul entered into Paradise, and rested. And the triumph of its labours and their rewards are preserved in silence, Until the day in which our Lord shall be revealed in great glory, And it shall return and put on glory in its temple. 365 The multitudes and all ranks [of people] bore with honour his venerable body, With hymns and songs of praise of the Holy Spirit. They laid him in the temple to the right of the holy altar, A mystery [is] that position which is prepared for him in heaven above.

36 May our Lord guard our feebleness by his prayers, 370 And surround with the wall of Thy care the sheep of Thy flocks. At his entreaty rain down Thy showers upon our fields, And drive away from them granary worms, and locusts, and hail, and the scorching wind. May our crop become [increased] an hundredfold, like that of Isaac, That the offering of the humble as well as of the great man may come to Thy home. 375 Bless, O our Lord, the herds of our cattle, and the flocks of our sheep, That orphans and the needy may be clothed from them like those of Job. Prosper and bless the rich like Jacob; That the needy may feed at their table [as at that of] Abraham. Enrich the poor with riches sufficient for sustaining their lives, 380 That by reason of their abundance they may confess Thy goodness at all times.

37 Support the old men with the strength of Thy power, and make them young men, That they may teach early manhood chastity of life. choir, (text. p. 171, l. 6), so he will one day stand at the right hand of the presence of God. Bless all young people, nourish the children, and cherish the ailing, Satisfy the hungry, and feed the orphans that they may praise Thee. 385 Fill the garment of the widow with Thy food, That she may not be left without the means of sustaining her life. Magnify and honour the reverend priests who minister in Thy holy things, And clothe with glory the deacons who bear Thy altar. Preserve, O our Lord, this our monastery from the spoilers, 390 And establish every thing belonging to it in Thy mercy and by Thy grace. Hide our lives from all our affliction in the shadow of Thy wings,

38 And put away from us every sickness and every injury. Drive away from Thy servants the evil oppression of those who hate us, And may Thy compassion abound towards us at every moment to preserve our lives. 395 May faith spring up within us like a root, And true righteousness like the fruit thereof. Sustain our feebleness at every moment to stand before Thee, As it is meet for good servants who love their lord. May this church, in which is placed the body of the righteous man Thy servant, 400 Pour out the truth of the doctrine of life for ever. Protect our Father the Metropolitan, and increase by his hands The flocks of Thy sheep and of Thy pasture like unto Paul. Bless the priests and the Levites who are round about him, And according to Thy pleasure may they increase the talents which they have taken from Thee.

39 405 [Bless] believing men and women also, and all ranks [of people] Who go in before Thee to pray in this temple. Make them worthy, that in the church which is in Heaven above, They may praise Thy name together with the hosts of the righteous who have been made perfect. Also upon the hands and mouth which wrote down the triumph of Thy servant 410 Let Thy tribunal shew compassion, according to the wont of Thy graciousness. And him that was, by his entreaty, the cause of our history, Protect in this world, and in the next make worthy of the festal chamber of Thy light. Pardon the offences of all the children of the Holy Church, And let those who are written down by Thee, live through Thee, according to Thy will. 415 From the mouth of us all, may there be praise to Thee, and to Thy Father glory, And to the Holy Spirit exaltation, for ever and ever, Amen.

40 By the help of our Lord [here] endeth the discourse which was composed and written by the command of the wise and learned nobleman Mār Ḥasān, the son of Sabhr-Īshōʿ, the teacher of truth, upon the holy and blessed Mār Māranʿammeh, the Metropolitan Bishop. [Here] endeth the Third Book.

Book IV — Chapter 1. The Introduction to the Book

1 Now as among the ancient people the priest, in that law which foreshadowed these things which we now have, seasoned the offerings of the Lord with salt which could be perceived by the senses, even as it is said, "Upon all thy offerings thou shalt sprinkle salt, and thou shalt not neglect the salt of the covenant of the Lord thy God", so also let us come and season these things which we have with the salt which can be perceived by the mind, and let us join to our histories, in every place where it is necessary, the words of the Holy Scriptures. And as the offerings of old received an additional sweetness from the salt, so also will these our histories acquire an additional flavour through the salt of the words from the writings of the Spirit. And first of all let the blessed Evagrius cast his contribution with us into this discourse which we are about to write upon his fellow-workers, and let us hearken unto his counsel and take heed unto his command, for he speaketh unto us, saying, "Look into thine own self, lest for the sake of profit, or transient glory, or that it may be well with thee, thou darest to speak about that which is not seemly, and art cast forth from divine circles (assemblies), like that man who sold young doves in the Temple".

2 It is necessary then, that above all things we should cleave to the truth, and that we should carefully preserve the order of truth, so that we may not err from what is seemly, but that we may write and may make manifest those things which stir up in the hearts of the prudent glory to God, Who in the early, middle and latter [generations] shewed forth and still sheweth forth His power, and Who honoured and held to be worthy of the same reward of one dînâr those who had laboured in the vineyard of His commandments the whole day, and those who had laboured for some hours, and those who had laboured for one hour [only].

Chapter 2. Of the blessed rabban îshô-yahbh, the head of the monastery, whence he came, of what parents he was born, and of how he was brought up

1 In the three books which precede this, which is the fourth, the matter of our discourse hath undertaken to relate the histories of holy men, some of which have been written down by skilled writers, and some of which have not been put on record. Of those histories which exist in writing we have written such things as [their writers] omitted, and which we either found in the histories of others, or which were handed down to us by hearsay; but those histories which do not exist in writing, and which are inscribed neither in works specially devoted to them, nor in other places, I have learned from the very old men who were to be found in this monastery, and according as Christ our Lord hath aided me I have made them to possess consecutive order, and have laid them before thee [O 'Abd-Îshô']. And behold now, by the help of our Lord and by thy prayers, I will proceed with my rehearsing of them, and with my feeble ability will relate the histories of these holy men who a short time ago served our Lord in this holy monastery, and all the things concerning them which were luminously pointed out to me by the holy men who lived in their days, and who became also their disciples. At the beginning of their histories we will place the account of the triumphs of the holy Rabban Îshô'-yahbh. Now this Îshô'-yahbh of holy memory was by race from this country of Margâ;

2 he sprang from an honourable and noble family, and was a kinsman of the Patriarch Îshô'-yahbh the Great. The village in which he was born and brought up was Tellâ, a village in the province of Birtâ, and he became a disciple in this monastery from his youth at the hands of the Metropolitan Bishop Mār John, when he was head of the monastery. And when the holy Mār Aḥā, the head of the monastery, was consecrated Metropolitan after Mār John, this holy man was elected head of this monastery; and when the Bishop of Nineveh, Mār Abraham, of blessed life, died, the people of Nineveh begged and entreated that he might be their bishop, and the blessed Mār Aḥā ordained Mār Īshō-yahbh bishop, and sent him to Nineveh; and he performed the episcopal office until he was crowned with old age. And when the pious Hēnān-Īshō, this other Catholicus, died, and a synod was assembled to appoint a Catholicus, the election to the patriarchate was ordered and prepared for the blessed Mār Īshō-yahbh by all the Bishops and Metropolitans and heads of believers so that he became the Patriarch.

Chapter 3. Of mâr timothy, bishop of bêth bêghâsh, and of the prophecy which was made concerning him by one of the old men [in the monastery]

1 Now there was in this monastery a certain solitary, who was an exceedingly old man, with whose name I am unacquainted. Now Timothy had an uncle whose name was George, who was Bishop of the country of Bêth Bêghâsh, and he sent the boy Timothy from him to Rabban Mâr Abraham the Expositor, when he was in Bâshôsh, a village of Saphsâphâ, and the boy made his passage [thither by way of] this monastery. And when that holy old man came to this community, and saw the youth who was standing up, it was revealed to him that he was to be exalted above all who were there by Christ our Lord, and he knew that he was to be a chief in the Church of God. And when [the service in] the church was ended, he took him with him to his cell, and made him sit down, and asked him, saying, "Whence comest thou, my son, and whither goest thou? And the youth said to him, "I am a nephew of George, Bishop of Bêth Bêghâsh, and he has sent me that I might go to school to Rabban Abraham, in the village of Bâshôsh".

2 Now at that time, according to what is said, a gerîbhâ of wheat was sold for one zûzâ, and [the old man] took out one zûzâ and gave him, and admonished him, saying, "Go now and buy wheat, and eat, and work fully in the study of the Scriptures, and guard thyself from all ignoble things, for thou shalt become Patriarch of all the country of the East. And behold, our Lord will make thee triumphant so that like unto thee no one hath ever been, and before and after thee no one shall ever be. Forty and two years shalt thou stand at the head of all the pastures of Christ, and when by the hand of God thou hast been exalted to these things, let thy heart be disposed to honour this holy house, in which it was [made] known to thee that thou wert neither of no account nor despised before God; go now in peace, and keep those things which I have commanded thee". And when the youth had been sufficiently trained and had returned to his uncle,—now George was using every means he could to adjudge his throne to his brother's son—[Divine] grace, I say, wrought that which was beyond his intention, and he excused himself to Mâr Mâran-ammeh the Metropolitan on the ground of his old age, and resigned the priesthood. And the young man Timothy was appointed Bishop of the country of Bêth Bêghâsh.

Chapter 4. Of how timothy obtained possession of the patriarchate by fraud, like jacob who obtained by fraud the blessings of isaac his father

1 There are times when matters concerning heaven and things above [this] world require human means and help, and we may learn and prove from many instances that such means and help are allowed by the Will of God, even though they progress by cunning. When God the Lord of all made the blessed Isaac to bless his sons, He moved him with the desire for food of the chase in the desert, to such a degree that when Esau was away, there should be the opportunity for Jacob to carry away the blessing. And if it were not so would not that great and rich man have said to his son, "My son, slay me a kid of the goats, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless thee before I die"? but no, he sent him off upon the troublesome labour of hunting after fleeing and inaccessible prey. Thus also was it when Samuel was commanded by the Lord to anoint David, and he feared the sword of Saul, he was commanded to take a heifer and to say, "I am come to sacrifice to the Lord". Thus also was it when the blessed Paul received a revelation from God that not one of them should perish, but only the ship, and he said beforehand to all those who were with him, "Eat bread, and be not distressed, for our Lord hath revealed it to me that no soul of us shall perish, but only the ship"; and [when] he knew that the sailors were making ready to flee, he said to the Romans who were with him, "If these flee we shall all perish." And [there are] many [other] instances which it is not necessary for us to collect.

2 And in this case also, since the Patriarchate was set apart for Timothy, truth acted with subtlety and performed its work. And when Timothy saw the face of every man fixed upon our Mār Īshō'-yahbh, he advised him secretly when they were alone together, and said to him, "Thou art an old man, and thou art notable to stand up and meet the attacks of the envious, Ephraim of Elam, Joseph the son of Mari, and other opponents; but do thou excuse thyself, and become one of my supporters, and I will make thee Metropolitan of Adiabene"; and to speak briefly, Timothy was appointed Catholicus and Patriarch, and was proclaimed among the heads of the fathers. And after a few days, because the holy Mār Māran-'ammeh, Metropolitan of Arbela, was dead, he appointed and proclaimed Mār Īshō'-yahbh Bishop of the church of Adiabene, and Metropolitan of all his countries.

Chapter 5. Of Rôstâm Bishop of Hěnáithâ

Now when the Shahrighân of Kêphar 'Uzzêl, and the inhabitants of the province of Bêth Ârô'ê saw that a Metropolitan Bishop who had not been elected by them had been appointed over them, and that the Catholicus had considered them as if they did not exist, they decreed with oaths, saying, "We will never be obedient to Íshó-yahbh who hath been set over us without being elected by us". And they went down to Hédhattá to Mâr Solomon, bishop of that place, and there happened to be there also Joseph the son of Marî, the wicked Metropolitan of Merv, who had come thither because the holy Mâr Solomon, on account of his old age, was not able to go down to the synod. And Joseph the son of Marî thought that he (i. e., Solomon) would stir up a commotion against Timothy when he should speak to Solomon, saying, "Behold, Ephraim of Elam wisheth also to gather together the Bishops and Metropolitans who are not of the laying on of hands of Timothy, that he may cause Timothy to be deposed"; and when to this wish that of the Shahrîghân was added Joseph found the material for his wickedness. And he led astray the holy Mâr Solomon, as Şaibâ [Ziba] led David astray, and as the lying prophet [deceived] the prophet of God who came from Judah to Bethel. And they took Rôstâm, Bishop of Hênâithâ, and appointed him Metropolitan of Arbela in the Mud Convent, which is on the Tigris, below the Hesnâ 'Ebhrâyâ in Nineveh, and the Shahrîghân took him and seated him on the Metropolitan throne of Bêth Mâr Kardâgh. And he seized the Bishop's throne and all his income, and the wretched man began to eat and to make merry, not knowing that his stroke was at hand, and that there was none to deliver him.

Chapter 6. Of the Going Up of Our Holy Mâr Îshō'-Yahbh to Adiabene

1 And when Mâr Îshō'-yahbh had arrived at the village of Haighâlâ, and at Estreniyâ, and had heard and learned also concerning the things which had taken place in the matter of Rôstâm, he wrote to Mâr Timothy, saying, "This is thy love for thy friend! Thou hast deceived me, and hast made a laughing-stock of me. Thou hast brought me out from the throne of Nineveh upon which I sat, and I am deprived even of this throne which thou hast been pleased to give me; take then this priesthood which thou hast given to me, and I will go to my own monastery and will end my life [there]". And Mâr Timothy wrote to him, "Faint not, neither be disturbed by these two tails of burning brands who have appointed a Metropolitan without the [consent of] the Patriarch; go to Adiabene, and abide in every village which will receive thee, and the village which desireth thee not, dispute not with it; for the day of the destruction of the enemy is near, and that which shall happen to them hasteneth, for the Lord judgeth His people, and consoleth His servants". And when the blessed Mâr Îshô'-yahbh had read these things, he took courage and went up and came to his country.

2 And when, according to the agreement which existed between them, neither the Shahrîghân nor the Ârô'âyê went out to meet him, he went up to the Bânîkâyê, and these people, and those of all their province, and all the people of the mountains of Adiabene, and the people of Hefthôn received him with great joy, and with the honour of which his holiness was worthy; and he passed over to Margâ, and he remained thus visiting these believing people, and they rejoiced in him. And Rôstâm and the nobles of Kêphâr 'Uzzêl lived luxuriously upon all manner of dainty foods when he first came from his throne to them, and they enjoyed themselves with riotous living while they threatened and made ready to drive away the blessed Mâr Îshô'-yahbh from the part of the country which he held; but they did not know that they would be put to shame through what they were preparing and making ready.

Chapter 7. Of the swift judgment which overtook rôstâm, and of how those who had appointed him were put to shame and disgraced

1 Now while the Spirit of God was longsuffering towards Rôstâm, he hardened his heart and the wretched man never brought the matter into his mind or thought, "How can I continue in the office of Metropolitan since I have neither been appointed by the Catholicus nor fully installed, or how can I dare to remain in what I have"? But like Absalom, he wished to act insolently towards the fatherhood of the Head of the East, and according to the seed which Joseph the son of Marî had sown in his ears, he awaited with hope the disturbance [which was made] concerning the Catholicus, even as Absalom waited eagerly for the counsel of Ahithophel in [the matter of] the destruction of David. And while he was in the midst of these deliberations the Lord roused Himself like a sleeping man, and smote His enemies behind Him, and He chose Îshô'-yahbh His servant, and established him [to be] the faithful steward over all His house.

2 And it came to pass one day when Rôstâm was riding upon a large, richly caparisoned mule [which he had chosen] in his pride, that as he was coming to his house from his luxurious, riotous and licentious orgies, he arrived near the habitation of Bèth Màr Ḳardàgh, and the dogs of that place surrounded him until at last he [was obliged] to dismount, and as soon as he put his feet upon the ground they leaped upon him in a body, and they worried him and bit him, and brought him unto death, like that wicked woman Jezebel who persecuted the prophets. And this was a marvellous and fearful thing to all those who heard it. And Rōstām's boon companions were disgraced; and their faces put to shame; and their counsels brought to nought; and their fellowship and the bond of love and their breathings of death against the righteous man [Mār Īshō-yahbh] which they had murmured over their wine cups when brimming over with mixed wine were dissolved. Then too the pious Mār Solomon wrote a letter of excuses and resigned [his] episcopal office, and went and dwelt in the Monastery of Rabban Aaron until the end of his life, and Joseph, the son of Mari forsook Christianity and became a heathen. Thus was fulfilled upon them that which the pious Mār Timothy spake, saying, "The day of their destruction is near at hand, and that which shall happen to them hasteneth."

Chapter 8. Of the repentance of the people of adiabene, and of the most humble entreaty which they offered to mār īshō-yahbh that he would occupy his episcopal throne

1 Now if not every man is to be trusted to guard the treasures of an earthly kingdom, but only those of whom the kingdom hath learned by experience for a long time that they are fit to have its riches entrusted to their care, how much less in respect of the treasures of the kingdom of heaven is not every man worthy to be an intermediary of their glory, but only that man who is stamped with the signs of the members of the household, who hath shown forth all the days of his life proofs of his strenuousness, who hath drunk like water medicines which cannot be perceived by the mind, who hath driven away all [signs of] growing old, who hath expelled from himself all crassness, who hath been in the hospital and hath learned all things which are needful for healing, who hath been made perfect in all the art of the healing of souls, and who hath become a friend of wise physicians. And because also the Divine selection, observing beforehand the excellent qualities of many, of its administration maketh intermediaries of those who possess such qualities, and setteth apart physicians for the sickness of the world, in such wise that when they come to act as intermediaries with mankind they shall not be found wanting, and shall not suffer, together with the scattering of the collection of their good qualities, the ruin and destruction of those who are under their hands.

2 Now this Rōstām, the evil liver, took refuge with men, and forgot the word of the divine man David, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man", for "his spirit goeth forth, and he returneth to his earth", etc. And when the Eye which governeth all things saw beforehand all the defects which he had already gathered to himself, and all those others which he was about to gather, He put him out of life in silence by a punishment of the bites of dogs, and by the bitings of his own tongue with which he had bitten the bodies of the holy Mâr Îshô'-yahbh and Mâr Timothy; here was he rewarded with the destruction of all his body, and thus he left this life and went to Sheol. Now when the Shahrîghân and the believers saw what had taken place, they came to the pious Mâr Îshô'-yahbh their Metropolitan, and they offered him repentance, and asked him to rise up and to come with them to his episcopal throne. And he said to them, "I shall remain here until Mâr Catholicus sendeth me [his] command to go in, and then I shall go in." And Mâr Timothy wrote to him an open letter, and thus they celebrated his entry with honour like the day of Hosannas, and all the people of the country were subject to his fatherhood.