The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

284
EVAGRIUS
that Maurice experienced surprise and astonishment and was terri¢ed at
the sight. Gregory, the archbishop of the city, who was standing beside
him, stated that the event was a divine sign and indicated very great and
exceptional things for him. Christ our God also appeared in a waking
vision to him while in the East, seeking vengeance, which obviously
signi¢ed imperial power: for from whom other than an emperor, and one
who was so pious towards Him, would He have sought such things?
Those who brought him into the world also recounted to me remarkable
things, worthy of narration, when I was enquiring about these matters.
For his father said that at the time of his conception he saw in a dream an
enormous vine sprouting from his own bed, and that numerous perfect
bunches of grapes hung on it, while his mother stated that at the moment
of delivery the earth sent forth a strange, unparalleled sweet-scented
vapour; [217] also, although the thing called Empusa had often removed
the infant in order to eat it, she had never been able to harm it. 77 And
Symeon who made his station on a column near Theopolis, a most e⁄cacious
person 78 and distinguished for all the divine virtues, said and did
many things which indicated imperial power for him. 79 Concerning him
the sequence of the history will relate what is appropriate. 80
22 Maurice ascended to the imperial power when Tiberius was drawing
his last breaths, and had transferred to him his daughter Augusta and
the empire in place of a dowry: whereas he lived for a very short time in
with the church to which Justinian presented a decorated toga in 529, the Church of Cassianus
in Malalas 450:16^18 (though the dedication of this church is unknown). The name
attests the impact on the city of Justinian’s reconstructions.
77 The father’s vision can be traced back to that of Astyages at the birth of his grandson,
the future Cyrus the Great (Herodotus i.108). For a pleasant smell as a sign of sanctity, cf.
ii.3 on the aroma that emanated from the sarcophagus of S. Euphemia; for a ruler who
smelled sweet, cf. Plutarch, Alexander 4.2. Empusa was a foul-smelling hobgoblin who
was supposed to prey on travellers and children.
78 Festugie're (439 with n. 64) interprets praktiko¤tatoB as relating to Symeon’s ascetic
practice, but, since Evagrius is here dealing with a secular prediction, an allusion to his
general e¡ectiveness in action is more apposite; also praktiko¤tatoB does not imply
ascetic conduct.
79 In the Life of Symeon, there are predictions concerning Justin II, as well as the patriarchs
John scholasticus and Anastasius of Antioch (chs. 202^11), but none for Maurice.
Theodore of Sykeon (Life ch. 54) and Patriarch Eutychius (Life 1900^45, Laga, = PG 86,
chs. 67^9) also predicted Maurice’s accession.
80 Evagrius surveys Symeon’s career in vi.23.