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| Monks of Palestine: Hesycas, Epiphanius, who was afterwards in Cyprus, Ammonius, and Silvanus.
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Chapter XXXII.—Monks
of Palestine: Hesycas, Epiphanius, who was afterwards in Cyprus,
Ammonius, and Silvanus.
Many monastical institutions
flourished in Palestine.1498
| 1498This chapter is probably derived from local
Palestinian biographies familiar to him as a native.
|
Many of those whom I enumerated under the reign of Constantius were
still cultivating the science. They and their associates attained the
summit of philosophical perfection, and added still greater reputation
to their monasteries; and among them Hesycas,1499
| 1499Hesychius, Hieron. Vit. Hil.
|
a companion of Hilarion, and Epiphanius, afterwards bishop of Salamis
in Cyprus, deserve to be particularly noticed. Hesycas devoted himself
to a life of philosophy in the same
locality where his master had formerly resided; and Epiphanius1500
| 1500See in books vii. 27 and viii. 14.
|
fixed his abode near the village of Besauduc, which was his birthplace,
in the government of Eleutheropolis. Having been instructed from his
youth by the most celebrated ascetics, and having on this account
passed the most of his time in Egypt, Epiphanius became most celebrated
in Egypt and Palestine by his attainments in monastic philosophy, and
was chosen by the inhabitants of Cyprus to act as bishop of the
metropolis of their island. Hence he is, I think, the most revered man
under the whole heaven, so to speak; for he fulfilled his priesthood in
the concourse of a large city and in a seaport; and when he threw
himself into civil affairs, he conducted them with so much virtue that
he became known in a little while to all citizens and every variety of
foreigner; to some, because they had seen the man himself, and had
experience of his manner of living; and to others, who had learned it
from these spectators. Before he went to Cyprus, he resided for some
time, during the present reign, in Palestine.
At the same period in the monasteries, Salamines,
Phuscon, Malachion, and Crispion, four brethren, were highly
distinguished: they practiced philosophy near Bethelia, a village of
Gaza; they were of a resident noble family, and had been instructed in
philosophy by Hilarion. It is related that the brothers were once
journeying homewards, when Malachion was suddenly snatched away and
became invisible; soon afterwards, however, he reappeared and continued
the journey with his brothers. He did not long survive this occurrence,
but died in the flower of his youth. He was not behind men of advanced
age in the philosophy of virtuous life and of piety.
Ammonius lived at a distance of ten stadia from those
last mentioned; he dwelt near Capharcobra, the place of his birth, a
town of Gaza. He was very exact and courageous in carrying through
asceticism. I think that Silvanus, a native of Palestine, to whom, on
account of his high virtue, an angel was once seen to minister,
practiced philosophy about the same time in Egypt. Then he lived at
Mount Sinai, and afterwards founded at Gerari, in the wady, a very
extensive and most noted cœnobium for many good men, over which
the excellent Zacharias subsequently presided. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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