The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY: BOOK IV 207
Arcesilaus to announce this. Arcesilaus was sitting by Zosimas having a
discussion. When he learnt this he uttered a piercing wail, rent and
pulled out his hair and threw it into the air. When Zosimas asked the
reason, Arcesilaus said what had happened with frequent interruptions
for groans and tears. And so Zosimas left him and hurried by himself
into a certain room where, as is the custom for such people, he used to
commune with God. After some time he approached him again and he
greeted Arcesilaus with a solemn smile and spoke to him, touching his
hand: ‘Depart in happiness, depart; grace has been granted to the Chozibite.
Your wife is cured, she has both her eyes, and the misfortune had
no power to deprive her of anything, since such was the will of the Chozibite.’
This indeed happened, with the two just men working wonders for
the same purpose.
Once when this Zosimas was going to the city of Caesar and was
leading along an ass on which he had placed some of his necessities, a
lion came up, seized the ass and departed. Zosimas followed him into
the wood until the lion became satiated from his feast on the beast;
Zosimas smiled at it and said: ‘Look here, my friend, my journey has
been interrupted, while I am stout, have gone far beyond youth and am
incapable of carrying on my back what was loaded onto the animal.
Therefore it is necessary for you, contrary to the law of nature, to carry
the burden, if indeed you wish Zosimas to leave these parts and you to
become a wild beast again.’ [159] And the lion forgetting its ferocity,
fawned and at once ran gently up to Zosimas, and through its demeanour
proclaimed obedience. Zosimas put on him the ass’s burden and led him
as far as the gates of the city of Caesar, showing God’s power, and how
all things are obedient slaves to men when we live for Him and do not
debase the grace given to us. 24 But so as not to protract the narrative
with more examples, I will return to the point from which I made the
digression.
8 While Justin was still directing the monarchical rule, what is now
called Dyrrachium, but was formerly Epidamnus, su¡ered from an
24 Peaceable communion with animals, especially with the most ferocious, namely the
lion, was a sure sign of sanctity, and there are numerous stories of saints being helped or
befriended by lions (with Daniel in the lions’ den as an archetype). For extended discussion,
see Elliott, Roads 144^67, with further examples in Chadwick, ‘Moschus’ 68 and Theodoret,
HR 6.2; Life of Sabas chs. 23, 33, 49; Life of Euthymius ch. 13; as Chadwick observes, in
reality anchorites might fall prey to wild animals.