II

After they had departed, they said, “God of your great servant (Nikon), guide us to the strange and solitary place, because we know neither the place nor the country, but in going toward you, we committed ourselves to death in the open sea of this desert.” Then John said to Symeon, “What now? Where do we go?” Symeon answered him, “Let us go to the right, because all on the right is good.” And they went, arriving at the Dead Sea, at a place called Arnonas.^[24] While God sustained them, never abandoning those who believed in him with their whole soul, they found a place where a monk who died a few days before had dwelt. Here, there were a few tools and tender plants for them to eat by which the monk who had lived here had sustained himself. Seeing the place our renowned ones rejoiced as if they had found a treasure; for they knew that it had been prepared and sent to them by God, and they began to thank God and the great monk, Nikon. For they said, “Surely we have been well guided because of his prayers.”

When they had stayed a few days, the Devil, the enemy of our souls, unable to bear the virtue of Christ’s servants, began to war against them: against John concerning his wife, and against Symeon concerning his great love for his mother. When one of them saw himself afflicted, immediately he said to the other, “Get up, brother. Let us pray.” And they prayed the prayer of [138] the monk who prayed, “Grant them, O Lord, in their hearts the words of this prayer.” And immediately the two found that they knew it by heart. And they prayed it all the time in each temptation and in each of their requests to God. For it was the Devil who inflamed them, as the God-bearing Fool related, as he did when they ate meat and wine. And from the beginning, he suggested to them cowardice and despair concerning their asceticism, so that from time to time they sought to return from the desert to the monastery. And in their dreams, and sometimes in a delusion, the polymorphous snake made them see their own families weeping, driven mad, and many other things which it is not possible to narrate, unless someone has had the experience of such temptations. But as soon as they remembered the crowns which they had seen on one another and the teaching and tears of the old man (Nikon), their heart was soothed by them and encouraged, just as with holy oil.

Lord Nikon also appeared to them in a dream sometimes advising them, sometimes praying for them, and sometimes teaching them psalms, and they awoke repeating from memory that which he had taught them in their sleep, and they shared great joy. For they knew that he was anxious for their sake, and they assured him with their deeds. And before every request from God, both requested this above all: Symeon, that his mother’s heart be encouraged and assured; John, that God take his wife in order to root out his affection for her from his thought. God, who said, “He fulfills the desire of those who fear him” [LXX Ps 144:19, RSV Ps 146:19], answered them both. After two years had passed, lord Symeon was assured by God that his mother was without grief concerning him, and he appeared to her during the night, and consoled her, and said to her in Syriac, “La dechre lich em,” which is, “Do not grieve mother.”^[25] “For we are well, [139] lord John and I, and we are healthy, and we have entered service in the emperor’s palace, and behold we wear crowns which the emperor placed upon us and glorious robes. Console the parents of my brother John, who is serving with me. But do not be grieved at all.” And Abba John saw someone wearing white who said to him, “Behold, I have made your father without grief; and your wife I have received this day.”

They related to each other what both had seen, and they rejoiced and their heart was gladdened. And meanwhile from consideration for their parents God soon took them, and Symeon and John were henceforth at ease. They did not grieve at all for them, but untroubled and without fear, they continued their course of asceticism and silence all through the night and the day. They had no other work but undistracted preoccupation and untroubled concern. Indeed I speak of unceasing prayer, through which in a brief span the tireless workers progressed, so that after a few years they were judged worthy of divine visions, and God’s assurances, and miracles. After a short time passed with both maintaining silence a stone’s throw away from each other—for they had conceived this for themselves, that is, to withdraw from the world separately, because each one wished to pray alone, but when imaginings or weariness came to one of them, he would go to the other and together they would call on God to be delivered from temptation. On one day, Symeon, sitting in his accustomed place, saw himself in ecstasy, as if he was with his ailing mother in Edessa,^[26] for he came from that place. And he said to her in Syriac, “How are you, mother?” She said, [140] “Well, my child.” Again he said to her, “Go to the King, do not be afraid, because I have asked Him for help, and He has prepared for you a lovely place. And when He wishes, I will join you there.”

When he came to himself, he knew in that hour that his mother had died, and he went running to his brother John, and said, “Arise, sir, let us pray.” But John was troubled, for it seemed to him that some sort of temptation had fallen upon Symeon. Symeon said to him, “Do not be troubled, my brother, for nothing bad has happened to me, thanks be to God.” Then John said to him, “But what is the cause of this running, Father Symeon?”—for he honored and reverenced him, as Symeon did John.^[27] Then as his eyes poured forth with tears, and they began to flow onto his breast like pearls, he said to John, “Just now, the Lord took my good and blessed mother.” And he told him of the vision. They knelt down and prayed, and one could hear Symeon speaking utterly wretched and imploring words to God. His insides twisted and churned, stirred up by nature, and he howled, “God, who accepted Abraham’s sacrifice [Gn 22:1ff.], who looked with favor upon Jephtha’s holocaust [Jgs 11:30–39], who was not disgusted by Abel’s gift [Gn 4:4], who, for the sake of Samuel your child, declared Hannah your prophetess [1 Sm 2], You, my Lord, Lord, for my, your servant’s sake, accept the soul of my good mother. Remember, God, the trouble and distress which she suffered on my account. Remember, Lord, her tears and moaning, which she poured forth because I fled to You from her. Remember, Lord, the breasts at which she suckled humble me, so that she might enjoy my youth, but she did not enjoy it. Do not forget, Master, that she could not be separated from me, even for an hour, and she was separated from me the whole time. Recall, Master who knows all, that although she wished to rejoice in me, I deprived her of myself for your name’s sake. Do not forget, O righteous one, the rending of her innards, which she endured the day I fled to you. You understand, Lord, what sleeplessness she suffered every night [141] from the time when I abandoned her, when she remembered my youth. You know, Master, how many nights she was sleepless, while she sought the sheep who slept with her. Do not forget, lover of humanity, what sort of pain embraced her heart when she melted, seeing my habit, because her pearl no longer existed, being clothed thus. But recall, Master, that I robbed her of her consolation, joy, and exultation, so that I might serve you, my God and hers, and Master of all. Grant her angels who will keep her soul safe from the spirits and beasts of the air, evil and unmerciful beings who endeavor to swallow up everything which comes into their midst. Lord, Lord, send out to her mighty guards to rebuke every impure power molesting her, and, my God, command that her soul be separated from her body, without pain or torture. And if, being a woman, she sinned in word or deed in this life, forgive her soul on behalf of the sacrifice which she bore and offered to you, Master, namely me, your unworthy servant. Yes, Lord, Lord God, righteous judge and lover of humanity, do not carry her from oppression to oppression, from distress to distress, and from groanings to groanings, but instead of grief, which she suffered for the sake of her only child, (carry her) to joy, instead of tears, to the rejoicing prepared for your saints, God, my God, forever and ever. Amen.”

When they got up from their prayer, brother John began to console him, and said, “Behold, brother Symeon, God has fulfilled your request and given heed to your prayer; He has received your mother. But now, toil together with me, and let us both pray for the Lord’s sake, so that God has mercy also on her who, according to God’s will was called my wife, so that God either brings her to consideration of the monastic habit or has mercy and takes her.” And one night after they had prayed for a little while, [142] John saw Symeon’s mother approaching, holding his wife’s hand, saying to her, “Arise, my sister, come close to me, for the King who enlisted my son into his service has granted me a beautiful house. But change your garments and put on pure ones.” And she got up, he saw, immediately and followed her, and he knew that she also had died and that the two were in a beautiful place, and he rejoiced in a very great joy.