st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul

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92 ST. JOHN OF DAMASCUS.
Now it
happened that in the solitudes of Senaar
was a monk named Barlaam. There was revealed to
him in a dream the state of mind in which the young
prince was, and he was commissioned to repair to him.
Accordingly, laying aside his monk s dress and
assuming the garb of a merchant, he went on board
ship l and came to the kingdom of the Indians."
There, watching his opportunity, he accosted the
same attendant in whom the prince had before con
fided, and professed to have a precious stone of
exceeding value the of
"pearl great price"
of the
merchant in the parable which he would give to the
prince if allowed to come into his presence. After
some parley he was admitted and joyfully received by
Joasaph, who divined the errand on which he was
come. The monk, to confirm him in this mood,
related the following parable
: There was once a
great and renowned king, who, when riding abroad in
his golden chariot, attended by a gorgeous retinue,
came upon two men in squalid attire. Their wan
faces and emaciated frames attracted his attention.
When he learnt that it was in the austerities of a life
devoted to God that they had become thus wasted
away, he leapt down from his chariot, and flinging
himself on the ground at their feet, did obeisance to
them and then saluted them most lovingly. The
proud courtiers, offended at the sight of the royal
diadem thus trailing in the dust, as they regarded it,
This, it will be noticed, does not accord with the sugges
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tion made above, that Senaar might be the country still so
called; if at least, this "kingdom of the Indians" is to be
sought in the interior of Africa.