The history of the church from our Lords incarnation, to the twelth year of the Emperour Maricius Tiberius, or the Year of Christ 594 / as it was written in Greek, by Eusebius Pamphilius ..., Socrates Scholasticus, and Evagrius Scholasticus ... ; made English from that edition of these historians, which Valesius published at Paris in the years 1659, 1668, and 1673 ; also, The life of Constantine in four books, written by Eusibius Pamphilus, with Constantine's Oration to the convention of the saints, and Eusebius's Speech in praise of Constantine, spoken at his tricennalia ; Valesius's annotations on these authors, are done into English, and set at their proper places in the margin, as likewise a translation of his account of their lives and writings ; with two index's, the one, of the principal matters that occur in the text, the other, of those contained in the notes.

CHAP. XXXIV. Concerning the Monk Symeon, who for Christ's sake [feigned himself] a Fool.

MOreover, at [the City] Emisa there was one Symeones: this person had in such a manner divested himself of the Garment of Vain-glory, that amongst all persons who knew him not, he was accounted an Idiot, although he abounded with all manner of wisdom and divine Grace. Further, this Symeones for the most part lived alone by himself, allowing no person what ever a Liberty of knowing, either when or in what manner he † 1.1 prayed to God; nor [permitting them to know] at what time he abstained from, or partook of nourishment at home. At some times being abroad in the streets, he seemed a 1.2 to be a person distracted, and to have nothing of prudence or wisdom in him. At other times he would go into a Victualling∣house, and eat of what ever food or provision he met with, when he was hungry. But, if any person b 1.3 bowed his head and reverenced him, he would immediately run from that place in anger, being a∣fraid that his own Virtue should be found out by the Vulgar. And in this man∣ner Symeones behaved him∣self in the Forum. But there were some per∣sons that held a familiarity with him, with whom he usually conversed without any thing at all of dissimulation. Amongst those of his acquaintance therefore, one had a maid, who having been debauch't and got with child by some person, when she was forced by her Ma∣sters to declare the man who had done this, she affirmed that Symeones had had to do with her in private, and that she was with child by him, and that she would swear that the matter was so, and (if need should require,) could mani∣festly prove the thing. Which when Symeones had heard, he assented, saying that he carryed flesh about him, which was a frail and mutable thing. But when this matter came to be di∣vulged amongst all persons, and Symeones (as it seemed) was obnoxious to a great ignominy, he withdrew himself, and feigned that he was ashamed. When therefore the woman's time of delivery was come, and she sate in the usuall posture of women in Travail; her Labour caused most acute, many, and intollerable pangs, and brought the woman into the imminentest dan∣ger of her life. But the Birth * 1.4 fell not in the least. Symeones therefore being designedly come thither, when he was requested [by those pre∣sent] to go to Prayers, he declared before them all, that the woman should not be delivered, un∣till she would confess who was the Father of the child in her womb. Which when she had done, and had named the true Father, the Infant leap't forth immediately, Truth it self doing [as 'twere] the office of a Mid-wife. The same person was one time observed to go into the house of a Strumpet, and having shut to the door, he and she continued alone for some time: after this he opened the door again, and ran a∣way in great hast, looking round least any one should see him, whereby he much increased the suspicion. In so much that the persons who had seen him, brought forth the woman, and enquired of her, both what the meaning of Sy∣meones's coming into her was, and why he made so long a stay. The woman swore, that for three days before that, because of her want of necessaries, she had tasted of nothing but water only: but, that Symeones had brought victualls and meat and a vessell of Wine along with him, and having shut the door, had spread the Table, and bad her go to supper, and fill her self with provisions, because she had been sufficiently afflicted with want of nourishment; and she fetcht out the Remains of the victualls [which Symeones] had brought to her. Further, some small time before that Earthquake hapned which shook Phoenice Maritima, wherein c 1.5 Berytus, Byblus, and Tripolis suffered more [than other Cities, the same Symeones] holding a whip on high in his hand, scourged most of the Columns in the Forum, and cryed out, Stand, You must dance. Because therefore nothing was done unadvisedly and without design by this man,

some persons present at his doing hereof, took particular notice of those Columns, which he passed by, and did not scourge: which Pillars fell not long after, being ruined by the Earth∣quake. Moreover, he did very many other things, the Relation whereof requires a peculiar Treatise.

Notes

• † 1.1

  Or, Ren∣dred the Deity Pro∣pitious.
• a 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Doubtless it must be made 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the reading is in Nicephorus, book. 17. chap. 22. Vales.
• b 1.3

  The Laicks were wont to bow their heads, not only before the Bishops and Presbyters, but before the Monks also, to receive their Blessing. An illustrious instance of which is extant in Sozomen, book 8. chap. 13. Vales.
• * 1.4

  Or, Was not in the least for∣warded.
• c 1.5

  Concer∣ning this Earth∣quake, the Authour of Antoninus Martyr's Itinerarium speaks in these words: Inde Veni∣mus in par∣tes Syriae, ubi requi∣escit sanctus Leontius, &c; Thence we came into the parts of Syria, where Saint Leontius rests, which City, together with other Cities, was ruined by an Earthquake in the time of the Emperour Justinian. From thence we came to Byblus, which City also, with all things that were therein, was destroyed. From thence we came into the City Triari, which was likewise ruined. Thence we came into the most splendid City Beryto, wherein there was lately a study of Learning; which was also ruined, as we were told by the Bishop of the City, to whom the persons were known, except the strangers who peri∣shed there. Further, that City wherein Saint Leontius rests, is Tripoly, as I have remarked before, book 3. chap. 33. note (c.) This Earth∣quake hapned on the twenty fourth year of Justinian's Reign, as Ce∣drenus writes in his Chronicon, and Theophanes pag. 192. What those Au∣thors relate concerning Botry a City of Phoenice, is memorable, viz that in that City there was an Haven made by that Earthquake, (there having been no Port there before,) the Promontory which was cal∣led Litho-prosopon being removed. But in Theophanes 'tis written 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, instead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. By which fault in the writing the Translatour was induced to render it Bostra; which is a very gross mistake; in regard Bostra is a Mid-Land-City of Arabia. The name of this City is in my judgment to be restored in Antoninus Martyr's Itinerary, at that place which I have quoted above. For, instead of the City Triari, it must be written Botry. Vales.