Apocalypsis Mosis

i 1 This is the story of Adam and Eve after they had gone out of Paradise. And Adam knew his wife
2 Eve and went upwards to the sun-rising and abode there eighteen years and two months. And
3 Eve conceived and bare two sons; Adiaphotos, who is called Cain and Amilabes who is called Abel.

ii 1 And after this, Adam and Eve were with one another and while they were sleeping, Eve said to Adam her lord: ‘My lord, Adam, behold,
2 I have seen in a dream this night the blood of my son Amilabes who is styled Abel being poured into the mouth of Cain his brother and he went on drinking it without pity. But he begged him to leave him a little of it. Yet he hearkened
3 not to him, but gulped down the whole; nor did it stay in his stomach, but came out of his mouth. And Adam said, ‘Let us arise and go
4 and see what has happened to them. (I fear) lest the adversary may be assailing them somewhere.’

iii 1 And they both went and found Abel murdered. I by the hand of Cain his brother. And God
2 saith to Michael the archangel: ‘Say to Adam: ” Reveal not the secret that thou knowest to Cain thy son, for he is a son of wrath. But grieve not, for I will give thee another son in his stead; he shall show (to thee) all that thou shalt do. Do thou tell him nothing.”‘ Thus spake the archangel
3 to Adam. But he kept the word in his heart, and with him also Eve, though they grieved concerning Abel their son.

iv 1 And after this, Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bare Seth.

And Adam said to Eve: ‘See! we have
2 begotten a son in place of Abel, whom Cain slew, let us give glory and sacrifice to God.’

v 1 And Adam begat thirty sons and thirty daughters and Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years; and he fell sick and cried with a loud
2 voice and said, ‘Let all my sons come to me that I may see them before I die.’
3 And all assembled, for the earth was divided into three parts. And Seth his son said to him:
4 ‘Father Adam, what is thy complaint?’

5 And he saith, ‘MY children, I am crushed by the burden of trouble.’ And they say to him, ‘What is trouble?’

vi 1 And Seth answered and said to him: ‘Hast thou called to mind, father, the fruit of paradise of which thou usedst to eat, and hast been grieved in yearning for it?’

‘If this be so, tell me, (and) I will go and
2 bring thee fruit from paradise. For I will set dung upon my head and will weep and pray that the Lord will hearken to me and send his angel (and bring me a plant from paradise), and I will bring it thee that thy trouble may cease from thee.’

Adam saith to him: ‘Nay, my son Seth, but
3 I have (much) sickness and trouble!’ Seth saith to him: ‘And how hath this come upon thee?’

vii 1 And Adam said to him: ‘When God made us, me and your mother, through whom also I die, He gave us power to eat of every tree which is in paradise, but, concerning that one only, He charged us not to eat of it, and through this one we are to die. And the hour drew nigh for the angels
2 who were guarding your mother to go up and worship the Lord, and I was far from her, and the enemy knew that she was alone and gave to her, and she ate of the tree of which she had been told not to eat.
3 Then she gave also to me to eat.

viii 1 ‘And God was wroth with us, and the Lord came into paradise and called me in a terrible voice and said: “Adam, where art thou? And why hidest thou from my face? Shall the house be able to hide itself from its builder?” And he saith to me: “Since thou hast abandoned my covenant, I have brought upon thy body seventy-two strokes; the trouble of the first stroke is a pain of the eyes, the second stroke an affection of the hearing, and likewise in turn all the strokes shall befall thee.”‘

ix 1 As he said this to his sons, Adam groaned sore and said: ‘What shall I do? I am in great distress.’

And Eve wept and said: ‘My lord
2 Adam, rise up and give me half of thy trouble and I will endure it; for it is on my account that this hath happened to thee, on my account thou art beset with toils and troubles.’ But Adam
3 said to Eve, ‘Arise and go with my son Seth near to paradise, and put earth upon your heads and weep and pray God to have mercy upon me and send his angel to paradise, and give me of the tree out of which the oil floweth, and bring it me, and I shall anoint myself and shall have rest from my complaint.’

x 1 Then Seth and Eve went towards paradise, and Eve saw her son, and a wild beast assailing him, and Eve wept and said: ‘Woe is me; if
2 I come to the day of the Resurrection, all those who have sinned will curse me saying: Eve hath not kept the commandment of God.’ And she
3 spake to the beast: ‘Thou wicked beast, fearest thou not to fight with the image of God? How was thy mouth opened? How were thy teeth made strong? How didst thou not call to mind thy subjection? For long ago wast thou made subject to the image of God.’ Then the beast
4 cried out and said:

xi 1 ‘It is not our concern, Eve, thy greed and thy wailing, but thine own; for (it is) from thee that the rule of the beasts hath arisen. How was thy
2 mouth opened to eat of the tree concerning which God enjoined thee not to eat of it? On this account, our nature also hath been transformed. Now therefore thou canst not endure it,
3 if I begin to reprove thee.’

xii 1 Then Seth speaketh to the beast, ‘Close thy mouth and be silent and stand off from the image of God until the day of Judgment.’ Then saith
2 the beast to Seth: ‘Behold, I stand off from the image of God.’ And he went to his lair.

xiii 1 And Seth went with Eve near paradise, and I they wept there, and prayed God to send his angel and give them the oil of mercy.

And God
2 sent the archangel Michael and he spake to Seth: ‘Seth, man of God, weary not thyself with prayers and entreaties concerning the tree which floweth with oil to anoint thy father Adam. For it shall not be thine now, but in the end of the times.
3 Then shall all flesh be raised up from Adam till that great day,-all that shall be of the holy people. Then shall the delights of paradise be given to them and God shall be in their midst. And they shall no longer sin before his face, for the evil heart shall be taken from them and there shall be given them a heart understanding the good and to serve God only.

But do thou go back to thy father. For the
6 term of his life hath been fulfilled and he will live three days from to-day and will die. But when his soul is departing, thou shalt behold the awful (scene of) his passing.’

xiv 1 Thus spake the angel and departed from them. And Seth and Eve came to the hut where Adam was laid. And Adam saith to Eve: ‘Eve, what
2 hast thou wrought in us? Thou hast brought upon us great wrath which is death, [lording it over all our race].’ And he saith to her, ‘Call all
3 our children and our children’s children and tell them the manner of our transgression.’

xv 1 Then saith Eve to them: ‘Hear all my children and children’s children and I will relate to you
2 how the enemy deceived us. It befell that we were guarding paradise, each of us the portion
3 allotted to us from God. Now I guarded in my lot, the west and the south. But the devil went to Adam’s lot, where the male creatures were. [For God divided the creatures; all the males he gave to your father and all the females he gave to me.]

xvi 1 And the devil spake to the serpent saying, Rise up, come to me and I will tell thee a word
2 whereby thou mayst have profit.” And he arose and came to him. And the devil saith to him:
3 “I hear that thou art wiser than all the beasts, and I have come to counsel thee. Why dost thou eat of Adam’s tares and not of paradise? Rise up and we will cause him to be cast out of paradise, even
4 as we were cast out through him.” The serpent saith to him, “I fear lest the Lord be wroth with
5 me.” The devil saith to him: “Fear not, only be my vessel and I will speak through thy mouth words to deceive him.”

xvii 1 And instantly he hung himself from the wall of paradise, and when the angels ascended to
2 worship God, then Satan appeared in the form of an angel and sang hymns like the angels. And I bent over the wall and saw him, like an angel. But he saith to me: “Art thou Eve?” And I said
3 to him, “I am.” ‘What art thou doing in paradise?” And I said to him, “God set us to guard and
4 to eat of it.” The devil answered through the mouth of the serpent: ‘Ye do well but ye do not eat
5 of every plant.” And I said: “Yea, we eat of all. save one only, which is in the midst of paradise, concerning which, God charged us not to eat of it: for, He said to us, on the day on which ye eat of it, ye shall die the death.”

xviii 1 Then the serpent saith to me, “May God live! but I am grieved on your account, for I would not have you ignorant. But arise, (come) hither, hearken to me and eat and mind the value of that tree.”
2,3 But I said to him, ” I fear lest God be wroth with me as he told us.” And he saith to me: “Fear not, for as soon as thou eatest of it, ye too shall be as God, in that ye shall know good and evil.
4 But God perceived this that ye would be like Him, so he envied you and said, Ye shall not eat of
5,6 it. Nay, do thou give heed to the plant and thou wilt see its great glory.” Yet I feared to take of the fruit. And he saith to me: “Come hither, and I will give it thee. Follow me.”

xix 1 And I opened to him and he walked a little way, then turned and said to me: “I have changed my
2 mind and I will not give thee to eat until thou swear to me to give also to thy husband.” (And) I said. “What sort of oath shall I swear to thee? Yet what I know, I say to thee: By the throne of the
3 Master, and by the Cherubim and the Tree of Life! I will give also to my husband to eat.” And when he had received the oath from me, he went and poured upon the fruit the poison of his wickedness, which is lust, the root and beginning of every sin, and he bent the branch on the earth and I took of the fruit and I ate.

xx 1 And in that very hour my eyes were opened, and forthwith I knew that I was bare of the righteousness
2 with which I had been clothed (upon), and I wept and said to him: “Why hast thou
3 done this to me in that thou hast deprived me of the glory with which I was clothed?” But I wept also about the oath, which I had sworn. But he descended from the tree and vanished.
4 And I began to seek, in my nakedness, in my part for leaves to hide my shame, but I found none, for, as soon as I had eaten, the leaves showered down from all the trees in my part, except the fig tree
5 only. But I took leaves from it and made for myself a girdle and it was from the very same plant of which I had eaten.

xxi 1 And I cried out in that very hour, ‘Adam, Adam, where art thou? Rise up, come to me and
2 I will show thee a great secret.” But when your father came, I spake to him words of transgression
3 [which have brought us down from our great glory]. For, when he came, I opened my mouth and the devil was speaking, and I began to exhort him and said, “Come hither, my lord Adam, hearken to me and eat of the fruit of the tree of which God told us not to eat of it, and thou shalt be as
4 a God.” And your father answered and said, “I fear lest God be wroth with me.” And I said to
5 him, “Fear not, for as soon as thou hast eaten thou shalt know good and evil.” And speedily I persuaded him, and he ate and straightway his eyes were opened and he too knew his nakedness.
6 And to me he saith, “O wicked woman! what have I done to thee that thou hast deprived me of the glory of God?”

xxii 1 And in that same hour, we heard the archangel Michael blowing with his trumpet and calling to
2 the angels and saying: “Thus saith the Lord, Come with me to Paradise and hear the judgement with which I shall judge Adam.”
3 And when God appeared in paradise, mounted on the chariot of his cherubim with the angels proceeding before him and singing hymns of praises, all the plants of paradise, both of your father’s lot
4 and mine, broke out into flowers. And the throne of God was fixed where the Tree of Life was.

xxiii 1 And God called Adam saying, “Adam, where art thou? Can the house be hidden from the presence
2 of its builder? “Then your father answered; “It is not because we think not to be found by thee, Lord, that we hide, but I was afraid, because I am naked, and I was ashamed before thy might,
3 (my) Master.” God saith to him, “Who showed thee that thou art naked, unless thou hast forsaken my
4 commandment, which I delivered thee to keep (it).” Then Adam called to mind the word which I spake to him, (saying) “I will make thee secure before God”; and he turned and said to me: “Why hast thou done this?” And I said, “The serpent deceived me.”

xxiv 1 God saith to Adam: ‘Since thou hast disregarded my commandment and hast hearkened to thy wife, cursed is the earth in thy labours. Thou shalt work it and it shall not give its strength: thorns and thistles shall spring up for thee, and in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread. [Thou shalt be in manifold toils; thou shalt be crushed by bitterness, but of sweetness shalt thou not taste.]
3 Weary shalt thou be and shalt not rest; by heat shalt thou be tired, by cold shalt thou be straitened: abundantly shalt thou busy thyself, but thou shalt not be rich; and thou shalt grow fat, but come to no end.
4 The beasts, over whom thou didst rule, shall rise up in rebellion against thee, for thou hast not kept my commandment.”

xxv 1 And the Lord turned to me and said: “Since thou hast hearkened to the serpent, and turned
2 a deaf ear to my commandment, thou shalt be in throes of travail and intolerable agonies; thou shalt bear children in much trembling and in one hour thou shalt come to the birth, and lose thy
3 life, from thy sore trouble and anguish. But thou shalt confess and say: ‘Lord, Lord, save me, and
4 I will turn no more to the sin of the flesh.’ And on this account, from thine own words I will judge thee, by reason of the enmity which the enemy has planted in thee.”

xxvi 1 But he turned to the serpent [in great wrath] and said: “Since thou hast done this, and become a thankless vessel until thou hast deceived the innocent hearts, accursed art thou among all beasts.
2 Thou shalt be deprived of the victual of which thou didst eat and shalt feed on dust all the days of
3 thy life: on thy breast and thy belly shalt thou walk and be robbed of hands and feet. There shall not be left thee ear nor wing, nor one limb of all that with which thou didst ensnare them in
4 thy malice and causedst them to be cast out of paradise; and I will put enmity between thee and his seed: he shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel until the day of Judgement.” xxvii 1,2 Thus he spake and bade the angels have us cast out of paradise: and as we were being driven out amid our loud lamentations, your father Adam besought the angels and said: “Leave me a little (space) that I may entreat the Lord that he have compassion on me and pity me, for I only
3 have sinned.” And they left off driving him and Adam cried aloud and wept saying: “Pardon me O Lord, my deed.” Then the Lord saith to the angels, “Why have ye ceased from driving Adam from paradise? Why do ye not cast him out? Is it I who have done wrong? Or is my judgement
5 badly judged?” Then the angels fell down on the ground and worshipped the Lord saying, “Thou art just, O Lord, and thou judgest righteous judgement.”

xxviii 1 But the Lord turned to Adam and said: ‘I will not suffer thee henceforward to be in paradise.”
2 And Adam answered and said, ” Grant me, O Lord, of the Tree of Life that I may eat of it, before
3 I be cast out.” Then the Lord spake to Adam, “Thou shalt not take of it now, for I have commanded the cherubim with the flaming sword that turneth (every way) to guard it from thee that
4 thou taste not of it; but thou hast the war which the adversary hath put into thee, yet when thou art gone out of paradise, if thou shouldst keep thyself from all evil, as one about to die, when again the Resurrection hath come to pass, I will raise thee up and then there shall be given to thee the Tree of Life.”

xxix 1,2 Thus spake the Lord and ordered us to be cast out of paradise. But your father Adam wept before the angels opposite paradise and the angels say to him: “What wouldst thou have us to do,
3 Adam? “And your father saith to them, “Behold, ye cast me out. I pray you, allow me to take away fragrant herbs from paradise, so that I may offer an offering to God after I have gone out of paradise that he hear me.” And the angels approached God and said: “JA’EL, Eternal King, command, my Lord, that there be given to Adam incense of sweet odour from paradise and seeds
5 for his food.” And God bade Adam go in and take sweet spices and fragrant herbs from paradise
6 and seeds for his food. And the angels let him go and he took four kinds: crocus and nard and calamus and cinnamon and the other seeds for his food: and, after taking these, he went out of
7 paradise. And we were on the earth.

xxx 1 Now then, my children, I have shown you the way in which we were deceived; and do ye guard yourselves from transgressing against the good.’

xxxi 1 And when Eve had said this in the midst of her sons, while Adam was lying ill and bound to die
2 after a single day from the sickness which had fastened upon him, she saith to him: ‘How is it that
3 thou diest and I live or how long have I to live after thou art dead? Tell me.’ And Adam saith to her: ‘Reck not of this, for thou tarriest not after me, but even both of us are to die together. And she shall lie in my place. But when I die, anoint me and let no man touch me till the
4 angel of the Lord shall speak somewhat concerning me. For God will not forget me, but will seek His own creature; and now arise rather and pray to God till I give up my spirit into His hands who gave it me. For we know not how we are to meet our Maker, whether He be wroth with us, or be merciful and intend to pity and receive us.’

xxxii 1,2 And Eve rose up and went outside and fell on the ground and began to say: I have sinned, O God, I have sinned, O God of All, I have sinned against Thee. I have sinned against the elect angels. I have sinned against the Cherubim. I have sinned against Thy fearful and unshakable Throne. I have sinned before Thee and all sin hath begun through my doing in the creation.’
3 Even thus prayed Eve on her knees; (and) behold, the angel of humanity came to her, and raised
4 her up and said: ‘Rise up, Eve, (from thy penitence), for behold, Adam thy husband hath gone out of his body. Rise up and behold his spirit borne aloft to his Maker.’

xxxiii 1 And Eve rose up and wiped off her tears with her hand, and the angel saith to her, ‘ Lift Up thyself
2 from the earth.’ And she gazed steadfastly into heaven, and beheld a chariot of light, borne by four bright eagles, (and) it were impossible for any man born of woman to tell the glory of them or
3 behold their face -and angels going before the chariot- and when they came to the place where your father Adam was, the chariot halted and the Seraphim. And I beheld golden censers, between your father and the chariot, and all the angels with censers and frankincense came in haste to the
5 incense-offering and blew upon it and the smoke of the incense veiled the firmaments. And the angels fell down and worshipped God, crying aloud and saying, JA’EL, Holy One, have pardon, for he is Thy image, and the work of Thy holy hands.’

xxxiv 1 And I Eve beheld two great and fearful wonders standing in the presence of God and I wept for
2 fear, and I cried aloud to my son Seth and said, ‘Rise up, Seth, from the body of thy father Adam and come to me, and thou shalt see a spectacle which no man’s eye hath yet beheld.’

xxxv 1 Then Seth arose and came to his mother and to her he saith: ‘What is thy trouble? Why weepest thou?’ (And) she saith to him: ‘Look
2 up and see with thine eyes the seven heavens opened, and see how the soul of thy father lies on its face and all the holy angels are praying on his behalf and saying: ‘Pardon him, Father of All, for he is Thine image.” ‘Pray, my child
3 Seth, what shall this mean? And will he one day be delivered into the hands of the Invisible Father, even our God? But who are the two
4 negroes who stand by at the prayers for thy father Adam?’

xxxvi 1 And Seth telleth his mother, that they are the sun and moon and themselves fall down and pray on behalf of my father Adam. Eve saith
2 to him: ‘And where is their light and why have they taken on such a black appearance?’ And
3 Seth answereth her, ‘The light hath not left them, but they cannot shine before the Light of the Universe, the Father of Light; and on this account their light hath been hidden from them.

xxxvii 1 Now while Seth was saying this to his mother, lo, an angel blew the trumpet, and there stood up all the angels (and they were) lying on their faces, and they cried aloud in an awful voice and said: ‘Blessed (be) the glory of the Lord from
2 the works of His making, for He hath pitied Adam the creature of His hands.’ But when the
3 angels had said these words, lo, there came one of the seraphim with six wings and snatched up Adam and carried him off to the Acherusian lake, and washed him thrice, in the presence of God.

xxxix 1 And God saith to him: ‘Adam, what hast thou done? If thou hadst kept my commandment, there would now be no rejoicing among those who are bringing thee down to this place. Yet, I tell thee that I will turn their joy to grief
2 and thy grief will I turn to joy, and I will transform thee to thy former glory? and set thee on the throne of thy deceiver. But he shall be cast
3 into this place to see thee sitting above him, then he shall be condemned and they that heard him, and he shall be grieved sore when he seeth thee sitting on his honourable throne.’

xxxvii
4 And he stayed there three hours, lying down, and thereafter the Father of all, sitting on his holy throne stretched out his hand, and took Adam and handed him over to the archangel Michael saying: ‘Lift him up into Paradise unto the third Heaven, and leave him there until that fearful day of my reckoning, which I will make in the world.’ Then Michael took Adam and left
6 him where God told him.

xxxviii 1 But after all this, the archangel asked concerning the laying out of the remains. And God
2 commanded that all the angels should assemble in His presence, each in his order, and all the angels assembled, some having censers in their hands, and others trumpets. And lo ! the ‘Lord
3 of Hosts’ came on and four winds drew Him and cherubim mounted on the winds and the angels from heaven escorting Him and they came on the earth, where was the body of Adam. And
4 they came to paradise and all the leaves of paradise were stirred so that all men begotten of Adam slept from the fragrance save Seth alone, because he was born ‘according to the appointment of God ‘. Then Adam’s body lay there in
5 paradise on the earth and Seth grieved exceedingly over him.

xl 1 Then God spake to the archangel(s) Michael, (Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael): ‘Go away
2 to Paradise in the third heaven, and strew linen clothes and cover the body of Adam and bring oil of the ‘oil of fragrance’ and pour it over him. And they acted thus did the three great angels and they prepared him for burial. And God said: ‘Let the body of Abel also be
3 brought.’ And they brought other linen clothes and prepared his (body) also. For he was unburied since the day when Cain his brother slew him; for wicked Cain took great pains to conceal (him) but could not, for the earth would not receive him for the body sprang up from the earth and a voice went out of the earth saying: ‘I will not
5 receive a companion body, till the earth which was taken and fashioned in me cometh to me.’ At that time, the angels took it and placed it on a rock, till Adam his father was buried. And
6 both were buried, according to the commandment of God, in the spot where God found the dust, and He caused the place to be dug for two. And God sent seven angels to paradise and they
7 brought many fragrant spices and placed them in the earth, and they took the two bodies and placed them in the spot which they had digged and builded.

xli 1 And God called and said, ‘Adam, Adam.’ And the body answered from the earth and said: ‘Here am I, Lord.’ And God saith to him: ‘I told
2 thee (that) earth thou art and to earth shalt thou return. Again I promise to thee the Resurrection; I will raise thee up in the Resurrection with every man who is of thy seed.’

xlii 1 After these words, God made a seal and sealed the tomb, that no one might do anything to him for six days till his rib should return to him. Then the Lord and his angels went to their place.
2 And Eve also, when the six days were fulfilled,
3 fell asleep. But while she was living, she wept bitterly about Adam’s falling on sleep, for she knew not where he was laid. For when the Lord came to paradise to bury Adam she was asleep, and her sons too, except Seth, till He bade Adam be prepared for burial; and no man knew on earth, except her son Seth. And Eve prayed (in
4 the hour of her death) that she might be buried in the place where her husband Adam was. And after she had finished her prayer, she saith: ‘Lord,
5 Master, God of all rule, estrange not me thy handmaid from the body of Adam, for from his members didst thou make me. But deem me
6 worthy, even me unworthy that I am and a sinner, to enter into his tabernacle, even as I was with him in paradise, both without separation from each other; just as in our transgression, we were
7 (both) led astray and transgressed thy command, but were not separated. Even so, Lord, do not
8 separate us now.’ But after she had prayed, she gazed heavenwards and groaned aloud and smote her breast and said: ‘God of All, receive my spirit,’ and straightway she delivered up her spirit to God.

xliii 1 And Michael came and taught Seth how to prepare Eve for burial. And there came three angels and they buried her (body) where Adam’s body was and Abel’s. And thereafter Michael
2 spake to Seth and saith: ‘Lay out in this wise every man that dieth till the day of the Resurrection.’ And after giving him this rule; he
3 saith to him: ‘Mourn not beyond six days, but on the seventh day, rest and rejoice on it, because on that very day, God rejoiceth (yea) and we angels (too) with the righteous soul, who hath passed away from the earth.’ Even thus spake
4 the angel, and ascended into heaven, glorifying (God) and saying: ‘Allelujah.’
[Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, in the glory of
5 God the Father, for to Him it is meet to give glory, honour and worship, with the eternal life-giving spirit now and always and for ever. Amen.]
[Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts. To whom be glory and power for ever and for ever Amen.]
[Then the archangel Joel glorified God; saying, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, heaven and earth are full of thy glory.’]

The Acts of Andrew and Matthew

M.R. James-Translation and Notes
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924

Editorial Note: It was long thought that this must be an episode from the old Acts of Andrew: but Flamion’s study of that book has finally made it clear that there is no place for the tale in those Acts: and that our story is an early member of that which we call the Egyptian cycle: it is a tale of wonder with no doctrinal purpose.

1 At that time all the apostles were gathered together and divided the countries among themselves, casting lots. And it fell to Matthias to go to the land of the anthropophagi. Now the men of that city ate no bread nor drank wine, but ate the flesh and drank the blood of men; and every stranger who landed there they took, and put out his eyes, and gave him a magic drink which took away his understanding. 2 So when Matthias arrived he was so treated; but the drink had no effect on him, and he remained praying for help in the prison. 3 And a light came and a voice: Matthias, my beloved, receive sight. And he saw. And the voice continued: I will not forsake thee: abide twenty-seven days, and I will send Andrew to deliver thee and all the rest. And the Saviour went up into heaven. Matthias remained singing praises; when the executioners came to take victims, he kept his eyes closed. They came and looked at the ticket on his hand and said: Three days more and we will slay him. For every victim had a ticket tied on his hand to show the date when his thirty days would be fulfilled.

4 When twenty-seven days had elapsed, the Lord appeared to Andrew in the country where he was teaching and said: In three days Matthias is to be slain by the man-eaters; go and deliver him. ‘How i s it possible for me to get there in time’ Early to-morrow go to the shore and you will find a ship.’ And he left him. 5 They went, Andrew and his disciples, and found a little boat and three men. The pilot was the Lord, and the other two were angels. Andrew asked whither they were going. ‘To the land of the man-eaters.’ ‘I would go there too.’ ‘Every man avoids that place; why will you go’ ‘I have an errand to do; and if you can, take us.’ He said: ‘Come on board.’ 6 Andrew said: ‘I must tell you we have neither money nor victuals.’ ‘How then do you travel’ ‘Our master forbade us to take money and provisions. If you will do us this kindness, tell us: if not, we will look for another ship.’ ‘If these are your orders, come on board and welcome, I desire truly to have disciples of Jesus on my ship.’ So they embarked. 7 Jesus ordered three loaves to be brought and Andrew summoned his disciples to partake; but they could not answer him, for they were disturbed with the sea. So Andrew explained to the pilot, and he offered to set them ashore: but they refused to leave Andrew. 8 Jesus said: Tell your disciples some of the wonders your master did, to encourage them, for we are going to set sail: so they did, and Jesus steered. And Andrew told the disciples about the stilling of the storm, and prayed in himself that they might sleep: and they fell asleep. 9 Andrew said to Jesus: Tell me your art, sixteen years did I sail the sea, and this is the seventeenth, and I never saw such steering: the ship is as if on land. Jesus said: I, too, have often sailed the sea and been in danger; but because you are a disciple of Jesus, the sea knows you and is still. Andrew praised God that he had met such a man. 10 Jesus said: Tell me why the Jews did not believe on your master. Andrew enumerated the miracles: yet, he said, the Jews did not believe. ‘Perhaps he did not do these signs before the high priests’ 11 ‘Yes, he did, both openly and privately, and they would not believe.’ ‘What were the signs he did in secret’ ‘ O man with the spirit of questioning, why do you tempt me thus’ ‘I do not tempt you but my soul rejoices to hear his wonderful works.’ ‘ I will tell you, then. 12 Once when we the twelve went with our Lord to a heathen temple that he might show us the ignorance of the devil, the high priests saw us and said: Why do you follow this man who says he is the Son of God has God a son Is not this Joseph and Mary’s son, and his brothers are James and Simon and our hearts were weakened. And Jesus perceived it, and took us apart into the wilderness and did mighty signs and strengthened our faith. And we said to the priests: Come and see; for he has convinced us.

13 ‘And the priests came to the heathen temple, and Jesus showed us the form of the heavens, “that we might learn whether it were true or no.” Thirty men of the people and four priests were with us. On the right and left of the temple Jesus saw two sphinxes carved, and turned to us and said: Behold the form of the heaven: these are like the cherubim and seraphim in heaven. And he said to the sphinx on the right: You semblance of that which is in heaven, made by craftsmen, come down and convince these priests whether I be God or man. 14 It came down and spoke and said: O foolish sons of Israel. This is God who made man . . . . Tell me not that I am a stone image: better are the temples than your synagogue. Our priests purify themselves seven days from women, and approach not the temple but you come straight from defilement. The temples will abolish your synagogues, and become churches of the only-begotten Son of God. 15 The priests said: It speaks by magic, ye heard it say that this man spake with Abraham. How is that possible . . . Jesus said to the sphinx: Go to the cave of Mambre and call Abraham; bid him rise with Isaac and Jacob and come to the temples of the Jebusaeans to convict the priests. It went and called, and the twelve patriarchs rose and came out. “To which of us wast thou sent ” “Not to you, but to the three patriarchs: go back and rest.” They went back, and the three patriarchs came and convicted the priests. Jesus bade them return, and sent the sphinx back to its place. But the priests did not believe. And many other wonders he did.’

16 Jesus seeing that they were near land, leaned his head on one of the angels and ceased speaking to Andrew: and Andrew went to sleep. Then Jesus bade the angels take the men and lay them outside the city of the man-eaters and return: and then all departed to heaven.

17 Andrew awoke and looked about him and realized what had happened, and roused his disciples. They told him their dream: eagles came and bore therm into paradise, and they saw the Lord on his throne, and angels, and the three patriarchs and David singing, “and you the twelve apostles and twelve angels by you, whom the Lord bade to obey you in everything.”

18 Andrew rejoiced and prayed the Lord to show himself: and Jesus appeared in the form of a beautiful young child. Andrew asked pardon for his boldness on the ship. Jesus reassured him and told him what trials awaited him in the city, and encouraged him to endure them, and departed. 19 They entered the city, unseen, and went to the prison. The seven guards fell dead at his prayer: at the sign of the cross the doors opened. He found Matthias and they greeted each other. 20 Andrew looked at the victims, who were naked and eating grass, and smote his breast and reproached the devil: How long warrest thou with men thou didst cause Adam to be cast out of paradise: thou didst cause his bread that was on the table to be turned to stones. Again, thou didst enter into the mind of the angels and cause them to be defiled with women and madest their savage sons the giants to devour men on the earth, so that God sent the flood . . . . 21 Then they both prayed, and they laid their hands on the prisoners and restored first their sight and then their sense, and Andrew bade them go out of the city and remain under a fig-tree and await him: there were 270 men and 49 women. And Andrew commanded a cloud, and it took Matthias and the disciples and brethren to the mount where Peter was teaching and there they remained.

22 Andrew went out and walked in the city, and sat down by a brazen pillar with a statue on it, to see what would happen. The executioners came and found the prison empty and the guards dead, and reported to the rulers. They said: Go and fetch the seven dead men for us to eat to-day, and assemble to-morrow, the old men, and we will cast lots for seven a day and eat them, till we can fit out ships and send and collect people to eat. So they fetched the seven corpses; there was a furnace in the midst of the city and a great vat for the blood: they put the men on the vat. A voice came: Andrew, look at this. Andrew prayed, and the men’s swords fell and their hands turned to stone. The rulers cried: There are wizards in the city: go and gather the old men, for we are hungry. 23 They found 215, and lots were cast for 7. One of these said: Take my young son and kill him instead of me. They asked leave of the rulers, and it was granted, and the old man said: I have a daughter, take her too, and spare me. So the children were brought to the vat begging for their lives, but there was no pity. Andrew prayed, and again the swords fell from the men’s hands, and there was much alarm. 24 Then came the devil in the guise of an old man, and said: Woe to you, you will all die of hunger; but search now and look for a stranger named Andrew: he is the cause of your trouble. Andrew was looking at the devil, but the devil could not see him. And Andrew said: O Beliar, my lord will humble thee to the abyss. The devil said: I hear your voice and know it; but where you stand I see not. Andrew said: Art thou not called Amael because thou art blind The devil said: Look for the man who spake to me, for it is he. And they shut the gates and looked everywhere, but could not find him. The Lord appeared and said to Andrew: Show thyself to them. 25 He rose and said I am Andrew whom ye seek. And they ran and took him, and debated how to kill him: If we cut off his head, it will not pain him enough; Let us put a rope round his neck and drag him through the streets every day till he dies, and divide his body and eat it. They did so, and his flesh was torn and his blood flowed, and they cast him into prison with his hands bound behind him. 26 And so they did next day, and he wept and cried to the Lord: and the devil told the people to smite his mouth that he might not speak; and they bound his hands behind him and left him in the prison. The devil took seven other devils, whom Andrew had driven out from places in the neighbourhood (this seems like a reference to the older Acts), and they came to Andrew, and the devil said: Now we will kill you like your master whom Herod slew. 27 And he said: Now my children, kill him. But they saw the seal on his forehead and were afraid, and said: Do you kill him, for we cannot. And one of them said: If we cannot kill him, let us mock him; and they stood before him and taunted him with his helplessness, and he wept. And a voice -the devil’s voice disguised-said: Why weep Andrew said: Because of our Lord’s word: Have patience with them; otherwise I would have shown you! . . . But if the Lord grant me a visitation in this city, I will chastise you as you deserve. And they fled. 28 Next day the people dragged him again, and he cried out to the Lord: here are thy words: A hair of your heads shall not perish lo, my flesh is torn from me. And a voice said in Hebrew: My words shall not pass away: look behind thee. And he saw great fruit-bearing trees growing up where his flesh and blood had fallen. And they took him back to prison, and said: Perhaps he will die to-morrow. 29 And the Lord came and took his hand and he rose up whole. And in the prison was a pillar, and on it a statue. Andrew went to it and spread out his hands seven times and said: Fear thou the sign of the cross, and let this statue pour forth water as a flood. And say not, I am but a stone for God made us of earth, but ye are clean, and therefore God gave his people the law on tables of stone. And the statue poured water out of its mouth as from a canal, and it was bitter and corroded men’s flesh. 30 In the morning all the people began to flee. The water killed their cattle and their children. Andrew said: Let Michael wall the city about with fire. A cloud of fire came and surrounded it, and they could not escape. The water came up to their necks and consumed their flesh. They cried and lamented till he saw their spirit was crushed, and told the alabaster statue to cease. And Andrew went out of the prison, the water parting before him, and the people prayed for mercy. 31 The old man who had given up his children came and besought. But Andrew said: I wonder at you; you and the fourteen executioners shall be swallowed up and see the places of torment and of peace. And he went as far as the great vat, and prayed, and the earth opened and swallowed the water and the old man and the executioners. And all feared greatly, but he consoled them. 32 Then he bade them bring all who had been killed by the water, but there were too many, so he prayed and revived them. Then he drew out the plan of a church and baptized them and gave them the Lord’s precepts. And they begged him to stay with them a little; but he refused, saying I must first go to my disciples; and he set forth, and they lamented grievously. 33 And Jesus appeared in the form of a beautiful child and reproved him for leaving them, and told him to stay seven days; and then he should go with his disciples to the country of the barbarians, and then return and bring the men out of the abyss. And he returned and they all rejoiced greatly.

Acts and Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Andrew

WHAT we have all, both presbyters and deacons of the churches of Achaia, beheld with our eyes, we have written to all the churches established in the name of Christ Jesus, both in the east and west, north and south. Peace to you, and to all who believe in one God, perfect Trinity, true Father unbegotten, true Son only-begotten, true Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father, andabiding in the Son, in order that there may be shown one Holy Spirit subsisting in the Father and Son in precious Godhead. This faith we have learned from the blessed Andrew, the apostle of oar Lord Jesus Christ, whose passion also we, having seen it set forth before our eyes, have not hesitated to give an account of, according to the degree of ability we have. Accordingly the proconsul AEgeates, having come into the city of Patras, began to compel those believing in Christ to worship the idols; to whom the blessed Andrew, running up, said: It behoved thee, being a judge of men, to acknowledge thy Judge who is in the heaven, and having acknowledged Him, to worship Him; and worshipping Him who is the true God, to turn away thy thoughts from those which are not true gods.

To whom AEgeates said: Art thou Andrew, who destroyest the temples of the gods, and persuadest men about the religion which, having lately made its appearance, the emperors of the Romans have given orders to suppress?

The blessed Andrew said: The emperors of the Romans have never recognised the truth. And this the Son of God, who came on account of the salvation of men, manifestly teaches–that these idols are not only not gods, but also most shameful demons, and hostile to the human race, teaching men to offend God, so that, by being offended, He turns away and will not hearken; that therefore, by His turning away and not hearkening, they may be held captive by the devil; and that they might work them to such a degree, that when they go out of the body they may be found deserted and naked, carrying nothing with them bat sins.

AEgeates said: These are superfluous and vain words: as for your Jesus, for proclaiming these things to the Jews they nailed him to the tree of the cross.

The blessed Andrew answering, said: Oh, if thou wouldst recognise the mystery of the cross, with what reasonable love the Author of the life of the human race for our restoration endured this tree of the cross, not unwillingly, but willingly!

AEgeates said: Seeing that, betrayed by his own disciple, and seized by the Jews, he was brought before the procurator, and according to their request was nailed up by the procurator’s soldiers, in what way dost thou say that he willingly endured the tree of the cross?

The holy Andrew said: For this reason I say willingly, since I was with Him when he was betrayed by His disciple. For before He was betrayed, He spoke to us to the effect that He should be betrayed and crucified for the salvation of men, and foretold that He should rise again on the third day. To whom my brother Peter said, Far be it from thee, Lord; let this by no means be. And so, being angry, He said to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou art not disposed to the things of God. And in order that He might most fully explain that He willingly underwent the passion, He said to us, I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again. And, last of all, while He was supping with us, He said, One of you will betray me. At these words, therefore, all becoming exceedingly grieved, in order that the surmise might be free from doubt, He made it clear, saying, To whomsoever I shall give the piece of bread out of my hand, he it is who betrays me. When, therefore, He gave it to one of our fellow-disciples, and gave an account of things to come as if they were already present, He showed that He was to be willingly betrayed. For neither did He run away, and leave His betrayer at fault; but remaining in the place in which He knew that he was, He awaited him

AEgeates said: I wonder that thou, being a sensible man, shouldst wish to uphold him on any terms whatever; for, whether willingly or unwillingly, all the same, thou admittest that he was fastened to the cross.

The blessed Andrew said: This is what I said, if now thou apprehendest, that great is the mystery of the cross, which, if thou wishest, as is likely, to hear, attend to me.

AEgeates said: A mystery it cannot be called, but a punishment.

The blessed Andrew said: This punishment is the mystery of man’s restoration. If thou wilt listen with any attention, thou wilt prove it.

AEgeates said: I indeed will hear patiently; but thou, unless thou

submissively obey me, shalt receive (2) the mystery of the cross in thyself.

The blessed Andrew answered: If I had been afraid of the tree of the cross, I should not have proclaimed the glory of the cross.

AEgeates said: Thy speech is foolish, because thou proclaimest that the cross is not a punishment, and through thy foolhardiness thou art not afraid of the punishment of death.

The holy Andrew said: It is not through foolhardiness, but through faith, that I am not afraid of the punishment of death; for the death of sins (3) is hard. And on this account I wish thee to hear the mystery of the cross, in order that thou perhaps, acknowledging it, mayst believe, and believing, mayst come somehow or other to the renewing of thy soul.

AEgeates said: That which is shown to have perished is for renewing. Do you mean that my soul has perished, that thou makest me come to the renewing of it through the faith, I know not what, of which thou hast spoken?

The blessed Andrew answered: This it is which I desired time to learn, which also I shall teach and make manifest, that though the souls of men are destroyed, they shall be renewed through the mystery of the cross. For the first man through the tree of transgression brought in death; and it was necessary for the human race, that through the suffering of the tree, death, which had come into the world, should be driven out. And since the first man, who brought death into the world through the transgression of the tree, had been produced from the spotless earth, it was necessary that the Son of God should be begotten a perfect man from the spotless virgin, that He should

restore eternal life, which men had lost through Adam, and should cut off

the tree of carnal appetite through the tree of the

cross. Hanging upon the cross, He stretched out His blameless hands for the hands which had been incontinently stretched out; for the most sweet food of the forbidden tree He received gall for food; and taking our mortality upon Himself, He made a gift of His immortality to us.

AEgeates said: With these words thou shalt be able to lead away those who shall believe in thee; but unless thou hast come to grant me this, that thou offer sacrifices to the almighty gods, I shall order thee, after having been scourged, to be fastened to that very cross which thou commendest.

The blessed Andrew said: To God Almighty, who alone is true, I bring sacrifice day by day not the smoke of incense, nor the flesh of bellowing bulls, nor the blood of goats, but sacrificing a spotless lamb day by day on the altar of the cross; and though all the people of the I faithful partake of His body and drink His blood, the Lamb that has been sacrificed remains after this entire and alive. Truly, therefore, is He sacrificed, andtruly is His body eaten by the people, and His blood is likewise drunk; nevertheless, as I have said, He remains entire, and spotless, and alive.

AEgeates said: How can this be?

The blessed Andrew said: If thou wouldest know, take the form of a disciple, that thou mayst learn what thou art inquiring after.

AEgeates said: I will exact of thee through tortures the gift of this knowledge.

The blessed Andrew declared: I wonder that thou, being an intelligent man, shouldest fall into the folly of thinking that thou mayst be able to persuade me, through thy tortures, to disclose to thee the sacred things of God. Thou hast heard the mystery of the cross, thou hast heard the mystery of the sacrifice. If thou be lievest in Christ the Son of God, who was crucified, I shall altogether disclose to thee in what manner the Lamb that has been slain may live, after having been sacrificed and eaten, remaining in His kingdom entire and spotless.

AEgeates said: And by what means does the lamb remain in his kingdom after he has been slain and eaten by all the people, as thou hast said?

The blessed Andrew said: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou shalt be able to learn: but if thou believest not, thou shalt not by any means attain to the idea of such truth.

Then AEgeates, enraged, ordered him to be shut up in prison, where, when he was shut up, a multitude of the people came together to him

from almost all the province, so that they wished to kill AEgeates, and by breaking down the doors of the prison to set free the blessed Andrew the apostle.

Them the blessed Andrew admonished in these words, saying: Do not stir up the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ into seditious and devilish uproar. For my Lord, when He was betrayed, endured it with all patience; He did not strive, He did not cry out, nor in the streets did any one hear Him crying out. Therefore do ye also keep silence, quietness, and peace; and hinder not my martyrdom, but rather get yourselves also ready beforehand as athletes to the Lord, in order that you may overcome threatenings by a soul that has no fear of man, and that you may get the better of injuries through the endurance of the body. For this temporary fall is not to be feared; but that should be feared which has no end. The fear of men, then, is like smoke which, while it is raised and gathered together, disappears. And those torments ought to be feared which never have an end. For these torments, which happen to be somewhat light, any one can bear; but if they are heavy, they soon destroy life. But those torments are everlasting, where there are daily weepings, and mournings, and lamentations, and never-ending torture, to which the proconsul AEgeates is not afraid to go. Be ye therefore rather prepared for this, that through temporary afflictions ye may attain to everlasting rest, and may flourish for ever, and reign with Christ.

The holy Apostle Andrew having admonished the people with these and such like words through the whole night, when the light of day dawned, AEgeates having sent for him, ordered the blessed Andrew to be brought to him; and having sat down upon the tribunal, he said: I have thought that thou, by thy reflection during the night, hast turned away thy thoughts from folly, and

given up thy commendation of Christ that thou mightst be able to be with us,

and not throw away the pleasures of life; for it is folly to come for any

purpose to the suffering of the cross, and to give oneself up to most shameful

punishments and burnings.

The holy Andrew answered: I shall be able to have joy with thee, if thou wilt believe in Christ, and throw away the worship of idols; for Christ has sent me to this province, in which I have acquired for Christ a people not the smallest.

AEgeates said: For this reason I compel thee to make a libation, that these people who have been deceived by thee may forsake the vanity of thy teaching, and may themselves offer grateful libations to the gods; for not even one city has remained in Achaia in which their temples have not been forsaken and deserted. And now, through thee, let them be again restored to the worship of the images, in order that the gods also, who have been enraged against thee, being pleased by this, may bring it about that thou mayst return to their friendship anti ours. But if not, thou awaitest varied tortures, on account of the vengeance of the gods; and after these, fastened to the tree of the cross which thou commendest, thou shall die.

The holy Andrew said: Listen, O son of death and chaff made ready for eternal burnings, to me, the servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ. Until now I have conversed with thee kindly about the perfection of the faith, in order that thou, receiving the exposition of the truth, being made perfect as its vindicator, mightst despise vain idols, and worship God, who is in the heavens; but since thou remainest in the same shamelessness at last, and thinkest me to be afraid because of thy threats, bring against me whatever may seem to thee greater in the way of tortures. For the more shall I be well pleasing to my King, the more I shall endure in tortures for the confession of His name.

Then the proconsul AEgeates, being enraged, ordered the apostle of Christ to be afflicted by tortures. Being stretched out, therefore, by seven times three (5) soldiers, and beaten with violence, he was lifted up and brought before the impious AEgeates. And he spoke to him thus: Listen to me, Andrew, and withdraw thy thoughts from the outpouring of thy blood; but if thou wilt not hearken to me, I shall cause thee to perish on the tree of the cross.

The holy Andrew said: I am a slave of the cross of Christ, and I ought rather to pray to attain to the trophy of the cross than to be afraid; but for thee is laid up eternal torment, which, however, thou mayst escape after thou hast tested my endurance, if thou wilt believe in my Christ. For I am afflicted about thy destruction, and I am not disturbed about my own suffering. For my suffering takes up a space of one day, or two at most; but thy torment for endless ages shall never come to a close. Wherefore

henceforward cease from adding to thy miseries, and lighting up everlasting

fire for thyself.

AEgeates then being enraged, ordered the blessed Andrew to be fastened to the cross. (6) And he having left them all, goes up to the cross, and says to it with a clear voice: Rejoice, O cross, which has been consecrated by the body

of Christ, and adorned by His limbs as if with pearls. Assuredly before my Lord went up on thee, thou hadst much earthly fear; but now invested with heavenly longing, thou art fitted up (1) according to my prayer. For I know, from those who believe, how many graces thou hast in Him, how many gifts prepared beforehand. Free from care, then, and with joy, I come to thee, that thou also exulting mayst receive me, the disciple of Him that was hanged upon thee; because thou hast been always faithful to me, and I have desired to embrace thee. O good cross, which hast received comeliness and beauty from the limbs of the Lord; O much longed for, and earnestly desired, and fervently sought after, and already prepared beforehand for my soul longing for thee, take me away from men, and restore me to my Master, in order that through thee He may accept me who through thee has redeemed me.

And having thus spoken, the blessed Andrew, standing on the ground, and looking earnestly upon the cross, stripped himself and gave his clothes to the executioners, having urged the brethren that the executioners should come and do what had been commanded them; for they were standing at some distance. And they having come up, lifted him on the cross; and having stretched his body across with ropes, they only bound his feet, but did not sever his joints, (2) having received this order from the proconsul: for he wished him to be in distress while hanging, and in the night-time, as he was suspended, to be eaten up alive by dogs.

And a great multitude of the brethren stood by, nearly twenty thousand; and having beheld the executioners standing off, and that they had done to the blessed one nothing of what those who were hanged up suffer, they thought that they would again hear something from him; for assuredly, as he was hanging, he moved his head smiling. And Stratocles inquired of him: Why art thou smiling, Andrew, servant of God? Thy laughter makes us mourn and weep, because we are deprived of thee. And the blessed Andrew answered him: Shall I not laugh at all, my son Stratocles, at the empty stratagem of AEgeates, through which he thinks to take vengeance upon us? We have nothing to do with him and his plans. He cannot hear; for if he could, he would be aware, having learned it by experience, that a man of Jesus is unpunished.

And having thus spoken, he discoursed to them all in common, for the people ran together enraged at the unjust judgment of AEgeates: Ye men standing by me, and women, and children, and elders, bond and free, and as many as will hear; I beseech you, forsake all this life, ye who have for my sake assembled here; and hasten to take upon you my life, which leads to heavenly things, and once for all despise all temporary things, confirming the purposes of those who believe in Christ. And he exhorted them all, teaching that the sufferings of this transitory life are not worthy to be compared with the future recompense of the eternal life.

And the multitude hearing what was said by him, did not stand off from the place, and the blessed Andrew continued the rather to say to them more than he had spoken. And so much was said by him, that a space of three days and nights was taken up, and no one was tired and went away from him. And when also on the fourth day they beheld his nobleness, and the unweariedness of his intellect, and the multitude of his words, and the serviceableness of his exhortations, and the stedfastness of his soul, and the sobriety of his spirit, and the fixedness of his mind, and the perfection of his reason, they were enraged against AEgeates; and all with one accord hastened to the tribunal, and cried out against AEgeates, who was sitting, saying: What is thy judgment, O proconsul? Thou hast judged wickedly; thy awards are impious. In what has the man done wrong; what evil has he done? The city has been put in an uproar; thou grievest us all; do not betray Caesar’s city. Grant willingly to the Achaians a just man; grant willingly to us a God-fearing man; do not put to death a godly man. Four days he has been hanging, and is alive; having eaten nothing, he has filled us all. Take down the man from the cross, and we shall all seek after wisdom; release the man, and to all Achaia will mercy be shown. It is not necessary that he should suffer this, because, though hanging, he does not cease proclaiming the truth.

And when the proconsul refused to listen to them, at first indeed signing with his hand to the crowd to take themselves off, they began to be emboldened against him, being in number about twenty thousand. And the proconsul having beheld that they had somehow become maddened, afraid that something frightful would befall him, rose up from the tribunal and went away with them, having promised to set free the blessed Andrew. And some went on before to tell the apostle the cause for which they came to the place.

While all the crowd, therefore, was exulting that the blessed Andrew was going to be set free, the proconsul having come up, and all the

brethren rejoicing along with Maximilla, (1) the blessed Andrew, having heard this, said to the brethren standing by: What is it necessary for me to say to him, when I am departing to the Lord, that will I also say. For what reason hast thou again come to us, AEgeates? On what account dost thou, being a stranger to us, come to us? What wilt thou again dare to do, what to contrive? Tell us. Hast thou come to release us, as having changed thy mind? I would not agree with thee that thou hadst really changed thy mind. Nor would I believe thee, saying that thou art my friend. Dost thou, O proconsul, release him that has been bound? By no means. For I have One with whom I shall be for ever; I have One with whom I shall live to countless ages. To Him I go; to Him I hasten, who also having made thee known to me, has said to me, Let not that fearful man terrify thee; do not think that he will lay hold of thee, who art mine: for he is thine enemy. Therefore, having known thee through him who has turned towards me, I am delivered from thee. But if thou wishest to believe in Christ, there will be opened up for time, as I promised thee, a way of access; but if thou hast come only to release me, I shall not be able after this to be brought down from this cross alive in the body. For I and my kinsmen depart to our own, allowing thee to be what thou art, and what thou dost not know about thyself. For already I see my King, already I worship Him, already I stand before Him, where the fellowship of the angels is, where He reigns the only emperor, where there is light without night, where the flowers never fade, where trouble is never known, nor the name of grief heard, where there are cheerfulness and exultation that have no end. O blessed cross! without the longing for thee, no one enters into that place. But I am distressed, AEgeates, about thine own miseries, because eternal perdition is ready to receive thee. Run then, for thine own sake, O pitiable one, while yet thou canst, lest perchance thou shouldst wish then when thou canst not.

When, therefore, he attempted to come near the tree of the cross, so as to release the blessed Andrew, with all the city applauding him, the holy Andrew said with a loud voice: Do not suffer Andrew, bound upon Thy tree, to be released, O Lord; do not give me who am in Thy mystery to the shameless devil. O Jesus Christ, let not Thine adversary release me, who have been hanged by Thy favour; O Father, let this insignificant man no longer humble him who has known Thy greatness. The executioners, therefore, putting out their hands, were not able at all to touch him. Others, then, and others endeavoured to release him, and no one at all was able to come near him; for their arms were benumbed.

Then the blessed Andrew, having adjured the people, said: I entreat you earnestly, brethren, that I may first make one prayer to my Lord. So then set about releasing me. All the people therefore kept quiet because of the adjuration. Then the blessed Andrew, with a loud cry, said: Do not permit, O Lord, Thy servant at this time to be removed from Thee; for it is time that my body be committed to the earth, and Thou shalt order me to come to Thee. Thou who givest eternal life, my Teacher whom I have loved, whom on this cross I

confess, whom I know, whom I possess, receive me, O Lord; and as I have

confessed Thee and obeyed Thee, so now in this word hearken to me; and, before

my body come down from the cross, receive me to Thyself, that through my

departure there may be access to Thee of many of my kindred, finding rest for

themselves in Thy majesty.

When, therefore, he had said this, he became in the sight of all glad and exulting; for an exceeding splendour like lightning coming forth out of heaven shone down upon him, and so encircled him, that in consequence of such brightness mortal eyes could not look upon him at all. And the dazzling light remained about the space of half an hour. And when he had thus spoken and glorified the Lord still more, the light withdrew itself, and he gave up the ghost, and along with the brightness itself he departed to the Lord in giving Him thanks.

And after the decease of the most blessed Andrew the apostle, Maximilla being the most powerful of the notable women, and continuing among those who had come, as soon as she learned that the apostle had departed to the Lord, came up and turned her attention to the cross, along with Stratocles, taking no heed at all of those standing by, and with reverence took down the body of the most blessed apostle from the cross. And when it was evening, bestowing upon him the necessary care, she prepared the body for burial with costly spices, and aid it in her own tomb. For she had been parted from AEgeates on account of his brutal disposition and lawless conduct, having chosen for herself a holy and quiet life; and having been united to the love of Christ, she spent her life blessedly along with the brethren.

AEgeates had been very importunate with her, and promised that he would make her mistress of his wealth; but not having been able to persuade her, he was greatly enraged, and was determined to make a public charge against all

the people, and to send to Caesar an accusation against both Maximilla and all the people. And while he was arranging these things in the presence of his officers, at the dead of night he rose up, and unseen by all his people, having been tormented by the devil, he fell down from a great height, and rolling into the midst of the market-place of the city, breathed his last.

And this was reported to his brother Stratocles; and he sent his servants, having told them that they should bury him among those who had died a violent death. But he sought nothing of his substance, saying: Let not my Lord Jesus Christ, in whom I have believed, suffer me to touch anything whatever of the goods of my brother, that the condemnation of him who dared to cut off the apostle of the Lord may not disgrace me.

These things were done in the province of Achaia, in the city of Patras on the day before the kalends of December, where his good deeds are kept in mind even to this day, to the glory and praise of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Allogenes

Translated by John D.Turner and Orval S. Wintermute
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… since they are perfect individuals and dwell all together, joined with the mind, the guardian which I provided, who taught you (sg.). And it is the power that exists within you that often extended itself as word from the Triple-Powered One, that One of all those who truly exist with the Immeasurable One, the eternal Light of the Knowledge that appeared, the male virginal Youth, the first of the Aeons from a unique triple-powered Aeon, the Triple-Powered-One who truly exists, for when he was stilled, was extended and when he was extended, he became complete and he received power from all of them. He knows himself and the perfect Invisible Spirit. And he came to be in an Aeon who knows that she knows That One. And she became Kalyptos, who acted in those whom she knows. He is a perfect, invisible, noetic Protophanes-Harmedon. And empowering the individuals, she is a Triple-Male. And being individually …
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… individual on the one hand, they are together on the other hand, since she is an existence of theirs, and she sees them all also truly. She contains the divine Autogenes.

When she knew her Existence and when she stood, she brought This One (masc.), since he saw them all existing individually as he is. And when they become as he is, they shall see the divine Triple-Male, the power that is higher than God. He is the Thought of all these who exist together. If he ponders them, he ponders the great male […] noetic Protophanes, the procession of these. When he sees it, he sees also those who truly exist and the procession of those who are together. And when he has seen these, he has seen the Kalyptos. And if he sees one of the hidden ones, he sees the Aeon of Barbelo. And as for the unbegotten offspring of That One, if one sees how he lives …
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… you have heard about the abundance of each one of them certainly.

But concerning the invisible, spiritual Triple-Powered-One, hear! He exists as an Invisible One who is incomprehensible to them all. He contains them all within himself, for they all exist because of him. He is perfect, and he is greater than perfect, and he is blessed. He is always One and he exists in them all, being ineffable, unnameable, being One who exists through them all – he whom, should one discern him, one would not desire anything that exists before him among those that possess existence, for he is the source from which they were all emitted. He is prior to perfection. He was prior to every divinity, and he is prior to every blessedness, since he provides for every power. And he <is> a nonsubstantial substance, since he is a God over whom there is no divinity, the transcending of whose greatness and beauty …
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… power. It is not impossible for them to receive a revelation of these things, if they come together. Since it is impossible for the individuals to comprehend the Universal One situated in the place that is higher than perfect, they apprehend by means of a First Thought – not as Being alone, but it is along with the latency of Existence that he confers Being. He provides everything for himself, since it is he who shall come to be when he recognizes himself. And he is One who subsists as a cause and source of Being, and an immaterial material and an innumerable number and a formless form and a shapeless shape and a powerlessness and a power and an insubstantial substance and a motionless motion and an inactive activity. Yet he is a provider of provisions and a divinity of divinity – but whenever they apprehend, they participate the first Vitality and an undivided activity, an hypostasis of the First One from the One who truly exists. And a second activity […] however, is the […]. He is endowed with blessedness and goodness, because when he is recognized as the traverser of the boundlessness of the Invisible Spirit that subsists in him, it (the boundlessness) turns him to it (the invisible spirit) in order that it might know what is within him and how he exists. And he was becoming salvation for every one by being a point of departure for those who truly exist, for through him his knowledge endured, since he is the one who knows what he is. But they brought forth nothing beyond themselves, neither power nor rank nor glory nor aeon, for they are all eternal. He is Vitality and Mentality and That-Which-Is. For then That-Which-Is constantly possesses its Vitality and Mentality, and Life has Vitality possesses non-Being and Mentality. Mentality possesses Life and That-Which-Is. And the three are one, although individually they are three.

Now after I heard these things, my son Messos, I was afraid, and I turned toward the multitude […] thought […] gives power to those who are capable of knowing these things by a revelation that is much greater. And I was capable, although flesh was upon me. I heard from you about these things and about the doctrine that is in them, since the thought which is in me distinguished the things that are beyond measure as well as the unknowables. Therefore I fear that my doctrine may have become something beyond what is fitting.

And then, my son Messos, the all-glorious One, Youel, spoke to me again. She made a revelation to me and said: “No one is able to hear these things except the great powers alone, O Allogenes. A great power was put upon you, which the Father of the All, the Eternal, put upon you before you came to this place, in order that those things that are difficult to distinguish you might distinguish and those things that are unknown to the multitude you might know, and that you might escape (in safety) to the One who is yours, who was first to save and who does not need to be saved …
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… to you a form and a revelation of the invisible, spiritual Triple-Powered One, outside of which dwells an undivided, incorporeal, eternal knowledge.

As with all the Aeons, the Aeon of Barbelo exists also endowed with the types and forms of those who truly exist, the image of Kalyptos. And endowed with the intellectual Word of these, he bears the noetic male Protophanes like an image, and he acts within the individuals, either with craft or with skill or with partial instinct. He is endowed with the divine Autogenes like an image, and he knows each one of these. He acts separately and individually, continuing to rectify the failures from nature. He is endowed with the divine Triple-Male as salvation for them all, in cooperation with the Invisible Spirit. He is a word from a counsel, <he> is the perfect Youth. And this hypostasis is a …

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… my soul went slack, and I fled and was very disturbed. And I turned to myself and saw the light that surrounded me and the Good that was in me, I became divine.

And the all-glorious One, Youel, anointed me again and she gave power to me. She said, “Since your instruction has become complete, and you have known the Good that is within you, hear concerning the Triple-Powered One those things that you will guard in great silence and great mystery, because they are not spoken to anyone except those who are worthy, those who are able to hear: nor is it fitting to speak to an uninstructed generation concerning the Universal One that is higher than perfect. But you have <these> because of the Triple-Powered One, the One who exists in blessedness and goodness, the One who is responsible for all these.

“There exists within him much greatness. Inasmuch as he is one in a …
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… of the First Thought, which does not fall away from those who dwell in comprehension and knowledge and understanding. And That One moved motionlessly in that which governs, lest he sink into the boundless by means of another activity of Mentality. And he entered into himself and he appeared, being all-encompassing, the Universal One that is higher than perfect.

“Indeed it is not through me that he is to such a degree anterior to knowledge. Whereas there is no possibility for complete comprehension, he is (nevertheless) known. And this is so because of the third silence of Mentality and the second undivided activity which appeared in the First Thought, that is, the Aeon of Barbelo, together with the Indivisible One of the divisible likenesses and the Triple-Powered-One and the non-substantial Existence.”

<Then> the power appeared by means of an activity that is at rest and silent, although it uttered a sound thus: zza zza zza. But when she (Youel) heard the power and she was filled …
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… “Thou art […], Solmis! […] according to the Vitality that is thine, and the first activity which derives from divinity. Thou art great, Armedon! Thou art perfect, Epiphaneus!

“And according to that activity of thine, the second power and the Mentality which derives from blessedness: Autoer, Beritheus, Erigenaor, Orimenios, Aramen, Alphleges, Elelioupheus, Lalameus, Yetheus, Noetheus, thou art great! He who knows thee knows the Universal One! Thou art One, thou art One, He who is good, Aphredon! Thou art the Aeon of the Aeons, He who is perpetually!”

Then she praised the Universal One, saying “Lalameus, Noetheus, Senaon, Asine[us, …]riphanios, Mellephaneus, Elemaoni, Smoun, Optaon, He Who Is! Thou art He Who Is, the Aeon of Aeons, the Unbegotten, who art higher than the unbegotten (ones), Yatomenos, thou alone for whom all the unborn ones were begotten, the Unnameable One! … (10 lines missing) … knowledge.”

Now after I heard these things, I saw the glories of the perfect individuals and the all-perfect ones who exist together, and the all-perfect ones who are before the perfect ones.

Again the greatly glorious One, Youel, said to me, “O Allogenes, in an unknowing knowledge you know that the Triple-Powered One exists before the glories. They do not exist among those who exist. They do not exist together with those who exist nor those who truly exist. Rather, all these exist as divinity and blessedness and existence, and as nonsubstantiality and non-being existence.”

And then I prayed that the revelation might occur to me. And then the all-glorious one, Youel, said to me, “O Allogenes, of course, the Triple-Male is something beyond substance. Yet were he insubstantial …
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… those who exist in association with the generation of those who truly exist. The self-begotten ones exist with the Triple-Male.

“If you seek with a perfect seeking, then you shall know the Good that is in you; then you will know yourself as well, (as) one who derives from the God who truly pre-exists. For after a hundred years there shall come to you a revelation of That One by means of Salamex and Semen and […] the Luminaries of the Aeon of Barbelo. And that beyond what is fitting for you, you shall not know at first, so as not to forfeit your kind. And if so, then when you receive a conception of That One, then you are filled with the word to completion. Then you become divine, and you become perfect. You receive them …
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… the seeking […] the Existence […] if it apprehends anything, it is apprehended by that one and by the very one who is comprehended. And then he becomes greater who comprehends and knows than he who is comprehended and known. But if he descends to his nature, he is less, for the incorporeal natures have not associated with any magnitude; having this power, they are everywhere and they are nowhere, since they are greater than every magnitude, and less than every exiguity.”

Now after the all-glorious One, Youel, said these things, she separated from me and left me. But I did not despair of the words that I heard. I prepared myself therein and I deliberated with myself for a hundred years. And I rejoiced exceedingly, since I was in a great light and a blessed path because those whom I was worthy to see as well as those whom I was worthy to hear (are) those whom it is fitting that the great powers alone … (5 lines missing) … of God.

When the completion of the one hundred years drew nigh, it brought me a blessedness of the eternal hope full of auspiciousness. I saw the good divine Autogenes; and the Savior, who is the youthful, perfect Triple-Male Child; and his goodness, the noetic perfect Protophanes-Harmedon; and the blessedness of the Kalyptos; and the primary origin of the blessedness, the Aeon of Barbelo, full of divinity; and the primary origin of the one without origin, the spiritual, invisible Triple-Powered One, the Universal One that is higher than perfect.

When <I> was taken by the eternal Light out of the garment that was upon me, and taken up to a holy place whose likeness cannot be revealed in the world, then by means of a great blessedness I saw all those about whom I had heard. And I praised all of them and I stood upon my knowledge and I inclined to the knowledge of the Universals, the Aeon of Barbelo.

And I saw holy powers by means of the Luminaries of the virginal male Barbelo telling me that I would be able to test what happens in the world: “O Allogenes, behold your blessedness, how it silently abides, by which you know your proper self and, seeking yourself, withdraw to the Vitality that you will see moving. And although it is impossible for you to stand, fear nothing; but if you wish to stand, withdraw to the Existence, and you will find it standing and at rest after the likeness of the One who is truly at rest and (who) embraces all these silently and inactively. And when you receive a revelation of him by means of a primary revelation of the Unknown One – the One whom if you should know him, be ignorant of him – and you become afraid in that place, withdraw to the rear because of the activities. And when you become perfect in that place, still yourself. And in accordance with the pattern that indwells you, know likewise that it is this way in all such (matters) after this pattern. And do not further dissipate, so that you may be able to stand, and do not desire to be active, lest you fall in any way from the inactivity in you of the Unknown One. Do not know him, for it is impossible; but if by means of an enlightened thought you should know him, be ignorant of him.”

Now I was listening to these things as those ones spoke them. There was within me a stillness of silence, and I heard the Blessedness whereby I knew <my> proper self.

And I withdrew to the Vitality as I sought <myself>, and I joined into it, and I stood, not firmly but silently. And I saw an eternal, intellectual, undivided motion that pertains to all the formless powers, (which is) unlimited by limitation.

And when I wanted to stand firmly, I withdrew to the Existence, which I found standing and at rest, like an image and likeness of what is conferred upon me by a revelation of the Indivisible One and the One who is at rest. I was filled with revelation by means of a primary revelation of the Unknowable One. As though I were ignorant of him, I knew him, and I received power by him. Having been permanently strengthened, I knew the One who exists in me, and the Triple-Powered One, and the revelation of his uncontainableness. And by means of a primary revelation of the First One unknowable to them all, the God who is beyond perfection, I saw him and the Triple-Powered One that exists in them all. I was seeking the ineffable and Unknowable God – whom if one should know him, he would be absolutely ignorant of him – the Mediator of the Triple-Powered One who subsists in stillness and silence and is unknowable.

And when I was confirmed in these matters, the powers of the Luminaries said to me, “Cease hindering the inactivity that exists in you, by seeking incomprehensible matters; rather, hear about him in so far as it is possible by means of a primary revelation and a revelation.”

“Now he is something insofar as he exists in that he either exists and will become, or acts or knows, although he lives without Mind or Life or Existence or Non-Existence, incomprehensibly. And he is something along with his proper being. He is not left over in some way, as if he yields something that is assayed or purified or that receives or gives. And he is not diminished in any way, whether by his own desire, or whether he gives or receives through another. Neither does he have any desire of himself nor from another; it does not affect him. Rather, neither does he give anything by himself, lest he become diminished in another respect; nor for this reason does he need Mind, or Life, is indeed anything at all. He is superior to the Universals in his privation and unknowability, that is, the non-being existence, since he is endowed with silence and stillness lest he be diminished by those who are not diminished.

“He is neither divinity nor blessedness nor perfection. Rather, it (this triad) is an unknowable entity of him, not that which is proper to him; rather, he is another one superior to the blessedness and the divinity and perfection. For he is not perfect, but he is another thing that is superior. He is neither boundless, nor is he bounded by another. Rather, he is something superior. He is not corporeal. He is not incorporeal. He is not great. He is not small. He is not a number. He is not a creature. Nor is he something that exists, that one can know. But he is something else of himself that is superior, which one cannot know.

“He is primary revelation and knowledge of himself, as it is he alone who knows himself. Since he is not one of those that exist, but is another thing, he is superior to superlatives, even in comparison to what is his and not his. He neither participates in age nor does he participate in time. He does not receive anything from anything else. He is not diminishable, neither does he diminish anything, nor is he undiminishable. But he is self-comprehending, as something so unknowable that he exceeds those who excel in unknowability.

“He is endowed with blessedness and perfection and silence – not <the blessedness> nor the perfection – and stillness. Rather it (these attributes) is an entity of him that exists, which one cannot know, and which is at rest. Rather they are entities of him unknowable to them all.

“And he is much higher in beauty than all those that are good, and he is thus unknowable to all of them in every respect. And through them all he is in them all, not only as the unknowable knowledge that is proper to him. And he is united with the ignorance that sees him. Whether <one sees> in what way he is unknowable, or sees him as he is in every respect, or would say that he is something like knowledge, he has sinned against him, being liable to judgment because he did not know God. He will not be judged by That One who is neither concerned for anything nor has any desire, but it (judgment) <is> from himself, because he did not find the origin that truly exists. He was blind, apart from the eye of revelation that is at rest, the (one) that is activated, the (one) from the Triple-Power of the First Thought of the Invisible Spirit. This one thus exists from …
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… something […] set firmly on the […], a beauty and a first emergence of stillness and silence and tranquility and unfathomable greatness. When he appeared, he did not need time nor <did he partake> of eternity. Rather of himself he is unfathomably unfathomable. He does not activate himself so as to become still. He is not an existence, lest he be in want. Spatially, he is corporeal, while properly he is incorporeal. He has non-being existence. He exists for all of them unto himself without any desire. But he is a greater summit of greatness. And he is higher than his stillness, in order that …
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… he saw them, and empowered them all, although they do not concern themselves with That One at all, nor, if one should receive from him, does he receive power. Nothing activates him in accordance with the Unity that is at rest. For he is unknowable; he is an airless place of boundlessness. Since he is boundless and powerless and nonexistent, he was not giving Being. Rather he contains all of these in himself, being at rest (and) standing out of the one who stands continually, since there had appeared an Eternal Life, the Invisible and Triple-Powered Spirit which is in all of these who exist. And it surrounds them all, being higher than them all. A shadow …
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… he was filled with power. And he stood before them, empowering them all, and he filled them all.”

And concerning all of these things you have heard certainly. And do not seek anything more, but go. We do not know whether the Unknowable One has angels or gods, or whether the One who is at rest was containing anything within himself except the stillness, which is he, lest he be diminished. It is not fitting to spend more time seeking. It was appropriate that you (pl.) know, and that they speak with another one. But you will receive them …
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… and he said to me, “Write down the things that I shall tell you, and of which I shall remind you, for the sake of those who will be worthy after you. And you will leave this book upon a mountain and you will adjure the guardian: “Come Dreadful One”.

And after he said these (things), he separated from me. But I was full of joy, and I wrote this book which was appointed for me, my son Messos, in order that I might disclose to you the (things) that were proclaimed before me in my presence. And at first I received them in great silence, and I stood by myself, preparing myself. These are the things that were disclosed to me, O my son Messos …
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… proclaim them, O my son Messos, as the seal for all the books of Allogenes.

The Story of Ahikar, Grand Vizier of Assyria

Ahikar (uh-hee-KAR) Aramaic papyrus of 500 B. C. in the ruins of Elephantine – the Jewish temple in Egypt.

CHAP. I.Ahikar, Grand Vizier of Assyria, has 60 wives but is fated to have no son. Therefore he adopts his nephew. He crams him full of wisdom and knowledge more than of bread and water.

THE story of Haiqar the Wise, Vizier of Sennacherib the King, and of Nadan, sister’s son to Haiqar the Sage.

2 There was a Vizier in the days of King Sennacherib, son of Sarhadum, King of Assyria and Nineveh, a wise man named Haiqar, and he was Vizier of the king Sennacherib.

3 He had a fine fortune and much goods, and he was skilful, wise, a philosopher, in knowledge, in opinion and in government, and he had married sixty women, and had built a castle for each of them.

4 But with it all he had no child by any of these women, who might be his heir.

5 And he was very sad on account of this, and one day he assembled the astrologers and the learned men and the wizards and explained to them his condition and the matter of his barrenness.

6 And they said to him, ‘Go, sacrifice to the gods and beseech them that perchance they may provide thee with a boy.’

7 And he did as they told him and offered sacrifices to the idols, and besought them and implored them with request and entreaty.

8 And they answered him not one word. And he went away sorrowful and dejected, departing with a pain at his heart.

9 And he returned, and implored the Most High God, and believed, beseeching Him with a burning in his heart, saying, ‘0 Most High God, 0 Creator of the Heavens and of the earth, o Creator of all created things!

10 I beseech Thee to give me a boy, that I may be consoled by him, that he may be present at my death, that he may close my eyes, and that he may bury me.’

11 Then there came to him a voice saying, ‘Inasmuch as thou hast relied first of all on graven images, and hast offered sacrifices to them, for this reason thou Shalt remain childless thy life long.

12 But take Nadan thy sister’s son, and make him thy child and teach him thy learning and thy good breeding, and at thy death he shall bury thee.’

13 Thereupon he took Nadan his sister’s son, who was a little suckling. And he handed him over to eight wet-nurses, that they might suckle him and bring him up.

14 And they brought him up with good food and gentle training and silken clothing, and purple and crimson. And he was seated upon couches of silk.

15 And when Nadan grew big and walked, shooting up like a tall cedar, he taught him good manners and writing and science and philosophy.

16 And after many days King Sennacherib looked at Haiqar and saw that he had grown very old, and moreover he said to him.

17 ‘0 my honoured friend, the skilful, the trusty, the wise, the governor, my secretary, my vizier, my Chancellor and director; verily thou art grown very old and weighted with years; and thy departure from this world must be near.

18 Tell me who shall have a place in my service after thee.’ And Haiqar said to him, ‘0 my lord, may thy head live for ever! There is Nadan my sister’s son, I have made him my child.

19 And I have brought him up and taught him my wisdom and my knowledge.’

20 And the king said to him, ‘0 Haiqar ! bring him to my presence, that I may see him, and if I find him suitable, put him in thy place; and thou shalt go thy way, to take a rest and to live the remainder of thy life in sweet repose.’

21 Then Haiqar went and presented Nadan his sister’s son. And he did homage and wished him power and honour.

22 And he looked at him and admired him and rejoiced in him and said to Haiqar: ‘Is this thy son, 0 Haiqar? I pray that God may preserve him. And as thou hast served me and my father Sarhadum so may this boy of thine serve me and fulfil my undertakings, my needs, and my business, so that I may honour him and make him powerful for thy sake.’

23 And Haiqar did obeisance to the king and said to him ‘May thy head live, 0 my lord the king, for ever! I seek from thee that thou mayst be patient with my boy Nadan and forgive his mistakes that he may serve thee as it is fitting.’

24 Then the king swore to him that he would make him the greatest of his favourites, and the most powerful of his friends, and that he should be with him in all honour and respect. And he kissed his hands and bade him farewell.

25 And he took Nadan his sister’s son with him and seated him in a parlour and set about teaching him night and day till he had crammed him with wisdom and knowledge more than with bread and water.

CHAP. II.THUS he taught him, saying: ‘0 my son! hear my speech and follow my advice and remember what I say.

2 O my son! if thou hearest a word, let it die in thy heart, and reveal it not to another, lest it become a live coal and burn thy tongue and cause a pain in thy body, and thou gain a reproach, and art shamed before God and man.

3 0 my son! if thou hast heard a report, spread it not; and if thou hast seen something, tell it not.

4 0 my son! make thy eloquence easy to the listener, and be not hasty to return an answer.

5 0 my son! when thou hast heard anything, hide it not.

6 0 my son! loose not a sealed knot, nor untie it, and seal not a loosened knot.

7 0 my son! covet not outward beauty, for it wanes and passes away, but an honourable remembrance lasts for aye.

8 0 my son! let not a silly woman deceive thee with her speech, lest thou die the most miserable of deaths, and she entangle thee in the net till thou art ensnared.

9 0 my son! desire not a woman bedizened with dress and with ointments, who is despicable and silly in her soul. Woe to thee if thou bestow on her anything that is thine, or commit to her what is in thine hand and , she entice thee into sin, and God be wroth with thee.

10 0 my son! be not like the almond-tree, for it brings forth leaves before all the trees, and edible fruit after them all, but be like the mulberry – tree, which brings forth edible fruit before all the trees, and leaves after them all.

11 0 my son! bend thy head low down, and soften thy voice, and be courteous, and walk in the straight path, and be not foolish. And raise not thy voice when thou laughest, for if it were by a loud voice that a house was built, the ass would build many houses every day; and if it were by dint of strength that the plough were driven, the plough would never be removed from under the shoulders of the camels.

12 0 my son! the removing of stones with a wise man is better than the drinking of wine with a sorry man.

13 0 my son! pour out thy wine on the tombs of the just, and drink not with ignorant, contemptible people.

14 0 my son! cleave to wise men who fear God and be like them, and go not near the ignorant, lest thou become like him and learn his ways.

15 0 my son! when thou hast got thee a comrade or a friend, try him, and afterwards make him a comrade and a friend; and do not praise him without a trial; and do not spoil thy speech with a man who lacks wisdom.

16 0 my son! while a shoe stays on thy foot, walk with it on the thorns, and make a road for thy son, and for thy household and thy children, and make thy ship taut before she goes on the sea and its waves and sinks and cannot be saved.

17 0 my son! if the rich man eat a snake, they say, “It is by his wisdom,” and if a poor man eat it, the people say, “From his hunger.”

18 0 my son! be content with thy daily bread and thy goods, and covet not what is another’s.

19 0 my son! be not neighbour to the fool, and eat not bread with him, and rejoice not in the calamities of thy neighbours. (Psalms CXLI. 4) If thine enemy wrong thee, show him kindness.

20 0 my son! a man who fears God do thou fear him and honour him.

21 0 my son! the ignorant man falls and stumbles, and the wise man, even if he stumbles, he is not shaken, and even if he falls he gets up quickly, and if he is sick, he can take care of his life. But as for the ignorant, stupid man, for his disease there is no drug.

22 0 my son! if a man approach thee who is inferior to thyself, go forward to meet him, and remain standing, and if he cannot recompense thee, his Lord will recompense thee for him.

23 0 my son! spare not to beat thy son, for the drubbing of thy son is like manure to the garden, and like tying the mouth of a purse, and like the tethering of beasts, and like the bolting of the door.

24 0 my son! restrain thy son from wickedness, and teach him manners before he rebels against thee and brings thee into contempt amongst the people and thou hang thy head in the streets and the assemblies and thou be punished for the evil of his wicked deeds.

25 0 my son! get thee a fat ox with a foreskin, and an ass great with its hoofs, and get not an ox with large horns, nor make friends with a tricky man, nor get a quarrelsome slave, nor a thievish handmaid, for everything which thou committest to them they will ruin.

26 0 my son! let not thy parents curse thee, and the Lord be pleased with them; for it hath been said, “He who despiseth his father or his mother let him die the death (I mean the death of sin); and he who honoureth his parents shall prolong his days and his life and shall see all that is good.”

27 0 my son! walk not on the road without weapons, for thou knowest not when the foe may meet thee, so that thou mayst be ready for him.

28 0 my son! be not like a bare, leafless tree that doth not grow, but be like a tree covered with its leaves and its boughs; for the man who has neither wife nor children is disgraced in the world and is hated by them, like a leafless and fruitless tree.

29 0 my son! be like a fruitful tree on the roadside, whost fruit is eaten by all who pass by, and the beasts of the desert rest under its shade and eat of its leaves.

30 0 my son! every sheep that wanders from its path and its companions becomes food for the wolf.

31 0 my son! say not, “My lord is a fool and I am wise,’ and relate not the speech of ignorance and folly, lest thou be despised by him.

32 0 my son! be not one of those servants, to whom their lords say, “Get away from us,” but be one of those to whom they say, “Approach and come near to us.”

33 0 my son! caress not thy slave in the presence of his companion, for thou knowest not which of them shall be of most value to thee in the end.

34 0 my son! be not afraid of thy Lord who created thee, lest He be silent to thee.

35 0 my son! make thy speech fair and sweeten thy tongue; and permit not thy companion to tread on thy foot, lest he tread at another time on thy breast.

36 0 my son! if thou beat a wise man with a word of wisdom, it will lurk in his breast like a subtle sense of shame; but if thou drub the ignorant with a stick he will neither understand nor hear,

37 0 my son! if thou send a wise man for thy needs, do not give him many orders, for he will do thy business as thou desirest: and if thou send a fool, do not order him, but go thyself and do thy business, for if thou order him, he, will not do what thou desirest. If they send thee on business, hasten to fulfil it quickly,

38 0 my son! make not an enemy of a man stronger than thyself, for he will take thy measure, and his revenge on thee.

39 0 my son! make trial of thy son, and of thy servant, before thou committest thy belongings to them, lest they make away with them; for he who hath a full hand is called wise, even if he be stupid and ignorant, and he who hath an empty hand is called poor, ignorant, even if he be the prince of sages.

40 0 my son! I have eaten a colocynth, and swallowed aloes, and I have found nothing more bitter than poverty and scarcity.

41 0 my son! teach thy son frugality and hunger, that he may do well in the management of his household.

42 0 my son! teach not to the ignorant the language of wise men, for it will be burdensome to him.

43 0 my son! display not thy condition to thy friend, lest thou be despised by him.

44 0 my son! the blindness of the heart is more grievous than the blindness of the eyes, for the blindness of the eyes may be guided little by little, but the blindness of the heart is not guided, and it leaves the straight path, and goes in a crooked way.

45 0 my son! the stumbling of a man with his foot is better than the stumbling of a man with his tongue.

46 0 my son! a friend who is near is better than a more excellent brother who is far away.

47 0 my son! beauty fades but learning lasts, and the world wanes and becomes vain, but a good name neither becomes vain nor wanes.

48 0 my son! the man who hath no rest, his death were better than his life; and the sound of weeping is better than the sound of singing; for sorrow and weeping, if the fear of God be in them, are better than the sound of singing and rejoicing.

49 0 my child! the thigh of a frog in thy hand is better than a goose in the pot of thy neighbour; and a sheep near thee is better than an ox far away; and a sparrow in thy hand is better than a thousand sparrows flying; and poverty which gathers is better than the scattering of much provision; and a living fox is better than a dead lion; and a pound of wool is better than a pound of wealth, I mean of gold and silver; for the gold and the silver are hidden and covered up in the earth, and are not seen; but the wool stays. in the markets and it is seen, and it is a beauty to him who wears it.

50 0 my son! a small fortune is better than a scattered fortune.

51 0 my son! a living dog is better than a dead poor man.

52 0 my son! a poor man who does right is better than a rich man who is dead in sins.

53 0 my son! keep a word in thy heart, and it shall be much to thee, and beware lest thou reveal the secret of thy friend.

54 0 my son! let not a word issue from thy mouth till thou hast taken counsel with thy heart. And stand not betwixt persons quarrelling, because from a bad word there comes a quarrel, and from a quarrel there comes war, and from war there comes fighting, and thou wilt be forced to bear witness; but run from thence and rest thyself.

55 0 my son! withstand not a man stronger than thyself, but get thee a patient spirit, and endurance and an upright conduct, for there is nothing more excellent than that.

56 0 my son! hate not thy first friend, for the second one may not last.

57 0 my son! visit the poor in his affliction, and speak of him in the Sultan’s presence, and do thy diligence to save him from the mouth of the lion.

58 0 my son! rejoice not in the death of thine enemy, for after a little while thou shalt be his neighbour, and him who mocks thee do thou respect and honour and be beforehand with him in greeting.

59 0 my son! if water would stand still in heaven, and a black crow become white, and myrrh grow sweet as honey, then ignorant men and fools might understand and become wise.

60 0 my son! if thou desire to be wise, restrain thy tongue from lying, and thy hand from stealing, and thine eyes from beholding evil; then thou wilt be called wise.

61 0 my son! let the wise man beat thee with a rod, but let not the fool anoint thee with sweet salve. Be humble in thy youth and thou shalt be honoured in thine old age.

62 0 my son! withstand not a man in the days of his power, nor a river in the days of its flood.

63 0 my son! be not hasty in the wedding of a wife, for if it turns out well, she will say, ‘My lord, make provision for me’; and if it turns out ill, she will rate at him who was the cause of it.

64 0 my son! whosoever is elegant in his dress, he is the same in his speech; and he who has a mean appearance in his dress, he also is the same in his speech.

65 0 my son! if thou hast committcd a theft, make it known to the Sultan, and give him a share of it, that thou rnayst be delivered from him, for otherwise thou wilt endure bitterness.

66 0 my son! make a friend of the man whose hand is satisfied and filled, and make no friend of the man whose hand is closed and hungry.

67 There are four things in which neither the king nor his army can be secure: oppression by the vizier, and bad government, and perversion of the will, and tyranny over the subject; and four things which cannot be hidden: the prudent, and the foolish, and the rich, and the poor.

CHAP. IIIAhikar retires from active participation in affairs of state. He turns over his possessions to his treacherous nephew. Here is the amazing story of how a thankless profligate turns forgerer. A clever plot to entangle Ahikar results in his being condemned to death. Apparently the end of Ahikar.

THUS spake Haiqar, and when he had finished these injunctions and proverbs to Nadan, his sister’s son, he imagined that he would keep them all, and he knew not that instead of that he was displaying to him weariness and contempt and mockery.

2 Thereafter Haiqar sat still in his house and delivered over to Nadan all his goods, and the slaves, and the handmaidens, and the horses, and the cattle, and everything else that he had possessed and gained; and the power of bidding and of forbidding remained in the hand of Nadan.

3 And Haiqar sat at rest is his house, and every now and then Haiqar went and paid his respects to the king, and returned home.

4 Now when Nadan perceived that the power of bidding and of forbidding was in his own hand, he despised the position of Haiqar and scoffed at him, and set about blaming him whenever he appeared, saying, ‘My uncle Haiqar is in his dotage, and he knows nothing now.’

5 And he began to beat the slaves and the handmaidens, and to sell the horses and the camels and be spendthrift with all that his uncle Haiqar had owned.

6 And when Haiqar saw that he had no compassion on his servants nor on his household, he arose and chased him from his house, and sent to inform the king that he had scattered his possessions and his provision.

7 And the king arose and called Nadan and said to him: ‘Whilst Haiqar remains in health, no one shall rule over his goods, nor over his household, nor over his possessions.’

8 And the hand of Nadan was lifted off from his uncle Haiqar and from all his goods, and in the meantime he went neither in nor out, nor did he greet him.

9 Thereupon Haiqar repented him of his toil with Nadan his sister’s son, and he continued to be very sorrowful.

10 And Nadan had a younger brother named Benuzardan, so Haiqar took him to himself in place of Nadan, and brought him up and honoured him with the utmost honour. And he delivered over to him all that he possessed, and made him governor of his house.

11 Now when Nadan perceived what had happened he was seized with envy and jealousy, and he began to complain to every one who questioned him, and to mock his uncle Haiqar, saying: ‘My uncle has chased me from his house, and has preferred my brother to me, but if the Most High God give me the power, I shall bring upon him the misfortune of being killed.’

12 And Nadan continued to meditate as to the stumblingblock he might contrive for him. And after a while Nadan turned it over in his mind, and wrote a letter to Achish, son of Shah the Wise, king of Persia, saying thus:

13 ‘Peace and health and might and honour from Sennacherib king of Assyria and Nineveh, and from his vizier and his secretary Haiqar unto thee, 0 great king! Let there be peace between thee and me.

14 And when this letter reaches thee, if thou wilt arise and go quickly to the plain of Nisrin, and to Assyria and Nineveh, I will deliver up the kingdom to thee without war and without battle-array.’

15 And he wrote also another letter in the name of Haiqar to Pharaoh king of Egypt. ‘Let there be peace between thee and me, 0 mighty king!

16 If at the time of this letter reaching thee thou wilt arise and go to Assyria and Nineveh to the plain of Nisrin, I will deliver up to thee the kingdom without war and without fighing.’

17 And the writing of Nadan was like to the writing of his uncle Haiqar.

18 Then he folded the two letters, and sealed them with the seal of his uncle Haiqar; they were nevertheless in the king’s palace.

19 Then he went and wrote a letter likewise from the king to his uncle Haiqar: ‘Peace and health to my Vizier, my Secretary, my Chancellor, Haiqar.

20 0 Haiqar, when this letter reaches thee, assemble all the soldiers who are with thee, and let them be perfect in clothing and in numbers, and bring them to me on the fifth day in the plain of Nisrin.

21 And when thou shalt see me there coming towards thee, haste and make the army move against me as an enemy who would fight with me, for I have with me the ambassadors of Pharaoh king of Egypt, that they may see the strength of our army and may fear us, for they are our enemies and they hate us.’

22 Then he sealed the letter and sent it to Haiqar by one of the king’s servants. And he took the other letter which he had written and spread it before the king and read it to him and showed him the seal.

23 And when the king heard what was in the letter he was perplexed with a great perplexity and was wroth with a great and fierce wrath, and said, ‘Ah, I have shown my wisdom! what have I done to Haiqar that he has written these letters to my enemies? Is this my recompense from him for my benefits to him?’

24 And Nadan said to him, ‘Be not grieved, 0 king! nor be wroth, but let us go to the plain of Nisrin and see if the tale be true or not.’

25 Then Nadan arose on the fifth day and took the king and the soldiers and the vizier, and they went to the desert to the plain of Nisrin. And the king looked, and lo! Haiqar and the army were set in array.

26 And when Haiqar saw that the king was there, he approached and signalled to the army to move as in war and to fight in array against the king as it had been found in the letter, he not knowing what a pit Nadan had digged for him.

27 And when the king saw the act of Haiqar he was seized with anxiety and terror and perplexity, and was wroth with a great wrath.

28 And Nadan said to him, ‘Hast thou seen, 0 my lord the king! what this wretch has done? but be not thou wroth and be not grieved nor pained, but go to thy house and sit on thy throne, and I will bring Haiqar to thee bound and chained with chains, and I will chase away thine enemy from thee without toil.’

29 And the king returned to his throne, being provoked about Haiqar, and did nothing concerning him. And Nadan went to Haiqar and said to him, ‘W’allah, 0 my uncle! The king verily rejoiceth in thee with great joy and thanks thee for having done what he commanded thee.

30 And now he hath sent me to thee that thou mayst dismiss the soldiers to their duties and come thyself to him with thy hands bound behind thee, and thy feet chained, that the ambassadors of Pharaoh may see this, and that the king may be feared by them and by their king.’

31 Then answered Haiqar and said, ‘To hear is to obey.’ And he arose straightway and bound his hands behind him, and chained his feet.

32 And Nadan took him and went with him to the king. And when Haiqar entered the king’s presence he did obeisance before him on the ground, and wished for power and perpetual life to the king.

33 Then said the king, ‘0 Haiqar, my Secretary, the Governor of my affairs, my Chancellor, the ruler of my State, tell me what evil have I done to thee that thou hast rewarded me by this ugly deed.’

34 Then they showed him the letters In his writing and with his seal. And when Haiqar saw this, his limbs trembled and his tongue was tied at once, and he was unable to speak a word from fear; but he hung his head towards the earth and was dumb.

35 And when the king saw this, he felt certain that the thing was from him, and he straightway arose and commanded them to kill Haiqar, and to strike his neck with the sword outside of the city.

86 Then Nadan screamed and said, ‘0 Haiqar, 0 blackface! what avails thee thy meditation or thy power in the doing of this deed to the king?’

37 Thus says the story-teller. And the name of the swordsman was Abu Samik. And the king said to him,

‘0 swordsman! arise go, cleave the neck of Haiqar at the door of his house, and cast away his head from his body a hundred cubits.’

38 Then Haiqar knelt before the king, and said, ‘Let my lord the king live for ever! and if thou desire to slay me, let thy wish be fulfilled; and I know that I am not guilty, but the wicked man has to give an account of his wickedness; nevertheless, 0 my lord the king! I beg of thee and of thy friendship, permit the swordsman to give my body to my slaves, that they may bury me, and let thy slave be thy sacrifice.’

39 The king arose and commanded the swordsman to do with him according to his desire.

40 And he straightway commanded his servants to take Haiqar and the swordsman and go with him naked that they might slay him.

41 And when Haiqar knew for certain that he was to be slain he sent to his wife, and said to her, ‘Come out and meet me, and let there be with thee a thousand young virgins, and dress them in gowns of purple and silk that they may weep for me fore my death.

42 And prepare a table for the swordsman and for his servants. And mingle plenty of wine, that they may drink.’

43 And she did all that he commanded her. And she was very wise, clever, and prudent. And she united all possible courtesy and learning.

44 And when the army of the king and the swordsman arrived they found the table set in order, and the wine and the luxurious viands, and they began eating and drinking till they were gorged and drunken.

45 Then Haiqar took the swordsman aside apart from the company and said, ‘0 Abu Samik, dost thou not know that when Sarhadum the king, the father of Sennacherib, wanted to kill thee, I took thee and hid thee in a certain place till the king’s anger subsided and he asked for thee?

46 And when I brought thee into his presence he rejoiced in thee: and now remember the kindness I did thee.

47 And I know that the king will repent him about me and will be wroth with a great wrath about my execution.

48 For I am not guilty, and it shall he when thou shalt present me before him in his palace, thou shalt meet with great good fortune, and know that Nadan my sister’s son has deceived me and has done this bad deed to me, and the king will repent of having slain me; and now I have a cellar in the garden of my house, and no one knows of it.

49 Hide me in it with the knowledge of my wife. And I have a slave in prison who deserves to be killed.

50 Bring him out and dress him in my clothes, and command the servants when they are drunk to slay him. They will not know who it is they are killing.

51 And cast away his head a hundred cubits from his body, and give his body to my slaves that they may bury it. And thou shalt have laid up a great treasure with me.

52 And then the swordsman did as Haiqar had commanded him, and he went to the king and said to him, ‘May thy head live for ever!’

53 Then Haiqar’s wife let down to him in the hiding-place every week what sufficed for him and no one knew of it but herself.

54 And the story was reported and repeated and spread abroad in every place of how Haiqar the Sage had been slain and was dead, and all the people of that city mourned for him.

55 And they wept and said:

‘Alas for thee, 0 Haiqar! and for thy learning and thy courtesy! How sad about thee and about thy knowledge! Where can another like thee be found? and where can there be a man so intelligent, so learned, so skilled in ruling as to resemble thee that he may fill thy place?’

56 But the king was repenting about Haiqar, and his repentance availed him naught.

57 Then he called for Nadan and said to him, ‘Go and take thy friends with thee and make a mourning and a weeping for thy uncle Haiqar, and lament for him as the custom is, doing honour to his memory.’

58 But when Nadan, the foolish, the ignorant, the hardhearted, went to the house of his uncle, he neither wept nor sorrowed nor wailed, but assembled heartless and dissolute people and set about eating and drinking.

59 And Nadan began to seize the maidservants and the slaves belonging to Haiqar, and bound them and tortured them and drubbed them with a sore drubbing.

60 And he did not respect the wife of his uncle, she who had brought him up like her own boy, but wanted her to fall into sin with him.

61 But Haiqar had been cast into the hiding-place, and he heard the weeping of his slaves and his neighbours, and he praised the Most High God, the Merciful One, and gave thanks, and he always prayed and besought the Most High God.

62 And the swordsman came from time to time to Haiqar whilst he was in the midst of the hiding-place: and Haiqar came and entreated him. And he comforted him and wished his deliverance.

63 And when the story was reported in other countries that Haiqar the Sage had been slain all the kings were grieved and despised king Sennacherib, and they lamented over Haiqar the solver of riddles.

CHAP. IV.“The Riddles of the Sphinx.” What really happened to Ahikar, His return.

A ND when the king of Egypt had made sure that Haiqar was slain, he arose straightway and wrote a letter to king Sennacherib, reminding him in it ‘of the peace and the health and the might and the honour which we wish specially for thee, my beloved brother, king Sennacherib.

2 I have been desiring to build a castle between the heaven and the earth, and I want thee to send me a wise, clever man from thyself to build it for me, and to answer me all my questions, and that I may have the taxes and the custom duties of Asyria for three years.’

3 Then he sealed the letter and sent it to Sennacherib.

4 He took it and read it and gave it to his viziers and to the nobles of his kingdom, and they were perplexed and ashamed, and he was wroth with a great wrath, and was puzzled about how he should act.

5 Then he assembled the old men and the learned men and the wise men and the philosophers, and the diviners and the astrologers, and every one who was in his country, and read them the letter and said to them, Who amongst you will go to Pharaoh king of Egypt and answer him his questions?’

6 And they said to him, ‘0 our lord the king! know thou that there is none in thy kingdom who is acquainted with these questions except Haiqar, thy vizier and secretary.

7 But as for us, we have no skill in this, unless it be Nadan, his sister’s son for he taught him all his wisdom and learning and knowledge. Call him to thee, perchance he may untie this hard knot.’

8 Then the king called Nadan and said to him, ‘Look at this letter and understand what is in it.’ And when Nadan read it, he said, ‘0 my lord! who is able to build a castle between the heaven and the earth?’

9 And when the king heard the speech of Nadan he sorrowed with a great and sore sorrow, snd stepped down from his throne and sat in the ashes, and began to weep and wail over Haiqar

10 Saying, ‘0 my grief! 0 Haiqar, who didst know the secrets and the riddles! woe is me for thee, 0 Haiqar! 0 teacher of my country and ruler of my kingdom, where shall I find thy like? 0 Haiqar, 0 teacher of my country, where shall I turn for thee? woe is me for thee! how did I destroy thee! and I listened to the talk of a stupid, ignorant boy without knowledge, without religion, without manliness.

11 Ah! and again Ah for myself! who can give thee to me just for once, or bring me word that Haiqar is alive? and I would give him the half of my kingdom.

12 Whence is this to me? Ah, Haiqar! that I might see thee just for once, that I might take my fill of gazing at thee, and delighting in thee.

13 Ah! 0 my grief for thee to all time! 0 Haiqar, how have I killed thee! and I tarried not in thy case till I had seen the end of the matter.’

14 And the king went on weeping night and day. Now when the swordsman saw the wrath of the king and his sorrow for Haiqar, his heart was softened towards him, and he approached into his presence and said to him:

15 ‘0 my lord! command thy servants to cut off my head.’ Then said the king to him: ‘Woe to thee, Abu Samik, ‘what is thy fault?’

16 And the swordsman said unto him, ‘0 my master! every slave who acts contrary to the word of his master is killed, and I have acted contrary to thy command.’

17 Then the king said unto him. ‘Woe unto thee, 0 Abu Samik, in what hast thou acted contrary to my command?’

18 And the swordsman said unto him, ‘0 my lord! thou didst command me to kill Haiqar, and I knew that thou wouldst repent thee concerning him, and that he had been wronged, and I hid him in a certain place, and I killed one of his slaves, and he is now safe in the cistern, and if thou command me I will bring him to thee.’

19 And the king said unto him. ‘Woe to thee, 0 Abu Samik! thou hast mocked me and I am thy lord.’

20 And the swordsman said Unto him, ‘Nay, but by the life of thy head, 0 my lord! Haiqar safe and alive.’

21 And when the king heard that saying, he felt sure of the matter, and his head swam, and he fainted from joy, and he commanded them to bring Haiqar.

22 And he said to the swordsman, ‘0 trusty servant! if thy speech be true, I would fain enrich thee, and exalt thy dignity above that of all thy friends.’

23 And the swordsman went along rejoicing till he came to Haiqar’s house. And he opened the door of the hiding-place, and went down and found Haiqar sitting, praising God, and thanking Him.

24 And he shouted to him, saying, ‘0 Haiqar, I bring the greatest of joy, and happiness, and delight!’

25 And Haiqar said to him, ‘What is the news, 0 Abu Samik?’ And he told him all about Pharaoh from the beginning to the end. Then he took him and went to the king.

26 And when the king looked at him, he saw him in a state of want, and that his hair had grown long like the wild beasts’ and his nails like the claws of an eagle, and that his body was dirty with dust, and the colour of his face had changed and faded and was now like ashes.

27 And when the king saw him he sorrowed over him and rose at once and embraced him and kissed him, and wept over him and said: ‘Praise be to God! who hath brought thee back to me.’

28 Then he consoled him and comforted him. And he stripped off his robe, and put it on the swordsman, and was very gracious to him, and gave him great wealth, and made Haiqar rest.

29 Then said Haiqar to the king, ‘Let my lord the king live for ever! These be the deeds of the children of the world. I have reared me a palm – tree that I might lean on it, and it bent sideways, and threw me down.

30 But, 0 my lord! since I have appeared before thee, let not care oppress thee.’ And the king said to him: ‘Blessed be God, who showed thee mercy, and knew that thou wast wronged, and saved thee and delivered thee from being slain.

31 But go to the warm bath, and shave thy head, and cut thy nails, and change thy clothes and amuse thyself
for the space of forty days, that thou mayst do good to thyself and improve thy condition and the colour of thy face may come back to thee.

32 Then the king stripped off his costly robe, and put it on Haiqar, and Haiqar thanked God and did obeisance
to the king, and departed to his dwelling glad and happy, praising the Most High God.

33 And the people of his household rejoiced with him, and his friends and every one who heard that he was alive rejoiced also.

CHAP. V.The letter of the “riddles” is shown to Ahikar. The boys on the eagles. The first “airplane” ride. Off to Egypt. Ahikar, being a man of wisdom also has o sense of humor. (Verse 27).

AND he did as the king commanded him, and took a rest for forty days.

2 Then he dressed himself in his gayest dress, and went riding to the king, with his slaves behind him and before him, rejoicing and delighted.

3 But when Nadan his sister’s son perceived what was happening, fear took hold of him and terror, and he was perplexed, not knowing what to do.

4 And when Haiqar saw it he entered into the king’s presence and greeted him, and he returned the greeting, and made him sit down at his side, saying to him, ‘0 my darling Haiqar! look at these letters which the king of Egypt sent to us, after he had heard that thou wast slain.

5 They have provoked us and overcome us, and many of the people of our country have fled to Egypt for fear of the taxes that the king of Egypt has sent to demand from us.’

6 Then Haiqar took the letter and read it and understood all its contents.

7 Then he said to the king, Be not wroth, 0 my lord! I will go to Egypt, and I will return the answers to Pharaoh, and I will display this letter to him, and I will reply to him about the taxes, and I will send back all those who have run away; and I will put thy enemies to shame with the help of the Most High God, and for the Happiness of thy kingdom.’

8 And when the king heard this speech from Haiqar he rejoiced with a great joy, and his heart was expanded and he showed him favour.

9 And Haiqar said to the king: ‘Grant me a delay of forty days that I may consider this question and manage it. And the king permitted this.

10 And Haiqar went to his dwelling, and he commanded the huntsmen to capture two young eaglets for him, and they captured them and brought them to him: and he commanded the weavers of ropes to weave two cables of cotton for him, each of them two thousand cubits long, and he had the carpenters brought and ordered them to make two great boxes, and they did this.

11 Then he took two little lads, and spent every day sacrificing lambs and feeding the eagles and the boys, and making the boys ride on the backs of the eagles, and he bound them with a firm knot, and tied the cable to the feet of the eagles and let them soar upwards little by little every day, to a distance of ten cubits, till they grew accustomed and were educated to it; and they rose all the length of the rope till they reached the sky; the boys being on their backs. Then he drew them to himself.

12 And when Haiqar saw that his desire was fulfilled he charged the boys that when they were borne aloft to the sky they were to shout, saying:

13 Bring us clay and stone that we may build a castle for king Pharaoh, for we are idle.’

14 And Haiqar was never done training them and exercising them till they had reached the utmost possible point (of skill).

15 Then leaving them he went to the king and said to him, ‘O my lord! the work is finished according to thy desire. Arise with me that I may show thee the wonder.’

16 So the king sprang up and sat with Haiqar and went to a wide place and sent to bring the eagles and the boys, and Haiqar tied them and let them off into the air all the length of the ropes and they began to shout as he had taught them. Then he drew them to himself and put them in their places.

17 And the king and those who were with him wondered with a great wonder: and the king kissed Haiqar between his eyes and said to him, ‘Go in peace, 0 my beloved! 0 pride of my kingdom! to Egypt and answer the questions of Pharaoh and overcome him by the strength of the Most High God.’

18 Then he bade him farewell, and took his troops and his army and the young men and the eagles, and went towards the dwellings of Egypt; and when he had arrived, he turned towards the country of the king.

19 And when the people of Egypt knew that Sennacherib had sent a man of his Privy Council to talk with Pharaoh and to answer his questions, they carried the news to king Pharaoh, and he sent a party of his Privy Councillors to bring him before him.

20 And he came and entered into the presence of Pharaoh, and did obeisance to him as it is fitting to do to kings.

21 And he said to him: ‘0 my lord the king! Sennacherib the king hails thee with abundance of peace and might, and honour.

22 And he has sent me, who am one of his slaves, that I may answer thee thy questions, and may fulfil all thy desire: for thou hast sent to seek from my lord the king a man who will build thee a castle between the heaven and the earth.

23 And I by the help of the Most High God and thy noble favour and the power of my lord the king will build it for thee as thou desirest.

24 But, 0 my lord the king! what thou hast said in it about the taxes of Egypt for three years – now the stability of a kingdom is strict justice, and if thou winnest and my hand bath no skill in replying to thee, then my lord the king will send thee the taxes which thou hast mentioned.

25 And if I shall have answered thee in thy questions, it shall remain for thee to send whatever thou hast mentioned to my lord the king.’

26 And when Pharaoh heard that speech, he wondered and was perplexed by the freedom of his tongue and the pleasantness of his speech.

27 And king Pharaoh said to him, ‘0 man! what is thy name?’ And he said, ‘Thy servant is Abiqam, and I a little ant of the ants of king Sennacherib.’

28 And Pharaoh said to him, ‘Had thy lord no one of higher dignity than thee, that he has sent me a little ant to reply to me, and to converse with me?’

29 And Haiqar said to him, ‘0 my lord the king! I would to God Most High that I may fulfil what is on thy mind,for God is with the weak that He may confound the strong.’

30 Then Pharaoh commanded that they should prepare a dwelling for Abiqam and supply him with provender, meat, and drink, and all that he needed.

31 And when it was finished, three days afterwards Pharaoh clothed himself in purple and red and sat on his throne, and all his viziers and the magnates of his kingdom were standing with their hands crossed, their feet close together, and their heads bowed.

32 And Pharaoh sent to fetch Abiqam, and when he was presented to him, he did obeisance before him, and kissed the ground in front of him.

33 And king Pharaoh said to him, ‘0 Abiqam, whom am I like? and the nobles of my kingdom, to whom are they like?’

34 And Haiqar said to him ‘0 my lord the king !thou art like the idol Bel, and the nobles of thy kingdom are like his servants.’

35 He said to him, ‘Go, and come back hither to – morrow.’ So Haiqar went as king Pharaoh had commanded him.

36 And on the morrow Haiqar went into the presence of Pharaoh, and did obeisance, and stood before the king. And Pharaoh was dressed in a red colour, and the nobles were dressed in white.

37 And Pharaoh said to him ‘0 Abiqam, whom am I like? and the nobles of my kingdom, to whom are they like?’

35 And Abiqam said to him, ‘0 my lord! thou art like the sun, and thy servants are like its beams.’ And Pharaoh said to him, ‘Go to thy dwelling, and come hither to – morrow.’

39 Then Pharaoh commanded his Court to wear pure white, and Pharaoh was dressed like them and sat upon his throne and he commanded them to fetch Haiqar. And he entered and sat down before him.

40 And Pharaoh said to him, ‘0 Abiqam, whom am I like? and my nobles, to whom are they like?’

41 And Abiqam said to him, ‘0 my lord! thou art like the moon, and thy nobles are like the planets and the stars.’ And Pharaoh said to him, ‘Go, and to – morrow be thou here.’

42 Then Pharaoh commanded his servants to wear robes of various colours, and Pharaoh wore a red velvet dress, and sat on his throne, and commanded them to fetch Abiqam. And he entered and did obeisance before him.

43 And he said, ‘0 Abiqam, whom am I like? and my armies, to whom are they like?’ And he said, ‘0 my lord! thou art like the month of April, and thy armies are like its flowers.’

44 And when the king heard It he rejoiced with a great joy, and said, ‘0 Abiqam! the first time thou didst compare me to the idol Bel, and my nobles to his servants.

45 And the second time thou didst compare me to the sun, and my nobles to the sunbeam’.

46 And the third time thou didst compare me to the moon, and my nobles to the planets and the stars.

47 And the fourth time thou didst compare me to the month of April, and my nobles to its flowers. But now, 0 Abiqam! tell me, thy lord, king Sennacherib, whom is he like? and his nobles, to whom are they like?’

48 And Haiqar shouted with a loud voice and said: ‘Be it far from me to make mention of my lord the king and thou seated on thy throne. But get up on thy feet that I may tell thee whom my lord the
king is like and to whom his nobles are like.’

49 And Pharaoh was perplexed by the freedom of his tongue and his boldness in answenng. Then Pharaoh arose from his throne, and stood before Haiqar, and said to him, ‘Tell me now, that I may perceive whom thy lord the king is like, and his nobles, to whom they are like.’

50 And Haiqar said to him:

‘My lord is the God of heaven, and his nobles are the lightnings and the thunder, and when he wills the winds blow and the rain falls.

51 And he commands the thunder, and it lightens and rains, and he holds the sun, and it gives not its light, and the moon and the stars, and they circle not.

52 And he commands the tempest, and it blows and the rain falls and it tramples on April and destroys its flowers and its houses.’

53 And when Pharaoh heard this speech, he was greatly perplexed and was wroth with a great wrath, and said to him: ‘0 man! tell me the truth, and let me know who thou really art.’

54 And he told him the truth. ‘I am Haiqar the scribe, greatest of the Privy Councillors of king Sennacherib,

and I am his vizier and the Governor of his kingdom, and his Chancellor.’

55 And he said to him, ‘Thou hast told the truth in this saying. But we have heard of Haiqar, that king Sennacherib has slain him, yet thou dost seem to be alive and well.’

56 And Haiqar said to him, ‘Yes, so it was, but praise be to God, who knoweth what is hidden, for my lord the king commanded me to be killed, and he believed the word of profligate men, but the Lord delivered me, and blessed is he who trusteth in Him.’

57 And Pharaoh said to Haiqar, ‘Go, and to – morrow be thou here, and tell me a word that I have never heard from my nobles nor from the people of my kingdom and my country.’

CHAP. VI.The ruse succeeds. Ahikar answers every question of Pharaoh. The boys on the eagles are the climax of the day. Wit, so rarely found in the ancient Sciptures, is revealed in Verses 34~35.

AND Haiqar went to his dwelling, and wrote a letter, saying in it on this wise:

2 ‘From Sennacherib king of Assyria and Nineveh to Pharaoh king of Egypt.

3 ‘Peace be to thee, 0 my brother! and what we make known to thee by this is that a brother has need of his brother, and kings of each other, and my hope from thee is that thou wouldst lend me nine hundred talents of gold, for I need it for the victualling of some of the soldiers, that I may spend it upon them. And after a little while I will send it thee.’

4 Then he folded the letter, and presented it on the morrow to Pharaoh.

5 And when he ‘saw it, he was perplexed and said to him, ‘Verily I have never heard anything like this language from any one.’

6 Then Haiqar said to him, ‘Truly this is a debt which thou owest to my lord the king.’

7 And Pharaoh accepted this, saying, ‘0 Haiqar, it is the like of thee who are honest in the service of kings.

8 Blessed be God who hath made thee perfect in wisdom and hath adorned thee with philosophy and knowledge.

9 And now, 0 Haiqar, there remains what we desire from thee, that thou shouldst build us a castle between heaven and earth.’

10 Then said Haiqar, ‘To hear is to obey. I will build thee a castle according to thy wish and choice; but, 0 my lord! prepare us lime and stone and clay and workmen, and I have skilled builders who will build for thee as thou desirest.’

11 And the king prepared all that for him, and they went to a wide place; and Haiqar and his boys came to it, and he took the eagles and the young men with him; and the king and all his nobles went and the whole city assembled, that they might see what Haiqar would do.

12 Then Haiqar let the eagles out of the boxes, and tied the young men on their backs, and tied the ropes to the eagles’ feet, and let them go in the air. And they soared upwards, till they remained between heaven and earth.

13 And the boys began to shout, saying, ‘Bring bricks, bring clay, that we may build the king’s castle, for we are standing idle!’

14 And the crowd were astonished and perplexed, and they wondered. And the king and his nobles wondered.

15 And Haiqar and his servants began to beat the workmen and they shouted for the king’s troops, saying to them, ‘Bring to the skilled workmen what they want and do not hinder them from their work.’

16 And the king said to him, ‘Thou art mad; who can bring anything up to that distance?’

17 And Haiqar said to him, ‘0 my lord! how shall we build a castle in the air? and if my lord the king were here, he would have built several castles in a single day.’

18 And Pharaoh said to him, ‘Go, 0 Haiqar, to thy dwelling, and rest, for we have given up building the castle, and to – morrow come to me.’

19 Then Haiqar went to his dwelling and on the morrow he appeared before Phanaoh. And Pharaoh said,
‘0 Haiqar, what news is there of the horse of thy lord? for when he neighs in the country of Assyria and Nineveb, and our mares hear his voice, they cast their young.’

20 And when Haiqar heard this speech he went and took a cat, and bound her and began to flog her with a violent flogging till the Egyptians heard it, and they went and told the king about it.

21 And Pharaoh sent to fetch Haiqar, and said to him, ‘0 Haiqar, wherefore dost thou flog thus and beat that dumb beast?’

22 And Haiqar said to him, ‘0 my lord the king! verily she has done an ugly deed to me, and has deserved this drubbing and flogging, for my lord king Sennacherib had given me a fine cock, and he had a strong true voice and knew the hours of the day and the night.

23 And the cat got up this very night and cut off its head and went away, and because of this deed I have treated her to this drubbing.’

24 And Pharaoh said to him, ‘0 Haiqar, I see from all this that thou art growing old and art in thy dotage, for between Egypt and Nineveh there are sixty-eight parasangs, and how did she go this very night and cut off the head of thy cock and come back?’

25 And Haiqar said to him, ‘0 my lord! if there were such a distance between Egypt and Nineveh, how could
thy mares hear when my lord the king’s horse neighs and cast their young?
and how could the voice of the horse reach to Egypt?’

26 And when Pharaoh heard he knew that Haiqar had answered his questions.

27 And Pharaoh said, ‘0 Haiqar, I want thee to make me ropes of the sea – sand.’

28 And Haiqar said to him, ‘0 my lord the king! order them to bring me a rope out of the treasury that I may make one like it.’

29 Then Haiqar went to the back of the house, and bored holes in the rough shore of the sea, and took a handful of sand in his hand, sea – sand, and when the sun rose, and penetrated into the holes, he spread the sand in the sun till it became as if woven like ropes.

30 And Haiqar said, ‘Command thy servants to take these ropes, and whenever thou desirest it, I will weave thee some like them.’

31 And Pharaoh said, ‘O Haiqar, we have a millstone here and it has been broken and I want thee to sew it up.’

32 Then Haiqar looked at it and found another stone.

33 And he said to Pharaoh. ‘0 my lord! I am a foreigner and I have no tool for sewing.

34 But I want thee to command thy faithful shoemakers to cut awls from this stone, that I may sew that millstone.’

35 Then Pharaoh and all his nobles laughed. And he said, ‘Blessed be the Most High God, who gave thee this wit and knowledge.’

36 And when Pharaoh saw that Haiqar had overcome him, and returned him his answers, he at once became excited, and commanded them to collect for him three years’ taxes, and to bring them to Haiqar.

37 And he stripped off his robes and put them upon Haiqar, and his soldiers, and his servants, and gave him the expenses of his journey.

38 And he said to him, ‘Go in peace, 0 strength of his lord and pride of his Doctors! have any of the Sultans thy like? give my greetings to thy lord king Sennacherib, and say to him how we have sent him gifts, for kings are content with little.’

39 Then Haiqar arose, and kissed king Pharaoh’s hands and kissed the ground in front of him, and wished him strength and continuance, and abundance in his treasury, and said to him, ‘0 my lord! I desire from thee that not one of our countryrnen may remain in Egypt.’

40 And Pharaoh arose and sent heralds to proclaim in the streets of Egypt that not one of the people of Assyria or Nineveh should remain in the land of Egypt, but that they should go with Haiqar.

41 Then Haiqar went and took leave of king Pharaoh, and journeyed, seeking the land of Assyria and Nineveh; and he had some treasures and a great deal of wealth.

42 And when the news reached king Sennacherib that Haiqar was coming, he went out to meet him and rejoiced over him exceedingly with great joy and embraced him and kissed him, and said to him, ‘Welcome home, 0 kinsman! my brother Haiqar, the strength of my kingdom, and pride of my realm.

43 Ask what thou would’st have from me, even if thou desirest the half of my kingdom and of my possessions.

44 Then said Haiqar unto him, ‘0 my lord the king, live for ever! Show favour, 0 my lord the king! to Abu Samik in my stead, for my life was in the hands of God and in his.’

45 Then said Sennacherib the king, ‘Honour be to thee, 0 my beloved Haiqar! I will make the station of Abu Samik the swordsman higher than all my Privy Councillors and my favourites.’

46 Then the king began to ask him how he had got on with Pharaoh from his first arrival until he had come away from his presence, and how he had answered all his questions, and how he had received the taxes from him, and the changes of raiment and the presents.

47 And Sennacherib the king rejoiced with a great joy, and said to Haiqar, ‘Take what thou wouldst fain have of this tribute, for it is all within the grasp of thy hand.’

48 And Haiqar said: ‘Let the king live for ever! I desire naught but the safety of my lord the king and the continuance of his greatness.

49 0 my lord! what can I do with wealth and its like? but if thou wilt show me favour, give me Nadan, my sister’s son, that I may recompense him for what he has done to me, and grant me his blood and hold me guiltless of it.’

50 And Sennacherib the king said, ‘Take him, I have given him to thee,’ And Haiqar took Nadan, his sister’s son, and bound his hands with chains of iron, and took him to his dwellmg, and put a heavy fetter on his feet, and tied it with a tight knot, and after binding him thus he cast him into a dark room, beside the retiring – place, and appointed Nebu – hal as sentinel over him and commanded him to give him a loaf of bread and a little water every day.

CHAP. VII,The parables of Ahikar in which
he completes his nephew’s education.
Striking similes. Ahikar calls the boy
picturesque names. Here ends the story of Ahikar.

AND whenever Haiqar went in or out he scolded Nadan, his sister’s son, saying to him wisely:

2 0 Nadan, my boy! I have done to thee all that is good and kind. and thou hast rewarded me for it with what is ugly and bad and with killing.

3 ‘0 my son! it is said in the proverbs: He who listeneth not with his ear, they will make him listen with the scruff of his neck.’

4 And Nadan said, ‘For what cause art thou wroth with me?’

5 And Haiqar said to him, ‘Because I brought thee up, and taught thee, and gave thee honour and respect and made thee great, and reared thee with the best of breeding, and seated thee in my place that thou mightest be my heir in the world, and thou didst treat me with killing and didst repay me with my ruin.

6 But the Lord knew that I was wronged, and He saved me from the snare which thou hadst set for me, for the Lord healeth the broken hearts and hindereth the envious and the haughty.

7 0 my boy! thou hast been to me like the scorpion which, when it strikes on brass, pierces it.

8 0 my boy! thou art like the gazelle who was eating the roots of the madder, and it said to her,

“Eat of me to – day and take thy fill, and to – morrow they will tan thy hide in my roots.”

9 O my boy! thou hast been to me like a man who saw his comrade naked in the chilly time of winter; and he took cold water and poured it upon him.

10 0 my boy! thou hast been to me like a man who took a stone, and threw it up to heaven to stone his Lord with it. And the stone did not hit, and did not reach high enough, but it became the cause of guilt and sin.

11 0 my boy! if thou hadst honoured me and respected me and hadst listened to my words thou wouldst have been my heir, and wouldst have reigned over my dominions.

12 0 my son! know thou that if the tail of the dog or the pig were ten cubits long it would not approach to the worth of the horse’s even if it were like silk.

13 0 my boy! I thought that thou wouldst have been my heir at my death; and thou through thy envy and thy insolence didst desire to kill me. But the Lord delivered me from thy cunning.

14 0 my son! thou hast been to me like a trap which was set up on the dunghill, and there came a sparrow and found the trap set up. And the sparrow said to the trap, “What doest thou here?” Said the trap, “I am praying here to God.”

15 And the lark asked it also, “What is the piece of wood that thou holdest?” Said the trap, “That is a young oak-tree on which I lean at the time of prayer.

16 Said the lark: “And what is that thing in thy mouth?” Said the trap: “That is bread and victuals which I carry for all the hungry and the poor who come near to me.”

17 Said the lark: “Now then may I come forward and eat, for I am hungry?” And the trap said to him, “Come forward.” And the lark approached that it might eat.

18 But the trap sprang up and seized the lark by its neck

19 And the lark answered and said to the trap, “If that is thy bread for the hungry God accepteth not thine alms and thy kind deeds.

20 And if that is thy fasting and thy prayers, God accepteth from thee neither thy fast nor thy prayer, and God will not perfect what is good concerning thee.”

21 0 my boy? thou hast been to me (as) a lion who made friends with an ass, and the ass kept walking before the lion for a time; and one day the lion sprang upon the ass and ate it up.

22 0 my boy! thou hast been to me like a weevil in the wheat, for it does no good to anything, but spoils the wheat and gnaws it.

23 0 my boy! thou hast been like a man who sowed ten measures of wheat, and when it was harvest time, he arose and reaped it, and garnered it, and threshed it, and toiled over it to the very utmost, and it turned out to be ten measures, and its master said to it: “0 thou lazy thing! thou hast not grown and thou hast not shrunk.”

24 0 my boy! thou hast been to me like the partridge that had been thrown into the net, and she could not save herself, but she called out to the partridges, that she might cast them with herself into the net.

25 0 my son! thou hast been to me like the dog that was cold and it went into the potter’s house to get warm.

26 And when it had got warm, it began to bark at them, and they chased it out and beat it, that it might not bite them.

27 0 my son! thou hast been to me like the pig who went into the hot bath with people of quality, and when it came out of the hot bath, it saw a filthy hole and it went down and, wallowed in it.

28 0 my son! thou hast been to me like the goat which joined its comrades on their way to the sacrifice, and it was unable to save itself.

29 0 my boy! the dog which is not fed from its hunting becomes food for flies.

30 0 my son! the hand which does not labour and plough and (which) is greedy and cunning shall be cut away from its shoulder.

31 0 my son! the eye in which light is not seen, the ravens shall pick at it and pluck it out.

32 0 my boy! thou hast been to me like a tree whose branches they were cutting, and it said to them, “If something of me were not in your hands, verily you would be unable to cut me.”

33 0 my boy! thou art like the cat to whom they said:

“Leave off thieving till we make for thee a chain of gold and feed thee with sugar and almonds.”

34 And she said, “I am not forgetful of the craft of my father and my mother.”

35 0 my son! thou hast been like the serpent riding on a thorn-bush when he was in the midst of a river, and a wolf saw them and said, “Mischief upon mischief, and let him who is more mischievous than they direct both of them.”

36 And the serpent said to the wolf, “The lambs and the goats and the sheep which thou hast eaten all thy life, wilt thou return them to their fathers and to their parents or no?”

37 Said the wolf, “No.” And the serpent said to him, “I think that after myself thou art the worst of us.”

38 0 my boy! I fed thee with good food and thou didst not feed me with dry bread.

39 0 my boy! I gave thee sugared water to drink and good syrup, and thou didst not give me water from the
well to drink.

40 0 my boy! I taught thee, and brought thee up, and thou didst dig a hiding-place for me and didst conceal me.

41 0 my boy! I brought thee up with the best upbringing and trained thee like a tall cedar; and thou hast twisted and bent me.

42 0 my boy! it was my hope concerning thee that thou wouldst build me a fortified castle, that I might be concealed from my enemies in it, and thou didst become to me like one burying in the depth of the earth; but the Lord took pity on me and delivered me from thy cunning.

43 0 my boy! I wished thee well, and thou didst reward me with evil and hatefulness, and now I would fain tear out thine eyes, and make thee food for dogs, and cut out thy tongue, and take off thy head with the edge of the sword, and recompense thee for thine abominable deeds.’

44 And when Nadan heard this speech from his uncle Haiqar, he said: ‘0 my uncle! deal with me according to thy knowledge, and forgive me my sins, for who is there who hath sinned like me, or who is there who forgives like thee?

45 Accept me, 0 my uncle! Now I will serve in thy house, and groom thy horses and sweep up the dung of thy cattle, and feed thy sheep, for I am the wicked and thou art the righteous: I the guilty and thou the forgiving.’

46 And Haiqar said to him, ‘0 my boy! thou art like the tree which was fruitless beside the water, and its master was fain to cut it down, and it said to him, “Remove me to another place, and if I do not bear frult, cut me down.”

47 And its master said to it, “Thou being beside the water hast not borne fruit, how shalt thou bear fruit when thou art in another place?”

48 0 my boy! the old age of the eagle is better than the youth of the crow.

49 0 my boy! they said to the wolf, “Keep away from the sheep lest their dust should harm thee.” And the wolf said, “The dregs of the sheep’s milk are good for my eyes.”

50 0 my boy! they made the wolf go to school that he might learn to read, and they said to him, “Say A, B.” He said, “Lamb and goat in my belly.”

51 0 my boy! they set the ass down at the table and he fell, and began to roll himself in the dust, and one said,

“Let him roll himself, for it is his nature, he will not change.”

52 0 my boy! the saying has been confirmed which runs: “If thou begettest a boy, call him thy son, and if thou rearest a boy, call him thy slave.”

53 0 my boy! he who doeth good shall meet with good; and he who doeth evil shall meet with evil, for the Lord requiteth a man according to the measure of his work.

54 0 my boy! what shall I say more to thee than these sayings? for the Lord knoweth what is’ hidden, and is acquainted with the mysteries and the secrets.

55 And He will requite thee and will judge betwixt me and thee, and will recompense thee according to thy desert,’

56 And when Nadan heard that speech from his uncle Haiqar, he swelled up immediately and became like a blown-out bladder.

57 And his limbs swelled and his legs and his feet and his side, and he was torn and his belly burst asunder and his entrails were scattered, and he perished, and died.

58 And his latter end was destruction, and he went to hell. For he who digs a pit for his brother shall fall into it; and he who sets up traps shall be caught in them.

59 This is what happened and (what) we found about the tale of Haiqar, and praise be to God for ever.

Amen, and peace.

60 This chronicle is finished with the help of God, may He be exalted:

Amen, Amen, Amen.

The Prophecy of Aggeus

AGGEUS was one of those that returned from the captivity of Babylon, in the first year of the reign of king Cyrus. He was sent by the Lord, in the second year of the reign of king Darius, the son of Hystaspes, to exhort Zorobabel the prince of Juda, and Jesus the high priest, to the building of the temple; which they had begun, but left off again through the opposition of the Samaritans. In consequence of this exhortation they proceeded in the building and finished the temple. And the prophet was commissioned by the Lord to assure them that this second temple should be more glorious than the former, because the Messiah should honour it with his presence: signifying withal how much the church of the New Testament should excel that of the Old Testament.

Aggeus Chapter 1

The people are reproved for neglecting to build the temple. They are encouraged to set about the work.

1:1. In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Aggeus the prophet, to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, governor of Juda, and to Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, saying:

1:2. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, saying: This people saith: The time is not yet come for building the house of the Lord.

1:3. And the word of the Lord came by the hand of Aggeus the prophet, saying:

1:4. Is it time for you to dwell in ceiled houses, and this house lie desolate?

1:5. And now thus saith the Lord of hosts: Set your hearts to consider your ways.

1:6. You have sowed much, and brought in little: you have eaten, but have not had enough: you have drunk, but have not been filled with drink: you have clothed yourselves, but have not been warmed: and he that hath earned wages, put them into a bag with holes.

1:7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Set your hearts upon your ways:

1:8. Go up to the mountain, bring timber, and build the house: and it shall be acceptable to me, and I shall be glorified, saith the Lord.

1:9. You have looked for more, and behold it became less, and you brought it home, and I blowed it away: why, saith the Lord of hosts? because my house is desolate, and you make haste every man to his own house.

1:10. Therefore the heavens over you were stayed from giving dew, and the earth was hindered from yielding her fruits:

1:11. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, and upon all that the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon beasts, and upon all the labour of the hands.

1:12. Then Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, and all the remnant of the people hearkened to the voice of the Lord their God, and to the words of Aggeus the prophet, as the Lord their God sent him to them: and the people feared before the Lord.

1:13. And Aggeus the messenger of the Lord, as one of the messengers of the Lord, spoke, saying to the people: I am with you, saith the Lord.

1:14. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zorobabel the son of Salathiel governor of Juda, and the spirit of Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, and the spirit of all the rest of the people: and they went in, and did the work in the house of the Lord of Hosts their God.

Aggeus Chapter 2

Christ by his coming shall make the latter temple more glorious than the former. The blessing of God shall reward their labour in building. God’s promise to Zorobabel.

2:1. In the four and twentieth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king, they began.

2:2. And in the seventh month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Aggeus the prophet, saying:

2:3. Speak to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel the governor of Juda, and to Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, and to the rest of the people, saying:

2:4. Who is left among you, that saw this house in its first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in comparison to that as nothing in your eyes?

2:5. Yet now take courage, O Zorobabel, saith the Lord, and take courage, Jesus the son of Josedec the high priest, and take courage, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord of hosts: and perform (for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts)

2:6. The word that I convenanted with you when you came out of the land of Egypt: and my spirit shall be in the midst of you: fear not.

2:7. For thus saith the Lord of hosts: Yet one little while, and I will move the heaven and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land.

2:8. And I will move all nations: AND THE DESIRED OF ALL NATIONS SHALL COME: and I will fill this house with glory: saith the Lord of hosts.

2:9. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

2:10. Great shall be the glory of this last house more than of the first, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place I will give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

2:11. In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius the king, the word of the Lord came to Aggeus the prophet, saying:

2:12. Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests the law, saying:

2:13. If a man carry sanctified flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touch with his skirt, bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat: shall it be sanctified? And the priests answered, and said: No.

2:14. And Aggeus said: If one that is unclean by occasion of a soul touch any of all these things, shall it be defiled? And the priests answered, and said: It shall be defiled.

By occasion of a soul… That is, by having touched the dead; in which case, according to the prescription of the law, Num. 19.13, 22, a person not only became unclean himself, but made every thing that he touched unclean. The prophet applies all this to the people, whose souls remained unclean by neglecting the temple of God; and therefore were not sanctified by the flesh they offered in sacrifice: but rather defiled their sacrifices by approaching to them in the state of uncleanness.

2:15. And Aggeus answered, and said: So is this people, and so is this nation before my face, saith the Lord, and so is all the work of their hands: and all that they have offered there, shall be defiled.

2:16. And now consider in your hearts, from this day and upward, before there was a stone laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord.

2:17. When you went to a heap of twenty bushels, and they became ten: and you went into the press, to press out fifty vessels, and they became twenty.

2:18. I struck you with a blasting wind, and all the works of your hand with the mildew and with hail, yet there was none among you that returned to me, saith the Lord.

2:19. Set your hearts from this day, and henceforward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month: from the day that the foundations of the temple of the Lord were laid, and lay it up in your hearts.

2:20. Is the seed as yet sprung up? or hath the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree as yet flourished? from this day I will bless you.

2:21. And the word of the Lord came a second time to Aggeus in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying:

2:22. Speak to Zorobabel the governor of Juda, saying: I will move both heaven and earth.

2:23. And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and will destroy the strength of the kingdom of the Gentiles: and I will overthrow the chariot, and him that rideth therin: and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

2:24. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, I will take thee, O Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, my servant, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet, for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.

O Zorobabel… This promise principally relates to Christ, who was of the race of Zorobabel.

The Ages of The World

An important theological tenet of the Yahad was the notion of predestination: from the very beginning, God had foreordained how history would develop, who would inherit eternal life, and who was destined for perdition. The Ages of the World is apparently a full discussion of this notion, proving the idea using examples drawn from the biblical text. In the surviving portions, the example of the ten generations between Shem and Abraham is the centerpiece.

The introduction to the work, which emphasizes God’s predetermination of history.

4Q180 Frag. 1 The prophetic interpretation concerning the ages which God made: an age to complete [all which is] 2and shall be. Before He created them, He established [their] workings [ . . . ] 3age by age. And it was engraved upon [eternal] tablets [ . . . ] 4[ . . . ] ages of their dominion. This is the order of the so[ns of Noah to] [Abraham un]til he bore Isaac, ten [generahons (?) . . . ] [ . . . ]
A version of the story of original sin similar to that known from 1 Enoch 6-1 1 and Jubilees 4:22 (Gen. 6:1-2, 4).

The prophetic interpretation concerning Azazel and the angels wh[o went in to the daughters of man,] 8[so that] they bore mighty men to them. And concerning Azazel [who taught them] 9[to love] iniquity and caused them to inherit wickedness all [ . . . ] [ . . . ] judgments, and the judgment of the council of [ . . . ]

The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah was foreknown from creation (Gen. 18-19).

Frags. 2-4 Col. 2 which [ . . . ] He who dwells [ . . . ] 2which [this] [and] was beautiful to Lot I . . . ] to inherit [ . . . ] 3[ . . . ] three me[n . . . ] 4[who appeared to Abra]m at the oaks of Mamre were angels. [And. the LORD said,] How g[reat] is the [outc]ry against Sodom and Gomorrah, and their sin, how 6very [grea]t! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to their outcry that has come 7[to me]; and if not, I will kno[w . . . ] the word [ . . . all] 8fle[sh] which [ . . . ] concerning every [ . . . ] 9speaks [ . . . ] and I will see . . .” because everything [ . . . ] [ . . . ] before He created them He knew [their] thought[s . . . ]

God has a predetermined plan for man. This plan includes punishment (II. 1-2) and rewards (II. 3-6).

4Q181 Frag. 1 for the guilt in the Yahad with the coun[cil of . . . ], to wa[l]low in the sin of humankind, and for great judgments and evil diseases 2in the flesh, according to the powerful deeds of God, corresponding to their wickedness, according to their uncleanness caused by the Council of the sons of h[eaven] and earth, as a wicked association until 3the end.
Corresponding to the compassion of God, according to His goodness, and the wonder of His glory, He brings some of the sons of the world near, to be reckoned with Him in [the council] 4[of the g]ods as a holy congregation, stationed for eternal life and in the lot with His holy ones [ . . . ] [ . . . ] each one [acco]mplishes according to the lot which falls t[o him . . . ] 6[ . . . ] for e[te]rn[al] life [ . . . ]
There are sufficient similarities between 11. 1-4 of this fragment and 4Q180 frag. 1, ll. 5-9 to suggest that the texts are related.

Frag. 2 [Abraham until he bor]e Isaac, [ten generations. The prophetic interpretation concerning Azazel and the angels who went in to] 2[the daughters] of man, so that [they] bore mighty me[n] to them. [And concerning Azazel . . . ] 3[ . . . ] He satisfied Israel with plenty (or Israel in seventy weeks, He entreated) [ . . . ] 4and those who love iniquity, and cause them to inherit guilt, all [ . . . ] before all those who know Him [ . . . ] 6and there are no bounds to His goodness [ . . . ] 7these are the wonders of know]ledge [ . . . ] He established them in His truth and [ . . . ] 9in all their ages [ . . . ] ith[eir] creatures [ . . . ]

The Teachings of Addeus the Apostle

Preaching of the Apostle Thaddæus (Addeus) at Edessa; copy of five letters.

After the ascension of our Saviour, the Apostle Thomas, one of the twelve, sent one of the seventy-six disciples, Thaddæus, to the city of Edessa to heal Abgar and to preach the Gospel, according to the word of the Lord. Thaddæus came to the house of Tobias, a Jewish prince, who is said to have been of the race of the Pacradouni. Tobias, having left Archam, did not abjure Judaism with the rest of his relatives, but followed its laws up to the moment when he believed in Christ. Soon the name of Thaddæus spreads through the whole town. Abgar, on learning of his arrival, said: “This is indeed he concerning whom Jesus wrote to me;” and immediately Abgar sent for the apostle. When Thaddæus entered, a marvellous appearance presented itself to the eyes of Abgar in the countenance of the apostle; the king having risen from his throne, fell on his face to the earth, and prostrated himself before Thaddæus. This spectacle greatly surprised all the princes who were present, for they were ignorant of the fact of the vision. “Art thou really,” said Abgar to Thaddæus, “art thou the disciple of the ever-blessed Jesus? Art thou he whom He promised to send to me, and canst thou heal my maladies?” “Yes,” answered Thaddæus; “if thou believest in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the desires of thy heart shall be granted.” “I have believed in Jesus,” said Abgar, “I have believed in His Father; therefore I wished to go at the head of my troops to destroy the Jews who have crucified Jesus, had I not been prevented by reason of the power of the Romans.”

Thenceforth Thaddæus began to preach the Gospel to the king and his town; laying his hands upon Abgar, he cured him; he cured also a man with gout, Abdu, a prince of the town, much honoured in all the king’s house. He also healed all the sick and infirm people in the town, and all believed in Jesus Christ. Abgar was baptized, and all the town with him, and the temples of the false gods were closed, and 705all the statues of idols that were placed on the altars and columns were hidden by being covered with reeds. Abgar did not compel any one to embrace the faith yet from day to day the number of the believers was multiplied.

The Apostle Thaddæus baptizes a manufacturer of silk head-dresses, called Attæus, consecrates him, appoints him to minister at Edessa, and leaves him with the king instead of himself. Thaddæus, after having received letters patent from Abgar, who wished that all should listen to the Gospel of Christ, went to find Sanadroug, son of Abgar’s sister, whom this prince had appointed over the country and over the army. Abgar was pleased to write to the Emperor Tiberius a letter in these words:—

Abgar’s letter to Tiberius.

“Abgar, king of Armenia, to my Lord Tiberius, emperor of the Romans, greeting:—

“I know that nothing is unknown to your Majesty, but, as your friend, I would make you better acquainted with the facts by writing. The Jews who dwell in the cantons of Palestine have crucified Jesus: Jesus without sin, Jesus after so many acts of kindness, so many wonders and miracles wrought for their good, even to the raising of the dead. Be assured that these are not the effects of the power of a simple mortal, but of God. During the time that they were crucifying Him, the sun was darkened, the earth was moved, shaken; Jesus Himself, three days afterwards, rose from the dead and appeared to many. Now, everywhere, His name alone, invoked by His disciples, produces the greatest miracles: what has happened to myself is the most evident proof of it. Your august Majesty knows henceforth what ought to be done in future with respect to the Jewish nation, which has committed this crime; your Majesty knows whether a command should not be published through the whole universe to worship Christ as the true God. Safety and health.”

Answer from Tiberius to Abgar’s letter.

“Tiberius, emperor of the Romans, to Abgar, king of the Armenians, greeting:—

“Your kind letter has been read to me, and I wish that thanks should be given to you from me. Though we had already heard several persons relate these facts, Pilate has officially informed us of the miracles of Jesus. He has certified to us that after His resurrection from the dead He was acknowledged by many to be God. Therefore I myself also wished to do what you propose; but, as it is the custom of the Romans not to admit a god merely by the command of the sovereign, but only when the admission has been discussed and examined in full senate, I proposed the affair to the senate, and they rejected it with contempt, doubtless because it had not been considered by them first. But we have commanded all those whom Jesus suits, to receive him amongst the gods. We have threatened with death any one who shall speak evil of the Christians. As to the Jewish nation which has dared to crucify Jesus, who, as I hear, far from deserving the cross and death, was worthy of honour, worthy of the adoration of men—when I am free from the war with rebellious Spain, I will examine into the matter, and will treat the Jews as they deserve.”

Abgar writes another letter to Tiberius.

“Abgar, king of the Armenians, to my lord Tiberius, emperor of the Romans, greeting:—

“I have received the letter written from your august Majesty, and I have applauded the commands which have emanated from your wisdom. If you will not be angry with me, I will say that the conduct of the senate is extremely ridiculous and absurd: for, according to the senators, it is after the examination and by the suffrages of men that divinity may be ascribed. Thus, then, if God does not suit man, He cannot be God, since God is to be judged and justified by man. It will no doubt seem just to my lord and master to send another governor to Jerusalem in the place of Pilate, who ought to be ignominiously driven from the powerful post in which you placed him; for he has done the will of the Jews: he has crucified Christ unjustly, without your order. That you may enjoy health is my desire.”

Abgar, having written this letter, placed a copy of it, with copies of the other letters, in his archives. He wrote also to the young Nerseh, king of Assyria, at Babylon:—

Abgar’s letter to Nerseh.

“Abgar, king of the Armenians, to my son Nerseh, greeting:—

“I have received your letter and acknowledgments. I have released Beroze from his chains, and have pardoned his offences: if this pleases you, give him the government of Nineveh. But as to what you write to me about sending you the physician who works miracles and preaches another God superior to fire and water, that you may see and hear him, I say to you: he was not a physician according to the art of men; he was a disciple of the Son of God, Creator of fire and water: he has been appointed and sent to the countries of Armenia. But one of his principal companions, named Simon, is sent into the countries of Persia. Seek for him, and you will hear him, you as well as your father Ardachès. 706He will heal all your diseases and will show you the way of life.”

Abgar wrote also to Ardachès, king of the Persians, the following letter:—

Abgar’s letter to Ardachès.

“Abgar, king of the Armenians, to Ardachès my brother, king of the Persians, greeting:—

“I know that you have heard of Jesus Christ the Son of God, whom the Jews have crucified, Jesus who was raised from the dead, and has sent His disciples through all the world to instruct men. One of His chief disciples, named Simon, is in your Majesty’s territories. Seek for him, and you will find him, and he will cure you of all your maladies, and will show you the way of life, and you will believe in his words, you, and your brothers, and all those who willingly obey you. It is very pleasant to me to think that my relations in the flesh will be also my relations, my friends, in the spirit.”

Abgar had not yet received answers to these letters when he died, having reigned thirty-eight years.

An Analysis of The Life of Adam and Eve

PART ONE

INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEMS OF THE TEXT

The Life of Adam and Eve is an apocryphal story about the experience of the first human couple after their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Of the numerous apocryphal works that were written regarding Adam and Eve in the ancient world, this text certainly has pride of place. Not only was its influence in antiquity quite evident and widespread but the tale also enjoyed enormous popularity in the medieval world as well.

Date

The text has proven very difficult to date and one can be no more accurate than to say it must have been composed between the 3rd and 7th centuries. It is quite possible of course that certain literary units of the work are considerably older than this as there can be no question that the present form of the work is the result of a complex redactional process that wove together different source materials into a single story.

Provenance

Equally problematic is the question of the work’s provenance. Most scholars have assumed a Jewish origin for the work, on the grounds that evidence of explicit Christian features are so minimal in the tale and seem to be of a late redactional level rather than integral to the story itself. Yet recent scholarship on the creation and transmission of such apocryphal tales from antiquity suggests that the possibility of Christian origins be given due consideration. In any event the fact that the tale was copied, edited and expanded by Christian scribes and enjoyed immense popularity in Christian circles needs to be taken seriously. There is evidence of Jewish familiarity with parts of the work but no evidence of any role in the transmission of the text as it now presently stands.

Languages

The text survives in six languages: Greek, Latin, Armenian, Georgian, Slavonic, and Coptic (only small fragments remain of this version). Most scholars agree that the text was written originally in Greek and that all of the six versions stem from some form of Greek vorlage. But it should be emphasized here that the Greek manuscripts that we now possess are not witnesses to this putative Greek original. The present Greek material has undergone considerable redactional activity and should not be considered a better witness to the original form of the text than any of the other forms. Yet it should also be underscored that the text-critical work has hardly begun on this document and almost any conclusions about such matters must be considered provisional and exploratory.

For purposes of convenience we shall refer to all the forms of this work under a simple title, “The Life of Adam and Eve,” or Vita for short. But it should be borne in mind that each version has its own unique title.

INDIVIDUAL VERSIONS

GREEK

Native Title: The Apocalypse of Moses

Original Publication: C. von Tischendorf, Apocalypses Apocryphae Mosis, Esdrae, Pauli, Iohanni, Leipzig, Mendelssohn; reprinted, Hildersheim, Olms, 1966.

Current Edition Used: The text prepared by Nagel used in A.-M. Denis, Concordance grecque des pseudépigraphes d’Ancien Testament: concordance, corpus des textes, indices. Louvain-la-Neuve, Université catholique de Louvain, 1987.

Translation: prepared by Gary A. Anderson

Extended Discussion in Stone, A History of the Literature of Adam and Eve pp. 6-13.

The Greek text of the Vita was first published by Tischendorf in 1866 on the basis of four manuscripts. Because one of the manuscripts had a prologue which identified the work as a “revelation (apokalypsis) to Moses” von Tischendorf titled the work accordingly. Sadly, the misnomer has been the long-standing title of the work even to the present day. Since the original publication of van Tischendorf numerous additional manuscripts have come to light, bringing the total to 25. A full representation of all 25 manuscripts appears in the variorum edition of Nagel, a doctoral dissertation presented to the University of Strasbourg in 1974. Nagel compiled a new text of the Vita for a concordance of the Greek pseudepigrapha edited by Denis. The nature of this text is unclear but it appears to be a presentation of the superior reading from Nagel’s Family I with numerous additional readings which demosntrate close affinity to the Armenian and Georgian versions.

LATIN

Native Title: Vita Adae et Evae (“The Life of Adam and Eve”)

Original Publication: W. Meyer, “Vita Adae et Evae.” Abhandlungen der königlichen Bayerischen Akademie des Wissenschaften, Philosoph.-philologische Klasse. Munich: 14.3, 1878, pp. 185-250.

Current Edition Used: The text presented here is basically that of Meyer’s edition with special notation of the additions found in Family III. The text was prepared by W. Lechner-Schmidt of Germany.

Translation: prepared by Berlie Custis and Gary A. Anderson

Extended Discussion in Stone, A History of the Literature of Adam and Eve pp. 14-30.

The Latin text was first published by W. Meyer in 1878. He relied mainly on a set of manuscripts found in Munich. Later, J. H. Mozley published another text based on a set of manuscripts found in England. Most recently a full listing of all of the known Latin texts was published by M. E. B. Halford. Most still cite Meyer’s edition although numerous superior readings are to be found in Mozley.

At present 73 manuscripts of the Latin are known to exist. The Latin material has only been surveyed in a summary fashion and much work remains to be done. The Latin manuscripts are especially significant for medievalists because of the enormous significance the Vita had in spawning later vernacular versions of the life of Adam and Eve. Among these one should include those versions for which we now have excellent editions in English: the Old Irish, Saltair Na Rann, the Old French, Penitence of Adam, and Lutwin’s Middle High German, Eva und Adam. The problems involved in sorting out the textual sources of these works have been usefully surveyed in the publications of Murdoch, Quinn, and Halford.

The Latin version of the tale is certainly the most complex of all. At present no critical edition of the material exists. Meyer’s edition is regularly cited as authoritative in spite of the fact that numerous superior readings exist in Mozley’s survey of the texts found in England. The Latin material has not been re-examined in light of the recent publication of the Armenian and Georgian editions. The Latin material is also difficult because it was subject to such extensive re-writing in the course of its transmission. Halford, indeed, has wondered whether the establishment of a single critical text is possible, so varied is the text in its multiple forms. It seems to have been rewritten each time it was copied. We may only be able to establish priority within particular narrative units. In addition, because the Latin version served as a base text for dozens of other medieval vernacular editions, it may be that a standard critical edition of this text is not to be preferred, for the establishment of a primitive text would be of little use for tracing the life of these traditions in later medieval literature.

ARMENIAN

Native Title: “Penitence of Adam”

Original Publication: Michael E. Stone, The Penitence of Adam. Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium 429-30; Scriptores Armeniaci 13-14. ed. R. Draguet. Leuven, Peeters, 1981.

Current Edition Used: same

Translation: Michael E. Stone, Penitence of Adam, with some minor corrections.

Extended Discussion in Stone, A History of the Literature of Adam and Eve pp. 36-37.

The Armenian version was published by M. Stone in 1981. The critical edition of the text was based on three 17th century manuscripts.

GEORGIAN

Native Title: “Book of Adam”

Original Publication: Georgian original: C. K’urc’ikidze, “Adamis apokrip’uli …” P’ilologiuri Dziebani. 1964 1: 97-136. French Translation: J.-P. Mahé, “Le Livre d’Adam géorgienne de la Vita Adae in Studies in Gnosticism and Hellenistic Religions, ed. R. van den Broek and M. J. Vermaseren. Leiden, Brill, 1981, pp. 227-260.

Current Edition Used: English translation of J.-P. Mahé. This translation appears for the first time in this work

Translation: prepared by Gary A. Anderson

Extended Discussion in Stone, A History of the Literature of Adam and Eve pp. 37-39.

The Georgian text was published by K’urc’ikidze in 1964. It was recently translated into French by J.P. Mahé in 1981. The text exists in two recensions, the former surviving in 4 manuscripts while the later in 1.

SLAVONIC

Native Title: “Life of Adam and Eve”

Original Publication: V. Jagic, “Slavische Beiträge zu den biblischen Apocryphen, I, Die altkirchenslavischen Texte des Adamsbuche.” Denkschr. kaiserl. Akademie der Wissenschaften, philos.-hist. Klasse. Vienna, 42:1-104, 1893. Current Edition Used: V. Jagic.

Translation: English translation of the German in the editio princeps was prepared by Gary Anderson. This translation from the German into the English has been checked for egregious deviations from the Slavonic original by Jacob Jacobsen, University of Pittsburgh.

Extended Discussion in Stone, A History of the Literature of Adam and Eve pp. 30-36.

The Slavonic text is among the most interesting but also the least studied. It follows the Greek in placing the penitence and second temptation narratives at the end of Eve’s long discourse on the nature of the fall (Chapter 29 in the Greek, but note that only two Greek manuscripts contain this epitome of the penitence cycle.). The Slavonic text is attested in two recensions, one long and the other short. Jagic published the longer version.

Several traditions in the Vita had a long and very developed history in Slavonic literature. These would include the narratives about the origins of the Wood of the Cross (Holy Rood) and the story of the Cheirograph. The relationship of these traditions to the origin and development of the book still await a thorough investigation.

COPTIC

Original Publication: W. E. Crum, Catalogue of Coptic Manuscripts in the Collection of the John Rylands Library. Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1909.

Extended Discussion in Stone, A History of the Literature of Adam and Eve pp. 39-41.

A small fragment of this version was published by W. E. Crum in 1909. It is very likely that the fragment came from a complete Coptic version of the Vita which no longer survives.

PART TWO

ELECTRONIC EDITION

A. REGARDING ITS POTENTIAL

At least three different interpretive issues need to be kept in mind when preparing an edition of this work:

The relationship of the various manuscripts within a particular language family;

The relationship of the various versions over against one another;

The manner in which this tale came into the Middle Ages and influenced the various vernacular forms.

For the first it is imperative to have all of the textual data at hand in order to compare each and every textual witness. For the second it is crucial to have established a critical text that will allow one to set the earliest form of each language-version over against the others with a view toward reconstructing the most primitive form of the work. For the third it is important to have all of the Latin material available in order to determine which Latin exemplar was used as the base text for the creation of a new vernacular version. We might also add that the other textual data may be useful for positing possible Latin originals that no longer exist. In the case of the Saltair Na Rann one must consider the very real possibility of a Greek form of the text, unlike any we now possess, underlying the text in question.

Both the enormous volume of material and the numerous ways in which this material needs to be deployed for various research purposes argues strongly for an electronic publication of the material. For any printed publication of material will not only have to restrict the amount of data that will be presented but it will also have to structure the presentation of that data to enhance one particular research strategy or the other. The electronic publication that is envisioned here will be flexible enough to allow scholars to employ the textual data accordingly to whatever research purposes they may have.

The electronic publication will allow for the following:

Access to each and every form of the text in both its manuscript form and a transcription into a machine-readable form. In addition a reconstruction of the most primitive form of the text and a translation of that form into English will also be offered. At present we have not prepared any facsimiles of the actual manuscripts but shortly a full presentation of the Armenian material will be available. Because the manuscript evidence for the other material is so vast a complete presentation of all data will only be possible with the assistance of collaborators. This work will take years to complete, but again an electronic form of publication will facilitate such collaboration and allow for regular updating of the addition as more information becomes available.

In addition to the question of access to a wide range of material we also encounter the problem of the presentation of the material. In order to study the text both in a single language tradition or across the varies language families it is imperative to be able to present the material in a synoptic fashion that will allow for easy comparison of the variants. Indeed as the study of the New Testament Gospels has shown, a display of variant but related textual traditions in a synoptic fashion allows for far greater comprehension of each the Gospel texts on its own. But there are other problems involved in the production of an edition of the Vita. Two prominent ones immediately come to mind:

First which texts do we wish to compare? In the printed synoptic text published by Stone and Anderson in 1994 we printed the best critical texts that were available for the 5 language families. Yet it is clear from the very outset that we have assembled a synopsis that privileges an interest in reconstructing the most primitive form of the text. The interests of a scholar of Medieval literature would require a completely different layout. For example a person working on Lutwin’s Eva und Adam would be most interested in comparing this vernacular version against the possible Latin exemplars in Germany that the author might have used. The scholar working on the Middle English Cursor Mundi or Canticum de Creatione would be interested in the Latin exemplars available in England. For someone working on the Old Irish Saltair Na Rann a close inspection of the Greek, Armenian and Georgian versions would be necessary.

Secondly how do we wish to view the texts: in English translation or in the original? Conventional scholarly editions always privilege the language of original composition for obvious reasons. But in the study of this text this would not be the best tact to take as no single scholar could possible work in the original across the complete range of versions. In a print version one can establish only one manner of usage. The Synopsis produced by Stone and Anderson published the Greek and Latin in the original but employed the language used by the editor of the editio princeps for the other versions (the logic being that very few scholars would be capable of using the Armenian, Georgian and Slavonic in the original). In an electronic publication the user could choose for each version whether the original and/or English translation was to be displayed.

B. EXISTING TECHNOLOGY

At present there exists an ability to present scanned photographs of the manuscript evidence, a transcription of any original which was composed in a Latin alphabet and an English translation of each text.

One level of our Archive will present the user with this full range of material: a scanned original of the manuscript pages, transcription of the original text, and an English translation. In most cases the English translation would only be found for the “critical text,” the understanding being that scholars working on the problem of textual versions would not need a translation. Obviously, though, given the wide range of language groups represented, no one scholar could work in the original for every text represented.

C. NON-LATIN CHARACTER SETS

An obvious desideratum for an electronic publication of the Vita is the ability to represent the various non-Latin texts in machine readable form (Greek, Armenian, Georgian, and Slavonic). At present there are numerous ways to do this on any particular PC or Macintosh (and to a lesser degree the same is true for Unix machines). But none of these machines achieves this representation in a standardized fashion. Indeed the manner of encoding and presenting any single font can vary widely depending not only on the type of computer one is using but also the type of font-software that is being employed. This is because most computers represent character sets in a 7- or 8-bit (byte) fashion. Or to put the matter in more general terms, one is limited to at most 256 different characters at any one time. The Latin alphabet is almost always a fixed variable in this situation but the placement of the foreign characters across these remaining “open” bits is often unique to any given piece of software. Thus Latin-based texts can be ported from one computer to another without any problems, but one can rarely, if ever, say the same for non-Latin based texts.

The development of Unicode, a 16-bit convention for rendering character sets allows a computer to process over 65,000 characters at any one time. Every known character-set can be handled by this convention and perhaps just as important, in a uniform and standardized manner.

The encoding of non-Latin character sets according to uniform standards will allow the textual data we prepare to be utilized by scholars everywhere just as present-day ASCII conventions allow for such portability for Latin characters. Of course one drawback at present is that few software tools exist for Unicode implementation, but this is quickly changing. Most likely, far sooner than anyone would have imagined, it will become widely available for micro-computer applications.

All of the texts prepared for this edition of Vita have been converted into Unicode conventions. When personal computers are able to utilize this information all the texts we have assembled will be universally usable.

BABBLE: A SYNOPTIC TEXT VIEWER

An additional consideration is the ability to display the texts in a synoptic fashion, in parallel columns. On a conventional word-processor, multi-lingual texts can be presented in such a manner. Indeed this was the way in which Stone and Anderson assembled their first form of the published Synopsis. This camera-ready ‘electronic’ text prepared for Scholars Press has the textual witnesses for the Vita laid out in multiple columns. It should be noted, however, that this assemblage was limited by the particular editorial predilections of the editors and cannot be altered as far as its print version stands and can only be altered in a very laborious manner in its present electronic version. Each column must be erased and reconstructed verse by verse.

During my year in residence, the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities (IATH) at the University of Virginia has undertaken development of a Unicode-based synoptic text viewer called Babble, the immediate purpose of which is to allow us to construct a synoptic presentation of the Vita. Because Babble is Unicode-based, it can simultaneously display (across the network, using X-Windows) a mixed collection of texts in different character sets–at present, Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Cyrillic, and Japanese. The tool can also read ‘tagged’ line-numbers for each text it encounters and align those various texts in horizontal rows according to the line-numbers. This will allow one to place any text one wishes in a given column, and as long as that text has been properly marked up, Babble will be able to present the text so that each verse-unit corresponds to the other versions present in the synopsis. Babble will also allow the texts to be selectively linked for scrolling, and it will allow texts to be selectively line-wrapped to fit within the display area, or unwrapped, in which case horizontal scroll-bars can be used. In line-wrapping and other functions, Babble also respects the directionality of the text in question, wrapping Hebrew from right to left, for example.

We have used SGML conventions to establish the marked verse-tags and have marked each text in two ways: one which conforms to the native versification of the particular language version (in accordance with its principal publication and the manner in which it has normally been referred to by scholars) and another will gives a unique verse-tag to each verse unit across the 5 language groups. This latter means of tagging allows each version to be linked electronically to the other. This second means of tagging the verses is, of course, unique to the present synoptic presentation and so is completely artificial. This means of tagging the material is will not be visible to the user of the tool but will be used solely for the purpose of lining the texts up in an appropriate synoptic arrangement.

Ideally, for the purposes of this project, one would start Babble with a default set of texts: in this way, one would be presented with a single ‘critical’ text for each of the versions of the Vita. Moreover, one could elect to compare Mozley’s Latin text instead of Meyer, or one could set several Latin versions over against Lutwin’s Adam und Eva.

Since Babble will be SGML-aware [SGML=Standard Generalized Markup Language], it will be take advantage of any mark-up that an editor may wish to implement. Indeed it is the SGML-encoded chapter and verse tags that this software will use to display the texts in synoptic fashion. As one scrolls up or down the text, the various versions will in move in tandem. The tool will also allow one to ‘unlock’ the columns, if desired, and to scroll the files independently.

PART THREE: A TOUR OF THE ADAM AND EVE ARCHIVE

Introduction

The Archive has been put together with two purposes in mind. The first is more important: to enhance the study of the Vita itself. But the other purpose is also of some significance: to assemble a wide range of material related to the interpretation of the Life of Adam and Eve in Late Antiquity. This latter aim, of course, is enormous and is probably impossible to complete in the course of any one individual’s lifetime. Since so much material about Adam and Eve was being collected in view of the interpretation of the Vita, it seemed reasonable also to assemble those same sources in terms of how they illuminated the early interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve in its broadest possible array. Certainly one of the chief virtues of the electronic medium is the ability to assemble an archive such as this that can serve multiple purposes. All of the texts that are collected as background to various interpretive problems in the Vita can just as well be assembled into a source book or better, electronic Archive for the story of Adam and Eve in its most general outline.

The Archive

When one turns to the the opening page of the Archive, one is presented with a set of different categories of interpretation that bear on the life of Adam and Eve. These include:

The Vita itself

The Biblical Text of Genesis 1-3

Commentaries written on those verses by both Jewish and Christian writers

Apocryphal stories about Adam and Eve from the earliest post-Biblical period up to and including Medieval rewritings of the tale that are explicitly built on our Vita text

Iconographic representations of the story

Unfortunately much of this material had to be presented in English translation alone. This is because the Web cannot, as of yet, present anything more than the standard Latin alphabet. The reliance on English means that the scholarly usage of the material is going to be hampered by not allowing for direct access to the original. Just as problematic is the fact that most of the material in English translation is of recent vintage and thus is copyrighted. We have assembled all of these texts in the original, but their display will have to be a future event. As to those texts in English, we have posted as many representative samples as can be done. Let us describe each section of the Archive.

The Vita text itself. In this section we present the Vita text in its entirety. The material will be approachable from two directions representing two different user-purposes:

MANUSCRIPTS One goal will be to present every text in its original manuscript page form. Ideally each manuscript will also be transcribed into machine readable form and translated into English. Most likely, though, the English translations will be limited to a single ‘critical’ text (or, in certain cases two or three representative exemplars). In addition, this section of the Archive will contain a description of the textual families, their history and other background information necessary for understanding the type of material that has been assembled.

SYNOPSIS The other goal will be to present the Vita in a synoptic fashion. At present this is only possible by setting the material up in a “table” on the Web (This “table” is currently under construction. The texts can only be shown in English or Latin. We have also developed a synoptic text viewer which will allow the representation of all the data in each lanuage. This viewer has been described above.

The Biblical Text. This portion of the Archive will present the Biblical texts in one of two ways: Either as a single text in serial order, or in a synoptic table that will enhance the ability to discern variants across the many versions. Again, although we are limited to the Latin alphabet, all the data has been stored in the originals and with the synoptic text viewer the material will be viewable in the original. When the Web can handle Unicode, all of this material will become publicly available.

Commentaries. The number of commentaries on Genesis 1-3 that were produced in Late Antiquity is staggering. At present only a small sampling is represented. In the end we hope to have a dozen or so Patristic commentaries, several Rabbinic texts pertinent to Gen1-3 and a selection of Medieval line-by-line commentaries.

Because these commentaries are so long, it is useful to set up their electronic presentation in a manner that will facilitate easy searching. Each commentary will begin with a short table of contents with hot-buttons linked to a single or several biblical verses. Thus the user will be ablt to go directly to the text under consideration.

Apocryphal Stories. At present we have incorporated the Book of Jubilees and the Cave of Treasures. We hope to include a rather large sampling of Armenian apocrypha as well as several Medieval retellings of the story of Fall that built on the Vita as their base text. Among these will be Lutwin’s Eva und Adam and the anonymous Old Irish, Saltair Na Rann. The Saltair is especially interesting for text-critical purposes, for it appears to have preserved a Greek form of the Vita text that underlies the form of the work witnessed in the Armenian and Georgian versions.

Images. Here we have the largest problem with copyright. A variety of images have been assembled in regard to the Cheirograph legend and the Fall of Satan narrative. In addition we have scanned in the iconographic material on Gen 1-3 from: a. The San Marco mosaics, b. The Hortus Deliciarum. None of this material is currently available for viewing.

B. The Fall of Satan

The Archive has also been presented in a way to illustrate sample problems in the Vita narrative. Over the course of the last year Stone has worked on the legend of the Cheirograph in the Vita and in all of the associated apocryphal material, Anderson has worked on the Fall of Satan. Below we will present some of the sources for the study of Satan’s fall as it is witnessed in the Vita narrative and in the exegesis of Ezekiel 28.

The source page for the Fall of Satan has been linked to the Pericope page. It will also be accessible from the very first page of the Archive itself. When one enters the source page for this narrative unit one will find a representative sampling of various materials from late antiquity that are relevant for the interpretation of this narrative unit in the Vita. In addition to the source material itself, there will also be an interpretive essay that will guide the reader through the material. As in any humanistic endeavor this essay cannot be considered the last word on the subject, rather it represents the views and perspectives of the compilers of this Archive. The advantage of presenting the material in this fashion is that the user of the archive will be able to see at a very quick glance what sources have been assembled by the author and will be able to consult these sources either to confirm what the author has written or to form a new opinion on the matter.

The sources presented in the Fall of Satan page represent, for the most part, the categories that stood at the very front of the Archive. We have divided them as follows:

The Vita narratives that bear on the tale itself;

Possible Biblical sources for the creation of the tale;

Apocryphal retellings that directly bear on the history of the idea;

Patristic and Rabbinic writings relevant to the fall of Satan. This category is very close to the “commentary” section that was listed at the front of the Archive. Some of the material is in the form of a line by line commentary, but other materials here represent early Christian exegetical activity as attested in other theological sources;

Koran. This is a special category that is quite important for the story of Satan’s fall for the Koranic story built directly on the Vita;

Images.

I. The Vita

A special interest of the project is to describe how these various sources interact in antiquity and why it is important to keep them in mind as one proceeds through the materials themselves. Let us begin with the evidence of the Vita.

The Vita material can be viewed in a variety of ways. One can look at the material in each text on its own terms, or one can find all the versions assembled in English translation on a single HTML-page [HTML=Hyper-Textual Markup Language] for rapid comparison of the different text-forms, or, finally, one can view the materials in synoptic fashion through the means of the Synoptic Text Viewer. The latter version will allow for the display of the text in its original language [though the reader should be aware that because this tool works on a UNIX machine we can only provide the display for those languages in which a UNIX font exists. For the present this limits us to Greek, Slavonic and Latin; Armenian and Georgian still wait implemntation.] We have found the relevant material for the fall of Satan in two places. First in pericope 5, where Satan provides for Adam the reasons for his fall. Second in pericope 18 where the reasons for Satan’s primordial fall become the same reasons for the “fall” of the serpent prior to the temptation of Eve.

II. Biblical Sources: Ezekiel 28

The lament that Ezekiel intones against the prince of Tyre was one of the classic “fall of Satan” texts in early Christianity. The key features of the text that attracted commetatores were the description of the stones that this prince had girded himself with in verse 13 and the description of the Cherubs in verses 14 and 16. Both of these texts varied wildly across the different versions and careful study of the influence of these texts necessitates that one compare the various versions that existed in late antiquity.

The synoptic presentation that we offer contains the text in four different text forms: Hebrew, Greek, Latin Vulgate and Syriac Peshitta. Since the Latin Vulgate was a direct translation from the Hebrew original it does not offer any substantial textual variation but it does provide evidence of several important interpretive moves in the way it renders several of the Hebrew phrases. The Greek and Peshitta versions show some striking contrasts to the Hebrew text form.

The first problem that should be attended to is the list of the gems in verse 13. As commentators have long noted this list of gems is very close in form to the list of twelve gems found in Exodus 28. The Greek version shows a near one-to-one correspondence with that list whereas the Hebrew and Latin Vulgate show agreement for nine of the twelve. The Peshitta is a far more complicated problem, showing agreement for just seven. The correspondence between the stones in these two chapters suggested to many commentators, both ancient and modern, that the picture of the denizen of the Garden portrayed in Ezekiel 28 builds on the model of the High Priest in Exodus 28. The putative ‘Prince of Tyre’ in Ezekiel not only dwells in the sacred space of Eden but is adorned with a distinctive vestment that must have served to accentuate his lofty stature.

The second problem in the Biblical text is the identification of the Cherub figures in verses 14 and 16. Here are problems are two-fold. On the one hand we are dealing with true variant texts. The Hebrew (as well as the Peshitta and Vulgate) of verse 14 describes a Cherub who is both anointed (or “extended [of wing]”) and overshadowing, whereas in verse 16 we have a Cherub who is simply overshadowing. The Greek on the other hand describes this figure simply as a Cherub, no other distinguishing marks to be found.

In addition to this question of textual variants, we also have the problem of how to read the Hebrew original. Hebrew, being a language that is written without vowels, often provides a reader with variant possibilities for vocalization. And since the vowels provided also indicate the form of the verb (or noun) in question, variant vocalizations often yield variant meanings. Thus in verse 14 one can read the same Hebrew text as either: A. “You are the Cherub . . . and I placed you” or B. “With the Cherub . . .I placed you”. To complicate things even further one should note that the adjectives used to describe the Cherub are also subject to different renderings. Some commentators take the Hebrew vocable mem-mem-shin-het as a hapax legomenon that refers to an anointed status. Hence: “the anointed Cherub”. An example of this sort of understanding can be found in Theodoret of Cyrrhus. Other commentators take the vocable as though it were from a better attested but far latter verbal root, “to be stretched out, extended (as a measuring line)”. This would indicate that some feature of the Cherub was of considerable extention. Since Cherubs are often depicted with wings one could render the clause, “Cherub with extensive wingspan.” So the phrase comes into St. Jerome’s Vulgate version: “tu cherub extentus.” We could make the picture even more muddy by mentioning the fact that manuscripts of the Greek Bible tended to be corrected, over time, to the text-form found in the Hebrew Bible. Thus, if we consulted the Greek text used by Theodoret we would find a form of the Greek Bible that is close to our present Hebrew form than the Greek original.

In any event, the importance of presenting this panoply of textual evidence is to show how many different “Bibles” existed in late antiquity. When one comes to investigate any particular commentary or apocryphal writing on Ezekiel 28 one must first ask which Biblical version was used by the writer before making any assessment of the exegesis supplied therein.

III. Commentaries

We have provided a number of ancient commentaries related to the fall of Satan. Some of the material provides information relevant to the apocrphal tale itself, such as the material found in the Hymns of Romanos. Other materials listed here are more directly relevant to the exegesis of Ezekiel 28. For example in Origen’s work De Principiis, he discusses in detail just why this Biblical text became such an important source for the fall of Satan. The casual reader of the Bible would certainly be puzzled by this fact because the chapter ostensibly is about the historical king of Tyre. For Origen, however, the chapter cannot possibly be about this historical figure–for which king of Tyre ever resided in Eden, was appareled with priestly vestments and walked on fiery stones? Origen notes that according to certain Biblical texts every foreign nation was ruled over by a guardian angel. The story of the prince of Tyre, then, is not about an ordinary prince or king but rather about the angelic prince who stood watch over this ancient city. Origen equated this angelic prince with the figure of Satan since his primordial existence is described as so preeminent prior to his fall. Much the same type of interpretation can be found in Theodoret’s commentary on Ezekiel 28. This sort of analysis of the chapter was altogether a commonplace in early Christian material and could be found in many other writers as well.

IV. Apocryphal Stories

The story of Satan’s fall occurs in numerous other apocryphal material. The question of how these stories are related to the story found in the Vita is still sub judice. Most assume that the story found in the Vita is Grundform of the tradition and though this is likely, it will still require careful analysis before it is confirmed.

One detail that looms large in several of the Coptic versions of this tale is the question of the Cherubs. In several Coptic texts (For example see: Coptic Text Attributed to Peter of Alexandria ) we can find explicit reference to the fact that Satan was driven from his pre-fallen glorious state by a Cherub. There can be no doubt that the Cherub in question is the same figure we find in Ezekiel 28:16.

This curious linkage between our apocryphal tradition of Satan’s pre-fallen glory and Ezekiel 28 should occasion no surprise. We find it everywhere in the Patristic commentaries. Yet one does not find in these Coptic sources any references to the Cherub that is spoken of in Ezekiel 28:14. As one will recall, this verse is quite problematic textually, but could be rendered as follows: “you were the Cherub of extended [wingspan] who overshadows.” This motif indeed seems to be present in the Georgian version of our tale. For in the Georgian version we see Satan describe his pre-fallen glory in this manner: “My wings were more numerous that those of the Cherubim, and I concealed myself underthem. Because of you, now my feet walk on the earth. . .” In light of the tradition we have traced it is very hard indeed not to associate this description of Satan’s pre-fallen glory from the text of Ezekiel 28:14-16.

V. Images

The last portion of the Fall of Satan page has to do with images that relate to this motif. In this section we have included a wonderful early medieval rendering (12th century) of Satan in his pre-fallen glory found in the Hortus Deliciarum. In this work two textual annotations are found on the image that link the figure of Satan to our Ezekiel text. First, an inscription is held across his figure which contains the Latin Vulgate text of 28:14: “You are the Cherub with extensive [wingspan].” Second is an inscription beside him which describes the precious stones which make up his vestment. In the image itself we can see that our artist has used these biblical details to fashion his image of Satan. Our figure is pictured like the Cherubim who stand at either side of God the Father (upper register). But he is distinct in two ways: 1. He is wearing a special vestment that appears to have twelve stones fixed on the vertical portion of the stole and 2. he is blessed with an especially extensive wingspan, indeed a wingspan of such length that it truly “overshadows” the other Cherubim. In the language of the Psalter we could say that this figure of Satan, prior to his fall, is truly a figure under whose wings the other members of the divine host can take refuge.

This image was, of course, fashioned completely independently of the story found in the Vita. But it attests to the attraction of those motifs in Ezekial 28 to a variety of different authors in late antiquity.

The Apocalypse of Adam

Translated by George W. MacRae

The revelation which Adam taught his son Seth in the seven hundreth year, saying:

Listen to my words, my son Seth. When God had created me out of the earth, along with Eve, your mother, I went about with her in a glory which she had seen in the aeon from which we had come forth. She taught me a word of knowledge of the eternal God. And we resembled the great eternal angels, for we were higher than the god who had created us and the powers with him, whom we did not know.

Then God, the ruler of the aeons and the powers, divided us in wrath. Then we became two aeons. And the glory in our heart(s) left us, me and your mother Eve, along with the first knowledge that breathed within us. And it (glory) fled from us; it entered into […] great […] which had come forth, not from this aeon from which we had come forth, I and Eve your mother. But it (knowledge) entered into the seed of great aeons. For this reason I myself have called you by the name of that man who is the seed of the great generation or from whom (it comes). After those days, the eternal knowledge of the God of truth withdrew from me and your mother Eve. Since that time, we learned about dead things, like men. Then we recognized the God who had created us. For we were not strangers to his powers. And we served him in fear and slavery. And after these things, we became darkened in our heart(s). Now I slept in the thought of my heart.

And I saw three men before me whose likeness I was unable to recognize, since they were not the powers of the God who had created us. They surpassed […] glory, and […] men […] saying to me, “Arise, Adam, from the sleep of death, and hear about the aeon and the seed of that man to whom life has come, who came from you and from Eve, your wife.”

When I had heard these words from the great men who were standing before me, then we sighed, I and Eve, in our heart(s). And the Lord, the God who had created us, stood before us. He said to us, “Adam, why were you (both) sighing in your hearts? Do you not know that I am the God who created you? And I breathed into you a spirit of life as a living soul.” Then darkness came upon our eyes.

Then the God who created us, created a son from himself and Eve, your mother. I knew sweet desire for your mother, for […] in the thought of my […] I knew a sweet desire for your mother. Then the vigor of our eternal knowledge was destroyed in us, and weakness pursued us. Therefore the days of our life became few. For I knew that I had come under the authority of death.

Now then, my son Seth, I will reveal to you the things which those men whom I saw before me at first revealed to me: after I have completed the times of this generation and the years of the generation have been accomplished, then […] slave […]. (p.68 blank)

For rain-showers of God the almighty will be poured forth, so that he might destroy all flesh [of God the almighty, so that he might destroy all flesh] from the earth on account of the things that it seeks after, along with those from the seed of the men to whom passed the life of the knowledge which came from me and Eve, your mother. For they were strangers to him. Afterwards, great angels will come on high clouds, who will bring those men into the place where the spirit of life dwells […] glory […] there, […] come from heaven to earth. Then the whole multitude of flesh will be left behind in the waters.

Then God will rest from his wrath. And he will cast his power upon the waters, and he will give power to his sons and their wives by means of the ark along with the animals, whichever he pleased, and the birds of heaven, which he called and released upon the earth. And God will say to Noah – whom the generations will call ‘Deucalion’ – “Behold, I have protected <you> in the ark, along with your wife and your sons and their wives and their animals and the birds of heaven, which you called and released upon the earth. Therefore I will give the earth to you – you and your sons. In kingly fashion you will rule over it – you and your sons. And no seed will come from you of the men who will not stand in my presence in another glory.”

Then they will become as the cloud of the great light. Those men will come who have been cast forth from the knowledge of the great aeons and the angels. They will stand before Noah and the aeons. And God will say to Noah, “Why have you departed from what I told you? You have created another generation so that you might scorn my power.” Then Noah will say, “I shall testify before your might that the generation of these men did not come from me nor from my sons. […] knowledge.

And he will […] those men and bring them into their proper land, and build them a holy dwelling place. And they will be called by that name and dwell there six hundred years in a knowledge of imperishability. And the angels of the great Light will dwell with them. No foul deed will dwell in their heart(s), but only the knowledge of God.

Then Noah will divide the whole earth among his sons, Ham and Japheth and Shem. He will say to them, “My sons, listen to my words. Behold, I have divided the earth among you. But serve him in fear and slavery all the days of your life. Let not your seed depart from the face of God the Almighty. […] I and your […] son of Noah, “My seed will be pleasing before you and before your power. Seal it by your strong hand, with fear and commandment, so that the whole seed which came forth from me may not be inclined away from you and God the Almighty, but it will serve in humility and fear of its knowledge.”

Then others from the seed of Ham and Japheth will come, four hundred thousand men, and enter into another land and sojourn with those men who came forth from the great eternal knowledge. For the shadow of their power will protect those who have sojourned with them from every evil thing and every unclean desire. Then the seed of Ham and Japheth will form twelve kingdoms, and their seed also will enter into the kingdom of another people.

Then […] will take counsel […] who are dead, of the great aeons of imperishability. And they will go to Sakla, their God. They will go in to the powers, accusing the great men who are in their glory.

They will say to Sakla, “What is the power of these men who stood in your presence, who were taken from the seed of Ham and Japheth, who will number four hundred <thousand> men? They have been received into another aeonfrom which they had come forth, and they have overturned all the glory of your power and the dominion of your hand. For the seed of Noah through his sons has done all your will, and (so have) all the powers in the aeons over which your might rules, while both those men and the ones who are sojourners in their glory have not done your will. But they have turned (aside) your whole throng.”

Then the god of the aeons will give them (some) of those who serve him […]. They will come upon that land where the great men will be who have not been defiled, nor will be defiled, by any desire. For their soul did not come from a defiled hand, but it came from a great commandment of an eternal angel. Then fire and sulphur and asphalt will be cast upon those men, and fire and (blinding) mist will come over those aeons, and the eyes of the powers of the illuminators will be darkened, and the aeons will not see them in those days. And great clouds of light will descend, and other clouds of light will come down upon them from the great aeons.

Abrasax and Sablo and Gamaliel will descend and bring those men out of the fire and the wrath, and take them above the aeons and the rulers of the powers, and take them away […] of life […] and take them away […] aeons […] dwelling place of the great […] there, with the holy angels and the aeons. The men will be like those angels, for they are not strangers to them. But they work in the imperishable seed.

Once again, for the third time, the illuminator of knowledge will pass by in great glory, in order to leave (something) of the seed of Noah and the sons of Ham and Japheth – to leave for himself fruit-bearing trees. And he will redeem their souls from the day of death. For the whole creation that came from the dead earth will be under the authority of death. But those who reflect upon the knowledge of the eternal God in their heart(s) will not perish. For they have not received spirit from this kingdom alone, but they have received (it) from a […] eternal angel. […] illuminator […] will come upon […] that is dead […] of Seth. And he will perform signs and wonders in order to scorn the powers and their ruler.

Then the god of the powers will be disturbed, saying, “What is the power of this man who is higher than we?” Then he will arouse a great wrath against that man. And the glory will withdraw and dwell in holy houses which it has chosen for itself. And the powers will not see it with their eyes, nor will they see the illuminator either. Then they will punish the flesh of the man upon whom the holy spirit came.

Then the angels and all the generations of the powers will use the name in error, asking, “Where did it (the error) come from?” or “Where did the words of deception, which all the powers have failed to discover, come from?”

Now the first kingdom says of him that he came from […]. A spirit […] to heaven. He was nourished in the heavens. He received the glory of that one and the power. He came to the bosom of his mother. And thus he came to the water.

And the second kingdom says about him that he came from a great prophet. And a bird came, took the child who was born, and brought him onto a high mountain. And he was nourished by the bird of heaven. An angel came forth there. He said to him “Arise! God has given glory to you.” He received glory and strength. And thus he came to the water.

The third kingdom says of him that he came from a virgin womb. He was cast out of his city, he and his mother. He was brought to a desert place. He was nourished there. He came and received glory and strength. And thus he came to the water.

The fourth kingdom says of him that he came from a virgin. […] Solomon sought her, he and Phersalo and Sauel and his armies, which had been sent out. Solomon himself sent his army of demons to seek out the virgin. And they did not find the one whom they sought, but the virgin who was given them. It was she whom they fetched. Solomon took her. The virgin became pregnant and gave birth to the child there. She nourished him on a border of the desert. When he had been nourished, he received glory and power from the seed from which he was begotten. And thus he came to the water.

And the fifth kingdom says of him that he came from a drop from heaven. He was thrown into the sea. The abyss received him, gave birth to him, and brought him to heaven. He received glory and power. And thus he came to the water.

And the sixth kingdom says that […] down to the aeonwhich is below, in order to gather flowers. She became pregnant from the desire of the flowers. She gave birth to him in that place. The angels of the flower garden nourished him. He received glory there, and power. And thus he came to the water.

And the seventh kingdom says of him that he is a drop. It came from heaven to earth. Dragons brought him down to caves. He became a child. A spirit came upon him and brought him on high to the place where the drop had come forth. He received glory and power there. And thus he came to the water.

And the eighth kingdom says of him that a cloud came upon the earth and enveloped a rock. He came from it. The angels who were above the cloud nourished him. He received glory and power there. And thus he came to the water.

And the ninth kingdom says of him that from the nine Muses one separated away. She came to a high mountain and spent (some) time seated there, so that she desired herself alone in order to become androgynous. She fulfilled her desire and became pregnant from her desire. He was born. The angels who were over the desire nourished him. And he received glory there, and power. And thus he came to the water.

The tenth kingdom says of him that his god loved a cloud of desire. He begot him in his hand and cast upon the cloud above him (some) of the drop, and he was born. He received glory and power there. And thus he came to the water.

And the eleventh kingdom says that the father desired his own daughter. She herself became pregnant from her father. She cast […] tomb out in the desert. The angel nourished him there. And thus he came to the water.

The twelfth kingdom says of him that he came from two illuminators. He was nourished there. He received glory and power. And thus he came to the water.

And the thirteenth kingdom says of him that every birth of their ruler is a word. And this word received a mandate there. He received glory and power. And thus he came to the water, in order that the desire of those powers might be satisfied.

But the generation without a king over it says that God chose him from all the aeons. He caused a knowledge of the undefiled one of truth to come to be in him. He said, “Out of a foreign air, from a great aeon, the great illuminator came forth. And he made the generation of those men whom he had chosen for himself shine, so that they could shine upon the whole aeon”

Then the seed, those who will receive his name upon the water and (that) of them all, will fight against the power. And a cloud of darkness will come upon them.

Then the peoples will cry out with a great voice, saying, “Blessed is the soul of those men because they have known God with a knowledge of the truth! They shall live forever, because they have not been corrupted by their desire, along with the angels, nor have they accomplished the works of the powers, but they have stood in his presence in a knowledge of God like light that has come forth from fire and blood.

“But we have done every deed of the powers senselessly. We have boasted in the transgression of all our works. We have cried against the God of truth because all his works […] is eternal. These are against our spirits. For now we have known that our souls will die the death.”

Then a voice came to them, saying “Micheu and Michar and Mnesinous, who are over the holy baptism and the living water, why were you crying out against the living God with lawless voices and tongues without law over them, and souls full of blood and foul deeds? You are full of works that are not of the truth, but your ways are full of joy and rejoicing. Having defiled the water of life, you have drawn it within the will of the powers to whom you have been given to serve them.

“And your thought is not like that of those men whom you persecute […] desire […]. Their fruit does not wither. But they will be known up to the great aeons, because the words they have kept, of the God of the aeons, were not committed to the book, nor were they written. But angelic (beings) will bring them, whom all the generations of men will not know. For they will be on a high mountain, upon a rock of truth. Therefore they will be named “The Words of Imperishability and Truth,” for those who know the eternal God in wisdom of knowledge and teaching of angels forever, for he knows all things.”

These are the revelations which Adam made known to Seth, his son, And his son taught his seed about them. This is the hidden knowledge of Adam, which he gave to Seth, which is the holy baptism of those who know the eternal knowledge through those born of the word and the imperishable illuminators, who came from the holy seed: Yesseus, Mazareus, Yessedekeus, the Living Water.