Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-05-18
The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus.
by James Mdrtinedu.l


In the middle of the fifth century, the resi-
dent proprietor OF an estate near EpheSuS was
in want of building stone to raise some cot
iageS and glanarles on his farm. His fields
SlOped up the side of mountain. in which he
directed his slaves to open aquarry In obey
ing his order they found spacious cavern
whose mouth was blocked up with masses of
rocks artifcjally piled. On removing these
they were startled by dog suddenly leaping
up1rOm the interior. Nenturing farther in, to
a spot on which the sunshine, no longer ex-
Guided, directly fell, they discovered lust
turning as from sleep, and dazzled with the
light, seven young men, of dress and aspect
so strange that the slaves were terrified and
ned. The SiHmbererS, on rising, found them
selves ready for meal; and, the cave being
open, one OF them set out for the city to buy
food. On his way through the familiar
country, for he was native of EphesuS,
thousand surprises struck him. The road
over which yesterday persecution had driven
him was turned: the landmarks seemed
shifted and gavea twisted pattern to the fields ::
on the green meadow of the CaySter had
sprung up Il circus and a mill. Two soldiers
were seen approaching in the distance Hid
ing hlms elf Il they were passed, lest they
should be emiSSaTieS of imperial intOlerance.
he observed that the accOutrementS were
fantastic, the emblemS of DeciuS were not
There, the words that dropped from their talk
were In strange dialect, and in their friendly
company was Christian pTeSbyter. From a
rising ground he looked down the river to the
base of Diana'S hill; and 10, the great tenn
ple-the world wide wOnder-was nowhere to
grand gate SurmOunted by a cross In the
streets, rolling with new-Shaped vehicles
hlled with misunderstanding people, the very
noises seemed to make foreign hum. He
could suppose himself in a city of dreams, ONLY
That here and there appeared a house all
whose rooms within he certainly knew: with
an aspect, however, among the rest. curOusly
dull and dWlndled, as in new window looks
an old pane preserved for some line scratched
by poet or by sage. Before his errand is quite
forgot he enters bread shop to make his
purchase, offers the silver coin of DeciuS in
payment, when the baker, whose aStonish-
ment was already manifest enough, can re-
tain his suspicious no longer, but arrests his
customer AZ the owner of unlawful treasure.
and huTTieS him before the City Court.
There he tells his tale-that with his chris
tian companions he had taken refuge in the
Gaze from the horrors of the Decian perSecu-
ton had been pursued thitheT, and built in
Tor cruel death; had fallen asleep till wax
ened by the returning sun, let in again by
some friendly and unhOped for hand and
crept back into the town to procure support
1Or Ne IN their retreat. And, there, too in
reply, he heard part of the history which he
cannot tell-that DeciuS has been dethrOned
by death nearly two centuries ago, and pagan
ism by the truthful one that while heaven
has Wrapt.hlm in mysterious sleep the earth'S
been changed; that empire had shifted its seat
from the Tiber TO the BOSphOrus; that the
Temple had yielded 10 the church; the demons
OF mythology to the saints and martyrs OF
chriStendOm; and that he, who had quilted
the city in the third century, returned to it i'm
the nth and stood under the christian prOtec-
ton of the second ThydOSiuS. 1t is added,
that the Ephesian clergy and their people were
conducted by the cOnfeSSOr to the cave, ex-
Changing wonders as they cOnverSed by the
way; and that the seven Sleepers, having at
tested In their persons the preserving hand of
God, and retold the story of their life, and
heard SnatcheS Of the news of nearly two hun
dTed years, gave their parting Blessing to the
multitude, and sank in the silence of natural