E04490: Evagrius Scholasticus in his Ecclesiastical History summarises the story of *Symeon the Elder (Stylite, ob. 459, S00343), using the saint’s anonymous Life and Theodoret of Cyrrhus’ Religious History. He describes the shrine around Symeon's column, his well preserved head in Antioch (from which some teeth had been abstracted by the pious), and the miraculous appearance of a star at the shrine on the occasion of the saint's commemoration. Written in Greek at Antioch (Syria), 593/594
Creators: name: Erizos
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2017
Subjects: History

description: Evagrius Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History, 1. 13-14.<br><br>13. Ἐν τούτοις τοῖς χρόνοις ἤκμασέ τε καὶ διεφάνη καὶ Συμεώνης, ὁ τῆς ὁσίας καὶ πάντα ἀοιδίμου μνήμης, πρῶτος τὴν ἐπὶ κίονος στάσιν ἐπιτηδεύσας, δίπηχυ μόλις ἐνδιαίτημα τὸ περίμετρον, Δόμνου τηνικάδε τὴν Ἀντιοχέων ἐπισκοποῦντος. Ὃς ἐπειδὴ παρ’ αὐτὸν γέγονεν, ἐκπλαγεὶς τὴν στάσιν καὶ τὴν δίαιταν, τῶν μυστικωτέρων ἐγλίχετο· ἄμφω δ’ οὖν συνηλθέτην, καὶ τὸ ἄχραντον ἱερουργήσαντες σῶμα τῆς ζωοποιοῦ κοινωνίας ἀλλήλοις μετέδοσαν. Οὗτος ἐν σαρκὶ τὴν τῶν οὐρανίων δυνάμεων πολιτείαν ζηλώσας, ἐξαίρει μὲν ἑαυτὸν τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς πραγμάτων, καὶ τὴν φύσιν βιασάμενος τὴν τέως κάτω βρίθουσαν τὰ μετέωρα διώκει· καὶ μέσον οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς γενόμενος ἐντυγχάνει τε τῷ θεῷ καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων δοξολογεῖ, ἐκ μὲν τῆς γῆς τὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρεσβείας τῷ θεῷ προσάγων, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ δὲ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὴν ἄνωθεν εὐμένειαν καταπραττόμενος. Τούτου τὰς θεοσημείας γέγραφε μὲν καί τις τῶν αὐτοπτῶν γενομένων· γέγραφε δὲ καὶ λογίως ἀπέθετο καὶ Θεοδώρητος, ὁ τὴν Κυρεστῶν ἐπισκοπήσας, ἐν ᾧ τὰ μάλιστα παραλελοιπότες, ὃ μέχρι νῦν σωζόμενον παρὰ τοῖς τῆς ἁγίας ἐρήμου κατειλήφαμεν, καὶ παρ’ αὐτῶν παρειλήφαμεν.<br><br>Ὅτε δ’ οὖν Συμεώνης οὗτος ὁ ἐπὶ γῆς ἄγγελος, ὁ ἐν σαρκὶ τῆς ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ πολίτης, τὴν ξένην ταύτην καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀγνῶτα τρίβον ἐπετήδευσε, στέλλουσί τινα παρ’ αὐτὸν οἱ τῆς ἁγίας ἐρήμου, ἐντειλάμενοι φάναι· τίς ἡ ξενοπρεπὴς αὕτη πολιτεία, τί τὴν τετριμμένην καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις πεπατημένην ὁδὸν ἀφείς, ἄλλην τινὰ ξένην καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καθάπαξ ἀγνοουμένην ὁδεύει· καὶ ὡς ἐπιτετράφασιν αὐτῷ καταβῆναι καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν πατέρων ὁδὸν ἀνύειν. Οἵπερ, εἰ μὲν ἐκθύμως ἑαυτὸν πρὸς τὴν κατάβασιν δοίη, συγχωρεῖν ἐκέλευσαν αὐτῷ τὴν ἰδίαν ἐκτρέχειν· ἐκ γὰρ τῆς ὑπακοῆς δῆλον εἶναι ὡς ἐκ θεοῦ ποδηγηθεὶς ὧδε διαθλεύει· εἰ δέ γε ἀντισταίη, ἢ καὶ τοῦ ἰδίου θελήματος δοῦλος γένοιτο καὶ μὴ πρὸς τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν ἰθυδρομήσοι, καὶ πρὸς βίας αὐτὸν καθέλκειν. Ὃς ἐπειδή περ παρ’ αὐτὸν ἐγένετο καὶ τὴν τῶν πατέρων ἀπήγγειλεν ἐντολήν, εὐθέως τε θάτερον τοῖν ποδοῖν προέπεμψε τῶν πατέρων τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν ἐκπληρῶσαι βουλόμενος, ἀφίει αὐτὸν τὴν ἰδίαν ὁδὸν ἐκπληροῦν, ἐπιφθεγξάμενος· „Ἴσχυε καὶ ἀνδρίζου· ἡ στάσις σου παρὰ θεοῦ ἐστιν.“ Ὅ μοι ἀξιόλογον ὂν ἐξετέθη, τοῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ γραφεῖσι παρειμένον. <br><br>Τούτῳ τοσοῦτον ἡ τῆς θείας χάριτος ἐνέσκηψε δύναμις, ὡς καὶ Θεοδοσίου τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος τεθεσπικότος τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου Ἰουδαίοις ἀποδοθῆναι τὰς σφῶν συναγωγάς, ἅσπερ ἔφθησαν παρὰ Χριστιανῶν ἀφῃρημένοι, οὕτω παρρησίᾳ γέγραφεν, οὕτω σφοδρῶς ἐπετίμησε μόνον τὸν ἴδιον βασιλέα εὐλαβούμενος, ὡς καὶ τὸν βασιλέα Θεοδόσιον τὰς ἰδίας ἀνακαλεσάμενον κελεύσεις πάντα πρὸς χάριν Χριστιανῶν ἐκπληρῶσαι, παραλῦσαι δὲ καὶ τὸν ὕπαρχον τὸν ταῦτα διδάξαντα τῆς ἀρχῆς δεηθῆναί τε τοῦ παναγίου καὶ ἀερίου μάρτυρος ἐπὶ ῥήματος ἱκετεύειν τε καὶ εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς οἰκείας εὐλογίας μεταδιδόναι. Διέτριψε τοίνυν ἐν σαρκὶ τόνδε τὸν βίον διαθλεύων ἔτη ἓξ καὶ πεντήκοντα· ἐν μὲν τῷ πρώτῳ φροντιστηρίῳ ἔνθα τὰ θεῖα κατηχήθη, ἔτη ἐννέα, ἐν δὲ αὖ τῇ καλουμένῃ μάνδρᾳ ἑπτὰ καὶ τεσσαράκοντα· ἔν τινι μὲν στενῷ τόπῳ ἔτεσι δέκα τὸν ἀγῶνα διανύσας, ἐν δὲ κίοσι βραχυτέροις ἑπτά, καὶ ἐπὶ τεσσαρακοντάπηχυν ἔτη τριάκοντα. <br><br>Τούτου τὸ πανάγιον σῶμα μετὰ τὴν ἐνθένδε ἐκδημίαν κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιοχέων ὕστερον εἰσήχθη, Λέοντος τὰ σκῆπτρα διέποντος, Μαρτυρίου τηνικαῦτα τῆς Ἀντιόχου προεδρεύοντος, Ἀρταβουρίου δὲ αὖ τῶν ἑῴων στρατηγοῦντος ταγμάτων μετὰ τῶν ἀμφ’ αὐτὸν στρατιωτικῶν τελῶν τε καὶ λοιπῶν, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ μάνδραν γενομένων, καὶ τὸν πάνσεπτον διασωσάντων νεκρὸν Συμεώνου τοῦ μακαρίου, ὡς ἂν μὴ αἱ γειτνιῶσαι πόλεις συνελθοῦσαι τοῦτον διαρπάζοιεν. Θαυμάτων τοίνυν μεγίστων καὶ κατὰ τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν γενομένων, κομίζεται κατὰ τὴν Ἀντιόχου τὸ αὐτοῦ πανάγιον σῶμα· ὃ καὶ Λέων ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ ἐξῃτήσατο παρὰ τῶν Ἀντιοχέων λαβεῖν. Καὶ δεήσεις οἱ τῆς Ἀντιόχου πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀνατεινάμενοι γεγράφασιν οὕτως· „Διὰ τὸ μὴ ὑπάρχειν τεῖχος τῇ πόλει, πέπτωκε γὰρ ἐν ὀργῇ, ἠγάγομεν τὸ πανάγιον σῶμα, ὅπως ἡμῖν γένηται τεῖχος καὶ ὀχύρωμα.“ Οἷς καὶ πεισθεὶς ἐνδούς τε ταῖς δεήσεσι τὸ σεπτὸν αὐτοῖς εἴασε σῶμα. Τούτου τὰ πολλὰ μέχρις ἡμῶν ἐφυλάχθη, οὖ καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν κορυφὴν μετὰ πολλῶν ἱερέων τεθέαμαι, ἐπισκοποῦντος τήνδε Γρηγορίου τοῦ παναοιδίμου, Φιλιππικοῦ δεηθέντος παραφυλακῆς ἕνεκα τῶν ἑῴων ἐκστρατευμάτων τίμια λείψανά οἱ ἐκπεμφθῆναι. Καὶ τὸ παράδοξον, αἱ κατὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἐπικείμεναι τρίχες οὐ διεφθάρησαν, ὡς δ’ αὖ ζῶντος καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις συναλιζομένου διασώζονται. Καὶ τὸ κατὰ τοῦ μετώπου δέρμα ἐρρυτίδωτο μὲν καὶ ἀπέσκληκε, σώζεται δ’ οὖν ὅμως, καὶ τῶν ὀδόντων δ’ οἱ πλείους, εἰ μή γε ὅσοι χερσὶν ἀνθρώπων πιστῶν βιαίως ἀφῃρέθησαν, διὰ τοῦ σχήματος κηρύσσοντες οἷός τε καὶ ὁπόσος καὶ πηλίκος ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ θεοῦ γέγονε Συμεώνης. Ταύτῃ καὶ ὁ ἐκ σιδήρου πεποιημένος κλοιὸς παράκειται, μεθ’ οὗ τὸ πολυύμνητον διαθλεῦσαν σῶμα τῶν ἐκ θεοῦ γερῶν μεταδέδωκεν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀποθανόντα τὸν Συμεώνην ὁ ἐραστὴς ἀπέλιπε σίδηρος. Οὕτω τὸ καθ’ ἕκαστον ἂν διεξεληλύθειν ἐμοί τε τῆς διηγήσεως ὠφέλειαν παρέξον καὶ τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν, εἰ μὴ πλατύτερον ταῦτα Θεοδωρήτῳ, ὡς ἔφθην εἰπών, ἐπεπόνητο. <br><br>14. Φέρε δὲ καὶ ἕτερον ὃ τεθέαμαι, τῇ ἱστορίᾳ παραδῶ. Ἐπόθουν τὸ τέμενος τούτου δὴ τοῦ ἁγίου θεάσασθαι. Διέστηκε δὲ Θεουπόλεως σταδίους μάλιστα τριακοσίους κείμενον πρὸς αὐτὴν τοῦ ὄρους τὴν κορυφήν. Μάνδραν οἱ ἐπιχώριοι καλοῦσι, τῆς ἀσκήσεως οἶμαι τοῦ παναγίου Συμεώνου τὴν προσηγορίαν τῷ χώρῳ καταλιπούσης. Διήκει δὲ τὸ πρόσαντες τοῦ ὄρους σταδίους εἴκοσιν. Ἡ δὲ τοῦ νεὼ οἰκοδομία σύγκειται μὲν σταυροῦ δίκην ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων πλευρῶν στοαῖς κοσμουμένη· παρατετάχαται δὲ ταῖς στοαῖς κίονες ἐκ λίθου ξεστοῦ πεποιημένοι εὐπρεπῶς, εὖ μάλα τὴν ὀροφὴν εἰς ὕψος ἐπαίροντες. Τὸ δέ γε μέσον αὐλὴ ὑπαίθριός ἐστιν, μετὰ πλείστης ἐξειργασμένη τῆς τέχνης· ἔνθα ὁ τεσσαρακοντάπηχυς ἵσταται κίων, ἐν ᾧ τὸν οὐράνιον διήνυσε βίον ὁ ἐπὶ γῆς ἔνσαρκος ἄγγελος. Πρὸς τῇ ὀροφῇ τοίνυν τῶν λελεγμένων στοῶν κλειθρίδια καθεστᾶσι—θυρίδας ἔνιοι καλοῦσι—πρός τε τὸ λελεγμένον ὑπαίθριον πρός τε τὰς στοὰς ἀποκρινόμενα. Κατὰ τὸ λαιὸν τοίνυν μέρος τοῦ κίονος ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ κλειθριδίῳ τεθέαμαι μετὰ παντὸς τοῦ ἁλισθέντος αὐτόθι λεώ, τῶν ἀγροίκων περὶ τὸν κίονα χορευόντων, ἀστέρα ὑπερμεγέθη κατὰ πᾶν τὸ κλειθρίδιον διαθέοντά τε καὶ σελαγίζοντα, οὐχ ἅπαξ, οὐ δίς, οὐ τρίς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλάκις, παυόμενόν τε αὖ συχνῶς καὶ πάλιν ἐξαπίνης φαινόμενον· ὃ δὴ γίνεται μόνον ἐν τοῖς τοῦ παναγίου μνημείοις. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ λέγουσι, καὶ οὐκ ἀπιστητέον τῷ θαύματι ἔκ τε τῆς τῶν λεγόντων εὐπιστίας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὧνπερ τεθεάμεθα, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸ δὴ τὸ προσωπεῖον αὐτοῦ τεθέανται ὧδέ τε κἀκεῖσε περιϊπτάμενον, τὴν ὑπήνην καθειμένον, τὴν κεφαλὴν τιάρᾳ κεκαλυμμένον ὥσπερ εἰώθει. Ὧδε τοῦ χώρου γινόμενοι ἄνδρες ἀφυλάκτως εἰσίασι, μετὰ τῶν σφῶν νωτοφόρων τὸν κίονα πολλάκις περινοστοῦντες. Φυλακὴ δέ τις εἰς τὸ ἀκριβέστατον, οὐκ ἔχω ἀνθ’ ὅτου λέγειν, ὡς ἂν γυνὴ μὴ φοιτῴη τῶν ἀνακτόρων εἴσω. Ἔξω δὲ περὶ τὰς φλιὰς ἑστῶσαι τεθήπασι τὸ θαῦμα· ἀντικρὺ γὰρ τοῦ σελαγίζοντος ἀστέρος ἡ μία τῶν θυρῶν ἐστιν.<br><br><br>'13. In these times too there flourished and was prominent Symeon, the man of holy and universally celebrated memory, the first man to practise the station on a column, an abode that was scarcely two cubits in circumference, during the time that Domnus was the Antiochene bishop. When this man [Domnus] came to him, he was astounded by the stance and lifestyle and yearned for what was more mystical. And so the two came together and after consecrating the unbroken body they gave a share of the life-giving communion to each other. This man, who while in the flesh imitated the existence of the heavenly powers, removed himself from the affairs of the earth; and by constraining the nature which for the time being weighed him down, he pursued higher things. And being betwixt heaven and those on earth he conversed with God and together with the angels gave glory, from earth presenting to God requests on behalf of humans, while from heaven achieving for humans the beneficence from on high. One of those indeed who were eye-witnesses has written the miracles of this man, while Theodoret too, the bishop of Cyrrhus, has also written and eloquently recorded them; leaving aside most matters therein, we have learnt something which is preserved to the present day by those in the holy desert, and ascertained it from them.<br><br>And so after Symeon, this angel upon earth, this citizen of the supernal Jerusalem while in the flesh, pursued this strange course which was unknown to mankind, those in the holy desert sent someone to him, enjoining him to say what is this outlandish existence, why after abandoning the well-worn path that has been trodden by the saints is he travelling some strange way that is utterly unknown to mankind; and that they instruct him to descend and to follow the way of the chosen Fathers. If he willingly proffered himself for the descent, these men ordered that permission be granted him to pursue his own way; for from his obedience it would be clear that he thus persevered in the struggle under guidance from God; but should he resist, or indeed be a slave to his personal will and not directly respond to the injunction, he should be dragged down, even forcibly. When indeed the man came to him and announced the command of the Fathers, and Symeon had at once put forward one of his two feet in his desire to fulfil the Fathers’ injunction, he freed him to accomplish his own path, declaring: ‘Be strong and courageous; your station is from God.’ This has been set down by me as noteworthy, although it has been passed over by those who have written about him. <br><br>On this man the power of divine grace had settled to such an extent that when Theodosius the emperor had decreed that the Jews in Antioch should receive back their synagogues which had previously been taken away by the Christians, he wrote in such frank language and censured him so vehemently, since he only reverenced his own emperor, that the emperor Theodosius even revoked his own commands, fulfilled everything in favour of the Christians, dismissed from office the prefect who had recommended this, and begged the all-holy and aeria