朝聖記 第 1 章

[lacuna]... they were pointed out to us according to the Scriptures. Meanwhile, as we walked, we came to a certain place where the mountains, among which we were going, opened out and formed a vast valley, immense, perfectly level, and very beautiful, and across the valley appeared the holy mount of God, Sinai. Now this place, where the mountains opened out, is joined to that place where the Graves of Craving are. 2. So when one comes to that place, as the holy guides who were with us admonished, saying: 'It is the custom that prayer be made here by those who come, when the mount of God is first seen from this place'—as indeed we did.

From that place to the mount of God it was perhaps four miles in all, through that valley which I have called immense. II. 1. The valley itself is exceedingly vast, lying beneath the flank of the mount of God, which has perhaps—so far as we were able to estimate by sight, or as they themselves said—about sixteen miles in length, while in breadth they said it was four miles. This valley, then, we had to traverse in order to be able to climb the mountain. 2. Now this is the vast and perfectly level valley in which the children of Israel waited during those days when holy Moses went up into the mount of the Lord and was there forty days and forty nights. This is also the valley in which the calf was made, a place which is shown to this day;

for a great stone stands fixed there in that very place. This, then, is the valley at whose head is that place where holy Moses, while he was tending the flocks of his father-in-law, was again spoken to by God out of the bush in the fire. 3. And since our route was such that we should first ascend the mount of God, which appears from this side—because the ascent was better from where we were coming—and from there descend again to that head of the valley, that is, where the bush was, since the descent of the mount of God was better that way:

And so it was decided thus: that having seen all the things we longed for, descending from the mount of God where the bush is, we should come, and from there return all the way through the middle of the valley itself, where it stretches in its length, to our road, together with the men of God who showed us the individual places that are written, throughout that valley—as indeed it was done. 4. So as we went from that place where, coming from Pharan, we had made our prayer, the route was such that we crossed through the middle of the head of that valley itself, and so turned ourselves toward the mount of God. 5. Now the mountain itself, in its circuit, appears indeed to be one;

but within, when you enter, there are several, yet the whole is called the mount of God, while that special one, on whose summit is the place where the majesty of God descended—as it is written—is in the midst of them all. 6. And though all those which are round about are so lofty as I think I have never seen, nevertheless that middle one itself, on which the majesty of God descended, is so much higher than all of them, that when we had gone up upon it, absolutely all those mountains which we had seen as lofty were so far below us, as if they were quite small hillocks. 7.

This indeed is quite wonderful, and I think it is not without the grace of God, that, although that middle one—which is specially called Sinai, that is, on which the majesty of the Lord descended—is higher than all, yet it cannot be seen unless you come to its very base, before you actually climb it; for after, having fulfilled your desire, you have descended from it, then you do see it from the opposite side, which, before you climb it, cannot be done. This, moreover, before we reached the mount of God, I had already learned from the brothers who told us, and after I had arrived there, I knew clearly that it was so. III. 1.

So on the Saturday evening we entered the mountain, and arriving at certain monasteries, the monks who dwelt there received us very kindly, offering us every hospitality; for there is also a church there with a presbyter. There then we stayed that night, and from there, early on the Lord's Day, together with that presbyter and the monks who dwelt there, we began to ascend the several mountains. These mountains are ascended with infinite toil, since you do not go up them slowly and slowly by a winding path, as we say in a spiral, but you climb the whole straight up as if up a wall, and it is necessary to descend each of these mountains straight down, until you reach the very base of that middle one which is specially Sinai. 2.

Thus then, at the bidding of Christ our God, aided by the prayers of the holy men who accompanied us, and so with great toil—because it was necessary for me to ascend on foot, since the climb absolutely could not be made even in a chair—yet that very toil was not felt; and on this side it was not felt as toil, because the desire which I had I saw being fulfilled by the bidding of God. So at the fourth hour we reached the summit of that holy mount of God, Sinai, where the law was given, in that very place where the majesty of the Lord descended on that day when the mountain was smoking. 3. In that place, then, is now a church, not large, since the place itself, that is the summit of the mountain, is not very large; yet that church has of itself great grace. 4.

So when, at the bidding of God, we had climbed up to the very summit and reached the door of that church, behold, the presbyter also came to meet us, coming from his monastery, the one assigned to that church—a sound old man and a monk from his earliest life, and, as they call it here, an ascetic; and why say more? such as is worthy to be in that place. Other presbyters also came to meet us, as well as all the monks who dwelt there near that mountain—that is, those who were not hindered either by age or by infirmity. 5. But truly on the very summit of that middle mountain no one dwells; for there is nothing else there but only the church and the cave where holy Moses was. 6.

So when that very place had been read aloud—all the things from the book of Moses—and the offering had been made in its due order, and when we had thus communicated, just as we were about to leave the church, the presbyters of that place gave us blessings, that is, of the fruits that grow on that mountain. For although the holy mount Sinai itself is wholly rocky, so that it does not even bear a shrub, yet down below near the base of those mountains—whether around that which is the middle one, or around those which are round about—there is a little soil; at once the holy monks, out of their diligence, set little trees and establish small orchards or tilled plots, and beside them their monasteries, so that they may, as it were, take some fruits from the soil of that very mountain, which yet seem to have been worked by their own hands. 7.

So thus, after we had communicated and those holy men had given us the blessings, and we had gone out beyond the door of the church, I then began to ask them to show us the individual places. Then at once those holy men deigned to show each one. For they showed us that cave where holy Moses was when he had ascended a second time into the mount of God to receive again the tablets, after he had broken the former ones because the people had sinned; and the other places, whatever we desired or whatever they themselves better knew, they deigned to show us. 8.

But this I want you to know, venerable lady sisters, that from that place where we were standing, that is within the walls of the church, that is from the summit of that middle mountain itself, those mountains which at first we had barely been able to ascend seemed to be so far below us, beside this middle one on which we stood, as if they were small hillocks—though they were so immense that I did not think I had ever seen any higher, except that this middle one greatly surpassed them. Egypt, moreover, and Palestine, and the Red Sea, and that Parthenian sea which sends one to Alexandria, and also the boundless territories of the Saracens, we saw so far beneath us from there that it can scarcely be believed; yet those holy men pointed out each of these to us. IV. 1.

So having fulfilled every desire for which we had hastened to ascend, we then began also to descend from that summit of the mount of God on which we had climbed, onto another mountain joined to it, which place is called In Horeb; for there is a church there. 2. For this is the place Horeb, where holy Elijah the prophet was when he fled from the face of King Ahab, where God spoke to him saying: 'What doest thou here, Elijah?'—as it is written in the books of Kingdoms. For also the cave where holy Elijah hid is shown there to this day before the door of the church which is there; there is also shown a stone altar which holy Elijah himself set up to offer to God, as those holy men deigned to show us each thing. 3.

So we made there also an offering and a most fervent prayer, and that very place was read aloud from the book of Kingdoms; for this above all I had always desired, that wherever we came, the place itself should always be read from the book. 4. Having therefore made the offering there as well, we went on again to another place not far from there, the presbyters and monks showing it, that is, to that place where holy Aaron had stood with the seventy elders, when holy Moses was receiving the law from the Lord for the children of Israel. In that place, then, although it is not written, there is nevertheless an immense rock having around it a level surface on top, on which those holy men are said to have stood; for in the middle there too it has, as it were, an altar made of stones.

So that place too was read aloud from the book of Moses, and one psalm fitting to the place was recited; and so, prayer having been made, we descended from there. 5. Behold, it now began to be perhaps the eighth hour, and there still remained for us three miles to go entirely out of those mountains which we had entered the previous evening; but we were not to go out by the same side by which we had come in, as I said above, because it was necessary for us both to walk through all the holy places and to see whatever monasteries were there, and so to come out to the head of that valley which I mentioned above, that is, of this valley which lies beneath the mount of God. 6.

But it was necessary for us to go out to the head of that valley, because there were very many monasteries of holy men and a church in that place where the bush is—which bush lives to this day and sends forth shoots. 7. And so, having fully descended the mount of God, we came to the bush at perhaps the tenth hour. Now this is the bush which I mentioned above, out of which the Lord spoke to Moses in the fire, which is in that place where there are very many monasteries and a church at the head of that valley. Before the church itself, moreover, there is a most delightful garden having excellent and abundant water, in which garden is that very bush. 8. A place is also shown there nearby, where holy Moses stood when God said to him: 'Loose the strap of thy sandal,' and the rest.

And so when we had arrived at that place, it was already the tenth hour, and therefore, because it was already evening, we could not make the offering. But prayer was made in the church and also in the garden at the bush; that place too was read from the book of Moses according to custom; and so, because it was evening, we took our meal in the garden before the bush with those holy men; and so then we made our lodging there. And the next day, waking earlier, we asked the presbyters that an offering should be made there too, as indeed it was made. V. 1. And since our route was such that we should go through the middle of that valley which stretches lengthwise—that is, that valley which I mentioned above, where the children of Israel had sat while Moses ascended into the mount of God and descended:

and so, as we came through that whole valley, those holy men always pointed out to us the individual places. 2. For at the very head of that valley, where we had stayed and had seen that bush out of which God spoke to holy Moses in the fire, we had also seen that place in which holy Moses had stood before the bush, when God said to him: 'Loose the strap of thy sandal; for the place in which thou standest is holy ground.' 3. And so then they began always to show us the other places, as we set out from the bush. For they also showed us the place where the camp of the children of Israel had been in those days when Moses was in the mountain. They also showed the place where that calf was made;

for in that place a great stone is fixed to this day. 4. We also, as we went, saw opposite us the summit of the mountain, which looked out over that whole valley, from which place holy Moses saw the children of Israel holding dances in those days in which they had made the calf. They also showed an immense rock in that very place where holy Moses was descending with Joshua, son of Nun, beside which rock, in anger, he broke the tablets which he was carrying. 5. They also showed how, throughout that valley, each one of them had had their dwellings, of which dwellings the foundations still appear to this day, how they were ringed about with stone.

They also showed the place where holy Moses, returned from the mountain, commanded the children of Israel to run from gate to gate. 6. Likewise they showed us the place where that calf itself was burned at the bidding of holy Moses, which Aaron had made for them. Likewise they showed that torrent from which holy Moses gave the children of Israel to drink, as it is written in Exodus. 7. They also showed us the place where the seventy men received of the spirit of Moses. Likewise they showed the place where the children of Israel had craving for food. For they also showed us that place which was called Burning, because a certain part of the camp was burned, and then, when holy Moses prayed, the fire ceased. 8.

They also showed that place where for them it rained manna and quails. And so each thing, whatever is written in the holy books of Moses to have been done in that place, that is in that valley which I said lies beneath the mount of God, that is holy Sinai, was shown to us. Indeed it would have been quite enough to write down all these things one by one, except that the memory could not retain so many; but when your affection reads the holy books of Moses, it perceives more carefully all the things that were done there. 9.

This, then, is the valley where the Passover was celebrated when the year of the departure of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt was completed, since in that very valley the children of Israel waited for some time, that is, until holy Moses ascended into the mount of God and descended a first and a second time; and again they tarried there so long, until the tabernacle was made and the individual things which were shown on the mount of God. For there was shown to us also that place in which the tabernacle was first set up by Moses and each thing was completed which God had commanded on the mountain to Moses to be made. 10.

We also saw, at the very far end of that valley, the Graves of Craving, in that place, however, in which we again returned to our road, that is, where, going out of that great valley, we re-entered the way by which we had come, among those mountains which I had mentioned above. For on that same day we also went to the other very holy monks, who, however, on account of age or infirmity, could not come to the mount of God to make the offering; yet they deigned to receive us very kindly as we arrived at their monasteries. 11.

And so, having seen all the holy places which we desired, as well as all the places which the children of Israel had touched in going to or returning from the mount of God, and having also seen the holy men who dwelt there, in the name of God we returned to Pharan. 12. And although I ought always to give thanks to God in all things, I will not say in these so great and such things which He deigned to confer upon me, unworthy and undeserving, that I should walk through all the places which were not of my merit; yet I am also not sufficient to give thanks to all those holy men, who deigned to receive my littleness in their monasteries with willing heart, or indeed to lead me through all the places which I always sought out according to the holy Scriptures.

Now very many of those holy men who dwelt on the mount of God or around that mountain deigned to lead us all the way to Pharan—those, however, who were of stronger body. VI. 1. And so, when we had arrived at Pharan, which is thirty-five miles from the mount of God, it was necessary for us to tarry there two days in order to recover. And on the third day, hastening on from there, we came again to a lodging, that is, into the desert of Pharan, where we had also lodged on our way out, as I said above.

From there again, on another day, taking water and going on still a little farther among the mountains, we came to a lodging which was now upon the sea, that is, in that place where one now comes out from among the mountains and begins again to walk entirely along the sea—yet so along the sea that sometimes the waves strike the feet of the animals, and sometimes one walks even a hundred or two hundred paces, and at times even more than five hundred paces from the sea through the wilderness: for there is utterly no road there, but the whole is sandy wilderness. 2. The Pharanites, however, who are accustomed to travel there with their camels, set up signs for themselves place by place, toward which signs they steer and so travel by day. But by night the camels heed the signs. And why say more?

the Pharanites, by custom, now travel by night in that place more carefully and more safely than any man can travel in these places where the road is open. 3. So in that place we came out from among the mountains, returning, at the place where, on our way out, we had also entered among the mountains, and so again we turned ourselves toward the sea. The children of Israel also, returning from the mount of God, Sinai, as far as that place, returned by the way they had gone, that is, as far as that place where we came out from among the mountains and joined ourselves again to the Red Sea, and from there we now returned by our route by which we had come; but the children of Israel, from the same place, as it is written in the books of holy Moses, walked their own way. 4.

But we, by the same route and the same lodgings by which we had gone, returned to Clysma. When we had come to Clysma, however, it was necessary for us to recover there again, since we had made a very sandy desert journey. VII. 1. Indeed, although I already knew the land of Goshen, that is, where I had first been on my way to Egypt, yet in order that I might see through all the places which the children of Israel had touched, going out from Rameses, as they went, until they reached the Red Sea—which place is now called Clysma, from the fort that is there—it was therefore my desire that we should go out from Clysma to the land of Goshen, that is, to the city which is called Arabia, which city is in the land of Goshen;

for from there that very territory is so called, that is, the land of Arabia, the land of Goshen, which land is nonetheless a part of the land of Egypt, but considerably better than all Egypt. 2. So there are, from Clysma, that is from the Red Sea, as far as the city of Arabia, four stopping-places through the desert—yet so through the desert that at each stopping-place there are monasteries with soldiers and officers, who always led us from fort to fort. On that route, then, the holy men who were with us, that is the clerics or monks, showed us the individual places which I always sought out according to the Scriptures; for some were to the left, some to the right of our route, some also farther from the way, some close by. 3.

For I want your affection to believe me that, so far as I was able to perceive, the children of Israel walked in such a way that as far as they went to the right, so far they returned to the left, and as far as they again went forward, so far they again turned back behind: and thus they made that very journey, until they reached the Red Sea. 4. For Epauleum too was shown to us, from the opposite side, however, and we were at Migdol. For there is now a fort there having an officer with a soldier, who now presides there for the sake of Roman discipline. For they also led us, according to custom, from there as far as another fort, and the place Baal-zephon was shown to us—indeed, we were in that place.

For it is the plain above the Red Sea beside the flank of the mountain which I mentioned above, where the children of Israel, when they had seen the Egyptians coming after them, cried out. 5. Etham too was shown to us, which is beside the desert places, as it is written, as well as Succoth. Now Succoth is a moderate slope in the middle of the valley, beside which little hill the children of Israel pitched their camp; for this is the place where the law of the Passover was received. 6. The city Pithom too, which the children of Israel built, was shown to us on that very route, in that place, however, where we had now entered the borders of Egypt, now leaving the lands of the Saracens: for that Pithom too is now a fort. 7.

Now the city of Heroes, which existed at that time—that is, where Joseph met his father Jacob as he came, as it is written in the book of Genesis—is now a village, but a large one, which we call a hamlet. For that village has a church and martyr-shrines and very many monasteries of holy monks, each of which it was necessary for us to go down to see, according to the custom we kept. 8. For that village is now called Hero, which Hero, however, is sixteen miles from the land of Goshen, for it is on the borders of Egypt. The place itself is quite pleasant, for a certain part of the river Nile flows there too. 9.

And so, going out from Hero, we came to the city which is called Arabia, which is a city in the land of Goshen, from which it is written that Pharaoh said to Joseph: 'In the better land of Egypt settle thy father and thy brothers, in the land of Goshen, in the land of Arabia.' VIII. 1. From the city of Arabia, moreover, it is four miles to Rameses. But we, in order to come to the lodging of Arabia, passed through the middle of Rameses: which city of Rameses is now a field, so that it does not even have a single dwelling. It is plain, indeed, that it was both immense in its circuit and had many buildings; for its ruins, as they have collapsed, appear to this day beyond counting. 2.

But now there is nothing else there except only one immense Theban stone, in which are two huge statues, carved out, which they say are of holy men, that is of Moses and Aaron; for they say that the children of Israel set them up in their honor. 3. And there is besides there a sycamore tree, which is said to have been planted by the patriarchs; for it is now very ancient and therefore quite small, although it still bears fruit. For whoever has any ailment goes there and takes twigs, and it is of benefit to them. 4. This, moreover, we learned from the holy bishop of Arabia, who told us; for he himself told us the name of that tree, how they call it in Greek, that is Dendros Aletheias, which we call the tree of truth.

This holy bishop, however, deigned to come to meet us at Rameses; for he is now an elderly man, truly quite religious, having risen from being a monk, and affable, receiving pilgrims very well; for he is also greatly learned in the Scriptures of God. 5. So when he had deigned to trouble himself and to come to meet us there, he showed and told each thing there, both about those statues which I mentioned, and about that sycamore tree. For the holy bishop himself also told us this: that Pharaoh, when he saw that the children of Israel had left him, then, before he set out after them, had gone with his whole army into Rameses and had burned it all, because it was exceedingly vast, and from there had set out after the children of Israel. IX. 1.

Now by good fortune this most pleasant thing befell us, that on the day on which we came to the lodging of Arabia, it was the eve of the most blessed day of Epiphany; for on that same day vigils were to be held in the church. And so the holy bishop kept us there for some two days—a holy man and truly a man of God, already quite well known to me from that time when I had been in the Thebaid. 2. Now this holy bishop is from a monk; for from boyhood he was reared in a monastery, and therefore he is either so learned in the Scriptures or so blameless in his whole life, as I said above. 3. We, moreover, then sent back from there the soldiers who had provided us aid for the sake of Roman discipline, as long as we had walked through suspect places;

but now, since there was a public highway through Egypt, which passed through the city of Arabia—that is, the one which runs from the Thebaid to Pelusium—therefore it was no longer necessary to trouble the soldiers. 4. So setting out from there, we made our journey entirely through the land of Goshen, always among vineyards which yield wine, and vineyards which yield balsam, and among orchards and most cultivated fields and very many gardens; we had our whole journey along the bank of the river Nile, among very frequent estates which had once been the farmsteads of the children of Israel. And why say more? I think I have nowhere seen a more beautiful territory than is the land of Goshen. 5.

And so, journeying from the city of Arabia, traveling for two whole days across the land of Goshen, we arrived at Tanis, the city in which holy Moses was born. Now this city of Tanis was once the capital of Pharaoh. 6. And although I already knew those places, as I said above—that is, from when I had gone to Alexandria or to the Thebaid—nevertheless, because I wished to learn fully the places through which the children of Israel had traveled as they set out from Rameses to the holy mountain of God, Sinai: thus it was necessary even to return once more to the land of Goshen, and from there to Tanis. Setting out then from Tanis, traveling along a road now known to me, I came to Pelusium. 7.

And setting out again from there, making my journey through the individual stations of Egypt through which we had passed, I came to the borders of Palestine. And from there, in the name of Christ our God, again making several stages through Palestine, I returned to Aelia, that is, to Jerusalem. X. 1. Likewise, after some time had passed, and at God's bidding, there was again a desire to go as far as Arabia, that is, to Mount Nebo, to the place where God commanded Moses to ascend, saying to him: 'Go up into the mountain Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab over against Jericho, and behold the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession, and die in that very mountain to which you ascend.' 2.

Therefore our God Jesus, who does not forsake those who hope in Him, deigned in this matter also to grant fulfilment to my desire. 3. Setting out then from Jerusalem, making the journey with holy men, that is, a presbyter and deacons from Jerusalem and some brothers, that is, monks, we came to that place of the Jordan where the children of Israel had crossed over, when holy Joshua, the son of Nun, had led them across the Jordan, as it is written in the book of Joshua son of Nun. For that place too was shown to us, as it were a little higher, where the children of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar, on that part of the bank which is toward Jericho. 4.

Crossing the river then, we came to the city which is called Livias, which lies in that plain where the children of Israel had then pitched their camp. For even the foundations of the camp of the children of Israel and of their dwellings, where they had stayed, are visible in that place to this day. For that plain itself is boundless, lying beneath the mountains of Arabia above the Jordan. For this is the place of which it is written: 'And the children of Israel mourned for Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan over against Jericho for forty days.' 5. This is also the place where, after the departure of Moses, immediately Joshua, the son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of knowledge: for Moses had laid his hands upon him, as it is written. 6.

For this is the very place where Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy. This is also the place where Moses spoke into the ears of the whole assembly of Israel the words of the song to its very end, which is written in the book of Deuteronomy. This is the very place where holy Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel one by one in order before his death. 7. So when we had come into that same plain, we made our way to the very place, and prayer was made there, and a certain portion of Deuteronomy was also read in that place, as well as the song itself, and also the blessings which he had pronounced over the children of Israel. And again, after the reading, prayer was made, and giving thanks to God we set out from there.

For this was always our custom, that wherever we wished to approach the places we longed for, prayer would first be made there, then the relevant passage would be read from the codex, a psalm pertaining to the matter would also be said, and again prayer would be made there. This custom, at God's bidding, we always kept, wherever we were able to reach the places we longed for. 8. And so, in order that the work we had begun might be completed, we began to hasten, that we might reach Mount Nebo. As we were going, the presbyter of that very place, that is, of Livias, whom we had brought along with us from the station at our own request, because he knew those places better, gave us advice; this presbyter then said to us:

'If you wish to see the water which flows from the rock, that is, which Moses gave to the thirsty children of Israel, you can see it, if only you are willing to put yourselves to the labor of turning aside from the road perhaps for six miles.' 9. When he had said this, we, being quite eager, longed to go, and immediately, turning aside from the road, we followed the presbyter who was leading us. In that place there is a small church beneath the mountain—not Nebo, but another inner one: yet it too is not far from Nebo. Many monks dwell there, truly holy, whom here they call ascetics. XI. 1. These holy monks, then, deigned to receive us very kindly, for they even allowed us to enter to greet them.

And when we had entered to them, after prayer had been made with them, they deigned to give us blessed gifts, as they have the custom of giving to those whom they kindly receive. 2. There, then, between the church and the monastic cells, in the midst there flows from a rock a great spring of water, beautiful and very clear, of excellent taste. Then we asked even those holy monks who dwelt there what this water was, so good and of such taste. Then they said: 'This is the water which holy Moses gave to the children of Israel in this wilderness.' 3. So prayer was made there according to custom, and the passage itself was read from the books of Moses, and a single psalm was also said;

and thus together with those holy clergy and monks who had come with us, we went on to the mountain. Many also of those holy monks themselves who dwelt there beside that water, who were nonetheless able to put themselves to the labor, deigned to ascend Mount Nebo with us. 4. So then, setting out from that same place, we came to the foot of Mount Nebo, which was very high, yet in such a way that the greatest part of it could be climbed seated on donkeys; but a small stretch was steeper, which had to be ascended on foot with effort, as indeed was done. XII. 1. So we came to the summit of that mountain, where there is now a church, not large, on the very summit of Mount Nebo.

Within that church, in the place where the pulpit is, I saw a spot somewhat slightly raised, having only as much space as memorial tombs usually have. 2. Then I asked those holy men what this might be; and they answered: 'Here holy Moses was laid by angels, since, as it is written, no man knows his burial, for it is certain that he was buried by angels. For his tomb, where he was laid, is not shown to this day; for just as it was shown to us by our elders who dwelt here, where it was pointed out, so we also point it out to you: and these elders themselves nonetheless said that it had been handed down to them thus by their own elders.' 3.

And so prayer was soon made, and all the things which we were accustomed to do in each of the holy places in order, were done here too: and thus we began to go out of the church. Then those who were the local guides, that is, presbyters or holy monks, said to us: 'If you wish to see the places which are written of in the books of Moses, go out before the door of the church and from this very summit, on the side, however, where they are visible from here, look and behold, and we will tell you each of these places which are visible.' 4. Then we, quite glad, immediately went out. For from the door of that church we saw the place where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea, which place, just as we were standing, lay visible below us.

We saw too, opposite, not only Livias, which was on this side of the Jordan, but also Jericho, which is across the Jordan; so high stood the lofty place where we were standing, that is, before the door of the church. 5. The greatest part of Palestine too, which is the land of promise, was visible from there, as well as all the land of the Jordan, as far as could be discerned with the eyes. And on the left side we saw all the lands of the Sodomites, as well as Zoar, which Zoar alone of those five still stands to this day. 6. For there is also a memorial there; but of the rest of those cities nothing else appears except the overthrow of ruins, just as they were turned to ashes.

The place too, where the pillar of Lot's wife stood, was shown to us, which place is also read of in the Scriptures. 7. But believe me, venerable ladies, that the pillar itself is no longer visible, only the place is pointed out: but the pillar itself is said to have been covered over by the Dead Sea. Certainly, when we saw the place, we saw no pillar, and therefore I cannot deceive you concerning this matter. For the bishop of that very place, that is, of Zoar, told us that it had now been several years since that pillar had been visible. For the very place where that pillar stood is perhaps six miles from Zoar, which place the water now wholly covers. 8.

Likewise from the right side of the church, but outside, we approached, and from there, opposite, two cities were shown to us, that is, Heshbon, which belonged to king Sihon, king of the Amorites, which is now called Exebon, and the other belonging to Og, king of Bashan, which is now called Sasdra. Likewise from the same place there was shown to us, opposite, Peor, which was a city of the kingdom of Edom. 9. Now all these cities which we saw were set on mountains; but a little below, lower down, a flatter region appeared to us. Then it was told us that in those very days, when holy Moses and the children of Israel had fought against those cities, they had had their camp pitched there: for the marks of the camps were visible there too. 10.

Indeed, on that side of the mountain which I called the left, which was above the Dead Sea, there was shown to us a mountain very sheer, which was formerly called 'the lookout of the field.' This is the mountain on which Balak, son of Beor, set Balaam the soothsayer to curse the children of Israel, and God would not permit it so, as it is written. 11. And so, having seen all the things we longed for, returning in the name of God through Jericho and the whole road by which we had come, we went back to Jerusalem. XIII. 1. Likewise, after some time, I wished also to go to the region of Ausitis to see the memorial of holy Job, for the sake of prayer.

For I saw many holy monks coming from there to Jerusalem to visit the holy places for the sake of prayer, who, recounting each thing about those very places, made all the greater my desire to take upon myself the labor of going even as far as those places—if indeed it can be called labor, where a person sees his desire fulfilled. 2. So I set out from Jerusalem with holy men who deigned to provide me an escort on my journey, they too for the sake of prayer. Now my journey was from Jerusalem as far as Carneas, going through eight stages—Carneas, however, is now called the city of Job, which was formerly called Dennaba in the land of Ausitis, on the borders of Idumaea and Arabia—:

on which journey, as I went, I saw above the bank of the river Jordan a valley quite beautiful and pleasant, abounding in vines and trees, since there were there many waters, and very excellent ones. 3. For in that valley there was a large village, which is now called Sedima. In that village, then, which is set in the middle of the plain, in the midst of the place there is a little hill not very large, but made like tombs usually are—but large ones: there on the top is a church, and below, around that little hill, large ancient foundations are visible, but now in that village a considerable crowd dwells. 4. But when I saw the place so pleasing, I inquired what that place so delightful might be. Then it was told me:

'This is the city of king Melchizedek, which was formerly called Salem, whence now, by corruption of speech, that village is called Sedima. For on that little hill, which is set in the midst of the village, on its summit there is a church—the structure which you see—which church is now called in Greek 'the place of Melchizedek.' For this is the place where Melchizedek offered to God pure sacrifices, that is, bread and wine, as it is written that he did.' XIV. 1. So as soon as I heard this, we dismounted from the animals, and behold, the holy presbyter of that very place and the clergy deigned to come to meet us; and receiving us at once, they led us up to the church.

When we had come there, immediately, according to custom, first prayer was made, then the passage itself was read from the book of holy Moses, a single psalm fitting that place was also said, and again, prayer having been made, we went down. 2. So when we had gone down, that holy presbyter—already aged and well instructed in the Scriptures, that is, the one who presided over that very place, having risen from a monk, a presbyter to whom many bishops too, as we afterwards learned, bore great testimony concerning his life, for they said this of him, that he was worthy to preside in this place where holy Melchizedek first offered pure sacrifices to God when holy Abraham came—said to us:

when we had gone down, as I said above, from the church, that holy presbyter himself said to us: 'Behold, those foundations around this little hill, which you see—these are from the palace of king Melchizedek. For from there, even now, if anyone suddenly wishes to build a house near it and touches the foundations from there, sometimes he finds there even small fragments of silver and bronze. 3. For behold, this road which you see passing between the river Jordan and this village—this is the road by which holy Abraham returned from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, king of the nations, returning to Sodom, on which holy Melchizedek, king of Salem, met him.' XV. 1.

Then, because I retained in mind that it is written that holy John baptized in Aenon near Salim, I inquired of him how far that place was. Then that holy presbyter said: 'Behold, it is here within two hundred paces. For if you wish, behold, I will at once lead you there on foot. For this water, so great and so pure, which you see in this village, comes from that very spring.' 2. Then I began to give thanks to him and to beg that he would lead us to the place, as indeed was done. So at once we began to go with him on foot, all through a most pleasant valley, until we came as far as an orchard, very pleasant, where he showed us in the midst a spring of water quite excellent and pure, which at once let out a whole river.

Now that spring had before it, as it were, a pool, where it appeared that holy John the Baptist had performed baptism. 3. Then that holy presbyter said to us: 'To this day this garden is called in Greek nothing other than kepos tou hagiou Ioannou, that is, what you in Latin call the garden of holy John.' For many holy brother monks too, coming from various places, betake themselves to wash in that place. 4. So again, at that very spring, just as in each of the places, prayer was made and that very passage was read; a fitting psalm was also said, and each of the things which it was our custom to do, wherever we came to the holy places, so there too we did. 5.

The holy presbyter also told us this, that to this present day always at every Passover, whoever were to be baptized in that very village, that is, in the church which is called 'the place of Melchizedek,' all would be baptized in that very spring, and so they would return early to the candles with the clergy and monks, saying psalms or antiphons, and thus all who had been baptized would be led early from the spring to the church of holy Melchizedek. 6. So we, receiving from the presbyter blessed gifts, that is, from the orchard of holy John the Baptist, and likewise from the holy monks who had monasteries there in that orchard, and ever giving thanks to God, set out on our journey, whither we were going. XVI. 1.

And so, going for some while through the valley of the Jordan along the bank of that very river, because our road there lay along it for some while, suddenly we saw the city of the holy prophet Elijah, that is, Tishbe, whence that Elijah had his name 'the Tishbite.' There too, to this day, is the cave in which that holy man sat, and there is the memorial of holy Getha, whose name we read in the books of Judges. 2. And so, there too, giving thanks to God according to custom, we went on our journey. Likewise, going on that journey, we saw a most pleasant valley coming toward us from the left, which valley was vast, sending a boundless torrent into the Jordan. And there, in that very valley, we saw the monastery of a certain brother now, that is, of a monk. 3.

Then I, being rather curious, began to inquire what this valley was, where a holy monk had now made himself a monastery; for I did not think this to be without cause. Then the holy men who were making the journey with us, that is, the local guides, said to us: 'This is the valley Cherith, where holy Elijah the Tishbite sat in the times of king Ahab, when there was a famine, and at God's command a raven brought him food, and he drank water from that torrent. For this torrent, which you see running from that very valley into the Jordan—this is Cherith.' 4. And so, no less giving thanks to God, who deigned to show us, undeserving, each of the things we longed for, we thus began to go on our journey, as we did each day.

And so, making our journey each day, suddenly from the left side, whence opposite we could see the regions of Phoenicia, there appeared to us a mountain, vast and infinitely high, which stretched out in length... * * * [One leaf is missing.] 5. That holy monk, a man of ascetic life, found it necessary, after so many years during which he had sat in the wilderness, to bestir himself and go down to the city of Carneas, to advise the bishop and clergy of that time, according to what had been revealed to him, that they should dig in that place which had been shown to him—as indeed was done. 6. Digging in that place which had been shown, they found a cave, which they followed perhaps for a hundred paces, whereupon, as they were digging, a stone suddenly appeared to them:

and when they had thoroughly examined that stone, they found inscribed on its lid 'Job.' For this Job there was then made in that place this church which you see, in such a way, however, that the stone with the body should not be moved to another place, but should be set there where the body had been found, and so that the body should lie beneath the altar. But that church, which some tribune or other was building, thus stands unfinished to this day. 7. And so, the next day in the morning, we asked the bishop to make the offering, as indeed he deigned to do, and the bishop, blessing us, we set out. Having communicated there too, and ever giving thanks to God, we returned to Jerusalem, making our journey through the individual stations through which we had gone [three years].

XVII. 1. Likewise in the name of God, after some time had passed, when three full years had now elapsed since I had come to Jerusalem, having seen also all the holy places to which I had directed myself for the sake of prayer, and since my mind was now set on returning to my homeland: I wished, at God's bidding, to go also to Mesopotamia of Syria, to visit the holy monks who were said to be there in great numbers and of such excellent life that it could scarcely be told;

and likewise for the sake of prayer to the martyr-shrine of holy Thomas the apostle, where his body lies whole, that is, at Edessa, whom our God Jesus testified that He would send there after He had ascended into heaven, through the letter which He sent to king Abgar through Ananias the courier, which letter is kept with great reverence at the city of Edessa, where that very martyr-shrine is. 2. For I wish your affection to believe me that there is no Christian who, having come as far as the holy places, that is, to Jerusalem, does not betake himself thither for the sake of prayer; and this place is at the twenty-fifth station from Jerusalem. 3.

And since Mesopotamia is nearer from Antioch, it was, at God's bidding, quite convenient for me that, just as I was returning to Constantinople—since my road lay through Antioch—I should from there go to Mesopotamia, as indeed was done at God's bidding. XVIII. 1. So then, in the name of Christ our God, I set out from Antioch to Mesopotamia, having my journey through several stations or cities of the province of Coele-Syria, which belongs to Antioch, and from there, having entered the borders of the province of Augustofratensis, I came to the city of Hierapolis, which is the metropolis of that very province, that is, of Augustofratensis.

And since this city is very beautiful and wealthy and abounding in all things, it was necessary for me to make a halt there, since the borders of Mesopotamia were now not far from there. 2. So then, setting out from Hierapolis, at the fifteenth mile, in the name of God, I came to the river Euphrates, of which it is quite well written that the Euphrates is a great and vast river, and it is, as it were, terrible; for it runs down with such force as the river Rhône has, except that the Euphrates is still greater. 3. So then, since it was necessary to cross it by boats, and by no boats save the larger ones, thus I tarried there perhaps more than half a day;

and from there, in the name of God, having crossed the river Euphrates, I entered the borders of Mesopotamia of Syria. XIX. 1. And so, again making my journey through several stations, I came to a city whose name we read set down in the Scriptures, that is, Batanis, which city exists to this day. For it even has a church with a truly holy bishop, both a monk and a confessor, and several martyr-shrines. That city too abounds with a multitude of people; for soldiery too is stationed there with its tribune. 2. Setting out again from there, we came, in the name of Christ our God, to Edessa. When we had arrived there, we immediately went on to the church and to the martyr-shrine of holy Thomas.

And so, according to custom, prayers having been made, and the rest of the things which it was customary to do in the holy places, we also read there several things of that holy Thomas himself. 3. The church there, however, is vast and very beautiful and of new design, such as is truly worthy to be the house of God; and since there were many things which I longed to see there, it was necessary for me to make a three-day halt there. 4. And so I saw in that same city very many martyr-shrines, as well as holy monks, some dwelling among the martyr-shrines, others farther from the city having their monasteries in more secluded places. 5. And since the holy bishop of that city, a man truly religious and both a monk and a confessor, receiving me gladly, said to me:

'Since I see, daughter, that for the sake of religion you have imposed upon yourself so great a labor as to come from the farthest lands to these places, therefore, if you are willing, whatever places there are here pleasing for Christians to see, we will show you.' Then, giving thanks to God first, I thus begged him earnestly to deign to do what he said. 6. So then he led me first to the palace of king Abgar, and there he showed me a great portrait of him, very lifelike, as they said, of marble, of such luster as if it were of pearl; and on the face of this Abgar it appeared, opposite, that this man had truly been quite wise and honorable. Then the holy bishop said to me:

'Behold king Abgar, who, before he saw the Lord, believed in Him that He was truly the Son of God.' For there was also beside it a portrait similarly made of such marble, which he said was of his son Magnus, likewise having something of grace in its countenance. 7. Likewise we went on into the inner part of the palace; and there were springs full of fish, such as I have never yet seen, that is, of such size and either so very clear or of such good taste. For that city now has absolutely no other water than that which comes out of the palace, which is like a great silver river. 8. And then the holy bishop told me thus of that water, saying:

'At a certain time, after king Abgar had written to the Lord and the Lord had written back to Abgar through Ananias the courier, as it is written in that very letter: when, then, some time had passed, the Persians came up and encircled this city. 9. But immediately Abgar, carrying the Lord's letter to the gate with all his army, prayed publicly. And afterward he said: 'Lord Jesus, You had promised us that none of the enemy should enter this city, and behold, now the Persians are attacking us.' When the king had said this, holding the letter itself open in his uplifted hands, suddenly such great darkness fell—outside the city, however, before the eyes of the Persians, when they were now drawing near to the city, so that they were within the third mile of the city—:

but so soon were they thrown into confusion by the darkness that they could scarcely pitch their camp and encircle the whole city at the third mile. 10. But the Persians were so confounded that they could never afterward see by which side they might enter the city, but they guarded the city, enclosed in a ring of enemies, yet at the third mile—which they nonetheless guarded for several months. 11. But afterward, when they saw that they could by no means enter the city, they wished to kill by thirst those who were in the city. For that little hill which you see, daughter, above this city, at that time supplied water to this city.

Then the Persians, seeing this, diverted that very water from the city and made it run down opposite the place where they themselves had their camp pitched. 12. So on that very day and in that very hour in which the Persians had diverted the water, immediately these springs which you see in this place, at God's command, burst forth all at once: from that day these springs remain here to this day by the grace of God. But that water which the Persians had diverted was so dried up in that hour that those who were besieging the city did not have even for one day what they might drink, as indeed appears to this day; for afterward no moisture of any kind whatever has ever appeared there to this day. 13. And so, at the bidding of God, who had promised this would come to pass, they were obliged to return at once to their own land, that is, to Persia.

For afterward too, as often as enemies wished to come and assault this city, this letter was brought forth and read at the gate, and immediately, at the nod of God, all the enemies were driven off.' 14. The holy bishop also told this: that where these springs burst forth, there had before been a field within the city, lying beneath the palace of Abgar. Which palace of Abgar was set, as it were, in a higher place, as it now appears, as you see. For such was the custom in that time, that palaces, whenever they were built, were always made in higher places. 15.

But afterward, when these springs had burst forth in that place, then Abgar himself made for his son Magnus—that is, the one whose portrait you see set beside his father—this palace in that place, in such a way, however, that these springs should be enclosed within the palace. 16. So afterward, when the holy bishop had told all these things, he said to me: 'Let us now go to the gate through which Ananias the courier entered with that letter of which I had spoken.' So when we had come to that very gate, the bishop, standing, made prayer and read to us there those very letters, and again, blessing us, prayer was made anew. 17. The holy man himself also told us this, saying:

For from that day on which the courier Ananias entered through this very gate bearing the letter of the Lord, even to the present day it is kept that no one unclean and no one in mourning may pass through this gate, nor may the corpse of any dead person be carried out through it. 18. The holy bishop also showed us the memorial of Abgar and of his whole household, very beautiful, but made in the ancient manner. He also led us to that upper palace which King Abgar had possessed from the first, and whatever other places there were besides, he showed us. 19. This too was very pleasing to me, that I might receive for myself from the holy bishop himself the very letters, both of Abgar to the Lord and of the Lord to Abgar, which the holy bishop had read to us there.