Barlaam and Ioasaph Part 7

XXVII.

"By the providence of G.o.d, O king, came I into the world; and when I contemplated heaven and earth and sea, the sun and moon, and the other heavenly bodies, I was led to marvel at their fair order. And, when I beheld the world and all that therein is, how it is moved by law, I understood that he who moveth and sustaineth it is G.o.d. That which moveth is ever stronger than that which is moved, and that which sustaineth is stronger than that which is sustained. Him therefore I call G.o.d, who constructed all things and sustaineth them, without beginning, without end, immortal, without want, above all pa.s.sions, and failings, such as anger, forgetfulness, ignorance, and the like. By him all things consist. He hath no need of sacrifice, or drink-offering, or of any of the things that we see, but all men have need of him.

"Now that I have said thus much concerning G.o.d, according as he hath granted me to speak concerning himself, come we now to the human race, that we may know which of them partake of truth, and which of error.

It is manifiest to us, O king, that there are three races of men in this world: those that are worshippers of them whom ye call G.o.ds, and Jews, and Christians. And again those who serve many G.o.ds are divided into three races, Chaldeans, Greeks and Egyptians, for these are to the other nations the leaders and teachers of the service and worship of the G.o.ds whose name is legion. Let us therefore see which of these hold the truth, and which error.

"The Chaldeans, which knew not G.o.d, went astray after the elements and began to worship the creature rather than their Creator, and they made figures of these creatures and called them likenesses of heaven, and earth and sea, of sun and moon, and of the other elements or luminaries. And they enclose them in temples, and worship them under the t.i.tle of G.o.ds, and guard them in safety lest they be stolen by robbers. They have not understood how that which guardeth is ever greater than that which is guarded, and that the maker is greater than the thing that is made; for, if the G.o.ds be unable to take care of themselves, how can they take care of others? Great then is the error that the Chaldeans have erred in worshipping lifeless and useless images. And I am moved to wonder, O king, how they, who are called philosophers among them, fail to understand that even the very elements are corruptible. But if the elements are corruptible and subject to necessity, how are they G.o.ds? And if the elements are not G.o.ds, how are the images, created to their honour, G.o.ds?

"Come we then, O king, to the elements themselves, that we may prove concerning them, that they are not G.o.ds, but corruptible and changeable things, brought out of non-existence by the command of him who is G.o.d indeed, who is incorruptible, and unchangeable, and invisible, but yet himself seeth all things, and, as he willeth, changeth and altereth the same. What then must I say about the elements?

"They, who ween that the Heaven is a G.o.d, are in error. For we see it turning and mowing by law, and consisting of many parts, whence also it is called Cosmos! Now a 'Cosmos' is the handiwork of some artificer; and that which is wrought by handiwork hath beginning and end. And the firmament is moved by law together with its luminaries. The stars are borne from Sign to Sign, each in his order and place: some rise, while others set: and they run their journey according to fixed seasons, to fulfil summer and winter, as it hath been ordained for them by G.o.d, nor do they transgress their proper bounds, according to the inexorable law of nature, in common with the heavenly firmament. Whence it is evident that the heaven is not a G.o.d, but only a work of G.o.d.

"They again that think that the Earth is a G.o.ddess have gone astray.

We behold it dishonoured, mastered, defiled and rendered useless by mankind. If it be baked by the sun, it becometh dead, for nothing groweth from a potsherd. And again, if it be soaked overmuch, it rotteth, fruit and all. It is trodden under foot of men and the residue of the beasts: it is polluted with the blood of the murdered, it is digged and made a grave for dead bodies. This being so, Earth can in no wise be a G.o.ddess, but only the work of G.o.d for the use of men.

"They that think that Water is a G.o.d have gone astray. It also hath been made for the use of men. It is under their lordship: it is polluted, and perisheth: it is altered by boiling, by dyeing, by congealment, or by being brought to the cleansing of all defilements.

Wherefore Water cannot be a G.o.d, but only the work of G.o.d.

"They that think that Fire is a G.o.d are in error. It too was made for the use of men. It is subject to their lordship, being carried about from place to place, for the seething and roasting of all manner of meats, yea, and for the burning of dead corpses. Moreover, it perisheth in divers ways, when it is quenched by mankind. Wherefore Fire cannot be a G.o.d, but only the work of G.o.d.

"They that think that the breath of the Winds is a G.o.ddess are in error. This, as is evident, is subject to another, and hath been prepared by G.o.d, for the sake of mankind, for the carriage of ships, and the conveyance of victuals, and for other uses of men, it riseth and falleth according to the ordinance of G.o.d. Wherefore it is not to be supposed that the breath of the Winds is a G.o.ddess, but only the work of G.o.d.

"They that think that the Sun is a G.o.d are in error. We see him moving and turning by law, and pa.s.sing from Sign to Sign, setting and rising, to warm herbs and trees for the use of men, sharing power with the other stars, being much less than the heaven, and falling into eclipse and possessed of no sovranty of his own. Wherefore we may not consider that the Sun is a G.o.d, but only the work of G.o.d.

"They that think that the Moon is a G.o.ddess are in error. We behold her moving and turning by law, and pa.s.sing from Sign to Sign, setting and rising for the use of men, lesser than the sun, waxing and waning, suffering eclipse. Wherefore we do not consider that the Moon is a G.o.ddess, but only the work of G.o.d.

"They that think that Man is a G.o.d are in error. We see man moving by law, growing up, and waxing old, even against his will. Now he rejoiceth, now he grieveth, requiring meat and drink and raiment.

Besides he is pa.s.sionate, envious, l.u.s.tful, fickle, and full of failings: and he perisheth in many a way, by the elements, by wild beasts, and by the death that ever awaiteth him. So Man cannot be a G.o.d, but only the work of G.o.d. Great then is the error that the Chaldeans have erred in following their own l.u.s.ts; for they worship corruptible elements and dead images, neither do they perceive that they are making G.o.ds of these.

"Now come we to the Greeks that we may see whether they have any understanding concerning G.o.d. The Greeks, then, professing themselves to be wise, fell into greater folly than the Chaldeans, alleging the existence of many G.o.ds, some male, others female, creators of all pa.s.sions and sins of every kind. Wherefore the Greeks, O king, introduced an absurd, foolish and unG.o.dly fashion of talk, calling them G.o.ds that were not, according to their own evil pa.s.sions; that, having these G.o.ds for advocates of their wickedness, they might commit adultery, theft, murder and all manner of iniquity. For if their G.o.ds did so, how should they not themselves do the like? Therefore from these practices of error it came to pa.s.s that men suffered frequent wars and slaughters and cruel captivities. But if now we choose to pa.s.s in review each one of these G.o.ds, what a strange sight shalt thou see!

"First and foremost they introduce the G.o.d whom they call Kronos, and to him they sacrifice their own children, to him who had many sons by Rhea, and in a fit of madness ate his own children. And they say that Zeus cut off his privy parts, and cast them into the sea, whence, as fable telleth, was born Aphrodite. So Zeus bound his own father, and cast him into Tartarus. Dost thou mark the delusion and lasciviousness that they allege against their G.o.ds? Is it possible then that one who was prisoner and mutilated should be a G.o.d? What folly? What man in his senses could admit it?

"Next they introduce Zeus, who, they say, became king of the G.o.ds, and would take the shape of animals, that he might defile mortal women.

They show him transformed into a bull, for Europa; into gold, for Danae; into a swan, for Leda; into a satyr, for Antiope; and into a thunder-bolt, for Semele. Then of these were born many children, Dionysus, Zethus, Amphion, Herakles, Apollo, Artemis, Perseus, Castor, Helen, Polydeukes, Minos, Rhadamanthos, Sarpedon, and the nine daughters whom they call the Muses.

"In like manner they introduce the story of Ganymede. And so befel it, O king, that men imitated all these things, and became adulterers, and defilers of themselves with mankind, and doers of other monstrous deeds, in imitation of their G.o.d. How then can an adulterer, one that defileth himself by unnatural l.u.s.t, a slayer of his father be a G.o.d?

"With Zeus also they represent one Hephaestus as a G.o.d, and him lame, holding hammer and fire-tongs, and working as a coppersmith for hire.

So it appeareth that he is needy. But it is impossible for one who is lame and wanteth men's aid to be a G.o.d.

"After him, they represent as a G.o.d Hermes, a l.u.s.ty fellow, a thief, and a covetous, a sorcerer, bowlegged, and an interpreter of speech.

It is impossible for such an one to be a G.o.d.

"They also exhibit Asklepius as G.o.d, a physician, a maker of medicines, a compounder of plasters for his livelihood (for he is a needy wight), and in the end, they say that he was struck by Zeus with a thunder-bolt, because of Tyndareus, son of Lakedaemon, and thus perished. Now if Asklepius, though a G.o.d, when struck by a thunder-bolt, could not help himself, how can he help others?

"Ares is represented as a warlike G.o.d, emulous, and covetous of sheep and other things. But in the end they say he was taken in adultery with Aphrodite by the child Eros and Hephaestus and was bound by them.

How then can the covetous, the warrior, the bondman and adulterer be a G.o.d?

"Dionysus they show as a G.o.d, who leadeth nightly orgies, and teacheth drunkenness, and carrieth off his neighbours' wives, a madman and an exile, finally slain by the t.i.tans. If then Dionysus was slain and unable to help himself, nay, further was a madman, a drunkard, and vagabond, how could he be a G.o.d?

"Herakles, too, is represented as drunken and mad, as slaying his own children, then consuming with fire and thus dying. How then could a drunkard and slayer of his own children, burnt to death by fire, be a G.o.d? Or how can he help others who could not help himself?

"Apollo they represent as an emulous G.o.d, holding bow and quiver, and, at times, harp and flute, and prophesying to men for pay. Soothly he is needy: but one that is needy and emulous and a minstrel cannot be a G.o.d.

"Artemis, his sister, they represent as an huntress, with bow and quiver, ranging the mountains alone, with her hounds, in chase of stag or boar. How can such an one, that is an huntress and a ranger with hounds, be a G.o.ddess?

"Of Aphrodite, adulteress though she be, they say that she is herself a G.o.ddess. Once she had for leman Ares, once Anchises, once Adonis, whose death she lamenteth, seeking her lost lover. They say that she even descended into Hades to ransom Adonis from Persephone. Didst thou, O king, ever see madness greater than this? They represent this weeping and wailing adulteress as a G.o.ddess.

"Adonis they show as an hunter-G.o.d, violently killed by a boar-tusk, and unable to help his own distress. How then shall he take thought for mankind, he the adulterer, the hunter who died a violent death?

"All such tales, and many like them, and many wicked tales more shameful still, have the Greeks introduced, O king, concerning their G.o.ds; tales, whereof it is unlawful to speak, or even to have them in remembrance. Hence men, taking occasion from their G.o.ds, wrought all lawlessness, lasciviousness and unG.o.dliness, polluting earth and air with their horrible deeds.

"But the Egyptians, more fatuous and foolish than they, have erred worse than any other nation. They were not satisfied with the idols worshipped by the Chaldeans and Greeks, but further introduced as G.o.ds brute beasts of land and water, and herbs and trees, and were defiled in all madness and lasciviousness worse than all people upon earth.

From the beginning they worshipped Isis, which had for her brother and husband that Osiris which was slain by his brother Typhon. And for this reason Isis fled with Horus her son to Byblos in Syria, seeking Osiris and bitterly wailing, until Horus was grown up and killed Typhon. Isis then was not able to help her own brother and husband; nor had Osiris, who was slain by Typhon, power to succour himself; nor had Typhon, who killed his brother and was himself destroyed by Horus and Isis, any resource to save himself from death. And yet, although famous for all these misadventures, these be they that were considered G.o.ds by the senseless Egyptians.

"The same people, not content therewith, nor with the rest of the idols of the heathen, also introduced brute beasts as G.o.ds. Some of them worshipped the sheep, some the goat, and others the calf and the hog; while certain of them worshipped the raven, the kite, the vulture, and the eagle. Others again worshipped the crocodile, and some the cat and dog, the wolf and ape, the dragon and serpent, and others the onion, garlic and thorns, and every other creature. And the poor fools do not perceive, concerning these things, that they have no power at all.

Though they see their G.o.ds being devoured, burnt and killed by other men, and rotting away, they cannot grasp the fact that they are no G.o.ds.

"Great, then, is the error that the Egyptians, the Chaldeans, and the Greeks have erred in introducing such G.o.ds as these, and making images thereof, and deifying dumb and senseless idols. I marvel how, when they behold their G.o.ds being sawn and chiselled by workmen's axes, growing old and dissolving through lapse of time, and molten in the pot, they never reflected concerning them that they are no G.o.ds. For when these skill not to work their own salvation, how can they take care of mankind? Nay, even the poets and philosophers among the Chaldeans, Greeks and Egyptians, although by their poems and histories they desired to glorify their people's G.o.ds, yet they rather revealed and exposed their shame before all men. If the body of a man, consisting of many parts, loseth not any of its proper members, but, having an unbroken union with all its members, is in harmony with itself, how in the nature of G.o.d shall there be such warfare and discord? For if the nature of the G.o.ds were one, then ought not one G.o.d to persecute, slay or injure another. But if the G.o.ds were persecuted by other G.o.ds, and slain and plundered and killed with thunder-stones, then is their nature no longer one, but their wills are divided, and are all mischievous, so that not one among them is G.o.d. So it is manifest, O king, that all this history of the nature of the G.o.ds is error.

"Furthermore, how do the wise and eloquent among the Greeks fail to perceive that law-givers themselves are judged by their own laws? For if their laws are just, then are their G.o.ds a.s.suredly unjust, in that they have offended against law by murders, sorceries, adulteries, thefts and unnatural crimes. But, if they did well in so doing, then are their laws unjust, seeing that they have been framed in condemnation of the G.o.ds. But now the laws are good and just, because they encourage good and forbid evil; whereas the deeds of their G.o.ds offend against law. Their G.o.ds then are offenders against law; and all that introduce such G.o.ds as these are worthy of death and are unG.o.dly.

If the stories of the G.o.ds be myths, then are the G.o.ds mere words: but if the stories be natural, then are they that wrought or endured such things no longer G.o.ds: if the stories be allegorical, then are the G.o.ds myths and nothing else. Therefore it hath been proven, O king, that all these idols, belonging to many G.o.ds, are works of error and destruction. So it is not meet to call those G.o.ds that are seen, but cannot see: but it is right to worship as G.o.d him who is unseen and is the Maker of all mankind.

"Come we now, O king, to the Jews, that we may see what they also think concerning G.o.d. The Jews are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and went once to sojourn in Egypt. From thence G.o.d brought them out with a mighty hand and stretched out arm by Moses their lawgiver; and with many miracles and signs made he known unto them his power.

But, like the rest, these proved ungrateful and unprofitable, and often worshipped images of the heathen, and killed the prophets and righteous men that were sent unto them. Then, when it pleased the Son of G.o.d to come on earth, they did shamefully entreat him and deliver him to Pilate the Roman governor, and condemn him to the Cross, regardless of his benefits and the countless miracles that he had worked amongst them. Wherefore by their own lawlessness they perished. For though to this day they worship the One Omnipotent G.o.d, yet it is not according unto knowledge; for they deny Christ the Son of G.o.d, and are like the heathen, although they seem to approach the truth from which they have estranged themselves. So much for the Jews.

"As for the Christians, they trace their line from the Lord Jesus Christ. He is confessed to be the Son of the most high G.o.d, who came down from heaven, by the Holy Ghost, for the salvation of mankind, and was born of a pure Virgin, without seed of man, and without defilement, and took flesh, and appeared among men, that he might recall them from the error of worshipping many G.o.ds. When he had accomplished his marvellous dispensation, of his own free will by a mighty dispensation he tasted of death upon the Cross. But after three days he came to life again, and ascended into the heavens, the glory of whose coming thou mayest learn, O king, by the reading of the holy Scripture, which the Christians call the Gospel, shouldst thou meet therewith. This Jesus had twelve disciples, who, after his ascent into the heavens, went out into all the kingdoms of the world, telling of his greatness.

Even so one of them visited our coasts, preaching the doctrine of truth; whence they who still serve the righteousness of his preaching are called Christians. And these are they who, above all the nations of the earth, have found the truth: for they acknowledge G.o.d the Creator and Maker of all things in the only begotten Son, and in the Holy Ghost, and other G.o.d than him they worship none. They have the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ himself engraven on their hearts, and these they observe, looking for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. They neither commit adultery nor fornication; nor do they bear false witness, nor covet other men's goods: they honour father and mother, and love their neighbours: they give right judgement. They do not unto other that which they would not have done unto themselves. They comfort such as wrong them, and make friends of them: they labour to do good to their enemies: they are meek and gentle. They refrain themselves from all unlawful intercourse and all uncleanness. They despise not the widow, and grieve not the orphan. He that hath distributeth liberally to him that hath not. If they see a stranger, they bring him under their roof, and rejoice over him, as it were their own brother: for they call themselves brethren, not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For Christ his sake they are ready to lay down their lives: they keep his commandments faithfully, living righteous and holy lives, as the Lord their G.o.d commanded them, giving him thanks every hour, for meat and drink and every blessing. Verily, then, this is the way of truth which leadeth its wayfarers unto the eternal kingdom promised by Christ in the life to come.

"And that thou mayest know, O king, that I speak nought of myself, look thou into the writings of the Christians, and thou shalt find that I speak nothing but the truth. Well, therefore, hath thy son understood it, and rightly hath he been taught to serve the living G.o.d, and to be saved for the world to come. Great and marvellous are the things spoken and wrought by the Christians, because they speak not the words of men but the words of G.o.d. But all other nations are deceived, and deceive themselves. Walking in darkness they stagger one against another like drunken men. This is the end of my speech spoken unto thee, O king, prompted by the truth that is in my mind. Wherefore let thy foolish wise-acres refrain from babbling idly against the Lord; for it is profitable to you to worship G.o.d the Creator, and hearken to his incorruptible sayings, in order that ye may escape judgement and punishment, and be found partakers of deathless life."

XXVIII.

When Nachor had fully delivered this oration, the king changed countenance for very anger, but his orators and temple-keepers stood speechless, having nothing but a few weak and rotten shreds of argument in reply. But the king's son rejoiced in spirit and with glad countenance magnified the Lord, who had made a path, where no path was, for them tat trusted in him, who by the mouth of a foeman and enemy was establishing the truth; and the leader of error had proved a defender of the right cause.

But the king, although furiously enraged with Nachor, was nevertheless unable to do him any mischief, because of the proclamation already read before all, wherein he urged him to plead without fear in behalf of the Christians. So he himself made answer in many words, and by dark speeches hinted that Nachor should relax his resistance, and be worsted by the argument of the orators. But Nachor the more mightily prevailed, tearing to pieces all their propositions and conclusions and exposing the fallacy of their error. After the debate had been prolonged till well-nigh eventide, the king dismissed the a.s.sembly, making as though he would renew the discussion on the morrow.

Then said Ioasaph to the king his father, "As at the beginning, Sir, thou commandedst that the trial should be just, so too crown the end thereof with justice, by doing one or other of these two things.

Either allow my teacher to tarry with me to-night, that we may take counsel together as touching those things which we must say unto our adversaries tomorrow: and do thou in turn take thine advisers unto thee, and duly practise yourselves as ye will. Or else deliver thy counsellors to me this night, and take mine to thyself. But if both sides be with thee, mine advocate in tribulation and fear, but thine in joy and refreshment, me thinketh it is not a fair trial, but a tyrannical misuse of power, and a breaking of the covenants." The king, compelled to yield by the gracefulness of this speech took his wise men and priests to himself, and delivered Nachor to his son, still having hopes of him and thinking fit to keep his agreement.

The king's son, therefore, departed unto his own palace, like a conqueror in the Olympic games, and with him went Nachor. When alone, the prince called him and said, "Think not that I am ignorant of thy tale, for I wot, of a surety, that thou art not saintly Barlaam, but Nachor the astrologer; and I marvel how it seemed thee good to act this play, and to think that thou couldst so dull my sight at mid-day, that I should mistake a wolf for a sheep. But well sung is the proverb, 'The heart of a fool will conceive folly.' So this your device and counsel was stale and utterly senseless; but the work that thou hast accomplished is full of wisdom. Wherefore, rejoice, Nachor, and be exceeding glad. I render thee many thanks, that thou hast been to-day advocate of the truth, and hast not polluted thy lips with foul words and crafty simulation, but hast rather cleansed them from many defilements, and thoroughly proven the error of the G.o.ds, as they be wrongly called, and hast established the truth of the Christian faith.

I have been zealous to bring thee hither with me for two reasons; that the king might not privily seize and punish thee, because thou spakest not after his heart, and next that I might recompense thee for the favour that thou hast done me to-day. And what is my recompense for thee? To show thee how to turn from the evil and slippery road which thou hast trodden until now, and to journey along the straight and saving pathway which thou hast avoided, not in ignorance, but by wilful wrongdoing, throwing thyself into depths and precipices of iniquity.

Understand then, Nachor, man of understanding as thou art, and be thou zealous to gain Christ only, and the life that is hid with him, and despise this fleeting and corruptible world. Thou shalt not live for ever, but, being mortal, shalt depart hence ere long, even as all that have been before thee. And wo betide thee, if, with the heavy load of sin on thy shoulders, thou depart thither where there is righteous judgement and recompense for thy works, and cast it not off, while it is easy to rid thyself thereof!"