life.john_kal.01 Chapter 1

HERE BEGINNETH THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED JOHN, THE PERFECT MONK, WHOSE PARENTS MADE FOR HIM A GOSPEL OF GOLD

AND WHO ENDED HIS LIFE, WITH THE MOST EXCELLENT PATIENT ENDURANCE, ON THE FOURTH DAY OF THE MONTH MEKHIR, IN THE PEACE OF GOD. PRAY FOR US ALL! AMEN.

This life which I will now describe unto you is that of a man of God, who lived in our time, and it must be regarded with wonder.

This man lived in the city of Rome, and he was exceedingly rich;

he was the Archon of the city.

His name was Eutropius,

and the name of his wife was Theodora; and both of them had been worshippers of God from their youth up.

And they had three children.

Now two of these had been appointed to high positions in the Palace of the Emperors,

and the youngest had been sent to receive instruction in the works of God.

And after these things he learned the teachings of the wise men, and associated with them.

Moreover he learned the works of God, and attached himself to the church, making enquiries concerning God by day and by night.

And it came to pass on a day that a certain brother, who was a monk, and who belonged to a Monastery which was inland (or, to the south), and was called after the name of 'those who sleep not,' passed by; and he was wishing to depart to Jerusalem to pray in the Holy Place.

And this monk spake unto John inside his house with the words of God,

and John marvelled exceedingly when he saw the monkish brother, and his garb, and perceived his pleasant manner of speech, and his internal thought about God, which was like fire.

And John said, 'My lord father, what is thy native place, or where is thy monastery?'

The monkish brother said unto him, 'I live in the Monastery of the Sleepless Ones.'

And if God pleaseth I wish to go to Jerusalem so that I may pray there in the Holy Place, and, by the will of God, I will return again to my place.

And the monk informed him concerning everything about which John enquired of him.

And when John had heard these words he laid hold upon the hand of the monkish brother, and took him to a place which was quiet and secret,

and he made him to swear great oaths, saying unto him, 'My beloved brother, when thou hast gone to Jerusalem, and hast returned in peace, thou shalt not hide thyself from me,

neither shalt thou depart to thy monastery and forsake me, and I will not hide anything from thee during the whole course of my life. My parents, however, love me very much more than they love my brethren,

for they have placed me in the hands of instructors,

and my father saith, 'I will give thee high offices.'

Moreover, according to what is in his heart, he wisheth to give me seven offices, each of which is more exalted than his own.

After these things he wisheth to make me a bridegroom.

And, moreover, when I go into the church I hear them proclaiming and saying, 'Everything in this world is contemptible,' and 'Let him that despiseth this world follow the Christ with a right heart,' and even so he shall hardly be saved.

'Surely, my brother, it will be especially difficult for a sinner like myself to be saved.

Therefore, I beseech thee, O mighty father, to take me with thee to thy monastery.'

And when the monkish brother had heard these things he took an oath, saying, 'When I return I will take thee with me to my monastery';

and straightway they made a firm compact with each other to this effect very readily, and then each departed to his abode in peace.

And after these things the blessed John took counsel with himself, saying, 'First of all let me go to my parents, so that i may make them prepare for me a Gospel wherein I may read, for I do not know the commandments of Christ,

and I would find Him in the place whither I am going.'

And he came to the house of his parents,

and he told them the reason [for his desire], and he spake unto them thus: 'Behold, O my parents, I am put to shame among my fellow scholars, for of all those who are at school with me each one hath his own Gospel of gold, which their parents have prepared for them to read in.

As for me I am like a beggar in their midst, and like one who hath neither father nor mother.'

And John threw himself down upon his face before his parents, saying, 'I beseech you most earnestly, O my parents, to prepare for me a Gospel, so that I may have it in my hands, and receive instruction therefrom.'

And when his mother heard [these words] she rejoiced exceedingly, for it was her wish that he should be well instructed.

And when she had thought over these things she spake unto her husband, saying, 'My lord brother, make a Gospel of gold for our son John.

Do not have it beautifully written only, but decorate it also beautifully with really precious stones of great value.'

And straightway his father commanded,

and one brought to him five hundred holokottinoi (oboli) and precious stones of great beauty, and he gave them to a cunning goldsmith,

and he made for him very beautiful decorations for the Gospel which he had caused to be written.

And John's father took it and gave it to his son,

and John took it, and rejoiced over it,

and he studied it with great diligence.

And he waited for that brother who was a monk to come in order to depart with him;

and after a few days that brother who was a monk arrived, according to the compact which they had previously made with each other.

And when John saw the brother who was a monk he rejoiced exceedingly, and was glad, and he saluted him, and he was in a state of great joy.

And he said unto him, 'My lord father, I know the wishes of my parents, and their love towards me,

and especially the wish and love of my mother. If she were to hear of such a thing as this in connection with me she would weep, and suffer greatly because of me.

I therefore beseech thee to let us arrange that we go away secretly,

and not to let any one know of our departure.'

And the monk said unto him, 'Whatsoever pleaseth thee that will I do with thee,

and that which thou desirest may God fulfill for thee.'

and they departed secretly.

And they arrived at the sea, and they searched for a boat wherein to embark.

And John spake unto the captain of a ship, saying, 'I charge thee, my brother, to halve the fare in our case, for then thou wilt be able to take the two of us to the Monastery of the Sleepless Ones.'

And the captain of the ship said unto them, 'Sit ye down until I have loaded my ship with its freight, and then, by the will of God, we will set sail.'

And John said unto the captain, 'Tell me how much the fare is';

and the captain said unto him, 'One hundred oboli is the passage money for my ship.'

Then John said unto him, 'I will give them to thee';

and when John had said this he came to the place where was the brother who was a monk,

and he said unto him, 'My father, the ship's fare is large, and it is meet for thee that we should depart quickly, lest some people meet us, and they recognize us, and they seize us, and we be put to shame. Therefore, let us flee secretly.'

Then John went into his house to his mother,

and he said unto her, 'I make entreaty unto thee, O my beloved mother. I know well that thou fulfillest all my wishes,

but there is one thing that I lack, [and which if granted] would cause us both to be praised.'

And she said unto him, 'Whatsoever thou wishest ask at my hand, my son, and I will fulfill thy desire for thee.'

And John said unto his mother, 'Thou knowest that all the youths who are with me at school have provided me with meals, and that not once, nor twice, and that I have eaten often of their provisions.

Now there is nothing at all which I can do for them in return for what they have given unto me,

and I am in truth ashamed to enter the school again because of this matter.'

His mother saith unto him, 'Whatsoever thou wishest I will do for thee.

When thy father cometh into the house at the hour of noon I will make him to give it (i.e., money) to thee, so that thou and thy companions mayest do what thou wishest therewith.'

And when his father came into the house at the hour of noon she told him everything which John had said unto her.

And his father answered and said, 'I will give unto him everything that he wisheth for,

And his father answered and said, 'I will give unto him everything that he wisheth for,

but let us set apart a servant to watch over him, for he is young, lest he squander [the money] in works of wickedness.'

And these words pleased them both, and they called their son John, and they gave him the money,

and appointed a servant to attend him.

And when John had taken the money he went to the place wherein was the monk, both he and the servant who accompanied him, and he said unto the monk, 'My lord brother, this servant whom thou seest belongeth to me.

I beseech thee to do me an act of grace, and let him tarry with thee, whilst I go to the place where some neighbours of mine are to enquire concerning a certain person who was coming to me at this hour.'

Then the old man, the monk, understood that he was talking to him concerning the captain of the ship,

and that he wished to go away by himself by reason of the servant who accompanied him.

And John took the hundred oboli, and came to the place of the captain of the ship,

I beseech thee, O my lord brother, to make ready to sail, and let us depart quickly, I and my brother.'

And when the captain heard this, [and knew] that he wished to depart secretly, he said unto him, 'I have already finished making my ship ready to sail, and I have already told you that the passage money by my ship is high.

However, if thou wilt remain in this place until I have loaded up my vessel, I will embark thee.'

And John said, 'I have already told thee that I will give thee the passage money, according to what thou didst say.'

And straightway he brought out the hundred oboli in his hand, rejoicing greatly,

and he gave them to him, saying, 'Whatsoever thou informest me [is needed] more than these I will give unto thee.

But observe now, if by the favour of God the weather be favourable for us, thou must put out to sea quickly, and we will depart secretly.'

And when the captain of the ship heard these words he took the hundred oboli in his hand, and rejoiced exceedingly,

and he said unto John, 'Go and bring thy companion, and come [back];

if it be the will of God I will take most excellent care of you.'

And John returned,

and informed the brother who was a monk about everything that had happened unto him.

And after two days John said unto the monk, 'Rise up, and let us depart by sea, because this is the day whereon I ought to make ready the meal for my fellow learners,

and I ought to seek for some small fish for them.'

And they came to the sea-shore by the will of God,

and a favorable wind arose,

and the captain embarked on the ship, and stood on the side of it,

and he stooped down and beckoned to John and the monk, saying, 'Arise come ye and embark.'

Now they were troubled, for they wished to send away the servant from them, and to leave him behind,

but they could not find any satisfactory means for doing so.

And John said unto the servant who was accompanying him, 'Rise up and go to the palace, to the scholars, and see if they have all assembled there, and then come back quickly and let me know;

behold, I will wait for thee here';

and the servant departed.

And they themselves went up into the ship, which set sail at once,

and they arrived at the monastery by the will of God.

And the servant returned to the sea-shore and did not find them,

and he was disturbed exceedingly in his mind, saying, 'Shall I take to flight and not tell my master?'

Then he said, 'I am afraid that they will make search for me and that they will find me, and inflict many evils upon me;

so I will go and inform my masters, lest perhaps they seek him at my hands,

and I shall be without anxiety and free from blame.'

And it came to pass that when his mother heard these things she rent her garments,

and she scattered dust upon her head,

and she wept with a great weeping, saying, 'Woe is me, O my beloved son John!

What hath become of thee, O my sweet son? Woe is me, O my son! For thy face is . . . . . . . . . O John, my beloved son!

Woe is me!

Who hath carried away the light of my body?

I know not.

Woe is me!

Who hath carried away my beloved son, the darling of my soul?

O John, my beloved son!

O light of mine eyes!

Why did I send thee forth after wisdom in this manner [to meet] the fate which hath come upon thee?

Woe be unto me, o my son, who was sweet to everyone!

Woe be unto me, my son, my sweet one, thou face full of joy!

Woe unto me, thou who resemblest the angels!

Woe unto me! What shall I do from this day henceforth?'

And thus also did his father weep, with groanings, and sighings, and sorrow of heart, and he cried out, saying, What hath happened unto thee, O my beloved son?

I know not what hath happened unto thee suddenly.'

And whilst the seven days of weeping were being fulfilled the whole city mourned with them.

Then his father rose up and went into the palace, and informed the king of everything which had happened,

and he entreated him to send out an order to every part of his kingdom, so that the people might seek for his son, and, peradventure, might find him.

And when the king heard these things he was greatly grieved, and was very sorrowful because he loved him exceedingly for his beauty and for his intelligence, and he ate with him at his table because of the greatness of his liking for him.

Then the king sent out a command into every part [of his kingdom], and soldiers to seek after him, and they went about in every place, but they found him not; so they returned to the palace.

And [although] his parents have worn themselves out in going round about without finding him they ascribed glory to God.

And John came to the monastery, he and the monk also who accompanied him,

and he carried with him the Gospel of gold which his parents had made for him,

and he (i.e., the monk) informed the head of the monastery of everything which had happened to the young man John, and about his great belief in God.

And the Archimandrite said unto the young man, 'My son, behold, I see that thou art young in years, but exceedingly well-doing in thy works.

Moreover, my son, every one who wisheth to withdraw himself from this world, if he be of thine age, waiteth patiently for forty days, and after that period the hair of his head is shaved off, and then he assumeth the garb of the monk.'

And John said unto him, 'I adjure thee, O my holy father, by the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity, and by the prayers of the monastery, that thou shave my head this day, and especially, as God knoweth, my heart burneth with desire for the life of the monk, and for the garb of the angels.'

And the Archimandrite was persuaded, and straightway he prayed over him, and he placed upon him the angelic garb.

And the heart of John rejoiced within him exceedingly, and he prayed to God by day and by night with such exceedingly long prayers that his praying, and his daily contest, and his asceticism were far in excess of a very great many of those who were his neighbours.

And for six years he led this kind of life of abstinence and ascetic excellence in the fear of God,

and besides this he engaged in many contests of self-abnegation, and practised many habits of self-repression.

And the Archimandrite saw him, and marvelled exceedingly.

And the Archimandrite said unto him, 'My son, thou art a very young man, but behold, I see thee practising very many mighty works of abstinence; thou wilt thyself destroy thine own body, and wilt not be able to stand up, neither to pray, nor to fast.

For overmuch ascetic labour exhausteth a man greatly, and maketh him weak.'

But John did not cease to practise the labours which he had begun to perform.