Here are the next four chapters of the “Jerusalem Life” of John Damascene. John Damascene’s father has met an educated Italian slave named Cosmas in the market in Damascus, and employs him to teach his sons philosophy.
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10. John’s Father Frees Cosmas and Entrusts His Sons to Him.[1]
On hearing these words, the man[2] who was seeking such a treasure replied, “Well then, O blessed man, console yourself, for perhaps the Lord may grant you the requests of your heart.” Having said this, John’s father ran as fast as he could to the Saracen chief and fell at his feet, requesting the now quiet distinguished Cosmas as a gift, nor did he fail in his request, but he received the one truly worthy of much as a gift, and brought him into his own house, comforted him, and refreshed him after his long ordeal, and said something like this, “Not only are you free from now on, but also I make you a partner in my household, and equal in authority with me, sharing all my joys and sorrows.” But this only I request of you, in honour your honour, that you instruct and educate most diligently my natural son John, and also this other who shares your name – whom I have made my spiritual son, who was born in Jerusalem but orphaned at a young age – all the secular learning and philosophy that you know, as well as that to which the grace of the Holy Spirit guides the worthy.[3] The philosopher, upon hearing this, was at once like a horse galloping away from its restraints and prancing across the field, or a thirsty deer sent out towards streams of water. You might say that he was like another Midas who had stumbled upon great treasures of gold. He was very eager for the matter at hand, and he took on the young men, and became their tutor.
11. John and Cosmas the Younger gain expertise in theology.
John was like an eagle, soaring through the air, as if using wings, and with natural ability and zeal of purpose. And his spiritual brother, and fellow initiate, Cosmas, was like a ship with sails spread wide, and borne like a cargo vessel upon the waters, [propelled] by a favourable breeze[4] and with a west wind blowing from the stern. Thus, by natural quickness and intensity of zeal, they gathered all the most important teaching in a short time, whether in grammar, dialectic or demonstration. And with moral philosophy, they not only cultivated their minds by means of studying this, but also calmed the disturbances of their souls. And just like an eagle looking keenly, so did they gaze intently at the laws of nature. They also learned mathematical proportions as skilfully as Pythagoras or Diophantus. They were trained so well in the proof of geometry that they seemed like Euclid and those others similar to him. In harmony, they became like those[5] who appear to have created divine melodies for the wise. In astronomy, as much as [pertains] to intervals, figures,[6] and the proportions of distances, even if he[Cosmas the elder] taught only a introductory understanding for non-specialists, from what he wrote John appears to excel; and indeed so also did Cosmas. But discussion about him [Cosmas the younger] must be left to others, for John is the subject of our praise.[7]
12. They study theology especially.
Who would not recognize and marvel at his theological insights, and the precision of his doctrines in his foundational book—or rather, in his comprehensive book on doctrine—which one could call a code of laws of every orthodox doctrine, and [liken to] the tablets of Moses without straying from the truth. However I know that I ought to have made praises of that book in the earlier chapters, and not here, but I have stated these things to demonstrate the education in which he was educated, and how he pursued all of it with knowledge and precision, and the marvellous thing is that he was not puffed up by knowledge, but rather, just as the noble branches of trees, weighed down by their abundance of fruit, inclined toward the ground, so also the great John, as the fruits of learning increased upon him, began to incline, not towards the ground, but towards the depths of the philosophical sea, sailing still upon it as if on some ship of worldly endeavour.[8] But he also longed to unload this world’s ship, and to entirely strip off the garments of bodily endeavour, and with a naked mind to swim across the sea, and dive into the deep, so that he might find the precious pearl lying hidden there. Therefore, longing for this and aiming at it, he descended to the bottom of the depths. And he was not puffed up by his knowledge, but humbled by his desire for a more mystical wisdom. So the intellectual lamp of his soul was filled with the oil of worldly wisdom, in order that the incorporeal light falling down from above might set fire to this light, and John might appear like a burning torch.
13. They are returned to their father by their teacher, who retires to a monastery. John becomes Chief Adviser.
In these circumstances, his teacher, guided towards this desire by his student, or so it seems, approached the boy’s father and said,
“Behold: your wishes are fulfilled, and the boys surpass me in wisdom. For it was not enough for them to become equal to their teacher, but by the greatness of their nature, and their unyielding efforts, perhaps also with God increasing their gift of wisdom, they have risen above me towards the pinnacle of philosophy. Accordingly, I am no longer needed by them from now on.” As reward for my labours, allow me to depart to a monastery, where I may scientifically[9] seek the highest wisdom. For the philosophy, in which I was already trained, directs me towards that [higher wisdom], and to be enriched still more by both blessings [heavenly and earthly wisdom], and to add to the earlier wisdom also that which is most separated from matter, and surpasses understanding, and which only the mind alone, completely free from the body, can be initiated into.”
John’s father was grieved at the words of the philosopher. But he could not detain him, as otherwise it would seem as if he had held onto the wages agreed for the teaching given [to his sons]. Having provided him with the most abundant supplies for his needs, he sent him away in peace. But he went to the monastery of Mar Saba in the desert, and remained there until his end, going to God who is Wisdom Himself. The father of John also departed through death. But the leader of the Saracens summoned John, and appointed him as Chief Advisor.[10] But he declined because his inclination was directed elsewhere. However he was put under sufficient pressure that he was no longer able to refuse, and was appointed to a greater office than his father.
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The Muslim caliphs made use of the existing Byzantine civil service to run the government machine and – the most important part – collect taxes, for a considerable period after the conquest.
- [1]This heading is not from Lequien, but just appeared from nowhere in an AI Latin translation output.↩
- [2]John’s father.↩
- [3]I am not clear about καὶ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος χάρις τοὺς ἀξίους ἐμυσταγώγησεν so I have followed the Latin.↩
- [4]πνεῦμα = wind, breeze, breath, spirit.↩
- [5]I was unable to follow the use of the particles here. Gk: Περὶ δὲ τὴν ἁρμονικὴν τοιοῦτοι γεγόνασιν, ὁποῖοι ἄρα ἐξ ὧν ἐμουσουργήσασαν θείων μελισμάτων τοῖς συνετοῖς καταφαίνονται.↩
- [6]ἐν διαστήμασι καὶ σχηματισμοῖς.↩
- [7] ἐγκωμίων↩
- [8]The sense is that he was still using the works of mankind to investigate the truths of philosophy, but wanted to go beyond this.↩
- [9] ἐπιστημονικός; Lequien “certis regulis”, “by fixed rules.”↩
- [10] πρωτοσύμβουλος, perhaps a financial post.↩
Some notes on ch. 10:
τὸν κόσμιον Κοσμᾶν: Note the pun on Kosmas’ name. The meaning is surely complimentary; perhaps “well-behaved” or “well-mannered”? But it is more than that. Lequien’s ‘ornatissimum’ gives just the right idea, preserving the “cosmetic” aspect as well as pointing to Kosmas’ virtues (ornatus in LS is “adorned with all good qualities, excellent, distinguished”).
πρὸς τῆς σῆς αἰτῶ τιμιότητος: ἡ σὴ τιμιότης is a common form of address; “I request of your honour”.
καὶ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος…: the problem here is that Migne skipped a word from Lequien’s text: καὶ ἣν ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος, with ἣν introducing the relative clause. The Latin translation and yours are correct. (Migne was incredibly careful with his transcriptions, but it always pays to keep an eye on his originals.)
thirst deer: thirsty deer?
Thank you so much for these comments! Will take on board.
That was perhaps too brief. I am very grateful for any guidance on this stuff. It’s all just a first draft really, but I’m bound to commit any number of errors. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction so graciously.