but by compulsion rather than of mine own free will. For what judgment had I, a boy of but fourteen years, at that time? Yet somehow from that very time the Sacred Word began to come to me, as soon as the faculty of reason, common to all men, attained its development in me.

And when I meditate upon this, I am filled at the same time with joy and apprehension : with joy, forsooth, at the leadings of Providence; yet with apprehension, lest after experiencing such blessings, I myself should be a castaway. Yet indeed I know not how my address has delayed so long on this subject, though it was pleasing to me to recount the wonderful dispensations of Providence which led me to this man [Origen]. Nevertheless, I am anxious to pass with few words to the subject of my discourse; not indeed with the hope of rendering a worthy tribute of praise, or gratitude, or piety to him (for it would seem arrogant in me thus to speak, and I could present nothing worthy of my theme), but merely with a view to present a simple narrative, or confession, or whatever other humble title it deserves.

From the very first day on which he received us —which was in truth to me the first day, the most precious of all days, if I may so express myself, when for the first time the Sun of Truth began to rise upon me-while at first, like wild beasts, or fishes, or birds caught in the toils or nets and

attempting to slip out and escape, we were bent on deserting him and making off to Berytus or our native land, he endeavored in every manner to restrain us and bind us to him. To that end he directed all kinds of arguments, he set every rope in motion, he bent all his energies. With that intent, he lauded philosophy and its votaries with many fitting encomiums. He asserted that they alone live well and follow a manner of life truly worthy of beings endowed with reason, who endeavor to lead an upright life and to first of all know themselves, what manner of men they are. He next recounted the truly good things which man should seek to attain, and the really evil things which man ought to avoid. Then he censured ignorance and all the ignorant, of whom there is a vast throng; who, like dumb beasts, are darkened in their understanding and have no knowledge of what they are, and have wandered far astray, as if wholly bereft of reason; they neither themselves know the nature of good and evil, nor do they care to learn it from others; they struggle eagerly for wealth and reputation and political honors and bodily comforts, as if these were the real good; esteeming those things of value, yea, as surpassing all else, they prize the arts by which they can be acquired and the different lines of life which lead to them; namely, the military profession, and the forensic, and the study and

VOL. III. 4.

practice of law. These are the things, he adroitly added, which enervate and keep us ignorant, when we despise the reason which ought to rule in us.

I cannot tell how many addresses of this kind he made to induce us to undertake the study of philosophy. Nor was it only for a single day that he thus discoursed with us, but for many days; in fact, as often as we went to him at the beginning; and from the very first we were transfixed with his discourse on our arrival (for he was a rare combination of sweetness and grace and persuasion and a certain irresistibleness), though still somehow wavering and debating with ourselves. We adhered to the pursuit of philosophy, though not wholly converted to it, while yet somehow unable to entirely withdraw from it; and thus we were always drawn toward him by his addresses as by some superior power.

He further declared that no one could be truly devout toward the common Lord of all, apart from philosophy-a gift with which man alone of all the creatures of the earth has been honored; and a gift which every man whatsoever, whether wise or ignorant,—unless he has lost all his intelligence through some mental obliquity,-reasonably embraces. He accordingly affirmed that no one who did not devote himself to philosophy could be at all pious; until at length, by instilling into us

many such arguments one after another, he overcame us by his arts and indissolubly joined us to himself, as if by some divine power.

Moreover, the stimulus of personal devotion was brought to bear upon us,—an influence not easily resisted, but subtle and most effective,- the argument of kindliness and benignity and affection, which manifested themselves when he mingled with us and conversed with us. For he did not aim merely to get the better of us by his arguments; his endeavor was, through prudence and affection and kindness, to save us and make us partakers of the blessings of philosophy, and especially of those other blessings with which God had endowed him beyond most men, or we may say beyond all other men of our time: I mean the power which inculcates piety, the saving Word which comes indeed to many, and subjugates all upon whom it falls; for there is nothing which can resist it, which both is, and is to be, king of all; although indeed it is hidden and is not recognizable either with ease or with difficulty by the many, so that when questioned they can speak of it with knowledge. Then, like some spark illumining our inmost soul, love was enkindled and grew bright within us, both for the Sacred Wordmost lovable of all things, soothing all by its ineffable beauty and toward this man, His friend and interpreter. I was most violently smitten by

this love, and I persuaded myself to despise all those objects and pursuits which seem becoming to us; even the practice of law, of which I had been so proud; yea, even my native land and my friends, both those who were then present with me and those whom I had left behind. And one object only seemed to me lovable and worthy of desire: philosophy, and that master of philosophy, this inspired man.

"And the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David." It was not until afterward that I read this passage in the Holy Scriptures, but I experienced it before that time none the less keenly, as if it had been pronounced by the clearest of all revelations. For it was not simply Jonathan that was knit with David; but their very souls, which are the ruling powers in man; things which, though all the visible parts of man be severed, cannot by any force be separated when they themselves are unwilling. Indeed, the soul is free, and cannot be forced by any means; not even if you confine it and guard it in a prison. For where the intelligence is, there, by its own nature and by the first reason, is the soul; but if it seems to you to be in a prison, it is conceived by you to be there by a sort of second reason. But for all that, it cannot be precluded from being there where it wishes; but rather it can only be, and is reasonably believed to be, wheresoever and