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Barlaam and Ioasaph

St John of Damascus, tr. Woodward and Mattingly, 1914

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Title and Prologue
The country of the Indians, as it is called, is vast and populous, lying far beyond …
Now while the land of the Indians lay under the shroud of this moonless night, and while …
Now on his son’s birth-day feast there came unto the king some five and fifty chosen men,…
There was at court a man pre-eminent among the rulers, of virtuous life and devout in …
But meanwhile, the king’s son, of whom our tale began to tell, never departing from the …
There was at that time a certain monk, learned in heavenly things, graced in word and …
Again therefore Barlaam took up his parable and said, ‘If thou wilt learn who is my …
When the king’s son had heard these words, there flashed a light upon his soul. Rising …
Ioasaph said unto him, ‘Great and marvellous, sir, are the things whereof thou tellest …
But Ioasaph was filled hereby with deep compunction, and was melted into tears; and he …
Ioasaph said unto him, ‘All thy words are fair and wonderful, and, while thou spakest, I …
To this said Ioasaph, ‘But how, after baptism, shall a man keep himself clear from all …
Ioasaph received this parable with great joy and said, ‘How true this story is, and most …
Again said Ioasaph, ‘The Lord God prosper thee, O thou wisest of men! For thou hast …
Said Ioasaph unto the elder, ‘How then shall I be able to send before me thither …
Ioasaph said unto the elder, ‘Are there now others, too, who preach the same doctrines as…
Said Ioasaph unto Barlaam, ‘This story also fitly setteth forth mine own estate. Whence …
Ioasaph said unto him, ‘If thou hadst for a long time considered, most wise Sir, how thou…
With such like doctrines and saving words did Barlaam instruct the king’s son, and fit …
‘Wherefore a practician of virtue once spake to me on this wise: “After I had made divine…
With such moral words did the reverend elder exhort the king’s son, and then withdrew to …
After Barlaam was gone forth, Ioasaph gave himself unto prayer and bitter tears, and …
After many days Araches brought them to the king, and declared their case. Then he set …
After the monks had made this godly end, the king bade Araches, his chief councillor, now…
In such wise did the father threaten and wrathfully retire. But the son entered his own …
When the king heard these words, and saw the steadfastness, and unbuxomness of his son, …
‘By the providence of God, O king, came I into the world; and when I contemplated heaven …
When Nachor had fully delivered this oration, the king changed countenance for very …
Now about the same time there was in that city a public assembly in honour of the false …
‘A certain king was grieved and exceeding sad at heart, because that he had no male …
Again therefore the king was seized with despondency, and again he was like to abjure his…
Theudas said unto him, ‘Behold, it is evident that our religion was instituted by many …
As for the king, when things fortuned thus, he was completely bewildered, and plainly …
When king Abenner saw this, though late and loth, he came to his senses, and renounced …
King Abenner was pricked to the heart by this inspired wisdom and with loud voice and …
In a few days, after he had ended this ministry, and emptied all his coffers, in order …
Thus this noble man went forth from his palace rejoicing, as when after long exile a man …
Now two full years spent Ioasaph wandering about the ocean of that desert, without …
Thus did Barlaam and Ioasaph dwell together, rivals in the good rivalry, apart from all …
Then did Ioasaph embrace the good father, with all the devotion and sorrow that can be …